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 GIVEN BY GOD In Christ Jesus, we have been given wisdom from God, forgiveness from God, new hearts from God, and power from God that we might live in such a way as to fulfill the designed new nature God has given to us. Sadly, our faith can seem to falter when we stop or somehow refuse to put our trust in the reality of God's Presence in us. Like the Apostle Peter, we become distracted by the stormy circumstances surrounding us and even our impatience at not seeing the spiritual progress in what we may have anticipated would BE at this juncture in our lives. Our ancient foe is at the ready to fan our short-sighted discontent into flame. We can act like six-year-olds throwing a tantrum that we are not allowed to drive the family car yet. We will one day, but the present inability of a six-year-old forbids it. Think about it, we are still maturing in the faith God has given us. Even St. Paul told the Philippian church that he had "...not yet arrived or am yet made perfect....
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  STRANGE QUESTIONS Why do we ask God to give us what He has already supplied? Why do we ask God to give us what he has already put in us? His righteousness is not "imputed" it has been imparted. How else could we be indwelled by the Holy Spirit? He is the One who has caused us to stand before Himself holy, blameless and beyond reproach. God is the One Who has delivered us ALREADY from the dominion of darkness and has translated un into the Kingdom of His dear Son, in whom we HAVE NOW redemption by His blood, the forgiveness of our sin, all of it. I think such strange question arise from the simple fact that we are not yet as saturated by His Word clearly declared and written down for our instruction as God intends. He is clear about what who His is and what He has done as incredible as it seems, it's eternally true! He has already cut off our old nature (Colossians 2:11-12) and has given us a new heart, a new spirit, a new heritage, a new spiritual DNA. And that is at wo...
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 BY WHAT MEASURE What I can see just now or what I have in my hands at this moment are NOT the indicator of whether God is committed to me. My present situation does not define God's ability to care for me or supply for all my needs by Christ Jesus. My trust and confidence are simply grounded on Who God is, in His promises and faithfulness. He doesn't change, is not altered by barometric pressure or the wickedness or the culture that may surround me. No matter how many promises God has made, they find their "YES!" in Christ Jesus. the question I must answer is this: will I trust in Him, or in what my finite, nearsighted eyes can see? 
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 TIMING When we overlay our own sense of timing on God...what should happen and when it should occur...we have set the stage for the erosion of our faith. That is because, in effect, we have taken our eyes off the Lord Jesus Who has called to Himself, as He did Peter, to walk on the water of our present storm. And rather than trusting His Word that we can do what He has asked of us, we embrace ruin by relying on our own finite insight to determine what God has already secured in His infinite hands. If we make that a habit, our hard and unrepentant hearts will cause us to lose the wisdom and understanding that would lead us by the Holy Spirit to live in hope and peace.
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 KEY LIME PIE **INGREDIENTS:** *For the crust:* • 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs • ⅓ cup granulated sugar • 6 tablespoons melted butter *For the filling:* • 4 large egg yolks • 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk • ½ cup fresh key lime juice (or regular lime juice) • 1 tablespoon lime zest • Pinch of salt *For topping:* • Fresh lime slices • Extra lime zest **INSTRUCTIONS:** Preheat your oven to 350°F. Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until it looks like wet sand. Press firmly into a 9-inch pie pan, going up the sides. Bake for 10 minutes until lightly golden and fragrant. Let it cool completely. In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks until they're pale and slightly thickened. Add sweetened condensed milk and whisk until smooth and creamy. Add lime juice, lime zest, and a pinch of salt. Whisk vigorously for 3–4 minutes until the mixture is glossy and noticeably thicker. This step matters more than you think. Pour the filling into your cooled crust and smooth the top ...
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 WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DRAW LIFE FROM? There are a plethora of things that people try to use to define themselves, to derive a sense of significance or identity from. Some use education to define themselves. For others it is power or money or influence on others.  Today other people try to draw a sense of life and meaning from various types of sexual orientation, identifying with others as confused as they are about what makes for life. Politics has become the major religion of our day, and people think they can actually draw life from belonging to a particular party. People are desperate to have the approval of others to validate the essence of their own being. We desperately long to belong...but that hunger is actually a hunger for God and the wholeness He alone can provide. The problem is that you cannot draw life from sin in any form, be it  pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, sloth or any permutation of them. Sin carries nothing of true and lasting life in it...
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 ORDER IN WORSHIP DOES NOT LIMIT MISSION AND MINISTRY There are some who have either unknowingly or knowingly given heed to the idea that Christianity has major flaws in its doctrine regarding ministry shared by both men and women. Some have even begun to be seduced by the spirit of this present age claiming that women have been subjugated by what is now being labeled as "patriarchy" or spiritual abuse of women by men who hold positions of leadership in the church. 1 Timothy 2:11-12 is often used a proof-text to try and confirm this skewed point of view. Here is the text:  "Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet." The context here is worship and discipleship. In the early church men did not disciple women and women were not to disciple men. Discipleship or spiritual mentoring to help another grow in their faith, their obedience to the Word of God and lea...
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