What Has Happened?

"For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!"
                                              ~Galations 5:14-15

So the discussion has come up recently about how times have changed. Yes, some of us don't like change, and sometimes it's not for the better--which was the main opinion during the discussion. Perhaps Tales of Avonlea strikes a familiar chord in our memory banks as we remember the simplicity of life, when we enjoyed the one room school houses. Perhaps we remember more fondly through Little House on the Prairie, as we watch the town work together for the betterment of their neighbors (Nellie excluded ;)). Perhaps you weren't around during the Great Depression, but I bet you watched a large family named The Waltons suffer through the economic trials with little money, but yet so much love amongst themselves and neighbors.

So what has happened to these model examples of peaceful tranquility in society? Where did the care, the love, the concern go? We now see a world filled with selfish "me firsts" and not enough "others firsts". We see a world filled with hustle and bustle like a bunch of ants hurrying to and from their homes. We see individuals filled with hate and loneliness and pride and turning their backs on people who desperately reach out for help. Where has God gone in all this craziness?
      
But maybe let's first focus not on where God is, but on what has happened to society. What has happened to this generation of people? Let's take a quick look at the problems and then, let's look at the possible solutions.

So....what's wrong with society?

People have become selfish. It's always been one of mankind's tragic faults, but in recent decades, the problem has become more noticeable. People would rather text their friends in waiting rooms than strike up a conversation with the person sitting next to them. And it's a "who can get to the check out first" at the supermarket. But this is not only a problem among the rich with the rich and middle class citizen with his equal. When many people see others with needs, they would rather wear blinders, focusing on their own needs instead of reaching out by saying a word of encouragment or providing help by some other means. They find it easier to look away and focus on their own problems, instead of reaching out a helping hand to someone less fortunate than themselves.

Solution: Unfortunately, this is also a concern in the Christian realm. Perhaps it is more of a concern as we are representing the Lord every time we get out of bed, walk out the door, walk into the office at work. So instead of texting, perhaps we could try to talk about the Lord to the person sitting next to us in the waiting room. And instead of rushing to be first in line at the check out, we can invite someone to go ahead of us (and especially if they have fewer items than we do). God gives us opportunities to help people. Will we choose to put others' needs ahead of our own as Christ did?


People have become greedy. This is of course, another downfall of man's nature, and it runs pretty close to being selfish. But greed has taken mankind to great lengths to achieve personal possessions, power, and wealth; and just like selfishness in some cases, no matter who gets hurt in the process. They say that money is the root of all evil and it certainly goes without saying that greenbacks speak very loudly to some individuals. People have been willing steal for it, and in some cases, kill for it. But perhaps, it's not just money that people are being greedy over. Perhaps, it involves slandering a colleague to get a certain job position. Being "at the top" sounds good though, doesn't it? We love to be at the center of attention, "on top of the world" as the old, familiar adage goes. But at what extent are we willing to go to get there?

Solution: God gives us everything we need, period. We do our best and if we happen to achieve success or fame, we are to give God the glory. I believe this is a concern in our communities: we want, we want, and we want. If we are generous, compassionate individuals, following in the footsteps of Christ, we will give without asking anything in return. And I honestly believe that a little kindness will breed more and more of the same. If we continue to think only of ourselves and what we can gain, we will never fulfill our mission to be giving and compassionate vessels for Christ.
      

Bigotry is alive and well. Throughout history, since the time of Babylon, people have been putting other people into classes based on race, sex, age, gender, and religion. People are still people, no matter what level of melanin they have in their genes, no matter what language they speak, and not matter what age they are. This is one reason I don't agree with putting kids in public schools, as it segregates children by their age from kindergarten through high school. I believe this is why many of today's youth only "hang out" with kids their own age. They can call it the "generation gap" or "old people aren't fun to be around", but the wisdom the generations before us have forgathered is far more valuable than any one teenager or young adult thinks he or she has obtained.

Solution: As Christians, we are called to "love the sinner and hate the sin". God loved us even though He knew how we'd hurt Him before we were even born. He loves the Christian, the homosexual, the prostitute, the beggar, the unwed mother, the thief, the murderer, the gambler, the abortion doctor. He hates the sin, but He loves the people. We should no less follow His example of displaying love for those who seem unlovable. That is one tall order, isn't it! But people, all around us, are still looking for real love, searching without even realizing it perhaps, for God. Because only He can give that kind of unconditional love and they will never find a love so satisfying as the love He gives. And when (and if) they repent of their sins, by the grace of God through the shedding of Christ's blood on the cross, He will forgive them of their sins. But are they getting the message of love from our churches? or are we sending them a message of shame and hopelessness?

But why stop there? What others ways can you think of to help society?     

But most importantly, people have forgotten God. Or has God forgotten us? Where can we find Him in society? We don't find Him in the public schools. But oh, that's right...in 1962, in the case of Engle vs. Vitale, prayer was removed from the public schools. And in fact, the Bible was taken out of schools the following year in 1963. Guess the court system removed God from being in schools...Well, what about holidays? Well, it's easy to see that some secular stores only promote Santa Claus and reindeer and being of good cheer. Guess we have some companies to thank for promoting secular images and taking Christ out of Christmas... But what about the churches? Why don't we see God working in His own house?

But my question is: Why aren't God's people working in His house? Have Christians become a metaphorical possum playing dead, afraid to answer the calling of being the salt and the light in a darkened world? Perhaps many Christians have made a contribution to the downfall of society; because after all, we are all a part of 'society', are we not? If we do not do the Lord's work, as He left us to do until the day He returns, we are doing society an injustice by keeping the light of truth hid under a bushel, away from the ears of those who need to hear it most.

Bright Lights And Schuyler

So I had a wonderful chance to "email interview" one of my dear friends from Michigan about Bright Lights. Some of you have probably heard of the program, but here's some insight from one of the lovely ladies who leads her own group. Please take a look at her responses and support her by following her links posted on the bottom of this page. Thank you!  

What is Bright Lights and how does it impact people? 

Bright Lights is a ministry that seeks to help teen girls to build solid character commitments. We call ourselves a discipleship ministry, and BRIGHT stands for Being Radiant in Godliness, Holiness, and Testimony. The goal of our ministry is to encourage girls in building good habits such as spending time in God's Word and cultivating biblical relationships with family and friends. Bright Lights helps girls navigate their teen years so they have a strong foundation for adulthood. Teen years don't have to be a pain, although they certainly are challenging. They can be a rich time of growing in and fellowship with Jesus.

Bright Lights was founded in 1996 by Sarah Mally. It has grown to include groups all around the US, as well as Singapore, Australia, Malaysia, and elsewhere. I lead one of the Midwest chapters. :) We meet twice a month for a time of teaching, singing, memorizing, and tea in real teacups!

How did you get interested in Bright Lights?

I was familiar with the Mally family through their book Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends.(We read that a lot when we were little.*smile*) Then, the summer I turned 12 we received a brochure in the mail for a Bright Lights girls' conference in the state where I lived. I loved it. Not only was it a special one-on-one trip with my mom, but I caught the vision for being a good influence on girls younger than me. The whole weekend was a time of conviction, encouragement, and making dear friends that I still know to this day. I loved the older girls on staff running the conference--they seemed so grown-up and wise to me. :) And I hoped that someday I could be a Bright Lights leader myself. Four years later that dream came true--and to date, I myself have helped out at Bright Lights conferences just like those other young ladies so long ago!

What topics/lessons do you teach on and which one is your favorite? If you have a favorite lesson/application, why?

There are so many topics we've covered--sets on fruits of the Spirit, basic Christian commitments, and removing polluting influences from your life. But I think my favorite topics were the last two we covered. We did a several-lesson set on wisdom, and I learned so much about how to gain wisdom--primarily by spending time in God's Word. Wisdom helps us receive rebukes from others, make wise comments, and grow in our knowledge of the Lord. Also, this latest set we just finished covered modesty and inner beauty. I was amazed by studying the Greek of 1 Peter 3:3-4 and learning just how much I've missed over the years with a superficial reading of that passage.

How long have you been teaching Bright Lights? And is this something that you would like to continue doing for many years to come? 

I have taught Bright Lights for 2 and 1/2 years, since June of 2012. It has been a blessing to impact the various girls that have come and gone, and I am committed for as long as the Lord wants us to keep going! I don't know how long that will be, but would imagine another couple of years at least. :)

Is Bright Lights for any certain age group or for girls from healthy homes?

Bright Lights is advertised as a group for girls from ages 10-14, but we have open hearts and willing homes for girls on both ends of that age spectrum. In my group I have invited even younger girls (especially if they have older sisters attending) and I have girls who have stayed long after they've left 14 behind. :)

While Bright Lights is primarily designed for discipleship (Christian growth) rather than evangelism (non-Christians) we certainly welcome girls from broken homes. If they are struggling at home, all the more reason that they should come here for some safe, loving fellowship! God doesn't require a perfect home to grow in Christ, and neither does Bright Lights. :) Especially if they are Christians, we would want them to get some biblical encouragement that they might not get otherwise. And if they are non-Christians and interested in coming, we would not turn them away! We want each girl to see the truth and mercy of Christ in each meeting. In fact, in the last few months I have made it a goal to tie every lesson in some way back to the basic gospel, so that the girls know why they should seek to build good character in the first place.

How have you, personally, been impacted in teaching the lessons? 

Well, as a leader my desire would be that I am a clean vessel, able to genuinely share what God has entrusted me with. Though I am not always perfect, nor do I embody each lesson, I learn a LOT with the girls. I have learned the importance of perseverance and discipline in planning lessons and keeping in touch with the group. I have been encouraged by the joy I see in the girl's faces, and the conviction, and the fact that the Holy Spirit is using the lessons to teach them about their relationship with Christ. I have seen the Lord provide inspiration and confidence for me time and time again when I was worried I didn't have everything together. And he has always blessed the meetings mightily.

I look forward to seeing what he will do in future, and pray that I will be found a faithful servant.

Schuyler McConkey is a novelist and Bright Lights ministry leader living with her parents and two siblings. She keeps busy with the last edits of a WW1 espionage novel, and critiquing various manuscripts for friends and writing partners. Schuyler also authors a blog, My Lady Bibliophile, where she writes book reviews and articles evaluating classic literature. In her spare time, she enjoys listening to Irish love songs, learning Gaelic, and reading too many Dickens novels.

You can find her on Facebook, Pinterest, Goodreads, and Twitter.

Happy New Year and First Guest Post!

Wow! Here is our first guest blog post and what a perfect way to end the year, right? I hope that you all have a very, very happy and healthy New Year. God has given us His love, let's make it our resolution to give His kind of love to those around us. :-)


Matthew 7:2-5 "For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged: and with what measure you use, it shall be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, Let me pull out the speck out of your eye; and, look, a plank is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first remove the plank out of your own eye; and then you will see clearly to remove the speck out of thy brother's eye."

There was a story that I heard and wrote down sometime ago when my children were smaller. I have always saved it, and from time to time a would run across it and re-read it. As my grandchildren came and visited this Christmas, the story came back to mind. 

"One day as a little girl was sitting and watching her mother doing the supper dishes at the kitchen sink, she all of a sudden noticed that her mother had several strands of white hair sticking out that contrasted her beautiful brown hair. She looked at her mother and in wonderment asked, "Mom, why are some of your hairs white?"  "Well", her mother replied, "every time that you do something wrong that makes me cry or become unhappy, one of my hairs turns white."  The little girl thought about this for a moment or so and then said, "Mom, how come all of Grandma's hairs are white?"

James 1:23-25 says "For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does."

Every time I look into the mirror that God calls me to look into, I see my imperfections, and usually look for some one or something to blame for them. The Lord warned us about the danger of pointing out the faults of others. He said that people with planks in their eyes should not attempt to remove specks out of other people's eyes. Somehow, we lose sight of this so quickly! We are all still growing. None of us has arrived! We need to be aware of how the enemy tries to ensnare us in this way. 

I don't know about you but I tend to agree with the author who said "The only person I want removing splinters out of my eyes is someone with a clear vision and a gentle touch!" Let's ask the Lord to help us to see the ways we've been judgmental and become people with clear vision and a gentle touch! We should be building up one another and encouraging each other so that the work of the Lord may go forward.  May you Be Blessed as you Follow Him in 2015!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           ~Pastor Craig

Pastor Craig Lindgren is the pastor of First Baptist Church of Augusta, Wisconsin.

He has also worked for the Department of Corrections (DOC)

for 27 years. He is currently the Senior Chaplain of the DOC, 

and is stationed out of Stanley, WI.
He is married to Julie, his wife of 32 years. They have 5 children

and 7 grandchildren.

Pastor Craig can be reached at Pastor_Craig@Live.com or 715-827-0812.

The Hardened Heart

                    "But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his
                            heart and did not heed them, as the LORD had said." 
                                                        ~Genesis 8:15


It's been an exciting journey for me to once again read through the Bible and have been reading through the book of Exodus at this time. Of course, in the earlier chapters of Exodus, we read through the story of Moses, Pharaoh, the ten plagues, the freeing for the children of Israel, and the parting of the Red Sea. But this time, I'd like to discuss Pharaoh's hardened heart and the hardened hearts in today's world.

First, Pharaoh would see the plague and then plead for Moses to take away plague. He'd promise to free the Israelite children; but each time, he would change his mind to keep them enslaved. Plague after plague terrorized the nation of Egypt, and each time there was relief from the plague, Pharaoh's heart became hardened. When we read the story, we may be amazed at Pharaoh's stubbornness. I mean, to see things from rivers turning into blood to locust destroying the crops from the land being covered with frogs to witnessing the first born of every Egyptian and beast killed. If we had been the Egyptian people, we might have tried to overthrow the crazy Pharaoh and let God's people go to worship Him before the rest of us were literally destroyed. Instead, in this time and now, we can learn from Pharaoh's mistake and avoid the tragic consequences.      

So what lesson can we learn from Pharaoh's mistake?


How often are we like Pharaoh? We promise God that we will serve Him if only He would take our pain and difficulties away, just to turn back to doing the things we had been involved in before the struggles started. We are no better than Pharaoh if we are "Foxhole Christians", we see that the problems we're facing aren't going away so we promise to obey Him...that is until the problem is gone. Then we have the tendency to turn back to the activities that are not God-focused.


The first plague, the water turning into blood, should have been enough to convince Pharaoh to let the people of Israel go, right? The water was literally undrinkable, the source that keeps the living alive is now contaminated and stinks throughout the land of Egypt. But Pharaoh promises to free the people if Moses will intercede. The second plague brings frogs into the land and they can be found in the entire land of Egypt. They are jumping into the houses, in the "kneading bowls" (Exodus 8:3), into the beds, into the kitchens... they're everywhere! Pharaoh calls for Moses and pleads him to intercede and then the children of Israel may go worship God. Well, we know he didn't keep his word. So God sent lice, flies, livestock disease, boils, hail, locusts, and darkness. Each time Pharaoh made a promise and later broke it. It became a vicious cycle! And then the ultimate plague struck the land. You could say it was the 'one that did it'. Not only was Pharaoh's son killed, but the firstborn child of every Egyptian servant and animal died that night as well. Only were the children of Israel saved from the deaths and plagues.

It's a clear sign that God protects His people as He promised He would. God is with you, too, in whatever you're going through. He heard the cries of the Israelites and He rescued them from their great oppression. God also hears your cries and He listens. But get this: He knows that you need to experience difficulties. Not because He doesn't care about you. But if you never went through trials, you wouldn't grow Spiritually and you wouldn't grow closer to Him. It's in the pains of this life that make us rely more and more on our dear Savior.


"But the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh and he did not heed them, just as the LORD had spoken to Moses". (Exodus 9:12)


Until the sixth plague--the boils--Pharaoh was hardening his own heart. As a documentary by Dr. Charles Stanley sums it up this way: "To this point in the story, Pharaoh had hardened his own heart. But now, God hardens his heart. Willful disobedience can reach a point of no return." If we continually harden our hearts, it becomes a habit we can't break on our own strength. Pharaoh hardened his heart so many times that it finally resulted in his death and the death of his armies. It certainly does have serious consequences, friends. Ask the Lord to remove the stubborn stone around your tender heart to break off and completely trust in God's plan.  


"But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth." (Exodus 9:16)

We don't always understand the circumstances that God lets us go through or why He allows adversaries to stand in our way to give us grief like Pharaoh did to Moses and the people of Israel. But God is our powerful God and He sometimes raises up even our enemies in order to show the world His power. But He doesn't always just demonstrate His might to the unsaved, but He does so to remind His people that He is still in control. Sometimes because we can't see God, we can forget He is there and that He is still mighty. God gives us those reminders and we can give thanks to Him by remaining loyal to Him and having a "healthy heart".

In conclusion, we may come across many politicians, parents, friends, co-workers, and even preachers who have hardened their hearts to God and His Word. We need hearts that remain tender to the nudging God gives us when He is trying to tell us to listen. God listens to us, let's listen to Him.


Anna

Everlasting Arms

“What a fellowship, what a joy divine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;What a blessedness, what a peace is mine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.

“Oh how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
O how bright the path grows from day to day,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.

“What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
Leaning on the everlasting arms?  
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near, 
Leaning on the everlasting arms.

“Leaning, leaning,
Safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.”

In 1887, this simple yet powerful hymn was published by Elisha A. Hoffman and Anthony J. Showalter. Songs so old can still be sung today, because the meaning of their words are still relevant. 

I remember last April, I was looking up hymns that I could play for the prelude part of my church’s morning service. I stumbled upon a hymn that my church hadn't sung for awhile and thought it would be a great choice since it is a familiar song. I have to admit that I had developed a bad habit of picking out pieces for the service on Saturday night, or even Sunday morning. This never gives me a chance to practice, for one thing; but maybe more importantly, it doesn't give me any time to actually read the lyrics of the song I'm playing. But I want the congregation to not only hear the melody, but to listen to the words as well.  

We all have fears. Fears of losing someone, fears of heights, fears of failure, and maybe fears of not making it financially. One question every Christian needs to ask themselves is: "Am I leaning on Christ’s everlasting arms?" To be honest, I've always felt that I've handled all of my problems, all of my concerns, all of my burdens correctly by giving them to Christ.  But "do I leave those problems at the alter? or do I take them back?" Did I tell Jesus that I wouldn't worry about my problems and five minutes later find myself thinking about those same things again? These questions make us reflect on on how we've handled trials in the past and might make us wonder how we can handle them in the future.   

The third verse of this particular hymn really got to me the most: "What have I to dread, what have I to fear..?" When we think about how great our God is compared to not only our day-to-day problems but those unexpected difficulties that come around once in awhile, we see that God is much more powerful than all of the disastrous problems in the world combined!  If God determines who wins wars, if God cares for even the smallest sparrow, He certainly cares about our problems, our needs, and we should never be afraid when He is on our side. Because when we rely on His wisdom, then comes that “blessed peace” when we take our fears to Christ and rest in His arms.

As we read in the last few chapters in Genesis, we see Joseph's conflict of being sold into slavery by his brothers, falsely accused of a crime, and thrown into a prison. But after Pharaoh's disturbing dreams, Joseph was given a position over all the land of Egypt that equaled the power of Pharaoh himself. When Joseph was reunited with his brothers, he had compassion on them; realizing that without the trials, he wouldn't have been there in Egypt to save their lives. He said to them: 

"But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it this day, to save many people." ~Genesis 50:20


Though our trials don't look like they will have an incredible outcome, God wants us to remain positive and "lean in His everlasting arms"; because there is no difficulty that we experience in this life that God doesn't have a perfect ending for. 

“I have blessedness with my Lord so near,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.”

Blessings,
Anna

Rear View Mirror Driving

It might seem weird, but our day-to-day lives can perhaps be compared with that of driving a vehicle. I was driving with my Mom shortly after I got my DL, and a car behind me was just getting way too close for comfort. I don’t even like to be followed almost bumper to bumper in town when we’re going 25 MPH, but out in the country (at approximately 55-60 MPH), I was feeling really cramped for space. Trying to remember to just keep my eyes on the road ahead, I avoided looking into my rear view mirror every few seconds. When the guy finally passed me, I couldn’t help but think of how many times, in my Christian walk, that I kept my eyes glued to the past. I kept looking into that "rear view mirror". Reminiscing on those past mistakes that I've made that sneak up behind me. Those negative memories haunting me, demanding my attention to the point that I don’t focus on what is before me: the Spiritual road. 

If I keep looking into the rear view mirror, I could end up in a ditch or run into another vehicle.  As is in my spiritual walk with Christ, looking back, regretting things, and taking my eyes off of the One Whom I should be looking to, I could seriously hurt myself and others by making more wrong choices. I’ve heard many pastors give this comparison before; but as is with many other things, those words don’t “sink in” until we experience those scenarios and really think about what those messages mean.  

I believe it’s ok to look back at the past sometimes, because then we remember where we've come from and how it's brought us to where we are today. However, I also believe that looking back is something to be careful about. Glancing can be good; but staring draws our attention away from Christ and His perfect plan for us. We will never get fulfillment by looking into the “mirrors” that remind us of our failures; but we can find satisfaction if we keep our eyes on Christ, remembering that He has a perfect plan that we need to be looking towards.

We have already faced many obstacles before. With Christ, we will keep looking straight ahead, because that’s what will keep us on the path that He has laid out for each of His children.

Hebrews 12:2 “..looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Blessings,
Anna

The Listening Servant

As I was thinking what I should write about this week, the Lord led me to turn the page in my Mom's devotional book and the title was "Your Servant Is Listening". I thought to myself, Yeah, but where could I go with that for a post? Everyone knows that we should listen to the Lord.  And then I opened up my Mom's NKJV Bible and it turned to Jeremiah 22:21, which says the following, "I spoke to you in your prosperity, But you said, 'I will not hear.' This has been your manner from your youth". So to make this short, I believe God led me to these references to not only encourage you in your walk, but as a reminder to me personally.

So many times (and especially lately), I feel I know what's best for me. I get so independent in my thinking and I don't want to listen to the Lord. He might want me to go in a direction (or away from the one I'm going), and I'd rather resist His counsel and keep doing what I think is best for me. I think every Christian deals with this at some point in their relationship with the Lord. We think our own decisions will turn out alright or we leave God behind most of the time, forgetting to ask Him for an answer. Or we might ask the Lord, but with our own "clocks" ticking away, demanding immediate answers, we jump ahead instead of waiting on the Lord for His answer. And it certainly doesn't help when we live in a secular world where everything is rushed and if you don't grab the chance now, it'll be too late tomorrow. As humans, we feel the decisions we need to make have to be "today or never"; however, we easily forget that the Lord has perfect timing. His time schedule is never "behind" or "runs fast". Yes, my discussion so far has dealt a lot with waiting on the Lord, rather than listening to Him. But you know, they both go hand in hand.

"The realization of our need to listen to the Lord means we are willing to wait for His answer."

So when does God speak to us? When we submit to Him and say "Lord, okay, You know I really want to do this, but I'm not going to move until I hear from You". And how does God speak to us? He speaks to us through His Word. Like I mentioned earlier, God led me to the Jeremiah reference where He gently reminded me to "not move until He speaks". For example, I'm really looking to buy a handheld gun for protection. Though I really think this is the smart thing to do, I need to wait on the Lord. Whether the decision is as small as this or something bigger like marriage, God wants us to "consult" with Him and wait on Him to provide us with His perfect answer. So, we see that He speaks to us through His Word. He also speaks to us through other people, those who counsel us. People like our pastors, youth leaders, parents, other family members, and Christian friends. Those around us who God is speaking through to advise us. He also speaks to us through His Spirit, our "Conscience". You probably know exactly what I'm talking about. That Voice inside of you that says it's wrong to go and do something you will later regret. And quite frankly, He's right every time. In short, God has many modes of communication that He uses to reach us.

But God gives a warning to people who stray away and listen to the counsel of fools. In Proverbs 1:28-32.....

"Then they will call on Me, but I will not answer; they will seek Me diligently, but they will not find Me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord, they would have none of my counsel and despised my every rebuke. Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled to the full with their own fancies. For the turning away of simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them."

And then in Proverbs 1:33, God gently tells us what will happen when His children come to Him and listen to His voice. "But whoever listens to Me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil."

How intelligent it is to listen to the Lord! He knows what is best for you. He cares for your life. He has created you. And when we take the time to listen to the Creator of the earth, there is nothing that will stop Him from talking to you. When you listen for Him to answer you, nothing in heaven or earth can keep Him away.

Proverbs 1:5: "A wise man will hear and increase learning, and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel."

Proverbs 1:7: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction."


"So when God speaks to you, listen attentively and prepare to submit to whatever He tells you. Obedience pleases your heavenly Father and He desires to bless you for listening well." ~Charles Stanley, life lessons NKJV, pg. 886)


Blessings,
Anna

Hymns..A Church Formality?

"Let all the world in ev'ry corner sing: My God and King! The church with psalms must shout, No door can keep them out, But more than all, the heart must bear the longest part. Let all the world in ev'ry corner sing: My God and King!" ~from "Let All the World in Every Corner Sing" by George Herbert and Robert G. McCutchan

"The church with psalms must shout..."

Much discussion and confusion has come through the choice of music brought into the churches with the youth bringing forth their tastes of newer praise music that we call "Contemporary Choruses". It is what they are growing up with from concerts to iTunes from Christian Book stores and radio stations; just as the older people in our communities grew up with hearing the traditional songs on Sunday mornings. Psalm 98:4 tells us to "make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise". Whether we sing praise with the modern songs or with the hymns, God can be glorified when we lift our voices to praise His name.

However, some youth are as receptive to the hymns as older adults are to choruses. I have grown up mostly playing older songs myself, but there are some choruses that I feel I'm truly expressing worship to the Lord. What I have a problem with are the arguments like: "hymns just don't speak to me like the choruses". In other words, people are trying to nicely say "out with the old and in with the new". I think we should look through this argument.

"Hymns just don't speak to me like the choruses"...

This opinion can also be translated as "The words are Greek to me!" I assure you that they aren't. Please note that I am not condemning the choruses of today; rather, I am condemning the opinion that hymns are outdated and have lost their meaning. Now let's take a look at one of the hymns I chose for yesterday's service and compare its lyrics to that of a modern contemporary worship chorus:

"There is Power in the Blood" by Lewis E. Jones

Would you be free from the burden of sin?
There’s power in the blood, power in the blood;
Would you over evil a victory win?
There’s wonderful power in the blood.

Refrain:
There is power, power, wonder-working power
In the blood of the Lamb;
There is power, power, wonder-working power.
In the precious blood of the Lamb.

And now a chorus that Hillsong sings called "Redeeming Love"

(chorus)
"I come boldly, trusting only your redeeming love
Flowing freely from your side now your atoning blood
Like a river, like a fountain, like a cleansing flood
I pour out my worship to you for your redeeming love

"My glory in your cross of shame and suffering
My glory what the world disdains as nothing
I will glory in such foolishness
I will glory for its nothing less
Than your wisdom and your awesome power my God."

You see, when we strip the lyrics of the different music styles, the words amount to the same thing: "The blood at Calvary saves and redeems us. What love!" Some people are inclined to think that hymns are slow and boring. Well the music may be slow, but the words are still as praiseworthy to sing today as they were in the 19th century!

Let's look at another example:

"I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore,
Very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more;
But the Master of the sea heard my despairing cry,
From the waters [He] lifted me--now safe am I"
~from Love Lifted Me

"I know He rescued my soul,
His blood, He covered my sin, I believe, I believe.
My shame, He's taken away,
My pain is healed in His name, I believe, I believe.
~from My Redeemer Lives by Reuben Morgan

I'm not writing this blog post to contradict your stand on either style in churches; but to ask you to remember that worship is worship and to not neglect the hymns that are as real as any chorus you'll sing today. God is as real as ever and it should be our delight to sing songs of praise to Him. I encourage you to ignore the music if you need to and simply focus on the words you are saying. Listen to the words as you sing them in church. I believe you'll find that hymns are not a "thing of the past" or that the "church needs to update its music to 'fit' the new, young Christians". Any Christian song, whether contemporary or traditional, is to be sung to the Lord on high and to give Him the praise for which He so richly deserves!

The Art of Humility

Psalm 147:10............."Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up."







Humility has become a lost art. What is it? According to Wikipedia, humility is "...seen as the act of posture of lowering oneself in relation to others, or conversely, having a clear perspective, and therefore respect, for one's place in context." Humility, in short, is putting others before yourself. C.S. Lewis explained in his book, Mere Christianity, that pride--which is the opposite of humility--is "anti-God". In Proverbs 16:18-19, God says that "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty [prideful] spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud."

I would like to include a documentary that Dr. Charles Stanley wrote on why God hates human pride:


"The Bible makes it very clear that God hates human pride. James 4:6 states very clearly, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." The same message gets stated in the Scripture no less than three times....

"Why does God hate human pride so much? Because it is the one sin that keeps us from allowing God to use us for His purposes. When we commit ourselves to doing things our way, we are in no position to do things God's way. Pride renders us useless in the kingdom of God. We fall prey to pride when we forget that God does not exist for us, but we exist for Him." 

[Note: Emphasis added in some parts]



Last February, I started a Leadership and Management course through CollegePlus and I learned a great deal from it on what to look for in leadership and qualities to have to be a great leader. As you have probably figured out by now, yes humility was a strong virtue that made a leader likable. Because honestly, who really likes to work for an employer who has a big head?

Mr. Thompson tells his employees of how he worked his fingers to the bone and built up the company over the years. He brags of his advertising skills, communication capabilities, and his technological know-how. His employees get tired of listening of his one-sided conversations. His brother, on the other hand, runs a simple gas station on the corner. He has fewer number of employees, but they work hard to please him. This Mr. Thompson has never bragged of his accomplishments, but has rather given credit to the wonderful people who have made the business what it is today. See the difference in the two men? The first Mr. Thompson may have more workers at his larger business, but is undoubtedly going to have fewer friends than his brother at the smaller store. 
 
The above story is fictional, but the sin of pride is very real. It exists in the heart of those who live in a disillusioned state that THEY did it all on their own.



I think we would all agree that God created us; therefore, He created everything about us. Our physical features and our talents to name a few. Now why does pride live in the lives of even Christians who believe the above statements?

Simply, because we're humans. At some point in our lives, we think that everything we find we can work through, accomplish, amaze others with is all done on our own strength. We forget that the God we cannot see with our naked eyes was our Designer, our Creator. When He made you, He decided if you could sing, be an Olympic athlete, or super good at math! Everything you and I do are all gifts that our God above has bestowed upon us. It's NOT something we should ever boast about.

"I can sing better than Suzie", "Nancy can't sew nothing like I can", "Bill is soo much less talented than I when it comes to playing basketball"....all are thoughts of the devil, making us believe that we have somehow become superior to everyone around us. But just maybe we're overlooking the abilities they were blessed with that we aren't able to perform. Suzie wins the debating award every year. Nancy makes people laugh and feel better about themselves. Bill may not be tall enough for basketball, but he is the track star.


We have nothing without Christ. We cannot save ourselves, we cannot give ourselves life, we cannot choose the talents we will be able to share with others. As Psalm 89:47-48 says: "Remember how short my time is; for what futility have You created all the children of men? What man can live and not see death? Can he deliver his life from the power of the grave?"

"Humility a strange thing. The minute you think you've got it, you've lost it."

Let us strive to humble ourselves before God and give Him the credit, the praise that is due Him, and to use the talents He grants us for His glory.

God bless,
Anna

God's Guidelines

(The following story is an excerpt from a devotional book that I am writing)

Eric Johnson was six years old when he learned a very important lesson almost the hard way; to be honest, what could have turned out to be quite tragic. His mother had set boundaries around their lawn that he could not cross over and this made Eric feel like he was being treated like a little child--even though he really was one. His mother warned him about the dangers that lay in the nearby street with fast cars that the bigger kids were driving with, but Eric wasn't listening. He wanted to prove that he could make it safely across the street without holding his mother's hand. He wanted to show the world that he was now a big boy and could take care of himself. And on one occasion, he had the perfect opportunity.
 Eric and his mother were sitting outside on the steps of their house playing with his trucks when the phone began to ring in the kitchen. His mother had been waiting for a very important phone call all morning long, so she told Eric to stay where he was and that she would be right back. Eric was not alone for more than a few seconds and he looked out at the empty street that lay just yards away from where he sat. He stood up and ran to the edge of the curb. He remembered seeing his older sister look both directions before crossing the street, so he knew that he should do so, too. However, he didn't understand that she really "looked" to see if there was oncoming traffic coming. It became evident that he did not. He quickly swung his head from one side to the other, as if his sister's head turning was nothing more than a ritual. He took a step down from the curb and found that he was soon standing with both feet on the actual road pavement.
 Eric was about to take another step when his ears heard something moving swiftly towards him. He lifted his head in the direction of the noise and found himself in the pathway of an approaching vehicle. He didn't move. His reflexes could do nothing. He just stared at the car drawing closer and closer to him. Then suddenly two strong hands grabbed him around the waist and both he and his rescuer landed on the grass in front of his house; just seconds before the car and its inattentive driver came rolling past the very spot that Eric had stood moments before. "Eric!" cried his mother, as she drew him closer to herself. "What were you doing?"
He started to sob and tried to explain his reasoning for crossing the street without any help from an adult.
His mother pulled him away and told him to look into her eyes for a minute. "You know I set boundaries for you not to cross, right?"
"Yes..." He responded, knowing that a lecture was soon to follow. But he didn't mind though, because he now realized he was very foolish to try such a stunt.
"I set those boundaries there for your safety," She started to explain in a calm manner. "You think that the list of rules for you to follow are made to make your life miserable. What do you think would have happened if you had obeyed me and not gone out into the street?"
Eric thought for a moment. "I would still be playing with my trucks on the porch?"
She nodded her head. "Why do you think I make rules for you to follow, Eric?"
He shrugged. Not really knowing and comprehending why parents do such things.
"I make rules because I care about you. A mother who didn't care about her children would not set boundaries. She wouldn't care what happened to her child; but I do about you. Not only could you have been hurt by that car, but you endangered my life as well. Your choices will not only effect yourself; but everyone around you as well. Do you understand what I am saying, Eric?"
Eric looked up and smiled at his mom, "Yes, mommy." Now fully understanding that his mother does "such things" out of love.


Much the same way, people are inclined to believe that God's Word is nothing more than a book of rules and regulations to follow. A book that has nothing more to say than "Don't do this..." and "Don't do that..." But it's God's way of giving us safety guidelines to follow. Because like Eric, we may think we can do things and we'll be okay. That we are grown up, mature enough to handle any situation we find ourselves in. We don't analyze the danger until we are met with it and then we wish we hadn't taken that route. God gives us instructions because he knows that we humans are frail in our own strength. We can easily fall into the camouflaged pits and the awful snares that Satan designs to make us sin. He tricks us into thinking that God just wants to make our lives miserable and that we really can do anything we want without God. But then when we do, we usually end up living with the regrets of "If only I had listened to God" or "If only I had followed His commandments instead of doing things my own way.

I think Eric's mom was intelligent in saying that "Your choices will not only effect yourself; but everyone around you as well". When a teenager decides to commit suicide or a father decides to leave his family, both situations effect more than the person making the decision. It hurts their friends, their spouses, their children. Even the small every day decisions effect those around us. How we react under pressure, what choice of words we use, what clothes we wear effect how our family and even strangers see us. We may be influencing everyone we meet today. If we are listening to God's voice and following His "guidelines", we will make the right choices that will influence others in a positive way.

Remember Eric's mom saying that "A mother who didn't care about her children would not set boundaries. She wouldn't care what happened to her child; but I do about you."? If God didn't care about you, He wouldn't set boundaries for you to follow either! It's because of His love for you, that He asks you to listen to His wisdom. God has and always will know more than we do. Wouldn't we all be much safer if we did follow His list of "Don't do that's..." than to live with the regrets? I earnestly believe so, my friend.

End of the Church?

As I was outside helping my Mom burn some brush tonight, I couldn't help but think about the church and the responsibilities that lay inside and outside her walls. She stands tall with her steeple reaching high to the heavens. Her bells used to be tolled to invite all those listening to come and walk through her white doors with stained glass windows. Those bells toll no longer. The white paint on her doors are chipped and her windows now dusty with cobwebs. Few people walk through the doors and sit in the once packed pews. Fewer and fewer people join in singing praises to God. The church used to rattle with a thunderous boom of voices singing song; now, an echo maybe fills a few cracks on an Easter or Christmas Sunday morning.

The church is not as majestic as she used to be and she certainly is not our town's most important building any longer. The members from past decades were on fire for the Lord and would bring their family and friends each and every Sunday. Family vacations never took the place of church, so everyone's shadows would rest on her doors each and every Sunday morning. Now time has past, and those members have passed on; leaving a new generation of "Christians". Vacations and get-aways come first in this new society, so church is usually passed up on. People are living a dead faith and children going to Sunday School is as optional as joining a sports team.

What has happened? Has the church age come to an end?

Perhaps the church age is coming to an end; but people's faith or lack thereof is causing the Spiritual decline in our nation and in the rest of the world. If Christ's people are not on fire, who will testify? We have mouths, but will we let the rocks cry out instead? It has nothing to do with the church or a "church age". It's all about God, Who is ageless! He is present, past, and future. The church building will pass away, be destroyed. It is God's temple here until He says 'No more'. For many Christians, the church is something we go to on Sunday and forget about for six days. The church is not to be worshiped or adorned; but it is God's house. A place to worship in and adorn Him in! We are to take care of it, to grow in numbers. And we can only grow in numbers if we are willing to take the torch that has been handed down to us by our predecessors: Jesus' disciples. They were the light in a dark world and preached anywhere and everywhere. It's not about a pastor preaching for an hour on Sunday; it's about our responsibility to reach the lost. Where they are.

"If the dog doesn't come home on its own, go out and search for him". We must do the same for the lost "sheep". We cannot expect the sheep to come to us, the church. They have no ear for the Master's beckoning. The Master has asked us to find those lost sheep and to tell them the good news. We have to meet them where they are in order to bring them in.

So in conclusion, does it matter if this is the end of the church age? No. What does matter is that any age, right now, last spring, 2,000 years ago....it was and still is the "God Age". And that age will last forever!

Potential!

  "But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." ~Romans 5:8

Some people look at a blank piece of paper and wonder what to write on it. They may start making a checklist of some chores they need to do for the day. They may actually start a story but then become discouraged because they can't think of anything worthwhile to write. Blank papers can sometimes scare people because they have no idea what to fill in the lines with.

When I look at a piece of paper, I see "potential". When you take a piece of paper, it's all about your attitude. How you're going to look at it is vital in keeping a positive spin on it. For example, has it got potential or failure already written on? Any writer will see potential if they see that word already etched in every line. They start writing and keep writing. In their "mind's eye", they see greatness in basically a worthless sheet of paper.

In very much the same way, God saw you in His "mind's eye". You were just like this blank piece of paper. You were empty, formless, and had nothing to offer. Without God, none of us have anything worthwhile to give. In short, though while others may have called you "worthless", do you know what He saw? That's right: potential! God made you, formed you, and made you into something that pleased Him.

You don't have to work to earn God's love, His grace, His mercy. God saw a meaningful purpose in creating you LONG before you were even born. Out of nothing, He made you into the beautiful person that you are today. You were worth creating and God has never stopped loving you.

Psalms 139:13-14:

"For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well."


You will never be worthless because God says your life is worthwhile.

God bless,
Julianna

Fact, Not Fiction

A man whispered, "God, speak to me".
And a meadowlark sang.
But the man did not hear.

So the man yelled, "God, speak to me".
And the thunder and lightning rolled across the sky.
But the man did not listen.

The man looked around and said, "God, let me see You".
And a star shined brightly.
But the man did not see it.

And the man shouted, "God show me a miracle".
And a life was born.
But the man did not notice.

So the man cried out in despair, "Touch me, God, and let me know You are here".
Whereupon, God reached down and touched the man.
But the man brushed the butterfly away and walked on.

The man asked God for encouragement.
And an email arrived bringing good news.
But the man deleted it.



God does not have to show His face to us in order for us to know He exists. When we look at the beauty around us, we see God's handiwork. God gives us just a glimpse of His beauty through His creation, letting us see a small portion of His strength in the powerful waves or seeing His gentleness in creating a little bird. God Himself does not need to be seen in order to be believed in, though many times, we humans have problems believing in something that we cannot touch or see.

Yet we know that our cell phones have service, even though we cannot see the power from which it sends and receives messages.  We can think, though we have not seen our own brain waves. We know the power of the wind, and yet the wind has no face to touch, no hand to hold, no arms to hug. There is so much proof around us that this world was designed by a Supreme Being.  We see the majestic, white capped mountains reaching to the skies, the power in a mighty wave crashing against the rocks, and hear the angelic voice of a robin; but yet, many will still doubt that our powerful and Omnipotent God exists.

Fact: We cannot disprove the existence of Almighty God!

Blessings,
Julianna


You are part of God's handiwork! Ephesians 2:10

God's Not Dead!

         "How do you hate someone you say doesn't exist?"                         ~Josh Wheaton, God's Not Dead


I had the privilege--a few weeks ago--of going to the theater to see one of the most talked about Christian movies of the year. Actually, it was my first experience in a theater and it was very exciting with all the loud speakers, the smell of popcorn in buckets worth $19.50, and the largest screen I had ever sat in front of! But this was just the beginning.

I had not even watched the trailer of the movie, and in fact, I hate watching trailers to anything unless I question it. But I wanted every scene to be a complete surprise. Not only was I surprised....

                             ....I was amazed!


                         Anna's Movie Review on....God's Not Dead

The story revolves around a young college freshman, Josh Wheaton, who needs to attend a Philosophy class to put credits towards his pre-law degree. His faith is then challenged by Professor Radisson who not only personally hates God, but makes it his mission to make all the students in his class write "God is dead" or they will fail the class. Josh and the professor are at odds with each other from the beginning and Josh must prove God's existence in the classroom. He tells the class that Professor Radisson is the prosecutor, Josh himself is the defense attorney, and the class is the jury who gets to decide if God is really dead or....not.

Though Josh endures many hardships when he takes on the professor's challenge, the story also encompasses other people who are somehow "connected" to each other. These people's faith are also tested and that makes this show so real, as their trials are similar to ours. Some actually came to know the Lord personally at the end of the movie; unfortunately, as in our lives, many will turn away after hearing the truth. Josh was given two Scripture verses to read to help him make his decision. I will not expose them, as I implore you, the readers, to watch the movie for yourselves and see how Josh's Pastor's advice will help us in our individual missions to reach the lost.

The show as a whole is moving and demonstrates the power of our witness to the world. Pastor Dave told Josh that he should not be "clever", but to let the power of God's Word be proof enough. I remembered Moses in the Old Testament who thought his words were not eloquent enough to come before Pharaoh. But God still used Moses and God will use us in a powerful way to complete His plan. We just have to believe that we can still be instruments that God uses. He will give us the strength we need to reach out and stand boldly for Him.

As I watched Professor Radisson tell the class to write "God Is Dead", I kept thinking, 'You must believe in God, because to say that He's dead, must mean that He was alive at one point'. But we know that God is still alive, well, and working in this dark world. Man may say that God is non-existent, but without Him, life would not be worth living. Indeed, God is alive!


Final thought:

My encouragement to you would be to find, if you have not already, a movie theater near you and see this powerful film. I guarantee you that this film that I give 5 stars to, will not disappoint you. It's certainly not a waste of money to see it and even buy it when it comes out in DVD format in August, possibly.


For more information, go to: God's Not Dead Official Movie Link

Change Ahead

 

Jeremiah 29:11-13 have always been very dear verses to my heart and I'm so thankful that God knows what my future holds, and that He takes me by the hand and leads me.  And again, my life takes another turn that I honestly didn't think it would.

A new year can mean changes for individuals and this year, it will change for me, too. On March 8th of this year, my coaching hold ends.  This will also be the day that my coaching ends for a long time.  I am terminating my enrollment with CollegePlus.  I've been in CP since September of 2011 and it's been quite an eventful one.  But I haven't really been satisfied with the results these last couple years, and I believe that it's because this chapter in my life is closing; I'm not meant to continue this educational journey.  Especially in these last two years, I've been feeling led to get out and I believe I know why.  Since my Grandpa's death, I feel like God is telling me to lay college aside and get more involved with helping my family take care of my Grandma.  She is not 100% capable of leaving alone, so my Mom has devoted a lot of her time to taking care of her.

What will I be spending my time on now?

I will continue to work for both QualityTrack Int. and on the farm.  Because CollegePlus have raised their rates again, this also plays into my decision.  And at the moment, I need to earn money for a more reliable truck.  This past winter has proven to me that winter tires help, but a 2wd will never be as dependable as a 4wd. :P  I'm also hoping to advertise my services as a horse trainer and maybe go through some training and achieve a license to be a horse judge for shows.

I also want to spend extra time that I have preparing to take care of a house and a family of my own some day.  I haven't taken as much initiative as I should have in taking care of the house, but with Mom busy at Grandma's almost every day of the week, it gives me some time to help her with the housework and read the Christian books that I haven't indulged myself in. I'm looking forward to this! :)

But mainly, I've decided to return to my original idea of publishing books.  I've written many rough drafts of different book ideas over the years, but because college and investigative reporting seemed like that was the only way to earn a living, I laid those dreams aside.  Unfortunately, at local newspapers and even with a degree in Journalism, I would most likely end up setting type--as my Mom's friend's daughter ended up doing after four years to achieve her BA.  I started to edit a chapter last fall, but with this course through Brigham Young and the changes that accompanied Grandpa's death, I was barely able to get one chapter done.  My plan is to continue editing one book at a time, perhaps attend some writing conferences in Wisconsin, and start the publishing process by late this year or early 2015.

Being able to lay college aside has lifted a burden off my shoulders.  Though CollegePlus offers so much and I've learned a lot with CP friends, this chapter in my life is being closed.  Perhaps in the future, I will return to studying for CLEPs and earning three credits here and there; but I feel God is leading me to put my time and energy into more important things.  I believe that it was God's will for me to be a part of CP for these last few years, because I've learned some valuable lessons that I would not have learned had I not enrolled.

But we trust God and have assurance that he knows what is best for us.  We lean on His understanding and follow Him wherever He leads us.  For we will find rest only when we trust in His wisdom and not our own.

Blessings,
Anna