PRINCE OF PEACE

PRINCE OF PEACE

The Prince of Peace

The Son of God

Come to Earth

To bear Our Cross

The Prince of Peace

The Son of Man

A virgin Birth

To fulfill God’s Plan

The Prince of Peace

The Lamb of God

The perfect Sacrifice

To become Our Peace

The Prince of Peace

The Risen Lord

The Giver of Life

Is our Final Reward

Peace like a pillow

Comforts the Redeemed

Who in life have known God

The Prince of Peace

JEFFREE

NOV2009

“Everything about God reminds me of Jesus.” -- Author Unknown

______________________________________________________

WONDERFUL LORD JESUS

LIGHT

strengthened with all power
according to his glorious might
for all endurance and patience
with joy

giving thanks to the Father
who has qualified you
to share in the inheritance
of the saints
__________

May you be strengthened with all power, according to his
glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy,
giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to
share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
COLOSSIANS 1:11-12

FAITH: "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him."

"Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him."

Thought I'd take a turn at discerning faith
before Old Chambers made sense of it.
HOPE YOU WILL ENJOY, JEFF

FAITH

FAITH

AIMS

INWARD

TOWARD

HOPE

J7

DISCERNMENT OF FAITH

Faith as a grain of mustard seed...
Matthew 17:20

We have the idea that God rewards us for our faith, it may he so in the initial stages; but we do not earn anything by faith, faith brings us into right relationship with God and gives God His opportunity. God has frequently to knock the bottom board out of your experience if you are a saint in order to get you into contact with Himself. God wants you to understand that it is a life of faith, not a life of sentimental enjoyment of His blessings. Your earlier life of faith was narrow and intense, settled around a little sun-spot of experience that had as much of sense as of faith in it, full of light and sweetness; then God withdrew His conscious blessings in order to teach you to walk by faith. You are worth far more to Him now than you were in your days of conscious delight and thrilling testimony.

Faith by its very nature must be tried, and the real trial of faith is not that we find it difficult to trust God, but that God's character has to be cleared in our own minds. Faith in its actual working out has to go through spells of unsyllabled isolation. Never confound the trial of faith with the ordinary discipline of life, much that we call the trial of faith is the inevitable result of being alive. Faith in the Bible is faith in God against everything that contradicts Him - I will remain true to God's character whatever He may do. "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him" - this is the most sublime utterance of faith in the whole of the Bible.

FALL

FALL Stars fall from the heavens, Leaves fall from the trees; Rocks fall off mountains, And splash in the seas. We "fall" in love, We "fall" into sin; We "fall" for Jesus, And live to RISE AGAIN! ________ JEFFREE! 10.6.2009 Days of Awe Fall comes quickly in the Pacific Northwest where I live. Even though it is the prelude to winter's sleep-like death, one cannot help but marvel in the final vibrancy of nature's yellows, oranges, and reds. The wind has a colder sheen that sends a chilly reminder of summer's demise. One cannot help paying attention to these signs from nature and pausing to stand in awe of fall's glory. While colorful leaves and a colder wind signal for many the beginning of the new school year, the buying of school clothes and supplies, and the beginning of fall, for Jews September is a very important month. It doesn't simply signal the beginning of autumn; it is the signal to worship and to reflect on one's life in the coming year. September contains two of the Jewish high, holy days: Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. In the original language, Rosh Hashanah means "new year" and Yom Kippur means "day of atonement." What do these days entail for Jews? This is a time for serious introspection, a time to consider the sins of the previous year, and repent before Yom Kippur. The ten days starting with Rosh Hashanah and ending with Yom Kippur are commonly known as the Days of Awe (Yamim Noraim) or the Days of Repentance.(1) These "Days of Awe" are filled with wonder and worship, days of reflection, fasting, and prayer, days of solemnity and solace. These are days meant to set the tone for the beginning of the Jewish New Year even as they remind Jews to reflect on what has gone before. Among the customs of this time, it is common to seek reconciliation with people you may have wronged during the course of the year. Reflecting upon these holidays of faiths outside my own, I realize that September is not a particularly "holy" month for Christians. Yet examining the practices of our Jewish neighbors reminds us to consider each day a day of awe and devotion for followers of Jesus. Indeed, Jesus gave strong instruction to his listeners during the Sermon on the Mount recorded in Matthew's Gospel. Jesus expected that his followers would engage in on-going acts of devotion like fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. In giving instruction about how his disciples would fast he says, "and whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance in order to be seen fasting by men" (Matthew 6:16). In this same series of instructions, Jesus also assumes his followers will pray and give offerings for the poor (Matthew 6:2, 5). The issue is not if we will do these devotional acts, but when we do them. While we may have very different reasons, beliefs, and expectations from our Jewish neighbors, there is something to learn from their special seasons of devotion, which can enrich and even challenge our own Christian practices. So often we neglect or altogether forget that our own acts of devotion should arise out of a loving response to what God has done on our behalves in Jesus. It is not insignificant that Jesus warned those listening to him: "Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees (the religious leaders of his day), you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:20). Jesus warns that the very intention of our hearts should be drawn to worship and awe, and not simply by performing ritualistic acts of devotion. We may perform various rituals in worship, but these rituals flow out of devotion to God and lead to gracious acts of love and mercy each and every day of the year. While September is not filled with Christian holy days, shouldn't we, too, see September as an opportunity for days of devotion and awe? The turning of the leaves and the chilly fall air can point us to worship just as they signal the beginning of days of awe for the Jews. Even so, September need not be the only time we turn our hearts to worship. As followers of Jesus, we have the opportunity for perpetual "days of awe" rather than settling for ordinary time. Margaret Manning is a member of the speaking and writing team at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Seattle, Washington. (1) Details referenced from www.jewfaq.org

THE PRIZE

Our life is like a contest for a prize

24 Know ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain. 25 And every man that striveth in the games exerciseth self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown;
but we an incorruptible.

THE PRIZE

In grace I run my race,
To reach a heavenly prize;
In His love I am embraced,
As I'm brought close to Christ.

Run with me, my God, my Savior,
Ahead of me that I might follow;
In Your strength I wear the Armor,
That keeps me safe where'er we go.

Through God's grace I accept my place,
And strive to make Christ Jesus known;
In His strength and joy I give Him praise,
And preach Christ's glory not my own.

Run with me, my Redeemer, my Lord,
Close to me so I will always remember;
In Your righteousness I've won this war,
I already have the Prize I'm fighting for!

J. E. POLLOCK
September 2009

26 I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so fight I, as not beating the air: 27 but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected. 1 Cor 9:24-27 (ASV)

http://www.crossbooks.net/CommunityLibrary/doc2958.html

HOLY FOR YOU

Gribbit! This is the SEPTEMBER KICKOFF
jeff mentioned in his last poetreemail; it
is also posted on my blog which is linked at
the very end. please hop over when you get
a chance and check it out. included in this
Email along with the Lucado quote (which
inspired it all!) is an excellent GDW and
an Utmost found on the day this was created
(no doubt a God thing!). stay in the light...
watch your step...and always be encouraged
in Christ! also included is a photo of three
of jeff's favorite nieces visiting a preserved
ancestor of mine. furthermore please pray
for jeff & evee, I am really beginning to ques-
tion their sanity. Gribbit! -- Froggy T. Frog

"Sin is not an unfortunate slip or a regrettable act; it is a posture of defiance against a holy God." --Max Lucado HOLY FOR YOU Father, Abba Father, Give me holy strength; Help me fight harder, Against sin and hate. Jesus, Savior Jesus, Let me know your grace; Hold me when I want to run, And make my getaway. Spirit, Holy Spirit, Stay me to the course; Hear me when I cry for mercy, But don't forget to consider the source. Perfect God, Three in One, Thank You for Your wondrous Love; Heal my heart and make it new, Give me the courage to live wholly for You!

J E POLLOCK

SEPT 1, 2009

The Examined Life We've heard it said, and it proves to be true, the unexamined life is not worth living. If we flow through life without evaluating who we are and what we believe, we have not really lived. Deep down, we all desire to take a stand and live according to a con-sistent set of beliefs. This requires a boldness to explore beneath the surface of our beliefs, into our very soul! Without this boldness we may give the appearance of living, and may even fool ourselves for a number of years, but there will always be an emptiness until we look deep within and deal with what we find. God knows every detail of our heart; "Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account" (Hebrews 4:13). But our Heavenly Father desires for us to know our own heart as we are being transformed; "Exam- ine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test your- selves" (2 Corinthians 13:5). As we seek to understand who we are - with all our hidden motives, pride, and selfishness - we find we're somewhat difficult to understand. Without the spiritual help which God freely gives, there will be parts of our life which remain covered and dark.There may also be portions of our heart we would rather not face. Psalm 139:23-24 "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way ever-lasting." It's foolish to think we can hide anything from God! It's equally foolish to intentionally close areas of our heart from examination when we know those areas are keeping us separated from God. What do we really believe? And are we living consistent with that belief? We have been given God's Word as a guide, "a lamp to my feet" (Psalm 119:105). And as we dig deeper into His Word, we find the same lamp which guides our steps also reveals our heart: "The lamp of the Lord searches the spirit of a man; it searches out his inmost being" (Proverbs 20:27). Using God's Word to truly examine our heart can be painful. It seems we strip back one layer only to expose additional layers of sin we didn't even know we had; but this process must continue without fear! If we desire to live in His presence and bring Him glory and honor in all we do, we must determine today to know ourselves. We must know what we believe, with all our strengths and weaknesses, and know our level of resolve to follow where He l eads. Let's open our heart and allow His Spirit to search and wash us with His Word. Let's follow according to a consistent belief and commit to living the examined life. Have a Christ Centered Day! Steve Troxel God's Daily Word Ministries Previous devotions : http://www.gdwm.org/archive08.htm Subscribe via web: http://www.gdwm.org/subscribe.htm Send Invitation: http://www.gdwm.org/invite.htm Feedback & Prayer: http://gdwmboard.org/eve Encouragement: www.gdwm.org/verses Blog: http://www.gdwm-blog.org Mail from GDWM is only sent to those who subscribe (free of cost) or by invitation from friends. Please unsubscribe if these messages are no longer desired. We absolutely do not support unsolicited E-mail. Scripture references: The Holy Bible: New International Version. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. ***************************************************** -> Will you help us Open a World of Opportunity? Home Devotionals My Utmost for His Highest Tuesday, September 1, 2009 Destiny Of Holiness "Ye shall be holy; for I am holy." 1 Peter 1:16 Continually restate to yourself what the pur- pose of your life is. The destined end of man is not happiness, nor health, but holiness. Nowadays we have far too many affinities, we are dissipated with them; right, good, noble affinities which will yet have their ful- filment, but in the meantime God has to atrophy them. The one thing that matters is whether a man will accept the God Who will make him holy. At all costs a man must be rightly related to God. Do I believe I need to be holy? Do I believe God can come into me and make me holy? If by your preaching you convince me that I am unholy, I resent your preaching. The preaching of the gospel awakens an intense resentment because it must reveal that I am unholy; but it also awakens an intense craving. God has one destined end for mankind, viz., holiness. His one aim is the production of saints. God is not an eternal blessing- machine for men; He did not come to save men out of pity: He came to save men because He had created them to be holy. The Atonement means that God can put me back into perfect union with Himself, without a shadow between, through the Death of Jesus Christ. Never tolerate through sympathy with yourself or with others any practice that is not in keeping with a holy God. Holiness means unsullied walking with the feet, unsullied talking with the tongue, unsullied thinking with the mind - every detail of the life under the scrutiny of God. Holiness is not only what God gives me, but what I manifest that God has given me. Oswald Chambers Publications MORE My Utmost for His Highest PREVIOUS DAY NEXT DAY My Utmost RSS Feed All Heartlight Feeds Christianbook.com offers several print versions of My Utmost For His Highest. Search: Enter your email address above to subscribe to the email edition of My Utmost for His Highest. Receive inspiration from Oswald Chambers FREE each morning. RSS Feeds | Advertising | Support Heartlight | Help | Contact Us HOME TOP HEARTLIGHT® Magazine is produced by Heartlight, Inc. HEARTLIGHT is a registered service mark of Heartlight, Inc. PO Box 7044, Abilene, TX, USA 79608-7044. Copyright © 1996-2009. Heartlight is supported by Westover Hills Church, Southern Hills Church, and loving Christians from around the world. Scripture quotations are taken from the Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The very end. GOOD NEWS BLOG: http://froggysnewblog.blogspot.com

The very very end.

Gribbit! And today I ran across another God-
incidence on the subject of holiness so I tacked
it on too. Enjoy!

Tuesday, September 8, 2009 Do It Yourself "Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the know- ledge of God." 2 Corinthians 10:5 Deliverance from sin is not deliverance from human nature. There are things in human nature, such as prejudices, which the saint has to destroy by neglect; and other things which have to be destroyed by violence, i.e., by the Divine strength imparted by God's Spirit. There are some things over which we are not to fight, but to stand still in and see the salvation of God; but every theory or concep- tion which erects itself as a rampart against the knowledge of God is to be determinedly demolished by drawing on God's power, not by fleshly endeavour or compromise (v. 4). It is only when God has altered our disposition and we have entered into the experience of sanctification that the fight begins. The warfare is not against sin; we can never fight against sin: Jesus Christ deals with sin in Redemption. The conflict is along the line of turning our natural life into a spiritual life, and this is never done easily, nor does God intend it to be done easily. It is done only by a series of moral choices. God does not make us holy in the sense of character; He makes us holy in the sense of innocence, and we have to turn that innocence into holy character by a series of moral choices. These choices are continually in antagonism to the entrenchments of our natural life, the things which erect themselves as ramparts against the knowledge of God. We can either go back and make ourselves of no account in the Kingdom of God, or we can determinedly demolish these things and let Jesus bring another son to glory.

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FAITH IS TRUST

FAITH IS TRUST

Faith is trust in God alone,
Who sent His Son to save our souls;
Faith is trusting in God above,
Who gave us Jesus to prove His love.

Faith is belief that we are never alone,

When the storms of life continue to blow;
Faith is believing we are called from above,

To fight a good fight of faith in love.

Faith is bearing our cross alone,

While the world mocks and hates the unknown;

Faith is knowing Our Father who watches above,
Waits with open arms to welcome His Children Home.

JEFFREE

My Utmost for His Highest

Saturday, August 29, 2009 Sublime Intimacy "Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?" John 11:40

Every time you venture out in the life of faith, you will find some- thing in yourcommon-sense circum- stances that flatly contradicts your faith. Common sense is not faith, and faith is not common sense; they stand in the relation of the natural and the spiritual. Can you trust Jesus Christ where your common sense cannot trust Him? Can you venture heroically on Jesus Christ's statements when the facts of your common-sense life shout - "It's a lie?" On the mount it is easy to say - 'Oh, yes, I believe God can do it'; but you have to come down into the demon-possessed valley and meet with facts that laugh ironically at the whole of your mount-of-transfiguration belief. Every time my programme of, belief is clear to my own mind, I come across something that contradicts it. Let me say I believe God will supply all my need, and then let me run dry, with no outlook, and see whether I will go through the trial of faith, or whether I will sink back to some- thing lower. Faith must be tested, because it can be turned into a personal possession only through conflict. What is your faith up against just now? The test will either prove that your faith is right, or it will kill it. "Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in Me." The final thing is confidence in Jesus. Believe stead- fastly on Him and all you come up against will develop your faith. There is continual testing in the life of faith, and the last great test is death. May God keep us in fighting trim! Faith is unutterable trust in God, trust which never dreams that He will not stand by us. Christianbook.com offers several print versions of My Utmost For His Highest.

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