"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life." - John 6:47

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Sunday, January 30, 2011

1 Unchangeable Love

Change. Everything around us changes. Nothing remains the same. There is a cycle of change that rules not only our world, but our lives. The natural order of things is built around change. In fact, you could say that without change everything we know would end. Change means having to adjust to the unfamiliar which can be uncomfortable and stressful. Change is something that presses us out of our comfort zone. It is inequitable and doesn't care who or what you are. Change is for the better or for the worst, depending on where you view it. It can have a ripping effect on those who won't let go.

Change does not stand still. It is always on the move. Maybe that's why we celebrate the familiar so much. Think of the excitement of seeing a familiar face, or the joyfulness when we hear a familiar old song. In this world of constant change, we look for little bits of familiarity to make us feel safe and secure. When Lloyd C. Douglas, author of The Robe and other novels, was a university student, he lived in a boarding house. Downstairs on the first floor was an elderly, retired music teacher, who was infirm and unable to leave the apartment. Douglas said that every morning they had a ritual they would go through together. He would come down the steps, open the old man's door, and ask, "Well, what's the good news?" The old man would pick up his tuning fork, tap it on the side of his wheelchair and say, "That's middle C! It was middle C yesterday; it will be middle C tomorrow; it will be middle C a thousand years from now. The tenor upstairs sings flat, the piano across the hall is out of tune, but, my friend, THAT is middle C!" The old man had discovered one thing upon which he could depend, one constant reality in his life, one "still point in a turning world."

For Christians, the one "still point in a turning world," the one absolute of which there is no shadow of turning, is Jesus Christ. Arthur Pink says, "It is one of the excellencies of the Creator which distinguishes Him from all His creatures. God is perpetually the same: subject to no change in His being, attributes, or determinations. Therefore God is compared to a 'Rock' (Deut 32:4, etc.) which remains immovable, when the entire ocean surrounding it is continually in a fluctuating state; even so, though all creatures are subject to change, God is immutable."

What a comforting feeling to know, that in this world of change, God is immutable; unchanging. No matter what else is going on in our lives, or around us; God remains everlastingly the same. He has always been; is now; and always will be the same. From the deep dark past to the bright future, God is perpetually the same (Malachi 3:6). The reason for so much change in our world is because of imperfection. Things have to change, nothing can remain the same. It is not in our nature to be unchangeable. That privelege is reserved for one alone; our Lord Almighty. His love for us is unchangeable. He loves us as much now as He did then. So in your moments of despair or loneliness; when it seems that your world is spinning out of control. There is one who stands firm, like a mighty Rock against the hurricane winds of life; offering stability and security; familiarity and serenity. Let Him wrap His loving arms around you and welcome you home like a long-lost loved one. And always remember that our hope is not in ourselves, but in God!

~Eve

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Those Wintertime Blues

Much of the Midwest-to-Eastern sections of the United States have experienced some very bad weather during this winter. It seems that certain areas of the country just can’t catch a break! For example, I came across this bit of information while researching for this article:

“While cold weather is of course a part of winter, the persistent nature of colder-than-normal conditions and a lack of brief warm spells people can typically look forward to during midwinter have been unusual this season. Temperatures since Dec. 1, 2010 have averaged below normal from Boston and New York City to Chicago, Minneapolis, New Orleans, Atlanta and even Miami. Temperatures are expected to continue averaging below normal in many of these places, from the northern and central Plains into the East, through at least the middle of February.” –from Accuweather.com

As you can see, it doesn’t seem like the weather will be improving any time soon. It’s enough to make some people act abnormally. Mayo Clinic.com defines something called “seasonal affective disorder,” or SAD, as: “a type of depression that occurs at the same time every year. If you're like most people with seasonal affective disorder, your symptoms start in the fall and may continue into the winter months, sapping your energy and making you feel moody.” That being said, it’s no surprise that being cooped up indoors for extended periods during the winter is not good for anyone!

Seasonal weather can certainly play havoc not only with our emotional and physical health, but with our spiritual health as well. One suggestion to help fight against the winter blues is to attend, or continue attending Church if the weather allows, of course. It’s something that’s free, easy to do, and widely available. What could you possibly get out of it? Robert Benjamin tells us just a few of the rewards we can get from attending Church services:

1. It's great for social skills, as folks often greet each other, and like to chat
2. It's good for the voice as folks love to sings hymns of praise and worship
3. It's always great to hear the word of God, in a Bible believing Church
(like food for the mind and soul)
4. The Lord Jesus tells us to attend Church services (Hebrews 10:25)

So there you have it. Even if you are not a regular church go-er, or have been sitting on the fence debating whether to take the plunge or not, go ahead. Try it! And if you are a devoted believer, maybe you could convince someone who isn’t to go with you. The cold, dreary winter months may be a perfect time to experience something new. And who knows, you might find yourself going back for more! "The earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." Isa.11:9. (NIV)

~Eve

Saturday, January 15, 2011

It's Never Too Late for Salvation

Pastor Errol Joseph writes, “The Encarta Encyclopedia defines aging as the ‘irreversible biological changes that occur in all living things with the passage of time, eventually resulting in death.’ In developed nations, life expectancy has increased more in the 20th century than it has in all of recorded history. A person born in the United States in 1995 can expect to live more than 35 years longer than a person born in 1900. Today more than 34 million Americans are 65 or older, accounting for about 13 percent of the population. By the year 2030, their numbers will more than double: One in every five Americans will be over age 65. In some parts of the world, 16 to 18 percent of the population is already age 65 or older.”

Aging is something that happens to us all. It cannot be avoided or prevented. No matter what the infomercials, advertisements, medical television programs, etc., proclaim or advertise, we are aging with each passing day. Certainly some of us age better, or at least appear to whether by the luck of having been blessed with good genetics, or artificially. But the fact is, we cannot stop the march of time. This fragile, earthly raiment in which we spend our lives is only temporary. James 4:14 (NIV) tells us, “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”

Perhaps you or someone you know has delayed knowing Christ because of the notion that it is too late to change. I am here to tell you that nothing could be further from the truth! There is no limited time offer or deadline when it comes to salvation. It is there waiting for you to accept. Jesus accepts all, no questions asked! Why wait another day longer? “For we were born only yesterday and know nothing, and our days on earth are but a shadow.” Job 8:9 (NIV)

If you want to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, say the following words to God. Remember, saying this prayer or any other prayer will not save you. Only believing in Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross for you can save you from sin. This prayer is simply a way to express to God your faith in Him and thank Him for providing for your salvation. “God, I know that I have sinned against You and deserve punishment. But I believe Jesus Christ took the punishment I deserve so that through faith in Him I could be forgiven. I receive Your offer of forgiveness and place my trust in You for salvation. I accept Jesus as my personal Savior! Thank You for Your wonderful grace and forgiveness—the gift of eternal life! Amen!” -reprinted here from our friends at http://www.gotquestions.org/

~Eve

Friday, January 14, 2011

Christ is an Irresistable Force!

Sometime around 56 A.D., the Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the church in Corinth. The purpose of the letter was to address and correct the occurring immorality and divisions that had arisen there. In 1 Corinthians 9:16 he writes, “Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” I draw your attention to where Paul says he feels “compelled” to preach.

Webster’s defines “compel” as: to drive or urge forcefully or irresistibly, in Paul’s case, the irresistible force that drove him was Jesus Christ. We are compelled to do many things in our lives. But, out of all that compels us, and all that drives us, how much do we really let Christ influence our daily lives? Do we pay attention to that irresistible force that is contained within each and every one of us?

I recently ran across a story about a man who was arrested for acting strangely near a construction site. According to witnesses, prior to his arrest, the man recited a prayer, kissed the ground, and then told confused onlookers that he worked for Jesus. He then proceeded to park his car near a construction site.

The incident prompted calls to the local police who quickly responded. A bomb squad was dispatched to search the man’s vehicle primarily because he abandoned his care near the construction zone, in addition to his unusual behavior. In the end, the car was cleared of any potential danger.

What happened to the gentleman? It turns out that he wasn’t arrested for anything that had to do with his vehicle, or his initial odd behavior. Before he was seized by the authorities, he had been handing out money and offering prayers to people. He was ultimately charged with disorderly conduct.

Imagine Paul being alive today in our modern world, and encountering this gentleman on that particular day. What would Paul have done? Would he have thought this man was acting outlandishly? Or would he have thought this man a devoted believer? One thing is for certain, the man in the story felt “compelled” to do what he did. After all, did he not tell the gathering crowd that he worked for Jesus and offered prayers to them? What about the money he handed out? Jesus performed miracles to draw attention to His message. Both methods served their purpose.

Matthew Henry stated that,” by preaching the gospel, freely, the apostle (Paul) showed that he acted from principles of zeal and love, and thus enjoyed much comfort and hope in his soul.” I’d like to think that the praying man in this story felt the same way, and was willing to risk persecution for it. “Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.” 1 Corinthians 15:11 (NIV)

~Eve

Monday, January 3, 2011

Help Is Just A Prayer Away

Dilma Rousseff, recently became the first woman president of Latin America’s largest nation, Brazil. This is a remarkable feat for the one-time Marxist guerrilla who once was tortured by Brazil’s dictatorship. Yes, it would be easy to say that she did it all by herself, but even this “Iron Lady” had assistance. You see, Dilma had a political “mentor.” The then-president, Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva utilized his great popularity to help promote Ms. Rousseff, a little-known career technocrat, into the presidency. Quite an amazing journey for someone who had never held an elected office in her life, and was virtually unheard of less than a year ago!

Everyone needs a helper at some point or another during the course of his or her lifetime. Typically, it’s usually during those dark and troublesome hours when we find ourselves turning to Christ for comfort and guidance. For sure, He wants us to lighten our heavy loads through Him. He is there for us no matter what. But, sometimes we forget to think of Him as a mentor. The dictionary defines “mentor” as: “a wise and trusted counselor or teacher.” What a wonderful description of Jesus Christ!

The original disciples saw Jesus as “a wise and trusted counselor or teacher.” They followed him around as he taught the Gospel learning everything they could. Eventually the day came when the disciples themselves became teachers, or mentors to others. Like Dilma Rousseff, the disciples had a mentor who helped guide them to the position of leadership.

We might not all have aspirations of leadership, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t need a mentor. And what better mentor could we have than to have the same one who guided the disciples during those long ago days? As Nicodemus did, we should recognize that Jesus was a teacher who was sent by God. Jn. 3:2 (NIV)

Let Christ be your life mentor. Welcome Him into your hearts and minds. Let Him guide and advise you. Learn from Him as the disciples did. Let Him teach you all things. Jn. 14:26 (NIV) Life can be pretty complicated with all of its twists and turns, ups and downs. But you don’t have to make the journey alone. There is a patient and all-knowing mentor who is reaching His hand out to you. Take it.

~Eve