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.

Where Are You?

This morning I woke up around five o'clock and had some difficulty going back to sleep. It was much too early to wake up on a Saturday morning, especially the last one before Daylight Saving Time. But as I lay there, this scripture came to my mind: "And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?" (Genesis 3:9). A strange thought at that hour of the morning. I knew where I was. In my warm, cozy bed, but immediately I understood what the Holy Spirit was saying to me.

The past month had been a busy one at work. That, plus the unusually cold days, seemed to have taken a toll on my no-longer-young body. I wasn't praying as I would have liked to. Oh, I still prayed, but my prayers were sketchy, half-sleepy mumblings at nights and even less so in the morning. And God was saying to me, "Where are you? I want to speak to you. I want to commune with you and have fellowship with you. I want to wrap my arms around you and comfort you and ease your burdens, if you will let me."

I turned over in bed and said, "Lord, I'm sorry. Forgive me for being so busy that I do not have time for you." Right there and then I became wide awake and I began to pour out my heart to God as I hadn't done in a long time. I spoke, I listened and He spoke back to me. It was a beautiful moment of interaction with my Heavenly Father, and when it was over I felt relieved, refreshed and restored. Before I knew it, I was fast asleep.

Prayer has been on my mind a lot lately, and I believe that was the reason the Holy Spirit dropped that verse into my spirit. When He asked Adam so many years ago "Where art thou?" it wasn't because He didn't know where he was. He wasn't playing hide-and-seek with Adam. God sees us at all times, but in effect He was saying to Adam, "Where are you in your relationship with me? Why are you hiding from me? Why don't you run to greet me the way you always do?"

He said it to me this morning, and He may be saying the same thing to you. Listen. If you hear Him calling you, don't hide. Run to Him. He won't hurt you. He says, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29: 11-13).

Walking Beside Him

I decided to contribute to this last Sunday in Black History month with this post about a woman who featured prominently in our society up until her passing in 2006. This woman is none other than Coretta Scott King who walked bravely beside her husband, Martin Luther King. In the midst of their civil rights activities, Mrs. King found the time to juggle housework and babies while her husband spent time pursuing his dream of equality for the black race. And in addition to performing her role as wife and mother, Mrs. King also took part in protest rallies, spoke to scores of people and protected her children from a bomb or two.


Coretta King gave up the bright lights of a singing career to become the wife of a Baptist minister in 1953. She later gave birth to four children. Early in the marriage she worked alongside her husband, or it was more like marched, traveled abroad with him and spoke on his behalf when he was unable to do so. Coretta survived Martin Luther King by four decades, and determined that the work he began would live on, she gave herself no time to mourn. Just four days after his death she led a march through the streets of Memphis, and attended the Poor People’s March in Washington later that year.

Over the years, Coretta King continued to work tirelessly in her husband’s memory, establishing the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta, Georgia, and achieving the goal of having her husband’s birthday honored as a public holiday in Jan. 1986. She continued to travel the globe, preaching the gospel of equality and became a goodwill ambassador and advisor to world leaders, including Nelson Mandela.

Like most wives of men in the limelight, Coretta had to put up with the scores of women who admired and followed her husband. Despite rumors of infidelity on Martin Luther’s part, Coretta “stood by her man” and did not allow those rumors to affect their relationship.

As women we can learn from Mrs. King's example of loyalty, devotion and courage. Whether we are married to a world leader or a subordinate, those qualities can be the "wind beneath our mate's wings." God calls us to no less.

Abusing The Petri Dish

Over the centuries Science has proved invaluable to the advancement to mankind. Where would we be without the wheel, the light bulb, the computer and the Petri dish? We cannot envision ourselves living without these necessities, but as with everything else there is always the potential for abuse. By the way, can we manage without the Petri dish? One of my dear friends has three grand-children born by in vitro fertilization, and she thanks God everyday for them.

But the point I’m making is that some things are beyond our reach and we should not try to circumvent God’s will in order to have them. Many married couples agonize over their inability to have children, while others abort babies for one reason or another. What’s wrong and what’s right? To hatch or not to hatch? By the way, hatching is a term actually used in conjunction with IVF. The definition on one website is “Assisted hatching is a relatively new technique used during certain IVF procedures. It is performed in order to help an embryo hatch out of its protective layering and implant into the uterus.” Astonishingly, a term hitherto associated with animals is being used in reference to something as sacred as human conception.

If Aldous Huxley had to write about our society today he might name it “A Braver New world.” A world in which anything goes. You are single and want to have a baby? Go ahead. You are pregnant and want to get rid of it? Go ahead. You want to hatch? Go ahead. Leave God out of it. It’s my body. My right to choose. Sadly, we see the consequences of these misguided decisions. In the case of Ms. Suleman, amazement has turned to ridicule and anger at not just her but her doctor. Book, music and other publicity deals were expected to come out of this, according to one report. But this is one of the sad realities of our “Braver New World.”

So to answer the question above, can we do without the Petri dish? I would say, yes, we can, but let’s keep it. We are not getting rid of the light bulb so we shouldn’t get rid of the Petri dish. But let’s not abuse it. The UK, Australia and New Zealand have imposed restrictions on the number of embryos that can be transferred into a woman’s uterus. Maybe we need to do the same here in the US. After all, we get speeding tickets to help us be responsible on the roads, don’t we? Then why not help us be responsible with the lives of our children?

Can We Forgive?

American Idol has become one of the most popular TV show in recent times. I never became a serious fan of the show because quite frankly I'm turned off by Simon's caustic sarcasm. I think that a judge should be able to tell someone their performance stinks without saying, "Is there an odor around here?" The other reason I don't follow the show is my choice never wins.

This happened a few years ago when my choice, Mandisa, lost to someone else, but as far as I am concerned she was a winner in more ways than one because she had the nerve to stand up to the insufferable Simon. You see, he took issue with her size, and in his own inimitable way, made certain remarks which were very insulting.

The charming, talented young woman told Simon in no uncertain terms that she forgave him without needing an apology because Jesus had forgiven her! To have the boldness to say that on national TV is a gift that could only have come from God. When I heard it I thought, I have to see who this person is, so I watched the show after that and was very impressed.

In reading about the trailblazers that shaped the future of African Americans, I came across a story of a young lady who also displayed a great lesson in courage and forgiveness. Six-year-old Ruby Bridges was bused to the Franz Elementary School in New Orleans under desegregation laws, and met with a great deal of persecution from the white parents, so much so that President Dwight D. Eisenhower ordered that she be escorted by marshals to school every day.



As a result parents kept their children away from the school as a mark of protest, so little Ruby sat alone in the school while her teacher taught her. But it is recorded that while she was being escorted she prayed, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” Eventually the whites woke up to the realization that their kids were not being educated and they sent them back to school.

I spoke to a man the other day who said, “I will never forgive my ex-wife for what she did to me. Never!” He admitted that he was only hurting himself, and when I told him that Jesus chose to forgive the Roman soldiers who tortured and killed Him, he became even more angry and stormed away. But whether you’re dealing with a Simon, an errant spouse or a whole bunch of enemies, forgiveness wins every time.

Don't Give Up!

This week I want to comment on a book I read some time ago. It’s The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, and it tells of the life of Esther Greenwood, a young student fashion writer, whose troubled life closely resembled Sylvia’s. In the book she says, "I’ve tried to picture my world and the people in it as seen through the distorting lens of a bell jar." The book itself ends on a hopeful note, but as some of you may know, Sylvia Plath committed suicide. Her mother said that Sylvia was overwhelmed by trying to keep up with her writing and with the demands of her domestic life.

The idea of someone at the pinnacle of her success ending her life seems unthinkable, but it happens all too often. In this economy when many people are losing their jobs, their homes and their life savings, it is easy to become depressed. Last week the news media broadcast a story of a man and his wife who lost their jobs. He killed himself and his five children. The wife attempted to take her own life but didn't succeed.

This is why I cannot overemphasize the importance of being anchored to God. It is He who gives us the strength to live from day to day. It is He who helps us to stay on the surface when the currents of life threaten to pull us under. Now, more than ever, we need to "lift up our eyes to the hills, from whence comes our help" Psalm 121:1. Please, don't give up. Don't lose hope. Give your life to Jesus today if you haven't done so already, and watch Him take over.

Responsibility

Some years ago, a case made headlines when a woman was awarded over a million dollars because she spilled a cup of coffee in her lap and sued the restaurant, saying the coffee was too hot. Many people were shocked that someone could actually sue and win for something she had done. But such is the law of the land in which we live.

I remember the word 'responsibility' came up many times in comments about that case, and it came up a few times in President Obama's inagural speech. But what is he really calling on us to do when he asks us to be responsible? I believe he is simply asking us to do what we know needs to be done. The way we tell our children to pick up after themselves and not expect someone else to do if for them. The time has come for each one of us to pick up after ourselves; to hold ourselves accountable for our actions, instead of trying to blame someone else when we spill hot coffee in our laps.

We may choose to ignore the President's call to be responsible, and he won't be able to call us to account, but according to the Bible, there is coming a day when "... we shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God" (Romans 14: 12). Yes, whether we like it or not, we will one day all answer to an Authority higher than the President of the United States.

All Things Are Possible

"All things are possible," said the lady on Larry King Live. She echoed my thoughts exactly and, I'm sure, the thoughts of many on this historic Saturday leading up to the inaguration of America's first African American president. I am completely blown away by everything that's happening.

Barack Obama electrified the country and the world during the campaign, and he is doing it again with this inaguration. The whistle stop train ride is something that will definitely grace the pages of the history books. The crowds, the festivities and the speeches are all befitting this momentous occasion, but greater than that is the mood of the people. It is one of excitement, hope and expectancy that a new day is indeed dawning in our nation. A new day that goes beyond hopes of change in our economic situation or our image in the world, but a change in the way we see ourselves and each other.

Already we are seeing the spirit of unity preached by Obama sweep through the nation. We see it in the faces of whites, blacks, Asians, Hispanics, Democrats and Republicans, old and young. We see people coming together as never before to begin the work of rebuilding and reshaping this great nation. As the outgoing president said, "The Obama presidency represents hope for the country." I believe that what we are seeing today would not have been possible without God's intervention. So allow me to make a minor change to the lady's words. "With God, all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26).

Words

Have you ever said something in a group setting, only to have someone who was not present at the time come and confront you about what you said? More specifically, have you ever said something in a meeting, only to have your boss, who was not present at the meeting, call you up about what you said? This happened to me this past week, and it upset me. It was a simple statement. Something I should not have said, although it would not have got me or anyone else into trouble, but someone saw the need to report it to my boss. And I have no idea who the person was.

Gossiping, spreading rumors, backbiting as the Bible calls it may be common in most workplaces, however the Bible has a lot to say about the way we use our mouth to speak about others. "The mouth of the righteous is a well of life, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked. In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise. The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; the heart of the wicked is worth little"(Proverbs 10: 11, 19-20).

Jesus said, "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man" (Matthew 15: 18). And from James the apostle: "But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison" (3: 8).
And from the apostle Paul: "Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Who knowing the judgement of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them" (Romans 1 : 30, 32).

The Bible is not the only place we can find admonition about our choice of words. This line from the poet Emily Dickinson conveys the idea so clearly. "A word is dead when it is said, some say. I say it just begins to live that day." Just think about that.

Change

I recently came across a joke about three men who were in a strange city and had no money to pay for their meals. They came up with a creative plan which went like this: The first man entered an upscale restaurant and ordered a very expensive meal. When the meal was over, the waiter handed the check to the man who looked astonished and said, "But I already paid you." The waiter looked puzzled, but not wishing to offend the customer, apologized and took back the check.

The second man came in and the same situation occurred. Not long after, the third man walked in, ordered the most expensive items on the menu and enjoyed his meal. When the waiter brought the check, the man looked angry and said, "What's wrong with you, man? I already paid you." This time the waiter was determined to get to the bottom of the mystery. He turned to his customer and said, "Sir, I don't understand what is happening. I served two other men today who said they paid me but I'm almost certain they didn't. What do you think I should do?" The customer looked at the waiter and said, "I'm sorry you've been having trouble sorting out your payments, but will you please give me my change?"

Change. The word is on everybody's lips these days, especially since the stunning victory by Barack Obama, who stirred up the hearts of the people with his mantra of change. But what does change mean? Many of us, myself included, are still putting the finishing touches to our New Year's resolutions in an effort to change our lives for the better. But in most cases, very little change will take place this year or even the next.

In the Bible we see many instances where God made changes in the lives of His people. He told Abraham to leave his hometown, Haran, and go to the land of Canaan. He caused Joseph to be sold into slavery so he could end up in Egypt and become the Prime Minister of that country. God never allowed His people to lead static, boring lives. He changed their names, addresses and ultimately their destinies.

Why, then, are we so resistant to change? Maybe it's our love for the familiar or fear of the unknown. Whatever it is, change can be scary. But in this new year, this new era, let us look to the One "who changeth not" (Malachi 3:6), the unchanging God, to help us make those changes that are necessary and resist those that may cause us trouble. Happy New Year!

Christmas Carols?

As I write this, the strains of O come all ye faithful float out to me from my radio. The station is not one that I listen to frequently. In fact, I came upon it in my search for some Christmas music, preferably Christmas Carols, as the Christian radio station I regularly listen to seemed to be giving us some modified, barely recognizable version ever so sparingly. It seems the days of Christmas Carols and Christmas songs, like most traditions, are almost over. Hats off to the few radio stations that still make it a point to honor the birth of our Savior by playing these time-tested favorites.

This may sound like I'm making too much of a big deal over Christmas Carols when I could easily buy my own CDs. That's true, but I may not get as wide a variety as I'm getting on this station, and to put it bluntly, I believe that all radio stations, particularly Christian radio stations, ought to play Christmas Carols during the Christmas season.

I come from an era- and a culture- when carollers went from door to door proclaiming the good news of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ in song. They were doing what the angels did when they appeared to the shepherds, who in turn went and spread the news. "And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them" (Luke 2: 17; 20).

The coming of Jesus Christ into the world is still the biggest and most historic event the world has ever known. But we have turned it into another commercial celebration, forgetting that without Jesus there would be no celebration. But we do need to celebrate His birth. God, in the form of Man, coming into the world through the womb of a virgin, to live among us and later die to redeem us to the Father. It boggles my mind just to think about it.

But where is the honor, the respect and the awe that should be paid to this great Savior and King? It is lost in a flurry of shopping and partying and gift-giving, when we have already been presented with the greatest gift anyone could receive - eternal life through Jesus Christ. And that, my friends, is worth singing about.

How do you call?

An interesting part in the account of the creation is where God took the animals to Adam for him to name them. The Bible continues, "... and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof" (Genesis 2:19). God, the Creator, who created Adam and everything else, simply left the naming of the animals to Adam. He made no objections to Adam's choice of names. When Adam called the lion a lion, God left it at that, and likewise when Adam called the mouse a mouse, God nodded His agreement.

What do you think would have happened if God had said, "No, that little thing shall be called a lion and that big thing shall be called a mouse." Then we would be calling those little rodents that scare us to death, lions, and the king of the jungle would go by the name mouse. Those names would have completely different definitions from what they now have. I can see some guys flexing their muscles and saying, "I am a mouse."

In the Bible we find that God puts great store by names. Abram means exalted father, but when God got ready to bless him, He changed his name to Abraham. "Neither shall thy name anymore be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of nations have I made thee" (Genesis 17:5).

Later, God changed the name of Abraham's wife, as she, too, was part of the new covenant He had made with Abraham. "And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be" (17:15).

God did the same thing to Abraham's grandson, Jacob. "... Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed" (32:28).

God's naming is not limited to a mere name change, but a change in character. He called Gideon "mighty man of valour" (Judges 6:12), Mary is saluted as "highly favoured and blessed among women", and He called His Son Emmanuel, meaning "God with us" (Matthew 1:23).

Notice that with all these name changes came a transformation in status, function and blessing. Abraham was changed from a childless man to the father of nations, Sarah from a barren woman to the mother of Isaac, the son of promise. Jacob changed from a trickster to Israel, father of the Israelites, God's chosen people. And we can go on and on.

But the message is clear. Instead of calling ourselves broke, depressed, oppressed and discouraged, we need to call ourselves the way God calls us - blessed, made in His image and likeness, "a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people" (1 Peter 2:9). If we do that we will never be defeated by the enemy.

I'm So Thankful

In my last post, I wrote about being away in Florida with my daughter who was about to have a baby. Well, she did have that baby sixteen days ago, a cute nineteen inch, six pounds nine ounces little girl with powerful lungs. We are all so thrilled to welcome this new addition to our family.

What a wonderful God we serve. He shows us His love in so many ways. Last year around this time, I was enveloped in grief over the death of my daughter-in-law, and now one year later, I'm celebrating the birth of my granddaughter. I can't stop saying it. God is wonderful. He is loving. He is kind. His mercies are renewed morning by morning. Great is His faithfulness. Yes, I am so thankful.

Help!

Last week my colleagues learned that I would be taking family leave in order to help my daughter who will be having a baby by C section. They reacted immediately by offering to cover for me while I was gone. Their kindness really blew me away. They knew that in these harsh economic times the board was not going to hire anyone to fill my place, and that I would have to make up for lost time when I returned. I thanked them and thanked God for placing me with such a kind and helpful bunch of people.

In his letters to the churches, the apostle Paul praised the efforts of those who helped him in mininstry. Romans 16 is a testament of the help he received from men and women. Beginning with Phebe and moving on to Priscilla and Aquila, a husband-and-wife team, and many others, Paul expressed his deepest gratitude to them.

Jesus also preached many sermons about the place of service and helpfulness in the life of the believer. On the mount of Olives He said, "... Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me" (Matthew 25: 40). So when we help others, we are not only helping them, but we are helping God Himself.

Let us seek out opportunities to help others the way my coworkers did. Not only will they thank you, but your Heavenly Father will take note and reward you for your good deed. God bless.

You Are His Temple

Recently, I was very pleased to see a news item on television about a singing group that had pledged to keep their virginity until they were married. That in itself was amazing in today's world of immorality, especially among youth, but even more amazing is the fact that the singers were all young men. Not surprisingly, they were ridiculed and called ugly names by a popular comedian. But it was also gratifying to hear other young entertainers praise the group for their courageous, moral stand.

The world needs more young people like these, who would stand up for godly principles and not follow the crowd. The Bible states: :"Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, ye should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world" (Titus 2:12). And again, "Know ye not that ye are the tremple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are" (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).

Young people, protect your body. Keep it holy. Take a stand for righteousness, and God will protect you and honor you.

Have A Good Day

We say the words so often, they have become almost a cliche. But do we ever think about what the words mean when we say them to someone? Are we wishing the person a day free of traffic jams, extra work hours or stock market crashes? Maybe we don't stop to consider what a good day for that person might entail, but each of us has our ideas of how a good day should be. Maybe it's a day when the boss moves to Iceland, or we get a promotion, or our hubby buys us that necklace we'd been hinting at.

One morning I ended my prayers with, "Lord, please let this be a good day for me." The minute the words left my mouth, I heard something deep down inside of me say, "How about making it a good day for me?" I froze. I'd never thought of God having a good day or a bad day. After all, He is God. Everyday ought to be good for Him.

I pondered that thought for the rest of the day, and I concluded that we have it in our power to make each day a good day for God. Now, that's presumptious, you say. Not really. The Bible says, "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created" (Revelation 4:11).

God created us for His pleasure. He delights in us, but when we do those things that are not pleasing to Him, are we giving Him pleasure? Are we giving Him a good day? In the same way we as parents feel hurt and have a bad day when our children disobey us, God, as our Father, also has a bad day when we do wrong. And it's not just our wrongful acts, but not trusting Him also gives Him a bad day.

So now I end my prayers with, "Lord, help me make this a good day for you." And when I pray like that, I end up having a good day. Just think about it, and have a good day.