"Build your own dreams, or someone else will hire you to build theirs."
www.5linx.net/thevibe

Church Social Justice by Wisdom Hunters

"Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." 1 Timothy 6:10

 

The Church of Jesus Christ has the opportunity and obligation to serve the injustices of society in Jesus’ name. Protecting the life of the unborn and elderly, providing for widows and orphans, caring for the sick and dying, and visiting those in jail or prison allows the church to engage in the culture. Compassion is not just a feeling, but a meaningful effort to get involved. A secular society needs a Savior to save its soul of injustice.

Who is the church? It is both an institution and the individual believers who make up the Body of Christ. We are responsible corporately and personally to serve society with good deeds and with the good news of salvation in Jesus. Words without works is dead faith, and works without words is ashamed faith. Thus, the Body of Christ is light and life for a dark and dying society.
"Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." 1 Timothy 5:8

So, where does the family of faith first show it cares? You start by providing for your family: your household and your relatives. It may be transportation to get them to work, a prayer over the phone, a rent payment, groceries, or sponsoring their attendance at an intensive marriage retreat. Families who follow Jesus are a compelling force for good in the culture.
 
Secondly, the Body of Christ is to care for its own. There is a spiritual kinship that benefits those who serve the King of Kings. Who do you know in your church whose tears silently cry out for care? Who is too embarrassed to ask for financial help, but your anonymous generosity would be a tourniquet to their bleeding budget? The wounds of social injustice are a wake up call for aggressive acts of kindness.
 
"Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2

Lastly, the Church is called to engage the culture as a whole in social justice. Serving the poor and needy, defending the rights of the unborn, and upholding biblical marriage are right strategies for the righteous. The good news of Jesus goes to the heart for salvation, the mind for renewal, and the body for purification. Social justice for the Church is modeling Christ's actions of preaching, teaching, giving, feeding and clothing. We love children and honor the elderly. As the Church grows in its influence the need for government lessens. Where the Lord reigns above—justice rains down on society.

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." James 1:27

Related Readings:  Deuteronomy 14:29; Isaiah 1:17; Titus 2:14; Ephesians 2:19

Prayer: Heavenly Father, break my heart for what breaks Yours. Use me to initiate Your social justice

Quote

God never intended His Church to be a refrigerator in which to
preserve perishable piety. He intended it to be an incubator in
which to hatch our converts.

      -- F. Lincicome

Poor Jesus

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9   Jesus was poor. He owned nothing, but had everything He needed. He borrowed boats, donkeys, food and lodging. He lived on borrowed time—then died and was buried in a borrowed tomb. The son of God was born from a virgin womb and buried in a virgin tomb. Christ Jesus voluntarily gave up His riches in glory in exchange for the poverty of mankind on earth. Grace comes at the great expense of Jesus giving up all for all people. It is the riches of God’s grace and forgiveness that are the true riches. Any other riches that compete with Christ’s riches are idols of insecurity. Indeed, it is better for us to be poor in the eyes of the world and remain rich in the eyes of our Heavenly Father. It is futile and frustrating to chase the undependable wealth of the world, when we can rest and revel in the riches of seeking first the Kingdom of God. Grace exhibits generosity. “Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?” James 2:5 Has pride in your socioeconomic status caused you to feel superior to those with less of this world’s stuff? If so, your possessions have become a stumbling block to seeking God’s kingdom first. Are you more fearful of losing your things than you are in losing  the Lord’s favor on your life? These are the false beliefs and behaviors that cause cultural Christians to lose their luster for Christ. True riches trust in Jesus alone. It is better to be poor but rich in grace, than to be rich and poor in grace. Moreover, a man or woman in poverty, who is motivated by greed, is much worse off than the rich who are generous in their charitable deeds and gifts. So, our priority is to follow the example of Jesus not allowing material goods to master our coming and going. When we are free from financial trappings, we are free to trust the one worthy of our trust, Jesus Christ, whose simple life compels us to live uncomplicated lives for His Kingdom’s sake. “As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go. Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” Luke 9:57-58 Prayer: Heavenly Father, teach me to seek You first, above any financial allurements

My response:

	Share: Subscribe
Depend on God “I am the vine you are the branches. If a man remains in me, and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 What does it mean to depend on God, and do I practice dependency daily? It is faith and confidence in Christ, but sometimes it is a struggle to see, because dependence is deployed from our soul and spirit. It seems easier to depend on the Lord when disease deteriorates the body, than when anger allies with my attitude. Dependence on God means we need Him, and we understand that without Him we are unable to accomplish anything of Kingdom significance. Reliance on Jesus is the door to faithful and fruitful living. It means we are transformed by what the Lord says and thinks; therefore we can depend on Him for wisdom and insight. Perhaps, He will guide you over the next year to pay down debt, decrease spending, and increase saving and giving. Indeed, we can depend on Him for the fruit of frugality and generosity. Dependence on the Lord deepens your determination. “This is what the LORD says: “Cursed are those who trust in mortals, who depend on flesh for their strength and whose hearts turn away from the LORD.” Jeremiah 17:5 Moreover, another reason you depend on the Lord is because you feel the pressure of others depending on you. You can crumble under the expectations of people, unless you have the inner strength of your Savior to sustain you. Like a branch draws sap from the vine for sustenance, so He energizes you for sustainability. Dependence is a continual connection to Christ that results in a harvest of holiness. Pride is purged away, and humility grows in its place. Fear is purged away, and faith grows in its place. Anger is purged away, and forgiveness grows in its place. Lust is purged away, and love grows in its place. We depend on God because we are desperate and detached without Him. Jesus is our source of strength and our hope in hard times. Dependence starts by acknowledging Almighty God as the owner of everything, and the controller of every circumstance. Nothing is impossible with God, and everything is within His reach. Your part is to trust and obey, and His part is to do the rest. Dependency depends on Him working in and through you. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10, NKJV). What area of my life do I need to surrender in complete dependence on Christ? Related Readings: 2 Kings 18:22; Psalm 62:7 Romans 9:16; Galatians 3:18 Post/Tweet this today: Reliance on Jesus is the door to faithful and fruitful living. #reliance # In response, in every area of my life, I will surrender unto the Lord. I need Jesus so much in my life for forgiveness, for confidence, for strength, for love, for belief, for encouragement, I want to please Him, I want to exalt Him, I want to please Him, I want to serve Him! Use me Lord Jesus use me. I'm nothing without you in my life Lord Jesus. Give me your peace Father, give me your strength, order my steps Holy Spirit! Thank you Jesus holy and Magnificient

Patience

	Share: Subscribe
Patient Endurance “This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.” Revelation 13:10b Patient endurance is not easy, but many times it is necessary. If you change jobs every two years, ten times in a row, you do not have twenty years of work experience. You have two years of work experience in ten different places. So, make sure that you learn what God intends for you to learn where you are, before you move on. This is one of Satan’s ploys. His desire is to keep you reactive to life, accompanied by a shallow faith. Your faith has the opportunity to go deep when you stay somewhere for a while, but your faith remains shallow when you run from resistance. Resistance is a faith builder. When you are pressed against by life (what sometimes seems from all sides), you have the opportunity for growth. This is where patient endurance can serve you well. Patient endurance says that I will stay in this marriage, because it is for better or for worse. I will allow God to change me for the better, and I will trust Him to do the same for my spouse over time. Indeed, patient endurance is able to outwait and sometimes outlive its accusers. Accusers come and go. If they do not get the reaction or desired response from you, they will move on to some other unprotected prey. So, by faith, “out-endure” your enemies. There will always be someone who does not like you. Don’t think you can appease everyone; this is not possible or healthy. Appeasement may grant concessions that come back to haunt you. It is one thing to negotiate with those who represent a spirit of good will but it is a whole other deal to compromise with someone who is totally at odds with your values and principles. Be willing to walk away. It is not worth it to do business with an enraged enemy. Patient endurance is illustrated throughout the Bible. Jesus patiently endured the cross. He patiently endured His critics and, ultimately, He more than restored His reputation when He proved His claims by His resurrected life. David patiently endured the fallout from his adultery and murder. He had pushed himself to the point of totally turning his back on God, but, instead, he turned back to God and became a broken and humbled leader. Joseph, also, patiently endured the ridicule and jealousy of his family members. Their injustice drove his faith in God deeper and broader. His patient endurance during the horrific injustice of his imprisonment led to his godly influence over a kingdom. Hannah patiently endured her inability to bear children. Her faithfulness to God during barrenness was a testimony of encouragement to friends, family and a nation. Her womb was empty, but her faith was pregnant with God possibilities. Therefore, do not be tempted to take the easy way out. The easy way, many times, is not the best way. Yes, there is a time to cut your losses, but only after you have patiently endured and exhausted your options. People are watching how you “do life.” So, use your influence to help others patiently endure their situations. Faithfulness, when you don’t feel like it, is evidence of a maturing faith. You may be on the verge of experiencing God’s very best. However, do not confuse procrastination with patient endurance. Patient endurance is active and productive. It is not misguided, apathetic or irresponsible waiting. It is daily depending on and seeking God for His best. Therefore, patiently endure for God’s sake and for the sake of others. Heavenly rewards await those who patiently endure. Moreover, your faith will never be the same! Taken from Dose 86 in the 90-day devotional book, “Infusion”… http://bit.ly/bQHNIE Post/Tweet this today: Patient endurance embraces resistance as a faith builder. #endure patience #faith

Quote of the day.....

Where there is much prayer, there will be much of the Spirit;
where there is much of the Spirit, there will be ever-increasing
prayer.

-- Andrew Murrayw

Culture of Faith

Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my household we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15

Is there enough evidence in your home for you to be convicted of following Jesus Christ? This is a choice that God gives us, a choice to center our home around faith or a facade. What happens behind the doors of your home? Is your home an incubator for faith? Indeed, your ministry begins at home. When your faith works at home, you have the credibility to export it to other environments. It is your laboratory for living.

This does not mean you are without problems, conflicts, and challenges at home. On the contrary, it is when your faith sustains you through family difficulties that it becomes a compelling reason for others to follow Christ. The question for the head of the home is, are you the spiritual leader? As a single parent or the father or mother in the home, do you model prayer and Bible study? Does the fruit of the Spirit flow from your character? Are you involved with a community of believers in a local church?

Belief in God is a choice, so what are some wise choices you can make to build your household of faith? Begin by developing an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Once you are born again, you have a tremendous opportunity and responsibility to grow in your faith. Learn the Bible, apply it to your life, and let God change you from the inside out.

Next, challenge your family to do the same. Create a culture of prayer that becomes a catalyst for their time with Christ. Family devotions, small groups with other believers, and journaling are a few ways to feed the faith appetite of your loved ones. Take your family to church. This sets the stage for a week of faith and obedience.

Perhaps you read a chapter in Proverbs over dinner. Pray with your spouse. Turn off the television one night a week for 30 minutes, then discuss God’s word or act out a Bible story in a play and then pray for one another. Teach your children to pray for the sick, the lost, and the hurting. Model for them the joy of generous giving and serving.

Show them how to serve the homeless, orphans, and the elderly. Allow your kids to experience summer camps. This will galvanize their faith. It is a financial sacrifice but it is an investment that will keep throwing off dividends throughout their lives.

Talk with your family about your own struggles and failures and God’s faithfulness to answer prayer and take care of you in spite of your mistakes. Your family needs to see you as much vulnerable as they do confident. Indeed, facilitating faith in your home is a daily choice; this is one reason Jesus prayed…

“Give us each day our daily bread” (Luke 11:3).

Am I a catalyst for Christ in my home? Do I serve the Lord with my family?

Related Readings: Genesis 18:19; 2 Kings 23:24; John 4:53; Acts 18:18

Give the gift of wisdom and receive a gift of wisdom: Sign up five friends, click: http://bit.ly/q4217ifor the free daily devotional. Then email rita@wisdomhunters.com to let her know and she will send you a link to download a complimentary copy of the new 90-day day devotional eBook Seeking God in the Psalms.

Additional Resource: eBooks- Wisdom for Fathers, Wisdom For Mothers, Wisdom for Graduates, Infusion, Seeking Daily the Heart of God and Seeking God in the Psalms… click here: http://bit.ly/jHlNX0 All titles also available from the iBook store for iPad?

Additional Resource: Printed copy of the 365 day devotional: Seeking Daily the Heart of God and the 90-day devotional books Infusion and Seeking God in the Psalms… click here: http://bit.ly/bQHNIE

Support Wisdom Hunters: Learn how you can help us reach other Wisdom Hunters with your monthly donation… click here: http://wisdomhunters.com/support-wh

Malachi 3:7

VERSE:
"Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away
from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will
return to you," says the LORD Almighty.
-- Malachi 3:7
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Malachi+3:7

THOUGHT:
In times of horror and disaster, people routinely ask, "Where is
God in all of this?" Yet we so often leave God at the periphery of
our lives and look for him only when we are desperate and have no
other options. When things are going well, we seldom say, "Where is
God in all of this? Why, he's right here blessing us! Let's praise
him for his goodness!" God pleads with us to turn to him and seek
after him, in good times and in bad. Not only will we find him; he
will return to us and walk with us.

PRAYER:
O God, please forgive us for seeking our own way. We confess
that we have wandered from your ways. Even while the Bible is so
readily available to us, we often squander the opportunity to hear
you speak from the Word. Even when we have so many opportunities to
praise you and pray to you, you sometimes only hear from us when we
have gotten ourselves into insurmountable problems. Father, I
confess that I have let my relationship with you slip and that I
have not pursued your presence in my life as much as I could.
Please be with me and all your Church as we seek you and your
presence daily in our lives! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20111023

Captive Thoughts

Captive Thoughts

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5

Thoughts need to be taken into captivity. They are dangerous left alone to their own devices. Untamed thoughts can be alluring and illusive at the same time. They can lead you down the path of lies and destruction, or they can lead you into the open fields of truth and life. Left unattended and without boundaries, thoughts can become reckless and harmful. You become what you think, not unlike your body becomes what you eat.

There is a direct correlation between thinking and doing. Sloppy thinking leads to sloppy living. Disciplined thinking leads to disciplined living. The mind can be a beautiful agent of the Lord or a seductive siren of Satan. It is the beautiful mind of Christ that you seek above all else. But this will only happen with intentionality. Your mind must first pass through the “boot camp” of obedience. This is basic training in thinking.

The purpose of your thinking is obedience to Christ. If this outcome is not clear, then you are set up for failure. Obedience to God is the bottom line of Christian living. Without obedience to God, we have no authority or credibility. Hence, our understanding and application of truth becomes tainted and watered down. Obedience gives you the momentum to confront the enemies of truth.

Indeed, atheistic and agnostic arguments will assault and challenge your Christ-centered beliefs. Your biblical worldview will collide with worldviews diametrically opposed to grace and forgiveness. Your belief in absolutes will be ridiculed and roasted over the fires of relativism and humanism. Therefore, prepare your mind by understanding the nuances of your faith. Why do you believe what you believe? How is Christianity relevant? What historical facts point to the resurrection of Christ?

But captive thinking is more than an apologetic of the Christian faith. Captive thinking is pure thinking. Obedience to Christ can be expressed in an unadulterated commitment to Him. A pure mind is compelled by an intimate relationship with Jesus. He is the groom and we are the bride. The bride is enamored and in love with her new husband. She is captivated by her man. She wants to please and serve him like no other. It is a love relationship that won’t quit! It’s the same as we fall deeper in love with Jesus.

We want to think what He thinks, do what He does, go where He goes, listen to what He listens to and watch what He watches. Your eyes are the sentries to your mind. They stand on guard ready to act in a moment’s notice. Do not overwhelm your eyes with the self-inflicted wounds of lust and licentiousness. It is hard enough for them to guard your mind without your capitulation to sin’s exposure.

The Devil’s demons sit on your shoulder feeding you bad information, but they are powerless. They cannot make you do anything. The demons can speak lies, but they are impotent in their ability to make you behave badly. Learn to recognize the origin of these twisted thoughts, and then quarantine them into God’s hand. Thus, you give the captured thoughts of the enemy to God. God can handle these prisoners of pain.

In contrast, release the captured thoughts of truth and purity into your life. Wise and pure thoughts lead to wise and pure living. As a result, your obedience to Christ is alive and well. Sometimes taking thoughts captive is like herding cats, but stay on point. Do not drop your guard or relax your efforts. Your “Waterloo” is your mind. Stay vigilant to bring each thought into captivity. This is battle one!

Taken from Dose 71 in the 90-day devotional book, Infusion

Give the gift of wisdom and receive a gift of wisdom: Sign up five friends, click: http://bit.ly/q4217ifor the free daily devotional. Then email rita@wisdomhunters.com to let her know and she will send you a link to download a complimentary copy of the new 90-day day devotional eBook Seeking God in the Psalms.

Additional Resource: eBooks- Wisdom for Fathers, Wisdom For Mothers, Wisdom for Graduates, Infusion, Seeking Daily the Heart of God and Seeking God in the Psalms… click here: http://bit.ly/jHlNX0 All titles also available from the iBook store for iPad?

Additional Resource: Printed copy of the 365 day devotional: Seeking Daily the Heart of God and the 90-day devotional books Infusion and Seeking God in the Psalms… click here: http://bit.ly/bQHNIE

Support Wisdom Hunters: Learn how you can help us reach other Wisdom Hunters with your monthly donation… click here: http://wisdomhunters.com/support-wh

Isaiah 29:15

VERSE:
Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the
LORD, who do their work in darkness and think, "Who sees us? Who
will know?"
-- Isaiah 29:15
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Isaiah+29:15

THOUGHT:
Aren't we so very silly sometimes! We try to hide what we've
done and what we're planning from the Lord. Of course we're only
fooling ourselves. At first glance, God's knowing our plans and
seeing our actions is threatening. But after a little time to think
it through, isn't it nice that God does see everything, including
our motives and thoughts? This insures justice will be done and our
mess-ups will be evaluated in terms of our intentions, not just our
failures! On top of that, it also means that those who plot to do
us harm will have to answer to God, and we don't have to worry
about "settling the score" or "getting even."

PRAYER:
Forgive me, Father, when I've tried to hide my plans and
thoughts from you. Create in me a new and clean heart so that I am
unafraid of your knowing anything going on in my heart. By the
power of your Spirit, stir my spirit to desire your character and
long for your presence in my life. I want to live dedicated to your
glory and serving your Kingdom. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Above all, through all, in all

Ephesians 4:5-7
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Ephesians+4:5-7

Dear Father,

Thank you, Father, for the unity you have provided for us: the one
body, the one Spirit, the one hope that belongs to our calling, the
one Lord, the one faith, the one immersion - and the one God!

For you, our God, are the one and only God and Father of us all.
You are above all and through all and in all!

Thank you, holy God, for the measure of grace that you have given
to me that I should be part of your universal fellowship.

How gracious and good you are!

By Jesus' authority and in his name I boldly come to you, asking
all this. Amen.

Quote of the day:

^WHAT God did makes sense. It makes sense that Jesus would be
our sacrifice because a sacrifice was needed to justify man's
presence before God. ... However, WHY God did it is absolutely
absurd. When one leaves the method and examines the motive, the
carefully stacked blocks of logic begin to tumble. That type of
love isn't logical; it can't be neatly outlined in a sermon or
explained in a term paper. ... It IS inexplicable. It doesn't
have a drop of logic nor a thread of rationality. And yet, it is
that very irrationality that gives the gospel its greatest
defense. For only God could love like that.

-- Max Lucado

Ambit Energy

www.simmjon9.energy526.com

Divine Appointments

Divine Appointments “When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans).” John 4:7-9 Christ connects us with people for His unique purposes. It could be an occasion to meet someone for the very first time; it may be a causal acquaintance or a familiar friend. Regardless of the relational connection it is important to ask the Lord how to bless the one in our presence and be open to receive a blessing from them. Our calendar of appointments can become a prayer list for us to ask for wisdom from God, as we seek to serve others over a meal, coffee/tea or in a meeting. It’s uncanny how we can be in a needy situation and our Savior sends someone that becomes His hands and feet of faith and hope. They provide a kind and encouraging word or an insight that gives us courage and direction to do the right thing. Thank God for His inspiring ambassadors. “Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him” (John 11:45). When you collaborate with a co-worker do you see them through the eyes of Christ? If so, you might perceive from their past a frightened five year old whose parents divorced, or now, an insecure adult whose identity is tied to what they do, instead of who they are. It’s in face-to-face encounters that your faith is able to express itself with compassion. Hurting, hard hearts desire Jesus—when they know they have been cared for like Jesus. Therefore, watch for God to orchestrate opportunities for you to introduce His love. Anyone you encounter throughout the day is a candidate for your intentional interest. Your neighbor, hairstylist, cashier, server, vendor and mechanic need your smile. People are not a vending machine waiting for a transaction to be taken; rather they are created in the image of God waiting for someone to show them His grace and truth. Someone may be startled even suspect of your interest in their life—prepare for this, but do not allow another’s hesitant heart to keep you from extending genuine comfort. You never know how the seed of a kind word, a listening ear, a practical idea or an encouraging prayer will germinate and grow in one seeking soul. Divine appointments are much bigger than your agenda—so, see daily encounters through the lens of eternity. “I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete” (2 John 1:12b). How can I each day, prayerfully discern the divine appointments God sends my way? Related Readings: Genesis 24:12-14; 1 Corinthians 16:7; 2 Corinthians 1:15; 1 Peter 2:12 Additional Resource: eBooks- Wisdom for Fathers, Wisdom For Mothers, Wisdom for Graduates, Infusion and Seeking Daily the Heart of God… click here: http://bit.ly/jHlNX0 All titles also available from the iBook store for iPad Additional Resource: Hard copy of the 365 day devotional: Seeking Daily the Heart of God and the 90-day devotional book Infusion… click here: http://bit.ly/bQHNIE Releasing Labor Day weekend the 90-day devotional, Seeking God in the Psalms. Support Wisdom Hunters: Learn how you can help us reach other Wisdom Hunters with your monthly donation… click here: http://wisdomhunters.com/support-wh/

Boyd Bailey is the author of Wisdom Hunters daily devotional and two devotional books, Infusion and Seeking Daily the Heart of God