Encouragement from my Savior

On November 11, 2012 on the south side of Indianapolis, a home exploded in a neighborhood called Richmond Hill. The home had been intentionally filled with gas and ignited by a cylinder placed in a microwave with a delayed timer to turn it on. Two people were killed and over 30 homes destroyed. Three arrests have been made.

My husband and I lived directly across the street from that explosion. Our home and cars were destroyed along with several other items. We were home at the time but thankfully we and our dogs escaped without harm.

Our Home

As a result of this traumatic event, I have suffered the effects of post traumatic stress. Yesterday on my way home from work, those effects were stirred. As I was driving the interstate, it began raining. I was fine with that until the rain gave way to hail. The further I drove the bigger the hail got. The largest I saw, and that was reported on the news later, was 1 1/2 - 2" in diameter. It looked like golf balls. The sound it made on my car was so loud and so terrifying. The emotions stirred in me were out of control. I began crying profusely, trembling, white-knuckling my steering wheel and experienced pain in my chest. I prayed with everything I had that I would be safe, that the windshield wouldn't crash in and that this awful noise would stop. Out of desperation to hear another person, I called my daughter. I talked to her until I drove out of the storm and was able to calm down a little. It took me a good few hours to get myself completely calmed down. But, when it was all over, I felt so ashamed. I felt like a big baby. Where was my faith? I know before the explosion I was so much stronger than that. All these feelings of shame filled me.

I went to bed that night and prayed for forgiveness for not having more faith. But, God spoke to me this morning through the words of Mark.

Mark 14
v. 33 He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be deeply distressed and horrified.
v. 34 Then He said to them, "My soul is swallowed up in sorrow -- to the point of death...

Jesus was fully God and fully human and because of that experienced emotions just like we do. He did not sin in His fear or sorrow and neither did I. I had no reason to be ashamed of my fear.

SERIOUSLY???

"I actually jumped over the girl that fell. There was a few people on the ground but I jumped over 'em and kept running," said a shopper.

These are the words of one of the shoppers in hot pursuit of the Air Jordan 11s and Air Jordan Retro Concord shoes released yesterday in stores.

These shoes were going for almost $200 a pair. People were lined up at midnight the night before they were released all waiting for the opportunity to grab a pair. In my hometown, police forces had to be brought out to the stores where in one incident shoppers tore a door off its hinges as a result of the stampede that was triggered when the doors were opened. Obviously, as the quote above indicates, people were being knocked down, stepped over and completely ignored all in the name of getting that precious pair of shoes....SHOES!!! When one store ran out shortly after opening, they were escorting the lucky few who got a pair out a side door for their safety. According to WTHR news, Air jordans are at over $605 on ebay.

This truly breaks my heart. Have we lost our minds?? Talk about some serious priority problems. There are so many things I could say...but I honestly can't find the words. So, I'm going to let the following picture speak for me...

Creation Eagerly Waits...

I absolutely love the bald eagle. Years ago, I heard Joyce Meyer teach a series called, "Mount Up With Wings Like Eagles". I learned a lot about bald eagles in the series. I learned that they preen (groom) every morning, cleaning each feather; I learned that they won't eat old, dead meat, they get it fresh and still alive; they will embrace the winds of a storm and let it lift them to a higher altitude... You get the idea.

A few years ago, I went to the zoo with a friend of mine. While there, I saw a sight that truly broke my heart...a beautiful bald eagle, sitting on a branch, his head just touching the ceiling of his cage. He looked miserable. He had not groomed much and was looking a little weather beaten.

This is not a photo of the eagle I saw but it looked a lot like this one

I know if that magnificent bird is caged, it will lose its desire to preen and its taste for fresh food. It will actually become depressed. The bald eagle was not meant to be caged. They were meant to fly free.

I couldn't help but think, "This is not worth my seeing a bald eagle." I saw this beautiful, amazing creature being exploited for my entertainment.

Today I read...

Romans 8
v. 19: For the creation eagerly waits with anticipation for God's sons to be revealed.
v. 20: For the creation was subjected to futility - not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it - in the hope
v. 21: that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of corruption into the glorious freedom of God's children.

HMMMM....

That None Should Perish

Today, I read Matthew 20. In it was the parable of the vineyard workers. In this story, a vineyard owner is hiring people to work in his vineyard for one denarius for the day. (A denarius was a day's wage for a common laborer) He hired workers at various times throughout the day...some as late as 5:00 in the evening. When it came time to be paid, those who had been hired early and those hired last all received the same pay...one denarius. This angered those hired first...

Matthew 20
v.12: 'These last men put in one hour, and you made them equal to us who bore the burden of the day and the burning heat.'
v. 13 He replied to one of them, 'Friend, I'm doing you no wrong. Didn't you agree with me on a denarius?
v. 14: Take what's yours and go. I want to give this last man the same as I gave you...'

When I read this, I couldn't help but think of those people who accept Christ on their death bed. Some of these people may have lived horrendous lives...sinful and unGodly in every way. Then at that final hour, they cry out to God, confess their sins and accept Jesus as their Savior.

Then there are those who find this completely unfair and even question that person's salvation due to the life they lived. There's no way they could live such a life and be saved at this late moment. It wouldn't be fair. We worked so hard living a God honoring life, saying no to sin, going to church, being persecuted; then this person who lived a life doing whatever they wanted to receives the same gift of eternal life because they cried out at the final hour?? No!!

YES!!! God loves us all and doesn't want anyone to perish. There is no time limit on salvation and it is a gift for all who cry out to Him.

THANK GOD!!!!



The Temple of God

Today, my reading in the Bible was in II Chronicles chapter 7. It was after Solomon had built and dedicated the temple of God. This was God's response...

II Chronicles 7
v. 12b: I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself as a temple of sacrifice.
v. 13: If I close the sky so there is no rain; or if I command the grasshopper to consume the land, or if I send pestilence on My people,
v. 14: and My people who are called by My name humble themselves, pray and seek my face and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sins, and heal their land.
v. 15: My eyes will now be open and My ears attentive to this place.
v. 16: And I have now chosen and consecrated this temple so that My name may be there forever; My eyes and My heart will be there at all times.

Can you imagine?? What an awesome thing the temple. The temple was where God chose to place His name; the temple had God's eyes and heart on it at all times. The people of the temple if they turned from their evil ways, humbled themselves and sought God's face and prayed would be heard from God. He would forgive them and heal their land!! Wouldn't it be awesome to have such a temple today??? We do...

I Corinthians 6:
v. 19: Do you not know that your body is a sanctuary (temple) of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God?? You are not your own...

We are the temple!!! When we repent and accept Christ as our Savior, God hears our prayers and chooses us for His temple. We have the ears, eyes and heart of God on us AT ALL TIMES.

Humble yourself, seek His face and turn from evil and pray; He is faithful to forgive your sins and heal your land.

Blessings From God

This morning, I read in I Chronicles about David wanting to bring the Ark of the Covenant home to the city of David. But in the process of transporting it, Uzzah was guiding the cart and when the oxen stumbled he reached out to steady the Ark. Because Uzzah touched it, God struck him dead. David was angry at God and feared Him; so he decided not to take the Ark home...

I Chronicles 13:
v. 13b: ...instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.
v. 14: The Ark of God remained with Obed-Edom's family in his house for three months, and the Lord blessed his family and all that he had.

In an earlier passage, I Chronicles 13 describes the Ark this way...

v. 6: ...the Ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord who dwells between the cherubim.

The cherubim were on the mercy seat which covered the Ark. There were two cherubs facing each other with their wings outstretched. God's Spirit dwelled between them. So when Obed-Edom had this in his home, he had the Spirit of God dwelling in his home.

When we accept Christ as our Savior, God's Spirit dwells in us...

I Corinthians 6:
v. 19: Do you not know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God?

If having the Ark of the Covenant in his home blessed Obed-Edom; imagine what having the Holy Spirit in us can do. God blesses us every day in many ways; not just materially, though I know He does that, but Spiritually.

Considering the fact that to just touch the Ark caused immediate death, it must have had an exalted place in his home. I'm sure it was treasured, respected...there may have been times when Obed-Edom just sat in its presence, after all, God was there. How much more should we honor, treasure and respect God's Spirit in us?

I tend to think we miss blessings in our lives when God and His Spirit are not in an exalted position in our lives. God can't be second to anything in our lives. When He is first; when He is exalted above everything...

Oh, how the blessings flow!!

Beware of Idols

I John 5
v. 21: Little children, guard yourselves from idols.

Exodus 20
v. 2: I am the Lord your God...
v. 3: Do not have other gods before me.

When we read these scriptures, it's easy to imagine an idol or gods as something obvious like those of the Ancient Near East or some cultic religion. But, what about the not so obvious idols and gods?

Our country thrives on entertainment...movies, music, sports...you name it, we love it. We will often pay outrageous prices for just a few hours of watching the performances or games. We see the stars of the show or game, often as something beyond human. Remember the stories of girls who would faint when they saw Elvis or the Beatles?? There are even stories of fans going into cardiac arrest or even being stampeded by a crowd of fans who just wanted to get closer. Is it just an expression or an accurate assessment when we have a show that is seeking the next "American IDOL"?? How about the singers who are on tour and make ridiculous demands on the host city for things in their dressing rooms or hotel rooms including but not limited to changing the color and decor of the room they will be staying in for just one night. I'm not even going to get into to the salaries entertainers and sports figures receive that exceed the lesser important professions like teachers, police, fire fighters or our military.

Then there are the even less obvious idols and gods in our lives...money, our kids, our bodies, our status, our cars, our homes, any addictions we may hold onto...you get the idea.

It's like this...anything we spend more time, energy, resources, thought or heart on than God is our god or idol. It needs to be demoted or it needs to go. If you think I'm pointing a finger, believe me, there are three more fingers pointing right back at me.