Daily Devotional Saturday 3rd March

“But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside.” Job 23:10-11 NIV

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Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon

Morning

"I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction."
Isaiah 48:10

Comfort thyself, tried believer, with this thought: God saith, "I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." Does not the word come like a soft shower, assuaging the fury of the flame? Yea, is it not an asbestos armour, against which the heat hath no power? Let affliction come--God has chosen me. Poverty, thou mayst stride in at my door, but God is in the house already, and he has chosen me. Sickness, thou mayst intrude, but I have a balsam ready--God has chosen me. Whatever befalls me in this vale of tears, I know that he has "chosen" me. If, believer, thou requirest still greater comfort, remember that you have the Son of Man with you in the furnace. In that silent chamber of yours, there sitteth by your side One whom thou hast not seen, but whom thou lovest; and ofttimes when thou knowest it not, he makes all thy bed in thy affliction, and smooths thy pillow for thee. Thou art in poverty; but in that lovely house of thine the Lord of life and glory is a frequent visitor. He loves to come into these desolate places, that he may visit thee. Thy friend sticks closely to thee. Thou canst not see him, but thou mayst feel the pressure of his hands. Dost thou not hear his voice? Even in the valley of the shadow of death he says, "Fear not, I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God." Remember that noble speech of Caesar: "Fear not, thou carriest Caesar and all his fortune." Fear not, Christian; Jesus is with thee. In all thy fiery trials, his presence is both thy comfort and safety. He will never leave one whom he has chosen for his own. "Fear not, for I am with thee," is his sure word of promise to his chosen ones in the "furnace of affliction." Wilt thou not, then, take fast hold of Christ, and say--

"Through floods and flames, if Jesus lead,

I'll follow where he goes."

Evening

"He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove."
Matthew 3:16

As the Spirit of God descended upon the Lord Jesus, the head, so he also, in measure, descends upon the members of the mystical body. His descent is to us after the same fashion as that in which it fell upon our Lord. There is often a singular rapidity about it; or ever we are aware, we are impelled onward and heavenward beyond all expectation. Yet is there none of the hurry of earthly haste, for the wings of the dove are as soft as they are swift. Quietness seems essential to many spiritual operations; the Lord is in the still small voice, and like the dew, his grace is distilled in silence. The dove has ever been the chosen type of purity, and the Holy Spirit is holiness itself. Where he cometh, everything that is pure and lovely, and of good report, is made to abound, and sin and uncleanness depart. Peace reigns also where the Holy Dove comes with power; he bears the olive branch which shows that the waters of divine wrath are assuaged. Gentleness is a sure result of the Sacred Dove's transforming power: hearts touched by his benign influence are meek and lowly henceforth and forever. Harmlessness follows, as a matter of course; eagles and ravens may hunt their prey--the turtledove can endure wrong, but cannot inflict it. We must be harmless as doves. The dove is an apt picture of love, the voice of the turtle is full of affection; and so, the soul visited by the blessed Spirit, abounds in love to God, in love to the brethren, and in love to sinners; and above all, in love to Jesus. The brooding of the Spirit of God upon the face of the deep, first produced order and life, and in our hearts, he causes and fosters new life and light. Blessed Spirit, as thou didst rest upon our dear Redeemer, even so rest upon us from this time forward and forever.

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Today's reading: Numbers 23-25, Mark 7:14-37 (NIV)

View today's reading on Bible Gateway

Balaam’s First Message

¹ Balaam said, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.” ² Balak did as Balaam said, and the two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

³ Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your offering while I go aside. Perhaps the LORD will come to meet with me. Whatever he reveals to me I will tell you.” Then he went off to a barren height.

⁴ God met with him, and Balaam said, “I have prepared seven altars, and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.”

⁵ The LORD put a word in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Go back to Balak and give him this word.”

⁶ So he went back to him and found him standing beside his offering, with all the Moabite officials. ⁷ Then Balaam spoke his message:

“Balak brought me from Aram,
the king of Moab from the eastern mountains.
‘Come,’ he said, ‘curse Jacob for me;
come, denounce Israel.’
⁸ How can I curse
those whom God has not cursed?
How can I denounce
those whom the LORD has not denounced?
⁹ From the rocky peaks I see them,
from the heights I view them.
I see a people who live apart
and do not consider themselves one of the nations.
¹⁰ Who can count the dust of Jacob
or number even a fourth of Israel?
Let me die the death of the righteous,
and may my final end be like theirs!”

¹¹ Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but you have done nothing but bless them!”

¹² He answered, “Must I not speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?”

Balaam’s Second Message

¹³ Then Balak said to him, “Come with me to another place where you can see them; you will not see them all but only the outskirts of their camp. And from there, curse them for me.” ¹⁴So he took him to the field of Zophim on the top of Pisgah, and there he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

¹⁵ Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your offering while I meet with him over there.”

¹⁶ The LORD met with Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, “Go back to Balak and give him this word.”

¹⁷ So he went to him and found him standing beside his offering, with the Moabite officials. Balak asked him, “What did the LORD say?”

¹⁸ Then he spoke his message:

“Arise, Balak, and listen;
hear me, son of Zippor.
¹⁹ God is not human, that he should lie,
not a human being, that he should change his mind.
Does he speak and then not act?
Does he promise and not fulfill?
²⁰ I have received a command to bless;
he has blessed, and I cannot change it.

²¹ “No misfortune is seen in Jacob,
no misery observed in Israel.
The LORD their God is with them;
the shout of the King is among them.
²² God brought them out of Egypt;
they have the strength of a wild ox.
²³ There is no divination against Jacob,
no evil omens against Israel.
It will now be said of Jacob
and of Israel, ‘See what God has done!’
²⁴ The people rise like a lioness;
they rouse themselves like a lion
that does not rest till it devours its prey
and drinks the blood of its victims.”

²⁵ Then Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all!”

²⁶ Balaam answered, “Did I not tell you I must do whatever the LORD says?”

Balaam’s Third Message

²⁷ Then Balak said to Balaam, “Come, let me take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them for me from there.” ²⁸ And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, overlooking the wasteland.

²⁹ Balaam said, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.” ³⁰ Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

Numbers 24

¹ Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not resort to divination as at other times, but turned his face toward the wilderness. ² When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came on him ³ and he spoke his message:

“The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,
the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,
⁴ the prophecy of one who hears the words of God,
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:

⁵ “How beautiful are your tents, Jacob,
your dwelling places, Israel!

⁶ “Like valleys they spread out,
like gardens beside a river,
like aloes planted by the LORD,
like cedars beside the waters.
⁷ Water will flow from their buckets;
their seed will have abundant water.

“Their king will be greater than Agag;
their kingdom will be exalted.

⁸ “God brought them out of Egypt;
they have the strength of a wild ox.
They devour hostile nations
and break their bones in pieces;
with their arrows they pierce them.
⁹ Like a lion they crouch and lie down,
like a lioness—who dares to rouse them?

“May those who bless you be blessed
and those who curse you be cursed!”

¹⁰ Then Balak’s anger burned against Balaam. He struck his hands together and said to him, “I summoned you to curse my enemies, but you have blessed them these three times. ¹¹ Now leave at once and go home! I said I would reward you handsomely, but the LORD has kept you from being rewarded.”

¹² Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell the messengers you sent me, ¹³ ‘Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the LORD—and I must say only what the LORD says’? ¹⁴ Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come.”

Balaam’s Fourth Message

¹⁵ Then he spoke his message:

“The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,
the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,
¹⁶ the prophecy of one who hears the words of God,
who has knowledge from the Most High,
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:

¹⁷ “I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near.
A star will come out of Jacob;
a scepter will rise out of Israel.
He will crush the foreheads of Moab,
the skulls of all the people of Sheth.
¹⁸ Edom will be conquered;
Seir, his enemy, will be conquered,
but Israel will grow strong.
¹⁹ A ruler will come out of Jacob
and destroy the survivors of the city.”

Balaam’s Fifth Message

²⁰ Then Balaam saw Amalek and spoke his message:

“Amalek was first among the nations,
but their end will be utter destruction.”

Balaam’s Sixth Message

²¹ Then he saw the Kenites and spoke his message:

“Your dwelling place is secure,
your nest is set in a rock;
²² yet you Kenites will be destroyed
when Ashur takes you captive.”

Balaam’s Seventh Message

²³ Then he spoke his message:

“Alas! Who can live when God does this?
²⁴ Ships will come from the shores of Cyprus;
they will subdue Ashur and Eber,
but they too will come to ruin.”

²⁵ Then Balaam got up and returned home, and Balak went his own way.

Numbers 25

Moab Seduces Israel

¹ While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women, ² who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate the sacrificial meal and bowed down before these gods. ³ So Israel yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor. And the LORD’s anger burned against them.

⁴ The LORD said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of these people, kill them and expose them in broad daylight before the LORD, so that the LORD’s fierce anger may turn away from Israel.”

⁵ So Moses said to Israel’s judges, “Each of you must put to death those of your people who have yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor.”

⁶ Then an Israelite man brought into the camp a Midianite woman right before the eyes of Moses and the whole assembly of Israel while they were weeping at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ⁷ When Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, saw this, he left the assembly, took a spear in his hand ⁸ and followed the Israelite into the tent. He drove the spear into both of them, right through the Israelite man and into the woman’s stomach. Then the plague against the Israelites was stopped; ⁹ but those who died in the plague numbered 24,000.

¹⁰ The LORD said to Moses, ¹¹ “Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, has turned my anger away from the Israelites. Since he was as zealous for my honor among them as I am, I did not put an end to them in my zeal. ¹²Therefore tell him I am making my covenant of peace with him.¹³ He and his descendants will have a covenant of a lasting priesthood, because he was zealous for the honor of his God and made atonement for the Israelites.”

¹⁴ The name of the Israelite who was killed with the Midianite woman was Zimri son of Salu, the leader of a Simeonite family.¹⁵ And the name of the Midianite woman who was put to death was Kozbi daughter of Zur, a tribal chief of a Midianite family.

¹⁶ The LORD said to Moses, ¹⁷ “Treat the Midianites as enemies and kill them. ¹⁸ They treated you as enemies when they deceived you in the Peor incident involving their sister Kozbi, the daughter of a Midianite leader, the woman who was killed when the plague came as a result of that incident.”

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Mark 7

¹⁴ Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. ¹⁵ Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” ^[16]

¹⁷ After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. ¹⁸ “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? ¹⁹ For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)

²⁰ He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. ²¹ For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, ²² adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. ²³ All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

Jesus Honors a Syrophoenician Woman’s Faith

²⁴ Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret. ²⁵ In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit came and fell at his feet. ²⁶ The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.

²⁷ “First let the children eat all they want,” he told her, “for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

²⁸ “Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

²⁹ Then he told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.”

³⁰ She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

Jesus Heals a Deaf and Mute Man

³¹ Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. ³² There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him.

³³ After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. ³⁴ He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). ³⁵ At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.

³⁶ Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. ³⁷ People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

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Bartholomew [Bärthŏl'omew]—son of tolmai. One of the twelve, mentioned only in the lists of the apostles (Matt. 10:3, Mark 3:18; Luke 6:14; Acts 1:13). Bartholomew is really not a name but a patronymic. This apostle is identified as Nathanael.

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March 2, 2012 The Aroma of Christ Mary Southerland Today's Truth But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ's triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? (2 Corinthians 2:14-16, NIV). Friend to Friend I tend to be a creature of habit in many ways – a fact that impacts all areas of my life – even when it comes to smells. I know. A little strange but let me explain. While teaching third grade at an elementary school in Texas, I habitually took the same route to work every morning. The elementary school was only a 15 minute drive from our home, and there were several different and even shorter routes I could have taken. However, the one I normally took went by a bakery at the precise time they were gearing up for the day. The aroma of fresh bread was like a magnet that lured me in to grab a hot cinnamon roll or blueberry muffin to eat on my way to school. Scrumptious! In fact, I eagerly volunteered to provide goodies for the teacher break room because it gave me an excuse to stop at the bakery. And all the other teachers just thought I was being nice! Interestingly enough, if I was dieting, I took a different route in order to avoid that tempting smell. I am also a creature of habit when it comes to candles. I love candles. In fact, everyone who knows me can testify to the fact I have a "thing" for candles. I burn them continually for any or no reason other than the fact I enjoy their aroma. When I walk in my front door, the fragrance of a burning candle often triggers wonderful memories and instantly draws me in. And the aroma of just-baked cookies or a pot of coffee brewing just makes me feel good. I have to say that fragrances are important to me. Unfortunately, life is filled with both pleasant and not-so-pleasant fragrances. One of my least favorite smells comes from a litter box. We have had cats on and off for many years. Never just one cat mind you. Oh no. At one point, we had two adult cats that both had kittens within a month of each other for a grand total of nine cats. And did I mention the fact that I hate litter boxes? When I walked in the front door of our home and was greeted by that toxic litter box odor, I flew into high gear lighting candles, emptying the litter box and … well, you get the idea. An aroma can be appealing and inviting or it can be offensive and unpleasant. That same principle can be applied to our life in Christ. A life without Jesus Christ is filled with the aroma of death but the fragrance of Jesus Christ at work in a life is pleasing and winsome. The knowledge of Christ is a compelling and magnetic fragrance that draws the broken heart and wounded soul to a place of restoration. When God looks at one of His children, I am convinced His heart beats with love, giving off the beautiful aroma of grace and hope. 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 (NIV) "But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ's triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?" How about your life? Do you live in such a way that people are drawn to you and the pleasant aroma of Jesus Christ and His truth at work in you? Does His transforming knowledge compel others to take a second look at your life and want what you have? I so want my life to be one that is winsome like Jesus was. I want others to see Him in me and be drawn to the fragrance of His love and mercy that save me and give my life purpose. I want to be the aroma of Jesus Christ to the broken and wounded people who cross my path every day. Let's Pray Father, I want others to see You in my life. I want to live out Your truth and knowledge in such a way that the lost and broken are drawn to Your love and mercy in me. Teach me how to saturate my life with Your truth and then share that truth with those around me. Let me be the sweet aroma of You to my family, friends, and neighbors … everyone You send my way. In Jesus' name, Amen. Now It's Your Turn Make a list of your five favorite fragrances. How do these fragrances make you feel? Are you saturating your life with the fragrance of God's truth? Who are the people in your life who need to know Christ? What step(s) do you need to take to be the aroma of Jesus Christ to the people in your life? More from the Girlfriends It has become a family joke that I have an invisible sign on my forehead that says "Dump here." Why? Not because of anything that I have done but simply because of God's presence in me that draws people to Himself. Need a friend? Connect with Mary on Facebook or through email. Be sure to check out the FREE MP3s on Mary's website. Need help getting the Word of God into your life? Check out Mary's Weekly Online Bible Study, When I Am Afraid, to learn how to face, deal with and surrender your fears to God. Are you ready to begin a new faith adventure? Get a copy of our new book, Trusting God. Seeking God? Click here to find out more about how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Girlfriends in God P.O. Box 725 Matthews, NC 28106 info@girlfriendsingod.com www.girlfriendsingod.com

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March 2, 2012 Define Yourself Wendy Blight "For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." Ephesians 2:10 (NLT) "Define yourself through the hands and eyes of a true artist." As I closed the stall door in a public restroom, that slogan caught my eyes. It was from an advertisement for a plastic surgeon. Reading those words, I knew this doctor was tapping into longings every woman has: to be beautiful, loved and accepted by others. But for most women, this is not reality. We don't see our beauty or worth. We look in the mirror and only see faults. We allow others to define us. Sometimes it is our culture. But oftentimes it is the very people we love...our parents, a friend, or spouse. Their words deceive us into thinking we are unworthy...a failure as a woman and even as a child of God. Yet God created us to be women of strength and beauty, each with a divine purpose planned by Him before we were born. God alone has the right to define us. No one else. There is only One true artist and His name is God. God is the Creator. After reading that advertising slogan, I felt a burning desire to know a woman's true identity. The Truth I found in His Word was powerful and life changing. Rather than posting these truths on the back of a bathroom door, I wanted to share them with you. You are: • Created in the image of God. (Genesis 1:27) • Fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14) • Precious and honored in His sight. (Isaiah 43:4) • Redeemed and forgiven. (Ephesians 1:7) • A new creature in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:17) • Holy and blameless before God. (Ephesians 1:4, 1Corinthians 1:30) • Chosen by God. (1 Peter 2:9) • God's masterpiece. (Ephesians 2:10) • Created with purpose to do great works for God's Kingdom. (Ephesians 2:10) You are God's creation - beautiful, strong and created with a unique plan and purpose. I don't want you to rest your head on a pillow tonight without knowing and believing who you are in Christ. I have prayed that God would reveal to you who you really are - not who you are in your parent's eyes, spouse's eyes, children's eyes, friend's eyes, or in the world's eyes, but that you would know who you are in YOUR FATHER'S EYES! Dear Lord, thank You that You are my Creator. Thank You that in You and You alone I find my identity. Father open my eyes to see who I am in You. Make every Truth I learned today a reality in my life. In Jesus' Name, Amen. Related Resources: Do You Know Him? Visit Wendy's blog for a free copy of her declaration of who you are in Christ and a prayer written for you. Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner: The Transforming Power of God's Story by Wendy Blight All Things Wise and Wonderful (E-book) by Wendy Blight When you purchase resources through Proverbs 31 Ministries, you touch eternity because your purchase supports the many areas of hope-giving ministry we provide at no cost. We wish we could, but we simply can't compete with prices offered by huge online warehouses. Therefore, we are extremely grateful for each and every purchase you make with us. Thank you! Reflect and Respond: Read Ephesians 2:10. Do you believe you are God's masterpiece? If not, spend time in prayer asking God to show you the lies you believe about yourself. Then personalize this verse, pray it and invite God to make it a reality in your life. Visit Wendy's blog and reflect on the Declaration she has written for you. Sit quietly before Him. Pray. Listen. Leave a comment and share what you heard. Power Verses: Psalm 139:14. "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." (NIV) 2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!." (NIV) © 2012 by Wendy Blight. All rights reserved. Proverbs 31 Ministries 616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road Matthews, NC 28105 www.Proverbs31.org

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Hildegard of Bingen: Directed by Divine Light Quote: "These visions weren't fabricated by my own imagination, nor are they anyone else's. I saw these when I was in the heavenly places. They are God's mysteries. These are God's secrets." A contemporary of Bernard of Clairvaux, Hildegard of Bingen (1098 – 1179) left behind a large portfolio of writings that sheds light on her inner thoughts as well as the world around her. The tenth child born into an aristocratic family, Hildegard grows up sickly and saintly. When she is a small girl she informs her nurse that a pregnant cow is carrying a white calf with colored spots on its head, back, and feet. For her accuracy she is given the calf as a pet. Soon after, she is sent away to study with the celebrated anchoress Jutta. Like Jutta, Hildegard testifies to revelations and visions. On the death of Jutta, she assumes the leadership of the young women who have now joined together in community. In her early forties she testifies that God has given her the ability to comprehend the meaning of sacred texts and has commanded her to record the meaning given to her through visions. Seeking sanction as God's mouthpiece, she contacts Bernard of Clairvaux. He passes her request on to the pope, who encourages her to continue transcribing her visions. She begins publishing her visions as Scivias (know the ways [of the Lord]), which soon becomes popular. The revelations, according to Hildegard, do not come during a dream or a trance, "but watchful and intent in mind I received them according to the will of God." She speaks with authority, yet when commanded by God to write down what she is seeing, she feels "wretched in my womanly condition" and an "unworthy servant": Self-doubt made me hesitate. I analyzed others' opinions of my decision and sifted through my own bad opinions of myself… Then, when my good friends Richardis and Volmar urged me to write, I did. I started writing this book and received the strength to finish it, somehow, in ten years. These visions weren't fabricated by my own imagination, nor are they anyone else's. I saw these when I was in the heavenly places. They are God's mysteries. These are God's secrets. I wrote them down because a heavenly voice kept saying to me, "See and speak! Hear and write!" Soon Hildegard relocates her nuns to the Rhine River in Bingen. Here her reputation flowers as she and her nuns write in a number of genres on a wide variety of topics, including plays, letters, music, and treatises on natural medicine. Throughout her ministry she criticizes corrupt clergy, warning people not to seek out priests for salvation, but to seek Christ and the Scriptures. She also responds to more ordinary concerns as a Dear Abby of the day. She firmly counsels parents not to place children in convents without their consent. Nor is she prudish on the topic of sex, challenging the common belief that the woman is passive in the sex act. Indeed, the woman plays an active and manly role. Along with visions are personal problems and struggles with demons. During Hildegard's long service as an abbess, a young nun, Richardis von Stade, becomes her beloved personal assistant. Due in part to an unexplained falling out (of which Hildegard writes that they both have sinned), Richardis arranges to move to another convent where she will become abbess. Hildegard claims that God has told her Richardis should not go. To the archbishop she writes: "Your curses and your malicious and threatening words are not to be heeded." To Richardis, after she has departed, Hildegard writes: "Why have you forsaken me like an orphan? I loved you for your noble bearing, your wisdom, your purity, your soul and all your life!" Hildegard relentlessly battles for her "daughter" to return, demanding such in a court of law. Richardis prevails, but the battle ends only at her death. Unlike her cloistered sisters, Hildegard travels and preaches widely. In fact, despite her poor health, she conducts four preaching tours over a span of thirteen years, the final one completed during her seventy-fourth year. She visits monasteries and cathedrals, counseling and preaching to men more often than women. She corresponds with popes and bishops and heads of government as well as lesser clerics and laity. She also writes music and is now recognized as one of the great medieval composers. If you enjoyed the above article, please take a minute to read about the book that it was adapted from: Parade of Faith: A Biographical History of the Christian Church by Ruth A. Tucker Buy the book! The story of Christianity centers on people whose lives have been transformed by the resurrected Lord. Tucker puts this front and center in a lively overview peppered with sidebars; historical "what if?" questions; sections on everyday life; drawings and illustrations; bibliographies for further reading.

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Praying Without Preaching Matthew 6:5-8 "When you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you" ( v. 6). In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus assumes new covenant believers will maintain the old covenant practices of almsgiving, prayer, and fasting. It is not if we will give to the needy but when (Matt. 6:2). Fasting is spoken of similarly (v. 16). Finally, Jesus describes prayer as a routine part of Christian piety in today's passage ( v. 5). What Matthew Henry says about Matthew 6:5-8 could well be said about giving to the needy as well as fasting: "You may as soon find a living man who does not breathe, as a living Christian who does not pray." Our Lord's directions for prayer, like the other two aforementioned acts of piety, are chiefly concerned to steer us away from hypocrisy. Hypokrites, the Greek word behind the English hypocrite , refers originally to an actor; thus, Christ is warning us against pretending to be someone other than who we are when we give, pray, and fast. In Jesus' day, men might pray aloud in the synagogue and speak with lofty phrases and false solemnity. At different points in the day, people might hear the trumpet signaling them to stop, face Jerusalem, and pray. Many who love the praise of men make sure they are in public at these times and show their spirituality to the whole world (v. 5). Jesus' solution to this problem is a robust personal prayer life (v. 6). The early church well understood that He does not forbid public prayers (Acts 4:23-31), only those designed to impress other people. We do not pray to sound pious, make a point, or further an agenda. Prayer is a time for praying, not preaching. Furthermore, Christ cautions us not to "heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do" (Matt. 6:7 ), a reference to the attempts of pagans to manipulate the gods through lengthy, but meaningless words. Again, the issue is really one of intent and not length as we are told elsewhere to persevere in prayer (Luke 18:1-8). God has no need to be reminded of our needs (Matt. 6:8 ). Therefore, simple, direct, and sincere prayers to Him suffice. This does not mean we may only share our concerns with Him one time and one time only; rather, we may not lift up our needs with the intent of "forcing" our Creator to act because of the number of words we use or the particular formula we are following. Coram deo: Living before the face of God We pray "not to inform God or instruct him but to beseech him closely, to be made intimate with him, by continuance in supplication; to be humbled; to be reminded of our sins" (John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of Saint Matthew , 19.4). Private prayer helps conform us to Christ. How much time do you spend praying in private? If you pray in public more than you do in private, you might be more concerned with how others see you than with how God sees you. For further study: Ecclesiastes 5:1-3 The Bible in a year: Deuteronomy 5-7 For the weekend: Deuteronomy 8-13 INTO the WORD daily Bible studies from TableTalk Magazine, Matthew Studies. Copyright © 2008 by Ligonier Ministries. Subscribe to Tabletalk magazine and receive daily Bible studies & in depth articles from world class scholars for only $23 per per year! That's only $1.92 per month. And you can try it out for three months absolutely free! Bringing the best in biblical scholarship together with down-to-earth writing, Tabletalk helps you understand the Bible and apply it to daily living.

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Praying Without Preaching Matthew 6:5-8 We pray "not to inform God or instruct him but to beseech him closely, to be made intimate with him, by continuance in supplication; to be humbled; to be reminded of our sins" (John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of Saint Matthew, 19.4). Private prayer helps conform us to Christ. How much time do you spend praying in private? If you pray in public more than you do in private, you might be more concerned with how others see you than with how God sees you. For further study: Ecclesiastes 5:1-3 The Bible in a year: Deuteronomy 5-7 For the weekend: Deuteronomy 8-13 Coram Deo from TableTalk Magazine, Matthew Studies. Copyright © 2008 by Ligonier Ministries. Subscribe to Tabletalk magazine and receive daily Bible studies & in depth articles from world class scholars for only $23 per per year! That's only $1.92 per month. And you can try it out for three months absolutely free! Bringing the best in biblical scholarship together with down-to-earth writing, Tabletalk helps you understand the Bible and apply it to daily living.

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The allegories of Sarah and Hagar “These are the two covenants.” Galatians 4:24 Suggested Further Reading: Galatians 3:19-24 Hagar was not intended to be a wife; she never ought to have been anything but a hand-maid to Sarah. The law was never intended to save men: it was only designed to be a hand-maid to the covenant of grace. When God delivered the law on Sinai, it was apart from his ideas that any man would ever be saved by it; he never conceived that men would attain perfection thereby. But you know that the law is a wondrous handmaid to grace. Who brought us to the Saviour? Was it not the law thundering in our ears? We should never have come to Christ if the law had not driven us there; we should never have known sin if the law had not revealed it. The law is Sarah’s handmaid to sweep our hearts, and make the dust fly so that we may cry for blood to be sprinkled so that the dust may be laid. The law is, so to speak, Jesus Christ’s dog, to go after his sheep, and bring them to the shepherd; the law is the thunderbolt which frightens ungodly men, and makes them turn from the error of their ways, and seek after God. Ah! if we know rightly how to use the law, if we understand how to put her in her proper place, and make her obedient to her mistress, then all will be well. But this Hagar will always be wishing to be mistress, as well as Sarah; and Sarah will never allow that, but will be sure to treat her harshly, and drive her out. We must do the same; and let none murmur at us, if we treat the Hagarenes harshly in these days—if we sometimes speak hard things against those who are trusting in the works of the law. For meditation: God’s law will never have the power to save us (Romans 8:3); but thank God that it points us to a Man who can. Sermon no. 69 2 March (1856)

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A sight of self ‘But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities. ‘ Isaiah 64:6–7 Suggested Further Reading: Acts 26:9–20 When you really feel your sinfulness, and mourn it, do not stop here; never give yourself any rest till you know that you are delivered from it, for it is one thing to say ‘Ah, I do sin,’ but it is quite another thing to say ‘He has saved me from my sin.’ It is one thing to have a repentance which makes you leave the sin you loved before, and another thing to talk about repentance. Ah, I have sometimes seen a child of God when he has sinned, and I have seen his broken-hearted actions, and heard his piteous confessions, and I can say that my heart goes out toward the man in whom there are tears of repentance of the right kind. It is one of the fairest sights that is seen under heaven when a believer who has gone wrong is willing to say, ‘I have sinned,’ and when he no more sets himself proudly up against his God, but humbles himself like a little child. Such a man as that shall be exalted. But I have seen—and it is a fearful sight to see—I have seen one who can sin and repent, and sin and repent. O that dry-eyed repentance is a damnable repentance! Take heed of it, brethren. I have known a man who professed to have been converted years and years ago, who, ever since that pretended conversion, has lived in a known sin, and yet he thinks he is a child of God because after he has fallen into the sin he has a little season of darkness arising from his conscience, but he quiets that conscience after a time, and presumptuously says, ‘I will not give up my hope.’ Oh, that is an awful thing. God deliver you from dry-eyed repentance, for it is no repentance. For meditation: Repentance is a change of mind; are you tempted to repent of your repentance? That would be an attempt to short-change God and can easily develop into a vicious circle. For God’s attitude to such behaviour seeJeremiah 34:12–17. Sermon no. 437 2 March (1862)

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Myth: “My money is my money.” Romans 14:12 4-That's the number of credit cards I maxed out by the time I turned thirty. 18-That's the average annual percentage rate I never bothered to check when I applied for credit. 441-That's the number of payments it would take to pay off what I owe in unsecured debt. 36-Believe it or not-is 441 months translated into years. And 26,615.17-That's the total additional interest I'd owe at the end of that time, assuming I wasn't already in jail for credit fraud, hiding as a fugitive in France or on the streets panhandling for money to make my minimum payments! Oh, I believed my money was my money alright. And so was my debt-I had only myself to blame. As a pharmaceutical sales rep, I was amazed when I received my first commission check. After a few more checks rolled in, I signed a lease on a fully loaded SUV. I don't know why. My husband earns a good living as an engineer, so my money became the family's play-money. We took a trip to Hawaii for the honeymoon we'd never had. The kids enjoyed the best Christmas ever. I'd never had so much fun spending money-in fact, I'd never had so much money to spend. Eventually, however, the money I was spending was no longer my money. It actually belonged to creditors. Soon, every penny that came through my hands was going out the door to keep the bills at bay. At one point, I was tossing the credit bills in the air each month-whichever ones landed face-up got paid. I ignored the rest and used Caller ID to block calls from creditors threatening to sue. I didn't tell my husband how bad it really was. I wanted him to think I could handle it. I believed if I manipulated, juggled and plotted enough, eventually I could. -Elise This isn't just another reminder that "it's all God's money." Of course, money does originate from God's hand. However, practically speaking, he has put you in charge of a certain amount of it. In that sense, your money is your money to manage. And God expects you to use it well and not to abuse your responsibilities. The Old Testament tells how the Israelites gave offerings to God out of the abundance he'd given them. In one of Jesus' parables in the New Testament, he likened spiritual faithfulness to being a responsible manager or steward of funds (seeMatthew 25:14-30 ). In this story, only two of three managers graduated from God's Business School with their MBAs. (The other flunked out.) One of the prerequisite "courses" in this prestigious university underlines the principle that money is for managing first and spending second. The difference between the two is the difference between the financially foolish and financially confident woman. The foolish woman hears only the mythical qualities behind the idea of having her own money. She imagines it means fine living and gratifying her indulgences. So, she lives beyond her means. She confuses desires with needs. She loses sleep over unpaid debts. She wonders where all the fun associated with having her own money has gone. In contrast, the financially confident woman recognizes God as the source of her money. She has a sound plan for the amount divinely allotted to her. She knows she cannot afford to keep all her money, so she gives generously. Out of what is left, she pays herself first, saving aggressively. Then, she is free to spend her money within the boundaries she has established. She knows the secret to enjoying life's pleasures is not living on credit, paycheck to paycheck. Rather, she is in control of her money, not the other way around. The financially confident woman foregoes temptations to spend her money today, and by doing so she manages to be good to herself tomorrow. When we graduate from God's Business School, we will have our MBA in Biblical financial principles-rules to live by that honor us as intelligent women who are respected managers of God's money. Approximately two-thirds of Jesus' parables are about money and financial management. "So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God." Romans 14:12 See also Deuteronomy 8:10-18; 1 Chronicles 29:10-14; Romans 13:8

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Day 10 Jesus began to reveal who he was, and he was like no other person anyone had known. Although he was fully human, he was also fully God. With his 12 disciples as interns, Jesus began his itinerant ministry of teaching and healing. Soon he traveled to the city of Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover feast. It was in Jerusalem that political and religious decisions were made; power brokers set their agendas in this bustling town. Many people listened to Jesus’ teachings and believed he was the Messiah. Others thought he was a troublemaker. One inquisitive religious leader sought Jesus out privately, under cover of darkness. Jesus took the opportunity to summarize his mission by talking about being born . . . again. Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. Jesus said we must be "born again" to enter the kingdom of God. What does it mean to be born again?

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Today's Lent reading: Matthew 21-22 (NIV) View today's Lent reading on Bible Gateway Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King 1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: 5 “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’” 6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” 10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” 11 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” Jesus at the Temple 12 Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’” 14 The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant. 16 “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, “‘From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?” 17 And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night. Jesus Curses a Fig Tree 18 Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered. 20 When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked. 21 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” The Authority of Jesus Questioned 23 Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?” 24 Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 25 John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?” They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’26 But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” 27 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. The Parable of the Two Sons 28 “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ 29 “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. 30 “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. 31 “Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.32 For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him. The Parable of the Tenants 33 “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. 34 When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit. 35 “The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. 36 Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. 37 Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said. 38 “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ 39 So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40 “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41 “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.” 42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? 43 “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.44 Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.” 45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them. 46 They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet. Matthew 22 The Parable of the Wedding Banquet 1 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. 4 “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’ 5 “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. 6 The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless. 13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.” Paying the Imperial Tax to Caesar 15 Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. 16 They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. 17 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?” 18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” 21 “Caesar’s,” they replied. Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” 22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away. Marriage at the Resurrection 23 That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. 24 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for him.25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. 26 The same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh. 27 Finally, the woman died. 28 Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?” 29 Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. 30 At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. 31 But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.” 33 When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching. The Greatest Commandment 34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Whose Son Is the Messiah? 41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” “The son of David,” they replied. 43 He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says, 44 “‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.”’ 45 If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” 46No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.

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Today's Prayer Thanks be to thee, my Lord Jesus Christ, For all the benefits thou hast won for me, For all the pains and insults you have borne for me. O most merciful Redeemer, Friend, and Brother, May I know thee more clearly, Love thee more dearly, And follow thee more nearly: For ever and ever. -- Richard of Chichester Today's Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 3:18-22 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits--to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also--not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand--with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him. Today's Quote Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ within me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ at my right, Christ at my left, Christ in the fort, Christ in the chariot seat, Christ on the deck, Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me. -- from the prayer of St. Patrick Something to Think About When people hear your words or witness your actions, do they see a reflection of Jesus Christ? If somebody were to eavesdrop on your everyday interactions at work, school, and home, would they want to know more about the Savior you serve?