Luke 2:11-14 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. This week let us spend time focusing on all that Christ is, and all that He does for us. Jesus is the reason for our joy, the payment for our sins, and our hope for heaven. Let’s keep our hearts and minds focused on what matters! Merry Christmas Pastor Tony Note to our out-of-town friends: Twice a year we reach out to our out-of-town friends to ask them to consider helping us financially. If the Lord leads you to help before the year's end it would be very much appreciated. You can give on our website www.stillwatersbaptist.org on the giving link or via mail. Thank you.

Hebrews 3: 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. The people of God were on the verge of a great victory and blessing. After hundreds of years in Egypt they were days away from entering the promised land. The only thing standing in their way was unbelief. The result was that they missed out on the rest they could have had and instead spent 40 years in the wilderness. Are we in danger of the same today? How close are we to the blessings and will of God yet our unbelief is stopping us? Faith that is based on the truth of God's word, not self-centered foolishness, should be the heart's desire of all of us! Today let us trust God to keep His promises. Then may we step out by faith to embrace His revealed will with confident obedience,

Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. While there are a number of ways we can know God’s will, the verse for today gives us two. God gives us the desire to do His will (“both to will”) and He makes it possible (“to do”). When God leads us our desires and opportunities are brought into line with His will. Today let us examine the desires within us, asking if they are of the Lord! Then let us examine the opportunities before us today which would allow us to fulfill His will. Then may we jump into His will with confidence and commitment!

II Corinthians 8:21 Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. Honesty has been called the outward sign of an inward good. Let me suggest a working definition: “Honesty is the choice to do what is right without any deceit or double meaning”. We are reminded today that we are called upon to be honest before God and to be seen as honest before man. Today let us first start by asking ourselves the question, “Am I being honest with God in all I am and do?”. If we have started to play the part of the hypocrite we know God is not fooled. So let’s make things right with Him today. Second let us ask the question, “How does my life look to others?” Are we taking the extra steps that will make sure that the truthfulness of our honesty will not be questioned? How things look does matter! While we cannot control what other people think or say about us we can always be honest before God and man!

Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. Do you have an overinflated opinion of yourself, or are you controlled by self-loathing? Both extremes are common and for a host of reasons understandable. And for a Christian they are both wrong and dangerous. God has gifted each of us with his unique design (Psalm 139) and in our verse today He has given us just the right amount of spiritual strength to accomplish His will. Today let each of us give thanks to God for our unique make-up and gifts. At the same time let us apply ourselves to the life God has given us and not be consumed with the life He has given to others. This Thanksgiving week let’s rejoice not only in all what God is doing around us, but what He is doing in and through us!

Acts 21:14 And when he (Paul) would not be persuaded, we (Paul’s Christian friends) ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done. Paul was on his way to Jerusalem and his friends were confident that if he did go he would be placed in bondage. Yet Paul clearly understood that God’s will for his life was to make the journey. When it became clear to Paul’s friends that the will of God was at work, they stopped trying to fight it. While we should be grateful to have friends, and seek to be a godly friend, we must never overstep our boundaries. The truth of God’s will always trumps the thoughts of our friends. If God is leading you down a path that others are not comfortable with then follow Paul’s example. Let your friends know that while you appreciate their concern, the will of God is the safest place for every believer to be at every moment of their lives!

Luke 4:8 “And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.” Life is filled with all kinds of responsibilities and obligations. In the midst of the all the motion we can very easily loss focus. While there are many people we are responsible to throughout our daily life, we ultimately play to an audience of ONE! Every action and choice either to do or not to do something should be done as an act of service to God. Today let us live with the confidence and conviction that we are serving God within all our choices and throughout all our choices!

Matthew 19:5-6 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? We live in a time when marriages and the families are constantly being undermined. Yet in the church and among God’s people things should be different. We should be doing all we can to encourage and support the family. This week let us spend some elongated time praying for the families closest to us. At the same time seek for ways to encourage the families we know especially those who might be going through a difficult time.

Matthew 4:22 “And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him” James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were called by Christ in verse 21. Without understanding what the future held the two brothers acted on what they did know. They had been called. This meant leaving what was most important. Understanding the culture at the time, leaving their father was a giant step. Today, let us respond to every call of God in every situation, great or small, with the same pattern of obedience. Immediate and complete.

Zechariah 1:3 Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. With all the movement in our lives and hearts it is not difficult for a Christian to turn from the Lord. Sometimes when we least expect it we can end up walking completely contrary to God's plan. This sometimes happens with one significant choice, but normally it occurs through a series of smaller choices. Daily choices. At times apparently harmless ones. Today let us take stock of the eyes of our heart. Do we need to turn our hearts back to Christ and away from the world, the devil or our own selfish will? May we each commit to living this and every day with our hearts forced on and in love with Christ.

Jonah 3:5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. We never know what might happen when we obey God. The city of Nineveh was wicked almost beyound description. No one would have predicted their response to the message from Jonah. Yet when we simply surrender our steps to God's will there is no telling what might happen. So today let us, "Do the next right thing!". Then get out of God's way and marvel at His power, goodness and grace.

Hosea 4:1 Hear the word of the Lord , ye children of Israel: for the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. In our verse today we see three things in the lives of God's people that they needed to confront. The people had rejected the absolute truth and lost their compassion for others. (Mercy) Ultimately they did not know God, which was seen in their life of disobedience. Today let us ask ourselves the question, "What is it about my life today that bothers God?" Remember God never becomes accustomed to our sin. Let's confront what needs to change so that we can walk daily at peace with God.

Ephesians 6:6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart There are often multiple reasons for doing something. For example: We might go to work because we feel an obligation or because we love what we do or because we simply need the money. Yet, the one reason that needs to be first and foremost is the conviction that we are doing the will of God. The surrounding verses of our text for today deal with the relationship between employees and employers (masters and servants) In that context we are challenged to “do the will of God from the heart”. Today, let us approach each responsibility of every area of our life with a commitment to doing God’s will from the heart. This commitment will put every day-to-day obligation we have into eternal perspective as we do it to please the God we know and love.

Ephesians 1:5-6 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. So many people are doing so many things to try to earn God’s acceptance. Yet, in our verse today we are reminded that we find acceptance in Christ and in Him alone. It is true that every believer is called upon to live a holy life after salvation. But nothing we ever do can make us worthy of God’s love and grace. So today let us do right. Let us seek to be all that God would have us to be. But let us do it all, not so that God will accept us, but because He already has, the moment we trusted Christ as our Savior.

Jeremiah 42:6 Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the Lord our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the Lord our God. The people of God we're responding to the word of God as told to them by Jeremiah. In this one verse one of the challenges to obedience is set forth. We never know all that will happen if we choose to obey God. The words "good" and "evil" point out the two possible extremes. Sometimes we obey God and everything seems to work out great. At other times our obedience appears to lead to disaster. Yet we are called upon to obey God, not because of the results, but because it is right. Our judgment as to the outcome of any act of obedience is skewed by our human limitations. So today let us refrain from qualified obedience to God's Word by only doing what God says when we can determine and like the outcome. Let us abandon our choices to God's word and leave the consequences to God's love.

Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. God wants us to come to Him with confidence (boldness). Confidence that all the mercy we need for protection and all the grace we need to sustain us is waiting at the altar of prayer. Let us flee to the prayer closet of our hearts throughout today to talk to our God who wants to hear everything we have to say. Also, let us rest in the knowledge that in His mercy and grace we will receive what is right and what is needed, every time and in every situation.

I Corinthians 13:4-7 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity is the old English word for love. Not the kind of love of most songs and scripts. But the kind of love found from the cradle to Calvary in the person and work of Christ. As our text teaches, this love is rooted in a choice (not a feeling) to live for others. We are called upon to live out Christ-like love throughout all our days and within all our relationships. Today let us live and love like Christ showed us and His word teaches us. Let our love be seen in the choices we make and the self-discipline we exercise.

Isaiah 36:6 Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him. Israel was in “a fix”. An invading army was threatening them and at the time they had no hope of being able, on their own, to defend themselves. The result was that they turned to the world (Egypt) instead of turning to God. The outcome was predictable. It did not work. In fact that which Israel trusted in would, in the end, hurt them more. Today, if we find ourselves in “a fix” let’s be careful where we turn and in whom we place our trust. Let us turn our hearts, minds and lives toward God. He and He alone can give what we need, lead us where we need to go, and sustain us in each step. Pastor Tony P.S. Thank you for your prayers last week when Karen and I were traveling.

Colossians 2:6-7 “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” A thermometer is designed to reflect the temperature while a thermostat is designed to set the temperature. How often is the “temperature of our hearts” set by how we feel about the world around us instead of the truth of God within us? Paul challenges the Colossians to walk in God’s word. So allow the truth of God to fill our minds and heart that the abiding result is thanksgiving. God help us this week to stop complaining about everything – in fact – can we ask God to help us go one day without complaining about anything! Instead let us saturate our response to life with God’s word. Have a great day in the Word – praising God each step of the way! Pastor Tony P.S. This Pastor’s E-note was originally sent out the week of April 2013. Karen and I are traveling this week and are scheduled to be back on the Outer Banks this weekend.

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” When pondering the never ending changes and challenges of life Solomon concludes that life only works if God is our reason and reality. The reason for our life is God as revealed in His presence and His commands. The reality is that we all must give an account of our choices. Those we make in public and in private. Today, let us live in the light these truths. Not out of fear, being punished for our sins. For all of us who have trusted Christ as our Savior live in the blessed light of eternal forgiveness. But with reverent surrender to God’s plan for our life day by day as we live in His reason and reality!

Proverbs 16:3 “Commit thy works unto the Lord and thy thoughts shall be established” We live in what could be characterized as unstable times. Many things around us are changing at an alarming rate and in many cases in a negative direction. Yet as believers we can, and should, be able to live with a mind that is not pushed around by all the stuff around us. How? By committing all we do and all we are to the Lord. Today, let us place our confidence in the Lord and turn all our efforts at life over to Him! Let our minds be stabilized by God’s desire and ability to take our lives, in the time in which we live, and do great things!

1 Timothy 1:6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. Have you ever been discouraged, disappointed or ready to give up? If so, you’re in good company. Timothy struggled throughout his ministry with the challenges that come when any of us seek to serve God over the long haul. Paul constantly was encouraging him to not give up but to stay faithful to the task at hand. Today let us follow the exhortation to make the most of the abilities and callings God has place upon our lives. Stop allowing the environment in which we serve God to sidetrack us. Do your best with what you have where you are – and then trust God to work everything out for His glory!

Psalm 115:1-3 “Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake. Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God? But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.” The world that does not believe in God spends a lot of time seeking to put Him in a box of their own making. Yet our God cannot and will not be restricted by the opinion of any men no matter their rank or status. We should never be drawn into the boundaries of man’s opinions. Today let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God the Lord! At the same time let us place our confidence in God as He works all things out according to His will.

Psalm 82:3 Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy Yet as children of God we are called upon to look outside ourselves and see the needs of others. Then move to meet those needs in a Christ-like manner. We all have our own troubles, difficulties and challenges. Yet we need to be reminded that the world does not revolve around ourselves. It needs to revolve around God’s will for our life. As we go through this week let us ask God to open our eyes and heart to see the needs of others. Then seek the needs we can meet within the plan of our God for each of our lives.

Psalm 44:6-8 For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah. When faced with the opposition to Gods’ will the writer of Psalm 44 clearly defines his response. First in what he will not do. He will not rest in his ability to use the bow or the sword. In order to do what is right you have to choose to not do what is wrong. Relying upon ourselves as the source of our strength is always wrong! Second, he places all his dependence upon God. It was not that he would never use his bow or sword. But all that he did flowed from this complete surrender of dependence. Thirdly he chose to praise God! Not for what did but for who He is! When we face opposition to God’s plan let us follow this three step plan. Today let us abandon our self-reliance, place our dependence upon Him, and praise Him for who He is! This will assure that when things around us go wrong we will keep going in the right direction!

Psalm 13:4-5 But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me. Have you ever had a really bad day? When you wondered what in the world was going to happen next? Psalm 13 begins by describing such a day. Then the heart of the writer ends by focusing on God’s mercy, salvation and provision. Today, as we face the challenges that can throw us for a loop let us discipline our heart to think rightly about God. Let us remind ourselves of all that God has done in the past and place our confidence in Him to do what is right when our life is going in the “wrong” direction!

Job 31:6 “Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity.” We know from chapters one and two that Job did not claim to be perfect. Yet in our verse for today Job, in response to the false accusation of His friends, does claim to be a person of integrity. Integrity has been described as the inward condition of doing what is right when the only one who sees you is God! Are we being men and women of integrity? No matter what else is happening around us, are we maintaining our walk with God in areas within our life that no one else sees. Today, let us examine the focus of our minds, the condition of our hearts and the disposition of our spirit. Let us confess what needs to be forsaken and commit to walk with God in all areas of our life. Especially those areas that no one else sees!

Job 8:6 If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous. Today many believers are confronted with the health, wealth and prosperity teaching that often dominates religious TV. This false teaching is not new. Job, in the midst of his heartache, faced it repeatedly. Bildad was seeking to "comfort" Job. He reasoned that God would always prosper the path of the righteous. This is not true. Sometimes the most God-like lives suffer the most severely. Examples: Paul suffering while He served God (2 Corinthians 11:16-29), Old Testament believers who stood for God against sin (Hebrews 11:36-38). Jesus Himself as He experienced the cross (Matthew 27). Today if you are suffering while doing what is right and following God’s will, know you are in good company. Don't allow the devil, others or yourself to throw you in the midst of despair because the bottom has fallen out on the path in which God has led you.. Trust and stay the right course. Leave the consequences of your obedience in His hands. He will guide you by His word, sustain you by his grace and keep you in His love.

II Chronicles 32:7-8 "Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him: With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah." Under the pressure of invasion and the prospect of defeat the King quoting the prophet Elisha (II Kings 6:16) challenges his people to adjust their thinking. To move it away from what they see and how they feel to what they know about God. In the midst of great pressure our feelings can take charge and our spiritual reasoning can take a back seat. We can not turn off how we feel but we can make a choice to surrender how we feel to what we know. Today, when the challenges of life mount and we are tempted to go with how we feel - let's stop and think. Think on the promises, power and presence of God. Allow these truths to ultimately govern your choices and response. We can not turn off how we feel but we can make a choice to surrender how we feel to what we know. Pastor Tony Note: I want to thank everyone who prayed for Karen and me as we were away the past two weeks. It is great to be back and looking forward to the summer ministries that start this Sunday with the beginning of our 8:15 summer service.

11 Chronicles 1:10 Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great? Solomon faced a daunting task, leading the nation of Israel. What was his first request? wisdom and knowledge Wisdom is knowing what to do. Knowledge is knowing how to do it. , The will of God for our lives today is no less challenging or important. We are called to make countless choices every day that collectively make up our life. Let us spend time today asking God for the wisdom and knowledge we need. Let us ask in faith knowing that our heavenly Father wants to give us what we need. Pastor Tony Note: The church office will be sending out previous pastors E-note over the next two weeks while Karen and I are on vacation. We are scheduled to be back May 15 – D.V.

Mark 1:38 "And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth." Many times we can confuse complacency with contentment or familiarity with faithfulness. It is true that we are all called to be content with God's will and many times are blessed with a certain level of familiarity in our life. Yet when it comes to seeking to reach the lost we should always be open and ready to step out of our comfort zone. . After spending time in prayer Jesus is ready to "move on" to spread the good news of the gospel. Today, let us with purpose and persistence seek to connect with those who need Christ. Others will not be reached by accident. Pray that God will open the door for you to share Christ. And when he does, go for it!

II Kings 5:13-14 “ And his (Naaman)servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? Then went he (Naaman) down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.” Naaman was a leader who at the height of his power became a leper. Through the providence of God he comes to the prophet Elisha who told him to go dip seven times in the river Jordan. Naaman responded by getting angry and refusing to obey. Yet in our text he is convinced to conform. What does Naaman discover? The power of obedience! Life is complicated in its demands and outcomes. Because of this we all are always in need of the power of God that comes to the life of those that obey His commands. Today, let us follow Naaman’s example. Whatever God calls us to do today, regardless of how we feel or think, just do it. Let this be a day that we experience the full power of complete obedience!

I Kings 3:9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? Solomon, the son of grace, is now the King of Israel. King David has died and the throne of Solomon has been established. God asks Solomon what he wants and he responded with one request. Make me wise. Wisdom is not simply choosing right over wrong. Wisdom is choosing the best means to the best end. Let us spend time asking God to make us wise. (James 1:5) Ask for wisdom concerning what should and should not be done. Today let us let flee to our knees in prayer asking God for the wisdom to know what, how, and when to do what is best!

Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Four daily challenges for each of us in our daily walk with God. Ask God to search the purpose of our life (heart) Ask God to search the thought of our life. Ask God to let us see us the way He does. Ask the Lord to lead us, step by step, in light of the previous three requests. Simple, yet profound. Easily understood yet not easily done. Today, let us take some time pouring out with passion and persistence all four requests. Then let us allow God to take away what He does not want and give us what only He knows we need in every area of our life.

Joshua 1:7 “Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest” Joshua was facing a daunting task; to lead the great, and at times very difficult Jewish Nation into the promised land. Preparing Joshua for the task at hand, God lays out the plan to prosper(succeed in doing God’s will). Success began for Joshua as it does for each of us today, in our relationship with God’s word! While God has a uniquely different plan for each of us, the prescription for successfully completing that plan is the same for all of us. “Obey God’s Word – Do not alter it or move away from it – At All” Despite the pressures and difficulties of life our response needs to start and end in the same place, God’s Word! Always seeking to understand and apply it to our lives. Never seeking to change it to fit our own ideas (or those of others). Today let our hearts and minds not be distracted by the pressures and difficulties we face. Let us follow God’s word completely. All day and in every situation, the whole time trusting Him to accomplish His will in our lives for His glory!

Deuteronomy 10:12-13 "And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, To keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?" Fear, love, serve & obey are the four requirements for anyone who desires to walk with God. We are all called to maintain a reverent awe (fear), affection from within (love), commitment to ministry (serve) while applying daily the truth of God's word to each of our choices (obey). While the words are simple the application is not. It all comes down to dependence upon God's Spirit to empower us through His word and giving up our will for His. Today let us commit ourselves completely to all that God requires. Not so that He will accept us, but because He already has, the moment we trusted Christ as our Savior.

Leviticus 19:14 Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the Lord . “Be kind” is not just good advice, it is God’s will. This is spelled out in detail when it comes to dealing with people who have limitations. God deliver us from impatience or sarcasm that sometimes expresses itself when we must deal with those who have challenges we don’t face. Today let’s be thoughtful and kind in everything we do towards everyone we meet.

II Timothy 2:4 "No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier." The call to salvation is a call to conflict. We are in a constant struggle with the world, the devil and with our own sinful nature. The one question that can help us make the right choice each time is "What pleases God?" This, at times, is not a simple question to answer. So let us be constantly seeking the know God's mind through His word and by the ministry of the Holy Spirit. As we do, let us make this our singular question behind every choice - "What would please God the most!". Today let us live facing each decision with an abiding passion to please our God.

Exodus 33:14“And he (God) said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. And he (Moses) said unto him (God) If they presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.” (Italics added for clarity) The Israelites have just gone through a difficult time of their own making. Moses had gone up the mountain to receive the law and the impatient people of God took matters into their own hands. (As we all can be tempted to do) Then God confronts their sin clearly and forcefully. Now it’s time to move on toward the promised land. To encourage and empower his people God gives them the promise of His presence. It is the promise each of God’s children desperately need to have and need to practically apply. Today, let all of us who have trusted Christ as our Savior rest in the fullness of our forgiveness and the resulting indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Then let us respond in obedience to the Spirit’s leading through God’s word and within God’s will. Let us live each day with an abiding consciousness and obedient response to God’s presence.

I Thessalonians 5:18 "In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" Life is filled with the unexpected, unwanted and unimaginable - yet in the midst of it all we are to give thanks! The word "IN" indicates a position not a reason. That is within everything that God brings our way we are to give thanks because it is His will. We know that in every area and in all times God is working out everything in our life form His glory and our good. Yet we are called upon to live by faith not by sight. (or explanations) Today, let us give thanks to God because He is worthy and it is right!

Genesis 37:13 And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I. The impact of one choice is seen in this exchange between Joseph and his father. His father's choice to send his favorite son to check on the rest of his brothers, and Joseph's choice to obey. From this choice until the end of the book of Genesis Joseph’s life takes a number of unexpected and at times glorious twists and turns. All designed to accomplish God’s will. It all started with one choice. We need to understand that God uses all of our choices, each day, to accomplish His will. Do not let fear or apprehension control you. But seek to make each choice in a way that God would have you to. Then, leave the consequences to God. He is at work in and through your life, as He was in Joseph’s, to accomplish great things for His glory.

Genesis 18:14 “Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.” In Genesis 16-18 Abraham and Sarah have had a difficult time trusting in God’s ability and timing. The result was that they took matters into their own hands. Seeking to do God’s will their way. Always a mistake! God responded by first reminding them that nothing is too hard for God. Secondly, that God works through time to accomplish His eternal will. The seasons of life are not designed to hinder but in fact, to fulfill, God’s will. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-11). On this first Tuesday of 2015 let us rest confidently and completely in God’s power to accomplish God’s will. At the same time let us accept the season of life that we are in. Not with resentment or impatience but with joyous acceptance. God is working in each of our lives today, in our current stage of life. May each of us commit to making the most of every moment for the glory of our great God!