Waiting for Morning

Waiting for Morning

“Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.” Luke 24:1

When I was about 7 years old, my parents were taking a trip to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where my father would buy fur from the trappers who lived there.  We would stay in a rustic cabin where my mother and I would play games and I would do my school work that my teacher sent along with me. The morning we were to leave, my parents woke me up very early and climbed into the car.

I had never been up this early before and as we were driving east, pink rays began to appear across the sky.  I had never seen this sight before and I was so excited to watch the colors break across the dim sky. My mother explained how this happened almost every morning.  It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.  My parents tried to get me to lay down among the pillows and blankets in the back seat where I set in my pajamas.  They knew we had a long trip in front of us, but I could not sleep when I could watch the glorious Straits of Mackinaw where I woke up to see a big boat with what looked like big open jaws that cars were driving into.  It was a car ferry. The big Bridge was not yet built, but riding across the water was another exciting adventure for me, but the excitement of a morning sunrise is what I remember most.

I don’t think there was any excitement in the women who were going to the tomb to anoint Jesus body. “Saturday evening, when the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene and Salome and Mary the mother of James went out and purchased burial spices so they could anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise, they went to the tomb. On the way they were asking each other, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” But as they arrived, they looked up and saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled aside.” Mark 16:1-4 (NLT)

Now the excitement rose in each of them as they ran to tell the disciples what happened.  It was still very early Sunday morning and the Bible says it was at sunrise, which tells me it was going to be a very beautiful day and I’m sure fingers of pink, blue and lavender had spread across the heavens.  What a glorious day this was going to be.  Their hearts had to be pounding as doubt and then hope rose up in them.

Then Peter arrived at the tomb and went in.  “He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings.” John 20:3-7 (NLT) This meant something more to the Jews than we can understand, but Peter knew then that Jesus had risen from the dead just as he had told them he would.  I don’t know how Peter was able to contain his excitement and joy as he returned home and told the others what he had seen.  Jesus was alive!  He had risen!  What could be as glorious as that?

Listen to this – it is going to happen again.  He is coming again to claim His own; that’s you and me and all who believe.  I believe it will be a most glorious day.  I, for one, will be waiting for the day he comes.  Today we praise him with the words, “He is risen; risen again!”  But the day is coming when we will praise him in person.  We will be in his presence as we rise in the air. Talk about excitement and joy as we come to the place that we have strived to be and that is in His presence. I’m waiting for the Sunrise!

The Stubborn Donkey

The Stubborn Donkey

“Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied and a colt with her; loose them and bring them to me.”  Matthew 21:2

I decided to repeat this story of “The Stubborn Donkey’ this year because I’m hoping you will read this story to your children, grandchildren and even your Great-Great Grandchildren, so they will see in their minds, Jesus riding the donkey through Jerusalem. Let them envision the palms waving and people shouting, “Hosanna”. It’s an exciting time.

Many years ago, my children wanted a story about Palm Sunday and after some thought, I came up with this fictional story about the donkey that Jesus rode through the streets of Jerusalem.  The crowds lined the streets and threw down their cloaks on the ground.  They cut down palm branches and as He rode by they waved the branches and cried out, “Hosanna in the highest, Hosanna!”  Now for the rest of the story!

In a small village outside of Jerusalem, two donkeys stood in the heat of the day.  The larger of the two was the mother; the smaller, her son, was a colt.  The mother donkey stood quiet and patient, but the colt stamped about; occasionally braying loudly.  “Will you ever learn to behave yourself,” asked the mother.  “The man who owns us will soon get rid of you because you are naughty.”

The colt refused to carry a rider, or even a small load to the market place. He was so stubborn that many times he refused to even move.  At other times, if someone came near he would kick up his hind legs just to frighten them.  Yes, it was true; his owner would soon sell him if he was of no use.  

This day the little donkey was even more restless than usual.  He had a feeling that something very exciting was about to happen.  He told his mother how he felt, but she only brayed loudly, which is the way donkeys laugh. 

A short time later two strange men came walking up to the donkeys and began to untie them.  The owner came running out of his house shouting, “What are you doing with my donkeys?”

“The Master sent us for them,” replied the men.

“And who is your master?” asked the owner.

“Jesus of Nazareth”, they answered.

The owner’s face softened and with a big smile he happily agreed they could borrow the donkeys as long as they were needed.

The men led the two donkeys down the road until they came to a group of people standing around a tall, dark, kind-looking man.  “Here are the donkeys, Master.  We think you should ride the big one who is quiet and well trained.  The colt is very frisky and has never been ridden.”

The Master looked at the donkeys as the mother stood patiently waiting to carry the rider, but the colt pawed at the ground and brayed loudly.  “No one is going to ride on me” said the colt to himself.

Then Jesus laid his hand gently on the young colt.  “This is the one I will ride,” he said.

The colt felt the gentle touch and heard the soft voice; he quieted down and stood still while the disciples placed their cloaks on his back.  The, he felt the strange weight when the Master carefully sat on him.  Without a word of command the young donkey started down the road toward Jerusalem. 

As they neared the city, crowds of people joined them shouting, “Hosanna in the Highest; Jesus, the Christ, the King of Israel.”  They went through the city waving palm branches and sing.  The little donkey held his head higher and began to prance.  He was so proud he had been chosen to carry the King.

In the evening the colt was returned to his home.  He was so happy to see his mother and nuzzled her, then stood quietly.  His mother was amazed at the change in her son. “I can’t believe you would carry a man on your back.”

“Mother, he wasn’t just a man.  He was the Son of God, Jesus Christ, our Lord.” 

At times we are like that little donkey, stubborn and restless.  Yet, when we feel the Master’s touch, our hearts are filled with love and joy, we too will wave palm branches and sing, “Hosanna to King Jesus, Savior of the world.” 

            Palm Sunday is one of my favorite days at church, waving a palm branch and singing “Hosanna”.  Closing my eyes, I am taken back in time; I hear the crowds, feel the dust rising from the press of people.  I gaze on the face of Jesus as he goes by; my heart is thrilled and my faith is full. 

Do You Love God?

Do You Love God?

“Love the LORD your God, walk in all His ways, keep His commandments, hold fast to Him, and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” Joshua 22:5

As a pastor’s wife I have often heard people say, “I’ve always been a Christian” or, “I’ve always loved God.”  Many people who say those things are living in ignorance.  As usual, I take myself down memory lane.  Here’s how it was with me.

As a child I always attended church.  I learned so much in Sunday School about God and Jesus that I could tell anyone all the stories of the Bible.  I knew about God and also about Jesus. Then as I got into my teens none of that mattered.  My conscience bothered me at times, but having fun was what really mattered.

Then when I was married and had children, I finally got back into the habit of going to church and taking my children was important to me.  I was faithful to singing in the choir and being a part of the women’s group and even teaching Sunday School.  But, if someone had asked me, “Do you LOVE God,” I would have answered, “Of course.” If they had asked me, “What does it mean to love God?” I wouldn’t have known the answer, would you?

Joshua 22:5 gives us the true answer.  We should live our life according to the Bible; we should stand according to His every word.  Then we should serve God with all of our heart and soul; in other words we should always obey God in everything we do, not because we ‘should’, but because we want to; because our heart longs to make him happy. Do we do that or feel that way?

What Joshua said in the Old Testament, isn’t just for that time; it’s even a stronger command in the New Testament.  In Mark 12:30-31 Jesus said, “And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.”  Then he goes on to say, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  Now, isn’t this a little too much? I guess it isn’t because Jesus finished with this, “There is no other commandment greater than these.”

We are commanded to love God with every part of our being and love others around us, because this is what God wants for us and for our betterment.  Remember the Bible tells us that obedience is better than sacrifice (I Samuel 15:22).  It took me forty years before I could understand what it really meant to ‘love God’. I still knew who God was and who Jesus was, but I had not given my heart to him. 

When I asked Jesus into my heart one day, my life took a big turn-around.  I’m not the person I was and I have never looked back.  My life really became new; all I could think about was the Lord.  All the things I learned about as a child came back to me along with understanding.  I have tried my best to follow God’s commandment.  “Love the LORD your God, walk in all His ways, keep His commandments, hold fast to Him, and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” Joshua 22:5

This makes it sound like you have to be perfect to love God.  That’s not true – all though God wishes we could be, but only Jesus was or ever will be perfect. So he made a way for us to be part of his family and that way is Grace.  “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God”, (Ephesians 2:8). When you realized you acted out of what God wanted for you, just tell him you are sorry and to forgive you, that’s it; he has forgiven you through his grace and that is the end of it.

God loves you so much that He made a place in his family through his grace and wants you to be with him forever. In turn, we need to love God with all our being and long to spend eternity with Him.

Who I Really Am

Who I Really Am

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9

You may not always feel like royalty, or look like it, but you are. We may go through trials and tribulations but, “Yet in all these things we are more than Conquerors through Him who loved us.” Romans 8:37.  This is what God sees when He looks at us. You may see yourself as a wounded, pathetic, defeated person, but God sees you as a warrior dressed in armor with sword in hand.

If you are a son or daughter of the King, he has equipped you to be in the battle for your soul and the power to win.  Ephesians 6:11 tells us to “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”  God has given you the power to be an overcomer. Don’t be afraid to stand up to what you are fighting against.

It would take too long to write all the passages in the Bible about all the gifts God has given you to be an overcomer; to be a conqueror.  It’s a lie of the devil to tell you you’re already defeated and have no strength. The truth is that “You can do all things in Christ Jesus.”  The Bible also says in Psalm 118:39, “For You have armed me with strength for the battle.”

In Psalm 46:1 we find all we need in the Almighty, “God is our refuge and strength.”  It seems that not only is God a refuge in times of trouble, but as the Apostle Paul said, “When I am weak, He is strong.”   I don’t see that we have a lot of strength in ourselves, but with God who gives us strength, we can do anything.

Last week I was talking about the Spirit of fear we sometimes carry and that makes us weak.  The rest of that scripture is so important because it says that God gives us Power and Love and a Sound mind.  We must grab hold of the truth about power and strength.  If we trust in God, the Father, he gives us the power and strength to come against all evil and to conquer the enemy.

We are not helpless.  We don’t have to believe the lies of the enemy.  The Devil uses many different ways, including people, to make us feel helpless and defeated.  Don’t fall for it.  If you are a child of God, you have the power and strength of the Living God on your side. In your spirit, raise high this banner with these word on it.  “The Lord is my strength and song and has become my salvation” (Psalm 118:14).

Over the years, as a Christian, I have realized more and more the presence of the Lord is constantly with me.  I discovered this one day while reading Isaiah 52:12, “For the LORD will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.”  You cannot be watched over any more than that. I used to have a lot of fears, but they have disappeared as the years have passed because I have learned to trust more and more in the Lord.  Some have accused me of being too legalistic, but if the Word of God is true, how dare I question it?

Here is how I look at the Bible; every word is true because God can’t lie, neither does he retract his word because we live in a different time than when it was written. The Old Testament was the old Covenant which was preparing people for a later time, such as now.  We live in the New Covenant time, but the entire book is a manual for how to live and why we should live this way. It is filled with helps and also warnings of things yet to come.  If you are not prepared to face the future, you only have yourself to blame. Read the Bible!

When God warns us of the future, it is only because of His love.  He doesn’t want any of us to perish, but when we choose to not serve him or live as he wants us to, we are on our own.  There is no protection; no power of strength and no covering of safety. 

It is never too late to call on the name of the Lord.  Because of His mercy and grace, he is waiting for you to call out to him.  Whoever is playing mind games with you and discouraging you to not believe in God is and enemy of God.  You can always depend on God for the strength and power to stand against the enemy.

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, so you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.” Ephesians 6:10-18

Facing Your Fears

Facing Your Fears

“I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.”  Psalm 34:4

            We have all dealt with different fears in our lives. Some people are afraid of snakes or insect; mice or dogs; fear of heights or fear of water; fear of flying or even riding in a car.  I guess I could go on and on and still not bring the list to an end.  How did we take on these fears? They could be passed on through your family or they may be something you read about or a movie you saw.  There are people who claim to have no fear of anything; they may be either very brave or not have any sense at all.

            It may come as a shock to you to realize fear is a spirit that does not come from God.  2 Timothy 1:7 tells us that “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound (sane) mind.”  Fear cannot have a hold on it unless we allow it. With the power of God within us, we can get rid of those fears.

            Of all the different fears we must face, there is one fear that uncountable people ignore and it should cause us to tremble and that is the fear of the Lord.  This is not the kind of fear that makes you terrified of what can happen to you. It is a type of fear on knowing who God is and the power that is connected to God Almighty.  There are many who have no respect for God or his words in the Bible.  They don’t even believe that God is the same yesterday and today. 

            It is so important that in the last book of the Old Testament, Malachi 3:16, God gave us this warning.  “Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, And the LORD listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the LORD And who meditate on His name.”  If you understand the Word of God, you will understand what the Fear of the Lord is.  God has all power over everyone and everything.

            God has told us in Hebrews 13:5, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  We can count on that because He said it.  If you understand the power of God we can say without fear of man, “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (13:6) 

            If you believe the Word of God and act on it, you will also understand the Fear of the Lord.  You know that what God says will happen, will really happen.  If you don’t believe in God, don’t worry, the die is cast and you will end up in Hell. Your name will not be written in the Book of Remembrance at the end of days.

            The wonderful thing is that the Savior is still knocking at the door of your heart waiting for you to let Him in.  The love and forgiveness of God is beyond our understanding.  He will be waiting for you until you take your last breath.  After that there is nothing even God can do. 

You must know that there are only two things that can control you in life; one is God and the other is Satan.  “For you are a slave to whatever controls you.” (2 Peter 2:19)  You may think you are free to do what you want during your lifetime, but in actuality you only have two choices.  You may not know you have already made that choice.  Just know that you can change the outcome by turning to God.   

            In times past, I cried to God and he delivered me from all my fears, just like in Psalm 24:4.  God turned my life around and since then my name has been written in the Book of Remembrance.  I thank God that he heard my cry and set me free, and I pray the same for each of you.  “Lord, bring the cries of your people to your ears and set each one free.”  Amen!