Jesus is the great fire-starter who invites us to a place of warmth in the same way He invited His confused and exhausted disciples to an early morning campfire on the shores of Lake Galilee.
As they stood around the fire which Jesus had started and tended, several things happened. They were fed; they were affirmed; they were instructed and commissioned to ministry.

Since Christ is the ‘fire-starter’, the fire had to be first within Him. A study of His earthly life and ministry shows that He always tended first to the fire within Himself. In other words, He intimately communed with His own Heavenly Father. This was always Jesus’ first priority.

We need to keep close to the fire and keep it tended because although Christ starts the fire and invites a person to join Him, and is more than willing to keep the fire burning brightly for a while, a process is soon set into motion in which Jesus begins to hand over the responsibility of tending the fire to us. And if there is a continuing, tended fire, He’ll be with us and will continue that heavenly whisper of comfort and challenge, of gentle rebuke and affirmation.

So we need to disengage ourselves from the world to go to spend time with Christ. We need to consciously do this, to carve out time because there will never be a time when the noise of our world won’t compete relentlessly for our attention. These noises could get so loud that they would usually drown out the quiet invitations of Christ to join Him at His fire. We have to choose whether or not to make tending Christ’s fire a priority. We make a trip to Christ’s fire possible by choosing to do it. If we excuse ourselves by claiming that circumstances are too demanding we have set in motion a pattern that will provide excuses for the rest of our lives. If we are too busy, something in the schedule should be sacrificed – not the time with Christ. He Himself demonstrated that when He went to a fire that God made for Him others waited.

(Extract from HIGH CALL, HIGH PRIVILEGE by GAIL MACDONALD)

Some years ago, the University of Illinois conducted an experiment in which 2 pens of pigs were weaned and reared in different environments. One pen of pigs received no handling except for feeding, watering, and pen cleaning. The pigs in the 2^nd pen were treated much better. They were played with and petted for at least 15 minutes each day by their caretakers. The end result? The pigs that received the tender, loving care of their handlers thrived much better than those who were ignored. Caring attention, even in the life of a hog, does make a difference!

We all need care. As followers of Jesus, we must follow His example and care for not only people we know or people like us, but also for all people. It will make a difference in their lives and in our own lives.

Years ago at John Hopkins University in Baltimore, a young sociology professor assigned his class to interview 200 boys in one of the city slums. “On the basis of your findings predict their future,” he instructed the class. Shocked at what they had seen in the slums, the students estimated that 90% of the boys they interviewed would someday serve time in prison.

25 years later the same professor asked another class to locate the survivors of the 200 boys and to compare what happened. Of the 180 boys, they could find only 4 who had ever been to jail.

Why had the predictions by the earlier class proven false? A common denominator was sought in their lives, some value or influence that could have made the difference. Through more interviews it was revealed that over 100 of them remembered having the same high school teacher, Mrs O’Rourke, who had been a tremendous influence on them at the time.

After a long search, Mrs O’Rourke was found in a nursing home. When asked for her explanation, she was puzzled and replied, “All I did was love everyone of them.”

Our love can shape the destiny and course of the lives of the people with whom we come into contact. We must be aware that love is a powerful force that has very real effect on people. A simple loving word or deed may be the difference between life and death, success and failure, or a healthy or destroyed life. The young boys that came into contact with Mrs O’Rourke were positively influenced. The people who met Jesus were also changed for life. What happens to people who meet you? Is your life making a difference in the lives of those around you? You can affect change in others if you will choose to love every one of them. (SCOURCE UNKNOWN)

Many people overcome their past mistakes by God’s grace and become what God purposed for them. God is not interested in what we once were. He is interested in what we can become. Moses killed an Egyptian, yet God gave him a second chance to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Paul was a zealous persecutor, yet he got a second chance. Jonah had an encounter with God, but he chose.to run. He paid a dear price to resist God and do his own thing, spending 3 nights in a giant fish’s belly. Yet God gave him a second chance. He restored Jonah’s commission and He can restore all that was stolen in your life.

Here are 7 areas that God promises to restore:

1. Your health: In Jeremiah 30:17, the Lord says He “will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds.” The same Jesus that healed thousands in the Bible still has the power to restore your health today.

2. Your life: Ruth 4:15 tells about the way God provided for Naomi’s life to be restored after her husband and sons died. Through Ruth, God gave Naomi a grandson to be a restorer of life and a nourisher of her old age.

3. Your joy: David’s cry in Psalm 51: 12 is that God will restore the joy of His salvation. God is praised in the psalms as the Restorer of joy.

4. The wasted years: “I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten” (Joel 2: 25). God restores the time that we spent living contrary to His truth.

5. Your spiritual walk: Galatians 6:1 describes that if someone is caught in sin, the spiritual community is to restore that person in a spirit of gentleness.

6. Your paths: Both you and your spiritual family will rebuild the breach and fill the places that were once used for rubbish (Isaiah 58: 12)

7. Your damaged soul: The Shepherd’s psalm elegantly declares that God “restores my soul; He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” (Psalm 23: 3).

Have you done something in your past that you’re ashamed of? Have you ever felt that you disappointed God to such an extent that He could never love you again? God is a God of unlimited second chances. He is willing and ready to restore you to your former condition of health.

(FRANK DAMAZIO)

I love the taste of T-bone steak,
Delicious every bite,
But there’s nothing like the Word of God,
For my spiritual appetite.

The Word of God has milk and meat,
And even ice cream and cake.
Take a slice of the Bread of Life
And coffee to keep us awake.

Open your Bible and turn to Psalms,
For David’s famous buffet.
You can drink all the wine of the Word you want,
And still feel fine the next day.

There’s enough of the Word for everyone, and no one has to cheat.
The Word of God is a smorgasbord, so take all you are able to eat.

Let’s have a little long suffering, Job gives the recipe.
Patience is the main ingredient, self denial is the fee.

Wrap that up in temperance, it may not make much sense,
Cover that with contentment, then add some joy for strength.

Let’s have love for dessert, Jesus made this dish,
Cream of joy and peace together, sift out all selfishness.

Add some deeds of righteousness, enough to make it sweet.
Humility is the frosting that makes the dish complete.

Or are you on a diet, ‘cause the race seems hard to run.
For a weight losing menu, try Hebrews 12, verse 1.

Are you suffering from malnutrition, and don’t know what to do?
Your spiritual growth seems hindered – try 1 Peter 2, verse 2.

If when every time you battle, the enemy always wins,
Try some Holy Ghost Protein, and spiritual vitamins.

God’s Word can feed millions, and still have plenty left.
Because the Word of God is Soul Food, sent from the World’s Greatest CHEF!

(AUTHOR UNKNOWN)

. . . and a word of exhortation to all fathers (& also mothers) from John 15, where Jesus reminded us to abide in Him, and not focus on the fruit, but focus on abiding.

We need that word, especially those of us that are results oriented. I was talking with a buddy the other day about all the pressure we put on our kids to produce fruit in their lives. Get the A, get in that club or organization, be the best at your sport, get a scholarship, get into a better school…..We focus often on the fruit rather than what’s really important – their character before God, namely, abiding in Jesus. If our kids got that, they’d be the best they are supposed to be.

Jesus said the Gardener (God) will bring the fruit through the vine if the branch stay connected to the vine. God’s job is to prune us. Our job is to abide. So, let God prune some old branches from our lives – old ways of thinking, areas we don’t trust Him, unfruitful things we are doing, and focus on remembering Christ lives in you. Each day, as you start your day, remember Jesus wants you to abide in Him and leave the results to Him.

Ask your kids – “Are you abiding in Jesus”, rather than, “Are you getting that A?” “How is your relationship with Jesus going?” “What’s He saying to you?”

Students and parents, are you focusing on the results? That’s not our job. Abide. And as John says in 15:9, “Abide in My love.” In 15:10, “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love.” Abide in His love and in His commandments for your life. Leave the results to Him. What is His love and His word speaking to you about? Abide in that.

(SOURCE UNKNOWN)