firstIMPRESSIONS
from Senior Pastor Timothy Satryan

Matthew 14:30-31 says “But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”

If there’s any way the devil can get your eyes away from the Word, he’ll do it.

He’ll cause trouble. He’ll make the circumstances around you pitch and roll like a rowboat in a hurricane. He’ll do anything he can to get you to concentrate on the realm of the physical senses and the situation around you instead of on the promise of God – because he knows that if he doesn’t, you’ll take that promise and beat his brains out with it.

That’s what he did to Peter. When Peter first jumped out of the boat that day in response to Jesus’ word, He walked right across that water without a problem. His whole being was fastened on that word Jesus had spoken to him, “Come!”

But when he took his eyes off that word, he started looking at the storm. He started looking at the impossible thing he was doing. After all, he was a fisherman. All his training and experience told him when the waves were that high, you were going under. He started to focus on what he knew in the natural instead of what Jesus said. When he did that, his faith slipped out of gear and he started to sink.

Don’t let that happen to you. Once you get a revelation from the Word of God, hang onto it. Don’t focus on anything else.

The devil will do everything he can to get you to turn loose of it. He’ll stir up things around you. He’ll try to get you into fear. He’ll push every button he can from the past to get you back into your old way of thinking.

But don’t let go. Keep your eyes on the Word of God until it’s more real inside you than anything else.

If you do – you’ll be able to walk your way across the water just fine!

Here is your copy of firstIMPRESSIONS, Volume 7.15. Live for God, on purpose, keeping your eyes on Jesus every single day!

by Kelly McFadden

“Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.” Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” – Luke 7:47-48

John Newton, the author of the hymn “Amazing Grace,” found faith in Jesus onboard a ship as it was floundering in a storm. This was not just any ship; the ship he was on was a slave ship. In the mid 1700s, Newton’s professional trade was the trafficking of human life.

Newton and his crew would sale from England to Africa where they would pick up men, women and children who had been captured in tribal raids. They would trade arms and other goods for the finest of the prisoners. They would then chain them to prevent suicides, and lay them below deck side by side. As many as 600 people were stuffed together on the ship as it made its three week voyage. Due to the inhumane conditions, at times, up to 20% of those captured would die.

After becoming a Christian, Newton left the sea for good and became a priest. He then wrote this hymn. You have probably sung it before, but read these words carefully knowing now why he wrote them.

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me,
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

’twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved.
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come.
’tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

God’s mercy and grace drastically changed John Newton’s life. He understood God’s unconditional love better than most. When I read those words through the eyes of someone who truly realized he did not deserve grace, I am humbled. Too often I chalk up all the good things I have done and wait for what I think I deserve; however, according to the Scriptures, the truth of the matter is that I deserve judgment. And, I don’t really want that! I am thankful for God’s generosity and that He sent Hs one and only Son to die for us so that we would not get what we deserve, but that we would get His generous love and eternity with the Father. This is truly amazing grace!

as seen in “Today’s HomeWord,” a daily devotional with Jim Burns. Visit them online at www.homeword.com

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The words “I have set the Lord always before me,” are the simplest description of Spiritual life. When certain thoughts are present, there’s a good chance they’re the result of God walking alongside us.

The first thought involves feelings of reassurance. Whether it’s Joshua taking over from Moses, or Paul going through his worst storm, the message is: ‘Be not afraid. I am with you.’

The second thought you’ll have when God is present is that you’ll get guidance. Maybe you’re stumped with some issue and then an idea comes to you. It might be a big one or a small one, but it will help. Or you’re about to say something that will inflict damage, and suddenly a little voice inside your head says ‘be quiet’.

A third indicator of God’s presence is conviction of sin. You’re going down the wrong road and a little stab of pain says, ’no, turn around’. Heed that voice or you’ll violate your values, diminish your influence, and end up guilt-ridden.

The fourth kind of thought that will tell you God is present, is joy! “You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence” (Psalm 16:11 NIV). It works like this: you put in an extra effort, something gets accomplished and you feel a surge of satisfaction – that’s what happened when God created the world, then said, “That’s good!”

God can use any of those things to convey His presence. If you “Set the Lord always before [you]” you’ll begin to sense Him in your everyday life.

from The Word for Today, April 9, 2007; www.thewordfortoday.com.au

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by Ron Hutchcraft

You are probably a believer in heliocentricity, right? Now that is not a new denomination. It just means that the sun is the center of our solar system and all the planets, including this little tennis ball we live on, are revolving around the sun. We do sound a little confused about this sometimes, like when we say, “Isn’t that a beautiful sunset?” Actually, the sun isn’t going anywhere; we’re the ones who are moving. But who wants to go for a romantic walk to watch a beautiful earthset? Well, apparently, not everyone’s got this orbit thing straight. The American Scientific Association did a survey a few years ago and they found that 21 percent of Americans surveyed thought the sun orbited around the earth, and seven percent said they didn’t know.

So, there’s some confusion about the fact that the planets revolve around the sun, not the sun around the planets. That’s not just a scientific issue. It’s a spiritual issue, too. Because too many of us have forgotten what is supposed to be the “sun” at the center of our life. We’ve put one of the “planets” of our life at the center, and in reality, everything is revolving around it. The Bible would call that a word we wouldn’t like to accept – it’s an idol.

Someone listening today is living in violation of the First Commandment, as recorded in our word for today from the Word of God in Exodus 20:3. Heading the fundamental Law of God, the Ten Commandments, is this imperative: “You shall have no other gods before Me.” Our instinctive response is: “Well, excuse me. I don’t have any little images that I pray to in my closet.” That’s blatant, overt idolatry. But idolatry is far more than that. That’s why, for example, greed is called idolatry in Colossians 3:5.

In real terms, your “god” isn’t what you say you believe in, it’s whatever you revolve your life around, what you think about most of the time, what you spend your time and money on, whatever is your bottom line in your life-choices. Obviously, we are to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5). He is the sun in the universe of every life. Everyone and everything else is just a planet that is supposed to revolve around Him, and our beliefs agree with that. It’s our everyday behavior that’s the problem. It could be that at this moment in your life, you’re actually revolving around one of the planets in your life, and you’re treating Jesus like He should revolve around it, too.

Maybe the real “sun” in your personal universe is your children. They’re supposed to be very important to you, but not the center of your life. Maybe your marriage or your strong desire to be married is what you’ve put at the center. Your business or your career could become an idol, a relationship, your stuff, your plans, even your ministry can become an idol; you’ve started serving the work instead of serving the Lord.

If the sun were ever to leave its place at the center of our solar system, it would mess up everything else. When you put what’s supposed to be a “planet” in your life at the center, nothing works right. And it could be that Jesus is not really the sun around which everything else in your life is revolving right now and the result is going to be chaos, confusion, and collapse.

That’s why this wakeup call from God – to put the sun – actually, the Son of God – back at the center of everything you’re about. Remember God’s first order to the human race: “No other gods.” And pray with the hymn writer, “The dearest idol I have known, help me to tear it from the throne and worship only Thee.”

Copyright © 2007, Ron Hutchcraft. Reprinted with permission. “A Word With You” is a radio outreach of Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.

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JESUS was born,
   that I might be born twice.

HE became poor,
   that I might possess wealth.

HE became homeless,
   that I might have mansions.

HE was stripped,
   that I always should have clothes.

HE was forsaken,
   that I always should have friends.

HE was bound,
   that I might have perfect liberty.

HE was sad,
   that I might have full joy.

HE descended,
   that I should be lifted up.

HE became a servant,
   that I might be a son forever.

HE was hungry,
   that I should always have food.

HE was made sin,
   that I should share HIS righteousness.

HE died,
   that I should never taste Eternal death.

HE will come down,
   that I might go up.

All of this – that HE might display in me the riches of HIS grace
   and be the companion of God in the heavenlies.

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by Alan Smith

I have heard that there is a monastery in Greece perched high on a cliff, several hundred feet in the air. The only way to reach the monastery is to be suspended in a basket which is pulled to the top by several monks who pull and tug with all their strength. Obviously the ride up the steep cliff in that basket is terrifying.

One tourist got exceedingly nervous about half-way up as he noticed that the rope by which he was suspended was old and frayed. With a trembling voice he asked the monk who was riding with him in the basket how often they changed the rope.

The monk thought for a moment and answered serenely: “Whenever it breaks.”

We are shocked that someone would wait that long before changing the rope. It only makes sense that the rope ought to be changed long before reaching that point. But it dawned on me that God operates the same way in our lives. If we were to ask God when He will change our lives, His answer might well be, “Whenever you break!”

You see, our lives can only change once we have what the Bible refers to as a “broken spirit”. As long as we remain arrogant and determined to do things our way, God can’t shape us and mold us. Like a wild stallion, we remain useless until we are “broken”.

“The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.” (Psa. 34:18)

Father, I so often want to stubbornly do things my way. Help me as I strive to have a broken spirit, recognizing my shortcomings, humbly willing to listen to Your instruction. In Jesus’ name, amen.

This article by Alan Smith, Senior Pastor of the Helen Street Church of Christ in Fayetteville, North Carolina. You can visit his site at http://www.TFTD-online.com

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Don’t be a thermometer, be a thermostat! Thermometers just reflect the climate around them – thermostats set it. Actually, they lift it!

Most of us are like thermometers reflecting the culture around us. We buy things others buy, say things others say, wear things others wear, and value things others value. Oh, there are slight variations, but most of the time we don’t set the climate for the world we live in; we simply adjust to it.

But not overcomers! No, they take life to the next level. They become thermostats and change the environment in which they’re placed. For instance, you may know people who raise the Spiritual temperature of a group or determine the attitudes of others just by being present. They’re pacesetters. They influence, rather than merely allowing others to influence them.

Paul’s challenge to the Romans was to move from being a thermometer to being a thermostat. Listen: “Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what He wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you” (Romans 12:2, The Message).

God calls us to be authentic. The word authentic comes from the Greek word “to author.” It means to read God’s script for your life and then write your own story, not copy somebody else’s. That’s living. That’s being a thermostat, not a thermometer!

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Our neighbor, visiting the Holy Land, sent a letter describing the beautiful gardens.

“I wonder if he saw the rose,” our six-year-old asked.

“What rose?” I said.

“You know, like the Bible women saw. They went to that garden where Jesus was buried and they saw Christ had a rose!”

This Sunday is National Youth Day across the Assemblies of God, and here at WFA, our IMPACT Youth Ministry will be featured, and Pastor Steve Miller will share the Word. It’s always a great blessing when our young people minister! You won’t want to miss it!