Bethlehem: A God of Surprises

"Tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you." Joshua 3:5

     Good Sunday evening! This is the second part of the first chapter from the book Meeting God in Holy Places by F. LaGard Smith. As I've explained, this book is a result of  LaGard's visits to the Holy Land. You may have to go back to my blog yesterday to pick up the thread of thought for this one, but putting the two together made it much  too long! If you remember, the point of this chapter is that God does everything differently from the way humans would do things because HE IS GOD. He surprises us with the  amazing ways He brings about His will. We--human beings that we are--would have used a more mundane and unimpressive way! So to continue with "A God of Surprises."

     Being a God of surprises, He gives us a different kind of story that turns our thinking on its head. No "Breaking News" alert. No bright cameras and lively interviews. Just an announcement from an angel to lowly shepherds that the Savior of the world was born! But what rejoicing by the heavenly hosts!

     Now think about it: When a  writer in Hollywood comes up with the idea for a script depicting the true story of the birth of God's Son, would it be the same scene? Lowly shepherds. Humble Bethlehem. Obscure virgin girl from Nazareth. Does this sound like a script you or I would write? God's divine drama is meant to grab our attention! It's meant to change our realities! It's meant to turn our values and preoccupations upside down! And surprise us! With God, almost nothing is as it seems.

     There are several people in the Bible who were surprised by joy: Abraham and Sarah, Hannah, and, of course, Mary, the mother of Jesus. Can you imagine the astonishment that Mary and Joseph felt? A virgin who was pregnant! And being the mother of the Savior, did she expect Him to be born in a dark, smelly pit in the earth? His bed a manger? Hearing his first cries, any disappointment she might have felt turned to immeasureable peace and joy! And joy is almost always a surprise--and almost never what we expect!

     What the unlikely circumstances of Jesus's birth tell us is that the God of surprises delights in bringing us unexpected joy. Whether it's in the middle of a crisis, or in the middle of our mundane days, God is likely to surprise us with a special gift, wrapped in a way that surprises us. Think about God's greatest gift, Jesus, who was the Son of God wrapped in ordinary human flesh, a gift which allows you and I to become extraordinary! Far from gold, burning tapers and treasured icons, the birth of Jesus was surprisingly unworldly.

     LaGard says: "But then, that's what is so fun about being one of God's children: just when we least expect it, God surprises us with pearls of joy gift-wrapped in plain brown paper!"

I hope you all have a wonderful week!
Blessings...Mimi

Bethlehem: Surprise

"Tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you." Joshua 3:5

     As I explained in my last blog, I'm going to be using Meeting God in Holy Places: A Devotional Journey by F. LaGard Smith to lift our spirits from time to time. I made an explanation for my long absence from my blogs on my regular blog: http://memosfrommimi.blogspot.com, so I won't repeat it here. But at this point, I'll remind you that this book gives us  an inside look at the HOLY LAND.  The first site is Bethlehem, and the chapter is titled "Surprise."

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     Our God is a God of surprises. Just when we think we've got Him figured out, He gives us what we least expect. I'm talking about the humble birth of Jesus. Read on to learn of some things that may surprise you. First, you'll be surprised to hear that when LaGard first saw the little town of Bethlehem, he was not only surprised, but disappointed. After seeing the  town where Jesus was born beautifully illustrated on cards at Christmas time all his life, seeing the real city wasn't anything like those pictures. Bethlehem is a  city which isn't sitting in a pretty little valley in stillness, but a city set above steps cut into a hill of olive groves. Buses, cars, tourists, noise and congestion are the main characteristics of this Israeli town.

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     Many tourists were there to visit the "massive, fortress-like Church of the Nativity." And even though no one knows exactly where Jesus was born, it was most certainly somewhere close--a fact "to take your breath away in anticipation." But going into the church through it's low doorway (built to keep marauding Turks on their horses out), there are some beautiful and ancient  mosaic tiles on the entrance floor. The church's antiquity is impressive as it is the oldest church anywhere, constructed by Constantine and his mother in A.D. 325.

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     But is that the point? For Christians who make the pilgrimage,  the point is to see the manger where Jesus was born. But there isn't an inn, or a manger, or straw and not even any  gentle animals. Like the icons dripping with gold in the entry to the chapel,  the place shown as Jesus's place of birth is a gaudy white, marble-lined niche in a cave wall that is dimly lit by hanging lamps, strange to those who had an entirely different picture in mind from reading the description in the Bible.
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     But more to the point, there may be some real surprises in regard to other ideas about Jesus's birth. It will disappoint those who haven't already learned that December 25 is not a likely time of year for the Savior's birth. The sheep grazing in the green fields and being watched by shepherds would have been there in the spring. And even though we speak of three wise men because there were three gifts, we don't actually know how many wise men came to visit the new king. And they didn't visit the manger, but went to visit the king six months later when the family was in a house.

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     Now, if these details disturb you, think of King Herod's surprise when he was asked by the Magi about the newborn king. He knew nothing about Micah's prophecy that Bethlehem would be the Savior's birthplace. Not only was he surprised by this news, but threatened. He didn't know anything about the God who fills our lives with surprises.
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    Now think of the shepherds in the field, how they were surprised by the appearances of the angel and the heavenly host! Their fear turned to joy when they found the baby "wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." They went from surprise, shock, fear, disbelief, hope, trust, and confirmation to--finally--indescribable joy! God came near, and these lowly shepherds were there to witness it. Lowly shepherds were the first witnesses to the one birth that gives meaning to all other births! Does that surprise you? Would you have presented this important event the way God did?


     Enough for today...I'll finish up this chapter tomorrow. I hope you're having a wonderful week!
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Blessings...Mimi

The Journey Begins...Meeting God In Holy Places ~

"Israel was holy to the Lord." Jeremiah 2:3 

It's been a while since I posted on this blog, but as I'm sure you know, I'm still working on a novel that I began last November. I have wanted to do something here that gives all of us an uplifting few minutes during our week. This time I'm going to  summarize each chapter of the second devotional book by F. LaGard Smith called Meeting God in Holy Places: A Devotional Journey, so that it's easier to understand. LaGard made several visits to the Holy Land, and the sites and sounds of those trips are shared with us through this devotional book. Once again, I'll be summarizing the chapters for you, as I did over a long period of time with Meeting God in Quiet Places: The Cotswold Parables. I'm partial to these two devotional books, and I feel close to all of you as I'm sharing them here. I hope you feel the same way.
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The first picture on here is of the Mount of  Beatitudes in the Spring. It is one of the places which we read about in the Bible, and one of the places that LaGard visited. He says: "Stand on the Mount of Beatitudes on a lovely spring day, and you're surrounded on every side by the 'lilies of the field' and 'birds of the air' of which Jesus spoke. Why, indeed, should we worry? Are you not much more valuable than they?" 

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Today I just want to give you the introduction and a few words about this book. It takes time to read and summarize, but it's just these kind of spiritual thoughts that I want to share with you. I usually take two blogs for each lesson because they are long and have so many gems of encouragement in them. I'll be hoping to put on a chapter a week, but that may get sidetracked until I finish the novel!
                                                                                                                        Mount of Beatitudes with view of Plain of Genesseret

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      On the inside cover, there is a description which lets you know what is in the contents of the book: 

"Imagine walking through the Holy Land, the people and places of Scripture coming vividly to life. Touch the stories in the valley where the boy David defeated the mighty Goliath. Visit the pool of Bethesda and ponder the healing power of Christ. Come closer to Jesus as He prays in agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. As these meditative parables lead you gently into the land of God's great promises, you'll discover a deep peace that comes from walking in a place like no other--a place that Jesus called home."
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I find the Table of Contents very interesting, as it contains such topics as Bethlehem, The Holy Sepulchre, the Valley of Gehenna, The Wailing Wall, The Dead Sea, The Ossuary, the Pool of Bethesda, Masada, Mount Carmel, Passover, Gethsemane, Mount of Olives, Judean Desert, Sea of Galilee, Jordan River, Mount of Beatitudes, Dome of the Rock, and the Bell Caves, along with a few others. If you love the Bible and places where its history took place, this is a way of connecting to those sites in a way that also moves your heart. We can meet God in holy places without actually making the trip!
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From Jerusalem, the City of David, to places of biblical events, such as the pools of Siloam and Bethesda where Jesus performed at least two of his many miracles of healing, to the Way of Sorrows, where Jesus walked to his crucifixion, and on to the tomb where He is believed to have lain. And there are also the Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane. And who wouldn't want to visit the city where Jesus was born? The city where "God came into our world so that we might enter into his." And, in fact, the Holy Land is the place where God chose to reveal himself to us. It is a breathtaking pilgrimage through history--God's and ours.  

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If any of this sounds interesting to you, stay tuned. I'll get the first lesson on here for you to read very soon. In the meantime, keep God in your hearts and minds as you make this walk on earth!

Blessings...Mimi

The Hill of Obedience ~

But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.  James 1:22

After being away from this blog for a couple of months, I'll simply say that my explanation is on my regular blog, if you'd like to read it, that is:
http://memosfrommimi.blogspot.com

This morning I want to continue with our metaphor of climbing hills, and this one is the Hill of Obedience. This is an important hill to climb because without it, climbing the hills of faith, love and hope is pointless. Ask yourself: What does God require of me?

And the answer is found in Matthew 5:21-23: "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness'!" We must learn to recognize the difference in saying and doing.

There are so many people today who claim to be Christians, but who don't reflect the characteristics most often applied to Christians by God's word. These are the same people who are offended if you so much as imply that their attitude or behavior is surprisingly the opposite. This group has grown bigger and louder over the last few decades.

But James 2:24 speaks the truth: "You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only." SAYING you're a Christian and BEING a Christian can be two different ways of living your life. If you say you're a Christian, but you don't OBEY God rather than your own worldly thoughts, desires and ideas, you aren't pleasing to God. It isn't me saying this...it's God's word.

And now that we're seeing how necessary it is to obey God, let's see how our obedience brings salvation. Beginning in James 5:8-9, you can read:
 "...though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him...."
                                                                                                               
What did Christ suffer? He suffered the betrayal, pain, anguish, and sorrow of the cross for our sakes. How does the suffering of Christ compare to your suffering? Perhaps in our culture today we balk at a word like obey. And even if we don't balk at it, do we ignore it because we can? Who is going to say that you're being disobedient? And if a fellow church member, neighbor, or family member tells you that you're wrong, what is your response? It's important for us to understand the sincere and earnest nature of obedience whether we always maintain it or not.

Romans 8:16 gives us the assurance of salvation if we obey God:
"The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together."
                             
Does that mean doing our own thing? Does that mean deciding how we feel about a matter and ignoring the destruction we leave in our wake? Does that mean being unkind when we've decided the person before us is in the wrong? Are you the one suffering, or do you cause suffering in others? Do you create a more stable environment or a less stable one?

These are questions for you to ponder. Only you can know your heart and mind, therefore, only you can answer the questions. I have no doubt that those around you would be willing to put in their two cents, but that might throw you off balance. It is important for us to think about spiritual things as the world is coming unglued. God is showing us His power. Who controls the world and everything in it? We should give time to acknowledging the power of God and praying for His mercy. We should make sure that our obedience is full and complete. And we should take time to examine our hearts, so that we can know whether our lives are obedient. Do it for yourself! Do it for your loved ones! Do it for your country! Do it so that you may be pleasing to God!

I hope you've had a good week and will have a wonderful weekend.
Blessings...Mimi

    

   

The Hill of Hope ~

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

Who is the source of eternal hope? Of life? Of Salvation? God is! And how do we receive the Holy Spirit? Through His word! Ephesians 1 tells us: "In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in who also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory." God's own Spirit comes to dwell within the believer, securing and preserving his eternal salvation. How wonderful does that sound to you? It infuses us with hope, which we basically must have to continue a faithful walk on this earth. 

                                                                                                                           

My brother, Ron, has this to say about hope: "Hope involves both desire and expectation. Some people desire to go to heaven who really have no basis for expecting it. A person shows a proper attitude [Had you forgotten that these lessons are also a discussion of right attitudes?] toward God when his hope is laid up in heaven. To anyone who has this hope, Ephesians says that it is an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast; it is a hill to look up to in time of trouble to help one to maintain his faith firm to the end. Doubt, fear, anxiety, etc., may be erased completely by hope. Let us 'lay hold of the hope set before us'."                                  

                                                                                                     

Now let's look at some verses which tell us that Christ is our hope. 1 Timothy 1 introduces the apostle Paul as "an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope." It's because Christ bought our salvation with his own blood that Christians have hope. His death covers believers from the cross in both directions. I didn't know that until fairly recently--or at least I hadn't thought of it in that way. It's so comforting to know that anything and everything pertaining to our being saved has been thought of by our Father in heaven.

There is a message of hope in Luke 24, which tells us that "thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." This is often referred to as the Great Commission. Who better to preach the message of hope than the witnesses to all that had happened? Together at this time were several of the disciples and apostles and the Christ stood in the middle of them as proof of His resurrection. The result was Paul's exclamation in Romans: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek." And so the message was carried to all the then-known world by those who believed on the name of Jesus Christ. 

There is much more to be said about the Hill of Hope, so we can look forward to another time together for the deepening of our faith. 

Have a good weekend! 

Blessings...Mimi  

The Hill of Love ~ My Love for God and Jesus

I'm going to pick up right where I left off some time ago. Life sometimes gets in the way of writing blogs, and although I'm not sure that I'm ready to continue full bore, I'll do my best. I apologize for leaving you hanging from one post to another, but hopefully we'll continue our climb up the Hill of Love. It might help to go back and read my last post to refresh your memory. When you think about the fact that God IS love, you'll realize that this is the most important part of your thinking and application, love being the guidance system for your behavior, both as a child of God and as a Christian.

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Just to remind you, we looked at God's love for man, and Jesus' love for man, and I began talking about how we can and must show our love for God and Jesus, as well as our fellow man. Let's look at 1 John 2:3-6, where a test for knowing God is given:  "Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, 'I know Him,' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked." 

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So what are these verses about? They are all about testing our geniune fellowship with God and with Christ  through obedience and worship. You can call yourself a Christian--and many do--but there are proofs of Christianity which will tell your story. If you love God, you will keep His commandments. If you're a follower of Christ, you will be an obedient servant and love your fellow man. How can we show that we love our fellow man? One way is found in Mark 9:41: "For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward." Matthew 10:42 uses these same words. The point of these verses is that we show our love of Christ and fellow man by providing people with their needs--whether food, clothing or shelter. Our country was a better place when churches provided for the poor and needy on a larger scale. 

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And what about our own thanksgiving, which comes from a grateful heart? 1 Timothy 4:3-5 talks about receiving all food created by God "with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer." In other words, we're all to be grateful for our food, which has been given to us by God. Do you say a prayer of thanksgiving before you eat? You may already know that some Jews bless their food before and after the meal. That practice takes piety a step further, but sometimes we need to shake up our idea of showing how very thankful we are. 
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One of the rewards for showing love for God by keeping is commandments is that He gives us a helper. John 14:15-18 says: "If you love me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever--the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you."  What encouragement for all of us! I think we forget sometimes that God is very interested in us and our lives here on earth. And His promises are always fulfilled. He promised a Savior and He sent His own Son. We cannot imagine giving one of our children to save someone else. But God did it for us.

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 In fact, 1 John 4:19 reminds us: "We love Him because He first loved us." How much clearer could that message be!? It is a stunning gift from God to save us from our sins. The very least we can do is to be thankful and love Him in return. And we're told in Romans 12:1-2 that a part of that love and thankfulness is seen when we offer ourselves as living sacrifices. In these verses, Paul says: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

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To get a good picture of what that meant in Jesus' day, read Luke 9. In this chapter, the twelve are sent to preach, five thousand are fed, Peter's confession of faith is given, and before the transfiguration of Christ is described, a description of the true cost of discipleship is given. You've probably heard these words many times in your life: "Then He said to them all, 'If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels'." 

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Hmmm...it seems to me that most folks are trying to gain the whole world! So it would seem a good idea to reflect on your life to see where your treasure lies. Hebrews 10:30-31 reminds us that we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord. And again, 'The Lord will judge His people.' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."   

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It may be that we no longer fear God as we should. Only you can answer for yourself, as we all must. I am always praying that something said will touch your heart and cause you to look at God's will for us who are His children in a fresh light. Remember that 2 Corinthians 8:8 tells us that God is testing the sincerity of our love for Him. May we all meet that test! 

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Blessings...Mimi  

  

  

The Hill of Love ~

Good evening~ I feel that you and I are making this long journey together through the valleys and up the hills of life. This study takes us up the Hill of Love, a hill which has many challenges even though we may assume it's an easy one. As always, we take a deep breath as we make the plunge into a deeper spiritual life.

You may be surprised if I ask you, "What is the greatest gift?" And you already know that the answer is love. In one of the most beautiful passages in the Bible that question is answered. And even though you've heard it many times, I wouldn't let any conversation about love go without mentioning it. It's in 1 Corinthians 13, which says:

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
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Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails....And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." 

Those words speak a definite conclusion as to what is the greatest gift. This is such an important subject because I'm not sure there is much true love in the world today. And without going into all the reasons why I feel that way, I'll simply say that love has to be practiced and practiced again. It isn't always easy to show love or to give love, but doesn't it seem to you that it is--at the very least--a requirement for following Christ? And in an effort to give us another look at the way love behaves, it may help us to look at some scriptures on love. 

                                      

First, let's look at some thoughts about God's love for man. Ron has something to say about this: "God has demonstrated His love for us. What a hill to look up to as we walk through the valleys of life! How uplifting to our spirits! Some things about which we are concerned become so trivial when compared to what God has given for us. Often we must meet someone with greater problems than our own before we appreciate the blessings we have, e.g., the man who had only one hand met a man who had no legs." This graphic mental picture reminds us to count our blessings every day. And Ron has also been with people in Russia, South America and Mosambique who have few choices in food, or places to live, or ways to stay warm. We are truly blessed!  

Then looking at Ephesians 3, beginning with verse 17, it says: "...that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height--to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." Now what exactly does all that mean to us? Width refers to the fact that God is available to everyone who believes in Him. Length refers to how far God would go for our sakes: to the extent of giving His only begotten Son. Depth refers to the fact that our very souls are pulled out of hell so that we will not perish. And height refers to how high we may rise: we will be exalted to heaven's glory and to eternal life. Breathtaking in its simplicity and profound in it's message!

Now let's look at Jesus' love for man. Besides the verses in Ephesians we just looked at, which include comprehension of the love of Christ, we can look at John 15:13: "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." And that's what Christ did for us.  He gave the ultimate gift of Himself! Matthew 27:35 tells us: "Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: 'They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots'." Jesus died for you and He died for me. Not in the lap of luxury or convenience, but among criminals and thieves. Christ paid for our sins. What are we willing to do for Him? Are we "looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith"? It was Jesus "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." While Jesus was on earth, He endured poverty, humiliation, insults and pain so unjustly. All of this, He did for us because of His love for us. And now that He is in heaven, we can look up to Him for salvation.

Now we've looked at the love that God and Jesus have for man. What is involved in showing our love for God and Jesus? We take for granted that our inward man must love God completely. How many times have you read these words: "Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." Everyone who is a child of God must embrace its meaning and live by it.

And that's not quite all we need to be doing to show our love. 1 John 1:3 says that we should have fellowship with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. Later, in verse 6, he says, "If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." So, basically, it's sharing our lives with the Holy Ones. And not only do we have fellowship with God and Jesus, but we have love for others. Later on in 1 John, it says: "If someone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also." Almost everyone I know believes it's different for them...God won't notice that they don't get along with others--perhaps feeling self-righteously that God will understand because it is them. Do they have a right to feel the way they do? Haven't they been wronged and mistreated? We should all give more thought to our relationships.

Because this study is getting too long, I'm going to stop and say more later--perhaps giving a more complete idea about how we can more easily show our love for God and Jesus, as well as other people. Climbing the Hill of Love sounds easy and familiar to us because we hear the word love so often, but practicing true love is harder when we look at it from a deeper context. More on this another time.

Have a wonderful day!

Blessings...Mimi

The Hill of Faith: Trusting in Jesus ~

Hello again~ We've looked at scripture about having faith in God, and I mentioned having faith in Jesus, but in this lesson, I want to wrap up our thoughts about climbing the Hill of Faith by looking at a few scriptures which specify faith in Christ. Jesus, as the promised Messiah, qualifies as the perfect object for our faith. And there are wonderful connections to be made between the Messiah and the psalmist David.  In Romans 15:12, that tie is given to us in poetic form: "There shall be a root of Jesse; And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, In Him the Gentiles shall hope." David was the son of Jesse, whose lineage runs straight through to Jesus the Christ.

What does this mean to us? It means David foreshadowed Jesus the Messiah. As I said in a blog I wrote over a year ago, the magnitude of his life is hard to grasp. No king before or after him loved God as much. He was a man after God's own heart. And when he failed to please God and sinned, he was humble and contrite, begging forgiveness. But David was not only a king, a warrior and a ruler, he was also a prophet. In II Samuel 22:23, as David was about to die, he spoke these words: "The spirit of the Lord hath spoken by me and his word by my tongue." The importance of David and his forshadowing of Christ is seen in these 10 facts about his prophecies.

1. David's prophecies are Messianic.
2. David's prophecies refer to the suffering of Christ.
3. David's prophecies refer to the persecution of Christ.
4. David's prophecies refer to the triumphant deliverance of Christ.
5. David's prophecies refer to the hereditary rights given Jesus by the Father.
6. David's prophecies were written 1,000 years before Christ, but many make reference to and foreshadow Him.
7. David was a king after God's own heart; his qualities are of the Messiah.
8. Two facts that foreshadow Christ: David & Christ both born in Bethlehem; David's shepherd life points to Jesus, the Good Shepherd.
9. Both David and Christ were betrayed by friends and had to make a sad passage.
10. The Davidic Psalms are clearly typical of the future Messiah, of which David was a type.

As I said, David's last words acknowledge that he was a prophet. Many of the 100 direct references to Jesus in Messianic passages of the Psalms are quoted in the New Testament. They are used to explain the character and message of Jesus as Messiah and refer to all of the above. When we think of David, we should think of him as a man after God's own heart, and a type of the Messiah. Does it create faith and trust in your heart when you hear such amazing details as these? It does for me!

                                 
And it doesn't stop there. John 20:30-31 gives us the reason the book of John was written: "...but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name." Why did Christ come? We would all answer that question by saying that Christ had to come and die on the cross so that we could have forgiveness of our sins. And, as I've gotten older, I have begun to realize that it isn't quite as easy to have the kind of faith and trust we need as I once thought. When you get down to the truth that is presented in the New Testament, we have been trained to accept it from our youth. But sometimes I find that if it isn't getting stronger, with a deeper understanding, then we're missing the boat. So I'll suggest that maybe we all need to scrutinize our beliefs from time to time. If a Muslim jehadist told you to reject Jesus or have your head cut off, what would you do? What would you say? We haven't been persecuted for our beliefs very much--maybe an argument with an opposing brother or neighbor. It might do us some good to challenge our faith and see whether we're trusting in Jesus.   

In John 8:22-24, there is a revealing sequence. Jesus is misunderstood by the Jewish leaders. So the Jews said, "Will He kill Himself, because He says, 'Where I go you cannot come'? And He said to them, "You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins." In my simplified view of these words, it's relevant for us to grasp the message that the fatal, unforgivable sin is rejecting Christ. The Messiah had finally come, but was mostly rejected by the Jews. I say mostly because some of the Jews accepted Him--even some of the priests, who helped to teach and preach the gospel with all their wisdom and understanding. Should we do less?

                                                                                                      

And so we can look at the One who gives us strength. One of my favorite lines in the Bible is the first part of Jeremiah 20:11, which says: "But the Lord is with me like a mighty warrior...." When I come home alone from my daughter's, and it's late and dark outside, those words go through my mind over and over. I have to trust that God is with me or I would be too fearful to leave the house. And in that same vein,  2 Thessalonians 3:3-5 says,  "But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you. Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ." This time the protection is from Satan and his angels, but we can rest in this guardian presence. When we are following Christ, trusting in His ability to lead us, guide us, and guard our hearts and minds, then our lives will be what God planned for us from the beginning of Creation!

                                                                                                           

And because I love the parable of the mustard seed, I'll remind you once more that: "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, Move from here to there, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you." If you believe this statement, you are climbing the Hill of Faith!

Blessings...Mimi   

The Hill of Faith ~ Trusting in God & Jesus Christ

You will keep him in perfect peace,

Whose mind is stayed on You,

because he trusts in You,

Trust in the Lord forever,

For in YAH, the Lord, is

              everlasting strength.

You put your trust in all kinds of things--yourself, money or the money market, and even false idols--which can range from sports to rock stars--or simply other people, as I talked about in the last lesson. And since we've looked at the things you can't put your trust in, then the question becomes, where should you put your trust? 

Looking at the words of the psalmist in Psalm 141:8, he tells us: "But my eyes are upon You, O God the Lord; in You I take refuge: do not leave my soul destitute." Does that give you an idea what's in David's heart and mind? It isn't difficult to see that David depends on God completely. As in Psalm 118:8-9, he says, "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes." Did you hear what David says to us from across time and space? In loud and clear terms, he says, don't trust man, trust God. Don't trust princes, trust God. And what are we told in Proverbs 28:25 from the man of wisdom: "He who is of proud heart stirs up strife, but he who trusts in the Lord will be prospered." So the conclusion from David and Solomon is: Trust in God! 

And, of course, Christians are always willing to listen when Jesus speaks. And so we look at what Jesus says in Matthew 6:19-21 about this subject: "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." How's that for a way to cut through all of our protesting and look at trusting in heavenly blessings!? And before you think smugly that you don't trust in earthly things, make a reality check. Not for me or anyone else, but for yourself. Be honest with the way you look at where your fears and anxiety have taken you. There is usually a way to improve upon our attitudes, and that's partly what this series is about. Climbing the Hill of Faith is all about learning to depend totally on God and Christ--not just in what you say, but in what you do.

                                                     
So I'm going to give you one more lesson on the Hill of Faith, which involves our trusting  in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Think about these ideas as you make decisions in your everyday life. There is no point in reading about biblical principles, if we don't give them a place in our decisions. No, it isn't easy to question our motives or our attitudes or our decisions, but if you want to be a follower of Christ, it is an absolute MUST! Remember that if you have faith as a mustard seed, you can move mountains! And we're promised that nothing will be impossible to us--now that isn't anything to take for granted, is it? 

I hope and pray that your week is going well. 

Blessings...Mimi    

The Hill of Faith ~

If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.  Matthew 17:20

Hello everyone! This picture is appropriate because these are mustard trees growing below a hill, representing both of  my thoughts today. Friday always feels good to me, and today is especially good because my brother Ron has returned from Russia. I'm thankful to God and want to hear about his trip. As I've said, I'm using Ron's material to generate these blogs, but I'm writing them myself.

                                                                                                                     

And it's also a good Friday because we're moving out of the valleys and climbing into the hills of the Christian life. Today you and I will begin climbing the Hill of Faith together, and there will be other hills which will lead us toward a victorious life.  Here, I want to quote what Ron says about the Hill of Faith: "Man is confronted with many problems and difficulties in this life: 'Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. He comes forth like a flower and fades away; he flees like a shadow and does not continue.' (Job 14:1-2) Does this seem to be pessimistic? Man faces valleys in life which are not pleasant: discouragement, depression, persecutions and trials, and death, etc. But let us remember that God has promised a time when there will be no tears or sorrows--'There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.' Hebrews 4:9 says that life on this earth is brief (of few days)."
       

And he continues: "Therefore, we should walk wisely through the valley of decision. We are able to do this by lifting up our eyes to the hills and receiving the help which the Lord provided for us. WE MUST TRUST IN HIM AND TRUST HIM!

Job 15:11 asks, "Are the consolations of God too small for you?"

And, simplified, Job 11:13-20 says:

1. Prepare your heart~
2. Stretch out your hands toward Him~                                                      
3. Then you could lift up your face without spot~
4. You could be steadfast, and not fear~
5. You would be secure~
6. Because there is hope!                                                                 

No wonder we're ready to climb out of the valleys and into the hills! But just to remind us of our inclinations, let's look at where we place our trust and confidence. Even though we may not realize it, we often put our trust in the things in and of the world. This is something we should all consider carefully, because we tend to believe that we are above this kind of behavior.

1. Trusting in SELF.  Proverbs 28:26 says that "He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered." And in Luke 18:9-14, Jesus uses the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector to show what attitude we should have. Listen to this: "Also He spoke to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 'Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, "God I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess." And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Have you actually given some thought as to your arrogance or humilty toward your spiritual life? We should all take time to examine our deeper concepts and beliefs. No one is fooled but you if you're wrong.
2. Trusting in OTHERS. Sometimes it's easier for us to trust in others rather than in God. Remember what Paul says in Acts 20: 28-31--that after he was gone, savage wolves would come in, not sparing the flock? And he warned that men would rise up and teach perverse things that would draw away the disciples of Christ. So his advice is to watch for these false teachers. See also Colossians 2:18-23 and 2 Peter 2:1-3. And remember that false teachers  might be reaching you on a television screen. Sometimes in this chaotic world, we turn to those who sooth our anxiety. But be careful about giving them your heart and mind without seeing their true position. Be mindful that they may be trying to draw you away.  
3. Trusting in IDOLS/FALSE GODS. And I'm sure you remember Elijah when he came to all the people and said: "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him. But the people answered him not a word." And then the contest between God and Baal was carried out, so that all the people knew that the Lord was God. And as to the futility of false gods, read Psalm 115:2-8. False gods or idols can be found in surprising places. And they don't necessarily have the look that we expect. Money, position, fame, sports, and even food  or entertainment can become something we worship. Watch your interests!
4. Trusting in RICHES: The Proverbs always provide you with wisdom, and in 11:28, it says: "He who earnestly seeks good finds favor, but trouble will come to him who seeks evil." And looking in 1 Timothy 6:17, there are some instructions to the rich: "Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy." And in Luke 12:16-21 is the parable of the rich fool who saw that his barns weren't big enough, and so he determined to build bigger barns. What does he say to himself? He says: "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry." But God said to him: "Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?" And  then you can see that "So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."  Again, you reach the end of the point and find that it's up to you...your choice to serve God or yourself.

I've given you enough to think about today. Next, as we climb the Hill of Faith, there are some passages about trusting in God and in Jesus Christ. It's where faith the size of a mustard seed comes in. It doesn't have to be all that big to become something that grows and matures into a faith that influences the world. What you might think about is how your faith affects you, your life, your family, and your friends. Is it deep enough to change your attitudes, your decisions, and your way of life? 

Blessings...Mimi         

The Valley of Death ~ 2

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me: Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4

There are so many people in the Old Testament who came to a bad end--not only individuals, but whole nations at times. So let's look at someone who came to a good end. David is a man whose sin changed the course of his life, but not his inevitable death. David is the shepherd boy who fought and killed the giant Goliath, because he had so much faith in God. When Saul told David that he was too young to fight a man of war, he said: "The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." Faith and trust are two of David's strongest characteristics.

And when Saul was struck with depression, it was David who played the harp and brought him out of it. Saul's advisors had told him that "the Lord is with him." And when Saul, as the first king of Israel, decided to follow his own way instead of God's, God rejected him as king and chose David. As king, David began building the greatest empire that had ever existed, but because there were so many enemies to conquer, which put blood on his hands, God wouldn't allow David to build the temple. But David didn't sit on his hands--he collected money, materials and plans for the building of the temple. There are so many significant facts about David, but for our lesson, we want to look at his death. Here are a few of his last words, which can be found in 2 Samuel 23.

The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me,

And His word was on my tongue.                                                                  

The God of Israel said,

The Rock of Israel spoke to me:

He who rules over men must be

             just,

Ruling in the fear of God. 

All of his last words are there, if you want to read them. I simply wanted to reflect the fact that David was within God's embrace at the time of his death. In fact, David left a legacy which continues, and which I list in a blog written September 21, 2010--10 Things You May Not Know About David & Prophecy. He was truly "a man after God's own heart."  

                                                                            

Now let's move to the New Testament, where you can learn about the life and death of Jesus and the apostles. Jesus was born in Bethlehem and grew up to be a carpenter, but he was a child who spent time in the temple, talking to the scribes and Pharisees. When Jesus was ready to reveal His purpose as the Son of God, John the Baptizer was sent to make way for Him. He chose 12 apostles to spead His gospel, and He had many disciples. Jesus had multitudes of people following Him as He taught them and healed them, and sometimes even fed them. Jesus had a message that had never been heard before--a message of hope, love, mercy, and victory in life and over death. And when His words and deeds proved that He was the Son of God, it made the leaders of the Jews indignant, and they decided He had to die.

When it came time for Jesus to die, and after the supper with His apostles, Jesus went into Gethsemane and prayed: "O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." The agony that Jesus suffered is impossible for us to imagine, but by His willingness to die for our sins, we can have that same hope and trust in God's will to save us.

And when He died on the cross--a miserable, criminal death--He cried out to His Father. And at the moment of His death, the veil in the temple was split in two pieces, and there was an earthquake. Then He triumphantly rose again and was seen by His disciples, some of whom watched Him ascend into heaven. Our Savior's death was full of anguish, bitterness and sorrow, but he bore it all for you and for me. These truths, which show the love of God and His Son, should give you pause. God's great love should create a desire in you to live with Him forever.    

                                                            

Now after the death of Jesus, His apostles continued to teach, even though they were commanded by the Jewish council not to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. But they ignored the Jewish leaders and were persecuted because of their belief and teachings. In Acts 4:19-20, Peter and John answered the council's commands, saying: "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." They were threatened and let go because the miracle they'd performed made the people glorify God. And the leaders were afraid of the people. Then the disciples came together, and Acts 4:31 says: "And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness." 

And when the apostles were again brought before the Jewish council, Peter was asked why he had continued to teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and the other apostles said: "We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him."  Naturally, this infuriated the council and they determined to kill them. All of the apostles except John died because of persecution.
                            

And Paul willingly went to Jerusalem, knowing that "the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me." But what did Paul say as he faced his own death: "...nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God." What an attitude! And, of course, that's just the smallest example of Paul's life preaching Christ. He traveled and taught the gospel of Christ until his death, which he knew was coming, and accepted with the knowledge that his home was in heaven. Something for us to contemplate. 

This is a grand subject, which I have rather butchered in order to give you some thoughts to chew on. I encourage you to read and study further to strengthen your knowledge on the subject of death. While you are still living, you have the chance to enhance your life and prepare for your death through the study of God's word.

I hope you're all enjoying a beautiful Sunday afternoon with your family!

Blessings...Mimi