A present is beautifully wrapped. It is given to you freely. You can do whatever you want with the present. You can accept it, open it and use it. You can refuse to accept it, ignore it and to you it does not exist. You can accept it, not open it and put it on a shelf where it remains day after day after day, untouched, unused. When does the present become a gift? I believe it is when it is accepted by the recipient. A gift is something given voluntarily without payment in return, as to show favor toward someone.
A gift is usually a pleasant thing to receive and we thank the giver immediately. I guess the only time a gift is not appreciated is if it is atrocious, like a statue of a dragon with a clock in its belly, or an ugly candy dish or velvet Elvis portrait. I think those are called “regifting.” Or perhaps you are given a pet and you really do not want the responsibility of house training, obedience training, or cleaning up messes this gift may leave for you. Those gifts may be something we would rather not possess and at times we have to graciously determine how to handle the generosity of the giver without hurting feelings.
Often when I receive a gift I am surprised. Unless it is a birthday party or Christmas morning, the receipt of a gift can be unexpected. Gifts make us feel loved and appreciated. It is a good feeling that we have been remembered by the giver and that they thought enough of us to select what they felt would be a perfect gift. I want to talk today about the most perfect gifts we can ever receive. Those gifts are from God because He loves us and wants us to have the very best. We can trust that He will give us what we need in order to become the person He created us to be.
The first gift is that of salvation. Before the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, in order to atone for one’s sins, an offering of a perfect sacrifice must be made, an animal without defect or blemish. God provided Jesus as the perfect sacrifice. The blood He shed on Calvary was for the forgiveness of all of mankind’s sins – past, present, and future. Animal blood sacrifices had to be made over and over again and did not remove sin, but only covered it. When we accept the saving grace of Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven and removed from us as far as the east is from the west. Not only are our sins forgiven, we are given an eternal life with God in heaven once our time on earth is over. Because the blood of Jesus has cleansed us from all unrighteousness, we are able to stand before God.
In addition to the gift of salvation, God has blessed us with our Counselor, the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives us power -
• Power to Know: help us understand the Bible’s teachings about God and Jesus Christ.
• Power to Do: perform the will of God and share the truth with others.
• Power to Survive: help us resist the evil power of Satan and his demons.
The Holy Spirit indwells us from the moment we accept Jesus as our personal Savior. Daily as we lift our prayers to God, we must ask for a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit. The greatest need of the born again Christian is to be filled with the Holy Spirit. When we are under the control of the Holy Spirit, we will always glorify Jesus Christ. He will be exalted in our speech and in our behavior. The apostle Paul issued an imperative command when he wrote, “Be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). It is our duty and responsibility to be under the constant influence and control of the Spirit of God.
Because the Christian life is a supernatural life, the only way to live it is by means of supernatural power. God must empower us to live with His power. He brings us to life, and then He indwells us and enables us to live His kind of life. When we obey His command, He gives us His presence without limit. The filling of the Holy Spirit is His enabling. It is from this divine enabling that God the Spirit produces in us love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, meekness, faith, self-control, etc. He produces in us the likeness of Jesus Christ. Are you “under the influence?” Are you plugged in to your “power source?” What characterizes your life?
The third gift I will cover in this blog is the gift of The Word. Through the inspiration of God, His Word has been with His people for generations. The Bible is a treasure of knowledge and instruction that covers historical events and direction for living the Christian life. Scripture tells us in 2 Timothy 3:16 that "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."
Why did God give us the Bible?
• So we can know who He is. Psalm 100:3
• So we can know that He is the One and only true God. Jeremiah 10:10
• So we can know His words are always true. Psalm 119:42, Psalm 119:74
• So we can learn about people from the past. Romans 15:4, 1 Corinthians 10:6
• So we can understand we are sinners. Romans 3:23, Ecclesiastes 7:20
• So we can know that Jesus is God and the son of God. 1 John 5:5, John 1:1
• To show us we need a Savior. Acts 4:12, 2 Corinthians 5:21
• So we can know how to live. Proverbs 8:33, Psalm 86:11
These three gifts are for anyone who will accept them. God does not expect you to perform certain works before you qualify to receive these gifts; He is offering them to you. All you have to do is accept these gifts and they are eternally yours and can never be taken from you. Even if you have no physical Bible, just as many countries in the world strictly forbid Bible ownership, you can commit the Scriptures to memory and still have the presence of His Word in your life.
So, have you received these gifts God has offered? Are you allowing the gifts to make a difference in your life? Or are the gifts in a box on the shelf, untouched and unused? My prayer for you is that you open each gift, use it, and thank the Father for loving you so much that He gave these gifts without conditions attached and not requiring you to work for them. God bless you as you are realizing, either for the first time or as a reminder, just how much God loves YOU!
Candy
Monday, March 14, 2011
Monday, January 31, 2011
I AM SO LOVED THIS VALENTINE'S DAY!
As St. Valentine’s Day rapidly approaches, you may feel depressed that you do not have someone special in your life to call your Valentine. Being single for the last 11 years, I usually make every effort to disregard anything that reminds me of the fact that I am not involved in a romantic relationship. To receive no card, flowers, candy or gift on Valentine’s Day is just as disappointing as not receiving any Christmas or birthday presents. As I drove down Red Bluff toward Johnson Space Center on my way to work one day last week, the thought occurred to me that I was feeling sorry for myself a tad. Why did I have to be by myself in these the last years of my life? Why, oh why couldn’t I fall madly in love with a handsome millionaire who would whisk me off my feet and tell me to quit working so I could spend all my time on my college education and writing my book. In my spare time I could travel, speak and sing, etc., etc., etc. I was having a little pity party. Unfortunately, the RSVP for such an event was quickly responded to by Satan himself. He is the only one who looks forward to attending. None of my family or friends wants to be there. Oh, they may show up for a bit, but will quickly find an excuse to leave. You know what I mean. Thankfully, I am a Christian and know the truth, but sometimes I just have to bellyache a little bit. Isn’t it strange that something we understand and know will totally disappear from our thoughts when circumstances cloud our vision and we find our focus out of whack? God is faithful and his forgiveness is never ending. It didn’t take but a split second for me to regain my senses as the Holy Spirit brought to my mind back to the truth and away from what the enemy had me thinking about.
Do you experience God's love or do you sometimes think you are all alone in the world? I imagine there are many more people who are an island unto themselves than we can even imagine; people who have no extended family who don’t celebrate any festivities or holidays. Actually, we are never alone. There is always the presence of One who gave us life, our Heavenly Father. If you have ever had these thoughts, you are not the only one. Multitudes of people have similar thoughts. This was also true in the first century when Paul, who was probably the greatest missionary who ever lived, prayed that the Ephesians would deeply know God's love.
“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen” (Ephesians 3:16-21).
Jesus offers each of us a walk with God and a fullness of life that is not possible without him. Jesus' death, burial, resurrection, and offer of eternal life is the greatest manifestation of God's love for you. John 3:16 is the first Bible verse I memorized as a child. “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.”
If you have been struggling with the concept, or even if you have never thought about how much God loves you, make it a goal that between now and February 14 to do some research and take to heart how much God loves you. Here are some Bible verses to get you started. If you do not have access to a Bible, just e-mail me at candy_jones_jc@yahoo.com and I will get one for you. Seriously, I would be honored to supply you with a copy of the greatest book ever written that will encourage you to be all God created you to be. Read the following verses slowly and prayerfully, and ask God to make them real to you. He will because He sees your heart and knows your intent.
“How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.” (Psalm 36:7)
“Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love.” (Psalm 48:9)
“But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.” (Psalm 86:15)
“Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.” (Psalm 136:26)
“The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness." (Jeremiah 31:3)
**Here is one of my favorites. Can you envision God, the creator of the world and everything in it rejoicing over YOU and singing?? WOW!**
“The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." (Zephaniah 3:17)
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved.” (Ephesians 2:4-5)
“Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:2)
“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (1 John 4:9-10)
"I love those who love me; and those who diligently seek me will find me.” (Proverbs 8:17)
"Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.” (Deuteronomy 7:9)
“See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are.” (1 John 3:1)
I have been blessed with the greatest love I could ever experience. The creator of the universe loves me unconditionally. He is my God, my Savior, my friend, my counselor, my everything. I need no one else in my life because I have Him. If His plan for me is romance and marriage, I will thank Him. If His plan for me is to remain single, I will thank Him. Again quoting Paul, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation . . ..” Philippians 4:12b. God can be everything to anyone who calls upon His name. He will never leave you or forsake you. If this great God is for you, who could ever be against you? Trust Him today to be your all in all and He will!
Do you experience God's love or do you sometimes think you are all alone in the world? I imagine there are many more people who are an island unto themselves than we can even imagine; people who have no extended family who don’t celebrate any festivities or holidays. Actually, we are never alone. There is always the presence of One who gave us life, our Heavenly Father. If you have ever had these thoughts, you are not the only one. Multitudes of people have similar thoughts. This was also true in the first century when Paul, who was probably the greatest missionary who ever lived, prayed that the Ephesians would deeply know God's love.
“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen” (Ephesians 3:16-21).
Jesus offers each of us a walk with God and a fullness of life that is not possible without him. Jesus' death, burial, resurrection, and offer of eternal life is the greatest manifestation of God's love for you. John 3:16 is the first Bible verse I memorized as a child. “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.”
If you have been struggling with the concept, or even if you have never thought about how much God loves you, make it a goal that between now and February 14 to do some research and take to heart how much God loves you. Here are some Bible verses to get you started. If you do not have access to a Bible, just e-mail me at candy_jones_jc@yahoo.com and I will get one for you. Seriously, I would be honored to supply you with a copy of the greatest book ever written that will encourage you to be all God created you to be. Read the following verses slowly and prayerfully, and ask God to make them real to you. He will because He sees your heart and knows your intent.
“How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.” (Psalm 36:7)
“Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love.” (Psalm 48:9)
“But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.” (Psalm 86:15)
“Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.” (Psalm 136:26)
“The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness." (Jeremiah 31:3)
**Here is one of my favorites. Can you envision God, the creator of the world and everything in it rejoicing over YOU and singing?? WOW!**
“The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." (Zephaniah 3:17)
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved.” (Ephesians 2:4-5)
“Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:2)
“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (1 John 4:9-10)
"I love those who love me; and those who diligently seek me will find me.” (Proverbs 8:17)
"Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.” (Deuteronomy 7:9)
“See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are.” (1 John 3:1)
I have been blessed with the greatest love I could ever experience. The creator of the universe loves me unconditionally. He is my God, my Savior, my friend, my counselor, my everything. I need no one else in my life because I have Him. If His plan for me is romance and marriage, I will thank Him. If His plan for me is to remain single, I will thank Him. Again quoting Paul, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation . . ..” Philippians 4:12b. God can be everything to anyone who calls upon His name. He will never leave you or forsake you. If this great God is for you, who could ever be against you? Trust Him today to be your all in all and He will!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
New Year's Resolution - Confidence!
It has been several years since I made a New Year’s Resolution. These always sounded good, but I usually ended up breaking my resolve and being disappointed in myself. Thus, if I did not make any resolutions there would be none to break. When reflecting over 2010 and all the negative, hurtful and unpleasant things that cropped up in my life, I made a decision that at the very least I was going to view 2011 differently. Of course, I experienced many good things in 2010, including the birth of 2 grandsons. But, so many serious trials occurred in 2010 that I was viewing the year as one of the worst I have lived through.
At church services on Sunday, January 2, Charles Redmond, pastor, brought a great sermon on being spiritually fit in 2011. That evening, Jon Redmond, associate pastor, brought a wonderful message based on the prayer of Jabez,which can be found in 1Chronicles 4:9-10. It was through listening to these sermons that I came to the realization that I needed to make some changes in my attitude toward strife and troubles. It was time for a change in my prayer life and Bible Study habits. I do a good job petitioning God for the needs of others, but I do not ask God to bless me, to increase my sphere of influence, to place His hand on me, and to keep me from temptation so I don’t hurt myself or others nearly often enough. It is not a selfish thing to pray for yourself, not at all. If your motives are pure and you truly desire God to be actively involved in your life, He will do as he did with Jabez - He will grant your requests.
The Christian faith involves trust. I have taught about trust in God for years. I know all the Scriptural applications. It is easy to teach from past experiences and tell others how God came through for me. The hard part is when I find myself smack dab in the middle of a crisis and I begin to feel abandoned, not only by people, but by God. You know what? All Christians need to be reminded what trust in God is and how it affects our lives. We have to stay in the Word daily and memorize Scripture in order to keep our faith, trust and confidence in God strong. Satan would have me believe that I am a failure in God’s eyes and nothing could be further from the truth. I am a work in progress. To exercise my trust in God, I have found that I must have confidence in who He is and what He has promised to do.
I John 5:14, 15 says “And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, he hears us: And if we know that He hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.” I am memorizing this Scripture and will repeat it daily this year. I don't know about you, but I need this reminder of God hearing and answering our prayers as an encouragement to keep on keeping on.
God cares for us and wants us to have great confidence in Him. He gives power to those that wait upon Him. When we wait upon Him with confidence we will have great joy and happiness rather than the alternative of wringing our hands with worry. We need to keep a watch on our heart and soul so as to not allow unbelief, selfish pride, and foolishness to overcome us. Another biggie to watch out for is fear. I find that there are times I do not step up and do something because I am fearful. God wants us to know that if we try to do things in our own strength, we will fail. It is only when we have our hearts and desires fully set on God that we can go through the trial knowing God will see us through to victory.
God will walk with us through all difficulties; He will renew our strength. We will run the race and not become weary. We will mount up as eagles and go forth strong and confident in all things. Great is your confidence when it is in Him you trust. When going through a trial, we must remember that it is a test of our faith, trust and confidence in God. Don’t fail the test. Remember that it is in our weakness that He is strong.
Have a great 2011 walking with God every day.
Candy
At church services on Sunday, January 2, Charles Redmond, pastor, brought a great sermon on being spiritually fit in 2011. That evening, Jon Redmond, associate pastor, brought a wonderful message based on the prayer of Jabez,which can be found in 1Chronicles 4:9-10. It was through listening to these sermons that I came to the realization that I needed to make some changes in my attitude toward strife and troubles. It was time for a change in my prayer life and Bible Study habits. I do a good job petitioning God for the needs of others, but I do not ask God to bless me, to increase my sphere of influence, to place His hand on me, and to keep me from temptation so I don’t hurt myself or others nearly often enough. It is not a selfish thing to pray for yourself, not at all. If your motives are pure and you truly desire God to be actively involved in your life, He will do as he did with Jabez - He will grant your requests.
The Christian faith involves trust. I have taught about trust in God for years. I know all the Scriptural applications. It is easy to teach from past experiences and tell others how God came through for me. The hard part is when I find myself smack dab in the middle of a crisis and I begin to feel abandoned, not only by people, but by God. You know what? All Christians need to be reminded what trust in God is and how it affects our lives. We have to stay in the Word daily and memorize Scripture in order to keep our faith, trust and confidence in God strong. Satan would have me believe that I am a failure in God’s eyes and nothing could be further from the truth. I am a work in progress. To exercise my trust in God, I have found that I must have confidence in who He is and what He has promised to do.
I John 5:14, 15 says “And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, he hears us: And if we know that He hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.” I am memorizing this Scripture and will repeat it daily this year. I don't know about you, but I need this reminder of God hearing and answering our prayers as an encouragement to keep on keeping on.
God cares for us and wants us to have great confidence in Him. He gives power to those that wait upon Him. When we wait upon Him with confidence we will have great joy and happiness rather than the alternative of wringing our hands with worry. We need to keep a watch on our heart and soul so as to not allow unbelief, selfish pride, and foolishness to overcome us. Another biggie to watch out for is fear. I find that there are times I do not step up and do something because I am fearful. God wants us to know that if we try to do things in our own strength, we will fail. It is only when we have our hearts and desires fully set on God that we can go through the trial knowing God will see us through to victory.
God will walk with us through all difficulties; He will renew our strength. We will run the race and not become weary. We will mount up as eagles and go forth strong and confident in all things. Great is your confidence when it is in Him you trust. When going through a trial, we must remember that it is a test of our faith, trust and confidence in God. Don’t fail the test. Remember that it is in our weakness that He is strong.
Have a great 2011 walking with God every day.
Candy
Friday, October 15, 2010
Tis the Season - So to Speak
‘Tis the season, so to speak. Fall has officially arrived and while the temps here on the Texas Gulf Coast are not chilly, they are more easily tolerated than those of 100 degrees plus we experience during the summer months. With the change of seasons come football games, crackling fireplaces and hot chocolate as the holiday celebrations grow closer and closer. Halloween comes first. While I do not agree with the celebration of Halloween, I have attended many Fall Festivals and other events to celebrate the arrival of Fall. Have you ever heard the story behind Halloween? Let me enlighten you if you haven’t.
Halloween is typically linked to the Celtic festival of Samhain. The name is derived from Old Irish and means summer’s end. A similar festival was held by the ancient Britons and is known as Calan Graef. The festival of Samhain celebrates the end of the "lighter half" of the year and beginning of the "darker half", and is sometimes regarded as the "Celtic New Year." The ancient Celts believed that the border between this world and the Otherworld became thin on Samhain, allowing spirits (both harmless and harmful) to pass through. The family's ancestors were honored and invited home while harmful spirits were warded off. It is believed that the need to ward off harmful spirits led to the wearing of costumes and masks. Their purpose was to disguise oneself as a harmful spirit and thus avoid harm.
The word Halloween is first attested in the 16th century and represents a Scottish variant of the fuller All-Hallows-Even ("evening"), that is, the night before All Hallows Day. I’ve always been proud that my birthday (November 1) is known as All Saints Day.
Symbols associated with Halloween formed over time encompassing customs of medieval holy days as well as contemporary cultures. The souling practice of commemorating the souls in purgatory with candle lanterns carved from turnips became adapted into the making of jack-o'-lanterns. In traditional Celtic Halloween festivals, large turnips were hollowed out, carved with faces and placed in windows to ward off evil spirits. The carving of pumpkins is associated with Halloween in North America where pumpkins are both readily available and much larger – making them easier to carve than turnips. Many families that celebrate Halloween carve a pumpkin into a frightening or comical face and place it on their doorstep after dark. I do not imagine they have any idea that the custom of doing so is to ward off evil spirits.
The imagery of Halloween is derived from many sources, including national customs, works of Gothic and horror literature (such as the novels Frankenstein and Dracula), and classic horror films (such as Frankenstein and The Mummy). Halloween imagery includes themes of death, ghosts and monsters. Traditional characters include ghosts, witches, skeletons, vampires, werewolves, demons, bats, and black cats.
The colors black and orange are associated with the celebrations, perhaps because of the darkness of night and the color of fire, autumn leaves or pumpkins. When my son, Bill, was about 6 years old we attended Sagemont Baptist Church (now Sagemont Church). I remember one Halloween season Billy (as he was known then) went to talk to the pastor, John Morgan, about why the colors black and orange represented Halloween. Morgan knelt down and listened intently as Billy explained, “You see, black represents sin and the orange is like the flames of Hell.” As only Morgan can do, he smiled his famous smile and told Bill he had to agree with him. Out of the mouths of children . . .
I cringe when I see devil costumes for little children. It’s okay to explain even to small children why they should not wear a ghost or gremlin costume. Our children learn by the example set before them. There is nothing wrong with celebrating the beginning of a new season, but we should not blindly allow our babies to dress up as ghosts, demons and heaven forbid – the devil himself! Satan is very real and not a force to make fun of or imitate in any way. Satan is alive and well and certainly taken too lightly by the world in general and by many professing Christians.
If your child wants to dress in a costume, why not encourage a friendly costume? Some of the best costumes my kids ever had were homemade. One year the whole family went to a Fall Festival as hobos. We looked the part and had so much fun. My kids have been clowns, tigers, and a vast assortment of characters over the years. One year Jon was a wise man and Summer and Krystin were sheep. They were so cute in their black leotards with cotton batting stuck all over them. Another year the girls all put on heavy makeup and tons of hair gel and lots of jewelry. They resembled a rock and roll band. Their look was definitely original! It was fun applying all the makeup (eye shadow on lips and lipstick as eye shadow, etc.) and putting glitter and spray painted color on their hair.
My point is simple – have fun. Family time is so important. Take your kiddos to one of the many Fall Festivals planned in the next couple of weeks in your area. Check your local newspaper and I am sure you will find a fun, safe atmosphere for your children to make some happy memories. I am sure not everyone will agree with my opinion, but this is my blog so my opinion is what is expressed. The older I get, the more I am convinced we are not serious enough about the evil influences that we accept into our lives needlessly. Take care of your babies because they only know what you teach them. Don’t let the world be their teacher. Your input is definitely required!
Love ya!
Candy
Halloween is typically linked to the Celtic festival of Samhain. The name is derived from Old Irish and means summer’s end. A similar festival was held by the ancient Britons and is known as Calan Graef. The festival of Samhain celebrates the end of the "lighter half" of the year and beginning of the "darker half", and is sometimes regarded as the "Celtic New Year." The ancient Celts believed that the border between this world and the Otherworld became thin on Samhain, allowing spirits (both harmless and harmful) to pass through. The family's ancestors were honored and invited home while harmful spirits were warded off. It is believed that the need to ward off harmful spirits led to the wearing of costumes and masks. Their purpose was to disguise oneself as a harmful spirit and thus avoid harm.
The word Halloween is first attested in the 16th century and represents a Scottish variant of the fuller All-Hallows-Even ("evening"), that is, the night before All Hallows Day. I’ve always been proud that my birthday (November 1) is known as All Saints Day.
Symbols associated with Halloween formed over time encompassing customs of medieval holy days as well as contemporary cultures. The souling practice of commemorating the souls in purgatory with candle lanterns carved from turnips became adapted into the making of jack-o'-lanterns. In traditional Celtic Halloween festivals, large turnips were hollowed out, carved with faces and placed in windows to ward off evil spirits. The carving of pumpkins is associated with Halloween in North America where pumpkins are both readily available and much larger – making them easier to carve than turnips. Many families that celebrate Halloween carve a pumpkin into a frightening or comical face and place it on their doorstep after dark. I do not imagine they have any idea that the custom of doing so is to ward off evil spirits.
The imagery of Halloween is derived from many sources, including national customs, works of Gothic and horror literature (such as the novels Frankenstein and Dracula), and classic horror films (such as Frankenstein and The Mummy). Halloween imagery includes themes of death, ghosts and monsters. Traditional characters include ghosts, witches, skeletons, vampires, werewolves, demons, bats, and black cats.
The colors black and orange are associated with the celebrations, perhaps because of the darkness of night and the color of fire, autumn leaves or pumpkins. When my son, Bill, was about 6 years old we attended Sagemont Baptist Church (now Sagemont Church). I remember one Halloween season Billy (as he was known then) went to talk to the pastor, John Morgan, about why the colors black and orange represented Halloween. Morgan knelt down and listened intently as Billy explained, “You see, black represents sin and the orange is like the flames of Hell.” As only Morgan can do, he smiled his famous smile and told Bill he had to agree with him. Out of the mouths of children . . .
I cringe when I see devil costumes for little children. It’s okay to explain even to small children why they should not wear a ghost or gremlin costume. Our children learn by the example set before them. There is nothing wrong with celebrating the beginning of a new season, but we should not blindly allow our babies to dress up as ghosts, demons and heaven forbid – the devil himself! Satan is very real and not a force to make fun of or imitate in any way. Satan is alive and well and certainly taken too lightly by the world in general and by many professing Christians.
If your child wants to dress in a costume, why not encourage a friendly costume? Some of the best costumes my kids ever had were homemade. One year the whole family went to a Fall Festival as hobos. We looked the part and had so much fun. My kids have been clowns, tigers, and a vast assortment of characters over the years. One year Jon was a wise man and Summer and Krystin were sheep. They were so cute in their black leotards with cotton batting stuck all over them. Another year the girls all put on heavy makeup and tons of hair gel and lots of jewelry. They resembled a rock and roll band. Their look was definitely original! It was fun applying all the makeup (eye shadow on lips and lipstick as eye shadow, etc.) and putting glitter and spray painted color on their hair.
My point is simple – have fun. Family time is so important. Take your kiddos to one of the many Fall Festivals planned in the next couple of weeks in your area. Check your local newspaper and I am sure you will find a fun, safe atmosphere for your children to make some happy memories. I am sure not everyone will agree with my opinion, but this is my blog so my opinion is what is expressed. The older I get, the more I am convinced we are not serious enough about the evil influences that we accept into our lives needlessly. Take care of your babies because they only know what you teach them. Don’t let the world be their teacher. Your input is definitely required!
Love ya!
Candy
Thursday, September 30, 2010
I love this time of year. The temperature is dropping, signifying the arrival of Fall. We begin to see decorations of pumpkins and scarecrows, smells of gingerbread and cloves, and tastes of caramel apples, pumpkin pie and roasted corn. As the seasons blend from Summer to Fall there is a feeling of something new. We have a renewed hope for the future which will soon be buzzing with holiday preparations and visits with family and friends.
I want to talk today about hope. We have all used this 4-letter word, usually meaning we are wishing a certain event will come to pass. We hope for rain; we hope it doesn’t rain; we hope we get a raise at work; we hope our birthday present is what we want; we hope our child gets that scholarship; we hope Uncle George doesn’t bore everyone again with the same old stories at the Thanksgiving dinner. Hope is to cherish a desire with anticipation and with expectation. When we have hope we have a desire to see an expected outcome. Hope is the absence of despair, disbelief, discouragement and pessimism. If you have hope you will not be discouraged.
The Bible is chocked full of verses about hope. Of all the books of the Bible that speaks directly to hope, Psalms has an abundance of references. Due to space, I have not listed all, but these are a good representative.
Psalm 119:114 “You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word.”
Psalm 31:24 “Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.”
Psalm 39:7 “And now, Lord, what do I wait for and expect? My hope and expectation are in You.”
Psalm 43:5 “Why are you cast down, O my inner self? And why should you moan over me and be disquieted within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, Who is the help of my countenance, and my God.”
Psalm 71:14 “But I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more.”
Psalm 27:14 “Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.”
I could not help but notice that, along with hope, these Scriptures include another important word, “wait.” Oh my goodness, how I dislike that word at times. When we hope in the Lord, we are to wait on Him to work things for our good in His timing, not ours. That is the hard part of hope. I believe we all are "fixers," wanting to jump in and “fix” a situation before we allow God to take the time necessary to soften hearts and make things happen. Waiting on God is a good thing and in that time of waiting we can learn more about Him and ourselves. Sounds like a good topic for a future blog!
My favorite passage about hope is found in the New Testament, Romans 5:1-8. When I walked through a valley of discouragement and divorce followed by the disease of cancer, this verse ministered to me and allowed me to continue to hope for my future. I learned to encourage myself in the Lord with this Scripture. If you are going through a crisis this passage will bring your comfort. If things are okay with you today, hang on – there will be a time when you need this passage to renew your faith and hope.
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Knowing that Christ died for me, even knowing my faults and sins, gives me no other choice but to trust Him with my life. If He loves me enough to endure the horrible death he suffered, I can trust him with my life and look expectantly toward my future. I can know that He will take care of me and those I love because that is His promise. As the old hymn says,
“My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
His oath, His covenant, His blood, Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay.
On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.”
I made the decision long ago to remain in a hopeful state. The Word of God sustains me and reassures me this is where I belong. I asked God once why I kept hoping a certain event would happen only to be disappointed time and time again. He answered ever so sweetly, “If you didn’t have hope you would have given up a long time ago.” Friends, I pray you will never give up hope for your future. God has the Master Plan and He wants only the best for you. Won’t you trust Him? He loves you more than you can comprehend. Place your hope and trust in Him, for He will not disappoint you.
Micah 7:7 “But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior, my God will hear me.”
Candy
I want to talk today about hope. We have all used this 4-letter word, usually meaning we are wishing a certain event will come to pass. We hope for rain; we hope it doesn’t rain; we hope we get a raise at work; we hope our birthday present is what we want; we hope our child gets that scholarship; we hope Uncle George doesn’t bore everyone again with the same old stories at the Thanksgiving dinner. Hope is to cherish a desire with anticipation and with expectation. When we have hope we have a desire to see an expected outcome. Hope is the absence of despair, disbelief, discouragement and pessimism. If you have hope you will not be discouraged.
The Bible is chocked full of verses about hope. Of all the books of the Bible that speaks directly to hope, Psalms has an abundance of references. Due to space, I have not listed all, but these are a good representative.
Psalm 119:114 “You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word.”
Psalm 31:24 “Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.”
Psalm 39:7 “And now, Lord, what do I wait for and expect? My hope and expectation are in You.”
Psalm 43:5 “Why are you cast down, O my inner self? And why should you moan over me and be disquieted within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, Who is the help of my countenance, and my God.”
Psalm 71:14 “But I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more.”
Psalm 27:14 “Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.”
I could not help but notice that, along with hope, these Scriptures include another important word, “wait.” Oh my goodness, how I dislike that word at times. When we hope in the Lord, we are to wait on Him to work things for our good in His timing, not ours. That is the hard part of hope. I believe we all are "fixers," wanting to jump in and “fix” a situation before we allow God to take the time necessary to soften hearts and make things happen. Waiting on God is a good thing and in that time of waiting we can learn more about Him and ourselves. Sounds like a good topic for a future blog!
My favorite passage about hope is found in the New Testament, Romans 5:1-8. When I walked through a valley of discouragement and divorce followed by the disease of cancer, this verse ministered to me and allowed me to continue to hope for my future. I learned to encourage myself in the Lord with this Scripture. If you are going through a crisis this passage will bring your comfort. If things are okay with you today, hang on – there will be a time when you need this passage to renew your faith and hope.
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Knowing that Christ died for me, even knowing my faults and sins, gives me no other choice but to trust Him with my life. If He loves me enough to endure the horrible death he suffered, I can trust him with my life and look expectantly toward my future. I can know that He will take care of me and those I love because that is His promise. As the old hymn says,
“My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
His oath, His covenant, His blood, Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay.
On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.”
I made the decision long ago to remain in a hopeful state. The Word of God sustains me and reassures me this is where I belong. I asked God once why I kept hoping a certain event would happen only to be disappointed time and time again. He answered ever so sweetly, “If you didn’t have hope you would have given up a long time ago.” Friends, I pray you will never give up hope for your future. God has the Master Plan and He wants only the best for you. Won’t you trust Him? He loves you more than you can comprehend. Place your hope and trust in Him, for He will not disappoint you.
Micah 7:7 “But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior, my God will hear me.”
Candy
Friday, July 30, 2010
Unlikely Evangelist
If you had known me in my teenage years, 20's and early 30's, you would never imagine me in ministry of any type. Yes, I was a Christian, but I had chosen to take back lordship of my life from God and only for brief time spans did I allow Him any access to how I was living. In 1984 I began to realize how much God loved me and I began to see that even my Sunday School teacher had problems in her life - problems not too different from the ones I had. Suddenly, I saw my Christian leaders no longer as infallable and living a bubble-like existence that protected them from life. As teachers and preachers began to be transparent, I got freed up from the stereotype image I had of all ministry leaders. As I look back now some 26 years later, I don't understand how I could have been that dense about the things of God. At times I think where I could be now in ministry if I had never pulled away from Him. But, God is a gracious forgiving God and He welcomes all who come to Him with open arms and enough grace to forgive any transgression. Also, God took who I was and made me into who I am today. I have not "arrived" by any sense of the word, but I have grown. My testimony is based on how God changed my life. My ministry calling is to Christians who live defeated instead of victorious lives. My calling is to show people how much God loves them.
Through years of adversity, illness and financial disasters God has shown Himself to me as my strength, protector, healer, provider and so much more. You see, it is very difficult to tell someone about the attributes of God when you have never experienced any of them in your own life. I know that all things come into a Christian's life by first coming from God's hand. He will never let anything happen to me that won't stand up the promise of Romans 8:28, "For we know that all things work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose." God took who I was and made me who I am. I would never want to have a repeat of the trials I have endured, but at the same time I would never trade those trials for what I have learned about God and His love for me through them. He is an awesome God.
I was definitely an unlikely evangelist 26 years ago. Certainly, I am far from perfect now, but through progressive sanctification God is growing me up to be a mature Christian. My prayer each day is for God to use me to shine a little Jesus everywhere I go. The world may boast through media, movies, books and internet that it is full of love, but love and lust are two entirely different things. I submit to you that the world's view of love is actually lust. Without God, no one can truly understand what love is. I want to reflect the love of God in my life so people will see the difference He can make in a life.
One day my sanctification will be perfected, when I stand before Jesus in heaven. Until then, I forge ahead with a song in my heart and the love of God in my life. Unlikely evangelist? Not ever again.
God loves you so much. Won't you return that love by serving Him?
Candy
Through years of adversity, illness and financial disasters God has shown Himself to me as my strength, protector, healer, provider and so much more. You see, it is very difficult to tell someone about the attributes of God when you have never experienced any of them in your own life. I know that all things come into a Christian's life by first coming from God's hand. He will never let anything happen to me that won't stand up the promise of Romans 8:28, "For we know that all things work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose." God took who I was and made me who I am. I would never want to have a repeat of the trials I have endured, but at the same time I would never trade those trials for what I have learned about God and His love for me through them. He is an awesome God.
I was definitely an unlikely evangelist 26 years ago. Certainly, I am far from perfect now, but through progressive sanctification God is growing me up to be a mature Christian. My prayer each day is for God to use me to shine a little Jesus everywhere I go. The world may boast through media, movies, books and internet that it is full of love, but love and lust are two entirely different things. I submit to you that the world's view of love is actually lust. Without God, no one can truly understand what love is. I want to reflect the love of God in my life so people will see the difference He can make in a life.
One day my sanctification will be perfected, when I stand before Jesus in heaven. Until then, I forge ahead with a song in my heart and the love of God in my life. Unlikely evangelist? Not ever again.
God loves you so much. Won't you return that love by serving Him?
Candy
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Remembering Those Special People
Recently I have been thinking about my past trials and struggles. In 2000 my world as I knew it fell apart. My husband of 16 years was gone and my children were shell-shocked due to the nature of his disappearance from our lives. It was good he was gone, but nevertheless very traumatic on our family. Within 3 months of his departure I was divorced and moved to Houston with 5 children. I found a job and a month later was diagnosed with cancer. What a horribly devastating year 2000 was. Y2K was the buzz in 1999 in anticipation of what might happen in 2000, but what happened in my life and the lives of my children was far more frightening than any Y2K prediction could ever be. It seemed as if everyone’s life around me continued to go on perfectly while mine had taken a cruel, sharp turn. I began to feel like Job, but was afraid to ask God what else could happen for fear something else would. The year finished out with my brother collapsing at my Mother’s home and subsequently having surgery for 3 brain tumors. I was so sick from radiation and chemotherapy that I couldn’t even go to the hospital. But, God never let me get too down without reminding me of His provision. My employer of only 1 month at the time of my diagnosis saved my job for me (even though I was unable to work for nearly 4 months), paid my health insurance premiums, and also provided our Thanksgiving meal. Members of Sagemont Church drove me to daily radiation appointments at M.D. Anderson Hospital for weeks. At Christmas, through the teachers at Freeman Elementary, the Houston Police Department came to my home with gifts for all 5 children, as well as groceries. A wealthy businessman sent me $2,000 for Christmas and $1,000 a month for the next 6 months to help me get back on my feet. Time and time again, God showed Himself in many, many ways. He assured me I would be healed and that my future was secure in Him. I leaned on prayer warriors from Dogwood Church in Athens, Sagemont Church in Houston, and First Baptist Church, Cleveland to pull me through. My former pastor, Phil Greenawalt, was always available for me to cry on his shoulder, even after I moved from Athens to Houston. I still thank God to this day for those who prayed for me and helped me during that time.
2001 was looking much better as I was able to return to work in January. January 12, 2001, I was told the cancer was gone. I am writing this in June 2010 and I am still cancer free! Praise God! My brother returned to teaching but took a turn for the worse in March 2001 and subsequently went to be with the Lord in June 2001. You can see just from what is included in this blog that what I lived through in less than a year is more than some people live through in a lifetime. Through all the trials, God has become my everything. The essence of my being is in Him. No, I don’t want another cancer diagnosis or divorce or heartache, but I would not trade what I have gained in knowledge of God and how He works for anything this world affords. I am who I am today and my faith is strong because I have seen God at work in adverse situations over and over again.
So, what I intend to do this week is find addresses for all those who were particularly helpful to me during that time. I will send each one a personal note – not an e-mail – to let them know that I still remember their kindness and support. In doing so, I hope to impress upon them exactly how much I appreciate them in hopes that they will be encouraged to continue to help others. Ten years have come and gone, but I will never forget the unselfish acts of others on my behalf. Is there someone you need to thank? Perhaps a teacher, pastor, friend or even a former employer meant a lot to you and helped you in the past. Let them know you appreciate them; I know it will be a blessing to them and to you.
I hope you know how very much God loves you.
Candy
2001 was looking much better as I was able to return to work in January. January 12, 2001, I was told the cancer was gone. I am writing this in June 2010 and I am still cancer free! Praise God! My brother returned to teaching but took a turn for the worse in March 2001 and subsequently went to be with the Lord in June 2001. You can see just from what is included in this blog that what I lived through in less than a year is more than some people live through in a lifetime. Through all the trials, God has become my everything. The essence of my being is in Him. No, I don’t want another cancer diagnosis or divorce or heartache, but I would not trade what I have gained in knowledge of God and how He works for anything this world affords. I am who I am today and my faith is strong because I have seen God at work in adverse situations over and over again.
So, what I intend to do this week is find addresses for all those who were particularly helpful to me during that time. I will send each one a personal note – not an e-mail – to let them know that I still remember their kindness and support. In doing so, I hope to impress upon them exactly how much I appreciate them in hopes that they will be encouraged to continue to help others. Ten years have come and gone, but I will never forget the unselfish acts of others on my behalf. Is there someone you need to thank? Perhaps a teacher, pastor, friend or even a former employer meant a lot to you and helped you in the past. Let them know you appreciate them; I know it will be a blessing to them and to you.
I hope you know how very much God loves you.
Candy
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