Writing On Eagles Wings

I love cats. It seemed we always had cats in our home, and I fondly remember cuddling up with them after school, in the evenings, and in the lazy mornings of weekends. Their soft purrings were so comforting to me. Plus, as an only child, I never lacked for a “companion” if my neighborhood friends weren’t available to play.

Today, as I was sitting on the sofa, my latest kitty, Meichan, jumped up and sat on my lap. This was an epic moment for the two of us. Why? Meichan was a rescue cat and while she tolerated a gentle pet, she didn’t seem to enjoy the physical contact from being held. We didn’t know much about her except that her previous owner had moved out of the country and dropped her off at an animal shelter. Fortunately, I was in search of a new addition for our family since we had just recently lost our beloved Mochi, another rescue kitty that died suddenly. Although we only had Mochi for a little over a year, she left a few broken hearts behind when she passed.

Meichan was a 3-year-old orange tabby, who loved being with people, but as with most cats, being social was completely on her terms. As she warmed to us, she would rub against our legs or sleep across the sofa from us, but cuddling was not in her character. She loved our company, but always kept herself a wee bit distant, which explains why today, her behavior delightfully surprised me.

After the initial shock of having her plop herself on to my lap, I took full advantage of the moment, hugging and cuddling her, while whispering lots of “I love you’s” into her ears. Amazingly, she simply sat there, allowing me to indulge myself in pouring out my affections upon her. Even after I was stopped, thinking she was getting impatient with me, she stayed perched on my lap, content as could be.

As I gazed at her sitting there, I was struck by how much I loved her. Despite her times of zooming around the house in pre-dawn hours, making “biscuits” on my head in the middle of the night, shedding her fur everywhere, and being a very picky eater demanding her treats continuously, I loved her tremendously. Meichan doesn’t really “do” anything for me or my family, but I truly love her. It was then that I realized I had an unconditional love for her… it was unearned and nothing would change it.

Then it hit me! This was a perfect picture of God’s love for me. There is absolutely nothing I can “do” for God that He cannot do for Himself. I often come to Him on my terms. I ask a lot from Him. I forget to talk with Him every day, and I disappoint Him in my actions, but He still loves me. In fact, in Jeremiah 31:3, God states, “…Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love…”  That means God will love me FOREVER!

The realization that God’s love for me is eternal gives me the greatest peace I could ever have. To understand that no matter what happens in this world, no matter what I do or say, no matter what difficulties I face in life, no matter if I fail Him repeatedly, He will never cease to love me. To be able to trust God at His Word gives me the perfect peace He has promised in Isaiah 26:3. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”

Best lesson I ever learned from my cat.

O love of God, how rich and pure!

How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure—

the saints’ and angels’ song.

(from “The Love of God” by Frederick M. Lehman)

“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” – 1 John 4:9-10

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Find it hard to believe God could love you unconditionally? He proved it at the cross.

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” – 1 Corinthians 10:13

I am very familiar with this verse, and if you’re like me, it’s not one that I frequently think of correctly. Instead of fleeing from temptations, I often have a tendency to rationalize or make excuses for choosing to sin. (Yes, sin is a choice!) During my personal Bible time this morning, the Lord opened my eyes to the truth of this verse and what the implications are for me when I do not choose to avail myself of His protection. (Isn’t that wonderful how the Holy Spirit speaks to us through the Word of God each time we open it?)

When I choose to sin, to willfully embrace the temptations that come my way, I am, in essence, rejecting God. I am choosing to put something before Him, and that is idolatry. If it is a “fleshly” sin… a choice to do something that satisfies my carnal nature, but is wrong in the sight of God, the idol that I have chosen to worship is ME. Whether it is overeating, spending time on social media to the neglect of time with the Lord, participating in gossip, or using bad language… anything I wouldn’t do with Jesus right beside me… I am then choosing myself and my desires over God and His ways, and this is idolatry.

I have always thought of an idol as being the item with which the sin is committed, but in reality, the food, the computer, the conversations, these are not the idols. The idol is ME. When I choose the temptation, I am no longer “… a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1b). I have chosen to put myself and my wants before God’s, thus making myself the focus of my servitude. I am allowing myself to be in bondage to the sin to satisfy my own desires.

I Corinthians 10:31 states, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” This is one of those times when the irony of a verse speaks so loudly to me that I would chuckle if it wasn’t so on target with one of my biggest struggles. For me, overeating is a type of idol worship because I choose to defile the temple of God with unhealthy habits. 1 Corinthians 3:16 reminds me, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” Don’t get me wrong, having ice cream or cookies, or bread and butter, etc., is not a sin, but when I choose to eat a dozen cookies instead of one or two or a family-sized bag of popcorn in one sitting… anything in incredible excess of what my body needs or indulge in the foods that do not promote health… for me, that is sin. I am intentionally choosing my physical, fleshly wants before those of God’s desires for me.

The recent realization that I have been putting myself before Him in so many ways, so many times, and making myself an idol of worship, is heartbreaking, but I know I can have victory! I understand that I must ask myself if what I plan to do is to the glory of God, and if the answer is “no”, I need to seek that way of escape that God has promised to provide for me. It won’t be hard to find because God always makes it easy to locate. I only need to listen to His Spirit’s leading. The hard part with facing temptation is deciding whether or not to take the way of escape that God provides.

Additionally, I know that choosing to follow through on the temptations that come in my life is not unforgivable. I know God is faithful and just to forgive me every time I confess my sins to Him, and He will cleanse me from all unrighteousness even if I have to come before Him again and again. He loves me and promises that He is ready, willing, and able to forgive every sin in my life… past, present, and future! What a wonderful Saviour, I have! What incredible love He has for me despite all the times I’ve disappointed and sinned against Him. He has told me in Jeremiah 31:3 that His love for me is everlasting!

Lastly, I also have the assurance that as I grow in my faith (which is slow, but ongoing), the Holy Spirit promises to continue to teach me until I see my Saviour’s face. At that time, I know the work be complete. Philippians 1:6 reminds me of that. My prayer is that, while I walk this earth, the times of putting myself before the Lord will become less and less, and He will be exalted and honored in my heart and actions more and more.

I need Thee ev’ry hour, most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.
I need Thee, oh, I need Thee; Ev’ry hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior, I come to Thee.

I need Thee ev’ry hour, stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their pow’r when Thou are nigh.
I need Thee, oh, I need Thee; Ev’ry hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior, I come to Thee.

(from “I Need Thee” by Robert Lowry and Annie S. Hawks)

“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” – Hebrews 4:14-16

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Struggling with self-worship? Take it to the Lord in prayer. He alone is faithful to forgive, help, and deliver you!

Hebrews 13:8 shares an extremely important characteristic of our Lord Jesus Christ. He never changes! He is that same today as He was in the days of Moses and the times of earthly ministry. Jesus is  the same yesterday, today, and forever!

What a blessed thought! Jesus doesn’t change on a whim; He was, and is the same, as He always will be. There is no need to wonder how Jesus would deal with us today or tomorrow or ever. He has said in His Word that He never changes, and therefore if the Bible states that Jesus is a certain way, you can depend on that forever!

One of the most important benefits of His immutability is that I know that Jesus will always forgive my sins if I ask Him because He is “the same yesterday, today, and forever”. 1 John 1:9 states, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” If He promised to forgive sin in New Testament times, then He’ll continue to forgive me today and throughout the rest of my life whenever I ask Him! His faithfulness never changes.

Furthermore, another important consideration is that there is no need to wonder if something that was considered sin in the Old Testament is still sin in the New Testament or in current times. The Lord doesn’t change His mind anything in His Word, including sin. About Himself, God states in Malachi 3:6, “For I am the LORD, I change not…” There is not greater comfort than to know that God never changes; He truly is the same yesterday, today, and forever!

There is no other person in this world to whom can be attributed this comforting characteristic. It is unique to Jesus. People may be kind to others one day, and on another day, they may alienate those same individuals. Even dear friends or family members can suddenly become distant and aloof over a simple squabble. But not Jesus. He never changes, and He said in Jeremiah 31:3, “…Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love…” His love for you and me will NEVER change!!

There is no greater comfort than knowing that in this world of perpetual change, Jesus Christ is the One and only constant, and in that we find our blessed hope for today and forever!

Great is thy faithfulness, O God, my Father; there is no shadow of turning with thee.
Thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not; as thou hast been, thou forever wilt be.

Great is thy faithfulness, great is thy faithfulness, morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed thy hand hast provided; great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.

(from “Great is Thy Faithfulness” by Thomas O. Chisholm)

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” – James 1:17

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Once again, I have expounded on some thoughts shared with me by my dear friend, Barb Depew. If this keeps up, I’ll be calling her “my muse”!  Seriously, I am so grateful for her spiritual insight and her willingness to share those thoughts with me. Love you, Barb!

(photo courtesy of Brittany Spear)

1 Thessalonians 5:16 states that we are to “Rejoice evermore”.

Rejoice evermore? What does that exactly mean? The dictionary defines “rejoice” as to feel joy or great delight, and “evermore” means always or forever. So this verse is stating that we are to feel joy or great delight always and forever!

But in what should we rejoice?

Some people rejoice over circumstances. Bringing a child into the world, getting a clean bill of health from the doctor, or having enough money to pay your bills on time are examples of wonderful circumstances, but those are not the things for which we should “rejoice evermore”.

Some people rejoice over certain situations. Getting a good grade on a test, losing pounds on a diet, or celebrating a birthday are certainly specific situations in which we can find happiness, but those also are not the things for which we should “rejoice evermore”.

Maybe rejoicing evermore should be directed toward non-material things such as the love of family and friends, and while we definitely find joy in such things, it’s not what the Bible tells us that is for what we should be rejoicing.

According to Philippians 4:4, we should “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.”

Why the Lord? Let’s take a look at what the Scriptures tell us.

1. Rejoice in the Lord because He’s protective.
   1. “But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.” – Psalm 5:11
      1. God protects us from our own foolishness. He keeps us safe from even the things we do carelessly that can be detrimental or harmful to our well-being. He protects us from the spiritual forces of evil that we cannot see around us. So, whether physical, mental, or spiritual, God protects.
   2. Rejoice in the Lord because He is wise.
      1. “O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.” – Psalm 104:24
      2. God’s wisdom comes from His Word. Whenever we need guidance, understanding, even conviction… anything we need… it can be found in the Word of God. The Bible is our manual for living a godly life, and it was written by the One who is wisdom.
   3. Rejoice in the Lord because He is unconditionally loving to us.
      1. “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” – Jeremiah 31:3
      2. Unconditional love! Can you even fathom that? No matter what we’ve done… the sins we’ve committed, both intentionally and unintentionally, no matter where we’ve been in our lives, God remains faithful as our loving heavenly Father. He will never leave us nor forsake us… He’s promised that. Why? Because He loves us unconditionally. Wow!
   4. Rejoice in the Lord because He is also our teacher.
      1. “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” – John 16:13
      2. There is no better teacher that the omniscient God! There is no doubt that there are many awesome teachers in this world, and perhaps like me, you can even recall those special teachers who made such positive differences in your life. However, the best teacher for all humanity has always been and will always be the Holy Spirit because He uses His Word to teach us. There is no limit to His knowledge; there is no error in His teaching; there is nothing He withholds for us when we seek His truth. He is the perfect teacher.
   5. Rejoice in the Lord because He is merciful.
      1. “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.” – Psalm 103:8
      2. Mercy is defined as “withholding deserved punishment”. Because of God’s mercy, I will no longer be judged for my sins. When I prayed and asked Jesus to forgive me and become my Saviour, I became a recipient of the mercy of God. I will no longer face eternal punishment for my sins because Jesus, God’s beloved Son, took the punishment I deserved for my sins upon Himself when He was crucified on the cross. Salvation and eternal forgiveness for me through Jesus’ sacrifice on Calvary is given because of God’s mercy.
   6. Rejoice in the Lord because He is gracious.
      1. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” – Ephesians 2:8
      2. Grace is said to be “giving that which is undeserved”. I don’t deserve to have my sins forgiven. I don’t deserve eternal life in heaven. I don’t deserve to be loved by a holy and perfect God. It is only because of God’s grace that I have all of these and more! It is only through His grace that I will one day see Him face-to-face in heaven! It is only through His grace that I can be His child. Hallelujah! I am redeemed by the grace of God!
   7. Rejoice in the Lord because He is God.
      1. “Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.” – Deuteronomy 4:39
      2. Perhaps the greatest reason to rejoice in the Lord is simply because of who He is. The Creator of all things, the Sustainer of all things; the Saviour of the world! He alone deserves to be worshipped and praised because He alone is God, and He has chosen us to be His own! Now that is worth rejoicing evermore!

Rejoice, the Lord is King: Your Lord and King adore!
Rejoice, give thanks and sing, and triumph evermore.
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice!
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

(from “Rejoice, the Lord is King” by Charles Wesley)

“And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.” – Psalm 35:9

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Many thanks to my sweet friend, Barb Depew, who shared her thoughts with me on “Rejoicing in the Lord alway” and allowed me to expound on them in this writing.

“Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?” -Psalm 56:8

I have shed many tears in my life. There have been tears of disappointment, tears of frustrations, and tears of personal failures. I have shed the most sorrowful of tears when I  lost someone whom I loved deeply. I remember crying long and hard for my mother when she passed. Another time of heartbreaking weeping came when my daughter left home for college. I watched her and her dad drive off down the street with her things as they began the long journey to her college on the other side of the country, and my heart felt as though it had been torn from my chest. It was the beginning of a new life for her, and while part of me was so proud and rejoiced, there was another part of me that grieved so deeply for this new chapter in our lives that I sobbed and sobbed in this moment of perceived loss.

Like many of you, there have been several times when my sorrow was so great, and I felt so alone in my grief, that I felt God was very distant and indifferent to my pain. Of course, nothing could be farther from the truth, but my heart hurt so badly I couldn’t imagine Him allowing such internal suffering. It was during those times that God used a small bottle to remind me how much He truly does care for me.

A tear bottle is a small vial that has been used for thousands of years in ancient cultures. Upon research, I discovered that collecting tears was a very significant practice in the Jewish faith. When people would mourn the passing of a loved one, their tears were collected in small vials and placed in the tomb with the deceased. This was a demonstration of the love and respect for the individual who died. The Bible states that God collects our tears in bottles such as these as well.

The Lord cares so much about us that when we are hurting and our tears spill over onto our cheeks, God collects them in a heavenly lachrymatory, or tear bottle. Why? God demonstrates His great love for us through this collection of our tears. Not one goes unnoticed; each one is stored by Him in His own tear bottle for us. He knows every sorrow for which we weep, and as He collects our tears, He uses those times of hurting to draw us closer to Him, to remind us of His faithfulness, and to comfort our grieving hearts through His Word.

One day, I will shed no more tears for God to collect. Revelation 21:4 states, “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”  Because I have been forgiven of my sins by the Lord Jesus Christ, I have a promised future with Him that will be full of unspeakable joy, and no tears will be ever shed again! Psalm 126:5 tells me, “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.” What a glorious day that will be!

It is amazing to think the Creator of the universe, the Saviour of the world, the very Son of God, cares enough about me that He saves each tear I shed. What amazing love!

No tears in heaven, no sorrows given, all will be glory in that land;
There’ll be no sadness, all will be gladness, when we shall join that happy band.

No tears in heaven fair, no tears, no tears up there, sorrow and pain will have have flown;
No tear, in heaven fair, no tears, no tears up there, no tears in heaven will be known.

(from No Tears in Heaven by Robert S. Arnold)

“Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee. For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.” Psalm 116:7-8

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If you don’t know my Jesus, I’d be honored to introduce you to Him.

I was cleaning out my medicine cabinet the other day, and I found a few medicines that had expired. They were no longer effective in doing what they were designed to do, so I had to get rid of them.

Then I moved into my kitchen. I found several food items in my pantry that also had expired, and I had to discard them because they most likely lost their nutrients or flavor by being on my shelf for such a long time. Many other things become useless after a certain amount of time, and they need to be tossed out or replaced as well.

For example. we recently had to replace an old roof because many of the shingles had become old, and subsequently, they blew off. I’ve also had shoes that had worn out and needed to be replaced. Lastly, we’re thinking about replacing our sofa because it has many areas that have lost the padding, and it’s not as comfortable as it used to be

As I was thinking about things that expired, I realized that there was something very special that never expires, and that is my life with the Lord! I am an older person, that is true (70 years old this year!), and I may be retired, but I’m not expired!

My life with God began in March 1968, when I asked Jesus to forgive my sins and become my Saviour. From that moment, I chose to follow Jesus and serve Him. As a young girl, I didn’t do a lot for the Lord aside from attending church and praying, but as I matured both physically and spiritually, my service for God developed as well.

The writer of Hebrews certainly understood this, and under the inspiration of God’s Holy Spirit, wrote about it in terms we could understand. He compared our service for God to a race. Hebrews 12:1 states, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us”.

When an athlete decides to complete, he doesn’t just show up on the day of the game or race; he puts in hours, days, and even years of training. That was like my life as a newly saved Christian. In order to serve God, I had to learn about Him and know what it was that I was supposed to do for Him. This was my initial training. It actually is still continuing today! I’ve learned a lot over the years of my life, but in Philippians, Paul reminds us that our training continues until God calls us home, either by death or the rapture. Philippians 1:6 states, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”

The apostle Paul was a great example of an athlete who kept running his race. He served the Lord regardless of what circumstances surrounded his life until his death, and he served Him well. However, Paul did experience some kind of physical ailment that bothered him, and on at least three separate occasions he asked God to remove it from his life. Maybe he felt he could better serve God without this problem, but the Lord taught Paul an important lesson by not removing this “thorn in his flesh”. Paul learned that God would always be with him always, giving him the ability to serve regardless of circumstances.  2 Corinthians 12:7-9 states, “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

Paul was able to continue serving the Lord, knowing this “thorn in the flesh” had a divine purpose, and he could be confident that God’s grace would carry him through any situation or circumstance in his life. With this knowledge, Paul was able to serve God by sharing the gospel with others when imprisoned, when shipwrecked, when stoned and left for dead… the list goes on, but through it all, he didn’t quit.

Paul served the Lord until the day he was executed for his faith in Christ. 2 Timothy 4:6-8 recounts Paul’s devotion to serving God. “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”  These are the words of a follower of Christ who finished well! So what does this mean for me and you.

We can have that same confidence that Paul had in his life. Regardless of our age, our environment, our physical health, our financial situation, we can still serve God. There is no expiration date on our service for Him.

It doesn’t matter if your health is not as great as it used to be; it doesn’t matter that live on a fixed income; it doesn’t matter if your home situation isn’t ideal. I’m not minimizing any of these things. I know life is rarely easy. Living in situations you cannot control is difficult, but none of that means your time of service to God has expired. In fact, the Bible tells us we should “redeem the time” in Ephesians 5:15-16. This means we need to intentionally live our lives walking in spiritual wisdom and submission to God, seeking His will and doing it. James 1:22 tells us, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”

I wanted a life lived well for the Lord, but it didn’t end when my kids grew up and moved away. It didn’t end when I retired from my job. It didn’t end when I home-schooled my granddaughters for the last time. It is important that we don’t focus on what we can’t do; focus on what we can do. We must ask ourselves, “What can I do with this body, this mind, and the capabilities God has given me at this point in my life?”

The apostle’s words express what I desire to accomplish for the Lord, for my family, and for the church of Jesus Christ in my “golden” years. Paul said, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.” That’s what I want – to finish my race well! I hope that is the same for you.

So, I’ll be tossing out those expired medicines and foods, remembering that God will never toss me or you out! His plan for us to serve Him and tell others about Jesus will continue until He calls us home.

Remember, there is no expiration date for Christians, and Jesus doesn’t put any age limit on His command to share the Gospel and lead others to Him. Matthew 28:19 tells us what the Lord desires of us. Jesus said, “… Go ye therefore, and teach all nations…”

Make the decision today to redeem the time and run your race well… You’ll be surprised at how far you can go with Jesus!

I was doing a little winter gardening today, and I neglected to wear protective gloves. Needless to say, when pruning my roses, I received a few pricks from the tiny little thorns near the “dead heads” I was cutting, and it was so painful!

After I had finished cutting my roses, the larger woody stems near the bases of those bushes caught my eye. The thorns were huge near the roots! Their size amazed me, and I stood for a few moments just in awe of the enormity of those thorns, grateful they hadn’t punctured my thumb!

Suddenly, a picture came to my mind. It was the crown of thorns that the Lord Jesus wore as He was tortured just prior to His crucifixion, and for a moment, a great sorrow filled my heart. John 19:2 states, “And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe”. I knew how badly my fingers felt when pierced by those tiny rose thorns, and I couldn’t even imagine how much agony Jesus suffered when the Roman soldiers pressed that mockery of a crown upon His head.

In this season, we often are so caught up in the commercialism of Christmas that the tiny babe of Bethlehem is merely a fleeting thought or forgotten all together, but Jesus truly is the reason we celebrate Christmas! God left the splendor of heaven to be born of a virgin and live among His creation as a man, knowing His ultimate fate would be a crown of thorns and a rugged cross. He chose to sacrifice Himself so that we could have a way to have our sins forgiven and receive everlasting life with Him in heaven.

When you hear “Jesus is the reason for the season”, remember that He is the true reason for the holiday and the best Christmas present ever! He is the gift that God the Father gave the world! While we were dying in our sin, He offered us life through His beloved Son, Jesus. John 3:16 states, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

As sinners, we all need forgiveness for our sins in order to one day live forever in heaven. By believing that Jesus paid for our sins on the cross and asking for His forgiveness, He becomes the Lord of our lives, and we are promised eternal life with Him! It’s so simple! The Bible says, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23).

What a wonderful Christmas gift! It can be yours today!

From His throne Jesus came, laid aside heaven’s fame
In exchange for the cross of Calv’ry,
For my gain suffered loss, for my sin He bore the cross
He was wounded and I was set free.
Born to die upon Calv’ry, Jesus suffered my sin to forgive,
Born to die upon Calv’ry, He was wounded that I might live.

(from “Born to Die” by Ron Hamilton)

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Have you received God’s Christmas gift? I’d love to know!

It is so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season and forget the true reason we celebrate at this time of year. I had the wonderful opportunity recently to hear a lesson from my pastor’s wife, Sandra Campbell, and with her permission, I have shared some of her thoughts mingled with mine about the beautiful name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

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There are many well-known individuals associated with Christmas and their names are so familiar. There’s Santa Claus, of course, and that cranky old miser Ebenezer Scrooge. There’s Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and even the Grinch. One of my favorite Christmas movies is It’s a Wonderful Life, which has its own memorable characters in George Bailey and Henry Potter!

One thing these all have in common is that they are fictional characters, but there is one special child in history whose name was angelically declared to his mother! That name was JESUS!

“And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”- Luke 1: 30-33

“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” – Matthew 1:21

“Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.” – Matthew 1:24-25

The angel told both Mary and Joseph, “Thou shalt call His name JESUS.”  The gospel of John clarifies the miraculous conception and birth of Jesus as God coming to us in human form.

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”.” – John 1:14

Consider these amazing truths about the name of JESUS.

1. By His name we have SALVATION. Sin separates us from God, and unfortunately, its end result is eternity in hell. To remediate that, we need deliverance from our sin and its consequences, but there is absolutely nothing that we can do about that ourselves. This is the reason that Jesus came.

“But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” – John 20:31

“Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” – Acts 4:12

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” – John 1:12

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” – Romans 10:13

Calling upon the name of Jesus for forgiveness of sins is the only way we can have eternal life with Him in heaven.

2. By His name we have SANCTIFICATION. Sanctification is the action of making or declaring something holy; the action or process of being freed from sin or purified.

“And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” – 1 Corinthians 6:11

Through the name of Jesus alone can we be made acceptable to God. As saved sinners, we are no longer alienated from God, but we become His workmanship… able to be used by Him to bring glory to His name!

“Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.”- Isaiah 43:7

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” – Ephesians 2:10

“If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.” – 2 Timothy 2:21

Once we are saved from our sins, we are sanctified (set apart as holy to God) to serve Him and bring glory to His wonderful name!

3. By His name we have ACCESS to the Father. Having access means we are able to approach or entering the presence of God. Jesus made this possible when he bore our sins upon His body on the cross. Once atonement was made for us by Jesus, the temple veil was torn in two revealing access to the most sacred place in the temple… the place where God dwelt. This was symbolic of what now was available to each person who accepts Christ as Saviour. Through the name of Jesus (in prayer) we have full access to God the Father.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” – John 14:6

“And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.” – John 14:13-14

His name is highly exalted! The name of Jesus is honored above all names in both heaven and earth. One future day, all mankind will grasp the enormity of the name of our Lord and Saviour!

“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” – Philippians 2:9-11

Isaiah 9:6 tells us how highly esteemed the name of JESUS is:

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

4. By His name we have God’s PRESENCE.

Upon salvation, we have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives from that moment on throughout all eternity. That means never will be apart from God… NEVER! That is why Jesus has one other very special name: IMMANUEL.

“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” – Isaiah 7:14

“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” – Matthew 1:23

Jesus Himself promised us that once we choose Him as our Saviour and Lord, He will never leave us or forsake us! God is with us for all eternity! The enormity of that promise is difficult to fully comprehend, but one day, we will be able to do just that, and we will rejoice forever! Praise the name of Jesus!

I know of a name, a beautiful name,
 that angels brought down to earth;

They whispered it low, one night long ago to a maiden of lowly birth.
That beautiful name, that beautiful name,
 from sin has power to free us!

That beautiful name, that wonderful name,
 that matchless name is Jesus!

(from “That Beautiful Name” by Jean Perry)

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” – Romans 10:13

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There’s just something about the name of JESUS!

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” – Galatians 5:22-23

Ephesians 1:13 tells us that we receive the Holy Spirit of God upon salvation. “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise”. At that time, we also receive the entire fruit of the Holy Spirit as listed for us in Galatians 5:22-23.

The first 3 fruits mentioned are love, joy, and peace. These are fruit are a result of our relationship with God. The last 6 focus more on our social relationships. The ripeness or intensity of our cluster of fruit is dependent upon many different factors in our Christian life, and like natural fruit, it takes time to cultivate. Growing our fruit is a necessity in the Christian life. Galatians 5:25 states, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

There is a fruit that many of us want to avoid cultivating: longsuffering.

Longsuffering is sometimes translated as “patience,” but the actual meaning of the word goes far beyond just being patient. Longsuffering involves patiently enduring wrongs or difficulties, enduring mental and/or physical difficulties without complaining or becoming angry.

No one really wants to endure the difficulties of life like losing a loved one, being downsized, experiencing a health scare, being evicted, or not being able to make ends meet. Going through any of these experiences without grumbling seems so wrong, but God has His divine reasons. He uses seasons of longsuffering to build our patience, faith, and trust in Him and to sometimes even reveal Himself to us in miraculous ways.

“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” – 1 Peter 5:10

It’s important to know that when God allows suffering into our lives, He definitely has a purpose. Biblical figures like  Job, Paul, and Noah endured hardships for years, but there were also women in the Bible from whom we can learn a great deal about longsufffering.

5 LADIES OF LONGSUFFERING

• Hannah – Hannah is our first lady of longsuffering.
  • She faithfully prayed year after year for a child. She did not give up, and eventually, God answered her prayer by giving her a son who would grow up to become the prophet, Samuel, but this did not happen quickly. Hannah had patience, both in waiting on God, but also when mocked by Eli. He thought she was drunk when he saw her lips moving in prayer, but no sound coming forth. His words were so hurtful that Hannah did not eat. Hannah found comfort in pouring out her soul in prayer. She truly demonstrated longsuffering and patience during those long years of waiting on the Lord and developed a deep and abiding FAITH that God could and would answer her prayer.
    • “And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.” – 1 Samuel 2:1
  • Action: Hannah prayed without ceasing
  • Result: Her longsuffering grew her FAITH.
    • Longsuffering strengthens faith in a similar way to how a muscle grows stronger after exercise and stretching. When God acts, our faith is strengthened.
      • “For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him:” – I Samuel 1:27
      • “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” – Psalm 27:14

• Ruth is our second lady of longsuffering.
  • Her adult life begins early with tragedy and several misfortunes. As a widow and an outsider in her community, Ruth could have easily abandoned her mother-in-law Naomi and continued her life elsewhere, but Ruth desired to remain with Naomi. While we don’t know all about Naomi and Ruth’s mother-in-law/daughter-in-law relationship, the Scriptures certainly suggest that during the course of their lives together, Naomi did teach Ruth and Orpah about the God of Israel. Because of that, Ruth chose to TRUST the Lord.
  • “And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:”– Ruth 1:16
  • Action: Chose to follow the God of Israel, Naomi’s God.
  • Result: Her longsuffering grew her trust in the Lord.
    
    • Ruth’s story shows us that God is there for us even during times of longsuffering, and He will take care of us… strengthening us, encouraging us, and reminding us that He has a plan for each of us that He will bring to fruition. Just like Ruth, who trusted God to see her through challenges of poverty, death of loved ones, and social discrimination, we too can get through any struggle for God is faithful to those deliver those who belong to Him.
      • “The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.” – Ruth 2:12

• Bleeding Woman – Our 3rd lady of longsuffering is nameless in Scripture, but she has a powerful testimony.
  • “And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,” – Luke 8:43
  • This lady had some kind of bleeding issue that kept her in an “unclean” state for 12 long years.
    • “And if a woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of her separation, or if it run beyond the time of her separation; all the days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation: she shall be unclean.” – Leviticus 15:25
    • Whatever the cause of her loss of blood, the Levitical restrictions not only rendered her ritually unclean, but also anyone and anything she might touch. This made her an exile among her own people, and ruined her associations with her husband or ruined her chances of marrying if she was unwed. It would have separated her from her family, friends and neighbors. Additionally, she could not go to the synagogue thereby preventing her from seeking forgiveness for her sins.
    • Imagine the turmoil in her soul. For 12 long years, she couldn’t care for her family… elderly parents, possibly a husband and children. She had no idea how they were doing. Imagine how she existed… from where would her next meal come? Would she ever be well enough to go to temple and ask God to forgive her? What would her eternal state be? Most likely her life was in a constant state of uncertainty.
    • Then she heard about Jesus. Could it be true? She probably worried about that as well, but she chose to believe, and when she touched the hem of his garment, she was miraculously healed of her disease, but even more important was that she received PEACE in her soul.
      • “And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.” – Luke 8:48
    • Action: She stepped out in faith, believing God is in total control
    • Result: Her longsuffering not only brought her healing, but great peace in her soul.
      
      • Many of us have similar experiences as this woman. Some of us suffer from incurable or chronic illnesses or experience difficult spiritual battles. The message from this story of longsuffering tells us that God heals both physically and spiritually, giving what the world cannot give… PEACE.

• Mary and Martha – Our fourth and fifth ladies of longsuffering were beloved friends of Jesus, who often stayed with them in their home in Bethay. Their time of longsuffering began when their brother Lazarus became ill. They sent word to Jesus that Lazarus was on his deathbed, expecting Jesus to come and heal their brother.
  • “Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha…Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.” – John 11:1, 3
• Jesus did not immediately respond to their call for help. The fact that both Mary and Martha were confused and perhaps even angry that Jesus did not come when they needed him did not stop them from believing in who He was. They confessed that they believed Jesus was indeed the “resurrection and the life” when she stated, “…Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.” which enabled Jesus to perform one of his greatest miracles: the resurrection of Lazarus (John 11: 25-27, 38-43). Their longsuffering demonstrated their unwavering HOPE in Jesus.
  • “But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it” – John 11:22
  • Action: Confessed Christ as Lord
  • Result: Because of their faith in Jesus, they had HOPE in their longsuffering.

Even though we know that God has His reasons for allowing suffering in our lives, that doesn’t make it easy to endure. Here are three ways we can endure the tough times in our lives.

3 REMEDIES FOR ENDURING LONGSUFFERING

1. Stay connected to God

During your season of longsuffering, you must guard your faith, and trust that “…weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5) The end of your longsuffering will come. Waiting on the Lord is not a passive activity. Often, we decide that waiting means not doing anything. That is not what God wants us to do. We are to have an active relationship with the Lord.

• PRAY
  • The Bible tell us to pray continually. I Thessalonians 5:17 simply states, “Pray without ceasing.”
  • “Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.” – Micah 7:7

• LISTEN
  • God speaks to us through His Word. Use this time of waiting to “listen” to Him through the Scriptures.
  • Be alert to that “still, small voice” through which He speaks.
    
    • “And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.” – 1 Kings 19:11-12
  • Be surrendered to His Spirit and what He desires to show you from His Word.
    • “Submit yourselves (surrender) therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” – James 4:7
    • During times of waiting, it is easy to fall into sin. We start to “listen” to our flesh, which tells us that we must be right in what we want, and since we’re Christians, we must be acting in God’s will. So go for it! This rationalization is grossly inaccurate and can led to a multitude of sins.
      • “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” – Jeremiah 17:9
    • Additionally, during this time of waiting, Satan (the deceiver) knows how to push our buttons. We start “listening” to him instead of God, and we make decisions contrary to the Lord’s will and again, fall into the entrapments of sin. If I don’t listen to God through His Word, I am easy prey for Satan. During times of waiting, our connection with God helps protect us from the dangers of the flesh and Satan.

2. Stay Connected to God’s People

Waiting can be deeply discouraging, and it’s tempting to give up on God, but that is not the Lord’s plan for any of us. The Bible reminds us that God’s ways are not ours, and times of waiting on Him are always part of His perfect will and plan for us.

• “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” – Isaiah 55:9

Waiting on the Lord can actually be a consuming activity that threatens our relationship with God because we begin to focus on ourselves. “I need money to pay my bills!” “I want my child to obey me!” “I need to get well!” “I don’t understand!” Time to FLIP THE SWITCH!

Focus on Others! Stay busy by helping others through their own circumstances. This can bring great joy and satisfaction into your life, especially when waiting for God to act in your own situations.

• “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” -1 Peter 4:10
  • Examples:
    • Anonymously… fast-food drive-in and pay for someone’s order
    • Say “thank you” to a military person or public servant
    • Bake cookies for the local firehouse
    • Take in your neighbor’s trash cans
    • Visit a friend; send cards; make a phone call
  • There are so many ways you can help others in your life, and that will shift the focus from you to them while cultivating the ability to endure through your season of longsuffering.

3. Stay connected to the joys in your life!

Joy is defined as “having a contented heart regardless of circumstances.” Waiting can be hard and  painful and threatens to rob us of our joy. For this reason, begin each day with a few moments remembering the goodness, faithfulness, and love of God and nurture the joy of the Lord. Here’s how you can do this:

• Start your day with God.
  • We have busy lives, but taking time to “hem your day with God makes the day less likely to unravel.”
  • “Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.” – Psalm 143:8
• Start a gratitude journal.
  • When you get up and enjoy that cup of coffee or tea, list 2 or 3 things in your journal for which you are truly grateful.
  • “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:” – Psalm 92:1
  • “Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.” – Psalm 97:12
  • Be specific. Not “Thank you for my family”, but “thank you that my children cleaned up their room last night.”
• Pray with thanksgiving.
  • We often get consumed with asking God for things, that we forget to thank Him for the blessings He has already given.
  • “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” – Philippians 4:6
  • Specificity keeps us focused in prayer time.

Your season of longsuffering is not God’s personal vendetta against you. It is God’s way of building your faith and trust in Him through the peace and hope that only God can give. During this season, you will find God is faithful to His Word. Friends may come and go, but God is that friend who will carry you through your trials when your walk becomes too burdensome to bear. Your job during your season of longsuffering is to guard your faith, focus on your praise, not allow the enemy to stifle your worship, and trust that “weeping endures for a night”, but that your joy and the end of the season of longsuffering will come (Psalms 30:5).

“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” – James 1:2-4

The kintsugi bowl (pictured above) is a broken bowl that has been repaired using the Japanese art of kintsugi, which means “to join with gold”. The art of kintsugi involves gluing broken pieces back together and then adorning the cracks with gold, rather than hiding the damage. The result is a bowl that highlights the imperfections as part of its beauty, and is considered more valuable and beautiful than if it were repaired to look new.

The art of kintsugi can be a metaphor for the work God does in us during times of longsuffering. Often, we feel broken when we are going through tough times, but God is faithful and trustworthy to deliver us. These gold cracks remind me of the work God is doing in me, and when He has brought me through the trial, I am a vessel of honor to the Lord.

• “If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.” – 2 Timothy 2:21
• “But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.” – Isaiah 64:8

Longsuffering is not easy. Struggles will always be part of the Christian journey. Sometimes, we find it difficult to understand why all these challenges happen to us and why the answers do not come sooner instead of later. That is why we must turn to the Bible and seek God’s assurance in times of distress.

“But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” – Job 23:10

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When we are tried, our desire should be as that of Job… to come forth as gold!

This, year I have heard several Christian friends say they had no intention of voting this year. Neither candidate was a “Christian” in their eyes, and thus they felt that voting for one of them would be wrong. This way of thinking has disturbed me greatly, and I feel led to share my thoughts, however, this “political” post focuses more on Christian responsibility than specifying which presidential candidate should get your vote this year.

I recently heard a podcast by Dr. Jimmy DeYoung, Jr. (Prophecy Today), and he stated exactly what was in my heart, so I decided to share his words in this post.

He began this past weekend’s podcast with these thoughts:

“It is our contention that it is the duty and responsibility of every Christian to vote and to vote for leaders who promote Christian principles. God is most certainly in control, but that does not mean we should do nothing to further his will. We are commanded to pray for our leaders.

The evidence of sin’s grip on this world is everywhere. Much of the suffering on earth is because of godless leadership. Scripture gives Christians instructions to obey legitimate authority unless it contradicts the Lord’s commands.

As born-again believers, we ought to strive to choose leaders who will be themselves led by our creator. Candidates or proposals that violate the Bible’s command for life, family, marriage, or faith should never be supported. Christians should vote as led through prayer and study of both God’s Word and the realities of the choices on the ballots.”

Do your part. Be a responsible Christian voter. Research the candidates… their past records speak louder than any currently running ads. The media is notorious for skewing how the “news” is presented, but congressional voting records are black and white. How have they voted in the past on the issues? Were their votes aligned with Biblical values? Are they promising things that their actions have shown otherwise? As the saying goes, leopards do not change their spots. Remember, you are selecting someone to lead our nation. How has their past record been in doing so? Both presidential candidates have served in positions that influenced our nation greatly? No one issue can be the sole criteria for selecting your candidate. Be open-minded when selecting your candidate, and consider the total platform of the political party as well. Does that platform conform to your Biblical values? Don’t blindly vote for someone simply because they are a particulary political party or have one “hot” issue with which you agree. Look at the entire picture. that’s your responsibility… as an American and as a Christian.

Research the candidates and the issues, decide the best choices that align with your beliefs, then go cast your vote! JFK won the presidential election by less than 120,000 votes out of 68.8 million votes cast. George W Bush won with only 271 electoral votes (270 are needed to win.) Don’t let anyone convince you that your one vote isn’t important. That’s a lie. Not only does your vote matter, but it is our responsibility to choose wise leaders. I Samuel 12:13 reminds us, “Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have desired! and, behold, the LORD hath set a king over you.”  Additionally, Deuteronomy 1:13 states, “Take you wise men, and understanding, and known among your tribes, and I will make them rulers over you.”

Lastly, regardless of who gets elected on Tuesday, please remember to pray for those in authority over us always.  “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” – 1 Timothy 2:1-2

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Praying for our leaders will accomplish much more than grumbling about them ever will.