Once Again Lifted Up

01-StarSong-CHILD'SCartoonCover-SmallThe scripture for today, April 13, is Philippians 4:13 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”

Life is not easy. Plans are scattered, dreams are shattered, and even predictable every-day things sometimes give way to the unknown and unpredictable. Maybe you have made bad decisions, or you weren’t prepared for emergencies, or you are an innocent victim of someone else’s problems.

Then there is the isolation so many people are going through right now in order to not give or receive a virus with no known cure. People losing jobs, people losing connections, people crowded together hour after hour and day after day in a single home with cabin fever, or alone and lonely in a single home. Wondering. What is in the future?

There is Someone who knows everything that is happening to you and who will walk beside you down whatever path you find yourself. He has gotten societies all over the world through disasters for thousands of years and he will get you through this one too.  Further, even if you lose faith in Him, He will not lose faith in you.

When you don’t feel like it, reach out to God. Pray, even if all you can think of to talk about is how terrible things are right now. At least you’re talking. And read the Bible ~ especially the New Testament where people were dying for their faith ~  for that is God talking to you. Keep the two-way communication going. Amidst your weeping when you fall, God will give you strength and once again lift you up.

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I pen my thoughts to reach out to souls. Will you help me tells others about this book?          https://amzn.to/2qsc00U

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01-StarSong-CHILD'SCartoonCover-SmallSTAR SONG is storybook #1 in A CHILD’S LIFE OF CHRIST for ages 3-12.  At the end of every chapter is “Think & Do” for your child to apply something from that chapter in their life, usually a good work such as taking a cookie to a neighbor and calling a shut-in to sing to them or calling an unpopular child at school to say hi.  Perfect for the early reader with large font and dashes between syllables of big words. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….  https://amzn.to/2qsc00U

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You poured out your heart to me

The highest praise belongs to you alone, Jehovah of the universe, both that which is seen and unseen.  I praise you, God of the glorious name, God the I AM. You are not just self-existent. You are Love.  You know me by my name. You run after me when I run away from you and call my name. You love me so. If you did not love, you could not exist. If you were not life, you could not exist. How I worship you. 

I am just a weak sinner. I find it hard to forgive sometimes and have to remind myself that you forgive me only as I do others.  Satan wants me to become an accuser like him. Satan, get away from me!

I whisper thank you in my heart for your Word ~ your heart poured out. My puny thanks swells, rushes to you, and bursts forth in your throne room.  Thank you, Jesus, for being my perfect sacrifice. You had to materialize so you could be my substitute. You went through what you did not have to do, even while I was offending you with my sins. Thank you for giving life, and re-giving life over and over. You cannot stop because you are God. Thank you for being stronger than Satan and keeping him at enough distance that I can recognize all the good that you are. Oh, how I long to be with you as your bride forever.

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I pen my thoughts to reach out to souls. Will you help me tells others about this book?’          https://amzn.to/34iQFde

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CHRISTIANITY OR ISLAM: THE CONTRAST can be given to any Muslim without offending them.  So far, I have taught 7000 Muslims and early on realized they have not truly read their Quran any more than the average American has read the Bible. They do not know the violent parts are in there.  This book QUOTES the Quran and Bible on the same subjects to show the contrast. The middle of the book explains falsehoods they have been taught about Christians (such as worshipping 3 gods), and ends with testimonies of 100 of my students who have decided Jesus really was the Son of God.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….  https://amzn.to/34iQFde

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Your radiance dazzles the universe.

Love Letters of Jesus & his Bride, Eccelsia-THUMBNAILLord God of heaven and earth, your radiance dazzles the universe. When you speak, the thunders crash. When you protect, you send bolts of lightning where needed. You are not soft. Your enemies hate you for stopping them. They declare you are not a good God because you will not let them do whatever they want.  I am unendingly grateful that you are my shield, my defender, my safeguard, my shelter. You are always there when I need you. I do not even know all the times you have kept me from harm, but I know you do. I praise you with my lips, my actions, my heart.

Thank you for rain ~ gentle showers, rushing torrents, and all that is between.  You soften the ground with it and make it ready for seeds anxious to reproduce themselves. Spring is filled with hope, autumn overflowing with bounty.  Even the deserts with their sparseness and sand that blows wearily here and there come alive with blossoms that have been hidden since the last rain long before. No seed really ever dies. It always has life in it. How amazing how you awaken what was thought to be dead even in the desert and bless the earth. How kind you are to provide my food when I am hungry and nourish my life so I can plant seeds of your hope in others’ hearts.

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I pen my thoughts to reach out to souls. Will you help me tells others about this book?’          https://amzn.to/2UKPIaw

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Love Letters of Jesus & his Bride, Eccelsia-THUMBNAILLOVE LETTERS OF JESUS & HIS BRIDE, ECCLESIA.  Want to know how much God loves you despite yourself?  Read this book based on the Song of Songs and be awed. God is the lover of your soul.  Every time you wander, he runs after you and returns you to his arms.  Never under-estimate the love of God for his bride, the church.  This is also a gift book with papyrus font.  It can also be used as you meditate over Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….  https://amzn.to/2UKPIaw

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No Matter what they do to you.

07-SHADOW-ChildsCartoonThmbnailThe scripture for today, April 1 (4/1), is Ephesians 4:1 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.”

Paul, imprisoned for spreading the word about Jesus? Now he wants others to follow his example, even if they end up in prison like him? 

Did Paul’s incarceration stop the Christians he was writing to from spreading the word?  More, did Jesus’ crucifixion stop them for fear they would be crucified too? Did early Christians decide it was too dangerous to tell people the way to escape hell and go to heaven? Never.

They loved people’s souls so much, they were willing to take insults, persecution, imprisonment and even death in the hopes their persistent love would Eventually, lead to people becoming Christians and being saved from eternal hell. They knew their “calling” as Christians.

How about today? Do you live a life worthy of your calling as a Christian? Do you stand up for Jesus and reach out to the lost, regardless of how they treat you? Or do you cower and use the excuse, “Once people see my godly life, they will ask me how to be saved”?  How many times do the lost really do that?

Rise up!  Stand tall as a brave soldier of the Lord. Dare to march into enemy territory and do everything you can to snatch the lost out of the claws of Satan.

No matter what they do to you.

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I pen my thoughts to encourage souls. Will you help me share today’s book with someone?                    https://amzn.to/2Rh7iB9

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07-SHADOW-ChildsCartoonThmbnailSHADOW OF DEATH IS storybook #7 in A CHILD’S LIFE OF CHRIST.  It has the same chapters as the adult SHADOW OF DEATH in THEY MET JESUS series with stories on a child’s level.  This one has been toned down a great deal. At the end of each of the ten chapters in each storybook is Think & Do to help the child apply that story to their daily life.  This is a great time to read with your child.  Understandable at age 3 and up to 12. At age 13, they should switch to the adult version.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this………  https://amzn.to/2Rh7iB9

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Prayer for Sunday

09-Jonah-KindleThumbnailAh, my amazing God, you decorate eternity with your presence. When you shout, the cosmos quivers. Satan did not have a chance against you.  Even when Satan planned to kill the souls of all mankind, you stepped in and would not let him. You ransomed us from him with that terrible price he demanded. You are so powerful. Satan keeps killing, you keep creating. Satan keeps convincing us to sin and you keep forgiving. Satan brings darkness into our lives, you bring sunshine into our souls. You are omnipotent beyond understanding. You are Love and will never give up the fight to keep Satan away from us. I cannot help but worship you, the Delight of my soul.

Jesus, my sins are so many. I do the same things over and over. I am trying to overcome them. I feel the guilt, but I also feel your everlasting forgiveness.  Over and over you forgive. Such love. Such love. How can you? You never tire of forgiving. How can I thank you enough? Each page of your Word astounds me. Within those pages, you reveal everything about yourself ~ your deepest longings for mankind, your disappointments, your feelings of betrayal, your shouts of joy. It’s all in there ~ as much as my finite mind can grasp. No guessing. Oh, and thank you for color. Color is so delightful! When Spring returns, all the colors will arise in greeting.

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I pen my thoughts to encourage souls. Will you help me share today’s book with someone?          https://amzn.to/2PgTkxM

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09-Jonah-KindleThumbnailJONAH is #9 in A CHILD’S BIBLE HEROES series of Bible stories.  Yes, he ran away on a ship when God told him to go to his people’s enemies and tell them to repent.  But even while on the ship, he preached to the sailors and told them about the one true God, then sacrificed his life to save theirs.  After three deadly days in a fish, he was vomited out on land.  And when he finally went to the enemy, he found the new king was only 14 years old and still humble (true fact).  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this………. https://amzn.to/2PgTkxM

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Prayer for Monday 2/10

00-Stephen-Cover-Kindle-ThumbnailGod of Glory, Truth, Life, Love. You made the world with all its wonders.  Satan tried to take it from you. He tried to take over the world you made. You said, “Just try it and I’ll destroy your destructions.”  You are so strong. You destroy darkness with light. You destroy evil with good. You destroy nothingness with creativeness.  You destroy death with life. Such a warrior. Nothing stops you!

It is morning.  The night dew has fallen and cleansed your world. Fresh. Newborn. Full of exciting unknowns for the rest of the day. Ups and downs like a bird hopping on the snow.  What shall today bring?  You are the God of second chances. Of starting over. Of being reborn. Yes, come sweet morning. Oh, and thank you for the church, my family, the Bible, friends, Christian radio and TV and films and music. And yes, the songs. The wonderful, glorious songs too. I am so happy there will be singing in heaven. Somewhere in your Word, you admitted you sing.  Oh, glorious thought. Powerful anthems and gentle strains. Thank you for all this and for you being you ~ my loving God.

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I pen my thoughts to encourage souls. Will you help me share today’s book with someone?          https://amzn.to/37gDrh8

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00-Stephen-Cover-Kindle-ThumbnailSTEPHEN: UNLIKELY MARTYR is biblical historical novel #7 in the INTREPID MEN OF GOD series.  It begins with Stephen being 17 years old, his best friend, Abraham, being crucified and running to save his own life.  It ends when he is 28 years old with a wife and two children.  What happened those eleven years to turn him from a teenage coward to a selfless, mature, and lofty young man willing the give up the rest of his life here on earth voluntarily.  Heroes are not born.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….  https://amzn.to/37gDrh8

 

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Prayer for Monday 1/27

0-BOOK 7-SHADOW-ChildsCartoonMediumI praise you, my Yahweh, for life and might. And for sight and sound. And for your word and logic. You are my all. Without your tranquility, all that would be left is chaos and disharmony. Without your light and serenity, all that would be left is darkness and agony. Without your dwelling place, all that would be left is hell.  I struggle to know all about you. You are like a magnet, always drawing me to you. Come sweet death ~ death of that which just grows older and weaker anyway. Call me through the mist of my vague speculations. Come rebirth into the rapturous realm of your presence.  How I envy those who have already beheld you and touched your glory. Until then, I willingly submit to your divine majesty until, at last, you fulfill my longing to worship you in celestial fullness.

Thank you, my Lord, for being the God of Love and not allowing the god of hatred to take over.  Sometimes it seems, when the shadows of doubt surround me, he is winning. But when I peer into that unseen world through the portal of your  Word, I know he is already wounded.  When Satan causes people to fight and lie and cheat, they think they are winning.  They are blind. They cannot win.  Refusing to fight, lie, and cheat is true strength and the epitome of power.  Ah, my Lord, I cannot be strong like you. But I thank you for the divine privilege of standing beside you during the battle.  You do not hide, you do not cower, you do not run away.  You do as David did to giant Goliath so long ago.  You run to the enemy and conquer with that powerful amazing love of yours. I am so proud to belong to you.

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I write to encourage souls. Will you help me share today’s book with someone?              https://amzn.to/2GqVyGe

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07-SHADOW-ChildsCartoonThmbnailA CHILD’S LIFE OF CHRIST: SHADOW OF DEATH is one in a series of storybooks for ages 3 to 12.  “Think and Do” at the end of each chapter gives a simple good work for the child to do. Large squiggly letters are fun to read.  Long names of people, places, and things are divided with dashes between syllables for easy reading.  Perfect for birthdays, church libraries, Bible school teachers, homeschoolers and grandparents.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……… https://amzn.to/2GqVyGe 

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Monday 12/30 ~ A daring new year’s resolution

The Scripture for today, December 30 (12/30), is Matthew 12:30, as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

Acts of the Apostles-Cover-Thumbnail“He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.”

What? You can’t just drift along just showing up at church services and that is all? You must gather people to him? Are you sure? Oh, I don’ know enough about the Bible. Besides, I’m too busy.

Deep down inside, do you fear that, if you bring Jesus into a conversation, people will do you great harm and become dangerous enemies? Although in some countries of the world this is true, in most it is not. Those of you in free countries, do you quake at the thought of bringing up Jesus to your friends, and even to strangers? What will they do to you? Kick you? Slug you? Poison your food? What is it you fear?

Those are Satan’s lies. He has gotten into your head and you are believing him. Most people will appreciate a little discussion about Jesus because most people do not attend worship anywhere and know little about the Bible.

Instead of listening to Satan, perhaps you should quake that some of your friends are headed to hell.  Satan puts fear in your heart. Do not give in to Satan. “Perfect love casts out fear” (1st John 4:18).  Do as Jesus did: “Seek and save the lost” (Luke 9:10).

Help your friends who do not know they need help. Overcome your fear for yourself and give in to the fear for their souls. It can be done. Stop watching so much television or playing endless games. Give it a try. If it were your soul, would you want someone to at least try to save you? Rise up! Defy Satan! For your new year’s resolution, dare to be a gatherer of souls.

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Acts of the Apostles-Cover-ThumbnailEASY BIBLE WORKBOOKS:  ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.  All workbooks are surveys of a book.  Here is a simple fill-in-the blank workbook for Acts.  It gives the exact verse so there’s no hunting.  Caution: It is in the NIV version.  It was set up for weekly group studies where the student does one part of a lesson each day so s/he is ready when the group gets together.  However, it can be used in weekly classes or by homeschoolers, or just lone in private study.  (Note:  I am going through another edit in January.) To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://amzn.to/2F8BDep

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Sunday 12/29 ~ The True Promised Land

The scripture for today, December 29 (12/29), is Deuteronomy 12:29 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

07-SHADOW-ChildsCartoonSmall“The Lord your God will cut off before you the nations you are about to invade and dispossess.”

Why would a good God drive people (the Amorite nations) from their own land so that other people (the Jews) could live there? Way back in Genesis 15, God promised Abraham that his descendants would possess the land he lived in as a wanderer; but first, they would be enslaved in a foreign country some 400 years. During that time, they would multiply. Indeed, they did grow from 70 of Abraham’s grandchildren to over three million.

Then it would be time for his descendants to possess the land. Why so long in the future?  Verse 16 explains it: “For the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.” God always gives people plenty of time to repent and change.  But the Amorites continued to do horrible things including child sacrifices to appease their gods.

The Jews did finally possess the Promised Land, but God warned them, “If you defile the land, it will vomit you out as it vomited out the nations that were before you” (Leviticus 18:28). Indeed, they did eventually defile the land with horrible things including child sacrifice to appease the gods they traded the real God for. So, God kept his promise and sent them into exile in Assyria and Babylon.

Today, just as Abraham searched for a country and city not made with hands, join him.  Regardless of the condition of the nation you live in on earth, look ahead to that same country and city not made with hands.  Look ahead to the true Promised Land, the spiritual Promised Land ~ heaven. And it will be forever good.

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07-SHADOW-ChildsCartoonThmbnailA CHILD’S LIFE OF CHRIST: SHADOW OF DEATH gently tells of Jesus hurting on the cross, then dying, then coming back to life to live forever.  For the Christian, Death is gentle. Death is a glow of sunshine in the valley and a shining door into heaven.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://amzn.to/37iVMdW

 

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Friday 12/27 ~ True separation of church and state

The scripture for today, December 27 (12/27), is 1st Kings 12:27 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

00- Worship Changes KC COVER-thumbnail“If these people go up to offer sacrifices at the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem [not some other capital city], they will again give their allegiance to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah.”

For centuries and millenniums, kings selected a patron god for their nation, a god they most revered to protect them. Nations were always ruled by either a high priest or king. Some nations even had priest-kings.

So, when Constantine conquered much of Europe and set up his empire, he needed a patron god. One day during a battle, he looked up and saw a cloud formation that reminded him of things he’d heard about Jesus. So he made Jesus his patron God, and Christianity his empire’s required religion. He even rode his army through rivers, then declared them baptized. He ordered conquered peoples to be baptized or killed.  Headquarters was Rome.

Luther was friends of the Duke [king] of Germany, so when he broke off from Rome, the official state religion became Lutheranism. John Calvin was in the government of Switzerland, so when it broke off from Rome, the official state religion became Calvinism. When the king of England broke off from Rome, he became head of the Church of England (and Prince Charles is head of the Church there today). John Knox was influential with the parliament of Scotland, so his Presbyterianism became the official religion of Scotland.

In each instance, the king or parliament could force its citizens to follow the chosen religion of that nation. If people didn’t, they could legally put them in prison, torture them, and execute them at will. Up to a hundred years ago, it was illegal to not be a Shinto. Today, Islam is the required religion of most Middle-Eastern and some African countries. Anyone leaving Islam suffers.

Eventually, the idea of separating religion from the state government became popular in the Western World. And that is where many nations are today. But it does not mean people in government cannot express religion. It just means they cannot force citizens to be a particular government-selected religion or be in danger of punishment. That is true “separation of church and state”.

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00- Worship Changes KC COVER-thumbnailWORSHIP CHANGES SINCE THE FIRST CENTURY is a year-by-year account of governments and religious hierarchy who changed “church law” and what they did to those who protested ~ things you always took for granted were always that way. Intermingled are the hymns of some of the martyrs during this time, hymns you have sung a hundred times and never knew.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://amzn.to/2SwgtyY

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