Category: Bible thoughts

Election Day U. S. A. 2016

  [Daniel] said, “Praise the Name of GOD forever and ever, for He has all wisdom and power. He controls the course of world events; He removes kings and sets up other kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars.” – Daniel 2:20‭-‬21 NLT (http://bible.com/116/dan.2.20-21.NLT) 
Whatever happens, whoever wins these elections today, no matter what the outcomes, GOD is still in control, and He still wins the war.


  “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT (http://bible.com/116/2ch.7.14.NLT) 

Of Love and Justice 

​A Psalm of David. 

  “I will sing of Your Love and Justice, LORD. I will praise You with songs. I will be careful to live a blameless life— when will You come to help me? 

  I will lead a life of integrity in my own home. I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar. I hate all who deal crookedly; I will have nothing to do with them. I will reject perverse ideas and stay away from every evil. I will not tolerate people who slander their neighbors. I will not endure conceit and pride. 

  I will search for faithful people to be my companions. Only those who are above reproach will be allowed to serve me. I will not allow deceivers to serve in my house, and liars will not stay in my presence. 

  My daily task will be to ferret out the wicked and free the city of the LORD from their grip.” – Psalms 101:1‭-‬8 NLT  (http://bible.com/116/psa.101.1-8.NLT) 

Sounds pretty harsh, right? I doubt very much that there are many people today who could honestly say that they are blameless, and we know that David was far from blameless himself. He was a murderer and an adulterer…. I wonder how many people younger than the Baby Boomer generation even know what being an adulterer means. 

Rereading verses 2b-5, it’s difficult to imagine many business people can say that they apply to their business. Working in corporate offices, even for private, Christian companies, I can bear witness to to all of those things occurring. Coworkers and management alike using gossip and slander to get ahead; dishonestly taking credit for someone else’s work, and accepting rewards and kudos for it. “In my own home …” Whether in my house or my vehicle or my office or my cubicle; at the movie theatre or amusement park …. it is often a struggle to live these words.

In my time, I have acted in all of those ways. In my last job, I was in a close working relationship with people claiming to be Christian, yet seeming to take delight from gossiping and spreading lies in order to promote themselves over their coworkers, and we’re full of conceit. Again, I must emphasize that I have also been full of conceit and lies in my past. I am far from perfect; I am guilty of many sins. It is difficult to not see all of the vulgarity in today’s society with billboards and signs proclaiming it in large format, and television and the movies are rampant with it. Clothing styles shout out perversions and prejudice and lack of modesty, and we just follow the crowd – instead of the cross.

Yes, I’m preaching again!

  “Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.” – Galatians 1:10 NLT (http://bible.com/116/gal.1.10.NLT) 

This verse from Paul’s letters to the Galatian church is how I struggle to live. I say “struggle” because it isn’t easy for me. I am a people pleaser from my childhood; a classic codependent whose life revolved around whoever I was with. About 9 1/2 years ago, I began to understand this about myself through a church program called Celebrate Recovery. Many people think/assume that because it is a 12-step program, you must be an alcoholic or drug addict if you participate. Not true. In fact, one of the leaders said this: “There are 2 types of people in this world. Those who are in recovery, and those who need to be in recovery.” I absolutely agree! Being a codependent isn’t something you just shake off, any more than you can shake off any other addiction, and there are lots of addictions. Shopping, eating, sports, work, animals, and even our children. 

Some things to bear in mind.

Fall

It’s nice to live in an area where we (usually) have 4 seasons. I love Spring, with budding trees and flowers popping up new everywhere; baby animals bounding about, and the new smell of overturned earth as gardens and fields are prepared for planting. My favorite holiday of the year is Easter, because we get to reflect on the sacrifice that Jesus made in order to save us from ourselves and from eternal damnation.

 I love Summer, too. I love to soak up the heat on a lazy afternoon when the smell of freshly cut grass abounds and the birds are singing and in the background, the sounds of kids playing outside; pool parties and cookouts, vactions to the lake or the ocean or the mountains. Celebrating the birth of our country and the freedoms we enjoy as Americans on the 4th of July. I love fireworks displays and parades; festivals and fairs. 

I have a love/ hate relationship with Winter. I adore Christmas and celebrating the birth of our Savior. I love snow and winter activities….. but I really don’t like being cold. I love being snuggled in soft blankets with a crackling fire, spiping a hot drink….. but I really don’t like being cold. The feeling of the brisk, fresh winter air on my cheeks is so invigorating, and the thrill of skiing down a hillside is hard to describe….. but I really don’t like being cold! Can you tell that Winter is a dilemma for me???

Fall – change is in the air. There is a riot of colors and textures as the flowers and grasses and trees seem to explode with late season fruits and seed pods to prepare for winter. There is a flurry of activity in the animal kingdom as they gather food and fortify themselves for the coming winter. The light changes in a subtle but distinct way, softer and more diffuse than the glare of summer. The winds begin to blow more from the north, bringing cooler temperatures and inviting us outside to enjoy the changes.

Fall has been my favorite time of the year for as long as I can remember. Why is it my favorite? The most obvious reason is that my birthday is in the Fall! Thanksgiving, too. It is such a joy to be able to gather with friends and family and to give thanks for who we have in our lives. There were years in my life that I wasn’t thankful for my family, or for the countless times God has stepped in and protected me from serious harm – even death. Of course, being human, I continued to put myself in harms ways, and was hurt physically and emotionally because of my actions. But that story is for another day. 

November is a great month to write a gratitude list. Add one thing to it each day. Not everyone has a family to be thankful for – I know how blessed I am to have one – but everyone has someone and something to be grateful for. Being a gratitude list can be difficult when you are in a bad place. I know, because I’ve been there. A friend made an excellent point once as we were discussing gratitude and some of our group were having difficulty thinking of anything to be grateful for. Even little things make our lives better. She said “We can always be thankful for toilet paper!” Yes, we laughed, but the point was well taken. Start with the seemingly little things …. it might be that they are really big things! 

  “Submit to GOD, and you will have peace; then things will go well for you. Listen to His instructions, and store them in your heart. If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored – so clean up your life. If you give up your lust for money and throw your precious gold into the river, the Almighty Himself will be your treasure. He will be your precious silver!” – Job 22:21‭-‬25 NLT (http://bible.com/116/job.22.21-25.NLT)

Love God and love life. Anticipate heaven and live in preparation for eternity.


There is a God

Afternote: This has been a significantly difficult post to write. When typing words, they morphed into completely different words than I was typing. As I  have gone back to re-read this, I have found words and odd misspellings randomly interspersed throughout. Why? I can only guess, but I expect that it the enemy doing his best to undermine my efforts to glorify God. Satan, GET BEHIND ME. Jesus is my Joy and my Salvation! 

  “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” – Genesis 1:1 (http://bible.com/116/gen.1.1.NLT)

THERE IS A GOD.

He defies explanation and description.

How do I know there is a God? Easy. I open my eyes and look around me. I close my eyes and listen to the symphony of His creation. I reach out and touch. Babies have a distinct smell and their skin is incredibly soft. The various types of fur and hair of the animals is almost like a signature, and the plants of the earth are distinctive in smell and touch. Even the earth itself, from the highest mountain peaks with their rocks and crags to the deepest valleys; soft sandy beaches and the endless plains to the darkest forests…. add the warm dark loam of a fertile river valley and the smell that can overwhelm your senses.

Look at the stars and the planets. Hold a baby. Pet an animal. Hug someone. See the flowers and grasses and trees and rocks and sands of the earth. Look in a microscope. Can you say where it all of this came from? Very intelligent people maintain the “Big Bang Theory” – and I love the show by the way – but my question to them is this: where did the ‘ingredients’ for the Big Bang come from? If 2 atoms colliding made all this, where did the atoms come from? Who made them?

The “Big Bang” is a theory. Evolution is a theory. A theory defined is “… possibly true … but not proven to be true …” Although I respect the intelligence of the scientists who believe this theory to be true, I challenge them to prove the theory so they can stand on fact, rather than standing on supposition. I stand on the reality of this earth. God created this incredible universe and all that it contains, including us humans with all of our senses. In addition, He set us to be in charge of the care of the earth and all of its inhabitants . … and we aren’t doing a very good job being caretakers. It seems that if we could take the energies of all the people who spend their days trying unsuccessfully to prove God doesn’t exist, and channel that energy into ways to save our planet, we would all be much better off!

Whether or not you agree, GOD exists. Not a god, but GOD, the God of the Universe. Creator of all things. The reason bad things happen is because as humans with free will we have chosen to live outside of God’s Love and Mercy and Grace. When we are outside of His shelter, we are susceptible to the lies and coercion and manipulation of the enemy of God, who is Satan. So live your life as you choose to today, but remember this fact: Jesus is returning, and we don’t know when it will happen. Our lives can end in an instant – no matter how healthy or carefully we live, we can die at any time. 

So, how will you live? What do you choose? Who do you choose? A theory that cannot be proven, or the awesome creation around us and the Creator of it all; the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? I choose God.

  “For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for Him and how you have shown your love to Him by caring for other believers, as you still do.” – Hebrews 6:10 (http://bible.com/116/heb.6.10.NLT)

AMEN.

9am

“Oh what a beautiful mornin’

 Oh what a beautiful day

 I got a wonderful feelin’

 Everything’s going my way”

The chorus from Gordon Macrae’s play, Oklahoma! describes how I feel this morning. Despite being without a job for the past 5 1/2 months, my savings depleted, and my unemployment benefits having run out last week, I am confident that God is in control of my life. He just showed me a red-headed woodpecker in the neighbors tree, and up until about 2 minutes ago, it has been quiet and peaceful. (The neighbors dogs started fighting – again – which causes all of the dogs around us, including mine  to become agitated and start barking. It’s annoying and scary at the same time because one dog sounds as if it is being mauled. Lots of yelling and hitting sounds usually follow…..)

By 9:30, it’s quiet again. Just me and God and my little boys in my lap, gently rocking in the old wooden swing. I wonder what is going to happen in my life. Hundreds – literally – of applications submitted…. and nothing. God has a plan; I just don’t know what it is. Pray with me on this? Today’s scripture is so appropriate:

“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” – Matthew 6:34 NLT (http://bible.com/116/mat.6.34.NLT)

Amen.

40 Long Years…

Think about this statement:

  “Normally it takes only eleven days to travel from Mount Sinai to Kadesh-barnea, going by way of Mount Seir.” – Deuteronomy 1:2 NLT

God told the people of Israel that He was giving them a land “overflowing with milk and honey.” All they had to do was walk there (an 11 day journey) and it was theirs. Oh, but that was too easy for them, and they kept sinning and questioning the LORD. 

  “The Lord asked Moses, “How long will these people refuse to obey my commands and instructions? – Exodus 16:28 NLT

God gave them consequences for all of their complaining and rebellion, by leaving them in the wilderness for 40 years instead of the much shorter journey of a couple of weeks. Does that ring true for you? How many years have you been wandering,  afraid to occupy the “land” God has given you?

  “Forty years after the Israelites left Egypt, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses addressed the people of Israel, telling them everything the LORD had commanded him to say. Look! He has placed the land in front of you. Go and occupy it as the LORD, the God of your ancestors, has promised you. Don’t be afraid! Don’t be discouraged!’  – Deuteronomy 1:2‭-‬3‭, ‬21 NLT

I wasn‘t just afraid, I was petrified. I just knew that by being faithful to Him, I would miss out on something. I was convinced (by the enemy) I could be in control of my life. I certainly didn’t need some unseen man controlling my life. I repeat myself, but… how did that work out for me?? Not well. Really not well!

 Had I continued my life following Christ, I would have missed out on all of the “fun” I was having to cover up how miserable I was. I might have missed out on the misery! Control? The one who had control wasn’t me. It was never me. And if you are currently deluding yourself and thinking that you are in control of your life, well, all I can do is shake my head at your fantasy. I am compelled to disillusion you of the notion of you being in control. There is the Almighty God, Omnipotent and Omnipresent, and there is the enemy, the fallen angel (Lucifer, a.k.a. Satan) who corrupted Adam and Eve and gained control of this world through them and their descendants. We are their descendants. Every human to ever walk this earth is connected to them through both physical and spiritual DNA.

I missed out on a lot. I missed out on a fulfilling relationship with my Lord Jesus, and I missed out on years of connecting with my family. I missed out on having a successful wife and mother, and I missed out on a close relationship with my parents. Why do we do that?? But there’s good news about all of this!

Jesus doesn’t hold what we have done or been against us. Murder, lust, gluttony, envy, lying, violence, even the most evil and depraved among us are welcome at Jesus’ feet. He doesn’t care what color we are (I’m kind of a pinkish-tan), He doesn’t care if we come in designer clothes or rags, or if we are driving a Rolls or crawling to Him barefoot and destitute. It doesn’t matter to Him if you are 5 or 105, as long as we seek Him and accept Him as our LORD.

Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.  Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.  So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ ” 

“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in Him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.” – John 3:5‭-‬7‭, ‬18 NLT

What more is there to say? Believe it! 

(All scriptures are taken from the New Living Translation found at http://bible.com) 
 

God’s Words

​As I continue my quest to offend everyone…..

I’d like to begin a little debate of my own. Years ago, I was an active member of the Santa Fe NM Church of Christ. One of the things that I questioned was why we couldn’t have a piano in the building, or even a guitar. Why? There are so many scriptures showing the use of instruments in praising God, why couldn’t we have one? (I can’t say that I ever got a reasonable explanation, either!) For example:
  “The priests took their assigned positions, and so did the Levites who were singing, “His faithful love endures forever!” They accompanied the singing with music from the instruments King David had made for praising the Lord . Across from the Levites, the priests blew the trumpets, while all Israel stood.” – 2 Chronicles 7:6 NLT (http://bible.com/116/2ch.7.6.NLT)
I mean, the preacher had a piano in his living room, and we sang hymns around it… but not in the church building??? I grew up with instruments, and had piano and clarinet lessons when I was young. I was NOT accomplished on either one – I can play chopsticks on the piano now – but I certainly made joyful noises. 
Also read 2 Samuel 6:5; 1 Chronicles 13:8; Isaiah 38:20; Habakkuk 3:19…
I believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, and I believe that it is a literal book. From Genesis 1:1 to Revelations 22:21, is all real and true and God-spoken. I believe that the words Jesus spoke in the NIV supercedes anything in the OT. For example, all of the rules for the Tabernacle become moot with Jesus’ coming, since He is the now the literal and living presence of God on earth. The dietary restrictions laid out in the OT are overridden by God’s words to Peter:  “In the sheet were all sorts of animals, reptiles, and birds. Then a voice said to him, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.” “No, Lord,” Peter declared. “I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean. ” But the voice spoke again: “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.” – Acts of the Apostles 10:12‭-‬15 NLT (http://bible.com/116/act.10.12-15.NLT)
We are also freed by Jesus so that we no longer have to make animal sacrifices, and we don’t need an earthly priest to absolve our sins.  “And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.” – Hebrews 10:19‭-‬22 NLT (http://bible.com/116/heb.10.19-22.NLT)

The point of all this? Jesus did not forbid the use of instruments. He did, however, make this point: “ ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment.  A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” – Matthew 22:37‭-‬40 NLT (http://bible.com/116/mat.22.37-40.NLT)

The way I see it is that it is up to us, individually and collectively as Christians,  and within each local body of Christ (His “Church”) to decide if the use of instruments will be a positive or a negative impact on the people attending. I prefer instructions, because although I love to sing praises to the LORD, it helps everyone else if my voice is covered over by instruments! (As an added bonus for me, I have siblings who sing quite nicely, nieces who sing like angels, and more nieces and nephews who play instruments in their respective churches!) You get to decide for yourself. 

  “And if anyone removes any of the words from this book of prophecy, God will remove that person’s share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book.” – Revelation 22:19 NLT (http://bible.com/116/rev.22.19.NLT)

If I haven’t offended you lately…I’ll get there eventually 

  “After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the LORD or remember the mighty things He had done for Israel. They abandoned the LORD, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They went after other gods, worshiping the gods of the people around them. And they angered the LORD. They abandoned the LORD to serve Baal and the images of Ashtoreth. This made the LORD burn with anger against Israel, so He handed them over to raiders who stole their possessions. He turned them over to their enemies all around, and they were no longer able to resist them. Every time Israel went out to battle, the LORD fought against them, causing them to be defeated, just as He had warned. And the people were in great distress.” – Judges 2:10‭, ‬12‭-‬15 NLT (http://bible.com/116/jdg.2.10-15.NLT)

This sounds so much like our country today. Replace “Israel” with “the United States,” and realize who Ba’al and Ashtoreth are. According to an article from http://www.breakingisraelnews.com, the temple to Ba’al in Palmyra, Syria, “…was originally dedicated to the Mesopotamian god Ba’al, whose principal forms of worship were burning babies alive and bisexual orgies. Symbolizing a major religion that challenged Judaism, Ba’al was mentioned in the Bible over 90 times, becoming the archetype of worshipping evil. The devotees of Ba’al believed he was the source of rain and universal bounty. Promiscuity was not penalized, as unwanted children could be offered up to the god [abortion, child abuse], nor was procreation valued, as homosexual relations were encouraged. Pantheistic, they worshipped Mother Nature while rejecting the concept of a creator.” (www.breakingisraelnews.com)

Considered the moon-goddess, Asherah [Ashtoreth] was often presented as a consort of Baal, the sun-god (Judges 3:7, 6:28, 10:6; 1 Samuel 7:4, 12:10). Asherah was also worshiped as the goddess of love and war and was sometimes linked with Anath, another Canaanite goddess. Worship of Asherah was noted for its sensuality and involved ritual prostitution. The priests and priestesses of Asherah also practiced divination and fortune-telling. (www.gotquestions.org)

(Emphasis added)

Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, the former Chief Rabbi of Great Britain, made a prescient comment on the new moral reality in an article in the the Wall Street Journal in 2011, warning, “A tsunami of wishful thinking has washed across the West saying that you can have sex without the responsibility of marriage, children without the responsibility of parenthood, social order without the responsibility of citizenship, liberty without the responsibility of morality and self-esteem without the responsibility of work and earned achievement.” (http://www.breakingisraelnews.com/64582/temple-baal-ancient-idol-worshiped-biblical-times-will-stand-times-square-biblical-zionism)

I think Rabbi Sacks was very accurate in his statement. We have no respect for life. Witness the number of abortions performed every day, and the acts of violence across the country. Human life has little value to so many people. The lives of animals are placed above children in so many cases, and the presence of drugs and human slavery are decimating. We want the government to support us so we don’t have to work. We expect the government to supply our health care; and we expect the government to take care of us when we get old. But mostly, we expect to be left alone to do whatever we please, without the constraints of morals or ethics or rules.

How’s that working out for you?
It’s time we stand up for what is RIGHT. Morally, ethically, and lawfully. Whether at work or at play, it is up to each individual to live righteously and without expectation that someone else will provide for us. Responsibility is not fun, but it is a necessity. There are different definitions of “right,” so I submit mine. It is right to work and then to enjoy the fruits of my labor. If I choose to have a nice house, it is my responsibility to pay for it and to maintain it. If I want a nicer vehicle, then I need to work for the privilege of ownership. Same with anything else I want. If I choose to have children or animals, it is my RESPONSIBILITY to take care of and provide for them. It is not up to any government to provide these things. There are legitimate instances where people need assistance. For example, I lost my job in April and have been unable to find equivalent work since then. I am fortunate to have earned unemployment benefits, but those are very limited. I am even more blessed to have a partner whose income keeps us going financially for now. Neither of these things prevents me from being responsible to find another job. I have friends who have made the choice to raise their children without the dad because of abuse, and others who have adopted unwanted children. They still work and struggle to maintain a “normal” life, and I believe they should be helped if they desire it. Many make the choice to do their lives without government help.
For those who cannot earn an adequate living through no fault of their own, because of physical or mental disability, or because they are a widow or orphan, we as a community of Christians bear the responsibility to care for them. Not the government. It is not the right of anyone or anything government to take what I have achieved in order to “spread the wealth” – or any other euphemism, including Socialism or Communism or just plain stealing because they don’t want to work.
We are at war today, my friends. In our homes, in our neighborhoods, in our jobs, in our lives, wherever it takes us. Take this scripture to heart:
  “Then if My People who are called by My Name will humble themselves and pray and seek My Face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT (http://bible.com/116/2ch.7.14.NLT)

“Don’t be afraid. I am here!”

​  “…. but He called out to them, “Don’t be afraid. I am here!” ” – John 6:20 NLT (http://bible.com/116/jhn.6.20.NLT)

Seems like we go through our entire lives being afraid. Afraid of change. I don’t think most people will admit to being afraid of change;  most – in my experience – will only say they don’t like change. To me, it just seems a convenient way to deny fear. There are people who embrace change. Being spontaneous and being adventurous. I like spontaneity, myself, and when I was younger, did a number of rather adventurous  (well, we wouldn’t want to call them reckless, now!) things…. and in several cases, I believe it was through the intervention of guarding angels that I didn’t die or end up seriously injured. For the most part, I don’t feel the need to prove anything to anyone anymore…. just don’t dare me!!

How does all of this relate to John 6:20?

In the instance that John is recording, the disciples had found themselves in a rather dangerous predicament. I wonder, though, were they more frightened by the storm, or by the appearance of Jesus? It seems almost as if they just got tired of waiting for him, and left without Him. How many times do we do that in our own lives? We know in our hearts that we need to wait for Jesus, but we grow impatient and take off on our own. I’ve done it countless times. Then, when we find ourselves in a predicament, we cry and call for help…. and then we are surprised when Jesus shows up!

  “That evening Jesus’ disciples went down to the shore to wait for him. But as darkness fell and Jesus still hadn’t come back, they got into the boat and headed across the lake toward Capernaum. Soon a gale swept down upon them, and the sea grew very rough. They had rowed three or four miles when suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the water toward the boat. They were terrified, but he called out to them, “Don’t be afraid. I am here! ”  Then they were eager to let him in the boat, and immediately they arrived at their destination!” – John 6:16‭-‬21 NLT (http://bible.com/116/jhn.6.16-21.NLT)

Wouldn’t it be much easier to wait on Him in the first place? Undoubtedly, but then, we are human and stubborn. After all, what 2 or 3 year old doesn‘t cry “No! I do it!”?? (Don’t bother to deny it – or that most of us take it on into our teen years and adulthood!) After all, how do we learn? Okay, how do most of us learn? In my family, we run the gamut from the ones who took the hard roads to a couple who recognized that letting Jesus be Lord was the way to go early on. At times I wish I would’ve taken the less difficult roads, but then I wouldn’t be who I am today (I’m just glad to be here today!!) I love verse 20: “Don’t be afraid. I am here!” 

Even though I turned away from from family and what I knew was right, there was always – always– this little voice in the back of my head whispering whenever I did something that I knew was wrong. I tried really hard to shut it up and to run from it, but nothing worked. It was still there, no matter what I tried. Even switching continents didn’t work. Ugh! It took a pretty good whack on the heart for me to really get it. Everyone’s bottom is different, and some people have to hit theirs more than once. Some people, lots of people, stay on the bottom because it is what they know. Even though it’s incredibly painful for them, it’s also comfortable because it’s what they know.

Fear. Fear of change. It keeps so many of us stuck in bad, ugly, painful circumstances. Change could make it worse, and at least being stuck we at least know what to expect. With change, we could be getting into something worse. I’ve had conversations with people who don’t understand. Why doesn’t she just leave the abusive man? How can he live in such squalor? Because change is hard. It’s scary, and it is painful. It’s all we can relate to. Do you embrace change in your job? Are you happy at the prospect of change in your life? We can look forward to something,  but there’s always something fear mixed in, even if the changes is good. When we realize that Jesus is here; when we finally know that He is right here with us, and we accept His Presence, we eliminate so much fear. There will always be that little bit of fear in change, because as long as we live in a broken world we can never be entirely sure it will be better. There is one change that we can wholeheartedly claim and know without a doubt that it will be good… actually, it will be beyond any good that we can imagine,  and that is the change we experience when we meet Jesus face to face. 

That’s one change I look forward to with NO fear!