Troublemakers

Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Ephesians 6:16

As the Chinese government prepares for the arrival of athletes from all over the world, they are apparently on a campaign to make sure that "troublemakers" are kept away. At the VOM Persecution Blog, you can gather more information about these troublemakers and how they are being dealt with in order to keep them as far from the games as possible. This is just another face of the persecution poured out on believers of the Lord Jesus throughout all time. More pain, suffering, and tears for the people of God.

God's people have always been "troublemakers" to one group of people or another. This is very clear as I read the daily entries in the book The One Year Christian History that I was privileged to receive this Christmas. The afflictions suffered take on various forms, but it has been and continues to be a part of the Christian faith.

Troublemakers tend to get into fights. Is the Christian life a fight? What do you think? I say it is. It's a fight against the world, the flesh, and the devil. I've often spoken of this--that we're soldiers and that this is warfare. We make trouble for those who hold the banner of error and falsehood. We make trouble by preaching and teaching truth. A sharp sword indeed. Put on all your armor, you troublemakers! Got on your shield? You really do need it in this day of battle! The brethren in China are wearing theirs, are you wearing yours?

Would anyone fight the fight of a Christian soldier successfully and prosperously? Let him pray for a continual increase of faith. Let him abide in Christ, get closer to Christ, tighten his hold on Christ every day that he lives. Let his daily prayer be that of the disciples: 'Lord, increase my faith' (Luke 17:5). Watch jealously over your faith, if you have any. It is the citadel of the Christian character, on which the safety of the whole fortress depends. It is the point which Satan loves to assail. All lies at his mercy if faith is overthrown. . . J. C. Ryle

I'm in a fight and I have my shield. I guess that makes me a troublemaker.

Lovely Apparel

A passage of Scripture which has always been dear to me tells of some beautiful clothing which we can and should be wearing. Certainly it's apparel that should be a part of each of our wardrobes:

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Colossians 3:12-15

A Sister's Summons

For a couple of years or so, I have been touched by the blog of a woman and her family. I heard about her battle with ovarian cancer at her daughter Amber's website and have been following her story ever since. I have never met Colleen personally, but oh my, what an inspiration she has been. I'm sure I am not the only one who would attest to that. Her original diagnosis was in September of 2005 and after treatment, she regained some of her strength and vigor, only to find out in April of 2007 that the cancer had returned. It has been quite a battle for Colleen since then. Through it all, you never saw a sweeter spirit and a more trusting saint. She writes beautifully, bringing the reader to a dearer and nearer walk with the Savior. Sometimes as I read her posts, I have to remind myself that this is someone who is suffering.

Lately, the blog post came that I always worried would come when I would go visit her. Her last two posts will explain. I thought of Christiana from Pilgrim's Progress when she received her summons. On June 2nd Colleen wrote: "it appears that I have begun my journey Home." Her situation now is much like that of Christiana when she received her summons:

. . .So inquiry was made for her, and the house was found out where she was, so the post presented her with a letter: The contents whereof were, Hail good woman! I bring thee tidings, that the Master calleth for thee, and expecteth that thou shouldest stand in his Presence, in clothes of Immortality. . .When he had read this letter to her, he gave her therewith a true token that he was a true messenger, and was come to bid her make haste to be gone. The token was, an Arrow with a point sharpened with Love, let easily into her heart, which by degrees wrought so effectually with her, that at the time appointed she must be gone.

So it is with our sister Colleen. She doesn't have an exact time appointed yet, but has been told that it is near. But then we all have an appointed time, don't we? However, as she said, some of us have a better idea of our arrival time to our Destination. This is a difficult, I'm sure, yet blessed time for Colleen and her family. Pray for her, please.

Sunday Snippet - Primary II Class

Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. Proverbs 14:34

I have a new toy and already it's a blessing. Tuesday will be my birthday and my husband has gifted me with a digital camera! Until recently, I've been afraid to get one because I'm not good at taking pictures but this one has been actually pretty easy to use. I just started using it today and have been enjoying it except for the fact that the very first thing I did was to set the language and somehow I managed to set it at German! Then nobody could help me figure out how to get it to English because we couldn't understand the directions on the screen. Finally my daughter Bev came to the rescue and figured it out.

The above is my Sunday school class, which were the first pictures ever taken with my new camera.(Forgive the shadows--we forgot the flash.) That's me on the back right and the lovely young lady on the back left is my substitute Sara. Below is a closer picture of the four children who make up the class this year. Aren't they cute? Kris, the only boy in the bunch holds up pretty well--I don't think he minds his minority position too much. He's a sweetie and I love having him. I love the little girlies, too, of course. Currently, we're in the book of Judges in our survey of the Old Testament and the kids are learning quite a bit. Today Sara took the class and the lesson was about Gideon.

Next to writing for them, teaching children is one of my greatest joys and blessings on this side of heaven. There have been countless precious moments from my Lord over the years with many children whom I grow to love in a special way during the two years or so they spend in this class. The earlier ones are adults now, and it breaks my heart when I hear of those who have gone astray. But it's cause for thanksgiving hearing of the ones who are walking with the Lord. Last year, sadly, one of them passed on to eternity in a car accident at age nineteen. I can only hope he's with the Savior.

The verse I posted is the class memory verse this week. This is a familiar verse to most of us and is it ever appropriate for the time we're in right now. It's a good one to spur us to pray, wouldn't you agree? Blessings as we begin a new week!

He'll be Here Tomorrow

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8

This is a verse we all have to hold before us. It seems a good one to remind myself of right now, since of late there are times that little worries creep in about the tomorrows that are coming: Little worries about what the tomorrows will bring regarding health issues; what they will bring for our children and grandchildren; what they will bring to our country; what they will bring in certain financial situations; what they will bring to the Church; and more. I certainly don't want the little worries to turn into big ones, do I? This verse helps. It helps because it reinforces the wonderful truth that the God who brought us through the yesterdays will never change, not today nor tomorrow, nor the days after tomorrow. He was here yesterday; He's here today; and so He'll be here tomorrow. So, dear friends, let's all ponder this precious verse of just nine words. A lot is packed into those nine words for the current and future worries.

Today's poem from Streams in the Desert fits perfectly right now. It was a curative to me; hope it is for you too if you're worrying about the future.

"There's a stream of trouble across my path;
It is black and deep and wide.
Bitter the hour the future hath
When I cross its swelling tide.
But I smile and sing and say:
'I will hope and trust alway;
I'll bear the sorrow that comes tomorrow,
But I'll borrow none today.'

"Tomorrow's bridge is a dangerous thing;
I dare not cross it now.
I can see its timbers sway and swing,
And its arches reel and bow.
O heart, you must hope alway;
You must sing and trust and say:
'I'll bear the sorrow that comes tomorrow,
But I'll borrow none today."'

God's Order for Marriage

. . .Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Matthew 19:4-5

One man and one woman makes a marriage. Aside from the union of Christ and the believer, there is no better union on earth. A man and a woman. This is God's order.

The Key Called Promise

I've been wanting to make this post ever since Sunday night's sermon, but I'm just getting to it. As you probably already know, next to the Bible, The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan is the most widely read book in the English language. Not only has it been translated into over two hundred languages, but it's still alive and quite well after having been first published in 1678. It has never gone out of print. Isn't that remarkable? If you've never read it, I urge you to do so and to introduce it to your children. There are versions for the younger folks, you know, and there are tapes that can be gotten.

You may also be familiar with the part of the story where Christian unfortunately leads his friend Hopeful out the the way by attempting an easier path, a poor choice, where they find themselves in all kinds of difficulties, last of which is on the grounds of Doubting Castle, owned by Giant Despair. The old giant was, of course, determined to do them in and they were at their wit's end when on Saturday about midnight they began to pray and continued to do so until almost dawn. It is here that Mr. Bunyan ingeniously weaves in a truth that we all must remember:

Now a little before it was day, good Christian, as one half amazed, brake out in this passionate speech: What a fool, quoth he, am I thus to lie in a stinking dungeon, when I may as well walk at liberty! I have a key in my bosom called Promise, that will, I am persuaded, open any lock in Doubting Castle. Then said Hopeful, That's good news; good brother, pluck it out of thy bosom and try.

And so Christian did pull it out of his bosom and he tried and opened every door so that they eventually escaped from that horrible place and made it back to the King's highway and were safely away from the giant's jurisdiction. All of us have that key, you know, and it doesn't matter what the circumstances might be.

This has been a week of sad news. Actually, every week we'll hear of sad news. My point here is that I hope those undergoing trials will remember this key. As believers, we have it in our bosoms, and it will unlock the doors that close us into despair and doubts. For some it's particularly difficult--the many saints who are being persecuted as well as those who are going through trials. How easy it would be for the Christians in Myanmar and China to despair right now. The pain and grief inflicted on the Chapman family at this time could bring doubts of the goodness of God. I hope these and the many others who are groping in dark times will read the many promises given by our God in His Word--there is the key that will unlock any doors that would keep them from finding the way of faith.

Life In a Jar

Did you know about this woman? I didn't. Her name is Irena Sendlerowa and she died this morning in Poland at the age of 98. As I write about this, it's not that she and I shared the same religious affiliation and beliefs. I really don't want to get into that at all with this post, but I was captivated by her story when I read it this morning. Apparently, very few people knew about her accomplishments in Nazi Poland during World War II until 1999, when a high school teacher assigned her life as a project from which the students created a play called "Life In a Jar"based on their findings. Have any of you seen or heard of this play? Apparently it's been performed in many places in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. I notice that they just produced a DVD, which I'm thinking about ordering. If it seems like a worthwhile investment, I'll put it in my Amazon Listmania and do a post on my other blog.

Irena S. seems to have been a woman who had a spirit of courage and valor, similar to Corrie Ten Boom and Amy Carmichael, evangelical Christians who were loved by all of us. We can do little harm to let our daughters and granddaughters know that women like these existed, and hopefully still exist, in a world of hate, cruelty and evil. I hope it will spur them in the direction of the character qualities possessed by women such as these. Maybe the circumstances won't be as horrific as those known by Amy, Corrie, and Irena, but if they ever are going to be mothers and raise children to love Christ in the days that are coming, my take on it is that they will be rescuing children from evil. And they certainly need courage and valor for that.

My Mother's Hands

My Mother's Hands

Such beautiful, beautiful hands!
They're neither white nor small;
And you, I know, would scarcely think
That they are fair at all.
I've looked on hands whose form and hue
A sculptor's dream might be;
Yet are those aged, wrinkled hands
More beautiful to me.

Such beautiful, beautiful hands!
Though heart were weary and sad,
Those patient hands kept toiling on,
That children might be glad.
I always weep, as, looking back
To childhood's distant day,
I think how those hands rested not
When mine were at their play.

Such beautiful, beautiful hands!
They're growing feeble now,
For time and pain have left their mark
On hands and heart and brow.
Alas! alas! the nearing time,
And the sad, sad day to me,
When 'neath the daisies, out of sight,
These hands will folded be.

But oh! beyond this shadow land,
Where all is bright and fair;
I know full well these dear old hands
Will palms of victory bear;
Where crystal streams through endless years
Flow over golden sands,
And where the old grow young again,
I'll clasp my mother's hands.

~G. P. Morris

That sad, sad day has come for me, but I'm looking ahead to those endless years (through tears as I type). A blessed Mother's Day to all. May you lovingly clasp the hands of your mother now and those of your children.

National Day of Prayer

"The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped." Psalm 28:7

Well, that certainly is true and it's true of all of life, even for our country in this time of uncertainty and for me, confusion. I wrote a post about this a few weeks ago, and I still need to remind myself that my Lord is my hope for the future, not any political candidate. If my hope were in any of the candidates at this time, I would be most miserable.

I notice that this year's theme for the National Day of Prayer is "Prayer! America's Strength and Shield," taken from the above psalm. I wish that were true. For some reason, reading the President's proclamation did not bring any comfort to me. We were a Christian nation at one time and now I wonder if we can still lay claim to that. I think we want to be a country where "all religions" feel comfortable and I'm wondering what our triune God intends to do about it. We were a country at one time wherein the principles of God's Word were at the foundation of what we did in our homes, schools, and elsewhere. I think now anything goes and it's not what God thinks that's governs us, but the wants of the individual, no matter how immoral that may be. I wonder how long our holy God will endure it.

Well, saints, we can pray for this, our beloved country. We can pray on this National Day of Prayer and we should be praying during the many days ahead, especially between now and November. Who knows that He may spare us for the sake of ten righteous within the city.