An Uneven Exchange...

An uneven exchange…

“When He had called the people to Himself…He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”  Mark 8:34

We are often mistaken about what Jesus is communicating about picking up our cross. It is NOT pain, disease, suffering, torment, or loss of relationships. The cross is NOT about the hardships of living in a broken, sick, evil, and weary world. Jesus came on a rescue mission. If we fully trust Him – that is the caveat here – He has made every believer more than a conqueror. His love, joy, healing, restoration, and deliverance are ours, no matter what our circumstances may be.

No, the cross is explained in the following verse. When we lay down our plans, dreams, and hopes for His plans, dreams, and hopes. Our lives for His cause alone. His will be done, not ours; just as Jesus spoke to the Father as He was about to pick up His cross – for us.

When we take up His cross, however, it is an uneven exchange. Our rags for His riches. Our nothingness for His extraordinary. Our lack for His abundance. Our sin for His grace. Think about it. Yes, it is an even exchange indeed. What are we waiting for?

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{WEDNESDAY ONE-MINUTE BIBLE STUDY}

Your Treasure...

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field."
Matthew 13:44 NKJV

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https://youtu.be/V7JWhQKezVY

iPhone Users! For more daily devotional videos, short & sweet, download the "Refocus" app on from your Play Store. I have two teachings there: "Healing for Life's Hurts" and "Grace in the Dark." Many more, way-better teachers, on the app, too! Android coming soon!

Work in Progress...Thoughts from Jaime...

As I sat there, listening to a woman pouring her heart out, I heard bits and pieces of my own story...

“I am sure that the good work God began in you will continue until he completes it on the day when Jesus Christ comes again.” Philippians 1:6 ERV

I could identify with her pain. Not just sympathize, but empathize—with genuine compassion and tears of solidarity.

When she finished, I let the Holy Spirit guide my words. I reassured her that God wasn’t finished writing her story and He would be faithful to put her heart back together. I could promise her that in every battle against her ugly emotions and destructive thoughts, there was victory.

It is in these times I am reminded that my pain and suffering have been transformed into a beautiful bridge of hope—a viaduct for someone else to encounter the reality of our Redeemer. He lets nothing go to waste, and often our most powerful weapons are the very things the enemy has previously tried to destroy us with.

Yes, we have victory in Christ and yes He fights for us—but we still have to show up to the battle. We may have to go into uncomfortable territory and confront things we’d rather avoid, but triumph can only come if there’s a struggle. We must identify our enemy in order to defeat him.

God’s nowhere close to being finished with me, but I do marvel when I look back at all He’s done.

To take the most horrid seasons of our time here and resurrect hope, joy and purpose— that’s the heart of God. He truly is at work in the life of every believer. And as the saying goes, I’m not where I want to be, but thank God I’m not where I used to be.

by: Jaime Betters

For more of Jaime's writing please see  www.remadecommunity.org

Level Ground...

A woman became really upset with me a couple of years ago…

"Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,"
2 Corinthians 3:5

The woman was peeved when I told her that her own ability to be self-sufficient was probably her biggest hindrance in following Christ. She didn’t like that and she was very proud of her accomplishments, except for the fact she was losing her family.

Some of us facing trials truly believe we can pull ourselves through in our own strength. We have a bounty of God-given natural ability, just like the woman above. Others of us, know we can’t do anything to help ourselves, but rely on anyone else, rather than the All Sufficient One.

No matter what camp you fall into: self-reliant or others- reliant, it is time to walk onto level ground found at the foot of His cross.

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At the Start of This Week...

At the start of this week...

Should your yard be overgrown, your jeans too tight, or your wallet a little too empty, look up! King Jesus is the All-Sufficient One. Get your eyes on Him alone and let Him do the heavy lifting for your cares.  Philippians 4:19

Should a loved one go sideways, a neighbor go ballistic, or a co-worker become annoying, well, remember you have issues, too! Jesus has all the patience in the world to bring you into freedom, now grab hold of His patience in you for others, by the power of the Holy Spirit!  Galatians 5:22-23

This is a week of new beginnings, hopes to be realized, and miracles to watch for. Keep your eyes open, your heart tender, and your mind from distraction. This week will be awesome in Jesus because He Who is in you is greater than anything!  1 John 4:4

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Reign in Life...

Reign in life. Really??

"For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, 
much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ."
Romans 5:17

For years I thought about: 

Getting by in life
Surviving life
Making it through another day in life

But never, reigning in life.

Only Jesus. Only His abundant, powerful, lavish grace and the free gift of His righteousness can cause a lost and weary soul to reign in life. Even those of us who feel neither lost or weary have to admit: life could be better.

It can be. Invite Him in. Surrender everything to Him. Stand Back. Stand in His grace. Let His righteousness cover you. And see what He does in and through you. Yes, you too, can reign in life through the One and Only.

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His Present Presence...

His presence is always present.

"God our refuge and strength.
A very present help in trouble.
Therefore we shall not fear…"
Psalm 46:1-2a

Some years ago I decided I wouldn’t live another day without His presence. Come hell or high water, I was choosing to nurture, not only a devotional time with Jesus – praying requests, reading the Word, journaling – but a frequent waiting and basking in the Holy Spirit who reveals the Savior within us and to us John 16.

Believe me, my family and the church we pastor have experienced some crazy stuff during these years, yet His presence has always been present. I can tell you story after ridiculously loving story of Jesus in our midst.

Now, what used to be mere theory has become reality. He is the real deal and He wants you to draw close and really know Him not just know about Him. His present presence is all you need.

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WEDNESDAY ONE-MINUTE BIBLE STUDY

{WEDNESDAY ONE-MINUTE BIBLE STUDY}

You are accepted in the Beloved...

"to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence." Ephesians 1:6-8 NKJV

Click on the link below...

https://youtu.be/7EwvPEm55b4

Words from Yvonne...

Sometimes I say stupid and thoughtless things, especially when texting or sending an IM. Quick thoughts, carelessly thrown.

“For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” Hebrews 8:12 NIV

Today I said something in an IM to a beloved friend – thinking I was being considerate – and I kicked her in the guts.  She eventually let me know, in trust, so my words would not come between us.  I felt sick – and apologized.

I went back and read my words.  I could see how thoughtless they were, but I could not take them back.  I sent her another IM, acknowledging my thoughtlessness – and I asked forgiveness.  She said there was nothing to forgive, but said, “I forgive you.”

Honestly, I would have felt better if she had ranted at me a bit. I did not feel worthy of forgiveness.  Penance.  I wanted to pay for my wrong – but what price could I set on a heart wound?  Yet, out of love, she offered me the same grace God offered humanity.  And in her grace, I found forgiveness for myself – and a deeper awareness of the care needed to hold another’s heart. 

Jesus put His heart in our hands, too, and continues to do so, knowing that in our humanness, we will at least occasionally break His heart.  He will bear it because He loves us.

Lord, please teach me to hold all hearts well.

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By: Yvonne Quirk

At the Start of This Week...

At the start of this week,

Should the cookie jar be empty, you checking account be nil, and your joy is nowhere to be found. It is time to run to the Master. Look Him square in the face and own up to any failings on Your part. Next, ask for His help and throw your Plan B out the door. Wait for His instruction and help, He is near.

Should any next steps in your life seem too long and the hope for your future seems to be falling far short of your expectations, it is time to lay your hopes and dreams in Jesus’ hands. He has better things in mind. Really. Let Him pick up the pieces of your life and make sense of what is to come next for you.

This is a week of new beginnings, hopes to be realized, and miracles to watch for. Keep your eyes open, your heart tender, and your mind from distraction. This week will be awesome in Jesus because Who is in you is greater than anything! 

1 John 4:4

Insecurities Suck...(yes, I actually said that!)

Entertaining insecurities, sucks…

“Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself.”
John 13:4

The bondage of insecurity about who we are, what we look like, or any variety of human weaknesses, can cause so much damage and loss to our lives. Honestly. Take it from one who lived most of her life ducking reality and continually living under the premise she needed to prove her worth. A person can do stupid things when they live like I did.

Not Jesus, however. Knowing Who He was in these moments at the last supper, just before He washed the disciples’ feet, gave Him the ability to be completely selfless, even to the point of the cross. He didn’t hide or duck from His mission. He didn’t need to prove Himself to anyone. He was absolutely secure in Who He was.

Jesus can break these dreaded stongholds and hindrances in our lives and it is time that we let Him. He can heal us and He wants to. It is time to know and live in who we really are. We are His children.

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Umbrellas...thoughts from Dayspring...

Why do bad things happen to good people? Why does that person who doesn’t even believe in God seem to flourish and succeed while nothing in my life seems to go right? And how come when it rains it pours?

Age old questions answered by the Only One who can.

“He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Matthew 5:45

So what’s the difference between me, as the righteous in Christ, than the unrighteous if we all get rained on anyway? Well, it’s all about what kind of umbrella you use. With God as our umbrella we are covered. Literally. It rains, it gets ugly, things fall apart, nothing goes as it should, and we sometimes reach our breaking point, but we don’t. We can cry out to God at any time, as many times as we need to, and find shelter from our storm. Even when it’s chaos around us, under His protection, we just don’t get as wet.

I’ve seen those who don’t know Him scramble for safety under all sorts of false coverings when the first raindrops fall. Then I’ve watched them crumble into bitterness, anger, defeat, and depression as they drown under the weight of their broken coverings.

I’ve also seen those who, under His protective umbrella, go through the hardest things and still have joy and peace. Getting wet but not drowning. That’s the difference!

Maybe you’ve never thought about God as an Umbrella? It’s time to start!

Try Him…He’s so capable.

“The LORD is your shade at your right hand.” Psalm 121:5

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by: Dayspring Boldt Broxton

Refocus...

Hi Everyone,

The Lord has opened up a door for me to share His Word on a new iPhone app: Refocus. You can install for free from your app store.

You will find some great daily, short (2-5 minutes), video Bible Study Plans given by a variety of teachers/pastors. I share one called "Healing Life's Hurts."  Here is Day One of this 14-Day Plan. I pray you will be blessed and encouraged and help spread the word about Refocus to your friends. New plans and teachers will be added continually and Refocus will be coming in a few months to Android users like myself!

https://refocusapp.org/share/video/57a2889712ac33a12bba4c61

Believing God...

Believing in God is not the same as believing God...

"The Scripture says, No man who believes in Him [who adheres to, relies on, and trusts in Him] will [ever] be put to shame or be disappointed." Romans 10:11 AMP

As simple as this sounds, it took me years to figure it out. I also had to go through some very costly lessons along the way.

Don’t get me wrong — I identified myself as a Christian and I believe I was saved. However, when it came to my life, I was still running the show. I wouldn’t say it was solely out of arrogance or pride, though they definitely played supporting roles. No, I just didn’t really know there was more to the story.

I knew God was there, but I didn’t know Him well enough to trust in and rely on Him. I had no real heart-knowledge of how truly loved and treasured I was and so I didn’t know that I could place even the smallest details of my life in His hands.

In fact, it wasn’t until I made a royal mess of things, with no chance of fixing it on my own, that I began to place my hope in God. And I finally saw who He really wanted to be to me.

It’s funny to think this now, but I am actually grateful for winding up in such a desperate place, because I stopped just believing in God and I came to know Him well enough to simply believe Him.

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_________________

By: Jaime Betters

For the longer version of this devo and for more of Jaime's writing, please check out: www.remadecommunity.org

At the Start of This Week...

At the start of this week…

If we get our feelings hurt or we hurt someone else’s heart, let’s be quick to make amends, right wrongs, and talk to the person. In other words, do what Jesus told us to do: get things out in the open with mercy and grace to ensure our enemy doesn’t get the opportunity to ensnare us in any way.

If money seems tight, and our need and want lists seem, oh, so long, let’s remember life’s true priorities: Him, Him, and only Him. Honest. If we put Jesus first for all financial decisions, He will guide and provide for us what is most needed.

This is a week of new beginnings, hopes to be realized, and miracles to watch for. Keep your eyes open, your heart tender, and your mind from distraction. This week will be awesome in Jesus because He Who is in you is greater than anything!     1 John 4:4

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Dayspring's Thoughts on Simple...

Sometimes simple is best.

I am always too “flowery” and too long in my writings. My mom constantly has to shorten the posts I write for this blog. And even then I’m usually 100 words over what she wants! But today I was thinking about simple. To the point.

Big changes are brewing in my life. But isn’t that how life goes? Life-changing changes constantly a part of our days. Some good and some bad. A roller coaster with ups and downs, thrills and scares, twists and turns, and sometimes just coasting along at a leisurely pace.

If we knew what was in store for us we would probably not ever get out of bed!

And yet even in all of this change there is one simple truth that keeps coming to mind:

“Jesus Christ is [eternally changeless, always] the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8 AMP

So maybe today is not so great. Or maybe it is great, but God knows what tomorrow will bring. Perhaps you have a new job, new spouse, new house, or you’re losing a job, losing a spouse, losing a house. Maybe you are making a big move, experiencing loss, having your heart broken, welcoming a new baby, or just unsure of what to do and wrecked with anxiety. Guess what? Jesus Christ is unchangeable, unflappable, unmovable, and always the same. Sit with that today. All day in all the changes remind yourself of this simple truth.

(And I have 8 words to spare!! Yes!!)

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by Dayspring Boldt Broxton

Yvonne Shares Her Heart...

Sometimes I doubt myself.

“I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, “You are my servant; I have chosen you and have not rejected you.” Isaiah 41:9

To be honest, I doubt myself on a pretty regular basis – about big and small things. And sometimes, even though I don’t need it, I get help doubting myself.

Sue emailed and asked if I would be willing to write a short devotional. I read her note and immediately felt in my spirit God’s invitation to me. Tears of joy filled my eyes as I felt His call.

But very quickly I heard in my mind, “Who am I? Who am I to speak to others?” Doubt. Memories came of past conversations in which I had doubted what I had shared. All this passed quickly through my mind after reading Sue’s note. So many reasons to say, “no.” Certainly I could come up with an excuse? Doubting my identity. Doubting God’s identity. But despite all the words in my head, only one word rang in my spirit – Yes!

I remembered God’s faithfulness in pursuing me through nearly 30 years of atheism; God forgave me even that. And I remembered it was not about me at all, but it was all about Him. Sharing God isn’t about who I am, but about who He is. There will always be reasons/excuses to say “no.” And just one reason to say “Yes!” Just as in the lead verse – He has chosen me and not rejected me.

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_________________

Written by: Yvonne Quirk   (Thanks, Yvonne!!)

At the Start of this Week...

At the start of this week...

Should your bank account go down, your blood pressure go up, or a loved goes sideways on you, place your heart in His amazing Word. He has the final report. Enough said!
Psalm 119:114

Should you become over-scheduled, overwhelmed, or over-the-top nuts with stuff to do and no time to do it. Take a breath, breathe a prayer, and be grateful for the One who came to give His all that we might live. For He alone is worthy.
Matthew 6:25-26

This is a week of new beginnings, hopes to be realized, and miracles to watch for. Keep your eyes open, your heart tender, and your mind from distraction. This week will be awesome in Jesus because He Who is in you is greater than anything!
1 John 4:4

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Wrecked and Ruined...

I am wrecked for Jesus...

So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts.” Isaiah 6:5

I was doing my usual work stuff today: payroll for a hundred-plus folks, setting up a luncheon, scheduling my chief’s calendar, and any and everything for a busy medical center, when the verse above came to mind. I sensed the Holy Spirit profoundly within and I again came to the realization that I am wrecked for Jesus. Just as the old prophet states: I am undone.

Really. Who or what else is there to live for? I spent the first many decades of my life with Jesus on the sidelines, never mind that I was involved in full-time pastoral ministry. You can do that, you know: serve Jesus, but still not lose your life for Him. That was me; but no more.

Life begins when I am wrecked for Him, living for what He says, what He does, not listening to this fallen world, and not hesitating when He calls.