The Great Escape

Consider being cornered into hopeless situations as opportunities to ultimately celebrate.  Because the exercising of your faith strengthens your loyalty to God,  and let your absolute loyalty to Him mature YOU so that YOU will be a mature individual,  a person of character,  and finally then and only after then. God will rescue you.  If anyone needs to see God’s strategy in personal development through tests,  just ask Him  to adjust your thinking.  God wants you to see things as He sees them,  and won’t make you feel stupid for asking.  He will help you reset your mind to the way He sees things.  God puts character first before needs, and so must you.  If you keep switching view points between yours and His,  you’ll never get anything from God.  To receive from God, allow Him to remold your character, and then and only then will He save you. (James 1:2-7)  M.H. Dennis

In Matthew 15:22-33,  Peter and the other disciples were out in a small boat in the dead of night.  As they struggled when they rowed against the wind, they saw something walking on top of the water.  In shock and horror, it was approaching the boat, and coming after them!  As they cried in terror, Jesus called out. It's me! Peter said if it's really you, may I walk on water too! Although Peter wasn't really sure that it was Jesus, he was sure that Jesus could walk on water, and he could too with Jesus' permission. As he took one step and then another, he too walked on water!  After he took a few steps, Peter got distracted by his surroundings and the impossibility of his predicament.  After his focus shifted from Jesus, Peter sank. Peter was convinced that Jesus could walk on water; however, he doubted that Jesus could reproduce what He did in his own life.  Peter's small faith in what Jesus had said w...

1 I, James, am writing this letter.  I serve God and the Lord Jesus Christ. We all serve someone or something.  We can serve people and things that drain the life out of us,  or Christ who loves and gave Himself for us.  I am sending this letter to you, the 12 tribes scattered among the nations. The Jewish believers in Jesus were persecuted after the murder of Stephen for his faith(Acts 8),  and they fled throughout the ancient world to save their lives.  At the time of this letter, this was before the none Jewish people had been told about Jesus. Therefore, there were only Jewish Christians at this time.   Hence, James called them the 12 tribes (of Israel).   Greetings. 2 My brothers and sisters, you will face all kinds of trouble.  When you do, think of it as pure joy.  These Jewish believers left their families, friends, and homes behind to follow Christ. We are not promised...