Archangels – A Story of The Incarnation

The silver mist dissipated as I soared through the barrier between the second and third heavens. “Ahh, there it is,” I whispered. “Home.” Ivory Palace gleamed with the presence of the Almighty who lights all Heaven. The translucent gold of Glory Street reflected on the Trees of Life. And together with the rippling flow of the river, they soothed my weariness.

In the distance, I spied my armor room, and my heart sank. I’d been on Earth with the angel troops and guarding Israel for what seemed eons. But being back made me long for the days before Lucifer’s or rather Satan’s rebellion. “Water under the bridge, Michael,” I said, swooping onto the threshold of the Ivory Palace.

My wings folded neatly in place as the mammoth doors swooshed open. “Angels,” I said, greeting those in attendance.

 “Chief Prince Michael, Sir,” said senior angel Gordon. “To what do we owe this honor? We weren’t expecting you this soon.”

“The LORD summoned me.”

“Of course, Sir.”

“Gordon, walk with me.” Entering the long hall, Gordon briefed me on the state of Heaven, and nearing the throne room, the sentries came to attention. I paused, straightened my armor, and as I nodded for the opening, I realized many palace angels had followed.

The doors opened, and my breath caught under the weight of God’s holiness. As I stepped forward, serenity enveloped me, and the sweet, endless worship of the seraphim and cherubim burst through my being. I dropped to my knees before the Shekinah Glory and said, “How may I please you, Sovereign LORD?”

Out of the blinding light, the Almighty said, “Michael, it’s time.”

“Sir?”

“Yes, time is now at its fullness. The plan we fashioned before laying the foundation must come to fruition and be played out on Earth’s scene.”

Standing to my feet, I sighed. “Most High, I wish I understood this plan of yours. But, from the little I do comprehend, it doesn’t seem like a good idea.”

“We know, Michael. We’ve watched you and the other angels search the hints and clues we built into it. But when the plan is complete, you’ll understand. For now, trust me.”

“Of course, Sire,” I said, bowing. “You know all. Is he in agreement?”

“Yes. Remember, there is nothing done without him. We made this plan together. It was his choice.”

I nodded in compliance. “I am your servant, Majesty. Your desire is always my command.”

“Good.”

###

Out of the glorious light, a man dressed in radiant white linen strolled forward. “I’m ready, Michael.”

I bowed low before the Son, the Word of creation. “Master,” I said. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. I rejoice for this moment in time.”

“You do?”

“Unquestionably.”

“But Sir, may I speak?”

“Speak your peace, Michael.”

“Lord, this is what the humans call crazy and insane. Why would you choose to do this? Why would you choose to leave the palace and all your glory just to clothe yourself with what? Humanity? I know I don’t grasp or even pretend to understand the plan you established before I was created, but please reconsider. We need you here.”

“Michael,” said the Son emanating love. “They need me more.”

###

Gabriel squeezed through the crowd of angels gathered at throne room doors, diverting our attention. As he entered, he, too, bowed low. “Ahh, Gabriel,” said the Lord. “Are you prepared with the announcement?”

“I am, Sire. But, are we sure about this?”

“Gabriel, think about what you are asking. You know we never plan and not bring it to pass.”

“It’s no use, Gabriel,” I said. “I’ve already made all the arguments, and He’s settled. This thing is going to happen. I just hope I can contain it without enemy forces being alerted.”

“Michael,” said the Son. “We’ve given you and Gabriel everything you need to do your jobs and do them well. You are the guardian archangel. Gabriel is my messenger. All will unfold according to plan.” 

“But Lord,” I said. “Earth is a battleground and not just in the spiritual dimension. The enemy uses the humans, and some are vile.”

“Yes, they are,” said Gabriel. “I’ve seen it too.” “And this, my faithful archangels, is why they need me.” (To be continued…)

Blessed Are Your Eyes

Ignorance is bliss. What do I mean? Well, my eyes see so much corruption in our world, and I wish I could return to a time when I didn’t see it. A time of innocence when I walked around with rose-colored glasses thinking we all had a bright and rosy future.

But those days are long past, and my eyes do see.

Still, not all see what I see. So, why can’t many see our overreaching government preparing us to accept Antichrist and his mark? Do I see these things because I’m a fanatic—too focused on Bible prophecy and not enough on the love of Jesus? Maybe, but then again, maybe not.

As Jesus walked this earth, He spoke in parables.[1] When His disciples asked Him why, He answered, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. Therefore, I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.”[2]

What…? Jesus explained, saying, “And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive…”[3]

Most of Israel could not see their long-awaited Messiah when He stood in their midst since He, Jesus, did not fit the narrative the Pharisees put forth. Israel rejected Jesus for the same reason I might not want to see what is going on today. Our world looks much better bathed in a pink hue.

But blind eyes, deaf ears, and hardness of heart were conditions that plagued Israel all their days. And Moses said it first, “Yet the LORD has not given you a heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear, to this very day.”[4] Paul explaining this phenomenon wrote, “…that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.”[5]

God blinded Israel so we could come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior while they rejected Him. But this does not explain why some are given eyes to see, and some are not. Or why what some have will be taken away.

Just before His crucifixion, Jesus said to the Father, “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world…For I have given to them the words which You have given Me…and they have believed that You sent Me.”[6]

So, God the Father chose the disciples and gave them to Jesus. Jesus gave these men the Father’s words, and by faith through the power of the Holy Spirit, they believed. At that moment, they were different—God had given them the ability to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. The disciples saw who Jesus was—they heard and understood His Word—even the parables.[7]

As a result, they acted differently.

The disciples did not cause their own change. Instead, the Truth within them provided eyes to see. In turn, they bore fruit for Jesus is the VINE…the Father, the VINEDRESSER who prunes that the branches may bear more fruit. But, Jesus said, “…every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away…”[8]

Matthew 13 began with Jesus’s parable of the Sower—four types of ordinary, everyday people who hear the True Word of God. Their difference—the condition of their heart, which only God knows—a hard path, rocky, thorny, or good soil.

The Word had fallen on the good soil of each true disciple’s heart. And Jesus said, “…blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear.”[9]

So, my friend, if you see things differently—our present world careening toward the end times scenario laid out in our Bible, take heart, for—blessed are your eyes. That Day will not overtake you as a thief.[10]

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[1] Psalm 78:2

[2] Matthew 13:10-13

[3] Matthew 13:14-15; Isaiah 6:9-10

[4] Deuteronomy 29:2-4

[5] Romans 11:25

[6] John 17:6-8

[7] Matthew 13:51

[8] John 15:2

[9] Matthew 13:16

[10] 1 Thessalonians 5:4

When God Says No

WHEN GOD SAYS NO

Is it inherent for sinful humans to hate the answer NO?

God has often answered YES to my prayers, but even with His indwelling Holy Spirit, it’s when He answers NO that I struggle. Like with our nation. I prayed long and hard for things to get better. And in some small ways, they do seem better, yet even more evil has come down the pike—because God answered NO. Reluctantly, I learned to live with His decision—I wasn’t happy—but the prayer wasn’t exactly personal either. I blew out a sigh, shrugged my shoulders, and my heart settled with this—God is in control.

And then came the past two weeks. I prayed fervently for my granddaughter, Jayne. She’s a ballerina who pulled a muscle at a crucial time in her training. This may not sound like a worthy prayer, but when God said NO, I felt like a child in a department store who doesn’t get the toy. So, I did what any self-respecting kid would do—I threw a temper tantrum.

My mind knows God will bring good out of this situation because she loves Him, and Scripture tells us He works all things out for our good.^[1] Still, my heart hurts. My mind saw things going so differently. Immediately, God said, “I allowed this for a reason, and I will get the glory.”

Did His answer settle me? No, because God’s answer was still NO, and I really didn’t like it.

The situation took me right back to when my daughter, Lorrie, didn’t make it for cheerleader. At that time, my temper tantrum was much worse, but my frustration—so similar. Shame on me. After all these years, had I not grown in my faith?

I did pray or rather complained while I wallowed in my displeasure and insolence. But God took this moment to remind me of all the good He had brought in Lorrie’s life since that fateful day. So, I asked for wisdom and eyes to see His hand working in Jayne’s. Through these prayers, He halted my complaints, softened my attitude, and finally, I repented.

Like David, I prayed, “…Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin…Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me hear joy and gladness, that the bones You have broken may rejoice…Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”^[2]

I had wanted my own way, and I told Him so, but God dragged me back. He led me to the Psalm I’ve used so many times in my Christian walk because I, like Paul, am the chief of sinners.^[3] And to this prayer, God’s answer will always be YES—because it’s His Word and His Will.^[4]

My heart still hurts. But yet again, I’ve resolved, God is in control. His love for Jayne is infinitely more perfect than ours, and He WILL get the glory.

Sunday, after church, I asked Jayne what she learned through this ordeal. She said to put God first in all things^[5] and to trust Him even more in her trials.^[6] Ahh—so very mature—I didn’t learn these lessons until I was married with two children.

My Lord used a devastating trial to teach this precious 16-year-old lessons she will need for a lifetime. At 16, I surely didn’t have that kind of faith. In fact, at that time, with my trials, I started pulling away from all things God. And after about 15 corrupted years, Jesus brought me back.^[7] He removed the spiritual scales from my eyes^[8] and made me His own.^[9]

In my trials, I ran from God. But I will be eternally grateful Jesus drew Jayne closer through hers.

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[1] Romans 8:28

[2] Psalm 51:1-10

[3] I Timothy 1:15

[4] II Peter 3:9

[5] Matthew 6:33

[6] Proverbs 3:5-6; I Peter 1:6-7

[7] Matthew 18:12-13; Luke 15:4

[8] Acts 9:18

[9] Isaiah 43:1

Whatever Happened to Live and Let Live?

     I’ve always loved the movie The Hiding Place—Hollywood’s version of the life of Christian author and speaker Corrie Ten Boom and her family. The Ten Boom’s were arrested for hiding and helping Jews during the German occupation of Holland in World War II. Betrayed by Hollanders who prided themselves in obeying German law, the Ten Boom family spent several years in concentration camps. God graciously rescued Corrie, but most of her family died there.

     More recently, I found another movie, The Zookeeper’s Wife, a true account of Antonina and Jan Zabinski, who also hid Jews when the Germans occupied Poland. Yad Vashem in Israel aptly recognized them with the “Righteous Among The Nations” honor.

      I love Israel. And it breaks my heart to see the unquenched resurgence of anti-Semitism in New York City. Or to be reminded of Jews suffering at the hands of pure evil—Hitler and his Nazi regime.

     But lest we forget, Hitler’s rise to power was slow at first. For example, in his 1919 letter to Adolf Gemlich, “…Hitler argues that antisemitism should be based on facts, Jews were a race and not a religious group, and that the aim for the government ‘must unshakably be the removal of the Jews altogether.’”[1]

     In 1925 and 1926, he published Mein Kamph and dedicated it to his mentor, Dietrich Eckart, a member of the occultist group, The Thule Society. In the book, Hitler equated Jews with germs, and he expounded upon his plans to transform German society into one based on RACE. By 1934, well over a million copies had been sold.[2] Any of this sound familiar??

     Hitler undermined Germany’s understanding of right and wrong. He twisted the minds of children (and adults), claiming, “He alone, who owns the youth, gains the future.”[3] When the German people were thoroughly indoctrinated, they gladly betrayed Jewish neighbors believing them to be sub-human.

     With the rapid erosion of America’s freedoms, I see Hitler’s same ideologies rising up. So, I better speak while I still can.

     Last month, The Salem News carried an article written by Connie Schultz, wife of Senator Sherrod Brown, titled, Get thee vaccinated, evangelical friends. Since I attend Alliance Evangelical Friends Church, I began reading, but halfway through, I was fuming.

     The author bases her opinion piece on a New York Times article. Schultz’s “good news—65 million people in the US have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.” However, her “pull-out-your-hair news from a Pew Research study—out of 41 million white evangelical adults, 45% said in late February they don’t plan to get vaccinated.”

     Quoting Jamie Aten of Wheaton College, an evangelical institution in Illinois, Shultz wrote, “If we can’t get a significant number of white evangelicals to come around on this, the pandemic is going to last much longer than it needs to.”

     Whoa — déjà vu — a teacher punishing the whole class for one child’s misbehavior. But what happens after school? Isn’t it the angry classmates who correct the one child?

     The Times also cited, “Lauri Armstrong, a Bible-believing nutritionist outside of Dallas…[She]…said she did not need the vaccine because God designed the body to heal itself, if given the right nutrients. [And] it would be God’s will if I am here or if I am not here.”

     Appalled, Schultz then commented, “I am related to many evangelicals, and some of them I love, but we are at an impasse here. Listing all the reasons to get vaccinated is like reading a restaurant menu to a giraffe. They are smart and attentive, but we’re not speaking the same language. If I hear one more person tell me, “It’s in God’s hands…”

     Shultz claims she’s a Christian. But it’s clear she’s not a true believer, because she then asks the question, “When did white preachers stop telling the helicopter story?” This where I paused my reading to cool off a bit. How dare her write such a “racist” article.

     Long Helicopter story short:  A man who drowns in a flood says to God, “I trusted You to save me.” God says, “I sent you a police officer, a boat, and a helicopter. What more did you want?”

     Is Schultz claiming God sent the vaccine to save us, and the unvaccinated are too dumb to realize it? I think so.

     This mindset is doing the same to our citizens as Hitler did to Germans. It’s twisting our thinking, causing us to trust government more than our real Savior or our fellow man, thereby making criminals out of the unvaccinated.

     Think I’m overreacting? Consider New York’s Excelsior Pass, vaccine passports, and The Epoch Times article, “Oregon First State to Require Vaccination Proof for Maskless Entry Into Businesses, Workplaces, and Churches.”^[4] Now Facebook is tracking its members for vaccine hesitancy. What’s next?

     To me, these government requirements are like the Nazi-required armbands for Jews. It’s the same type of recognition. The armband was the first step used to separate and dehumanize Jews.

Where is our freedom of choice? Women are free to choose to murder their unborn baby, but the unvaccinated are not free to put only themselves at risk?

Whatever happened to live and let live?

     If you have strong convictions that the vaccine is good—take it. If you have solid beliefs that the vaccine is harmful, the agenda behind it malicious, and the subsequent mandates Naziesque—don’t get vaccinated. But be prepared for persecution because the days are evil.

“Therefore He says: ‘Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.’ See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”^[5]

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[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gemlich_letter

[2] www.wikipedia.org/wiki/AdolfHitler

[3] *Adolf Hitler, as quoted in “Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression,” vol. 1 (Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, 1946), p. 320. Available online at http://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/Military_Law/pdf/NT_Nazi_Vol-I.pdf. Referenced by https://answersingenesis.org/blogs/ken-ham/2014/05/06/he-alone-who-owns-the-youth-gains-the-future/

[4] https://www.theepochtimes.com/mkt_morningbrief/oregon-first-state-to-require-vaccination-proof-for-maskless-entry-into-businesses-workplaces-and-churches

[5] Ephesians 5:14-16

Whatever Happened to Sin?

Many moons ago, when I was a freshman in high school, smoking was about the worst thing kids would do. By the time I was a senior, it was “going all the way,” if you catch my drift. Perhaps that’s when sin began to be erased, or at least the idea of sin.

Since then, humans have worked tirelessly to accept, normalize, and even protect sinful actions. What we once knew as sin—because the Bible said so and because our consciences made us feel it—no longer has that label.

Think about it. What thing was considered wrong and sinful when you were young is fully accepted today?

The big one I mentioned earlier hits a bit closer to home:  sex outside of marriage, aka sexual immorality, or fornication, as some Bible translations call it.^[1] Not only was it wrong, but we knew it was wrong and tried to hide it. (I didn’t come to Christ until I was married with two children, so that should explain a lot. And I take full responsibility for my part in the dissolving sin—which is why I’m writing.)

Living together, or shacking up as my parents called it, was taboo. Nowadays, it’s the norm. And since the ’70s sexual revolution, no one is shocked by it, nor do we want to broach the subject. If we dare say this is against God’s law, we are chastised.

But that isn’t even the worst of it. Lately, if you are a person with a deeper skin tone than what is considered “white,” you can commit a crime—pass bad checks, take drugs, resist arrest, and be touted as a hero. If you are a Lieutenant in the military, you can set up your smartphone to record a video after evading cops for over a mile, refuse to get out of the vehicle when ordered, and still be commended by your branch of the service. This type of insubordination would not be tolerated if this military man disobeyed his superiors. But when it’s a police officer giving the orders, that’s another story.

And more recently, in Columbus, Ohio, you can even wield a butcher knife, wrestling someone intending to stab them, disregard repeated orders to drop the knife, and then be considered a wonderful young woman. Yes, this girl did lose her life because of her stupidity, and any death is terribly sad. But why do the public and the media make the one protecting the people from this maniac, the criminal?

I say it’s because sin is no longer sin.

God speaking through the prophet, Isaiah, said, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! Woe to men mighty at drinking wine…mixing intoxicating drink, who justify the wicked for a bribe, and take away justice from the righteous man!”^[2]

And the worst thing about this upside-down thought is that when sin isn’t sin, there’s no fear of eternal punishment AND no need for a Savior.

Now I realize some unbelievers have always been this way, considering the Isaiah passage, but it feels worse now. The numbers are growing, the age of criminals younger, and the crime more intentional and vicious. There’s no concept of wrongdoing—pride, arrogance, and entitlement have taken over. And while our focus is America, this thought is throughout the world, just in different forms.

So, how do you convince someone they need a Savior if they don’t believe the wrong (sin) they are doing is actually wrong (sin)?

Only God can, for Jesus said, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him…”^[3]

But how do we know they are being drawn? Maybe the Share Jesus Without Fear question is a good place to start. “If you were to die today, where would you go?”[4]

Pray, and go in the LOVE of Christ,

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[1] II Corinthians 12:21; Galatians 5:19

[2] Isaiah 5:20-23

[3] John 6:44

[4] http://www.sharejesuswithoutfear.com/

The Same God

I love it when I find the Gospel in the Old Testament. To me, it confirms the Scriptural Truth that God does not change—He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.[1] And for some reason, I need this understanding settled within my heart to function in my daily life.

Lately, Job has been sort of my go-to book when I was feeling down. No matter how bad things got, it wasn’t as bad as it was for Job. Amid the horrific disasters God allowed Satan to perpetrate on Job’s life, even killing his children, Job did not charge God with wrong. In fact, he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”[2]

I find that fascinating—and so unlike me.

It’s possible in my rantings this past year, I did charge God with wrong. I pray I didn’t, but if I didn’t, I think I came very close. And I wasn’t really suffering.

Only God could have placed those words on Job’s lips and in his heart. But how does one cope with such personal pain and loss?

Job sunk into depression, despised his life, and wished he’d never been born. Afterward, Job recounted his days, his actions, and how he honored God in everything. This man even offered sacrifices for his children just in case they sinned. Moreover, God Himself declared Job blameless and upright—a truth Satan did not refute.[3]

Job’s heart was kind and compassionate. He loved God and did every good work he knew to do to please Him and avert this type of calamity. So, to Job, his suffering was unfair.

Why did God allow misery in Job’s life?

From the text, God’s exact reason isn’t clear. Still, I believe it was much more than proving a point to Satan. I think it was so Job could gain a deeper understanding of the Almighty and so God could correct Job’s thinking about sin.

Everyone at that time understood works righteousness:

good deeds = blessings        sinful deeds = misfortune.

And each time Job’s friends expressed their disgust at Job’s reluctance to admit he had sinned—that his current situation was God’s punishment, Job countered, saying, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.”[4] Job longed to plead his innocence before God, but he knew God was not a man. And even if they could go to court together, there was no mediator Job could see.[5]

When the three older men finished their statements, a younger man began to speak. Elihu spoke truth but had no insight into the underlying cause of Job’s physical and emotional pain. Yet, Elihu told of a messenger, a mediator, to show man God’s uprightness. By this one, man could see himself in comparison to a holy God. And faced with God’s Holiness, man confesses, “I have sinned…” In those moments, the grace of God delivers his soul from the pit because the Almighty found a ransom—a cover—a redemption price [6] to pay the condemned man’s sin,[7] in the merits of the mediator.

For Job, God himself became his Mediator—the One for whom Job longed. In the testimony box, Job sat while God proclaimed His glory and power and said, “Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge?” Four chapters later, Job understood his sin nature, the insufficiency of works to save, and he repented. God then, in His mercy, restored Job.

How great is it that our Triune God is the same today as He was in Job’s day? We also have God as our Mediator AND our Ransom—His name is Jesus, God the Son. “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all…”[8]

Have a blessed Resurrection Day!

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[1] Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8

[2] Job 1:21

[3] Job 1:8-9

[4] Job 13:15

[5] Job 9:32-33

[6] Strong’s Concordance

[7] Job 33:22-30

[8] I Timothy 2:5-6

The LOVE of God

“The love of God is greater far than tongue or pen can ever tell; it goes beyond the highest star, and reaches to the lowest hell. The wand’ring child is reconciled by God’s beloved Son. The aching soul again made whole, and priceless pardon won.”[1]

A few weeks ago, we sang The Love of God in worship, and it stuck with me. Kim Knowles led worship that Sunday and as always, the Holy Spirit flowed through her and she effortlessly ushered us into the presence of God. Thanks, Kim!

Since I’ve been singing this song all month, I did some research. The lyrics are beautiful, especially the refrain: “O love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong! It shall forevermore endure—the saints’ and angels’ song.”[2] (Are you singing yet??)

Verse two seems to speak about the times in which we live—human thrones, kingdoms falling, and people refusing to pray. But confirms God’s love is sure, it shall endure, and His grace will resound. Glory to God!

Nevertheless, it was verse three that really caught my attention. “Could we with ink the ocean fill and were the skies of parchment made, were every stalk on earth a quill and every man a scribe by trade, to write the love of God above would drain the ocean dry, nor could the scroll contain the whole tho stretched from sky to sky.”[3]

What great word pictures and what truth. John 21:25 says, “And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.”

But can you write of God’s love for us without understanding who He is? I don’t think you can. So, I was shocked to learn that “lines similar to verse 3 are found in the Qur’an (18:109 and 31:27) and Akdamut, an 11^th-century Jewish poem. Frederick Lehman, the song’s author, said the English rendition included in his song had reportedly “been found penciled on the wall of a patient’s room in an insane asylum after he had been carried to his grave.”[4]

Reading all this, I was reminded of a radio interview I heard last week. “The one thing Muslims need to know is the love of God. There is no LOVE in the Qur’an—Allah.” But if verse three is similar to the Qur’an and the song says “the love of God,” doesn’t that contradict the interviewee’s statement?

Back to the internet. Surah Al-Kahf – Qur’an, Chapter 18, Verse 109: Arabic and English Translation: “Say: ‘If the ocean were ink (wherewith to write out) the words of my Lord, sooner would the ocean be exhausted than would the words of my Lord, even if we added another ocean like it, for its aid.’ (Translation by Yusuf Ali)” Well, no LOVE there.

What about the Akdamut?  This poem, written by Meir ben Yitzchak Nehorai in the 11^th century, has been incorporated into Jewish liturgy. Aviva Sterman explains, “the Jews make G-d their chativa, object of love…recite the Shema twice a day…study the Torah constantly, and since by doing so they follow the Divine will, G-d accepts their prayer.”[5]

The closest the Akdamut comes to the love of God is saying, “the Jews are chaviv, dearer, to G-d than the angels because they praise G-d regularly.”[6]

Neither Islam nor Judaism understands our One True and Living God. Sadly, some Christian denominations believe Muslims worship the same God we do, but they don’t. Our God IS love.[7] Allah is a counterfeit. And Jews completely misunderstand when the Lord says in Jeremiah, “I have loved you with an EVERLASTING LOVE.”[8] Why? Because they don’t have God’s complete Word. They refuse to see that “…God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”[9]

And my heart breaks.

The only reason we love God is because He first loved us.[10]

Do you know the love of God?

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[1] Hymn:  The Love of God (vs. 1) by Frederick M. Lehman, 1917, https://hymnary.org

[2] ibid

[3] ibid

[4] https://library.timelesstruths.org/music/The_Love_of_God/

[5] https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/836264/aviva-sterman/akdamut/

[6] ibid

[7] I John 4:8

[8] Jeremiah 31:3

[9] Romans 5:8

[10] I John 4:19

In Everything Give Thanks

Thanksgiving—an expression of gratitude given in many different ways—an action gushing forth from heartfelt emotion. Daily we extend or receive kindnesses, and thanksgiving seems to flow naturally. Effortlessly we thank our fellow man, but when it comes to God, sometimes it’s not so easy. And even on the day our nation has set aside to thank God for His bountiful blessings, thanksgiving becomes a strained endeavor.

Why?

Perhaps the reality of our crummy situation slaps us in the face. Maybe the ups and downs of family relationships or gyrating current events have us on a merry-go-round, and we’re not feeling very thankful. I’m right there with you. In fact, I found myself shouting, “Lord Jesus, stop the world I want to get off!”

But at that moment, God’s still small voice penetrated my soul. “Rejoice always,” He said. “Pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”^[1]

Quickly my pity party turned into a temper tantrum. “No,” I said to myself, stomping my foot, crossing my arms, and pursing my lips. “I don’t want to.”

“Why?” I felt His Spirit ask.

“I don’t feel like it,” I said timidly. Just then, I felt a swat to my bottom, and the correction of God pained my heart.[2]

“Look again at the scripture. Does it say anywhere in the text do this if you feel like it?”

“No, Lord,” I replied.

“So, what does it say?”

I blew out a sigh and answered. “It says I’m to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and in everything, not about everything, but in everything–whether things seem good to me or not, whether I feel like it or not, I am to give thanks.”

“Why did I order it this way?”

“I guess because when we obey, our thoughts move from ourselves and our situation to You.”

“That’s correct,” my heart heard. “I love you. You are My precious child.[3] I hold you in the bad times; surround you with My arms.^[4] I comfort and shield you.^[5] I alone calm your storm and lift you with My righteous right hand.^[6] I never leave you, and I am with you wherever you go.[7]

“Believe Me and trust Me, for I never change. I will work all these things out for your good. My Spirit is your guarantee, and though trouble comes, this world is not your home.[8]

“Finite minds cannot fully imagine the splendors of My heavenly kingdom or the glories that await you. Still, it’s not just the place. It’s Me, My presence—My holiness.[9]

“So know this, as I was with Moses and the children of Israel in the wilderness, I am with you. My Spirit dwells in you. During this storm, My Presence will guide you, envelop you with peace, and give rest to your soul.^[10]

“Remember, My purposes shall be accomplished according to all I have written, for I am God, and there is no other.”^[11]

Humbled, I said, “Thank you, Lord. Please cleanse me from all unrighteousness.^[12] I may not feel like rejoicing amidst my circumstances, but I do rejoice in You—my God, my Savior, my Lord, and my Hope. Help me to pray without ceasing, and even if I’m grumbling, help me to run to You, submit, draw near, and resist the devil because he wants me to wallow in my misery and grief.^[13]

“Safe in Your arms, will I give thanks in everything and trust you to bring good. With wide eyes and expectancy, I’ll watch You wipe away my tears, put off my sackcloth, clothe me with gladness, and turn my mourning into dancing.^[14]

Have a thankful and blessed Thanksgiving Day!

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[1] I Thessalonians 5:16-18

[2] Hebrews 12:6

[3] John 1:12

[4] Psalm 32:7

[5] Isaiah 66:13; II Corinthians 1:3-4; Psalm 3:3

[6] Isaiah 41:10

[7] Hebrews 13:5; Joshua 1:9

[8] Malachi 3:6; Romans 8:28; II Cor. 1:21-22; Hebrews 11:9-10

[9] I Corinthians 2:9-10; II Corinthians 12:2-4

[10] Exodus 33:14; Matthew 11:28-29

[11] Isaiah 55:11; Isaiah 45:5

[12] I John 1:9

[13] James 4:7-8

[14] Psalm 30:11

Not Desolate

NOT DESOLATE

     The bright sun of Babylon streamed through Daniel’s window as the aging prophet unrolled the scroll. Jeremiah, Jerusalem’s man of God, had sent it to Babylon years earlier. And when it first arrived, Daniel practically devoured this Word from the LORD.

     Captured by King Nebuchadnezzar as a teenager, Daniel had lived in this pagan culture for about 67 years. Kings came and went during his lifetime, and recently the Empire had changed hands.

     Yet Daniel’s God was in control. And this, God made evident sometime earlier when coworkers had plotted against Daniel.

     Supposedly he had broken the king’s bogus law by praying to Almighty God instead of the king. As a result, they threw Daniel into the lion’s den. But this Most High God, proving to all that He is God and there is no other,[1] shut the lion’s mouths.[2]

     Reminded of something in Jeremiah’s scroll, Daniel searched feverishly. There in the 25^th section and again in the 29^th, he found it. Three times the LORD said through Jeremiah that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.[3]

     Throwing up his hands, Daniel shouted, “Praise the Almighty! It’s almost over!”

     And it was. Nevertheless, in reading to find this good news, Daniel also found the sin that caused their captivity.

     Frustrated, that even after his deportation, Judah took their freedoms to worship the One True and Living God so lightly when Daniel had to fight for his. Refusing to worship the false gods of Babylon, Daniel and his co-captives, time and again, had risked their lives. But Judah rejected God, transgressed His Law, and chose to worship these idols.

     Heartbroken, Daniel donned sackcloth and ashes, fasted, and set his face toward the Lord God to make his requests, supplications, and confessions.[4] He repented for Judah’s corrupt leaders, false prophets, idolatry, apathetic mode of worship, and it’s blatant disregard for the prophesied consequences.[5] Daniel knew the mercy of God was their only hope, and he closed his prayer with this, “O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.”

     I found Daniel’s prayer of repentance painful to read, but sadly, it was all I could think of when the pandemic hit. And as I read and prayed, I saw how America fit the picture Daniel painted. Tears fell, and I believe God allowed me to feel His grief over our nation. Then after several days, I felt Him say, “Write it down.”

     My first prayer-paraphrase was harsh—just as harsh as Daniel’s recounting of Israel/Judah’s sin because of the similarities. Yet, in my second draft, God opened my eyes to the one major difference, and I softened.[6]

     Daniel prayed, “Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of Your servant…cause Your face to shine on Your sanctuary, which is DESOLATE.”[7] My mind immediately went to the empty sanctuaries across this nation. “Desolate,” I cried as well.

     But the Holy Spirit quickened my heart. “No, not desolate,” He said. “The TEMPLE of God is NOT a building in this age.”

     “Of course!” I said. This side of the cross, WE are His Temple.[8] And in II Corinthians, Paul wrote, “…For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”[9]

     Aahh! I was so focused on America’s sin and obeying God’s II Chronicles 7:14[10] command, that our “new normal” kept me fixated on circumstances. God knew I needed this gentle reminder, and maybe you do too.

     Am I happy we could worship together last Sunday and today? Yes! Do I understand the whole agenda of the evil one in these last days? No!

     But this I do know; even though church buildings were empty, God’s church never was. Once we are His child,[11] saved by the blood of Jesus[12] and born again through the living and eternal Word of God,[13] NO person or VIRUS can take His Holy Spirit from us.[14] He will never leave us or forsake us,[15] and nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.[16]

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[1] Isaiah 45:22

[2] Daniel 6:20-22

[3] Jeremiah 25:11-12; Jeremiah 29:10

[4] Daniel 9:3-4

[5] Daniel 9:5-19; Deuteronomy 28:15, 49, 63-66

[6] https://www.meatforthehungry.com/2020/04/seven-days-of-prayer.html

[7] Daniel 9:17

[8] I Corinthians 6:19

[9] II Corinthians 6:16

[10] “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

[11] John 1:12

[12] I John 1:7

[13] I Peter 1:23

[14] John 14:16-18

[15] Hebrews 13:5

[16] Romans 8:35-39

Why Do We Do Good?

During this COVID-19 pandemic, I’ve been humbled by all the selfless acts I see of people who work in healthcare, food service—either restaurants or grocery stores, US mail, all delivery personnel, etc. and I know this list isn’t complete. Countless individuals risk their personal safety so we can keep ours. Thank you! And thank you to those amazing volunteers who use their creative skills to help others. Some sew masks, give balcony concerts, send encouraging or prayer-filled notes and texts, or hand out/deliver food and groceries to the needy. Others pray without ceasing.[1] I’m blown away by the good works, and it causes me to glorify my Father in heaven[2].

But it also causes me to ask why? Why do we do good? And why do times of crisis bring out the “good” in humanity?

Some might say this is what we’re taught and what we pass on to the next generation. True. We teach our children to do good, to share, to wait their turn, and to be kind to others. We discipline when they hit or bite, and when they are cruel, we say, “No, no. We don’t act that way in this house.”

With that in mind, here’s another question. Do animal parents correct wrong behavior in their young?

Now you might be saying, “This is completely unrelated to our subject.” But if you stick with me, I’ll show you how right on topic it is.

My mother loves birds, and while she has been convalescing, she and I have been online eagle watching. Up until the end of March, we watched the eagles in Hanover, Pennsylvania. However, their egg was not viable and the eagles abandoned their nest. My sister, Amy, searched for another and found one in Ashtabula, Ohio – AACS Eagles.[3] The parents, Pride and Joy, hatched two eaglets this year, Raindrop and Nestor. It’s impressive to see how gentle the parents feed their young. Still, as attentive as they are, not once have I seen the eagles correct their offspring for misbehavior. In fact, Raindrop, the older eaglet, pecks and bonks the younger when it doesn’t like what Nestor is doing or if it thinks its food is threatened. And although the mother is right there, she never says, “No, no. We don’t act that way in this nest.” Lol

Case in point:  Amy, in her search for live eagle cams, witnessed an eaglet’s murder. The one eaglet literally pecked the other to death while the parent looked on. No intervening discipline – no time outs – no scolding – no stopping the aggressive hatchling from killing the sibling. Why?

Animals, birds, and sea creatures work on God-programmed instinct. They have no understanding of right or wrong behavior, no standard of morality to live up to. And they, along with all creation, groan and labor with birth pangs together until now.[4]

According to the websites I visited, animal parents will do what humans consider discipline only if the youngster’s actions affect the parent personally.[5] Nevertheless, we have to question the motive of so-called discipline. Is it because they are trying to teach their “child” to be good and kind, or is it merely selfish behavior on the parent’s part? The websites confirm the latter.

If humans are descended from apes as evolutionists theorize, why do we discipline our young when their bad behavior does not personally affect us? What caused this morality to develop if survival of the fittest is true? And why will humans do good and risk their own safety to help or rescue someone in need?

Without a Creator—a Good[6] and Just[7] God—who has created man in His image,[8] we wouldn’t. It is He who has given mankind the desire for morality, the ability to do good and noble work, and to sacrifice for others,[9] even when they deny the God who made them,[10] and reject the Gift of Jesus who would wash them clean of all unrighteousness.[11]

So, in this time of unknowns, let’s remember God has shown us what is good and what He requires—to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with Him. And don’t forget to do good and share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.[12]

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[1] I Thessalonians 5:17

[2] Matthew 5:16

[3] https://www.lakesideeaglecam.com/

[4] Romans 8:22

[5] https://www.discovermagazine.com/mind/unlike-humans-chimpanzees-only-punish-when-theyve-been-personally-wronged

[6] Matthew 19:17

[7] Romans 3:36

[8] Genesis 1:26-28

[9] John 15:13; Romans 5:7

[10] Matthew 10:33

[11] Romans 6:23; I John 1:9

[12] Micah 6:8; Hebrews 13:16