My Study of the Book of Hebrews

My study of the Book of Hebrews by Anna

God increased my spiritual understanding as I read and reflected on His words in the New Testament book of Hebrews.  The words and the accounts of God’s faithful in the Old Testament became a connecting bridge to my understanding of the New Testament.  This thirteen chapter book bridged God’s temporary Old Covenant plan of the Law and compared it to His greater permanent plan of redemption through Christ in the New Covenant.  Faith was given and the Messiah promised in the first thirty nine books of the Bible.  God’s Son was given to all in God’s perfect and completed plan as seen in the twenty seven books of the New Testament.  God knew that man would fall from His Grace.  We are now reconnected to our Creator (A Creation has to have a Creator and we are God’s creation) as we believe in and receive His Son, Jesus, into our hearts and into our  lives.  Jesus became man, was born, and became “the Face of God”.  Jesus returned to Father God and left His Spirit, “the Holy Spirit”  in us on earth to continue teaching and bringing us into His peace and presence.  

Lord, teach us, touch us, fill us, and use us to your Glory in our own lives and in the lives of others as you flow through us.  Thank you Lord for your Love, your Grace, your Word, and your plan; the New Covenant.              

The book of Hebrews shows the great plan which God has revealed in His New Covenant.  The old Covenant was a temporary plan giving us rules to live by, laws, while waiting for the completion of His plan; the promised Messiah.  The new Christians of that time and each of us today are told to believe in and commit ourselves to the new reality in our faith walk; Christ, our redeemer. When we believe in Christ, our high priest, we have an eternal kingdom which cannot be shaken. 

Christ is superior to the Angels.

Jesus was made man, lower than the angels, so He might taste death for all of us.

Jesus broke the power of the devil and freed us from the fear of death.

In Jesus there is a Sabbath rest for the people of God.  We are to enter into that rest.

The Word of God is alive and active.  It is sharper than any double edged sword.

Our high priest empathizes with all of our weaknesses and sufferings.  Christ suffered.

We are to approach His Throne of Grace with confidence to receive mercy and find grace in our time of need.

We are to seek, study, and learn the truths of God’s Word.  We are to go from feeding on the milk of the Word to feeding ourselves the meat of the Word.  We are to grow from Christian infancy into Christian maturity.  This growth is an active process which happens as we study the Word.  We cannot know, love, and trust God if we do not know Him and do not know what He tells us in His Word.  We must seek in order to find. 

Christ, our High Priest, sacrificed for our sins once and for all; forever.

Christ is a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.

By reading the word we are taught about the lives of faithful believers who through faith and patience inherited the promise.  We are to be encouraged by the faith of others.  We observe how they believed and hoped in the Lord.   In faith, they had hope in the One True God and believed in His promises.  Their lives, as recorded in the Bible’s faith chapter, Hebrews 11, have each become a testimony throughout the generations.  Faith is contagious.  May each of us also have contagious faith; a faith which shines God’s light through us as it touches the lives of others.   

Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.  The Old Covenant, God’s initial temporary plan, had a man made tabernacle and temporary forgiveness which was given to worshipers by the sprinkling of animal blood.  The New Covenant, the greater Covenant, was given to us by the shed Blood of Jesus Christ.  We read about God’s plan, prophesy, promises, and fulfilled Messiah throughout the 66 books of scripture.  Jesus is the final sacrificial lamb given to us as atonement for our sins one time and forever when we believe and let Him into our hearts.  We are now His temple.  He is in us and we are in Him. “He set aside the first to establish the second” (Hebrews 10:9)”.

As God’s people we are to encourage each other and meet together to learn and worship God.  The Lord will judge His people, “Vengeance is Mine”, says God (Hebrews 10:30).   Hebrews 10:38 tells us that “The just shall live by faith”.  This was the main truth from the Word which was as a light to Martin Luther.  Faith is a gift from God and it is God’s free gift to all who seek and believe.  Relationship with God is not what we do.  It is what we believe!  Hebrews 11:6 tells us, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him”.  Everyone goes through trials.  We are to endure hardships.  God does discipline His children as an earthly parent teaches and guides a child through difficulty or disobedience.  God allows things to be shaken in our lives.  We must hold on to that which cannot be shaken; Christ, God’s Word, and our faith.  Hebrews 12:29 tells us that God is a consuming fire.  We are to worship Him with thanksgiving, reverence, and awe.  Awe is Godly fear and respect!  In Hebrews 13 we are told that God will never leave us or forsake us.  He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  We are extorted to keep our lives pure and prioritized.  We are to love one another, show hospitality to strangers, remember those who are suffering or in prison, submit to authority, and do good and share with others.  Verse 15 says, “Through Jesus, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name”.

I am on an earthly journey.  Everyone is on an earthly journey.  Yes, our journey is physical, mental, educational, and emotional but so many of us forget about the growth of our spiritual being; the person we are on the inside.  I find the answers to the questions, “who am I?”, “what is my earthly purpose?”, and “what is my physical and spiritual destiny?” in God’s Word, the Bible.  I thank the Lord every day for the gift of faith and the spiritual understanding which He has given to me. I praise Him and thank Him for His grace, His presence, His Word, my family, my friends, and the many material things which I possess.  I do not take any of it for granted.  Thank you Lord! 

I will Glorify God and Walk in Faith by His Grace

God’s Grace and perfect plan are at work in my life.  He is the Alpha and the Omega; the beginning and the end.  He sees the beginning from the end, I only see the moment I am walking through.  It is hard to explain God’s peace in my life to someone who has never experienced His perfect peace.  I read God’s Word.  I listen to God.  I talk to Him in prayer.  I believe what He tells me.  I claim His Words and His promises in my life.  I stand on His promises.  He tells me not to fear when I find myself in one of life’s valleys.  He lifts my spirit as I come to Him in praise and thanksgiving for all He has done and is doing for me.  Thank you Lord for the gift of Faith!  He recently brought me to Isaiah 41:10, “Fear not for I am with you.  Be not dismayed for I am your God.  I will strengthen you, yes I will help you.  I will uphold you with my righteous right hand”.  I often ask myself, “What do unbelievers do when they walk through the trials of life alone?  No physical person can give one the peace, comfort, and love that my loving Savior can give”.  

My favorite Bible verse is Romans 8:28.  This verse has been proven to me over and over again as I walk my journey through life.  Recently, on a Sunday morning in the church bulletin, Pastor Lundmark’s wife, Nancy, had included the following poem which was written by Esther Fields.  It spoke to my heart and confirmed my faith and peace.  God speaks to His children in so many ways if only we would observe and listen.      

Things Don’t Just Happen

Things don’t just happen to us who love God,

They’re planned by His dear hand.

Then molded and shaped, and timed by His clock,

Things just don’t happen, they’re planned.

We don’t just guess on the issues of life,

We Christians just rest in our Lord.

We are directed by His sovereign will,

In the light of His Holy Word.

We who love Jesus are walking by faith,

Not seeing one step that’s ahead,

Not doubting one moment what our lot might be,

But looking to Jesus instead

We praise our dear Savior for loving us so,

For planning each care of our life.

Then giving us faith to trust Him for all,

The blessings, as well as the strife.

Things don’t happen to us who love God,

To us who have taken our stand,

No matter the lot, the course, or the price,

Things don’t just happen, they’re planned.

God gives us coordinates from one point to the next.  We don’t have to know the exact direction, path, and details of how He will bring us to the destination of His promise.  All we have to do is trust Him by taking the first step as we rest in His peace.  I can only trust Him because I know Him and have been walking with Him for many years.  He has proven His faithfulness to me throughout my 73 years.

As I live in God’s supernatural divine circle of protection my faith activates God’s Grace in my life.  I feed my spirit daily and experience God’s presence, blessings, favor, and healing power.  To God be all the Glory given as I experience His benefits.  As I honor and glorify Him, He honors me, my faith, my trust, and my obedience.  I don’t know what my future holds but I do know Who holds my future.  He is ever-present in my life and forgives me when I fall short of His expectations.  I ask Him to use my life to His Glory.  Every life is a story.  May my testimony be used by God to be a reflection of Him into the lives of my family, my friends, and to whosoever’s path He places me. 

Every material thing in this life is temporary.  What are you striving for?  Now is the day we choose what we believe and where we will spend Eternity.  I am talking about a relationship with the Living God, not a religion or a denomination.  I believe in God, the Father.  I believe that He came down to earth.  The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.  His son, Jesus is the Christ, the promised Messiah.  When Jesus went back to be with the Father, He left His Holy Spirit here to teach us, convict our hearts, direct us, comfort us, and dwell within us.  May we live in Christ’s peace and rest.  Jesus is knocking on the door of each of our hearts.  I let Him in and I hope you do the same.  You will never be sorry for that decision.  It will change your life.

A Personal Journey

Every individual is on a personal journey through the time of our earthly existence. 

Each of us is unique. Each of us is one of a kind.  No two people have the same combination of genes, experiences, circumstances, and placement in position, place, and time.

Journeys usually have a planned destination.   Not having plans for a trip’s destination would give me an uneasy and even fearful feeling.  Faith, as I travel through life, has replaced my fears.  I am not afraid to die so I am not afraid to live. My faith is not in a religion or in a denomination.  It is a gift from God.  My faith is in the one and only true God, the Creator, the God of the Bible.  I believe in and have a personal relationship with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.   John 3:16 tells me that because I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ I have inherited eternal life.  I know my destination.  I will be forever in eternity with God, my loved ones, and other believers.  We all have a personal journey to walk.  It is important for me to share my journey of faith with others.  Sharing my testimony and sharing what God has taught me as I walk my path is for His Glory alone, not for any self credit or self recognition. 

Everyone is traveling somewhere physically and spiritually.  I believe that God has a plan and purpose for each of us and we all have choices along the way.  Where God’s destiny and our free will meet will be a mystery on this side of eternity but God does have a plan to get us to our destination.  His Word is my guide and I believe that His promises are true.  God convicts our hearts.  We have the free will to believe or not to believe in God and His Word.  I have chosen to believe.   I seek to continually grow spiritually.  I desire to mature in understanding, knowledge, and in the wisdom of knowing God and His love.    

Every life is a story.  God uses us in each others lives.  When we share a story formed in our minds, we can change another’s mind.  When we share a story from our heart, we can change someone’s heart.  To be a godly example of the story which God has formed in my life has the potential to change someone’s life.  We must be aware of the possibilities we reflect and of the influence which we can have on the lives of others. We must always be growing and moving forward in our spiritual walks.   There is no perfect person.  Our lives are works in progress.  We all mess up.  God sees me through the filter of my Savior.  God forgives me when I recognize and am sorry for my sins.   

We are justified by the Father.  We are saved by the Son.  We are continually being sanctified by the Holy Spirit; being purified, refined, and being made holy.  As our spirits grow, God wants us to be more like Christ.  We are to become less selfish and more selfless.  When the Holy Spirit enters our spirit His fruit is increasingly manifested in our lives.   A transformation should be visible.  Others should see us as becoming more loving, more peaceful, more joyful, better individuals, kinder, gentler, more patient, more faithful, and more able to be in self-control.  We are to be a reflection of Christ within us.

God’s mercy brings us to faith.  By His grace alone are we saved.  We are not good in and of ourselves.  We cannot be good enough or do enough good to enter into the Kingdom of God.  It is by Grace alone and His Grace is sufficient!

God's Word, my Faith, and my Testimony

I have learned so much by documenting my faith journey.  I started my Blog as a result of prayer and listening to God for His direction in my life.  In my mind, the initial purpose of “Anna’s Faith Journey” was to share my faith with my family and friends.  I want them to know the truth, the peace, and the joy which I find as I live in the presence of God.  I have the hope of eternity to come and the reality of God’s blessings and favor in my life now.

My faith journey started as a child.  My Blogging journey started in 2010.  As I look back, I realize that I am the one who has profited the most from my writings.  I have documented my personal testimony and reflected on my spiritual growth.  As I study God’s Word, He shows me who He is and who He wants me to be.  I see His plan and His promises throughout the Bible’s sixty six books.  He gives me spiritual insight, wisdom, and knowledge.   As I read and study the Word, my faith increases.  “Faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of God.”(Romans 10:17)

2015 is approaching its half way mark.  I am in Pennsylvania awaiting the arrival of our fifth grandson.  Christa and Kris are due to have their third little boy at the end of May.  I am here and ready for when she will need me.  Richie will be back from Florida at the end of the month.  I was able to be here for Grandparent’s Day at Swain for Trevor and Hunter.  I have watched Hunter play football and Trevor play soccer.  I enjoyed seeing Trevor in the musical play presented by Erica’s and Kylie’s fifth grade classes at Swain.  I am glad I was here for Harrison’s third birthday party and will be here for Christa’s birthday on May 25^th.   I am so grateful for family and all of God’s blessings in my life.

Our five little men are so very precious to Richie and me.  Recording my faith in my own words will be my spiritual legacy to them.  I also have some very special nieces, nephews, grand nieces, and grandnephews.  I can look back to my parents and their parents and know that my sisters and I inherited our spiritual legacy from past generations.  My Blog is my way of telling my spiritual story.  I truly believe that each of us is a physical being on a spiritual journey.  God wants us to learn from the stories of those who have gone before us.  I want to continue this spiritual legacy by sharing and passing on my faith to the next generations.   I want God to be glorified in my faith and in my writings.  Glory be to God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit as He works in and through my life!   Praise Be to God!

My Journey to Bethlehem

As God prepared the road for Joseph and Mary, He is preparing our road.

Our road is our walk through this physical journey of life and our spiritual journey to God.  My walk has taken me to Bethlehem and the Christ Child.  Christ is the Messiah.  He is God’s plan of redemption for each of us as seen throughout the Old and New Testaments of God’s Word.

We are all at a different place in our spiritual walks.

God will help us to walk forward into a deeper place.

How do we get there?

How does our spirit grow?

I have found that God uses the circumstances and trials of life to awaken our spirits and to make us open to what He wants to teach us.

When the situations of life empty our cups of what we think is so important; God then, has the opportunity to fill our cups, our spirits, with the things which are spiritually and eternally important.

The things of this life are temporary.  The physical busyness of getting ready for Christmas is soon over and we are taking down the tree, putting away holiday decorations, and making New Year’s resolutions.

Each of us is looking for more than the temporary.

Scripture has taught me that “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God”.

As we hear again the Christmas story, as we listen to and read scripture, as we sing songs of adoration, praise, and thanksgiving, as we worship together, and as we share our faith with each other, we grow and move into that deeper spiritual place.

I have found that love is contagious and so is faith.

Faith is a gift from God. 

There is a longing in each and every heart which God wants to fill.  Everyone searches for purpose and fulfillment.  God convicts our hearts and gives us a beginning mustard seed of faith.  It is up to us to seek and then receive God’s gift of faith.

When we believe and receive this gift, our faith will begin to grow.  We are to confess our faith, use our faith, and share it with others.

I have been given the gift of faith.  I would like to share with you a little about my life and my personal faith journey.

To grow in faith is a choice.  How God chooses to bring us to the place where we meet Him is not usually a choice.  I would not have chosen the pain which our family experienced when we suffered the death of two of our children.  I believe that God has a purpose and a plan for each of our lives, whether they be short or long in years.  My spiritual search for truth intensified during this pain filled time and led me into a deep abiding faith. 

Richard and I were married fifty years ago on September 25, 1964.  We had four daughters, Elisa, Erica, Carrie, and Christa.  We lived in West Hempstead for the first nine years of our marriage.  Richie built our home in Dix Hills.  We lived there until we retired and sold it in 2008.  Much happiness and many tears were experienced during those years on Long Island. 

Elisa Lynn was born on May 11, 1970.  She died at 9 years of age in her sleep on the morning of June 27, 1979.

Erica Gayle was born on October 22, 1972.  She and her Husband, Trevor, have given us two wonderful grandsons, Trevor and Hunter.

Carrie Marlene was born on September 25, 1980 (on our 16^th wedding anniversary) She died two weeks later from complications of meconium aspiration.  She never came home from the hospital.

Christa Grace was born on May 25, 1983.  She and her husband, Kris, have blessed us with two sweet little grandsons, Harrison and Brooks.  Their third baby, another grandson, will be born in the spring.

God has brought us through our times of great pain.  Over the years He has also given us so much joy.  We have learned to prioritize our lives.   Faith, family, and friends come before any temporary material things in our lives.

When going through the painful years of loss, my faith was being severely tested.

No physical person could help me.  I felt as if I was walking in a fog.  I was going through the motions of living.  I had to keep going for Erica and for Richie.  Richie couldn’t even function.  My parents and sisters were devastated.   I was searching for comfort and purpose.  Many couples are unable to make their marriage work after the loss of a child because both are hurting so much that they can’t help each other.

Prior to the death of my children my life had been a very stable one. 

Richie did not have an easy childhood but was now settled and happy as a husband and father.  His world came crashing in on him once again.

His spiritual foundation was not strong enough to bring him any peace or comfort.

My friend Bobby said “you have the Lord and Richie has you”. 

My faith gave me strength. 

As God lifted me up I could keep Erica and Richie going.

My foundation of faith was begun and nurtured by God fearing parents who brought me to church and Sunday School at a very young age.  I was baptized at Bethelship Methodist Church in Brooklyn.

I was confirmed at Gloria Dea  Lutheran Church in Huntington.

I attended and taught Sunday School as a teenager at West Hills Methodist Church.

While living in West Hempstead, I attended Hempstead Methodist Church.  This is where Elisa and Erica were baptized.

When we moved to Dix Hills in 1974 we attended the Dix Hills Methodist Church.

After the death of my children, I went back to West Hills Methodist Church to be with my parents and to be spiritually fed by a wonderful pastor who helped me through a very difficult time.

 

In my search for deeper understanding, increased faith, and spiritual growth, Erica and I began attending The Commack Church of God. God used the preaching and the loving congregation of this church to feed my spirit and to bring me into a deeper dimension of faith.

It was during this time that I continued to pray for another child.  I had had two miscarriages.  My prayer became, “God, if it isn’t in your plan please take the desire for another child away from me”.  I had submitted to his will.  He did not take the desire away. He gave us the desire of our hearts on May 25, 1983.  Christa Grace was born.  I thank Him every day for giving us another child and for giving Erica a sister.

In 1984 our family joined St. Luke Lutheran Church.  It became our church home for 23 years.  I taught Sunday School for 10 years and as a family we grew in faith and in greater love for our Lord.  Pastor Froehlich baptized, confirmed, and married Christa.  Pastor confirmed and married Erica and baptized her two sons.  The people at St Luke were our extended family.

In 2008 we sold our home of 35 years; I retired from Oncology Nursing at Huntington Hospital; and we moved to Orefield, Pennsylvania.  Our new home is one mile away from Erica and one hour away from Christa.  We had purchased a house in The Florida Keys in 1991.  Again, God has given us the desire of our hearts.  We are spending our retirement between sunny Florida in The Keys and Orefield, Pennsylvania near our children and their families.  

I can only remember one time in my life when I questioned God’s existence.  It was after Baby Carrie died.  I couldn’t believe that a second child would be taken from me. When she died, others including Richie questioned how I could maintain my faith.  How could a loving God have allowed this to happen again?  Maybe the God, whom I’ve always known, was not really there.  It was the loneliest time of my life.  Who could I turn to if He wasn’t there, if He wasn’t walking with me. 

This dry period only lasted a few weeks.  I searched the scriptures.  Where else could I go for answers?  I would sit in my yard with my Bible.  God led me to the Book of Job.  Job was God’s most beloved servant and God allowed him to loose everything including his children.  Job never lost faith.  I wasn’t going to either! God loved Job and I knew that He loved me too.  I was reminded of the poem, Footprints in the Sand.  God was there and He would continue to carry me through the tough times in life. 

When I read 2 Corinthians1: 4, 5, I knew that the words in this passage were meant for me.   “God helps us in all of our troubles, so that we are able to help others who have all kinds of troubles, using the same help that we ourselves have received from God”.

He spoke to me through His word. I would continue to search and believe!  I was sure of His words and I was sure that He was present in my life!  His word told me that He would use me in the lives of others and He has.  By God’s grace alone was I brought into this deeper place as I walked my spiritual journey.   I will continue walking it with Him to His Glory in my life. 

Faith is an awesome gift but with that gift comes responsibility.  To he whom much is given, much is required.

Jesus is the Lord of my life.  I love Him with all of my heart, mind, and soul.  I am able to love others because He loved me first.

I pray for wisdom and discernment daily, asking God to use me to His glory in the lives of others.  My trials have given me spiritual strength and understanding. God in me, through The Holy Spirit, gives me the ability to know what He would want me to do or to say to help others.  He has touched people through me in my personal life and in my professional life as a nurse.  I want to be His vessel and I know He hears my prayer. 

Nothing is more important to me than being in God’s will.  What I do for Him is the only thing that will last throughout eternity.

The Bible is my road map and GPS.  It gives me direction.  It is God’s love letter to each of us.  God’s promises are real.  Jesus is the Savior.  The Holy Spirit is our comforter, our guide, and God’s power within us.

We are God’s children and He calls each of us to come to Him just as we are.  He draws us to Himself; asking us to believe and to receive the gift of faith.  Anyone who truly confesses, believes, and receives Christ will never want to turn back from their walk to Bethlehem.   

By sharing myself with you, my hope is that your faith will be encouraged.

If anyone is going through a difficult time in their lives, you are not alone, God is with you.  Ask for and seek His presence.  He will make His presence known and give you His peace.

As we walk the road to Bethlehem this Christmas; may we grow in the love of Jesus, may we grow in faith, and may we pass on our increased love and faith to others.

I pray that the lights of Christmas will glow through each of us all year long.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy 2015

Thoughts from my Kitchen

I spend a lot of time in my kitchen; not because I have to, because I want to.  It has always been my pleasure to make a meal for my family.  It still is, even though it is just Richie and me. 

I am standing by the sink looking out my kitchen window.  It is 79 degrees without a cloud in the striking blue sky.  A warm Keys Tropical breeze flows through my open windows.  Richie is sitting outside on our balcony which extends over the canal at the rear of our home.  We have just finished our lunch sitting under the umbrella at our outdoor table.  The view is beautiful and the site so peaceful. The fish are jumping in the canal.

God has been good to us and we are so very grateful for these years of retirement in the Florida Keys.  As we look around, we are reminded of the previous years and all of the loving work Richie has physically done to accomplish the repair and renovation of each room in this home.  We bought this house twenty three years ago.  I always say, “We make the plans but God has the final say”.  God has been so faithful and has heard our many prayers and has honored our many plans.

Most of all, God is growing each of us spiritually. We have always felt closer to Him in the Florida Keys.  Here; the sky is bluer, the clouds are closer and more three dimensional,  the water is clearer and more vibrant in its blue green color, the night sky is blacker, the moon and stars shine brighter and seem more plentiful,  the fish are jumping, and there are so many species of birds flying overhead or landing in our yards.  His creation is all around!

The world seems to be spinning out of control but I know that God- IS- in control.  By faith, I know that He is still on the throne.  He loves each one of us individually.  In the name of Jesus, God is Glorified.  In the name of Jesus, the Holy Spirit is given to each believer.  Jesus is the incarnation of our God.  Jesus is the One who gives us new life.  God has always demanded a pure unblemished sacrificial lamb to be sacrificed for the atonement of each person’s sins.  Jesus is the final sinless, pure, sacrificial lamb.  He is the long awaited Messiah.  He is the way to the Father, our creator.  Jesus is the Resurrection.  Jesus is life.  Jesus is the way. Jesus is the truth.  Jesus is The Word.  Jesus is love.  Jesus IS God.  He is the same, yesterday, today, and forever.  Believe in and call on the name of Jesus and you will be saved!  You are saved from eternal death into life forever with God (the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) throughout eternity.  This New Life starts Now.  It begins at the moment one says yes to receiving Jesus Christ into his or her heart.  The Kingdom of God starts Now and lasts throughout eternity in a believer’s life.

I couldn’t sleep last night.  During a sleepless night I usually choose to get up for a while to read.  Last night I was led to a little book, “The Wonders of the Holy Name” by a Catholic Priest, Father Paul O’Sullivan.  The simple truth of this book taught that there is power and victory in a simple prayer that should be repeated often by believers who want to pray without ceasing as commanded to us by God.  As you say, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus” you call upon the Savior and enter into His presence.   

As I stood there in my newly renovated kitchen with the aroma of a pot roast in the oven and the soon to bubble pudding for a flan on my stove, I prayed for Richie, myself, and each member of my family saying, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus”.  I asked for God’s mercy in our lives.  I prayed for our family and the specific people for whom I have been interceding.  I lifted up Aileen and Naomi and their daughters Linda and Robin.  God has promised that He hears the fervent prayers of a righteous person.  It is in Christ’s righteousness that I pray.  I pray in the name of Jesus.  God’s promise says that whatever we ask the
Father, in the name of Jesus, we shall receive.  God will not fail to keep His Word.

As I looked out my kitchen window I saw a bright red Cardinal pecking at the ground.  The sight of a Cardinal always reminds me of God’s presence and gifts.  He hears my prayers, sees my tears, and knows my joys.  Two weeks ago He gave me another sign of His beauty and presence.  While in my morning quiet prayer time He placed a rainbow over the canal as I looked out my living room glass doors.  I captured the rainbow and the memory with my camera.  “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, I love you and thank you for your love, the gift of faith, and for my family and friends.”  Amen

Wisdom, Discernment, and Choice

A quote which I recently heard made an impression on my mind and heart; “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep for that which he cannot loose”.  God chose to give to us, to give to me, His son to suffer and die.  I am, we are, His beloved children.   God IS love (1 John 4:8).  We are His beloved (Colossians 3:12).  He became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14).  We are His pearls of great price (Matthew 13:46).  He gave His life as ransom for each of us.  In my life He is the most precious pearl.  How do I know this?  I read these words in the scriptures.  I have chosen to receive the gift of faith which He has freely given to you and to me.

I have always tried to seek God’s wisdom and direction in my life.  I do not say that I haven’t strayed but He has always repositioned my compass back to Him.  I do not want to be the fool who makes the wrong eternal choice.  It is OK if others think I am foolish.  The one thing that is important to me is that God knows where I am spiritually. He knows that I love Him with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  He is the final say.  My belief in Him and in eternity is the one thing which I cannot loose.

As I look back on my life and my spiritual journey I can see how His Word, His wisdom, and His gift of discernment in my life have led me through the circumstances of my physical existence.  Each of us is a spiritual being on a physical journey.  I would feel so very lonely if I didn’t have the assurance that God was walking this journey with me. 

When we seek, we find.  Wisdom is the beginning of knowledge.  If you haven’t read the scriptures, pick up the Psalms or the book of Proverbs.   God’s Word is alive.  He will speak to your heart.  Faith is not logical.  Faith is a gift (Ephesians 2:8).  Ask and you will receive (Matthew 7:7,8).  God is the one who convicts our hearts.  He stands at the door and knocks.   To receive or not to receive is a personal choice.   When God births a new spirit and understanding within us we have the choice to stay at that place or to keep growing in our new found faith.  Our spiritual birth is not the end point of a search for truth.  It is the beginning of an adventure.  We come to believe in Father God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.  He is the one triune God with whom we now have a personal relationship.  He knows us and loves us.  We want to know Him and love Him more.  In order to do this we must spend time with Him.  I cherish my quiet time with Him.  He walks with me each minute of each day. 

I want Him to keep filling me with His Spirit.  I want Him to reflect His light and love through me.  I want Him to be able to use me for His Glory.  I want others to see Him in me.  I want others to want to have a personal relationship with Him too!  It is worth letting go of the temporary for the Everlasting (John 3:16).  I pray for continued wisdom, discernment, and spiritual growth in my life.  I will live in anticipation of where He will be leading me.  He is at work in my life and in my family’s lives.  He hears my prayers.  He knows my needs and He knows the needs of those I pray for.  Dear Lord, continue to teach me, fill me, and use me.  Thank you for working in my life and hearing my prayers.