Do You Have A Sword?

A sword is a weapon dating back to the time before Christ, but there is no documented evidence of exactly how or when it came about. However, the sword is highly respected as a lethal weapon, and is mentioned many times in the Old as well as the New Testament. But why would a holy book such as the Bible make mention of a weapon?


Ephesians 6: 17 refers to the "sword of the spirit" as the word of God.
How can the word of God be the "sword of the spirit?" When Satan went to tempt Jesus while he fasted in the wilderness, Jesus didn't have a physical sword. What he had was the word of God, and He used it with precision. His first response was, "It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God" (Luke 4:4).

On Satan's second temptation, Jesus said, "Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve" (v 8). And the third time, "It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God" ( v 12). In these three examples, Jesus is referring to the logos, which, according to the Scofield Bible, is a Greek term meaning (1) a thought or concept; (2) the expression or utterance of that thought.

John 1: 1 states: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." And in verse 14, Jesus is spoken of as the Word which "was made flesh and dwelt among us ..." Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."

John, describing Jesus in the book of Revelations says, "In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance" (1:16).

So, friends, when we use the word of God in our spiritual warfare against the devil, we are employing the logos, the Being, Person and work of Christ himself. The devil can never stand up to that. Christ defeated him on the cross over two thousand years ago, and His Word is powerful still. When Jesus comes back to earth He will come with that double-edged sword in His mouth with which He will defeat the armies of the anti-christ.

Today, the sword as a weapon has grown obsolete, but it is still used in a sport called fencing. Fencers take great pride in their sport and in their swords, practicing religiously and keeping their swords in good working condition. As Christians we need to do the same. There is no point in keeping our Bibles locked away, only taking them out once a week when we go to church. We are in a constant battle, and we must know how to use our sword.

Is the enemy coming against you with sickness? Break out your sword. "With His stripes I am healed" (Isaiah 53:5); Are you suffering lack of some kind? "My God shall supply all my needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Phillipians 4:19). Are you suffering from anxiety? "And the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (v 7).

We have a very powerful weapon. "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds" (2 Corinthians 10: 4). NIV We must use our sword. That means getting into the word daily. Not once a week when the pastor reads it to us in church, but every day. Nowadays we have CDs that we can lisen to in our cars and we have the Bible on the internet. We can look up a verse during our lunch break. We need to become familiar with our sword, so when the enemy comes against us we won't retreat in fear. No, we'll take up our sword and run him through. Don't you feel powerful?

What Kind Of Love is This

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Today is the much celebrated Valentine's Day, a day that has its roots in Roman mythology. But love itself is no myth. Love is real and it does exist. Today also coincides with the Chinese New Year, which is also marked by the giving of gifts. Valentine's Day which first began, according to legend, with a jailed Catholic priest sending a love note to his lover, has now grown into a highly commercialized event.

In the days leading up to February 14, merchants do a brisk trade in chocolates, flowers, cards and other items, all designed to communicate feelings of love. Gifts will be exchanged, and this is all well and good. For me, if Valentine's Day and chocolates go hand in hand, then I would wish everyday was Valentine's Day. But whatever the gift, the sentiment behind it is what counts.

Which brings me to one of the meanings that Webster dictionary gives for the word 'love.' It is the 'unselfish, loyal and benevolent concern for the well being of another; the fatherly love of God for humankind.' And God showed His 'unselfish, loyal and benevolent concern' for us by giving His best gift - His only begotten son, Jesus Christ.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us(Romans 5:8) NIV.

Note carefully, while we were still sinners. The Bible does not say after we had repented, or after we came to love God. It says while we were still sinners. When we cared nothing about Him, when we didn't know He existed, while we were still dead in our sin, God loved us so much that He sent His son into the world to die for us.

Today, Valentine's Day, lovers will look to each other for gifts. We would hardly give a gift to someone who has been mean to us, or someone who is unaware of our existence. And when we give, we usually expect something in return. But all God wants is to save us from hell and destruction. His is agape love, the 'unselfish, loyal and benevolent concern' for our good.

And He doesn't ask for anything in return. Only that we accept His gift - beautifully wrapped in the person of His beloved Son Jesus Christ. If we accept, we get to go to the lavish banquet He's throwing one day in heaven, and live with Him in eternity. His is the gift that keeps on giving. Will you accept? Say 'yes' today.

Speed Bumps On The Road To Destiny

He said to them, "Listen to this dream I had. We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it"( Genesis 37: 5).


Many of you may be familiar with the story of Joseph, the boy who had a dream. His brothers envy him because of his dreams which seem to foretell that he will one day rule over them. Worse, their father Israel favors him over them. Israel has made Joseph a special coat of many colors and this makes the brothers hate Joseph even more. At first they think about killing him, but Judah, one of the brothers, suggests they sell him to the Ishmaelites.

So when the Midianite merchants came by, the brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt (v 28).

Little do the brothers know that they are sending Joseph on the road to his destiny. But along the way, he will encounter many speed bumps. The Bible tells us that the Lord is with Joseph and he prospers in the house of his Egyptian master, who places him in charge of his household. But, look out, because here comes another bump.

Potiphar's wife has her lustful eyes on the handsome young man, and tries to entice him to sleep with her. But Joseph fears God and resists her charms. Then one day when no one else is around, the woman grabs his cloak and tries to force him into bed with her. Joseph runs, leaving his cloak in her hands.

Enraged, the woman tells her husband that Joseph tried to rape her. Bump! Joseph is thrown into prison. But guess what? God is with Joseph. The prison warden puts Joseph in charge of the prison. He is eventually released after he interprets a dream for Pharaoh.

Joseph tells Pharaoh that there will be seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine in Egypt, and that Pharaoh should store up enough grain during the time of abundance so they will have enough for the lean years. So impressed is Pharaoh with Joseph's interpretation, he places him in charge of all Egypt.

Then Pharoah said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, but without your word no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt" (41: 44).

And so Joseph finally reaches his destination. He has gotten over all the speed bumps the enemy placed in his path and is now head over Egypt. The famine begins. Joseph's brothers come to Egypt looking for food, and bow before him just as he had dreamed years ago.

There will always be obstacles in our path when we are trying to accomplish something. In Joseph's case, he had a dream that one day he would rule over his brothers. What is your dream? What speed bumps are blocking your path or slowing you down on the road to your destiny?

Notice that Joseph feared God throughout all his trials. He never turned his back on God and he never complained. When Potiphar's wife tempted him he said, "How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" (39: 9). That is the attitude we must have in the face of difficulty. Fear God, follow His commandments and He will eventually bring us into our divine destiny. God bless.

Let's Go Home - Part 11

Sept 11, 2001 - New York City - People running wildly, their faces etched with fear and horror. They are running without any sense of diection in a desperate effort to escape the destruction that has come upon them.
Dec. 26, 2004 - Indonesia - People running, climbing trees, hiding under buildings their faces etched with fear and horror, as they try to escape the mountains of water that are coming their way.
Jan 12, 2010 - Haiti - People running while the ground collapses beneath them and buildings tumble around them, their faces etched with fear and horror.

These are just three of the scenes that are played out every time there is a major disaster similar to those mentioned above. What are these people running from, and what are they running to? When I wrote my blog on Sunday last about home and shelter, little did I realize that I would be dealing with this same topic this week in a different way.

The catastrophic events now unfolding in Haiti are a grim reminder of the temporary nature of our home here on this earth. It is just a shelter. The presidential palace was just a shelter. Its magnificent structure has been subjected to the wrath of the earthquake in the same way as the more modest shelters. Soon it will be broken up and carted away with the rest of the rubble.

Jesus warned, ""Do you see all these things? I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down" (Matthew 24:2) NIV. My friends, I throw out the call that I made last week: Let's go home. Let's not wait until disaster strikes to flock to the churches. They cannot save us. Let's go home to Jesus now.

In the preceding chapter He said, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing" (23:37). Jesus still wants to do that today. Are you willing? Will you run to Him? Don't put it off any longer. I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2)

As our prayers and tears flow with those of the people of Haiti, let us look at ourselves and think, if we were to die tomorrow, where would we end up? Will we be in a permanent, happy home, or a permanent home of torture? Let's pray: Dear Jesus, I have been stubborn, I have not paid heed to Your call to come home to You. I ask You to forgive me of my sins and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Make Your home in me and I will make my home in You, now and forever. Amen.

Let’s Go Home

When you think of home what image comes to your mind? Some place that is warm, cozy and inviting, filled with all the things you hold dear. A place where you can entertain friends and share God's blessings? Or is home a spot on a sidewalk somewhere, or under a bridge, or maybe, a shelter. For many people right here in America, that's what home is.

Home may be a reflection of one's personality, and I daresay, one's pocket book. But whether it's a simple structure like the others in your neighborhood, a magnificent, custom-built mansion or a box on the sidewalk, it is just a shelter. Temporary. Here today, gone tomorrow.

I think of Jonah sitting under a tree to see what would happen to Nineveh after he had preached to them. And the Lord God prepared a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be shade for his head to deliver him from his misery. So Jonah was very grateful for the plant. (Jonah 4:6). NKJV But this was only temporary, for God took it away.

For me, the word shelter brings up another image. A place where you take temporary cover from the rain, storm, or the heat of the sun. But the psalmist David speaks of another kind of shelter. For You have been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. Ps 61.3

And again in Psalms 18:2, he speaks of a different kind of structure: The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Here we get a picture of durability, strength, dependability. Something or Someone that can hide us from our enemies and deliver us. Something that will always be there for us. It cannot be moved. Only by putting our trust in God can we find this kind of protection. Whether you are fortunate to have a place you can call home, you still need the kind of security that only God can provide. You cannot find it on your own, or look to the government for it. Neither should we become unduly attached to it, for we know it is just a shelter, something temporary. Instead we should look to one day inheriting that permanent home that is reserved for the saints of God.

As Paul says, "For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens(2 Corinthians 5.1). He is

speaking of the body which will one day become permanent, immortal, incorruptible. That’s the type of home we need to build.

You Must Suffer

I will be the first to admit, the above title is not very appealing. Who wants to hear that they must suffer when suffering is taking place all around us nowadays? But the fact is, suffering is a part of life. My heart breaks when I hear about poverty, sickness, death, injustice and abuse of children and the elderly. It is no comfort to anyone who is suffering to tell them that their suffering is inevitable. Yet Jesus said, "... In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

Jesus spoke these words just before going into the garden of Gethsemane, not to relax and enjoy the beauty of His surroundings, but to experience the type of suffering we cannot even imagine. Yet He said "I have overcome." Jesus knew that glory awaited Him once His suffering was over. He knew that He would soon exchange the crowm of thorns the soldiers would put on His head for a crown of glory in heaven.

"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour (Hebrews 2:9).

So I could have titled this blog "We shall overcome", because we shall, but only if we endure. This seems impossible when we are under tremendous pressure and are barely surviving from day to day. Paul suffered a lot during his ministry but he said, "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings ... (Phillipians 3:10).

So there you have it. Suffering for the Christian is inevitable. We don't enjoy suffering, but we endure it because we know that God will one day deliver us out of it and we will experience the joy that comes to those who have endured.

What about the golden years?

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The summer holidays are almost over and soon cooler weather and shorter days will be here. For those of us who live in warmer climes, this may seem strange, but most people who live in the United States and other temperate countries will know what I am talking about. We expect, and in some cases, even look forward to the changing of the seasons.

We human beings also change, but more than likely, the changes that take place in our bodies and our minds are not in the least welcome. Weakened muscles, stiffened joints, slower faculties are not what we would consider the "golden years." However, this is according to the natural law, but what about the spiritual law? Are we supposed to change in our relationship with God? Yes. Only if it means that we are growing closer to him, loving Him more every day and depending more and more on His strength, rather than ours to see us through.

As we grow older life seems to get more complicated. Sickness, losses of friends and relatives, dwindling finances, all take their toll on us, but James 1:2 says "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." And Paul says, "If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer" (2 Corinthians 1: 6). And in this verse that should be the mantra of all Christians, he says, "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us" (Romans 8:37).

Dear friends, if life seems to have you strung out and feeling run over, take refuge in God's word. Not only will it give you hope, but it will strengthen you for the challenges you face. So I leave you with these words of the great apostle Paul: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15: 13).

God's Grace And Mercy

It’s amazing how we can read the scriptures many times over and then one day something jumps out at us that we never noticed before. This happened to me one night as I was reading Psalm 90. This Psalm was written by Moses, appealing to God on behalf of the children of Israel.

For those of you who may not know it, God had sent Moses to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt where they had been in bondage for four hundred years. After many trials, Pharoah, the ruler, finally agreed to let the people leave Egypt. However, no sooner had they been freed, they began to rebel and complain. Their journey into the promised land which should have lasted a few days took forty years to complete. During that time God became so angry at their rebellion, he threatened to wipe them out, and would have had not Moses interceded for them. They were bitten by snakes, and many other troubles overcame them.

The children of Israel suffered the wrath of God. Hence the reason Moses wrote this Psalm. In verse 7 he writes, “For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.” Again in verse 9 he says, “For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.”

I read these verses over and over, then I thought, we are no longer under wrath, but under grace. When Jesus gave His life for us on the cross, He got rid of the curse that we had been under since Adam fell. When Jesus died, He restored us to a right relationship with God, the Father. When Jesus shed His precious blood for us on the cross, we obtained “grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Timothy 1:2).

“But God, Who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:4-6). “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:13). Had Moses lived in Jesus’ day he would never have written that Psalm the way he did, for he would have realized that God hath dispensed with His wrath and bestowed grace and mercy on His people.

And there’s the operative word- His. Those of us who belong to Him through Jesus Christ are assured of His grace, but those outside of Christ are still exposed to His wrath. “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” (John 3:16). So that’s the key to escaping God’s wrath-accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and you will not perish. God bless.

Please Pass The Salt

Have you ever cooked something and forgotten to add the salt? I bet you realized your ommission the minute you tasted the food. Salt has such a distinctive taste that just a tiny pinch can make or break a dish. I know some of you may have to omit this precious ingredient from your food because of your medical condition. I sympathize deeply, believe me, but for those of us who don't have to, we even include it in sweet dishes, such as cakes and pastries, to enhance the flavor.

Jesus knew what he was talking about when He said, "Ye are the salt of the earth, but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men" (Matthew 5:13). If Jesus were here today would he call the church "the salt of the earth?" Are we critical to the flavor of the world in which we live? Or can the world go on without us and never miss our taste?

In the same sermon, Jesus spoke about us being "the light of the world" (v 14). He went on to say "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (v 16). The church today has become a major part of the entertainment industry. We have the lights, music and the action, but are we impacting the world with our presence? If we really are the salt and light would there be all this ungodliness that is taking place in our society? I think not. We have lost our flavour; our light has grown dim. People don't taste us, neither do they see us.

If the church has to be "the salt and light of the world" it has to start with each dish, each candle. Each one of us has to do his/her part to "season" and "light" our world. Let's begin by asking the Holy Spirit to help us be all we are supposed to be, then let us go out and impact our world for Jesus Christ. He is coming soon and He needs you and me to prepare a dish that is flavorful for Him to take back with Him. Are you ready?

Hope this blesses your heart today.

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God Is Good All The Time

I was talking to someone the other night about the way things have changed for me financially over the years. I told him there was a time when I never thought about money because I always had more than enough. I concluded, "But God is still good." He replied, "No, He's not always good, because if He was, you would still be seeing His goodness."

Shocked by the response from this Christian young man, I felt the need to clarify what the goodness of God really means. Pointing to the overhead light, I said, "See this light? We are standing under it and we can see its brightness. But if we move to the other room where there is no light, this one becomes dim. The further away we move from it, the dimmer it gets until we may not see it at all even though it's still shining as brightly as before. God is like that. He never changes. He shines brightly all the time, but if we move away from Him, we cannot see His brightness or His goodness."

I also hastened to reassure him that there is a lot more to God's goodness than financial prosperity. Because I am not as well off financially as I once was, it doesn't mean that I'm not experiencing God's goodness. I feel closer to Him than I did then and I'm secure in the knowledge that no matter what happens He will take care of me.

Later, as I reflected on that conversation, the Holy Spirit laid a piece of scripture on my mind: "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). God never changes. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Yes, He is good. All the time.

A Cry for Help

Many of you may have read the story of blind Bartimaeus who was healed of his blindness by Jesus. As the story goes, Jesus was passing through Jericho and when the blind man heard of it, he becan to cry out loudly, "Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me" (Mark 10:46). The people who were there tried to shut him up, but he cried out even louder. And we know what happens when we cry out to Jesus. He heard the man's cry, had Bartimaeus brought to him and He healed him. A happy ending.

Now my point is, what about those who are crying out day after day and no one hears them? I'm talking about children who have been abandoned by parents, those locked up in a prison cell, those who are dying of AIDS, hepatitis and other illnesses. The widows, orphans, poor, homeless, divorced right here in our society. And if we think of overseas, we have fields upon fields overflowing with grain ready to be harvested. Jesus said,"The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest" Matthew (9:37-38).

What are we doing about those silent cries that go unheard? Are they our responsibility? Jesus said, "For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me ... Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" (Matthew 25: 35-36, 40).

Let's not ignore these cries for help all around us. Jesus didn't, and He commissioned us to do as He did. Will you pray for God's leading to help you hear and answer the cries of those less fortunate than ourselves?

What He Means To Me

If someone were to ask you what does Jesus mean to you, what would be your response? I guess you might say something like, He's my Savior. He's my Lord. He came down from heaven, suffered and died on a Roman cross so I could be forgiven of my sins. That's true, but is that all? I mean, that's more than enough, isn't it? To know that you don't have to spend the rest of your life in hell is enough to have you shouting and dancing all day long, so what else is there?

Well, when I think of Jesus, I see more than a Savior. I see a Friend. I see someone I can call up in the middle of the night and say, "Hey, Jesus, I can't sleep. I have this problem on my mind, and there's no one I can talk to about it but You. I tried explaining it to my friend, Jane, but she looked at me with a kind of a blank stare, like she didn't really get it, but you do, don't you, Lord?" Before you know it, you are fast asleep. When you wake up next morning you've forgotten what the problem was.

And the next night. "You know, Lord, I've gotten myself into one sticky mess. I feel like I've been rolled in silly putty. I didn't see it coming, or maybe I didn't think before I said the things I said, and now everyone is talking about me. I might even lose my job. Lord, what am I going to do? Help me, Lord."

A week later. "Lord, I took your advice and did what you told me to do and now everything is cool again, but I have something else to tell you. I met this really cute guy and I really like him. Lord, you should see the shoulders, and when he smiles, well, the sun hides behind a cloud. Oh, I'm sorry, Lord, I didn't mean that. But, anyway, I think he likes me too. Lord, I'm going to let him meet You, okay? And then You'll tell me what you think. Okay, Lord?"

Silly? No. Not when you have a personal relationship with Jesus. He becomes your Friend, Brother, Confidante, Healer, whatever you want Him to be. He's the One you can call upon in the middle of the night because He "neither slumbers nor sleeps". There's nothing too small or too great that you cannot discuss with Him. He hears, He understands and He makes interecession for us with the Father. Won't you call on Him today, or tonight? He will listen, and He will answer. He said, "Henceforth I call you not servants ... but I have called you frends" (John 15:15).

Rest And Relaxation

This weekend I decided to take some much needed time for R&R and spend it with God. You know, we rush around so much doing this and that, and sometimes when we should be relaxing we find it hard to just unwind and do nothing. Well, this weekend with my grandchildren away at a camp, I decided I would do something I had been postponing for a long time.

I think God was pleased with my decision, because even the weather conspired to keep me indoors. If you live in Atlanta you know what I'm talking about.
So with the rain gently washing my window panes, I sat on my bed, read, prayed and sang. When I tired of that I lay still and just meditated on God and what I had read in His word.

Want to know what I read? Exodus. One of my favorite Bible stories. The part where God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses. Then I flipped over to Matthew and read where Jesus said, speaking of the Law, "... I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill" (5:17). Then on to Romans where Paul explains that "a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law" (3:28). And then he sums up how the law is fulfilled in the life of a believer: "Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law" (13:10).

Rest, relax, love God, love your neighbor as yourself. It doesn't get any better than that.

What About Tomorrow?

President Obama has described the current recession as the worst since the Great Depression of the 1930s. He may be right. Never in all my years (and I've lived quite a bit) have I witnessed such widespread helplessness and despair as hundreds of thousands of people lose their jobs, their homes and their hope. But as Charles Dickens wrote: It is the best of times, it is the worst of times.

The best of times? After the statements in the first paragraph, this sounds like a paradox, and yet, if we look at the Bible, this can be the best of times. This can be the time when we learn to depend on God and His infiite resource. It can be the time when we draw near to Him and He will draw near to us. It can be the time when we reach a level of intimacy with Him that we never had before.

The Bible is full of stories of the way God dealt with people during times of scarcity or famine as it was called. Abram (Genesis 12:1); Isaac (26: 1-4); Joseph (41:27); David (2 Samuel 21:1); Elijah (1 Kings 18:2) and countless others all experienced famine at one time or another. But through it all we see God taking care of His people. Psalm 34: 17 says, "The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles" (Psalm 34:17).

That's all well and good, you might say, but what am I going to do if I get laid off tomorrow, or if I don't find a job soon? Jesus said, "... Take no thought for your life what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficent unto the day is the evil thereof" (Matthew 6: 25, 34).

Jesus is not dismissing our cares and concerns. He understands that we have real problems and difficulties in this life, more so during a recession such as this. However, by telling us not to worry about tomorrow, He is saying to us that worry will not improve the situation. It only magnifies the problems, makes everything seem worse than it really is and clouds our vision so we cannot see our way out of the crisis. Instead we are to "cast all our cares upon him; for he careth for us" (1 Peter 5:7).

Nor Too Young

Last week I wrote about Sarah who had a baby at the unlikely age of ninety. When God told her she would have a child she laughed, thnking she was too old. But God proved her wrong. God's actions have always defied human logic. He is no respecter of persons. If He says a ninety-year-old lady is going to have a son, it will happen, and if He says "a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son" (Isaiah 7: 14), then that's the way it's going to be.

The Bible does not tell us Mary's age, but we know that she was young, engaged to be married and that she did conceive and give birth to the Savior of the world. What an honor! There are some who disbelieve the virgin birth. Then they would have to disbelieve Sarah's story and Elizabeth's story. Elizabeth was Mary's cousin who was already pregnant with her first child, John the Baptist, when the angel first appeared to Mary. They would also have to disbelieve that God called Samuel when he was a young boy serving under Eli in the temple (1 Samuel 3: 4-10). Samuel went on to become a mighty prophet of God who anointed King Saul and King David.

Jesus Himself at the tender age of twelve, astonished the doctors in the temple by listening to them and asking them questions(Luke 2: 46-47). And when He began His ministry, He made a point of blessing the children who were in His presence. On one occasion "he called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18: 2-3). In the next chapter we see His disciples rebuking the people who had brought their children to Jesus for Him to pray for them. "But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven" (19: 14).

What are we doing with the children that God has entrusted to our care? Are we encouraging them to be all that God created them to be? Are we bringing them up in the fear and admonition of the Lord? Are we training them in the way they should go: so when they are old, they would not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6)? God can use anyone He chooses to do His will, whether old or young. Let us be open to His leading in our lives and the lives of our children.

Never Too Old

In my last blog I wrote about Sarah, Abraham's wife, who had a baby when she was ninety years old. It is a fascinating story, not just because it defies scientific logic, but because it shows the power of God to do the impossible. As He said in Genesis 18: 14, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?"

Many elderly people resign themselves to a life of uselessness, thinking that no one needs their services, their talents or their time. But that is not always true. Older people have a wealth of knowledge and experience to pass on to the younger generation. They are still capable of producing, sharing and giving of themselves to the world. If life has deprived them of their physical abilities, they can still tell stories to their grand-children or great grand-children and give valuable advice to younger people around them. In fact, as we grow older we discover new talents we never knew we had.

Remember Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, who advised Moses how to delegate authority?(Exodus 18: 14-23); Lois, Timothy's grand-mother, who brought him up in the Christian faith? (II Timothy 1:5); Simeon, an old man who was promised by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had seen the Lord's Christ, blessed Jesus and prophesied to His parents about Him. Anna the prophetess, eight-four years old, also paid tribute to Jesus. Much more could be said about Noah who was six hundred years old when he finished building the ark, Enoch who walked with God for three hundred and sixty five years and Moses who was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, having led the children of Israel out of Egypt.

You are never too old to be used by God and for God. If you are elderly and feel that God is calling you to do something for Him, do not be afraid. God says, "And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you (Isaiah 46:4). Isn't it wonderful to know that we serve a God who doesn't abandon us even when we get old? So don't be afraid, for "He who has begun a good work in you is able to complete it until the day of Christ"(Philippians 1:6).

The Faithfulness of God

I've been thinking of Sarah, wife of Abraham, a lot this week. For those of you who don't know the story, God promised Abraham that he would have a son, and that his seed would be like the stars of heaven (Genesis 15: 5). "And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness" (v 6). However, there was one small problem. Sarah was a ninety-year-old woman who had been barren all her life, and Abraham was even older. When she heard what God said she laughed. "After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?" (18:13).

However, God's promise was fulfilled in their lives. Sarah gave birth to a son, whom she called Isaac, and the rest as they say is history. But one thing that strikes me is that Sarah didn't really believe. She wanted a son as badly as Abraham did, so she took matters into her own hands and sent him to sleep with her maid so she could have the promised heir. However, when the child was born, Sarah became angry and made Abraham throw the child and his mother out!

Does God bless us even when we don't believe? Let's examine what the Bible says. "Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations" Deuteronomy 7:9).

And again, "My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him. His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven. If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; if they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips" (Psalms 89:28-34).

Isn't it exciting and comforting to know that God is a covenant-keeping God who doesn't change His mind or renege on His promises because we don't believe or because we fall into sin? He will punish us, that's for sure, but He will always be faithful. Sarah endured some punishment after she gave her maid to Abraham, but God didn't take back His promise because of what she did. He remained faithful then and He remains faithful now. Halleluiah!

The Alphabet

Someone sent me this very inspiring forward. Thought I would share with you wonderful people out there. Enjoy!

A lthough things are not perfect,
B ecause of trial or pain,
Continue in thanksgiving
D on't even think to blame.
E ven when the times are hard,
F ierce winds are bound to blow,
G od is forever able
H old on to what you know.
Imagine life without His love,
J oy would cease to be,
K eep thanking Him for all the things
L ove imparts thee to see.
Move out of ' Camp Complaining ',
No weapon that is known
O n earth can yield the power
P raise can do alone.
Quit worrying about the future,
R edeem the time at hand,
S tart every day with prayer
To 'thank' is God's command.
U ntil we see Him coming,
V ictorious in the sky,
We'll run the race with gratitude,
X alting God most high.
Y es, there'll be good times and yes some will be bad, but...
Z ion waits in glory...where none are ever sad!

Proud To Serve

I arrived at church this rainy morning to find my pastor impeccably dressed, wearing a black overcoat, and with a broom in hand sweeping away the water that had collected on the porch. I said, "Pastor, what are you doing?" He replied, "I'm just trying to get rid of some of this water." Minutes later, he stood in the pulpit and delivered a dynamic sermon.

His action reminded me of Jesus' words: "And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20: 27-28) Jesus spoke these words after the mother of James and John had requested that He allow them to "sit, the one on thy right and the other on thy left, in thy kingdom"( v 19). Jesus' reply was to remind this woman of the grave responsibility that such a position carries.

Many of us aspire to lead in the church and elsewhere, but are we prepared to sweep the floor or take out the trash, if necessary. Or are we like the Pharisees of Jesus' day, who expected to be given the best seats in the synagogue and to be bowed and catered to. Jesus reminded them, "But he that is the greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted" (23: 11-12).

Being a leader is an awesome privelege, but it carries with it certain responsiblities. If you are a leader today, try to emulate Jesus' example. Humble yourself and become a servant first as He did.