When the Church goes to God in prayer.
Acts 12:1-8
James, the brother of John was beheaded by Herod, and Herod seeing the response of joy by the Jewish people, placed Peter in jail and had determined to put Peter to death.
Vs. 5 - …but constant prayer was offered to God for him (Peter) by the church. Vs. 6 - … Peter was sleeping…
What is happening here? You and I are seeing the Body of Christ crying out to God for one they were very concerned about and the one that they were concerned about shows no concern for himself… he is asleep.
What a beautiful work the Lord was doing here. Peter has a deep peace that no one or nothing could take away and the Church is carrying the burden to God in prayer. The result, God acted in delivering Peter in a miraculous way.
What is concerning you today? Have you awakened in the middle of the night because the Lord burdened your heart to pray for someone? Are you in the midst of the biggest trial yet, asleep and at rest because this is something that you are not concerned personally about? Can we learn again from this event in Acts? It is a joy it is to carry one another’s burdens.
Three months ago, you all did that for Lynda and I. You carried our burden to God in prayer and we look back at that time in our life as a sweet time of learning, and once again how precious is the Lord Jesus and His people. Please continue to cry out to the Lord for those who God lays on your heart and know that we too are joining you as we run to the Lord Jesus with that which man would say is impossible.
We love you all and thank the Lord for each and everyone who has prayed for us, like the Church who prayed for Peter in Acts 12.
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Saturday, February 18, 2012
A great day in the Redding's history
Today is a great day in the Redding's history. This day did not originate with the Redding family but we adopted this date into our history about 28 years ago. A half a century ago about 5 months after my birthday, there was couple who rejoiced in the beginnings of their family with the birth of their first daughter. The rejoicing over this birth continues to proceed to this day by that family and now the Redding family. Lynda Shade was born 50 years ago (she does not resemble her age so consider her still 20 or 30 something) and the Redding family has joined in the celebration of her birth over 28 years ago if you were to factor in our years of dating.
I rejoice in the Lord that He deemed it best that she married this man and that she shares now more of her life as one with me than apart from me. I invite any who read this blog to wish Lynda Redding a happy birthday. Facebook or email her or comment (however that works) on this post.
To God be the glory, great things He has done, and it is a great thing that He has allowed Lynda and all those who love her to celebrate another year from His hand.
To my love - Numbers 6:24-26 - my prayer for you. As He has blessed you so greatly, we have enjoyed the fruit of His blessing upon you. We love you and unanimously say "Happy Birthday".
I rejoice in the Lord that He deemed it best that she married this man and that she shares now more of her life as one with me than apart from me. I invite any who read this blog to wish Lynda Redding a happy birthday. Facebook or email her or comment (however that works) on this post.
To God be the glory, great things He has done, and it is a great thing that He has allowed Lynda and all those who love her to celebrate another year from His hand.
To my love - Numbers 6:24-26 - my prayer for you. As He has blessed you so greatly, we have enjoyed the fruit of His blessing upon you. We love you and unanimously say "Happy Birthday".
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Do you see miracles?
In Bible class today, we were reading about the story of Jairus’ daughter who died and Jesus brought back to life. (Mark 5:21-43) At the end of this story I had the students write a quote, not from scripture, but a deduction from this story and then we would have to prove from Scripture whether this quote was true or not.
The quote was this – “A person who does not believe in Jesus nor has trust in Jesus will never see a miracle in their lifetime.” Is this possible? Does this hold true? Would we break fellowship over a statement like this if one believed this to be true and another did not? Well certainly I would not hold to this quote like I would scripture nor would I say this was an absolute truth, but then I have to wrestle with how this could be possible?
So the students took some time to consider this and one student raised his hand and said, “I think I got it – a person who does not believe in Jesus nor has trust in Jesus will never see what we see as a miracle.” And we said, you may be onto something.
Well we can be certain of this. Anyone who does believe in Jesus and has their trust in Him sees miracles and the first miracle they witnessed was their own conversion. We knew at one point in time that we were hopeless, helpless, and hell bound to a Christ-less eternity. We understood that we were dead in our trespasses and sin. That apart from the Lord Jesus Christ, we would live on to die one day in our sin and never see His glorious face. We knew that without Him there was no hope, no help and only eternal damnation. But in the darkest time of our lives, we cried out in faith to our Lord Jesus and He rescued us from our hopeless, helpless and hell bound life. He changed us and we have never been the same since. Every day we witness Him in us and our life is different.
Now when that happened, the world of rejecters of Jesus would say, “Well you maybe got ‘religion’ in you, or maybe you just became a good person, or maybe you just grew up.” But they would never see it as a miracle, even though they are looking at it.
Take my cancer – I had it, but now I don’t. We witnessed miracle after miracle (and still seeing His mighty hand at work) but a rejecter of Jesus could attempt to chalk it all up to chance. They could point to any thing and everything as just “mankind and mother-nature doing their thing in harmony.” They could even say, “You got lucky” and never once acknowledge the Savior’s hand in all of this.
They have been placed outside the house and the Savior is not letting them see what they would already reject as a miracle. When Jairus daughter walked out of the house finally and people on the street saw her, one of few things would have been said – “There goes that girl who we thought was dead but was only asleep.” Or –“There goes that girl who was faking it all the time.” Or – “There goes that girl who had a lucky break in this life and though she was sick and even died, somehow she is still walking.” Or – “There goes that girl who was dead, but now is alive because Jesus brought her back to life, it was miracle!”
What do you say when you see someone who has changed, when someone who was sick but now well, when the sun comes up and then goes down, when you take you next breath… do you see the miracle?
The quote was this – “A person who does not believe in Jesus nor has trust in Jesus will never see a miracle in their lifetime.” Is this possible? Does this hold true? Would we break fellowship over a statement like this if one believed this to be true and another did not? Well certainly I would not hold to this quote like I would scripture nor would I say this was an absolute truth, but then I have to wrestle with how this could be possible?
So the students took some time to consider this and one student raised his hand and said, “I think I got it – a person who does not believe in Jesus nor has trust in Jesus will never see what we see as a miracle.” And we said, you may be onto something.
Well we can be certain of this. Anyone who does believe in Jesus and has their trust in Him sees miracles and the first miracle they witnessed was their own conversion. We knew at one point in time that we were hopeless, helpless, and hell bound to a Christ-less eternity. We understood that we were dead in our trespasses and sin. That apart from the Lord Jesus Christ, we would live on to die one day in our sin and never see His glorious face. We knew that without Him there was no hope, no help and only eternal damnation. But in the darkest time of our lives, we cried out in faith to our Lord Jesus and He rescued us from our hopeless, helpless and hell bound life. He changed us and we have never been the same since. Every day we witness Him in us and our life is different.
Now when that happened, the world of rejecters of Jesus would say, “Well you maybe got ‘religion’ in you, or maybe you just became a good person, or maybe you just grew up.” But they would never see it as a miracle, even though they are looking at it.
Take my cancer – I had it, but now I don’t. We witnessed miracle after miracle (and still seeing His mighty hand at work) but a rejecter of Jesus could attempt to chalk it all up to chance. They could point to any thing and everything as just “mankind and mother-nature doing their thing in harmony.” They could even say, “You got lucky” and never once acknowledge the Savior’s hand in all of this.
They have been placed outside the house and the Savior is not letting them see what they would already reject as a miracle. When Jairus daughter walked out of the house finally and people on the street saw her, one of few things would have been said – “There goes that girl who we thought was dead but was only asleep.” Or –“There goes that girl who was faking it all the time.” Or – “There goes that girl who had a lucky break in this life and though she was sick and even died, somehow she is still walking.” Or – “There goes that girl who was dead, but now is alive because Jesus brought her back to life, it was miracle!”
What do you say when you see someone who has changed, when someone who was sick but now well, when the sun comes up and then goes down, when you take you next breath… do you see the miracle?
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Love endures all things (1 Corinthians 13)
Yesterday was Valentine’s Day and I am always surprised by our heavenly Father’s way of communicating to us at just the right time. Here is just a little sample of His gracious hand in our lives these past two day.
I send out a daily Proverb out via text to over a hundred folks. This was started by my dear friend Tom about 2-3 years ago, who after I just finished asking the Lord for more wisdom and for an opportunity to look at a Proverb a day… I get this text from Tom who got a text from another gentleman – it was a Proverb. And each day after that, a Proverb came by text to my phone. So I continue that sending of a Proverb a day to various people who have unlimited minutes and care to receive a Proverb a day. Here was the Proverb that I just opened to (randomly, but by His design) on this Valentine’s day – Proverbs 3:3 - Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. (ESV).
How sweet is that on a day that we are remembering our loved ones. Let’s remember foremost our Lord Jesus who loved us way before we ever loved Him and had demonstrated His steadfast Love and Faithfulness throughout all time.
Two days ago, Eli, a student in one of my classes raised his hand during a ten minute time period that I give to the students each day to spend with the Lord in His word. I approached him and he said that he had noticed for the first time in Scripture that 7 evil spirits possessed Mary Magdalene before she came to Christ. Then he said, “Is that possible Mr. Redding – 7 evil spirits?” I said, the Bible says it, so we can believe it, although we may not be able to fully explain it at this time. Little did Eli know, that just after his devotion time with the Lord, he as well as the rest of the classes would be studying Mark 5. The passage starts out with Jesus coming to shore and a man possessed by not just one demon, or 7 demons, but by a “Legion” of demons comes running to Jesus. And then we found out how many make up a Legion – 6000. Wow, now that is what the Bible says, and though we may not fully understand it, we can trust that is what took place and that Jesus had power over not just one, not just 7 but over 6000. Jesus said in Mat. 28 – “All authority” has been given unto Him.
I could tell you of every day how the word of God has just what we need for the day, but neither time nor space permit and you could fill up pages too of how His word has just what you need for the day.
Let’s take a moment today to thank Him for His enduring love. As I drove to work yesterday morning with my sweetheart, Lynda, I was thanking Him and reminded of not only His enduring love, but also her enduring love. When she said almost 28 years ago in our marriage vows, “For better or worst” – little did she know how much is in between that “Better” and “Worst”. But I am so thankful that she, as my wife and love of my life here on earth, pictures to me the steadfast Love of our Lord Jesus every day. So let’s take time to thank those who, here on earth, display the same kind of Love that Jesus has for us forever.
By the way, thank you for your love that you have shown to Lynda and I through out our years. We give the Lord thanks for your enduring love. He always brings just the right word for us today and the right folks for us this day. We are so grateful…
I send out a daily Proverb out via text to over a hundred folks. This was started by my dear friend Tom about 2-3 years ago, who after I just finished asking the Lord for more wisdom and for an opportunity to look at a Proverb a day… I get this text from Tom who got a text from another gentleman – it was a Proverb. And each day after that, a Proverb came by text to my phone. So I continue that sending of a Proverb a day to various people who have unlimited minutes and care to receive a Proverb a day. Here was the Proverb that I just opened to (randomly, but by His design) on this Valentine’s day – Proverbs 3:3 - Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. (ESV).
How sweet is that on a day that we are remembering our loved ones. Let’s remember foremost our Lord Jesus who loved us way before we ever loved Him and had demonstrated His steadfast Love and Faithfulness throughout all time.
Two days ago, Eli, a student in one of my classes raised his hand during a ten minute time period that I give to the students each day to spend with the Lord in His word. I approached him and he said that he had noticed for the first time in Scripture that 7 evil spirits possessed Mary Magdalene before she came to Christ. Then he said, “Is that possible Mr. Redding – 7 evil spirits?” I said, the Bible says it, so we can believe it, although we may not be able to fully explain it at this time. Little did Eli know, that just after his devotion time with the Lord, he as well as the rest of the classes would be studying Mark 5. The passage starts out with Jesus coming to shore and a man possessed by not just one demon, or 7 demons, but by a “Legion” of demons comes running to Jesus. And then we found out how many make up a Legion – 6000. Wow, now that is what the Bible says, and though we may not fully understand it, we can trust that is what took place and that Jesus had power over not just one, not just 7 but over 6000. Jesus said in Mat. 28 – “All authority” has been given unto Him.
I could tell you of every day how the word of God has just what we need for the day, but neither time nor space permit and you could fill up pages too of how His word has just what you need for the day.
Let’s take a moment today to thank Him for His enduring love. As I drove to work yesterday morning with my sweetheart, Lynda, I was thanking Him and reminded of not only His enduring love, but also her enduring love. When she said almost 28 years ago in our marriage vows, “For better or worst” – little did she know how much is in between that “Better” and “Worst”. But I am so thankful that she, as my wife and love of my life here on earth, pictures to me the steadfast Love of our Lord Jesus every day. So let’s take time to thank those who, here on earth, display the same kind of Love that Jesus has for us forever.
By the way, thank you for your love that you have shown to Lynda and I through out our years. We give the Lord thanks for your enduring love. He always brings just the right word for us today and the right folks for us this day. We are so grateful…
Friday, February 10, 2012
Chance or Miracle
Last night in our Bible study group, the men gathered together to share what God is doing in our lives and the first question that we talked about was this – “What is your favorite verse(s) in the Bible?” I was taken back in time to when I was about 12 years of age and I heard for the first time – Proverbs 3:5-6. “Trust in the LORD with all thy heart and lean not onto your own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He will bring it to past.”
Today, I am reminded of why that verse spoke to me and it still speaks to me. When we come to the LORD, He is not asking us to come with a heart that has to figure out everything with our OWN understanding and reasoning. No man can reason through the work of God. It is beyond human understanding or reason. To say, “I can by my ‘own understanding’ explain anything God did, does or will be doing” is like me saying a dog or a sheep can explain to me 2+3=5 or could explain to me internal combustion. Man, with out God’s intervention and rescue, would hopelessly wander through life, with all the logic and reason in the world but with no clue to His miracles and more than that – His Son.
Man here on earth has calculated and by reason worked out many mathematical and scientific possibilities. But man can never by his reason, understanding or calculation come close to God’s miracles (mathematical and scientific impossibilities) or even come close to explaining our Lord Jesus, let alone, put their trust in Him. Calculation and reason can bring a doctor to surgically removing cancer (possibility), but the flesh being restored (impossibility) – that is one of God’s miracles (although man will say that this just nature or the “bodies way of healing it’s self”). A storm passing through a sea, coming and going, can be calculated and viewed by man (possibility). A storm raging on a sea can be stopped by a man’s three word’s – “Quiet, be still” (impossibility) and no earthly understanding or reasoning will ever get you there. We could go on and on throughout the Bible up through today and on into the future and not one miracle that comes from the hand of God can be explained scientifically or by reason – why? - These things with men are impossible, but with God, all things are possible (or nothing is impossible) (Luke 1:37, 18:27, Mark 10:27, Matt. 19:26)
So as we come to the word of God today, are we coming to Him leaning on our own understanding? Are we coming to His word with some type of human formula to make sense of what we are reading? Are we trying to do what we would do in lab and apply that to His miraculous work? Are we trying to explain the unexplainable so that we can feel better about what we have just read? Or will we trust the LORD, who gave us His Holy Spirit who teaches us all things when it comes to things of the LORD and who brings us to seeing thing and understanding things through His word. Without Christ, our fallen reasoning and understanding sound like a bark of a dog or a baa of a sheep. Trust in Him today and His Holy Spirit will give you through His word His understanding, His wisdom and His reasoning. (John 14:16-17, 26; 16:7-14, Eph. 5:18, Acts 1:8, 2 Cor. 1:22, Eph. 1:13, 4:30)
Today, I am reminded of why that verse spoke to me and it still speaks to me. When we come to the LORD, He is not asking us to come with a heart that has to figure out everything with our OWN understanding and reasoning. No man can reason through the work of God. It is beyond human understanding or reason. To say, “I can by my ‘own understanding’ explain anything God did, does or will be doing” is like me saying a dog or a sheep can explain to me 2+3=5 or could explain to me internal combustion. Man, with out God’s intervention and rescue, would hopelessly wander through life, with all the logic and reason in the world but with no clue to His miracles and more than that – His Son.
Man here on earth has calculated and by reason worked out many mathematical and scientific possibilities. But man can never by his reason, understanding or calculation come close to God’s miracles (mathematical and scientific impossibilities) or even come close to explaining our Lord Jesus, let alone, put their trust in Him. Calculation and reason can bring a doctor to surgically removing cancer (possibility), but the flesh being restored (impossibility) – that is one of God’s miracles (although man will say that this just nature or the “bodies way of healing it’s self”). A storm passing through a sea, coming and going, can be calculated and viewed by man (possibility). A storm raging on a sea can be stopped by a man’s three word’s – “Quiet, be still” (impossibility) and no earthly understanding or reasoning will ever get you there. We could go on and on throughout the Bible up through today and on into the future and not one miracle that comes from the hand of God can be explained scientifically or by reason – why? - These things with men are impossible, but with God, all things are possible (or nothing is impossible) (Luke 1:37, 18:27, Mark 10:27, Matt. 19:26)
So as we come to the word of God today, are we coming to Him leaning on our own understanding? Are we coming to His word with some type of human formula to make sense of what we are reading? Are we trying to do what we would do in lab and apply that to His miraculous work? Are we trying to explain the unexplainable so that we can feel better about what we have just read? Or will we trust the LORD, who gave us His Holy Spirit who teaches us all things when it comes to things of the LORD and who brings us to seeing thing and understanding things through His word. Without Christ, our fallen reasoning and understanding sound like a bark of a dog or a baa of a sheep. Trust in Him today and His Holy Spirit will give you through His word His understanding, His wisdom and His reasoning. (John 14:16-17, 26; 16:7-14, Eph. 5:18, Acts 1:8, 2 Cor. 1:22, Eph. 1:13, 4:30)
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
“You remind me of Jesus.”
Yesterday we did a little exercise (suggested by my brother Jeff) in school. The students read 1 Cor. 13 and then were asked to do a number of things.
First, since we are studying the life of Christ in the Gospels, they were to list the attributes of Jesus found in 1 Cor. 13:4-7. And it would look something like this when they were done:
Jesus is patient
Jesus is kind.
Jesus does not envy,
Jesus does not boast,
Jesus is not proud.
Jesus is not rude,
Jesus is not self-seeking,
Jesus is not easily angered,
Jesus keeps no record of wrongs.
Jesus does not delight in evil
Jesus rejoices with the truth.
Jesus always protects,
Jesus always trusts,
Jesus hopes,
Jesus always perseveres.
Jesus never fails.
Now after we listed the attributes of Jesus found in 1 Cor. 13, the students’ second step to take was to look at those attributes and write about one attribute that most intrigues them. What in that list intrigues you? What intrigues me? Can you find other verses in the gospels where you see these attributes displayed in Jesus’ life?
Third, look at the attributes of Jesus again. What attribute do you struggle with most? What attribute did not come naturally and if you revert to the flesh, this attribute would be first to vanish? Write what that is and how the Lord continues to bring that to the surface.
Last. Look at each attribute and try to assign a name of someone you know that best portray the attribute here on earth. Someone you know who you have seen this attribute displayed in his or her life.
Once you have some names of folks, go to those folks and say- “I was studying the attributes of Jesus found in 1 Cor. 13 and you remind me of Jesus because you were so…..” Share the attribute with that person and you and that person will rejoice in what the Savior has done in your lives. You recognize the Lord Jesus in their life. They thank the Lord that Jesus is seen in their life. You will also realize Matt. 5:16 - "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
One more thing you may want to try. When I am out and about and I notice one of these attributes in a stranger’s life. I will try to point the attribute out to them in this way: “You know just now you reminded me of the most patient man who ever walked on the face of this earth.” If they ask who that may be – I will tell them – “Jesus”. Now what if that person all their life had the wrong picture of Jesus and was rejecting Him due to the wrong picture. But now they are displaying something that looks like Him? What do they do with that? Try this, with all sincerity and you will see. There are many ways we can begin to share the Good News and pointing a soul to Jesus is the best news they will ever receive.
First, since we are studying the life of Christ in the Gospels, they were to list the attributes of Jesus found in 1 Cor. 13:4-7. And it would look something like this when they were done:
Jesus is patient
Jesus is kind.
Jesus does not envy,
Jesus does not boast,
Jesus is not proud.
Jesus is not rude,
Jesus is not self-seeking,
Jesus is not easily angered,
Jesus keeps no record of wrongs.
Jesus does not delight in evil
Jesus rejoices with the truth.
Jesus always protects,
Jesus always trusts,
Jesus hopes,
Jesus always perseveres.
Jesus never fails.
Now after we listed the attributes of Jesus found in 1 Cor. 13, the students’ second step to take was to look at those attributes and write about one attribute that most intrigues them. What in that list intrigues you? What intrigues me? Can you find other verses in the gospels where you see these attributes displayed in Jesus’ life?
Third, look at the attributes of Jesus again. What attribute do you struggle with most? What attribute did not come naturally and if you revert to the flesh, this attribute would be first to vanish? Write what that is and how the Lord continues to bring that to the surface.
Last. Look at each attribute and try to assign a name of someone you know that best portray the attribute here on earth. Someone you know who you have seen this attribute displayed in his or her life.
Once you have some names of folks, go to those folks and say- “I was studying the attributes of Jesus found in 1 Cor. 13 and you remind me of Jesus because you were so…..” Share the attribute with that person and you and that person will rejoice in what the Savior has done in your lives. You recognize the Lord Jesus in their life. They thank the Lord that Jesus is seen in their life. You will also realize Matt. 5:16 - "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
One more thing you may want to try. When I am out and about and I notice one of these attributes in a stranger’s life. I will try to point the attribute out to them in this way: “You know just now you reminded me of the most patient man who ever walked on the face of this earth.” If they ask who that may be – I will tell them – “Jesus”. Now what if that person all their life had the wrong picture of Jesus and was rejecting Him due to the wrong picture. But now they are displaying something that looks like Him? What do they do with that? Try this, with all sincerity and you will see. There are many ways we can begin to share the Good News and pointing a soul to Jesus is the best news they will ever receive.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
He is attracted to our weakness
He is attracted to our weakness.
In Mark 2:14-17 we read that Jesus meets Levi and invites him to follow Him. Levi leaves his tax-collecting job (which the Jews despised tax collectors and their occupation.) and opens his house and heart to the Savior. When Jesus comes to Levi’s house He is welcomed by a house full of tax collectors. The Pharisees are offended and are shocked that Jesus was in Levi’s house with a bunch of Tax Collectors. They say, “why does He eat with sinners.” Jesus response is …. “I did not come call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” And in these simple but profound words, we see that Jesus is attracted to our weakness.
I liken it to having a “Mega Magnet” and having a “Mini Magnet”. If you try to connect the positive pole to the positive pole, they will continue to repel each other. But if you connect the positive pole to the negative pole then you have an attraction. So it is, if we come to our Lord with our self righteousness, our arrogant thoughts of self and “me-centered” point of view, we will be like two positive poles coming close but are so quick to repel. But when we come to Jesus as we really are, sinners, frail, unable souls; we find His arms wide open and receptive. And we become strong by His might and not by ours.
The Apostle Paul put it this way – “When I am weak, then He is strong.”
What is your weakness? What are you suffering with? What breaks your heart? What do you see as impossible to accomplish? When you acknowledge this before the Lord and humbly come to Him, He draws you to Him self (Like that Mega Magnet’s positive pole drawing a Mini Magnet when it’s pole is negative). When I had cancer, I came to realize this truth again and to be embraced by our Savior is a most blessed thing. In our time of suffering and struggles, call upon the Lord Jesus in humility and He promises to draw you to Himself and shower grace upon you. James 4:6-10 confirms this promise too.
In Mark 2:14-17 we read that Jesus meets Levi and invites him to follow Him. Levi leaves his tax-collecting job (which the Jews despised tax collectors and their occupation.) and opens his house and heart to the Savior. When Jesus comes to Levi’s house He is welcomed by a house full of tax collectors. The Pharisees are offended and are shocked that Jesus was in Levi’s house with a bunch of Tax Collectors. They say, “why does He eat with sinners.” Jesus response is …. “I did not come call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” And in these simple but profound words, we see that Jesus is attracted to our weakness.
I liken it to having a “Mega Magnet” and having a “Mini Magnet”. If you try to connect the positive pole to the positive pole, they will continue to repel each other. But if you connect the positive pole to the negative pole then you have an attraction. So it is, if we come to our Lord with our self righteousness, our arrogant thoughts of self and “me-centered” point of view, we will be like two positive poles coming close but are so quick to repel. But when we come to Jesus as we really are, sinners, frail, unable souls; we find His arms wide open and receptive. And we become strong by His might and not by ours.
The Apostle Paul put it this way – “When I am weak, then He is strong.”
What is your weakness? What are you suffering with? What breaks your heart? What do you see as impossible to accomplish? When you acknowledge this before the Lord and humbly come to Him, He draws you to Him self (Like that Mega Magnet’s positive pole drawing a Mini Magnet when it’s pole is negative). When I had cancer, I came to realize this truth again and to be embraced by our Savior is a most blessed thing. In our time of suffering and struggles, call upon the Lord Jesus in humility and He promises to draw you to Himself and shower grace upon you. James 4:6-10 confirms this promise too.
Two months and two weeks
This week marks 2 months and 2 weeks since the cancer was removed. It is hard to believe almost a little bit of time ago I even had cancer. The Lord is good and again, your prayers were used to do a wonderful thing for us from God’s hand.
We go back in about a month for my 3 months check up. We are preparing ourselves to gladly accept whatever comes from the hand of our Lord. There is so much to thank Him for and each day he loads us with benefits and blessing.
At this time I would like to direct our attention to families who are crying out to the Lord for help – A high school (and college) friend Danny, lost his wife this past week which was a shock to us all. Matt, my friend’s wife lost her mom. Ruia, a teacher in our school lost her mom. And a family lost a daughter in car accident (Sage). There are many who are in the land of the Living while we are here in the Land of the dying. Praise the Lord that Jesus, our great Shepherd is with us when we walk through this valley of the shadow of death. He shines brightest to us in the darkest of times.
We go back in about a month for my 3 months check up. We are preparing ourselves to gladly accept whatever comes from the hand of our Lord. There is so much to thank Him for and each day he loads us with benefits and blessing.
At this time I would like to direct our attention to families who are crying out to the Lord for help – A high school (and college) friend Danny, lost his wife this past week which was a shock to us all. Matt, my friend’s wife lost her mom. Ruia, a teacher in our school lost her mom. And a family lost a daughter in car accident (Sage). There are many who are in the land of the Living while we are here in the Land of the dying. Praise the Lord that Jesus, our great Shepherd is with us when we walk through this valley of the shadow of death. He shines brightest to us in the darkest of times.
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