1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, …
I normally do not post the entire article from someone’s site. This one is really short, so I have posted all of it here.
This was written by John over at Dancing in the Darkness. I encourage you to check out the rest of his site as there is much more great material there. The original post is located here on Dancing in the Darkness. While you are there, let John know you liked something he wrote and check out his other great articles.
Freshly laundered cotton. A guitar skillfully played. Moss on old stone. God’s shalom is given in a thousand different ways, and yet each one is a gift. May I rest God in the thickness of your mercy.
In the substance of your love may I abide. Let me not rise from this safe place too soon. You are found in stillness God. In silence your voice rings clear. Still us, noisy as we are, to know you.
Though wild winds rattle my windows and walls. Though storms shake me. You are my foundation God. Your hold on me is my hope. My peace is in your presence God. I am calm when you are close. Winds wail and waves rise but I will cross this lake with you.
Where truth is told, justice is possible. Where light shines, healing can flow. Naked before God, unhidden, we find rest. God is the reality that earths my expectations; his purpose the hope that holds my attention. Ground of my being, anchor me in love, in mercy, in grace, in forgiveness. Like an ancient house undergoing renovation; a painting restored; an antique sideboard made new: you renew the good in us God.
It’s been a busy week, and I haven’t had a chance to write a post for Gospel Apprentice. When this happens, I usually repost something from the archives. This is one of those times. Our son, Eric wrote this in February, 2010. I will only add this:
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
3 John 4
By His Grace and for the Gospel,
Terrie van Baarsel
Here’s the post:
The following post was written by our youngest son, Eric van Baarsel. Thanks, Eric for contributing to Gospel Apprentice!
The most important question you can ask yourself in life is, “Am I in Jesus?” So, what I want you to do right now is ask yourself, “Am I in Jesus, and if so, on what do I base my answer?” My biggest fear is if someone thinks they know Jesus, but in reality they don’t know Him. Jesus said, “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you…’ ” (Matthew 7:22-23) Please don’t be one of the many who this will happen to on the day when you stand before Almighty God! So, my goal in this article is to give you a better understanding of who Jesus Christ is, who you are, and finally what He did for you.
First, we must try to get a glimpse of who Jesus is. Jesus is the Son of God and the world was created through Him (John 1:10). He is part of the Holy Trinity, God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Jesus was sent into this world and was born from the virgin Mary, so we see Jesus is fully God and also fully man at the same time (Matthew 1:18). Jesus experienced many of the same things we do. He had and loved friends and family, felt hunger and pain, joy and happiness, shed tears and knew sadness. And even “was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15b) Jesus never sinned once and was completely blameless.
This is a really great article by Terrie’s son Eric (Terrie is the person who has the blog site) from Gospel Apprentice. This is an in-depth look at our walk with Christ, are we really “in” Christ or not? Are we abiding in the Holy and perfect God, or marking time on our way to heaven…or are we truly saved at all?
To finish reading this repost on Terrie’s site from her son, please head over to, http://gospelapprentice.com/2012/04/25/am-i-in-jesus-re-post/
The OneCry Prayer Summit will be a live, participatory radio event starting on the National Day of Prayer and continuing throughout the month of May. The focus will be on prayer for revival and spiritual awakening within the North American church and weaving Scripture, meditations, worship, and reflections throughout. Listeners will be able to engage and participate through live chatting and social media.
Hosted by Moody Radio and in partnership with many others passionate about spiritual awakening, we’re excited to bring you this live radio event beginning on the National Day of Prayer and continuing Thursdays in May.
Prayer Summit Dates
May 3 (8 p.m. – 10 p.m. ET)
May 10 (8 p.m. – 9 p.m. ET)
May 17 (8 p.m. – 9 p.m. ET)
May 24 (8 p.m. – 9 p.m. ET)
Listen live right here at OneCry.com or see if there is a radio station in your area carrying the OneCry prayer summit.
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More information can be found here. If anyone would like to do another day of fasting and prayer to coincide with the National Day of Prayer, leave a comment below.
This was originally posted on Drusilla Mott, you can see the original post here. Thanks to Drusilla for posting this on her site!
Part 1 of this 4 part series can be found here.
Part 2 can be found here.
Part 3 can be found here.
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Galatians 5 “16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.”
In the verses following Paul goes on to compare the fruits of the flesh with the fruits of the Spirit, and then says:
“24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If ye live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”
Romans 6 “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. …. 11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”
This is the fourth in a series written by Drusilla Mott over at Drusilla Mott. Excellent series written on believers and sin, and why we don’t have to be held captive to sin’s power. We all sin, but that does not mean that sin needs to hold sway in our lives, rather we can through the power of the Holy Spirit and His leading live a life that glorifies Christ.
To finish reading this excellent series of articles, please head over to http://drusillamott.wordpress.com/2012/04/25/christians-and-sin-pt-4/ While you are there, let Drusilla know you enjoyed her article! Check out the rest of her site as well.
  
Ephesians 2:4-6
God . . . made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus
The New Testament clearly reveals that Christ’s power and authority over Satan and his kingdom have been conferred to those of us who are in Christ. In Ephesians 2:4-6, Paul explains that when Christ was raised from the dead, those of us who have believed in Him were also resurrected from our condition of spiritual death and made alive “together with Christ.” It’s only logical that the head (Christ) and the body (His church) should be raised together.
Furthermore, when God seated Christ at His right hand and conferred on Him all authority (Ephesians 1:20, 21), He also seated us at His right hand and conferred on us through Christ all authority because we are “together with Christ.” The moment you receive Christ, you take possession of what God did for you 2000 years ago. Your identity as a child of God and your authority over spiritual powers are not things you are receiving or will receive at some time in the future; you have them right now. You are a spiritually-alive child of God right now . You are seated in the heavenlies with Christ right now . You have power and authority over the kingdom of darkness right now . We have the authority because of our position in Christ, and we have the power when we are filled with the Holy Spirit.
Paul also related this life-changing truth in his letter to the Colossians: “In Him [Christ] you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority” (Colossians 2:10). Notice again that the action is past: We have been made complete. When? At the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. And since Christ is the God-appointed head over all rule and authority, and since we are seated with Him in the heavenlies, we have the authority and power to live responsible lives.
Prayer: Father, help me want to live responsibly, to claim my position as Your child, and to grow to full stature in You.
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This is an article that was submitted to us for publication. This is a great article about finding our joy in the Lord not the world.
Thank you to Godlove Njut Tabi for submitting this article. You can visit their web site here,
http://rhapsody-of-realities.blogspot.de/
These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full (John 15:11).
In life, people naturally seek to be joyfully fulfilled. Some try to find it in their job, family, possessions or friends. Some others live in servitude to the judgments or opinion of others about them. When others say or do nice things to them or for them, they’re happy; but at the slightest feeling of rejection they become bitter, resentful and frustrated. Never live your life that way. Your joy should be independent of circumstances and the opinions of others about you.
James 1:2 says, ‘’…count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.’’ The Apostles, and even the Lord Jesus endured serious persecution and rejection, yet they remained undaunted in their resolve to fulfill God’s dream. Even after the Apostles were openly ridiculed and beaten for preaching the Gospel, the Bible says they were filled with joy to be counted worthy to suffer shame for His Name (Acts 5:40-41). That wasn’t ordinary joy; it was the joy of the Lord in their spirits. If you ever feel discouraged, downcast, or rejected, all you have to do is to consciously activate the joy of the Lord from within and you’ll be strengthened. You don’t have to wait for anything or anyone to make you joyful; evoke joy from within.
Never be dissatisfied or unhappy because of the challenging circumstances you might be facing or the ill treatment you get from others! You’re more than a conqueror; therefore no adversity can overwhelm you. When trouble comes, laugh; and then say like Paul, ‘’None of these things move me…’’ (Acts 20:24), because you know you’re a victor. God has given you joy that isn’t dependent on the situations around you; joy that flows from your spirit as gushers of living water. So live joyfully every day and be exuberant about life.
Prayer
The joy of the Lord is my strength, and I rejoice in Him today, for He has filled my life with His goodness. I refuse to be perturbed about anything because I’ve cast all my cares upon the Lord, who is my caretaker and provider! Amen.
Further Study
Psalm 16:11; John 14:27
 by Neil Anderson John 3:8
The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.
What does it take to be the selfless, loving Christian we desire to be? What is needed to move us beyond our inconsequential selfish, fleshly pursuits to deeds of loving service to God and others?
First, it requires a firm grasp on your identity in Christ. You can’t love like Jesus loved until you accept the reality that, since you are in Christ, His divine nature is united with your spirit.
Second, you must begin to crucify daily the old sin-trained flesh and walk in accordance with who you are: a child of God whose spirit is filled with God’s Spirit.
The fact that the Holy Spirit resides in us and that we can live according to His leading is an awesome but elusive concept to many. The problem is not new. Nicodemus was a learned man, but he couldn’t comprehend life in the Spirit. So Jesus told him, “the wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going, so is everyone who is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8). Trying to reduce life in the Spirit to a formula is like trying to capture the wind.
Someone reflecting on the mysteries of walking by the Spirit said, “I think we need to pull in the oars and put up the sail!” I like that. When we walk by the Spirit, we stop striving. We are no longer driven; we are led. “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God” (Romans 8:14). When we come to the end of our resources, we discover His.
Prayer: Father, help me to quickly set aside human resources today so I may walk in the strength and adequacy of Your Spirit.
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Many of the Christian kids I have talked to at school think that even Christians can be possessed by a demon. True Christians can NOT be demon possessed. They can tempt or influence your thoughts if you fail to follow the Spirit’s leading. However, if the Holy Spirit lives within you, a demon cannot enter and cannot possess you. 2 Corinthians 6:15:
“What harmony is there between Christ and Belial?”
“The Greek word, Beliar, comes from the Hebrew, belyi’al, which means “without benefit, worthless.” It is used in the Old Testament as an adjective describing scoundrels, but by New Testament times it had become another name for Satan.”
Mark 3:20-30: ”20 Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. 21When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”
22 And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebub! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.”
23 So Jesus called them and spoke to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. 27 In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can rob his house. 28 I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. 29 But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin.”
30 He said this because they were saying, “He has an evil spirit.”
The above passage is a parable that Jesus told regarding Satan and his demons. The teachers of the law accused Jesus of being possessed by Beelzebub (Satan). So naturally, Jesus told them what was up. 
We must wage war against the evil forces of Satan. Christians have been given authority over Satan and his demons. Demonic spirits are powerful, but they don’t even begin to compare to God. Jesus gave us power over them. When we confront a demonic spirit or a demon posses person, we must rely on Jesus and use the power he gave us to break the binding they have on people. Demonic power is very real. With the power Jesus gives us we must fight Satan and his demons. How do you get prepared? I encourage you to read Ephesians 6. I will also copy and paste a blog from my brother, Joey Coons, here as well.
What a great piece this is on the subject of angels and demons. Written by Austin over at austincoons. For a great straight-forward teaching on this subject, you will want to finish reading this one.
Please head on over to, http://austincoons.wordpress.com/2012/04/22/christians-and-demons/ to read the rest of this article. While you are there, why not check out the rest of Austin’s site? Let him know you were there and liked something you read.
Come closer, my friend. Listen! Do you hear it? The grit of rock against rock. Oh, do look! Do you see it? The rays of sunlight in a dark tomb. Oh, feel the breathlessness in your heart! The impossible is before us, and it is possible.
The stone is rolled aside! The entrance stands open!
Disciples stagger, unbelieving. Women crumble, in tears. Roman guards collapse, stunned.
They stood staring at a gapping tomb that day.
We stand before another door today.
This is a fantastic journey of thought through what God has done for us. Written by Rebecca over at composerofwords. If you have a couple of minutes, this is well worth your time to finish reading this!
To finish reading this please head over to, http://composerofwords.wordpress.com/2012/04/08/god-waits-for-you/
While you are there, why not check out the rest of Rebecca’s site, and let her know what you liked!
