Christmas In Heaven

Soon it will be the three year anniversary of the death of our grandson, Caleb.  As you know he died Christmas Eve of 2006.  My heart is in wrenching torment as I think about my son and daughter in law waking up to the devastating reality that Caleb is really gone.  I cannot fathom the pain they must feel every time they remember finding our little guy’s lifeless body in his crib that fateful Christmas Eve morning. 

Death is a part of life – it is the cycle of life; we live and we die.  But the death of an innocent baby just doesn’t make any sense.  Why would God allow an innocent child to die when he is loved so very much by his family?  It just doesn’t seem fair!  It turns the cycle of life upside down when a parent buries their child; no matter what age their child is.

How God must have been in torment when He watched as His Son was beaten, tortured and hung on a cross to die for a sinful world.  His son was innocent, too.  The bible says God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.  2 Corinthians 5:21 Jesus was the perfect, sinless child of God and He chose to die for us as His heavenly Father looked on.  I can only imagine the pain and heartache of God as He watched as His only son was beaten before being made to carry His own cross to His death.  What about Mary?  Can you imagine her anguish as she watched this horrible event happen right before her eyes?  I know pain and I know heartache but nothing like what God, Joseph and Mary went through as parents and what Jesus went through as a their son. 

I am grateful for the sacrifice that God and Jesus made for me!  Because of the death of God’s Son I am saved and have eternal life.  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that who so ever believeth in Him should not perish but have ever lasting life.  John 3:16  The bible says that suffering makes us stronger and I believe that.  I am stronger now in my faith than I have ever been.  I look forward to the day that I meet my God and my Jesus face to face and the day I get to see our little Caleb again.  Just as sweet and perfect as the day we lost him.  Blessed are those who mourn for, they will be comforted.  Matthew 5:4

Christmas is the time of the year that Christians all around the world celebrate the birth of our Savior and rejoice in our salvation.  Because it is the most special time of the year we also remember our loved ones who are no longer with us.  Although this tends to make us sad we should also rejoice in the fact that our loved one is in heaven and spending the most special time of the year with the person responsible for it – JESUS!  Can you imagine Christmas in heaven? 

During this Christmas season I pray that each of us will take the time to reflect on our lives and give thanks to our creator, God, for all things……good and bad because He has a plan for each of us and His plans are perfect.

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.  Jeremiah 29:11-13

Junk Email

Every once in a while I get those emails that say “if you are not ashamed of Jesus, pass this on”.  I hate those emails.  If it’s a good one I will take that part of it out and pass it on but normally I just delete them.  I am not ashamed of Jesus and some random email isn’t going to change that.  God knows our heart and He knows if we are ashamed or not and passing along an email isn’t going to make a difference.  Either we believe or we don’t but He is not going to guilt us into sharing our belief in Him, especially by email. 

I don’t know about you but when I get an email telling me that I am ashamed of God if I don’t pass it on I just get so upset.  How does the person sending this email to me know my heart?  Making someone feel guilty if they don’t do as they are instructed in an email is not the way to win someone to the Lord or teach someone about the love of Christ. 

Email is a wonderful tool to share your thoughts, keep in touch with friends, conduct work and even share your faith; But we should be careful of what we pass along as to not mislead anyone.  Satan is a liar and he will use our good intentions to help spread lies and propaganda so be careful what you pass along as truth.

 I am sending this email to you today because I want to share my love of the Lord and my faith in Jesus Christ.  Whether or not you share it with someone else is completely up to you.  We are God’s children and heirs to the throne and there is no email in the world that is going to change that.

SCRIPTURES

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek.  For in it God’s righteousness is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith.  Romans 1:16-17

So don’t be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, or of me His prisoner.  Instead, share in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God.  2 Timothy 1:8

Joy Unspeakable

What is the source of your joy?  I’m not talking about happiness because happiness depends on our circumstances.  If our circumstances are good then we are happy if our circumstances are bad then we are unhappy. Supernatural Christian joy is independent of our circumstances. When physical strength, personal wealth, health and friends disappear; when our circumstances fill us with fear and we are consumed by grief our joy is still ever present because our joy comes from a relationship with God; He is the source of our joy. 

One of my favorite verses in the bible is Deuteronomy 31:8;”The Lord is the One who will go before you.  He will be with you; He will not leave you nor forsake you.  Do not be afraid or discouraged”.  This verse got me through the most traumatic events of my life.  First when we lost our grandson, Caleb, to SIDS on Christmas Eve of 2006 and second when our daughter in law and two grandchildren were is a horrible auto accident that left our four year old grandson, Jason, paralyzed from the neck down.  Although I was grieving and filled with indescribable pain, I still had my joy – it never left me. 

Life is filled with events that we would rather not live through but we survive them and we become stronger than we ever would have been if they had never happened.  I can honestly tell you that I wish Caleb had never died and I wish the accident had never happened but………because of those events I am closer to God than I ever could have been had they never happened.  If I had not experienced that deep anguish I would still be a happy little sinner thinking that all is right in my lukewarm Christianity. 

Without God we are mere humans ravaged by sin and unworthy of living.  The sacrifice of Jesus Christ saved me and you from death, a death that we deserve!  Because of faith in the risen Savior we have the promise of eternal life.  That alone should fill us with joy unspeakable.   

For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.           Romans 14:17

Thanksgiving

The intended purpose for Thanksgiving Day is to formally celebrate our bounty and take time to thank God for the many blessings in our lives.  I think we actually spend more time planning and preparing the meal for the day than we do for the true purpose.  We spend many hours figuring out logistics for out of town family members, planning the meal, shopping for the food and of course preparing the meal.  The time spent with family is very important but the time we spend giving thanks to our Lord is essential.

This picture was taken on Thanksgiving 2007 at Baylor Children’s Hospital.  That year Jason spent his fifth birthday, New Years, Valentine’s, St. Patrick’s, Mother’s and Father’s Day, Sarah’s Birthday, 4^th of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas in the hospital.  I am so very Thankful that he is spending those special days at home surrounded by his loving and attentive family.

We should have a thankful attitude every day.  The Apostle Paul gives us many examples of a thankful attitude.  In nearly every epistle, Paul’s first words are those of thanksgiving and praise to God.  Paul was a man who lived for God and did everything to please His Lord.  His thankfulness was not dependent on his personal circumstances.  This is evident by the many hardships he endured in his life.  He wrote In everything give thanks. 1 Thessalonians 5:18  We know that when he writes “everything” he means everything; even the hardships.

Enduring pain, heartache and suffering is a part of every human life.  We as Christians are not excluded from these things because we believe in Christ.  We are subject to life’s ups and downs, heartaches and joys just like everyone else.  The difference is as Christians we have comfort and peace from The Holy Spirit during our difficult times and the unbeliever doesn’t.  I have often said that I don’t know how a person can get through what our family has been through without Christ.  It is so sad to think that people go through a death of a loved one without the hope of ever seeing them again!  That thought truly breaks my heart!

We as Christians should live a life with an attitude of thankfulness and one that is pleasing to God.  We should be thankful every day for the sacrifice Jesus made for our eternal souls and for the promise of His return.  "At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory.  And He will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.  Matthew 24:30-31

I know it is hard to be thankful when it seems like adversity is all you seem to be experiencing.  The bible says that the Lord is faithful.  When you look to God for hope, strength, healing or comfort you shall find it.  But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.  2 Thessalonians 3:3

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.  And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.               Colossians 3:15-17

May God richly bless you always as you give Him praise and glory with your lives.

Heart

The word heart appears 80 times in the New Testament.  There are the pure of heart, the humble of heart, the good of heart, the slow of heart, the sincere of heart, the unrepentant of heart and the unbelieving heart.  Our hearts can be broken, blessed, filled, calloused, troubled, evil, good, noble, hardened, glad or tender.  All of our thoughts, feelings and emotions start in the heart.  The Lord says to love Him with all of our heart;   we are to seek Him with all of our heart and David was a man after The Lords own heart.  We are to believe with all our heart that God raised Jesus from the dead.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Romans 10:10 

It is true that if you know a man’s heart you truly know him.   God knows our heart; He knows our troubles, our joys and our desires.  He made us so of course He knows everything about us and the amazing thing is…..He still love us!  The Lord looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race.  From His throne He observes all who live on the earth.  He made their hearts, so He understands everything they do.  Psalm 33:13-15 

I love my family with all my heart.  My children sometimes break my heart and my husband sometimes hurts my heart and vice versa but that doesn’t change how much I love them.  This can be said about our Heavenly Father as well.  He loves us with all His heart and cares for each and every one of us. 
We are His children and no matter how bad we mess up He still loves us!  For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His loving kindness toward those who fear Him.  As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.  Psalm 103:11-12

The bible says that through tribulation we persevere.  So what do we do when our heartaches, disappointments and tribulations seem to never end?  That answer is revealed to us in His word over and over again - We trust Him with all our heart!  God knows what we are going through so we persevere through continual prayer knowing that He hears us and will answer our prayers and deliver us from our pain and suffering.  We belong to Him; we were made for His glory and His purpose. He has great plans for us.  Our suffering is the first step in appreciating Gods Holiness and His power over our lives. Who are we to question the will of God?  Do we know better than the creator of the universe?  Of course not.  He knows all and He is in complete control so we just need to keep trusting Him to make good on His promises.  He will never leave us nor forsake us!  NEVER MEANS NEVER, even when you might feel like God has abandoned you……He hasn’t.  The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.  Deuteronomy 31:8 (my life verse) 

My biggest heartaches in life have come over the past two years when I realized my youngest son had an addiction problem, I was diagnosed with a debilitating and rare auto immune disorder, our five month old grandson died from SIDS and our daughter in law and two grandchildren were in a horrible accident that left our four year old grandson paralyzed from the neck down.  All of this happened within months of each other.  I can say with certainty that if Gods love isn’t real I would not be here today.  I felt the hand of God holding on to me while His Holy Spirit filled my heart with hope and peace.

God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.  God lives in our heart!  When we trust God with all of our heart we trust The Holy Spirit inside us.  And hope doesn’t disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For while we were yet weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.  Romans 5:5-6

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith developes perseverance.  James 1:2-4

Trusting God

Have you ever been in a situation so desperate that it just seems hopeless?  Your teenage son or daughter just said they hate you while slamming the door in your face, you’re wondering how you will ever pay the pile of bills that seem to get bigger and bigger each month, your heart is broken so badly you feel that you will never be able to love again, the responsibilities on your shoulders seems so heavy that you might collapse under the weight of it all……  Do any of these situations sound familiar?  Although your situation may seem hopeless, it’s not!  Nothing is beyond the hand of God. 

This world is a sad and lonely place at times but we don’t have to go it alone.  God has given us hope and encouragement through His word.  Answers to all of our daily problems can be found in the bible.  God’s message for each and every one of us is to trust in Him no matter what desperate situation we find ourselves in.  He is the answer and He will show us the way if we only trust in Him.

There are numerous examples in the bible of God’s love and provision for His children when they were faced with what seemed to be an impossible situation.  David went into battle against a giant with a sling shot, Noah was asked to build an Ark, Jonah was swallowed up by a whale, Job lost his entire family, his health and his wealth, Abraham was told to give his son as a sacrifice!  Can you imagine God telling you to build an alter and then use your child as the sacrifice?   Can you imagine doing it?  That would be the ultimate test of my faith for sure!

God’s ways are not our ways.  He is a holy God and trusting Him is the only way to survive the daily battles of this life.  He will either get us through it or get us out of the situation we see as hopeless.  Noah built the ark, David slain the giant, Job was blessed with double of what he had before, Jonah was spit up out of the whale’s belly and because of his faith in the Lord, God provided a sheep in place of Abraham’s son.

Fortunately, this life will end someday and we will be face to face with our creator, God!  Until that time comes we must trust in His ways even when we are facing giants.  Remember there is absolutely nothing we can’t overcome when our faith and trust is in the Lord. 

SCRIPTURES

The angel said, "Don't kill your son or hurt him in any way. Now I can see that you trust God and that you have not kept your son, your only son, from me."  Then Abraham looked up and saw a male sheep caught in a bush by its horns. So Abraham went and took the sheep and killed it. He offered it as a whole burnt offering to God, and his son was saved.  Geneses 22:12-13

The God of my rock; in Him will I trust : He is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my Savior; thou savest me from violence.  I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.   2 Samuel 22:3-4

Behold, if He slay me, yet would I trust in Him; but I will defend mine own ways before Him.  Job 13:15

Motive

Motive - the reason for doing something or behaving in a specific way

There are many homeless who beg throughout the towns and cities where we live.  I see them on a regular basis. Like many of you I have bought gas, given food, money, and water many times.  But most of the time I ask myself if they are really homeless or is this a scam to get money for drugs or alcohol?  Where do they really live; on the street, in a shelter, a hotel or do they have a house of their own?  Why are they homeless?  When I don’t give them money or something to eat I drive away feeling guilty that I didn’t help them.  Why is this? 

It is because we are commanded to help the poor.  Jesus doesn’t tell us to question whether or not the beggar is really homeless, has good intentions or if his motives are pure.  It is our motives He is concerned with.  When we give out of guilt or the need to feel good about ourselves our giving becomes all about us when it should be all about pleasing the Lord.  It isn’t about whether or not the person deserves our kindness. What if God based His decision to send His only Son on whether or not we are deserving?  If this were the case we would all spend eternity in hell. 

Most of us think we do things with the right motive but if we were to dig a little deeper we would find that most times there is some kind of self serving reason behind our actions.  When you do something for the right reason and with a pure motive you are doing God’s work and He will be glorified no matter what the outcome seems to be.  God is working behind the scenes to use our faithfulness to Him in ways that we may never know about.  You can never go wrong doing the right thing.  Your motives are more important than your actions so take the time to ask yourself why you are doing something.  Is it for your benefit or for God’s glory?  Giving produces the fruit of righteousness but only if done with the right motive.

SCRIPTURES

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.  2 Corinthians 9:7-8

If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother.  Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs.  Deuteronomy 15:7-8

"And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve Him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.  1 Chronicles 28:9

Lukewarm Christianity

I feel that God has given me a revelation, in part, about the events over the past three years.  Before the death of our grandson three years ago I was a lukewarm Christian.  I went to church sporadically, I would sometimes drink in excess, I cussed and I was very self-centered.  Although all of these things are true I still felt that I was a pretty good Christian because I made time to pray on a regular basis.  The “Christian” life that I was living was not the one God had planned for me and he got my attention on Christmas Eve morning of 2006.  Caleb died that morning.  My life as I knew it ceased to exist in an instant.

I reached out to God like never before.  I did the only thing I knew how to do – I prayed.  God became real to me over the coming days, weeks and months.  It is hard to explain the changes in my heart and in my life.  Things that seemed so important weren’t that important anymore.  My priorities changed as my heart grew closer to God. 

Then tragedy struck again six months later when our daughter in law and two grandchildren were in a horrible auto accident.  Carmen and Sarah overcame their injuries but as you know Jason (my grandson) was left paralyzed from the neck down.  I just couldn’t imagine why God would allow this to happen to our family.  Why would He allow so much heartache and hardship into one family’s life?  Why my family?  These are questions that I have asked many times over. 

When Caleb died I turned to God for answers and for comfort.  When the accident happened I became totally dependent on Him.  I felt like I couldn’t draw a breath if it weren’t for God being right there beside me.  I came to know God and His great mercy and love in a whole new way – personally.  The personal relationship that transformed my life I believe is the reason Jason (my son) is now seeking his own personal relationship with the Lord.  He is sharing his faith with his friends at school and who knows where that is going to lead? 

My revelation is this:  If the events in my life that led me to seek out the Lord in a personal way had never happened I would still be content being a lukewarm Christian.  I would not be sitting here right now pouring my heart out praying that this message touches just one heart for God.  My transformation set the foundation for Jason (my son) to seek his own personal relationship with the Lord.  He witnessed how the Lord brought me through some of the darkest days of my life and now he wants to know Jesus like he’s never known him before. Jesus has been knocking all this time and now the door is opened for Him to come in.  Whether we know it or even like it the way we live our lives will either win or lose souls for the Kingdom of God.  I am not happy about the events of the past three years but I am thankful that God is faithful and He has used evil for good. 

I cannot claim to know the mind of God.  His ways are not my ways.  “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways”.  This is the Lord’s declaration.  Isaiah 55:8  However, the Word of God assures us of certain promises.  One of those promises is that He is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think.  Ephesians 3:20a  Jason’s “road to Damascus” is proof of this promise and His great mercy for His children.

The Lord Is Faithful

When it seems like we are facing an impossible situation, pray, pray, pray.  Give it to God and ask Him to show you His plan. Ask God to give you faith in Him to keep His promises.  Whatever the outcome of our situation our desire should be that it glorifies the Lord.  God often uses our greatest heartaches or failures for His own glory. Sometimes things don’t work out like we want them to, but we can be certain that God’s glory is shining somewhere.

When we cry out to God we can be assured that He hears us. God wants us to trust in His provision for our needs.  When we step out in faith we allow God to show His love and mercy for us.  God can use any circumstance, tragedy, heart break or evil to bring about healing.   

This weekend my son, Jason, discussed with me that he wants to start a bible study at the school he is attending.  Many of you know for this to happen God has been working in this boy’s heart.  He has begun a mighty work and I can hardly wait to see what God has planned for his life.  I know one thing; he will definitely have a testimony that will lead others to know Christ!  Please keep Jason in your prayers to complete what God has called him to do.

Pray for your children, name them before the Lord.  Never give up hope whatever the circumstance.  God is merciful and He will show His mercy in ways that we may never see.  Even though we have loved ones that are in trouble, in bad relationships, have an addiction of some kind, or lost to the world, remember one thing……God has a plan for them too. 

Give your fears to the Lord.   He will calm your spirit and give you peace to endure until the time has come for His glory to shine. 

SCRIPTURES

Therefore the Lord is waiting to show you mercy, and is rising up to show you compassion, for the Lord is a just God.  Happy are all who wait patiently for Him.  Isaiah 30:18

Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end.  Lamentations 3:22

God – His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is pure.  He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.  Psalm 18:30

You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to be distressed by various trials so that the genuineness of your faith – more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire – may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.  1 Peter 1:6-7

Free Will

When we are faced with decisions to make we have two choices; right or wrong. Which one we choose is based on our desire to fully please God or to fully please ourselves. We have free will and the decision is ours but the consequences are ours as well. Sin comes in many shapes and sizes and we might even consider some sin so small that it is insignificant to God. But all sin is significant no matter how big or small. Freedom does not mean the absence of constraints. We need boundaries and discipline in our lives to keep us balanced. Just because we can do something doesn’t mean we should.

God doesn’t put restraints on us to punish us he restrains us to keep us safe and out of harm’s way. He gave us His laws so that we can live a life of freedom. Oswald Chambers puts it like this: “Whenever God touches sin it is independence that is touched, and that awakens resentment in the human heart. Independence must be blasted clean out, there must be no such thing left, only freedom, which is very different. Freedom is the ability not to insist on my rights, but to see that God gets His.

The world today is full of greed and the need for power and money. It is all about me, me, me and what you can do for me. Self absorption and lusting after the things of the world are acceptable by today’s standards. Don’t get caught up in the sinful ways of this world. Instead fill yourself with the love of God; through His word, through songs of praise and worship at church. Saturate yourself with the things of God and watch your life transform in front of your very eyes.

SCRIPTURES

Everything is permissible, but not everything is helpful. Everything is permissible, but not everything builds up. No one should seek his own good, but the good of the other person. 1 Corinthians 10:23-24

Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is helpful. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be brought under the control of anything. 1 Corinthians 6:12

So then it does not depend on human will or effort, but on God who shows mercy. Romans 9:16

So, I discover this principal: when I want to do good, evil is with me. For in my inner self I joyfully agree with God’s law. But I see a different law in the parts of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and taking me prisoner to the law of sin in the part of my body. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I myself am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh, to the law of sin. Romans 7:21-25

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Ezekiel 36:26-27

How Content Are We, Really????

As I look at this picture of my grandson enjoying the warmth of the sun upon his face I can’t help but wonder what’s going through his mind. Is he thinking how wonderful it feels? Maybe, he is thinking “this is the best part of my day”, or maybe he is talking to God. Someday I will ask him but for now just knowing that he is content and happy in that place is enough for me. Feeling the warmth of the sun is such a small thing to most of us. Something we rarely even think about and even take for granted, but this child, this precious little boy who has no feeling below his neck finds comfort in the feeling of the sun upon his face; isn’t the grace of God amazing?

Yesterday Jason celebrated his 7^th birthday!! I can honestly say it was amazing to watch him joke and play with the other kids. He is so sweet and kind and funny and the kids are so loving and gentle towards him. He brings out the best in everyone around him! He has changed my life in so many ways and on so many levels over the past two years. Through this child my faith is tested and strengthened. I miss the way he used to be but I love the child he is today. It is hard to explain but the accident and the subsequent events have made me realize who God truly is; who I am in the Lord today is not who I was two years ago. I see Him in a way that I never saw Him before. He is my strength, my comfort and my life. Without Him I am nothing but with Him I am more than a conqueror and so is Jason.

I know that God, by a miracle or by modern medicine will make the way for Jason to feel and move his body again. I look for that day to come as sure as I look for the second coming of my Savior, Jesus Christ. I am that certain! Until that time arrives I have the comfort of knowing that Jason is fully content in the body he has and even says that he loves his body just the way it is. God has blessed him with acceptance and contentment in the way things are. Instead of dwelling on what he is missing out on he is enjoying the sunshine on his face. I wish we could all be more like him.

SCRIPTURES

Instead, I am content and at peace. As a child lies quietly in its mother's arms, so my heart is quiet within me. Psalm 131:2

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. Philippians 4:12

Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord! Psalm 27:14

I pray that out of His glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:16-21

Where our treasure lies........

Where does your treasure lie? What is your treasure? Jesus says that our treasure is where our heart is. He also says that we must store up treasure in heaven not here on earth. Our eyes should be set on the coming kingdom not this earthly kingdom where “treasure” can be destroyed or stolen. Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21

We are human so it is difficult sometimes to stay focused on heavenly things when we are dealing with earthly problems or heart breaking circumstances. Are we guilty of allowing our families to be our treasure or perhaps our jobs or maybe even drugs or alcohol? We get caught up in dealing with our own problems that we only give God one hour a week on Sunday with an occasional prayer; forgetting our life is not our own, we belong to Him. We were purchased at a price that most of us are not willing to pay.

Our treasure should be Jesus and His saving grace and we should be sharing our Savior with others. Our eternal life should be our daily focus not this earthly one. This life will end but our soul will live forever. Doesn’t it make more sense to be focused on the eternal kingdom rather than a mere 60, 70 or 80 years on earth? Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. John 18 36

Jesus lived His life according to the scriptures. His entire ministry was focused on the treasures in heaven. He pursued righteousness and was obedient and faithful to God to the very end. He lived and died so that we might live with Him for eternity in heaven. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, so that who so ever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Search your heart for purpose in this life. Use your gifts to store up treasures in heaven. God delights in those who seek righteousness. but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the Lord. Jeremiah 9:24

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever." And this is the word that was preached to you. 1 Peter 13-25

May your treasures be many.

Death Is Certain

It’s been four years since the residents of New Orleans and the surrounding area were devastated by Hurricane Katrina. They were warned to evacuate or face certain death. The truth is we all face certain death; but most of us will die without warning. This world and everything in it is temporary; every circumstance, every worry, every heartbreak……everyone.

I learned this first hand when our grandson was taken away in an instant without warning. We had no goodbye hugs or kisses. Nothing could have prepared us for the pain and deep sorrow that we felt as we buried our little five month old baby boy. My world had closed in on me. It felt so tiny all of a sudden. I couldn’t catch my breath. It was as if I were suffocating. I had lost control of everything and there was nothing I could do about it. I couldn’t bring Caleb back, I couldn’t make Chad and Carmen’s pain go away and I couldn’t believe that my God had allowed this to happen to my family. What was the purpose of all of this pain and suffering?

I leaned on God for strength and comfort during the days, weeks, months and now years later. It is hard to believe that it has been 2 ½ years since the Lord called our baby home and yet it seems like yesterday. I can tell you without a doubt that if it wasn’t for God I would not have made it through the funeral much less be here today to write about it. I have heard the inaudible yet unmistakable voice of God telling me that everything in its own time and season will happen for His purpose and His glory. I heard a preacher say this morning “We live on promises not explanations”. Even though we would like to have one God doesn’t owe us an explanation for the trials that we go through. We just need to remember that it is through trials and tribulation that we become the person we were meant to be in Christ.

SCRIPTURES

“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.” Psalm 9:14-16

For I am the Lord your God, who upholds your right hand, who says to you, “Do not fear, I will help you.” Isaiah 41:13

Therefore you now have sorrow, but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. John 16:22

Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 1 Thessalonians 4:13

O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. Psalms 63:1

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4