Tag: Scripture

Posted in Home School, Inspiring, Scripture, Who's the mom here?, Wisdom

Click “Undo”

Posted on by Katharine

Click Undo!

Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.

(Proverbs 22:6)

Now you’ve done it:

You have finally brought your baby (who happens to be fourteen years old!) home to live happily ever after with you.

You have planned and dreamed and now you are so excited.

The trouble is that now you do not know what to do with this child you hardly recognize and you have to deal with the years he has spent away from his loving home.

Is that how it is for you? How do I know? We have been there, is how. Because the laws in our state had not always protected home schooling, our oldest had spent six years in the public system and nearly two in a similar private system. He had much to unlearn, since children can acquire many ideas we do not want them to learn, and miss the important things.

Why do they pick up things we do not desire? It is because we have not been bringing them up in the ways they should go, according to God’s command. I can say that because if our children have been in any type of collective institution, then we have not been bringing them up much AT ALL.

Someone else has.

We only greeted them as they passed through our lives, doing the bidding of those who were bringing them up. It is so sad and so wrong that the wisest man ever, Solomon, himself, made a special judgment regarding such things. He knew that the real parent would really care. (1 Kings 3) Maybe that is one reason God commanded us to bring them up, not to send them away to someone else. The assumption is that we would truly care.

If we have missed this mark until now, what do we do?

How do we make it right?

Where do we start?

The first step is already done: Bringing your child home is the first step.

Something inside you is waking up and beginning to commit to caring for him more. You have made a good start, already, and do not forget it, because many would like to make you think that this excellent start is really the start of all your problems.

Actually, you already had problems; you are just now beginning to see them. Finding and facing the problems is a great first step.

More tomorrow.

Posted in Believe it or not!, Inspiring, Scripture

Sunday Scriptures – Pattern

Posted on by Katharine

Every priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer. If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already men who offer the gifts prescribed by the law. They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises.

For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. But God found fault with the people and said:

“The time is coming, declares the Lord,
when I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah.
It will not be like the covenant
I made with their forefathers
When I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt,
because they did not remain faithful to my covenant,
And I turned away from them, declares the Lord
This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel
after that time, declares the Lord.
I will put my laws in their minds
and write them on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
No longer will a man teach his neighbor,
or a man his brother, saying ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest.
For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more.”

Hebrews 8:2 NIV

For photos of a life-size replica of the tabernacle, go here!

Posted in Believe it or not!, Inspiring, Scripture, Wisdom

Overheard: Forgive!

Posted on by Katharine

The preacher said:

Forgiveness is not a feeling.

What an amazing statement. How often we get hung up, seemingly crippled about forgiveness, thinking we cannot do it because we do not feel it!

And how liberating to realize it is not a feeling!

No, forgiveness is a command.

We must forgive, just as we must honor property rights. I don’t always FEEL LIKE allowing my neighbor to keep his lovely flowers, but I must leave them in his yard. Digging them up is stealing.

I also do not always feel like forgiving, but I must. Holding someone in unforgiveness is sin, just as theft is.

For insight on how to forgive, look here.

Posted in Believe it or not!, Inspiring, Scripture

Overheard – He Came Back for Us

Posted on by Katharine

“But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” Mark 16:7

Galilee - Israël
Galilee – Israël (Photo credit: Emmanuel Dyan)

Gone to Galilee? But He just died Friday! We saw Him die on the cross. We watched them bury Him.

Gone to Galilee?

Why Galilee, an out-of-the way sort of place, about 60 miles (over a day’s walk) north of the gravesite?

It’s where Jesus grew up and ministered, but that’s about it. He had always been preparing to leave Galilee, to go Jerusalem, the Capital, where all the powerful and influential world-changers were.

Since they just crucified Him, if He truly was risen from the dead, seems He’d march straight to the palace or the temple and SHOW them He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Messiah of God Almighty!

Galilee? Nobody there but His followers.

Us.

He Came back to show Himself to us.

To the very same ragtag group of people who denied Him, misunderstood Him, forsook Him, and fled, He returned; to deserters.

Especially mentioned by name, to Peter, who had denied even knowing Him, He returned.

He came back for us as well. He has a message, is calling us, to travel to our “Galilee” to go back to the place where we fellowshiped with Jesus and to begin again. To follow Him all over again.

He will meet us there. In fact, He has gone on ahead and is already there.

The Disciples did not witness Him rising from the dead. They were gone. Out of it.

It is incredible enough to think that He could just decide to rise again, and to return to anyone. But he came back for us, to those who did believe and needed to know that He is alive, needed to believe again, and more.

The proof of the Resurrection is not the absence of Jesus’ body from the tomb. No, it is the presence of Jesus with His followers. The greatest promise of the Resurrection is not that we shall live forever, although that is great, indeed. No, the greatest message is that though we are still sinners, weak, and faithless like the Disciples, Jesus returned to US.

The Bible is not a book telling mostly how men kept seeking God. It is a record of how God keeps seeking US, despite our lack of faith.

And why?

The risen Christ has come back to change us from doubters to ambassadors. Jesus came back to us because He loves us.

I look back over my life at all the mistakes I’ve made, all the times I’ve failed, gone my own way, strayed, and each time, He came for me. He found a way to get to me even when I tried not to be found.

For  what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.  I Corinthians 15:3-8

Here, Paul is writing to the poor struggling Corinthians, who were failing badly at being the Church. To those backsliding, sinful, divisive, faithless Christians, Paul preaches the Resurrection. He reminds them, and us, that the risen Christ chooses to return, to strengthen Christians.

How will we respond?

Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. John 14:1-4

 

 

Related articles
Posted in Believe it or not!, Inspiring, Wisdom

Overheard: At the Foot of Mt. Sinai

Posted on by Katharine

Recently our church studied the Book of Acts.

We saw early Christians respond with courage to severe persecution.

We saw miracles were normal for the early church.

We might say such strong faith is something we long to see in our church.

But do we really?

We sing, “Revive us again,” and “Mercy drops round us are falling, but for the showers we plead.”

But do we really desire and plead for the presence and power of God to revive us?

I wonder if we are content with the “mercy drops”.

Maybe really we are satisfied to have the Lord simply break through, every now and then, to do a mighty thing or two among us, but we really aren’t serious when it comes to wanting to see the full power and presence of His Holy Spirit.

Now some say we are living in a different dispensation and that the age of miracles is over — that was for a specific time and place to authenticate the message of the apostles, but we no longer need that today.

English: Sunrise on Mt. Sinai in Egypt
English: Sunrise on Mt. Sinai in Egypt (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Really!!

The church doesn’t need the power and presence of Holy Spirit today?

Miracles are happening in mission fields where people have never heard of Jesus, why not here?

Is not “Jesus Christ […] the same yesterday and today and forever” as it states in Hebrews 13:8?

I’m afraid we have become comfortable and accustomed to the absence of God’s Presence in our meetings.

In reality, maybe the Presence of God scares us, just as it scared the Israelites at Mt. Sinai, and as a result, we don’t experience the miracles of God.

And our faith is dying.

When God sends forth the Holy Spirit, amazing things happen:

Barriers are broken.

Communities are transformed.

Unity is established.

Diseases are healed.

Addictions are broken.

Marriages are reconciled.

Hope is established.

People are blessed.

Revival comes.

That’s what the preacher said.

And we know there is more he didn’t say.

Much more.

Let’s go for it.

Posted in Believe it or not!, Inspiring, Scripture, Wisdom

Overheard: Saving Satan

Posted on by Katharine
Man
Man (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Surprised? Just think a bit: If you make war against someone, you have to believe he exists, don’t you? Right. So, the demons and their captain do believe Jesus exists, and, Scripture says, they at least have the sense to tremble at the thought, which shows they are not dumb.

Think some more: The old arch-nemesis can disguise himself in a multitude of ways, and it is obvious he has made his way into church membership in lots of places.

Right?

So, let’s see if you would agree he could join your church if he walked the aisle and asked the preacher if he could join. The folks at our church were fascinated with this exercise, and amid very quiet listening, got quite a few chuckles, which I will indicate here with asterisks (*).

Let’s ask all the typical questions we think are so important for church membership, and see if we would let satan join our congregation, as he has so many others before*:

  • Do you believe Jesus is the Son of God! — Of course, satan would agree. The evil one knows this is true and can agree to it, if it serves his purposes. After all, this fact is the inspiration for his hatred.
  • Do you believe Jesus was born of a virgin? — Again, he knows this is true; saw the star over Bethlehem, himself, right?
  • Do you believe Jesus died on the cross? — You know, he’d be thinking, I offered Him a way out but He was too stuck on Himself to take it . . . but he would say, “Of COURSE!”
  • Do you believe He rose from the dead? — Here he might hesitate. After all, it was his worst nightmare.* But still he would give a “yes” to this question.
  • Are you willing to baptized as a sign of your faith? — He would never refuse baptism, would never have a problem with it. Of course, he might sizzle . . . *
  • Will you commit to attending church weekly? — He might think: Thought you’d never ask!*— but he might say, “I won’t miss a single service! I’ll be there every time the doors open!”*

Sounds like a great prospect, so far, doesn’t he? Would he make it into the membership of your church’s congregation?

Now here is the final question:

  • Are you ready to repent? Will you quit fighting God and start life over? Will you trust and obey Jesus Christ as your Lord in every area of your life?

And exactly at that point is where it all breaks down.

As it should.

Because faith, by itself, when it is not accompanied by works, is dead.

James 2:19 – You believe that there is one God. Good. Even the demons believe that — and shudder.