God's intervention in the lives of ordinary people.
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Sunday, May 13, 2012
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Thursday, May 3rd is the National Day of Prayer. I've written some reflections here.
The Fifty-year Fall
Fifty years ago we came back from our honeymoon and began our life together in our little one-bedroom apartment. Life was simple then.
I will never forget the first day my husband, Vic, went off to work. I turned on the radio and began to unpack boxes stacked everywhere. I paused my unpacking as I listened to the newscaster.
“The Supreme Court has handed down a ruling in favor of Madeline Murray O’Hare. There will no longer be any prayer allowed in public schools.”
I pondered this. No prayer in public schools? Well, I guess the children will just have to pray at home, I thought.
Little by little the courts have ruled for changes that at the time seemed small. Taken together, they have changed the face of our nation as we knew it then. With it, have gone the protective coverings and the strong foundation this republic was established upon.
With prayer removed from the schools in 1962, the next step was to declare abortion legal in 1973. Because of that ruling, over fifty million of our citizens never lived to see the light of day. Two entire generations have grown up without any moral restraint. Today, our legislature argues ridiculous statutes as to whether marriage should be defined between a man and a woman; a law God established with the first humans on earth. We are on the edge of anarchy.
Business dealings fifty years ago were sealed with a person’s word and a handshake. Many of today’s businessmen are unscrupulous greed mongers; especially in government. We have a president and a congress who shows no wisdom or restraint in its dealings.
God promised us thousands of years ago, that if we would “Listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I charge you today, and observe them carefully,” He would make us “the head and not the tail” (Deuteronomy 28:13). He further promised in Deuteronomy 28:44 that we would lend and be the head, and not the tail.
We have become the tail. We are no longer the lender to many nations; we instead are the borrower. The Bible says that the borrower is slave to the lender (Proverbs 22:7). Surely we are China’s slave. Forty cents of every dollar made in America today goes to pay our debt to that nation. At the same time, our government gives billions dollars to governments who hate us and companies not founded on equitable business practices.
The children and grandchildren that are a product of our marriage fifty years ago will endure a heavy burden of debt, if indeed there is any end to this insanity.
As I see it, there is only one way out. God calls His people to repentance; to turn from their wicked ways and return to Him. It is my constant prayer that His lovingkindness will once again be poured out on our nation, and He will grant us the gift of repentance. Perhaps, by a miracle of God, He will grant my request.
The Fifty-year Fall
Fifty years ago we came back from our honeymoon and began our life together in our little one-bedroom apartment. Life was simple then.
I will never forget the first day my husband, Vic, went off to work. I turned on the radio and began to unpack boxes stacked everywhere. I paused my unpacking as I listened to the newscaster.
“The Supreme Court has handed down a ruling in favor of Madeline Murray O’Hare. There will no longer be any prayer allowed in public schools.”
I pondered this. No prayer in public schools? Well, I guess the children will just have to pray at home, I thought.
Little by little the courts have ruled for changes that at the time seemed small. Taken together, they have changed the face of our nation as we knew it then. With it, have gone the protective coverings and the strong foundation this republic was established upon.
With prayer removed from the schools in 1962, the next step was to declare abortion legal in 1973. Because of that ruling, over fifty million of our citizens never lived to see the light of day. Two entire generations have grown up without any moral restraint. Today, our legislature argues ridiculous statutes as to whether marriage should be defined between a man and a woman; a law God established with the first humans on earth. We are on the edge of anarchy.
Business dealings fifty years ago were sealed with a person’s word and a handshake. Many of today’s businessmen are unscrupulous greed mongers; especially in government. We have a president and a congress who shows no wisdom or restraint in its dealings.
God promised us thousands of years ago, that if we would “Listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I charge you today, and observe them carefully,” He would make us “the head and not the tail” (Deuteronomy 28:13). He further promised in Deuteronomy 28:44 that we would lend and be the head, and not the tail.
We have become the tail. We are no longer the lender to many nations; we instead are the borrower. The Bible says that the borrower is slave to the lender (Proverbs 22:7). Surely we are China’s slave. Forty cents of every dollar made in America today goes to pay our debt to that nation. At the same time, our government gives billions dollars to governments who hate us and companies not founded on equitable business practices.
The children and grandchildren that are a product of our marriage fifty years ago will endure a heavy burden of debt, if indeed there is any end to this insanity.
As I see it, there is only one way out. God calls His people to repentance; to turn from their wicked ways and return to Him. It is my constant prayer that His lovingkindness will once again be poured out on our nation, and He will grant us the gift of repentance. Perhaps, by a miracle of God, He will grant my request.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
27 Stories
A curious thing happened the other day. Someone questioned me as to why there are 27 stories in God's Little Miracle Book and God's Little Miracle Book II.
I replied, "I couldn't think of any more at the moment and declared it 'done.'"
My inquirer is a Hebrew teacher and explained, "Each letter of the Hebrew alphabet has a number assigned to it. Letters also have words associate with it. The number twenty-seven is the number for 'kindness.' In Hebrew it's spelled 'checed' (which sounds like hesed in English).'"
I went to blueletterbible.com and looked up "kindness." It references, goodness, kindness, faithfulness.
I sat in awe. Each of the stories in this book demonstrates the kindness, goodness and faithfulness of God to us. It's so fun to write guided by the Holy Spirit!
I replied, "I couldn't think of any more at the moment and declared it 'done.'"
My inquirer is a Hebrew teacher and explained, "Each letter of the Hebrew alphabet has a number assigned to it. Letters also have words associate with it. The number twenty-seven is the number for 'kindness.' In Hebrew it's spelled 'checed' (which sounds like hesed in English).'"
I went to blueletterbible.com and looked up "kindness." It references, goodness, kindness, faithfulness.
I sat in awe. Each of the stories in this book demonstrates the kindness, goodness and faithfulness of God to us. It's so fun to write guided by the Holy Spirit!
Thursday, March 29, 2012
After 48 hours on free download God's Little Miracle Book sits in #2 in sales on Best Sellers, Christian Meditations category. It downloaded for free 9,913 times.
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2.God's Little Miracle Book (God's Little Miracle Books)Sally Jadlow5.0 out of 5 stars (9)Auto-delivered wirelessly $2.99
Friday, March 23, 2012
HEALING
In God’s word, the Bible, He promises us certain things. Many times it’s a two-way street. If we’ll do certain things (meet His requirements) then He promises to fulfill His end of the agreement. The problem often lies with us. We fail on our end and then accuse Him of not being faithful.
I was drawn to one such promise the other day. It reads, “And He said, ‘If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians, for I, the Lord, am your healer’” (Exodus 15:26). We have to do four things in order for His promise to be fulfilled.
Deuteronomy, chapter 28, gives a very accurate list of blessings and curses. Each is qualified with that big, little word “IF.” If you would like to read it, click this link: http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Deu&c=28&v=1&t=NASB#1 Pretty comprehensive list, isn’t it?
I think it’s very helpful to look up the original Hebrew (Old Testament) and Greek (New Testament) words when examining a scripture. It’s really easy to do. Go to http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Type a scripture, and click the little number beside any word you want to know about. An original meaning will pop up.
Here’s an example of the word study I did on Exodus 15:26. The words in parenthesis are the expanded meanings. I chose the New American Standard Bible, (NASB).
Exodus 15:26
And He said, “If you will give earnest heed (listen to, obey, perceive, hear with attention or interest, yield to, to sound aloud (musical term), make proclamation,) to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to (hear, listen, be obedient, harken) His
commandments, and keep (guard, observe, give heed, protect, save life, watch for, wait for, observe, retain, treasure up in memory,) all His statutes, (ordinances, prescribed action, decree, law, civil enactments prescribed by God) I will put (lay upon, set in place,) none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians, for I, the Lord, am your healer (to heal, make healthful, physician of men, of hurts of nations, individual distresses, national defects or hurts).
I wonder what would happen if we would set about to DO what He says?
In God’s word, the Bible, He promises us certain things. Many times it’s a two-way street. If we’ll do certain things (meet His requirements) then He promises to fulfill His end of the agreement. The problem often lies with us. We fail on our end and then accuse Him of not being faithful.
I was drawn to one such promise the other day. It reads, “And He said, ‘If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians, for I, the Lord, am your healer’” (Exodus 15:26). We have to do four things in order for His promise to be fulfilled.
Deuteronomy, chapter 28, gives a very accurate list of blessings and curses. Each is qualified with that big, little word “IF.” If you would like to read it, click this link: http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Deu&c=28&v=1&t=NASB#1 Pretty comprehensive list, isn’t it?
I think it’s very helpful to look up the original Hebrew (Old Testament) and Greek (New Testament) words when examining a scripture. It’s really easy to do. Go to http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Type a scripture, and click the little number beside any word you want to know about. An original meaning will pop up.
Here’s an example of the word study I did on Exodus 15:26. The words in parenthesis are the expanded meanings. I chose the New American Standard Bible, (NASB).
Exodus 15:26
And He said, “If you will give earnest heed (listen to, obey, perceive, hear with attention or interest, yield to, to sound aloud (musical term), make proclamation,) to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to (hear, listen, be obedient, harken) His
commandments, and keep (guard, observe, give heed, protect, save life, watch for, wait for, observe, retain, treasure up in memory,) all His statutes, (ordinances, prescribed action, decree, law, civil enactments prescribed by God) I will put (lay upon, set in place,) none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians, for I, the Lord, am your healer (to heal, make healthful, physician of men, of hurts of nations, individual distresses, national defects or hurts).
I wonder what would happen if we would set about to DO what He says?
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Forgiveness
I heard a quote recently that bears repeating. "To refuse to forgive someone is likedrinking poison and expecting the other person to die."Neglected forgiveness, whether intentional or unintentional, tends to eat us up while theother person is unaffected. When we forgive someone, we’re not discounting the wrong. We’re only releasing themfrom our judgment so that when we wrong another, we too, may receive forgiveness.If you’ve ever prayed the Lord’s prayer you’ve asked for that. (Forgive us ourdebts and we forgive our debtors.)Corrie tenBoom called that , “Keeping short accounts with God.”
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