How Many “Jesus Points” Do You Have Today?

If you smoke marijuana, you get -3 Jesus points.   If you read your Bible, you get +1 Jesus point.  If you spend time in prayer, you get another +1 Jesus point.  If you say a cuss word, you get –1 Jesus point. If you share the Gospel with someone, you get +2 Jesus points.  If you attend church you get +3 Jesus points.  To get a girlfriend, you have to have at least +6 Jesus points.  To get into heaven, you have to have +7 Jesus points.  So, you may have to choose between going to heaven and getting a girlfriend depending on how many Jesus points you have.

This is the hilarious offbeat humor my son, Andrew, and his buddies would kid each other about during their many summers as Christian camp counselors.  Of course, it was all in good fun.

Yet, each week behind the smiles and “I’m fine” automatic responses of many Christians, the idea of earning “Jesus points” is no laughing matter.  I doubt most are aware of this underlying belief because it’s a system of thinking that has infiltrated every one of us.  We inherited it from Adam, whose mind was negatively reprogrammed with it when he ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

It was a real tree which represented one of two ways to live in a relationship with God.  The second and and optimum way to live was to be found in the Tree of Life.  The first tree was all about adding up our +’s and –‘s to determine our acceptance before God. (Genesis 2:9)  This is living with a “law mentality”.  The second tree was also a real tree which represented living from the life Christ in us in delightful intimacy, which was to spill over as unconditional love with other people.  This is living with a “grace mentality”.

Unfortunately, the “law mentality” doesn’t automatically leave us when we become Christ followers.  I wish it  did. Don’t you?  This is why Romans 12:2 and Ephesians 4:23 exhort us to reprogram our minds with grace and truth from an understanding of the “full” Gospel taught in the preceding chapters of each letter.  This is what God does to transform us more and more!

Why is it so easy for us to say to a young child who does something good that they are a good boy or good girl?  Why is it so easy to default to believing that God loves us less when we sin?  Why is it so easy to jump to the conclusion that God is mad at us because bad things are happening? It’s because of the “law mentality”.  Living from a grace mentality thinks and lives the opposite way.

When I asked a 13 year old girl if her dad, a pastor, was any different since he’s learned the grace message in our ADT, she said with a smile. “Oh yes!  It’s like he won the lottery.  He’s so happy now!”

When our family notices we are different, that’s the “grace mentality” of Christ in us!  

Believe it! It's the Gospel.

Live Free In Christ,

Mark Maulding, President and Founder

www.GraceLifeInternational.com All Content Copyright © 2015 Mark Maulding but feel free to pass it on!

Jesus Can Heal Your Grief and Sadness

Grief is about loss.  We most often think of grief being about those who lose someone in death.  That is certainly a great grief but there are many other losses we may grieve about. When our daughter was born with Down syndrome 24 years ago, my wife and I grieved deeply that we had "lost" a healthy child.  Others grieve over the loss of their own health, the health of someone close, a reversal in their financial situation, the heartbreak of a wayward child (at any age), experiencing a divorce, betrayal and much, much more.

Most of us have heard appropriately that there are stages in grief that a person often experiences.  These are denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.  Yet, the deep sadness of loss may go on long after.

There is a somewhat surprising Scripture regarding our griefs and sorrows. It describes something Jesus did on the cross for us.  Isaiah 53:4a says, Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows.  The Hebrew meanings of griefs and sorrows are just what they say.  They are connected to the sufferings we experience in this world.  The verse says Jesus has already borne our griefs and sorrows.  If Jesus has already borne these for the believer, then how can we experience this in real life.

I was discussing this with our Director of Counseling, Tom Short, recently and he was sharing what God was showing him about people's griefs and sorrows.  In a time of prayer, he asks the Lord to show this person their emotional pain. As the Lord takes them to the event(s) surrounding any grief or sorrow, he instructs the person to speak out loud the deep sadness that he/she is feeling about that deep loss. Once they have, he asks the person to give all of that grief, pain and sorrow to the Lord and to let Him take it away.  He and the counselee stay in this time of prayer until God replaces those with relief and peace.  In fact, Tom and his wife spent some time praying through some grief in her life several months ago and God used it to heal her physically.

This may not be the only way we experience God's comfort during grief, but it is helping many, including me.  Before I even knew Tom was using this in his counseling, I recently spent some time talking to the Lord, asking Him to show me my places of grief and sorrow.  Much of it had to do with my daughter's present and long lasting illness.  I told the Lord all about it.  Then, I gave it to Him based on Isaiah 53:4 quoted above.  Little by little, I sensed the burden of a lot of it lifting from me.  I'm asking Jesus to show me if there is more.  I hope you too, by faith, will ask God to show you your losses, that you may not have thought about. Then tell him how you feel about each one and spend time giving them to Him until you sense His peace.

If you realize now that you are stuck in grief and would like someone to talk to, who can lovingly help you give your griefs and sorrows to the Lord, please contact us at 704-522-9026.  

Warmly in Christ,

Mark Maulding, President and Founder

www.GraceLifeInternational.com All Content Copyright © 2015 Mark Maulding but feel free to pass it on!

The Sadness and Self-centeredness of Suicide

We sat together stunned again this morning in our staff prayer time.  The teen of a friend of one of our staff members took his own life.  Satan had duped another one into believing suicide was the only option he had.

The second leading cause of death among teens and college students is suicide. It is also the 10th leading cause of death in the United States and that rate is climbing.  The next highest group who commits this sad atrocity are middle aged males.

I and my staff have great compassion for those contemplating suicide.  When they look at their circumstances, they see no reason for living and have lost hope that anything will change.  And, some of the Christians we counsel struggle with this.  Those outside of Christ are even more vulnerable.

My good friend, Vlado Hoblaj, now Director of Hope for Croatia, tells of how, as a young rising rock-n-roll star, he had planned to commit suicide.  He was just waiting for the right time. He loved music and the stage yet, he was empty, hopeless and purposeless.  Then he heard about Jesus and was gloriously saved.  Yet, he still struggled with depression until he was taught the Gospel of Grace also known as the New Covenant or the Exchanged Life.  Today, he is one of the most joyful people you will ever meet and has an incredible ministry to his entire country and beyond.

Suicide is not only sad, it is actually self-centered.  You may think I am being harsh but in reality, those who commit suicide are the ones being harsh.  They leave behind a string of broken hearts - parents, children, a spouse, friends and even church family.  They leave behind guilt laden friends and family members going over and over in their minds "How did I miss it?  I could have and should have done something to stop this."  And many of these family and friends have a wound in their heart which may never go away - without them knowing how Jesus can heal them.  If you are one of those left behind, we are available to help you find that healing.

If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide, please understand that many of the thoughts entering your mind are from Satan, whose mission in life according to John 10:10 is to kill, steal and destroy your life.  He wants you dead.  But, don't do it!  You will hurt a lot of people.  Don't listen to the enemy telling you everyone, including you,would be better off if you were dead.  That is not true!

There is hope for you in Christ.  In the remainder of that same verse, Jesus compares His mission of life to Satan's mission of death by saying, I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of. (The Message) Several of our staff were tempted just like you to take their own lives before they began to experience the love and life of Jesus in them.  Now, they are so healed they are able to show God's answer to others struggling with the same issue.

If you know someone who is threatening suicide, especially if they are telling you their plan,  get them help immediately!  Don't be concerned about hurting their feelings or believing you will betray them.  Call their family, their pastor or the Suicide Prevention line below.  Better to have them mad at you rather than dead. Or, get them to one of our counselors even if it means coming with them the first time.

If you are the one having suicidal thoughts, please stop and call us right now for a consultation at 704-522-9026.  We can see you in person or by Skype.  Or, we can refer you to one of our partner ministries in the USA or Europe.  If our office is closed, please call the National Suicide Prevention line 1 (800) 273-8255. 

Believe it! It's the Gospel.

Live Free In Christ,

Mark Maulding, President and Founder

www.GraceLifeInternational.com All Content Copyright © 2015 Mark Maulding but feel free to pass it on!

Your Secrets are Satan's Weapons

Do you have a secret struggle which no one knows about except you?  Many people do and they work very hard to keep it buried in the dark cave of forgetfulness.  Yet, it just won't cooperate and be quiet.  It keeps crying out begging you to release it.  You've tried to silence it by tying it up with the chains of shame, fear, and guilt. Intertwined in this horror movie is Satan's scary part of the script where he repeats over and over: "You can never tell anyone what happened. It's too painful to share with anyone. What would they think about you if they knew? People aren't going to believe you anyway."

What we don't realize is that the prince of darkness forges weapons against us whenever there is a secret we are hiding.  His weapons keep us imprisoned in a place of torment.  And unless you share this secret with someone, and I mean the right someone you can trust, Satan will harass your soul and you will never live fully free.  You may have told this secret to your Heavenly Father over and over with sincere sorrow and real regret but it may still haunt you night and day.

The way out is to let your secret out so that The Truth, Jesus, can shut Satan's mouth, unchain  and get you out of that miserable cave. The Holy Spirit tells us in James 5:16a Confess your sins to one another that you may be healed.  This doesn't mean to share it with your small group or your Sunday School class but with someone you are certain can keep a confidence and who can share with you how Jesus can heal and free you.  

When a secret is exposed to the light, the burden of it often gets lighter immediately by just sharing it.  It takes two things to enable us to share our secret(s) with someone.  1. Deciding you want to be free from its torment.  2. Asking God to bring you to the right person you can share it with.  The sharing will be the beginning of your healing and freedom, blessings which are already yours in Christ, but you are not yet experiencing in this area of your life.

Aren't you ready to live free?  Decide today you want to be free and ask God to bring you to that much needed person.

If you need help, contact us at 704-522-9026.  We are there for you.  We have 40 staff who can see you in person or by Skype.  We also have many other trusted Christian counselors all over the USA and Europe.

Believe it! It's the Gospel.

Live Free In Christ,

Mark Maulding, President and Founder

www.GraceLifeInternational.com All Content Copyright © 2015 Mark Maulding but feel free to pass it on!

Six Things You Can Do about Worry

From time to time, everyone has a circumstance which tempts us to worry.  To be honest, introverts may have a tendency in the flesh to struggle with it more than extroverts, yet neither is exempt.  

Some of the life issues we may worry about are money, health, relationships, jobs, children and the future.  If you think about it, almost all worry is about the future.  It's the "what if" thoughts which we seem to obsess about.  When we are in that energy draining place, we desperately want relief but it seems just out of our grasp, no matter which way we turn.  

Here is a definition of worry which may define the real issue behind it.  Worry is imagining a future problem where God is on vacation.  Once our mind starts to worry, it can present to us an elaborate narrative which grows worse and more foreboding by the minute.  The end of that story always has a bad ending.  That is why we feel panicky.

Here are six Biblical things we can do about worry.  And just so you will know, I'm writing this as much to myself as I am to you!

1. Realize - God is not condemning you because of your struggle with worry.  Romans 8:1
2. Trust - Tell your Father everything you feel anxious about.  Take him through every detail.  In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus tells us why we can rely on our Heavenly Father to take care of us since we are more valuable than the birds or flowers He provides for.   In Philippians 4:6-7, Paul exhorts us to pray, thank God and tell Him everything about our struggle until we have peace.
3. Remember - Remember that you are not a "worrier" in Christ. In fact, you are full of faith since you are faithful in Christ Jesus.  See  2 Timothy 1:7 [God has not given us a spirit (identity) of fear] and Ephesians 1:2  So if you are worrying, confess that sin to God and repent by confessing that you are not a worrier but a faithful person in Christ who trusts him regardless of how you feel!
4. Ask - Ask God to show you if there is something you can do to begin to resolve your situation.  James 1:5 instructs us to ask God for wisdom when life is difficult and we don't know what to do.
5. Give Up - Ask yourself "What is the worst thing which could happen in this situation?"  Are you then willing to give up that worse thing  to God and ask Him what He wants to give you in exchange?  Philippians 2:5-6
6. Someone - Go to someone you trust to help give you some clear perspective on the situation. Often our own thinking is mired down in the quicksand of swirling emotions.  My wife is very good at helping me with this when I go to her.  1 Thessalonians 5:11.

And if you are really stuck, call us at 704-522-9026.

Believe it! It's the Gospel.

Live Free In Christ,

Mark Maulding, President and Founder

www.GraceLifeInternational.com All Content Copyright © 2015 Mark Maulding but feel free to pass it on!

Why You Should Always Ask "So What?"

So what? That question should be asked every time we are taught the New Covenant. But first, we need to know the basics of the New Covenant. Jeremiah 31:33‐34 tells us that it holds us up by three pillars. 33 “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,”  declares the Lord, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” 

1. Pillar One – God gave us a new identity. Years ago, a lady told me she was praying God would write His law on her heart. He had already answered her prayer the day she was saved. But what does that mean? The Law is based on the character of God, meaning He has placed His character in our new heart in Christ. So what? We are not defined by our past, parents,  possessions or peer. God alone defines us as holy, righteous, blameless, loving and more. It’s  who we are in the deepest core of our being.

2. Pillar Two – God united Himself to us. The word “know” in verse 34 is the same Hebrew word  used in Genesis 4:1 where Adam and Eve’s amazing intimacy of their physical union is written about. Similarly, God united Himself to us spiritually. So what? He wants to enjoy us and for us to enjoy Him as He loves us from the inside and lives through us the very life of Christ.

3. Pillar Three – God forgave us completely. God forgave us so thoroughly that it not only includes our past but our future, too. Not remembering our sins any more means He doesn’t hold them against us even when we do sin. So what? We never need to feel compelled to “run away” from our Father when we sin. We can run to Him and be honest about what we have done and confident we are forgiven. And then ask Jesus to live through us in us to overcome the next time (That’s repentance.) 

There is so much more I’d like to tell you about the “So what?” for every one of these, but space prohibits it. A lot of this will be in the book I am writing; but, you don’t have to wait for it to come out. You can hear it taught NOW in one of our offices in person or online. The next opportunity for this in Charlotte and Asheville is our Grace Life Conference. The next opportunity for women only is our Women of Grace one morning a week. See the sidebar for more info. 

May you enjoy Jesus and the blessings you already have in the New Covenant in Him this week.

Live Free In Christ,

Mark Maulding, President and Founder

www.GraceLifeInternational.com All Content Copyright © 2015 Mark Maulding but feel free to pass it on!

You Can Stop Trying to Be Like Jesus

The cause of great guilt, gnawing shame and grandiose failure in the Christian life is often from trying to be like Jesus.  It sounds spiritual and noble to pursue this.  Yet, it is actually the curse of many Christ-followers.  Some keep trying harder. Some give up. Others settle into the mentality that guilt and failure are the normal Christian life.

My good friend, Diane Bumgardner, tells her own story of how God reversed this curse in her well written testimony below.

By Diane Bumgardner

Good morning! Another beautiful, cold morning! I so love the sunshine!! Just makes me smile to look out and see the sun smiling back at me!

I was a Christian for many years before I "crashed n burned" and learned the meaning of the verse below! I tried for years to "imitate" Jesus. I prayed for and received the power of the Holy Spirit yet I continued to live out of my flesh trying really hard to be a GREAT Christian woman!! But I couldn't do it!! Despite all my great efforts -- I failed! Over and over! I failed! On my bedroom floor one morning, desperate for relief from guilt and shame for all my failures, I cried out to God: "I can't take it anymore!!! I cannot live the Christian life and bring you honor! I just want to die!" God spoke so softly to my heart: "Finally! You are right where you need to be"! Then He spoke this verse into my heart: "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh (in this body), I now live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me." From that moment, nearly 30 years ago to this day, God has been teaching me how that works; this "Jesus living in me, thru me, as me" truth! I am and will ever be a work-in-progress! So are we all! BUT GOD!! Yes, but God is faithful!! He will "restore my soul...guide me in paths of righteousness"! It is His WORD of promise to us! Makes me wanna shout: "SHINE ON!!" On this new day filled with promise! Blessings to all of you!!

I hope Diane's story encourages you today that you are not alone in this journey wherever you may find yourself in life.  And that God's answer is Christ in you!

Believe it! It's the Gospel.

Live Free In Christ,

Mark Maulding, President and Founder    

www.GraceLifeInternational.com All Content Copyright © 2015 Mark Maulding but feel free to pass it on!