Category: Forgiveness

Heaven is a Real Place

The term “heaven” appears 582 times in the KJV of technology Bible, and 422 times in the NIV. I believe that the heaven of the Bible is a real place, because I believe that the Bible is the Word of the Almighty God, Who spoke to humans – He still speaks, but we don’t listen very well. 

  ‘Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. Could you build Me a temple as good as that?’ asks the LORD. ‘Could you build Me such a resting place? Didn’t My hands make both heaven and earth?’ – Acts of the Apostles 7:49‭-‬50; Isaiah 66:1-2 (http://bible.com/116/act.7.49-50.NLT)

Over the ages, mankind has attempted to build something akin to heaven, and despite the ornate, incredibly beautiful attempts, we don’t even come close. Consider the Taj Mahal, the reported beauty of the ancient city of Babylon and it’s hanging gardens, the fairy-tale castle of Neuschwanstein, the Forbidden City, Versailles…. if you Google ornate castles, there are lots to look at, and they are breathtaking – and yet they are but a pale imitation of the heaven where our God resides. The residents of these earthly castles surround themselves with luxury and decadence, trying to fill their lives. No matter how much we strive, no matter how much beauty and comfort we have here on earth, it won’t fill that hole in our lives. We can have the absolute latest and best of everything, and still be empty inside. In fact, as you look into the lives of those who reside in such places, you find disorder, despair, and loneliness. Years ago, I knew a woman who was the loneliest and most miserable person I have ever met. She truly had no idea of her net worth, because she had accountants and lawyers who took care of it and ensured that her bank accounts were full for her to spend as she pleased. She could go and do as she pleased, and she didn’t have to do anything she didn’t want to. She was born into a very wealthy family, and was pampered and treated as a princess growing up on a large estate. Why would she be unhappy? I dreamed of having a life like hers when I was a child! 

She was like the “Poor Little Rich Girl” Shirley Temple played in the 1936 movie, only I don’t know that my friend had as much fun as Shirley Temple did while growing up. As a child, she was raised by nanny’s and staff instead of her parents, and rarely saw her parents. Contrast that to your life. I grew up in a loud and boisterous family, with 5 siblings, an overworked and often overwhelmed mother, and our preacher dad. Never a dull moment! Preaching was an especially thankless and financially unrewarding profession, but my Dad didn’t become a preacher to get rich, he pastored out of conviction and love. There were times when we literally had no food in the cabinet, but I don’t remember that. Even if we only had mayonnaise or jelly sandwiches, we didn’t go hungry, and we always knew we were loved by our parents. We had regular family gatherings with grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins. Being alone was practically unheard of….. 

If my friend had known about heaven, it would probably have been a place where she felt wanted and loved, while for me, it was a more abstract concept of harps and angels. I know now that heaven is a real place, and it’s a place I want to be. It is indeed a place full of love, and we are all wanted there. It is beautiful and peaceful. 

  “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be His people. God Himself will be with them.  He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children. But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” – Revelation 21:1‭-‬8 NLT (http://bible.com/116/rev.21.1-8.NLT)

I look forward to the day when Jesus returns so that we get to see the sight of the new heaven and earth, and that of the new Jerusalem descending from heaven! Can you imagine it? In verses 11-27, John attempts to describe this new Jerusalem. As incredibly beautiful as he has said it will be, I know that the actual sight of it will make his description seem dull by comparison. Heaven is a real place, and I look forward to seeing it as one of the redeemed. You can see it, too, if you just accept the gift of forgiveness and redemption through Jesus Christ. I look forward to seeing you then!

Men – “Can’t live with ’em; can’t live without ’em.” 

Reading on in Genesis (see previous blog posts), I am astounded at how stubborn and prideful men are. Not that it is any surprise, because I have witnessed it first-hand in my own life. And not just men…. look at Lot’s wife in chapter 19. When he and his family left Sodom, the angels told them to hurry and not to look back. What does his wife do? She looks, and is turned into a pillar of salt.

  “When they were safely out of the city, one of the angels ordered, ‘Run for your lives! And don’t look back or stop anywhere in the valley! Escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away!’ …. But Lot’s wife looked back as she was following behind him, and she turned into a pillar of salt.” – Genesis 19:17‭, ‬26 NLT  (http://bible.com/116/gen.19.17-26.NLT)

Abraham (Abram) continually pushes at God, as does Sarah (Sarai) his wife. Lot’s daughters sinned by having sex with their father – and Lot sinned by drinking himself into a stupor. In spite of all of these failings, God has continued to love them and bless them. There are wonderful stories of miracles throughout Genesis. There is fighting and intrique; there are love stories and deception. Every kind of story, because it is the true history of the human journey from creation through Joseph, a Hebrew boy who became second only to Pharaoh because of his faith and faithfulness to the LORD. 

The Bible is fascinating, because all of human history is contained in it. Science proves it’s accuracy, over and over again, through archeological discoveries and manuscripts. 

Why do we [not me, but so many people] insist that it is wrong? Is it our free will that causes us to be so stubborn and prideful? How can anyone look at nature and the diversity of all living things; the precision, of it all, and not believe in a Creator? The Big Bang could be the result of God clapping his hands…. but it had to come from something. Space dust, or whatever, had to come from somewhere. Plants and living creatures have certainly evolved over the years, but again, it wasn’t random. Don’t know about you, but I am certain that I did not evolve from an ape.

Men. As the saying goes, “Can’t live with ’em; can’t live without ’em.” Men say the same about women, because it’s true. We can’t live without each other, and we can’t LIVE without God. Over the ages, God has proven over and over how Faithful He is, just as mankind has proven how fickle and selfish we are. As much as we like to look back at our pasts, instead of focusing on the future God has for us, we should probably all be turned into pillars of salt. Fortunately for us, God is also Merciful.

  “For this is how God loved the world: He gave His ONE and ONLY SON, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have ETERNAL LIFE.  God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to Save the world through Him. 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 3:16‭-‬18 NLT  (http://bible.com/116/jhn.3.16-18.NLT)

Eternal Life. No judgement. Why would anyone in their right mind refuse a gift like This? Expecially since it’s FREE?????

 

What a Fool I Am…

​  “Control your temper, for anger labels you a fool.” – Ecclesiastes 7:9 NLT (http://bible.com/116/ecc.7.9.NLT)

How many times in my life I have played the fool, and how many more will I before I meet Jesus. I lived much of my life in anger, coming out in sarcasm and biting “humor” and gossip. Not so much now that I have turned my life to God, but my human-ness still comes out at times. James addresses this same thing to the early Christians. Even as we attempt to curb our anger, and our tongues, we fail. We are far from perfect – and I am the furthest from perfection of all mankind. 

  “If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.” – James 1:26‭-‬27 NLT (http://bible.com/116/jas.1.26-27.NLT)

  “Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way. People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring.” – 

James 3:2‭, ‬7‭-‬12 NLT (

http://bible.com/116/jas.3.2-12.NLT)

In a way, James makes it sound so hopeless of ever having our tongue under control. On our own, even though we might be full of “religion”, we are unable to control it. It is only through Christ Jesus that we can speak without anger and malice. 

  “But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.” – 

James 3:17 NLT (

http://bible.com/116/jas.3.17.NLT)

While I am unable on my own to control my temper and my anger, by surrendering it to Jesus, HE can control it. Allowing the Holy Spirit into my life allows me to let go of those human emotions that used to control me. I was all of these things: “But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.” – James 3:14‭-‬16 NLT (http://bible.com/116/jas.3.14-16.NLT)

I can’t even express what a tremendous amount of of guilt and frustration were lifted from my heart by giving these up to Jesus. The immense weight I carried on my shoulders; all of the baggage like hauled around for years…. Gone. All through realizing that my temper and the anger I projected did nothing except hurt me. I was the one who looked the fool when I was busy trying to make everyone else look bad. Temper and anger are incredibly harmful to your physical, emotional, and spiritual life. You might give letting it go a try. I know I feel much lighter – and free.

Morning Has Broken…

Mornings like this bring my Grandma to mind. The crispness in the air, looking out over my little patch of earth, I miss her and her way of making me feel so special. Her yard contained the biggest garden, and she tended it faithfully well into her 80’s. I remember little flowers she called sweetpeas, and tall corn, and neat rows of veggies. Her root cellar for the potatoes was like a cool, inviting cave with its deep, earthy smell. From the grape arbor with the huge purple concord grapes, she made the best grape jelly ever. (Sorry, Welch’s, Grandma’s was better!) Just being with her in her little kitchen and home that overflowed with love. I wish she could come help me with my garden! Her home was just as warm and inviting as she was. I always felt loved when I was with her.

I realize now that her garden was her living; her grocery store, and that she had very little financially, yet she seemed content. I regret that I didn’t spend more time with her, but I made choices that took me away from her and the rest of my family. I fought with my Daddy over my choices, and it cost me precious time with him. Even though my parents lived as good examples of God’s command to honor our parents, I chose me over opportunities to spend time with him and my Mom and my family. My rebellion cost me, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. I missed out on so much – the consequences of my decisions, and I have watched from a distance as some of my siblings, and nieces and nephews and cousins have done the same. I want to give each of them (and myself!) a good wake-up shake! Family is precious. Our time on earth with them is limited, and treating each other with disdain and disrepecting our parents is so incredibly wasteful of our lives.

God makes it so clear what we are to do and how we are to act toward our parents: “Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” – Exodus 20:12 NLT and Deuteronomy 5:16 (http://bible.com/116/exo.20.12.NLT)

  “Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.” – Matthew 19:19; Mark 7:10; Ephesians 6:2-3 NLT (http://bible.com/116/mat.19.19.NLT)

As I read these verses and their background, I saw the following verse. I don’t recall seeing it before, even I have probably read it many times. “For instance, God says, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’ ” – Matthew 15:4 NLT (http://bible.com/116/mat.15.4.NLT)

Does that freak you out a little? It did me! Read on a little further in Matthew:

  “Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. ‘Listen,’ He said, ‘and try to understand.  It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth… Don’t you understand yet?’ Jesus asked. ‘Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer.  But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you.  For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander.  These are what defile you…’ ” – Matthew 15:10‭-‬11‭, ‬16‭-‬20a NL (http://bible.com/116/mat.15.10-20.NLT)

 You know what sustains me, even though my own mouth has been a sewer and defiled? Jesus. Without Him I am nothing. By His own words in Matthew 15:4 I should be put to death for my words against my parents. Even though I am the worst sinner who ever lived, I can take my hope for Life through this passage of His interaction with another Gentile woman. 

  “But she came and worshiped Him, pleading again, ‘Lord, help me!’ Jesus responded, ‘It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.’ She replied, ‘That’s true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their masters’ table.’ ‘Dear woman,’ Jesus said to her, ‘your faith is great. Your request is granted.’ And her daughter was instantly healed.” – Matthew 15:25‭-‬28 NLT (http://bible.com/116/mat.15.25-28.NLT)

One of my favorite hymns; Amen.

“My Hope is Built on Nothing Less”
by Edward Mote, 1797-1874

1. My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

2. When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

3. His oath, His covenant, and blood
Support me in the whelming flood;
When every earthly prop gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

4. When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found,
Clothed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne!
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

Hymn #370 
The Lutheran Hymnal
Text: 1 Timothy 1:1
Author: Edward Mote, c. 1834, cento
Composer: John Stainer, 1873, arr.
Tune: “Magdalen”

Ouch – God hit me again

​  “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.” – Luke 16:10 NLT (http://bible.com/116/luk.16.10.NLT)

No, He didn’t physically hit me, although I am convinced that He has handed out corporal punishment in the past. NOT by way of abuse, because God does not abuse or do evil.

 I believe He does punish us in physical ways when we disobey Him (that also includes disobeying parents 😉). Did you ever break a bone or hurt yourself while doing something you knew you weren’t supposed to? Yep, me, too. Wrecked or been involved in a wreck; gotten a ticket, were involved in a fight? How about detention, stood in the corner, or put in a time out? Gone to the principals office for ‘licks’? Thankfully I was never spanked by the principal, but I did make the walk of shame to his office and couple of times…. Shudder! 

Imagine what it will be like, standing before God’s Great White Throne, and having all of the wrong things you’ve done throughout your lifetime read out in front of the God of the Universe and all of His heavenly hosts. THAT idea makes me shudder!! I have broken all of God’s commandments. Before you throw out judgment, think on these words from Jesus: 

  “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’  But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell!” – Matthew 5:21‭-‬22 NLT (http://bible.com/116/mat.5.21-22.NLT)

And in Proverbs 23:7 KJV – 

  “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he….” (

http://bible.com/1/pro.23.7.KJV)

So, by this, I have broken all of the commandments in my heart; therefore, I have to bear the consequences. I have been unfaithful in small things, and I have been dishonest in small things. I have to bear the consequences for those things, too. Sounds pretty hopeless, doesn’t it. Ah, but here’s the best part of this post:

  “For this is how GOD Loved the world: He gave His One and ONLY Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.  God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him. 

  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.  And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s Light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.  All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.  But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what GOD wants.” – 

John 3:16‭-‬21 NLT (

http://bible.com/116/jhn.3.16-21.NLT)

NO judgement; NO condemnation!

Think on this for a bit…. 

Everlasting Love

​  “But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s Love is with those who Fear Him, and His Righteousness with their children’s children— with those who keep His Covenant and remember to obey His Precepts.” – Psalm 103:17‭-‬18 NIV (http://bible.com/111/psa.103.17-18.NIV)‬

Here we go again …. Obey God. But why?? I want to be in control; I want to be the “boss” and give orders; I want to be in charge. Oh, wait. All the bad choices, and rough decisions ? Those were my best thinking. Maybe I should let go and let God. After all, He has a proven track record of blessings and of eliminating and punishing those who deserve it. Look at Moses. (Start reading at Exodus chapter 2) He was incredibly blessed at crucial times in his life. He escaped a sure death as an infant because his mother trusted God’s words to her. He was raised as the privileged son of an Egyptian princess, alongside the boy who became the next Pharoah. As a young man, instead of using the proper channels, Moses killed an Egyptian for beating a Hebrew slave. As a consequence, Moses ran to save his own life – and again, God blessed him. Ultimately, Moses led the Hebrews out of Egypt where they were slaves, and into Jordan, the land God promised them. Because Moses led a rebellious bunch of people, and because of his own rebellion against God, he wasn’t allowed to enter Jordan with the rest of his people. 

  “The LORD was angry with me because of you, and He solemnly swore that I would not cross the Jordan and enter the good land the LORD your GOD is giving you as your inheritance. I will die in this land; I will not cross the Jordan; but you are about to cross over and take possession of that good land. Be careful not to forget the covenant of the LORD your GOD that He made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the LORD your GOD has forbidden. For the LORD your GOD is a Consuming Fire, a Jealous GOD.” – Deuteronomy 4:21‭-‬24 NIV (http://bible.com/111/deu.4.21-24.NIV)‬

Even so, Moses was blessed, and you can see many of the times he was blessed by reading Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy. The Hebrew people were blessed over and over again, and they were punished many times as a consequence of their sins. Consider the life of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Do you see how incredibly faithful and blessed she was? She became pregnant with the Son of the Creator God, yet she endured riding a donkey and walking around 90 miles while 9 months pregnant. She gave birth in a stable (probably not as idyllic as we show it every Christmas!), she had to escape to Egypt to keep her young son alive, and finally, she saw her beloved son beaten almost to death and crucified. I can’t begin to imagine how brutal that was for her, but she remained faithful. I’m not sure I would have, and judging from my past, I didn’t stay faithful. 

My choice today is to accept my blessings and to be thankful for them, even when they feel more like punishments than blessings. The key is to follow Jesus Christ and to keep His commandments as best as I humanly can. 

  “Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the LORD is GOD in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other. Keep His decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the LORD your GOD gives you for all time.” – Deuteronomy 4:39‭-‬40 NIV (http://bible.com/111/deu.4.39-40.NIV)

We are no longer bound to the Ten Commandments, but then again, we are. Listen to how Jesus took the ten and summarized them into two:

  “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The LORD our GOD, the LORD is ONE.  Love the LORD your GOD with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’  The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  There is no commandment greater than these.” – Mark 12:29‭-‬31 NIV (http://bible.com/111/mrk.12.29-31.NIV)

This is recorded in Leviticus, in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and in James and Romans. Think maybe there’s something important being said here? If we put God first in our lives, and that means spending as much time with Him as we do for our football and basketball and jobs and kids and animals and whatever other gods we have, then He can bless us abundantly. More than we could ever imagine in our wildest dreams. It can be incredibly painful at times to follow these commands. “Loving my neighbor” means so much more than the person living next door. The entire population of the earth is our neighbor, and that includes the people who hurt us (past, present, and future). Because “… from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s Love is with those who Fear him, and His Righteousness with their children’s children— with those who keep His covenant and remember to obey His precepts.” – Psalm 103:17‭-‬18 NIV (http://bible.com/111/psa.103.17-18.NIV)‬

EVERLASTING TO EVERLASTING. That’s how big God’s Love is for us, for ME, and for YOU.

Perturbed 

​per·turbed

pərˈtərbd/

adjective

anxious or unsettled; upset.

perturb. v. late 14c., from Old French perturber “disturb, confuse” (14c.) and directly from Latin perturbare “to confuse, disorder, disturb,” especially of states of the mind, from per- “through” (see per) + turbare “disturb, confuse,” from turba “turmoil, crowd” (see turbid). Related: Perturbed; perturbing.

I am perturbed. You don’t hear this word very often anymore, but I like it. The definition, especially the “disturb” part, is very apt right now. I have a love-hate relationship with electronics and technology. I love the capabilities and opportunities they present. I hate it when they don’t work the way I think they should…

“Perturbed” is a good word to describe the way many of us feel about God. We have that same love-hate relationship with the LORD as we (okay, me!) have with electronics. He disturbs us, and we are confused about Him. We get anxious and upset with God. He unsettles us! I have a friend who has been struggling with this for years. She is definitely perturbed with God and I get it. I know there are thousands of people in the same state of anxiousness who are upset with God. There are multiple reasons for the way they feel, from past hurts to present hurts and worries about future hurts, and they don’t understand how or why an All-powerful, Omnipotent God allows the hurt and the pain to continue. I get it, because I’ve been there. Every situation is different, but ultimately they are all the same. Hurt is hurt. Physical and emotional scarring is so difficult to deal with. We are never going to be free of the hurt until we let go of it. I can’t punish the perpetrators in my life, and the people whom I hurt can’t punish me, either. Oh, we can provide physical, earthly punishment, but that is nothing – nothing – compared to the judgment God will pass down. He will pass judgment, make no mistake! This scripture is a section that I have highlighted and copied many times, because I need to see it and remind myself of the words. 

  “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.  Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.  Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” “ – Romans 12:9‭-‬20 NIV (http://bible.com/111/rom.12.9-20.NIV)

Take a look again at verse 19: “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.” Paul is quoting from Deuteronomy 32: 35-36:

  “ “It is MINE to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them.”  The LORD will vindicate His people and relent concerning His servants when He sees their strength is gone and no one is left, slave or free.” (http://bible.com/111/deu.32.35-36.NIV) 

Does reading all of this make me feel better? Not really, because my human nature wants to taste that revenge. I want to see my perpetrators hurt like I was hurt. Those verses finally soaked into my head and my heart a few years ago. I realized that by holding on to the hurt and the desire for revenge I was only hurting myself. Years ago, on one of my many trips driving from Albuquerque back to our home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, after visiting my {late} husband in the hospital there, a song by Steve and Annie Chapman (www.steveandanniechapman.com) came on the radio. It was called “The Secret Place,” and as I drove the realization of what they were saying hit me. The thing we do as humans is to take our secrets and cram them into places where we can’t see them. Given time, they will bust down the door they are locked behind and cause more pain in the remembering. We have a choice to make when it happens – give the “key” to Jesus and let Him clean up the mess, or stuff it back in and lock the door again. In New Mexico, I wasn’t ready to surrender all of my stuff. I got emotional in the car that night, and I did let go of the current baggage… but not the past. Before it all came tumbling out I slammed and locked that door, tight. Too much pain that I didn’t want to feel. 

I remained a prisoner to my hurts, hang ups, and habits for a long time.

God is patient. He doesn’t cause us to be hurt. That responsibility falls on Adam and Eve and their fall from Grace. They exercised their free will and chose to disobey God and eat of the forbidden tree. It also rests on Satan, the enemy, who gained temporary control over the earth through their disobedience. (Just until Jesus returns, and then our enemy Satan will be vanquished and thrown into the lake of fire; Amen!!)  There is so much wrong with the earth and everything and everyone in it because of the evil of the enemy. Satan makes temptation into a beautiful thing until you are deep in it; then you get to see the ugliness. He perpetrates evil. Even innocent children are drawn into the ugliness of sin. We get to deal with the consequences of this throughout our lives. Sometimes we see glimpses of the beauty God created in nature and in humans, and that’s a wonderful thing. For someone who is stuck in the cycle of sin, it’s so incredibly difficult to see past the darkness that threatens to overcome them. It can perturb you when you are trying to fight your way out of the darkness. 

Here’s the thing. We don’t have to fight it. Does that sound moronic to you? I can see why if it does, because I’ve been where you are. More importantly, JESUS has been where you are. The hurt you feel, the temptation you face, being unsettled and anxious about the Father… Jesus has been there. Look at the battle He faced in the Garden of Gethsemane, praying and pleading for His Father, the All-knowing, All-powerful, Almighty GOD to take away the pain He was facing. He ended His prayer with “THY will be done, not Mine.” Here is this man Jesus, a part of God, Who has the power to call in a thousand angels to deliver Him from what He knew was going to happen, and He prayed “Not My will, but The Father’s.”

That’s a bitter pill, a harsh reality, to swallow. He could have skipped the torture and the cross, but He didn’t. He willingly went in order to offer us eternal salvation from this hell on earth. Nothing we suffer here even comes close to what He suffered at His “trial” and the punishment He received before He was hung on a cross, which by itself is perhaps the cruelest, most devastating way ever to be devised by man to cause the most suffering before death. Belief in Jesus doesn’t take away the evil we deal with on a daily basis. If you believe and let go of the baggage – He will take it and give you freedom in your soul. When I FINALLY released my baggage, that bag full of grief and frustration and guilt, hurt and anger and desire for revenge, I was free. FREE. Free from the prison bars I had created to keep others in but in reality had me trapped while they were out there roaming free. I don’t have to carry all of that garbage anymore. That doesn’t mean that my perpetrators have been punished, but it their judgment and their punishment isn’t up to me. They might be prosperous by the world’s standards, but it doesn’t matter to me anymore. God will judge them. GOD will judge them.  I had to forgive them, and even today, when a thought crosses my mind to remind me of the evil, I have to forgive them again. It’s a lifelong process. Let me make something clear. Just because I forgive the person, it does not excuse them and it doesn’t mean I have to forget it. I have to follow what God says, though. “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse…. If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” (Romans 12)

That is NOT what I want to do! It takes a strength I can only receive from Christ Jesus, my Savior, to forgive and to pray for those people. My preference would be to curse them to a horrible death – and then I remember, God’s got this. I can let it go. Once we give Him the baggage, does it make ANY sense to take it back? Not sure about you, but when I am physically struggling with something, I welcome the help if someone offers, especially if they can take it over! Why, when it comes to God and His willingness to take the weight for us, are we so stubborn that we continue to shout at Him, “I CAN DO IT” when we KNOW we can’t? (NOT that I would know anything about that …. Hahahaa!)

I will continue to be perturbed by electronic devices, but I don’t need to be perturbed with God any longer. He has my baggage, and I have His assurance of a  lifetime together with Him. Bad stuff still happens. I don’t like it, but I don’t have to carry it alone. I now have an army of angels to help me! And sometimes out of stubbornness and pride I still cry out “I can do it!” – until I feel the weight and remember I’m not doing it alone anymore, hallelujah! We have to learn to trust God. He’s totally unlike any other being, and He is certainly not like any man on earth. He will never hurt us or lie to us or betray us. Man will ALWAYS do those things. No matter how good or honorable we try to be, sin always sneaks in and causes us to fall. Thankfully, once we accept God’s forgiveness for ourselves, and we begin to forgive others, keeping in mind it is a lifelong process, we can finally be at peace. By the way, the peace that God gives us, that “peace that passes all understanding” is 

indescribable. It allows joy into our lives, and when it happens, even our physical bodies can reflect it in fewer ailments and complaints. Kind of a bonus. Life is so good when we give up all of the baggage. We become free to enjoy life. It’s easier to let things go that used to just tie me up in knots. The person who cuts me off in traffic gets a wave (not the one finger wave, either) or I might call them an idiot, but I am not compelled to yell or cuss or chase them down. The person who cuts in line, I try to just smile and say go ahead. It’s much easier on me than getting upset. It also confuses people when I smile instead of frowning. This is only possible for me through the Grace of God, and it is possible for you, too. Listen to the song by Stephen Curtis Chapman “Jesus.” He tells us all we need to know.

Jesus. The sweetest Name I know.

Man vs. Woman

​  “So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the Lord God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the opening.

  Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man. 

  “At last!” the man exclaimed. “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.’” 

  This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” – Genesis 2:21‭-‬24 NLT 

Why did God have do go and do it that way? Creating us (women) From man? Wouldn’t it have been better done the other way around….since we women {ahem} are the “better” sex? I say this tongue-in-cheek, but the reality is this: “So God created mankind in His OWN image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.” – Genesis 1:27 NIV

God created us in His image. Both male and female. One is not better than the other. We are equally special in God’s sight. Men were designed to be be providers through tilling the soil (i.e. gardening for you hard core “that’s women’s work” males) and hunting. Women were designed to be the keepers of the home; to raise up children to be productive adults. If you don’t believe me, read Genesis. Even though these are our core designs, it doesn’t mean that a man can’t- or shouldn’t – step in and assume the responsibility of keeping the home (and children) if necessary. The same is true of women. If/when circumstances require it, we are perfectly capable of taking on the “man’s” work. It isn’t chauvinistic to consider it right for a man to support his family, but it is definitely reverse chauvinism for a woman to expect to be waited on by the man. We are designed to provide for and to care for each other, doing whatever it takes to do so. Throughout the years since Eve took the fruit from the tree of knowlege and shared it with Adam, our roles and relationships and responsibilities have gotten twisted. In the corrupt world we have lived in since we were evicted from the Garden, men act as women and women act as men, and the regard for the family as defined by God is disrespected by millions of people.

I spent years supporting myself (and usually some man). There were periods where two of my husbands supported me financially, and a short period of spiritual leadership. I was in a desert of my own creation, because I had walked away from God. Let me put some emphasis on that statement. The desert was my creation,  because I had walked away from God. He did not walk away, He did not turn His back; it was all on me, and it was all about me. God doesn’t turn His back on us, and He does not cause bad things to happen to us. That’s all on us and our free will…. consequences for our choices. Sometimes, unfortunately, the sins of others that are perpetrated against us involve us in the consequences. Again, this is not God’s choice, but ours. If you are going to be angry and blame someone, claim it first for your own poor choices, then put it back on Adam and Eve. A much better choice is to lay it all at Jesus’ feet. Eliminate the anger and frustration and fury and discover what it means to have real peace for a change! It won’t change your circumstances, and it certainly won’t change the people around you. It takes crawling out of that rut we are comfortable in, in spite if the pain of getting out. Change is hard, and change hurts. Even happy change can mean more physical and emotional pain until we are out of the rut. God has great things to offer His people, and all we have to do is open our hands and accept His gifts! Why are we so stubborn?… 

You may never have the perfect spouse, or perfect, pain-free health; there may be serious consequences, even such as prison for our actions. That fancy mansion and expensive cars, and multimillion dollar lottery win probably aren’t going to happen, either. My past – and my future  – doesn’t have any of those things! I have had (very imperfect) spouses who loved me very much, and I am blessed to live in a better place now than I ever foresaw happening, with a (very imperfect) man who adores me…. and as a very imperfect female, I find that I adore Him, too. Life is not perfect. That’s a fact. God didn’t create man and woman to be at each other’s throats. It’s not Man vs. Woman. He designed us to compliment and to complete each other. He also has built in a sort of safety net for those people who are on their own. Jesus can be – is – the perfect compliment to a single’s life, if we only will allow Him in.

These are just my thoughts, and if you are offended…. I can’t – and won’t – apologize for speaking the truth.

(All scriptures are from the Bible app YouVersion.com) 

A Day Off

​  “On the seventh day God had finished His work of creation, so He rested from all His work. 

  And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when He rested from all His work of creation.” – Genesis 2:2‭-‬3 NLT (http://bible.com/116/gen.2.2-3.NLT)

Just to be clear, the Sunday through Saturday calendar is something man came up with. God simply said to take the seventh day and rest. There are so many people who want to argue that Saturday is the seventh day and there should only be worship on that day. Others argue for Sunday, and I’m sure there are some who would argue for another day of the week. I personally don’t think it matters, as long as we take a day and dedicate it to rest and worship. If you put your mind to it, and look at the church leaders (regardless of the day of worship), you’ll see that our day of rest and worship is actually a pretty intense day of work for them. They have another day of the week set aside for their rest.

God wants our focus on Him, not on some rule that says you have to go to church on this day, and you have to dress a certain way, women have to cover their heads and men uncover theirs; and etcetera Infinitum. Let me repeat the first part of this paragraph: God wants our focus on HIM on our chosen day of worship. I like attending services on Sunday mornings simply because I was raised that way and it is the best for me. When dressing for public congregational services, I put more thought into it than I do for everyday use – not to impress anyone or to show off, but out of respect for my God, because HE matters. I like Sundays because they give me a chance to relax. Look back on the previous week, look forward to the coming week, and just enjoy being in the presence of communal worship and praise. It lifts me up and helps prepare my spirit for the new week. If you aren’t attending and participating in corporate worship, you are missing out on many, many blessings! 

  “Since you have been raised to new LIFE with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of Honor at God’s right hand. 

  Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.” – Colossians 3:1‭-‬2 NLT (http://bible.com/116/col.3.1-2.NLT)

“Think about the things of heaven….” If you have not been raised to new Life with Christ, you are missing out on so much peace and so many blessings. Most of my adult life was spent avoiding Christ in any way I could, having so much fun I could  (sort of) forget how miserable I was. It was all about me. I gotta tell you, it’s hell when you know Jesus and you decide to turn your back like I did. The enemy grabs control and the only way to take it away from Him is to give it to God. He defeated Satan as Lucifer in his bid to take over God’s throne, Christ defeated Satan again with His sacrifice on the cross and through His subsequent resurrection. The Holy Spirit defeats Satan and his followers every day when the followers of Christ ask for help. There’s another defeat coming, too, where Jesus will bind the beast (a.k.a. Satan) and throw him, bound, into the lake of fire with all of his followers. Got that? ALL of Satan’s followers. I do NOT want to go there, but I DO want to see it. I think.

  “Then I saw the beast and the kings of the world and their armies gathered together to fight against the one sitting on the horse and his army. 

  And the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who did mighty miracles on behalf of the beast—miracles that deceived all who had accepted the mark of the beast and who worshiped his statue. 

  Both the beast and his false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. Their entire army was killed by the sharp sword that came from the mouth of the one riding the white horse. And the vultures all gorged themselves on the dead bodies.” – Revelation 19:19‭-‬21 NLT (http://bible.com/116/rev.19.19-21.NLT)

There is one thing I am certain of. On that day, I don’t want to see any of my friends and family in the company of the beast. I pray that everyone will be on Jesus’ side of the judgment. Each person has to make their own decisions, no matter how badly I want to intercede for them. Just being “good” won’t get you to His side. It has to be done by accepting Him as your personal Savior. It’s really not that difficult!

Daniel W. Whittle wrote this hymn that was published in 1883. (2 Timothy 1:12; Jude 1:24) It’s one of my favorites. Do you know God’s wondrous Grace?

  1. “I know not why God’s wondrous grace
    To me He hath made known,
    Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love
    Redeemed me for His own.

    • Refrain:
      But “I know Whom I have believed,
      And am persuaded that He is able
      To keep that which I’ve committed
      Unto Him against that day.”
  2. I know not how this saving faith
    To me He did impart,
    Nor how believing in His Word
    Wrought peace within my heart.
  3. I know not how the Spirit moves,
    Convincing men of sin,
    Revealing Jesus through the Word,
    Creating faith in Him.
  4. I know not what of good or ill
    May be reserved for me,
    Of weary ways or golden days,
    Before His face I see.
  5. I know not when my Lord may come,
    At night or noonday fair,
    Nor if I walk the vale with Him,
    Or meet Him in the air.”