Doing the Opposite

The weekend is over starting the week off with these words of wisdom.Read: Colossians 2:20-3:4 Bible in a Year: Isaiah 34-36; Colossians 2 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.—Colossians 3:3 A wilderness excursion can seem daunting, but for outdoor enthusiasts this only adds to the appeal. Because hikers need more water than they can carry, they purchase bottles with built-in filters so they can use water sources along the way. But the process of drinking from such a container is counterintuitive. Tipping the bottle does nothing. A thirsty hiker has to blow into it to force the water through the filter. Reality is contrary to what seems natural. As we follow Jesus, we find much that is counterintuitive. Paul pointed out one example: Keeping rules won’t draw us closer to God. He asked, “Why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: ‘Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!’? These rules . . . are based on merely human commands and teachings” (Col. 2:20-22). So what are we to do? Paul gave the answer. “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above” (3:1). “You died,” he told people who were still very much alive, “and your life is now hidden with Christ in God” (v. 3). We are to consider ourselves “dead” to the values of this world and alive to Christ. We now aspire to a way of life demonstrated by the One who said, “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant” (Matt. 20:26). —Tim Gustafson Consider what these counterintuitive principles from the Bible might mean for you: “Whoever loses their life for me will find it” (Matt. 16:25). “The last will be first, and the first will be last” (Matt. 20:16). “When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:10). God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. 1 Corinthians 1:27 INSIGHT: In Colossae a false teaching known as gnosticism circulated. It promoted the idea that matter is evil and spirit is good, rejecting Jesus Christ’s full humanity as well as His complete divinity. To correct this, Paul wrote: “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form” (Col. 2:9). An equally destructive heresy in the spiritual life of the Colossian believers was legalism. This can be summed up as placating the gods or God by following a set of rules for behavior. The believers in Colossae fell into the trap of applying legalism to their Christian walk. Paul’s correction of legalism was logical: He argued that to experience redemption in Christ means that we die to man-made religions of this world and gain spiritual life in Him. Dennis Fisher

Grasping the Cross

It's the end of the Week it's FRIDAY! let's have an attitude of gratitude for getting through this week with these words of wisdom. Read: Philippians 3:7-12 Bible in a Year: Isaiah 28-29; Philippians 3 Not that I have . . . already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. —Philippians 3:12 In 1856, Charles Spurgeon, the great London preacher, founded the Pastors’ College to train men for the Christian ministry. It was renamed Spurgeon’s College in 1923. Today’s college crest shows a hand grasping a cross and the Latin words, Et Teneo, Et Teneor, which means, “I hold and am held.” In his autobiography, Spurgeon wrote, “This is our College motto. We . . . hold forth the Cross of Christ with a bold hand . . . because that Cross holds us fast by its attractive power. Our desire is that every man may both hold the Truth, and be held by it; especially the truth of Christ crucified.” In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he expressed this truth as the bedrock of his life. “Not that I have . . . already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me” (Phil. 3:12). As followers of Jesus, we extend the message of the cross to others as Jesus holds us fast in His grace and power. “I have been crucified with Christ; and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). Our Lord holds us in His grip of love each day—and we hold out His message of love to others. —David McCasland Lord Jesus, Your cross is the focal point of history and the turning point of our lives. Hold us tightly as we cling to Your cross and extend your love to others. We hold to the cross of Christ and are held by it. INSIGHT: Driven, disciplined, and focused might be accurate adjectives to describe Paul’s zeal in persecuting the church before he came to Christ. But when Paul met Jesus on the Damascus Road, his life took a decided turn (Acts 9). Paul was now called to be an apostle, and many marveled that he preached the gospel he once sought to destroy. The man who had been driven by self-righteousness now preached grace-righteousness. Dennis Fisher

No Outsiders

So here we are starting the New Week in the 10th month of October as we entered into this 10th month of October let's take a moment to be Thankful for ALL that God has done in our lives with these words of wisdom. Read: Deuteronomy 10:12-22 Bible in a Year: Isaiah 17-19; Ephesians 5:17-33 What does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him.—Deuteronomy 10:12 In the remote region of Ghana where I lived as a boy, “Chop time, no friend” was a common proverb. Locals considered it impolite to visit at “chop time” (mealtime) because food was often scarce. The maxim applied to neighbors and outsiders alike. But in the Philippines, where I also lived for a time, even if you visit unannounced at mealtime, your hosts will insist on sharing with you regardless of whether they have enough for themselves. Cultures differ for their own good reasons. As the Israelites left Egypt, God provided specific instructions to govern their culture. But rules—even God’s rules—can never change hearts. So Moses said, “Change your hearts and stop being stubborn” (Deut. 10:16 nlt). Interestingly, right after issuing that challenge Moses took up the topic of Israel’s treatment of outsiders. God “loves the foreigner residing among you,” he said, “giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt” (vv. 18-19). Israel served the “God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome” (v. 17). One powerful way they were to show their identification with God was by loving foreigners—those from outside their culture. What might this small picture of God’s character mean for us today? How can we show His love to the marginalized and the needy in our world? —Tim Gustafson Heavenly Father, help us bless others today by showing Your love in some small way. In Christ, there are no outsiders. INSIGHT: God commanded His people to allow the poor to feed on their lands (Lev. 19:9-10; 23:22; Deut. 24:19-21). “When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner” (Lev. 19:9-10; 23:22). Sim Kay Tee

Bad Faith, Good Faith

It's FRIDAY! YES! and we have come to the end of the month of September before we enter into the 10th month of the New Year which is October let's take a moment to reflect on these words of wisdom. Read: Romans 4:18-25 Bible in a Year: Isaiah 9-10; Ephesians 3 [Abraham] did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God.—Romans 4:20 “You gotta have faith,” people say. But what does that mean? Is any faith good faith? “Believe in yourself and all that you are,” wrote one positive thinker a century ago. “Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.” As nice as that may sound, it falls to pieces when it crashes into reality. We need a faith in something bigger than ourselves. God promised Abram he would have a multitude of descendants (Gen. 15:4-5), so he faced a huge obstacle—he was old and childless. When he and Sarah got tired of waiting for God to make good on His promise, they tried to overcome that obstacle on their own. As a result, they fractured their family and created a lot of unnecessary dissension (see Gen. 16 and 21:8-21). Nothing Abraham did in his own strength worked. But ultimately he became known as a man of tremendous faith. Paul wrote of him, “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be’” (Rom. 4:18). This faith, said Paul, “was credited to him as righteousness” (v. 22). Abraham’s faith was in something far bigger than himself—the one and only God. It’s the object of our faith that makes all the difference. —Tim Gustafson Lord, I want a strong faith in You, not just faith in myself or my abilities or in others. I am nothing without You. Our faith is good if it’s in the right Person. INSIGHT: The central theme of Romans is that humanity cannot save itself and that God justifies the sinner by grace through faith in Jesus alone (Rom. 1:16-17). Paul reveals that all people—Jews and Gentiles—are sinners. All have sinned. All stand condemned before our holy God (3:23). Sinners are saved, not by obeying the law, but by God’s actions of justifying the sinner through faith in Jesus (3:22-26). We are justified (declared righteous and made right with God) by grace alone (sola gratia), through faith alone (sola fide) and in Christ alone (solus Christus).

See Your Support in Action

Here is September CCFA Newsletter. Letter from our President & CEO I have some wonderful news! Thanks to our amazing members and supporters, we raised more than $160,000 during this summer's Members Match Challenge. These extra funds will deliver a much-needed boost to everything we're working so passionately on at CCFA—including our Microbiome, Genetics, Pediatric Research, CCFA Partners, IBD Qorus™, and IBD Plexus® initiatives. To learn more about these programs, please take a look at our latest annual report. It's a great way to see all the progress we’ve made in the past year—and your incredible support in action—as we continue to work together toward better treatments and cures for IBD. Thank you again, Michael Osso President & CEO Change Your Life & the Lives of Others! Susan is both the mother of an IBD patient and a patient herself—but that hasn’t stopped her from completing four Team Challenge events. When asked about the effect IBD has had on her family, Susan says, "Crohn’s disease continually hangs over our head. When might the next flare be? What triggers it? What side effects will I have to suffer because of the medicines I have to take? It’s like walking on eggshells… but I will walk on 13.1 miles of eggshells every year until there's a cure." Read Susan's inspirational story and see how Team Challenge is transforming lives on the way to cures! READ MORE ► September Rally for Medical Research On September 22, CCFA will join a broad coalition of groups at the Rally for Medical Research in Washington, D.C. We will be advocating for robust federal funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH)—the nation's largest biomedical research government agency, which supports nearly $130 million annually for research on Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. This research portfolio is essential for advancing the science on IBD, improving the quality of life for patients, and ultimately finding cures. Help us Rally for Medical Research! Email your legislators through our Rally for Medical Research Action Alert and participate in our social media Thunderclap. LEARN MORE ► Support CCFA Your tax-deductible gift will fund critical research on Crohn's and ulcerative colitis—and provide support to people suffering from these debilitating diseases. Together, We have the #power2cure! Party on a bike this fall with spin4 crohn's & colitis cures—a high-energy indoor cycling event that raises funds for research, awareness, and patient services. Form a team, or take on the entire ride yourself. Learn more on Facebook and/or have a team member contact you! LEARN MORE ► You Can Prevent Colorectal Cancer It's important to know that colorectal cancer is highly treatable if caught soon enough—so early detection is crucial. Hear our experts discuss the procedures that can help detect colorectal cancer, as well as risks for patients and ways to reduce them. LEARN MORE ► World Ostomy Day Twitter Chat Join Meg of the Front Butt You Tuber for a World Ostomy Day Twitter Chat on September 30 from 1-2 p.m. EST. We'll be discussing all things ostomy with other patients and healthcare professionals. To join, follow #OstomyChat on Twitter and tweet questions to @ccfa and @FrontButtYouTR. Follow us ► CCFA provides a comprehensive database of studies, clinical trials, and other research on Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Here are two of the recently added studies: A Phase 2a, Multicenter, Single Arm, Open-Label, Two-Stage, Study to Evaluate the Efficacy, Safety, Tolerability and Pharmacokinetics of PF-06480605 in Patients with Moderate to Severe Ulcerative Colitis (Tuscany Study B7541002). All participants in the study will receive the investigational drug with no placebo. A Multiple Dose Study to Evaluate the Safety, Tolerability and Microbiome Dynamics of SER-287 in Subjects with Mild-to-Moderate Ulcerative Colitis.This Phase 1b clinical study will also attempt to identify preliminary signs of efficacy in patients with UC. Deciding whether to participate in a clinical trial is an important personal decision, best made with a full understanding of the drug development process and a participant's role. 7​33 Th​ird Av​en​ue, Sui​te 51​0, Ne​w Y​ork,​ N​Y 10​01​7 www.ccfa.org | 8​00-​93​2-​2​423

Calming Your Soul

So here we are at the end of the 9th month of the New Year September has come an gone, we are starting a New Week but before we head into the 10th month of the New Year which is October BUT before we even step foot into the month of October let's take a moment to reflect on the month of September as we continue with the remainder of this week with these words of wisdom. Read: Matthew 11:25-30 Bible in a Year: Isaiah 1-2; Galatians 5 Be still, and know that I am God.—Psalm 46:10 While attending a concert, my mind detoured to a troublesome issue that insisted on my attention. Thankfully, the distraction was short-lived as the words of a beautiful hymn began to reach deep into my being. A men’s a capella group was singing “Be Still, My Soul.” Tears welled up as I listened to the words and contemplated the restful peace that only God can give: Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side! Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain; leave to thy God to order and provide; in every change He faithful will remain. When Jesus was denouncing the unrepentant towns where He had done most of His miracles (Matt. 11:20-24), He still had words of comfort for those who would come to Him. He said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened . . . . learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (vv. 28-29). This statement is striking! Immediately following His strong words for those who were rejecting Him, Jesus extended an invitation to all to draw near to Him to find the peace we all yearn for. Jesus is the only one who can calm our restless, weary souls. —Joe Stowell I come to You now, Lord, in need of rest for my heart. Help me to trust You and be confident in Your love. For further study, read The Lord Is My Shepherd at discoveryseries.org/hp952. When we keep our minds on Jesus, He keeps our minds at peace. INSIGHT: Our passage today comes on the heels of Jesus denouncing the cities where most of His miracles were performed (Matt. 11:20-24). Bethsaida, one of the denounced cities, literally means “fisherman’s house.” It was a village on the north side of the Sea of Galilee and could have been the birthplace of three of the disciples: Andrew, Peter, and Philip.

Words for the Weary

Made it to the end of the week it's FRIDAY! almost getting ready to wrap up the month of September but before we did let reflect on these words of wisdom with an attitude of Read: Isaiah 50:4-10 Bible in a Year: Song of Solomon 1-3; Galatians 2 The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary.—Isaiah 50:4 A few days after his father died, 30-year-old C. S. Lewis received a letter from a woman who had cared for his mother during her illness and death more than two decades earlier. The woman offered her sympathy for his loss and wondered if he remembered her. “My dear Nurse Davison,” Lewis replied. “Remember you? I should think I do.” Lewis recalled how much her presence in their home had meant to him as well as to his brother and father during a difficult time. He thanked her for her words of sympathy and said, “It is really comforting to be taken back to those old days. The time during which you were with my mother seemed very long to a child and you became part of home.” When we struggle in the circumstances of life, an encouraging word from others can lift our spirits and our eyes to the Lord. The Old Testament prophet Isaiah wrote, “The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary” (50:4). And when we look to the Lord, He offers words of hope and light in the darkness. —David McCasland Heavenly Father, help me to hear Your word of hope today. And help me to speak words of hope and encouragement to others, pointing them to You. Kind words can lift a heavy heart. INSIGHT: The Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary gives this description of Jesus Christ as the Suffering Servant: “[In Isaiah 50:1-11] it is revealed how the Servant learned through his own rejection to comfort the weary and discouraged. The phrase ‘Sovereign Lord’ occurs four times and may be better translated ‘My Master God.’ It emphasized that the Servant had a Master (God) to whom he submitted and in whom he found help. The ‘words of wisdom’ (50:4) was a reference to his speaking or prophetic ministry. The followers of the Servant were called upon to trust in God, who would bring judgment upon the disobedient (50:10-11).” Gratitude.