Heatin' Up 9-17-12

Jesus desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. 1 Tim. 2:4-5

This week, an Iranian Muslim man came to Christ.

What a thrill it was to witness this middle-aged shop owner lift his head upward to heaven and shout aloud these words (in front of customers and employees):  

"Jesus Christ come into my life and be my Lord and Savior!

... I am a sinner! ... Forgive me of my sins! 

I want You as my God and Lord of my Life! .... 

THEN…

HALLELUIA!!!! I AM FREE!!! I AM FREE!!! 

Do you know how lucky we are? Why you (Betsy)? Why me?

Praise You, Lord Jesus Christ…

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE, I AM FREEEEEE!!!!!

Of course, this is the SHORT story. The longer version is even more thrilling!

~Despite current events Jesus is alive and well, and people are coming to a salvational knowledge of Him like never before. ~Just last week in our small sphere of influence there was a Jewish later-aged woman and a college-aged boy in addition to this Muslim man.

Christ shares:

"This is the will of Him (the Father) who sent Me (Jesus),

 that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life;

And I will raise him up at the last day." Jn. 6:40

~Sharing Jesus’ love and truth…

What a thrill…what a privilege...what a responsibility.

The world is ‘heating up’ fast. He is coming for us so soon. (Matt. 24; 2 Thess. 2)

We treasure your prayers for our new brothers and sisters.

Living for Him in His arms of love,

~Shaun and Betsy

Summer 2012 Couples Events

Dare to Swim Upstream 9-11-12

“The waters that come down from upstream,

and they shall stand as a heap." Jos. 3:13

As with the Jordan waters, one day, God will cause the anti-God streams of society to “stand as a heap” and acknowledge Him for Who He is. Until that day, we each have responsibility.

Take our 3 kids for example:

One’s in high school, one’s in college, and one’s a college graduate in the work force.

Each is fearfully and wonderfully made.

Each has an exclusive call on and divine purpose in this life.

Each has unique instruction for this specific season in life.

YET

Each of their environments is distinctive.

Each of them has a unique temperament, talents, abilities and life-stories.

And each has a daily choice to believe or not to believe in God’s plan, and to take (or refuse to take) the necessary steps to fulfill this plan.

~~And although dad, mom and others offer great advice, our 3 must ultimately look to God for direction navigating life and answer to God for steps taken (or neglected).

The same for each one of us.

With an attitude of love and reverence to God, let’s choose to ‘live purposeful’, and celebrate the Lord’s goodness in this life.

Even if our disposition is ‘the quiet sort’, let’s be ‘deemed weird’ and dare to swim upstream against the current of an ever-increasing anti-God society.

“The joy of the LORD is your strength…celebrate with great joy.”

Neh. 8:10-12

Living for Him,

Shaun and Betsy

Break and Play 9-4-12

The world and its desires pass away, but the man

who does the will of God lives forever. 1Jn. 2:17

It’s football season once again. And whether or not you are a football fan, we all agree that the first secret of success on the football field is to break the huddle and play the game.

The secret to successful living is no different.

Simplified formula for team play: Get on the team, develop a strategic game plan with the Coach, “train” diligently with deliberate focus, then, wholeheartedly play the game as the Coach directs.

This formula is no different for the Believer.

Whether one’s “game” is:

• Tim Tebow, allowing God to use his talents on a high profile NFL platform;
• OR dear family friends recently adopting a girl from the sex traffic industry;
• OR investing in the real-life needs of a co-worker;
• OR sharing Jesus’ love with our airplane/bus seat mate;
• OR observing a need and filling it with whatever God has personally blessed us with….

…Each of us has a unique call on our life, intended by our Creator to be played out for His team, according to His game plan, in this game of life.

(~Played out, not hidden and protected in some kind of “holy huddle.”)

We are called to be in the world!
(Yet, we are not to be of the world. Remember, Jesus visited “shadowy” places not as a wild-haired partaker of darkness, but as a love-filled witness to the Light, and He calls us to do the same.)

~~And with regard to sharing the John 3:16 message, the coolest thing is this: “Success” is not measured in another’s response to the Message. No, success is measured in how well I obey God’s promptings to deliver His Message in word and deed. ~The “results” are God’s business, His deal; and thus, the “heat” is off us.

Playing “the game” this week for His glory! He’s coming soon.

Much love,

Shaun and Betsy

Whose team? 8-28-12

The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it,

the world and all who live in it. Ps. 24:1

BUT for now,

The whole world is under the control of the Satan. 1Jn. 5:19

BUT one day soon,

Every knee will bend to God, and every tongue will confess…

Rom. 14:1; Phil. 2:11

Man was created amidst a cosmic battle, and was granted ‘freedom of choice’ from his first breath. Mankind quickly discovered the biblical fact that he is a slave to whatever masters him (2Pet. 2:19), when he believed the devil and fell from grace.

Let’s now get personal.

This cosmic battle still rages, and herein lies our two-prong struggle:

• Do I worship the created OR worship The Creator? (Rom. 1:25)
• Do I search for mastery OR search for The Master?  (1Cor. 9:25)

(FYI: The “created/mastery” can be good things like our children, nature, education and knowledge.)

QUESTIONS:

By my actions who or what is my master? …By the evidence of my life, whose team am I on?

Am I on God’s team or on the devil’s team?

To those on the Satan’s team, one day God will declare: “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” For “not everyone who calls out to Me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.” Matt. 7:21; 23

To those on the Lord’s team, God will one day declare:

“Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your Master's happiness!” Matt. 25:21

Is this unfair or harsh?

Heaven is God’s house, and He gets to welcome in who He wants to live with Him.

Same with us; picture YOUR home. At your home, you get to choose who you invite in to stay with you in your home. And just because a ‘seemingly nice stranger’ knocks on your door and asks/demands to enter, does NOT mean you are unfair to say, “I am so sorry, but this is our home and we do not know you.”

Remember: The Lord is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Pet. 3:9

Resting in His amazing love this week, ~Shaun and Betsy

The Work 8-21-12

Be strong & courageous and do the work.

Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God is with you.

 He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished.  1 Chr. 28:20

Where is God’s temple (or dwelling) today? Metaphorically, in the Believer.

1 Cor. 3:16-17 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?... God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.

1 Cor. 6:19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, Whom you received from God?

What is “the work (s)”? Obedience to His promptings in and through all we do. (Col. 1:29)

God tells us in Eph. 2:10 and Matt. 5:16 that we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, that He prepared in advance for us to do… And to let our light shine before men, so they will see our good works and glorify God.  

“Works” means our business, employment, undertaking, deed, anything accomplished by hand, art, industry or mind.

Jesus example:

The Father gave me these works (my teachings and my miracles) to accomplish, and they prove that He sent me… I brought glory to You here on earth by completing the work You gave me to do. Jn. 5:36; Jn. 17:4

How is the work to be completed? In obedience, through His wisdom and strength.

Jesus’ example:

Jesus often withdrew to lonely places to pray (Lk. 5:16).

Here, Jesus received His “work instructions” (as well as renewal and strength to continue carrying out God’s plan).

Rather than doing our own idea of labor for the Lord, let’s pray and ask Jesus to direct our work/service, and the renewal and strength to obediently carry “it” to completion.

When is “the work for the service of God’s temple” to be finished? When we are with Christ.

God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Phil. 1:6

"And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. Rev. 22:12

Time is short. May our lives faithfully carry out His work this week by allowing Him to work in and through us!

Much love,

Shaun and Betsy

True Change 8-6-12

“So all of us who have had that veil removed can see

and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—

makes us more and more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image.”

2 Cor. 3:18

We change our clothes.

(2 Sam. 12:20 “David arose, washed, anointed himself, and changed his apparel.”)

We change our facial expressions.

(Dan. 5:6 “The king's countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him.”)

We change our outward behavior.

(1 Sam. 21:13  “He changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane.”)

But only God can truly change a person.

We can give advice and fervently pray for a loved one, but in the end, whom we live for is an individual decision:

Choose God and to allow Him to have His way with our life.

“As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.” 2 Sam. 2:21

OR

Choose “the temporary”, exchanging truth and glory for the world’s lies.

“People changed the truth of God into the lie, and their Glory for what does not profit.” Rom. 1:25; Jer. 2:11.

This life is hard, but true LIFE is found in no other.

Jesus’ grace and love are exceedingly abundant, and His divine power is everything we need for life and godliness.   (2 Pet. 1:3; 1 Tim. 1:14)

Choosing to live life for Him,

Shaun and Betsy