Seek Him First

"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness,

and all these things will be given to you as well."

Matthew 6:33

"I see you!"

"I want you."

"I have you."

"You're mine."

"Now I'm going to hide you in secret spot."

"So Hunter can't take you away from me."

Are we like Osha at all? Is there anything you have that you are not willing to share and let go of?

• Money?
• A beautiful home?
• An expensive vehicle?
• A son or daughter?
• A relationship?
• A ministry?
• A job positon?
• Purdy's Chocolate? (OK maybe I am going a little too far here, but then again maybe not.)

God says in His Word that if we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, we will never be deficient or deprived. In other words, we will lack nothing.

We don't need to hold on to something. God is all we really need!

Show Compassion To All

God is compassionate, and it is His will that we be compassionate too.

"You must be compassionate,

just as your Father is compassionate."

Luke 6:36

Compared to Osha, my kitten, the spider is tiny. It is also helpless and has no way of protecting itself against a playful kitten. Some may view a spider as repulsive and of no value or purpose in a home. They may be right. I hate spiders in my house. But I can't stand the thought of Osha tormenting one either. (Tim took the picture.) Surprisingly, I have compassion for the spider.

The Bible says that God shows no partiality. He loves all people, big and small. He cares for the orphans and widows, and is kind and generous to the foreigners in our land.

"He ensures that orphans and widows receive justice.

He shows love to the foreigners living among you

and gives them food and clothing."

Deuteronomy 10:18

The Bible also says that God has compassion for those who are harassed and helpless. The spider again comes to mind.

"When He saw the crowds,

He had compassion for them

because they were harassed and helpless,

like sheep without a shepherd."

Matthew 9:36

Compared to God, we are all really nothing more than spiders. But God is not like Osha. He has compassion on us simply because He loves us.

And it is God's will that we be like Him. Therefore, we need to be tenderhearted and charitable to all, including those in our society who are unfortunate, destitute, unfavourable, and helpless, as well as those whom society has deemed hopeless and inferior. More specifically, we need to show love, kindness, and generosity to the homeless, to people of different races and cultures, to the physically and mentally challenged, to children and teens in foster care, to drug and alcohol addicts, to jailed criminals, and to the mentally ill.

This Christmas give the gift of compassion:

• Take the time to listen to someone who needs to talk.
• Phone a person who might be feeling lonely or sad. Let them know you are thinking about them.
• Start a conversation with a stranger while you are waiting in a line-up. Your friendliness can make a big difference in a person's stressful and troubling day.
• Visit someone you know who is in jail and speak God's Word of life into them.
• Buy flowers for someone who is feeling depressed. When the sad-hearted person looks at the flowers, he/she will be reminded that someone cares.
• Give a wayward teenager a sincere compliment.

These gifts are not costly, but they are powerful and effective.

Wash Me Thoroughly

When David had sinned terribly against God, he quickly realized his filthy state and he poured out his heart to His Father in the following verse.

"Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!"

Psalm 51:2

Sin makes us feel dirty and in need of a thorough cleansing. The only way to remove our guilt and shame is to go to God our Father in prayer and repentance. If we feel sorrow for our sins and contritely ask God to forgive us, He promises that He will cleanse us from all sin that we have committed in rebellion towards Him.

"I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me

 and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me."

Psalm 33:8

Any person, no matter how wicked and evil his/her sins, can receive God's forgiveness.

Many would like nothing more than to see in hell the monstrous and nefarious criminals of this world, but God on the other hand would like to see them repent, so they can be in Heaven with Him.

It is truly beyond our understanding how God can clean a person so egregious and yet there remains not even the slightest trace of dirt from his/her past life of unimaginable wickedness.

Let's never think someone is too evil for God to forgive. God has the ability and desire to forgive, even the vilest of sinners. He loves us all!

Be Alert

The devil is our fiercest and most abominable enemy. He is a traitor of God, and the father of lies and deceptions. Satan's desire is to unarm, destroy, and oppress us so that we are ineffective to be used by God and a poor testimony of God's great love, power, and grace.

The Bible compares Satan to a roaring lion, prowling around looking for someone to devour.

"Be self-controlled and alert.

Your enemy the devil

prowls around like a roaring lion

looking for someone to devour."

1 Peter 5:8

Therefore, God warns us to be alert at all times because Satan is real and active. His motives are evil.

The Bible says that Satan will tempt us, just like he tempted Jesus in the wilderness. The devil will put thoughts into your head to allure you into his trap and to do what God would have you not do.

"Then the devil took Him up and revealed to Him

all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

'I will give You the glory of these kindgoms and authority over them,' the devil said,

'because they are mine to give to anyone I please.

I will give it all to You if You will worship me.'"

Luke 4:5-7

I once knew a woman who loved God for many, many years — ever since she was a young girl. This woman was an inspiration to me to know, love, and serve God.

However, near the end of her life, she found out that her husband had a sexual encounter with another woman during the course of their life-long marriage. And she couldn't forgive. Anger and hatred built up in her heart. She began to spew out horrid words of degradation and malice towards her husband. The days turned into months, until after over a year, her hatrad had not lessened. I pleaded with her to stop. I begged. I cried. I prayed. Nothing changed. I saw before my eyes the deterioration of a man who was once strong, happy, and full of life.

I will never forget the desperate sad look in his eyes when one day he turned to me and said (not audibly, for it was his eyes that spoke volumes), "Help me."

I tried and tried. I honestly did. But my efforts were unsuccessful. I prayed and prayed, all to no avail. Finally, I told the woman that her husband would soon die if she didn't stop it. Of course, I did not know this, but God did. The words just came out of my mouth one day, shocking me, but not her.

She immediately responded, "I wouldn't be so lucky."

Out of overwhelming grief, I bowed my heard and prayed silently, "God take him."

And that is what happened.

Not long afterwards, her husband had to go to the hospital to have minor surgery and stay overnight. However, he never came home. He fell that night after the surgery when he got up to go to the bathroom. He unmindfully pulled his catheter out, fainted from pain, and bled seven and a half pints of blood on the bathroom floor.

The man was left considerably brain-damaged and spent his last few years in a nursing home.

Believe or not, the man was happy and finally at peace. He couldn't no longer remember the abuse, the hatred, and the unforgiveness from his wife. I know because I would ask every time I visited him, "Are you happy?" And every time he would in his childlike state say, "Yes," and smile at me.

It breaks my heart to tell this story because a woman who once knew and loved God listened to the words of Satan as he deceptively whispered in her ears. She fell into his trap of unforgiveness and is not ready to one day meet her once-beloved Saviour.

I still pray for her and will continue to do so. Lamentably, she has also turned her unforgiveness and bitterness towards me.

Be alert people. Don't let down your guard until you finally reach Heaven because Satan will continue to fight for your soul to the very end.

Mishmash of Facts and Fiction

The world usually depicts angels as beautiful, gentle, soft-spoken females in long flowing white dresses. Over time the world's portrayal of angels has drifted from the Biblical view and become much too feminine in character and appearance.

In the Bible, every time an angel appears in human form on earth, he is male. Two of God's angels are called by name: Michael and Gabriel. Both are masculine names. Gabriel is the angel who appeared to Mary to tell her that she was chosen by God to carry the Christ child.

"The angel Gabriel was sent from God

to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,

to a virgin betrothed to a man

whose name was Joseph,

of the house of David.

And the virgin's name was Mary."

Luke 1:26-27

Angels in the Bible are portrayed as strong and powerful: It took only one angel to roll aside the huge stone that blocked the tomb Jesus laid in.

"For an angel of the Lord came down from Heaven,

 rolled aside the stone, and sat on it."

Matthew 82:2

Usually a man's or woman's first reaction to being approached by an angel is that of fright. The angel typically has to calm people's initial fears by saying, "Fear not."

"The angel said to the women,

 'Do not be afraid,

for I know that you are looking for

Jesus, who was crucified.'"

Matthew 28:5

"But the angel said to them,

'Do not be afraid.

I bring you good news of great joy

that will be for al the people.'"

Luke 2:10

Angels are messengers sent by God, so they speak in loud, clear, authoritative voices, not timid, soft, delicate, sweet-sounding voices.

When God gave John, the disciple, a vision of Heaven, John saw a multitude of angels. He heard them speak in loud voices giving glory to God their Father.

"Then I looked,

and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne,

the living creatures, and the elders;

and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand,

and thousands of thousands,

saying with a loud voice:

'Worthy is the Lamb who was slain

to receive power and riches and wisdom,

And strength and honour and glory and blessing!'"

Revelations 5:11-12

The world's portrayal of angels is almost completely opposite the Biblical view of angels. This worldly image of angels is viewed today as acceptable truth, even by Christians. But it is contrary to God's Word.

If Christians don't study the Word of God and change their way of thinking to align with what the Bible says, their perceived truths will become a mixture of God's truths and the world's truths. Their minds will become a mishmash of facts and fiction.

The Only King Was Jesus!

Another misconception of the Christmas story is that three kings from the East rode on camels to visit baby Jesus while he laid in a manger. Even though Christmas cards, carols, movies, books, and church drama productions may portray three kings on camels, the Bible never says this.

The Bible does say that Magi, or wise men — highly intelligent and well-educated scholars — came from the East to visit Jesus. It is unreasonable to think that these wise men were kings in the way that tradition depicts them because how could kings abandon their kingdoms to go on a multi-year star-chasing expedition?

The Bible does not state the number of wise men that came from the East, only that they gave Jesus three types of gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The assumption that there were only three wise men is questionable. I find it unbelievable that there were only three intellectual, curious, and adventurous men who were eager to see where this unusually bright and glorious star led them. The westward expedition would have been even more enticing than seeking buried treasure or searching an undiscovered land.

Not only that, but these wise men were carrying very valuable tributes that would be a temptation for evil-minded men to rob and steal. Therefore, it would not be safe for the wise men to travel in a small group: A larger group would be necessary for their protection.

No one today knows how the wise men travelled either. Never were camels mentioned in connection to the wise men, or in, around, or near the place where Jesus was born.

Here is the Biblical account from Matthew 2:7-12:

     "Then Herod sent a private message to the wise men, asking them to come see him. At this meeting he learned the exact time when they first saw the star. Then he told them, 'Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him too!'
     "After this interview the wise men went their way. Once again the star appeared to them, guiding them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child and his mother, Mary, were, and they fell down before Him and worshipped Him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
     "But when it was time to leave, they went home another way because God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod."

As the Biblical story continues, it reveals another falsehood: when the wise men see Jesus for the first time, He is still a baby lying in a manger. However, the below Scripture verse indicates otherwise.

"Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him.

He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were

two years old and under, based on the wise men's report of the star's first appearance."

Matthew 2:16

Jesus, therefore, could have been as much as two years old when He received the historically recorded visit from these wise men.

The purpose of the wise men in the Christmas story, the purpose of having them kneel down in reverent worship to Jesus and giving Him gifts worthy only for a true King, was to show honour to Jesus' kingship. The focus should not be on these wise men. The only king in the Christmas story was Jesus Christ!

Because the story of Christmas has been told and retold a certain way for so many years, people still fall back on the distorted views surrounding the birth of Jesus, instead of going straight to God's Word to get the accurate account.

I hope to see in the future more Christmas plays and songs that are based on Biblical facts, not illogical assumptions and hearsay. Hopefully this will encourage people to think, ponder, and study God's Word for themselves, instead of just believing whatever they are told.

***Blooper***

My kitten wanted to worship Jesus too!

Factual? In Fact Not

No one really knows the exact day Jesus was born. December 25th was chosen by the Roman Catholic Church to honour the birth of Jesus Christ because they wanted to replace a pagan festival that celebrated the return of the sun. December 21st is the shortest day of the year, so ancient pagans chose December 25th to celebrate the coming increase of sunshine and the lengthening of days. The Roman Catholics thought the best way to be rid of an unholy day was to replace it with a holy day — hence the word holiday.

The Bible doesn't even narrow down the month in which Jesus was born. However, the Bible does give a hint: the birth of Jesus occurred during a time when shepherds lived out in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks at night. This was commonly done from late March to early October.

"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby,

keeping watch over their flocks at night."

Luke 2:8

Once the grass stopped growing, there would be no more need for the shepherds to camp out in the fields. When winter came, the shepherds would bring their sheep home to live in shelters to protect them from the cold and heavy rains.

Also, the end of December would be a bad time of year for a pregnant woman and others to travel a long distance. Therefore, it would have been unreasonable for Caesar Augustus to decree that all the world should be taxed at that time of the year, forcing people to travel in poor weather conditions to their birthplace.

Over time people begin to believe that certain things are factual when, in fact, they are not.

Let's not be so quick to accept historical or traditional Biblical thoughts as truths without first studying the Word of God. We are so privileged and honoured in our society to be able to study freely the Bible for ourselves, so take the time to read God's Word daily. You will then be able to determine Biblical facts from fictional Biblical beliefs or assumptions.

Inside Her, She Carried God

Another misconception of the birth of Jesus Christ is that Mary in her latter stages of pregnancy rode a donkey to Bethlehem with Joseph walking beside her. The Bible never refers to a donkey as Mary's mode of transportation or gives us any details about their long journey. The Bible only states that Mary went with Joseph.

"He took with him Mary, his fiancee,

who was now obviously pregnant."

Luke 2:5

However we do know that people in the days of Jesus' birth either travelled by foot, donkey, horse, or cart. At the time the census took place, we also know that Mary was very young and both she and Joseph came from poor families, so they probably had neither horse or donkey. The Bible says that Mary was near the end of her pregnancy when she made the journey. The distance from Nazareth to Bethlehem was approximately 70 miles, and the journey took between four to six days of rough travel, Most likely, Mary and Joseph travelled in a group for protection from robbers and wild animals.

Mary could have ridden on a donkey loaned to her, but we don't know because the Bible does not say. A wealthy person might have felt compassion for the young mother carrying the Christ child and loaned them a horse and cart. I am certain God was watching over Mary and knew it would have been very uncomfortable for a pregnant woman almost due to give birth to ride a donkey for several days on uneven trails. There is no doubt in my mind that God was with Joseph and Mary, providing for their needs, and giving them His care, protection, peace, love, and comfort during this difficult journey as they honoured God by being obedient to His will.

I also do not believe Mary suffered physical pain or discomfort in making this journey and then giving birth to God's Son. Mary was a gracious servant of God and God supernaturally used her to fulfill His great plan of salvation for all of mankind. God's wonderful and amazing presence was with Mary from the beginning to the end. Inside her, she carried God.

Whether Mary rode on a donkey or not does not diminish the miraculous story of the birth of Jesus. However, we need to be careful that we don't carelessly add to Biblical accounts non-Biblical details that God has chosen not to reveal to us.

Could Have, Should Have, But Didn't

For the next several days I have decided to blog about common misconceptions of the birth of Jesus Christ. I usually talk to the children every year at this time about these misconceptions because I like to encourage the children to study the Bible on their own to discover the true facts versus assumptions or historical narratives.

The first misconception is that Jesus was born in a stable because a cold-hearted innkeeper turned away a pregnant woman and her husband, giving the excuse that there was just no more room in their inn. This is incorrect. There was no inn because the actual translation of the word "inn" in the Greek is "guest quarters", and never was there any mention of an innkeeper that refused to give a room to Mary and Joseph. The Bible also does not say that Jesus was born in a stable, a barn, or a cave, just that His crib was a manger or feeding trough.

"And she gave birth to her first child, a Son.

She wrapped Him in strips of cloth

and laid Him in a feeding trough

because there was no place for them in the guest quarters."

Luke 2:7

If you had to go back to your husband's ancestors' birth place, and were about to give birth to your first child, the most sensible place to stay would be with your relatives: This is the most likely place Mary and Joseph went when they arrived in Bethlehem. However, both Mary and Joseph came from poor, peasant families, so any of their relatives' homes would not be very large with empty rooms or even spaces available.

The Bible never says that Mary and Joseph were inconsiderately turned away. The Bible just states that there was no place for them in the guest quarters, so Mary and Joseph probably had to sleep where the animals were kept, usually in the lower part of the house. In those days, the animals were stored there to protect them from getting stolen. They were also used as kind of a central heating system for the upper part of the house.

I will also point out that Bible never mentions that any animals were present when Jesus was born. I can't imagine Joseph allowing his wife to give birth with the stench of animal feces permeating the air, flies buzzing around, and mice scurrying about. After all, God was revealing to the world the humility of Jesus, not the degradation of Mary or the shame of Joseph. Not only that, but to assume poor people are filthy is wrong.

The true astounding part of the Christmas story is that Jesus Christ, God incarnate, King of kings, and Lord of lords, came down to earth to be born in poverty and to be laid in a feeding trough as his very first bed. The Bible says that his first coverings were nothing more than strips of cloth.

Jesus should have had a crib made of gold decorated with precious jewels, thickly padded and lined with new satin sheets, a cozy soft blanket to wrap his tiny sweet body in, and a beautifully-designed silk quilt to keep Him warm.

Jesus should have, but didn't. Jesus could have, but chose not to.

Substituted By A Mortal Man

The shopping malls are beautifully decorated for the Christmas season. Their interconnecting walkways are lined with spectacular, towering Christmas trees with elaborate, store-bought ornaments arranged in striking colour coordinations. The many strings of bright-gold incandescent and colourful LED lights that dangle from ceilings and coil over railings bring Christmas to life. Passing children are awestruck, and rightly so, for Christmas is indeed a marvelous time of year.

The main attraction of it all is an old, plump man who dresses in a red, velvety suit with fuzzy white trim and a matching hat. He wears a wide, shiny black leather belt and a pair of tall, shiny black leather boots. He has a long white beard, a set of round rosy cheeks, a pair of crinkling eyes, and a jolly laugh. His name is Santa Claus, a person whom mankind has bestowed with magical powers. He has the ability to know if a child is good or not, but not what gifts they want — children must either stand in line at the mall and tell him, or write to him their wishes in a letter addressed to the North Pole. If they are good, he gives them on Christmas Eve whatever they desire. This man has the support of many elves, a loving wife that's a good cook, reindeers with the special ability to fly, a magical sleigh, and a large red bag that can hold an unwieldily number of toys and presents. In a single night, once a year, he miraculously delivers his gifts to all the well-behaved children around the world.

It's no wonder Santa Claus is idolized by millions of children across the world. But he is not real. His powers are make-believe. What is worse, Santa has taken the place of Jesus on His birthday. It isn't even Santa's birthday, or the birthday of Saint Nicolas, a mere mortal man from which the fictional Santa Claus is derived. Jesus, on the other hand, is the Son of God, the greatest revelation to mankind of God's boundless love for us. If it wasn't for the birth of Jesus, none of us would be able to taste Heaven and to one day be in the glorious presence of God where all our heart's desires are eternally fulfilled.

"And the angel said to them,

'Fear not, for behold,

I bring you good news of great joy

that will be for all the people.

For unto you is born this day

 in the city of David,

a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.'"

Luke 2:10-11

On the day when people should be celebrating the most loving, generous,gracious, eternal, omnipresent, omnipotent, and omniscient person, they are instead celebrating a fictionalized, nonexistent person. How it must grieve the heart of God to see Santa Claus take the place of His Son. How it must grieve Him to see children all over this world being told a falsehood about a man that can't even remotely compare to His own Son, Jesus Christ.

If the devote Saint Nicholas were alive on earth today, I believe he would be infuriated and mortified by the world making him an icon. History tells us that Nicholas dearly loved God. Thus it would never have been his desire to transfer the focus of Jesus' birth to himself. Why man is so quick to turn someone into a god when they already have a real One I will never know.

Let's use this season to do all we can to promote and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Let's use Christmas as an opportunity to witness to a lost and deceived world.

Such Sins Have No Place

When my sons were teenagers, I would frequently talk to them about girls and dating. I told them that you can usually tell a woman's spiritual maturity by the way she dresses. My motherly and godly advice to them was simple — stay away from any girl who dresses inappropriately. My response from them was, "OK, Mom, but that omits about 90 percent of them.

The sad truth is my sons are right. This is no exaggeration. Women of all ages attending church are now dressing immodestly. My husband, Brian, says that when it comes time during the worship service to shake the hands of people around us, the males should wear blind folds. He wasn't joking.

My sons have always been turned off from going to youth and young adult groups in churches. They feel convicted within themselves that these are not places God would have them be because of the sexual immorality that is rampant in our churches today. It is pretty sad when Christian men don't feel comfortable going to church functions designated for their age groups because too many of the females are dressed inappropriately.

Paul warned us in the Bible to not get intimately involved with people who profess themselves to be Christians but are sexually immoral; so my sons stay away.

"But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone

who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral."

1 Corinthians 5:11

In the past, it has always shocked me to see female children's pastors, pastor's wives, female worship leaders, and female musicians wearing low-cut tops, sleeveless dresses, mini-skirts, and even fish net stockings with black high heel boots. Now I see it so often, I am no longer shocked, but grieved how Christians today have so little moral standards when it comes to sexual purity.

The Bible says that when a man looks wrongly at a woman, he has sinned against God.

"But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully

has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

Matthew 5:28

However, God will also judge a woman who dresses seductively or to purposely draw attention to her body, even if her dress is the social norm.

"Likewise also that women should adorn themselves

in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control."

1 Timothy 2:9

I'd like to point out that the above Scripture verses are from the New Testament, not the Old. Many people justify sins of lust by saying that today we live in the New Testament era; therefore we are free from the bondage of the out-of-date, non-applicable laws of the Old Testament. I guess these people don't read the Bible.

I have many times heard the excuse that if you are concerned about modest apparel, then you are being legalistic. Obviously these people don't know the meaning of the word legalism because dressing modestly is a moral command of God.

The excuses people come up with to justify sexual sins are pathetic. God has made it very clear that He will not tolerate sexual sins among His people.

"Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you.

Such sins have no place among God's people."

Ephesians 5:3

I can tell you one thing: the blessings that God has bestowed upon my sons are phenomenal because they have chosen to remain sexually pure in our sexually-crazed society.

White As Snow

Winter is here. The first snow has fallen.

It is astounding how freshly fallen snow changes the appearance of the earth around us. Although they have long since lost their emerald leaves, the drab-looking deciduous trees once again become beautiful beneath a crystalline capping of snow that shimmers in the light of the moon. Even the evergreen trees are more alluring as they dazzle with an icing of sparkly white snow.

The enchanting birds that fill the air with captivating song are no longer hidden by the dark brownness of branch and foliage. The source of the song is exposed, and the uniqueness and colour of each bird is visible to all, drawing bird lovers to set out fresh seeds during the cold wintery days.

As the clouds disperse, the daytime sky shines brilliantly blue against the contrasting white of the snow-covered land. The sun shines radiantly upon the purified earth and causes the snow to glitter as if covered by tiny seeds of diamond scattered by the Master Farmer.

The busy sounds of our modern world soften to a hush. The roar of airplane engines in the sky above and the whizz of car engines on the pavement below dwindle to a hum. The quiet and slowness we have longed for has come, lending a sense of peace and tranquility to our hectic lives.

But not only is beauty amplified by freshly fallen snow; flaws are hidden as well. The garbage that was carelessly littered along the sides of the roads disappears, and so do cracks in the concrete walkways.

The Bible uses the imagery of snow to symbolize the purity of Jesus because in Him there is no sin. He is free of all evilness and guilt.

"His face shone like lightning, and His clothing was as white as snow."

Matthew 28:3

When we accept Jesus into our hearts, His Holy Spirit comes to live within us, and we too become pure because God cleanses us from all sin and makes those sins, no matter how flagrantly offensive, as white as snow.

"Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow."

Isaiah 1:18

As snow covers the flaws of this world, Jesus' blood covers our sins. As snow beautifies the earth around us, God's love beautifies those lives whose heart is tune to Him.

God's Glory

"God is more glorious than the moon;

He shines brighter than the stars."

Job 25:5

None of us can truly comprehend God's splendour and magnificence. His glory is more radiant than anything we have seen here on earth. He is more glorious than the moon against the blackness of the darkest night and He is brighter than any star in the vast universe.

In other words, compared to God's glory, even the moon and the stars are dull.

The Bible states that when God spoke to Abraham on the Mount of Sinai, He told him that no man on earth can live and see the face of God.

"But you may not look directly at my face,

for no one may see Me and live."

Exodus 33:20

It is only when we finally reach Heaven we will totally comprehend all of God's glory, love, peace, grace, and goodness. Such a revelation on earth would be too much for our mortal bodies to bear. We would painfully long to be with Him in Heaven and dread our lives here on earth.

The fullness of God's glory is beyond our imagination and has yet be revealed to us.

We Give You Thanks

This week was (and still is) a very busy week for Chris. He got a job Monday. He bought a car Tuesday. Wednesday he spent seventy minutes on the phone getting insurance. And today, in the morning, he attends his graduation ceremonies at the University in honour of obtaining his Masters in Theoretical Physics. Tonight he picks up his car.

Chris had been saving up for two years to buy a car. He allocated a certain amount that he could spend on a car so that he could pay cash instead of getting a loan.

On Monday, I drove Chris to a nearby Mitsubishi dealership because, after researching for weeks, he hoped to get a used Mitsubishi Lancer, preferably with low kilometres and in excellent condition. On their website, there were two such cars, and Chris was interested in both of them. So off we went to take a look.

To Chris' disappointment, one of the cars was in poor condition and the other was an automatic with high kilometres. He asked to look at other used cars in his price range. The salesman's eyes lit up and he immediately told Chris about a used Mazda RX-8 Shinka that just came in. The salesman said that several of the men in the office wanted the car for themselves, but when they phoned their wives about it, their wives said, "No." I had no idea what a Mazda RX-8 was, but when I heard this, the car had my interest, only because I wanted to see what this car looked like that men would loose their minds over.

When I first laid eyes on the car, I was awestruck. My eyes grew wide and my mouth dropped opened. The car had one sweet body! It was black cherry in colour. Its condition was immaculate, both inside and out. It also had with very low kilometers. It was a dream car! I looked at Chris expecting to see drool, but he was more self-controlled than I was. I know . . . it should have been the other way around, but what can I say? I liked the look of the car. I had no idea about the engine or anything else.

After Chris inspected the car closely and took if for a test drive, he turned to the salesman and surprised both of us by asking if he could also look at the used Ford Fiesta in the parking lot. It too was in excellent condition. The only problem was the colour was bright yellow — not very manly.

Then Chris paused for a while, deep in thought. When he looked at me for a response, he saw the slight smile on my lips and the stars in my eyes. This was the approval he wanted. Chris then turned to the salesman and told him. "I'll take the Mazda RX-8."

"Yes!" I thought. "I hope I will be able to drive it too!"

The only problem: when it came time to negotiate, the salesman took control. Talk about manipulation and taking advantage of a young person's inexperience in dealing with salesmen. When the salesman left us alone, I recommended an offer for Chris to make. We each prayed that if it was God's will for him to have the car, his offer would be accepted. When the salesman returned, he would have none of it.

I had been quiet the whole time, but no longer. You should have seen the shocked look in the salesman's eyes when I finally spoke up. I told him that we weren't going to back down. Chris' offer was exactly the price the car was listed for, but Chris asked that the price include good winter tires, rims and a block heater. The salesman responded by repeatedly telling us that the price was already several thousand dollars lower than it should be because of the time of year. I just took that as another reason Chris should have some bargaining power. Anyways, the salesman refused to even take the offer to his boss, so I got up, thanked the salesman for his time and walked out with Chris.

On the way home, I had a headache. On days like this, I wish I didn't have to be both father and mother. Chris was quiet and never said anything, which made me feel even worse. Trying to make Chris feel better, I quietly reminded him that we had prayed. The offer was reasonable. After all, Chris was paying by cash. There should have been some negotiating and the truth is that he wouldn't have enough money left in his account to pay for insurance and gas. The car was $700 more than his limit. The salesman knew the limit when he showed Chris the car, and he knew that, where we live, winter tires and a block heater are necessities.

To try and get our minds off it all, we stopped to have lunch and got a few groceries before going home. We started to feel better about not getting the car, but we weren't looking forward to going to any more car dealerships. If we do, Chris should probably gag me.

When we arrived back home, the red light on our answering machine was blinking. We had a message waiting. The salesman had phoned Chris to tell him he could have the car with the new winter tires, rims, and block heater.

A very ecstatic Chris turned to me and said, "Thanks, Mom!'' I can tell you that the thanks from my son made the stressful experience and my headache well worth it.

Feeling good at being thanked by my son afterwards, I then remembered to thank the One who was with us the whole time. I said out loud, "Thank you, God!"

Chris added, "For answering our prayers!"

"Now, our God, we give You thanks, and praise Your glorious Name."

1 Chronicles 29:13

It is very important for us to never forget to thank God when He answers our prayers. He is the One who most deserves our thanks.

Chris picks the car up tonight. He is really excited and can't wait! I can just imagine the happy look on his Heavenly Father's face when he does.

I will post a picture of his new car later, but here are a few pictures of my handsome son dressed for his graduation ceremonies this morning.

Chris is in Taekwondo and won several medals last week in a tournament, so he posed in one of his stances.

Here it is! Isn't it a beauty? There's not a scratch on it and the car was only driven in the summer time.

This is just one of God's many blessings for Chris!

I Will Lie Down And Sleep

"I will lie down and sleep for you alone, 

O Lord, make me dwell in safety."

Psalm 4:8

Many times I have had to rely on this verse, especially when my sons were young, because I had fears of us being alone at night while my husband Brian wasn't home, which unfortunately was quite often.

When Brian and I met, he was a mechanic. After we were married and I was pregnant with our first son, Brian was unexpectedly laid off from his work, so he took a job as a tireman at a tire store. A few years later, Brian was promoted to salesman in this store. Then a few years after that he was offered a job as manager of a tire store in another location. He was a manager for several years in two different stores. Then Brian came home one afternoon and shockingly told me he quit his job as manager to drive truck for one of his customers, an owner of a logging company. He told me he couldn't take the stress of his job any longer.

At the time I had four young boys at home to raise. Daniel was ten; Tim was eight, Chris was six, and Matthew was three. I am not going to lie and say I was this strong woman of great faith because I wasn't. I was still very much like that fearful insecure little girl that secretly slept behind a couch with her dog. I was scared to death. Fear arose in me as I asked myself these questions and doubted a positive outcome. Would I be able to protect our boys when Brian was gone? Would I be able to raise them to love and honour God as a single married woman? Would my marriage to Brian survive?

When Brian worked locally as a logging truck driver, he worked on average fifteen hours a day, but he was gone for seventeen because it took him one hour to drive to work each day. He worked six to seven days a week, never taking any holidays. When Brian was home, he slept. Then in the winter, he was forced to go up North for several months to work. This is when my fears intensified and became completely out of my control.

To try and lessen my fears at night, when Brian wasn't home, I had all of my sons take their quilts and pillows and sleep in the living room with me. I felt we were safer sleeping all together in a main room of the house than separate in closed rooms. We did this for many years.

However, I still struggled greatly to sleep. It would take me hours to fall asleep at night and if I heard the slightest noise when I did finally fall asleep, I would instantly wake up, and with my fears at their greatest peak, the cycle would start all over again. My intense fears created insomnia and I started to become physically sick.

When I prayed to God for help, He gently chastised me for not trusting in His Word. I knew what the Bible said. I was a Bible College graduate, but my fears were greater than my faith. Finally out of complete desperation, I took my Bible and cradled it in my arms throughout the entire night as a constant reminder of His Word. I did this for many nights and weeks until my fears were relieved and my sleeping pattern became normal again.The Bible became a powerful sedative and a great comfort.

To this day, if I become afraid at night and can't sleep because of fears, I will grab the Bible and bring it close to my chest as a reminder of God's precious words within.

Brian has been out of the logging industry for years now. He drives a low-bed truck hauling cranes, bridges, etc. He is home eight days out of thirty.

I look back and thank God that He gave me the strength and the perseverance to raise four sons to love and serve Him. I wouldn't have been able to do that if I were constantly sick with fear. I had to trust in God to overcome the fears and insecurities I had since childhood.

If you have any fears, I encourage you go to God's Word for comfort and strength. None of my fears ever came to past. However, if I continued to live in fear. I would have been mentally and physically incapable of being a good wife, mother, and children's ministry and music worker for God. My fears would have been a reality.

Trust God and His Word!

It Is Not About Numbers

So many people today judge a Pastor or a church's success by the number of people that attend. If the number stays the same or doesn't increase rapidly, they automatically blame the leadership or view the church as being spiritually "dead".

From experience, I have noticed that a small congregation doesn't necessarily mean the church is ineffective or fruitless, and a large congregation doesn't always indicate spiritual revival.

God does not look at a church body and count how many people are there. He doesn't applaud at a large number and frown at a small number. God looks at the hearts of the people and is pleased when He sees those that truly love Him.

There could be over a thousand people attending one church, but are they in love with God or are they in love with the church? Do they go because of the charismatic Pastor, the large multi-million dollar church building, and the talented singers and musicians? Do they go because the sermons are funny, entertaining and pleasing to listen to; the pews are soft and comfortable to sit on; and the worship service is lively and full of sound to enjoy? When the people get up to dance to the music and clap their hands, is it because they are happy to be God's child or is it because the music stirs them to action?

Then down the street a little ways, there is another building, but this one is plain and unnoticed. At this site one hundred people gather every Sunday morning to give honour to God. The Pastor isn't strikingly handsome, but his face is kind and his eyes are sincere. He is humble man with a servant attitude. His sermons are simple, but profound. He holds the Bible close to his heart as he preaches in a soft gentle voice. The worship service is unprofessional, the singers off pitch, and the musicians inexperienced, but all their faces shine with the radiance of God's spirit. The music is pure joy. The people's eyes are closed. They are captivated by God's presence. His peace envelopes them and His joy overtakes them.

Church isn't about numbers, the charm of the pastor, the beauty of the building or the talent of the musicians for the Lord does not look at the things man looks at. God looks at the heart. Man looks at the outward appearance.

"The Lord does not look at the things man looks at.

 Man looks at the outward appearance,

but the Lord looks at the heart."

1 Samuel 16:7

Don't be fooled or discouraged by numbers. Don't assume that a large church is more blessed than a small church. If your church is large in number, keep your focus on God and seek the desires of His heart. If your church is small in number, continue to love God and serve Him with all you got. Constantly remind yourself that it isn't about the numbers. It's about what is in the hearts of the people. Remember, God looks at things differently than you do and His goals are higher than yours.

"'For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways My ways,' declares the Lord.

'As the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are My ways higher than your ways

and My thoughts than your thoughts.'"

Isaiah 55:8-9

I Have Only Just Begun

Last week, my sons and I decided that it was time to sell our acoustic Pearl Export drumset. Tim bought a Roland V-Drum kit a few years ago and the acoustic drumset has been sitting idle since. So, after church yesterday, I sat down and prepared an ad for the acoustic drumset on Kijiji. Before submitting the ad, I prayed out loud to God in front of my husband, Brian. (I have a habit of doing that, but so far Brian hasn't put me away.) I prayed that the right person would respond to the ad and that the drumset would be used for God's honour and glory. I also prayed and asked God for the price that I should sell it for.

Within five minutes of activating the ad, I got three emails from the same person begging me for the drumset, saying "please" twice in the same sentence. I gave the person my phone number and a few seconds later my phone rang. The man said he was coming over right away to buy the drumset. I will be honest with you. I thought to myself, "Is he some kind of weirdo that spends all day on Kijiji?"

Well, it just so happens that the "weird" man who drove excitedly to our house with his son is the worship leader at a local PAOC church. (Oops. Sometimes I wish God didn't hear all of my silent thoughts.) And no the man did not spend all day on the computer. He and his family were in church worshipping God.

His son, who is ten years old, started learning to play the drums three months ago. When their church bought an electric drumset, they promised to give him the old acoustic set. Unfortunately, to his great disappointment, the church didn't follow through with their promise and they gave the set to someone else. However, the son has a paper route and he started saving money to buy his own drumset. The total money he had saved so far was just enough to buy our Pearl drumset.

God is amazing! He not only answered my prayers, but also the prayers of a worship leader and his son. And just to think I have only just begun to know God's greatness! There is no other god in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and mighty works that God does.

"O Sovereign Lord,

You have begun to show to your servant

Your greatness and Your strong hand.

For what god is there in heaven or on earth

 who can do the deeds and mighty works You do?"

Deuteronomy 3:24

Those Embarrassing Moments!

My son Tim took some pictures of our new kitten playing on carpeted stairs:

He seemed to know we were watching because he began to show off:

His stunts were quite entertaining:

Ki-ai! (A term from Japanese martial arts.)

But the most captivating moment was when he lost his balance and bumped his head:

Don't worry, the kitten is fine. But his ego probably wasn't.

Sometimes I think God allows each of us to have those embarrassing moments, especially when we become overly confident or cocky. In those moments, which we would like to permanently forget but can't, we learn humility and how to depend on God.

Here is a picture of a more meek and humble kitten:

The Bible says we need to not rely on our own abilities, but continually look to God for His strength. We need to seek His face always in our prayers to Him and in our daily devotions.

"Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always."

1 Chronicles 16:11

Tripping and bumping your head in front of a camera can be a good thing. Haughtiness and pride are never.

Envy Rots The Bones

Yesterday, I adopted a male blue lynx point Siamese kitten. He is beautiful with a very sweet personality.

Here are some pictures my son Tim took of the kitten:

They say a picture is worth a thousand words and speaks volumes, so I will share this next picture of Hunter, my two-year-old Angora cat, when I first introduced the new kitten to her.

Do you think that possibly she is jealous?

The Bible says that a peaceful heart brings physical health to the body, but jealousy makes you physically sick.

"A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones."

Proverbs 14:30

Are there times when we get jealous over someone?

How about when a person receives recognition or an award for something that you felt you deserved?

Or when a person gets paid more than you for doing the same job?

Or when a new person comes into your church with the same gifting as you, but is more talented and starts receiving all the compliments?

Or when someone is better-looking or richer or smarter?

If so, immediately remind yourself that prolonged jealousy will make you sick while peace in your heart will bring health and wellness. In other words, jealousy isn't worth it! Let go of your jealousy. And hopefully Hunter will let go of hers — the sooner the better.

You Will Again Bring Me Up

Today is Remembrance Day. It is the day we take time to remember the valiant souls that selflessly gave their lives so that others may live free from fear, bondage, and oppression.

November 11th is the official day that World War I ended. On the eleventh hour, on the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918, the war formally ended when the Germans signed the Armistice.

Since 1919, Canada has chosen this day to honour all the fallen Canadian soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of others.

We wear red poppies in remembrance of our brave soldiers because these flowers grew abundantly across the most horrific battle fields in Flanders during World War I. Red also represents the blood that was so willingly shed on our behalf.

Today, Canadians all over this great country will gratefully remember the enormous sacrifices made by gallant and noble men. We will also remember the grief and heartache of mothers and fathers who lost their beloved sons in war.

Throughout the Scriptures, one sees that soldiers are highly respected for their sacrificial service to fight against evil and hostile nations whose insatiable desire for control leads to the destruction of many lives and mass devastation of homelands and property.

It is comforting, though, to realize that the soldiers who served God in their hearts, but then died, live today.

"Though You have made me see troubles,

many and bitter,

You will restore my life again;

from the depths of the earth

You will again bring me up."

Psalm 71:20

May God bless and protect all the soldiers in this world who are fighting now for justice, peace, and righteousness. May they also come to know the greatest sacrifice that was made on their behalf by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Love Your Enemies

Generally speaking, cats hate dogs. But my cat, Hunter, is different. She loves my dog, Barlow, and Barlow loves her. It's definitely not normal. In fact, it's really strange.

When I first nervously introduced Hunter to Barlow, they were both immediately attracted to each other. Now they are inseparable. Even when I let Barlow out to go to the bathroom, Hunter follows right behind, and when I call Barlow back in, the cat comes too. Dogs are supposed to be a cat's worse nightmare, but Hunter thinks otherwise.

God has asked us to be "not normal" too. He tells us in His Word that we are to love our enemies and do good to those who hate us.

"Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you."

Luke 6:27

If you discover that someone is saying negative things about you behind your back, say only positive things about that person to others. Soon people will no longer pay attention to what the other person is saying about you.

If someone is losing their temper and yelling at you, talk calmly back and genuinely say, "I'm sorry." Even though you may have done nothing wrong, you can still be sorry that they are so upset. Those two words spoken in honesty can abruptly stop in their tracks a person who is going full steam ahead in anger.

If someone has hurt you deeply, forgive them, because unforgiveness only leads to continued pain and destruction.

If someone is bullying you, do something kind for that person. If you don't know what act of kindness you can do, ask God to orchestrate a situation where you can offer your help. Sometimes an enemy can be turned into a friend.

If you find yourself making prejudice comments about a different ethnic group, learn more about the people and ask God for compassion.

Let's not be normal. Let's be different! Love your enemies. You will be richly rewarded when you do.

Trials Of Many Kinds

Yesterday, Tim, Matthew, and I got up early (at least we thought it was) and left home at 7:15 AM. Tim needed winter tires for his new car and we thought we'd get an early start before the rush. Right. We stopped first at a tire store to pick up four rims that Tim bought the day before. Then we went to Costco to buy four winter tires to put on those rims. However, when we got to Costco at 8:00 AM, there were 40 people already waiting in line at the tire service department.

After we waited an hour, I gave Tim the keys to my RAV4 so he could take Matthew to the LRT station to catch the train to university. I continued to stay in the line-up. I waited for another hour, passing the time by talking to a lady behind me. She teaches First Nations history and art.

Finally, there was only one person left in front of me. But then the tire service manager told us that they were no longer booking appointments for the day, and that I and the rest of the people might as well go home. I was so disappointed!

After pondering for a second my perplexing situation, I turned to the cashier and asked if I could just buy the tires and take them home with me. She said I could, but she would have to check to see if they were in stock. They were. I thought, "Well, that's good. At least the two hours I spent waiting won't be wasted."

When I was about to pay for the tires, Tim arrived and stood behind me. Just before I slid his debit card through the machine, I hesitated (to Tim's great relief). The amount was $8,280. I then casually commented as if it was no big deal, "Those tires are sure expensive." I couldn't help myself. Honestly. After all, the money was coming out of Tim's account, not mine. Tim didn't say a word. I think he was frozen in horror.

The puzzled and embarrassed lady stared at the computer and tried to figure out what she did wrong. She had charged me for 64 tires! She quickly corrected the amount to a more reasonable one. (It was still wrong, but I wasn't aware of that until we were half-way home.)

On the way home, Tim was studying the bill in the car. He turned to me and said, "You were charged for the tires that the lady in front of us bought." Her tires were for a four-wheel drive vehicle, not a small car, and so they were much more expensive . . . $250 more.

I turned to Tim in disbelief and asked, "You gotta be kidding?"

Unfortunately, Tim responded, "No."

I turned the car around and started to laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation as we headed back to Costco. I thought to myself, "Is this ever going to end?"

Not yet anyways. The lady at Costco told me that if I wanted the tires installed, I would have to come early tomorrow and wait in line at an insane 5:30 AM (it doesn't open until 8:00 AM), because that's when people start coming. I immediately decided I wasn't going to do that. Tim can pay more money and go to another tire store to have the tires put on the rims. He was in agreement.

On the way home from Costco the second time, we stopped at another tire store. The man at the service department sarcastically told me to come back in February. Tim and I looked at each other and he then spoke words of great wisdom that I will share with you all: Don't buy a car in winter.

It is now quarter to five in the morning while I am typing this blog. I am starting to waver in my initial decision and wonder if I am crazy enough to go back to Costco. I think I just might be! Second thought: "No, I'm going back to bed. I will deal with it later. The tires and rims can wait."

The Bible says we are to view problems we face in life positively because they teach us patience.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers,

whenever you face trials of many kinds,

because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance."

James 1:2-3

I don't know about you, but the words, "many kinds", scare me.

I know for one thing, yesterday's experience made me laugh, so I guess I passed that test. I hope I pass future ones as well.

Don't Lose Your Way

The greatest treasure and the most valuable possession we can ever own is the Word of God. And the best decision any of us can make in our life-time is to love and serve Him.

The preciousness of knowing God brings us tremendous comfort and genuine happiness. However, if we crave and love money more than God, then we will lose our way and end up piercing ourselves with pain and sorrow.

"For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.

 And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith 

and pierced themselves with many sorrows."

1 Timothy 6:10

Throughout our walk with God, I can guarantee you that He will periodically test us to see if money has become more important than Him. I know because God has tested me many times. I have passed some, but failed others.

Is a higher income tax refund desired more than telling the truth?

Is a higher paying job a temptation even if the hours are longer and days away from home are more?

Is a higher household income more necessary than for the mother to stay home with the children?

If a cashier undercharges you, do you bring this to his/her attention, or only if he/she overcharges?

If you owe someone money, do you forget to pay the person back because you really don't care?

How about if someone owes you money, do you hound that person until he/she pays you back?

If the work you paid for was not done to your satisfaction, do you lose your temper?

If you receive a parcel in the mail that you did not pay for and would like to have, do you keep it or mail it back?

Do you complain constantly that you are underpaid for your job and stop giving the company your best effort?

When God tells us to give, do we hold back?

We must all constantly check our hearts to make sure money has not become more important than God. If we fail one of God's test, tell God we're sorry and then use the experience to be more aware of this temptation that we all will face in this world of ours.

Don't lose your way.

Do Not Be Anxious

My son Tim needed a new vehicle. He had a lime green 1975 Volkswagen Beetle Baja, but it just wasn't practical to drive in the winter here, so he sold it yesterday, a few hours after he listed it.

The Bible says we are not to be anxious about anything, but in everything, (including looking for a new vehicle), present your requests to God with a thankful heart knowing that God hears your prayers and cares about them.

"Do not be anxious about anything,

but in everything, by prayer and petition,

with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

Philippians 4:6

God is so good! When my husband, Brian, went on Kijiji early Saturday morning to browse through the list of cars for sale, one car stood out. It was a model that Tim liked with very low mileage and the right price. The car was listed recently, so it was a good thing we are early risers. When we all went to look at the car, including my other sons, Daniel and Matthew, the car surprised our expectations. It was in brand new condition inside and out. I guess I don't have to tell you that Tim bought the car.

The miracle was that the car was listed at the exact time Tim needed one. Many people had phoned the owner after Tim saw it and some while he was buying it; but miraculously my husband was the first to phone.

The vehicle is a 2007 Toyota Yaris with 44 000 km. Can you believe that? It's in brand new condition inside and out. And I love the colour! It's a brilliant blue.

Here is a picture of Tim's new car:

Notice how both of Tim's cars are in the garage and not mine . . . the sacrifices a mother makes.

"Born To Serve"

Matthew, my youngest son, turns 21 today! He is in his fourth year of university and he plans on becoming a teacher. 

He is clever for he knows when to pray and ask God for help in math assignments.

He is chary for he never boasts or promotes himself. I do it for him.

He is crazy for he inherited that trait from me.

He is compassionate for he wouldn't hurt a flea: he just shoots at balloons, and um . . . maybe one of his brothers.

He is a celestial  . . . that is when he sleeps!

And most importantly, he is compliant for he cherishes his relationship with God.

When I use to drive my sons to school every day, then drop them off, I prayed faithfully on the way back home that God will give each one of my sons a strong desire to know right from wrong.

God answered my prayer. All four of my sons have the highest integrity and their greatest desire is to be obedient to Him.

The Bible says that if we walk in all the way that God has commanded us, we will live long and prosperous. Obeying God gives us immense happiness. Disobeying God gives us grief and misery.

 "Walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you, 

so that you may live and prosper 

and prolong your days in the land that you will possess."

Deuteronomy 5:33