I'm Letting the Cat Out of the Bag

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

~Matthew 28:19,20

So what does that mean, "I'm letting the cat out of the bag?" Why don't we just say "I'm going to tell you a secret."? 

According to Grammar Monster, an idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. 

Here in the south where I live we use them all the time and are likely to make up a few of our own.

I’m letting the cat out of the bag on this one. My friend Vonda Bland Hamilton has recently released her book for deaf children to help them understand the idioms we use every day without even thinking about them. Her book is called Letting the Cat out of the Bag. If I signed “letting the cat out of the bag” a deaf child may have difficulty understanding the meaning. Who would put a cat in a bag? The cat would be scratching and clawing and screeching. That’s not the meaning of the phrase at all! It means to share a secret.

Vonda’s book shares the secrets of idioms with deaf and hearing children. The book is set up very logically. The illustrator, Samantha Smith, drew a kid-friendly picture depicting the expression. Then Vonda wrote the idiom beneath the picture. The next page gives the meaning of the idiom with a picture. Vonda then relates the idiom to a scripture verse.

Mrs. Hamilton has an idiom for each letter of the alphabet but there are so many more. She and her husband Steve are missionaries with the Deaf with Expressions of Emmanuel. Her book, which also contains a DVD, can be purchased through Expressions of Emmanuel and on Amazon. You don’t have to be deaf to enjoy Vonda’s book. We can all have fun playing with expressions and learning how to apply scripture to the words we share.

And there's more! Mrs. Hamilton has a new book, As Easy as One, Two, Three, coming spring of 2022. 

You can learn more about Vonda and her family by visiting the website www..expressionsofemmanuel.com

Father God, please give us a vision to reach every person, in every nation, man, woman, and child. 

In Jesus's name we pray. Amen.

Hey Kids:

Do you know how to use sign language? I remember learning the alphabet as a child. My friends and I would sign messages to each other. As I got older I encountered people who were deaf. I learned there's more to signing than just the alphabet. The sign for milk is making the motion for milking a cow. How fun!

Sign language is often taught in colleges as a foreign language. But you can get a headstart by learning a few signs now. You can

•  download a poster with the ABCs. 
• visit Mrs. Hamilton's YouTube site
• search other You Tube sites with your parents for learning to sign.
• find a friend to practice with

You never know who you might encounter. Knowing how to communicate is important. Remember Love is the greatest language of all. 

So What Does It All Mean?

 

And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

 ~Isaiah 11:1

Has your life been a  frenzy of shopping and decorating for the last few weeks? 

So what does it all mean, putting up a tree, buying presents, decorating with red and gold and blue and white? Is there purpose and meaning in our frenzy?

Putting up the tree can be a family time filled with traditions - Baby's First Ornament, hand-made ornaments, and great grandma's Victorian ornaments. But it can also be so hurried we miss the traditions and the meanings behind the decorations. 

Nostalgia fills the air as we settle down in front of the fire with a cup of hot chocolate and gaze at the sparkling tree. But WAIT! Did we miss the point? What have we instilled in our traditions to show our families the true meaning of Christmas? 

Instilling the true meaning shouldn't sound like some sort of lesson. A natural mention of how the items and colors remind you of Jesus and His love for us is the most effective way to instill meaning. 

  There are various meanings associated with Christmas. What meanings?
The Decorations

• Red - The color of blood. 
• Gold - The Wisemen brought Jesus gold and frankincense and myrrh. 
• Blue - The color of royalty. Jesus is King of Kings. 
• White - The color of purity. Jesus was without sin. 
• Wisemen followed a star. 
• Angels announced His birth. 
• Ribbons held the breastplate to the ephod on the robe of the high priest. 
• Bells were sown around the hem of the priest's robe so all could hear him as he performed his priestly duties. Jesus is our High Priest.

The Tree

• The tree is made of wood. Christ shed His blood on a cross made of wood. 
• The evergreen needles tell us that Jesus gives us eternal life. 
• The trunk and the branches lead us back to our scripture: And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 
• We display our Christmas trees where all can see their beauty. So shouldn't Jesus be displayed in our lives that all can see His beauty? 
• We want to receive gifts. May all the world come to Jesus this Christmas and receive His gift of salvation. 

May there be Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill toward men. 

Father God, please show us how to instill in our family the true meaning and purpose of the birth of your Son. For without His death, burial, and resurrection his birth would have been just another baby born one night in Bethlehem. Thank you for sending your Son to die for my sins.  In Jesus's name. Amen. 

Hey Kids:

 What else?

What intentional things are you doing to put Christ in your Christmas? 

You don't have to do anything more, only think about the reason you are 

• making cookies
• the places you are decorating
• the reasons for the decorations you are using

Is there anything that surprises you? 

Please share your Christmas stories, surprises, and blessings with us in the comments. And be sure to subscribe to our blog so you don't miss the weekly posts. 

Once in a Lifetime

 

 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. ~Luke 1:6

Personal devotion writers encourage us to read a chapter of Luke every day this month and by the end of the month, we will have read the entire book. I usually read a chapter every day and then journal a significant verse(s) the Lord emphasizes to me.  So looking at the first few verses of Luke I thought like me, Zacharias and Elisabeth were older folks. They probably went about their daily routines not thinking much about how many things happen in the course of the day that are once-in-a-lifetime events.

Zacharias was taking his turn serving in the temple. It's my understanding most men didn't get to do that but once in a lifetime because of the number of men available. While he was serving an angel appeared to him. Now that seems like it should stand out as a once-in-a-lifetime event. The angel came with a message from God but Zacharias doubted the message. His doubt caused God to shut his mouth and his ears for a time but it didn't stop God from fulfilling His purpose. 

Then there was Elisabeth who was never able to have a child but found herself pregnant after her husband returned home. Remember she was old too. She hid herself until she was showing, maybe because the other women would accuse her of being crazy. 

I just had a birthday. Every birthday is a once-in-a-lifetime event. I'll never be this age again. Then I thought the things that happen this day will never happen again. Am I missing something that God wants to use to fulfill His purpose? Does God try to tell me the special plan He has for me?  Am I doubting His purpose in my life because of my age? Do I expect God to use me? 

Now, I want to spend my time, not just celebrating my birthday  — but the once-in-a-lifetime events that occur every day, that God will use for His glory and my good if I pay attention. I want to enter each day looking for what God is doing. Can I put my finger on something special every day? Maybe not, but that doesn't mean I won't see it in the future. Maybe the "something special" is that I am recognizing that every day is a once-in-a-lifetime event that I shouldn't waste. 

I came across a quote that sums it all up very well. 

Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can. - John Wesley

Heavenly Father, thank you for allowing me to participate in Your great plan every day. In Jesus's name. Amen.

Hey Kids:

Have you wondered what plan God has for you this day? When Jesus was a boy he did many of the same things you do. He played with the other children, learned to read and write, obeyed his parents, and enjoyed being a kid. 

 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. 

~Luke 2:52

What are ways you can increase in wisdom?

-listen to adults who try to help you.
-do your schoolwork.
-think through things before you act.

How can you increase in stature?

eat healthy foods
exercise
think through things before you act.

What are ways to increase in favor with God and men?

memorize scripture
be kind to everyone you meet.
allow your actions to be guided by God's word.

May the joy and significance of Christmas go with you throughout the year

Advent

 

And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. ~Acts5:42

Advent, just what does that mean?  The dictionary defines it as the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event. Many people anticipate Christmas with Advent calendars. We see religious and secular practices of Advent. Stores sell little boxes that are opened daily to reveal a prize. We see simple calendars where a date is added to help children count the days to Christmas. Others have scripture readings that lead up to Christmas. Advent is a new term for me as an adult. We celebrated Christmas, decorating a tree, baking, getting together with family, but we didn't have a daily ritual that led us to Christmas, except maybe we had a year-long ritual.  

In the beginning of the church, they daily spent time in the temple and in every home teaching and preaching about Jesus. The church grew rapidly. Families sacrificed for each other and the church community. 

Today we see so many secular celebrations of Christmas. There's a manger scene tucked in here and there, but how much tinsel and lights, Grinches and Santas cover the real celebration? 

We hurry to school. We hurry to our jobs. We hurry to stores and buy online. We eat breakfast on the run and drive through to pick up supper. When is the time for the rituals that bring us together as families and as churches? 

Maybe, as Cindy Lou says, maybe Christmas is just a little bit more. Perhaps we need to gather together to sing carols at the doors of shut-ins. Perhaps we need to create rituals to daily lead our families to Christmas. 

One of the suggestions I'm seeing is the reading of the book of Luke for the month of December. If we begin on December 1 we will finish the entire book by Christmas. I realize we are already into the month but it's never too late to start. We can have Luke read by New Year. Oh, and then we can take on another book, perhaps Matthew or Genesis or anywhere else you might like to start. Most habits need thirty days to become a ritual. Could this ritual of Advent reading with our families lead us back to the ritual of daily family Bible reading and prayer?

How can you make this work for you and your family? Might I make some suggestions?

• Get up a few minutes early so everyone is at the breakfast table together to read a chapter and pray.
• Read a chapter and pray at supper time. 
• Turn the TV off a few minutes early. Read a chapter and have prayer together before bed. 

It may seem like chaos in the beginning, to get everyone together. Make it fun. Encourage your family by saying, "Let's celebrate Christmas a little every day."

Father God, please help us to celebrate your Son Jesus every day this Christmas and throughout the coming year that our children may know the God we serve. In Jesus's name. Amen. 

Hey Kids:

What can you do to help your family with Advent? Hope these ideas help. 

• Help your family decide on a time to read Luke
• Remind your family so you don't miss the time
• Pick out a favorite verse from the day's reading
• Draw a picture for the fridge to mark your journey through Luke (at the end of December you can collect your pictures to make a memory book)

Merry Christmas

Tis the Season

 

And it was at Jerusalem the feast of dedication, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch. ~John 10:22,23 KJV

It’s that time of year. Cookies, gingerbread houses, and decorations galore. As I tried to copy the picture of a winter gingerbread village in a jar, I wondered what winter was like for Jesus. There were no Christmas trees, no holiday cookies, no . . . . But wait, there was the Feast of Dedication – Hannukah! Jesus walked in the temple on Solomon’s porch! He saw the city all covered with snow. There may have been holiday cookies and gifts. There was a menorah burning in the temple by the altar of incense. Jesus may have been thinking about the lights of the temple and the miracle God had performed. Hanukah celebrated the fact that God caused the temple lamps to burn for eight days with only enough  oil for one day.

Today, we are in the midst of the Hannukah/Christmas season. Though the world tries to put out the true meanings of Hanukah and Christmas, we must keep the light within our hearts shining, demonstrating God’s love to the world. Whether we read Isaiah 53 or John 3:16 the message is still the same. It is our job to let the world know that God sent His only Son to be the sacrifice for our sins. May we dedicate our lives to the Messiah. May we let our light shine before others to glorify our Father which is in heaven. 

  How are you keeping the Messiah in the Season this year?

Heavenly Father, as the lights shine around us this Hannukah/Christmas season remind us to let our lights shine for you all year long. In Jesus the Messiah's name. Amen.

Hey Kids:

Do you have special traditions for Christmas or Hannukah? We often see gingerbread houses but I thought a gingerbread village in a snowglobe might be a fun activity that would be edible for the whole season. Just click on the link from Better Homes and Gardens for the video and instructions. 

It may be fun to add a menorah cookie to the village. You can probably find a cookie cutter of a menorah at a hobby store or online. 

Enjoy all the fun, but remember the reason for the season is a time to celebrate the greatest gift of all— the birth of Jesus Christ who came to die for our sins. 

  

Give thanks to the Lord of lords, For His lovingkindness endures forever. Psalms 136:3 (AMP)

I want to share a beautiful children's book I received the other day. Before I even opened it I was impressed with the artwork, at how well Olya Bodulina, who lives in Russia, knew our animals and our scenes. 

There is lots to share with your child. Author Jean Matthew Hall's child-friendly rhythmic language invites the reader/listener to share in God's blessings. The words and pictures are well matched to invite children 4-8 years old into the world of fall.

The blessings God has provided for the animals and us will help open children's eyes to the happenings around them. Some of the scenes are familiar, others will be new but intriguing to young minds. Parents can use the story and pictures to help children notice the animals and the changes in their own backyard or on trips to apple orchards, pumpkin patches, and leaf-peeping adventures. As a parent, I would love to make a checklist or a bingo game for my children to look for the animals and the blessings God has provided for them and for us. 

Blessings are all around us this fall. Taking time to notice brings joy in the midst of our craziness. I want to encourage my family and others to give prayers of thanksgiving for all the blessings of the fall. 

God's Blessings of Fall is available on Amazon and other booksellers. Be sure to watch for more of Jean's books to come in the Blessings series. 

I give God's Blessings of Fall 5 stars! 

Heavenly Father, thank you for all your blessings of a beautiful fall, food on our table, and warm homes with family we love. May we honor and thank you not just at Thanksgiving but all year long. In Jesus's name. Amen.

Hey Kids:

I'd like to share a few books about family get-togethers as we celebrate Thanksgiving this week. They are not about Thanksgiving but about family visits, some in the mountains, some at the beach, some may just be next door. Look for things the families have in common as well as their differences. 

The Pink House by Sally Kate Palmer

The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant

She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain by Chris Demarest

Grandma's Feather Bed by John Denver

How is your family like the families in the books? How are they different? What sounded like fun? What new celebrations would you like to add to your family gatherings? 

In God We Trust

 

O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. ~Psalms 105:1

You know the picture in our minds we all get of the Indian brave who walks into the Pilgrim village in the spring of 1621 to show the Pilgrims how to plant corn, and beans, and pumpkin? Wasn’t his name Squanto? Or didn’t anyone ever tell you about Squanto?

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. ~ John 14:6

My grandson is playing high school football this year. I'm beginning to learn more about the game by following his number across the field. He's a defensive end, but the ones I'm noticing besides him is the running back, the guard, and the tackle. The running back follows behind the guard and the tackle who open up the way for the back. If either of them fails to do their job or the running back fails to follow the plan then the man with the ball is flattened by the defense who is always looking for the weak spot in the line. 

By now you know I don't know much about football but I do know a lot about the One who guards my soul and tackles any problem I come up against. 

When I was about my grandson's age Jesus called my heart to follow him. I've tried to let Him lead the way ever since. When I fail to follow his life plan for me I end up flattened by what Satan throws at me. There is no weak spot when I follow the Lord and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I will make it to the goal - heaven -  because I repented of my sins to follow Jesus many years ago. 

Heavenly Father, please guide our days. Help us follow you regardless of how hard it may seem because you have the best plan. May we depend upon you to open up the way through each day and give you the praise for what you accomplish through us and in us. In Jesus's name. Amen.

Hey Kids:

What's your favorite game or activity? Football? Basketball? Chess? Band? Every activity, even cooking, has to have a plan, a direction, for the best results. 

The next time you participate in an activity, try to think about how it relates to your spiritual life. 

By the way, our football team begins and ends each game with prayer, not to win but for the safety of each one involved. Prayer is always an important part of following Jesus. 

Mercy and Grace

 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.       ~Genesis 9:13

What do you do when you see a rainbow? Do you show it to others? Do you take a picture? Do you ask if anyone else saw the rainbow? Sounds like rainbows can be pretty exciting. They also create a sense of peace and calm. Why?

Once when I was up on the Blue Ridge Parkway, I was above a storm cloud. I could look down through the cloud and see a complete rainbow, a circle. That's a once-in-a-lifetime event for me, but God says He looks on the bow and remembers the covenant between Him and every living creature.

So what is that covenant? It's a promise not to destroy the earth again by water but I think there's more to it than that. I did some research and found some interesting thoughts,

Grace - The rainbow is seen again in the book of Ezekiel chapter 1:26-28. Jesus is at the center or clothed in the rainbow. He is our sacrifice so we can be given grace.

Mercy - There is a covenant of mercy that we will not be destroyed. Think of how the rainbow is formed. The seven colors are always topped by the red bow. It is pointed upward so if an arrow were shot by this bow it would go upward showing us mercy and covering us by the sacrificial blood of Christ.

Mediator - We need Jesus to be our mediator between us and the Father. He is between us and the Father and we can only come to the Father through Him. In Revelation 4: 3 there is a rainbow around the throne. We can't get to God except by the One (Jesus Christ) who sits on the throne. 

Trinity - Think of how the rainbow is formed. It's after a storm. The light of the sun shines through the water and creates the separation of colors, a glimpse of heaven. The Father (sun), Jesus the Light of the world (sunshine), and the Holy Spirit (water) work together to show us the plan of salvation.

Rainbows are used in lots of ways in our culture. Wherever we see them they are a great opportunity to open up a conversation about God's love, grace, and mercy. It is God's love, God's grace, and God's mercy, God's goodness that leads us to repentance. May we always remember to temper our conversations with love and kindness even when we may disagree with the use of the rainbows we find.

Father God, we thank you that you have supplied grace and mercy for us, that you gave your Son, Jesus to die on the cross and be our mediator. We thank you for using your creation to remind us of your promise of grace and mercy. In Jesus's name, we pray. Amen. 

Hey Kids:

The fall rains have produced a lot of rainbows. Have you captured any on your camera?

What other ways have you seen rainbows? Here are some experiments you might want to try.

• On a sunny day turn the spray on the garden hose so the sun shines through the water.
• Use a magnifying glass, turning it at angles to catch a "rainbow."
• You may have a prism (a triangular piece of glass) in your classroom. Turn it so the sunshine creates a rainbow on a piece of paper or the floor. 

Have you noticed that every time you create a rainbow, the light is needed? The Light is needed in our lives as well.

Blessings,

Gail

Truth and Love

 

And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.  ~John 8:11KJV

Do you remember reading The Scarlet Letter? The other day I picked up my granddaughter from school.  She asked me if I had read it. She said her teacher played a song for them by Casting Crowns that talked about it in some of the lyrics. Yes, I remembered the song. I remembered the part about "under the shadow of our steeple." There was a tragedy in the shadow of our steeple just about the time the song was released. It was a case of domestic violence.  I remember thinking I hadn't gone to visit or invite the family to church before the tragedy. 

The name of the song was "Can Anybody Hear Her?" It was more about a girl with an unexpected pregnancy. It was about how the church looks down on these girls. In the past year I have become a volunteer mentor at the Carolina Pregnancy Center. Part of the training is Life Issues which includes Biblical Sexuality. Our God is a God of second chances. Remember the woman at the well? No one in her town wanted to openly have anything to do with her. Neither did the disciples — but Jesus. There's always the — but Jesus. Remember the woman taken in adultery? There were many accusers but because of Jesus, there was no one to cast the first stone. Neither did He cast a stone but told her to go and sin no more. Jesus spoke truth and love to both women. It made all the difference in both their lives. In the Samaritan town of Sychar, love and truth made a difference in the whole town in two days (John 4).  

Our God is a God of second chances. 

How are we as Christians helping others see the truth in love? How are we meeting the lost and lonely people we meet every day? How do we show unwed mothers we care about them and their unborn baby? Abortion in the US is used in over 95% of the cases for social and economic factors, "my boyfriend will leave me", "I have to go to school", "I've got a scholarship", and the list goes on. Less then 5% are for rape, incest, life of the mother, health of the mother, or health of the baby (produced by Lisa Van Riper, President of SC Citizens for Life. www.sclife.org).

Does anybody hear her? Does anybody see her? She needs support from Christians, from the church, and from her family. She needs to know Jesus will forgive her. She needs to know He wants to change her life and lifestyle, even if her pregnancy test is negative. The only way she can know Jesus loves her is if Christians love her, support her emotionally, spiritually, and physically, giving her a hand up. 

Girls who are post-abortion need exactly the same love and truth. Probably no one told them the truth about their baby. Jesus still stands ready to forgive and renew their hearts as well. 

Friends, she is running in all the wrong directions. Does anybody hear her? Can anybody see her? There is a Crisis Pregnancy Center near you. There are lots of lost and lonely people in the shadow of our steeple. Will you and your church find out how you can help? 

Father God, please give us a heart for the lost and lonely people we come in contact with every day. Please help us know how to be the hands and feet of Jesus in their lives, restoring hope for their tomorrow and all eternity. In Jesus's name. Amen. 

Hey Kids: 

Have you noticed children in your classroom or neighborhood who seem sad or lonely?

In what ways can you encourage those children? 

Here are a few ideas that might open doors to new friendships and possibilities. 

• ask to sit with them at lunch.
• ask them to join in a game at recess.
• give a smile across the classroom or a hi-five in the hallway.

Blessings,

Gail

Giving God Glory

 

The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth and strips the forests bare, and in his temple all cry, “Glory!”

~Psalms 29:9 ESV

On my way to town I drive through fields and small patches of woods near creeks. This morning I caught sight of a deer just at the edge of a wooded area. I slowed down because I know deer will jump out in front of you and cause damage to the car and herself. But that's not the only reason I slowed. Deer and other wildlife are very common in our area but most people can't help gazing when wildlife makes itself visible. 

I slowed down to catch a few seconds of God's amazing creation and catch a breath of peace and calm. No one has to sustain the deer, or the turkey, or the bear, like farm animals. The Lord takes care of the wild things. He provides their shelter, food, and water. Without these, the deer would die or have to find a new area that provided these necessities. As I started on toward town, I thought about other things I see every day, the trees now turning autumn colors, the fog rising amidst the trees and farmland and barns, the sun rising higher and burning away the fog. Then I realized how great God is to surround us with the beauty of His creation and provide all that we ever need -- food, water, shelter. It may not be a mansion with a grand spread or gallons of sweet tea but those things are not necessary. Those may do us more harm than good. But the necessities along with the peace we find in pausing to wonder; these should cause us to cry, "Glory!" even if we're not yet in His sanctuary. 

I want to praise Him even on my way each day.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your glorious creation that is so insync that it provides all the wildlife need and all we need. Help me pause and give you glory in the midst of your creation every day. In Jesus's name. Amen

Hey Kids:

There is a game our class used to play that helped us realize how important it is for everything in the environment to be insync and how great God is to have planned the creation to be a provider for us all. The game is called "Oh, Deer!"

First we divided the class into four groups. We discussed the need for deer and all animals to have food, water and shelter

Each person was assigned a motion for their group.

• hands over stomach for food
• hands over mouth for water
• hands over head for shelter.

The last group were deer. Two lines were made across the area. The deer stood behind one line, the rest behind the second line. All the students had their backs turned to the other group.

The teacher asked the students to make their sign. The deer made the sign for one of the three things they would need. On the count of three, the deer ran across the area and chose the item that matched their sign. 

As the game progressed the deer will depleted the provision. When a deer couldn't find their need, that deer "died" as all things do when needs are not met. He became part of the habitat and became either food, water, or shelter. 

The teacher kept a graph of how the population of deer increases or decreases. At the end of 15 rounds the teacher and students discussed the results of the activity. Students could see how the ecosystem affects wildlife population.

Have fun and give God the glory for His amazing creation. 

Gail

Fishers of Men

 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. Mark 1:17

My son is a flyfishing guide. He studies the weather, the hatch of the insects, the water levels in the rivers and streams and notices what type of insects the fish are biting on this week. 

He ties his own flies. They have to look as near the same color and size as the actual insect as possible. He also has to hike miles through rough terrain and wade slick rocky rivers to give the best guides in natural waters. This is a lot of hard work but he absolutely loves the studying and hard work. 

When Jesus called his disciples he told them to follow him and he would make them fishers of men. It wasn't an instant transformation any more than my son became an instant expert on flyfishing. In the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 and following, Jesus took his disciples up on the mountain away from the crowds and began to instruct them. They followed him and just like my son guiding on a trip, Jesus showed the disciples how to fish for men. They began to practice "fishing" before Jesus ascended so they would know how when they had to go "alone". 

There's a pattern to become a fisher of men. Mark 1:15 says repent and believe the gospel. The first part of learning to fish for men is to know that we ourselves are sinners in need of repentance (a change of heart about ourselves) and we need to believe the gospel (Jesus is the sinless son of God who died for our sins and was resurrected again). 

Jesus then called the disciples to follow Him. Following is probably the hardest part. That's the study, the understanding of scripture, the talking with the Master. Along with all the study comes the practice, the little by little learning to talk to others, teach others and go into all the world with the gospel (Matthew 28:19,20).

The transformation into a fisher of men doesn't happen overnight. It happens over time. If my son were not a continual learner and follower of flyfishing he wouldn't have his own business today. If we are not faithful and continue in our study of God's word, faithful in prayer, and faithful to reach out to others we will not be effective fishers of men reaching all nations. 

Heavenly Father, help us be faithful followers who study your word daily and pray for guidance in reaching others. Help us practice lives of dedication to your calling. In Jesus's name. Amen.  

Hey Kids:

Do you like to fish? 

Who taught you? How often do you get to practice?

Can you bait your own hook? What type of bait do you use?

Can you take a fish off?

Is fishing your passion? 

Maybe fishing isn't your thing but God has given you interest and talents that He wants you to use for His glory. 

How can you go into all the world? Do you speak another language? Can you draw or write? Do you contribute to kids' magazines? In our day of technology, going into all the world can mean reaching them at home, but it doesn't mean it's easy.

How can you improve your talents so you can use them to be "fishers of men"?

Blessings,

Gail

A Nation in Crisis

 

             

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.  II Chronicles 7:14

 Sometimes choices are hard. Sometimes we make the wrong choice. Sometimes we don't fully understand the choice until it's too late to change the choice. But God is the Great Forgiver and Lover of our souls. 

When I began to keep chickens, I wanted to raise my own flock. I didn't know how to keep my hens from laying with my setting hen. I hated wasting eggs, so I attempted to sort them without candling them (looking inside with a light through the shell.) One day I cracked an egg into a bowl and there lay a yolk with a few arteries stretching across it with a tiny heart beating.

Oh no. What had I done? I couldn't put it back in the shell. I couldn't keep it warm, and I couldn't throw it in the trash. It was alive and dying before my eyes. Over the next 20 minutes, I watched the heartbeat slow as the egg cooled down to room temperature. I tried to walk away but I always returned to check on it, wishing it to live, knowing it would die. I had made the wrong choice. Finally, the little heart beat no longer. I slid it into the trash, my heart broken.

Read the verse again, please. If my people, that's Christians. Aren't we God's people?

Shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face. Why? 

It sounds like there must be something there that needs repentance. What have we done? What are we allowing? Are we sitting idly by while children are being murdered in the womb? Maybe they are being murdered before they even make it to their mother's womb.

When does life begin? My friend had trouble conceiving so she and her husband turned to in-vitro fertilization. The fertilized egg was implanted in her womb. Was the fertilized egg alive? Sure, or it would not have embedded itself in the womb. It would not have grown into a beautiful little girl. There had to have been life there. How many people today would never think of going to an abortion clinic but they prevent the embedding of a fertilized live baby from implanting itself in his/her mother's womb? 

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, this is hard to write but it is necessary if we want to see our families, our churches, and our nation healed. We can't pretend this is not happening even in our own churches. I know it is. But what does the Lord say?

and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

 We are not without hope only if we choose to be.

This Sunday our local crisis pregnancy center is sponsoring a Life Chain on Reidville Rd. 

Would you be willing to research your Crisis Pregnancy Center to find out what you can do to help families? 

Heavenly Father, help us see the opportunities to serve others in crisis and find ways to serve. Help us see the opportunities to share the gospel with others and seize those opportunities to plant the seeds of salvation. In Jesus's name. Amen.

Hey Kids:

Are you looking for ways to serve others? 

It really isn't that hard if our eyes and ears are open. 

Many schools have a special friend bench on their playground. When a student doesn't have someone to play with, they sit on the bench. Then someone can invite them to play. 

Learning to see the needs of others is important in our walk with the Lord. 

How can you watch for opportunities to serve others and make them feel welcomed and wanted?

 

From Generation to Generation

 

 

  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 

~Romans 1:20 KJV

Ahh, Autumn, my favorite time of the year. Leaves, mountain apples, pumpkins, and cooler weather, what could be better? We often use pumpkins to explain the plan of salvation to children. But that is not the only thing we can learn from the beauty of Autumn. 

What do we find when we cut open an apple or pumpkin or practically anything? On the outside is the skin. Just inside is the flesh. At the core of the fruit, we find the seeds. Did you notice the trinity?  Seeds that are most often thrown away are the heart of the fruit itself. Those seeds will produce more plants and fruit just like the parent plant. Even the seed is a trinity; the outer coating, the food store inside, and the embryo that contains the leaf.  

It seems so hard to understand how God is a Trinity yet He shows us daily through His creation. He shows us how we too are created in His image. We have a body, a mind that thinks, and a soul that is eternal. The soul is actually the heart of our being. Have you ever thought about how we feel things? We say "my heart is broken." when there's nothing wrong with our heart; it's our feelings, the core of who we are. God, too, is a being who thinks and yes, who feels. Love is a feeling. God showed us His love by sending His only Son to die in our place for our sins. 

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

~Romans 5:8 ESV

When we show our children what it is like to be a Christian we are instilling in our little seeds the understanding that will reproduce itself to the third and fourth generation. In contrast, when we distort or confuse, or don't recognize the importance of instilling Christian doctrines in our children we still teach them. We teach a lack of importance for the things of God. That too will reproduce itself to the third and fourth generation. 

The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands,  forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.

~Exodus 34:6,7 ESV

Heavenly Father, please help us be aware of the seeds we plant in our children's lives. May they be the seeds of salvation that will make a difference for our children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation. In Christ Jesus's name, we pray. Amen

Hey Kids:

Take a walk with your parents. Notice the beautiful sun coming up or setting. Notice the light, how it colors the sky or brightens the day. Feel the warmth of the sun. What a delight to enjoy another trinity God has created for us to know more about who He is and the love He has for us. Can you explain the Trinity using the sun, the light, and the heat of the sun?

Autumn blessings,

Gail 

New Life, New Way, New Culture

 

And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: ~Ruth 1:16 KJV

Most often we hear these scriptures at weddings but they were first spoken by a daughter-in-law to her mother-in-law. Naomi, her husband and her two sons had gone to Moab to live because of a famine around Bethlehem. They lived there long enough for the sons to marry. Then Naomi's husband and her two sons died, leaving no children. When Naomi hears the famine is gone in Bethlehem she is determined to go back home. She tells her daughter-in-laws to return to their people. One goes back to her Moabite family, their culture, and their gods. But Ruth asks to go with Naomi. 

Ruth had learned of the Lord through Naomi. She wanted to stay with her. She didn't want to go back to her old life though it meant leaving her people, her ways, and her culture. She wanted a new life in Christ more than she wanted anything else. 

When we give our life to Christ, He changes that desire for the old to a new life, new ways, and a new culture. We are a new creation, old things are passed away and all things have become new 

(II Corinthians 5:17).

According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

~II Peter 1:3 KJV

Ruth needed Naomi's fellowship to live for the Lord. She couldn't go back to her old way of life. Neither can we go back to our old way of life once we have been given forgiveness and a new life in Christ. We have the power from Him to live Godly lives through the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Like Ruth's desire to learn more, do more, be more like Christ, He has called us to give Him glory living lives of virtue, of high moral standings. We can no longer look back to our old life. 

We cannot live in our old culture. Our lives have been called to a new higher standard in Christ. 

Heavenly Father, help us examine our lives, our desires and help us move forward in Christ, not looking back to our old lives, our old ways, and our old culture but living a new life in Christ. In Jesus's name, Amen. 

Hey Kids:

So often we are told to be kind, be friends to everyone. That's true but we also must choose our friends wisely. We can be kind to everyone but we don't want to hang out with the wrong friends. 

Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.

~I Corinthians 15:33 NIV

Will it cost you? Yes, you'll likely lose friends, be made fun of, and miss out on some "fun" but God has you here at this time on purpose for a purpose. He will supply all your needs in Christ Jesus. Just give your life to Him and keep following like Ruth. 

Read the rest of Ruth's story. You'll be amazed how God worked things out for her, a Moabite living among "strangers" who she took for her own people because of her love for the Lord.