Plug in to Power

The other day, I panicked. I started up my rusty computer and could not get anything. Visions of viruses drive eating Trojans, and spiders danced in my head. I yelled to my son to help. He is my live-in computer guru.

He tried it, but nothing. He dived under the desk and started playing with plugs and connections. Suddenly, the screen sprang into life. The box was not quite plugged in he told me. “You can’t get power unless you are plugged in to it.”

I started thinking about that in connection to God. Why do we so often feel that God is distant, not listening, and even uninterested? We feel that we are alone but He promised to never forsake or leave us.  Perhaps, we are not plugged in to His power.

Like the unplugged computer box, we have trouble accessing the good things inside.

We need to plug in with prayer, which is only talking to God, telling Him of our concerns, fears, and wishes. We also need to intercede on behalf of family and friends. We need to delve into the Word, using it in daily life. We need to tell others about God, as I try to do on this blog.

If any of these links goes missing, the connection is loose or broken and we do not get the power that we need. Plug in today.

Image by author.

The Lord is my Shepherd

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

A shepherd guards and looks out for his sheep. If one is lost, he looks for it and brings it back to the flock. Jesus takes care of us and gives us everything we need.

² He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

We can obtain rest and restoration. He provides living water and the bread of life.

³ He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 

He refreshes our mind and guides us the right way we should follow.

⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

I don't have to be afraid because He is always with me. When He corrects us, it is in preparation for the wonders to come. Even in death we need not fear because He has prepared great things which we cannot understand now.

⁵ Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Jesus will win in the end and vengeance belongs to Him.

⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Is he your shepherd? John 3:16

Image Yosemite Stream public-domain-images.com

Grave site Copyright R. Griffin 2013 Used with permission

 BibleGateway.com KJV in the public domain

You are Perfect

You might wonder why God made people in the first place. The answer is simple. He made Adam and Eve and walked with them in the garden. He wanted company. People on earth have a purpose for being here and He loves each of them.

You are perfect

God planned for you to be here right now, in this time span. You might not look perfect to the world, or your neighbors, but you are where He planned for you, all for His purpose and glory. You may, you may find your little corner of the world boring and wish to move but when that time comes, God will orchestrate every detail.

How you look.

God made sure your parents met and the right set of genes formed you. You are the right race and nationality. Every detail was planned out before time began. Your hair and eyes glow with the ideal color.

 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. Psalm 139.14 KJV

Your talents

Think of the people close to you. Each one is different because he/she has a talent and excels at it. Some people sing like angels, others write, paint, or play instruments. Each performs in a unique way and each talent is important. Each talent serves him in a different way.

Be happy

Wherever you are right now, whatever your situation, God is in control. You are perfect for what God wants to accomplish through you. He made you perfect and He does not make mistakes. Be happy for whatever is happening now and use it to help others and glorify your maker. 

Why People Hate Jesus

It is popular these days to mock Christians and make fun of Jesus and even to deny God. People think it is okay to do and be anything that feels good to them. Here a few of the reasons that people hate Jesus.

Jesus speaks the truth.

His presence convicts people. They know in their inner being that He speaks truth with power and authority. They know that their life and mission do not measure up and that a reckoning may come someday. They resent being reminded.

He cannot be stopped

The Bible reminds us that God’s word never returns void.  Christianity survives no matter what happens. Even today, church persecution is rampant in some places.  Dissenters kill pastors, burn churches, threaten and kill congregation members.  They can suppress Christianity but not kill it.

In some countries, people gather secretly at house churches or secret Sunday Schools at the risk of death.  In many places, Bibles are at a premium.  When someone brings one Bible to a meeting, it passes from hand to hand, each person tearing out a precious page and passing it to the next person.

He is a light in a dark world

In a dark world, one can see the tiniest light. Perhaps you have been in a room at night when the electric suddenly shut off because of a storm or accident. You grope around in the dark and someone lights a candle. Everyone looks at that candle which represents hope in your now dark world.

Our world is the darkness and Jesus is the light

“Then spoke Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world:

He that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

John 8:12

The best news

Even if you hate Jesus, he still loves you anyway. It is not too late. You can turn from hatred and fall into the arms of love. Try it today.

http://www.backtothebible.org

Image from Public-Domain-Image.com 

Is this what God Intended for the World?

At night, I often listen to “Coast to Coast” on the radio. The other night, it ran a “Somewhere in Time” program (rerun). The host talked about the horrendous news events of the day. He also spoke of his agnostic view of the world.

He had a problem believing that a real God would permit such things to happen. He said that if God were real, He would prevent these unspeakable occurrences.

He read them off one at a time.

• One little girl got mad at another little girl and stabbed her in the back with a kitchen knife, killing her.
•  A mother threw her baby out the window. She did not bother to open the window.

• Two young men broke into a mortuary. They stole some equipment like computers and other electronics.  Before they left, they violated some of the bodies.

The host asked if that is what God intended for the world. 

We could ask that question about the news of any day. Today, we hear about someone who drove his car down a beach boardwalk, killing, injuring, and terrorizing. A chaotic scene filled the TV screen.  Something happens every day to challenge our faith.

The Trouble with People

Why is the world enveloped with such chaos and senseless crimes? There are a couple of reasons and they are not God’s fault.

• He gave people free will to do as they please.
•  People have a sinful nature because of the fall in the garden.

I think God gave us free will because he wants us to make a choice whether or not we will follow Him, if we will love Him. Everyone wants love but no one wants love that is forced and phony.

God’s Plan

God knew that free will leads to sinful behavior. Pride causes people to do desperate things to get ahead, to be superior, to be greater than any other. Greed, lust, and other sinful drives cause much misery in the world.

God had a plan to overcome man’s sinful ways. He sent His son into the world to sacrifice himself to atone for the sins of free will and a fallen world. Those who believed and followed his son and repented of their sins would join Him in eternity.

 When you think of your life, do you repent of the things you have done? Can you believe God’s promises while living in this confused and confusing world?

If you do, profess your belief and join the ranks of those who will someday roam the streets of gold..

 Images from public domain.

You Can't Hide from God

Some friends invited me to go to a prayer meeting.  After some thought, I decided to go in spite of wondering if it was a good idea. When I walked in, the first thing I saw was a group of men chasing another man. They finally backed him into a corner and said, “You can’t hide from God.”

These people are nuts, I thought. I need to get out of here. I ran into the yard and looked around. It was dark and I really wasn’t sure where I was, so I went back into the meeting. Although this happened decades ago, I still remember it like it occurred yesterday.

Many people try it but He always knows where we are and what we have done. Most people attempt it at one time or another, perhaps even you. Does it work? The Bible contains many examples of people trying to hide from God.

The Garden

It started when Adam and Eve ate forbidden fruit in the garden . After they ate the fruit they were ashamed because they were naked and made coverings for themselves.  They heard God walking in the garden and hid. God knew where they were and ejected them from the garden.  They could not hide from God, and neither can we.

Jonah

God told Jonah to go to Nineveh to tell the people there to turn away from sin. Jonah did not want to o so he tried to hide from God by running away. God caused a storm to cast him from his escape boat and sent a great fish to swallow him. After a few days in the belly of that fish, it spit him out on an island. Jonah was only too glad to go to Nineveh then. He could not hide from God and neither can we.

Everything

God knows everything about us. It is scary because he knows our wants, dreams, and fears: the secrets we hide within, things that we never tell anyone else.  The best thing is that He loves us anyway.

 Jonah Is Spewed Forth by the Whale (Jon. 2:1-11)

Doré English Bible

This work is in the public domain in the United States, and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years or less.

The Power of the Tongue

Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

Do you remember angry, unjust, or nasty words spoken to you many years, perhaps decades, ago? Did someone make you feel unwanted and unloved? Do they still sting and cause pain?

Then someone came along and spoke happy words that healed and transformed. They gave you hope and encouragement. They made you feel wanted and important. You recall them with a glad heart.

We each possess the same power in our tongues and in our hearts. Pastor always says that, “out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.”

 

The Greek word Toxicon (in ancient archery) translates to an arrow tipped off with yew, a deadly poison. A pull and release of the bow lets the arrow fly. It damages and kills whomever it hits.

Our words, like a poison arrow, can speak death or despair, or they can speak life and healing. 

Toxic words flying at a particular person alters who he/she is. They lodge in the heart and cause deep wounds. They also hurt the speaker. Toxic words expose his/her heart to others. “A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.” Proverbs 15:4 KJV

We have within us the power to wreak havoc with other lives, or speak words of encouragement, love, and healing.   Once we let our words go, we can never get them back.  The wound festers for years afterward. 

We need to guard our hearts so truth and hope spill over into our conversations. It is one way to make the world better.  The words will ring in the ears for all time.

“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a silver basket.” Proverbs 25:11 KJV

A line drawing of a woman shooting a bow and arrow. Artist: Benjamin Crowell (wikipedia user bcrowell).

Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. Subject to disclaimers.

All Bible Quotes from the King James Bible

The Worst Sin of All

Adam and Eve lived in a beautiful garden paradise on earth. God provided all they needed and only required them to tend the garden in return. One day a serpent came and talked to Eve. It was Satan, the father of lies, in disguise.

The serpent suggested to Eve that she could be as great as God if only she ate the forbidden fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. She ate of the tree and offered some to Adam who also ate. God cast them out of the garden and told an angel to guard it so they could not get back in.

Eve’s biggest sin was not eating the fruit.  It was disobedience to God’s commandment, a disobedience born from pride, the worst sin of all. She wanted to be equal to God and mankind has paid the price ever since.

The Bible speaks of seven deadly sins.  They include pride, covetousness, lust, anger, gluttony, envy and slothfulness. Proverbs 6:16-19 proclaims that, “These six things doth the LORD hate; yea, seven are an abomination unto him: a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.”

The only thing a Christian should be proud of is that God created man, set him in a lovely place, and planned for Christ to stand in as a sacrifice to atone for his sins. Of that, we can be proud.

Adam and Eve expelled from Paradise

·                    Author/auteur: Paul Gustave Doré

·                    Source: Scan from a Dutch bible.

Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.

This image (or other media file) is in the public domain because its copyright has expired.

This applies to Australia, the European Union and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author

plus 70 years.

Some Facts About Angels

 People like to think about and talk about them. Many tell stories of angels saving them from death, helping them in some miraculous way, or giving them a message they really needed to hear.  Here a few facts about angels. I am sure you have stories, also.

The Bible mentions angels around 300 times. 

1) The word angel means messenger. The first angel, mentioned in Genesis 16:7, carries a message from God, and the last one, in Revelation 22:16, relays a message from Christ.

2) Angels do not marry   

For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. Matthew 22:30 KJV

3) A lot of people think angels speak to us in our dreams. 

Some people owe their lives to a warning or instructions from an angel. You probably know someone who did or it even be you. The Bible mentions God speaking to people in dreams many times.

It is a fact because in Matthew 1:20 it says,  ^“But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.”

4) Not all angels have wings and a halo.

Would you recognize an angel if you saw one? The Bible says you might not.

Hebrew 13: ² Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. KJV

Some have entertain angels and just thought of them as strangers passing through.

5) God created angels to live forever.

 Luke 20

³⁶ Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.

http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/

http://www.arm.org/fifty.htm

Image Copyright J. Schlicker 2013

We Give Thanks

Today did not go so great. Frustrations piled up one by one and I believe I just “lost” it.  I said things I wish I had not. I did things that I should not, my mood totally bad and messed up the way it should never happen. Did you ever have a day like that?

To combat that mood, I started thinking of all the things I am thankful to God for and all the blessings he has given us.  I am glad that God forgives us when we turn back to him and repent.

We need to give thanks for the earth God created and gave to us. Thank you for the mountain’s majesty, the sea’s vastness, the exquisite beauty we find all around.

He took infinite care to create the earth, the oceans, the fish in them, and the animals that we love so much.

 

We thank him for the people he made for us.  Thank you for our families even when they exasperate us, betray us, or hurt us the same way we often do to God.

Thank you for the newborn baby’s cry and the hope for tomorrow.


Thank you for loving us when we don’t deserve it. Thank you for the sacrifice you made on the cross.  Though you never sinned, you died for sinners. Thank you for making Heaven and promising your followers a place there.

Superman and Jesus

They just made another Superman movie, “Man of Steel.” It started me thinking about Superman and Jesus.

We know a lot about Superman’s origins.  In the Superman comics and movies, we learn that he was the sole survivor who escaped from the doomed planet Krypton. His parents put him on a rocket ship just before the planet exploded. He lands on planet earth where a family named Kent finds and adopts him.

We know little about his growing up years. His stories of heroism start when he was in his early 30s.  He is a reporter for the Daily Planet and his love interest, Lois Lane, also works there.

Whenever there is a crime, he ducks into a telephone booth (remember those?), changes into his superman cape and springs into action. He can leap tall buildings and do other impossible stuff. The biggest mystery is why Lois cannot figure out Clark’s real identity.

In the movies He battles evil gods and entities that try to control the planet and destroy him.

Jesus

His origins are well documented. His story starts in the Old Testament when prophets tell of his future arrival on earth. It details his genealogy. We learn that his father was the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary his mother. 

It continues in the New Testament with the familiar Christmas story. His earthly parents, Mary and Joseph go to Bethlehem to pay taxes. Mary is great with child and labor starts when they reach the city.  All the inns are filled but one innkeeper lets them use the stable. Mary gives birth there.

King Herod finds out about the new baby king and orders his soldiers to kill him. In the process they kill all the boy babies of the Jews.  His father in heaven protects him by telling Joseph to use a different route to return home.

We know very little of Jesus childhood except for the story of him preaching in the temple at age 12. He confounded the wise men with his knowledge and wisdom.

Both Superman and Jesus began with parents beyond the earth.  Both came to earth and humble families raised them. Both came into power at age 33, the ideal age. Both performed good deeds on earth.  Superman fought crime and defended the weak. Jesus made the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the lame to walk, and made the leper clean.

Both wanted anonymity. Superman hid behind his shy countenance and glasses. Jesus told people to go and to tell no one of the miracles they received.

The Real Superman

 We need to remember that Superman is a fictional character.  He never lived and is not real. He is never going to save you from evil and will never be there when you need him.

You can depend on Jesus.  He is real, the living God.  He is there to comfort, heal, and save you for eternity. Which Superman do you want?

Image "Seeking Jesus" from Public-Domain-Images.com

Dads Matter

In today’s world, fathers are more important than ever. We need godly dads to love, guide, and be examples for children.  Both boys and girls need a father’s guidance as they grow. Girls learn whether men are good, or bad by watching and listening to their dads.

Today, as in the days of Noah, people commit all sorts of sin and schools reinforce the idea that anything is okay. There is a “if it feels good, do it” philosophy in the world today.

Noah, a Godly Father

Noah is an example for all fathers to follow and emulate.

Noah obeyed God in all things.  He and his wife raised children who obeyed him and honored God by putting Him first in all aspects of life.

Wickedness abounded around them, just as it does in modern times.

 People committed all manner of sins and degradations. They drowned out the voice of God. Their wickedness was so great that God decided to destroy the world, but spared Noah and his family.

He ordered Noah to build a great ark and to fill it with some of every animal that lived on earth. Up until that time, it never rained. God caused water to come from the inside of the earth to keep it green.

Noah ignored the taunts and laughter of people who mocked him for building a big boat where there was no water.  It was important to him to do what God told him to do.

Can you imagine yourself building a great floating palace in your backyard? What would your neighbors do and say?

Noah, his wife, his three sons, and the animals they cared for survived the great flood that swept away all others because they trusted and obeyed..

Same Today

Today, we find a very similar situation. Many have turned away from God and laugh at believers. 

We need you fathers to lead and raise godly children.  We need you to fill in for children who don’t know their father.  Your family needs you and the world needs you. 

Happy Father's Day!

 Image from personal album

Be Kind to one Another

Recently, my car started spewing oil out over the engine. Smoke and stink of burned oil filled every ride.  I knew that something needed fixing fast but garages charge much more than the budget allowed at the time.

One of the men in our church looked at it.  He said he thought he could fix it, and he did. He bought a gasket and installed it.  It took him three hours and he charged me nothing. That was an incredible act of love and charity and I will always be thankful.

The Bible has a lot to say about kindness, compassion, and love (charity). We find examples of it everywhere.

Romans 13:10 says to love our neighbor to fulfill the law. Romans 15:5   says that we should be like the God of patience and consolation. Acts 20:35 reminds us that we should support the weak and that it is more blessed to give than to receive.

Romans 15:5 - Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:

Of course, Jesus performed the ultimate act of love.

John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Charity

Charity is hard for many of us.  We think of people with their hands stretched out and a “gimme” attitude or bums on the street hitting you up for money.  1 Peter 4:8 says charity will cover a multitude of sins. Matthew 5:42 admonishes us to give to those who ask and not to turn them away. 

Romans 15:2 - Let every one of us please [his] neighbour for [his] good to edification.

Compassion

Compassion is a lot of things. It is love for one another, and doing the right thing. It is being courteous and speaking only good as it edifies and brings grace upon us.

1 Peter 3:8 - Finally, [be ye] all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, [be] pitiful, [be] courteous:

Ephesians 4:29 - Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

Kindness Lasts 

The kindness of my friend at church will outlive the car.  Any act of kindness, no matter how great or small will stay with the one who gives and the one who receives the love behind it. 

Be kind to someone today.It does not need to cost anything.  A smile, greeting, or friendly word could make all the difference to a hurting person.

And be sure to pass on any love, caring, or compassion  you receive along the way. If we each perform random acts of kindness, we make the world a happier place and fulfill God's law.

 
Images: Public Domain Pictures

Verybestquotes.com

Bible quotes from King James Version  


 


 

Animals in Heaven

What does your pet mean to you? Some people consider them family members.  Others believe they are angels sent from heaven as companions and comforters. Many wonder whether they will see their beloved dog, cat, or other animals in heaven with them

someday.

I asked the Christian Professional Worldwide group on LinkedIn whether there will be animals in heaven and found that many wanted to know the same thing.  Many shared amazing stories of devotion to and from their favorite pets. All had an opinion.

The Bible gives clues to the answer.

In Genesis 2 God brought the animals to Adam and asked him what he wanted to call them. Many people believe that since people love animals so much, he will provide them in Heaven because He wants people to be happy there.

Some think that their pets become new creations and not the same as Fluffy or Max they loved on earth.

Horses in Heaven

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.” Revelation 19:11, 14 KJV

 Isaiah 11 provides more clues:

⁶ The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

⁷ And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

⁸ And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.

⁹ They shall not hurt nor destroy in my entire holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.

I think there will be animals in heaven.  God made them and people love them. He wants us to be happy and I believe animals that give us joy and companionship will be part of the reward.

I remember our dog Hiccups and my dear Annie, among others. Remembering Hiccups baying through the countryside as she chased rabbits and Annie who always wanted to be with us set me to wondering if I would see them again someday. That prompted me to ask what others think.

What do you Think?

Do you have stories to share about your favorite animal friend? Will you see them in Heaven? I would love it if you would share with the rest of us.  

Images:

Horses-public-domain-images.com

Annie- (C) J Schlicker 2004 

BibleGateway.com KJV

Happy Memorial Day

On Monday, May 27, we once again honor the memory of those servicemembers who died in war.  They sacrificed all for their country, for their fellow men, for their families.

The unofficial first day of summer, It is a festive day for parades, picnics, and fireworks. It is also a day to remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for freedom. All gave some but some gave all. It is a time to   remember the courageous acts of men and women who laid it all down for us.

We put flags on the graves of these heroes and thank God for them.

 

It is a time to pray for the families they left behind, the men and women who served by staying and keeping the home fires bright.

It is also a good time to pray for the victims of wars everywhere, the innocent civilians caught in the crossfire. Pray for the victims of senseless violence. 

Remember in prayer the families that lost loved ones to tornadoes, floods, fires, earthquakes and other disasters around the world.

Remember also that Jesus paid a price for us, in that while perfect and without sin, He sacrificed his life that we might spend eternity with Him.

Wishing a happy Memorial Day to all my readers. Even if your country does not celebrate this, take a little time to remember the heroes who gave all for you. And for the savior who died for all men and women everywhere.

Public-Domain-Image.com enhanced with verse

BibleGateway.com

Power in Praise

Yesterday, I asked God what he wanted my readers to hear this week. Immediately I thought of a book that I read many years ago, “The Power in Praise”  by Merlin Carothers.  Though I have forgotten many details, I remember the shining premise of the book, that there is power in praising God in all situations.

It is not always easy to praise God no matter what happens. The world with its problems can be exceedingly cruel. Life certainly is not fair. It is too easy to give up and surrender to despair.

 We can read in Acts about what Paul endured from preaching the gospel of Christ.  Soldiers bound him with two chains. People followed after him with threats to kill him.  Even when thrown in prison, he never stopped praising God.

Acts 21: 33 Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done. 34 And some cried one thing, some another, among the multitude: and when he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the castle. 35 And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the people. 36 For the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him.

Job praised God even when his whole life collapsed and he lost everything. Job lost all that was dear to him, his buildings, herds, his children, and his health.

 He continued praising God even when he was covered with terrible oozing sores and his wife demanded he curse God and die.  Job's faith held strong. He did not sin and God restored all that he had lost, and more. He had more children, bigger herds, and more property.

We sing a song in church that goes, “We bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord,” written by Kirk Dearman. It is hard to sing that

when your life is spinning out of control.  When we sacrifice our hurt feelings and raw emotions to praise, power follows. God gives us strength, courage, and the ability to carry on.  He restores us. Praise Him in all things and let Him give you power to overcome. Praise Him because He is worthy to be praised.

www.BibleGateway.com 

Image in public domain

Happy Mother's Day

A Godly Mother

Being a mom is one of the highest callings of womanhood. She protects, cares for, and loves her children more than any other person in the world could.

She nurtures and protects. If you want to get her mad, just mess with her children. She is always there morning and night. A godly mother teaches them fear of and reverence for the Lord.  She helps her children become strong and to learn all the skills they need when they become adults.

In Proverbs 22:6 we find that she trains up a child the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Her job never ends. It only moves into different phases of life. When they are infants, they rely on her for the basic necessities of life.  She makes sure they have food to eat, a bed for rest, and a safe place to grow.

When they reach school age, she must let go a little.  They feed themselves and take care of their needs. They still need guidance and assurance of her love as they run off to explore their little section of the universe. This is when the discussions on values become more important.  A godly mother reads the Bible and helps her children hide the words in their hearts.

As teens, they become more independent and make decisions about careers, jobs and relationships. They need her guidance more than ever before.

 

It is never too late to become a godly mother.  Just start where you are and go from there. God accepts us the way we are and can use us at any time.

Wishing a Happy Mother’s Day to all of you women around the world. Whether you have children of your own, or are caring for a grandchild or someone else’s child, you deserve recognition and praise.

Image-Mother and Baby-

public-domain-images.com

Flowers-public domain
BibleGateway.com
paraphrase of Proverbs 22:6

We Need Each Other

¹¹ And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.

¹² But Moses hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. Exodus 17:11-12 KJV.

The Israelis were in battle with the Amaleks, enemies who attacked them whenever they got a chance. God told Moses to hold his hands up. When he held his arms up, the Israelis prevailed. When he grew tired and lowered them, the Amaleks started winning.

Try holding your hands and arms up in the air How long does it take to get tired and put them down? Think of Moses doing this for a whole day.

They put down a stone that Moses could sit on to save his strength. When he still had trouble holding up his hands, Aaron and Hur stood on either side of him and held his hands up so the Israelis kept winning.

Moses needed Aaron and Hur to help him.  Aaron and Hur needed Moses to help the Israelis to prevail over the Amaleks. People need each other. Cooperation is necessary to achieve a goal, a win over the enemy.

We need to hold each other up. When one falls the rest need to pick him up and restore him.  When faith wavers, others must remind him of God’s greatness and the eternal reward. When anyone is sick or discouraged, he needs others to pray for him. When tragedy strikes, we need each other as Christians and as people. 

Every person is a child of God whether he/she likes or acknowledges it, or not.  Each Christian  is part of the body of Christ and each serves in an unique way. We need each other. 

BibleGateway.com

Image- Friends Public-Domain-Images.com  via Wikimedia Commons

         

Dreams and Visions

Acts 2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

How important are dreams and visions?

Joel 2:28 says about the same thing, And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

 God uses dreams and visions to speak to and instruct people. He considers them to be vital. He used one to protect his son and announce that He was special.   

In Matthew 1:18-25 He speaks to Joseph in a dream that an angel tells him that it is all right to marry his espoused wife Mary.  She did not cheat on him by becoming pregnant.  He told him that the Holy Spirit conceived the child.

He shows us things in dreams too.

The other night I had a dream that I believe came from God. In my dream, hundreds of people jammed our little country church.  There were at least a hundred people on stage playing instruments and singing.

I have never seen that many people there at once. Why don’t I just discount that dream as due to the pizza I ate too close to bedtime?

It is because other people in the church also had similar dreams that I heard about.  God will build His church. If necessary, he will cause events that make people eager to get back to God.

Chernobyl

I remember when the world held its breath while a nuclear plant in Russia melted down. I reached for my Bible and started reading Revelation. I heard that Chernobyl meant wormwood and was sure that the name was in there somewhere. I dreamed of people flocking into churches everywhere. I did not belong in any church at the time. The specter of a common disaster brought people together and closer to God.

Your dream.

We all have many dreams every night. Some are silly. Others are built around things you heard and saw during the day.  Most do not matter and are easily forgotten.

We remember dreams sent by God. They are different from the zany ones that race through the night.  They are dreams that stay with you and push you to do something about them. 

Most people do not experience a lot of God dreams. I do believe that mine foretells future events. When you have such a dream, pay attention. It may be God trying to tell you something.

BibleGateway.com KJV

Joseph's Dream created circa 1790

by Gaetano Gandolfi (1734-1802)
Public Domain via Wikemedia Commons.
This work is in the public domain in the United States, and those countries with a
copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years or less.