The Lord Himself Goes Before You

"The Lord Himself goes before you

and will be with you."

Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV)

This verse is so true! God indeed went before us into Alaska and His favour was shown to us daily. I had an inconceivable time! No words could ever describe the beauty I saw. The many splendours of God's creation are now forever imprinted in my mind.

When the four of us arrived at our beautiful bed-and-breakfast mansion in Anchorage, Brian and I were astonished when we were given the key not to the room we had booked, but to the most expensive room in the house: the honeymoon suite. When Brian and I first viewed our room, we were initially stunned by awe. Then my senses slowly came back to me, as I came to the realization that a mistake had been made, so I rushed back downstairs to tell the owner. She responded with a smile and said, "I just felt that I should give you that room instead."

"Wow!" was the only intelligent remark I could say. After a long pause, my mind kicked in again, so I said two more words in the English language: "Thank you!" I then excitedly ran back upstairs and thanked God for being so good!

Below are some picture I took of this magnificent room.

Three roses lay in the centre of the king-sized bed.

The view out the four door windows (one has its blinds down) was that of a balcony overlooking the beautiful well-kept garden and private yard.

The two-person bathtub was massive. There was also a two-person shower.

These were two sinks, labeled "His" and "Her," as well as two toilets.

The door to the left in the bathroom opened up into a sauna.

The Lord indeed goes before His children in every adventure they take. I think He was just as excited and pleased as we were when He surprised us with this gorgeous room!

And this is just the beginning! I can't wait to share with you more about God's goodness in the million blogs to follow about our unforgettable experiences in Alaska.

There's A Lion On The Road

"The lazy person claims, 'There’s a lion on the road!

Yes, I’m sure there’s a lion out there!'"

Proverbs 26:13 (NLT)

Osha can be rather feral at times, but that's no excuse for avoiding house chores! Water that plant!

Trust In The LORD And Rely On Your God

"Who among you fears the LORD and obeys His Servant?

If you are walking in darkness,

without a ray of light,

trust in the LORD and rely on your God."

Isaiah 50:10 (NLT)

Worrying won't add a single moment to your life. Trust in the LORD. He will certainly care for you.

Guide My Steps By Your Word

"Guide my steps by your word,

so I will not be overcome by evil."

Psalm 119:133 (NLT)

Don't let the world guide your steps. Look to God instead.

Pride Ends In Humiliation

"Pride ends in humiliation,

while humility brings honour."

Proverbs 29:23 (NLT)

"You rescue the humble,

but You humiliate the proud."

Psalms 18:27 (NLT)

Live for God in deep humility. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude.

Ponder Thou The Path Of Thy Feet

"Give careful thought to the paths for your feet

and be steadfast in all your ways.

Do not turn to the right or the left;

keep your foot from evil."

Proverbs 4:26-27 (NIV)

And don't get distracted by your awesome shoes.

Be Not Afraid, Only Believe

This is one of my favourite parts of the Bible:

"And it came to pass, in the turning back of Jesus, the multitude received him, for they were all looking for him, and lo, there came a man, whose name [is] Jairus, and he was a chief of the synagogue, and having fallen at the feet of Jesus, was calling on him to come to his house; because he had an only daughter about twelve years [old], and she was dying. . . .

"While he is yet speaking, there doth come a certain one from the chief of the synagogue's [house], saying to him — 'Thy daughter hath died, harass not the Teacher;' and Jesus having heard, answered him, saying, 'Be not afraid, only believe, and she shall be saved.'

"And having come to the house, he suffered no one to go in, except Peter, and James, and John, and the father of the child, and the mother; and they were all weeping, and beating themselves for her, and he said, 'Weep not, she did not die, but doth sleep; and they were deriding him, knowing that she did die; and he having put all forth without, and having taken hold of her hand, called, saying, 'Child, arise;' and her spirit came back, and she arose presently, and he directed that there be given to her to eat; and her parents were amazed, but he charged them to say to no one what was come to pass."

Luke 8:40-42a, 49-56 (YLT)

No matter what you are suffering, don't be afraid. Trust God.

In case you're wondering, that's a picture of a *dead* cat.

If Your Right Pincher Causes You To Sin

"'And if your right hand causes you to sin,

cut it off and throw it away.

It is better for you to lose one part of your body

than for your whole body to go into hell.'"

Matthew 5:30

This blog is pretty self-explanatory. Sin is bad. Period.

Knowing God's Word Enables Us To Share His Divine Nature

It is three in the morning here as I write this one last blog. My sons Tim and Matthew will take over writing the blogs for the next seven days while I am in Anchorage, Alaska. I always enjoy reading what God speaks to them through Scripture.

God has given us such great and precious promises in His Word. And these are the promises that enable us to share His divine nature and to escape the world's corruption that is caused by human desires.

"And because of His glory and excellence,

He has given us great and precious promises.

These are the promises that enable you

to share His divine nature

and escape the world's corruption

caused by human desires."

2 Peter 2:4 (NLT)

When we know God through His precious Word, our hearts become like God's heart. They will be full of His desires and not our own!

God Has Set Eternity In Each Of Our Hearts

"I can't believe I actually have

a cell phone and a passport now!"

Tomorrow morning, my husband and I will be boarding a plane to Seattle. There we will meet my mother- and father-in-law, and then together we will board another plane to Anchorage, Alaska. (I am really getting excited now as I write about it.) We will spend one week at a beautiful bed-and-breakfast as we explore the wondrous beauty of God's creation.

God has made everything beautiful in its time! And in every man and woman, God has placed in their hearts the awareness that their lives are eternal — that they don't just end when they take their last earthly breath. However, none of us will be able to fully understand what God has done from beginning to end until the day we enter into the world of timelessness.

"He has made everything beautiful in its time.

He has also set eternity in the hearts of men;

yet they cannot fathom

what God has done from beginning to end."

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NIV)

As we look at the beauty God has made, let us stop and ponder, because in each of our hearts there is a certainty of our life everlasting. God created us for eternity with Him. The beauty of this earth is just the beginning.

Fix Your Thoughts On God, Not The Thoughts Themselves

"Fix your thoughts on what is true,

and honourable, and right, and pure,

and lovely, and admirable.

Think about things that are excellent

and worthy of praise."

Philippines 4:8 (NLT)

God wants us to be cheerful and to have faith in Him even during the bad times. How can we do this? By fixing our thoughts on what is true, honourable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and worthy of praise. In other words, we are to fix our thoughts on God, who He is, and what He promises in His Word.

This is different than the philosophy of positive thinking. Positive thinkers believe that a person can obtain everything he/she desires through the power of his/her own mind. They ignore the bad and never deal with troubling issues. This mindset results in dangerous consequences. Many Christians are also misled, often by famous, wealthy preachers who have a multitude of blind followers, into thinking that positive thinking is faith in God. But it is not faith in God. It is faith in one's own power and selfish desires.

Fix your thoughts on God, not on the thoughts themselves!

It Is Sinful To Refuse To Testify

A few days ago I respectfully emailed the lady leading the women's Bible study to politely let her know that I would not be able to attend and to thank her for inviting me. I anticipated that she would send me a reply out of courtesy acknowledging the email I sent her, and that would be the end of that. I never anticipated that she would phone me about it! After all, I only met her once and we spoke just a few words to each other. We didn't chat or anything.

Well, I was wrong and obviously God wanted me to say more. The lady phoned me a few hours after receiving my email. I was out grocery shopping at the time, so my husband answered the call. He told her when he expected me back and she promised to call again.

When I arrived home and learned that this lady had called, I prayed and asked God to give me the words to speak and the courage to speak the truth. When she phoned again, I spoke softly to her with a sadness in my voice as I explained the situation. The lady responded with concern and thanked me for being honest with her. She told me that she and her husband believe the same as we do and they are now very worried about their daughter who attends this young adult group.

What will be the result of our God-ordained conversation? Only God knows. Maybe a person's life will be saved from the dangers of alcohol. Or maybe a false teacher will be removed from his position of influence. All I know is that God put me in a situation to speak, to gently tell someone the truth, and to warn of false teaching.

The Bible says that if God calls you to tell someone about what you have seen or know, and you refuse for whatever reason, then it is sin. And with any sin, there will be consequences. But with obedience, there is always blessing.

"If you are called to testify

about something you have seen

or that you know about,

it is sinful to refuse to testify,

and you will be punished for your sin."

Leviticus 5:1 (NLT)

Do Not Believe, But Test

"I'm going to test to see if this is edible
and good for me to eat."

Recently, on an impulse, I signed up at a church in my neighbourhood for a women's morning Bible study. Unfortunately, my sons later discovered that the the youth and young adult pastor of this church has a very wrong spirit: at a young adult Bible study, this pastor emphatically stated that Jesus was a drunk, and he continually mocked Christians who do not drink alcohol. He also made inappropriate sexual comments about females.

My sons came home repulsed and I felt sick for all the youth and young adults who are under his leadership. I was also disappointed that I wouldn't be able to attend the women's Bible study because of this wrong spirit in the church.

The Bible tells us that we are not to believe every spirit in a person, but test to see if the person's spirit is from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. Note that God doesn't say some, but many.

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, 

but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, 

for many false prophets have gone out into the world."

I John 4:1 (ESV)

Last Sunday night, my sons attended a different young adult Bible study at a different church, where approximately sixty young adults gather each week. I eagerly waited until my sons got home to hear their report.

I don't think I have ever seen them so excited! They must have chatted about it for over an hour. At this church, they said, God's Word is revered, personal Bible study is a must, and Scripture memorization is expected. Many of the young adults stated at the Bible study that they too have come from other churches searching for a place where God's Word is foremost because they have such a fervent desire to grow to spiritual maturity.

Praise God for the leadership of this church and these sixty young adults!

Every Word That Comes From The Mouth Of God

"Jesus answered, 'It is written:

"Man does not live on bread alone,

but on every word

that comes from the mouth of God."'"

Matthew 4:4 (NIV)

When Jesus entered His ministry, the first recorded words He spoke were the ones above.

Men, women, boys, and girls are told by God that if they want to live a life of fulness, health, and productivity, they must feed on "every" word that comes from the mouth of God. But why then is it so rare today to see Christians memorizing Scripture, or to find weekly Bible studies that encourage people to do Bible-reading homework and that teach them the joy and importance of studying God's Word for themselves?

Many Christians today, including pastors and teachers, are lacking the wisdom and knowledge of God because they have fed on other sources. As a result, a large majority of God's people have become sick and unproductive for Christ, and the unsaved people of this world lay on the roadside, moaning in pain because they are being devoured by Satan. And just like the High Priest and the Levite, many of us walk by them without the desire to reach out and ease their suffering with the truth of God's Word. Why? Because we don't really know God's Word for ourselves. It is more like a muddle of facts and fiction. And if we don't know God's Word, then we don't know God. And if we don't know God, then we can't do His will and be like Him.

If we want to grow to spiritual maturity, resist the temptation to do evil, and evangelize the loved souls of God who are left dying and pleading for someone to rescue them, then we must live on every word that God has written for us in His Holy Scriptures. This is what gives us the health, strength, and vitality to be God's servants and to live for Him.

Wisdom, Ability, And Expertise Come From God

Yesterday my husband took me to Best Buy and bought me my first cell phone. It is a Samsung Galaxy S III. The name meant nothing to me at the time. I was just there to buy a portable phone. Or so I thought.

I had to boringly sit in a chair for an hour while a salesman rattled off a memorized speech. The speech wasn't really an hour, because it was interrupted several times by the necessity of helping a fellow-salesman who had less experience. Each time, my salesman returned, he apologized to me about it, reviewed everything he had previously said to me, and then continued with the rest of the speech. I quickly became unenthusiastic and expressionless. I just wanted to sign the deal and get out of there! It was Saturday, I was bored, and the line-up behind me was a mile-long.

As the completion of the purchase drew near, the salesman asked me with not a little confusion, "How come you're not excited?"

"It's just a phone," I replied.

Uh-oh. Wrong answer. He unbelievingly looked directly into my eyes and said, "It's not just a phone! It's a super-phone with a processor that's faster than any computer you have at home. This phone has the technology to even run an airplane."

"Okay," I thought, "where have I been these last few years? I don't think I will ever be bored again!"

Over the next half-hour, the salesman proceeded to explain to me how to use the different functions of my phone. His approach to instruction was to place the phone (or should I say computer) in my hands and make me do everything myself. With each function, I got more and more excited. He even had to reprimand my husband several times for swiping the phone out of my hands to see for himself.

As we left the store, I was just as excited as a child on Christmas day. The blank look on my face was long gone. I carried a smile from ear to ear when my husband whispered into one of them, "I'm jealous. Your phone is better than mine."

The wisdom, ability, and expertise of man who is able to invent such technology comes from God Himself, and it's really only a minuscle amount of what the Father possesses.

"I have filled him with the Spirit of God,

giving him great wisdom, ability,

and expertise in all kinds of crafts."

Exodus 31:3 (NLT)

On His Law He Meditates Day And Night

God says in His Word that blessed is the person who does not listen to ungodly counsel, because he/she recognizes what is contrary to God's Word. He/she is able to distinguish between the counsel of the wicked and the counsel of God because he/she has delighted in God's Holy Scriptures and mediated on it day and night.

"Blessed is the man

who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked

 or stand in the way of sinners

 or sit in the seat of mockers.

But his delight is in the Law of the Lord,

and on His Law he meditates day and night.

Psalm 1:1-2 (NIV)

Any person who stands in the way of sinners coming to God and having a closer relationship with Him is someone who does not love God's Word. Anyone who mocks another person, or even sits in with the mockers, does not have respect for God's Word. And if you do not respect and love God's Word, then you do not respect and love God.

We must each read and study the Word of God for ourselves, and when we do, we must do so with they eyes and heart of God's Holy Spirit. If we look at Scripture in parts and pieces and try to use God's Word for our own theology and moral standards, then we do not truly have a genuine desire to know God and serve Him.

Whosoever Is Deceived Is Not Wise

I don't have a wine glass, so this parfait glass will have to do.

Yesterday, two of my sons went to an adult Bible study where the young adult pastor condemned and mocked any Christian who refuses to drink alcohol because of a personal conviction against it. My sons said he didn't just encourage the young adults to be free to drink without guilt, but rather pressured them to drink alcohol by using misinterpretation of Scripture, irrational thinking, and verbal abuse. (He even said that Jesus Himself was a drunk.) Moreover, the pastor was very proud to display his vast collection of alcoholic beverages all over his home, upstairs, downstairs, and in the fridge. He even offered to bring these valued beverages to future Bible studies at other locations.

I am not ashamed or embarrassed to say that my husband, each one of my four sons, and I do not drink alcohol. This was never a question that each of us had to ponder. We have never been interested in alcohol because we know in our hearts that it isn't what God would want. However, we have never publicized this. We just politely say, "No thank you," when offered an alcoholic beverage. To actually be condemned and mocked for not drinking alcohol by a pastor, let alone a Christian, is evil because it is bullying.

Like many Greek and Hebrew words, the Greek and Hebrew words commonly translated "wine" have two meanings: unfermented juice or intoxicating wine. When God warns against alcohol in the Old and New Testament, He is referring to intoxicating wine. In the other few instances in the Bible where wine is looked favourably upon, God is referring to unfermented juice. One of these instances was when Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding. Here the word translated "wine" refers to fruit juice, not an alcoholic drink! Why would Jesus give alcohol to the bride who might conceive that night or to other women at the wedding who might be pregnant, knowing that doing so would hurt an unborn child! To think otherwise, is preposterous.

The dangers of alcohol abuse are readily apparent: crime; physical, emotional, and sexual abuse; death; disease; brain damage to babies in the womb; children separated from alcoholic parents; and divorce. Would God ever lead a person into temptation by saying, "It's okay, just drink a little bit. It won't hurt you?" Does this line of reasoning sound familiar?

Here is a verse in the Bible — one of many — that speaks against the dangers of alcohol.

"Wine is a mocker,

strong drink is raging;

and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise."

Proverbs 20:1 (NIV)

Like Calves Let Out To Pasture

When my son Tim had an ultrasound of his abdomen yesterday, the technician discovered something abnormal with his spleen and called in a radiologist to view the imagines. The radiologist asked some questions and took some more pictures. Tim left the hospital not exactly sure what they saw that concerned them. He will probably have to wait until September 27th during his review appointment with his specialist to find out.

Today he has a break from all the testing, but they resume again tomorrow with a lactose tolerance test, as well as more blood tests. Then Sunday and Monday he will have to prepare for a colonoscopy, which is on Tuesday.

Having medical tests isn't any fun, but waiting for the results is much harder! However, God our Father said that if we fear His Name, then His Son, Jesus Christ, the Righteous One, will rise like the morning sun with healing power in His wings, setting us free to leap for joy like calves let out to green pastures under a crystal blue canopy.

"But for you who fear My Name,

the Sun of Righteousness will rise

with healing in His wings,

and you will go free,

leaping with joy

like calves let out to pasture."

Malachi 4:2 (NLT)

Take An Interest In Others Too

My son Tim won't know the results of his gastroscopy until September 27th.

Yesterday, as Tim and I were escorted to a small waiting room, I was unexpectedly told by the nurse that I would have to stay there for three hours because I didn't have a cell phone for her to contact me if I left. (Maybe it's about time I got one of those things.)

For the first half hour, I used all my self-control to keep my mouth shut while I looked at the faces of the other people who were waiting. Talk about feeling awkward! I almost went insane. I have a very difficult time sitting still, let alone sitting still among people who are not talking. So, to prevent my insanity, I had no choice but to open my mouth. I decided to tenderly ask the lady sitting directly in front of me the untactful question, "What are you in here for?"

I was pleased she didn't take offence and we began to talk. I excitedly found out that she and her husband are Christians and have two sons in the ministry. The older one is a pastor in Vancouver and the younger one works for YC, which organizes youth conferences all over the world. This last son was having an colonoscopy and they, his parents, were there waiting for him to finish. As we began to talk, everyone else in the room began to share about themselves as well.

I learned that the man sitting to the left of me, who was waiting to have a colonoscopy, just came back from Kamloops, BC after dropping his son off at Thompson Rivers University for his first semester there. This excited me even more because I used to live there and all of my sons attended that university. He was quite funny because when the nurse finally came to call him for his test, he hesitated — he wanted to finish telling us his story. The nurse laughed and so did I. I guess she doesn't usually see people having so much fun in a hospital waiting room that they don't want to leave.

After the first half hour, the rest of the time passed by like minutes as there was not a silent moment to be heard. We all got to know each other and we left richer, making a group of strangers our friends. I think all the nurses were jealous as they heard us talking and laughing together. And it all began by one simple daring question.

The Bible tells us that we shouldn't just look out only for our own interests, but take an interest in others too. This includes strangers that God brings to the waiting room in which you are sitting.

"Don't look out only for your own interests,

but take an interest in others, too."

Phillippians 2:4 (NLT)

Today I will again be taking my son to the hospital for further tests. This time he will be having an ultrasound on his abdomen. I can't wait to see who I will meet today!

Today I Am Teaching You — Yes, You — To Trust in God

"I am teaching you today —

yes, you —

so you will trust in the Lord."

Proverbs 22:19 (NLT)

This morning, I will be taking Tim to the hospital to have a gastroscopy and biopsy to determine if he has Celiac disease and to see what sort of damage has occurred to the upper part of his gastrointestinal tract.

I had to laugh at the pastor of the church Sunday we attended Sunday. He reminds me of my father-in-law's sense of humour. The pastor's wife has Celiac disease, and when the pastor found out that Tim would be having this procedure today, he turned to him and said, "Oh that is a horrible test!"

After he realized he put his foot in mouth, he recovered, "I mean, that is a wonderful test! They give you this drug, you go to sleep, and then you wake up."

I began to laugh, the pastor smiled, but Tim stood there expressionless. Poor Tim. I am allowed to laugh because it will probably be me having the test next.

Tim has been gluten-free for three months, so we are hoping the test is still effective. If the test shows negative, then Tim will have to eat gluten for a month and take the test again. Tim doesn't want to do that because eating gluten makes him very sick. So, today, God is teaching Tim — yes, Tim — to trust in Him.

They Love To Be Greeted With Respect

Why do so many churches today promote distinction and pride instead of equality and humility? For example, how often do you hear in a church the title "Pastor"? How often do you see in a sanctuary front-row seats designated for certain important people?

Jesus knows about people who love to be greeted with respect by others and be called by their titles:

"'They love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces

and to be called "Rabbi" by others.'"

Matthew 23:7 (NIV)

Jesus continues by saying:

"'But you are not to be called "Rabbi,"

for you have One Teacher,

and you are all brothers.'"

Matthew 23:8 (NIV)

To the body of Christ, there should be only One Teacher, with all members of the body considered brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ.

I would like to praise the church I attended last Sunday because it obeyed these principles. Everything said and done pointed to only One Teacher, the Lord Jesus Christ, using God's Word as a continual guideline. There was no special attention reserved for the leadership of the church.

Never are we to glorify ourselves or draw people to us for counsel and spiritual guidance. But rather we are to glorify God and draw people to Him and His Word for their spiritual growth.

Expressions Of God

I love sunrises and sunsets! They are reminders from God to praise His Name always, from the moment the sun rises to the moment the sun sets.

"From the rising of the sun

to the place where it sets,

the Name of the Lord is to be praised."

Psalm 113:3 (NIV)

Even if we are going through a difficult time, the beauty and surety of a sunrise and a sunset is an expression from God that He is faithful and His promises are true. Praise His wonderful Name!

Two Misconceptions Of Forgiveness

Forgiveness is not a one-moment decision and then it's done with. Forgiveness is a continued state or attitude. However, when someone is hurt, we, out of respect, need to give that person time to heal, work through and personally express negative feelings. On the other hand, if we are hurt, we must never use this as an excuse to be rude or disrespectful to other people — including the transgressor — as we recover. Being hurt does not justify hurting others.

Forgiveness does not automatically include reconciliation, especially when the transgressor refuses to acknowledge any wrong committed, or when he/she claims it was all just a misinterpretation of what happened. We can forgive and yet decide not to resume a relationship with the person or people who've hurt us.

As Jesus hung on the Cross in pain and torment, He said to all the Pharisees and Sadducees whom He so blatantly confronted on their hypocrisies:

"Father, forgive them,

 for they do not know what they are doing."

Luke 23:24 (NIV)

Jesus did not change his stance on sin and there was no reconciliation between Him and the Pharisees and Sadducees, but there was forgiveness.

A Soldier Of God

When my twenty-one year old son decided to stand up against churchly sin and hypocrisy, as a protective mother, I had a talk with him first. I asked him, "Do you realize what you are up against?

He said, "Yes."

Because of his inexperience, I doubted his answer, so I told him, "I feel strongly that you are going to open a can of worms and end up facing a giant greater than you imagine. Are you strong enough to handle this?"

His response was, "Yes, Mom, I am."

Uncertain, I asked once again, "Are you sure?"

"Yes Mom, don't worry, I can do this," he said as he tried to reassure me.

I wasn't reassured. I was worried sick for him. I knew what lay ahead. However, at the same time, I was proud of his strength and morality of character.

As time went on and the situation got worse, Matthew kept strong, even though he was left wounded, humiliated, and his reputation tattered.

However, near the end he turned to me and spoke honestly, "Mom, I would have gone insane if it wasn't for the support I received from my family."

At that moment, I went quietly into my room, closed the door, and cried. It had been much harder on him than he anticipated, but at the same time, he was much stronger than I expected.

Did Matthew accomplish anything in the earthly realm? Probably not, but he did accomplish much in the heavenly realm.

"God blesses you when people mock you

and persecute you

and lie about you

and say all sorts of evil things against you

because you are my followers."

Matthew 5:11 (NLT)

A Man Of Lowly Spirit Gains Honour

At the Alberta Aviation Museum, my son Matthew excitedly tapped me on the shoulders and told me that his favourite airplane was there. I asked him which one. He pointed to the Douglas C-47 Skytrain.

As I took a closer inspection of the aircraft, I was surprised I didn't see any guns, cannons, or bomb doors. So I turned to Matthew with a puzzled look. This was when he informed my ignorant mind that it was a transport plane, used to carried troops and ammunition. Now my puzzled look turned into an "are you serious?" look as I thought this can't possibly be his favourite aircraft. Matthew returned the expression with a "you're hopeless" look.

Later I asked Matthew why it was his favourite aircraft and he explained it to me.

A Douglas C-47 Skytrain is a military transport aircraft used extensively in World War II by the Allies.

The C-47 was a vital aircraft as it dropped paratroops into enemy territory, transported troops, hauled cargo and supplies, and evacuated the wounded.

This transport plane could carry up to 5000 pounds of weight.

The rear-fuselage cargo doors could even accomodate jeeps and light trucks.

Sometimes, we foolishly look at outward design: we awe at people with titles of reverence, years of post-secondary education, experience, talent, fame, and positions of power. But many times, when we get to really know some of these people, they are not our favourite. They are selfish, arrogant, insensitive, controlling, demeaning, and manipulative. Instead, our favourite people are the ones who have a humble spirit and a servant-like attitude. They may not be showy or impressive-looking, but they are vital for the goodness of mankind to spread. It is a lowly spirit that gains a person honour, and a person's pride that brings him/her low.

"A man's pride brings him low,

but a man of lowly spirit gains honour."

Proverbs 29:23 (NIV)

God's Word Is Like A Mighty Hammer

At the Alberta Aviation Museum, there was a North American B-25 Mitchell Bomber in the process of being restored. My son Daniel and I were allowed in the restoration building, so I took some pictures of this war aircraft. (Click on any picture for a closer inspection.)

The B-25 Mitchell is widely considered the best light bomber of World War II.

More than 11 000 B-25 Mitchells were built. They were used by almost all the Allied air forces.

The most famous B-25 mission occurred in April 1942, when sixteen of these aircraft took off from the American carrier Hornet and successfully bombed Tokyo.

As I was taking these pictures, a middle-aged man approached me and asked if he could answer any questions I might have. I couldn't think of any intellectual questions to ask, so I felt instantly stupid and embarrassed. I should have came to the museum with more knowledge of war aircraft!

Then I thought how much more important it is for us to know and memorize God's Word, so that when someone approaches us unexpectedly and asks a question about the things of God, we are prepared to answer. If we are not prepared, a chance for a soul to be saved might be lost.

Armies, air forces, navies all train soldiers to fight powerfully. But the majority of churches today are not training people to know God's Word through memorization of Scripture, only through generalization. As a result, the body of Christian believers has become a pathetic and weak army for God, and many souls are left dying as the enemy devours them.

The military uses worldly weapons to attack and defend, but we use God's weapons to attack Satan's lies and defend the Truth.

"We use God's mighty weapons,

not worldly weapons,

to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning

and to destroy false arguments."

2 Corinthians 10:14 (NLT)

And the greatest weapon we have is the Word of God. It burns like fire and smashes like a mighty hammer.

"'Does not My Word burn like fire?'

says the Lord.

'Is it not like a mighty hammer that smashes a rock to pieces?'"

Jeremiah 23:29 (NLT)

It also sharpens and cuts like a two-edged sword.

"For the Word of God is alive and powerful.

It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword,

cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow.

It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires."

Hebrew 4:12 (NLT)

Let us not neglect the importance of memorizing the Scriptures if we want to be efficiently trained to do battle for God and save lives.

God Keeps His Distance From The Proud

My father served in the Canadian Air Force for five years as an airframe mechanic. His wanted to be a pilot, but he failed the physical examination because he was colour-blind. The two types of aircraft my father worked on were the Mosquito and Lancaster Bombers. The Alberta Aviation Museum had one of these types of planes on display, a Mosquito Bomber. Here are some pictures:

The Mosquito Bomber is a British two-man crew aircraft with multiple roles; it was used as both a bomber and a fighter.

For its first few years of operation, it was the fastest aircraft in the world. It has four machine guns and four cannons, and can carry up to 2000 pounds of bombs or eight unguided rockets.

During my tour of the museum, I thought much about my father. I remember the day I had a test in school to see if I was colour-blind. I was about twelve years old. I thought the test was interesting because, until that time, I didn't even know that a person could be colour-blind. When I came home, I told my mother all about the test. This is when she told me that my father was colour-blind. With my young, underdeveloped mind, I thought, "Wow, that's cool! I can't wait to tell my friends."

I ran downstairs to my father where he was working and asked him excitedly, "Is it true? Are you colour-blind?"

My father turned to me with that angry look I saw so often and started punching me as hard as he could. When I was able to get away, I ran upstairs to my room and cried. The physical pain at first was unbearable, but when the pain subsided, the emotional pain was worse. Aren't fathers supposed to protect their little girls, not hurt them? I was scared to death of my father. I never felt safe at home. The only place I ever felt safe was church.

Unfortunately, it seems that churches are becoming less and less the sort of place where a person can feel safe. In fact, until last Sunday, I have not felt safe in a church for years.

Last Sunday, when I went to church with my family, I felt the same safeness I used to feel. The pastor of the church saw that we were new and immediately came over to us, introducing himself by his first name. When he spoke his message, he spoke on the same level as us, not on the podium. He didn't have charisma. He actually spoke mono-tone. But he spoke the Word of God and had Christ in his heart. The message, entitled "Eating God's Word," was profound: some people eat quickly, some distaste it, some savour each bite, and some nibble at it.

At the end of the message, the pastor took a passage of Scripture and taught a practical lesson on how to read God's Word, using four steps. Afterwards, he encouraged everyone to feel free to approach him at any time with any questions, concerns, or disagreements, and he would be pleased to discuss them. I thought I was dreaming.

As we were leaving, one of my sons turned to me afterwards and said, "He forgot to take an offering."

My husband responded, "No, there's an offering box in the foyer."

I thought, "Wow! Now that's faith!"

As we left, the pastor again shook our hands and personally invited my sons to his house Thursday for a potluck dinner, along with the twenty-six other young adults in the church. I thought, "This is what church is supposed to be like."

It saddens me to think that so many churches today have lost their way and are far from being Christ-like. Many pastors have become so spiritually proud that God keeps His distance.

"Though the Lord is great,

He cares for the humble,

but He keeps His distance from the proud."
Psalm 138:6 (NLT)

In My Heart I Have Hidden Your Word

On Saturday, when my family and I visited the Alberta Aviation Museum, there was on display a row of old war vehicles, including several World War II Willys. When I stopped at the first of the Willys, my mind travelled back in time; in Bible college, I used to know someone who owned a Willys that he and his father restored. As I was remembering, the owner of the jeep approached me and asked if I would like to sit in it. I really didn't know how to respond, and I didn't want to seem rude, so I said, "Sure." I searched for my husband to give him my camera and purse to hold, and he took this picture.

Here are some other pictures of the various military vehicles:

War is caused by sin — specifically greed and the power to control. Many wars start for religious reasons, even though God plainly states, "Thou shalt not kill." As a result, war sometimes becomes necessary to protect the innocent.

The key to not sinning against God is to hide His Word in our hearts. Many religious people in the world have a head knowledge of God's Word, but since His Word is not hidden in their hearts, they stray away from God's commandments and do evil in the sight of God.

"I seek you with all my heart;

do not let me stray from Your commands.

I have hidden Your Word in my heart

that I might not sin against You."

Psalm 119:10-11 (NIV)

Let us seek God with all our hearts, and not just our minds. Let us hide His Word deeply in our hearts so that we will not sin against Him.

God Trains Hands For War And Fingers For Battle

Yesterday, for the first time, Brian, I, and our four sons went to the Alberta Aviation Museum where there were 50 historic airplanes on display. The one that interested us the most was a B-17, which, for just this week, was on exhibit and available for the public to tour. Here are some pictures of this memorable warplane.

War, no matter how much people hate it, has always been a part of human history, is present now, and will continue to occur until Jesus sets up His Kingdom here on earth.

"A time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace."

Ecclesiastes 3:8 (NIV)

God also hates war, but He is with those who go to battle for righteousness' sake, training their hands for war and fingers for battle.

Praise be to the Lord my Rock,

who trains my hands for war,

my fingers for battle."

Psalm 144:1 (NIV)

We have war because evil exists through the powers of Satan. But there will come a time when there will be no more fighting, no more wars, and no more death, because one day God is going to throw Satan into the lake of fires where he will no longer be free to roam. At that time, peace will exist for eternity for all those who are in God's army and belong to His Kingdom.

"And the devil, who deceived them,

was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur,

where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown.

They will be tormented day and night

for ever and ever."

Revelations 20:10 (NIV)