Where to Hide

Have you ever have too much on your plate and you just need a break, and hide somewhere else from the craziness?

Have you ever feel like you are all alone, no one to talk to, not loved by anyone and you just want to hide and disappear?

Have you ever feel like the sins you committed are too big too many and no one can save you from them. And all you can think of is to hide....

Somewhere far away, somewhere where there no body can see you....

Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee from your presence? 
 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
    if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 
 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
    if I settle on the far side of the sea, 
 even there your hand will guide me,
    your right hand will hold me fast. 
 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
    and the light become night around me,” 
 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
    the night will shine like the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

 (Psalm 139: 7-12)

I tried a million times to hide from the world, and God to be frank.

But even if I try my best, I can never hide from the grace of God. Our God loves us so much that He reached down from Heaven to serve us, touch our hearts and to be a living sacrifice for us.

Yes, Jesus died for your sins, and yes, Jesus is able to save you from your sins.

No, you can never hide from the grace of God, and no, even darkness cannot hide you from the light of Christ.

I am thankful that our God never give up on us. I am glad that if I need to hide from the world, I can hide in His faithfulness and merciful grace and peace. I hope you feel the same way today!

Praying,
Joey Prayer Manager

Love Others

I am interested to know if anyone else questions whether "American Cheese" should be called cheese! My children know that I call it "fake cheese!" In my opinion cheese ought to have some substance and real flavor to it like Cheddar or Colby Jack (add your own favorite here). When you bite into a sandwich piled high with your favorite deli meat, wrapped in your favorite bread, don't you desire to have a slab of cheese in the mix that stands out and can be noticed? Are you with me on this? For me, fake cheese doesn't qualify! One definition of imitation I found is: "a thing intended to simulate or copy something else: an imitation diamond."

Today we were all challenged by Pastor Jonathon Falwell to consider how well we as Christians are loving other Christ-followers. We are the leaders of today and we have been called by our gracious Lord to humbly think of others first. Romans 12:9 teaches us that our love must be sincere, as opposed to imitation love. Does that imply that we may demonstrate love that is fake at times? We all wrestle with self-centered tendencies and must be vigilant about checking our pride as we reach out and practice serving others. I realize that it is not easy to love each of the Christians we know, or to be patient with fellow believers as they try us in so many ways, or allow others to take the credit, or give to others freely, or share in their joys and sorrows, or live in harmony, above criticism and at peace with brothers and sisters...(you get the idea). There is no doubt that this will take intentional effort. But I am convinced that none of us want to be seen as fake followers of Jesus! It is lunch time and I am hungry...I sure hope my sandwich has some real cheese on it today :)

p.s. Take note of verse 12 below. We should "steadfastly maintain the habit of prayer" 
It just so happens that we have an excellent place for you to come and develop or maintain your habit of prayer! Dorm 13 lower level "Prayer Center"

Romans 12: 9-21 (PHILLIPS translation) 
9 Let us have no imitation Christian love. Let us have a genuine break with evil and a real devotion to good.
10 Let us have real warm affection for one another as between brothers, and a willingness to let the other man have the credit.
11 Let us not allow slackness to spoil our work and let us keep the fires of the spirit burning, as we do our work for God.
12 Base your happiness on your hope in Christ. When trials come endure them patiently, steadfastly maintain the habit of prayer.
13 Give freely to fellow-Christians in want, never grudging a meal or a bed to those who need them.
14 And as for those who try to make your life a misery, bless them. Don’t curse, bless.
15 Share the happiness of those who are happy, the sorrow of those who are sad.
16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t become snobbish but take a real interest in ordinary people. Don’t become set in your own opinions.
17 Don’t pay back a bad turn by a bad turn, to anyone. Don’t say “it doesn’t matter what people think”, but see that your public behavior is above criticism.
18 As far as your responsibility goes, live at peace with everyone.
19 Never take vengeance into your own hands, my dear friends: stand back and let God punish if he will. For it is written: ‘Vengeance is mine. I will repay’.
20-21 ... these are God’s words: ‘Therefore if your enemy hungers, feed him; if he thirsts, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head’. Don’t allow yourself to be overpowered with evil. Take the offensive—overpower evil by good!

Drop Your Hands

You’d think I would have my mother’s fingerprints embedded in my knee from all the times she squeezed my leg in church and whispered in no uncertain terms, “Be still.” Like any boy, I had a bad case of the wiggles in places like church. So for years, when I read, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10), I thought of it in terms of not being antsy.

But the Hebrew word for still means “to cease striving.” It’s the concept of putting your hands down and letting God intervene in your situation without your interference. This word picture is interesting, since we often use our hands to push things out of our way, to protect ourselves, or to strike back. When we drop our hands, it makes us feel defenseless and vulnerable—unless we can trust that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (v.1), and that “the Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge” (v.7). In other words, stop struggling and wait on God to do His work!

In the face of all of life’s circumstances, we can know the peace of trusting the presence and power of God in the midst of trouble as we wait patiently and prayerfully for His deliverance. So drop your hands, for God’s hands are busy on your behalf!

Be still and know that He is God
For pathways steep and rough;
Not what He brings but who He is
Will always be enough. —Anon.

When we put our problems in God’s hands,
He puts His peace in our hearts.

Our Daily Bread: October 6, 2012 — Joe Stowell

Wholly Holy

(I Thess. 5:23)

Now may the God of peace himself sanctfu you completely, and may your whole spirit and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

" ....for the disparity beween Jesus' beauty and my brokeness is overwhelming to me at times.

But as the God of peace, you're making me wholly holy, changing me through and through.

And I will actively surrender to the very active ministry of the Holy Spirit, by whom I'm sealed, with whom I'm indwelt, and through whom I will be safely delivered into your presence. I pray in your faithful name. Amen."

Everyday Prayers

Scotty Smith

Lord, help us learn to be Holy !

Dr. Charles Hughes
Pastor for Prayer

Trust God

After listening to the message given in Convocation today by Dr. Wheeler I am fascinated by the thought of college students applying what was said in a real way - in real life. Some very difficult situations were mentioned by Dr. Wheeler where he has had to trust God with his life or with the life of one he loves deeply. He also shared about some of his students who have needed to trust God while facing difficult circumstances.

What about you? What about those trials in your life when things did not work out in the way you had prayed for God to help? What about the person who seems to always have things work out and they don't seem to pray at all! What are some of the situations where you have struggled to trust God? How did you get through the struggle? If you are still wrestling with something, how are you facing it on a daily basis? What do you do when you want to simply quit trying? We would love to hear some of your thoughts in response to Trusting God! Please let us know what you are thinking.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." --Romans 15:13