By Geoffrey, New Zealand
I have a plot of land, five metres by five metres, at our local community garden. Most of the plot holders are from Fiji, but a few are from India. Two days ago I was walking down the street (I go everywhere on foot, since I don’t have a car), and one of the men from our community garden gave a short honk on the horn and waved to me! It was so encouraging for me! I really don’t know him so well, but at the garden I always smile and acknowledge him! “One of the purposes of an ambassador is to work for peace, to promote peace. I represent the Prince of Peace.” There is such an extraordinary lack of peace today, especially inner peace in the hearts of the people. I am seeing that among the Indians at my garden; people are so thankful, so appreciative, to be noticed, to be greeted just with a smile and a simple “Hi.” In a splendid book which I have been reading, The Choice, by Edith Eva Eger, the author, a psychologist in America writes, “I would say the most common diagnosis in the people I treat is hunger. We are hungry. We are hungry for approval, attention, affection.” This is absolutely the situation in New Zealand. As I go about my shopping and other business locally, I look at people I pass on the footpath, and if they are looking at me, I smile and say, “Hi!” People are very happy to just be acknowledged. It is amazing what can be accomplished in just a few words. At the checkout at my local supermarket, I occasionally say to the checkout person, “I have a question for you: Are you having a good day?” One older Indian lady told me, “I am always having a good day!” I said, “You have a very fortunate husband!” to which she replied, “You would need to ask him about that!” Such a nice little exchange! Some time ago a Chinese woman at my laundromat said, “I just wish I could die.” Desperate words. I will go to visit her later this morning, since Mondays are her day at my laundromat. I have discovered that I am pretty much her only friend, and she is so happy to just have a friend. Her English is not good, and I have started reading the newspaper with her, teaching her a little English. At one point she told me that she doesn’t believe in God. (I discovered that some years back she was going to a church, and later left, disappointed.) Recently I said to her, “Believing in God makes you strong.” Noticeably this time she didn’t argue with me. Small talk is very valuable. The Lord opens doors in the most unexpected places. I am always looking for people to give my vegetables to. I believe an extremely important principle for disciples of Christ is giving. You cannot love without giving. One of my neighbors, William, who lives just a few houses up the street, is happy to receive a few vegetables. He invited me to a cup of tea a couple of days ago. William and his wife are from the Cook Islands. At one point I was telling him about a most interesting Bible verse, Matthew 13:12: “For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away” (ESV). I was saying to William that the Bible has a lot that is not “religious,” but rather deep wisdom. He was very intrigued by that verse. In the course of our conversation he told me that in the Cook Islands their god is Tangaroa, and that his idea is that all gods are the same, but he was happy for me to give him a Bible! I’m out the door to give more encouragement.
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I began my journey back to the DC Metro area. I was equipped with my debit cards, easy pass, and the ten dollar bill my Mom gave to me the night before to help with my gas expenses. Before getting on the highway, I knew I had to get gas because of course; I did the “girl thing” and ran my tank very low. I wasn’t sure as to which gas station was the best, so I followed my instinct. For some reason I felt myself being pulled towards the Marathon station, so without hesitation, I pulled up to the pump.
While at the pump I had a thought that told me to “pay attention.” Just as the thought entered my head, a worn-out pick-up truck with a silver cap pulled up behind me. The gentleman got out and began counting change as he walked towards the gas station attendant. He was thin, very dirty, and his teeth were rotten. I remember thinking that he had to be on his way to get coffee because he was counting change. At first I was a little afraid but then calm came over me. Our eyes met and he said hello and I returned the smile and the greeting. I asked him if he was headed to work and he smiled big and said proudly, “No, I am headed to diesel mechanic school and it is my last day. I have been going all year long. Soon I will be working on those big trucks out there on the road. Then he went on to say still with a cheerful voice, “Well hopefully I will get there”. I only have $2.50 for my gas tank. Right then I knew exactly what I needed to do. I quickly opened my truck door, reached into my purse and grabbed the ten dollars my Mom had given me. I motioned to him to wait so that he wouldn’t leave. I ran into the station and asked the attendant to add the additional ten dollars to his total. After pumping the gas he said, “thank you so much, now I know I will get there. Have a nice day”. As he drove off, my eyes began to water with joy because it was very clear to me what had just happened.
Verse of the day:
In famine He (God) shall redeem thee from death: and in war from the power of the sword. -- Job 5:20 Think about it It was February 1931, in a Chinese district that suffering a famine. There was still another month until harvest time, but people needed food right then. The people in the area who trusted in God decided to organised a prayer meeting each afternoon. On the fourth day of prayer, a dark cloud appeared over the district, and it rained heavily. It was not ordinary rain at all, but little black seeds. There were so many that they could be shoveled up. The seeds proved to be edible and there was enough to last until the harvest. Later it was discovered that the storm had come from Mongolia, where it had destroyed the storehouses in which this grain was stored. The grain was carried over 1500 miles to drop on the district that so desperately needed it. It pays to trust God to provide for you. Praise of the day: I will praise the Lord because, “…the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy; to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.” -- Psalm 33:18-19 By Maria Hodler
“It has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him.”—Philippians 1:29 I am a creature of comfort. I don’t want luxury, but I do love comfort. I like—no, strike that—LOVE creature comforts, such as warm cups of tea, soft blankets, cuddling with my kids, a plate of pasta, an evening laughing with friends, the joy of a shirt that fits just right, kisses from my husband, a pretty place to sit. These are the things I seek out. I also like knowing that everyone I love is comfortable. Truth be told, I consider these my needs. Let me tell you about the things I don’t seek out: pain (of any kind), suffering, distress, and deprivation. I really dislike anything that will leave me cold, tired, or hungry—let alone injured or in pain. I like things to be easy. That’s just the honest truth. There is this verse in the Bible that really conflicts with what I consider my “needs”: “It has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him.”( Philippians 1:29) This passage was written to the Christians of Philippi when Paul was in prison. In the previous verses Paul was talking about how honored he felt to be in prison for preaching the gospel, and expressing how whether he lived or died, his life belonged to God. So there I have it in black and white: “It is given to me to suffer for Christ.” Paul is letting us know that it’s not just a “feel good” religion where we find comfort, hope, encouragement, peace, and all that good stuff. Our faith in Jesus is also something we can expect to suffer for. Religious persecution can seem so far removed from our universe that we don’t realize that even today there are many Christians whose faith costs them heavily in terms of personal comfort, safety, freedom, and even their lives. It can be a shock for those of us who live in places where religious persecution is less common that our faith comes with a “must be willing to suffer” clause. Jesus prepared our hearts for it when He said, “The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you.”(John 15:20) Persecution is actually a promise for living the way God wants you to live. Paul says this in 2 Timothy 3:12: “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” So persecution can be a sign that your choices and lifestyle are probably right and godly. I decided to put a face on what persecution can look like, just to prepare my heart and so that when it comes, I will remember that this is what I have signed up for. 1. Being called out for my beliefs. This could mean having to explain to some of my secular friends that I believe in things like intelligent design and being ridiculed for those beliefs. Or taking flak for not condoning certain kinds of behaviors or lifestyles. Or perhaps watching my kids being pushed out of the “cool crowd” for choosing to be true to their faith. 2. Having someone go out of their way to make my or my family’s life miserable because of our faith. Maybe someone will spread malicious stories about me and my loved ones. This could affect our social circle, club memberships, or employment, and cause hardship. This could go a step further, with someone putting our physical safety at risk. 3. Being persecuted by the law and the government. I live in a country that boasts of religious freedom, and I love that we have it. But I also know that this certainly is not the case in many countries today. Religious freedom is something that amazing people of the Christian faith have fought and given their lives for, and I do not take it for granted. It could be taken away. There are countries where being a Christian is a crime punishable by imprisonment, fines, and in the most extreme cases, death. There’s a lot to be said about God’s grace, protection, miracles, and strength that comes when times are hard, which includes persecution. We can trust that He will give us His grace for any opposition or persecution we face in this life, from mild to severe. He will help us to face it with the same kind of love that makes us ready to fight and/or suffer for those we love. And we know that Jesus does the same thing for us. “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37) Cartoonist Arthur Brisbane once pictured a crowd of grieving caterpillars carrying the corpse of a cocoon to its final resting place. The poor, distressed caterpillars, clad in black raiment, were weeping, and all the while the beautiful butterfly fluttered happily above the muck and the mire of Earth, forever freed from its earthly shell. Needless to say, Brisbane had the average funeral in mind and sought to convey the idea that when our loved ones pass, it is foolish to remember only the cocoon and concentrate our attention on the remains, while forgetting the bright butterfly.
God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for He shall receive me.--Psalm 49:15 A soldier said, "When I die, do not sound taps over my grave, but reveille—the morning call, the summons to rise." Epitaph of Benjamin Franklin: The body of Benjamin Franklin, Printer, like the cover of an old book, its contents torn out and stripped of its lettering and gilding, lies here. ... Yet the Work itself shall not be lost; for it will, as he believed, appear once more in a new and more beautiful edition, corrected and amended by the Author. Death is not something to be feared, but rather anticipated. Of course, we are not to precipitate it ourselves, as suicide is surrender and defeat of the worst kind. But if each of us can have the patience to wait and die in God's time, when His time has come for us, that's the day we're going to be the most thankful. We're going to arrive in our heavenly home and see that it was really worth it all!--D. Berg The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.--1 Corinthians 15:26 Death from this life is just graduation from this grade. It's our release, our graduation, our promotion. School is out! We've finished our schooling in this grade and we pass on to the next grade.--D. Berg Even though we have so much to live for on this earth, there is even more to live for in the next life. Death does not cheat a person out of life; death enriches life.-- C.L. Allen When Christ calls me Home I shall go with the gladness of a boy bounding away from school.--Adoniram Judson, first Christian missionary to Burma I am the Resurrection, and the Life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die.--Jesus, John 11:25–26 Once the great evangelist, Moody, said in his buoyant way: "Someday you will read in the papers that D.L. Moody, of East Northfield, is dead. Don't you believe a word of it. At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now. I shall have gone up higher, that is all; out of this old clay tenement into a house that is immortal, a body that death cannot touch." Because I live, ye shall live also.--Jesus, John 14:19 I shall not live 'till I see God; and when I have seen Him, I shall never die.--John Donne For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.--2 Corinthians 5:1 God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.--Jesus, Matthew 22:32 We witnessed a faith-building month. Even though the lockdown in Jordan was extremely severe--total closedown beginning in March and we are still in lockdown--that has been no barrier for the Lord. In fact, it has opened up sooooo many more doors and opportunities that would be impossible in "normal" times. This Ramadan had more donations, more food packages, more supply, more families reached than ever before.--Not to mention individual people here gave $5,600 towards cash donations specifically for the poor (cash gifts which is a Ramadan a custom). It was like the miracle of the Lord feeding the 5,000. Supply everywhere! The Lord inspired us to contact stores in the poor areas where we work, wire them the money to make the packages, and the families could go pick up their food box, chickens and bread. So easy!--All from my desk basically. The Lord's Spirit can make things that appear difficult or impossible into something He basically takes over and manages. A bit like how the Lord came down and fought battles for the children of Israel. "Stand back and see Me feed the people!"
Thanks for your prayers that gave the ideas, inspiration, courage to follow through, the peace & safety to make it happen. Special Mention: And a huge thanks to all who donated extra by Paypal to help feed these thousands of people in the Camps, who did not have any food. GBY all! Thank you soooo much! Sending much love in His service, Jacki in Jordan Paypal: [email protected]
Verse of the day:
Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity: -- Psalm 64:2 Think about it: A Godly widow, knowing that Napoleon’s army would be passing the next day through the area was worried that her house would be disturbed. The soldiers often took supplies and food from the farms and villages they passed by. As her family was quite poor, having needed food taken away would be very difficult for them. That night after supper she prayed, “Oh God, build a wall around our home and protect us.” As her children went to bed they asked each other, “What did Mother mean when she asked God to build a wall around our home?” The next morning they found that a heavy snow storm had come in the night and blown huge snowdrifts all around the property. The army marched on, never knowing of the existence of the little cottage. The mother and her children thanked God for His protection. Praise of the day: Psalm 72:18 Blessed be the LORD God, … who only doeth wondrous things. By Uday Paul
In his classic autobiography Confessions, Saint Augustine, a theologian of the early church, narrates an incident which happened when he was a teenager. There was a pear tree near his family’s vineyard loaded with fruit that wasn’t even attractive in appearance or taste. Yet he and some friends stole pears from the tree. They did so not to eat them themselves, but to throw them to the pigs. He says that he and his friends committed the theft simply because they had pleasure in doing something that was forbidden, a tale as old as that of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Many generations earlier, when God brought the people of Israel out of bondage in Egypt and led them to the Promised Land, the people initially believed in and feared the Lord.(See Exodus 14:31.) But when they faced difficult circumstances in the course of their journey, they had a crisis of faith and turned away from God and Moses. While Moses was at the top of Mount Sinai receiving God’s Law, they made a golden idol of a calf to worship and sacrifice to. (See Exodus 32:1–6.) In the following centuries, the people of Israel and Judah continued to anger God with their idolatry and sinful actions, in spite of His goodness, miraculous protection and promises to them. (See Jeremiah 7:9.) Since the time of creation when the Bible tells us that God sought out Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, God has desired intimate communion with mankind. (See Genesis 3:9.) But sin caused a breach in our relationship with the Creator, and we are unable to keep His commandments no matter how hard we try. As the Apostle Paul said, “When I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.” (See Romans 7:21 NLT.) The Bible says that the breach between God and mankind has been bridged through Jesus Christ. (See Romans 5:1.) Jesus’ life on earth, His death, and His resurrection paved the way for reconciliation and a new relationship with our heavenly Father. And having that relationship restored means new hearts that are responsive to God’s will for our lives. |
AuthorThe goal of the blog is to provide interesting, motivational, soul feeding material. All to help remind us that God loves us all and wants a personal relationship with each of us and will take care of us in times of trouble. I aspire to be a force for good by providing you with positive input. I encourage you to share the blog with others. Archives
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