Dear Friends,

At this time, I and many others have embarked on a 21-day prayer and fast. The purpose of this fast is not merely to go without food but to set aside the FIRST part of the year to pray, aligning ourselves with God so that we can follow His plans for us in 2025. This is a powerful act of faith. By putting the Lord’s priorities above our own and surrendering ourselves to Him, we can better understand His ways and experience greater satisfaction and joy in life! And even though we are not exempt from difficulties, the Lord strengthens us in them by giving us wisdom and direction.

Aligning ourselves with God is what it means to “follow” Him. I assure you there are more benefits in serving the Lord than I could include in these pages! Personally, I think one of my favorite rewards in walking with the Lord is that He eradicates fear from my life. For many years, I have enjoyed the kind of peace where the past does not torment me, anxiousness does not ruin the present, and worry does not dictate the future. Having this kind of calm assurance in your heart and mind is PRICELESS! And it is available to anyone who will let go of their futile attempts to hold their own lives together! Peace is a precious gift given in exchange for relinquishing control of a life that was never working in the first place!

Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30, “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (MSG)

Friends, this is what life looks like for the faithful followers of Jesus! He teaches us how to “recover our lives” and “take a real rest.” As we humble ourselves and become teachable, we learn the “unforced rhythms of His GRACE!” Keeping company with Him is the key to enjoying this good life! 

In the following pages, we’ll discuss what it means to “walk with the Lord,” following in His footsteps so that we can enjoy His goodness. It is a lifelong journey that lifts us from a life of struggle to one of great purpose and fulfillment! But in order for this transformation to occur, we may need to UNLEARN some things that are not working for us so that we can relearn how to really LIVE again! The Lord is waiting to show us exactly how to do that! As you aim to put God first in your life, may you experience all the wonderful things He has planned for you this year!

In His Loving Name,

Life With Father Ministries

“WALK WITH ME…”

“Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?” Amos 3:3 (NLT)

The prophet Amos asks this rhetorical question, to which the answer is “No.” It’s impossible to walk down the same path with someone else without mutually agreeing on the direction! David tells us right off the bat in verse 1 of Psalm 46: “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.” (NLT) This means if we’ve made some poor decisions in self-centered pursuits, the Lord is always there to help us change course and begin doing things the right way, walking in the direction He leads.

Everyone desires to live a successful life, but most don’t know how to get there! Even self-help gurus do not know the real secrets of living successfully, as their motives for helping others can get clouded by the need to make a living. Listen, Jesus doesn’t need your money but He does require your heart and attention so He can show you a better way to live! Who else would know how to live an authentic, satisfying LIFE but the Author of all Life? But He often waits until we are ready to do what He instructs!

“So the LORD must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the LORD is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help.” Isaiah 30:18 (NLT)

Amos 3:3 states that we must agree with the Lord to move forward into His blessings. For instance, when God points out something in our lives, such as a bad attitude, habit, character flaw, or treating others poorly, we must respond and make the proper changes. We need to agree with Him by acknowledging the wrong, asking for His forgiveness (and the person we wronged), and seeking God’s grace to change how we think and behave. David prayed in Psalm 139:24, saying, “Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” (NLT)

God’s ways are not complicated, spooky, or mysterious—even children can understand them! It is only when we make excuses for our sins, cover them up, or deny they are there do things go poorly for us! The best thing to do is to be open and honest with the Lord! Listen to the Lord pleading with us to change our ways in Isaiah 1:18-19: “Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool. If you will only obey me, you will have plenty to eat.” (NLT) What a fantastic future belongs to those who will follow (obey) the Lord’s directions in life!

Proverbs 3:5-8 shares God’s unwavering promise to us: “Trust in the Lord completely, and do not rely on your own opinions. With all your heart rely on him to guide you, and he will lead you in every decision you make. Become intimate with him in whatever you do, and he will lead you wherever you go. Don’t think for a moment that you know it all, for wisdom comes when you adore him with undivided devotion and avoid everything that’s wrong. Then you will find the healing refreshment your body and spirit long for.” (TPT)

Notice the very beginning of this passage in Proverbs 3. It begins by telling us to “trust in the Lord completely” and not “rely on our own opinions.” An opinion sounds like this… “I know God’s Word says this or that about a certain subject, BUT God knows my heart, so I think I can still live the way I want, and He will bless me anyway.” This is incorrect thinking! Although God does know your heart, He wants to change it so that you can become more like Him and enjoy more of His favor! You see, the Lord will not conform to our ways of thinking and living—we must adapt to Him!

Listen, there is no substitution for obedience! Let me provide a story for you as an example. There once was a lady who wanted to make Southern Pecan Pie. She obtained the recipe and began the work. She didn’t have some of the ingredients needed, so instead of going to the store and getting the correct items, she used whatever she had in her pantry. The recipe called for corn syrup, but she didn’t have that, so she used maple syrup instead; she substituted the pecans for peanuts and used baking soda instead of the eggs. Now, do you think that pie came out delicious? Of course not!

This happens when we think we can substitute obedience to God’s Word with our opinion. We must follow the recipe (the Bible) if we want a brighter future! The Bible provides specific instructions on how life works and how to live it. If we follow its instructions, we can expect the Lord to provide wisdom and direction for our lives. And when we make the right decisions, we also enjoy health and peace on every level. As you can see, the good life begins in the heart and cascades outward.

The Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11:1, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” (NCV) “Following” indicates MOVEMENT, which requires PARTICIPATION on our part. Following means that we are to mimic or copy the thinking, motives, speech, and behavior of the one we follow. In this case, we become like Jesus—a person of honesty and integrity which is vital for a solid life.

Think of someone who builds a bridge or a structure with substandard materials and shoddy workmanship—the building will undoubtedly encounter problems because its integrity is compromised! Many years ago, as a child, my dad decided to build a 2-story addition to our house over the carport. He chose the company with the cheapest bid, and the construction began. Shortly after the work was completed and after we moved in, a problem occurred with the plumbing. The showers and tubs did not drain correctly. Workmen came out to identify the problem and correct it. The workers determined that the new 2nd story had not been adequately reinforced, causing it to sag and putting a kink on the pipes underneath. Unfortunately, nothing was ever done to correct the problem! So, instead of enjoying the new addition, we had to shower for years, standing in 5 inches of dirty water. I didn’t complain about the situation but was clearly impacted by poor workmanship!

This is precisely what happens when we live haphazard, sloppy lives. We encounter all sorts of problems when we don’t care about what we say or do, lie or deny the truth, refuse to forgive the transgressions of others, deceive, betray, take advantage of others, or don’t give our best in life. Like a building, integrity is what keeps us strong and stable. So, when we choose to live without it our lives begin to sag due to sin causing the heavenly pipeline to misalign and “kink” meaning our prayers go unanswered!

Strangely, we may initially think we are getting away with something because the damage is not immediately apparent. That is how the serpent deceived Adam and Eve into disobeying God in Genesis chapter 3. The Lord warned them not to eat from or touch the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, or they would die. Then the Serpent lied to Eve, saying she wouldn’t die if she ate from the tree. So, Eve disregarded God’s warning and ate its fruit, giving some to Adam. And no, they did not immediately die; instead, it put them on a terrifying path away from their Creator and into a slow physical death! I use the word “terrifying” because Adam and Eve did not even experience fear until after they disobeyed God! (Gen. 3:10) And due to their disobedience, FEAR of every kind entered the consciousness of the entire human race!

So, can you see the deception of making choices based on immediate gratification versus thinking long-term and where you want to be in the future? And also, what kind of life do you want for those who will follow after you, such as your children and grandchildren, etc.? You are the trailblazer for them, and your personal integrity is their example! Proverbs 20:7 says, “The righteous man who walks in integrity and lives life in accord with his [godly] beliefs—How blessed [happy and spiritually secure] are his children after him [who have his example to follow].” (AMP)

Today, you might be living with the consequences of some careless decisions. Fear, worry, or anxiety may dominate your life, choking your freedom and joy. But know this: Jesus is the remedy for a kinked and broken life. Acknowledging or confessing our sin removes the clogs, straightens the kinks, and establishes a right relationship with God. Maybe you don’t need a complete overhaul but need change in a specific area of your life. Look deeper and see if you are building or living your life according to the correct blueprints! You could have deviated from the Master’s plan and need to realign yourself with Jesus, rejecting your own opinions and adopting His thoughts and ways in Scripture. The truth is that YOU are the only one who can decide to change the course of your own life! But God’s great grace is always available to empower you to make those life changes.

GOD’S PLAN FOR ETERNAL SALVATION

God loves you and desires a personal relationship with you now and forever. The problem is that one thing separates you from a relationship with your heavenly Father—sin. You and I sin whenever we fail to live by the Lord’s holy standard. (Romans 3:23) Furthermore, Romans 6:23 explains that the penalty for sin is death—separation from God in hell forever. No matter how hard we try, we cannot save ourselves or eliminate our sins. We can’t earn our way to heaven by being good, attending church, or being baptized. (Eph. 2:8-9) Understanding how helpless we are because of our sins, God sent His only Son, Jesus, to save us. Jesus Christ lived a perfect, sinless life and then died on the Cross to pay the penalty for our sins (Romans 5:8). Three days later, He rose from the dead, showing that He had triumphed over sin and death once and for all. If you have never asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior—if you have never asked Him to lead you into a life of goodness and joy, you can do that right now! You can tell Him in your own words or use this simple prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, Romans 4:25 says, “Jesus was handed over to be crucified for the forgiveness of our sins and was raised back to life to prove that he had made us right with God!” I understand that my salvation is not based on my works but on the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross. I ask you to forgive me of my sins and wash me clean of all evil and filth. I put my faith and trust in Jesus as my only hope for living eternally with you in heaven. I ask you, Jesus, to be my Savior and my Lord. Help me now to live a life of integrity that honors you. Thank you, Jesus, for giving me eternal life! Amen.

Dear Friends,

As I write this letter to you, a New Year is rapidly approaching. A New Year never guarantees anyone a new start—for some, it will just be another calendar year. But so many others need life to change! I’m not talking about starting a new religion; I’m talking about starting a BRAND-NEW LIFE! What I’m talking about is adopting a new way of thinking that leads to successful living! Romans 12:2 says, “Do not become like the people who belong to this world.  But let God completely change the way that you think, so that you live differently. Then you will understand what God wants you to do. You will know what is good. You will know what pleases God. You will know what is completely right.” (EASY)

So, how does this life change work? This change is produced through a RELATIONSHIP with God, which means it is a PARTNERSHIP. The nature of any partnership is that each partner has a part to play! Change occurs when there is an AGREEMENT between both partners. In our partnership with God, He does the supernatural, miraculous work of change while we do our part of submitting to and obeying Him. Lasting life change always begins from the inside out. It starts with how we think, leading to incredible, life-changing choices that, in turn, lead us into a life of abundance on every level! Jesus declared His purpose and intentions for us in John 10:10… “A thief has only one thing in mind—he wants to steal, slaughter, and destroy. But I have come to give you everything in abundance, more than you expect—life in its fullness until you overflow!” (TPT)

This is still Jesus’s intention for us TODAY! He still yearns to lead us into a life of overflowing abundance! But we must surrender to HIS PLAN and HIS WAY of doing things. We must accept His TRUTH while letting go of the lies that have held us back! For instance, we must let go of the lie that we can live any way we want, and God will still bless our lives. We believe this lie because we don’t know what God says about the issue or the TRUTH that is present in the Bible. Learning the truth will dispel the lies that only serve to keep us in needless suffering and bondage! We must submit to His authority and learn and obey His words to experience life change.

The Year, resolve to reject the lies that keep you from God’s best! Do whatever you need to do right now to grab hold of Him even as He is grabbing hold of you because it is eternally worth every effort you make!

May the Newsletter challenge you to reach beyond the ordinary to enjoy NEW REFRESHING LIFE this Year!

Life With Father Ministries

A NEW LIFE

“Don’t be obsessed with getting more material things. Be relaxed with what you have. Since God assured us, “I’ll never let you down, never walk off and leave you…” Hebrews 13:5 (MSG)

God’s intentions were never to create us, only to abandon us to figure things out ourselves. No, He’s a good, good Father! And like any good father, He provides everything we need to live and grow because He wants the best for us. If you will but trust Him, He has promised that He will not abandon, forsake, or leave you helpless or uncared for! Look at what He said in Isaiah 46:4, “I am your God and will take care of you until you are old and your hair is gray. I made you and will care for you; I will give you help and rescue you.” (GNT)

Do you know why people steal or get involved in illegal activities? For some, it’s a matter of greed or entitlement; for others, it’s a way of paying for their drugs, while others tell themselves they are only trying to survive and take care of their family. This is so unfortunate because these people don’t know their CREATOR. And because they don’t know Him, they also don’t know that He provides abundantly for his children! In fact, our heavenly Father is not limited to how the economy is doing! He has an unlimited storehouse of resources! And He freely gives His children access to it so they never have to live in fear of lack on any level! Those who know JESUS have an assurance that He will ALWAYS PROVIDE for them!! This is God’s NEW WAY of thinking and living! Relying on the Lord is so much easier than trying to do it all on our own!! Stealing becomes unnecessary when we know that the Father will freely give us what we need in life, plus much more if we ask Him in faith.

I can personally attest to what the Psalmist wrote in Psalm 37:25 because I’ve lived it for 40-plus years, “I was young, and now I am old, but I have never seen good people left helpless or their children begging for food.” (NCV) Although our heavenly Father is a perfect provider, He is not a cold, uncaring vending machine in the sky—He requires us to have a loving relationship with Him! The restoration begins when we let down our walls of fear, anger, and bitterness, stop the blame game, and acknowledge our pain and responsibility! It may seem difficult initially, but if we persist past our feelings, we will be greatly rewarded for our faith and efforts! (Hebrews 11:6)

Despite what is happening all around you, do your best to lean into God right now by focusing your mind and attention on what He says to you and about you in the Bible. Respond to His Words in prayer. Memorize verses that pertain to what you need from Him. Also, as you learn His Words in the Bible, the Holy Spirit will remind you of what you read at the proper time when you need it most. God’s Words will act as a guide to help you in every circumstance and at every turn in life. Since God is already in tomorrow, He also knows what you need to avoid so that you don’t go down the wrong path and sabotage your life! His Words will steer you away from what would bring you harm and will lead you along a safe and stable path. (John 14:26, Proverbs 6:22) The most important thing is learning how to QUIET DOWN on the inside so that you can hear His heart, which in turn, helps you to know and understand Him better. It’s like any relationship; if you did all the talking and never listened to the other person, you wouldn’t know them very well. It is in the listening that we begin to learn and understand who our God is and what His intentions are for us!

BONDAGE OR BOUNDARIES?

It’s important to remember that this new life requires us to have boundaries. Boundaries are not bonds, though—there is a fundamental difference between them! Boundaries do not bring bondage but a more extraordinary life of freedom. Boundaries keep out things that steal, kill, and destroy our dreams and our joy! (John 10:10) They prevent things from damaging, destroying, and even snuffing out our very lives! Boundaries were created for us by God, and they are good!

In Genesis chapter 1, we see how God created a beautiful place for us to live on Earth. As a good Father, even back then, He never shirked His duties to “prepare a place” (John 14:2-3) for His children to enjoy freedom and life. The first thing He did as a wise parent was to set boundaries. He separated the heavenly waters from the seas and created the atmosphere called “sky.” (v 6). Second, He made the boundaries of land and sea, then an abundance of food for us. (v 9) He did not create mankind until all the borders and provisions were established. Everything was perfect!

Of course, you should know what happened after a time in the Garden of Eden. (Genesis 1-3) The man and woman pushed the limits of God’s boundaries and ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that they were commanded not to eat from! Our world right now is a direct result of that disobedience! Boundaries are not meant to restrain us or put us in bondage. On the contrary, by barreling through God’s boundaries, we place ourselves in bondage to all sorts of things, such as addiction, heartache, brokenness, and ultimately death. And the devil is clever. He entices us to push the limits because “surely we won’t die,” as God has promised. (Gen. 3:4) And maybe we don’t die immediately, but the sin of disobedience and rebellion sets us on a terrifying, destructive course in life! On this highway to hell, the devil convinces us to gradually inch forward until we’re caught in a death trap, far away from our loving Father! And like a tractor beam, the enemy’s grip is so strong we cannot escape it no matter how hard we try! We lie to ourselves, saying, “I can quit anytime. I just don’t want to right now.” WOW! What a huge lie we’ve just told ourselves! Then we get stuck there suffering a most miserable existence! This is not what God intends for us, and He is calling us back to a right relationship with Himself and a healed and whole life with Him!

The Good News is that no matter how far down the wrong path we’ve gone or how long we’ve been gripped by sin, Jesus is still waiting to forgive and restore our lives! Today, you are ONE DECISION away from a new, healthy life of freedom! YOU DECIDE when the horror ends! You see, God doesn’t force us to live right. He lets us make our own decisions. Yet God also knows that pain on any level can be a good motivator! (Proverbs 20:30) Listen, sometimes we create our own pain and then try to blame someone or something else for our plight. Let’s get honest today! The truth is God is not indifferent to our pain! On the contrary, He cares immensely about our situations! (Psalm 31:7) But the Lord sometimes waits until He has our full attention and are ready to adopt and adapt to His ways so that, as the Great and Wonderful Shepherd that He is, can lead us into a good life!

“’…Come back and quietly trust in me. Then you will be strong and secure.’” But you refuse to do it. And yet the Lord is waiting to be merciful to you. He is ready to take pity on you because he always does what is right. Happy are those who put their trust in the Lord…The Lord is compassionate, and when you cry to him for help, he will answer you.” (GNT)

A NEW HEART

“I will give them a new heart and a new mind. I will take away their stubborn heart of stone and will give them an obedient heart. Then they will keep my laws and faithfully obey all my commands. They will be my people, and I will be their God.” Ezekiel 11:19-10 (GNT)

Sometimes, people don’t respond to God’s call because they think the Christian life is dull, boring, and impossible to live. They believe that they would have to give up everything they enjoy. But what if I told you that God had a fix for that? What if I told you that God could make you a brand-new person, giving you a new heart with new desires? What if you actually enjoyed serving the Lord—what if you couldn’t help yourself but do the right thing? Friend, this is what God’s powerful GRACE is all about! The Lord removes the old sinful core of our being and gives us a brand new one just like His!

After a person is Born Again, they must begin practicing the new way of life. As you practice doing the right things, you will find your desires changing from self-centeredness to selflessness, from looking out for yourself and your own interests to surrendering to Christ and looking out for the interests of others. This is the new nature at work within you, transforming you into the image of Christ!

Just remember it takes time to learn how to live godly. It’s like a huge cargo ship; it cannot turn around on a dime. You did not get where you are today overnight, so changing will take time. But if you follow Jesus, one day at a time, I promise…no, HE PROMISES to heal your brain and body—the nightmares will cease, your fear and anguish will be swallowed up by His peace, and your life will blossom like a rose! As I said, it might not be an overnight thing, but one step each day in the right direction and your understanding will become crystal clear, your tears of regret, guilt, and shame will dry up by the warmth of His lovingkindness and you will find solid peace for your mind and joy for your life! So, keep at it, and don’t quit! If you persevere past your temporary feelings, you will be rewarded with a rich and satisfying life! (Hebrews 6:12) If you’ve never asked Jesus to be the Lord of your life, you can pray the following prayer and receive Eternal Life!

PRAYER FOR SALVATION

Dear Jesus, I’m so sorry for everything I’ve done. Not only have I been hurt, but I’ve perpetuated that hurt on others. The Bible says that the punishment for sin is certain death. (Romans 6:23) But you took my place and died so that I could be free from selfishness and sin and have eternal life. I acknowledge that you died for me and accept your death as payment for my sins. Please, Jesus, come into my life and make me a new person! Create a clean heart within me and cause me to be willing to submit and obey you so that I can enjoy the kind of life that is truly free and abundant! Today, I choose to make you my Lord and Savior. Thank you, Jesus, for giving me eternal life! Amen.

Dear Friends,

As Christmas draws near, I want you to know that HOPE was born this month. Today, Jesus can be YOUR HOPE and help in these troubling times if you open your heart and MAKE ROOM for Him.

In Luke chapter 2, Mary and Joseph traveled, and Mary went into labor, so they stopped for the night. Joseph searched for a quiet place for Mary to give birth, but unfortunately, no rooms were available in the inn! The only thing they could find was a stable where animals were housed.

“While they were in Bethlehem, the time came for Mary to have the baby, and she gave birth to her first son. Because there were no rooms left in the inn, she wrapped the baby with pieces of cloth and laid him in a box where animals are fed.” Luke 2:6-7 (NCV)

Reading these verses, it all sounds so “matter of fact.” But can you imagine how cold and callous the inn manager must have been to refuse this young lady? Especially when she was in the middle of labor! No one, not one single tenant, offered to double up or sleep on the floor so that this woman could have a decent place to deliver her baby! Instead, she was put in a room that was…well, the furthest place from clean and sanitary!

In today’s terms, this kind of callous treatment would be an outrage, don’t you think? And yet, this would be just the beginning of the injustices Jesus would suffer as He grew up and eventually died on the Cross to pay for our sins so that we would not have to suffer the penalty for them (hell/separation from God). Since Jesus paid for our sins with His own death, He can now offer forgiveness for our sins, plus He can show us the way to have an abundant life now and everlasting life forever! But we must MAKE ROOM in our hearts and lives for Him!

Today, I ask, “Do you want a better life? If so, is there room in your heart for Jesus?” Are you willing to listen to and learn from Him? The Good News is that Jesus can show you, through His divine wisdom, how to navigate and overcome areas of sin, pain, and heartache, bringing you into a life that is both full and fulfilling!

In the following pages, we’ll look at practical ways to MAKE ROOM in our lives for Jesus. I encourage you to unwrap these Christmas gifts by reading and re-reading them, praying over them, and asking the Lord to open your eyes to a new way of living free!

Merry Christmas!

Life With Father Ministries

MAKING ROOM

When making room for something new, we must first clear out what is old and no longer useful. If you’re cleaning out your refrigerator, you would first remove all the old spoiled items. You would throw out anything molded or outdated because it is unsafe or possibly hazardous to eat. This would, of course, give you more room for fresh food!

It is much like this in a spiritual sense. We must eliminate old mindsets and attitudes that have created unhealthy habits and unproductive ways of living. These may be superstitions, idols, lies, or myths we’ve picked up in times past. These things hinder us from living the good life! Ephesians 4:31-32 says this: “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” (NLT) In other words, get rid of these rotten thoughts and actions. How? By REPLACING them with good, godly thoughts from the Scriptures that can restore your life!

Let me give you a visual illustration of this principle. You know the darkness automatically disappears when you turn on a light in a dark room. You can turn that light switch on a million times, and the light will still overtake the darkness in the room. It is much the same with our thoughts. If you begin to put God’s life-giving words in your mind, the old negative thoughts will give way to the new. It’s like a glass that contains black dirty water. If you pour in clean, fresh water and keep pouring, all that dark water will eventually overflow out of the glass until all that’s left is pure, clear water!

We must replace our bad attitudes and thoughts by putting in new godly thoughts—God’s thoughts (His Words) are full of LIVING POWER that will produce lasting change in our lives!“For the word of God is alive and powerful.” Hebrews 4:12 (NLT) Proverbs 4:20-27 explains how vital God’s Word is to us… “My child, pay attention to my words; listen closely to what I say. Don’t ever forget my words… They are the key to life for those who find them; they bring health to the whole body. Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life. Don’t use your mouth to tell lies… always do what is right.”

Some people think they can defy God by continuing in their own way of thinking and living—despising some people, hating others, seeking revenge, wallowing in hurt and pain, refusing to forgive, persisting in bitterness and resentment… The truth is, this way of thinking is not only destructive to the person but counterproductive to successful living! In other words, your old way of thinking will NEVER get you to where you want to go! It is similar to a farmer who sprays poison on his fields and then wonders why he can’t get his crops to grow! He doesn’t realize that he’s self-sabotaging his own efforts! It’s like having one foot on the car’s accelerator and one foot on the brake and wondering why the car won’t move! Friends, there’s a BETTER WAY!!

Galatians 6:7-9 explains, “Do not deceive yourselves; no one makes a fool of God. You will reap exactly what you plant… So let us not become tired of doing good; for if we do not give up, the time will come when we will reap the harvest.” (GNT) What do you need to discard from your heart and mind TODAY to MAKE ROOM for God’s GOODNESS and POWER?

BURNED OUT ON RELIGION?

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG)

In making room for Jesus, we must let go of “religious duty.” I like how the Message translation puts this passage because it helps us transition from religion to a RELATIONSHIP with the person of Jesus Christ. The problem with religious duty is that it neatly compartmentalizes our sins, then requires us to do penance or give sacrifices to try and appease a God who is already angry at us! But then we go right on sinning, and the endless cycle continues. This is more like a life of insanity than holiness! Friends, this is NOT how the Lord would have us live our lives because this kind of thinking and living leaves the most crucial element out of the mix—the heart! God is very clear on this issue… David said in Psalm 51:16-17, “…You do not delight in sacrifice, or else I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. My [only] sacrifice [acceptable] to God is a broken spirit; A broken and contrite heart [broken with sorrow for sin, thoroughly penitent], such, O God, You will not despise.” (AMP)

The only thing the Lord requires of us is a LIVING interaction with Him! Isn’t that what any person would require in a relationship? Not perfect performance, but just plain HONESTY! David told us what the Lord really requires of us in Psalm 51:6, “Sincerity and truth are what you require… (GNT) Going through the outward motions is a deadly duty because it cuts us off from a living relationship with the Lord! The Holy Spirit wants to communicate with you on a Heart Level. This is where honesty and sincerity live—a place where you will find great satisfaction and fulfillment! Following are just a few tips to begin MAKING ROOM for Jesus in your life:

• Clear your mind and your schedule! If things are going to change in your life, then that change must begin with YOU! Realize that Jesus must become a priority in your life if you want a fresh start. There are only so many hours in a day, and we all make room (time) for the most important things. Make time to read His Words—the Scriptures. Download a Bible Reading Program if needed. If you get side-tracked, don’t feel bad; get up and RETURN to your original commitment to putting Him first place!
• Don’t just read the verses; think about them, put them to memory if possible, study them, and look up the meaning of things that are unclear to you. Remember, God’s Word is alive and active and He will begin to rearrange your life if you allow Him to! Don’t resist His changes; He loves you with an everlasting love and will always do what’s best for you! Trust Him in this, and He will do it!

Give God the right to direct your life, and as you trust him along the way, you’ll find he pulled it off perfectly! Psalm 37:5 (TPT)

Ask the Lord to fill you with His love and compassion daily. Ask Him to show you how to practice what you are learning. Ask Him to show you how you can become a blessing to others. Be generous, and you will be prosperous. Help others, and you will be helped. Proverbs 11:25 (GNT)

HAVE YOU BEEN BORN AGAIN?

“Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden? Come to me. I will refresh your life, for I am your oasis. Simply join your life with mine.] Learn my ways and you’ll discover that I’m gentle, humble, easy to please. You will find refreshment and rest in me. For all that I require of you will be pleasant and easy to bear.” Matthew 11:28-29 (TPT)

Here is that same passage in the Passion Translation! The TPT NOTES says: As translated from the Hebrew, the Aramaic could be translated “Come to me and I will cheer [refresh] you. I am cheerful [refreshing] and humble in heart, and you will find cheer [refreshing] for your soul.”

Make no mistake, we do not merely add Jesus to the mix of our lives—we join our lives to Him and what He is doing. In this way, the Lord becomes an unlimited source of joy and strength for us! In Him, we find refreshment (renewal of strength and mental fortitude) and much-needed rest (the UNFORCED rhythms of GRACE!) In joining our lives with His, we become spiritually Born Again and are given a brand-new life!

Jesus said in John 3:3-7, “I assure you, unless you are born again, you can never see the Kingdom of God.”… The truth is, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives new life from heaven. So don’t be surprised at my statement that you must be born again.” (NLT)

To begin a life of purpose and fulfillment, all that is needed at this point is to BELIEVE and SURRENDER—believe that God is bigger than your sins as well as other people’s sins against you. He is infinitely greater than your anger, despair, pain, and misery. And God is so much bigger than what man’s religion has portrayed Him to be. He can take your life, as small and insignificant as you think it is, and transform it to factory-new status. God doesn’t just make you a better person; he makes you a BRAND-NEW person!

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 1 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)

When we become Born Again, we are no longer adrift in life, as we now have solid direction and purpose. If you want to be Born Again, without putting it off another minute, you can pray the following prayer and be assured of eternal salvation. Also, get into a good church whenever possible to learn more about the Lord so you can spiritually grow.

PRAYER FOR SALVATION: Dear Jesus, I acknowledge that I am a sinner and need forgiveness. I accept your sacrifice on the Cross as payment for my sins. I ask you to forgive my sins, come into my heart, make me a new person, and give me eternal life. I ask that you would be my Lord and Savior. Thank you, Lord, for giving me newness of life! Help me now, Lord, to be honest with you, myself, and others. Create in me a clean heart and cause me to be willing to obey you in everything! Amen.

Dear Friends,

   The holidays are upon us! Thanksgiving is nearly here and Christmas will be right behind it! For many it’s a time for gathering in joyful celebration while for others these times serve as sad and painful reminders of lost loved ones and broken relationships.

   I come from a broken and dysfunctional family, so I know how raw and uncomfortable it can be during this time of year. Throughout my adult life, things didn’t change much in my family… but I did! And that’s the incredible power of the Good News…even if nothing changes in your family dynamic, YOU can change!! And when you change, EVERYTHING CHANGES!

   I have intimately experienced the reality of Psalm 27:10 as it says… “My father and mother may abandon me, but the Lord will take care of me.” (GNT)

   If you have been affected by a broken family you can also find hope and new life in Jesus. When we surrender the broken and shattered pieces of our lives, the Lord recreates them into something beautiful and purposeful by placing us among people who can love and support us in the ways of Christ.

   In this edition, I want to present a different perspective of the term “HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS”. We’ll discuss what “home” really means and help you see the bigger picture when it comes to family relationships.

   I have put together personal accounts to demonstrate how God provides both Comfort and Truth to help us get through difficulties in our family dynamic. I have also included other entries that provide a framework for personal healing and reconciliation. Enjoy the Newsletter! 

In His Loving Name,

Life With Father Ministries

BITTERSWEET

The cost of following Christ

   One day I was thinking of my dad who passed away years ago. For 50 plus years, we maintained an awkward yet cordial relationship. I remember the day I returned home from church one Sunday with my best friend and her mother. It had been a year or more since my mother had passed away and the Lord put a special friend in my life to comfort me during those difficult years. I enjoyed spending Saturday nights at her house because her mother brought us to church on Sunday—a discipline we did not practice at my home.

   On one particular Sunday, at the end of his sermon, the pastor gave an altar call for salvation and membership. Back then we didn’t have children’s church—we sat quietly in the main sanctuary with the adults. I was only 8 years old when I heard the call of God and made that lone journey down to the altar.

   When I returned home, I couldn’t wait to tell my dad that I had gotten “saved”! Unfortunately, he did not share my excitement. Without looking up from his Sunday newspaper, he mumbled, “That’s nice.” I admit I was disappointed in his lack of enthusiasm but I believed I had made the right decision.

   Jesus said in Matthew 10:34-38 (NLT), “Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword. ‘I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. Your enemies will be right in your own household!’ “If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine.”

   Throughout the years my dad remained unimpressed by my “spiritual zeal.” Although he believed in God, and later in life acknowledge Jesus as Savior, he simply did not understand that someone could actually have a relationship with a LIVING God. He didn’t understand how someone could get to know a heavenly Father who fills our lives with so much joy—who loves us when we don’t even love ourselves, who restores our body and mind—a Father who teaches, encourages, and provides wisdom and direction in life. Needless to say, my dad’s disinterest in spiritual things created a lifelong chasm between us as Mathew 10:34-38 describes. But as painful as it was, I was willing to forgo a relationship with my earthly dad in exchange for one with my heavenly Father! It was simply and painfully the cost of following Christ.  

   Recently my dad came to mind and I had this comforting thought, “At least now he knows the truth about Jesus. Now that he has gone HOME, he knows firsthand what and WHOM I was talking about all those years.” Oh, what a glorious day that will be when I embrace him again and we both see eye to eye! These thoughts and many others are some of the ways the Lord comforts and strengthens us as we walk through earthly difficulties.

JUST BE HELD

The faithful love of God

   “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 (NLT)

   There used to be this ride at an amusement park in Texas called the Rotor Ride. The Rotor was a large, upright barrel, where people line up in a circle with their backs against the walls. As the barrel began to spin, it created a centrifugal force that forced the riders against the wall. Once the barrel had attained full speed, the floor was retracted, leaving the riders stuck to the wall of the drum, suspended in midair. At the end of the ride cycle, the drum slowed down and the riders slid down the wall slowly.

   This is the only way to explain what it felt like when my mother died suddenly, overnight when I was 6 years old. When she passed away it was as if the bottom dropped out of my life and I was left suspended in midair. Over the years I had asked the Lord why it had to be this way but never really got an explanation—just a sense of peace. I had an assurance that God was good and that He had a purpose for it that was beyond my comprehension at the time.

   Today I have a better understanding of the situation. One day as I prayed and asked the Lord about the loss of my mother He replied, “Though you have felt as if you were hanging in midair, I never let you drop, and I never let you down!” And that is so true! Like the rotor ride, I was safely “held” by His loving hands as He carried me through the most difficult years! Isaiah 46:4 was written to all of us…   “I will be your God throughout your lifetime—until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.” (NLT)

   When tragedy happens, of course there is always a season of mourning but in time the Lord can heal our pain when we interact with Him in prayer. I’m not talking about forgetting the loved one, I’m talking about removing the pain associated with the loss. Pouring out our hearts to Him is like lancing an infected wound. He takes the pain and in exchange, gives us His comfort, joy and purpose. There is no pill or concoction that can remove the pain that comes from a broken heart—those things only temporarily mask what’s clearly there. Jesus is the only one who can heal the anguish and sadness that comes from loss and broken relationships.

   From his own personal experience, King David encouraged us in Psalm 62:8 to go to the Lord in prayer where we can turn over our issues and problems to Him and in exchange, receive His unshakable peace. He wrote, “Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.” Psalm 62:8 (NIV)

   The door to God’s heart is always open. He invites you to come to Him in prayer, pouring out the poison in your broken heart so that you can be healed and restored. “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation].” Matthew 11:29 (AMP)

HE IS OUR HOME

A place of safety and acceptance

   “Lord, through all the generations you have been our home!” Psalm 90:1 (NLT)

   This psalm was written by Moses who led the Israelites through the wilderness for 40 years! (Exodus) These people never stayed in one place very long because the wilderness was not intended to be their home… God provided a “promise land” for them to settle into. It was a fertile land abundant with everything they needed for a fruitful and successful life. I want you to notice in this verse that Moses wasn’t talking about a house as in a fixed structure, rather he was talking about a LIVING PERSON—the person of JESUS CHRIST. You know there’s a big difference between a house and a HOME. A house is a concrete structure where someone lives, while a home is a place or a state where someone feels safe, comfortable, and emotionally attached. A home can be a house or any other type of dwelling, but a house may not be a home if it lacks love and happiness.

   This is what Moses said about the Lord. As they traveled through the wilderness for 40 years, they were always on the move. In both the good times and difficult times, the one constant thing was the presence of God. It really didn’t matter where they physically resided, the Lord was the one who brought them food, kept them healthy and strong. God was their caretaker, provider, protector, companion, peace, and guide.

   Jesus truly is a HOME and a safe place for our troubled mind and emotions. Psalm 103 provides a CLEAR and ACCURATE description of who our heaven Father is (our home). Whatever you have believed in the past about your heavenly Father, if it doesn’t line up with Scripture then it’s a lie! This is who He really is…

1. He forgives all my sins.
2. He makes me well again when I am ill.
3. He saves me from the deep hole of death’s power.
4. He always loves me and he is kind to me.
5. The Lord does what is right and fair.
6. He helps poor people who suffer.
7. The Lord is kind to people and he forgives them.
8. He is slow to get angry and his love always continues.
9. He will not always tell us that we are wrong. He will not always continue to be angry.
10. How far is the sky above the earth? His love is greater than that!
11. How far is the east from the west? The Lord has taken our sins further away than that!
12. He no longer says that we are guilty.
13. As a father is kind to his children, the Lord is kind to us.
14. He is kind to people who worship him.

   Jesus is the person who awaits you in personal prayer time! You can find a place of acceptance, safety and security in Him! Connect with Jesus and you will discover HIS IS your HOME!

THE HEALING PROPERTIES OF MUD

The precious gift of sight!

   “God made men and women true and upright; we’re the ones who’ve made a mess of things.” Ecclesiastes 7:29 (MSG)

   The Good Newsletter is distributed to a variety of places, including jails. I recently received a letter from an inmate that quite frankly, was appalling. I was insulted. The audacity! The callousness and entitlement of this man! It was almost a joke…on me! The inmate began to tell me how bored he was in jail and how expensive the commissary store was. He then proceeded to tell me how much money to put on his commissary account!

   Sadly, at the end of the letter there was no mention of remorse for his wrongdoings nor did he pretend to be a follower of Jesus! Just asking for money from a stranger to squander on himself. I’m not trying to shame the man as I have kept his identity hidden. But it broke my heart to hear this man’s absurd way of thinking! Now every time he comes to mind, I pray for the Lord to change his heart and ways.

   This inmate reminds me of the entitled prodigal son in Luke 15 who found himself in a muddy pit at the end of his road of reckless living! The story begins when the prodigal son left home with money from his inheritance.

   “He went to a country far away, where he wasted his money in reckless living. He spent everything he had. Then a severe famine spread over that country, and he was left without a thing. So he went to work for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him out to his farm to take care of the pigs. He wished he could fill himself with the bean pods the pigs ate, but no one gave him anything to eat. Luke 15:13-17 (GNT)

   Alone, wallowing in a cesspool of selfishness and sin, God used that mud to open the wayward son’s spiritual eyes, causing him to “come to his senses” so that he could find his way HOME!

   “At last he came to his senses and said, “All my father’s hired workers have more than they can eat, and here I am about to starve! I will get up and go to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against God and against you.” (v18) Of course, the son’s father had been eagerly watching and waiting for his son to return home and welcomed him with open arms!!

   Jesus also used mud on another occasion to heal a blind man’s eyes. In John 9:1,6-7, “As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been born blind. After he said this, Jesus spat on the ground and made some mud with the spittle; he rubbed the mud on the man’s eyes and told him, ‘Go and wash your face in the Pool of Siloam.’ So the man went, washed his face, and came back seeing.” (GNT)

   Today, Jesus still uses our muddy situations to open our eyes so that we can truly SEE and find our way home to HIM. But He waits for us to humble ourselves and make that one life-altering decision to leave the muck and mire of our own making, so that He can restore our lives and our relationships!

   Humility and honesty open the door or pathway to Him (our home). “…All of you who are believers must respect one another. Do not think that you are more important than other people. The Bible says: ‘God is against proud people. But he is kind to humble people.’ Remember that God is strong and powerful. So be humble in front of him. Then he will lift you up to a good place at the right time. If you have any kind of trouble in your mind, give it to God. God has promised to take care of you.” 1 Peter 5:5-7 (EASY)

   Our heavenly Father takes the poor decision we make and creates something miraculous in our lives! David said in Psalm 40:1-2, “I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.” (NLT)

   When someone’s car is stuck in the mud, many times they will continue pressing on the accelerator to try and get out of the muck. But soon they realize this approach doesn’t work as they are really digging themselves deeper into it! What they need the traction of outside help!

     This also happens in life as people find themselves in murky situations. They struggle to pull themselves out of the pit on their own but with little to no success. People hide the fact that they are too weak to make it out on their own. They are ashamed to ask for help! This is the dilemma we all face! But only in humbling ourselves and asking the Lord to help us, will we not only get free but STAY FREE! If we will cry out to the Almighty, He will personally lift us up and out! He will “set our feet on SOLID ground and STEADY us as we walk along!”

  Are you as hungry and thirsty as the prodigal son was? Have you realized that the things you are partaking of are not benefitting you but are rather leaving you empty and unfulfilled? Isn’t it time for you to come HOME to HIM?? He will not scold you nor will He point out all your mistakes. But He will heal your brokenness and give you new purpose and fulfillment in life!

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THE CARPENTER’S HOUSE

A Safe Place to Call Home

   I once read a story called, “The Carpenter’s House.” I remember this story because of its powerful message! It goes like this…An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by. The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.

   When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter. “This is your house,” he said, “my gift to you.” What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well.

   So, it is with us. We can build our lives in a haphazard way, reacting rather than acting. We can choose to live thoughtlessly but there are always consequences for our actions. One day we may be shocked to look at the careless and flimsy life we built for ourselves! Of course, if we had realized the gravity of our mindless living, we would have done things differently!

   Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today. The truth is that you are building a life one day upon the next. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity. Ephesians 5:15-17 encourages us…“So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.” (NLT)

   Think of it this way… your soul (mind, will, and emotions) is a place you live in daily. Think of what it would be like living in a safe, clean and functional home. And your home, although it cannot stop the dangerous storms from coming, it does protect you from those storms! But what if half your roof was caved in? You would not feel so safe any longer! This is what God does for us when He restores our soul so that we can become whole again! So we can feel safe! So we can enjoy living again!!

   That’s what David was talking about in Psalm 23:3 when he said the Lord, “restores my soul.” The word “restore” means: to be returned or be brought back to God. If you find that you’ve been building your life unwisely, there is still hope! We have a Master Builder, Jesus, who is willing and able to take your shoddy workmanship and redeem it! He is ready to turn things around for you if you are willing to return to Him! It is NEVER too late for God to miraculously restore a life surrendered for His purposes!

ARE YOU GOOD ENOUGH?

Salvation can only be found in Christ

   “We know very well that we are not set right with God by rule-keeping but only through personal faith in Jesus Christ. How do we know? We tried it…Convinced that no human being can please God by self-improvement, we believed in Jesus as the Messiah so that we might be set right before God by trusting in the Messiah, not by trying to be good…I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn’t work. So I quit being a “law man” so that I could be God’s man. Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it…” Galatians 2:16, 18-20 (MSG)

   It is clear from this passage that “trying to do better” is not the answer to a changed life. The life of a Christian is not lived through self-help or self-effort. It doesn’t matter how hard we try to be good; we will never be able to muster enough goodness to be like Christ or obtain eternal salvation! Only by asking Jesus to impart His perfect life into us, could we ever become like Him. We must admit we are sinners and ask for the GIFT of eternal life.

   “When people work, they earn wages. It can’t be considered a free gift, because they earned it. But no one earns God’s righteousness. It can only be transferred when we no longer rely on our own works, but believe in the one who powerfully declares the ungodly to be righteous in his eyes. It is FAITH that transfers God’s righteousness into your account!” Romans 4:4-5 (TPT)

   If you died today, do you know for certain where you would spend eternity? All anyone needs to do to have eternal life is to call on the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 2:21), repent of your sin (be sincerely sorry for your sins and change your mind and actions (Acts 3:19), believe that Jesus died on the Cross for your sin (1 Thessalonians 4:4), and ask Him to become born again by the Spirit of God! Jesus said in John 3:6-8, “I speak an eternal truth: Unless you are born of water and the Spirit, you will never enter God’s kingdom…‘You all must be born from above!’” (TPT) If you are uncertain about your eternal destiny then pray the following prayer with all sincerity of heart and become Born Again and enter into the joy of His Salvation!

PRAYER OF SALVATION

   Dear Jesus, I admit I’m a sinner. I believe that you died on the Cross for the forgiveness and remittance of my sins. I ask you to forgive me now and cleanse me from all wrongdoing. I also forgive those who hurt me and ask that you help me to get free from all resentment and pain. Jesus, I surrender my life to you and ask you to be my Lord and Savior. Give me new life—eternal life! Lord, fill me with your Holy Spirit and empower me to live this new life your way! Amen!           

Dear Friends,

When Jesus sent His disciples out to share the gospel in Luke 9, He instructed them not to take anything with them for their journey… “Take nothing for your journey [that might encumber you]—neither a walking stick, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not even have two tunics apiece.” (v3) (AMP)

Let’s look at the list of things Jesus specifically told His disciples not to take with them—a walking stick, a bag, food, money, and extra clothing. Think about it: these are practical and beneficial things that anyone would take with them on a journey, yet in this case, Jesus associates these things as being cumbersome. The word “encumber” means to restrict or burden someone or something in such a way that free action or movement is difficult. It means to weigh down, burden, impede, or hamper someone’s function or activity. 

Isn’t it true that we are often encumbered and anxious over the basic necessities in life, such as money, food, and clothing? Let me ask you, has daily life become more of a burden than a blessing for you? If so, you need to know that it is within your own power to let go of these burdens so that you can enjoy a life free from the heaviness of worry and fear!

As we travel through life, we all tend to collect mental and emotional “baggage” (worries, offenses, hurts, and disappointments). But did you know we don’t have to carry life’s “weight” or responsibility? Did you know that we can learn how to release this heaviness and enjoy the kind of life Jesus spoke about in Matthew 11:28-30 that is “easy and light”?

Jesus said, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation]. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me [following Me as My disciple], for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest (renewal, blessed quiet) for your souls. For My yoke is easy [to bear] and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (AMP)

Imagine the tremendous relief and refreshment we can experience by learning (through practice) how to let go of life’s burdens and release the pain from emotional wounds we have all suffered from living in this fallen world! Like taking a shower, we can place ourselves under the eternal running showerhead (Jesus) and find forgiveness, healing, and freedom, making us clean, healthy, and strong! This freedom is not just a concept; it’s a reality we can experience daily that empowers us to live an abundant and overcoming life in Christ.

Hebrews 12:1 explains that we are responsible for letting go of every weight and sin that keeps us from God’s best. It says, “…Let US strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up.” (NLT) This means it’s within our power to eliminate this poisonous stuff that sickens the mind and body.

Here it is in the Passion Translation with notes included. “So we must let go of every wound that has pierced us (Or “get rid of every arrow tip in us.” The implication is carrying an arrow tip inside, a wound that weighs us down and keeps us from running our race with freedom.) and the sin we so easily fall into. Then we will be able to run life’s marathon race with passion and determination, for the path has been already marked out before us. (Or “the race [personally] appointed to us.” God has a destiny for each of us that we are to give ourselves fully to reach.)”

This verse talks aboutTWO things—weight (wounds) and sin—that hinder us from having a vibrant relationship with Jesus and living a fulfilling life! First, let’s look at the word “weight” or “wounds” that pierce our soul just like an arrow would pierce our flesh. These arrows represent hurtful memories and critical words spoken to or about us, the mistreatment or betrayal done to us, etc. Ephesians 6:16 talks about the “fiery arrows that come from the devil.” The word “fiery” in Ephesians means to be incensed or indignant. Think about it: the wrongs done to us—the painful incidences that have hurt us can reinjure us every time we remember them, rekindling our original anger and resentment! What’s so destructive about these wicked thoughts and memories is that because we don’t know how to address or deal with them, they remain with us, repeatedly causing so much mental, emotional, and even physical pain! These smoldering arrowheads distort our perspective on life, causing us to perpetuate our hurt and pain onto others. They affect every area of our lives, and God desires to put out these bitter flames once and for all, giving us relief and freedom!

The second thing Hebrews 12:1-2 talks about is “sin.” Did you know that both worry and unforgiveness are sin? First, Jesus commands us not to worry over daily life because He will generously provide for us. He said in Matthew 6:31-33, “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” (NLT)

Jesus also emphasized forgiveness! He said in Mark 11:25-26, “And whenever you stand praying, if you find that you carry something in your heart against another person, release him and forgive him so that your Father in heaven will also release you and forgive you of your faults. But if you will not release forgiveness, don’t expect your Father in heaven to release you from your misdeeds.” (TPT) Notice how this verse talks about unforgiveness as “carrying something in our hearts”! This is the baggage we are to let go of and release so that we can live free!

In this Newsletter, we will learn the process of repenting from carrying burdens and worries as well as releasing mental and emotional offenses through forgiveness.  Enjoy the Newsletter!

In His Loving Name,

Life With Father Ministries

FORGIVE THOROUGHLY

“…be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32 (NLT)

If there’s anything that will quickly extinguish our joy in life, it’s harboring unforgiveness. Why? Because unforgiveness affects our entire person, causing needless mental, emotional, and even physical suffering! It is for our own health and well-being to practice forgiveness!

Forgiving others thoroughly means “erasing their offense,” just as “God in Christ forgave you.” We must forgive in this way because among the many attributes of Agape love is that it “keeps no record of being wronged.” 1 Corinthians 13:5 (NLT) The word forgive in the opening Scripture means: “to pardon.” When someone is pardoned, they are absolved of both guilt and punishment. This may sound impossible, but with the help of the Holy Spirit, it’s not!

Did you know a dead bee can still sting a person if they step on it barefoot? Yes, the critter is dead but the venom is still very much active! If the memory of someone (dead or alive) is continually causing you pain, then it’s time to bring that hurt to the foot of the Cross! Release all your anguish to God in prayer and continue until your inner being is at peace. It might take an entire night, week, or season to release the hurt and pray for the offender before the memory no longer has the power to sting you! 

Let me give you an example. I used to have arthritis in my hands. If you have arthritis or know someone who does, you are aware of the searing pain and debilitating nature of it. One day, I read about how bitterness can be associated with arthritis. At that time, I honestly could not think of anyone I was bitter against. So, I prayed about it over days and weeks. During that time, the Lord revealed that although I had forgiven those who wronged me in the past, I needed to release the pain associated with it and pray for their well-being. This residual bitterness in my soul was causing my joints to ache!

Jesus teaches us explicitly in Luke6:27-28, “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.” (NLT) Let me ask you: Are you willing to listen today? If so, you can get free and stay free from so much unnecessary pain and anguish when you decide to practice this principle!

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “bitterness” as: anger and disappointment at being treated unfairly; resentment. As soon as I realized my pain was due to bitterness and that I had the power to release it, I quickly flung it far away from me like I had a live rattlesnake in my hand! I was amazed at how quickly my arthritis pain subsided. Years have passed since then, and I still have no pain in my hands, even though I use them more than ever in my work.

Today, you may feel as though forgiving this thoroughly is impossible. But that is what God’s powerful GRACE is all about! Grace is not just a word but Christ’s power that enables us to overcome sin and its deadly effects! In prayer, the Holy Spirit is there to help you through the forgiveness process and rid yourself of the pain associated with bitterness for good!

THE HEALING PROCESS

If you’ve ever been injured or had surgery that followed up with physical therapy, you are acquainted with the weeks and months of grueling exercises it takes to regain your muscle strength and range of motion. It’s all a process to return you to wholeness! It can be much the same when we are mentally or emotionally injured. Now, we can try to manage on our own by retreating to nurse our wounds, or we can get angry and spread the pain around. But neither is healthy nor productive and will never give us the desired results! Listen, God has a better way of dealing with our pain if we are willing to be flexible and open-minded!

To get rid of the weight and sin in our lives, we must first acknowledge that it’s there, agree with God that it’s wrong and harmful, and turn away from it, allowing Him to cleanse our wounds and restore our souls. (1 John 1:9) Repentance is not merely a “feeling” or a one-time thing but a life-long process. The Lord will help us identify sin, turn away from it, and prompt us to ask Him and others for forgiveness and even forgive ourselves! Once we begin releasing our pain, we must refill our minds and consciousness with good things (Scripture) because we don’t want to leave our house (minds) empty for dysfunctional and twisted thoughts to return! The way to successfully make this change is not by trying to stop the old mindset but by embracing the NEW way of thinking and living! Like filling an empty container, we fill our minds by meditating on God’s Word, allowing it to wash over our souls, bringing healing and restoration to the entire person! Proverbs 4:21-23 tells us how critical our thought process is, “Don’t ever forget my words; keep them always in mind. They are the key to life for those who find them; they bring health to the whole body. Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life.” (NCV) My arthritis developed as a result of my bitter thinking. As I held onto that mental pain, it trickled down into my physical body. Then, when I released it, my arthritis disappeared!

You need to realize that although what has happened to you or not happened for you is not your fault, it’s still your responsibility to process it and let it go so that YOU can be free! Recognize this baggage for what it is: an assignment from the enemy. The heavy and encumbering sins of resentment, unforgiveness, worries, and fear serve you no purpose but to plague your mind and make you sick! It’s time to let it go and live! Instead of being a victim, allowing old hurts to play and replay in your mind, you can stop them at the door! YOU DECIDE what you let in and entertain in your mind; YOU CHOOSE when you will no longer allow these issues to control your life! Practice the things you’ve learned here, and let the healing process begin!

YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN! Jesus said, “I assure you, unless you are born again, you can never see the Kingdom of God.”…  John 3:3 (NLT)With all sincerity, you can pray the following prayer and be assured of eternal Salvation. Dear Jesus, I’m so sorry for everything I’ve done. The Bible says that the punishment for sin is certain death. (Romans 6:23) But you took my place and died so that I can be free from selfishness and sin and have eternal life. Please, Jesus, come into my life and make me a new person. Help me to forgive anyone who has harmed me and to release them and the pain associated with it. Teach me, Lord, how to let go of any baggage and sins that are keeping me from your best. I choose to make you my Lord and Savior. Thank you for giving me eternal life! Amen.

Dear Friends,

In Jeremiah chapter 8:20, God’s people cried, “The crops are in, the summer is over, but for us nothing’s changed. We’re still waiting to be rescued.” (MSG)

In the context of this verse, we find that the people had been living in open opposition to the Lord—they worshipped natural and material things rather than Almighty God. Now, they needed help and realized their so-called gods would not be coming to their rescue! Material things have no power to deliver, heal, or anything else! Nothing and no one but the Almighty has the power to save and turn a life around!

Look at how the Lord wrestles with the futility of the people’s mindset in verses 4-6 of this chapter…

“‘When people fall down, don’t they get up again? When they discover they’re on the wrong road, don’t they turn back? Then why do these people stay on their self-destructive path? Why do the people of Jerusalem refuse to turn back? They cling tightly to their lies and will not turn around. I listen to their conversations and don’t hear a word of truth. Is anyone sorry for doing wrong? Does anyone say, “What a terrible thing I have done?” No! All are running down the path of sin as swiftly as a horse galloping into battle!’”

It sounds like a concerned parent pleading with a rebellious teen who’s bent on traveling down a path of hurt and pain. The parent asks the most obvious question, “Why?” Why continue on the path of self-destruction when I can give you a life that is abundant and satisfying?

Jesus said in John 10:10, “A thief has only one thing in mind—he wants to steal, slaughter, and destroy. But I have come to give you everything in abundance, more than you expect—life in its fullness until you overflow!”  This is still Jesus’s mission today!

Our heavenly Father calls to us daily with an outstretched hand and is ready to rescue those trapped in a cesspool of sin and darkness. He’s prepared to intervene when we are ready to stop running and surrender our lives to Him. It’s a two-way relationship—He does the saving part while we do the surrendering part!

The Lord laments in Romans 10:21, saying, “‘For a very long time, I have been asking my people to return to me. But they refused to obey me. They turned against me.’” (EASY)

Today, do you feel like the people in Jeremiah’s time? Looking back over the past summer months, have you realized that you are no better off now than at the beginning of the season? Have you sensed a season or seasons have come and gone, yet nothing’s changed for you? Well, let me give you some real HOPE… could God be attempting to rescue you through this message? You may think you are waiting on Him when, in reality, He is waiting on you to change your heart and mind and respond to His kindness!

What I’m saying is that today could be a brand-new, refreshing season for you if you choose it to be! Think of it this way: the Lord has arranged your circumstances in such a way as to gain your undivided attention! And God may want you to change your mind before He can change your situation! Yes, our situation will often not change until we change our attitudes and perspective on things—and the Lord can help us with that if we are willing to let go of what’s not working for us and take His hand as He transforms our lives from the inside out!  

The Holy Spirit constantly pleads with us to change our ways. He lovingly bothers our conscience to show us the futility of pursuing temporary pleasures, which leave us empty and have no power to deliver us or change our physical, emotional, or mental state! Our loving Lord wants us to realize the futility of living with an unrepentant heart like the people in Jeremiah 8:6, “Is anyone sorry for doing wrong? Does anyone say, “What a terrible thing I have done?” No!” The Lord wants you to stop wrestling and SURRENDER to His marvelous plan for your life. 

 
The Lord says in Psalm 42:10, “Be still, and know that I am God! (NLT)

The Message translation puts it this way, “Stop fighting,” he says, “and know that I am God…”

Jesus desires to BLESS you by moving you into a new way of living. But listen, He can’t bless your life if you’re facing in the opposite direction! God restrains those who are on a path of hurt, pain, and ruin because, like any parent, He hates to see us suffer at our own hands. Think of where you are right now as momentarily detained by a loving Father. You are so important and precious to Him that He personally plucked you from a dark and dangerous path. Think of it as Jesus causing you to “be still” so He can speak to you and redirect your steps. All God is asking of you is to be willing to have Him direct your life!

“The Lord says, ‘Please come, so that we talk about this together. Even if your sins are like a red stain, they will become as white as snow. Even if they are bright red, they will become like white wool. I will forgive you if you agree to obey me. If you are ready to do that, you will again eat plenty of good food from the land.” Isaiah 1:18-19 (EASY)

I pray that the following words will bring clarity and understanding, motivating you to accept God’s invitation to begin redirecting your life!

In His Loving Name,

Life With Father Ministries

SURRENDER YOUR WEAPONS!

Like the people in Jeremiah’s day, the first step in getting your life turned around is to admit that you need help and surrender yourself to the Lord. Have you noticed yet that your strong will is not enough to get you where you want to go in life? Have you noticed that the more you try to push forward, the further behind you get? Let the following story provide a picture of what it means to surrender your life to the Lord…

Scrolling down my social media feed one day, I saw a short video of a crab holding a knife in its claw! Picture this… a blue point crab about 6 or 7 inches wide with its back up against the sea wall, pinchers raised high, wielding a plastic serrated dinner knife! A hand reaches out from behind the camera to disarm the crustacean. Of course, with its minimal understanding, the crab lashes out in defense. It doesn’t realize that this is a helping hand whose only intention is to return it to the sea, where it belongs.

Some of us are so used to fighting (mentally, emotionally, and physically) that we don’t recognize the Lord’s hand in our situation. We don’t understand that He longs to disarm us (from further injury of ourselves or others) and carry us to a place of right living and serenity!  God’s pure motive is to get us to surrender the flimsy knife that we think is keeping us so safe. We can let our defenses down when we come before Him. In His presence (here on earth) is a safe place of great joy (Psalm 16:11). It is a place of total acceptance and gentle comfort. It is where we can find healing for our body, emotions, and memories and relief for our suffering, depression, and sadness. This is where we are released from our anger and frustration, forgiven for our stubbornness, and eliminate all the reasons why we hold on to that worthless plastic knife!

The only way to find freedom and peace in your heart and mind right now is to let go of the things that serve you no purpose whatsoever! But it’s your choice. Instead of your hands raised in defense, you can now raise them in surrender. Like a child raising their arms for their parent to pick them up, the Lord wants to do this for you today.  Let Him embrace you and hold you close. Let Him restore your confidence in Him and give you purpose. There is no other way to find what your heart is longing for because what your heart really desires is not a what but a WHOM! And the Good Shepherd has made Himself available to you right here, today. 

David said in Psalm 31:7, “I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul.” (NLT) I assure you that God sees and cares deeply about the anguish in your life. The pain only intensifies as you travel further down the wrong road!

“…Come and see the breathtaking wonders of our God. For he brings both ruin and revival. He’s the one who makes conflicts end throughout the earth, breaking and burning every weapon of war. Surrender your anxiety. Be still and realize that I am God.” Psalm 46:8-19 (TPT) There’s no need to fight the hand that only wants to free you! Let the Lord disarm you by helping you discover why you are so defensive. Surrender your anxiety and let the Lord break and burn every weapon you have forged within your soul. Be still, and you will realize He is GOOD!  

FORGIVE THOROUGHLY

As we surrender our lives to the Lord, we must forgive! Forgiveness is the key that releases us from our soulish prison. We must forgive everyone, including ourselves and God! Forgiving may not undo what’s been done but it will lance our mental and emotional wounds to begin the healing process. Yes, forgiveness is the beginning of a new life of peace, joy, and fulfillment!

“…Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32 (MSG) 

Unforgiveness affects our entire person, causing unnecessary internal and external suffering! It is for our own health and well-being to practice forgiveness! Forgiving others thoroughly means “erasing their offense completely,” just as “God in Christ forgave you.” We must forgive this way because among the many attributes of Agape love is that it “keeps no record of being wronged.” 1 Corinthians 13:5 (NLT) The word forgive in the opening Scripture means: “to pardon.” When someone is pardoned, they are absolved of both guilt and punishment. This may sound impossible, but with the help of the Holy Spirit, it’s not!

Let me give you an example. I once had arthritis in my hands. And if you have arthritis, you are also well acquainted with the searing pain and debilitating nature of it. One day, I read about how bitterness can be associated with arthritis. I honestly could not think of anyone I was bitter against then. So, I prayed about it over the course of days and weeks. During that time, the Lord revealed that although I had forgiven those who wronged me in the past, I needed to release the pain associated with it. This residual bitterness in my soul was causing my joints to ache! It’s embarrassing to say that I did not recognize the hurtful memories as being bitterness! Neither did I realize those hurts were something I had the power to release from my life. I just thought it was lingering pain from past wounds—like how a bruise forms after an accident. Of course, as soon as I realized my pain was due to bitterness, I quickly flung it far away from me like I had a live rattlesnake in my hand! I was amazed at how quickly my arthritis pain subsided. It’s been years since then and I still have no pain in my hands even though I use them more now than ever in my work. Today, you may feel that forgiving this thoroughly is impossible. But that is what God’s powerful grace is all about! Grace is not just a word but the power to overcome sin and its deadly effects! In prayer, the Holy Spirit is there to help you through the forgiveness process and rid yourself of the pain associated with bitterness for good!

PRAYER FOR SALVATION

If you are unsure where you will spend eternity (by the way, there are only TWO places of eternal residency—with Jesus or without Him!), why don’t you make your future secure? With all sincerity, you can pray the following prayer and be assured of eternal salvation. Dear Jesus, I acknowledge that I am a sinner, and I have not always done the right things or made the right decisions. I ask you to forgive me now. Jesus, I accept your sacrifice on the Cross as payment for my sins. Jesus, come into my heart, make me a new person, and give me eternal life. I ask that you would be my Lord and Savior. Now lead me forward and shower me with your grace and glory. Thank you, Lord, for giving me newness of life! Amen.

Dear Friends,

This month, we continue our 2-part series,“Who is Jesus to you?” Jesus asked His disciples in Luke 9:18-20, “Who do people say I am?” “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other ancient prophets risen from the dead.” Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Peter replied, “You are the Messiah sent from God!” (NLT)

The Bible reveals many aspects of who Jesus is to us. Here are just some of them:

The Supreme Creator Over All – By Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together… Colossians 1:16-17

Our Savior and Deliverer – He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us… 2 Corinthians 1:10

Our Great High Priest – Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. Hebrews 4:14

The Resurrection and the Life – Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.’ John 11:25

Our Healer – And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. Matthew 4:23

Our Provider – And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians. 4:19

Our Peace – For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility… Ephesians 2:14

Our Source – …I will go to the altar of God, to God—the source of all my joy. Psalm 43:4

There are many myths, half-truths, and hearsay out there that we can accept as truth but are completely false. But the question remains, “Who is Jesus to you personally?” The best way to know the truth about Jesus is to discover Him for ourselves by learning what the Scriptures say about Him. So, let’s look at the 2^nd part of the message, “Who is Jesus to You?” and learn about Him and what He desires for our lives. Enjoy the Newsletter!

In His Loving Name,

Life With Father Ministries

#3 JESUS IS OUR SOURCE FOR LIVING!

Jesus is our source for daily living! This truth is something very important to remember! Jesus instructed His disciples in John 15:5, saying:

I am the sprouting vine and you’re my branches.  As you live in union with me as YOUR SOURCE, fruitfulness will stream from within you—but when you live separated from me you are powerless. (TPT)

How often are you physically, mentally, or emotionally exhausted? It happens to all of us! Sometimes, we think that a good night’s sleep is all we need, but the relief seems fleeting, and soon, the fatigue reappears. We know we need more than physical rest, but we may not know what that “something” is.

It’s so important to understand the nature of things. For instance, our lives are like empty containers. We are NOT SELF-SUSTAINING vessels. When we try to live life apart from the sourceof all life, it’s understandable that we get weary and tired, and things don’t go well for us!

Plain and simple, Jesus is our source for everything we need in life! For example, if you needed to charge your cell phone, you would plug it into an electrical outlet. The cell phone is not autonomous (and neither are we). The phone must draw power from a power source. And since the nature of “charging up” is not instant, it takes some time for it to download all the power it needs to function correctly. It’s the same with us!

We must remember what Jesus told us! We are like a branch that must remain connected to its power source! There are many other reminders of this in the Scriptures, such as David’s statement in Psalm 43:4: ‘I will go to the altar of God, to God—THE SOURCE of all my joy.’ (NLT)

What is it that you need today? Clarity, strength, or joy? Then you need to go to the power source, who is Jesus!  He IS our SOURCE for everything we need in life! 2 Peter 1:3 confirms this:

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. (NLT)

With this in mind, allow the following words from Ephesians 3:19-20 to pour over your mind, silencing all other thoughts that contradict the TRUTH and agitate the soul:

How deeply intimate and FAR-REACHING is his love! How enduring and INCLUSIVE it is! ENDLESS LOVE BEYOND MEASUREMENT that transcends our understanding—this EXTRAVAGANT LOVE pours into you until you are FILLED TO OVERFLOWING with the fullness of God! Never doubt God’s mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve INFINITELY MORE than your GREATEST REQUEST, your most unbelievable dream, and EXCEED your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for HIS MIRACULOUS POWER CONSTANTY ENERGIZES YOU.” (TPT)

#4 JESUS IS GOD’S SON

The most essential truth about Jesus is that He is the Son of God. While putting this message together, I noticed a subtitle in Colossians chapter 1 that said, “God’s Son, Jesus is.” And it went on to explain who Jesus is to us. I have included some of this chapter because it describes Jesus so accurately. Verse 14 says, God’s Son, Jesus Christ, paid the price for our sins and made us free. Yes, God has forgiven us…

We cannot see God. But Jesus Christ shows us completely who God is. Even before God made anything, Jesus was already there as God’s Son who rules everything. When God created everything, it was his Son who did it. His Son made everything that is on earth and in heaven. He created everything that we can see, as well as the things that we cannot see… God chose to put his nature in Christ completely. He decided that Christ would die on the cross as a sacrifice. In that way, God would bring all things back to himself. Then everything could live in peace with God…

As for you, you were far away from God at one time. You thought bad things and you did bad things. As a result, you were God’s enemies. But now you have become God’s friends. This happened because Christ’s human body died on the cross. As a result, God has brought you to himself. As you stand in front of him, you are completely good and clean inside. He sees nothing in you that is bad. But you must continue to believe God’s true message. Do not turn away from it. Continue to trust God, as you did when you first heard the good news. Colossians 1:14-22 (EASY)

I want to focus on verses 21 & 22 in Colossians 1 as it says, As for you, you were far away from God at one time. You thought bad things and you did bad things. As a result, you were God’s enemies. This is where some of you are right now: you’re far away from God in your thoughts, words, and deeds. Yet in one moment, in one instant, you can return to Him. It doesn’t matter what you have done or how long you’ve done it; what matters now is whether you are ready to accept God’s mercy and forgiveness for those bad deeds.

Listen, the truth is that the Lord created you because He wanted you! He has a wonderful plan for your life, but you must respond to His indescribable gift! Let’s look at what God says in Jeremiah 29:11-14, ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the LORD. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,’ says the LORD. (NLT)

Yes, the Lord has great plans for you, but in order for you to know and enjoy them, you’ll need to cooperate with Him. You know that Jesus said in the gospels that if we looked, we would find. And the Lord also promises the same thing in Jeremiah: if we look for Him wholeheartedly, we will, not maybe, but we WILL find Him.

So, let me ask you another question. What are you seeking right now? I say “what” because many people seek a “what” a “when” a “where” or a “how” when in reality, we will never truly be satisfied until we seek the “Whom” who at this very moment is looking for YOU!

You may be frustrated, even disillusioned today because you have sought and chased after many things that could never bring you into the kind of life you really want, which is a life of abundance on every level, a life free from oppressive thoughts, depression, anxiety, confusion, frustration, and fear. Does any of that sound familiar to you? A prosperous, joy-filled life is naturally what most people want. And guess what? That is what Jesus wants for you as well! But you can’t get to this abundance on the road you’re traveling on. You’ll never get there from the mindset you have right now. No, Jesus can provide all the good things you desire, but you must do things His way! You have to walk with Him and talk with Him. You have to allow Him to change the way you think and live!

You don’t have to figure everything out right now. If you let Him into your life, He will begin a miraculous change within you. For one thing, He will change your wants and desires from selfish and self-centeredness to Christ-likeness. The further you travel down the road with Him, the more you will experience His goodness and mercy, and the more you will want to continue walking with Him. And in this way, the blessings and favor of God will overtake you!

Let me share one last but not final truth about who Jesus is and what He has declared about Himself:

A thief has only one thing in mind—he wants to steal, slaughter, and destroy. But I have come to give you everything in abundance, more than you expect—life in its fullness until you overflow!  John 10:10 (TPT)

Contrary to what some people believe, the truth is that Jesus is not uncaring, disengaged, or stingy! He is abundant! The word “abundance” heremeansexceeding some number or need, over and above, more than is necessary. I can testify to this truth! I have seen the Lord’s provisions abundantly supplied in my life over and over again! This is why we need a personal, Scriptural view of God rather than clinging to hearsay, memes, or myths.

If you’ve never asked Jesus to give you eternal life and be the Lord of your life, why not do it right now? It doesn’t matter whether or not you feel worthy to accept God’s gift of forgiveness because God’s gift of salvation is not determined by who you are or what you have or haven’t done. Salvation is based on Jesus — who He is and what He has done for us on the Cross. Remember, Jesus paid for your sins, so you no longer need to suffer for them… you can receive God’s gift and be free to live a new life! If you don’t know where you will spend eternity once your earthly life is over, you need to make that decision right here, right now. A reservation is waiting for you in heaven, but you must have a ticket to get in. That ticket is Jesus Christ, period. Today, pray the prayer for salvation and secure your eternity with Jesus!

PRAYER OF SALVATION Dear Jesus, I’m so sorry for every wrong I’ve done. I’m sorry for the hurt and pain I have perpetuated on innocent people. Lord, I don’t want to hurt anymore. The Bible says that the punishment for sin is death. (Romans 6:23) But you took my place and died so that I can be free from selfishness and sin and have eternal life. I acknowledge that you died for my sins and rose again for my justification. Please, Jesus, come into my life and make me a new person. I choose to make you my Lord and Savior. Thank you for giving me eternal life! Amen.

Dear Friends,

This month we embark on a 2-part series called, “Who is Jesus to you?” Over the years we tend to pick up some untruths, half-truths, and just plain errors about who Jesus is. These false images of Jesus create fear and insecurity resulting in a life of suffering rather than abundant living!

Jesus asked His disciples in Luke 9:18-20 says, “One day Jesus left the crowds to pray alone. Only his disciples were with him, and he asked them, “Who do people say I am?” “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other ancient prophets risen from the dead.” Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Peter replied, “You are the Messiah sent from God!” (NLT)

Who is Jesus to you personally? Do you see Him as a vending machine where you buy what you want with your good works and in turn, He gives you what you asked for in prayer? Or do you see Him as an imaginary person like Santa Clause? If you’re good, you get gifts from Him but if you’re bad you don’t get anything. Do you see Him as a historical figure who once lived but is now dead and gone? Or maybe you think of Him as a prophet that lived long ago. Perhaps you think Jesus was a good man who performed miracles but was misunderstood, mistreated, and died on a cross.

All these descriptions of Jesus are either partial truths or just flat-out incorrect. First, Jesus was more than just a good man—He was the Son of God. And when He died on the Cross and was buried, He rose again after three days and remains very much alive today! Scripture tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:3-7: Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time. (NLT) Jesus established overwhelming proof of His bodily resurrection by appearing to over 500 people! Then, He physically remained on Earth for 40 days before ascending to Heaven. Afterward, He sent the Holy Spirit to Earth to open our understanding as to who Jesus is and what He accomplished for us when He died on the Cross.

The best way to know the truth about Jesus is to find out what He says about Himself in Scripture. So, let’s get started! Enjoy the Newsletter!

In His Loving Name,

Life With Father Ministries

#1 JESUS IS RELATIONAL

One of the most essential truths you need to know about Jesus is that He is a RELATIONAL God. And as a relational God, He desires honest two-way communication with us. For where there is no truthfulness, a relationship cannot succeed.

In light of this, let’s look at the description of Jesus given in James 1:18, There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle. (MSG) This means that God’s unchanging character is solid and secure! Scripture also tells us in Hebrews 6:18 that …it’s impossible for God to lie! (NLT)

The Lord requires sincerity when engaging with Him in prayer as well as in our other relationships! Did you know that Jesus cares more about how we treat others than anything we could accomplish for Him? Look at what it says in 1 Peter 4:8:

Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. (NLT)

Why do you think this verse begins with the words “most important of all”? Because the way we treat the Lord, others, and even ourselves is the most important thing to God! Look what Jesus said in Matthew 22:37-40: ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  Then Jesus said in verse 40 that, ‘The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.’ (NLT)

These verses give us an accurate view of God! To Jesus what matters most is not how much money we possess, the size of our house, the value of our car, or even how successful we think we are! His highest priority, which should also be ours, is to show deep, caring, and, patient love to others! Jesus said that the entire law and demands of the prophets are based on these two things: loving and obeying God and loving others!

The way we treat others significantly impacts our own quality of life. For instance, Ephesians 6:2-3 tells us to ‘Honor your father and mother.’ This is the first commandment with a promise: If you honor your father and mother, ‘things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.’ (NLT)

Did you know that Jesus felt this way about your relationships? Maybe you thought He overlooked the way you haphazardly interact with others but He doesn’t. Jesus commands us to love and honor our earthly parents (and others) regardless of whether or not we agree with them. (Matthew 5:23-24)

Seeing that our heavenly Father is a RELATIONAL God, I encourage you to make amends with people wherever needed and possible—even if it’s only one-sided. If you’ll do your part by apologizing and work on making things right with others, God will show His approval by granting you favor and causing things to go well for you!

#2 JESUS IS THE GREAT RECONCILER

The second main truth about Jesus is that He is the RECONCILER of all things. He’s the MEDIATOR or MIDDLEMAN between us and our holy heavenly Father. He also mediates in our earthly relationships. In other words, when people fail us, leaving a hole in our lives, Jesus fills the space or reconciles the situation when we allow Him to.

Here’s an example, reconciling a bank statement means balancing both the intake of funds and the withdrawal of funds. Problems occur when the outgoing money (spending) becomes greater than the incoming money (deposits)!

This kind of imbalance often occurs in life as well. Someone did us wrong. They withdrew from our emotional or mental bank account without even an “I owe you”, or an “I’m sorry” acknowledgment in return. Now there’s a hole, maybe even a gaping hole in our life account! How can our life account be reconciled or balanced now? Who will now cover that offense when the person doesn’t even acknowledge their wrong? The answer is CHRIST! Our living Lord can and will fill that hole with Himself. This is done through prayer—not just by forgiving the offender’s transgression, but by praying for that person’s wellbeing. God is not impartial and will handle the offence but we must place it into His hands and walk away. As long as we hold on to the hurt, bitterness, and pain from the offense, we tie God’s hands in reconciling the issue!

Romans 12:19-21 instructs: …Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, ‘I will take revenge; I will pay them back,’ says the Lord. Instead, ‘If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.’ Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good. (NLT)

Allow me to share a personal story of how I experienced a mental and emotional imbalance in my life and how Jesus intervened, filling the hole and resolving the issue for good. I have arthritis in my hands. And for a few years, I suffered searing, deep pain that would flare up without warning. One day the Lord showed me that bitterness was the root cause of my arthritis pain. At that time, I genuinely couldn’t recall harboring bitterness toward anyone. But as I prayed about it, and over days and weeks, the Lord revealed to me that although I had forgiven those who wronged me, I was still bitter about the incident/s. That is why when certain people came to mind, I continued to feel deep pain. I had no idea I was still hurting from the offenses of others. No wonder I was in so much mental and physical agony!

But obediently I prayed over every person the Lord brought to mind because I wanted desperately to be free from my mental and arthritic pain. And it’s the same for you—if you want healing and freedom from the pain you carry today, you must be willing to do things God’s way! Healing and freedom is a prayer process and it’s so worth the effort! 

In his book, “Rejection” Dr. Henry W. Wright writes… “The greatest tragedy of your life would be not knowing the Father because all good things come from Him.

JESUS IS THE GREAT RECONCILER (CONT’D)

Your enemy—the devil—will use bitterness and rejection and envy and jealousy to keep you from the Father because when you are preoccupied with this junk and others, you will not even think about Him… Isn’t it amazing that when you are preoccupied with somebody else and what they have done to you, you do not think about the Father at all… When you are busy thinking about your enemy and how he is evil to you, you are not in conversation with God because you cannot say and think two different things at the same time…” Dr. Wright and the Bible tell us that if we harbor hate or unforgiveness toward someone, God will not listen to our prayers.

Isaiah 59:1-2 says, Surely the Lord’s power is enough to save you. He can hear you when you ask him for help. It is your evil that has separated you from your God. Your sins cause him to turn away from you, so he does not hear you. (NCV)

Jesus said in Matthew 6:14-15, ‘If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.’ (NLT) So, when the memory of people who have hurt you comes to mind, you must take it to the Cross rather than taking it to other people who cannot heal or make you whole!

Jesus said in Luke 6:27-28, ‘But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.’ (NIV) Are you willing to LISTEN today?? Are you ready to let go of your pain by obeying Jesus’s instructions here? Maybe you are so hurt and angry with some people today that you feel you can’t forgive them. So instead you carry this pain year after agonizing year. But let me ask you, which is harder, living under the weight of your trauma every day or releasing it and allowing your soul to be truly free? It’s simply a choice you make!

As you choose to forgive and release people in prayer, your physical and mental pain will diminish and soon disappear. It has been many years since I released those who injured me and today my mind is at peace, my arthritic pain is gone and has never returned! So, settle it today! There’s no need to go another second harboring infectious inner wounds. It does absolutely nothing to bring justice to your situation but only keeps you in a self-inflicted prison of pain. Let go of any unforgiveness or bitterness you hold today and allow the Lord to heal you!

If you don’t know where you will spend eternity once your earthly life is over, I urge you to make that decision right here, right now. Below is a Prayer for Eternal Salvation. If you sincerely pray this prayer you can be born-again and receive eternal life.

PRAYER OF SALVATION

Dear Jesus, I’m so sorry for every wrong I’ve done in my life. I’m sorry for the hurt and pain I have perpetuated on innocent people. Lord, I don’t want to hurt anymore. The Bible says that the punishment for sin is death. (Romans 6:23) But you took my place and died so that I can be free from selfishness and sin and have eternal life. I acknowledge that you died for me and accept your death as payment for my sins. Please, Jesus, come into my life and make me a new person. I choose to make you my Lord and Savior. Thank you for giving me eternal life! Amen.

Dear Friends,

Too many of us today are living in a perpetual cycle of mental and emotional pain, bitterness, anxiety, and depression. It can look like this, picture someone inside an industrial-sized dryer. Day after day they tumble, repeatedly banging their head on the steel drum, sustaining bruises, broken bones, and burns as they are battered by life.

Their minds play and replay sad, depressing scenes and angry conversations keeping them enslaved in a perpetual state of weighty disappointment. The never-ending cycle of pain continues and there is no reprieve, no rest, no peace. Trapped in this dryer, they are overheated and exhausted in life, unsure of how to escape.

The GOOD NEWS is this, Jesus not only opened our dryer door—He REMOVED IT altogether! Our FREEDOM from the torments in the mind as well as HEALING for our emotional wounds have been purchased by Jesus. The door is GONE FOREVER, never to be reattached!

This freedom is not for one day when we get to heaven. No! Jesus did this so that we could live in His abundant liberty, peace, and JOY today!! We are not destined to live going from one disappointment to the next. We were created for something far greater!! In Christ, we were meant to live a worry-free, successful, and satisfying life of PURPOSE!!

And that is the focus of this Newsletter. In the following pages, we will talk about what Jesus accomplished on the Cross—what He purchased for us with His own blood and how you can now CHOOSE to step out of the dryer into a life of freedom from the devil’s torment. On the other side of the Cross, you will discover a new life of purpose and fulfillment. So, let’s get started!!

In His Loving Name,

Life With Father Ministries

THE OPEN DOOR

“Happy are those who listen to me, watching at my door every day, waiting at my open doorway.” (Proverbs 8:34 NCV)

I want you to notice something specific in this verse. I want you to know that God’s door is NOT SHUT! The Lord has left His door wide-open for us! Today, NOTHING is standing in the way of approaching our loving heavenly Father—no more sacrifices for sin—no more penance! The guilt and shame of our sins have now been removed as far as the East is from the West! (Psalm 103:12) What this means is that the door of our hellish dryer has been completely blasted away! We don’t have to remain in that horrifying place of worry and frustration for one more minute! By RETURNING TO JESUS through repentance and confession of sin, we can be forgiven and released from the things that enslave the soul!

Hebrews 10:19-23 greatly encourages us…“And now we are brothers and sisters in God’s family because of the blood of Jesus, and he welcomes us to come into the most holy sanctuary in the heavenly realm—boldly and without hesitation. For he has dedicated a new, life-giving way for us to approach God. For just as the veil was torn in two, Jesus’ body was torn open to give us free and fresh access to him… …And since we now have a magnificent High Priest to welcome us into God’s house, we come closer to God and approach him with an open heart, fully convinced that nothing will keep us at a distance from him. For our hearts have been sprinkled with blood to remove impurity, and we have been freed from an accusing conscience. Now we are clean, unstained, and presentable to God inside and out! So now wrap your heart tightly around the hope that lives within us, knowing that God always keeps his promise!” (TPT)

What an incredible passage of TRUTH and HOPE! Now that Jesus opened the doorway, we are encouraged to approach and connect with Him through heartfelt, sincere prayer. Notice the word “NOW” used in the passage above. Our dryer door was opened and REMOVED when Jesus died on the Cross. TODAY IT REMAINS OPEN FOR US!!

I want to encourage you to feel very sure that you can come before God’s throne today and speak freely as Hebrews 4:16 states, “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” (NLT) The word “boldly” used in this verse is the Greek word “Parrhesia” meaning: freedom in speaking, openly, and frankly, i.e., without concealment, without the use of figures and comparisons, free and fearless confidence, cheerful courage, boldness, and assurance. In all sincerity and truth, through faith, you may speak to Him from your heart freely and candidly. He is someone who is well acquainted with your pain and grief and can restore your life! No matter what you are facing, the Lord can calm your inner fears and bring you assurance (peace) that He is working things out on your behalf. YOU decide when your torturous dryer cycle ends!! Let it end TODAY! Decide to trust Him and let Him direct you into a new path that is both full and fulfilling!

RETURN TO ME

‘I have swept away your sins like a cloud. I have scattered your offenses like the morning mist. Oh, return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free.’ Isaiah 44:22 (NLT)

Can you just hear the emotional plea of the Lord here? He uses the word “Oh” in an expression of passionate longing, calling us to return to Him! Jesus scattered our sins as well as the punishment for them when He died on the Cross, ultimately stating “It is finished!” (John 19:28-30)

Isaiah 55:67 says, “So you should look for the Lord before it is too late; you should call to him while he is near. The wicked should stop doing wrong, and they should stop their evil thoughts. They should return to the Lord so he may have mercy on them. They should come to our God, because he will freely forgive.” (NCV)

Now, you might think, “If Jesus removed the door and paid for my freedom then why am I still in this miserable dryer??” GOOD QUESTION!! It’s a matter of CHOICE! You are the one who decides when you’ve had enough of living in that tumultuous place!

The Lord said in Isaiah 30:15, ‘Your salvation requires you to turn back to me and stop your silly efforts to save yourselves. Your strength will come from settling down in complete dependence on me—The very thing you’ve been unwilling to do.’” Isaiah 30:15 (MSG)

To return means: “to give an answer.” The Lord is simply asking you to answer His call! The correct response would be to move away from what is harming you and RETURN TO HIM who is calling you to a life of wholeness, wellness, and peace!

Romans 6:12-14 says it this way…Sin is a dethroned monarch; so you must no longer give it an opportunity to rule over your life, controlling how you live and compelling you to obey its desires and cravings. So then, refuse to answer its call to surrender your body as a tool for wickedness. Instead, passionately answer God’s call to keep yielding your body to him as one who has now experienced resurrection life! You live now for his pleasure, ready to be used for his noble purpose. Remember this: sin will not conquer you, for God already has! You are not governed by law but governed by the reign of the grace of God. (TPT)

The bottom line is that Jesus paved the way for us to live a life free from the torments of worry, FEAR of every kind, depression, anxiety, anger, bitterness, resentment, disappointment, and frustration. But it’s still your CHOICE. You decide when you will turn away from what is hurting and harming you and RETURN to Jesus who freely forgives and restores your life!

HE HEALS THE BROKEN-HEARTED

“The Sovereign Lord has filled me with his Spirit. He has chosen me and sent me to bring good news to the poor, to heal the broken-hearted, to announce release to captives…” Isaiah 61:1 (GNT)

One thing all of us have in common is that at some point in our lives, we’ve been hurt by someone or by some unfortunate situation. These wounds can cut so deep that they can shift our life’s viewpoint. It can cause us to see everything through the lens of our pain. But Jesus’s specific mission was to preach “Good News”, and that includes healing the BROKEN-HEARTED!

Many of us realize we’ve been wounded but don’t know that it’s possible to be healed from the pain of it! We attempt to ease our pain through various types of vices. The problem is that addictive behaviors NEVER heal the wounds of our past—they only momentarily distract us from feeling it. Once the anesthesia wears off, the pain not only returns but intensifies, thus the (dryer) cycle continues and we find ourselves further from relief than ever before!

So, if we really want to heal, we must stop running and return to Him so that He can make us whole again! In Jeremiah 3:22 He said, “‘My wayward children,’” says the LORD, ‘come back to me, and I will heal your wayward hearts.’” (NLT)

Wayward deeds proceed from a wayward heart and that is what God wants to change! Humility agrees that the heart has withdrawn itself from its Creator while repentance surrenders the manmade band-aid (vice) to the Lord allowing Him access to our souls so that we can be restored.

In Isaiah 1:18-19 God pleads with us saying, “‘Come now, let us argue this out,’” says the LORD. “No matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can remove it. I can make you as clean as freshly fallen snow. Even if you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you as white as wool.’” (NLT)

The Lord calls to you today, extending an open invitation to “come” and talk about those things that are squeezing the very life out of you. Like the death grip of a python snake, it can seem like with every breath you take, twisted memories along with current stress continually press in on you! Let the Lord cut the head off that snake once and for all! Confess your mental and emotional pain. Bring it out in the open and release it to Jesus, asking Him to begin the inner healing process for you!

“CONFESS your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be HEALED.” James 5:16 (NLT)

BEAUTY FOR ASHES

“To all who mourn in Israel, ^che will give beauty for ashes, joy instead of mourning, praise instead of despair. For the LORD has planted them like strong and graceful oaks for his own glory.” (Isaiah 61:3 NLT)

When Nehemiah began his work of restoring the demolished and burned wall around Jerusalem (the book of Nehemiah) he didn’t go out and obtain new materials but used the stones that were lying among the ashes. Burned and charred as they were, the stones were still usable. And so, it is with us! There are many things in our life that God wants to recover and reuse. He wants to repair and fortify the weak areas in our lives so that we can become stronger than ever before!

In Romans 8:28 it says, “And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose.” (AMP)

Pain is evident in this life but what we do with that pain can be the difference between a life of misery or a life of great reward. What am I talking about? I’m talking about allowing Jesus to transform our pain into something good and productive by means of His Cross.

Picture a recycling conveyor belt in your mind. At one end of the belt, all kinds of trash are dumped on it. Further down the line workers sort through the trash for recyclable items like paper and plastic. As the paper and plastic bins get full, they go off to be melted down or compressed to eventually become something completely different and usable.

This is similar to what the Cross of Christ does for us. It takes the bitter and painful events in our lives and transforms them into something beautiful and useful. The Lord uses our pain to move us to the Cross where we find Him!  And in finding Him we find healing and divine transformation. Then we can turn around to help those who are going through the same thing we went through. And this is all part of the healing process.

Today, let the Lord begin to rebuild your life HIS WAY! Let Him give you beauty for those ashes and oil of joy for your mourning and despair. Let Him do for you what you cannot do for yourself! If you are still carrying around inner wounds from your past, then don’t carry it another minute of another day before you bring these things to the Lord in prayer! If you need help, professional or otherwise, then I encourage you to seek it earnestly! Let the Lord transform your pain into something powerful! Then you can turn and help those with the same issues you have struggled with and when you do you will be stronger for it!

“He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” 2 Corinthians 1:4 (NLT)

THE POWER OF PURITY

“Come near to God, and God will come near to you. You sinners, clean sin out of your lives. You who are trying to follow God and the world at the same time, make your thinking pure.” James 4:8 (NCV)

I have heard people quote the first part of this scripture “Come near to God, and God will come near to you,” leaving out the rest of the verse. And yet it is impossible to approach a holy God without first being cleansed. So, I want you to notice that in “drawing near to God”, there must be repentance (a turning away from selfishness and ungodliness) and confessing or acknowledging our wrongs.

King David prayed this way in Psalm 51:7-12, “Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me—now let me rejoice. Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.” (NLT)

A powerful life is a purified life! In order to live powerfully, we must first be cleansed through the confession of sin—agreeing with God that it is wrong and asking for forgiveness and strength to turn away from it. 1 John 1:8-9 states, “…if we freely admit our sins when his light uncovers them, he will be faithful to forgive us every time. God is just to forgive us our sins because of Christ, and he will continue to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

The Passion Translation notes give us a deeper understanding of this passage and the power that comes from confession and cleansing of the conscience! “Confession of sin is the way to find restoration and unbroken fellowship with God. It cleanses the conscience and removes every obstacle from communion with Christ. Confession does not gain God’s acceptance, for that was won for us forever by the sacrifice of Christ. God will always be faithful to restore our first love and passion for him. All of our sins were paid for on the cross and we can do nothing to remove them, but confession acknowledges God’s faithfulness to restore our intimacy with him.”

If your life isn’t working, then why not stop and make some needful changes? Remember, the opening scripture tells us that as we move closer to God, He moves closer to us! He longs to move closer to you so that you can experience a unique and divine relationship with Him. Getting closer to Him, you gain an understanding of His divine person, becoming like Him in your thinking and behavior!

Today why don’t you begin the healing process through confession and cleansing! Once you have been bathed in His righteousness, you can enjoy a life and future that is far better for you than what you have chosen for yourself!

KEEP COMING TO HIM

1 Peter 2:4-5 says, “So keep coming to him who is the Living Stone—though he was rejected and discarded by men but chosen by God and is priceless in God’s sight. Come and be his “living stones” who are continually being assembled into a sanctuary for God…” (TPT)

Jesus was rejected and discarded by men so if anyone knows how it feels to be hurt, it’s Jesus. Let me provide a more detailed description of what Jesus suffered while He was here on earth. Taken from Isaiah 53:2-6:

There was nothing attractive about him, nothing to cause us to take a second look. He was looked down on and passed over, a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand. One look at him and people turned away. We looked down on him, thought he was scum. But the fact is, it was our pains he carried—our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us… it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through his bruises we get healed. We’re all like sheep who’ve wandered off and gotten lost. We’ve all done our own thing, gone our own way. And God has piled all our sins, everything we’ve done wrong, on him, on him. (MSG)

In times when we feel like our life is irreparable, we have to remember that God is in the business of resurrecting and restoring what we think is dead and gone! If you take away only one thing from this publication, hear this… “…keep coming to Him.” This is the most important thing you can do, especially when you find yourself in trouble! He is your lifeline and your source of help and hope!

Allow the Holy Spirit to wash and reinforce your mind by coming to Him daily… even hourly if needed. Freely offer yourself to Him, asking Him to cleanse you and give you a fresh start in life! And read and think about God’s Word—memorize those verses that speak to your situation! The Scriptures have a supernatural ability to wash away the lies, depression, and anxiety from our minds and restore a passion for LIFE!

Listen, if you need healing, you must present yourself to the Healer! Who would attempt to perform surgery on themself? No, you must submit yourself to the surgeon! And who would try to tell the surgeon how to do his job? No, you would have to trust that the surgeon knows what he’s doing! In the same way, you must relinquish control of your life to the One who created you to begin with! There is no one more worthy of your trust than the One who loves you unconditionally and desires the very best for you!

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation]. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me [following Me as My disciple], for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest (renewal, blessed quiet) for your souls. For My yoke is easy [to bear] and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (AMP)

SURRENDERING ALL TO JESUS

There are some of you reading these devotionals who agree with the TRUTH but are unwilling to fully surrender your life. To you I say, don’t be afraid to give your life completely to Christ. Don’t worry about what other people think—that peer pressure will fade soon enough. The more you live for Christ the more you will want to live for Christ! Living the Christian life is actually the most thrilling and exciting life there is! So, if you want to really “live” then you’re going to have to abandon your fears and apprehensions. Some of you are afraid you’ll have to lay down some things you are not willing to give up, and that’s quite possible. But God’s powerful grace helps with that—He gives you the desire and strength to do those things that are pleasing to Him!

So why don’t you make the courageous decision to return to the Lord by simply surrendering your heart to Jesus today? I can’t guarantee all your problems will disappear but what will appear is His steady strength to help you get through life successfully.

If you are not sure where you will spend eternity (and by the way there are only TWO places of eternal residency—with Jesus or without Him!) Today, without putting it off another minute, why don’t you make your future certain and secure? With all sincerity of heart, you can pray the following prayer and be assured of eternal salvation. Also, get into a good church as soon as possible that will help you grow spiritually (this is also non-negotiable if you want to mature in your faith.)

PRAYER FOR SALVATION

Dear Jesus, I acknowledge that I am a sinner and I need forgiveness. (Romans 6:23 NIV) Jesus, you took my place and died on the Cross. Lord, I want to be free from the torments that plague my mind daily. I take your hand today and I trust that you will lead me out into a safe and serene place where I can begin to enjoy life again! Today, as I ask for forgiveness, I also forgive and release all those who have wounded me. Jesus, I accept your gift of sacrifice on the Cross as payment for my sins. I ask you to come into my heart, make me a new person, and give me eternal life. I ask you to be my Lord and Savior. Thank you, Lord, for giving me newness of life! Amen.

Dear Friends,

In Luke 11:1 the disciples asked Jesus, “Lord, teach us to pray…” (NLT) indicating that prayer is something that is learned through teaching and practice. Jesus then shared what is commonly referred to as “the Lord’s Prayer.” However, it’s essential to understand that Jesus wasn’t merely giving a rigid formula; instead, He provided a framework for approaching God in prayer.

We can immerse ourselves in books about prayer, study biblical accounts, and hear firsthand testimonies of those who’ve encountered the Lord and witnessed extraordinary answers to prayer. Yet, despite all this, we might still miss the essence of prayer and grapple with disappointment or disillusionment. That’s where personal exploration and experience come into play.

Prayer isn’t a spectator sport; it’s an intimate journey. It’s about opening our hearts, engaging with the Divine, and allowing our spirits to encounter the living God. As we seek Him earnestly, we discover that prayer isn’t a formulaic checklist; it’s a dynamic relationship—a dialogue that transforms us from the inside out. I encourage you to experience prayer firsthand. Let it be more than a concept; let it become your lifeline to the One who hears, understands, and responds. 

Jesus said, “Eternal life means to know and experience you as the only true God, and to know and experience Jesus Christ, as the Son whom you have sent.” John 17:3 (TPT)

Friends, this is what eternal life is all about—knowing and experiencing the Father through His Son Jesus Christ! And we begin this relationship NOW—not one of these days when we get to heaven! In the following pages, we’ll explore this sacred dialogue, not as a duty, but as an invitation to an intimate relationship with our heavenly Father!

In His Loving Name

Life With Father Ministries

IT’S PERSONAL

“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” James 5:16 (NKJV)

One night while praying I began quoting scripture that pertained to the things I was praying about. As I brought God’s Word before Him, I heard the Holy Spirit say, “Please don’t do that.” I gasped when I realized what He revealed to me. He was saying please don’t parrot my Word back to me without any heart or thought in it! Come to think of it, I was mentally disconnected from my prayers. This kind of praying is not fervent or effective!

Authenticity in prayer is essential. Our relationship with God thrives when we express our genuine heartfelt thoughts and feelings to Him. Imagine having a conversation with someone who merely recites robotic phrases—it would indeed be cold and impersonal. Similarly, our connection with the Lord requires honesty and vulnerability. When we pour out our hearts to Him, we move beyond religious rituals and tap into the power and effectiveness of true communion. 

Jesus taught us how to pray in Matthew 6:7-8… “When you pray, there is no need to repeat empty phrases, praying like the Gentiles do, for they expect God to hear them because of their many words. There is no need to imitate them since your Father already knows what you need before you ask him.” (TPT)

Indeed, God longs for personal interaction with each of us. He isn’t interested in mere rote repetition of empty words. Instead, He invites us to speak from our hearts—to share our deepest thoughts, joys, and struggles. When we approach Him authentically, we build a genuine relationship. So, speak to Him from your heart. Tell Him all that is on your mind. Ask Him to help you understand Him better and to pray more effectively. Following are some Scriptures to remember as you pursue prayer!

“Pour out all your worries and stress upon him and leave them there, for he always tenderly cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 (TPT)

“Only God is my Savior, and he will not fail me. For he alone is my safe place. His wraparound presence always protects me as my champion defender. There’s no risk of failure with God! So why would I let worry paralyze me, even when troubles multiply around me? God’s glory is all around me! His wraparound presence is all I need, for the Lord is my Savior, my hero, and my life-giving strength. Trust only in God every moment! Tell him all your troubles and pour out your heart-longings to him. Believe me when I tell you—he will help you!” Psalm 62:5-8 (TPT)

STICKS AND STONES

“I say to you, love your enemy, bless the one who curses you, do something wonderful for the one who hates you, and respond to the very ones who persecute you by praying for them.” Matthew 5:44 (TPT)

Upon awakening one morning, I opened my heart to the Lord. In quiet anticipation, He prompted me to pray for someone—specifically for an individual who had caused me pain. His guidance was clear: pray for their success and well-being. I obeyed, lifting my prayers for this person. As I did, God unveiled a hidden stone within my spirit—an unnoticed callousness had formed from past hurts inflicted by this individual. Despite their lack of apology, I had forgiven them each time they wounded me. Yet, over time, when the memory of their actions surfaced, it painfully scraped across my consciousness like a jagged stone.

It struck me that I had not fully completed the forgiveness process as outlined in the opening verse: “…Pray for those who hurt you.” I had forgiven them, but I had not specifically prayed for them. This revelation prompted me to intercede for their well-being. It wasn’t easy at first but as I did so; that little stone of hurt slipped away, and I experienced true freedom. Through the act of forgiveness and prayer, the Lord, in return, removed my stone and healed my inner wounds!

Praying for those who emotionally or mentally hurt us doesn’t come “naturally” yet, it’s a powerful and beneficial act of obedience to the Lord’s command in Mark 11:25, “And whenever you stand praying, if you find that you carry something in your heart against another person, release him and forgive him so that your Father in heaven will also release you and forgive you of your faults.” (TPT)

Again, Jesus said, “…love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.” Luke 6:27b-28 (NLT) Ignoring our issues of hurt and pain will not make them go away. We must bring these things to the Lord and lay them on His Cross. Everything that was done to us or not done for us—all the emotional and mental hurt, and all the ugly and vile things mankind can conjure up and throw at another human being is now neutralized at the Cross. Jesus is still alive today and His Cross is still powerful enough to extinguish the most depraved sins!! This is where we dump all sin and pain in exchange for healing and wholeness!

Indeed, people can cause us pain—sometimes intentionally, but often unintentionally. And not everyone will acknowledge their wrongdoing or offer an apology. As time passes, our desire for relief from emotional and mental pain may surpass the need for an apology.

So, what’s the remedy for escaping the pain caused by others’ transgressions? It lies in Christ’s Cross and the practice of forgiveness and prayer (Matthew 5:44-45).

IT’S YOUR CHOICE!

Did you know that where you spend eternity is your own choice? Yes, your eternal destination is not a matter of chance but a choice you make! You can either choose to accept Jesus’s death on the Cross as payment for your sins, invite Him into your life and go to Heaven, or reject Him and spend eternity without Him in hell. There is no other way to heaven except by accepting Jesus’s gift of salvation. Romans 6:16 explains this choice in detail…

“Don’t you realize that grace frees you to choose your own master? But choose carefully, for you surrender yourself to become a servant—bound to the one you choose to obey. If you choose to love sin, it will become your master, and it will own you and reward you with death. But if you choose to love and obey God, he will lead you into perfect righteousness.” (NLT)

If you died today, do you know for certain where you would spend eternity? All anyone needs to do to have eternal life is to call on the name of the Lord Jesus, (Acts 2:21) repent of your sins (be sincerely sorry for your sins and change your mind and actions, (Acts 3:19) believe that Jesus died on the Cross for your sin, (1 Thessalonians 4:4) and ask Him to become Born Again by the Spirit of God! There’s no other way to heaven than becoming a new Born Again person in Christ!

Jesus said in John 3:16-18, “I speak an eternal truth: Unless you are born of water and the Spirit, you will never enter God’s kingdom. For the natural realm only gives birth to things that are natural, but the spiritual realm gives birth to supernatural life! “You shouldn’t be amazed by my statement, ‘You all must be born from above!’” (TPT)

If you are uncertain of your eternal destiny, then pray the following prayer with all sincerity of heart and become Born Again! Salvation is not a reward, but a gift of God to anyone who will simply ask!

PRAYER OF SALVATION

Dear Jesus, I’m so sorry for all the things I’ve done up until this day. The Bible says that the punishment for sin is certain death. (Romans 6:23) But you took my place and died so that I could be free from selfishness and sin and have eternal life. Jesus, I acknowledge that you died for me, and I accept your death as payment for my sins. Please forgive me Jesus, come into my life, make me a new person. I choose to make you my Lord and Savior. Guide me, teach me and empower me to choose what is right so that I can live the kind of life that is pleasing to you. Thank you, Jesus, for Your great sacrifice on the Cross. Thank you for giving me eternal life! Amen.