Tag: #Love

David Coffield, Featured Writers, Guest Post

Staying in Grace

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

Letter from David C., used by permission.                                                                                                               

I was having lunch with my friend Drew today and he asked me a question (he is really good with questions).  How do you personally keep from drifting away from grace and moving into Law?  I don’t have well thought out answers.  I have a few thoughts though.

Embrace the brokenness.  I don’t care how sharp a person is, if they measure themselves against the absolute, holy Law and standard of God—they are toast.  In Galatians Paul says that one of the functions of the Law is to show us that we are lawbreakers and in need of Christ.  The more I see of the beauty and majesty and glory of Jesus in the scripture, the more I am aware of my tattered, shabby, grubby nature.  At my best I am a victim of the mercy and grace and love of God.

A proud person will have difficulty embracing grace.  They don’t need it.  There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance.  God is always opposed to the proud and He always give grace to the humble.

Embrace genuine fellowship.  Acceptance is hard to come by in a ministry committed to performance.  There are a few brothers I have with whom my life, in all of its brokenness, is accepted, cared for, encouraged.  Such people are a rich treasure.  The critical, legalistic, high performing people I try and avoid.  Paul says we are to accept one another as God has accepted us in Christ.  How is that for a goal to strive for?

Embrace the relationship through the Word.  The problem with the Scripture is that you can read it, study it, memorize it, just like the Pharisees did but they missed Jesus.  It is being willing to sit in the relationship at His feet and believe that we are wanted, desired, loved.  If the ministry is your preoccupation, your focus, your passion…it will be difficult to engage relationally with the Lord.  I am not anti-ministry.  It is an incredible privilege to participate with the Lord when we are invited into the process, but it is His work and His glory.  Paul makes the comment in 1Corinthians 3.  “I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth.  So, neither the one who plants not the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.”  Our value, I believe, is in our relationship with God as His sons and daughters.

Your brother,

David

David Coffield, Featured Writers, God Loves Us, Jesus, Messiah, Yahweh

Let’s Be With Father God!

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

Matthew 11:28-30.  These are verses that I pray for myself and for a number of others as well.  I love the passage.  “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

I love that Jesus describes Himself as “gentle and humble in heart”.  It is the only place I know of where He describes His nature, His character.  There are lots of places where He speaks of His titles, His position, etc.  I can hang with a person that is gentle and humble in heart.  Very encouraging.

When He says, “take My yoke upon you and learn from Me” He is inviting us into a specific relationship.  It is a relationship where we are willing to do what He wants us to do, participate with Him in His work, keep our focus on Him.  He is inviting us to walk with Him in life day by day. 

We are invited into a daily relationship with Jesus that results in an easy yoke and a light burden.

It is possible to be mighty in the scriptures and barren in one’s relationship with Jesus.  The Pharisees lived it.  It is possible to labor mightily in the ministry and miss the leading and work of the Holy Spirit.  Matthew 7 speaks of a group that will consider themselves “qualified” based on their performance alone.

“Fixing our eyes on Jesus”, “seeking first His kingdom, His righteousness”, responding in love to the incredible invitation to walk with Him, to fellowship with Him, to learn from Him.  May the Lord so grant!

Your brother,

David

David Coffield, Featured Writers, Jesus

What’s my focus? Abiding or Fruit?

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

Written by Dave Coffield

It is obvious as you follow my letters that I am focused on the relationship we have with God by grace as opposed to a focus on works or fruit.  However, I suspect that works will continue to be a strong emphasis of the body of Christ from what I have experienced.

My philosophy of ministry is found in John 14:12.  Jesus said, “Truly, truly I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do because I go to the Father.”

The word for “believes” could easily be translated “the one believing”.  It is speaking of a connected, abiding, ongoing relationship.  It is impossible not to do the works of Jesus if you have a believing, connected, abiding, and ongoing relationship with Jesus.

There is some debate about the works of Jesus.  Simply, He did what the Father gave Him to do.  Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”  The good works are a consequence or the fruit of our relationship with Jesus.  God gets to determine what they look like, when they are produced.

My first concern with my own life and with any believer’s life is whether they have a connected, believing, growing, abiding relationship with Jesus.

You can be involved in activities without bearing fruit.  Jesus continues with this theme in John 14.  “He who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”  It concerns me when our focus is on Christians “bearing” fruit, doing good works, and not on abiding.

Every day when I drive onto Ft. Liberty I ask the Lord that He would lead me in the good works which He has prepared beforehand for me to walk in.  But He gets to determine what those good works look like, when they are produced.  I suspect that much of what God does through us He does in a way that isn’t obvious to us so that we won’t become proud and take the credit.

May God give us the grace to abide in Him and believe in Him.

Your brother,

David

David Coffield, Featured Writers, God Loves Us, Guest Post, Jesus

God doesn’t need me…He wants me.

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

The question was raised at the Tuesday night Bible Study on Ft. Liberty, “Once we are saved, why does God leave us here?”  The easy answer is for the advancement of His kingdom.  But I think that leads to the mindset that our value resides only in our labor for the Lord.

I think He leaves us here for our growth in our relationship with Him and all that comes with it.

Jesus defines eternal life in John 17:3.  “This is eternal life that they might know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ Whom You have sent.”  It is also Paul’s passion in Philippians 3:8. “More than that I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord…”.

I tell people on occasion that God doesn’t need us.  Navigators don’t like to hear it because we see ourselves as fulfilling a key role in ministry and the coming Kingdom.  I also occasionally tell Navigators that it is impossible to “make” a disciple, and they don’t like to hear that either.

Salvation is impossible without the work of the Holy Spirit.  A Christian desiring to grow in Christ in discipleship is impossible without the work of the Holy Spirit.  No one labors unless the Father moves them to do so through the work of the Holy Spirit.

God doesn’t need me…He wants me.  We have been adopted into His family precisely because it is a family.  I struggle with God wanting me because I know the dark parts of my life.  I struggle because all of my life performance has been the standard for acceptance and approval.  And yet it is true that He loves us and desires us apart from our performance.

God will on occasion advance His kingdom through us.  But it is never because of us.  If I read Revelation correctly Christians get run over in the tribulation.  We are triumphant in death, not overcoming in this life.  We have to go through the Antichrist and the tribulation to get to the return of our Messiah.

May the Lord grant us the same heart Paul had for knowing Jesus!

Your brother,

David

Featured Writers, God Loves Us, Guest Post, Testimonies, Uncategorized

Complete Trust

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

“He leadeth me.”  Complete trust in the Lord.

“God knows just when to withhold from us any visible sign of encouragement, and when to grant us such a sign.  How good it is that we may trust Him anyway!”  

In the classic devotional, Streams in the Desert,  Mrs. Charles E. Cowman shares this quote from C.G. Trumbull:  “He wants us to realize that His Word, His promise of remembrance, is more substantial and dependable than any evidence of our senses…Those who are readiest to trust God without other evidence than His Word always receive the greatest number of visible evidences of His love.”

How true.  The Great Cloud of Witnesses and the Heroes of our Faith in Hebrews Chapter 11 give testimony to this.

Written by Helen

Charles J. Rolls, Featured Writers, God Loves Us, Jesus, Messiah, Yahweh

Infinite Love Is Revealed

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

The Corn of Wheat

Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit (John 12:24).

Death, the experience which is fatal to most folk in destroying their influence, was to become the most forceful factor in promoting forever the prestige of Christ. The extent to which memory exercises its influence over the living is definitely limited. If a leader’s work is to develop extensively, it is not thought desirable that He should die in the prime of life. However, in this case it was otherwise. Because Christ as the Corn of Wheat fell into the ground and died, He became Administrator of the mightiest authority ever wielded over the minds of millions. He encountered the most odious instrument of death in the form of a crude Roman gibbet, but by virtue of that shameful death He overpowered the cruelest foe, the Devil, and overcame the strongest enemy, Death. Christ’s greatest honor arises from His deepest humiliation. He ascended from the zero of shame to the zenith of sovereignty.

Christ, crucified, has an irresistible attractiveness and has become the center to which all contrite hearts are drawn. His own application of this figure makes it crystal clear, “And, I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all unto Me. This He said, signifying what death He should die” (John 12:32, 33). Here infinite love is revealed stooping to die; immortal glory condescends to bear the blame of guilt; intrinsic holiness submits to being made sin for us that we may be made the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor 5:21). When His body was buried in the tomb, it was not as the Romans considered it, a corpse, but what prophecy foretold, a seed; therefore resurrection was assured (Acts 2:27, 28). Likewise the sayings of the Savior when He was dying survive death and serve to stimulate all successive generations.

 Charles J. Rolls, The Indescribable Christ: Names and Titles of Jesus Christ: A-G (Loizeaux Brothers, 1984).

Speak this as a personal prayer back to Jesus;

Death, the experience which is fatal to most folk in destroying their influence, became the most forceful factor in promoting forever your prestige Messiah Jesus. The extent to which memory exercises its influence over the living is definitely limited. If a leader’s work is to develop extensively, it is not thought desirable that he should die in the prime of life. However, in this case, it is otherwise; because you, Messiah Jesus, are the Corn of Wheat that fell into the ground and died, you became Administrator of the mightiest authority ever wielded over the minds of millions. You encountered the most odious instrument of death in the form of a crude Roman gibbet (cross), but by virtue of that shameful death Jesus, you overpowered the cruelest foe, the Devil, and overcame the strongest enemy, Death. Your greatest honor arises from your deepest humiliation. Father God raised you from the zero of shame to the zenith of sovereignty. Jesus, crucified, you now have an irresistible attractiveness and have become the center to which all contrite hearts are drawn. Your own application of this figure makes it crystal clear, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all unto Me. This you said, signifying what death you should die” (John 12:32, 33). Here your infinite love is revealed stooping to die; immortal glory condescends to bear the blame of my guilt; intrinsic holiness submits to being made sin for me that I may be made the righteousness of God in you (2 Cor 5:21), O wonderful Savior. When your body was buried in the tomb, it was not, as the Romans considered it, a corpse, but what prophecy foretold, a seed; therefore, resurrection was assured (Acts 2:27, 28). Likewise, what you said while dying survives death and serves to stimulate all successive generations.

(J3 Khai Restoration Ministries made Charles Roll’s devotion into a personal prayer.)

David Coffield, Featured Writers, Jesus, Testimonies

Jesus promised that He would build His church.

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

I hear people say that they want to be “like Jesus”.  We hold as our belief that God is working to conform us to the image and character of His Son Jesus.  We want to become more like Jesus in our mindset and our lives.

Yet Jesus says in John 8:28, “…and I do nothing on my own initiative…”  It is a common phrase with Jesus, and it is repeated by Him a number of times.

I don’t know how to pull it off.  I don’t know how to live as Jesus lived.  All of our lives we are exhorted to show initiative, to make things happen, to be intentional.  It suits our sin nature, to take pride and ownership in our accomplishments, achievements, etc.  To proudly say, “Look what I have done”.

Jesus is utterly incredible.  His desire was to do what the Father gave Him to do, say what the Father gave Him to say, go where the Father sent Him to go, to bring glory to the Father.

I suspect that the ability to pull this off is tied to the depth of our walk with God on a daily basis.  Our willingness to choose to walk with Jesus rather than having a “do” mindset.  You don’t hear this much today if at all.  We are exhorted to reach the lost, help people grow, build the kingdom, fill the pews, etc.

God has initiative.  Jesus promised that He would build His church.  It is the purpose of God to add people to the kingdom and to grow up the people in His kingdom.

He is not about to send people to do things who are likely to claim the credit, build their own “thing”, seek their own glory.  God doesn’t need people who think they have it figured out that they know what the purposes of God are and how He will work.  We have one Commander in Chief and all are supposed to serve him.  He will use those who are connected with Him, who are delighting in the relationship, and seeking His glory.  He is well able to speak to such people.  

I remind myself daily that God doesn’t “need” me, He “wants” me.

Charles J. Rolls, Featured Writers, God Loves Us, Jehovah, Jesus, Messiah, Recommended Reading, Yahweh, Yehovah

The Confessor Before Pilate

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; that thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 6:13).

Our Lord was brought before Pilate as One who had made a claim to kingship. Standing as a prisoner, condemned, and without any visible palace, such a claim seemed preposterous. Altogether devoid of stately robes and courtly attendants and minus even crown or scepter, He nevertheless affirmed emphatically, “I am a king,” “My kingdom is not of this world.” Christ disclaimed the vainglory of a temporal diadem, but He did not deny His claim to crown rights of a nobler royalty than that shared by earthly rulers. Although He was betrayed, accused and mocked, yet with unflinching, undaunted courage He remained uncowed and uncompromising before the Roman regent; and by patient courtesy and perfect control, He vindicated the essential truthfulness of His superior sovereignty. Remember that within the confines of His Deity this Confessor dwells in light which no one can approach unto and which no man hath seen nor can see (1 Timothy 6:16).

If He deemed it wise and worthwhile to acknowledge His claim and right, soldiers of the Cross should learn a lesson from their Captain. “Though it doth not appear what we shall be,” let us be prepared to bear witness to the truth of the King’s return. Paul the aged, as he termed himself, had borne the burden and brunt of battle and was seeking a successor for his trusteeship. He admonishes Timothy to stick to his business and stand by His witness while focusing faith on the great File-leader. Confession of our faith in the truth of God is our solemn obligation and responsibility, likewise also confession of faith in Christ (John 18:37; Romans 10:9, 10). Jesus Christ as a confessor of truth is now glorified, and this fact should stimulate all of us to faithfulness in witness. The Savior testified concerning His kingdom of spiritual truth, of sovereign power, of steadfast righteousness and of sanctified citizenship. Said He, “For this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness unto the truth” (John 18:37). Is this not the very cause and core of the campaign in which we are enlisted? Let us see to it, while our comrades march to face the foe, while our fighting forces shout in the field, and while our friends pray for us in all fidelity, that we often and openly commend and confess Him while the opportunity is ours.

 Charles J. Rolls, The Indescribable Christ: Names and Titles of Jesus Christ: A-G (Loizeaux Brothers, 1984).

Featured Writers, Guest Post, Jesus, Mental Health

TWO DAUGHTERS

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. 22 Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there. Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet 23 and pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” 24 So Jesus went with him.

A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. 

30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” 31 “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?'” 

32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”   (Mark 5:21-34)

This record in Mark chapter five of God’s word tells of a contrasting pair of incidents in the ministry of Jesus featuring two different daughters.  One, the daughter of a prominent member of their community who came boldly to Jesus on her behalf to plead for her healing to save her life.  The other a lonely, rejected outcast who approached Jesus secretly in a desperate attempt to be healed also.  The plea in both cases was the same: please heal her body; but the needs were entirely different.

The father came confidently to invite Jesus into his home while the lonely woman sneaked up behind Jesus only hoping to touch his garment without daring to even speak to him.  Without friends or family to help her, ashamed to even be seen in public, struggling just get some relief from her pain and misery, never daring to hope for anything more in life.

And Jesus responded to the needs of both daughters, not exactly in the way they expected.  Yet he provided them with so much more than they sought.  Even though neither one of these situations were on the agenda for that day, Jesus stopped what he was doing to go to the father’s home and heal his daughter until he was interrupted again by that touch on his garment from a bleeding woman who couldn’t even dare to speak to him personally.

But her need was so great that Jesus stopped everything to help her.  The bleeding stopped as soon as she touched his garment according to verse 29, but she still had other needs.  So, Jesus called out for her to come to him.  He knew who she was, but he was going to introduce her to the crowd that day.  Note that verse 29 clearly states that “she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.”  It doesn’t say that she was healed.

Like many of us she still suffered from guilt, shame, rejection and neglect.  So, Jesus called her to him, gave her his undivided attention in front of the crowd, listened to her whole story and then gave her his approval and affirmation in verse 34.  (He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”)  Only then was her healing complete.

I believe the Holy Spirit inspired this record to teach us that we need to complete the healing process in our own lives by confessing the whole truth to Jesus about our lives and receive his blessing and affirmation after we have received his payment for our sins.  Freeing us from the guilt, shame, regret and despair we are keeping hidden from those around us.

As great as our eternal salvation is, there is still more that needs to be corrected in our lives to make us whole.  Making our transformation complete as children of God.  He doesn’t want to see us limping into eternity carrying the weight of the past with us.  He continues to call to us to come to Jesus and be set free from the chains of our own making.  Our offenses against our Heavenly Father may be gone but the damage of our mistakes and foolish choices remain until we confess the whole truth as that dear woman did.  Setting her free from the nightmare of her past once and for all.

Only when we bring everything to Jesus and release it to his loving mercy can we experience the true freedom and joy he is offering us.  A relationship with no hidden barriers or secrets that hold us captive to fear.  Trusting that he can heal us from it all.  That is the faith that will ultimately free us from the fear and despair that our guilt, shame and regret produce in our lives.  That woman’s bleeding may have stopped when she touched Jesus’ robe, but her healing didn’t come until she fell before Jesus and personally confessed everything to him, surrendering to all of his mercies.

And, yes, Jesus did go on to heal the other daughter that day in response to her father’s faith, even though she had already died.  In this case Jesus healed both daughters, freeing them from death and a living nightmare. Jesus met their needs  beyond the requests made that day in the same way that he stands ready to meet all of our needs today, if we just trust him.  

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us  (Eph 3:20)

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.  (Heb 10:23)

By Gary DeRemer

Featured Writers, God Loves Us, Jehovah, Jesus, Mental Health, Messiah, Recommended Reading, Sylvia Gunter, Yahweh

God is Able

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

You can sign up to receive Sylvia Gunters weekly devotional at: https://thefathersbusiness.com/devotion/god-is-able/

Able is the Greek word dunatos, related to dunamis, meaning ability, abundance, capability, mighty works, miraculous power, prevailing strength. “God is able” means God has the mighty power to do a miraculous work out of His abundance and strength. Romans 16:25 says God is able to establish you. Listen to the richness of the verse when read with its full definition “God has mighty power to do a miraculous work out of His abundance and strength to establish you.”

Bring your inability to the ability of God. As you read these verses drink in the bigness of God as you replace “able” with “has the mighty power to do a miraculous work out of His abundance and strength.”

God is …
Able to give much more. 2 Chron 25:9
Able to deliver from fire. Dan 3:17
Able to raise up children of Abraham from stones. Mat 3:9
Able to give sight to the blind. Mat 9:28-29
Able to destroy in hell. Mat 10:28, James 4:12
Able to perform what He promised. Rom 4:21
Able to graft in the Gentiles. Rom 11:23
Able to make you stand. Rom 14:4
Able to establish you. Rom 16:25
Able to make a way through temptation. 1 Cor 10:13
Able to make all grace abound to you. 2 Cor 9:8
Able to do exceedingly beyond all your asking. Eph 3:20
Able to subdue everything under His control. Phil 3:21
Able to keep all we have committed to Him. 2 Tim 1:12
Able to help the tempted. Heb 2:18
Able to save from death. Heb 5:7
Able to save completely, to the utmost. Heb 7:25
Able to raise men from the dead. Heb 11:19
Able to keep you from falling and to present you before His presence without fault and with great joy. Jude 24

To the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power, and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. Jude 25

Be blessed in the name of God who is able.

© Sylvia Gunter, 2016, Prayer Essentials For Living In His Presence Volume 1,

David Coffield, Featured Writers, God Loves Us, Guest Post, Jehovah, Jesus, Messiah, Testimonies, Yahweh, Yehovah

How God feels about us is unshakeable.

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

Dear Mike,

How God feels about us is unshakeable.  It is never dependent on how good we are or how poorly we behave.  

God looks at His children, clothed in the righteousness of His Son, and He is forever delighted.  Not a delight that I have ever deserved or earned or ever could deserve or earn.  Those who think they can merit God’s pleasure have no idea of His holiness nor their sin.

It leaves us in a wonderful place of being able to rejoice in our Father’s love and pleasure without worrying about our performance.

Does God engage with us to help us grow up?  Yes.  Does sin produce death?  Certainly.  Is all of our sin paid for on Calvary?  Yes.  I can never sin my way out of my relationship with Father.  I can affect the way that He deals with me.  He is always about growing us up into the image of His Son Jesus.

Hebrews speaks of “fixing our eyes on Jesus the author and perfector of faith”, Paul speaks of “not being drawn away from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Jesus.”  

Despite my brokenness, despite my failures, despite my weakness, foolishness, stupidity—I am deeply loved by my Father.  It leaves me in the posture of rejoicing in God’s love for me, settled and confident in who I am to my Father (regardless of what others or my performance is saying), and free to move forward in love.

Your brother,

David

David Coffield, Featured Writers, God Loves Us, Guest Post, Jesus, Testimonies, Yahweh

What is the will of God for you?

Michael J. Weiss, Sr.

Rejoice always, talk with God continually, and thank him for everything.

This is a letter from Dave Coffield, shared with you with his permission.

“Several of us are studying our way through 1 Thessalonians, and I am struck by 5:16,17,18.  ‘Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.‘ One of the guys in the study, Russ, suggested that all 3 verses represent God’s will for us.  I had never considered that before, and I am grateful for his input.

‘Rejoice always.’  It doesn’t say to be happy always.  Rejoice is a choice I make with my will to lift my heart to God in gratefulness regardless of the circumstances.  It is our ability to rejoice in hard and unpleasant circumstances that bear testimony to a watching world to the reality of God and our faith.  It is a compass heading.  I don’t always do a good job of it.

‘Pray without ceasing.’  We can pray without ceasing because our God is always present with us.  We are always in communication; the line is always open.  

Our sin doesn’t separate us from God.  In the early days I believed and taught that.  However, all of our sins have been forgiven on Calvary, past, present, and future.  All of them.  We don’t have to connect with God or regard Him, but He lives inside of us.  We carry Him around with us and Psalm 139 says He has intimate knowledge of us.  Every word, every thought, every deed.

So, the Lord and I talk all day long.  He is a constant companion, an ardent listener and deeply loving of us.  Incredible.  There is nothing that we can’t share with Him, nothing that He doesn’t know, and nothing that He doesn’t care about.  Incredible.  How lonely must be the life of an unbeliever!

‘In everything give thanks.’  We don’t have to feel thankful.  We don’t have to see the event as ‘good.’  We can give thanks because our Father is absolutely sovereign over this world and its smallest events.  So, what we see as an accident, an intrusion, a mistake, is all from the hand of our sovereign Father to accomplish His purposes.  We can give thanks because our Father loves us with a matchless, wonderful, profound love.

So, this is God’s will for us.  May our lives move in this direction.”