Getting To Know God

Returning home

2012-01-16T12:24:00.001-05:00

There is just something about this time of year that makes home extra-special. The time change has many of us returning home from our work day in darkness, but if you're lucky enough to have someone waiting for you, the lights may be shining in the darkness, welcoming you back from a long, hard day.

I can remember walking up the street toward my home when I was a kid and to see the kitchen light shining in the darkness was always so comforting. I knew that my mom would be in the kitchen cooking up dinner and the house would be filled with the smells of something tasty. The house would also be warm and toasty, a nice change from the chilly autumn air. My family was there, the people who loved me the most and soon we would all be crowded around the kitchen table sharing the events of our day with one another.

As I drove up our driveway the other evening, the memories of my childhood popped into my mind and created a warm, cozy feeling. The lights were welcoming me home and although my mom wasn't in the kitchen cooking, my husband was busy preparing dinner and it smelled wonderful when I walked through the door. We spent the evening sharing the highlights and low points of our day. The feeling of being loved and cared for was the same as that of my childhood.

As a Christian, I've often imagined what it will be like when I leave this old world behind and enter the gates of Heaven. I expect it to be a homecoming of "epic proportions." The warm, cozy feelings I've had on this earth are just a preview of what awaits me there.

Jesus said that he was going to prepare a place for His disciples and that we would one day spend eternity with Him.

I'm not sure what my heavenly dwelling will look like, but I know that when I arrive there, I'll just know that I've arrived home. I don't think we'll need lights to illuminate the darkness, the Bible says that we won't even need the sun because God himself will illuminate the Holy City. There will be plenty of loving people waiting to greet me and I'll be enveloped in a loving environment.

Thanksgiving was observed in homes across our nation in November. I'm sure that many of the gatherings were filled with happy reunions and loving conversation, but there were also many stress-filled family gatherings. Many folks who had no family to celebrate the day with or those who were estranged from their families.

Not everyone has memories of homes filled with love and acceptance. There are many folks who have missed out on a welcome hug as they return home. If you know someone like that, include them in your own celebrations. If they turn down the invitation, fix them a plate and deliver it to them. Find a way to create a beautiful memory for them. Sometimes memories are all we need to make it through the day.

Joyful, joyful we adore Thee

2011-12-09T21:17:00.001-05:00

Joy is such a small little word, but it is an amazing word - the dictionary describes it this way: It is an emotion evoked by well-being, success or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires; a state of happiness or felicity. Other words to describe joy include delight, gaiety, bliss - the word joy is derived from the Latin word gaudia which is akin to the Greek word to rejoice.

As I ponder the word joy this third week of Advent, it seems that all those definitions fit with the plans that God had when He sent Jesus to earth. The life, death and resurrection of Christ has evoked in believers a sense of well-being; God himself must have experienced great joy when Christ agreed to come and live among mankind and willingly die for the sins of the world because reconciliation was what He had desired for mankind and we have great joy and can rejoice because of the great love that God has shown us in making a way for us to inherit eternal life.

The birth of Christ is cause for rejoicing - it should give us a sense of complete joy.

The Bible is full of joy from the beginning to the end. In the Old Testament the Israelites would often shout for joy, sing with joy and hold joyful celebrations - the angels have been known to shout for joy and bring news of great joy, even the unborn can leap for joy and the trees of the field can sing for joy.

God can fill us with joy, clothe us with joy, anoint us with the oil of joy and crown us with everlasting joy. Joy can be found within a city and entire nations can be joyful.

However, just because we have been joyful doesn't mean that we will always stay joyful - the Bible also warns us that joy can come to an end, it can be replaced with panic, it can wither away.

Is there any hope for us when we lose our joy? Yes, because the Bible also says that joy can be restored - we can bring joy to others and other Christians can be our joy. Joy can also overtake us when we least expect it!

Even trials can produce joy within us: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4

My mom used to say that happiness was a state of mind, we could choose to be happy no matter what the circumstances in our lives and I believe that we can choose to be joyful no matter what! The Bible tells us to be joyful always - not just when things are going our way, but 24/7. We have a lot to be joyful about, sometimes we just need a reminder.

Peace, peace, wonderful peace

2011-12-03T22:29:00.000-05:00

As we celebrate the second week of Advent the focus is on Peace.

Peace is also a fruit of the Spirit which is available to all followers of Jesus Christ.

Isaiah prophesied the birth of the Messiah with these words.

"For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this." Isaiah 9:6-7

Although Jesus is prophesied to be the Prince of Peace, He himself said that He did not come to bring peace.

"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn 'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law – a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.'

"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." Matthew 10:32-39

He basically said that His teachings would turn unbelievers against those who believe - causing division. He also said that His followers would have to love Him more than anyone else. As believers in Jesus as our Lord and Savior, He is our master and the one we will have to answer to for our actions. He should take first place in our hearts and receive all of our devotion.

The angels announced His birth with these words, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." Luke 2:14

Since we have accepted God's gift of salvation through His Son Jesus Christ, His favor is now resting on us and the peace we have within us is different from the peace that the world understands. The world sees peace as an absence of war, but the peace that we have through our belief in Christ Jesus is much more than just a truce or an agreement between people to bury the hatchet.

The Apostle Paul wrote these words to the believers in Philippi when two women in the church had some sort of disagreement, "And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7

The peace that Jesus brought to earth defies understanding and can be accomplished only through Him. God sent Jesus to earth to reconcile mankind to Himself and that peace was accomplished through the blood of Jesus.

The peace of Christ is available to us but it is something that we must seek, we must pursue peace and then we are to let it rule in our hearts remembering that we (Christians) are all one body. When we let the Spirit of God prompt us to be obedient, the peace we receive from God flows through us like a river.

Growing in love...

2011-10-23T19:32:00.000-04:00

I have recently spent some time reading God's word and what it has to say about the fruit of the Spirit.

If you are a born-again believer of Jesus Christ, the Spirit of God is dwelling inside you. That is a fact, believers are filled with the Spirit, but not all believers walk in step with the Spirit. God has given us freewill and we can choose to stray from His plans for our lives, but when we listen to the still, small voice within and are obedient, God's Spirit will lead us along pathways that we never dreamed of traveling.

I have written before about the fact that, as believers, we are to stay connected to the vine (Jesus), but did you know that as long as you stay connected, God will produce fruit in your life?

Love is one of the fruit that is produced and God's word has so much to say about love that I'm not sure I can cover it all in one blog.

The dictionary definition of love refers to "a strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties." There are many types of love, but the love that I'm looking at today is "agape" love. It's an unselfish love, a love that is concerned for the good of others. It's the kind of love that God has for the world and all the people of the world. It is a perfect love that doesn't depend on what someone does or doesn't do, because God took care of our redemption for us on the cross.

In scripture I read that God's love is faithful and unfailing; His love endures forever. He keeps His covenant of of love with those who love Him. His love is abounding, it's far-reaching, He fills the earth with it and loves His creation. He also disciplines those He loves and remembers our love for Him. He loves us, as believers, in the same manner that He loved Christ Jesus. His love has great depth.

So what should our fruit of love look like? Jesus told His disciples to love God and love others. These were the two greatest commandments.

We should love wisdom, discipline, our friends, our enemies, God's law, His salvation and His righteousness.

Love should compel us to build others up and worship God. When we walk in God's ways, we will find ourselves loving like God loves. That should give us a reason to rejoice, the far-reaching, eternal love of God gives us a desire to love heaven, our eternal home.

I also discovered that nothing can quench love and it can keep us from the pit of destruction. The love that God has for us is capable of quieting us, making us patient and kind and urging us to do everything in love.

This is one of the fruit that I often struggle with. Let's face it, some people are just harder to love than others, and yet, if we can remember that God's Spirit is living in us, then we can become instruments of His love. He will love others using us as a means to reflect that deep, abounding, eternal love to all those we meet. It's not about us and what we think or "feel," but our lives are about our Creator and His faithful love to all those He created.

Jesus said that people would know that we are Christians by the love that we show. It may not come easy for us to show that love, but we are commanded to do it.

I often use my time while waiting in line at a department or grocery store, just looking around at people. I'm trying to look at them through the eyes of God's love. Each person, young or old, tall or short, rich or poor, is created by God and has the potential to become a brother or sister in Christ. Maybe no one has ever prayed for them or maybe they are resisting God's gift of salvation. I can't know what is in the hearts of people, but God knows and God's word tells me that He doesn't want anyone to perish. The blood of Christ was shed for all people to receive eternal life. Maybe God just wants me to look at folks through His eyes of love and pray for those who haven't accepted His gift.

I heard someone put Christianity this way - we are like the moon. The moon itself isn't a source of light, it can only reflect the sun. We are to be a reflection of God's Son in a dark world. Keeping in step with God's Spirit within us, can make us shine and illuminate the dark places where we walk. Walk in love this week and shine!

Are Your Prayers Too Small?

2011-09-05T22:33:00.000-04:00

Something happened to me this week that made me take a closer look at my prayers.

I have a hearing disability that seems to have gotten worse within the last few years. I wear hearing aids but they don't seem to be helping too much. The loving people at our church have been praying for me and one lady in particular says that the Lord has told her that He will restore my hearing.

I have been struggling with that thought - doctors have told me that once your hearing is gone, there is no way to get it back. The loss is permanent and irreversible. I have asked my sister and prayer partner, Rhonda, to pray for me about this and she says that nothing is impossible for God. He can restore my hearing.

As I pondered that thought, I decided to pray in color and take my focus off myself by praying for the needs of others. As I began to pray for other people, my prayers suddenly grew large. Instead of asking God to heal someone of the cancer they are enduring, I prayed for God to eradicate cancer completely. Instead of asking Him to help someone with poor eyesight, I instead asked Him to give them new eyes. He is, after all the creator and Jesus made the blind to see. He created a new hand for the man with the withered hand.

I not only prayed for cancer to be eradicated, but also liver disease, heart disease and every type of disease I could think of. As I prayed for these things I realized that I have been limiting God. Jesus said we have not because we do not ask and God knows the motivation behind our asking. Are our prayers selfish or are they heart-filled? The Bible says that the prayers of a righteous man are powerful and effective.

Years ago the Holy Spirit placed in my heart a desire to pray for the lost people of the world. I use the Every Home For Christ world prayer map and each month I pray around the world, lifting up the nations and praying for my brothers and sisters who live there and those who do not yet know Jesus. I have done this for years, not really knowing the outcome of those prayers, but asking God to reveal Himself to those who do not know Him. I trust Him to do what He deems best. I'm just an intercessor.

Marsha Mundy praying during a National Day of Prayer
event in Brown County Ohio.

Tonight I asked myself, "What is the difference between praying for the lost people of the world and praying for God to eradicate cancer?" God is a huge God, He is the one who created heaven and earth and He is quite capable of giving people new eyes, new ears, a clean bill of health - whatever He chooses to do for them.

We are living in a fallen world and Satan is working overtime trying to steal, kill and destroy - especially those who are in the body of Christ. I also know that God allows Satan to cause harm, (the book of Job is an example of what God allows) but Satan is still subject to God and if God chooses to stop Satan, He has the power to do so. I also know that God hears the prayers of His people and He knows why we are praying.

When Daniel fasted and prayed for the nation of Israel to be released from captivity, an angel told him (21 days after he began to pray) that since the first day he prayed, God had sent him in response to Daniel's prayers but that he had met resistance from the prince of the Persian kingdom (or Satan). It took the angel Michael to come to the rescue and fend off the enemy attacks. (Daniel 10) Daniel's prayers were heartfelt and righteous - he was an intercessor for the land of Israel and Satan did not want his prayers answered.

If you are praying "BIG" prayers and they haven't been answered, keep on praying and don't give up. The enemy will use many tactics to try to stop you from praying but God will hear your prayers and He will respond in His time using whatever means He chooses.

My brothers and sisters, I urge you to pray "BIG!" I'm believing in God to restore my hearing and eradicate cancer. Give Him the biggest request you can think of and watch for miracles.

You are not alone

2011-08-24T20:20:00.000-04:00

Have you ever been so tired that you just wanted to die? Recently I've had a number of days when exhaustion has taken its toll on me. On Aug. 19 I was experiencing extreme exhaustion and opened my Bible to find out what God's word says about being weary.

In reading 1 Kings 19:1-19 I found out that Elijah the prophet experienced exhaustion. He had just slain hundreds of prophets of Baal and proven the power and might of God to the people of Israel. When Jezebel heard what he had done, she vowed to kill him.

Here was a man of God, whose faith was unwavering in the face of danger - yet he began running for his life at her threat. Why? He was exhausted from his ministry.

After going a day's journey into the desert alone he sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die.

"I have had enough, Lord," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors." Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep.

All at once an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat." He looked around and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. 1 Kings 19:4-6

How often do we feel like Elijah? As Christians, it gets tiresome battling the demons of this world day after day. Some days we fight until we have no strength left. Maybe we're not physically killing the prophets of Baal, but there are forces of evil all around us that we have to contend with on a daily basis.

Notice how Elijah spoke with the Lord. He was honest with Him and confessed his hopelessness in the situation. I guess to him it felt like all his hard work had been for nothing.

I've felt that way at times. There have been many days when I tried my very best to be a reflection of Christ but it seemed as though I failed miserably.

What did God do for Elijah when he cried out in frustration? He sent an angel to strengthen his physical body with food, but that wasn't all the Lord did for his servant Elijah.

The angel came back a second time and touched him and said, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you." So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled 40 days and 40 nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the Lord came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?" 1 Kings 19:10

When we're tired and ready to throw in the towel, we can look at Elijah as our mentor. Just eating the food offered to him gave him the strength to travel for 40 days and 40 nights. His journey wasn't over once he was strengthened, it was only beginning. As we read the word of God and continue on our journey with God we may find ourselves in a place near to the heart of God, but we may not get to rest until we arrive there.

Elijah told the Lord that he had been zealous for God. He lamented that the Israelites had rejected God's covenant, broken down God's altars and put God's prophets to death.

"I'm the only one left and now they are trying to kill me, too," said Elijah.

Do you ever feel like you're the only one being obedient to God? Does it ever seem to you that you're facing life's problems alone? Take heart ...God hears your cries for help, He knows what you need to regain your strength and if He has to, He'll send an angel to minister to your needs.

This next passage is one of my favorites, I hope you'll hear the voice of God like Elijah did as you read this.

The Lord said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by."

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" 1 Kings 19:11-13

Elijah repeated his lament from earlier and was reminded by God that there were 7,000 in Israel who had not bowed down to Baal. He was not alone. Not only was he not alone, but God was sending him to meet Elisha, who had been chosen by God to become his right-hand man.

God knew that Elijah was disheartened, He knew that Elijah's faith was strong, but He also knew that Elijah was human and needed encouragement and someone to come along side him as a friend. God was not through with Elijah, even though Elijah thought he'd done all he could.

As long as we are on this earth, there is work we can do for the Lord. When we feel exhausted, we can ask for His help. Just as God helped Elijah prepare for future ministry, He'll help us with our ministries.

Listen for the gentle whisper and go forward in God's care and His grace.

Fear the Lord

2011-08-06T12:31:00.000-04:00

We live in fearful times. With an uncertain economic future, government upheavals, job losses, health issues and lack of medical care, it seems that each day there is more to be concerned about.

I opened my Bible to the concordance to find out what God's Word says about fear and I was surprised at what I discovered.

There are numerous references to the fact that we should fear God. After Moses was given the 10 commandments, God gave him warnings about the importance of keeping His commands.

Moses told the people, "Fear the Lord your God, serve Him only and take your oaths in His name." Deuteronomy 6:13

Moses repeated that advice again in Deuteronomy 10:12-13. "And now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good."

Before Moses' death, he left the people with these words. "Assemble the people - men, women and children, and the aliens living in your towns - so they can listen and learn to fear the Lord your God and follow carefully all the words of this law." Deuteronomy 31:12

A fear of the God was needed to serve Him and from what Moses said, it wasn't something that was naturally ingrained in people, but something that was learned. The people needed to first hear the law or commandments and then they would learn to fear God.

As I think about those who are evil and shun God, I realize that most of them either have never heard God's commands or have made a conscious effort to defy those commands. Evil people have no fear of God, some do not believe that He exists and others don't believe that He is capable of harming them.

The word states that a fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. To fear the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, it adds length to life, it is the fountain of life, it teaches wisdom, it avoids evil, it leads to life, and it prompts us to hate evil.

In a nutshell, having a healthy fear of God is a wonderful thing. Isaiah 11:2-3 had this to say about the root of Jesse (which was a prophecy about the coming Messiah). "The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him - the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord - and he will delight in the fear of the Lord."

Yes, Jesus delighted in the fear of the Lord. He knew just how powerful, almighty, righteous and just the God of heaven and earth really is. He knew that to refuse to be obedient to God would be futile.

God had a purpose and a plan for his life and it was necessary for the good of all mankind.

Jesus spoke about this fear to a crowd of thousands in Luke's gospel.

"I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him." Luke 12:4-5

I believe that if we have a healthy fear of God, our own fears will dissipate because our trust is in Him.

Hear these words of comfort from the scriptures about our earthly fears:

Psalm 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and staff they comfort me.

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

Psalm 91:5 You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. (This verse tells us that day or night, through terror, disease and famine - we, who have put our trust in the Lord, have nothing to fear).

God's word says that the fear of man is a snare, but that God is with us and He will deliver us from all our fears.

When we give our hearts to God, we become His precious children and He will take care of us - it's as simple as that. Give your fears to God and let Him vindicate you.

I leave you with these words from 1 John 4:18. "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."

God has so much love for you and I and He will drive away the fears because of that great love!

Kindred Spirits

2011-07-18T10:34:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago I wrote an article in The News Democrat (see http://newsdemocrat.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=133748&SectionID=30&SubSectionID=233&S=1) about the enjoyment I received while reading a well-worn, cover-torn novel called “Anne of Green Gables.” I’ve almost finished the last book in the series and it saddens me to think that it’s coming to an end.

One of the things that I like about the character, Anne, is that she finds “kindred spirits” wherever she goes. There are people who cross her path for a season and they become steadfast friends.
This week I lost one of those “kindred spirits” in my life. Marge Krody died on July 10 after a long battle with cancer.

Our paths first crossed years ago and they seemed to intersect off and on throughout the years.
Marge was an avid fan of “Anne of Green Gables” also. She made me “green” with envy a few years ago when she and her sisters took a trip to Prince Edward Island, Canada, to visit Green Gables, the legendary home of Anne. It may not sound like the ideal vacation spot to everyone, but she had a great time and said it was wonderful. Some day I’ll find out for myself, and when I go, I’ll visualize Marge at all the stops along the way.

Marge was also the wife of a pastor. Pastor Bill Krody ministered to the saints at Georgetown United Methodist Church for a number of years, filled in at Mt. Orab United Methodist and Bethel United Methodist, but that’s another story.

When I knew that my husband was going to pastor a small church, I asked advice from Marge. She was a shining example to me of what a pastor’s wife should be and I looked to her as my mentor. She was always honest and straight-forward and her Scottish accent was pleasant to the ear whether she was correcting and encouraging or offering advice and warnings.

As Marge valiantly faced chemotherapy, she was an inspiration to the folks around her. She and I weren’t what you would call close friends, but she was often in my thoughts and prayers during her illness. There was just something about our relationship that ran deep. She knew what I needed to hear and I could sense her needs.

Most of us have people in our lives who touch our hearts in a special way. Our lives seem forever intertwined with some folks whether we see them often, talk with them on a regular basis or rarely speak. Those people are “kindred spirits” and their friendship is not only valuable, but eternal.

When I think of Marge, I am reminded of Philippians 4:8-9, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me — put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

As her family and friends say goodbye to her this week, our lives have been enriched because we knew her and our hope of eternal life is rekindled because of our desire to connect with her again.

She’s not the first “kindred spirit” that I’ve had to bid farewell and I still feel the connection between myself and those others who have shared their hearts with me. Sometimes I can hear their voices clearly telling me when I’ve goofed-up to watch my step. I can also hear them cheering me on when I’m on the right path. “Kindred spirits” remain with us through all the trials and victories that come our way. I hope you have a “kindred spirit” in your life.

Marsha Mundy is the news editor. Read her blog at marshamundy.blogspot.com.

Glorify and worship God by attending church

2011-06-19T21:07:00.000-04:00

Statistics show that many people consider themselves Christians but have no desire to attend worship services on a regular basis. It is troubling to me that those who claim Jesus as their Lord and Savior cannot spend an hour in worship of Him on a weekly basis.

Many churches have tried to keep up with the times by offering people contemporary services with less and less traditional worship and in that, some people have attended services who wouldn't ordinarily come. But it seems to me that people are missing the purpose of the "church."

Church services were designed, not to please people, but to please our Creator. We are made in God's image and He has placed in each one of us a void which can only be filled with Him. That void can only be filled with worship of Him.

It's a cop-out for people to say that they avoid church because it is filled with hypocrites. In my estimation, those who attend church regularly are there because they want to glorify God and they are being obedient servants.

When the early Christians were waiting anxiously for Christ's return, they met on a regular basis to fellowship, worship God and share the good news with one another. In the book of Hebrews, the writer addresses some concerns because some folks in the church seemed to think it unnecessary to meet. He reminded them of the sacrifice and Lordship of Jesus Christ and the importance of worship.

"Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:19-25

It only hurts the "church" and those who are in need of encouragement when Christians fail to attend worship services.

If I sound like I'm on my soap box, I guess it's because I am. For too many years, especially in the USA, too many people have wanted their names on church rolls, they want to get married in the church and they want a Christian burial, but other than showing up on Christmas and Easter, they never darken the doors of the sanctuary.

Christians who fail to go to "church" have failed God. They have also failed their children, their fellow Christians and those who look at them as examples of Christianity.

When I go to church on Sunday morning, I do it as an obligation to God. I'm not there to hear and critique the music or the preaching, I'm there to worship God – period. Over the years I've found that I can worship God in small congregations, in large congregations; whether singing contemporary music or traditional hymns; worship is an attitude of the heart and corporate worship is good for God to see and will uplift your heart because it affirms your beliefs and gives you an opportunity to share your heart with like-minded people.

If I've stepped on someone's toes with this message, then I guess you needed to have your toes stepped on! If I've enlightened you and placed a desire in you to attend worship services, then I'm overjoyed! God doesn't really ask much from those who believe in Christ Jesus, but He is worthy of worship; He is worthy of praise; He alone is worthy of an hour of your time each week.

May the Lord bless all who attend church on a regular basis – may you continue to grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Biblical teamwork

2011-06-03T19:56:00.000-04:00

I have been thinking quite a bit about people working together as a team to accomplish a set goal. In my line of work, it's everyone working to put together a newspaper twice a week. It takes advertising people, graphic arts designers, writers, editors and finally the people who run the press to put all of the elements together for the finished product.

As I looked through my Bible this week, I noticed that there were many times that the people of God pulled together to complete a project. One of the most impressive, was when the tribes of Israel built the tabernacle according to the Lord's specifications.

The Lord told Moses to have the people bring offerings of gold, silver and bronze; blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair, ram skins dyed red and hides of sea cows; acacia wood; olive oil; spices; onyx stones and other gems. Then God instructed Moses exactly how the tabernacle should be built.

Craftsmen of all sorts were needed to complete the task. They had a goal to reach and with each one completing their own work, the tabernacle was complete.

Their team work wasn't finished though, because whenever the Lord said it was time to move on, each tribe was assigned a specific task to disassemble and carry the tabernacle to the new location.

There were many instances of men working side by side through battles. Some were called to march into the war zone and others were needed to carry supplies, provide food, shelter and first aid for those who endured the battle.

Nehemiah enlisted the support of high priests and the remnants of the tribes of Israel to help reconstruct the wall of Jerusalem and erect the broken gates. Those men had to accomplish the task under threat of death. While some worked on the construction, others stood behind them with their weapons ready to defend their brothers. Both jobs were equally important to get the job done.

Jesus himself built a team of 12 hand-picked disciples to assist him in the work he was doing. There were times when jealousy and anger was evident within the group, but if the team hadn't done their assigned work, we wouldn't be followers of Christ today.

The Apostle Paul never went on a mission alone, he always took others along with him for support and encouragement. He depended on the assistance of others as he fulfilled his mission from God.

We are created to share our talents and abilities for the good of others. One of the best illustrations of teamwork is Paul explaining to the Corinthian church that the foundation of the church is Christ. The teaching he (Paul) brought to the church added to the foundation and the teachings of Apollos added a different dimension. He also explained that the church is like one body with all the members adding their own special gifts to create a healthy church.

When everyone shares their gifts, whatever they may be, and they are used in conjunction with the gifts of others, we have created a tabernacle where the Almighty God is pleased to dwell.

If you don't know what your gifts might be, ask God to reveal them to you and guide you into ways in which to share what you have to offer.

"The man who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building." 1 Corinthians 3:7-9

Heaven is for real!

2011-05-18T22:30:00.000-04:00

This week a very learned man shared his opinion that there is no heaven. World renowned theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking claims that heaven is a fairy tale for people afraid of the dark.

My first reaction to his claim was to pray for God to reveal Himself to Mr. Hawking and then scripture came to mind.

The Apostle Paul told the church members in Corinth that the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. He then referred Christians to Isaiah 29:14 which reads, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent."

1 Corinthians 1:20-25 reads, "Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men."

Mr. Hawking isn't a believer but he is a very intelligent man. According to scripture, "the man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned." 1 Corinthians 2:14

Mr. Hawking is living proof that someone can be very intelligent and yet miss the whole point of eternity. How very sad that he believes that when he's dead–it's all over.

As Christians, we believe in eternal life because we believe that Jesus was truly the Messiah, that He made atonement for our sins when He died on the cross and that He was resurrected through the power of God's Holy Spirit. Jesus told us that He was going to prepare a place for us and that He would one day come back to take us there. That place is in heaven and the disciple John tries to describe it in the book of Revelation. I believe it defies description–John couldn't find the words to explain what heaven is like.

Paul also said that God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty.

Mr. Hawking may have been somewhat right about one thing without his really knowing it. He said that people who believe in heaven are afraid of the dark. Those who have the Spirit of God within them know that God is light and we will forever be in His light when we arrive in heaven. Scripture tells us that those who don't have God's Spirit are living in darkness. As believers, I suppose you could say we have a fear of the dark, but it's less of a fear and more of a desire to live in the light of God. Those who choose not to believe in God have no fear of the dark because they are already living there, they are comfortable where they are. They have nothing to compare the darkness to.

I may be foolish in the eyes of the world, but I truly believe in heaven and look forward to the day when I'll get to see the mansion that is being prepared for me. Paul put it best when he said, "Absent from the body, present with the Lord." Amen, brother Paul!

God is a faithful provider

2011-05-10T21:36:00.000-04:00

A quick glimpse through the Bible is our assurance that God is a God who provides. His promises tell us that He will never leave us nor forsake us and that He will provide for His people.

In Genesis 22:8 Abraham reminds his son, Isaac, that God will provide the lamb for the burnt offering. Abraham was being obedient, he was willing to sacrifice his son because God had asked him. But Abraham knew God's character well enough to know that He was able to do the impossible. Isaac was born to Abraham and Sarah in their advanced years. Their son was the result of a fulfilled promise by God Almighty.

God did provide the lamb for the sacrifice and Isaac's life was spared because Abraham was obedient. His first priority was to God.

I have been out of work now for 13 months. During that time, God has provided for all our needs. We have not lost our home, we've never gone hungry, we've had shoes and clothing and we've always had enough to pay our bills. I've seen God's provision in my life on a daily basis. Although there have been days when I doubted if we would have enough, I've never stopped believing that God heard my prayers. Last week I was asked to return to a former job and I have accepted. God has provided this job for me and I give praise Him.

There are so many ways that God provides for us. We often think of provision in a monetary or physical sense, but the Bible teaches us that God provides redemption for His people. The precious blood of Jesus Christ has provided all we need to receive forgiveness of our sins and eternal life.

God's grace provides a way for us to triumph over temptation and enables us to stand through the trials that we encounter.

God's love for us provides us with more than enough love to pass along to others.

The Jewish people have called God, Jehovah Jireh, the Lord will provide.

If you have any doubts about God's provision, open your Bible to the following verses and fill your heart with His word about provision. Read Isaiah 43:20; Jonah 1:17, 4:6-8; 1 Timothy 6:17 and 1 Peter 4:11.

Think back over the past few months–how many times has Jehovah Jireh taken care of your needs? Praise Him for His mercy and great love.

Prayer event was great

2011-05-06T17:41:00.000-04:00

Finding 3 praise band played for us.

I just wanted to update everyone about our National Day of Prayer event in Brown County Ohio. We had a good crowd, the weather was perfect and prayers were offered for the seven centers of power!

We had a variety of music. From praise and worship, to traditional hymns and a banjo ballad!

Wesley O'Hara played his banjo.

God was glorified on courthouse square in Georgetown, Ohio last night by all who participated in the event.

God's word was read by all those in attendance and our voices filled the square with a sweet sound!

We estimate between 300 - 400 people were there for the observance! Praise God!

The crowd waits for the prayers to begin.

National Day of Prayer

2011-05-05T09:12:00.000-04:00

Today we observe a National Day of Prayer in the United States of America. This is a day set aside to seek God's guidance and mercy for the nation.

If ever our nation needed to seek God, it is now. We have experienced growing numbers of unemployment, severe weather affecting the lives of many, increased prices for gasoline and food and wickedness seems to be spreading like wildfire.

I am one of the coordinators for the National Day of Prayer in Brown County Ohio and our task force has spent the past five months working to promote the events we have planned for today. Our main objective is to glorify God Almighty in Brown County.

We have selected people who have a heart for prayer to pray for the seven centers of power within our nation. The centers of power include: families, churches, the government, the military, the media, area businesses and schools. These are the centers which make our nation strong. Having Christians working within these centers of power is vital if we are to remain a Christian nation.

As I write this blog today, there are hundreds gathered in our nation's capitol seeking God's direction and guidance for our country. It is indeed a privilege and an honor to call upon God.

The theme for this year is taken from Psalm 91:2–"I will say to the Lord, 'my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust'."

Holy God, We praise You today and recognize You as our creator, our refuge and our fortress. Your word says that You will never leave us nor forsake us and we are standing on the promises of Your word today. Amen

One of the highlights of our observance in Brown County is a simultaneous Bible reading. All those in attendance bring their Bibles and chairs and sit in the street in front of the county courthouse. At a specific time, everyone will open their Bibles and read scripture out loud–all at the same time. The entire Bible will be read by 350 people in 15 minutes. It is a moving experience and I know that it is pleasing to God's ears to hear His word read by all those present.

If you live in the USA and would like to participate in the NDOP visit this website to find an event near you http://nationaldayofprayer.org/about/find-an-event/

May God continue to bless the USA and may the USA bless God!

Focus on God for a great beginning

2011-04-25T20:13:00.001-04:00

Women of Faith wanted to know–How do you start your day? How's that working for you?

I start my day with a cup of home-brewed Starbucks and my devotions. I use several different devotional books to help get me on the right track. I found that after awhile I get into a "devotional rut" and have started to add a little variation.

I use a journal to record notable events and prayers for those who are in my heart but I also now pray in color on occasion. This is a wonderful way to be creative while focusing on God and praying for the needs of others. I've included a picture from my praying in color journal.

It's really easy for me to get sidetracked while I'm praying and reading scripture so I keep a piece of scrap paper handy to write down the things that pop into my head so I can remember them and deal with them later.

When my dog starts snoring as she lays on the floor by my chair I often break into a song of praise. My singing isn't the greatest and that usually wakes her up. God doesn't mind that my voice is creaky–He's listening to my heart.

Before I open my Bible I ask God's Spirit to show me something new, teach me what I need to learn and I often have to ask for forgiveness for messing up the day before. Often as I pray, I will hear the Spirit direct me to send someone a card or give something to someone.

There have been days when I had to be out the door early and didn't take time for devotions, but I know that God understands. He wants my undivided attention and usually I can give Him at least a half hour of uninterrupted time. It's the best part of my day!

He is Risen, He is Risen Indeed!

2011-04-22T11:01:00.000-04:00

As we prepare to celebrate Easter and the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, our hearts are turned toward a hill on calvary where He laid down His life for the sins of the world.

Jesus came into the world as a man for one specific purpose. He came to bridge the gap between sinful man and a righteous, holy God. Without Him and His precious blood we would all be lost for eternity, but praise be to God, Jesus came, He walked among us and showed us the great love God has for each one of us. The New Testament is full of eye-witness accounts about His earthly ministry.

As Jesus prepared for His crucifixion, He spent His last hours in prayer in the Mount of Olives.

"Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began." John 17:1-5

It is hard to imagine the anguish that Jesus went through as He realized that His earthly ministry was over. We cannot fathom the amazing love for mankind which held Him to the cross. His physical body was inflicted with pain just as any human body would be, yet He endured. He could have called upon 10,000 angels to come to His rescue, but He didn't. Why? Why would He willingly die for us? It's all about love. A love which is beyond our comprehension, a love that is timeless.

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the JOY set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grown weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12:2-3

Jesus experienced joy for what He accomplished. His work on earth was complete as He hung on the cross and took on the sins of the world. He reconciled mankind to God the Father for all eternity. In spite of the pain, in spite of the scorn, in spite of what looked like complete failure; He knew that what He was doing was for the benefit of all mankind. All those who believe in Him and seek God will reap eternal rewards. His love for us is that great!

But the story doesn't end with Jesus death. The power of Almighty God was displayed further when He brought Jesus back from the grave. His tomb is empty! Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ not only saved mankind through His blood, but he also defeated the enemy by overcoming death. All those who accept Jesus as their Savior are over comers. We will all spend eternity in the presence of God because of His immense love for us.

All I can say is "Thank You, Father! Thank you, Jesus! And thank you, Holy Spirit!"

Abandoned by not forgotten

2011-04-18T12:28:00.001-04:00

Do you ever feel abandoned? How do you deal with that emotion?

Years ago my husband and I were having marriage problems. We had just moved 100 miles from our families and our hometown with his new job and were hoping to get a fresh start on our marriage.

We moved to a wonderful neighborhood with other families who had young children and things were looking up for us. We had made some new friends, were meeting our new neighbors and had a bright future.

Shortly after the move, however, my husband had a difficult time letting go of the past and some ties he had to our former hometown. He often picked a fight with me on the weekend which gave him an excuse to head back home leaving the children and myself to fend for ourselves. At that point in time, I didn't even have a car and I felt totally helpless.

Being abandoned by my husband, living in a new town and trying to keep things as normal as possible for my children created much fear within me. Although I had faith, I felt like the man who asked Jesus to help him in his unbelief. I cried out to God and to everyone who would listen asking for help. Many of my new neighbors did what they could to help and my family listened to my cries long distance. I know many prayers were offered for my children and myself.

Going through that period of abandonment was a new experience for me. My life had been relatively trouble-free up to that time. I learned through the experience that although God is always with us providing for our needs, He often surrounds us with people who will help us. The key is for us to ask Him for the wisdom to know where to go for help and who we can trust to help us. We often need to rely on the kindness of strangers and God is the one who puts them in our pathway.

God has restored my marriage and the abandonment is just a memory, but when I see other people in need, I am more compassionate with them because of my own experience.

The Bride of Christ

2011-04-11T08:53:00.001-04:00

The book of Esther is more than a love story. As Christians, we can get a better understanding of our own lives as we read about her life.

After Queen Vashti insulted her husband, King Xerxes, he began a search for a new queen. The Bible is full of types and shadows. Stories which have double meanings and are a reflection of things to come.

Reading about the dethroning of Queen Vashti reminded me of the Jewish people and their disregard for Jesus as the Messiah. They rejected Him as their king and He called others (Gentiles) into His kingdom. He is the King of Kings and is searching for a suitable replacement to be His bride.

The "church" is referred to as the bride of Christ over and over again in the New Testament. Jesus is coming back someday to take His bride to heaven with Him. Even now He is preparing a place for us. But before that day comes, the "church" must undergo beauty treatments.

Esther was selected as a candidate for queen from among many others but before these women met face to face with the king, they had to complete 12 months of beauty treatments.

"Before a girl's turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete 12 months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics. And this is how she would go to the king: Anything she wanted was given her to take with her from the harem to the king's palace. In the evening she would go there and in the morning return to another part of the harem to the care of Shaashgaz, the king's eunuch who was in charge of the concubines. She would not return to the king unless he was pleased with her and summoned her by name." Esther 2:12-14

The "church" has been established by Christ Jesus as His bride. We are in the process right now of beauty treatments. Not necessarily the same type of treatments that Esther had to endure, but more of a purification process. Our hearts and minds are going through a cleansing and we are becoming more Christ-like in our thoughts and deeds. The oil of the Holy Spirit is being applied to us daily, preparing us to stand before King Jesus.

"Now the king was attracted to Esther more than any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made he queen instead of Vashti. And the king gave a great banquet, Esther's banquet, for all his nobles and officials. He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality." Esther 2:17-18

Revelation 19:7-9 puts it this way; "Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear. (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints). Then the angel said unto me, 'Write: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!' And he added, 'These are the true words of God."

The "church" been selected as the bride of Christ but we are still in preparation for that glorious wedding day.

For Queen Esther her responsibility increased once she became queen. She was asked to go before the king to plead for the lives of the Jewish people. Her adopted father, Mordecai, explained it like this: "Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" Esther 4:13-14

What a responsibility we have as the bride of Christ. He is expecting us to share the gospel message and save people from eternal damnation. The world needs Jesus more than ever before and maybe, just maybe we have been called "for such a time as this."

A note about this post: I have been asked if this means that the "church" replaces Israel as God's chosen people and the answer is "No!" Although the "church" has become the bride of Christ, the Jewish people have not been rejected by God. He still loves Israel and we (the Gentiles) have been included in His grace and mercy through the blood of Jesus.

Be Prepared for Spiritual Warfare

2011-04-01T09:32:00.000-04:00

You Have The Power

There is a spiritual battle taking place in the heavenly realms today that defies description. If we had the spiritual eyes to see the battle, we would be overcome with terror. Since the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the enemy has been trying to take back control of the earth and he means to steal from, kill and destroy all the followers of Christ.

When Jesus appointed 72 of His followers to go before Him and prepare hearts to receive Him, He knew they would meet opposition. They were amazed that demons submitted to them when they used the name of Jesus against them. He told His followers, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you." Luke 10:18-19

As Christians, we are burdened when we hear about injustice and hatred in the world around us. Because of the magnitude of the turmoil in the world, it seems we are powerless to do anything. But there is good news for those who are willing to put on the full armor of God and fight the battle.

Paul told the church in Corinth, "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

Jesus is expecting His "Church" to be engaged in this spiritual battle for lost souls in the world. God's Holy Spirit resides in believers and all the power that accompanies the Spirit is ours to use in this battle. The same Spirit that had the power to raise Christ Jesus from the grave is within all believers. But we often fail to plug into this power and use it for God's glory.

God commissioned Jeremiah the prophet with these words, "You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you. Now I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant." Jeremiah 1:7-10

That commission can apply to each believer today. God has set you apart for kingdom work and is expecting you to take a stand against the enemy. When God calls us to a task, He makes sure that we are equipped for that task. He equipped David in his battle with Goliath, He equipped Daniel when he was taken into exile, He equipped Joseph when he became a slave and He equipped Moses as he led the Israelites from captivity. He will equip you too!

The Bible tells us that the prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective. You are the righteous, your prayers are powerful and effective against the enemy. But you have to pray.

Paul used the imagery of a fully-armed soldier as he described those who are prepared to battle the enemy. We must wear the belt of truth–which enables us to recognize the lies of Satan. We must wear the breastplate of righteousness–which protects our hearts from the enemy's accusations. We must wear the right shoes–which will motivate us to share the good news with others. Always carry the shield of faith–our faith will help us ward off Satan's attacks against us. The helmet of salvation–protects our minds from doubts about God's love for us.

All of these things are defensive, but we only have one offensive weapon at our disposal. God has given us the sword of the Spirit–it is the Word of God and nothing is more powerful. Jesus used the Word of God against Satan when He was tempted in the wilderness. It stopped the enemy dead in his tracks.

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." Ephesians 6:10-18

When you feel overcome by the evil in the world, there is something you can do about it. You have authority given by Jesus himself to call upon the Living God and ask Him to stop the enemy. You have all the armor you need to stand up against the enemy. And by the power given to you through the Holy Spirit and God's word, the enemy has to flee.

Join in the spiritual battle by praying for God to intervene in the lives of people around the world. Your prayers are heard and they are powerful and effective!

Preparing for Passover

2011-03-22T10:57:00.000-04:00

What were Jesus and His disciples doing before He was crucified? We know that His crucifixion took place during Passover but do you know the connection between the Jewish Passover and Christ's death on the cross?

The Passover was ordained by God while the Jewish people were living in exile in Egypt. Moses was instructed by God to plead with pharaoh for the release of the Jewish people from captivity. Pharaoh's heart remained hardened and he refused to let the Jewish people go regardless of the plagues God brought upon the people of Egypt.

In the final plague, God said he would kill the first born of every household in Egypt. The Jewish people were instructed to slaughter a year-old male goat or lamb at twilight and apply the blood on the doorposts of their homes. They were to eat the meat roasted over a fire along with bitter herbs and bread made without yeast.

"This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste, it is the Lord's Passover." Exodus 12:11

That night the Lord struck down the first born in the land of Egypt, but the Lord passed over those who had the blood on their doorposts. Pharaoh released the Jewish people from their bondage that night and they left the land of Egypt in haste. The Jewish people continue to celebrate Passover each year during the first full moon in the spring to commemorate God's promise to free them from captivity.

Jews from all over Israel made the pilgrimage to Jerusalem each year to celebrate the Passover in the Holy City. Jesus and His disciples were on their way to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. As the people made the journey up the hills leading to Jerusalem, they sang "Pilgrim Psalms" or "Songs of Ascent." These songs can be read in the book of Psalms, beginning with Psalm 120 and ending with Psalm 134.

The Psalms were used as a time to reflect on sins committed and prepare hearts to be in an attitude of repentance before the sacrifice was made at the temple on Passover.

We can use these Psalms during Lent to prepare our hearts and repent of sin before we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Easter.

"Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord; O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. O Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins." Psalm 130

Jesus fulfilled this scripture when he willingly died on the cross for the sins of the world. His body was placed on the cross and his sinless blood covered the crosspieces to make atonement for sin. He is the sacrificial lamb, slaughtered at twilight to save all those who believe in him from eternal damnation. Thanks be to God!

What the Bible says about wild weather

2011-03-12T11:14:00.000-05:00

The Bible tells us that the earth began suffering from the time Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden. God told Adam, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of it,' Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return." Genesis 3:17-19

Paul alluded to this reference when he told the church in Rome; "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subject to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." Romans 8:18-23

When Jesus was asked by His disciples for a sign of His coming and what to expect at the end of the age, He told them that there would be wars, famines and earthquakes but that these were the beginnings of birth pangs. Matthew 24:7

The earth is in labor awaiting the return of Christ. It has been in a state of decay and no technology in the world can prevent the inevitable from happening. Labor pains start out small and are spaced far apart. But as the time of delivery approaches, the pains gain in intensity and length until the baby is born. The earth is approaching its delivery from decay and we can expect to see more wild weather as the day of the Lord nears.

Jesus had a foreknowledge of what was to take place on the earth before He came a second time to set up His eternal kingdom, but warned that know one knows the day or the hour of His return. Yet He gave His disciples signs to watch for so they could stand firm to the end.

Paul also warned the believers in Thessalonica. "Now brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, 'Peace and safety,' destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief." 1 Thessalonians 5:1-4

Jesus explained to his followers that the gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations before the end will come. Matthew 24:14

He also quoted from the prophet Joel who had predicted that the sun will turn to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. But Joel also added a message of hope. "And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the Lord has said, among the survivors whom the Lord calls." Joel 2:31-32

Jesus gave many signs of what was to come before the end of the age. "There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in aguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." Luke 21:25-28

Instead of being worried and fearful, as Christians we should instead praise God that we are living at this time in history. The world needs Christ as never before and the harvest for the kingdom of God is plentiful but the workers are few. Share the hope that you have because of Jesus with those who are living in fear.

The final scripture in Revelation sums it all up, "He who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming soon.' Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen." Revelation 22:20-21

Prayer for Japan

2011-03-11T17:43:00.000-05:00

Father God, we come to you on behalf of the people of Japan and ask that you hear the cries of those who are hurt, grieving and overwhelmed by the devastating earthquake. We know that nothing comes as a surprise to you and that you care for all those who are suffering. We don't understand the loss of life, but we do trust in you.

Lord, may those affected by the earthquake and tsunami seek you in the midst of their pain. Your word says that all those who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.

We pray for rescuers to have supernatural wisdom to find people buried in the rubble. We pray that many people will be found safe because of miraculous circumstances created by you.

We are amazed at the people around the world who are willing to lend aid and support and pray that you will be glorified in the midst of all the suffering. Send Christian people to the area to be the hands and feet of Christ and bring many people into your kingdom as a result.

Be merciful God to the people of Japan. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen

Jesus predicts his own death

2011-03-09T09:22:00.000-05:00

As we begin the season of Lent, our hearts are turned toward the work of salvation that Jesus provided for us while on the cross.

Jesus knew what awaited him in Jerusalem and that his death was imminent. He knew that his mission was to die for the sins of the world and he willingly laid down his life for all mankind. Jesus tried to prepare his followers for what was to happen, but they had hoped that he had come to redeem the Jewish people and didn't understand the bigger picture.

Jesus knew and believed what the Old Testament prophets had said about his death. Isaiah predicted that the Messiah would be rejected, tried and condemned, struck and spat upon. The Psalms predicted that the Messiah would be rejected, betrayed, mocked, insulted and crucified. (See scripture references at the end of this blog).

He predicted his death to his followers several times in scripture.

After Peter recognized that Jesus was the Christ, the long-awaited Messiah, Jesus warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.

"From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life." Matthew 16:21

As Jesus explained to his followers about the kingdom of God. He told them that the kingdom of God was within them.

"Then he said to his disciples, 'The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. Men will tell you, There he is! or Here he is! Do not go running off after them. For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation." Luke 17:22-25

"Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, 'We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!'." Matthew 20:17-19

"He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.

But Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. 'Get behind me, Satan!' he said. 'You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men'." Mark 8:31-33

As they were passing through Galilee, Jesus spoke to his disciples, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him and after three days he will rise." But the disciples did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it. Mark 9:31-32

"They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. 'We are going up to Jerusalem,' he said, 'and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise'." Mark 10:32-34

"Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, 'We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.'

The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them and they did not know what he was talking about." Luke 18:31-34

Even though the disciples were told what was to take place, they didn't understand. We are blessed to have their eye-witness testimonies of what actually took place recorded for us in the Bible.

As we approach the season of resurrection, keep in mind the words of Christ to his followers. He had foreknowledge of what was to happen to him and yet he didn't back down. He alone is worthy of praise!

Prophetic scripture: Isaiah 53:1,3; Psalm 118:22; Psalm 41:9; Isaiah 53:8; Isaiah 50:6; Psalm 22:7,8; Psalm 22:14-17 and Psalm 16:10.

Leaving a legacy

2011-02-25T09:46:00.000-05:00

My dad shared his faith with me and
I am now sharing my faith with my children
and grandchildren. Thanks be to God!

After God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, he said these words: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates." (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)

I have been blessed because I was raised in a Christian home. My parents, grandparents and their parents before them were believers in Christ. I have a history, written by my great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather, John Gordon, and in it he shares his own conversion to Christianity. What a beautiful legacy he left for the generations that would follow him.

As a child, I often wondered why God placed me within a Christian family, why he chose for me to be born at a specific time and in a particular place.

When I read Acts 17:26-28, I realized that God is ultimately in control. "From one man he (God) made every nation of men that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being. As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring'."

Although my parents were Christians, their faith was not a guarantee that I would become a Christian. I ultimately had to make that decision for myself. I heard a saying once that, "God doesn't have any grandchildren," and it's true. Those who come to faith in Christ Jesus as their Lord and Savior become the children of God in a very real sense. But since I was raised in a Christian home, I was taught Christian values at an early age and when it was time for me to make a choice, it was an easier decision.

My heart is burdened for those who have not received a legacy of Christian values. I know many people who have become "first generation" Christians. They have endured ridicule and some have been shunned by their families because they chose to follow Christ. But what a blessing it is to begin a legacy for the generations to come.

Here is an account from my grandpa Gordon regarding his conversion.

"In May, 1838 I got under conviction. I found that I could not get to heaven on other people’s faults and imperfections. I had to stand or fall for myself. I saw I was lost and undone forever without religion, but the difficulty was how to get religion. I could not see any consistency in the way that some people said that they got religion."

"Thus, I was confused and bewildered. One day, when I was following my plow, I began to cry out in the agony of my soul; 'what shall I do? what shall I do?' At last there was a passage of scripture which came vividly to my mind; 'If the wicked man turn from his wickedness and does that which is right, his past sins shall not be mentioned to him.' Well, I thought this is the easiest plan I ever heard of and I immediately (though I was following my plow) vowed to God that I would do it and I would obey and be governed by the gospel to the best of my ability, God being my helper, let man say or do what he would. As soon as this vow was made, I felt relief but I was so ignorant I hardly knew what to do. I began to read the New Testament and going to meetings of all kinds and conversing with everyone that made a profession of religion, asking all the questions I could, and would compare the results with the scriptures. All the instructions that were in accordance with the scriptures I would receive, no difference from what source it came and all that did not, I refused."

Grandpa Gordon and his wife, Mary, were baptized on Sunday, May 1839 and he said that he felt a peace of mind which he had never felt before.

I am so grateful for his testimony and I want to leave a similar testimony for my descendants. My advice to you today is to find a way to share your love of Christ with your family and friends.

Don't be deceived!

2011-02-19T07:03:00.000-05:00

Our world is in turmoil and needs the peace of Christ more than ever before. Our enemy, the devil, is deceiving many people into believing that evil is good and even Christians are falling for his lies.

I read a survey conducted by George Barna recently and it stated that only 27% of Americans are convinced that Satan is a real force. Only 40% of born again believers believe that Satan is real.

It is unthinkable that Christian people wouldn't see Satan as a threat. Just listen to these words from scripture:

Mark 4:15 - Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that is sown in them.

Matthew 13:36-39 - Then he (Jesus) left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field." He answered, "The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age and the harvesters are angels."

1 Peter 5:8 - Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Not only is Satan a real threat, but he is succeeding in his plans to deceive Christians into believing only part of God's Word. Today there are men and women in pulpits around the world who are leading parishioners astray. They do not teach sound doctrine, they do not preach the whole counsel of God. Either all of God's Word is truth or it isn't. We can't pick and choose which parts of scripture we like and discount scripture that doesn't fit into our way of life.

The Apostle Peter warned us that this would happen. "But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them - bringing swift destruction on themselves." 2 Peter 2:1

Jesus warned us about false prophets in Matthew 7:15-16 "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them."

He also told his disciples what to expect at the end of the age. He said that many false prophets would appear and deceive many people. He said, because of the increase in wickedness the love of most would grow cold, but those who stand firm to the end will be saved.

My heart is burdened for those who consider themselves Christians, but are being fed lies by their pastors. If more people read the Bible and questioned their pastors about their teachings, maybe those men and women would be forced to leave the pulpit.

As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we need to shine the light of Christ on those who are teaching false doctrine revealing them for who they are and who they are really serving.

"Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he (Jesus) is righteous. He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work." 1 John 3:7-8

The Apostle Paul gave this advice to Timothy; "The time will come when people will not listen to sound doctrine, but will follow their own desires and will collect for themselves more and more teachers who will tell them what they are itching to hear. They will turn away from listening to the truth and give their attention to legends. But you must keep control of yourself in all circumstances; endure suffering, do the work of a preacher of the Good News, and perform your whole duty as a servant of God." 2 Timothy 4:3-5.

We have a spiritual enemy and his name is Satan. He will lie to and deceive people until he the day is cast into the lake of fire. Jesus defeated Satan when he rose up from the grave and Satan hates all those who believe in Christ because we are inheritors of eternal life. We are victors and he is the big loser. He wants to lure as many folks as possible away from God and will stop at nothing to get the job done.

The Apostle Peter said, "First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, 'Where is this coming he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.' But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgement and destruction of ungodly men. But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:3-9

Be encouraged my friend, and stand firm in your faith because we are the victors!

Sharing our faith with others

2011-02-09T14:40:00.000-05:00

(This is a continuation from the past two weeks, we will continue our journey through a prayer labyrinth)

We have just left the holy of holies and spending some precious time with God. We have shared our concerns with him and he has spoken to our hearts through his Word and his Spirit.

It is time to take our personal, one-on-one experience with God into the world. As we leave the holy of holies, we have a lighted candle to carry with us into the darkness, but we need to make a stop first and reflect on our motivation.

Psalm 139

1 You have searched me, LORD, and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.

19 If only you, God, would slay the wicked! Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
20 They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, LORD, and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

There is a mirror situated below this Psalm and it is there for you to look at yourself and see yourself as God sees you. He created you, He loves you and He knows that before you can love others, you need to love yourself. As you look into the mirror, notice that there may be flaws, but God doesn't see them. Since you are a new creature in Christ, He sees only a righteous person - a reflection of Christ.

As we move out of the labyrinth and into the world, we go as disciples of Christ. He asked us to go into all the world and make disciples, but how do we begin? Imagine that you are getting ready to plant a seed. You have the soil, which is a good foundation to begin the process and you are equipped with good seed which is God's Holy Word.

Plant your seed in the soil, remembering that wherever you go, you are to plant seeds for the Lord. He will do the watering and His Spirit will produce the fruit. All He expects us to do is plant seeds. As you plant your seed, pray for someone who doesn't know the Lord.

Take your candle as you move on to the next station. Notice that there are many unlit candles before you - these represent those who are lost, those who are sick, those who are grieving or lonely.

Ask God's Spirit to speak someone's name to your heart who needs a prayer. As you light a candle from your own candle, pray for that person.

We have made our way through the Prayer Labyrinth and are ready to leave, but before we do, there is one more stop to make.

Imagine yourself on a sandy beach. The tide has receded and the beach is smooth with no footprints on it, yet. Now, step out onto the sand and notice your footprints. Think about the impression that you leave wherever you travel. Are people seeing Christ in you? What sort of legacy are you leaving behind for future generations?

Go with God into the world and be a blessing to others.

I hope you have experienced God in a new way through this prayer journey. God wants to meet with you everyday. What we've experienced here can be done anytime, anywhere - to enter God's presence, we only have to prepare our hearts and be ready to respond to His heart.

Casting our Cares Upon God

2011-02-02T14:00:00.000-05:00

(This is a continuation from last week with our journey through a prayer labyrinth)

We have entered into a time of contemplation and are making our way into the holy of holies.

Once we have turned off all the noise in our lives, we are ready to let go of the things that hinder our worship of God. What is it that you are worried about? What are the concerns that keep you awake at night? Jesus knows that it is in our nature to worry. We worry about our finances, our jobs, our families, our health. We are often consumed with fear about the future, but Jesus asks us to cast all our cares upon Him.

As a visual exercise, imagine that you have a handful of rocks. Each rock represents one of the concerns in your life. Now, picture yourself standing next to a lake. Take each one of those concerns and toss them one by one into the lake. You can't get them back, they are out of your control. God has received them and He will be responsible for the outcome.

Next, we are going to move closer to God by taking a piece of paper and writing down some of the hurtful things in your life. What hurtful things have been said to you? What hurtful things have you said to others? Write a word or draw a symbol to represent these hurts then decide if you want to continue carrying these with you. If not, then tear that paper into small pieces and throw them in the trash can. Just put them in God's hands.

Jesus said, "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." Matthew 6:14-15.

There are a number of things that distract us from focusing on God. What distractions are you faced with? Busyness, work concerns, financial woes, health problems and family needs can keep us from spending time alone with God. Write down the distractions in your life keeping in mind this scripture:

“Therefore I urge you brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:1-2a

After you write your distractions then visualize yourself nailing those distractions on a cross. Jesus died to give us abundant life, we can't let anything get in the way of the life he offers.

It is now time to move into the Holy Place. This is a safe haven, a place where you can be yourself with God. He will meet with you here. Converse with him and use your Bible to let Him speak to you. Spend a few minutes in His presence, listening for His voice. Share your heart with Him and don't rush your time alone with Him. When our minds are clear of all distractions and our hearts are in tune with Him, He often reveals some work for us to do or He may just hold you closely - He desires this precious time alone with you.

When you are ready to begin the outward journey, light a candle and carry it with you. You are now ready to take your encounter with God into the world.

Next week we'll carry our candle into the world and discover ways to share our encounter with God.

A Prayer Journey

2011-01-28T12:44:00.000-05:00

Over the next few weeks we are going to take a journey through a prayer labyrinth. Join me as we take this spiritual journey reflecting on God and Jesus and our relationship with God through His Spirit.

Prayer labyrinths were a common feature in many medieval cathedrals. They were marked out on the floor for people to walk through slowly, for a time of contemplative prayer and reflection. A prayer labyrinth is a pilgrimage that draws the participant inward for a time of reflection and then back out into the world. Many churches have set up labyrinths on the grounds around the church. I helped set one up in a church auditorium a number of years ago and had a labyrinth of sorts set up in the woods near my home for a family gathering. They can be adapted for use in any setting. Labyrinths are used as a means to enter into God's presence and reflect upon how our time with God can be used as we live out our lives here on earth.

Moses kneels before a Holy God.

As we begin our journey, we enter into a time of stillness before God.

An angel of the Lord appeared to Moses in the flames of fire from within a bush. As Moses approached the bush, he heard the voice of God call his name and he said, "Here I am."

"Do not come any closer," God said, "Take off your shoes for the place where you are standing is holy ground." Exodus 3:5

Before we enter into the labyrinth, we need to focus our attention completely on God. He is holy, He is eternal, He is our maker and our redeemer. Whenever we approach God, we need to be mindful of His power and might. Often, people don't have a fear of the Lord, but it's important to give Him the honor He deserves. Offer God praise for who He is and what He has done in your life. When your focus is on God and your mind is set on Him, you are ready to begin the journey.

The first place we stop on our journey is the foot of the cross. As we think about Jesus and the sacrifice he made for our sins, we are reminded of our baptism. Visualize a drop of water representing the cleansing that comes through the blood of Christ. Thank Jesus for his sacrifice which has made it possible for you to enter into God's presence.

A drop of water represents our baptism into Christ Jesus.

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me." Jesus is the way to eternal life, the way to the Father. After we have given our hearts to Jesus, we can approach the throne of God because we have been cleansed of all unrighteousness.

As our journey continues, we need to take a moment to turn off the noise of the world. Each one of us is bombarded almost constantly with noise. Whether the noise is a result of living in a large family, listening to the radio or watching television, we need to remember that when it is time to focus on God, all outside distractions hinder our time alone with God.

"Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Psalm 46:10-11

Spend time quietly before God - listen for His leading and give Him an opportunity to speak to your heart.

Next week, we'll move on through the labyrinth examining our hearts and our motives.

Witnessing through Cardboard Testimonies

2011-01-21T12:00:00.000-05:00

We have seen homeless people standing on street corners with a piece of cardboard and a message such as "Will Work for Food" "Need Money" or "Please help me feed my family." That is where the idea for cardboard testimonies began. The silent message can speak volumes in just a few words.

Christians have put their own slant on the idea by sharing a few words on one side of the cardboard about their life before Christ and on the back, writing a few words about their transformation after Christ made them a new creation. Not many of us get an opportunity to stand before an audience and speak about what the Lord has done in our lives. Even fewer Christians want to speak before an audience because of fear. A cardboard testimony is a way to share the change Christ has made in our lives without speaking a word. It is a powerful witness to the transforming power of God's Spirit in the lives of believers.

Although the origin of cardboard testimonies is unknown, the idea spread among churches. Hillside Christian Church in Amarillo, Texas was the first to post video online. The senior pastor of the church had "borrowed" the idea from a Las Vegas church. The idea went global in 2006, when the Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago held a leadership summit and posted their participants' testimonies online.

My life before Christ

My life after Christ

I have shared my testimony with you on this blog. At the Women's Conference hosted by New Harmony United Methodist Church in November 2010, the ladies who attended had an opportunity to share their testimonies.

Testimonies included: Worldly/Living for Him; Lukewarm Christian/On Fire for Jesus; Control Freak/Gave Control to Jesus; Sideline Christian/Going to the Mission Field; Drug User/Addicted to Christ and Saved at age 12/Still Serving the Lord.

If you could share your testimony in just a few words, what would they be? Each person who now believes that the blood of Jesus has saved them, has a testimony.

As I was preparing this blog it occurred to me that those who were impacted by Christ while he walked on the earth would have some incredible testimonies. Here's my take on what some of them might write on a piece of cardboard.

One of the most prominent Christians in the Bible is Paul. His testimony would probably say: side one - murderer - Christian hater, side two - evangelist, prisoner for Christ. The disciple John would perhaps say: side one - selfish - angry, side two - beloved by Christ. Zacchaeus encountered Christ who invited him to take him home to dinner. His testimony? Side one - cheater, thief, side two - generous and forgiven. We know from reading the Book of Acts that Barnabas was side one - wealthy and wordly, after Christ came into his life he became side two - generous and a missionary. Onesimus might share his testimony as side one - a thief and deserter and side two - forgiven, accepted and free. One of the most powerful testimonies would come from Lazarus. Side one - literally dead for 4 days, side two - alive, healthy and following Christ!

I'd like to hear your testimony. Leave a comment on this page or send me an e-mail at mundybethel@fuse.net.

What does the phrase "living water" mean to me?

2011-01-18T13:47:00.001-05:00

Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well. She wasn't looking for him, but he found her. He was the one who made the offer of "living water" to her. Since Jesus is the same today as he was 2,000 years ago, it stands to reason that he is still seeking people that fit her description. She needed a savior, she needed acceptance, she needed forgiveness, she needed Jesus! He is the source of "living water."

I, too, needed a savior; I needed acceptance; I needed forgiveness and Jesus found me, but it doesn't stop there. He fills me with his love, his forgiveness and his acceptance so that I can, in turn, offer his love, his forgiveness and his acceptance to others. It should be a continuous never-ending flow from Jesus, through me and on to others.

The woman at the well couldn't wait to run into the village and share the good news with others. She wanted everyone to know about Jesus and brought them to meet him. When his love is flowing within us, as believers, we need to let that love flow out of us to all those around us.

This "living" source of nourishment comes because of God's Spirit living within us. Jesus told her that the time was coming when those who worshipped the Father would worship him in Spirit and Truth. With Jesus filling us every time we read the word and pray in his name, the flow continues to nourish us and we can nourish others.

Click here to view other Women of Faith Talk Back entires.

Creative ways to pray

2011-01-12T12:42:00.000-05:00

I have a heart for prayer. It started many years ago when I discovered that God really wants an intimate relationship with the people He created. When I first started speaking to God, it felt awkward. If anyone would have been looking in my window I'm sure they would have thought that I was half-crazy. Sometimes I would sing to God, other times I would dance in His presence, often I would kneel before my favorite chair, but most of the time I would just speak my concerns out loud as I went about my daily routine.

I began reading every book about prayer that I could find. It seemed that many folks tried to concoct a formula for prayer. If you followed certain steps, said the correct words or always prayed scripture then your prayers would be heard and answered. Some said that fasting was the best way to get prayers answered, others claimed that repeating the same prayer over and over would do the trick. What I discovered after reading all the formulas was that there was no formula for prayer. What worked for one person may not work for everyone. What some perceived to be the correct way to approach God was correct for them, but it just didn't work for me.

The most intimate times that I've shared with God are those when His Spirit directed my prayers. God made each one of us unique for a reason and He wants us to be ourselves with Him. He is a God of diversity, a God of surprises and a God who wants to reveal himself to us.

I will share some of the creative ways that I have prayed to give you a jump start to your own prayer life. If we don't try new avenues in prayer, we can get into a rut and then our prayers can lose their power. As righteous children of the King, our prayers should always be powerful and effective.

Most recently I learned a different way to pray and it has enhanced my time with God in a colorful way. Praying in color isn't anything new, my mother did this type of praying for years and it wasn't until after she died that I realized what she was doing. She was an artist and it came natural for her to draw her prayer concerns using markers, colored pencils and pens. As praises and concerns are colored on the paper, your focus is on the ones named, and God, who looks at our hearts, hears those prayers as surely as he hears the ones voiced with thys and thous.

I have prayed using prayer lists with the concerns of others spelled out, I have prayed while waiting in line, driving down the road or as I do mindless household chores. One thing that I've noticed is that prayer is a two-way communication. I express concerns or a need and then just wait for the Lord to give me a response. Often I receive a peace that my prayer has been heard. Sometimes God's Spirit may impress on my spirit to pray a different way for someone in need. Instead of asking for physical healing, I may need to ask God to meet a spiritual need.

God has awakened me in the middle of the night with such a strong desire to pray for someone specifically that I had to get up and pray on their behalf. Maybe God can keep our attention more focused when it's the middle of the night and we won't be easily distracted.

There have been times when I had no particular concerns on my mind, but I just needed to spend time alone with God. Those are the most memorable prayer times. I have to share one that stands out in my mind. I just wanted to tell God how much I love Him. I was thinking that maybe He was tired of listening to me ask for this and that all the time. You know, help me with this, heal so-and-so of that ailment, give-me, give-me, give-me. (That would get old to me)!

I got a mental image of myself climbing onto God's lap. I couldn't see His face, but He held me like we would a little child. I crawled up very close to Him to hug His neck and then I put my mouth right next to His ear and whispered, "I love you." When I think of my own children and grandchildren, some of the most precious times for me have been when they just wanted to sit on my lap or give me a hug. I'm sure that God feels the same way, we are, after all, His precious children.

The Faithfulness of God

2011-01-05T16:23:00.000-05:00

Don and Marsha Mundy

My Testimony

Everyone who is a born again believer has a testimony to share with others. We may not all have dramatic conversion experiences such as the Apostle Paul, but for each one of us, our relationship with Christ has made us new creatures. There is something changed about us after we give our hearts to Christ.

On November 6, 2010, I had an opportunity to share my testimony during a Women's Conference at my church. Although the following testimony isn't elaborate and doesn't contain a lot of details, I just want to share with you part of my journey with Christ.

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

I am here today as an ambassador for the Lord and I want to share some of the things that I've experienced in my walk with God. I am a work in progress. God has begun a good work in me and I am assured that He will continue the work until the day of Christ Jesus.

Childhood

I was raised in a Christian home and attended church every week. My parents taught me about Jesus and his love for me and I accepted him into my heart and was baptized when I was 10 years old. Being so young, I don't think I realized the scope of what I had just done. As I was growing up, I thought that once you accepted Christ as your savior that was it. I had a love for Jesus and believed that he died on the cross for me, but I was similar to the believers in the book of Acts 18:23 - 19:6.

"After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples. Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately. When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On arriving, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.

While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?"

They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."

So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?"
"John's baptism," they replied.

Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus." On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied."

The Spirit of God was alive within me from the time of my baptism into the name of Jesus, but I wasn't aware of the Spirit's presence until much later. A pastor once told me that the holy Spirit is a gentleman and he won't push his way on anyone, he waits to be invited before he begins to work in your life.

Stephanie

When I was 22, my daughter Stephanie was still born. As she made her way down the birth canal, she died when the umbilical cord tightened around her throat. Dealing with her death was difficult for me and my husband, but her death became one of the stepping stones on my pathway to a deeper relationship with God. As I thought about her death, I realized that she was with Jesus in heaven and if I ever wanted to see her again, I needed the reassurance that I would be in heaven with her one day. I began earnestly reading the Bible seeking that reassurance. As a result of my seeking, I became confident of my place in heaven, but I still had not acknowledged the Holy Spirit's presence in my life. I was a firm believer in Jesus Christ as my savior, but there was something within me that didn't want to fully commit my life to God.

The reassurance that I had about heaven is spelled out in: Romans 6:1-4.

"What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life."

Marriage Woes

My husband, Don, was raised in a different environment than I was. He was a believer and I thank God that the pastor who married us had the wisdom to bring Don into the fold before our marriage. Don's parents were not Christians, they raised him in a home where alcohol was consumed on a regular basis and getting drunk was considered normal behavior. His dependance on alcohol soon became a stumbling block in our marriage. For a number of years I tolerated the drinking, but it was ruining our family life. After 10 years of marriage I knew that I couldn't continue to live with an alcoholic and at that point, Don was not willing to change his habits and so we separated and filed for a dissolution. In the midst of all this heartache and fear, the Lord was working on Don's heart in a different manner than he was working on mine.

Depression

I became depressed, feeling that I had been a failure as a wife. My life seemed out of control and yet, my faith in God never failed. I never blamed God for my problems, but I did question his reasons for putting me through the trials that I faced. I even attempted suicide, although I really didn't want to end my life, I just wanted all the pain and heartache to end.

I remember laying across my bed and just crying out to God in my Spirit. It was like the scripture says, Romans 8:26 "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express."

I couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel, but even through those dark days, the Lord was faithful. He led me to a Christian psychiatrist who helped me work through the pain. As I went through therapy, my self-confidence returned and I knew that God was going to go with me through whatever lay ahead.

Matthew 28:18-20 gives us the assurance that we are not alone when we have accepted Christ as our Savior.

"Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age'."

Marriage restored

The Lord kept our marriage intact and spoke to Don's heart about his drinking problem. He gave up drinking and we moved to the Cincinnati area purchasing a home next door to a little Methodist church. By that time, Don and I both knew that we needed the direction of God to keep us on the right pathway and we sought God's direction for our move. It was shortly after that move, as we became members of that little church and sat under the teaching of some Godly men, that God's Spirit really had an opportunity to move in our lives. God made a way for me to have time alone with Him. I wasn't working at that point and my heart was set upon God.

I couldn't get enough of God's word - I attended Bible studies, prayer meetings and both of us desired a deeper relationship with the Lord. That is what God longs for - for each of us. He wants us to come to him daily with all of our concerns, our joys, our fears and our needs. He wants to share in our lives.

During a Promise Keepers event in Washington D.C., my husband was called by God to become a shepherd. Although he is not in full-time ministry, he is now a licensed local pastor serving a small congregation. His obedience to God is more proof of the faithfulness of God. He pursues us with an amazing love and desires for us to be used in His kingdom.

Challenge: I challenge you, if you have never read the entire Bible to spend the next year reading through the word of God because it will give you a thorough knowledge of God. If you aren't in a small group or Bible study, I also urge you to find a Bible study group because discussing God's word with other believers will definitely increase your faith and give you opportunities to share what you learn with those around you.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

For years I had thought that God was too busy with all the big problems in the world to be bothered by my little concerns. I seldom approached His throne unless I was in a real mess and needed someone big to get me out of the mire. I have learned that God really cares about our everyday problems. He wants to become the first one we run to when we are happy or sad, when we need direction or confirmation. God really does love us and as impossible as it seems that the God who created the universe would even notice us, He really does care. He is faithful even when we are not.

Although my marriage situation improved, there were new obstacles, new situations some of which were direct consequences of my husband and I failing to follow God. But each trial that we experience has just improved our relationship with God because we know that He has never failed us. God has become our fortress and stronghold. When Don and I both realized that our love for God took first place in our lives, we were able to love each other with an even greater love than we had before.

Our son's rebellion

As an indirect result of our former marriage problems, our oldest son, David, rebelled and developed a dependence on drugs and alcohol. It was his way of dealing with a dysfunctional family life. Those problems eventually led to his imprisonment and now Don and I have had to go through the heartbreak of visiting our loving son in prison. But even in the midst of his imprisonment we have seen the faithfulness of God. David is now a born again believer and shares his faith with those around him on a daily basis. Also, because of David's incarceration, my husband and I have been able to minister to some of his fellow prisoners in unique ways. God can take all the hardships and heartbreaks in our lives and turn them into opportunities to minister to others.

Romans 8:31-39 (New International Version)

"What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:
"For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Continuing trials

Today I continue to experience trials on a daily basis. I lost my job in March 2010 and have been unable to find another one. I have a hearing disability which has hindered me from finding a job. But God has been faithful and provided for our financial needs.

Everyone struggles with personal problems. Physical needs, financial needs, grief and sorrow, fears about the future. Many of us are praying for salvation for family members and friends. The world's troubles seem to overwhelm us and cause us concern, but God is faithful and He wants us to bring all our needs to Him. He is a God who is able to meet every need. His faithfulness endures forever!

I want to conclude with a passage from Ephesians that will be our prayer for one another.

Ephesians 3:16-21

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen us with power through his Spirit in our inner being, so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith. And I pray that we, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that we may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Happy New Year

2011-01-01T12:06:00.000-05:00

The goal of posting my devotional book online in 2010 has been completed. With 2011 now before me, I have been praying for God to direct my writing where He wants me to go. I keep hearing the voice of my Shepherd Jesus say, "Feed my sheep." With His direction and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I will do my best.

Over the next few months I plan to share my testimony, some word studies and details about a prayer labyrinth.

I am committed to write each week and hope that you will continue on this faith journey with me. I would love to have some feedback from you about this blog. If you have questions or comments, please let me know. I have also started a weekly survey so that I can keep track of what is happening in your spiritual life.

May God bless you in 2011 as we continue serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Spend 5 Minutes in Thanksgiving

2010-12-29T20:22:00.000-05:00

Week 52

A number of years ago, the leadership of our church held a retreat in January. Each year we do this to get our focus on what we are doing as a body of believers. It gives us a chance to examine our motives and be reminded of what we are about as disciples of Christ. In January 2005, our retreat focused on getting to know God through prayer. At the beginning of the retreat, the leader, Reverend Aaron Brown, asked each of us to spend five minutes in a prayer of thanksgiving to God. We were told to speak our prayers out loud and to focus on all that we are thankful for.

It was amazing to hear the things that we take for granted voiced and the prayers of thanksgiving filled the room. I’m sure that we have no idea how much that meant to God. To hear his people thanking him for jobs, cars, the blood of Jesus, for our homes, families, our education, for the beauty in the world. It had to be a pleasing aroma to him.

Five minutes, that was all that we spent in thanksgiving, and yet it was so powerful. There are many days that I praise God for long periods of time. It is easy to get started on the attributes of God and continue praising him, but I guess I just don’t usually thank him for specifics and intentionally spend five minutes doing it. The concept is really Biblical. In Psalm 100 we are told to enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. Our hearts are instructed to be thankful to God in all circumstances. 1 Thessalonians 5:18. We read in Philippians that we are to lift our prayers and petitions to God with thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is a natural way to communicate with God, but five minutes? That seems like such a long time to spend speaking nothing but thanks.

As I write these words, we are on the eve of the National Day of Prayer, it is followed by 10 days of preparation for the Global Day of Prayer. The Global Day of Prayer falls on the day of Pentecost, one of the most revered days in the church calendar. I have made a commitment to God to spend one hour in prayer each day for the next 11 days. That means getting up earlier or staying up later to make this happen.

Not only will I spend an hour in prayer each day, but I am making the commitment to spend five minutes of those hours in thanksgiving. I want God to know how much I appreciate all that he has done for me. I want him to know that I don’t take his gifts for granted. I want him to know that he has a child who has gratitude in her heart for the blessings in my life.

I don’t make this commitment to boast or brag, I am not expecting anyone to think any better of me for doing this, but I do say it to make myself accountable for carrying out what I said I would do. If I think that even one person may ask me how the prayer vigil went, then it will make me stick with it.

One thing that I am hoping will come out of this, is maybe I will form a habit in those 11 days and will continue thanking God every time I come to him in prayer.

I remember when I first began a devotional time. I would sit down with my little devotional book and my Bible and spend five minutes with God. That included the time it took for me to find the scripture and the prayer at the end.

If I could make the first five minutes of my time with God purely a time of thanksgiving, that would be truly awesome. One thing I noticed when we had that prayer time, the focus was completely on God and not me. When we thank him for all he has given us, we are acknowledging him as our provider. I’m sure that he smiles at us when we thank him for his provision.

If you have trouble thinking of things to thank God for, use this simple exercise. Go to these scriptures: Psalm 13:5-6; Psalm 100; Colossians 3:17 and James 1:17 and pray them back to God.

Colossians 3:17 - Father, I am so thankful that whatever I do, whether in word or deed, I do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus and I thank you God through him.

It’s also easy to just look around you and begin to thank him for all of it. Be specific. Father, I thank you for my bookshelves and all the books that I have to fill it. Thank you for the clothing on my back, etc.

I used to wonder how someone could pray for an hour. It seemed that we couldn’t possibly have that much to talk to God about. He was busy after all and probably didn’t want to hear us babble on and on about all our problems. But the more I spend time in his presence, the more I’m convinced that he loves to hear our voices. He enjoys the fact that we come to him on our own to spend time with him.

It’s good to sometimes just sit in his presence and not say anything. It is those times that he can speak to us. I have noticed that when my mind is uncluttered, that is when he speaks. Usually when I am doing mindless tasks like washing the dishes, making the bed, folding laundry. Keep your ears attuned to him, it’s easy when you spend time with him on a regular basis. His voice becomes more familiar and it is a beautiful voice.

I’m going to time myself and write out a five minute prayer of thanksgiving. You may quit reading now and write your own prayer. After all, he wants to hear from you!

Father, I just want to thank you for the beauty in this day, the sun is shining and the trees are breaking out in leaf. I thank you for the birds and their songs. I thank you that I have new hearing aids and can hear those songs. I thank you that I have a home and a job and reliable transportation. I thank you for my husband and my childern and grandchildren. I thank you that I have Godly parents and that my sisters are all born again believers. I thank you for the food in my refrigerator and cupboards. I thank you that we can go to the store and find food on the shelves. I thank you that our country has dedicated a day of prayer to you. I thank you that the people in Africa have pushed for a global day of prayer. I thank you that your spirit lives in me and directs my prayers. I thank you that I have a computer and that you have given me wisdom and knowledge to use it. I thank you that you have given me strength to finish this devotional book. Amen.

Merry Christmas

2010-12-24T09:10:00.000-05:00

It's Christmas Eve and Christians around the world are celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The God of the universe chose to save mankind from sin by coming to earth in the form of a little baby. God entrusted the care and nurturing of Jesus to Joseph and Mary, ordinary people. Jesus could have been born to nobility, he could have been raised in a palace, but God wanted him to experience life as most of us experience it. He wanted Jesus to be fully man and reveal His righteousness and holiness to common folk. How amazing is that?

As you celebrate the birth of Christ this year, offer praise to God for His amazing gift. We have done nothing to deserve the gift of salvation and yet, God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. Jesus came to earth for the purpose of dying for our sins. He is worthy of our praise! We are indeed a blessed people because of Christ's coming!

Merry Christmas!

The Ripple Affect

2010-12-21T12:53:00.000-05:00

Week 51

“Encourage one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” Hebrews 3:13

Has anyone encouraged you today? What sort of affect did it have on you? Did you, in turn, want to encourage someone else? It can have that affect on us. Just as someone complaining can have the same affect on us. What we live with, what we hear becomes the way we live and the way we speak.

Most of us, as Christians, will not make a difference in the world like evangelist Billy Graham. At best, we can make a difference in our homes, our places of employment and our neighborhoods, but when it comes to reaching the masses, we just don’t have the opportunity to do so.

On any given day, we can wake up and offer ourselves to God. Read Romans 12:1 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship.”

If we offer ourselves to God on a daily basis, we are inviting his Holy Spirit to control our lives. If you stop and think about it, whatever you do, wherever you go, whoever you meet in the course of the day is a God-ordained meeting.

A few years ago when I started working for a newspaper, I was sent on assignments all around the county. As a Christian, it occurred to me one day that since I am an ambassador for Christ, he was directing my steps and would use me in my work. I began to picture myself claiming land for God wherever I went. I claimed the promise that God had given Abraham that wherever he set his foot, the land would become his. I started claiming the land where I walked for the kingdom of God.

I took it a step further by asking God to work in the lives of all the people who read our paper, or whose names were in the paper, those who received the free Sunday paper, even if they didn’t read it but instead tossed it in the trash. It is easy to pray for people when you have a God vision of them. I’m not claiming them for myself or asking for anything from any of them, but I am asking God to intervene.

I can’t honestly say that I have seen a difference in the county where I work, but I don’t have to see it, only believe it. If God could use me in my job, he can use everyone in their jobs as well. It is up to us to let the Holy Spirit direct our thoughts and prayers for those in our pathway. It is just a matter of yielding.

God is a God who can use the smallest things to accomplish his will. His kingdom will be expanded by the tiny things we do each day.

A good illustration is Rahab. She was a prostitute who lived in Jericho. When she hid two spies sent from Joshua, she was promised that her family would be spared when the Israelites came back to destroy Jericho. Her family was spared, but that isn’t the end of the story.

Rahab lived among the Israelites when they destroyed Jericho. She is mentioned again and again in the Bible. In Matthew we find out that she married Salmon from the tribe of Judah. She was the mother of Boaz who married Ruth and Rahab was the great grandmother of King David. Hebrews says, “By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.”

The little things we do can make a difference in the kingdom of God. A kindness, a smile, a word of encouragement is never wasted in God’s eyes. The entire kingdom can be affected by the things we say and do. The key is faith. When we act out of faith, God responds in ways that we may never see or know. It is believing that God will act that prompts us to act.

In James we read once again about Rahab. “Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.” James 2:18b. “In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” James 2:25-26.

Paul tells us that we live by faith not by sight. That is a wonderful way to live when we can trust God to lead us. We can also trust him to accomplish his plans through us as long as we are following him and living lives in step with his Spirit. How do we do that?

Romans 10:17 says, “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message and the message is heard through the word of Christ.” We cannot hear God’s voice instructing us on a day to day basis if we don’t open up his word and read it. Each morning I begin my day with a Bible reading and a short devotional. Sometimes I make time to sit and meditate on the word and other days, I have to go with very little time spent in the word. But the word is a daily part of my life. We can’t just hear the pastor read scripture on Sunday morning and expect God to speak to us the rest of the week.

The more of God that we search for, the more time we spend with him the more likely we are to walk in the spirit daily. God really wants us to desire to do his will, he expects Christians to desire to be like Jesus. He wants to use us to make a difference right where we live and work.

Father, We want to make a difference for your kingdom, we want to be used by you to minister to all those around us. We know that you can take even the smallest gifts we have and do mighty things with them. When we enter your heavenly kingdom we want to hear you say, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’ Direct our feet where you would have us walk and speak to us through your precious Holy Spirit. In Jesus name. Amen.

I Have Engraved You

2010-12-16T09:22:00.000-05:00

Week 50

One of the most moving scriptures I have ever read is Isaiah 49:16. God is speaking through Isaiah, he is speaking about a time that will come and what he will have to do for us. “See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.” Centuries before he would walk on the earth and die for us, he had our names engraved on his palms. He knew that he would one day have his hands pierced for us and he still went through with it. That to me is amazing love.

If we knew what the future held, if we could see that we would have to give our lives to save someone would we willingly and lovingly choose to be born for that purpose? I doubt that I would. It seems so painful and hard. Yet Jesus did that for us. Over and over again in the old testament we read about his first coming.

We know that he would be born of a virgin, that he would be the son of God, a descendent of Abraham, from the tribe of Judah, the family of Jesse, the house of David. Scripture tells us that he would be born in Bethlehem, that he would be called Lord, Immanuel, that he would be a prophet like Moses, a priest, a judge, a king.

I read once that we can find Jesus in every chapter in the Bible. I haven’t actually tried to do this, but when I consciously think about it, it is entirely possible.

Whenever the Word of the Lord is spoken in scripture, it is Jesus. Whenever a rock is mentioned in the Bible, it is Jesus. Whenever creation is brought up in scripture, there is Jesus. He is in each breath, each heartbeat and every time we awake it is because he has given us life and created a new day for us.

I guess if we mean that much to him, it wasn’t hard for him to die for us. Hebrews 12:2 puts it this way. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” He knew what was coming and considered it joy. That is a loving, merciful, gracious God who would do that for us.

In Philippians 2:5 we are told that our attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus. Listen to this:

“Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

He didn’t die on the cross to be elevated or exalted, but to save human kind. But God chose to exalt him for taking on the servant nature. One day everyone will bow to him – everyone.

I guess we have the option of bowing the knee to him now or later. It is awesome to think that those who do not serve him on earth, those who choose to serve Satan will also bow the knee to Jesus at the end of the age. Everyone will see him in all his splendor when he comes back to the earth the second time.

He will not return as a servant, no one will spit on him, ridicule him or nail him to a cross when he comes back as the sovereign ruler of the universe. He will come back as a conquering king!

I am so anxious to see him return. The earth is anxious for this also. “The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole of creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.” Romans 8:19-22

If your name has been engraved on the palm of his hand, you will be spending eternity with him, Jesus the king of the universe. We cannot even begin to fathom what that will be like. I don’t think that we will ever have boring days with nothing to do, I don’t envision a lazy afterlife, but one that is full of new things to see, do and experience.

With God, a thousand years are but a day and we will get an opportunity to experience that first hand when Jesus comes back to the earth a second time. That is if our names are written in the lambs book of life.

Revelation 20:11-15 describes the day of judgement. Listen carefully to these words.

“Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

How can we be guaranteed that our name will be written in the book of life?

When Jesus was nailed to the cross, it was for everyone who had ever been born or would be born, no one is exempt from the grace and love he showed. Each and every name of every person in the world was engraved on his palms. But there is a stipulation. We have to accept the gift, it is up to each one of us to believe that he was who he said he was and have faith that the blood he shed was for our sins. God has made it very clear that it is by faith in the blood of Jesus that we are saved.

Jesus told us that he is the way, the truth and the life no one comes to the father except through him. It may sound harsh that those who reject Jesus will not be written in the book, but we hear this from Jesus himself in Matthew 7:13-14. “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it.”

Is your name engraved on the palm of Jesus hand? It is if you accept his gift. He died for you, for me, for everyone. Our sin debt has been paid in full. But we have to acknowledge that gift, we have to embrace it and be thankful for it. We have to give our allegiance to Jesus for what he has done for us. There is a song that I have been singing a lot lately. It kind of sums up this devotion. Hear the words to “Amazing Love.”

I’m forgiven because you were forsaken. I’m accepted you were condemned. I’m alive and well, your spirit is within me, because you died and rose again.

Amazing love how can it be, that you my king should die for me? Amazing love I know it’s true, and it’s my joy to honor you, in all I do, to honor you.

You are my king. You are my king. You are my king, Jesus you are my king.

Amazing love how can it be, that you my king should die for me? Amazing love I know it’s true, and it’s my joy to honor you, in all I do, let me honor you.

Christmas Eve Service

2010-12-13T13:53:00.000-05:00

New Harmony United Methodist Church is located in Williamsburg, Ohio

New Harmony United Methodist Church plans Christmas Eve service

The tradition of a Christmas Eve Candlelight Service will continue at New Harmony United Methodist Church. The service will be held 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 24 and the public is invited to attend.

The hour-long service will include the singing of traditional Christmas carols, a short message from Pastor Don Mundy and the lighting of the Christ candle. All those in attendance will hold lighted candles as they sing "Silent Night."

A birthday cake for Jesus will be shared at the conclusion of the service.

The church is located 1445 New Harmony Shiloh Road in Williamsburg. Call Pastor Don for more information, 1-513- 734-4334.

Moving Mountains

2010-12-09T16:01:00.000-05:00

Week 49

Do you have any mountains in your pathway today? Maybe your finances are out of control, maybe you are dealing with a health issue that seems like more than you can handle. Maybe your son or daughter is in trouble with the law or maybe they have a drug problem which is causing other problems. Whatever the mountain, God is bigger!

Jesus had just come down from the mountain of transfiguration, he had just met with Moses and Elijah and been encouraged by them. He knew that his time on earth was getting short and that it was going to be up to his disciples to carry on the work of building the kingdom when he was gone. And then he had to deal with their limited faith.

Jesus’ disciples had been unable to remove a demon from a boy. They didn’t understand why they couldn’t remove it. Matthew 17:17-21 “O unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” Jesus rebuked the demon and it came out of the boy and he was healed from that moment. Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

He replied, “Because you have so little faith, I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

In Matthew 21:21-22 we hear Jesus say, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

That is powerful preaching. Did he really mean it? Over and over again Jesus kept telling his disciples that they could ask for things and they would receive them if they asked believing. What are we missing?

Hear some more of Jesus words:

Mark 11:24 - Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

John 14:13-14 - And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the son may bring glory to the father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

John 15:7 - If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given you.

John 15:16 - You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

John 16:23-24 - In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive and your joy will be complete.

Have you noticed a pattern in what Jesus tells us? It seems to me that we are still wrapped up in ourselves and our needs. It’s not about us. Jesus knew that. He knew that everything he did on earth, every word he spoke, every action was always only to bring glory to his Father. None of the things he did was about him. He was a representative on earth, an ambassador from God.

As born again believers, we are the same as Jesus. Our lives are no longer about us, they are about God. All of our actions, all of our words, everything we do should be a reflection of our Father. This is a concept that I have in my head, but it hasn’t quite gotten to my heart completely. I know it, I’m sure of it, but there is still so much of the flesh in me that I doubt what I am hearing.

If we could ever really grasp what he was saying to us, this world would be a different place. Why can’t we ‘get it’?

How do we keep our focus on God and not ourselves or the problems in our lives? Is there a trick? Even as I write this book, there is a mountain that looms before me. I have never written a book before. God placed the desire to write this book in my spirit more than two years ago. I have stopped for a time and then started again. At times I just wanted to quit, but he would always draw me back. He is expecting me to finish it.

Now that most of the writing is finished, the task before me is to find a publisher and get the book into print. That, my friend, is a mountain or at least it seems like one. I am an unpublished writer. God has backed me all the way in the writing of this devotional book, but how do I explain that to a publisher? They want books written by well-known writers, not by someone they have never heard of.

My prayer right now is “I do believe, help thou my unbelief.”

Am I going to continue looking at the mountain (getting published), or am I going to look at God. What would Jesus do in this situation? Well, I’m just thinking out loud right now - God asked me to write this book, he has enabled me to persevere and not give up. His spirit has been the one guiding me each step of the way. Every time I sat down to write, I would ask the holy spirit to speak through me. God has been in the drivers seat with this project every mile of the way.

When I think back I remember thinking that I was not an artist and couldn’t do the drawings, I even asked my talented sister to consider drawing the pictures, but God wanted me to do that part also. His hand has been in this book from the very moment I started. No wait, I have to back up a little. Some of these drawings date back more than 10 years. He knew even then, that I would one day write this book and include pictures.

If God knew all that about me and this book, why would I now think that I won’t find a publisher? God has a plan for this project, he will continue to lead me where I need to go to get it published. Why am I doubting?

Did you see how that worked? I did, and I am amazed myself. I took the focus off myself and the problem and put it on God. We can do the same thing no matter what the mountain may be.

Let’s try the same process with an imaginary issue. Let’s say that your company has been downsized and you are among those that have to be let go. That’s a mountain, right? Your family depends on you as a the primary bread-winner to make enough money to pay the mortgage, utility bills, buy food and clothing, etc. How do you handle the situation? What would Jesus do?

Think about it and verbally talk about the situation with God. Father, you gave me the job that I had, it has met all the needs of my family for years. Now I am without an income, I will have unemployment benefits for a few months, but they will eventually run out and unless I have another job, we will have to sell the house, and could even end up homeless. (There is the focus on self.)

Father, you are the one who gave me the job that I had, it has met all the needs of my family for years. I know that if you gave me that job, you are able to give me another job. You know that we need to eat, we need a roof over our heads and that we need a decent income. You are the God who has provided for me all my life and I am sure that you will provide for me now. I am trusting you to lead me to the new job. I look to you to guide my footsteps. I believe that you have something better for me, because I know that you have a purpose and a plan for my life. Thank you for always meeting my needs. I trust in you.(There is the focus on God.)

The mountains will always loom before us, they may look bigger or smaller, they may appear closer or at a distance, but they are there. As long as we live, we will have mountains to climb or throw into the sea. We have a choice when we see these mountains. How will we react to them.

I challenge you to take your eyes off the mountain and instead focus on the Sovereign God of the universe. Jesus was our example, he taught us to ask for things in his name, he asked us to look to God for answers.

“So do not worry saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:31-34.

As an end note: I still have not found a publisher for this book, but I started this blog almost a year ago as a way of sharing what God gave me. Maybe this is the avenue that God had planned. Also, I lost my job in March 2010 and have been unable to find a new one. I'm looking to God to provide for our needs and he has never let us down in the past. I'm trusting in Him and doing what I know to do until He shows me what I am to do next.

Prayer requests of others

2010-12-03T13:31:00.000-05:00

Week 48

The more you grow in your relationship with God, the more you will share your faith with those around you. God will give you opportunities to tell others about the things he is doing in your life. He will also give you opportunities to pray for those around you.

Many times we are given chances in our conversations with others. I once had a co-worker tell me about a test he was having done for a physical condition. I could tell that he was concerned about the test itself and the outcome of the test. It was a perfect opportunity to tell him that I would say a prayer for him. He seemed kind of surprised that someone would do that for him.

There have been other opportunities to tell co-workers that I would say a prayer for them. The Bible tells us to make the most of every opportunity to share the good news.

We have a prayer chain at our church. If someone has a need, they can call the head of the prayer chain and the need will spread through a telephone call list and an e-mail list so that before the day is over, they have been lifted to the throne many times. What a comfort it is to know that many people are praying for you or your loved one and all it took was a phone call to get the prayer started.

There are so many ways that we can have access to the needs of others. Sometimes people don’t want to share a concern because it is too difficult to speak about. But God may put them in your heart to ask for their needs to be met.

The small group that met at my house often shared the needs of others and asked that the people remain anonymous or that we not share the need outside the group. It was really wonderful to hear the people in the group pray for those they didn't know, maybe had never met but when we know there is a need, we also know that we have a God who is able to meet the need.

Sometimes people are too sick to even ask for prayer. They may have cancer and are undergoing treatment that just absolutely wipes them out. Maybe they are taking care of a parent with Alzheimer’s Disease. Their child may be sick or they may be burdened with financial problems do to a family situation. We all know people who are in need of prayer who maybe wouldn’t ever ask for it.

When we know of a need, it is up to us to present that need to Jesus. Sometimes our prayers are so self-centered and we are so focused on our own needs that our prayers are one-sided. Listen to your prayers, really listen to what you say to God. If there are a lot of I’s, me’s and mines, maybe it’s time to ask the Holy Spirit to put someone on your heart that needs prayer.

I recently was focused on myself and heard myself asking for this and that for my husband and myself. It was really an eye opener when I asked the spirit to put someone on my heart, there was silence and then I thought of the folks in my small group. I immediately started lifting them to the throne one at a time, remembering the concerns they had recently voiced.

It amazed me that in the course of 20 minutes (my drive to work), I had an opportunity to pray for each one of them and some of the special needs they had mentioned in small group. I was also amazed that my problems seemed to disappear as I prayed for the needs of others. What had I been asking for anyhow?

Sometimes we have the chance to really pray someone through a situation. It may be a sickness, a financial crisis, a problem with a child or family member, but God will continually bring them to mind and we can pray daily for them until the problem is resolved, until the healing comes or until the crisis passes. What a blessing to hear someone say that it was the prayers of loved ones and friends who brought them through a situation.

There are times when we hear about the answers and other times when it seems that God isn’t even listening. But perseverance in prayer is one of the most wonderful experiences we can have. Just keep praying and praying for the situation. Go daily before the throne of God asking for an answer. I have heard that some people prayed for 20 years or more for their answer.

Someone told me once that they prayed only once for situations and didn’t ask again, but I think that sometimes we really need to ask and keep on asking. Daniel is a good example of that type of prayer. He knew what God had promised Jeremiah the prophet that the Jewish people would be in exile for 70 years, but they would go back to Jerusalem. At the end of the 70 years, he began knocking on the throne room door asking God to send them back to Israel. He also repented on behalf of his people. He began praying and fasting in earnest. He continued fasting a praying for three weeks. (See Daniel 10:2-3.)

We are told in Daniel 10:12 what happened. An angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me 21 days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.”

Daniel persevered in prayer, God heard and answered in a mighty way. God isn’t any different today than he was in Daniel’s time. He still answers and he still may have to do battle to bring us the answer, but it is up to us to petition him.

Is there someone you know who has a need? Does it seem impossible for the need to be met? Has God put it in your heart to pray for them? Then do it. Go to God every day if you have to. Don’t stop until you have prayed them through the situation. Forget about your own needs and focus on the needs of others.

Jesus told us in Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” So knock and keep on knocking, seek and keep on seeking, ask and keep on asking. The answer is waiting.

Father,

In the course of a day there are so many needs that I see around me. Just today I heard a mother who has lost custody of her children ask that they be returned to her, I heard a co-worker who is discouraged ask for encouragement, I heard the mother of four little children ask for strength to get through the day. We don’t have to look to far to find someone to lift to you in prayer.

We ask that your spirit put people in our pathways that need prayer and that we would respond by lifting them to you and expecting you to hear and answer our requests on their behalf.

We thank you that you a merciful God, a God of compassion and love. We ask that you restore the children to their mother. We ask that you give the young lady that needs encouragement something to be joyful about and we ask that you help that young mother keep up with her children today, may she be joyful in her job as parent.

Thank you for hearing our prayers. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray.

Amen

Origins of the Christmas tree

2010-12-02T09:47:00.000-05:00

I Wish You a Merry Christmas

With all the hoopla lately about calling Christmas trees - holiday trees, I was curious about just how the custom of Christmas trees began.

As a Christian, I had been taught that Martin Luther, one of the founders of the protestant faith, was walking through a forest on Christmas Eve, he was looking at an evergreen tree and saw the stars shining through the branches. He was so enamored by the sight that he cut a small tree, took it home and tried to create the starlight affect by placing candles on the branches. Thus, the first Christmas tree.

Another legend has an English monk, Saint Boniface, coming upon a group of pagans gathered around an oak tree to sacrifice a child to their god Thor. He stopped the sacrifice by felling the tree with one blow from his fist. In the place of the oak, a small fir tree grew. He told the pagans that the fir was the tree of life and that it symbolized eternal life in Christ.

Yet another legend stems from the "Paradise Play" from medieval times. Many people couldn't read and plays were used to teach Bible lessons. The "Paradise Play" performed on Christmas Eve, told the story of the creation of man and the fall of Adam and Eve. The fall was represented with Eve picking an apple from a tree. In winter, no apple trees had green leaves, so an evergreen tree was substituted and apples were hung from the branches.

One more legend refers to a poor woodsman who met a lost and hungry child on Christmas Eve. Even though he was poor, he gave the child food and shelter for the night. The next morning he found a beautiful glittering tree outside his door. The child was really the Christ child in disguise and he created the tree to reward the man for his charity.

Every legend that I could find had Christmas as an origin for the tree.

Another legend that I discovered while searching for Christmas tree origins was the tradition of topping a tree with an angel or a star. The decorations symbolize the star of Bethlehem or the angel that appeared to the shepherds to tell them about the birth of Christ.

In Ireland, a large candle is placed in the window of the home on Christmas Eve to symbolize that Mary and Joseph would be welcomed into the home. The couple could find no lodging in Bethlehem except a stable and that is where Mary gave birth to Jesus. Showing that you welcome the couple to your home with a candle in the window is another way of celebrating the birth of Jesus.

The Jewish holiday Hanukkah or the Feast of Lights is a celebration of the Jewish victory from occupation and the cleansing of their temple performed in December. They use lights and decorations during the same time as the Christmas celebration, but the Jewish people are not celebrating the birth of Christ.

I researched the holiday of Kwanzaa to see if a tree was part of their celebration and found that it is a relatively new holiday. Created in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga of California State University to celebrate the African American family, community and culture. It is observed from Dec. 26 to Jan 1 and builds on five fundamental activities; in gathering, reverence, commemoration, recommitment and celebration. It is a cultural holiday, not a religious one and is practiced by Africans of all religious faiths.

I have not found the Christmas tree with any origin than that of Christianity. Therefore, I will always refer to it as the Christmas tree.

Another thing that I discovered was the roots of the phrase "Merry Christmas." Christmas is a translation of the old English Cristes Maesse or the Mass of Christ. It was celebrated on the eve of his recognized birthday. When the phrase "Merry Christmas" first came about, the word merry meant peaceful or blessed. So when someone wished you a "Merry Christmas," they were actually saying "have a peaceful, blessed Mass of Christ," or in terms today "have a peaceful and blessed Christmas."

I suppose that I could wish you Happy Holidays and that would encompass Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Christmas, but then I'm not Jewish and don't celebrate Hanukkah, I'm not African-American and don't celebrate Kwanzaa. I am, however, a Christian and I do celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and so I wish you a "Merry Christmas."

God’s Throne Room

2010-11-26T10:10:00.000-05:00

Week 47

Where does the God of the universe dwell? We know that he wants to dwell with mankind. He had Moses build a tabernacle for his presence to be close to the Israelites when they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. He instructed King Solomon, the son of King David to build him a temple. Isaiah saw him in a vision, “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted and the train of his robe filled the temple,” Isaiah 6:1.

In Isaiah 66:1 we hear God say, “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?”

If we fast forward to the book of Hebrews we get a better idea of God’s throne room. The author explains about Jesus’ priesthood. He shares with us the way Jesus entered the actual Holy of Holies, not an earthly imitation, but the very throne of God in heaven. He took his sinless blood into the Holy of Holies and sprinkled the blood on the mercy seat of God to make atonement for the sins of the world. It is this very throne that we now have access to through the blood of Jesus.

Each time we go to God in prayer, we have to apply the blood of Jesus. It is the covering that makes us righteous in God’s eyes. We have done nothing and can do nothing to protect ourselves as we approach God. In our own power and by ourselves we would be consumed completely before we got in the door. We are sinful people, but God is a God of mercy and grace.

Jesus is a savior who died for our sins, he knew that was the only way for us to enter God’s presence and he took care of it for us. The Hebrew people had the priest who could approach God only on the day of atonement. He was the only one who could act as a go-between between the people and God and the sacrifice he offered had to be offered again and again, year after year. It was a never ending process. Until Jesus showed up on earth.

When Jesus took his own blood into the throne room of God, that took care of the sin problem once and for all. As far as God was concerned, anyone who comes to him in Jesus’ name, is as pure as Christ himself. Why can’t we get that through our thick skulls? Why do we think that we still have to offer sacrifices? The price has been paid, we are righteous in God’s sight if we have applied the blood of Jesus to our lives and sprinkled it on the door posts of our hearts.

Another thing happened when Jesus entered that throne room. He took his seat next to God, his father. And the word of God tells us this. “...Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” Hebrews 7:24b-25.

What is he doing for us right this very minute? He lives to intercede for us. He is sitting beside his father, speaking on our behalf.

So how do we get into the throne room? What do we have to do to get an audience with the king of the universe? We have to pray. Jesus is sitting beside God waiting for his loyal subjects to bring him petitions. He is wanting to answer our prayers, but we have to bring them to him first.

Many times when I have burdens that seem unbearable, I envision meeting Jesus at the door of the throne room. He takes me by the hand and walks with me across the enormous room where God is seated on his large towering throne. It is intimidating, but when you picture Jesus holding your hand, it makes it so much easier.

Let me give you a visual example. I am a visual learner and this is the way I can best explain my prayer life. One week God put a burden on my heart for abused children in the counties where I live and work. I know that there are many children who are suffering from physical abuse and neglect and from sexual abuse. The need for protection is great and there are not enough foster homes to place these children and remove them from danger. What can we do as Christians?

Well, I went before the throne of God, with Jesus standing beside me, and I asked God to supernaturally protect these little ones. I told him that I knew many of these children had no one to pray for them and I wanted to be the one to stand in the gap for them. I told him that I wanted to be their grandma. I asked for him to cover them with the blood of Jesus and to sanctify them.

As I was praying, I realized that little children were all around me. They were looking up at me, expecting me to protect them. Now there is no way that I can do that physically, but the God of the universe is able to do amazing things in the supernatural world and I have asked him to keep them safe.

Sound weird? Well maybe it does, but I believe that God is a God who is able to save, protect, heal and that he is our vindicator. The vision doesn’t stop there. Those little ones remained in my heart, when I awoke the next morning, I envisioned them under the covers with me. I was protecting them all night as I slept and as they slept. Do I have any proof? No, but I had such a peace about the situation that I don’t need proof.

The vision still continues, when I got to work that day, there they were under my desk. I was still seeking God’s protection for them and was continuing to stand in the gap. All those little ones stayed with me for quite awhile.

Who has God put in your heart to pray for? Take the burden to Jesus. There is a an old hymn that speaks about this concept. Listen to the words:

1) I must tell Jesus all of my trials; I cannot bear these burdens alone; In my distress He kindly will help me; He ever loves and cares for his own.

Chorus:

I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus! I cannot bear these burdens alone; I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus! Jesus can help me, Jesus alone.

2) I must tell Jesus all of my troubles; He is a kind, compassionate friend; If I but ask Him, He will deliver, Make of my troubles quickly and end.

3) Tempted and tried I need a great Savior, one who can help my burdens to bear; I must tell Jesus, I must tell Jesus; He all my cares and sorrows will share.

4) O how the world to evil allures me! O how my heart is tempted to sin! I must tell Jesus, and he will help me over the world the victory to win.

(I Must Tell Jesus - by E. A.Hoffman - Hope Publishing Co.)

There is a scripture in 1 Samuel that seems to explain why we approach the throne of God. When the people of God asked Samuel to pray and ask God for a king to rule over them they were told that God was going to give them what they asked for even though it was not according to his will for them. He wanted to be their king.

“Do not be afraid,” Samuel replied. “You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. For the sake of his great name the Lord will not reject his people, because the Lord was pleased to make you his own. As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away.” 1 Samuel 12:20-25

Samuel had to pray for them, we have a responsibility to pray for others. Let’s not fail to do so.

Darkness is Light to God

2010-11-19T08:05:00.000-05:00

Week 46

In Genesis we read that God spoke to the darkness and created light. “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light day and the darkness he called night.”

Creating light was a pretty simple operation for God. It is today also. His light, his glory radiates from him and illuminates everything that is dark.

Man continues to try and hide his wickedness in the darkness. For some reason, we think that if we commit sin behind closed doors or at night when it is dark, no one will know. The Psalmist said, “If I say, ‘surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,’ even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.”

God is able to help the saints by illuminating the way before us. He often shines his light on our pathways to keep us from falling or tripping. His spirit wants us to follow the path He has chosen for us and many times we stray from the path.

Keeping in touch with God through his word helps enable us to follow the path he has chosen for us. Psalm 119:105 reads “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” God is the provider of the light. He wants us to ask him for guidance when we make decisions, he wants to hold the lantern for us when we are confused about which way to turn. If he can create light, he can certainly illuminate our pathway.

Jesus Christ came into the world as one of us to show us the love and the light of God. He was able to dispel the darkness by paying the price for sin with his life. The gospel of John explains it best. “In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God and the word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” He explains that John the Baptist was coming to be a witness of the light coming into the world. “The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.”

In chapter three he says, “Everyone who does evil hates the light and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”

How amazing to think that living by the truth means living in the light.

Living in truth keeps us separate from those who live in darkness. In 2 Corinthians we read, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?”

As believers it is also our job to expose the deeds of darkness. In Ephesians 5:8-11 we hear Paul tell us, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” In verse 13 he says, “But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible.”

Wow, what an awesome responsibility we have as followers of Christ. An example of this is one that many Christians share. Christians on the job are often shunned by co-workers when they walk into a situation where gossip is taking place or if someone is telling an off color joke. It is the light of Christ shining through us revealing the deeds of darkness that makes people uncomfortable. We are exposing the darkness, making it visible to God.

Scripture tells us, that as children of God, we are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God that we may declare the praises of him who called us out of darkness into his wonderful light.

He has called us into his light. We are no longer living in darkness. We no longer enjoy the things we used to enjoy. Our sinful lives have been exposed to the darkness and we run to the light and a right relationship with God.

When I first came into this relationship with God, there were many times that I longed for my old way of life. It was familiar to me, it was comfortable and I missed the old life. But as my relationship with God has grown, the old ways have become foreign to me. I can’t watch the same television shows I used to watch. I can’t listen to the same music and enjoy it. Some friendships have ended and some places where I used to spend time are no longer acceptable to me.

This didn’t happen overnight for me, I’ve heard that it does for some people. But over a period of time the truth of Jesus and what he did for me has become the most important thing in my life.

As we share our love of Christ with those around us we are dispelling the darkness. Jesus told us in the Sermon on the Mount, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 6:14-16

Sometimes this means that we have to go into the dark places to light them up. This is not something that God would expect a new convert to Christianity to do. If you have had a problem with drugs and alcohol and are a new believer, God would not expect you to immediately begin to minister to those who you used to associate with. He would probably help create distance from your old way of life until you were strong enough spiritually to share your faith.

Many new believers have a problem distancing themselves from old friends and habitats. They want to share their new found faith with their friends who are continuing in the lifestyle they are trying to leave behind. This can cause the new believer to backslide. Their light is not strong enough to dispel the darkness around them. If you find yourself wanting to minister but have any doubts, listen to your heart and wait. If God wants you to share your faith, he will let you know when to do it and how to do it.

Living in the light of God will make us lovers of our brothers. “This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you; God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus, his son, purified us from all sin.” 1 John 1:5-7 “Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother lives in the light and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him.” 1 John 2:9-11

Father,

We are your children, called out of darkness into your marvelous light and we are so grateful that you have guided us to this point in our lives. Some of us are new to this way of life and need to be separated from the old way of life. Others of us are ready to take our light into the dark places, exposing the deeds for what they are.

We come to you as children who need a light to shine the way before us and we ask you to illuminate our pathway. We really want to serve you and we know that you are the one who has the truth. You are the only way to find the light. Thank you for being a God of light, thank you for being a God of glory. May we glorify you with our lives and may they shine in the darkness around us. Because of Christ. Amen.

Connect The Dots

2010-11-10T07:10:00.000-05:00

Week 45

I was very blessed to have an enjoyable drive to work. Most of it was back country road, no interstate highway or four lane road. Not much traffic unless I was running late and encountered school buses. As I was driving to work one morning, I looked to my left and saw two deer grazing in an open field. They heard the car and watched as I drove by. A half mile further, I looked up in time to see a flock of geese flying in formation overhead. The sun was just coming up and the sky was a brilliant shade of red and orange.

I had to just keep thanking God and praising him for the wonders he had placed in my pathway. As I was thanking him, it occurred to me that he orchestrated this beauty just for me. I never saw another car as I drove down the country road and that increased my awe in my creator.

Why would he plan such an event for me? He must really love me and want to bless me. That really got me to wondering how I fit into the scheme of things in the world.

I am a praying person, maybe more than some, but probably not as much as others. I am led by God’s Holy Spirit and when the Spirit asks me to pray for someone, I do.

Each morning I have my devotional time before starting my day. I need that time to get prepared for the day. It seems to help me be ready for any and every situation I may face.

I have been praying around the world with the help of a world prayer map. It directs my prayers to different countries on specific days. This is a tool that I use to pray for those who have never heard the gospel message. It amazes me that someone on the other side of the world may be blessed because I prayed for them.

Back to my story, I’m not sure what I was praying as I drove down the road that morning. I know that I was marveling at God’s work in the heavenlies. The sunrise was breathtaking. God spoke to my heart that morning and assured me that I was part of something much bigger than my own little corner of the earth.

In Psalm 139:7 - 8, David says, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.”

As Christians, we are never separated from God and his love. His word tells us so. (See Romans 8:35-39.) That being said, we know that we are to pray. We are instructed to pray for other Christians, for our enemies, for those who persecute us. We are told to pray without ceasing and we are told by Jesus to pray: “Our Father, in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” Matthew 6:9-13.

Did you hear what Jesus asked us to pray for? He said “your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Wow, we are asking God to do his will on earth as it is in heaven. That is pretty awesome. I can’t really imagine what God does in heaven, but it is something fantastic. We know that Jesus is preparing a place for us in heaven. We know that the true temple of God is in heaven. We know that there is a throne in heaven.

When we ask for God’s will to be done, we are impacting our planet in a mighty way. When I pray for the gospel message to be preached in other countries, when I ask for God’s purpose and plan to be fulfilled in the leaders of other nations, when I ask that Christians would have the mind of Christ, my prayers are being heard in heaven and affecting the heavenlies.

Remember when God created the heavens and the earth? What did he do to create things? He spoke them into existence. Although I am not God, when I speak the things that his Holy Spirit instructs me to speak, I too am causing things to happen in the spirit realm.

What an awesome responsibility and how powerful are our words. I don’t really know the impact I have on other countries when I pray. I usually ask according to Jesus words in Matthew 9:36-38, “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, (that is you and I) “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” We are asking according to God’s will when we ask him to send workers into the harvest field.

How does my life affect what happens in the universe? I can’t really say, but I do know that God hears my prayers. When someone is sent into the harvest field to become a missionary and preach the good news of salvation, I am there with them in Spirit. The impact they have on others may be a result of my prayers and the prayers of other saints around the world.

When someone hears and accepts the gift of salvation, the angels in heaven rejoice. “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” Luke 15:7 Now that is far reaching. A little prayer from me and others like me can open the doors of heaven, send workers into the harvest field, the message of salvation through Christ can be preached and people can have eternal life.

Eternal life, now that is universal. It is so far reaching that we may never know just how far that one little prayer went.

Multiply our prayers by thousands or hundreds of thousands and you may be able to understand how you can affect what happens in the universe.

Now I have never really read anything in the Bible to prove what will happen when we live for eternity, but I have heard it said that what we are experiencing here on earth is like pre-school compared to what we will experience in eternity. And yet, we cannot experience eternal life unless we give our hearts to Jesus here on earth.

Our prayers for the lost people of the world are so important. If they are lost they don’t know to look for Jesus. We have to share the message with them. Not everyone who hears the message will accept it, not everyone who hears the message will understand it, but Jesus died for everyone on earth. That means that everyone on earth should at least have the opportunity to hear what he did for them. God wants to give everyone the chance to accept his gift of eternal life.

Do your prayers make a difference in the universe? Yes they do. Even if you don’t see visible proof, you have to pray and keep on praying. God knows your heart and he knows that you are sincere in wanting to reach the lost.

Father,

We know that no matter where we are, you are there, your Holy Spirit is with us, as Christians, wherever we are. We thank you for the way you reveal yourself to us and we want you to reveal yourself to those who don’t know you.

We know that you are the Lord of the harvest and that you can send workers into the harvest field to share the message of salvation through Jesus Christ.

We know that you have a purpose and a plan for leaders of nations around the world, you are the one who has put them positions of leadership. We pray that your plans for the leaders of the world would be fulfilled and that they would become the men and women you created them to be.

We want to advance the gospel around the world and we pray that those who hear the gospel would accept your gift of eternal life. We know that heaven is poised and waiting to rejoice as people accept your gift and we rejoice with the angels.

Thank you for hearing our prayers offered in Jesus name. Amen

A Bridge of Mercy

2010-11-04T18:21:00.000-04:00

Week 44

Webster defines mercy as compassion shown to an offender; a blessing resulting from divine favor or compassion; a fortunate circumstance; a compassion shown to victims of misfortune. To the Christian that means that God shows compassion to sinners, he blesses us not because we deserve it, but because he is a compassionate God. He doesn’t treat us as our sinful natures deserve to be treated. We are shown mercy only because of what Jesus Christ did for us. He ultimately paid the price that we owed as offenders, sinners.

How can we know that God is a merciful God? His word tells us about his merciful character. Deuteronomy 4:30-31 reads, “When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the Lord your God and obey him. For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your forefathers, which he confirmed to them by oath.” Again in Nehemiah we read “But in your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.” Nehemiah. 9:31

How does our belief in God’s mercy take us from being fearful to being peaceful? Until we realize God’s mercy, we are lost in our sinfulness. We have a fear inside that we cannot do enough to become righteous in God’s eyes. That fear of failure, fear of being lost forever is within us.

In the old testament we see the Hebrews seeking God’s favor through sacrifices and righteous living. In Hosea 6:6 we read this, “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgement of God rather than burnt offerings.” “He has shown you, O man, what is good,” said the prophet Micah. “And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)

Before we can walk across that bridge of mercy, we need to acknowledge our sinfulness and repent. It is when we accept what Christ died to give us that we can begin to overcome our fears.

If you have never accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, and you are ready to take that step right now, pray this prayer.

Father God, I know that you came to earth in the form of the man, Jesus Christ, to die for the sins of the world. I thank you for dying for my sins and I ask you into my heart right now to change me. I believe that Jesus rose from the dead and now sits at your right hand. I want to be like Jesus and live my life to please you. I thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit which has begun to do a new thing inside me. Thank you, Father. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Once we accept the gift that God has given us, salvation through Jesus Christ, then he begins to lead us from our fears toward his peace. It is a process and it seems that we may be walking back and forth across the bridge of mercy almost daily at times.

In Hebrews 2:17 we find out exactly why Jesus had to become like us, “For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.”

Jesus died for our sins as a man suffering all the physical pain that we would have suffered had we been made to atone for our own sins. He became merciful - he became the bridge of mercy taking all of us who would believe in him from fear of death into peace (wholeness). We read this again in 1 Peter 1:3-5 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ in his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade - kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.”

When we call to God for mercy, he hears us and administers mercy to us as much as we need for our time of need. David was in need of help, he was fearful and needed peace. Read Psalm 86, over and over again David asked God for mercy. He reminded God of his character traits, he is a gracious God, a forgiving God, a God who does marvelous deeds, a God to be feared, a loving God, a God of compassion and faithfulness.

We can do the same thing when we are in need. We can recall all of the wonderful qualities of God. When we have fears that are seeming to overwhelm us, we can cry out to God to help us. We are, after all, his children. We are brothers and sisters of Jesus and that makes us adopted children of the most high God. We have the same rights as God’s children to ask for mercy and help when we have a need.

Not only do we have rights as adopted sons and daughters of the most high God, but we also have responsibilities as joint heirs with Jesus. Jesus tells us to be merciful as God is merciful. (Luke 6: 36) Now who do you suppose we are to be merciful to? Other Christians, sure, but that is a given. How about our families, co-workers, neighbors and all those we meet each day who don’t know about the love of Christ.

In Matthew 5:7 Jesus says, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” Can we also be part of that bridge of mercy that takes people from fear to peace? Yes, we can. We can lead people to Christ, we can be Christ to those who are fearful, we can bring peace to situations because of Christ living in us.

In Ephesians 2:6 we read that God has raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus. In verse 10 we read that we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

How have you acted like a bridge of mercy today? What good works have you done lately that reflect who you are in Christ? Who have you shown mercy to?

I ask myself these questions and honestly have to say that I don’t think I have been merciful to anyone the past few days. I truly believe that I have had opportunities and not always followed through on them.

In my previous job I had chances to be merciful, but I don’t know that anyone really knew that it was Christ in me that was showing them mercy. Some people probably didn’t even know that mercy was shown them. But maybe they didn’t have to know about it, maybe it was enough for God to see me showing mercy.

In Jude verses 20-23 we read more about mercy. “But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear - hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.”

Father God, We want to praise you and thank you for your mercy which saves us from our sin. Thank you for the gift of Christ Jesus and his blood which was shed for us. Thank you for taking us from fear into your peace. Show us how to administer mercy in the same way you have showered us with mercy. We want to be your hands and feet serving you all the days of our lives. Give us opportunities to be merciful and to share the good news with those around us. These things we ask in Jesus mighty name. Amen

Prayer Dart Board

2010-10-27T14:56:00.000-04:00

Week 43

How can we be sure that the prayers we offer to God are acceptable to his ears? Is there some way that we can know for sure what to pray for or how to pray? When I pray, I want my prayers to be heard, I want God to answer them, but I want them to be prayers directed by the Holy Spirit and not myself. How can we be assured of this?

I invite God’s Holy Spirit into my time of prayer and ask him to first reveal any sin in my life that I need to repent of. We can’t come to the God of the universe if we have unconfessed sin in our lives. If the Holy Spirit reveals something to you, confess it and ask forgiveness right away. Do whatever you need to do to rectify a situation with someone you may have hurt. The main thing is to get into a right standing with God before you pray.

I also ask him to speak through me if there is anyone who has needs. Many times he will reveal someone who has a need and I can ask him to meet their needs whatever they are. It may be that I know what the need is, healing, guidance on a decision, direction for their life - but God may have to do a work in them before these prayers can be answered.

Many times we are up against situations in our lives or while praying for others and we are unsure what to pray for. It is those times that the spirit will intercede. Romans 8:26 reads, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.”

I remember a time in my marriage when it looked as though it were over. I can distinctly remember sitting on my bed and crying out to God. I had no words and such a heaviness in my spirit that I could do nothing but moan and sob. I truly believe that the Holy Spirit within me was speaking to God at that very moment and he heard the cry of my heart. My marriage was not healed instantaneously, but over the course of time we worked things out and today we are truly happy together.

We never know how things work in the spirit realm. Instead of speaking words over your situation, maybe you just need to cry out to God.

Sometimes we ask for things that God may want to give us, but the time just isn’t right for us to have them. We may want a spouse, a different job, new friends or an answer to a decision we have to make. These answers may be small or huge, but when we ask God to provide for our needs, we expect an answer right away.

His time is not our time, he may know a better way to answer your prayer. I believe that we often expect God to answer us in one way, but he has a more perfect way.

I am reminded of a previous job. I was not actively seeking a job, but I was feeling discontent in the part-time job I had and knew that financially I should be working full-time. I had asked God to help me find a job, but I never really felt an unction to look for a job. His answer to me was always, “wait.” That is what I did. I never expected him to give me the type of job that I ended up with. His timing was perfect and when the right job opened up, he told me to apply for it.

How many times have you prayed not really expecting an answer? Many of us pray in unbelief. It is like something within us hopes that God hears us and will answer our prayer, but we never really believe that he will give us our hearts desires.

Once again I am reminded of the job that I got. My sister had told me to really think about what I wanted to do and ask God to find me a job that I would dearly love. I half-heartedly did just that. But one day as I was working on a church newsletter for a friend, I remember thinking to myself how great it would be to have a job where I got paid for laying out pages and editing text. I couldn’t see any possibility of that happening and yet God made it happen. He is indeed a good God, a God of such magnificence.

One of the things that we can be sure about when praying in God’s will is that those prayers will be answered. No doubt about it!

Have you ever felt a strong desire to ask God for something in particular? Something that you never would have thought of yourself? We can look to scripture and see that Jesus always prayed in accordance with his Father’s will. Over and over again he asked for things to bring glory to God.

We read this in Matthew 6:9-13 as Jesus taught his disciples to pray. He said, “This then is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

It’s not about us, it is all about God. When God’s spirit puts a desire in your heart, pray it and continue to pray for it until you have peace that it is answered. Even though you may not see the result right away, God’s spirit will give you peace that what you have asked for will happen.

Are your prayers selfish? Are you asking for things for yourself and not others? I have been so guilty of praying like this especially lately. I think when we have financial needs or health concerns we tend to focus on ourselves. It is the natural thing to do. But as followers of Jesus we are no longer to follow the desires of the flesh.

When I remember to do it, my selfish thoughts and prayers can be turned into prayers for others. I was having trouble with my sciatic nerve after I had surgery and each morning I woke up with pain. I was so focused on my pain that I forgot to pray for the needs of others. One day I was speaking to an elderly man at church who was suffering from sciatic nerve pain on both sides. I could almost feel his pain as he tried to stand.

God spoke to me through his pain and for the next few months every time I had a twinge of pain I would pray for Bob. It was amazing to me how my own pain dissipated while I was praying for him.

The hard part is remembering to pray for someone going through what you are going through. It takes conscious effort and a dying to self to really pray unselfishly. I’m working on it, but it’s hard for me to remember to pray that way.

Are our prayers unanswered because we are not asking for the right things? When we are in doubt about how to pray for a specific need, we should always look to scripture and see what it says.

For healing, look up all the healing scriptures you can find and pray them for the person or yourself.

One night after working an 11 hour day, I came home from work tired and sick. My body felt like I was getting a flu bug. I knew that I was supposed to meet my grandson at his school for a grandparents breakfast the following morning and feared that I would have to stand him up. When I got up the next morning I began to speak healing to my body - I remembered that the Bible said, “by his wounds you are healed.” I remembered that in Psalm 103:2-3 it said, “Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits - who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases...” I claimed those words for myself and almost immediately my aches and pains went away.

Father, You are the one who wants us to come to you and converse with you about everything. When we don’t know exactly how to pray, we know that your Spirit can lead us. When we pray with wrong motives or in a selfish way, we ask that you reveal that to us. We want our prayers to be powerful and effective, we want to pray according to your will and we want to hit the mark every time with our petitions. Help us in Jesus name. Amen

One Nation Under God

2010-10-21T08:10:00.000-04:00

Week 42

What does the Bible say about the nation whose Lord is God? “Blessed is the nation whose God if the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance.” Psalm 33:12

Our nation was founded on God and religious freedom and yet we are being told today that to include “one nation under God” in our pledge of allegiance is pushing our beliefs on those who may not believe in God.

George Washington prayed this prayer

“Direct my thoughts, words and work,

wash away my sins in the immaculate

Blood of the Lamb, and purge my heart

by Thy Holy Spirit... Daily frame me more

and more into the likeness of Thy Son

Jesus Christ.”

How can a nation, who has been blessed by God for over 200 years now turn our backs on him? Why would we want to?

In Genesis we read that God told Abraham that he is going to bless him so that he can be a blessing to others. He tells him that because of his faith in God and his willingness to obey him he is going to make a mighty nation of him. God made good on his promises to Abraham. He still makes good on the same promise to nations today.

If we think back to the founding of the United States we see that the leaders included Godly principles in the constitution. The United States was a nation which wanted to be obedient to God. We have, over the years, accepted people from every nation in the world. People who were being persecuted or treated unfairly have been embraced here.We continue to embrace those people, but something new has been added to the mix.

When new people came to this country years ago, they brought with them foreign ideas and beliefs. Many of those cultures have been adapted and assimilated into our culture making it a beautiful mix. There are many things that have enriched us all. We are a nation that enjoys a variety of foods, a deeper understanding of other cultures and a sense of belonging to a nation that allows us freedom to worship God in many different ways.

There is an underlying problem taking place in our nation as a result of this freedom to worship. The one true God is not being worshiped by everyone. False gods are springing up more often and are in direct opposition to the God of the universe.

Some people would argue with me about this, but I am going to state my belief clearly and with holy boldness. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is not the same god that the Muslims worship. They serve a false god. A god who is not a god of love and acceptance. Their god is not a merciful god or a gracious god. He is a god of hatred and a god of unbelievable anger. He wants nothing more than to kill all Christians, take their possessions and destroy this nation under God.

Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” John 10:7-10

If those who have come to this country are not here to live and let live, if they are here to undermine the leadership, cause people to question our founding fathers and destroy the moral fiber of this nation, then they are not welcome here.

What did the Hebrew people do about false gods? We read about Elijah destroying the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18:18-40. The people of Israel were no longer trusting in God, they were believing in and worshiping other gods. Elijah, a prophet of God, told the people these words, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is god, follow him.” The people said nothing. (1 Kings 18:21)

We are at a crossroad in the United States. If we listen closely we can hear the spirit of Elijah asking us the same question. Who are we going to choose to follow?

Choosing the right road is hard, it requires a definite commitment. It may not be the most popular thing to do. In Elijah’s case, there were more prophets of Baal, the false god, than there were of the one true God. But when we know that our God is the one true God, we also know that he is more powerful than any false god and is able to do mighty things for those who follow him.

The false god was not able to answer his prophets when they called to him to light the fire for the sacrifice. But the one true God was able to not only burn up the sacrifice but also the wood, the stones and the soil.

Elijah stepped out in faith and prayed, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.” 1 Kings 18:36-37

As believers in the one true God and as citizens not only of the United States of America but also the Kingdom of God, we have the authority to ask the same thing on behalf of our nation.

In 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 we hear these words, “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with have divine power to demolish strongholds.”

By the authority given to us by Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of the Universe, we hearby order anything that is not of God out of this country. You are not welcome here, you have no place here and we will not tolerate false gods in our midst.

Father God,

We do believe that you are the one true God, we know that our country was founded on your principles and we believe that they are as good today as they were 200 years ago. We are drawing a line in the sand today and asking you to once again become the God of our nation. We are choosing to serve you and will not tolerate anything that is not of you. We invite the spirit of Elijah to spread through our nation bringing down false idols and destroying false gods wherever they are. We welcome you as the leader of our nation and know that with you as our leader we are safe and secure. We give you praise and we bow before your throne. In the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.

Clothing for the 'Church'

2010-10-13T09:50:00.000-04:00

Week 41

The universal Church of Christ is chosen of God and as such, we are instructed in the Bible how to behave as instruments of God. Colossians 3 tells us that we are to set our minds on things above, not on earthly things. For our lives are now hidden with Christ in God. And we will one day appear with Christ in Glory.

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues, put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Colossians 3:12-14

Compassion:

The Biblical definition of compassion is to be merciful, to show tender love. God has shown us as believers this mercy and tender love in his forgiveness of our sins. The Greek definition is to have pity or feel distressed through the ills of others. Jesus showed this compassion again and again with the crowds that pressed around him. He healed them, he taught them, he touched them.

We are to do likewise with all those around us. Who can you show compassion to today? Who needs to receive mercy and tender love?

Kindness:

We all know what kindness is - Jesus taught us to do unto others as we would have others do unto us. Goodness is lumped together with kindness and is expected of believers. Yet how many people do we treat unkindly each and every day?

What can we do to show those around us a kindness today? When I worked full time, I kept a basket of candy on my desk at work. It wasn't a big deal, but many times during the day someone will poke their head in my office and take a piece of candy. They knew that it was there for them because I wanted to show them kindness. There were no strings attached, no one had to do anything to earn a piece of candy it was just there because I wanted to show them kindness.

In time, the basket of candy turned into a joint project. There were many weeks when others brought in candy and asked me to refill the basket because they wanted to share also. It is really contagious - I guess that’s why we are supposed to be kind.

Humility:

The Bible tells us in Proverbs 11:2 “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” “Humility comes before honor,” reads Proverbs 15:33. Humility is a way of saying that we think others are more worthy than us. Webster defines humility as the state of being humble. It is ranking ourselves lower than others. How often do we humble ourselves? In this day and age it is almost unheard of. We are taught from infancy that we are worthy, that we are a person of value and that we should live our lives accordingly.

Think of someone you know who is humble. Maybe it is a teacher, a parent or grandparent, someone you knew growing up that seemed to lower themselves beneath others when, in fact, they should have been lifted up. Jesus is the ultimate in humility. He left a throne in heaven to lower himself and become like us - why? To save us from our pride. Now that is humility.

How can the church do that? We could leave our padded pews and our beautiful sanctuaries and walk with our neighbors in the slums and ghettos. We could be Jesus to those who need to know a savior.

Gentleness:

Vines dictionary gives this definition of gentleness; “characterizing a nurse with trying children or a teacher with refractory scholars or parents toward their children.” It implies equity and justice and an active dealing with others.

In thinking about the above definition, it seems that those we are to deal gently with are those we are trying to teach. Those we have authority over. Those who are looking toward us for training. What an opportunity to show the gentleness of Jesus to those in our care.

Our neighbors, co-workers, family members and friends who are non-believers or new in the faith would do well to watch us model this character trait of Jesus. Many expect this characteristic from us. I don’t know how many times I heard one co-worker, in particular, say that she is surprised at me when I failed to show gentleness to those around me. It should be a given for all believers.

Patience:

Patience is nearly always learned through trials. It is a characteristic of Jesus that may be one of the most difficult for some of us to learn. Sometimes we undergo a series of trials to help teach us patience. As we seek to become more Christ-like, we realize just how patient he has been with us. He doesn’t hurry us to become like him. He waits for us to make mistakes and learn. He stands beside us patiently waiting until we finally ‘get it.’

How patient are we with one another, especially within the body of Christ? I know that I get upset when I see a brother or sister in Christ not maturing as quickly as I would like for them to grow. I just don’t see sometimes how they can make the same mistakes over and over again. I wonder who is looking at me thinking the same thing?

How can we clothe ourselves in patience? What can we do to become more congenial with one another? Maybe just a reminder now and then of just how patient Christ has been with us would help. When you hear someone berating a brother or sister for making the same mistakes over and over, remind them that Jesus stood by us when we made mistakes and expects us to come along side our brothers and sisters to encourage them when they fail.

Bear with one another:

Vines calls it forbearance and says it means to hold up, to bear with. It also means to refrain from doing something. As a church family, we will have to deal with one another through some majors trials and set-backs in each others lives.

I am remembering a time when I was going through a difficult transition in my life. My sister-in-law had come to stay with us for an indefinite period of time. She was a beautiful Christian woman, but it is extremely hard for two women, with differing viewpoints, to share a kitchen and a home. Needless to say, I was grumpy and out of sorts on many occasions and was able to receive ‘forbearance’ from my small group. They literally held me up during that time although they could have and maybe did want me to just drop out of the group, they prayed with me and with my sister-in-law and taught me what forbearance was all about.

Love over all:

Love is the covering that holds all the Christ-like characteristics in place. We can be compassionate, kind, gentle, humble and patient, but without love for one another and for those that God puts in our pathway, we can never truly be Christ-like.

Does this mean that we have to love everyone? Well, no not exactly. Jesus can do that for us, but he will use us to reflect his love. Have you ever known anyone that you just absolutely couldn’t love? Someone who grated on your nerves and literally made you crazy? We are all different sort of personalities, God made us different. He knew that some people would be more compatible with us than others, but he also knew that those who drive us crazy can help us grow in Christ-like character traits. It will be during those times of extreme aggravation that we will call upon Jesus to be compassionate through us, to help us be kind and gentle when we don’t want to, to be humble and lift those who are making us crazy to the throne. Jesus will be the one we call upon to help us be patient just as he was with us.

Lord Jesus, Thank you for clothing your church with the qualities that you exhibit. We want to be a spotless church and we want God to look at us and see you. We ask for your help and your guidance. And we thank you for your unending love for us. Amen.

Workers in the harvest field

2010-10-08T09:03:00.000-04:00

Week 40

Sometimes our greatest fear when we decide to follow Jesus and give our lives to him is that he will send us to a foreign country. That he would make us missionaries to Africa, South America or some poverty stricken third world country seems like the it would be one of the hardest jobs in the world. And maybe for some it would be, but God calls all of us to the mission field. And wherever he calls us, he will equip us for the job he has for us to do.

When Jesus walked on the earth as one of us he was only able to be in one place at a time. In Matthew 9:35-38 we hear what he has to say to us today. Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples (that means you and I), “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send workers into his harvest field.”

Where is the harvest field that he is sending you? It could be in your own neighborhood, it could be a foreign country. It is up to each one of us to find out where it is that we are to serve and to give our whole lives to that cause whatever it is.

I remember when friends of ours knew that God was calling them to the mission field. They weren’t exactly sure where he wanted them to go and they began to explore the possibilities. It was a process and because they had three children the decision became a family decision. They agreed that unless they all felt called to a particular place they would not go. Sure enough the Lord called each one of them and within 2 years they set off to Uganda where God equipped them, used them and provided for all their needs.

Some of the ways that God provides for the needs of missionaries is for those of us who are left behind to pray for them daily. To remember them as they undergo hardships and transitions. To support them financially and to encourage them in the harvest field to continue the work of the Lord.

Some of us are called to the mission field not as missionaries ourselves, but as support groups for those who are serving. There have been many times that I asked the Lord to use me. I told him that I was willing to sell all that I have and go wherever he wanted to send me. Instead, he put missionaries in my pathway and I have been able to pray for many people who are serving God. We have missionary friends in Belfast, Northern Ireland; Japan; Africa; Turkey; Haiti and Russia.

Some we give financial support to, others we give prayer support, but all of them are in our hearts almost daily as we think about them giving the Lord their lives so far from homes and family members.

What is God asking you to do for missions? There are many mission opportunities close to home as well. A local church has a free clothing ministry giving us opportunities to share clothing with those in our own neighborhood who have needs. We have a local food pantry which is always in need of donations. We are also able to help those in Appalachia with donations of food, clothing and furniture.

Locally, Habitat for Humanity is continuing to build affordable home for those who are currently living in substandard conditions. Volunteer workers are needed to help build these homes. You not only receive on-the-job training, but you can have a wonderful sense of accomplishment and satisfaction in knowing that you were one of the workers in the harvest field.

Is God calling you to a harvest field? I truly believe that he calls each one of us to some sort of field. We are, after all, to produce fruit for the kingdom of God. In the past, I have been a literacy tutor and have been worked with a young woman to improve her reading skills and her life skills as well. I had many opportunities to share the gospel message with her. I invited her to church services and prayed with her about concerns in her life.

Just as Jesus saw that those around him were harassed and helpless and that they needed a shepherd, we have only to look around us and see the same thing. Maybe they are people you work with, maybe your children or grandchildren, neighbors. Wherever you see people who are lost, helpless, hopeless, harassed, that is a mission field.

When our oldest son went to prison, the first thing that I thought about for him was the enormous opportunity that awaited him. I knew that his faith needed to grow before he could meet the needs of those around him, but I shared with him that he was in the middle of a huge mission field and that God could use him right where he was to reach lost, hopeless people.

Over the years he has ministered to many of his fellow inmates in amazing ways. His experiences have led our family to reach out to many of those men in other ways, becoming a loving family for them. Something they had never had before.

Look around you, what field are you standing in the middle of right now? Who do you see or know that needs the touch of Jesus? What can you do to be Jesus to someone? Ask God to reveal these things to you and to show you what it is he wants you to do to enlarge his kingdom. He wants to equip you, he wants to lead you and he wants you to be one of the workers.

If we would all get over the fact that God may send us to a foreign mission field and just be excited over the possibilities of how he can use us, then maybe the harvest would be gathered into the storehouse and Jesus would come back for his church.

Holy God,

I give you praise today and thank you for your promises. I thank you for the prayer that Jesus taught us about asking the Lord of the harvest to send workers into the harvest field. I know that the fields are ripe and ready to be harvested, I want to be one of those workers who bring in the harvest. Equip me and show me where the field is that you want me to work in. I cannot do the work by myself, I need your direction and your provision, but I have willing hands and a willing heart. Use me to enlarge your kingdom, in Jesus name. Amen

God at the Center

2010-10-02T15:55:00.000-04:00

Week 39

In the book of Revelation, the author, John, speaks of the new heaven and the new earth. In describing the Holy City, Jerusalem, he puts his vision into words that have always intrigued me.

“One of the angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, ‘Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.’ And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as a crystal.” Revelation 21:9-11

Can we even imagine the brilliance that John described? It had to be a remarkable thing to behold. Earthly words can never describe heavenly things completely. Yet we need to get an idea of what John was telling us. This is our future home that he is describing.

“The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long. He measured its wall and it was 144 cubits thick, by man’s measurement, which the angel was using.” In Revelation 21:15-21 John further describes the city.

But the amazing part to me is the size of the city. In my Bible, the New International Version, it explains that 12,000 stadia are equal to 1,400 miles. Think about it, that is halfway across the United States. A city that is 1,400 miles square. That is one huge city. We think of New York and Chicago as big, but the new Jerusalem will be as big as half of the continental U.S.

Now keep in mind a city that is 1,400 square miles and then listen to the rest of the scripture. “I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light and the Lamb is its lamp.” God shines bright enough to illuminate a city which is the size of half the United States - we won’t need the sun or the moon because God himself is going to provide all the light we need while in the city.

“The nations will walk by its light and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will the gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and the honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”

The earth is going to be ruled from this city. When we think back to Genesis and the time that God put man on the earth, his intention was to dwell among men and lead us and guide us. He wanted to commune with us from the beginning and when his kingdom is established on the earth that will finally be possible.

It is hard to envision a city on earth with the God of the universe living and ruling among us. There is a song that says better is one day in your court than a thousand elsewhere. And Psalm 84:10-11 explains it this way, “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.

Just thinking about God being in the center of his Holy City, shining for the entire world to see and being available for us to come to is overwhelming. If our names are written in the Lamb’s book, we will be permitted into his presence.

Now I don’t know too much about the universe, I am not an astrologer, but I do know that God has centered around the nation of Israel on this earth. He chose the Jewish people to be his inheritance and he promised to give the land around Jerusalem to his people. His temple was established in Jerusalem and I am almost certain that is where it will continue.

God doesn’t change. He is eternal, his will is everlasting. He wants to be at the center of everyone’s heart. He wants to be the one that we come to when we have hurts, problems, unforgiveness and fears. He wants to be the temple that we run to.

We can only imagine what the new Jerusalem will be like. John the revelator gives us an idea, but he is speaking in terms that are relevant to his day and they may be a little different for us.

But this much is true. “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. he will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21:3b-4.

What a wonderful promise God has given us through this last book in the new testament. And what does he require of us to live with him? A belief in Christ Jesus as our Lord and Savior. A belief in his blood as the cleansing agent that brings us into a right relationship with God. A desire to live our lives for him and a desire to be obedient and do the things that God asks us to do.

Heavenly Father,

We look forward to the day when we will be in your presence for eternity. Our finite minds cannot envision all that you have in store for us. It seems far fetched and incomprehensible and yet we know that you are a God of the impossible. We want to spend eternity with you and walk on the streets of pure gold, but it seems like something that will happen far into the future. Your word doesn’t tell us when to expect this time. We only know that we are to live our lives as Jesus taught us.

We want to be more like Christ and bring more and more people into the kingdom. We don’t want anyone to be left out, looking into the city, but not able to enter. Your city is going to be big enough to hold a lot of people.

Help us everyday to seek your face so that when that glorious day arrives and we see you, we will know you and you will know us. Amen.

Christian Maturity

2010-09-24T10:10:00.000-04:00

Week 38

Wherever you are in your Christian walk, there is always another level to attain. As I was meditating on scripture in Exodus one day, the Lord revealed something to me that I had never thought about before. God told the Israelites what to expect as they entered the promised land he was giving them. He was not going to give them the entire land at once, but he told them, “I will send my terror ahead of you and throw into confusion every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn their backs and run. I will send the hornet ahead of you to drive the Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites out of your way. But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you. Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land.” Exodus 23:27-30

That is exactly what God does for us once we become disciples of Christ. As new believers in Christ, we are almost always supernaturally protected from the evil one when we first become believers. Many people have received physical healing, emotional healing and have experienced deliverance from some of their worst demons, such as alcoholism, addictions, bitterness, sorrow.

But this initial hedge of protection, doesn’t last throughout our walk with Christ. God knows that we need to see miracles and signs and wonders when we first give him our heart. And he knows that our faith needs to grow. 1 Peter 2:2 says, “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.”

Basics, that is what we need when we first come to the Lord, we need to be fed the Word of God on a continual basis. He doesn’t expect us to know and understand the entire Bible right away, but little by little our faith grows.

As we mature in our faith walk, we are able to understand more and more of God’s word and the work that he has planned for us. When I was at this point in my journey with the Lord, it seemed that I had so much energy and just wanted to share my faith and do things for him because of my love for him.

If we compare this time in our lives with adolescence it is easy to understand the joy, the vitality, the exuberance that we experience. We can almost run ahead of God at this time, because we think we know it all. Sound like a teenager? Yes, we have all gone through that phase. God knows that we are like that, he made us after all.

During the maturing years he may have to discipline us over and over for the same mistakes. Scripture tells us to expect this discipline. Hebrews 12: 11, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

When we finally mature enough in our faith, we begin to listen to God’s voice. Jesus said that he was the good shepherd and that his sheep knew his voice. It doesn’t happen overnight, it is a process. The more we hear and obey, the more we hear and obey. And on and on.

It is at this point in our journey that people in the world have false ideas about Christians. Many think that we are trying to earn our salvation by doing good works. However, the true disciple knows why they are doing good works. James stated it quite well in chapter two, “faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” “Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.” And again he said, “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.”

This stage of maturity brings forth fruit. All of the teachings and the years of obedience, failing, listening and reading God’s word are beginning to reap that harvest of righteousness.

As we become more Christlike and we become the people that God created us to be, the world is impacted by our deeds. Instead of letting the world rule us, we begin to rule the world. We are able to take control of more of the land that God has given us. The enemies that used to stand in our way now have become powerless. Not because they are any weaker, but because our faith is stronger. We now have some longevity with the Lord, we have seen his power displayed over and over again. We have experienced his saving grace, his miracles, his love and mercy and we know that the one we serve is greater than the one who rules the world. We have nearly taken all the land that God has given us to possess at this point in our walk. But there is still work to be done.

We never reach the end of learning about God, but we do reach a point when we need to share with others the wisdom, the experience, the knowledge that we have gathered during our journey.

In Deuteronomy six, we read that God warns his people not to forget all that he did for them to bring them into the land of milk and honey. We don’t reach this point of maturity unless the Lord brings us here. We did not get so smart on our own. God’s Holy Spirit taught us everything we know about him. Our faith has been a process and we need to remember that when we see others in our church who are on the road to the promised land, but have not quite reached the point that we are at.

How can we encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ? What can we do to lift them up and help them along the path that we traveled? Can we direct them? Can we comfort them?

God expects us to help one another on this journey through life. We are all at different places on the pathway. No matter where you might be at this point in time, be encouraged that others have been where you are and have grown in their faith. Others around you want to help you and not condemn you. It’s okay to ask questions and to seek Godly counsel. Ask God’s spirit to direct your path.

Father God,

We come to you today at different places in our faith walk and we know that you understand each one of us. You know just what it will take to bring us into a deeper relationship with you and into the promised land. We want to be the people you created us to be, we want to be obedient and do good deeds. We want to become righteous and more Christlike in all that we do. We know that this will be a process and we thank you for the patience you have with us during this process. May we glorify you and grow in grace and knowledge of you daily. Because of Christ. Amen