Go To Your Room And Close The Door

There are times when Christians need to pray publicly, but most of time our prayers are to be done in secret without any distractions from the outside world. In this way, we are not tempted to go off track by praying to please others instead of praying to please God with the wisdom of His Holy Spirit.

"But when you pray,

go into your room,

close the door

and pray to your Father,

who is unseen.

Then your Father,

who sees what is done in secret,

will reward you."

Matthew 6:6 (NIV)

Many times I have been asked to pray a certain way by others when in my heart I knew that wasn't the way God would have me pray. I sometimes then fall in temptation, pray publicly against God's will, and repent later when I go to my room, close the door, and pray for the need in private.

Here are some examples I have personally come across:

• Being asked to pray for a married couple's separation or divorce to go smoothly when, in my heart, I know I am to pray for reconciliation and restoration for the marriage instead.
• Being asked to pray for wisdom of a doctor in treating a patient when I really desire to pray for a miraculous healing from God instead.
• Being asked to pray for God to give a person a new husband or wife, even though that person is divorced and "unreconcilable differences," not infidelity, was stated as the cause. I instead pray that God will be sufficient to meet all the person's needs.
• Being asked to pray for God to provide a woman pastor with the money to buy a church building so that she can venture out on her own in ministry, even though she blatantly ignores her husband so much that nobody even knows who he is. My heart is directed towards her husband and their marriage, but I am pressured to pray in another direction.

I could give more examples, but I am sure you get my point. Praying with the heart of God and according to His will can be very difficult in public. We are tempted too much to pray before man instead of God. That is why God tells us to go to our rooms, close the doors, and pray without being seen by anyone but Him.

You Are My God And I Will Give Thanks

It is interesting to note that the examples of righteous prayer in the Bible consist mostly of praise and worship. These prayers always begin and end with statements glorifying and honouring God. They acknowledge who God is, thank Him for what He has done in the past, and trust Him for what He is going to do now. Even if the present situation is dire, life-threatening, and seemingly hopeless, the request for God's help comes in the middle of the prayer, consisting only of one or maybe two sentences.

When God's children come near to Him in prayer, we are instructed to first enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.

"Enter His gates with thanksgiving

and His courts with praise;

give thanks to Him

and praise His Name."

Psalm 100:4 (NIV)

If there is a desperate need to call upon the Name of the Lord, we are still not to neglect to first offer God a thank offering.

"I will sacrifice a thank offering to You

and call on the Name of the Lord."

Psalm 116:17 (NIV)

God wants us to present our requests to Him, but with thanksgiving.

"Do not be anxious about anything,

but in everything,

by prayer and petition,

with thanksgiving,

present your requests to God."

Philippians 4:6 (NIV)

We can always give thanks to God and exalt His Name. No matter what trials or tribulations we are facing, He is still our God! Praise His Name!

"You are my God,

and I will give You thanks;

You are my God,

and I will exalt You."

Psalm 118:28 (NIV)

I wonder if sometimes our prayer requests are not answered because we neglect to give the honour and praise that is due to His Name.

So Let Your Words Be Few

God is not impressed with eloquent, long, or repetitious prayers. He wants our prayers to be spoken before Him, heartfelt, thought-out, short, direct, and to-the-point. He does not want them to be hasty, memorized, wordy, manipulative, and ostentatious.

"And when you pray,

do not keep on babbling like pagans,

for they think they will be heard

because of their many words."

Matthew 6:7 (NIV)

"Do not be quick with your mouth,

do not be hasty in your heart

to utter anything before God.

God is in heaven

and you are on earth,

so let your words be few."

Ecclesiastes 5:2 (NIV)

However, even though God wants our prayers to be short, He wants us to pray frequently, continually, and on all occasions.

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions

with all kinds of prayers and requests.

Ephesians 6:8a (NIV)

"Pray continually."

1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NIV)

God loves to hear from us. He does not clock the length of our prayers and evaluate our speech. He searches our hearts and knows our true, innermost desires. He just wants us to draw near to Him.

How Beautiful Are the Feet Of God's Messengers!

Each child of God has a personal relationship with his/her Heavenly Father and has set apart Jesus Christ as Lord in his/her own heart. However, there is more: every Christian must continually be prepared to gently and respectfully share his/her faith with others, so that they may have the same hope as him/her.

"But in your hearts

set apart Christ as Lord.

Always be prepared to give an answer

to everyone who asks you to give the reason

for the hope that you have.

But do this with gentleness and respect."

1 Peter 3:15 (NLT)

Every Christian is called by God to be a messenger who brings Good News, otherwise those who do not know God will never know the truth and believe in Him.

"But how can they call on Him

to save them unless they believe in Him?

And how can they believe in Him

if they have never heard about Him?

And how can they hear about Him

unless someone tells them?

And how will anyone go and tell them

without being sent?

That is why the Scriptures say,

'How beautiful are the feet of messengers

who bring Good News!'"

Romans 10:14-15 (NLT)

And if anyone believes in God's Son, he/she will experience eternal life and no longer be under God's angry judgement. But, if anyone doesn't obey the Son, he/she will be condemned to spend eternity in hell.

"And anyone who believe in God's Son

has eternal life.

Anyone who doesn't obey the Son

will never experience eternal life

but remains under God's angry judgment."

John 3:36 (NLT)

It is God's will that everyone be saved and understand the truth.

"Who wants everyone to be saved

and to understand the truth."

1 Timothy 2:4 (NLT)

Therefore, it should be the desire of every Christian's heart to share the gospel of Jesus Christ to all who will listen, and to never be ashamed of proclaiming this Good News about Christ to others. A Christian who shared his/her faith allows God's power to work to save those who have yet to believe.

"For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ.

It is the power of God at work,

saving everyone who believes."

Romans 1:16 (NLT)

We Are To Use Our Freedom To Serve

God teaches servanthood. When someone becomes a child of God, he/she is called by God to live in freedom because he/she is now free from the curse of his/her sinful nature, the curse of death. However, a child of God is not to use this newfound freedom to satisfy his/her sinful nature. Instead, he/she is to use this freedom to serve others in love.

"For you have been called

to live in freedom,

my brothers and sisters.

But don't use your freedom

to satisfy your sinful nature.

Instead, use your freedom

to serve one another in love."

Galatians 5:13 (NLT)

The last charge the writer made against God in her article explaining why she raises her children without God was this: God teaches narcissism. More specifically, she believes that teaching children that God has a special plan for them gives them a false sense that they are special. She also feels that teaching children about God's grace encourages selfishness because it causes them to think that no matter what wrongs they commit they don't have to worry about it: God loves them, so He will instantly forgive them.

First, it is true that God has a plan for each person whom He has created. But these are not self-agrandizing plans. They are to do good, not evil. God offers each person a future, a future to be a servant in His Kingdom. Not a super star, lord, or master. He gives us hope, the hope of spending eternity with Him in a perfect sinless world.

"'For I know the plans I have for you',

says the Lord.

They are plans for good

and not disaster,

to give you a future and a hope."

Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT)

Secondly, it is true that we are all special in God's eyes. He attentively watches every child as He forms and weaves him/her together in the womb. Nevertheless, knowing that God has a plan for us does not create narcism, because the roots of narcism lie in severe insecurity while the fruit of God's dear love for us is a steadfast security that motivates us to love others.

"You watched me

as I was being formed 

in utter seclusion,

as I was woven together

in the dark of the womb."

Psalm 139:15 (NLT)

Finally, it is not true that God's grace offers immediate forgiveness for people sins. People must repent first. Repentance is having a deep sorrow for past sins and a desire to turn away from them. God offers forgiveness of sins, but only for those who repent.

"It was also written

that this message

would be proclaimed

in the authority of His Name

to all the nations,

beginning in Jerusalem:

'There is forgiveness of sins

 for all who repent.'"

Luke 24:47 (NLT)

A child of God is dearly loved and secure in God's eternal promises. A child of God is a servant after God's own heart, with a desire to love others, and to turn away from sin.

Only One Debt Remaining

God is sinless. God became man by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to earth to be sin for us, so that in God we might become the righteousness of God.

"God made Him

who had no sin

to be sin for us,

so that in Him

we might become the

righteousness of God."

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV)

Without God, there is not one righteous man or woman on earth. We have all sinned and done wrong.

"There is not a righteous man

on earth who does what is right

and never sins."

Ecclesiastes 7:20 (NIV)

The blog writer who opposes teaching God to children stated in her sixth charge against Him that God does not teach children to be good. More specifically, she argued that when children are told God is always watching them, they only become good externally, not internally, just so they can get the prize and go to heaven.

However, God does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.

"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 (NIV)

If a person's acts of righteousness are before men in order to be seen by them, there will be no reward from God.

"Be careful not to do

your 'acts of righteousness' before men,

to be seen by them.

If you do,

you will have no reward

from your Father in Heaven."

Matthew 6:1 (NIV)

Jesus Christ summed up all the commandments and laws of God into just one: Love your neighbour as yourself. Love is from within. It's internal. When a person has love in his/her heart for God and others, then his/her good works are righteous. His/her deeds are not selfishly and hypocritically done for a show. They are done because of an internal desire of love within.

"Let no debt remain outstanding,

except the continuing debt

to love one another,

for whoever loves others

has fulfilled the law.

The commandments,

'You shall not commit adultery',

'You shall not murder',

'You shall not steal',

You shall not covet',

and whatever other command there may be,

are summed up in this one command:

'Love your neighbour as yourself'.

Love does no harm to a neighbour.

Therefore love is the

fulfilment of the law."

Romans 13:8-10 (NIV)

It is only in knowing a perfect and sinless God who loves us greatly that we can truly know right from wrong, be able to love others in the same way, and live righteously through His Son, Jesus Christ.

God Has Given Us The Understanding To Know Him

God is real. We are never to boast of our wisdom, our strength, or our riches. We are only to boast that we have been given the understanding to know God, the One who exercises kindness, justice, and righteousness on the earth.

"'Let not the wise boast of their wisdom

or the strong boast of their strength

or the rich boast of their riches,

but let the one who boasts boast about this:

that they have the understanding to know me,

that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness,

justice and righteousness on earth,

for in these I delight,'

declares the Lord."

Jeremiah 9:23-24 (NIV)

The fifth charge the writer of the article made against God is that He is not present since He is only an imaginary figure who cannot be seen, smelled, touched, or heard.

Even though God cannot be smelled or touched, His eternal power and divine nature can be seen clearly through all that He has made.

"For since the creation of the world

God's invisible qualities —

His eternal power

and divine nature —

have been clearly seen,

being understood

from what has been made,

so that men are without excuse."

Romans 1:20 (NIV)

Not only is God present, He is present everywhere. No one can hide from God because His presence fills both heaven and earth.

"'Can anyone hide in secret places

so that I cannot see Him?'

declares the Lord.

'Do not I fill heaven and earth?'

declares the Lord."

Jeremiah 23:24 (NIV)

God also can be heard. He speaks to us through His Word. All Scripture is God-breathed! and has been given to us by God to teach, rebuke, correct, and train us, so that we may live righteously before God and do every good work.

"All Scripture is God-breathed

and is useful for teaching,

rebuking, correcting and

training in righteousness,

so that the servant of God

may be thoroughly equipped 

for every good work."

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)

God speaks to us through His Holy Spirit as well. The Holy Spirit is our Counsellor. He is our Comforter, sent by God so that we are not alone in this world. God's Holy Spirit teaches us all things and reminds us of everything Jesus Christ has taught us.

"But the Counsellor,

the Holy Spirit,

whom the Father will send in My Name,

will teach you all things

and remind you of everything

I have said to you."

John 14:16 (NIV)

God's physical attributes may not be seen by men and women living on earth, but we have all been given the understanding to know Him and to have personal relationship with Him.

The Lord Rewards Those Who Keep His Ways

God is a protector of those who love and obey Him. God is a rock, a fortress, a deliverer, a refuge, a shield, a horn of salvation, and a stronghold to His children who have kept His ways and have not turned away from Him.

"I love you, Lord, my strength.

The Lord is my rock, my fortress

and my deliverer;

my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,

my shield and the horn of my salvation,

my stronghold.

I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,

and I have been saved from my enemies.

The cords of death entangled me;

the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.

The cords of the grave coiled around me;

the snares of death confronted me.

In my distress I called to the Lord;

I cried to my God for help.

From His temple He heard my voice;

my cry came before Him, into His ears.

. . .

The Lord has dealt with me

according to my righteousness;

according to the cleanness of my hands

He has rewarded me.

For I have kept the ways of the Lord;

I am not guilty of turning from my God.

All His laws are before me;

I have not turned away from His decrees.

I have been blameless before Him

and have kept myself from sin.

The Lord has rewarded me

according to my righteousness,

according to the cleanness of my hands

in His sight."

Psalm 18:1-6, 20-24 (NIV)

The writer of the article "Why I Raise My Children Without God" denied God as a protector of the innocent because in our world young children and babies are being horribly abused and terribly neglected. I do not disagree with the later half of her statement.

However, God is not to blame for child abuse or neglect. The fault lies with the parents and people who have not walked in the ways of the Lord and have turned their backs on Him. Blaming God for child abuse and neglect is the same as blaming God for abortions. Ungodly men and women are to blame for the killing of millions of innocent unborn children each year, just as they are to blame for the abuse and neglect of children. And yet the majority of people in this world do not consider abortions, sex outside of marriage, divorce, or living for self wrong. Why? Because people want to continue to live in sin, ignore God, and disregard His righteous ways. But when bad things happen, these same people blame God and never themselves. They only cry out to God in their time of desperate need or when they are angry at Him.

If people live contrary to God's ways, and keep justifying sin when God says it is wrong, they forfeit His protection. The world needs to get back to God's Word and live according to His commands. At the same time, the children of God need to not be afraid to stand up for righteousness in an evil world and testify of God's character.

God Does Not Show Favouritism

God is fair. He shows no favouritism.

"For God does not show favouritism."

Romans 2:11 (NIV)

He loves all people equally because they are all the work of His hands.

"'Is he not the One who . . .

. . . shows no partiality to princes

and does not favour the rich over the poor,

for they are all the work of His hands?'"

Job 34:18-19 (NIV)

Even before God formed any of us, He already knew us in His heart.

"'Before I formed you in the womb

I knew you.'"

Jeremiah 1:5a (NIV)

The writer of the CNN article made this third charge against God: that He is not fair. She felt that He doesn't love all people equally when He answers some people's insignificant prayers and does not answer other people's more serious prayers.

There are many reasons why God doesn't answer every individual prayer the way people desire Him to.

1. God's Omniscience: His thoughts and His ways are much higher than our thoughts and our ways.

"'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 (NIV)

2. Disobedience: People must obey God's commands and do what pleases Him before God can answer their prayers. Otherwise, God finds their prayers repulsive.

"If anyone turns a deaf ear to My instruction,

even their prayers are detestable."

Proverbs 28:9 (NIV)

3. Unconfessed sin: God will not listened to people's prayers if they have hidden and unconfessed sin in their hearts.

"If I had not confessed the sin in my heart,

the Lord would not have listened."

Psalm 66:18 (NLT)

4. Dishonour to others: God commands people to love one another as God loves them, so that their prayers will not be hindered.

"A new command I give you:

Love one another.

As I have loved you,

so you must love one another."

John 13:34 (NIV)

5. Unbelief: People must come to God in faith, believe that He exists, and believe He will answer them. Without faith, it is impossible to please God.

"And without faith

it is impossible to please God,

because anyone who comes to Him

must believe that He exists

and that He rewards those

who earnestly seek Him."

Hebrews 11:6 (NIV)

6. Impatience: People give up too soon when the answers to their prayers do not come right away. Pray continually.

"Pray continually."

1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NIV)

God loves everyone equally. There is not a person on earth that He loves more than another! God knew each person before he/she was even formed. He knew him/her in His heart! God desires to answer all our prayers, but sometimes His thoughts and ways are higher than our thoughts and ways. And sometimes we hinder our prayers because of disobedience, unconfessed sin, mistreatment of others, unbelief, and impatience.

Teach Me Your Ways That I May Live In Truth

God is truth. And truth means He possesses all logic.

"Jesus answered,

'I am the way,

the truth,

and the life.'"

John 14:6a (NLT)

The author of a recent CNN article contradicting the characteristics of God and explaining how foolishly dangerous it is for parents to teach their children about God, stated in her second charge against Him that He is not logical. This is because she could not understand a God who is so loving and all-powerful allowing bad things to happen to people.

However, the Bible says that bad things happen in our world because there are people who hate knowledge and choose not to fear the Lord. They reject His advice and pay no attention when God corrects them. Therefore, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way, choking on their own schemes. When people turn away from God, they will die and be destroyed by their own complacency. On the other hand, all those who listen to God will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm.

"For they hated knowledge

and chose not to fear the Lord.

They rejected My advice

and paid no attention when I corrected them.

Therefore, they must eat the bitter fruit

 of living their own way,

choking on their own schemes.

For simpletons turn away from me — to death.

Fools are destroyed by their own complacency.

But all who listen to Me will live in peace,

untroubled by fear of harm."

Proverbs 1:29-33 (NLT)

Therefore, every person must make a choice: whether to respect God and His Word, or reject Him and live his/her own way. If the majority of people reject God and ignore His Word, evil will reign. But those who love the Lord and His Word need never to fear. They are forever heirs of the King and will always be part of His glorious Kingdom.

It is only in God's teachings, not man's, that we are able to live according to truth.

"Teach me Your ways,

O Lord,

that I may live

according to Your truth."

Psalm 86:11 (NLT)

Why I Raise My Children With God

There was a popular article written by a mother and shared recently on CNN. It was entitled: "Why I Raise My Children Without God". The essay consisted of seven main points, and so in the next seven entries of my blog I will use Scripture to counter-argue these points, explaining why I raise my children with God.

God is a perfect Heavenly Father and role model. He is just and fair, and does no wrong.

"He is the Rock;

His deeds are perfect.

Everything He does is just and fair.

He is a faithful God 

who does no wrong;

how just and upright He is."

Deuteronomy 32:4 (NLT)

The writer's first charge against God stated He is a bad parent and role model. Her argument was based on her opinion that God doesn't guide His children. However, God is not at all like that. God is our God forever and ever, and He will guide us until we die.

"For that is what God is like.

He is our God forever and ever,

and He will guide us until we die."

Psalm 48:14 (NLT)

How does God guide His children? He guides us through His Word. All Scripture is inspired by God. It is useful to teach us what is true and right, and correct us when we are wrong.

"All Scripture is inspired by God

and is useful to teach us

what is true

and to make us realize

what is wrong in our lives.

It corrects us when we are wrong

and teaches us to do what is right."

2 Timothy 3:16 (NLT)

God also has given us a Teacher, His Holy Spirit, that comes to reside in each of us when we give our hearts to Him. The Holy Spirit is our companion. He is God and He is with us where ever we go, teaching us everything, and reminding us of everything we have been told.

"But when the Father sends the Advocate

as my representative--

that is, the Holy Spirit--

He will teach you everything 

and will remind you of everything 

I have told you."

John 14:26 (NLT)

However, for any of us to have guidance from our Heavenly Father, we must first become a child of His by accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, and then give honour to His Word by reading, trusting and obeying it.

"Trust in the Lord 

with all Your heart;

do not depend on

your own understanding.

Seek His will 

in all you do, 

and He will show you

which path to take."

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)

God will show us which path to take if we trust Him with all our heart and seek His will in all we do. We must not rely on our own understanding because our understanding is so limited.

And Wait In Expectation!

"In the morning, O Lord,

You hear my voice;

in the morning

I lay my requests

before You

and wait in expectation."

Psalm 5:3 (NIV)

The Bible describes effective prayer as confidently and earnestly drawing near to God on a regular basis; having a humble, sincere, and honest heart; acknowledging who God is; holding fast to one's confession; and trusting in Him for the answer. Sometimes prayer is a cry, a groaning deep within. Sometimes prayer is a spoken voice. Sometimes prayer is a still, meditation of the heart. But however we choose to pray, genuine prayer always comforts, brings God's protection, delivers us from evil, relieves us of fear and worry, bestows God's grace and mercy upon us, and releases God's power to heal and perform miracles.

The Bible describes ineffective prayer as just words or lip service. This occurs when people's hearts are far from God and their reverence for Him consists only of traditions learned. They may draw near to God, but only physically, for their prayers are before man and not God.

"The Lord says: 'These people

come near to Me with their mouth

and honour Me withe their lips,

but their hearts are far from Me.

Their worship of Me is made up of

only of rules taught by men.'"

Isaiah 29:13 (NIV)

Prayer is much more than words spoken. It is the feelings of the heart! Some prayers may sound impressive with their length and articulation, while others sound inadequate, unintelligible, and short. But God only sees the heart, and when the heart is right before Him, prayer is powerful, productive, and miraculous, no matter what it sounds like to us.

"Therefore confess your sins to each other

and pray for each other

so that you may be healed.

The prayer of a righteous man

is powerful and effective."

James 5:16 (NIV)

God's Love Endures Forever

A few years ago, I met an older lady who at the time, although retired, kindly worked voluntarily at a nursing home. She told me the story of a man whose wife was in the later stages of Alzheimer's. It had been many years since, sadly, he had had to place her in the nursing home. But even though she was no longer able to recognize him, he lovingly visited her every day to have lunch with her.

The man told the lady that many of his friends questioned his devotion to his wife. His response to them was always the same: "She may not remember, but I do." When the lady told me this story, tears ran down my cheek. This man obviously had Christ's love in him.

The Bible tells us that husbands are to love their wives, and wives are to love their husbands, just as Christ loves each one of us. And God's love is so great! that He was willing to give Himself up for each of us. Being faithful to a sick wife or husband who needs care is really not much compared to what God did for us.

"Husbands, love your wives,

just as Christ loved the church

and gave Himself up for her."

Ephesians 5:25 (NIV)

It is wonderful to know that God doesn't turn his back on us if we become old, disabled, disfigured, brain-damaged, or terminally ill. He will never suddenly view us as unworthy of His love.

God's love endures forever! Praise His precious Name!

"Give thanks to the Lord,

for He is good;

His love endures forever."

1 Chronicles 16:34 (NIV)

"I Never Knew You"

What is truly in a person's heart will often be revealed when he/she reaches older age, or when his/her husband/wife becomes gravely ill or mentally diseased, or when he/she needs to show forgiveness. People can be very good at hiding the evil ugliness in their hearts, especially under titles such as "Christian," "Pastor," or "Televangelist." But when these people reach their seventies, eighties, and nineties, that disguise is no longer important or needed, and the selfish horridness within begins to rear its abominable face.

God knows what is truly in each of our hearts. He sees behind people's facades, and He warns us in His Word that He will bring out into the open what has been hidden, disclosed, and concealed.

"For there is nothing hidden

that will not be disclosed,

and nothing concealed

that will not be known

or brought out into the open."

Luke 8:17 (NIV)

The Bible says that many professing Christians who had flamboyant ministries will be turned away from Him because of their fraudulent life. God states in His Word that He will sternly call these people for what they are, and candidly tell them He never knew them.

"Many will say to me on that day,

'Lord, Lord,

did we not prophesy in Your Name,

and in Your Name drive our demons

and perform many miracles?'"

Then I will tell them plainly,

'I never knew you.

Away from me,

you evildoers.'"

Matthew 7:22-23 (NIV)

Do not be surprised or disinterested in the things of God when long-time claiming Christians, or popular pastors, or famous televangelists make ugly statements contrary to the character and heart of God, even manipulating Scripture to justify their sins. Such things were predicted long ago by Christ.

Jesus Christ will forever sit on His Throne in all authority and holiness.

We must look to Him for guidance and partake of His nature when facing the difficulties of life. If you do, you will be blessed beyond measure and welcomed by Him with open arms.

God Spreads His Protection Over Us

The bark of a Ponderosa Pine has always intrigued me. Its striking appearance makes it stand out among all other types of trees in the forest. As you can see from the picture below, the bark is a beautiful cinnamon colour highlighted with dark brown crevices. And if you get close enough, you will smell a pleasant aroma, much like the smell of vanilla.

All trees have bark, a strong protective outer layer to safeguard the soft wood underneath. God promises in His Word that if we take refuge in Him, rejoice, sing joyful praises to Him always, and love His Name, He will spread His protection over us much like the shielding bark of a tree.

"But let all who take refuge in You rejoice;

let them sing joyful praises forever.

Spread Your protection over them,

that all who love Your Name

may be filled with joy."

Psalm 5:11 (NLT)

If a tree is cut deep enough, its flow of food will be disrupted, causing it to starve to death. And even if the cut is small and doesn't extend very far, the tree will be susceptible to insect infestations and fungus infections, causing probable death. Likewise, the protection we receive from God can also be penetrated, leaving us susceptible to harm and death, if we fret, allow fear to grip our hearts, grumble and complain, and distrust His Name. May we, as God's children, learn to forever trust, praise, and love God, taking refuge in His never-changing Word, so we will always have His protective covering.

Jesus Often Withdrew To Lonely Paces

In our society, the term "introvert" almost always carries a negative connotation. Extroverts, on the other hand, are praised as possessing great virtue. To describe an extrovert, appropriate phrases include "social butterfly," "gregarious," and "life of the party." Conversely, introverts are more suited to the terms "selfish," "antisocial," "socially inept," and "nerdy." Regarding introverted Christians, I have often heard people use the words "unspiritual" and "spiritually immature." These words are usually followed by an attempt to transform the introvert by manipulating the character of Christ and His Word.

The true meaning of an introvert is someone who is energized by being alone. An extrovert, on the other hand, is someone who is energized by being around other people. This does not mean that introverts are lesser beings, hopelessly flawed by negative character and personality traits, with no desire for intimacy. It just means that God created two types of people in this world. Therefore, an extrovert should never prejudge, criticize, or bully an introvert, and vice a versa.

Many times Jesus Himself sought privacy, silence, and solitude to recharge, reflect, and pray. He loved and cared about people very much, but He also frequently needed the time to be alone.

"When Jesus heard what had happened,

He withdrew by boat privately

to a solitary place."

Matthew 14:13a (NIV)

"After He had dismissed them,

He went up on a mountainside

by Himself to pray.

When evening came,

He was there alone."

Matthew 14:23 (NIV)

"Very early in the morning,

while it was still dark,

Jesus got up,

left the house

and went off to a solitary place,

where He prayed."

Mark 1:35 (NIV)

"At daybreak

Jesus went out to a solitary place."

Mark 4:42a (NIV)

"After leaving them,

He went up on a mountainside to pray."

Mark 6:46 (NIV)

"But Jesus often withdrew

to lonely places and prayed."

Luke 5:16 (NIV)

"One of those days

Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray,

and spent the night praying to God."

Luke 6:12 (NIV)

"Once when Jesus was praying in private . . . ."

Luke 9:18a (NIV)

Whenever Jesus withdrew from people to be alone, was He being rude? Selfish? Antisocial? No of course not! Then why do we unfairly characterize introverts in this way?

As Surely As The Arrival Of Dawn

Dawn is God's daily expression to us of who He is and what He longs for. 

"Oh, that we might know the Lord!

Let us press on to know Him.

He will respond to us

as surely as the arrival of dawn."

Hosea 6:3a (NLT)

Let us continually press on to know God more. There is so much about Him that we don't know, so many misconceptions, and so many mysterious. Yet, as surely as the arrival of dawn, God will respond, eagerly revealing Himself to each of us!

The Morning Light From Heaven

"Because of God's tender mercy,

the morning light from heaven

is about to break upon us."

Luke 1:78 (NLT)

What is mercy? I made a list.

MERCY IS . . .

goodness,

kindness,

compassion,

faithfulness,

love,

blessing,

favour,

tenderness,

forgiveness,

mindfulness,

and care.

Let the morning light from heaven that is about to break upon us each day remind us of God's tender mercy — mercy that never ends!

"The faithful love of the Lord never ends!

His mercies never cease.

Great is His faithfulness;

His mercies begin afresh each morning."

Lamentations 3:22-23 (NLT)

"We Have Seen Amazing Things Today!"

My sons have just finished the suspended ceiling downstairs, and now the basement is ready for final inspection. I feel like jumping up and down praising God. It has taken three years to finish our basement.

As I was watching my sons put in the last few tiles of the ceiling, I couldn't help but think of the story in the Bible about some friends who were so motivated by determination, faith, and compassion for a paralyzed man that they came up with an unorthodox plan to gain access to Jesus and His strong healing power. The crowd surrounding Jesus was massive, yet instead of giving up and going home, the friends went up on the roof and took off some tiles. Then, with, I am sure, great difficulty and much thought, the friends carried the handicap man up onto the roof and lowered him down into the crowd right in front of Jesus. This was done without dropping him or having him roll off the mat.

"Some men came carrying

a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat.

They tried to take him inside to Jesus,

but they couldn't reach Him 

because of the crowd.

So they went up to the roof

and took off some tiles.

Then they lowered the sick man on his mat

down into the crowd,

right in front of Jesus."

Luke 5:18-19 (NLT)

One might think Jesus would be perturbed at such an interruption. After all, He, the Son of God, was in the middle of teaching a large class. But he wasn't! In fact, Jesus was pleased when He saw the faith of these men, and He immediately offered the handicap man forgiveness of his sins.

"Seeing their faith,

Jesus said to the man,

'Young man, your sins are forgiven.'"

Luke 5:20 (NLT)

The Pharisees and teachers of the religious law who were watching, however, weren't so pleased. They were outraged at the audacity of Jesus thinking He had the power to forgive a person's sins.

"But the Pharisees and teachers of religious law

said to themselves,

'Who does He think He is?

That's blasphemy!

Only God can forgive sins!'"

Luke 5:21 (NLT)

So, Jesus proved to these Pharisees and religious teachers that He had and has all authority and power on earth. He turned to the paralyzed man and, with the authority of God, told the paralyzed man to stand up, pick up his mat, and go home.

"Jesus knew what they were thinking,

so He asked them,

'Why do you question this in your hearts?

Is it easier to say 'Your sins are forgiven,'

or 'Stand up and walk'?

So I will prove to you that the Son of Man

has the authority on earth to forgive sins.'

Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said,

'Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!'"

Luke 5:22-24 (NLT)

The paralyzed man immediately jumped up — not wobbling, or trying to stand with the help of his friends — picked up his mat with the strength and vitality of a healthy man, and went home praising God.

"And immediately, as everyone watched,

the man jumped up,

picked up his mat,

and went home praising God."

Luke 5:25 (NLT)

Everyone was gripped with great wonder and awe, and they too praised God.

Everyone was gripped with great wonder and awe,

and they praised God, exclaiming,

'We have seen amazing things today!'"

Luke 5:26 (NLT)

This is what our church services should be like today! The authority and healing power of Jesus resides in each of His children who love and desire to serve Him. If we only use the power God has given us, people will leave our church services gripped with great wonder and awe, praising God, exclaiming, "We have seen amazing things today!"

I pray that, as God's people, we will be less concerned about the time and structure of our services and more concerned about doing God's will — loving, helping, serving, and ministering God's amazing power to others who are in need — even if it means we stop what we are doing to do it.

There Is No Need To Ever Be Thirsty

A thirst-quenching, freshwater spring is supplied from a source deep within the surface of the earth. So it is with a believer of Jesus Christ. When a soul comes to Christ and gives his/her life to Him, the Spirit of God comes to dwell within. And out of this believer's heart will flow rivers of living water that satisfy the soul.

"'Anyone who believes in Me

may come and drink!

For the Scriptures declare,

"Rivers of living water

will flow from his heart."'"

John 7:38 (NLT)

Icicle Creek, Leavenworth, Washington . . .

. . . gives life and beauty.

Its waters give strength and nourishment, . . .

. . . health and protection.

This Life Giving Source is within each of God's children, so that he/she may drink freely of it.

God Hears The Groans Of The Poor And He Will Rescue Them

A week before Christmas, I asked God to open the door for Brian and I to give directly to the needy. I didn't think at the time that God would take me so literally, because a few hours later, a knock came to my door. When I opened it, one of my friends stood there with a beaming smile, wished me a Merry Christmas, and lovingly gave me a present in a beautiful gift bag. As my friend handed the gift to me, she told me that she had also placed a card inside that explained a missionary project in Kenya. My eyes must have widened as I thought to myself, "This must be the answer to my prayer!"

The present inside was a wheat bag that you heat up in the microwave and use for comfort. I use it all the time since I have gotten it because my heating pad recently broke. I like the feel of warmth, especially in winter when Edmonton can be so cold. The wheat bag was made by someone in her church who sells them to support a desperate need in Kenya to rescue babies and orphans being thrown away in a 30-acre city dump. The card inside described this missionary outreach.

Once I read the card, I prayed to God for guidance, checked the website, and excitedly phoned the contact number. When I talked with the lady on the other end, I felt led of God to ask to sponsor a sibling group. However, she told me there were none at the time. I was immediately disappointed and questioned whether I heard from the Lord. However, she told me that she would contact the missionary down there and let them know of my desire. There were many babies, toddlers and young children abandoned and in desperate need, but no sibling group at this time. I almost said, "Don't worry about it then. I will foster two of the non-sibling children." But I didn't. I stopped. I decided to trust God.

Yesterday, I got a call from this missionary organization and was told that there is a sibling group in desperate need of sponsorship: an eight-year-old boy who has never gone to school, and his four-year-old sister. God heard and answered the cry of a young, desperate mother desiring a better life for her two children. These children have no father. They have no shoes on their feet. Their clothes are worn, they live in the slums in a leaky shack, and they go every day to the garbage dump with their mother to collect garbage bags to clean and sell for a penny each in order to survive. I had to hold back my tears as I was told of their situation and need.

You see, God sees the violence done to the helpless. He hears the groans of the poor, and He is rising up to rescue them as they have longed for Him to do.

"The Lord replies,

'I have seen violence done to the helpless,

and I have heard the groans of the poor.

Now I will rise up to rescue them,

as they have longed for me to do.'"

Psalm 12:5 (NLT)

There Is Plenty Left Over To Share With Others

Every morning when I woke up at the bed-and-breakfast in Leavenworth, Washington, Brian would go downstairs to get his morning cup of coffee and then return with his cup and a cup of herbal tea for me as well. Then he would sit and relax in one of the comfortable leather chairs in our room to drink his coffee, while I drank my tea standing by the bedroom window, looking out to watch the wild birds feed. The thoughtful and kind owner of the bed-and-breakfast had set out a large metal dish filled with seeds for the birds that remain in winter.

But one morning I became distressed when I noticed that the metal dish was tipped, most likely by one of the many deer that roamed freely in Leavenworth during this time of year. As a result the bird seeds were now sprawled out all over the snow-covered ground, and much of them were buried in hoof prints. But as I continued to watch, my worries ceased because there was still plenty of seed exposed for the birds to feed on.

I thought, "Life can be like this at times." God generously provides for all our needs, and sometimes the dish gets tipped, but we are not to worry, because we will always have everything we need. There will even be plenty left over to share with others.

"And God will generously provide all you need.

Then you will always have everything you need

and plenty left over to share with others."

2 Corinthians 9:8 (NLT)

"I Have Been Patrolling The Earth"

While Brian and I were in Leavenworth, Washington, Brian's parents lovingly looked after our two dogs. One of our dogs is a Shetland Sheepdog named Barney and the other is a Yorkshire Terrier named Barlow. Barlow is a very small, affectionate dog who loves everyone in the family, including Barney and our two cats. He is completely fearless and would think nothing of putting himself in danger to save any of us or his sibling pets. Barney, on the other hand, is a very sensitive, timid, and nervy dog, but beautiful and sweet! Barlow is my husband's dog and Barney is my dog.

One day during our vacation, a coyote entered my in-laws' backyard, where the dogs were let out occasionally. The coyote must have noticed our two dogs, particularly the little one, and came seeking to satisfy his hunger. Here are some pictures Tim took of the coyote. Fortunately, the dogs were safe inside the house by that time.

Satan is like this coyote. A coyote patrols his territory, looking for food to devour. And Satan patrols the whole earth, watching everything that is going on, looking for someone to devour.

"'Where have you come from?'"

the Lord asked Satan.

Satan answered the Lord,

'I have been patrolling the earth,

watching everything that's going on.'"

Job 1:7 (NLT)

We need to be aware of this and constantly stay alert, watching out for our great enemy!

"Stay alert!

Watch out for your great enemy,

the devil.

He prowls around like a roaring lion,

looking for someone to devour."

1 Peter 5:8 (NLT)

Is It Elk Or Caribou? Is It Right Or Wrong?

On our trip back from Leavenworth, Washington, I spotted a herd of wild animals on the side of the road. Since I wasn't sure if they were elk or caribou, I looked online to find the difference.

First, I learned that elk are larger than caribou. Unfortunately, this didn't help me much because I didn't see them together to compare.

Second, I discovered that both male and female caribou grow antlers, but female elk do not. Also, male caribou shed their antlers in autumn, but female caribou and male elk shed their antlers in spring. Therefore, a male elk or caribou with antlers in winter would have to be an elk. Unfortunately, this didn't help me either because I didn't get out of my car to see if the ones with antlers were male or female. Believe it or not, even I didn't think this would be safe.

Anyway, the information that did help me solve my perplexing question was that elk have dark, shaggy necks and light-coloured rumps, whereas caribou do not.

Now that the puzzle is solved, my mind is at peace. The animals I saw were elk. Below are some pictures I took of them.

A male elk.

A female elk standing next to her young.

Another female elk, the telltale light-coloured rump clearly visible.

These elk are just babies.

I wanted to take this one home with me, but resisted.

For a time, I was confused about whether the animals I saw were elk or caribou, and it was nice to be able to search the Internet and be enlighten so that I could finally have peace of mind in knowing the truth. God's Word is the same. If we have any questions concerning life, we can go to His Word and find the answer. God's Holy Spirit is also there to direct us to the right verses and to teach us what we don't know or understand.

"For God is not a God of confusion

but of peace."

1 Corinthians 14:33a (NASB)

And Yet It Did Not Fall

When Brian and I walked around the neighbourhood of the bed and breakfast where we stayed, I spotted a long, concrete, u-shaped building with a multitude of small, barred windows. At first I thought it was some kind of barbaric jail cell used in the past to confine criminals. I imagined stale bread, a tin cup of water, and black-and-white striped criminals. I guess I have seen too many old movies. But then I spotted the silhouette of two horses peeking out of two of the windows. I came to my senses and realized it was not a jail but a barn! Apparently, in the early twentieth century, US farmers built their barns out of concrete blocks. (In Canada, a hundred years ago, we made our barns out of timber — and not treated ones either. If any of them still remain, they are now dilapidated and useless, and only good for taking pictures of as a symbol of the past, although usually the beautiful scenery in the background makes up for their ugliness.)

As I admired the wisdom of US farmers in the early 1900s, God brought to my memory the story He told about the wise and foolish builders, and how important it is to build our lives on the Word of God, so that our lives won't come crashing down when the rains fall, the streams rise, and the winds blow.

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine

and puts them into practice

is like a wise man

who built his house on the rock.

The rain came down,

the streams rose,

and the winds blew

and beat against the house;

yet it did not fall

because it had its foundation on the rock.

But everyone who hears these words of mine

and does not put them into practise

is like a foolish man

who built his house on sand.

The rain came down,

the streams rose,

and the winds blew

and beat against the house,

and it fell with a great crash."

Matthew 7:24-27 (NIV)

Wisdom is preparing for our eternal future, so that no matter what happens in our world, we are safe and secure in the arms of God.

A Longing Fulfilled Is Sweet To The Soul

"A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul."

Proverbs 13:19a (NIV)

This twenty-four foot knight in shining armour stands majestically in Leavenworth, Washington, as a symbol of the talent God gave to a young boy, and of God's orchestration to fulfil this young boy's dream.

The artist and creator of the knight was born and raised in Mexico, but moved to Washington State with his parents when he was older. Since he was twelve years old, he has had a passion for art in metal and iron, and he dreamed of one day building a knight. His dream finally came true in 1990, when he went back to Mexico to the blacksmithing shop he worked in as a teenager and used the facilities and tools there to construct the knight. Once completed, he drove the knight all the way to Leavenworth on the top of his Nissan pickup. What a sight that must have been!

The knight drew so much attention to this man's talent that he was able to quit his job as a farm labourer and start his own business in a shop behind his house so he could continue to do the work he loves to do the most.

The Magnitude Of God's Power

In Leavenworth, there is a gravel road called Icicle Road which follows along Icicle Creek. The area is popular in the winter for cross-country skiing because of the beauty of the fast flowing creek, surrounding alpine mountains, and evergreen trees. When Brian drove up this beautiful scenic road, he stopped frequently for me to take pictures. As I scanned the landscape for scenes of interest, what stood out the most to me was not (as beautiful as they were) the creek, the mountains, or the trees; it was the assemblage of long, glass-like, tapered icicles hanging from the various rock faces of the mountain sides.

The Scriptures describe ice as being brought into existence on the face of this earth by just a simple breath of God. And even though a breath is gentle and silent, God's breath is anything but those. It is powerful, speaks volumes, and pierces the soul.

"The breath of God produces ice,

and the broad waters become frozen."

Job 37:10 (NIV)

Be Careful Not To Forget

The ski lodge that Brian and I drove up the mountain to visit offered not only snowmobiling but also sleigh rides.

However, Brian and I chose not to go on any of the sleigh rides; we instead opted for speed.

But at the end of the second day of snowmobiling, I was able to catch sight of the two teams of horses and sleighs. They were parked just outside the lodge. It was such a nostalgic sight, I couldn't help but take a picture of them and ponder the days-gone-by of my grandparents and parents. I still vividly remember my grandparents, whom I knew and loved so well. Even though all four of them have now passed away, they still remain in my heart.

My dad was raised with two brothers and one sister on a farm in Warburg. My mom was raised with six sisters on a farm in Millet. Both farms are less than hour away from where I live now in Alberta.

My parents have given me some of their favourite childhood pictures, and in my collection I have a picture of my teenage mom sitting beside her mother — my grandmother — as she guided their sleigh pulled by their horses. They were going to town, which my mom loved to do, so she could shop and meet people. She told me that it was a highlight for her and a special event every time she was able to go. But she had to finish all her chores first! If she didn't finish them in time, she couldn't go. This was a lesson well learned because my mother was always a hard worker, a fantastic cook, and an exceptional housekeeper.

We need to be careful not to let all the wonderful memories and valuable lessons we have learned from our parents and grandparents be forgotten. As long as we live, we need to watch that those memories do not escape our minds, so we can pass them on to our children and grandchildren.

"But watch out!

Be careful never to forget

what you yourself have seen.

Do not let these memories

escape from your mind

as long as you live!

And be sure to pass them on

to your children and grandchildren."

Deuteronomy 4:9 (NLT)

When I got closer to take a picture of those beautiful sleigh horses, one of the horses turned around and looked directly at me. I was glad I ignored the posted warning sign to not to get too close to the animals, as well as my husband's voice of reason, because this picture turned out to be my most favourite one of all! Okay, I know what you are thinking. Yes, I did sweetly ask permission of the owner, an older gentleman, first.

The Wonders And Miracles Of God

"He performs wonders

that cannot be fathomed,

miracles that cannot be counted."

Job 5:9 (NIV)

One of the countless wonders and miracles of God is the dramatic and spectacular change of each season. Here are some of my favourite pictures I took of the winter around Leavenworth during our two days of snowmobiling.

In the morning the skies were cloudy, but by the mid afternoon the clouds began to disperse making a vivid contrast between the snow covered trees and the brilliant blue sky.

May we each declare daily God's marvellous works to others, so that they too will know Him as their Heavenly Father and Powerful King.

"Since my youth, O God,

you have taught me,

and to this day

I declare your marvelous deeds."

Psalm 71:17 (NIV)