More Than Survival

THE BALM OF THANKSGIVING

2012-02-02T11:52:00.000-06:00

It is astounding how good cold ice can feel on a burn or soothing ointment can feel on a cut. These don't make the wounds disappear but they do make them easier to bear. There are situations and experiences in life so painful and difficult that we feel nothing could make them easier to bear, but these are feelings and not the truth.

There is a balm for our hearts and souls when suffering breaks into our lives. It is called thankfulness. Thankfulness, however, in the middle of suffering does not come easy. Difficult and prolonged burdens of a situation can so overshadow the blessings, that if we are not careful, we will fail to notice them at all.

The last two weeks I have shared some of our present trials regarding my husband's health situation. Some days it would be easy to let my emotions take over and simply sink into a dark pool of sadness, worry and uncertainty.

However, I have been in that pool before and I don't go there again. That is why I have decided to apply the God-given 'balm of thankfulness' and direct my thoughts to the blessings God is giving in the middle of all the surgeries, complications, I.V.s, oxygen and drainage tubes.

One of my thankful things is the modern, clean, equipped hospital with caring, qualified doctors. In many countries this would not be impossible. I'm thankful for a place to stay that is only five minutes from the hospital, and for technology that makes email and phone calls possible. I am especially thankful for the unexpected visits from family members.

The list could go on and on, but at the very top, I am thankful that I do not have to have all the answers. I don't have to know now what the future will bring or how this can work for our good. The balm that sooths my heart the most is simply thanking God for being with us and having all things under control. I am thankful He is my loving Father and never makes a mistake or leaves me alone.

Rerunning the past events or sorting through all the "what if's" only intensify the pain. Setting my focus on the Lord and thanking Him daily for even the smallest blessings lifts my heart and spirits. It also enables me to be a blessing to my husband and strengthens my testimony to the people around us.

I know others have situations of suffering beyond my imagination and more difficult to bear than ours, but one thing is the same: the balm of thanksgiving. Try it, and you will be amazed at the relief your heart will feel.

"I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth." Psalm 34:1

WHY THE FIRE?

2012-01-20T15:56:00.002-06:00

Our trials and hard times are not given to discourage us, to take away our hope or to defeat us. In fact, just the opposite is true.

They are given to exercise our muscles of faith, stabilize our hope in the truth of God's promises and to give us victory through the power and faithfulness of Christ. They are there to help us recognize the expectations, defenses and strengths that we continue to base in ourselves and other human resources. They function as a spiritual fire to bring the fleshly impurities to the surface of our recognition and understanding, for only then can they be dealt with.

We may object and complain because the trials are painful, go against our plans or seem unreasonable. We need to understand that our Lord is always working to bring us forward and to conform us to His image.He does not ask our opinions, or our permission. He is in charge. We belong to Him and He knows exactly what kind of "fire" is needed in each of our lives. However, we often concentrate our thoughts and attention on the conditions of our particular "fire.

We want to understand "why", and "how" things will develop. When we judge God's actions by our understanding and human perception, we may feel his dealings are unfair, and harsh. But what does a child understand about his father's decisions? What does a sheep understand of the Shepherd's direction? How can human thinking understand the thoughts of Divine? It is foolish for us to question or to demand that God explain Himself to us.

What does matter is our relationship with Christ. If we are intimately acquainted with Him in a love relationship, then our feelings or human understanding will not blur or cloud His presence. It is not the trial that defeats and discourages us, but rather our misplaced focus. The defeating, negative thoughts can not reside when our focus is steadfast on Jesus Christ.

I am writing this while sitting at the bedside of my husband who is in ICU after having two major surgeries for cancer and two emergency surgeries because of complications within the last six weeks. I do not know what tomorrow will bring or what my Lord has planned. But I can tell you God is faithful, and His amazing grace is sufficient. My heart is quiet and at peace because I am convinced of my Lord's love and perfect care for my husband and for me. You can have this same peace in whatever "fire" you may be in. Just go to the Source.

"He is the Rock. His work is perfect." Deuteronomy 32:4

TIME TO TRUST

2012-01-11T13:12:00.000-06:00

My husband had surgery for colon cancer December 5, 2011. The surgery went well and he was recovering quickly. Then, December 11th, he was readmitted to the hospital and this time a small cancerous tumor was found in his urinary tract.

After consulting with other top surgeons in this field, our urologist sent us to a specialist in a hospital three hours from home.A second surgery was performed January 5th. They successfully removed the tumor and my husband's right kidney. Due to all the trauma, his colon was now lethargic and did not want to function. Procedures were then carried out to stimulate the colon and they appeared to be successful.

However, at 8:30 this morning the surgeon called to tell me they were taking my husband back into surgery. He appears to have an infection and his blood tests are showing problems. He said for me to wait in my hotel room, and he would call when the surgery is over.

So, here I am, waiting. I am three hours from our church, in a hotel room, unable to call our children because I have to depend on a cell phone which does not allow international calls. Thank the Lord I do have a computer and internet.

There are hundreds of people praying for my husband. Thomas belongs to the Lord and loves Him with all His heart. Our Lord knows exactly where we are and what is going on. In fact, He has orchestrated this whole scenario. So, one might question, why the problems? I don't know the answer, but I do know my Lord, and I know His ways are perfect.

The doctor told me to go eat breakfast and take a walk while I wait. I had no appetite but decided to go and at least drink some coffee. There was another woman there eating alone. When I was almost finished she spoke to me in English and said, "I am from Bombay, India."I said, "I am from America." She smiled and we began to talk. I thought to myself, o.k. Lord, I don't want to miss this opportunity. She told me she is accompanying her husband who is speaking here at a University, and will be alone all day and tomorrow. I explained my situation, and was able to witness to her about the Lord. We agreed if nothing else, we would eat breakfast together tomorrow. This was no accident!

This is not a time to doubt, to fear, or to question. It is the time to completely trust the One who loves us and with whom we walk every day. Hard things happen to all of us. It is part of life on this earth. But our Lord is with us through it all conforming us to His image and bringing glory to Himself.I decided to share my situation with you, hoping it might encourage someone else going through a rough time.

Our Lord is not any different in the hard times. He is still faithful, merciful and loving. And in spite of it all we have a wonderful opportunity to be a witness for Him. Just follow and trust.

"GOD IS OUR REFUGE AND STRENGTH, A VERY PRESENT HELP IN TROUBLE." Psalms. 46:1

KEY TO A SUCCESSFUL YEAR

2012-01-04T13:40:00.004-06:00

"He does not lead me year by year, nor even day by day,
But step by step my path unfolds; My Lord directs my way.

Tomorrow's plans I do not know, I only know this minute;
But He will say, 'This is the way, by faith now walk in it.'

And I am glad that it is so, today's enough to bear;
And when tomorrow comes, His grace shall far exceed its care.

What need to worry then, or fret? The God who gave His Son
Holds all my moments in His hand, and gives them, one by one. "

--Barbara C. Ryberg

The best New Year’s resolution you and I can make, is to live as this poem says, moment by moment in submissive, dependence upon our Lord. It is not even have to do, IF we honestly take it only one moment at a time. It does however, require discipline, a conscience, deliberate acting of our will. The needed strength comes from feeding on God’s word and honest, intimate fellowship with Him in prayer.

I sincerely wish each of you, an exciting, life-changing, blessed year as you walk moment by moment with the One who holds your life in His hands.

"And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again." 2 Corinthians 5:15

THE CLOSE OF ONE AND BEGINNING OF ANOTHER

2011-12-28T10:10:00.003-06:00

The Christmas holidays have come and gone, and we find ourselves moving quickly to the end of 2011. If we took time to sit back and reminisce about this last year we would probably be surprised as we recall all the unexpected, extraordinary situations we experienced. Perhaps we would remember times the Lord amazingly intervened to provide, protect, or heal. We might recall unusual circumstances that become the beginning of new friendships, job opportunities, or the opening for a brand new ministry.

Reminiscing could revive feelings of regret or sorrow as we remember missed opportunities to witness for our Lord, to give encouragement to a fellow believer in need, or to express our love and appreciation to those who have made our lives richer. We feel regret because the opportunity is passed and we cannot go back in time and change it.We can however, learn from it and look to the future.

About this time of year I begin hearing people voice their "New Year's Resolutions". Generally, resolutions are things people want to change or improve on such as lose some weight, reduce financial debt or improve personal relationships. Among these resolutions, some of you might have "To do more for the Lord".

Perhaps this year, 2012, is not about what we will do for the Lord, but rather, how much we will allow Him to do through us. How much of our own will, plans, dreams, and desires will we give up, and leave in His hands? Will we choose to crucify self and allow the Holy Spirit to rule in us? Will we truthfully say, "Lord, here I am. Do with me whatever pleases you and serves your purpose"?

When we surrender to Christ, then not only does He give us His desires, but also the power and ability to accomplish them. "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." Philippians 2:13

John R. Rice said, "No matter what a man's past may have been, his future is spotless". Leave 2011 in God's hands, ask for forgiveness when the Holy Spirit convicts your heart, and choose to let God have control in 2012.

THE JOY OF CHRISTMAS

2011-12-21T16:36:00.001-06:00

The Christmas season does not automatically bring joy. I visited with a widow lady yesterday who lost her husband December 6, 2004. For her, this season is overshadowed with sadness and gloom.

Someone else may connect December with the miscarriage of a longed-for child, the lost of a job that has lead to poverty and crises, a divorce, or an accident that changed their life forever. It is ironic that we have all the tinsel, glitter, music, laughter, and bright lights at Christmas, while many hearts are heavy with grief, fear, loneliness, and sorrow.

My husband just went through major surgery for colon cancer December 6, 2011. Then, December 16, due to a complication, had another procedure which led to the discovery of yet another tumor (most likely cancer, but independent of the colon cancer). Lord willing, he will come home today, December 21. The next surgery and its resulting implications are scheduled for the first week in January. Humanly speaking, there are not many reasons for us to have joy during this Christmas season.

However, may I share some amazing reasons with you? The first cancer was found early, so that no other treatment for it was required. The Lord worked major miracles which allowed our two daughters to come home and be with us for the week of the surgery. The Lord has provided excellent medical staff and doctors with whom my husband has also been able to share the Gospel. One doctor has already attended church since this all began. The discovery of the second tumor was made while yet in the early stages, which is a plus when it comes to further treatment.

Our Shepherd has prepared every step for us in advance. He has provided at just the right time, everything we have needed. He has been with us, giving us strength, comfort and wisdom the entire journey. He has blessed us with a multitude of loving, praying fellow believers who have encouraged us with emails, Facebook messages, cards and phone calls.

My husband and I are filled with praise, thanksgiving and joy because the Lord is our Shepherd and we have confidence that He does all things well. I cannot know the burden or grief you may be bearing during this Christmas season. I can, however, assure you there is one who does, and that one is Almighty God Himself. He loves you and this season is to remind you how much - so much that He gave His own precious son die for your sins.

Life is not always easy and it is filled with the unexpected. However, we have a loving, powerful God who always goes ahead, and our lives are in His divine hands. May you have a blessed, joyful Christmas.

"And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee: he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed. Deuteronomy 31:8"

DIFFERENT KINDS OF GIVING

2011-12-13T14:12:00.000-06:00

Have you ever received a gift which you knew had strings attached? Maybe it was a bribe in disguise, or it was given to get something in return. These are not our favorite kind of gifts. These are self-centered gifts, but there are also Christ-centered gifts. How do we know the difference?

Self-centered gifts are given to manipulate, persuade, to meet expectations, or simple to boost self and make the giver feel better. The gift may be unique and expensive, but this kind does not come wrapped in love.

Christ-centered gifts are different. They are given for the benefit of the one receiving the gift, and not the giver. Consider the following definition of a giving. "To give a gift means to voluntarily transfer something to the possession of another for their benefit or use, without expecting compensation."

The value in giving such a gift is the love it is wrapped in. This gift does not have to be unique, expensive, or of any certain size. The important factor is the motive behind the giving.

Our heavenly Father illustrates love giving to us. He gave His most precious Son voluntarily and completely for our benefit. He gave His Son that we might have eternal life. We cannot pay a price or become worthy of such a gift. We cannot compensate our heavenly Father for His sacrifice, but we can accept it.

In less than two weeks, we will be celebrating the birth of Christ... the giving of the most precious gift in the world. Have you accepted this gift? If so, what kind of gifts are you giving others this season?

We have the opportunity to sow the gift of love into the lives of others this Christmas. Make your gift list and prayer over it. Ask the Lord what He wants you to give, and then give it voluntarily, for the receivers benefit without expecting anything in turn. Wrap it in godly love, and you will be blessed.

"It is more blessed to give than to receive." Acts 20:35

CHRISTMAS PLANNING WITH JESUS

2011-12-06T04:19:00.000-06:00

Clean the house, bake cookies, go shopping, stir up some fudge, put up the decorations, check the sales, write some cards, plan Christmas dinner, buy more gifts, and then wrap all the gifts. This could be the "to do" list for a lot of us as this Christmas season moves into full swing.

My husband and I have always liked the Christmas season. We enjoy listening to the carols and old time favorites. We put strings of little white lights in various places, brightening up the dark corners of our house. Nothing stirs our taste buds more than the smell of simmering cinnamon and vanilla or fresh baked chocolate chip cookies. Not to forget the delightful taste of fruitcake and eggnog. All these activities have their place when we think of Christmas.

But, what place does Jesus have? In all the hectic and activity we can forget or at least minimize the fact that Christmas is suppose to be a celebration of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Yet, where is He in our activities, in our planning and spending? What special gift are we going to give Him?

Do we pray about the gifts we plan to give others? Have we asked for His leadership when we consider the people we want to entertain or perhaps bake something for? Is He included when our family discusses the activities we want to undertake?

It is easy for us as believers to criticize the unbelieving world for their commercialism and ungodly ways of celebrating this holiday. However, maybe we should take a closer look at ourselves. Are we celebrating the season instead of honoring our Saviour? It takes more than just the outward appearance. It is a question of heart and motive.

Let's imagine we can see Jesus physically with us while we prepare our Christmas "to do" list. Picture Him sitting in our kitchen or living room while the plans for activities and gifts are discussed. It will be interesting to see if it makes a difference. Keep a daily journal of the things you notice and how making Christ a reality in this pre-Christmas season changes you and your family.

"And whatsoever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men," Colossians 3:23

TO BE OR NOT TO BE

2011-11-29T08:20:00.001-06:00

"Are you coming to the party?"
"Maybe, but then again I’m just not sure. Tell me again what the plans are."

"I thought you were going to Bible College. What happened?"
"I was... had everything all lined up, but I'm just not sure. What if that is not what the Lord really wants me to do? I think it is, but I'm not sure I can make it all work for the next three years."

What is the problem revealed in the above conversations? It is obviously indecision. We can find ourselves plagued with indecision concerning where to spend our vacation, if we should make a major purchase, where we should live, work, attend college, what we should study, who we should marry, or even what we should cook for dinner.

We have all experienced the feelings of indecision at one time or another. A state of indecision can be equated with doubt, vacillation, or wavering, and results in temporary inaction. When I continue pulling outfits out of the closet because I cannot decide what to wear, I remain undressed for the evening.

Indecision can have major negative consequences. The ten tribes of Israel were under the rule of a heathen king named Ahab. He had demanded the Israelites worship Baal. As a result, many of them became indecisive about God. The day of reckoning came.

"And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, how long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him."

On a different occasion, the Israelites were again found faltering, and Joshua called them to make a decision. "Choose ye this day whom ye will serve." (Joshua 24:15) Their indecisiveness had led them away from God and to worship man-made gods of stone.

In today's world of gray-zones, situation ethics and political correctness it is easy to wonder off into spiritual indecisiveness. The divine inspiration of the Bible is questioned, morals are eroding, and truth has become blurred. Even Christians seem to be wondering in the fog unsteady in their walk.

God does not change nor waver. His divine word is true, and we can have clear direction. Believers have been inactive long enough. It is time to stand sure and decisive about our Lord, our purpose and our direction. We must make a choice.

"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15

DO YOU BELIEVE?

2011-11-22T10:05:00.000-06:00

Teacher's paychecks are due tomorrow, but today the account is $1,600.00 short. What should the director of this Christian school do? Should she inform the teachers that they will not be paid, or does she write the checks in faith, trusting God to provide the needed money?

A growing Sunday school needs buses to transport the ever growing number of children. However, the church does not have the needed funds, and buses are not just given away. The Holy Spirit puts this burden on the heart of a severely handicapped Sunday school teacher. But can God use her to provide a bus - free of charge?

A faithful missionary wife is diagnosis with an incurable inflammatory disease. The prognosis is bleak, and includes severe curvature of the spine, inability to walk and severe pain. The couple is advised to leave their place of ministry and to return to the States. Do they leave, or do they trust God to work and continue the ministry He has given them?
To human reasoning, all the above situations are hopeless and appear impossible. Anyone with sense knows you don't write checks with insufficient funds. You don't expect God to use a handicapped woman to get a bus without cost, or missionaries doomed to inactivity to continue on the mission field.

However, we have a God without limitations, and He delights in doing the impossible. The paychecks were covered the following day by deposited funds from an unknown giver. The president of a bus company was so moved by the dedication and faith of a Sunday school teacher that he donated, not one, but thirty-five buses and drivers for twenty-two years, free of charge.

The missionary wife stayed on the field and after twelve years of faithful service, in spite of her suffering, experienced miraculous healing. This was confirmed by her Dr. who said he could not explain the fact that not only was the disease gone, but all the damage that had been done was nonexistent. Her body was as if she had never had the disease.

This is my God, and I hope, your God. The problem lies not in the ability of our Lord, but in the lack of faith on our side. "Believe ye that I am able to do this?" Matt. 6:28

May the above testimonies encourage each of us to exercise faith and to allow God to work the impossible in our lives.

"The things which are impossible with men are possible with God." Luke 18:27

MIRACULOUSLY ORDINARY

2011-11-15T14:42:00.000-06:00

"So, anything interesting happen today?"

"No, it was just an ordinary day….nothing special."

This could be a clip of conversation from most of us, and yet, is any day ordinary?

According to Webster's Dictionary, the word ordinary means unexceptional, relative inferior, insignificant, or predictable. Some might be inclined to feel ordinary is an exact description of their day, but is that true?

What is ordinary about twenty-four hours that take place only one time in the history of mankind? No other day has ever or will ever be exactly like today. "…thou knowest not what a day may bring forth." Proverbs 27:1

What can be relative inferior about twenty-four hours planned by a sovereign God? "This is the day the Lord hath made," Psalm 118:24 He alone has prepared the opportunities, challenges, blessings and trials of the day. He alone knows how to weave the words we say and the things we do into the lives of others to accomplish His purpose. At the same time, nothing enters our life today without His knowledge and permission. Everything about this unique twenty-four hours is under the watchful eye of our supreme heavenly Father.

Throughout each day we have the awesome privilege of talking and fellowshipping with the Creator of the universe. What could possibly be insignificant about that? The one who knows the past as well as the future; the one who understands every feeling, pain, longing, disappointment and desire of our heart, is available for a one-on-one conversation with you and me. Through our earnest prayer today, we can influence tomorrow.

There is absolutely nothing ordinary, or predictable about any day you and I live. Each new day of life is a gift from our Lord, and what we do with it bears eternal consequences. It is given to us on purpose and with a plan. Be thankful for it. Be available and alert for all the opportunities it brings to sow the Gospel, to share God’s word, or to help or encourage someone else. What our Lord has planned for us today, is meant to strengthen us and to draw us closer to Him.

Today, we have the wonderful opportunity to show Jesus Christ how much we love Him, by humbly, yielding, and obeying His will. It could be our last day, so let us accept this gift and live in such a way as to bring our Lord pleasure.

"My times are in thy hand:" Psalm 31:14

WANT TO BE RICH?

2011-11-02T06:14:00.000-05:00

If you and I were invited into the bullion vault of a bank and told to take as much as we wanted, what would we do? Would we perhaps say, "Oh, no thank you. I appreciate the offer, but I like struggling financially and therefore will pass?"

Or maybe we would be content with just a hand full.

If we came out with little, who would be at fault? Of course we would. The offer was made, and the riches were there for our taking. Therefore, if we remained poor, it would be the result of our own choice - our own foolish choice.

Christ is the key to spiritual riches. We can take all we want. Paul wrote to the church in Colossae, explaining to them that the treasures of wisdom and knowledge were in Christ (Colossians 2:2-3). In Ephesians, Paul expressed his humility at being made a preacher of the unsearchable riches of Christ (Ephesians 3:8).

How rich am I? How rich are you? How well do we know Jesus Christ personally? Are we living as wealthy children of God, or are we barely surviving? Some even boost in false humility of having little spiritual riches. How sad it is when we, the beloved children of God, refuse the limitless riches He offers us.

We can experience the riches of His grace. We can increase in the wealth of knowledge and wisdom. We can have faith and power to live victoriously every day. We will never use up His divine supply of mercy. We can know His perfect will for our lives and have Holy Ghost power to perform it.

As we claim and experience His great and precious promises, we will be transformed into His likeness. As a result, the world will be eternally changed. Souls staggering in the darkness will come to amazing light; broken, wretched lives will be healed. The plans and plots of Satan will be over-thrown.
We are in the vault. Now, how rich do we want to be?

"The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints." Ephesians 1:18

HOW LONG?

2011-10-28T07:55:00.000-05:00

Do you like to wait? Most of us get impatient when we find ourselves standing in the wrong line at the supermarket, or upon arrival at the cashier, we discover the price code of our item is missing. How patient are we when late for an appointment, we get stuck in a traffic jam? My husband will drive several blocks out of the way just to avoid a traffic light.

We want results of medical tests immediately. We want to know if we are pregnant the morning after, and can hardly wait until the sex of our baby is noticeable. Hurry, hectic and rush are descriptive words that fit our generation, and waiting is not one of our most notable virtues. Immediate results are desired.

We often become impatient with the Lord. We feel He takes too long to answer a prayer, open a door, bring relief, supply funds or give clear direction. As a result we grow restless and impatient. We may then jump ahead and move on our own intuition, logic or feelings. It has been said, that humans tend to pick green fruit, because they do not have the patience to wait for it to ripen.

Abraham is a well-known example of growing impatient and thus going his own way. We know how that turned out, and it did not replace God's way that came in due time.
There are however, two aspects of this waiting question. We are well aware of our side... that is our waiting on God, but have we stopped to consider how often our Lord must wait on us? How many times did the Holy Spirit speak to us before we accepted Christ as your Savior? How long have we wrestled with wrongs before we were willing to forgive our offender? How quickly do we obey, when the Holy Spirit speaks to us about doing a work for Him, or about stopping a habit that is displeasing?

I was in a meeting recently and a woman shared what God had spoken to her about. He had been telling her to teach Sunday school for seven years. For seven years the woman had said, "No Lord. Find someone else." During the meeting she finally surrendered.

I wonder if the speed of God's responses to us is not related to the speed with which we respond to Him. More than once I have told the Lord I would yield about a particular issue,... but just not today. When we wait to obey we are disobeying and hinder God's blessings. It is our choice. The next time you feel impatient in a particular situation, stop and check if the Lord is waiting on you.

"And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him." Matthew 4:19-20

WORLD WAR

2011-10-19T19:12:00.000-05:00

Imagine you and me leisurely sitting at the breakfast table, drinking our morning coffee, when suddenly we notice the newspaper headline: "WORLD ENGAGED IN WAR!" In shock, we would frantically scan the article to discover who or what was attacking us.

We won't be reading this kind of headline, not because it is not true, but because the media is not aware of this war, and therefore, will not be reporting it. This is not a conventional war and cannot be detected by human senses. Although weapons do not include tanks, bombs or even nuclear or chemical warfare, the combat casualty numbers are enormous. Only minorities of people are aware of this war. Why? What kind of invisible war are the peoples of this world involved in?

It is a spiritual war. It is a war between Satan and the forces of evil against God and His children. "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6:12) We know who is stronger, and the Bible clearly tells us who will win, but nonetheless, battle must be waged.

God gave the children of Israel the promise land, and assured them He would be with them as they claimed it. However, they had to battle all the heathen nations for this to become reality. This was serious business and there were casualties in the conflict.

Some Christians do not take this spiritual war seriously, or even deny they have a part in it. These attitudes only result in unpreparedness and give the enemy forces a staggering advantage. Some may think being God"s servant and working in ministry will protect them. Just the opposite is true. They become prime targets.

Since this is an unconventional war, we must use unconventional weapons. The armor and weapons needed to experience victory are those given to us by our Lord Himself. "Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." (Ephesians 6:13)

We would not think of sending our military troops out to battle without training, and experience with their weapons. Our weapon is the word of God (Eph. 6:17). If we go out every morning into this spiritual war, unprepared, with incomplete armor and inexperienced with our weapon, we should not be surprise when we return home wounded and defeated. This need not be the case.

"The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light," and in faith, by the power of the Holy Spirit, fight the good fight under our commander, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The victory is ours!

YOUR PERSONAL VIEW OF GOD

2011-10-12T05:14:00.000-05:00

Take a few minutes and honestly consider the following questions. How do you picture God? How do you view his glory, power, and authority? Have you unconsciously put Him in a box that limits Him? It is surprising how often we think life situations, relationship problems, or personal issues are beyond His power….or maybe His interest.

As a born again children of God, we have been bought at an enormous price…the blood of Jesus Christ. That makes us His possession. He bought all rights to our bodies and souls. (1 Corinthians 6:20; 7:23) Yet, through the constant carnal input from the world we live in and the natural tendency of our old nature, we can begin to act and pray as if God was created for us. We expect Him to make our lives easier and more comfortable. We reject the "purifying fire" of tribulation, and we don't understand when tragedy or pain knocks on our door or His answer to our request is "no".

How do we respond to His ownership? Do we freely and joyfully submit, or do we have our own agenda and try to convince Him to bless it? Do we complain when He chooses to let someone else get the credit for our hard work; when His will for us includes sickness, poverty, loss or obscurity?

We may need to back up and adjust our view of God. He is the Creator; we are the creation. He is the Potter; we are the clay. He is the Shepherd; we are the sheep. He is the Lord; we are the servants. He is the Father; we are the children.

In our Christian world I hear much about God’s love, forgiveness, mercy and grace, and I am extremely thankful for these attributes. However, it is important for us to remember He is also holy, righteous, and sovereign. He is God Almighty. We are created for His glory and redeemed to do His will.

If you find you have unconsciously put God in a box, then knock down the sides and recognize He is unlimited; He has absolute power and control. Then enjoy being His child and His vessel of service. When you do, blessings will pour out of heaven into your life.

"Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory... The Lord is my Shepherd..."
Psalm 24:10; 23:1

SURRENDER

2011-09-29T06:06:00.000-05:00

"All to Jesus I surrender, all to Him I freely give; I will ever love and trust Him, In His presence daily live." I am sure these words are familiar to many of you, as they are sung, in various languages, in churches around the world. I wonder if we take the time to think about what we are singing.

Lord, am I willing to surrender everything in my life; everything that has to do with me, to you? Am I willing to surrender my will, pride, position, children, husband, friendships, personal goals, dreams and ambitions? All to you I freely give. Do I FREELY give you my health, ministry, future, finances, friends with our reservations or fear?

These questions are not easy to answer, but crucial to how useable our life will be in the hands of our Lord. The answers will also indicate how we accept His Lordship in our lives. I came across a quote that spoke to my heart. Maybe it will to yours too.

"I am willing to"... receive what you send, lack what you withhold, relinquish what you take.
"I am willing to"... suffer what you inflict, do what you command, be what you require.

Lord, you are perfect and make no mistakes. Your will is always the best for me, even when I don't understand. You love me unconditionally, and are always at my side. Forgive my stubborn resistance, and help me to yield as putty in your strong, divine hands. Lord, when I am willing to accept what you send, obey what you command and believe what you say, then the door to true freedom, peace and joy will open.

I hope the above prayer will also be yours and that the next time we sing, "I surrender all", it will be with our whole heart. "...nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done." Luke 22:42

THE PITFALL OF ASSUMPTION

2011-09-20T18:50:00.000-05:00

One night King Ahasuerus could not sleep, so he called for the historical books of his kingdom to be read. They should be boring enough to put him to sleep. But as they were read, a heroic deed caught his attention. When he asked what had been done to reward the man for his deed, the answer came back, "Nothing".

Since Haman, one of the high officials in King Ahasuerus's kingdom was still in the palace, the king asked him what he thought should be done for such an honorable man. Haman assumed the king was talking about him, and therefore, listed all the honors he would personal like to be awarded. The king agreed with Haman"s suggestions, however, Haman had made the wrong assumption. The honors were for his enemy, Mordecai, and not for him.

How often have you and I assumed something about someone or some situation only to find out later that are assumption was wrong? Job's friends assumed they knew what his problems were and that they knew why God was allowing the hard things into Job's life. However, when we read the book of Job, we find they were wrong in both cases.

Webster's Dictionary says to assume is to seize, usurp, or assume control; to take for granted. The act of assuming is closely related to arrogance. Webster says arrogance means overbearing, prideful, or self-important. We take for granted that we know the motive behind an act of someone else, or the meaning of the situation. In that moment, we are arrogant enough to think we know things that are beyond our knowledge.

When a certain person does not speak to us in church on Sunday, do we assume they are ignoring us, upset with us, or uninterested? The truth may be that they are not well, have just received upsetting news or did not even see us. We often make matters worse by voicing our assumptions to other people, which can result in discord, causing more misunderstandings or even ruin a reputation.

Our tendency to assume is not limited to just the people around us. We assume on the ways of God.
If God does not answer our prayer soon enough, or in the way we anticipate, we tend to assume His answer is "no". Sometimes people assume if they accept Christ as their Savior, life will be easy. Frequently people believe if their marriage partner would just accept Christ, all their marriage problems would end; if their children were "really saved", they would not be rebellious. I can assure you all the above are wrong assumptions.

So what can we do to avoid the pitfall of assumption?

We can work on communicating better and ask questions.
We can consciously guard against pride and an arrogant attitude.
We can proof our beliefs with the word of God…..the Bible is the written truth.
We can pray and ask our Lord to help us, and to convict us when we unconsciously presume.

"Lying lips are abominations to the Lord: but they that deal truly are his delight." Proverb 12:22

THE DANGER OF FADING

2011-09-15T06:52:00.000-05:00

Have you ever had your white laundry come out pink? I have, more than once, simple because I was not careful and something red got put in. The red garment faded and as a result my laundry, including my husband’s underwear, was tinged pink instead of being white.

This is a good example of what happens to you and me. We are made righteous in Christ and are intended to live holy, Spirit-filled lives. However, as we interact with those around us, we encounter ungodly philosophies and value standards, along with egotistical, arrogant and biased attitudes and opinions. These can fade onto us. Let's do a little check to see if fading has taken place in our lives.

Do we get angry with people who do not understand us or what we are doing?
Do we become irritated and impatient when things are not done as we think they should be?
If we feel rejected, are we quick to reject back, making it clear we can handle the situation without help?
Do we respect only those who respect us?
Do we turn a cold shoulder to those who respond coldly to us?
Do we hold grudges and wait for ways to get back?
Do we feel twinges of joy when bad things happen to those who have been against us?

I wish I could say that the ungodly world around me has never faded into my life, but I can't. More often than I like to admit, I have been guilty of one of the above reactions. It is easy for us to excuse ourselves by saying, "Its normal. Everyone acts that way."

The problem is we are not just everyone. If we are born-again believers, we are God's children. We are His ambassadors, and have a responsibility. We are supposed to be different than the normal "everyone" in this world. There are Bible verses for every one of the reactions listed above, but the following two verses cover them well.

"Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Ephesians 4:31-32

It is almost impossible to keep the world from fading into our lives. This is exactly why it is absolutely imperative for us to spend time every day in the Bible and in fellowship with Jesus Christ. We need to allow the Holy Spirit to cleanse our thoughts, motives and attitudes that we might then react as the "peculiar people" (1 Peter 2:9) God intended us to be.

"That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world:" Philippians 2:15

UNEXPECTED MOMENTS OF BLESSING

2011-09-07T19:31:00.000-05:00

The Lord allows me to see my children and grandchildren about once a year. The visits usually last only a couple of days, and are crowded with activity.

This August I was able to spend three and a half weeks with my mother. Since she lives only two hours from our oldest daughter and her family, I was also able to visit them on two weekends.

During one of those visit I had a special opportunity with our youngest granddaughter who is three and a half years old. We went to church together and then out to eat. What a blessed delight it was to sit in church and have her snuggle up close to me, while I held her perfect little hand in mine.

As we sang the word's to "May my lips give you praise, Lord I love thee", warm tears ran down my cheeks. My Lord had given me a precious blessing I had not asked for or expected.

We can get so caught up in the demands, stress, and hectic pace of our daily life, that we miss the simple, precious moments of blessing our Lord gives. Don't take being in church with your family, giving your child or grandchild a hug, or saying a word of encouragement to a burdened loved one for granted. These are a few of the most precious blessings of life.

"Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." Psalm 37:4

WHERE ARE YOUR EYES?

2011-08-24T18:53:00.000-05:00

There is a story about Cyrus, the founder of the Persian Empire, who once captured a prince and his entire family. When they came before the monarch, Cyrus asked the prisoner, "What will you give me if I release you?

The prince replied, "The half of my wealth."

"And if I release your children?" The prince replied, "Everything I possess."

Finally Cyrus said, "And what will you give me if I will release your wife?"

"Your Majesty, I will give myself."
Cyrus was so moved by the devotion of this young prince, that he freed him and his entire family.

As the prince, his wife and children returned to their home, the prince said to his wife, "Wasn't Cyrus a handsome man!"
With a tender look of love in her eyes, the wife said to her husband, "I did not notice. I could only keep my eyes on you the one who was willing to give himself for me."

The wife of the young prince was so captivated by her husband's willingness to sacrifice his own life for her that no one else mattered.

I wonder if we are as captivated with the lover of our soul as the young wife was with her husband. Jesus Christ not only offered to give His life, but did freely sacrifice His life for you and me. Sometimes we can lose sight of this great gift and begin to let other things matter more.

Think about this little illustration and then take time to check where your eyes are focused, ...they may have wondered.

"Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord". Psalm 25:15

FACE YOUR ACCUSER

2011-08-17T07:25:00.000-05:00

Remember what you did back then? God can't use you... just think of how unworthy you are. What do you think people would say if they knew what you have done and thought?

These are the kind of things the devil used to whisper in my ear. When I listened to him, I became discouraged, depressed and unresponsive to the Holy Spirit. Satan is called the accuser of the saints in Revelation 12:10, and one of his favorite avenues of attack is to direct our attention to our past sins, reminding us how miserably unworthy we are.

The truth is we all have sins. We all have things we wish we had not done, said or thought and for which we feel shame and regret, but nothing can make them undone.

That is exactly why Jesus Christ shed His precious blood to pay for each and every one of our sins in the past as well as those we will commit in the future. When we accept Christ as our personal Savior, He forgives our sins. They are gone, never to be remembered by the Lord again. (Psalm 103:11-12)) We are washed clean. Funny, our heavenly Father doesn’t remember them anymore, but our enemy sure wants us to.

I read something many years ago that was a great help to me in this area. Maybe it will help you too. The next time the enemy comes and begins rerunning your sinful past, turn and face your accuser. Don't argue with him. Don't try to justify the act or make excuses. Don't relive it in your mind - simply agree with him. "You are right, I did those things, but they are all forgiven and under the blood of Christ, so leave me alone." "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;" Ephesians 1:7

God's forgiveness is unfathomable to our human minds. It is not reasonable - it is divine. It is God's will to grant you and me, though sinful and unworthy, His forgiveness. (Isaiah 43:25) He paid a tremendous price for it and it grieves His heart when we don’t live in the reality of it.

When we sin in the present, let us confess and repent of it quickly and then let it go. The sins of the past - leave them there. Don't fall into the shame and regret trap which our enemy likes to set. We are children of the King, forgiven, reconciled, justified and made holy in Jesus Christ, and we should live like it. Claim your position in Christ and the devil will flee. (James 5:7)

BECOMING A BUTTERFLY

2011-08-10T06:14:00.000-05:00

One day a tiny egg hatches, and out pops a larva. Its suit is striped white, black and yellow. This larva becomes a caterpillar with a strong set of jaws that enjoys devouring the poisonous leaves of the milkweed plant. Then, unexplainably, at a particular time, this slithering caterpillar turns into a blob of jelly and then emerges from its hard shell as a beautiful monarch butterfly.

This new orange and black winged creature lives a completely different lifestyle than it did as a caterpillar. Now it enjoys lapping up the sweet nectar of wild flowers with its long tongue, and drinking from refreshing pools of water.

The monarch butterfly is one of God's most amazing creatures. Nicknamed "the wanderer", many of them fly almost 2,000 miles between their winter and summer homes. When they gather in their favorite winter home, there can be as many as 13 million of these beautiful butterflies covering the trees over a four-acre area.
So many fascinating facts about this butterfly as well as countless other occurrences in nature are not understood by scientists today. Recently, while listening to a report on the extreme weather conditions of this summer, I heard the reporter say, "Nature has ways of her own that we don’t always understand."

Nature ... why is it man wants to give "nature" a creative mind and yet refuses to accept the reality of a Creator God? God says in His word, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55: 8-9)

Our living Lord not only creates amazing changes in nature, but he can change a man. When we accept Christ as our personal Savior, we become a new creature. (2 Corinthians 5:14) We no longer need to feed on the garbage of this world, but we can feast on the infallible word of God and drink from the springs of living water. We can soar on wings of faith above difficulties, weaknesses and failures. By the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through us, we can baffle the world around us, just like the monarch butterfly baffles the scientists.

"But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;" (1 Corinthians 1:27). Believer, you are the child of God ... now enjoy your new life!

JUST DO YOUR JOB

2011-08-03T18:25:00.000-05:00

There was once a man who was asleep one night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light and Jesus appeared. Jesus told the man He had a work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. Jesus explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might. This the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sun up to sundown, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock pushing with all his might.

Then one day he began to consider what he had accomplished over the years, and to his dismay, the man found the rock had not moved an inch. He became discouraged and went to God in prayer.

"Jesus" he said, "I have labored long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock a half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?"

To this Jesus responded compassionately, "My friend, when long ago I asked you to serve me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to me, your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back brown, your hands are callused from constant pressure, and your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. Yet you haven’t moved the rock. YOUR CALLING WAS TO BE OBEDIENT, TO PUSH AND TO EXERCISE FAITH AND TRUST IN MY WISDOM, and this you have done. Moving the rock is my business" (Unknown)

I like this story because sometimes, when I let my mind dwell on the visible "results", I can get discouraged. I find it necessary again and again to focus only on what the Lord has given me to do, not on the results, and then to just keep on doing it.

Satan is growing more aggressive and people are growing more self-centered. The love of many is getting cold and commitment is becoming unpopular. However, none of these conditions change what you and I are told to do... that is to remain faithful.

Let each of us readjust our focus, and with more determination than ever, continue to do the job the Lord has given us. Leave everything else in HIS hands. Push your rock for His glory!

"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, alway abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 15:58

GET OFF THE TREADMILL

2011-07-27T16:09:00.000-05:00

Wearing my tennis shoes and work-out pants, I was walking on the treadmill just as fast as my size 5 1/2 feet would go. I was working hard when my dear husband came along and whispered in my ear, "Hate to tell you, but you're not getting anywhere."

When I was a young missionary's wife, I worked hard at being a good mom and the perfect help mate, and pastor's wife. I never said no to a task, need or challenge and was convinced I could do it all. As time went by, I began to feel like I was on a treadmill - exerting all my energy, growing weary and exhausted, and still not getting anywhere.

My desire was right, the works were good, but something was missing. The Lord slowly began to show me my underlying motive was the problem: I was trying to make myself acceptable to my heavenly Father. The harder I worked, the more unworthy I felt.

I am so thankful the Lord showed me through His word, that I could not accomplish this goal. None of my works could make me, an imperfect sinner, acceptable before my holy, righteous Father. When the reality of my spiritual standing before God became clear, I was humbled and overwhelmed with relief and joy. I was already totally acceptable to the Father, without any works on my part, in His beloved Son, Jesus Christ.

"To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." Ephesians 1:6

Perhaps you are compelled by the same motive I was. In the world we live in love is conditional. Acceptance from others is conditional. We can easily sift this mind-set to God, believing that His acceptance of us is dependent upon our good works. Scripture teaches us otherwise.

God knows us better than we know ourselves. He is not fooled by our prideful self-confidence or good intentions. "For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust." Psalm 103:14 Therefore, in unconditional love, and abundant grace He gives us all we need to be right before Him in His Son, Jesus Christ. When we accept Christ as our Savior, we have much more that just forgiveness and eternal life. We are also reconciled, sanctified, and made holy. Because this is a divine act, nothing you or I can do changes it. Our works do not add to it or take away from it.

"And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:" Colossians 1:21-22

Don't spend your time and energy on the treadmill of works in an effort to earn something from God. Accept by faith the wonderful gifts the Father has given you in His Son, and serve Him from a grateful heart.

IDOL WORSHIP

2011-07-15T18:23:00.000-05:00

The children of Israel were warned by God over and over again not to worship the religious idols of the peoples they would encounter (Deuteronomy 12:26-28). God warned that worshiping anything/anyone other than himself would draw them from Him and lead to disaster (Deuteronomy 11:16-17). Regretfully, they did not listen, and as a result, endured great suffering.

God is the Creator of the Universe, giver of all life, and Ruler of heaven and earth. He is the only true and living God (Isaiah 45:5). He loves mankind and paid a tremendous price to offer each of us spiritual life, forgiveness, purpose and an intimate relationship with Him. Therefore, no one or anything can compare with Him, or is worthy of worship.

We are quick to voice the foolishness of the Israelites for turning away from the living God to gods made of stone, wood and clay. Perhaps we are even quick to say we would not be guilty of such an act, but I wonder...

According to Webster's Dictionary, the word worship means to regard with great or extravagant respect, honor or devotion. To worship and serve means we yield to the authority of the one being worshiped and we look to him for leadership and willingly do his bidding. We have the desire to please, and delight the one we are serving.

Let's take a little test. Who are we trying to please today? Is it Jesus Christ or is it our husbands, our children, parents, church members, boss or perhaps self? Who are we looking to for direction? From whom are we longing to receive praise and acceptance, and what are we doing to "earn" it? What are our goals for this month or this year? Will they glorify God, or a person?

I have learned that if I do not stay alert and in close fellowship with my Lord, I set my goals, make my plans, and seek to please people in order that my ego might be fed. Inadvertently, I elevate self to a god in my life. When I was young and first married, I sometimes moved my husband to this position.

Good things, even ministry can become a "god" in our life. Anything that becomes the center of our devotion and service, distracting us from God Himself, becomes an idol in our life. We have an enemy who is cunning and deceitful. Therefore, we must stay alert!

"Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the Lord he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else." Deuteronomy 4:39

I Wonder...

2011-07-13T18:06:00.000-05:00

Recently, I had the opportunity to talk with a very unhappy woman. She shared how her husband is often angry, yells and throws things. He talks to her in a condescending way with cruel, hateful words. I could understand why she then also becomes angry and engage in word-fights in response.

There is one major difference between her and her husband. She is a born-again child of God and he is not. As we talked, I asked how she would respond to her husband if she could see Jesus sitting on the couch with them in the living room. She looked a little startled and then a slight smile began to emerge on her face. "Differently," she said.

Our conversation brought to light a problem that all of us have far too often. Jesus is not real to us in our everyday life. Think about it for a minute. How would you talk to your children, or your husband if you could actual see Jesus sitting in the room with you? How would you deal with your colleagues or neighbors if you could see Him standing next to them? How would you behave behind the wheel if He was in the passenger's seat?

The truth is, Jesus Christ IS with us in every conversation and act. I encouraged the woman I was talking with to, to begin to consciously and deliberately deal with her husband as she believed Jesus would have her to. As we parted, she was smiling and already anticipating making some changes in her home.

You may quickly say, "Sounds good but that is not easy to do." Right, it is not. It requires a humble attitude before the Lord, as well as to those around us. We must also depend upon the Holy Spirit to work through us. Is this not what our Lord desires?

"I wonder if the Savior spent a day or two with you.
Would you keep right on doing the things you always do?
Would you keep right on a saying the things you always say,
Would life continue, as it does from day to day?
Would your family conversation keep its usual pace?
And would you find it hard each meal to say a table grace?
It might be interesting to know the things, which you would do,
If Jesus Christ in person came to spend some time with YOU."
(Unknown)

Picture Him in person with you for one day, and see what change it would create. I did.

IN THE MASTER'S HAND

2011-07-06T06:23:00.000-05:00

Paganini, the great violinist came out before the audience one day and made the discovery that there was something wrong with his violin. He looked more closely and realized it was not his own. He informed the audience that he had mistakenly picked up the wrong violin, excused himself and went back stage. Then it was discovered that his famous violin had been stolen and this old, second-hand one left in its place. Paganini considered cancelling the concert, but instead he walked back on stage. "Ladies and Gentleman, I will show you the music is not in the instrument but in the soul of the one playing it."

In the hand of the master, the old, second-hand violin produced music to thrill the heart of every listener. Are we not like that violin? We are hindered by weaknesses, blind-spots, inabilities and failures. In our own strength, there is nothing we can do to bring glory to our Lord.

However, when we yield ourselves as instruments of righteousness to God (Romans 6:13), we are changed. The Lord takes over the control and under His power, and leadership, we can do things we never dreamed possible. Shy, introverted young people become bold preachers, teachers and singers. The sheltered and fearful become courageous missionaries. "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." Philippians 2:13

In the Master's hand, the foolish, the weak and the base are used to confound the wise and the mighty of this world (1 Cor. 1:27). The world had no use for the old violin, but in the hand of the master it became valuable. The world puts little value on you and me. It will use and abuse us; throwing us to the side when finished.

God is not like this world. He loves us unconditionally and gave His life to prove how precious we are to Him. Don't be discouraged by Satan and the world system. Come to Jesus; yield to Him. Put your life into the hand of the Master and He will use you to make heavenly, eternal music for the Father’s pleasure.

Proofing What We Love

2011-06-30T07:26:00.000-05:00

I stood looking into my closet trying to decide what to wear for an up-coming event. While deliberating, I noticed a couple of skirts that I have not worn in years, but they find their way back into my closet every summer. But that's not all. There were some dress shoes - some of my favorites - but they are too high and uncomfortable now. My eyes moved up to the shelf and there I saw a row of purses. Good purses, but I haven't used them in ages and probably won't use them in the future.

I discovered that I hang on to clothes, shoes, accessories and "stuff" that I don't need, can't wear, and don't use. Why? In the back of my mind is always the thought, "I might need that someday," or "I might lose a few pounds and then I could wear that again."

I have come to realize that I get attached to stuff that is totally unimportant and should be gotten rid of. Would it not be better to sort out all the things I have not used or worn in the last two years (I'm being generous with myself), and give them to someone who can use them? Am I being a good steward?

We are told in the New Testament to not love the things of the world. I have most often interpret "things of the world" to be expensive items, perhaps sinful pleasures, or money. However, I realize those things can also be the stuff in my closets and cabinets which I care so much about that I cannot give them away. Am I "loving" the things of the world?
Oswald Chambers says, "Our personal property and possessions are to be a matter of indifference to us, and out hold on these things should be very loose." I've decided it is time to loosen my grip on the things of the world that I have saved, stacked up, boxed up and hung on to.

My Lord has always provided above and beyond my needs, and He promises that I will reap with the same measure as I sow. I am going to start sowing my "stuff" and try to be a blessing to others instead of "loving the things of the world." Have you taken a good look in your closet lately?

"The liberal soul shall be made fat; and he that watereth shall be watered also himself."
Proverb 11:25

THE KEY TO REJOICING

2011-06-23T06:14:00.001-05:00

Recently I found myself down in the pit of negative thinking again. I felt burdened about people we have been witnessing to, needs in our family and in our church. Some situations are not getting resolved as quickly as l wish they were. I felt overwhelmed with the work I needed to do, or at least I FELT like I needed to do.

As I spent time with the Lord, I read Psalm 118:24 again and began to take the verse apart. "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." It was such a blessing and encouragement to me that I want to share it with you.

THIS IS THE DAY - this 24 hours of time that is given to me.
WHICH THE LORD — not chance, not some other human being, but My personal Savior, Shepherd, Sovereign God, Protector and Provider, Jesus Christ.
HATH MADE — designed, planned specifically for me (Ps. 37:23) It will include nothing… not a blessing, joy, victory, situation, circumstance, struggle, challenge, disappointment , illness, misunderstanding or loss… that has not first passed through the loving hands of Jesus to me in this day.
(Based on the above facts I can do the following.)
WE WILL - This is a voluntary, deliberate, conscious, decisive decision. It is not a passive react in of mood or feelings.
REJOICE — The original Hebrew word here means "a joy that expresses itself in the gestures of the body." Wow, did I have to think about this word. That means, I will smile, and show a glad spirit in how I go through my day. I will not look like I have no hope, with downcast eyes and head. The decision I choose to make with my will, will affect my mental attitude, which in turn shows in my physical actions.
AND BE GLAD - This is an interesting word. In Hebrew, it means "to be affected with joy and delight" In Webster’s dictionary, it also means to do willingly. So, I can willingly accept all my Lord has planned for me this day, and I can feel joy and delight in the fact that I am safe and secure in His hands of unconditional love, being used for His glory. I can be delighted with God’s choice for me today. Delight will not complain, murmur, be unthankful, or demanding.
IN IT - in this 24 hours of time

The key to rejoicing is for me to CHOOSE to do so, and I can make this choice because, "I know whom I have believed." 2 Tim. 1:12

EAGLE POWER

2011-06-16T06:02:00.000-05:00

"I don't think we are getting anywhere; it doesn't seem to make any difference what we do. No one is listening or even seems to care. What's the point?" Do these comments sound familiar to you? They do to me. In fact, I have been guilty of saying them.

Galatians 6:9 says, "Be not weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap, it we faint not." I find it sometimes hard, while waiting for the "due season", not to grown faint and weary. Since this does happen to me, I began asking myself, why I grow weary.

I found the main answer is, because I do not see the results or the fruit I had hoped to. Souls I have been praying for and witnessing to are still unsaved. Christians who have been in our church for years grow indifferent and wander back into an ungodly life-style. Teens we have worked with since they were young children, ignore the warnings against alcohol, drugs, and immorality. People in our town whom we have invited time and again, remain uninterested in Christ or in coming to church. The list could go on and on.

As I read the Bible, I realize this is no new situation. Working with people and reaping a spiritual harvest has never been easy. So what can we do, to avoid becoming weary and faint?

Remember, we are only workers in the field. We do not control the harvest or its timing. These things belong to the Lord and it is He who gives the increase. (1 Cor. 3:6-7)

We can endure when we make God our focus and not the results we want to see. (Hebrews 12:2-3) Noah and Jeremiah are both faithful examples of enduring without seeing many results. How long would they have remained faithful, if their motivation had been the results they saw?

Jesus Christ also gave us an example to follow. He was perfect in every way, and yet people laughed at Him, mocked Him, took advantage of Him without any thankfulness, lied about him, rejected His teachings, betrayed Him and walked away from Him. He did not give up, but endured because He was focused on doing the will of His Father.

When we grow weary and are tempted to faint, we need to just rest awhile at the feet of Jesus and draw on His strength. His power is the only thing that will keep up energized until the harvest comes.

"He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength…they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength: they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Isaiah 40:29, 31

DIVINE TRAILBLAZZER

2011-06-07T15:44:00.000-05:00

I remember anticipating the labor and delivery of our first baby. I felt anxious, unprepared and sometimes wished it could be avoided. I wanted my baby, but the unknown ahead was scary. After all, I had never gone through it before.

How often have we anticipated doing something for the first time and felt the pangs of fear and apprehension because of the unknown ahead? Maybe it was a first time in the hospital for a surgery, beginning a new job or ministry. It could have been our first airplane flight or a trip we had to travel alone.

Having an empty nest or anticipating living alone after the death of a mate are not easy "first-timers". Entering the senior years of life with their increase of health issues, declining energy and strength, and sometimes problems in mental processing, can be a frightening first-time experience. The gamut of our first time experience is immense.

Joshua and the children of Israel were on their way to the Jordan River, and the Lord told them to send the Levites ahead first, bearing the Ark of the Covenant. The rest of the people should then follow. Why did God do that? He said, "..that ye may know the way by which ye must go; for ye have not passed this was heretofore." (Joshua 3:4)

The Lord simply said I know you have never done this before so I will lead you through. He does the same for us today. We never face a "first-time" in our life without Jesus being right there. The Shepherd never sends a sheep out to find its own way. He leads it.

Through the New Testament, Jesus always went before His disciples whether it was into a city, a threatening situation, a place of persecution, sorrow, pain, death or resurrected life. Our Lord knows what you are anticipating and He does not want you to be burdened with anxiety and fear because of the unknown ahead. He invites you to rest and trust Him. He will lead you, and go with you through in. He knows you have not passed this way before.

"And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed." Deuteronomy 31:8

BELONGING TO THE REDEEMER

2011-06-02T06:20:00.000-05:00

An African native, while making his way through the jungle, was taken by surprise and mauled by a lion. His wounds were life-threatening and he was in drastic need of help.

By God's amazing providence, Alexander Clark found the wounded native and took him to his home. There Clark cared for the man's wounds and nursed him back to health. When the native man had regained his strength, he returned to his own tribe and family. Three months later, he showed up back at Clark's door. This time he had his wives, children and cattle with him.

Clark starred at the sight before him with a puzzled look. The man then explained that because Clark had saved his life, he and all that he possessed were now at Clark’s disposal.

"Do with me and mine as you please. The redeemed always belong to the redeemer."
What a simple yet profound statement: "The redeemed always belong to the redeemer." I am redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, and according to scripture, I belong to Him. (1 Corinthians 6:20) But not only do I belong to him, but all that I have is His. This is a fact.

The rest of the story is however, do I willing submit myself and all I have to His disposal? It is so human for me to want to hang on to my husband, my children, our ministry and my will. My old nature yells, "They are mine. I want the control."
How foolish! It has taken some years of "hanging on" for me to realize I never have anything under control. I have learned that when I willingly submit my own will, the people I love, and whatever ministry the Lord has given to us to His control, then He blesses. Then He can work.

I have also come to understand that to not yield, is actually theft. I am claiming and keeping something that does not belong to me, for my own use. I would never steal from those I love. So why would I want to steal from the Lord?

I was fatally wounded by sin and in great need of help. Only God had the means, the love, and the compassion to help me. He did and today, I have life….His life.
The African native thought Clark deserved the control of his life and possessions because he had saved his physical life. How much more does my Lord deserve for saving my soul?

"Foreasmuch as ye know that ye were…redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." (1 Peter 1:18-19) Are you yielding or stealing?

A LITTLE TALK WITH JESUS MAKES IT BETTER

2011-05-25T12:51:00.000-05:00

I feel discouraged, frustrated, overwhelmed and generally down. Nothing is going like I had hoped, and people - people can be so disappointing. So, I pick up the phone and call a friend. I call not just any friend, but a good friend.

What constitutes a good friend? She is someone that I can trust and feel safe with. She knows my strengths as well as my weaknesses. She knows how to listens and understands that sometimes I am not looking for answers, but just an ear. She listens without judging, criticizing, or interrupting. She does not belittle, make-fun or ignore me. She does not have all the answers.

The amazing thing is that when we are finish talking, I feel better. My perspective has improved, my focus has shifted from me back to the Lord, and somehow, even without my friend having the solutions to my problems I feel encouraged. Why is that? I think it is because it helps just to talk with someone that cares.

Remember these lyrics to an old song, "Lord I didn't come to ask you for anything, I just came to talk with you Lord." We have no better friend than our Lord, Jesus Christ. He knows our thoughts, feelings, desires, disappointments, heartaches, doubts, and struggles, "For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust." (Ps. 103:14) But He also knows why He allows all these things into our lives, and that they are for our good. (Romans 8:28-29)

We are perfectly safe with Him, because He loves us unconditionally. Jesus does not judge or criticize us. He listens to us when we pour out our hearts to Him. He always has time and is never in a hurry. He does not love us or deal with us like men do, for which I am extremely thankful. He is patient, loving, understanding and full of compassion.

Sometimes I just need to talk to Him about what has taken place. I need to formulate into words how I feel and admit when I don't know what to do or realize I cannot handle a situation. I can tell Him I feel overwhelmed. He knows it anyway. I can admit my fears, and doubts without condemnation.
Jesus is better than any earthly friend because His power, wisdom and control have no limits. He can give me the answers I need, the strength I am lacking, the love and security I crave. He will fulfill ALL my needs as the loving Shepherd that cares for His little sheep.

The next time the waves of life crash over you call your BEST friend and just have a long talk with Him. You will feel much better having done so.
"In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God; he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears." (Psalm 18:6) And He helped me!

LASTING REFLECTIONS

2011-05-18T09:25:00.000-05:00

LeAnn put on her earrings and bracelet. Hung her new purse on her arm and said, "Mommy, now I am just like you." Obviously, being like Mommy was very important to our seven year old granddaughter.

LeAnn wanted to reflect the image she saw of her mother. Of course, she was only looking at the outside reflection. However, over time our granddaughter will begin to reflect our daughter in other ways: her character, spirituality, values and attitudes.

It is important for us to consciously realize the influence we exert over our families and those around us. I cannot tell you how many times in my life I have recognized "my mother" in me. I discovered that I expressed an attitude, a value, or a philosophy of life that was just like me mom. These were the traits she reflected to me.

What are you and I reflecting through our lives to others? Do they see compassion or indifference to the suffering of others? Do we show understanding or are we critical and judgmental? Does our family receive unconditional love from us, or conditional, demanding approval? Do we reflect respect for others in spite of differences, or do they see prejudice and condemnation?

We may not set out to influence our families in these ways, but the way we talk, and deal with them produces the reflection. And the reflection reveals the condition of our heart.

Perhaps most importantly, our beliefs about God will be reflected to those around us. Do we reflect faith or disbelief? Do we show our family confidence in God’s promises, or worry and doubt? Do we reflect love and reverence for our Lord and His word, or a casual acceptance? Do we reflect Christ?

We can only reflect Christ if He is the center of our life. Our relationship with Him must be genuinely intimate, in order to produce a Christ-like reflection.

"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." 2 Corinthians 3:18

The next time you look in the mirror, think about what others see reflected in you.

Unexpected Visit

2011-05-11T09:51:00.001-05:00

It was a beautiful spring day. The sun was shining, birds were singing and we were looking forward to celebrating Mother's day with the mothers attending our services on Sunday morning. I was not prepared for what happened at 10:00 a.m.

The church door was wide open and I had just turned to go down the stairs when someone said, "Who is that for?"

I turned to see what they were talking about and saw an AAA service car pull into our parking lot. I wondered who was having car trouble. But as I continued to look, I could not believe my eyes. My son was sitting in the passenger seat!

He had come to celebrate Mother's day with me. Needless to say I was totally surprised, thrilled and lost my composure all at the same time. All I could do was hug his neck and cry. What a joy it was to see him.
The rest of the story is that his job required him to come to Europe and be in Vienne, Austria on Monday night. So he flew in two days early and spent Sat. night with a friend, who works for AAA and who drove him to church. He did all that just so he could surprise me on Sunday ... which he did successfully.

Can you imagine the explosion of feelings when one day, we turn around and see Jesus face to face? The joy and emotion I felt on Sunday morning upon seeing my son doesn't even come close to the joy we will feel at the rapture.

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)

Jesus is going to call His own out of this world one day and it will happen in a split-second.

"Behold, I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."(1Corinthians 15:51-51)

We, who have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior, have this to look forward to. It is an event we can be absolutely sure of, because God's word tells us it will happen. How exciting!

1 Thessalonians 4:18, tells us to comfort one another with these words…with the reality of the rapture of the saints. The unexpected visit from my son made me think about this coming event. I want to share this with you and hope to encourage you to look forward to seeing Jesus Christ face to face, to think about it, and to anticipate it. He could come today!

A SHEEP’S JOB

2011-05-04T08:19:00.000-05:00

"The Lord is my Shepherd, He leadeth me…" These beginning words of Psalm 23 are familiar to us, but I wonder if we realize the impact of what they say.

If the Lord is my Shepherd, then I must be a sheep. Jesus agrees with this assumption when He talks about believers being His sheep, knowing His voice and following Him. (John 10) If left to themselves, sheep will follow the same trails until they become ruts; graze the same land until it is desert waste and pollute their own wool till it is corrupt with disease and parasites. No other livestock needs more care than sheep. In order for sheep to be safe, healthy and have their needs met, they must follow the shepherd.

No wonder the Lord calls us sheep. I can see myself in this description. I would stay in my old habits, whether they are in how I think, or what I do, if the Holy Spirit did not constantly convict me of needed change. Receiving the spiritual food I need, requires me to stay in the Word of God, and not just read but learn how it applies to my life. And of course, Christ alone is my redeemer, protector, and provider, not just of the spiritual needs but all the material and emotional ones too.

Psalms 23:1 says that the Lord leads, then I need to follow. Now following is not so easy, because it requires me to relinquish my own will. It means I do what He wants, when He wants and how He wants it done.

Following means I don't run ahead. Now, this can be a problem for me. I get excited about a project or plan and my imagination and thoughts take off. I tend to then make decisions or choices without asking my Shepherd first. I don’t follow, but rather I try to lead.

Following also means not lagging behind. How easily my flesh can procrastinate. "I will do it Lord, but not right now. I will, but when things are better situated." Have you ever had similar thoughts? Or sometimes, I may just plain rebel and say "No". I may refuse to yield to what my Shepherd is leading me to do. I have met those who refused to yield as a young person to what their Shepherd had called them to do.

Then there is the problem of wandering. I get busy in family matters, or I become distracted with a church situation or maybe I just wander off in my thinking to what others have said or done that offended me. Wandering sheep get themselves in all sorts of dangerous problems. We wander when we lose our focus.

I can clearly see why the Lord calls us sheep, and I am extremely grateful that He has chosen to be our Shepherd. He is faithful and never leaves the flock. However, it is the choice of each sheep whether it will follow or not.

Let's keep our Shepherd in focus today and follow as closely as we can. He knows the way we should go.

I CAN FACE TOMORROW

2011-04-26T16:00:00.000-05:00

"Because He lives, I can face tomorrow", is a line from a well-known song. These words are packed not only with sentimentality, but with dynamic truth. Anticipation of tomorrow can be unnerving, because it is unknown. Oh, I know we have our plans made, but the truth is that we do not KNOW what tomorrow will bring. It often brings the unexpected.

Tomorrow can bring longed-for help, answers to prayer, needed healing, encouragement, reconciliation, or a new open door. However, it may just easily bring sadness, testing, loss, loneliness betrayal, or suffering. And to be honest, I'm not sure I can face those things, especially alone.

The crucial words here are "because He lives". I don't have to face tomorrow alone, because my living, sovereign Lord is already there! He is the one with the authority, power, control, and wisdom to deal with whatever life may hold for me.

Even more, He has already prepared tomorrow to be what I need. Now, we would all agree we would not choose pain, loss or suffering for tomorrow if it were up to us. In the same way, a child would not choose a blood test, dentist appointment or even school. A child does not know what is best for him, and we do not know what is best for us, but our heavenly Father does. All we need is to be convinced of is His unconditional love.

I can face tomorrow not only because my Lord has prepared it for me, but because He goes with me into it. He never leaves me alone. So when tomorrow brings a car accident, Jesus is right in it with me, and He has it under control. When an unexpected bill comes and funds are short, it does not take Him by surprise. Jesus already figured out how to meet my need. In fact, He knew about these needs long before I did.

When my heart fills with anxiety in anticipation of tomorrow, it is because I forget who is in control. I do not need to fear tomorrow, because God is already there.

“And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8

HE IS ALIVE!

2011-04-20T14:38:00.000-05:00

It had been a long three days for the women, as they had relived the brutal death of their dearest friend, and Lord over and over again in their minds. It was hard to grasp that he was gone. Now, the sun just beginning to come up, with heavy hearts they made their way to his tomb.

Suddenly, as they came in sight of the tomb, they felt an earthquake, and saw the heavy stone roll away from the door of the tomb. Even more startling was the appearance of an angel with the countenance like lightning and clothes as white as snow. Then the angel spoke and his message flooded their hearts with jubilation. "He is not here: for he is risen, as he said." (Matthew 28:6) Jesus was no longer in the tomb; Jesus Christ was alive!

Can you imagine how those women felt? How do you feel about the fact that Jesus Christ is alive?

Is He alive in our personal lives? If so, then we will talk to him and share our struggles, needs, joys, dreams and heartaches. We will listen to His instruction and correction. We will rely on Him to guide, strengthen, comfort and protect us. We will be compelled to share our knowledge of Him with those around us. His life will energize our life. Is He alive to you?

Jesus said that he is the life. This means He is the very essence of life and aside from Him there is no life. (Colossians 1:16-17) He granted us physical life when we were born. When we accept Him as our personal Savior, He gives us spiritual life. (John 3:16)

I accepted Christ as my savior when I was ten years old. I then had both physical and spiritual life. However, it took some time before I realized that that was just the beginning. The more I learned about the Lord, and the closer I walked with Him, the more I experienced life at its fullest. Did He not say that He had come to not only give us life but abundant life? (John 10:10)

May this Easter season not only remind us of our Lords resurrection, but also move us to let Him live in and through us that people around us may know HE IS ALIVE.

A POWERFUL PEN

2011-04-12T13:27:00.000-05:00

Certain words are engraved on our minds and will not be soon forgotten. Such words may be expressions of love or gratitude from people who are important to us. Others may be words of such force and sharpness that they cut us to the heart. Regardless of the type of words we remember one thing is certain: someone said them.

Psalm 45:1 says, "My tongue is the pen of a ready writer." I am fascinated by this verse. Perhaps it strikes me in particular because I am enrolled in a writer's course. But it also provokes me to think about what I am writing in the lives of others with my spoken words.

The virtuous woman spoken of in Proverbs 31 has the law of kindness controlling her words. This means her words are tempered with love. Our words can write encouragement, understanding, direction, sympathy or correction. Words said under the direction of the Holy Spirit work to the edifying or uplifting of fellow believers.

Words can however, have a different nature. David said in Psalm 64:3 that his enemies sharpen their tongues like swords and their bitter words fly like arrows. I am well aware of how quickly my tongue can in sarcasm slash someone else. Words of criticism, judgment or rebuke can fly out of our mouths without the slightest tinge of love.

The types of words we speak reveal the condition of our hearts. Jesus said, "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil; for out of the heart his mouth speaketh." Luke 6:45

When we are discontented, angry, jealous, impatient, stressed, or occupied with self, are words are likely to be hurtful. Just trying to control the words we say will not be enough. It is necessary to find the core of the problem - the sin we are harboring in our hearts. Admit it, confess it and accept the Lord's forgiveness. When our hearts are in tune with Jesus, our words will automatically change.

I want my words to write kind things, good things, uplifting things on the hearts and minds of those around me. I am sure you feel the same way. Therefore, let us make David's prayer ours too, and rely on the Holy Spirit to give us direction.

"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer." Psalm 20:14

FORGET SOMETHING?

2011-04-05T11:31:00.000-05:00

Our son was making breakfast burritos. He poured the beaten eggs into the skillet and all the extras were chopped and waiting to be added. However, he began to get a little frustrated because the eggs were not cooking. Suddenly he realized he had forgotten to turn the burner on.

How often do we make our plans, invest hours of planning, expend vast amounts of energy, and feel frustrated when things don't go well? Something seems to be missing. Maybe we forgot to "turn on" the power.
This can happen when we are planning major events, but it also happens on a daily bases. The morning starts with crying children, family demands, phone calls, responsibilities, and the business of the day. If we are not careful, we are off and running in our own strength, forgetting what is most important.

The priority of the day should be our relationship with Jesus. Is our focus right, is sin confessed, are we open to what our Lord wants to tell us? ""O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee." Psalm 63:1 When we read the Bible it is important to not just read the words printed on the pages, but to think about what we are reading and expect the Holy Spirit to give us understanding.

Are our plans pleasing to our Lord? Have we consulted with Him about what we want to accomplish? Are we relying on Jesus Christ or on our own strength and abilities? Are we willing to obey His instruction?

As soon as our son realized what he had forgotten, he turned the stove on and prepared us a delicious breakfast. His egg burritos were a big success.

Living in the power of the Holy Spirit will make not only our day a success, but our life. We will be able to share the Gospel of Christ with those we meet, resist the temptations of the devil, forgive those who mistreat us, have patience in life’s frustrations, endure the difficulties, and love the unlovable. Not only will we be a blessing to others and bring joy and glory to our Lord, but we will experience peace and joy.

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might." Ephesians 6:10

As you read this, stop and think: Have I taken time to plug into the Power Source?

BEWARE OF WHAT YOU TASTE

2011-03-23T08:18:00.001-05:00

While enjoying a sunny spring morning with some dear friends in Texas, I noticed a bright colored blue jay perched on the side of a birdbath. He eyed the water in the bath and then tasted it. Apparently it was good as he then took a big drink. In no time at all he was right in the middle of the water taking a bath.

Life offers a vast variety of experiences for us to taste, and some of them are prepared by our enemy, Satan. He may offer popularity, prestige, wealth, or power. Particularly for us women, he may offer appreciation, praise, or affection.

Since Satan is well acquainted with our old nature he knows how to package his temptations. He appeals either to our ego or to a basic need which is not being met the way we would like. The temptations appear harmless and our reasoning decides a taste will not hurt. The problem with tasting is our flesh may like it and want more.

No one sets out to become an addict; they just taste alcohol, marijuana, heroin, tranquilizers, or other drugs. Few women plan to have an affair. They just enjoy conversation, a cup of coffee or lunch with someone who has time for them. It tastes good to be noticed and appreciated. What harm can it do?

Learning to surf on internet or joining face book is a normal activity of our day. However for many, it leads to wasting hours of time and becoming involved in activities they never intended. For some, this activity has led to physical harm and even death.

We are mistreated, misunderstood or unappreciated. Indulging in our hurt feelings feels right and our enemy will encourage us in this direction. However, continuing in this way of thinking will lead to depression, bitterness and even suicide.

The Bible warns us not to be ignorant of Satan`s devices, but rather to be alert to his subtle temptations. Never forget, his goal is our destruction. Only by beginning each day with our Lord and in His word can we be prepared to deal with Satan and his traps. On our own, we are easy prey.

In Christ, we have what we need to deal with the wiles of the devil. It is however, our choice to make use of it. Ask the Lord to give you wisdom and be careful of what you decide to taste today.

"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."
Ephesians 6:11

PRECIOUS INTANGIBLE

2011-03-16T08:20:00.002-05:00

There is an element in life that impacts each one of us. It is not affected by race, color, religion, political party, location, or education. It is the same for men, women and children. It can not be stopped, stored-up, or lost.

It can not be bought, borrowed, or sold, although its value is beyond measure. It is not altered by wealth or poverty.

It is constant from one generation to the next, and influences everything we do. We all deal with its effects every day of our life.

It has been the focus of scientists and philosophers for centuries, and yet it remains unfathomable to man. It has been the theme of countless books, songs, poems and movies.

Throughout history man has looked for magical or supernatural means to increase their personal amount. They have all failed.

It was created and ordained by God and the amount each of us will ultimately possess is known only to Him. This intangible element of life is called TIME.

According to God's word, there is a way to increase the length of our natural life. "The fear of the Lord prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened." Proverbs 10:27 Ephesians chapter six tells us those who obey and honor their parents will live long on the earth.

Life—time, is a precious gift of God which is given that we might come to know and serve Him. Through time we have the opportunity to discover the wonders of nature, the depths of friendship and love, the pain and joy of children and the truth of God's promises.

We have each moment only once, and therefore, need to live alert and on purpose. Live each day to the fullest potential in the awareness of our Lord's faithful, sovereign control.

Remember, each day is a gift; that is why it is called the present and wrapped in a red ribbon of love. "THIS IS THE DAY THE LORD HATH MADE." Psalm 118:24

PROMISE KEEPER

2011-03-10T10:27:00.002-06:00

"I promise" is a declaration we are prone to quickly make. We promise to be faithful, promise certain activities will take place, promise to accomplish specific responsibilities on time, promise desired outcomes in the future, or promise wishes will come true.

Far too often we make promises in an effort to calm, encourage, comfort, or to motivate others when we have no idea how we will keep them. Our good intentions may not be enough in light of our own limitations, outside influences, and the unexpected, to enable us to keep our promises. Therefore, human promises are far too often worthless. Many a broken promise has resulted in a broken heart.

There is only one promise Maker who is never a promise breaker - our God, Jesus Christ. Why is this true? The promises of God are absolute because of His character. He is faithful, holy, just, righteous, loving, and perfect.

When we choose to trust and rely on God's promises, we do not have to know how He will keep them. He is not limited by any of the things that limit us. In fact, by His very nature, God cannot break His word. Faith in the promises of God is the assurance that what we do not yet see WILL take place simply because of the one made the promise. (Hebrews 11:1)

Believing God will keep His word is like stepping out on nothingness and landing on solid ground. Therefore, we do not need to fret, worry, fear or struggle in doubt and confusion. There is no need to hesitate in doing what God tells us to do, because it seems impossible. It is our Lord that parts the Red seas, feeds the multitudes with little, heals when the doctors say there is no hope, builds churches where the government forbids it, and opens doors when they appear closed.

The only thing standing between you and me, and the reality of God's promises in our lives is faith. We need to anchor our thoughts and prayers on the solid, unmovable promises of God step out in obedience and experience the power of God at work on our behalf.

"For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him
Amen, unto the glory of God by us."
2 Corinthians 1:20

I Love You

2011-03-01T10:50:00.002-06:00

I remember the first time I heard my husband say, "I love you". How wonderful those words sounded to my ears, and they made me feel so special. I was the one woman in the whole world that Thomas chose to love. Do you remember the first time that special someone said these words to you?

Jesus speaks to you and me and He says, "I love you". Lets take this declaration apart. I" refers to God, holy, righteous, perfect, all-powerful and all knowing—the Creator of all life. God himself is speaking to you.

He states that He LOVES you. He does not just like you, or occasionally think about you, but He loves you. His love is Agape love, and it is unconditional. This fact is almost more than I can comprehend. It means He loves you and me REGARDLESS of what we do, what we have done in the past, or will do in the future. His love is not dependant on what we accomplish, our popularity or what others may think of us. In spite of our sin, selfishness and foolishness, Jesus loves you and me.

When Jesus says, "I love you", He is talking to each of us personally. He knows each of us including our thoughts, dreams, and every motivation and intent of our hearts. Yet, He loves YOU. He loves me.

Your heavenly Father says to His child, "I love you".
The Potter says to the clay, "I love you".
The Shepherd says to his lambs, "I love you".

The truth that you and I are loved by Jesus Christ, will be true not only for today, or this life, but for eternity. Absolutely NOTHING can separate us from the love of our Lord.

"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, no any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39

Are you CONVINCED in your heart of this truth?

SPIRITUAL BOMB SHELTER

2011-02-24T09:55:00.003-06:00

The sound of explosions is deafening. Fire, like a hungry monster licks, up everything in its path. The glass from windows and store fronts shatters into a thousand pieces and flies through the air like crystal arrows seeking a target. Wounded, fearful and weary survivors feverishly look for refuge. Their city is under attack.

Marriages are devastated by infidelity and betrayal. Friendships are shattered by criticism and distrust, jobs are lost due to greed and selfishness, children are abused and unloved, and drugs and alcohol take young people prisoner. God's children, you and I, are in a spiritual war, and under attack. Weary, heartbroken, and wounded, we long for a place of refuge. Where can we go for comfort, relief and shelter? King David knew that place.

"Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast." Psalm 57:1

Under the wings of God we have a safe refuge. Our Lord is where we can go for rest without fear of prejudice, abuse or judgment. A place where we can admit all our feelings and thoughts, knowing we will be unconditionally loved. He is our fortress, our deliverer, our high tower and our shield. (Psalm 18:2)

Our Lord is like a supernatural bomb shelter. In the midst of Satan's brutal and merciless attacks, God is our safe place of refuge. His door is always open to us, and we can go as often and stay as long as we desire.

As tragedy, illness, divorce, betrayal, and loss came into my life and those close to me, I discovered the reality of Psalm 57:1. When it seemed no one understood, and nothing could ease the pain I felt or calm the confusion in my mind, there was Jesus. In my weakened condition I drew close to Him and poured out all my heart. It is hard to put into words the wonderful, unexplainable peace and love I experienced.

What ever calamity you are facing today, I encourage you to make use of your divine place of refuge. Like a little child, snuggle in close to your Lord, and let Him wrap His strong arms of love around you and you too will experience His miraculous love and peace.

"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler." Psalm 91:1, 4

UNFORGETABLE

2011-02-17T08:15:00.003-06:00

While attending a conference last week, an interesting thing happened. As I walked out of the room where I had been in a workshop, a lady walked up and asked, "Weren't you at the conference two years ago?"
"Yes I was," I replied.
"I remember you", she went on. However, I did not remember her.
Have you had a similar experience? Has someone remembered you, but you had forgotten them?

Sometimes we have good intentions of staying in contact with someone, but time, busyness, and circumstances of life move to the forefront of our mind and the person drifts into the fog of forgetfulness.

The same scenario can occur in our relationship with God. We become so occupied with activities of our family, our responsibilities at work, the laundry, shopping, dentist and doctor appointments—life in general, that we forget to consciously remember our Lord.

But Jesus does not forget us. He has the entire universe with all its life forms and their needs, yet, He remembers you and me. In fact He is occupied with every occurrence in our life. "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you and expected end." Jeremiah 29:11

It is easy for our thoughts to be consumed with ourselves: our desires, our dreams, our struggles, and our pain. Yet, our Lord, the God of the universe thinks about you. He thinks about me. He never forgets us.

"Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered." Psalm 40:5

What a comfort to know that in the darkness night of confusion, the deepest pit of despair, or cold moments of loneliness, our loving Jesus, remembers us and His thoughts are always concerned with what is best for us.

"Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet, will I not forget thee." Isaiah 49:15

THINK ABOUT THAT TODAY!

BECOMING A BUTTERFLY

2011-02-09T09:04:00.000-06:00

Have you ever watched a butterfly working his way out of a cocoon? It is an agonizing struggle requiring determination and time. It is no easy task.

If you do not understand the need for this struggle you might in sympathy snip the side of the cocoon. This would make it easier for the butterfly, but it would then be underdeveloped and never fly.

For many years of my Christian life I felt like a butterfly trapped in a cocoon of worldly values, philosophy and standards. Shedding my feelings of inferiority, fear and failure was agonizing and time consuming. Experience and the opinions of others tried to hold me back from trusting the promises of God. However, attempts to shorten this spiritual metamorphous would result in a weak, superficial Christian life.

I became a new creature in Christ when I accepted Him as my personal Savior. Developing strength to live in my new life was however, my choice and responsibility. Slowly, as an emerging butterfly, I experienced freedom—spiritual freedom and liberty in Christ.

Spiritual freedom means being free to become by the power of the Holy Spirit, the person God created us to be. Living unencumbered by the flesh and a worldly mindset is the desire of Christ for every one of His children. We can grow and with wings of faith, by the power of the Holy Spirit, leave the dead cocoon behind.

THE FLIGHT IS WORTH THE STRUGGLE.

Designer of Originals

2011-02-01T09:22:00.001-06:00

As a diamond is crystallized from carbon, small imperfections such as spots, bubbles, or lines are formed. These imperfections are called inclusions or nature’s birthmarks. The interesting point is that no two diamonds have the exact same birthmark.

The present estimation of the number of stars in the universe is 100 x sextillion. Every star is unique and different from the rest. My mind cannot even begin to comprehend such a number and yet, Psalm 147:4 tells us that God not only knows how many stars there are, but He knows each of them by name.

Scientists tell us today, that the oceans extend across 70% of Earth's surface and hold approximately 20,000 species of fish. Each species is uniquely different. They can vary in color, size, location, or defense mechanisms. Some are eatable and some are poisonous. Some are passive in nature and some are vicious hunters. Each was made unique by God.

The world population today stands at 6,897,004,161 people. Is it not mind-boggling that in this huge number of people, no two people have the same fingerprint? We are each made uniquely different. (Psalm 139:14)

Who created the stars and the fish in the oceans? Who created the process by which diamonds are formed? Who created you and me? The answer to all three questions is God. God is the designer of the unique and original. His imagination knows no boundaries and He has the power to create what He will. He copies no one.

"For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:" Colossians 1:16

Nothing in God's universe happens random or by chance; He is always in control. He takes personal interest not only in each new creation, but in the life that follows. Jesus tells us that not a single sparrow is forgotten by God. (Luke 12:6)

So why do we feel God forgets about us? Why are we discontented with how our bodies look or what our abilities are? Why do we feel we are unimportant to God and that He does not care about our pain, struggles, needs or hopes? Why? Maybe it is because we listen to the father of lies, the devil.

The wonderful truth is that each of us is an original, created in the likeness of the Designer Himself. His depth of love for us was expressed when He gave His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay for our sins. We are special to God. You are special to God. Think about that. Read about it in His word. Then enjoy living in a love relationship with the one that made you uniquely special on purpose.

Glow Worms

2011-01-25T13:46:00.001-06:00

"Dr. Alexander of Princeton once described a little glowworm which took a step so small that it could hardly be measured, but as it moved across the fields at midnight there was just enough light in its glow to light up a step ahead, and so as it moved forward it moved always in the light."

It was not important or necessary for the little glowworm to see the rest of the fields or to see what all the other little worms were doing. He had a goal to reach and enough light to take him there, one step at a time.

Scripture tells us that this world is in spiritual darkness, and yet, through Christ we become the children of light. But how do we know what the next step should be? How do we know how to deal with heartache, betrayal, loneliness, pain, persecution, or loss? How do we learn about God; who He is, what His character is like, or what He wants from us? How do we move through life in a world of darkness and reach our goal?

We become like the little glowworm. His light was engineered by God and God has given us His word to be our light. "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple." (Psalm 119:105, 130)

The pages of the Bible are full of true accounts of people like you and me who suffered the same heartaches, temptations and trials as we do. David knew fear and depression. Job knew loss of family, fame and fortune. Joseph knew injustice and hatred from family. The widow woman in 1Kings 17, knew poverty. Paul knew persecution and abuse. Mary, the sister of Lazarus, knew scorn and misunderstanding. Jesus knew it all.

The Bible is a unique and miraculous book because it does not contain the thoughts and philosophy of imperfect men, but the thoughts of Almighty God as the Holy Spirit inspired the writers. (2 Peter 1:21) Therefore, it can be our light source, life strength, and spiritual GPS. (2 Timothy 3:16)

Through reading the Scriptures, we may not know what is coming in our future or what God is doing in the lives of other members of our family, our friends or acquaintances, but we will have the light we need for our next step. The Christian walk is not made up of high jumps, cross-country sprints, or short-cuts. It is walking one step at a time, one day at a time, focused on Jesus Christ and in reliance on the power of the Holy Spirit. We may be small and insignificant in this world, but we can have direction, light and power. We can reach our spiritual goal.

"We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do
well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the
day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts." 2 Peter 1:19

Dusty Hearts

2011-01-18T11:30:00.002-06:00

Recently the curtain rod in our bathroom fell down, and in order to put it back up I had to stand on a chair. No problem. The disturbing problem came when, while up on the chair, I happened to look over and see the top of a tall bathroom cabinet. Unbelievable! I could have planted potatoes in the dirt and dust that had collected up there.

I wondered, "How can things get so dirty and dusty just sitting there?" I did some researched on the internet to find out what house dust is composed of. It is made up of dirt, pollen, dead skin cells and dried corpses of tiny dust mites. Ugh! I hate to think how many little dead dust mites are collected on top of my bathroom cabinet.

It is clear that we don't have to work at making things dirty and dusty, but we do have to work to keep them clean. Is it not the same way with our hearts?
If we leave our hearts unattended they will collect the "dirt" of this world. The world's values, philosophy, morals and priorities begin to settle unnoticed into our thinking and desires.

The "dead remains" of past disappointments, mistakes, offenses and lost opportunities can build up in our hearts. The past is over and we cannot change one second of it. However, to continue to live in regret and remorse for the past indicates we do not accept God’s forgiveness or His sovereign control. These "dead remains" become just as loathsome as the corpses of the tiny dust mites.

Then there is the sloughed off remains of our old nature. Old skin is sloughed off because new skin is growing in its place. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are given a new nature. We become a new creature. Therefore, it is important as the Holy Spirit reveals the "remains" of our old nature, to "slough" it off and live in the new life given to us by Christ.

It is easy to understand why daily spiritual house cleaning is so necessary. By following four easy steps, we can become clean instruments ready for the Master's use.

Confess our sins. 1 John 1:9

Allow our minds to be renewed and transformed through the daily reading of God's word. Romans 12:2

Exercise faith and trust in the promises of God. 2 Peter 1:4

Set our focus on Jesus Christ. Hebrews 12:1-2

"Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from
all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."
2 Corthinians 7:1

VOICE OF AUTHORITY

2011-01-11T16:57:00.002-06:00

"For he spoke and it was done." (Ps. 33:9)
"For he commanded and they were created." (Ps. 148:5)
Jesus said, "Peace, be still", and there was a great calm. (Mk. 4:39)
"Lazarus, come forth", and the chains of death were broken. (Jn. 11:43)
"It is finished", and the Father's magnificent plan of redemption was accomplished; reconciliation for the sins of all mankind was made once and for all. (Jn.19:30)

The tremendous, powerful words of Jesus moved heaven and earth, life and death. I reread the above list several times trying to fathom the absolute authority evidenced in the words Jesus spoke.

Notice His commands. They were clear and exact resulting in clear and exact action. There was no hesitation or question. There was no argument or rebellion. His authority was and is absolute.

This voice is familiar to His children whom He calls by name. "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." (John 10:3, 27) His voice speaks comfort to our hearts when they are broken in sorrow and tragedy. His voice speaks assurance when we are in trouble and burdened. His voice gives us direction when we have lost our way and are confused.

This is the voice that says, come unto me all ye that are burdened and heaven laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28) Fear not, for I am with you. I am God, and I will be with you and help you with my strength. (Isaiah 41:10) Don’t worry, give your worries to me, because I love and care about you. (1 Peter 5:7) I will never leave you alone. (Hebrews 13:5)

Can we not trust this voice? Can we not rely on the one who is speaking? Does He have the power and authority to do what He says? The answer is, absolutely yes. Regardless of what your heart needs right now, get alone with God and His word, and let Him speak to you. Listen to Him. Tune our every other voice for His is the only one that matters.

Facing Changes

2011-01-03T14:39:00.001-06:00

2011 has begun and with it, comes the new.
New challenges
New struggles
New joys
New sorrows
New opportunities
New blessings
New strength
New mercies
But, I am thankful one thing does NOT change - God. He is the same, faithful, just, righteous, holy, loving, powerful, sovereign God He has been since eternity past.
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." Hebrews 13:8 He does not change.

This means His love is still unconditional. It means His word is still truth and His promises are still binding. It means I am still His child by grace and therefore, not alone.

These unchanging realities give me extreme comfort and security. They give me courage to look ahead at 2011 without fear or dread. Like the old hymn says, "Because He lives I can face tomorrow"

None of us knows what this new year holds in store for us. But one thing is certain, our Lord, our Shepherd knows it all. Not only does he know, but He goes ahead to prepare the way for each step we take. "And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee: he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed." Deuteronomy 31:8

It is exciting to realize there are no accidents or coincidents in the lives of God’s children. Everything comes with a purpose designed in love and our Lord is there to help us deal with whatever the circumstances may require. We do not have to handle anything in my own strength. That is a tremendous comfort!

Here we go, ready or not, into 2011. But based on our unchanging Lord, we can have the same determination as Paul did. We can forget the things that are behind us and look forward in faith and anticipation to the things a head. Let us set our focus on Christ and "..press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."Philippians 3:13-14

This could be our last year.

Unlimited Possibilities in 2011

2010-12-27T16:48:00.002-06:00

Jesus told Peter to let down his NETS, but because of Peter's experience, own reasoning, and lack of faith, he let down one NET.
The children of Israel doubted God in their hearts and said, "Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?" They wanted meat, and thought it impossible for God to provide it for them. (Psalm 78:18-19)
I wonder how many times we limit God. We consider a need, a problem, or a desire and then put our experience, reasoning, and our small amount of faith between it and God. As a result, it appears impossible.
2011 may present you with some seemingly impossible situations. The Lord may lead you to step out into a new job, change your direction, begin a new ministry or make a major change in some other part of your life. He may lead you in a direction that makes no sense to you.
The prophet Elijah in a time of extreme drought and famine went to a widow woman and asked her to give him a drink of water and with her last bit of meal and oil, to make him some bread. Clear understanding and experience told her to fulfill his request meant there would be nothing left for her and her young son. I am not sure I would have given my last bit of food to a stranger, prophet or not.

In all three of the proceeding examples common sense said there is no way. The fact is, human reasoning and faith are as opposite as natural and spiritual life. However, faith in God goes beyond human reasoning and hangs on to the person of Jesus Christ. It is absolute trust in God Himself.

Faith can only become our personal possession when it is tested. In our three examples, God proved He was not limited. The results came in abundance. Do you want to experience the abundance of God’s provision; an abundant outpouring of His power on your life? Then do what He tells you and trust the results to Him.

The widow woman, not only gave her last bit of food to the prophet, but she had the faith to dip into an empty barrel and pour from an empty cruse. Her faith was not disappointed, but greatly rewarded. As we enter into this new year let us not limit our God. May each of us set our faith solidly in our Almighty, sovereign God and look forward to experiencing the impossible. 2011 could be the most exciting year of your life.

"Doubt sees the obstacles,
faith sees the way!
Doubt sees the darkest night,
faith sees the day!
Doubt dreads to take a step,
faith soars on high!
Doubt questions, "Who believes?"
Faith answers, "I!"
(Gospel Banner)

Christmas - A Gift of Mercy

2010-12-23T11:26:00.001-06:00

I carefully measured all the ingredients. Sifted the dry ones into a small bowl and set it aside. Then I mixed the required liquids, added the oatmeal, nuts, butterscotch pieces and raisins. The oven was hot and the cookie sheet was prepared. I covered the sheet with teaspoon amounts of dough and shoved it into the oven. In 12 minutes the first batch of cookies would be finished.

To make the most of my 12 minute waiting time, I began clearing off the cabinet, and what did I discover? There, sitting on top of the toaster was the bowl full of dry ingredients. Now I knew why the dough seemed a little runnier than usual.

Quickly I pulled out the cookie sheet from the oven, scraped the already warm, runny dough back into the bowl and added the rest of the needed ingredients. Now, with thicker dough, I again drop spoonfuls onto the re-prepared cookie sheet and once again shoved it into the oven. To my delight, 12 minutes later my oatmeal raisins cookies were done and tasted great. God was merciful to me and kept my afternoon of baking from becoming a disaster.

W. E. Vine says in his book, "An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words", that mercy is God's attitude toward those who are in distress. How often have you and I been in distress much greater than just messed up cookie dough? We acted before thinking, we made a decision without counsel, we assumed on the future, we put our trust in a person instead of in the Lord, we forgot to read the small print, we acted on feelings instead of truth, or we committed to more than we could possible do. As a result, we were in distress.

I have been in distress and needed God’s mercy countless times in my life. Therefore, I am so thankful that, according to Lamentations 3:23, I have a new supply of mercy every single day. God’s mercy never runs out no matter how much I may require on any one day.

According to "Wilson's Old Testament Word Studies", the word mercy means "abundant, extraordinary goodness, kindness or beneficence." This word by its definition declares the very nature of God. Combining these two definitions give us the reason for Christmas.

Mankind was and is in great distress because of sin. But God in abundant, extraordinary goodness sent His son to be born of a virgin; to become the sacrifice that our distress from the burden of sin might be relieved. "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins." Matthew 1:21

As you celebrate Christmas, take time to consider the infinite mercy God showered on mankind through His precious gift wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger.

I do wish each of you a blessed and joyous Christmas.

The Giving Gift

2010-12-16T11:51:00.001-06:00

After he had unwrapped his gifts on Christmas morning the 5 year old boy's mother asked him which one of his presents he wanted to donate to a poor child who had less than him. "None", the boy replied. "I like all my gifts, and they are mine."

The mother wanted to teach her young son about sharing and that real joy comes in giving. This is a great lesson, but one hard to live out. When I first read this story, I thought about the priceless gift our heavenly Father gave to us. It was His Son, His Beloved, His only Son. Yet, because of love, He gave Him for us that we might have life.

How is our giving? Do we give to others liberally out of a heart of love, or grudgingly out of duty? Do we realize that the most valuable gifts cannot be bought with money? They are the gifts of understanding, forgiveness, patience, genuine love, a listening ear, time, encouragement, acceptance, and friendship. It is actually easier to purchase a material gift, wrap it in colorful paper and present it to someone, than to give of ourselves and our time. But the gift that continues to give is without price.

The gift of Jesus Christ and through Him the plan of redemption is an eternal gift. It changes us into a new creature the moment we accept it (2 Corinthians 5:17), and continues to work in and through us throughout our life. The acceptance of Christ is a gift that enables us to give the valuable, intangible, gifts to others.

While you are considering those on your gift list this Christmas, consider giving the gifts you cannot buy. Write a letter expressing your love, and appreciation for a family member or a special friend. Put into words what is in your heart, yet often not said. Give a gift of time through an invitation to lunch, coffee or just a visit. Forgive that one that has so hurt or offended you, and let them know with a card or phone call. Give something you have to someone in need.

Christmas is a special time of year and we enjoy the meaningful songs, the colorful lights, the smell of fresh baked cookies and the delightful taste of fruitcake and eggnog. But these things must not be allowed to shove the true meaning of Christmas from us. It is the time to celebrate God’s precious gift of love to us, and may we do that by allowing His love to flow through us to others.

Pray over your gift list, and ask the Lord what He wants you to give each person. Then consider what you will give the Lord. It is His birthday. Consider giving Him something you have been holding back in your heart, because you like it and it is yours. That is exactly what He wants.

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and
cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither
shadow of turning." James 1:17

All Inclusive

2010-12-07T16:55:00.003-06:00

Have you ever booked a flight, a vacation package, or a hotel stay where the advertisement stated, "all inclusive"? You made a financial commitment under the assumption that all inclusive meant all needs would be covered. However, to your dismay you discover there are additional charges. The offer of "all inclusive" was inclusive except for check in fees, drinks or obligatory tipping at meals, drinks in your room, use of wellness facilities, or various other incidentals. We get upset when the promise of "all inclusive" proves to be less than "all".

I can tell you of one tremendous offer that carries the guarantee, all inclusive and delivers. It is the offer of salvation through Jesus Christ. It includes forgiveness, ever-lasting life, indwelling Holy Spirit, sanctification, justification, a home in heaven, constant companionship, guidance, help, protection, strength, and "all things that pertain unto life and godliness." (2Peter 1:3) Absolutely nothing needed is left out nor can anything be added to it. It is in every way, ALL INCLUSIVE.

If my hotel package includes meals, I would be foolish to go without eating. The meals are already paid for and therefore I can enjoy them at no extra cost. When Jesus promises to care for me and tells me to give all my worries to Him, why do I continue to worry and carry my burdens alone? He is the one with the power and authority to take care and supply my needs. I need to rest in the exclusive care of my Lord.

I fail, and commit a grievous sin against my Savior. With a broken heart I come before Him and repent, asking His forgiveness. Yet weeks, or even years down the road I continue to feel guilty about my sin. Why? My salvation includes His forgiveness and cleansing. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1John 1:9) It is already paid for.

How often do we live as if heaven was the only thing included in our salvation? We work as if we have to earn His acceptance, righteousness or even His love. We rely on our own understanding instead of following the leadership of the Holy Spirit. We worry about our family, our health, our ministries or the future, instead of resting in the assurance that He has all things under control. We listen to the enemy who tells us we are of no use to our Lord, and that He does not really care about our pain, struggles or needs. Do we not know what is included in salvation or have we just forgotten?

When we take a vacation and all has been paid for in advance, we can relax and make the trip in peace without worry and fretting. Our Lord has paid in advance for the "all inclusive" package of salvation with His own precious blood. Nothing could be more secure than that. May we begin to live in the reality and power of what the Lord has given to us.

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." Psalm 23:1

The Love Paradox

2010-12-01T08:19:00.002-06:00

"Do you really love God more than you love me?" asked LeAnn, our six year old granddaughter. The question came as a result of the family reading in their nightly devotions about how they should love God first and foremost.

Our daughter, Rebekah, then explained that loving God the most, and with her whole heart, enabled her to love others even more. Therefore, to love God more meant she would love LeAnn more. The light went on in the eyes of our young granddaughter; she smiled from ear to ear and said, "That sounds like a great idea!"

The first teenager I led to Christ in Koblenz, Germany was also troubled by this paradox. She heard my husband say that he loved God more than he loved me. She was shocked and sure I would be upset when she informed me of his statement. However, when I not only accepted his statement, but told her I was glad it was true, she was really in a quandary.

Years later after Iris accepted Christ, married and had her own family, she understood this seeming paradox. The truth is, the more we yield our will and our heart in humility and love to our Lord, the more He can pour His perfect, unconditional love through us to others.

This sounds wonderful and I am sure most all of us know and agree with this truth, at least in our intellect. But honestly loving God above our husbands and children is not so easily done. It means to make Jesus Christ our priority above all others. This involves accepting that our loved ones are not our possessions, but rather gifts from our Lord and that they belong to Him. We may think our priorities are in order until we are faced with the possibility of having to choose between the two.

Before we came to Germany in 1971, I read a book about Christians being tortured for their faith. The book told about parents being separated from their children because they were not willing to renounce their faith in Christ. The possibility of such a dilemma began to work on me. Our first child was about 18 months old and I was expecting our second one. Each night as I sat and rocked our daughter to sleep, the turmoil in my heart grew. What would I do if faced with the choice of renouncing Christ, or losing my children? What would you do?

Weeks went by and the struggle in my heart grew in intensity. On one hand, I could not deny my Lord, but on the other, how could I endure having my children taken from me and my care? Finally, I realized that Jesus not only created my children, but that He loved them more that I possibly could. The truth also dawned, that He was the one in control of all things and that my ability to protect my loved ones was extremely limited. His ability on the other hand, knows no limits.

Finally, with tears streaming down my face, I yielded my children and chose to love Jesus first and foremost, regardless of what that might mean in the future. I am grateful that I have never been put to the test that I so feared. I am also thankful that the experience began to teach me the ultimate importance of loving Him, my Lord and Savior, with my whole heart - more than anyone else, including more than myself. Who do you love the most?

"And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." Deuteronomy 6:5

Thankful All The Time

2010-11-24T11:56:00.003-06:00

Marie Paule Thielle of Metz, France was only 3 years old, when she received the Bronze Medal for "an act of courage and dangerous sacrifice". But the one she rescued didn’t like her.

When Marie’s playmate, two-year-old Denis fell into the municipal pool, she grabbed him by the hair and held his head out of the water until her screams for help were answered. Marie explained, "He doesn’t like me now because it hurt when I pulled his hair."

I wonder how many times the Lord has caused us pain to save us from heading down a wrong path, or making a tragic decision. How often does He use pain and suffering to draw us closer to His side, or to teach us that His promises are true? Are we thankful for the pain that leads to blessing? "Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby." Hebrews 12:11
Thanksgiving is the time of year when we often sit with family and friends and share all the things for which we are thankful: salvation, friends, family, health, food, clothing, a job, our home, our church and perhaps some particular people. Not often do we hear someone express gratitude for pain and suffering, for struggles or heartaches. Yet, are not these the very things that yield so much growth and spiritual depth to our lives?

Take some time and think back over this last year. What has drawn you closer to Jesus this year? What has shown you how dependant you are and how merciful He is? What has made you see the face of your Lord, hear His words of peace, and feels His comforting presence? What has shown you that He is in control and not men? Now, thank Him for those things, as well as all the bountiful blessings He has given. "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvations. Selah." Psalm 68:19

Expressing thankfulness is something that greatly pleases our Lord. (Hebrews 13:15) It is something we can all do, and need to do all the time, not just on this particular holiday. Remember, ingratitude is a characteristic of the wicked and ungodly.

"In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Well Done

2010-11-17T18:26:00.002-06:00

His feet were bleeding from open blisters, and his hands and legs were cramping almost beyond endurance. This young man was reaching the end of a three day, 65 mile march. He carried 125 pounds of gear, slept no more than four hours a night, and had just enough food for 2 1/2 meals. He had struggled his way through all kinds of obstacles both day and night. Yet, he had one more major challenge: to climb the rugged mountain in front of him.

He forced his mind to ignore the pain and focus on the goal, whispered a prayer to his Lord, and with all his remaining strength, started climbing. His body was pushed to the breaking point, yet still he climbed. At last he reached the top and the moment he had been waiting for arrived. He had made it through the crucible.

The crucible is the last test a recruit must pass in Marine boot camp. It tests him physically, mentally and morally. The young recruits learn quickly that they must rely on one another to solve the problems and overcome the obstacles they are faced with. No one gets through it alone. Although at times it seems impossible to go on, the anticipation of the reward compels them forward.

At the top of the mountain, their drill instructor is waiting for them. He then presents these young recruits with their Marine Corps insignia - eagle, globe and anchor; then shakes their hands and calls them for the first time - a Marine. Our grandson experienced this November 5, and as his drill instructor shook his hand he said, "I'm proud of you Wilkenson." I'm not sure there are any words to describe what our grandson felt at that moment, but this ceremony is one where Marines cry.

As God's children we feel like we are in a spiritual 'crucible'. The attacks of our enemy are vicious and brutal, coming at times without warning. The journey seems long and full of obstacles and problems that we can’t deal with alone. Although we know our Lord has promised to be with us, and to never give us more than we can bear, like these young recruits, we are pushed beyond our limits.

The Marine Corps is turning young, inexperienced, undisciplined men and women into Marines. This is no easy task. It involves problems, challenges, pain, suffering, deprivation and change. It takes determination and commitment on the part of the recruit to stick it out. The goal set before him, motivates him to continue. He wants to be a Marine.

Our Lord is conforming us to His image. This too involves problems, challenges, pain, suffering, loss and many changes throughout our life. In order to allow Him to achieve His goal, we need to yield, submit and obey---obey our Commander, just like those young recruits.

Our reward, however, will be much greater than receiving the Marine Insignia. We will receive crowns of glory from the nail scared hands of our Savior. And although we can imagine the emotion in a young recruit as he hears his drill sergeant say he is proud of him, can we imagine how it will feel to stand face to face with Jesus Christ and hear Him say, "Well done thou good and faithful servant"? (Matthew 25:21, 23)

We have one gigantic advantage over these young recruits. Our Commander is Almighty God and He is there to strengthen, guide and comfort us. Therefore, let us determine as Paul to press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14

Wrong Conclusion

2010-11-08T12:59:00.001-06:00

A black cloud of despair and hopelessness settled over me. I was a poor wife, a hindrance to the ministry, a sad-excuse for a mother, and a grave disappointment to the Lord. This was how I saw myself in 1979.I took a good look in the mirror and was convinced God was through with me and would never use me again.

Joseph's life would be spent in prison and accomplish nothing. Mary and Martha would have to live without the help and support of their brother for the rest of their lives. The Auca Indians would all die and go to hell, since they had murdered the very missionaries who were trying to tell them about Jesus.

In 1929 James Penney lost $40 millions in the stock market. He became deathly ill from the stress of this situation. He was facing a seven million dollar debt, and false accusations of fiscal impropriety. He wrote, "I was convinced I would never see another dawn. I waited for the end - a failure at the age of 56."

These scenarios and many more of seemingly hopeless situations leave out one aspect - God. The Lord met me in the midst of my despair and taught me the reality of His mercy, love, and power. My life and service for Him was not over, but preparing for a new start.

Joseph was in training, and at the right time was not only brought out of prison, but become the second in power and authority in Egypt. The death of Lazarus was not the end but the spring board for a miracle to enrich the lives of Mary and Martha. The death of Jim Elliot led to not only many of the Auca Indians being saved, but to some of them becoming preachers.

Mr. Penny, while stationed in a sanitarium heard the hymn, "God will take care of you," and decided to trust Jesus as his Savior. His future was much different than he had anticipated. His health improved, he lived into his nineties, and built a financial empire through his JC Penney stores.

It has been said that one of our greatest errors lies in mentally fixing our future according to present conditions. We cannot know what the future holds or what miracle God has in store just around the next bend. How foolish we are to assume a hopeless, faithless view when we are not in control of the future, but rather Jesus Christ is. As long as we are alive, there is hope; as long as God is on the throne, there is hope. Regardless of how dark and bleak a situation may look, I have learned from experience, God is at work, and there is hope. The night is the darkest just before the dawn.

"And the Lord, HE IT IS THE DOTH GO BEFORE THEE; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed." Deuteronomy 31:8 (emphasis mine)

The Thorn

2010-11-02T18:35:00.004-05:00

"Lord, I want it gone", I had said. For years the thorn had pained me sore And I insisted to God, "I don't want this thorn anymore."

There was a heavy ... holy silence. I'd hardly expected an affirmative reply. Yet, little did I know God's working was set in motion to relieve my plight.

It's blessed remembering the many things He miraculously wrought from that day. I didn’t know or really care how, just that He'd move it from my way.

At times my impatience would surface. I'd fret for the burden I'd borne. "My child", the Lord spoke so kindly. "Your foolishness embedded the thorn."

Fearfully I began to understand what God would have me know, But when He removed the tenacious thing, there remained a gaping hole.

"Oh Lord", I cried, "How can I survive such a terrible wound that's made?" "My child there is healing and comfort in my Word - the balm in Gilead."

Numbed by agony and desperate need to have the yawning hole filled in, The Word grew sweeter to my heart, and more real than it had ever been.

The Lord and I had fellowship - satisfying as never before. It was worth the pain and agony made by the thorn and gaping hole.

One day I remembered the oft request, and brought it timidly again to His throne. He bade me look on the dreaded thing. The wound of the thorn was gone.

- Edna Holmes

This poem was written by a dear friend of mine. I asked her if I could use it because I believe many of us have been or are presently tormented by thorns in our hearts. Thorns are those traumatic, painful experiences that crash into our lives and tear into our hearts. They can be so many things: abuse, rape, betrayal, slander, war, sudden loss of mate or child, divorce or an unlimited number of other experiences.

We wonder how our Lord could allow such pain to remain and cannot imagine how it could bring good into our lives. Yet, just as my friend wrote in her poem, it was sent for a divine purpose: to draw us closer to His side and to help us discover the sweetness of His Word.

A balm is an ointment or oil used to sooth and to heal. In our own strength we cannot heal the wound the thorn has made, but as we shift our focus to Jesus, and allow His Word to work in our hearts and minds, healing will take place. It is also important to note, that for healing to take place, we have to let go of the thorn.

Sometimes we hang on to these traumatic events, rerunning them in our minds, without realizing we are actually hindering the healing process. If we will let go, and shift our focus to Jesus Christ and let Him work, He will heal the wound.

"The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all." -Psalm 34:18-19

Sorry or Repentant?

2010-10-28T18:34:00.003-05:00

Mother had been busy in the kitchen baking cookies the whole morning. The house was full of the most tantalizing, mouth-watering smells: melted chocolate mixed with cinnamon and spice. Tim had been giving one to taste and it sent his taste buds sky rocketing. After the cookies cooled, mother placed them all in the cookie jar, and told Tim he could not have any more until after supper.

That's still a long time away, thought Tim. Surely just one more wouldn't hurt anything. Mother had left the kitchen and was attending to matters in the living room. Tim tiptoed up to the cookie jar, careful not to make a sound. He slowly removed the lid and just as his fingertips touched a cookie he heard mother’s voice. "Timothy, what are you doing?"

Tim jerked his hand out of the cookie jar as fast as he could, turned to his mom and said, "I'm sorry."

Do you think Tim was sorry he had disobeyed his mother, or was he sorry he got caught? Since he set out to disobey his mother when he proceeded to take another cookie, we can conclude that Tim was sorry he was caught. I wonder how often you and I are only sorry we get got in sin, rather than being sorry that we chose to sin and to grieve the Holy Spirit.

How often do we find ourselves involved in sinful, thinking, speaking or acting, and say, "I know it is wrong and I shouldn’t do it, but .."? We may think that is enough - to admit we have done wrong. However, it is only the beginning of getting things right with the Lord.

According to Webster’s Dictionary to apologize means to express regret. Tim expressed regret, but regret about what? It is important for us not to just say, "Lord I’m sorry for...."' but for us to confess and repent. To confess means to admit our sin, and repentance means to turn from our sin. I have said I was sorry many times, and confessed my sins. However, I have found it is another thing to turn away from that sin and by God's grace and strength, refrain from repeating it.

It has been said, "God loves your fault mixed with penitence more than your virtue seasoned with pride." (Walter Baxendale) Confession and repentance are important because they require us to humble ourselves before the Lord. A mere "I'm sorry" requires no humility and in fact can boost our pride. "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy." (Proverbs 28:13)

Confession is not only important in our relationship to the Lord, but also in our relationship with one another. How often have we been hurt by someone and when confronted they simply replied, "Oh, sorry"? Did you feel that person actually recognized and regretted what they had done wrong, or were they like Tim in our story - sorry they were caught? Have you and I been guilty of this sort of an apology?

Jesus said, "Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift." (Matthew 5:23-24) It is vital for a healthy relationship with one another and to be right with the Lord for us to admit our wrongs, and to honestly determine not to repeat them. This requires a humble spirit before both God and man.

May we be willing to confess and repent when we "get into the cookie jar", or better yet, let us obey and "stay out of the jar".

Instruments for God's Use

2010-10-18T20:10:00.002-05:00

It was just an ordinary day when the repairman came to work on the fixtures in the bathroom. Simone always offered workmen something to drink, but as she sat reading her Bible, the Holy Spirit nudged her heart that she had not yet offered this workman anything. Immediately she got up from her chair and went to the bathroom where the man was working on the bathtub.

"Could I offer you some water or coffee?" she kindly asked.
"Yes", replied the workman. "A cup of coffee would be great."
Simone hurried to the kitchen, prepared the coffee and chose a mug with a scripture verse printed on the side. When she handed the cup to the workman, he looked at the
cup and asked, "Are you Christians?"

A little surprised, Simone replied, "Well, yes we are."
The workman asked if they attended church on Sundays and if so where. Simone gladly told him they were active members at the Baptist church in Bassenheim (our church here in Germany), and invited him to come. As it turns out he lives close to the church and said he had been looking for a church and would come sometime. After this exchange Simone called us, and asked us to pray that the workman would actually come.

How our hearts rejoiced on Sunday morning when this man walked in to church. After services he explained that he had recently come to Germany from Romania. He had accepted Christ as his Savior about 20 years ago and felt the Lord had led him to our church.

None of the above occurrence was planned by man; not by the workman or by Simone or her husband, but it was planned. It was planned and orchestrated by the Lord. There are no accidents in the lives of God's children and when we live alert and conscious to the leading of the Holy Spirit, exciting things take place: we become instruments of God to be used to bless and enrich the lives of others. "...yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God." Romans 6:13

"The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way." Psalm 37:23
I wonder what opportunities the Lord has for you today?

Precious Message

2010-10-12T19:10:00.002-05:00

Have you ever parted company with a loved one in an argument or with harsh words, or hung up the telephone in anger leaving the person on the other end hanging? Maybe you and your husband or children were fussing when they left home and this time there was no parting hug or good-bye kiss. If so, then you know the awful feeling that sits in the pit of your stomach when this happens.

Most of the time we have a chance to make things right and clear the air. But what if we don’t have that chance? What if the last memory is that of stinging, harsh words and a damaged relationship? I have spoken with more than one person that carried immense guilt because a loved one died before things could be made right.

I watched an old movie the other night and this very scenario played a large part in the plot of the movie. A plane full of passengers had electrical problems that resulted in the plane crashing, killing all on board. The passengers became aware of the impending crash just minutes before it took place. One of these passengers was a father who had left home with his only child yelling angry and hurtful words at him.

Thinking of his child in the last minutes of his life, he penned a short note,
tucked it safely in an empty baggy she had given him full of cookies, sealed it and hoped it would be found and given to his daughter after the crash.

Upon hearing of the crash, the man's young daughter was grief stricken not only because of the death of her father, but because her last memory was of the anger and hurtful way she had treated her father as they parted.

You and I as believers don't just hurt each other, but we grieve and hurt our Lord. We grieve Him when we willfully sin, rebel against His will, resent what He brings into our life or get angry when He allows painful situations to come that we do not understand. We do not always voice angry words although we might, but our actions clearly convey to our Lord how we feel.

In our relationship with Jesus Christ, He is always available when we want to get things right. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9 But have you ever sincerely confessed a sin and yet been plagued with guilt? I have, and it feels awful. Where does it come from and how can we get rid of it?

God's forgiveness based on the blood of Christ is complete. "As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us." Psalm 103:12 Therefore the guilt we experience afterwards is not conviction from the Holy Spirit, but general guilt thrown on us from our enemy, the devil. He tries to keep us tied to the past, distracted by our own failures and away from the freedom that comes when we trust God’s word. The best way to get rid of the guilty feelings is to submit to God and to resist the devil. (James 4:7)

The young daughter in our opening story finally received the note her father had lovingly written to her in those last fleeting moments of his life. The words he wrote freed her from her guilt and they are the same as the words written to you and I by our loving heavenly Father.
"All is forgiven. I love you, Dad"

Connecting Truth To Where We Live

2010-10-07T16:36:00.002-05:00

One day my oldest daughter asked me, "Why is it so hard to get what we know in our head to move to our heart?" That was a very good question, and one that seems to puzzle most believers.

We KNOW God loves us, is all powerful, and works all things for our good. That is, we accept these truths in our intellect, but being convinced that they are true for us personally is something altogether different. In this "difference" is where our problem lies.

Since the time I had accepted Christ as my personal Savior at the age of ten, I had been taught God loved me and would supple my needs. I "believed" this truth, but that did not keep me from worrying or from finding my own ways to work things out. After all, I reasoned, God gave me a brain, intelligence, and abilities, so I can do this.

Guess that is why the Bible warns us in Proverbs 3:5, not to depend on our own reasoning. My idea was very human and sounded logical. However, it was based on intellectual acceptance of God's promise to supply my needs, but obviously not on heart assurance. I was depending on myself instead of relying on God.

Through the process of time and a line of experiences and situations my Lord brought into my life, I began to realize I had a real problem. The Lord was in my life, I read His word, went to church regularly, was involved in service, but somehow HE was not real. I was trying hard to do all that I thought was expected, and wanted to be controlled by the Holy Spirit, but it didn't seem to be working. Why? What was I suppose to do different?

Through a broken spirit, much prayer, and reading His word, the Holy Spirit began to show me what was missing was an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. I had trouble trusting Him, because although I knew a lot about him, I didn't really know Him. You don’t trust the ability and care of someone you don't know.

How do we build an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ? It starts with the desire to have one. Then it requires humble, honest communication through prayer, Bible study, and time. It involves choosing to believe God's promises are true, because He cannot lie, regardless of feelings, and claiming them for my life.

Living an intimate life with Jesus Christ means we share all of life with Him….our needs, our feelings, our irritations, our dreams, our sorrows, our struggles, our joys. It is a 24x7 relationship. It means keeping a humble attitude before Him; proofing our heart and confessing sin (Psalm 139:23-24). It means relying up Him to guide our minds, and direct our energy to accomplish what He has in mind. It is realizing the truth that we are in Christ and He is in us, and as we yield (turn lose of the control), He will work.

The Powerful Force Called HOPE

2010-09-28T18:16:00.003-05:00

Why does a person diagnosed with cancer endure the torturous treatments of chemotherapy and radiation? Why do researchers invest their whole lives searching for a cure to diseases such as Alzheimer’s, cancer, lupus, aids, Ebola, autism or diabetes to name just a few? Why do missionaries go to isolated parts of the world and live without modern conveniences, medical care, or technology? What moves people who, through an illness or accident, have lost the ability to speak, read, or remember their own families, work as a little child to relearn? Why do people take tremendous risks to leave their homeland and immigrate to a new country? What causes people lost in the mountains, trapped underground, or stranded in a snow storm to do everything possible to stay alive? What is the energizing force behind every example listed? It is HOPE.

It is hope for life, freedom, a cure, spiritual life, an active life, or for survival. It is hope for life; for life that is fulfilling. It is the hope that what is needed will be found. How can the world offer hope when it can only be based on sinful, imperfect, limited mankind? The Bible says that man without God has no hope at all. (Ephesians 2:12)

The Greek dictionary says the word hope in the New Testament means a favorable, confident expectation, a happy anticipation of good. But how can we as Christians have a confident expectation and happy anticipation of good when an incurable disease strikes our loved one, disaster knocks on our door, when Satan seems to have the upper hand and no one appears to respond to the Gospel, when all seems dark, hopeless and lost?

We can have hope because our expectation is set in the One who is infallible, almighty, and sovereign. It is in Jesus Christ. “Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;” (Hebrews 6:19) Our hope is never set in our circumstances, human reasoning, or our own abilities and resources.

We have the hope that all things will work for our good and to our being conformed to His image. (Romans 8:28-29) Man hopes for a fulfilled life, and that is exactly why Jesus came to this earth. (John 10:10) For us as born-again believers in Jesus Christ our hope is a very confident expectation and an excited anticipation of His coming and of life with Him in heaven. "In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;" (Titus 1:2)

This hope, based in Jesus Christ Himself, will energize us to endure hardships and struggles, to stay faithful regardless of results, to stand firm when waves of persecution roll over us. We have hope because we have Christ. "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Savior, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;" (1 Timothy 1:1, Emphasis is mine)
Adoniram Judson, a missionary to Burma, witnessed six years in the national language before he lead a man to accept Christ as his savior. Once asked how he saw the missionary prospect for Burma, he answered, "The prospects are as bright as the promises of God." We have the same God, the same promises and the same bright prospects for our future.

When "NEVER" Becomes NOW

2010-09-21T18:50:00.002-05:00

Have you ever viewed the lives of other people and thought, that will never happen to me, or that will never happen in our family? That is how I felt about cancer. Then there we were, my husband in a hospital bed, me standing beside him, when the doctor informed us that Thomas had two cancerous tumors in his colon. My emotions cried, "No, this can't be true. This isn't happening to us!" But it did happen.

In 1990, we were in El Paso, Texas preparing for our oldest daughter's wedding. Then one evening only a few days before the wedding was to take place, we received a phone call. Deborah had been in a serious car accident and was being rushed to the hospital. With anxious hearts and spiked adrenalin we arrived at the emergency room. Again, as I gazed at my daughter, covered in blood, crying in pain, my emotions drew recoiled in protest. This cannot be Deborah! This can’t be happening to my daughter! But it did happen.

I wonder how many of you have felt this emotion when you discovered your child or loved one is addicted to alcohol, pornography or drugs, turned homosexual, getting a divorce, has an incurable disease, has just been arrested, is missing in action or is having an affair. The list is long of those things which we hope will not and, somehow refuse to accept, could happen to us personally or to members of our family. Yet, they do happen.

I realize many factors contribute to any of the above scenarios, but I do want to draw our attention to the fact that we are involved in a serious spiritual war. "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6:12)

Our enemy Satan and his angels, though created beings, are cunning and powerful, with one plan in mind—destruction. Satan is out to destroy testimonies, marriages, families, churches and lives.

We are foolish when we think we do not have to be on guard in any specific area or that we can "play" with sin. It is exactly in those unguarded areas that the enemy will cunningly lay the traps. We seem to forget that we are still flesh and blood, with weaknesses and blind spots. Actually, in ourselves, we have no chance against our enemy.

But, praise the Lord we don't have to rely on ourselves. We have Jesus Christ and His word. "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7) We have been given the armor and the weapon we need. (Ephesians 6:13-17) As born-again believers we are the children of God, indwelt with the Holy Spirit and have all we need to achieve victory in this war.

However, we must take the battle seriously, never forget we have an enemy, and learn to use our spiritual armor and sword proficiently. As the rapture draws closer, our enemy grows stronger. Let us take to heart 1 Peter5:8-9, and stay alert. "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world." We have the victory in Christ!

Refining

2010-09-15T16:45:00.002-05:00

Why does God allow pain, suffering, loss, loneliness, trials and struggles in the lives of His children? If you have ever sat at the bedside of your sick and suffering child, felt the loss and emptiness of losing someone you deeply loved, stood in shock as the police brought you news of tragedy, or listened to a doctor inform you there is no hope for your condition, you may have asked "Does God not care?" The disciples asked Jesus this question when their boat was filling with water during a storm. Life takes turns for which we have no answers or understanding, and we are at a loss to see how they can possibly work for good.

Did you know that gold must be heated to 1064 degrees centigrade to begin the purifying process? Silver is heated to 1200 degrees. Bone china, the most valuable, thinnest, and most refined of all porcelains, must endure the intense heat of the kilt not once, but three times.

Trials, struggles and all the hard, unexpected, painful experience in the life of a believer are the "heat" our Lord uses. They are applied to refine, purify, and change us spiritually. Our Lord's hand is always on the thermostat and His watchful eye never wonders from His dear child. He knows just how much, and what kind of "heat" is needed. Job said, "But he knoweth the way that I take when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." Job 23:10

If we are serious Christians and want to be vessels for the Master's use, then we will go through the fire. The experiences are not of our choosing and may even appear as the result of someone else's sin. None the less, by the time they reach our lives, they are woven into the workings of God for our good.

When I experience pain and do not know the reason, it is hard for me to bear, because fear accompanies the not knowing. However, when I understand what is causing the pain I cope with it much better. The trials of life will come and they will hurt, but when we know the divine purpose for our suffering is to make us more like Him, then we can rest in His loving care and be assured it WILL work together for our good.

"That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ."
1 Peter 1:7

Never out of Date

2010-09-08T12:35:00.002-05:00

Today I started rearranging my closet by taking out my summer clothes and putting in a few warmer ones for the fall. In the process, I decided to get rid of a few things such as garments that were old, out of date or items that don't fit any more and therefore useless to me.

Sometimes I feel like those discarded garments from my closet: old, out of date and useless. I know these are "just feeling'”, but I'll bet I am not the only one that experiences them.

This present generation is so advanced with its technology that even the techno-savvy people can hardly keep up, let alone a granny like me. It is disheartening when your 10 year old grandson can do in 5 minutes what you have been trying to figure out for the last thirty. My computer 'know-how' enables me to use Word, write e-mails and do a few other internet activities. Beyond that, I am techno-illiterate and definitely outdated.

Old is a relative term. My 93 year old mother-in-law views old entirely different than my almost 19 year old grandson. The word is taking on new meaning for me as my stamina and energy levels are not what they once were. Regardless of the years our life may span, at times, we feel tired and old. Out tiredness is not always that brought on by a long day's activities, but weariness in the struggles and trials of life. We get tired of the battle.

Sometimes life's purpose is clear. We see goals met, achievements accomplished, challenges overcome, and we "feel" useful, and then life changes. If we do not understand these changes and see life from God's perspective, we will sit down on the side-lines feeling useless.

Regardless of how old, out of date or useless a garment may appear, it can be revitalized by a master clothes designer. And no one can revitalize you and I like our Master Designer, Jesus Christ.

Paul said, Our outward man may get old and perish, but our inward man is renewed every day. (2 Corinthians 4:16) Nothing energizes a life like the divine power of the Holy Spirit working through a believer to accomplish the Lord’s will. (Ephesians 3:16)

Do you want "out-of-this -world" technology and communication, consider prayer. Prayer can move mountains, obtain the impossible and influence lives of people we have never met. We don’t need a college degree, lap-top or Blackberry. We just need time spent in believing, prevailing prayer.

I watch some women work hard at keeping up-to-date with the fashion trends, but eventually age and other physical factors make it impossible. However, when we live for eternity, we are never out dated. Jesus said we should seek and set our affections on things above. We should lay up treasures in heaven, not here on earth. This life is short at best, but eternity is a L-O-N-G time, and in heaven we will not age.

If we will allow the Holy Spirit, the dynamite of God to energize us daily, make use of our direct line of communication to our Heavenly Father, and focus on living for eternity, we will not feel, old, outdated or useless. We will have joy unspeakable and a purpose that transcends out of this world.

CHILD LIKENESS

2010-08-31T16:33:00.002-05:00

I have been helping keep our baby/toddler nursery over the last couple of years. It has been fascinating to watch the newborns begin to develop and become aware of the surroundings. These little ones quickly grow into toddlers. Then, though it is hard to pin point the ways, the toddlers begin to mature and become young preschool and kindergarten children.

Jesus said, "Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven."(Matthew 18:3-4) Have you ever wondered what Jesus meant about us being "as little children"?

I thought about this last Sunday as I watched some of our little children in the church. Although children can vary greatly depending upon their family background, health and training, I came to a few conclusions.

Small children take words literally without looking for hidden meanings, and are not burdened with worry. They are confident in the care of their parents. Little children play with other little children without caring about their parent's financial or social standings, political affiliation, color, or race. Little children are trusting and have a simple, uncomplicated faith in God. Are these characteristics not what the Lord expects of us?

Jesus tells us not to worry but to cast every care upon Him. He has given us His love and we are commanded to love one another with an impartial and a pure heart. We, as God's children, are to live by faith, which simply means to take God at His word and trust Him to do what He promises.

Regretfully, people are not always truthful, faithful, or caring parents and children will be disappointed. Our Lord on the other hand, is always faithful, truthful and has the power to provide everything we need. His love is unconditional and He is always with us.

Now that we have a perfect Father, let us endeavor to be as little children. "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" Matthew 7:11

You Don’t Know My Dad

2010-08-24T16:35:00.001-05:00

"My dad will find a way to help us."
"He can’t ---there is nothing he can do. He can’t help us!"
"You don’t know my dad."

These are lines from a movie I watched last night. The trust of the one girl in her dad out-weighted all the obstacles surrounding her circumstances.

Hospital and medical bills piling up in an insurmountable mountain, relationships turned in to a tangled maze of hurt feelings and misunderstandings, commitments, responsibilities and expectations pressing down like a steam roller, or the loss of a loved one leaving an aching emptiness that nothing seems to fill, all appear impossible and insurmountable. In our own strength and ability, they are. People around us may maintain nothing can be done; there is no one who can help.

However, we can stand in the face of these adversities and boldly declare, "You don’t know my dad!", "You don’t know my heavenly Father!"

Nothing is impossible for Him. No circumstance is too complicated or situation too overwhelming. He can do all things, and does do amazing, miraculous things for us, His children.

He is the One who can make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the dessert. I have talked about this subject before, but I just don’t think we can be reminded too much about the power of our Lord and our need to just trust Him to work.

May we look past the hindrances in our circumstances, and by faith, exercising confidence in the power and faithfulness of our heavenly Father.

"Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is not searching of his understanding." Isaiah 40:28

Strong Relationships

2010-08-17T17:07:00.000-05:00

Strong relationships play an important role in our life, but how can we build them? After researching this subject, I found four major requirements are needed: trust, communication, respect, and love. These aspects play a vital role in our marriages, relationships with our children and with our friends.

In the secular information I found, trust was considered the only safe foundation upon which a strong relationship can be build. Communication, which is sharing and listening from both sides of the relationship, is vital. Respect for the other person, placing value on their attitudes, beliefs and actions, even when they are not present was next, which results in loyalty. Love, perhaps the greatest need and strongest emotion, should be unconditional.

I find this information interesting not only in the human realm but in the spiritual. As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, far too often we view the Christian life as fulfilling an obligation or duty. It is seen as complying with a list of “do’s” and “don’ts”, and fulfilling expectations set by people. However, an authentic Christian life is about a relationship - a living union with Jesus Christ.

In Matthew 11:29, Jesus said, “learn of me.” The Greek word translated “learn” means to increase in Knowledge, not just of the doctrine of Christ, but Christ Himself, a process not merely of getting to know the Person, but of so applying the knowledge as to walk differently.

The word “abide”, in John 15:4, means to dwell, or to live with one. In Ephesians 3:17, the Greek word translated “dwell” means for Jesus to make His home in our hearts, and in Mark 8:34, Jesus said if we will be His disciples, we must follow Him. The word for “follow” means union or likeness.

Spiritual life is not a quantity separate from Jesus. It is His life in us. “He that hath the Son, hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” 1 John 5:12

Now let’s apply the previous listed four requirements to our relationship with Jesus. Faith is trust, and without faith in Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour, there is no relationship to build. Living with Jesus requires us to believe and trust His word. Hebrews 11:6 Prayer and bible reading are not chores, but communication. We need to talk with our Lord, pour out our hearts and ask our questions. We also need to listen to the Holy Spirit when He convicts and instructs us. If we will take the time, the Lord will speak to us through His word.

Respect is holy reverence. Jesus Christ is perfect, holy, righteous, just, mighty and sovereign. Do we worship Him as such, or have we allowed the world’s philosophy to diminish His deity?

Then there is love. I found it particularly interesting that the world said there is a need for unconditional love, since the world cannot provide it. The only source of unconditional love is our Lord, Jesus Christ, and He desires for us to love Him.

Are we trying to live the Christian life, or are we building a relationship? Can we say as Paul, “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:”? Galatians 2:20

Little is Big

2010-08-11T12:55:00.000-05:00

"I go to the Lord about the major things in my life, but I don't want to bother Him with the little stuff. He gave me a brain, so I'm sure He expects me to work out the small things by myself." This is a quote from a friend and although her comment sounds quite reasonable, is it what the Lord thinks?

Have you ever prayed for a parking place, about a certain gift you were looking for, or perhaps a good sale for something you needed? Some folks would say, to do so is foolish. Well if it is, then I am foolish a lot of the time. The truth is, nothing lets me know my Lord sees and cares about me more than when He takes care of the "little" things in my life.

Just last Friday was a perfect example. We needed to get up at 5:00 a.m. in order to have the necessary time to drive my husband to the train station. It was important for him not to miss his train, because his destination was the Frankfurt airport where he was booked on a flight to Houston, Texas.

I reminded him to set the alarm, just to be sure we would not oversleep, which he did. We fell asleep secure knowing the alarm was set. I was sleeping soundly, when suddenly I was awakened. I looked at the clock and it was exactly 5:00 a.m. on the dot. What woke me? It was not the alarm clock, which we later discovered had been set, but not turned on. It was the Lord. He knew we needed to be up, so He woke me up. You may laugh, but when my Lord takes care of such "little" things, it gives me a wonderful feeling of His presence and love.

Nothing is too small or insignificant to be of interest to our Lord. Remember the time you needed a pair of shoes, a particular color and price and found a pair---only one and in your size? Or when you went looking for decorations for a special event and found exactly what you had hoped for on clearance? There are countless such occurrences in our lives, but we tend to call them coincidences, or luck.

For the children of God, it is not a coincidence or luck. It is the work of our heavenly Father who knows what we need even before we ask (Matthew 6:8). However, He delights in His children coming to Him and asking, because asking shows we recognize our dependence on Him and we trust in His provision. Perhaps, asking and receiving the little needs of life increases our faith more than receiving the big things.

This week, talk to the Lord about some of those little needs in your life and then keep your eyes open. When He supplies your need, give Him the credit, not luck. He is our sovereign Lord and He is interested in every part of our life. In Genesis 18:14, Abraham is asked the question, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" My question is, "Is anything too little for the Lord?"

A Date With Jesus

2010-08-04T16:34:00.002-05:00

"I need to read my Bible. I have to make time for devotions." For years, having this set-apart time for the Lord felt like a duty or a must. When I made time, I often just felt relief that I had kept my commitment, but not necessarily fed, encouraged, spoken too or blessed. If I failed to make time, I felt guilty.

Then one day someone made a suggestion that began to change my attitude. They suggested I consciously imagined the Lord physically waiting to meet and talk with me. Let's consider this idea.

First, since the Lord has promised to never leave us. He is here. The Bible is God's Word, written on purpose by His divine intervention for His children. Therefore, when I read it, the Lord is talking to me. All that is left is to make a date, a set time to meet with Jesus every day.

If we planned to have our morning coffee, maybe breakfast or perhaps a cup of tea later in the day with Jesus, we would have a date and He would be waiting to fellowship with us. Do you think we would keep Him waiting, forget about it, or perhaps just skip it because we had no interest?

Jesus is not only our God and Redeemer, He is our Friend and Shepherd. No one understands the hurts, burdens or needs of our hearts like He does. Sometimes I can only cry when I meet with Him, because I don't have the words to describe what I am feeling. My heart is overwhelmed, but He "reads" my heart and understands. When I begin to read His word, He begins to meet my need.

Over the years, the time I set apart to be with my Lord has become an intimate, precious time of closeness with the lover of my soul. I desire and look forward to it, expecting the Lord to speak with me. Sometimes He gives specific direction, sometimes the Holy Spirit shines His light on sin in my life, other times He encourages and strengthens my faith and at still other times, He simply bears witness with my spirit that I am His child.

What is your quiet time with Jesus like? Is it a ritual, a routine, something you feel obligated to do, that soothes your conscious but leaves your life unchanged? If so, try making a date with Jesus, and turn the opportunity into a time of worship, praise, thanksgiving, fellowship and communication with your Lord. "Delight thyself also in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." Psalm 37:4

Somewher Between Impossible And Provision

2010-07-27T12:05:00.002-05:00

Thousands of people are hungry but without a means of food. Godly women are barren and cannot conceive children. People burdened with great financial needs and debts without a means to pay. Believers, both young and old alike, are suffering from pain and incurable diseases. Families suddenly and unexpectedly faced with seemingly insurmountable problems and losses.

We can read about all these situations in the pages of recorded history of the Bible, but they could also be written about many of our lives today. Human nature, and the challenges, hardships, and suffering that go along with life on this planet have not changed. All of these scenarios are impossible, except for God.

Almighty God is the bridge between the impossible and provision. God rained down manna from heaven to feed 2 million plus people for 40 years, He made a cruse of oil and a barrel of meal last until a drought ended, and fed more than 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish. These were feats impossible for men, but not for God.

The oil in a pot was increased to pay a widow’s debts, and money for taxes was found in the mouth of a fish - impossible except for God. We read of incurable diseases, blindness, physical handicaps and even demon possessions being cured by a word or touch from Jesus. Hannah, Sarah, Elisabeth and the mother of Samson were barren and then came God. We read of all these accounts, and yet still wonder, "Can God meet my impossible need?"

If I had the space, I would tell you the stories of God providing food, when there was none in the cabinets, of children born when the doctors said it was impossible, of people cured from diseases and injuries after doctors said there was no hope, of tragedies that could have devastate lives. Yet in the midst of the impossible, provision was supplied and these people are rejoicing in the miracles of Almighty God.

When our Lord says, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God", He means exactly what He says. He is the only one that can bring good out of evil, make straight that which is crooked, healed that which broken, restore that which was destroyed.

Whatever your impossible situation might be, take it to the throne and lay it at the feet of Jesus. He is "able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think" (Eph. 3:20), because He is God.

Fantasy Or Reality

2010-07-22T07:43:00.002-05:00

To imagine something or someone that is not real is called fantasy and is the result of our imagination. A creative imagination is a great asset for one desiring to write a fiction book, create a play or a film. However, imagined beings or power will not help us deal with the stress, problems and challenges of real life.

It is not imagination that accepts the reality of Jesus Christ in everyday life. It is not fantasy when we experience His peace and the power of the Holy Spirit. It is faith or trust on the very nature of God that makes Jesus real to us.

Would we be as fearful as we are if we could physically see Jesus standing beside us? Would we be as burdened or distress if Jesus was sitting next to us explaining how He is going to relieve our need? Would we feel so alone and unworthy, if we could feel His loving arms around us and hear Him say, “I love you”? How would we react to our husbands and family if we could see Jesus sitting at our breakfast table or on the couch in our living room?

I think we would all agree, life would be much different if we could see Jesus physically everyday and hear with our ears His loving voice. Because we can’t, we all too often succumb to the illusion that He is NOT with us and does not really care what is going on in our life. This is a lie direct from Satan, the father of lies and our enemy.

God can not lie, therefore when He says, “I will never leave you or forsake you”, that is exactly what He means. Scripture is full of His promises to care for us, supply our needs, guide our way, defend us, and provide the strength for everything He gives us to do.

So where is the problem? The problem is either we do not truly believe God means what He says, or we are not exercising faith to claim His presence as reality. Moses “endured as seeing him who is invisible” (Heb. 11:27). We are to live our lives “looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” (Heb. 12:2)

I challenge you to consciously and deliberately exercise your faith and see Christ in your day. Picture Him standing right beside you and hearing every word you say. Read the Bible as if He were personally speaking the words in your ear. He really is there with you. This is not a fantasy.

“Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me; thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” John 11:29

BROKEN THINGS

2010-07-14T12:21:00.000-05:00

Germany has been experiencing the hottest summer in 60 years. Since our homes do not have air-conditioning, fans are greatly appreciated. Last week, while watching one of the world cup soccer games with my husband, one of the blades on our fan broke and flew across the room. The fan was broken, unusable and worthless. When things brake, most often we dispose of them, but broken things are exactly what our Lord uses.

Only when 300 elect soldiers of Gideon broke their pitchers did the hidden light shone forth to astonish their enemy. Esther broke the royal etiquette of a powerful King to intercede for her people. Jesus broke five loaves of bread, multiplying them to feed 5,000 hungry people. Mary broke the alabaster box to release the expensive aromatic oil with which she anointed Jesus.

The act of breaking in all these examples, made no sense to human reasoning. In fact, it appeared absurd, illogical, and even wasteful. Nothing could seem more illogical and wasteful than for the perfect, holy God of creation to be born as a man and allow his body to be broken, bruised, beaten and crucified for sinful mankind. Yet, that is exactly what He did.

Broken things appear weak and useless. However, in the hands of our powerful Lord they can be miraculously transformed into vessels of life, blessing, and worship. Do we want to be a transformed vessel of blessing at the disposal of Almighty God? Human reasoning would say, “Gain power, build a reputation, acquire wealth and use it all to help mankind”. However, our Lord requires something totally different.

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” Psalm 51:17 God will only use a believer whose prideful will has been broken, and become submissive. Audacious Moses was broken. Arrogant Joseph was broken. Zealous Paul was broken. Boastful Peter was broken and if you and I want to be use in a mighty way for our Lord, we must be broken too. Are we willing?

“But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty: and the base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in his presence.”
1Corinthians 1:27-29

Good Intentions Are Not Enough

2010-07-06T10:55:00.000-05:00

About 11:00a.m. Friday morning, while I was curling my hair, someone began leaning on our door bell. My husband hurried to answer the door and there stood a young, hysterical, woman screaming for us to call an ambulance. Tom went for the phone and I ran outside, where I found a teenage girl moaning on the ground beside a car.

Apparently, the two girls were sisters and had just started down our street. Suddenly, the driver had to slam on the brakes and the passenger, who did not have her seat belt fastened, crashed into the windshield. As we waited for the ambulance to come, the older sister kept repeating, “But she was going to put her seat belt on!”
I thought about the accident several times throughout that day. The girls knew they should use seat belts and intended to do so, but that was not enough to keep the passenger from suffering a painful and perhaps serious injury. Warnings do not help if they are not heeded and the safety measures not cared out.

How many times in life do we hear warnings, we intend to heed them but don’t. This is true not only in the physical realm, but also in the spiritual. God warns us of the reality of hell and that if we do not accept His Son, Jesus Christ, we will spend eternity there. One of our young grandsons asked my husband on the day of my father’s funeral a pertinent question. “Grandpa, if I plan to accept Christ as my personal Savior but die first, will that help me?” My husband replied clearly, “No son. Just intending to accept Christ will not save you.”

How often do we, as believers, “crash” into unexpected painful and often tragic consequences, because we do not heed God’s warnings? The problem is not what we DON’T KNOW but rather, that we don’t DO what we know is right.

I am sure these two young girls will be thinking “if only” for a long time. The regret and sorrow the sister who was driving felt could not turn back the clock or change the reality of the accident. Some people will live with the results of not heeding God’s warnings for all of eternity. Let us take heed to God’s word and protect ourselves and those around us from avoidable pain and suffering.

“Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.” Hebrews 2:1

Have Your Cake and Eat It Too

2010-06-30T12:28:00.004-05:00

There is one particular German cake that I like very much. When I bake it, I must follow the directions exactly for it to be a success. There is nothing like baking your favorite cake and then getting to enjoy a big piece of it. Although cakes vary in taste and appearance, certain ingredients are almost always included.

Baking a cake is similar to living a Christian life. God's word gives us the ingredients needed, as well as the directions. However, sometimes we have the idea that if we follow the directions, with the required ingredients, we will have a flop on our hands instead of a "beautiful, tasty, moist cake." We will not be happy, and our life will not be successful.

What are the ingredients needed? I will list what is needed for a successful cake and then parallel it to our Christian walk.

FLOUR: This is the primary structure builder in a cake. We can compare this to submission to God’s authority and recognition of our unworthiness and inability.

EGGS: Eggs also help furnish structure, and are the only ingredient that can be used to regulate the toughing action of the cake. I compare this to obedience. It gives structure to our life, gives value to what we do, and as we obey we grow and become stronger in faith.

SUGAR: Love for the Lord is what adds sweetness to our life and service. The more we love the Savior, the fresher and more vibrant our spiritual life will be.

SHORTENING: This ingredient determines the tenderness of the cake. Therefore, I put humility as this ingredient. It makes our hearts tender and yielding.

LEAVEN: Faith adds "volume", depth, to our life. It enables us to step out into the unknown without fear.

LIQUIDS: Commitment, like a liquid, helps hold all the other ingredients together.

Temperature and baking time vary. In the same way, the "heat" in our lives brought on by trials, heartaches and sufferings, and well as their duration varies in each individual life. However, both are always under the watchful eye of our Lord.

If we use the right ingredients and follow the directions we will not only have a beautiful "cake", but we can enjoy "eating" it. We will experience spiritual power, joy, peace, comfort, courage, security, and answered prayer. We will have an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.

But that is not all. People around us will also enjoy a "piece". We will become a means of God’s blessing and love to others. Obedience always results in blessing.
"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us," let us "bake" a beautiful "cake".

That Others Might Live

2010-06-24T11:07:00.002-05:00

"These things we do…that others may live" I discover just last week that these words are part of the motto for the USAF Pararescue Corps. Four young men belonging to a Pararescue team were shot down in Afghanistan trying to rescue some British troops. They gave their lives trying to help others live.
I asked myself this question, "Is this not what we as believers should be doing in a spiritual sense?" Is this not what Paul meant when he said, 'I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.' (1 Corinthians 9:22)

In the days of the Roman Emperor Nero there lived and served him a band of soldiers known as the "Emperor's Wrestlers". They were picked from the best and the bravest of the land. After conquering all they fought in the Roman amphitheater, they would cry out: "We, the wrestlers, wrestling for thee, O emperor, to win for thee the victory and from thee, the victor's crown."

These men were sent far away to do battle for the Emperor, but news came that many of these Roman soldiers had accepted the Christian faith. Therefore, a decree was sent out, that all who clung to the faith of the Christians must die.

A centurion named Vespasian, put the question to his troops, and forty mighty wrestlers stepped forward admitting their faith in Christ. With a heavy heart, Vespasian said, "The degree of the Emperor must be carried out, but I am not willing that your comrades should shed your blood. Therefore, I am going to leave you out on the frozen lake of ice, and leave you to the elements."

The forty men were stripped and marched toward the center of the lake. As they marched they chanted, "Forty wrestlers, wrestling for Thee. O Christ, to win for Thee the victory and from Thee, the victor’s crown!" As the night wore on, their voices became fainter and fainter.

As morning drew near, one figure crept quietly toward the fire, renouncing his Lord. Vespasian could hear the faint voices chanting, "Thirty-nine wrestlers, wrestling for Thee…. Vespasian suddenly, threw off his helmet and clothing, ran onto the ice and cried, "Forty wrestlers, wrestling for Thee, O Christ..." The committed stand, in spite of severe suffering, of 39 men brought this one centurion to Jesus Christ. (Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations, Assurance Publishers, 1982.) This they did, and another one found eternal life.

What are you and I doing that others might live?

Turning Loose

2010-06-16T12:36:00.001-05:00

Have you ever noticed the look of dilemma on the face of a baby holding one toy tight in her little fist, while being offered a new one? She wants to grasp the new one, but at the same time does not want to turn loose of the old one. What a predicament.

This is the dilemma we as believers, often find ourselves in. When we read the word of God, we see innumerable gifts and promises the Lord gives to us as His children. We desire to take them as our own, but precisely here is our problem. We must be willing to let go of what we have, before we can grasp something new.

This means we must stop living by sight if we want to grasp faith (2 Corinthians 5:7). We have to turn loose of religious traditions and the opinions of men to accept the biblical principles of Jesus (Matthew 15:3-19, Colossians 2:8). Pride must be let go of, in order to gain the humility of Christ. Worldly gain and recognition can no longer be our priority if we are to serve the Lord (1John 2:15). We must deny self with its expectations, demands, and goals if we want to be a disciple of Christ (Matthew 16:24).

The problem is, we often want to have both. We struggle with turning loose of those things we have held on to for so long, even though at the same time, we desire to have the spiritual blessings and power Jesus offers us. Here is the crux of the Christian life. Jesus does not deal in gray-zones, engage in discussions or debates, or settle for compromise. He is a holy, righteous, powerful God who allows us the freedom of choice, but His standards and commands are not negotiable.

The question boils down to this: who will we love and give our devotion to - God or ourselves? It may require some soul-searching honesty to determine the answer to this question, but the authenticity of our Christian walk depends on the answer.
What will you choose? Will you let go in order to grasp? "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Matthew 6:24

Will Your Flame Be Lit?

2010-06-09T19:07:00.003-05:00

The Greeks had a race in their Olympic games that was unique. The winner was not the runner who finished first. It was the one who finished with his torch still lit.
Our Lord does not want us to just live out our life, but He desires that we live it in the power of the Holy Spirit, remaining true and faithful till He takes us home. The goal is to keep our spiritual flame lit. Considering all the difficult situations and heart-wrenching circumstances we encounter in this is life, this is
no easy task.

For a runner to win this particular race, speed was not the important factor, but rather perseverance. This same virtue is vitally needed by believers today. Let's take a look at a few examples in God's word that illustrates this fact.

Ephesians 6:18 tells us to pray with all perseverance. In Galatians 6:9, Paul encourages us to not be weary in well doing, but rather to keep on doing well. The writer of Hebrews admonishes us to lay aside every weight and sin that burdens us down, and run with patience the race set before us. Timothy is urged by Paul to not become swayed by others, but to continue in the truth he had been taught.

We need to preserver, not get weary and give up, not allow the things of our fleshly nature and the world to weight us down, but continue steadfast and true, keeping our flame burning bright. The lost world around us is in spiritual darkness, and Jesus said we are to be the light, His light in this world.

This may be your desire as it is mine. However, some days I find it difficult. When I begin to focus on what people are doing, things that are said, and on complicated problems, I get weary and am tempted to just quit. And yet, running this race is not about what I see, or the victories I experience. It is about being faithful and trusting my Lord. An Olympic runner would falter and lose if he became occupied with the runners in the lanes next to him. It can be a devastating failure for me, if I become focused on those around me.

The only way to stay faithfully in this race, with a brightly burning flame, is to stay close to the Source of power. An intimate relationship with Jesus Christ is a must. He is the source of help, strength, wisdom, comfort and rest. When I begin to falter, pouring my heart out to my Lord, reading His promises and remembering who He is always brings peace and strengthens my heart.

We can win the race with our flames still lit! May He "grant you according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;" Ephesians 3:16

Sheltering Wings

2010-06-01T13:27:00.001-05:00

Imagine being caught alone out in a fierce storm with vehement winds whipping through the trees, violent rain beating the earth, streaks of lightening ripping the sky, and earsplitting thunder exploding in the air, and then finding a safe place of shelter. How would you feel?

Sometimes circumstances whip through our lives like vehement winds forcing us out of our comfort zones. Hardships and defeat pour down like waves of violent rain, and our hearts are slashed with suffering, affliction and loss. We feel overwhelmed and fearful of how it will all work out.

But we have a place of safety and rest. “My soul trusteth in thee; yea in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.” The word “wings” in the Old Testament, refers to strength that covers and protects.

I love imagining myself under the powerful, protective wings of my Lord, where nothing can touch me without His permission. I can safely trust in His care. “He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust; his truth shall be thy shield and buckler (a large shield which covered the whole person).” Psalms 91:4

Our enemy tries to convince us we are alone, without help or protection and at times are emotions are in such an upheaval that we believe him. But remember, Satan is a liar and this is not the truth. We have a great and powerful Lord who is our protector and defender, who willingly, lovingly spreads his wings of safety to shelter and protect us. Remember, He is the one that spoke to the raging storm, “Peace be still”, and all was calm. (Mark 4:37-39) Whatever situation is raging in your life, take refuge under the wings of your Lord, and trust in His care.

“I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah” Psalm 61:4

Separate- Analysis- Apply

2010-05-25T09:04:00.000-05:00

I have found that it is often not a question of what we as believers do not know, but rather how to apply what we DO know. A verse can sound so good when I read it, but an hour later, I fail to know how to apply it to my life’s situation.

To help myself with this problem, I often take a verse apart, look up the meaning of the words in a Greek or Hebrew dictionary (sometimes Webster’s Dictionary) and think about how it applies to me.
This week I would like to do this with you. I am going to use one of my favorite verses (Isaiah 26:3).
It is one that I read every morning, and will write in first person. Isaiah 26:3
THOU: My God, my Savior, Creator of the universe
WILT: personal choice, desire
KEEP: to guard, to look after
HIM: me
IN: pertaining to the inside, contained
PERFECT: complete, flawless, excellent
PEACE: calm, quiet, free from conflict
WHOSE: or when
MIND: all the things I think about and dwell on
IS: are
STAYED: resting, relying on, focused, centered in
ON THEE: my Lord, Jesus Christ, His attributes, promises, faithfulness and commands, instead of on people, past hurts and disappointments, problems and obstacles, failures or “what-if” of tomorrow
BECAUSE: reason the Lord keeps me in His peace
HE: I
TRUSTETH: rest, place my confidence and belief
IN THEE: in my sovereign, Almighty, loving God, and NOT in myself, others, or present circumstances

So, to me, this verse says:
The personal choice and desire of my Lord is to guard me with His flawless, complete calm and peace, free from churning doubts and fears, when I choose to discipline my thoughts and focus on Him and His word, instead of the failures of myself and others, the difficulties of the present or the uncertainties of tomorrow, and choose (select or prefer) to place my total confidence and trust in His ability and care alone.

The exciting thing is experience has proven to me this verse is true—it really works!
Do you yearn for sweet peace in your soul? It can be yours, it is your choice.
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27

Not Under, But ABOVE

2010-05-19T06:45:00.004-05:00

Dr. John R. Rice asked a man how he was doing and the man replied that he was doing pretty well under the circumstances. Dr. Rice replied, “What are you doing under there?” The question startled the man and is a thought provoking question for you and me today. Are we living UNDER our circumstances?

It is not easy to keep from getting bogged down under the circumstances and situations that come into our life, especially when several of them hit at once, which invariably happens. Health problems, extra bills, appliances brake down, car requires expensive repairs, husbands work hours are shorten, strained relationships, betrayal by a friend, disgruntled church members, unexpected loss of a love one, are only a few of the situations that can pull us under. Many of life’s circumstances are out of our control and difficult for us to understand.

The question was, “What are you doing living under the circumstances.” The question does not imply that we don’t have difficult and trying circumstance. Tough, painful and demanding situations come to all of us. They are part of this earthly life. The question does imply however, that we as children of God should not be living underneath them.

I too battle with not getting bogged down under the heavy and grievous situations that develop in life. However, I have found 4 steps that help me live above my circumstances and I want to share them, in simple terms, with you.

Accept what the Lord allows to come into my life knowing He has a purpose for it and it will work for my best.
Jeremiah 29:11 -"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.";
Romans 8:28-29 - "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren."

Bring all my burdens, hurts, disappointments and needs to my Lord and leave them in His hands.
Philippians 4:6-7 - "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Trust Him to work in His way and in His time.
Proverb 3:5-6 -"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.";
Psalm 37:5 - "Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.";
Philippians 4:19 - "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

Discipline my thoughts and focus on the Lord and His word, not on myself, those around me or the events that may have taken place. Don’t rerun the garbage.
2Corinthians 10:5 - "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;";
Psalm 119:15-16 - "I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.";
Philippians 4:8 -"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

These points can be summed up in Isaiah 26:3-4 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength:”

May these thoughts help you to live above your circumstances today.

Out of the mouth of babes

2010-05-11T13:42:00.002-05:00

My daughter Rebekah was putting her 4 year old daughter Natalie, down for her afternoon quiet time. Unfortunately, Rebekah released silent but deadly gas, and all of a sudden Natalie said, “Mommy, why did God do that?!” My daughter asked, “What did God do?” Natalie replied while holding her nose, “God made that yucky smell! Mommy, spray it down, spray it!!”

Ironically, Natalie did not suspect her mother, but rather assumed it must have been God. Is it not just like our human nature to blame God for the “stinky, unpleasant” things that happen in our life? We seem to overlook the fact that often such situations come as a natural result of our own decisions.

When I eat refried beans and Mexican food I am going to have a problem with abdominal air or flatulence. When I do not brush my teeth, I develop tooth decay. When I consistently over-indulge in my favorite goodies, I gain weight. None of these unpleasant experiences are God’s fault. They are the natural results of my decisions.

God knows we need help with our decision making and has therefore, left us guidelines to follow. For example, we are commanded to forgive one another. Yet, how often we choose to disobey this command and allow our wounded hearts to fester until bitterness permeates our thoughts and actions.

Bitterness steals our peace, drains our spiritual power, and blocks the flow of God’s love through us. It also interferes with our fellowship with the Lord. However, it is easier for us to blame God and others for our miserable condition, than to admit it is the result of our own decision not to forgive.

God’s plan is not to make our lives miserable. He said the thoughts I think toward you are thoughts of peace and of hope. (Jeremiah 29:11) Jesus said He came that we might have life and that more abundantly. (John 10:10) It is God’s plan and desire to bless us. However, He allows us the freedom of choice, and the choice I make is my responsibility.

I do not enjoy the unpleasant, “smelling” situations I sometimes find myself in both in the natural realm and in the spiritual. It is then reasonable to conclude if I do not want these situations, I need to make wise choices. The Lord has given us both His written word and the Holy Spirit to give us the wisdom we need. We may experience some “spray-it-down" moments in the physical realm, but we can avoid them in our walk with the Lord as we choose to obey the instructions He has provided.

Killer at large!

2010-05-07T11:45:00.001-05:00

The life of a father and his young daughter were suddenly snuffed out without warning. What could have been the cause of this tragic loss? It was not a gun or a bomb. It was not an incurable disease or ruthless terrorist. It was a killer far more subtle. The killer was simple distraction; distraction with a cell phone.

Distraction in the physical world can cause injury, loss and even death. Can you imagine the possible results of a surgeon or dentist becoming distracted while attending to a patient? It pays to keep focused on what we are doing, whether cooking, sewing, handling machinery, driving or any other important activity. We can see clearly why becoming distracted in the physical world is dangerous, however, distraction in the spiritual world can be just as destructive.

Spiritual distraction often goes unnoticed, as it happens gradually. We don’t set out to take our focus off the Lord and shift it to other things, but it happens ever so easily. When we become distracted, we lose sight of our purpose, become disoriented and confused, and can easily be overcome by other temptations. Satan will use anything he can to distract us from Jesus Christ and His word.

What causes us to become distracted? Busyness can be a huge distraction. We get so busy serving the Lord, serving others, meeting demands and responsibilities that we have no time and energy left for personal, one-on-one time with Jesus. The activities may all be good and profitable, but when they interfere with our fellowship with the Lord, they become sinful.

The space of this devotion does not allow me to talk about all the things that can distract us, but here are a few to consider. People with what they do or don’t do can distract us. The world with its standards, fashions, and philosophy gain our attention. And perhaps the biggest distraction of all is our own emotions, desires, expectations and ego.

Obviously our Lord knew the danger of distraction so He gave us specific guidelines. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God.” (Mt. 66:33) “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth.” (Colossians 3:1-2)

We can stay focus and avoid distraction. “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith”, we can successfully reach our goal.

THOUGHT TO PONDER: Are you distracted from Jesus? If so what is distracting you?

God is Still Working!

2010-04-27T06:21:00.001-05:00

Through the media and word of mouth, we hear a great deal of negative news. Things in America are changing and not all of it is good. We hear of Christians who were once strong in the faith, falling by the wayside and churches that once preached the truth of God’s word, turning to worldly standards and philosophy. If we focus on these things we will become discouraged and defeated. However, let me share some wonderful news with you.

My husband and I just finished 7 weeks of traveling covering 14 states from northern Pennsylvania to Louisiana. We were in 18 churches of various sizes both in the country and big cities. The good news is there are still committed, strong believers serving God in America. There are still gospel preaching churches working to spread the truth of God and His word.

Satan is working hard and winning some battles, but the Holy Spirit is also at work. Unsaved people are accepting Christ as their Savior and wayward believers are turning back to their Lord. New churches are being started and missionaries are being sent out to foreign fields. The war is not over: God is alive and on the Throne!

This is not the time to give up or to sit back wringing our hands in dismay. On the contrary, it is precisely the time to take a solid stand grounded fest in the promises and faithfulness of Almighty God. It is time to start living in the power promised to us through the Holy Spirit. It is time to share our faith in confidence. It is time to confess and repent of our own sin and begin to live holy, separated lives.

We are engaged in a spiritual war and we are not called the soldiers of Christ for nothing. We are called soldiers because we are to do battle with the enemy-Satan and his angels. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 6:12

Our Lord is fully aware of our weaknesses and inabilities. Therefore He has provided all the armor and weapons we need to defeat the attacks of our enemy. (Ephesians 6:11-17) We don’t have to barely survive this war, but we can live victorious, powerful lives. We have a choice. Will we polish our shield of faith, sharpen our sword which is the word of God and make a difference in this generation, or will we crawl in a corner overcome with fears and dread, and surrender to an enemy who is dammed to an everlasting hell?

“Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Ephesians 6:11 Jesus said, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.” (Hebrews 13:5)

Ordinary becomes Extraordinary

2010-04-21T10:27:00.002-05:00

Do you consider yourself ordinary or average? I have met many people who had a desire to do something great for the Lord but felt it was a dream beyond reach because they were just ordinary.

Oswald Chambers said, "A Christian worker has to learn how to be God’s man or woman of great worth and excellence in the midst of a multitude of meager and worthless things." In other words, greatness comes out of ordinary.

Let's look at some Bible examples. David was just a simple shepherd boy tending a heard of sheep. Esther was an orphan adopted by her cousin, and living in a foreign land. Mary was an insignificant young virgin engaged to a carpenter. Peter was a simple, uneducated fisherman. All these people were ordinary folks going about their common place lives. Yet, each of them became extraordinary. How did this happen?

God made the difference. The transformation came through the purpose God had for their lives and His power working through them to accomplish it. We have the same God as they had because God does not change. (James 1:17)
Accomplishing great things for God is not based upon our education, culture, sex, age or ability. The determining factor is our submission. It is yielding, being willing to be used however He chooses.

David did not set out to be King. Esther would have thought herself powerless to save her people from the wicked Haman. It never entered Mary's wildest dream that she would give birth to the Messiah. Peter becoming a great leader and preacher for the cause of Christ looked impossible. Yet they accomplish these extraordinary feats, and they all had one character trait in common: submission.

God does not look for extraordinary people but rather for those who are humbly submissive to Him. Do you want to live an extraordinary life for the Lord? Then make this your hearts prayer: "Here I am Lord, what do you want me to do?"

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." Romans 12:1

Dispelling the darkness

2010-04-15T16:32:00.000-05:00

Have you ever been in darkness so black you could not see your hand in front of your face? I have experienced this kind of darkness only once and it was not pleasant.

Intense darkness can lead to confusion and disorientation, thus making it easy for us to lose our way. Our senses play tricks on us. We hear disturbing sounds and feel the presence of things threatening and scary around us. How many of us as children were afraid of the dark?

Spiritual darkness can be just as unnerving. When we are born-again children of God, the Bible calls us children of light. "For ye were sometime darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light." Ephesians 5:8 However, we are surrounded with the spiritual darkness of this world and if we are not careful, we can drift back into it. We dare not forget we have a spiritual enemy lurking in that darkness.

When the busyness of life mixed with trying, difficult situations rob us of our quiet time with our Lord and His word we will not have the spiritual light we need. We will lose focus and become confused as to who we are and what our purpose is.

We hear threatening, scary reports of the financial, moral and political chaos around us, and this can result in over whelming feelings of insecurity, fear, doubt and despair. Therefore, time with the Lord, reading and meditating in His word is absolutely essential for EVERY day. Living close to the Light Himself will give us clear direction and purpose we need. It will provide peace and security in the place of fear and doubt.

"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1

Are you consciously, deliberately walking as a child of light?

You can!

2010-04-08T12:48:00.000-05:00

In Matthew28:17, we read how after His resurrection, the disciples saw Jesus and worshiped Him, yet some of the disciples doubted. I wonder what it was that they doubted. Did they doubt it was really Jesus? Did they doubt He had been crucified and was now alive?

What do we doubt about in relationship to Jesus Christ? Do we doubt His sovereign control? Do we doubt His unconditional love? Do we doubt His power or unfaltering faithfulness? Do we doubt His care for us personally?

What amazes me the most about this section of Scripture is that two verses later Jesus commands these doubting disciples to become preachers and teachers of His word. Looking at the human side, this makes no sense. These men just a few days before had been hiding in fear from the Jews. How did Jesus expect them to accomplish such an immense task? How does Jesus expect you and me to be vibrant witnesses for Him in this day?

The answer is in verse 20, "and lo I am with you". The power for those fearful, doubting disciples was not in themselves. Neither is the power we so desperately need within our own nature and ability. The source for powerful spiritual living then and now is Jesus Christ Himself.

Paul testifies to this fact in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." You can have peace in the midst of trials. You can be a testimony on your job. You can adjust to the unexpected changes in your life. You can have comfort in your loss. You can love ungrateful church members. You can accomplish the task the Lord has given you to do. You and I can do the task set before us if we rely on our Lord and allow Him to work through us. We are the instruments, but He is the power.

It gives me great comfort and peace to know the Lord does not expect me to do His will by myself. Don’t listen to the devil who tries to get you to focus on your inabilities and weaknesses. Focus on the Lord! In Him, you CAN do all this day requires of you. Jesus said, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."

Joy in the Morning

2010-03-31T13:29:00.002-05:00

How dark and hopeless the days following the crucifixion of Jesus felt to His disciples. Their mentor and friend was dead. They had watched life drain from His beaten, torn body as He hung on the cross. Now they were hiding from the Jewish leaders, their hearts full of fear, doubt, and grief.

But, then came the morning. The tomb was empty and the dark clouds were rolled away. The defeated, fearful disciples were transformed into bold, confident, powerful witnesses. What made this amazing difference? Death was defeated and Jesus Christ was alive! A living Saviour made the difference.

At times, life’s trials and circumstances can overcome our hearts with heavy clouds of fear, sadness, doubt and hopelessness. But our Lord is risen and alive! Therefore, we can, as did the early disciples, live in confidence and power. “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” Ephesians 6:10

This is a spiritual fact, but we must claim it by faith to experience its reality in our daily lives. At Easter, our attention is called to the story of the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord. However, we need to think about the reality of this story every day and fellowship with our risen Lord. Christians are the only ones who worship a living God. “And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.” Matthew 28:5-6

As we approach this Christian holiday may each of us celebrate it with joy and thanksgiving from a heart full of love. We are in deed, a blessed people.

Key to Getting Your Desires

2010-03-24T16:04:00.001-05:00

Have you ever desired something so much that you would do what ever was required to achieve it? Have you ever bargained with the Lord and promised to do what ever He requested if He would just grant you that special desire?

We often think the Lord requires some great sacrifice or suffering on our part to have those things we so greatly desire. But actually, the key to receiving is quite simple. "Delight thyself in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." Psalm 37:4-5

We need to just DELIGHT ourselves in the Lord, but we need to understand what that means? The word "delight" according to Webster's Dictionary, means to please very much or to take great pleasure. So, to receive our hearts desires, we need to be pleased and take great pleasure in the Lord.

How do we accomplish this? We need to take pleasure in reading and learning His Word. Delighting in the Lord means to take pleasure in being obedient to His will and not begrudgingly it. It requires a holy respect on our part of who our Lord is.

Delighting ourselves in the Lord does not mean we set out to do what He commands with the motive of manipulation. In other words, we are not to do just to get. Delighting ourselves in the Lord requires love and gratitude on our part.

As we delight in His word and His commands an amazing transformation takes place in our heart, and we begin to desire those things which please Him. Desires from our flesh and the world, will find little room.
"Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass." Psalm 37:5

Formed to Produce

2010-03-17T13:54:00.001-05:00

As Spring moves closer, we tend to get more rain here in Germany, and an interesting activity can be observed in the grape vineyards near us. In fact, it is so unique that I have taken pictures of it and want to share it with you.

Through the rain, the grapevines become pliable in the hands of the workers. They then proceed to bend the vines and form them into a heart. The reason for this procedure is to make the harvest easier, as the fruit will then be produced in the middle, "in the heart" of the vine.

This is a beautiful, spiritual picture for us. Our heart can only be made soft, and pliable as we spent time with our Lord and His Word. A hectic, demanding pace of life, plugged into computers, cell phones, i-pods, and blackberries all day does little to soften our hearts to our Lord's voice. It is a challenge just to have a free moment to think, let alone to meditate on the Word.

But if we understand the importance of spending quality time with our Lord and His Word every day and we make it a priority, we will experience the transforming results. Just as the grapevines grow and begin to produce luscious, plump fruit, we will grow spiritually and become pliable in the hands of God. We will find direction for our life, strength for the struggles and soothing peace for the hurts and disappointments of the day. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit will work through us to produce love, joy, peace, long suffering, genteelness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. (Galations 5:22) These fruits will be a blessing to those around us and bring glory to our Lord.

Sometimes we confuse the work we do with the fruit of the spirit. An unsaved person or a carnal believer can do good works and even give the appearance of being spiritual. But only the Holy Spirit can change our hearts and produce the spiritual qualities and virtues like those characterized by our Lord.

We do have a choice. We can make time for the redeemer of our souls. We can be healthy, strong, productive vines in the garden of our Lord. What will you choose today?

"As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me." John 15:4

Fantastic Creation

2010-03-10T08:05:00.001-06:00

The most advanced computer in the world weighs 225 tons, requires 1569 square meters of space and costs 100 million dollars. The electricity it needs for one year costs over a million and a half dollars. It is the IBM Roadrunner and is located in Los Alamos, U.S.A. Yet the human brain can do far more than this computer from birth on.The human brain is the most complex construction in the universe. It contains 100 billion nerve cells, as many as the stars in our Milky Way, and no tow are exactly alike. These facts are mind-boggling and difficult to truly comprehend.

The most fantastic part is that we are each uniquely made my God Himself. No two of us is exactly the same, and yet made with design and purpose. To go a step further, we are the only creation make in His image.

Keeping all this in mind, why do we doubt His care in the details of our life? Does Scripture not say He even knows the number of hairs on our head? (Matthew 10:30) God is our Creator, Savior, Father, Lord, Shepherd and King. Each one of these positions would indicate love, interest and care for us.

Our enemy, Satan, the father of lies, likes to propose to us that God is too busy or too unconcerned to care about our needs. He could not be more wrong! If you are God’s child through faith in Jesus Christ, then the Lord NEVER leaves your side. Not only that, but He ALWAYS goes ahead and prepares tomorrow for your arrival. He is interested in every detail, every hurt, disappointment, dream, or need you may have. “How excellent is thy loving-kindness, O God! Therefore, the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.” Psalm 36:7

As you go through your day, think about the power of God that is working on your behalf. Live in the reality of this truth and experience Him in the activities and situations you encounter. “And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed." Deuteronomy 31:8

The Wonder of Memory

2010-02-24T11:14:00.001-06:00

Our brains are amazing computers. It would require a building 100 stories tall and the size of the state of Texas to house a computer that could replicate some of what the human brain does. One of its amazing functions is memory. Our “computer” never forgets.

Do you remember when you first learned to drive, or had your first car? Do you remember your first dress-up party or your first kiss? Our family greatly enjoys sitting together and sharing memories about meaningful events from the past.

However as we get older, our memory develops clichés. For example, we may remember Bible verses we learned as children and yet forget the 3-4 items we intended to get from the grocery store. Do you remember when you first met Jesus and invited Him to be your Savior?

The children of Israel had a problem with memory. The Bible tells us that they often forgot what the Lord had done for them. “They forgot God their savior, which had done great things in Egypt; wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea." Psalm 106:21 Their forgetfulness led to discouragement, complaining, and ingratitude. It led to sin.

Sometimes we become so consumed with the problems, difficulties and pressures of the present that we forget the blessings of the past. We forget the prayers God has answered, the needs He has met, and the impossible situations He has overcome. Our forgetfulness can also lead us to be dissatisfied, unthankful and fearful of the future. It is clear that being mindful and remembering who God is and what He has done for us in the past is vitally important. Take a few minutes today and think about the Lords amazing working in your past.

“I will remember the works of the Lord; surely I will remember thy wonders of old. I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings."

Psalms 77:11-12

Deciding Power

2010-02-16T09:11:00.001-06:00

When called upon to make a choice, have you ever responded with, I just can't make up my mind. You start to get dressed for a special evening or event and change clothes 3 or 4 times, because you can't decide. You are invited to a new restaurant with a fabulous menu and what do you order? CHOICES, CHOICES, and more CHOICES; life is full of choices. We even equate freedom with the ability to choose rather than being told what to do.

The Lord shows us clearly in His Word that choice is powerful and determines our circumstances and future. God gave the Israelites a choice. "I set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose..." (Deuteronomy 30:19)

Joshua challenged the people when he commanded, "Choose ye this day whom ye will serve." (Joshua 24:15) Jesus said, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me." (Matthew 16:24)

We are confronted with choices in almost every area of our daily lives, but none are more critical than our spiritual choices. We choose to be obedient to our Lord or to disobey. We choose to surrender our will or to rebel. We choose to rear our hearts in pride or to humble ourselves. Along with the privilege of choice also comes the responsibility for the consequences.

My husband and I have the opportunity to do a lot of counseling with believers of all ages. It is amazing to see how often folks do not accept responsibility for their choices but rather prefer blame-shifting. The reason for their marriage problems, disobedient and unruly children, financial debt, addiction to drugs, alcohol, or pornography, or having no friends is always blamed on someone else.

Christians frequently blame others for their lack of spiritual growth or obedience. “I would be more faithful but my husband, or job, or health or the church or my family or my background, keep me from it.” Scripture tells us clearly that each of us will give account for our own actions and choices. "So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God." Romans 14:12

Our Lord is not unfair, but lovingly supplies all we need. He has given us His Word with its instructions, commands, comforts, and promises. When we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, the Holy Spirit takes up residence in our hearts (Ephesians 1:18). Let us therefore, avail on the power of the Holy Spirit and spend time in the Word of God, that we might have the wisdom to make wise choices in our daily life. They will effect not only today, but eternity.

"According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:" 1 Peter 1:3

TLC

2010-02-09T11:46:00.000-06:00

The other day I noticed the leaves on one of my plants were drooping and the blooms were wilted. When I took a closer look, it was obvious the poor thing had been neglected. It was still alive, but suffering from lack of care and water. It simply needed a little attention or TLC.

Have you ever felt the need for tender loving care? I have. It is amazing the difference that a little caring attention can make in a life. My plant did not need a gallon of water, but it was in urgent need of a drink. We don’t need others to solve our problems but a little water of encouragement along the way sure helps. Perhaps we are aware of our own needs, but do we notice those around us? How many people in your life today need some TLC?

You may say, "I don’t have time." How much time does it take to give a smile, a hug, or a word of encouragement? "...he that watereth shall be watered also himself." Proverbs 11:25 "Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones." Proverbs 16:25

Last Saturday afternoon, I returned home from a ladies retreat. The lessons were full of God’s word and practical illustrations for my life. The food was delicious as usual, especially the cakes after the Friday night service. It was also a joy to see some ladies I had not seen since last year, and to meet new ones. However, I must confess, the most moving time for me was the closing of the last session. All the ladies stood, joined hands, and formed a large circle. We then sang these words, "When you pray, will you pray for me? Will you whisper my name in your prayer? When you pray, pray for me, for I need your love and your care."

I can not sing this song without tears, because I know how much I do need the prayers of others, and what an encouragement it is to know someone is praying specifically for me. If I need this, I am quite sure other ladies do too. Do we remember to pray for one another?

Let us be sensitive to those who are being neglected and give some TLC. We might be surprised how a life will be encourage, and come into "bloom" with just a little care.

Love Is The Key

2010-02-04T07:46:00.001-06:00

There came a time after Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt, when God in simple, clear words, stated what He required of them. Interestingly enough, they are the same things God requires of us today.

In Deuteronomy 10:12 these requirements are given. "And now Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, to keep the commandments of the Lord and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?" In short simple terms, fear, love and serve God with all your heart and soul.

Jesus condenses this requirement in Matthew 22:37. "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." Our Lord desires to be our first and foremost love, supreme over everyone and everything else. He is to be the center of our desires, goals, and thoughts. He is to be the one we desire to please and bring joy to FIRST.

Human nature tends to go to extremes in many areas of life which can take us out of the guidelines the Lord has given us. However, in the areas of loving the Lord we can not go to excess because it is impossible to love Him too much.

How can we grow in our love to the Lord? Read His word and spend time with Him. Prayer is not a ritual, but conversation with our Lord and heavenly Father. As you and I learn more about the nature of God and His characteristics we will be drawn to love Him more. When I was a teenager one popular song said, "To know him is to love him", and this applies to our Lord.

Genuine heart love is the key to obedience and service. It is easy for us to get preoccupied with working, going, doing, and serving to the point that the person of Jesus Christ is no more in the picture. When this takes place, obedience and service become weights of responsibility and drudgery that can overwhelm us, and joy disappears. In the Book of Revelation, the church as Ephesus was rebuked because, although they had works, labor and patience, they had lost their first love.

We need to ask ourselves a few questions. Do I honestly love the Lord? If so, how deep does my love go? Is He at the center of my goals, plans, and thoughts? Love truly is the key to God's heart and to a blessed, joyful Christian life. Have you told Jesus you love Him today?

What Is First?

2010-01-26T10:43:00.001-06:00

The priorities we set in our life reveal a great deal about us. They show what is important to us, and direct how we will live our lives. What are your priorities?

The word priority means first in order or first in importance. Our priorities determine our goals and express what we hope to achieve. For some, maintaining good health is a priority. They follow strict dietary rules, take specific vitamins and minerals, and avoid food and drink they believe to be unhealthy. They exercise and spend money on those things needed to take care of their bodies. They enjoy reading about this subject. In short, their life style confirms their priority.

Your priority may be your home, job, children, or a hobby. You may have a goal to excel and be the best in a specific area such as art, music, voice, writing, math, chess, cooking, or speaking. It has been said that the key to motivation is the motive. What is the motive behind your goal or priority?

Is this priority centered on the Lord and His word or is it rooted in self gratification? This is not an easy question to answer, because our old self-centered nature is a master at disguising himself. I am sure many of us would say the Lord is our priority, but does our life style confirm it?

What do we spend our time and money? What kind of in-put do we take in through music, literature, videos, and inter-net? What kind of thoughts do we entertain? What does our conversation reveal about us?

Jesus instructed us to seek the kingdom of God FIRST, and then the others things of life would come. (Matthew 6:33) Colossians 1:18 says Christ is to have the PREEMENACE IN ALL THINGS. Revelation 4:11 and Isaiah 43:7 are two verses that clearly state we are created for the pleasure and glory of God not our own. In other words, the Lord is to be THE PRIORITY in our lives.

I have come to realize keeping Christ as my priority is not a one time decision. I have to orientate myself every morning and depend on the Holy Spirit to alert me when I begin to drift back to self-centered goals. The motive for making Christ our priority is also important. It must be love and gratitude. We love Him because He first loved us and we need to live for Him because He has given us life.

What are you living for? What are you trying to achieve and why? May we not be fooled by our old nature or Satan and live our life for the wrong priority. I would enjoy hearing what the Lord is doing in your life. You may place your comments on this site, or contact me personally at sandy.hastings@gmx.de. Have a blessed day!