NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS FROM THE WORD OF GOD

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

"Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues, put on love, which binds them together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and advise one another with all wisdom, as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." Colossians 3:12-17

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

A note from Mark: I rarely ever repost things I have written before but today is going to be an exception. I am because this message is so very pertinent and the resolutions are ones we need to revisit every year. If you are reading it again, I pray the words will bless you a second time. If you are reading it for the first time, may the words...the words of the Lord...carry you into 2009 with a renewed sense of purpose in Him.


Several years ago, I was asked to deliver the message at a church service just before New Year’s Day. The Lord placed the following on my heart as I was thinking about what He would want our resolutions to be for the New Year. He gave me ten resolutions from Paul’s words to the church in Colosse. I pray they will be a blessing to you as get set to enter 2009. Feel free to share with others and may the Lord richly bless you and yours in all things. I will continue our journey through Exodus tomorrow.

Ten resolutions for 2009 from the Word of God:

10. Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

How many of you are very selective in the things you wear? Most people are. Dressing properly takes time and careful consideration over style and color of what we’ll don. We want to ensure we look the best as we enter a world where others will see us.

So how well do we also select the way we clothe ourselves with our attitudes and demeanors? Do we take as much time to properly prepare ourselves before we go out and let others see what we look like on the inside? Look at the things that God’s word says should be part of our inner wardrobe:

- Compassion which consists of affection, tenderness, pity, and mercy
- Kindness which can include courtesy, favor, good deeds and goodwill
- Humility…a spirit of mildness, humbleness, surrender and modesty
- Gentleness which involves sensitivity, friendliness and politeness
and
- Patience…one’s ability to remain calm, composed, cool under pressure

So how well dressed are you on the inside? In this new year, maybe a makeover might be in order.

9. Bear with each other

What does it mean to bear with one another? Can you think of someone right now who just seems to get under your skin? Someone who annoys you to no end?

Resolve in the new year to be more tolerant. To respect others. To stop looking so closely at a person’s shortfalls in spite of ignoring all of yours…for we’re all flawed and imperfect when we get down to the truth of the matter.

So seek to be more understanding of others and strive to resolve differences when they occur. Seek to rebuild bridges instead of burning or tearing them down. Pray for those who you differ with and seek reconciliation in the year ahead.

8. Forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

We all know what forgiveness is…putting it into action is often the real problem.

If left to our own devices, we could easily wiggle our way out of forgiving some people by deciding who we wanted to forgive and who we didn’t want to. We would turn forgiveness into a selective process.

That’s why scripture had to put down strict guidelines to govern our forgiveness. Hear the word of God from verse 13: Forgive as the Lord forgave you. WOW! This takes all the guesswork out of forgiveness. For we must forgive everyone without exception. If you doubt that, then I ask if there has been anything you have done that the Lord has not forgiven you for? The first steps to inner healing when you are burdened with anger or hatred toward another is to say the words I forgive, then resign to pray for that person as being just like you…a sinner who is only saved through the amazing grace of God through Jesus Christ. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

7. Over all these virtues, put on love, which binds them together in perfect unity.

The package of prior resolutions all revolve around love which is central to the greatest commandments of Jesus. Remember His answer when asked about the greatest commandments? He said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength." Then He said, "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:36-40)

If you truly love God with all that you are, you will easily embody compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, bearing with and forgiving one another, all in the name of love through the One who showed and taught us what love is all about. So when you unwrap the gift of this new year, take off the ribbon of love that is on the gift of Jesus and see what is inside the package. In it are priceless treasures in and of the Savior…the Christ who we should be seeking to be like in every way. And the first thing we see when we look at Him is love. So put Him on your heart…wear Him with pride…and let love rule supreme in you this coming year.

6. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts

In a world full of violence, confusion, problems and constant change, peace is sometimes very hard to come by, isn’t it? I think that’s why we were given the words of God found in Philippians 4:6-7:
"Do not be anxious about anything but give your concerns to God in prayer and petition and with thanksgiving. So you might find the peace of God that transcends all understanding and your hearts and minds will be guarded in Christ Jesus."

In 2009, God would want us to remember that He is the only One who is fully able and ready to handle any problem we have. And when we truly lay our burdens at His feet and allow Him to work awesome miracles in our lives, then we can fully experience that peace that transcends all understanding...a peace that will ensure our hearts are guarded by Christ Jesus. I pray that peace will rule your hearts and the hearts of all creation in the new year.

5. Be thankful

There’s a popular saying that says, "Count your blessings...and when you get done, count them again." Too often, we lose sight of all the great and awesome things the Lord has done in our lives. In fact, just me being here writing this and you being where you are reading it is a blessing in its own right and something we should be greatly thankful for.

For it’s only due to God’s love and mercy and grace that we are here, even though we are all undeserving sinners before Him. It’s easy in life to curse our circumstances at any one time but if we truly stop and take an account of how very blessed we have been in our life, we can keep our attitude focused and centered on thanksgiving and praise unto the One who gives us every good and perfect thing from above.

Be thankful…in all circumstances.

4. Let the word of God dwell in you richly

How good are you at time management? Our days seem to get ever more busier as we run from obligation to obligation…from event to event. There seldom seems to be enough time in the day. In fact, too often as we arrange and prioritize our time, we schedule so much that we squeeze the most important things out…like quiet time with the Lord in prayer and scripture reading.

For God blesses us with time. We all get 24 hours a day and He expects us to invest it wisely. Yet, too often we skip giving some of that time to Him every day and jump into life lacking the wisdom, guidance and strength we need to make it through situations we encounter. We often sit in dismay and depression…lost and in need of help, even when that help is just a few minutes of prayer or bible reading away.

Friends…all the wisdom, strength and guidance we need is fully found in the bible...God’s Holy Word…His instruction manual on life given to us to help us make it day by day by day. When we read it, study it, and pray over it, then it comes to dwell in our hearts and minds, illuminating our path as we walk down the path of life. I believe that God would say to us in 2009...make time for my word so you know what you’re doing with the life and time I have provided…and let that word live in your heart and mind forever more.

3. Teach and advise one another with all wisdom

We can only do this if we have wisdom within us. And that wisdom is not our own wisdom or worldly wisdom but the wisdom that comes from the Father above.

This resolution only happens when we adhere to the last resolution and let God’s word dwell richly within us. Our study of Holy Scripture will lead to spiritual wisdom as it takes hold within our hearts. Then, God would say, "Don’t keep My word to yourself but rather take the learning you have received from Me and use it to teach one another." In fact, Jesus gave us that instruction in His Great Commission. He told us to "teach others to obey all that He had commanded." (Matthew 28:20)

So we learn His commandments and understand His expectations only by reading the Bible, meditating on our reading and then putting it into action. The call in 2009 is for us to be proactive in our teaching others about Jesus using the wisdom God places within us.

2. Sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God

Do you have a favorite song? What is it about that song that makes it your favorite? Most often, it is because the song makes you feel good. It has a way of elevating you above whatever might be happening in your day and brings joy to you for the moment you listen to it.

Personally, I have found that music has an effect on the soul unlike any other medium. Whether it is a praise and worship song, a contemporary Christian song or a classic hymn, spiritual music is a gift from God that brings us into the attitude of worship and adoration unlike any secular song can. In 2009, examine the music you’re listening to. Does it glorify God? Does it edify you spiritually?

My prayer would be that you truly sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your heart toward God. And when you lift your voice up, do so in a way that the Lord will feel your fullest gratitude. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord!

1. Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him

Is there anymore suitable number 1 resolution that God would have for us in 2009 or any other year for that matter?

For in this resolution, there is no gray area…no exception…just the requirement for us all to do everything in the name of Jesus and all the while giving thanks to God for the indescribable gift of salvation and eternal life through His Son who He gave freely to pay the price for our sins.

Once again I ask, is there any greater resolution we could make for the new year? And is there any more challenging resolution for us to carry out in such a sin-filled world?

The good news is that we can meet this challenge…just as we can meet any challenge…through the power and strength of the Christ within us. Truly, we can "do all things through Christ who strengthens us." (Philippians 4:13).

In this new year, I pray we will live out the verses of this word of God from Colossians. For if we do, we will find ourselves in the very spirit of God’s will for us in Christ Jesus!

I look forward to a great year ahead in the Lord and wish all of you a very Happy New Year!

In Christ,

Mark

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NO CHRISTMAS...NO ANYTHING...WITHOUT JESUS

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

He is the Image of the invisible God, the Firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the Head of the body, the church; He is the Beginning and the Firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross.

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now He has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation — if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.

Colossians 1:15-23a

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Christmas is here once again…the day we celebrate the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And that should be our main purpose today. Not gifts and trees and lavish dinners and hosting family and friends. Only Jesus.

Why?

Because everything else comes a result of Him. We know this because we have a wonderful passage in the Epistle to the Colossians that spells it out clearly to us…a passage that shows all that there would be no Christmas…no anything else for that matter if it weren’t for Jesus. For we read where Jesus…and only Jesus…is “before all things and in Him all things hold together”. “He is the Beginning and has supremacy over everything…everything including Christmas.

Scripture also tells us this Jesus is the “Image of the invisible God”. In other words, God couldn’t be seen but His Son Jesus walked among man in the flesh. He was fully God and fully man at the same time…Emmanuel…God with us. Indeed, God, Jesus’ Father, “was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross”. Because of this truth, we not only celebrate Christ’s coming but also what is yet to come with Him…His future crucifixion and resurrection where He willingly sacrificed Himself to pay the price for our sins and then defeated death to join His Father in Heaven and provide us the opportunity to do so too…if we just believe and trust in Jesus as our Savior.

Truly, Jesus saved us. For before Him, we were “alienated from God and were enemies…because of…evil behavior”. But with the coming of the Savior, we were “reconciled…by (His) physical body through death” as He presented us “holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation”. In other words, through Jesus…those who “continue in…faith, established and firm…not moved from the hope held out in the gospel”…will be justified by Christ. It will be just as if they had never sinned…for there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1)

Friends, Christmas is a celebration of Jesus…the greatest gift ever given because it was an eternal, heavenly, holy Gift of hope from God…a Son who was the “Firstborn over all creation”. No other one has been born to rule over man since and there will never be another to come.

Jesus was no ordinary child. Not by a long shot. He was born the King of Kings and Lord of Lords…the Wonderful Counselor and Prince of Peace… the Head of the body, the church. There was no child ever born like Him and there hasn’t been one since. And this is why we should do nothing short of worship, praise, honor and love Him.

Yes, Jesus…our gift from God…is the reason for this wonderful Christmas day. Let’s keep him at the center of it…and every other day we’re blessed with…now and forever. Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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NO ORDINARY NIGHT

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.

An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Luke 2:8-20

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Imagine that you are a shepherd. You are living in the fields tending to your flock as you always do because that’s your job…to look after the sheep.

While looking after the sheep, you make sure they stay together in their flock because you know a stray sheep can face great danger. For there are predators who would easily attack and kill a stray sheep if given the opportunity. A stray sheep would be easy prey.

And then there are the thieves who roam the countryside looking to make a quick profit from someone else’s flock. All they need is an opportunity to steal…and a stray, unprotected sheep is an easy mark.

There’s also danger in the terrain for a stray sheep. For many cliffs and holes exist that a sheep could easily fall into…sometimes to death. It’s not good for a sheep to be walking about without their leader…and you are that leader as the shepherd.

Indeed, you are the leader of the flock. You move the sheep from pasture to pasture, always ensuring they have plenty to graze so they are healthy and able to produce the valuable wool in demand by so many. Yes…the sheep in your care were valuable money makers and so it was absolutely paramount that they get only the best care. And they got it from you, their shepherd, because that’s what a good shepherd does….always cares for the sheep…always protects the sheep…always rescues a sheep in need. The sheep are blessed because of the love and care you provide day after day after day.

Through the daily grind of being a shepherd, you have spent countless days and nights in the fields. It was routine for you with every day and night rather ordinary. But then one night came where things were anything but ordinary. In fact, what happened was so amazing you don’t know if anyone would ever believe it if you told them.

For while you were in the field, all of a sudden an “angel of the Lord appeared” to you and the shepherds who were with you. The magnificent appearance lit up the night sky as the angels were brilliantly shining. You found yourself more than a little scared about what was taking place. “Why was this happening?” you thought.

But then the angel spoke to you and your fellow shepherds saying, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." And no more had he finished speaking that the angel was joined by others who were praising God while proclaiming, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." And then just as suddenly as they had come, the angels left and went up into heaven.

You just stood there in amazement and awe with your fellow shepherds…such was the magnificent nature of what you had witnessed. This was no ordinary night…not by a long shot. In fact, there had been no night even close to this one…and as you would discover later, no night would ever rival it…ever.

As you stood there, some of your fellow shepherds said, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." And so you did. You went to Bethlehem and discovered a couple named Joseph and Mary, who had just delivered a baby…a baby who was now “lying in the manger”. This was the child the angel spoke of…the Savior who was Christ the Lord. You knew of a Messiah that had been prophesied from the days of old. And now, this Savior…this Messiah had come.

You and your shepherds decided that others needed to hear the news…Christ the Savior has been born in Bethlehem. This was a time to rejoice and be glad! And so you went out from the manger and “spread the word concerning what had been told…about this child”. Everyone you told “were amazed” at what they heard. And after you told all you could tell, you returned to the fields…the ordinary fields you would normally work in with the flock…but you were in no way the same person. No, you and your fellow shepherds “returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things” you had witnessed.

Yes, Christ had come…born in a manger in Bethlehem on an extraordinary night…and nothing would ever be ordinary again.

Now, let’s get back to reality. You probably aren’t really a shepherd, at least in a literal sense. No, you have another vocation…something else that the Lord has blessed you with to do. But there is something that you share in common with the shepherds of old. For you can find yourself in a daily routine…carrying out the same responsibilities day after day. Your life, like the shepherds, can seem pretty ordinary most of the time…maybe even on Christmas Eve. But this night, just as it was in the days of the shepherds watching over their flocks, is anything but ordinary.

For the angels that brought the message to the shepherds is bringing the same message to the world today:

“I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Yes…Christ the Savior is born in a manger in Bethlehem this extraordinary night. The shepherds couldn’t wait to go and find their Savior…and when they did, they were changed forever, unable to wait to tell everyone else about Him.

Question: How are you feeling this Christmas Eve? Are you filled with the excitement of the coming Savior? Are you so thrilled about the blessed Babe lying in that lowly Bethlehem manger that you can’t wait to tell others about Him?

Friends, Christ’s coming changed everything. The ordinary was no longer ordinary but would be forever extraordinary. And so it was with the lives of all those that Jesus touched…not only on that night in Bethlehem but today and forever more as well. Let Him touch your heart this night and embrace the real reason for the season, sharing the good news with others.

For Christ is born in Bethlehem! Alleluia! Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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IT'S A MATTER OF SUBMISSION

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

Ephesians 5:21-27

The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.

1 Corinthians 7:3

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

December 12th, 1992. On this day, 16 years ago, Grace and I exchanged vows at David Adams Memorial Chapel on Norfolk Naval Base. It was a magical day, one that we will forever cherish as the Lord ordained and consummated our relationship with one another…and He has blessed us ever since.

Not that it has always been easy. Making a marriage good is hard work because there are specific duties to perform, duties that Satan is always trying to meddle in so we might fail in meeting our responsibilities…responsibilities that we only need to go to Ephesians, Chapter 5, to see.

God's word tells us that we are first to "Submit to one another out of reverence to Christ".

Submit to one another. That means that you don't think of your self as better than another…that you are willing to surrender and sacrifice for them to meet their needs…just as Jesus Christ did for us. Yes…if we are to respect Christ…to show Him proper reverence…then we had better strive to live as He did and submission is a great place to start. Submit to God first and one will easily submit to others as well.

Once we're in the mindset of submission, then we're ready to fulfill our marital duties as husband and wife. Before we continue in Ephesians, Chapter 5, we need to understand the context in which these words were written because this passage gets abused by people who twist it to meet their desires vice God's.

In the days of biblical Ephesus, men treated women and children badly. In marriage, wives and children were treated worse than slaves were. A husband would leave home for days on end but when they returned, the wife and child were expected to wait on them hand and foot, not expecting any love or appreciation in return…mostly because there would be none.

So when Paul writes, "Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord…For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior…Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything", he is not telling the wives to do anything that they weren't already doing. They were already submitting to their husbands in every way. No…this passage was all about the men of Ephesus…and in turn, many men today as well who want women to do all the submitting while refusing to submit themselves.

Paul told the men of Ephesus…and men today as well…"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless…In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself".

Love your wife as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to make her holy.

These words had to rock the world of the men of Ephesus because they were in no way treating their wives as Christ loved the church. Maybe these words rock your world as well. For to love as Christ loved the church means that we must be willing to sacrifice everything for our wives…to self sacrifice and submit…to be willing to love in a way that says, I would be willing to die for you if that's what is needed".

For 16 years, Grace and I have lived these words of scripture and we have found more joy than we could ever imagine…all because of our obedience to God's word and, with that, the blessing of a loving, submissive relationship with the Father first and then with one another. Through it all, we both share a deep reverence and love for our Savior Jesus.

My prayer for all marriages is that they might be as great as ours is and has been. And the good news is that they can be. It's a matter of submission. Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

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GIVE THANKS

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

Today, I want to take a pause from the scriptures in 1st Samuel to focus in on the Thanksgiving holiday and specifically, the matter of giving thanks.

Now we can (and do) give thanks for many things in life. We give thanks for life…for loved ones and friends…for our jobs and the money we make from working…for the food we eat for the nourishment of our bodies…and for the shelter we have as well as what we have within that shelter. Truly we could go on and on about all the things we should be thankful for but we could save ourselves a lot of time and space by just giving thanks to the One through which all things come from. In other words, our thanks, first and foremost, need to be directed toward the Lord.

God’s word has a lot to say on the matter of giving thanks to the Lord and I will use just a few of the many verses available to highlight just some of the reasons why we are to show Him our full gratitude and praise.

1. Give thanks to God for He is good; His steadfast love endures forever. Psalm 107:1

As we seek to associate with others in life, we want to make sure we affiliate with the right people…those who are good and trustworthy…loyal, faithful and loving. The problem is that it’s very difficult (and actually impossible) to find someone in this world who can be perfectly good and loving all the time. That’s why we need to turn our attention away from the world and to the One and only One who is perfect, not only in goodness and love, but in all things…not just today and tomorrow but forever. For this we are to give Him our thanks.

2. Give thanks to the God for His strength, His presence and for all the wonders and miracles He performs.

Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done.
Sing to Him, sing praise to Him; tell of all His wonderful acts.
Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always.
Remember the wonders He has done, His miracles, and the judgments He pronounced…
1 Chronicles 16:8-12

Paul summed things up when it comes to our reliance on the Lord’s strength saying, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13) Left to our own strength and power, we are limited to what we can achieve and endure. But when we turn to the Lord in our lives, then we find the strength to do all things…to carry out His will…to handle any form of affliction or persecution…to deal with life’s difficult circumstances when they arise. And for this we give thanks.

We also give thanks because we serve a Lord who is ever in our midst. He is Emmanuel…God with us…though all of our life. And since He is always in our midst, He is always ready and willing to teach, guide, heal, correct and love in accordance with His perfect will for us. We need only seek His face always…asking, seeking, knocking and knowing He is there for us when we need Him.

This God who is ever present and all powerful is consistently performing great wonders and miracles. Indeed He is the Author of all miracles and wonders, having put them on full display when He created everything in just six days, beginning with the heavens and the earth. Think about that for just a minute and then ask yourself if there is any difficulty you will go through in life that God cannot work a wonder or miracle…in accordance with His will.

Friends, there is nothing beyond the power and work of God’s holy hands. Indeed, we should make known among the nations what He has done, telling all of His wonderful acts. Indeed, we should sing praise to Him. Indeed, we should glory and rejoice in His holy name. And in doing all this, we should ever and always give thanks to the Lord.

3. Give thanks to the Lord for He has given us the victory in Christ Jesus. His strength, His presence and for all the wonders and miracles He performs.

"Death has been swallowed up in victory."
“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"
“The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:54b-58

Just think that before Jesus, perfect fulfillment of the law was the requirement for salvation. Unfortunately, keeping the law perfectly was an impossibility that even the most devout Jewish believers, the Pharisees and Sadducees, couldn’t maintain even though they did try and make everyone believe they were perfectly righteous…a hypocritical attitude exposed by Jesus.

No, all mankind was doomed to sin with no sacrifice suitable enough to atone unless there were a perfect unblemished Lamb that could be slain to pay the price. God gave all of us that Lamb in the way of His only Son Jesus who suffered and died for you and I so that the sting of death might be taken away…so that death might be “swallowed up in victory”..a victory that not only Jesus enjoyed but we can as well if we believe and trust Him to be our Savior.

Indeed, thanks be to God, not just this Thanksgiving, but on every day that we are allowed to go forth and fully give ourselves to the work of the Lord. For in Christ Jesus, we are set free to do as He commanded, making disciples of all nations while knowing that our eternal future is sealed by the atoning blood He shed for us on Calvary’s cross.

Yes…let us give thanks to God and to His Son Jesus...now and forever.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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OUR PROTECTOR

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

“The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.

The Lord protects the simplehearted; when I was in great need, he saved me.

Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.

Psalm 116:5-7

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

For those who read my blogs regularly, you know that there are times when the Lord speaks to my heart through experiences that I feel led to write about in place of my daily walk through the scriptures. Today is one of those days.

I am currently in Sasebo, Japan…my fourth stop on a five stop Japan swing through command media detachments. I’m here to visit my Sailors but have the weekend off before doing so.

This morning, I went out for a walk to pick up a few items from the mini-mart. It was a rather hot, overcast and muggy morning but the rain had stopped at least for the moment and for that, I was grateful given that it rained the whole first day I was here.

As I was walking past the base exchange, I heard a bit of a commotion ahead…two very large black birds (looked like crows) loudly squawking as they were on the ground in the grass ahead. At first glance, it looked like the birds may have been mating. Often, nature isn’t very prudent about these actions. But as I drew nearer, I looked with immediate concern as the real actions revealed themselves.

For one of the black birds jumped as I approached, spooked by a large human coming and I could see that there was a smaller bird underneath it. Just then, the other bird struck out at the smaller bird with its long sharp beak. It was then that I quickly figured out what was happening. The smaller bird was injured and the larger birds were taking advantage of it, attacking the helpless bird on the ground. I picked up my step and scared the larger birds away, coming onto the little, injured bird who was still alive but looking very scared as it sat still right where the attacking birds had left it. Meanwhile, the attackers weren’t about to give up. They flew only a short distance and perched, still looking toward where I now stood, squawking and, I assume, waiting for me to pass so they could return and finish the injured bird off.

Well, I just couldn’t allow that to happen so I went toward the larger birds and spooked them some more. They flew a little further away and it was then that I returned to the bird in need of help. As I approached the bird, it suddenly flapped its wings and flew, albeit not far off the ground. It then landed and was able to walk. I felt the bird was weak and needed to find a safe place to recover so I walked behind it and coaxed it around the corner of the building. And then the attacking birds returned.

They sat and looked to see if they could get their bearings back on the injured bird now that I had helped him move from where he was prior. I quickly spooked them twice more and once again they flew off. It was then that I quickly coaxed the smaller bird to run underneath a group of dumpsters where he would be concealed and would be able to rest and hopefully recover.

As I left the area of the dumpsters and crossed the street, once again the foreboding, black birds returned. There were three of them now. I stood across the street and watched to see if the black birds would be able to find the smaller bird now that it was safely hidden. They didn’t. Unable to see him, they gave up and flew off. The little bird was safe.

As I walked back to my room after the experience, I couldn’t help but think about myself…about all of us…about how vulnerable we are and how Satan often swoops in like the big, attacking black birds and attacks us…not letting up unless we are rescued by someone bigger and more powerful that him…like the Lord. I then felt saddened as I thought about the many people in the world who don’t know the Lord…and thus don’t know who to turn to as they are being assaulted. It only underscored the critical importance of the ministry…and how each believer needs to be exhausting their energy to help others discover the Lord in their own lives…and in doing so, finding their source of protection and salvation. And when we discover this, we too can echo the words of the Psalmist:

“The Lord protects the simplehearted; when I was in great need, he saved me.”

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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FATHER'S DAY...EVERY DAY

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” 1 John 3:1

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Well, Father’s Day is upon us once again. I was blessed to be able to spend the last several days with my parents in Pennsylvania and celebrate Father’s Day with my Dad a few days early. I also was in my hometown to participate in my 30 year high school reunion. It was these two events that collided and began to conjure up memories in me…memories of times past when I was home and under the nurture and mentorship of my father and mother.

The day after Grace and I arrived in Pennsylvania, we went to a baseball game in Pittsburgh to watch the Pirates play the Nationals. As I drove down to the game with my father sitting next to me, I couldn’t help but reminisce about my younger days when he would drive me to games…first at Forbes Field and then to Three Rivers Stadium. It was always great to watch the games and listen to Dad not only teach me the basic intricacies of the game but also tell me about the games he used to go to when he was my age. Oh how I cherish those memories.

I also cherish the memories of a father who taught me the importance of hard work and an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay (my mother did as well…smile). I cherish a father who wouldn’t hesitate to correct me when I needed it, especially if I would become disrespectful either to him of my mom. I cherish a father who would bend over backwards to help anyone in need…a father who was a cheerful giver. And I cherish a father who never ceased to love me…a father who has bragged about me as I have become an adult and embodied much of what he was…and even more. I only pray my own daughters cherish me half as much as I do my own father.

Today, as I drove first from Pennsylvania to Virginia Beach and then turned around and drove from Virginia Beach to my rental in MD in advance of my two week trip to Japan (leave tomorrow AM), I had a lot of time to think about my dad and my own experience as a father. And as I thought about it, I was drawn to one conclusion: we both knew how to be blessed fathers because of our Divine Blessed Father in Heaven. It was because He first Fathered us that we could ever father the children He entrusted to our care.

Indeed, our (my father and my) Heavenly Father is the Father of us all. No one is void of the greatest Father known. We are all His children and thus no one is fatherless. For I understand that not everyone has a great testimony to tell about their worldly father. Many dads have shirked the responsibility placed upon them by the Lord. But this doesn’t mean that one is without a Father. We only need turn to the heavens and find the Father who will never leave us nor forsake us…the Father who will never cease to love us. Truly, how great is the love the Father has lavished upon us that we should be called children of God! Friends, is this not good news for us all…not just on Father’s Day but on every day.

For when we recognize and acknowledge our Father in Heaven as being our one true Father, every day becomes a celebration of Him and what He has done for us, what He is presently doing for us and what He is yet to do for us. Every day becomes a day of praise and rejoicing…another day that He has blessed us with so we only need to be glad in it.

So as we go through each day of life, let us take a moment to pause and thank our Father for His goodness, grace, mercy and love. For every day should be Father’s Day because our Father gives us each day we live. Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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MEMORIAL DAY

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Send any prayer requests to Gods4all@aol.com. 

In Christ, Mark 

Nearly 141 years ago, the United States was recovering from a long and bloody Civil War. Those who survived returned home weary and battle scarred, many severely wounded or disabled. Many never made it home with over 646 thousand Union forces and nearly 134 thousand Confederates losing their lives, all this within the boundaries of this great nation. 

Our nation’s participation in armed conflict didn’t stop there. The Spanish-American War, World Wars 1 and 2, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq would follow and approximately another 625,000 would give their lives. And the death toll has not stopped yet…every day our servicemen and women continue to die in service to God and country. 

While looking at these figures, it’s important for us to not lose sight that those who have died in conflict are more than just mere numbers. Each person had a life, a future they looked forward to, and a family back home that they loved and missed while in the midst of war. There was a human being just like you and I behind every casualty…and it would be inhumane to reduce them to a statistic. For their value was far greater than a number…their act of courage and sacrifice deserving of greater recognition, remembrance, and honor. 

This was the mindset of Harry Welles, a small town drug store owner who worked and lived in Waterloo NY in 1886. He had watched those tired, wounded Civil War veterans come home and had listened intently to their stories as they shared their first-hand battlefield accounts. He marveled at their bravery and devotion to duty and felt impelled to do something to ensure that these courageous soldiers would not become an afterthought…to ensure they would always be remembered and honored. 

And so he sprang to action, rallying local businesses and government leaders to close all shops in town each May 5th in memory of the soldiers who lost their lives in the war. On that day, flowers, wreathes, and crosses were laid on the graves of the Northern soldiers in Waterloo’s cemetery. 

Elsewhere, retired Major General Jonathan Logan was putting together a separate ceremony, this one honoring all veterans who had survived the war. On May 30th, 1868, the ceremony involved a parade through town that stopped at the cemetery where flags were placed at the graves of fallen soldiers. It was a solemn occasion that residents named "Decoration Day". In his address that day, General Logan would state, "The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country and during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, hamlet, and churchyard in the land. In this observance, no form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit." 

From that day on, the northern states paused for commemoration annually on May 30th while the southern states would remember their dead on a different day. These ceremonies evolved to include children reading poems and singing civil war songs while veterans would go to schools wearing their medals and uniforms to tell students about their war experiences. Then the veterans would take their traditional march through the streets followed by all the town’s people, still stopping at the cemetery and decorating graves. Photographs of soldiers were taken standing next to the graves of fallen comrades and rifles were shot in the air in salute. 

Fast forward to the 20th Century and 1966 when President Lyndon Johnson proclaimed Waterloo, New York, the birthplace of Memorial Day, exactly 100 years after the first commemoration. Since that time, just as they had done before, town’s people still walk to the cemeteries and hold memorial services, decorating graves with flags and flowers. Then they walk back to the park in the middle of town near a monument dedicated to Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines and listen to the reading of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address followed by Retired Major General Logan's Order # 11 designating Decoration Day. 

In 1971, President Richard Nixon declared Memorial Day a federal holiday and changed the day of celebration to the last Monday in May. Since then, cities and towns across the United States have followed the lead of Waterloo, establishing special ceremonies to not only pay respect to the nation’s servicemen and women but also to loved ones who have died. Church services, visits to the cemetery, flowers on graves or even silent tributes mark the day with dignity and solemnity. 

All and all, it’s a day of reflection…a day of remembrance for those who have passed, some having paid the ultimate sacrifice…protecting and securing our nation’s freedoms by laying their lives down for others and a cause greater than themselves. 

In reflecting on this matter of sacrifice, I can’t help but also remember what happened 2,000 years ago, long before the United States came into existence…long before our Civil War. It too was a time of conflict and hardship…a time of turmoil and change…a time where people battled against one another within a promised land that God gave His chosen people…a time and place when one man was sent from heaven to earth to step forward and freely sacrifice Himself in service to humanity, paying the ultimate of all ultimate sacrifices. 

This man, Jesus, was the very definition and model of the word service, never hesitating to teach, preach, heal, guide, and love anyone He encountered. His life wasn’t about what He could do for Himself, what gain He might enjoy, what success He might find, or what wealth He might amass. Empowered by God, His Father, He was all powerful and almighty, doing all things with the special authority placed within Him. Yet, He made Himself poor so that through His poverty we might be made rich, showing us it is much better to give than receive. Through His willingness to die for us, He showed us that there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for His friends…and He did see us as friends even though our sins led Him to His demise. 

Remembering Jesus’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem, all seemed to be well. Honor and respect normally shown toward kings were being lavished on this Messiah that everyone had been eagerly awaiting since the days of the prophets. Who could have guessed at that point, that the same people who waved palm branches while shouting, "Hosanna, Hosanna!", would soon be shouting "Crucify, Crucify!" 

Indeed, Jesus found few friends on the day of His crucifixion…no thanks for all He had done for His beloved people. After he had been arrested, wrongly convicted, bloodied, beaten, and sentenced to death, He was forced to participate in His own death march to Golgotha. The crowds that gathered were not there to pay homage or show gratitude. They were not ready to follow Him to His death to adorn Him with flowers of sympathy and respect. They were there to witness His execution…to see that the death sentence they demanded from Governor Pilate was carried out. They lined the streets that Jesus struggled to navigate, spitting on His blood stained body and hurling words of insult and derision. The depths of human failure were on full display as Jesus carried His cross to the place where they would drive nails through His hands and feet…the place where He would hang in agonizing pain inching toward death…a place where He would display His absolute mercy, compassion, and grace in the ultimate act of forgiveness as He asked His Father to forgive those who assailed Him, for they knew not what they were doing. 

Jesus, our Savior, lived, loved, and served and He did so willingly,well knowing His coming fate… knowing that pain, humiliation, betrayal, sadness, and death awaited Him…and yet, He carried on. He could have saved Himself…He could have chosen to desert His mission – but He didn’t. For He had an incomprehensible love for something greater than Himself – us. Saving all mankind meant far more than saving Himself…the needs of the many outweighed the needs of the one. Jesus gave up His breath in death on the cross so He could breathe life into a people who were walking down the path of sinful self annihilation…three days later. His resurrection ushered in hope and the very opportunity for eternal life that we enjoy today. 

In the end translation, Jesus’ crucifixion and subsequent resurrection was the greatest victory in the greatest battle ever fought. His victory over the world, over sin, over death, and over Satan provided us with the opportunity for victory as well…all He requires is that we place our trust and belief in Him. 

So we must never lose sight that all that we are today, yesterday, and tomorrow is because of Jesus Christ. We love because He first loved us. We serve because He first served us. We understand sacrifice because He showed us what true sacrifice is all about. We’re free because He paid the price for us. We live because He died. 

Not only this Memorial Day but every day, let us ever remember that Jesus was the One who first showed us the value of sacrificial service...service filled with courage, bravery, valor, and heroism. Thanks be to God for the indescribable gift of His Only Son. 

Amen. 

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THE LOVE OF A MOTHER, A LOVE LIKE NO OTHER

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

*** I wrote the following devotional in 1996. I am pulling it out to honor not only my mother but all mothers today.

Mothers. Where would we be without them?

I guess we could jokingly say that we wouldn't be here if it weren't for them, for they had the anatomical pleasure of going through that nine month metamorphosis we more commonly know as pregnancy. Have you ever thought of the sacrifices a mother makes even before a child is born? The morning sickness, changes in diet and body shape, numerous trips to the doctor to ensure all is progressing well, and all the planning and preparation for our arrival into the world. We often tend to forget about the readiness that took place before our birth.

Sure, Dad had a stake in the whole process as well, but seriously folks....who was picking out the drapes, the blankets, the outfits, etc...so the baby would look adorable and presentable…like the most, beautiful baby on earth? Mom...that's who.

Face it guys, we have a brief moment to get the conception train rolling, but ladies handle the rest unless we start to talk about demanding duties such as assembling the crib, the stroller, or the walker. We could even talk about a man’s penchant for driving like a veteran NASCAR star when it comes to getting the wife to the hospital. Frankly, these pale in comparison to having a living, breathing child within you…a child who brings out the best (and sometimes worst) in the soon-to-be mom as she goes through delivery. And it’s during delivery that a mother makes her greatest sacrifice, bearing great pain and physical strife to bring not just their child but God’s child into the world. Oh, the love of a mother.

Upon our birth, we enter a world, strange and foreign. Our existence depends on the care given us by our parents. We are fed, nurtured, loved tenderly, taught to walk, to talk, to know the difference between right and wrong, hopefully to know how to say a prayer where we come to know God. We certainly would go nowhere after birth without the guidance and instruction of Mom and Dad.
And although both parents are involved in this process, the mother has that extra special bond with her child. Somehow, a mysterious connection is made during a pregnancy that draws the mother and child together in a way that transcends reason...something far beyond a physical connection. This link is almost spiritual in a sense. A mother seems to have that ability to hold you just the right way, to give you that sense of security and safety. Again guys, how many times has junior just been screaming his or her little head off and nothing seems to please him or her enough to get them to stop. But just hand the child to mom and immediately........almost automatically ... mysteriously, dare I say magically....the child stops crying. Ever happen to you? I just have two questions ladies...how do you do it? I’m convinced that the answer can be found in their unique connection to the baby....that bond…that special love. Oh the love of a mother.

As we grow, we tend to more and more gain our independence. We go to school...we develop relationships outside the home and apart from our parents...we learn to exist on our own, apart from our mother and father. But even though we may have learned a lot about branching out into the brave new world we saw outside the home, we were too often slow in developing independent living skills around the house. Our rooms often were hazardous zones to enter into, we rarely picked up after ourselves, we left a lot of dirty dishes in the sink (confident I think that they would clean themselves and be back in the cupboard in the morning). All along, our moms worked very hard cleaning up our messes…cooking for us…doing our laundry…taking care of us so we could experience that place which we learned to call "home". Question: How often did we take the time to say thanks then?

Probably not near enough. That's why I feel that in this hectic world in which we live, it's a real blessing to have a day to remind us of our mothers. For their job is too often a thankless one and we don't realize it fully until we've moved away and mom isn't there anymore. Or maybe we gain our own experience of having a child or two. Then, we definitely start to relate to what our parents went through and appreciate all that our mother did for us. Oh, the love of a mother.

The more I think about mothers, I can’t help but think of Jesus as well for they have a lot in common. Let me explain..................

You see just as our mothers endured pain and suffering to deliver us into this world, so Jesus endured the pain of being nailed to the cross, suffering a slow, agonizing death so that we might find our salvation. Mom delivered us into the world, but Jesus delivered us from that point forward...not just to life but life eternal.

And just as we moved away from home, we too often move away from Jesus. We sometimes come to realize a spiritual independence and begin to live like we can do it without Him. And we too soon discover that just as we found it was hard to live without mom taking care of us, we learn that’s it’s impossible for us to live without Jesus.

Just as we don’t show enough gratitude to our mothers we sometimes don't take the time to stop and give the Jesus thanks as well. He blesses us so much and too often gets nothing in return. I've come to learn from experience, that just as we didn’t appreciate our mothers until we moved away, so too do we fail to fully appreciate Christ and all He does for us until we try to live without Him. The good news for me and I'm sure countless others as well is that Jesus had left the key under the mat so I could come back home. I give thanks daily for that. The Lord's love is so great that he will never turn his back on you, even if you do on him. Is there a greater love than that?

And just as our mothers nurtured and fed us to help us grow, so does our Jesus. Through the study of how Jesus lived as found in the Gospels, we satisfy a different brand of hunger, a need for direction as to how we should conduct ourselves in a world just as indifferent as the Israel that Jesus walked. He is the ultimate role model, a blinding ray of light in a dark world. He is a security blanket for each of us. Just as we found a special comfort physically in Mom, we find that same peace and serenity spiritually through Jesus Christ who one day we’ll reside with.

Although we are distant from our heavenly home, our faith in Jesus works to bridge the gap and bring us closer to our Savior. Asked to give the greatest commandment, Jesus said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." If we’re not sure how to do that, we need look no further than our mothers and Jesus and the way they have loved us. For when I think of Mom, I see that Jesus placed in her a special love...a part of Himself.

Truly, we’re blessed with the love of a mother, and the love of Jesus....a love like no other.

In Christ,

Mark

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CARRIED THROUGH THE TOUGH TIMES

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

"One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand; one belonging to him and the other to the Lord. When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times of his life. This really bothered him and questioned the Lord about it. "Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. However, I noticed that during the most troublesome times of my life there was only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me." The Lord replied, "my precious, precious child, I love you and I would never leave you during your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints it was then that I carried you."
Carolyn Joyce Carty

"God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Hebrews 13:5

Sometimes I take a break from my Old Testament writings when the Lord speaks to me on another subject that needs highlighted. Today is one of those days.

I don’t know if you heard about it this last week but last weekend something truly remarkable happened on a softball field in Washington state where two Division II schools, Central Washington and Western Oregon squared off in a doubleheader. Western Oregon had won the first game, 8-1, and there was no score in game two as Western Oregon came to bat in the second inning. They got a couple of runners on when a diminutive, part-time outfielder, senior Sara Tucholsky, came to bat and did the unexpected…she hit a home run. Excited and thrilled because she had never hit a home run before, she missed touching first base and as she turned to go back and touch it, she tore her ACL in her knee. She crumpled to the ground, unable to get up and run the bases.

The umpires said that it was against the rules for any of the Western Oregon coaches or trainers to help the injured player go around the bases. They could only put a player into the game in her place and the home run would get changed to a single. It appeared that Sara’s special moment was going to fade as quickly as it happened. But then the improbable happened.

Central Washington senior, third baseman and home run leader, Mallory Holtman, asked the umpires whether she could carry Sara around the bases so she could score and her first home run count. The umpire said there was nothing in the rules that would prevent it. So Mallory and the Western Washington shortstop, Liz Wallace, picked up Sara and carried her around the bases, pausing momentarily at each base to allow Sara to gingerly touch her foot to it. When they reached home plate, Sara’s teammates were waiting for her and took Sara from the Western Washington players. Sara might have hit the home run but the real scoring came in the way the Western Washington players displayed such incredible sportsmanship and humanity in helping someone in need. Western Washington would go on to lose the game 5-2 but they weren’t losers in anyone’s eyes this day.
(full article on this can be read at http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/columns/story?columnist=hays_graham&id=3372631)

I couldn’t help but think about the Lord when I heard of this story. For how many times do we fall down in the course of life, sometimes in the midst of what were good times and then in the blink of an eye, hardship or tragedy strikes. I have always loved the writing titled "Footprints in the Sand" penned by author Carolyn Joyce Carty because it reminds us that we truly do serve a Lord who never leaves us nor forsakes us. When we feel like we might be walking alone with only one set of footprints visible, we need to be reminded that the Lord is the Owner of those sincle set of footprints and is right there with us, carrying us through times of difficulty and helping us get to home plate…just as Mallory Holtman and Liz Wallace did for Sara Tucholsky.

My prayer is that we all can learn a lesson from the selfless, loving actions of these college girls and others. For in doing what they did, they truly reflected the Spirit of Jesus, a Spirit that has told us that when we do unto the least, it is as if we are doing it unto Him. (Matthew 25:40) Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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OUR HEAVENLY FATHER...GUARDIAN AND PARENT

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

Since I finished the Book of Leviticus yesterday, it seemed like a good time to share with you a message the Lord imparted on my heart last week while I was in worship at my home church, Bayside Baptist Church in Virginia Beach (and I hope you might visit us in worship if you’re ever in the neighborhood).

I was sitting in the pew holding my precious little grandson of less than a month, Maddox, during the pastor’s sermon. He was asleep and laying there in my arms so peacefully…his face almost angelic. This was a markedly different Maddox from the one my daughter would tell me about. The Maddox who when awake yearned to be cared for nearly non-stop. The Maddox who seemed to never stop eating. The Maddox who cried out loudly and consistently if he didn’t get what he needed.

Indeed, many things were rushing into my mind as I sat there, listened to the sermon which discussed the wonder of our salvation and looked into the sleeping face of my grandson.
I began to think of how absolutely helpless babies are when they are so young. They can’t do anything for themselves and are totally dependent on the care of another. Little Maddox left alone anywhere would not survive long if he had no one to care for him. He would cry only to have no one to come and comfort him. He would hunger only to have no one to feed him. He would lie completely vulnerable only to have no one to protect him. Truly, his very survival and existence relied on the care of his parent.

As the pastor continued to talk about salvation and the sad truth that there are many in this world who are lost and hopeless because they don’t know or accept Jesus, I couldn’t help but see a parallel to baby Maddox and his vulnerability.

For those who have no relationship with Jesus have no relationship with the Father for Jesus Himself said that no one comes to the Father except by Him. And with no relationship with the Father, a person is helpless and hopeless. Without the Father’s care, they stand vulnerable with little chance against the attacks of Satan. They cry out in their lives for help and guidance only to find no real help or guidance because they don’t have a relationship with the only true Parent that can help them and guide them. They find themselves hungering for wisdom and understanding only to slowly starve without the Daily Bread that comes from the Word of God, their Father. And through all this, they fail to see that their survival and existence relies totally on the care of their Heavenly Father.

Friends, we need to never tire in seeking out the lost and helping guide them to spiritual survival and revival. Just as we would never walk past an innocent baby who might be lying unattended, so too should we never just walk by someone who doesn’t have a relationship with the Lord. My prayer is that this week and beyond, we approach our evangelistic efforts with a different sense of urgency, understanding fully what’s at stake. For it truly is a matter of life or death…survival or demise.

In Christ,

Mark

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THE SHEEP AND THE GOOD SHEPHERD

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

In lieu of an entry from Exodus today, I am posting the sermon I delivered at my parent’s church, Good Shepherd United Methodist, in Hazen, Pennsylvania. Hope you enjoy it.

The Sheep and the Good Shepherd

Since Lent is supposed to be a time of reflection about Jesus and how we can change our lives to be more like Him, I began to reflect on what to write about and say to you today. I began to think about your church and how it’s been such a blessing to my family now for around 15 years. And as I thought about the church, the first thing that came to mind is its wonderful name…Good Shepherd United Methodist.

It was this name that led me to today’s message as I began to think about this congregation as a flock under the guidance and protection of the Good Shepherd and so my remarks today are intended to focus on our place in Creation and our purpose under the Almighty Protector and Provider you have named your church after…the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.

But before we can start talking about a shepherd…any shepherd, let alone the Good Shepherd…we need to talk about sheep. I mean after all, isn’t a shepherd a little useless without sheep. To use a Naval analogy…it would sort of be like a Navy Captain with a mighty ship and no Sailors to man it.

So let’s talk about sheep…and when we discuss sheep, we need to see how we share things in common with them. After all, why would the analogy be drawn in the scriptures if we didn’t have a lot of similarities. So bear with me a few moments as I talk about sheep, some of their core behavioral traits and how this connects to us.

First, sheep have a strong instinct to follow. They will follow a shepherd or, in the absence of a shepherd, they will follow another sheep if it decides to stray away from the flock. Bad things typically happen when a sheep tries to lead the flock without a shepherd. In fact, more than a few flocks have fallen off cliffs or drowned in lakes because they followed another sheep who led them the wrong way. Recently, 400 sheep died in eastern Turkey when one of the sheep tried to cross a deep ravine. The rest of the flock followed it.

Like the sheep, we don’t do too well either when we follow someone other than the Good Shepherd. Many people have been led astray and into harm’s way by someone they thought were leading them in the right way. Jesus, our Good Shepherd, warned us to be on the lookout for false teachers and what did He say about them? That they would be wolves in sheep’s clothing. Indeed, we need to be careful to make sure we’re following the Good Shepherd, not Satan…the deceiver who comes as the wolf wearing sheep’s clothing.

The second thing about sheep is that they like to stay together in the company of one another. Or in other words, they like to flock. They do so for companionship and protection because there is power in numbers and they are far less likely to be attacked by a predator when they stay together than if they scatter and stray.

We too are social in nature. We like to have companionship and be around others. We find a sense of comfort and protection when we’re together…far more than we do when we’re alone. In worship, we gather as a flock and bring praise to our Good Shepherd while learning where He wants us to go. Remember that we are followers by nature.

A third thing about sheep. Sheep have a tendency to stray and get lost…and when they do, they are in danger and very vulnerable to attack. We too stray and lose our way. Maybe you can relate. If you’ve strayed in the past, you can testify to how Satan had His way with you while you were out of the care of the Good Shepherd. I know I can. If you are straying right now, run and run as fast as you can back into the arms of Jesus. Because trust these words of Peter when he said: "Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." Don’t offer yourself to the devil as a main course. Run to the waiting arms of the Good Shepherd and never stray again.

Finally, sheep devote more time to eating and sleeping than anything else. As for us…Do I really need to tell you how much we’re alike them in this category? smile

You get the point…we’re more like sheep than we might want to admit and it’s obvious that we are in need of a shepherd just as much as sheep. Praise God that in Jesus, we have a Good Shepherd and we know we have Him because the bible tells us so. Let’s turn to the scriptures to see what they have to say about the Good Shepherd.

Please turn with me to the Gospel of John, Chapter 10, verses 1-16:

"I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them. Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd."

From this scripture we see four main points about the Good Shepherd and in place of using the word "sheep" I will insert words that refer to us so we can glean the intent that Jesus meant as He shared this message:

The Good Shepherd leads us…and those who are part of His flock listen to His voice. We know our Shepherd because the Shepherd spends a great deal of time with his flock. He loves His flock and will do anything to ensure they are cared for properly, even if it means dying for them…I’ll touch more on that later. In fact, this Good Shepherd knows us so well that He knows us by name and He leads us to special, holy places.

Please turn with me to six of the most beloved verses in the Old Testament…the 23rd Psalm. David wrote this Psalm over 2,000 years ago and those in Christ Jesus can attest to the truth of His words to this very day. Hear this word of the Lord:

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even 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. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

This Good Shepherd knows us by name and leads us to green pastures…Where we are always nourished and able to rest. When we follow the Good Shepherd, we will always find ourselves fed and resting in comfort.

He also leads us besides quiet waters…and it’s here that we find peace and quench our thirst for holiness…a holiness that can only be found in Him.

He guides us on the paths of righteousness…The Good Shepherd always leads us on the right path. We need not worry about where to go because He guides us where He wants us.

And He is such a strong protector that we can even be led through the valley of the shadow of death and not be fearful. For our Shepherd has a powerful Rod and Staff that will ward off any enemy and no matter how precarious our walk might be with Him, He always knows how to steer us through trouble.

Shouldn’t we just praise God that we have such an awesome Good Shepherd who leads us!

But that isn’t all…

For our Good Shepherd also saves us.

Listen again to the words of our Shepherd from John 10 as He says, "…I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

When we decide to follow the Good Shepherd and pass through His gate to join His Flock, we are saved! Alleluia! We come in…and go out…and find pasture…not the dead fields of desolation we walked through when we were lost and without purpose but the green pastures of hope we now have through the saving deliverance of the Good Shepherd…the Good Shepherd who came to give us life and life everlasting.

And this leads to the third main point about the Good Shepherd…He willingly died for us. Once again, hear these words from John’s gospel:

"The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep."

Notice that we can only be saved by the Good Shepherd. Anyone else who might claim they can save us is no more than a hired hand who will flee when real danger comes near. Only Jesus, the Good Shepherd, can have victory over Satan…who is akin to the wolf who wishes only to attack, scatter and devour the flock. Indeed, the Good Shepherd did lay down His life for us, His sheep…willing to pay the price for our sins and in doing so, delivering us from certain death to life…and He did so willingly because He loved us. Listen to the words of the prophet Isaiah who spoke about the Good Shepherd before He even existed. Isaiah said in Chapter 58, verses 6 through 8:

"We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him (the Good Shepherd) the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away."

Indeed…falsely accused, mocked, beaten, bruised, broken and crucified, the Good Shepherd laid down His life for His sheep…His sheep who had gone astray…for all of us. But even death could not stop the Good Shepherd…No! Because this is no ordinary shepherd…this is a Shepherd who was also the Messiah…our Savior,Redeemer and Friend.

And we know that death could not keep this Good Shepherd…our Good Shepherd in the grave. In fact, our Good Shepherd is still looking to add to His flock. For Jesus said in John 10, "I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd."

Jesus, the Good Shepherd was not stopped at death. Truly, He was just getting started.

So how does this Good Shepherd bring more sheep into His flock? Well, He guides us, His sheep, to help Him find other sheep. Here’s the direction He has given us…I’ll be reading from Matthew 28, verses 16 to 20:

"Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

The Good Shepherd still leads us to green pastures, quiet waters, along paths of rightousness and through the valley of the shadow of death…and all along the way, He has us seek other sheep to join the flock. These sheep have the same opportunity to enter through His gate as we did, the same opportunity to find their own salvation. And once through the gate, they too will come to know and listen to His voice and seek to join us in expanding the flock even more.

So Jesus…the Good Shepherd…leads us, saves us, He died for us, and still seeks to add to His flock through us but there’s one other important point about the Good Shepherd that we must remember. For one day, He is going to return and lead His flock again here on earth. And we know He will return because His word tells us so. Turn to Matthew 25, verses 31-33:

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left."

Friends…the Good Shepherd may have laid down His life for His sheep but He is returning for His flock at a time when He will gather them for the last time. Never again will they be scattered or lost but they will gather with Him for all eternity.

Question: Are you one of the sheep in the flock of the Good Shepherd? Do you even know Him? If not, today you have a chance to meet Him at the gate, entering the flock and into His care.

If you’re in the flock, how well have you been following the Good Shepherd in your life? Have you strayed and found yourself vulnerable and under attack by Satan?

Well today, I have good news for you. For you can run back into the arms of the Good Shepherd who is ready to take you back into the flock and rejoice over your return.

Friends, your church has a wonderful, blessed name...Good Shepherd. Let us ever praise God for His Son, Jesus, the eternal Good Shepherd…and praise Him as well for watching over and keeping this flock. May He continue to bless you and provide for you all. Amen.

BENEDICTION FROM HEBREWS 13:20-21

May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/

Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

____For God so loVed
______the world thAt

___He gave His onLy
Son so that whosoEver
______believeth iN Him
_________shall noT
_____________perIsh

__but have everlastiNg
______________lifE. (John 3:16)

We love only because He first loved us.

Happy Valentine's Day from Grace and I

In Christ,

Mark

THE SEASON OF L.E.N.T.

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

Today marks the first day of one of the most significant periods of the Christian calendar…the season of Lent. Beginning with Ash Wednesday, Lent is a 40 day period of prayer, fasting, reflection and repentance lasting until Easter with the 40 days symbolizing the time Jesus spent in the wilderness after His baptism by John…a period which culminated in Satan attempting to tempt Him.

So as we prepare for the death and resurrection of our Savior, I wanted to offer the following exposition of the word Lent…turning it into a holy acronym. Enjoy.

1. L = Look inside.

This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength…" Isaiah 30:15

Lent is a time of special self reflection…a time to take account of anything inside of you that would draw you away from God’s will and way for your life. We all have room to improve because we’re all sinners and imperfect. We all fall short of God’s grace and favor…but the good news is that we can grow ever closer to Him and the person He wants us to be if we just commit to model ourselves after the One He sent to walk among us in perfect righteousness…His only Son Jesus. And this leads me to "E".

2. E = Examine Jesus.

For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God's power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God's power we will live with him to serve you. Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?" 2 Corinthians 13:4-5

Lent is a great time of year to focus in on the life and ministry of Jesus for if we are truly going to be His disciples and carry out His Great Commission (and in doing so His work) then we had better examine Him and seek to be just like Him. After all the very root of the word Christian is Christ. Jesus is supposed to be at the heart of every person who professes to be of Him. And yet, we too often proclaim Him and yet not represent Him properly. This Lenten season, make it a priority to read the New Testament gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The key to knowing Jesus is contained within them and we can’t possibly be like Him if we don’t know Him. Hopefully, our prayerful study will take us to the "N" in my Lent acronym.

3. N = New focus.

If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 4:11

As we study Jesus, we see our flaws exposed and are able to renew our efforts to correct our shortcomings to be more like Jesus in every way. In other words, we gain a new focus on areas of our lives that need correction. Whether that focus is on our sinfulness…our hopelessness without Jesus…His teachings, mannerisms, and power…His sacrifice for us…His victory over death…or hopefully all of the above and more, we come to a place of greater appreciation for what He has done for us and a clear set of initiatives to become more like Him. And this will take us to the final letter "T".

4. T = Turn toward righteousness.

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise. Proverbs 11:30

As we see our weaknesses exposed and the places in our lives that need corrected, we see our dire need to repent and give thanks for God’s grace, mercy and salvation…all possible because of His only Son Jesus. And as we repent, we see the need to turn from the way we were into a new way of righteousness…all through living our lives as Jesus lived His. This commitment toward holiness will not only lead us to the proper appreciation for all that Jesus did for us but also lead us to a life that emulates and honors Him.

Question: What are your plans for this Lenten season? Will it be just 40 days of business as usual? Or will you see your obligation to give Jesus your full and undivided attention…your very life? For that is just what He gave us.

Have a blessed Lenten observance everyone and thank you Jesus for all You have done, all You are doing and all You have yet to do to save us.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/

Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com

AMAZING GRACE

My wife and I attend Bayside Baptist Church in Virginia Beach VA (please stop by and worship with us if you're ever in the neighborhood).

This morning, we watched a quick video concerning the song Amazing Grace, one of my most favorite hymns. I wanted to share this with you and hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.

Here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMF_24cQqT0

In Christ,

Mark