So What Shall the Two of Us Do?
Lamentations 3:26
It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.
Waiting is hard enough. Waiting quietly is out of my wheelhouse completely. I want the Lord to come quickly and fix my heartache and sorrow, and yet He has not. Perhaps you are there as well. So what shall the two of us do?
In times like these I have but three strategies of dealing with life.
Strategy 1: PANIC!
I do that quietly as well. Inwardly my heart will be in turmoil, but outwardly I will appear as to have life under control. Those who know me, know better; but those who don’t can be fooled by my smile and boisterous personality that is a great disguise for a woeful heart. It also prevents anyone from asking the dreaded question “What’s wrong.” I will not tell you it’s healthy. It is quite the opposite. But if I’m honest, it’s who I am.
Strategy 2: PRETEND…
This is where being born with a creative mind comes in handy, though still not healthy. I can imagine a thousand ways to be happy. I can write and sing myself into a stupor of happy productivity, all the while, lurking in the distance is strategy one looming, waiting to take back over. And then alas, when I have panicked and pretended myself into a state of depression that would kill a horse, I finally resort to the last
Strategy 3: PRAGMATISM
The act of rationality. The reality that I cannot do this alone. And so I turn to the Word of God which is a tangible piece of the Lord that I can hold in my hand and it brings great comfort to my heart. Those pages that are filled with His words, His advice, His compassion and mercy, which is what I need when I’m panicking and pretending my way through life. I need to feel His touch. To know that I am loved.
So late into the night I began reading Lamentations. Ha! Not the cheeriest book to read in the dead of night. Until you come to Chapter 3 and the following words allowed me to close my eyes in peace knowing that I could rest in hope.
19 Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. 20 My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.22 It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. 24 The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. 25 The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. 26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.
I hope that all is well and wonderful in your life. But if not… you too have strategy 3. Although I highly recommend you make it number 1. And forgo the other 2 completely.
In His love and for His glory I earnestly pray for the peace of God for us all.
I’ll not complain when the power and blessings of the Holy Spirit bring unexplainable and unspeakable joys in my life for my service through the studying of His Word and the sharing of the Gospel. That is a gift of unmeasurable worth! But through the coercing of others in the ministry, who see my work as worthy, and the coercing of the Holy Spirit Who says “Through His blood I am worthy,” I have added a ministry donation button to this site. If you do not have, or do not feel inclined to give, then please don’t feel obligated. But if I have encouraged you and the Spirit speaks, your gift of any amount would be appreciated and honored by God.
I do what I do because I’m gifted and afforded the opportunity by grace and feel that I am accountable for the ministry that God has given. God has been enlarging my territory. For that I am grateful. But for that, there are expenses. Thank you for reading my blog. It encourages my soul, I pray I’ve encouraged yours!
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The Promise of Hope
In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
There is hope! I wanted to put that across every social media site this morning in big bold letters. It’s won’t be found in a lottery ticket, in the government of the United States, it won’t be found in our family, friends or your critter. If there is a giant hole in your heart you cannot fill it with money, things or other people. If someone or someone is missing you have only one hope, and that’s Jesus.
I speak from experience, else I’d not write it.
When my family lost my brother Richard, I was but a child, and a lost child at that. I didn’t understand eternity. I was brought up in church, I’d heard about Heaven, but it was nothing more than a word. A misunderstood concept. But then… Jesus.
It’s what the world doesn’t want to hear. That Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, and nobody gets to Heaven without Him. Not hearing it doesn’t change it, and not accepting it only hurts you further because He is what’s missing in your life that fills the hole you have inside. He does not replace the person that caused the hole, He simply fills the void where they are and gives a bridge to seeing them again. That was the sweetest gift in my own heart today when I thought of the people I can’t see. Even some who are here on earth…
When I ask my Mother once why she wasn’t angry with God for taking my brother at the age of 19, she simply responded “Because He is my only hope of seeing Richard again.” My Mom had found the bridge back to my brother. When my Dad passed away I missed almost everything about him, except one thing, the faith he shared with me. He had Jesus and that bridged the gap between us. I knew it was not goodbye, it was “save a place for me at dinner.”
So when I see a social media post of despair, I want to bridge that gap in their heart by telling them that I truly do care and that Jesus is their answer to the hopelessness they’re feeling inside. He doesn’t replace the person lost… He is what the song writer wrote with the words “He built a bridge with only three nails and two pieces of wood, with one rugged cross, Jesus built a bridge.”
Glory to God for the bridge that I found in 1996. Glory to God for the preacher who preached the gospel. Glory to God for the patience that God had in waiting for me to come to Him. Glory to God for there is hope on earth and peace… His name is Jesus. Amen!
When there’s no way out but up!
Have you ever been there? You have used your last ditch effort and all human hope is gone, you’re praying there’s nothing lower than where you are, because where you are is no where you wanted to be. It wasn’t that you intended to be there, just… one day you were. In Luke Chapter 8 there are two lives that collide that had me taking note in a new way for this space and time of my life. It was new for me, maybe not new to you, but maybe so! Two people, whose lives were at the bottom, seek Jesus. And they find him in an extraordinary way.
There was Jairus, a ruler over the synagogue who had no doubt heard Jesus’ name a time or two in the Jewish circles. The religious leaders weren’t happy about the Man Who claimed to be God. They liked religion just the way it was. Controlled. There were rules and they could put people neatly in their place.
- You can come close.
- You may not.
- God will meet with you.
- You, not today. Perhaps tomorrow when you’re clean.
- Perhaps next week.
Religion makes life tidy. It’s repetitious. So tonight I’ll be teaching this thought to my teens. Pray for us as we
Delve into twelve
Jarius had a daughter of the age of twelve, who the scripture says was dying. That’s a hopelessness I can’t (nor do I want to) imagine. But it’s been very real for some people. Darius didn’t go to his religious friends.
I wonder why? Perhaps because you don’t find answers or hope to something new in repetition. It’s the same ol’ same ol’, is it not? He was experiencing something he’d never had to face before. The loss of his most prize possession… his child. He’d do anything to save her. And so he sought Jesus. And when he found him he fell down at his feet. He’d never done that at his church.
What was different? Jesus had power. That’s what the church needs! We need the power of God in our lives doing mighty and miraculous things; but we don’t have it because we’re stuck in repetition.
What do you suppose the reaction would have been by his religious friends? They’d no doubt question him, perhaps laugh, scorn or criticize. He might even lose his position. But Darius didn’t care! If he didn’t have hope, the job was nothing.
And then the collision
She doesn’t have a name, but if you know any bible and I say “she had an issue of blood”, you know her. She had had this issue twelve years. Hmmmm…. Jarius’ daughter was dying at twelve and this unnamed woman had suffered twelve. Significant? Probably far more significant than I’m about to try and explain, but for me it was an “aha” moment for my ministry.
The woman, like Jairus, had no hope of her own. She’d spent every dime she had, she had no doubt lost every relationship she had because no one could be with a person unclean. Her children couldn’t touch her, her husband couldn’t love on her and she was desperate for healing. But what she was about to do was to take her life in her own hands, when she, who was unclean, reached for the Priest. It was forbidden. Her life could get a lot worse and very quickly if anyone knew.
What kind of faith would that have taken? A bold faith! Do you have it? I pretend I do, but I’m not so sure. She crawls on the dirty ground to touch the dirtiest part of his garment. The part that had been dragging through the streets of camel poop and pee and heaven knows what else. She didn’t care! She knew if she could just touch the hem of His garment she would be made whole. So she did… and she was! And He knew!!!
What would have been her reaction then? I’ll bet her heart leapt into her throat! But even so she confessed to the Lord what had happened and His words to her was “Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.”
Wow! Was where I was when I read that today. Here in the midst of Jesus traveling to heal Jarius daughter, He finds another daughter who needs Him too. An old one… like me. One who needs a miracle in her life and she receives it through faith. But just before the party is about to break out the streets someone comes to Jesus from Jairus’ home and says “don’t bother, the girl has died.”
But He went in any way and there was grief everywhere. But Jesus said she wasn’t dead. And they laughed Him to scorn. But the last laugh was to be on them when Jesus raised that little girl from the dead and told them to get her a bologna sandwich!
Two daughters. Two miracles. One old. One young. The old needed healing. The young needed resurrection.
Can I say that the leadership of the church needs a healing and the bleeding to stop. Jesus’ blood covered it all. Every sin, every wicked thing in our life has been healed by Jesus and we need to get on with life.
So what about the young? They need resurrected! Time is short and there is a host of young people going to hell because they’ve believed what the world has said. The parents and the leaders need to humble themselves and fall before God, and the young need to listen and allow Jesus to give them a new life.
Delve into Twelve? How many months have we just been given? Twelve. What will we do with them? Are you Jairus, the woman or the child? Or… are you the repetitious religious one without hope? God has what we need to make 2017 amazing but it’s going to take some bold believers! Be one.
Not Everyone Likes a Dreamer
Not everyone likes a dreamer. At least that’s what I’ve come to discover. Dreamers make some folks real uncomfortable because they think outside the nice tidy boxes of life. Well… I’ve always been a dreamer. Sometimes, I must confess, those dreams have been the far-out plans of the flesh, but many, many times they’ve been the secrets that God has whispered to my soul and then when I spoke them aloud the world didn’t understand. Sometimes I don’t think the secrets of the soul are meant to be spoken… I think God says, let’s keep that between Me and you. And then other times I think God says “tell’em, let them think you’re crazy until I prove otherwise.” That’s kind of where I’ve been for a few years now.
So you say… how do you know that God said it? Because in the well of soul lies this vision that when I drink of it, it quenches my thirst, and I know that only God can do that. So this morning I read the story of the dreamer Joseph and my soul drank of that water and whether or not you think I’m crazy I want to try to encourage you with God’s word.
Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours. And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him. And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.
Genesis 37:3-5
That coat of many of colors heaped a whole lot of trouble on Joseph. I don’t think that was Israel’s intent. It was a gift. And when God gives us a gift, it’s for our good; but often times the world doesn’t see it as such, especially if you’re an outgoing personality who likes wearing bright colored britches and things that bling. Well… that’s me. And while I’ll not label myself the caliber of person that Joseph was, for I am far beneath his caliber of character, I will put myself in the category of dreamer and visionary. And if Joseph the dreamer can spend 13 years undiscouraged in the house of Potiphar, sold into slavery but elevated to position, I’m pretty sure I can survive this time of being a dreamer in waiting.
Don’t give up on the dream. That was the words of God that I read this morning as I sat here ready to give up, because waiting is never easy. Don’t you give up either! Read the story of Joseph, his wins, losses, adversity and victories, and cap it off with the story of his forgiveness. Don’t begrudge those who don’t believe in your dream, just remind yourself that God will use it for His glory and you’ll be a part of the plan!
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How to Slog Through Life
On weeks like this, with an upcoming retreat at weeks end you’ll generally see me fade in and out of the woodwork on the blog scene as I give way to preparation for the event. But this week (possibly for months) I have been somewhat scarcer! This morning as I prepared to take time in His word, and seek out His message to me (that’s who I write for) my thoughts drifted… or perhaps I should say slid into place I hate to go. Frustration. I’m frustrated with me, I’m frustrated with other people. It’s like standing on the edge of a miry mud hole. Have you been there? You’re aware of the fact that you’re about to slide in, but you can’t seem to stop it. Oh, you could have not been around the mud hole to start with, but now it’s too late for that and it’s about to go down; or your song book is, or your instrument case or possibly even you and it’s going to stain whatever it touches. Possibly even to the point that the stain will me irremovable.
Or so Satan would have me believe.
My friend Gloria gave me the gift of “sloggers” recently. They are the cutest little slip on rubber mud shoes for summer nights of pickin’ at some less than paved bluegrass venues. They’ll keep my feet dry and with the deep tread on the bottoms they’ll hopefully keep me upright and beautiful as I don the stage to perform. This morning I needed sloggers in the kitchen. Something that would keep my mind upright and beautiful.
And then I am reminded what the Psalmist said in Psalm 37:31
The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.
I have the Lord Jesus in my heart, and with His words I won’t slide. They’ll shore me up and keep me upright and beautiful. This is where my mind should be this morning! Not teetering on the edge of ickiness (so not a word) but it is an emotion, but holding on to the whatsoever’s.
Philippians 4:8 says “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
True
Romans 3:4 ~ God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
GOD IS TRUE, SATAN IS A LIAR. I am judged by no man, but God is my Judge and He is just.
Honest
Luke 8:15 ~ But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
I’m on good ground. I’m not perfect, but I must continue on in sincerity serving the God who created me with purpose in the place He has called me to be. Waiting for the promised fruit.
Just
Galatians 3:11 ~ But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
I cannot live “good enough” to justify the price God’s Son paid. I must live by faith alone that God loves me regardless.
Pure
Hebrews 10:22 ~ Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
There is no purer water than that which cleansed my soul the day of my salvation. And though I am saved by grace alone, I need the cleansing water of the Word of God to be my spiritual washcloth that cleanses my soul each day.
Lovely
Song of Solomon 5:16 ~ His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.
Jesus. My Friend.
Good Report
Hebrews 11:1-3 ~ Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
Faith is a good report. Sometimes I do well to muster a mustard seed of faith. But I want that good report that the elders received and so I’ll continue on. Slogging through the mud if necessary. Believing God’s going to bring me through the other side. This world is a dirty place to live in… but my God is a cleansing God. Glory!
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Are You Prepared for the Storm?
Friday, January 22, 2016 and I’m contentedly sitting in my house preparing for the first big winter storm of the season here. I’ve got my lanterns ready and my strategy is just to stay put. I made a run yesterday to get my hair done (hey a gal’s got a look good) and did pick up a gallon of milk while I was out. Walmart was busy but not crazy while I was there. I watched as shopper after shopper strolled by with their buggies piled high as if this storm were going to last an eternity. My first thought was… it’s three days people. We’ll make it… But I don’t know their circumstances, perhaps they may not see sunshine until Valentine’s day. Who am I to judge? But it did make me think.
People are so concerned about temporal storms. And yes, they’re bad. I don’t want to make light of them. But where is the cognitive skills when it comes to eternity. They’ve ignored the warnings on that one for a long time. Eternity comes into view at the funeral of a loved one but fades from most minds as they exit the funeral parlor. Many funerals have become “life celebrations” and preparing burials with custom stonework but with no gospel at all because it’s “too hard on the family.” Why I’m stuck on the serious note today, I don’t know… but the storm preparation yesterday really made it as heavy on my mind as the forecasted snow will be on the roof tops. And I pray that someone reading this will take my message to heart as they’re hold up in the house this weekend; and spend that time preparing for a storm of a more serious matter.
But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.
That question “Where is your faith?” breaks my heart for so many who don’t understand the concept of faith. Their faith is believing that they believe, not knowing what they believe. Wow, that’s either a pretty deep thought, or I’ve just confused myself. But it’s true! Ask them about their faith and they’re fine… but ask them to define it and the conversation usually takes a detour. The disciples knew their friend Jesus was in the boat, but they didn’t know God was. They were pretty sure He could do something, but they weren’t sure what. So when He spoke to the storm and the winds and water obeyed him they were shocked!
Before they left the shore if they’d have been ask about their faith it would have been fine, but when the storm hit…where was there faith then? I want to ask my friends and family who say they’re “fine” and yet there’s no proof in the puddin’, the same question. Frustration mounts as I see storms ahead of them and I know they’re not prepared. When I do bring the subject up it’s as if I’ve slapped them in the face. How dare I question their salvation? How dare I not?
Okay, so you say you’re fine…
Then why isn’t God in control of your storm? We’ll all have storms, that’s life. But there is a drastic difference in boat ride for someone who knows what they believe, and for those who just believe that they believe but aren’t really sure what that means.
You know Jesus? Yay!!!! If you do. I’m not going to take that away from you and say that because you don’t give me evidence of it you don’t know Him…. But…. That lack of evidence means your faith is in need of rescuing. And not for my sake (although I’ll love it) but for your own. When your child gets on your last nerve and you’re about to jump overboard, Jesus can calm that storm like that (did you hear my finger snap). When you’re up to your eyeballs in debt and a bill collector just took your eye glasses and you can’t see any hope before you, Jesus thrives on giving His people hope. When the news is bad and the prognosis is worse, Jesus can shush the voices of fear. You may be setting in sunny weather, but when the storm hits you need to be prepared.
Preparing for a storm is making sure that your child knows Jesus so that the Holy Spirit can speak to their little heart and help you help them. Get your faith in order as a family. Preparing for a financial storm would have worked better if we’d never get financially strapped to start with, but it happens. Knowing Christ won’t erase poor decisions, but He will guide you every step of the way back out and calm many storms that can take you under without Him involved. Get your faith in order. Bad news may have had nothing to do with any decision you made, but resting in Christ will take a load off your already worn out state of mind. He is so faithful!
Saying you know Him isn’t enough to get you through the storm. You need to know you know Him. Where is your faith? Are you in need of rescue?
Get out your Bible… read the instruction manual.
Go to Church… There’s safety in numbers. Well, maybe not today…
Get the lines of communication open… talk to God.
I love you… God loves you more.
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We Speak of Him
“Why on earth did You allow that to happen?” A question posed to God on a pretty regular basis with me; especially in the wake of the recent news reports. I don’t even watch the news but it’s so horrific that it’s a part of the conversation in every venue of life. So I’m pondering that question again today… “Why God? What could possibly be the purpose?” We know Romans 8:28 says “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” We know the breakdown of it (all things work) not all things are. All things are not good. When people are born sick, killed in a senseless act of terrorism, there is no good in that. So this morning I ponder again, “Why?”
It took me 3500 years to get it… I guess I’m kind of slow.
Romans 9:17-23
17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
Three types of news spread like wild fire on a dry windy day.
- Tragedy
- Miraculous epic events
- Absolute lies.
So to Pharaoh God said (to Shari quote it) “I made you who you are, because people would tell your story, even though technically… it’s My story.”
The history of the Exodus and the continual provision for the Jewish Nation of God is an ongoing saga and one that captivates the world. Saved and unsaved alike have a fascination in the lives of Israel because they are the chosen people of God. Their story has been filled with tragedy and miraculous epic events that are worthy of sharing… and in so doing… there are conversation of God.
So what does that have to do with the tragedy of the day in the news?
Read on weary pilgrim…
Vs. 18-23
Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
The news:
- Tragedy
- In tragedy we seek God to make sense of the unimaginable and we speak of Him.
- Miraculous epic events
- In miracles we acknowledge God for the unexplainable and we speak of Him.
- Absolute lies
- God may be unexplainable, but He is most certain undeniable. And we speak of Him.
If the world were rotating in perfect harmony, no sickness, no heartache, no unexplainable or unimaginable events…. Would we seek Him or speak of Him? No. Adam and Eve are proof. So in the heartache of it all, God allows (He does not create the chaos – we do that) but allows it so that we will see the only steadfast controlling factor of the universe is He Who created all. And we’ll speak of Him.
Speak of Him today…
Logic is so Overrated
In need of hope? Glory to God I need it every day! I wake up with Satan at the foot of my bed telling me that there is no hope. I should give up on the day before it gets started. The aches and pains in my body tend to raise their hand in agreement and say “we think that’s logical.”
There is no logic in faith (at least to the world) and faith gives birth to hope. Apostle Paul speaks of that in Romans 4, reminding the believers of an original believer, Abraham, who against hope believed in hope.
Romans 4:18-25
Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
CONTRADICTION TO HOPE
It was not logical that a one hundred year old man should have a child, but God did not say he would have a child, God told him that he would be the father of nations. That goes beyond what the body and mind can comprehend. There is no doubt in my mind that Satan continually tried to steal Abraham’s hope by telling him that he was crazy to think he was going to have a child. Why else would he have bought into Sarah’s plan to have a child with Hagar. (Genesis 16)
God tells me through His word this morning that although the world (and my body) says that there is no hope, there is hope and there is a plan. I need to stick to it.
CONFIDENT IN HOPE
The word says that Abraham staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief. His faith gave birth to the hope that God’s Word would be fulfilled and his wife would give birth to a son just as God had said. Faith comes first. We cannot have hope unless we have faith. I have faith in God, Jehovah, my Provider. He has proven Himself true again and again, Satan has proven himself a liar again and again, and I want to see through, not to stagger, as God brings to fruition, (gives birth) to this plan He has for me. Do you have that confidence today? God is faithful… trust Him!!!
CONVINCED IN HOPE
Abraham was fully persuaded that, what he (GOD) had promised, he was able also to perform. Don’t let Satan convince you any other way than what God has spoken. When I began to write this I started to say that Satan was on the bed post, but that put him above me, and that is not the case.
Paul said in Romans 16:20 ~ And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. He may have been speaking of Satan being under our feet in the very near future or in the end times, but regardless Satan is beneath us, not above. I don’t need to elevate him in any way in my life – be it metaphorically or literally. I am convinced that God is the God of All Hope. Satan is a liar. My faith in Christ has been proven again and again!
Satan is a contradiction to hope. Be confident and stand strong in his adversity, be convinced (assured) that God will deliver what it is you stand in need of just as He delivered Sarah of that precious child who was the beginning of the great Nation Israel that God had promised!
Telling people about Jesus is my Superpower – what’s yours?
Yesterday afternoon I met with a small group of our Sunday School Teachers and the Pastor for an appreciation luncheon and kick-off to the fall programs. Sunday School Teachers are my heroes of the faith. As a young girl moving into a new community, it was a Sunday School Teacher who also worked for the Board of Education who made me feel welcomed and loved both at church and school. I grew up in the ranks (literally) in the faith by starting out in pre-school and working my way up through each grade level into the teen class where I’ve been for ten years or so. I’ve watched the eyes of a toddler sparkle as they learned a simple song about Jesus and then watched a teens eyes sparkle when they learned to tell someone else about Jesus. It’s an amazing transformation to go from just an average citizen to a Superhero!
Hebrews 1:1-3
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
The Privilege of Sharing Hope
Not everyone is cut from the Sunday School Teacher fabric, but there is no doubt in my mind that there is some fabric draped over the seat of church pew failing to listen to God’s calling on their life. In so doing they’re missing the opportunities that God has set before them one of those opportunities is to share hope. Adults can get so caught up in the bad news of the world that the Good News is overlooked. We take our own salvation for granted as a generation of children, churched and un-churched, are growing up without hope. Yes the world is bad… but God is good.
It frustrates me as I see parents battling behavior issues and attitudes, of which many could have been taken care of during the Sunday School and Worship hour. Are there misbehaving children in church? Of course! Multitudes of them. Many of which who have been in church since the week they were born. But the difference is made in the foundations that are laid during those times. Yes it’s hard, yes it’s sometimes embarrassing; but realize that every church going parent has been there. During those precious hours that your child is in Sunday School and Church, those Heroes of the faith are instilling foundational truths inside of your child that if they are continually nurtured and encouraged will give great joy to your heart. What joy it is to know that if Jesus returns your family will be together in Heaven! There is peace in the unknown. Not knowing is heartbreaking.
God’s Report Card
The elders obtained a good report. Are you excited for report cards to come out? I never was as a child but I’m looking forward to the one that God has waiting for me. There will likely be some things in the comment section that says I could have done better. But when the grades are shown I think I’ll get a “P” in every class for pressing “toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus ~ Philippians 3:14.
- Pre-School (P)
- 3rd-5th (P)
- 6-8th (P)
- Senior High (P)
- Life (P)
Press on pilgrim! And if God’s been pecking on your heart to share Christ through serving in your local church, don’t deny yourself the blessing!!!
Our Sunday School Worker Luncheon was a blessing! And I had the privilege of celebrating my Super Heroes with a Superhero themed day. The links below are some of the designs I gathered from Pinterest ideas and a few of my own and the tools to help you create your Superhero day too!!!
I gave each Sunday School Teacher and youth worker their very own Supehero name. I really put a lot of thought and prayer into this as a blessing for myself. I thought about the various characteristics of each person and what made them an awesome servant of God. I used those characteristics to search for scriptures that would serve as a reminder to us both and then gave them a hand made I.D. Card. They loved it and it was great fun!
Super Hero tight bags where too cute! Another Pinterest idea using white gift bags and craft papers cut and glued in place. I filled them with appreciation gifts and the tootsie pop buy below.
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superhero sucker capes were printed on card stock and hot glued to a tootsie pop.
superhero cupcake toppers were a hit! I picked up toothpick toppers from Walmart and hot glued my printed cartoon actions on top. Easy Peasy!!!
Superhero Shield fruit tray was a Pinterest idea. They used marshmallows or cheese cubes to add a circle of white between the fruit. I opted for just fruit and used vanilla yogurt in the center. Makes a great stress free dip! We also served Pizza, but if I would have had more time to plan I think I would have done hero sandwiches 🙂
$1 Lanterns and a little hot glue and craft paper.
And finally my Victory Sunday School Worker Luncheon Power Point. It may or may not be suited for your church, but it’s got some great images on it and you can tailor it to your needs.