Tag: NASB

The Lamp Of Heaven

Thankful For The Light

Have you ever walked around in the middle of the night when it’s pitch-black dark?

Ouchhhhhh! I stubbed my toe.

Who moved the couch?

Finally you find the light switch and flip it on.

The welcoming light obediently floods the room.

Yay! No more stumbling around in the dark.

Aren’t you thankful for the light?

Morning Has Broken

the Lamp of Heaven

As the dawn starts to break, the sun begins its morning dance across the sky.

Our magnificent Sun, the lamp of Heaven, lights up a world of over 7.6 billion people.  

Depending on your time zone, people start to wake.

Millions everywhere yawn and stretch – ready to face the day.

Each day brings new responsibilities stacked on top of old ones still demanding attention.

Sadly, we don’t have much time to slow down and smell the roses.

The Lamp of Heaven is Powerful

the lamp of heaven is powerful

How powerful is the sun?

The Sun’s energy, composed of hydrogen and helium fusion, is comparable to a nuclear explosion!

Nuclear explosions strike fear in the hearts of men, but the Lamp of Heaven is so perfectly made by our Creator, that these perfectly-combined explosions enable life to exist on earth.

No small miracle.

The sun lights our days so we can see nature all around us. (Even a blind person can feel the warmth of the sun.) 
– Courtesy of The Institute For Creation Research.1

Aren’t you thankful for the sun?

In the Beginning

In the beginning, there was Nothing.

God spoke, and the Nothing became the Something Spectacular.

You and I are living on it now.

The lights of heaven are the sun, moon, and stars; and all these are the work of God’s hands. (1.) The sun is the greatest light of all, more than a million times greater than the earth, and the most glorious and useful of all the lamps of heaven, a noble instance of the Creator’s wisdom, power, and goodness, and an invaluable blessing to the creatures of this lower world. –            Matthew Henry, Christian minister and author.2

God’s creation wonderfully highlights His majesty and perfect love for us.

What a gift!

And someday, the Son (not the Sun) will directly light our lives for eternity.

Make no doubt about it in Isaiah 60:10 below, the prophet was speaking God’s word to Israel – His chosen people.

The saved people of Israel, of course, but what about us too?

God does not forget the Church.

As Christians who believe in salvation through Jesus Christ alone, we are also a part of God’s larger redemptive plan.

This is yet one more reason to delight in God.

Here’s what we have to look forward to!

The Lord our everlasting light

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1 Quotation from The Institute For Creation Research, from “Nature Reveals God’s Power” n.d., para. 3. Web. Accessed 3 September, 2020. Retrieved from https://www.icr.org/power-of-God/.

2 Matthew Henry Commentary, Genesis 1,  courtesy of https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/genesis/1.html, n.d., para. 6. Web. Accessed 3 September, 2020. Retrieved from https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/genesis/1.html

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Battling Your “Less Thans”

Help When Battling Your Less Thans

battling your less thans

Do you sometimes feel “less than?”

I’m talking about every time you feel less popular, less successful, less attractive, less smart, or less “anything.”

Please stop.

I’m talking to you, my dear sister in Christ.

Cover your ears, and do your best “la la la’s“ to drown out any negative people who like to make you feel “less than” them.

No one is saying this is easy.

Battling your “less thans” gets easier with practice, but it starts with not knowing who you are, but whose you are.

Say Yes to Confidence in His Promises

Confidence when battling your less thans

Have you ever watched the TLC reality TV show, “Say Yes to the Dress?”

The show features future brides (and their wedding parties) picking out their wedding attire in preparation for the Big Day.

Occasionally I’ll tune in.

I admit, I love to look at wedding dresses!

However, there was an episode that made me sad.

The bride said she needed to buy a phenomenal dress so that she could finally feel “significant.”

Have you ever felt invisible when you’re around other people?

Ultimately, a killer dress (or anything like that) isn’t the answer.

You may feel like a nobody, but please remember this, in Christ Jesus you are so valuable to Him that He died on the cross for you.

God Uses Less Thans To Do Extraordinary Things

The Bible is full of people just like us who didn’t think they had what it takes when God called them to a task.

less thans can do extraordinary things

Remember the historical account of Queen Esther?

She was a young Hebrew maiden who, thru Godly intervention, eventually became the queen of Persia.

As intriguing as that is – God was actually putting her in place to deliver her people from destruction by the evil Haman.

All of God’s people are ordinary people who have been made extraordinary by the purpose He has given them.– Oswald Chambers, Evangelist and Christian minister.1

So, you may not be in line to become a heroic queen, but your life is just as important.

We are on this earth for just a short time, really.

Don’t let Satan’s attempts to make you feel worthless distract you from your confidence in our loving Father.

God hears your whispered prayers

You’ll never be lost in the crowd with Jesus.

He’s coming back some day . . . for you.

our citizenship is in Heaven

If You’re Feeling Irrelevant

Dear One,

Please never doubt the Father’s love for you.

Take time each day to realize that you are priceless – an individual with so much potential, who was created to shine His light into the lives of others.

Turn off the naysayers, slay your doubts, and transform your “less than” thoughts to a “loved-more-than-I-could-ever-know” Child of God!

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1 Oswald Chambers quotation, as quoted from Christian quotes.info

2 Scripture quotation is from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

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The Big Picture

More Than Meets the Eye

Every morning, a beautiful hummingbird appears outside my office window.

It took us several days to get his picture because he won’t slow down to pose. 🙂

God's work in creation

Our hummingbird friend may be tiny, but his mighty wings are strong.

I love to watch him as he darts through our garden to check out every colorful flower and eagerly sample the nectar from each one.

That’s the kind of picture that I love to see.

What I hate to see, and wish was just a bad dream, is the accelerated downslide of America demonstrated by current events. What a sad picture this is for all of us and for generations to come.

Kinda seems like things are falling apart, right?

But, as we read the Bible and consider its prophecies, events are actually falling into place.

the big picture

There’s a big picture at work here, beyond the small details of each day.

There’s so much to say, but suffice it to say, as Christians we have to be watchful, pray every day for God’s grace and mercy, and stay in His Word.

The Big Picture in the Bible

As you study Scripture, over and over again you read about God’s people turning their backs on Him and plunging instead into idolatry.

An idol is anything we value more than God.

Just as in the ancient days, we still have idols today.

Consider the foolish obsession some people have with celebrities and you’ll see what I mean.

Some other modern-day idols can include . . .

The love of money

The love of things

Political causes

Substance abuse

Other people

Ourselves

obsessed with self

God takes idolatry very seriously.

Your salvation and recognition of Jesus alone as Savior is that important.

The alternative to Jesus, let’s not sugarcoat it, is hell.

Since you know the true God, and are in him, let your light and love guard you against all that is advanced in opposition to him, or competition with him. Flee from the false gods of the heathen world. They are not comparable to the God whose you are and whom you serve. Adore not your God by statues and images, which share in his worship. Your God is an incomprehensible Spirit, and is disgraced by such sordid representations.- Matthew Henry, Christian minister and author.2

We must examine our hearts and tear down the idols that we have.

There’s another big issue that God takes seriously.

Repentance.

Why do we have to repent if our sins are already forgiven?

That’s a great question.

We are sinners saved by grace, but that doesn’t mean we keep on sinning without a care and in blatant rebellion against God.

This is not a works-based issue. Salvation is reflected by a changed heart, remorse when we do wrong, and continual gratitude for God’s grace.

The Christian life is a life of continued repentance, humiliation for and mortification of sin, of continual faith in, thankfulness for, and love to the Redeemer, and hopeful joyful expectation of a day of glorious redemption, in which the believer shall be fully and finally acquitted, and sin abolished for ever. – Matthew Henry, Christian minister and author.3

Let’s be thankful for a loving and righteous God who forgives those who repent and believe.

# # #

1 Scripture quotation is from New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

2 Matthew Henry quotation, courtesy of Bible Study Tools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/1-john/1.html., n.d., para. 6. Web. Accessed 15 July, 2020. Retrieved from https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/1-john/5.html

3 Matthew Henry quotation, courtesy of Bible Study Tools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/1-john/1.html., n.d., para. 4. Web. Accessed 15 July, 2020. Retrieved from https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/1-john/1.html

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No Plan B

Off the Tracks and There is No Plan B

Remember that time our train went off the tracks?

Never, in a million years, did I ever think I’d be able to say that.

It was one of those times when my husband and I were looking for a fun adventure to add to our bucket list, something we’d never done before.

I know, let’s take one of those hour-long scenic train rides through the country!

Don't let the evil on display derail your faith

That memorable afternoon, my husband and I boarded a vintage train with a bunch of other adventure-seekers.

About thirty minutes into our ride – lurchhhhhhhh!

The train made a weird sound, lurched forward awkwardly, derailed, and . . . stopped . . . in the middle of nowhere.

Thankfully, no one was injured.

For the next seven hours, we waited in our seats for the rescue buses to arrive and take small groups of us back to the railway station.

Seven long hours.   

My husband and I were among the last group to get back to our car that night.

I’ll never forget it.

There was no Plan B for the train.

In other words, once the train hit dirt, there was no way out.

no Plan B

There’s No Plan B for Your Salvation

Just like with that train, there is no Plan B . . . for your salvation.

There is one way to eternal life, the only way, through Jesus Christ.

You think things are heated up now?

Just wait.

In Acts 2, Peter quoted the prophet Joel during the blessed outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. This was an important proclamation that future judgments would come. What blessed assurance for us to know that, in the last days, we have the promise of our salvation as believers.

Acts 2

Don’t Let the Evil on Display Derail Your Faith

You know what dark times we’re living in right now.

I call 2020 the Year of Deceit and Disrespect.

The dividing line between believers and nonbelievers is becoming more and more evident.

Sadly, even some churches are falling away, preaching a false gospel to itching ears that only want to feel good about themselves.

This spiritual battle – as hard to watch as it is – should encourage us all the more to stand tall in our faith.

We can’t let this increasing darkness derail the hope and blessed assurance that is within us.

One of the great themes of our faith is triumphant hope—an unshakeable assurance that things will end right. In the midst of struggles and storms, battles and trials, we focus beyond the present moment and we see victory. We see relief, because in the end, God wins! – Chuck Swindoll, Christian pastor and author.2

Through Jesus, we have victory and a life of unimaginable splendor to look forward to with our Heavenly Father.

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1Scripture quotation is from New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

2Chuck Swindoll quotation, courtesy of Insight.org/resources/article-library, “In the End, God Wins…and We Win…When God Wins!,” 17 April, 2018, para. 1. Web. Copyright © 2018 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Accessed 1 July, 2020. Retrieved from   https://www.oneplace.com/ministries/insight-for-living/read/articles/despite-your-circumstances-10196.html

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Negative News Headlines

Negative News Headlines  – Don’t Dwell

Can we please take a moment and give a round of applause for “Lazy Bones?”

“Lazy Bones?”

What’s that?

Allow me to help.  🙂

“Lazy Bones” was the name of the first TV remote invented back in 1950 by Zenith Radio Corporation.

Thanks to “Lazy Bones,” and its now more modern counterparts, we can quickly switch off the TV – tout de suite.

Negative news headlines

The remote sure comes in handy when the negative news headlines (and division-seekers with a microphone) get to be too much.

We have a choice.

Immersing ourselves in the constant gloom and doom messages every single day is not healthy. 

So what are the mental health consequences of information overload? It turns out that they may be quite significant and go beyond just a few moments of feeling overwhelmed. Information overload can lead to real feelings of anxiety, feeling overwhelmed and powerless, and mental fatigue. – Drs. Sara and Jack M. Gorman, Psychology Today.1

Please don’t do that to yourself.

Instead, I encourage you to use that formerly-called “lazy bones” TV remote, and turn it off when you can.

The Lord doesn’t want us to live in fear – that isn’t living.

How can we be effective for the Kingdom if we’re constantly consumed by fear?

We can’t.

Countering the bad with the good from God’s Word affirms our trust in God, not man.

Let’s try and encourage each other more!

Negative News and Mental Health

God isn’t surprised by any of the tragic events going on right now.

In His providential will, He has allowed these things to happen in our country.

We have to trust Him.

I encourage you to take a break from it all when you can.

The day is always a lot brighter when I disconnect from the subtle (and sometimes, not-so-subtle, fear-spreading messages) every time the TV is turned on.

Please, if you have loved ones with a mental illness, they need your voice of calm and a Godly perspective during times like this.

Part of the challenge with social media, and this topic is we are getting inundated with headlines, videos, memes. Some of it is accurate, much of it is purposefully hysterical. You know yourself. You know your loved ones. If scrolling through your Facebook feed is putting a knot in your stomach, it’s time to disconnect. – Dr. Michael L. Birnbaum, Psychology Today.2

You Have Options

When things seem so out of control, it’s nice to know there’s one thing we can control – what we feed our minds every hour of every single day.

The remarkable thing is, we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. – Chuck Swindoll, Christian pastor and author.3

Have you subscribed to PureFlix for television yet?

You might want to consider it, especially now.

I am very grateful that we now have that option for real family-entertainment in our home.

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1 Quotation from Dr. Sara Gorman, Ph.D., MPH, and Dr. Jack M. Gorman, MD. Courtesy of Psychology Today online magazine, “Is Information Overload Hurting Mental Health?” Accessed June 10, 2020.  Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/denying-the-grave/202006/is-information-overload-hurting-mental-health

2 Quotation from Dr. Michael L. Birnbaum. Courtesy of  Psychology Today online magazine, “Navigating the Coronavirus and Social Media.” Accessed June 10, 2020.  Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-health-our-youth/202003/navigating-the-coronavirus-and-social-media

3 Quotation from Chuck Swindoll, influential Christian pastor and author, courtesy of AZquotes.com.

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