He Is Risen!

English: Resurrection of Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What if Jesus had not risen from the grave as He said He would? Where would we be? I don't want to think about it. But He is risen and is alive with the Father in heaven and one day He is coming back to take us to live with Him. That is the hope of Easter and the basis of the Christian faith.

But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all died, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" (1 Corinthians 15: 20 - 22).


And so the journey to Calvary has ended. Jesus has been crucified, but now He is risen, as He said. And we too are alive in Him. The empty tomb is a silent witness to the greatest event in history. We don't worship someone who died thousands of years ago, but Someone who is alive.

Happy Easter!

Footprints In The Sand

Sometimes when I go to the gym or go walking I have to push myself to stay the course and not cut my

workout short. One day last week I was really tempted to turn around and go back home. The weather was humid and my legs felt unwilling to cooperate, but I persevered and eventually my muscles loosened up and I completed my exercise comfortably.

There will be other days like that one, just as in life there are days when we just feel like giving up. Our job, marriage, ministry, life in general may seem frustrating or even difficult at times, and we may think, why bother? But know this: wherever you are now it's God's will for your life. He has given you that husband/wife, those children, that position, and He has equipped you to carry out that task. So, don't give up! Persevere, fight the good fight of faith. You know what they say about the grass being greener on the other side. It only appears to be greener.

The apostle Paul knew what it was to become discouraged. He'd been beaten, imprisoned, shipwrecked and suffered all kinds of hardship for the sake of the gospel, but yet he persisted and left a wonderful legacy for the church. He wrote,  "And let us not be weary in well doing : for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not" (Galatians 6: 9). 

Sometimes I'm tempted to give up this blog. It takes time, even though I only post weekly, and I don't earn a penny from it. Working on my novel devours even more time. Sometimes I wonder if it will ever be worth the trouble, but when I consider that the apostle Paul did most of his writing in a jail cell - dark, cold, wet and crawling with all kinds of unwelcome visitors - I have no reason to complain, or to give up. Besides, I know that  "every one of us shall give account of himself to God" (Romans 14 : 12).

Are you weary, feel like giving up? God never gives up on us. Ever read the poem Footprints In The Sand? If you haven't, you can read it here.

And here's a video to bless you further.


 

A True Love Story For Valentine's Day

The Book of Ruth (novel) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What is your favorite Valentine's Day activity? If you say curling up with your honey and reading a good love story, then you may be in tandem with some other people. So, if you're looking for a good love story to read this weekend, why not read the book of Ruth? Aww, that's the Bible, you might say. True, but reading this story has several benefits:
1) If you feel guilty because you haven't been reading your Bible, this is a way to assuage your guilt.
2) If you love romance, this is one of the best romances ever.
3) It's true.

So, here's the story of Ruth.

Ruth was a young widow who decided to follow Naomi her mother-in-law to Bethlehem because there was a famine in the land where they lived. Naomi had recently lost her husband and, feeling very bitter, thought she would be better off relocating. She and Ruth got to Bethlehem at the beginning of the harvest, and no sooner had they settled in than Ruth decided to go in search of work.

She went straight to the field of Boaz, who just happened to be Naomi's relative. Boaz came in to inspect his field and his eyes lit on Ruth. "Who is that?" he asked. When the other workers told him who she was, he invited her to have lunch with him. How many of us have been invited to lunch with the boss on the first day? That evening when Ruth told Naomi where she'd worked that day, Naomi began to hear wedding bells. When the harvest came to an end, she instructed Ruth to put on her best clothes and go down to the threshing floor where Boaz would sleep after threshing wheat that night. Ruth obeyed her mother-in-law, and the rest, as we say, is history.

I'm not going to tell you the whole story because I want you to read it for yourself. But, like all romances, it does have a very happy ending. Ruth's story is the story of every believer. Boaz represents Jesus Christ and Ruth represents us, His bride. Ruth was a Moabitess, a race of people who were outside the covenant of God. We were Gentiles, outside the covenant of God. Just as Boaz redeemed Ruth and made her his own, just so Christ has redeemed us and made us His own. Isn't that beautiful? Read the story for yourself. You will fall in love again. Happy Valentine's Day.

For a limited time, you can learn more about Ruth and other women of the Bible by purchasing my book Women For All Seasons from the Amazon Kindle store for just  $2.99 cents. Or, if you prefer the print copy, go to

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Do You Enjoy Your Life?

English: Author: myroslava (Myroslava Luzina, Kyiv, Ukraine). Source: own camera. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In light of all that is happening in the world today, one may be tempted to say, what is there to enjoy? Every time we pick up the newspapers, or turn on the television we hear and see things, which, if we are not careful, can send us into a deep state of depression. Hence the reason for the question, do you enjoy your life? Or better still, can you enjoy your life when all around you there is pain and suffering?

Joyce Meyer, popular televangelist, has built a worldwide ministry around the theme, Enjoying Everyday Life. When one listens to her speak about growing up with an abusive father and all the things she had to endure, one wonders that today she can encourage others to enjoy their lives. The truth is, if you're living a life of poverty, abuse and hardship, and you are anxious and disheartened by all the bad news you hear everyday, there may not be much to enjoy.

 But listen to what Jesus said. "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer ; I have overcome the world" (John 16: 33). The key is in me. In Him, Jesus Christ. If you are in Him, you will have peace and joy unspeakable and full of glory. You will not be bothered about what is going on around you, you will not be afraid of evil tidings, because your heart is fixed trusting in the Lord.

What Do You Want From God?

If we were to examine the contents of our prayers, we may find that we are always telling

God what we want. Or asking Him for things. And there's nothing wrong with that really. Jesus said we are to ask and we will receive. Matthew 7 : 7. But are we following God only for what He can give us, or do for us? Sadly, some people turn away from God and from the church because they feel disappointed. They are not getting what they hoped for and they go back into the world.

I read this in The Daily Devotional recently: It's not that we do not want God. We want Him - and a house by the lake, an impressive career, a perfect spouse and whatever else catches our fancy. But what we have to remember is that God is all-wise and all-knowing. He knows what we need even before we ask Him (Matthew 6: 8). And in His wisdom and love, He will only give us those things that are good for us, at the right time and in the right amount.

James put it this way: When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures (4:3). 

So what do we really need from God? King Solomon prayed for knowledge and wisdom so he could lead the people (2 Chronicles 1 : 10). God replied, "therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, riches and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have" (1: 12).

If you don't know what to ask God for, pray the Our Father prayer. Here it is:  'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread.  Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one ' (Matthew 6 : 9 -13).

It has everything we need.

                      ----------------------------------------------------------------

And speaking of prayer, America is in dire of prayer. This month Southern Baptists are praying daily for this nation state by state.
Please join with us as we pray for Iowa and Kansas and for a spiritual awakening in the nation, that the gospel of Jesus Christ would spread across this land and that people of all ages, races and backgrounds would be drawn to Christ.  

Why Atheists Do Not Believe In God

Major religious groups (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For some unknown reason I have been getting into conversations with atheists lately - online and face to face. Needless to say, the views expressed were very painful for me to listen to and to read. My suggestion that atheists should think about what would happen if they were to die and discover that God does exist was shot down as a "fear tactic." One person called it Pascal's Wager.  I checked out Pascal's Wager and found that it "is an attempt to justify belief in God not with an appeal to evidence for his existence but rather with an appeal to self-interest." http://www.philosophyofreligion.info/theistic-proofs/pascals-wager/

The article goes on to point out that "if one believes in the Christian God then if he exists then one receives an infinitely great reward and if he does not exist then one loses little or nothing." In other words, the believer believes in God, just in case. Pascal's Wager is also based on the premise that God may or may not exist, which is not what I, or any other Christian, believe. Christians believe that God does exist based on our faith in Jesus Christ ( who, by the way, Pascal never mentions).

My suggestion that atheists should think about what would happen if they were to die without Christ is no "fear tactic." The Bible tells us, "But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed" (Romans 2: 5). I don't want to have to face God's wrath, but that's not the only reason I believe. I believe because I have that conviction in my soul that God is real. The way He answers - or chooses not to answer - my prayers, the manifestation of His love in my life everyday, the infallible truth of His Holy Word and the way He has changed my life. I cannot live without Him.

There were scoffers and doubters in the Bible. They needed proof that Jesus was the Christ. Even Thomas, one of Jesus' own disciples, doubted that He had risen from the grave.  When the other disciples told him they had seen the Lord, Thomas replied, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it" (John 20: 25).

So what did Jesus do? He went back to the house just to show Thomas the wound in His side and the nail prints in his hands. Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"  Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (v 28 - 29).

An atheist I spoke with recently gave me a fantastic story about Jesus being taken off the cross by Pontius Pilate because he didn't want Jesus killed. Even though this person said he has read the Bible from cover to cover, this is what he chooses to believe. Others have made up similar stories to dispute the resurrection. Why? According to the Bible, "He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts --" (John 12 : 40).

Unless God opens the eyes of the atheists and softens their hearts, they will continue to disbelieve God's existence. Therefore we as Christians should not argue with them. We can only pray that one day God will "open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light" (Acts 26: 18).

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Winners And Losers

FIFA World Cup 2014 logo. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Well, World Cup 2014 has just come to an end, and if you were following it, you know that Germany emerged the winner after more than 100 minutes of excrutiating, nail-biting play. While the German fans celebrate in the stands, the Argentinians wear long, sad faces. I even saw one of the players crying. I feel sorry for them because I know it's not easy to be on the losing side.

Soccer, sport, life itself always has its winning and losing moments. But for us Christians, we don't have to be sad, even when our team loses or we ourselves lose at something. Because in Jesus Christ we are always winners. Remember that the next time you face stiff competition and the odds seem against you. You may lose in this life, but as long as you accepted Christ as your Savior, you are a winner all the way. Your crown is laid up for you in heaven. Isn't that wonderful?

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Memories Of My Mother

It's been over three decades since my mother went to be with the Lord, but I still

remember her, and her passing, as if it was yesterday. Lately, I've found myself thinking more about her. I don't grieve for her anymore though, although I wish she was still here. But I reflect on things she used to do. Like what a great storyteller she was. She would hold me and my cousins - I am an only child - spellbound  while she wove the most titillating tales. Maybe I got my love for creative writing from her. She was also a great cook and wonderful hostess who always made a point to cook a lot of food so that anyone who dropped in - as they did quite often - could partake of her sumptuous meal.

My father passed away quite suddenly when I was just ten years old, and my mother raised me as a single mom, running her little store so she could provide me with a good education. But I believe the biggest influence my mother had on my life was spiritual, although the irony of it is I did not accept Jesus Christ while she was alive. Not that she didn't try.

Shortly after my father died, my mother became a Baptist and began telling me the importance of accepting Jesus Christ and of being baptized, but I turned a deaf ear. I continued attending the Anglican church regularly, but the priest never gave an altar call and the church practiced only infant baptism. At age twelve, I got confirmed and began taking an active part in the church. I thought I was okay.

Was I rebellious? In a way, yes, but I loved my mother, took care of her until she died, and I believe deep down inside I loved the Lord. My mother used to read the Bible to me and when I got old enough, she had me read it and memorize scripture verses. Most of the verses I know today are what I learned as a child. So why did I resist?

Looking back now, I think the main reason was fear. I was afraid of what my friends would say, and afraid of being laughed at. You see, my mother's church was very strict. Women were not allowed to wear makeup or pants, and there were some places you just didn't go - like to the movies or to parties, so I continued in my church where I could live my life the way I wanted to. It wasn't until years after my mother had passed away that I gave my heart to the Lord.

 You may have a child that you have been praying for for a long time, and it seems like your prayers are going unanswered. Don't give up! The Bible says we are to "pray without ceasing"( 1 Thessalonians 5: 17). I know my mother did not give up on me, and neither did God.

So, to mothers on this Mother's Day, be joyful and thank God for His gift of children. Thank Him for His faithfulness to you and ask Him to show you how to continue to be a godly mother to your children. To the children, if your mother is urging you to give your heart to the Lord, don't resist as I did. Don't be afraid of what others may think. Maybe when they see the change in you they too will want to know Christ. Why not accept Him now, and give yourself, and your mother, the best Mother's Day gift ever. God bless you. 

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The Meaning Of Easter

English: Resurrection of Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 
I pray that you are enjoying another Easter Sunday with family and friends. Here's one of my previous posts to remind you of the meaning of Easter.
Enjoy!

But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.  For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die , even so in Christ shall all be made alive" (1 Corinthians 15: 20 - 22).

 And so the journey to Calvary has ended. Jesus has been crucified, but now He is risen, as He said. And we too are alive in Him. That is the basis of the Christian faith. The empty tomb is a silent witness to the greatest event in history. We don't worship someone who died thousands of years ago, but Someone who is alive and is coming again to take us to rule and reign with Him.

Happy Easter!

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When You Can't Pray

Have you ever had one of those moments when you just couldn't pray? It may be that

you were so overwhelmed, tired or maybe just not feeling well. This happened to me a few mornings ago. I woke up, sat on the bed, wanting to pray, but I just didn't feel well. I had a migraine and there was a heaviness on me that prevented the words from coming. But I was determined to communicate with my God in some way.

After sitting quietly for a few minutes, I began to hum. I finished the first song, then went to another, then another and another. Before I knew it, I was singing, lifting my hands and praising God. By the time I'd finished praising, I was able to pray and read my Bible. I didn't realize when my headache and the feeling of heaviness left me. But when I got off my bed, I felt better, and I had not taken a pill.

The Psalms make numerous references to the importance of praise. I state just a few of them here:

But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.22: 3

And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear , and shall trust in the LORD. 40: 3

 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. 63: 3

Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand; 149: 6

Look at what David said in Psalm 42: 5. "Why art thou cast down , O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance."

The next time you feel "cast down", heavy, oppressed, try praising God. Praise changes the atmosphere, lifts your spirits and restores your ability to communicate with your Maker. In fact, Psalm 100: 4 says we are to "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name."

Here are some of my favorite worship songs to get you started:



 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6WexG9uAJI&list=RDld1cXry5nyM&feature=share&index=2

Let It Go

Mary Magdalene (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

During this festive season, many of us will gather with friends and families to share delightful meals, laughter and conversation. But for others, memories of the past may arise to haunt you and make you shun these gatherings. You may be thinking of what someone said to you, how they talked to or about you, how they treated you and if you focus on these things, you could have a truly miserable holiday season.

Don't let it happen to you. Christmas is a time of joy as we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Whatever someone said or did to you is not important to ruin your happiness over. Let it go! Give it to Jesus! He came to earth so we can have peace, and this is why He is called the Prince of Peace.

The Bible tells of a lady named Mary Magdalene. She is the only lady in the Bible who is always called by her first and last name. This, I believe, is not only to distinguish her from the other Marys in the Bible, but to make sure everyone knows that she is the Mary who was possessed with seven devils.

But after Jesus healed her, Mary Magdalene did not allow her past affliction to keep her from following Jesus. When Jesus was on the cross, she was right there with the other women (Matthew 27: 56). She waited until Jesus' body was placed in the tomb and the next day she and another Mary returned to embalm the body. And this is where Mary Magdalene received her greatest honor. Jesus appeared to her and said, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, "Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away."  Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him, "Rabboni!" (which is to say, Teacher). Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God' " (John 20: 15 - 17). 

The apostle Paul said, "...forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,  I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3 : 13 - 14). If Mary Magdalene had allowed her past to stand in her way, she would not have received the prize of being the first person to see the risen Jesus and to spread the good news. Her name might not have been recorded in Biblical history. So, what stands between you and your prize? Is it something in your past? Are you still hurting about what others said or did to you? This Christmas give yourself the gift of letting go. Lay it at the bottom of the cross and watch Jesus wash it away in His precious blood.

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Why Do People Celebrate Christmas?

In another forum I belong to, someone asked the question why do non-Christians celebrate Christmas. The responses were both eye-opening and discouraging.Most of the respondents took the opportunity to point out that Christmas was of pagan origin and to more or less insult Christians and Christianity. I was stunned and saddened. There was a time when the name of God was revered and respected, even by non-Christians, but now people speak of Him as if He doesn't even exist.

Why have people become so anti-Christian? 1 John 4: 3 says, "And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come ; and even now already is it in the world." (KJV)

 This is so true. The spirit of antichrist is already in the world. Some people may profess to believe in God, but they have a serious problem with Christ and anything to do with His name. This Christmas, let us pray against this spirit of antichrist. According to Bible prophecy the antichrist will make his appearance soon, but we can still pray that the Holy Spirit will turn men's hearts to Jesus Christ. That those of us who still call ourselves Christians will, by our example, draw men to Him. 

I addressed this question about Christmas being of pagan origin in a blog post last year. Maybe it will help you respond to people who try to decry Christ and Christmas. http://quildonwrites.blogspot.com/2011/12/should-we-cease-to-celebrate-christmas.html

Let's Be Crucified

Image by abcdz2000 via FlickrToday is Good Friday! I remember when I was a child wondering why this day was called Good Friday when such a horrible thing as Jesus' crucifixion occurred on that day. But as I grew older I realized that it was actually a good thing because Jesus had to die in order that I might live. And so in my prayers this morning I asked God to help me crucify myself and all those things in me that need to be crucified: My stubborn will, my thoughts, my fears, hopes, dreams, desires.

It's only by crucifying, by dying to these things that we can live the abundant life that God intends us to live. The Bible says, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live ; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20.)

As we celebrate the death of Our Savior Jesus Christ, let us be one with Him today in His sufferings so we can share in His victory. For that is what the cross represents, not a thing of shame, but of power and love and triumph. God bless you and have a wonderful Good Friday.

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