Be glad ... and have joy in the Lord your God

I received a note from Paul as he reacted to the destruction that is happening in our world. Read what he said:

“In my musing over the Christmas season and the Joy it brought to countless people around the world, I was reminded of the stark reality of life as it unfold before our eyes. My thought went out to the people of Haiti, Sudan, Australia, Brazil and the great tragedy of Arizona.

In times like this it is easy to spread blame, and demonize the other. My prayer is that we would turn to the source of Comfort, Hope and Peace.

Let me give you a portion of God’s Word as spoken to the people of Israel by the prophet Joel. Please read Joel 2:21-32 as he assures us we should have no fear because the Lord will give back the years that have been destroyed. ‘… Have no fear, O land; be glad with great joy; for the Lord has done great things.’

Read it, think about it and pray.”

Paul Weresch

Yes, Joel gives hope to the people of Israel where there seems to be no hope. And, just like the people of Joel’s time, we are given hope in words of the Bible.

Isaiah 34:4, Matthew 24:29-31 and Luke 21:25-28 tell us of the signs in the heavens … to “lift up your heads because your redemption is drawing near.”

Jesus tells us in Matthew 24 to “keep watch” and “be ready” but also to “… see to it that you are not alarmed.”

The Apostle Paul warns and comforts in 2 Thessalonians not to be deceived or to become easily unsettled as the events unfold, because Jesus will keep you “steadfast in the faith to the end.”

Peter reminds us in his second book to be error free by “recalling the words spoken of old by holy prophets” which takes us back to Joel 2:21-32.

Yes, dear friends … there is much happening in the world today to bring sorrow to our hearts. However, let us listen to Joel as he says, “Be glad and have joy in the Lord your God!”

Larry Abele, Editorial Team

In the Fullness of Time ...

January 2010 … a new year … another chance … a fresh start … a time to reflect … a time to resolve. We are constantly measuring and labeling blocks of time. We make plans involving time ... resolving to do this and to do that.

But, how could we not be interested in time. We are created in the image of the Great Timekeeper … our God! He tells us in His word that time is important.

He laid out for us His entire creative process measured in days (Genesis 1:1 – 2:3). He could have done it instantly … why didn’t He? Because He wanted to teach us His normal way of working … through a process.

He eloquently and poetically tells us in Ecclesiastes 3 that "there is a time for everything", again, part of a process.

He tells us in Revelation 21 that a new heaven and a new earth are coming. God is in the process of making all things new.

But the ultimate loving process of God for us is laid out in Galatians 4:4-7:

But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.

God has a plan for all of us involving redemption, restoration, reconciliation and adoption. In God’s time, his plan will be accomplished.

He will be back at precisely the right time. And what should our job be in all of this? Our resolution for 2010? Be ready. Accept what your God has done for you. Believe! Christians are born anew in an instant and through a lifetime process, God makes them new.

Remember, God has a plan for you … it will all work out … "in the fullness of time".

Larry Abele – Editorial Team

We Must Value Our Children!

 In the world today … full of genocide and abortion, sweat shops and street wars ... there doesn’t seem to be a lot of regard for our children. In many parts of our globe, they are considered a commodity .. beings to be used .. chattel for barter and trade. In our own country they have been relegated to the position of fetus.

Could we be making a BIG mistake? What does God think of children?

1. God considers children a gift that he has given us.
Genesis 33:5 "Then Esau looked around and saw the women and children: "And who are these with you?" Jacob said, "The children that God saw fit to bless me with."


2. God considers children a blessing to society.
Matthew 21:15-16 "When the religious leaders … heard all the children running and shouting through the Temple, "Hosanna to David's Son!" they were up in arms and took him to task. "Do you hear what these children are saying?"
Jesus said, "Yes, I hear them. And haven't you read in God's Word, 'From the mouths of children and babies I'll furnish a place of praise'?"

3. God considers children a depository of our Hopes.
King David said in Psalm 127:3-5 "Don't you see that children are God 's best gift? The fruit of the womb his generous legacy? Like a warrior's fistful of arrows are the children of a vigorous youth. Oh, how blessed are you parents, with your quivers full of children! Your enemies don't stand a chance against you; you'll sweep them right off your doorstep."


4. God feels that we should be responsible for our children.
Proverbs 22:6 "Point your kids in the right direction — when they're old they won't be lost."
Proverbs 29:17 "Discipline your children; you'll be glad you did — they'll turn out delightful to live with."


5. God gave us children to be an example to us all.
Mark 10:13-16 The people brought children to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus was irate and let them know it: "Don't push these children away. Don't ever get between them and me. These children are at the very center of life in the kingdom. Mark this: Unless you accept God's kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you'll never get in." Then, gathering the children up in his arms, he laid his hands of blessing on them.


6. God gave us a warning about our attitude toward children.
Matt 18:1-7 Disciples came to Jesus asking, "Who gets the highest rank in God's kingdom?" For an answer Jesus called over a child, whom he stood in the middle of the room, and said, "I'm telling you, once and for all, that unless you return to square one and start over like children, you're not even going to get a look at the kingdom, let alone get in. Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like this child, will rank high in God's kingdom. What's more, when you receive the childlike on my account, it's the same as receiving me.
"But if you give them a hard time, bullying or taking advantage of their simple trust, you'll soon wish you hadn't. You'd be better off dropped in the middle of the lake with a millstone around your neck. Doom to the world for giving these God-believing children a hard time! Hard times are inevitable, but you don't have to make it worse — and it's doomsday to you if you do."

I believe that just about says it all … what do you believe?

Larry Abele - Editorial Team

(Bible references from THE MESSAGE: by Eugene H. Peterson)

It’s All About The Blood!

I just had my annual physical exam. Along with the probing and questioning, they took a pretty fair amount of blood. The doctors can tell a great deal about your health by examining your blood. You have a particular blood "type". Also, various components of the blood tell the doctor how your cholesterol levels are, the "PSA" test lets you know the health of your prostate gland. They can tell if you have diabetes or are prone to it. Real bad news could be delivered that you are "HIV positive".

One test the doctors did not perform on my blood is the one that would tell me that my blood is "SIN positive"!

Oh, yes … your blood is "SIN positive" also! It is genetic. SIN has been passed down through the generations from Adam who let SIN into his life and thus branded us all. This is pretty bad news because we know from the Bible that God is righteous and cannot abide SIN. We have been doomed through Adam’s blood.

But wait … do not despair … there is a cure!

Paul told the Ephesians in chapter 2, verse 13, "Now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ."

Jesus, himself said, "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins", (Matthew 26:28).

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin." (1 John 1:7)

And finally, "For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers,
but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect." (1 Peter 1:18:19)

So, the cure is there … believe in Jesus Christ who shed His blood that yours may be purified. Take your medicine!

Larry Abele, Editorial Team