Lighthouse Beam April 28, 2014 The animals were bored. Finally, the lion had an idea. I know a really exciting game that the humans play called football. Ive seen it on T.V. He proceeded to describe it to the rest of the animals and they all got excited about it so they decided to play. They went out to the field and chose up teams and were ready to begin. The lions team received. They were able to get two first downs and then had to punt. The mule punted and the rhino was back deep for the kick. He caught the ball, lowered his head and charged. First, he crushed a roadrunner, then two rabbits. He gored a wildebeest, knocked over two cows, and broke through to daylight, scoring six. Unfortunately, they lacked a place-kicker, and the score remained 6 - 0. Late in the first half the lions team scored a touchdown and the mule kicked the extra point. The lions team led at halftime 7 - 6. In the locker room, the lion gave a pep talk. Look you guys. We can win this game. Weve got the lead and they only have one real threat. Weve got to keep the ball away from the rhino, hes a killer. Mule, when you kick off be sure to keep it away from the rhino. The second half began. Just as the mule was about to kick off, the rhinos team changed formation and the ball went directly to the rhino. Once again, the rhino lowered his head and was off running. First, he stomped two gazelles. He skewered a zebra, and bulldozed an elephant out of the way. It looked like he was home free. Suddenly at the twenty-yard line, he dropped over dead. There were no other animals in sight anywhere near him. The lion went over to see what had happened. Right next to the dead rhino he saw a small centipede. Did you do this? he asked the centipede. Yeah, I did. the centipede replied. The lion retorted, Where were you during the first half? I was putting on my shoes. ------------------------------------------------------------ Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. — Matthew 4:1 tniv Key Thought We oftentimes pass over this verse and remember how it was said in the other Gospels. Notice carefully, Jesus was led INTO the wilderness TO BE tempted by the devil. Jesus temptations were no accident. Clearly, the evil one wanted to derail Jesus ministry before it began. But just as Jesus was crucified by evil people, it was also the plan of God (Acts 2:23). Jesus is tempted like we are so that we can know that God knows what it is like to be tempted. Yes, God knows all things, but for our sake, in Jesus, he chose to experience those things so that we can be sure he knows what it is like to be hungry, alone, abandoned, betrayed, tempted, belittled, mocked, ridiculed, denied, treated unfairly, and murdered. We know that God not only knows, but we know that God felt what it was like to be inside our world and face these horrors, so that we can go to him knowing we will receive grace and help and a sympathetic ear in our times of trouble (Heb. 2:14-18; Heb. 4:14-16). ----------------------------------------- So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. — Romans 8:1-2 nlt Key Thought Such a great description of identity — [T]hose who belong to Christ Jesus. When this is my identity — our identity — God stamps his mark of authenticity in our hearts and Jesus places the empowering Comforter in our souls. The Holy Spirits presence brings spiritual gifts, conviction, insight in Gods truth, leadership for our difficult journeys, and many other blessings. But, one of the primary blessings that Romans 8 emphasizes is the gift of power — power over sin, power over death, power over the struggles of our sinful nature, and power in prayer. No wonder there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus: we have the presence of God himself within us, empowering us, and transforming us. ------------------------------- There is never any peace for those who resist God. — François Fenelon --------------------------------------------- IN LOVING MEMORY OF BEKAH STEVENS ----------------------------------------------- A man who was nailing down a loose shingle on a roof lost his footing and began to slip. Working three stories above ground, he was terrified at the thought of falling to his death. He started shouting, God, help me! Im falling! Do something! Just as he came to the edge of the roof, his belt loop caught on a nail and stopped him long enough to grab hold again. He shouted, Its okay, God! I got caught on a nail. That is how we can be. We cry out to God. He answers our prayers. Then we say, Its okay, God! Everything seemed to work out. But do we ever stop and think that God might have worked through certain circumstances to come to our rescue? My point is, we need to put as much zeal in thanking God for what He has done as we put into pleading with God when we are in need. I heard about a hospital chaplain who kept a record of some two thousand patients whom he had visited, all who seemed to be in a dying condition and showed signs of repentance. Among those restored to health, he felt that only two showed a marked change in their spiritual lives after their recovery. In other words, when these people thought they would die, they repented. But when they recovered, they forgot about God. When I was choked in my most recent stay in the hospital, when it caused me to be sent to the ICU, the hospital chaplain was the first one to get to Myra when she came back from the basement. So at first she didnt know how bad I was and the sight of the chaplain in the nurses lounge, where she was sent to, just flat out scared her! She had all kinds of bad thoughts flood her mind at one time until she heard that I was OK. Yeah, the temptation was there to just expect bad news, right? Through this episode of temptation, She was the target of the devil trying to take away her joy by throwing bad thoughts her way when there was no real reason to be alarmed. I was just fine, but she didnt know that, the devil was just trying to tempt her with those not good thoughts. We all know what its like to be tempted. But where does temptation come from? It does not come from God. James 1:13-14 says, Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted by God; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. We play a key role in our own temptation. Its like the scorpion who wanted to cross a pond. Scorpions cant swim, of course, so he needed a ride. He walked up to a rather unsuspecting turtle and said, I was wondering if you might give me a lift across this little pond? The turtle said, Are you joking? You will sting me, and well both drown. The scorpion said, My dear turtle, if I were to sting you, I would go down with you. Where would the logic be in that? As they made their way across the little pond, however, the scorpion pulled out his stinger and gave the turtle a mighty sting. As they both sank to the bottom, the turtle turned to the scorpion and said, There was no logic in stinging me. Why in the world did you do it? The scorpion replied, It has nothing to do with logic. Its just my nature. This is a good point. When we give in to temptation, it has nothing to do with logic. Its just our nature. We like to say, The Devil made me do it or Circumstances overwhelmed me or I couldnt control myself. But in reality, its just our sinful nature. Lets not give in to our own desires. As the Scripture says, Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh (Romans 13:14, NIV). Read this chapter of James and see that temptation always, ALWAYS, comes from the devil wanting to take away the joy of living that we are given by God. And remember... Pigs dont know pigs stink. Love thru Jesus, Perry lighthousebeam
Posted on: Mon, 28 Apr 2014 14:44:31 +0000
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