A Question

Posted on December 8, 2011 by admin

A question came up in my last bible study meeting: Did Jesus have to die and shed His blood to give us forgiveness for our sins. Our leader said that He could have just waved His hands over us and say: “Your sins are forgiven.” Indeed, He said that to the crippled man that was let down through a hole in the roof by his friends so Jesus could heal him. (Matthew 9:2) “Take heart, son, your sins are forgiven.” Yes, Jesus could just wave His hands over us and tell us that our sins are forgiven. But He didn’t. And He doesn’t. There are many scriptures in the bible that connect the shedding of blood to the forgiveness for sin, both in the old and the new testaments. You can find them if you look up “blood” in your concordance. And yet there are evidently some Christians who don’t think it was necessary.
This morning, as I listened to one of my favorite pastors speak (Joseph Prince), I thought, “Dying on the cross was a ‘work’ of Christ, not an unfortunate circumstance of His life on earth. It was not just a miscellaneous way for Him to die, not a result of any man’s decision. I believe Jesus chose to die this way because this is what it takes to pay for our sin. This is how horrible our sin is to God. This was necessary. It also is evidence of how much He loves us, isn’t it. I just can’t believe that God would have put Jesus through this, if it wasn’t necessary to re-establish a way for us to live eternally in His presence. The death of Jesus on a cross was not an accomplished work of man! It was a chosen and accomplished work of Christ. He did it for us. He used what was at hand, something we could understand through our flesh, something that involved every one of our physical senses. The impact is great on our human emotions. The cross is horrific to us. And so it must be. Jesus was demeaned, betrayed, tortured, left to bleed from every pore. And He died under the massive burden of our every sin, past, present, and future. He accomplished everything at once to secure our eternal salvation just so we could spend eternity with Him. He wants to be with us in the peace and joy that He often promises in the bible. How serious is this salvation to our lives? Serious enough to cause Jesus to die a terrible death to gain it for us. How serious are we to bring this knowledge to a dying world? Let’s be serious enough to at least contemplate it. Get it square in your heart what Jesus did for you and then tell your friends. That is the beginning of inviting the Holy Spirit to work on behalf of your friends. Jesus is the greatest gift there ever was or ever will be. We call His gift to us Christmas. Christmas is the gift of Christ. God loves to give away His son. I believe He is waiting for us to be those vessels that He will fill with the sweet savor of Christ that will waft out of us to surround our friends and family this Christmas. Glory to the new born King.

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TIME

Posted on July 22, 2011 by Barbara

Reading through the Gospels, I’ve arrived at the book of John in my amplified bible. Verse 1 reads: In the beginning (before all time) was the Word… It reminded me that before God created the world and us, there was no such thing as time! God lives outside our world even now and His context is eternity which does not run on our time. Many of us know from experience that our timing is very different from God’s. Sometimes, we don’t like it. We are seldom aware of why God doesn’t work in our time frame. Anyway, I was thinking about how it would be to live without the pressure of time on every situation.

In the Lord’s prayer, we pray “thy Kingdom come, they will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Doesn’t this prayer ask God to bring His eternity to earth? And doesn’t that include the concept of no time? Can we really experience timeless eternity here on earth? How would that feel?

Our vocabulary is full of time references. We can be early or late or right on time. We say we have deadlines to meet. We say we go around in circles which means that we get no where and we call that a waste of time. In eternity, outside of time, you can go around in circles and no direction will be considered a negative move because eventually, you will end up where you meant to go and you won’t notice how long it took you…neither will anyone else. It’s only when we put our actions into a time context that we consider any of them a problem. Outside of time, there is no retracing of steps, going backwards or losing ground. Romans 8:28 says:  “God works all things to good… “  And we might add “even our mistakes.” Yes, God sees good coming out of every situation. In eternity, I believe everything is good in God’s eyes. Romans 8:1 says: “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Being in Christ is to live in the context of eternity. And in eternity, everything is good in God’s eyes. Imagine everyone always being good and right all the time and at the same time. In our world we strive for this ideal. We call it being true to ourselves, but even so, it doesn’t always lead to harmony. In eternity there is no disharmony. In our world there is often a correct sequential order. We assume that growing older leads to wisdom. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t. Without time, order can be one way for you and another me, and there is no judgment on when you get to wisdom or if you get there at all.

We often wonder what we will be doing in eternity. How will be pass the time? Since there is no time there, I think we’ll just be and my guess is that we’ll be happy to just be. Our identity will not be tied up in our accomplishments, or our speed of accomplishment, or if we even accomplish! We probably won’t ask questions like “what have you accomplished today?” We’ll ask, “So, what did you find out about yourself today?” I bet we will be thrilled as we become who God made us to be when He gave us Life initially. To become ourselves will be the highest goal. To actually fit into our eternal destiny will be what we look forward to.

So, to answer the question, can we really experience timeless eternity right here on earth? I think we can. Afterall, we are aiming for eternity, aren’t we? Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, “He has set eternity in the hearts of men.”  That means that we yearn for eternity. What better way to reach eternity already prepared to enjoy it than to let the Lord teach us to live eternally right here, right now? I wish this for each of us. May today be the day that you know the Lord Jesus, be found in Him and with Him in timeless eternity. Amen.

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Posted on May 20, 2011 by Barbara

A pressed flower and calligraphy card by Barbara

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MINIATURE

Posted on May 20, 2011 by Barbara

I woke up this morning immersed in a frightening dream. I was with John and Jeff, my 2 sons, when they were very young and we were actually in a war. I ended up holding John very tight and telling him how much I loved him over and over as he screamed and screamed. When I woke up, I could feel my heart beating so fast. I prayed and asked God to forgive me for not giving my children a firm foundation in Him. My children were in their teens when I got saved and it was beyond me, except to pray, how to help them understand what had happened to me. As I prayed, I saw God holding a tiny earth in the palm of His gigantic hand. 

Is it any wonder some of us are fascinated with miniatures of all kinds? We love little baby ducks. Even baby geese are adorable, although we know they grow into arrogant, unpleasant, at times, adults. Doll houses have entertained little girls for generations. I have a collection of tiny ceramic animals. Models of cities are built to scale just for fun! People knit tiny sterling silver thread sweaters and put them in museums. This fascination must be shared by our heavenly Father, for He made us in His image only we all fit on a globe that can sit in the center of the palm of His hand. This morning, I realized that the chaos of the planet sits in the palm of His hand and He is unaffected by our sunamis. He withstands all our earthquakes and He hasn’t dropped us yet!

When I saw God’s hand holding our planet like a little ball, a peace (shalom) came over me and I knew that truly all is well. My weaknesses and shortcomings are covered by His majesty and gracious strength.

Did you know that I am one of His favorite miniatures? How can I say this? One day when I was talking to Him about the word “favorite,” I said we are taught that we are all your favorites, but in our world, we call our top choice, favorite. The rest are less than. And the Lord reminded me of the Hittites, the Amelikites, the Jebusites, the Israelites, all the “ites” in the bible and said we are His Favor-ites, those upon whom His favor rests. So I can say I am one of His Favorites; we are all His favorite miniatures!

Can you see? Can you hear? God has much to show us and tell us to give us His shalom (peace, completeness, perfection, nothing missing, nothing broken), so we can sail through the choppy waters of our time.

I pray for all us miniatures of God, those who know Him and those who don’t yet know Him to arrive safely at our destination – God’s house…”that we may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of our lives, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple. For in the day of trouble He will keep us safe in His dwelling; He will hide us in the shelter of His tabernacle and set us high upon a rock.” Psalm 27:4-5

SHALOM

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THREAD

Posted on April 24, 2011 by Barbara

At the last meeting of a bible study that I attended, the question came up about the return of Jesus. If so many in the bible thought it imminent, and yet it is 2,000 years later and He still hasn’t returned, why would we think that what is happening in the world would indicate that His return might happen in our lifetime? While my mind raced through all the reasons that our times are different from the past, I read Matthew 10:23 and Jesus totally changed my course of thinking!  Matthew 10:23 says, ”I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of man comes.” I immediately got a picture of a head with a big open mouth. Out of the mouth came another big head with a big mouth and then another and another and another! It was one generation speaking forth the next and the next and the next – born of the Word – Life by the spoken Word. A thread from the great cloud of witnesses of Hebrews 11 all the way through the 12 disciples of the first century church all the way to us today.  This is the unity of men, the oneness of Man, of humanity that so pleases our Lord. This thread connects believers throughout history.  Didn’t God tell the Israelites to tell the stories of what He did for them to their children and their children’s children.  Didn’t God give the Israelites celebrations to remember important milestones like the parting of the Red Sea, the defeat of Haman, the oil that never ran out?  It is important to recount our history with God, to be a thread that weaves God into our history, our story in the world’s history.  To choose to be one with all believers  may be a sacrifice of our individual prominence, but is a reflection of our trust of His great love for us, of the Father’s love for Jesus, that we are the benefactors of the greatest Love ever known.

God longs for children to be one as He and Jesus and Holy Spririt are one. This oneness takes trusting God that He knows where I end and you start.  I am not the keeper of my boundaries.  God is.  It is the answer to “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done…”  Jesus prayed to the Father in John 17:11b, “…so that they may be one as we are one.” And in John 17:23, “May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” In Romans 12, Paul explains what living in the Spirit looks like. In verses 18 and 19 he says, ” If it is possible as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends but leave room for God’s wrath…”  What does verse 18 have to do with verse 19? Forgiveness.

Our choice to forgive is a sign of our faith – faith in God’s active vindication of who we are and the deeds that come out of who He has made us to be. It’s all about how much God loves us. The love that flows out of our hearts is only as great as the love that we are able to receive from God. Do you want true love? Look today, Resurrection Sunday at the cross where God loved you so much that he gave his only begotten Son that if you will believe on Him you will be saved.  Not only did He shed his blood and die on the cross, but He rose from the dead. You have a living God, a God more powerful than any other source of power including death. Jesus did not rise from the dead for His own sake. He did it for you. He did it for me. Lord, the cross is not a pretty picture.  It shows us what You think of our straying from your ways, our sins are deadly.  We thank you for doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.  You save us from eternal death and give us eternal life in Your presence.  There is no repaying You for such a generous gift.  We receive it as a little child, no questions asked, just a heart full of joy.   Now, Lord, thread us through to our next appointment.  Amen.

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BAY OF PIGS

Posted on April 17, 2011 by Barbara

I was reading Matthew 8:28-34 (also Mark 5:1-20, Luke 8:26-39) about the demonic spirits that Jesus sent into the pigs who ran into the sea and drowned. Then the town’s people all met Jesus and begged him to leave. So, no, this is not really about the Bay of Pigs as we know it, but about the first bay full of pigs, 2,000 of them, that ran into the sea and drowned. What is this story about? Resistance to change? Not recognizing the Savior? Where did the demons go when the pigs died? Why wasn’t everyone happy that the possessed men were delivered? I have heard it said that this was about the loss of livelihood. This I can understand. In such a situation, the next question is “what do I do now to make a living?” There is anxiety at the loss. There is fear of the future, the unknown. In our panic, we forget to notice that Jesus is waiting right there to give us the answer. Because He loves us, He has something so much better than what we just lost – He wants to replace our self-reliance with reliance on Him. Haven’t I been there so many times? I’ve missed this precious point of teaching. I’ve missed this point of gaining new Life, a new idea, a new perspective, the Lord’s perspective, the perspective of the Creator of creators. Lord, remove our fear and give us faith to stop and ask.  Break the cycle of reverting back to what we know and help us to hunger for the new.

But this story is not only about getting guidance. It’s about how Jesus used the pigs to set the men free. It reminds us that the world and everything in it was made by God for our benefit. Us humans are at the top in the eyes of God. Jesus let the pigs die, all 2,000 of them, so that 2 men would be set free from demonic possession and oppression. How valuable were they to Him? For the answer, just look at the reaction of those who lost their pigs. They asked Jesus to leave them alone because Jesus had just destroyed all they thought they had. Doesn’t that make you feel special? You are worth more than the wealth of the world! You know, God made everything. He can make it again. We need to ask Him to replace our fear with His faith. He wants us to ask Him for everything and anything that we desire. If we do, He will teach us how to be people who are able to receive all the treasures that He has in the storehouse for us. We need to let Him love us!

My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

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The Power of One!

Posted on April 7, 2011 by Barbara

The power of one…isn’t that a TV commercial? It makes me think about all the stuff that is happening in our world today, like the one-world government we are aiming at, the emphasis on letting the United Nations rule over sovereign states, and the opening of borders which confuses the rights of citizens and aliens.   The present leaders of our world are looking for a unified human race, claiming the power available in unity. I call this the “power of one.” It’s a very attractive concept – brotherhood among all races – finally! But then there already is a place where the “power of one” is still and always has been and will be active, and that’s the Kingdom of God. This other emerging and growing trend on earth is the counterfeit that will lead a great many people away from God and Truth. 

God is 3 in 1. He is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. He has always been 1God yet 3 in 1. His power is umpteen times more powerful than a united human race could hope to be.  God, who is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit can actually take everything that has ever happened to you – good, bad, indifferent – and use it for your very best life. Nothing is wasted. Everything is useful to Him for a good outcome for you. Nothing is left over and you will not have to tie up any loose ends.

You might say that ”good” is all inclusive just like the color white is the inclusion of all color and black is the absence of the same. White noise satisfies our hearing so that other noises won’t distract or wake us up.  So, if “good” is all-inclusive, could we say that evil is all-exclusive? or say, divisive? Colossians 1:17 says, “He (the Son) is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”  Therefore, not only is “good” all-inclusive, but it is adhesive. Your whole life’s experience is necessary to complete you into the person that God created you to be.

Because of this, we can give thanks in all circumstances ( I Thessalonians 5:18), because God uses everything to enhance your life. No more mourning the past, no more what ifs or if onlys. Just many thanks for what God can do with it all for our benefit. I Thessalonians 5:16 says: “Be joyful always.” It probably should say, “Be joyful always, God is at work for you…”  This joy will keep your mind and heart at rest, trusting God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit to work it all to “good” for you. (Romans 8:28)

In Ephesians 4:4, it says:  “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit – just as you were called to one hope when you were called – one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”  This unity is the true power.

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The Imagination Authority

Posted on March 25, 2011 by Barbara

I had a dream last night. I was with Ann who runs the bookstore in Old Salem, NC, where I sell my FLOWERGIRLS cards. I was to address a group of people with some message that I wasn’t aware of and someone very important was to be in attendance. Ann briefed me just before I was to go on. There I was looking at a huge gathering of people all cheerful in the sunshine. I couldn’t see the end to the people in all directions as Ann told me that the person who was with us was the “Imagination Authority.” Then, I woke up! Isn’t that always the way? You wake up just when you are about to find out what it is all about. As I pondered my dream, I was intrigued by the title “Imagination Authority.” The only person I could think of who fit that description was the Lord. Imagination, to me, is like seeing a blue bird fly by – you don’t see the bird, just a flash of that incredible blue. It’s like butterflies. They move so quickly, you can’t really see their beautiful wings unless you catch one busy sipping nectar, oblivious to your presence. It’s like a dream, if I don’t wake up at just the right moment, I don’t remember it and may never retrieve it from all the thoughts that simply pass through my brain. To be the “Imagination Authority,” the expert, or is it the author of it, how big does your mind have to be? Why, only the mind of Christ could possibly know the thoughts of as many people as were in that audience all at once, maybe the thoughts of everyone in the world and in heaven all at once, and yet the bible tells us that we have the mind of Christ! (I Corinthians 2:16) We have an entry into a limitless mind! Oh to be able to tap into that endless imagination whenever I feel like it. All the creativity that we each demonstrate added together and then continually added to forever, that’s the mind of Christ, and it never ends! I want to be empty enough to always be able to reach into Jesus’ mind for how to solve, how to do, how to speak, how to repond, how to move forward creatively, in the very best and maybe even new way. That’s the promise of the Kingdom! We will always choose exactly rightly so that the Kingdom is fostered and enhanced always, every which way. Jesus, let us sit still enough for You to embellish our minds, for you to equip us to imagine as only You are able to do. Enrich our world, stir our hearts to exploits that originate and end with You. In Your name we pray, amen.

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BELIEVE Flowergirl design

Posted on March 15, 2011 by Barbara

A walk with God starts with believing

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Bloom Like Flowers

Posted on March 15, 2011 by Barbara

Today, I was thinking about how pleasing flowers must be to God. When I look at a flower, especially when I can watch it unfurl and bloom, I see how I would be if I truly believed all that God has promised. Flowers bloom without anyone around to watch. They smile in the sunshine and under dark clouds. They don’t question their worth. If they get stepped on, they just wait till it’s time to bloom again. A daffodil never asked to be a tulip. I suppose you could say this about most of creation. Maybe God put it all here to show us what faith looks like. Talking about faith, one of my favorite scriptures is Mark 11:24 which says in the New International Version of the bible: Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

I recently learned that in the Hebrew language and in the Greek there is no future tense. Now that really suprised me. Robert Young translated a bible in the 1800s that is called Young’s Literal Translation and it uses only the past and present tenses. If I take the future tense out of Mark 11:24, it says: Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it IS yours. This doesn’t mean that what I asked for will show up in the moment, but if I can experience what it is like to have it, then I can more easily wait for it to arrive. Try this. It changes your perspective in every scripture that you replace the futue with the present. And don’t you think, the people who speak Hebrew and Greek as their native tongues must think differently than we do? They automatically feel like they are what they want to be before they become it. As Joseph Prince says, this is the language of faith. Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see, according to Hebrews 11:1. I want to learn to speak the language of faith. I want to remember to proclaim what God puts on my heart with a full expectation of it emerging. Flowers are beautiful to behold. They are confident in their beauty. When we plant that seed, we already know what it will look like when it blooms. Can we not expect the same of ourselves? We are God’s seeds. He planted us with a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29) that He could see before we were born. Let’s bloom like flowers.

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