10 MINUS 9 UNGRATEFUL LEPERS

10 MINUS 9 UNGRATEFUL LEPERS

As Jesus was entering a village,

He met 10 lepers quite noxious

They stood at a distance and called out loudly,

“Jesus, Master, have pity on us!

Jesus felt deep compassion for them,

Go show yourselves to the priest, he said.

As they went, they were all ten cleansed,

Their disease could no longer spread.

The men were surely elated.

Tho' they should be filled with gratitude,

Only one remembered their healer,

Nine had an ungrateful attitude.

One man cleansed of his leprosy,

Returned with a heart full of praise.

He was a lowly but grateful Samaritan,

Who was thankful in many ways.

Jesus asked, “Weren’t ten men cleansed?

Where are the other nine, pray tell?

Was no one grateful but this foreigner?”

Jesus told him his faith made him well.

People back then and people now,

Forget people who helped them most.

They enjoy the good that was done for them,

But show the thanks of a bedpost.

Becky Wall

PROFOUND FORGIVENESS

PROFOUND FORGIVENESS

King Hezekiah was Manasseh’s father,

The son would wear his ring.

When Manasseh was only 12 years old,

He became Judah’s new king.

His father had been a good king,

So 15 years was added to his life.

But Manasseh went the way of Ahab,

Causing God much anger and strife.

He rebuilt the idols his father destroyed,

And altars to Baal were built.

He built a pole named after a goddess,

Toward the Lord he harbored no guilt.

He worshiped the starry hosts,

Along with his evil cohorts.

Defying the Lord, he built altars to the stars,

In the sacred temple’s two courts.

He sacrificed his own son in the fire,

Such evil one cannot comprehend,

He led Judah into sin like never before,

And filled Jerusalem with blood end to end.

Against Hebrew laws, he sought omens,

Consulted mediums and practiced divination.

He gathered advice from everyone but God,

He was a kingly abomination.

The Lord was profoundly angry at Manasseh,

So, he sent his way troubles and woes.

The King of Assyria took Manasseh prisoner,

Bound him up and put a hook in his nose,

He was taken prisoner to Babylon,

In his distress he sought favor from the Lord,

He humbled himself and prayed.

Guilt feelings from his mouth must have poured

The Lord was moved by his prayer,

And had Manasseh returned to Judah.

He then knew the God of his ancestors,

Was his one and only God too.

Manasseh rebuilt the wall of Jerusalem.

He even made it much higher.

He tried to make amends for his sins,

But his reputation remained in the mire.

His sins remained in Judah’s kings’ journals,

Recorded no matter how ruthless.

But the evil king’s sincere repentance,

Won him profound forgiveness.

We may think forgiveness is one thing,

But why give him clemency?

His evil cannot be undone,

But neither can God’s grace and mercy.

Becky Wall

 

 

JOHN THE BAPTIST

 

JOHN THE BAPTIST

John the Baptist preached in the Desert,

"Repent, for heaven is near."

He baptized the people who repented;

They came from all over to hear.

People sought out John from Judea,

From Jordan and Jerusalem.

There at the Jordan River,

Crowds repented and were baptized by him.

John was a cousin to Jesus.

God chose him to prepare the way,

For Jesus to enter His ministry;

John was bold in what he would say.

John's clothes were made of camel's hair;

He didn’t work a job to earn money.

A leather belt was around his waist.

And his food was locusts and honey.

The prophet Isaiah called John:

"The voice of one calling in the desert,”

John called men to repent, be baptized,

His ministry was intentionally overt.

John saw Pharisees and Sadducees coming,

Where people got their spiritual bath,

He yelled, "You brood of vipers!

Who warned you of the coming wrath?”

“Do not think you can say to yourselves,

'We have Abraham as our father.'

I tell you that out of these stones,

God can raise up children,” so don’t bother."

“Bear fruit in keeping with repentance,

For if a tree doesn’t bear good fruit,

It will be cut down and thrown in the fire;

The axe is already at the root.”

"I baptize with water for repentance.”

“But One whose power is much higher,

Whose sandals I am not fit to carry,

Will baptize with the Spirit and fire.”

“His winnowing fork is in His hand,

And He’ll clear His threshing floor.

He will gather His wheat into the barn,

And the chaff will burn evermore."

Becky Wall

THE EYES OF YOUR HEART

THE EYES OF YOUR HEART

(Ephesians 1:18, Psalm 139:12, Hebrews 11:1)

What do you see with the eyes of your heart?

Is your vision made strong by belief?

Do you see what cannot be seen?

Have your conscience and soul found relief?

Faith is assurance in what we hope for,

The evidence of things not seen.

The earth was created from nothing,

Christ coming even then was foreseen.

But some have a spirit of stupor,

With eyes that cannot see.

They have ears that cannot hear,

And still think of themselves as free.

The worldly sights which they enjoy,

Won't reveal the evil not seen.

Few know the danger 'til it's too late.

It festers quickly, much like gangrene.

But if they let a little Light shine,

And enlighten the eyes of their heart,

The darkness will be as light to them,

And they won’t want the Light to part.

The world was dark and evil.

When The Lord seemed to leave you behind.

You may have had eyesight back then.

But the eyes of your heart were blind.

The Pioneer and Perfecter of faith,

In the eyes of your heart will abide.

If you fix your eyes upon Jesus,

Then you will be cross-eyed.

Becky Wall

Ephesians 1:18

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people...

Psalm 139:12

... even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 

THE SHEEP AND THE GOATS

THE SHEEP AND THE GOATS

When Jesus comes with His angels,

And takes a seat on His glorious throne,

Where all nations are gathered around,

We certainly won’t be alone.

For we all face the final Judgment --

And we all hope to wear a white robe,

Garments that were made as white as snow.

For those selected from all over the globe.

Sheep on the right, goats on the left.

Each will get what they earned,

The sheep took good care of Jesus,

By the goats our Savior was spurned.

Are you on the left or the right?

Are you a sheep or a goat?

Will you one day wear a black cape,

Or a bright-white, bridal coat?

Becky Wall

Revelation 19:14: When Christ returns as King, His heavenly armies follow Him: "And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses."

Revelation 19:7–8: At the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, the Bride is permitted to wear fine linen: "And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints."

Revelation 7:9: "...a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands..."

Revelation 7:13–14: When asked who they are, an elder explains: "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."

LEFT IN THE DARK

 

LEFT IN THE DARK

Acts 12

King Herod arrested some Christians,

That no longer worshiped as a Jew.

James, John’s brother, was killed with a sword,

Then Peter was arrested too.

It was during a Jewish festival,

The Festival of Unleavened Bread.

Tho’ The bread itself contained no yeast,

Vile yeast spread ‘til many were dead:

John the Baptist was beheaded,

And John’s brother with a sword.

Peter was scheduled next to be killed,

After Passover, set by the Lord.

The Passover protected God’s people,

By lamb’s blood put on the doorframe.

Then Jesus became the sacrificial Lamb,

They should now all worship His name.

Yet Peter found himself in jail,

Four guards in four groups kept him there.

Two were chained on each side of him;

They guarded him sleeping bare.

It was Passover repetition --

No sandals and no cloak at his waist.

The same items that had long been required,

Were again to be grabbed in haste.

An angel with a mission and a message

Appeared to Peter that night.

The heavy chains fell from his wrists,

Before his miraculous flight.

He made it past all the guards,

Then a locked iron gate did appear.

The gate opened up on its own,

And freedom was finally near.

Peter thought he was living a vision.

The experience was so surreal.

It wasn’t until he passed through the gate,

That his mind began to heal.

Once they got past the iron gate,

And traveled about a block,

The angel left Peter’s side,

And reality brought a shock.

He went to the home of a woman named Mary,

The mother of a man named John Mark.

He banged on the door and also called out,

But he was left in the dark.

When Rhoda, a servant girl, heard his voice,

She was shocked at his voice so stark,

She absent-mindedly ran to tell others,

And left him outside in the dark.

They had been in the house all day to pray,

And argued how this could be.

They knew that God answers prayers,

Yet didn't open the door to see.

Peter just kept on knocking,

And surely was looking around.

For he was an escaped prisoner,

Who a few minutes ago was bound.

When the door was finally opened,

And he rushed in the house, he was pale.

He motioned for them to be quiet,

While he told them what happened in jail.

The guards at the jail were questioned,

And further interrogated,

But since they had no answers,

To a sudden death they were fated.

— Becky Wall

JESUS TAKES A WALK ON THE WATER

                                       

             

JESUS TAKES A WALK ON THE WATER

Mark 6:45-52

Jesus had fed the thousands,

His miracles could not be denied,

He used just a few loaves and fish,

And the fish were not even fried.

His disciples were sent to Bethsaida,

And when the crowd had gone away,

Christ needed to talk to His Father alone,

So, He went to a mountainside to pray.

Later that night He noticed,

The disciples still rowing on the lake.

They were fighting the wind and the oars,

While thinking the trip was a mistake.

Christ waited ‘til just before dawn,

To walk the lake to the other side.

When He was about to pass them by,

The disciples were terrified.

They thought they were seeing a ghost,

In fear, they began to cry out.

Jesus said, “It is I, have courage.”

He wasn’t a ghost, no doubt.

They were shocked when He climbed in the boat,

And the wind and waves died down.

That proved He was truly the Son of God,

So they continued their trip to town.

They continued to struggle with parables,

And neither miracle could be seen as a trick.

They had witnessed so much already,

But their belief in the Son didn’t stick.

The disciples had so much to learn.

God’s presence they could not conceive.

The Holy Spirit was not present in them,

Their hearts were too hard to believe.

Becky Wall

 

FROM CRUMBS TO A SEAT AT THE TABLE

 

FROM CRUMBS TO A SEAT AT THE TABLE

Jesus is God but still human,

I’ll go to a quiet village, he thought.

He went to the Gentile city of Tyre,

Where He hoped He wouldn’t be sought.

His presence could not stay a secret;

A Greek woman fell at His feet.

Her little girl was demon possessed,

At Christ’s table the mom had no seat.

She had heard many truths about Jesus,

And believed every wonder she heard.

She knew He could heal her daughter;

Her faith was shown with each word.

Tho’ Jesus spoke in symbols;

She understood just what He said.

"Let my people eat all they want;

For, I AM their bread."

Christ continued, "It isn’t right,

To take God’s children’s bread,

And toss it to ones not family,"

Tho' a bounty for them lie ahead.

The mother said with certainty.

"Even the puppies under the table,

Can eat the children’s crumbs."

Tho' Gentiles at the time were unable.

Then Jesus turned and said to her,

You may go for such a reply.

The demon has left your daughter.

Such faith I cannot deny.

Jesus honored her when He said:

There’s no longer a demon to fear.

She found her daughter lying in bed;

And the acceptance of Gentiles was near.

They no longer had to live off the crumbs;

Christ had welcomed them into the fold.

They could now dine at the Hebrews’ table,

As prophecy long ago foretold.

Becky Wall

WHAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS LIKE

 

WHAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS LIKE

The Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed,

The smallest seed on earth.

But it becomes the garden’s largest plant.

Once that tiny seed gives birth.

The disciples listened to the parables,

And were often confused or bored,

But Jesus told them the meanings,

So the stories would not be ignored.

The hidden meanings were hard to grasp.

Without the Holy Spirit.

Tho’ the Spirit worked through them at times,

Their insight had its limit.

But then came the Day of Pentecost,

Ten days after the ascension.

There was the sound of a rushing wind;

Tongues of flames got the people’s attention.

The Spirit flamed on everyone present;

No doubt Jesus was God’s Son.

Peter spelled out the facts to the people,

Who realized what horrors had been done.

What can we do to be saved, they asked;

The whole crowd was deeply riven.

Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus;

And your sins will be forgiven.

You will receive a heavenly gift,

In the third person of God.

He will abide inside of you,

As along life’s rough road you trod.

The Holy Spirit is that gift;

He will help you know bad from good.

And will help you understand God’s Word,

As you never thought you could.

The disciples got sudden understanding,

The parables began to renew.

After baptizing 3,000 people in Christ,

They understood how the mustard seed grew.

Becky Wall

RICH AND WITHOUT A CARE

RICH AND WITHOUT A CARE

A certain rich farmer produced a good crop,

But lack of storage made him frown.

I know what I’ll do, he exclaimed with glee.

I’ll tear all my full barns down.

To an average farmer this makes no sense,

But this rich man was full of greed.

I’ll build bigger barns, he said to himself;

I won’t then give up any seed.

New barns were built and the old torn down,

So, he could eat, drink and be merry.

He was ready to sit back and take life easy,

His troubles in life he would bury.

But God was angry with him for his greed,

And his lack of concern for the poor.

He said to the farmer, “You wicked fool!

You'll soon get what you prepared for."

That night he died and found no joy,

In worldly riches he left behind,

As will be for ones not rich toward God,

With no generous thoughts in mind.

Don’t become like the farmer and others,

Who hoard treasures and all they own.

In their minds, the Lord doesn’t matter,

They think of themselves alone.

Becky Wall

ZACCHAEUS: UP A TREE IN LIFE

 

ZACCHAEUS: UP A TREE IN LIFE

Zacchaeus had a heart for the Lord;

He felt lonely and spiritually lost.

He hungered to know more about Jesus,

Not caring about the cost.

The short, wealthy, hated tax collector,

Many witnessed as he climbed a tree

He tossed status and dignity to the wind;

It was Jesus he wanted to see.

Jesus saw him up in the tree

And insisted he come right down

For He was going to his house that day.

The news surely spread around town.

Zacchaeus longed to please Jesus.

By giving half his goods to the poor,

He would repay anyone he had cheated.

He would even pay four times more.

The people began to mutter;

He’s going to be the guest of a sinner.

They were disgusted and let it be known,

As the two traveled home to dinner.

Salvation has come to this house, Jesus said.

I came just to seek this man out.

Like you, he’s a son of Abraham,

With those words, He left no doubt.

Zacchaeus was ecstatic;

His tears he could hardly contain.

For he had dinner with the Son of God,

Why him, he couldn’t explain.

Becky Wall

THE GOOD SAMARITAN

 

THE GOOD SAMARITAN

And the not-so-good Priest and Levite

Jesus told a parable to a lawyer,

Who asked who is a person’s neighbor.

The expert was trying to trap Jesus,

He was picky in whom he found favor.

In the story a man took a trip down a road,

From Jerusalem to Jericho ahead.

Robbers appeared and tore off his clothes,

Beat him up and left him half dead.

A priest saw the man hanging to life,

And crossed to the other side.

Later a Levite did the same;

Neither cared if the beaten man died.

A Samaritan man then came to that place,

The injured man lay dying by then.

The lowly Samaritan dressed his wounds,

And paid for a room at the inn.

Jesus finished the parable and asked,

Which was a neighbor in the story.

The expert muttered, “The one who showed mercy,”

The correct answer in this allegory.

Christ told the expert to go and do likewise;

In other words, do the same deed.

The moral to the story is the religious men sinned;

They did nothing for one in need.

Becky Wall

Matthew 23:15
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are."

James 2:15-16
"Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?" Think of this person as a neighbor.

CONCEIT - FULL OF YOURSELF

CONCEIT - FULL OF YOURSELF

Matthew 23:12
For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Galatians 6:3-4
3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. 4 Each one should test their own actions.

Ephesians 4:17
This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

Philippians 2:3
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,

Jude 1:16

These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.

Psalm 10:7
His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.

Psalm 12:2
They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.

Psalm 36:2

In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to detect or hate their sin.

Job 32:1
So these three men stopped answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. (But, in fact, Job was righteous.)

Proverbs 26:5
Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.

Proverbs 26:16
A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven people who answer discreetly.

II Cor. 10:8 - "For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends."

THE MYSTERY OF WHO IS KILLING THE CHURCH

THE MYSTERY OF WHO IS KILLING THE CHURCH

Don't let the first few lines throw you. The killer is telling the story.

People are killing Christ's church. Their so-called righteous teachings and actions have caused it to decay. Never fear, the case has been solved, thanks to me, Will Hinder. Just help me restrain the preacher. The man has such nerve. His out-of-touch sermons against abortion, homosexuality, and gambling are never politically or socially correct, and he doesn't even care. He must be silenced. He speaks for the Mastermind, Who I have yet to accept. His words are a double-edged sword, and they strike at the heart. Yes, the preacher has the church's demise on his mind. Nothing short of our sacrifice will shut him up. Is it any wonder the church is dying?!

His accomplice is Earnest Elder. He's always after my wallet. He spouts off scriptures on tithing knowing I can't afford to give until I get my new boat paid off. I guess I'll slap my money down on the offering plate. Give! Give! Give! Who else would be willing to make such a sacrifice?

Then there is Ima Babylover. I am so tired of her pathetic pro-life leaflets and gory brochures. People should be protected from seeing graphic pictures of bloody and dismembered babies. And her letters to the editor make me so irate and ashamed. Doesn't she know God gives us the right of "choice." You'd think she was fighting a war but, in fact, it is she who is killing us.

And what about Tru Lee Kare. He's so judgmental. He thinks the gay lifestyle could hurt the church or his family or even gays themselves. They deserve the right to adopt kids. Where in heaven did that old-fashioned definition of family come from, anyway? Children should be taught to accept homosexuality as an alternative lifestyle. If the church won't teach it, then the schools should. Gays can't help themselves; they were born with their weaknesses, just like abusers, alcoholics, and pedophiles. A lot of gays are dying with AIDS, but is True Lee concerned? Does True Lee have compassion? Noooooo! He just keeps talking about repentance, mercy, and some big, long word called "sanctification." He's destroying us!

Bea Callin must be stopped, also. She tries to get people to do church work when they don't have time, or that they don't want to do. Just let me get ready to walk out the door to go to a sports event, and she phones. By the time I explain to her the reasons why I can't help with VBS or visit the sick or whatever, I'm running late. She turns me off. How can she get any help that way; it's overkill!

This concludes my investigation; I know who is killing Christ's church. It's those pushy, intolerant, self-righteous, politically and socially incorrect bigots and homophobes sitting in their pews Sunday after Sunday praying for our country, arrogantly thinking they have the answer. Well, I, for one, am doing my part to save the church. Not only will I withhold my tithes, but I plan to shut these people down. I'll make sure everyone knows to avoid them. What's that you say--Destroyer? Save your praise. I know they will seek to ruin me, but somebody's got to do it. Will Hinder

Epilogue: Will himself seeks to hinder or even destroy the church while promoting his own worldly views. He thinks everyone should think like him; never mind what the Bible says.

Becky Wall

MY JOURNEY WITH JESUS

MY JOURNEY WITH JESUS

What I Learned Along the Way

Credit goes to Brett Minor for the picture

We “big” kids would take walking trips around the town of West Frankfort IL where we were living at the time. We were very young and Mom was sometimes unaware of the places we were touring. And yet it was one of those trips that helped shape my life. One day the “big kids,” or the oldest siblings, started walking down railroad tracks that run through the town. There were few houses on either side of the tracks at that time. From time to time we would see piles beside the tracks where people would dump trash. We would go through them to see if we could find anything interesting. I’ve always loved books, so I latched onto one that I found in one of the heaps. It happened to be a book with testimonies of remarkable things that had happened to Christians, things that could only be explained as God’s intervention into their lives. There was story after story and they were quite moving. I knew then that’s what I wanted for my life – God watching over me and my family. Ironically, or maybe by God’s design, I would one day write my own testimony of how God intervened in our lives. See my post https://beckyowall.blogspot.com/2012/03/the-overturf-familys-easter-day-car.html

My view of people from other denominations drastically changed when I joined the right-to-life movement in the mid-70’s. When we women united for the cause of defending the unborn, the women there were the cream of the crop from area churches. They were devout and knowledgeable. They were loving and caring. We could discuss religion without the discussion ever becoming heated. We were united on the one issue, and it brought us closer as Christians. I saw that they were serving the Lord to the best of their knowledge and belief, just as I was. The cause of abortion had united us, but the good that came of it was that we were able to share and compare beliefs in a loving setting. I longed for that to occur more often throughout the community of churches, but under better circumstances. On the other hand, if you multiply my experience with that of other people in other towns and cities, perhaps God is taking this evil and extracting more good than what I realize.

We learn from other people's mistakes. Had they not made those mistakes, we might be making the same ones. In other words, most of us who sit in judgment of those who made mistakes are no better than they -- just luckier.

I believe one of the greatest sins a church can commit is to split. It is akin to divorce. Both division and divorce are devastating to the parties involved and for many others who are caught up in the ripple effect. A church, meaning the people, should throw all their energies into making things work. The church is like a family. They should exhaust every avenue of reconciliation. God hates division. The one who is guilty of causing the split--even if it is to force the other wing to separate itself from the unacceptable actions or attitudes of their own wing--is not just causing a separation in the church family; that wing is separating itself from God.

A PERSONAL REFLECTION ABOUT DEPRESSION: Make depression and anxiety work for you: Pour your emotions into an art form such as singing, playing an instrument, writing, sculpting, etc., or if you’re into sports, give it your all. An art form without emotions poured into it is like the difference between creative writing and a newspaper article. Persons with ADHD may have bouts of depression while dealing with their unwanted behaviors, especially as a child, but they have excess energy and emotions and therefore when they become adults, they become hard workers and they fit right in with the teenagers. They have the energy to lead teenagers while the rest of us have lost energy. People who have had bouts of depression are more empathetic to others who are going through a phase of depression. Sometimes just talking it out makes a big difference. People who have had situational depression are better equipped to handle a future situation because they have been through a storm or storms and realize the sun will shine again. They actually become stronger. Self-discipline is needed in order to be an overcomer of depression or anxiety. "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize" I Corinthians 9:24-27, NIV. Focus on serving others and give it your all. "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might..." Eccl. 9:10a.

When a person you should love but don’t dies, you are left with a clear picture of what a wonderful person the deceased really was. The devil ceases to whisper lies in your ear about that person. You realize you wasted precious moments and robbed yourself of a close relationship with that person because you focused on the negative and believed the father of lies. You grieve all the more not only because of the lost time with the person before the death, but because you are left with such a burden of guilt. Better to see that person through God’s eyes before his or her time on earth is done. And then maybe the same will be done for you before you pass away.

One cannot trust advice from a person whose morals are weak. Only those who wish to follow the same path as the morally weak person giving advice would seek that person’s advice and they would do so in order to validate their own behavior (or misbehavior).

Choice: We can all make our own choices. We are free to do so spiritually and in everyday life. But with wrong choices come consequences and some of them are severe and last a lifetime. When you choose your fun, choose well, keeping in mind that a few minutes or a few hours of the wrong kind of fun can lead to life-altering consequences along with a lifetime of shame, guilt and/or sorrow. Those life-altering consequences have a ripple effect of grief throughout the family and friends.

 
Our mistakes or sins, as painful as they may be when the consequences set in, are what bring us into a closer relationship with Christ. It is through our bad choices that we hopefully become remorseful, repentant and dependent on Him. Take responsibility for your sins and ask for God's guidance, grace and mercy. You will be forever grateful you did.

A person cannot be transparent when that person is cloaked in deceit. Honesty is found in transparency.

There is a fine line between being a private person and hiding a secret life.

He who believes his own lies is not honest. "He who is evil in little is evil in much." KJV

Behind every sin is a lie believed. --Prof. Albert McGee, St. Louis Christian College

Too many times when teenagers (and others) are seeking happiness, they make decisions that cause life-altering situations and they get grief instead. Happiness comes in avoiding situations that could bring grief and the result will be peace and contentment instead of an artificial happiness or temporary high that brings profound unhappiness.

We were not put on earth to see how much happiness we can find. Life isn't about us as individuals. We were put here to put others ahead of ourselves, God being at the top of the list. We are expected to approach each situation with honesty, integrity and responsibility and we are to treat each person with love. I personally find no greater joy than when I think I have done something that pleased God. But then I have to battle losing my humility. I want to tell the world I pleased God. I want to shout it from the rooftops. But God prefers that my left hand doesn't know what my right hand is doing instead of using either hand to pat myself on the back.

God works in mysterious ways. Never believe that you are insignificant in God's sight because you are poor and unknown. God may be working through your circumstances. Bringing someone into an eternal life with Jesus is way more important than money, popularity or power. "Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." James 5:20 What a powerful experience.

IS THE CHURCH A CONGREGATION OF LOVING PEOPLE OR A BUSINESS?
To begin with, this nation is embattled in a spiritual war and we are not prepared. We don’t read our Bibles enough, we don’t pray enough, we are not vocal enough, we are not active enough and we are timid. We’ve got to do better if we are going to save this nation and please God. We have allowed the murders of millions upon millions of babies over the years, 1/3 OF THE population since 1973; 50% of all marriages end in divorce; marriage is no longer defined as between a man and a woman; people are changing their genders; God is being taken out of the public eye; church people are being killed not only in other countries but too often right here in the U.S.A; corruption is taking over government and business. And so continues "the silence of the lambs." Church people have lost their way. Churches are run like businesses with business people in charge. They are too often entertainment oriented and are less like a family of caring people. The leaders are often arrogant and full of their own ego and some of them are sinning behind the scenes, using their position in the church to feed their sin. Too many children are being molested by church members or leaders. We no longer know who to trust because the pedophiles blend in so well. We need to pray for wisdom and discernment in rooting these people out using the method outlined for us in I Corinthians 5:9-13: "I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11 But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. 12 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13 God will judge those outside. Expel the wicked person from among you." Using that wisdom and discernment, let's treat each church member like a family member since, in fact, we are all brothers and sisters in the family of God. See also II Thess. 3:14-15

Weeds and Church Problems
Every year church problems seem to vary. They are much like the weeds in my flower garden. After pulling weeds in my yard for over 20 years now, I have come to realize that each year a different kind of weed invades the yard and tries to take over.­ Sometimes it is tricky to pull the weeds without hurting the flowers.­ Other times it is impossible. I always think of weeds as the tares or chaff in the parables Jesus taught. ­Some were left to grow with the wheat, then were harvested along with the wheat, but were separated from the wheat by the wind.­ Others were thrown into the fire.­ The weeds in the parables represent the anti-Christ, or the unbelievers.­ Like the weeds in my flower garden, the "weeds" in the church are the problems caused by divisive people, people who are using the church for their own gain, those who are trying to lure people away from the church, etc. ­Every year we must deal with a different kind­ of problem.­ Weeds never go away; each year just brings a new variety of problems. Like the weeds, the problems will never leave us.­ When one is gone, another will take its place.­ We must never grow weary in getting "to the root" of the problems so that they are eradicated, never to return, because we sure don't need those problems in addition to the next batch that is sure to come.

It is a paradox that it is when we are disciplined, we are the most free, but when we become “carefree,” we become a slave to our sins. I know that this principle is true because I have seen it too many times to doubt it. To be free in Christ is to be free indeed!

I see so much poor-bashing on facebook; it breaks my heart. Not everyone who is poor is a lazy moocher. Working to make money is much more desirable than not having enough to eat, little to wear, broken-down necessities, feeling low class, and being depressed. Hundreds of applicants apply for the same job. They have no father to hand them a job on a silver platter. They may get a job but are paid oppressive wages and have no insurance or retirement benefits. Then when they draw social security, it is the lowest amount. Many are disabled or must stay home to care for a disabled person. Successful employers who gripe about those on welfare need to ask themselves if they are paying their workers fair wages or are they oppressing them. There are two sides to this story. Not all poor are the evil people they are made out to be. I am shocked every time I see or hear a Christian bashing all poor people considering the hundreds of verses in the Bible addressing that issue. Yes, I am aware of the story in the Bible about the sluggard and the ant. That story is the true side of the issue of lazy moochers who refuse to work. They are poor because they are lazy. They choose laziness over bettering themselves and supporting their families. They are the ones who need to be booted off of welfare. But then where does that leave the wife and children? God has little to say about the lazy but he has a lot to say about the poor and those who oppress the poor. If you are interested in those scriptures, let me know. I have about 4 pages ready to copy and paste.

It doesn't look good for Iraq at the "apocalypse" because Babylon is now Iraq. Christians are being killed and beheaded in that country. Those who are not Christians in other countries will not be spared torment either. It is hard for me to read Revelation because I fear now is the fear I will feel in those days if I am still alive, and I fear for the salvation of loved ones who either don't have a relationship with Jesus or are lukewarm. Then I ask myself if I am lukewarm. Am I just going through the motions of Christianity and is my heart in it as fully as it should be? I know the devil has tried to crush my faith and spirit many times and so far I have stood firm but a lot of the fire I once had is gone. Some of that also has to do with age and health problems -- or do I just use that as an excuse. This is what wars within me.

When a person cheats on their spouse, that person not only cheats on their mate, they cheat on the whole family, on both sides, many of their friends, the church people and God.

Where there's a will, there's a way -- as long as it is God's will and God's way.

As high as you can rise, you can fall. Stay humble.

Satan is not only the father of lies but is also the author of hate.

THREE-PART STORY OF JOSEPH

 

THREE-PART STORY OF JOSEPH

 

 DAD ALWAYS LIKED YOU BEST

(Genesis 37)

Joseph had many brothers.

Ten had a different mother,

But Rachel, the dad’s favorite wife,

Bore Joseph and Benjamin, his brother.

The ten other brothers were jealous,

Of the sons of the favorite wife.

They especially disliked Joseph;

They pondered how to take his life.

Joseph’s father had given to him,

A special, colorful coat.

The brothers angrily noticed how,

On Joseph their father would dote.

Joseph began to dream vivid dreams,

In which he ruled his brothers.

They were mad that he thought he was special,

Just because they had different mothers.

So, while the brothers were working the field,

They began to devise a plan.

With Joseph’s demise in mind,

They plotted how to lessen their clan.

But Judah, the oldest brother,

Became somewhat sad.

He convinced the other brothers,

Not to harm the lad.

After taking Joseph’s coat,

They threw him in a dry well.

When travelers offered to buy him,

The brothers agreed to sell.

They got twenty pieces of silver,

It wasn’t exactly a wad.

Another man would be sold one day,

And He’d be the Son of God.

EVERY SILVER LINING HAS A CLOUD

(Genesis 39)

Joseph’s life took a positive turn,

While working as Potiphar’s slave.

He won the respect of his master,

For the faithful service he gave.

But his silver lining still had a cloud,

For eventually things got worse.

His master’s wife told a lie on him,

Then at Joseph her husband would curse.

She said he forced himself on her,

Tho’ it was the other way ‘round.

Joseph was totally innocent,

Yet “Guilty” he was found.

He was put in a prisoner’s cell,

With several other men.

There he was treated terribly,

Though he was without sin.

Joseph began to interpret the dreams,

Of Pharoah’s employees in jail.

He asked the freed men to mention his gift,

They promised they would without fail.

But promises are only words,

Tho’ this one they could fulfill,

There was nothing in it for them,

So, Pharoah’s employees kept still.

When Pharoah himself dreamed dreams,

The employees had sudden recall.

Joseph’s knowledge impressed the ruler,

Who then made him second overall.

MEANWHILE BACK AT THE RANCH

Meanwhile back at the ranch,

The brothers dipped the coat in blood.

They showed the coat to their father,

And Jacob, their dad, cried a flood.

The brothers told Jacob a story,

Of how the blood got there.

Saying Joseph was mauled by wild animals.

It was more than the dad could bear.

Many years later a drought hit the land,

And crops won’t grow without rain.

So, the family contemplated,

Just how they might get grain.

They heard that Egypt had food;

There the stockpiles of grain were large.

And so they went, not knowing,

Their brother was the one in charge.

For he dressed just like an Egyptian,

And he was now a fully grown man.

When Joseph saw his brothers,

He formulated a plan.

He sought news of the rest of the family,

While studying their attitude.

He gave them all the grain he could;

They responded with gratitude.

He tested the older brothers,

But they were honest and true.

They still didn’t know that the man in charge,

Was someone that they knew.

Joseph longed to see Benjamin.

He was pleased whenever he learned,

His young brother and father were living,

And so, for them he yearned.

The brothers returned with Benjamin,

He didn't understand why.

The brothers were very protective of him,

Their response made Joseph cry.

Joseph revealed himself to them,

And at first, they tho’t he’d be mad.

But he welcomed them into his home,

Though toward him they had been bad.

Knowing what the future would bring,

God put him in the place he stood.

For what the brothers meant for bad,

God meant for the good.

The brothers went home and got their father,

And Joseph made Egypt their home,

Where they and their offspring lived 40 decades,

But for 40 years after they would roam.

 

 Becky Wall