Provided by Brayan Becerra 
Author: James Banks

One of the first prayers I learned as a little boy was “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep . . .” It was a prayer I learned from my parents, and I taught it to my son and daughter when they were little. As a child, I found great comfort in placing myself in God’s hands with those words before I fell asleep.

There’s a similar prayer neatly tucked away in the “prayer book” of the Bible, the Psalms. Some biblical scholars suggest that the phrase “Into your hands I commit my spirit” (Psalm 31:5) was a “bedtime” prayer taught to children in Jesus’s day.

You may recognize that prayer as Jesus’s final cry from the cross. But Jesus added one more word to it: Father (Luke 23:46). By praying that word in the moments before His death, Jesus demonstrated His intimate relationship with the Father and pointed believers toward their home with Him (John 14:3).

Jesus died on the cross so we could live in the wonder of a relationship with God as our heavenly Father. How comforting it is to know that because of Jesus’s sacrificial love for us, we can rest in God’s care as His children! We can close our eyes without fear because our Father watches over us and has promised to wake us up to life with Him (1 Thessalonians 4:14).

Lord Jesus, I receive the gift of forgiveness You offer me through the cross. Help me to turn from my sins and follow You, all the way home.

By James Banks

"My Silence" 

Psalm 62:5 "My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him."

A few reflections on this verse.

We should speak to our own souls.

We should listen and be silent until God speaks.

There is a time when we should seek God's counsel only.

He is our help, nothing and nobody else.

Waiting almost always takes some noticeable time.

God will respond, shhhhh, wait on Him.

God's response is always worth waiting for.

Waiting silently and hopefully now for Him alone, 
Pastor Fred 

"What To Say When You Should Not Speak" 

His grace is sufficient today and quoting His Word is all I should say today. 

Colossians 1:10-18 ".. That you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience, and longsuffering with joy, giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the Kingdom of the Son of His love, in Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins."

I hope and pray this for you and me today.
With His Love,
Pastor Fred 

"Our Daily Burdens" 

Psalm 68:19
"Blessed be the Lord who daily bears our burden, The God who is our salvation. Selah.

The atoning death of Christ on the cross was planned and executed to be a one-time payment price for all sin. But the grace, forgiveness, and mercy of it is almost impossible for us to actuate and actualize if we hang on to our daily burdens of unforgiveness and ingratitude. It seems we must be in the continual process of letting go and letting God. Why do we love carrying the load when we do not need to? Is it the false pride of martyrdom? Is it manipulation of those who have wronged us? Is it the sympathy or slack that we get from others? Is it really all about control? Is it lack of faith? I must be careful not to appear to be too knowledgeable about this issue, for fear of being misjudged. Oh, the burden of that. Hmmm... only Jesus can help me. But, I must relent and maybe even repent. I have never enjoyed extra weight, who does? 

To close my thoughts today the word "Selah" is and has been a bit of a mystery. Could mean "a pause" or "a crescendo", or "a musical interlude". Depending on the context I have heard it say to me the variety of poignant things.  

1. Shhhh or Shut my mouth.
2. Yes Lord Yes!!! or Big Amen!
3.(No words, just music that brings tears.)

Hey, take your choice, but please lay your burdens down at the foot of the cross.  
See you there.
Pastor Fred

Friday Devotional:  “If Only I Knew – Gentle Reminders” 
 
I think that we all have little gems of wisdom in books just lying around our home that we keep saying we’ll get around to reading, but then just don’t make the time to follow through to do it.  Well, such was the case with this little book called “If Only I Knew - Gentle Reminders to Help You Treasure the People in Your Life” (Lance Wubbels).  I’ve had this little book for probably eight years or more, with it always being prominently displayed either in the bedroom, family room, or bathroom,  making sure to keep it in plain view with full intent to read it when “I had a chance”.  At this point, I’m not even sure where I got the book, as it’s not inscribed, so I likely purchased it years ago just because the title caught my eye. 
 
There is a time for everything (I think God mentions that somewhere in the Bible), so the time for me to finally completely read this little book came Monday of this week as I took a break from getting our home set up for my husband’s upcoming Chess Club Night on Tuesday.  The one thing upon which we can all agree is that life is for sure uncertain, so I don’t think it was by sheer coincidence that my eyes happened upon the book lying there, as I don’t think that something is just a coincidence. The realities of life’s uncertainties are all around us, as we witness senseless shootings and killings, and other violence, the devastation brought about by illegal drug use, loss of life and property due to natural disasters, homelessness, illnesses and diseases, hatred and divisiveness brought on by political party affiliations, accidents, and the list goes on.  The author summed it up best this way in the book’s preface:  “Someone once said ‘life is short, so keep short accounts with God.’  That is wise advice, but I’d like to add that we should also keep short accounts with every person who is in the circle of our lives.  We never know when life will be dramatically changed . . . sometimes permanently.” (Romans 12:10-18).
 
I obviously cannot share the entire book, though I’d like to, but I do want to share just a few of the “If Only I Knew” passages for you to get a flavor for the book, and would highly recommend it to you for purchase.  The following were some of my favorites (actually, they were all my favorites): If only I knew this was our last hug, I would hold you tight and hope to never let you go; If only I knew I had the chance to pray with you one more time, I would take your hands and welcome God’s presence to surround us; If only I knew that disagreements do not mean lack of love, I would have been hurt less often; If only I knew that no one ever sees the same thing in exactly the same light, I would have found more pleasure in others’ opinions, even when they did not share mine; If only I knew that momentary pleasures could ruin a reputation for a lifetime, I would have found the strength to say no to temptation; If only I knew I could never share another day with you, I would make the most of every second; If only I knew that success  is never measured in dollars or positions, I would have treasured the things that last forever.  I’ll end with this one: If only I knew my days were coming to an end, I would number them carefully, one by one, and ask God to help me make the best use of my time because the days are far too fleeting.
 
So that you won’t have to look it up, I’ve decided to go ahead and share Romans 12:10-18 because it’s a  fitting closing for this devotional.  “Be devoted to one another in brotherly and sisterly love.  Honor one another above yourselves.  Share with God’s people who are in need.  Practice hospitality.  Bless those who persecute you.  Bless and do not curse.  Rejoice with those who rejoice.  Mourn with those who mourn.  Live in harmony with one another.  Do not be conceited.  Do not repay anyone evil for evil.  Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.  If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
 
I hope that these “gentle reminders” might speak to our hearts and cause all of us to focus on the special people in our lives and treasure them.  Have a very blessings-filled weekend and week to follow. We invite and welcome you to join us Sundays at Grace Harbor for Adult Bible Study at 9:00 a.m., where currently the study is “How to Know God and Experience the Power of His Resurrection in Our Lives”, and Sunday Worship Service, and Children’s Sunday School at 10:00 a.m. 
 
Love In Him, Charlotte Adams

"How To Bless" 

3 John 1:12
"Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul."

It is not just Paul that has such a sweet and tender side. John also expresses repeatedly a sincere affection for believers. For us. We would do well to learn these encouraging verses. The word beloved is archaic and seldom used in everyday talk, but it sure conveys something beautiful. Maybe we should bring the word back into vogue. We too should remind others we are praying for them. Praying for their health and well-being. Not just on a surface level, but down deep in their souls. Let me steal from Scripture, after all it is so quotable. 

"Beloved, I pray today that it is going well with you, that you are in good health and that you are aware in your soul of how deeply blessed you are."  I sure am,
Pastor Fred 

"Working Out" 

Philippians 2:12-13
"Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure."

We must be careful when we interpret the words "working out our salvation". The term does not mean we can earn our salvation. We have no part in the true reconciling work of forgiveness… only the blood of Jesus Christ can do that. But we are called to work out what God has worked in. This is called "the divine cooperative". In the Greek, to work out describes those who worked in the mines. They mined out of the ground what the Creator had placed there and then brought those riches into the light. The work of God delivers the gift of salvation to us. We then take that gift by the power of the Holy Spirit and diligently work to perfect ourselves as followers of Christ. How are you cooperating in that process today? I am working on it.

By His grace,
Pastor Fred 

"Peaceful Reconciliation" 

Colossians 1:19-20
"For it pleased the Father that in Him (Jesus) all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross."

The only true and lasting peaceful reconciliation we can attain in this life or the next is through His atoning blood. It glorifies and pleases God that we find peace. His peace, the kind that passes understanding. In order to find peace, we must have a way to deal with sin. We are battling in a fallen world and the struggle is real and intense. We must be able to get into His presence so we sense Him dwelling in us. Then we must accept His reconciling grace over whatever it is that conflicts us. This necessitates our yielding, acquiescence and even surrender over and over again. We must claim or reclaim the ground or progress He has made for us. As the phrase says, Let go and let God. I pray today that you will know His peaceful reconciliation.

In Him,
Pastor Fred    

"He Sees It All" by Angie Wahl  

This is from a Bible Study on Managing Emotions Through Psalms 

"The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men. From the place of His dwelling, He looks on all the inhabitants of the earth; He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works." Psalm 33:13-15

Sometimes I can feel like God is so involved with the big things in the world and even my life that he doesn't have time for the little things. Things that are not life changing but create pain or concern or angst in my everyday life. These verses indicate this is not true. He sees ALL his children at all times and "considers" all works. That word, considers, in the Hebrew means to look at separately, to know, to understand, look well into. He considers all things in our life, even the small things and provides the support and answers we need. Verse 20 of this Psalm says he is our help and our shield.

Note this verse is present tense. He is actively aware of our lives, our work, our struggles, and concerns now, as it occurs, in real time.

Joyfully in His presence,
Angie Wahl

"How Thankfulness Works" 

1Thessalonians 5:16-18 "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

 Life is full of curve balls, but it's also full of blessings. We don't get to pick what comes our way, but we do get to choose how we respond. And it's our response that can result and healthy living and satisfaction in our souls. Here's how it works physiologically...  The emotions of joy and anxiety travel the same pathway in the brain. This means that if you choose joy, there is literally no room for worry in your brain. You can literally kick worry and negativity out!

So how do you choose joy? By giving thanks. By remembering all the good things that have happened, including the good things that have come out of the hard things. Cynicism will tempt you to think, "That's shallow and simplistic. I'm a realist, and life is hard!" Don't go there, OK? Cynicism turns people into miserable curmudgeons. Gratitude lifts our spirits and makes us a joy to be around. It's contagious, plus, it's commanded in scripture.  "Rejoice always. Pray continually. Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." Sound familiar? God's will for you is gratitude, and gratitude will change your world. It won't hurt anybody else's either.

With joy,
Pastor Fred

"Good and Evil" 

Roman's 12:21 "Don't let evil conquer you. But conquer evil by doing good."

Lots of wisdom here. We would all agree that we see and hear evil in the world today. I don't even need to describe it. We are taught to resist evil. We certainly should not promote it or spread it. We must be on guard. Evil can be bold and obvious, or subtle and clandestine. Simplest solution to the dilemma of identifying evil is to ask God. "God, is this of you, from you or for you? There may be far more evil than we initially think. The hardest parts of scripture image always the action item parts. We may avoid evil defensively. But will we proactively promote good? That is our kingdom assignment. Do good. Think good, then act out on that good thinking.

So today I will resist evil and nor let it plague me or conquer me. I will do good thereby conquering evil. The battle is on. The lines are drawn. Choose who you will serve today. We are more than conquerors through Christ who strengthens us. So be strong and seize your day, for good.

Like the saying says, "for goodness sake".
Pastor Fred 

"What We Do Not Know" 

Ecclesiastes 11:5 "Just as you do not know the path of the wind, or how the bones form in the womb of a pregnant woman, so you do not know the work of God who knows everything."

As His Word also says, our ways are not His ways. I am more often reminded now that I am somewhat more mature, exactly how little I know. No offense to science, but there are mysteries that will never be understood. Mysteries to us, but God knows. He is omniscient. All-knowing. Perfect. We think ourselves to be so brilliant. So perceptive. So bright. But He is light. He is truth. There will always be understanding that is simply beyond us. So why do we keep talking? We just keep guessing. We keep claiming to know more than we do. God is working right now. He never sleeps. He is constantly aware of everything on all levels and from all vantage points. Just for a moment, bask in His perfection. I am undone. I am once again driven to my knees. I am overwhelmed by Him and His grace and His love. Especially for me.

In Him,
Pastor Fred 

"Spiritual" Fast Food - by Adam Shane

"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."
- John 3:16

"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me."
 - Revelation 3:20

"The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him."
- Nahum 1:7

The three verses featured today have something special in common: they are a few of the Scripture references that can be found inconspicuously printed on food and drink packaging at In-N-Out.  While many of us have, no doubt, seen these and other references to scripture on any given day, how many of us have bothered to look-up the passages that we might not be familiar with?

Daily Scripture reading, whatever form it may take, is an important part of maintaining a close walk with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Being on the mailing list for these daily devotionals is a great start!  The Word of God is rich with knowledge and wisdom, and we are constantly encouraged to ask, seek, and knock. (Matt. 7:7-8).

Prayer time with our Lord is also an integral part of a close and personal relationship with Him.  I encourage you all to take time throughout your busy days and talk to Him as if he is sitting or standing right beside you, because He IS!!  He wants to be a part of everything you do throughout the day.  Pray when you wake up.  Pray to Him before meals, even if you think people might look at you funny.  Pray to Him with your Grace Harbor Family at 8:18pm EVERY DAY!  Pray to Him before you go to sleep.  In 1Thessalonians 5:17, we are commanded to "pray continually".

Finally, I leave you with Hebrews 10:23-25.  It's a great summary of how we might live our Christianity out loud!

-Adam Shane