I Will Remember Her

I will remember her the way she was before; before Alzheimer's took away her smile, her laughter, her strength, and her words. 

She was and still is the sweetest, most gentle person I have ever known.  She was kind and would never hurt anyone. I remember these things now, but I took them for granted when I was a child.  I thought all moms were like her.

The only time she sat down was when we had company and she sat to visit with them.  She could hardly finish a meal without getting up to serve someone seconds, or refill a glass of tea.  Her kitchen was the place she seemed most comfortable; it was where she belonged, surrounded by her family.   She never complained about the long hours she had to work to feed, clothe, and take care of us, but I'm sure she must have gone to bed exhausted every night. 

She was beautiful; slender, with a lovely face and dark curls.  She bore all five of us children without the help of modern medicine.  She nursed us and diapered us in cloth diapers.  She was physically, emotionally, and spiritually strong.  She always knew what to do and kept a level head.  I always felt safe when I was with her.

Her one ambition was to be a good wife and mother.  She liked school and encouraged us to read and work hard in school, but she had no aspirations of her own.  There never seemed to be time for hobbies or entertainment.  Although, she did take up quilting after we were grown and gone, and her quilts became her most prized possession.

She loved her husband and showed him honor.  They were married for over 60 years and it was beautiful to see them together.  A personal struggle of hers was forgiveness.  Once she swore to never polish Daddy's shoes again after he criticized the way she did it.  She had a hard time forgiving anyone who hurt one of her children.

These are the things I remember about my Mom; her love for her family, her humility, and her kindness.  And this is how I will remember her.

The Power of Love

Keyon looked to be about 10 or 11 years old.  He had a stick in his hand which  he was tapping on the sidewalk and everything about him; his facial expression, his posture, and  his slow pace made me think he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. But I was about to witness the transforming power of God's love.  I did not hesitate.  He was the one I was supposed to give the "gift" to.

Earlier that morning at Sunday worship service I heard a message from a man who serves in the Gideon International Ministry, an organization that distributes Bibles all over the world.  He shared stories of people whose lives were changed when they picked up a copy of the Bible and read about God's wonderful love. As I listened, I wondered to myself about my life and what was I doing for the kingdom of God.  What is my ministry?  What is my calling?  Do I have a purpose?  While I contemplated these questions, our pastor challenged us to take a Gideon New Testament and give it to someone; someone that God would place in our path. So I went forward, reached in the basket and took a New Testament, praying the whole time that God would show me who needed this New Testament.

I prayed again in my car as I drove home and there he was; looking lost and forsaken.  I pulled my car over and rolled down the window.  He walked over to my car and I ask him,"Is everything Okay?"

 "My Mom needs $45 by tomorrow to pay our rent at the motel and I have knocked on every door on this street asking if they have any work that I can do."  He said his name was Keyon and he and his mother and his little brother had just moved here and they were staying in one of the local motels that rent by the week. He was tired of being turned away and he needed a friendly face, someone to take an interest in him.  He needed God, our Father's love.

My heart went out to him.  I picked up the New Testament and placed it in his hand.  "I have a gift for you." I said.  His face lite up and he smiled, " Oh, I've been wanting a new Bible: mine got left behind when we moved from St. Louis."  I showed him in the front of the Bible that it showed you where to look for a verse when you are lonely or when you are afraid.

I had $20 in my purse so I gave it to him.  "Maybe this will help."  He was so grateful; He thanked me politely over and over.

Before I left, I asked. "Can I pray with you?"  He nodded yes and bowed his head.
"Dear God, please help Keyon and his mother and his brother.  Keep them safe and provide for their needs.  Help Keyon as he knocks on doors, lead him to the house of someone who will let him earn enough money to pay their rent."

As I waved goodbye my heart overflowed with joy, joy that God had used me to bring hope to a little boy who had nearly given up on hope.  Keyon and I were two people whose paths crossed momentarily. I could have driven right on past him, but God in his love ordained an encounter.  Keyon was reminded that there are people who care and I was reminded that God does have a purpose for my life. As his child, I am called to love others.  1 John 4:19 says it best.

"We love because he first loved us."

Insights from the movie, Room

Just like Jack in the movie, Room, we too, are born into a 10x10 shed.  Like him, we are limited by our own ignorance of the world that waits outside our four walls.  We are childlike, dependent on our creator for all that we need much like Jack was completely dependent on his mother to give him food, to take care of him and to explain things to him.  She was the voice in his head that told him stories of all that existed outside "Room".  She was his skylight, his opening to see beyond this life and the hope of something wonderful and exciting and meaningful on the other side of his four walls.

The "Room" we are born into is our physical life here on planet earth.  It can be beautiful or it can be terrifying.  "Room" is the place common to all of us.  But, Jack was not alone, and neither are we.  God did not just drop us into this life and leave us to try and figure things out.  No, he is present with us in this "Room"; present by his Holy Spirit and his own son can to live  here with us to show us the way out.  Through him, we can escape this prison of sin.

Right now, we are still in "Room", but we have hope; hope of a new life that is eternal, perfect, unflawed, and without any fear or harm.  And best of all, we have someone who loves us very much, who will tell us the truth about our situation, and gives us the courage to do what seems impossible. 

MY BIBLES

I bought myself a new Bible.  It's a English Standard Version Ryrie Study Bible.  I like all the study notes, charts, diagrams, and etc. that you get with a Study Bible even though it does increase it's weight and size.  Our pastor uses the ESV and apparently it is supposed to be closest to the original in translation.

I got the genuine leather binding and hopefully my new Bible will  hold up better than my last  which was The Defender Study Bible KJV.  The Defender is the most well-used of all my Bibles.  Nearly every page has verses underlined or highlighted and I have made notes in the margins.  It has been my Bible for the past 15 years, but the pages are literally falling out.  I keep it in a Bible case and still use it often because I know right where to find verses in it. 

Before the Defender KJV, I used the NIV Study Bible.  It was a gift from Larry, Christmas 1990.  I love this one because it is where I recorded our family records like births, deaths, and marriages.  It was also the Bible I used to read through the Bible in a year.

The Bible I used before the NIV was the New American Standard.  It was a gift from our Sunday School teachers when Larry and I were still newlyweds.  It is not a Study Bible, but it has a good concordance and chain references. 

I also have a beautiful blue leather KJV Bible that was a gift from my college roommate, Anna.  It's small and compact, which is probably the reason Phil used it when he was a teenager.  I keep it on my desk at work now and pick it up occasionally when I have time to read.  This was my Bible when I first read through the gospel of John in one setting.  The whole book, from start to finish, and it changed my life.  It was just the beginning of a life-long love for God's Word. 

I can't really say that any one of these Bibles is my favorite.  I have felt the power of the Holy Spirit speaking to me through all of them.  I believe that God's Word is powerful, no matter what translation.  Each of these Bibles has added to the treasury of knowledge of God's Word.  It is through the Bible that we come to know God and what he is like.  It's all in his Word: his love for his creation, his plan of redemption to save us, his sacrificial love in Jesus Christ who gave his life that we might live, his promise of eternal life for all who believe. 

"Oh how I love your law!  It is my meditation all the day."  Psalm 119: 97

Does God Keep Our Tears in a Bottle?

It was a tearful day.  I had cried when a moving song came on the radio.  It was about the plight we feel as Christians living as strangers in the World; that feeling of not belonging and longing for a place we can call home.  I had cried at the news of the death of my cousin, Jackie; thinking of his family and feeling the loss that they are  feeling, crying out to God for comfort and mercy.  I had cried because everything I know and love is changing and I have to figure out who I am supposed to be.

All day long I had felt the weight of sadness and despair; like a dark cloud that blocked my ability to see anything good or positive.  So, after work, God and I took a walk and the pent-up frustration that I had felt all day was released in a torrent of tears as I poured out my heart to him.  The tears welled up and ran down my cheeks and all my longing was fulfilled, and all my sorrow was washed away, and all my fears and disappointments disappeared in the love that flowed from God's heart to mine.

My tears brought an immediate release of the stress and frustration that I felt, but I wondered, "Do my tears have an eternal purpose?" 

In Psalm 56:8 we read, "You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle.  Are they not in your book?"

Imagine that!  God keeps a record of my tears.  He hears my cries, sees my tears, and remembers them.  I am uncertain about whether he keeps them in a bottle or not, but perhaps he does.  At any rate, he knows every tear that I have cried.  And that, my friend, makes me feel better.  My tears are not wasted.  They are important to God

Why I work in Awana

AWANA stands for (approved workman are not ashamed); it is an acronym for the verse found in II Timothy 2:15, study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.  AWANA is a children's Bible memory program.  We meet on Wednesday nights for story time, game time and memory verse time. For the past 11 years I have served as an adult leader for the AWANA program at our church.

Last Wednesday night Lillie's mom came into our classroom to tell me that Lillie is going to be baptized in a couple of weeks.  She thought that I might want to know about Lillie's decision.  Nearly two years ago, Lillie was in my Kindergarten AWANA class.  We were in our small groups doing memory verses and right out of the blue, Lillie started asking me all kinds of questions about heaven and how she could be saved.  So I asked her, "Would you like to do that right now?"  She said, "Yes".  Our group held hands and prayed the Sinner's Prayer.  Together we acknowledged that we are sinners who need a savior.  We confessed that we believe that Jesus is God's son and he alone can save us from our sins.  We ask him to forgive us of our sins and come into our hearts.  Then we thanked him for saving us. 

Lillie was saved that night.  She told her mom, "That's when it happened for me."

And that's why I work in  AWANA.

CYCLES

Life is a series of cycles; things that happen over and over again.  The best example is, of course, the calendar cycle; a year-long cycle of 365 days with four seasons, various weather patterns, and temperature changes.  Other examples are the water cycle, growing seasons, reproductive cycles, and ocean tides.  Even History is said to repeat itself.  We can find cycles nearly everywhere we look. 

Another cycle that I discovered is the "cycle of disobedience".  The Israelites disobeyed God; He allowed their enemies to overcome them; they cried out for help; He heard their cries and rescued them; but then they would turn from God and sin  again.  In Judges 2 we find an example.

• Judges 2:11  and the children of Israel did evil in the sight of  the Lord.....
• Judges 2:14  and the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel and he delivered them into the hands of the spoilers.....
• Judges 2:15  .....and they were greatly distressed.
• Judges 2:16  nevertheless the Lord raised up judges which delivered them.....
• Judges 2:17  and yet they would not harken.....

The "cycle of disobedience" is seen through out the Old Testament: in Judges 4, Judges 6, Judges 10, II Kings 13, and Nehemiah 9. 

I, too, have experienced this "cycle of disobedience" in my own life.  Over and over again, I find my self dealing with a problematic sin, like negative, critical speech.  The words just  pop out of my mouth.  And before I know, I have said hurtful things.   I pray, ask for forgiveness, and for a while I guard my words and hold my tongue.  God is gracious, He hears my prayer and forgives my sin.  But, inevitably, I find that I have to deal with my negative, critical speech again.

Conquering sin is an ongoing process for the believer.  Through this process, God allows me to see myself for who I am and to see that I need a savior.  He is the potter and I am the clay.

So, don't  be discouraged if you find yourself dealing with the same sin over and over again.  Instead, rejoice that God is working in you to conform you to the image of his Son, Jesus.

God's purpose is to make us holy and without blame before him in love. (Ephesians 1:4)  We may not get it right the first time, but we can know that he will continue his work in us, not matter how many times it takes.  In 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, we read these words, "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I  pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Faithful is he that calleth you who also will do it."

Guilt by Association

Hannah wanted to be a SAIL volunteer, an upperclassmen who mentors incoming Freshmen during orientation.  She would be assigned a group of students and she would show them the ropes, so to speak, of  high school.  She loves her school and she's a great communicator,  so it was a real shock when she was not chosen to participate.  She spoke with her guidance counselor and discovered that she had received the approval of her teachers, but administration had "black-balled" her.  They said that she had been involved in a bullying incident.  She was heartbroken and now she knew first hand the cost of hanging out with the wrong crowd.  The principal called it guilt by association.  Maybe, she had not actually bullied anyone, but she was present when it was going  on. 

The dictionary defines guilt by association as the attribution of guilt (without proof) to individuals because the people they associate with are guilty. 

So, are we responsible for the actions of another person?  Are we guilty because we hang out with those who are guilty?  Wikipedia calls it "association fallacy" or a red herring.

Jesus associated with sinners, but he lived a sinless life.  Yet, even he was deemed guilty by the Pharisees because he ate with tax  collectors and touched those who were unclean. 

The more I ponder this query, the more I have come to realize, we are all guilty by association- our association to humankind.  We are born into a sinful world, with a nature that is bent toward sin.  We are like our father, Adam, who ate of the forbidden fruit and disobeyed God.  We are sinners, all of us.  "As it is written, there is none righteous, no not one:"  Romans 3:10.

So maybe you haven't murdered anyone or robbed a bank, but you are guilty; guilty of not telling the whole truth, guilty of copying some one's work, or guilty of not being completely fair with everyone.

If we continue reading Romans 3, in verse 19, we find, "Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God."

One day when we stand before God, we will have no excuse, we know in our own heart that we are guilty, that we deserve the just punishment for our sins.  Here, we are all on level ground; everyone is the same.  We have no excuse, all the world is guilty before God. 

Have you come to realize that you are a sinner, helpless and hopeless to save yourself?  If so, then you are at the right place.  The place we all must come to.  The place of forgiveness through Jesus Christ who gave his life as a ransom for all who are guilty by association. .

My Favorite Promise

On Tuesday, this week, an unusual question came up at our ladies Bible Study.  "Do you think promises in the Bible are hard to recognize?"  We agreed that sometimes they do seem hidden and we tend to read right over them without stopping to thank God for his marvelous promises in his Word.

With this question still fresh on my mind, I considered what I felt to be God's best promise for me, personally.  I found my answer in John 14:26.  It is a promise that I rely on every day of my life. It is a promise that brings me peace and assurance. It is a promise that has kept me from sin.  It is a promise that has kept me on the path that God has for my life.  It is the promise of the Comforter or the Holy Spirit.

In John Chapter 14,  Jesus is explaining the role of the Comforter; which in the Greek is parakletos, meaning "called alongside".  It is through the Comforter that Jesus continues his ministry here on earth, by walking alongside every believer.  In this loving relationship we abide  in Christ and Christ abides in us and we abide in the Father and it is through this abiding relationship that Christ makes himself known to us.  This unique and wonderful experience is only for those who love Christ and obey him.

Look again at verse 26.  Christ promises us that the Holy Spirit will teach us all things and he will remind us of all the things that Jesus said.  You can see why I would count this as one of my favorite promises.  I cannot even count the times the Holy Spirit has spoken to me through this exciting, abiding relationship.  A thought from out of nowhere urges me - "Call your parents".  A gentle nudge prompts me- "Pray about this."  A recollection from long ago reminds me- "I answered that prayer."  A timely suggestion directs me- "Forgive them and love them."

How does one experience this promise for himself?  In Acts 2:38-39, Peter is preaching on the Day of Pentecost, Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord shall call.

God's Word is filled with precious promises and I can hardly wait to discover another one.

Solomon, a type of Christ

There are many lessons to be learned from the study of the Old Testament.  Recently, when reading  1Kings, I discovered that Solomon is a type of Christ, or a typology.  A typology is defined by Webster as "a doctrine of theological types; one holding that things in Christian belief are prefigured or symbolized by things in the Old Testament".

Certain elements of Solomon's life are prophetic of Christ's life.  In my reading of 1Kings I discovered six interesting facts about Solomon that pointed to Christ and his ministry in the New Testament. 

1. Chosen by his father (1Kings 1:30).  David had many sons, but only one could be king and David declared that assuredly Solomon would reign after him.  Jesus, too was chosen by his father and declared to be the Son of God at his baptism (Matthew 3:17). 
2. Instructed by his father (1Kings 2:1).  Before he died, David charged his son, Solomon, to carry out his final wishes.  In fact, David had been instructing his son since a child.  We can read these admonitions in the book of Proverbs.  Jesus was always getting away from the crowds so that he could pray and he always did the will of his father (John 5:36).
3. Overcame his enemies (1Kings 2:24).  Solomon carried out his fathers wishes by killing his enemies.  Jesus overcame the enemies of God when he died in our place so that we could be forgiven of our sins and become the children of God  (Romans 5:8-10). 
4. Possessed supernatural wisdom (1Kings 3:28).  The people feared Solomon because they saw that the wisdom of God was in him; there was no one like him.  Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man (Luke 2:52).
5. Established peace (1Kings 4:24).  Solomon had peace on all sides round about him and every man dwelt in safety.  Peace prevailed under his rule.  Jesus, too, will one day establish a kingdom of peace that will never end because he is the Prince of peace. 
6. Built the Temple (1Kings 5:5).  Solomon fulfilled his fathers desire to build the Temple in Jerusalem which became the center of Jewish worship.  He wanted to make a place for God to dwell with his people.  Jesus built a spiritual temple of believers who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, therefore becoming the dwelling place of God (Ephesians 2:21-22).

It is exciting to see that the Old Testament and the New Testament compliment one another.  God's Word is complete and there are pictures of Jesus through out.  His message of love can be seen from Genesis to Revelation and his salvation is found from cover to cover.

Largeness of Heart

During the reign of King Solomon, Israel reached a pinnacle in her history.  It was a time characterized by peace and prosperity.  In 1Kings 4 we read that the borders of Israel were expanded to the largest that they had ever been or have been since.  Solomon's wealth was incredible; possessing horses and chariots by the thousands.  And all of this was because of his great wisdom.  Verse 29 tells us that, "God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore."  It is amazing what God can do with a heart that is surrendered to him.

Have you ever known anyone with largeness of heart?  The size of a persons heart it seems, is in direct relationship to their wisdom.  A large heart has an increased capacity to love.  It is compassionate, patient, and merciful to others.  A large heart is honest, true, and does what is right.  A person with a large heart listens and does not make snap judgements. 

Jesus expressed largeness of heart.  He always had time for those who came to him.  He had compassion on them, and healed the sick, the lame, and the blind.

We generally think of wisdom as a characteristic of an old man with gray hair, but neither Solomon nor Jesus were old men.  Wisdom is not gained with age; wisdom is imparted by God.  He gives wisdom to those who ask.  If you are a believer, you are filled with the Holy Spirit and God's wisdom is available for the asking.  God was pleased to give Solomon wisdom and he will be pleased to give you wisdom, too.  And along with his wisdom, he will give you a heart that is large.  

THE GIFT
God gave me a special gift when I lost my daddy.

The night before Daddy's funeral service, I returned home from the funeral home exhausted from a day of tears and sadness.  As I stepped out of the car, I looked up into the night sky, and there blazing from north to south was the most beautiful, brilliant shooting star I have ever seen.  It seemed so close, I felt like I was witnessing some miraculous event.  I could only stand and stare as I watched it disappear from sight.  Of the five other people in the car with me, only one, Lauren, the youngest granddaughter saw it.  She confirmed that what I had seen was real and not just the product of my exhaustion and grief.  Me, the oldest daughter and Lauren, the youngest grandchild, were privy to the glory of God that night. 

For me that shooting star represented my daddy's life; beautiful, brilliant, blazing with the fire of God.  Our lives, too, are like shooting stars.  God breathes into us his life and we are set ablaze.  We journey through this life from our birth until our death.  Some of us burn brightly, some are only glowing faintly, and some have no light at all.  For all of us though, our lives are over in a moment, and we are only a memory.  Those who burn brightly, like my Daddy, do so because God's glory is poured into their hearts by the Holy Spirit through Christ Jesus and that makes all the difference in a person's life. 

God was living in my Daddy and God's presence brings light and knowledge; it brings direction and hope; it brings peace and love.  What about you, are you filled with God's presence?  Does your life look like a shooting star, blazing a trail of light, hope, and love across a starry night sky?

"Ye are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."  Matthew 5:14-16

Cause and Effect

"Girls who eat their vegetables get to have dessert."

"If you stay on your bed and rest, then we will go outside and play afterward."

I'm watching my daughter-in-law, Teresa as she teaches our two granddaughters, Kate and Audrey.  She does a wonderful job of taking care of them and they are very well-behaved.  Teresa is teaching them, even at one and three, that the choices they make have consequences. 

Life is full of choices.  Moment by moment, day by day, we make choices that will effect our future.  I am who I am today, because of the choices I made when I was a child, a teen, and then a young adult.  It's pretty scary to think of just how important the formative years are.  Will I be truthful and honest?  Will I work hard and do my best?  Will I choose to do the right thing?

Every cause has an effect.
Every action has a reaction.
Every choice has a consequence.

And before you know it, you are a grandmother and you look back at your life and clearly see that the choices you made brought you to the place where you are today.

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.  Psalm 90:12.

Lord, help us today to make the right choice.

Even Before I Knew

 In the early morning darkness, I watched as she walked down the steps and to the street where the school bus was waiting.  As it disappeared around the corner, it occurred to me that we hadn't prayed.  In the 45 minutes since the alarm clock went off, we had hurriedly dressed, combed her hair, breakfasted, and checked her backpack for homework.  But in that span of time we had never stopped to thank God for rest or ask his help and direction for the day. 

I quickly offered a prayer for protection for Hannah and then I realize, God has been here all along; his holy angels are ever watching and guarding his little ones.  Once again, I am awed by how wonderful our God is.  He is faithful, even when I am not.  He never forgets me.  He is never too busy or distracted to care for me.  He was thinking of me while I slept.  Each morning he wakes the sun and pushed the darkness away just for me.  He gives me all I need for life, and he does it faithfully every morning.

"Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations."  Deuteronomy 7:9


Rest assured, God is way ahead of us.  He planned for this moment long before I even knew him.  He knows exactly what I need even before I ask.  He is ever working in my behalf to teach me, to lead me, to care for me, and to prepare me for the things that lie ahead. 

"But God commended his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."  Romans 5:8

Comforting, isn't it?  Even before I knew I needed a savior, he provided one!

God Speaks Through Trials

Trials!  Ugh....don't you just hate that word!  Nobody in their right mind wants to have trials.  Our trials slow us down, cause us pain and sadness, and frustrate us to no end.  No one is immune either; they are common to us all.  Trials are the stuff-of-life; our path is laden on every side with setbacks and struggles and suffering. 

For years, I have not wanted to admit that suffering is part of the Christian experience.  I would skip over the Bible verses about trials, sweep them under the rug, so to speak.  I believed that my faith in Christ would somehow shield me from suffering, and there is some truth to this idea, because Jesus suffered for us, taking our place when he died on the cross for our sins.  So, there is great comfort in the fact that Christ has paid the just penalty for my sins and I am no longer charged as guilty of those  sins.

A good place to go to find out more about the topic of suffering is the Bible, of course.  One major theme of the book of 1Peter is the willingness of Christians to suffer for Christ's sake.  So, it is there that we will look to find some answers to the problem of suffering.  Here we find that Christ suffered for our sake, to bring us to God (1Peter 3:18).  We learn that Christ's suffering was an example for us to follow (1Peter 2:21) and the trial of our faith is more precious than gold (1Peter1:7).

We can be certain then, that we will have trials.  Experience has proven that I was not exempt from suffering even though my life was hidden in Christ.  Like everyone else, I have had my share of trials and problems to deal with.  These trials and problems were the very "things" that have shaped my life.   "Things" I encountered, like financial woes caused by debt and over-spending, "things" like difficulty in relationships caused by divorce and estrangement and unforgivness, and "things" like the heartbreak of caring for a child with a disability.

Suffering is inevitable because we live in a fallen world.  When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they died as a result of that one act and today we still live under the curse of that one act.  We are born in sin and unless we accept God's salvation through Christ, we will die in sin and be eternally separated from God.

Let's look again at 1Peter 4:12-19; here we find some answers as to why we suffer and how we are to respond to trials whenever they come our way.  We are instructed in verse 12 to think it not strange; to understand that it is normal, something to be expected.  We will encounter persecution and opposition because we have an enemy of our souls and we are engaged in a war between the forces of good and evil.  Our response to suffering, we see in verse 13, is to rejoice because  Christ is glorified in us when we suffer.  This is a reminder to us that even though we live in this world; this world is not our home.  We are to live for the world to come.  We are to invest in the kingdom of heaven.  And we are to lay down our lives for the sake of others.     Finally, in verse 19 we see that our response to trials is to commit the keeping of our souls to him in well-doing.  This is where our faith takes over; we believe that God is in control, that he knows where we are and what we are going through, and he will bring us through it.


Most everyone who has suffered will admit that now, looking back on that time, they can see that God was at work in their life.  God speaks to us through trials; it is at these difficult times that God has our full attention.  We are brought to the end of ourself and we realize that we need his help.  We grow stronger in our faith as we endure,and in time, like gold that is tried by fire, we too are purified and strengthened by the fire of suffering.  The key is to endure; to remain true to Christ, to keep-on, keeping-on.  God is speaking through trials.....but, are we listening?

The One Thing Necessary

"But the Lord answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things;  but only a few things are necessary, really only one; for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her."  Luke 10:41-42. 

Jesus had a way of cutting right to the heart of the matter.  He said that there was only one thing necessary.  Wow, only one.  Out of all the things that we have to worry about and he brings it down to one.  I believe Jesus was making the point that we should not worry and make a fuss over "things".   

I can relate to Martha's frustration with Mary's lack of concern for the things that needed to be done for the meal preparation.  I had felt the pressure involved with making sure the food taste delicious and is the proper temperature,  and is not over cooked or under cooked, and is served attractively.  I'm sure Martha just wanted everything to be "just right" for Jesus. But,  even our best intentions can go array.  Verse 40 tells us that she was distracted with all her preparations. 

We, too,  have been guilty of being distracted.  Have you ever been too busy?  Have you been so pressed for time  that you forgot to do something important?  Have you ever missed an important appointment because you were in the middle of something else?  Have you you ever been too busy.  I think Martha was too busy and she had forgotten what was really important.  Why had she invited Jesus to come and have a meal with her and her sister and brother?  She had invited him because she wanted to spend time with him.   And now he is there and she doesn't feel that she has time to sit down and listen to him. 

Mary, on the other hand, is not distracted at all.   She knows somehow, the importance of this moment.  She has chosen the one thing that is necessary.  Mary is seated at Jesus feet, (verse 39) and she is listening to the Lord's word.  Sitting at Jesus feet and hanging on to his every word is worship.  Worship is the one thing necessary.  All those other things will work out OK.  The meal will be eaten and forgotten, but Jesus words live on for all eternity. 

Give me a heart like Mary, Lord; a heart that worships.  May I choose the one  thing necessary and not be burdened with the busyness of life and all it's distractions.

..............VALENTINE POEM............

Be my Valentine, Lord!

My heart, yours entire;

All that I hope for

And all I desire.

Be my first thought

When day has begun

And linger there always,

My treasure, Dear One

Be near to comfort,

Your presence, so sweet;

Teach me and guide me

My soul to complete.

Be the center of everything

Dear to my heart.

Indwell me, Divine Master,

And fill every part.

Be my object of devotion,

My reason to live,

To tell all the world

Of the love that you give.

The Greatest Commandment

Deuteronomy 6:5, "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might."

A. W. Tozar writes in The Pursuit of God, that God formed us for himself, that all things were created for his pleasure, and God's desire is that we would see him and live with him and draw our lives from him.  The soul of a believer longs to worship; in fact we were created to worship God. 
The Pursuit of God  is one of those books that stirs the heart every time you read it.  The first time I read it was in 1981 and it kindled a fire in my bosom that has never gone out.  It was then that I joined the ranks of what A. W. Tozar, it's author, called the "fellowship of the burning heart": those who seek to love God with all their heart, soul, and might. 

One such man was Frederick Faber, a poet, songwriter, and a theologian.  Tozar included some of Faber's works in The Pursuit of God.  One of those poems impressed me so that I memorized it and have never forgotten it.  I have included it below for your pleasure.

Only to sit and think of God.

Oh what a joy it is!

To think the thought, to breathe the Name;

Earth has no higher bliss.

Father of Jesus, Love's reward!

What rapture it will be,

Prostrate before thy throne to lie,

And gaze and gaze on Thee!



Why Are You in Despair, O My Soul?

My body betrays me.  This week I have had upset stomach and numerous aches and pains;  all of which made me feel tired and old. 

My emotions betray me.  For some reason, I felt heart-sick, and sad; with a heaviness that stole my joy.

My mind betrays me.  I struggle with lethargy and discontent;  which makes me question all that I believe in.

My will betrays me.  Because even when I know what to do,  I am too weak to do it.

A sad situation wouldn't you say.  I felt kind of like the psalmist in Psalm 42 when he said, Why are you in despair, O my soul?   Do you ever talk to yourself like that?  Sometimes that's what we have to do to get to the bottom of our problem; give our self a good "talkin" to.  But, when we are in that place of despair it may be difficult to see the way out because we are overcome by the oppression of our enemy.  In verse 10 we see the enemy's method of attack,  As a shattering of my bones, my adversaries revile me, while they say to me all day long, "Where is your God?"

The next time you find yourself in this place,  know this, you cannot trust your body or soul,  they will let you down and disappoint you.  Your emotions cannot be trusted and your mind cannot save you.  They are a part of you that we refer to as the "Flesh", and there is a struggle in the heart of every Christian between the "Flesh" and the "Spirit".  1Corinthians 10:3-4,  For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.

Our "Spirit", on the other hand, has been "born again" from above and it is through the Holy Spirit who now lives in us that we will be victorious over all our adversaries.  Hear the words of the psalmist in Psalm 43:3, O send out thy light and thy truth, let them lead me;  let them bring me to thy holy hill, and to thy dwelling places.  We are to walk after the "Spirit" and not after the "Flesh" for the flesh brings death, but the spirit brings life.  And if we are not careful, we will give-in to the desires of our flesh and miss  out on what God wants to do in our hearts. 

Lets look again at Psalm 42-43.  God's Word is our best offensive weapon to use when under attack.  What did the  psalmist do?

• Psalm 42:4 - He poured out his soul to God.  Meaning?  He prayed and he admitted his need of help.  So, don't be afraid to tell God how  you feel, but, then be ready to listen to what he has to say. 
• Psalm 42:6 - He remembered the times in the past when he was happy and felt that God was near.  Take some time to reflect on what God has done in the past for you.
• Psalm 42:11 - He declares his faith.  His hope is in God and he knows that he will again praise him.  He believes that God is with him and will never forsake him.  Say it out loud.  Declare your faith in God and do not believe the lies of the enemy.
• Psalm 43:4 - He worships.  He goes to the alter of God and he praises him on the lyre.  Where is your alter?  Your alter is the place you go to spend time alone with God, the place you lay down your life in surrender to him and his will.  And when you have done that, then you will praise him. 

And worship changes everything.  It changes our attitude and our outlook.  It takes the focus off my problem (sickness, depression, self-pity, etc.) and puts the focus back on Christ, who is God and has the power to make all things right. 

Eternal King, rule and reign in my life; spirit, soul, and body.  Be enthroned in my heart, so that I may walk, not according to the flesh, but, according to the spirit.  Let your glory be over all the earth.  Amen

Reaching the Homeless

At 7a.m. I dropped off Hannah and Abbey at the high school.  The sun had just made it's way over the mountains as I turned east and started home.  I reached for the visor to shield my eyes from it's brilliance while my mind was already racing through the days schedule.  I turned my car onto the Taneycomo bridge following one of those bouncing, low-riding cars.  In the rear window was a bumper sticker that read, No low-life, no life.  I contemplated it's meaning and decided this must be someone from out-of-town. 

So, I didn't see the young man until the traffic stopped at the red light.  He was standing on the sidewalk wearing a brown t-shirt and khaki shorts.  He wore glasses and his hair was cut short.  I could not make out the handwritten message on the cardboard sign that he held in this hand.  He quickly turned away, embarrassed by his predicament.  He kept looking in the other direction, away from me,  but there were no cars coming from that direction. 

"Let me see your sign," I whispered.  A moment later he turned and I read Homeless & Hungry.  I rolled down the window on the passenger side and he walked over to my car. 

"We've been walking all night and she's sleeping." he said.  I must have looked confused because he repeated it.  "We've been walking all night and we're tired.  She's sleeping over there,"  And he pointed in the direction of the light pole.  Then I saw her.  She was curled up on the concrete wrapped in whatever extra clothing they had.

"What do I have?  How can I help them?" I thought as I scanned the inside of my car.  There was a bowl of half-eaten oatmeal, toast crust, and a bag of grapes; the remains of Hannah's breakfast.  I quickly reached inside my purse for my wallet.  I had $7.  I took the $5 and handed it to him along with the bag of grapes.  "God bless you." I said through the window.  The light was green and I had to move on.  "God bless you."  he said in return. 

As I pulled away, my heart was broken as I realized this young couple had spent the night on a dirty highway and I wondered.  "How do you get to this place.....tired, hungry, with no place to sleep?  What was this young man's story?"  He seemed educated.  He looked healthy.  He could have been one of my son's friends.  But, there he stood with a cardboard sign asking for help.  No money, no car, no home, no job, no food, no bed, and no friends or family.

Tears rolled down my cheeks and I did all that I know to do.  I prayed for that young man and his companion.  I prayed that God would reach into his heart and make himself real to him.  I prayed that God would rescue him from this lifestyle and provide for his needs.  I prayed that he might come to know how great God's love is for him, a love expressed perfectly in the life, death, and resurrection of his son, Jesus Christ.  Does this young man know that God gave his son to die for sinners like us?  Yes, we are all sinners.  And without God, we are tired and hungry and poor and needy, waiting for someone to rescue us.  God made a way for us to be saved;  that way is through his son, Jesus Christ who died on a cross to pay the penalty for our sins.  We can be forgiven and we can have eternal life if we believe in Jesus as our Savior. 

By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent his only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.  1John 4:9

It was a brief encounter, just a few seconds.  "God bless you."  A quick greeting offered in haste, but powerful words when spoken in faith and part of a prayer that reaches the ears of God whose love is perfect and can reach the heart of that young man.