DISCOURAGEMENT, Charles Stanley

Psalm 42:3-4 (New American Standard Bible)

3 My tears have been my food day and night, While they say to me all day long, "Where is your God?"
4 These things I remember and I pour out my soul within me For I used to go along with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God, With the voice of joy and thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival.

The Obstacle of Discouragement

We all have expectations. And whether they are reasonable or illogical, when our hopes fail us, we feel disappointed. There’s nothing wrong with this response, in and of itself—in life, some disappointment is inevitable.

Discouragement, however, is a choice, and a dangerous one at that.

In this state of mind, we allow our circumstances to consume us.
Then we stop striving for the goal and miss achieving our potential.
Another consequence is a divided mind.
As we’re distracted from tasks at hand, we easily make poor decisions and then feel tempted to blame others for our predicament.
Anger can lead to retaliation and depression.
All the while, we are drifting spiritually.
Obviously, it’s important to resolve disappointment quickly.
Consider what the Lord experienced in the garden of Gethsemane.
He not only faced a gruesome death the following day; He also knew He would be separated from His Father for the first time in all eternity.
His words in Matthew 26:38 reveal profound pain: “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death.”
Needing encouragement and support, He asked the disciples to pray and stay awake with Him. And yet, they fell asleep. Jesus must have felt let down and alone, but He didn’t allow hopelessness to distract Him from His purpose of procuring our salvation.
When life deals you a painful blow, remember Jesus’ response and realize you, too, can choose to cling to the Father for hope.

Have you allowed disappointment to rob you of focus and joy?
Pray for God to keep you from discouragement.

From Cath in Fort Worth, 08-06-08

2008/08/06

You Were Formed for God’s Familyby Rick Warren
God is the One who made all things, and all things are for his glory. He wanted to have many children share his glory. Hebrews 2:10 (NCV)
*** *** *** ***
God wants a family, and he created you to be a part of it. This is one of God’s purposes for your life, which he planned before you were born.
The entire Bible is the story of God building a family who will love him, honor him, and reign with him forever. It says, “His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave him great pleasure” (Ephesians 1:5 NLT).
Because God is love, he treasures relationships. His very nature is relational, and he identifies himself in family terms: Father, Son, and Spirit. The Trinity is God’s relationship to himself. It’s the perfect pattern for relational harmony, and we should study its implications.
God has always existed in loving relationship to himself, so he has never been lonely. He didn’t need a family—he desired one, so he devised a plan to create us, bring us into his family, and share with us all he has.
This gives God great pleasure. The Bible says, “It was a happy day for him when he gave us our new lives through the truth of his Word, and we became, as it were, the first children in his new family” (James 1:18 LB).
When we place our faith in Christ, God becomes our Father, we become his children, other believers become our brothers and sisters, and the church becomes our spiritual family. The family of God includes all believers in the past, the present, and the future.
© 2008 Purpose Driven Life. All rights reserved. Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., one of America's largest and best-known churches. In addition, Rick is author of the New York Times bestseller The Purpose Driven Life and The Purpose Driven Church, which was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th Century. He is also founder of Pastors.com, a global Internet community for ministers. Pastor Jon Walker is a writer for
www.GraceCreates.com.
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Taste My Jesus

"Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him. Rejoice in the hope of the resurrection that your faith in Him brings." Psalm 34:8

At the University of Chicago Divinity School each year they have what is called 'Baptist Day.' On this day each one is to bring a lunch to be eaten outdoors in a grassy picnic area. Every 'Baptist Day' the school would invite one of the greatest minds to lecture in the theological education center. One year they invited Dr. Paul Tillich. Dr.Tillich spoke for two and one-half hours to present proof that the resurrection of Jesus was false. He quoted scholar after scholar and book after book. He concluded that since there was no such thing as the historical resurrection, the religious tradition of the church was groundless, emotional mumbo-jumbo, because it was based on a relationship with a risen Jesus who, in fact, never rose from the dead in any literal sense. He then asked if there were any questions. After about 30 seconds, an old, dark skinned preacher with a head of short-cropped, woolly white hair stood up in the back of the auditorium. 'Docta Tillich, I got one question,' he said, as all eyes turned toward him. He reached into his sack lunch and pulled out an apple and began eating it. 'Docta Tillich'...CRUNCH, MUNCH... 'My question is a simple question'... CRUNCH, MUNCH... 'Now, I ain't never read them books you read...CRUNCH, MUNCH...'and I can't recite the Scriptures in the original Greek...CRUNCH, MUNCH...'I don't know nothin' about Niebuhr and Heidegger... CRUNCH, MUNCH. He finished the apple. 'All I wanna know is: This apple I just ate...was it bitter or sweet?' Dr Tillich paused for a moment and answered in exemplary scholarly fashion. 'I cannot possibly answer that question, for I haven't tasted your apple.' The white-haired preacher dropped the core of his apple into his crumpled paper bag, looked up at Dr. Tillichand said calmly, 'Neither have you tasted My Jesus.' The 1,000 plus in attendance could not contain themselves. The auditorium erupted with applause and cheers. Dr. Tillich thanked his audience and promptly left the platform. Have you tasted Jesus? Please pass this on, saints! Jesus has risen...and He's coming back one day.

*Idolatry is to love what has been made more than the God who made it.

*We want to be spiritually grown, but we don't like growing because growing hurts.

Read detailed explanation

"There are two ways of spreading light - to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it." ~~~Edith Wharton

Cathching The Light
Our Prayer Newsletter
Sabra Sabianco

Growing up, my siblings and I spent summer nights chasing lightning bugs. We caught the sparks of light in cupped hands and dropped them in a jar so we could gaze at them up close. Last night, after my sons fell asleep, I sat on my back porch and looked out at the lightning bugs twinkling like diamonds. I thought of a memory I have of a summer night many years ago when my grandma said,
"We can learn a lot from lightning bugs."
Grandma leaned in close to me, and I smelled her lemon verbena perfume as she put her arm around my shoulder.
"Each of us, everyone in this world, has a beautiful light, just like those lightning bugs. And the reason we're here is to shine. To find our spark, and to light the world with our gifts."
I must have been four or five, but I knew even with a child's sense of reason that her words were important. I thought about what she was saying. Grandma was one of those people I'd heard described as lighting up a room. Sure, I thought - you have a light, you shine, but everyone?
"Everyone?" I asked. "Even me?"
"Everyone," Grandma said, "You, me, the man on the moon."
I remember looking out the window that night as we drove home and getting lost in thought in the darkness wondering what my light was and what it would be in years to come. I looked at my family and silently named everything special about them, from my sister's one-handed cartwheels to Mom's way of kissing away even the deepest hurts.
Not long after, I stopped chasing lightning bugs. I was content to rock in my cushioned chair watching them fly freely against the darkness, spreading their light.

Please be praying for a young woman who is dealing with serious family issues.

Father, the details of this young woman's life may not be known to us, but they are known intimately by You. In love and faith, we take up this burden she has carried for so long. She has willingly taken on responsibility that was not rightfully hers, because it was the right thing to do. Bless her faithfulness to her family, and grant her courage and strength for the battle. Father, reveal to her the best course of action and endow her with Your divine wisdom. Meet every need out of Your glorious riches, in Jesus' precious name. Amen

"He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads those that have young." Isaiah 40:11

Please be praying for the following requests:1. One of our members was hospitalized today.2. One of our members is struggling to learn a new job.

Father, how thrilling to know that the Hand that measured out the heavens, is the same Hand that holds us close. Whatever the circumstances, we are confident that You are working all things for our good. In faith we lift these members before You, trusting that Your grace is sufficient for their needs. Be their strength that they may do whatever is required and fill them with Your divine peace, in Jesus' name. Amen.

"Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

A Few Words from God

Have no fear of sudden disaster. When it comes, proclaim that I am your Refuge and your Fortress, your God, in Whom you place your trust. Then I will save you from the impossible places. I will cover you with My feathers and under My wings you will find refuge. I will protect you from trouble and surround you with songs of deliverance.I will demonstrate My faithfulness to you and to those around you. The knowledge of My love for you will protect your physically and emotionally. And when you have discovered this shelter...stay there. You will always be safe if you stay close to Me.I will command My angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways. Then you will go on your way in safety. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. I alone will cause you to dwell in safety, for I am Your God.
New International Bible
Psalms & Proverbs

Linda daughter Libby

Please be praying for my daughter Libby who is scheduled for a second lithotripsy procedure tomorrow morning at 6:00. She had kidney stones in both kidneys, but the procedure can only be done on one kidney at a time. Please pray especially for the IV insertion (Libby isn't an easy stick and it terrifies her). She dreads the IV almost more than the procedure.

Father, in the light of Your mercy we come to You without hesitation. We are thankful for the privilege of lifting Libby before You in prayer, trusting that You have walked this path before her and You have made the way smooth. Father, grant Your divine skill to each member of the medical team and protect Libby from any complications. With one heart and mind, we thank You for all that You are doing on her behalf. Bless her and keep her in Your tender care, in Jesus' precious name. Amen