Growing in Grace

From Lies Women Believe by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. . . Taken from the chapter "Lies Women Believe About Children". . . "The Truth is, our task is not to rear children who can "fit in" or merely "survive" in this world. The challenge is to bring up children who love God with all their hearts, souls, minds, and strength; who have a vibrant, personal relationship with the Lord Jesus; and whose lives will be bright and shining lights penetrating the darkness around them. Christian parents ought to be seeking to raise up not just "good" children, but children who enthusiastically embrace the Truth, children who love righteousness and hate evil, children who will be used by God to change this world. " (p. 173) ". . . 'The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom' and the best preparation for life is to be trained for the Truth of God's Word as it relates to every academic discipline. " (p. 174) "We are not to...

From Lies Women Believe by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. . . Taken from the chapter "Lies Women Believe About Marriage". . . "The Truth is that the ultimate purpose of marriage is not to make us happy, but to glorify God." (p. 137) "Blessing and joy are the fruit of seeking to be a giver rather than a taker and of looking for ways to bless, serve, and to minister to the needs of our families." (p. 143) The Liberating Truth About Submission "God intended that authority should be a means of providing spiritual covering and protection. When we place ourselves under the spiritual covering of the authorities God has placed in our lives, God protects us. . . There are extreme situations where an obedient wife may need to remove herself and/or her children from proximity to her husband, if to remain in that setting would be to place themselves in physical danger. . . The fundamental issue in relation to submission really comes down to my willingness to...

I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things from of old - things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us. We will not hide them from their descendants ; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders He has done. He decreed statues for Jacob and established law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands. -Psalm 781:7 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. 3 John 1:4 "Parents cannot force their children to walk with God, but they can model godliness and cultivate a climate in the home that creates an appetite for god and is conducive to the spiritual nurture and growth of their children." "Pare...

In Warren Wiersbe's book The Strategy of Satan, he follows his discussion of the four tests of faith by writing about how to avoid letting Satan gain a foothold in our lives. Ephesians 4:27 says, "And do not give the devil and opportunity." In other words, do not give him "a chance to operate." (p. 101) Wiersbe asks the reader to consider six sins than can give Satan a foothold in our lives. The first is lying. Satan himself is a liar. When we chose to believe a lie, "then the devil can work in (our) life." (p. 102) We would be wise to filter all things through Philippians 4:8 which reminds us to focus on things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, excellent and worthy of praise. This first sin is not referring to someone who lies occasionally, but for the person who "makes lying the love of his life and whose life is characterized by deceit." (p. 103) The next area of sin to be aware of is anger. Jesus exhibit...

To find joy and fulfillment, we should pursue fellowship with God. The only ultimate disaster that can befall us, I have come to realize, is to feel ourselves to be home on earth. As long as we are aliens, we cannot forget our true homeland. Unhappiness on earth cultivates a hunger for heaven. By gracing us with a deep dissatisfaction, God holds our attention. The only tragedy, then, is to be satisfied prematurely. To settle for earth. To be content in a strange land. . . We are not happy here because we are not at home here. We are not happy here because we are not supposed to be happy here. We are "like foreigners and strangers in this world" (1 Peter 2:11). Take a fish and place him on the beach. Watch his gills gasp and scales dry. Is he happy? No! How do you make him happy? Do you cover him with a mountain of cash? Do you get a beach chair and sunglasses? Do you bring him a Playfish magazine and martini? Do you wardrobe him in double breasted fins and people ski...

From Lies Women Believe by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. . . Taken from the chapter entitled "Lies Women Believe About Priorities". . . "The essence of Satan's deception is that we can live our lives independently of God. . .If he can get us to try to "live the Christian life" without cultivating an intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus, he knows we will be spiritually impotent and defeated. If he can get us to do a great many things "for God" without consciously seeking the will of God through His Word and prayer, we may stir up a lot of religious dust, but we won't do Satan's kingdom any real damage. If he can get us to operate on our own thoughts and ideas, rather than seeking the wisdom that comes from God, he knows we will eventually get sucked into the world's destructive way of thinking." (pp. 121-122) "Apart from abiding in Him - living in constant, conscious union with and dependence on Him - I cannot do anything of...

From the book Lies Women Believe by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. . . Taken from the chapter entitled "Lies Women Believe About Sin". . . "We do not receive. . . forgiveness and. . . right standing before a holy God by being born into a Christian home, growing up in the church, being baptized or confirmed, doing good deeds, going forward during an altar call, having an emotional experience, reciting a prayer, or being active in church. We are not saved from sin by trusting in anything that we have done. The only means of eternal salvation is through placing our trust in what Jesus did for us on the cross, when he died in our place ." (pp. 109-110)

Taken from the book Lies Women Believe by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. . . Taken from the chapter entitled "Lies Women Believe About Themselves". . . "Successful relationships and healthy cultures are not built on the claiming of rights but on the yielding of rights." (p. 74) "The only way to get off. . . (a) spiritual and emotional roller coaster is to yield all my rights to the One who ultimately holds all rights. That is the Truth and the Truth will set us free." (p. 76) "The outward appearance of the Christian woman is to reflect a heart that is simple, pure, and well-ordered; her clothing and hairstyles should not be distracting or draw attention to herself by being extravagant, extreme, or indecent. In this way, she reflects the true condition of her heart and her relationship with the Lord, and she makes the Gospel attractive to the world." (p. 81) One of my favorite things so far. . . "Forty and Counting" "No sooner h...

Taken from the book Lies Women Believe by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. . . From the chapter entitled "Lies Women Believe About God". . . "What we believe is revealed, not by what we know or what we say we believe, but by how we actually live." (p. 46) "Everything in your spiritual life depends on the sort of God you worship. Because the character of the worshiper will always be molded by the character of what he worships: If it is a cruel and revengeful God, the worshiper will be the same, but if it is a loving, tender, forgiving, unselfish God, the worshiper will be transformed slowly, wonderfully, into this likeness." -Hannah Whitall Smith, "The Unselfishness of God" (p. 47 in LWB) "Once we doubt the goodness of God, we feel justified in rejecting His will and making our own decisions about right and wrong." (p. 48) Psalm 119:68 - "God is good, and everything He does is good." (p. 49) "A great many things in God...

In the first fourteen verses of Ephesians Paul writes about how we are rich in Christ. Warren Wiersbe reminds us that "this is not enough, for we must grow in our understanding of our riches if we are ever going to use them to the glory of God." Paul writes that he had heard of the faith of the church at Ephesus and he rejoiced over this. While faith and love are the two main components of the Christian life, "Paul knew that (they) were just the beginning." (WW) And like the Ephesians, we need to know more. "This is why (Paul) prayed for them, and for us. (WW) Warren Wiersbe begins the discussion of this passage by explaining two facts about the request for "enlightenment" by Paul. First, "enlightenment comes from the Holy Spirit. . . The Holy Spirit reveals truth to us from the Word, and then gives us the wisdom to understand and apply it. He also gives us the power. . . to practice the truth. Second, this enlightenment comes to the heart of...

My hubby and I attended a couples conference at our church, Calvary Chapel Chino Valley , this morning. I was encouraged by many things and challenged by others. Ultimately, I am thankful that both my husband and I have chosen to follow Christ and to seek God's wisdom through His Word and prayer. Marriage is not always easy. When two unique individuals come together to live as one, there are going to be personality differences as well as life challenges. In addition to this, the enemy is working very hard to break up healthy marriages and to weaken the biblical definition of marriage. Here are the things that I gleaned the most from today's teachings: Our Pastor, David Rosales, set the foundation for the event. He shared from Genesis 2 which describes the first couple - Adam and Eve. Pastor David defined marriage as a commitment between a man and a woman with Christ at the center. Regardless of what laws are passed, God's plan for marriage remains the same. He went on t...

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do  not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also . -Matthew 6:19 What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? -Matthew 16:26 Adding to the uncertainty is the problem of materialism. I asked some young persons their definition of success. They indicated that they and their friends believe that being successful means "being able to have whatever you want whenever you want it." That is probably the best definition of materialism I know. Many people believe if they live by this philosophy, they will be able to meet all of life's needs, and they will be happy. This idea, of course, is illusory. As philosophers throughout the centuries, including Solomon. . . have warned, "Ma...

Do you hunger for Jesus Christ? Do you yearn to spend time alone with Him in prayer? Is He the most important person in your life?. . . Do you eagerly turn to His. . . Gospels to learn more of Him? Are you making the effort to die to anything and everything that would inhibit, diminish, or threaten your friendship? To discern where you really are with the Lord, recall what has saddened you recently. Was it the realization that you don't love Jesus enough?. . . That you can't honestly say that the greatest thing that ever happened in your life is that Jesus came to you and you heard His voice? . . . Or have you been saddened and depressed over a lack of human respect, criticism from an authority figure, financial problems, lack of friends, your bulging waistline? On the other hand, what has gladdened you recently? Reflection on your election to the Christian community? . . . The afternoon you stole away with the Gospel as your only companion? The thrilling awareness that ...

What problem or fear do you need to trust God with today? Remember that God already knows your problem and wants you to trust Him for strength to solve it. Tell God about your need. -From the Inspirational Study Bible by Max Lucado But the person who trusts in the Lord will be blessed. The Lord will show him that He can be trusted. He will be strong, like a tree planted near water that sends its roots by a stream. It is not afraid when the days are hot; its leaves are always green. It does not worry in a year when no rain comes; it always produces fruit. -Jeremiah 17:7-8 I pray that the God who gives hope will fill you with much joy and peace while you trust in Him. Then your hope will overflow by the power of the Holy Spirit . -Romans 15:13

Beyond succeeding in a worldly sense, though, God wants our character to succeed more than our circumstances to succeed. He will adjust our circumstances in such a way that our character eventually succeeds, for that is His highest aim, his will. -From Walking with Christ in the Details of Life by Patrick Morley; part of The  Inspirational Study Bible: New Century Version  by Max Lucado

Depend on the Lord; trust Him, and He will take care of you. . . Wait and trust the Lord.  -Psalm 37:5, 7a God's people must learn to trust him with all their affairs. Trust involves commitment, patience, delight in the Lord, and obedience. Is God calling you to trust Him to carry you over some dangerous impasses in your Christian pilgrimage? What do you need to trust him for - your next job, a fragile marriage, a bad habit, a new ministry? Take a step of faith this week that demonstrates you have put your faith on the line. -From The Inspirational Study Bible by Max Lucado It was by faith that Abraham, when God tested him, offered his son Isaac as a sacrifice. God made the promises to Abraham, but Abraham was ready to offer his own son as a sacrifice. God had said, "The descendants I promised you will be from Isaac." Abraham believed that God could raise the dead, and really, it was as if Abraham got Isac back from death. -Hebrews 11:17-19 Fig trees may not...

I will praise the Lord at all times; His praise is always on my lips. My whole being praises the Lord. . .  Glorify the Lord with me, and let us praise His name together. . .  Those who look to the Lord will have every good thing. .  . People who do what is right may have many problems, but the Lord will solve them all. -Psalm 34:1, 2a, 3, 10b, 19 We will never know in a personal way the faithfulness of Christ apart from adversity. As a result, our faith in Him would never increase. It would remain static. One of the primary reasons God allows us to face adversity is so that He can demonstrate His faithfulness and in turn increase our faith. If you are a believer, you have made a decision to trust Christ with your eternal destiny. But you will not experience His faithfulness in that particular area until you die. God wants more from you and for you than simple intellectual acknowledgement of His faithfulness. It is His will that you experience it now. If ou...

Satisfied? That is one thing we are not. We are not satisfied. . . We push back from the Thanksgiving table and pt our round bellies. "I'm satisfied," we declare. But look at us a few hours later, back in the kitchen picking  the meat from the bone. We take a vacation of a lifetime. For years we planned. For years we saved. And off we go. We satiate ourselves with sun, fun, and good food. But we are not even on the way home before we dread the end of the trip and begin planning another. We are not satisfied. As a child we say, "If only I were a teenager." As a teen we say, "If only I were an adult." As an adult, "If only I were married." As a spouse, "If only I had kids." As a parent, "If only my kids were grown." In an empty house, "If only the kids would visit." As a retiree in the rocking chair with stiff joints and fading sight, "If only I were a child again." We are not satisfied. Content...

Gates, open all the way. Open wide, aged doors so the glorious King will come in. Who is this glorious King? The Lord, strong and mighty. The Lord, the powerful warrior. -Psalm 24:7-8

The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need. He lets me rest in green pastures. He leads me to calm water. He gives me new strength. He leads me on paths that are right for the good of his name. Even if I walk through a very dark valley, I will not be afraid, because you are with me. Your rod and your walking stick comfort me. You prepare a meal for me in front of my enemies. You pour oil on my head; you fill my cup to overflowing. Surely your goodness and love will be with me all my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever. -Psalm 23 (New Century Version) Warren Wiersbe writes in his Old Testament commentary that it is unfortunate that many associate this with funerals and that it is over spiritualized. Often David is pictured as a shepherd boy in the fields "pondering the things of God". Wiersbe writes that it is likely David wrote this psalm later in his life perhaps during his trouble with his son, Absalom. "In it David deals...