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.