"The Cruise" Part 1

Majesty of the Seas by Royal Caribbean   

Some undisclosed person or persons chose our associate pastor and his wife to be the messengers of some incredible news.

Our pastor's wife visited with us one Sunday morning after church and asked us what our plans were for Feb. 24-27.  JR was telling her how he was planning to run someone's lawn business that week while the owner and his wife

 (who also happen to be very good friends of ours)

were going on a Caribbean cruise to the Bahamas

with Sail & Sing Christian Cruise.

Our pastor's wife visited for awhile and said she had been sent by someone to see what our schedule was over those dates.

OK....?!

While we knew there was a cruise leaving from Miami in February, and our son, his girlfriend and her family, along with many other people we knew were going on a cruise.  We had talked earlier of how we would enjoy going, 

had prayed about it, but it appeared that financially,

 it was not an option.

On the way home from church we discussed the possibility that those dates she quoted might possibly be the same dates of the cruise and briefly mentioned the possibility of someone sending us on a cruise but quickly dismissed it as not too apt to happen and also knowing JR had committed to running a lawn business! 

When we got home we asked Derek about the dates of the cruise and interestingly enough, the dates matched!

 A week passed in which time we left for Ministers' Enrichment Weekend in Lancaster, PA. where we had a very enjoyable time. We were barely home when again, the phone rang...

the same message bearer with more news.

I got goose bumps up and down my arms as I was informed that "someone" had purchased 2 tickets for JR and I and we were to be ready to leave on in three weeks!!  I had to sit down and pinch myself to see if this was actually happening!

Sure enough, arrangements had been made, another worker had been lined up to run our friend's lawn business 

and confirmations were sent of our reservations!

WE WERE EXCITED!!

JR had mentioned through the years how he would love to go on a cruise sometime!  It never appealed to me that much because I don't like being on things I can't get off of and, while I love water, I wasn't too sure about not being able to see land. 

 Extra money was never in abundance, so a cruise seemed like a 

"maybe someday we'll go" thing.

But this time... I WAS AS EXCITED AS JR!!!

Travel documents were gathered, bags were packed, arrangements were made, and one early Monday morning the LaRaviere family stopped in to pick us up so we could all travel together to Miami 

in a 15-passenger van.

(more to follow on that!) 

As we neared the Port of Miami we were all eyes...

looking for the first glimpse of our ship.  

It didn't take long until we spotted it.

It was gargantuwa!!!  HUGE!

It was like a city on the water!

Matthew unloaded us all at the dock while he went to park the van.  Before we even left the dock and entered the ship, the porter recognized us as Christians and had asked for prayer. 

With opportunities like that, we knew this was going to be a

 God-trip and it was...over and over again!

Approaching the ship...

We entered Customs having no idea what we were doing but tried to look like well-seasoned travelers.

Derek (our son) ran into problems at Customs because he was under 21.  He pointed the attendant to us, his parents, so she sent him down to our line where they approved his travel abroad, and we all breathed a sigh of relief as we moved on through.

We walked through all the pass-ways and bridges with wide eyes...

we felt just a smidging like "Amish in the City"!

This is the middle of the ship showing all the different levels, stairways, elevators,  and shops.

And then we were off to find our room.

We were on the fifth floor in an inside room.

It was small but had plenty of room for two people.

I thought not having a window might bother my problem

of being claustrophobic but it didn't at all 

and it didn't take us long to realize how little time

is spent in your room on a trip like this!

Derek and his friends roomed right next to ours,

 right across from us was the Pollard family 

and scattered across the ship were many people we knew.  

Smiling, friendly porters from all over the world were available at all times to see if we needed anything. 

 Our rooms were cleaned twice a day. 

I think I could get used to this quite quickly!

 This little character was waiting in our room one night when we got back to it.  He was wearing JR's glasses and holding the remote control for us.  Different of his friends greeted us when we came in.

Departure from Miami was announced so up on top deck we all went to bid farewell to the United States of America.

 Last minute phone calls, texts, and facebook status' were done before we lost our cellphone service.

 Ahead lay open seas and lots of water!  Breath-takinglyBeautiful!

It felt surreal!  We were on a cruise! 

My first voyage out of the U.S!!

Sometimes a beautiful Hallelujah, sometimes a broken Hallelujah

Sometimes life is so good, it’s beyond your earthly comprehension. You stand and marvel at the incredible goodness of God. You rejoice with people as they open their hearts to the truth of God’s Word. You watch people pour their lives and love into each other. You watch people hunger and thirst for God. You watch them grow in their relationship with a loving God. You watch people forgive each other, overlook each other’s wrongs, and stand in unity and peace. You watch those incredibly hurt rise up with unexplainable grace. You watch a brotherhood of believers surround the weak, the poor, the needy, the sick, the lame, the helpless and you praise your Father for being privileged to be a part of this Family of God. Sometimes you sit alone and look around, your mind can hardly comprehend the blessings you have received, so far beyond your expectations and dreams, and you wonder, Why me, Lord? Why have I been so incredibly blessed? Your blessings are innumerable. Sometimes there are no words to describe the emotions of your spirit but a “beautiful Hallelujah“.

Sometimes life just hurts. You watch people suffer terrible loss. You suffer terrible loss. You watch people face rejection. You reject. You face rejection. You watch people judge others’ wrongly. You judge wrongly. You are judged wrongly. You watch friends lose loved ones in death, bent low with unspeakable grief. You watch relationships separate. You watch people hurt each other. You watch people leave, close friends, people you love and care about, and it leaves a hole in your heart. You suffer for following Christ and His Word. You watch people reject Christ and His Word. Sometimes the waves of pain go over your head. Sometimes your body shakes with overwhelming pain as you sob, crying out to your Heavenly Father to release you from His calling on your life. Sometimes it would be so much easier to forsake the cross of Christ and walk away from the pain and rejection of being a follower of Christ. Sometimes the only song you have is a “broken Hallelujah“.

Life holds both extremes. Both broken and overwhelmingly blessed. We all have experienced both. I’ve fallen on my face before God, begging Him to release me from His calling. I’ve waved my white flag of surrender before Him telling Him I was finished! He wouldn’t accept it. He merely smiled. He held me tight, reminded me of how much He loves me, and all He had suffered for Me. He reminded me of all the things He had suffered because of me. He didn’t give up. He didn’t wave a white flag of surrender. He kept His eyes on His Father, the goal, the purpose of His life here on earth. And He turned my eyes toward Himself, his goal, his purpose for my life here on earth. Following Christ does include carrying His cross. He says I need to take up my cross and follow Him. His cross means suffering for being His follower. His cross will become heavy, so heavy that I might almost stumble and fall beneath the weight. But His cross leads to eternal life. His cross represents His death, His suffering, His love. He carried His cross. He asked me to carry my cross.

When I pass through the valleys of life and wearily climb the mountain ahead, suddenly I look around and my strength is renewed. I see the sun shining so beautifully again and my breath is almost taken away at the incredible goodness of our God. I marvel at His blessings. The valleys before somehow don’t seem so deep and so dark. I marvel at how He uses people, sometimes people we don’t even know, to bless us with things far beyond what we expect or dream of.   Notes, cards, words, spoken and given at just the right time, not knowing how they were needed.

Prayers. There is nothing so simple and yet so profound and powerful as prayer. Even a child can pray. Aged people can pray. The handicap, weak, poor, rich, and weary can pray. We have yet to tap into the power of prayer, mainly because here in America we don’t really know our need for prayer. How sad. We are so busy, so independent, so proud, so self-sufficient that we don’t really know how much we need prayer. We don’t know how many miracles are done through prayer. How many needs are met, how many burdens are lifted, how many feet are kept from stumbling and falling, because we are too busy to pray. I am humbled by the prayers of people for me. I recognize that if it weren’t for the prayers of fellow believers I may have stumbled and fallen, the cross of Christ may have become too heavy, the suffering too great, the rejection and pain too deep, and I may have laid it aside and walked away. I am indebted to my brothers and sisters in Christ who have interceded for me, who have lifted me before the throne of Grace, before our gracious, merciful and loving Father, where I did find grace and strength in my times of great need. I recognize the debt I have to others to lift them before that same Father and that same throne of grace, and I am ashamed of my excuses for my lack of prayer. And once again I challenge myself to pray, pray, pray. Pray like never before, knowing the enemy of our soul is killing, destroying, and stealing souls. There is a falling away from Truth like I have never seen before but there also seems to be a turning to Truth, a turning to His Word in miraculous ways, too. There is a real battle going on because the devil’s days are being numbered. His time is short.

So if you, too, have pulled out a white flag of surrender, if you have stumbled beneath a heavy cross…put your flag away, stand up again and march strongly as a soldier of Christ.

When I am disappointed by others...Pray!

In my quiet time with God I have been going through a book

"A Woman's Call to Prayer"

by Elizabeth George

and have been challenged in quite a few areas of my life.

 

Today I studied on 'being disappointed by others'.

 

As much as I know that it will happen...

it always hurts when it does happen.

My heart wants to close the door on that hurt,

and sometimes I do for a short period of time,

but I know the day will come when Jesus will ask

to journey with Him into that room of my heart,

and talk about the hurt and disappointment.

For the most part, I love people. 

but sometimes it hurts to love people.

it hurts to care, and it hurts to be rejected.

I know that I could shut off my emotions,

 and sometimes I do that, too,

for a short amount of time,

because it hurts too much to feel, to care,

to be rejected and disappointed.

I also know that if I shut off my emotions

for too long the devil will sow his seeds

of bitterness and it will result in me

becoming hardened emotionally towards others.

Sometimes when Jesus and I walk into that room

and we talk through the pain,

He points out a root of bitterness that is trying

to spring up and grow in my heart.
He knows that I don't want it there so He uproots it

and throws it out.  Uprooting can hurt, too,

but in that hurt He pours love and forgiveness.

 

 

Moses was disappointed with his brother, Aaron. 

While Moses was up in the mountain

 meeting with God and fasting,

Aaron led the children of Israel in making a golden calf to worship.

God was so angry with His people that He wanted to destroy them,

and Moses must have felt deep disappointment.

He had invested so many years and so much time

teaching them the ways of God,

and so quickly they turned to idol worship.

But what was Moses' response?

He "fell down before the Lord",

explaining "for I was afraid...so I prayed." 

(Deut. 9:18-20)

What did Moses pray?

'Oh, these people have committed a great sin...

yet now, if You will forgive their sin--

but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which

You have written."

(Ex. 32:31-32)

Moses was willing to offer up not only

fasting and prayers on behalf of the people,

but also his life rather than see them

rejected, disowned, and destroyed.

 

Job prayed for his friends

after they wrongfully charged him with sin. 

 After receiving much criticism from his close companions,

 he prayed for them.

He had just endured the loss of basically everything that he had-

family, health, and wealth,

and was suffering from terrible pain.

Yet he was patient and humble!

 

Samuel, the prophet, priest, and judge whom God had designated and established to lead His people was soundly rejected by the people of Israel.  Yet in spite of their many unkindnesses and their ingratitude, Samuel could still pray for them because of his unselfishness and forgiving spirit.

What was his response?

"God forbid that I should sin against the Lord

 in ceasing to pray for you."

 

Could...would... I have done what Moses did for his brother Aaron, who knew better than to sin in the way that he did?

And would I have been able to do for my "friends" what Job did for his, to pray for them... after they had disappointed him,

 turned on him, let him down,

and raked him over the coals in wrongful judgment?

 

It is important that I grasp the meaning, the honor, the privilege, the seriousness, the duty--and the difficulty-- of this marvelous call to pray for others when they fail.

 

I must forgive.

"If I regard iniquity in my heart,

the Lord will not hear."

I cannot carry a grudge toward a person, or allow bitterness or resentment to take root in my heart.  If I do, I forfeit the opportunity to minister to that person through prayer.

My natural response is to write off those I am disenchanted with-- to no longer have anything to do with them, to distant myself from them.  But God's Word has a word for me here...

I am to "forgive as I have been forgiven."

I am also to help them.

I must set aside my disappointment, forsake the lectures, forsake the judgment, forsake the shock, and go to work helping and praying for them, "taking heed lest I fall." 

Correction, instruction, restoration, and rebuking are also biblical and necessary, but first I am to pray and help.

"If a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted."  Gal. 6:1

 

I must check my prayer list:

Am I praying regularly? daily?

Prayer is the sacred act that keeps my heart pure and right,

guileless and humble, no matter what a person has done

 to harm or disappoint me.

 

I must check my heart:

If there anyone I am failing to forgive?

A forgiving heart is one that can pray for others.

And if I can't/won't forgive, consider this:

"For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."

"Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall."

"Forgive us as we forgive others."

 

I must check my relationships:

God calls me to love others-- even my enemies.

                   LOVE your enemies,

                   DO GOOD to those who hate you,

                   BLESS those who curse you, and

                   PRAY FOR those who spitefully use you.

 

I must also remember:

that just as I have been disappointed in others,

I am sure I have disappointed others.

I must pray "Search me, O God, and know my heart....

see if there be any wicked way in me."

If you are reading this blog and have been

disappointed or wronged by me,

I beg you to forgive me.

 

Samuel, Moses, Job

Could I be added to such a list of pray-ers?

or forgive-ers?  of pure-hearted intercessors?

of helpers?

That's God's call to me and to you. 

We are to pray for others. 

 We are to pray for those we love...

and for those who don't love us.

We are to pray for those we appreciate...

and for those who have

disappointed us and failed in their love.

We are to pray for those who faithfully serve God...

and for those who have stumbled in their walk with Him.

We are to "bear one another's burdens,

and so fulfill the law of Christ."

Gal. 6:2

 

What a high calling!

A Sudden Change of Plans

What a summer this has been...
one we will not quickly forget!

 

Our journey north began in July...

we traveled together with JR's parents, who like to spend several weeks

in Pennsylvania each summer.  We always enjoy traveling with them.

Derek and Erica drove the other vehicle as far as Virginia,

where Derek took another route.

We were informed that we were traveling within a mile

of his girlfriend Rebecca's family's campground

so we stopped and met her and her family.

They live in a beautiful area of Virginia

and we were so happy that it worked out to stop and meet her and her family.
Rebecca and her sisters came up to Ohio for the weekend
and we enjoyed getting to know her and look forward
to seeing her more in Florida
and in the future!

 

 

After visiting for about an hour and a half, we headed on to Ohio.

It took us three hours to find a hotel to stay at that night so by early morning

we were ready to stay anywhere!  We came to the conclusion that someone

in that area needs to go into the hotel business!

 

The BMA Convention

We thoroughly enjoyed out time at Convention.

It is always so much fun to reconnect with friends, to be encouraged,

to pray together, to share together... and to laugh together

and sometimes to cry together.

 

So many good messages to take in.

So timely for today.

 

Experiencing the power of God and the comfort of His Spirit

when you are to speak and have a mix of emotions:

considering it such an honor and privilege to share God's Word

and what's He's done for me personally,

knowing the capability of speaking my own words and not God's,

 feeling so unworthy to speak

before such an honorable group of women.

The night before I was to speak there was a battle took place.

Several dear ladies, not knowing the inward battle I was facing,

asked if they could gather around me and pray for me.

 

We are in a spiritual battle!

 

I pray that I can be that kind of sister to my sisters...

standing with them in their battle.

What would we do without each other?!

 

Family

We had our own personal apartment in Ohio...

it's my parents' apartment at my sisters' house.

It is empty while Dad and Mom are in Michigan

so it becomes 'ours' when we are in the area.

After Convention we enjoyed spending two days with family...

Erica and her cousins went kayaking one day while my sister and I

went shopping at the little Amish stores and thrift stores.

We also stocked up on homeschooling curriculum, etc.

While there, we spent a delightful evening getting to know

another young ladies' parents...

Dustin's friend, Sari

We enjoyed having her spend last weekend with us here in Florida

and look forward to seeing much more out of her, too!

 

On to Michigan

When we get a chance to go to northern Michigan, we go!

Several of my brothers are farmers and I have a husband

 who loves driving big farm equipment...

so what is work to some is therapy and relaxation to him.

 

While he spent his days in the fields,

we, ladies, painted and decorated at my brother Don's house.

 

One aunt and three cousins....how can it not be fun?!

 

Lest you fear that we just worked while in Michigan,

let me assure you otherwise!

 

We had some meals together, and meals are not complete without

games, jokes, stories, laughter, and good times!

 Precious Little Ruby, Joel's granddaughter

 The Cup Song

 While there, Erica celebrated her birthday.

One of her dreams was to ride horse!

 Kyle and fiance' Anna's house

 Jeepin' with Uncle Dave!

Need I say more?!

 

 She's a city-girl but she loves those country toys!

She was doted on and spoiled rotten by her uncles

and loved every minute of it!

 

Vacation was rapidly coming to an end...

a second coat of paint yet and some trim around the outside door

when suddenly, our plans were changed drastically!

 

I was standing on a 2-ft step ladder, only on the first step, reached way over

my head to finish a couple inches of trim that I could not reach

from the cement steps I was standing on.

Not realizing the ladder was not latched open...

it collapsed and down I went...hard...on cement... as Erica watched it all unfold!

I sat back up, held my arm close to my body and tried to collect my bearings!

 

JR came in from the field immediately when Erica called him,

my SIL  Michelle, who works in the medical field, and my mom came over

and all symptoms were pointing to a possible break.

 

The emergency room was 45 minutes away so JR and I headed that way.

Any bump or curve in the road brought pain!

Arriving at the ER in Grayling, we waited about 2 hrs before

having some xrays done.  Within a short time the medical assistant came into our room

and informed us that my shoulder was broken and they were suspicious of a second break!

Arg!  Not exactly what we were hoping to hear!

 

They ordered a CT scan and it confirmed a second break.

I had a compressed fracture and a ruptured ligament.

 

SURGERY.

TOMORROW.

No, please!

We are away from home.

We don't know these doctors.

Is this surgeon reliable?

Should we get a second opinion?

Can we wait for surgery until we get home?

PRAY!!

 

...and family and friends all over were praying.

There is power in prayer!

I felt those prayers.

 

The surgeon came in, sat on the bed, and answered as many of our questions

as he could.  No, it was not advisable to travel home because of the multiple breaks. 

If one of the pieces were to slip, it could pinch a nerve or an artery

and we would have to stop and have surgery in whatever city we were at.

The nurses all gave high recommendations for the surgeon but what

really helped make our decision was when JR talked to my SIL and she asked if we

happen to have Dr. Habib.  Yes, we have Dr. Habib.  Does she know him?

Not only did she know him, she recommended him,

and he had been the surgeon

for their family when a surgeon was needed.

 

<SO SURGERY WAS SCHEDULED>

 

They released us to go home for the night and return the next day for surgery.

Knowing that northern Michigan has a lot of deer out at night

who have a bad habit of running out in front of vehicles,

JR drove extra careful so as not to hit a deer and jar my arm at all.

As we were slowing down to enter a small, hick town;

a deer suddenly leaped in front of our car and in a split second,

the deer and car met each other!

We were at a loss for words as we stopped and JR got out to

evaluate the damage.

We were okay but the car and the deer suffered injuries!

It did jar my shoulder and it hurt for a bit

but within a short period of time it stopped hurting. 

Why would something like this happen

 on top of the trauma of a broken shoulder?

 

How comforting to know that our Father in Heaven

saw us traveling home that night,

He saw us enter that small, hick town,

He saw that deer,

He saw our crash,

He knew about my broken shoulder,

and it all passed through Him before it happened to us!

Knowing that and knowing how much my Father loves me,

 I can be okay with it!

 

We spent the night in my parent's apartment at my brother's house.

I slept on the couch, sitting up and pillows propped all around,

and my dear faithful husband

slept on a mattress right close by.

 

The next morning we stopped at the police station to report the deer accident

and then went back to the hospital for surgery.

 

Believe me, I was not without my moments of melt-downs!

 

Did the surgeon really have to tell us all the possible risks?

All the arteries that were running along side the incision?

A breathing tube?

Really?  I'd just as soon not know!

Fear sat on my bed, it whispered in my ear. 

I really tried not to listen but occasionally

it caught my attention.

But FAITH shooed it away.

My Father was present, too,

He saw, He knew, He cared

and guess what?!

As I was wheeled into surgery,

just before I went out into la-la land...

God gave me a visual picture of Jesus.

He was sitting on the end of my bed...

He went right into surgery with me!

Ha-ha!  Those doctors had no idea He was sneaking right into the operating room with me!

Actually, I think they did know. 

I think they, too, sensed the presence of Jesus!

 

The surgery lasted three hours.

The surgeon told JR he took extra time to make sure everything was done

as good as he could possibly do it.

 

Waking up.  PAIN.

Oh, how my arm hurt!

And my throat was so dry! 

They gave me meds which immediately eased the pain, 

ice chips felt so-o wonderful on my dry, dry throat. 

 

1 plate and 8 screws later,

and sporting a 6-inch incision....

 

That's my arm?

I still don't like to look at that,

while the boys think the metal is pretty cool!!

 

Our "vacation" was extended several days as the surgeon did not want me to travel

for five days.  I settled in on Mom's couch, began to figure out what all my left hand

can do, worked on accepting the things I couldn't do for myself,

had a couple "melt-downs" and nights when things seemed so overwhelming,

realized again that God's mercy and grace is new every morning,

felt so loved and cared for by my family.

 

 

 

Five days after surgery we packed up our luggage and prepared to head south.

First we had to stop in Grayling for a doctor's appointment

and receive permission to travel.

The medical assistant removed the large, thick bandage from my shoulder and arm,

looked at my incision, and declared that it was healing "insanely" well!!

Insanely?  No, it was a "God's touch" healing!

They left all bandages off and said I was free to travel directly home.

 

Traveling went very well with the assistance of plenty of pillows, some meds, stopping every

couple hours  to get out and stretch, etc.

The first night we stopped at my sister's house in Ohio and I slept in Mom's recliner.

Second night was at a hotel...no deal.  It didn't take long to discover that my

shoulder would not agree to me lying down in a bed. 

Lots of pillows, props, meds, and TV and the night passed pretty good.

Third night....Home, Sweet, Home!

The whole family all together again!

 

The first night was a "melt down" time after everyone went to bed.

So many things you want to do as a  wife and a mother,

and you can't! 

So many questions of trying to make sense of the "Why's".

But knowing confidently that tomorrow morning

when the sun came up God's mercy and grace would be there,

and I can testify that it was there every time!!

 

Soon it was on to finding an orthopedic doctor here,

more x-rays, more appointments,

and now on to physical therapy.

It's amazing how each doctor exclaims over the "insane" healing

and range of movement I have in my arm already.

They look at the records again to see how long since

I had surgery.

They are amazed at how well it is doing.

The physical therapist and the doctor both agree that it may not

require too much physical therapy and most of it

I should be able to do at home.

 

There's nothing "insane" about my arm...

but there is a lot "amazing" about it!

IT'S GOD!

and while His ways don't always make sense

to my ways....

I can confidently say that in ALL things

He is working for my good

and for His Glory!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How wholeheartedly am I following Christ?

I enjoyed and soaked in the Word of God yesterday (Sunday).   How blessed I feel to be a part of a church and to live in a country where the Word of God can be preached in complete freedom.  I was challenged once again in my own life. 

The message title was

"Raise the Standard". 

 I admit to being quite partial and biased with the pastor who delivered the message

(who also happens to be my beloved husband).

Standard:  represents something or a direction, it can also mean proclaiming truth.

Numerous Scripture passages were shared about God saying to "Lift up a standard"
Isaiah 49:22  "God will set up His standard"
Is. 62:10  "Lift up a standard for the people"
Jeremiah 4:6  "Set up a standard"
Jeremiah 50:2  "Set up a standard, publish it, proclaim it"
Jeremiah 51:12  "Set up the standard"
Jeremiah 51:27  "Set ye up a standard"

The "Standard" is the Word of God.

Jesus Christ is the Standard.

If there was ever a time that we need to raise up the standard....it is today!  Instead, the world and many, many churches are lowering the standard.  Recently I was listening to a Mennonite Conference being asked to completely embrace and accept homosexuality as Godly/Christian.  Does it not matter what Scripture says and what it calls sin?  If homosexuality and adultery aren't sin, then why is murder, sexual abuse, stealing, etc?  If we don't call sin what God calls sin, then who decides which one we call sin and which one we don't call sin?

Today so many people separate Jesus from His Word.  We have the idea that someone can commit their life to Christ, yet have very little to do with His Word.

Jesus and His Word are inseparable....they are one and the same.   John 1:1-4
The Bible is the Word of God.  It was God-breathed.  II Tim. 3:16
The prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit as they wrote.  II Peter 1:21

Recently our country decided to legalize homosexual marriages; it lowered the standard.  Today churches and conferences are looking for ways to make homosexual and adulterous marriages (and many other things the Bible calls sin) acceptable.  Again, lowering God's standard.  We shouldn't be shocked when unbelievers lower the standard but our hearts should be deeply grieved when those who profess Christ follow suit. 

I drank as these words were read across the pulpit: 

"If you follow Christ and His teachings; you are raising up the standard."
"When you love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength; you are raising up the standard for the world to see."
"When you love your neighbor better than yourself; you are lifting up Jesus Christ."
"Men, when you love your wife as Christ loved the Church and gave His life for it; you are raising up the standard."
"Ladies, when you respect your husband; you are raising up the standard."
"Children, when you obey your parents; you are raising up the standard."
"When you respect those in authority; you are raising up Jesus Christ."
"When you love your enemies; you are raising up the standard."
"When you deny yourself and take up your cross; you are raising up the standard."
"When you assemble yourselves together with other believers; you are raising up the standard."
"When you love the brotherhood; you are raising up the standard."
"When you are a living sacrifice; you are raising up the standard."
"When you are not loving the world; you are raising up Jesus Christ."
"When you live a modest lifestyle; you are raising up the standard."
"Women, when you veil your heads; you are raising up the standard."
"Men, when you embrace leadership; you are raising up the standard."

In other words,

 I am lifting up the standard, Jesus Christ, when I follow His teachings.  

 I am only following Jesus Christ as wholeheartedly as I am following His Word.  I cannot pick and choose which part of His Word I follow.  If I am not following His Word wholeheartedly, then I can quit professing to be His follower because I am not following Him!

We are also enjoying Vacation Bible School this week and in the adult class I was inspired as Rod shared on what the early church believed and practiced and challenged by how the West's view of God and Scripture has been influenced and watered down compared to the early church age.  Here are some of his quotes:

"We are saved by faith but if I don't have obedience, then I'm not saved."
"Grace is God helping me to do what is right and good."
"Temptation can be a joy and strength if I use it to overcome."
"Freewill is a factor in eternal security."
"God does not retaliate against evil men."
"The New Birth gives us a new desire to pursue the goodness of God."
"Evil is in the world because of freewill."

"So many today, too, believe they have their ticket into heaven and at judgment will somehow flash their "pass/ticket" and slide on by, that only the wicked will be judged.  According to Scripture, everyone will be judged.  We will be judged for our deeds/actions and words."  Something to think seriously about!

Listen to the Psalmist David's words in Psalm 119
that speak of his LOVE for God's Word, 

Law, testimonies, statutes, precepts/judgments/commands, etc. 

Some of these words are so taboo in today's church,

 yet here is David publicly proclaiming how he loved them! 

Where and how have we lost our love for God's laws?

Ps. 119:

14:  rejoice in God's ways as much as in riches.

16:  delight myself in thy statutes

24:  delight in God's testimonies

34:  observing God's law with my whole heart.

40:  longing after God's precepts

47:  delight in God's commands, which I love

54:  God's statutes are his song

72:  God's law is better than thousands of gold and silver

93:  never will forget God's precepts for they bring life

97:  o how I love God's law, it is my meditation all the day

103:  God's Word is sweeter than honey

111:  God's testimonies are my heritage and rejoicing of my heart

112:  will perform God's statutes always, even unto the end

127:  love God's commands above gold.

The question ringing in my mind is:

  How wholeheartedly am I following Christ? 

 I'm only following Him as wholeheartedly as I'm following His commands and teachings. 

Nothing more and nothing less; because I cannot separate Christ from His Word.

Dreams do come true!

Dreams truly do come true!

 

Even as I write, my daughter, and friends

are leaving the USA and headed for Europe.

This has been a long time dream of hers

and today it becomes a reality!

 

You can follow their travels at

postcardsfromparis7.blogspot.com.

 

 

As much as we shall all miss her here,

we are so excited for her!

It is a reminder to me that God really does

care about the desires of our hearts.

 

He gives us dreams and desires,

He wants to hear about our dreams and desires...

and He delights in giving us the desires of our heart.

(True, as long as our desires line up with His desires.)

 

Psalm 37:4

"Delight thyself in the LORD;

and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart."

 

KaShondra has found her delight in the Lord.

Through very difficult times in her life,

she has chosen to keep her eyes focused on Him,

to delight herself in Him;

and today...

one of the desires of her heart

is becoming a reality!

 

What are your dreams and desires?

 

Delight yourself in the Lord

and let Him be the fulfiller of your dreams!

 

 



Pure Religion

We had such an incredible Discipleship Class lesson this past Sunday.  James 1:  what a packed out chapter of Scripture!  The last two verses have been rolling around in my mind all week.

 

"If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain."

 

If a person thinks of himself as acceptable to God, yet does not bridle or control his tongue...he deceives himself and his religion is vain or empty...unacceptable to God. 

 

Some ways that we can be loose with our tongues are:

....interrupting and dominating conversations.

....being easily provoked and lashing out at others.

....gossiping and telling tales.

....criticizing and murmuring.

....judging and condemning others.

....using slang and cursing.

....engaging in suggestive and off-colored talk.

....talking about and running down others.

This is by no means an exhaustive list but certainly enough to get me to listen to my own chatter.  What kind of talk comes out of my mouth.  So often we immediately think of so-and-so who should read this...but God is bringing this home to each one of us personally.  If this kind of talk is a part of our lives, then our religion is in vain/empty/unacceptable to God.

Whoa! pretty serious!  Gotta admit that it bothers me a bit that we excuse each other to have uncontrolled and angry tongues because "things are going on in their lives, they have issues with their past, are having a bad day..." etc.  Don't get me wrong I believe strongly that we should see each other with eyes of compassion but I think we've erred on excusing uncontrolled and angry tongues.   James 1:20 says that "The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God."

 

"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."

 

Pure religion is to visit the fatherless and widows and keep ourselves unspotted from the world.

I'm sure along with the fatherless and widows, the orphaned, shut-in's, newcomers, lost, unsaved, motherless, bedridden, lonely, and grieving would also be included.

In other words, the needy. And God expects us to visit them.  He doesn't assign this to just one person, or just the pastors, or just the deacons...but to each one of us.  If we each reach one, how simply we could accomplish the goal.

 

How do I keep myself unspotted from the world when I live in the world?  Pure religion does not get corrupted with false beliefs and false religion.  It holds to the purity of the gospel, to the Word of God.  True believers of true religion keep themselves unspotted from the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life. 

"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." Mt. 5:8

 

It starts with me.  I am to have my tongue under the control of the Holy Spirit, I am to visit the needy, I am to keep myself unspotted from the world....

 

And God has already given me the opportunities to put my faith into action.  I've been reaching out to one of our widow ladies and seeing with new eyes how it must be to be elderly, alone, to have worries, fears, financial pressures, etc.  How much I take for granted when I am surrounded by a husband and children who look out for me on every hand.  And being involved in our neighbor lady's life and seeing her take courageous steps of faith to follow Christ fully.  To see into her heart and the loneliness, fears, worries, cares she has.  My day began early this morning by driving her to a doctor's appointment at 5:45.  Picking her back up at 8:00, taking her to physical therapy at 11:00, picking her back up at 12:00. 

 

Faith in Action....How pure is my religion?