TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT GOD'S AMAZING GRACE

 We've all been a student at one time or another. There comes a point when we need to take a test and see how much we've learned. I've discovered over the years that those who never study the Bible themselves and only listen to others will probably misunderstand or misinterpret what they hear.  

Understanding God's grace toward the believer can be confusing. After you've answered these questions and read the Biblical answers, you may have your thoughts more focused and be more confident.

True or False?

------1. You must have a personal relationship with Jesus to enter heaven.

------2.  All human beings are born into sin.

------3.  No human in his or her natural state ever seeks God.

------4.  Salvation is totally God's work; man's activities don't contribute to that work.

------5.  In the life of a believer, every positive response, or "good deed" is totally the result of the Holy Spirit's power and presence.

------6.  Those who come to know Christ were chosen before the foundation of the world and were selected solely on the basis of God's grace.

------7.  Every event in history has been ordained under the sovereign will of God.

After you've had time to consider each question and given your answer - either true or false - look up these verses to see how you did.

1.  John 14:6, Acts 4:12, John 6:29

2.  Psalm 51:5, Romans 3:3

3.  Romans 3:10 - 12

4. Ephesians 2:7 -10

5. Philippians 2:13

6.  Ephesians 1:4, John 17 (yes, the whole chapter) Acts 4:38

7.  Ephesians 1:11, Daniel 4:35, Proverbs 16:4 -9

How did you do? All of these answers are TRUE! You may have known they were true but now you can point to Scripture to prove you are right. Or, you can correct your thinking to line up to Scripture. Test your Christian friends, or even your pastors.

PEACE ON EARTH

I am sorry to be late in wishing all of you a Merry Christmas.  I want to let you know our changing technology will not change the way I write this blog, although it was nice of Google to offer to "help". I assume that means AI would be involved. I know that ultimately God is in control of AI, but I have my suspicions.

Many years ago I was teaching 4-year-olds in our church Sunday School. I had 12 boys and only 3 little girls. I called my boys "Marines in training". One Christmas I read to them from my Bible in Luke 2. The most rambunctious of the boys sat very still and listened to the story of the birth of Jesus. When I was done reading, he said, "No Jesus, no Christmas!" The little guy was absolutely right, simple message, simple truth.

 As we began thinking of the year ahead, many of us wonder and worry about 'world peace'. There doesn't seem to be much of that.  Jesus addresses this subject in three of the gospels - Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. The command is..."to not be alarmed, to have faith, not fear." Jesus is the "Prince of Peace", Isaiah 9:6, and to know Jesus is to know peace, no matter how circumstances look to our human eye. I had a friend who drove around with a bumper sticker that read "Know peace, know God, NO peace, No God". I thought that statement was remarkedly succinct.

In Isaiah 26:3 he wrote of the Lord. . ."You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you."

I think we tend to worry more about our personal peace than worldly peace, but isn't it nice to know that the Lord will keep us in perfect peace? We just need to trust Him.

Luke 2 - There were shepherds in the fields by Bethlehem, watching their flocks when an angel of the Lord appeared to announce the birth of a Savior. Suddenly there was a great host of heavenly angels who were praising God and saying

            "Glory to God in the highest, and 

              on earth peace to men on

                    whom his favor rests."

Notice, they didn't say God gives peace to everyone, only to those who believe in Him. There are many un-believers in the world, be patient with them, God is sovereign and totally in charge. That truth alone is enough to give us peace, but so easy to forget the truth when we're hurting or struggling with difficult circumstances.  Jesus said in John 14:27 "I leave you my peace". This verse has always thrilled me, "He himself is our peace". In other words, we just need to know Jesus and all our other worries will not disturb our peace!

Galatians 5:22 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, . . ." all the wonderful gifts the Holy Spirit showers on those who love God. Count on these gifts they are yours for the asking; no work on our part is required other than loving and believing our Lord, Jesus Christ.

I wish my readers a wonderful new year full of love, joy and mostly the peace that Jesus has passed on to His believers.

Thank you Lord for coming down to earth to be born, live and die for those who come to know you as their Savior.

                      

                 

EASTER BUNNIES AND THE CROSS

 Easter Sunday is the day Christians celebrate the risen Christ. Over 2,000 years ago God's promise of a Savior was fulfilled; Jesus died an agonizing death on a cross. At that moment of death, Jesus paid the price for our sin. His last words were "It is finished". He was laid in a tomb and the tomb was sealed.  Then, something amazing happened three days later, He came back to life, actually 'rose again'! Over 500 people saw the risen Christ. You can read an account of this in the Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and I Corinthians 15.

There was a period of darkness over the world the day Jesus died on the cross. Jesus was 'the light', and the light was gone. But when God the Father resurrected our Lord, we who believe had evidence that we also would rise again and live eternally with God in heaven, as  He has told us. How are we able to understand a truth such as this? According to the Bible, only the Holy Spirit, God's Spirit, can reveal this to our human mind. 

I Corinthians 2 - The apostle Paul told a group of people in the city of Corinth (modern Turkey) that he spoke to them "in weakness and fear with much trembling." He didn't use wise and persuasive words, he wanted to demonstrate the Spirit's power so that "your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power."

If we know this truth, that God has chosen us, we have not been so wise as to choose Him, we cannot find fault with those whose main focus of Easter is bunnies and egg hunts. 

I Cor 2:9-10 

                "No eye has seen, 

                     no ear has heard,

                no mind has conceived 

                      what God has prepared for

                            those who love Him

But God has revealed it to us by His Spirit.

Quite simply, Paul goes on to say that the man without the Spirit of God cannot accept the things that come from the Spirit, they are "foolishness" to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned (understood)." See I Corinthians I.

I did some research on the Easter bunny recently. One theory of how the rabbit came to be a part of Easter is from a pagan tradition - the Festival of Eastre. Eastre was a goddess of fertility, and her animal symbol was a rabbit. The Easter bunny first arrived in the United States in the 1700's when German settlers came to Pennsylvania. They taught their children a myth about an egg laying 'hare' (rabbit) called an 'Osterhase'. Children would make nests in which this animal would lay colored eggs. The custom spread across America and included chocolate and candy in decorated baskets instead of a nest.  

Eggs have long been the symbol of fertility and new life. They also became a symbol of the resurrection. . .the empty eggshell a metaphor for Jesus' tomb. Another interesting metaphor. . . in ancient times the hare was thought to be a hermaphrodite having both male and female genitals, which means they could reproduce on their own. Some early Christians thought the 'hare' to be a symbol of the Virgin Mary who conceived a child (Jesus) and remained a virgin.

I am always reminded when I dig a little into history how God has planned, He cannot be manipulated, and His plan will work all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be firstborn among many brothers, and those He predestined, He also called, and those He called, He also justified; those He justified He glorified. You can read these words for yourself in Romans 8:28 -30. This is a finished work God has done; He began it, and He will complete it. That is why Jesus said, "It is finished" as He died on the cross. 

Thank you Lord that we can share your Gospel with full assurance that you have given spiritual ears to those you have chosen. 

                    

BECAUSE GOD IS SOVEREIGN

 Many, many years ago, before I started studying the Bible and learning who God is, 'sovereign' was not a word I used very often. I remember looking up a dictionary definition, "A supreme ruler possessing ultimate power," said the dictionary. This is the definition of 'God'. The spelling of this word didn't come naturally for me. I focused on the ending 'reign' and could associate that with a monarchy. A king or queen 'reigns'. One day I stumbled on the verse in Ephesians 1:11. . .     

"In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will."

I realized I became a believer not because I was 'good' or super intelligent, or made the choice to believe, but because God choose me to be His child. And he had a purpose, a plan and the power.

Over the ups and downs of life, good times and trying times, I've always focused on the fact that God is sovereign - even though I sometimes try to come up with my own plan. As we grow in the knowledge of the Lord, we realize more and more that faith grows and peace comes only when we consciously are aware of God's sovereignty. Whatever happens is what our Lord has planned. He doesn't need to explain why things are the way they are - God answers to no one!  As humans, we may desire to be the one in charge and have full control, but isn't that a scary idea that we could determine all outcomes? 

The Lord knew we would struggle and no matter how hard we try, we'd fail to be 'perfect'. Only perfect people go to heaven, so God came to earth as a man, fully human, and fully divine. He had chosen "before the creature of the world" - Ephesians 1:4, a group of people who would be called 'sheep' and they would follow the Messiah, Jesus Christ who was with God from the beginning - John 1:1, and walked among us - John 1:14. Jesus is our good Shepherd, our Lord and Savior, he said "If you've seen me, you've seen the Father", John 14:9. 

Our faith is not based on what we've done, but on what God has done for us. By His grace, He has given us the gift of faith. In some ways walking by the law is easier than walking in faith. If we don't walk by faith, we are often fearful. Christians don't need to fear 'tomorrow' - God is the same today, yesterday and forever. When we fear, Satan is absolutely delighted! God has allowed Satan to roam this earth but he has set boundaries for Satan. Read the book of Job who went through some awful stuff but God always was in control of what was happening. 

I'd like to share a poem written by Carol Hopson, a good and faithful Bible teacher.

FAITH vs FEAR

Did you know that fear and faith

     cannot exist as one?

For either you have faith in God

     or Satan's fear has won.

For God has said, "Be not afraid!

     I will take care of you.

Whatever comes into your life

My grace will see you through."

"So please show Me you love Me,

     and trust my sovereignty.

Then peace you cannot comprehend

     will set your spirit free.

Walk in faith rather than fear, this is what your heavenly Father wants for you. Because we know God is good and a loving sovereign Father, we never need to walk in fear. . .of anything!

Thank you Lord for showing us this truth.

TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE

This a photo of my husband Mike and I - I am a romantic soul and sometimes I look at him and think "He's too good to be true!" I bet you have things in your life like that. . .a new baby, a great vacation, a fantastic job, a new puppy. The Lord shows His love for us in many different ways, sometimes in ways you wouldn't expect. 

And then, we 'hit the wall', something very stressful happens, we're at a loss as to how to 'fix it'. If you not only read, but study the Bible, you will be amazed how in touch with God you'll become. And the result of being in touch with the One who knows your every circumstance is that you will feel at peace. In fact, you'll have a peace that surpasses understanding. Philippines 4:7 "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." We are always 'safe' in Jesus. Sometimes we don't feel safe, but by faith we can know we are.

Do you know that right now those who believe are "seated with Christ in the heavenly realm", Eph 2:6, and that we are his workmanship, and we are complete in him, Col. 2:10. I love the fact that I am a "saint" Eph 1:1, and if Jesus is your Lord and Savior, you too are a saint!

Romans 8:1 says that there is "no condemnation" for those who believe. You know why? When we accept God's son as our Savior, God sees Jesus in us, not as we are in the human state. All sin of mine and yours was erased on the cross of Christ. 

The more you read, the more you learn, and you too will no doubt come to the conclusion that 'This is too good to be true!'

We are leaving tomorrow morning for a car trip up the coast of California. We have no set agenda but know the Lord will take us to wonderful places, and best of all, we will be able to rid ourselves for a time of being on a schedule and will savor this time with the Lord and each other.

As always Lord, we will trust You to lead us to special places and a special time together. We ask that you keep us safe and protect our family when we are gone.

YOU HAVE SOMETHING RESERVED FOR YOU IN HEAVEN

"Praise be to 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."   1 Peter 1:1 -5 

This is a very bold statement that Peter makes. I first learned this verse many years ago in King James Version which uses the word "reserved" for our inheritance. Every time I read or think of this verse I am reminded that 'reservations' are important. You may have plans to go to a certain restaurant for dinner but then find out, without a reservation, you are out of luck. Same goes for many things, airline reservations, hotel, golf time, etc. 

So, assuming you would like to go to heaven when you leave this earth to spend eternity with God, what do you have to do to make sure that happens? 

This is a test. . .true or false

1.  Go to church every Sunday

2.  Read the Bible, God's Word, every day

3.  Tithe - give 10% of your income to the church

4.  Never swear, drink alcohol or smoke.

5.  None of the above

Questions 1 - 4 are false although many believe this describes a Christian. 

Only #5 is true. If this be so, what then do we need to do to claim our inheritance that has been reserved for us in heaven. Notice this inheritance has been kept for us through faith and shielded by God's power. We cannot claim any credit for our salvation.

"For it is by grace you have been saved through faith - and this not from yourself, it is a gift of God, not by works, so no one can boast."  Ephesians 2:8.

In Romans 4 we read we are never justified by our 'works' - then we'd have something to boost about. Rather, we are counted as 'righteous' because we believe God. . ."Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness."

God sent His son, Jesus Christ, to become our righteousness before God. Jesus went to the cross and died for the sin you and I commit daily and if we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior we will never have to pay the penalty for sin because it's already been paid for.

We judge one another based on our human behavior. We can't see into people's hearts. When you become a Christian, you want to behave in a way that will make others see 'good' rather than 'bad'. This is why God has put His Holy Spirit in those of us who believe. The Spirit reminds us who we are in Christ. I have often said, you may never get your friend, family member, neighbor, etc. to study the Bible, but they will study your life! We become a living testament to others. I am not talking about being 'religious' - in fact, it was the 'religious' people of His day that Jesus most often spoke against. He could tell the difference in those who followed Him and  those who followed religious laws and sacraments. 

Reach out to Jesus and claim the inheritance reserved for you in heaven. This has become a scary world during the last couple of months - life is changing, fast!  We must go to our creator and Heavenly Father and know that even though we can see the suffering of the Ukrainian people on TV every night, the price of gas and groceries going up, border control out of hand. . .God is still in control and has a plan and a purpose for everything He does.

"In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will."  Ephesians 1:11

Paul who wrote this letter to the Ephesians also tells them that God has done this so those who have hope in Christ might be for the praise of his glory.

Many blessings to my readers and wishing you, no matter what your circumstances, a blessed 'Resurrection Sunday'.

Keep the faith,  Bobbe

Thank you Lord for dying for our sins so we could be righteous in God's eyes and live in heaven eternally.

MY DESTINY

 It's been over a year since I wrote my last blog, but I never stopped thinking of my readers or stopped blogging in my head. So much has happened this past year. After being a widow for over 5 years, I remarried! We first met in a creative writing class in September 2018 and soon found we enjoyed each other's company and begin to spend a lot of time together. I smile when I remember the day he walked through my door and said, "I am so happy to have you in my life!" New Year's Eve 2020, Michael proposed to me. We had Chinese food for dinner and he buried his proposal in a fortune cookie - it simply said "Bobbe, I love you, and only you, will you marry me?" I was very ready to say 'Yes!'

Shortly after, we both came down with Covid and were very sick. A planned foot surgery was delayed until February. We both made it back to good health and married in June. The end of July my husband had a hip replacement. He made a fast recovery and in October we spent over two weeks back east with lots of friends and relatives. I am now officially a part of the family. 

I think we all wonder from time to time what our destiny will be. I'm a very positive person no matter what is going on around me. I think this is true because I know I am a child of God and He will be faithful to help me through the storms of life that come my way. I've written this many times, 'what we think or how we feel doesn't matter unless it's based on Biblical truth.'

As the rain and snow come down from heaven and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish. . .so is my word that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which it was sent."

When I come to understand what God has said, I feel very safe and secure and it isn't easy to rob me of my joy. God has a plan for my life; the plan has existed since the creation of the world - Ephesians 1:4-5 - He choose us before the world to be holy and blameless in His sight and he predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for His pleasure and good will. 

God loved me before I was born! I can understand that, I loved all my children before they were born and before I ever saw them. Some of us have trouble understanding God's sovereignty but once you accept this critical part of Biblical doctrine, it brings peace knowing the God who created you has also designed your life. I know life often appears to be far from perfect but know this, God is perfect and He knows what He is doing.

Many of us around the world are busy are busy putting our Christmas decorations away until next year. It's a comfort to know that the child born in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago was, the child prophesied to come in Isaiah 7:14, was called Immanuel which means "God with us" - Matthew 1:23 Jesus was not just a prophet, He is God in the flesh. Jesus said in John 10:30 "the Father and I are one". He also said that if you have seen Him, you've seen the Father. Jesus said He is the way, the truth and the light and anyone who believes in him, will never walk in darkness.

In order to understand spiritual things you need to be born of the Spirit - flesh gives birth to flesh but the Spirit gives birth to Spirit. This is why Jesus said we must be "born again." The gospel of John is a wonderful study. I know from the beginning of creation that Jesus was going to be my destiny. I was going to believe that He is my Lord and Savior, I would teach His Word, I would write about Him, and most important, love Him. Ultinately, I will live in heaven with Him for all eternity. I won't be there because I'm a good and perfect human being, I'll be there because Jesus has paid for all my sins and now God looks at me as perfect as His Son.

I wish you a New Year that will grow you, comfort you, and bless you in more ways than you ever thought possible. 

Jude 24. . . "To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy. . ."

Thank you Jesus for being my destiny.

A THRILL OF HOPE

Merry Christmas to all my unseen friends. We, who believe the Messiah came to rescue us will live eternally with God in heaven. This is our hope, and it's thrilling!

Home seems where we ought to be this time of year, but I must confess it has been a desire of mine to travel through the world visiting other countries during the Christmas season. That would be an amazing experience to realize that I share my faith with others from all over the world. Believers are bonded together, we are a family because of God's love for us. 

As we all have learned these past few months, God has made us resilient, and we can adapt during difficult times. That's good to know, don't you think? There will always be some drama and chaos to deal with; if not Covid 19, something else. Thanks be to God, and President Trump, that we now have an effective vaccine for this persistent virus. We hope this will be distributed all over the world and we will be rid of what has caused pain.  

I received a Christmas card recently that said, "The thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices." These words are from my favorite Christmas hymn - 'O Holy Night'.

"Long lay the world in sin and error pining till He appeared and the soul felt its worth". 

This verse says to me that only when God appears in our life can our soul feel its worth. If we don't value ourselves and don't feel worthy as a person, we're headed down the wrong road and surely trouble will come - you'll be depressed, maybe eat or drink too much, breakdown in relationships - all bad stuff. It's easy to go astray in this world but the truth is, that when we follow Jesus, we'll always wind up in the right place. 

"Led by the light of Faith. . .by His cradle we stand. . .The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manager; in all our trials born to be our friend."

Jesus - born to be our friend. When we grasp this truth, we will have the 'thrill of hope'. The birth of Jesus is spoken of many times in the Old Testament. The prophets knew He was coming and foretold the event.

"For unto us a child is given,. . .And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6-7

These verses refer to Jesus. Micah 5:2 tells us that Jesus will be born in Bethlehem. The words were written over 500 years before the birth of Christ.

"But you Bethlehem . . .out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel whose origins are from of old, from ancient times."

Micah seemed to understand that God had planned to send a Savior before time began. Micah knew Jesus would come for him. Do you know that Jesus will come for you? God never rejects anyone, never turns anyone away who comes to the Savior, asks to be forgiven and accepts Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. Next Christmas you may not be living, so do it now and have the peace and the thrill of hope that comes from knowing you are a child of God. For those who already have a relationship with the Lord - this Christmas may you see and know anew how great His love is toward you.

My oldest son Kraig passed away in September. His father, my late husband, has been gone for five years now - 12/20/15. The first thing that came to my mind when told of his death was there would be a joyous reunion between father and son in heaven - I have no doubt of that, and this brings me great peace.

Lord, thank you for sustaining me, thank you for being my 'everything'. 

HOW MANY MASKS DO YOU HAVE?

I have many masks, all colors, some plain, some printed, all constrict my breathing and fog up my glasses. My friends and I are planning  a bonfire party and asking everyone to bring their masks, we'll burn them and they will be gone! Of course we'll wait until the vaccine is officially out and everyone has been innoculated. We don't want Covid to stay around, so we try to follow the rules.

This is a bit like our sinful nature - if we don't confront it and smash it dead, you can be sure it will reappear in our lives. There is only one way to remove our sin. God didn't send us a vaccine, He sent us Jesus. We need to accept Jesus who died to pay the penalty for our sin so we can be "holy and blameless" in God's eyes.

Jude 24 - 25 "To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy--to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore!"

These are such powerful verses. Notice that we don't keep ourselves from falling (failing) 'him' refers to Jesus. Because we've been reconciled to God through Christ, God our heavenly Father sees us as perfect. He sees his son Jesus in us, not our flesh that continues to want to sin. We are no longer under a law of behavior - Jesus fulfilled the law so now we live according to God's grace. We don't keep the law to be a Christian, we keep the law to our best ability because we are a Christian. We have the Holy Spirit living in us and this is where we get our strength to resist a sinful life. 

Romans 8:  "...the Spirit helps us in our weakness". vs.29 "For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son..."

Amazing, isn't it? God gave us his Holy Spirit to help us in our weakness and He has predestined us to be like Jesus! From my very practical experience of living as a believer for so many years, I know this will not completely take place until we are in heaven with the Lord.  But, in God's eyes it has already happened. Amen!

The more we see ourselves through God's perspective, the easier it will be to 'behave'.  When we lift each up instead of being critical and mean-spirited, we are encouraging others to 'walk in the Spirit' and be who we are - a child of God; nothing can be better than that. 

Our American holiday of Thanksgiving won't be the same this year due to the Covid pandemic. This is a world-wide problem so you all are suffering the restrictions. We do the best we can and praise the Lord for allowing us to find a vaccine. The U.S. will be sending it all over the world as I understand.  In spite of our problems this year, we can find something to be grateful for - first on my list is being loved by God. I can handle anything if I remember that. Many blessings to all of you readers.💗😇

Thank you Lord for sending many requests my way to continue writing my blog. I will be faithful in doing that.

WHO DO YOU TRUST?

I have not abandoned my blog, but I see I haven't posted since May. My old computer couldn't keep up any more, so bought a new one. I've had some difficulty with it. . .what is it they say about not being able to teach old dogs' new tricks? More and more I see myself avoiding something I don't trust to work. And I don't trust this new computer to get something done without a lot of frustration on my part. On the other hand, I'm beginning to feel that gentle nudge from the Lord to share what I'm learning from Him.

Some will say, "I'm pretty smart, I trust myself". Is that wise? It's good to be well-informed but in the end, we need to look to the Lord  because He is totally trustworthy, and His Word, the Bible, is also trustworthy and full of wisdom. We can always look to the Psalms and Proverbs as a good way to absorb the wisdom of God.

"He who trusts in himself is a fool but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe." Proverbs 28:26.

This wisdom we walk in is not worldly wisdom, it's spiritual wisdom that God graciously bestows on us.

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."  Hebrews 11:1

We all discover it's very difficult to to be 'sure' of something we can't see, so we learn to trust. When our trust is placed in God, and we know He is firmly in control, we can have peace. As hard as we try, there really isn't any lasting peace outside of the Lord.

Psalm 20:7 - 

Psalm 56:4 - "In God whose word I praise, In God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?

God sent us Jesus, God in the flesh, to be our Savior and forgiver of sins. Jesus said if we believe in Him we will have eternal life - John 5:24. This passage also says. . ."

So, isn't it great that we can have a personal relationship with the only One in the whole universe who is totally trustworthy? I think so! The more you read and study God's Word the more you'll know Him. These are hard times for our country. Not just hard, but very frightening. I feel so bad for those who don't know Who to trust.

My previous blog 'NEW YORK BLESSING' is the first time I've posted a video. I thought it was amazing. I cried through the whole thing. I love NY city in all its messiness and chaos. Seeing this video with people in every kind of church, representing every race and country praising God, Lord over all is just so special and awesome. Only God can unite people like this, share it, it might help dispel the fear, anger  and hate we see around us.  

Thank you Lord for gathering your people all over the world to sing praises to you, to encourage others to have faith and to honor You.  I know You have a reason for everything you do. 

THE NEW YORK BLESSING : 100 CHURCHES SINGING A BLESSING OVER NEW YORK CITY

FAITH OR FEAR?

When we look back through many years of history, we see that when people have become fearful, they also become easier to control. 

There is a sense in which fear can be a good thing, it can protect us from danger. Most of the time fear simply prevents us from living a full life. Maybe you are afraid to fly, the plane might crash, yes it might. You might be afraid to get on a ship, it might sink, yes it could. Some will live a lonely life without the blessings that come with a good relationship. They are afraid to love - what if the relationship doesn't develop the way you thought it would, or what if your love isn't returned? Painful, yes for sure, but I think it is true  "It is better to have loved and lost than not have loved at all." This is a famous quote from the English 19th century poet, Alfred Tennyson. Poets usually get it right, and the Bible is full of poetry. 

Life itself is a risk, so go for it, live fully and completely knowing that the God who loves you has already weighed the risks and planned the rewards. 

Here's the thing - those of us who are believers in Jesus, the Word of God, don't place our faith in the pilot of an airplane, or the captain of a ship, or the perfect love relationship, our faith is in the Lord alone. We experience making a choice - fear or faith. 

Trust and faith are much alike - when we have faith in someone or something, we also can say that we are trusting. Those who walk in fear rather than in faith, have limited their joy in life. Remember Jesus died on the cross for the joy set before him - Hebrews 2:12

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. . .Hebrews 12:2

We can't snap our fingers and suddenly have faith, faith comes from God. Ephesians 2:8 says that faith is a gift, a gift bestowed willingly on those who love Him. Stand firm in the Word of God, believe what it says. Have faith that the Lord will alert you to danger and trust Him to provide pleasure in life. If you have children, don't you want them to walk in faith and have pleasure in life? This is what your heavenly Father wants for you. You are a child of God.

In a very practical sense, think of driving down the freeway at 75 mph - you are taking a risk that the other drivers on the road are paying attention to traffic, have the skill to handle a car or truck, are not drunk or on drugs, not pre-occupied with disciplining children or talking on the phone, etc. And most of us do it, we take this risk because we need to go someplace. My faith is in God alone, I can't control the other drivers.

"We live by faith, not by sight". 2 Corinthians 5:7

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and he rewards those who earnestly seek him."  Hebrews 11:6

Hebrews, chapter 11 gives us a history of faith through the characters of the Old Testament starting with verse 3 - 

By faith we understand that the universe was formed by God's command so what is seen was not made out of what was visible."

The list of those who walked in faith begins with Abel and his brother Cain and ends with Moses. Also mentioned our heroes - Samson, David, Samuel and the prophets who by faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice and gained what was promised.

Covid 19 has been a lethal and frightening virus. Statistics show that in the United States, about 98% of those who get the virus recover from it when they don't have other health challenges. So many have lost their jobs and businesses, our economy is 'rocky'. But remember where there is fear, the powers-to-be can impose control, sometimes not for the higher good. We are a free country and our Constitution restricts government power. I encourage you, hang onto your freedom while being cautious and considerate of others. We are "one nation under God" and by faith in Him, we will survive.

Thank you Lord that your hand is always upon us, we trust in you and cherish our gift of faith.

HAPPY RESURRECTION SUNDAY

On Good Friday we mourned the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. Sunday morning, we cleebrated His resurrection. I wrote this poem a few years ago using, not my words, but words from Scripture.

REDEEMED
John 1, Matthew 27, Isiah 52:14, Psalms 22

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.
He became flesh and lived among us.

In Him was life, and that life was
the light of men.
The light shines in darkness,
but the darkness has not understood it.

At the appointed time in history, 
foretold by prolphets of old,
a bloodied and beaten body,
marred beyond human likeness,
was nailed to the cross.

The mid-day sun was replaced by 
darkness over all the land.
He was heard to cry out;
"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
Then, He gave up His spirit.

At that very moment the curtain of the temple
was torn in two top to bottom.
The law had been fulfilled.
Now we have free access
to God the Father
through the living Word, Jesus Christ.

The earth shook that day, the rocks split,
tombs broke open and
bodies were raised to life.
Those present exclaimed, "Surely,
this is the Son of God."

It is finished
I've been redeemed.
To God be the glory!

Let's take a closer look at the Biblical story of Jesus. The very first stanza tells us that from the beginning - there was Jesus. Remember how Genesis describes creation? Many times we see this phrase. . .
"and God said". God called our world into being with those words; Jesus is the WORD and God spoke Him into being from the very very beginning. 

Second stanza we see Jesus isn't only our Savior, He also is our creator. John 1:14 - "He became flesh and lived among us." This refers to His birth in Bethlehem. 

The fourth stanza talks about prophesey - "At the appointed time in history foretold by prophets of old..."  Jesus was on a mission to save those who were 'lost'. He was nailed to a cross in order to pay the penalty of sin for all who would come to believe in him. 

In the fifth stanza we see it became very dark in all the land, and Jesus, being fully human and fully divine gave in to His humanity and cried out in pain asking the question, "why have you forsaken me?" As we stumble through this world and suffer through our human condition, we too wonder sometimes if God has forsaken us.  Then it says that He gave up His spirit: He willingly paid the price for our sin. 

In the sixth stanza the Bible says the temple curtain was torn in two from top to bottom. That was no small thing! It was terribly heavy, so heavy that it took about thirty men to move it - made of a tightly woven material and covered what was called by the Jews - 'The Holy of Holiest'. Only the head priest could go into this room. They tied a rope around his ankle in case he should faint, or die, they could pull him out without entering this very holy place. 

The law had been fulfilled by the death (and soon to be resurrection) so now we had free access to God the Father through the living Word, Jesus. We can go directly to God, the barrier (curtain) has been torn down between God and the un-Godly, us!

Finally, in the seventh stanza, a huge earthquake is described, some were raised to life (we don't know who - at least I don't)  and they knew. . ."Surely this is the Son of God!"

John records in verse 30 that Jesus said, "It is finished." So let's all live like it is finished - Jesus came, died, rose again (I Cor. 15) so we would be accepted as a child of God. Our fate has been sealed, we are bound for heaven and no one can take that away from us. 

"Now it is God who makes us stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." 2 Cor. 1:21

So what? Well, this is 'so what' - we are free to take on the day, take on our life with all it's struggles and disappointemnts knowing God loves us, has prepared a plan for our lives and we will live in eternity with Him someday - signed sealed and delivered. 


Thank you Lord for doing all this for us, not because we deserve it, but by Your love and grace..

STRESSED? OPEN YOUR BIBLE

"Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you can't do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?"  Luke 12: 25 - 26

These are words Jesus spoke to his disciples. Yes, even the disciples who walked with Jesus became upset and felt stress and worry. No wonder we do! At present, the Corona virus, Covid 19, has caused much concern throughout the world. I don't know about other countries, but here in the United States, the press, our ever present media, likes to keep attention on stressful situations. Their reporting isn't always truthful, sometimes out of ignorance, sometimes because of a political or personal agenda. Sometimes it's best to hit the 'off' button. 

One thing we know for sure, we will all die someday. When you look at a grave stone you will see a birth date and a death date; the space between is our life. In the book of Job, oldest book of the Bible, we read...

"Man born of women is of few days and full of trouble. He springs up like a flower and withers away; like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure. Job 14: 1 - 2

Job also writes in 12:10, speaking of God, "In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind."

"Man's days are determined; you (the Lord) have decreed  the number of his months and set limits he cannot exceed." 
Job 14:5 

Job clearly states that God has set our boundaries. Knowing this does not mean that we live irresponsible, reckless lives. The days we have here on earth are much better if we stay healthy and make good choices.

In the book of Proverbs we see that Solomon, son of David, king of Israel wrote..."The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord." Proverbs 16:33

I take comfort in this verse and am so glad that God is constantly directing my decisions.

Back to Luke - the Old Testament and the New Testament complement each other. Jesus wants to have his disciples understand that worry for our well-being isn't productive, it just makes us unhappy. He points to the fact that the Ravens do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet the Lord feeds them. Aren't we more valuable to God than the birds? Jesus also points out the lilies of the field and not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If God feeds the birds and clothes the lilies how much more will He take care of us Jesus asks. "Oh you of little faith" Jesus says, don't behave like the pagans (unbelievers) for your Father knows what you need. And then he says this...

"But seek his kingdom first..."  Luke 12:31

Once we've been born into the family of God and received the Holy Spirit, our fear and worry should vanish. We now have the Lord of the universe looking after us. The Lord never said that there wouldn't be pain in our lives here on earth, but He did say that no matter how it looks to us, He is working all things together for good - Romans 8:28. Cling to this truth, life will be easier. 

Soon we Christians will focus on the death and resurrection of Jesus. We call it Easter. Most of us won't have a church service to attend, unless it's on-line, and we probably won't be gathering with many people, but we do have the Bible, God's Word. You may want to read the Easter story in the gospels, each author  records it a bit differently. I hope this will make you feel loved and at peace knowing what Jesus did for you on the cross is the essence of Christianity. 

Thank you Father for your son Jesus Christ who paid the price for our sins and by believing in Him, we never need to fear death. 

HOW TO SURVIVE A CRISIS

 Life isn't always a bowl of cherries, in fact, it seldom is. We need to learn to cope with change, because there will always be change, and something to fear. I have great peace in the midst of most anything - maybe not initially, but ultimately, because I trust God's Word to be true.

Psalms 16:8 "I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken."

Quite simply, that is how to survive a crisis. When you understand that God is always looking after his people, you can relax.

I know many are very concerned about the pandemic we are facing. The corona virus has attacked many countries with a vengeance. I was shopping for a St. Patrick's Day dinner this morning, and was amazed how many bare shelves I found in the store. A woman shopper said to me, "Can you believe this, not one head of cabbage and not one onion in this store!" Those who hoard items make it hard on everyone. How selfish they are, but then I must remember that not everyone is a Christian and believes that the Lord will supply their needs - God does not say He will supply all our 'wants', but He will take care of what we need. Most often, we think we need a lot more than we really do. I take great comfort in God's Word; it keeps my boat from rocking during the storms of life. 

Matthew 6:8 ". . .your father knows what you need before you ask him."

I think most of us go through life thinking that others, even those we know love us, do not really understand our needs, so isn't it wonderful to know that the Lord does?

Philippians 4:19 - Paul was writing to those who lived in Philippi -
"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." 

When you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior you can declare as King David did in Psalms 23,

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want."

There is a reason this is one of the most beloved psalms, read it often, the whole psalm, you will be blessed. 

Yes, scary things are happening in our world today. There have always been scary things happening down through the ages. So, we stay calm, trust God's love and carry on. We can then look at a beautiful bowl of cherries (or our life) and say, 'yes, this is good.'

A BETTER MARRIAGE

I wonder over the years how many words of advice have been written about the topic of marriage. We don't all fall in love, get married and live happily ever after. In fact, in the USA, about 50%  of marriages fail. This is so sad, even sadder when the marriage has produced children, as the majority have. A child's security blanket is ripped from them when this happens. Mom and dad are their security - they aren't as concerned about anything else in their lives as much as knowing their parents love one another and will love and protect them; you are their prime security. Therefore, it is  important to nourish your marriage.

This is an interesting thought. . .what if God meant marriage to make you holy, rather than happy? Knowing what a challenge it would be, what if God chose marriage as a means to draw you closer to Him? Consistently loving our mate requires a touch of the Holy Spirit and God's hand on us showing the 'how' of it. Keep in mind that when the Bible exhorts us to do something the Lord is with us. It doesn't feel like it sometimes, but He never leaves on on our own. 

Soon it will be Valentines Day and we will be inundated by thoughts of love. It's not true of all cultures, some have arranged marriages, but most of us marry because of love. How does the Bible define love?

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails."  I Corinthians 13: 4 -8

This passage of Scripture isn't just referring to married love, but all love. You can see how impossible the standard of God is when we attempt to perform without His help and guidance. Who can consistently behave in this Godly way of loving? No one!

I am specifically writing about married love so we need to take a look about how God has laid that out for our edification. We have certain expectations when we marry. We are often disappointed. That person we married isn't who we thought he/she would be. We find that we don't always agree on important issues, we must compromise so we'll be both be satisfied. The problem is, neither of you are completely satisfied - one or the other feels they are giving the most; your love affair begins to unravel. 

God caused Adam to "fall asleep" then took one of his ribs and made a women for him. God called this woman a "suitable helper" for Adam and said they would become "one flesh". Genesis 2: 20-24. Married couples don't often feel like one flesh. And so it was with the first man and woman, trouble was on the horizon.

Many women, Christian or not, don't like the idea of 'submitting' to their husbands. After all, we are equals! I believe the Scripture paints a picture of equality. We need to remember that Jesus is portrayed as the 'Bridegroom', and we, the believers, as the 'Bride'.
I find this to be an interesting analogy, don't you? The Bridegroom, the one who loves us, protects us, shelters us, and provides for us, is the head of the family and takes responsibility for his bride. Think about that, then picture a bride, dependent on the one who loves, protects, shelters and takes responsibility for her. . .and would give his life for her.

Ephesians 5: 22-23 describes a marital relationship as well as the relationship between Christ and the Church (body of believers). We believers are to submit to Christ, and we wives are told to submit to our husbands. Impossible we women say! But look at what the Lord tells the husband, "love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy. . .(set apart - special). This passage goes on to say, "He who loves his wife loves himself." I'm sure this is a new thought for many, probably most, men.

Now ladies, I've got to ask...if your husband loved you as much as Christ loved the believers and died for them...wouldn't it be easy to submit? Yes, I think so. Husbands are told to love their wives, and wives are told to respect their husbands. When a man senses respect from his wife he steps up and performs like a man. When a wife experiences this kind of 'godly' love, the natural result is a deep respect for her man. Wouldn't you call this equality?
You give love, you get respect. You respect, you get love. If one or the other fails, a breakdown of the relationship is sure to come. 

A person who is happy within themselves, and not dependent on another human or 'things' for their happiness, will most likely have a content happy marriage. When a couple look for the other person to provide what they need, they probably will be disappointed.  We can't change anyone else (only ourselves)  - their habits, personality or inability to give and receive love, but with God's help you can change how you deal with what disturbs your peace and robs you of being 'happy'.

The Apostle Paul wrote extensively to the Corinthians about marriage. They were a group of new believers who had questions..."now that we accepted Christ as our Savior, how should we live?" They were asking for some guidelines to live by. In I Corinthians 7, in the midst of the instructions and suggestions Paul reminds them, "God has called us to live in peace." Where does peace come from? Ephesians 2:14 tells us that that Jesus is our peace. It won't come from the perfect marriage, wonderful children, a great job, money or possessions - peace comes from God alone. Paul takes note that "those who marry will face many troubles in this life." Many have seen this to be true!  Paul is simply giving some advice based on his observations - this isn't doctrine. 

So, what is the answer? We can see that God all through history has allowed divorce. Therefore, it must be a part of his plan since no man can thwart His will...Daniel 4:35. He also plans for us to be made whole only through Him...Philippians 4:19, "God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." It is God, not our mate who will meet our needs. Let me say it another way, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." Psalm 23. 

Thank you Lord that you alone are our peace and will meet our needs. Help us to understand there is a difference from a 'need' and a 'want'. Apply your truth to our lives daily. 

SHED THE SHAME IN THE NEW YEAR

From a poem I wrote several years ago. . .

"The year floats away
swallowed up by persistent
tides that will return to
scatter memories along the shore,
the sweet and the bittersweet. "

I hope you are filled with great expectations in the new year. It's always exciting for me to watch what God is doing in my life and in the lives of those I love. I've learned that with great joy, great sorrow may also come. Good times, bad times - I'm confident that God is always in charge. 


One thing we must leave behind in the old year is our shame. We can dump old shame then pick up new shame. It seems to be in our DNA and causes great trouble in our life. We all deal with shame at one time or another. Outside of Christ shame appears to be a part of our humanity. Romans 3:11 tells us we are not perfect, there is no one who is 'righteous', no, not one. From my pastor, "God removes our shame and replaces it with honor. Shame never has the last word, the King does."

Shame begins with something we did (or are doing) or was forced on us that we judge to be wrong or bad. This leads to feelings of guilt, our guilt becomes our shame. I recently heard a good message about this topic and was immediately reminded what a terrible hold shame can have on our lives. We instinctively hate this feeling so often try and get rid of the guilt and shame by blaming someone else. This only makes it worse. Not being able to take responsibility for our behavior and actions is not a good coping skill. Looking for a scapegoat is a Biblical concept.

Leviticus 16 describes how the Jews were to 'atone' for their sins. In vs. 20, it describes how the Lord told Aaron, brother of Moses, how he should take a live goat, put his hands on the goat's head and confess the "wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites - all their sins - and put them on the goat's head ." This was a picture of transferring the sin to the poor little goat who was then released into the desert. This is where we get the term 'scapegoat'. The goat carried the shame away. . .'not my fault'. 

Adam and Eve experienced shame in the Garden of Eden. They did something, ate the fruit of the tree that God had told them to not eat from, so they hid from God - Genesis 3 - got leaves to cover their naked bodies (picture of sin) and Adam declared that it was Eve who made him do it! Not my fault Lord, this woman made me do it! 

The Bible is full of both new and old testament people who were caught up in shame. Think of King David and Bathsheba; David suffered terribly from the shame, but he owned it and asked God to forgive him. . ."blot out all of my iniquities", read Psalm 51 to get a taste of David's agony over what he'd done. 

Jesus told his disciple Peter that he would deny him, and that is exactly what Peter did. I am sure Peter felt great shame. Jesus himself experienced shame...

Hebrews 12:2  "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 the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Jesus is our scapegoat; he alone is able to carry away our sinful nature and make us presentable to God. He did this on the cross so "...count yourselves dead to sin (and shame) but alive to God in Christ Jesus" - Romans 6:11.

Romans 8:1 "There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus." I often shared this verse with the inmates when I taught Bible studies in my local jail. As they came to believe this, they became different people. I always loved the look of peace on their faces. I also shared these verses. . .

Psalm 34:5  "Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame."

Romans 9:33 "...and the one who trusts in him (the believers) will never be put to shame."

There will always be someone around who will try and lay a 'guilt trip' on you. Our natural response is to fight back, but don't. People who do this are not happy with themselves, they feel shame and don't know how to handle it, so they want to put shame on you - as a believer, you do not have to buy into that. 

At times I would tell one of my five children, "shame on you" because of something they had done. I never felt good about it because I didn't want them to be ashamed. I did want this potent word to help them realize what they did wrong and hopefully change their ways. From time to time I need to tell my naughty little 8 lb dog that he "should be ashamed" of himself - he always seems to feel a little guilty. I'm crazy in love with my little Rudy, he knows that too. Know that Jesus is crazy in love with you and that is why He paid the penalty for our sin and rid us of shame.

Be who you are in God's eyes - a righteous child of His! I pray that your coming year 2020 will be filled with new hope, a closer relationship with Jesus and the knowledge that you don't need to live in shame; Jesus covered it on the cross. 

Thank you Lord for the love you have for your children.