PRAYING FOR REVIVAL

REVIVAL BEGINS WITH PRAYER

I WILL GIVE THEM A NEW HEART 

Then you will call upon me
and come and pray to me,
 and I will hear you.
You will seek me and find me,
when you seek me with all your heart. I
 will be found by you, declares the Lord, . . .
Jeremiah 2-14a ESV

You may wonder why I would be writing this week about revival. I can give my answer truthfully and urgently. We ourselves, certainly including me, we who follow Jesus as Lord, desperately need revival in a world whose darkness threatens to overwhelm us. What is revival? Well, we repent of our selfishness and rebellion. We ask Emmanuel to restore our sanity in the midst of the chaos and the conflict which surrounds us. We need vision from our Loving God to inspire us. We need His holy inspiration to call us and direct us back to life as He would choose for us to live it. We need to give our complete affirmation to all that God does for us as He redeems and transforms us. We need His complete victory in and through us over the evil which darkens our world. We need His perfect, His self-sacrificing Agape Love. For those of us who have been redeemed, we now live as His reborn children. We must begin in humble, open-hearted, truthful prayer. No revival will ever break out until we are fervent, urgent, even desperate in our prayers. As Jeremiah records God’s invitation: “Call upon me and come and pray to me. Then, I will hear you. When you fully, truly seek me, you will find Me. When you seek me with your whole heart you;  then I will be found by you.” This is a declaration from our God. When He declares it, it is so.

Why is prayer so necessary? God honors us as He not only invites, but commands us to pray—to open up ourselves, our whole hearts, our very souls, our seeking minds to Him in trust and faith and an eagerness to hear Him and obey Him. In prayer we recognize our complete dependence on Him. We literally place our souls in a kneeling position before His Throne. We confess He is great and we are small. We profess His holiness compared to our worldliness. We plead for Him to conform the earth to the perfection of Heaven. We open the door and ask for His empowering Presence to conform us to His perfection. He must accomplish REVIVAL or there will be no REVIVAL at all. REVIVAL  always begins with prayer. So, as we look for REVIVAL we need to turn to heartfelt, deeply rooted prayer individually and collectively before our Loving God and Father. We can further explore seeking REVIVAL through the seven calls discussed below.

SEVEN CALLS TO REVIVAL

A CALL FOR REPENTANCE

Repent therefore, and turn back,
that your sins may be blotted out,
that times of refreshing may come
from the presence of the Lord,
and that he may send the Christ
appointed for you, Jesus.
Acts 3:19-20 ESV

We are called to repent before our Holy God. We are called to step away, turn around and leave our sinful ways. Then God will blot out our sins because of what Jesus accomplished on the Cross, shedding His blood in place of our own. Then Jesus invites us to share in His Eternal Victory because of His Resurrection. The Holy Spirit renews us in the presence of Jesus, God’s appointed and anointed Messiah.

A CALL FOR EMMANUEL

Draw near to God,
and he will draw near to you.
Cleanse your hands, you sinners,
and purify your hearts,
you double-minded.
James 4:8 ESV

We are called to then draw near to God, for He welcomes and He awaits us—He gave us Jesus as our Emmanuel, His very Presence among us. In this process we are cleansed of our sins, and our hearts are purified, even as our hearts are refocused on Him and Him alone. We no longer focus on ourselves—for we have been created to be blessed as we continuously look upon and worship Him.

A CALL FOR VISION

Restore us, O God;
let your face shine, that we may be saved!
Psalm 80:3 ESV

We are called to a new and sanctified vision of our God. In restoring us God shines forth in His glory and as we praise Him we experience the complete joy of becoming His very own children. As we bask in His glory we are fully and eternally saved from the darkness of our self-centered past. His vision for a redeemed, resurrected, and reconstructed world in His image becomes our own.

A CALL FOR INSPIRATION 

Then we shall not turn back from you;
give us life, and we will call upon your name!
Psalm 80:18 ESV

We are called to experience heavenly inspiration. The Holy Spirit then inspires, enlightens  and guides us so that we do not turn away from Him. In this we have life, eternal and perfect even as we call upon His Holy Name in praise, in worship, in adoration, in trust and obedience.

A CALL FOR VICTORY 

All the ends of the earth shall remember
and return to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
shall worship before you.
Revelation 22:27 ESV

We are called to God’s own victory as the entire earth remembers and returns to the Lord. This victory includes all of the families of Nations; Africa, America,  Antartica, Asia, Australia, South America and Europe, The saints from every  nation, people, tribe and tongue will gather around the Throne and worship God. Hallelujah!

A CALL FOR AFFIRMATION 

Behold, God is my salvation;
I will trust, and will not be afraid,
for the Lord God is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation.
Isaiah 12:2 ESV

We are called to give affirmation to God’s Holiness, His Perfection, and His Salvation which is certain and true. As we do, He will enable our trust in Him and His Goodness, and will remove all of our fear, forever. We will declare with all the saints that He, the Lord God is our strength and song, that He has become our Salvation.

A CALL FOR LOVE

And he said to him,
“You shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart and with all your soul
and with all your mind.
This is the great and first commandment.
And a second is like it:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Matthew 22:37-39 ESV

We are called to Love God, as we were created to do—with all of our hearts, with all of our souls, with all of our minds. Then we are called to love our neighbors as ourselves, for truly, He makes them our eternal brothers and sisters, those who choose to honor and worship Him with us—all who give Him absolute sovereignty over all we say and do. 

THAT IS: Crying For

Repentance—turning away from ourselves and sin to complete trust in Him, our God.
Emmanuel—looking to Jesus not only as Savior, but as our absolute Lord and King.
Vision—gazing upon the glory of God and recognizing with joy, His eternal glory.
Inspiration—finding in Him pure and enlivening energy eternally.
Victory—as all nations, peoples, tribes and tongues ultimately worship Him.
Affirmation—declaring before all of Heaven gathered around the throne our own testimony.
Love—for God with our very essence, our hearts, souls, minds, and our neighbors as ourselves.

Bearing Fruit Like Jesus

IT’S ALL ABOUT JESUS

Bearing Fruit Like Jesus

Galatians 5:22-23 ESV

”But the fruit of the Spirit is love,
joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness,
and self-control;
against such things there is no law.”

What does a spirit-filled Christians life’s look like? Well, such a person looks a lot like Jesus. He or she lives a lot like Jesus. He or she speaks a lot like Jesus. He or she thinks a lot like Jesus. He or she acts and reacts a lot like Jesus. Paul said Spirit-filled Christians exhibit these fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Now, if we had been privileged to be in Peter or Andrew or James or John’s shoes, we would certainly know what what such a life would look like; for they walked with Jesus day-by-day. Jesus bore  for them the Fruit of the Spirit always.

Matthew 26:28 ESV

“ . . . for this is my blood of the covenant,
which is poured out for many
for the forgiveness of sins.”

Just think, the disciples saw Jesus act out love and these other beautiful attributes daily. They knew what it felt like to be loved by Jesus as He patiently explained and re-explained, and explained again, all that God had for Him to teach them. Remember, Jesus did not just teach God’s Redeeming Truth—He lived it; He spoke it, He acted it out over and over again. Only Jesus in the history of the world ever exemplified every one of the Fruit of the Spirit.

Remember how He loved, how He chose to love Peter, Andrew, James and John every day, even when it meant encouraging, correcting, redirecting, forgiving, redeeming them and the other disciples. CHOOSE is the crucial word for His kind of love. Jesus made the CHOICE every single moment of every day to lay down His life to give the disciples what they truly needed from Him at that precise moment. Truly He CHOSE to love them. 

Philippians 4:4 ESV
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.

And because Jesus CHOSE love, he experienced Joy—the delight which arises from a heart completely and willingly surrendered to God. Such joy never goes away—no matter the challenges nor the disappointments that come our way. We know God is Good. We know His Way is good. We know darkened moments in our day never prevail over the good plans God has for us. So, we, like Jesus discover the joy of fully living out trust and obedience in God.

John 14:27 ESV

“Peace I leave with you,
my peace I give to you.
Not as the world gives
do I give to you.
Let not your hearts be troubled,
neither let them be afraid.”

Then, as we experience love and joy, we discover peace which overcomes our worries and our fears. Look at Jesus in the midst of the storm walking on the Galilee, or on another stormy night, sleeping through the storm in back of the boat. Jesus knew perfect peace because He knew the Father held even the stormy seas in His hand. Jesus knew peace because He knew the Father held only good for Him. We, too, can know that peace more and more and more, as we grow in our faith and our understanding of essential goodness. “All things (do, indeed) work for the good of those who love Him. . . “

Ephesians 4:2-3 ESV

“ . . . with all humility and gentleness,
with patience, bearing with one another in love,
eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit
in the bond of peace.”

Jesus never ran out of patience with His disciples. He certainly corrected them, rebuked them, questioned them hard. Still, He never gave up on them, but instead, He demonstrated such patience as He walked with Peter after their post-resurrection breakfast by the sea and asked asked him again and again, and yet again; “Do you love me?” He patiently provided for Peter one opportunity to declare His love for each time his fallen disciple had denied him on the night of Jesus’ trial.

Ephesians 4:32 ESV
“Be kind and compassionate to one another,
forgiving each other,
just as in Christ God forgave you.

And what kindness Jesus showed to women who had been rejected by their own. Alone with the Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus kindly offered Himself as the Living Water her battered and scarred soul needed, after she had lived a life abused and misused by men. Notice again the kindness of Jesus, who welcomed the outcast woman whose body would not stop bleeding all those disgraced years, as the power from His body went out into hers, and she was healed. More than that, she was returned to her family, her friends, her neighbors a brand new woman, saved by the kindness of Jesus. And then in front of the Temple, when the woman caught in adultery (Where was the man?) was brought before her, the kindness of Jesus saved her life, forgave her sin, and delivered her into a brand new, victorious life removed beyond her sinful past.

Psalm 31:19 ESV
”Oh, how abundant is your goodness,
which you have stored up for those who fear you
and worked for those who take refuge in you.”

You see, there was an essential goodness (an impossible to ignore god-likeness) about Jesus. Those who deep in their hearts truly longed for and loved God, could not help but love Jesus and His godly goodness. Those who in their hearts rejected the love of God, even some very religious men, hated Jesus because He not only accepted God’s love, but rejoiced in that love. He shared that love as He related to every girl and boy, woman and man. To be with Jesus meant to be in the Presence of God. To listen to Jesus meant to hear the Word of God. To follow after Jesus, meant to follow after the goodness of God, which makes every such follower, girl or boy, woman or man, a godly person, no doubt.

1 Thessalonians 5:24 ESV
He who calls you is faithful,
and he will surely do it.

You might have heard it said, “He is faithful to a fault.” Well, how can that be true? How can faithfulness become a fault. Jesus, being faithful, full of faith, and so, perfectly  trusting and obedient before the Father; remained faithful to the end, when on the Cross, he prayed, “Father, into your hands I commend my Spirit.” When faithfulness meant delightful evening hours under the stars He had named, enjoying the company of His dear friends, His disciples—Jesus enjoyed the Father’s presence among them. When faithfulness meant walking hot and long and dusty roads to get to the people who so desperately needed His message of God’s Love and Mercy—Jesus drew strength from His Father’s presence among them. When faithfulness placed Him, hanging on the cross, deserted by all but faithful John, His loving mother and the few women with her—Jesus bore the weight of our sin and remained faithful to the very end.

Isaiah 40:11 ESV
He will feed his flock like a shepherd,
he will gather the lambs in his arm,
and carry them in his bosom,
and will gently lead those that have their young.

Though he was raised to do tough, hard labor in the home of a carpenter’s son, Jesus knew what it was like to look with gentleness into the eyes of a child and laugh as they giggled along with Him. He knew what it was like to look with gentleness  into the eyes of the desperate Jairus, whose daughter was dying, and take the weight of that grief upon Himself. And somehow, even dying on the cross, Jesus looked into the eyes of that terrified, dying thief with a gentleness which offered deliverance and redemption where there only seemed to be death. Yes, Jesus was a gentle man.

1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV
No temptation has overtaken you
that is not common to man.
God is faithful, and he will not let you
be tempted beyond your ability,
but with the temptation he will also
provide the way of escape,
that you may be able to endure it.

Then in the wilderness Jesus had to battle it out with hunger and thirst and exhaustion and worst of all, the Enemy of all goodness and life and love. In the face of all the tempter’s most carefully crafted tests, Jesus remained self-controlled, choosing the Truth of God which seemed so hard, in order to save a lost and dying world. Standing on God’s Word,  Jesus met each test with self-control,  which arose from his absolute trust in and obedience to His Father God.

We praise God we have a Savior who perfectly exemplified a life perfectly living out the fruit of the Spirit, not just in the face of great challenges, but in the quiet moments of everyday life on this earth.  

Now, the Apostle Paul tells us Spirit-filled believers will also live in such a victorious, wondrous way which invites others into the Kingdom everyday. I must admit I have not in my rather long life discovered any person who so perfectly as Jesus illustrated all of this rich and luscious spiritual fruit. But, thank God, I have known a few who have consistently surrendered their lives to Jesus, His love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control; revealing the glory of God. I want to briefly mention them here—only to encourage us as to how  Jesus, given the opportunity in our own lives,  can share these delectable spiritual fruit even as God builds His Kingdom.

My list includes imperfect people (like all of us) who in my life have pointed me to God through their day-to-day  lives acting out the His Presence through the Fruit of the Spirit.

I’ll begin with folks who inspired me during our years in Africa. Some are international missionaries living out their lives there, while others are Africans by birth.

Jane Ellen Gaines could not be easily ignored. Full of energy and enthusiasm and a love of God like no other, she truly inspired me during my first years at Baptist High School in Jos, Nigeria. All of the Fruit of the Sprit played a part in her ability to effectively invite people to faith in Jesus. Love, Joy and Goodness certainly characterized her wonderful and godly personality.

Brother Mike Abraham is a dear man who shared many of my brightest and darkest days at Baptist High School, Jos. His love for God kept him going in the face of some overwhelming circumstances along the way; but with self-control, faithfulness and joy, he has constantly persevered, certainly carrying the light and life of God’s Love in midst of it all.

Samson Adedokun brings to life the adventuresome joy of trusting Jesus as he so naturally shares a delectable spiritual love for Jesus with a gentleness which opens up the hearts of others to respond to his Gospel witness. God’s goodness in His life shines through as he continues to lead his church and his family for the glory of God.

In our home in Jos we were blessed to have wonderful Christian co-workers, who enabled us to be fully immersed in the various ministries that God gave us. Of these I mention the most godly gentle man I have known, Gideon Ali, who was a household manager for us in Jos; shopping, cooking, keeping the yards in shape. All the while, he blessed us with his ever gentle smile and self-control in the face of keeping a household going in the face of every challenge imaginable.

In Niger I met Hajara Abou, who knew French and Hausa inside-and-out, but so much more than that, loved God and His Word with all her heart. She always had her Bible at her desk day-to-day, and demonstrated her faithfulness in a difficult place for believers. Along with her husband she tirelessly equips others to share the Gospel. In the midst of every trial God’s peace and her faithfulness in the work, keeps her strong. Always, every single day, she has been an encouragement to me.

Here in the States I think of Ramona Weems. She always went out of her way to bring joy into the lives of others. She always loved others in very practical ways. She stood in the face of long term health challenges with patience so real, she still managed to influence others with her godly kindness and gentleness. Her smile always lit up every room because it shone with beauty of the Love of God.

I must also mention Mary Penney who had enough of God’s Love for everyone she knew. She particularly loved children,  and God used her kindness and gentleness to inspire so many of those she cared for, to grow up loving Jesus—her model. When situations got complicated, her patience often showed the way forward as God brought folks together to see His Will accomplished. 

Marsha Eichenberg Cooke was used by God to fully reset and fix my life on His path and not mine. Her godly love was a tough one—her whole heart given to loving people in need of His Love. Her Kindness also came with a tough edge—demanding the people of God to do the work of God in loving and serving Him. Still, remembering her heart-warming smile, gives me strength and hope to trust in His Goodness, as does she.

Vince Whittington loved the Gospel like no other man I have ever known. He believed the Gospel and claimed its promises for every person he knew or got to know in order to share the Good News. He had a joy about him that gave others confidence in what might seem like uncomfortable situations. His faithfulness made it seem natural to him to tackle a new challenge for God, for his family, for the Church, and for the people next door.

My PaPa, (Dewey Stonecypher) was the smallest big man I ever knew. I don’t believe he ever weighed more than 130 pounds. That’s okay, because he was the most faithful, the hardest worker I ever knew. God’s love lit up his eyes and his smile in a way that delighted every child. He never knew a stranger, but as a truly gentle man, always brought peace into the room. He loved Jesus with all of his heart and demonstrated the Savior’s love with a remarkable kindness in an often hard world.

All over the world
and among all the peoples
people are praying for the Love of God,
they are searching for the Joy of God,
they are desperate for the Peace of God,
they are hoping for the Patience of God,
they are seeking for the Kindness of God,
they are hungering for the Goodness of God,
they are thirsty for the Faithfulness of God,
they are praying for the Gentleness of God,
they are longing for the Self-control of God—
and all of them need Jesus!

Ordinary Men Need An Extraordinary God

ORDINARY MEN NEED
AN EXTRAORDINARY GOD

Ordinary Men Need An Extraordinary God

You and I, we are ordinary people
by His mercy and through His grace
called and born again into the wonders
of His Kingdom glorious . . .

. . . and there are days He leads us through valleys deep,
and there are days He leads us
by streams of still waters refreshing
as he strengthens and prepares us . . .

. . . for days when he leads up to the top of steep
mountains where He shows us His
glory and transfigures our hearts for
service back down in the valley . . .

. . . and deep in our hearts and in our minds we know
He will never forsake nor
will He leave us as He implores all
to come into His bright Kingdom.

Peter, James and John were ordinary men in need of a Savior. They were fishermen. They needed a deeper purpose. They were simple men. They needed a teacher. They were earthy men. They needed the way to Heaven. In a word, they needed Jesus.

Jesus calls Peter, Andrew, James and John.

Jesus came to them in the midst of their lives as fishermen. He called them and promised them he would make them fishers of men. They left their nets, but not all of their earthly ways. Jesus constantly challenged them with His actions, His thinking, and His teaching.

Jesus had extraordinary plans for each of them as they followed Him. Over and over again He amazed them with His words, His compassion, His healing, and His power. Over and over again He focused their hearts and minds on loving and so, serving God, and then on loving other people. Over and over again He demonstrated how He loved and obeyed God the Father, and how He loved every other person. Over and over again He demonstrated His power, giving sight to the blind, feeding the five thousand, and walking on the water. 

And yet these ordinary men individually and collectively struggled between belief and unbelief, between enthusiastic feelings of faith and desperate pangs of doubt. Each of these one-time fisherman ultimately had to choose, complete surrender to Jesus as their peoples’ long awaited Messiah, or rejecting Him and all He offered, to return to their lives of fishing the uncertain waters of the Sea of Galilee.

James and John
and their mother
pled with Jesus
for special places
in His Kingdom.

So, as Jesus marched deliberately toward Jerusalem and the cross, He knew Peter, James and John much better than they knew themselves. James and John and their mother asked for thrones next to Jesus in His Kingdom.  When challenged by Jesus about the cost involved in taking such seats, James and John readily insisted they would readily accept any challenge. They had no idea about the future challenges they would face, but Jesus did.  Peter dared to confront Jesus when He tried to explain His coming sacrificial death and glorious resurrection. Jesus gave Peter a strong rebuke, because, without understanding, he was parroting the enemy’s own conniving pitch to Jesus, Peter’s own confessed Messiah.

Why did Jesus take these three sincere but imperfect followers up on the Mount of Transfiguration? This is exactly what they needed, for He knew what they would be called to do, what they would be called to suffer in their future lives even after they suffered the shock of His arrest, His crucifixion, His burial, and His resurrection. 

Jesus Transfigured
With Moses and Elijah

They needed this shocking encounter with His true glory so that they would find their faith strong in the face of life-and-death situations to come. Peter, James, and John would need deep and essential faith to be His Apostles to begin the process of taking the Good News of the Salvation of Jesus to the world.

According to Matthew, Chapter 17, this is how the Transfiguration happened:

1 And  after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 

2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.

3 And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 

4 And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 

5 He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” 

6 When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified.

 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” 

8 And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

9 And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” 

Peter, James, and John needed to experience the Presence of the Power of God in their Master Jesus. This is how God accomplished His Purpose in the Transfiguration of their Master, Jesus:

Peter, James and John
were terrified.

1. Jesus was transfigured before them. His face shown as bright as the sun. His clothes glowed like light itself.
2. Moses (representing the Law) and Elijah (representing the Prophets) appeared with Jesus.
3. They were talking with Jesus.
4. Not surprisingly, Peter was overwhelmed; and so he suggested they erect three tents, one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.
5. God intervened in the form of a bright cloud, in effect, to say, “Here is My purpose.”
6.  “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” 
7. Peter, James, and John fell on their faces in terror.
8. Notice what Jesus said: “Get up. Don’t be afraid.”
9. They looked up. Moses and Elijah were gone.
10.  Jesus told Peter, James, and John not to tell anyone about these amazing events until after His resurrection.
    

    “Take, eat
    in remembrance of me.”

    
    
    In the meantime, Jesus spent precious time with Peter, James, and John and His other disciples. He taught them many powerful truths. He prayed for them. He washed their feet. He shared with them the Bread (His Flesh) and the Wine (His Blood.) He pleaded with them to pray with Him in the Garden of Gethsemane.  They fell asleep. He was arrested. Peter tried to fight, but Jesus admonished him. They all fled. John did make his way to the trial and then to the Cross, where he comforted Jesus’ mother. Peter made his way to the trial, where he denied Jesus three times, and then fled.

    After Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection He appeared to His disciple and promised them the coming of the Holy Spirit. Beginning on the Day of Pentecost and continuing throughout their lives, Peter, James and John led the way as the Gospel took root in Jerusalem and spread throughout the world. They served Him faithfully, remarkably, and courageously.

    Actually, as one of the leaders of the early church, James became the first martyr when he was arrested by Herod Agrippa in Jerusalem and beheaded. I have to believe that, having seen Jesus, both transfigured and resurrected, James must have given strength in the face of his persecution. He did, indeed, drink the cup of his Master’s suffering.

    Peter’s arrest by the same Herod Agrippa followed not long after, and the tyrant’s plan was to win favor with the Jewish leadership by having him beheaded also. However, God sent an angel to rescue Peter, and he continued to take a leading role in the early church for many years. Eventually, we believe he was crucified in Rome by the Emperor Nero,  and if church history is correct; he requested and was granted his desire, to be crucified upside-down, insisting he was not worthy to die in same manner as His Lord. Again, surely Peter faced death with the images of His transfigured and resurrected Lord in mind.

    John lived a long life, leading and serving the church, spending time in exile on the prison island of Patmos, where he received and recorded the Book of Revelation. No one really knows how he died in the end. There is one remarkable tradition that he was boiled in oil in Ephesus, but did not die. We do know he remained faithful throughout his life. John had the unique privilege of seeing Jesus transfigured, resurrected and glorified in Heaven as the very triumphant Lamb of God.

    Jesus, as always, led by our Heavenly Father, chose Peter, James, and John to accompany him up on the mountain to experience His own heavenly magnificence, accompanied by Moses and Elijah, so they would never forget His Holiness, His Power, and His Glory, no matter what they faced in their demanding lives of service to Him, their Savior, their Lord, and their Messiah.

    In your life and mine there come mountaintop experiences which overwhelm our hearts and minds with the glory of God and His perfect Will in bringing us salvation trough Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit guiding and comforting us day after day. In my life I remember a beautiful, starry winter evening in Ludowici, Georgia, when God gave me His Call into missions. I also remember a seemingly normal spring day in St. Marys, Georgia, when my seventh grade students knelt with me and prayed, before receiving the phone call from Richmond, Virginia, informing me my appointment as a missionary had been approved. I remember my very first day at Baptist High School in Jos, when I felt God’s confirming Presence as He assured me this was His place for me to serve Him in His Kingdom.

    And there are so many more mountaintop encounters with His glory . . . when in Nigeria I received by mail Becky’s acceptance of my proposal for marriage and missionary service together in Nigeria; . . . when our Rachel was born in Jos;  . . . when John David was born in Ogbomosho; . . . when we were cleared after my bout with cancer to return to missionary service at Sahel Academy in Niamey, Niger; . . . and I could go on and on and on . . . God has been more than faithful to remind me over and over just who He is, and how He is working to perfect His Kingdom inside my heart and around the world. Praise be to His Holy Name.

    Why don’t you take a few moments and list some of those mountain-top transfiguring moments from your life as an encouragement to praise and thank Him for loving and keeping and transforming you for His service?

     

     

    

    Revelation 5:13-14

    ”And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth
    and under the earth and in the sea,
    and all that is in them, saying,
    ‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
    be blessing and honor and glory and might
    forever and ever!’”

GOD USES WEAKER VESSELS

Philippians 4:13 ESV
I can do all things
through him (Christ)
who strengthens me.

If there has ever been an atypical missionary appointee, I confess it was probably me. I’m thinking in terms of practical do-it-yourself, everyday skills. My Dad was great at that. My older brother, Ray, is great at that. My son, John David, is great at that. Me? I would honestly give me a P for pathetic. I even had to take lessons from a friend to learn how to drive a straight-shift car at missionary orientation. My adventures with driving continued in Nigeria on my first trip into town from my home outside Jos. As I was taking a road leading me downtown, I was met by several police, who stopped me and told me I was going the wrong way on a one-way street. They kindly left me off with a warning. I am proud to report, however, that I learned how to jump start my ancient Toyota Corolla most mornings before school. While my missionary men mentors could do all the household and auto fixes for the typical issues we all faced in Nigeria, I had to quickly learn how to call on James for electrical issues, Joseph for plumbing fixes, and Dayo for auto repairs. And in my first fifteen years, we had no phones. We had to ask our fellow missionaries to somehow get an S.O.S. to them by word of mouth. I was surely inept, not adept in term of typical missionary survival skills.

But you know what? That didn’t seem to matter to God. He had called me to Nigeria, even when He knew my obvious weaknesses. He never failed to meet my need for assistance in surviving the everyday challenges life brought my way. And even though there were dark nights without electricity, dry days without water in the pipes, and sometimes periods of catching rides when and where I could; God always saw me through. He focused my mind on His calling for me to serve students and teachers at Baptist High School, Jos in the Name of Jesus. He consistently gave me great joy as I had the privilege of sharing His Word with students and teachers desperately hungering for His Truth. If the IMB had given me a practical exam on survival skills for the mission field, I would have failed miserably. That was never an issue. God made sure my life was all about serving Him as I lived out my witness to His Love daily. Praise God He often uses weaker vessels like me.

David

I Samuel 17:37 ESV
And David said, “The LORD
who delivered me from
the paw of the lion
and from the paw of the bear
will deliver me from this Philistine.”

The youngest of all Jesse’s sons, David had been secretly anointed to be King. God had given him the heart of a godly king, no matter his young appearance nor his daily work as a lowly shepherd. Yet, before Goliath God lifted him up as a champion for God’s honor and His Kingdom. God provided through David’s line the Promised Messiah who would offer salvation to the whole world.

 Daniel

Daniel 6:22a ESV
“My God sent his angel and
shut the lions’ mouths,
and they have not harmed me, . . .”

Imagine being raised in a privileged Jewish home, only to lose everything during Jerusalem’s fall to Nebuchadnezzar and mighty Babylon’s army. Add to that, being marched in captivity to serve in the tyrant’s pagan court. For Daniel and Hananiah/Shadrach, Mishael/Meshach,  and  Azariah/Abednego, it was their God who gave them strength and wisdom and integrity to stand for His glory and His power before the King. Under Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Darius and Cyrus, Daniel continued to bring praise to God as he served with faithfulness and excellence.

Josiah

2 Kings 2:25 ESV
Before him there was no king like him,
who turned to the LORD
with all his heart and with all his soul
and with all his might,
according to the Law of Moses,
nor did any like him arise after him.

Josiah became King of Judah when he was only eight years old. Although his father had been so wicked he was murdered by his own servants, Josiah reigned for thirty-one years. Even as a sixteen year-old he began to seek the God of David. This conversion led him to have the high places, the Asherah, and the altars to Baal destroyed. Then in his eighteenth year, Hilkiah, the high priest, found a Book of the Law, probably most of Deuteronomy.  This book was sent to Josiah,who tore his clothes as a sign of repentance once he heard the message. He began a time of far reaching religious reforms. This religious revival led Josiah to be remembered as “a king who turned to God with all his might.”

Jeremiah

Jeremiah 1:5 ESV
“Before I formed you
in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born
I consecrated you;
I appointed you a
prophet to the nations.

When Jeremiah was around seventeen, God spoke to him. This is what he had to say:

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

Understandably he was overwhelmed and replied, “I am only a youth.” God basically replied by reminding Jeremiah it was not about Jeremiah’s fears about his readiness. It WAS all about God’s anointing and enabling call and presence. Then God placed His hand on Jeremiah’s mouth. His service to God would depend on God’s Presence, not Jeremiah’s ability. He would accomplish mighty deeds for the Kingdom through Jeremiah as His prophet and His courageous and faithful servant.

Mary

Luke 1:31 ESV
“And behold, you will conceive
in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall call his name Jesus.”

Mary was also young, probably around 16 when Gabriel announced she would give birth to Jesus, the Messiah. Mary’s practical reply was to ask how she, a virgin, could bear a child. Gabriel replied by explaining how the Holy Spirit would perform a miraculous conception so Jesus would be holy, unique, without the joining of a man and woman. Mary both simply and profoundly believed. She accepted God’s calling in spite of her youth. Her obedience gave God glory as He brought Jesus into the world to save us from sin and death. How beautifully and powerfully God works through His servants to bring light into a too often very dark world.

Anna

Luke 2:38 ESV
And coming up at that very hour
she (Anna) began to give thanks to God
and to speak of him to all who were
waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

As a young woman Anna married, but after seven years her husband died. She devoted her life to service in the Temple for the remainder of her life. She worshipped, prayed and fasted continuously. Seeing Mary and Joseph dedicating the infant Jesus in the Temple, Anna gave thanks to God and spoke of Him to all who were anticipating the coming of redemption of Jerusalem. For all her life God had been preparing her heart for His appearance. Hers had been a simple life of faithfulness before God. Now He used her along with Simeon to bear testimony to this baby boy born to be the promised Messiah for Israel.

Mark

2 Timothy 4:11 ESV

”Luke alone is with me.
Get Mark and bring him with you,
for he is very useful to me for ministry.”

As a young man, Mark had the privilege to accompany Barnabas and Paul on their first missionary journey. Then for some reason he left them and returned home. When it came time for another journey, Barnabas wanted Mark to accompany them again. Paul refused because of his failure to finish the first time. This caused Barnabas to take Mark one way, while Paul took Silas and went another. Though he seemed to have some struggles as a young man, this same believer went on to earn Paul’s own commendation, and to write the Gospel of Mark based on the preaching and teaching of the Apostle Peter.

Timothy

I Timothy 1:1-2  ESV

”Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command
of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope.
To Timothy my true son in the faith:
Grace, mercy from God the Father
and Christ Jesus, our Lord.”

Timothy was taught the Scriptures by his mother, and his grandmother, Lois. It is thought he might have been fully converted during Paul’s first missionary journey. Paul called him a child in the faith. On Paul’s second missionary journey The Apostle recognized how Timothy was respected among the believers. Later Paul actually sent Timothy on crucial missions. Paul testified to Timothy’s compassion and commitment. He was actually listed with Paul as one of the authors of six letters. Paul actually wrote two letters to Timothy. These letters serve as good models for those in ministry advising younger ministers they are mentoring.

While everyone of us has been made in God’s image, He has given us the challenge to invite Him to make MUCH for His glory, rather than taking the MUCH He has given into our hands and making it small. He will transform us by His mercy and grace until we are truly fit for His Kingdom. Yet, He will not force us; He will allow us to refuse every good thing He offers until we are fit for absolutely nothing. Seeking Glory for Him: Good for us. Seeking glory for ourselves: Terrible for everyone. If we make it all about Jesus; that’s always going to be good. If we make it all about ourselves; that’s always going to be bad.

STANDING TALL AND BEAUTIFUL FOR GOD

Every joyful face
praising our Lord,
every glorious
beauty growing
in our garden
glows with a bit
of His glory
graciously mirrored
in our heart and in our soul
and in our mind.

…their gaudier sisters
stretching much taller
seeking the sun above
until they mirror
His glory shining so golden
worshipping
gladly the Holy One: …

EVERY FLOWER A PARABLE

In my garden grows
such an array
of unimaginable
and pretty
parables each singing
with their loveliness
praises to their Maker
declaring His
precise and delightful
unique design
each one a revelation:
His Love is glorious!

Some tiny blossoms
display their own
almost hidden colors in
the shade beneath
their gaudier sisters
stretching much taller
seeking the sun above
until they mirror
His glory shining so golden
worshipping
gladly only the holy One:
His Love is glorious!

I see them lifting
their arms in praise
even as the Psalmist says,
nature’s voice
in one accord a bright and
proud display in the
winds they swing and sway
on a sunny day
lovely queens gracing my garden
inviting the
bees for yellow pollen:
His Love is glorious!

Everything God has made declares His glory. You could say it this way: God is eternally creating parables which reveal the majesty and the magnificence of who He is. I would insist that the most beautiful of His creations are people—girls and boys, women and men. In the absolute uniqueness of every human being there is also the tie which binds us all together—we are made in His image, and so, we bear our own amazing resemblance to the remarkable beauty He revels in Himself—Father, Son and Spirit—all about Him, purposeful and powerful in His Perfect Love.

God also echoes this central Parable of them all—making humanity to mirror His own glory—throughout His Creation: the heavens and the earth, declaring with His redeemed children, the glad message: GOD IS LOVE!

So, let’s just take one of those many parables in nature, the Sunflower, and examine how He tells another Gospel Story all about His Greatness and His Mercy and Grace and Love and Redemption.

Ecclesiastes 3:11a
He has made everything beautiful in its time.

He begins each sunflower with just a seed. They are not so much to look at. However, some folks find them delicious and nutritious as a delectable roasted snack. I enjoy planting those seeds, knowing how each one carries a promise of astounding growth and development until each one grows up stretching toward the glorious light of the sun, which in turn, along with water, eventually transforms that small seed into a tall and mighty plant towering above every other flower in the garden. It all begins with the seed.

Matthew 31:32 ESV
It (the mustard seed) is the
smallest of all seeds,
but when it has grown
it is larger than all the garden plants
and becomes a tree,
so that the birds of the air
come and make nests in its branches.

Then comes the tiny sprout of a plant pushing up out of the soil. Admittedly, the sprout is rather humble still, undistinguished, much like the seed. However, for the gardener like me, there is already excitement and anticipation of the miracle that will arise from a fragile stem and a couple of vulnerable leaves. And, the sprout will never grow to glory unless it is transplanted, as it is, in a way uprooted from its cozy, comfortable bit of soil in some plastic cup. Otherwise, it would soon shrivel, dry up and die. Even a sunflower must be reborn to thrive according to God’s Purpose and achieve the glory He has designed.

Genesis 1:11 ESV
And God said,
“Let the earth sprout vegetation,
plants yielding seed,
and fruit trees bearing fruit
In which is their seed,
each according to its kind
on the earth.”
And it was so.

Once it has been transplanted into the actual soil, with water and sunshine, the small seedling adds leaves and its stalk grows taller and stronger. This time of initial taking root in the garden, and growing both  larger and stronger, reminds us of our own initial process of beginning to grow as a newly reborn Christian. Dear Christian brothers and sisters come along-side us and make sure we receive the Light of the Gospel and the Living Water of God’s Word. In this early stage of growth, the sunflower remains vulnerable to any serious interruption in  receiving necessary sunlight and essential water. Without both the small sunflower plant will never grow to produce its giant, majestic flowers, which also eventually produce the seeds for the next  generation. Without the faithful attention of the gardener, sunflowers will never make it to achieve their purpose—their beauty and their provision of seeds for future generations. We, too, as followers of Christ, desperately depend on His Light and His protection, so that He receives glory and joy as we grow and provide the potential for growing the next generations in His Kingdom.

Genesis 1:12 ESV
The earth brought forth vegetation,
plants yielding seed according to their own kinds,
and trees bearing fruit
in which there is their seed,
each according
to its kind.
And God saw that it was good.

Well, how can you not be excited when you see the yellow beginning to appear and prepare to unleash a bold blossom for the pleasure of the world, as you look forward to the fully formed and dazzling sunflower? And if you look closely, you will see bees who show up for pollen as the fully formed flowers begin to dazzle us who stand around amazed at such bold beauty. Here again nature parables spiritual development—our own faith fully forming, is always sharing with others for the growth and spread of the Gospel.

Psalm 115:1 ESV
Not to us, LORD,
not to us
but to you name
be the glory,
because of your
love and faithfulness.

Neither flower nor man can take glory for a beautifully formed flower all dressed up to worship and to honor our LORD and our God. I cannot see a bright, golden sunflower standing so tall, without giving praise to our God. What a privilege to be formed so purposefully by our Creator who makes all things beautiful in His Time.

From tiny seeds in my hand,
to seedlings, to tiny plants,
to tall and glorious
testaments to God’s Glory!
Praise the Lord!

Betwixt and Between…God’s Story

GOD’S STORY: “BETWIXT AND BETWEEN”
THE BEGINNING

In the very beginning
great God Himself
spoke His powerful Word
and created the world,
He began to tell His
most wonderful story
putting on display for all
to see His glory . . .

He spoke into being
the heaven and
the earth; the sun for the
day, moon and stars for the
night, the seas and the
mountains, animals
and birds, and then in His
image, human kind . . .

. . . a man and a woman
to live in His
garden to tend and to
enjoy, the fruit from each
tree except for the one—the
one they were told to
beware and avoid,
leave it alone . . .

. . . and yet they were tempted
and disobeyed
and lost their innocence
and hid from their God who
came searching, He knew where
they were and why they were
hiding  and what they
truly had done . . .

and so God continues
searching for us
and inviting us to
join Him through Jesus His
Son, who gave His own life
because of His Love,
forgiving all our sin,
calling us Home. . .

This week I want to share with you one of the most effective tools missionaries use in the world where so many cannot read. These people learn orally through stories carefully crafted by their elders to pass from one generation to the next crucial cultural information. When these stories are told in the mother tongue or heart language—the language children first hear spoken, they respond with deep appreciation and understanding. So, missionaries have prayerfully crafted God’s Story, using such stories to share the Gospel and basic Biblical teaching about for living the Christian life. We saw this work effectively in Nigeria. We taught such stories to folks from local churches who used them successfully to share the Gospel in villages where most people could not read. Did you know that worldwide, there are vast numbers of oral learners who need to hear the truth about Jesus just as they would hear from their mother or other family members the most important of their family’s historic and cultural stories? As you read, imagine you are such a person, and rejoice with them as if you were hearing God’s Story for the first time.

1 Chronicles 16:26 ESV
For all the gods of the peoples
are worthless idols,
But the LORD made the heavens.

(Before I wrote my own version of this story of all stories, I refreshed my memory by reading through the International Mission Board’s sample version found on their website at imb.org/goimpacts.)

Think of this as God’s Story. He is the Most High God. His story is written in the Bible. The words in the Bible are God’s words. They were not written by people, but by God Himself, directing them to tell parts of His Story. All of these parts fit together perfectly. They tell us about the One True God who is more powerful than our ancestors, our rulers, or any false gods in other stories. We can believe God’s story because it is the Word of the Most High God.

The Most High God created everything. He was God before there was anything. He made all things in Heaven and on earth. He holds all power over all things. God created all things by speaking words. He spoke and all things came into being. He made angels to worship and serve Him. He made angels very beautiful. He made everything we see. He made the sky, the land, the waters, the mountains, the oceans, the sun, the moon, the stars, the plants and all animals. Finally He created people in His His image. God made people to enjoy all that He had made. God made it all and it was good.

Genesis 1:27 ESV
So God created man in
his own image,
in the image of God
he created him;
male and female
he created them.

God put man and woman in a beautiful garden to live. They enjoyed being with Him and each other. He told them to care for the garden and to enjoy everything around them. He gave them one command: They could eat from every tree in the garden, but one. If they ate from that one tree, He told them they would die. At first,  man and the woman obeyed God and enjoyed their time with Him in the garden.

Among the angels God made, one was smart and beautiful. He was also very proud. He wanted other angels to worship him, not God. But only God should be worshipped. God cast Satan, this bad angel, out of Heaven. Satan tempted the woman to eat the fruit from the tree which was forbidden. She listened to him and ate the forbidden fruit. Then she gave it to the man and he also ate the forbidden fruit. They both disobeyed God. This disobedience is sin. Because God is righteous and holy, He must punish sin; so God put the man and woman out of the garden. They had broken their relationship with God. People were then separated from God. Since then, all men and women have disobeyed God. They are separated from God. Our disobedience results in the punishment of hell. Because of sin, we cannot live forever with God.

The number of men and women on earth multiplied. God still loved them and wanted them to love Him. He gave them ten commandments to obey. Because God is perfect and holy we must be perfect and holy to live with Him. The Ten Commandments teach people how to live with God and other people. Here are some of them: Do not worship other gods or make idols. Honor your parents. Do not lie, steal, or commit adultery. Sadly, no one was able to obey all of these commands.

When men and women disobeyed, God allowed them to seek forgiveness and turn away from sin. They could do this through a blood sacrifice. This sacrifice must shed the blood of a perfect animal, such as a lamb. If men and women turned from their sin, and offered this blood sacrifice, God would forgive them. Men and women failed to truly turn from sin so their sacrifices did not change them. God became tired of their failure to change their lives. They remained separated from God. On our own none of us can come back to God.

God loves people. He wants them to love Him and trust Him. So, He sent Jesus to bring people to Him. Who is Jesus? He is God’s Son. He is God’s only Son. He became a person like us. He came as God in the flesh.

Jesus lived as a man and He faced temptation to sin just like us. Still, He never sinned. He remained obedient to God throughout His life. Jesus had great love for people. He especially reached out to those with no hope. He was a wise teacher. He worked many miracles as He proved Himself as God’s Son. Jesus proved He had power over nature, over disease, over evil spirits, and even over death.

John 1:29 ESV
“Behold the lamb of God
who takes away
the sin of the world.

Many people truly loved Jesus. They believed in Him and followed Him. Some religious and political leaders were jealous of Jesus and hated Him. They planned to kill Him. Jesus allowed Himself to be arrested, tried, and condemned to death. Soldiers nailed Him to a cross. Jesus’ blood flowed from His hands, His feet, and His body. He suffered terrible pain and died on the cross. Jesus did not deserve to die. God sent Him to die on the cross to take the punishment for the sins of all of us. He died on the cross in our place. It is only through His sacrifice and shedding of His blood, that we can be forgiven of our sins.

Jesus demonstrated His love for us when He died on the cross. Still, His story does not end there. Jesus was placed in a secure tomb after He died. On the third day Jesus rose again and appeared to His followers. Jesus proved that He had power over death. Then He returned to God, His Father, in heaven. Jesus took upon Himself our punishment for sin, and through His resurrection offers a way for us to return to God.

God wants you and every person to return to Him. Jesus is the perfect sacrifice . He is the only way to bring us back to God. Jesus actually said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  (John 14:6) We must go through Jesus to get to God. How can you go through Jesus? You must admit to God that you have sinned against Him. You must believe that Jesus died in your place. Then you trust Jesus to bring you back to  God and give you eternal life as God’s son or daughter. Then you take Jesus as your Master and obey His word. Do you want to ask Jesus to bring you back to God?

Today, Jesus does His work in the world through His Spirit leading His followers. God has set a day when Jesus will return to earth and judge all people. He will welcome His followers and will turn away those who reject Him. His kingdom will never end. For now, His followers pray and work together to see God’s will done on earth. We carry the good news of Jesus to others and serve Him in all we do.

GOD’S STORY: “BETWIXT AND BETWEEN”
THE END

. . . In His glorious Home
we will see Him
resplendent on His
Throne and we will love Him
and serve Him and delight
in His Presence as He
has cleansed us and healed us—
made us His own

There will be laughter and
singing and grand
adventures for us
all, and we will forget
every tear, every pain,
every heartache as we
rejoice forevermore
in His Loving Presence.

So the Prophets Said, So He Has Done

FROM ETERNITY, FROM THE BEGINNING, IN CREATION,
THROUGH THE FLOOD,
THOUGH THE PATRIARCHS,
BY THE PASSOVER, IN THE EXODUS, THROUH THE JUDGES, THROUGH THE KINGS, ACCORDING TO THE PROPHETS, BY THE INCARNATION, BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, IN THE CHURCH, THROUGH THE APOSTLES, AT THE SECOND COMING, GOD AND THE LAMB
UPON THE THRONE!

Since the beginning of this world, God has pointed to the coming of Jesus the Messiah, who would be both Son of God and Son of Man. Consistently in Scripture the inspired writers of God’s Word made it clear; the people of our world need God’s intervention to overcome the problem of sin and death. So, God would provide a Savior who would live His life, a man, a teacher, a healer, a willing sacrifice, a victor over death, a triumphant Lord over evil, the Lord over all, confessed by all as Lord to the glory of God.

The record is clear. Many specific prophecies described the nature, the personality, the power, and the mission of the Messiah. Jesus fulfilled them all. From the day of His miraculous birth, throughout His life among the people in Israel, then in Egypt, and in Jerusalem—Jesus embodied the longings of those who wrote the Holy Scriptures under God’s inspiration. In His birth, in His childhood, in His Ministry, in His Death, and in His Resurrection, Jesus lived out for all to see, then and now, God ‘s eternal plan. This is the Gospel, God’s intention to bring redemption to every person in the world who  believes with their whole heart in Him.

Only those who ignore Scripture. Only those who ignore the Love of God and the sin of man. Only those who pick and choose their way through the Bible with their bias against God and His miracles all around us. Only those who prefer darkness over light. Only those who meticulously ignore the Truth. Only those who presume themselves to be arbiters over God. Only those who would choose a prejudiced so-called science over facts. Only the foolish who imagine themselves wiser than God. Only these continue in their insistence that Jesus was just a man. Let us examine the evidence:

The nations will be blessed through Abraham’s lineage:

Prophecy:
“I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:3).

Fulfillment by Jesus:
“And you are heirs of the prophets
and of the covenant God made
with your fathers.
He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring
all peoples on earth will be blessed.
’When God raised up his servant,
he sent him first to you to bless you
by turning each of
you from your wicked ways” (Acts 3:25–26).

Christ’s ministry will destroy the devil’s work:

Prophecy:
“And I will put enmity
between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
he will crush your head,
and you will strike his heel” (Genesis 3:15).

Fulfillment by Jesus:
“The one who does what is sinful
is of the devil, because the devil
has been sinning from the beginning.
The reason the Son of God
appeared was to destroy the devil’s work” (1 John 3:8).

Christ will be our Passover Lamb:

Prophecy:
“Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel
and said to them,
‘Go at once and select the animals
for your families and slaughter
the Passover lamb.
Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top
and on both sides of the doorframe.
None of you shall go out of the door
of your house until morning.
When the Lord goes through the land
to strike down the Egyptians, he will see the blood
on the top and sides of the doorframe
and will pass over that doorway,
and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down.
Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance
for you and your descendants.
When you enter the land that the Lord will give you
as he promised, observe this ceremony.
And when your children ask you,
‘“What does this ceremony mean to you?”’ then tell them,
‘”this is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord,
who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt
and spared our homes when he
struck down the Egyptians.’”
Then the people bowed down and
worshiped (Exodus 12:21–27).

Fulfillment by Jesus:
“Get rid of the old yeast,
so that you may be
a new unleavened batch—as you really are.
For Christ, our Passover lamb,
has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7).

The Messiah’s blood will be spilled for our atonement:

Prophecy:
“For the life of a creature is in the blood,
and I have given it to you
to make atonement for yourselves on the altar;
it is the blood that
makes atonement for one’s life” (Leviticus 17:11).

Fulfillment by Jesus:
“This is my blood of the covenant,
which is poured out for many
for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28).

A virgin will give birth, and he will be called
Immanuel (God with us):

Prophecy:
“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign:
The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son,
and will call him Immanuel”
(Isaiah 7

Fulfillment by Jesus:
“The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God”
(Luke 1:35).

The Christ will be born in Bethlehem:

Prophecy:
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times.” (Micah 5:2).

Fulfillment by Jesus:
“When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them
where the Messiah was to be born.
‘In Bethlehem in Judea, ’they replied,
‘for this is what the prophet has written:
‘“But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’” (Matthew 2:4–6).

The Messiah will spend time in Egypt:

Prophecy:
“When Israel was a child, I loved him,
and out of Egypt I called my son” (Hosea 11:1).

Fulfillment by Jesus:
“So he [Joseph] got up, took the child and his mother
during the night and left for Egypt,
where he stayed until the death of Herod.
And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said
through the prophet:
‘Out of Egypt I called my son’” (Matthew 2:14–15).

Jesus would have a miraculous ministry:

Prophecy:
“Then will the eyes of the blind be opened
and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
Then will the lame leap like a deer,
and the mute tongue shout for joy.
Water will gush forth in the wilderness
and streams in the desert” (Isaiah 35:5–6).

Fulfillment by Jesus:
“When John, who was in prison,
heard about the deeds of the
Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him,
‘Are you the one who is
to come, or should we expect someone else?’
“Jesus replied, ‘Go back and report to John
what you hear and see: The blind receive sight,
the lame walk, those who have
leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.
Blessed is anyone who does not stumble
on account of me’” (Matthew 11:2–6).

Jesus would be despised and rejected:

Prophecy:
“He was despised and rejected by mankind,
    a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
    he was despised, and we held him in low esteem”
(Isaiah 53:3).

Fulfillment by Jesus:

“All the people in the synagogue were furious
when they heard this.
They got up, drove him out of the town,
and took him to the brow of the hill
on which the town was built,
in order to throw him off the cliff” (Luke 4:28–29).

Jerusalem will rejoice as the Messiah
comes to her upon a donkey:

Prophecy:
“Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9).

Fulfillment by Jesus:
“A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road,
while others cut branches from the trees
and spread them on the road.
The crowds that went ahead of him
and those that followed shouted,
‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’
‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’
‘Hosanna in the highest heaven!’
“When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city
was stirred and asked, ‘Who is this?’” (Matthew 21:8–10)

Jesus will be lifted up, and everyone
who looks on Him will live:

Prophecy:
“So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake
and looked at the bronze snake, they lived”
(Numbers 21:9).

Fulfillment by Jesus:
‘“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness,
so the Son of Man must be lifted up,
that everyone who believes may have
eternal life in him.’
“For God so loved the world
that he gave his one and only Son,
that whoever believes in him
shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world
to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned,
but whoever does not believe
stands condemned already
because they have not believed
in the name of God’s one and only Son” (John 3:14–18).

They would pierce Christ’s hands and feet:

Prophecy:
“Dogs surround me,
a pack of villains encircles me;
they pierce my hands and my feet” (Psalm 22:16).

Fulfillment by Jesus:
“These things happened
so that the scripture would be fulfilled:
‘Not one of his bones will be broken,
’and, as another scripture says,
‘They will look on the one they have pierced’”
(John 19:36–37).

The Messiah’s resurrection is predicted:

Prophecy:
“I will not die but live,
and will proclaim what the Lord has done.
The Lord has chastened me severely,
but he has not given me over to death”
(Psalm 118:17–18).

Fulfillment by Jesus:
“In their fright the women bowed down
with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, ‘Why do you look for the living
among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!
Remember how he told you,
while he was still with you in Galilee:
“The Son of Man must be delivered
over to the hands of sinners, be crucified
and on the third day be raised again”’ (Luke 24:5–7).

How many prophecies from the Old Testament did Jesus fulfill? Various scholars count somewhere between three and four hundred. We do know the number is at least three hundred. Now, that’s way too many to be any kind of coincidence. God has always known what He is doing. His Word makes it absolutely clear. His plan has always been the redeeming presence of Jesus among us. Jesus was born. He grew up into manhood. He ministered. He taught mighty truths—each one related to the Gospel Truth—that He had come to live and die and rise again to defeat sin and death for people everywhere who lay down their lives and follow Him. So the God-inspired prophets said. So He has done. Praise the Lord! Amen!

(I gathered some of the background information for this post from the following on-line article: 55 Old Testament Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus .11/17/2021. FOLLOWING JESUS, JESUS CHRIST, THE BIBLE)

Mothers Day Flowers

THE REMARKABLE,
THE BEAUTIFUL,
THE BLESSED
LOVE OF MOTHERS:
IT’S ALL ABOUT JESUS!!!

No wonder we used to all wear flowers to honor our mothers on Mother’s Day. The flowers remind us to treasure the rare and beautiful gift He gives to us in the life of each and every mother.

Proverbs 23: 25
Let your father and mother be glad;
  let her who bore you rejoice.

God bless you, every  mother, and every single one  of you motherers.  Jesus Himself knows how much we owe to our mothers.
God gives us life. Mothers give us birth. We give God the glory. We give thanks to our mothers. God loves us and leads us and guides us through life. Mothers love us and hold us and pray for us through life. God upholds and strengthens and inspires our fathers. Mothers encourage and support and love our fathers. God in His Love and His Wisdom and His Will chooses and blesses and rewards our mothers. Surely we agree with our Heavenly Father as we give Him praise and as we love and we honor and treasure our mothers.

I recall as a young boy how my father made a trip to the florist each year on Saturday, the day before Mother’s Day, where he purchased a big red carnation for himself, and one for each of his children, and a white (for her own mother had died) carnation corsage for our mother. How proudly we wore those beautiful flowers to honor our own beautiful mother at church on her special day.

I imagine God’s creative Mind giving to all of us the beautiful variety of flowers all around us to remind us of the blessings our mothers bring into our lives. So, as you read these poems, be reminded how deeply you are blessed by your mother, by your grandmothers and by all the motherers in your life. And next time you see a flower, take it as a reminder from God to thank Him for and treasure your mother and all of your motherers.

God Enhances His Glory

In the lives of our mothers so beautiful
and in the wonder of a flower
declaring His power
God often enhances His glory.

In the love of our mothers so similar
we see the love of our God so pure
as He gives of Himself
all for His children treasured . . .

. . . in the splendor we see when we watch as a
blossom becomes for an instant her
throne fitting and proper for
making God’s glory visible.

So, a butterfly briefly alighting on a beautiful blossom reminds me of both God’s glory and His Love and His Glory—just like a mother.

There Is An Elegance About A Rose

 There is an elegance about a rose
which sings God’s praise inside my soul
a lofty song of praise for Him who is
her Maker and the Shaper of her loveliness,
who with His fingers fashions both her
silky softness  and  her soothing touch
each time I take a petal in my calloused hand—
I smile and press it once again and yet again;
as I admire her color both so subtle
and yet so pure like some gem which
shimmers in the glory of the sun reflecting
beauty truly fit for her and my own King eternal.

Actually every flower has something to say, or should I say sing: “Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! He is faithful!”

Each And Every Flower

 Each and every flower
reveals her own testimony
crafted according to His purpose
as He in His pure joy
smiles while He displays His
glory for all who who look and
see the intricacies He reveals
in His nature holy—
behold, He revels in each one
and her especial loveliness for
His delight, one more piece of
His Creation—His loving Parable.

Do you think it’s silly to imagine daisies giggling? Well, I would suggest you relax and get a life, as they say. Let God free your mind for His wonder—so He can lift you up and help you enjoy the miracles He places before you every single day.

Daisies Almost Seem To Giggle

 Daisies in their pure joy
almost seem to giggle
as they swing and sway
in breezes gentle
and with their dances happy
as they break out singing
every  yellow daisy
raises up her praises,
“Glory to our holy Maker
who gives us beauty for
His praises—and so we sing
 and gladly bow before Him.”

Tulips always take my breath away! So bright, so bold, so elegant! So glorious . . . surely God’s eyes twinkled when He formed the first one, even as He smiles when another mother gives birth.

When Tulips Lift Up Their Pretty Faces

 When tulips lift up their pretty faces
all bright and beautiful shining in the sun
I can almost imagine them singing
a lovely chorus of praise to their Lord.

And with all their colors waving like
pennants flying in a heavenly parade
He colors each precious one so pure they
point our blessed hearts and minds to Him.

Those who are yellow joyfully lead the way
while those deep purple honor the King on His throne
and those bright red our Savior and our Shepherd
 and those pure white the Holy Spirit our Counselor.

I praise God for each and every flower. When I step outside and see the colors and the shapes He places before us as His testimony to His love and His grace—my heart breaks out in worship!

I Consider Each Flower His Testimony

 I consider each flower a testimony
to express God’s purposeful and particular
love as He intricately designs each blossom
to reveal individual details
portraying expressions unimaginable
with unique colors and textures and features
which fit into the symmetry of His design
expressing His love for beauty—and
how close He holds in His heart, each one another
bold demonstration how the Creator uses
His all powerful yet delicate touch to show
His perfect and His loving delight.

 . . . And I know He delights in each and every one, even as He delights in the beauty of each and every mother, Praise the Lord! Sometimes I wonder what I would do if I had to choose my favorite flower, but I know He never does. He loves them all.

If You Had To Would You Choose . . . ?

If you absolutely had to make the choice:
Which one is more beautiful
out in the cold to endure an uncertain
spring—camellias, pansies, or daffodils?

Camellias red or pink or red and white
delicately and beautifully
make their case with elegance though the frost
may bruise and spread them on the ground.

Pansies bloom bright purple, yellow, white
snuggling courageous even on the frosted
ground their satiny petals bright their
smiling faces saluting the warming sun.

Daffodils dance happily together
to keep themselves still warm even when clouds
try to hide the sun and chill them while they
prance—they dance until His return victorious.

God makes them all such lovely gifts reminding
us, everyone, His glory ever shines though
clouds do come and winds blow cold, spring must come
to celebrate Him as resurrection reigns.

Well, what else can I say? God dearly loves mothers and all those wonderful women who mother. So do I. And they each express His glory as unique as all these flowers—each one’s beauty caught out in our own yard. May He today and everyday bless and strengthen and delight each and every one! Amen!

Adam, Where Are You?

Genesis 3:8-9 ESV
 And they heard the sound
of the Lord God walking in the garden
in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God
among the trees of the garden.  But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”

From the very beginning God has reached out to us in the midst of His glory—to declare His compassion and His Love—but also His holiness. His holiness will not stand by and see us destroy our lives and any chance for joy. He erects boundaries to keep us safe. He gives us His Law, never designed to rob us of any true happiness; but instead, to keep us in His Perfect Way on the way to eternal and delightful fellowship with Him. Indeed, even after the first man and woman disobeyed, God first sought them while they were trying to hide from Him. Then He sent them out into the world and onto His path for their redemption and ours. In all of History He has never stopped calling, seeking and finding and bringing those who hear Him and turn to Him. 

Jesus, Incarnate God (God-in-the-Flesh), as He walked among us, as He loved us and taught us and healed and delivered us; told us commonplace stories to call us to God’s Way and Truth and Life. These simple yet profound Parables change us as His Spirit plants and tends them in our hearts until they produce a miraculous harvest—even as He brings us into His Kingdom and equips us for laboring together with Him for HIs Kingdoom.

In Luke fifteen He captures our minds and hearts with beautiful stories filled with His Love and His Truth which will redeem us, if we allow their Gospel message to grow and produce fruit for His Kingdom in our lives redeemed by Him. Let’s take a look at each of these powerful parables. Pray with me that God will use each of these powerful parables  to work redemptive miracles in us until we become like the lost and found lamb, coin and son.

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

Luke 15:3-4 ESV
So he told them this parable:
“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them,
does not leave the ninety-nine
in the open country, and go after
the one that is lost, until he finds it?”

Clearly, Jesus is referring to Himself as this Good Shepherd, who so treasures each of His sheep, He will leave the secure ninety-nine in order to seek and find and return to the fold, the one. Every one of us is precious to Him. He will always leave the ninety-nine sheep safely in the fold to seek and to find the one who is lost. We are each, indeed, precious to Him.

Luke 15:5-7 ESV
“And when he has found it,
he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
And when he comes home,
he calls together his friends
and his neighbors, saying to them,
‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’
Just so, I tell you, there will be
more joy in heaven over one sinner
who repents than over ninety-nine
righteous persons who need no repentance.”

So, Jesus finds us and saves us from the dangers which might destroy us outside our Shepherd’s Fold, where we are always vulnerable in this world. Then as He returns us to the security and the blessings of His Home for us, He celebrates with a party more joyous than ever, for as He says, “I have found my sheep that was lost.” He speaks for the heart of God, eager to have us safe in His loving arms.

The Parable of the Lost Coin

Luke 15:8-10 ESV
“Or what woman, having ten silver coins,
if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp
and sweep the house and seek diligently
until she finds it? And when she has found it,
she calls together her friends and neighbors,
saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found
the coin that I had lost.’
Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the
angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Next, Jesus tells a remarkably similar story. In this story Jesus explains that a woman has lost one of her precious ten coins. Notice her diligence in seeking this simple treasure so dear to her heart. She lights a lamp and sweeps the house until she finds it. Then she immediately wants to celebrate with her friends and neighbors. She pleads with them; “Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.” I can just imagine how the women in the crowd listened with wonder as God captured their hearts with the power of His seeking Love.

The Parable of the Prodigal Son

Luke 15:11-19 ESV
And he said, “There was a man who had two sons.  And the younger of them said to his
father, ‘Father, give me the share of property
that is coming to me.’ And he divided
his property between them.  
Not many days later,
the younger son gathered all he had
and took a journey into a far country,
and there he squandered
his property
in reckless living. And when he had spent
everything, a severe famine arose
in that country, and he began to be in need.
So he went and hired himself out
to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
And he was longing to be fed
with the pods that the pigs ate,
and no one gave him anything.”

The third of these parables heightens our opportunity to empathize with the son when his own selfishness so misleads him, he ends up literally amidst the pigs—certainly a nightmare for any Jew. Listen to his poignant understanding of how far he has fallen; “And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, . . .” He has lost every bit of his identity as one of the blessed Children of Almighty God. 

Luke 15:17-24
“But when he came to himself,
he said, ‘How many
of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!
I will arise and go to my father,
and I will say to him, “
Father, I have sinned against heaven
and before you.  
I am no longer worthy
to be called your son.
Treat me as one
of your hired servants.’ 
And he arose
and came to his father.
But while he was still
a long way off,
his father saw him
and felt compassion,
and ran and
embraced him and kissed him.  
And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven
and before you.
I am no longer worthy
to be called your son.’
But the father said
to his servants,
’Bring quickly the best robe,
and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.
And bring the fattened calf
and kill it,
and let us eat
and celebrate.
For this my son was dead,
and is alive again;
he was lost, and is found.’
And they began to celebrate.’”

Here Jesus shares with us three beautiful truths about God’s redemptive process available to all.
1. First there is repentance in the midst of lostness.
2. Then there is a turning around from the world in order
to travel home.
3. Then there is a joyful discovery that the Loving Father
has been waiting to forgive, redeem and restore His
beloved child.

And then comes the instantaneous and wondrous celebration as the son who has been lost is now found. Here is Jesus’ own perfect portrait of our Loving God, Father, Son and Spirit, too loving to allow us to be destroyed by our sin without coming and seeking and finding us. These are stories of eternal joy for those who listen, who hear, and who believe—who in their deepest hearts accept and receive this eternal, this great Good News.

How could anyone complain about such amazing grace? Well, Jesus was actually telling these beautiful stories to teach people the true picture of God. He was reacting to the Pharisees and their “Letter of the Law” understanding of a God who demands perfection or else—with no real appreciation for His Love and His desire for a personal relationship with each person as His child. With that in mind, let’s read the remainder of “The Prodigal Son.” The focus shifts to the older son.

Luke 15:25-32 ESV
“Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the
house, he heard music
and dancing. And he called one of the
servants and asked what
these things meant.
And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come,
and your father
has killed the fattened
calf, because he has received him back
safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to
go in. His father came
out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many
years I have served you,
and I never disobeyed
your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my
friends. But when this
son of yours came, who
has devoured your
property with prostitutes,
you killed the fattened calf for him!’
And he said to him, ‘Son,
you are always with me,
and all that is mine is
yours. It was fitting to
celebrate and be glad,
for this your brother was
dead, and is alive;
he was lost, and is found.’”

First, it is hard not to notice the “But what about me?” attitude. Ironically self-righteous people keep their life focus on themselves and not God. They want to achieve their own salvation. They sadly fail to recognize they are worshiping the idol of self. They refuse to believe they cannot do it on their own. Often they are the most difficult for Jesus to bring to the Father. They actually prefer a distant, judgmental God to the True God of the Bible, who from the Beginning has been seeking His lost children, calling to them, finding them and bringing them eternally Home. What the older brother fails to understand is his younger brother was dead to them and is now alive. He was lost and is now found. Sadly, the older brother (the Pharisees who opposed Jesus) failed to understand how they have chosen themselves over the Father, and are in need of hearing God’s Call to repentance and redemption. So, they are dead still in their selfishness and sin; and they are lost, but have not allowed themselves to be found.

In these remarkably, divinely crafted stories, our hearts are confronted with the Gospel:
1. We have a God who loves us dearly.
2. He seeks us when we wander from His Way.
3. He offers us redemption.
4. We have to turn to Him and follow.
5. He will welcome us Home.

This is the Gospel story we have to tell to the whole world. This is the Gospel story that has saved us. This is the beautiful, the true and only Gospel story.

Because of GOD’S LOVE,
IT’S ALL ABOUT JESUS!!!

Reuben and Maggie Bishop: Faithful

Reuben and Maggie Bishop:
Fifty-Five Years Of Loving
Service For Their Lord Together

 1 Samuel 12:24 ESV

Only fear the LORD and serve him
faithfully with all your heart.
For consider what great things
he has done for you.

Together They Loved And Served

Together they loved and served their Lord together
over the course of fifty-five years
centered on Him who saved
and called them into sharing
their family—their children, their hopes and their
dreams together trusting in their faith
and in their church with Jesus
as their guide and Savior—
loving and laughing and working and playing
and praying and worshipping
always together whether
in joy or in sadness—
and they in their faithful, their full-hearted service
made a difference for others seeking
for direction and purpose—
finding their all in Jesus.

********

As I grew up in the fifties and sixties, I often wondered why older folks got so excited about that really old song, “Give me that old time religion.” After all, I was growing up in a world excited about the space race to the moon, frightened by the nuclear arms race, getting used to all kinds of new music and lots of weird, yet somehow exciting new ideas. People were experimenting with new hair lengths, new skirt lengths, new styles, leisure suits, bell bottom trousers, and tie-dyed anything and everything. “Old Time Religion” seemed a bit out of tune with the modernity of the sixties. Yet, I have to admit I never lost my admiration for all those faithful folks who sang about their religion—day-by-day because they faithfully and visibly lived it out in the ups-and-downs of raising families on tight budgets with genuine faith in Jesus as their Savior.  And they always did so with enthusiastic participation in church ministries. So many of these families placed church right in the center of the priorities, and those of us growing up among them were truly blessed by their hearts for Jesus. So, I have to admit I actually came to admire their very real “Old Time Religion.”

I grew up appreciating so many such families, but Reuben and Maggie Bishop particularly blessed me as they and their large family shared life with our family at Glencoe First Baptist Church . Reuben had been born in 1922, as one of five children. He grew up to serve in the Navy during World War II. Maggie had been born in 1924. They married in September in 1944 and spent 55 years together. Reuben worked for 30 years at Goodyear Tire, while Maggie worked as a stay-at-home Mom until all of her children were in school. Then she worked at a downtown department store. They had five children: Alice Goss, Theresa Thompson, Sammy Bishop, Anita Landers and Tina Chun. (Imagine poor Sammy, growing up in a house with no brothers, but four sisters!)

Here they are! Reuben and Maggie
and their incredibly
beautiful family.
Praise God for them all!

As, I have said it was clear even to me, that they built their family on the strong foundation of their Christian faith. Anita says, “My parents were Christian parents who lived the Christian life. They had a huge impact on many people in our Church.” For instance, Reuben started teaching a Sunday School Class of fifth and sixth graders, and taught them every year until they graduated from high school. He discipled those guys through their school years, always pointing them to Christ. At his funeral several of them served as pallbearers; now—that’s a lifelong testimony.

Anita also shares this testimony: “During a revival at our Church Junior Hill was preaching. Dad and I were working in the garden and talking about the service from the night before. As we talked, Dad explained the Roman Road of Salvation, and I accepted Christ as my Savior right there in the pea patch.” What a beautiful place to meet the Lord!

Now, growing up in the Bishop family had its perks and its challenges. Maggie was an excellent seamstress and made most of the girls’ dresses, including one particularly beautiful formal for Anita’s Junior-Senior Prom. However, she also remembers her junior year, playing in the the band, and having gone to a Saturday competition. Even though she did not get home until 3 A.M. Sunday morning, she was awakened right on time and told to get ready for church. Her parents believed firmly; if you could participate in a band trip,  you could definitely make it to church. She explains she was the only band member who made it to church that day. 

Maggie never missed Sunday School, Training Union, WMU and Prayer Meeting. For both Reuben and Maggie, their family life centered around their Christian life. Maggie also took an active part in ministering to church and community families in times of grief. She continued this work well into her eighties.

GFBC IN THE 1960’S
Church Family or Faith Family?
Call it what you will—
They are both God’s Family,
and there’s no better way to grow up
than in a God Worshipping,
Jesus Loving, Spirit Serving
fellowship of your Family in Christ.

Another daughter, Tina, adds that both her parents taught Sunday School. Their Dad worked with the R.A.’s and served as a Deacon. They enjoyed hosting ice cream socials for the teens. She mentions how their closest friends were members of their Church. Tina further mentions how she, her sisters and her brother were always encouraged to participate in church groups and youth camps. She says, “We all grew up learning  all about the Love of Christ.”

The Bishops were always known for their garden, and they always grew much more than even their big family needed. Neighbors and church families were welcome to come and gather fruits and vegetables. After Reuben passed away, Maggie became known as the bean lady. She would grow more green beans than anyone could handle.  Tina  gives this beautiful tribute to her parents: “We were loved.”

Anita recalls how both of her parents remained active in the lives of their children, their grandchildren, and even their great-grandchildren. Often they traveled all the way from Alabama to Texas to see baseball games and spend fun times with the younger members of the family.

You can easily see why I feel  so blessed to have grown up in a church family with the Bishops. Above all, in the midst of their busy lives, they were faithful to their Lord Jesus, faithful to their family, and certainly faithful to their church family. 

In the midst of all of this they dealt with mighty challenges. As it turned out, Reuben, developed a hereditary issue which severely complicated his breathing. In fact, for many years, he seemed to gasp for every breath; yet he never let that stop him from giving a powerful witness to His Lord. He loved Jesus truly, and could be counted on to encourage various preachers with hearty “Amens!” as they preached the Gospel. He and Maggie kept their focus on God and His Goodness throughout these years of suffering. They continued to focus energy on loving their family, serving others and growing and their delicious fruit and vegetables. 

Getting back to that “Old Time Religion” makes just as much sense today as it did back in my growing-up days. Christian families like the faithful one Reuben and Maggie led so faithfully,  still provide a powerful witness for Jesus and the eternal Kingdom He continues to build in the hearts and lives of  such servants as the Bishops. I enthusiastically praise God for such wonderful and fruitful lives as theirs.