Renewing Your Mind

I once talked with a woman who said she tried very hard to think only positive thoughts, but she was never able to keep it up for long. Even when she managed to appear optimistic, inwardly she was often in turmoil. Her self-help approach to positive thinking excluded God, so when things went wrong, she didn’t have anything solid to hold on to.

That may seem paradoxical—faith in God being something substantial—but it’s true. “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” In the face of difficulty and disappointment, faith is far more effective than mere mental exercise because it is backed by promises that God has made in His Word—promises that bring about tangible results when believed and applied to real-life situations.

These promises not only have the power to change problem situations; they also have the power to change us. The Bible tells us to “be transformed by the renewing of the mind.” It is through those “exceedingly great and precious promises” that we “may be partakers of the divine nature.”

We can, by an act of our will, take our mind off of negative thoughts. Unless we fill that void, however, the negative thoughts will rush back in. What should we replace those negative thoughts with? What is more positive or more powerful than the living Word of the living God? When coupled with prayer, the uplifting, transforming Word of God can give you victory over every ugly, negative thought and its consequences.

As you make a consistent effort to replace negative thoughts with positive thoughts from God’s Word, it will become a habit; you will learn to—as the Bible puts it—“bring your thoughts into captivity.”

This is very difficult to accomplish in the tumult of the world. We don’t find the mind of God on the streets of social life or in the hobby shop. To connect with Him, find a place where there are no distractions. “When you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”

There is no place where the mind can be as fully renewed as in the secret place of prayer, alone with God. When we come aside from the temporal things that distract and harass us, and there in the presence of God we put our mind on the things of God, the transforming power of God then begins to work in us, and we are changed, renewed.

–

Hebrews 11:1 (ESV) Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Romans 12:2 (ESV) Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

2 Peter 1:4 (ESV) by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

Just Sing!

I was awakened early by a choir of birds. Singing, chirping, chanting, chiming, and conversing, their melodies were loud, joyful, and everywhere—nature’s own surround sound. Some friends and I were camping in a wooded area near Mostar, the 600-year-old city that was often in the news during the Yugoslav Wars of the early 1990s.

The birds’ notes rose in pitch and volume, then swung to a whisper, then reached a crescendo again, victorious, full of inspiration and joy. The difficulties facing this ethnically divided country were clearly the furthest thing from their little minds. Nearly 15 years after the official end of the war, Croatian Catholics, Bosnian Muslims, and Serb Orthodox are still learning how to live in the same cities, how to work together, and how to forgive.

I went for a walk along the narrow river and took in the scene—the potholed asphalt road lined with bench frames with no seats, the bridge that had been all but destroyed, the small café without doors or glass in the windows, the flowerbeds overrun with weeds. Don’t step onto the grass, I reminded myself. There could be mines! For a few moments I forgot about the birds. Why did this happen? Who was responsible for this mess?

As I neared the teetering remains of the bridge, I saw a bird on one of the rails. Could she remember? Could she have seen someone die here, or have heard the shooting?

Then the bird began to sing, and I forgot about all those questions. Her tiny body quaked as her song burst forth. The music seemed to come from all of her. The sounds poured out with such force and conviction that I wanted to sing too. She seemed to be singing about the rising sun, about a new morning, about the blue sky, about a new day full of hope, about beautiful flowers and the gentle forest, about cool, flowing, sparkling waters that wash the old away. She wasn’t thinking about how she looked or her performance. She was just singing with all of her being.

I don’t know how long I sat there watching her, but I forgot about everything else. I listened and sang along. I sang about the feeling of freedom I felt rising in me, about new possibilities, about new ways of looking at life, about a new day full of hope, about the beauty of creation and its gentle Creator, about a great love that washes away mistakes of the past. It felt good, it felt great, and it felt liberating.
Forget about ethnic differences. Forget about broken relationships. Forget about the other guy’s mistake that never ended in an apology. Learn from the birds. With all your being, with all your strength, just sing!

–

Psalm 45:7 ESV / You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;

Isaiah 40:8 ESV / The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.

Hebrews 13:5 ESV / Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Appreciation

Jesus taught “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”1 There are many ways to put this Golden Rule into practice; appreciation is one.

Think for a moment about your family, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances. Doesn’t it make your day when one of them says or does something to show they appreciate you?

Everyone benefits from appreciation. Here’s an exercise to strengthen your appreciation skills. Pick three people that you interact with daily, and make it a goal to show appreciation to each of them at least once today. Be on the lookout for things that you genuinely admire about them or can thank or commend them for, and say or do something that tells them so. Take a moment at the end of the day to reflect on how it went. Did you meet your goal? What effect did it have on the recipients?

Repeat the exercise every day for a week, targeting some of the same people and some new ones as the week progresses. Make an effort to not choose only those people you like most or feel closest to. Even the most difficult people to get along with have some good qualities.

Showing appreciation will not only give the recipient a lift, it will also improve your own outlook by helping you view those around you more positively. It seems to be human nature to notice the bad more easily than the good, and it’s often relatively minor things that sour our relations, such as idiosyncrasies that we find irritating. 

By making a conscious effort to look for things to appreciate in others, focusing on the good will override human nature and make you a more positive person. Appreciation is contagious. It may not happen overnight, but in time it will nearly always bring about a remarkable change in any home, workplace, or circle of friends.

–

Hebrews 13:5 ESV / Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Ephesians 5:19 ESV / Addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,

John 4:24 ESV / God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Gender Differences

Question: My boyfriend and I normally get along great, but sometimes one of us becomes frustrated when the other one reacts differently than we expect or would like. How can we avoid those situations that put a strain on our relationship?

Answer: You’re not the first to encounter this problem. In My Fair Lady, the musical adaptation of George Bernard Shaw’s play Pygmalion, Professor Henry Higgins raises the question, “Why can’t a woman be more like a man?” That just about sums it up—from both sides. Men think women ought to respond to things like men, and women wish that men thought and responded the way women do. 

That’s not going to happen, of course, but God does have a solution, as always. The first thing to understand is that God made men and women the way they are, and for good reasons. A world where everyone thought and acted alike would be as boring and off-balance as it would be doomed. Gender differences also help make us more well-rounded people. It’s usually easier to understand those of our own sex, but relating to the opposite sex causes us to stretch ourselves in the areas of humility, love, and patience, to name a few. If all of that is so, then neither gender is wrong for being the way they are. 

The next key is determining to bridge those differences rather than letting them derail your relationship. For example, it could hurt your feelings to realize that the love of your life still needs time with his or her other friends. Or it could frustrate you when the one you love experiences emotional ups and downs that you don’t. 

But once you understand these things, you’ll be better equipped to accommodate your partner and not become resentful. Here is a list of just a few common differences between the sexes. Though generalized and of course not universally applicable, they provide food for thought: Men are often more practical; women are often more emotional.

Men desire trust, respect, and acceptance; women desire words of love and endearment. Men like to get to the point; women like to discuss things from every angle. Men need more time to themselves; women need to express their feelings to others. Men like practical gifts they can use; women like sentimental and romantic gifts that make them feel special. Men tend to make decisions based on circumstances and practicalities; women are more likely to consider the emotional repercussions. 

Men are more solution-oriented when it comes to working out marital problems, whereas women want understanding and reassurance first. Not all men or women fit all these profiles, of course, because God made each of us a unique individual. 

So just because most men or women are a certain way doesn’t mean that there’s something wrong with those who aren’t. Everyone is different! The idea here is not to put you or your loved one into a mold or to cause either of you to prejudge the other. It’s to give you an idea of where your partner may be coming from, so you’ll be more tolerant and understanding when differences arise. And remember: Love, humility, and prayer solve all problems.

–

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ESV / Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Galatians 5:19-21 ESV / Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger,
rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not
inherit the kingdom of God.

Genesis 2:24 ESV / Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

Love, As Seen Through the Eyes of Children

A group of social scientists asked this question to a group of children: “What does love mean?” The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think.

“When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That’s love.”

“Love is that first feeling you feel before all the bad stuff gets in the way.”

“When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You know that your name is safe in their mouth.”

“Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.”

“Love is when someone hurts you, and you get so mad but you don’t yell at them because you know it would hurt their feelings.”

“Love is what makes you smile when you’re tired.”

“Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My mommy and daddy are like that.”

“Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.”
“If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate.”

“When you tell someone something bad about yourself and you’re scared they won’t love you anymore. But then you get surprised because not only do they still love you, they love you even more.”

“There are two kinds of love—our love and God’s love. But God makes both kinds of them.”

“Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.”

“Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.”

“My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don’t see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.”

“Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.”

“Love is when your puppy is so glad to see you even though you left him alone all day.”

“Love cards say stuff on them that we’d like to say ourselves, but we wouldn’t be caught dead saying.”

“You really shouldn’t say I love you unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.”

“When they crucified Jesus, God could have said magic words to make the nails fall off the cross, but He didn’t. That’s love.”

–

Proverbs 17:17 ESV / A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 ESV / Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

1 Corinthians 15:33 ESV / Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”

Success in Marriage

Lasting, genuine love is based on a more enduring foundation than mere fleshly gratification. It must be an unselfish desire to protect and to help and to make
someone else happy.

As my mother used to tell me, don’t marry the girl you can live with—marry the girl you can’t live without!

Marriage should be as equal as possible, as sharing as possible. You should talk together, pray together, love together, discuss together, and then decide and
agree together.

One very important thing that is often overlooked in a marriage is for both partners to have faith in God and Jesus Christ. When you have faith, everything is
possible, and you can do all things through Christ.

In marriage you die to self, but you find new life.

Don’t forget to thank her; don’t forget to thank him. Gratitude is a great thing in married life. Show appreciation!

Two of the greatest assets to a good marriage are honesty and a sense of humor.

“Whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things!” That applies to
your spouse as well. Try to remind yourself constantly of his or her good qualities—the good things—and try not to think about the bad things.

Say “I love you” a hundred times a day!

Marriage is more than sex or friendship or a business partnership. It is the most intimate, humbling, loving, and self-sacrificial relationship between human
beings in all of life. “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” This is love, real love, true love—the willingness of a
husband to sacrifice himself for his wife, the eagerness of a wife to lay down her life for her husband. This is supernatural love, divine love, God’s love, more
than human.

Marriage is so difficult in today’s society. There are countless temptations—not just to cheat on your spouse, but to be selfish, to assert your independence, to
insist on your so-called rights over another individual. All of these stem from people’s desires to promote themselves, and they run counter to God’s idea that
self-sacrifice is the way to happiness.

Thinking of your spouse first is the secret to married happiness. You give up old habits, old preferences, and old ways in favor of the new, in favor of this
wonderful person God has put in your life. In doing so out of love, you find great happiness because God blesses unselfishness; He blesses your sacrificially
yielding to another person’s needs and wishes and seeking their well-being, even above your own.

–

Matthew 17:20 (ESV) He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this
mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

Philippians 4:13 (ESV) I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:8 (ESV) Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is
commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Bible Heroines

In the Israel of Bible times, men’s and women’s roles were clearly defined, with the women’s sphere traditionally being the household and everything pertaining to it, including the care of the children, the oversight of the servants, and often the managing of the family’s finances. But throughout the Bible, God didn’t limit Himself by gender when choosing who to use to accomplish His will, speak His words, or lead His people. In some cases, the tasks God gave women would have appeared daunting even to most men, but that didn’t prevent these bold and full-of-faith women from answering His call.

Meet a few of the remarkable women in the Bible Heroines’ Hall of Fame:

Sarah, Abraham’s wife, has the honor of being the only woman in the Bible whose age (127) was recorded at death, which is an indication of the respect shown her as mother of the Hebrew people.

When Abraham and Sarah were both old, God promised them a son, and she gave birth to her first and only child, Isaac, when she was 90. The apostle Peter cited Sarah as an example of the holy women who trusted in God and possessed inward spiritual beauty. (Genesis chapters 11–23; Isaiah 51:2; 1 Peter 3:4–6) Puah and Shiphrah, two Hebrew midwives during the time when the Israelites were slaves in Egypt, disobeyed the Pharaoh’s orders to kill all newborn male Israelites. (Exodus 1:15–22) Jochebed waited until her baby boy, Moses, was three months old before “obeying” the Pharaoh’s commandment to cast him into the Nile; when she did, it was in a floating baby bed.

Because of her faith and ingenuity, Moses was found and adopted by the Pharaoh’s daughter, was raised and educated in the Pharaoh’s household, and later led his true people out of bondage to the Promised Land. (Exodus 1:22–2:10) Deborah was a prophetess and judge. She rallied and organized the army that freed Israel from the occupying forces of Jabin, a Canaanite king. (Judges chapter 4) Jael, another woman, ended that war by slaying Sisera, Jabin’s general. (Judges chapter 4) Ruth left her homeland of Moab and all she knew when she chose to follow God, and He blessed her greatly.

She settled in Bethlehem and became an ancestor of both King David and Jesus. (Book of Ruth; Matthew 1:5) Hannah was a childless woman who promised God that if He gave her a son, she would dedicate him to the Lord’s service. God answered her prayer, and she became the mother of the prophet Samuel. (1 Samuel 1) Abigail saved the lives of her servants and family, as well as her own, after her surly husband offended the future King David. Abigail rode out to meet David with a message from God, and David was dissuaded from exacting revenge. David also recognized Abigail’s wisdom and good character, and after her husband’s death he married her himself. (1 Samuel chapter 25) The   of Zarephath believed and obeyed the prophet Elijah, and saved three lives in the process—his, her son’s, and her own. Through nearly three years of famine, her previously nearly empty supplies of flour and oil never ran out. (1 Kings 17:1–16) Huldah, a prophetess and contemporary of the prophet Jeremiah, was consulted by King Josiah as to the authenticity of some scrolls that were found in the rundown Temple. Through her testimony, the kingdom of Judah was brought back to faith in God. (2 Kings 22:13–20)

Esther was a young Jewish girl named Hadassah when she caught the eye of the heathen Persian king, Xerxes, also known as Ahasuerus. After becoming his queen, in a chilling episode of court intrigue, Esther risked her life to save her people when the king’s corrupt minister, Haman, ordered all the Jews in the kingdom to be put to death. (Book of Esther) Mary, the mother of Jesus, conceived by the Holy Spirit when she was a virgin and faced the prospect of being stoned to death until an angel persuaded her fiancé, Joseph, to marry her. For her role as mother of the Savior of the world, she was called “blessed among women.” (Luke 1:26–55; Matthew 1:18–25) Mary and Martha were close friends of Jesus and often put Him and His disciples up in their home. Mary was commended by Jesus for listening intently to His teachings (Luke 10:38–42), and Martha was one of the first to identify Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God. (John 11:20–27) The woman at the well was both a Samaritan—a people hated by the Jews—and of ill repute even among her own. But after Jesus revealed Himself to her, she immediately led many of her townspeople to know Jesus. (John 4:3–30) Mary Magdalene was a close disciple of Jesus, stood near Him during the crucifixion to try to comfort Him, and was the first person to whom He appeared after His resurrection. (Mark chapter 16; John chapter 20)
Lydia, a seller of cloth in the Greek port of Philippi, was the first recorded person on the Euro­pean mainland to embrace Christianity. She also hosted the
disciples in her house. (Acts 16:14–15) Lois and Eunice were the grandmother and mother of Timothy, an early Christian leader, whom they trained from the time he was young in the knowledge of the Scriptures. They were renowned for their faith. (2 Timothy 1:5)

These women and countless others since rose to the callings God had for them, defied the odds, and manifested faith, courage, and love that continue to inspire us today.

–

2 Timothy 1:5 (ESV) I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.

Isaiah 51:2 (ESV) Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you; for he was but one when I called him, that I might bless him and multiply him.

1 Peter 3:4-6 (ESV) but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.

Prayer Points

1. Please intercede for Penang Corps - For HIS direction, HIS Will and HIS Plan.

2. Please intercede for corps families and friends for God guidance, protection, strength, wisdom and blessings.

Announcement

Banana Leaf Ministry
Date: 14 Feb 2015 Time: 11:00am Venue: Community Hall

Safe Fellowship
Date: 14 Feb 2015 Time: 7:30pm Venue: Community Hall
Speaker: Colonel Lyndon Buckingham

Romance, Romance!

After twenty years of marriage and rarely spending so much as a night without my husband Bruce, circumstances had kept us apart for over a year. Our two teenage sons and I were doing Christian volunteer work here in the beautiful Philippine Islands, while he was in our home country of Canada, fundraising for our work here and helping our older sons get settled into new jobs and lives. It was one of those do-what-you’ve-got-to-do situations, but I missed Bruce’s company and emotional support. So did the younger boys.

A few months earlier I told Jesus how much I wished Bruce could be with me for my birthday, but as the day approached I resigned myself, at least mentally, that it wasn’t going to happen. Flying halfway around the world isn’t cheap, and Bruce was working almost nonstop, as usual. But my heart didn’t want to play
along. My birthday came, and I was getting ready for the small gathering we had planned with friends, when one of them told me to get dressed up. They had prepared a surprise, and someone would pick me up in 15 minutes! Puzzled, I quickly put on some makeup and my nicest blouse and ran out the door.

Another friend was waiting in the driveway, engine running. She drove a few blocks before telling me where we were going. Because the volunteer center where I work and live is such a busy, often noisy place, my friends knew that opportunities to sleep in or get extra rest are rare. So in order to make my birthday special, they had arranged for me to stay at a nice hotel for a couple of nights. I could relax in a nice air-conditioned room, enjoy the hotel swimming pool and other facilities, and sleep all I wanted—my own personal oasis of peace and quiet. To think that they had gone to so much trouble for me made me feel very special and loved.

We arrived at the hotel, and she handed me the key to the room. No need to check in, she said matter-of-factly. That had already been taken care of. With a smile and a twinkle in her eye, she drove away.
I climbed the stairs to the second floor, put the key in the keyhole of Suite 9, and turned it.
The first thing I saw when I opened the door was a table with a lit candle, a heart-shaped birthday cake, a bottle of red wine, and two wine glasses. Could it be…?

Bruce came waltzing out of the bedroom, wearing a big smile and a tropical shirt, singing “Happy Birthday.” I jumped into his arms and we hugged for the longest time, stopping only occasionally to look at each other and for me to try to shake the feeling that it was all a dream. It was such a romantic surprise! It also happened to be almost our 21st anniversary. All couples should be so blessed as to get a second honeymoon in a tropical paradise like the Philippines!

I felt so overwhelmed by the love that God showed me in answering my secret prayer, just to make me happy. I was awed by the thoughtfulness and love of our friends and co-workers who went so far out of their way to arrange such a nice hotel room and set it up with candles and wine, a birthday cake, a tropical fruit basket, and even romantic background music. They had not only thought of everything, but they also had managed to keep it a secret for weeks, ever since they’d started working out the details with Bruce. Dear Bruce! I felt overwhelmed by his love.

Bruce explained later that Jack, a businessman whom he had met in Canada, sponsored the entire trip. If it had not been for him, this very special and romantic time together would not have been possible. Thank you, Jack! Thank you, Bruce! Thank you, wonderful friends and colleagues! And most of all, thank You, God, for answering prayer!

God says in His Word, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.”1 And He means it!

–

Genesis 2:18 ESV / Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”

Proverbs 5:18-19 ESV / Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth, a lovely deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight; be intoxicated always in her love.

Proverbs 31:10 ESV / An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.

Gender Equality

When talking about equal opportunity or equal rights for men and women, the real question that is often on our minds, whether we readily admit it or not, is,
“Who is in charge?” Competition, pride, jealousy, and discontent haunt many people’s lives today. What a relief it would be if in every workplace and in our
personal lives we could simply recognize one another’s talents, skills, and strengths, and without regard for gender do the best we can to make sure each person is in the position where he or she will be happy and challenged and able to accomplish the most for “the team.” But, you’re probably thinking, that’s more easily said than done. You’re right!
People everywhere yearn to be liberated. The quest for freedom is not unique to women. Men, too, long for liberation. But where can one find it?—The secret to freedom is not in men dominating women or in women dominating men, but in everyone working together in harmony, united, blended together in God’s love, all fulfilling their roles, all esteeming the other person better than themselves, all serving one another in humility.
This might seem unrealistic, a utopian dream that could never happen on this earth. Given the common faults in human nature, how in the world can we get
around such things as contention, jealousies, divisiveness, backstabbing, dog-eat-dog competition, etc.?
In today’s world, many have seen the resources and talents of women being either underdeveloped or exploited. Some have sought to remedy this problem by
force, by legislation, and even by domination. In so doing, they have perverted the grace and beauty that God has bestowed upon women. God has a way that is superior to this.
To begin with, it might surprise you to know that God doesn’t extol the strength of an individual, whether male or female. The strength of the individual is very
limited. The greater strength, the greater love, and the greater other gifts come from above, from God. Therefore those who are most liberated, whether they be male or female, are those who look to God for their strength.
If you have received Jesus Christ, His Spirit dwells in you. As you give Him more of yourself, your own thoughts and your own will, you grow spiritually. Then
the abilities that God has given you are multiplied many times over, so that you are not as you once were. You become a new person in Him, not with the
strength of the flesh, but with the power of the Holy Spirit. Even if you have no strength of your own, He can empower you. It’s not that you become powerful in
yourself; He is the One working in you and through you. This is true of both men and women.
God’s Spirit can work through both women and men. It allows women to exercise their gifts and talents, and men to recognize and appreciate those gifts and
talents, without feeling threatened.
The key to true liberation is not seeking domination or power or having one gender rule over the other, but it is each one lifting up the other, the man helping the woman, and the woman helping the man, and each one giving what he or she is able to give. The solution is unselfishness and sacrifice on both sides, mutual acceptance of the gifts and talents of the other, and mutual recognition of God’s Spirit in each person.
The more we yield to God’s Spirit, the more areas we discover where there need not be a differentiation between the sexes. Jesus is in all who have received
Him, and He empowers and works through them all, regardless of gender. As we grow closer to Him, we see more and more of His Spirit in each other. We stop thinking in terms of, “This is the opinion of a woman,” or “This is the opinion of a man,” because we will see God’s Spirit at work through that person.
Love, respect, trust, mutual admiration, and appreciation for one another come from God. Only He can give us enough of those things to start us down the path to true liberating equality.

God’s Amazing Design
The human genome is made up of forty-six chromosomes, the rod-like structures that reside in the nucleus of every cell. These chromosomes carry all of our
genes, which, in turn, are made of DNA. Two of these chromosomes, called the “X” and the “Y,” are different from the rest: they are “sex chromosomes.“ Men
carry one X and one Y chromosome, while women carry two X chromosomes. All the obvious physical differences between the sexes ultimately spring from
this humble difference in chromosomal constitution.—H. Allen Orr, Professor of Biology at the University of Rochester

International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day (IWD), marked each year on March 8, is a global celebration of womanhood. It is also a time to reflect on progress made in
advancing women’s rights, to call for further change, and to remember the ordinary women who through their acts of courage and determination have played
extraordinary roles in the history of women’s rights and women’s causes.
The idea of an International Women’s Day originated around the turn of the 20th century, amid rapid world industrialization and economic expansion that led to
protests over working conditions. In many countries today, the political and human rights theme remains central to IWD, while in others the day has become
mostly an occasion for men and children to express love and appreciation to the women around them—a sort of Mother’s Day and Saint Valentine’s Day rolled
into one.

–

Philippians 2:3 (ESV) Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

Galatians 5:13 (ESV) For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one
another.

James 1:17 (ESV) Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

God’s Eternal Love

As soon as I got connected to the Internet, dozens of messages that had piled up in cyberspace while I’d been traveling from the Middle East to Europe flooded my inbox. I wearily started separating junk mail from the real thing, and in the process was surprised to find a note from someone I hadn’t heard from in a long while. It read, in part:

Twenty days ago medical tests revealed that I have cancer. Thank God, it hasn’t spread yet. I will be admitted for surgery very soon. I wish you could come over to the hospital. I’ll be there for a week. I’m not afraid of the surgery, but a little worried.
When I first found out, I felt betrayed. I used to trust my healthy body—then suddenly I found out that I have cancer. I was so disappointed and sad. Then I
prayed. God’s kindness and mercy have always been with me, and He gave me signs that helped the illness be discovered early. I think I’ll be okay.

I was deeply touched that this dear woman would reach out to me in her time of need, but I wouldn’t return home for several weeks, so I sent a note to a
coworker, asking her to visit this woman and pray for her. I also emailed the woman, explaining that I was away but had asked a friend, whom she’d also met, to get in touch. I also assured her that I would be praying for her.
When I returned home nearly a month later, I learned that my coworker had visited the woman in the hospital shortly after the operation. The woman had been
through a near-death experience due to post-op complications. While hovering between life and death, she had had a distinct feeling that she wasn’t supposed to die yet, that God still had plans for her life. She had been revived and was thankful to be alive, but the whole experience had left her strangely troubled and
depressed. This was the state my friend had found her in, but after they had talked for a while the woman’s spirits had lifted, and she had clung tightly to my
friend’s hand when they prayed together for a speedy recovery and encouragement.
When I phoned the woman, she explained what a difference the visit had made—just the fact that my coworker had come meant so much. “It was as though an angel had visited me,” she said. Even though the battle for her health was not yet over, she thanked us both from the bottom of her heart for our prayers, and then asked us to visit her at her home.
Before this visit, I made her a card with some Scripture passages about Jesus, the Great Physician, who during His time on earth “went about doing good and
healing all who were sick,” and who the Bible teaches is “the same yesterday, today, and forever.” As I contemplated what else to write, love-filled words
flowed effortlessly from my pen. Jesus Himself wanted to express His love and concern for this dear woman, and the message He gave me for her ended with a short prayer she could pray.
As we talked at her house, I explained that while praying for her I had received a message of encouragement for her from Jesus, and that I hoped she wouldn’t be offended if I passed it on to her.
“Even though I am not a Christian, I really love Jesus,” she said. “When I feel worried or uneasy, I listen to a tape by a famous local singer who recorded two
prayers, one for Easter and one for Christmas. When I listen to the Easter prayer, all about how Jesus was nailed to the cross, died, was buried, and rose to life again, peace fills my heart.”
When she opened the envelope containing my card and started reading the message from Jesus, tears welled up in her eyes. A little embarrassed, she asked if she could read the rest later that evening.
The next time I talked to her, she said she had reread the whole message and prayed the prayer. “It filled me with peace inside,” she said. “Now I have accepted what God has brought into my life, and now I know I will be okay.”
As we talked on, we both concluded that what really matters in life is that we believe in and love God, and that we receive His words. What a difference it would
make in our troubled world, where barriers are going up faster than ever between peoples and religions, if we could reach out and build bridges instead, if we
could focus on what is really important—love for God and the sharing of His love with others. God sent Jesus to this world as an example of His love for all
mankind. God’s eternal, universal love hasn’t changed, and Jesus Christ, who healed hearts as well as bodies, is the same yesterday, today, and forever!

–

Acts 10:38 (ESV) how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by
the devil, for God was with him.

Hebrews 13:8 (ESV) Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

John 3:16 (ESV) “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Keeping the Faith

Question: My family and most of the other people I’m around every day aren’t interested in spiritual matters. How can I “keep the faith” in what seems to be an increasingly skeptical world?

Answer: Faith is atthe core of our spiritual lives, so it’s worth fighting for. Here are a few tips that can help yours not only survive, but thrive:

Feed on the Word of God. Faith is built by faithful study of God’s Word. As you read and absorb it daily, as you think about its truths and how they apply to you, your faith will grow. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” Jesus promises, “If you abide in My Word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Pray and meditate. God wants to have a personal relationship with you through His Son, Jesus. “There is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” Communing in spirit with Jesus—sharing your heart with Him and receiving His love, encouragement, and answers in return—will strengthen your connection and deepen your relationship.

Live your faith. “Faith without works is dead,” but conversely, putting faith into action brings it to life. As you apply God’s Word to daily living, its principles and promises will ring true time after time, and your faith in it and its Author will grow.

Look for the good. Nothing can put a damper on faith like adverse circumstances, but the Bible promises, “All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Learn to find and focus on that good, and your faith will be buoyant enough to survive anything.

Draw from the experience of others. Reading accounts of what God has done for others will increase your faith. What God has done for them, He can do for you!

Thank God for the good. Praising God for His goodness propels us into His presence. “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.” The more you thank God for His goodness, the more you’ll find to be thankful for and the more He will bless you. It’s an upward spiral that makes God and the spiritual realm more real to you; it strengthens your faith.

James 2:26 (ESV) For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

Romans 8:28 (ESV) And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Psalm 100:4 (ESV) Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!

God’s Free Offer

Jesus came to make salvation as easy as He could. That’s one reason why the religious leaders of His day wanted to see Him crucified, because their religious system as good as said that nobody could be saved without following their complicated laws, traditions, and religious rigmarole. Jesus taught that all we need to do to be saved is believe that He is the Christ, the Savior, and that we are sinners in need of salvation, and then ask Him for salvation.
We can’t completely understand salvation, any more than we can understand the depth of God’s love, which is why Jesus said that receiving salvation requires childlike faith. “Unless you become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of Heaven.” It’s impossible to fully comprehend either one. All we can do is receive them.
Does a baby understand the love of its mother or father? No, he just feels it, accepts it, and receives it. Even before he understands language, before he learns to talk, he understands love, he feels love, and he trusts his parents because he knows they love him. Likewise, you don’t have to understand everything about God to experience His love and salvation; all you have to do is receive Jesus, God’s Son, as your Savior by asking Him into your heart.
You can do that right now if you want God’s answer to all of your problems and His love and happiness to fill your heart and life with joy and with a new plan and purpose in living. He’ll meet all your needs and solve all your problems. He’s just that wonderful, and it’s all just that simple!
Jesus said, “I am the door” into the Father’s house, the kingdom of God. “If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved.” If you want to get into Heaven, all you have to do is believe that the door is there and walk through it.

Saved and forgiven
Why is forgiveness an integral part of salvation? Because sin separates us from God, and no one is perfect; we are all sinners. The Bible says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” and, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.”
So-called good people pride themselves on being better than others. “I don’t do this, and I don’t do that!” But it’s impossible to get into Heaven by being good, because no one can be good enough. We all need to recognize and honestly admit, “I’m a sinner like everyone else. I make mistakes. I need a Savior.”
That’s why Jesus died for us, because we’re all sinners and it’s impossible for us to earn or be worthy of salvation. But Jesus was perfect, and that’s why He could pay the price of our sins so God could forgive us. We all need God’s love and mercy to be saved, and we find that love and mercy in Jesus Christ.
Salvation is like receiving a pardon. God has offered pardon to the guilty, and it doesn’t matter how bad you are or what you’ve done. If you believe that Jesus died for your salvation, you will be saved and forgiven. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin,” no matter what you’ve done! “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”
You can’t be too bad, but you also can’t be good enough. You cannot save yourself, no matter how good you try to be, because you can never be good enough; you can never earn or deserve salvation. “By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
Many people are too proud to accept a gift. They want to work for everything they receive. But no amount of good works or anything else can save them. Only Jesus saves! “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Once saved, forever saved
Once you have received Jesus, He will never let go of you. “The one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.” If you have Jesus, then you have eternal life. You may lose your physical life, but never your eternal life!
Salvation is forever. God doesn’t change His mind or go back on His word. Once you’ve received Jesus Christ, you’re going to live forever. “He who believes on the Son has everlasting life.” Right now! No ifs, ands, or buts about it!
Jesus said, “I am with you alway[s], even unto the end of the world.” “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.”
You can have peace of mind knowing that you don’t have to worry about whether you’re going to make it to Heaven. Jesus paid for your salvation once and forever, and it’s His gift to you. Grace plus faith plus nothing—that’s salvation! You don’t have to be good to get saved, and you don’t have to be good to stay saved.
But this doesn’t mean that you can then live as you please. Once you’re saved, you’ll always be saved, but if you wilfully commit sins and don’t repent, you will suffer for them in some way. “The Lord disciplines those He loves.” And once in Heaven, you’ll be rewarded (or not) according to how you lived on earth. Salvation is a gift, but you can keep yourself in line for God’s other blessings, both in this life and the next, by doing your best to live as He would have you live. And if you appreciate that gift as you should, you’ll love and want to please Him in return.

A new you
Jesus likened salvation to being born again. It’s that big of a change spiritually. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” Don’t be surprised if you actually feel different and think differently and are happier than you have ever been before!
Jesus’ coming into your life not only renews and purifies and regenerates your spirit, but it also renews your mind, breaking old connections and gradually rewiring you with a new outlook on life and new reactions to nearly everything around you. It’s impossible for you to make such a total change yourself, but it’s possible for God—and it’s possible for you to ask Him for it.
When Jesus comes into your heart, expect things to be different. It may not happen all at once, but as you continue to hunger for truth and take in more of God’s Word, it will happen. You’ll find a change in your spirit, your thoughts, and in your direction. You’ll be happy and overflowing with love, because “God is love!”

–

Romans 6:23 (ESV) For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Galatians 2:16 (ESV) yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

1 John 1:7 (ESV) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

My Avocado Tree

Avocados are one of my favorite fruits—delicious and nutritious. I have various herbs growing on my kitchen windowsill, and decided to use the little remaining space to try to grow an avocado plant.

Following the tips I found online at wikihow.com, I held the seed pointed side up and stuck four toothpicks into the middle section of the seed at even intervals so it could rest half-submerged on the mouth of a small jar filled to the brim with water—and waited. Weeks went by, and there was no sign of life. By all appearances, it could have been a stone rather than a seed! When a month had gone by I considered giving up. Perhaps there was no life in this dull brown seed.

Then a tiny crack appeared at its base. I thought at this point that the seed might simply be drying out, but I was willing to wait a little longer. I changed the water, and a few more weeks passed. Finally a tiny root emerged from the crack. Then another crack appeared, this time at the top of the seed. Slowly but surely a small shoot peeked out hopefully.

Transplanted to a pot of soil, the seed that had appeared lifeless is now growing into a small but healthy plant. Tender green leaves sprout day by day, each growing to several times the size of the seed. This baby tree is proof that there was life inside the seed, despite outward appearances.

As Easter approaches, I am reminded of my avocado-growing experience. How hopeless Jesus’ followers must have felt when they saw Him die on the cross! They watched His lifeless body be carried off and sealed in a stone-cold tomb. They must have felt as though their hopes and dreams were being buried too. I can picture them now, forlorn and seemingly forsaken. Yet hope was not dead! Three days later Jesus would rise triumphant, the victor over death and the grave.

The miracle of Jesus’ resurrection is of course a far greater miracle than my little avocado plant, but what an example that plant is. Even when the outlook seems hopeless, wait on the Lord, and He will work miracles—new life, new hope, new beginnings!

Life after life
What reason have atheists for saying that we cannot rise again? Which is the more difficult, to be born or to rise again? That what has never been, should be, or that what has been, should be again?—Blaise Pascal

John 11:25 ESV / Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,

1 Thessalonians 4:14 ESV / For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.

John 6:40 ESV / For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”