Christine Paxson and Rosemary Spiller address the fact that the Bible has all the answers, not just for the past, but for present circumstances as well in their book and study guide, No Half-Truths Allowed: Understanding the Complete Gospel Message. It is important that, as believers, we know the truths found within God’s Word so that we can share those truths with others and not get caught up in what society thinks of us and how they perceive us. They explore what Jesus has done for you and me. With society’s ever-changing cultural standards, we have to be rooted in the truth… God’s truth. We have to let Him reign in our hearts and lives so that we can bring glory back to Him by not compromising what is right and true, by reflecting that truth in and through our lives. We can do this by standing up and saying, “No more half-truths are allowed in my life!”
***“A person’s experience with the Gospel can be a lot like quilting. The beauty and seemingly simplistic message of the grace and love of God displayed in His only Son dying for us can draw our longing hearts in like moths to a flame, but if we do not take the time to study and understand the full message of the Gospel, we are selling ourselves – and God – short. The Gospel is the Word of God and the main message of the entire Bible. It is the saving power of God! Its power is not contained in the eloquence of the messenger, but in the message itself. That is why we need to get it right.”
“Most of us have asked basic, fundamental questions about the Gospel – and others like them – and have had them run through our heads at one time or another. For some of us, the Bible has been taught in a way that makes us believe many things are right. For others, culture, other religions’ ideas, and even TV commercials have planted ideas firmly in our minds. But we need to know what the Bible says about [the questions we have]. Remember, the goal for this book is to make sure that by the end, you have a clear understanding of what the full Gospel message is – not only for yourself, but also so that when you share it with others, they fully understand what they are either accepting or rejecting.”
“The bottom line is, if we emphasize that God is remaking or renewing the world but do not include how He is redeeming people to be in it, we have not proclaimed the Good News to them. We have left them ignorant of the saving message of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Why does the Church, the Bride of Christ, want to shove sin, and death, and the glorious message of the cross out of our vocabulary? Have we tried to become too relevant? Are people so self-centered that even the Church has to make their focus all about people and no longer God? Is it because our good deeds make us feel good about ourselves, but we find it hard to bring up the Gospel to someone? Are we believing some of these half-truths ourselves? Are we more intent on what God can do for us than we are about studying His Word? Is it because we just don’t know any better? Christian, it’s time for that examination, and we start with the question to ourselves, ‘Am I really a Christian?’
If you are a Christian, as we’ve described over and over again in this book, then the next questions should be, ‘Am I sharing the whole Gospel message?’ ‘Is my church sharing the whole Gospel message?’ If not, then what do we do about it?
Let’s make it our aim to glorify God by taking the message of the cross and making it central to everything else. “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor. 1:18).” (Text taken from No Half-Truths Allowed book)***“As God’s chosen people, we need to make sure we are doing what we were created to do – glorify Him and enjoy Him forever! To do that, we need to know His Word, and we need to follow it. We need to spread the Gospel message, and we need to do it correctly! Will it be easy? Sometimes. Will it be hard? Sometimes. But it needs to be done. Therefore, let’s make it our aim to glorify God by taking the message of the cross and making it central to everything else.” (Text taken from No Half-Truths Allowed study guide)***When we are tempted to get caught up in making our lives look perfect over Facebook or Instagram, or when we are unsure what to believe about our friends, neighbors, leaders, pastors, or politicians, let’s try to remember that we live in a fallen world, and no one is perfect. Let’s try to focus on showing our reality, and not a watered-down version of it. But most importantly, let us remember that we are here to glorify God and help lead others to do the same. Be an example to those around you, don’t compromise, and don’t settle for sharing any half-truths!
To learn more about Christine and Rose and No Half-Truths Allowed, visit HERE.
Archive for the ‘Letter from Our Publisher’ Category
Will You Chicken IN?
From our Publisher’s Desk
I believe we can all agree that the past two months have not gone as any of us anticipated this year would. It feels as though there is no escape from the constant battering of news, safety updates, and personal social distancing requirements. The good news is that as believers in Christ, we do have an escape, a refuge from the storms of life, and a constant peace in times of trial. God is our strength and salvation, so we do not have to fear the unknown. He has a plan to work all things for good in our lives, even things that the enemy tries to use to come against us.
Life has become much simpler. There has been much more time spent with family and/or resting. We have been forced to slow down and change our pace. But instead of looking at our current circumstances as devastating, we should take the extra time we have been given to focus on what is truly important in life: building strong relationships with family, friends, and those around us, encouraging them in their walk with Christ, and for those who do not have a relationship with Him, to continually point them to God and to show His love. Let us use this time to better ourselves and grow spiritually.
JJ Gutierrez talks about building a life of faith instead of fear in her book entitled Chickening IN. She examines how things around us may be scary, due to the unknown, but if we have a relationship with God, we can have a courageous faith.
Although, we may be living in unpredictable and uncontrollable times, we can defeat feelings of fear, doubt, and anxiety by reconstructing them into faith in God and His promises, by stepping into the calling that God has placed on each of our lives, and by not backing down or chickening out.
***
“The Bible is full of examples of people who acted upon God’s word in faith. They couldn’t see the end result, but without action they were sure not to arrive at the destination. This is the key difference between the stuck and the unstuck, being trapped in a broken, discouraged life or being transformed into a new life of healing, joy, and wholeness. The key is action.”
“During times of fear, self-preservation, and retreat, we often need someone to speak encouragement into our lives – a friend, mentor, or coach – someone to wake us up, to shake us up. That’s exactly what Mordecai did for Queen Esther when he spoke these wise and powerful words, “What’s more, who can say but that you have been elevated to the palace for just such a time as this” (Esther 4:14)? This is the most well-known verse in the book of Esther and for good reason. Esther was in a position of influence unlike anyone else. Her identity as a Jew had been concealed. She was beautiful and found favor with the king. She had learned the customs of the palace and understood how to behave in her new culture. What appeared to be many coincidences was actually God’s providence for the Jewish people – Esther was positioned for this moment.
Have you ever experienced being positioned well and you knew it was your time to execute? It was as if God prepared you all along through your past, your resources, and your relationships lining up, and what seemed disconnected was coming together for a single purpose.”
“Taking risks, living with courage, and following God will most likely lead to unfamiliar roads. There are many kinds of unknown roads. Think of them not just as physical places, but mental, emotional, and spiritual places you’ve never been. Most often they will steer us to climb steep mountains, cross desert plains, sail uncharted oceans, or soar to new heights. If we are willing to travel these unknown roads, we will be challenged by our fears and doubts, and we may be temped to turn back. However, if we refuse to give in to the fear bully, we might discover something new and amazing about ourselves, God, and life.”
“Over and over God invites us to have courageous faith. In fact, there are more than 300 Bible verses commanding us to fear not, don’t be afraid, or to have courage. Christine Caine says in her book Undaunted, “He knew that we would be afraid, that we would doubt. That’s why He tells us again and again in the Bible, ‘Fear not.’” Maybe that’s why God dedicates a chunk of Scripture to encouraging us to be brave – He knew we would need reassurance and support not just once, but on an ongoing basis. However, in order be strengthened by God’s Word, we have to know it. We must study and learn the Scriptures to become the courageous and fearless women [and men] we desire to be.”
***
These past two months have been extremely trying for everyone regardless of age, ethnicity, or status. We have all experienced 
many of the same feelings and emotions. We have fought back fear of the unknown, worry of what tomorrow will hold in store, and the crushing disappointment of a lost job, trip, etc. But we can all stand to learn a powerful lesson from JJ Gutierrez’s book, Chickening IN. We can still have faith in God and His Sovereign plan for us. We can still be obedient to Matthew 6:34 when it tells us, “Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” And most of all, we can be courageous in our walk with God and grow in His likeness during these times by being obedient to Him. We can’t let fear hold us back from living to the full potential for which God has created and called us. Now, more than ever, is the time to step out of fear and into a courageous faith. We need to start Chickening IN.
To learn more about JJ and Chickening IN, visit HERE.
It’s Time to Breathe. . .
From our Publisher’s Desk
As we move into March, many of us are already feeling the weight of business and the rush of life pulling us in a million different directions. It can be hard to find the time in our busy schedules to slow down, be still, and just breathe and rest in God’s presence.
On this St. Patrick’s Day, it is important for us not to get caught up in the festivities of the day, and instead to think about what the day actually represents. Instead of focusing on wearing green or not being pinched, we should take a moment to get away from the noise around us, take a breather, and spend some time alone with God. The real St. Patrick would emphasize the importance of us maintaining our spiritual health in order to be spiritual leaders and make disciples for Christ. How can we show and reflect who Christ is in our own lives if we don’t take time out of each day to spend with Him and learn more about who He is?
Martin Wiles emphasizes the importance of stepping into quiet escapes with God in his book A Whisper in the Woods: Quiet Escapes in a Noisy World. This book provides weekly devotionals that can transport readers out of the noisy world around them and into the quiet escape of a beautiful forest with tall trees where the voice of God is more clearly heard throughout nature. In his book, Martin provides tools that help readers hear God’s words of comfort as they face the mountains and the valleys that this life often and unavoidably brings. Throughout A Whisper in the Woods: Quiet Escapes in a Noisy World, Martin lays out ways to take a step back, adjust our focus, and spend some quiet time resting in God’s presence.
***
“The psalmist was a morning person. He had no alarm clock to awaken him, but he rose early and took his requests to the Lord.
While God doesn’t dictate morning as the time we must come to Him, He does have a lot to say through those who followed Him about the advantages of coming to Him in the morning. Jesus Himself did.
Our minds are fresher in the morning. I may still be sleepy, but the clutter of the day hasn’t cluttered my mind yet. Some function better at night, but the advantages of the morning are weighty. Quiet reigns, which allows me to focus.
When I approach God in the morning, the day is before me. I’ve not made any mistakes or decisions yet. The potential, however, is there. What day doesn’t involve decisions, temptations, or potential mistakes? Coming to God in the morning allows me to petition Him for guidance, strength, and wisdom.
Regardless of what time I come before God, coming consistently is important. Just as regular communication with others stabilizes friendships, so spending time each day with God cements our relationship with Him.
Morning by morning – or whenever is good for you – spend time with God.”
***
“Since life has many paths – represented by the numerous decisions I have to make – knowing the right one is essential. Otherwise, I might find myself in unnecessary debt, broken relationships, jail, or any other number of unpleasant situations.
Taking the right path is possible when I consult the guidebook. God calls it His Word. We call it the Bible. Any direction I need is found there. Life progresses, scientist discover, and technology advances, but the principles of God’s Word never get outdated. They are good for all time.
Prayer keeps me on the right path. Through prayer, I petition God to give me full understanding of His Word, to help me know how to apply it to daily situations, and to guide others in the same path I’m traveling. Prayer helps the guidebook come alive in daily life.
Communing with other believers is also wise. Passing other hikers who were coming from the direction we were going assured us we were traveling tin the right direction – even if we had not seen any blazes. There is strength and comfort in numbers.
Don’t guess about whether or not you’re on the right path. You can know.
Prayer: Father, lead us along the right paths in life so we’ll end up where You want us to be.”
***
Instead of getting caught up in the world’s celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, take a moment to remember the real St. Patrick, take time out of your busy day to sit down, take a breath, stop worrying, and rest in God’s presence and purpose. Let Him refresh you and make you more like Him. And in doing so, let God use you (just as He used St. Patrick) to share His word and make Him known.
To learn more about Martin and A Whisper in the Woods, visit HERE.
Choosing Love
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New Year’s Resolutions: A Letter from Our Publisher
Every year millions of people make resolutions of changes they would like to make in their lifestyle with a “New Year’s Resolution.” Some common changes people want to make are becoming more active, getting into shape, and getting back on track spiritually. In fact, many of us can probably say that we have followed this trend and made a resolution at some point in our life that matches up with one of these three changes. Many of us can probably also say that we have fallen short when it came time to keep the resolution we made. Change can be hard when it means we have to step outside of our comfort zone in order to accomplish a task that we previously couldn’t.
Kelly Wypych talks about stepping outside of your comfort zone and pushing through difficult changes and challenges in life within her book Ten Iron Principles: Persevering Through Difficult Situations. She tells her story of becoming an endurance racer, and how, through God’s grace and mercy, she came to salvation through a triathlon. As she became stronger physically, she found that she was also becoming stronger spiritually. By making changes to her lifestyle and old routines, she found her Kingdom purpose. We can learn about the power of perseverance from Kelly’s experience and words of wisdom.
“Many parallels existed in my life between the quest for physical endurance and my trek to salvation. During this unbelievable life voyage, I completed the race and accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. He became real to me. As I inched nearer and nearer to race day, I grew closer and closer to God.”
“My achievement definitely did not result from my inner strength because I demonstrated incredible weakness. God wanted to settle His love unequivocally in my heart and mind. I am not alone; I never have been. God carried me to the finish. He showed me my life is powered by God.”
“Nothing is wasted. [God] uses whatever sufferings occur in our lives to mold us, teaching us the necessary lessons, so we may change our behaviors. This growth enables us to become the sons and daughters God needs us to be. He knows you, too.”
“My words of advice? If He calls you, go. Bring all you’ve got. But don’t take it from me; remember Jesus’ words in Matthew 14:27, ‘Take courage! It is I. don’t be afraid’ (NIV).”
“The road to the Ironman proved to me that change is a process and occurs even when I take a few steps backwards. Chipping away requires dedication and persistence, especially when the road is long, and the outcome is unknown.”
Iron Principle #1 – You Are Not the Driver
“The biggest self-perpetuated delusion of my life (and possibly your life, too) is I retain control of it…As much as we sometimes wish we were in control, think we are in control, or even try to be in control, God holds the reins.”
Iron Principle #2 – Show Up
“Showing up is one of the hardest things for people to do and one of my greatest frustrations in relationships…Things are tough? Show up. Don’t give up. Do not give in. Keep participating to the fullest in your life and in the steps God has shown you for your recovery and inevitable victory in Him. Do not fall short of your pledged commitment. But if you do: smile, shake it off, and start again. Forgiveness is always available.”
Iron Principle #3 – Rounding the Bend
“Perseverance produces power. But take heart. You will make it through this time and “round the bend.” I call it “rounding the bend” because of the way I visualize it. Think of a learning curve depicted on a graph. The line on the graph steeply rises and then begins to arc as it plateaus and levels out. I imagine myself as a stick figure or cartoon running up the curve as if on a mountain. My little stick figure self struggles and sweats, huffing and puffing up the steep climb. Then, like magic, I go over the curve and things get easier, and I get faster because the trajectory flattens.”
Iron Principles #4 – Buoy to Buoy
“In my first open water swim, I heard a coach nearby ask his athletes how far they had to swim. After mumbled responses, he told them they only had to “Swim to the next buoy.” I stood transfixed thinking what an amazing philosophy this was. Sometimes looking ahead to a big goal can be disarming and overwhelming. Keep the big goal or the finish line always in in the back of your mind but remember to focus on the next upcoming goal or ‘buoy.’”
Iron Principle #5 – The Skittle Philosophy
“In the Beach to Battleship iron-distance triathlon, I altered my nutrition strategy from sports products to Skittles and Sweet Tarts because I could not stomach the nutrition products any longer. The Skittles tell the twisted tale of how we all need to be adaptable. Not all things will go according to plan, and you need to roll with the punches. Create the plan and follow it step by step, rounding the bend, and aiming for the next buoy.”
Iron Principle #6 – Run the Mile You Are In
“No matter how long the race, you can run only one mile at a time; you can run only the mile you are in…While keeping your eye on the prize, do not forget today is all you have. Try to ensure every day you are doing something, however small, to push you closer to your goal, to your “finish line” even if it means resting. Make the most of every effort and avoid getting so caught up in the finish line that you miss the journey.”
Iron Principle #7 – Use Whatever You’re Doing as a Time for Worship
“In whatever you attempt, remember God blesses you with the necessary gifts to be able to attack your goal. Be thankful and show your gratefulness through your efforts… You can easily incorporate prayer into your job, relationships, or into the dark times.”
Iron Principle #8 – Some Days Just Suck
“A few big misconceptions are that successful people never fail, they never experience pain or doubt, and they have it all together. No, they don’t… You will fail now and again when trying to reach your goals. Failure happens, but do not dwell on it. Get back up and dust yourself off… If the day beats you up, go to sleep and remember tomorrow is another day.”
Iron Principle #9 – CFM (Continuous Forward Motion)
“No matter how far, no matter how big the goal, no matter how insurmountable the task, if you keep moving forward, regardless of speed, you will get to the finish line. Whether with big strides or baby steps, keep moving forward.”
Iron Principle #10 – We Win
“It is easy to get engrossed in our problems and trials and how they affect us. It is easy to get stuck in the pain and hurt. But, try to keep a part of yourself focused on the eternal reward even if only a teeny, tiny bit. You may not understand or see the outcome of your situation, your struggle, or your life, however, if you are saved, you know how your soul turns out. You realize the result of the final fight. Jesus wins. He triumphs in victory. The battle was fought and won two thousand years ago on a cross. Jesus defeated Satan and death. Boo-yah.
Try to remember this. Try to keep the hope of spending eternity in heaven with the Lord in your mind’s eye! Amazing! Keeping salvation at the forefront helps us to remember the right choices are not always the easy choices, and it gives us the strength to move in the proper direction. Focusing on our deliverance helps us to stand up when we feel more like sitting. It guides us to remain in His strength when we feel weak.”
As you head into your new year, take Kelly’s advice and her Ten Iron Principles to heart. Don’t become overwhelmed by the length of the coming year, the amount of work required to reach your goals, or the many daunting tasks you may have to accomplish. But instead, try to take it day by day, one task at a time, hour by hour, or even minute by minute. Remember the words of Ecclesiastes 9:11, “The race is not given to the swift nor the strong but he who endures until the end.”
Eyes of Faith: A Letter from Our Publisher
The month of October is filled with pumpkin spice flavored everything, the excitement of trick-or-treating, the anticipation of Halloween, the delicious taste of candy corns, the joy of choosing the perfect costume, and the exhilaration of getting to dress up as someone/something else! The once green leaves on the trees are changing to red, yellow, orange, and brown. Pumpkins can be found in abundance along with all things fall themed. It is almost as if fall is in the air.
For many people around the world, dressing up is something fun to do; however, for missionary Amy Carmichael it was something completely different. Amy was a missionary to the children of India. Growing up, she had always been so disappointed that her eyes were brown instead of blue. But God had a plan for her, and her eyes helped her to dress up and blend in when she needed to most.
Author Derick Bingham describes Amy Carmichael’s life as a missionary to India in his book The Wild-Bird Child. Throughout the telling of her story, he uncovers God’s plan for her and how He used her dark eyes and a costume to help further His plan for Amy’s life.
“With a passion, Amy was determined that God would change the color of her eyes from brown to blue. Blue was her favorite color; and it is not without significance that most of her books were to be bound in blue cloth. Let her poetry tell the story:
Just a tiny little child,
Three years old,
And a mother with heart
All of gold.
Often did that mother say,
“Jesus hears us when we pray,
For He’s never far away;
And He always answers.”
Now, that tiny little child
Had brown eyes;
And she wanted blue instead,
Like blue skies.
For her mother’s eyes were blue,
Like forget-me-nots. She knew
All her mother said was true –
Jesus always answered.
So she prayed for two blue eyes,
Said “Good night,”
Went to sleep in deep content
And delight.
Woke up early, climbed a chair
By a mirror. Where, O where
Could the blue eyes be? Not there!
Jesus hadn’t answered.
Hadn’t answered her at all!
Never more
Could she pray – her eyes were brown
As before.
Did a little soft wind blow?
Came a whisper, soft and low,
“Jesus answered. He said ‘No.’
Isn’t ‘No’ an answer?”
During the Second World War, a Jewish rescue farm was set up near Millisle [Northern Ireland]. Those brown eyes of Amy Carmichael were to be one of her most useful attributes, when she would be led to rescue hundreds of brown-eyed children from unspeakable things and establish a faraway home for them.”
“Soon, Amy was glad that God had said “No” to her childhood prayer in Millisle for blue eyes. One night, she disguised herself by staining her hands and face with coffee and, dressed in a sari, she got right past the priests. Eventually, she got to the inner shrine and then entered a larger room where ten little girls, all aged between four and six, stood in line waiting. Dressed in silk saris and sparkling with jewels, they were perfumed and wore flowers in their hair, but their eyes were filled with fear. A door opened, weird music burst from behind the door, and a priest led them in. Amy did not need to be told what it was all about. But how was she to tell the world and the authorities that the horrors were real, and not imagined?”
“The broken-hearted Amy lifted her eyes away beyond her immediate circumstances to the vast sub-continent in which God had placed her; and the light of guidance was dawning upon her, that what she was doing had vast repercussions.
We have looked at some of the facts she collected regarding the Temple children; but here, in her own words, the seed-thought is expressed for what lay ahead:
‘We are hoping to gather facts concerning the Temple children matter during the next year, and then probably through the Missionary body of South India, approach Government upon the subject… if only the facts can be brought to light, something will surely be done. The difficulty is to get the facts: facts of the sort which will compel action on the part of the Government. The law as it stands is inadequate to cope with this trade in children. We realize that it will be difficult to frame the law, that its purpose cannot be evaded, but when one sees so many thoughtful men and women, some of them Government Officials, tackling the question, one feels as if the day when right will be done may not be so very far distant. I have begun with this because I want your prayers. The subject is National, not just Missionary, in its bearing.’
Amy, the missionary, was on her way to becoming a social reformer to the huge benefit of the nation she loved and of which she had become a part.” 
“As Christmas 1930 approached, the experience of asking for blue eyes in Millisle, Co. Down sixty years before, was still fresh in her heart. In December 1930, she quotes the words of her famous poem about her childhood experience of asking for blue eyes: ‘I find the Dohnavur Letter goes to quite a number of people who have kept the heart of the child. And more than one of that sort here has found an answer to many a question in the last line of this song – the question that answers itself. As for the genuine child, it never tires of the nonsense of it. We have baby song evenings in my room sometimes, and Godfrey plays on his auto-harp and the children crowd round with their own little Baby Song M.S. books. What shall we sing? Blue Eyes! They cry all at once, and with emphasis – so just to share our nonsense as well as our sense, her it is….’ She includes not only the words of her poem but the music to sing it as a song.”
As we prepare for fall, as we decorate with pumpkins, and as we choose costumes and dress up as someone/something different, let us remember that we are each unique, let us embrace that we each have a unique call on our lives that only we can fulfill, and let us love and accept ourselves the way God created us just as Amy Carmichael did.
To learn more about Bingham and The Wild-Bird Child, visit HERE.
Eternal Hope: A Letter from Our Publisher
In this life, we are not promised that trials will never come. Instead, we are promised that when they come, we will never be alone. We will always have our Heavenly Father in the middle of the storm. We have this hope to help see us through the darkest of nights.
Abby Banks experienced the ultimate storm when her son, Wyatt, unexpectedly became paralyzed due to an autoimmune disease that attacked his spinal cord. Ultimately, she came to realize that often, our pain serves a purpose in our lives. She wrote about her experience and what she learned in her book Love Him Anyway: Finding Hope in the Hardest Places. I have chosen exerts from Abby’s book that show the purpose of pain and hope.
“I wish I could put a pretty ribbon on suffering and tell you that it is easy to rejoice, but I can’t. It was hard the day Wyatt was diagnosed, and it was hard this morning when I strapped him into his wheelchair and watched him roll into school. Rejoicing can be hard, but it is healing. Rejoicing points us to the One who is bigger than our hurt. Rejoicing is not a superficial happiness that pretends the hard doesn’t hurt.”
“I don’t believe that rejoicing has to look the same for everyone. For me, rejoicing begins with thanksgiving. It begins with an acknowledgment of the blessings before me. Thanksgiving leads me to praise my Maker, and it moves my soul closer to my Father in heaven. It takes my mind off the things in life that I cannot control, and it reminds me of the One who is in control of it all.”
“As much as I hate to admit it, pain serves a function in our lives. It is not wasted if we address it. It can protect us from destroying ourselves, and it should spur us to correct what ails us. It should cause us to seek out the source of our pain in order to stop it. If our pain is physical, we go to the doctor looking for answers, but sometimes we find it more difficult to see the purpose of the emotional pain that destroys us from the inside out. It’s hard to cry out to God when we don’t know why we are in the darkness. It’s hard to accept that God has allowed pain in any form to find us. It can cause us to doubt His goodness and sovereignty.
“I don’t know your struggle. I don’t know if you are in the middle of a raging storm being tossed by ferocious waves or wading in calm, crystal waters, but I do know that Christ longs to be near you in either place. He is the same on the top of the mountain and in the valley. If you are a child of the Risen King and God hasn’t pulled you from the darkness, He has a purpose for it. You have not been forgotten, my friend. Call out to God and ask Him to show you His goodness and rejoice in the fact that our hope extends beyond the life we are living. Even if God doesn’t bring the healing we crave in this life, eternity beckons. This life is not the end.
“If you haven’t met Jesus yet, He is calling you in the middle of the darkness. He is calling you in the middle of the calm waters. He is calling you wherever you are to live a life that is filled with the hope that only He can provide. Open your ears. Open your heart. He is calling. He is calling you through a little boy in an orange chair.
“It’s hard to reconcile suffering with the goodness of God. It is a battle that I will never completely understand. There are still days when I get angry, confused, and bitter, but I choose to focus on what I know to be true. God loves me anyway. And He loves you. And that is where my hope will rest, not in medicine or healing, but in the unfailing love of a Savior. Who sees me. Who knows me. And who loves me in spite of it all. Anyway.”
To learn more about Abby and Wyatt and Love Him Anyway, visit HERE.
A Father’s Love: A Letter from Our Publisher
As we celebrate Father’s Day this year, let us each take a moment to remember the father or father-figure in our lives. Take a moment to remember the time they sacrificed to counsel you with their wisdom, the late nights they spent worrying over you, the money they gave to help you succeed, the encouragement they provided that gave you confidence, and the prayers that they offered on your behalf during difficult times. Take the time to thank them and show them appreciation for the investment they made in you.
The love of a father is a unique thing that each of us needs, and it is important to give gratitude to those who have offered that love. As we celebrate this Father’s Day, we are reminded of the love of our eternal Father in Heaven. “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are” (1 John 3:1). There is no limit of love offered to us from our Heavenly Father.
This month’s excerpt, chosen for Father’s Day, was picked from Ambassador’s archives and extracted from a book first published by us in 1986. Joseph and Ruth: A Classic Combination, written by Derrick Bingham, describes what the job and love of a father should and shouldn’t be. It demonstrates how Joseph’s father stepped onto thin ice when he showed him favoritism above his brothers. As a father, it is important to encourage your children and love them equally.
….
“’Father’s Day,’ the small boy pointed out, ‘Is just like Mother’s Day only you don’t spend so much!’ A father has been defined as someone who carries pictures where his money used to be. Parenthood is no easy task whatever its definition, and one of its deadliest traps is when a parent shows favor to one child above another.”
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“It is so easy to indulge in what seems a legitimate luxury which, in your heart, you know to be playing with fire. Favoritism fuels jealousy so deadly it can kill. You think I exaggerate? Joseph’s brothers very nearly got around to killing him because of what their father had created in their hearts by his behavior. As a father, watch out for that look of deference in your eyes, that touch, that planning, and those gifts towards your children. If you don’t, long after you are gone, that look, that touch, that plan, that gift will rancor in the heart of those who were not deferred to.”
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“I shall never forget a young man who came to see me one day about the unreasonable behavior of his father towards him. He poured out his story; words were tripping upon words as he told me the havoc his father was causing in his life. I identified with his hurt and agreed that his father’s behavior was most unreasonable, but slowly, there arose in my mind a feeling that I should warn him (it came from a line I once read in one of Frank Boreham’s books asking, what if the person receiving the spiteful letter you have just written were dead by the time your ‘I’ll-set-him-right’ letter arrived?).
Gently, I pleaded with the anxious chap in my study not to say anything to his father which he would regret as he might have to stand, God forbid, at his father’s graveside. He promised not to say anything hurtful but to wait for God to unravel His plan for his life. I am no seer, nor the son of one either, but the very next morning, his healthy father slumped over dead. Ashen faced, that young man returned to thank me for having warned him of the dangers of berating an unreasonable parent. He told me to share his story with others if I felt it would help.
The Scripture speaks of a man finding Joseph wandering in a field at Shechem. Poor Joseph! I can see him there in that field, unable to find his brothers, and maybe, in his heart, wishing he wouldn’t. Enthusiasm is always easier than obedience, but Joseph obeyed his father. Again, there are shades of the Savior in Joseph. The Father’s sending of his Son into the world was no irresponsible act, but we see the Lord Jesus ask in Gethsemane, ‘Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.’ It was not possible, and in obedience, He faced the jealous men who shouted for his blood. Obedience, though it seemed to bring disaster, actually brought incalculable reward.”
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“As Joseph lay in the pit, due to Reuben’s intervention, I’m sure he didn’t shout, ‘Praise the Lord! Don’t you fellows know I am to be Governor of Egypt and free you one day from death and starvation? This pit is marvelous because it is the actual highway of God’s guidance for me!’ No pit of suffering in our lives ever appears to be the path to blessing. Joseph thought he was merely doing his duty and suffering for it. So it is in all matters of guidance. Let us do the legitimate duty of today, no matter what it costs, and God will use it to lead us on to greater things. After all, the will of God for me is to do the legitimate duties of today. ‘Do as the occasion serves you,’ said Samuel to Saul, and it was good advice. The warning to fathers against favoritism and jealousy come like beacons from Joseph’s story to us today. Let us despise favoritism and jealousy.”
“The glory of children are their fathers” (Proverbs 17:6).
Let us remember these words as we honor our fathers on this Father’s Day.
To learn more about Derrick and Joseph and Ruth: A Classic Combination, visit HERE.
The Highest Calling: A Letter from our Publisher
As you celebrated Mother’s Day yesterday, we hope you were able to remember and celebrate the mother, grandmother, or the mother figure in your life. The woman who came next to you and encouraged you, taught you, and loved you.
Mothers often go unappreciated for the hard, dedicated work that they do. Their days are often filled with laundry, cooking, cleaning up after everyone else, working, helping with school, and driving children to activities. But a mother’s days are also filled with snuggles from their children, kisses, “I love yous,” big bear hugs, every one of their child’s firsts, holding small hands, and so much more. That’s why it is so important to set aside a day to honor mothers and to say thank you for the hard work and dedication.
In The High Calling of Motherhood, author Chimene Shipley Dupler explains that the role of motherhood is a high calling from God. It is an opportunity you are blessed with to help mold the next generation and show them the love of Christ. In the excerpts below, Chimene explains that in today’s generation, we have devalued motherhood and fail to see it as the gift that it is. We have failed to see that one of the greatest callings of a mother is to teach their child about Jesus.
“We have lost the meaning and purpose of motherhood and the responsibility that comes with the high calling and gift that it is. We have forsaken it as a spiritual matter and used it as another stroke for our own ego and advancement. Motherhood has been orphaned and disdained by our culture. Instead, we rejoice in our self-entitlement and celebrate freedom from responsibility. We don’t want to be inconvenienced or burdened. And we definitely don’t want to have to work harder than necessary. This have-it-all culture of self-entitlement and convenience is the antithesis of motherhood. Yet, if we truly intend to raise up a generation of world changers, the calling of motherhood must be resurrected with a call to action by our society.
“Motherhood is messy and hard. But it is also a gift. We are leaving a legacy. We are impacting the culture and the future. We are leaving our mark and handprint on society. To do so, we must be intentional and purposeful. That begins with understanding our own individual purpose as mothers. Motherhood is, indeed, a calling- a high calling.
“As parents, we have been blessed with the responsibility to teach our children about Jesus, and we need to be fully ready ourselves in order to be up to the challenge. We need to step up our game. It is not a Christian school’s job. It is not the church’s job. God has given the family, the mother and father, the authority and the responsibility.
“Our job as moms is to point our children to Jesus, giving them a firm foundation with a biblical worldview. But when we remember that this is a spiritual battle we are facing, we realize that we are not alone in this fight. I have learned not to take things personally. I have to remember that my fight and my struggle reaching my child’s heart is described in Ephesians 6:12, ‘For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.’ We are in a spiritual battle as parents.
“Our mission as mothers is to reach our children’s hearts for Jesus. Our impact has an eternal significance. You have the potential to directly impact and influence lives. You are holding potential. Don’t discard what God has given you, thinking that the role of motherhood is an insignificant or unworthy career. Don’t bury your talent. God has called you and equipped you. We were made to thrive, not just survive, in our roles as wife and mother. Let’s be mothers who will change the trajectory and go to battle by raising up a godly generation.
“Moms, you are chosen. You are leaving your mark on history. You are making a difference. You are personally impacting the next generation. Motherhood is the highest of callings. While culture and society has abandoned and orphaned the high calling of motherhood, God has never orphaned or abandoned the high calling of motherhood.”
This past Mother’s Day and every day beyond, may every mother be able to join Chimene and say, “I am a difference-maker. I am a world changer. I am a mom.”
We hope you had a Happy Mother’s Day!
To learn more about Chimene and The High Calling of Motherhood, visit HERE.