Digging Deeper

1 John 5:16

  If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life.

  I think it is so sad when we say things like, ”there’s nothing I can do except pray.”  Praying is “the thing” we should automatically do because it is the only real power we have. Why do we put so little emphesis on prayer? I think that is Satan’s sneakiest way of defeating us.  When he convinces us to act on our own strength, or tricks us into believing our prayers are not heard or answered he has won a huge battle.

  In the book “Don’t Just Stand There, Pray Something,” by Ronald Dunn, He writes this, I discovered that prayer is the secret weapon of the Kingdom of God. It is like a missile that can be fired toward any spot on earth, travel undetected at the speed of thought, and hit its target every time.

   There’s more. Satan has no defense against this weapon; he does not have an anti-prayer missile.

  There are people in our lives that the only way they can be reached is by way of the throne of grace. Why do we discount what God tells us in the book of James that the fervant prayer of a righteous man accomplishes much.

  Don’t let Satan convince you, your prayers do nothing because they do. Our God says so and what He says is TRUE! Remember the prayer Jesus prayed for all who would believe through the word of His deciples ( John 17:20 ) well every time someone turns to Christ His prayer is answered a prayer that has spanned two thousand years and is still powerful.

   We have the same power because we pray to the same God who answers still today. Our prayers affect the here and now and the future  generations.

   So don’t just stand there pray!!

   Luke 18:1-8

Father God we come in the name of Jesus  asking forgiveness for our doubt.  Lord, grow us and show us Your power, as we learn to be prayer warriors in Your holy name. Amen

  Becky Hutzel

 1John 5:10

Anyone who believes in the Son has this testimony in his heart.

     Can you hear me now? This famous one liner in verizons’ cell phone add always makes me smile. Today I got to thinking about it differently. What if we changed the wording and asked “can you see It now?” 

  You probably are wondering what I’m driving at. Well in this chapter we learned that others need to feel God’s presence but I ask shouldn’t they also be able to see Him?  

   There is a phenomenon in Christ followers that I call Jesus eyes. A type of kindness that goes deeper then just kind, a softness, a something that words can’t quite capture, but, which draws my spirit to them. I believe it is the presence of God’s Holy Spirit the testimony of Him that draws one Christ follower to another. I also believe He is that something non-believers are drawn to, that something we have that they crave.

  The testimony we have, the Holy Spirit living in us, also translates into our countenance. The more we surrender to Him the more He shines through us. The more we obey Him the more others experience Gods’ love through us and the greater our testimony becomes. We are the conduit God uses to draw others to Himself, but we must be connected to Him in a real way. We need to be in His word, practicing His will, and living in obedience to be a carrier of His power and love. Just as an electrical current cannot flow without being properly connected to the light switch we cannot be a light unless we stay connected to Christ daily.

  So maybe we should start asking each other “can you see “It”, (His love, His Spirit) in me now? It’s something to think about.

Galation 5:25                 

Dear Heavenly Father use me today to bring your presence into the lives of others. Make me a conduit of your power and love and shine Jesus shine in me. Amen

Becky Hutzel

1John 5:21

Dear children keep yourselves from idols.

    Have you given much thought to what things you give power or authority to? Have you ever considered them to be idols?    I find it uncomfortable to think about this because the truth has a way of  illuminating the shadowlands of my life.

    An idol is anything that takes the place of God in our lives. The more I consider this the more I realize there are many idols that pop up. I also realize the idols in my life change. For instance, it may be a movie that comes before my time with God, or there is the money problem. I know God owns the cattle on a thousand hills, yet I fear the lack of resources in our lives as work  hours are sliced in half. I have invested to much power in an inanimate object and suddenly I dwell on it more then on the power and goodness of my Lord and Savior. The truth is I never saw these thing as idols until this weeks lesson. I am not comfortable with what I am finding.

  Realizing I have idols in my life has shaken me up. I was clueless at how quickly I give authority to other things and take my eyes off of Jesus Christ. I have given much thought to this double agent concept and must admit I am one.

  How often do we put the mantle of togetherness on when we are with others, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Reality is, our world is messy, even cofusing, and our hearts are crying for help. I know someone who ate only squash every day for months because they were so poor. Yet their pride kept them quiet allowing family to believe they were losing weight on purpose. What a diservice we do to others and ourselves when we allow idols of self- sufficiency get in the way of allowing others to help carry our burdens.

  Are you living as a double agent? Take heart, Gods’ grace is sufficient for you.

1John 5:18-21

Father God forgive me the idols in my life. Keep me aware of them and be my strength against them. Thank you for your grace and mercy. Amen.

Becky Hutzel

1John 5:4

For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.

   Small improvements can make a big difference. Think of your home.  The kitchen  has dirty dishes stacked in  the sink. making the whole room look messy.  All it takes is a little time to wash and voila a new kitchen. The living room looks dingy, a coat of fresh paint and it looks brand new. Little improvements along the waycan make big differences.

   It’s the same with our spiritual life. We don’t have lots of huge victory moments instead there are many small improvements along the way. We choose not to get angry when the driver cuts us off, instead we pray for his safety, victory. We count to ten when we find ink  on our walls before we correct our child, victory. We choose a walk instead of compulsive eating, victory. We read our Bible, victory. We pray with a friend, victory.

Each time we choose to do anything in our life that is God honoring we have had a victory. Life is a smorgusboard of choices, good and bad. The world says sample it all. Gods word says not everything is good for us. We make hundreds of choices each day. Some will bring improvement some won’t. Lets not become discouraged with the mess, instead, focus on the victories. It’s in these we see the power of God at work in our lives. The Devil wants to keep us down, so he will try to keep us focused on our failures in hopes we lose heart and give up. Choose to see your kindness toward a grumpy clerk for what it is, a victory in Jesus. Your decision to forgive a friends hurtful words, victory in Jesus.  Your choice not to rent that questionable moive, victory in Jesus. Step by baby step we overcome the world.

  One small improvement after another adds up to big differences in our lives. Little by little, steady and sure our God moves us forward and works His beauty into our lives. Almost without our noticing it, we change into a person we weren’t before. I know this is true, it’s happened in my life. I look back at the Becky of twelve years ago and I am not who I used to be, all because of Jesus in me.

  I challenge you to think of who you used to be, even a year ago and see Gods’ remodeling work in your life.

1Corinthians 10:23&24  & 3John 1:11

  Father God thank you for small improvements adding up to big changes. I thank you for working in me making me more like Jesus than I was before. Help me keep my eyes on my victories in you instead of my failures remembering, Your grace is sufficient! Amen.

Becky Hutzel

                                                                                                                Baby Steps

1John 5:4&5

 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

Have you ever considered the word victory? A simple word that brings high fives, laughter, cheering and Champaign showers, it is the exclamation point to great accomplishments. But wait can it also mark the baby steps of faith?

  Sometimes I feel such failure because I haven’t overcome my weakness of impatience, or judgmental attitude. I look at myself and wonder what I have done wrong that I haven’t been victorious. Why can’t I walk away from them? I believe God is bigger than any failing I have, I pray continually and yet I still fall into these sins.

 Where is my victory? Have I missed it along the way, does God not hear my prayers, am I doing something wrong?

  This verse became clear to me during service, my victory is my faith. My faith is in a perfect Christ whose grace is sufficient. He is leading me on a journey that is filled to overflowing with daily victories. Every time I choose to take a deep breath and be patient, or take time to see someone’s heart, I have victory.  Victory comes each time a decision to do right is made.

  Life is made up of baby step victories that lead us closer to Jesus, and every baby step is worthy of celebration. Next time you are feeling a failure remember Jesus is cheering you on and there will come a day when all our little victories add up to a final, “Well done good and faithful servant welcome home.”

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Father God, thank you for a grace that covers all of me. Help me see the victories in my baby steps and to rejoice with You in each one for they are worthy of celebration. Amen

                       Dwell

Psalm 23:6

“Surely goodness and merc will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

    Dwell:Abide,Remain:Reside, Exist: to keep the attention directed.

  Reading and writing this verse over and over the word dwell kept rolling around in my head. So I looked up its definition for more clarity and found two truths within this verse.

First we can begin our eternal dwelling in the Lords house the moment we become a Christ follower. We have looked at the importance of being God focused so we can hear His Truth rather than the lie, we have seen the important things of life come from our obedience to God, walking in His footsteps, rather than accumulating things, we know His goodness follows us everywhere we go, and we have learned to count our many blessing daily.  Therefore we are dwelling in His house as we keep our attention focused on Christ alone.

 Second point… we will abide, remain, reside in eternity forever, without end amen and amen. There is no moth or rust to corrupt the perfection of our dwelling place. We will see Him everyday and worship Him in all truth, there will be no more tears, no more sorrow, no more goodbyes. All the good and perfect gifts we experience here barely whisper at the perfection that is ours there.

  To dwell forever in the uninterrupted light of His love is something worth focusing on. Just writing this I am getting excited for that day, but until then by the grace working in us may we strive to live more surrendered, more trusting, more faithful to the One who made it all possible. Unto Him be all the glory!!

Isaiah 25:8,  Revelation 21:4,  John 10:27-28             

     Thank you Heavenly Father for the home I have with You now and forever. May all glory and honor be Yours without end. Amen   

The Important Things

Psalm23:6

Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

    When Crystal was a little girl she had this sweet, plush gray, pink nosed mouse named Mandy Mouse. She loved that mouse and it went with her everywhere. There was nothing so important to her as that mouse.

  As I sit here thinking about eternally dwelling in my Fathers house, I sadly begin to realize I’m not as devoted to this hope as I should be. And that is when Crystals childlike devotion to her mouse came to mind. All her other toys were meaningless if Mandy wasn’t there to share it all with her. All my toys should be just as meaningless unless Jesus is center stage!

  How do we think the things of this world will fulfill the God sized hole in our hearts? And why do we think things in and of themselves are the sum total of our lives when there are children needing familys to love them and the hungry needing fed. Do we really believe a seventy thousand dollar car is were God is or is He at the homeless shelter with those handing out warm blankets and Bibles? Why is it we are trying so hard to accumulate things here when here is going to be destroyed. Where is the real enjoyment, the lasting kind? It is in the center of Gods’ will. Nothing should mean much to us unless Jesus is there sharing in it, being the center of it.

  Maybe this view makes me sound like a Jesus freak, I hope I am! I have a home not made with hands waiting for me yet I’m looking, focusing on something bigger and better here. The important things of life are not bought with money but are experienced through our obedience to Him.

2 Corinthians 5:1       John 14:1-4

1 Peter 2:11

Father God forgive me for losing sight of the important things, the things closest to your heart, feeding the hungry, clothing the poor, and offering our service willingly in Jesus name. Amen

The Focus

Psalm 23:6

“Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

    I come from a very large family, a hundred and some strong including my great great niece. When we get together we are loud. There are dozens of conversations going at once but you can only hear the one you focus all you attention on. If you don’t learn to focus you find yourself hearing bits and pieces of all these conversations yet not really know the full truth of any of them.

This applys to our lives in Christ. We cannot focus on the future with confidence if we are tuning in to bits and pieces of the TRUTH and the lie. We soon get lost in a mass of noise, and cofusion sets our course. It takes discipline and training to block out all the falsehoods and hear only Truth. But just as an athlete trains daily to run the Ironman, a Christ follower must do the same. We believe what we focus on the most, because it becomes the common fact. If we focus on the worlds beliefs, our actions will be that of fear and doubt, if instead we focus all ourselves on Jesus and His truths our actions will reflect His peace and joy.

In Psalm 103:2-11 we are given a list of truths worthy to hang on our refrigerators. A reminder everyday of the grace working in us. The power in Truth to set us free, yes free indeed.

  We hear often the importance of Bible study, life groups, regular Church attendance, and service. Well we can’t hear it often enough. The more we hear it the more we begin to focus on it the less the lie holds sway in our lives. Being involved in all these things helps discipline us,and teaches us to recognize our Fathers voice. We must focus on one thing and it is Jesus Christ alone!!

Psalm 25:15

Psalm 46:10

Confident No Matter What

Psalm 23:6

“Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

  June 1996 I came face to face with a personal protecting God. Facing heart problems at 29 is difficult made more so with three children 12 and under and a little boy not yet a year old. On my knees in the bathroom struggling to breath I cried out to God with all my being, He answered with Psalm 91, do not fear the terror, I got you.

  Sadly over the years doubt and fear have helped to dim and erode the wonder of that moment, until now. Surely goodness will follow me all the days of my life, the Psalmist declares. I can agree. This verse  made me take time to really re-evaluate my life. What I am seeing is an incredibly faithful God. One who has taken difficult health issues and drawn me closer to Him. He has worked on my compassion through finacial struggles, brought healing to my broken heart, protected my family from near tragedy, and brought us out stronger. Life has been a series of tests and trials with mountain top moments mixed in,but God has worked out His will through it all. Surely goodness has followed me all the days of my life. I can be confident no matter what, God is in control and He does hold us in His hands. He is watching all the time and He has been trustworthy every step of the way. He alone is God and I want to take this moment to thank Him for being Him!!

  I encourage each of you to take time and look closely at your life, see the hand of God protecting you as He hems you in behind and before.   Psalm 139  . 

 We may not know the how or why of our circumstances but we have the loving guidance of the One with all the answers!! Surely goodness will follow us all the days of our lives.

Psalm 91                    

Romans 8:28

Thank you Lord Jesus for being our strength and hope, breathe your confidence into us each day so we might live boldly and unafraid. In your name we pray, Amen

FEAR NOT

Psalm 23:6
“Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

We read the story of Jesus calming the water, in children’s church today. As we talked about storms and fear and the things that comfort us a universal truth was apparent. Children look to parents for comfort and safety.

Sunday afternoon as I began to write this devotion I could see God teaching me another valuable lesson. Satan may wield a big club of fear but God controls the storm.
The truth is we don’t need to listen to Satan’s rubbish, because God is watching over us.

For all you parents who experience frightened children crawling into bed or in your lap for safekeeping you know the honor it is to be their safety net. God desires that same honor with us!
We can all remember times we were afraid as a child and a parent, teacher or sibling comforted us. When did we begin thinking we didn’t need that comfort? Or when did we stop trusting our Heavenly Father to be bigger than the storm raging around us?
As children we trust the adult, so why don’t we carry that trust into our relationship with the King of the universe? The very One who calms the wind and waves with a command wants to use His power in our storms too.
But how many times do we see only the power of the storm instead of the Creator. How often do we cower in fear hiding from life afraid to do His will because of fear; Fear of the physical cost, fear of ridicule, fear of financial cost, fear of being odd or fear of fear. We lock our hearts away, accept the status quo of our lives and wander around in a desert of mediocrity and wonder why we are not on fire for the Kingdom.
We are afraid to face the storms, because we forget with Christ we face them together. He will calm the wind He will still the waves, He is the lap we can crawl into. We can face tomorrow with confidence because His goodness will follow us wherever we go.

I want to leave you with some words to a song I used to sing to my children when they were afraid.
“The winds and the waves obey thy will peace be still, peace be still. Whether the wrath of the storm tossed seas or demons or men or whatever it be no waters shall swallow the ship where lies the Master of ocean and earth and skies they all shall sweetly obey thy will peace, peace be still.

Luke 8:22-25  

Father help me focus on you, not the storm around me, and thank you for watching over me till the end of time. Amen