To be labeled as a teacher or a preacher, albeit quite the calling, has on occasion given me the willies. First and foremost I do not believe I am such, although yes I do speak from time to time, and yes I write devotionals with the intent of helping others. However, I see that which I do as more so of a testimony experience type of sharing, rather than a Joyce Meyers, Charles Stanley, or Michael Youssef teaching platform, not to mention the verse in James which speaks on teachers being held to a higher standard. I, for one, know I still have many, many, many more things to learn and I am just not down with being called such it (cue human emotional reasoning). Yet and still, I was searching unknowingly for a label of who I am … what I do.

SERVANT

That is what I was so eloquently called this weekend by my mom (the one who prayed me through my most darkest of times), and admittedly I do like it. As the Bible states …

Mark 10:45
"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

Philippians 2:5-8
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Luke 22:24-30
 A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors.  But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.  For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. You are those who have stood by me in my trials.  And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

1 Corinthians 4:1
Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

John 13:12-15
So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you?  You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.  For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.

Undoubtedly to be called a Servant for/of God puts oneself is in unparalleled company with the Perfect One right there beside you. Not to mention it encompasses that which we are called to do, be willing and able to be used by God 24/7. So yes, this is one label I can totally get down with. ツ

A dear Sister-in-Christ Aubrey has started delivering devotionals via e-mail, and this one instantly touched my heart when I read it. As it hasn't escaped my mind since it was read earlier in March, I deemed it appropriate to share here. It is taken from Reasons For Hope.

Is SUICIDE an unforgivable sin? 

By Shari Abbott, Reasons for Hope

Recently I have received more questions than I wish to count about the eternal destiny of those who commit suicide.  Therefore, this question has been moved to the top of the Got Questions? queue and we’ll look at what the Bible says about suicide.  

In addition to asking if suicide is an unforgivable sin, the reader wrote, “I can’t find anything in the Bible about suicide.  I found Judas’ hanging himself..but nothing else. Am I overlooking it? I have heard two preachers preach very different messages about suicide.”  And another reader asked, “When a person commits suicide, do they go straight to hell like most churches teach?”

Let me begin by saying, I don’t believe that most churches teach a person goes straight to hell if they commit suicide (although there are somechurches that teach or imply that).  In fact, this is not something that is often addressed in most churches, and yet with the increasing rate of suicide it needs to be addressed.  Just last week, CBS News reported these findings:

 “ The suicide rate for girls and young women in the U.S. continues to rise at a pace far faster than for young males….The report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there were 5,178 suicide deaths among young people aged 10 to 24 in the U.S. in 2012. Suicide was the second leading cause of deaths in that age group, after accidents.The suicide rate increased for young people of both genders since 2007. And it remains three times higher for young males than young females.But the female increase has been steadier.

“Suicide rates for younger people have varied over the years, with a recent upward trend starting around 2007. There were 4,320 suicide deaths in 2007; the toll was 5,264 in 2013. Suicide rates for older adults tend to be higher, in the range of 15 or 20 per 100,000. Since 2007, suicide rates have increased for older age groups, too.” [1]

Is Suicide an Unforgivable Sin? What does the Bible say?

There are several accounts in the Bible of people who took their own lives.  Probably the two best known examples are Saul, who took his life to avoid the dishonor of being captured, abused and killed (1 Samuel 31:1-4), and Judas, who betrayed Jesus and then hung himself (Matthew 27:5).  Other people in the Old Testament who committed suicide are:

Abimelech (Judges 9:54) – to avoid the dishonor of being killed by a woman

Samson (Judges 16:28-31) – to defeat the Philistines who had imprisoned him

Saul’s armor-bearer (1 Samuel 31:5) – to follow his king, Saul, into death

Ahitophel (2 Samuel 17:23) – in defeat when he realized his counsel was not followed

Zimri (1 Kings 16:18) – in defeat to avoid capture

 Although the act of suicide is clearly condemned in the Bible, these men in the Old Testament were not condemned for what they did.

It should be understood that suicide is never to be a viable option for escape in times of difficulty and despair.  There is help…..family, friends, churches, online (National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) and the best of all help, Jesus.   Scripture teaches us that Jesus’ grace is sufficient in all things (2 Corinthians 12:9-10) and that He is faithful to provide an escape from anything that threatens to overcome us (1 Corinthians 10:13).  Sadly, many Christians experience dark seasons of the soul and fail to find the comfort they need in Jesus.  And tragically, some have taken their own life.  This is why it is important to spend time in prayer and in reading the Bible, so, when a storm threatens to overtake us, we are prepared to find comfort and strength in Jesus and His Word.   The Bible will give us the answers we need to deal with all problems in life, and in prayer our faith will grow stronger and we can find peace and comfort.   These practices will build a foundation to stand upon in our darkest days.

With all that said, we must acknowledge that there have been prepared believers who have lost their “footings” and have fallen and have taken their own lives.  So is suicide a sin?  Yes, it is.  Suicide is the taking of human life.  However, in man’s vertical relationship with God, suicide is no different than any other sin.  And, while God can forgive any sin, He cannot overlook even one sin.  All sin must be paid for in order to receive God’s forgiveness.  

If a believer (one who has been redeemed and regenerated by Jesus) has committed suicide, it must be remembered that every one of the believer’s sins were paid for by Jesus on the cross.  The believer received God’s forgiveness for every sin (past, present and future sins), including the final sin of suicide, in their salvation.   Jesus has promised that He has prepared a place for those who are His and that He will come to receive them unto Himself (John 14:1-4).

For someone who does not belong to Jesus, someone who has not repented and trusted in Jesus’ finished work on the cross to pay for their sins, they have not received the forgiveness of their sins and God will judge them accordingly.  All sin must be paid for and if someone dies in their sin, they are already condemned. 

John 3:18  “He who believes in [Jesus] is not condemned [they have been forgiven and given the righteousness of Christ]; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (bracketed information added)

 This is a great reason for us to be diligent in sharing the gospel of saving grace with family and friends, and even strangers.  People leave this earth every minute of every day and without belonging to Jesus they will not enter Heaven.  We should always share the gospel, hoping that the Holy Spirit will work on the person’s heart.  Some will repent and turn to Jesus, but sadly some are very hard hearted and will stubbornly reject Jesus their entire life.  However, even for those there is always hope that before they take their last breath they will surrender to God and trust in Jesus.  The Lord’s mercy is available to all who will call upon Him and, if a person knows the gospel,  their heart can turn to Jesus even at the last moment of life.  An example of this is the thief on the cross.  He was saved in the last moments of his life when He trusted in Jesus as Lord (Luke 23:42) and given eternal life with Jesus (Luke 23:43).  So also can our friends and family do the same.  If they have a knowledge of who Jesus is and what He has done for them, they can turn to Jesus.  Therein lies our hope.  Continue to share the gospel of the saving grace found only in the Lord Jesus Christ with all who do not know Him.  

In conclusion:  Regarding Christians who commit suicide, we can rest assured that there is no sin which is unforgivable.  Because their sins were paid for on the cross by Jesus, and they have trusted in Him, they are forgiven sinners.  

Colossians 2:13-14  And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

Jesus has forgiven our sins and given us His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21).  He has regenerated us in newness of life (Romans 6:4) and made us worthy to be citizens of Heaven (Philippians 3:20).  Remember always that we can find peace and comfort in Him, and when any Christian dies (under whatever circumstances) they go home to Heaven and be with Jesus (John 14:1-4).

Titus 2:14  who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed [sin] and purify for Himself His own special people…

Philippians 3:20  For our [citizenship/home] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, 

the only wise God, be honour and glory 

for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:17)

Thanks to Starbucks I have received a free month of the program, Lumosity. It is geared toward improving memory and attention, using games designed by neuroscientists.  While there are applications, pills, and tricks to improve mental clarity and function on biological levels; it is also wise we use the Bible to keep our mind fixed on the things that are Spiritual and of real life context.

As you will hear Joyce Meyer say time and time again, "The battlefield is in the mind". A healthy mind, leads to a healthy life. A healthy mind, that is attuned to the Creator of all things, has the ability to weather any storm.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Ephesians 6:12

For some of you thinking positively may come easy. For others, you may have a negative, unsettling, or destructive thought enter your noggin, and instead of immediately rebuking it, you allow it to fester, and take over your entire head space until you are unsure why God even created you in the first place (or lead you to a choice we should have not made).  As we are told in Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." It is very important that we learn to control our minds, and not allow it to run rampant. Which comes first by being able to identify good vs. bad thoughts, and immediately shutting down anything that is contrary to God's word, and who we are as children of God.

However this change, just like any other, does not have to be accomplished alone! We only need seek God, and ask Him to help us and to put on our armor daily. We need to ask Almighty God to restore our minds and put them in alignment with His will; we petition Him that we see ourselves as He sees us (which we know is with love beyond measure since sent He sent His son to die a horrific death on our behalf, so we might be reconciled to Him as Jesus was resurrected from the dead).

In conclusion remember, "In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:37-39

Admittedly, I do not know the specific inspiration for the bonus song *I Am A Stone* on True Defiance by Demon Hunter. However, what I do know is that it is a wonderful track, which sparks several relevancies within myself. With its seemingly simplistic vocabulary lined up aside one another, laced on-top of magnificent instrumentals – it paints a pure and potent picture, which announces “You [it] will not be given power over me!” It is (by comparison) not a typical D.H. song, but I think the almost classical-rock-opera mash up delivery makes the message even more powerful. Ryan C almost beckons you to “dare” question him, as he calmly speaks softly the truth of the matter, all the while staring through your eye sockets into the very depths of your being!

Often we may just mind-numbingly recite the words to a given song without thinking about a deeper meaning, and one thing I do appreciate about Demon Hunter's lyrics are that they are so much more than "just words". You can read a review of the entire album thanks to JesusFreakHideout here. 

To bring the post back to a devotional level (not just listener praises - ha) I would like to extend to you not one, but two blocks of verses, that you can read upon your own leisure, which to me, relates back to the message of this song (definitely adds to it). The noted verses are Philippians 4:10-13 and Romans 8:1-39. 

Dear Father,
We humbly come before you and THANK YOU for all that you have done. Though we might not always say it, thank you for simply loving us. Thank you for taking care of us, even when we think you aren't there. May our flame grow for You Lord, may we grow in our willingness to speak out You - to share and show Your message of hope and love to all we meet. May we cling to You, as YOU are the rock that lives within us, You are the true unshakeable One. May we each seek to do Your will, in the precious name of Jesus Christ we pray, ><>.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV)

The truth is, if you are saved … you are saved … and being saved is everything and everything is good.

As we study all of Paul’s writings we see him encompass the above, time and time again. Though he is imprisoned many times, on the run and truly hated by his peers, He did not let that slow him down. The life he lived was one for God, regardless of outside circumstances.

 It is something that I earnestly pray to one day be able to achieve in full, before this all comes to an end. You see, I have a nasty habit of sometimes complain first, pray later; when it should be pray first and leave it with God (for all my troubles). My conviction is that it makes me seem ungrateful for that which I have been given, as there are many more with less. Even more so heartbreaking that there are people who do not know the Trinity! Yet I know of the truth, I know that all of this is temporary, yet and still I allow it to put a block between the Father and I.

As it is written in Philippians 4::6-7 (NIV), “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

So, in effect if you are not following the word, you are living apart from the word, so you knowingly (or unknowingly) laying blocks down.

It is little things like this, that are the foundation for a wall to replace the open space that God has with His children. Yet, when you truly seek an open door (per say) between the creator and yourself, you should call upon the Holy Spirit and ask Him to show to you and remove all the hindrances (negative traits) that you possess.  As Romans 12:2 (NIV) tells us, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will”.

I pray we all in this age and future cling to this, as so easily the true word of God being manipulated and miscommunicated to our very ears.

Dear Heavenly Father, We thank You for given to us the Holy Bible, Your love letter to Your children. May we be apt to us it, so that we may know Your commandments, Your will for our lives in all areas and be aware of that which is to come. May You search our hearts Father, and remove the areas that You find displeasing. May we be but vessels for You to use, for that is our purpose, You so graciously gave us life, and we willingly give it back to You. In the name of Your Son Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.

SiC ♥

So the stage has been set ….

One day long ago someone (or more than one someone) hurt you and while you have in your heart have sincerely forgive said people(s), to be around them is not your first idea of fun. Yet, a circumstance has presented itself where-as the aforementioned are linked to a happening of some significance and your presence is required. What perchance do you do? Well, if you are like me, initially you may have an emotional panic attack, retorting inwardly (or to a confidant) that your appearance should be requested, not demanded – that you are an adult now and don’t have to take orders from no [bleep] one except God, all the while you see-saw in your head-space about how unfair the whole situation is. Yet, then you realize exactly what thoughts are going through your head. Valid, very valid … no one can make you do anything you wish not to do, so what will you do?

 You, if like me, proceed to carry forth as with this crossroad as with all decisions in your life (or at least you try to) and you talk it over with God. It never will cease to amaze me how speaking to God eases one being, communing with the Father, the creator of all things truly does bring things into perspective.

So you ask yourself, not what would Jesus do, but what DID Jesus do …
Jesus, the Son of God, taught, traveled and ate with, even washed the feet of, the man who was set to betray Him and hand Him over to be crucified. Jesus never showed anything but love to Judas.  

Ouch, conviction eh?

So now you may be saying to yourself, He is the Son of God though, how can I even begin to do the same? (As this part was given to me after my own revelation of the above from wise counsel), by means just as Paul wrote about his when referring to his “thorn of the flesh” that God would not remove.

And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

So what does this mean? It means that the GRACE of the Almighty is ALL that is NEEDED for ANY and EVERYTHING we must encounter, that means sickness, broken hearts, imprisonment, showing compassion to those that have wronged us, etc … 

We have all read the verses, now we must just start living the word – we must have faith that what we read, speak and teach is true. We have been called to be a light unto a broken world (which is on a rapid spiral down into the uttermost pits of decay).

Do not lose heart though friend, family member in the kingdom of Jesus Christ – should there be a time (or times) in which you stumble; we are all works in progress in this lifetime!

Dear Heavenly Father – We thank You so very much for giving us Your word, for allowing us to hear and read the stories of the saints that have gone before us. For allowing us so much knowledge into who You are and who You want us to be. Allow us to grow stronger in You Lord. Allow us to rid ourselves of any malice we have toward other people and show everyone the same love in which You have shown us. In the name of the Perfect One, Jesus Christ, ><>

SiC <3