QUITYERBELLYACHIN'

Exodus 15:24 (NIV) "So the people grumbled against Moses, saying 'What are we to drink?' " Ex. 16:2 "In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron."

Numbers 14:27 "How long will this wicked community grumble against me (God)? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites."

"OOOoooooohhhhhh, . . . theyyyyy . . grumble on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, grumble on Thursday too, grumble on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, grumble the whole week through. Ooohhhhh, . . . they . . . . grumble on Monday, Tuesday, Wed. . . . . "

My pastor's wife taught our class this little jingle when I was in junior high. Each of us felt like we were the official Grumble Police. If we heard someone during our class time grumble, complain, or communicate with a negative attitude we would chime in with this song as a reminder to be careful of grumbling. It seemed like a silly thing at the time, but it has stayed with me since then. Just last week I taught our boys this catchy chant.

It seems that our home has recently been afflicted with a case of the grumbles. It is really getting under my skin. What's for dinner? I really don't like that. Uuggh, I'm not hungry. To which I respond with a pasted on smile, "Fine, feel free to wait for breakfast. You know it's not a restaurant around here." Or, Why can't I do ____? All my friends get to. What about, That's not my chore, why do I have to help with it? Or, Why can't we go to Wahooz, we never get to go there?

Before I cast a stone towards my boys, I confess to you that the Lord humbled me last week to consider my own grumbles. Take a drink of humility Hester. Don't you love it when the Lord confronts? Just last week I complained that our kitchen and dining room were not big enough. I also groaned over an oil leak in our van because all I can see is a dollar sign. Then, I belly-ached over snack wrappers strewn about in the back of the van.

Grumbling or complaining affects us all at some point. Life is full of disappointment. Each day brings its own set of difficulties. Life does not satisfy like we would like. Do you find yourself stuck in a rut of grumbling? Recognizing why we complain is an important step in striving to mature in this area.

The Israelites also had a rampant grumbling problem. Exodus 15 & 16 & Numbers 14 record several of these accounts. Before their grumbling started, Exodus 15 records a beautiful song the Israelites sang to the Lord in honor of His greatness and power. The Israelites had just walked through the Red Sea on dry ground. God delivered them from the hands of the Egyptians after having lived in slavery and oppression for 430 years. Their response to God was worship.

After this time of praising God, Moses led them into the desert. Within three days the Israelites began to complain about their circumstances. They couldn't find water to drink and a few short verses later they belly-ache again because they are hungry (Exodus 16:2).

Never mind the glorious miracles they just experienced. Did they forget what God had recently done for them? Did they forget where God was taking them: the Promise Land, flowing with milk and honey? The Israelites quickly started comparing their current circumstances with their old life in Egypt." If only we had died by the Lord's hand in Egypt. There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted."

In no time the Israelites hearts were discontent which led them to treat God with contempt (Numbers 14:23). The Hebrew word for contempt means to spurn, abhor, and despise. Ultimately, God disciplined their contempt for Him by not allowing this generation who crossed the Red Sea to ever enter the Promise Land (except for Caleb and Joshua).

It may be easy to look at the Israelites and think, Man, they just didn't get it. How could they grumble so much? Then I am reminded, sometimes we act the same way. How easy it is for us to forget what God has done. When we get disgruntled with life we can lose sight of where God is wanting to take us. Other times we make comparisons which lead to ingratitude. If we're not careful this ingratitude can breed contempt.

In my experience, I find myself led to complain when my heart is not thankful and when I am discontent. These two go hand in hand. My ungratefulness usually stems from discontentment which is fueled when I compare what I wish was different and what I wish I had. For example, my kitchen and dining room were perfectly fine until I visited my friends kitchen and started making comparisons.

The result of ingratitude and discontent is grumbling . When our heart is not thankful and content, it becomes easier to have a negative outlook. Contentment serves to curb contempt. Maintaining an eternal perspective while we grow toward maturity in Christ will enable us to respond with gratitude and contentment regardless of life's circumstances.

"OOOoooohhhhhhh, . . . theeyyyyy . . . . are thankful on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, thankful on Thursday too, thankful on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, thankful the whole week through. OOoohhhh, . . . theyyyy . . . . are content on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, content on Thursday too . . . . . . ."

Quityerbellyachin!

Heart Work:

Keep a list of the things you grumble about this week. Evaluate them and ask the Lord to help you recognize the root problem to your complaints. He can help you overcome the tendency to complain.

Ask Him to also help you restate your complaint into a positive response. For example, "Lord, while I know I don't have the money this month to buy _________, help me to be content with what I do have."

Find a concordance and look up verses pertaining to complaining/grumbling; pick two and write them on an index card to memorize.

Heart Exam:

Do you find yourself worshiping God like the Israelites one minute, and then grumbling the next?

When do you tend to complain the most? What do you believe is the root problem when you grumble?

Is there an area of discontent in your life that needs special attention?

What do find yourself complaining about? Schedule? Relationships? Conflict? Job?

Who do you grumble against? Spouse? Kids? Parents? Friends? Boss? Co-workers? God?

Heart Changing Word:

Philippians 2:16 "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe."

1 Corinthians 10:10 "And do not grumble, as some of them did."

Ephesians 5:20 "Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ."

1 Thessalonians 5:16 "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

1 Timothy 6:6-8 "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that."

Copyright 2011 by Hester Christensen. All rights reserved.

HAND OF BLESSING

1 Timothy 6:17b & 18b (NIV) "Command those who are rich in this present world to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to be rich in good deeds and to be generous and willing to share."

He did it again. And, He has done it again and again for our entire married life. Each time it happens I am left in awe. Each instance leaves me amazed. Each unexpected occurrence humbles me to meaningful gratitude and worship. Each gift reminds me that He is God, our Provider. This time I stood speechless as I stared at what sat before me. This time my friends, I just simply have to brag on God.

Over the years God has unexpectedly blessed our family in many and various ways. Some of these include clothing for our boys, 1/2 beef, elk, fresh fish, money for diapers, beds, upright freezer, refrigerator, 1st and 2nd camcorders, television, BBQ gas grill, riding lawn mower, push mower, weed eater, home interior items, 1st and 2nd laptop, desktop computer, printers, digital camera, ipod, above ground pool, swing set, cash, vacuum, van and a car (now those two are a story in and of themselves! Go God!).

By sharing some of these examples with you please don't think my husband doesn't receive fair compensation as a Pastor. The Lord does provide through his income, but like many families living on one source, and having three boys who eat like horses, we have had to be frugal in an effort to maintain God's desire for our family.

We knew before marriage God called us both to serve in ministry. In order for me to be available to do ministry we try to maintain an honoring budget to the Lord. While I haven't received a paycheck for 16 years, someday I might. We just know we need to be obedient to what God has asked of us for this season.

Being frugal has certainly made a distinction in our lives for having needs versus wants. He expects us to be disciplined with our budget and maintain specific boundaries with what He entrusts to us. This means we have said "no" to a lot of things in order to say "yes" to what we believe is God's direction for our lives. We strive to trust in the Lord's provision for our family. Even still, we have our little secret wish list. Periodically the Lord has blessed and provided us with these things too.

This past Saturday was one of those times. A gentleman asked my husband if he knew of anyone who needed a couch and love seat that were five years old and gently used. My husband thought, Yeah! You're looking at him! Did I mention I have three monkey...I mean, boys? The sectional we had served its purpose. However, after ten years it was very worn and several cushions had split open at the seam. We accepted this man's offer. My husband picked them up, brought them home and unloaded them.

As I walked downstairs to investigate our newest blessing, I was speechless. I just stood there and stared. I could not believe it. Sitting before me were gently used, BEAUTIFUL tan leather couch and love seat set. Unbelievable! We have never had such nice furniture. (And, this has always been on our little secret wish list.)

We have been the recipient on several occasions. The day after this happened another unexpected blessing occurred when a gentleman offered to pay for some ministry material for me. Two weeks ago another family blessed us with a new vacuum out of the blue. Crazy, I know.

We have also been the giver at other times. Your examples may be different than ours, but I'm sure you have experienced both as well. One thing is certain, regardless of each of our incomes, God is the Provider.

If we acknowledge that He is our Provider, how we view our wealth, possessions and giving will be radically different than the world's outlook. Selfish versus self-less. Viewing our things/income as "mine" will lead to a closed fist of greed. A biblical view means we believe that everything we have comes from God. In addition, we accept that we are the caretakers of what He has entrusted to us. Living with this mindset enables us to extend an open hand of blessing toward others.

Seeing the needs of people requires a heart of compassion that compels a response. Compassion is born from a heart that loves others as God intended. Seeing beyond ourselves means we have to work past our natural tendency to be selfish.

Working past selfishness toward selflessness will direct us to take action. We act because we desire to please God. To simply bless someone or try to make life a little easier for another becomes a natural response when we operate selflessly. In so doing, we bring glory to Him and joy to the giver. It also reflects the kind of love God desires for us to have towards others. If we fail to see and meet the needs of people we miss growth opportunities in our relationship with God.

Our passage in 1 Timothy 6:17-19 is a road map for understanding riches and generosity. "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."

Paul delivers several commands and instructions to believers in this passage. Here are a few items I notice:

• How not to act because of riches: Don't be arrogant.
• How we are to view our wealth: Don't put our hope in wealth.
• Where are we to put our hope: Put our hope in God not riches.
• Who is the Giver: God richly provides us with everything.
• What we are to do with our riches: Be rich in good deeds, generous and willing to share.
• Result if we do so: Lay up treasure for ourselves for the coming age.

This passage helps us understand God's desire regarding our wealth. Internalizing these truths should inspire us to take inventory of our current thought processes and evaluate where we are in our effort to see the needs of others and bless accordingly. Loving others as God intends is an expression of our faith. Needs vary. The point is to do what we can to meet the needs of others to the glory of God. In time and with obedience this should become our natural response.

It's time to take action. Ultimately all things come from God and He expects us to be an extension of His hand. Go! See beyond yourself, desire to please Him, extend a hand of blessing toward others and experience the growth God will cause in your heart when you step forward.

Heart Work:

Ask the Lord to soften your heart to needs of those around you. (Don't forget those under your own roof :) ).

Ask the Lord to reveal to you an individual or family this week who may be in need. Seek how He would like to use you to fulfill this need.

Expect the Lord to show you someone who needs an unexpected blessing just to brighten their week. When He does show you, be ready to take action. (It could be a meal, flowers, fresh bread/cookies, card, babysit, gift certificate to movies/dinner, pedicure, haircut etc.)

Heart Exam:

When do you find it difficult to take action in helping and blessing others? How can you better develop a heart of compassion?

What is the difference between selfishness and selflessness?

Heart Changing Word:

Genesis 22:14 (NIV) "So, Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, 'On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided."

Psalm 68:10 "Your people settled in it, and from your bounty, O God, you provided for the poor."

Proverbs 11:25 "A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed."

Ezekiel 18:5 & 7 "A righteous man does not oppress anyone. He does not commit robbery but gives his food to the hungry and provides clothing for the naked."

Acts 2:44-45 "All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need."

Philippians 4:19 "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."

1 Timothy 5:8 "If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."

Titus 3:14 "Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives."

James 1:27 "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

James 2:16-17 "If one of you says to him, 'Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."

Copyright 2011 by Hester Christensen. All rights reserved.

SWEAT THE "small" STUFF

James 1:14 (NIV) "But each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death."

My graphic design diva is amazing! Her creative talent continues to blow me away. When she designed the header for my blog, my bio sheet and business cards last year I could hardly believe how good I looked. Hear me out. I know my place in this world is not on the front of a magazine. Truth is friends, I have a lot of blemishes. However, her photo shop program erased my wrinkles and crows feet, gave me good skin color and softness, and even whiter teeth.

Modern technology makes it possible to enhance and change photographs in remarkable ways. Even the most plain and unattractive image can be made to look beautiful. Oh, how similar the enemy works. Satan schemes his way into our thinking by glossing over our perceptions or tweaking our understanding of sin and its consequences.

An unknown author describes it this way, "Satan paints a picture that dwindles the brilliance of God and the sinfulness of sin. He makes God out to be not so great and Satan makes sin out to be not so bad. He slyly enhances the image to make something that is wretched to appear to be a work of beauty. But, making sin look attractive cannot change its fundamental nature and character."

Sin is rebellion against a Holy and righteous God. It should disgust us. God loves us so much he sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sin. Have we forgotten the significance of what this means? Recognizing God's lavish love for us should penetrate our hearts so deeply that our greatest desire is to please Him. This doesn't mean we will never sin, but it does mean we should be consciously aware of our daily choices. Our aim should be to strive to honor Him by living a life worthy of the Gospel.

As the enemy makes sin look attractive we can become lured by his efforts to tempt us. Thus begins the downward spiral of rationalization and giving in, a little at a time. We may write off sin as not being in our lives if it isn't, you know, the "big" sins. We begin to tell ourselves it's really not so bad. We accept the cliche, "Don't sweat the small stuff." The seemingly "small" sins go unnoticed, yet serve as kindling to start a wildfire or as an anchor to pull us under.

The prayer of a 17th and 18th century Puritan put it this way: "Unmask me to sin's deformity, that I may hate it, abhor it, flee from it. Let me never forget that the heinousness of sin lies not so much in the nature of the sin committed, as in the greatness of the person sinned against."

Here are some examples:

*Conversations with your girlfriends continue to turn toward gossip. Instead of curbing it, you enable it so you can be in the know.

*Discontentment with your husband leads to unfair comparisons to others.

*Excuses pile high for not having time to be in the Word, yet no evaluation of your schedule or priorities is made.

*Blaming others for life's disappointments becomes habit instead of humbling yourself enough to admit you might be part of the problem.

*Convincing yourself, "I'll always be this way," leaves you living in defeat.

*Treating your children like they are in the way of your "to-do list" while neglecting your responsibility to nurture, love, and spend time with them.

*Living in bondage to addiction, without belief in the power of the Holy Spirit to transform your life and enable you to walk in victory.

*Not respecting your husband as God has asked of you, thinking he has to earn your respect, continues to widen the chasm in your marriage.

*Struggling to control your spending habits, thus launching you into a pit of despair and debt.

*Obsession with physical appearance takes you down a road of insecurity while forgetting where your real security and significance comes from.

These scenarios may appear innocent, yet this is exactly how sinful seeds of destruction are planted into our heart. If gone unchecked, they can manifest themselves into situations of epic proportions. Actively resisting sin requires us to stand firm and be on our guard.

Awhile back, a seed was planted in my heart that soon began to fester. This seed of destruction: My motivation for doing things. I became tangled in the effort to do good things yet was disillusioned as to why I was doing them. I allowed others to dictate what I was suppose to be doing. I had forgotten how to say "no" and worried I would disappoint others.

This seed culminated when my life came to a breaking point. It was harried and out of sorts. The Spirit helped me realize I was out of balance. God showed me the root of my problem was that I cared more about what others thought than I did about having God's approval. He also tenderly taught me that I needed to care more about disappointing Him than others. Now, I am more conscious of my motivation for doing things.

Our verse today from James reminds us that, "Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." James clearly describes for us the process of temptation and sin, and the results of its progression. Understanding this will help us in our efforts to overcome sin.

Later in James 4:7 he tells us how to resist the devil. "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." If we are going to actively resist the devil and his attempts, we must first submit to God. We cannot resist the devil if we are not fully yielded to God's authority. Coming under the Lordship of Christ will empower us to handle sin and temptation.

Modern day trick photography and its software is unmistakably crafty. While the world and our enemy makes sin look attractive, let's not photo shop sin. Don't fall for the enemy's ploys. Stand firm dear ones. Be on guard. Actively resist sin. Sweat the "small" stuff.

Heart Work:

Ask the Lord to show you how the enemy might be deceiving you. Identify the subtle and sly ways Satan tries to justify choices for you.

If you are entangled in sin, confess it to God and repent. Seek His forgiveness and begin the process of restoration and healing in your relationship.

Thank God for His gift of salvation through the death of His Son. Consider the agony Christ experienced in order to redeem you from your sin.

Heart Exam:

What sin in my life am I rationalizing as "not so bad"? How has the enemy twisted my perception of the ugliness of sin?

What personal sin issues should I be on the lookout for?

Heart Changing Word:

Romans 6:12-14 (NIV) "Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master."

Philippians 1:27 "Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ."

1 Peter 5:8-9 "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith."

1 John 2:15 "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world - the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does - comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever."

Copyright 2011 by Hester Christensen. All rights reserved.

WHAT ARE YOU PLANTING?

Galatians 6:7 (NIV) "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows."

My kindergartener brought me his Sunday School lesson: A styrofoam cup with dirt in it. He tells me, "There are seeds under the dirt, Mom. If we care for it, it will grow." We watered it, put the cup in sunlight, and waited. Within two weeks we finally saw a bud peek out from the dirt. Then, there were several little seedlings taking off. Pretty soon, we had a cup full of grass. My son reaped what he had sown.

After a few days the grass started to wilt and turn brown. My son neglected to nurture and care for it. The grass went too long without being watered. Again, he reaped what he had sown.

This simple greenhouse project caused me to pause and evaluate the seeds I am cultivating in my own life. I am planting seeds in my life each day, good or bad. The nature of a seed planted is that it will take root. In time it will grow to fruition, whatever it is.

The depth of our spiritual roots is a measure of our spiritual maturity. What is rooted in our hearts will bear fruit in our lives. My friend Beth Ladd says, "We take root downward in order to bear fruit upward." Simply stated, "No root, no fruit."

The law of the harvest teaches we will reap what we sow. The fruit in our lives is a result of what kinds of seeds we are planting and feeding. Recognizing the fruit that is produced in our lives is necessary. Sometimes we nurture seeds of bitterness, selfishness, anger, jealousy, and unforgiveness. In order for us to plant seeds of patience, love, forgiveness, kindness, gentleness, joy, and self-control, we need to be sowing to the Spirit.

Paul teaches in Galatians 6:7-8 "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life." These verses instruct that if we sow to the flesh the harvest is destruction. Sowing to the Spirit produces a harvest of eternal life. Paul is telling us we must sow to the Spirit in order to reap a life in the Spirit.

One thing I have learned in my walk with the Lord is, sowing to the Spirit requires a conscious daily surrender of my life to God. My flesh is too weak. I must die to self in order for His Spirit to be alive in me. Ultimately, the seeds I must continue to plant and fertilize in my life include time in His Word, quietness before His throne, and disciplining my body and mind to say "no" to the flesh.

Let's understand this concept where we are each day. I mean, it's hard sometimes not to give in to the flesh. On a practical level what does sowing to the Spirit or flesh look like?

The Spirit says, "Put a love note in your husband's lunch."

The Flesh says, "He doesn't do that for me."

The Spirit says, "You need to pray for your boss."

The Flesh says, "He/She's the most difficult person I know. How could prayer possibly help?"

The Spirit says, "You should leave a generous tip."

The Flesh says, "The waiter brought the wrong dressing, my food was cold and He wasn't nice."

The Spirit says, "Get up a 1/2 hr. earlier to spend time with Me."

The Flesh says, "I'm so tired. I need my sleep. I deserve a break."

The Spirit says, "Don't honk your horn, yell at your dashboard or flail your arms at that driver."

The Flesh says, "They totally cut me off. I'm gonna teach them a lesson."

The Spirit says, "You need to send your friend a card."

The Flesh says, "I really do not have time for snail mail."

The Spirit says, "Hold your tongue. What you are about to say is not kind or necessary."

The Flesh says, "Tell it like it is, girlfriend!"

The Spirit says, "Those shorts are a little short and that shirt is a little revealing."

The Flesh says, "Who cares, I like the attention."

The Spirit says, " You need to surrender your thought life to Me. It's getting out of control."

The Flesh says, "Why? No one knows what I'm thinking."

The Spirit says, "You know you need to forgive that person."

The Flesh says, "I think I would rather like to hold a grudge."

The Spirit says, "Forgo the new outfit and give the money to someone in need."

The Flesh says, "It's so cute! Plus it's on sale."

The Spirit says, "You should invite that person to church/small group?"

The Flesh says, "Don't bother. They're probably too busy and will say no."

The Spirit says, "Stop what you're doing and go play with your kids."

The Flesh says, "But I really need to finish checking my email."

Do any of these resonate with you? They do with me. It is in the small daily decisions of life where we sow to the Spirit or the flesh. Does this mean we won't make mistakes? Of course not. However, when we have spent time in His Word we plant it into our hearts. The daily decisions of choosing the Spirit become easier and being more apt to say "no" to the flesh is the result.

Disciplining ourselves to sow to the Spirit requires planting seeds that will grow us spiritually. Being intentional to plant spiritual seeds in our lives will enable us to bear fruit in accordance to what we profess. The seeds planted in us are demonstrated by how we live. Sow to the flesh, reap the flesh. Sow to the Spirit, reap the Spirit. Friends, remember Paul's message: we cannot sow to the flesh and expect to reap a life in the Spirit!

What are you planting?

Heart Work:

Make a list of practical ways you can sow to the Spirit each day. What are your weak points?

Consider events of this past week where you gave in to the flesh and when you said "no" to the flesh. Ask the Lord to help you die to yourself each day in order that His Spirit be alive in you.

Heart Exam:

Let's be honest friends, how much time do you spend sowing God's Word into your heart? How deep are your roots?

What spiritual seeds are you planting in your life? What flesh seeds need to be uprooted?

Heart Changing Word:

Psalm 1:3 (NIV) "He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields fruit in season."

James 1:21 "Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you."

Romans 8:9-11 "You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you."

Copyright 2011 by Hester Christensen. All rights reserved.