FOREVER FAITHFUL

"Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God!" - Psalm 90:2

All of God's attributes are the summum bonum - "the supreme good from which all others are derived. They are the best, the greatest, the supreme. All of our good attributes have to bow at the feet of God's attributes. Any good in ourselves come from God and his attributes. If we have seasons where we are loving, merciful, patient or faithful it is because we are made in the image of God, but even those good attributes are, at times, vacilating, fickle and unfaithful because we don't abide in Him. Only God is completely and always faithful in all of His attributes, because He can be no different. He is loving because He is love. He is faithful because He is faithful. It blows my mind to even think about it.

This title, "Forever Faithful," is a redundant phrase. "Forever" is an adverb which means: "for a limitless time; at all times." It is describing the second word in the title, "Faithful," which in itself speaks of eternalness, because God is eternal (forever). The word "faithful" means to "firmly adhere to one's promises." There is never a time God is not faithful to His promises. God is not as man that He should lie (Num.23:19). He cannot deny himself. Faithfulness is part of His very essence and He cannot change. God is complete and perfect in all his attributes, therefore, He is "immutable" and will not change (Mal.3:6; Heb.13:8). But because we are so unfaithful and for the sake of our finite minds trying to wrap themselves around this incomprehensible attribute, we are going to use this term, "God is forever faithful." We must try to grasp the truth that God is perfect, complete and filled with faithfulness and will never change in the quality, duration or effectiveness of all His attributes. He is faithful in His love, mercy, long suffering, forgiving and etc.

God declares Himself faithful to keep His promises to His children (Duet.7:9). Those who have walked with Him and proved Him proclaim His faithfulness. Moses says of God, "He is the Rock, His work is perfect, for all His ways are law and justice. A God of faithfulness without breach or deviation" (Duet.32:4). David proclaims in Psalms 89:2, "Your faithfulness will You establish in the very heavens (unchangeable and perpetual)". Isaiah said, "Faithfulness shall be the girdle of His loins" (Isa.11:5). Jeremiah, when enumerating some of God's attributes said, "Great and abundant is your faithfulness" (Lam.3:23). Paul, in I Cor.1:9, says, "God is faithful and therefore ever true to His promise." The writer of Hebrews says in Hebrews 10:23, "So let us seize and hold fast and retain without wavering the hope we cherish and confess and our acknowledgement of it, for He Who promised is reliable and faithful to His Word." John tells us in chapter one of Ist John, verse nine, "If we confess our sins He is faithful and true to His nature and promises and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

In Psalms 23 David so accurately portrays God's faithfulness in every verse.
Verse one shows His faithfulness in our ever ending relationship with our Shepherd as His sheep to feed, guide and protect us.

Verse two clearly tells us that as we follow Him, He will faithfully give us rest and refreshment after wandering in the desert places of life.

Verse three He faithfully restores our inner selves with His righteousness, not because I deserve it but because His name is "Faithful and True" (Rev. 19:11).

Verse four shows how he faithfully restores our confidence in Him to keep, guide and be with us when we are afraid of evil attacks. And He lifts us up and comforts us when we fall.

Verse five tells us how He faithfully gives us hope and abundance and consecrates us to the Father for His keeping , spirit, soul and body, even while our enemies surround us and would try to overwhelm us (Isa..59:19b).

Verse six shows how His faithfulness covers us as a canopy with His goodness, mercy and unfailing love and will follow us, like the cloud over His people in the wilderness. And His presence will faithfully be with us all the days of our lives and, because of His faithfulness,
we will live in the blessing of that Holy Presence throughout eternity! We can rest in Him knowing that although we don't know what tomorrow holds, we know WHO holds tomorrow!

I hope that you are completely convinced that the God of the universe that loves you with an everlasting love and has said Himself, "I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. I will not, I will not, I will not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake , nor let you down or relax my hold on you! Assuredly not!" (Heb.13:5 Amp.) Because He is faithful!

Mary Jones

THE AWESOMENESS OF OUR SHEPHERD

OUR AWESOME SHEPHERD
(According to Psalms 23)

The Lord is my Shepherd, (That’s relationship!)

I shall not want, (That’s supply!)

He makes me lie down in green pastures, (That’s rest!)

He leads me beside the still waters, (That’s refreshment!)

He restores my soul, (That’s healing!)

He leads me in paths of righteous, (That’s guidance!)

For His name sake, (That’s purpose!)

Yes, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, (That’s testing!)

I will fear no evil, (That’s protection!)

For You are with me, (That’s faithfulness!)

Your rod and Your staff they comfort me (That’s discipline!)

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies, (That’s hope!)

You anoint my head with oil, (That’s consecration!)

My cup runs over, (That’s abundance!)

Surely, goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, (That’s blessing!)

And I will live in the house of the Lord, (That’s security!)

Forever, (That’s eternity!)

(Anon.)

THE GREATEST EXCHANGES

This is the day after Christmas and in my readings this morning I had some thoughts that I thought were very appropriate for this time of year when we have been celebrating the birthday of the King of kings, Lord of lords, the Prince of Peace, the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God and the Everlasting Father. (Isa.9:6). He will establish His government and peace, which shall be forever. Jesus came into a world that was as dark as the night, held in fear by a cruel dictator; a world filled with hunger, poverty, disease and ignorance (sound familiar?). Think of all the things with which our world is troubled – war, political conflict, hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, hunger, disease, poverty, ignorance, racial strife. At some time or other we all suffer with loss, discouragement, death, emotional breakdowns, family quarrels, loneliness and even suicide. The darkness of the sins of the world and even our own sins can become an almost overwhelming burden. But God the Father has interceded by sending His Son into our world as a baby. By that interception of grace, He began the wonderful possibility of the most glorious exchange for mankind that could be imagined. By accepting the fact that Jesus came as a baby, born of a virgin, lived and died on a cross for our sins, and accepting Him as our Savior, we can become the beneficiary of this GREAT EXCHANGE. But God, while we were sinners sitting spiritually poor, naked, starving and blind in the dark cesspool of our own sin, the Father loved us and sent us “the LIGHT.” Now that we have seen the light and have been lifted out of our pit of despair, we have been deluged with the most magnificent gifts imaginable. The following is a compilation of years of some of my thoughts and findings from the Scriptures on this GREAT EXCHANGE: 1) Jesus became sin on our behalf so we could become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (II Cor.5:21). 2) Jesus died so we might live (Jn.3:16). 3) He became poor that we might be rich and have an eternal inheritance (II Cor.8:9, I Pet.1:4). 4) He took our spiritual blindness, nakedness, hunger and poverty and gave us eyes that could see, clothed us with white clothes, and made us wealthy kings and priests (Rev.3:17-18; I Pet.2:9). 5) He took our weakness and gave us His strength (Phil.4:13; II Cor.12:9). 6) He took on Himself our guilt that we might have His forgiveness (Matt.26:28) 7) He was forsaken by the Father so we could be accepted and adopted into the family of God and become heirs with Christ (Rom.8:15; I Pet.1:4). 8) He took our curse and gave us His blessing (Gal.3:13; Eph.1:3). 9) He took our deserved sorrows, pains and sickness and gave us His healing (spirit, soul and body (Isa.53:4-5; Ps.103:1-5). 10) He bought us out of bondage and gave us His freedom (Rom.8:15; Jn.8:32; I Pet.1:18-19). 11) He took our alienation from God and through His blood brought us near to the Father (Eph.2:13; II Cor.5:18). 12) He brought us out of the kingdom of darkness and made us citizens in the Kingdom of Light (Col.1:13). 13) He gives us hope for our despair (Rom.8). 14) He took our rejection by men and gave us acceptance in “the Beloved” (Eph.1:5-6). 15) He gave us the gift of salvation so we would not have to be paid the wages of sin (which is death) (Eph.2:8-9; Rom.6:23). 16) From being enemies He made us to be His friends and even trusted ambassadors (Rom.5:4-11; II Cor.5:20; Jn.15:13-14). 17) He takes us from the ugly cocoon of sin we are in and transforms us into new creatures in Christ and to ultimately become the perfect image of Christ (II Cor.5:17). 18) He becomes our conquering hero when we are lost and helpless (Heb.4:16). 19) He gives us joy for mourning, beauty for ashes and a garment of praise for a spirit of heaviness (Isa.61:3). 20) He takes our inability and gives us His gifts of abilities (I Cor.12; Rom.12:5-8; Eph.4:8-11). 21) He became the perfect, eternal High Priest sacrifice for our sins and took the place of the need for a yearly, imperfect sacrifice presented by an earthy priest (Heb.7:26-27; 9:14). 22) He takes our rugged places and makes them plain (Isa.42:16). 23) He takes emptiness and fills us with joy unspeakable and full of glory (I Pet.1:7-8). 24) He takes our old name, “sinner,” and gives us a new name, “The Righteousness of God In Christ Jesus” (II Cor.5:21). 25) He gives us a new destination, Heaven, instead of our old destination, hell, (Mt.23:15, 33; Rev.20:15; Col.1:5). 26) He gives us all His fullness when we give Him all our emptiness (Col.2:9-10). 27) He took our defeat and gave us His victory (I Jn.5:4). 28) Instead of instruments of Satan, God changes us into vessels of honor (Rom.6:13; 9:21). 29) The Holy Spirit enables us to put off the old man with his anger, clamor and evil speaking and to put on the new man with His kindness, tender-heartedness and forgiveness (Eph.4:31-32; Col.3:8-11). 30) When we give Him our doubts and fears He gives us faith and confidence (II Tim.1:7; I Jn.3:21; 5:14). 31) We lose the old powerlessness over sin that is part of the old nature and we gain the overcoming power over sin through the indwelling Holy Spirit (Rom.8:3-5). 32) At the cross Jesus took our regrettable sins in exchange for a heart of rejoicing (Jer.15:16). 33) Jesus took our bankruptcy (my complete inability to pay, and paid our debt in full with His death (Heb.9:26). 34) We were once dead in sin, are now alive with Christ (Col.2:13). 35) Jesus gives us peace that passes all understanding, hope and assurance for the war that waged within,with its fears and doubts (Phil.4:6-7; II Tim.1:7; Heb.10:31). 36) We were alone, but now never alone (Heb.13:5). 37) We exchange a sorrowful departure from this world, to a glorious arrival in Heaven (II Cor.4:8- 14; I Thess.4:17; Heb.11:14-16). If we acknowledge and appropriate these great exchanges in our lives we can live joyful, victorious lives. Jesus made those exchanges available for us at the cross, and He now lives on high seated at the right hand of the Father. And we who once were seated with sinners and scorners (Ps.1), but by virtue of the fact of knowing Him and being “in Him,” He now has exchanged that “seat” for the great privilege of sitting with Him at the Father’s right hand (Eph.2:6)! Hallelujah!! PRAYER: Thank You, God, for sending Jesus to earth to die for me so my old life can be exchanged for everything new! I ask You to continue to change me into the image of Your Son! http://lightfrommywindow.blogspot.com.

2008 Christmas Letter

Dear Friends and Family,

Wow! What a year! This has certainly been a history-making year with the campaign with one lady and one African-American running for President; and with one lady running for vice-president. Only in America could the electorate go from owning African –American slaves to electing one as President of the greatest nation on earth. God is still on the throne and He is the One who exalts and He is the one Who abases so now our responsibility is to pray for the President-elect and all our leaders. I know it is not our leaders, nor government that are the answers to our problems but only our Heavenly Father Who will be our provider, protector and sustainer in these most perilous times. He is “the Lifter of our heads,” and the “Hope” for the future, whatever it holds. He’s got the whole world in His hands! He is the REASON FOR THE SEASON and the only reason I am writing this letter.

Four family history-making events happened this year. On May 10th (my mother’s birthday), Sean, Melody and Bill’s son, married a wonderful young lady, Rebecca Bender. “Becca” graduated from ETBU last December and got a job in Tyler where Sean already was living and working. She is from Center, Texas, where her father is one of the ministers at the First Baptist Church. Sean and Becca seem perfect for each other. God is Good!

The next history-making event in our family was the birth of our fourth great-child, Hannah, on her sister’s birthday, June 16th. She is a beautiful and precocious little girl. At 5 months she is already crawling, sitting up and cutting teeth. She has a quiet, laid-back disposition and is a joy to her older sister, Lillian and mommy and daddy, Donna and Jonathan. God is good!

On August 26th Daniel, Mark’s youngest son, married a young lady he had met a year earlier in Fayetteville, North Carolina, where he was stationed at Ft. Bragg. Her name is Michelle and fits perfectly into our family. Daniel wanted to get married in Texas so they came here and spent a few days with us then on to Austin to visit the rest of the family down there and married there. They took their honeymoon in Florida where Michelle’s mother lives. Daniel had to leave for Germany, where he is stationed, the day after they returned to Fayetteville. She joined him several weeks later after she got all her affairs in order. I wish they could come home for Christmas! God is good!

The fourth family history-making event was the birth of Jude Evan, Susan and Justin’s third little boy. Jude was Susan’s second home birth with a mid-wife. She did great and Jude weighed in at 9 pounds. Jeannine, Mark’s wife, kept the other two boys occupied while Susan was in her five hour labor. Ethan and Caleb wanted a little sister but once they saw Jude they forgot about a sister. God is good!

In the November election we had a history-making event here in Harrison County, a black man was elected as the first African-American District Judge, William Todd Hughey. He is a Republican, which is quite unusual here. He ran on the platform of “law and justice.” When he was asked the question, “Why are you a Republican?’ His answer was, “The values of the Republican Party are my values.” He was raised in a different party home, but as an adult his Christian values took pre-eminence over his past party affiliation. William’s story could be named, “Against All Odds.” He has only lived in Harrison for six years but has had experience all over the nation, even in Washington and even presented papers in one case in the Supreme Court. But being a black, Republican attorney running for District Judge in the town known as ‘the litigation capitol,’ made most of the local attorneys very confident of his defeat. The Democratic candidate, who is a white attorney, who was raised here in Marshall, raised $105,000, mostly from local and far and wide trial lawyers, while William raised only $32,000 from grass roots with only three attorneys among those contributing. Wendell and I got to know William and his wife, Willie Mae, at his announcement party. We have become close friends ever since and we love them dearly. They are such humble people and are so committed to the Lord. I believe this is why God has exalted William to this so very important office in our county government. Wendell worked many hours putting up signs all over the county. We had a reception for him in our home and I worked in the Republican headquarters calling for him. We had a full house at the headquarters on election night as we watched the returns come in. William won by an overwhelming majority and what a victory celebration we had. The outgoing District Judge, the District Attorney (both Democrats) and some other shocked Democrats were also there to congratulate him. While the other side is still scratching their heads, William quickly confesses that his victory was only by the hand of God. God is Good!

While the election certainly was a big focus, we are glad it has come and gone. We are now focusing on this most special season for a Christian. We have decorated our Christmas tree, put out our candles and nativity sets, hung our garlands, put our lights in the windows and down the driveway and put up our 20’ star, and all this time, energy and money was done in celebration of that “one solitary life,” Probably our Savior was not born on December 25, but we have chosen that date to celebrate, and celebrate we will with singing, rejoicing, bowing at His table and giving gifts. All this in remembrance of the fact that we have a “living Savior” Who was born to die for our sins!

Here is a young man who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another village. He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty, and then for three years He was an itinerant preacher. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never owned a home. He never had a family. He never went to a college. He never put His foot inside a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place He was born. He never did one of the things that usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials but Himself.

While He was still a young man, the tide of public opinions turned against Him. His friends ran away. He was turned over to His enemies. He went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a cross, between two thieves. While He was dying His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had on earth, and that was His coat. When He was dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend. Nineteen centuries wide have come and gone, and today He is the central figure of the human race and the leader for the column of progress.

I am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, and all the navies that ever sailed, and all the parliaments that ever sat, and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon this earth as has that ONE SOLITARY LIFE!
(Anon)

Merry Christmas!

Mary and Wendell

IF I WERE SARAH PALIN


If I were Sarah Palin, the born-again Christian, the wife of Todd Palin, the mother of five children, the Governor of Alaska and the Republican candidate for Vice-President of the United Sates, I would intentionally do a few things.

First of all, if I were Sarah Palin, I would praise the Lord because He is LORD of all and “the battle is His (I Sam.17:47). I would trust in the Lord with all my heart and lean not to my own understanding but in all my ways acknowledge Him (Prov.3:5-6) for being Who He says He is, Jehovah Sabboath (Amos 4:13), and look ever to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Heb.12:2). I would constantly remind myself “that although a host should encamp against me I will not be afraid” (Ps.27:3), because who can be my foe if God is on my side (Rom.8:31)?

If I were Sarah Palin, I would keep all my accounts with the Lord up-to-date. I would confess my sins and strive to live my daily life in righteousness so I could always hear the smallest whisper from the Lord saying, “This is the way, you walk in it (Isa.30:21)”

If I were Sarah Palin, I would keep my heart filled with thanksgiving to the Lord. I would strive to be intentionally thankful for and in all things (Eph.5:20 & I Thess.5:18).
I would thank Him for not only what He has already done but what He is going to do in my life to show Himself mighty on my behalf. I would thank Him for putting me here “for such a time as this and for this occasion (Est.4:14).” I would thank Him that “I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me (Phil.4:13).” I would thank Him that He will never, never, no never leave me nor forsake me (Heb.13:5).” I would thank Him because He does all things well and “if I perish (politically), I perish (Est.4:16c),” I would continue to thank Him that though “my enemies come against me like a flood the Holy Spirit will chase them away because He is my deliverer (Isa.59:19b).” I would thank Him for all the promises in Psalms 91 that are for me and my family, because He has set His love upon us. I would thank Him for the wisdom He gives me when I ask and doesn’t begrudge me of it (Jas.1:5). I would thank Him because He not only has invited me to throw all my cares on Him (I Pet.5:7) and not hold on to them, but He commands me to do it, and I will choose to obey. I would thank Him that when I trust Him for all the above He will do abundantly above all I could ask or imagine, according to the power of the Holy Spirit that works in me (Eph.3:20). I would thank Him that that power is ALMIGHTY!

If I were Sarah Palin, I would pray not only for my family, John McCain and his family and all our campaign people that we would think, act and speak the truth, in love, and without malice, that we would walk in righteousness when being maligned and abused by those who want to do us harm (politically and physically), but I would also pray for my opponent, his family, his campaign people and all those who rail against us without cause. I pray they would come to know the Truth, which will set them free from deceit.

If I were Sarah Palin, I would pray for our nation (those governing and its people) that God will have mercy on us and cause us “to humble ourselves, pray, seek His face and turn from our wicked ways, then and only then does He promise to heal our land (II Chr.7:14).” I would also pray for our enemies who seek to destroy our nation because our nation was founded on the principles of Jesus Christ. I would pray that God would place in office a President who would “love mercy, do justly and walk humbly before God (Micah 6:8).”

If I were Sarah Palin, I would pray that God’s will would be done in this election and that His kingdom would come here on earth as it is in heaven. I would commit all that I am, my family, my nation and the world into His keeping and say, “Lord Jesus, come quickly!”


Since I am not Sarah Palin and am sure she has already done all the above things. Now I pray that I, in my small world, will do likewise.

Mary Jones

Have Hope In God

When I awoke this morning the day was beautiful, I and my family were still healthy, I still had all my senses, I still lived in a free country, I still lived in a nice home and all my physical needs were still being met. But as my eyes opened and I became aware, instead of having a happy heart at all my blessings my mind went immediately to the chaos in our nation’s economy, the deceit and fraud going on in the election process and the prospect of “what if.” I at once cried out to the Lord and He brought one of His promises to my mind, “So as the result of the Messiah’s intervention they shall reverently fear the name of the Lord from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him and put him to flight, for He will come like a mighty stream which the breath of the Lord drives” (Isa.59:19). This verse brought my mind back to focus on the fact that the “Spirit of the Lord” spoken of in this passage is the Spirit of our omnipotent God, El Shaddai, Who has everything under control and is not moved by the adverse happenings among men and governments. He is the One Who moves on the hearts and minds of people. He is the One in control of circumstances. He is the One who uses even the wicked to bring about His purposes.

When the enemy tries to overwhelm us with fearful thoughts we must remember:
1) “No weapon formed against us shall prosper and every tongue that shall rise against you in
judgment will be condemned.” (Isa.54:15-17)

2) “If God be for us who can be against us and prevail?” (Rom.8:31)

3) “With God nothing is impossible.” (Matt.19:26)

4) “For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for
welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.” (Jer.29:11-13)

5) “And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due
time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and
faint.” (Gal.6:9)

6) “Separate the precious from the vile by cleansing our own hearts from doubts concerning God’s faithfulness.” (Jer.15:19)

7) “Without faith it is impossible to please God. For whoever would come near to Him
must of necessity believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who
earnestly and diligently seek Him out.” (Heb.11:6)

8) ”Our faith is more precious than gold” (I Pet:1:7)

9) “Who shall separate us from the love of God – nothing?” (Rom.8:31)

10) “God can do superabundantly above all we dare to ask or think, infinitely beyond our
highest prayers, dreams, thoughts, hopes and desires, in consequence of the action of His
power that is at work within us.”

Having looked at all these precious promises, we dare not look around at the circumstances but look up and focus on the One Who is our Keeper, Deliverer, Savior, Provider and all we need to run this race and finish the course He has set before us. Run with your eyes not on the circumstances, but on the goal, Jesus, Who is the Author and Finisher of our faith, and He will lead us around, through or out of the pitfalls, roadblocks and traps Satan has put in our lives.

The broken economy, precarious campaign and the spiritual down spiral of our nation must not plant fear in our lives – that is from the enemy, Satan. He is the biggest terrorist in our lives. When Satan knocks with fear at the door, let Faith answer.
.
Mary

DOES YOUR HEART HAVE CAMEL KNEES?


We have all observed the knees of a camel – they are calloused from kneeling so often. James, the brother of Jesus, was the writer of the Book of James and has been known in history as, “Old Camel Knees,” because his knees were calloused due to his kneeling frequently in prayer. We don’t have to, but when bowing our knees when we pray there is that sense of humility that God honors. The most important thing to God is not the posture of the knees but the posture of the heart.

Do we come often, perseveringly (I Thess.5:17), with ‘bowed’ heart, recognizing our complete need of our Lord; adoring Him, praising Him for Who He is, thanking Him for His goodness to us and presenting our petitions to Him, all in faith believing? If we are doing this daily, and even momentarily, our hearts will develop “camel knees.”

In James 5:16, he tells us that with this fervent heart posture our prayers will be powerful and effective, heard and answered. In this book James warns us of some hindrances to answered prayer: 1) a doubtful and unbelieving heart (1:6-8), 2) we do not ask (4:2c),
3)we ask with wrong motives (4:3).

God is not reluctant to answer our prayers. In fact, He longs to answer our prayers. But when we come, we must come with a bowed (humble) heart, godly motives, specific requests, all with trusting hearts. You may bow on your knees when you pray but the only prayers God will acknowledge are those offered with a ‘bowed’ heart.

Does your heart have ‘camel knees’? If it does, your reward will be great here and for eternity!


SWEET HOUR OF PRAYER
(William W. Walford)

Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer, that calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne, Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief, my soul has often found relief, and oft escaped the tempter’s snare, by thy return, sweet hour of prayer.

Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer, thy wings shall my petition bear, to Him whose truth and faithfulness engage the waiting soul to bless. And since He bids me seek His face, believe His Word and trust His grace, I’ll cast on Him my ev’ry care and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer.

The sweetest time of the day is the time you are in prayer.

Mary Jones

MORE ABOUT JESUS, LET ME KNOW

I love to look at, study and meditate on the names and attributes of Jesus, my Lord. Just perusing the kaleidoscope of the glorious names and their meanings never fails to lift my faith and spirit. I cannot complete in this blog the magnitude of Who this “Jesus” is but I will make a start and I might go on forever (because I could). In the process, hopefully it will reacquaint or introduce you to the glorious Savior I know and His love.

Only with the acceptance that Jesus is the third person of the “Godhead” can we even begin to comprehend that all that God the Father is, likewise is the Son and the Holy Spirit. So when I speak of any of the Father’s attributes I am speaking of the Son and Holy Spirit as well.

Because of our complete finiteness we cannot comprehend this infinite God Who is three entities but exists separately, yet is of one essence (nature). We must accept it by faith. Here are two scriptures in point: Matthew 28:19 and Luke 3:22. So having said all that let’s begin another look at Jesus.

Out of all God’s attributes there is one that envelopes all of the others that become shining facets of the one. That one is LOVE. God is love (I Jn.4:8). Love is His essence, His character, His nature; love is His very being. He can be nothing else. The word love can be a noun (person, place or thing), or a verb (an action, word, thought or deed). When we say that “God is love” we are speaking of the noun “love,” we are speaking of His personhood, His very DNA. When we speak of the verb “love,” we are speaking of His thoughts, words and actions toward us. The Bible is full from beginning to end telling us about how He is love (noun) and how He loves (verb) mankind (you and me).

What does just a small scratching of His DNA look like? Because He is love He always acts out of love. “But God shows and clearly proves His own love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom.5:8). “For God so greatly loved and greatly prized the world that He gave up His only unique Son, so that whoever believes in, trusts in, clings to and relies on Him shall not be lost but have everlasting life. “(Jn.3:16). “See what an incredible quality of love the Father has shown us, that we should be permitted to be counted the children of God” (I Jn.3:1). When we become His children He pours out His love in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us. We have become new creations (II Cor.5:17). His spiritual blood is flowing through our spiritual veins. We have His spiritual DNA. That is the only way we can love like God loves.

Just as He enables His children to love as He loves (through the Holy Spirit that lives in us), He gives us the power to overflow with joy, peace and hope (Rom.15:13). He also enables us to do the most difficult, and even impossible, for us (Phil.4:13), and He reveals the deep things of God to us (I Cor.2:10-16; Rom.11:33,34). Through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit God gives us “Victory in Jesus.”

I have heard some ask the question, “If god was a loving God, how could He permit war, sickness, cruelty and wickedness of men?” Whether or not we can grasp the tension between the sovereignty of God and the free will He gives man to choose good or evil, we must accept, by faith, that God’s loving will and plan is at work in it all (I Cor. 13:10,12). One simple answer to this question is that unredeemed man doesn’t have God’s love in their hearts and are acting out of their selfish, self-centered and darkened nature.

So how does God’s love act, think and speak? First Corinthians tells us,“If I can speak in the tongues of men and even of angels, but have not love (such as is inspired by God’s love for us and in us), I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

And if I have the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose and understand all the secret truths and mysteries and possess all knowledge, and if I have sufficient faith so that I can remove mountains, but have not love (God’s love in me) I am nothing (a useless nobody).

Even if I dole out all that I have to the poor and if I surrender my body to be burned (in order that I may glory, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not arrogant; it is not rude and does not act unbecomingly. God’s love in us does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it pays no attention to a suffered wrong. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.

God’s kind of love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything without weakening. Love never fails or becomes obsolete or comes to an end. And so faith, hope, love abide – these three; but the greatest of these is LOVE, God’s kind of love.” Amp.

Question: “How can we possibly love like this?” Answer: “In ourselves we can’t, only as we permit the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts and let Him control us.


“O love of God, how rich and pure, how measureless and strong!
It will forevermore endure the saints’ and angels’ song.”- Frederick M. Lehman

Mary Jones

Will The Real Jesus Stand Up?

Do you remember back in the 50's or 60's the old television show , "What's My Line?" There would be 3 contestants pretending to be the "unknown"person who had a particular job description or something very unique distinguishing thing about him. All four were trying to convince the panel of experts they were the real "person." At the end the emcee would say, "Would the real (?) please stand up." After different ones would start to stand finally the real person would stand. Sometimes they fooled the entire panel. Are we fooled by those trying to masquerade as the real Savior, "Jesus?" We can learn to know Him where we can't be fooled.

I have a plaque on my bedside table that I read part or all of it very often. I would like to share it with you. This is the real Jesus!

ONE SOLITARY LIFE

Here is a young man who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another village. He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty and then for three years He was an itinerant preacher. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never owned a house. He never had a family. He never went to a college. He never put His foot inside a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place He was born. He never did one of the things that usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials but Himself.

While He was still a young man, the tide of public opinion turned against Him. His friends ran away. He was turned over to His enemies. He went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. While He was dying, His executioners gambled for the only piece of property he had on earth, and that was His coat. When He was dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend. Nineteen centuries wide have come and gone, and today He is the central figure of the human race and the leader of the column of progress.

I am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, and all the navies that ever sailed, and all the parliaments that ever sat, and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon this earth as has that
ONE SOLITARY LIFE (Anon.)

Many charlatans have tried to emulate the "One and Only, Jesus," and as all frauds, they have come and gone. Even today there are many self-proclaimed messiahs who are coming as "angels of light" to gather one and all who will become their disciples and followers. Many bow at their feet and blindly follow and commit their all to those who will only lead them, like "thinkless" sheep, to their destruction.

The only way to get to know anyone is to spend much time with them, interacting with them, testing their genuineness and integrity. The only way to know the true Messiah, Jesus, is to be intimately acquainted with Him, to sit at His feet and learn of Him as He opens His Word to us and talks with us, revealing all He is as He proves Himself faithful in all His promises and in every situation.

If I were asked to identify a genuine dollar bill from a counterfeit, the only way I could possibly do that would be to spend much time devoted to much concentrated study of every detail of the real bill, feeling of it, measuring it, using a magnifying glass to follow the ink lines and hidden images and deeply studying the pictures and words on the bill. Only after completely familiarizing myself with the dollar bill could I correctly and without hesitation distinguish the genuine from the counterfeit. It is in the same way we can discern the true from the false Jesus.

Jesus' disciples had many opportunities over the three years they were with Him to learn of Him as He taught them, as they watched His actions and reactions to all kinds of situations. In the story in Luke 8 when Jesus was asleep in the boat with His disciples, and the storm was raging, they woke Him in terror of perishing. In amazement they watched Him still the storm. "And He said to them, (Why are you so fearful? Where is your trust and confidence in Me - in my veracity, my integrity? And they were seized with reverent dread, and they marveled, saying to one another, (Who then is this, that He commands even wind and sea, and they obey Him?) (v.25, Amp.)" Even after all Jesus' teachings and miracles His own disciples were still asking, "Who is this man?"

Even after John the Baptist had proclaimed in John 1:29, "Look, there is the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world!" Then in Luke 7, when John was in prison he sent word to Jesus to ask,"Are you the One who is to come or should we look for another?" Even those who were closest to Jesus and walked and talked with Him had doubts, even until Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came to dwell within them. The Holy Spirit's presence brought faith, courage, hope, joy, peace and all they needed to be overcomers over fear, doubt, discouragement and all we face in this world. It was only after being filled with the Spirit that they truly came to know Jesus. The Holy Spirit became their teacher, guide, comforter, all the time showing them who they were in Christ - joint heirs with Jesus, children of God, overcomers over sin and the devil and best of all, Life everlasting and a home in Heaven. He led them into all Truth.

We as Christians may be tempted at times to doubt God's love and forgiveness, His faithfulness to come through for us, that He is a gracious and merciful Father and etc. Remember the first temptation was when Satan tempted Eve to doubt God and His Word (Gen.3:1-7). Satan was just trying to do what he came to do, "steal, kill and destroy" (Jn.10:10) God's creation, mankind. But we have to learn of Jesus, when He said"I came to give you life and more abundant life." Who is this Jesus that when He comes to live within us and control us He takes away the old and makes all things new? His name is Jesus!

In the days to come I want to look at all the facets of this beautiful jewel, the Pearl of Great Price, Jesus. It is exciting to get to know Him and to realize He wants to reveal Himself to us in all of His WONDER!



Mary Jones

Watch and Wait

Christ is coming soon, maybe today! All the signs point to His imminent return. Like we say at Christmas time, “Christmas is in the air,” I say, “Jesus’ soon return is in the air.” The day has been set in the heavenlies with the Father God and now that Jesus is back at the Father’s right hand I am sure He is in on the exact day and time. After Christ comes back to catch- up those who are His there will be no more time only blissful eternity with Him. The Lord will not delay His promise, according to some people’s conception of slowness, but He is patient toward all because He doesn’t desire that any should perish but that all should turn from sin and embrace Him as Savior and the only way to the Father (II Pet.3:9). So in His perfect timing “the day of the Lord will come like a thief” (II Pet.3:10). Just as we do not expect a thief to rob us, we none-the-less prepare for the possibility of being plundered by locking our doors, putting our money in the bank and our valuables in a safe place. But we are still shocked and surprised when it happens.

In like manner, most will not be expecting Jesus or watching for Him to soon return (II Pet.3:10). We must prepare ourselves for the second coming of Jesus Christ by “repenting.” To repent means “to change your mind.” Each of us must see that we are a sinful person and cannot live or even fellowship with this holy, one and only, eternal God. We must see ourselves as sinners (and not just a good person) in need of a Savior and “turn” from our sinful life to Christ and let Him cleanse us from sin to make us acceptable to the Father. We cannot become a child of God by working on our bad habits, doing good works, joining a church or doing anything of ourselves. It is only by trusting in Jesus as the one and only Savior to forgive us of all our sins, past, present and future and make a determined decision to follow Him (Eph.2:8,9). By that simple decision we become a “child of God” and He will do all the changing, remaking and restoring that is needed in our hearts and lives. This is what Jesus called being “born again and becoming a new creation” (Jn.3:3). Old things pass away and all things become new (II Cor.5:17), all of this because God loved us enough to send Jesus, His Son, to die for our sins so we could live with a Holy Father eternally. This is our hope for being among those caught-up by Him.

Only the Father knows when all who will come to Him has come and that is the day the Lord will return for His own. Are you ready? Have you trusted in Him as your Savior? Are you watching and waiting for Him? We should wake every day with the anticipation that this may be the day and live each day as if it might be “The Day of the Coming of the Lord!” Please read, II Pet.3:1-15.

I hope to see you in the air, if we are still alive at His coming, or in heaven if He chooses to take us home before.

Mary Jones

SOFT HEART = CALLOUSED HANDS

Of all the characters in the Bible, to me, Joseph is the one who most portrays the attributes of Jesus in all his persecution, being wrongly accused, betrayed and deserted by his family and overcoming great temptation yet being an overcomer in everything. God rewarded Joseph’s great integrity, loyalty and faithfulness to His God Who was and did exceedingly beyond all Joseph could ask or imagine (Eph.3:20). He was exalted from the prison to the palace, from the sheep fold to being “vice-president” in a foreign land and from a nobody to a hero in Egypt, to surrounding nations and, in fulfillment of a dream, to his own family. Please read Genesis 37-50. It will blow your mind! It is full of dreams come true, cruelty, betrayal, great persecution, temptation, adventure, intrigue and everything an exciting story could be. See for yourself how God used a young boy (probably about 17) who was willing to serve others, even his enemies. Therefore, God exalted him to be a ruler in a foreign land. We are told in I Pet.5:6 that “if we humble ourselves before God, He will exalt us.”

Our aspirations should be to have a servant’s heart like Jesus’ not aspiring to be a leader and be served. He told us in Matt.20:26&27 that He came to serve, not be served and we should follow His example. If we wish to be great we must first have a servant’s heart and serve others. God doesn’t call us to be leaders but to be servants. If we don’t have the attitude of a servant God will never exalt us to greatness in His kingdom. If we exalt ourselves to greatness He will bring us down – this is called “pride” (Prov.16:18-19). On the other hand, if we have a humble attitude God will exalt us in His time (Matt.23:12).

Back to Joseph – To have such a servant’s heart from his youth Joseph must have been taught from an early age that a real man is a servant to others. And he also must have realized that Jehovah God was sovereign and in control of everything in his life and in the world. He had an awesome reverence for God and knew his own insignificance comparatively. He must have known in his heart that God had a plan for and would reveal it in His time (Jer.29:11).

We are never too young or old to learn these principals. If we love the Lord, our God, with all our heart (innermost being), soul (mind, will & emotions) and mind (intellect) (Deut.6:5) and our neighbor (all others) as much as ourselves (Matt.22:37&38) we will, by virtue of God’s work in our hearts, have a humble servant’s heart.

Not everyone has a “gift” of service but everyone should have a servant’s heart. When you are serving in love, especially the downtrodden, you are serving Jesus (Matt.25:40). The greatest pitfall in serving is a wrong attitude, even in our giving of any kind of service – money, time, energy, love, etc.:
1) not to be seen of men (Matt.6:2,5,16),
2) not to receive back (Luke 6:30-31,
3)out of plenty, not sacrificially (Mk.12:41-44),
4) grudgingly (IICor.9:6&7).

“Man looks on the outward appearance but God looks on the heart” (ISam.16:7). Remember God sees and judges our motives (Heb.4:12). So whatever we do in thought, word or deed, do all to the glory of God with a pure heart (IPet.1:22), (ICor.10:31). Giving of ourself is serving. Do we have a servant’s heart?


Give Of Your Best To The Master
Charlotte Barnard

Give of your best to the Master; Give of the strength of your youth
Throw your soul’s fresh, glowing ardor into the battle for truth.
Jesus has set the example; Dauntless was He, young and brave;
Give Him your loyal devotion, Give Him the best that you have

Give of your best to the Master; Give Him first place in your heart;
Give Him first place in your service, Consecrate every part.
Give, and to you shall be given; God His beloved Son gave;
Gratefully seeking to serve Him, Give Him the best that you have.

Give of your best to the Master; Naught else is worthy His love;
He gave Himself for your ransom, Gave up His glory above;
Laid down His life without murmur, You from sin’s ruin to save;
Give Him your heart’s adoration, Give Him the best that you have.


Mary Jones

How Can I Say Thanks Enough?

It is only August but I think to remind ourselves to be thankful is always “in season.” We tend to get so caught up in and focused on all the life situations the enemy throws at us that we forget to be thankful to the LORD for all He has done in the past, for all He is doing today to work out good in our problems, and for the hope to know that He will never forsake us in the circumstances of the future (Heb.13:5b). We can thank Him for His precious promises and praise Him that He is the faithful, covenant keeping God, (Elohim); and that He is the sovereign God, “the strongest strong One,” “ The God Most High” (El Elyon), Who has everything under control.
I remember as a child we would gather around the big console radio to listen to Superman and then into teenage years we would watch him on television. The announcer would come on with those thrilling words, “More powerful than a locomotive; Faster than a speeding bullet; Could leap tall buildings with a single bound!” To a child’s mind Superman was the greatest! As I heard and saw the wondrous feats this man from another planet could do I loved the thrill it brought just to hear and see him rescue the downtrodden and catch the crooks singlehanded. Yet, all the while I knew he was just a fictitious character who was good for an imaginary hero but when the radio or television was turned off he was gone until the next time.

But unlike Superman we have a real, living, Almighty hero Who doesn’t come and go with a storyline but He is always there (Jehovah-Shammah)! Nor Whose power vascilates
but He is ALL-MIGHTY (El Shaddai)! Nor is He unloving but He is Love and wants a personal relationship with us.

He is Jehovah, the self-existent One Who reveals Himself to us. He is Jehovah-Rohi, our “Shepherd” (Ps.23) – When we are going through troubled waters that would seem to overflow us, “He leads us beside the still waters.” “And He makes us to lie down in green pastures” where He reveals Himself as Jehovah-Shalom – the GOD of PEACE! In this peaceful place “He restores our soul (mind, will and emotion). Our Shepherd “leads us into the right paths,” not because we earned or deserved it but “for His Name’s sake.” You see, His name is Jehovah-Tsidkenu – “He is all righteous.” And because His name is “Righteous” He cannot deny Himself. Neither could or would He ever lead us into anything but “right” paths. Then when we walk through the dark, sunless valley of the shadow of death we don’t have to fear evil from the evil one for our Shepherd, Jehovah- Rohi, is with us using His “rod” to protect us and His “staff “ to guide us when we may get off the path in the darkness, He will pull us back in onto the “right” path. We will never experience real spiritual death if Jesus is our Shepherd. Our Shepherd prepares a table of good things for us while surrounded by our enemies. The table is heaped and our cups are filled with abundance - goodness, mercy and unfailing love from the Shepherd. These good things will go with us all the days of our life. Then at the end we will live with our Shepherd in His house!

THANK YOU, KIND SHEPHERD Who is our Provider (Jehovah-Jireh) (Phil.4:19), Who is our: “Friend Who sticks closer than a brother” (Prov.18:24), Guide Who will lead us into all Truth (Jn.16:13), Deliverer Who will rescue us from the traps of the enemy (Ps.91:3), Who loves us with an everlasting love (Jer.31:3), Who gives us unspeakable joy (I Pet.1:8), Who gives us incomprehensible peace that passes understanding in the midst of the storms of life(Phil.4:7).
We could go from now to eternity thanking our Father God for all the gifts He has given us and praising Him for all He is so how could we ever grumble about any infirmity, calamity or hardship. Those all will come in life, some time or another, but we must remember God is the sovereign God Who is in control of every happening, great or small, good or bad. He takes the least and makes it the most, “Little is Much When God Is In It.” (Matt.23:12). He can take what may seem calamitous to us and make it into good for us if we will fit into His purposes (Rom.8:28).

THANK YOU! THANKYOU! THANKYOU! FOR BEING OUR SAVIOR AND GOD!

Mary Jones

I Love Light

I Love Light

I remember as a very small child being put in a dark room by myself to go to sleep. I still remember the feelings of fear of the darkness. I have had a few phobias in my life but none as paralyzing as the fear of darkness. It was only when as an adult, married women I surrendered all my fears to the Lord that He gave me such a knowing “that He is my keeper and refuge.” He has made me know that He is my Sovereign Father Who will not let anything touch me without His permission. No power of darkness can overtake me as long as I keep my hand in His.

A few years ago while on vacation we went to Blanchard Springs Cave in Arkansas. We had to take an elevator down into the depths of the cave. It was very well lit and the stalactites, stalagmites and rock formations were quite beautiful. At one point in the tour they told us they wanted us to experience complete darkness, so we all held our family member’s hands. We were also told not to move around because we could become disoriented very easily. When the lights were turned off the darkness seemed to overwhelm us to the point of being tangible. Spelunkers say being deep in a cave is the most complete experience of darkness we can have on planet earth. There deep in the cave there is no, not any light.

This is what spiritual darkness is like. In John 4:4 Jesus talks about how “the god of this world has blinded the unbeliever’s mind, preventing them from seeing the illuminating light (Truth) of the gospel of the glory of Christ, Who is the Image and Likeness of God” (Amp.).

To me, to lose my sight would be the worst loss of all my senses. The thought of constantly being in total darkness, after having enjoyed the light, is a horrible thought to me. Jesus spoke in Matthew 6:22 & 23 of how we walk in the light (understanding) of the Truth our life will be filled with more light, but if we do not walk in the Truth we have received the light in us (our conscience) is darkened and great is that darkness! Jesus also tells us in John 11:9 that if we walk in the light we won’t stumble and fall.

Only believers have the true Light (understanding of the Truth). In John 8:12 Jesus said He was the Light of the world and whoever follows the Light will never walk in darkness but will have the Light which is Life. Romans 1:18-25 shows us how if we all are given understanding about Who God is but if we do not walk and grow in that understanding we “become futile and godless in our thinking and our senseless minds are darkened. Claiming to become wise we become fools. We exchange the glory and majesty of the immortal God for images of our own making.

Therefore God will abandon us to the degrading power of sin because we exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, Who is blessed forever!”

My Prayer:

Father, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, Who is the “Day Star” (II Pet.1:19) that has risen in our hearts. This same Jesus is the “Bright Morning Star” (Rev.22:16). He is the Word (Jn.1:1) that is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path (Ps.119:105). Thank You that once I walked in darkness but have seen a “Great Light” – Jesus the “Light of the World.” I love that Light!

Mary Jones

Wash Me, Daddy

Monday, August 4, 2008 “If we freely admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son will continuously cleanse us from all sin.” (I John 1:7b, 9) Do you remember as a child when you came in from playing, usually in the dirt, your Mom or Dad would send you to wash before coming to the table or touching anything. They expected us to wash thoroughly, even to our elbows if necessary. After doing a "Beaver Cleaver" wash (fingertips and wiping the rest on the towel), more often than not we would return half washed only to be sent back "to do a thorough job." In the spiritual realm our Abba Father (Daddy) invites us to His banqueting table for spiritual food and fellowship - but we must come with clean hands and a pure heart (Ps.24:4; II Cor.7:1). He sends us to the laver (Ex.30:18) (Jesus Christ) to be cleansed from all sin (Ps.51:7). With His own blood He has purged us from our sin (I Jn.1:9) and now sits at the right hand of the Father (Heb.1:3b). In the industrial environment there is testing for “safe” levels of toxins where not all the impurities are removed, just enough not to be harmful. But spiritually even one sin separates us from God. But when we come to Jesus He cleanses us from all sin and impurities (I Jn.1:9) and because we are in Christ we sit with Him at the right hand of Abba Father (Acts 2:34). The only “safe” way to live is to live confessed and cleansed from all sins. In one of Martin Luther’s writings he tells that he once dreamed that Satan came to him and told him he could never hope to get to heaven because he was such a sinner. Luther asked his accuser, “Do you have a list of my sins?” “Yes,” said Satan, and he brought him a long list of Luther’s failures, which Luther remembered. Twice Luther asked if there were any more, and both times Satan brought him a still remembered list. Again, Luther asked if there were any more. “That is all,” Satan said. Luther cried, “Then write now across them all, ‘the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanses us from all sin.’” In the light of the Truth of God’s Word with which Luther defended his faith, Satan had to leave (James.4:7)!! Have your sins been washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ? Search me, O God, and know my heart today; Try me, O Savior, know my thought, I pray. See if there be some wicked way in me; Cleanse me from ev'ry sin and set me free. Edwin Orr (based on Ps.139:23)

"BUT GOD"

What a difference a word makes. Prepostions and conjunctions can be words that change the course of history, bring life or death, joy or sorrow, hope or dispair. Whether used as a preposition or conjunction or just implied there is one phrase that always brings faith and joy to my heart - "BUT GOD." It is wonderful to remember and meditate on the "but God" stories and promisis of the Bible, like in the Old Testament in Exodus 19:12, God commanded the Israelites to not go up or even touch the border of Mt. Sinai because of the presence of the living God was on the mountain. But under the New Covenant God's people are invited to "come boldly before the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy for appropriate and well timed help just when we need it" (Heb.4:16 Amp.). From aloofness to intimacy, Jesus interjected Himself into "His-story" and became the "But" that gave us access to an intimate relationship with the loving God.

In the story of Daniel in the lion's den (Dan.1:1-6:26), but for God's deliverance, Daniel would have perished at the hands of cruel, deceitful and jealous men.

The three Hebrew children would have perished in the fiery furnace but God kept them from destruction so that their clothes did not even smell of smoke, (Daniel 3).

Jonah would have died in the raging water but God prepared a fish to save him. But for lack of time and space we could go on and on showing that but for God's intervention in lives, including ours, we would have all been destroyed, which proves God's faithfulness.

But for God's intervention we would still be blind, naked and wretched sinners. "But God clearly proves His love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom.5:8). But God did not leave us helpless and comfortless when Jesus returned to the Father but sent the Holy Spirit to be our Comforter, Guide and Teacher. Before sin reigned in our mortal bodies but by the Baptism of the Holy Spirit we now, through Him, have dominion over sin in our lives (Rom.5:10). Although the Holy Spirit lives within and sin cannot rule over us, we will be tempted. But remember, " no temptation has overtaken you but what is common to man, but God is faithful and will with the temptation provide a way out that you may be able to bear up under it patiently" (I Cor.10:13).

This is an election year and with that reality brings changes of voters' minds, new poll numbers, new flip-flops and new fears of the future. Neither side can become cocky or arrogant about the end result of this Presidential race. Psalm 75:5-7 says "Do not lift up your horn on high, do not speak with insolent pride. For not from the east, nor from the west, nor from the desert comes exaltation, but God is the Judge. He puts down one and exalts another."

All the plans and schemes of man are futile without the inspirational thought and power of God behind, ahead and underneath them all. God has already told us in Zech.4:6b, "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord." We are hopeless without Him, but with Him "we can run through a troop and jump over a wall" (II Sam.22:30)! "We can be the head and not the tail" (Deut.28:13)! Whether "our man" wins or not in the election, God will have put the one elected in office. God is still in control!

Remember, To God Who is able, by the power that works within us, is able to do super abundantly above all that we dare ask or think, infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams." (Eph.3:20 Amp.)

Mary Jones

REMEMBER

I received an e-mail and a picture from a friend I have known for, at least, 66 years. The correspondence was of our high school choir teacher, Mr. Mullins, and Mr. Dillon, our band director. Both have recently died but seeing their young faces brought memories rushing through my mind. The older I get the dearer the memories. I think those truly must have been the “good ol’ days.”

Just as I cherish the memories of my growing up days, I cherish the memories of my growing up in the Lord. These are intermingled with family and friends’ memories. These are wonderful memories, like a grand collage’ in my mind and heart, that are played over and over again -memories of walking to the church’s Youth Center and playing all kinds of games and just having fun with other Christian young people. I remember the “Prayer and Fasting Band” which met every Friday noon at the church’s prayer room, where we actually prayed all of our lunch period. I remember we had our own prayer service on Wednesday night at the church. We had a wonderful youth pastor who taught us, counseled us, encouraged us and discipled us in how to grow and be an overcomer in our Christian walk. Unless my mind goes before my body I think I shall never forget these memories.

The Word also tells us we are to cherish and remember a lot of things. Even God promised to “remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth when He looked at the rainbow” (Gen.9:15,16).

God told the Children of Israel to remember the day they came out of Egypt (bondage). Do you remember the “day” you were delivered out of the bondage of sin and were made free through the blood of Jesus Christ? That is what the Lord’s Supper is all about – Jesus said, “This do in remembrance of Me.” We are to remember His suffering and dying so we could become a child of God (Luke 21:10).

Then in the fourth Commandment, God tells us to “remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy” (Gen.20:8-11). Do we remember our Sabbath to set it apart from other days and make it special and sacred?

David said in Ps.20:7 that “many may trust in horses and chariots but he would remember the name of the Lord.” As we learn the names of the Lord we will remember that it is Jehovah God Who is our Everything – the Great I AM!

I love how the Amplified Bible says, Eccl.12:1, “Remember (earnestly) also your Creator (that you are not your own, but His property now) in the days of your youth, before the evil days come or the years draw near when you will say (of physical pleasures), I have no enjoyment in them.”

There are some things we are not to remember. In Isaiah 43:18-21, God tells His people not to remember the things of old where they had miserably failed, time and again. But God was going to do a new thing, then His people would praise Him. Even as Paul said in Phil.3:13,14, that he was forgetting the things of the past and straining forward to what lay ahead – the goal to win the supreme prize to which God in Christ Jesus calls us all.

The most glorious thing is that God will not remember our sin, Heb.8:12.
The last admonition to “remember” in the Bible is in Rev.3:3, where God calls us to remember the lessons we have received and heard, lay them to heart and obey them and repent because we know not what hour He will come. It is soon!

Do you remember the time you met Jesus face to face, accepted Him and turned from your sinful ways and you became a new creature in Christ Jesus? If you can’t remember – make a memory NOW! Let’s have sweet memories from this day forward!

Mary Jones

Elohim

A name can speak volumes, but particularly the name/s of God. We have looked at El Elyon and now let’s look at Elohim. The common Hebrew names for God are: “El,” “God,” and “Elohim.” Elohim was a generic term to the Semitics and they believed that the world was surrounded and governed by the Elohim (spirits of all kinds). It could even denote judges, kings, angels and anyone or anything with high authority or rank. But to the Hebrew believer the proper name for God is “Yahweh.” “El” has replaced “Yah” in proper names, so Elohim has become the proper name of only that God Who, combined in Him, are all the attributes of deity, Who was and is the one true God. To the believing Hebrew “Elohim” is their name for God that means, “strong, faithful, covenant keeping.” Therefore, coming out of “El” (which means the one true” God” in Hebrew) there are many Hebrew names of God. All are describing an attribute of “El” and characterizes the redemptive names of God.
1) El Elyon, “the God most high,” the strongest strong one," " Creator of Heaven & Earth” (Gen.14:18-22)
2) El Shaddai, “the Almighty God, All Sufficiency” (Gen.28:3)
3) El Roi, “the God Who sees” (Gen.16:13-14)
4) Elohim Selichat, “the God of forgiveness” (II Chr.7:14)
5) El Olam, “everlasting one” (Gen.21:33)
6) Elohim Mishpot, “God is just” (Deut.32:4)

There are hundreds of God’s names but for lack of room we are now just looking at the “El” names. And even a brief look at these may take to eternity:). My prayer is that this tiny picture looking at the attributes of God will strengthen your faith and whet your appetite for getting to know God more. Until next time, Mary Jones

El Elyon

After you accept Jesus as your Savior begins a wonderful journey of getting to know Him, the God of the universe. Knowing about God and knowing God are two very different things. You may have many different degrees in Theology and learn a lot about God but until you make the commitment to accept Jesus as God and your Savior and to follow Him you can never “know” God. Just as when you married you thought you knew your spouse but it was only as you lived with him/her through many life experiences and saw his/her response, shared your hearts together, laughed and cried together. Are they there for us in difficult times? Can we trust them to keep their word about small and big things? Are they faithful? These are some of the ways we really get to know someone. In the same way we get to know God. As we meditate on His Word, talk with Him in prayer and prove Him by trusting Him in every situation.

God has many names and by those names we get to know Him. Meditating on His name and all that is wrapped in that name is very faith building. Let’s just begin with, El Elyon, “the God most high, the strongest strong one, King of kings, Creator of heaven and earth.” (Jer.33:2; Ps.10:16, 22:28; Jn.1:3; Luke 1:32; I Cor.8:6; Eph.3:9 ).

“My Father, Who has given them to Me, is greater and mightier than all else; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” This is Jesus speaking in John 10:29 (Amp.). If you have doubts of your Savior’s keeping power this declaration should put all doubts to rest. Not only is He “Keeper” but He is not only able to keep once in a while or keep you in the “little” things but He is El Elyon, the strongest Strong One, the God of the universe and no one, not even Satan, can touch you without our Father’s permission (Job 1:6-12). He can and will keep you to the uttermost.

The Greek word for “uttermost” is “panteles” which means, “entire, completion.” From the beginning of your “born again” experience, throughout your walk of faith with Him, until the end of your life on this earth and forever the Father and His Son, Jesus (Jn. 10:30) will be your keeper – El Elyon. Since He is the strongest Strong One, the God Most High, the Creator, why not trust Him since "He is the only one Who can keep you from falling and present you faultless before the presence of His glory in triumphant joy" (Jude 24)? HALLELUJAH!!

Mary Jones

Know Your God

These words are primarily written for those who have accepted the Truth that Jesus is the only divine Son of God and was the incarnate God-man who was born of a virgin, lived this life on earth without sin and offered the sacrifice of His body on a cross so He could bridge the chasm between Holy God the Father and sinful man. After He died He was buried, rose again and then ascended to the Father and is now seated on His right hand to ever intercede for us. By believing and embracing these Truths you have been spiritually "born again" into the family of God. You are His child by adoption and joint heirs with Christ and you now have eternal life - all because of what Christ did on the cross by taking on Himself all the sin of the world. All this for all who will believe and embrace Jesus as being the only "Way, Truth and Life."

Once you have begun this "walk" with the God of the universe it is a lifelong learning experience of getting to know God. We can not fully know Him until we see Him face to face in Heaven. But along the way, through life's mountains and valleys, by still waters and tempestuous rivers, in failures and successes God is always there teaching us Who He is as we trust and lean on Him in every situation we see that He is faithful, all wise, powerful, loving and omniscient.Through it all He gives us peace, joy and grace to live as "King of the mountain," the "head and not the tail" (Deut.28:13), and causes to "run through a troop and jump over a wall" (II Sam.22:30).

If you do not know Jesus as your personal Savior, just accept Him now and invite Him to take charge of your life and you will begin the most peaceful, joyful and exciting life imaginable.
Besides all those wonderful blessings you have eternal life beginning now and a permanent home in Heaven waiting for you. All these wonderful Truths we will be sharing in the days ahead are for you!

In Christ Alone
(by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend)

In Christ alone my hope is found, He is my light, my strength, my song;
This Cornerstone, this solid ground, firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace, when fears are stilled, when strivings cease.
My Comforter, my All in all, here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh, fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness, scorned by the ones He came to save.
'Till on the cross as Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied.
For ev'ry sin on Him was laid; here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay, Light of the world, by darkness slain;
Then, bursting forth in glorious day, up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory, sin's curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine, bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death, this is the pow'r of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man, can ever pluck me from His hand;
'Till He returns or calls me home, here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand!

May the "Father of Lights" shine in your darkness today,

Mary Jones

WHY NOT WIN?

Welcome to a compilation of encouraging and inspirational thoughts, old and some new, designed to help you be a winner in life. Why not win rather than always be on the bottom of the pile and looking at Satan's heel on you rather than believing in the God Who has made you to be an overcomer in Christ over "all the power of the enemy." Learn, with scripture, how to:
1) Know your God
2) Know God's Word (the Battlle Manual)
3) Pray and meditate on God and His Word
4) Walk as a Child of God
5) Possess the spiritual land God has given His children
6) Recognize your enemy and his tactics
7) Walk in newness of life
8) Be an overcomer
9) Worship your almighty God
10) Be blessed by our loving God

Be blessed as we explore the unfathomable awesomeness of the God of the universe Who loves us with an everlasting and incomprehensible love and wants to have a personal relationship with us and cause us to be overcomers and winners in this life He has given us. I pray the "Father of Lights" will make light to shine in your darkness through these rays from my window as I see them. They bring joy and hope to me and pray they will bring new life to everyone who reads these devotionals. Mary Jones