Seeing Well

Made it to the end of the week it's FRIDAY! with these words of wisdom on this Veterans Day Thanks to ALL the Brave Men & Women who serve the United States of America. Read: John 15:12–17 Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 50; Hebrews 8 You are my friends if you do what I command.—John 15:14 Raleigh looks like a powerful dog—he is large and muscular and has a thick coat of fur. And he weighs over 100 pounds! Despite his appearance, Raleigh connects well with people. His owner takes him to nursing homes and hospitals to bring people a smile. Once, a four-year-old girl spotted Raleigh across a room. She wanted to pet him, but was afraid to get close. Eventually, her curiosity overcame her sense of caution and she spent several minutes talking to him and petting him. She discovered that he is a gentle creature, even though he is powerful. The combination of these qualities reminds me of what we read about Jesus in the New Testament. Jesus was approachable—He welcomed little children (Matt. 19:13-15). He was kind to an adulterous woman in a desperate situation (John 8:1-11). Compassion motivated Him to teach crowds (Mark 6:34). At the same time, Jesus’s power was astounding. Heads turned and jaws dropped as He subdued demons, calmed violent storms, and resurrected dead people! (Mark 1:21-34; 4:35-41; John 11). The way we see Jesus determines how we relate to Him. If we focus only on His power, we may treat Him with the detached worship we’d give a comic book superhero. Yet, if we overemphasize His kindness, we risk treating Him too casually. The truth is that Jesus is both at once—great enough to deserve our obedience yet humble enough to call us friends. —Jennifer Benson Schuldt Jesus, thank You for the privilege of knowing You. I acknowledge Your gentle power. I worship You as the Son of God—full of grace and glory. What we think of Jesus shows in how we relate with Him. INSIGHT: Jesus spoke of “a new commandment” to love one another (John 13:34). The command to love is not entirely new (1 John 2:7), for God commanded every Jew to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev. 19:18; Matt. 5:43; 22:39). What is new is that Jesus raised the bar to the highest standard of loving: “As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34). He used the words servants and friends to contrast the new level of love and intimacy we now have with Him. The one who loved you as He loved Himself is a true friend, one who will humbly and lovingly serve you (13:1-17), and one who sacrificially loved you, even laying down His life for you (15:13). Sim Kay Tee

A Difficult Hill

The weekend has come to an end and we are gearing up to start a New Week with these words of wisdom to help us get through the start of this Week. Read: Psalm 110 Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 40–42; Hebrews 4 He will drink from a brook along the way, and so he will lift his head high.—Psalm 110:7 High in a fold of Jughandle Peak in the mountains north of our home in Idaho lies a glacial lake. The route to the lake goes up a steep, exposed ridge through boulders and loose stones. It’s a strenuous ascent. At the beginning of the climb, however, there is a brook—a spring that seeps out of soft, mossy earth and flows through a lush meadow. It’s a quiet place to drink deeply and prepare for the hard climb ahead. In John Bunyan’s classic allegory of the Christian life, The Pilgrim’s Progress, Christian arrives at the foot of a steep ascent called the Hill Difficulty, “at the bottom of which was a spring . . . Christian now went to the spring and drank to refresh himself, and then began to go up the hill.” Perhaps the difficult mountain you face is a rebellious child or a serious medical diagnosis. The challenge seems more than you can endure. Before you face your next major task, visit the spring of refreshment that is God Himself. Come to Him with all your weakness, weariness, helplessness, fear, and doubt. Then drink deeply of His power, strength, and wisdom. God knows all your circumstances and will supply a store of comfort, of spiritual strengthening and consolation. He will lift up your head and give you strength to go on. —David Roper Father, at this moment I turn to You for strength in my weakness, energy for my weariness, and faith in my doubt. To help strengthen your trust in God, read Hope: Choosing Faith Instead of Fear at discoveryseries.org/q0733 He who overrules all things . . . enabled Christian to . . . continue on his way. John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress INSIGHT: Psalm 110 is one of many Messianic psalms. These prophetic Hebrew hymns are called Messianic because they predict the coming of God’s anointed king or Christ (Messiah means Christ) which is Jesus. This particular psalm reaches both back and forward in the biblical text to teach us something about who Jesus is and the role He plays in bridging the gap between God and humanity. Dennis Moles

Strong Conqueror

We have come to the end of the week in the 11th month of the New Year it's already November BOY! Time is moving here are some words of wisdom as we have enter into the month of November Read: John 18:10–14, 36–37 Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 32–33; Hebrews 1 My kingdom is from another place.—John 18:36 Most of us hope for good government. We vote, we serve, and we speak out for causes we believe are fair and just. But political solutions remain powerless to change the condition of our hearts. Many of Jesus’s followers anticipated a Messiah who would bring a vigorous political response to Rome and its heavy-handed oppression. Peter was no exception. When Roman soldiers came to arrest Christ, Peter drew his sword and took a swing at the head of the high priest’s servant, lopping off his ear in the process. Jesus halted Peter’s one-man war, saying, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” (John 18:11). Hours later, Jesus would tell Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders” (v. 36). The Lord’s restraint in that moment, as His life hung in the balance, astonishes us when we ponder the scope of His mission. On a future day, He will lead the armies of heaven into battle. John wrote, “With justice he judges and wages war” (Rev. 19:11). But as He endured the ordeal of His arrest, trial, and crucifixion, Jesus kept His Father’s will in view. By embracing death on the cross, He set in motion a chain of events that truly transforms hearts. And in the process, our Strong Conqueror defeated death itself. —Tim Gustafson Father, how prone I am to reacting quickly rather than wisely. Show me Your will for my life so that I will purposefully choose the path You have for me. Real restraint is not weakness, for it arises out of genuine strength. INSIGHT: At Gethsemane Jesus restrained and conquered (or overcame) His own natural inclinations that wished He would not have to undergo the excruciating agony of crucifixion (Luke 22:42). Restraint is not always a high priority in our lives, but we all need help to overcome our natural inclinations. One aspect of the Spirit’s control over us, according to Galatians 5:23, is self-control. Peter tended to be an “open-mouth-insert-foot” kind of guy (Matt. 16:22; 17:4-5). And on impulse he cut off an opponent’s ear (John 18:10). Even as a stallion must be harnessed to do its master’s bidding, so Peter had a lesson to teach us about the value of restraint. Jim Townsend

It Never Runs Out

Starting this last day of October before we enter into the 11th month of the New Year with these words Read: 1 Peter 1:3-9 Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 22-23; Titus 1 He has given us new birth into . . . an inheritance that can never perish.—1 Peter 1:3–4 When I asked a friend who is about to retire what she feared about her next stage of life, she said, “I want to make sure I don’t run out of money.” The next day as I was talking to my financial counselor he gave me advice on how I might avoid running out of money. Indeed, we all want the security of knowing we’ll have the resources we need for the rest of our lives. No financial plan can provide an absolute guarantee of earthly security. But there is a plan that extends far beyond this life and indefinitely into the future. The apostle Peter describes it like this: “In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade” (1 Peter 1:3-4). When we place our faith in Jesus to forgive our sins we receive an eternal inheritance through God’s power. Because of this inheritance, we’ll live forever and never run short of what we need. Planning for retirement is a good idea if we’re able to do so. But more important is having an eternal inheritance that never runs out—and that is available only through faith in Jesus Christ. —Dave Branon Dear God, I want that assurance of an eternal inheritance—the certainty of everlasting life with You. I put my faith in Jesus to forgive my sins and make me His child. Thank You for saving me and reserving a place for me in Your eternal kingdom. The promise of heaven is our eternal hope. INSIGHT: Revelation 21:15-21 describes heaven by referring to twelve sparkling, colorful gems and “gold as pure as transparent glass” (v. 21). Those who belong to Christ are heirs of heaven—it is called our “inheritance” (1 Peter 1:4). And we “are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time” (v. 5). Peter says that this reality fills the believer with “inexpressible and glorious joy” (v. 8). The Bible assures us that even though we “may have . . . to suffer grief in all kinds of trials,” we can be assured that even the worst imaginable pain or problem is only “for a little while” (v. 6). Jim Townsend

Gutless & Glamorous: Gaylyn's Story

Gaylyn shares her beautiful story about being Gutless & Glamorous. For more than half of my life I’ve lived with a chronic illness that has affected, changed, and altered the course of my life. I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease when I was 14 years old. At a time when your body is changing, life is new and exciting; my body started to turn on me and changed my life forever. I quickly learned I had no control of the changes that were happening to my body but what I have learned is that I do have control of how I respond to these changes. I have learned and continue to learn that I must remain true to myself to get through my often very difficult life with Crohn’s disease. The summer before I began high school, I started experiencing symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and severe weight loss. I knew in the back of my mind that something was terribly wrong. I knew that my pain was increasing and so severe that I needed something or someone to help get my life back. After a routine diagnostic group of tests, I was diagnosed with a severe case of Crohn’s disease. Little did I know at that time my life as I knew it was over. After I was diagnosed, I tried my best to maintain a so-called “normal” life and cope with my diagnosis. I was immediately started on an extremely high dose of steroids and stayed on it for years. I started a chemotherapeutic agent and immunosuppressant. I became increasingly immunudeficient from all the medications I was on; I developed the shingles virus twice; and I lost all of my hair. I stayed on these medicines for years in hopes that they would miraculously begin to start working and all my pain would disappear. Each time I tried a different promising drug it was in hope that my misery would subside. And after each drug failed me, my optimism began to fade. After exhausting all options, I had to have surgery. I went into my first surgery in 2005 with such high expectations; I was admitted to the hospital in hopes that this surgery would relieve me of my pain and all would be well. That was all but the case - after my first surgery, all hell broke loose and I became the sickest I had ever been. I began stints of constant hospital stays and procedures. I suffered immensely with new symptoms. I was constantly loosing blood, was deathly tired, and could barely get out the bed. Shortly after that I had another surgery in 2008. I am not certain if I ever experienced a period of remission, severe Crohn’s had become my norm. For over a decade, I adapted my life to live while being in excruciating pain some days and in pain most. I became oblivious to the fact my quality of life was gone. My last surgery was in 2011 during which I had a total proctocolectomy (removal of the colon and rectum), leaving me with a permanent ileostomy. I tried to hold on as long as I could to my colon. I was striving to be “normal” by clinging to the very thing that was slowly killing me. I strived to remain normal due to the stigmas associated with having an ostomy. But it came a time that I had no choice. Having my colon removed was the best thing that has happened to me. And now there is absolutely no way I would want to go back other than to do it sooner. My quality of life improved, hope resurfaced, and something that I least expected to emerge from this surgery grew stronger, self-love. I’ve gone through many different physical changes due to having Crohn’s disease from the medicines I’ve been on, the surgeries I’ve had, and at times due to the cause and effect of living with the disease. Because of those physical changes, I’ve gone through many emotional changes as well. The stigma that comes along with having Crohn’s disease plus having an ostomy can have a drastic impact on self-esteem and self-worth. Through it all I have learned to remain constant in my beliefs and that is to not let the beliefs of others control how I view myself. I’ve learned the importance of loving myself and staying true to myself and knowing I am capable of overcoming anything. I’ve learned that one of life’s most rewarding challenges is to accept yourself for who you are and all that you are completely and consistently. I am so in love with my new body; my new body saved my life in more ways than one. I started Gutless and Glamorous as a way to empower and uplift those living with chronic illness and to raise awareness and erase the misconceptions of living with an ostomy. I don’t want others to suffer because of the fear of being stigmatized; it is my goal to help erase the stigma forever. My body tried to kill me. Yet I survived. But it left behind a constant reminder that I must look at daily. I know what it’s like to see your reflection in the mirror and feel unattractive. I used to be disgusted at the very thing that restored my health. But then I realized, that anything that has the power to save a life can be nothing but beautiful.

Learning to Count

The week has come to an end we have made it to the end of the week it's FRIDAY! and with only a couple of more days left in the month of October before we head into the 11th month of the New Year which will be November BOY! Time is moving but lets take monet to reflect on these words. Read: Psalm 139:14-18 Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 15-17; 2 Timothy 2 How precious to me are your thoughts, God!—Psalm 139:17 My son is learning to count from one to ten. He counts everything from toys to trees. He counts things I tend to overlook, like the wildflowers on his way to school or the toes on my feet. My son is also teaching me to count again. Often I become so immersed in things I haven’t finished or things I don’t have that I fail to see all the good things around me. I have forgotten to count the new friends made this year and the answered prayers received, the tears of joy shed and the times of laughter with good friends. My ten fingers are not enough to count all that God gives me day by day. “Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare” (Ps. 40:5). How can we even begin to count all the blessings of salvation, reconciliation, and eternal life? Let us join David as he praises God for all His precious thoughts about us and all He has done for us, when he says, “How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand” (139:17-18). Let’s learn to count again! —Keila Ochoa Lord, Your works are so many and good I can’t count them all. But I thank You for each one. Let’s thank God for His countless blessings. INSIGHT: Psalm 139:15 is one of the most well-known and beloved verses in all of Scripture. Because it is difficult to translate, it might have a broader and fuller meaning than the English represents. The Hebrew could also be rendered, “My bones were not crushed because of You, when I was secretly made.” Not only does this verse tell us that God knew us before we were born, but it also tells us that He was actively protecting and sustaining us as we were being formed in the secret place of our mother’s womb. Dennis Moles

Choosing to Change

So we start the new week off in this last week of October with these words of wisdom Read: Ezekiel 18:25-32 Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 3-5; 1 Timothy 4 Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit.—Ezekiel 18:31 When my son acquired a small robot, he had fun programming it to perform simple tasks. He could make it move forward, stop, and then retrace its steps. He could even get it to beep and replay recorded noises. The robot did exactly what my son told it to do. It never laughed spontaneously or veered off in an unplanned direction. It had no choice. When God created humans, He didn’t make robots. God made us in His image, and this means we can think, reason, and make decisions. We’re able to choose between right and wrong. Even if we have made a habit of disobeying God, we can decide to redirect our lives. When the ancient Israelites found themselves in trouble with God, He spoke to them through the prophet Ezekiel. Ezekiel said, “Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. . . . Get a new heart and a new spirit” (Ezek. 18:30-31). This kind of change can begin with just one choice, empowered by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:13). It might mean saying no at a critical moment. No more gossip. No more greed. No more jealousy. No more ___________. (You fill in the blank.) If you know Jesus, you’re not a slave to sin. You can choose to change, and with God’s help, this personal revolution can start today. —Jennifer Benson Schuldt Dear God, all things are possible with You. Through the power of Jesus’s resurrection help me to take the first step toward a life of greater devotion to You. For a new start, ask God for a new heart. INSIGHT: God promises to perform a spiritual heart transplant, giving everyone who repents “an undivided heart and a new spirit” and replacing a “heart of stone” with “a heart of flesh” (Ezek. 11:19). Ezekiel talked about this work of God in saving those who would repent (Ezek. 36:25-27). God will give us His Holy Spirit to enable us to obey Him (v. 27). Jeremiah calls this “a new covenant” (Jer. 31:31-34). Hours before He died on the cross, Jesus spoke of “the new covenant in [His] blood” (Luke 22:20; 1 Cor. 11:25). Because of Jesus’s death, He is now the mediator of the new covenant (Heb. 8:6-13; 9:17; 12:24). Under the terms of the new covenant, God has made it possible for everyone who repents to “get a new heart and a new spirit” (Ezek. 18:31). Sim Kay Tee