Judgment is falling upon us. God’s wrath is approaching us faster each and every passing day. Jesus teaches us the signs of the end of the age in Matthew 24 and these signs are in evidence all around us. A comparison of scripture and current world events will reveal that we are surely living in the last days. We are a sinful nation and the time to repent, pray, and seek God is now.

“Gather together, you shameless nation. Gather before judgment begins, before your time to repent is blown away like chaff. Act now, before the fierce fury of the Lord falls and the terrible day of the Lord’s anger begins. Seek the Lord, all who are humble, and follow his commands. Seek to do what is right and to live humbly. Perhaps even yet the Lord will protect you-protect you from his anger on that day of destruction.” Zephaniah 2: 1-3

We live a very comfortable life. Americans are extremely blessed with luxury and comforts not experienced in other parts of the world. We have taken these blessings for granted and now we live as if we are entitled to these comforts. We move through our day at a furious pace, our eyes focused on things to be done, bought, or obtained for our pleasure and closed to the signs that we are living as the last generation. We care more about our jobs, earning promotions so we can earn more money to buy more goods that we believe will bring us contentment and joy. We have never been busier. Our children have never been busier. Where is God in all this busyness? Where is worship, teaching the Word to our children, being a light unto the world? All this busyness may help us keep up with the Jones’s but it is driving us further away from Him. We are living in bondage to money, property, work, and activities. We have removed God from his rightful place on the throne and replaced Him with ourselves. We are foolishly deceived into thinking we no longer need Him to meet our needs, to fill us with joy, contentment, and His perfect love. Oh, we say we rely on Him…but does the way we live our lives reflect our true beliefs? Is our reality that we have become enslaved to the world? God is opening our eyes to the truth. The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.” Isaiah 29:13

We have conformed to the patterns of the world. The Word is clear that we should NOT conform to the patterns of this world but be transformed by the renewing of our mind. That’s a daily process. “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2.
To conform means to give the same shape, outline or contour; to bring into harmony or accord. When we fail to be transformed by the Word and choose to conform to the patterns of the world, believing the world and living like it, then we are enslaving ourselves to the world. Our knowledge of God’s truth is weak in comparison to our knowledge of the world’s truth. We are a people belonging to God and we are supposed to look different so that the lost are drawn to us and desire to know why we are different. Jesus came to set the captive free and to send us out to bring light into a dark and dying world. It is time to become a people of prayer. We need to reconnect to Jesus, to fill our hearts with His word and be transformed!

We have turned into a people who do not want accountability in our lives. We do not want others to tell us what we need to do to get our lives right with the Lord. We do not want to hear truth. We want to be told what our itching ears want to hear. We want to rationalize our ungodly decisions. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 warned that this would happen. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. This lack of accountability in our lives has led to complacency and laziness in pursuing a thriving relationship with our Father. Instead of living out our faith, we make excuses for why we can’t. Where has our reverent fear of the Lord gone? We have put our Holy Father on our level. He is God! He is not okay with our disobedience. Our excuses and rationalizations will not be heard. “At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent, who are like wine left on its dregs, who think, ‘The LORD will do nothing, either good or bad’.” Zephaniah 1:12 It is time to repent and seek wisdom. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise. Psalm 111:10

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. Proverbs 1:7 Our brothers and sisters in Christ are supposed to redirect us with love when we stray. The old saying “pride comes before a fall” is true. Don’t let pride keep you from hearing truth. Accept that we all need accountability to stay on an upright footing.

Judgment day is approaching and on that day we will stand before the Lord and be held accountable to Him for every idle word spoken and every deed done. “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from His presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelations 20:11-15

So the question is are you ready??!! If Jesus was to return today could you honestly say, “I am ready”? Could you honestly say, “I have done everything I know the Father has asked of me”? Could you say, “I have been a good and faithful steward of my time, my money and service to Him”?
If we answer no to any of those questions then repentance is needed. It is time to turn back to the Father and repent! Now is the time to allow Him to create in us a clean heart. Now is the time for us to allow him to heal us from the inside out. We must confess now any sins we have rationalized or made excuses for. We must cast down the idols that have been allowed to come in, control us, and deceive us. Cast them down and lay them before the Lord! Repent for not making time for God! People, we must submit now to our Father, to see what God wants from us and then do it. Right now is the time to repent and seek the Father again and come back to the one who longs to embrace us and hold us in His arms and sing over us sweet melodies. He is drawing us to him, but we must take the first step to lay down the things that keep us from him.
“Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God. Your sins have been your downfall!” Hosea 14:1

“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” 2 Corinthians 7:10

After repentance comes the restoration process and everything that the enemy thought he had is given back to us seven times fold. Satan cannot keep what is not his and when the Lord begins the restoration process within us He will take the ruins around us and rebuild them into a beautiful showcase for His glory and His glory alone. He will cause our enemies to flee and favor to fall upon us. Doors that seemed locked before will sling open and we will see the hand of the Lord upon our life in everything we do. Things that once seemed like obstacles will be like pebble stones to walk over. We will not have to jump over hurdles because there before you will be a well paved street.

“Then will I purify the lips of the peoples,
that all of them may call on the name of the LORD
and serve him shoulder to shoulder.
From beyond the rivers of Cush [b]
my worshipers, my scattered people,
will bring me offerings.
On that day you will not be put to shame
for all the wrongs you have done to me,
because I will remove from this city
those who rejoice in their pride.
Never again will you be haughty
on my holy hill.
But I will leave within you
the meek and humble,
which trust in the name of the LORD.
The remnant of Israel will do no wrong;
they will speak no lies,
nor will deceit be found in their mouths.
They will eat and lie down
and no one will make them afraid.”
Sing, O Daughter of Zion;
shout aloud, O Israel!
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,
O Daughter of Jerusalem!
The LORD has taken away your punishment;
he has turned back your enemy.
The LORD, the King of Israel, is with you;
never again will you fear any harm.
On that day they will say to Jerusalem,
“Do not fear, O Zion;
do not let your hands hang limp.
The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing.”
“The sorrows for the appointed feasts
I will remove from you;
they are a burden and a reproach to you. [c]
At that time I will deal
with all who oppressed you;
I will rescue the lame
and gather those who have been scattered.
I will give them praise and honor
in every land where they were put to shame.
At that time I will gather you;
at that time I will bring you home.
I will give you honor and praise
among all the peoples of the earth
when I restore your fortunes [d]
before your very eyes,”
says the LORD.
Zephaniah 3:9-20
I want to close with a personal note. I have an urgent request that you do not wait for the judgment of the Lord to fall upon you. I could have come with a nice fluffy word of ‘peace, peace’, but that is not what God wants us to hear. He wants us to realize that our complacency isn’t okay! America is in need of a great move of God and it will not happen until we repent and start seeking God with all our hearts. The time is near for His return. I do not know the hour or the day. All I know is that I have been compelled to relay that now is the time to come back to the Father.
The other day I was about to read my bible when I shut it and said, “Lord what would you like to tell me today? I will open this book up and where I open it I will trust that this is a word from you.” That is not something I typically do. God took me to Zephaniah, one of the Minor Prophets. I can only tell you that God used those pages to reveal to me that we in America are like those people at that time. It is simple. We need to turn back to God and start reaching a dying world instead of becoming the world. You don’t have to have a ministers’ license to witness, your greatest testimony is the Love of Jesus you have received. Start sharing that and allow God to do the rest.

Rooted In Christ,

Jackie Burgess

As time passes our lives may be at ease for awhile but what happens when life becomes hard and difficult things start happening? What happens when trials come, death happens, and unexplained things come into our lives that try to rob us from living a life full of peace? What do we do when everything around us is no longer going the way we planned or wanted?

How can we have life and peace through resurrection?

Resurrection means one rising from the dead and coming alive! We cannot have a resurrected life without dying first! We must understand the word resurrection in order to have life and peace.
Once again it means dead but now alive. If we daily die to our flesh and our will, and do what God wants, then we will be able to have life and peace in all we do. Remember peace is what we have when the storm is raging around us and we are not moved.

In the movie “Twister” at the end the two main actors tie themselves to piping that had been there for years and as the massive tornado came they were securely tied to something that was grounded. As the winds came and blew all around them they were able to look up and in the midst of the funnel see the blue sky. So what can we learn from that? If we are rooted in the word, then when the storm comes and swirls around us, we will not blow away because we will be tied to the greatest pipeline of all, Jesus!!! Remember they were able to see the sky in the midst of a gray funnel cloud, and all they had to do is look up. That’s all we have to do is look up and Jesus will be shining down on us.

Paul wrote, So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness Colossians 2:6-7

Sometimes trials or circumstances will come that are out of our control, but if we are rooted and know who we are in Christ those things may come to attack, but in the midst of life’s storms we will be at peace knowing God has a bigger plan.

Are we allowing our will to be surrendered so that God can give us a resurrected life with peace?

We must also remember it’s not our will but His we should be living, especially if we want to live a life of peace through resurrection! While Jesus was in the garden he said “”My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Matthew 26:39

Jesus lived his life as His Father wanted him to, and though things were not all that peaceful for him He stayed his course. Every turn he made he had someone who was questioning who he was, what he was doing, and when things were going to happen. During his time of ministry he had disciples and followers, he healed, he raised people from the dead, and he caused the greatest uproar among those who feared him most. He lived a life of truth; a sinless life dedicated to obedience and service. In his greatest challenge he was faced with standing the endurance of persecution beyond anyone’s imagination. Through the trial, the persecution and the cross, Jesus kept his eyes on the final outcome. Dying to all so that many may live; that is a life lived with peace through resurrection.

So how do we live our lives and walk in peace while at the same time die to all we know so to live as Christ?

We do it through learning who we are in Christ, by transforming our minds into the mind of Christ, by living each day seeking the Father for wisdom and direction, and by having a willing heart to die to all we once knew. A life of peace comes in knowing who we are in Christ so that by dying we understand we will be resurrected anew in him.

Paul wrote “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death. Philippians 3:10”

Most of us would not classify ourselves as a prisoner of war. We are not in the USA military and are not fighting a war overseas or on the home front. However if you are a follower of Jesus Christ you fight spiritual battles most all the time. Some battles are small while other can be big. The enemy is always trying to take us out of the picture and if that doesn’t work he will the take us captive.

I believe today we as Christians have not lost our love for Jesus we just can’t see that in the midst of the battle we quit and we laid down our weapons. From that point we allowed ourselves to become a prisoner of war. When that happens we become locked away in a prison of conformity and compromise. We look around and see no hope to change and our lives are left without a sense of purpose. We become lethargic and are unable to fight. We buy into the lie that this is all there is and we become complacent and in doing so we become captive to a deception that prison isn’t that bad and the sad thing is we believe that lie. We confirm that lie by saying to ourselves “at least I am not having to battle anymore.”

You know what grieves me most is that when we see one of brother or sisters in the Lord fall and unable to get themselves back up we fail to help we look at them as if they did something wrong. I think of Jesus carrying the cross after being beaten and bruised and humiliated, after he took all he could take as He was carry the cross the Golgotha even Jesus fell it was a burden too much for his body to carry and he had to have someone else carry the cross. We too need to help after we have battled with life situations and circumstances we too need someone who will help us carry our cross.

I wonder why it is that if one of our very brother or sisters in the Lord becomes captive by the enemy we sit back and allow them to stay in prison? We say as they did at the foot of the cross “Cant you save yourself” we mock instead of marching into our closets of prayer and warring for one of our own to be redeemed. We must not forget that we do not fight with flesh and blood but with principalities in high places. A lot of the battle is won on our knees and prison doors our open in prayer and through praise.

When a person who has been captured from the enemy in a real battle the comrades and military do what ever it takes to find them and get them out safely. Sometimes they are successful and sometimes they may not but they at least they come together unified in one accord to get there brother or sister out of captivity. Once the POW is found and comes home from war they get rewarded for surviving in such trying times they get parades, banners, Medal of Honor and rejoicing from friends and family! They are glad to see they are alive and back with them!

It’s really sad that when one of our own (brother or sister in the Lord) are set free from captivity and are known as being POW we do not rejoice, we do not throw a parade, no banners are raised. We see no significance in it at all.

Today we have Christians who are prisoners of war they went out to battle and have never come home. They have gone out to battle and are not the same. We have Christians who thought they were ready for the battle and in the midst they were snatched up by the enemy. They sit next to us at work, school, church, doctor’s office etc… They are fellow believers, they are our brother and sisters in the Lord and yet they have been taken prisoner by the lures of deception to this world and the complacency it offers.

We as Christian have become powerless to impact the world and do what the great commission is to seek and save the lost. That because too many of our people are in prison held captive by Satan. Some know it and some don’t. If you are a General in Gods army I send out a clarion call to you to raise your banners high and declare NO More!! I urge to go in to your prayer closet and seek the face of God on how to pray for the people of God. It is time for the Generals to arise from your slumber and pray a declaration that the people of God be set free from the chains and bondages of this life.

Its time to see the blind eyes open, and the voices of those who have been mute able to speak. Its time for the ears of those who have grown deaf to hear the voice of the Lord! Its time for the lame to walk free from there shackles and chains that have held them in bondage to fear and rejection. It is time for us to declare total freedom from oppression, sickness, and disease in our lives. It is time for us to walk in victory and not defeat, and its time for us to walk in the truth and knowledge of the Lord.
The time is now for us to rejoice and give praise to the Lord! To shout from the roof tops that one of our own is no longer held captive. Its time!!

Rooted In Christ
Jackie Burgess

This devotion is a call to those who have been redeemed by the Lord not to those who yet know him. The call is to the Generals to arise and pray for those God has redeemed who are held captive. I know there are a lot of people who are lost and do not have a relationship with the Lord but when God’s people are freed from the prison Satan has them in they will be able to do that which God has called them to do! Will you pray, do you feel called and are you a general?

Its was our last day at the beach when I watched my daughter playing in the sand that God said “watch her and listen to Me” so that’s what I did and this is what I got.

I watched my daughter Madelaine as she took her big shovel and with all her might she dug out a big hole in the sand. I told her “Maddie you know the water is going to get you there and wash all you are trying to do away” but she would hear nothing from me she continued saying “Mom were at low tide!” At that point what do you say she knew it all so I just sat there as she dug with all her might, then it came, this big wave that came to ruin it al! It washed up and over the fresh new hole she just dug! Madelaine gave me this look with no words “Mom you were right.” I didn’t laugh because I saw how determined she was.

But that wasn’t the end of it after that happened she decided she would take the red and purple buckets down to the water, fill them up and fill the hole up with water. It might have worked if she was fast and had more hands and more buckets. But with only two buckets it was bound to fail. Noticing what she was doing, I said Maddie the sand will absorb all the water before you fill it up again. She failed to listen insisting on doing it her way. She tried to get her brother Tyler involved but he would have nothing to do with it. After several trips of working hard in the sun carrying buckets of water she realized once again Mom was right and walked away from her efforts.

That’s when God started speaking to me! I got two words out of this!

First I thought of the passage of the wise and foolish builder Matthew 7:24-27 (NIV)
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (Book 0:00)

We are so much like this we work so hard trying to build for ourselves a life of success full of worldliness. We build our careers, bank accounts, friendships, relationships, dreams, hopes our future on things that with one wave can be washed away. Just as it took all of her (Maddie’s) strength the same thing happens to us when we start building and using up all our strength building our lives on nothing but sand. God warns us not to build our lives on things but just as my daughter thought she knew more than me we tend to do the same with God. When the waves come and crash all we have worked for is washed away leaving us standing dumbfounded and questioning where did I go wrong? I know that God will not turn his back he will not laugh but he will say lets do it my way! We cannot build for ourselves a kingdom here on this earth it will not stand.

My second thought wasn’t much different then my first when my daughter was filling up the hole I thought not about what we build as much as how we like to fill ourselves with all kinds of things to fill our lives and yet end up still empty. We can not fill our lives with the things of this world, its mindsets, and its beliefs and expect to stay filled. We are like the sand and the stuff we fill ourselves with is like water absorbing. When we fill our lives with the Word of God and apply its truths that’s when we can be filled to full and not want to be filled with other stuff. All the effort it took for Maddie to fill that sand hole only left her frustrated and eventually she gave up and moved on. Maybe we need to give up on what we have always done that hasn’t been working. It’s only when we face the simple truth that what we need is Jesus and without him we will never be full.

It’s like what Jesus told the woman at the well in the book of Jesus had to go through Samaria. So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour. When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.[a]) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?” Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” John 4:4-1 (Book 0:00)

I believe God will continue to show me things through my kids especially my daughter. Simple truths such as building and filling my life and how it can bring me back to the simple truths I need to live by. I don’t believe God was giving me this revelation to simply write about it but it was given to me because God was saying to me his daughter “Stop building for yourself a kingdom here on earth it will not stand build your life on my kingdom, my truths and it will stand. When the waves, winds and rain come you will not fall apart. Fill yourself with so much of me that you will not desire anything else because you will be so full.”
Simple truths that’s we all need!

In Christ Alone
Jackie Burgess

Follow me leave behind everything for that’s what Jesus said over and over again. If you want to follow me you must leave it all behind! Most Christians who read the story of the rich ruler are sad for him because we understand what he walked away from. He was in the presence of Jesus and was asked to give up what he held close to his heart but Jesus knew that he would not follow him with his heart devoted somewhere else. What he was asked to give up wasn’t anything more than what the fisherman were asked. They walked away from the lively hood, families, friends, and followed Jesus. Could you imagine someone passing by you and saying “Follow Me” I don’t know about you but I would have asked “Where you going?” But they denied there own lives to follow Jesus and become his disciples. Maybe we haven’t been asked to walk away from our wealth. But what have we been asked to let go of to follow Jesus?

Let’s look at a few reasons we give Jesus for not following him…

• Maybe you have been called to the mission field and Jesus is saying Follow ME, but you do not want to give up your comforts.

I could go on forever with the maybes but maybe you should try and putting your own scenario there. The question is “what has your heart more than Jesus?” Scripture is clear that we must deny ourselves and carry the cross Jesus carried.

And anyone who does not take his cross and FOLLOW ME is not worthy of me Matthew 10:38

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and FOLLOW ME. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” Matthew 16:24-28

He said to another man, “FOLLOW ME.” But the man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Luke 9:59 (Book 0:00)

Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family.” Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:61

And anyone who does not carry his cross and FOLLOW ME cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:27 (Book 0:00)

I believe many times Jesus is saying to his people FOLLOW ME but we have decided that where he wants us to go is not where we want to go! If you can say that is you then let me use an abbreviation used by many kids today and clue you in on what that would be “FYI” (for your info) that would fall into the category of rebellion and disobedience! When we fail to follow him then we are left dry and empty. God isn’t interested in our excuses, he isn’t interested in our laziness, and he isn’t interested in our disobedience. He is interested in us following him and obeying him.

I pray we find ourselves like the disciples who left it all to follow Jesus. And for those who say Jesus didn’t mean it how it was said I say to you YES HE DID OR HE WOULDN’T HAVE SAID IT!!!. His word is living truth and when he said leave everything (that would be what keeps you from him), deny yourself, pick up the cross and “Follow Him” He meant what he said if we chose to not follow him than we are not fit to be his disciples.

Dear Jesus,
Forgive me for with holding my gifts, talents, and the truth you have taught me because of my fear. I will surrender and follow you where you lead this time I will submit to your will and lean on your understanding and not on my own understanding. I trust the path you have set out for me. I will Follow You not because you ask me to but because I surrender my life to you. My deepest prayer is that you will continue to search me oh Lord and know my deepest thoughts that you will continue to create in me a new heart. Father I pray for a heart that is not divided between you and my desires, but a heart that is undivided standing firm in the knowledge of the one in whom I have chosen to follow! I love you, Jesus my Lord and Savior.

In Christ Alone,
Jackie Burgess

I am not much of a morning person and I was getting really upset and decided that if she didn’t pull it out and wouldn’t stop crying that I was going to give her pain elsewhere to think about. Wrong! This child starts screaming I don’t what a spanking hysterically. I had finally had all I could take yelled at her “Get in there and pull the tooth.” It took two seconds to pull the tooth and hours of talking about it.

I think sometimes God finds it humorous to use my kids especially my daughter to get my attention in an area. By time she’s twenty I should be well on my way to being a mighty fine piece of Gold! After all he uses them to be the crucible for me.

The point I am getting at is sometimes we have to get rid of things in our lives that are just hanging there and causing a lot of pain. Just as that tooth was hanging there causing pain she couldn’t understand that it wasn’t really attached it was just barley there.

We are like that too God sees that we have issues and the issues are just barley attached to us and we won’t let God help us and we don’t want any one else to either. We think it’s easier for us to just whine and cry and make those around us as miserable as we are.

I believe God is saying today “JUST PULL IT OUT! Yes it will hurt for a second but it will fill better. What is it that is nagging you and irritating you? What is it that you have been holding onto for years that the Lord is saying just pull it out? Maybe past thoughts, past failures, past dreams, past rejections? I don’t know what it is but I do know what the Lord is saying “Just Pull it Out!

After Madelaine pulled her tooth she was happy and she was free from the aggravation and so was I. I knew in the moment of dealing with this that God was about to show me something in myself that I needed to repent of and pull out and deal with. That’s anger and frustration. I have repented and have dealt with it. I just pulled it out. Before I would have lingered in guilt and condemnation but as you grow in Christ and understand his love for you it becomes easier to turn it over to God.

Get before God and say Lord “what is it that I need to just release and just pull out?” It may hurt but just remember it’s only for awhile.

In Christ Alone
Jackie Burgess

We can choose to……
Be happy or sad
Laugh or cry
Rejoice or be mad
Live or die
Love or hate
Have sorrow or joy
Sing and shout or keep quiet

We can choose to….
Accept Jesus or deny him
Follow him or not follow him
Sin or not sin
Repent or not repent
Be good or be evil
Forgive or not to forgive
Believe truth or believe lies
Feed on his word or feed our flesh
Heaven or hell

We have all been given many choices in life and these are only a few and there are many more that I did not list. Some choices we make our trivial such as paying a bill or waiting to get our hair cut this week or next, or talking on the phone or not. These choices will not make or break us but when there are choices that affect where we will spend eternity, we want to make the right choice.

In the movie, Spiderman 3, there was a very powerful message being promoted. The message was of forgiveness and how choosing to forgive or not forgive will determine the path we travel. I have gone to see Spiderman 3 two times but the first time the message was so powerful to me about the choices we have in life that I came home and really thought about the issue of forgiveness.

In Spiderman 3, Peter Parker allowed his bitterness and anger to have the best of him when he found out that his uncle was killed by a man who had just escaped from prison and not the man that he had been blaming all of those years. All of the anger and unforgiveness arose within him and brought up all of the pain. While lying in his bed, dreaming about all that had happened, this black thing attached itself to him and began to take over. The anger and bitterness continued to increase until the black thing took over and he became the black Spiderman. The suit began to feel good to Spiderman and he felt powerful. The more he wore it, the more it took on the deep rooted character of Peter. His pride and anger came out and his entire personality changed by making the choice to wear the black suit over the red spidy suit. And he did make a choice!

It wasn’t until Peter hurt the one he loved Mary Jane that he realized the impact the suit had on him. As he stood on the street corner in remorse he realized what he had done. He looked up to this steeple with the cross in such remorse and agony his choice was to rid himself from the evil to remove the garment of pride, bitterness, anger and unforgiveness.

Each time he hit the bell tower the black suited glob screamed out it couldn’t stand the sound. It wasn’t easy to get it off until it found a willing vessel full of hate so much more than one could imagine. As Peter became free his enemy stood and watched until the black glob fell and latched itself to him. The movie goes on and at the end you see two friends coming together to fight the evil that has kidnapped M.J.; one friend laid his life down for the other.

The man in the black suit loved the power and loved being bad he loved how the suit felt. The man ended up trapped in metal bars and the sound of those chimes made the black evil glob cringe. Spiderman pulled the man out of the suit and just before destroying it the man ran in after it to save it; he made a choice to desire evil over being rescued. How interesting that we too at times tend to go back to what feels good and turn on the one who really rescued us.

Peter also comes to another situation to make a choice to forgive the man who killed his uncle. Peter never knew the truth and when he did, he forgave and released the man.

We all have choices to make. We can see that even in a make believe movie there is a lesson to be learned about forgiveness and the consequences of our choices.

I have to make a choice each morning if I will serve the world, my flesh, or God my creator. I have faced many battles that involved many choices. I have made good ones and bad ones. Today I face a choice of taking the narrow road or do I take the wide. I love the Lord, but in this season of my life I have hit a dead end and I must make a choice to obey what I know to be true or turn and walk. You can not serve two masters and you must make a choice. Whether that is spiritually, personally or financially you still have to make a choice.

I must confess I have been much like Peter, enjoying my rebellion, anger, and enjoying my complacency. I also enjoyed my disobedience until I hit this dead end but now I know that I’ve been asked to make a choice. I haven’t hurt anyone but myself because of my own actions. If I choice the wrong way I could end up hurting a lot of people and damning my soul to hell!

I will choose life to follow Jesus, because eternity is a long time to spend in a pit of fire. I spend enough time in my own self dug pits without fire. I sure don’t want to spend eternity in a fire pit of all things, not to mention that I would have ended up choosing that for myself!

For those who do not know Jesus there’s no better time than today to confess your sins to Jesus. Sin is something you know is not right but you do it anyway. Ask Him to come into your heart and wash you clean. Ask him to forgive you and set you on the right path. Tell him that you choose Him because he chose you first!

In Christ Alone
Jackie Burgess

Truth exposes the fruitless deeds of darkness and allows freedom to come to those who hide from truth. Truth puts accountability in our lives when we admit we have a problem. Truth sets us free and relieves us from the consequences that may come from telling a lie.

The torment of a lie and the anguish of trying to cover something up will eat away at our souls with quilt. Not facing the truth or living the truth according to the Bible will only lead to a miserable life of guilt and shame. It’s our conscience that speaks to us letting us know we will not always be able to keep the lie going. Lying is like a snowball it starts out small and then gets larger. I think back when I was a child we lived in the country and our house was in a valley between two hills. One snow day we went outside and went to the top of the hill and started with one small snowball and we rolled more snow to it by time we made it back to the front yard (which the hill wasn’t that far it took maybe 3 minutes to walk it) we had a huge snow ball that look like a bale of hay! Not to mention it was hard to manage getting it in the yard. But what fun it was!

Understand lying is much the same it gets big, hard to manage and at first its fun not getting caught. All the snow was gone off the ground in a few days but that big snowball took weeks to melt and go away. The same is true with lying it takes weeks, months and sometimes years for the effects of the lying to disappear.

Today we live in a society that would rather lie than tell the truth and take whatever the consequences might be. Clinton lied and as a leader he saw no wrong and now we have a society of kids who think if a leader can embellish the truth then why not me. I also remember in the news no long ago a man who wrote an entire book ‘Little Pieces; by James Frey”( he was on Oprah) who was being made an example of for lying, falsifying the truth of his account of his life. I think we have made more of an example of him than we did Clinton and don’t get me wrong I think what he did in misleading people was wrong but his lie is no greater than the one we may have told today to someone.

It’s really sad to me that we live in a society that lies and blames others for where and what we do instead of facing the facts and accepting responsibly.

Lets look at Aaron when Moses asked him (in my words) why did you allow these people to cause you to build an idol? You know what Aaron said Aaron’s answer
Ex 32:22-24″Do not be angry, my lord,” Aaron answered. “You know how prone these people are to evil. They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.’ So I told them, ‘Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.’ Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!” Aaron wasn’t telling the truth the calf was formed with tools it didn’t just pop out of the fire from some gold then into a calf. Let’s look again

Ex.32: 1-4
When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.” Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool.

I wonder what Aaron was thinking. I guess shifting the blame was better than the consequences. I laugh at the part where he says whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.’ Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!”

Aaron should have just told Moses the truth because his answer was really stupid “we threw it in the fire and out came the calf!!”

We should also be reminded that when we get caught in a lie big or small we are not the only ones who get hurt. We are much better off telling the truth and taking the consequences that will come.

There were no consequences to Aaron’s lie that I could find other than looking foolish for lying. The bible talks about lying lets see what it says…

“Out of the mouth the heart speaks

Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman,Psalm 15 1-3

Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty says: “See, I will refine and test them, for what else can I do because of the sin of my people? Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaks with deceit. With his mouth each speaks cordially to his neighbor, but in his heart he sets a trap for him. Jeremiah 9:7-8< cite>

“Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.Matthew 12:33-35

You can be the father of lies or truth you have a choice, which will you be?

Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!John 8:43-45

Even when we reach the end of our life there will be consequences for what we did here on this earth. We can be known as a person who speaks truth or one who lied to avoid the consequences on this earth its your choice, but the consequences here on this earth will not last nearly as long or as painful and being thrown into the lake of fire for living a life of lies. Now that is something to think about! Even For Me

Even little white lies are lies and they do hurt. You can be honest without hurting someone’s feelings.

In Christ Alone,
Jackie Burgess

STAND; by Dwan Fellows

I’m tired. How ‘bout you?

I’m tired mentally, physically, emotionally and, yes, spiritually. The past few years have been HARD. Ok, so some of you might be sitting there thinking

“yeah right…your life is so hard…you have a husband, kids, own your own business, a great house in a great neighborhood, good finances…yeah, you’ve got it real bad”

I’ve been a disciple for nearly 15 yrs. August 13th will be my 15th spiritual birthday. I’ve been through most phases in life as a disciple, with the exception of being a preteen/teenager and the empty nester. I was converted as a single, moved to campus, been a girlfriend, been a fiancé, married with no kids and now married with kids; with little to no money and lots of debt to little or no money and no debt to more money and more debt. Each phase in life has presented its own challenges. At each phase I thought (and think even now) that it has to get easier…when does it get easier?

Lately I’ve been feeling like I am barely holding it together. Between husband, kids, work, church, studying the bible with people, leading a bible talk, and fill in the blanks with all the stuff that falls in between…I am barely standing up.

Now…I’m not complaining either…because even though I’m barely standing up and there are a lot of challenges I have been studying out some things that have helped me to be more content with where I am. It has been a struggle to get here. I’ve had to think about it and to pray and remind myself of the scriptures and be open about my life.

So, what have I been studying out…STANDING

I heard this song and it has really stuck in my head and it inspired me to actually look at it from a spiritual point of view.

Ephesians 6: 10-18

We are in a battle. Satan is having a field day with a lot of us right now…There is disunity, there are attitudes, there’s envy, idolatry, selfishness, and some of you are considering retreat because you think you can’t stand anymore or you don’t agree that there really is a war anymore and some of you are just plain tired and the reward of heaven and freedom isn’t enough to keep you fighting. But let me tell you there is a war and whether you see it or not it is raging in the Savannah church. It’s time to decide what you believe, who you believe and take a stand. Remember who the enemy is and isn’t. God is not the enemy. Your brothers and sisters are not the enemy. Satan is the enemy and you have to be alert and aware or he will take you out

1. Stand in awe of God the firm foundation of God.

Make sure you are standing on solid ground…there is only one thing solid, true and perfect in this life and that is the word of God. It doesn’t change like we do. It stands firm, perfect, flawless and applicable for generations. We need to have a love for God and a love for his word. This will sustain us when we are standing or if we’ve fallen and are in the process of getting back up to stand.

Ps 19:7-11 The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

Ps 20:7-8 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They are brought to their knees and fall but we rise up and stand firm.

What/Who do you put your trust in? Is it in your job? Is it in your possessions? Is it in your relationships with people who are not Christians. It’s easy to see what is in front of you and to get your confidence from those things or people because that is all you can see. But God intended more than that. We will not stand firm unless we are relying on God

Ps 93:5 Your statutes stand firm
119:89 Your word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.
119:96 To all perfection I see a limit but your commands are boundless.

Psalm 40:1-2 I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.

God has given us salvation. He continues to hear our cries and gives us a firm place to stand so that we can stand.

Ps 33:11—But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations

God’s plans stand firm forever. Not our plans which change on a minute by minute basis depending on how we are feeling at that point in time. Only God’s plans and purposes last forever. We are a wishy washy people…It’s nice to have something and someone who remains constant. We can rely on that…we can stand on that.

Isaiah 40:6b-8 All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.

In my yrs as a disciple people have come and gone in my life. Some have come and fallen away—left God because they felt God wasn’t making them happy or making their dreams come true fast enough. Some have come and gone because we have moved on to different cities and different ministries. I’ve learned that you can’t let people be the reason you stick around and “try” to have a relationship with God. You won’t be able to stand if you don’t stand on the word of God. Stand on his promises and trust him.

1 Corinthians 10:12-13—So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so you can stand up under it.

Even when you are going through struggles or temptations, God is providing a way for you to stand. You only need to pray and look for it. And remember that you aren’t going through something that is unique only to you. We all sin and it says here that it is common to us all…We can all relate to each other no matter what our phase in life because sin is common to us all.

1 Corinthians 15:1-2—Now, sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, IF you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

If you are not taking a stand and holding firmly to the gospel then you believe in vain. None of us want to face God and find out we didn’t make it to heaven because we didn’t take a stand and hold on to (obey) the scriptures.

I’ve saved this last scripture because it has the most meaning for me. I take it personally because it helps me to see just how much God really loves me:

Ps 18:1-36

Where do you get your strength to stand? God is the Rock and he is the Strength we need to stand. He doesn’t expect us to stand alone.

Call on him in times of struggle. It sometimes is hardest for me to stay close to God when I struggle. But those are the times I need to stay close to him. I love vs 6-19.
God gets angry when we are distressed, hurting, struggling, etc. He swoops down and rescues us from the struggles.

What this says to me is that if I cry out to God he will rescue me. He has emotion for me. Satan is the playground bully, I go home and cry to my Daddy and he gets angry and rescues me from the bully.

He does this because he delights in us. Delight means “to take pleasure in”. You, God’s daughter, give him pleasure. Of course he is going to save you if you cry out to him.

With God for me who can be against me? He will enable me to stand, give me strength to fight, and make my ways perfect.

2. Stand in Faith.

Isaiah 7:9b—If you do not stand firm in your faith you will not stand at all.

Not only do we need God to give us strength to stand but we have to have faith that he will do what he says he will do. We have to continually fight to keep our faith.

Romans 11:19-21—You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in”. Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.

God will cut you off for unbelief…And remember that believing encompasses obedience and obedience to all the scriptures. We must stand in faith!

So how do we build our faith?

First you have to be studying God’s word.

Romans 10:17
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

Second you have to go through suffering/trials/struggles and you have to persevere.

James 1:2-4—Consider it pure joy, my sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

1 Corinthians 16:13—Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be women of courage; be strong.

11 Corinthians 1:24b—because it is by faith that you stand firm.

1 Peter 5:8-10—Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, stand firm in the faith, because you know your brothers (and sisters) throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

Stand firm because Satan is on the prowl. He is looking to see who he can pick off and he may have actually picked on some of you in this room. You have to decide that you are going to stay close to the flock and the Shepherd or you might find yourself devoured.

Standing firm doesn’t take away the suffering…you still have to persevere through it. But God will come and refresh you after a time…

3. Stand together.

Ecc. 4:9-12—Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, her friend can help her up. But pity the woman who falls and has no one to help her up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

We need each other. One alone will not be able to stand very long. Don’t isolate yourself because you don’t have time, or because it is inconvenient to be with people, or because you think you’re just fine by your self…You have already fallen if you are alone because Satan is already after you.

Eph 4:3—Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
John 17:20-21—My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.

We need to be unified. If we are not unified…we will not stand. We are just a bunch of islands floating in the sea of the Savannah Church of Christ. And then we are not able to help each other.

Col 4:12—Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.

We need to be praying for each other and praying that we each rely on God and stand firm in our faith. Are you praying for your sisters?

And finally some words of encouragement:

1 Corinthians 15:57-58 But thanks be to God! He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore dear sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you.

2 Corinthians 1:20-22—For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the Amen is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

Phil 3:12-4:1 (turn to and read)

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

James 1: 12

12Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him

Hebrews 12:1-3—Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

STAND

Every time you get up
And get back in the race
One more small piece of you
Starts to fall into place—

Daughter,
My heart sees brokenness, lukewarm-ness, complacency, conformity to the world, death, sickness, loneliness and people with no vision and no passion. My people walk around with no hope –no joy- no peace. They accept complacency as a way to live and conformity to this world as normal. Death sneaks in and destroys and sickness hovers over like a dark cloud. My people have eyes to see and yet fail to see, ears to hear but refuse truth, there hearts have turned cold to the things of holiness. Each person believes I am on their level and has taken my glory for granted. I Am a Holy God. Isaiah understood when he entered my presence he said “woe is me of unclean lips a man who knew he was not worthy to stand in my presence in my glory. The key thing to understand is he knew he was unclean, unworthy, a sinful man in need of cleansing and forgiveness. My people take it for granted that they can experience the fullness of my presence living in them. The veil was ripped and I am accessible to all who seek me, but today my people come before me with and attitude that I owe them forgiveness like I owe them something. How I long for my people to come to me in brokenness and in truth removing everything that’s keeping them from being real with me. Now is the time to turn back to me and surrender. Now is the time for my people to humble themselves. Now is the time to turn back to me and lay the golden calf of this world on the alter to burn!
The world is what I called you to live in not to become!

Amen
Jackie Burgess 1/08