Month: August 2016

Every Christian Needs a Mission Statement

On By francesrogersIn GOD'S GLORY, GOD'S GRACE, GOD'S WORD, Uncategorized4 Comments

Not until recently have I seen the need for a personal mission statement. Churches and other ministries usually define their mission because they are setting up organizations for other people to join and/or to follow. In this new phase of my life, I want to challenge any who consider themselves Christians ~ followers of Christ ~ by what I have been recently experiencing. In the following weeks, I want to share some of what I have learned that reveals the need for us as children of God to take hold of what He has given us in Christ; to stand; to proclaim; to live what we say we believe.  We must make a definite statement before the world of who we are.  If we have enough mission statements that agree, we might then have a strong stand together without the things that separate us and that makes the world point their finger at what seems to them an imitation Christianity.

Mission-Statement

While we may not see a mission statement as necessary for our personal lives, we must consider two things:

* First:  A mission is the same as the purpose for which we live.

* Second:  Even without a written statement, others see and join us. There are many blogs that people follow.

Let’s look at these two separately.

A mission statement defines who we are as Christians and our purpose for being. It sets us on a path whereby we may see the progress and accomplishments God desires for us. Whether a parent, child, sibling, friend, employer or in any relationship, we have a purpose for living and being in that relationship. Every person living is in some relationship, unless he/she is a hermit. We won’t get into what this means, but we will concentrate on our relationships and how a mission statement will determine how we relate to others. What a difference it would make if Christian couples would begin their marriages with a mission statement and what if parents would establish a mission statement for their families?

Our Relationship with God
As Christians, we believe what the apostle Paul said about God to the Athenians in Acts 17:28.

“’In him we live and move and have our being’…..For we are indeed his offspring.’”

Our main purpose is in our relationship with God our Creator and heavenly Father, to obey and glorify Him through our relationship with Jesus Christ, His son and His Holy Spirit whereby He birthed us into His family.

From and in this relationship, He defines who we are as inhabitants on this planet earth. As His children, we are disciples of Christ, His Son, whose purpose was to obey, glorify and witness of His kingdom. By His finished work of living and dying for us, He has provided the means of setting up His kingdom here in the hearts and lives of His people, so that we continue the message and the mission that He set up for us.

imagesWith a personal mission statement, we make known whose disciple we are. We establish within our own hearts and minds who we are and why we are here. We may not have a determined ministry, so to speak, but God is making each of us a ministry to Him. In His timing, we know what our ministry is to others. Aside from having a public ministry of preaching, teaching, writing, or any other outreach of witness, others will see, hear, and notice who we are. This will bring approval from those of the same mind and heart, and persecution from those who are not.

 As we are all part of the antithesis (the war between Satan and God that began at Creation) we need to establish, without a doubt, on which side we stand and live.

Jesus said that if we are not with Him, for Him, following, and obeying Him, we are against Him. There are only two sides. On which do you stand? What is your purpose here, for the few years that you live on this earth? Is it to live for Christ and to proclaim His message? Is it to practice the worship and adoration that He deserves? Is it to know Him and to encourage others to know and grow in His grace?

images (1)As a child of God, do you live with the understanding that the reason you are here is not for yourself, but for Him to prepare you for His presence and His glory for eternity, and to tell others about His plan?

If this is your purpose, then this is your mission, and He will accomplish all in you for which He created and redeemed you in Christ.

When we personally set down in writing what we know our purpose to be, then we are more apt to accomplish our mission.

Write your own personal mission statement, and share it with those who are closest to you. Encourage them to write their own. When you know your calling, establish your platform and make your statement public, joining others who are proclaiming His kingdom here on earth.

Dear Father, thank you for creating us with the purpose of revealing your plan and your purpose for us; for preparing us for your eternal kingdom and training us here, so that we are practicing and showing others what eternity will be like with you. Work in our hearts and establish the mission you have for each of us.  In Jesus’ name I pray, I thank you, and I praise you.  Amen.    ~ Fran
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ABOUT (2016)

On By francesrogersIn CONTENTMENT, GOD'S GLORY, GOD'S GRACE, GOD'S WORD, PRAYER, UncategorizedLeave a comment

During the past twenty years that Jerry and I have lived here in Buford, Georgia we have been caregivers for four of our grandchildren, and four and a half years we cared for my mother who had Alzheimer’s disease. Only a month after her death, in 2006, Jerry had emergency bypass surgery on his leg because of a blood clot. Then, a month later, due to the failure of the bypass to produce blood flow, his leg had to be amputated.

That was ten years ago, during which time we spent three years waiting for healing; then had a third surgery to remove the graft that was put in during the first surgery.

There has been much to write during the past twenty-five years about God’s grace and goodness to us.

The overflow of His grace has not ceased, nor slowed, but continues for His glory and our joy. We have learned to see all of life under the mighty hand of God, our Father, through His Son, Jesus Christ, and to look with anticipation to all that He has planned for us. From our secluded habitat, He continues to teach us and has basically made us a three-legged sermon to others, through the media of blogging and just recently, the publication of our books.

We venture no further from home than to buy the things that we need weekly, and to attend church services on the Lord’s Day. Our home located on a short cul-de-sac street has become a haven, somewhat like the lagoon in the image of the header of this blog. We are content living in this little inlet, from which we are able to broadcast the news of what the Lord continues to reveal to us.

Ocean sliderGod’s Grace ~ God’s Glory is a spring where we live. From here there is an ocean, which image is a background for this blog, and the connection to our website, Father and Family Books. There we are, through faith and prayer and our books,  proclaiming the legacy of God’s kingdom, that the truth of His kingdom may spread to the end of the earth, even as Jesus spoke these words in Acts 1:8 to His disciples. With technology, God gives us the means of reaching as far as He has planned for His work through us.

arch end.... of earthVisit our website and get the free eBook First Things That Last Forever. Sign up for our monthly newsletter and get a free copy of Two Full Plates ~ Learning to be a Caregiver. Some of our books are gifts as free eBooks and some are for sale as eBooks and paperback. I especially encourage you to read The Garden of GOD’S WORD ~ The Purpose and Delight of BIBLE STUDY.  From the outline to publication, this is a sixteen-year working of God through my own heart and life.

Ninety percent of profit from sales of our books will be donated to missions and charity.

As a reader and child of God, you have the opportunity to share His legacy with your prayers and your purchases. Please join us in this venture for His kingdom.

Father, I pray that you will bring others to see and share this work for your glory. Open hearts to engage with others of your family and Christian writers who are spreading the good news of life in Christ and the reality of your kingdom here on earth. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.

Coming Out of the Closet

On By francesrogersIn CONTENTMENT, GOD'S GLORY, GOD'S GRACE, GOD'S WORD, PRAYER, TRUTH, UncategorizedLeave a comment

AUDIO:  Coming Out of the Closet

Since 1992 my most delightful times have been in my prayer closet.

When our heavenly Father gave me a new heart He began filling me with new wine. In this new relationship and new life, as He was teaching me, I looked back to see where I had been and rejoiced that He had saved me from my sin.

The deception that was prominent in my living was totally opposite, counteractive, and counterproductive to the truth to which He brought me. I saw His Word as a powerful source that overrules and overpowers deception.

It was one of the first things I wrote about, believing that the truth is from God alone. Truth is hidden in Christ, His Son, and revealed supernaturally by His Holy Spirit. There was a sense that in His timing He unleashes, so to speak, the power of His truth, through Christ and His written word wherever and whenever He has planned. Eventually, it will, in its power, overcome all things.

Jesus said to His disciples, “Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops.” Luke 12:3

Avoiding the Social Media

All these years my prayer closet has been my hiding place, where I have prayed fervently for His Spirit of truth and His power in my own life, in the lives of my family members, in His church members and His ministers; in the world.

My avoidance of social media has been with a sense of fear of what happens when we are involved with the influences of the world, especially if they seem to have no sense of the things of God.

At one point computers seemed to be an evil device, then came the Internet, which all must admit is a web that can be used to entangle, to deceive, influence, and to become addictive.

My fear of using a computer was overcome when I learned how to do desk-top publishing on our daughter, Lee’s computer. Beginning with formatting Bogatzky’s Golden Treasury for print and eBook publication, other booklets followed that I shared with family and friends.

Five years ago my pastor suggested that I start a blog. That experience has been God’s way of sharing the truths of His grace and His glory. From other blogs and websites,

my understanding of communications and the media have broadened. The greatest impact has come in the last seven months, as we have learned from other authors how to format, publish and market what we write.

It seems that the majority of books are targeted toward readers who are looking for thrillers, mysteries, murder, horror, fantasy, romance, and the occult. Our work is just the opposite. Our genre is Christian non-fiction, with the emphasis on truth and reality, looking at the things of God that are eternal, not entertaining, but useful for inspiration, spiritual growth, and the teachings of His eternal kingdom. What I have begun to see is that our work is part of the antithesis that began in the Garden of Eden, with the promise of a Savoir, who would bring things back to the order of God’s plan. What the world needs ~ what God’s people need ~ are the means of knowing Him and living in the peace, joy, and love that He provides for us through his Son, Jesus Christ.open-door

Our calling is to enter the battle with the knowledge of truth. A few years ago I would not have been ready. The preparation is ongoing, but the time is now or never. How much longer will we have this opportunity? We are born and redeemed to make a difference in the kingdom for His glory.

From this point, as I continue to pray, I will balance the time spent with the Father on the mountaintop with time spent in the valley and the wilderness, proclaiming His kingdom. So, I will live as if every day is my last. Jerry and I will be using his Facebook page to share what God has been doing in our lives. We have another page for Father and Family Books, a website, Father and Family, and establishing a Christian non-fiction group for writers and readers. Please pray for how He will use these for His kingdom.

Proud of Who We Are

As the culture of this world is in a time zone of pride ~ in who and what we are ~ let us as God’s children come out of hiding and proclaim who we are in Christ, and our purpose for being ~ to speak and live for Jesus Christ as King of kings, and Lord of lords ~ for His glory, His name, His kingdom, and our joy.

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The JOY of the FATHER

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

Audio:  The JOY of the FATHER (we are presenting an audio of this post to see if this is something our viewers are interested in, to share with friends who are not readers.  Let us know what you think.)


What a blessing it is to serve God and to proclaim His kingdom in this world! He calls us as His children, His image bearers, to “be about the Father’s business.” But even a greater blessing than this is for Him to bid us come away with Him, from the hustle and bustle of His work, to spend time with Him.

Yesterday, after months of steady, and sometimes stressful, labor, it seemed as if the Father was leading me to sense His presence away from the work, just to enjoy Him.

It was not too many years ago that the Shorter Catechism became a special gift from Him. Although there are 107 questions and answers in this little booklet, the first one is the most important; one that has had a great impact on my life

Q.  What is the chief end of man?

A.   The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

What? Enjoy God? From what I had learned from my childhood, my sense of God was to fear him. Most of what I knew was in relationship to His wrath. Enjoying God was not a doctrine with which I was familiar. When I discovered this new teaching, the first thought of glorifying God came across as something that I had to do, but did not know how.

To enjoy God was not contemplated until later. Finally, there came the realization that enjoying God had something to do with glorifying Him. These two have a correlation that is bound up in a relationship. My main desire, then, became one of knowing how to enjoy Him.

When our purpose in all of life ~ the mindset of all that we are, what we think, speak and do ~ begins with another person, namely our Creator, the importance of all things shifts from us to Him. The desire of all things is focused upon Him.

As in my writing First Things, about the concept of love, beginning with a Father and passed on to us as His children, so the thing of joy begins with Him, also.

What a beautiful thought is found in Zephaniah 3:7, remembering that Jesus teaches us that God is our Father.

“The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee   with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.”

Joy, like love, is not a natural trait. It is a by-product of a relationship with the source of love and joy. The Father rejoices over His own work, in creating and redeeming His people.

What is our response?

“But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because you defend them: let them also that love your name be joyful in you.” Psalm 5;11

Again, here is His initiation:psalm-16-11

“Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” Psalm 16:11

And what is our response?

“Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God.” Psalm 43:4

Joy and Meekness

This joy springs from our relationship as humble and meek children before Him. His joy fills the humble earthen vessel.

“The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord.” Isaiah 29:19

Isaiah shows us that our joy is “in my God.” And we understand what He has done to evoke this joy in Him.

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” Isaiah 61:10

The joy of the Father is the same as the “joy of the Lord.”

     “His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” Matthew 25:21

This joy comes, is in and through the Son, Jesus Christ. It is a full joy, a supernatural joy that no man can take away.

“And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. Romans 5:11

“These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” John 15:11

“And you now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man takes from you.” John 16:22

We also have this joy in the Holy Spirit.

“For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” Romans 14:7

“And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit.” 1 Thessalonians 1:6

“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.” Romans 15:13

The Joy That Was Set Before Jesus

“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2

Some say that this joy that was set before Him that enabled Jesus to endure the cross, was the joy of saving His people. Was it not more than that? Was it not the same joy that He had in relationship with the Father before time began, and before He came to earth to save His people. Was it not the joy of doing the will of the Father, to please Him, and to accomplish the work that He sent Him to do, and to return to His place with the Father?

Was not His joy a result of glorifying the Father in His life and His death, so that we might fulfill our chief end of glorifying Him and enjoying Him forever?

“Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.  To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” Jude 24-25

Our First Books Are Available ~ Now What?

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

This seven-month trek through the publishing industry has been an amazing experience. The Lord has blessed through His Holy Spirit to make it a work of faith and a labor of love. With the encouraging support of family and friends, we are rejoicing that the Lord has made it possible for us to begin to share what He has given us these last twenty-five years. When I say, “begin” I mean that He is still teaching me the beautiful things of His kingdom that belong to all His people.sun-burst-1478549-1600x1200

There are many more books in our files and more to be written; all in His timing.

That said, let me now say that we are not in this to make a lot of money, unless He desires to make this so, because we are giving away some books, and selling some, with the majority of the profit going to missions and charity.

Why am I writing this for this blog, today? This is for those who belong to His kingdom, who desire to know Him better, to love Him more, and to serve Him eternally. We pray that those who find these books will read and learn with us and continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Christ and His Church
The name of Christ and His church is taken lightly in the world today. It has been suffering abuse and we will continue in this mode until His timing for another reformation. With the tone of the world as it is, we can expect persecution. In this, we will see who belongs to Him and His kingdom. We must be ready to contend for the faith. We must teach our children the difference between our Father’s kingdom, and the kingdom of the world, so they know on which side they live and stand, and where they will be victorious.

The truth of God’s Word is the weapon with which we will succeed in overcoming the enemy. It is through His Word and the supernatural power of His Holy Spirit that He will use us as His children, His people, to make His kingdom known in this world. When the persecution becomes fierce, others will see our strength and faith and be drawn to Him.

The main point of our ministry through Father and Family Books is to proclaim the legacy of God’s kingdom. Why is this so important to us? If we know what we have, we will be able to declare and defend the inheritance that is ours in Christ. Our work is not to show how awful the world is, but to proclaim the power, the awesomeness, the goodness and the beauty of God’s kingdom. A rich person will be wrapped up in what He has. His thoughts and actions reveal his wealth to all who know him. So, we as His children live and talk about the wealth that is ours in Christ, even as we show others how they can obtain this inheritance.

As He is continually teaching us to serve Him, we are still learning to live in relationship with our Almighty creator, who reveals Himself as our Redeemer. He is our Father who knows, maintains and provides, through His Son, Jesus Christ, and His Holy Spirit, all our needs according to His riches in glory.

Humility and service are the keys. As His servants, sharing in the wealth of our master, all our life here is for His name, His kingdom, and His glory, until He brings us to share His heavenly glory with Him forever.

Please visit our website to receive the gift of our first book, First Things That Last Forever. Then we invite you to sign up for our monthly newsletter and receive a second free book, Two Full Plates ~ Learning to be a Caregiver. These are all available in eBooks and paperback. When you purchase other books, you will be contributing to missions that will carry the message of Christ to others.  We may publish these in audio, as we also finish other books.

Please pray; join us and walk with us as we continue to seek His kingdom and His will for His name’s sake, His kingdom, and His glory.

Dear Father, we have but one purpose for being here, as you have planned it  ~  for your glory; to know you and to love you as you prepare us for eternity with you.  We thank you and praise you for your Son, our Lord, and Savior; for the great salvation and inheritance that you have given us in Him ~ a legacy for which we will stand and fight.  In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.