A New Tattoo

 "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me." Isaiah 49: 15, 16

    From her earliest memories, Meghan Connors was sold by those who were supposed to take care of her. At age 31, she had never known anything but trauma and abuse. Any attempts to gain freedom were met with beatings and unwanted tattooing to remind her that she was owned. Her body paid the bills.

    One day, with the right mixture of guts and circumstances, Meghan broke free from her physical bondage, but it wasn't until she met Jesus Christ that she truly became a new creation. She found love for the first time. 

    To aid in putting her past behind her, she had her tattoos covered over with beautiful new ones of her own designs. As the artist worked to complete the task, tears freely flowed as Meghan released her pain.

    Just as a fresh blanket of snow covers the muddy ruts of a scarred land, the blood of Jesus washes away our sins, our bitterness, our painful hurts and traumas. What happened to Meghan is a perfect illustration of what it means to be redeemed: Jesus paid the price to buy us back from slavery and bondage. "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:36) 

    The lyrics of a Gaither song come to mind: "Something beautiful, something good; all my confusion, He understood. All I had to offer Him was brokenness and strife, but He made something beautiful of my life."

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here!" 2 Corinthians 5:17

"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name. You are mine." Isaiah 43:1

      

Seeds of Promise

 "Then God said, 'Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seeds in it, according to their various kinds.' And it was so." Genesis 1:11

    After paring a pear this morning, as I gathered up the stem and core, a small brown seed captured my attention. It was a tiny, tangible reminder of the faithfulness of God; a promise within a seed. Every since He created the world, pears have been providing the necessary seeds for more pears without fail. That seed in my hand, if planted would not produce an apple tree, nor would a stately oak emerge. No, just as God said, it will bear fruit according to its kind. 

    How simply amazing and easy it is to believe in our Creator! The seasons come and go in a rotation according to His divine plan. A new day dawns and comes to a close with the precision of clockwork. Knowing that my soul is more precious than many sparrows and that I have been created in the very image of God, to believe in any other explanation for my being here is pure blasphemy. To believe in evolution is to call God a liar, plain and simple.

    That wee pear seed has a place of honor on my kitchen windowsill where its sight will remind me of my Creator God. If you ever doubt the very real presence of God, just pare a pear. All the evidence you need is right there.

"Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures. Your laws endure to this day, for all things serve you." Psalm 119: 89-91 

Be Utterly Amazed!

 "Look at the nations and watch - and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told." Habakkuk 1:5

    A few days ago, a Christian friend texted me saying, "Have you heard what's going on in Asbury?" I watched the link she sent which told the news of a revival going on at Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky. Since then, more reports have been pouring in of this amazing outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

    Alison Perfater, the student body president of the university, was interviewed by Tucker Carlson. What began as a regularly scheduled chapel service at this private Christian college transformed into an unplanned revival that is drawing attention around the globe. It's been reported people from Singapore, Brazil, Indonesia, New Zealand and Italy have either come in person or have joined via social media. 

    An excited Alison told Tucker, "There's a young army of believers who are rising to claim Christianity as their own." Hundreds of calls have flooded their switchboard and overflow areas have been made available to accommodate the growing crowd as the worship continues for over 144 hours now. As Alison said, "The Holy Spirit interceded for us here at Asbury...No one wants to leave!"

    Justin Knoop shared a video on Instagram of a woman at this revival who, it was thought initially needed medical assistance, but was actually possessed by a demon, who was then driven out in the Name of Jesus by the prayers of others, shrieking as it left her. Praises were raised for this victory!

    This generation of students have endured the pandemic, the riots and cultural divisions in this scarred land which generated loneliness and the need for unity. Set aside any reservations you may have and let your heart rejoice in the utterly amazing things God is doing. Strongholds are being broken. Spiritual battles are being won. God is flexing the muscles of his righteous right arm reminding us that no purpose of His can ever be thwarted! Hallelujah, amen.

"If my people, who are called by my Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14

Jesus Loves Me

     I thought I would mix up my format this time. Rather than introduce God's Word prior to adding my two cents, I am giving the floor to Him. This is one topic of which He knows aplenty! 

    Most of us are familiar with the Sunday School song, "Jesus Loves Me." The words go on to say, "This I know, for the Bible tells me so."  Indeed, the Bible has LOTS to say about the love of God for the simple reason that God IS love. 

    But, enough of my chatter. Let's see how God answers this question: Does Jesus love me?

    "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written, 'For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

    "Greater love has no one than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

    "Behold, what manner of love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! We love because He first loved us. Whoever does not love, does not know God because God is love.

    "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. And now these three remain; faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

    "This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love; not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. This is my command: Love each other.

    "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us."

    As we spread the love on Valentine's Day, we must be sure to add, "Jesus loves you!" There's no doubt about it.

PS: All of God's answers were quoted directly from his love letter to us, the Holy Bible.

Beautiful Savior

"He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces, He was despised and we held Him in low esteem." Isaiah 53: 2, 3

    What did Jesus look like?

    Whenever He has been portrayed in a film, the camera has been good to Him but, truth is, we have no idea what Jesus looked like. Billy Graham said God wanted it that way so that people would not be tempted to worship an image. My pastor said we might be quite surprised upon meeting Him, that He would look quite differently than what we expected.

    I got to thinking. What if Jesus were short and bald with buck teeth and close-set eyes? It feels disrespectful to even consider it, but it's possible. Would His appearance have any bearing on my love for Him? 

    As humans, we are so often drawn to the attractive. We want our moms to be pretty or we wish to be in the classroom with the tall, attractive teacher. When our own looks go south, we try harder with creams, lotions, hairstyles. But that's all vanity!

    The gospels tell us that whole towns gathered to see Jesus, even masses of many thousands. So many that they began to trample one another. What was the attraction? He taught with authority and power. He welcomed the little children to come to Him, had compassion and humility. Demons obeyed Him. He walked on water and calmed the raging sea. He healed the sick, called the sinners and stood up to the hypocritical Pharisees. He laid down His life as a ransom for many, submitting to mockery and crucifixion. And if all that weren't enough, He rolled the stone away and walked out of the tomb! He lives!

    Why do I love my Jesus? What makes Him truly beautiful? If I had been the only person on earth, He would have done nothing differently. He'd have done it all for me.

    What's not to love?

Beautiful Savior, King of creation, Son of God and Son of Man!

Truly I'd love Thee, Truly I'd serve Thee, Light of my soul, my Joy, my Crown. Amen.

"But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed." Isaiah 53: 5

The Return

 "However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?" Luke 18:8

    At the school kitchen where I am employed, our manager has been absent since November. Miss Jeanne, one of the best, is a hard worker but has a way of making a mundane job fun. She usually finds some reason to have a snack and we always receive a beautifully wrapped gift on our birthdays. We all miss her but, in her absence, there's a sizable job to be done. When she returns next week, will she find things in working order? Will we be glad to see her? You bet!

    When Jesus ascended into heaven, his disciples seemed a bit dazed as they gazed into the clouds. Two angels appeared saying, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." (Acts 1:11) This band of men had a sizable job to do, too; much larger than operating a school kitchen! When their Manager returns, will He find things in working order? Will people rejoice at His return?

    Jesus went to heaven to prepare a place for us, promising to come back, though just when is unknown. In the meantime, are we busy doing the Father's will? 

    Within the small book of Micah, there's a directive for us: "And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." (6:8) Here's another drawn from 1 Thessalonians: "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (5: 16-18)  Then there's the Great Commission given from Jesus Himself: "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." (Matthew 28: 19, 20)

    Our love for Miss Jeanne compelled us to do our very best in her absence. We all had extra jobs to complete and had to work very hard to get along without our boss. Similarly, our love for Jesus compels us to work hard together until He returns. 

    I can hardly wait!

"He who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming soon.' Amen. Come, Lord Jesus." Revelation 22:20

     

    

Fight for What's Right

 "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." Ephesians 6:13

    There is a battle going on for the souls of our children. 

    As in any war, there are soldiers who carry out the plans of those in higher ranks who, in turn, receive their missions from someone above them. Sometimes, the disputes are over land. Other times, differences in ideologies spark the quarrels. America's founding fathers sought independence from tyrannical powers, which gave birth to our Constitution.

    The battle over our children is spiritual. Satan is leading an army in a fight for souls - the younger the better. Still perpetuating his original plan, which goes all the way back to the onset of humanity, Satan's agenda is to coerce people to love themselves above all else and to believe themselves to be gods. This unseats God, which is the crux of the plan.

    Kirk Cameron has authored a book for children entitled, "As You Grow." According to his publisher, Brave Books, his book details "biblical wisdom through the seasons of life to children and the value of growing the fruit of the Spirit, like love, joy, kindness, patience, gentleness and self control." 

    Wishing to promote the values of his book to families, Mr. Cameron sent a request to more than fifty public libraries across America, seeking a time slot in which to read his book to children. Every library he contacted either ignored his request or denied it, though these same establishments had no qualms about hosting Drag Queen Story Hours (DQSH).

    According to the website of DQSH, their agenda is to "create diverse, accessible, and culturally inclusive family programming where kids can express their authentic selves," where kids can "love themselves and celebrate the fabulous diversity in their communities."  

    When Mr. Cameron pushed back against the denied requests, the Indianapolis Public Library relented, permitting a room on the sixth floor to be rented for the reading of "As You Grow." One room, it turns out, would not be enough to contain the hundreds of people (one estimate put the number to 2,500!) who came in support of family, biblical values. 

    When the Philistines gathered their forces against Israel (see 1 Samuel 17), they had a fearsome champion named Goliath, who, for forty days and nights, shouted defiance against them. Scriptures tell us when the Israelites saw the giant, they "were dismayed and terrified...they all fled from him in great fear."

    Yet, this blasphemer did not just defy Israel, he defied the Living God! Young David came against him with five smooth stones and a sling in the Name of the Lord Almighty. "All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves" proclaimed David, "for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give all of you into our hands." (vs. 47)

    As Christians, we need to stand firmly in our faith, in the power of the Living God, and do the next right thing. 

"So do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10