2022 Fall Praise Banquet

We are very excited to invite you to the IBCC Fall Praise Banquet on Thursday evening of November 10th, at 6:30 pm at the Ritz Charles in Carmel, IN. 

Unfortunately, Covid-19 significantly impacted our banquet the last two years. We hope to reestablish the banquet this year as many of our friends and supporters look forward to this event every year. We are moving our annual get-together to a Thursday evening in hopes that it will help make it possible for more to attend. 

We are delighted to have testimonies and an IBCC ministry update, and I will share a special message for our supporters. The cost is $30.00 per person. To make a reservation for the banquet, reply to this email, use the donate button below, call our office at 317-585-1845, or email us at office@indianabcc.com. RSVP by October 28th.

Finally, many of our supporters look forward to the banquet to donate or commit to their upcoming yearly pledge. If you cannot attend this year’s banquet, prayerfully consider what the Lord would have you do to support IBCC. 

Serving Christ,

Jeffrey Pokone

RSVP by emailing us at office@indianabcc.com or call our office at 317-585-1845. You may pay for your reservation through the donate button on this website.

Love and Acceptance in Christ

Love and Acceptance in Christ

Many of our clients consistently struggle to understand and receive the reality of being in Christ. Unfortunately, they feel hopelessly stuck finding their value and acceptance from God and others through their performance. They never feel good enough. Here are ten critical Biblical truths that we help our clients embrace. 

• My holiness is not dependent on my efforts; it is dependent on the finished work of Christ and the Holy Spirit in me.

Ephesians 4:24 "put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."

• I can stop trying to get holiness and accept that I am already holy.

1 Peter 1:16 "since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy."

• My achievements do not make me more holy, nor do my failures make me less holy. 

Philippians 3:8, 9 "I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake, I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish so that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith."

• The Holy Spirit is working in me to putting to death sin in my life. 

Romans 8:13 "For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live."

• I can receive God's forgiveness and thus forgive myself for my past failures. 

Colossians 2:13-14 "And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross."

• God loves me unconditionally. My performance does not determine his love and forgiveness. 

1 John 4:10" In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."

• I am acceptable to God and others. My worth and value are in the finished work of Jesus Christ- NOT MY EFFORTS. His love and acceptance are gifts through faith, and He has saved me by grace. 

Ephesians 2:8-10 "For by grace, you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

• I can accept myself based on how Christ sees me. He created me and loved me unconditionally. His acceptance does not change because of my weaknesses. 

2 Corinthians 12:9 "But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

• I am no longer condemned for my mistakes and failures because God knows about them and has forgiven ALL of my sins. 

Romans 8:1 "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

• My identity is not determined by my education, vocation, wealth, power, or position. My identity is a beloved child of God. 

1 Peter 2:9,10 "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."

Thank you for your prayers and continued support in helping hurting people. I pray that the Lord will use these emails to encourage and help you in your walk with Jesus! 

Repentance Is A Beautiful Thing

Repentance is a Beautiful Thing

2 Corinthians 7:10,11—"For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what vindication! At every point, you proved yourselves innocent n this matter.

Repentance is evidence of the transformational gospel in Christian life. Nothing matters more in my clients' lives than genuine repentance when struggling with habitual sin. It is a beautiful thing to witness. Why? Repentance brings life! Without it, the client will be unable to live out of their new heart in Christ. 

Paul was encouraged by the godly sorrow demonstrated in the Church at Corinth after his first letter to them. He described in 2 Corinthians 7:10,11 the characteristics of repentance. 

•  Earnestness: Sincere conviction that demonstrates aggressively pursuing righteousness. This attitude ends indifference and complacency toward sin. 
•  Clearing of yourselves: A desire to clear one's name by doing whatever it takes to restore trust and confidence.
•   Indignation: Genuine repentance leads to righteous anger over one's sin and displeasure at the shame it has brought on the Lord's name. 
•  Fear/Reverence - a healthy fear of God that acknowledges His perspective regarding sin leading to genuine repentance. 
•  Longing: Refers to the willingness of the repentant person to restore the relationship of the one they have sinned against. 
•   Zeal: This refers to loving someone or something so much that one hates anyone or anything that harms the object of his love. 
•   Vindication: refers to the desire to see divine justice done. The repentant person no longer tries to hide his sin and protect himself—he wants to know that the sin avenged no matter what it would cost him. 
•  Innocent in the matter: The essence of repentance is an aggressive pursuit of holiness out of conviction and not condemnation. The Greek word for clear means "pure" or "holy." They demonstrated the integrity of their repentance by their purity.

Thank you for your prayers and continued support in helping hurting people. I pray that the Lord will use these posts to encourage and help you in your walk with Jesus! 

How to Respond to Suffering

How to Respond to Suffering

Romans 8:38,39 "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Everyone will face seasons of suffering, Christians and non-Christians alike. Sometimes the season of suffering is very long, possibly until the day God takes us home to be with him. Grief may include the loss of a loved one, illness, divorce, disillusionment, temptation, or the consequences of sin—to name a few. We all must evaluate how to respond to our suffering. 

Whatever the cause, mishandling life’s trials can produce bitterness, pride, disillusionment, and fear—rather than the faith, character, strength, and endurance that God wants to provide.

God wants to strengthen our life message by suffering well through providing victory over personal suffering. Here are some practical suggestions for dealing with your grief:

1. Remember that God controls everything. He is Sovereign. 

Everything that happens in my life and this world is under the umbrella of His sovereignty. There is also nothing in my life that he does not know about. God is omnipotent or all-knowing. Nothing takes him by surprise. Job suffered a terrible loss in his life, but God had a hedge about Job limiting the destruction. God purposed to draw Job into a deeper understanding of who He was. He would learn that focusing on God produces an enduring faith. (Job 1:10, 20-22; 42:5) In God’s timing, Job emerged victoriously. God promises that every event in our lives will work for our good to transform us into the likeness of His Son. (Romans 8:28-29) We understand and are enabled to comfort others by receiving God’s loving comfort and grace during our sufferings (2 Corinthians 1:3-5). We can pray, “I trust in thee, O Lord—Thou art my God—my times are in thy hand.” (Psalm 32:14-15) Our lives are made fruitful by the pruning shears of a loving Father. (John 15:2)

2. Focus on the person and presence of the Lord Jesus.

Faith is trusting in the person of Jesus Christ and His Holy Word. (Hebrews 11:6, 13:5-6) Do not focus your attention (and emotions) on yourself and yours, the circumstance, or your offender. If we focus on the offender or event, that will emotionally dictate and control our lives. Immerse yourself in Scripture and make prayer a priority. Paul charged Timothy: “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned......the Holy Scriptures, which can make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 3:14-15) Be honest with God about your pain but surrender your desires and choose to trust Him — whatever the answer may be. Pray for acceptance, strength, and the desire to seek God’s will in all things. Look to Christ and love Him with all your heart, mind, and soul. Faith in God brings contentment in every circumstance. (Philippians 4:11-13)

3. Commit the situation to God.

We must trust God and accept that he is a Sovereign God regardless of what we think or feel. If you do not believe in the sovereignty of God, you will drive yourself crazy with questions. God is in charge of the situation and will work for our good when we trust him (Romans 8:28). When calamity comes, we must commit the problem to him. If someone hurts us deeply, he knows and loves us, and we must turn the hurtful situation to Him.   

4. Forgive all offenders from the heart.

Forgiveness is not a feeling; it is an act of will. Many do not “feel” like forgiving when others hurt them. We must forgive (Matthew 18:34-35; Hebrews 12:15) to keep our focus on the Lord, receive His enduring power and provision, and avoid spiritual torment. Forgiveness is not letting the offender off the hook. But it is releasing them to God. It is trusting God to deal with that person in His wise and just way as only He can do. In doing this, we deny Satan a foothold in our lives.

5. Ask God to forgive you if you have failed.

We may suffer because we have made bad choices following our wisdom and sinful will. When personal failures occur, ask for and accept God’s forgiveness. (1 John 1:9) Continuing thoughts of “what if” and “if only” will bring unnecessary torment. God is faithful, and He forgives sin. Do not despise God’s discipline in the continuing consequences of your sin. Allow them to deepen your humility and dependency on Jesus Christ.

6. Find God’s clear direction and obey it.

What are your choices? You can resist the circumstances, and question God’s wisdom (a victim mentality), or you can pour yourself into Bible study and prayer and faithfully obey Him. God will give us His direction through the Holy Spirit and His Word when we choose to listen and follow. We must give God control, looking diligently for His will. It might include more suffering. (Luke 9:23) But God extends His grace and peace to His faithful during their trials and suffering. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). The question is not “How long will this last?” but rather “How do I choose to respond?”

Thank you for your prayers and continued support in helping hurting people. I pray that the Lord will use these emails to encourage and help you in your walk with Jesus! 

Blessings,

Jeff

The Only Way to Freedom

"So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:31,32

Truth and freedom go together. That is the way God designed it to be. Lies and bondage go together as well. The path a person chooses to follow will impact their life and generations that follow. In the Gospel of John, the person of truth, Jesus Christ, gives his children the pathway of truth and the freedom it brings. 

The True Jesus 

Jesus said many false Christs would come in His name (Matthew 24:5). These come in the form of a false gospel. Jesus is the only true God and brought into the world grace and truth. There is no other god and no other way to find eternal life but through the true gospel of Jesus Christ, "Jesus said to him, I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6.

True Conversion 

A faithful follower of Jesus Christ who has received a new nature will produce a change in heart and life of a person. John 3:20,21 "For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works be exposed, But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God." Jesus is the true vine, and every branch that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does not bring fruit, he prunes bearing fruit (John 15:1,2).

Hearing the Truth 

In John 10:27, Jesus said that "my sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." Since you are a disciple, Jesus said you would know the truth, and that truth brings freedom to your life (John 8:31,32). The contrast Jesus made is to those that believe the father of lies, the devil (John 8:44-47).

The Spirit of Truth 

The Holy Spirit is the indwelling supernatural helper leading us into the truth. In John 14:16,17, Jesus brings comfort to his disciples with the blessing of the coming Spirit of truth, "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even as the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you." 

The Word of Truth

We are in a battle for what is truth. In John 17:15-19, facing death, Jesus prayed for his disciples to be removed from this world and sanctified in the truth, "Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth"  John 17:17. He acknowledged that absolute truth came from the heavenly father, and God's word is foundational for living in God's kingdom. 

There is no greater joy in ministry than to walk alongside those that are pursuing truth. I pray that you and those you love will follow Jesus in finding freedom in Christ! 

Serving Christ, 

Jeff

Wisdom Calls Out!

"Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice?" 
Proverbs 8:1 

Are you hungry for wisdom?  Is your need for knowing what is truth becoming more desperate? My answer to these questions is a resounding YES! In a world where evil is good and good is evil, I have never been more dependent on the knowledge, wisdom, and understanding of God's Word. The pursuit of wisdom in our lives is directly related to our relationship and dependence on the person of truth Jesus Christ.

Wisdom has many facets: insight, counsel, prudence, understanding, discernment, discipline, competence, discretion, instruction, guidance, knowledge, and righteousness. 

What is wisdom?  The most frequent Hebrew word for wisdom is "chokmah," which means skill. Wisdom is the art and practice of living life with each area under Christ's dominion. It is the ability to use the best means at the best time to accomplish the best ends. 

There are two kinds of wisdom—one from God and another from the world, flesh, and Satan.

"This wisdom does not descend from above but is earthly, sensual, and demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. Wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle; willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and hypocrisy." (James 3:15-17)

Wisdom from above is the Lord's plan by which He can transform the moral and spiritual chaos of human life into an incarnation of God's attributes of justice, equity, truth, and faithfulness. It impacts our lives in all that really matters. 

How do we pursue wisdom?  This treasure of knowledge, wisdom, and understanding rests in the hands of God through a relationship with Jesus Christ. Since it comes from above (James 3:17), we cannot attain it apart from Him and His Word.

What is the condition for attaining wisdom?  Proverbs 9:10 gives us the answer: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."  

• Job 28:28—"And to man, He said, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, And to depart from evil is understanding.'"

• Psalm 86:11—"Teach me Your way, O LORD; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name."

• Proverbs 1:7—"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction."

What is the fear of the Lord?  To fear God is to have an attitude of awe and humility before Him. It is to recognize the weaknesses of human flesh and our need for complete dependence upon Him in every area of our lives. "The fear of the Lord is the instruction for wisdom, and before honor comes humility." (Proverbs 15:23)

Why have so many people failed to develop awe and humility before God? Many people put their faith in themselves, walk in pride, and Satan blinds unbelieving eyes. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble, James 4:6. Therefore, if we humble and ask God for wisdom, he will give it to us in great abundance, James 1:5. 

I pray that God will lead you in His knowledge, wisdom and understanding as you live for Jesus Christ! 

Serving Christ, 

Jeff

You're Good Enough

"But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Corinthians 12:9 

I was born with a sinful nature that did its own selfish thing apart from God. However, God loved and chose me in Christ before the foundation of the world! Little did I know all of what that meant when the Holy Spirit first opened my eyes to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Now I rest in the reality of His love and acceptance, regardless of how others might view me. When I look into the face of Jesus, he smiles at me, and I am good enough!

In this life, we all experience rejection. The wounds of rejection can go deep into our hearts. We must root out and guard our hearts and minds against the lies that come from rejection in our lives. Some grow up in a constant stream of rejection in their lives. However, if you are in Christ, you can find healing in the reality of his love and acceptance. 

Here are the most common lies of rejection and the truth of who I am in Christ! 

Lie: Love must be earned. Everyone, including God, accepts me if I work hard to please them.

Truth: God accepts me unconditionally because I'm His child (John 1:12,13). 

Lie: Certain people must accept me to feel okay about myself. 

Truth: Christ considers me as His friend (John 15:15).

Lie: I must do everything well or right to be accepted.

Truth: I am justified and have peace with God through Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1).

Lie: Sooner or later, God will reject me and turn away from me.

Truth: You no longer need to fear rejection again, for Christ will never leave you or forsake you. (Deuteronomy 31:6, Hebrews 13:5)

Lie: I have no real value to God and others and feel worthless as a person.

Truth: God bought me with the price of His Son; therefore, I am of infinite value to Him (1 Corinthians 6:20).

Lie: I am unloved and alone in this life. 

Truth: God chose to love me for all eternity and adopt me into His family (Ephesians 1:5).

Lie: There are some things I've done that God can't forgive, or God can't keep on forgiving me. 

Truth: I am redeemed and forgiven of all my sins (Colossians 1:13,14).

Lie: God is angry with me, and I deserve to be punished, condemned, and abandoned. 

Truth: I am free forever from condemnation and set free in Christ from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1-4).

Lie: Sooner or later, something is going to happen to impact God's love for me. 

Truth: I cannot be separated from God's love (Romans 8:35-39).

Lie: My relationship with God depends on me trying harder to please Him.

Truth: I have been established, anointed, and sealed by God (2 Corinthians 1:21-22).

Lie: I still struggle with sin. God will eventually quit working in my life and give up on me.

Truth: I am confident that the good work that God has begun in me will be perfected (Philippians 1:6).

I pray that the lies that you feel and believe will be exposed and replaced with the truth of who you are in Christ! 

Serving Christ, 

Jeff

The Reality of What We Possess

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love" Ephesians 1:3,4 

Challenges to our identity come in this life through many different avenues throughout life. It could be when our spouse rejects us or when our children grow up and leave home. At some point, our employer tells us we are no longer needed. We lose our sense of belonging in a church we have attended for years. A culture of identity politics further divides and defines people apart from God's design. If we are not careful, we can be seeking to fulfill our needs for love, acceptance, and security apart from Jesus Christ! 

The Blessings Found In Christ 

• I have been justified—wholly forgiven just as if I never sinned and made righteous. (Rom. 5:1) 
• I died with Christ, and the power of sin is no longer the ruling principle in my life. (Rom. 6:1-6) 
• I am free forever from condemnation, shame, and false guilt. (Rom. 8:1) 
• I am in Christ Jesus only because of God's work in my life. (1 Cor. 1:30) 
• I have received the Spirit of God into my life that I might know the things freely given to me by God. (1 Cor. 2:12) 
• I have been given the mind of Christ and can understand the things of God. (1 Cor. 2:16) 
• I have been bought with a price. I am not my own; I belong to God. (1 Cor. 6:19-20) 
• I have been given the Holy Spirit guaranteeing my inheritance to come. (2 Cor. 1:21-22; Eph. 1:13,14) 
• Since I have died, I no longer live for myself but for Christ. (2 Cor. 5:14,15) 
• I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. The life I am now living is Christ's life through me. (Gal. 2:20) 
• I have been blessed with every spiritual blessing. (Eph. 1:3) 
• I was chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy, and I am without blame before Him. (Eph. 1:4) 
• I was predestined—determined by God—to be adopted as His child. (Eph. 1:5) 
• I have been redeemed and forgiven, and I am a recipient of His lavish grace. 
• I have been made alive together with Christ. (Eph. 1:7-8, 2:5) 
• I may approach God with boldness, freedom, and confidence. (Eph. 3:12) Hebrews 12 
• I have been rescued from the domain of Satan's rule and transferred to the kingdom of Christ. (Col. 1:13) 
• I am rooted in Christ, and as my roots in him grow, I am built up in Him. (Col. 2:7) 
• I have been spiritually circumcised; my old unregenerate nature has been removed and received a new heart. (Col. 2:11) 
• I have been made complete in Christ. (Col. 2:10) 
• I have been given exceedingly great and precious promises from God by which I am a partaker of God's divine nature. (2 Peter 1:4) 

I want to encourage you to let these truths penetrate your heart! You possess these blessings as His child in Jesus Christ. Look up the scriptures. Read these statements every day…let the truth of scripture renew your thoughts and change your perspective. Encourage one another in who God says you are and the blessings we possess with other Christians in your life.  

Serving Christ, 

Jeff

Reality of Suffering

Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against its will, all creation was subjected to God's curse. But with eager hope."
The Apostle Paul__Romans 8:18-20 

When people contact our office for help they are suffering. Even though we all experience suffering, it is not always easy to find understanding. At IBCC we provide our clients a safe place to find help. As they process through their grief we always remind them of God's love for them as a child of God. 

Our clients suffer in many different ways. 

• Death of a spouse, child, family member, friend

• Chronic health problems

• Job loss

• Abuse (sexual, physical, emotional, spiritual)

• Addictions

• Habitual sin

• Fear disorders (OCD, anxiety, PTSD)

• Psychological disorders

• Divorce / separation

• Marriage problems

• Persecution

• Relational conflicts

• False teaching

• Occult

Suffering in this life is inevitable. As a counselor, I help our clients make sense of how God is using it in their life for growth. Here are several considerations that help us better understand suffering in our life.  

1. Suffering is the natural consequence of sin's impact on God's creation. Genesis 3:16-19

2. Suffering can impact any area of our life regardless of how hard we try to protect ourselves from it. Psalms 34:19

3. Suffering is necessary to help us apply the scriptures in our lives. Romans 5:3-5

4. Suffering moves us past our intellectual understanding of biblical truth into the present reality of application. James 1:22-25

5. Suffering is most beneficial when the pain of grief brings us into a greater dependency on Christ. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

6. Suffering in our lives has redemptive purposes. 1 Peter 4:1

7. Suffering helps the body of Christ bond together and demonstrate Christ's love for each other. 2 Corinthians 1:3-7

8. We must learn to accept suffering in our lives and respond to it as God desires (suffering well). 1 Peter 5:6-10

Many of our clients are working through some very difficult things in their life. I am honored to walk alongside them. Thank you for your prayers and financial support. 

May the grace of God strengthen you in these difficult days!

Jeff

The Lord Builds the House

Psalm 127:1-5 "Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate." 

In recent years we have witnessed many redefinitions in our culture of what is foundational to God's design and created order regarding gender, marriage, and family. Historically, it is hard to compare what we are witnessing these days. Regardless, God's design and sovereignty reign over his creation and people! 

Marriages and families are under spiritual attack like no other time in my 36 years of ministry. I encourage our clients to be centered on Jesus Christ as they submit to living in Christ and for His Kingdom and his plan for their lives, marriages, and family. 

Building a Foundation

The words of Christ help us build a sound foundation. To not labor in vain, we must hear his words and apply them to our life.

Matthew 7:21 "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it."

1 Corinthians 3:11-14 "For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done."

HOW CAN WE BUILD WITH CHRIST AND NOT LABOR IN VAIN? 

Building my house in my own strength, instead of daily dependence on the grace of God and leading of the Holy Spirit. (Implementing all the right standards, techniques, and formulas without Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit being in it.) 

1 Corinthians 15:10 "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me."

The best thing that a father can give his children is being an example of abiding in the Lord.

John 15:3-5 "Already you are clean because of the Word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."

You are leaning on your understanding instead of gaining wisdom according to the scriptures.  
Proverbs 3:1-8 "My son, do not forget my teaching but let your heart keep my commandments, for the length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.

Building by myself. I call it the "It's All Up to Me" mindset. Instead of trusting God, looking to others for accountability, counsel, and mentoring within the church.  
Proverbs 18:1, 2 "Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment. A fool takes no pleasure in understanding but only in expressing his opinion."

Wives and mothers- Proverbs 14:1 "The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down."

Husbands and fathers- Proverbs 24:3-6 "By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches. A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might, for by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in the abundance of counselors there is victory."

Families being driven by constant and unconsidered activity, filled with busyness instead of prioritizing the most beneficial things in life.  
Luke 10:38-42 "Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her."

Home is the center of relational family life, worship, and discipleship. Someone once said, "The problem is not prioritizing your schedule. It is scheduling your priorities." We can be involved in many good things, but we must choose the excellent things we value and ultimately meet our marriage and family goals.

Busyness helps us not feel what we do not want to feel or face in our lives. We enjoy the distraction of it, from having to face ourselves, God, and all that might bring up. 

Satan's Goal: To run you hard and wear you down, making you vulnerable to temptation.

Dangers of Being Too Busy

• Little or no time for intimacy with God
• Not enough time to nurture heart-to-heart relationships
• Not enough time to address conflicts and problems that impact the heart of those in the family (A GET-OVER-IT mentality, leaving people not being understood.) 
• Not enough individual time for children to experience being the "beloved son or daughter."
• Too much multi-tasking (Note: You can only pay attention to one person at a time.
• Not enough time for Family Worship and prayer times together

Please pray for our counselees regarding their marriage and family needs. 

May the grace of God strengthen you in these difficult days!

Jeff