Make a joyful noise, O lands. Rejoice!

With joy and gladness lift your voice.

Come to the Lord with love and song.

Lift up His name for He is strong.

The Lord alone is God of all.

He made all things, both great and small;

And yet He gently leads His sheep

To rest and safety in His keep.

His court room doors stand open wide.

He bids us in Him to confide.

With praise and thanks approach his throne.

With thanksgiving let His name be known.

The Lord is good, His mercy long,

His truth is faithful, ever strong.

I will not fear, but will rejoice.

To Him I'll make a joyful noise.

Oh! The Matchless Grace of Jesus!

Who am I that God Should look upon me?
Who am I that He would care and meet my needs?
After Everything I’ve done
To God’s most precious Son,
Who am I that God should look on me?

(Chorus)
Oh how matchless is the grace of Jesus,
Who would say that I am precious in His sight!
Oh how great is the mercy of the Master,
Who would come to where I was
And give me life!

I was wretched, I was lost, and all alone.
I had no grace or goodness of my own.
But He chose me and He changed me,
And claimed me as His own!
Now I know I have a Heavenly home.

Why have I found grace in Your eyes?
Why have You every need supplied?
I stand amazed where grace has found me.
I’m overwhelmed by Your great love.
I rest secure since Your grace my soul restored.

Religion versus Relationship

Here it is. No questions asked. No exceptions given.

James 1:27
"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."

Pure religion defined:
To visit the fatherless
To visit the widows
and
To keep himself unspotted from the world

Our church has given us so man opportunities to serve. If you're not in any of these ministries it is a loss to the church and a loss to your personal growth.
However,even iv you have taken advantage of these opportunities to serve, if you have not guarded yourself against the world, than your religion, or your service, is in vain.. Religion is not to be put in the place of relationship. Religion is your loving service, because of your relationship.
Making breakfast in the morning is not a wife's relationship is not her relationship, but rather, it is a service of love she performs because of her relationship. Your service to God is not your relationship with him, but rather, it is an active account of love for Him.
Pure religion must be both service and separation. If a wife were to go out an have an affair every Saturday, it might just put a damper on her relationship with her husband. It is the same with God. If I serve Him everyday during the week, but then give my Saturdays to the world and the pleasures it offers, it will hinder my relationship with God.
My pastor has often said, "The degree of your service is directly related to the degree of your separation." As I search my own life, I would encourage you to do likewise. Is your service for the sake of your religion or is it because of your relationship with a loving God?

The Fruits and Filling of the Spirit

Lord God,
Fill me with Your Spirit this day. Move me and use me at Your will. Make me a fruitful tree. May I love all that You love and find joy in all that You find joy in. Give to me Your peace that passes all earthly understanding. Help me to suffer long for your sake. May I be gentle to others as You are gentle to me. Make me to see Your goodness and likewise live. Give me faith to trust that You know best for me and help me to live every moment with the firm belief and realization that You will never fail me. God, give me strength that is controlled by You, and give me temperance that I may be a picture of who You are. You are perfect; I am sinful. Lord God, I need Your Spirit. Please fill me today.
Signed,
Your Servant

AGAINST SUCH, THERE IS NO LAW

None Beside Thee

Psalm 73:1-3,21,26,28

"Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.
But as for me, my feet were almost gone: my steps had well-nigh slipped.
For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.
Whom have I in Heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works."

How Much Is Too Much?

How much is too much to give to the Savior?
How much is too much to lay at His feet?
How much is too much to offer before Him?
He who has carried my cross through the streets.

Well…

How much was too much for Jesus to offer?
How high was too high to buy back His sheep?
What did the Savior hold back from my ransom?
How much of His love from me does He keep?

The Answer:

No greater gift has ever been offered.
No Higher price has ever been paid.
No greater love is found but in Jesus.
I'll hold back nothing. For Him I was made.

Feeling Heavy?

Matt 23:11-12
“But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

STAY SMALL!

If a servant places himself high upon the king’s thrown, it is likely that he will be displaced to the lowest dungeon.

If a man thinks himself so important that he no longer carries any load, he will eventually find that his followers have turned from him, and he is unable to carry the smallest load, though he carries a heavy title.

If a man proclaims his own goodness, others will proclaim his pride.

If a man believes that a title is all it takes to gain authority, he will be sorely disappointed when a man of weaker title, but stronger character rises above him and takes charge.

If a man seeks recognition for himself, he will turn others away from him. If a Christian seeks recognition for himself, he will turn others away from God.

Only Christ can say, “”And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me."

James 4:10
"Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up."

Uganda Update

Well, I haven't written in forever, so I thought I'd better buckle down and do it. A lot has happened in the last few weeks. We have been busier than usual but we have enjoyed every moment. It would take me a very long time to write everything that has happened, and you a long time to read it, so I will abbreviate. The day before Katie and Andrea flew into Uganda, our container arrived at 5:00 in the morning. We waited for the sun to come out before we unloaded it,and it was a lot of work, but we are all enjoying sleeping on real beds and sitting on real couches! Praise God nothing seems to be missing!
Katie and Andrea arrived in two pieces, and although we were a bit late picking Katie up due to a couple traffic incidences, they both are alive and well. We had the privilege of working with ORH and their medical missions team when they came out three weeks ago. They rested little and served a lot. Many doors were opened up to share the gospel and many people accepted Christ because of their love and efforts. Andrea Nelson got to work with them as well before heading back up to Masaka where she is now settling in and teaching the young people there. Soon after the medical team left we went to Queen Elizabeth national park for the first time as a family and spent some time communing with the elephants.
The last two weeks have been spent with Pastor Craig Houston and his daughter Anna. Pastor Houston preached the "Fathering God's Way" conference at our church and encouraged so many of our people here, Mzungu and African alike. We just sent them off on Monday, and although we will miss them, we were so grateful to have them come and serve with us. We are secretly praying that they will feel the call to Uganda, but we are keeping this quiet, lest they feel that we are trying to manipulate them.
Katie is teaching at a new school in Kyahi. It has not been without it's bumps, but things seem to be falling into place, and she has claimed it as her own. Today we will be going to Western College to preach the word of God and tomorrow we will be going to Ruti Technical Institute. So many doors have been opened by God and we are excited to serve Him and see what He will do next.
Thank you so much for your prayers!

A Poem For My Mother

My Mother, on this special day
That's set aside for you,
I wish that I had so much more
To offer back to you.

I wish my hands were big enough
To take from you your care.
I wish my shoulders wider that
Your burdens I might bare.

I wish that you could see my heart
And how it swells with pride
That I can stand and tell the world,
"This Mother: She is mine!"

What great gifts our God has given!
But Mom, there are so few
That come near to comparing to
The gift I have in you.

Psalm 127:3

Psalm 127:3 “Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.”
Coming from a family of eleven children, I can testify that ten children is enough to fill ones quiver, and keep you busy for many, many years. According to the Bible, Job’s quiver was full. Later on in this chapter we see how seriously Job took his job of High Priest of his family. The Bible does not say that Job’s children loved or served God, but we do see that they liked to spend time together.
We are from a culture that values quality of life above life itself. And quality of life does not speak of the actual quality of one’s “life”, but the ease of one’s life, how much he owns, and what he will retire with. Family “planning” is huge! We’ve had several people ask us, “Haven’t your parents heard of family planning?!” And of course we say, “Yes. And they planned to have eleven kids.” Family planning…
I cannot speak from experience on this matter, since I have never had children, but if children are an heritage of the Lord, than why do we think we should choose how large or small this heritage is? Is not God in control? Every child that you are able to have is part of God’s family plan for you.
Before you get mad at me, let me assure you I have heard the arguments to the contrary. “A family shouldn’t have more kids than they can afford to take care of.” I don’t believe it is a matter of money. The One who owns the cattle on a thousand hills can surely take care of you. However, I have known people who were not committed to raising their children. They simply were committed to having them. This is sick, and can be the cause of broken homes, ruined testimonies, and harmed children. If you are not mature enough to raise children than don’t have them! But if you are able, why would you hold back on God? Why would you hinder your own heritage? You want to face the horde of the enemy with two arrows? Good luck! However, little is much when God is in it. If he desires to give you only two children, he can defeat the enemy with those two. Think of Samson!
I would encourage you to let God do your family planning. And while he is planning your family, you can focus on growing and serving him. Do not put yourself in the place of God. You will find yourself sorely lacking.
I beg you not to be angry with me. I am not presenting an ultimatum. I simply wish to plant a thought. Is not God stronger and wiser than we? Every area of our lives should be fully and completely given to God. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes…”

To Sit or Stand: That Is the Question!

I beg you to let me share with you what God has shown to me. This is not meant to condemn or judge anyone. This is simply a compilation of verses and the string of logic with which it is tied together.

It seems to me that Christians today would rather pet each other’s sin than stand up against it as we are commanded to. I have watched it happen many times and even done it. Why are we afraid to do what is right? I believe there are several reasons. One, we are so full of unconfessed and unrepented sin that to say anything in response to another’s sin would be like trying to pull the splinter out of his eye, while beating him with the pole sticking out of our own. I agree that if we are not walking in the spirit, than we need to get right with God before we try to get our brother or sister right. However, one of the biggest reasons I believe we don’t stand up against sin is for the fear of man. Proverbs 29:25 says, “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.” If we fear man, we cannot fear God. The Bible says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Most of us don’t fear that we’ll be physically harmed if we stand up against sin. Instead we fear what man will say about us. “He’s a hypocrite, a Pharisee.” “She thinks she’s better than everyone else.”
Recently I saw several friends who claim to be Christians, acting nothing like Christians. My first reaction was to be angry at their sin. However, instead of confronting them I told myself, “Their sin may be more open than my own, but it is no worse in the eyes of God.” And truly, Christ would still have had to die for me, if the biggest sin I had ever committed was being born into this world. I began searching myself, and I was never more thankful for the forgiveness of God. I began to ask God whether it was better to ignore the glorified sin of others or stand up against it in His name.
Isnt’ it interesting how God will always reveal himself to us when we seek Him? I believe that this is one of the most exciting experiences in the life of a Christian: to get a glimpse of the face of God and to watch His hand at work in our lives.
I was reading Psalms 50 when verse 22 and 23 jumped out at me. “Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright I will show the salvation of God.” The consequence for turning away from God is a horrible thing. If you are not willing to warn the person who has turned away from God, it is likely that you do not love that person. I found several other passages that clearly point out what God would have us do when we witness sin:

Leviticus 5:1
“And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing, and a witness, whether he hath seen or known of it; if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity.”

2nd Timothy 2:24
“And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient;
In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.”

Proverbs 24:24-26
“He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:
But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.
Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer.”

Ezekiel 3:17
“Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.
When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.”

Now I am not saying that you should take these verses, and blast every sinner you know out of the water. Remember you are a sinner. If you are not right with God, don’t you dare try to pull any splinters!
God will not bless you for being a Pharisee or a hypocrite. There are several verses in the Bible that give us direction as to how we are to give rebuke, but I believe that Proverbs 15:1 says it best. “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.”
Another thing to consider is the spiritual condition of the person you are speaking to. Proverbs 9:8 tells us, “Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.” Proverbs 13:1 says, “A wise son heareth his father’s instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke.” Proverbs 15:5, “A fool despiseth his father’s instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.”
You cannot change the heart of man. You cannot even move his thinking. The Bible clearly states that the heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord. The only one who can change the mind of a man is God almighty. If you believe that God would have you confront sin, be sure that you have done the following: 1) Confess your sin before God and make sure you are right. 2) Ask God for wisdom in how to confront the person. 3) Season your words with salt and the word of God. 4) Stand up for others who stand for right. It’s hard to stand alone.

We cannot change the heart of man, but that is no excuse for standing up for sin. Do what is right.

Colossians 4:6
“Let your speech be always with grace seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”

Wise Men Still Seek Him... Even At Easter

I have always held a secret grudge against the wise men from the Christmas story. What kind of idiots find the King of all creation, and then leave, and seemingly forget about Him. The Bible never records them returning to worship Jesus. The Bible never records them spreading the news of Christ’s birth. I suppose I viewed them much like we view the nine lepers who were healed by Jesus but never returned to thank him. Interesting how we condemn people who are probably more like us than we’d like to admit. We condemn the children of Israel for their murmuring, we condemn Lot’s wife for turning back, and I had subtly condemned the wise men for being what I considered fickle followers.
However, as I was reading the first chapter of Matthew this morning, in my mind's eye I watched as the wise men entered into Mary and Joseph’s humble home in Bethlehem. What faith these men must have had, to believe that the Messiah, whose coming had been prophesied for hundreds of years, was finally born, and believing that following a star would bring them to their long awaited Messiah.
Upon seeing the child, the wise men fell on their faces in awe, not because Jesus was a comely child, but because their faith had finally become sight. The Messiah had arrived!
Before him they laid gifts of great worth; their gifts honoring both his life and his sacrificial death. I can picture the child reaching to play with the gifts, and Mary taking them from him and placing them safely out of his grasp. The child, disappointed, did not cry or pout, but moved close to one of the wise men and stared in child like awe at his decorative robes.
When night fell Joseph begged the men to stay. They accepted the humble hospitality of their host, and that night they slept on mats in the small single roomed house. But their sleep was not sweet.
Each dreamed a vivid dream, and upon waking in a cold sweat and finding each other in the same state, they began to quietly confer with each other on what the dreams could mean. The consensus: Herod must not learn where the child was. The safest thing to do was to leave as quietly and soon as possible and follow another road home.
So that explains why they didn’t publish the birth of the Savior. But why didn’t they return when the danger was over? Well, it might have been the night after, when Joseph woke suddenly from a vivid and frightening dream. The message of the dream was clear. The family got up, packed their things, and quietly left Bethlehem for the country of Egypt, barely escaping the massacre of babies ordered by Herod, in an attempt to rid himself of the true King of the Jews. Any attempt the wise men may have made to visit the Savior in the next few years would have let to nothing. All Joseph and Mary’s neighbors knew was that they had disappeared.
When Herod finally graced the world with his death, the wise men may have again searched Bethlehem for Jesus, but their search was in vain. Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus had returned from Egypt, but were now safely hidden in the small, unimportant city of Nazareth.
The bottom line is this: God willed it that way. The wise men could have helped publish that the King of kings had finally come, but just as when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on what we now know as Palm Sunday, his Kingdom had not yet come.
Do you question the will and ways of God? I know I do. What we so often forget is that although God’s ways and thoughts are not like our own, God’s ways are always perfect. God had a purpose for the visit of the wise men, and God has a purpose for you. Will you question it, and despise His ways as He tries to mold you, or will you comply and let Him make you fit for His service. Will you look at the vessel beside you and wonder why the potter made him bigger than you, or more pleasing to the eye than you? Just as God had a particular purpose for the wise men, He has a purpose for you. Let Him fill you as He wills.

Trenton's Mites

My mom was tucking my little brother, Trenton in, when he asked a very serious question that had been troubling his little mind. “Mom, you know the story dad told about the witch who gave everything she had?”
My mom started to wrack her brain for an answer. “What kind of stories is Tom telling the kids?” she wondered. It was then that she remembered the story Trenton was talking about. The Widow who gave everything – the Witch who gave everything… What’s the difference?
She couldn’t hide her mirth and she began to laugh, unknowingly offending the little boy who had courageously brought up this question that had been bothering him.
Exasperated, Trenton said, “Don’t laugh mom. She really did. Jesus said she gave the most!”
I’m not certain if Trenton pictured Jesus watching a green faced lady with a black robe, and a tall crooked black hat give her offering in church, but whatever the picture, he knew that she had pleased Jesus, and he wanted to do the same thing.
In his little hands he held a couple of Ugandan shillings – probably comparable in worth to the widows mites, but it was all he had.
“Mom, how will I ever get money if I give it all to God?”
How many of us have asked ourselves the same question? The answer is clearly given in the Bible, but it is an answer that requires faith. Luke 6:38 says, “Give, and it shall be given you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal shall it be measured to you again.”
There is no question in my mind as to whether this verse is true or not. God said it and that settles it. However, that does not mean that there are not times that I don’t look at the meager amount in my hand, and question the wisdom of giving it away.
In the end all that we have, belongs not to us, but to God. Who do you think will take better care of God’s possessions - you or Him? Just like we will not force Trenton to give God his few mites, God will not force you. He is waiting patiently for you to surrender all you hold in your hands to Him, so that He can fill your arms so full that you cannot hold it all.

The Gifts of God!

We have found that nothing is quite as predictable over here in Uganda as it was in Washington. Let me give you some examples: Some times we turn on the faucet to our drinking water, and get nothing more than a trickle; tonight as we were eating dinner, the lights went out and it was so dark that we couldn't see what we were eating (of course that did not stop me!); we had 4 tiles that were lifting up off the living room floor, so the man who came to fix them took out almost all the tiles in the living room, broke some, and then put them back in (although he did add some new colors to the floor... for special effect, I'm sure.)
However, the most exciting thing happened the other day! Most of us have started to dread taking showers or baths because one shower doesn't have any warm water at all, and the water heater on the other doesn't work unless it wants to.
This water heater has something against me in particular though. Up until a few days ago, I seriously doubted that it was even able to produce warm water. I wondered if my family members were just trying to make me jealous when they said they got to use warm water.
For these reasons, I was surprised and thrilled when warm water did come from the tap. I looked up at the water heater that used to seem so menacing and evil, and thought about hugging it! However, as we know, every good and perfect gift comes from God.
What has God given to you that you've forgotten to thank him for? Even the cold water flowing from the faucet is a gift from God. We have so much to be thankful for! It is our selfishness that assumes we deserve warm water, and all the other luxuries that we whine about. I challenge you to remember that we are deserving of nothing more than death and hell. And yet, it is the mercy and the love of God that provides life and peace. What have you forgotten to thank God for?

Though He Slay Me

Abram was a man of God.
He walked before the Lord.
God promised this great man a son.
He trusted in God’s Word.

And truly when the time was ripe,
And Abram old in years,
God gave to him his promised son.
Abram praised with joyful tears.

Many years from that time passed
And Isaac grew to be
A man of God much like his dad;
Abram thanked God joyfully.

But then God asked the strangest thing:
“Give your son to Me.”
Abram wept and yet he said,
“Yes, Lord. I will trust thee.”

Though You take and wring from me
The very breath of life,
Though you kill my only son
And offspring of my wife,

Still I’ll lift thy name in song.
Still I’ll hope in thee.
Though Thou slay and break me, Lord,
Still I will trust in Thee.

As Isaac placed himself upon
The altar he had made,
His face he raised and through his tears
This prayer of praise he said:

“Lord, I will lift Thy name in song.
Lord I will hope in Thee.
Though the fires round me rage,
Still I will trust in Thee!”

As God looked down upon these men,
A smile graced his face.
A tear drop trickled from His eye
At their sacrificial faith.

“My child, you need not kill your son.
For I’ll provide the lamb.
Your love and faith in Me you’ve proved.
I have the perfect plan.”

And so our Lord and Heav’nly King,
Turned to His perfect son.
“I need a perfect, spotless lamb.
You are the only one.”

As Jesus hung upon a tree,
He turned His eyes above,
And to His father’s tear stained face,
He sang this song of love:

“My father, though you slay me;
Though you turn your face from me,
Still I will love and praise your name;
Still I will trust in thee.”

Oh God, Dear Heav’nly Father,
You gave Your son for me.
May I with trust and simple faith,
Love and trust in thee.



Job 13:14
“Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.”

He Is Faithful Who Has Promised

In my Bible reading and daily living, it seems as if God is pointing me to Himself. When I try to look down at myself, as often I do, God seems to lift my chin and draw me back to Him.
Do we own anything that does not belong to God? Do we eat anything that was not made by God? Do we Breathe any breath that is not ordained by God? The answer is no. Proverbs 16:4 clearly states that "The Lord hath made all things for himself: year, even the wicked for the day of evil." Every thing that is, or was, or will be, was made by and for God.
And yet, we spend so much of our time trying to see how much of God's possessions we can hold in our arms and call our own. We consume the Almighty God's creation upon our own lusts. We attempt to draw praise for ourselves from the lips of men whose mouths and minds were made by and for God. Indeed, all our efforts to do so are nothing more than vanity.
I would like to illustrate the previous paragraphs with an example from my own life. I don't like to eat. I love to eat! If I could, I would probably eat all day long, and then wake up in the middle of the night to eat some more. Because of this, I worry where my next meal is going to come from and what it will be. I'm not alone in this. A certain, unnamed sister of mine, feels this fear so strongly that she packs food when she goes to other people's houses, in case they forget to feed her. I find it incredibly humorous when I realize how concerned I am that I might starve, when I could go several days without food, and be perfectly fine. In fact, it might be advantageous to my health if I did skip a few meals. Others may not struggle with trusting God in this area, but I believe that most people have forgotten that God is the great Provider and that He promises that even the seen of the righteous shall not beg for bread.
In my Bible reading several verses have stood out to me as to what we should turn our mind to when we worry about our physical bodies.

Proverbs 15:16-17
"Better is little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure and trouble therewith.
Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith."
Proverbs 16:8,19
"Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right."
"Better is it to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud."
Mattew 6:25-34 really arrows in on this subject. "Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

Do you doubt the very Word's of God? Do you doubt that He who has promised is able also to perform. I would say, "No, I don't doubt." But my life says otherwise.
Lord God, teach me to trust you to provide. Teach me to live each day to fufill your purpose and plan for me and not my own. Teach me to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humply before my God.

"Just Start With One"

Today as I worked with Trenton on writing his numbers, he optimistically wrote a whole line of one’s and a whole line of two’s. Of course after each two he had me look. “I did it, Bekah!” He was so pleased with himself, as was I, since we had struggled with the number two for several hours the precious two days. He seemed so pleased with himself. However, he wasn’t quite so confident with his three’s Before he had even finished his two’s he asked me, “Do I have to do a whole line of three’s? Can I just do three? I told him, “Just start with one.”
I found it interesting though, because just this morning I had been asking God similar questions. “Are You going to have me stay here, or are You going to let me go to college?” “Where will I be in five months?”
However, God was probably looking at me as I did Trenton and saying, “Just start with today.” Just this morning I read Psalm 55:17, which says, “Evening, and morning, and at noon,, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.” Why am I crying for tomorrow before I have lived today. In Lamentations 3:22 and 23 the Bible says, “It is of the Lord’s merices that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”
God is not with us only in the big decisions. He wants us to rely on Him every step of the way. I let go of His hand so often and try to find the right way by myself. It is truly of the Lord’s mercy that I am not consumed. There is little that I like better than walking to new places and discovering something, and like most single woman, I look forward to the day when I will have someone to hold my hand during these adventures. But if I was to look at my life through the eyes of God, I would see that I already have that. God promises that He will never leave me, forsake me, or leave me comfortless. I have the best travelling companion one could ask for. He is the Most High God.

Long Life Insurance

It is a well known fact that children are not only invincible, they are immortal. To the child anything is possible. My brother Jacob wanted to be a missionary baseball player when he was younger. My sister Victoria is a princess. I wanted to have 100 children! However, with years comes a dampening of our creativity. Adults realize that there are boundaries.
As a child, I remember thinking, “I know that most people die, but I just don’t think I know how to die. I might be the first person to live forever.” I wasn’t being cocky. My young mind just couldn’t imagine that my body, so full of life and the ability to eat anything, climb anything, dream anything… could ever lose that spark that we call life.
As I have grown, I have recognized life for what it is. It is a gift from God. However, unlike eternal life, our life here on earth is fleeting. As the Bible says it is like a vapor, it appeareth for a little while and then vanishes away. No man will live forever. No man has a guarantee that he will be able to take another breath.
Are you worried about how long you have left? Would you like to know that you are going to live a long and prosperous life? Are looking for the recipe for peace in this fleeting and changing world? Look no further! The Bible has the guaranteed solution for all your fears, frustrations, and failures. Let’s take a look!
Exodus 20:12
“Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.”

Deuteronomy 5:16
“Honor thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may be well with thee, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee:”

Proverbs 3:1-2
“My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.”

Proverbs 4:10
“Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.”

Ephesians 6:1-3
“Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
Honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;
That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.”

Like anything else, long life does not come without some cost. The cost: right living. It may not be easy, but I can guarantee it will be worth it. Evaluate your life today. Do you qualify for length of days, peace, and a well life? God commands that you should.

That Which We Cannot Hold

Proverbs 23:4-5
"Labor not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.
Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven."

Psalm 39:4-5
"Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am.
Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah."

Jeremiah 9:23-24
"Thus saith the Lord, let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, judgement, and righteousness in the earth: for in these things I delight sayeth the Lord."

Beyond the Gate

As I sit on this 7th day of March, 2010, my senses are accosted from every direction. My immediate surroundings are pleasant ones.
I sit at the top of a cement stairway that leads to the lower garden. The ground I am sitting on has been warmed by the sun, but is now gently shaded by the trees. A light breeze ruffles my hair, but not my nerves. All that stands around me: the trees, our large white washed house, and the walls that run the perimeter of the grounds, remind me that I am safe, secure, and sheltered. A myriad of birds whistle, chirp, and crow around me. They herald that all is well, food is plenteous, and the weather is pleasant.
What if we moved beyond the confines of these walls? This is a feat easily accomplished, as I have a perfect view of the town from where I sit. I can see people walking from place to place. I hear the industry of the people: hammers pounding, metal clanking, busses honking, people calling to each other, and radios playing. This collage of sounds do not create a grating pallet of noises. It is more like an industrial orchestra, mixed with the sights and smells of everyday living.
Right before me runs a path. Not well worn. It leads to a gate with a small padlock on it. This is what separates my two worlds. One world is comfortable and comforting. The other is exciting and holds the unknown and unexplored. This gate does not hold me in. Even now, I could go find the key hanging in our kitchen. What keeps me from running to get that key? What causes me to remain locked within the confines of these walls? Could it be fear of the unknown? Perhaps distrust for my fellow man. Maybe even the prospect of facing the heat, the dusts, and the crowds.
Lord God, give me courage beyond myself. Give me excitement for the future, and an eye that can see people as you see them. May I not waste this opportunity, this chance to unlock my door to these people for whom you died. Teach me to love them as you have loved me.