God's Glory

"The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14)

Glory to God in the highest! Praise and thanksgiving for His inexpressible gift, Jesus Christ. In Jesus we behold God's glory and love.

Wishing you the Savior's joy and peace this Christmas.

Your fellow herald for Jesus,

Mary

Giving Thanks

Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving celebration as we praise Almighty God for His bountiful blessings!

Psalm 146

1 Praise the Lord.[a]

Praise the Lord, my soul.

2 I will praise the Lord all my life;
    I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
3 Do not put your trust in princes,
    in human beings, who cannot save.
4 When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;
    on that very day their plans come to nothing.
5 Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
    whose hope is in the Lord their God.

6 He is the Maker of heaven and earth,
    the sea, and everything in them—
    he remains faithful forever.
7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed
    and gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets prisoners free,
8     the Lord gives sight to the blind,
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,
    the Lord loves the righteous.
9 The Lord watches over the foreigner
    and sustains the fatherless and the widow,
    but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

10 The Lord reigns forever,
    your God, O Zion, for all generations.

Praise the Lord.

Your fellow herald for Jesus,

Mary

Zealous Wanderers

"It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way."

Trail maps are only good if you read and apply them. In our haste to get to the top of the mountain summit we darted out in confident ignorance. "Surely it can't be that hard to find our way?", our prideful emotions declared. And for awhile the path was easy. So we ascended higher into the alpine forest with vigor and gusto propelling our feet. Captivated by the scenery and lost in dreamy thoughts we neglected to notice we'd veered off the path. Surrounded by thorny bushes and thicket the hike got harder and dangerously close to a cliff. Time to make a choice.

Life is often like that. We think we know the right way to go and don't consult the One who is our Maker, Almighty God. The Lord's gift to mankind of free will is both a blessing and a curse, for He has enabled us with options for choosing good or evil. We stubbornly believe we know what is best, what is truth, which road to heaven is the right path. But we have tunnel vision that limits our sight in this earthly life. We are not God and never will be. But through a personal relationship with His Son, Jesus, Christ, we can follow the One who leads us to heaven.

Don't get lost in life. The Holy Spirit will live in you when you confess your sins and dedicate your life to following Jesus. He helps you to understand what the Holy Scriptures say. The Bible is more than a guide book, it is God's inspired Holy Word given to us for knowledge of who God is, what He desires, and what God expects of us. When you stay close to Jesus there is no confusion for He is the true light and the way. Feelings and experiences can fool us. But knowledge of God's Word gives clarity and truth to those who study it, and apply it to their lives.

It is possible to be very zealous in your beliefs but be following the wrong theology, and listening to ungodly advice from others. Spend time reading the Bible and ask God to help you understand the Scriptures. He loves you and wants to give you a new heart and mind, cleanse your sins, and show you how to live in communion with Him! You don't want to miss all the blessings of heaven and a Helper for life's hardships because you were walking on the wrong trail, do you? "It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way."

Your fellow herald for Jesus,

Mary

La Dolce Vita

"How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth" (Psalm 119:103)!

Awaken from my slumber by a lawnmower's motor I mistook for a speedboat, I draw back the curtains and find no water in sight. I'm home this Labor Day weekend vacationing in my heart while my body recovers from a grueling work week. My husband sleeps peacefully beside me after his 13-hour night shift duty. As the warm sun streams in turning the night into day, I gaze out on our backyard gardens realizing there's no where else I'd rather be. Who needs a vacation when I'm already living what Italians call "la dolce vita", the sweet life?!

Reading God's Word and relishing my morning tea I'm filled with peace and contentment in the Scriptures. I have more than I need in this earthly life as I take inventory of my possessions. My cupboard is full and food is easy to grasp which humbles me in remembrance of those less fortunate. The Father has provided many human blessings for us to share with others, but the greatest treasure we have is our life in Christ. The Gospel is worth more than our bank account; it's the gift of eternal life for those who possess new life by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

Culinary delights are wonderful, we need to eat to sustain our bodies. But all that I have in this life would ring hollow if not enjoyed with a loving heart transformed by the Holy Spirit. In all seasons of life it is God's Word that binds me to Him, and the reality that all I see before me on earth will one day perish. How do you deal with the certainty of death with an attitude of hopeful anticipation of eternity? By resting in the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice and not on the inadequacies of your on rituals and deeds.

While time will erode the lovely gardens surrounding my house God's Word stands forever. It is the only thing that will last! Holding the Scriptures in my mind and my heart I am filled in my soul; more satisfied than anything I could put in my mouth. "I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food" (Job 23:12).

As you enjoy a respite from work with family and friends this Labor Day, may you feast on the words of the only Living God and find your joy complete. "How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth" (Psalm 119:103)!

Your fellow herald for Jesus,

Mary  

That Was Nice

"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life" (Proverbs 4:23)

Vows were exchanged on a warm summer day at the country home of her parents. The young bride aglow with her handsome young groom stood confident; eager to begin their journey. Whisked away to the reception hall the minister was unable to join them. Mother-of-the-bride beckons my help; asking me to say the blessing before the meal. Honored and scared for I don't take this task lightly, God put Psalm 145-3-4 in my heart. My prayer for these newlyweds is centered on these verses as I bow before the Lord. Returning to my seat and the comments of some guests, "Oh, that was nice" was all they said.

Pondering the fascination our society has with outlandish wedding ceremonies that give little credence to God's view of marriage I was grateful this family focused on Christ's blessing. After all, a beautiful wedding is a lovely event but a beautiful marriage is a lasting legacy for generations to come. This is my hope for this dashing young couple, that they seek to follow The Lord and teach their future children how to love Jesus.

Nearly twelve years since my own wedding day I praise God for the gift of my husband. As we continue to grown in our love and knowledge of the Lord and each other, I am continually learning that marriage is an on going ministry of sacrifice. We must seek to do what is best for the two of us (in accordance with God's Word), not what we individually desire. The process of "becoming one" as husband and wife goes on forever. It's more than a joining of hands and exchanging rings at the ceremony.

The Holy Spirit is our Helper. He will keep our hearts committed and faithful as we obey all that the Father has commanded. This surrender of our will to God's will is for our good and our protection! My hope for my marriage and all Christian unions is that people won't just say, "Oh, that was nice" but rather "Look what God did--I want that, too!" Seek the Lord with humility and repentance and He will give you much more than a great marriage. He will give you everlasting life whether you are single, married, divorced or widowed. "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life" (Proverbs 4:23)

Your fellow herald for Jesus,

Mary  

Freedom Day

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand Firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened by the yoke of slavery" (Galatians 5:1).

As we celebrate Independence Day in America let us thank God for the true gift of freedom in a life dedicated to Christ. The moment we declare our dependence on our Savior we are freed from the bondage of Satan's grasp. That is truly our day of freedom and worthy of great celebration!

Your fellow herald for Christ,

 Mary

Daddy's Girl

"This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God's child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister" (1 John 3:10).

Each June Americans pause to honor their fathers, some with less enthusiasm then others. It's a sad commentary on our society to see the over emphasis on Mother's Day celebrations versus Father's Day. We're bombarded by a myriad of gift ideas for mom--even the cards are bigger than ones available for dads! We've pushed mom to the forefront while quietly ignoring dad whether he deserves it or not.

Fatherhood is a vanishing vocation as women proclaim such popular mantras as, "We don't need a man--we are self sufficient--our children don't need a father--etc..." I'll admit there are bad parents, neglectful mothers and fathers who've abandoned their responsibilities to their offspring. But even the men who try their best to be loving and supportive husbands and fathers are often shunned by rebellious children. Why? It started in the Garden of Eden.

Since the creation of man we have told God he wasn't enough for us. Adam and Eve listened to the serpent who tempted them with knowledge, power, and the idea they could be like God. Instead of trusting the God who created them and believing His commands were for their protection, the first husband and wife on earth chose to follow a lie. From that day forward Satan took hold of the human heart and we became the devil's own.

It is not popular teaching throughout the world today to fear God, to honor our heavenly Father, and that humans are born with depraved souls. We're taught to believe we are basically good and only a few really terrible people (criminals for one) will suffer God's wrath of judgment one day. Many professing Christians seek to keep the peace by admonishing people to follow whatever spiritual path they choose. They say in the end all will be acceptable to the Lord, but this is unloving and untrue! No one wants to believe they are bound for hell but they are if they die apart from placing their faith in Jesus' sacrifice on the Cross.

While it is true that God created all people we are not automatically part of God's family. Only those who are born again; having a new nature because the Holy Spirit lives in their hearts are children of God. God loves everyone so much that He doesn't want any of us to perish! He made a way for us to be with Him forever if we will believe in Jesus as our Savior, and dedicate our lives to Him. Romans 10:13 tells us "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

Whose child are you? If you haven't made the choice to bow your knee and your heart in prayer to Jesus then you are not going to heaven. Heaven is where God's family will live forever in joyous harmony. Hell is isolation, torment and where Satan's offspring lives in darkness. Thanking the Lord this month for my late earthly father as I praise Jesus that I am His Daddy's girl. "This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God's child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister" (1 John 3:10).

Your fellow herald for Christ,

Mary