PROSPEROUS SEED

Photo provided by Debra Martinez 

For the seed shall be prosperous; 

the vine shall give her fruit, and 

the ground shall give her increase, 

and the heavens shall give their 

dew; and I will cause the remnant 

of this people to possess all 

these things.

Zechariah 8:12

WHERE IS JESUS IN YOUR BOAT?

Photo provided by Balinda Zimmerman

Have you ever been in the middle of a great storm and 

wonder where the Lord was?  I know I have.  It's not

easy when you don't see the Lord taking care of things

the way we think He should be.  

I have several storms going on in my life right now. 

My body is in great pain every day and my career 

life isn't helping the pain one bit.  As I struggle with

this, there are times I have become extremely angry

and have said things that I shouldn't have said. 

Some times I think, "Now Lord I know you 

have the power to control this whole situation

and yet you chose not to.  You could instantly

remove my pain, but you chose not to. 

So where is He?  What is He thinking?  

Why isn't He in the middle of my dilemma?

Why only silence? Doesn't He know that 

if my pain level is so extreme; I am not able

to walk and if I can't hardly walk; I can't 

give my books away, and I honestly

don't feel like speaking with people when

my pain level is so extreme.  Does He 

just not get it?  

 He is still in the boat!

He may not be standing right beside 

me calming the storm, but He is in the

boat.  It may seem He doesn't care;

but He never got out of the boat.  

He is there, I just need to wait

until He knows the timing is  

perfect.  When that moment 

arrives and He steps from the

stern of the boat and makes 

 His presence known, then it will

be plain to see why He chose to 

wait.  He may be using my

pain to bring someone to a

closer walk with Christ

or my pain to bring some

one to know Christ as 

their savior.  He may us my 

pain to help someone else make

it through their pain.   We never

totally understand what the Lord

is up to but may we wait and not

be filled with fear and anger 

while He waits for the perfect

moment to display his power

and glory over the situation.

May we wait and see what 

miraclous things He has is 

store for our lives. 

Seek the LORD and

 his strength,

seek his face continually

OUR UNCHANGING GOD

A devotion by Steve Long 

Spring has sprung

Fall has fell

Winter’s over

And it’s hot as…..   all get-out!

Every year the seasons come and go. Our lives are like this too.

Our circumstances seem to change from day to day. We may be rich one day and poor the next. We may be well one day and extremely unhealthy the next. We might go from being on top of the world to being friendless soon after. Our life’s graph might look like the Stock report.

Because of life’s yoyo effect, our feelings may go up and down too.

There is not much in this world you can count on, but you can always count on the Lord. As a Christian, there will be days where there is no sunshine. No matter, God’s grace is steadfast. With him “there is no variation or shadow of turning.” (James 1.17) “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13.7)

We often look for solidity out of things that are made of cardboard. We become disappointed and disillusioned when our “glory” fades away. However, we can never be disappointed over something in which we have not placed confidence.

As we behold Christ, we learn of his consistent faithfulness. Things may look bleak but his promises are sure. Life may appear to have dealt us a lemon but “we know that all things work together for the good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8.28) God’s love and grace are constant while all else may waver. God’s holiness remains. His promises are as certain now as they were two thousand years ago. You can trust them. You can trust Him.

Years ago, after a hospital visit, I was ready to go home. While walking down the hospital hallway, though, I noticed a large, white object appearing about half-mast in one of the rooms. When I turned back to see what it was, I saw a young lady with her leg in a cast which was elevated to about forty degrees. I felt compelled to stop and talk to her. Within only a short time of sharing the gospel with her, she began to weep. I could see the Holy Spirit was convincing her of her lost condition. I led her to Jesus, prayed with her, gave her some further guidance and left.

Leaving the hospital that day, I was filled with joy and exclaimed to the Lord, “God, you are so good!”

Immediately I felt a twinge of conviction. The thought crossed my mind, “Why don’t you praise God like that when days are difficult and you are seeing no visible results of blessing?” It was as if God were saying to me. “I am always good.”

You know what? He really is. We just don’t always see it as clearly as we do on other days. May the Lord help us to praise him and proclaim his goodness every day of our lives.

Here is the chorus of a song I wrote that day.

My God is the same 

when the sun is shining, 

As in the darkest night.

He’s the same when things 

are going wrong, 

As when they’re going right.

He’s the same today as yesterday

And evermore shall be.

And though my God has never changed,

He sure is changing me.

“For I am the LORD, I do not change; 

Therefore you are not consumed, 

O sons of Jacob. 

Yet from the days of your fathers 

You have gone away from My ordinances 

And have not kept them. 

Return to Me, and I will return to you," 

Says the LORD of hosts.”  (Malachi 3.6-7)

  

He never changes but we all need Him to change us.

  

WHAT IS TRUE WISDOM?

What is true wisdom?  That is the first thing that came to 

my mind after I felt astonished, shocked, overwhelmed 

and filled with sorrow. 

As I was working at the office today we got word

that my nephew by marriage had been in an 

accident.   The family wasn't sure if 

he was going to pull through.  

Can you imagine the horror or finding

your mate laying in a pile of blood

with their entire body mauled by 

an animal?  

He had walked outside looking for 

their small dog and the neighbors dog

came over and nearly killed him.  

The news came, his toes and fingers

are intact and the dog didn't get his 

eyes.  This was the only good news 

that we was hearing as the rest of 

the news was that of devastation.  

The neighbors dog tore over four

feet of his flesh.  Can you even

imagine getting one foot of your

flesh torn to shreds?  Were not 

talking about a few bites, we are 

talking about his entire body being 

torn with gashes from top to bottom.  

Now, let me reflect back a month or 

so ago when my sister was attacked 

by a very large dog.  She was pretty

angry because she had to get 11 stitches

on the arm pit of her arm going down 

toward the elbow. 

She asked the owners to get rid of the dog.

You would have thought they would have

gladly gotten rid of the dog but instead, 

they got rid of their friendship with 

her.  She was told she was over reacting.

The fight continued because when my

sister believes she right she sticks to her

beliefs unless proven wrong.  

I seen a post on the families page 

that said they wanted to give the dog

away to someone.  They said, he's not 

child friendly as they had seen with 

the one child they had and also had

another one fixing to be delivered.  

Also stated that the dog gets jealous 

and is very protective.  

So they knew the dog was not child

friendly and was very protective 

because this was not the first time

this dog had attacked and the dog

had been deemed as dangerous.  Yet 

they were angry when my sister stood 

her ground and insisted they get rid 

of the dog.  She didn't just insist, 

she told them if they didn't get 

rid of the dog, she would sue

them.  

Sometimes drastic measures 

must be taken when there is 

danger to a child or even

another person.  It's one thing

to have a dog and endanger your

own life but it's totally different

if you let the dog threaten

someone else's life. 

Their friendship is totally broken and 

every family member who has been

like family to her for probably 30 years 

has all cut off their friendship.  

Now, for my opinion.  True wisdom is 

standing up and fighting with every 

ounce of your being to save the life

of one of those children, even if 

it cost you your friendship and the

pain is so great from losing those 

friends.  

True wisdom is not thinking 

selfishly and giving in to their anger

and frustration of having to get rid 

of this family pet whom they loved

so dearly.  

True wisdom is taking the hard 

road and probably saving someones

life.  It is not always easy to use

true wisdom but after hearing the

news of my nephew, I say my

sister deserves a round of applause 

for taking a stand and holding it out 

to the very end.  

I would rather them be mad and have

listened to her than to have insisted 

they keep the dog and then one day 

find one of their children or a friend

lying in a heap of blood and then being

so angry with themselves for not 

listening to the voice of truth. 

Hear counsel, and receive instruction, 

that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.

Proverbs 19:20

BE NOT HASTY IN THY SPIRIT

Photo provided by Katie Peace

Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: 

for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

Say not thou, What is the cause that 

the former days were better than these? 

for thou dost not enquire wisely 

concerning this  Wisdom is good with an 

inheritance: and by it there is profit 

to them that see the sun. For wisdom is 

a defence, and money is a defence: but 

the excellency of knowledge is, that 

wisdom giveth life to them that have it.

Consider the work of God: for who 

can make that straight, which he 

hath made crooked?

Ecclesiastes 7:9-13

THE LORD SHALL REIGN FOREVER

The LORD shall reign for ever, even 

thy God, O Zion, unto all 

generations. Praise ye the LORD.

Praise ye the LORD: for it is 

good to sing praises unto our 

God; for it is pleasant; and 

praise is comely.

PSALM 146:10 - 147:1

WHAT IS A CULT?

What is a Cult?

What is a cult? How would you know one if you saw one?

The word “cult” comes from a Latin word cultus which meant “worship.” But a cult is more than just a group that worships. Some dictionary definitions of the word “cult” include:

• A system of religious belief, esp. one not recognized as an established religion, or the people who worship according to such a system of belief:[i]

• A  religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also :  its body of adherents[ii]

• A religion or sect considered to be false, unorthodox, or extremist, with members often living outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader.[iii]

Some of the common misconceptions of a cult one might hear are a religious group which is: small, regarded by others as strange or sinister, excessive, misplaced, and – a splinter group. But just because a group is small, it does not make them necessarily wrong. Just because they are considered “strange,” it doesn’t make them a cult. That which is true is often considered strange by the people of this world. If a faction splinters off of another, this doesn’t mean they are outside the realm of orthodoxy. Even though many of these characteristics are often common in many cults, I think we would be wise to consider a more biblical definition of a cult.

True Christianity is a cloth that is woven with many groups and denominations. Even though some may claim they are the one true, mother church and that all other groups are not legitimate, this is not so.

The existence of many different groups, some of which believe a little differently, does not qualify any of them as a cult. Most denominations have statements of faith which define their doctrine. You will notice a common core belief system from most of them too, though they may differ on the non-essentials.

I have been a member of Baptist churches ever since Jesus saved me from my sin. Most Christians recognize Baptists as true Christians. However, when a team of us went up from Texas to a northern American state to do some ministry up there, I found out that many people of the groups there regarded Baptists as a cult.

In Poland, where I went several years ago, the Baptist churches had felt the need to put “Christian Baptist Church” on their signs so that they would not be regarded by others as a cult but as Christian. They had suffered some persecution from some. Many Poles believed that Christians should all belong to their one group.

What I’m saying is that it is easy to place the label “cult” upon any group that does not believe exactly like us. This is wrong because when we use only the worldly definition of what constitutes a cult, it is possible for any group of Christians to label any other group of Christians as a cult. This causes even more division among the people of God.

A false definition of a cult, however, does not negate the true definition. So let’s look at the true definition. A cult is a group of people who profess Christianity but whose practices and beliefs are in direct disagreement with the core beliefs of Christianity. These core beliefs include reliance upon the bible as God’s word; God as Creator and giver of the moral law; belief in the unity of God in three persons (Father, Son and Holy Spirit); recognition of the sinful nature of mankind; belief in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ; salvation by grace through faith in Jesus; heaven and hell as the final destiny of all humanity; and the imminent return of Jesus Christ.

John, the Apostle of Jesus, wrote:

For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward. Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.[iv]

Here are some biblical characteristics of a cult or a false group: All cults have most, if not all of these ways about them.

• Teaches doctrine which is foreign to scripture, especially in the area of Jesus Christ and Salvation. Most often, in cult teachings, they deny the Godhood of Jesus Christ.
• Requires unquestioned devotion to a human, fallible leader. This leader is often accountable to no one else.
• Isolates its members from all other groups. The bible teaches us that we are to be separated, but not isolated from the rest of the world.
• Extra-biblical revelation. The cult will add books, writings and teachings from within to be regarded as equal to or superior to the bible.
• Adheres to prophecies which are proven to be false.
• Often the group, in obedience to its leader, teaches and believes that there is no salvation apart from itself.

Just because it may be popular to label a group as “a cult” does not make them one. There are many legitimate groups of Christians who may be outside the mainstream but which do not resemble any of the characteristics of cultism. And just because someone is a member or connected to a cult group does not necessarily mean they are unsaved. They may just be confused. We trust that God will truly lead them to the light and bring them out.

Finally: If you know someone who is in a cult, they are not irredeemable. Pray for their salvation and for their enlightenment to the truth, and if God provides you the opportunity, share the gospel of Jesus with them. God may use it to draw them unto himself.