A Time of Change

http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=pictures+of+springtime

Spring might be my favorite season.  The beauty of Spring displayed in the blooming flowers and budding trees always captivate me.  I love the different colors as they peek out of their enclosures where they’ve hidden all winter, protected from the cold wind and snow.  I also love the birds as they sing their cheery songs when the days are warm enough to open the doors and windows allowing their sounds to invigorate me while the warm sun comes in filling all that it touches with new energy.  There is a fresh scent to the air which brings immense joy and enthusiasm and I even enjoy the thunderstorms which pass through!

I also enjoy Spring because it presents the chance for rediscovery, rebirth, even the unknown.  Just as the tiny bud begins peeking through without having a clue what the weather will bring, or what bird or insect might become part of its life, I think the same can be true in our lives, in the sense we all face challenges and it can take immense courage to face and deal with circumstances before us.

It seems January is the time of year we all make those New Year’s resolutions we seldom really adhere too.  But it’s Spring when we often look in the mirror and decide it’s time to get outside and participate in life to lose weight, begin a new adventure or change some aspect of our lives we hadn’t considered before.  Is it easy to change?  Not always.  Real change requires commitment.  It sometimes requires a change in time schedule if a new job is in the works or taking college classes.   There are times when it means working through old feelings and finding ourselves on our knees as we work through a forgiveness need.  Sometimes it requires going in a direction you never thought you’d ever consider which can ignite a paralyzing fear, even when you know it’s the right thing to do.

So how can you know for sure the change you are considering is the right one?  How can you be certain the change will not only peep through the crust, but burst into vibrant color like the flowers on the trees or in the flower bed?  If the change is necessary and vital to happiness, you can through prayer and following His leading, claim God’s promises that He will be beside you every step of the way, even if you feel like it is a mountain looming before you.

Then, feeling certain you are on the right track and make the necessary adjustments, and figured out all the available options and what is going to happen next, wouldn’t you know, God goes and does something so amazing, you are blown away?   I can tell you from personal experience this does happen!  I serve a BIG God who performs miracles today just like he did when He walked the Earth, and I am so grateful!  I hope you witness this kind of miracle in your life for the little things or for something way beyond your human control.  It reaffirms and strengthens faith, even as your cup  overflows.

            I’ve included a music video which touched my life this week.  I hope you’ll find blessing in it, as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH3eJLWfDv8   The Talley’s, The Answer Is Christ

Easter Joy

            Last Saturday our church had an Easter Eggstravaganza!  It was fantastic.  We had children come who enjoyed face painting, crafts, snacks, hunted Easter eggs and heard the Easter story.  As I consider the traditions that seemed to have attached themselves to this Holy day, I’m struck by how similar they are to Christmas traditions.  

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            At Christmas our family has turkey dinner, a variety of desserts and exchange gifts, even as we are celebrating the birth of Christ.  In many families the birth of the Messiah, Jesus, is missed with all the busy-ness of the holidays.  It seems Easter’s traditional meat for many is ham, while chocolate and marshmallow bunnies are the dessert of choice, and hunting Easter eggs is the activity, and in some homes gifts are again given, as we celebrate the Risen Lord.

            What makes us so bent on celebrating Holy days with such far reaching traditions?  Turkey and ham have nothing to do with either holiday.  Jewish people don’t even eat pork!  (Apparently the logical reason for ham stems from the time frame required for slaughtering and curing the meat, which happened to be ready about Easter time!  Turkeys were used because they were fresh, cheap and could feed a crowd!)  The idea of exchanging gifts is in honor of the three Wise Men who visited the Christ Child and the Easter Egg is synonymous with rebirth and the Easter egg hunt evolved from German immigrants, and no, I am NOT at all opposed to these activities!

            But what does any of this really have to do with what happened on Easter Sunday?  What does this have to do with the selfless act of Jesus dying on the cross of Calvary for our sins?  When the little ones hunt those eggs (and again I’m not opposed to the joy our little ones experience from this one bit!) do the children who don’t attend a Bible believing church understand what they are celebrating?  Is it just about candy and Easter egg hunts, for them?  Where are they going to hear the real story, and when?  

            Jesus is all God and yet was all man.  He experienced all our emotions, trials and temptations, and an excruciatingly painful, cruel death on the cross.  As I reflect on this truth, I realize it’s not about food or entertainment; it’s about life and death.  Jesus’ death and my acceptance of Him as Savior sealed my eternal home destination.  Everyone will go somewhere after they leave the Earth.  I will have life because of His sacrifice.  The relative I wrote of last week battling cancer left this life early Easter morning, to go be with Jesus.  He will spend eternity with the Father because he accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior.  I will see him again one day, in Glory!

Jesus’ resurrection is proof He is who He says He is!  And He will return one day, and that day is rapidly approaching.  I know where I am spending eternity.  Do you?  Do you know where you will spend the rest of your days when your body fails at the end of this life?  I would ask, if not, consider Jesus.  He really is the only option when you consider the alternative.  Hell is a real place; a place of everlasting torment.  

            Easter is a time of exquisite joy, if you know Jesus as Savior.  I pray, if you have never accepted him as Lord and Savior, you will do that now.  Confess and repent of your sins; ask Jesus into your heart; then find yourself a good Bible believing church where you can find joy and comfort beyond words, in a relationship with the Lord.  It is the greatest gift you can ever receive!

A Wicked Disease

            Cancer is a wicked disease.  It seems nearly every week we learn of another friend or family member who has some form of the illness or who has lost a life.  I have one friend who beat the disease some years ago, an aunt who lost the battle about a year ago, another friend who lost her life only a few weeks ago; and now another family member is, at this writing, fighting for his life with the prognosis of about three weeks to live.   

http://weheartit.com/entry/111313992/tag/pain?context_use

Cancer, however, doesn’t have to be just a physical illness.  It can be emotional or even spiritual, verbal, or social and more.  It steals our lives of joy and happiness as it poisons friendships and marriages. When we have a headache or backache we reach for the medicine cabinet and retrieve the remedy of choice to take away the pain.  Most of the time, unless there are extenuating circumstances, within an hour or so, the pain is gone.  Yet when we look at the “pain” within a marriage or other relationship caused by this other type of cancer, there isn’t a cure within medicine cabinet.  There are no pills, potions, elixir or any other type of concrete remedy to choose from.  So we deal with the pain.  

Sometimes a person, certain he* is justified in using whatever method necessary, to exercise power and control over another, will go into denial and refuse to admit there even is a problem.  This process can run so deep, even when the truth is before him* it is not even recognizable.  The “cancer” reveals itself through emotional, verbal, spiritual, social, financial, sexual and sometimes even physical abuse.  

Then you have the other side of the coin.  The “cancer” has been a part of the partner’s life so long, it becomes a normal part of the everyday life, until she* believes this is what life is supposed to be.  It doesn’t mean the behavior is liked, it just is.  So the partner deals.  They might cry in despair, berate themselves because they are sure it’s their fault and are absolutely certain they are the only one living this horrible life.

This type of situation is further exacerbated since this cancer is often imbedded within their spiritual life.  The Bible is quite clear about how husbands and wives should treat each other.  When Satan plants the seed of any type of abuse and it’s allowed to grow, then sin creeps in and further clouds what is right and wrong.  The longer the situation ferments the worse the circumstances can become.  So what medicine do you use to free the victim and the abuser from the claws dug deep into the very spirit of the participants?

I suggest only God can free the chains of such a condition.  It must first begin within the victim, who chooses to say, “With God’s help, I will no longer be bound by Satan’s grip through disrespect and a violation of God’s Holy Word.”   What happens next depends on the choices made after that first decision is made.  The “victim” must decide how to proceed.  Should they leave, confront, seek counseling, seek advice from family, church family, or use another method? 

 Once a direction has been planned and carried out, the other participant (the abuser) in this cancerous situation will be required to make a decision.  How will they handle what is before them?  Will they remain in denial?  Will they admit to a problem at all?  Will they recognize that often anger and frustration being doled out on another, comes from something deep within them?  And if they do recognize the issue, what will they do about it?  

Our world is changing daily.  Our lives are continually being attacked by Satan.  It can be a physical assault like cancer or other illness, but it can also be abuse in any number of areas and less obvious to outsiders.  Statistics show that about one third of marriages deal with emotional abuse in some form.  Yet, many people aren’t even aware such issues exist.  Satan is very real and uses this kind of subtle cancer to destroy people’s relationships and lives.  

I would ask this week as we ready for the celebration of our Lord’s Resurrection that we look at our personal relationships and ask if we are being the person God called us to be in whatever relationships we have.  Do you love and cherish the one you married?  Do you show your spouse every day you love them and want to be with them?  This time of Resurrection is the perfect time to restore broken relationships.  Jesus died on the cross to restore the ultimate relationship: the one between us and God.  Can we do any less with those we love?

Expect The Unexpected

            We’re getting ready to celebrate Easter, yet I can’t help but think of the Christmas story.  How like God to move and answer prayers in an unexpected way!  The people of Israel were expecting a king who would rescue them by storm and brute force!  Instead they received this beautiful baby boy, tender and kind, wise and loving; human yet God.   It was such an unexpected answer to their prayers, many completely missed it!

https://www.google.com/search?q=picture+expect+the+unexpected&client

            I think sometimes in our lives, we do the same thing.  We have this problem or situation which we are certain we know how God will handle.  And then wouldn’t you know it, He goes and does something we never dreamed of and the answer is almost missed because we didn’t recognize it!

            Friends recently prayed for over a year trying to decide how to handle a situation.  A job change seemed likely, but somehow the doors didn’t open and they decided that wasn’t what God wanted.  They were unsettled, but waited on God and trusted Him to open the doors they were to go through.  Once trust was engaged, doors did open and they are beginning a "life change" rather than just a “job change!”  Had they not been willing to wait on the Lord, pray and trust, they would have missed the journey God planned for them.

            Another friend has been waiting on the Lord for a problem she has been facing for some time.  Every time she thought she had it figured out, another door would close.  Yet, when the answer did come she almost missed it!  Trusting God, she is ready for whatever comes next even while knowing, like my friends above; she faces a lot of unknowns.  

            Moving out on faith can be a frightening step when viewed only from a human perspective.  There are so many unanswered questions which can create paralyzing fear if we don’t stand solidly with the Lord.  There are the obvious questions: Why there? Why now? With whom?  How?  When? But also, a variety of "what ifs."  What happens if I fall on my face?  What if after all this, I still fail?

            Can you imagine if anyone but God had sent his son to save the world and asked all those questions?  God knows all the answers already!  He knew why he sent his son, Jesus. God knew Jesus would be both God and man, on this planet we call Earth.  God knew when the time was right, and which parents to choose to lead him through his childhood and into adulthood.  He knew all the answers to the “what if” questions and He knew Jesus would not fall on his face in failure!  He knew Jesus would have the strength to go to the cross, taking the sins of the world on his shoulders, and die, be buried and then three days rise again; victorious!  God knew that!  There was no second guessing!

            If God can know the perfect time to send his Son to save the world, preparing the way for us to accept the free gift of salvation, then shouldn’t I be able to trust him to open doors, or close the doors as necessary in this little tiny corner of the world that I call my life?  I serve an awesome God who knows what I need just when I need it, can change the hearts of kings, divide the great sea, calm storms, heal the sick and do anything he wants,  all just because he can! God’s plan is always the best plan.  All I have to do is trust him and expect the unexpected!  For that I praise Him!  

          I’ve added a You Tube link to the song “Expect The Unexpected” sung by the Kingdom Heirs which really emphasizes this thought.  I hope you enjoy it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zC-iUz73fKM