Perspective

"Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God." Colossians 3:1-3 (NLT)

TODAY IS ABOUT PERSPECTIVE

Ask yourself:
How am I looking at things
...in my life personally?
...in the world at large?
How am I looking at God?

Ask yourself:
Am I zooming in on
...the problem?
...the person?
...the situation?
...the pain?
...the circumstances?
...the what-ifs?
...the if-onlys?
...the doubts?
...the questions?
...the fears?

Or...
Am I zooming in on God?
...His love?
...His grace?
...His mercy?
...His power?
...His strength?
...His peace?
...His word?
...His sovereignty?

Am I focused on eternity?
...On things that are above where Christ is seated on the throne?
...not on earthly things as stated in Colossians 3:1-3.

I must be purposeful about my perspective. Like looking through a pair of binoculars, I can zoom in and focus on the problem, or I can turn the binoculars upward and focus on God. Most of the time, when I focus on this person or that situation, what I really need to do is turn the focus on what work God is trying to do in me, in my heart.

"The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7 (NLT)

So today, simply ask yourself...What is my perspective?
Allow God to adjust it, if need be.

by Cari Rosinko

Entrusted With the Special - Brianna's Story

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not on your own understanding. In ALL your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path." Proverbs 3:5-6

How many of you have a child who howls - doesn’t cry in the normal way, but it's not a tantrum? They howl as if they were being slaughtered, refusing to budge. People around you roll their eyes as though your baby is a brat or you are a bad parent.

This is one of a million moments that cause your heart to stop. Your fear takes your breath away. First anger, then frustration, and then finally acceptance. You get over your embarrassment quickly and you're flooded with unconditional love for your child. If you’re lucky, the child will let you pick him or her up just to hold them, comfort them.

Every ‘Special Child’ has different triggers. To some it could be noise. Something that to us is not noticeable, but it hurts your child. It could be people or crowds or going somewhere unfamiliar.

It doesn’t matter what the world thinks of your child. They are a gift from God. You were chosen to be this child’s parent. We are entrusted with them. They belong to GOD.

"Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward." Psalm 127:3

Truthfully there have been times that Anthony and I have felt inadequate, not equipped to handle some of the things that have come up in Brianna’s life. I’ve cried myself to sleep wondering how this sweet girl was ever going to fit in at school, if she would ever make friends who would accept and understand her. Even now the thought of a Dentist appointment has me second guessing - ‘Does she really need this, do I have the strength today?’ - dreading the tears and struggle it will take to coax her to let the Dentist get near her. But God…

Man said:
Brianna will never be able to communicate well.
She will never be able to read beyond a first grade level. 
Her speech will be limited.
She will need medication for her anxiety and fears.
Beyond her family, Brianna’s shyness will keep her from making friends.
She can’t retain information. 
In other words; she is limited.

God said:

"See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ." 
Colossians 2:8

Brianna is now 26 years old. She has never taken medication beyond Advil for a headache. She went to El Dorado high school where she attended plays, football games and dances - she even went to prom!

Brianna reads and can do math at a 4th grade level. She is very verbal and can express absolutely everything she’s feeling. She and her other ‘limited’ friends text each just like anyone else.

She plays sports. She also has a ministry. She is called the ‘Baby Whisperer’ –, she can comfort little ones when they are fussy. She rocks them in her arms and they melt into her until they are calm or fall asleep.

Bri is also a prayer warrior. She sits with her Bible and pen copying pages of the Bible. Ask her why and she’ll tell you she is studying the Bible. And...she prays about everything.

Brianna is self-confident and has always known she is loved.
Because of Christ - she is limitless.

God has put people in our lives who are also raising these wonderful special children. We share burdens and joys. We learn from others' mistakes. We prop each other up with prayer and encouraging words.

I’ve heard a phrase that states, “If God takes you to it, He’ll get you through it” In blessing us with these children, God is telling us He will give us all the tools we need to bring them up. We need to trust Him one moment at a time.

"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work."
2 Corinthians 9:8

Resurrection Day is coming. Without Christ, Anthony and I would not have known what we needed to bring up Brianna into the young woman she is today. We trusted God. We take no credit for the work in her life. In what could have been the darkest time in our lives came the Light that illuminated our path. Knowing and trusting in the Living God was paramount in everything we did and still do.

"The LORD is good. When trouble comes, He is a strong refuge. And He knows everyone who trusts in Him."
Nahum 1:7

by Eve Montano

From Blessing to Rebuke

"And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And He was stating the matter plainly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and said, 'Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's." Mark 8:31-33

Soon we will mark the anniversary of the events Jesus was revealing in this portion of scripture. The trial, torment, crucifixion, separation and Resurrection Victory of the work Jesus came to this earth to do. What we call "Holy Week," beginning with Palm Sunday, the day the lambs were brought into Jerusalem in preparation for the Passover Sacrifice later in the week.

Imagine yourself in Peter's sandals. You have been walking with perfect love for approximately three years. You've given up your livelihood to follow Jesus. In fact, you've staked all your hopes and dreams on Him because you believe He is the Son of God, the Messiah. Peter has just expressed that act of faith in the preceding verses.

"But who do you say that I am?' Peter answered and said to Him, 'You are the Christ.'
Mark 8:29

Historians and commentators alike, believe Mark's gospel is Peter's account of Jesus' life. So, we are reading scripture from Peter's point of view here. He leaves out the rest of Jesus' comments, as told by Matthew:

Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it."  Matthew 16:17

Peter goes from blessed to rebuked in a couple of verses. In one verse he is blessed because he stated a 'Holy-Spirit-inspired, faith-proving fact.' But, when Jesus began to tell him and the disciples that the outcome of His presence with them was not what they were expecting, Peter had the audacity to rebuke Him. Just like that his spiritual vision transferred from the heavenly perspective to his own thoughts and dreams.

How many times do we do that? We are human. We have hopes for ourselves and for our families. We have an idea of what our lives should be like. We hope God concurs with our goals.

Then He shows us He has something else in store for us. A trial shows up. Where is our focus riveted? On His power? Peter had been witnessing the miraculous power of God almost daily. He'd even experienced it in His life.

God has a plan. When the mob, led by Judas Iscariot, confronted Jesus in Gethsemane they fell backward when he said the powerful name of God, "I AM." Matthew's gospel records Jesus' telling Peter He could "appeal to His Father who would at once put at His disposal more than twelve legions of angels." 

Jesus suffered persecution from a place of power. He allowed Himself to endure the shame of the Cross because He is The Way. We can't come to the Father except through His perfect sacrifice. His love for us (the world) caused Him to give His life for us.

When we face trials, loss of our dreams, persecution - where is our focus? Is it on God's interests - what He plans to accomplish in us and through our testimony? Or is it on what is happening to us - our disappointment in our expectations of what God is doing?

Take heart, my Sister. At your weakest you have power. God did not leave Jesus' body to decay in the grave. He did not leave Peter to beat himself up over his denial of Christ to save his own skin. Jesus made special effort to restore him.

GOD IS FAITHFUL. His aim is to bring forth the pure nature of Jesus in us. Our trials are God-allowed or God-designed, meant for our flesh, our sin nature, to die...little by little. He won't give you or me more than we can bear so that we may come through victorious.

"No temptation (trial, testing) has overtaken you but such as is common to man' and GOD IS FAITHFUL, who will not allow you to be tempted (tested) beyond what you are able, but with the temptation (test) will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it."
1 Corinthians 10:13

Heavenly Father,
There are so many reasons for us to be grateful and they are all summed up in one Name. Thank you for Jesus, through whom we have all blessing. Thank you that there is purpose in the testing of Your children, that You give us the power to endure the test and the power to come through in victory. You are our strength and confident hope that we will hear, in this life and in the life to come, Well done, My good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your LORD.

by Marilyn Allison

The Lord Is My Shepherd

"The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing..." Psalm 23:1

Time after time, the Lord speaks to me in observing sheep (and their shepherds). Some "reflective" thoughts as I look at this:

A "good" shepherd cares for his sheep much greater than a hireling does. 
He marks his sheep (ear tags or colored paint on their backsides).
He feeds and waters them well.
He stays with them in the storm.
I've seen shepherds gently carrying injured sheep. 
I've seen other shepherds rest on their staffs, keeping watch while their sheep feed in an abundantly green and still meadow.

Each Spring, our family still enjoys seeing all the new little lambs that frolic around. We look with anticipation for them as we see the flocks in fields when we drive about.

Romanian skies are some of the most beautiful I have ever seen. God speaks loudly as I drive and watch sunrises, sunsets, streaks of clouds and light. Yesterday He gave blue skies and white puffy clouds, as a family member was laid to rest.

Thank You God for bringing me to this place, this beautiful Romania, and speaking through my very surroundings. Help me to remember to enter into your rest and allow you to bring me into it.

Psalm 23
"The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters,
He refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever."

by Coleen Jejeran, CCEA Missionary to Romania

 

Glorify the LORD With Me

"Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt His name together. 
I sought the LORD and He answered me;
And delivered me from all my fears.
They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces will never be ashamed."
Psalm 34:3-5

His face was radiant, his eyes wet, “Not only did God forgive me, but then He said, ‘Rise and walk’.

Her face was radiant, her eyes wide, “I didn’t think God could use me, but He is”.

His face was radiant, his eyes full of wonder, “He has taken all my sin, and just wiped me clean”.

Oh, how our small group exalted the name of the LORD together that night. Stories of deliverance; lives lived in forgiveness. All His children, turning their faces upward in unison.

We were sitting in a tight circle and I thought, I will stand next to these people in heaven someday. We will stand, side by side, and exalt His name together, forever.

FOREVER...
Shoulder to shoulder, our faces never covered with shame.
Shoulder to shoulder, our faces radiant in the light of his glory.
Shoulder to shoulder, delivered from all fears, crying out,  “Holy, Holy, Holy”.
Together, we will taste and see that the LORD is good!

Until that day, I stand next to them on earth, in this church, in this room, in this small, holy circle.
We  glorify the LORD.
We exalt His name together.
We turn our shameless, radiant faces upward and steep in this sweet foretaste of heaven.

TOGETHER.
We exalt His Name FOREVER.

by Jenna Masters