abandoned to Christ.

photo credit: www.Biblescreen.com Yesterday, on my way home from the grocery store, I was overwhelmed by a very small act of kindness. Not one done to me, but one I was able to offer a total stranger. As I neared a construction area in my neighborhood, I saw a man driving a truck wishing to come out of the alleyway. He was unable to because no one driving either north or south would allow him entrance onto the main road since we all had to share a single lane due to the construction. I understand. It was rush hour and everyone was trying to get home. When it was my turn, and I had the right of way, I stopped and waved him in. He was hesitant and looked to the car coming southward, but they saw me and stopped too. The driver of the truck smiled, carefully drove out, and gave me a warm wave of thanks. I smiled, nodded and waved back. Then I smiled and waved at the driver who joined me in this very small act of kindness and they smiled and waved back. Unexpectedly, as...

I have often been asked, "How do I handle situations when professing brothers or sisters in Christ are offended when I use the Word of God often in conversations, or for reproof, or for the reason why I do or do not participate in certain things?"  I promised my friends, readers and "followers" on social media that I'd share a more detailed response than the short and quick one I shared on my Facebook ministry page  a few days ago. So here it is. Before "handling" this situation, you'll have to first assess who you're speaking with: a possible  false convert , or one who possibly does belong to Christ, but are presently burdened by their pride. The reason why I say this is because no true child of God abiding in the love of God is offended or put off in any way by the use of God's Word...unless they're being prideful. All Christians love God's Word and are only strengthened and encouraged by it whenever spoken, used or applied...

Scripture art by: Biblescreen.com The LORD God Almighty, Creator of the heavens and the earth—is personal. He could've left us to our sinful natures, miserable, lost and debased. But He didn't. He could've chosen to save us from afar in an impersonal way by zapping us with a lightening rod from the heavens. But He didn't. He could've done so many things us human beings would consider, or even actually do. So let us thank God; that He didn't. Because God is holy (set apart), He did what only He can do and what He alone is willing to do with no external prodding (as if anyone could "prod" God to do anything). He chose to create, in His own image; human beings. Unlike any other creation, people alone, are His image-bearers. We alone have the ability to reason, to consider things, understand cause and effect, acknowledge our own existence (i.e., animals look in the mirror and think it's another animal, people know it's their own reflect...

It seems everywhere we look and every place we go, there's Christmas music playing, people shopping, commercials filled with laughter and gaiety; sparkling decorations and hearts filled with merriment and hope. But it's not that way for everyone. There are a silent few...or a silent many, who are not merry at Christmastime. Some people have lost loved ones this year through death, or by sin, that always separates. Some, like orphans, have no one to lose, but have constant dreams of finding parents who offer the sacrificial and eternal love of Christ rather than the self-centered, ephemeral love this world offers and settles for. Then, there are those who are alone in adulthood: widows, divorcees, and those struck with depression. The list goes on...and so do their sorrows. To aggravate the reality of their lack of merriment, they are often pressured to join in on all the Christmas festivities whether they feel like it or not. And as Christians, if we don't, th...

There's so much in this life to be fearful of: loving someone, because they may not love you back; rejection from family, friends, co-workers and even other Christians; public humiliation; being ignored, forgotten and used. I don't want to be afraid of what others think of me, will do to me, or not do to me (Gal 1:10). I don't want to be afraid of never being physically healed. I don't want to be afraid that my doctors may not always know exactly the right thing to do (Prov 2:6). I don't want to be afraid of giving up on ministry opportunities or public services because of my faith and abandon to Christ and His Word. I don't want to be afraid of that phone call, text or email where someone tells me that I'm too narrow-minded of a Christian for their feel-good, man-centered ministry (Gal 2:20). I don't want to be afraid of speaking the truth in love, just because it's not the truth someone wants to hear (Prov 27:5-6). "...

"While he was coming, the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him. BUT JESUS rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astonished at the majesty of God. " ~Luke 9:42-43, ESV (emphasis mine) When was the last time I was astonished at the majesty of God? When was the last time you were astonished at the majesty of God? We're often astonished by so many things: breathtaking musical talent, incredible athletic ability, jaw-dropping acts of illusionists, amazing (and often humorous) animal antics and even the evil we see all around the world. I'm not saying this is wrong. What I'm saying is, are we more astonished by these creations, or their Creator? We live in a generation deluged with information through news, videos and social media. With this influx of information it seems we've forgotten the most important aspect of communication—listening. We've forgotten how to stop and smel...

Mr. Joe Koblenzer, a 73-year-old Vietnam War veteran, rightfully lost his hosting job at Cracker Barrel in Venice, Florida (Sarasota County) after he stole a corn muffin from the restaurant and gave it to a possibly (but not verified) homeless man. I know the title of this piece and opening statement is not a popular one, but it's the truth. And if you truly care about people, you share the truth; hoping peace, love and reconciliation will be shared between all involved. The beauty of truth is that it's impartial. Equal weight is given to all and no favor is given to one party over another (Ex 23:2-3, James 2:3-4), otherwise it isn't truth, it's discrimination. No rich person, no poor person, no child, no senior citizen, nor war veteran is above the law. Wednesday, June 25, 2014 Cracker Barrel released this statement: "Mr. Koblenzer has worked as a host at Cracker Barrel’s Sarasota store since April 2011. During the time he was employed, he viol...

Father's Day is often a time when we celebrate and honor the life of the man who made the greatest difference in our lives. Some for good, and some for bad. Just the same, God gave fathers the greatest responsibility for leading their families. In an ideal world, that would mean every father would love the LORD God with all their hearts and with all their soul and with all their mind and with all their strength; and love others better than themselves. But since we live in a fallen world wrecked with sin, this is not the kind of father we all had, or presently have. Some of us have fathers who either don't know the LORD at all, or profess to know the LORD but their profession is all there is. Some of us weren't raised by Christian father's whose greatest desire was to see their children walking in the Way of the Lord Jesus, who sacrificed his comforts for his family and others, and who lived to love others better than he was ever loved by them. Christ-hon...

For the past month our oldest son has been asking me what I want for Mother's Day. I've had no other ideas to offer him except one: that he aspire nothing greater than to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ; walk closely with Him and that love for the Almighty be preeminent in his life. I'm 45 now and I pretty much have everything I need or want. When you get to be my age, there's very little you desire that money can buy. The things that are most cherished are the things of the heart. And since Christ is my Lord and Savior, His Holy Spirit inhabits my heart and directs my desires to be more like Christ and less like I was pre-second birth (Rom 8:28-29, Gal 2:20). The desires of our flesh begin to wane as we draw nearer to the Lord Jesus. We begin to see things with the new spiritual eyes He gave us. And the things we treasure are no longer the things that satisfy our flesh. We begin only to long for the greater things—the things that ...

Imagine being invited to a reconciliation meeting. You're excited to get some painful issues resolved in the love of Christ and arrive with great expectations. Then suddenly, out of nowhere your heart is riddled with a barrage of friendly fire. Fabricated accusations based on the testimony of known false witnesses are shot at you with such rapid succession, you're instantly disoriented and gravely wounded. You can hardly catch your breath from this surprise and most unexpected attack. And you struggle to see clearly through the muddle. To make things worse, prior to this ambush, you were already suffering from heartache, sleepless nights, depressing days; and the extreme anguish that every prodigal causes a parent. You entered the room deeply wounded, but with great hope, you came to sow peace. Instead, you leave crippled by heartless and unfounded accusations coupled by the lack of compassion and grace offered by the other witnesses in the room. I don'...

God has been better to me than I deserve. Especially since all I deserve (that is, my sins have earned me) is Hell and His full wrath (Rom 3:23, 5:9). But because God is love and He is perfect, pure, holy, righteous and compassionate, full of mercy and grace (Ps 103:8-14), He chose to save me 41 years ago. Then the Lord saw fit to bless me with a husband 22 years ago, who loves Christ more than me (Col 1:18). Can a girl ask for more? I'm so very grateful to be my husband's forever second love . I pray the Lord will make me the kind of help-meet that will highlight his strengths, be a balm for his pains and a loving and understanding covering for his weaknesses (Prov 10:12, 31:11-12; 1 Pet 4:8). Marriage is the most important earthly relationship in the sight of God the Father; for He uses it as an earthly paradigm of His Son's relationship with His Bride, the Church (Eph 5:25-27).Therefore marriage ought never be considered, entered into or maintained with eph...

"Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end." (John 13:1, ESV) No matter how many times I read this verse, I'm always in awe of what it says. While Jesus was fully aware of the utter torment and anguish He was about to endure that very night, His thoughts were not on Himself and what horrors would befall Him, but His full attention and love were fixed on His beloved apostles. The original Greek for the phrase "loved them to the end" means that Jesus demonstrated God's perfect and pure (agape) love to His disciples, continually and fully; to completion, even in His darkest hour. I'm in a dark place right now as my heart aches deeply for our youngest son, our prodigal, who is no longer walking in God's truth, but walking rebelliously in the deceptive world where truth is relative rather than a...

Since yesterday, March 24, 2014 there's been much media buzz about World Vision and their "new"  state of apostasy . World Vision announced they will now employ and provide marital benefits for those involved in same sex marriages. I put the word new in quotes because World Vision's apostasy isn't new. Their departure from Christ's vision to come to earth in order to seek and save the lost was abandoned a couple of years ago, at least from what I could find in my research. If you have other information, I welcome correction. As of January 2012, World Vision has partnered with the well-known and popular heretic, Joel Osteen. You can read an article about it here: Federal Way Mirror Pastors Share Stage With Joel Osteen  and/or watch a YouTube video here:  Joel Osteen and World Vision Partnership . Anyone who understands the true  Gospel of Jesus Christ realizes that Joel Osteen is nothing but a big bad wolf in flamboyant sheep's clothing. Osteen...

Being "out there" in social media and writing online brings a lot of people into my life. More than I can fit into my home and more than I can usually respond to in a timely manner...if at all. This makes life a bit more interesting and often fills my days and heart with praise to God, prayers for friends (some I've never met in person) and also some heartaches along the way. I never set out to be a writer. I never set out to have readers or have people who would "follow" me. I wasn't raised in a Christian home, so I set out to be a diligent student of God's Word. I wanted to learn how to be an excellent Proverbs 31 wife and mother, a loving sister/friend to fellow Christians and an exemplary witness of Christ to the lost world. I set out to know what my spiritual gifts are and use them as God has ordained in His Word (Rom 1:11-12, 15:2; 1 Cor 12:7) to edify the Body and cause many to give thanks to the Father—while bringing glory and honor to Hi...