Soul Searching

BAPTISM

2013-08-03T14:40:00.000-04:00

The following information is taken from the Holy Bible (NIV) 1989, Luther’s Catechism 3^rd edition, and from Christian Worship – a Lutheran Hymnal.

Washed in the blood of Jesus

Our Savior Jesus Christ commanded baptism when he said: ‘Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.’ All of us are born into this world with a deep need for baptism. From our parents we inherit a sinful nature; we are without true fear of God and true faith in God and are condemned to eternal death. But Jesus took away our sin by giving his life on the cross. At our baptism he clothes us with the robe of his righteousness and gives us a new life. Our sinful nature need not control us any longer. (Christian Worship pg. 12)

People have questions about Baptism; what is it, what does it do for us, why do we need it? Many denominations have different beliefs about baptism. Some feel it is something that should be done when a child is old enough to make his/her own determination and decision to be baptized. Some believe that infants should be baptized as newborns or as soon as possible after birth. There are some churches who think of it merely as an official naming ceremony and some that don’t believe in it at all.

I am a member of the WELS (Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod). The WELS does not deviate from Scripture in any way. We take God at His Word and to the best of our ability and understanding do not alter it in any way. What God says goes – end of story! We believe that Baptism is an important blessing and gift from God and is beneficial to all people of all ages.

JESUS INSTITUTED BAPTISM

What is Baptism? (Luther’s Catechism pg. 9)

Baptism is not just plain water, but it is water used by God’s command and connected with God’s Word which tells us; 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 (Matthew 28: 19).

In the scripture above from Matthew Jesus refers to all nations in His command to baptize. He does not differentiate between babies, children or adults. The words all nations, include all people, young and old alike. This statement of Jesus eliminates the idea that only those old enough to understand and make his/her own choice should be baptized.

THE BLESSINGS OF BAPTISM

What does Baptism do for us? (Luther’s Catechism pg. 9)

Baptism works forgiveness of sins, delivers from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare. Jesus himself promises; whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned (Mark 16:16).

These words of Jesus do not stipulate any specific age for Baptism. By this statement we also have the reassurance that it is possible to be saved without baptism as long as there is faith. Jesus states; whoever does not believe will be condemned. He does not add to that statement; whoever is not baptized will be condemned. His words make it clear that the person who comes to faith in the last moments of life with no time for baptism will be saved. An example of this would be the thief who died on the cross beside Jesus. He asked Jesus; remember me when you come into your kingdom. Jesus replied; I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise (Luke 23:43).

THE POWER OF BAPTISM

How can water do such great things? (Luther’s Catechism pg.9,10)

It is certainly not the water that does such things, but God’s Word which is in and with the water and faith which trusts this Word used with the water. For without God’s Word the water is just plain water and not Baptism. But with this Word it is Baptism, that is, a gracious water of life and a washing of rebirth by the Holy Spirit.

[God] saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become

Water connected to the Word

heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying (Titus 3: 5-8).

We wash our bodies with water to become physically clean. The water of Baptism symbolizes a cleansing, and when not connected with the word of God it means nothing. It is simply water. We wash with it, we play in it, we cook with it, we drink it etc. When it is connected to God’s Word by the faith of those administering it (for an infant), and/or by the person himself, (an adult who has previously come to faith) it becomes a cleansing by the Holy Spirit.

THE MEANING OF BAPTISM FOR OUR DAILY LIFE

What does baptizing with water mean? (Luther’s Catechism pg. 10)

Baptism means that the ‘Old Adam’ (the sinful nature) in us should be drowned by daily contrition and repentance, and that all its evil deeds and desires be put to death. It also means that a new person should daily arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.

We were...buried with [Christ] 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 (Romans 6:4).

Jesus' suffering becomes our suffering

In baptism we become forgiven children of God. Jesus’ suffering becomes our suffering. His death becomes our death. His resurrection becomes our resurrection. Jesus paid the debt we owe to God for our sin. We have been adopted into God’s family. The Holy Spirit lives in us and we are heirs of eternal life. Jesus says; because I live, you also will live (John 14:19).

In summary then – Baptism is a gift from God. It is a spiritual cleansing which offers forgiveness of sins, grants faith by the Holy Spirit, and makes us children of God and heirs of eternal life.

For adults

It is for all people, young and old. All Christians should take advantage of this gift and blessing from God as opportunity allows. It is possible to come to faith without Baptism, but this should be the exception not the rule. We are saved by faith in Jesus and faith comes to us also through hearing and studying God’s word. Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is

For Babies

heard through the word of Christ (Romans 10:17). Those who die without having had the opportunity for baptism, but who have faith in Jesus, will also be heirs of eternal life.

For Children

As Christians, it is our God given responsibility to baptize our children. We should do it joyfully and without hesitation. Parents who have lost children to death before baptism can take comfort, in the knowledge that our God is a just God, but He is also a merciful, fair and loving God. All life is precious to Him. We can rest assured that in His almighty wisdom He takes special care for the souls of helpless infants.

He does command baptism however, and entrusts these little lives to us as parents, to be cared for and nurtured. It is our responsibility to make sure they have all that they need, not only for their bodies (their physical good), but especially for their souls (their eternal good). Eternity is forever. Therefore why would we not, when it is within our power to do so, want to afford ourselves the comfort of the sure knowledge that their souls are safe in His loving arms?

Baptism is not to be taken lightly. Our Baptism does not insure that we can never fall from faith and lose our eternal inheritance. We must read and study God’s word in order to stay connected to Jesus. We should go to Him in prayer at the end of each day with a repentant heart. We need the fellowship and support

God's gift to us

we find in a church home where God’s word is taught in its truth and purity. Those who have a true heart of faith will find that studying and listening to the word, talking with God in prayer, and attending worship services will be a joy rather than a duty. If we neglect these things we are in danger of losing our faith. If we lose our faith our Baptism will do us no good.

Always keep in mind that Baptism is a gift from God to us. It is not something we do for God. It is not our commitment to Him, but rather it is His commitment to us. It is His promise that we belong to Him, we are forgiven, and heirs of His eternal Kingdom.

Prayer:

Merciful Father in heaven, we thank you for the blessing of baptism by which you offer and grant the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation. Help us to regard our baptism as the robe of righteousness we are to wear all the days of our life. Grant us a rich measure of your Spirit that we may grow in faith and godly living. Help us to carry out our responsibilities to others who have been baptized, so that all of us may finally come to the blessed joys of heaven, through Jesus our Lord. Amen. (Christian Worship pg. 14)

Gloria Dei! (To God be all glory!)

By Kristeen

Near Death Experiences - NDE's

2013-07-07T20:22:00.000-04:00

A place of light and love

I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know-God knows. And I know that this man-whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows-was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell (2 Corinthians 12: 2-4).

The stairway to heaven

Scripture tells us of more than one instance when God’s people were allowed a glance at heaven while still living here on earth. The instance above from 2 Corinthians was experienced by the apostle Paul. We are also told of a vision/dream of Jacob from the Old Testament in which he saw a ladder reaching up to heaven and the angels ascending and descending on it. At the top of the ladder he saw the Lord standing. (Genesis 28: 10-22)

Taken up in a whirlwind

The prophet Elijah was taken up to heaven alive in a whirlwind as his friend Elisha watched (2 Kings 2:11). Stephen, a faithful follower of Christ saw heaven as he was being stoned to death. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Look...I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. (Acts 7:55, 56)Then there are the most well known visions of heaven described to us by John in chapter 21 of the book of Revelation.

Stoning Stephen

It is natural for humans to have questions about heaven. As a sincere Christian I have no doubt whatsoever that there is an afterlife, that being – Heaven for believers, Hell for unbelievers. God has revealed to all people in His Word that heaven is a real place. It is a special place which He has prepared for all who love Him and have faith in His one and only Son, Jesus Christ. Still, in spite of all His promises to us regarding heaven, we are apprehensive. We have a certain amount of fear of the unknown, and I think a fear also of the absence of what we consider to be “normal”. We picture ourselves as spirits floating in space because we can’t imagine life without our physical bodies. Due to our human nature, we also have an undying curiosity about what it is like and a desire to know more. So why doesn’t God tell us more? Let’s think about that for a minute and come back to it.

I recently read a book entitled “Proof of Heaven” by Eben Alexander. It was a very compelling book. Eben Alexander is a Doctor – a Neurosurgeon. In the prologue of his book he attests to many years of study of the brain and neuroscience. He was involved with the development of advanced technical procedures such as what is called Stereo-tactic Radio-surgery, a procedure which guides beams of radiation to specific targets deep in the brain without damaging or affecting adjacent areas. He also played a part in the development of Magnetic Resonance image-guided (MRI) neurosurgical procedures to repair brain conditions such as tumors and vascular disorders, and he authored and coauthored several papers for medical journals. Dr. Alexander states; In short, I devoted myself to science. Using the tools of modern medicine to help and to heal people, and to learn more about the workings of the human body and brain was my life’s calling.

During his years of experience and study as a Neurosurgeon Dr. Alexander had heard many stories of Near Death Experiences. He had heard people tell of being drawn toward a light, traveling to mysterious, wonderful landscapes, talking to dead relatives and even meeting God face to face. His personal feeling was that it was, in his own words, wonderful stuff, but pure fantasy. He admitted that he had no idea what caused these experiences, but he felt that they were brain based. In other words he felt that there must be some level of consciousness in the brain for an NDE (Near Death Experience) to take place. He did not really believe in God or life after death, although for the sake of his wife and children he did attend church on special occasions.

Dr. Alexander explains that most NDE’s happen when the heart stops. In these cases the Neocortex of the brain is still alive. The Neocortex is the outer surface of the brain and in his words; it is the part of the brain that makes us human. It makes us who we are. When oxygen is restored to the Neocortex within a certain amount of time it is able to revive itself with little or no damage.

At age 54 Dr. Alexander contracted E. coli meningitis, a form of meningitis which is very rare in adults. It put him in a coma for 7 days. He states that during this time his Neocortex was completely shut down. When the Neocortex of the brain dies, there is no life or level of consciousness and no hope that life can be restored. By all intents and purposes he was dead or we might refer to his condition as being brain dead.

While in a coma Dr. Alexander claims to have had a taste of the beauty of heaven. His descriptions are very awe inspiring and comforting. As in Paul’s vision described in the verses above from 2 Corinthians, what Dr. Alexander saw and experienced is beyond human understanding. In fact the picture described by Dr. Alexander is very similar to that of the apostle Paul. Paul states that he himself heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted (or able) to tell. Dr. Alexander states; I could heap on one adjective after another to describe what this world looked and felt like, but they’d all fall short.

There are no words in any human language, whether it be English, Latin, Hebrew, Greek, German, Spanish etc. to describe it. Heaven is not a part of this

A special place

physical world we live in here on earth, but of a different dimension. Through this experience Dr. Alexander was led to understand and believe that we have a God who loves each of us and indeed does have a special place prepared for all who love Him.

His journey was a little different than many NDE’s I have read about. It almost seems as if in the beginning he got a glimpse of hell rather than heaven. He describes a thick transparent mud in which animal faces would bubble up, groan or screech and then disappear. He describes hearing a dull roar which would change to the sound of pounding, distant yet strong and mechanical and a rhythmic chanting. He states that these sounds were terrifying yet weirdly familiar. He felt no sense of time and no sense having a body. He describes reptilian, wormlike creatures crowding past him and occasionally rubbing up against him. He was aware of a smell – like feces, blood and vomit – basically the smell of death. At this point he states that he began to have a feeling of claustrophobia and panic – a feeling of being trapped.

He was later told that as he entered the ER he was, in his own words; squirming like a six-foot fish out of water. He was also making garbled and nonsensical sounds and animal-like cries. Perhaps this was his body’s reaction to what his mind was seeing and experiencing, but one would not be able to say that for sure.

At the very point when he was beginning to feel trapped and panicky his experience began to change from that of dark, ugly and terrifying to a feeling of light, love and safety. His description of Heaven is amazing and comforting. I will not attempt to repeat it here. If you are truly interested in hearing it, the book is available in eBook form and also in hardcover and audible CD from Amazon.

I believe that, like people of old, God allows people of today to sometimes see heaven and in some cases, hell through a near death experience. Some NDE’s seem to be more believable than others, but what is unique about Dr. Alexander’s experience is the circumstances.

As he explained in the book most NDE’s are a result of the heart stopping, in which case the brain is still alive. When the brain is alive there is some level of consciousness which would allow for the possibility to dream. But in his case his brain had basically died and was not functioning at all. Since his brain was not functioning there would have been no level of consciousness in which he could have been dreaming. Humans do not recover from brain death. Once the brain dies, the body may live for a time with the help of machines, but the brain does not recover. The fact that he is now not only alive, but normal is a miracle.

I have been taught that when a seemingly spiritual experience leads you to God and to His word for answers, it is from God. If it leads you away from God, it is from Satan. For example if Dr. Alexander’s experience would have lead him to a palm reader or a psychic for answers rather than to the Scriptures and belief in God, as real as it would have still been, it would have been a trick of Satan.

God works in mysterious ways. I don’t know or understand why Dr. Alexander experienced the scary, hell like scenario before he experienced the heavenly one. According to Scripture when we die the souls of believers go directly to heaven to be with God (The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side... Luke 16: 22) and unbelievers go directly to hell (Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment...Hebrews 9:27). Possibly there was some physical explanation for it, although according to Dr. Alexander there doesn’t seem to be. It may have been God’s way of leading him to see and believe that there is indeed a heaven - and a hell in the afterlife. Before this experience his scientific brain and human logic reasoned that when we die, that is it. We are done. We are buried in the ground and it’s over.

In the prologue of his book he states; Now that I have been privileged to understand that our life does not end with the death of the body or the brain, I see it as my duty, my calling, to tell people about what I saw beyond the body and beyond this earth.

I don’t know what Dr. Alexander’s personal beliefs are at this time regarding God. He states in the book that before his illness he considered himself a “C & E’er” (Christmas and Easter). He was one of those people who only darken the door of a church at Christmas and Easter. In truth he didn’t believe in the soul and the spirit. He didn’t believe in life everlasting. Now he does. He does not go into detail about his beliefs other than to acknowledge that we have a God who loves us and that He is the center of our universe.

At this point I would like to remind all readers that we are saved by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ. His blood, shed on the cross covers our sin and washes us clean. All who believe in Jesus, through faith are holy in God’s eyes


Washed in His blood

and fit for heaven. “Faith” comes to us from the Holy Spirit through reading and hearing God’s word and through baptism. Although he doesn’t state it specifically, I hope and pray that Dr. Alexander understands and believes this.

God’s “Grace” is the undeserved and unconditional love which He has for all sinners. Heaven is God’s promised reward to all who believe in Jesus as their Savior from sin, and who love Him. Those who reject Him and disregard His sacrifice will not enter heaven.

So beware! Just because you believe there is a heaven doesn’t mean you will automatically go there when you die. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that – and shudder (James 2:19). In the same way, just knowing and believing there is a heaven is not your free ticket to go there.

Oh, it is definitely free. There is no charge and nothing we can do on our own to get there. But only those who have faith in Jesus will go to heaven when they die. Jesus tells us; I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die (John 11:25). Faith is the rope that attaches us to Jesus and keeps us from getting lost in the pleasures of this world. God’s word reminds us; for it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8, 9).

Although God does allow Near Death Experiences according to His good purpose at times, His word is still the best source to find answers regarding our questions about heaven and the afterlife. Does it seem incomplete and difficult to understand? Yes it does because it is beyond our understanding.

God tells us in His Word only what we need to know for our salvation. He asks us to trust Him. He wants us to put our faith in Him. The writer to the Hebrews tells us; Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see...and without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him (Hebrews 11;1, 6).

On the day God calls us to our eternal home we will see and understand heaven perfectly. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known (1 Corinthians 13:12).

The picture of heaven which God allows us to see now through Scripture doesn’t make a lot of sense to us because it is beyond the understanding of our human minds and is blocked by our physical world, but we do know that it is a beautiful and awesome place – a place of safety, light and love. When we get to heaven and meet God face to face it will all become perfectly clear. We will be reunited with our family members and friends who have gone before us, but we will all be members of one family – the family of God.

Those who believe in Jesus as their Savior from sin are attached to Him by faith and have nothing to fear. Those who do not believe in Jesus are not covered with the holiness of His blood. When they die they will go to Hell where there will be never-ending suffering, pain and darkness. The presence and light of God will not be there.

Are you one of those people who don’t have faith in Jesus? There is still time although life is fragile and can be taken from you in a moment. This earthly life is our “time of grace”. God’s gift of grace is for you also and it is free. You can do nothing on your own to attain it. It is a gift from the Holy Spirit which comes to you through reading and hearing God’s Word and through baptism. Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ (Romans 10:17).

I encourage you to open your Bible and read. Open to Genesis the first book of the Bible and read how God created our world. Then go to the New Testament and read the Gospels; Matthew, Mark Luke and John. Read and learn about the

“Good News” of salvation through faith in Christ. The Holy Spirit will open your heart and give you a new life. You will be free from the chains of sin that hold you and make you feel worthless and unlovable. Through faith you will be covered in the blood of Jesus which will make you holy in God’s eyes and perfectly fit for heaven. You will no longer need to fear death and hell because you will be protected by the blood of Jesus. On the day you are called from this earth you will go immediately to heaven.

In regards to my statement; we picture ourselves as spirits floating in space because we can’t imagine life without our physical bodies. I am a person who dreams a lot. My body is not really present in my dreams, but I am not aware that it is missing. Possibly this is similar to the way it will be in heaven. We will be present and active, but will not be aware that our body is not with us. On the last day when Jesus returns to earth our souls and bodies will be reunited and we will be completely whole again, but without sin and all the heartache and pain that it brings. What a wonderful day that will be.

In conclusion:

God does allow Near Death Experiences at times according to His good will and purpose. It is rather rare and is not something we should expect or count on.
God doesn’t tell us more about heaven because it is beyond our human understanding.
The Bible is the best source for answers to our questions about heaven.
We should trust in God’s promises and turn to Him in faith for all that we need.
He is our comfort in life and in death.
He is present with us at all times and promises to never leave us.
We should take Him at His word and not expect more than that.
We can be confident that when we put our trust in Him and make Him our priority, He will allow us to see and feel His presence in our lives.

Gloria Dei! (To God be all glory)

By Kristeen

Gay Relationships/Marriage - What does God say?

2013-04-17T20:22:00.000-04:00

What does God say?

Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

(1 Corinthians 6: 9, 10)

Recently I had a rather deep discussion about gay relationships and gay marriage with my fellow employees. We are all Christians and none agree with gay marriage or accept homosexuality as being okay, but we had a rather heated debate as to how God feels about it. Some feel that God still loves people who are gay. Does he? If so does that mean that God will forgive them and take them to heaven when they die? Does that mean that we should allow them to be members of our Christian Churches? Should we love them and accept their lifestyle as being a good way to live? These are some very serious issues. Many souls are hanging in the balance.

Let’s look first at what God says and how He feels about the “gay” issue in general? Is it good, okay or bad? Many people have mixed feelings and opinions, but God lets us know how to live and what He expects of us in His Word. The verses above from 1 Corinthians certainly tell us that He does not allow it. In fact He says that homosexuals among others will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Let’s hear what else He has to say regarding the gay lifestyle:

· Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; That is detestable (Leviticus 18: 22)
· If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable...(Leviticus 20:13)
· They exchanged the truth of God for a lie...Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men...(Romans 1: 25, 26)

It sounds pretty cut and dry to me. God flat out doesn’t allow it! He did not create us that way. He created male and female to fit together perfectly not only physically, but emotionally. Sex is a wonderful and special gift created by God. He meant for it to be a demonstration of love between a man and a woman committed to each other in marriage - the result of which would be the gift of children. It is not something to be taken lightly.

In fact God tells us that when a man and a woman come together sexually they become one person. He instituted marriage in the second chapter of Genesis where we hear Adam say; this is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman’ for she was taken out of man. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh (Genesis 2: 23, 24).

The problem with society in part, is that people no longer take God at His word. Rather they change the meaning of His words to make them fit their lifestyle. People seem to think that because our God is a loving God, He would not condemn anyone to hell because they are gay. Those who are gay may say; I love God. I believe that Jesus died for me. I have faith and the Bible says that we are saved by faith in Jesus. But they forget that Jesus also says; If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me...What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?

Many people who are gay claim that they were born that way. I believe that some people are born with physical and hormonal problems which make them feel confused as to their sexual orientation. I also believe however, that many people who are gay have become that way by choice and often as the result of life situations.

For example; a young woman who was abused sexually or mistreated in other ways as a child by a man, may have an aversion to men as an adult and visa versa. Childhood sexual abuse and emotional and physical abuse destroys people for life. Quite often abused children grow up to become abusers themselves and/or they become homosexuals. To those who abuse children God has this to say; But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea...See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven (Matthew 18: 6, 10,11).

The problem is that in this life we can’t have our cake and eat it too as the saying goes. Jesus tells us; no one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money (Matthew 6:24).

A person who truly loves God will not turn his back on Him to serve his sinful nature. By doing so that person is disregarding the sacrifice Jesus made for him. He is saying; I love you Jesus. Thank you for dying for me, but I can’t give up this lifestyle. I can’t live without it. How can it be wrong when it feels so right? Why can’t I do this and love you also?

You can’t do it because it is WRONG!! It is sooooo wrong! It is against God’s law. It is a sin. We can’t go on deliberately sinning and claim that we love God. When we do so we become lovers of ourselves. We love what we want and disregard

Don't disregard His Sacrifice!

what God wants for us and from us. If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God (Hebrews 10:26, 27). We can’t just set God aside when something we want to do doesn’t agree with His law or His will for us. When we do so we are sinning.

As a Christian counselor I have had people say to me; I know what I am doing is wrong, but I am going to do it anyway. I will just have to ask God to forgive me later. The person who makes a statement like this loves himself more than God. He is letting his sinful nature control his life. This attitude will only lead to disaster, disappointment and heartache.

So, all that being said, I would like to now answer the questions posed at the beginning of this writing.

Does God love people who are gay?

The answer of course is “yes”. God loves all people. God our Savior...wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:3). God doesn’t want to see any of His people perish. He is a loving God, but He is also a just God. He does not tolerate sin. All who come to Jesus with a repentant heart are forgiven through faith. The blood of Jesus covers their sin and makes them holy in God’s sight. But when people are living in a lifestyle that God does not approve of and feel no remorse for it, they are not forgiven. If they die in that sin they will perish.

Is there forgiveness for people who are gay?

There most certainly is! Anyone who comes to Jesus with a sincerely repentant heart is forgiven. Sincere repentance would be seen in a lifestyle change. If there is no change there is no forgiveness because there was never sincere repentance.

God does not give us as humans the ability to truly know another person’s heart therefore we cannot judge hearts. We must leave that in His hands. But remember, even though a person may be able to hide his/her sin from others, nothing is hidden from God. If you are living a sinful lifestyle, no matter what that lifestyle may be, through faith and prayer, God will give you the strength and the ability to overcome your sin.

Should we as Christians allow people who are gay to become members of our churches?

The answer to that is “no”. By allowing those who are openly gay to be members of our churches we are saying they are in fellowship with us. By allowing them to be in fellowship with us, we are saying that their lifestyle is okay and that we believe as they do. This is misleading and may lead others into thinking the sin of homosexuality is okay in God’s eyes.

Although we would not allow them to become members, we would welcome them to attend our church. By allowing them to attend our services we are giving the Holy Spirit the opportunity to work in their hearts through the word. Only God can change hearts. We would pray that as they hear and learn what God expects of them and of all people, they would make a positive change in their lives – a change that would honor God.

Should we as Christians love those who are gay?

Yes, God wants us to love all people. We should encourage them toward a lifestyle which honors God and support any effort they make to do so. We should also pray for them.

In summary, God loves everyone including those who live the homosexual lifestyle and we should love them also, but He wants them to realize their sin. Where there is sincere repentance and visible change, there is forgiveness.

We would not knowingly allow them to be members of our churches, but we would welcome them to attend and pray that God through His word would change their hearts and motivate them to honor Him by making better lifestyle choices.

Gay marriage and gay lifestyles are detestable to God and therefore should also be detestable to all sincere Christians. Our government is wrong and going against God’s will when they allow gay marriage to be legal. Be reminded of the words of Peter; ‘We must obey God rather than men! (Acts 5:29).

As Christians we need to lovingly speak up for the truth and be an example for others. We should also pray for God to give our government officials the courage to stand up for what is good and holy, and help them to make laws which honor God and in turn benefit the people. Beyond that it is in God’s hands.

If you are close to someone who is gay, they must first be presented with the law. They need to know that their lifestyle is a sin. Once they realize their sin and repent, they should be presented with the precious life saving Gospel, the gift of God’s grace through faith in Jesus. Through repentance all are covered and washed by the blood of Jesus, and holy in God’s eyes.

If you yourself are gay, no matter what the reason, know that God loves you. He will give you the power to overcome your sin. You must deny yourself and take up your cross and follow Him. You cannot serve your sinful nature and serve God also. When you deny your sinful nature, God will give you the strength to move forward. When you put Him first He will bless you. You will be free to serve Him. You will have everything you need for this life and when your life here on earth is over and He calls you home, you will live with Him eternally in glory.

If you are one of the unfortunate people who were born with physical and/or hormonal issues which make you homosexual or unsure of your sexual orientation there is help for you. Being born with physical sexual problems is not a sin and it is not your fault. But when you as an adult act on sinful sexual preferences knowing your actions are wrong, you are sinning. Through prayer God will help you to be strong and guide you to lead a life which honors Him. Sex is not the end all in life. You can lead a happy and fulfilling life here on earth without it.

Be proud of who you are. Live your life in service to God and your fellowman. When you put God first He will bless you. He will help you to be in tune with Him and comfortable with who you are. It may not always be easy, but it can be done. And when your life here on earth is over you will receive blessings beyond measure. Don’t forfeit your soul for eternity trying to be happy in the here and now. It is not worth it.

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him (James 1:12).

Gloria Dei! – To God be all glory! Amen

By Kristeen

He is Risen!

2013-03-31T13:30:00.001-04:00

HE IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED!

Blessings to everyone on this Easter day (March 31, 2013)! Satan is defeated! Jesus is alive!

'Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law,. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
(1 Corinthians 15: 54-56)

He's risen, he's risen, Christ Jesus the Lord;
He opened death's prison, the incarnate Word.
Break forth, hosts of heaven, in jubilant song
And earth, sea, and mountain the praises prolong.

The foe was triumphant when on Calvary
The Lord of creation was nailed to the tree,
In Satan's domain did the hosts shout and jeer,
For Jesus was slain, whom the evil ones fear.

But short was their triumph; the Savior arose,
And death, hell, and Satan he vanquished, his foes.
The conquering Lord lifts his banner on high;
He lives, yes, he lives, and will nevermore die.

Oh, where is your sting, death? We fear you no more;
Christ rose, and now open is fair Heaven's door.
For all our transgressions his blood does atone;
Redeemed and forgiven, we now are his own.

Then sing your hosannas and raise your glad voice;
Proclaim the blest tidings that all may rejoice.
Laud, honor, and praise to the Lamb that was slain,
Who now sits in glory and ever shall reign.
(Christian Worship pg. 143 vs. 1-5)

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

(Psalm 118:24)

The Ultimate Sacrifice

2013-03-29T10:53:00.001-04:00

Tears for Jesus by Alexis P.

Today is Good Friday - the day we remember the God/Man Jesus Christ. He is the promised Savior, our brother and friend. May we keep our hearts and minds focused Him as we reflect on His suffering and death. He endured excruciating physical pain, but worse then that he was forsaken by God the Father enduring the darkness and punishment of Hell in our place. "By His wounds we are healed"! Let us never disregard the huge sacrifice He made for sinful mankind. He is indeed the friend of sinners. He loves us with a perfect love.

THANK YOU JESUS!

The Messianic Promise

2013-02-24T19:47:00.000-05:00

The Promised Messiah

"Born of a woman"

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel. (Genesis 3:15)

These words from Genesis 3:15 are words I memorized as a young child. They are words which I have heard recited and read throughout my lifetime. They are words we hear repeated each Christmas season and also during the season of Lent. But what do they really mean?

As a child and young adult I had difficulty understanding the meaning of these words. I was taught that this was God’s promise to send a Savior to sinful mankind, but many times I thought to myself; how does one get the promise of a Savior out of these words – enmity? Crushed head? Bruised heel? How does that translate into the promised Savior? I never fully understood it until I became an adult. One evening at a Sunday school teacher’s meeting, my pastor explained it and it was like a light came on in my head. It finally clicked! I finally got it!

Because it has been difficult for me to understand even though I grew up in the faith, it occurred to me that maybe others have struggled with it also, especially those who may be new to the faith. So I am here to explain to you the Messianic Promise.

God gives us many promises in His Word. His promises are sure. They never fail. Those of us who have grown up in the Christian faith hear them so often that we tend to take them for granted. We sometimes forget just how precious they are. I honestly wouldn’t be able to list them all without a good amount of research, but there is one promise I know for sure and will never forget. It is a promise that has already come to fulfillment. It is the promise that God would send His holy Son to earth as the sacrifice for sin for all mankind. He would suffer and die taking on the punishment which all sinners deserve, and triumph over Satan by rising from the dead. This promise of a Savior is referred to as the Messianic Promise or in simpler terms, the Promise of the Messiah to come. The word Messiah means anointed one. Jesus is God’s anointed one.

In harmony with God

God created humans holy and without sin. In the beginning Adam and Eve lived in perfect harmony with God, but since their fall into sin, all people have been born sinful. The result of, and punishment for sin is death and eternity in Hell. God had warned Adam and Eve; you must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die. They disobeyed Him and at Satan’s prompting, ate fruit from the forbidden tree. As a result they became sinners, and all people after them have been born sinful also.

Sin entered through disobedience

Along with sin came death. Every living thing born into this world, both human and animal will die someday. But God loved His people. Because of His deep love for them He promised to send them a Savior – someone to rescue them from death and eternal punishment. He told Satan; I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head and you will strike his heel. (Genesis 3:15)

This may seem a little obscure and difficult to understand, especially for those who have not studied the Bible in depth. The word enmity as described in Webster’s Dictionary means; a positive, active or mutual hatred or ill will. Satan hates God and all that is good. God hates Satan, and all that is evil. God is holy and expects His people to be holy also. He says; be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy (Leviticus 19: 2).

The enmity, or hatred God placed between the devil and his seed (his evil angels), and man is Jesus, His perfect and holy Son. Jesus (the seed of the woman) paid the debt all sinners owe to God. He is our go-between. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). He suffered our punishment. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed (Isaiah 53: 5, 6). His blood, shed for us on the cross makes us holy in God’s eyes. It makes us right with God. His blood covers our sins.

The bruise or strike of the heel refers to Jesus suffering, and death. He suffered physical pain, He suffered being forsaken by God (Hell), and He suffered physical death, but He didn’t stay dead. Jesus crushed the head of Satan and destroyed his power when He rose from death. In simpler words; a crushed head results in death, but a bruised heel will soon mend and be as good as new.

He suffered our punishment

Going to the cross was merely a bruise for Jesus. It caused Him pain and suffering, but He overcame it and triumphed over it. Satan still has limited power here on earth, but when Jesus returns on the last day to judge the world Satan will be history! He will be completely stripped of his power and thrown into hell for eternity.

God placed Jesus His holy and perfect Son between Satan and sinners. Jesus took the punishment that all people deserve for sin upon Himself and in exchange He gave us His holiness. It is often referred to as God’s Great Exchange. Yes, it was painful. It caused Him to suffer, and even to die. He was nailed to the cross and forsaken by God the Father. He expressed the deep agony of Hell (separation from God) as he cried out on the cross; my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Matthew 27:46)But He rose triumphant from the grave three days later. The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15: 56, 57)

God represents all that is good. He is light and love. Without His presence here on earth there would be none of that. There would be no sunshine or warmth. There would be no laughter or joy. We would be consumed by complete and utter darkness both physically and spiritually. His presence here in this life is shared by all people, even those who don’t know Him or love Him. In Hell He will not be present; therefore there will be no light or love. There will be nothing but deep darkness. The Bible describes Hell as a place where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched (Mark 9:48). All those who go there will live forever in bodies which are decaying. There will be no relief from their suffering.

Thank you Jesus!

All who believe in Jesus and have faith in Him will pass from death directly into eternal life. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive (1 Corinthians 15: 21, 22). When we die our bodies will be buried in the ground for a time, but when Jesus returns He will raise our bodies just like He raised His own body. Our souls and bodies will once again be reunited and we will have physical bodies which are perfect in every way. There will be no disease. There will be no one with handicaps or disabilities. There will be no sadness, pain or despair. We will live in perfect harmony with God, just like Adam and Eve did before the fall.

"You will not abandon me to the grave"

Jesus, the promised Messiah is our hope for eternity. He came to earth in human flesh and rescued sinners from an eternity in Hell. Because of Jesus, all who come to the foot of the cross with a repentant heart will live with Him forever in heaven when their life here on earth is over. This life is not all there is. The best is yet to come. God has promised it and His promises never fail. In faith we can live to serve God and our fellowman without fear because we know our future is in His loving, gentle and caring hands.

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence. (Acts 2: 26-28)

Gloria Dei! (To God be all glory!)

By Kristeen

LETS TALK ABOUT HEAVEN

2013-01-26T20:44:00.000-05:00

THE HOLY CITY

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth...I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God...The wall [of the city] was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone [Jasper, Sapphire, Chalcedony, Emerald, Sardonyx, Carnelian, Chrysolite, Beryl, Topaz, Chrysoprase, Jacinth and Amethyst]. The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass (Revelation 21:1, 2, 18-21).

THE RIVER OF LIFE

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing fruit every month...The throne of God and the Lamb will be in the city and his servants will serve him. They will see his face...There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light (Revelation 22: 1-5).

People have many questions about Heaven. Is it a real place? How do we get there? What will it be like? Will everyone go there when they die? Will we be reunited there with family members? Will we still be a “family”? Will we eat? Will we work? Will there be animals, and if so will our pets be there?

In July of 2012 ABC produced a documentary type news special on Heaven. I was disappointed after watching this special because it offered no hope for people. In fact in many ways it led people away from heaven rather than toward it. In this documentary Barbara Walters interviewed people from all walks of life. The four main questions posed were:

Is there really a Heaven?
Where is Heaven?
How do we get there?
Will everyone go there?

Nine out of ten Americans believe that there is a Heaven and that they will go there (ABC News Poll). After watching this special I was amazed and astounded at the things people believe about Heaven. I was saddened by the idea that most people, even members of the clergy feel and believe that one must be “good” in order to go there. My purpose in this writing is to proclaim the truth about heaven as stated in Scripture.

GOD'S WORD TELLS US ABOUT HEAVEN

The verses from Revelation quoted above tell us that there indeed is a heaven. Jesus also tells us about heaven when He says; in my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

(John 14: 2)

If you believe what God says in His Word, that answers the first question; is there really a heaven? God doesn’t reveal to us everything about heaven, mainly I believe, because it is beyond our comprehension. He speaks to us figuratively and uses comparisons which we can relate to. We know that gold and precious gems are beautiful so He uses those examples to describe it for us and to help us understand that it is an unbelievably beautiful place.

Will the street really be paved in gold? It is possible because all things are possible with God. A city gate made of a single pearl? I can’t imagine a pearl that size, but it certainly would be beautiful beyond belief. Can you picture in your mind the river of the water of life, crystal clear and flowing from the throne of God? The throne of God will be awesome to see, and all who go to heaven will see it. It will be much more beautiful than any throne of kings or queens we have ever seen or imagined.

There are places here on earth where we can find crystal clear water so we know it is beautiful and inviting. Trees on either side of a river are quite common, but the tree of life? I am sure it is much more magnificent than anything any of us has seen. And it is described as being one tree, but on either side of the river. Wow! How can that be? Can you picture the river flowing through or maybe under the trunk of the tree with its massive branches flowing out and above? The huge Sequoias and Red Woods that grow in California may be possibly be comparable.

There are many references in Scripture in which God refers to “Heaven” as being a special place – a Kingdom if you will, prepared for His believers. I have listed below just a few.

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23: 6)

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3)

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:10)

The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. (2 Timothy 4:18)

But where is heaven? Is it up above us? When we look up to the sky we see beauty, but we don’t see “Heaven”. Rather we see the Heavens. We are told in the first verse of Genesis; in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. With these words He is describing to us the sky and the heavenly bodies - the sun, moon and stars. He is referring to the parts of the universe which are above the earth as the heavens, but He is not saying that is where His heavenly kingdom is located.

HE WAS TAKEN UP

Scripture however, does often refer to heaven as being above the earth. We are told in the book of Luke that Jesus, as He was blessing His disciples was taken up into heaven (Luke 24:51). The book of Acts also describes the aftermath of Jesus ascension - he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when two men dressed in white stood beside them. ‘Men of Galilee’ they said, why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven’ (Acts 1: 9-11). Jesus also describes judgment day to his disciples (and to us) saying; They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky...(Matthew 24:30). We therefore picture Jesus coming back to us from above.

So in answer to question number two; where is heaven? – We simply don’t know because God doesn’t tell us. It is safe to assume however, that it is another dimension which we cannot see with our human eyes. It is likely all around us – we just aren’t able to see it in this life. God has given humans physical bodies and placed us in a three dimensional world (height, depth, width). He does not give us the ability to see or know anything beyond that and it doesn’t really matter because it is not something which our salvation is dependent upon.

GRACE ALONE - FAITH ALONE

Moving on to question number 3 – How do we get there? As I watched the ABC news special about heaven and listened to statements made by Catholic Priests, Christian Pastors and Jewish Rabbis I heard many opinions, but I was disappointed. I was disappointed that of all these men and women theologians who have supposedly studied Scripture extensively, none spoke up with the truth. I never heard any of them say we are saved by God’s grace through faith in His one and only Son Jesus Christ. It seems that with all their years of study and time spent in God’s Word, they missed the point completely. The person who came the closest to the truth was Evangelical, Joel Olsteen who stated that we are saved through faith in Jesus.

Many discussed how one must be a good person - reaching out and helping others, be a good citizen, don’t break the law, go to church etc. But I ask you; how good is “good”? There is no human who is perfect. If we get there by being "good", how do we know when we have been "good" enough to attain heaven? God expects perfection. He tells us; be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy (Leviticus 19:2). Sin is sin and it doesn’t matter what the sin is, it condemns us in God’s eyes. We are told in Romans 6:23; the wages of sin is death.

You may have never murdered anyone or robbed a bank but because of that little lie you told, the gossip you shared about someone, that evil thought or hatred you felt in your heart toward another human, or the lust you felt toward someone you were not married to; you stand condemned in God’s eyes. So if that is the case, how does anyone get to heaven?

It boils down to that one little Bible verse we all know so well, but yet take for granted; for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.(John 3:16, 18) It doesn’t get any clearer than that.

INHERITED SIN

We inherit sin from our parents and their parents before them all the way back to Adam and Eve the first people God created. Jesus, God’s Son, was without sin. He lived the perfect life that humans, because of their sinful nature are unable to live. Out of love for us He chose to suffer and die in our place. He took the punishment we deserve for our sin upon Himself, and gave us His holiness. He paid our debt to God. His blood, shed on the cross for us, washed us clean and made us fit to stand before a holy God. Plainly stated; we attain heaven by believing in Jesus who made us holy by His blood, shed on the cross for our sins.

Which leads us into question number 4 – will everyone go there? The answer is “no”. Jesus tells us; not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 7:21) Jesus died for all people, but only those who love Him and come to Him in faith with a repentant heart will receive His free gift of salvation when their life here on earth is over. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him (Hebrews 11:6).

It doesn’t matter where you come from or who your parents are. It doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor. It doesn’t matter what color your skin is. If you do not have faith you will not go to heaven. If you deny Jesus and the existence of God, you will not go to heaven.

The second half of that verse from Romans 6:23 reads; but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Salvation (heaven) is a gift of God’s grace through faith in Jesus, His one and only Son. The apostle Paul tells us; For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8).

Have you opened your gift of grace?

The word grace means undeserved love. God, by grace, loves us even though we don’t deserve it. He loves all people, even those who don’t profess loving Him. He wants all people to receive His free gift, but those who reject Him will not receive it. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:3,4)

So there you have it folks – Heaven is a gift rewarded to all who by faith believe in Jesus, God’s one and only Son, as their Savior from sin. Jesus is God in human flesh. He came to earth and lived the perfect life we are unable to live because of our sinful human nature, and He suffered and died in our place so that we can live forever with Him in heaven.

God’s gift of faith is not hard to attain. The Holy Spirit puts faith in our hearts through baptism and also through hearing, reading and studying the Word. Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ (Romans 10:17). Pick up a Bible and begin reading. I recommend the NIV (New International Version) but others are good also. There is much in Scripture which may be difficult for you to understand, but what you need to know for your salvation is clearly written so that even a child can understand it.

HIS STORY

The first books of the Old Testament beginning with Genesis tell us how God created the world and the first people and how the first people fell into sin. The New Testament tells us the life giving Gospel message which is the Good News of how Jesus came to rescue sinners from eternal death.

The Bible is God’s story of the history of the world. When you separate the word “History”, it reads; “HI-S-TORY”. It is God’s story from beginning to end. The end has not yet come, but He tells us what to expect and His word is always true and it is final. The end will come in His good time. Be ready for it and you will have nothing to fear.

If you watched the ABC News Special; Heaven – Where is it and how do we get there hoping to find answers to your questions about heaven and life after death, I know that you were disappointed. Rather than listen to man’s ideas about heaven, I urge you to go to God’s Word for the answers. He tells us everything we need to know regarding heaven and how to get there.

DO YOU KNOW JESUS?

The last few minutes of the ABC Special were a discussion of Hell. God tells us about Hell in His Word also. Many people feel that there is no Hell. But I profess to you that there is. Just as I believe what God tells me about Heaven, I believe also what He warns about Hell. Hell will be devoid of God’s presence completely.

God is the source of all good, light and love. Here on earth He is present for those who love Him as well as those who don’t. Those in hell will be completely separated from God and from all that is good. There will be no light – only utter suffocating darkness. There will be no laughter or love. Jesus warns; If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out...[where] their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched. Everyone will be salted with fire.

Don’t despair thinking you can never be good enough for God. God loves you. Jesus died for you. You are special. We are all sinners and without Jesus none of us can ever be good enough for God, but with Him in our hearts and our lives our sins are covered. The blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin (1 John 1:7). If you look for Him, you will be found by Him. Remember; he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Through the Word, the Holy Spirit will ignite faith in your heart. You will be washed in the blood of Jesus which brings eternal life. You won’t need to fear death or judgment day. You will be covered in the blood of the Lamb and you will be fit to stand before a holy God.

Yes, heaven is a real place. I am confident that I will see it for myself when my life here on earth is over because I believe that Jesus, the perfect Son of God lived and died for me. He conquered death and Satan when He rose from death 3 days later. He promises all who believe in Him; because I live you also will live (John 14:19). It will be a beautiful place as described above in the verses from Revelation.

I am confident also that I will be reunited there with family members and friends who have died in the faith and gone before me and that I will recognize them. We will all belong to one family – the family of God. We will eat and enjoy many of the things we have enjoyed in this life, but our lives will no longer be tainted by sin.

SERVE THE LORD IN HIS TEMPLE

God will have work for us to do, but it will be a joy to serve Him. Therefore, they [believers] are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple (Revelation 7:15).

Unfortunately, not all people will be able to go there. Those who reject Jesus in this life will not be in heaven. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him (John 3:36). Those who reject Jesus will go to Hell.

My answers to the three main questions; is heaven real, how do we get there and who gets to go are rooted in Scripture. Scripture also reveals to us that there will be food in heaven. He rained down manna for the people to eat; he gave them the grain of heaven. Men ate the bread of angels; he sent them all the food they could eat... [And animals]...He rained meat down on them like dust, flying birds like sand on the seashore (Psalm 78: 24-27). There is also a reference to animals in heaven in Acts 10:12; He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air.

We will meet God face to face and we will see, and know all those who have died in the Lord and gone there before us. We will even know those whom we have never met here in this life – men of the Bible; Adam and Eve, Noah, Moses, Elijah, Paul, Peter etc. as revealed at Jesus Transfiguration. (Matthew 17: 1-4)

HOLY BECAUSE OF JESUS

Do we have to be “good” in order to go to heaven? The answer is “no” because no human is good enough to stand before a holy God. We get to heaven through faith in Jesus, God’s Son in human flesh who paid the debt of sin which all humans owe to God. He went to the cross for us and He conquered death by rising again. Because of Jesus, death and Satan no longer have power over those who believe and have faith in Him.

As believers in Christ we will strive to do His will and be an example of His love. Rather than being our way to heaven, being “good” will be a “fruit” or the result of our faith in Him. Out of love for God we will strive to serve Him and be a reflection of His love to our fellow man. Many times we will fail and sin against Him, but at the end of each day when we go to Him in prayer with a repentant heart and ask His forgiveness, He will hear our prayer and forgive us because He loves us with an everlasting and unconditional love.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:2)

Gloria Dei! (To God be all glory!) Amen.

By Kristeen

Will you wait with me?

2013-01-14T20:36:00.000-05:00

Will you wait with me?

"surely I am with you always"

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

(Psalm 29:14)

At the time of this writing I am reading a book called; Seven Spiritual Gifts of waiting written by Holly W. Whitcomb. The author has lead me to realize that “waiting” can be beneficial and good for the soul. It gives people time to listen and observe what is happening around them and to plan for what may be coming in the future. It can sometimes be an opportunity to meet new people and a time to reflect on blessings received. It is always a lesson in patience and it teaches us to live in the moment.

Waiting is a part of life here on earth. There is a saying; everything good is worth waiting for. A young mother waits 9 months for her unborn child to grow and be strong enough to live outside the womb. It’s a long wait, but the gift (a precious child to love) is well worth waiting for. We wait in line almost every day for some reason or other. It’s the way of life. God created us to live in an orderly world. When everyone tries to be first nothing gets accomplished, but when we form a line and wait our turn each person gets served in his own time. Often while waiting in a long line we find ourselves in conversation with the person/persons waiting in front of us or behind us and the time passes more quickly.

Have you ever been the family member or friend waiting with a loved one in the Emergency Room? I have spent many hours over the past several years waiting in the E.R. It began in 2003 when my mother became ill. She had no one else close by but me so when she called me on Easter Sunday in 2003 and said she couldn’t walk because she had pain in her foot I took her to the hospital. We spent about four or five hours waiting for x-ray results which determined she had a compression fracture. The Easter dinner with family which had been planned went by the wayside.

I waited in the E.R. with her many times over the years following that incident due to her failing health. It was not fun. The chairs are hard and straight backed. The wait is long. At times I would wonder if we were forgotten. The clock would move slowly past each hour. I would long for my comfortable bed waiting for me at home, but she needed me so I stayed. I learned the names of the doctors and nurses in the E.R. At times I wondered if they groaned inwardly when they saw us come in, but if they did, they never let on. My waiting with mom in the E.R. ended in February 2007 when God, in His own good time, took her home to heaven.

In recent months I have found myself waiting in the E.R. again. This time I wait with my husband who is experiencing many health problems. He has a mechanical aortic valve in his heart which oddly enough, seems to be the least of his worries right now. He is severely diabetic. He has high blood pressure and hardening of the arteries. He also suffers from neuropathy in his feet which causes him much pain and discomfort. As if that weren’t enough to deal with he now has been diagnosed with a blood disease called Myelodisplastic Syndrome. It is a disease which there is no cure for. His bone marrow no longer makes healthy red blood cells. He requires transfusions once, sometimes twice, weekly to survive. When his blood drops on the weekend or a holiday – off we go to the E.R.

Each visit to the E.R. is the same story. He is asked why he has come. His vitals are checked and recorded. He is then put into a room where we wait to see the doctor on duty. Blood samples are drawn to determine his hemoglobin level and a type and cross must be done to determine his blood type. We wait for the blood work to come back. The E.R. Dr. must get in touch with the hematologist to advise that his/her patient is in the hospital and then wait for him/her to call back with instructions. At this point in time we have usually been waiting for about two hours. It will take another two hours for each unit of blood to be infused and he is always issued 2 units, so the total infusion time most often ends up being about 5 hours.

The emergency room of the hospital is not only uncomfortable for waiting family members, but also for the patient. Patients are placed on narrow cots meant for short term use. Our local hospital does have small televisions in the E.R. rooms to help pass the time for patients and family members, but there is usually so much noise that one can barely hear it. Our last E.R visit began at 7 P.M. and ended at 2 A.M. – a seven hour ordeal.

The worst thing about the wait for me as the accompanying family member is the feeling of being alone. That may seem odd to some. You might ask; why do you feel alone? You are with your family member who needs you and you are in a room filled with all kinds of medical people. There are also other patients present with family members who are waiting just like you. This is true, but the sick family member is more than likely dosing in and out of sleep. The doctors and nurses are busy and although I wouldn’t say that they don’t care, they simply don’t have time to sit with people. They have a job to do and people just like me are counting on them to get it done.

The author of Seven Spiritual Gifts of Waiting revealed to me the reason for my feeling of loneliness when she stated; when we are waiting for something important in our lives, we tend to seek out others who will understand our restlessness and anxieties. When I wait in the E.R. with my husband, as in the many times in the past when I waited with my mother, I wait alone. I have no one to talk to - no one with me who understands my fears and uncertainties.

In my mom’s case, I have two other siblings, but they both lived in California and Mom and I were in Michigan. If the emergency would have been life threatening they would have been on the first flight out, but most of our trips to the E.R were not life threatening and did not require end of life decisions. So, I waited alone. I sat in my straight backed chair and watched the clock as it slowly passed each hour.

My husband and I have four adult children, two of which live here in town, but they have families to care for. I cannot in good conscience call them to wait with me at the hospital while their dad gets blood when they have children to get up for school in the morning and responsibilities to be met the next day. They would come in a heartbeat were I to call them, but I choose not to as long as the situation is stable.

So I wait. I watch the clock as it passes each new hour. I long for my comfortable bed waiting for me at home. I long for the years when our children were small and my husband was healthy and strong. I didn’t appreciate what a blessing that was at the time. I look at him asleep on his narrow cot and pray that a cure will be found for his disease.

I am learning to appreciate the fact that waiting is a gift. It offers me time to prepare for the future. It offers me a time for prayer. I long to feel God’s presence. I know by faith that He is with us. I know He understands what we are going through and I know He has a purpose and a plan for our lives.

I think of my husband’s illness and realize that other people have gone through much worse circumstances and not complained. I think of Jesus and the suffering and persecution He endured for me and for all people when He hung on that cross – and He did it by choice and out of love for us. Through faith in Him we need not fear. We know that because of His suffering, death and resurrection the best is yet to come. We are encouraged by the Apostle Paul to forget what is behind us and to strain toward what is ahead; I [we] press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me [us] heavenward in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14). I remind myself every day of the blessed hope we have in Him and I pray that God will give me courage and help me to trust in His almighty power and timing.

I am once again becoming familiar with the nurses and the doctors in the E.R. We have more than likely not seen our last visit there. Rather than dreading it I pray that God will help me to see it as the blessing it is. I pray that He will help me to be strong and take heart and wait on His good and perfect timing. Who knows but what I might be the person lying on that narrow and uncomfortable cot some day with a loyal and loving family member sitting by my side.

It has been almost three months since our last visit to the E.R. The infusion clinic is closed on the weekends so we make it a point to go to the cancer center on Thursday and get his blood checked. This keeps the opportunity open for him to be scheduled for transfusions on Friday if needed and hopefully we will make it through the weekend without visiting the E.R. We face an uncertain future and some would say; this is no way to live, but for us, right now, it is the only way to live. It is his lifeline. There is no other choice.

And so we continue to wait on the Lord’s timing. He can see the big picture and always knows exactly what we need and when we need it. He is always present with us and has promised to never leave us. Jesus has promised; surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age (Matthew 28:20) and His promises never fail. I remember a story told by my pastor one time about a little boy who was afraid in the night because of a thunder storm. His father came to him and reassured him that Jesus is always nearby to protect him and he needn’t be afraid. The little boy responded; but I need somebody with skin on. I feel like that little boy at times when I think about our uncertain future, but at the same time I know by faith that I am never alone. My God is right beside me to guide me and strengthen me and keep me safe.

We wait in hope for the Lord. He is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice for we trust in his holy name (Psalm 33:20, 21).

Gloria Dei! (To God be all glory!)

By Kristeen

Thank You Grandma!

2012-11-23T14:36:00.001-05:00

“Thank you Grandma”

A thank you note to God

August 2012

Children’s children are a crown to the aged... (Proverbs 17:6)

On Thanksgiving Day, 2012 I tried to think of what I am especially thankful for. Oh it’s easy to think of the usual things like food, clothing, and a warm home in winter, the beauty of nature etc. but what should I be particularly thankful for this past year?

As we were finishing our Thanksgiving meal, my 11 year old grandson said to me; Thank you grandma! Those three words brought so much joy to my heart. It made me realize just how thankful I am for my precious grandchildren. My husband and I have four adult children and have been truly blessed with 15 grandchildren. Some of them live close to us; others far away, but we love them all equally. They are a wonderful part of us. I would like to thank God for each and every one of them by mentioning them by name.

Jeremy-Senior Pic

1. Jeremy is the oldest – our first grandchild. He was born March 6, 1992. His family lived close to us when he was born so we bonded with him tightly. I cared for him while his mother finished school so he spent a lot of time with us. The special thing about Jeremy is his tender heart. Oh, now that he is a young adult he talks big sometimes and tries to be macho, but I can see through the facade. I look at him and see the face of that little boy of not so many years ago with silent tears bubbling up in his eyes at the slightest reprimand. I am proud of the young man he has become. God has blessed him scholastically and learning comes easily for him. He is in college at this time studying to be a mechanic and is doing well. We love you Jeremy! Thank you God for Jeremy!

Taryn with Grace

2. Taryn was born March 25, 1994. She was a beautiful child and has become an even more beautiful young woman – inside and out. She loves children and is wonderful with her three youngest siblings. We don’t see her often, as her parents have separated and she lives with her dad, but she is always with us in our thoughts. We love you Taryn! Thank you God for Taryn!

Zack 17 yr.

3. Zachary (Zack) was born September, 9, 1994. Jeremy and Zack are brothers. Zack is completely different in personality from his older brother. He is quieter by nature and has always been a very deep thinking child. Jeremy is a leader – Zack is more of a follower, but as he matures I am proud of the fact that he is his own person and is not afraid to speak his mind and choose his own path. He will be graduating from high school this spring (2013) and is seriously considering service to his country in one of the branches of the armed forces. His second career choice is to be a chef. I am proud of the young man he has become also. What has always amazed me about Jeremy and Zachary is that Jeremy looks like his dad, but has his mother’s personality and Zack looks like his mother but has his dad’s personality. We love you Zack! Thank you God for Zack!

Meg-the soccer star

4. Megan was born August 22, 1996. Megan and Taryn are sisters. Megan has a beautiful smile. She is smart and loving. The special thing about Meg is her selflessness. In her elementary years she would go to extreme lengths to avoid hurting the feelings of others. As with Taryn, we don’t see her much these days, but she is a very talented soccer player. We used to lovingly call her “leggy Meggy” because of her tall slender frame. She also has beautiful curls which, of course she straightens. We love you Meg! Thank you God for Megan!

Sean

5. Sean was born May 30, 1999 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He is the oldest of five children. Being the oldest of five has enabled him grow into a very responsible young man. I am proud of him as I watch him take charge of the younger children. They listen to him and respect him as the authority when he is in charge. He will be a wonderful loving father someday. We love you Sean! Thank you God for Sean!

Alexis

6. Alexis was born July 9, 2000. She is our turn of the century grandchild. She and her mother lived with us for the first four years of her life and we bonded tightly. The special thing about Alexis is, like her cousin Jeremy, she is very tender hearted. She loves God and is not ashamed to let it show. She also loves animals, especially horses. Like her cousin Megan, she is a soccer star. She plays the goalie position on her traveling soccer team and pours her heart and soul into it. I have always considered her my kindred spirit because her personality is so much like my own. We love you Alexis! Thank you God for Alexis!

Kevin

7. Kevin was born February 4, 2001. He and Sean are brothers which makes Kevin the second oldest child in their family. Kevin although he is “all boy” so to speak is a very loving child. He is not afraid to give love and needs lots of love and hugs in return. He has a mischievous nature and a mischievous grin which reminds me of our son, his dad. We love you Kevin! Thank you God for Kevin!

Alycia

8. Alycia was born February 14, 2001. She is our Valentine Day grandchild. She and Alexis are step-sisters. Alycia is a beautiful child and has a loving heart. She loves babies and likes to be the “little mother” to her younger brothers. She is a tiny little mite with a big personality. She does her own hair beautifully and has for several years now. She likes helping her mom and her step mom around the house and will be a great wife and mother someday. We love you Alycia! Thank you God for Alycia!

Jarrett

9. Jarrett was born February 28, 2001. He is the younger half brother of Taryn and Megan. The special thing about Jarrett is his clown like personality. Although he is a quiet person he loves to laugh and act silly at times. He is a smaller replica of his dad in both personality and looks. Jarrett makes me proud because he is always glad to help out when asked and rarely if ever causes anyone problems. It was Jarrett who touched my heart this Thanksgiving day after dinner with the “Thank you Grandma” and inspired me to write this thank you note to God for our grandchildren. We love you Jarrett! Thank you God for Jarrett!

Bailey

10. Bailey was born November 8, 2002. She is the sister of Sean and Kevin and is the oldest of our precious and only set of twin granddaughters. She and her sister were born 5 weeks early and things were shaky for a bit, but both are strong and beautiful little girls now. Bailey is a girly girl. She loves pretty dresses and little girl things. She is also a soccer player although I’m not sure what position she plays. She and her sister are growing up fast. It makes me sad that we don’t see them often. We love you Bailey! Thank you God for Bailey!

Caitlyn

11. Caitlyn who is Bailey’s twin was also born November 8, 2002. Caitlyn was the “little” twin. It was not known until she was almost two that she couldn’t see well and between the ages of two and three it was discovered that she couldn’t hear well either. She has since received a cochlear implant in one ear and given up her little “coke bottle” glasses for contacts. I am proud of her stamina. Life is a struggle for her at times, but she doesn’t give up. The implant has made it easier for her to learn and she does well in school. Because of Caitlyn’s hearing problem the whole family has learned how to sign which is a priceless gift. We love you Caitlyn! Thank you God for Caitlyn!

Grace

12. Grace was born May 31, 2003. She is Jarrett’s little sister and Taryn and Megan’s half sister. Grace is a sweetheart. There is no other way to describe her. She lives in her little sister McKenna’s shadow which leads her to rebel and act out at times but we don’t see that often. She is my childhood look alike - almost the exact replica of my childhood pictures. Grace is a perfect name for her because she reminds me of “God’s Grace”. She has a similar personality to me also in that she loves her baby dolls just like I always have. My spare bedroom is filled with dolls and if ever she comes over to visit and I don’t see her I know I can find her playing with the dolls. We love you Grace! Thank you God for Grace!

Torree

13. Torree was born August 8, 2004. She is the little sister of Sean, Kevin, Bailey and Caitlyn. I am proud of her because she is smart as a whip. At age 3 she was doing 100 piece puzzles by herself and before she started kindergarten she was reading the hymns from our hymnal in church. I have always called her my little “Tortellini”. She is beautiful and loving and a deep thinker. She is very observant and not much gets past her. Because of her sister’s hearing problem she has been signing since she was a baby. We love you Torree! Thank you God for Torree!

McKenna

14. McKenna was born February 27, 2005. She is the little sister of Jarrett and Grace and half sister to Megan and Taryn. McKenna is a strong personality yet at times she can be shy and insecure. She needs lots of hugs and kisses and she loves to sing just like her grandma. She started kindergarten a little behind, but soon caught up and passed up many of her classmates. I love to hear her silly little giggle. She does tend to overshadow her older sister Grace, but they are great friends and will always be seen as a pair. We love you McKenna! Thank you God for McKenna!

Logan

15. Logan was born August 2, 2007. He is the little half brother of Alycia and Alexis. He is our youngest grandchild and more than likely he will always be the youngest, however one never knows. Our plans are not always God’s plans. As a baby he loved to cuddle and rub his face in your neck and he has always been bonded tightly with his mama. Logan is a loving little boy, but at the same time, he is all rough and tumble boy. He loves to box and wrestle and play boy video games, and he loves the super heroes – Batman, Spiderman, Captain America, Ironman etc. We love you Logan! Thank you God for Logan!

So that is my list of precious blessings sent by God. Each child is unique and special in his/her own way. We are so blessed and we thank God that they are all healthy and strong. Most importantly we are thankful that they all love God and have been baptized into His family of believers. As they grow I pray that they will treasure their faith and continue to honor God with their lives. It brings to mind the words of Paul in his letter to Timothy; I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. (2 Timothy 1: 5)

I love God and every night when our children were little I prayed for them before I went to sleep. I asked God to keep them in the true faith, and to give my husband and me the wisdom to teach them to grow into good Christian young men and women. He answered yes to my prayers. I now pray that like Timothy, our grandchildren will continue in the faith they received at their baptisms and follow the example of their parents and grandparents in the faith until they reach eternity in heaven.

Gloria Dei! (All glory to God!)

By Kristeen

November 25, 2012

On November 23, 2012 I posted “Thank you Grandma” to my blog. It is a thank you note to God to show my appreciation and thanks to Him for my precious grandchildren. On Sunday November 25, 2012 I was awarded the honor of being one of three “Featured” bloggers for the day. Thank you to the staff at Bloggers for choosing my blog. I am honored that you deemed it good enough to be in the spotlight.

I trust and believe that God is with me at all times. He is the source of all gifts and blessings in this life. Every so often He allows His faithful followers to see Him at work in their lives in order to encourage them in their service to Him. I honestly feel that the “Featured Blogger” award is God’s way of acknowledging to me that He received my note of thanks to Him. I believe it is His way of saying; ‘I got your thank you note. You’re welcome Christine’. My writing ability is not of my own merit. It is a gift from God.

THANK YOU DEAREST HEAVENLY FATHER FOR THE WRITING ABILITY YOU HAVE GIFTED TO ME. I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WITHOUT YOUR HELP I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO IT. HELP ME ALWAYS TO USE THIS GIFT FOR YOUR GLORY. AMEN

2012-10-07T14:53:00.000-04:00

10/7/11

Dear family members, friends and visitors to my blogs (“Soul Searching” and “Inspired to Write”):

I want to apologize for the fact that I haven’t been able to post any new blogs recently. My family is in crisis right now. My husband has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. We are dealing with this through prayer and the support of family and friends. I do plan to journal this walk of faith and will be posting my journal to my blog in some way and at some point in time. I pray that through my writings, the trials we are enduring can offer hope for others who are going through similar trials in life.

We trust in the wisdom of our almighty God that all things will work out not only for our good, but for the good of others who see our example of faith. There are two passages from Scripture which continue to flow through my mind and are very comforting to me. They are:

1. My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son. (Hebrews 12: 5,6)

2. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men (1 Corinthians 15:19).

The Hebrews passage reminds me that God loves me and my husband with a perfect love. We are His children and He is our Father. As a child my own parents used to say to me when I had done something wrong or made a bad choice; If we didn’t care about you we wouldn’t punish you. We would just ignore the issue and let it go, but we want you to grow and learn from your mistakes, how to be a better person. My dad would say; this punishment hurts me more than it hurts you. Maybe many of you remember hearing similar words from your own parents or even saying them to your own children at times.

As with our earthly parents, when we hurt God hurts too. He feels our pain. He cries with us, but will continue in the discipline because He knows it is for our good or for the good of others. But He will never desert us and leave us to bear it alone. He promises; never will I leave you; never will I forsake you (Hebrews 13:5).

God is our loving Father and we are His children. The difference between our relationship with God as our heavenly Father and that of our earthly parents is that God does not punish us for the mistakes and bad choices we make as earthly parents do. He doesn’t need to because Jesus already bore our punishment for sin when He died for us. Rather the Lord disciplines His children to help them grow and to draw them closer to Him. His discipline reassures us of His love for us. I pray that our response to His discipline will give honor and praise to Him and allow us to be an example for others. I pray that we will be a light and a beacon shining in a dark world to those who don’t know Him.

And we are not without hope! It seems that possibly my husband’s life here on earth will be drawing to a close soon, but His life with God will be just beginning. We have hope for eternity in Christ Jesus. It will be difficult and lonely for me when he is gone, but God will surround me with His love and bring me through it and I am confident I will see him again someday when God calls me home, along with the many other Christian family members and friends who have gone before me.

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope, because you will not abandon me to the grave nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence (Acts 2: 26-28).

The following words from “The First Song of Isaiah” (derived from Isaiah chapter 12) are my motto for the coming months. Surely it is God who saves me; I will trust in Him and not be afraid. For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defense, and he will be my Savior (Christian Worship Pg. 94).

Please keep us in your prayers as we begin this journey. Pray that God will give us the strength to endure and that He would replace our feelings of uncertainty and fear with faith in His almighty wisdom and power.

To Him be all Glory! Amen.

Kristeen

2012-09-22T16:47:00.000-04:00

"Love Story"

The hand that holds us from the garden to the gate

By Nichole Nordeman

Published August 28, 2012

Nichole Nordeman is a Christian singer/song writer, lyricist and recording artist for Sparrow Records/EMI Christian Music Group. She can now add “writer” to that long list of achievements. “Love Story” – the hand that holds us from the garden to the gate is her first book.

In her book Nichole displays her deep understanding of Scripture as she connects God’s people of old to His people in the 21^st century. “Love Story” is a reflection on the journey of mankind from the beginning of time until the end of time when Jesus will come in glory to take His believers home.

She brings Scripture to life and leads the reader to see that the life struggles of Adam and Eve, Ruth, Queen Esther, King David, Daniel, the Apostle Paul and others are not so very different from the struggles that Christians face in the 21^st century. She puts us in their place and makes us realize that hindsight is always 100%. We see also how truly blessed we are to have God’s written Word as a reference and a guide for our lives – something the early Christians did not have.

This book is a reminder that God’s Word is indeed still living and active (Hebrews 4:12). It is still at work among His believers offering strength for each day and hope for tomorrow.

If you are struggling with sin and temptation – if you are feeling lost and alone and thinking you can never be good enough for a holy God, this book is a “must read” for you. You will see that others past and present, suffer from, and fall prey to many of the same temptations that you do. You will see that in Jesus you are the forgiven child of a loving and merciful God.

“Love Story”- The hand that holds us from the garden to the gate would be a wonderful book for a Christian book study. It will make you smile and it may make you cry, but in the end you will be truly blessed.

To purchase your copy of “Love Story” go to www.nicholenordeman.com.

"Soul" Food

2012-08-19T16:50:00.002-04:00

The Soul that is Hungry

It is written: Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. (Matthew 4: 4)

We all know how important it is to have food for our bodies. In order to stay healthy and strong, we need to eat nutritious food every day. Where I live here in the U.S.A. there is an abundance food. Most of us eat three meals a day and snacks in-between. The problem for a lot of us is that we eat the wrong kinds of food. We love foods that are filled with saturated fat, cholesterol, salt and carbohydrates. These ingredients are all good for us when eaten in moderation, but we tend to overdo it and we become fat, lazy and lethargic.

Many people in our country are overweight due to eating too much food or the wrong kinds of food. Because of our busy lifestyles and sometimes simply because we are lazy, Americans love fast food. We love McDonalds, Burger King, Taco Bell and Arby’s just to mention a few. We love our French Fries and deep fried fish. We love our hamburgers, ice cream and donuts.

It just seems easier some days to bring home fast food for dinner than to take the time to cook after a long day at work. With fast food there is no need to plan ahead or worry about clean up afterward. Because it makes our lives a little easier, it has become a huge temptation for tired working moms.

I have to admit that I eat more than my share of fast food. It is okay on occasion, but when it becomes an everyday thing it is bad for my health. It fills my stomach, but doesn’t necessarily give my body what it truly needs to remain healthy and strong. But no matter what kind of food I eat, within a matter hours my stomach will begin to growl and gurgle at me letting me know that I need to eat again.

Just as my body needs good nutritious food to stay healthy and strong, my soul needs to be fed also. My soul needs to be fed daily with the life giving Word of God. Without “soul” food I will lose my focus on what is important in life. I will wander away from God and forget that I need Him. I will begin to trust in my own abilities and think I can get through life on my own. My focus will be on my own agenda and I will get caught up in the material things of this life – my job, money, a beautiful home, computers, iPods, smart phones, cars, vacations etc. I won’t take time for God. I will be too tired to get up and go to church on Sunday and I won’t make time for daily devotion, prayer and Bible Study.

Before I know it my soul begins to suffer. Unlike my body, my empty soul doesn’t cause me to have physical “hunger” pains. As it begins to feel the need for food, I may just feel a little down in the dumps or sad. In order to lift my spirits I might go out and buy something new – maybe a 52 inch TV for example. That fills the void for awhile, but when the newness wears off I become sad again. Okay so maybe I will give my house a face life – a new kitchen and new bathrooms or maybe I will paint the bedrooms, add on a great room and put in new floors throughout. I’ll build a deck in my back yard and put in a pool and hot tub. What more could I possibly want? I should be happy now right? But eventually the sadness resurfaces again.

I still don’t quite get it though. Something is missing in my life, but what could it be? I have everything I could possibly need, but yet I want more – Maybe I should move! A new house and new surroundings will lift my spirits! I’ll find a new and bigger home in a nicer neighborhood. That will make me happy for sure...

As God observes my actions from His throne on high, He shakes His head in sadness. He loves me deeply and doesn’t want to see me in pain, but the time has come for Him to take action. I need to be shocked back into reality because I have forgotten what is most important in life. I have lost my focus on what is best for my eternal good.

My yearly visit to the Doctor reveals a serious problem. The cancer is terminal. I have been given 6 months to live. All of a sudden my “stuff” doesn’t matter anymore. I can’t take my TV, new car, or hot tub with me when I leave this life. Naked I came from my mother’s womb and naked I will depart (Job 1:21). My possessions no longer have meaning. They will be left here for others when I am called from this earth.

God now has my undivided attention. Where I will spend eternity has become a reality to me. I sit up and take notice of what is truly important in life. I finally realize that the new car, the new house, the hot tub, pool and all the electronic devices didn’t bring me any lasting happiness. I open my Bible to John 6: 27, 35, 41 where Jesus reminds me; Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life...He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty ...I am the bread that came down from heaven.

My soul needs Jesus.

I have finally become aware that it is my soul that is hungry and not my body. All this time I have been trying to feed my soul with physical food (material possessions) and all I found was emptiness. My soul needs Jesus. He is my eternal food.

Have you been feeding your soul? Have you been present on Sunday for worship lately? The writer to the Hebrews reminds us that we need the support and love of fellow Christians to help keep our faith strong and focused. 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 10:25).

Aside from fellowship, worship also offers us the opportunity to praise and thank God for the many blessings He showers upon us daily. Along with “food” for our souls, it offers us “rest” for our souls. Jesus instructs us; Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give your rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls (Matthew 11:28, 29).

How about at home? Have you been feeding your soul at home by spending time in prayer and God’s word? But in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4: 6, 7). Take the time to say a short prayer before you run out the door to start your day. Ask God to be present with you and lead you to make good decisions and choices throughout the day – decisions and choices which reflect His love and allow the people you meet to see and know that you belong to Him.

Yes, I need food for my body while here on this earth. My body is a gift from God. It is the tent He has given me to live in while I am here. I seldom forget to feed it because it tells me when it needs food and water and it tells me when it needs sleep. I will care for it and remember that it is His temple. But more importantly, I need to remember to feed my soul. I need to feed it with eternal food and not the junk food of this life. I need to feed it through prayer and worship. I need to feed it through study of His precious word. I need to take God with me every day.

What a comfort it is to know that even though I may forget to feed my soul, God will never leave me. He will keep me from wandering away from Him and getting lost in the things of this world. When I walk away from Him and begin to fill my soul with junk food, He will according to His good and perfect will, remind me of what is important for my eternal good.

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand (John 10:27, 28).

Gloria Dei! (All glory to God!)

By Kristeen

Chosen from Eternity

2012-07-30T20:28:00.000-04:00

Have you opened your gift yet?

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. (Ephesians 1: 3,4)

Are you a believer and follower of Jesus Christ? If you are, did you realize that He chose you to be a part of His family even before you were born? He actually chose you before He created the world in which we all live. All who have faith in God’s one and only Son Jesus Christ, can rest confident in the knowledge that their name is written in His Book of Life. He who overcomes will...be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. (Revelation 3:5)

This is called the Doctrine of Predestination. It is very difficult to understand. Indeed, we as humans aren’t able to completely understand it and shouldn’t try. We will understand it fully when we meet God face to face in heaven. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known (1 Corinthians 13:12). It is one of the things we accept and believe by faith. Our God is the great “I AM”. He is the God of past, present and future. He knew each of us before we were born. He knew our name, He saw/sees our life, He was there at our conception and birth and He knew/knows the exact time of our death.

My intent with this writing is not to try to explain, understand or help others understand this doctrine. Rather I want to reinforce to all people that faith and salvation are not dependent on anything we do or don’t do, or on anything we say or don’t say. Faith does not come to us on the basis of any decision we make, or fail to make regarding God and His Son, and the foundation of our faith should not be based on our feelings. We are fickle humans and our feelings change from day to day and from one situation to the next.

Jesus is the cornerstone which supports the foundation on which our faith is built and faith is the life saving rope that attaches us to Him. Faith in Jesus comes from the Holy Spirit through reading, studying and hearing the Word, and also through baptism.

Has anyone ever asked you this question – Have you been saved? One day when I was a young mother and still had small children at home I answered a knock on my door. When I opened the door there were two well dressed and seemingly nice young men at the door who asked me that question. I confidently answered; yes. The next question they asked me was; how do you know that you are saved? - My answer - because Jesus died for me.

I know that I am saved because of what Jesus has done for me and for all people. I am saved because Jesus became human and lived the perfect and sinless life that neither I, nor any other human is able to live. He suffered the punishment all of us deserve for our sin when He suffered and died on the cross and was forsaken by God, His Father. He sacrificed His life for us and conquered death by rising from the dead three days later.

So does that mean that all people are automatically saved? The answer to that question is “No”. All people CAN be saved, but unfortunately some, by their own choosing will not be. Salvation is a free gift offered to all people who are connected to Jesus by faith. It is available to everyone but not everyone will take hold of it and open the package to receive its blessings.

It could be compared to getting a gift on your birthday all wrapped in pretty paper with a bow tied around it. Inside the gift is an ipod which would be useful in many ways, but if you leave the package sitting on your desk because it looks pretty and never open it, it will be of no use to you. That’s the way it is with God’s free gift of grace. The word grace means undeserved love. It is the love God has lavished upon undeserving sinners. It is there for all people, but not all people will take hold of the gift and open it to make use of its wonderful blessings. Many times the things we feel are so important in this life get in the way.

Jesus tells us in John 3:16; for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. He died for all people, but many refuse to believe God’s promise of salvation through faith in Him. They choose to reject His promise of life in Jesus name. We are told; Light [Jesus] has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil (John 3:19).

The truth is many people choose to reject Jesus because in order to live for Him and serve Him, they would have to give up their sinful lifestyles. They are happy in their gay relationship. They are happy living with that person they are not married to. They want to love God, but they love themselves more and aren’t willing to change. They fear that if they give up the sinful things which seem to make them happy, they will never be happy. Their gift of salvation is like the unopened package sitting on the desk. It is there for them, but they don’t open it and therefore it is of no use to them. We cannot serve God and our sinful nature at the same time. Jesus tells us; No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money (material possessions or self) Matthew 6:24. But for those who love Jesus and put Him first in their lives He says; great is your reward in heaven (Luke 6:23).

If you are one of those people who want to love Jesus, but are afraid that if you give up your sinful lifestyle you will be giving up all hope of happiness, I can say to you with confidence; don’t be afraid! Are you afraid that if you walk away from the affair you are having with another man’s wife or another woman’s husband that you will never be happy? Don’t be afraid! Do you feel that the gay lifestyle is the only way you will find happiness or comfort in this life? Walk away from it and don’t be afraid!

Turn to Jesus. Open His free gift. Pick up your Bible and read about what He has done for you. Move forward with a life in service to Him and your fellowman. The weight of your sin will be lifted from your shoulders. You will feel free to serve God in whatever capacity He sets before you. He will more than make it up to you, if not here on earth, then when you are called to your eternal home in heaven. Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6: -21).

Don’t ever look at your past or present life and say to yourself; I can never be good enough for God. None of us is good enough. We are all sinners. Without Jesus we are unfit to stand before a holy God. You are a sinner, but through repentance and prayer you are a forgiven child of God and He will give you the power to change your life. Whatever is in your past is forgiven because of what Jesus did for you. He will give you the power to walk away from that affair. He will give you the power to walk away from that gay lifestyle. He will give you the power and the courage to walk away from that man or woman you are living with but not married to.

Is your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life? If you believe in Jesus and have faith in His promises it most certainly is. Be confident that by faith you are a forgiven child of God. If you have never been baptized, now is a good time to find out more about it. Baptism offers forgiveness and faith, and through it you will become a true member of God’s family. Stay close to God through study of His Word and worship. Jesus says; it is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (Luke 5: 31,32). Don’t leave your gift of grace and salvation wrapped in pretty paper and sitting on the desk. Open it and be confident that God loves you enough to die for you. He will never leave you or forsake you. You are His.

If you, like me, are confident that your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, be careful that you don’t fall. Stay connected to Him by studying His word at home. Talk to God daily in prayer. Attend worship services to hear His word preached and taught. Be encouraged by the faith of your fellow Christians. 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: 25)Keep in mind that although you may at times let go of Jesus, He will never let go of you.

As for the doctrine of Predestination - I don’t understand it, but who has understood the mind of the Lord or instructed him as his counselor? (Isaiah 40:13). I believe it by faith because God tells me it is so. I trust in His almighty power and believe His promises. In Him there is hope for the future. I know that this life is not the end. I know that He loves me with a perfect love. I believe and trust that I was chosen by Him before the beginning of time to be a beloved member of His family and to someday live with Him in eternity.

This life is your time of grace. It is the only chance you will get to open the pretty package and make use of God’s wonderful gift of salvation. Life is short and it is fragile. It can be taken from you in a moment – in the blink of an eye. Don’t put God off until a later time. Reach out for Him now through His Word. Make sure your name is written in The Lamb's Book of Life. Once you are called from this earth, there will be no turning back.

If you would like to learn more about Jesus - His life and what He did for all people, go to www.whataboutjesus.com. Feel free to email any questions to me at grandmapoz@yahoo.com. I will do my best to answer them and if I can’t, I will find someone who can.

Gloria Dei! (All Glory to God)

By Kristeen

Where is the Hope

2012-07-08T19:18:00.002-04:00

Angry at God?

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:30, 31)

The Zacchaeus Tree of Jesus day

I have a friend who grew up in Bethlehem, Israel. Her her mother and father, brother and sisters still live there. Does that sound exciting or what? What Christian wouldn’t want to grow up in the “City of David”? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to see the place where Jesus was born, visit the town where He lived, and walk the streets and roads He walked while growing up and during His ministry?

His death brought life.

What about visiting Jerusalem where Jesus was put on trial and where He suffered and died? It would, and indeed it should, make us a little sad remembering the sorrow and pain He endured for us, but we can rejoice in the gift of life and grace which is available to all people because of His suffering and death. It is awe inspiring. I’m not sure how I would react if I were to stand at the base of the hill (Mount Calvary) where Jesus was crucified, but I hope it would bring me to my knees in thanksgiving and praise.

The empty tomb gives us hope.

My friend was able to visit her home and her family in recent months. In hearing her tell about her visit, it seems, that very little has changed there since the time of Jesus ministry and the years following His death and resurrection. Christians are still persecuted for their beliefs. The Jews still reject Jesus and the Muslims who have their own god, allah, seem to be taking over. Christians live in fear for their lives when they leave the relative safety of their homes.

In the “Christian” section of town there is no clean running water to drink or to bathe in and clean with. There are no flushing toilets or running water to wash dishes. My friend actually lost weight while she was there because there wasn’t enough food for everyone and no money to buy it. Christian’s are persecuted for their belief in the Triune God and live in fear of death when they take a stand for the truth.

Although she and her little son are all alone here in the states, she was very happy and relieved to return. The U.S. is her home now. She truly appreciates that she can turn on her kitchen faucet to get a drink or wash dishes. She truly appreciates that she is able to take a shower daily and have a toilet that flushes. She appreciates the fact that she can hop in her car and go to the store to buy groceries and household needs without fear.

It was difficult for her to say good-bye to her family and leave them living in those conditions. She came back to the U.S. feeling distraught and hopeless for their sake. She was very discouraged and asked me; where is God? Why does He let His people suffer this way when He has the power to stop it? She admitted to me that she has stopped praying and hasn’t been attending church or reading her Bible. She stated that she still loves God, but feels very angry with Him right now. She feels that He has deserted her family.

So, has God indeed deserted the people who love Him in the Middle East? When people fall on hard times or lose loved ones to death, has God deserted them also? What about the people who suffer daily from a debilitating disease or disability? Are they being punished for wrong doing or some specific sin they committed?

The answer to those questions is an emphatic NO! God is our loving Father. A loving father would never deliberately cause harm to his children, but there are times when fathers must discipline their children. Undisciplined children will grow into selfish, uncaring, irresponsible and foolish adults.

Our life here on earth is a struggle. We face heartache, pain and persecution almost daily. Jesus suffered also when He walked the earth. He cried at the tomb of His dear friend Lazarus. He felt a deep compassion for all who were sick and suffering. He Himself suffered persecution during His ministry and in the end gave His life as the ultimate sacrifice for all people. Jesus warns all of His followers to be prepared to suffer persecution because of Him, but at the same time He reassures us that in the end we will be rewarded. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven...(Matthew 5: 11, 12)

Just as an earthly father disciplines his children because he loves them and wants what is best for them – God our heavenly Father disciplines us, His children also. He tells us in Hebrews 12: 5,6; My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.

God sometimes allows heartache and pain to come into our lives in order to help us stay focused on what is important and lasting. If we never had trials or hardships, why would we need God? When things are going smoothly for us, we tend to forget about God. We don’t always take the time to pray and study His Word. We may miss church on Sundays using the excuse that we are so busy during the week and Sunday is the only day we are able to stay home and rest. We lose sight of the fact that time spent in worship and prayer offers us the rest we truly need – rest for our souls. We forget how serious sin really is and tend to disregard the sacrifice Jesus made for us when He died on that cross so long ago. Instead we become focused on our own needs and the here and now.

The apostle Paul once prayed for God to remove a physical burden from him. He doesn’t tell us exactly what that burden was. He refers to it only as a thorn in my flesh, but he does tell us God’s answer to his prayer - my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). When physical weakness and pain, or emotional suffering drives us to our knees in humility and prayer to our God, He makes us strong by His almighty power. We are reminded that it is He who gives us all things and that there are certain circumstances in life which we have no control over. When we lean on Him who is ever present, all powerful and has all knowledge He will give us the strength to bear up under the burden. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12: 10)

My husband and I once had a friend who lived in the same apartment building we did. He was fifty years old and a strong Christian. One day he suffered a debilitating stroke which took him from being a strong young man, completely capable of providing for his wife, and made him a man completely dependent on his wife for all his physical needs. His recovery seemed to be very slow. It seemed that for each step forward he took in the recovery process, he would fall three steps back. To make it even more difficult they lived on the second floor and he had a mountain of stairs to tackle each time he came in or went out.

As I was leaving for work one day I came out the door and there he stood with his walker waiting for his wife to bring the car closer. His back was to me and I cheerfully said hello. As I came around and looked into his face I saw tears of frustration streaming down his cheeks. It was a heartbreaking scene that brought tears to my own eyes. I wished so badly that I could do something for him to ease his pain and relieve the agony he was experiencing, not only physically, but emotionally. I encouraged him by reminding him that God loves him deeply and has a purpose for all that happens to us in life. Possibly God was using this man’s suffering to lead an unbelieving friend or relative to Christ, but whatever His reasons, it was for the good of someone. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

Here today - gone tomorrow

The harsh realities of life force us to focus on what is important. We need God in good times and in bad, but in good times we tend to forget about that need and we set Him aside for our own pleasures. Regardless, we have His assurance that He will never leave us. Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). The apostle Paul reminds us to fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4: 18) This life is short and the problems we face here, although they may sometimes seem overwhelming, will not follow us into eternity.

God does not cause our problems, and our suffering never goes unnoticed by Him. Sin is at the root of all the problems we face. It is an inherited virus/disease which affects every person born. It will never go away in this present age, but God rescued us from sin through the sacrifice of His holy and perfect Son. Jesus lived the perfect and sinless life which we are unable to live. He suffered the punishment we deserve for our sin when he was forsaken by His Father and died on the cross at Calvary, but He conquered death for us when He rose on Easter Sunday. Because of Jesus, death no longer holds us prisoner. Because of Jesus our chains are gone and we’ve been set free. Jesus has ransomed us. He has bought us back from sin and death. He has redeemed us. We are His. We belong to Him through His never ending gift of grace and those who love Him are attached to Him by faith.

He controls the Universe.

No, God is not the cause of our problems, but He does allow sickness and pain, sorrow and suffering to come into our lives at times because He loves us. Parents discipline their children because they love them and want what is best for them. So also, God disciplines us because of His deep love for us. When we are happy and all is well, we tend to forget that we need Him. But when we are sad and in pain and things happen in life which are out of our control, we are driven to the open arms of the One who controls all things. He draws us close and promises to never leave us. The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. (Proverbs 18:10)

A parent who doesn’t discipline his child does not sincerely love him or care for him. So it is with us also. If God did not love us, He would allow us to go on thinking we didn’t need Him which would lead to an eternity forever separated from His love and all that is good. Because He loves us, He hurts when we hurt. When we are suffering and in pain He suffers also, but He allows it because He wants what is best for us. He helps us work our way through the seen and what is temporary (this life) so that through faith in Him we can attain what is unseen (eternity) where all believers will receive their reward. This life is fleeting. We are here today and gone tomorrow. The life to come is eternal. It will last forever and God wants the people whom He created and loves to spend it with Him in heaven.

God has not forgotten those who love Him in the Middle East. He is the God who sees. He is the great “I AM”. He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep... the Lord is your shade at your right hand. (Psalm 121:3-5)He will deliver all who love Him, if not in this life, then in the life to come.

Pray without ceasing.

To my friend and to all who doubt God’s love - Don’t be angry with Him. Don’t turn away from His love and the strength He offers. He loves you. He cries when you cry and laughs when you laugh. He is the only source of all that is good in this life. He wants you to come to Him with all your troubles. When you are afraid – pray; when you are lonely – pray; when the world hates you – pray; when the trials of life overwhelm you – pray. He will hear and answer.

Remember these words of Jesus; If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first...you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world... (John 15:18,19) There is hope!

Gloria Dei! (All Glory to God!)

By Kristeen

The Christian and Yoga

2012-06-24T17:45:00.000-04:00

Regarding Yoga...

So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one... there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live...Food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak...

(1 Corinthians 8: 4, 6)

What the apostle Paul is saying in the above verses from 1 Corinthians is that sometimes what we practice in our religious freedom may affect others adversely even though it may be perfectly alright in God’s eyes. Many of the Christians in Corinth were “new” believers. They weren’t firmly established in their faith and a little unsure of themselves as far as what is acceptable to God.

In pagan sacrifices not all of the meat was offered to the pagan deity and often what was left over was sold in the market place. (Concordia Self-Study Commentary Pg. 152) The new Christians had a difficult time with that because they feared that the meat was “contaminated” by having been part of a pagan sacrifice. Paul explained to the “men of knowledge” (those who were firmly established in their faith and confident of their religious freedom) that it is perfectly okay to eat it because it is only food and means nothing else to the Christian believer or to God. However he was also saying that if the eating of meat which had been sacrificed to idols bothered the consciences of those who were new to the faith, or made some people fear that they were sinning against God by eating it, they should avoid it out of love and consideration for them.

In the May 2012 issue of a monthly magazine (Forward in Christ) put out by my Lutheran church body (The WELS) the question was posed; is it okay for Christians to practice yoga purely for physical benefits? This article caught my attention because I have been doing Yoga in combination with strength training exercises 3-4 days per week for the last year. As a result I have lost 13 pounds, strengthened my leg muscles, and toned my hips, biceps and abdomen. The deep breathing which naturally accompanies Yoga helps to relieve stress and enlarges one’s lung capacity. As a result it has also helped me to more easily relax and go to sleep at night.

I am a Christian. I love and worship the true God. To be honest, when I started exercising I did not really know what the term “yoga” meant other than exercise. I knew vaguely that it originated from the Hindu religion. I learned through this article that the word “Yoga” means “union” and that in the Hindu religion; it is meant to serve as a path to spiritual enlightenment and growth. This “enlightenment” is sought from within oneself, not from an external source like Scripture.

As a Christian I know that my faith comes from the Holy Spirit. All humans are all born spiritually dead and are unable to come to faith on their own. As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins. (Ephesians 2: 1)The Third Article of Luther’s Catechism (pg. 181) states: I believe that I cannot by my own thinking or choosing believe in Jesus Christ or come to Him. But the Holy Spirit has called me by the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith...

By Grace Alone through Faith Alone

My path to spiritual enlightenment comes from time spent in God’s Word, prayer and worship. The Holy Spirit put faith in my heart at my Baptism. My faith is renewed and strengthened each time I hear and study God’s Word. I have never thought of my yoga exercises as a path to spiritual growth, however as I look back on the past year I can see that in a way it has become that for me. The difference in my case is that I know and am aware that the spiritual growth I have experienced has not come from within me, but from the Holy Spirit.

Yoga is not a fast moving exercise regime which requires a lot of concentration and physical energy on the part of the trainee. As a result it has also become a quiet time for me. As I bend and stretch and deep breathe I reflect on my upcoming day and praise God in my heart for the many blessings He gives me. It has become a time of meditation and prayer which lifts me up and draws me closer to Him. As for the Hindu religion – I do not know what they believe other than what was stated above so how could I be worshiping their god? God knows my heart. But the man [person] who loves God is known by God (1 Corinthians 8:3)

I was introduced to Yoga as a form of exercise through my Wii Fit Plus. Yes! I do it in my own living room! I have read that after the age of 40 we typically lose approximately 8% of our muscle tone per year. At the age of 61 I was beginning to realize the results of that muscle loss. It never for a minute occurred to me that Yoga was not appropriate because it had never been anything to me other than “exercise”.

In response to this article one woman wrote; the postures in yoga are actually “praise positions” that are used to worship the Hindu deity. She further stated that she had now given up doing yoga and is doing Pilates. When I searched Pilates online I found that many of the exercises are very similar if not exactly the same as those in Yoga. They are typically the same exercises with a different name.

As a Christian however it is my responsibility to be an example and a leader for others. I am doing yoga in the privacy of my own living room. Practicing Yoga in a public setting could possibly be misleading for someone who is a new believer and not as mature in their faith as I, and especially for a person who does not know the true God at all.

It could be compared to the example above from 1 Corinthians. The apostle Paul clearly states that food is simply food and nothing else, but if my eating meat that has previously been sacrificed to an idol bothers the conscience of a fellow Christian whose faith is weak, or whose faith is not as firmly established as mine, or who is a little less sure of what is right or wrong for a Christian, then I should avoid it for their sake. The same goes with Yoga. If new Christians or those whose faith is not yet firmly established in the Word are offended by the fact that I am doing Yoga, even if only for exercise, then I should, out of respect for them, not discuss it or practice it in their presence.

I would caution anyone looking to be part of a public Yoga class, to research how seriously the Hindu beliefs are being interwoven into the exercises. If the class seems to be more than “just exercise” I would avoid it at all cost. A Christian taking part in a class where Hindu beliefs are being taught as truth would be misleading others into thinking the worship of a god other than the true God is acceptable.

As a Christian woman, I feel compelled to care for my body and do my best to keep it healthy and strong. It is God’s temple – a precious gift from Him. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you whom you have received from God... (1Corinthians 6:19)My purpose here on earth is to serve my God. The longer I remain healthy and mobile as I age – the better I will be able to serve Him and others. For this reason I will take care of God’s “temple” and do all within my power to stay healthy and strong.

Every day people are dying in the darkness of sin. They are dying without acknowledging their sin or knowing about the precious and free gift of grace which we have in Jesus. The thought of suffering in hell for eternity is suffocating and terrifying to me. I don’t want to see anyone make that choice. All people need to know and realize that this life is not the end. They need to know the hope they have in Jesus. I do not have the power to put faith in their hearts, but I do have a God-given responsibility to plant the seed. I can go and tell. I will let the Holy Spirit take it from there.

I commend the woman who is now doing Pilates rather than Yoga. She is following her conscience. Continuing with Yoga would be going against her conscience and her love for God has compelled her to find another alternative. God knows her heart also. We are one in Christ.

I plan to continue with Yoga in the privacy of my own home. I am confident that I am merely doing physical exercise and my prayer and meditation is directed to the true God – The Creator of heaven and earth.

"MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them from my hand. (John 10: 27, 28)

Gloria Dei! (All Glory to God!)

By Kristeen

Letter to a Friend

2012-05-04T20:19:00.001-04:00

This letter from Jesus is an invitation to faith. Do you know Jesus? Have you met Him in His Word? If you do not know Him personally, be advised that he does know you. He knows each and every person on this earth (past, present and future) personally. Rest assured – He loves you as if you were His only child. I pray that you will be blessed as you read...

Letter to a Friend

All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. (Psalm 139:16)

April 28, 2011

Dearest Friend,

I am a very dear friend to you. I know you personally, but you don’t yet know Me.

It has come to My attention that you are having some serious health issues right now and that you are feeling very discouraged. I am writing this letter to encourage you. I want you to have hope not only for your physical health now and in the days to come, but more importantly for your spiritual health which will benefit you not only for the here and now, but will determine where you spend eternity.

You see, your physical illness is not the most serious illness you have. You inherited the sin virus when you were conceived in your mother’s womb. This virus left unchecked will lead you to an eternity separated from God and all that is good. It is a disease which affects all humans, and I will discuss it more in depth with you later in this letter.

You have a beautiful family and they are counting on you. I have known each of them also since before they were born into this world, but unlike you they do know Me and have a personal relationship with Me.

Your wife became a member of My family when her parents brought her to baptism at one month of age. She is connected to Me and she communicates with Me often through prayer. She is smart and beautiful and I have blessed her with a lovely singing voice. She uses her voice to give Me glory each time she visits My house for worship. She has a loving heart and is a good mother to your children. Unfortunately, she suffers from the sin virus also.

Because of the virus she has anger issues at times. Her anger is difficult for her to control, but she prays about it often. I am glad to help her with it and I do, but often when she gets overwhelmed with life she forgets that she can come to Me for the help that she needs. Her stubborn pride gets her into trouble at times also and causes her to say hurtful things which she doesn’t mean. She loves you though and wants to be a good wife to you and a good mother to your children.

When, in her anger, she dishonors My name or lashes out with hateful words toward you, try not to feel hurt and resentful. It is just the virus rearing its ugly head. I know that she still loves me just as she also loves you.

There are three children in your household and I know each of them personally also.Your step-daughter is a beautiful and talented young lady. She is not only beautiful on the outside, but more importantly she has a loving heart for God and for others. Her personal relationship with Me began at her baptism into My family. She is stubborn, proud and disobedient at times, and a little on the lazy side, but that is because, like you and her mother, she also has inherited the virus. I have blessed her also with the ability to sing and she glorifies Me often in song. She is very smart and is growing into a lovely woman. There will be many temptations for her to overcome as she becomes a teen and young adult, but I will be with her. I will never let go of her.

Then there is your own biological daughter. I know her well and she also is very special. She is more responsible than most children her age and her heart is full of love and the desire to please. Her greatest wish is to be a wife and especially a mother someday. She truly loves babies and I am confident she will naturally slide into the role of mommy in the future when My time is right for her to do so.

She has never been brought to Me in baptism, although she has expressed to Me and to her step-grandparents her desire for that to happen. I love her regardless. It is your responsibility however, as her parent to grant her request for baptism.

Through baptism she will receive forgiveness for her sins (caused by the virus), she will receive faith from the Holy Spirit, and she will officially become a member of My family. For her sake, please think about and consider My gift of baptism for her. There will be rejoicing and a great celebration in heaven on the day of her baptism. You will find reference to this fact in My Word (Luke 15:7)

She also will face many temptations as she grows into a young adult, but I promise I will hang on to her and never let go. Because of her inherited sin there may be times when she will let go of Me, but don’t worry, I will never let go of her.

Ahh... then there is your little man. He is truly a gift – the result of the love between you and your wife. What a precious little boy he is and he is a part of both of you. He became a member of My family through baptism shortly after birth. Of course like all humans he also inherited the virus of sin. He is sometimes a little stinker, but he, like the other two children has a kind and loving heart. He will grow up to be a fine young man but he will need lots of loving guidance and discipline along the way. All three children will need that from you. They don’t realize it but they are counting on you.

So now, let Me tell you about the virus. It came from Satan. I created him a holy angel, but he rebelled against Me and became proud. Rather than serving Me lovingly, he wanted to be in control and tried to take over my position as Lord of the universe. He is "a liar and the father of lies". You may find reference to this in my Word (John 8:44). Because of this he was banished from heaven. I have allowed him to still have a certain amount of power here on earth, but when I come again on the last day he will be thrown into hell forever. In the meantime he continues to try his hardest to lead My people into sin. He wants to take as many of them with him as he can.

In the beginning when I created humans, it was not My desire or intention for death to be a part of their life. But Satan convinced the first people I created (Adam and Eve) to sin against Me.

I had placed Adam and Eve in a beautiful garden filled with plants and wild life. It was their home. There were rivers and streams and there were trees which produced fruit for them to eat. But there was one tree which I specifically instructed them to stay away from. I named this tree “THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL”. I instructed them not to eat its fruit or to even touch it or they would die (Genesis 3:3).

They had no reason to go near it, either to touch it or to eat its fruit. There were many other trees and plants in the garden which provided for their needs. I was there with them also to provide for their spiritual needs. I did however allow them the ability to make their own choices in life. I wanted them to love Me of their own accord, not because I forced them or threatened them to.

One day Eve was walking in the garden and there near the forbidden tree she saw a serpent – an animal which the people of today’s world refer to as a snake. To her surprise the snake spoke to her. He asked her; “Did God really say; you must not eat from any tree in the garden? “ Eve then explained to the snake that they were allowed to eat from any tree in the garden except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil which was located in the center of the garden. She explained to him further that if they did, God had told them that they would die.

Keep in mind that God had created his people perfect. They did not yet know the difference between good and evil. They knew only perfection. Satan convinced Eve that God was lying to her and that she wouldn’t die, but rather that her eyes would be opened and she would gain knowledge.

The fruit on the tree was pretty and looked good to eat. According to Satan, it would be beneficial in gaining knowledge, so in spite of her instructions from God, Eve took some. She ate it and offered it to her husband Adam and he ate it also.

Their eyes were opened all right! For the first time they realized they were naked. They made makeshift clothing for themselves out of fig leaves and they tried to hide from God because they were ashamed.

Of course, no one is able to hide from God. He knew where they were hiding and He knew what they had done, but still He asked them; “Where are you?” Adam answered; “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” God questioned him further; “Who told you that you were naked?” He asked them; “Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” Adam blamed it on Eve and Eve blamed it on the serpent.

In the end God told Adam and Eve that life would no longer be easy for them. They would face heartache and pain and would have to work hard to make a living. He promised them; “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.”

God made clothes for Adam and Eve out of animal skins and banished them from the beautiful garden he had created for them. He did not want them to be tempted to eat from the “tree of life”. If that were to happen they would live forever in a body which would eventually get old, wear out and decay. God placed “Cherubim” with a “flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life” (Genesis 3:24) and prevent them from coming near it.

God punished Satan also through the promise of a Savior for His people. He said to Satan; “... I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” If this is difficult for you to understand, think of it this way – A crushed head would result in death. A bruised heel would cause a limp for awhile, but would eventually heal and be as good as new.

Dear friend, I am that “enmity”. I am Jesus, the true Son of God. I came willingly into this world to save sinners like Adam and Eve and all people since their time. Because of their (Adam and Eve’s) sin all people after them have inherited sin. All people are born spiritually dead. All people face physical death, but without My help they would not only die physically but eternally. Without My sacrifice their souls would go to Hell, the place God prepared for the devil and his fellow demons.

You see, My heavenly Father demands perfection. He is holy and demands that His people be holy also. Because He dearly loves the people He created, He sent Me, the second person of the deity and His only Son, to die in your place and in the place of all people. I came to earth as a man. I lived the holy and perfect life that humans are unable to do. Oh, it wasn’t easy. I faced the same temptations that you do. Satan tried to lead Me into sin just like he did Eve, but with the help of my Father, I overcame him.

I became the sacrifice which My Father demanded for sin. I suffered the punishment which Adam and Eve and all people deserve for their sin by dying on a cross and being forsaken by My Father. I was buried in a tomb, but I conquered death and Satan when I rose from the dead three days later.

Satan merely bruised my heel when I suffered on the cross and was forsaken by my Father, but I crushed his head destroying his power forever when I rose triumphant three days later. It is all recorded for you in My Father’s Word if you are interested in reading it for yourself. I appeared to many people after I rose so that there would be no doubt that I am alive. Those who have faith in Me are covered by My blood and washed clean of all sin. My Father no longer holds them accountable. They are holy and ready for heaven.

Dear friend I died for you too. I love you. I want you to live with Me in the mansions I have prepared for you in heaven. You are My own dear child. I am present with you here on earth, but this earth is not all there is. Someday you will die and when that day comes for you, I want to be able to send My holy angels to you to carry you home. I want you to be with Me and live with Me forever in my Father’s house.

You need to be ready for that day. In order for you to be ready for heaven you need to have faith and believe the promises offered in My Father’s Word.

It's up to you to reach out and take hold of My free gift. I have given you My Word to light your path so you won't get lost.Your wife and daughters each have a copy of that Word. Pick it up sometime and read it. Through the Word My Holy Spirit will give you faith in Me. You will be a forgiven child of God, perfect and ready for heaven. Make sure your garments are washed in My blood through faith.

The health issues you are facing now in this life are nothing compared to the glory which awaits all who trust in Me. I remind you to not fear those who kill the body (sickness, pain and disease) but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28)

Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest...(Matthew 11:28)

The spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life... Amen, Come Lord Jesus. (Revelation 22:17,20)

Your loving friend,

Jesus

Gloria Dei – All glory to God!

By Kristeen

The Power of Prayer

2012-04-15T20:58:00.000-04:00

Lord, Teach me to Pray

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. (Luke 11: 9,10)

Luke chapter eleven verse 1 begins with the words; One day Jesus was praying in a certain place... We are not told where He and His disciples were, but when He had finished praying they asked Him to teach them to pray. He then instituted what is now known by Christians the world over as the Lord’s Prayer. In verses 9 and 10 above Jesus encourages them and us to go to God in prayer with every need and advises them and us to pray to Him continually not worrying about being too bold or being a bother.

Do you believe in the power of prayer? If you do, I’m sure that prayer is a big part of your life. Do you pray with confidence, knowing God will answer “yes” or do you pray knowing the answer will possibly be “yes”, but that God may also possibly answer “no” to your request?

Hmmm... Isn’t Jesus saying in the verse above that if we ask we will receive what we ask for? He doesn’t say; ask and you might receive. He very simply says all we need do is ask Him and he will grant our wish. It almost seems too good to be true.

How many times in your life have you gone to God in prayer, desperately asking for healing of body for yourself or maybe for a friend or relative? Have you ever prayed that God would change your life circumstances or remove financial burdens? Are you lonely? Maybe you prayed for Him to send you a Christian partner – someone to share your life with in marriage? Did He answer “yes” to your prayers? Did He answer “no”? Or did He maybe make you wait a long time for an answer? Have you ever asked for something from God in prayer in which you don’t feel that He heard you or answered you?

I have offered up many prayers to God in my lifetime. There are many times when it was easy to see and realize His answer to my prayers, but there were and are just as many or more times when I have wondered if He even heard me, let alone answered me.

Oh, I know better! I have been taught from infancy that God hears and answers all prayers from believers. If I doubted, it was because my faith was weak or maybe I was just not spiritually tuned in enough to have recognized His answer to me. It may have been one of those times when God simply answered “no” to my request. As I look back on my life I remember one specific time when I prayed and prayed with tears and God answered “no”. It was the summer of 1963 and I was 13 years old.

My family had a beautiful huge Maple tree in our back yard. It was the center of our outdoor activity in the summer. It offered welcoming shade and as children, my brother and I spent many hot summer days playing under it. Our sand box and swing set were placed under the tree, but the best thing I remember, was the tree house which our dad had built for us. It was very simple – just a platform and there were makeshift ladder steps nailed to the trunk which allowed us easy access. At age 13 I was pretty much past the tree climbing stage but it was cool up there, and the leaves also offered quiet seclusion. It was a great place to go for a quiet and private talk with God.

The summer of 1963 was not a fun summer for anyone in my family. You see, there was a family member who was terminally ill. It was my 2 year old nephew. He had been diagnosed with cancer. He was dying. It was heartbreaking, but in my heart of hearts I knew there was hope. I knew that God could heal Him if it was His will to do so. I spent hours in our little tree house praying. I talked to God and acknowledged His power to heal. I asked, even begged Him to make my nephew well. I prayed and prayed with tears flowing down my face. In the end He answered “no” to my prayer. It was not His good and perfect will to heal that little boy. He took him to heaven on August 31, 1963.

So if God’s answer to a believer’s prayer is sometimes “no” what does Jesus mean when He says that all we need to do is ask and He will grant our request? He says; for everyone who asks receives... Really? Then why, over the years have I not received everything I have asked for from God? Why does He not always give me the desires of my heart? If He really means what He says, why didn’t He answer “yes” to my prayer to heal my nephew? I have never doubted that He could have healed him and I was never angry with God because He didn’t heal him, but still I wondered if I had missed something somehow.

I have finally reached a point in my faith life where God has allowed me to see it clearly. The answer is quite simple actually. Although it has taken me almost 50 years to figure it out, I have finally come to realize that the prayers Jesus is referring to here are spiritual prayers. He ends this lesson on prayer by asking His disciples; which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion... how much more then will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! (Luke 11: 11-13)

Jesus wants us to realize that Physical blessings are fleeting and only last for this life. When we die they no longer mean anything to us. We can’t take our belongings with us. Everything we own here on earth will be passed on to someone else. Spiritual blessings however, will last through eternity.

When we ask God for spiritual blessings – those blessings which have to do with our relationship with Him and our eternal good, He will never deny us. For example, when we ask Him to be present in our lives – He will always answer “yes”. When we pray for a stronger faith – He will always answer “yes”. When we ask Him to open our heart to receive His Spirit – He will always answer “yes”. He eagerly anticipates our requests for spiritual needs. He loves each and every soul on this earth dearly and His desire is for us to be close to Him and know Him personally. He wants us to pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:16).

Only one time in the Lord’s Prayer does Jesus mention physical blessings. He begins the prayer by addressing His Father in heaven.

He says:

Father (God),
hallowed be your name (your name is holy),
Your kingdom come (May God’s word or His kingdom be made known to all people),
Your will be done (may God’s good and perfect will be done)
On earth as it is in heaven.(here on earth as well as in the heavenly realms)
Give us today our daily bread (provide us with what we need for each day of earthly life)
Forgive us our debts, (forgive our sins)
As we also have forgiven our debtors (help us also to forgive those who sin against us)
And lead us not into temptation (keep us from being tempted into sin)
But deliver us from the evil one (protect is from Satan and all kinds of evil to body and soul)

This doesn’t mean Jesus doesn’t care about our physical needs. He does. He walked this earth just like you and I do. He experienced many of the same ups and down that we do and more, but what He wants us to realize is that when our spiritual needs are satisfied, all of the other things we need in life will fall into place. Our lives will be fulfilling and we will be content.

There is power in prayer! Do you know someone who does not have faith? Pray for that person everyday and never stop. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. (James 5:15) That doesn’t mean your prayer will be answered over night. It may take days, weeks, months or even years, but keep praying and don’t give up. God is not bound by time like we are. Remember; With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. (1 Peter 3:8) Remember also that He has a plan. He is a God of order not chaos. He will bring things about in His own good time and always has our best interest at heart.

If the person you are praying for never comes to faith in his or her lifetime, it is not because God did not hear or answer your prayer. It is because that person hardened their heart toward God and rejected Him. God does give us choices in life. He won’t force anyone to believe in or come to Him. We are told in Hebrews 11:6; without faith it is impossible to please God. And in 1 Peter 3:12; The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.

In regards to our requests for physical needs, God does answer “yes” to our prayers when He deems it is in our best interest to do so. We are told; is any one of you sick He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well. (James 5: 14,15) He answered “yes” to the prayer of King Hezekiah by healing him and adding 15 years to his life. (2 Kings 20: 1-6) He answered “yes” to Hannah’s request for a child. You can read the story in 1 Samuel chapter 1.

In the same way He may also answer “no” to our prayers for physical needs when He deems it is in our best interest to do so. He answered “no” to King David’s request to save the life of the child born to him by Bathsheba and David accepted His answer in faith (2 Samuel 11, 12). He answered “no” to my prayer request for Him to heal my nephew. I accepted His answer in faith knowing He did what was best for all concerned.

Prayer is a heart to heart talk with God. It is an act of worship in which we speak to God from our hearts (Luther’s Catechism pg. 280).

Don’t know how to pray? Pray like you are talking to or confiding in a friend. Don’t know where to pray? A quiet place is nice when possible, but if not pray where you are. Don’t be ashamed for others to see you pray, but there is no need to make a big display either. If you need to talk to God when you are at work, then pray as you do your work. God knows the deep thoughts of your heart and mind. Pray out loud. Pray silently to yourself. Pray with your friends. Pray with your family.

Our God is all-knowing, ever-present, and all-powerful. He always hears and answers prayer. He may answer your prayer as you speak or you may have to wait. He may allow you to see and know His answer, or He may never make it known to you. He may allow you to see and know His answer months or years down the road or you may not see it until you are called home to heaven.

Remember, He will always answer “yes” to your prayers and requests for spiritual blessings. He may answer “yes” or “no” to your prayers for physical blessings.

Some ways/times to pray:

while exercising
before going to sleep(no need to get on your knees)
while driving to work
through song (out loud or in thought)
before and after meals
in church
while playing sports (Tim Tebow for example)
doing housework
in the shower.

Stay connected. Honor God with your prayers. Make Him a part of everything you do. You will be truly blessed! Does it sound too good to be true? It isn’t! It really works!

Gloria Dei – All glory to God!

By Kristeen

"Funny" - Really?

2012-03-19T21:32:00.000-04:00

What’s so funny?

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).

One of the features I enjoy as a member/writer at hubpages.com is the “Feedback” section. At the end of each hub, before the comment section, there is a list of Accolades – Useful, Funny, Awesome, Beautiful and Interesting. There is also a Vote Up and a Vote Down Option. This allows the reader an opportunity to offer his/her opinion anonymously and helps the writer to know if he/she is getting his/her point across and what people think of the writing. As a member of the hubpages I can then go to my account section and see the accolades marked for each hub. I can also see exactly how many times each hub has been viewed and how many comments were left. Not every reader leaves or marks the accolades and some may mark more than one. There are always fewer accolades than there are hub views. Therefore it does not reflect a real accurate opinion, but it does give the writer an idea of how his/her work is being received by other hubbers.

A Spiritual Message

I am always interested to see what people who read my hubs/blogs think of them. I have been surprised to find that several people (11 in all) considered different hubs I’ve written to be funny. It surprises me because I am a serious writer. All of my hubs contain some sort of spiritual message. Now I grant you that is very few funny votes when one considers that the total views on all of my hubs combined is at this point in time 8,834 - but really; funny? I fear for the souls of those who voted funny because they are not laughing at me, but at God and God is not laughing with them.

Below is a list of the hubs which were voted funny:

1. The Truth about Hell – A Response to “To Hell with Eternal Torment” Total accolades – 15 – Total funny – 3 (Total views 1499)

2. “Death” – A Christian Perspective versus an Atheist – Total Accolades – 5 – Total funny 2 (Total Views – 221)

3. There is a Message in the Cross – Total Accolades – 6 - Total funny – 2 (Total Views – 358)

4. A Daily Prayer for Thursday – Total Accolades 3 – Total funny – 2 (Total Views – 40)

5. Blameless – Total Accolades – 1 – Total funny – 1 (Total Views – 221)

6. In the Quiet of Night – Total Accolades – 11 – Total funny – 1 (Total Views – 40)

The first hub listed above, The Truth about Hell , was written in response to a hub entitled “To Hell with Eternal Torment”. The writer of this hub was basically saying that a loving God would not send the people He created to Hell. The three main questions/statements I addressed were;

1.    Why would a loving God damn the people He created to eternal punishment in Hell?
2.    Why would God create people just for eternal punishment?
3.    How can people/Christians say they love God and wish that their fellow human beings be dammed to Hell?

These questions pose a grossly wrong interpretation of Scripture and of sincere Christians. My responses to them came from a loving heart and a desire for all people to know the peace that comes from a personal relationship with God, our Creator and with His Son, Jesus Christ who sacrificed His life in our place opening the gate to Heaven for all who believe in Him.

There was nothing funny about this hub. God is not laughing with those who voted it funny and He is not laughing at them. He is grieving for their souls. God...wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (1Timothy 2:4)

The recycling bin?

The second hub in the list; Death – A Christian’s Perspective vs. an Atheist’s was written in an attempt to reach out to an Atheist with whom I was exchanging information regarding God’s love for all people. It was my hope, to help her realize the importance of our Time of Grace here on earth. I had asked this person; What do you believe about where people go when they die? In response she wrote her own hub and entitled it; Death – An Atheist’s Perspective. In her hub she addressed the following three statements:

1.    According to my beliefs, my physical body will return to its elemental state and feed the earth and my energy will be returned to the earth to be recycled. In short, I will go to the recycling bin.
2.    I have yet to see concrete evidence for the existence of god and the supernatural…I’ve been researching the bible and the history of Christianity, and can confidently conclude that the bible is a work of fiction…
3.    If the bible is fiction, and there is no concrete evidence for the existence of god and the supernatural, then how can we presume there is an afterlife?...Can we believe what is said about heaven and hell?

These statements of belief offer absolutely no hope for the future and no reason to continue life here on earth. I will end up in the recycling bin? That certainly doesn’t give me a reason to go on living. The other two statements make it obvious that our human reason has no answers as to our existence either. In my response, I tried to offer her comfort from God’s Word. In the end, I believe stubborn pride on her part overruled. Obviously a couple of people thought my beliefs to be funny. In the end they were not laughing at me, but at God.

Foolishness to those who are perishing

Two people considered There is a Message in the Cross to be funny. In this hub I responded to the many accusations and criticisms I received in the comment sections of previous hubs in regards to my belief in God as our Creator. I along with other Christians were referred to as being Misleading Ego Maniacs, Unloving, Extremely Delusional, Very Aggressive, Hypocritical, Slanderers, and Two-Faced. They also referred to God as being Two-Faced. I was told that the Bible is plagiarized off previous mythology, that religion is just another addiction, Christian belief is Fear Doctrine, Christians are blinded by their beliefs, and that Science and the Bible don’t match up. I responded in a loving way to each accusation and my responses were based on Scripture. In the end we know 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. (1 Corinthians 1:21) This is not a laughing matter.

A Daily Pray for Thursday is as follows:

Dearest Heavenly Father,

As we begin another new day help us to glorify you in all we do and say. Give us courage as we face the temptations set before us today by the devil, the world, and our own sinfulness. Keep us from that Long Black Train which, as the song writer says leads to nowhere and in the end to destruction. Rather, help us and guide us as we climb step by step the rocky and difficult path that leads to eternity with you. Guide us as we press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called [us] heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14)

A heart to heart talk with God

And dear Father, as we witness the breakdown of families in our society, we ask you to be with the many children who are the innocent victims of divorced parents. Comfort their hearts with the knowledge that you love them deeply. Help parents to realize the precious gifts they have in their children. Send your Holy Angels to walk beside each child and protect him/her from harm. May all parents remember these words spoken by Jesus; See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. (Matthew 18:10)

Help married couples to take their vows seriously and to remember that marriage is a Holy institution initiated by you and not to be entered into lightly, or in haste and without forethought. When problems arise guide them to your word for wisdom and help.

We ask it all in the name of Jesus our Savior and Brother, in the name of God the Father, our Creator and Preserver, and in the name of the Holy Spirit who gives us faith. Amen

There is absolutely nothing in this prayer that would be considered funny!

Blameless is a hub which was written to help people understand that because of what Jesus accomplished for us when He died and rose again, we are holy in God’s eyes and made fit for Heaven. When Jesus died on the cross he took the punishment we deserve for our sinfulness upon Himself and gave us His holiness. He rose from the dead three days later conquering death and releasing us from its fear. Through faith in Jesus we are washed in His blood and made spotless and holy in God’s eyes. He no longer holds us accountable for our sin. This is often referred to as God’s Great Exchange.

Jesus died for all people and all people are forgiven through His sacrifice, but only those who acknowledge their sinfulness to God with a repentant heart, will receive the free gift of salvation offered. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

(John 3:16,17)This is definitely good news. It brings relief to our troubled conscience, and releases us from the chains of sin which bind us and hold us captive. We are free to live for God and we no longer need to fear dying. Death is the end of our life here on earth, but it is the beginning of our life in heaven where God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

(Revelation 7:17)

One person voted this hub funny. I would not consider this at all funny, but it definitely brings joy to the heart and relief to the soul.

The quiet of night

In the Quiet of Night is a true story. It happened to my oldest daughter. It is the story of how God protected her from an intruder. I discussed how God uses His Holy angels to protect those who love Him, how He has control over all things, and will use the outcome (good or bad) for good and to draw us closer to Him. I also discussed how the angels report to God as recorded in Job chapters 1 & 2 and how He enforces limits on Satan and his power. It was not a funny story, but possibly there are those who consider the spiritual world something to be joked about. One person gave this story a funny accolade.

Bigger than our Unisverse

It really doesn’t matter to me what others think of my writings. I don’t write to give glory to myself. I write to glorify God. I love God and my heart overflows with a burning desire to proclaim His love to the world around me. I want others to know how wonderful it is to have a personal relationship with Him. All people need to know that they are loved by a God who is bigger than the Universe we live in. He is the God “who sees”. He is the great “I Am”. Humans are the crown of His creation. He loves each of us as if we were His only child. In spite of the many people in the world, He knows each of our needs. He promises to always be with us. He answers prayer. He will make Himself known in your life when your heart is open to Him. He never changes. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17) He is the ALL POWERFUL, EVER PRESENT, ALL KNOWING GOD. He is the ONLY true God. There is no other.

I have been a member of the hubpages for 2 years and have had my blog the same amount of time. If my writings have made a difference in the life of just one person of all the almost 9000 people who have read them, then it is worth all the time and effort. Only the Holy Spirit can change hearts, but we can plant seeds and once the seeds are planted, He can make them grow.

Gloria Dei! – All Glory to God!
By Kristeen

God Answers Prayer

2012-02-27T11:35:00.001-05:00

And the Angels Cried...

See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven...In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost. (Matthew 18:10)

It was Monday February 6, 2012. My work hours are flexible on Mondays so I don’t usually set my alarm. It’s nice to just wake up naturally sometimes, and that is a luxury I allow myself on Mondays. On this particular Monday however I did set my alarm because I had things I needed to get done. I got up at 6:30 A.M. and turned on the TV to watch the news with my husband while we drank our coffee. We normally watch the local news for 30 minutes and then Good Morning America which comes on at 7 A.M.

On this day Good Morning America came on with “Breaking News”. It wasn’t good news. It was sad and horrifying news. The story was about two little boys who have been in the news for the last couple of years. Their names are Charlie and Braden Powell. I don’t know this family personally, but I feel their pain. Their mother, Susan Powell went missing December 6, 2009 and has never been found. On the night she disappeared their father Scott Powell claimed to have taken the two little boys ages 2 and 4 at the time, camping. The strange thing about it was that it was winter and very cold. Many people, myself included, felt it rather odd that a father would take children that young on a camping trip in the deep cold of winter.

The “Breaking News” about the family was that Josh Powell had murdered his two little boys who were now aged 5 and 7. They had come to his house on Sunday for a visit. Their case worker had brought them and the plan was for her to stay and supervise the visit as was stipulated by the courts. They jumped out of the car excited to see their father and were several steps ahead of her. Josh opened the door for the boys and let them in. As the case worker arrived at the door it was shut in her face. She banged on the door but to no avail. She heard Josh say; Charlie I have a surprise for you. Minutes later she heard Braden cry out. She immediately called 911 and reported that she feared for the boy’s lives. She also reported that she smelled gasoline. As she hung up from talking with the emergency dispatcher the house exploded into flames. It was later determined that before he set the house ablaze, Josh attacked the boys with a hatchet. All three are now dead.

We hear of horrible crimes committed against children every day. They are often neglected and abused - sexually, emotionally and physically. They are abandoned, they are used and often sold for pornography and only God knows what other unspeakable crimes are committed against them, but this one upset me more than any other child abuse story I have ever heard.

Most abused children have been in that situation since birth. They don’t know any other kind of life. That doesn’t make it okay, but since they have never been loved, they don’t expect any better. These two little boys were loved. They were loved by their mother. They were loved by their grandparents, friends and relatives. They had a warm place to sleep at night. They had clean clothes to wear every day. They attended school and were loved by teachers and friends. By all outward appearances they were loved by their dad also. This makes what happened to them seem all the more sinister.

An Angel for each child

Charlie (7) and Braden (5) were beautiful children and seemingly well adjusted in spite of all they had been through. It is heartbreaking to picture the little boys all excited to see their dad and then imagine the horror on their faces and the fear in their hearts as they see him come at them with a hatchet. I ask myself the unthinkable; God where were you? Where were the angels assigned to those little boys? In the verse above from Matthew, Jesus Himself tells us that there are angels assigned to each child on earth and that they report back to God what they see. Why God? Why did you allow such an unthinkable crime against these helpless little boys?

I have been brought up in a Christian home. I have been taught that we never ask God “why”. We know that life is going to be sad and troubling at times. Jesus Himself tells us; in this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world (John 16:33). God never in His Word promises us a rose garden. In fact He warns us that life here on earth will be filled with sorrow and pain. He doesn’t cause our pain and sorrow, but He does allow it at times and uses it for our good. He compares the hardships of this life to the discipline children receive from parents who love them. My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son (Hebrews 12:5,6). He uses the hardship and disappointments of life to make us stronger. He uses them to make us turn to Him for help. He uses them to make us realize that we need Him – that we are helpless and hopeless without him. In many instances He uses them to teach us a lesson. But still I can’t help but wonder... I don’t blame God and I am not angry with God, but I have prayed for God to help me understand.

Most of the sad and tragic things which happen in life are the result of accident or disease – things we have no control over. Life is fragile. It can go from happiness to heartbreak in a matter of seconds, but somehow it is easier to understand and accept a tragic accident or illness, simply because it is something out of our control. In spite of tragedy we know that God loves us and wants what is best for us. As Christians We know that through sorrow we will grow in our faith. We know that God has our best interest at heart.

What about this incident though? This was not caused by illness, or accident. It was a crime which was well planned, and thought out in detail. It was not a case of God disciplining His children whom He loved. It was evil and nothing evil comes from God.

In my search for information about this incident, I was led to a facebook page for Josh Powell. Every remark and comment on the page was of satanic origin. Every comment stated something to the effect; those two little demons got just what they deserved. They didn’t deserve to live. The world is better off without them... It sickened me and I quickly closed the page. I knew that I didn’t belong there and I didn’t want any part of it.

Several days later as I was going about my usual daily routine, it was like a light bulb suddenly came on in my head and I realized that I had been so busy trying to understand “how” and “why” that I missed what I was looking for. God had answered my prayer and I hadn’t even noticed. I didn’t recognize it as such at first because I was not spiritually tuned in to Him. I’m not sure exactly what kind of answer I expected, but it could be that I didn’t expect Him to reveal His answer to me at all.

Later I tried to go back to the page hoping to find out more, but I couldn’t find it. No matter what I typed into my computer the site would not come up. I believe that God led me to that page the first time to help me understand where this horrible crime had originated. I also believe it was God who prevented me from going back there because it was not a good place for me, or for anyone who was not of satan to be. What happened to Charlie and Braden was evil and it came from satan. Just as God is the source of all good in our lives, satan is the source of all evil.

God always answers the prayers of believers, but He may not always answer in the way we are expecting and He may not always give us the answer we want to hear. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective (James 5:16). Sometimes, like any good parent He may answer; that is something you don’t need to know right now, or His answer might be; you’re not ready to hear it yet, or this isn’t the right time and place. Sometimes He simply answers with a yes or no. He may allow us to see and know His answer or we may never know in our lifetime. I have to wonder how often God answers my prayers in a spiritual way and I miss out on the comfort He offers because I am tuned in to the world around me and don’t hear or feel His presence.

God didn’t tell me why He didn’t intervene for Charlie and Braden, but I didn’t expect Him to. I knew better than to even ask. I know that He certainly could have intervened and made the outcome different. He could have given the story a happy ending, but by faith I trust in His almighty wisdom, His ever present love, His all-knowing heart and mind and His all-powerful existence. He will punish those who caused this anguish. For we know him who said; It is mine to avenge; I will repay...It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Hebrews 10:30,31)

Yes, on February 5, 2012, the angels in heaven were crying. They were crying in anguish because a heinous crime was committed against two precious little lambs whose lives were taken from them in an evil and violent way. My sincere hope is that God in His mercy took Charlie and Braden to be with Him, that they are wrapped in the security of His never ending love and that they are romping and playing in the warm “Son” shine of heaven.

Jesus cried too

God tells us in His Word that we are saved by Grace through Faith in His one and only Son. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God... Ephesians 2:8) I didn’t know Charlie and Braden personally. I don’t know if the adults in their lives taught them about their Savior, but children are not able to make their own choices about who they live with and what they believe. They, with trusting hearts believe what they are taught by those whom they love and respect. The words of Jesus, I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children (Matthew 11:25,26) offer much comfort in this respect.

Words of Jesus:

And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea... (Matthew 18:5,6)

Pray for them

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we come to you today on behalf of the many children in the world who suffer at the hands of selfish, wicked and uncaring adults. Comfort them with your love. Help them to know in some way that they are loved by you and that they have a Savior who gave His life for them – who understands their suffering. Our children are precious gifts from you and they are our future. Help us to protect them Lord and grant all governing authorities the discernment to make good decisions regarding their care. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Gloria Dei! – All Glory to God!

By Kristeen

"Joy Comes in the Morning"

2012-02-08T20:09:00.000-05:00

The Scars of Life

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 your staff, they comfort me.

(Psalm, 23:4)

Have you ever walked through the valley of the shadow of death - either your own death or the death of someone close to you? If it was your own and you are reading this, obviously God rescued you from physical death and brought you back to life for a second chance. The day will come however for each of us, when the shadow of death will loom in front of us. In reality we live in death’s shadow from the moment of our birth. Because of sin we are all doomed to die someday.

It is pretty safe to say that most of us by the time we reach adulthood have experienced the death of someone close to us. There is nothing more devastating in this earthly life. It wouldn’t be quite as difficult if we all knew that we would live to the ripe old age of 90 or so. Oh, it is always hard to say good-bye, but our mother, father, grandma, grandpa, aunt or uncle who dies at age 90 has lived a long life. They have experienced all that this life has to offer. We are a little more prepared to let go of them.

Mom

For those who die in the Lord it is simply a matter of passing from this life into the next. I remember my own mother who died at age 82, saying to me several weeks before her death; I want to go home. She was ready to go. She had lived her life. She was tired of the battle and she knew where she was going. She was ready to be with the Lord. I wasn’t ready for her to go. I wanted so badly for her to get well and stay here with me. At one point I whispered in her ear through my tears; Mom I wish I could make you better. The reality finally set in though that God was taking her and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

So for those of us left behind, the death of an elderly friend or relative is sad, but not devastating. We are prepared for it. We know that no one on this earth will escape dying. It is when people whom we love die unexpectedly at a young age, or even during childhood from an illness or accident, that we feel truly devastated.

My Grandma

My first experience with the death of a loved one was when my grandmother passed away. She died at age 65 unexpectedly while she was at home peeling potatoes for dinner. I was seven years old. I don’t remember feeling devastated, but I truly missed her. She had lived right next door to my family. I had run in and out of her house everyday as if it were my own. My sister and I, along with our cousins, had spent many nights with her and grandpa. She was very loving and always patient with us. She baked with us, she sewed for us, and she doted on us. She loved us dearly and was always ready to defend us when we were in trouble. She saw the best in us, even when we were clearly in the wrong. I guess that’s what grandmas are for – to love us unconditionally.

My Father and little brother

My next brush with death took place a year later, almost to the day, when my father died suddenly of a fatal heart attack. He was 39 years old. This time I was devastated! I won’t lie. It was one of the most difficult times of my life. It left a permanent scar on my heart. He was there to tuck us into bed one night and the next morning he was gone. He left behind a young wife and three children - my sister (age 11), myself (age 8), and our little brother (age 3). It has been fifty some odd years now and I still miss him. I have wondered if he would be proud of me. I have wished he could have known my children.

Yes, I was devastated at his death, but not without hope. My father was a baptized child of God. He had faith and believed God’s promises. I knew he was in heaven. I knew I would see him again.

I am so blessed to have been born into a Christian heritage. I was baptized and became a member of God’s family when I was one month old. I had been taught the love of Jesus from birth. I knew even at the young age of eight years old that death was not the end for those who believed in and loved God. I had been taught God’s Word at home and in school. I had memorized the words of the apostle Paul from Romans 8:28 which state; And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. I prayed that God would help me to be strong. It was a sad and lonely next few years but I knew that my family would be blessed in some way through the death of my father.

Although the scars of my father’s death remain on my heart, they are healed. As I look back I am able to see that I have been truly blessed by it. I am not referring to physical blessings here, although I am able to see those also. No, I am referring to blessings such as a compassionate heart, knowing the value of life and knowing that it is a gift which should never be taken for granted. Most importantly I see the value in knowing my Savior. Without my faith it would have seemed hopeless and if my father had died without faith, it would have been hopeless. As it is, I know that he is in heaven. I know that I will see him again when I am called home, along with all of my loved ones who have died in the Lord.

Two years after our father’s death while our broken hearts were still healing, my mother remarried. We moved to a new town and became part of a new family. God was not done with us yet however. My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son. (Hebrews 12: 5,6) Several years after our mother remarried, we were to experience more devastation.

Along with our step father came step siblings. We had two new sisters and a brother, all of whom were already adults when we came into the family. I became very close to the younger of my step sisters who was newly married. She and her husband lived next door to us. I loved her dearly and still do. She is one of the sweetest people I know.

About a year or so after her marriage she gave birth to a baby boy. They named him Eric. I love babies and spent many hours at her house playing with him. Each day after school, I jumped off the bus, dropped my books in the house and ran next door to see him. I learned how to bathe, feed and diaper him and I loved to dress him in the many cute outfits he had received as gifts. Before long he looked forward to seeing me also. He would greet me with a big smile. If he happened to be asleep when I arrived, I patiently waited for him to waken. I wonder sometimes how my sister put up with me but she was always very patient and loving and to this day she insists that she never minded having me there. She appreciated the time I spent with him as it allowed her to get things done. I remember many times playing with him while she ironed or cooked dinner. We were quite a close knit little threesome.

Eric grew healthy and strong. By his first birthday he weighed 30 pounds. I was not a very big person at age 12 and people would often comment as I carried him around that he was almost as big as I was. One day when he was about 18 months old, I went over after school for my usual visit and he was sick. He seemed to have the flu. He wouldn’t eat and he was running a fever and vomiting. I rocked him and comforted him.

In the days following he would seem better one day, but then the next he would be sick again. His parents kept taking him to the doctor and were being told; don’t worry – he just has the flu. This went on for several weeks and he was beginning to lose weight. His concerned parents opted to take him to a specialist. Tests were done and it was found that he had cancer. He was put into the hospital immediately, but after several surgeries and radiation treatments the doctors reported that there was nothing more they could do. It was just a matter of time. There was no Chemo Therapy yet back in the sixties. By this time, my sister had given birth to a little girl also and was pregnant with her third child.

The gift of life

Little Eric celebrated his second birthday on August 12, 1964 and he died on August 31, 1964. I was once more devastated by the death of a loved one, but again, not without hope. Little Eric had been baptized and become a member of God’s family on Sept. 9, 1962. Through his baptism he was a forgiven child of God and had received the gift of faith through the Holy Spirit. He was in heaven. My mother was with him at the end. Just before he died, he reached out his little hands to her. When she bent over to him he touched her face saying sunshine. My mother has always firmly believed that at that moment he was seeing Jesus and heaven before him. We know he is there and we will see him when we arrive. His mother gave birth to a baby girl on Sept. 5, 1964, the day after his funeral. In the midst of sorrow, God once again granted the joyful gift of life. Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. (Psalm 30:5)

The following poem was read at his funeral:

To All Parents (from God)

I’ll lend you for a little time

A little child of mine He said,

For you to love the while he lives

And mourn for when he’s dead.

It may be six or seven years,

Or twenty-two or three,

But will you, till I call him back,

Take care of him for me?

He’ll bring his charms to gladden you,

And shall his stay be brief,

You’ll have his lovely memories

As solace for your grief.

I cannot promise he will stay,

Since all from earth return,

But there are lessons taught down there

I want this child to learn.

I’ve looked the whole world over

In my search for teachers true

And from the throngs that crowd life’s lanes

I have selected you...

Now will you give him all your love,

Nor think the labor vain

Nor hate me when I come

To take him back again?

I fancied that I heard them say:

Dear Lord, Thy will be done,

For all the joy thy child shall bring

The risk of grief we’ll run

We’ll shelter him with tenderness,

We’ll love him while we may,

And for the happiness we’ve known

Forever grateful stay.

But shall the angels call for him

Much sooner than we’ve planned

We’ll brave the bitter grief that comes

And try to understand. (by Edgar Guest)

Yes, I have some pretty big scars on my emotional being from the loss of loved ones to death. The scar on my heart from Eric’s death is huge. It needed a lot of stitches and it is still visible, but God healed it. Are you, or is someone you know beginning the long walk through the valley of the shadow of death? We will all go there someday. Make sure of where you are going. Let God, through His Word light the path for you so that you will not stumble and fall or get lost and turn down the wrong road – the one which leads to eternal death. Do your children and loved ones know the way? Do your friends know the way? We are saved through faith in Jesus, God’s one and only Son. He took the punishment we deserve for our sin upon himself and died in our place. Through His suffering and death on the cross we are made holy in God’s eyes. Through His resurrection he conquered death and defeated the devil’s hold on us. We are washed in His blood and made perfect for heaven.

Baptism is the only way for little babies to come to faith. Jesus gives parents the responsibility of bringing their children to baptism in Matthew 28: 19, 20 when he says; 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... Babies and children are included in the words all nations.

I’m sure that the Lord is still not done with me. There will be more scars on my heart before my life is over, but I know that with His help I can do all things. Death is no selector of persons. It comes to young and old alike and it leaves scars on the hearts of those left behind. The scars will never fade away, but for those who hope in the Lord, they will heal. There will be a light shining brightly at the end of the rainbow. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23: 6)

But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40: 31)

Gloria Dei! (All glory to God)

By Kristeen

To Live for Christ - To Die for Christ

2012-01-23T18:36:00.000-05:00

A Yet Unfulfilled Longing

For me to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. (Philippians 1: 21-24)

To die is gain for those who believe

These words of the apostle Paul addressed to the Philippians are powerful words. Are they words you are able to apply to your own heart? As Christians we know that to die in the Lord is gain. But most of us would probably say; I long to be with you Lord, but not yet! I’m not ready to die yet! We are strongly rooted to this physically visible world we live in. We are attached to the people we know and love and to what is familiar to us.

In spite of the many promises in Scripture which tell us heaven will be a wonderful place where we will dwell in the presence of God and will be able to talk to Him face to face, there is still that spark of fear which humans possess. It is a fear of the unknown. It is also a fear resulting from the thought of a sinful human nature coming face to face with a holy God. God has promised us heaven because of Jesus. We can rest assured of that, but there is still that small voice in the back of our mind which resists the idea that we will die someday.

To not want to die is normal for humans and it is healthy and good. God did not create us to die. He created us to live forever on His beautiful earth, but sin changed all that. Because of Adam and Eve’s fall into sin, we are all sinners. Death is punishment for sin. Scripture tells us; The wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23) How many times do you remember as a child, after having done something you knew was wrong, dreading/fearing the punishment you would more than likely receive from your parents? Did you hide in your room or put off coming home? Did you feel ashamed and wish in your heart that you could go back in time and hopefully have made a better choice?

It was the same with Adam and Eve. God tells us that after Adam and Eve sinned they tried to hide from Him. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. (Genesis 3:8) Of course Adam and Eve could not hide from an all knowing, all powerful and ever present God and we can’t either.

The good thing is that God loves us. Instead of leaving us in our sin and dooming us to everlasting punishment in the fires of hell, He rescued us through the gift of His own perfect Son.

Big Sister/Little Brother

I remember one day when I was maybe 10 or 11 years old, writing with my finger in the dirt on my dad’s car. I was not intentionally doing wrong. I didn’t realize that it would leave scratch marks in the paint on the car. When my father saw it he was very upset and he immediately assumed my little brother who was about 6 years old at the time had done it. I was afraid to admit that it had been me. I let him take the blame and the punishment for it. I never admitted the truth to my parents even though I felt horribly guilty. He was punished in my place.

Jesus did the same type of thing for you and for me and for all people that my little brother had unknowingly done for me. We committed the crime. We are the sinners – the offenders – the breakers of the law. He is the perfect Son of God. He had done nothing to deserve punishment, yet He took the punishment we deserve for our sin upon Himself and in turn gave us His holiness – and unlike my little brother, He did it willingly and with full knowledge.

He gave us His holiness

The second part of that verse in Romans 6:23 reads; but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. God sent Jesus the God-Man to live the perfect life we cannot live. He sent Jesus, His innocent Son to suffer the consequences and punishment for our sin. He was forsaken by God His Father while hanging on that cross. He died and was buried in the ground just like we will be someday. But He didn’t stay dead. He rose again three days later, conquering death and the devil for us. He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead. (Colossians 1:18)In simple words; Jesus is the first human to rise from death never to die again. Like Jesus, all who believe in Him will also rise from the grave on the last day to live with Him forever. At that time our body and soul will be reunited once again and we will live in the way God had intended from the beginning.

God's gift of life

It is natural for humans to fear death because life is a gift. God is the author of life and therefore only He can determine when our life will end. In the meantime He wants us to live our life here on earth in loving service to Him. It is our time of grace. Instead of being fearful we can relax, knowing that our life is in good hands. God is in control. We can leave the end of the story to Him.

In the scripture above the apostle Paul states; I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. I have heard and read these words many times in my life. Each time I hear or read them, I hear that little voice in the back of my mind saying; but not yet Lord, I don’t want to die yet. Yes, I love God and I believe His promises, but at the same time, I have always thought to myself; I don’t want to die. I have a difficult time thinking of my body rotting and decaying in the ground. It isn’t a pretty picture.

The apostle Paul refers to the human body as a tent when he says; Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have an eternal house in heaven not built by human hands. (2 Corinthians 5:1) My body is simply the place in which my soul dwells while here on earth. When my body dies, my soul, which is who I am, will be in heaven with Jesus. I am confident of that fact.

On December 13, 2011 I experienced a life changing event from God that made me excited to go to heaven. I believe that God allowed me to see an angel in the flesh. Now I know that angels are spirits, but God does allow them at times to take on human form according to His purpose, and for the benefit of those who love Him. I believe that on this particular occasion, God wanted to reassure me that He is always present and that He is aware of the needs of each person on this earth, both believers and unbelievers alike and especially helpless children.

Each child has a guardian angel

We are told in Hebrews: 13:2; Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. About children Jesus states; See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. (Matthew 18:10) If you would like to know the details of my encounter, you can read the story in my article, An Angel on my Shoulder.

It took me awhile to process the details of this incident, and understand without a doubt that it was from God. The moment I realized for sure that it was from God, I felt a wonderful excitement. I wanted more! I wanted to see more! I would have gladly left this world at that moment and gone to heaven. I am eager to meet Jesus face to face. When that day comes, all doubt and fear will be erased and replaced with excitement and joy. I am able to finally understand where the apostle Paul was coming from when he said; I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;

Jesus, the beginning & the end

Isn’t it wonderful that God is the author of life? If it were up to us we would never choose to leave this earth and we would miss out on what God has waiting for us in heaven. He gives us glimpses of it in Scripture, but our human mind cannot totally comprehend it. It sounds wonderful, but foreign to us. We think we will miss this life – our friends, our family and all that we are familiar with. It is difficult for us to let go and let God.

He helps us out by taking it out of our hands. Death is a sure thing and it is the one thing we have no control over. The time of our death is determined by God because He can see the big picture. He knows the best time to call each of us home. He will take me at a time which will most benefit me and the family and friends who love me.

I am humbled and feel very privileged that God allowed me to experience His presence here on earth in such an awesome way. My prayer each day is that He would make me always aware that He is with me, and that He would take hold of my heart and lead me to where He needs me the most. I want to serve Him. My heart bleeds for those who don’t know Him and live in fear of dying in their sin. I will gladly work hard to tell everyone I can about the hope that they have in Jesus and I look forward to the day when I will meet Him face to face. Although I am a sinful human I am confident that because of what Jesus did for me, God will say to me; Well done, good and faithful servant...Come and share in your master’s happiness! (Matthew 25:23)

Gloria Dei! All glory to God

By Kristeen

Our God Who Sees

2012-01-07T20:25:00.000-05:00

In the Quiet of Night

(A True Story)

He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. (Luke 4: 10,11)

It was Monday evening. The two boys, Daniel and Benjamin had left the previous afternoon for their two week stay with their dad. The recent divorce of their parents had been hard on both of them, but especially on Benjamin the youngest. Daniel, the oldest at age 16 seemed to be taking the separation of their family in stride. It wasn’t easy and it wasn’t fun, but it was life. He could accept it and move on. For Ben who was 13 it was much more difficult.

The family had been on a rollercoaster for the last year. The two boys who loved each of their parents dearly were caught in the middle. Anne and Jeff had been married for 16 years. In spite of their rocky beginning and the fact that they were both teenagers (ages 18 and 19 respectively) at the time of their marriage, they had made it work – or so everyone thought. What their family and friends did not realize was that Anne had been struggling to hold the family together since day one and Jeff had not been truly happy.

She had become pregnant with Daniel the summer before her senior year of high school. She and Jeff together had, with fear and trepidation gone to each of their parents with the news. Anne’s mother upon receiving the news wrapped her daughter in a hug and told her she loved her. Jeff’s parents, his father especially were a little less understanding at first, but they did come around in the end and were very supportive.

Both sets of parents advised that it would be best for the young couple to marry. Jeff and Anne loved each other (or so they thought) so why not do the right thing and be a family? Their child deserved that. They were married in October and Daniel was born in March of the following year. Jeff’s parents opened their home to them and his mother cared for the baby when Anne returned to school to finish her senior year. She graduated with honors.

They seemed to be a happy and well adjusted family. Two years after the birth of Daniel, Benjamin came along. The couple had purchased their own home by then, but Jeff was having a difficult time finding and keeping a job which would support them. Anne went to work in the evenings at a nearby department store to help out. Her mother watched the children in the afternoon and evening while both parents were at work. Still it was a struggle for them.

Four years or so after their marriage the couple decided it would be best to sell their home and move to northern Michigan. Jeff’s parents had since moved up there and felt that he would be able to find a job relatively easy and be better able to support his family there. The cost of living was slightly less and it was a great place to raise children. Their house sold quickly and within a short couple of months they had moved.

They purchased a modest but comfortable home on a beautiful lot. There was a huge yard for the children and it was a very peaceful and relaxing place. They lived there as a family for eleven years. They invested a lot of love, time and money into making their house a home, but many times during those eleven years it had been a struggle for Anne to keep things together. There were serious problems in their marriage. Jeff had a drinking problem and he had also been unfaithful to her. Finally one evening he came to her and stated that he was leaving. He couldn’t take it anymore. He wanted his freedom.

It was devastating not only for Anne, but for the boys. Benjamin cried and cried. It was like a death to him. It was the end of life as he had known it. He felt very insecure and unhappy. He felt deserted by his father. He didn’t understand why his parents couldn’t just work things out. What was so bad that his father had to leave them?

The family was separated for several months, but at some point Jeff and Anne decided to give it another try. He professed that he still loved her and he wanted them all to be together again. Anne had since moved to a small apartment in town, but after much pleading on Jeff’s part she decided to come back home and give it another try. He promised to do his best to stop drinking and be a better husband and father.

For the next 6 months or so things went smoothly. But one evening Jeff came to Anne and told her he was leaving again. He just wasn’t happy and couldn’t go on the way they had been. He left and went to stay with his parents temporarily until he could get his own place.

The whole family was again devastated. Anne was disappointed and heartbroken. The tears began flowing again for Ben. Daniel struggled also but kept his feelings to himself and did his best to be strong for his brother.

At this point Anne made up her mind that she would not put her boys or herself through this again. She made arrangements to move into an apartment in town. She realized there was no way she could take care of the house and the yard nor could she afford it on her salary. She found an apartment which was affordable and comfortable for her and the boys. Jeff moved back into the house and they shared time equally with Daniel and Benjamin. The boys spent two weeks with their mother; then packed their things and went to their dads for two weeks. It seemed like a lot of hassle, but they all adjusted. Life went on and the divorce became final. It is at this point in time that my story really begins.

Dan and Ben had been with their mother for two weeks. On Sunday afternoon they left for their dads so they could be settled in and ready for school the next day. Anne would be home alone now for a couple of weeks.

On Monday morning she went to work as usual. She returned to the apartment at her usual time, changed into comfortable clothes and went out. She had a few groceries to pick up and she had joined an exercise class hoping to lose a few pounds and get into better shape physically.

She returned home about 8:00 P.M. She put her groceries away and did a few household chores then decided to crawl into bed and read for awhile before going to sleep. The apartment door which opened to the hallway of the complex was locked. The patio door was locked also and a board was placed in the slider as an extra precaution. She went to sleep about 10:00 P.M.

About midnight she awoke from a deep sleep, but didn’t realize what woke her. She just closed her eyes and went back to sleep. About 3 A.M. she awoke again and realized there was a light on in her living room. She thought that she had turned out all the lights... Her mind was foggy with sleep... She was so tired...Her eyes closed and she went back to sleep without moving.

When her alarm went off at 6 A.M. she got up and wondered if it had been a dream. She went to her living room and sure enough the light on the end table was turned on. She never turned that light on unless she was sitting on the couch reading. She hadn’t turned it on the night before. She had read her book in bed before going to sleep. From there she went to see if the door to the hallway was locked – it was. She went to the patio door and it was locked also with the board still in place. She opened all the closet doors. Everything seemed to be in place – nothing moved or missing as far as she could see. She got dressed and went to work.

The more Anne thought about all this the more uneasy she became. She tried to shake it off, but her friends at work seemed to feel uneasy about it also. At 4 P.M. she returned home a little hesitant to go back inside. She decided to bite the bullet and go in. She would just check things over again and make sure nothing was missing or out of place. In the living room and kitchen area everything seemed to be in place. She looking in the pantry closet – all was well. She went into her bedroom and looked into the boy’s closet. When she looked up she saw that a ceiling tile had been moved out of place – as if someone had been looking for something – possibly a place to hide - or maybe a way to enter and leave without being seen or heard? She felt panic rise in her chest. She ran out the door and across the street to the police department. They immediately came back with her and searched the apartment, but other than the tile out of place did not find anything amiss.

After checking above the ceiling tiles the officer found that there was no space up there – no room for anyone to come or go or hide. He suggested that possibly a cross breeze caused by the door opening or shutting may have moved the tile. She didn’t buy that one! If there was no empty space up there how could there have been air flow? She knew that something had taken place. She didn’t understand what, but she knew it was something sinister.

What happened that night? Had she had an unwanted visitor? If so what were they up to? What did they want? Would they come back? Did they want to harm her? Anne didn’t have the answers, but she left that day and never again returned to the apartment alone. She stayed with friends until she found a new place to live. A couple of weeks later when she returned with friends to move her things, everything was just as she had left it.

The biggest question on her mind was; what would have happened if I had let myself wake up? For that matter, what kept her from waking up? Why had she never felt afraid? She was all alone and vulnerable. Most often if we are startled awake from a deep sleep, we would naturally get up and see what was going on. We would at least roll over or sit up in bed. What kept her from getting up after she awoke the second time, to check into the fact that there was a light on in her living room? She knew for certain that she had not left it on. Even when she awoke in the morning she didn’t feel afraid. She was puzzled, but she calmly got ready for work and left. It was after she had time to think about it that she realized maybe she had been in danger. Even then the threat of danger didn’t really sink in until she saw the ceiling tile out of place.

It is a puzzle for sure and I don’t know the answers to her questions or to mine regarding this incident, but I have an idea that there was some divine intervention going on. I know that the almighty God was watching over her. Nothing happens on this earth without His knowledge and He is in control. God created His powerful angels for many purposes, one of which is to protect those who love Him. Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation? (Hebrews 1:14) I believe that He sent an angel to watch over Anne. I believe that the angel or maybe God Himself kept her in a deep sleep to protect her from harm. There is no other explanation for it. Anne feels that some unknown person had a key to her apartment and that the door being opened is what woke her originally. She cannot explain why she didn’t feel afraid or why she didn’t get up to check on things. Normally she would have.

Some have questioned whether it was her ex-husband. It was not him. He had no reason or desire to scare her or harm her. He was afraid for her also. The boys were both with him and in bed asleep at the time. We will never know exactly what happened, but we can be confident of one thing. God was watching over her.

We know from chapter 2 of the book of Job that the angels and also Satan answer and report to God. We read in chapter 2; One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. The Lord said to Satan; ‘Where have you come from?’ Satan answered the Lord, ‘From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.’ In verse 12 of chapter 2 God gives Satan permission to destroy everything Job has, but orders him not to lay a finger on Job himself – The Lord said to Satan; ‘Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.’

The angels are holy and do God’s bidding. They serve Him and praise Him. Satan is evil and powerful, but his power is limited. He has the power to lead us into sin, but those who believe in Jesus need not fear him because we are protected by God. We are warned by the apostle Paul in his letter to the Ephesians to 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 powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6: 11,12) The Armor of God is His word. We need to read and study His Word to prepare ourselves for the attacks of the devil on our hearts and minds. His Word will give us the power to recognize the tricks of Satan and resist Him.

We are so fortunate to have an all-knowing, all-powerful, and ever present God who knows each of us personally and who loves us perfectly. Our life here on earth is often filled with heartache and pain because of sin. Bad things sometimes happen to good people, but never without God’s knowledge. No matter how bad things get, He will use circumstances in the lives of believers and unbelievers alike for the good of someone. When we trust Him He uses our heartache, pain, fear, sickness etc. for good. The terminal illness of a believer for example, may lead an unbelieving friend to Him. Death is not the end for those who love Him. It is the beginning of life with Him for eternity. What a wonderful comfort that is. Those who love Him need never fear. We are never alone. We are surrounded by His presence and that of His holy angels at all times. No matter what happens, the end result will be good according to God’s perfect will. Trust in Him! He will take care of you!

Where, O death is your victory? Where, O death is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Gloria Dei! Glory to God!

By Kristeen

Don't Forget to Entertain Strangers

2011-12-19T20:29:00.001-05:00

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. (Hebrews 13:2)

Back in the late nineties or maybe around the first years of the new millennium, the fad was angels. We saw angels everywhere. People wore angel pins and necklaces. There were pictures of angels. There were statues of angels in flower gardens, parks and cemeteries. They were and still are most often pictured as female in gender with long blond or white hair and wearing a white flowing gown or robe. They may be displayed as powerful and majestic or pictured as small children with wings. The ideas for many of these pictures come from the descriptions of visions of angels spoken of in the Bible. However the Bible never describes or refers to any angel as being childlike in nature. That is a completely human idea.

Childlike angels - A human idea

Who and what are angels? What do we know about them? The best and only source of information regarding angels comes from God’s Word. I have listed below a select few of the many instances from the Bible in which God discloses to us their purpose in His universe, and gives reference to the work assigned to them.

1. Angels are spirits. They are God's helpers created to serve Him by protecting those who love Him. Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation? (Hebrews 1:14)

2. Angels are holy and without sin. Praise the Lord, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. (Psalm 103:20)

3. They are not to be worshiped. We are to worship God and Him only. I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them (the visions) to me. But he said to me, “Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets...Worship God!” (Revelation 22:8,9)

4. They report to God and do only what He commands.One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord... (Job 1:6)

Protectors

5. Angels are not a specific gender as in male or female. When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. (Matthew 22:30)

6. They are powerful, but not equal to God. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. (Psalm 91:11,12)

7. There is an angel assigned to watch over each child on this earth. See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. (Matthew 18:10)

Messengers

8. Angels praise God and are His messengers. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord...Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God... (Luke 2: 10-13)

9. They eat. He rained down manna for the people to eat; he gave them the grain of heaven. Men ate the bread of angels; he sent them all the food they could eat. (Psalm 78: 24,25)

There are many!

10. There are many of them. According to the online dictionary a legion is a group of 4500-6000 men. Twelve legions of angels would be 12 times those numbers and more. Do you think that I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? ( Matthew 26:53)

I could list many more, but these 10 points give us clear ideas of what the angels are and what God’s purpose was in creating them. Years ago when the “angel” fad was popular, I was asked by a customer where I worked; Do you believe in angels? My answer – I believe there are angels, but I believe in God. Angels, like humans are God’s servants. They are a step above humans and unlike humans, they are holy and without sin. They worship God just like we do, but on a higher scale. It often concerns me that some people may consider the angels equal with God. God is supreme. He is the only one we should worship. In Old Testament times God allowed His angels to be more visible to His people. We are told of many visions of angels in both the old and the New Testament. They are very real.

We have the written Word

In these days and times because we have God’s written Word to guide us, He does not always allow us to see His angels and if He does they will most likely take on human form so that we don’t recognize them as what we would picture to be an angel. That is the kind of story I am leading up to in this writing.

It was Tuesday, December 13, 2011. This incident will be frozen in my memory for eternity and I am eternally grateful to God for the privilege. I was at work at Heartbeat of Greater Flint in Flint, Michigan. Heartbeat is a woman and family help center in the Flint area. We help families with clothing, diapers, formula and other needs for children. We also do free pregnancy testing and pro-life counseling. On this particular day I and one other person were on duty. It had been rather quiet during the morning. We had been sorting donations of clothing and setting out gently used toys which we had collected throughout the year and set aside for our clients to give their children for Christmas gifts.

It was about noon and we had one client, a grandmother, who had come in to look for clothes for her grandchildren. Soon after her arrival another young mother came in with a 13 month old baby girl. She walked in the door, set her baby down on the floor and said to her; you are going to have to walk now. Mommy’s back is hurting and I can’t carry you any further. The baby began to cry brokenheartedly. I realized after the fact that she was more than likely crying because she was in pain. I hadn’t noticed, but the other client in the room commented; that baby’s feet are beet red. I looked down and the baby had no shoes or socks on her feet.

Michigan is cold in December. It was about 40 degrees on this particular day – not as cold as it could have been, but not a day to be going barefoot. This mother had walked a long way carrying her baby who had no shoes or socks on. The child’s feet were very cold and I’m sure this caused her pain when she stood on them.

No Socks

I asked the mother; where are the baby’s shoes and socks? She answered matter-of-factually; she doesn’t have any. She still insisted that the baby walk, so I picked her up myself and carried her back to the clothing room. I wrapped my hand around her little feet and they were ice cold. I found her some socks and went to look for a pair of shoes that would fit her. As I was searching I heard the front door open and went to see who had come in thinking it was another client.

There was a man standing in the reception area. He was clean shaven and he had dark hair that covered his ears, but it was neatly combed. He looked to be about thirty or so and was nicely but casually dressed. When I asked if I could help him he reached into his pocket, pulled out two pair of new socks and handed them to me. He said; Give these to the baby that just came in with bare feet. I looked at him in disbelief and said; thank you so much. I wanted to ask how he knew and where he had come from, but he immediately turned and walked out the door.

The volunteer I was working with asked me; where did he come from? How did he know what the baby needed? We both said simultaneously; maybe he was an angel. There was no one else around except the grandmother, who had come by herself and the young mother with the small child. We both felt chills of excitement run down our spines.

I have no idea how this man would have known what the baby needed. Even if he had seen the mother and baby walking, how would he have just happened to have two pair of new socks which were the right size in his pocket? He came in maybe five minutes after she did. There are no stores in our immediate downtown area where he would have been able to purchase socks and even so there wouldn’t have been time for him to do so. So what does this all mean? Was he and angel sent by God who had taken on human form? What do you think?

There are several things to think about here. I personally think that he was an angel, but whether or not he was, he was definitely sent by God. If he was just a kind person sent by God, he more than likely was not aware of that fact. God does use us according to His purpose at times without our being aware of it.

As far as the socks are concerned, they were just a small thing. God knew that we could easily fill that need with what we had on hand, but I think He wanted to get my/our attention. It was a reminder to me that he is present everywhere and knows all of our needs. It didn’t occur to me until later, after I had repeated this story several times, that this was indeed a direct answer to the prayer I pray each morning before I start my day. I ask God to make me aware of His presence and to take my hand and lead me where He needs me to go. In asking this, I am not requesting that He give me a visual or physical sign of His presence, but rather that he help to make me mentally aware that He is always with me. I feel much honored and encouraged that on this particular day He saw fit to give me a visual and physical answer to my prayer. It was totally unexpected and it has changed my outlook on life forever. I am comforted and reassured that in spite of the many people on this earth who need Him; He is always close at hand and aware of each of our needs.

The other thing that is significant for me regarding the socks is the colors. They were new socks with tags still on them. One pair was white and the other pair was red. In the Lutheran church and in other Christian denominations as well, we use the color black to represent sin, red to represent the blood of Jesus and white to represent His holiness and the holiness God sees in each believer after they have come to faith in Him - after being washed in His blood – the blood of the Lamb. The prophet Isaiah gives reference to this when he writes; Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. (Isaiah 1:18)

When I picked up the baby a second time, I realized also that she had no diaper on. When I asked mom why she didn’t have a diaper on she told me again that she just didn’t have any to put on her. Isn’t it amazing (another act of God maybe?) that the baby had remained dry over the long walk in the cold? I put a diaper on her and gave the mother more to take home. We of course also gave her clothing and blankets and my fellow volunteer gave her coat to the woman who was wearing only a flannel shirt for warmth. A client, who had since come in, gave her bus fare so that she wouldn’t have to walk home. Our God is so good!

This was also a lesson and reminder to me that God loves each of us equally no matter what our station in life is, and he loves each of us as if we were His only child. This young woman smelled like she badly needed a shower and the poor little baby did too. She explained to me that she had left an abusive situation in a hurry and had not been able to take any of the baby’s things. I also realized after speaking with her that she was mentally not quite normal.

No matter where we come from in life, we are all sinners and need God’s forgiveness. We are all filthy from sin and deserve to die and go to hell. All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags. (Isaiah 64:6) Only by His gift of Grace (undeserved love) and through the sacrifice, death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ are we made clean. We are washed in the blood of the Jesus. Through faith in Him we become holy in God’s eyes. He no longer holds us accountable. He no longer sees our sin, but the holiness of His Son. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Revelation 7:14)

If you have never had a personal relationship with God and His Son Jesus Christ, open your Bible and read His Word. Open to the first book of Genesis and read how He created our world and the first people. Read the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and hear the good news of His promise to save sinners, fulfilled in His Son Jesus. Through the Word, the Holy Spirit will ignite faith in your heart. It will be the beginning of a wonderful journey. It will end with an eternity in heaven where He will wipe every tear from their [your] eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain... (Revelation 21:4)

Gloria Dei! – Glory to God!

By Kristeen

A Book of Mysteries

2011-12-05T18:58:00.000-05:00

The Revealer of Mysteries

There is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries... (Daniel 2:28)

Before I begin this article I would like to define the word mystery. What do you think of when you think of a mystery? Most of us think of a mystery as a story, most often a crime or murder story in which the plot is kept a secret until the very end. We must continue reading to the end of the story to discover the truth. When I looked up the word mystery online I found several definitions which are all similar in nature. They are as follows:

Anything that is kept secret or remains unexplained or unknown.
A novel, short story, play etc. whose plot remains puzzlingly unsettled until the end.
Any truth that is unknowable except by divine nature.

The books and authors which come to mind for me at the mention of a Mystery are books written for children, namely the Nancy Drew series by Carolyn Keene or the Hardy Boys written by Frank and Joe Hardy. In the adult world of books I would think of authors like James Patterson, Andrew Cross, Richard Castle, Nora Roberts and Phyllis Whitney, just to name a few. The definition above which best fits what I want to write about today however is the third one – any truth that is unknowable except by divine nature.

Some years ago as I sat in church with my small grandson sitting beside me our pastor began his sermon with the words; Listen, [while] I tell you a mystery. (1Corinthians 15: 51) My grandson who was maybe 6 years old at the time whispered in my ear; Grandma, Scooby Doo is a mystery. It brought a smile to my face, but at the same time I was amazed that a six year old child was able to grasp the concept of the word mystery. The Scooby Doo cartoons which children watch are indeed short story mysteries. I don’t always think their content is necessarily good for children but in this case it was something he could relate to. It made him sit up and take notice of what was being said.

A Book of Mysteries

What do you think about the Bible? Is the story of God a mystery? Much of the story of the Bible is very clear, especially what we need to know for our salvation. In the first chapter of Genesis God clearly tells us how He created the world in which we live, and how he made the first man and woman. He instituted marriage when He said; for this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. Sex was not meant to be a casual thing. God made man and woman to fit together perfectly both physically and emotionally. Sex is a precious gift from Him. He meant for it to be between one man and one woman within the commitment of marriage for a lifetime. Through that union He blesses couples with children. It is a mystery to us how the two can become one and yet still be two, but God tells us that this is true and not something to be taken lightly.

The first people

God also tells us how the first man and woman sinned and reveals to us that sin is like a disease which is inherited and passed down from generation to generation. He tells us that the result of that sin is death for all people. In His Word, the Holy Bible, we see His unconditional love for us in that He rescued us from eternal death through the perfect life, the sacrifice, death and resurrection of His one and only Son, Jesus Christ. It is a mystery to us how Jesus can be true man (human) and true God all in one being.

There is much in God’s Word that we believe by faith – things that no human is able to grasp. There are beings in the spiritual realm which we cannot see – the angels both good and bad, and Satan, yet we know they are real because God tells us so.

Heaven - God's Throne

We cannot see heaven with our human eyes, but God tells us it is real. We don’t know where exactly it is, or what exactly it will be like, but He gives us hints. In Revelation 21 we are given a vivid description of the glory and beauty of heaven. In reality there are no words in any human language which can truly describe what it will be like, but God wants us to know that heaven is something to look forward to rather than something to fear. He wants us to understand that it will be a place of beauty, peace, safety and love. We can trust His promise that it will be wonderful and that He has reserved a place there for all who love Him and believe in Him which is all we need to know for now. On the day we are called from this earth the mystery of heaven will be revealed to us.

One God - Three Persons

It is a mystery to us how God is one God but three separate persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We refer to Him as the Triune God meaning three in one. We are aware that all three were present at creation because He tells us in the first chapter of Genesis; In the beginning God (being God the Father) created the heavens and the earth...and the Spirit (being God the Holy Spirit) of God was hovering over the waters. We know that Jesus, the second person of the Trinity was there in the beginning also because we are told in John 1:1; In the beginning was the Word (Jesus) and the Word (Jesus) was with God, and the Word (Jesus) was God. He was with God in the beginning. God also refers to Himself as Us (plural) in verse 26 of Genesis chapter one where we read; Then God said, “let us make man in our image, in our likeness ...

He Rose from death

It is a mystery to us how Jesus rose from death and was still flesh and blood, but was able to appear and disappear at will and able to walk through walls. He appeared in a room with His disciples without using the door. We are told that the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, and Jesus came and stood among them... (John 20:19). This happened on two separate occasions after He had risen from the dead. He showed them the holes in his hands and feet and invited them to touch Him and see that He had flesh and bones (Luke 24: 36-49). He even ate with them.

It is a mystery how he appeared out of nowhere to Mary Magdalene at the tomb (Mark 16:9-20) and to the disciples on the road to Emmaus and didn’t allow them to recognize Him at first (Luke 24:13-34). It is a mystery how Jesus, as He was blessing His disciples, began to rise into heaven and disappear behind the clouds. (Luke 24:50-53)

No, the Holy Bible is not the first book that would naturally come to mind when naming a good mystery but there are many mysteries hidden in God’s Word. I have touched on only a few. The Bible is actually a living mystery. It is the true story of the world from beginning to end and it is unfolding before our very eyes. The answers to all our questions will be revealed, either when God calls us to our eternal home, or when Jesus comes back to judge the world, whichever comes first for each of us.

When the time had fully come ...

In the meantime we must wait patiently and rather than sit and wonder or worry when it will happen, He wants us to use our time of grace to His glory. There is much work to be done. There are many people in the world who don’t yet know Him and all He has done for us through His Son. He wants us to tell everyone we can about the way to heaven. He wants us to work unceasingly planting the seeds of His Word in hearts that don’t know Him so that the Holy Spirit can ignite the flame of faith and lead them to an eternity in glory. He has promised He will come back and His promises never fail.

As God waited for just the right time to send Jesus into the world the first time - But when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son...(Galatians 4:4), so also He will wait until just the right time to send Him back the second time. He loves all people as the crown of His creation and does not want anyone to be lost. 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 3:9)

He will come again

We can look forward to the day when Jesus comes back in all His glory. It will be a glorious day. It is described by the apostle Paul in his first letter to the Thessalonians where he states; according to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, [will see Him] come down from heaven, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ (all believers who have died since the beginning of time) will rise first. After that, we who are still alive (those believers still living)...will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. (1Thessalonions 4: 13-18) So we must press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called [us] heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14)

God's servants - our protectors

When Jesus comes back all of our questions will be answered. The mystery will be solved for us. We will ascend into heaven in the same way He did. We will see it with our own eyes. We will meet all three persons of the Trinity in one God face to face and we will understand how it all works. We will see the Holy angels who serve Him as our guardians in this life. The bodies and souls of all who have died will be reunited – believers to live with God and unbelievers to go to eternal punishment. We will no longer have to suffer from the imperfections of body and mind which challenge us here on earth. We will each have our own body and it will be glorified like that of Christ. There will be no need to lock doors for fear of intruders. We will be safe in His arms forever.

Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed – in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet...The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15: 51, 52, 56)

In His holy name – Gloria Dei! (Glory to God)

The Heart of the Matter

2011-11-14T11:02:00.000-05:00

The Body and Soul Connection

Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven not built by human hands.

Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling...

(2Corinthians 5:1,2)

Human Beings are the crown of God’s Creation. We are very unique. He created each of us with a body and a soul. Our body and soul are separate yet connected. They are connected when our life begins at conception and are separated at death. In this entire huge world there is no other human being exactly like you. Each one of us is a special creation.

Someday our body (the tent that we live in) will die - of old age or possibly through an accidental injury or illness, at a young age, but our soul will never die. When our body dies our soul will live on. The souls of those who trust in God and believe His promises will go to heaven, the place He has prepared for all who love Him (our heavenly dwelling). The souls of those who have chosen to reject Him will go to hell, the place He has prepared for the devil and his angels. Our body will be placed in the ground after death. It will decay and turn back into dust, from which God created mankind. God told Adam and Eve after the fall into sin; for dust you are and to dust you will return. (Genesis 3:19)

When Jesus returns to earth on the last day the bodies and souls of all believers will be reunited to live with Him in glory. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven...and the dead in Christ will rise first...We who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

(1 Thessalonians 4: 16,17)

The bodies and souls of unbelievers will be reunited also on the last day to live in hell, where they will be forever separated from the presence of God. Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels’ (Matthew 25:41).

The human body is made up of many working parts. Each individual body part has a specific purpose. There are some body parts which we are able to live without such as our tonsils, gall bladder, appendix etc. There are others however which are crucial to our well being and our body would not survive without them. Organs such as the liver, kidneys, heart, and brain are vital organs.

Our heart is a very important part of our physical being. It begins to beat in utero about 21 days after fertilization and continues to beat constantly, never stopping until the day we are called from this earth by God. It is the muscle that pumps life-giving blood to all of the other parts of our body. The blood in turn distributes oxygen and nutrients to our extremities.

The heart muscle beats continuously without any conscious effort on the part of the individual. Like the heart, there are many other muscles in the human body also which move without the knowledge or intent of the individual. For example, we chew and swallow our food. After that point we have no awareness of the muscles of our esophagus as they move that food down and into our stomach.

If I were to die unexpectedly from an injury or accident which did not affect or damage my heart muscle, it could be transplanted into the body of another human whose heart is not working properly, and extend that person’s life. The same could be done with my eyes, kidneys and liver. Many lives have been saved in this way.

But what about the human brain? I don’t know a lot about the intricate workings of the brain, but this is what I do know. I know that no human or animal for that matter is able to live without it. It is connected to the spine and sends messages to the nerve endings and the muscles of the body telling them when to move. The brain has many other functions as well which are essential to supporting life.

Unlike your heart, liver or kidneys, your brain is unique to you alone. The brain is so delicate that God made humans with a natural covering (the skull) to protect it from harm. Our skull is nature’s “helmet” if you will. Although through medical science, we have learned much about the intricate workings of the brain, God has not allowed mankind enough knowledge, understanding or expertise to transplant the brain. It was a surprise to me, when researching online, to find that Scientists have actually tried transplanting the brains of animals and are working toward transplanting the human brain. The thought of transplanting the brain of one human into another in my opinion, oversteps the boundaries set by God regarding life and death.

My brain is a storehouse of knowledge and memories. I can close my eyes and see and remember things that happened many years ago, good and bad, happy and sad. I can picture the faces of loved ones who have died. My mind is able to recall the sound of their voices and laughter, the color of their hair, and the beauty of their smile.

I can recall the smell of summer breezes flowing through pine trees and the sound of waves washing up on the beach as they flow endlessly to shore. I can picture my childhood home, my wedding day and the births of each of my children. Yes, my brain is mine alone. It is connected so deeply to my soul that I would never wish for it to be used by another human being.

Emotional responses to circumstances we experience in our lives will trigger physical responses in our bodies. I have listed below a few examples which evidence the deep connection of body and soul:

Have you ever had a “heart stopping” experience or been startled awake from a deep sleep and felt your heart “pound” in panic or fear?
Have you ever felt your heart race in excitement at the sight of the person you love?
Did you ever “jump” at an unexpected loud noise?
Do you hold your hand over your heart when the National Anthem is sung?
Have the deep emotions of happiness or sadness brought tears to your eyes?
Have you ever been so excited and happy about an upcoming event in your life, that you were unable to fall asleep at night?

All of these physical responses to our surroundings and our life situations are evidence of the soul and body connection with which God created us. We are living, breathing, and walking miracles. Our soul is separate, yet one with our body and the breath of God lives in each of us. The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. (Genesis 2:7)

All that we are comes from God and all that we have belongs to God. The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters. (Psalm 24:1,2) He created us in His image. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27)

Yes, our bodies and souls are connected very deeply. It is who we are. That is why death is so devastating to us. A body without a living soul within it will rot and decay and eventually turn back into dust just as God told Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:19. Death is sad and heartbreaking for those left behind. God did not create us to die. He never intended for our bodies and souls to separate. Death is a result of the devastation of sin. If Adam and Eve had not fallen into sin humans would not have experienced the suffering, pain and violence of this world. The earth God created would have remained a paradise – a wonderful place for His people to live.

We thank God for the hope we have in Jesus. He sacrificed His own life to pay the debt we owe to God for our sin. Through His suffering, death and resurrection we have the hope of eternal life in heaven where we will be clothed in our heavenly dwelling and live with God forever. Jesus promises; because I live, you also will live (John 14: 19). For those who believe this promise, death will be nothing more than the gateway to heaven. It will be the beginning of our life with God apart from this sinful and violent world.

Do you believe in Jesus? Do you know where you will go when you die? If Jesus comes back before you die, will you be; meeting the Lord in the air to live with Him forever, or will he say to you; depart from me you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels? You have so much to gain by believing in Him and so much to lose if you don’t. It’s a matter of life and death. It’s a matter of where you will spend eternity. The Holy Spirit gives us faith through reading and hearing His Word. Check it out. Pick up a Bible and give it a try. It is a gift offered not to just a certain few, but to all people. It’s the best gift ever.

To God be the Glory - In His holy name! Amen.

By Kristeen