The Visit

 

Isn’t it lovely having visitors? We especially look forward to visits from loved ones we don’t get to see very often. Larry and I recently had the joy of going to visit with his sisters and then my sister for a short time. We packed in all the talking and eating and Yahtzee playing we could! We took things to leave with them so they’d remember we had been there—not big things, but reminders of our love.

Of course, those who are nearby can be just as dear. As I write this short piece--two days before Christmas, one of our granddaughters is spending the night with us. When she goes home tomorrow, I will look back on the visit and remember our fun. The mealtime conversations, the puzzles and the coloring, the bedtime stories, and even the dance party after dinner will be recalled as we look around where our dear girl sat and played.

It’s Christmas now, and we’re remembering that Jesus came to earth. J.B. Phillips’ book Good News has a chapter titled “The Christian Year.” The first section of that chapter is The Meaning of Advent. It’s a section full of uplifting and challenging thoughts, but this simple sentence stands out to me: “Nothing can alter the fact that we live on a visited planet.” Jesus has been here. If we were to go to the Holy Land, we could walk where he walked and see some of the scenery he looked on as he lived out his years on Earth.

Even though Jesus in the flesh did not walk the streets of Chattanooga or ride a boat on the Tennessee River, we can nonetheless see evidence of his visit with us. Because Jesus visited Earth, people are changed. At this time of year, we go out of our way to bake cookies, to find the best gifts, to decorate our homes and welcome people in. These customs are evidence that Jesus visited us and left His mark.

Obviously, people whose hearts have not been changed by Jesus can do these same wonderful things, but James tells us that “every good gift . . . is from above,” and there is no doubt that a Christian influence creates a kinder society.

During the year to come, we will have many opportunities to help others or to receive aid ourselves. Let us see these times as remnants of Jesus’s time on Earth. Let us remember His visit and continue in the things He showed us.

--Sherry Poff

Christmas Villains

             I love thinking about so many of the Christmas characters, and the wonderful moments when their lives intersected with that most special of children, the little Lord Jesus. Elisabeth and Zacharias, Mary and Joseph, Anna and Simeon, rugged shepherds, dedicated wise men – their lives had been progressing toward incarnation’s awe before they could ever dream of what would be. Yet, even this most beautiful of stories – when the Word was made flesh – has antagonists lurking here and there. What of the Christmas villains? With everything going on in the world today, I thought about them a little more this year….

 

Christmas Villains

“The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it.” – John 1:5 (NLT)

 

I have hated Christmas from the first time I heard of it.

To be specific, I hate Him - that baby, that rival to where I sit.

I am king, and I will be king no matter who stands in my way.

I’ll kill anyone to ensure that I live to rule another day.

Jealous fear holds sway, ever cruel,

Over my enemies, imagined or real.

I am Herod, the Christmas villain of competition.

 

To be quite honest, we are apathetic regarding Christmas.

Prophecies in dusty scrolls mean nothing to us.

Holy curiosity? Humph, merely for youth.

Prestigious position has dimmed the light of truth.

When answers are demanded, we’ll rattle them off;

But at peasant dreams, our hearts will scoff.

We are the chief priests and scribes, Christmas villains of complacency.

 

Too busy to notice, too busy to care –

Our days were chaotic, so we didn’t share.

Some of us made money, others tried to survive

The influx of stress the decree brought to our lives.

But one thing is certain, no matter our reason,

Giving less than our best was, in effect, treason.

We are Bethlehem’s villagers, Christmas villains of circumstance.

 

I am Jesus; I am undefeated -

The Victor of Christmas Whose plan was completed.

Those villains may echo in your world today,

Just as fierce now as when I was cradled in hay,

But of this be sure: I am Light shining in darkness,

That nothing, no nothing, can ever extinguish.

I am Jesus; “I have overcome the world.”*

 

Then come now, O Christians – faithful, joyful, triumphant!

Adore Him again, the God-Man Incarnate!

Tyrants can’t crush Him, the elite can’t dismiss Him,

The busy can’t ignore Him; let us always love Him!

With steel in our souls, and a spring in our stride,

We joy in this fact: Immanuel’s by our side.

The Victor is Jesus!

 *John 16:33

Merry Christmas!
MaryBeth Hall

I Remember

Christmas is a time for remembering, isn't it!  Christmas at my grandparents' was wonderful.  One of the things we had that most families did not was a program on Christmas afternoon before even one gift could be opened!  Some things were always the same.  My Aunt Joy told the story of the Birds' Christmas Carol.  Aunt Jo and Uncle Bill sang "Is Christ Crowded Out?"  Uncle Walt and Aunt Libby sang "Silver Bells."  Aunt Jessie sang "Sweet Little Jesus Boy." As the grandchildren grew, they too were expected to contribute.  We all, from the toddlers up, quoted Luke 2. Then we had testimonies.  What had God done during the previous year? (To the grandchildren this program sometimes seemed to go on forever!)

One of my favorite parts was when Aunt Jessie read a story called "Christmas on the Frontier."  (My daughter told me that the reason we loved this story was that the room was filled with preachers and their families who were all poor!)  The story was that of a preacher's wife on the frontier at Christmas.  Today I want to share that story in honor of my Aunt Jessie.

I remember a day one winter that stands out like a boulder in my life. The weather was unusually cold, our salary had not been regularly paid, and it did not meet our needs when it was.

My husband was away much of the time, traveling from one district to another. Our boys were well, but my little Ruth was ailing.  At best, not one of us was decently clothed. I patched and re-patched, with spirits sinking to the lowest ebb. The water gave out in the well.  The wind blew through cracks in the floor.

The people in the parish were kind, and generous, too; but the settlement was new, and each family was struggling for itself. Little by little, at the time I needed it most, my faith began to waver.

Early in life I was taught to take God at His word, and I thought my lesson was well learned. I had lived upon the promises in dark times, until I knew, as David did, "Who was my Fortress and Deliverer." Now a daily prayer for forgiveness was all that I could offer.

My husband's overcoat was hardly thick enough for October and he was often obliged to ride miles to attend some meeting or funeral. Many times our breakfast was Indian cake and a cup of tea without sugar.

Christmas was coming; the children always expected their presents. I remember the ice was thick and smooth, and the boys were each craving a pair of skates. Ruth, in some unaccountable way, had taken a fancy that the dolls I made were no longer suitable; she wanted a nice large one and insisted on praying for it.

I knew it seemed impossible; but, oh! I wanted to give each child his present. It seemed as if God had deserted us, but I did not tell my husband all this. He worked so earnestly and heartily, I supposed him to be as hopeful as ever. I kept the sitting room cheerful with an open fire and tried to serve our scanty meals as invitingly as I could.

The morning before Christmas, John was called to see a sick man. I put up a piece of bread for his lunch--it was the best I could do--wrapped my plaid shawl around his neck, and then tried to whisper a promise as I often had, but the words died away upon my lips. I let him go without it.

That was a dark, hopeless day. I coaxed the children to bed early, for I could not bear their talk. When Ruth went to bed, I listened to her prayer.  She asked for the last time most explicitly for her doll, and for skates for her brothers. Her bright face looked so lovely when she whispered to me, "You know, Mama, I think they'll be here early tomorrow morning,"   I thought I could move heaven and earth to save her from disappointment. I sat down alone and gave way to the most bitter tears.

Before long John returned, chilled and exhausted. He drew off his boots; the thin stockings slipped off with them, and his feet were red with cold. "I wouldn't treat a dog that way; let alone a faithful servant," I said.  Then as I glanced up and saw the hard lines in his face and the look of despair, it flashed across me--John had let go too.

I brought him a cup of tea, feeling sick and dizzy at the very thought.  He took my hand and we sat for an hour, without a word. I wanted to die and meet God and tell Him His promises weren't true; my soul was so full of rebellious despair.

Suddenly there came a sound of bells, a quick step, and a loud knock at the door. John sprang up to open it. There stood Deacon White. "A box came by express just before dark. I brought it around as soon as I could get away.  Reckon it might be for Christmas. 'At any rate,' I said, 'they shall have it tonight.' Here is a turkey my wife asked me to fetch along, and these other things I believe belong to you."  There was a basket of potatoes and a bag of flour. Talking all the time, he hurried in the box, and then, with a hearty good-night, he rode away.

Still without speaking, John found a chisel and opened the box. He first drew out a thick red blanket, and we saw that beneath it the box was full of clothing.   John sat down and covered his face with his hands. "I can't touch them," he exclaimed; "I haven't been true, just when God was trying me to see if I could hold out. Do you think I could not see how you were suffering? And I had no word of comfort to offer. I know now how to preach the awfulness of turning from God."

"John," I said, clinging to him, "don't take it to heart like this. I ought to have helped you. We will ask Him together to forgive us."

"Wait a moment, dear, I cannot talk now." he said, then he went into another room. I knelt down, and my heart broke; in an instant all the darkness, all the stubbornness rolled away. Jesus came and stood before me with the loving word, "Daughter!"

Sweet promises of tenderness and joy flooded my soul. I was so lost in praise and gratitude that I forgot everything else. I don't know how long it was before John came back, but I knew he, too, had found peace.  "Now, my dear wife," he said, "let us thank God together." He then poured out words of praise, Bible words, for nothing else could express our thanksgiving.

It was 11:00, the fire was low, and there was the great box, and nothing touched but the warm blanket we needed. We piled on some fresh logs, lighted two candles, and began to examine our treasures.

We drew out an overcoat; I made John try it on. It was just the right size, and I danced around him, for all my lightheartedness had returned.  There was a warm suit of clothes also, and three pairs of woolen hose.  There was a dress for me, and yards of flannel, a pair of arctic overshoes for each of us.  In mine was a slip of paper. I have it now, and mean to hand it down to my children. It was Jacob's blessing to Asher: "Thy shoes shall be iron and brass, and as thy days, so shall thy strength be." In the gloves, evidently for John, the same dear hand had written: "I, the Lord thy God, will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee: Fear not, I will help thee."

It was a wonderful box, packed with thoughtful care. There was a suit of clothes for each of the boys and a little red gown for Ruth. There were mittens, scarves, and hoods, and, down in the center, a box. We opened it and there was a great wax doll. I burst into tears again; John wept with me for joy. It was too much; and then we both exclaimed again, for close behind it came two pairs of skates. There were books for us, stories for the children, aprons and underclothing, knots of ribbon, a lovely photograph, needles, buttons and thread, and an envelope containing a ten-dollar gold piece.

At last we cried over everything we took up. It was past midnight, and we were faint and exhausted with happiness. I made a pot of tea, cut a fresh loaf of bread and John boiled some eggs. We drew up the table before the fire; how we enjoyed our supper! And then we sat talking over our life and how sure a help God always proved.

You should have seen the children the next morning; the boys raised a shout at the sight of their skates. Ruth caught up her doll and hugged it tightly without a word; then she went into her room and knelt by her bed.  When she came back she whispered to me, "I knew it would be there, Mama, but I wanted to thank God just the same, you know." 

"Look here, wife!" We went to the window and there were the boys out of the house already, skating on the ice with all their might.

My husband and I both tried to return thanks to the church in the East that sent us the box and have tried to return thanks unto God every day since.

Hard times have come again and again, but we have trusted in Him, dreading nothing so much as a doubt of His protecting care. Over and over again we have proved that, "They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing."

                                                                                ~~Submitted by Faith Himes Lamb

Learning About Hygge

When Dan and I were young and newly married, we experienced a lot of rejection from certain family and friends whenever we invited them to our home. Either our invites would be outright rejected, or people would cancel at the last minute. This was hard on us and on our daughters.  We wondered what was wrong with us. Did we not have good social skills? Were we boring? It hurt. After a while, we stopped inviting people, and this has lasted our whole lives.

Recently, I heard about a podcast entitled, “Holy Hygge” and began listening. Hygge is the art of Danish hospitality (apparently the Danes are very good at this). My kneejerk response to suggestions of being hospitable, especially in my home, have been “no way.” It’s completely out of my comfort zone. But now that my girls are adults, and our family get-togethers have become larger, I find myself having a renewed interest in having people in my home. I want my home to be a place of blessing and encouragement to all who enter. A place where people are heard. A warm, inviting place. Our home isn’t very large, so creativity will be required if we proceed. And we are very busy with little time for such activity. But I am thinking about it, especially since I know we are commanded to practice hospitality in the Bible. Our home belongs to the LORD to use as He sees fit.

I am also reading a book entitled, “The Six Conversations: Pathways to Connecting in an Age of Isolation and Incivility.” I hope to put into practice these conversation skills that will help people feel connected and loved. I highly recommend this book as well as the above-mentioned podcast.

One thing I learned from those painful experiences of our youth: we were trying to befriend people who did not need us. They had plenty of family and friends. Some were too busy for us. It is better to ask the LORD to guide you when deciding to whom to offer yourself. Some of you may remember the neighborhood children we used to have in our home and often brought to church. In that season, they needed us, and it was a natural opportunity. We were practicing hospitality without realizing it. And some of those people became dear friends. We were likely blessed as much or more by them than they were by us. Also, when I was in college, I invited a classmate to sit with me in chapel since we were both walking that direction. That led to Friday night fun which led to a lifelong friendship. I had no idea how much this friendship meant to her until she invited me to be in her wedding. And it was a simple invite I stumbled upon. We can pray for these opportunities.

Because of the hurts we experienced, if possible, I try not to turn down invitations to weddings, baby showers, etc. I even try to attend funerals if I can. These events are important to people. When someone offers a person friendship, that is a valuable gift. May I never hurt another by rejecting it.

 These are my latest thoughts.

 joyce hague

Light and Dust

 

Much to our delight, we have had quite a bit of company recently at the Holladay Inn. But sometimes, to my chagrin, after they have gone and I am standing in our front hall and the sun is shining on our hall table that they all passed to sign our guest book...DUST!!! “Oh, no! Did they see it???”

 

We had cleaned the house well...or so we thought. But the sunshine tells a different story!

 

Could it be that we need “the sunshine/the light” of God’s Word to FOCUS on some “DUST” we have missed in our lives?

            Are we fearful about the future?

            Are we discontent with things we do not have?

            Are we angry about circumstances that we cannot change unless God does the  changing and, as far as we know, He hasn’t done anything yet?

            Are we difficult to get along with, even in our homes? But we think we are right!

            Are we self-centered and do not realize it? Getting our feelings hurt easily?

            Are we slow in asking forgiveness or giving it to others close to us?

            Are we rude at restaurants or in line at a grocery or in traffic, cutting off a driver when we are in a hurry?

           

The list is endless...

 

You know the “dust” in your own life. Or maybe you and I do not know! That is when we need to ask the Lord to shine his “sunshine” on our lives so we can clearly see what we need. That has to be through the light of His Word and the Holy Spirit opening our eyes to our own weaknesses.

 

 Sometimes our “dust” is revealed to us when we hear a message in church or in a Bible study. It can also appear when we see how we react to a family member in the wrong way. Or it could be watching a dear friend who remains cheerful during very difficult circumstances. And we think, “Dear Lord, I want to be like that. Please help me!”

 

Everything we need to enable us to live as “dust free” as possible can be found in God’s Word.

Psalm 19:7-11 is a good place to start:

 

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
⁸ The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
⁹ The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
¹⁰ More to be desired are they than gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

¹¹ Moreover by them Your servant is warned,
And in keeping them there is great reward.

 

Ask the Lord to get out the dust cloth of His Word and shine you up so you can be a light to those around you!

--Maylou Holladay

Defeated Individual or Victorious Team? A Timeline

David and Joanne Divakar are our Grace-supported missionaries to India and to Indian communities in Australia. Indians themselves, they are uniquely gifted to minister in both Indian and Western cultures. Speaking at our church several years ago, David related a story which shows God’s power and plan in a unique situation. It helps us see past our own tiny slice of history and influence to God’s larger perspective. Feeling small? Unsuccessful? Ineffective? Check. Check. And check. I’ve transcribed from the recording of his message; this reads more like a speech than a written account because it is. The rest of this article is entirely his; I’ve not added anything. If you have heard Mr. Divakar speak, you may be able to hear his voice as you read.  (Lynda Shenefield)

 

Way back, over 100 years ago now, there was a Hindu Guru. A Hindu Guru is a priest, and he was reading from his book, a commentary on the Bhagavad Ghita, and in that he was reading and teaching his disciples. In the course of his teaching, he read a passage that said, “All religions will ultimately be done away with, but a religion started by a carpenter will survive.” And he was thinking, “What in the world does this mean?” because he said, “I am the priest of what I would consider the greatest religion in the world.” This is gross, but they used to wash his feet and drink it as holy water because according to the system of reincarnation, you become, you know, the bad dog becomes a cat, but if you’ve attained humanity, that’s pretty good. And then if you go one step farther, where you’re a rishi or a swami or a guru or something like that, that is sort of right below the status of one of their gods, and eventually you attain Nirvana, which is nothingness. And so he said, “I am a priest, I am a guru and I don’t even know what’s going to happen in the future. And here this book is talking about someone who is going to come, a carpenter of all people, and his religion is going to supercede mine? It doesn’t make sense.” And so he didn’t know how to explain that, so he just sort of went over that. But that kept bothering him.

In God’s providence, there was a missionary who left London, England, and about that same time came into that area and started preaching the gospel, and as he was preaching the gospel, he came to this particular place where this guru was, and he started teaching them and talking to them. And, if you know anything about Indian people, they are pretty hospitable, pretty nice people. They won’t accept everything you say, but they will shake their head and say, “Yes, yes.” You know, the bobbing head “yes;” you’ve probably seen that. And they were listening to him, not accepting what he said, but, in the course of his preaching, he said, “As a matter of fact, Jesus was probably a carpenter before his three and a half years of ministry, because His foster father Joseph was a carpenter, so it’s very likely in that culture the son does what the father did,” and so he just said that as a matter of fact, and he just went on, but that struck a chord in this elderly man’s mind and he said, “Hey, maybe what I read in my book and what this missionary is talking about are the same thing.” So, later on, when no one was around, sort of like Nicodemus, he went secretly to where the missionary was, but he wouldn’t go into his house, because this man worshipped cows and that man ate beef, so that’s anathema. But he was curious; he did want to know what he meant by what he said, and the missionary was so happy to talk to him and tell him that God loves you. He loves you so much He came down to this earth and died on the cross for you. That blew his mind. You know why? Because it’s not Islam, it’s not Buddhism, it’s not Hinduism, there is no religion in this world, you can Google it if you want to, there is no religion that tells you that God loves you and in a personal way and that he died for you and that He was a sacrifice for sin for you. That’s what this man understood of what Jesus Christ did on the cross. He said, “If this is true, it’s too good to give up.”

Making a long story short, he accepted Jesus Christ as personal Savior. When he did that, these same people who washed his feet and drank the holy water said, “Man, we’re gonna kill you because you are a priest, and now you are a Christian, of all things, and we cannot have that.” And so they kicked him out of the village; his house, his land, everything was just left, bag and baggage. He left and went to a big city. They kicked the missionary out, as well, because they said, “Man, you messed us up big time, because you’ve converted our guru into a Christian; if you stay here, that’s just not gonna happen.” And so they kicked him out as well, and it is said that the missionary left, a very sad man. After all that time and effort, just one person came to Christ; that’s not good to write in your prayer letters, right, just one person came to Christ? But, here’s the thing, we’re talking about a life turned around. God can take any situation and use it for His glory.

What this missionary did not know is that this elderly man’s son would pastor a church for 42 years, preaching the gospel of Christ, seeing many souls saved. And that his son, in the later part of his life, would be an evangelist, again, preaching the gospel, and that his son would be a missionary, and that his son is myself.

I am from that lineage.

And I say that, to say this. It is because we do not realize the power of our Lord and Master until we go through that valley. You know, we love the victories, right? When I was a kid, I used to love to hear my father and all the wonderful stories he used to tell about how God did this for him, God did that for him, wonderful things, and I used to wonder, is that ever going to happen to me? And you know what? It isn’t until you fight the battle, that’s the only time you win the victory. If you don’t fight the battle, you’re not going to win any victories. I learned that and that’s what I understood – that God, if You want me to be in this, I have to go through it. And that’s the same for all of us. We want the victory, but we have to fight the battle before the victory. I thank God for the life of Abraham and other people here in the Bible that we see that went through a lot of hardship, a lot of difficulties, but God has the power, the resources, the ability and, if it is His will, He can take a bad situation and turn it for His glory and honor.

Once for All!

 There are some occurrences in the Old Testament that are really difficult to imagine. Listen to this story and imagine you are there. First, let me set the scene: God has delivered His people the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt through miraculous events. They have crossed the Red Sea on dry land; they have seen God lead them through a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. They have watched God provide food from the sky and water from a rock. Now they have come to a mountain, Mount Sinai. God speaks the law to Moses which he is to pass on to the people. God promises that if His people obey Him, He will drive out the enemies from the land they are about to enter. This is His covenant to the people – the Law and His promises. As the book of Leviticus outlines, His law includes the regulation for animal sacrifices to be offered by the priest in response to their sin. When Moses meets with the people, here is the account from Exodus 34:3-8:

Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the rules. And all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words that the Lord has spoken we will do.”  And Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. He rose early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. And he sent young men of the people of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the Lord. And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he threw against the altar. Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.” And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

            The author of Hebrews refers to this, and he writes that Moses “sprinkled both the book itself and the people, saying, ‘This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you’.” He goes on to explain that Moses also sprinkled the blood on the tent itself and the vessels used in worship (Hebrews 9:19-21). Can you imagine? Blood everywhere – sprinkled on the tabernacle, the vessels, and yes, even sprinkled on the people at the inauguration of the covenant that God was making with his people.

            One of the goals of the writer of Hebrews is to show how Christ is the better sacrifice, and in chapter 9, he deals much with the necessity of blood for the forgiveness of sins (22). He explains how the old covenant was just a shadow of the better thing that was coming. Christ too shed blood, but His sacrifice was a “once for all” sacrifice. His death and shed blood inaugurated a new covenant, and this time, the law of God would not just be written on stones. Hundreds of years prior, God had already told the people a new covenant was coming, “This is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days…. I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it” (Jer. 31:33). The law was weak in that it could not make the Israelites perfect (Heb. 9:9). It was only outward, not inward. The blood was sprinkled on them, but it could not cleanse the inside of them. It could not change their hearts.

            “For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Heb. 9:13-14).

            Christ’s sacrifice, on the other hand, reaches our inside. It cleans our conscience. It is the law written on our hearts that is referred to in the Jeremiah passage. Christ’s death and his blood shed inaugurated this new covenant (Heb. 9:16-18). We are called to remember Christ’s death in a special way when we celebrate the Lord’s supper together. Part of that important time is the drinking of the cup of which Christ said, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”  In a talk by author Jen Wilkin that I listened to yesterday on Hebrews 9, she pointed out that in the drinking of the cup (that stands for the blood), we are also showing the contrast with the old covenant. We are not just “sprinkled” with it as the Israelites were in the old covenant; that couldn’t truly cleanse. No, we drink it; we take it in. It is the blood of Christ through His sacrifice on our behalf that cleanses our hearts. When we drink the cup, that is what we declare.

            Sisters, let’s praise God afresh for His wonderful plan of which the tabernacle with its sacrifices was only a picture and of which Christ is the fulfillment. Let’s praise Him for the cleansing that Christ’s sacrifice wrought in our own hearts ‘once for all.’

--Amy O’Rear

 

The Unbounded Love of God

 

I stood on the second floor walkway of the mission guest house and looked out over a cityscape of varicolored concrete and corrugated tin.  Smoke from many cook fires drifted skyward past spreading branches of fan palm trees.  Early morning sounds of crowing roosters and brush brooms on dirt courtyards rose on the warm air.  I recalled stepping off the plane in Accra: stepping into heat like a fog, into a rush of sounds--voices with lilting English and a variety of tribal languages blended into one melodious chorus of tongues, into the smell of charcoal and fish and warm bodies. The drive from Ghana was filled with vividness: tall corn stalks growing right up to the edge of the road, clusters of women pounding fufu behind their huts, children in tattered brown and yellow uniforms kicking lopsided soccer balls in knee-high grass.

I was in Togo, West Africa, six thousand miles from Chattanooga, Tennessee, but I didn't need a map to tell me I was a long way from home. I had come with a group of teachers to offer hope and love in the form of lesson plans and school supplies, but what we brought seemed so little up against so much need. That very first week in Togo, the situation seemed bleak.  I couldn’t help wondering how God could reach these people. Here where poverty is a given and only the well-connected have running water and electricity. And what could we do to help? How could our small effort make a difference?

I took another look over the neighborhood. Young women walked below me with water pots and bowls expertly balanced on their heads; men strolled by scraping their teeth with short, clean sticks--Togolese toothbrushes; little girls in brightly colored skirts clapped their slender hands and jumped up and down on skinny legs. In two short weeks of sharing food and laughter with my African friends, the poverty and darkness I first saw had disappeared. Instead, I noticed love: the love of the Togolese believers for one another, for us--their Christian friends from around the world, and for God.

************************

That first trip to Togo was many years ago, but I still recall the overwhelming love I felt—God’s love for these people I was just getting to know. My first impression of the great love of God extending all the way around the world still comes back to me when I see pictures from far away such as we have enjoyed in the last few weeks at Grace. I love hearing about the many new believers in Ukraine despite the extreme difficulties there, the tiny baby church in Melissa’s Italian town, and the flourishing ministry in Togo. The simple verse we learned as children is a profound truth that I often pass right by: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

God loves the world. This world includes your neighbors and mine. It includes people in Africa and Asia and South America—and all points in between. It even includes the people we don’t like, the perpetrators of war and suffering. I am so glad God loves me tonight. Truly he is a God of unbounded love and grace. Let’s be thankful for that.

--Sherry Poff

Brothers and Sisters

         Last year was my husband’s and my fifteenth anniversary. To celebrate, we enjoyed a rare trip away from home, to the beautiful hills of North Carolina. The first day we spent in Charlotte, helping out at the Samaritan’s Purse warehouse. Because of covid, Christmas of 2020 saw a huge increase of Operation Christmas Child shoebox donations built online (as opposed to people donating physical boxes). The warehouse was set up for volunteers to pack shoeboxes according to each donor’s specifications.
        Besides the obvious enjoyment of preparing boxes for children in restricted access countries, and the excitement of being involved in a hands-on way in reaching people with the gospel of Jesus Christ, there was also an unexpected take-away from the day for me. Bill and I were able to work side by side with Christians we had never met before, people who were there because they love Jesus just like we do, and want to make a difference for Him. One lady was from a small church in North Carolina a few hours away. Her ladies’ group had been volunteering for a couple days at the warehouse. She is also a seamstress, and sews items for Samaritan’s Purse to give away in third world countries. Her mom lives in Oklahoma, and does the same thing. Seeing the dedication of other believers whom I previously didn’t know even existed reminded me that, although our country as a whole has walked away from God, there are still pockets of people scattered across our land who truly love Him and live for Him. He will always have a remnant of the faithful, and He knows who they are.
        Only eternity could be long enough to get to know all of our brothers and sisters in Christ – people from all times, places, and walks of life who heard the still, small voice of God, and rose up to follow Him. Until then, it is enough to know that our shared kinship in Christ unites us across all obstacles and challenges. Praise God!
 -MaryBeth Hall    

 Brothers and Sisters

 I Kings 19:18 – “Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”

  

Elijah was talking to God one day

When evil over his land held sway.

“I, I alone, am left,” he did pray,

“And they seek my life to take it away.”

The Lord replied with jobs for him to do,

Then revealed a fact that only He knew:

“Yet I have reserved seven thousand who

Haven’t bowed or kissed Baal;” He wasn’t through.

 

Those seven thousand, less than one percent,

Wouldn’t give in no matter how culture went.

Belief in Yahweh they did not relent;

His one sentence applauded lives well spent.

And the eyes of the Lord still run to and fro

Throughout the whole earth, His strength to show

In behalf of those who truly yearn to Him know.*

In the night He sees their faith’s steady glow.

 

Today once again, sin seems to be winning,

But yet there are some who like you are standing

For Jesus, His Word, and His way of living;

All steadfast allegiance our God is counting.

Pockets of people scattered here and there,

Brothers and sisters who for holiness care;

Though we know not our number, His name we share.  

Rise up then encouraged to meet the world’s dare!

*2 Chronicles 16:9

Walk

Remember when you could hardly wait for your child to walk, to take his/her first steps.  I was especially anxious for my fifth child to walk because he was such a chunk it wore me out to carry him.  (I'm not sure I remembered with each child how much more difficult it was to keep track of the child with increased mobility.)

I was in Atlanta with my daughter and son-in-law when my grandson Ruben decided it was time to walk and simply took off.  He made it look easy.

Today I have no grandchildren who need to learn to walk, but instead have had to learn to walk again myself after knee surgery.  One of my aunts is learning to walk again after a minor stroke.  Two aunts have had to walk again after falls and breaks.  So sometimes adults must learn to walk again.  

All of us must learn a spiritual walk.  This definition of walk does not refer to simply placing one foot in front of another.  Instead this definition (according to dictionary.com) is "to conduct oneself in a particular manner; pursue a particular course of life."  The illustration in the dictionary is "to walk humbly with thy God."

If you are using either the KJV or NKJV there are numerous uses of this word "walk."  If you are using a newer translation, other words are substituted.  But since I am thinking of "walking", this is the translation we will use.

Colossians 2:6, "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him."  If I can walk in Him, that makes the walk easier.

Galatians 5:16, "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh."  You can't do both, walk in the Spirit and in the flesh.

Romans 8:1, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."  What a wonderful thought--no condemnation!

I John 1:6-7, If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin."  There are no frauds here.  The light shows truth.

II John 1:6, "And this is love, that we walk after His commandments."  Love is the mark of the Christian according to John 13:34-35.

I Thessalonians 2:12, "That you would walk worthy of God, who has called you into His kingdom and glory."  When I was a teenager, I never experienced teen rebellion.  I was afraid of bringing shame to my father's and grandfather's ministries.  If I wanted to walk worthy for my family's honor, how much more should I walk worthy of God.

To me, the most specific instructions on how to walk worthy of God, come in Ephesians 4:1-3, "I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

Let's learn how to walk!

                                                                ~~Faith Himes Lamb

Not a Complainer - Part II

Since my last post in August, where I write at length about giving praise and thanks to God in all circumstances, I am still working on not being a complainer. It is an uphill battle, as you might imagine. I am presently fighting a flu bug which interrupted our vacation. I have also just finished an ordeal with an infected thumb. Who knew infected digits could be so serious? I burned the same hand in a small electrical fire. It was a minor injury, but the temptation to complain is strong. Small trials can take a toll on one’s spirit!  And to think there are those who are genuinely suffering! 

In my attempt to correct my attitude, I resolved to write a prayer of gratitude to God. Here’s how it goes: 

“Thank You LORD for allowing me to be sick and that it’s not worse. I trust You for my greater good even when it’s unpleasant. I got this bug from loving on my grandbabies. Thank you for them and that they are feeling better. What a joy they are to me! You brought us home early from our vacation due to this illness, so I assume you have your reasons. Thank you for allowing me to endure all that went into my thumb infection and for the medicines You used to heal it. Thank You that my burn was not serious. Today is beautiful, and that makes things easier. Thank You for that! I love Your seasons! You know my days, and the knowledge that You see me and know what I am going through encourages my heart.”

Things for which I am thankful that make having the flu more bearable:

Supplements

Tylenol and Ibuprofen

Cold medicine

Herbal tea

A comfortable bed and couch

Dinner I did not cook

A warm and loving husband

The strength to move around

My back roller to ease the stiffness

Comfy pajamas

A refreshing bath/shower

Through the Apostle Paul, God commands us, “in everything give thanks.” He knows a good attitude and positive thinking are good for us. And it’s a way to demonstrate our trust in God's goodness and wisdom. It’s not always easy for sure. But sometimes obedience is hard, especially if it does not seem to make sense.

(prayers appreciated)

joyce hague

Every Opportunity

 

Ephesians 5:15-16: “ See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, ¹⁶ redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” (NKJV)

¹⁵ “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶ making the MOST of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” (NIV)

 That phrase “making the MOST of every opportunity” jumped out at me as I was reading my ONE YEAR BIBLE recently. I haven’t been able to get it off my mind. CAN YOU BELIEVE...God has over and over challenged me to “make the MOST of opportunities” He has brought to me since I read that verse. 

The word “redeem” has many definitions but can be “to get, to buy back, or to exchange for something of value.” That fits well with “making the MOST of every opportunity” because we are using our time to make a difference, to contribute something of value.

All we have to do is to study the Gospels to see how Jesus made a difference...making the MOST of every opportunity. Just in Luke 7-9, He related to a Centurion, a widow, a storm, five thousand and more hungry people,  a demon-possessed boy...just to name a few. Each was treated with compassion and mercy and purpose.

Who has come across your path this past week who needed help but you thought: “Maybe later. I am too busy right now.” 

We need to BE ALERT...FOCUS...keep our “heads up” looking for opportunities. Now consider in our next few verses, Colossians 4:5-6:

^“Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. ⁶ Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. (NKJV)

⁵ Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. ⁶ Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (NIV)

So...we need to ask God for opportunities to help, but we also need wisdom in our choices. Making the MOST of an opportunity might just be involving another person to serve. Or encouraging the one who is dependent to step out and do his or her best to accomplish the task.  This means that “every opportunity” does not entail your doing the work but just acting as encourager.

Then we need grace in our speech when we are called upon to do something that is totally disrupting OUR schedule. We need grace in our attitudes. Philippians 1:27a:  “Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ.”

That is the bottom line, isn’t it? The Gospel of Christ!  I Timothy 2:3: “This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved...” We must be constantly alert to those around us who need the Lord Jesus. Sometimes it takes months to cross that bridge with a neighbor or even family member to talk to them about their need for salvation. But let’s make the most of every opportunity.

--Maylou Holladay