Back To the Future

 

But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.

Numbers 14:21

"Grandma, do you think we'll ever have time travel? I'd like to go back to the Civil War just to see what life was like." 

"Well, everything we touched would affect and change the future. I'm not sure that's a good idea but I've always wanted to be an interpreter at a national park."

This was the beginning of a conversation with my teenage grandson on the way back from the gym. Our family loves history. We've lived in Spartanburg county since before the Revolutionary War. We are surrounded by family history and when we vacation we visit historic sites. Our conversation ended by concluding that God placed us here in this time and place for a specific reason — "for such a time as this" (Esther 4:14). So do our lives affect the future? 

In Numbers 13 the Lord had Moses send twelve men into the land of Canaan to spy out the land. Ten of the men brought back a bad report — bad news. They wouldn't be able to take the good land because there were walled cities and giants. Only Joshua and Caleb were ready to go into the land and take it believing God's promise. The people chose to follow the ten spies who gave the bad report because those spies were the majority. Their choice affected their future. God was ready to destroy the people and start over but Moses' talk with God affected the future.

God agreed to let the people live but those over twenty years old would die without seeing the promised land. They would wander in the wilderness until the younger generation grew up and the faithless died off except Joshua and Caleb. We live in a troubling time. Our thoughts and actions affect the future. God sent revivals in the past. The Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th Centuries were victorious times for God's people. Then several things happened to affect the future of God's people. 

Do you think God could send revival again? Do you think He will? Our thoughts and attitudes toward God's purposes affect our future. God's purpose in leading the Israelites into the promised land was to bring the gospel to the whole world. They were to be the people used by God to bring the Messiah. Their fear and disobedience delayed God's plan. How is our obedience or lack thereof affecting God's plan for our future? 

Take the time to look back at the preaching of the Great Awakenings. Google search should bring up the preachers and their doctrines without too much trouble. Look back at Christmas carols like "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear". Think about how people thought about the future. What was their vision? Life wasn't easy but they had a hope. 

We can't and shouldn't go back to the past, but we do need God's vision for the future — that all the earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord.

Heavenly Father, Open our eyes to the things we do each day that affect our future. Help us Lord to not be afraid to move forward. Show us how to be strong and of good courage (Joshua 1:6) knowing you go before us. Help us make choices that will bring a great awakening in our time.  In Jesus's name. Amen. 

Created with a Purpose

 

My frame was not hidden from You,

When I was made in secret,

And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

16 

Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.

And in Your book they all were written,

The days fashioned for me,

When as yet there were none of them.

~Psalms 139:15,16

We all encourage our children to set goals, to strive to be their best, to look for their purpose. We take tests that tell us what jobs we are most suited for. We select class superlatives. 

But have we considered that God has a purpose for each person? 

Read Psalms 139:15,16 again. God chose a purpose for each of us before we were ever conceived. He shaped our DNA to form a unique person. He planned a life of purpose. He knew what we would be good at and how we could demonstrate His glory. 

However, the choice is ours to follow His good plan. 

Every newborn child is sweet, innocent, and filled with love. What becomes of that child is partly influenced by the environment in which they grow up but even in the worst of circumstances, every individual must make choices. Even if they live where the Bible is not available, God will make a way for them to know Him. 

God created Israel for a specific purpose. Isaiah 43:1 says:

But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob,

And He who formed you, O Israel:

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by your name;

You are Mine.

God created  you for a specific purpose. He will redeem you through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. He will fulfill His purpose for your life if you turn to Him. 

Queen Esther had no idea why she was orphaned and raised by Mordecai. She had no idea why she was chosen to be queen. Then when it was time for her to be used for God's purposes, the purpose He created her for, she submitted to Him, trusted Him, even if it were to mean her death. But it wasn't death, it was life for her people. She was created for such a time.

Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

~ Esther 4:14b

You too, were created for such a time as this. Seek the Lord, His salvation, and His purpose for your life. 

Heavenly Father, help us take heart that You have not forsaken us but rather You are working in the lives of Your people to fulfill Your purpose. In the name of Jesus Christ, Your Only Son, we pray. Amen. 

Did God Make a Mistake?

 

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. ~Genesis 1:27

We sometimes act like God makes mistakes. We would never admit to such a thing but...

Does a child show a preference to behave as the opposite sex of the body God has given them? Do we ever affirm that maybe that child should have been a boy? Maybe that child should have been a girl? 

Maybe the child is just being a child exploring all the wonderful things there are to do.  

Helping children know if they are a boy or a girl in this transgender-crazed world may sometimes be hard for parents and educators to navigate. Marty Machowski, pastor and author, shares insightful ways to address the topic with children in his book God Made Boys and Girls.

Pastor Machowski's book begins with a fictional story of children on a playground. He uses Maya, a girl who loves being a tomboy, as his example. She is teased by a boy who tells her if she keeps acting like a boy she will turn into a boy. Now Maya is worried and asks her teacher if the boy's tease is true. 

Maya's teacher wisely demonstrates through the Bible and science that, "No, God is the one who chooses your code. Gender is His gift to you. (my emphasis). The last thing God made was a boy and a girl to look after the world and take care of it. He made them to be partners in caring for his world and in filling the world with boys and girls just like them."

Pastor Machowski relates the Genesis creation story as well as the gift of God's only Son for our redemption in His death, burial, and resurrection. He also emphasizes that Jesus said we should love our neighbors even those who disagree with us.

At the back of the book is further help for adults addressing the subject matters in the book.

• Every person is specially created by God.
• All boys and girls are not created the same.
• Gender is not determined by our personality or preferences.
• Let's be careful with our words.
• The gender confusion of our culture is the result of rejecting God's truth and his ways.
• We are called to love our neighbors.

Genetic conditions are also addressed in this section.

Heavenly Father, thank you for making each of us with unique personalities and gifts. Help us remember that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Help us not to worry about our children who display different personalities knowing that you make each one in Your image and placed them here for such a time as this. May we teach each child to be thankful and accepting of who God made them to be. In Jesus's name. Amen.

Attitude and Focus

This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalms 118:24

I've been reading a true story about a believer named Joe who was wrongly imprisoned for attempted rape. He earned the trust of his guards who put him over a group of inmates on work details. The thing about Joe was his attitude, his smile and it was contagious. No matter what he was asked to do he did it with a smile. That's what had won the trust of the guards. 

Joe noticed when others were down. His focus was not on himself or his surroundings. His focus was on people. He noticed his fellow inmates. He cared about them. They learned to trust him. His focus on them helped him get work done and do it without undue stress.  As a believer, he trusted God to help him accomplish whatever task was before them. In other words, he left the day in God's hands and fulfilled his duties rejoicing in the Lord. Everyone knew Joe had something special. 

I'll tell you more about Joe but for now, I'll let you know I needed to check my attitude and how it affects my smile, my relationships at home and at work. While reading Joe's story I realized I live in a different time, under better conditions. I'm not in trouble with the law. I have food, warm clothes, and a good roof over my head. I live in the best times and in the best place, this world has ever known. Not because I'm better than Joe. It's because this is the time and place God chose to use me. I am here for such a time as this. Joe found ways to be happy and grateful in the worst of circumstances. He cheered himself up in the Lord. What's my problem? 

My attitude adjustment is to trust God with the day. I want to focus on the children I teach and the people I meet. The paperwork will get done and so will the housework. The children will learn what they need and my family will be happy if my focus is on them. I will not stress over just stuff. This is God's day and I will rejoice in it giving Him the praise for all He accomplishes in me and through me. 

Oh, if you'd like to read the rest of Joe's story it's in Genesis chapters 40 and 41. 

Blessings,

Gail