Month: November 2012

Thanksgiving Day

On By francesrogersIn GOD'S GLORY, GOD'S GRACE, GOD'S WORD, PRAYERLeave a comment

Olivia’s Thanksgiving Greeting  ~  2007

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Last week as William was bagging our groceries he asked, “Are you getting ready for Thanksgiving Day?”

When I answered, “Everyday is thanksgiving day!” he said, “I wish….”

Not hearing what he had wished, I asked him on our way out, “What did you wish?”

He said, “That everyday was thanksgiving day for me.”

Close enough to whisper the secret, I said, “It can be—in Jesus Christ.”

I had never seen William, and don’t know if he will be there on our next visit, but   enough was said to give him hope. A seed was planted with the prayer that the Lord will water it, and lead this young man to His Word, give him a new heart, and a spirit of thanksgiving for every day of his life.

There was an open door, and a humble heart desiring only what Jesus Christ can give. We praise the Lord for the short times in our lives when we can witness of His grace to others; and leave the results to him.

“I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;” 1 Corinthians 1:4-5  

Little Kids Grow Up to be Big Kids ~ Goats

On By francesrogersIn GOD'S GLORY, GOD'S GRACE, GOD'S WORD, MUSICLeave a comment

Jesus warns us that there will be a separation of the sheep from the goats.

“And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats.” Matthew 25:32

Where did parents get the idea of calling children “kids?”  I can’t find any solid information on this expression.  But besides searching for this in history, what are we saying when we use this word for the children God has given us?

Does God anywhere in His Word call us kids?  No ~ His children are sheep.  This puts a totally different light upon how we look at, and bring up our children.
They are lambs ~ not goats.  We may all act like goats at times, pushing and shoving one another, wild in our nature; but God, our Father has born us into a new nature through Jesus Christ’s work, and life,  and His Spirit within us.

Should we not also treat our children as if they are His children, though they do not yet act like it.  If we treat them as kids, letting them run wild in the field of this world they will indeed fulfill such vision as we have for them.

On the other hand if we consider them as “lambs,” doing for them what our heavenly Father does for us, we will provide for them, lead them, assure them, and nurture them ~ bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”  (Ephesians 6:4) “discipline and instruction.” (ESV)

We will be a shepherd to them.  We will protect them, direct them, and correct them.
We will project to them the path, in which ~ and the goal ~ to which,  we are going together.  They will, in the process, come to understand their true role, and the purpose for their being a lamb of God.

The “kids” of this world are becoming the “goats” of tomorrow.  God’s “lambs” are becoming the sheep He expects them to be.  Only He can take a goat and make him a sheep.  “If anyone is in Christ he is a new creature” (2 Corinthians 5:17); “and have put on the new self, which is renewed in the knowledge of Him who created him.”  (Colossians 3:10)

The “lamb that was slain” became the shepherd that leads us to be the parents of His children ~  special gifts of life to us.  Give yourself to the “true Shepherd” and allow Him to work in you to bring up His children for His glory, your joy, and the joy of your family and others.

“Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly more than we can ask or think,”
by His power of grace working in us.
Ephesians 3:20

Psalm 23

Dear Father in heaven, “hold me by my right hand; guide me with your counsel.”  “Lead me in the paths of righteousness, for your name’s sake.”  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

TODAY ~ A Deposit to My Account

On By francesrogersIn GOD'S GLORY, GOD'S GRACE, GOD'S WORD, PRAYER2 Comments

TODAY is a portion of my inheritance~a small part of what God, my Father, has promised through His Son for eternity.  How I spend it proves where it came from.
It is an allowance given to sustain me here in this wilderness; and while here on this earth to prepare me for His glory.

TODAY is not for me, but for Him—to prove His presence, His mercy, grace, goodness, and loving-kindness to His people here on earth and His angels in heaven.

How will I worship and serve Him today with all that He has given me?
How will I share what He has given?
How will I store up part of this treasure in heaven?
How will I spend my thoughts?

What will I say about Him?
To whom will I share the truth of His Word—of Christ?

Will I be faithful with the wealth that He has bestowed on me as His child?
Will I remember whose I am and why I am here?

Dear Father in heaven,  By the beseeching of Your mercy I present my body to You as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable in Christ—this body that is the temple of Your Holy Spirit—for the deposit of the riches and wealth that are mine in Him.  Fill me with Your fulness.  Let the authority of Your Word be commanded in me by the power of Your Holy Spirit; that I spend, and be spent for You~~~Hallowed be Your Name. For Thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory. In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen

“Shew me Thy ways, O Lord;
Teach me Thy paths.
Lead me in Thy truth, and teach me.
For Thou art the God of my salvation.
On Thee do I wait all the day.”
Psalm 25:4-5

Celebration of a Life

On By francesrogersIn GOD'S GLORY, GOD'S GRACE, GOD'S WORD, THE LORD'S DAY (SABBATH)2 Comments

(Stay with me—the best wine is reserved for last.)
Our children and grandchildren came today to celebrate the birthday of our youngest child, our daughter, Lee. For more than forty years we have witnessed what God, our heavenly Father, has been doing in this one life—“beforehand ordained” to be born of the earth, and of heaven.
How grateful I am that she has a new mother, for I was not able to give her eternal life. As a child she exhibited traits of someone else’s child. (At times I thought she was perfect; she was not at all like me.)  She attested to her new birth at the age of fifteen when she was baptized and formerly became a member of Christ’s church.

Though we drifted apart over the years we have since been drawn together in a new way through the difficult times—“everything working together” to conform  both of us to the image of Christ.

I lived part of my life through her, for she had a life I did not have.  God enabled me to see what He can do, beyond what any earthly parent can do.  Perhaps this was part of His plan for me to see beyond myself to Him.

This week as I have been preparing for this celebration the thought came that revealed the blessing that God put in my life all these years.  If I could have lived the life of another woman here on this earth I would have wished for the life He gave my daughter.
That is how much I love the daughter that He gave me.

Celebration of  THE LIFE

Now that we have celebrated the life of our daughter today we are continuing our plans for tomorrow.  Every day and every week is the time for preparation for the Lord’s Day—the day we celebrate the Life from which all life comes.

“For by Him (Jesus Christ) were all things created that are in heaven and in the earth…and by Him all things consist.  For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness (life) dwell.” Colossians 1:16-19
“And of His fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.” John 1:16

Christ exhibited this Life in human form and then sacrificed that physical life that we might receive eternal life through Him.
Those who can testify of their new birth—new life in Christ—will celebrate the eternal life of Jesus Christ on the Lord’s Day.  It is the inheritance we have in Him as children of the living God, our heavenly Father.
We meet together with his other sons and daughters to worship and adore the one who gave His life that we might live with Him, forever.

At Christ Reformed Church we are invited every Lord’s Day to His table to feast on this life—His body broken for us; His blood shed for us—all for us, that we might be all for Him.

My heavenly Father blessed me with a precious daughter and son here on this earth, both originating with His Son.  Through new life in Him, supernaturally by His own Spirit, He continues to bless me and promises this for eternity.
Even in the years of my estrangement from Him Christ compensated for me and in His timing brought me to know His love for me.  Now the only life I desire is the life of Christ; His life in me, and my living in Him.   This is how much I love the Son given to me.

“He who has the Son has Life.”
1 John 5:12

Father, open our eyes to see ourselves as we are without you.  Reveal Christ to us as our only hope of life for this world and for eternity.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen