While there are many different types of people who go to their internet for their spiritual needs, here are the top three.

• Spiritual Seekers – Non and nominally religious people who are aware that they have spiritual needs and are searching for ways in which they can be met. This may include people who have been hurt by previous participation in a faith community, those testing out a community before showing up in person and those trying out different types of faith expression.
• Physical Barrier – These are people who are unable or unwilling to seek fulfillment of their spiritual needs as part of a physical community. This group may include those that are hospitalized or recovering from surgery, have a compromised immune system, experience chronic pain and face mobility challenges.
• Convenience – These are people who have chosen to connect online because it is more convenient than being physically present with others. This may include families with small children, persons who are nominally committed and persons who live far from their faith community of choice.

This is one of the questions that I was asked during the interview on Up to Date last week on KCUR and my responses are based on my experience with the Online Campus at The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection.

Today and tomorrow, I’m enjoying some meetings with pastors in the Sacramento area. I stayed on a couple days longer than Gem and the boys (who drove home yesterday). I was browsing some past posts here, and found this one on the theme of sharing a real encounter with God with others (rather than just ideas about God). It continues to challenge and encourage me:

LINK: A Good Word: Sharing Real Fruit

Buy a copy of In Search of the Beyond on Amazon.com

A few days ago I was working in my yard and saw a few green apples on our tree.  I picked one and started eating.  It was sour and tasted awful to me.  But I ate it anyway.

Why?  Because it was MY apple.  It was grown on MY tree.  It was in MY yard.  It was ME who took care of it.  It was watered and pruned by ME. 

I don’t like the green apples from my tree, but I have eaten them anyway…they’re MINE…don’t I have an obligation to eat them? 

Sounds silly doesn’t it?  It is, but how often do we do this with our programs at church?  Or with different things in our lives?  At one point it may have been a great fit.  It may have worked for another leader or group of people.  It may have been relevant for a certain time period.  It may have benefited the ministry or family or yourself at one time, but not any longer.   

But we keep doing whatever it is because, well, we just don’t want to give it up.  There’s too much investement.  Time.  Energy.  Resources.  It’s MINE, doggonit, and I’m going to keep doing it even if it doesn’t work.  Even if it doesn’t do anything for me or anyone else.  Even at the expense of having something better. 

Sometimes we keep eating apples we don’t like.  Silly, isn’t it?  So what’s the answer? 

Stop doing it. 

What apples are you eating that you don’t like?

Last year I posted about wanting a goat for Christmas. My list hasn’t changed too much in the year since. Sure, there are things that I want. Like all insatiable Americans, I drool over handbags and jewelry and silly nothings in my consumeristic, obsessive discontent. But when I really think about my life, I know I have everything I could ever want. And so much more than I deserve.

Last year I praised WorldVision and Samaritan’s Purse for the gifts they offer “for those who have everything.” In honor of someone here, you can purchase a goat for a starving family in Africa or a fishing kit for a struggling family in Asia. When you purchase your gift, you also receive a beautiful card that tells your loved one about the gift and the difference it can make in the life of the recipient, even in the whole village. With OneVerse you pay to have passages of Scripture translated into another language, again in honor of a gift recipient here at home.

Sometimes, though, we want to give “real” gifts and not just a donation in someone’s name. Sometimes we just want something to wrap. I suggest we can be charitable with our tangible gifts.

Here are a number of sites that promote fair trade AND charitable causes. Some are Christian organizations that couple native sustainability with the spread of the Gospel. Others are non-profit, non-religious organizations that simply strive to meet the needs of those suffering from poverty, human trafficking and other social injustices. I’ve organized the list alphabetically. Next to the name is a list of items they offer. Below that is a description of the ministry and the people they help.

Bajalia: Jewelry, Baskets, Stationary and more
All items are crafted by local women seeking to rise above oppression. You can shop by product, cause (poverty, AIDS, trafficking, etc.) or region (Afghanistan, China, Uganda, India or Turkey). The organization aids in training and other forms of community development to empower low-income people as they work to improve their lives.

Blessing Basket: Baskets, Totes and Woven Handbags
This organization fights poverty by paying Prosperity Wages (higher than fair trade) to local artisans in Bangladesh, Uganda, Madagascar and Ghana. You can shop online or find local retailers within the United States.

Cards from Africa: Handcrafted cards
A Christian organization, CFA offers employment, business training and other income opportunities to poor living in Rwanda. The organization also seeks to meet their spiritual needs through biblical teaching and training.

Freeset: Eco-friendly bags and organic cotton tee-shirts
Purchases from Freeset empower women in India to escape sex trade by offering them employment and education: reading, writing, budgeting skills and basic health care. The organization also offers child-care for these women while they gain training and work to make the bag

Good Paper: Greeting cards, handbags (made from recycled papers), journals and stationary
A free trade organization offering highly creative paper products from communities that provide jobs to the most vulnerable of society, Good Paper alleviates poverty, helps orphans and socially oppressed peoples in Africa, India and the Philippines.

Hand and Cloth: Blankets
Through creative enterprise and the transforming love of Jesus Christ, this organization seeks to empower women to begin new lives outside the red-light districts. The blankets are made from recylced sari material (the traditional Indian dress for women). Participants in the ministry receive employment, training and regular Bible studies.

Punjammies: Pajamas
Created in an after-care facility for women who have been rescued, released or escaped from a life of forced prostitution.

Rahab Ministries: Jewelry
Your from this organization with help them share the love of Jesus through friendship evangelism and social concern. The ministry specifically targets women trying to escape prostitution in Thailand.

Saint’s Coffee: Coffee
Buy one pound of coffee and feed an orphan for a month! This free-trade organization offers the high-quality organic coffee while using the proceeds to partner with humanitarian organizations such as 5 for Fifty and Children’s Hope Chest, both Christian organizations that share the Gospel while caring for orphans.

Ten Thousand Villages: Various items — jewelry, housewares, baskets, home decor, stationary, musical instruments and more
Working with over 130 artisan groups in 38 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, this is one of the world’s oldest and largest fair trade organization.

This week in our Journey Groups, most of us focused on the fact that teenagers (and young adults) have a lot to offer the church. Using 1 Timothy 4.12 (which I have used before in Jump Start, but it was filmed with a webcam, so I ran with the opportunity to improve upon it), this week’s Jump Start encourages teens to not be put down because of their age and inexperience, but instead to live their lives as an example to the older members of the church.

2 Samuel 23:8-12

These are the names of David’s mighty men:

Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter.

Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite.  As one of the three mighty men, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim for battle.  Then the men of Israel retreated, but he stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword.  The LORD brought about a great victory that day.  The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead.

Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite.  When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel’s troops fled from them.  But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field.  He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the LORD brought about a great victory.

These men knew no fear.  Neither did Abishai, who killed 300 men, or Benaiah, who killed a lion.  Neither did David, who killed Goliath.  Neither did Peter, who attempted to defend Jesus at His arrest, or Paul, who faced down kings and emperors.

They knew no fear in the service of the Lord.  The only thing they feared was the result of not serving God with their life.  Trying and failing wasn’t on their radar.  They didn’t hesitate to act because of the possibility of missing the mark.  They saw the goal, made the choice, and committed themselves to the course.

None of those men were perfect.  They all failed at some point.  They all died in the end.  They all bit off more than they could chew.  They all lived.

And they were called “mighty men” in the end.

I ask you…  What will you be called?  At the end of your life, as you are remembered and possibly even written about, will your caption read, “Mighty man who lived for Christ,” or will it say, “Good person who lived a safe life?”

It’s your call.  See the goal, make the choice, commit yourself to the course.

And live.

Monday 30th November 2009

Annual Bible Reading Plan: Dan 8:1-27, 1 John 1:1-10, Psalm 119:153-176, Prov 28:23-24

Bible Reading: Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

There is a real need in the Body of Christ for Pure Theology. Pure Theology is that which accurately represents the true nature and character of God, which enables individual believers to “see” God as He is and not represented with some human bias. Jesus’ criticism of the Pharisees and Sadducees was that they made the people to be slaves to the minute details of the Law, thus representing God as a demanding despot rather than a covenant lover. Church history has been littered with such impure teaching as men have fought to gain control over individuals, Churches, even whole denominations.

All impure Theology has to do with control. Even in our own lives we are forced to fight the reasoning’s of our natural minds which endeavors to fashion an image of God that is liberal or convenient. Our minds want to exercise control rather than submit to the Word, if we allow it, our image of God will be “altered” and our theology will become selective, in order to allow certain behavior. Though we might be wholly convinced that we are worshiping God, we will not be worshiping the God of the Bible who is characterized very differently in the Word. There can be no “private interpretation of Scripture”. 2 Peter 1:20 We understand of course that Satan is the foundational author of impure theology, for it was he who first tried to misrepresent God when he reasoned with Eve in the Garden.

The most insidious images though are created by teachers who have ulterior motives to manipulate and control those who live under their leadership. We can wonder how ordinary people can end up in cults like the one in Waco, but once we understand the operations of those who peddle impure theology to gain control, we can see how separation and delusion can flourish and grow. Once God is represented a certain way, and a leader is designated as an exclusive Divine “Prophet” deception will sweep people away. Most impure theology is far less extreme than this example. Most has to do with legalism, guilt, tradition, excusing a teacher’s unbelief,  or sometimes elevating their experiences to some kind of level of “divine revelation”. The end result is the same, however, God is misrepresented and another image manufactured.

The Answer to Impure Theology is Jesus. The writer to the Hebrews tells us that, “And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.” Heb 1:3 John tells us that “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.” John 1:17-18 Jesus said “He who has seen Me has seen the Father;” John 14:9

From these Scriptures we see the Truth. Jesus is God. He is the literal mirror image, or exact representation of God. In seeing Jesus, we see the Father, nothing is hidden, nothing is added or taken away. Jesus has made the Father known to us. Therefore we can declare that any representation of God that does not line up with Jesus is impure theology. We need to see Jesus as He truly is – the final word on God, the final communication, the real picture. The writer to the Hebrews tells us that all past communications through men were incomplete, but the communication through Jesus is complete. We really need to meditate on the truth that if we have seen Jesus we HAVE seen God.

It may be simplistic, but how, for example,  can we know for a fact that God does inflict sickness on people? Easy, we look at Jesus. We ask, did Jesus make anyone sick? Of course not – He healed the sick and declared that He came to destroy the DEVIL’S works – forever characterizing sickness as an evil propagated by the enemy. That is because He is Jehovah Rapha – God who is the Healer (Ex 15:26) in the flesh, nothing added, nothing taken away – how can He be anything other than who He has declared Himself to be in the Word? He is the Lord who changes not! (Mal 3:6) When we apply this simple rule to every teaching – how does this representation of God line up with who we know Jesus to be – we can discern truth from error.

The pure in heart – those who desire to see God as He really is, those who do not come to God “for something” or come trying to find another representation of Him, to allow them to live life on their own terms, those who do not seek to manipulate or control others – these will be able to “see” God in the face of Jesus.

Oh that the Church would see Jesus and embrace Him in His fullness and have done with the wisdom and reasoning’s of men. That Church would be pure – and powerful.

It is very important for Bible class teachers, even ministers on staff, to have a break from time to time. At least one quarter a year for paid ministers and two quarters a year for those not on staff need to be spent learning from others. For the first time in several years I am not teaching on Sunday morning and it is very refreshing. I am getting my cup filled and wake up with quite a different perspective on Sunday’s this quarter. There are benefits to both the teacher and the class when teachers are also educated by others. This time away from teaching on Sunday has allowed me to reflect on a few things I would like to share here.

Benefits to the Bible class of a teacher rotation:

1. Multiple perspectives – It is important that people get a variety of perspectives from mature teachers.
2. Teaching styles – When a class is blessed to have a teacher rotation they are more likely to get a wider variety of teaching styles and approaches. One teacher my be a great lecturer but struggle with discussion while another might fear having to lecture but be skilled at getting the class talking. It is important for the class to experience a variety of teachers
3. Learning styles – Different teachers have different styles and often those styles can incorporate a variety of learning styles. This is far more likely to happen when a class has multiple teachers.
4. Connecting with the WHOLE class – Different teachers connect with different class members. When you have multiple teachers it is far more likely that people in the class will connect with at least one of them and get more from the class.
5. Range of topics – With a variety of teachers you are likely to get a wider range of expertise. When you only learn from one teacher all the time it is likely they get on the same soap boxes and pet issues from time to time. This is minimized with multiple teachers.
6. Benefiting from the overflow – When one teacher teaches the same class for years at a time it is likely they will feel drained and as if they have little more to offer from time to time. By default they continue to teach because that is what is expected of them. Multiple teachers allow the teachers to teach from the overflow and not from the position of being drained and burned out.
7. Teaching experience – Allowing others to teach gives other class members experience teaching which often results in them growing in their faith and knowledge. If we have control issues and think we are the only one’s capable of teaching we are missing out on equipping others and make the class dependent on ourselves for its spiritual sustenance. That is not healthy.

Benefits to the Bible class teacher of a teacher rotation:

1. Benefiting from the overflow – Teachers need to have energy and the only way to have that is to be fresh and ready to teach. Teaching continuously for years on end often results in burn out and that often results in lackluster teaching. Teachers need to be taught. They also need education and a break from the Sunday or Wednesday Bible class teaching scene.
2. Retooling 1 – When a teacher sees another person teach from time to time they can see how the class responds both positively and negatively to teaching methods. They learn what to do and not to do based on being a participant in someone else’s class.
3. Retooling 2 – Being taught also results in the teacher getting their cup filled so they can teach from the overflow.
4. Learning from someone else’s perspective – We need to learn that other people have a good perspective on things and that we are not the sole source of wisdom in a congregation. That often takes taking a step back and allowing someone else to take the lead.
5. Getting refocused – If you are used to teaching every week it is really quite refreshing to be able to go to Bible class with Bible in hand, ready to learn. The pressure is off and that is healthy.
6. Creating a sustainable Bible class or ministry – If we want something to fall apart it is imperative that it completely rely on one person to be successful. If we want something to be sustainable it is imperative that we allow other people to take ownership in the process. A Bible class should never depend on one person to exist. If we aren’t growing sustainable ministries and classes then we are spinning our wheels.

Hopefully a few of these have been helpful to you if you are a Bible class teacher, elder, minister, etc. Last, it is important to realize if there are control issues when it comes to who is teaching and how often. It is unhealthy for anyone to think it all depends on them or that no one else is able to teach or get the job down as well as they can. It is far more important for a ministry or Bible class to be sustainable than for it to rely on the control issues of someone who thinks it should all depend on them.

When Larry King was interviewing Bishop T.D. Jakes he said that some had accused Bishop Jakes of being a Hope Peddler. Bishop Jakes said it was a compliment. I agree. We need hope. The bible says Hope deferred makes a heart sick. I believe that.

I wasn’t really sure what to expect in worship today. It was the first Sunday in Advent, the beginning of a church season I dearly love, from the Advent wreath and candles to the blue of the paraments. But it was also the Sunday after Thanksgiving, so I thought a lot of families might still be out of town or traveling back in time for work and school tomorrow. Even our organist was out of town, having sequenced all her music on the organ for our traditional service.

Though quiet, it turned out to be a moving morning for me. I focused on the Righteous branch of Jeremiah 33, who we know as Jesus. Our hope is found in the promise of his coming, just as it was for Jeremiah’s audience for whom invasion, destruction and exile were inevitable. Don’t let anyone fool you with the nice words, “Everything will be OK.” Both Jeremiah and Jesus tell us it won’t. Things are bad and getting worse, but we have a Savior who is coming. And that is why we have hope.

Rather than getting swept away in the hurried culture of Christmas preparation, the quiet assurance of Advent has already made an impression on me. I “get it” in a way that I don’t think I did before. I’m getting off the ride and spending some time focusing on the Son of God who came and is coming. Who was here and will be back. Who somehow gives me hope.

The Russian literary giant, Leo Tolstoy, once wrote a story about a successful peasant farmer who was not satisfied with his lot.  He wanted more of everything.  Here is how Tolstoy tells the story:

“One day a farmer received a novel offer.  For 1000 rubles, he could buy all the land he could walk around in a day.  The only catch in the deal was that he had to be back at his starting point by sundown.  Early the next morning he started out walking at a fast pace.  By midday, he was very tired, but he kept going, covering more and more ground.

Well into the afternoon, he realized that his greed had taken him far from the starting point.  He quickened his pace and as the sun began to sink low in the sky, he began to run; knowing that if he did not make it back by sundown the opportunity to become an even bigger landholder would be lost.  As the sun began to sink below the horizon, he came within sight of the finish line.

Gasping for breath, his heart pounding, he called upon every bit of strength left in his body and staggered across the line just before the sun disappeared.  He immediately collapsed, blood streaming from his mouth.  In a few minutes, he was dead.  Afterwards, his servants dug a grave.  It was not much over six feet long and three feet wide.”

The title of Tolstoy’s story was: “How Much Land Does a Man Need?” (Adapted from Bits & Pieces, November, 1991.)  In the end, Tolstoy suggests, all a man really owns is a 6-foot by 3-foot piece of earth, so we are better off putting our confidence elsewhere.

Jesus, like Tolstoy, warns us (Matthew 6:19 – 24, 33) that we had better not put our trust in the promise of materialism.  If we do, we will be sadly disappointed.  Instead, there is something of eternal value that we can give our lives to pursue.  Anything we forfeit here on earth to gain what is in heaven will be returned to us there 100 times over (Matthew 19:29) along with eternal life!

Unfortunately, the western church in particular has drifted away from this teaching of Jesus.  Like first century Judaism, we associate material blessings with God’s favor.  Yet, very few people as well as nations have ever passed the prosperity test (Deuteronomy 8:8 – 10; 31:20; Jeremiah 5:7; Hosea 13:6).  The antidote to the poison of material envy and greed is “seek first His Kingdom and righteousness and all these things will be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).

However, this is not a prescription for poverty either.  We are not more spiritual if we are poor – or act poor because we do not want people to think we have anything, which is hypocrisy.  Instead, in abundance or in want, the Lord wants us to trust him for all our needs.  He wants to use us to pour out his riches and grace upon “all nations” so that through us all people will know that He is God.  Like Abraham, he was to bless us so that we can be a blessing!

Nowhere is this more evident than in the churches of nations of the two-thirds world that are marked by material poverty but spiritual abundance in revival, signs and wonders, and miracles.  These saints do more with less for the Kingdom of God, while the American church does less with more.  While we are rich in available materials and resources, we are growing more and more Biblically illiterate and spiritually impoverished.  Thinking that we are rich and blessed, we are truly “blind, naked, and poor.”

Waitsburg Tombstone ©Weatherstone/Ron Almberg, Jr. (2009)

While in Albania, I saw a church that was struggling with the simple resources that we take for granted everyday and every Sunday.  Can you imagine attempting to teach Sunday school or disciple without materials in your own language?  Can you imagine a church without any resources to pay for a staff of pastors and office help to keep ministry going?  Can you imagine doing Children’s ministry without any props or tools?

This is what I witnessed in Albania.  Yet, I saw a vibrant church in prayer, reaching lost souls, fellowship, and growing future leaders.  I witnessed creative people and pastors inspired by God who gathered dozens of children to teach them about Christ.  I saw the church gather for prayer and then “hit the streets” to find people to pray for and possibly be a witness to them about the love of Jesus.

My family has paid a price for my trips abroad to Albania and India.  Seeing such poverty among the world’s poorest of the poor ruins a person.  It gives one a jaundiced eye toward our western materialism and consumerism.  As such, for the past several Christmases we have not exchanged gifts.  We have not given gifts.  Plus, we have asked our friends and relatives to help us express Christmas in a new way.

Every year we pick a world poverty problem to target and give towards efforts that attempt to meet it.  We have supported homes for girls rescued from forced prostitution; bought and put together medical kits for AIDS patients; bought chickens for a impoverished family.  This year we are buying a goat to be given to a family in need.

This is a great time of year to ask ourselves:  How much stuff do we need to be successful?  How many material things do we need to feel God’s care and love?  How long do we wait until we have the earthly things we need so that we can answer God’s call to bless others?  How much of this world’s stuff are we dependent upon for our personal happiness?  How much “earth” does one need?

©Weatherstone/Ron Almberg, Jr. (2009)

Zephaniah 3:17  The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.

This is from a devotional under the heading of Joy.  At this wonderful season we should truly be experiencing Joy.

Thanksgiving is over and the shopping days until Christmas are numbered.   With “8″ grandchildren I will definately be doing some shopping.  I am also trying to shop for items that will make a difference in their lives:  educational type toys.  Of course you have to have some JOY also.  My oldest grandchild is 7, so they are all very young.  Last year we did some ornaments.  This was a tradition with my children as they got old enough to create things.  This year I hope to do the same.  The other tradition we had was decorating cookies.  We may try that this year also.  These memories are precious.  We still decorate the tree with the ornaments that our children made.

Try to incorporate some traditions this year in your family.  Remember the “Reason for the Season” – Jesus.  If you do not attend church services, consider doing so this year.  Having your family involved in a congregation gives them a wonderful sense of why they are here, the love of Jesus and a group of people who will love and nurture them.

Thanks to three very large leftover casseroles from a church breakfast we were able to offer a wonderful Breakfast Buffet for the Manna Meal this week.  We had:  Sausage/egg/cheese/grits casserole,  Sausage/Crouton/Egg casserole, Spicy Mexican casserole,  Biscuits, Sausage Gravy, Fried Potatoes, Fruit and assorted Muffins/Pastries.  Everyone seemed to enjoy the meal.  We served a total of 116.  We had several new faces and some new volunteers. 

The New Beginning – Clothes Closet was open and provided some welcome winter clothing for many people.   People that have previously visited the closet were asked to limit what they were taking to make sure we have adequate clothes for new people.

The next meal on Dec. 12th will feature – Pictures with Santa,  Conert by the NUMC Choir,  Clothing distribution and another wholesome meal. 

A meal will be served on Christmas Day – Friday – Dec. 25th.  There will be toys, treat bags, gloves/mittens for the children.  Children must be present to receive gifts.  A wonderful meal will also be served and the LOVE of Christ will be given out Freely.  What a wonderful way to celebrate Jesus’ Birthday.

Pray That You Are Sent Into The Harvest

Many of us have daily prayer lists that remind us of the items we in which we desire God’s assistance. So, for example, we pray for health and healing of our loved ones, financial security in our personal lives, salvation of family members and friends who do not know Jesus, and so on. Like so many others, I can testify that praying without doubt often results in miraculous answers from God:

The Power of Prayer

Interestingly, in the following passage Jesus tells us that we should also pray to be sent into His harvest:

Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” (Matthew 9:37-38)

Remember Jesus statement about, “I am the vine and you are the branches?” In this parable the branches that produce fruit are pruned by the Father such that they will produce more fruit in the future. Branches that are barren will be cut off, cast into the fire and burned. We must be sent into the field that was planted by our Lord Jesus to harvest the fruit that is born of the seed of His life and words. If we do not work in the field of His harvest we can not produce fruit that is pleasing to God. Therefore, pray as Jesus recommended. Pray without doubting that you will be sent into the harvest:

Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.” (John 4:34-38)

Beloved One

Beloved One,

Come now, let us reason together…you shall not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night that you may be certain to do all that is written within it.  Only then will you make your way prosperous and then you will have good success.  Have I not commanded you Myself?  So be strong and of good courage, My child, do not be afraid, nor be dismayed for I am the Lord, your God, and I am with you wherever you go.  Beloved, I know the plans and thoughts that I think toward you…thoughts of peace and not of evil…plans to give you a future and a hope.  So meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.  Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine.  Continue in them, for in doing so, you will save both yourself and those who hear you.  For My Word is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and it is a discerner of the thoughts and the very intents of the heart.

Little One of Christ, you know that all scripture is given by the inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the child of God may be complete, lacking nothing and thoroughly equipped for every good work.  Therefore little one, in looking forward to things to come, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless.  I charge you therefore, Preach the Word!  Be ready in season and out of season!  You have carefully followed My doctrine, My manner of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, and afflictions…what persecutions I endured!  Yet out of them all, the Father delivered Me!  Yes, and all who desire to live Godly in Christ Jesus, will suffer persecution.  Therefore my love, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of My sufferings, that when My Glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy!  For this reason, you will also suffer these things, never the less, do not be ashamed, but know Whom you have trusted and be persuaded and fully convinced that I am able to keep what you have committed to me that day.

Therefore, let those who suffer according to the Will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good as to a Faithful Creator.  My beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in My presence only , but now much more in My absence be assured and certain: We will be here as you work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God Who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.  Be ever confident in this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ…

Beloved, this is like the waters of Noah to Me…for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah would no longer cover the Earth, so I have sworn that I would not be angry with you, nor rebuke you.  For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but my loving-kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall My covenant of peace be removed.  Do you not that I, the Lord have called you in righteousness?  I will hold your hand!  Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, beloved, you are mine!  Can a mother forget her nursing child and not have compassion on the son of her womb?  Though they may forget…I will never forget you!  Look!  See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My Hands! You are precious and honored in My sight, and I love you…I will give men for you and people in exchange for your life!  Please fear not, for I am with you always…lo, even until the end of ages.  Do you not know that no man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life?  For as I was with Moses, so shall I be with you.  I will never leave you, I will never forsake you…Please be strong and of good courage!

You are My servant whom I Myself have chosen.  You are a descendant of Abraham My friend!  I have taken you from the ends of the Earth, I have called you from the farthest regions and said to you, ‘you are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you away:  fear not for I am with you, be not dismayed my love…

For I Am your God,

I will strengthen you…

Yes, I will help you…

I will uphold you in My righteous right Hand!

Love,

El Shaddai

Verses in order:

Isaiah 1: 18, Joshua 1: 8-9, Jeremiah 28: 11, 1Tim 4: 15-16, Hebrews 4: 12, 2Tim 3: 16-17, 2Peter 3: 14, 2Tim 4: 1-2, 2Tim 3: 10-12, 1Peter 4: 12-13, 2Tim 1: 12, 1Peter 19, Philippians 2: 12, Philippians 1: 6, Isaiah 54: 9-10, Isaiah 42: 6, 43: 1, 49: 15, 43: 4, Matthew 28: 20, Joshua 1: 5, Isaiah 41: 8-10

 If the Christian Scheme is a fable, who invented the idea of an Incarnation? For to Jewish minds at any rate such an idea was foreign, being forbidden by their strong monotheism. Who put together the picture of Jesus as it appears in the Gospels? Who conceived the notion of making it that of a sinless man, and doing it so successfully that all subsequent generations of beholders, with a few exceptions at most, have regarded Him as sinless? Yet a sinless man had never been seen before nor has ever been beheld since His appearance. Who supplied this Jesus with the superhuman power that performed works only possible to God, and with the superhuman wisdom that fell from His lips, if such wisdom was never spoken but only imagined? It is universally allowed that the power and wisdom of Jesus have never been surpassed or even equalled. Whose was the daring genius that struck out the notion not merely of making atonement for Sin, but of doing this by Christ’s giving His life a ransom for many and demonstrating its reality through His rising from the dead? These conceptions were so incredible to His followers at the first and have been so unacceptable to natural man since that it is hard to believe any fable-monger would have selected them for his work, even though they had occurred to him. And who suggested the doctrine of a general resurrection at the end of time?—a doctrine to which unaided human science or philosophy has never been able to attain.

The impartial reasoner must perceive that in all these themes we are dealing not with purely human thoughts but with thoughts that are divine and that it is idle to talk of them as fabulous or untrue. “God is not a man that He should lie.” He is neither a tyrant that He should seek to oppress men, nor a false priest that He should want to cheat men, nor a novel writer that He should study to amuse men, but a Father whose dearest interest is to save men, who is Light and in Him is no darkness at all, and whose words are like Himself, the same yesterday, today and forever.

—R.A. Torrey

For those of you who have been giving comments…I was wondering why I wasn’t receiving them, and I found that a spam blocker was blocking almost EVERY ONE of them.  Please know that I would love to read your comments.  I had also stated earlier that, if you are blogging, I would love to read your blogs.

Very Sincerely,

Pam

Soon after we moved to Slovenia one of our past students, Nicole, e-mailed me and said she was studying abroad this year in Austria. We realized that we were pretty close to each other and we hoped that we could see each other. She graduated a few years ago and we haven’t seen each other since then. This weekend she came down to visit us! We have had such a great time catching up with her and showing her Ljubljana. Today we went downtown and up to the castle. The view is very nice from there, we haven’t been up there for a few years so it was fun for us to up too!  It is great to have a piece of our old world connect with us in our new world. Thanks Nicole for coming to visit!