March 2005

March 2005 www.christianperspective.net info@christianperspective.net
This month's: Thought: Easter Everyday Story: Good Dribblers Homeschool Tip: Distractions Hymn/Poem: In Thee Thought: Easter Everyday Easter celebrations are over. Family and friends have left. Most of us are settling back into our normal routines. Yet Easter’s glorious truths provide the key to living every day of our lives. Easter means that Jesus’ finished work on the cross was sufficient. That He did everything necessary for our salvation. That He lives and has the power to save and sanctify each and every one of us. That what we could never do, He did. Easter reminds us that it’s not about us. Jesus finished the work. Jesus conquered the grave. He did it all! We need to trust Him and cling to His life, not just for salvation, but for the righteousness and strength we need each and every moment of our lives. There have been many times over the last month where I have felt entirely inadequate. I have often felt unable to do anything but curl up and feel sorry for myself or complain to others. But then God whispered, “Make Me keeper of your heart. Let Me do what you can’t. Let Me give you My strength, My words, and My joy. You are 100% sin, but I have 100% righteousness I want to wrap you in. You have nothing but death in yourself, but I long to give you My eternal life. You can’t handle this. But I can. Won’t you let Me?” What a blessed freedom there is in confessing to God that we have nothing and letting Him give us Himself! I used to think that I somehow had to try to make myself into a better Christian. It is easy to fall into the misconception that sanctification somehow rests with us. Yet sanctification, like salvation, isn’t about us getting better or pleasing God; it is about us realizing our sinfulness and clinging to Jesus’ righteousness and strength. We never will have anything righteous in ourselves; we need to cling each day to Jesus’ righteousness and strength. The glorious Easter truth that Jesus lives and offers us His righteousness gives us life and hope each and every day. I would like to encourage you to run to Jesus and let Him give you His heart. Give Him your thoughts and let Him give you His. Give Him your burdens and let Him bear them. Confess that you have no strength and let Him give you His strength. Admit your sinfulness and let Him give you His righteousness. Let the glorious truths of Easter impact the way you live everyday. *“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20b* Return to Top Story: Good Dribblers At first, the crowd cheered. They liked watching the fantastic dribbling. But they quickly became concerned. Why were the Rockets spending their entire time dribbling? No one on the Rockets had taken a shot in over five minutes. The team seemed entirely consumed with dribbling. The crowd was not the only one concerned. The coach soon called a time out. “What do you guys think you’re doing?” he demanded. The players stared at him in surprise. “You told us to work on being good dribblers. So we made that our goal,” one of them finally volunteered. The coach groaned. “That’s not what I meant. Your goal is the basket. Don’t let anything, not even good dribbling, keep you from that goal. Do you understand?” “That I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes through the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings…I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God ahs called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:9b+10a, 14 Return to Top Homeschool Tip: Distractions Springtime brings with it green grass and flowers, longer days, and refreshing warmth. Yet spring’s welcomed arrival also brings a challenge for homeschooling: Spring Fever. The warm sunlight streaming in the window beckons of warmth and fun outdoors, taking thoughts away from schoolwork. It is easy to get distracted from schoolwork, especially in the spring. Yet it is even easier for us to get distracted from our real goal in homeschooling. Our goal in homeschooling, as in every other area of life, should be to depend on and know the Lord each and every day. “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings…I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God ahs called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:10a, 14 Often, however, things distract us from the Lord. Our children can be a major distraction. Many times, we base our idea of success on our children’s academic progress and character development. If we are pleased with their progress, we consider ourselves successful. If not, we feel overcome by a sense of failure. Yet true success in homeschooling isn’t based on our children or our feelings. We should measure success by whether we are abiding in Christ and His love and letting Him teach us. If we are depending on Him, we are successful, no matter what the outward progress. Our goal needs to be, not academic success or good children, but Christ alone. As you notice the spring weather distracting you and your children from your schoolwork, remember that other things are trying to distract you from the Lord. Ask yourself, “Is my heart fully devoted to the Lord, or am I getting distracted?” --By Cris and Katherine Loop Return to Top Hymn/Poem: In Thee When I look into my own heart, I see nothing but evil in every part. My knowledge, my works, my best thoughts— They are all in sin wrought. Yet, Oh, Lord, You have made a way-- I will cling to Your cross today. For although I have no good in me, Hope and salvation lie in Thee. Return to Top Unless otherwise indicated, articles are written by Katherine Loop, © 2005. Unless otherwise indicated, scripture taken from the NIV Bible. Feel free to pass these e-mails along to others in whole or part (please include a link to our website when you do). If you do not regularly receive Christian Perspective's monthly e-mails and updates and would like to receive them, please send your e-mail address to info@christianperspective.net or sign up on our website, www.christianperspective.net. If you would like to be removed from the e-mail list, simply let us know, and we will promptly remove you. We'd always love to hear from you. Drop us a line sometime and share with us your thoughts and suggestions.

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This month's:

Thought: Easter Everyday
Story: Good Dribblers
Homeschool Tip: Distractions
Hymn/Poem: In Thee

Thought: Easter Everyday

Easter celebrations are over. Family and friends have left. Most of us are settling back into our normal routines.

Yet Easter’s glorious truths provide the key to living every day of our lives. Easter means that Jesus’ finished work on the cross was sufficient. That He did everything necessary for our salvation. That He lives and has the power to save and sanctify each and every one of us. That what we could never do, He did.

Easter reminds us that it’s not about us. Jesus finished the work. Jesus conquered the grave. He did it all! We need to trust Him and cling to His life, not just for salvation, but for the righteousness and strength we need each and every moment of our lives.

There have been many times over the last month where I have felt entirely inadequate. I have often felt unable to do anything but curl up and feel sorry for myself or complain to others. But then God whispered, “Make Me keeper of your heart. Let Me do what you can’t. Let Me give you My strength, My words, and My joy. You are 100% sin, but I have 100% righteousness I want to wrap you in. You have nothing but death in yourself, but I long to give you My eternal life. You can’t handle this. But I can. Won’t you let Me?” What a blessed freedom there is in confessing to God that we have nothing and letting Him give us Himself!

I used to think that I somehow had to try to make myself into a better Christian. It is easy to fall into the misconception that sanctification somehow rests with us. Yet sanctification, like salvation, isn’t about us getting better or pleasing God; it is about us realizing our sinfulness and clinging to Jesus’ righteousness and strength. We never will have anything righteous in ourselves; we need to cling each day to Jesus’ righteousness and strength. The glorious Easter truth that Jesus lives and offers us His righteousness gives us life and hope each and every day.

I would like to encourage you to run to Jesus and let Him give you His heart. Give Him your thoughts and let Him give you His. Give Him your burdens and let Him bear them. Confess that you have no strength and let Him give you His strength. Admit your sinfulness and let Him give you His righteousness. Let the glorious truths of Easter impact the way you live everyday.

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20b

Return to Top

Story: Good Dribblers

At first, the crowd cheered. They liked watching the fantastic dribbling. But they quickly became concerned. Why were the Rockets spending their entire time dribbling? No one on the Rockets had taken a shot in over five minutes. The team seemed entirely consumed with dribbling. The crowd was not the only one concerned. The coach soon called a time out. “What do you guys think you’re doing?” he demanded. The players stared at him in surprise. “You told us to work on being good dribblers. So we made that our goal,” one of them finally volunteered. The coach groaned. “That’s not what I meant. Your goal is the basket. Don’t let anything, not even good dribbling, keep you from that goal. Do you understand?”

“That I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes through the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings…I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God ahs called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:9b+10a, 14

Return to Top

Homeschool Tip: Distractions

Springtime brings with it green grass and flowers, longer days, and refreshing warmth. Yet spring’s welcomed arrival also brings a challenge for homeschooling: Spring Fever. The warm sunlight streaming in the window beckons of warmth and fun outdoors, taking thoughts away from schoolwork.

It is easy to get distracted from schoolwork, especially in the spring. Yet it is even easier for us to get distracted from our real goal in homeschooling. Our goal in homeschooling, as in every other area of life, should be to depend on and know the Lord each and every day.

“I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings…I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God ahs called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:10a, 14

Often, however, things distract us from the Lord. Our children can be a major distraction. Many times, we base our idea of success on our children’s academic progress and character development. If we are pleased with their progress, we consider ourselves successful. If not, we feel overcome by a sense of failure.

Yet true success in homeschooling isn’t based on our children or our feelings. We should measure success by whether we are abiding in Christ and His love and letting Him teach us. If we are depending on Him, we are successful, no matter what the outward progress. Our goal needs to be, not academic success or good children, but Christ alone.

As you notice the spring weather distracting you and your children from your schoolwork, remember that other things are trying to distract you from the Lord. Ask yourself, “Is my heart fully devoted to the Lord, or am I getting distracted?”

--By Cris and Katherine Loop

Return to Top

Hymn/Poem: In Thee

When I look into my own heart,

I see nothing but evil in every part.

My knowledge, my works, my best thoughts—

They are all in sin wrought.

Yet, Oh, Lord, You have made a way--

I will cling to Your cross today.

For although I have no good in me,

Hope and salvation lie in Thee.

Return to Top

Unless otherwise indicated, articles are written by Katherine Loop, © 2005. Unless otherwise indicated, scripture taken from the NIV Bible. Feel free to pass these e-mails along to others in whole or part (please include a link to our website when you do). If you do not regularly receive Christian Perspective's monthly e-mails and updates and would like to receive them, please send your e-mail address to info@christianperspective.net or sign up on our website, www.christianperspective.net. If you would like to be removed from the e-mail list, simply let us know, and we will promptly remove you. We'd always love to hear from you. Drop us a line sometime and share with us your thoughts and suggestions.