Council Fire

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 (NIV) I remember years ago when we were coming up the fishing trail, bringing our well-caught deserved river salmon home. I was with my grandmother, and there were two other children who were ages seven and nine. I was nine years of age. For some reason our dogs did not go with us that night. That night we met a bear on the trail! It put so much fear in us that we almost tore my grandmother’s clothes off of her clinging to her! Grandmother was calm as a cucumber and spoke words in our language. The bear left us alone and left the area. I am not sure what she said, but that bear listened. (Interestingly, I found out later that we are from the Bear clan!) Whatever the reason the bear left us alone, I know that my grandmother was my hero at that moment. The Scripture above tells us that we should not fear, for God will always be there for you. You should not have to worry about anything because He’s got you. It was like my grandmother. She was there when we needed protection from fear. She just spoke and the bear left. I truly, truly believe that is all the Lord has to do—to speak, and the fear will leave us. He has us with His righteous right hand. Think about it—one hand, not two! So, when it comes to struggle with fear, remember that He is always going to be there for us. It was during that time when my grandmother was starting her path as a believer, and I am certain she placed her faith in the Lord. – Kirby James   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org

“And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.” Luke 12:7 (NLT) As a child and teenager, I used to think that God was distant—that He created this world and left. My mom started going to a church in our community, and it was quite obvious that there was a change in her life. She shared with us that she had become a Christian. I didn’t understand what that meant, but I did see the change in her life. She wanted to know more about God, and a friend told her about a Christian Native school not far from where we lived. It was called Key-Way-Tin Bible Institute, near Lac La Biche, Alb. Next thing, my mom and siblings were on their way, moving to live at Key-Way-Tin. However, I went to live with my uncle in the city because I didn’t want to be at a Christian place. But things didn’t work out with my schooling in the city, so I moved back with my mom to take classes in Lac La Biche, which meant living at Key-Way-Tin. As I lived with Mom and my siblings, she would share some of the Bible truths that she was learning. There was no doubt that she was thoroughly enjoying studying God’s Word. She shared with us the gospel and different stories from His Word. One Bible passage that stood out to me was in Luke 12:7, stating that the very hairs on my head are numbered! Wow! That really intrigued me. I thought God was distant, but Him knowing even the number of hairs on my head made me realize that He is not distant at all. Not only is God personal . . . He is relational. He is a loving God who knows me so personally, more than I will ever understand, and values me so much! Why should I be afraid? – Myrna Kopf   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org

“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.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV) I took the time the other day to count the doors at our place. It took about 30 seconds to figure out that there’s 12 of them. Kind of a mundane exercise, but it got me thinking about “closed and open doors” and how God uses both kinds in our lives. The “open doors” are the opportunity ones. They can be captivating, motivating and exciting or, on the flip side, intimidating, overwhelming, and downright scary! You see, open doors usually mean “change.” Change is a great concept, but most of us are wired to resist it. The “closed doors” are more of an enigma. Sometimes it’s an issue where we’ve had a real brilliant, “Einstein-ish,” “Mensa-grade,” “Humdinger” of an idea, only to find that nobody else shares our enthusiasm . . . that finances aren’t there, and logistical realties (or common sense) present us with a closed door. It’s not an exact science, and it takes a lot of prayer to differentiate between “normal” obstacles and doors that are truly closed, but as we follow God’s way and get to know the principles and absolutes of the Scriptures, it gets easier to make those distinctions. As we seek guidance in our lives from God’s Spirit, we learn that two of His navigational tools are open and closed doors. – Kene Jackson   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org

“Be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh.” Matthew 24:44 (KJV) Back a while ago, we were having a conversation with one of our young grandsons about Jesus Christ coming back for us. He was sitting in a big chair, looking up into the sky for a while, when all of a sudden he said, “Jesus is coming, Jesus is coming!” We said, “Where?” He pointed out the window and, at that moment, a big jet was flying over. As it passed by, he said, “Jesus left us behind.” After it had passed and disappeared, we said, “Jesus is not coming by plane, train, or car. But he will come in the blink of an eye. So, he blinked and said, “Boy, He is taking a long time.” He had thought that Jesus was coming that day, and he wanted to be ready. Later, we noticed that he was actually watching by the window with his coat on, waiting for the return of his Lord and Savior. We told him again, “When Jesus comes, just blink and you will be in Heaven that fast.” So, he blinked again, then said, “But I’m not in heaven.” We do not know the time or day when He will return. But we can be vigilant and wait on the Lord’s return. We can have faith like my little grandson, watching, expecting and knowing that He is coming. Lord, we do not know the time or day when You will return. We don’t want to be caught unaware and unprepared. Help us to remain vigilant and wait on Your return. – Liz Genaille   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org

“People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving. Yet when he is found, he must restore sevenfold.” Proverbs 6:30-31a (NKJV) A supermarket manager rigs his scales to make customers’ purchases appear to weigh more in order to overcharge them. God calls this “an abomination.” Some otherwise honest folks boast about cheating on their taxes by inflating their tax deductions: “Hey, we’re only working-class bums. Billionaires pay no taxes, so I hear.” But what does Scripture say about paying taxes? When the temple tax collectors come to Jesus, He honors their request and directs the apostle Peter to go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the first fish. Inside its mouth will be a coin with which Peter is to pay the taxes for them both (Matthew 17:27). Max, a little boy whose grandma has little money, gives him and his brother 10 pennies whenever they visit. The first 10 pennies go to older brother, Sam. Then Grandma counts what is meant to be 10 for Max. But Max notices there are nine pennies and a dime. “Grandma, you gave me too much,” he says. “Thank you, son!” she says, and corrects the overpayment. On their way to the store, Sam grumbles, “You should have kept that dime!” Max shrugs, “Grandma might have needed it more.” Which boy is more likely to grow up to be an honest person? Margo wants money to see a movie. She steals the cash from her mother’s purse. Is it okay to steal from your parents? What does the fifth Commandment say? Stealing also includes: kidnapping, taking an innocent person’s life, gossip (which is stealing another’s reputation), taking any property belonging to another, cheating a worker of his/her wages. How many more ways can you think of? Father God, strengthen us to follow Your Word in times of our temptation. In Jesus’ name, Amen. – Kiki BelMonte-Schaller   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” Ephesians 6:10 (KJV) A while back I was driving along during the evening. My headlights started dimming down, and the truck started to hesitate. We were still quite a way from home. The lights kept dimming down, and the truck would slow down. Every now and then we had to stop, and it seemed like the battery was draining. Finally, we got home, and I realized what had happened. The day before I was working on the truck alternator, changing the brushes. So, I checked it and, sure enough, I realized that I had left the nail in the alternator that was holding up the brushes . . . so the brushes weren’t seated. Because of that, the circuit was not complete, and we had an “unplugged” alternator. I pulled out the nail, the brushes fell into place, and made the connection complete. It now worked fi ne and was now generating electrical power. Before, we were just running on battery power. We must “keep generating”! It’s a reminder to be plugged in, make contact, and keep generating. Isaiah in the Old Testament says that God helps tired people to be strong. He gives power to those without it. Even young men get tired and need to rest. Even young boys stumble and fall. But those who trust in the Lord will become strong again. They will be like eagles that grow new feathers. They will run and not get weak. They will walk and not get tired. If you want light in your house night or day, the light must be plugged in. It must be plugged into the power source. The electrical plug is only a link to the power source, but a very important link. For us to be in the place of light and power . . . we must be plugged into Jesus. Isaiah 2:5b says: “Let us walk in the light of the Lord.” (KJV) – Terry Hall   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org

“Let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay.” James 5:12b (KJV) It’s hard for me to say “No.” When I say “No” I feel guilty. I feel like I have to make excuses and explain why I can’t do something, and I need to apologize. When the minister of our church said he wanted to paint his house and needed volunteers to help him, I volunteered to help. I had expected about a dozen church members to show up, but I was the only one. His house was a small two-bedroom house. We started painting, and then he received a call and said he had to leave. I ended up painting the entire house alone—it took a week. I spent 10 days taking care of the neighbor’s cat while she visited friends in Utah. She said the cat was litter box trained. It wasn’t. The cat was nervous, meowed constantly for its owner, and rarely used the litter box. When the neighbor returned, I didn’t tell her about her cat, but the next time she asked me to take care of her cat I told her I was expecting company. I lied. I know I shouldn’t have. I couldn’t bring myself to be honest with her, and I couldn’t just say “No.” She never spoke to me again. The list is endless. I have allowed people to take advantage of me for years, partly because I felt it was my Christian duty to help other people, and partly because I didn’t have the courage to say “No” to anyone who asked for my help. I don’t regret the things I’ve done wrong as much as I regret the things I did right for the wrong reasons. It took me years to learn that sometimes it is alright to say “No.” Lord, give me the courage to say “No” when it is the right answer. – Crying Wind   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV) Scripture teaches us that no man has ever seen God. The only person to ever come close to seeing God that I read about in the Bible is Moses. And he only saw the back of God, not His face. God told Moses specifically how to approach Him. God said, “Stand in the cleft of the rock” and “you will see my back, but my face must not be seen” (Exodus 33:17-23). God told Moses in that encounter that no one had ever seen Him and lived. Why? Because that is the holiness of God. Incredible and powerful! We can live our Christian lives three ways: by faith, sight, or good works. Here are reasons why I choose faith: (1) We are instructed by the Word of God to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). I am glad my Christian walk is by faith in God and not in people or things of this world. Guaranteed, people will disappoint you. But if your faith journey is in God, you will never be disappointed. (2) What about good works? Well, doing good works is biblical, but even that can bring disappointment, frustration, and emptiness. The Christian life is all about balance. Absolutely, do good works, but don’t make it the basis of your Christian walk. We do good works in ministry related to world disasters, overseas and local outreach to the poor in spirit. But remember, you and I must still rely on our faith in the Son of God. Hebrews 11:6 says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” Hebrews 11 is often called the “Hall of Faith.” I encourage you to take the time to read it and be encouraged to see how the family of faith walked their journey here on earth and accomplished great things for the kingdom of God. – Marshall Murdock   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org

“Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.’ ” Luke 23:42-43 (NIV) I remember visiting a home where the husband was dying from cancer. I asked if it was okay for me to go and see him in his room. The wife agreed. I entered the room, and you could tell that he did not have many days left. I asked him if he knew Jesus Christ, and he said he did not know. I told him who Jesus is, and that He is preparing a place for us. I asked him if he would ask Jesus for forgiveness of his sins, and he agreed by nodding yes. I told him that he will be with Jesus in paradise for eternity, and he nodded yes. The next day he passed away. When I think of this man, I think of the thief on the cross in Luke 23. One criminal defended Jesus and asked Him to remember him when He comes into the kingdom. The man in my story had not been a believer, but he became open to knowing Jesus. Like the thief on the cross he, too, had an opportunity to be with Jesus in paradise. If you know someone who is close to death, they still have an opportunity to express their faith and not be led into the lake of fire. We all have a chance to “make it right” before we pass away, and it may take a believer in Jesus to make it happen. Don’t let your loved one miss that opportunity. Tell them about Jesus and what to expect when they have no more breath. If you love them very much, take the risk. If they chose not to ask Jesus for forgiveness of their sin, at least you have made the effort. – Kirby James   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) I like my truck—it’s a blue 2007 4x4 Chevrolet Avalanche. There’s a bit of rust, a few years and a few miles on it, but it runs good and gets me around. When I’m cruising at normal speed on a flat highway, the 5.3-liter motor runs easily on four cylinders (using less gas). That’s great as long as I’m not hauling a heavy load, trying to climb a steep hill, pulling a big old flat-deck trailer, trying to pass a semi-trailer—or all of the above (at the same time!). At times like that, four cylinders just aren’t enough. I need more power! It’s then that all eight pistons cut in and you hear the mufflers ramp up to a “Harley-level” roar! My right foot sinks perilously close to the floorboard as it spurs my old Chevy into the next dimension (or at least past the semi)! The verse above talks about those times when you need added strength to face bigger obstacles, harder situations, and more intense opposition than what your normal day brings. When your bank account is $6 overdrawn with no cheque on the radar . . . when “till death do us part” just walked out the door with a suitcase . . . when your doctor is making a living as the constant bearer of bad news . . . and when there’s no sign that things will change anytime soon, you need strength to draw on that you just don’t have in yourself. When the road gets rough, I need my truck to go from four to eight cylinders and deliver that extra power I need right now. When my spiritual journey involves more mud, gravel and hills than level pavement, I need that added strength I’m promised in Philippians 4:13. If the battlefield you’re facing right now requires more spiritual stamina than usual, just know that it’s there for you! As a Christ follower, you’re promised and assured of His power in all situations. – Kene Jackson   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org

“Jesus replied, ‘They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.’ ‘We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,’ they answered. ‘Bring them to me,’ he said.” Matthew 14:16-18a (NIV) We used to have Sunday school in our home back when we lived in Cormorant, MB. We had people from all ages attend. This one day, there were families from our community, and a lot of out-of-town families, too. We used to feed the people who would come from out of town, but this day everyone decided to stay. We knew how much food we had, and it certainly wasn’t enough food for everyone. My husband, Bert, and I talked it over and decided that he and I would not eat. So, we prayed over the food that day. Everyone ate, and to our surprise there was some left over so Bert and I could eat after all. Wow! It reminded me of the loaves and fish story in Matthew 14, where the disciples said, “We only have five loves and two fish,” and Jesus replied, “Bring them to me.” Do you know what happened? All the people had enough food that day, and there were even leftovers. There were over 5000 people to feed! I believe that when we prayed over the food that day, God multiplied the food so everyone could eat. Praise Jesus! Thank you, Lord, for hearing our prayers. You multiplied the food that day, and everyone including us had a meal! Increase my faith, Lord, to believe daily that You are Provider and will provide for my every need. – Liz Genaille   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” 1 Peter 2:9-10 (NIV) I grew up near Williams Lake, B.C., on a small reserve called Sugar Cane. I have many sweet memories of playing in the beautiful surroundings of my childhood home. When I started attending the Day School on the reserve, everything changed. The teacher was very cruel and racist. After completing grade six, I went off to residential school until I completed high school. After these experiences, I had very low self-esteem and a deep confusion about authority figures. I started using alcohol and became dependent on it to boost my confidence and ability to interact with people. However, my sister gave her life to God and I noticed a change in her. She encouraged me to come to church with her. A missionary shared the gospel, and I put my trust in the Lord. In a study one night I heard, “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession.” Those words did not fi t my image of myself. I cried because I felt unimportant. God’s Word was telling me something different. I was interested in learning more. Since then, I have learned how God sees me and about His love for me. John 3:16, 1 Corinthians 13 and Psalm 139 are only a few passages that tell us of God’s love, His goodness, and His generosity. Father God, I ask You to help me treasure the truths that Your word speaks, and to learn to apply these truths to my life. – Theresa Bose   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org

“The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.” Luke 6:40 (NIV) Everyone always says, “My mom’s fry bread is the best.” I think back to when I would say the same thing. I can remember when I asked my mom to teach me how to make fry bread. She told my wife and me to grab a bowl, and she told us the ingredients: flour, water, oil, salt, baking powder . . . and two handfuls of love! She told us to mix them together and try not to knead it too much. We would eventually fry it in oil that was in a frying pan, and it became a golden-brown masterpiece! She was a very good teacher. The above Scripture reminds us of our need to be a student and to be taught. We are always students when it comes to the Holy Spirit, who is constantly teaching us to be fully mature. We can’t be above the One who teaches us because the Teacher has been a teacher for a long, long time. We may think that we know a lot, but do we really know a lot? When I first became a student of the Bible, it would come easy—but there is so much to learn about being a student for life. The Holy Spirit was given to us so we can learn to be a believer, to learn to follow Him, and live a life that God wants us to live. Living a godly life will teach you to be a good student, and one day you will be a teacher to another person, like my mother who taught me to make fry bread. – Kirby James   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above . . . ” Colossians 3:1 (NKJV) The old trapper I was visiting mentioned “drops from a plane.” I began to ask some questions of this man who had spent many years on a trapline north of Ft. Chipewyan, Alb. He explained that it was difficult to take enough supplies to last for the duration of the winter and spring trapping seasons, so supplies were ordered whenever they ran low. Communication to the store was by two-way radio. People at the store would wrap up the order—things like flour, sugar, tea and lard. Then a plane would fly to the designated area and begin to drop the items. This worked well, as there were no nearby airstrips for landing and take-off. Though this trapper had been familiar with this procedure for years, he remained fascinated with the accuracy of the drops. He said, “We never lost anything. As the plane circled, the carefully wrapped items would bounce near us until the drops were completed. They were right on!” I had heard of similar things being done in other parts of the world. I felt there was a comparison here to something in the spiritual realm. Answers from God to us in “gift packages” should include the leading of His Spirit, more sound knowledge of His Word, and a genuine concern for others that moves us to pray for others and speak to them. One more thing the trapper told me was, “When we came home from the trapline we went to pay for our drops from the plane.” As believers, we know that we need not pay for our “drops from above”— they are gifts. James 1:17 says, “Every good and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” (NKJV) – Bill Jackson   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org

“And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.” Mark 10:49-50 (KJV) Life is unfair and hard at times. Unforeseen events, pain and tragedy seem to confront us. Events can prevent us from continual spiritual growth and happiness in our Christian life. Blind Bartimaeus begged daily in order to survive. During this time in history, such disabilities were often considered a death sentence. As a result, Bartimaeus was likely hopeless and broken. We can all relate to spiritual captivity and bondage. Years pass by, and the wilderness season of spiritual drought drags on. The tendrils of doubt and discouragement take root deep in our hearts like Bartimaeus. However, with Jesus, what is impossible for man is not impossible for God! Hope rose in Bartimaeus’s heart when he heard that Jesus was near. He began to cry out to Him for mercy, despite people telling him to be quiet. Jesus stopped and called for Bartimaeus. Notice the Lord’s compassion for this poor lost soul. Surely this was the best news that Bartimaeus had ever heard! Then, casting away his garment, he rose and came to Jesus, who healed him. This is an incredible encouragement for us. No matter what mountain confronts you or bondage that besets you, cry out to Jesus! He will deliver you from the grip of the enemy. You may feel that you are all alone but, if you are a child of God, the Holy Spirit dwells in you. Jesus will never leave you nor forsake you. Arise like Bartimaeus. Cast away the lies, the discouragement, the shame, the anger and come to Jesus! What has kept you defeated and discouraged? Jesus wants you to come to Him today and He can deliver you. – Steven Keesic   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org

“The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in Him!’ ” Lamentations 3:22-23 (NLT) The Bible is not clear as to the author of the book of Lamentations but, regardless of who wrote it, it appears to be someone who was in deep distress, particularly over the fact that Jerusalem was being destroyed by the Babylonians. Imagine having your country and people in ruin! It is a terrible loss and the person who wrote this book shares what is going on. The author was in deep distress, but was never hopeless. The author penned the words so beautifully, “The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness, His mercies begin afresh each morning.” That doesn’t sound like someone in terrible ruin. Even though the author was in the midst of ruin, they put their faith and hope in the Lord. This encourages my heart to know that when discouraging times come (and they do), there is always hope! It is hope that is certain and never wavers. God is in control of hard and discouraging times, and I know that I, too, can trust Him for the time and for the outcome. – Myrna Kopf   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org

“Who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood.” 1 Peter 1:2 (NIV) When the Lord first called me to His work, I was so excited and ready to go about sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. But then things happened to destroy all that. I felt shame. There were people relying on me, but I had come up way short of everyone’s expectations— most of all Jesus, who gave up all things for me. I felt like an outcast. I sought to restore my relationships, but I remained hurt and angered because I was convinced that people did not understand what I was going through. I met with a Christian friend, thinking that he will be on my side and see things my way. After we talked quite a while, he said three words that angered me. Those words were, “You are selfish.” But it was godly advice. My friend was telling me that I was serving myself and was sitting on the throne that was meant for Jesus. All these devastating things that happened to me brought me into a closer relationship to Jesus. I had been placing “I” at the front, and not putting all things in His hands. First Peter 5:6-7 says “Humble yourself, therefore under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxieties on Him because he cares for you.” I prayed to God, saying I was sorry for serving myself, pleasing myself, and not placing God before me. Not many years after, the Lord opened a door of ministry for me once more. Praise God, I am still remembered by Him and have been restored for His glory! – Ken Mitsuing   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org

“Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.” Revelation 3:2 (KJV) In Revelation 3, Jesus gave the church in Sardis a warning to repent and turn back to God. It sounds as if most of the believers in the church had become spiritually weak. But there is hope! . . . although death is mentioned, the possibility for renewal remains. Some people have a life motto. My own motto is the title of this devotional. In our little village, language is what kept our people intact. That was a big part of our cultural identity, and the Oji-Cree dialect is what I speak. Many of our people were forbidden to speak our language in residential schools. I personally experienced this and could have lost my language, as many have. I was led to believe that there is something wrong with my language and, sadly, it impacted my life. What kept reminding me of my language, though, was my father’s teaching when he would sit me down at our kitchen table. He had me memorize the syllabic chart from his hymn book. I thank God for how He has helped me restore that part of my identity—today I speak and write my language. It’s a blessing to worship God using the Cree hymn book. I encourage others to use our language any way we can, as it’s quickly becoming lost, especially among our youth. We all have beliefs and values that have defined us—especially how we walk with God. Are there other losses that we need to speak about? Perhaps godly lifestyles the church no longer practices? The Scripture states, “Be watchful and strengthen that which remains.” Let’s take time to reflect and pray for what grieves us. Do our actions meet the requirements of our God? Let’s go back to what we heard and believed at first and hold to it firmly. “Repent and turn to me,” says the Lord. – Liz Beardy   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 (NIV) I was thinking about the different ways we do things. For us coffee drinkers, we seem to have a wide variance in the way we like our coffee. The coffee chain I gravitate to has four sizes of coffee: S, M, L and XL . . . three kinds of coffee to choose from: regular, dark roast and decaf . . . then they have sugar, cream, or sweetener options. If you do the math, it comes out to 96 ways to build your own version, and that’s not counting the double-double, triple-triple, and quad-quad variations! Yup, we all do things a little different, but the common denominator is that we’re all coffee drinkers. In the realm of the “Christ-Follower” community, we find huge differences in the group demographics. First Corinthians chapter 12 brings out the scope of the variances in nationality and social status . . . “Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.” (12:13b-14, NIV) We are from such a mosaic of backgrounds, cultures, languages, and ethnicities. Our worship styles are all over the map and we embrace a range of doctrinal shades. We serve God in hundreds of ministry methodologies, but at the center of it all is our Crucified, Risen, and Reigning Savior, Jesus. We worship and obey Him as our Creator and Lord! Next time you’re in a coffee shop, eavesdrop and listen to all the ways people order their coffee. Springboard off that to consider the demographics, diversities, and differences among those with the highest privilege on earth, members of the gospel community . . . God’s family! – Kene Jackson   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org

“Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.” Numbers 22:31 (NIV) This story of Balaam, the donkey, and the angel (Numbers 22) reminds me that God knows best and prevents many things from happening that we do not know about. On a cold morning, my family and I were preparing to leave our Saskatchewan home for Manitoba. My van started, but there was no heat, so we ended up staying home. Soon I started having chest pains. I called my daughter into the room. She started crying and called the ambulance right away. I was having a hard time breathing. I saw a very bright cloud coming towards me. I told my daughter, “I want to see Dad!” (my late husband). Well, the next thing I knew I was revived. My daughter told me that my skin had turned grey and cold. I was released from the hospital a few hours later. A few days later I got into my van and cried out to God, “Father, this is your vehicle. I can’t afford to pay any more big bills.” It seemed like God was telling me, “Turn off the fan completely, then turn the key and start it.” I started to pray, and then started it. I waited a few more minutes and then turned on the heat, and the fan started! I started crying and praising God and ran into the house. I told my daughter, “He did it again!” “Mom, what is happening?” she asked. I told her, “God fixed my van. It’s working!” She, too, was happy. If we would have gone to Manitoba that day, I probably would not be here today. Where we were to go, there were no hospitals or doctors close by. Sometimes God prevents us from dangers, whereas we do not understand why things occur the way they do. – Liz Genaille   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org