The World Needs Us

"The world needs us because we love Jesus", Linda Grace Byers. I am laughing because I am quoting myself. This is a statement I made to a friend and colleague. Think about this: If I love God more than anyone and anything and my mission is to glorify His name by loving His people and following in the footsteps of His son, of whom He is well pleased, does it not follow that I can be entrusted with the great work He has for me in this world? What is the great work, you ask? My work is to guide people unto themselves through a relationship with God. Having them see themselves with His eyes and discover the life God ordained for them. The eyes of Love are misty over His children and He wants for each of us to know Him and feel His tender and secure embrace. Into you, into me He has built majesty, mastery, magnificence, magnifying who He is in His created treasured children. Trust a Christian, yes, we are trust worthy because our code of ethics is based on Gods laws, Gods command. Trust a Christian, yes, because he who has been forgiven much, loves much. Trust a Christian, yes, because we give from a desire to share abundant joyful life, the life we have garnered from accepting the gift that comes from faith. John 10:25-32 Jesus answered them, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. I and the Father are one. Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?" Did you catch that Dear One, He has shown "many great miracles from the Father" and all we have to do is believe! You will die some day, I will die someday and I don't know about you but I believe in life after death and I am thrilled that I am in Jesus' hand and will be given eternal life. This means I get to enjoy here and now AND eternity with the best ever lover of humanity, Jesus! You can throw stones at Him if you like, deny Him His place and due and just as He asked over 2000 years ago to the Pharisees, He will ask you, "For which of these (miracles) do you stone me?" I grin as I finish. The name Jesus stirs and stirs, does it not? It brings up sentiment, emotion, controversy, discussion, argument, division, unity, and undeniably, claims of Who He Is. I leave you with this: Hebrews 1:8 But about the Son he says: "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the sceptre of your kingdom." This is God the Father referring to His Son, as "O God"! You and I, we are subjects in Gods kingdom and our Ruler is Righteous. The world needs Christians, people who love Jesus and want to be just like Him, who else can be trusted other than He, Dear One? Do you trust Him? You are one of His living breathing miracles, deny Him not-won't you choose to follow Him this day and into eternity? 

Bubble Bath Religion

"We have today, a bubble bath religion, a beauty parlour religion if you please. We have bubble bath salvation instead of being plunged beneath the crimson flow. We have mouth wash conversion instead of a new creation in Christ. We have a tooth paste smile instead of the joy of the Lord. We have halo shampoo instead of the fullness of the Holy Spirit. We have a talcum powder testimony instead of the fragrance of Christ. We have a rosewater life instead of manifesting the life of the Rose of Sharon. We have daring perfume instead of living courageously. We have a lipstick redemption instead of the precious blood of Christ. We have synthetic jewelry instead of adorning the gospel of grace. We have the glamour of Hollywood instead of the glory of the Lord." Dr. J. Vernon McGee. Consider Dear Reader, that our faith is based not on religion but as Dr. McGee says, based on doctrine. The above quotation is a segment of a recorded message that can be listened to on oneplace.com and it is entitled Demas, Diotrephes, and Demetrius: You Will Find Them in the Yellow Pages. Christianity is this-Jesus died on a cross for the sins of the world, this means me, it means you. He rose from the dead and is God, was God and always has been, God. We are to conform to His image, following in the footsteps of our Saviour, meekly abiding in our Father and His plans for us. Dear One, have you moved away or toward His mandate for you? Do you live a watered down version of Christianity with pleasantries or are you convicted, pierced by the Truth as you walk in His Way, His Light? Your life is not your own, it belongs to the one who paid the price for your salvation. Yellow used to be a word associated with cowards and cowardice. Yellow belly is the phrase I recall as a reference for someone who has dodged duties, shirked responsibility and denied their calling to serve by running away, hiding. AWOL is defined as: "In military terminology, desertion is the abandonment of a duty or post without permission (a pass, liberty or leave) and is done with the intention of not returning." In old fashion terms, Dr. McGee has described what he saw in his day and I ask you, is this not exactly what we too, see in ours? The Bible is generous in clarity and leaves no stone unturned. It is not a powder puff presentation, it is solid rock solution to the age old problem of life and death, with or with God. How pretty is your faith? How comfortable are you in it? Have you plunged below the crimson flow, blood shed for your salvation? If you can think of Christ on the cross without shedding a tear, I wonder about your relationship with Him? Are you yellow or true blue to The One to whom you owe your life? Consider doctrine-are you His? Live for Him, He died for you. 

You're Wrong

I overheard my son's girlfriend trying to convince him that he was wrong. He was objecting to what she was saying and this was her response "It's cuz you're wrong and you're not used to being wrong". This made me laugh. Earlier, she asked me if my t-shirt was on inside out and my immediate response was no, followed by my looking down and seeing telltale seams that whispered to me, "She is right. Why didn't you check before you answered her query?" Our sweet darling of a girl is a wonderful addition to a family that is on the impatient side, quick to think, speak, do without the benefit of careful and measured observance. While she is quick to observe, we are quick to have an opinion and with stubborn tenacity, cling to being right when the facts point toward considering the possibility of being wrong. I grin as I write this, knowing that it is wise, prudent, to slow down from time to time so that what is said comes from being informed and is not a knee jerk or verbalized reaction to circumstance or situation. Questioning ourselves can lead to more self awareness and a keener sense of how we interact with the world and the creatures we share space and time with. My t-shirt was inside out and I didn't know it until someone took the time to ask me...lesson learned. The question at this point is: how teachable are you Dear Reader? Is it a personal affront to your well-being when told you may be wrong? What about the facts, the truth, do these factor in when you respond and or make choices? Take a close look, what do you base your opinions and actions on? Are you impetuous, impatient? Is the truth malleable for you or is it a concrete, measurable, elemental foundation that you build your life upon? If you don't take a look, you will never know. Your whole life can be put on inside out-without you seeing this, you may very well believe nothing is amiss while you sport that unobserved, unaware existence. Are you pointing at me now Dear One? What about me and my life? I tell you you are not alone as we search and find Truth, separately and than together. A thirst for the real thing is only satisfied when the quest is genuine, fuelled by a willingness to be redirected when thrown off course. I took off my t-shirt, turned it right side out and put it back on. Now you, is anything in your life inside out, backward, upside down? You can't tell you say? Go ask someone gifted with the skill of observance and ask them-they will help straighten you out. 

Killing Spiders

A closer look

To kill or not to kill, this is the question. I have a pool in my backyard and one of the dogs that has taken over my house, is looking into the water, watching something. This peaks my curiosity. glancing in that direction, I notice something gliding along the surface of the water. As the acting life guard, I decide to get up and take a closer look. 

Something needs rescue and I see two dark and crawly things, one a beetle, one a rather large garden spider. They are subject to a watery death, if no intervention is provided. As the guard on duty, it behooves me to scoop the beetle out of the water. 

Miniature raft

Now the spider, he is a different story. I don't like spiders, and am disinclined to
touch one. I decide he requires something of a life preserver, so that we can keep our mutually respectful distance, and I can do my job. I tear a leaf from a near by plant, making him a miniature raft to climb atop, so I can return him to his natural environment, the garden. Satisfied, I recognize that two lives are saved, and that I played a part in their continuance. 

I recognize now that for some reason, I just can't see hopeless and helpless created, breathing things, stay that way-it is not in my nature to kill and to not do anything is the equivalent, is it not dear reader? 

To not do a thing, is the equivalent of killing. Think on this a moment:

• How responsible are we all for one another? 
• Have you lost someone sweet and wonderful yet? 
• How large is the hole in your heart, when you consider your loss? 
• How valuable was that one life to you? 
• If you could have, would you have rushed to their rescue, scooped them from their impending death, and delivered them from the darkness, of an unforgiving, lifeless grave? 

Chances of survival

The body dies and no matter what you and I do, we cannot impede, interrupt, stop physical death. When I rescued the beetle and then the spider, I rescued living things that had life in them. They had travelled unwittingly into a dangerous hydro terrain, and needed help getting out from where they did not belong, and could never survive. Their chances of survival in the physical realm were better after rescue but they are still, subject to death. 

They didn't ask to be rescued, and showed no signs of gratitude that I could see. Perhaps if I asked them "Tiny Beetle, freakishly creepy Mr. Spider, How is it for you to be rescued, they might respond with, Rescued, me? I was fine and needed nothing in fact, in just a moment, I would have taken myself out of the water. I was enjoying a swim, when you rudely whisked me away without my permission. Put me back in and I will prove to you that I need not rescuing: I can take care of myself!

In too deep

You too, will be whisked away someday, without permission. The insects in my pool have finite lives, but not so with you and I. We have spirit within us and we are cognizant of life, of death, of something that is greater and eternal. 

God sees us when we are in too deep, floundering without a way out. He knows when you and I have travelled to dangerous places, unknowingly subjecting ourselves to potentially life threatening circumstances. He offers you, me, all of His creatures, a Hand to scoop us out, a life raft for us to climb atop to take us to safety. 

Christ is the Life Guard on duty, and He cannot sit by and watch the helpless, the hopeless, struggle without going to them to save. 

• What about you? 
• Have you been rescued, or are you like the beetle and spider, and need not, ask not, accept not, the gift freely offered and given? 

I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance (Luke 15:7)

The Life Guard and ALL of heaven rejoicing over repentant sinners like little old me, and little old you. Can you imagine it dear one? Amazing. 

If you have not already, call on the saving grace of Jesus today, and feel the filling of your soul with Living Water. 

That's Ridiculous

I learned something about the Muslim faith of Islam recently. They do not believe God can die because then there wouldn't be anyone "running the show". Seemed like a reasonable argument and for someone like me who believes in the Three Persons of the Trinity, The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit, my first inclination is to form my own argument to prove why God can and did indeed, die. My son heard what I heard from the Imam and when I asked him what he thought he said "That's ridiculous, God can do whatever He wants." Please understand me here, now: it is not my intention to mock, criticize or belittle anyone and their beliefs and my hope is that you won't either. I am more interested in what we all believe about who God is. My son's answer was astounding to me and spoke of what he believes about God and what He is capable of. It also made clear to me that my faith is somehow stilted. My immediate response to the Imams seemingly logical philosophy was also philosophically logical, meaning I felt compelled to argue points of view with one or the other of us eventually being proven right, based on the strength of debating points in each persons arsenal. This is not nor will it ever be a winnable argument. Faith is not philosophy, it is fundamental. A return to what you, what I believe about God is my point. How we perceive Him and what He is capable of taints or tints our glasses and by kind or ruthless association, how we relate to ourselves, others and the world around us. Who is God to you? What do you believe about Him? What is impossible/possible for God? Can He do anything, everything and "whatever" He wants? What restrictions has He, if any? I can only speak from my learning about the God of the bible and it is this: He cannot lie, He cannot cheat or steal. He does not make mistakes (and this includes people, we are all precious to Him) nor does He have regret or guilt for the past, present or future. He is perfect in all of His ways and He alone holds the keys to life and death. He rules the universe and orders the stars and He has counted each hair on our heads and He alone can paint our skin and eye colour. Our future is in His hands and we can kick and scream, stomp our feet and object but this will get us no where when He decides what "it" is going to be. Is it ridiculous to believe that God can do whatever He wants, including dying on a cross to rise again on the third day, the Master of life, death and time eternal? Is it ridiculous to YOU, Dear One? I leave you to ponder, Who is God and what is He capable of? Can God do whatever He wants? Grin, don't think to hard, your brain will hurt. Go get a bible and discover for yourself what He has revealed for all to read about Who He is and what He is capable of. 

Free Resources

When was the last time you got something for free and than waited, wondering what you had to pay for the item or service? There is always a catch, isn't there? We suspect free and yet I do believe we have all experienced it in one form or another, wouldn't you agree? Think about the last time you had to pay for say, air? Unless you are on oxygen plugged into a power source that you have to pay for, you pretty much get to breathe for the cheap and nonexistent price of free. Let us go back into the past when you were a babe in arms. You got fed, clothed, sheltered, picked up after and you even made middle of the night and early morning calls for room service and not once was an invoice slipped under your door with the expectation that you would have to supply a credit card payment for services rendered. Fast forward to your now, what is free in your life? Don't be cynical now, you get to be quietly honest and grateful for things that are free that you could not possibly afford or put a price on. I will be sharp and blunt here: if you have a child that is completely healthy, you have been given one of the greatest free gifts this life has to offer my friend, regardless of your relationship with them. Health is life and life is our greatest gift and it is with this in mind that I write. While reading, you are free to feel, think, breathe in and out as you contemplate and consider. You are free to stop reading and start again or move on to something else to return or never again resume. You are free in countless and wondrous ways and in one outstanding and immeasurably precious way, you have freedom of will. We have each been entrusted with the huge responsibility of being free to choose because the gift of free, of freedom, is ours as a birth right. The imposition of will on another is a violation of this first human right and it is an outrage to our very spirits as witnesses when we experience this personally or vicariously. We are by our very nature, free and want this for one another, don't we? Wait, wait a minute, there is a catch, right? I mean you and I, we are not naive nor are we stupid. Nothing in life is free. We have to pay for our freedom, fight for it to secure our autonomy and rights as choosers. Yet still, even when we fight, we are not guaranteed our freedom, our safety. Look at the world around us, what you are reading is true, is it not? We have freedom of will in a world where others are comfortable imposing on and even stealing life away from us. Our  lives were freely given once, when we were born and while here, in this world, the life we live is subject to the whims and carelessness of others. The freedom of will that is our birthright was not given so that we could choose what we eat, wear, listen to on the radio or what country we choose to live in or friends we choose to love. It was given to you, to me to choose or not choose, God. Free to choose, and yes, there was a price, a hefty unspeakably high price that paid for our freedom. Picture Him there, dying on a cross for the sins of the world. See Him resurrected to prove that life after death is possible through Him. Envision Him beckoning you, inviting you to freely choose Him as the door to true freedom in this life and the one promised in the here after. Our Free Resource is Christ and He paid our ticket to ride long before our first free breath. Won't you put your trust in Him today? You have been stamped paid in full, go on, take the ticket that is waiting at the Gate. 

Not Invited

Do you know someone that you love a whole lot and yet, they have what I call the ich attached to them? It is a little or big something that comes along for the ride, a little friend that creeps out of them that is unappealing, distracting and unwelcome? It could be an attitude, a mood, a disconcerting disposition or worse yet, a habit that interferes with relationship. How easy is it to come up with a person in your life and say YES, I know someone just like that and blah, it is so yucky and annoying to be in their company, even though most of the time, I really like and love them! It is a relatable experience, isn't it? I made a joke this morning while talking to a close friend saying "you are welcome but your little friend is NOT INVITED!". Are you stewing now Dear Reader, thinking about those people who have bugged the heck out of you? The ones who are pleasant at first and after a while, you have learned that you must anticipate the creepy side appearing? You know who I am talking about, the ones who can clear a room quickly with people disappearing lightning fast from their toxic presence. Or the ones you are grieving over because they feel lost to you...the ones you would love to pull close with no gaps or barriers between you. Communicating is an art form. It is an ability that requires conscientious and continuous study and effort for refinement. If indeed, mastery is the equivalent of 10 000 hours of practice, we are required to invest this amount of time to become good at loving one another enough to share when we are being repelled and repulsed by those that we like and love. Loving the person may mean pointing out that something they are saying and doing is not okay and that it drives you away. If and when they do not heed by adjusting or changing the way they are, you may find that your only choice is to purposefully remove yourself from them until change happens or alternatively, permanently. This leads us here to us, Dear One. You know you and I are not off the hook, right? We too have travelling companions, ich attached to us that creeps out in the many forms that yucky stuff is want to do, oozing out of our attitudes and dispositions, our attachments to being right and moody or even addicted to our own ways of being. This means we have to figure ourselves out first before we make a stand in relationship and confront another. What is not invited into your disposition, your way of viewing life and the world? What is intolerable in your life no matter what the source, whether it be in you or another? You get to figure this stuff out and usher in exactly what you do want. You can't figure out what that is when you are dealing with unwelcome guests who need to be told to go. Sure I speak in metaphor-you are wise and will figure out your next move. In the mean time go get a shower and wash the ich off of you so that you can be shiny and bright as an example for others. Get crystal clear and speak from there to the ones you like and love. 

Owners Manual

Have you heard the joke about raising children, that they don't come with an operating or owners manual? The awkwardness of holding a baby for the first time can feel like extreme overwhelm when coupled with the knowledge that this adorable creature squirming or even peacefully sleeping in your arms isn't going anywhere, it is yours to keep. Over time you learn by experience and physical needs are met for the child with regular care, the kind you provide for yourself. Food, clothing, shelter. What about emotional, psychological, pyschosocial and spiritual needs, Dear Reader? What about those burning questions of how to raise a growing child who will one day become an adult? Will they be a contributor to this world or a lost and wandering mission less soul? Who will they become?  Where do you find the answers for the big stuff about guiding and shaping these vulnerable little ones? What is available as a resource and guiding light for you, as parent for the child/children you have been entrusted with? I ask this question as a lead in to my idea that there is, of course, an operating manual available for every question you have ever had and more. Perhaps you own one already? Perhaps it is sitting dusty, unopened on your book shelf or in a drawer somewhere? Or, perhaps you have never had your hands on this amazing manual because no one ever gave you one or taught you that all the answers are finger tip available, that you need not wonder or struggle? What if all the wisdom of the universe, which is larger than imaginable, you would agree, was contained in one volume, a teachers guide to educating those who are in their loving care? Would you want this tome, Dear One? Would you seek high and low to get your hands on a copy? Look at your children or child-are they struggling, in need of something you cannot name? How about you, do you know how to serve them, lead them, guide them to a wholesomeness that allows them, and you, to enjoy this life you are living? Lets take the child/children out of the equation and look directly at you. Where do you go for your answers, your wholeness, your understanding of who and how to be you in this life, in this world, in the family and society you are a part of? You are shaping and being shaped by the world-what are your instructions on the how to part? Are you a DIYer (Do it yourself'er) and how is that working out for you? Back to the Owners Manual. There is a book and knowing how clever you are, Dear Reader, I am guessing you have figured me out and that I don't have to label the book because you already know which one I refer to. Just in case you and I are not on the same page, it is of course, The Bible. Gods Owners Manual for the humans He created in His image. You see, Dear One, we are like Him, except when we choose not to be. We can have all that He has imbued in us, except when we reject His offering. Our children, they can have the life He designed for them, except when they don't know how, and this is the painful piece, except when they haven't been taught Who He Is and what HE wants for them. Forgive yourself if you are just discovering God, His Word, His love for you. You didn't know and now you are learning and He understands all of this and He loves your child/children way more than you ever will or can. If you are new to The Bible, savour the learning and trust that God has the rest covered. Go be His kid and let Him teach you His ways and with His Operating Manual in hand, lead the way for the ones He has entrusted to your care. It is never too late, not for anyone. God is always ready to welcome His children into His embrace. 

Confronting Idiots~this may mean YOU!

I have been ever so slightly obsessed with what I recently witnessed at an Adele concert this week. Adele was listening and than responding to an audience member. While I did not hear clearly what the fan was saying, I did hear Adele's micro-phoned responses. This is what perked my ears "oh shut-up, stop talking such rubbish" followed by complimentary statements about another performing artist that Adele had met and liked enough to defend. What I gathered was there had been a comparison with the fan telling Adele that she was "better" than the other singer/song writer. Adele would have no part of this and made her stance on the matter clear and than, she quickly moved on. I liked this very much and it brings me to my topic of discomfort in the face of someone saying or doing things that are offensive, distastefully, discriminatory, rude, judgemental, idiotic with no one stemming the flow. In fact, these situations make most of us feel so awkward that we may make strange and strangled almost laughing noises to cover the weirdness we are experiencing. How come? How is it that when there is a blatant disregard for the feelings and sentiments of others, no one says a thing? Recently, I had my hair dyed by an assistant to my hairdresser. She painted more than my hair and than while washing product out, she was rough, as though my hair was not attached to my head! In hindsight, I wished I had said this very thing to her, something like "Hey, um, you do know that the stuff you are tugging at is attached to my head, right?" I can laugh at this because of how ridiculous it happens to be that I had fear to speak and also something else, a fear of a worse form of discomfort that could result from speaking up. I am feeling like sometimes, it is safer to withhold, to refrain and yet, this is exactly why things stay the same and bullies, they learn that bullying is effective. There is a form of self absorption that we are all guilty of from time to time, when we are unaware of our own lack of knowing, our own apparent idiocy. This is when a bare bum spanking (metaphorically speaking of course) is not only practical for our learning but if you are as innocently wise as I am, it is a welcome form of personality and character correction. Yes, you read correctly, it is wise to admit you are wrong and wiser still to be willing to learn a thing or two, to be put back into your humble place. So Adele modelled intolerance for comparison, criticism of another, and being told she is better than. What are you willing to speak up for or against, Dear Reader? Be Brave and speak and than be done with it. You will feel better and those watching will learn a thing or two from you. 

What did I say?

Today I made a mistake that I paid for several times, enforced by my dog who apparently understands english. Here is how the scenario played out. My dog has a certain determined look that he imposes when he is anticipating an outcome. Once I notice him, which may take several attempts on his part as he moves in on me as prey, I ask him what, what do you want? The question is real and while he doesn't speak english, he sure does speak fluently in attitude and action. Sometimes he leads me to his food bowl, sometimes to the back door and sometimes, he grabs a pillow, shoe or kitchen towel and turns into destructo. This is his way of letting me know I have said something, made a promise that he intends to hold me to and I have to search my recent history to learn what triggered this demanding behaviour in him. At this point I feel compelled to share that prior to being a dog owner, I held pet owners suspect when they spelled words like w a l k in front of their four legged friends. I mean really, how ridiculous is it to believe that your pet knows what you are saying AND can read intentions by your facial expressions or the sound of the front closet door opening? Well, they can! So my dog, he grabs a large cushion from the gazebo I was sitting comfortably in and he begins to drag it and shake it, intent on ripping it with the end goal of letting me know that he heard what I had said earlier to my son about going out this evening to a friends house. My dog loves going to our friends home and the mere mention of the names of these friends turns him into a demanding lets go now bully. Luckily for me, my dog has learned what wait means and so, until we go, he will wait. What is my point, you ask? It is this: I have spoken without awareness, without knowing or reading my audience. I have agreed to things, forgotten that I did and then reneged, changed my mind and even disregarded the thoughts and feelings of others when this truth was pointed out to me. Why, you ask? Because I never learned what a promise meant, until recently. The winds are ever changing and the breeze blows in many directions and I too, was once caught up in the shifting, the drifting, the uncertainty of where and when to land and commit. I didn't take what I said seriously and I certainly didn't expect anyone else to...how about that? To my surprise, people not only listen, they remember, sometimes verbatim and I am astounded by this last bit, what I say matters and people count on hearing my opinion, advice, guidance and even my silence. Grin, this is a point of maturity, Dear One, when I recognize that I am valuable and here for a reason, a purpose and that I can be counted as a contributor. Now how about you? Do you know how important and valuable you are? Who is listening to you, counting on you, waiting for you to follow through on what you have promised? You matter, what you say and then do can make a world of difference in someone's life. What is it going to be? I am recognizing that words, my words, your words, they are not just utterances, white noise in a clattering world. They are real things that work in hearts and minds and with their power, we can have impact for the good or not so good if I may be grammatically incorrect.  Pay attention to what you say because if you don't, you may have to pay for it later, woof. 

Wrongly Righteous

Have you ever met someone who is convinced about what is right and yet, they are what I am going to call, wrongly righteous? It would appear that some people are authorities on the subjects they argue about, defend and support. The ability to speak up with conviction holds sway with many and when exposed to the eloquence of a persuasive persons patter, you or I might find ourselves wooed, led astray, down the wooded path to say, the candy and gingerbread house of a wicked witch? What makes me bring this metaphor up, you ask? It is the misguided, the malfunctioning believes that are in evidence and manifesting in humanity and all walks of life as I look to the left, the right, straight ahead and just behind me. Directionally speaking, humanity is misguided and the belief is that everything is a o k and we are all entitled to a life as we want it without regard for consequences. So here we are, believing in God and as Christ followers, we have the gift of The Word of God, the bible. Understanding it's writings is ONLY possible for those who trust in Christ as Saviour because the Holy Spirit is our interpreter and spiritual soul guide as we navigate the richness of this divinely inspired work. What is my point, you ask? If you are a believer, if you know that Christ was born of a virgin, performed miracles, died on a cross for your sins and rose again and will judge the living and the dead, you cannot change one iota (the smallest letter in the alphabet) in scripture. We cannot as Christians, cherry pick verses to prove ourselves right-the wholeness of the bible disallows this ravaging and distortion. If you are reading this and you have become confused about what is and is not acceptable thinking, words, actions in this life because you see what I see, a free for all of debauchery, than first of all, get out your bible and if you are still confused, call a devoted bible believer, someone you trust who relies on Gods instructions and not merely human indulgences. Truth is never confusing, complicated or convoluted. The Truth is available and God is Righteous. Read your bible~God makes Himself clear on every page. 

Walking in The Light

I am recalling an image of a Winnie the Pooh character, Eeyore. The name Eeyore is synonymous with pessimism, being gloomy and depressed. The mental image of this grey stuffed donkey has him walking along a narrow pathway constructed for one. Head down, he slowly shifts his weight from side to side with rain slanting diagonally upon him. Unbeknownst to Eeyore, the sun is shining and flowers bloom in all directions as he feels the rain on his back. If only the dreary spirited donkey would look to his left, than his right, and finally, look up to see the sun beaming brilliantly in the clear blue sky. Of course the character Eeyore has a disposition and don't we all, Dear Reader? What is yours? Perhaps gloomy makes sense, given your circumstances, past present and future? How long has gloomy been your companion? Does the sun shine everywhere and on everyone, with you as the exception? What would walking in the light look and feel like for your weary soul Dear One? Looking back at Eeyore and the path he walked it is understandable that he would feel dejected as he walked in drenching rain on a pathway with no room for another. Head down, so were his thoughts and feelings, cast into the strip of walkway that lay one painstaking step at a time ahead of him. Who knows how long the path and whether or not anything would or even could change while on it? If only Eeyore hoped enough to look up and see The Light. Walking in The Light is not for the optimist, the sunny dispositioned Dear Reader, because we all sense gloom and feel alone at times, as though the pouring rain will never cease. Walking in The Light is knowing the Son, trusting the path He asks you and I to take as He walks along side. Psalm 43:5 "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God." Hope is one of the gifts of faith and both can be yours. May you walk this very day, in The Light. 

The Rainbow Covenant

Genesis 9:12-17 "And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth. So God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth." My heart pounds in my chest upon rereading this, a promise made to a righteous man by God Almighty. There is wonder in rainbow gazing and when I learned what a rainbow represents many years ago, I was humbled in the knowledge that the colourful arc in the sky is Gods way of letting us know Who He Is and is also a reminder of His mercy. Rainbows have been misappropriated, taken by prideful man and made to mean something other than a remembrance of what God is capable of and what He is willing to hold back from doing for the sake of souls that need saving. It is a curiosity to me, to see humans parading. Frail, fallible, date stamped humans-we are nothing and each day we live, we are also dying. Pride came before the fall as the saying goes and the hedonism of self indulgence that prevails in all directions in this world is akin to thumbing the nose at God. Humility appears to be a disappearing concept, a bad word, an unspoken ugly step sister to the grandiosity of being full of unabashed pride. I hate no one, I am just tired of people denying God and it is frightful to me because in the words of Christ "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" Luke 23:34. The world is going to hell in a colourful rainbow hand basket and what God created and placed in clouds for all to see is what the world will be wrapped in when He is all but gone from the lips of man. We create nothing and unfortunately, we have a tendency to discolour and destroy Gods handiwork. When next you look into the sky and see heavy clouds there that threaten rain, remember there was a flood. When next you see God's Glorious Rainbow, remember His covenant, the one that keeps you and I from being wiped from the earth. Look for Him in the clouds...That is where He will next appear. 

Choosing Sides

You can tell a lot about a person by the way they dress, how they adorn themselves, the shape of their body. You can also tell a lot about a person by where they go, how they spend their time, and with whom. Words and action become informative, when we are observant. When a person speaks, or doesn't speak, they are saying something. The expression you can tell is interesting and sounds country old fashion. I can hear it in my head, like an echo from the not so distant past. Some Saturday mornings my husband and I watch a western series called The Rifleman. The hero of the show is a fine upstanding moral man and his quick character assessments of the bad guys that come on the scene are interesting to witness. He watches the ne'er-do-wells with alert eyes that let the viewer know he senses danger, that he discerns trouble is brewing. When confronted by bad guys he is quick to let them know that he is aware of what they are up to and that he won't be preyed upon, nor will he tolerate the mistreatment of innocent people. The good vs evil theme is prevalent in each episode and the show can be counted on for right winning over might every time. Considering the current state of worldly affairs, it seems the battle rages on and is being lost, does it not Dear Reader? The bad is turning to worse daily and who can fight against the evil army that marches forward seemingly unstoppably, trampling the innocent under foot? Ephesians 6:12 "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." If you know your bible, you know that the forces of good and evil are in constant combat and the booty is human souls. Read the last sentence several times and allow the last couple of words to settle into your psyche-the booty is human souls, that is you, that is me. How is your discernment Dear One? Are you alerted, alarmed, watchful and sensing danger, like the Rifleman? While the world shakes its head in saddened disbelief with each vile and violent attack on unprotected and vulnerable citizens, saying this must stop and we need world peace, we know differently, don't we? The prince of darkness, he has his foot soldiers and many have chosen the work he has demanded of them. He knows his prey and he has his winning ways and with a yes, they do his vile murderous bidding. There is the other side, waiting, watching, tolerating out of mercy because souls hang in the balance and more will come to know Christ before God says ENOUGH. He is patient and let us not forget, He is just. People want judgement. They say they don't and yet, they do. Murders must be caught, tried, judged and prosecuted. Now let us turn our gaze to you. What will save you from judgement and prosecution? Sin is sin and natural law is just with consequences for our actions whether we like it or not, whether we think it fair, or not. THIS is why we need a Saviour, someone who paid the price for us. The battle for your soul rages on. Which side do you choose?

On Your Knees

Have you ever been driven to your knees? What about dropping to them, weakened, unable to sustain your own weight? Was it a physical drop or was it of the spiritual variety, a brokenness that caused a collapse, an utter surrender to reality? I can image what might drop you Dear One. Sadness, loss, grief stricken awareness of a loved one irrevocably removed from your life-these are drop you and me to our knees moments, aren't they? What about conviction? What about the moments when you know in your heart that you have erred, you have sinned? Have you ever burned with the knowledge that you can't fix what you have done, that you can never say or do enough to make it all go away let alone make it all better? I have a grievous confession to make. I didn't want a saviour. I didn't want someone to rescue me, save me from myself, take my place. I wanted to be perfect. The torture that accompanies this drive for perfection was accentuated every time I perceived a misstep, a badly spoken sentence, a facial expression that could be misinterpreted. Being perfect is a lot of work and a giant eraser couldn't undo the already done. I had to try to be perfect now, again, in this moment, continually aiming for and missing the mark miserably. Back to my confession. I am ashamed to say that I compared myself to Christ. It makes me weep admitting this because of my arrogance and yet, this is our inheritance. It is in our nature to be self determined, to resist authority and even generous gifts out of a desire to be our own authority, authors of our own lives. I was once like a self possessed sunflower, planted and watered by an unseen hand and yet totally confident in my self sufficiency. In my stalky fully grown state, I lifted my seedy face while turning in the direction of the sun, saying to the light "aren't you lucky, and proud of me that I turned my pretty head your way?" Utterly ridiculous. Oh I knew who Jesus was and I admired Him. In my admiration, I wanted to be like Him. The differences were and are immense. I will state the obvious one, which is that He is God and clearly, I am not. The more subtle difference, the one that dropped me in sorrow to my knees is that He is humble. Jesus modelled surrender to the Father. More stunning than all of this is His perfection. He is the perfect unblemished Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He did this by dying on a cross substitutionally for you, for me. It is ONLY by the grace and mercy of God that by faith I know this to be true. Perhaps, Dear Reader, you too know this truth, namely that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Saviour? On my knees and at His feet many years ago, I was convicted of my sinful arrogance. With faithful mercy, His comfort overwhelmed me. I knew than and I know now that I can rest in His strength, trust in His wisdom, follow in His footsteps. Little by little, I am growing to be more like Him and this brings me great joy as I surrender to the divine plan He has for me. What about you, Dear Fellow Sunflower? Have you too been brought to your knees, firstly convicted, than comforted? Is your face turned in appreciation toward The Light, The Son? I see a field of glorious reclaimed sunflowers, waving in a gentle summer breeze, faces turned heavenward anticipating His return. Are you in the field Dear Reader? If not, won't you join us there? His hand is extended to you, won't you take it now and rise from where you have fallen?