What’s Your Excuse?

I am a natural procrastinator. I can put off almost everything I need to do for days, weeks, and even months! I can make excuses for my laziness quite easily. To avoid such a tendency does not come naturally but I have found that making a list will help me get the things done that need to be. An example of this procrastination is writing these blog posts. I set the goal to publish three a week and I do get them done, but probably only because I made that commitment, and I must keep it! There have been times when I am writing it and posting it just a few hours before it is published! There are other times when I will have a week, or even a month of posts written and just line them up to be published. But there are other things that I can find excuses to not do, like cleaning my house. I would much rather write than clean! Oh well! That’s my excuse, that I’m a natural procrastinator. What’s yours?

As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” He said to another man, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:57-62, (New International Version or NIV).

When it comes to our salvation, I did not neglect or procrastinate. I have always loved Jesus and I have wanted to serve Him to the best of my ability. But, even in my daily walk with God, I often do not follow through as I planned to do. Jesus was calling people to follow Him and some of them had excuses too. The first man said that he would follow Jesus everywhere. Yet, the answer that Jesus said is interesting. He simply informed the man that there was no monetary gain in following Him. That’s my interpretation anyway. I think that Jesus saw the motive as to why the man wanted to follow Him and the motive was to remain comfortable while following. Jesus was a traveling teacher, and He didn’t stay in one place too long. Jesus also didn’t rent a five-star hotel room for everyone that followed along either. His answer to the man who wanted to follow Him caused the man to stop following! No money, no kudos, no accolades, and the guy wasn’t interested anymore.

The second example of an excuse seems to many of us to be a valid excuse. The man wants to bury his father. Now, some commentators will say that at the time the tradition was for a son to remain at home to take care of his aging parents. The man was asking that Jesus wait for him to follow as a disciple until this obligation was fulfilled. Other commentators think that the man’s father was actually dead and needed to be buried. I don’t think this one fits the text very well. If the father was already dead then he would have to be buried immediately, or at least within twenty-four hours as this was the custom of the day. I think it is more likely that the man Jesus asked to come follow was saying that he was obligated to take care of his aging parents and would not be available to follow Jesus until his parents were deceased. The answer that Jesus gave fits this narrative better.

The third example of an excuse was that the person who was called to follow Jesus wanted to go and say goodbye to his family. Logically I can understand this. He didn’t want to just disappear and leave the family wondering where he went or what happened to him. Or perhaps there is another meaning to his words. Perhaps he wanted to go home and get things in order before leaving. Maybe he was married and needed to make certain that his wife was well provided for while he was gone. Or maybe he had children and needed to make arrangements for their education since he would be gone. Whatever were his reasons for wanting to return home he was not dedicated enough to Jesus to remain.  Jesus replies that there is no turning back once you become a follower of Christ.  It reminds me of another scripture.

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.  Ephesians 4:11-15, (NIV).

Weak Christians are tossed and turned on the storms of life. They run from one teaching to another just as a toddler learning to walk goes from person to person. If they don’t grow up and mature in their faith, they will always be tossed around on the waves of life. How do you grow up to be mature in Christ, you might ask? It begins with finding people you trust to teach you how to study the Bible, how to understand what you are hearing, and how to grow your faith. Church, Sunday School, and small groups are great places to learn and grow.

What are some other excuses for not following Jesus? I have heard from some that they want to live their life first, and then repent at the end of their days so that they can slide into heaven but have had their fun first. Somehow, I don’t think that will work for several reasons. First, you don’t know when the end of your days will come. People die at all different ages. Secondly, the definition of fun is actually sinning, and God sees it all and knows your motivation and will not accept you if your motives are not legitimate. God sees your plan and knows that you are simply mocking Him and He will not acknowledge a mocker. Finally, your heart isn’t right with God now, what makes you think that it will be suddenly made right just before you die? This is a dangerous excuse to use.

Another excuse people use is that they are too busy to follow Jesus. Well, dear friend, the only thing you can take to heaven with you is your faith in Jesus. All your busyness is simply things of the world, and your mind and heart are not set upon a heavenly home. If you are too busy to follow Jesus, then God is too busy to let you into heaven.

Some people think that they don’t need to follow Jesus to get to heaven because they are a good person. Some think that following the teachings of Buddha or Mohammed, Hindu teachings, or others are good enough. It doesn’t matter how good you think you are or how good you think other religions are, what matters is what God counts as good. He is a jealous God and doesn’t cohabit with other gods. Your thinking needs some readjustment if you are serious about going to heaven.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ Matthew 7:21-23, (NIV).

There are no excused people in heaven. Either you follow Jesus, or you won’t be there! It is a hard reality for some people to believe, but it is what the Bible teaches us from the words of Jesus. I just want to be certain that I am not turned away and I hope you aren’t either. Don’t gamble with your soul.

Until next time…Katherine

Riding Out The Storm

A few times in my life I have found myself in a tornado warning. I have actually had tornadoes do destruction to my home, my cars, and collateral damage done to things I own. I remember one of the first tornado warnings that I went through was when I was two years old. My mother hated storms and a warning came over the radio which was her only means of communication with the outside world. We lived on a ranch in the middle of nowhere. Several children were staying with us at the time, and she took all of us to the cellar because the wind was fierce, and she was concerned that the tornado might be near us. My dad came and got us out of the cellar, and all was well as it began to rain. While in elementary school we also had to sit out a warning in the hallway of our school as it was away from windows and possible damage if the tornado hit us. Thankfully it didn’t come our way, but it was a scary time for most of us. Then there was the time my mother was coming home and there were obvious signs of a tornado nearby. She parked the car as close to the house as possible and tried to get indoors. Each step forward was two steps back as the wind was blowing so hard. We had to pull her into the house by making a human chain to reach her. That was quite an experience too!

The biggest tornado storm I was in was in 1980 in Grand Island, Nebraska. The night of the twisters was devastating to our little community. Two people died in the tornadoes and one a day later had a heart attack from the stress of the storms. I have written about it in other blog posts, so I won’t give details of it here except to say it was frightening. When a tornado comes you can hear it as it sounds like a train is coming to your door. And when it is doing its thing in tearing you to pieces, you hear the trees fall and it sounds like bombs going off. And when the tornado is leaving, it sounds like a train leaving too. There is an eerie moment of complete silence with no wind just before it hits.  Even the birds stop chirping. In some tornadoes that came near me, I saw a greenish air kind of like an aura which is another sign that a tornado is coming, and you should take cover immediately. That tornado was just two blocks from my house and took out the retaining wall, fence, and roof of a home.

I have also spent time being evacuated while in a hospital because of a tornado warning. In fact, the second time I was evacuated just recently happened. I was visiting my daughter, son-in-law, and three granddaughters, one just three days old, when a nurse came into my daughter’s hospital room and said that we needed to move to an inner lobby that was completely away from windows. It had steel doors that would keep glass from flying in case of a tornado. We sat there with numerous others who were holding their newborns too. For more than an hour we had to sit waiting for news. Some of the people were getting information from friends and family who were living in the area. One couple found out that a tornado had touched down near their home, but their home appeared to have no major damage. The storm moved quickly and hit many areas north of where we were. My daughter told me that she thinks I am a tornado magnet since I have been through so many of them, or at least sat out the warnings as they hit near me. Maybe she is right!

“How long will you who are simple love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings. But since you refuse to listen when I call and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand, since you disregard all my advice and do not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you; I will mock when calamity overtakes you—when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you. Proverbs 1:22-27, (New International Version or NIV).

How many of us think that when we go through storms, droughts, disasters, earthquakes, volcano eruptions, hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and other calamities God just might be trying to get our attention? I doubt that many of us think that. What I do know, though, is when faced with a storm in my life, whether a naturally occurring one such as a tornado, or an emotionally painful one, the first thing I do is pray for protection. While in the hospital lobby I also contacted my two prayer partners and asked them to pray for us and they did. Did our prayers protect all in the hospital? Some will doubt that, but I think our prayers made a difference. I think that there were probably many people praying about the tornadoes and asking for protection. Interestingly enough, absolutely no one was killed and there were massive tornadoes that day in Nebraska. Homes were flattened, neighborhoods destroyed, farmhouses heavily damaged, businesses completely destroyed with many people inside. There was even a train directly hit by a tornado yet two on board in the engine were safe. I have no doubt that many Christians were praying for protection not only for themselves, but others that day. God gets our attention and we had better listen to Him, or otherwise, He will mock us, scoff at us, and ignore our pleas for help. If we refuse to repent and change our lifestyle to be one of righteousness, then we are in peril, it’s just a matter of time until God’s wrath is upon us.

Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea; hear me and answer me. My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught because of what my enemy is saying, because of the threats of the wicked; for they bring down suffering on me and assail me in their anger. My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen on me. Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me. I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. I would flee far away and stay in the desert; I would hurry to my place of shelter, far from the tempest and storm.” Psalm 55:1-8, (NIV).

Whatever storms you face in life, David’s example of how to face them is helpful. God will hear your prayers if you are sincere and if you stand firm in your faith. He will answer them in His timing which is always better than our own. I always want the answer to my prayers immediately, but sometimes this is not the best timing. When I am patient and wait for God to reply and I am steadfast in knowing that He will do the best for me and my circumstance, I have found that His plan was far better than my own. Perhaps you know this already, I hope that you do. Storms will always come to us in one form or another.

Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. But you, God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of decay; the bloodthirsty and deceitful will not live out half their days. But as for me, I trust in you. Psalm 55:22-23, (NIV).

Not only are we to cast our prayers on the Lord, but we are to keep them there. Think of how you catch a fish. You cast your line or net and then you wait patiently. Sometimes there are no fish, but in time they will come and they will be a blessing to you. So, it is with answers to our prayers while we are in the midst of storms or praying for others who are going through one. We pray and we wait for an answer knowing with complete assurance that the answer will come. This is what I did in each tornado warning I have been through. My first thought is to pray for safety and protection for myself and all those around me. And then I pray for the community and in the case of all those tornadoes, I pray for everyone on the path of the storm to be safe. Possessions can be replaced, but a life can’t be, and I am so thankful that God heard and answered the many prayers that were said during each storm. He cares.

Until next time…Katherine

The Word Not

I was reading my Bible the other day and I somehow didn’t see the word “not” in the sentence that I was reading. I about had a heart attack! The sentence was completely changed in its meaning, and I had to take a second look at it to get the true meaning. Here’s the sentence I misread.

I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. Ephesians 1:16, (New International Version or NIV).

What I thought I read was, “I have stopped giving thanks for you.” And I thought that this didn’t sound like Paul, not at all! Isn’t it interesting what a little three-letter word can do for a sentence? This got me thinking about the word “not” and how often I use it in my own life. I will not do certain things, but I will do others and the difference in a sentence I would speak is a little three-letter word. For such a small word it sure has some power behind it. I wonder what other sentences would be completely changed without the word “not”?

 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’ ” Mark 10:19, (NIV).

I don’t know about you, but I sure am glad that the word “not” is used in this sentence, aren’t you? Otherwise, we would have more trouble than we already have in this world.

I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I devastate Ephraim again. For I am God, and not a man— the Holy One among you. I will not come against their cities. Hosea 11:9, (NIV).

Wow! This one would be scary if the word “not” was not in it. The first and last sentences might be nice, I mean, if God was not going to be raging angry that would probably be better for the people involved. But, the second sentence would not be good. Imagine if God was human! Shocking! I would not like that at all, would you?

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Luke 6:37, (NIV).

Just imagine this passage not having the word “not” in it! We have enough trouble in this world with people who ignore that little word anyway! I am so thankful that we are reminded not to be judgmental toward others. I sure don’t want to be condemned.

The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. Romans 14:3, (NIV).

This sentence would not make any sense if it were not for the word “not,” am I right?

Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 1 Timothy 3:2-3, (NIV).

Were it not for the word “not” your church leaders would be some pretty awful people, don’t you think? Just look at all of those “nots” in that one sentence!

“Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood. Isaiah 54:4, (NIV).

I know some people who seem to ignore the little word “not” in their life and they are the most fearful of everything people that I know! I think that fear is not the best way to live your life, have faith that God will take care of you, and stop being afraid of everything! That’s my advice.

God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? Numbers 23:19, (NIV).

Now I would be terrified were it not for the little three-letter word, “not” used in these sentences. I would not worship a god who was human who lied and changed his mind all the time, would you?

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 1 Corinthians 13:4-6, (NIV).

Love would sure have a different meaning in this passage from the Love chapter of the Bible. The word “not” is certainly important here.

Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, God my Savior. Psalm 27:9, (NIV).

I am thankful that God doesn’t hide from me or from you when we seek Him. I am thankful that He doesn’t turn us away in anger because of our sins. Mostly, I am thankful that God does not reject me or forsake me. I imagine you are too.

The little three-letter word “not” is important in the translation of the Bible into English. So many sentences would be changed to fit human thinking rather than holy thinking were it not for that little word. I hope that you have enjoyed this little post on the little word that is very necessary when used correctly in not only the Bible but also in our lives.

Until next time…Katherine

A Special Tribute

 Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12, (New International Version or NIV).                 

One hundred years ago my father was born into this world on May 3, 1924. He was the second of six boys to be born into the Parks family and he loved every one of his brothers too. My dad was a kind and gentle man, soft spoken, and a very hard worker. He loved my mother completely and he loved all three of their children and I am the youngest.

Dad had a very hard life when we compare it to today. His mother died when he was eleven years old. He told me how some of the extended family came to the house where his mother was dying and wanted to take all the children to their home so that they didn’t witness her death. In those days, most people died at home and not in a hospital like today. He refused to leave and went and hid in the barn where they couldn’t find him. Finally, his dad said to let him stay if he was that determined. After the other children had gone, he snuck out of his hiding place and went to his parent’s bedroom window and stood under it peeking in to see what was happening. One of his relatives, I think it was his grandfather, saw him and told him to come inside and he did. He was by his mother’s side when she passed away. I know that this was an extremely impactful trauma for him, but I am thankful that he was there for it gave him much comfort throughout his lifetime.

After the funeral, he remembered how his aunts all came into his home and began taking away many of the beautiful things that his mother had. They took away handmade quilts, her good dishes, her music, and other personal items. My dad thought that was a terrible thing to do. But in truth, his father fell apart. He started drinking even though it was during prohibition.  He couldn’t cope with the loss of his beloved wife, and he lost his farm in the process. The relatives were not pleased with how the boys were all being neglected. In fact, they had a family meeting and decided that it would be best for the boys to be placed in Father Flanagan’s home for boys that was located in Omaha. Most of them knew Father Flanagan personally as he had been their Catholic priest at some point. His dad put his foot down and said absolutely not going to happen! So, the family told him to get his life together and start taking better care of his children.

During this time, my dad told me of many instances when he and his brothers were playing with their numerous cousins, they would go to one of the aunts’ houses where she had just made freshly baked cookies. She would give each child a cookie except for the Parks boys. She would tell them that they needed to tell their dad to straighten up and live right! This was very hurtful to my dad, and he never forgot this either. It impacted him in adult life for the good, though, as he never turned away anyone who needed a little help.

After a year or so, his dad brought home a new wife and she had a little girl. Imagine that poor girl being raised with all those boys! After my dad passed away, this girl called my mom to give her condolences. She told my mom how she always thought of my dad as the gentle giant. She said that when the other boys would be picking on her and teasing her, she would run into my dad’s arms and his big hands would wrap around her and protect her from the others. She said that he was her hero too. He was so much older than her and larger in size that she thought of him as a gentle giant! I love that!!

At age thirteen my dad finished the eighth grade and graduated. He was a good student. He loved poetry and his favorite poem was The Village Blacksmith by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. He had it memorized. He also loved The Charge of The Light Brigade by Alfred Lord Tennyson. He had most of that one memorized too. I have a book of family poems that he used to read to us when we were young. It is worn with his reading it through the years. He also loved music. His mother was a classical pianist and would play duets with her brother who played the violin. Their mother was a graduate of the Boston Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. When she passed away her brother put down his violin and never played it again. In later years my dad bought the violin and now it belongs to my granddaughters who also play the violin. I never knew that my dad loved classical music until my middle child was in college. There were foreign students at our house and asked to play the piano to practice for an upcoming recital and I said yes. One of them was playing beautiful classical music and my dad said that he had never heard any in person since his mom had died. He certainly enjoyed listening to the girl practice.

After graduating from eighth grade, he did what a lot of boys did in his era, he got full-time work rather than attending high school.  He didn’t like his stepmom and so he left his part-time job at the livery stable and began his career as a harvester. He became a part of a crew that went from Oklahoma through the midwestern states to the Canadian border and then back to Oklahoma. If you have ever seen the movie Of Mice and Men you will see the type of work that my dad did. Machinery was limited and nearly everything was done by hand and manpower.  After working for the harvesters for a few years, he decided to try something else and traveled to western Nebraska from his home in eastern Nebraska. He got as far as his money would take him and landed in Angora, Nebraska. A farmer who had a large operation was looking for a good strong young man to work for him and my dad was hired.

It just so happens that shortly after my mother was hired to be a mother’s helper. We don’t have such an occupation these days, but a hundred years ago mothers needed help to get all their chores done and still had time to meet their family’s needs. Her job was to help do the washing without a modern machine, hang the clothes on the clothesline to dry, no dryers then, iron because nearly all clothing was made of cotton, babysit, wash many diapers and hang them on the line, help cook the meals and wash all the dishes afterward, clean and scrub the floors, help in the garden in the summertime, help preserve the garden produce in the fall, take care of the farm animals such as chickens, ducks, and milk cows, and anything else that was needed. It was a lot of work when a mom had three or more children to tend to and so my mom, being a young woman not yet eighteen years old, it was a good job. And this is where my parents met!

 Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. Psalm 127:3-5, (NIV).

A family grew and my dad was a good father. He was fair, more fair than my mom sometimes. He was always working hard to support us. He also taught us all many good things. He taught us to be honest and full of integrity. He taught us to love and appreciate nature and life. He taught us that family is important and that we need them, and they need us. He taught us to love our mother and respect her for who she was. He taught us that you don’t need a lot of money to be happy, but you do need to use what God gives you wisely. He taught us that loving Jesus is the only way to live life in the best way. He taught us to share what we had with those who needed it, whether it was our time, money, groceries, or love. He was such a good man.

A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous. Proverbs 13:22, (NIV).

Dad left us a little money as an inheritance. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to know we were loved. What he left us that was much more precious than money or possessions was a legacy of being the best. Be the best one to show love to the downtrodden. Be the best to share your worldly possessions. Be the best to love your family. Be the best to work hard as if you are working for Jesus. Be the best at attending church and participating.  Be the best at seeing the opportunities to lend a helping hand. Be the best neighbor. But most of all, be the best parent and grandparent. Life changes so quickly. My parents buried two of their three children. They helped so many others who had lost their children to death. They knew their pain and they knew what to say and when to say it. The legacy of a lifetime is what is the most important.

I’m glad you are with Jesus now, Dad to celebrate your 100^th birthday.

Until next time…Katherine

Who Was Deborah?

One of the great Bible heroes is a woman named Deborah. Two chapters in the book of Judges tell her story to us. According to the New International Version of the text, she was a prophet. I find it interesting that the word used is prophet and not prophetess. Many of the other versions of the Bible say that she was a prophetess and so I looked up the literal word in the Greek Lexicon on Bible Hub and they say it is the word prophetess. A prophetess is a female prophet.

Deborah is married. Her husband is a man called Lappidoth. We don’t know how long they were married or much about him. The literal translation is that she was the woman of Lappidoth. We don’t know if he was alive or dead. With the many battles of that day, he could have been killed. But what we do know is that he was from the tribe of Ephriam, or some call it Issachar. We aren’t certain, but it is obvious that Deborah was a wise and righteous judge. Unlike the ones who came before her, not much is mentioned about them. If you read Chapter three of Judges you can see who they were.  I think that the one thing the Israelites were good at was doing evil in the eyes of the Lord. And God would send them into captivity to get them thinking of Him again.

Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, now that Ehud was dead. So the Lord sold them into the hands of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. Sisera, the commander of his army, was based in Harosheth Haggoyim. Because he had nine hundred chariots fitted with iron and had cruelly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years, they cried to the Lord for help. Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to have their disputes decided. She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: ‘Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead them up to Mount Tabor. I will lead Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.’ ” Judges 4:1-7, (New International Version or NIV).

Oppressed for twenty years and finally the people cry out to God to save them. The tyrant, Sisera, is about to be taken out and Deborah is going into battle with Barak. I doubt that this was her first battle. She seemed to be a warrior as well as a prophetess and judge. I can see her standing there overlooking the battlefield wearing her armor made of leather and metal. She had difficulty getting her commander to go to war, though. He would not go unless she went with him.

Barak said to her, “If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.” “Certainly I will go with you,” said Deborah. “But because of the course you are taking, the honor will not be yours, for the Lord will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman.” So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh. There Barak summoned Zebulun and Naphtali, and ten thousand men went up under his command. Deborah also went up with him. Judges 4:8-10, (NIV).

We could speculate all day about why he wouldn’t go into battle without Deborah. Was he afraid he would lose? Did he not trust her prophecy of deliverance? Or was he afraid? Maybe he thought he needed her soldiers too. I don’t know, but it is interesting to speculate.

“I’m thirsty,” he said. “Please give me some water.” She opened a skin of milk, gave him a drink, and covered him up. “Stand in the doorway of the tent,” he told her. “If someone comes by and asks you, ‘Is anyone in there?’ say ‘No.’ ” But Jael, Heber’s wife, picked up a tent peg and a hammer and went quietly to him while he lay fast asleep, exhausted. She drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and he died. Just then Barak came by in pursuit of Sisera, and Jael went out to meet him. “Come,” she said, “I will show you the man you’re looking for.” So he went in with her, and there lay Sisera with the tent peg through his temple—dead. On that day God subdued Jabin king of Canaan before the Israelites. And the hand of the Israelites pressed harder and harder against Jabin king of Canaan until they destroyed him. Judges 4:19-23, (NIV).

Deborah, who was known to be a fair and honest judge, was a good leader over Israel. She didn’t back down from the commander, Barak, who might have been a little untrusting of the woman. She didn’t back down from him either when she told him that she would gladly fight side by side with him. She had a condition to attach to her agreement, that Barak would not get the glory for killing Sisera. That honor would go to a woman, and she didn’t mean herself! To me, this shows her bravery and yet her humility to not grab glory herself. She wanted another to be given that limelight. She was a fair and honest judge, and the people loved her. The 5^th chapter of Judges is known as the Song of Deborah, but the truth is that it was a duet, and guess who sang it with her? Barak.

On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song: “When the princes in Israel take the lead, when the people willingly offer themselves—praise the Lord! “Hear this, you kings! Listen, you rulers! I, even I, will sing to the Lord; I will praise the Lord, the God of Israel, in song. “When you, Lord, went out from Seir, when you marched from the land of Edom, the earth shook, the heavens poured, the clouds poured down water. The mountains quaked before the Lord, the One of Sinai, before the Lord, the God of Israel. “In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were abandoned; travelers took to winding paths. Villagers in Israel would not fight; they held back until I, Deborah, arose, until I arose, a mother in Israel. God chose new leaders when war came to the city gates, but not a shield or spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel. My heart is with Israel’s princes, with the willing volunteers among the people. Praise the Lord! “You who ride on white donkeys, sitting on your saddle blankets, and you who walk along the road, consider the voice of the singers at the watering places. They recite the victories of the Lord, the victories of his villagers in Israel. “Then the people of the Lord went down to the city gates. ‘Wake up, wake up, Deborah! Wake up, wake up, break out in song! Arise, Barak! Take captive your captives, son of Abinoam.’ Judges 5:1-12, (NIV).

The next part of this duet talks about how Jael killed Sisera. And then the ending of the duet is this.

 “Through the window peered Sisera’s mother; behind the lattice she cried out ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why is the clatter of his chariots delayed?’ The wisest of her ladies answer her; indeed, she keeps saying to herself, ‘Are they not finding and dividing the spoils: a woman or two for each man, colorful garments as plunder for Sisera, colorful garments embroidered, highly embroidered garments for my neck—all this as plunder?’ “So may all your enemies perish, Lord! But may all who love you be like the sun when it rises in its strength.” Then the land had peace forty years. Judges 5:28-31, (NIV).

No wonder the people loved and revered the judge, Deborah. She was brave, valiant, compassionate, fair, and intelligent. She has sisters in every generation, perhaps you are one of them.

Until next time…Katherine

He Cares About Us

I was thinking of the many ways that Jesus cares about us and how He meets our needs. One of the most basic needs is food. We all need to eat, and preferably at least once a day. Most of us want to eat at least three times a day. And so it was in the days, weeks, and months that people traveled with Jesus. Have you ever wondered how they all ate while traveling? I mean, there wasn’t a McDonald’s in those days, and so you couldn’t just drive through and pick up your meal like we can today. People had to plan for where to gather something to eat. And, like today, many people forgot to do so. Jesus cared about the crowds that gathered to hear Him preach and teach. He cared!

During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat.  If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.” His disciples answered, “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?” “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Seven,” they replied. Mark 8:1-5, (New International Version or NIV).

The word “another” gives us the clue that this is not the first time that Jesus has worried about the people’s health who were listening to Him. When was the first one, I wonder?

When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Bring them here to me,” he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. Matthew 14:13-21, (NIV).

Some may think that Matthew is retelling the same incident as Mark did. I don’t think so. First of all, Mathew relates different facts, only bread with Mark’s version and bread and fish in Matthews. Luke also tells of the same facts in his record, Luke 9:10-17. Also, Mark states that the crowds had been with Jesus for three days and were without food. There is also a difference in the number of people that were fed. Matthew says about five thousand men and the number of women and children were not included in the headcount. Mark doesn’t tell us how many people were fed, only the number of the leftovers. And Luke states pretty much the same as Matthew when counting the number. But there is another account of this we haven’t examined.

When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. John 6:5-13, (NIV).

Now we have all four gospels recording that Jesus fed many people. Is this the same incident only from four different viewpoints? You decide, but I just don’t think so, and here’s another reason why.

This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. John 21:24-25, (NIV).

We know that Jesus had crowds follow Him wherever He went. The New Testament bears that out about Him. Some people listened to trap Him, but others took to heart His teaching as they were hungry for the truth. I think that Jesus fed many crowds over the three years of his ministry. Otherwise, people would not have expected free food. I mean, only one little boy had a lunch to eat. Out of five-thousand men and more women and children? I know that I am relying on human tendencies here, but people don’t change in many ways from generation to generation.  But this is what makes Jesus so special, He cared then and cares now too.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.  1 Peter 5:6-7, (NIV).

Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.  All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:7-10, (NIV).

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:30, (NIV).

Jesus cares for His followers and even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death as Psalm 23 tells us, we will fear no evil. Every human that is born must walk through the valley. It is what our life on earth is all about. People have always feared death and the unknown of it all. But as followers of Jesus, we know that the Good Shepherd is guiding us through each day and every step. We know where we are going and with whom. We are cared for, loved on, watched over, and loved by Jesus. Just remember that Jesus knows your need, even if it is because you are hungry, He will fill it if you love Him and obey His teaching. He cares.

Until next time…Katherine

It’s Either The World Or God

I was reminded during my pastor’s sermon recently about how so many people in Israel thought that Jesus was a good teacher or maybe a prophet, perhaps another John the Baptist, or even another Elijah! He was not seen as the Messiah yet. The crowds loved to hear Jesus preach, but they loved seeing Him heal their loved ones probably even more. They were so desperate to get help for the ones they loved who were suffering all kinds of illnesses and demon possession that they heard He could fix the problems and so they followed Him everywhere. The common folk didn’t have access to the scrolls of the Old Testament and so they only knew what they had been taught by the religious leaders of the day. Quite frankly, I would have loved to have been taken to Jesus for complete healing, and then I wouldn’t have such gut issues all the time! I suppose Jesus wondered what His disciples thought of Him since He had been teaching them and they knew Him fairly well. Good old Peter said that Jesus was the Messiah and that pleased Him I’ve no doubt.

He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” Mark 8:31-33, (New International Version or NIV).

Thinking that the disciples knew the truth of Jesus being the Messiah He must have thought it was time to teach a little deeper and let them know what was coming and what to expect. Peter, even though he understood that Jesus was the Messiah, didn’t quite get the bigger picture of why Jesus came. We have hindsight and so when we read passages like this one, we kind of yawn and think how dumb the disciples must have been. But if you place yourself in their position, you will begin to understand a little more of why they thought the way that they did. All of Israel was looking forward to the Messiah to come, but they thought only of the human concerns.

What are human concerns anyway? Well, I’m a human, and so I thought a while about this and decided to list my concerns. Obviously, the first concern is food and then shelter. I mean, you don’t need a place to live if you don’t have any food to eat, right? Then we want to have a way to travel around our community, so we think that we need a car. We need clothes that keep the neighbors from gawking at us. Most of us don’t want just any old clothes either, we want to look nice and modern, so we buy clothes that are in style. Some even go so far as to want to purchase designer clothes and accessories. We want a good-paying job with benefits like health insurance. We also want to have a way to expand our knowledge and so there must be schools to attend. The higher the pay the more education one needs, or so most people think, and so college and university are a must! Then we want to share our life with another so we look for a good spouse who will love us. Then we want to have children and someday grandchildren. And, of course, we want to live in a free society so we align our politics with a party that will fit our ideals. These are all human concerns, wouldn’t you say? So why this verse?

“Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

What are God’s concerns? And why did Jesus say that Peter was speaking Satan’s words? Satan knew that Jesus was the Son of God, and he knew that the mission was for Jesus to build a church on earth. He also wanted to disrupt that mission and counterattack with lies in any way that he could. He still is doing that today too, to us! I think that Jesus recognized the words coming from Peter as not belonging to him. Satan was driving through Peter’s mind and needed to be told to shut up! Peter had just been told the master plan of what was going to take place. Peter was confused because it didn’t fit what he thought was the plan. Satan took advantage of that confusion and twisted Peter into saying what he did. Jesus woke Peter up with the rebuke of a lifetime! We need that sometimes too, just as Peter did. We get confused about the teaching of the Bible and we can be led by Satan into thinking wrongly. That’s why we are taught to test the spirits to see if they are from God (1 John 4:1) and to check scriptures to see if what we are being told is the truth or just an opinion (Acts 17:11).

You see, God cares about our daily needs, but God also has a master plan to see that all who come to Jesus will be saved. In order for that plan to happen, many centuries of things had to happen first. That is what the Old Testament is all about, it teaches us how God’s plan was unfolding in the time before Jesus came. We are somewhere on the timeline of that master plan, and we don’t see the whole picture of what is going on. We have hints here and there in the teachings of Jesus, and we are to be obedient to His teachings. If we are not, then we are blinded by Satan as Peter was until Jesus rebuked him. God cares about individuals, but God also cares about people not even born yet, people generations ahead of us whom only God can know. This is hard to fathom, I know. But I want you to look at the photo I have at the top of this post and focus on one of the horse’s noses. When you look that intently only at the nose, do you see the whole picture? Of course not! In God’s master plan, you and I are that small nose while the rest of the picture is invisible to us.

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” Mark 8:34-38, (NIV).

Jesus told the crowd including the disciples what being a follower of Jesus is to be like. This is the perfect snapshot of an authentic Christian. We see the bigger picture and we are helping make it happen. We know that we aren’t given what we have to keep to ourselves like hoarders. We are given it so that we can give to those needing our help. My small corner of this world can’t do much, but if every person who authentically follows Jesus is doing what little they can for others, then imagine how that impacts our world today!  I love to read stories about the great pastors and missionaries from previous generations. Because one of them told some ancestor of mine about Jesus, I know about Jesus. Think about what you can do in sharing the story of Jesus with someone today. You will alter the lives of many for the better if you just have the courage to speak and teach one person. One can make a difference and that is what Jesus was saying in the rebuke of Satan through Peter. You ain’t winning, Satan, not my soul and not the souls of others if I have anything to say about it!

Until next time…Katherine

Are You Suffering?

Have you been through some pretty tough suffering lately? I can’t help but think of so many that I know who are going through a tough time. The obvious ones are the family of a murdered pastor’s wife. Not only will they suffer because of their grief at losing her, but then they will have to watch four trials and hear evidence of her death that will bring on a whole lot more suffering. But there are others too, that I know who are suffering. The family who just lost their dad and grandad are grieving. The woman who was told her cancer returned is suffering. The person whose spouse called it quits on their marriage is suffering too. The one who just lost their job and with that their identity is suffering. And even the students who got a bad grade on a crucial test are suffering. And then there’s me. I asked myself this morning if there would ever be a day now or in the future when I will feel good again! Suffering abounds these days. But then, this is nothing new.

Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe. They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said. Acts 14:19-22, (New International Version or NIV).

Paul was suffering greatly while in Iconium. But he didn’t let that stop him, he just kept on going to the next town, the next city, and continued to preach the gospel. When he left there, some others were suffering too. I honestly don’t know what it would be like to suffer for my faith in the way that some do today. To be kicked out of your family and community would be tough. And the financial losses when people find out you are a Christian and refuse to support your business any longer is something I know nothing about. I don’t even know what it would be like to be beaten so severely that they thought I was dead. My suffering can’t possibly compare to that sort. What I do know is what it is like to go to sleep not feeling your best and waking up in the same way. I know what it feels like to curtail any social outings because of your health issues. My health issues are just a drop in the bucket in comparison to some who are suffering from it today. I know that. But you get the point. We all suffer, and we all need someone to come alongside us and remind us why we are suffering.

We don’t suffer as the world suffers. We suffer because we must be purified in order to enter heaven. It is our suffering that produces our faith. My faith today is a lot stronger than it was when I was a teenager even though I was a Christian then. Notice how Paul encourages them with his words of reminder that we must (not might) go through many (not a few) hardships (not easy times) to enter the kingdom of God! Jesus tells us the reason for our suffering.

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’ John 15:18-25, (NIV).

The world hates righteousness and so they hated Jesus, the righteous Son of God. When I write this sentence, I can’t help but clarify who or what the world is. Satan is in charge here on this earth, and he has a plan to destroy Jesus. Of course, his plan will fail ultimately, but for now, he is deceiving those who don’t know or understand Jesus.

Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:1-6, (NIV).

Blind people who can not see Jesus and do not obey Him are often the reasons for much of our suffering. Satan uses people to harm us in some way just because we love Jesus and Satan knows it. Not always do people know the reasons they hate us, and so when we are suffering at the hands of someone else, we need to keep in mind that they are being deceived by the god of this world. Our God, however, will encourage us to hang tough, endure the battle, and get up to fight another day just as Paul did so many times in his lifetime. I am convinced that when Satan can’t get us down through the actions of other humans, he will attack us in other ways, and illness is one of them. But I have found that every time I am in the hospital, I am in the role of encourager to another. Perhaps it is a nurse who is heartbroken because her child has told her they are gay. Or maybe it is a young person who is worried about their sick child at home. So many ways I have found to encourage others just while I am going through my own suffering. I won’t let Satan win my soul. I won’t do what Job’s wife said to do.

“Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give all he has for his own life. But now stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face.” The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes. His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!” He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said. Job 2:4-10, (NIV).

If you are suffering today, and I’m certain some of you are, then hang in there! Be like Job and not his wife. Be like Paul and get up after being beaten nearly to death. For you know that your suffering is for the best cause in the world, to be in heaven with Jesus, God, the Holy Spirit, and all the saints! That is a reason to keep going, to keep praising God even in the storms. And Jesus will guide you and be your intercessor as well as redeemer. The Holy Spirit will comfort you and be your advocate. Take courage, my friend.

Until next time…Katherine

Old Memories That Try To Haunt Us

Memories are a funny thing to comprehend. I can be going along in my life doing the simple things one does and boom! A memory pops into my head and upsets my entire day. Or I can be asleep and resting very well, and then a memory turns into a dream and disrupts my sleep. Some memories are enjoyable to remember, but some are not! I prefer the good memories. You know, like when my children were small, and I saw something funny or cute that they did and tucked it away in my memory. Or a memory of when I did something special and it went well, those are always good memories.

Lately, I have been having memories of the people who have gone before me through the valley of death. I think of my sister and brother-in-law and some of the fun things we did for each other. Like the time my sister sent my boyfriend a bus ticket to come to her home for Christmas because I would be there, and she wanted to surprise me! That was a fun time. Or the times I got to ride on the back of my brother’s Kawasaki motorcycle and the fun we had speeding down the highway. I’m surprised we weren’t killed, but man! What fun it was to go fast. Spending time in the summer with my grandparents was also a lifetime of good memories. So many good memories of the loved ones who have passed away have come to mind as I get older.

There are also some bad memories too. Like the time my grandparent’s log cabin burned down, and they lost everything. Or the many difficult surgeries I have endured through the years. And the years of facing the unknown feeling like there was something wrong in my marriage but I didn’t know what it was or how to cope with it. The times we were so distant from one another, and I felt so lost in what to do to bring us back together. And the many painful memories of facing reality and going down the path of divorce. Such nightmares happen to me when those memories surface. I don’t like to think of the past, good or bad. It is often painful for me. It is during these times that I reach for my Bible for consolation and recovery from healing those old wounds.

Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” I say of the holy people who are in the land, “They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.” Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more. I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods or take up their names on my lips. Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Psalm 16, (New International Version or NIV).

David knew a thing or two about memories. His whole life was full of good and bad ones, I am sure. He fought a giant and won! That had to have been a good memory. He was chosen by God to be the next King over Israel. That should have been a good memory, but it took years to happen, and a lot of really bad things took place first. Those memories must have been a mixture of good and bad for him. He seemed to understand that as we walk through our memories we often need to be in a safe place in our mind.

If we are not in a good place our memories can tear us apart. We have to face them at some point and often we need help to do so. Professional counseling can truly help us but so can talking to our trusted family and friends. Seeking counseling from our pastor helps. Joining a support group can also help us resolve those memories. I have sought professional counseling as well as pastoral counseling and they have both been a great help for me. There are many forms of help these days, so many can be found on YouTube which cost you nothing, yet they help you to understand what has happened to you and how it came to be. This helps to understand and then be able to resist future pain and suffering. Most of my help has come from God, for He placed me with the right people at the right time and I felt safe to tell my story. When we feel safe with God then we can feel safe with others too. At least this has been my experience.

Secondly, we must be truthful to God. He knows what happened, but He wants you to face it with honesty and most of that work in my life has been done at night when I’m trying to sleep. I have had dreams that have awakened me and caused me to talk for a while with God. Those nightly sessions have been not only helpful but precious to me. I know that God cares, and the problem or situation gets better with the morning light of day. How many times I can’t even count when I went to bed worrying about some situation I was in and not knowing how to face it, but I wake up and know exactly what to do to resolve it! If you have ever experienced such a thing, then you know what to do next.

You open your mouth with praises and thanks to God and to Jesus and to The Holy Spirit for helping you through the night and through the problem. There is always a great solution when morning breaks through. It is as if every detail falls into place, and you can see clearly what steps you are to take next. I love that! I love those moments when I can praise God with my everything for the goodness, He bestowed on me during such a dark time. David understood these feelings and he says that his joy returned to him. My joy returns to me too in the morning after wrestling all night with a dream or memories that try to haunt me.

Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”  Hebrews 13:1-6, (NIV).

When you are living life the way God intended and something happens to upset that life, you have a choice. You can either continue to love and obey Jesus, or you can disobey and go your own way. I chose to remain with Jesus and so I can say with confidence that He has never left me. He never will. God has never forsaken me, and He never will. That, my friend, is how you deal with those memories that try to bring you down.

Until next time…Katherine

Making It Through The Night

When I was in high school there was a song that I really liked. I liked the melody, the tempo, and the man singing it. The name of the song was, “Help Me Make It Through The Night!” It wasn’t until a few years later that I really took the time to evaluate the lyrics to the song. That is when I realized that it was not a good song at all as he was committing adultery and cared more about his needs than even the woman who he was having sex with. It made me sad. Far too many people live their lives like this song. That makes me even sadder.

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 1 Peter 5:8-9, (New International Version or NIV).

There is something about nighttime that causes us to think of all that we are missing or need. I can go through the day and not think of being divorced and alone. But when I go to bed, sometimes I will dream something that awakens me, and I realize that I have no one to tell my nightmare to and no one to comfort me. It is a vulnerable time for many of us, I am sure. Yet, it is also a time to remain alert and realize that the nightmare or dream we’ve just had was nothing more than a ploy of Satan’s to make us feel alone. We are not alone.

The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. Romans 13:12-14, (NIV).

As a child of God, we are never alone. We always have the Holy Spirit to comfort us (John 16). We also have Jesus to talk to and He will intercede on our behalf to God. Prayer can be simply having a conversation about our feelings of loneliness and vulnerability. We don’t need to go out and find someone to commit adultery with. We need to resist the devil’s scheme and remain faithful to Jesus.

A song of ascents. I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you—the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Psalm 121:1-8, (NIV).

This psalm is a song and one that is a whole lot better to memorize than the song I mentioned earlier. Our help during the long nights when we are so vulnerable to our thoughts and feelings is a time to remember this song. Our help comes from the Lord of heaven! God will never leave you and He never sleeps so He will be there to talk to you even in the middle of the night! If you belong to Jesus, you are a child of God.

I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands, and I would not be comforted. I remembered you, God, and I groaned; I meditated, and my spirit grew faint. You kept my eyes from closing; I was too troubled to speak. I thought about the former days, the years of long ago; I remembered my songs in the night. My heart meditated and my spirit asked: “Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?” Then I thought, “To this I will appeal: the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand. I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.” Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. The waters saw you, God, the waters saw you and writhed; the very depths were convulsed. The clouds poured down water, the heavens resounded with thunder; your arrows flashed back and forth. Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind, your lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked. Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen. You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron. Psalm 77:1-20, (NIV).

I love the process this person went through as he dealt with runaway feelings and emotions when he was unable to sleep. He focused his mind on the things that God had done in the past. This reminded him that God is still the same as He was then and now. God still performs great wonders for the world to see. God still protects His children from the evil one. God has through nature reminded us that He is in control. We might not think that something happening to us is within His power to protect us, but this is not true.  Even if the outcome is not what we desire, God is in control of our situation and has our best interests at heart. Sometimes this means that our death is the best thing for us because we are transformed and are allowed entrance into heaven.

I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:50-58, (NIV).

Are you afraid to die? As Christians that fear has been taken away because we know where we are going and who we will be with when we get there. This gives me comfort when I am having trouble falling asleep because I’m submitting to my emotions rather than my logic. All these verses help me during a sleepless night. I no longer feel vulnerable for I know that God is in control, God will see me through, and He has sent Jesus to die in my place. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to comfort me and remind me that all will be well in the end. And that is really all that matters. Right? I just pick up my Bible and begin to read and soon I am ready to fall asleep. I am so thankful for what I learned while I was reading God’s Word! It is such a comfort to me and can be to you too.

Until next time…Katherine