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