Update and Comment Issue

On Friday morning Les' boss encouraged us to fly home.  We were suppose to be in Hawaii until April 2nd, but with all the shutdowns going on we agreed that was a good idea.  We quickly booked the 3:00 p.m. Saturday flight.  On our way to the airport yesterday we learned that our flight was canceled.  With two hours before our departure, we needed every single minute to get re-booked on a flight with another airline.  But we made it home safely and will be listening to our church service online from the comfort of our own home.

We didn't feel panicked to leave Hawaii.  The number of cases is relatively low.  We just didn't know what further restrictions were going to be enacted in the days ahead.  We'd rather hunker down here in California, especially since all of our family is here on the mainland.

I learned yesterday that there has been a problem with comments to my blog.  I made a few adjustments to how readers can comment.  There seem to be two possible causes:

1.  It is likely the visitors browser settings that are the issue, especially if they are using Safari on an Apple device. They need to accept 3rd party cookies as described here: https://support.apple.com/en-ke/guide/safari/sfri11471/mac

2.  However, as the blog owner, it may help if you switch from embedded comments to a popup window (which has its own issues) or full page for comments.You can do that in your Blogger Settings > Posts, Comments and Sharing > Comments Location.

So if you've been trying to comment and couldn't, please try again! 

Have a great Sunday!  My Bible reading this morning included John chapter 14, it begins with, "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me."  Verse 27 says, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

Peace-filled Posts

Well it's been an interesting few weeks, hasn't it?  Les and I traveled to Hawaii on Sunday so he could spend some time working in the office.  He found out on Tuesday that all employees would be working from home starting on Wednesday.  Thankfully, no one has COVID-19, but they are taking precautions to keep it that way.  We have a nice condo here, with food and necessities, we're together and healthy, so we're doing fine.

The headlines can be quite disturbing.  Panic buying is real.  While I was out for a run this morning, I was thinking about other times when life was uncertain.  I've blogged about many of those.  I've also always tried to make my blog a place of encouragement.  That being the case, I want to share links to some of those posts today:

Peace that Passes Understanding
Casting Down Imaginations
Everlasting Arms
Changing Seasons 
What Mean These Stones?
Commitment
Thoughts on Osama bin Laden and 9/11  
A Future Filled with Hope
Trusting in God or Riches 
Smiling During Losses
The Curse and the Scarlett Thread 
What is the Will of God 
Rainbow Reminder 
Already There
Great Peace
The Ultimate Battle 
Safe Zone 
According to His Purpose
The One Thing Everyone Needs 
Is He Your Shepherd?  
Under the Shadow of the Almighty
Jesus is the Answer
We Have An Anchor
Exhale 

I wanted to share one full post here.  It is what I wrote after Les took his current job here in Hawaii and all that I had thought and prayed as we journeyed through that time.

The Peace of God that Covers

My post yesterday was really the end of a chapter.  Today, I'll tell you about the chapters we have lived since September.  In September we had our annual Youth Alive services.  That Friday night the choir sang "Cover Me" by Mark Condon:

Peace of God, cover me
Cover me, cover me
Peace of God, cover me
Through the storm, cover me.

Only in You I am safe
Only in You I'm secure
Only in You I find peace
So cover me, cover me 

Cover me when I am hurting
Cover me when I'm not strong
Cover me when I am going through the storm
Cover me when it all seems hopeless
Cover me when my faith is gone
Let the peace that passes all I understand

As I stood on the platform singing, I thought of friends who were hurting.  I sang for them.  But sometime in that song I felt like I was singing for me.  I didn't know it that night, but my life was getting ready to be stormy and I would need peace like never before.  I haven't blogged about every part of the storm we went through, but here it is...

Peace of God, cover me

Cover me, cover me

On the following Saturday, September 15th, Dad was hospitalized in Fresno, then transferred to San Francisco.  This started a very long journey that we are still on today.  Dad spent 7 1/2 weeks in San Francisco (hospitals and rehab center) before returning to Fresno.  He was back in San Francisco in December for surgery and is now back in Fresno.

Peace of God, cover me

Through the storm, cover me.

On the weekend of October 7-8, Les and I traveled to Fresno.  That Saturday Kim and I drove to San Francisco to visit Dad.  On Sunday morning, Les and I went to church in Truth Tabernacle.  We drove home that afternoon with plenty of time to make it to church that evening.  When we got home, we discovered that our house had been broken into.  Nothing was taken, the police said they were looking for cash and jewelry.  But it was a horrible feeling!

Only in You I am safe

Only in You I'm secure

Only in You I find peace

On October 22nd, Les was laid off his job.  In today's economy, we knew it might be a while before he found something else.  That ended up being three months.  But during that time, everyone of our needs were met.  We paid our bills, we had food on the table.  We were covered.

Cover me when I am hurting

Cover me when I'm not strong

Cover me when I am going through the storm

The same week that Les was laid off, Dad had his worst week in San Francisco.  For several days we were very concerned that his body was just shutting down.  His chemicals were completely out of balance.  The doctors were concerned about his heart.  After a few days back in the hospital, he started doing better and returned to the rehab center.

Cover me when it all seems hopeless

Here we are four months later and the peace of God has covered us through the storm.  There were days that I felt I was barely hanging on, but the peace would come.  Days when I worried, until I prayed and found peace again.  It's been a journey, but one that I never walked by myself.

Cover me when my faith is gone

Let the peace that passes all I understand

 Peace of God, cover me

Cover me, cover me

Peace of God, cover me

Through the storm, cover me.

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
~ Philippians 4:7

Finally, this is something I have posted before.  While it is called What Cancer Cannot Do, I believe we can also read it as was the COVID-19 or Coronavirus Cannot Do:

What Cancer Cannot Do
Cancer is so limited...
It cannot cripple love
It cannot shatter hope
It cannot corrode faith
It cannot destroy peace
It cannot kill friendships
It cannot suppress memories
It cannot silence courage
It cannot invade the soul
It cannot steal eternal life
It cannot conquer the spirit.
-Author Unknown

Now, if you've made it this far, I have a favor to ask.  I know my blog has readers, but you've all been very quiet lately!  I haven't had a single comment in months.  Now is the time to reach out!  Please tell me how you're doing.  Is your family healthy?  Is your community quiet or in full on lockdown?  Is there something I can pray for?  We all need each other, now more than ever.  Take the time to reach out to your friends, family members, and bloggers.

One more thing!  I follow quite a few Christian authors.  Right now, a group of them have Kindle books for FREE.  So if you're housebound and need some new reading material, go HERE.

Repost: ABC Verses

I was searching my blog for something else this morning when I happened on this post from August 2008.  My blog was only a month old at the time.  I'm still in awe that Mom found all these verses without a computer!

Mom loved children and she loved the Word of God. So when she was teaching pre-Kindergarten at the Christian school she came up with a unique way to combine learning letters and learning the Word of God. I found five pages of hand written verses - A through Z. If I remember correctly, the goal was to learn all the verses by the end of the year, quoting them out loud.

It should also be noted that Mom never had a computer or any type of Bible software. She found these verses the old fashioned way - by reading Mom's Bible!!

A - Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: Matthew 7:7

B - But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. John 4:23

C - Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. I Peter 5:7

D - Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Psalm 37:4

E - Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts. Proverbs 21:2

F - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

G - Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.

H - Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: Deuteronomy 6:4

I - I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD. Psalm 122:1

J - Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. Matthew 22:37

K - Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Psalm 100:3

L - Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD. Psalm 150:6

M - My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. Psalm 121:2

N - Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. Philippians 4:11

O - One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. Ephesians 4:5, 6

P - Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Proverbs 4:26

Q - Quench not the Spirit. I Thessalonians 5:19

R - Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Philippians 4:4

S - Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day. Psalm 96:2

T - Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. James 2:19

U - Use hospitality one to another without grudging. I Peter 4:9

V - Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. Mark 10:15

W - We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; I Thessalonians 1:2

X - Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy. Psalm 99:5

Y - Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. I John 4:4

Z - Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. Luke 19:5

Repost: Suppose Ye?

My Bible reading this morning included John chapter 9, the story of a man born blind.  As I was reading it, I remembered blogging about it.  When I looked for the post, I found that I had re-posted the original about two years ago. 

My Bible reading yesterday included Luke chapter 13.  As I began this post, I decided to check my blog for anything similar and found a post from March 24, 2010 with this same title, I'm re-posting it with a few additions.

1 There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?
3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

Suppose ye? Isn't that what we do so many times? We see someone going through a trial and suppose that it has been brought on because of some sin or other fault in their life. Job's friends were great supposers. Job called them "miserable comforters" as they spent many chapters accusing Job of sin, urging him to repent.

I wonder how often we SUPPOSE when we do not KNOW. Life is full of so many ups and downs. We don't live in the Garden of Eden, we live in a world full of sin. Bad things happen to good people. But with just a nod of the head or a lift of our eyebrow, we suppose, and place blame or pass judgment.

July 20, 2010 I posted "This is Good." Everything in my life hasn't been good, but God always works it for my good.  In that post I wrote about Les asking, "Do you ever question God about what you've been through with Rod and your Mom?" I thought about it, it's a hard question. I definitely miss Mom and Rod, many times I'll think "I wish Rod could see or hear this..." or "I wish I could talk to Mom about that..." but questioning God doesn't do me any good. I choose to trust and say "This is Good" even when it doesn't feel like it or I don't understand. Somehow, I have to trust that God has worked it for my good.

Our words during a trial can make all the difference. They can cause someone to give up completely or keep pressing on. Words spoken without knowledge can lead to irreparable damage. I've said it here many times but if you don't know what to say, the best words in the world are, "I'm praying for you."

The disciples questioned Jesus in John chapter 9:

1 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

What if we turned it around and thought, "Wow, they're going through a trial. God must want to manifest Himself in them." How would that change our prayers and words? How would it change our attitude when the trial is our own? When a trial hits, we could examine ourselves, and if we don't have sins that need repenting of, we can say, "Lord, I'm waiting for Your glory to be made manifest." What a difference that would make!

Let's do less supposing and more encouraging!

Repost: Math Class ~ the Speed of Life

Today is Pi day.  In case you aren't sure what that is, from Pi Day.org:

Pi Day is celebrated on March 14th (3/14) around the world. Pi (Greek letter “π”) is the symbol used in mathematics to represent a constant — the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter — which is approximately 3.14159. Pi Day is an annual opportunity for math enthusiasts to recite the infinite digits of Pi, talk to their friends about math, and to eat pie.

In honor of Pi Day, I thought I'd re-post Les' theory of the speed of life.  I originally wrote about it in 2009 and said, "I was thinking the other morning about how quickly this year is moving along. Then it dawned on me - it has been a decade since Y2K! That seems like it happened a few years ago, not a decade!"  It's now been TWO decades since Y2K!  High school seniors weren't even born then.

When you are 2 years old, one year seems like a long time because it is one half of your life, one half of your experiences.

When you are 4 years old, one year still seems long because it is one fourth of your life.

When you are 16 years old, a year can move a little faster seeing how it is only one sixteenth of your life.

By the time you're 50, well time really does fly! A year is a small portion of your life - so in light of your life experiences, it really is shorter! (I'm speaking from experience here!)

James 4:14 puts it this way "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."  I want to make every slice of life count, no matter how quickly it comes.

I think I'll have a piece of pie, too. Remember: We all get heavier as we get older, because there's a lot more information in our heads. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Fear Not, Little Flock

Sister White asked me to speak at ladies prayer on Tuesday night.  I spoke about the battle of our minds, most specifically the battle with worry.  I've written about my own battle with worry here.  The key verses that I used about overcoming worry are Matthew 6:25-34.  Those verses do not contain the words "fear not," but Luke's account in chapter 12 does:

Luke 12:22-32,  "And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.
The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.
Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?
And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?
If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?
Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?
And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."

The Thayer Definition of the word thought is:
1) to be anxious
1a) to be troubled with cares
2) to care for, look out for (a thing)
2a) to seek to promote one’s interests
2b) caring or providing for

The Thayer Definition of the word fear is:
1) to put to flight by terrifying (to scare away)
1a) to put to flight, to flee
1b) to fear, be afraid
1b1) to be struck with fear, to be seized with alarm
1b1a) of those startled by strange sights or occurrences
1b1b) of those struck with amazement
1b2) to fear, be afraid of one
1b3) to fear (i.e. hesitate) to do something (for fear of harm)
1c) to reverence, venerate, to treat with deference or reverential obedience

While the two words are not completely interchangeable, they are very similar.  They both happen in our minds.

The Biblical Illustrator by Joseph S. Exell, M.A. says this:
Reasons for banishing vexatious care
1. It is needless; “your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of these things”; and will certainly provide for you; and what need you take care, and God too? Cast your care upon Him.
2. It is fruitless; “which of you, by taking care, can add one cubit to his stature?” We may sooner, by our carping care, add a furlong to our grief, than a cubit to our comfort. All our care, without God’s help, will neither feed us when we are hungry, nor nourish us when we are fed.
3. It is heathenish; “after all these things do the Gentiles seek.”  The ends and objects of a Christian’s thoughts ought to be higher and more sublime than that of heathens.
4. Lastly, it is brutish, nay, worse than brutish. The birds of the air, the beasts of the field, the ravens of the valley, all are fed and sustained by God, without any care of their own, much more His children. Has God a breakfast ready for every little bird that comes chirping out of its nest, and for every beast of the field that comes leaping out of its den, and will He not much more provide for you? Surely, that God that feeds the ravens when they cry will not starve His children when they pray.

Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible says this:
It is the repeated command of the Lord Jesus to his disciples, that they should not divide and pull in pieces their own minds with care about the world. The thought here forbidden is,
1. A disquieting, tormenting thought,
which hurries the mind hither and thither, and hangs it in suspense;
which disturbs our joy in God, and is a damp upon our hope in him;
which breaks the sleep,
and hinders our enjoyment of ourselves, of our friends, and of what God has given us.
2. A distrustful, unbelieving thought. God has promised to provide for those that are his all things needful for life.

Fear and worry go hand in hand, making our minds miserable.   Philippians 4:6-7 says, "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."  The peace of God is the antidote to fear and worry.  How do we get that peace?  By prayer and supplication with thanksgiving.  Whatever you are fearing today, make it known to Him.

Fear Not, You Shall Catch Men

Luke chapter 5 starts with Jesus standing in a boat teaching a large crowd on the shore.  This is very early in the Jesus' ministry.  When He finished teaching, He said to Simon Peter, "Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught."

Peter's response was the response of an experienced fisherman, "And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net."  Experience told Peter one thing, but he obeyed the voice of God instead.  Verse 6 tells us, "And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake."  Verses 8 and 9 tell us, "When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken."

The key verse in this passage is verse 10, "And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men."  Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible says, "Thou shalt catch men alive; this is the proper signification of the word. Fear not: these discoveries of God tend to life, not to death; and ye shall become the instruments of life and salvation to a lost world. These fish are taken to be killed and fed on; but those who are converted under your ministry shall be preserved unto eternal life."

Verse 11 tells us what these bold fishermen did next, "when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him."  Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible says, "It was not “much” that they left - a couple of small boats and their nets; but it was all they had, even all their living. But this showed their love of Jesus, and their willingness to deny themselves, as “really” as if they had forsaken palaces and gold. All that Jesus asks is that we should leave “all” we have for him; that we should love him “more” than we do whatever friends or property we may possess, and be willing to give them all up when he requires it."

Jesus calls each of us to follow Him.  He calls us to do a work.  Our number one call is to reach others with the gospel.  Peter was used on the day of Pentecost and 3,000 souls were added to the church - that's quite a catch of men!  I can't help but think that the catch on the day of Pentecost was greater than the catch of fish that broke their nets.

The work you're called to do is not the work I'm called to do.  God has a plan for each of our lives.  It may be going to a foreign land and preaching the gospel.  It may be marrying and moving away from home and family.  It may be staying right where you are.  It may change tomorrow!  But we can walk confidently into our future.  When God calls, He will equip.  Fear not!

Fear Not as Spoken by Jesus

I've fallen a little off with my Fear Not posts.  We had a very busy second half of January and all of February.  This included a wonderful visit from Reece, one of our nephews from Tennessee.  He was working in California and stayed with us for a month.  We really enjoyed having him, although I didn't take a single picture of him!  Les took him skiing and for a bike ride, but most of the time he was working, doing school work, or sleeping.

While I haven't been blogging about it, I certainly have been reading fear not a lot!  It's been in my Bible reading over and over.  I've also heard the words many times during teaching and preaching at church.  Each time I hear it, my ears perk up.

It's just a little less than seven weeks until we celebrate the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.  I've decided to look at the times that Jesus said "fear not" between now and then.  The words fear not are only found 12 times in the four gospels.  Five of those times the words were spoken by angels.  Another is a quote about Jesus, a fulfillment of an Old Testament prophecy.  That leaves me with just enough to study for the next few weeks.  I'll complete this portion with Matthew 28:5 when the angel told the women at the tomb, "Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified," the greatest reason in the world not to fear!

Repost: Dinah, the Daughter of Jacob

My Bible reading this morning included Genesis chapter 34.  Dinah's story is so sad to me.  She was the daughter of Jacob, granddaughter of Isaac, and great-granddaughter of Abraham.  She had a great legacy but she made the decision to go "out to see the daughters of the land" and it was the greatest mistake of her life.  It brought rape, then murder.  I believe it is in our Bibles as a warning - going out to see what the world has to offer is a dangerous gamble we can't afford to take.  It also doesn't matter who your family may be, only you can make the decision to stay within the safety of God's family.

This is one of the hard to read stories in the Bible.  The Genesis Record, along with other commentaries, gave much insight.

Verses:  Genesis 30:21, Genesis 34:1-31, Genesis 46:15

Background – parents, husband, children, siblings
Dinah was the daughter of Jacob and Leah, she had eleven older brothers and one younger brother, Benjamin.  She and Joseph were probably born around the same time.

What is she most known for? Victories? Defeats? How can I be like her? How can I avoid being like her?
There is very little known about Dinah.  One incident in her life is all we read about.  Most commentaries agree that she was between 12 and 15 years old at this time.  Genesis 34:1 seems to start out innocently enough, "And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land."  As the only girl in the family, it seemed she was looking for female companionship.  Unfortunately there were no godly young women for her to spend time with so she turned her eyes to the daughters of the land.

Her pretense was to see the daughters of the land, to see how they dressed, and how they danced, and what was fashionable among them. She went to see, yet that was not all, she went to be seen too; she went to see the daughters of the land, but, it may be, with some thoughts of the sons of the land too.  (Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible)  It's a dangerous thing when we start looking to the world (fashion magazines, models, celebrities) to help us decide how to act and dress.

The Genesis Record explains how it was in that time:
Unattached young women were considered fair game in cities of the time, in which promiscuity was not only common but, in fact, a part of the very religious system itself. It seems likely that Dinah must have been warned about such dangers by her parents, but perhaps she felt she could look out for herself and resented their overprotective attitude. 

Verse 2 says, "And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her."  A trip to the city to make friends had turned her life upside down.
 
To what extent she may actually have encouraged Shechem, who must have seemed a rather glamorous figure to a young girl like Dinah, is not stated. In any case, it was only a matter of time until she had been seduced by Shechem while she was visiting some of her girl friends in the city. Shechem may or may not have actually forced her, but in view of her age it was at least a case of what today would be called “statutory” rape. (The Genesis Record)

Things went from bad to worse in the event.  Shechem "spake kindly" to her and wanted to marry her.  Dinah seems to have no say in the matter and she is kept in Shechem's house until after her brother's take their revenge.  The Genesis Record says:

Word quickly reached Jacob concerning what had happened to Dinah, probably by way of some of her girl friends in the town. Jacob no doubt was grief-stricken and angry, but decided not to do anything without first consulting Dinah’s brothers, who were still out in the field with the cattle.

While Jacob was waiting for his sons to come home, Hamor appeared at his house, with the proposal that Dinah be given as Shechem’s wife. No word of apology or sympathy was offered, nor any suggestion that his son be punished in any way. He merely suggested a proposition of marriage. As this interchange between Jacob and Hamor was taking place, the sons of Jacob came bursting into the room. They also had heard the story by now, and were grieved and bitterly angry. Dinah had been the only and beloved sister in a large family of boys, and they had all been taught the sacredness of the marriage relation. Even though they had been raised in a polygamous household, at least Jacob had not sought women other than his wives, and his wives had been faithful to him. They all knew of God’s purpose to raise up a holy nation through their family, and that the maintenance of national integrity and purity was essential to assure God’s continued blessing on them. Not only did they resent the affair for Dinah’s sake, but because Shechem had “wrought folly in Israel,” disrupting that national purity which they had regarded as so vital. Their use of the generic name of Israel in this connection indicates that they must have had a substantial comprehension and recognition of the deeper values and implications of this event.

Starting in verse 13, the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and his father deceitfully.  This is a great example of two wrongs not making a right.  No matter what was done to Dinah, the lying, the murder of every man in the city, the spoiling of all the goods was never justified.  "Simeon and Levi were most unrighteous. Those who act wickedly, under the pretext of religion, are the worst enemies of the truth, and harden the hearts of many to destruction. The crimes of others form no excuse for us. Alas! how one sin leads on to another, and, like flames of fire, spread desolation in every direction! Foolish pleasures lead to seduction; seduction produces wrath; wrath thirsts for revenge; the thirst of revenge has recourse to treachery; treachery issues in murder; and murder is followed by other lawless actions." (Matthew Henry)

Did she reach a place when she needed to reset?  If so, did she?  For good or evil?
As far as we know, there was no reset for Dinah.  I'm left with more questions than answers as she is never mentioned again, other than her name as a daughter of Leah in chapter 46.  What happened to this young teenager?  Did she ever marry?  Was she shamed and scarred for life?  How did she feel about her brothers after they slew all the men of the city? It is a tragedy with more tragedy heaped upon it.

Dinah is certainly a story of warning that we should heed.  "For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?" 2 Corinthians 6:14

Two Truths

During the month of January our church was in revival for three weeks.  Our evangelist, Bro. Bone, spoke about the demoniac of the Gadarenes found in Mark chapter 5 and Luke chapter 8.  This is a familiar story, but it also reminded me of a fictionalized account I read about six years ago.  I blogged about it here.

Since it had been so long, I decided to re-read the book and I'm so glad I did.  The book description says this: 

If there is a way into madness, logic says there is a way out. Logic says.

Tallis, a philosopher's servant, is sent to a Greek academy in Palestine only to discover that it has silently, ominously disappeared. No one will tell him what happened, but he learns what has become of four of its scholars. One was murdered. One committed suicide. One worships in the temple of Dionysus. And one is a madman.

There was a conversation about halfway into the book between Tallis and a slave named Samir.  They were talking about choices and fate.  Samir said this:

My tribe teaches this, that there are two truths.
The first truth:  You can choose.
The second truth:  You cannot choose for another.

I think the second truth is harder to take than the first.  We see people bound in sin and want to help them find deliverance.  But they have to choose.  We see people turn their backs on what is right and good and we want to bring them back, we can't choose for them.

I'm thankful for that first truth.  While I can't choose for another, I can choose to live a life that is pleasing to my Maker.  I can choose holiness, integrity, redemption, joy, grace and mercy. 

What happens around us is largely outside our control, 
but how we choose to react to it is inside our control. 
We can throw our hands up in defeat 
or we can choose to trust God for His solution.
- Mom's Bible

80th Birthday Celebration

As I mentioned yesterday, Les and I were in Fresno over the weekend for Elder Morton's 80th birthday celebration.  I've written about him often.  Without a doubt, he is the most influential person in my life outside of my family.  Nearly 29 years after I left Fresno, he still calls me a few times a year just to check on me.  I truly love this great man and it was an honor to be invited to share in his special day.

There were so many wonderful things said.  The more than two hour celebration was filled with so many memories, both touching and funny.  From sons in the gospel to his own family, the speakers each had so much to say.  I just want to share my two favorites.

I loved seeing three generations of Morton men on the platform

Pastor Ron Garrett from Arizona read a letter from Pastor Gary Howard of Oklahoma.  Pastor Howard sent an amazing gift.  A few years ago he had traveled with several others to Frazier Park, California.  It was there that a youth camp took place in 1960.  Elder Morton, just 20 years old at the time, was asked to be the camp evangelist.  There was a mighty outpouring of the Spirit, with over 60 receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost.  Many received it at the "Holy Ghost Tree."  Pastor Howard took bark from that tree and had a man in his church make pens from the wood.

Two of Elder Morton's grandchildren spoke.  His granddaughter, Adriel, did an amazing job.  She had $4.00 that she said was a "bribe" as she confessed to making a mess of his backyard many years ago.  "You can buy a bag of potting soil."  She then shared a little saying Elder Morton told her the night before, "Eat good, eat slow, eat a lot."  She changed his saying to "Live good, live slow, live a lot," and gave a beautiful tribute to how he has lived.  What I didn't know until the following day was Adriel didn't know she was on the schedule until she walked in the building on Saturday!  Her dad forgot to tell her.  I thought she did outstanding, but after learning that, I was totally blown away.

After the many comments, the school choir sang.  The school has grown so much!  It was beautiful.

We then took the festivities outside and all over the grounds of Truth Tabernacle.  Multiple food stations were set up, along with games and bounce houses for the kids.  Les and I got to catch up with so many of our friends.  My phone stayed in my purse and I didn't take a single picture during that time!

If I had been given the opportunity to speak, I would have said something like this:

Bro. Morton became the pastor of Truth Tabernacle in November, 1972. I was 8 1/2 years old and still on the shy side. He says I didn't speak to him for the first 5 years he was pastor! While I don't know for sure, I wouldn't be surprised if that wasn't pretty close to the truth.

I remember many times when Bro. Morton would come to our home to pray for Rod. It didn't matter, night or day, if Mom called, he came. I also remember when Rod broke his femur and was in a body cast. Naturally, everyone who came to visit signed his cast. Not Bro. Morton! He signed Rod's leg - "just to make sure your momma's washing you!"

Memories too numerous to recount come to mind, but my world changed completely when Bro. Morton asked me to work in the church office. I was a junior in high school, attending Truth Tabernacle Christian School in its first year of existence. I started working part time in the afternoons instead of taking electives, then worked full time in the summer. I had no idea I would end up working there for ten years. How can I even describe the impact those years made in my life? His constant encouragement and kind words when I did something right helped me come out of my shy shell. What fun I had WORKING! The many times he would jump from around some corner ("only the guilty jump"), the notes on my calendar, the smiley faces in red ink, on and on those memories go.
 

My going away party after 10 years on the staff

There were words of wisdom and encouragement when I was down. One particular day comes to mind - I had just walked into the church lobby from the Christian school and Bro. Morton met me there. He took me inside the sanctuary and told me he was proud of me, among many other things. He always seemed to know what I needed to hear. Another day he gave me a scripture that became a promise, "sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall" (Ruth 3:18).
 

I'm so thankful that Elder Morton is still in my life, he is very dear to my heart, and I love him so much.

Elevator Etiquette

Les and I took a quick trip to Fresno this weekend.  We were there to celebrate the 80th birthday of one of my favorite people - Elder Vaughn Morton!  I'll blog about that tomorrow, but for today I want to talk about elevator etiquette.

We stayed at the La Quinta Inn in Fresno.  Our room was on the fourth floor.  Every time we got off the elevator there was someone standing right in the doorway.  The first time it was one of the housekeeping staff.  He was standing in the doorway, looking down at his phone.  There was more than one person with a dog.  There were groups of people.  Always standing in the doorway, always blocking our exit.  Some starting walking on before we could even get off.

Finally, as we were getting ready to checkout with our luggage, there was a lady with a luggage cart.  She never even flinched, just kept standing there blocking our way with her cart.  We didn't say anything to any of them, just walked away laughing at another example of clueless humanity!

It's really not that difficult.  It's doesn't take an exceptionally bright person to figure this out.  People must get OUT of the elevator, before more people can get IN.  So please, don't be one of those people!  Learn elevator etiquette.

Repost: Promises to Make or Break

While working on yesterday's post, I spent some time reading old posts here on my blog.  I stumbled on this one that was posted almost a decade ago - July 28, 2010!  These promises that we need to make or break will help us on our journey to fear not.

I read an interesting article in the latest edition of Endurance News which is published by Hammer Nutrition. Although the focus of the article is geared toward athletes, it was easy to relate it to other areas of life as well. What goal would you like to accomplish and what is holding you back? Have you made promises to yourself that you need to break?

Promises to Make

Resolve that you will do this for fun
The pain = gain crowd eventually loses interest, because in the end it is impossible to keep up something you don’t enjoy.

Promise not to focus on beating someone else in a competition
Why should you let someone else decide for you whether you are successful? Your true competition is yourself.

Promise to trust yourself.
You are not lazy, you are not inept, and you will improve. So many athletes negate their success by telling themselves they cannot succeed. They are right.

Promise to do what you are doing.
I often see people who want to be fit trying to read a book while they stair climb or listen to music while they ride. They never seem to make any progress. All the best athletes I know pay full attention to what they are doing.

Promise to keep other life goals intact.
A friend of mine let his business languish while he put everything into qualifying for the Hawaii Ironman, and almost did. It cost him five years to put his business affairs back together. He became overweight and stopped his athletics. But there is a happy outcome. I now see him running and riding and since he has aged up, maybe he will achieve his objective.

Promise to try something new.
If you find the long distance cycling training for triathlon pleasant, maybe a double century is the direction you should go. How about unconventional multi-sports events involving kayaking
and mountain bike legs?

Promise to finish.
A finish in a challenging event is always more satisfying than having gone fast at some point, only to fail and DNF.


Promises to Break

Limits to ambition.
If you vow you will never do an event longer than an Olympic triathlon, you may later find that a half iron distance event is actually more fun. I once told myself I would never do an event I couldn’t complete in one day, only to find I really enjoyed multi-day bike races.

Promises to slow down.
So many athletes reach a point where they stop trying to go faster and from there they begin a slide towards giving up entirely. The essence of these sports is that they are a challenge, so a promise to participate halfheartedly is to miss the main point.

Keeping to a preordained race plan, no matter what.
You can sometimes save a race by abandoning intended pacing in favor of one that that feels right and matches the conditions you experience on the course. Last fall in a very hot 12-hour time trial, I slowed after hour 9 when the temperature became an issue. Several of my age group competitors then passed me as they kept hammering onward. But they all dropped out by hour 11 and I won the age group.

Promises to maintain a set schedule of goal paces and times.
You might be observing these standards, when they are beyond your ability or current level of fitness. If you blindly persist it will likely lead to injury or sickness. If your plan is going south as you approach race day you may well find that a somewhat more free form approach will work better. Once in a while forget about pacing and do some runs and rides just for pleasure. Often your fitness will improve and your goals become obtainable as you find your own natural pace.

Promises to quit.
Some athletes do this at some arbitrary age or when they can no longer maintain some previously obtainable pace. I once promised to reach my athletic peak at age 55 and indeed I did finally do an Ironman when I attained that age. Then I realized that I could still get better, so I broke that promise and went an hour faster the following year.

Thus, I have found that many promises I have made were unworthy of me and I have benefited greatly from abandoning them. Do you have commitments that are not working for you and holding you back? If so, by all means break those promises.

- by Bill Nicolai

My Own "Fear Not"

I had my own "fear not" moment this week.  I'll have to backtrack quite a bit for this to make sense...

Tuesday morning, April 3, 2018, I went out for a trail run.  It was a beautiful run, until it wasn't.  I blogged about it here and as far as I can tell, I never blogged about it again.  I severely sprained my ankle that morning.  Two days later my doctor told me I probably wouldn't be able to run for about 6 weeks.  I did not run at all for 10 weeks.  My ankle continued to hurt and was swollen for months.

I've slowly built my strength and distance since that time, but it's been a lot of work.  It felt like starting completely over!  I've had a lot of little niggling things that hurt.  One thing I haven't done is run on the trail.

Fast forward to this week.  Tuesday morning Les and I went for a mountain bike ride.  We rode up Las Llajas trail.  It was tough, but it felt good to be on the trail again.  As we were making our way back down I started thinking about running the trail again.  I got nervous just thinking about it.  "What if I twist my ankle again?"  I don't even know how it happened the first time, so how I can keep it from happening again. I continued pedaling and thinking and then...

"Fear not."

Oh.  Oh yeah, that's what I'm studying this year.  Okay, I'm running the trail this week.  I'm running it and I'm not going to fear.  I told Les that was my plan.  I got up this morning and...

I ran on the trail!

It's been almost 22 months.  22 months of pain, mixed with fear.   But I finally overcame the fear this morning.

Now I realized there is nothing spiritual about running on the trail.  But I couldn't help thinking how this relates to life.  So many times we try something and we crash and burn spectacularly.  The fear of failing again keeps us from getting back up and trying once more.

Invited someone to church and they turned you down?  Fear not!  There's an open heart waiting around the corner.
Played an instrument at church and couldn't find a single correct note?  Fear not!  Keep practicing, you will get better.
Taught a Sunday school class and couldn't keep a room full of five year olds interested?  Fear not!  
Sang a special at church and forgot the words and the tune?  Fear not!

Each time we fail we have the opportunity to try again.  It's our choice: let fear hold us back or fear not and move forward.

Where's My Bible? (Blonde Moment #138961348568)

I have to tell on myself today...

Yesterday it was our turn to serve the meal at Cafe Victoria.  I made Pizza Soup and not a single drop was left, so this cook was very happy!  Of course I was a little stressed about getting my food to church and making sure it tasted good.  I'm sure most ladies reading this know the drill.

I packed up my three full crock-pots and we made the 30 minute trip to church.  When I opened the back hatch of the car I saw that one of my crock-pots had tipped over. One of the others had sloshed a little.  Not all was lost, just some of the liquid.  Fortunately, I had wrapped each pot in a beach towel and had blanket underneath all of them.  Still... can you say, stress?

With some help, I got all my food inside, cleaned up the mess, plugged the crock-pots in, and was ready to head into the sanctuary for music practice.  I grabbed my purse and looked for my Bible.  It wasn't in the church kitchen.  I made a quick dash back out to the car.  It wasn't in the car.  At that point I was out of time, so I headed to music practice.

For the entire music practice, my mind was slightly distracted.  "Where did a put my Bible?"

As practice was concluding, a little light bulb went off in my head.  Aha!  I know where it is.  Along with the three crock-pots, I also had a bag with pasta and cheese with me.  I left the pasta by the crock-pots and put the cheese in the refrigerator.  In my rush to get everything carried inside, I put my Bible in my bag with the cheese.

With two minutes to spare before Sunday school began I found my Bible just where I'd left it - in the refrigerator! 

Fear Not, You Are Valuable

Luke chapter 12 contains the words "fear not" in two different places.  The first is found in verse 7.  The complete thought is verses 4-7:

And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?
But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

This same thought is found in Matthew chapter 10, verse 26-31:

Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.
What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.
And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.
But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

I liked what Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible had to say about these passages:

He encourages them not to fear by two striking considerations: first, that God takes care of sparrows, the smallest and least valuable of birds; and, secondly, by the fact that God numbers even the hairs of the head. The argument is, that if He takes care of birds of the least value, if He regards so small a thing as the hair of the head, and numbers it, He will certainly protect and provide for you. You need not, therefore, fear what man can do to you.
 
His commentary continued with this explanation about sparrows - The sparrows are well-known birds in Syria. They are small; they are found in great numbers; they are tame, intrusive, and nestle everywhere. “They are extremely pertinacious in asserting their right of possession, and have not the least reverence for any place or thing. David alludes to these characteristics of the sparrow in Psalm 84:1-12, when he complains that they had appropriated even the altars of God for their nests. Concerning himself, he says, I watch, and am as a sparrow upon the housetop, Psalm 102:7. When one of them has lost its mate - a matter of everyday occurrence - he will sit on the housetop alone, and lament by the hour his sad bereavement. These birds are snared and caught in great numbers, but, as they are small, and not much relished for food, five sparrows may still be sold for two farthings; and when we see their countless numbers, and the eagerness with which they are destroyed as a worthless nuisance, we can better appreciate the assurance that our heavenly Father, who takes care of them, so that not one can fall to the ground without his notice, will surely take care of us, who are of more value than many sparrows.”

Regarding "the very hairs of your head are all numbered" - That is, each one has exercised the care and attention of God.  He has fixed the number; and, though of small importance, yet he does not think it beneath him to determine how few or how many they shall be. He will therefore take care of you.

I talked to a young lady at church on Sunday.  She had missed a service.  I told her I noticed and missed her.  Tears filled her eyes as I said, "you matter to me and you matter to God.  Don't let the devil lie to you.  You matter."

People are going to let us down.  People are going to turn their backs on us and make us feel worthless.  Some people will even call us useless or worthless.  But Jesus says otherwise.  He notices and cares about the smallest bird, He knows the number of hair on our heads, He certainly cares about us.  Jesus said it, no matter what anyone else says, "Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows."  Not a single sparrow is forgotten and neither are you.

I wrote a post in 2018 about suicide and used the words to a song by For King and Country.  You can read the entire post here, but if you're struggling with not feeling valued today, please read the words to this song and know YOU MATTER.

"Matter"

All of the dreams that haven't come true
And all of the hurt that happened to you
It matters, I hope you know it matters
You felt the pain of a bitter defeat
Where the weight of the grief is more bitter than sweet
It matters, I'm telling you it matters

To the One Who spoke and set the sun ablaze
To the One Who stopped the storm and walked the waves
To the One Who took the tree so He could say
You matter, I hope you know you matter

I know it's not easy, not saying it's fair
But close as a prayer somebody cares
You're a treasure, I hope you know you're treasured
So hold your head high, wait for the dawn
Keep hanging on, your sadness will turn into laughter
Watch it turn into laughter, yeah

Let the water spill from your eyes
Let it wash the wounds of those lies
Oh, let the water spill from your eyes
All that you are, all that you’ll be
Someone put the beat in your heart so that you’ll see
You matter

To the One Who spoke and set the sun ablaze
To the One Who stopped the storm and walked the waves
To the One Who took the tree so He could say
You matter, I hope you know you matter
You matter, heaven knows you matter
You matter, I hope you know you matter
You matter, heaven knows you matter

Fear Not, Zacharias

I have had a really tough time getting this post written.  My thoughts have been all over the place!  I've finally figured out what I want to say and hopefully it will give you something to think about.

Over the course of the past two weeks I have read the phrase "fear not" eight different times in my daily Bible reading - seven times in the first 12 chapters of Luke "fear not" is found.  Zacharias is the first that I read and I thought he was a good one to study as I am reading the Prayer Life.

Luke 1:13 says, "But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John." There is so much to study about Zacharias, but I just want to focus on "thy prayer is heard."

What was that prayer?
Many commentaries agree that is was more than one prayer that had been heard.  First, the prayer for a son, since he and Elizabeth were childless.  The second prayer was for the deliverance of Israel by the coming of the Messiah.

John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible says, "which he had many years ago put up for a son; for it cannot be thought that he had been now praying for one, being in such an advanced age, and having for years past given up all hopes of one, and was even unbelieving, when he was told by the angel he should have one: prayer is sometimes immediately heard, and answered; and sometimes an answer is deferred a long time, to try the faith and patience of the saints, and to discover the more the wisdom, power, and goodness of God: or this may have regard to his present prayer, one branch of which might concern the coming of the Messiah, which was now expecting, and therefore is told, that his prayer was heard; since the angel that appeared to him, brought him the news of the conception and birth of his forerunner."

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible says, "They are all heard - thou shalt have a son, and Israel shall be saved. If fervent faithful prayers be not immediately answered, they should not be considered as lost; all such are heard by the Lord, are registered in heaven, and shall be answered in the most effectual way, and in the best time. Answers to prayer are to be received by faith; but faith should not only accompany prayer while offered on earth, but follow it all its way to the throne of grace, and stay with it before the throne till dismissed with its answer to the waiting soul."

The Answer to Zacharias' Prayer
This is the part that I've been dwelling on for the past several days.  Zacharias had prayed for a son.  I don't believe he prayed for a son who would be the forerunner of the Messiah.  His prayer was simple, but God's answer was great.

When John was taken as a baby to be circumcised and given the name of John, Zacharias was able to speak once again.  Luke chapter 1 tells us he was filled with the Holy Ghost and prophesied.  Luke 1:68-79 gives that prophecy.  Zacharias was given a glimpse of what God had in store for his child's life.

This son, known as John the Baptist, was more than Zacharias and Elizabeth could have imagined.  John had a mighty ministry.  Matthew 3:5-6 says, "Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins."  But he knew who he was, Matthew 3:11 says, "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire."   John 3:29-30 says, "He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease." 

He was the voice of one crying in the wilderness.  John 1:6-8 says, "There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light."  Verse 6 of that same chapter says, "And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!"

God Answers Prayer
My thoughts finally came together about this topic as I was re-reading a post about Rod this morning.  During the final months of his life, Les and I prayed earnestly for Rod.  We prayed that God would heal Rod from the disease that was destroying his body.  About six weeks before Rod died, Les and I went on an extended fast.  We believed that God was going to heal.  If an angel had appeared to me and said, "Fear not, your prayers have been heard," I would have believe it 100% and I would have expected a physical healing to take place.

After Rod died I could have questioned if God had heard my prayer.  But God gave me peace and assurance that He had heard it, but chose to answer in a different way.  My finite thinking could only see Rod's mortal body.  God could see Rod's soul.  The time spent in prayer and fasting wasn't wasted.  God heard and saw it all.  But God chose to deliver Rod from the chains of this life.  Rod was healed but he was also saved from any more sorrow on this earth.  My prayers were heard indeed.

Fear Not to Pray!
My conclusion regarding Zacharias, and in my own life, is we must pray without fear.  Ask, believing.  Jesus said in Matthew 7:7-8, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened."

Fear not, my friend, your prayer is heard.

The Prayer Life

I downloaded a free book last week that is just what I needed to start 2020.  It is called "The Prayer Life:  Persevering in Prayer" by Andrew Murray.  The book was the outcome of a conference of ministers in South Africa in 1912.  The conference was called to discuss the low spiritual state of the Dutch Reformed Church.  The conclusion:  prayerlessness.

I have only read the first four chapters, but this book is convicting me.  I want to share just a couple of things.  From the foreword:  "It has been said that it is only the prayerless who are too proud to admit their prayerlessness."

Chapter 1 is called "The Sin of Prayerlessness."  The second paragraph grabbed my attention: "There is so much talk about lack of time and all sorts of distractions, that the deep guilt of the situation is not recognized.  Let it be our honest desire that from now on the sin of prayerlessness will be truly sinful to us." Later in that chapter he wrote, "How does Satan hinder prayer?  He does so by temptation to postpone or restrict it, by bringing in wandering thoughts and all sorts of distractions, or through unbelief and hopelessness."

Lack of time and all sorts of distractions?  Does that sound familiar?  More than 100 years ago, lack of prayer was blamed on lack of time and distractions.  How many times do we pick up our phones to check texts and emails before we even get out of bed?  Our days are filled with distractions, but we really can't blame our prayerlessness on technology.  The blame sits squarely on our own shoulders.

The book doesn't stop at pointing out prayerlessness.  It deals with how to be delivered from prayerlessness and move on to victory.  The blessing of persevering in prayer is great, in chapter four these points were listed:

1. The blessing of unbroken fellowship with God.
2. The power that we can have for the work to which we are called.
3. The prospect that opens before us for the future.
4. The more abundant life.

Pastor White presented the 2020 Challenge to Victory Tabernacle this week.  Part one is to spend the first 20 minutes of each day in prayer and Bible reading.  He challenged us that the first voice we hear must be God's.  Prayer and Bible reading can't be after we've checked emails, the weather or the news headlines.  It must be first.

If your prayer life has been distracted, stale, dry, or even nonexistent, I encourage you to pick up this book.  It's free for Kindle (get it here.)

2020 Vision Refocused

Today's Bible reading included Genesis chapters 1 and 2, Luke 2 and Revelation 1.

Luke 2:10 says, " And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people."

Fear not!

Revelation 1:17 says, "And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:"

Fear not!

I'm now up to a total of four times that the words fear not were spoken in four different situations.  Zacharias, Mary, the shepherds, and John.

I thought I was going to be studying visions this year, but it seems that God has something different in mind.  I'm turning my focus to the times "fear not" was spoken.  So far in each instance something good was spoken following the words fear not - prayers answered, favor found, good tidings of great joy, I am the first and the last.  There are times when the phrase means something different, such as Psalm 55:19, "God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God."  I'll be looking at those verses as well.

What are you fearing as 2020 begins?  Are you afraid your prayers haven't been answered?  Have you heard the good news of the gospel and you're afraid to embrace it?  Have you experienced an encounter with the first and the last and it's left you trembling?  Fear not!  Go forward into the unknown.

Remarkable!

I started a new Bible reading plan this year.  It's the Solid Life “Whole Bible” Reading Plan.  I liked the description, it seemed different than any I have done in the past:

The Solid Life Reading Plan helps you understand the entire Bible. The Old Testament is read once in near chronological order and the New Testament is read twice, beginning the year with Luke and Acts, the first 60 years of New Testament history. Psalms are often read on the same day as corresponding events. Historical books such as the Kings are read along with contemporary prophets. May you hear God’s voice as you read!

Today's reading was Genesis 1, Luke 1 and Jude.  I'm pretty sure anyone who has ever started a Bible reading plan has read the first chapter of Genesis.  The remarkable thing was when I turned to Luke chapter 1...

Luke 1:13 says, "But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John."

Fear not!!

Verse 22 says, "And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless."

A vision! 

Verse 30 says, "And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God."

Fear not a second time!

I don't know what 2020 has in store, but it's seems that God is trying to tell me something.  The interesting thing is the words fear not were followed by words of encouragement.  "Fear not, thy prayer is heard."  "Fear not, for thou hast found favour with God."  

Gabriel was sent to both Zacharias and Mary.  He had great news for them, God's plan for the salvation of the world was getting ready to be fulfilled.  I wonder if God has a plan for 2020 that could change our lives if only we fear not.  I believe it's time to be bold, have our prayers answered and embrace God's favor in our lives!