Bundage

Yesterday was Good Friday - a day we Christians set aside to honor our Lord and Savior Jesus. He was killed on a Friday and was brought back to life on Sunday. THAT was amazing. But there is another amazing twist to the story and it took place 1500 earlier.

The story of Moses and The Ten Commandments. Life was good for the Israelites in Egypt until a new pharaoh took over. He made them all into slaves. The were in bondage to him.

In the movie The Ten Commandments, Charlton Heston (Moses) pronounces the word bondage and "bundage" - at least it sounds that way to my family. We like to say the word along with him and then we laugh when we watch that movie each year.

But eing in bondage is not a good thing. Ir's not funny at all. It's basically like being a slave. It IS being a slave. Did you know that you are in bondage right now? You are. So am I. We are ALL in bondage to sin. Only the part of the pharaoh in OUR movie is played by Satan. And guess who plays the part of Moses? No, it's not Charlton Heston. It's Jesus. HE is OUR promised deliverer.

Watch what Moses does throughout the movie. Simplify it. Distill is down. What are the things he does? Well, he has compassion for his people who are in bondage. And so Jesus has compassion for us in our sin. As the deliverer Moses confronts pharaoh. Jesus will judge Satan and triumph over him. Moses performed miracles. So did Jesus. Moses freed God's people. So did Jesus. Moses took God's people to the promised land. So does Jesus. Moses followed the will of God. So does Jesus. Get the point?

Jesus can save YOU from the bondage of sin. All you must do is follow the deliverer and you will be set free.

"Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin." - John 8:34

Just before God gave Moses the Ten Commandments he spoke these words . . .

"2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." - Exodus 20:2

Watch the movie for yourself. See how many similarities between Moses and Jesus YOU can find. It's amazing.

Exodus, Bondage & The Ten Commandments

65

Well, I made it. Today is my 65th birthday! I'm feeling pretty good, all things considered. I'm kind of excited actually. Why? Because I am about to venture into territory I have never explored before. Retirement!

My next blog, the one after this one, will be written by a retiree. Hey. Maybe my stories will be better written. I'll have more time to look them over before I post them. LOL!

The first thing I am going to do though on Monday morning is sleep in. For me that's 6 AM. If I can make it until then I'll be doing good. I'm excited to get going and I don't want to miss a single day.

When 6:30 rolls around though I'm going to be a little sad. That's usually the time I can be found at work, praying with my precious friend and workmate, Gayle. That's going to be a tough one for me. She is the one who got me thinking about Jesus and was instrumental in my upbringing as a new believer. But our friendship will last forever and I will stop back in at work every chance I get.

Jesus told us that we are supposed to love one another. That's easy for me to do. God has gifted me many wonderful friends at McMahon (where I work . . until this weekend). I love them and will miss them all.

I am also looking forward to spending more time with my wife Bev. Because she only works four days a week, every weekend from now on will now be a three-day weekend! I see many trips in our future. And breakfast together? That has never happened except on weekends. It will happen every day now though! :O

And of course there is the tiny home I am building. I am looking forward to that, spending time pounding nails with a few of my other retired friends. That will be nice. Especially when it will be used by someone in need.

But I think the thing I am looking forward to the most is spending more time with God. He always seems to get put last in our lives. We always have things to do and places to go and we often leave Him behind. That's not going to happen when I retire. God will get my first fruits of every day. That's the way it should be. The way it shall be.

There are those who fear change. They would rather keep things the way they were. They're comfortable. But "comfortable" is not where Jesus is found. We tend to seek Him only when we are struggling. We should seek Him always. Period.

I look forward to maintaining my earthly relationships while growing my heavenly one. The horizontal, and the vertical. The cross of Christ draws me close and that is where my joy is found . . . At the cross. The wonderful cross.

“Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.” - Proverbs 16:31

At The Cross - Chris Tomlin
The Wonderful Cross - Chris Tomlin & Matt Redman
What A Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong

Falling Inside The Black

(photo by Katherine Chase)

I was searching for some photos to use on a web site when I happened upon this beauty. I like the photo because it tells a story. A sad story though. A story about being left behind or falling through the cracks perhaps. A sign of what's wrong in our country. And what's wrong with our hearts.

I was in town this past Friday, measuring up a building for some gratis work my company is doing at a local non-profit. I was talking to their volunteer coordinator about a young man the had been there as a client. He struggled with some mental health issues. They tried everything to help this guy but nothing seemed to work. He either couldn't be helped or wasn't interested in being helped at all.

Last week he went missing from the facility he was at. Three days later they found his body in a nearby river. Sad. There simply is no helping some people I guess, but that doesn't stop people from wanting to help or from trying to. It breaks people's hearts when they hear that there is no longer any hope.

I look at this photo and a verse keeps repeating in my head. It's Jesus speaking to His disciples.

"The poor you will always have with you." - Matthew 26:11

Why did Jesus say that?

I think he said it because the sick and the poor WILL always be with us . . . FOR us . . . as a test. The sick and the poor in our lives may be there for us so God can see just how we treat them. A test to see how "healthy" WE are, how "RICH" we are.

Are we spiritually rich enough to have compassion on someone who has a mental illness? Are we spiritually healthy enough to have that desire to help the sick and the hurting?

The news these days is filled with people who are struggling to fit in. When no one notices them or seems to care about them, they lash out at society. They fight back, in their usually fatal way, at the very people (in general) who have abandoned them. Even at the ones who could help them!

We, as a society, are failing the Jesus test. We choose to ignore the mentally challenged and often just stand by as we watch them slip through the cracks and fall into the black abyss below. We need more people to be Jesus in the lives of the mentally ill. More people to lift them up in prayer. More people to fill the cracks . . . with hope.

Falling Inside The Black - Skillet
My Son was a Columbine Shooter - Sue Klebold

The Little Things

We all go through life, day after day after day. It can be pretty boring, like we're stuck in a rut. It's almost like we can switch off our brains and simply go through the motions. But them something happens. Something NOT expected, NOT ordinary. A wonderfully amazing gift of grace and love and . . . banana bread.

I am retiring this coming Friday and these last few weeks have been atypical for me. Like yesterday when I picked up my paycheck. I thought, "This is my second to LAST paycheck! Yikes!!" I have been talking with co-workers more. Treasuring every conversation as if it were the last because it just . . . might . . . be. :O

As I was making coffee at work this week a lady came up to me and reached into her pocket. She pulled out a zip lock bag and gave it to me saying, "Here. I baked some banana bread last night and this is for you. We're really going to miss you around here."

Awww. How special. How sweet. That made my day. The slightest little gesture can change someone's entire outlook on life. That got me thinking about MY life? Do I do random things like that to pour into someone else's life? I might do a few things but I don't do enough of them.

Wednesday was my wife's birthday. I bouht her a card. She likes getting cards. The only trouble was she was and hour and a half away, baby sitting our granddaughter. It would have been the first time we had ever been apart for our birthdays on 40 years of marriage. Would have been.

I drove an hour and 40 minutes after work and hand-delivered her card. It was a little thing but it made her day.

Is there someone in your life right now who could use a little cheering up? I'm guessing that there is. So what could you do for them today? Just something simple. Send an encouraging text, Call someone. Open a door for someone. Let someone go ahead of you in whatever line you are in.

 We have been given much by our amazing God. Let's keep it going by giving freely to those around us. In that way they will notice our love. It's a simple way to "let our light shine bright" :)

^"16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." - Matthew 5:16

Lights Shine Bright - TobyMac

Remnants

Have you ever felt alone, even  sitting among hundreds of other people in church? I have. There's a reason for that and it's not you. It might be because . . . you're a remnant.

The most beautiful things can be made out of absolute discarded things. Bits and pieces of metal can be turned into valuable sculptures. Scraps of wood can be made into beautiful furniture. And old faded fabric remnants can be turned into a beautiful quilt. Each one of God's children is capable of turning into something special. How? By becoming exactly what God created His church to be. A beautiful quilt made out of remnants.

A remnant is defined as "a small remaining quantity of something." The Bible says that there will be a remnant of believers in the last days. It kind of feels like those "last days" are happening right now, doesn't it?

I heard a radio talk show this week about the Remnant Church and Remnant Believers. It inspired me to write this story. If the following sounds familiar to you, perhaps YOU are one of the remnant.

What Is A Remnant Believer?

1. Remnant Believers are people longing for a "solid" church and a pulpit that will address issues of the day as well as the nearness of the Lord's return. A remnant believer wants a church that will not fear offending with the truth and that certainly will confront apostasy.
2. Remnant Believers have offended friends and family simply by telling them the truth of our times or for sharing information that is relevant to our time. This will often bring on mocking and scoffing. At the least it results in irritated indifference and this does not daunt a remnant believer and does not keep them quiet.
3. Remnant believers will travel across town or across country to attend events that present information about which the church is silent.
4. Remnant Believers often feel isolated and misunderstood even though they have the truth and the nay-sayers, quite frankly, are clueless.
5. Remnant Believers see our times darkening but remain enthusiastic that this is but a herald of His coming, not signs of doom and gloom.
6. When a remnant believer finds someone who is of kindred spirit, frankly it is like discovering a gold mine.
7. Such believers often had a very solid church but it went haywire. A little leaven can in, it ruined the whole loaf, then they began a long journey searching for a new church which may take years. In some cases decades.
8. Very often these believers approach their church leadership to talk to them about these things but they are usually shut out.

Is that you? Have you ever experienced any of these things? ALL of these things? If you are a remnant believer, take heart. You are one of the few.

The first church I belonged to as a new believer was wonderful, at first. I was excited and began to grow. But then I read the Bible and began to examine both myself and the church. The more I read God's Word the more I found the church lacking. Teachings contrary to the Word of God began to sneak in. I was really troubled by what was going on yet most of its members thought everything was acceptable. Normal. I eventually left after being unsuccessful in my Bible-based efforts in front of the church council.

The world is filled with different faiths, different denominations, but there is only ONE "Church." THEE church. The bride of Christ. The Remnant. I hope you are one.

13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." - Matthew 7: 13-14

The Loneliness of The Remnant Believer - Jan Markell

The Eyes of Generations

My wife and I were in Michigan this past weekend. It was interesting watching all of our family's grand kids playing together. But what I found most enjoyable was watching the older generation watching the younger. The look in their eyes was . . . wishful.

The grandchildren in our family are full of energy. They play hard and long. They go to bed reluctantly because they'd rather be playing and laughing and having fun.

My wife and I belong to the older generation. Just when the kids really get going in the evening, we're ready to head to bed - tired from a busy day of watching the kids. LOL!

This is nothing new to most families. Generation after generation we all grow older. The energy of our youth fades with age until one day, we find ourselves remembering when WE were young and filled with energy.

Two members of our family are currently battling cancer. The looks in their eyes this past weekend were even more envious than the rest of us. No. Envious is not the right word. Appreciative is more like it.

Life is a precious thing. We spend it all too quickly. If only there were some way to get more of it so we could really live life to the fullest. Well . . .

^"3 I heard a loud voice coming from heaven. It said, “See! God’s home is with men. He will live with them. They will be His people. God Himself will be with them. He will be their God. ⁴ God will take away all their tears. There will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All the old things have passed away.” ⁵ Then the One sitting on the throne said, “See! I am making all things new." - Revelation 21:3-5

Jesus makes all things new. ALL things. He will make the old new again.

"50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. " - 1 Corinthians 15:50-53

The Heavenly Bodies - Ron Rhodes on Understanding The Times with Jan Markell
Forever Young - Rod Stewart

This Is Why

Are you struggling with something right now? Maybe it's an illness or a physical disability. Do you think Jesus actually cares? I'm sure He does. But do you think his main interest is in healing you? You might be surprised by the answer to that question.

On my way home from work one night this week I was listening to the keynote speech from the 2013 National Religious Broadcasters Convention. It was given by Joni Eareckson Tada - a Christian author, speaker, radio host . . . and quadriplegic.

She spoke about what it was like when, as a 13-year-old, she dove into a t00-shallow portion of Chesapeake Bay and severed her spinal cord between the fourth and fifth vertebrae. During her therapy, and subsequent decades of paralysis, she experienced anger, depression and suicidal thoughts and religious doubts. Understandable.

She prayed yet it seemed as if her prayers went unanswered. She began to question her faith. But God had something in mind for her BECAUSE of her paralysis. He wanted to use her to inspire others and she has done just that.

As I listened to her speaking she caused me to hear a Bible story from a totally new perspective - that of a paralytic. The Book of Mark.

^"32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. ³³ The whole town gathered at the door, ³⁴ and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.

³⁵ Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. ³⁶ Simon and his companions went to look for him, ³⁷ and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”

Why was everyone looking for Jesus? Well, it was because He was healing them. Wouldn't you bring a sick or dying relative to someone who could heal them? Of course!

But Jesus did something unexpected. He refused to heal any more. He left town. He left the sick and hurting and crippled in their infermeties.

Then came the verse that changed Joni's outlook on her paralyzed life.

^"38 Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” - Mark 1:38

He came to preach the good news. The healing was more of a way to get people to listen to the gospel. Jesus knew His time was short. He had to be about His Father's business.

The reason He didn't heal all of those who wanted to be cured or made whole was that, if they received the Gospel, if they believed in Him, they would be getting brand new glorified bodies in heaven. For all eternity. Why spend time healing Earth's failing physical bodies when He could offer someone the opportunity of eternal life with perfect bodies . . .    forever.

Which would YOU rather have?

Joni Eareckson Tada Speaks at The 2013 NRB Convention

Oh, and the photo at the top of the page . . . it was painted by Joni . . . with her mouth.

Squeegee

Each year in the spring my wife and I hire some people to come clean our windows. We really enjoy looking out the spotless windows. We don't like looking through dust, dirt and cob webs. That stuff spoils everything.

In the Book of John there is a story about Jesus restoring the sight of a man born blind. The Pharisees were upset because Jesus healed the blind man on the Sabbath and therefore must not be from God. The formerly blind man did not change his story however, proclaiming that Jesus WAS from God.

^"30 The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. ³¹ We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. ³² Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. ³³ If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” - John 9:30-33

There are a few interesting things to remember in that passage of scripture. The first one is that God only hears the prayers of His children. Those of us who have not surrendered our hearts to God's will . . . will receive nothing.

The other piece of scripture worth noting here is that Jesus did indeed open his eyes. Does that mean that this man was born without sin? Well, it doesn't say THAT specifically that the man was not born blind BECAUSE of sin. But it DOES say WHY the man was born blind. Read verses 1-3.

"As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. ² His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
 
³ “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him." - John 9:1-3

This blind man had his "windows cleaned" by God. So have all of us who believe in Him. And now that OUR eyes have been opened we can see clearly see the truth in God's word. We are no longer blind to the ways of this world. We are aliens here. But we are aliens with perfect eyesight. Clean windows.

²² “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. ²³ But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" - Matthew 6:22-23

"You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness." - 1 Thessalonians 5:5

We are children of The Light. Our eyes have been opened. Our windows cleaned. We need to keep them clean, and our hearts pure, by filtering what we allow to penetrate and find a home. We are to honor God in all things. If the things that come in through our "windows" are clean to begin with, the things that enter our minds and go out through our mouths will be as well.

Open Up Your Eyes - Jeremy Camp

Time

The overarching theme from this past weekend seemed to be time. From days gone by to dreams and hope for the future. It all began Friday, experiencing tastes of past present and future. All at the same time.

My wife spent the day watching our granddaughter Emma. What better representation of hope for the future than a young child being held by her grandmother.

While my wife was doing that I was at a home show as part of a ministry group I'm in, offering "wholeness and hope for the future."

Saturday my wife and I traveled to Milwaukee to celebrate her dad's 91st birthday. All three of his daughters were there. Grandchildren were present as well. Then, while we were eating, an older grey-haired man kept walking by our table wearing a Pink Floyd tee shirt - probably a fan since his teens. Another representation of "time."

Then my wife and I met with a former pastor of mine to discuss future plans for a present ministry. Past, present and future all sitting at a table together.

Then, before we went to bed Saturday night, my wife and I set all of the clocks ahead an hour - a daylight savings time thing. It's more of a sleep deprivation thing if you ask me. Man thinking he can control time. Pfft.

Sunday morning my wife and I woke up, deprived of 60-minutes of our sleep. And why? Does it really matter? Then, as I dressed, I looked out the window. Our apple tree was shaking. Why? Because there was a partridge sitting in it, looking back at me.

My wife said, "I've never, ever seen that before and probably never will see it again. Yet another indicator of time.

We humans act like we are masters of time, yet we never seem to have enough of it. As I get ready to retire in three weeks the general perception is that I will have time to do whatever I want, but the vast majority of retirees say they are so busy they wonder how they ever got things done before they retired.

There is only one master of time and that is God. Time means nothing to Him.

"But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day." - 2 Peter 3:8

As we watch the news tonight we might find ourselves thinking about the past and how much better things were back then. We might also wonder about the future. Is there any hope in the future if the news of today is a representation of the present? Scary. Yet there IS hope.

There is tremendous hope for those who have placed their faith and trust in Jesus. God has promised that by doing that one thing we may have eternal life. Time will no longer matter to us. And if that is the case, and God cannot lie, then sign me up. Oh, wait. I already made my reservations. Have you?

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." - John 3:16

The future begins right now! Grab hold of it.

"The tolling of the iron bell, calls the faithful to their knees." - Pink Floyd

Time - Pink Floyd

Pick Up Your Cross

"6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." - Isaiah 53:6

That verse really bothers me. It bothers me because I am one of the straying sheep and it was my iniquity, partially, that nailed Jesus to the cross - dying - paying for MY sins with His very life.

Does that make you feel guilty at all? That someone died in your place so that you might live? It eats at me constantly. And what's REALLY frustrating is that no matter how hard I try, no matter what good deed I might do, it will never, EVER, be good enough to balance out the scales. I will never be able to pay Him back.

But that's just it. Jesus doesn't WANT to be paid back. He wants us to live. And to love.

Here's another verse that's been eating at me this week.

^"24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." - Matthew 16:24

What does He mean, "MY cross?" What IS my cross? I think we can figure out what our cross is by examining what HIS cross was. Yes, Jesus died on His cross but what did that cross represent?

Jesus was obedient to His Father. He asked that God "take this cup from me" yet He willing died  - following Hid Father's wishes. How do WE do that? Are we that obedient? No. Yet we have been commanded to be obedient.

I have heard people grudgingly say, "Well, that's my cross to bear." It's always about something they have been forced to do like "I lost my leg in the was. I guess it's my cross to bear."

I think what "pick up your cross" is supposed to mean is to sacrifice OUR lives for God. As Jesus said when He asked God to "take this cup from me", "Not MY will but YOURS." Sacrifice our sin-filled life for Jesus. We are to pick up OUR cross, sacrifice OUR lives, in submission to the Father.

What is God's will then, that we might walk in it and thereby please our Heavenly Father?

Love.

What's the first a greatest commandment according to Jesus?

"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" - Luke 10:27

Love one another.

"As I have loved you, so you must love one another." - John 13:34

How do we demonstrate our love for God? 

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. - John14:15
 
I fail at that. I never seem to be able to follow ALL of God's commands. So what do we do?

We try. When we fail, repent. Then we try again. Jesus said follow me, not catch up to me and pass me. Let us follow God's example. Let us sacrifice our sinful lives for The One who sacrificed His. Not by our hanging on the cross but my following Him to that cross and laying everything down at His feet.

Jesus died once for all so that we might have life. Let us surrender our lives to Him, not ON a cross but AT the cross.

At The Cross - Chris Tomlin

Who Done It?

What does a late 50's black and white television show about a private detective have to do with a 21st century example of a successful marriage? Plenty!

Before I give you the answer to that opening question I'd like you to read a portion of Ephesians 5 for me and keep it in mind as you continue to read.

"Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." - Ephesians 5:1-2 & 21

Some read those verses and think about a husband and wife submitting to one another in the bedroom. It goes much deeper than that. When I read that verse about submitting to one another it's about sacrifice. Sacrificing our personal desires for the sake of something bigger. Enter Peter Gunn.

When my wife and I eat dinner it is usually in the living room watching television. Television and I don't play well together. Most of the shows my wife watches I'd just as soon pass by. Cooking shows, Good Morning America, Hallmark movies - you get the picture.

One thing I have discovered though is this: My wife and I both enjoy a good mystery. That's one type of TV show we can sit down and watch together. This past fall we were watching Perry Mason. Now it's Peter Gunn. Before those shows it was Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Homes. See the pattern?

We have found something we like to do together and we do it. Intentionally. I personally would rather turn off he television while my wife would love to sit and watch The Sound of Music all night long. But we have found some common ground . . . in Peter Gunn.

The theme song for the show is now sung around the house - a reminder of us doing something . . . together. As relationships age people can sometimes grow apart. Successful marriages are those that find a way to stay together even though interests change. Often, by sacrificing and submitting to the other's desires, we can actually grow closer to one another. Pretty good advice from Paul!

How is your relationship with Jesus going? Is it thriving? Or are you and Jesus growing apart? If you are feeling distant from Him, take some steps to get closer. We are always the ones who stray, not Him. Relationships take work!

Do you like to read? Read the Bible! Do you like to sing? Sing hymns of praise! How high can your love for Jesus grow if you nurture it and feed it and water it and care for it? Well, how high is the moon?

How High The Moon - Lola Albright (from the Peter Gunn TV show)
Peter Gunn Theme - Henry Mancini

Beneath The Surface

I have heard it said that nine tenths of an iceberg is actually hidden beneath the surface. From what I have observed in life, the same thing can be said for us humans as well.

Life is full of "situations" and "drama", lessons learned and things best forgotten. What we must do is remember one thing. Just like the iceberg, God has given US the ability to "float" as well.

Reality check - ice is heavy. So why doesn't it sink? It is its nature to float. Ice simply cannot sink. Why? Because that's the way God made it. He designed it that way.

We humans are slightly different.  Although we desire to float above life's struggles, our heads above water, sometimes we feel like we're going to sink. And sadly, sometimes we do.

Did you know it is actually easier to float in salt water than fresh water? I should have taken swimming lessons in the ocean rather the ole swimmin' hole. I would have had a better shot at learning.

We all have things hidden under the surface. They can weigh us down tremendously. We have  the desire to float - our heads raised above the surface of it all - but how do we do that?

I think God had our survival in mind when He gave us earthly friends to talk to. God places people in our lives to support os and encourage us . . . to help us keep our heads above water. Do you have friends that do that for you? I do. They are a gift from God! Treasure them. Cherish them. God has given them to you! Why? Because He loves you!

God wishes that none of us would perish (2 Peter 3:9). He has made it possible for us to have eternal life with Him (John 3:16). All we have to do is surrender our hearts and will to Him and we will float higher than any iceberg ever could.

Seek out your trusted friends when it feels like you're going to sink. That's why they are there! God has given them to you. Use them. Lean on them! When we're drowning, don't we always reach out in some way?

"9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." - Ecclesiastes 5:9-12

God has created us, in His love, to be in relationship with Him. AND to be in relationship FOR Him. We all have scars, we all are just glued together pieces, many of which are beneath the surface. Let us go to God with our broken pieces and let us let Him make us whole once again.

Pieces - Red

So Who Are You?

Until yesterday I didn't even knew her name. Come to think of it, I have never actually seen her face either. She was always wearing a mask. Yet she seemed familiar to me, like we had met before, but we hadn't. Like we knew each other all our lives, but we didn't. Like we were . . . family.

This old body of mine was in the shop for some repair work this month. Physical therapy for my aching shoulder. As I sat in the waiting room for my first appointment a grey-haired woman came towards me wearing a mask. The per-registration lady for my physical therapist.

"What are you reading?" she asked.

"The Bible. The Book of Revelation," I replied.

"Ooooooh! That's wonderful . . . . Brother."

It says in The Book of Ephesians that all believers in Jesus Christ will be sealed. Hmm. I wonder. What if "the seal" was in our brains or our hearts? And what if we would just KNOW who other believers were.

Well, I can tell you with 100% certainty that my masked friend and I knew that the other was a believer just by having a two minute conversation.

"And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit," - Ephesians 1:13

Does God's Holy Spirit allow us to recognize other believers? I think He does! Are all brothers and sisters linked in some subconscious way, joined together in one eternal family through the Holy Spirit? I think we are!

Before I left my new-found sister yesterday we had a brief conversation.

 "What church do you go to?" she asked.

"Calvary Chapel - Waupaca"

"What!?! We go to Calvary Chapel - Appleton!"

"What's your pastor's name?"

"Pastor Dave."

"Yes! I heard his wife speak at a women's conference in Green Lake. Wonderful woman ."

"Vicki."

"YES!"

I suppose we could have talked all day but it was time to get back to work. I gave her a hug and said, "Your name. I don't even know your name."

"Sherry."

"Well, see you later Sherry (in heaven). It was nice to meet you."

I will most likely never see my "sister" again - in this life. That's okay. I will see her again in heaven. I will get to meet her husband and hear about their kids. And we all can sit around, talking about our amazing God who provides for our every need and protects us from the evil one. And the fact that He has adopted us into His family, in love.

Oh, and how will those people who do NOT believe in Jesus. How will they know we are Christians? That one's easy. By our love. Our love for one another - believers and non-believers alike.  "They will KNOW that we are Christians by our love."

By Our Love - For King And Country