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.

Dear Friends, 

 Many people around this time of year will be celebrating Easter. When I think about the significance of Easter—meaning Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection, I am reminded of an incident that occurred many years ago…   

Although I was a believer, I had fallen into bondage and had been there for quite some time. I was so locked up inside I could not escape! I prayed earnestly for about a year…then one morning around 4am I awoke in my bed. I looked up at the black ceiling and I had an open vision. It was not a “dream” as I was fully awake! I saw Jesus hanging on the Cross. I could not see His face due to the immense light that shone around it. I noticed a dead lamb draped around His neck. I pointed to it and acknowledged to the Lord, “That’s me, isn’t it?” He replied, “Yes.” Then continuing, He said, “You see, when I died, you died with me and when I rose again, you rose with me, and I gave you new life…MY LIFE.” Colossians 2:11-14 confirms this…   

  “Through our union with him, we have experienced circumcision of heart. All of the guilt and power of sin has been cut away and is now extinct because of what Christ, the Anointed One, has accomplished for us. For we’ve been buried with him into his death. Our “baptism into death” also means we were raised with him when we believed in God’s resurrection power, the power that raised him from death’s realm. This “realm of death” describes our former state, for we were held in sin’s grasp.  But now, we’ve been resurrected out of that “realm of death” never to return, for we are forever alive and forgiven of all our sins! He canceled out every legal violation we had on our record and the old arrest warrant that stood to indict us. He erased it all—our sins, our stained soul—he deleted it all and they cannot be retrieved! Everything we once were in Adam has been placed onto his cross and nailed permanently there as a public display of cancellation.” (TPT) 

 WOW! Thinking about what Jesus said to me, I suddenly realized the magnitude and weight of my sins. I was in awe that He could bear it. Then I gasped when I realized He took the punishment for the sins of everyone in the world. When I comprehended the magnitude of His sacrifice, I asked Him, “How could you bear all that?” His reply was short and simple, “BECAUSE I AM GOD!” Then the vision disappeared, and I was left in such awe and wonderment! When Jesus died on the Cross it wasn’t just some historical event or a theory—it actually happened and the work of the Cross still stands firm today!

Soon afterward I was miraculously delivered and healed! Oh, what a mighty God we have! He is so kind and forgiving and is patient with us even when we make the same mistakes over and over again. But it is to our benefit that we stop and take His hand of grace TODAY because we are the ones who suffer at our own hands! It doesn’t have to continue this way! You can BEGIN AGAIN with Him! All is NOT lost…it’s just beginning for you if you will surrender your life to Him! 

In His Loving Name, 

Life With Father Ministries 

SPRINGTIME FOR THE SOUL 

“So above all, guard the affections of your heart, for they affect all that you are. Pay attention to the welfare of your innermost being, for from there flows the wellspring of life.” Proverbs 4:23 (TPT) 

The word “heart” used in this verse includes our thoughts, our wills, our discernment, and our affections. The New Century version says it this way… “Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life.” The meaning of the word “wellspring” in the first version is the Hebrew word “yasa” which means “seasons,” especially springtime. So, you could say that; out of the heart flow the seasons of life. And if your heart is tender to God, you can live in perpetual springtime! 

Taking care of your inner person is crucial because the health of your inner person determines how you navigate your outward circumstances (whether successful or not)! Have you ever considered that where you are in life today has everything to do with the way you think? Have you realized the fact that maybe you have neglected or abused your own mind and emotions? Have you allowed yourself to accumulate and circulate garbage in your mind that is of no use or profit to you? The way you think has everything to do with what your life looks like! Your thought life also affects how you believe. But the GOOD NEWS is that you can change your mind! Your attitude and overall health can change. You can start over and become a brand-new person with a bright future.  

Now, you might be a very nice and polite person, but still, your small, natural way of thinking must change if you want more out of life! Feelings of frustration occur in your life because it’s signaling to you that there is way more to life than where you are now!

But getting rid of the toxic thoughts does not occur overnight. You didn’t get where you are today instantly. No, it was a steady process of wrong thinking and behaving over the course of years that led you to the place where you are today. Do you realize that when you harbor and regurgitate painful thoughts and ugly memories, holding on to unforgiveness and bitterness, you are only hurting yourself? The inner turmoil you inflict upon yourself must stop! Think about what you are doing…it’s like sitting in the driver’s seat of your life with one foot on the accelerator and the other on the brake. You are just spinning your wheels and going nowhere! Your thoughts and attitudes must change so that your mind can heal and your life can be restored. 

Philippians 4:6-9 gives us specific instructions and examples of how we should think and behave… “Do not worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks. And God’s peace, which is so great we cannot understand it, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus…think about the things that are good and worthy of praise. Think about the things that are true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected. Do what you learned and received from me, what I told you, and what you saw me do. And the God who gives peace will be with you.  (GNT) 

Allow yourself to think about good things such as what you are thankful for. Make a list of them and read them to yourself every day. As you read them, thank the Lord for all He has done. What has He done for you??? Maybe you feel as though He’s done nothing for you! You may feel as if you are in a precarious place right now like you’re dangling from a cliff’s edge! The truth is that it’s worse than that! If you do not have God now, you will die and suffer eternal separation from Him forever! 

SPRINGTIME FOR THE SOUL (Cont’d)

But the Lord has wonderful timing don’t you think? Even if you don’t love yourself, God DOES! He has brought this message of HOPE to your attention! This is His way of giving you another chance to take His invitation for a better life here and beyond! Take His hand of Salvation and thank Him for yet another chance to make the right decision to turn around to face His goodness!! 

Following are some important tips in helping you regain a sound, healthy mind… Don’t replay old hurts or angry moments. The only reason you would need to rethink them is to possibly make amends to someone you injured or forgive someone who has injured you. If you know you need to apologize to someone, do so at the earliest moment. If you need to forgive, then sincerely forgive, pray for the person who injured you, and then let it go! After you have made amends where possible, the situation is now resolved so there’s no need to replay it in your mind. Like changing the channel on a bad TV program, the remote is in YOUR hands and you can control these thoughts! Practice changing your attention to something constructive like the TRUTH of God’s Word! Replace the old worthless thoughts with the new powerful Words and thoughts of God!  

Don’t get stuck in self-centered, self-absorbed, and small-minded ways of thinking only of yourself because you will never find satisfaction and fulfillment that way. Trying to satiate oneself is like trying to fill a black hole—there is no bottom, so it can never be filled. There is nothing in this world that can compare with knowing Jesus personally and walking in your God-given purpose. There is nothing that can satisfy you and give you deep joy and abiding peace as experiencing Jesus daily.  

As you practice the basic Christian principles outlined below, you can move on to greater things! Like a student, search and research these things, put the Scriptures to memorization, and put them into practice and you will be on your way to discovering and fulfilling your divine purpose! And as you pursue the things that are pleasing to the Lord, He will pave a solid secure path before you. You can be certain that this kind of investment will provide a solid return!  

Today, may the Lord strengthen your heart and mind as you hold fast to the truth that Jesus is Who He is and does what He says He will do! What do you need to do to demonstrate your faith in Him today? Here are just a few examples… 

• Read your Bible every day. 
• Pray honestly and with sincerity. 
• Tell God how you feel and ask Him to help you think the way He thinks. Ask Him for His peace. 
• Think of ways you can be a blessing to others. 
• Pray for others, not just yourself and your family. 
• Ask God to enable you daily to behave in a Christ-like manner. 
• Forgive everyone and don’t blame anyone else for your own actions (or lack of action.) Take responsibility for your own life.  
• Don’t speak negatively—agree with God’s powerful, faith-filled Word. 
• Don’t worry about anything—give your worries to God and ask Him to help you every day.
• Find a good church.
• Get connected with other Christians who can support and pray with you.     

YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN!

When speaking with Nicodemus in John chapter 3, Jesus said to him, “‘I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.’ ‘What do you mean?’ exclaimed Nicodemus… Jesus replied, ‘I assure you, 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 birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’” (John 3:37 NLT)   

Being Born Again is just the beginning of a lifelong relationship with God. The beginning of any healthy relationship is honesty. Clearly, you are out of step and out of touch with God and you need to admit that. Once you admit you are a sinner, you need to ask the Lord for forgiveness so that you can be reconciled to Him.   

Right now, Jesus is pursuing you and wants to bless and love you like you’ve never been loved before! Perhaps you know you don’t deserve such kindness and yet that is why Jesus died on the Cross. He paid for your sin and now He simply invites you into an incredible relationship of honesty and trust. Then He promises that, once you physically die, you will join Him in heaven! Have you been Born Again by the Spirit of the living God? If not, why don’t you make that decision today? With all sincerity of heart, pray the “Prayer of Salvation below and ask the Lord to give you the gift of new life!   

PRAYER OF SALVATION 

Dear Jesus, I’m so sorry for all the things I’ve done up until this day. The punishment for sin is certainly 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 I accept Your death as payment for my sins. Please, Jesus, come into my life, make me new, and be my Lord and Savior. Teach me how to have a relationship with you. Guide me and strengthen me to do what is right so that I can live pleasing to you. Thank you, Jesus, for Your great sacrifice on the Cross. Thank you for giving me eternal life! Amen. 

FOUR GUIDELINES FOR QUIET TIME

Dear Friends,

It was a remarkably warm and comforting funeral service. If you had to sum up my father-in-law in one word it would have to be “integrity”. Father Dutel conducted the service and gave a sermon on integrity that was so simple yet so profound! These aren’t his exact words but what I wrote down.

He said the word “integrity” comes from the word “integer”.  In math, an integer is a whole number not a fraction. A person of integrity is one whose speech and life are not fractured—they are one in the same. They do what they say and say what they do. Wow! And Fred was certainly a man of integrity—he was a man of his word. And it is people like Fred who keep those around them grounded and secure leaving a legacy of goodness.

David knew what was in his wake! He stated, “Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life” Psalm 23:6 (NIV)

How will people remember you when you’re gone? What kind of spiritual and moral legacy are you leaving for the next generation? Whether you realize it or not as we all travel through this life, we are leaving something behind in our wake. In the physical world we call it footprints but in the lives of others it’s called an “impression”. Whether it is a good, godly impression or something else, we are leaving an influential legacy behind.

If we realize we are living our lives haphazardly, at any time we can CHOOSE a different path. It really is simply a choice we make. One path leads to eternal life and a heritage of integrity and honor while the other path leads to destruction with tragedy and suffering in its wake.

With that said, do you know where you are in your life’s journey today? Maybe you’ve made your share of detours and mistakes and ended up lost in a dark place? Wilderness experts have an acronym for what to do when a person finds themselves lost—it’s called STOP: Stop, Think, Observe, andPlan.

In the following pages we are going to look at these four points in detail and see how they relate to our spiritual journey! And if we feel lost, we’ll look at how to get on and stay on the path that leads home!

In His Loving Name,

Life With Father Ministries

WILDERNESS TIP: STOP

The first thing that wilderness experts say to do when you realize you are lost and confused is to stop moving. The urge is to run to try and find the trail you started on. Don’t do it. Chances are that in your panic you’ll get even more lost or hurt yourself as you go flailing through the woods.

Let’s examine what it looks like to be lost in life by studying David’s example in Psalm 32… “Before I confessed my sins, I kept it all inside; my dishonesty devastated my inner life, causing my life to be filled with frustration, irrepressible anguish, and misery. The pain never let up, for your hand of conviction was heavy on my heart. My strength was sapped, my inner life dried up like a spiritual drought within my soul. Then I finally admitted to you all my sins, refusing to hide them any longer. I said, ‘My life-giving God, I will openly acknowledge my evil actions.’ And you forgave me! All at once the guilt of my sin washed away and all my pain disappeared!” (TPT)

Never underestimate the power of confession and forgiveness to get you back on the right path! David had pent up sin that devastated his inner life causing him to be filled with frustration, irrepressible anguish and misery. Holding on to sin that we committed (unconfessed sin) or that others committed against us (unforgiveness) will cause an excruciating amount of pain and turmoil in our lives.

If you are struggling with unconfessed sin or bitterness due to unforgiveness, isn’t it time to clear the slate of your heart? You can do this by confessing the things you’ve done wrong and forgive those who have wronged you. The Holy Spirit will help you in this endeavor as you reach out to Him in prayer. And your prayers will not be in vain…The Lord is always ready to respond to the prayer of the repentant soul! Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is close to all whose hearts are crushed by pain, and he is always ready to restore the repentant one.” (TPT)

WILDERNESS TIP: THINK

The second wilderness tip in helping us find the right path is to think! In order to think clearly we must release our panic and anxiety to the Lord! The Lord tells us to, “Surrender your anxiety. Be still and realize that I am God.” Psalm 68:19 (TPT)

Worry and fear can be a constant weight in the back of our minds causing us torment and unrest! The WORST thing to do when weighed down by troubles is to run faster to try and escape them! Have you noticed yet that that doesn’t work? The problems never go away. Once the anesthesia wears off, the weight and pain of what you’re running from only intensifies. No matter how heavy or complicated your situation is, the process is still the same. Stop running, stop ignoring your issues or trying to find a way around your problems but SURRENDER yourself to the Lord and receive His wonderful guidance and peace!

There are various reasons why people can have a hard time releasing their burdens and worries to the Lord. Most of it is just plain wrong thinking! When we carry these problems around, we are essentially saying, “the Cross is not enough” and feel we need to add to the work of the Cross by carrying our burdens around ourselves. Didn’t Jesus already carry our burdens on the Cross on our behalf? Speaking of Jesus, Isaiah 53:10-12 explains what really occurred at the Cross—it was payment for all of mankind’s sin and remains in effect TODAY!

The Lord says, “It was my will that he should suffer; his death was a sacrifice to bring forgiveness. And so he will see his descendants; he will live a long life, and through him my purpose will succeed. After a life of suffering, he will again have joy; he will know that he did not suffer in vain. My devoted servant, with whom I am pleased, will bear the punishment of many and for his sake I will forgive them. And so I will give him a place of honor, a place among the great and powerful. He willingly gave his life and shared the fate of evil men. He took the place of many sinners and prayed that they might be forgiven.” (GNT)

Today we suffer for the sins we refuse to repent of. As long as we engage in sin, we will endure the consequences of it. But the GOOD NEWS is that there is a way to get free from both sin and the penalty of it! You don’t have to continue along that tormenting road! No matter how far down the wrong path you’ve gone, you can still turn around and return to your loving Father. You can be healed from your physical, emotional and mental wounds—even your self-inflicted wounds! You don’t have to live in the pain of your past mistakes since Jesus died to exonerate you! As soon as you acknowledge the wrongs you’ve done and ask for forgiveness, the healing process can begin.

Don’t surrender underneath your anxiety but surrender your anxiety to the Lord. Then you will experience His peace that will keep your soul at rest so that you can think clearly!

WILDERNESS TIP: OBSERVE

The third tip when you find yourself lost and confused is to look around you and find higher ground. Moving to a summit or a ridgeline provides perspective and broadens one’s horizons. From a higher vantage point, we can see more options. Let’s look at what it means to look for and find life’s “higher ground”.

When stressed or worried, we tend to run to things that make us temporarily feel good or forget the problem. Things such as alcohol or drugs, over-spending, over-eating, gambling and even pursuing relationships with dysfunctional and ungodly people give us the illusion of relief but they never actually fix the problems. And so, things continue to weigh us down. But there’s a better way to live! Wanting to feel and be secure is one of our most fundamental needs. And God has already provided for that need through Jesus, our living Lord. (Hebrews 10:19-23)

When David was afraid, he wrote in Psalm 61:2, “From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” (NIV) The word “Rock” means: a rock with a flat surface. When you don’t know where you are going—when life is as volatile and unsteady as a road filled with potholes, you can trust Him to guide you by His truth.

Again, David wrote in Psalm 27:11, “Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.” (KJV) The word plain here means “level place.” Enemies lie, deceive and try to trip us up, but Jesus guides us by truth which is solid and secure! Jesus IS that flat surface—a secure place of safety for us that never changes. So put your trust in Someone who is much higher than yourself! Invest in your relationship with the Lord for in times of trouble He will be a strong refuge for your soul to run to and find strength! If you are struggling today, then go to Him in heartfelt prayer before you go to anything or anyone else. He will not give you the illusion of security but will give you an assurance of His faithfulness and make you truly free from fear of every kind!

WILDERNESS TIP: PLAN

The fourth wilderness tip in helping you find the path of life is to consider your options and make a plan. In order to find your best option/s in life is to find and FOLLOW GOD’S PLAN for your life. Let’s look at that more closely… “I hear the Lord saying, ‘I will stay close to you, instructing and guiding you along the pathway for your life.  I will advise you along the way and lead you forth with my eyes as your guide. So don’t make it difficult; don’t be stubborn when I take you where you’ve not been before. Don’t make me tug you and pull you along. Just come with me!’” Psalm 32:8-9 (TPT)

Take time to pay attention and listen for God’s wisdom today in the Scriptures as well as other messages presented to you. Could it be that God is speaking to you right now, through this Newsletter? Also, ask the Lord to confirm His direction for your life so that you can be sure of it. And know this… it will NEVER be too difficult to understand the Lord’s direction. Remember how God directed Abraham to leave his country and go to a place God would show him? Remember that Abraham left home “not knowing where he was going? And yet he entered and lived in that promised land! (Gen.12)

Hebrews 11:8-9 says that, “By an act of faith, Abraham said yes to God’s call to travel to an unknown place that would become his home. When he left he had no idea where he was going. By an act of faith, he lived in the country promised him…”  (MSG)

Without a compass, map or GPS system, God was able to communicate to Abraham in such a way that Abraham understood and moved forward with surety and confidence. Keep in mind that Abraham’s journey was not just physical but spiritual as well. And the journey we are describing here is anINNER journey of living with a clean (cleansed) conscious and having a pure heart (unselfish intentions). And like Abraham, the Lord is taking us all on a journey from the familiar to the unfamiliar. But just because it’s unfamiliar doesn’t mean it has to be scary…it’s just unfamiliar! Think of the unfamiliar as something far, far greater, more liberating and more glorious than you’ve ever imagined! Through the power of the Holy Spirit, He wants to transform our corrupt, disobedient nature into the kind of person just like Him which is incorruptibly pure in thought, word, and deed. And though it can be uncomfortable at times, we must trust Him for He certainly knows what He’s doing! He says in Jeremiah 29:11, “I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.” (MSG)

Following God’s plan for your life doesn’t have to be difficult. It only feels constraining for the one who wants his/her own way. Let go of what you think you want so that God can give you something far greater!

CHOOSING THE PATH HOME

If you have never asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior—if you have no idea where you will spend eternity, then right now, without putting it off another minute, why don’t you make your future certain? Where you spend eternity is YOUR decision 1 John 1:8-9 (NLT) says, “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” So, with all sincerity of heart, pray the Prayer of Salvation and become Born Again!

PRAYER OF SALVATION

Dear Jesus, I admit I’m a sinner and have sinned against you and others. I believe you died on the Cross for my sins and in my place. I ask you to forgive me 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! Amen!

Dear Friends,

At this time, myself as well as many others have embarked on a 21 day 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 2024. This is a powerful act of faith. By putting the Lord and His priorities above our own, we in turn receive more of His favor, a deeper contentment, satisfaction and joy in life! And even though we are not exempt from difficulties, the Lord strengthens us and keeps us focused as go through our troubles.

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 I am not tormented by the past, anxious in the present or afraid of tomorrow and beyond. If you’ve ever wrestled with worry or anxiety, you know that having this kind of calm assurance in your heart and mind is PRICELESS. It is beyond the price of pills and potions—it is more precious than all the gold in this world. And it is free to all who will abandon their own (unsuccessful) efforts of trying to hold their lives together! Peace is a precious gift that is given in exchange for relinquishing control of the life that was never working in the first place!

I love the way The Passion Translation describes Jesus’s purpose and mission: He said in John 10:9-10… “I am the Gateway. to enter through me is to experience life, freedom, and satisfaction. 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!”

Friends, this is what life looks like for the true followers of Jesus! This is what you can expect when you abandon your own opinions and ways of living to follow (emulate and imitate) the behavior and thinking of Jesus! He will uphold your life and fill you to overflowing with His goodness!

In the following pages we’ll look a little deeper into what it means to “Follow the Lord”. I pray these entries will help you in either changing your course in life, or in experiencing greater fruitfulness in your walk with God. As you make it your aim to put God first in your life, may you enjoy 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 “No” – it’s impossible to walk down the same path with someone else without mutually agreeing on the direction and destination! What this means for us in life is that if we’ve made some wrong decisions, we can always change course and begin doing things HIS WAY, while reaping the wonderful benefits that come from living a life that is pleasing to Him!

You see, everyone desires to live a successful life but most of us don’t know how to get there! So, who knows the way of finding and enjoying real, satisfying LIFE?? Certainly the Author of all Life knows the way! And He is ready, even eager to show it to us if we will but listen and obey Him!

   Like Amos 3:3 states, we must agree with Him about some things if we want to move forward into His blessed life. What this means is that if God points out something in our lives such as a bad attitude or character trait, or in the way we treat others that is not pleasing to Him, then we need to repent (change the way we think and act) asking His forgiveness and if necessary, the forgiveness of others.

   David prayed in Psalm 139:23-24 saying, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. (NLT)

   The ways of God are not complicated—even children can understand them! It is only when we make excuses for our sins, cover them up or deny they are there that 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 wonderful future belongs to those who will look to the Lord for help and follow (obey) His 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 heartRELY 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)

Take a moment today to read and re-read these passages. Let these words from God sink down and permeate your soul, allowing them bring healing refreshment to your body and spirit!

FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE

“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 11:1 (NCV)

Whether we consider ourselves a leader or not, we are leading others every day through our example and lifestyle. You see, to lead simply means to “influence” and whether or not you are aware of it you are influencing those around you. When we take the initiative to return kindness for rudeness, generosity for selfishness, compassion for anger and rage, we are influencing and showing others the way of the Lord! (1 Peter 3:9)

Paul told Timothy in 1 Timothy, 4:12, “…be an example to the believers with your words, your actions, your love, your faith, and your pure life.” (NCV) Following simply means that we are to mimic or copy the thinking, motives, speech and behavior of Jesus.

Paul said in 1 Peter 2:21-24, “He had never sinned, and he had never lied. People insulted Christ, but he did not insult them in return. Christ suffered, but he did not threaten. He let God, the One who judges rightly, take care of him. Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross so we would stop living for sin and start living for what is right.”

    “Following” indicates MOVEMENT and it requires PARTICIPATION on our part. Following means that we gradually become like the person we follow. In this case we become like Jesus—a person of honesty and integrity (which is a personal choice)! PERSONAL INTEGRITY is vital for a solid life. Think of someone who built a bridge or a building with substandard materials and shoddy workmanship—the building will certainly encounter problems!

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 had moved in, a problem occurred with the plumbing. The shower and tubs were not draining properly. Workmen came out to identify the problem and correct it. The workers determined that the new 2^nd story had not been properly reinforced causing it to sag, putting a kink on the pipes underneath. Nothing was ever done to correct the problem! For years we had to shower while standing in 5 inches of dirty water. I didn’t complain about the situation but I was certainly impacted by the result of poor workmanship!

This is exactly what happens when we live haphazard, sloppy lives. We run into all kinds of problems when we lie or deny truth, deceive, betray or take advantage of others or just plain don’t give our best in life. We begin living in the consequences of own bad choices!

The Good News is that we no longer have to ignore our problems and pretend we’re doing great when in reality, we’re standing in 5 inches of filthy water! We can DECIDE TODAY to make a change in the course and direction our lives are going. We can CHOOSE to surrender our poorly constructed lives to the One who created it to begin with! Today, make the best decision of your life—decide to follow and live by the example Jesus set for us! You’ll never regret it! “Everyone who believes in him will never be disappointed.” Romans 10:11 (TPT)

GOD’S PLAN FOR ETERNAL SALVATION

God loves you and wants to have a personal relationship with you forever. The problem is …one thing separates you from a relationship with God—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 get rid of our sins. We can’t earn our way to heaven by being good, going to 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.

So how can you know God? It all starts with accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ provides a relationship with the Father and eternal life through His death on the cross and resurrection (Romans 5:10).

Romans 10:9 promises, “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (NLT)

If you have not yet begun your personal relationship with God, understand that the One who created you loves you no matter who you are or what you’ve done. He wants you to experience the profound depth of His care. Therefore, tell God that you are willing to trust Him for Salvation. You can tell Him in your own words or use this simple prayer:

A PRAYER TO ACCEPT JESUS AS SAVIOR

Dear Heavenly Father, I believe that Jesus died on the Cross to pay for my sins. I believe Jesus died and rose again after death! Romans 4:25 says that “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 Jesus to be my Savior and my Lord. Help me now to live the life that honors you. Thank you for saving me! Amen!