Piecrust Promises

Jayne Lawson 2 Comments Devotionals

“And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, and Isaac, and to Jacob.” Genesis 50:2

Mary Poppins is a well-known fictitious nanny who is often remembered for her sayings such as “a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down” and “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.” I have always remembered one of her comments she made regarding to promises. When one of the children made a promise to her, she stated that it was a “piecrust promise,” meaning it was easily made and easily broken. Piecrust promises are not those upon which you can depend, and it does not foster a trusting relationship between the parties involved.

Thankfully, when our God makes a promise, it is never a piecrust promise!

In the last chapter of Genesis, Joseph is near his death when he speaks these words to his brothers. He reminds them that God will keep His word, and bring them to the land that He has promised their forefathers.

It is important for us to remember that God always keeps His promises. Here are a few examples in the Bible where God has promised and then kept His word.

  1. He promised to deliver Noah from the judgment of the flood (Genesis 6:17, Genesis 8:16 fulfilled)
  2. He promised Abraham a son (Genesis 17:16 promised, Genesis 21:2)
  3. He promised to deliver the Israelites from the Egyptians (Exodus 3:8 promised, Exodus 14:30 fulfilled)
  4. He promised to bring the Israelites to the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 27:3 promised, Joshua 24:13 fulfilled)
  5. He promised to send a Messiah (Genesis 3:15 promised, Luke 2:11 fulfilled)
  6. He promised His resurrection (Matthew 26:32 promised, Luke 24:6 fulfilled)
  7. He promised to send the Holy Spirit (John 16:7 promised, Acts 2:4 fulfilled)

Because we consistently see that God kept His word in the past, we can have complete assurance that His promises that have yet to be fulfilled, soon will be. There is no doubt that God will keep His word in the future. This is exciting because the next promise to be fulfilled on God’s calendar was spoken by Jesus in John 14:3 “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” That promise could be fulfilled this very day!

Never forget that God is faithful to do that which He has promised, but His timetable may not necessarily be the same as ours. He will act according to His perfect will and according to what is best for us. All we need to do is trust Him to do as He says!

 

Standing on the promises of Christ my king,

Through eternal ages let His praises ring,

Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing

Standing on the promises of God!

(from “Standing on the Promises” by Russell Kelso Carter)

 

“For all the promises of God in him are yea and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.” 2 Corinthians 1:20

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How has depending on God’s promises helped you through a difficult time or situation?

 

 

 

 

 

Tenerife, Canary Islands(Spain)

Jayne Lawson 1 Comment Travel

“And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles.” Isaiah 66:19

Tenerife is one of the Canary Islands located just 200 miles off the coast of Africa. Landscaped by volcanic activity, Tenerife is home to Mt. Teide, Spain’s highest peak at 12,300 feet with a caldera that is 29 miles across. Dormant since 1909, Mt. Teide is the world’s third tallest volcano, after Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa in Hawaii. Mt. Teide National Park is covered with spectacular volcanic rock formations, large fields of obsidian shimmering in the sunlight, and breathtaking lava flows.

 

(Mt. Teide)

 

(Rock formations)

 

(Obsidian)

 

(Lava flows)

According to mythology, just beyond the Pillars of Hercules (Gibraltar), one could find the remnants of the ancient city of Atlantis whose survivors were known as the Guanches. Tenerife was believed be the Garden of Hesperides where Hercules killed a 100-head dragon, known as a radon, which guarded the island. This dragon’s blood seeped into the soil and turned into the dragon tree. Today, these trees are found throughout the island, and its sap is bright red. It’s massive trunk supports the twisted branches that resemble the numerous heads of the dragon.

(dragon tree)

 

(botanical orchid gardens)

Five interesting facts about Tenerife:

1. Volleyball is one of Tenerife’s most successful sports.
2. The Guanches were actually a tall, red-haired people who migrated to Tenerife from southern France.They were conquered by the Spanish in the 15th century.
3. Columbus actually was not permitted to land on this island for supplies in 1492 because the Guanches didn’t like his appearance. Apparently, their bearded European look was too similar to the Guanches themselves!
4. Witchdoctors are prevalent here with modern medicine mixing with traditional practices that include prayer, plants and other “witchery” to cure diseases.
5. Sadly, Tenerife is often remembered for a horrific airplane accident involving two large jets in the late 1970s.

(Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, clock tower, opera house with curved roof)

 

(Puerto de la Cruz)

Rabat, Morocco

Jayne Lawson 0 Comment Travel

Rabat is the capital city of Morocco. Like the country, it is an African, Arabic (ethnicity), and Islamic (religion) city where 50% of the population is Berber, and 50% is Arabic. While Morocco is considered a tolerant country regarding other religions, 99.9% of its population is Sunni Moslem.

Every town must meet five requirements in order to be classified a city. The town must have a mosque, a Koranic school for ages 4-6, a public bath, a shop for fresh produce, and a bakery.

As we drove to Rabat from the port (1.5 hours), we saw the minarets of many mosques, fields with sheep and goats, apartment buildings and areas with makeshift housing. The old city of Rabat is separated from the new city of Rabat by a river, and the old city has a wall around it.

In Rabat, we saw the king’s palace, the mosque and mausoleum of a former king, and part of the old city of Rabat where we stopped for refreshments and a little shopping.

Five interesting things about Morocco

  1. Funerals are only attended by the men.
  2. Moslems receive points throughout their lifetime, and it is the number of points that will determine if they go to paradise after death. Points can be accrued for doing good deeds (as stated in the Koran). For example, a man can receive 27 points for praying in the mosque, but only one point for praying at home.
  3. Devout Moslems must travel to Mecca once in the lifetime, but Saudi Arabia determines how many Moslems from each country may come to Mecca annually.
  4. According to the Koran, men can have up to 4 wives, but a woman can have up to 10 men.
  5. If a woman has multiple husbands and becomes pregnant, she chooses which husband will be the father of the child.

(Mausoleum clockwise from top-left: mausoleum, guard on horseback, unfinished minaret and foundational columns of destroyed mosque, current mosque on site, tomb inside the mausoleum)

(Royal palace)

(From top-left: souk, city wall, pastries, mint tea, old city-foreground & new city-background, view of new city across river from old city)

(Hassan II mosque in Casablanca – biggest mosque in Africa, able to accommodate 30,000 worshippers at one time; at night, the green beam points toward Mecca, Saudi Arabia)

(Moroccan beaches)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Malaga, Spain

Jayne Lawson 0 Comment Travel

Malaga started out very promising. No rain, but a very cool breeze. We started our tour early, heading to an overlook of the city. We could see the port and our ship quite clearly. Additionally, we could see the city’s bullfighting arena. The shoreline was beautiful!

(City overlook with bullfighting arena in foreground. Our ship can also be seen. It is the second one on the dock, pointing in a different direction than the other ships)

 

From there, we went to a city square that was near the home and school of Pablo Picasso. It happened to be across from the apartment home of Antonio Banderas, although we did not see him!

(Pablo and John)

 

As we strolled through the town, we saw the old Jewish quarter, the Picasso Museum, and the Church of St. Augustine. After that, we went to the Cathedral of Malaga. It was built between 1528 – 1782 on the site of an Islamic mosque. It was very similar to other cathedrals we have visited, including the golden inner domes, the religious paintings and sculptures, and stained glass windows.

(Malaga Cathedral)

(Cathedral art clockwise from top-left: beheading of Paul, anointing of Jesus’ feet, Ferdinand and Isabella praying to Mary, the annunciation)

 

From here, we walked to a Roman amphitheater and the Alcazaba, a Moorish fortress. The amphitheater is nestled at the foot of the fortress, and is the oldest monument in Malaga. It was built in the 1st century AD by Emperor Augustus. Today, it is used for open-air performances.

(amphitheater)

 

The Alcazaba was built by the Arabic conquerors to ward off pirates in the 8th century, and it served as a citadel for the conquering powers for more than 700 years. From the top of this fortress, we had a breathtaking view of the city and coastline.

(Alcazaba collage)

 

Malaga remained under Moorish rule until the 15th century. It was here in Malaga that Queen Isabella of Castile and King Ferdinand of Aragon united leading to the reconquest of Spain and the Moors’ surrender in 1492.

(Malaga beach)

 

 

Cartagena, Spain

Jayne Lawson 0 Comment Travel

Cartegena is located on the southern end of the Iberian peninsula, and it was founded by the Carthaginians in 228 BC. 20 years later, it was conquered by the Romans, who ruled until the Moors invaded and took control. In the 1500s, Christians conquered the Moors, and it has been under the Roman Catholic Church control since that time. Built in a natural bay with five hills surrounding it, it was a desired military site due to its protected harbor.

Five interesting facts about Cartegena

  1. This is where Hannibal assembled his troops and elephants for his famous march across the Alps.
  2. Bullfighting is against the law in Cartegena, but it is legal in Murcia, only 40 kms away, where 7 bulls are killed weekly in the games.
  3. Graffiti is encouraged to show local talent. It is new each year and judged for its artistry.
  4. Landowners are not allowed to build on their land if the government archaeologists find any historical artifacts on it during construction.
  5. The town has numerous façades erected to keep maintain the appearance of the city, but the lots themselves remain vacant behind the due to their historical value.

(Town hall and bell tower)

 

(Roman ruins clockwise from top-left: temple of Isis, religious banquet room, Roman bath, fresco painting)

 

(Façade with scaffolding visible behind it, holding it up)

 

(Clockwise from top-left: city square, graffiti artwork, statue of Augustus, Cathedral of St. Mary)

 

Keep Believing

Jayne Lawson 1 Comment Devotionals

“And He said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.” Luke 8:48

In this section of Scripture, Jesus is talking to a woman who has had a serious bleeding illness for twelve years. Not willing to directly talk to Jesus, she approaches Him in a crowd, hoping to only touch His clothes and receive healing. When she does this, Jesus confronts her, and then He comforts her with the words we read in Luke 8:48.

Sometimes it is difficult to have a faith that is unshakable especially when it comes to the here and now, that is, when we pray for tangible things like health issues, finances, relationships, etc. We pray of course, but sometimes we are uncertain as to whether or not God will answer in the way we want. That’s when trust comes into play. Proverbs 3:5 tells us to “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” We have to trust God because He sees the bigger picture. He answers according to what is best for us and what is aligned with His will for us.

As a parent, I sometimes responded negatively to my child’s request for something because I knew it would not be in her best interest at that time. I did not offer an explanation for denying the request because I expected her to trust me and accept my decision as best for her. Most of the time, she did, but it certainly didn’t stop her from asking again at a later date!

That’s how it should be with us when it comes to God. We are His children, His creation. We need to trust Him in all things. We need to have faith, not only that He can answer prayer, but that He does. However, we must remember that God responds in the way that is right and best for us. Our faith in Him is what gets us the answers we seek; our trust in Him keeps our faith strong when He doesn’t answer in the exact way we want.

We must remember that God is good all the time; He doesn’t make mistakes, and that includes how He answers prayer. Because of this, we can come to Him humbly in prayer and ask Him to intervene in anything, trusting His answer to be the very best for us and those for whom we pray.

“Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17

 

 

 

 

 

 

Corsica, France

Jayne Lawson 0 Comment Travel

Corsica is a French island located north of Sardinia with the Mediterranean Sea on its western coast and the Tyrrhenian Sea on the eastern shores. It is only about 56 miles from Italy and 110 miles southeast of France. Corsica is the most mountainous island in the Mediterranean Sea.

The Prunelli Gorge is an area carved by the Prunelli river through red granite rock. The cliffs formed by the erosion are filled with chestnut and pine trees whose brilliant fall colors were on majestic display! The chestnut tree is very important to the Corsicans. Flour is made from the nut, and its versatility is shown through the many different dishes that can be made using chestnut flour.

There is a fragrant chaparral known as macchia throughout the foothills of the forest, and long ago, Corsican bandits would seek refuge in the lush foliage traveling along paths known only to them. Today, the flowers of the chaparral produce extracts used in perfumes and aromatherapy scents. Plants such as myrtle, rosemary, thyme, and mint are also found throughout the island.

Corsican honey is very well known, and there are many varieties of it. Some honeys are quite bitter, but combine well with dark chocolate or coffee. The different types of honey depend upon the time of year and type of flowers the bees visit. Here in Corsica, bees are able to make honey all year long as the wildflowers continually bloom due to the Mediterranean climate.

We also visited Tolla Lake as we drove through the mountains.

Five interesting facts about Corsica:
1. Corsica is the birthplace of the French emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte.
2. Corsica has one of only three tortoise protection centers in the world with more than 130 species of tortoises and turtles from around the world.
3. Chestnuts are used to make beer in Corsica.
4. Honey bee queens that are bred here can fetch as much as $10,000 each!
5. Paoli City in Pennsylvania is named for the “Father of Corsica.”

The Final Diagnosis

Jayne Lawson 0 Comment Devotionals

“When Jesus heard it, He saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Mark 2:17

I have never been more grateful for doctors than when I was battling cancer. It was a very difficult and frightening time in my life, but my oncologist and surgeon had the knowledge and skills necessary to help me fight this horrific disease, and now I am happy to say that I have been cancer-free for nearly two decades.

While a diagnosis of cancer can be terrifying, there is another illness that is even more life-threatening. It is insidious, highly contagious, and lethal. It is endemic in this world; there is not one continent that has not been exposed to it; there is not one person who is immune to it. In fact, every person is born with the genetic predisposition for this disease. Some individuals develop symptoms so severe, that they die horribly in the clutches of this disease, while others have only minor symptoms easily ignored, often until it is too late. This disease is so subtle, it stealthily invades every aspect of our lives, sometimes remaining dormant until the perfect moment when it manifests itself with fulminating symptoms. Eventually all will die without the cure.

Thankfully, there is one.

The cure is only available through one doctor, and thankfully, He is available to all who call upon Him. He is often referred to as the “Great Physician.” Of course, I am referring to the Lord Jesus Christ. I usually hear this title used when someone is praying for the sick, which is very appropriate since God is perfectly capable of restoring health to any and all who call upon His name. The Bible records numerous occasions where Jesus provided physical healing (Matthew 14:14, 19:2, Luke 4:40), but there is another sickness that infects the soul and leads to spiritual death if not addressed, and only the “Great Physician” can heal this malady we know as “sin.”

The first outbreak of sin occurred in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve chose to disobey God by eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Since that time, sin has infected each person. In some, sin has been highly active; in others, it has been dormant, but it is present in each of us, awaiting the right moment to make itself known. Untreated, sin will lead to the destruction and eternal death of the soul of man.

The good news is that the cure is available to anyone who desires it!

Like many physical diseases, the cure for sin is found in the blood. But not just any blood. Only the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, which He shed for “the sins of many” (Hebrews 9:28), can completely eradicate sin’s control in our lives. When Jesus died upon the cross, He took upon Himself the sins of the world. The Bible states that He bore “our sins in his own body on the tree that we, being dead to sis, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” (1 Peter 2:24).

After His crucifixion, Jesus was buried, and then three days later, He rose victoriously from the grave proving that He truly was who He said He was! Jesus is the Son of God, and only He has the power to forgive sins… the ability to cure us from this deadly disease.

Not only does Jesus forgive and heal us from sin when we repent and call upon His name, He also gives us a “divine vaccine” that continues to fight off the influences of sin in this mortal life. We may experience occasional outbreaks of sin, but the remedy is already within us. With our godly defenses, we can continue to ward off new strains of sin with the assurance that it can never overpower us. The Bible records in 1 John 4:4, “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.” We can avail ourselves of boosters from the Word of God to help us remain spiritual healthy. Proverbs 3:8 reminds us that the wisdom of God is “health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.” His Word continually provides what we need to “be strong in the Lord” (Ephesians 6:10).

The challenge to us is twofold. First, have you received the cure from sin that only Jesus can provide? If not, I urge you to do so today. Simply, acknowledge that you are a sinner and need the forgiveness that only Jesus, God’s Son, can give. Then ask Him to save you and become Lord of your life. It’s that simple, but it will truly change your life forever!

Second, have you availed yourself of the “Bible boosters” to keep yourself spiritually healthy? There is a reason why we are so often called to read the Word of God. It is our only defense against a sinful world. The battle rages on all around us, and we must be equipped to stand for the Lord because our battle is “not against flesh and blood” (Ephesians 6:12). We are told in Psalm 1:2 to “meditate day and night” on the law of the Lord. It is through His Word that we have victory (1 Corinthians 15:57).

There is power, power, wonder working power
In the blood of the Lamb,
There is power, power, wonder working power
In the precious blood of the Lamb.

(from “Power in the Blood” by Lewis E. Jones)

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15

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Immunize yourself today against sin and death!

Katakolon, Greece

Jayne Lawson 0 Comment Travel

Katakolon, pronounced “kuh-TACK-uh-lawn,” is a seaside village on the Peloponnese peninsula. It is probably best known for being the gateway to the site of ancient Olympia, home of the Greek gods and the site of the first Olympic games.

Approximately 30 miles from Katakolon, Olympia is in the valley of the Alfios River, at the foot of Mt. Kronos. Here, the first Olympic games were recorded in 776 BC, and there was only one event… a 650-foot long footrace. As years passed, events like the javelin and discus throwing, wrestling, long jump, horse and chariot racing, and boxing were incorporated. The games were discontinued in the 4th century AD due to the rise of a Christian emperor who banned the competitions. It wasn’t until 1896 that the games were reinstituted in the Athens Olympic stadium.

(Clockwise from top-left: swimming pool, John in front of gymnasium, temple of Zeus, gymnasium, Roman bath, Phillippeion)

The archaeological site in Olympia is home to the Temple of Zeus, the king of the Greek gods. Built between 470-45 BC, it once housed the majestic 42-ft high, 20-ft wide gold and ivory statue of Zeus.

The Temple of Hera, the queen of the gods, is also located here. It was built around 600 BC, and the Olympic torch is lit on the altar of Hera’s temple to herald in the games (below – temple is in the background, altar in the foreground

).

The original Olympic stadium track is approximately 192 meters x 29 meters. The stadium can accommodate approximately 45,000 spectators. There are no seats except for the a section in the grassy hillside for the judges. Others simply sat on the grass surrounding the stadium track.

(Below: top photo – stadium; middle photo – entrance to stadium; bottom photo; marble starting blocks in stadium0

Five interesting facts abut the Olympics
1. During July and August, the season of the Olympic games, a truce was called for an entire month between warring city-states to allow people to travel safely between their homes to Olympia (considered a neutral area) for the games.
2. When an Olympic winner returned to his hometown, he was usually given free meals for the rest of this life.
3. Others events at the Olympic games also included writing, poetry, and history readings.
4. The Olympic torch made its first appearance during the 1936 Olympics. It is not an ancient custom.
5. Nike was the goddess of speed, strength, and victory long before being associated with a running shoe.

Corinth, Greece

Jayne Lawson 0 Comment Travel

“Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both their’s and our’s.” 1 Corinthians 1:2

I was thinking of the apostle Paul during our trip to Corinth. It took about an hour or so for us to get to Corinth from Athens by bus, and I thought about how long it took Paul to travel there. To think that he probably walked nearly everywhere boggles the mind because the distances are so great. Even by boat, the trip would have been long. What great lengths he went to to get the gospel to people. I think of the Corinthians who struggled in their new faith, and how Paul must have loved them so much to invest not only his time into their lives, but his heart as well.

Paul came to Corinth on his way to Rome, and during his stay, he worked as a tent maker while he taught the Corinthians about Jesus. The Greeks already had a concept of god-mortal offspring as many mythological Greek god-human unions produced demi-god heroes such as Hercules and Achilles. They understood the concept of the resurrection also from examples such as the goddess Persephone who went to the underworld and then returned to the surface. However, they had no concept of a loving heavenly Father who sacrificed Jesus, His only Son, so that they could have their sins forgiven and receive eternal life! Paul hoped to change all that for them and give them true hope, something they could not ever acquire through their mythological gods and goddesses!

(Corinth Canal)

There were not any excursions into Corinth itself. The only tour that would take us near the city was a trip through the Corinth Canal. Just before heading to the boat for the trip, we stopped at a bridge spanning the canal. From here we could see the walls of the 19th century man-made canal and the passageway from the Ionian Sea to the Aegean Sea. Prior to the canal being built, ships had to sail around the Peloponnesian peninsula. At times, the canal closes due to the water level being too low from the winds, which are strong enough to alter the water currents. The ocean tides themselves only vary the depth of the canal by 60 cm at the most, so they don’t really impact the transit. The canal is about 4 miles in length, about 70 (bottom of water) to 80 feet wide (at the water’s surface), and a depth around 26 feet on average. It was dug at sea level, and it has no locks.

Here are some of our photos from the Corinth Canal.

(We stood on the same bridge you can see the people on in this photo.)

(This is the same kind of boat we rode as we made the transit.)

Layers of sedimentary rock, mainly sandstone and limestone, comprise the walls of the canal. The canal is in a seismically active area, and sometimes there are landslides in the canal, which can require closure for extended lengths of time.

(Our view as we sailed through the canal.)

Next stop: Katakolon, Greece