Category: Uncategorized

In Jeremiah there is a story of a group of people who were just to stiff necked to turn to the Lord.   No matter  how many died, no matter how many wars they fought, they just would not turn to God.  And then, finally one day, they did.  They asked Jeremiah to pray for them to our Lord.  They asked Jeremiah to pray to God that “the Lord you God may show us the way wherein we may walk and the things we may do”

And God, despite the many times the people had ignored Him, was merciful because He loved them!  And God told them if they would “abide in this land than I will build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up….”

Our nation has ignored the Will of God many times over the past few decades.  But we don’t have to continue on that path.  We can turn to our Lord and pray just as the people in Jeremiah’s time did.  We can turn to God and He will be merciful because He loves us!

Praying for our nation,  In God We Trust, Theresa

There can be no doubt that if there is one thing we want to know during these difficult time, it’s that we want to know we are doing exactly what God wants us to ?.   And no matter how hard we try, it can be difficult to know that we are.

I read something recently by F.B. Meyer who was a famous Pastor many years ago from London.  A friend of D.L. Moody’s, he was a Baptist Preacher.  And I thought he put it really well.  He spoke of there being three lights guiding us. “ God’s Word (The Bible), God’s Providence (Circumstances) and the Holy Spirit (thoughts from God)”

In praying and thinking about it, that does simplify it quite a bit ?.  If we are feeling there’s an action we should take or a direction we should go, then it should fall within those parameters.  If God wants a door open, He will open it (God’s Providence).  If God wants us to do something, it won’t contradict His Word (The Bible).  And we will have peace about it (The Holy Spirit).  And if what we want to do falls within all of these, than we can be pretty sure that we are in God’s Will. 

Of all of these though, most important is the Guidance of the Holy Spirit, who God sent to be our Comforter.  The Holy Spirit IS God’s Confirmation of Living in His Will. 

John 14:26 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

²⁶ But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

And be comforted by this, God counts your effort!  If you choose “wrongly”, but sought God’s Guidance through prayer and all of the above.  Know that God loves you and appreciates your love for Him and your efforts to seek His guidance. 

2 Chronicles 7:14 King James Version (KJV) 

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

As we listen to the news, more and more they are talking about the possibility that the virus was actually from a Wuhan Bio-Weapons Lab. And if that is true, we need to also ask the question: Was it on accident or on purpose?

Fortunately for us, God doesn’t say He will only heal our land if it was an accident-He says He will heal our land. So in the face of these new questions, the answer for us is still the same: Repent and Pray, because God always keeps His promises 🙂

My Dear Friends,

It’s Easter Monday and we are still in our houses.  I have to admit, that I, like President Trump, was hoping for a miracle too!  But perhaps the miracle already happened, over 2,000 years ago.  Jesus died for us so that we might go to Heaven.  It doesn’t get more miraculous than that ?

But we don’t really talk about Heaven enough, and perhaps we should.  These are difficult times, we should know what it is we are looking forward too, what it is that our faith will bring us too.  That Jesus will bring us to.

John Burke wrote a book, “Imagine Heaven”.  My cousin John told me about it and I love some of Heaven’s descriptions. Here’s one:

“The fragrance that permeated Heaven was so gentle and sweet, I almost didn’t notice it amid all there was to see and hear.  But as I looked at the delicate, perfect flowers and grass, I wanted to smell them.  Instantly, I was aware of a gentle aroma.  As I focused, I could tell the difference between the grass and the flowers, the trees and even the air.  It was all so pure and intoxicating, and blended together in a sweet and satisfying scent.”

The book is available on Amazon.  I have to admit I haven’t read the whole book yet.  But there is one thing I can share with each of you personally, Heaven is a Real Place.  It’s not some cloud or mystical place.  It’s real.  It’s like the Garden of Eden.  It’s more.  More and better than we are capable of imagining.

So when the going gets tough, look up, Christ draws near ?

In God We Trust,

Theresa

In any dangerous situation, there is both fear and opportunity.  As someone reminded me on FB this may be the season of the virus, but it is also the season of lent.  The season of repentance and the season of hope.  Repentance not only for the  mistakes we have made, but the things we failed to do-but should have.  And a season of hope for the celebration of our Lord’s great love and sacrifice for us is coming.  So during the next few weeks, as we all stay at home.  Perhaps we can change our focus from what we fear here on earth to what we put our hope in-Jesus Christ.

I feel so good at it sometimes, but I realized that while I am good at trusting God never to give me more than I can handle; I am not nearly as good at trusting God with those I love because I don’t want anyone I love to suffer.  I need to work on that ?

Because if God will never give me more than I can handle, then He will never give those I love more than they can handle ?

With Martin Luther King Day fast approaching, one can’t help but think of the many issues regarding race that plague our nation.  And they do plague our nation.  But I think there is an answer, and the answer lies in loving each other, and in having compassion-on all sides.  Both of which Christ calls on us to do.

There are so many in this community who have experienced first hand what it was like to have a mother who is very ill, or a child, and yet could not bring them to the best available hospital simply because of the color of their skin.  Can you imagine?  I can’t.  If my child was sick, and they have been, there is absolutely no question that we would bring them to the very best place we could to get them help.  I truly can’t imagine not being able to get my children, or my Mom, the best possible care simply because of the color of our skin.  How horrific!  How horrible!  I can’t even imagine!  So for this, and many other issues, as white people we owe our black brothers and sisters an apology.  Did we do it, no.  But no matter our innocence, someone should apologize.  It’s not nearly enough, but it is what we can offer.

There is another step to solving the issues of race relations.  It’s that some of our brothers and sisters who happen to be African-American need to learn compassion for us as well.  Many already have that, some don’t.  As a white person, I can assure you that I have challenges that I face every day!  I hope my African American brothers and sisters understand that just because I am white does not mean that I don’t suffer.  I do.    Christ called upon each of us to love one another.  He didn’t say, “love those who are like you”.  He said, “love each other”.  Jesus doesn’t see the color of our skin.  Nor does He see the many other ways we divide ourselves.  He doesn’t see political parties, or economic standing or neighborhoods. He just sees us, each one of us.  And He loves us, each and every one.  And so should we