RIZPAH, FIERCE LOVE

The story captivated me! Only a few words in the middle of a much bigger story yet such love displayed by a mother for her children! As a mother I feel her grief and her desperation! Her story is told in 2 Samuel 21 when David was king.

There was a famine in the land for three years and David went before the Lord to ask the reason. The Lord told him it was because of the treachery of Saul, who had not kept a previous covenant with the Gibeonites but had them killed instead.

Israel had not checked with the Lord first  but had believed the Gibeonite’s fraudulent story that they were from a distant land and they had made a treaty with them to let them live. However Saul had later decided to kill them in spite of the former treaty.

When David called the Gibeonites and asked how they could make atonement for the wrong that had been done to them, they answered that they wanted to be given seven of Saul’s sons whose lives they would take by hanging them in Gibeah.

David complied with their request and the five sons of Saul’s daughter, Merab as well as the two sons of Rizpah, Saul’s concubine were given into the hands of the Gibeonites. They hanged them in the mountain, the seven all together!

It was the first days of the barley harvest, probably in April and Rizpah took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock near where her sons bodies were hanging.  They were not supposed to hang overnight but no one bothered to take them down.

Day and night Rizpah kept watch and fought off the vultures and the wild beasts of the field! “She allowed neither the birds of the sky to rest on them by day nor the beasts of the field by night.” She never once considered her own comfort or safety!

She did this “from the beginning of harvest until it rained on them from the sky.” The rain would come in October so from April to October, five or six months,  she kept the birds and the beasts away from her children’s bodies!

Such fierce love for her children is hard to comprehend! Every day she did not allow the birds to rest on them  and every night she drove the wild beasts away! We are not told how! What were her weapons; sticks, stones, a slingshot, bow & arrows?

We are not told anything much about Rizpah but we can see that she was a woman of great courage. Was she a woman of prayer? Did she pray for her own skill and safety? When did she rest and did her fierce love for her sons give her strength to go on?

The story of Rizpah is a wonderful analogy of fighting for your family in prayer. There is a battle raging for the minds, and souls  of our children. As a society we seem to be helpless to stop the downward spiral of moral degradation and even anarchy.

The tenacity of this mother’s love speaks to me of fighting for your family in this spiritual warfare. This mother couldn’t bring her children back to life but she would not give them up to utter destruction. She would not let go or give up in their defence!

God and any Christian moral compass has been taken out of the education and the world’s system.  2 Corinthians 4:4 says “the god of this world (the devil & his realm) has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of Christ.”

Beasts work in the darkness trying to catch those who are unaware.  1 Peter 5:8 -9 “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith-,”

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God -” We do this through prayer!

The devil wants to destroy our children’s beliefs , their sense of right and wrong.  He wants to bring confusion into their  minds. Like a vulture he tries to attack their hearts through gender confusion, pornography, movies or even through computer games.

As Rizpah spread the sackcloth of mourning on the rock,  so we can only fight, on our knees, those things that would destroy our families. James 4:7 “Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” We submit them to God’s watchful care and through fervent prayer, on their behalf, we resist the evil that would destroy them!

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Way

“We are not physical beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a physical experience,” said, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, a Jesuit priest. This profound, true statement certainly deserves careful thought. So much of our attention seems to be given to our physical being but what about our spiritual self?

We aren’t on this planet very long before we realize that our physical body will not go on forever. Sooner or later we will face physical death but our spirit will live on forever. Every person that is living on this earth is on a path that is leading to an eternal  destination. That eternal destination is decided on this earth, as a physical being.

According to the Bible there are only two ways to choose from. One way is entered by a wide gate. It’s very broad and seems to be free and easy with lots of people on it. The other way is entered by a narrow gate, the path looks steep with few people on it. Each path leads to a very different kind of destination. We choose our way as we live.

The broad way  is easy to find and unless we make a conscious decision not to take it we will find we are already on it. The road has very few restrictions or warning signs and it promises enjoyment and fulfillment. The crowds on this downward path do not realize that it leads to destruction and death.

In Matthew 7:13 we have the words of Jesus advising His followers which way they should choose. “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life and few are those who find it.”

The song, “My Way” written by Paul Anka was made popular when Frank Sinatra sang it in 1969. One British funeral home said it was their most requested song to be sung at funerals. It begins, “And now, the end is near and so I face the final curtain.”

“I’ve lived a life that’s full, I’ve traveled each and every highway but more, much more than this I did it my way. …I planned each charted course, each careful step along the byway, and much, much more than this I did it my way.”

“I’ve loved, I’ve laughed and cried I’ve had my fill, my share of losing and now, as tears subside I find it all so amusing to think I did all that and may I say – not in a shy way oh no, oh no, not me I did it my way.”

The last verse says, “For what is a man, what has he got if not himself, then he has naught to say the things he truly feels and not the words of one who kneels. The record shows I took the blows and did it my way. Yes, it was my way.”

Proverbs 16:25 says, “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” Proverbs 12:15 says, ” The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel.” Most people want to choose their own way, the way that looks good, that looks easy with not too many bumps.

The problem with choosing the broad way,  is it seems like life but it leads to death and destruction. When one of His disciples asked how we can know the way, Jesus replied,  “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.” John 14:6

So, if the destination you want at the end of your life’s journey is heaven, to be with Jesus and the Father, then you must choose now to follow Jesus and the narrow way.  If  you want your own way and the destination you want is eternal fire and darkness then you are free to continue on the broad way. God freely gives you the choice!

 

Perfect You, Perfect Me, Paradise

“Why isn’t the world perfect?” This was an interesting question which surprised me.  I did not have a ready answer but I responded with another question, “What would the world or people look like if they were perfect? ” To be perfect is not necessarily the same thing to everyone so we need to agree on the meaning.

Some dictionary meanings given are; free from faults or defects; as good as it is possible to be; lacking nothing essential to the whole. These are helpful but we also need a standard to measure everything by. What does it mean for the world or people to be as good as it is possible to be? There are as many answers as there are people.

There is only one unchanging standard for determining what is good or perfect and it is found in the Word of God. One of the standards, called the golden rule, is “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Although there are some people who try to live that, not everyone does, so our world and humanity is imperfect and not good.

But there is a perfect world coming, one that is as good as it is possible to be. That perfect world will be filled with perfect people who are free from faults and defects. “Eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Cor 2:9  Can we even imagine?

Genesis 1 says, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”  He made the sun, moon and stars, the vegetation and all living creatures and He said it was good.  He made man in His image, as a reflection of Himself and  breathed life into his body, soul & spirit. Then God planted a garden in Eden and He put the man,  Adam in it.

Finally  God made Eve to be  Adam’s female companion and God said that everything  was very good.  It was good but it wasn’t perfect because the  serpent, (devil,  Satan, Rev 12:9) was there. He deceived Eve and she and Adam disobeyed God. The sin of disobedience brought upon them and all of creation, the consequence of death!

As their bodies were no longer clothed in God’s glory they knew they were naked. Adam had enjoyed close fellowship with God, walking and talking together in the garden but now when he heard God’s voice he felt shame and he hid. As a result of Adam’s disobedience nothing was good anymore.  All of creation was under a curse!

Mankind, animals, nature, vegetation and all of creation was forever changed. Their life from now on would be difficult and everything  would deteriorate and eventually die. God removed them from the garden and He placed cherubim and a flaming sword at the entrance to guard the way to the tree of life.

The basis of their sin was that Adam and Eve wanted something different than what God wanted for their life. They didn’t trust God and didn’t believe that God’s plan for them was the best. Since then in every human heart there is that same cancer cell of rebellion that says I want something different than what God wants for me.

But God had a plan for their redemption and the eradication of evil forever. In sentencing Satan , God pronounced a curse on him saying, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall crush you on the head and you shall bruise him on the heel.”

Romans 5:12 “Through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned -” Galatians 4:4-5 says, “When the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, …in order that He might redeem those who are under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”

Romans 6:23 “The wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” When the time was right God sent His Son, Jesus, into this world, to be born as a perfect, sinless baby to a virgin named Mary. Laying aside His divinity He  took on the form of humanity and came to do the will of His Father in heaven.

Born in Bethlehem and raised in Nazareth, He lived in subjection to His earthly parents, growing in favor with God and  man. Except for once when he was twelve years old we don’t hear much about Him until He was  thirty years old. Then He was baptized in the Jordan river, the Holy Spirit came upon Him and the voice of His Heavenly Father said, “Thou art My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased.”

After He had overcome the devil’s temptations in the desert, He returned to Galilee preaching the gospel, casting out demons, healing the sick and doing many miracles. He chose twelve men as disciples to whom He could entrust His work after He was gone, and for three years He taught them how to live by God’s kingdom principles.

Wicked men who did not believe He was the Son of God, had Him arrested, tried and convicted as a criminal. He was mocked, whipped and nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men. In the plan and foreknowledge of God He died, crushing the head of Satan, and redeeming us from the curse. But God raised Him from the dead!

He spent the next forty days preparing His disciples for His departure and return to heaven. Then He gathered them together and gave them final orders not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for the Father’s promise. They would then be baptized with the Holy Spirit, Who would  empower them to be His witnesses to the whole earth.

As His disciples were looking on, He was lifted up and a cloud received Him out of their sight. Suddenly, two men in white clothing stood  beside them and said, “Why are you looking into the sky? This same Jesus Who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in just the same way in which you saw Him go into heaven.” Acts 1:10-11

Ten days later, on the day of Pentecost, as they were all together in one place, the Holy Spirit filled them and they began speaking in other languages. As Peter preached the gospel, the people’s conscience was smitten and they said, “What shall we do?” His reply was, “Repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:1-41

“For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the LORD our God shall call to Himself.” All who repent and receive Christ’s provision of salvation will be indwelt by the Holy Spirit Who will empower them to change. They are not perfect yet but they are born again spiritually with a new heart and nature.

OUR PERFECT BODIES
One day Jesus will return, “He will descend with a shout, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God. The dead in Christ will rise first, then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the LORD in the air, and thus shall we always be with the LORD.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

We shall not rise with earth bound, flesh and blood bodies but we will be changed. We will have perfect, imperishable bodies fit for heaven. 1 Corinthians 15:42-53  says, “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable,…we shall not all sleep (die), but we shall all be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable and this mortal must put on immortality.”

Philippians 3:20-21 says Jesus will transform our bodies into conformity with His body. The kind of body we will have will be like the body of Jesus after His resurrection.  In John 20:26 we read that the disciples were in a room with closed doors and suddenly Jesus appeared and in Luke 24:31 He disappeared while talking to His friends.

In his book, “Beyond the Cosmos,” Hugh Ross brings insight into what our changed bodies may be like. Right now, from birth to death we exist in the four dimensions of length, width, height and time. In the new creation, our bodies will have different characteristics and capacities.  We will be extradimensional and Romans 8:18-21 says creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay.

PERFECT LIFE
Our new habitation will be free of natural and man made disasters and crime, as nothing unclean and no one who practices abomination (detestable things) shall come into it. Sorcerers, immoral persons, murderers, idolaters, prostitutes (males called dogs in Deut 23:18) and everyone who loves and practices lying will not be there. The devil, the cowardly and the unbelieving  will not be there, and there shall be no curse.

God will dwell among His people and He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There shall no longer be any death, mourning, crying or pain. They shall not hunger nor thirst any more, neither shall the sun beat down on them. There shall no longer be any night. There will be no need of a lamp, nor light from the sun or moon because the Lord God will illumine them with His glory.

We will recognize each other. Moses and Elijah were recognized when they appeared at the transfiguration of Jesus. Matt 17:3. We will also have perfect love and intimate fellowship with one another without sex, sexuality or marriage. Matt 22:29-32. War and fear will not be there. Isaiah 65 says the wolf and the lamb will graze together and the lion shall eat straw like an ox.

Whether we will live in the new heaven, the new earth or the new Jerusalem, only those whose names are found written in the book of life, who have trusted Jesus Christ as their Savior, will be there. The people who are there have overcome the devil because of the blood of the Lamb, Jesus, and because of the word of their testimony and they were willing to die for their faith.

John 14:1-3 Jesus told His disciples, “Let not your heart be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in Me. I am going  to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am there you may be also.” As perfect people we will live forever in a perfect place! Paradise!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How Can I Say Thanks?

The song, “My Tribute” by Andrae Crouch, gives glory to God as he asks the question, “How can I say thanks for the things You have done for me? Things so undeserved yet You give to prove Your love for me.” Thinking back over the last months I ask the same question!

I am overwhelmed with the goodness of God! Not because everything that I have gone through was good at the time but things have worked together for my good. At the beginning of the year I was not sure I would recover from the worst flu virus that I have ever experienced.

Somehow I picked up the virus when I traveled to Kelowna to spend Christmas with my children. On December 19 I boarded a West Jet plane in Abbotsford prepared for a long flight via Calgary. We left at 9 AM and arrived at our destination at 1 PM.

It was so nice to be together for Christmas but gradually I became more congested and sick. I was so glad Maureen had arranged for a wheelchair for me for the flight home.  I could not have walked to any gate to board for the return home to Abbotsford.

Weeks went by and as I slowly recovered I realized that the independence I had taken for granted was no longer best for me.  My strength is not what it was and as time passes I need to face the truth of my age and admit my need for help. I needed to live near my children who could help me when I needed it.

Before this I had begun making applications to some of the Seniors residences in various places in the lower mainland, in the valley and in Kelowna. I had toured a few of them but there were waiting lists for the ones I felt were affordable.

One place in Kelowna had responded some months before but the available suite was not suitable. Now I received a call from them that two suites would be coming up and one would be on a floor I wanted.  Dwayne took photos and sent them to me. I felt the time and the place were right for the move.

Because I would need to downsize, I called the Bibles For Missions Store  to pick up my excess furniture. Everything that I had collected thinking I would need it someday was now given to charity. There was so much I was not using and didn’t need to keep.

I got out the boxes and began the big job of packing. I was so thankful for my children who helped in so many ways. Dustin and Laurie came and helped with boxes and taping. Brenda & Josh came from Edmonton early to help with the last packing, cleanup and overseeing the move out.

Conditions on the Coquihalla highway were bad and the movers coming from Kelowna had spent the night in their truck.  By noon the next day they were at my apartment loading. The next morning Brenda, Josh & I left with Brenda driving.

It was February and winter conditions prevailed but with Brenda’s truck driving skills and the snow clearing trucks leading us through the worst part on the Coquihalla, we made it to our destination safe and sound. It was actually a good trip!

Dwayne was overseeing the moving in to the suite on the Kelowna side, meeting the   movers there and supervising the placement of furniture etc. After the movers left Dwayne & Brenda & I began the big job of unpacking boxes and finding a place for everything.

I stayed with Dwayne & Maureen for a couple of days while we finished unpacking and did all the things necessary to making the new place homey. The staff welcomed me to the Chateau  with a card and bouquet of flowers on my kitchen counter.

Settling in has not been difficult although living in a community is a different way of life to living independently. There is far more structure. Eating meals at a certain table and time as well as signing out if I leave the building is something I am getting used to!

I am getting to know some of the people. The staff are very caring and always ready to help. There’s various activities. Last week we went to the Greenery Garden Center and a walk at Mission Creek is coming up. We can be as involved as we wish to be.

We are within walking distance of the big mall and other stores and restaurants. I have not found a Doctor taking new patients but a good walk in Medical Clinic is close which is taking care of my needs. We have a Shuttle bus which takes people to appointments.

I am enjoying Sunday Services at the Alliance Church nearby. The Senior’s Bible study and group activities will resume in the fall which I am looking forward to. I have met most of the Pastors and the Pastor of Community Care says she is coming to visit me.

So, my life has taken an unexpected turn! At the end of 2016 I never envisioned the things that have happened. Moving into a Seniors residence, in a city I was not familiar with was not on the horizon but I am happy to be here. God was in it!

I say thanks to God for all He has done for me! I say thanks to my children for all they have done for me! They sacrificed their time and energy to make sure I was looked after. Thank you! The Lord will bless you for caring for your mother!

 

 

Be Still My soul!

I woke up with one line of an old hymn, “Leave to thy God to order and provide,-” As the hymn didn’t come to mind immediately, I searched my hymnal and found the beautiful old hymn, “Be Still My Soul!” I spent my quiet time with the Lord pondering the meaning of the words, the comfort and encouragement of  each thought expressed!

“Be still my soul! The Lord is on thy side; Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain; Leave to thy God to order and provide; In every change He faithful will remain. Be still my soul! thy best, thy heavenly Friend thro’ thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still my soul! thy God doth undertake, to guide the future as He has the past. Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake; All now mysterious shall be bright at last. Be still my soul! The waves and winds still know His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still my soul! the hour is hastening on when we shall be forever with the Lord, When disappointment, grief and fear are gone, sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored. Be still my soul! When change and tears are past, All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.”

The words are so applicable at this time of year as we prepare to end one year and begin another. In the rush and worry of Christmas we need to spend time in stillness! Life is short and stress is a thief, robbing us of joy and often our health. Be still in your soul!

Psalm 46:10 expresses some of the same thoughts which I will paraphrase, “Cease striving, let go, relax, stand silent, Know that I Am God!” The reason we can have the stillness of soul is because we know God (intimately)! We have a relationship with Him that is immovable no matter what comes our way. He is my God!

The Psalm begins with, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help. He’s abundantly available for help in trouble (or tight places.) Therefore we will not fear even if the world blows up and the mountains crumble into the sea.

4-There is a river of joy flowing through the City of God, the sacred home of the God above all gods. God, Himself is living in that city; therefore it stands unmoved despite the turmoil everywhere. He will not delay His help. The Commander of the armies of heaven is here among us. He has come to rescue us. Come and see the glorious things God does.”

When God is in the city, in my heart, in my home, I can stand unmoved by the turmoil around me. I can commit my future to Him, leaving the ordering and provision to Him because I know He has looked after all my needs and even some wants in the past.

I refuse to let my hope and confidence be shaken because I know the waves and winds, the storms that come my way, are subject to Him. They still know His voice!! On the Sea of Galilee, Jesus spoke to the waves and the wind which stopped at His command.

This world is not my home! Someday all sorrows, disappointments, fear and grief will no longer have any place in my life and I shall go to my forever home to be with Him. In the meantime I make time to be still, to reflect on the goodness of God towards me. I spend time in His Word as He speaks to me and I talk to Him with thankfulness!

 

 

 

The People Who Know Their God!

Daniel 11:32 “The people who know their God will display strength  and take action (do exploits for God.) Daniel was talking about bad things that are going to happen, evil and wickedness will seem to be winning, but in the midst of it there will be people who will know their God, the true God, the Lord of heaven and earth and they will stand strong!

As we look at the world and we listen to the news we could feel sick. Because of the Media we are more aware of everything that is happening around the world and it does not look very promising! We need to know God in order to stand strong! I need to trust Him in every area of my life.

In my quiet time one day a familiar story in Mark 8 caught my attention. The disciples & Jesus were in a boat, crossing the lake when the disciples expressed concern that they had forgotten to bring food & had only one loaf of bread with them. Jesus said to them, “Why are you arguing about having no bread?”

“How is it that you do not understand? Are your hearts too hard to take it in? Having eyes do you not see? And having ears do you not hear? Do you not remember? When I fed the 5000 with 5 loaves of bread how many baskets of leftovers did you pick up? ” They answered “Twelve.”

And when I fed the 4000 with 7 loaves how many baskets of leftovers did you pick up?” They answered, “Seven.” “Don’t you understand yet?” He asked. Mark 6:52 says they had not gained any insight from the miracle of the loaves, their hearts were too hardened.

Like the disciples we fail to trust Him many times and in much the same ways.We forget His provision in the past. They had forgotten the miracles. He reminded them, “When I fed the multitudes there was more than enough!”

We look at our resources to meet our need. We think we have to figure out how He will do it! We look at what we have   and do not see how He will be able to do anything with the small amount we possess. The disciples knew one loaf of bread was not enough. We know our limited resources are not enough.

We don’t trust Him when we do not know Him or believe His promises. The disciples didn’t fully understand who He was. He told them but they didn’t believe His words. We do not trust Him when we allow fear to invade our mind & heart. We are afraid He won’t come through for us. We aren’t sure He cares!

The disciples on the stormy sea woke Jesus up & said, “Don’t you care that we’re perishing? Do you know about our situation?” Overwhelmed & afraid, we don’t see any way out. Jesus said to them, “Why are you fearful? How is it you have no faith?” We can’t have fear and faith at the same time, they are not compatible!

Jeremiah 17:7 says, “Blessed is the man whose trust is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream & will not fear when the heat comes, but its leaves will be green. And it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit.”

Consider four basic ways we can have faith that counteracts the reasons we don’t trust Him.  1. We can live in faith when we look back & remember His past provision! We know He can do it again! Jesus said to the disciples, “Do you not remember?” He reminded them of what He had done before. We need to look back at His miraculous provision in the past.

2. We can live in faith by not looking at what we have in our hands and trying to figure out how God can possibly meet our needs from that. Adrian Rogers told a story of some humanitarians who were caring for some orphans after WW2.  Every night the boys were waking up with nightmares.

It was thought they had fears of an uncertain future, so every night they were fed a big meal and they were given a piece of bread to hold in their hands which would be their breakfast. Somehow, just holding the bread in their hands helped them sleep better. Jesus is our supplier, He’s our bread!

3. We can live in faith by spending time in prayer &  His Word every morning. We get to know Him & his promises. Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Be anxious for nothing but in every thing by prayer & supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God. And the peace which surpasses comprehension will guard your hearts & minds in Christ Jesus.”

4. We can live in faith as we do not allow fear to stay in our mind & heart. 1 Timothy 1:7 says, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power & love & a sound mind.” God is not surprised by the things that happen to us and He is able to work everything out.

Romans 8:28 says, ” God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” We can have hope even when the world around us is falling apart because we know God will take everything in our lives, the good & the bad, and He will work them for our good when we love & trust Him.

In his book, “The Coming Economic Armageddon,” David Jeremiah tells a story about a man named Samuel S.Scull who lived on a farm in the Arizona desert. “One night a fierce storm struck with rain, hail & high wind. Fearing what he would find, Samuel went out at daybreak to survey the loss.

The hail had beaten the garden into the ground; the house was partially unroofed, the hen house was blown away and dead chickens were scattered around. Destruction & devastation were everywhere. While standing, evaluating the mess & wondering about the future, he heard a stirring in the lumber pile that was the remains of the hen house.

A rooster was climbing up through the debris and he didn’t stop until he had mounted the highest board in the pile. That old rooster was dripping wet & most of his feathers were blown away, but as the sun came over the eastern horizon, he flapped his bony wings and proudly crowed!

That old wet, bare rooster could still crow when he saw the morning sun. And like that rooster, our world may be falling apart, we may have lost everything, but if we trust in God, we’ll see the light of God’s goodness, pick ourselves out of the rubble, and sing the Lord’s praise!”

An old song by Ira Stamphill says, “I Know Who Holds Tomorrow.”

“I don’t know about tomorrow, I just live from day to day, I don’t borrow from its sunshine, for it’s skies may turn to gray. I don’t worry o’er the future, For I know what Jesus said. And today I’ll walk beside Him, For He knows what is ahead.

I don’t know about tomorrow, it may bring me poverty, But the One Who feeds the sparrow is the One Who stands by me. And the path that be my portion may be through the flame or flood, but His presence goes before me, And I’m covered with His blood.”

Chorus  – “Many things about tomorrow I don’t seem to understand;                                                                 But I know Who holds tomorrow and I know Who holds my hand.”

People who know their God do not fear tomorrow, they know He has it in His control.

 

THE REASON FOR MY HOPE

1 Peter 3:15 “- be ready always to give an answer to everyone that asks you a reason for the hope that is in you -”

To begin with I must define  what is meant by the word “hope.” It is not talking about some wish for something which may or may not be a reality. It is not an unknown hope in an unknown future. The word used here means “a desire of some good with expectation of obtaining it.” I am expecting the good I hope for.

The first reason for my hope is that God is real. He is the creator of the Universe, the heavens above and the earth beneath. “Since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood  through what has been made-,” Rom 1:20

I believe that God made human beings, animals and every form of life. Without God, no living creature exists. Nothing just happened to come into existence by itself. God, the Master Designer created the world and now sustains the world. He keeps the sun and moon in their places and provides the air we breathe.

The second reason for my hope is that God speaks to people. He has always spoken since time began, in various ways. He spoke directly to people like Adam, Moses and Abraham as well as others. He also spoke indirectly through His prophets and others.

He also speaks through the Bible, written by men, at different times in history, who were inspired by the Holy Spirit.  The Bible is the living Word of God. The message in it’s pages is the good news of our deliverance from the slavery of sin.

The Bible is reliable because of prophecies that have been fulfilled, the unity of the message and the many historical facts that are correct. The Scriptures answer the questions: “Why are we here? Where are we going? What’s the purpose of life? ” And most important of all it changes lives.

Some years ago I heard an interesting story that was told by Barry Buzza. There was a missionary in Africa who was preaching the Word and giving out Bibles free to anyone who wanted one. He offered one to a rather inebriated young man who said, “No, I don’t want one!”

The missionary said, “Well take a Bible, it will really help you. This is God’s Word to you!” The man said “No, I’m not interested in having a Bible.” As the missionary kept insisting he should take it, the man said, “Preacher, if I took that Bible I would rip out the pages and use them to wrap my cigarettes in.”

The missionary said, “OK, you can do that but you’ve got to make me a promise that every page that you use for a cigarette wrapper, you’ve got to read it before you wrap your cigarette.” The guy thought that’s a fair deal so he took the Bible and walked away.

About 25 years later the missionary came back for a retirement celebration. A young, black man was preaching up on the platform. After the service the young man came up to the missionary and asked him, “Do you know who I am?” The missionary said, “No.”

He said, “I am the young guy you gave a Bible to years ago and I said I would smoke it.” The missionary said, “Yes, I remember that.” The young man said, “Well, I smoked through Matthew, I smoked through Mark and I smoked through Luke.”

“I was smoking my way through John and I got to John 3:16 where it said,  ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whosoever believeth in Him would not perish but would have eternal life.’ I knelt down and accepted Jesus as my Savior.”

Hebrew 1:1 says “In these last days God has spoken through His Son.” God spoke when He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to this earth to show us the Father and make it possible for us to know Him. He came to reconcile mankind to our heavenly Father.

When man chose his own way instead of God’s it caused us to be estranged from Him. That sin carried the penalty of death. Jesus came to earth and paid that penalty for us when He died a cruel death on a Roman cross. But His death was not the end.

He did not stay in the tomb. Three days later He was resurrected. Everyone who believes that Jesus paid the penalty for their sins receives forgiveness and begins a new, changed life with a desire to know and please God.

Everyone who trusts in Jesus as their Savior has the hope, the certain expectation of a resurrection and eternal life with Him.  I have the hope of fellowship with my heavenly Father in the life I live here on earth and for the life I will live with Him in eternity.

I could not hope to keep the law or do enough good deeds to make it to heaven. The hymn writer put it this way, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.” My hope is in the salvation He has made possible for me.

Heb 6:19 says, “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil (the holy of holies in heaven) where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us.” This hope is my sure anchor!

K. Wuest, said this, “This life is the sea; the soul, a ship; the hidden bottom of the sea, the hidden reality of the heavenly word. The soul is seen as storm tossed on the troubled sea of life. The soul of the believer, as a tempest tossed ship is held by the anchor within the veil, fastened by faith to the blessed reality within the veil.”

But what about those who do not choose to put their hope and trust in Jesus? We are eternal beings and will live forever somewhere, either in heaven with God or in hell without God. Hell gives people the right to live apart from God! We have a choice!

I choose to live with and for Jesus Christ. My hope is in Him! Where is your hope?

I GAVE MY GARDEN TO GOD

Have you ever seen a movie, read a book or heard a sermon that made such an impact on you that it changed your life? Suddenly you saw something old in a brand new light.That happened to me recently when I heard “The Pineapple Story.”

Otto Koning and his wife, Carol were Missionaries in New Guinea. The people were chronic thieves which caused Otto to be angry all the time.They even stole the diaper pins. Otto said God sent him to those people for him to learn Luke 14:33 “Whosoever of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.”

They stole everything they could, even stealing the clothes off the clothesline. The soil was very sandy but he thought it would grow pineapples, so, he planted a pineapple garden. It took three years to produce fruit, but he never got the fruit because the natives stole all the pineapples even before they were ripe.

This made Otto very angry. When they went on furlough. Otto & Carol told each other they were never going back. While in Chicago, Otto attended a Basic Youth Conflicts Seminar which changed his life.

The speaker talked about fighting for your rights. He challenged them to give up their rights to God and to give their possessions to God. He continued to challenge them, “God takes good care of His possessions. What you give to God with the right motives, you’ll never lack in that thing.”

He told them “the people you fight with you’ll never win. Fighting for your rights will destroy your health”. When the speaker gave an invitation for those who wanted to put everything on the altar and give it to God, Otto gave the pineapple garden to God. A great peace filled his soul.

They went back to the jungle and Otto told God, “Lord, It’s Your garden.” The pineapples grew bigger and better and the natives were still stealing them. Otto was still angry at their thievery. He told God he was angry for Him.

On his knees one morning God showed him Romans 6, dying to self. At the end of his rope, he gave up his right to own a garden. He wasn’t angry anymore. The natives noticed and said to him, “You must be a Christian now.” Otto had preached about Christ and about Christianity but they didn’t see it in him because of his anger.

They asked him why he wasn’t angry anymore and he said he gave the garden away. He said he would tell them the next day who he had given the garden to. The next morning they were at his door early and he told them, “I gave the garden to my God in heaven.”

They wanted him to take the garden back because they had all kinds of problems since the garden was God’s. They were angry but one man persuaded them to let God own the garden. They liked Otto as a christian rather than an angry white man.

Suddenly they wanted to know more about God. They asked questions. Does God see in the dark? Is your God big? Things that had been stolen began to come back, showing up on their porch. God supplied over and beyond their needs.

Jim Elliot said, “He is no fool who gives what he can not keep to gain what he can not lose.” The opposite is also true, “he is a fool who keeps fighting and struggling for what he can not keep (and ruins his health in the process.)” Otto told God he didn’t want to own anything anymore. That was graduating from grade one.

With each area brought to his attention, he considered it like going to school. When the natives were bringing him things to fix and he felt frustrated that his time was being wasted he put that on the altar. He began fixing things with a joyful heart and they said he was a christian again. That was grade two!

When he was almost sent home from the Mission field, he gave his reputation to God. It didn’t matter what other people thought of him, what mattered was if he was pleasing God. He was given more responsibilities.

He wondered why people wait until they almost lose their children, when there’s no medical help there, before they surrender them. Some people who have surrendered their right to be healthy have been healed. God wants to be Lord in every area of our lives.

Some areas mentioned where we need to surrender our rights to His Lordship are: plans, reputation, time, possessions, music, money, health. self, activities, opinions.Surrendering our rights to Him is not a once in a lifetime event but must be done daily and sometimes moment by moment.

At the end of his message he gave an altar call, asking those who wanted to surrender everything to the Lord, to pray this prayer: “Lord, forgive me. I give my garden to You. Have Your way! Remind me again tomorrow.”

I couldn’t get this out of my mind. I gave my garden, my everything, to God. I don’t have to worry about anything. I don’t own the garden anymore, He does! Everything to do with my life is His worry now. He takes care of His own!

See & hear the full story on utube: THE PINEAPPLE STORY FULL INSPIRATIONAL

GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE

“God is still on the throne and He will remember His own,” echos in my mind from many years ago when we sang this in our church quite often. I didn’t really picture God sitting on a throne but I understood the implications of God’s rule and absolute authority. The fact that God is still on the throne should bring us a feeling of security and peace.

We should heave a sigh of relief and say, “God is in control of everything, I don’t need to worry.” There are many Scriptures that speak of God’s throne and His Sovereign rule in heaven and on earth. Isaiah 66:1 God says, “Heaven is My throne and earth is My footstool.” Psalm 45:6, “Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever.”

Psalm 47 says the Lord Most High is to be feared, He is a great king over all the earth. He is our King, the King of all the earth. vs 8 ” God reigns over the nations, God sits on His holy throne.” In Psalm 50:12 God says, “If I were hungry I would not tell you, or the world is Mine and all it contains (its fullness).”

When we look at the world around us it doesn’t look like God is on His throne. In fact, it looks like the world is out of control. In many places in the world being one of God’s children can cost you your very life or the life of someone you love dearly. People who refuse to deny Jesus Christ as their Lord are being imprisoned or martyred for their faith.

More than once Jesus said we would have tribulation.The truth is we have an enemy who hates us and he is doing everything in his power to destroy all that God has created. Since before creation, he wants worship and he wants to be god. God and Satan are not equal! Satan was created as a beautiful angel but his pride was his downfall.

As a created being he said in his heart, “I will ascend to heaven, I will raise my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” Isaiah 14:12-15 The Lord said to him, “You will be thrust down to Sheol.”

In Luke 10:18 Jesus said, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning.” The devil then set about to destroy man and everything else he could destroy. Starting with Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, he planted doubt of God’s goodness in their minds and hearts and tempted them to disobey God and he is doing the same with people today.

Just as he influenced Adam and Eve and everyone who was born after them, he now works in and through the sons (and daughters) of disobedience. Evil is rampant because ungodly men have rejected God and they are following the devil. One of his main works is deception. People think they are doing what they want to but they are doing what he wants them to. They have been deceived by him.

Our enemy is referred to by various names describing his work in the world and his character. One of those names is 2 Cor 4:4  the “god of this world” meaning the world system. For His own reasons, God is allowing him to work in this world for a certain time until His purposes are fulfilled in this earth.

God has given men and women a will, they can choose to follow Him or they can follow the deceiver. Satan’s end will be the lake of fire and all those who follow his ways will join him and his angels there. The good news is, that Jesus Christ has made a way whereby everyone can return to follow God and live forever with Him. No one has to be lost forever.

Look at the world! Is it getting better? No!! Turn on the news! Terror, grief, turmoil, murder, fear and anguish are the order of the day. Tornadoes, out of control fires, disasters on the earth. Man can not control the atmosphere. He can’t command rain or sunshine. God is still in control.

Persecution will continue and even escalate. Even in the family those who do not believe will turn on the believers. But, Jesus said, “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Those who follow Christ, carry their cross. But, in the end, they will be victorious over the enemy!

GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE

by Kittie L. Suffield 1929

Chorus-
God is still on the throne and He will remember His own;
Tho’ trials may press us and burdens distress us He never will leave us alone.
God is still on the throne, He never forsaketh His own;
His promise is true, He will not forget you,
God is still on the throne.

Verse 1
Have you started for glory and heaven? Have you left this old world far behind?
In your heart is the Comforter dwelling? Can you say, “Praise the Lord, He is mine”?
Have the ones that once walked on the highway gone back, and you seem all alone?
Keep your eyes on the prize, for the home in the skies;
God is still on the throne.

Verse 2
Burdened soul, is your heart growing weary with the toil and the heat of the day?
Does it seem that your path is more thorny as you journey along on life’s way?
Go away and in secret before Him tell your grief to the Savior alone;
He will lighten your care, for He still answers prayer;
God is still on the throne.

Verse 3
You may live in a tent or a cottage, unnoticed by those who pass by;
But a mansion for you He is building, in that beautiful city on high;
It will outshine the wealth and the splendor, of the richest on earth we have known;
He’s the Architect true, and He’s building for you;
God is still on the throne.

Verse 4
He is coming again is the promise, to disciples when He went away;
In like manner as He has gone from you, you will see Him returning some day;
Does His tarrying cause you to wonder, does it seem He’s forgotten His own?
His promise is true, He is coming for you;
God is still on the throne.

FROM FEAR TO FAITH

Recently I decided to review a course I had taken some years ago. I needed some answers and this would be a good place to start. The course, “Counseled by God” is taught by Mark Virkler who also teaches “How to Hear the Voice of God.” I started each morning  by watching the DVD for that day’s lesson, then spending time with the Lord journaling my questions and His answers.

As I journaled, my time and conversation with the Lord was always meaningful. Although there were aspects of ministry and healing in previous lessons, session seven was very close to home, “From Fear to Faith.”  The application exercise addressed the question, “Are there areas of fear in your life? To help you discern them, list five “what if”s…you have asked yourself recently.”

Ask the Lord, “What do You want to say about these “what if’s?” I made my list and I asked the Lord what He would say to me. His answer was loving, encouraging, and He reminded me that He has always taken care of me all these years. He said, “Let the light of My Word shine into all the corners, the places where dust webs of doubt are lurking. Have faith in Me!” Certain Scriptures came to mind.

One book in the Old Testament written by the prophet, Habakkuk, addresses fear and faith with all the implications we face today. He had a lot of questions concerning things that were bothering him. The world around him was much like ours and he wanted to know why God was allowing the violence and injustice and how long it would go on. God’s answer was, “I am doing something in your days-”

Habakkuk says,”You don’t approve evil or wickedness so why do You look with favor on those who deal treacherously? Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up those more righteous than they are?”He says I don’t understand but I want to. “I will stand on my guard post and station myself on the rampart and I will keep watch to see what He will speak to me and how I may reply when I am reproved.”

Then the Lord answered Habakkuk, “Record the vision and inscribe it on tablets that the one who reads it may run. For the vision is yet for the appointed time; it hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay.  Behold, as for the proud one, his soul is not right within him; but the righteous will live by his faith.”

He has a conversation with the Lord, remembering His Majesty and Power displayed in the past. His mind turns to the coming invasion which God has told him will come and he almost hears the sound of their coming. His lips quiver and his body trembles as he sets himself to wait quietly for the day of distress and the invading people.

Suddenly his faith rises within him and he says, “Though the fig tree should not blossom and there be no fruit on the vines, though the yield of the olive should fail and the fields produce no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold, and there be no cattle in the stalls. yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord GOD is my strength, and he has made my feet like hinds’ feet, and makes me walk on my high places.”

Listen to any news channel and you will be bombarded with all that’s wrong in the world. From fires in California and as of today’s report, five hundred fires in BC to floods in Texas. We need rain and may have a shortage of water here. Shootings and stabbings every day for no reason. Greece is in financial trouble again and our economy is supposed to take a down turn by the fall.

I was born in the great depression is this the full circle for me? I can’t control the world market or the weather patterns but I can control my attitude. I can be filled with fear, try to stash money or food and wait quietly for the invasion of adverse circumstances or I can say, I will remember that the Lord GOD is my strength. I choose to depend on Him. He will enable me to make it through.

What a wonderful affirmation of faith is Habakkuk’s testimony. As he moves from fear to faith he says, “I will not live in fear, according to my circumstances, the joy of the Lord GOD is my strength. He will enable me to overcome. I will not only survive but thrive!” Our hope is not in this world, it must be in God Who is the only source of stability when the world is crumbling around us. I choose to put my faith in Him.