Joy of Reunion!

When Jesus wept over the death of Lazarus...He wept not only in compassion for the sorrow he knew Mary and Martha felt...He wept with the same feelings of sorrow that death brings to all who have lost someone they dearly loved with all their hearts! 

Before my dad died nearly 20 years ago ...I could only "try" to imagine the pain of loss that death would cause me to feel...but there is no way anyone who has not lost a beloved father, mother, child, spouse or close friend can begin to understand the depth of pain and longing we feel. Recalling good memories are "sweet" but they do not remove the ache in our soul that is always yearning to be with them once again.

But...like Jesus who wept over the death of his beloved friend Lazarus...we who have Jesus as Savior in our lives know that death does not have the final say! It is in the anticipation and the assured promises in hope that we will see our loved ones again that our hearts and soul find the measure of comfort we ache for. 

Jesus knew He was about to raise Lazarus from the dead...Jesus knew there was about to be a reunion for Mary and Martha with their brother and a reunion with His friend..Jesus knew of the joy they all would soon experience and that it would outweigh all measures of pain and loss that was weighing down their hearts and souls the moment death stole the first breath of Lazarus.

Yet...Jesus wept over His friend’s death... knowing all of this! 

Jesus wept...but hidden inside each of His tears was the assurance of our Father that death does not have the final say. May the tears of all Christians who feel the pain of sorrow from the death of a loved one be comforted by Jesus’ love for us. 

Unlike Mary and Martha...our reunion of joy hasn’t occurred yet. Instead of 4 days... we are still waiting. Perhaps it's been 4 weeks or  4 months...or 4 years. For many of us...it's been more years than anyone desires to count. So we continue to miss them...and long to see them again. 

Time does not remove this longing... I don’t even think it is meant to do so. Our longing is an expression of love for the ones we love. We would have to stop loving the person death stole...in order to stop missing them. My love for my dad and Brad did not die with them...it remains strong and alive. 

But... Glory... One day... We will be together again! How I anticipate and look forward to the day I will see not only my dad who I have missed for nearly 20 years...but my beloved husband Brad!

I get excited when I ponder what that moment will feel like...when the weight of all this longing and sadness ends forever and is replaced by the never-ending joy of reunion with Jesus in Heaven!  

Years ago, I did not know the full measure of pain the heart can hold from the death of a loved one...I had to experience it first in order to understand it  I have yet to experience the full measure of the Joy I will know when I once again embrace my loved one and to never to be in fear of being separated by death again. Glory...Glory! How God loves you and me...

"But let me tell you something wonderful, a mystery I'll probably never fully understand. We're not all going to die—but we are all going to be changed. You hear a blast to end all blasts from a trumpet, and in the time that you look up and blink your eyes—it's over. On signal from that trumpet from heaven, the dead will be up and out of their graves, beyond the reach of death, never to die again. At the same moment and in the same way, we'll all be changed. In the resurrection scheme of things, this has to happen: everything perishable taken off the shelves and replaced by the imperishable, this mortal replaced by the immortal. Then the saying will come true: 

   Death swallowed by triumphant Life!
   Who got the last word, oh, Death?
   Oh, Death, who's afraid of you now?
It was sin that made death so frightening and law-code guilt that gave sin its leverage, its destructive power. But now in a single victorious stroke of Life, all three—sin, guilt, death—are gone, the gift of our Master, Jesus Christ. Thank God!"                                ~ 1 Corinthians 15:54-57  The Message 

All Glory and Praises to God! 

Kathy 

Transformed Trash

“Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.” ~ The Message Romans 8:26a,28b

“ God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him. After God made that decision of what his children should be like, he followed it up by calling people by name. After he called them by name, he set them on a solid basis with himself. And then, after getting them established, he stayed with them to the end, gloriously completing what he had begun.” Romans 8:29-30 The Message

Yesterday I went to a local park with friends from church.   The name of the park?  

Mt Trashmore!  Really? 

What an awful name for such a pretty park!

It’s name is derived by what it once was...the site of a huge trash dump. 

As I walked around the beautiful lake with a friend who lived near this park when it was still a “dumping site” I was told what an eye sore it was from the roadway nearby and of the “smell” it emitted into the surrounding neighborhoods. 

Since I never lived near this park prior to it’s transformation...I would not know first hand of it’s stench or unattractive appearance. Yet, once I learned of it’s past... I can tell you, I appreciate it’s beauty even more. 

The transformation from what this park was...dirty, smelly and utterly un-enjoyable... to what it is today...is stunning! This is a beautiful park with two tall green hills where paths and even stairs lead you up to overlook the tranquil lake below. Surrounding the lake is a paved path to walk or bike along as you watch the playful ducks swimming or waddling near it’s edge. The birds fly high seeking rest in the lush trees or perching themselves on piers.

 The grassy grounds lend themselves to scattered picnic tables inviting you to sit or gather with friends for a quick bite. There is a horseshoe pit...and I discovered the perfect place for a net to be placed to play volleyball or toss a frisbee or play corn hole. Near one side of the lake are covered shelters to find shade and on another side you will see a play area for families and friends as they watch their children play.

As I walked around the lake ...Thanking the Lord for sharing with me such beauty...He placed in my thoughts how He also has brought about a beauty in me from my past life. 

My life was once...well... quite frankly...it was filled with “trash”. I once lived for the kind of things and relationships that don’t hold lasting beauty or worth. 

As I bought and traded the trinkets this world offered me for a satisfying life...it created in me a ton of rubbish. As this junk in my life increased...it created a Mt Trash (and) more in me! 

At that time...those who lived closest to me...well...I’m pretty sure they could smell the stench and see the hills of garbage that grew in me. After all...I could only hide and bury so much garbage until it finally becomes so much that it pile up into a couple of hills for not only others to see...but ones I couldn’t ignore either.

Tired of accumulating “trash” and wanting a huge transformation in my life..I prayed asking for Jesus to come help me. And He answered my prayers. The Lord’s Hand of grace covered my mountain of trash and removed the stench that my life once held... Although I am still being daily transformed by Jesus’ love... I no longer am a heaping mess...but instead someone who Jesus has chosen to reflect the beauty of His redeeming love and to be a sweet fragrance of His mercy and grace.

Like a park named Mt. Trashmore...my life is being transformed from vile  to kind...from self-filled to one who cares about the needs of others.  The Lord has taken my many pieces of trash and He turned them into a compost that allows me to use them to nurture the hurting with the power of His wisdom and love. Everyday...God is at work in me still.

Like those high grassy hills at Mt Trashmore Park... Perhaps you too are in need for the Lord to covered your sins and transform your pile of trash into a treasure from which you can draw the riches of God’s grace and love from. 

You know...God sees your beauty. He desires for you to see and enjoy it too!  The love of God can work good from even our worst trash... And then one day...His work will be done. Glory...that will be the day we breath our first breathe of Heaven! 

Won’t you allow Him into your heart? Come see for yourself what only Jesus can do! 

Glory!

Kathy

THE STRUGGLE

“Then Job answered the Lord, and said, Behold, I am vile.”   ~  Job 40:3,4

Nothing frustrates me more than when I react or respond to a problem or difficult circumstance like the “old Kathy” instead of the “Christ in me, Kathy”! This morning as I sat with the Lord, I spoke with Him about this unending struggle within me...a struggle to fully surrender my sinful opinions and desires and fully embrace Jesus’ pure and sinless ones. I confess I am tired of the struggle and just want Him to “zap” the last remnants of “me” from my life and fill me only with Him...

Instead of giving me the “zap” I requested...the Lord gave me these comforting insights to absorb and encourage me. I pray they will encourage you too...

“My dear child...I know your struggle with sin...and because you believe in Me...I have pardoned and removed each one. I have placed my Spirit within you to be your Helper and Guide for all the days of your life. However... There remains a power of sin in you, although it has been greatly weakened and is kept under my dominion, when I placed in your new-born nature the Holy Spirit which has been infused into your soul. Yet..this sinful nature does not cease to exist... it still lingers within you...”

So there it is... “The Struggle”...

In every Christian believer there are two natures. There is one nature which cannot sin, because it is born of God...a spiritual nature, coming directly from Heaven...pure and perfect.  But...there is also in humankind, that ancient nature that came by the fall of Adam in the garden. It is a nature that is sinful, corrupt and full of the devil’s schemes.

Perhaps we judge ourselves and other Christians so harshly when they fail to be pure and perfect, because we do not recognize that in the heart of every Christian there still remains a nature which is sinful and hostile to God’s laws. 

We think because we have been reborn that God has or will or should “zap” the sinful nature out of us! But that is not the case... 

The Apostle Paul clearly described his own struggle with his new nature in God with that of his ancient one; Romans 7:17-21

We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. ~ Romans 7:17-21

 Yikes! Well... let’s not be discouraged... I figure if Job can see that he is vile...and Paul could see “sin living in me”... yet both men did not settle for what their ancient nature defined them to be but accepted what God says about them...than so can I! So can you!

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. ~ Romans 8:1-2

Are there times when you cannot understand your own behavior? You are in good company. But the Christian, having received the new nature, need not and should not give in to the old nature as if he could do nothing about it.

For me... It is good to recognize that I and other Christians have remaining in us our sinful nature that was born in us and has not been removed by our rebirth in Jesus. 

Oh...this is not to have permission or an excuse to sin...but to give understanding and compassion... to know how to pray... Seeking God’s mercy and power to forgive and overcome our ancient nature and be transformed, trusting that upon that final day when we breath our last breath of earth...we will soar into that heavenly land into which there shall never enter anything that defiles.

Glory!

Kathy

Christian brother, you were chosen to be free. Be careful that you do not please your old selves by sinning because you are free. Live this free life by loving and helping others. 14 You obey the whole Law when you do this one thing, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” 15 But if you hurt and make it hard for each other, watch out or you may be destroyed by each other.

16 I say this to you: Let the Holy Spirit lead you in each step. Then you will not please your sinful old selves. 17 The things our old selves want to do are against what the Holy Spirit wants. The Holy Spirit does not agree with what our sinful old selves want. These two are against each other. So you cannot do what you want to do. 18 If you let the Holy Spirit lead you, the Law no longer has power over you. 19 The things your sinful old self wants to do are: sex sins, sinful desires, wild living, 20 worshiping false gods, witchcraft, hating, fighting, being jealous, being angry, arguing, dividing into little groups and thinking the other groups are wrong, false teaching, 21 wanting something someone else has, killing other people, using strong drink, wild parties, and all things like these. I told you before and I am telling you again that those who do these things will have no place in the holy nation of God. 22 But the fruit that comes from having the Holy Spirit in our lives is: love, joy, peace, not giving up, being kind, being good, having faith, 23 being gentle, and being the boss over our own desires. The Law is not against these things. 24 Those of us who belong to Christ have nailed our sinful old selves on His cross. Our sinful desires are now dead. ~ Galatians 5:13-21

Faith Expressed in Love

"What is important is faith expressing itself in love." 

~ Galatians 5:6b (NLT)

In this world it seems to me the most important thing people need to see from me as a Christian is one of the most difficult thing for me to do all the time.... expressing fully my faith through love. 

Love is patient, love is kind, it isn’t jealous, it doesn’t brag, it isn’t arrogant,  it isn’t rude, it doesn’t seek its own advantage, it isn’t irritable, it doesn’t keep a record of complaints,  it isn’t happy with injustice, but it is happy with the truth.  Love puts up with all things, trusts in all things, hopes for all things, endures all things. Love never fails. ~ 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (CEB)                                                                                                         

Now faith, hope, and love remain—these three things—and the greatest of these is love.~ 1 Corinthians 13:13 (CEB)

I want to love like that...surrendering my preferences about people to God’s loving ways!

But, lets be honest... don’t you agree that there are just some people who make it especially hard to love them sooo... Perfectly? After all...who doesn’t have at least one person in their life... a family member, co-worker, fellow christian....someone...who isn’t difficult to love? I’m not talking about just the ordinary “differences” we may have that challenge our love. No...I’m referring to that someone ...you know...that person who is overly critical, selfish, seems a bit too mean-spirited and a few more adjectives I could add on... but I figure you get the point. 

My struggle in loving someone like this is not that I don’t want to love them or that I can’t “briefly” feel love towards them...it just that sometimes as I try to hold on to any kind and loving thought towards them...well, let’s just say...it doesn’t seem to take long for their critical words or unkind actions to wear me down and remove any vestige of love I may have gained!

Since I sincerely desire for my faith to express itself in love...I know the best thing I can do is to take this “problem person” to the Lord and pray...right? 

Well, the trouble with this kind of approach to prayer is I end up weaving my words into asking God to “fix” them instead of pursuing my request for help with me. 

This can be an easy trap to fall into if my focus is on the list of a person’s offenses and my dwelling on what they need “fixed” in order for me or anyone other than God to love them...Yikes!  

Besides...before I turned to Christ for my daily example of how to live, didn’t I once exhibit many of the very attributes of this person I now find the most difficult to love?  Thankfully, through the teaching of God’s Word and the Lord placing into my life many loving people who’s faith revealed in love...was shown to me...I have a better way of expressing myself than I once did.

Good sense makes one slow to anger,
    and it is his glory to overlook an offense. ~ Proverbs 19:11 ESV

How quick my emotions can cause me to have temporary spiritual amnesia when I forget that I can lean on God’s power inside of me to overlook an offense. My faith that is revealed by loving them instead of feeling angry or annoyed towards them brings glory to God. It also reveals what the power of Christ in me is able to overcome of my own frailties...and isn’t that what I really desire most? 

So with a renewed spirit of what I know I can (through Christ) do... but with emotions that were still tinged a bit with the frustration over how I instinctually felt... I prayed and asked God; “Why is all this so hard for me to do? Why can’t I just love this person as I know I should?” 

The Lord responded as He often does with me...He presented a question in return to mine own. “ Whose love are you applying ... yours or mine?” 

"My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." ~Galatians 2:20 (NLT)

Glory!

Kathy 

Why?

“Why? Because the Master won't ever
   walk out and fail to return.
If he works severely, he also works tenderly.
   His stockpiles of loyal love are immense.
He takes no pleasure in making life hard,
   in throwing roadblocks in the way.” Lamentations 3:31-33 The Message 

I just hate asking God “Why?” Yet I ask him “why” more often than I care to admit even to myself...I ask it without even realizing I have done so. Every time life throws another hard punch to my heart...I can’t seem to stop myself from simply wondering and asking...”Why Lord, Why?”  

How patient the Lord is in my queries..and never have I felt admonished for asking. His comfort calms my restless spirit and the riches of His wisdom feeds my aching soul in the Scriptures. 

Almost always when life has become so hard and I just can’t wrap my mind around any conceivable answer for why this has to be happening...I will uncover in the Scriptures a jewel that sparkles light onto God’s nature and ways. Where God’s character shines everything else (no matter how devastating or troublesome) becomes a shadow of what it once was.

That’s what happened the other day when I read Lamentations 3:31-33 in The Message translation. 

“Because the Master won't ever
   walk out and fail to return.”   

It’s true...sometimes it feels like God has left us!  There may be times in the midst of our greatest heartaches that the presences of God seems to be missing...we call out in prayer...but we hear no reply. It’s comforting to know that when it feels like the Lord has “walked out”...He will never fail to lift our doubting spirit with the return of His presence!
 

“...Because the LORD your God is the one who marches with you. He won’t let you down, and he won’t abandon you.” Deuteronomy 31:6b (CEB)

This life will always have times of trials and affliction. I have taken my greatest steps in faith during trying trials and learned to place all my trust in God through heartbreaking afflictions. In each one...God proved faithful and conquered my greatest fear by always paving the path for my next step with His own. When we have fallen He lifts us to our feet with His strong arms holding us nearer to His heart...He is faithful and true..never abandoning us...no matter how fierce the fight. 

“If he works severely, he also works tenderly.” 

                                                                                                                                   I know God holds the power to make all my troubles (and yours too) disappear if He would only choose to do so. Yet, whether they end or they persist...our severe troubles are always held with tenderness in His Hands. God is always at the work of molding us into the image of His son Jesus. God is always "tenderly" at work. 

”His stockpiles of loyal love are immense.”

And God's loyal love is in stockpiles that are immense! What an image! God is a loving God...and His love is loyal and unfailing. He doesn’t take pleasure in my life being hard or in the roadblocks that slow down my progress in living the surrendered life. And, He takes no pleasure in your life being hard either. No...even when we most deserve His hand to reach from a stockpile of wrath and rejection...He reaches instead from his immense stockpile of loyal love and gives us immeasurable love. 

God’s answer to my “why” was His giving me a glimpse of His heart...Perhaps, like me, you will discover as I did a better reason than answer for our “Why?”.

Glory...

Kathy 

The Discarded Stone

"Come to Christ as to a living stone. Men have put Him aside, but He was chosen by God and is of great worth in the sight of God. You are to be as living stones in the building God is making also. You are His religious leaders giving yourselves to God through Jesus Christ. This kind of gift pleases God. 
The Holy writings say; “See, I lay down in Jerusalem a Stone of great worth, worth far more than any amount of money. Anyone who puts his trust in Him will not be ashamed.” This Stone is of great worth to you who have your trust in Him. 
But to those who have not put their trust in Him, the Holy Writings say, “The Stone which the workmen put aside has become the most important part of the building.” he Holy Writings say, also, “Christ is the Stone that some men will trip over and the Rock over which they will fall.” When they do not obey the Word of God, they trip over it. This is what happens to such men." 1 Peter 2:4-8 

It has been said that when Solomon’s temple was being built, all the stones were brought from the quarry already cut and fashioned. Each stone was marked with it’s intended location and where it was to be placed. Among all these numerous stones there was found a very curious one...it seemed to have no describable shape, and it appeared to be unfit for any portion of the building. 

I

Among all these numerous stones there was found a very curious one...it seemed to have no describable shape, and it appeared to be unfit for any portion of the building. 

The workers tried using it at one wall, but it would not fit; so they tried it in another...but it did not seem suitable for any portion of the temple. After several attempts to find this stone’s proper location, the workers feeling very annoyed and even angry, threw it aside. 

 The temple took many years to build, and over time that tossed away stone became covered with moss, and grass grew around it. 

It seemed that everybody who passed by the stone laughed at the sight of it. You see, they all believed Solomon was wise, and they had little doubt that all the other stones were right. But as for that curious looking grass covered block, they thought surely it is a mistake and it might as well be sent back to the quarry...everyone seemed quite sure it was meant for nothing.

Year after year passed, and the poor stone was still despised, the builders constantly refused it. Then finally the day came when the temple was about finished and was ready to be opened. 

The multitude assembled...all were excited to see this grand sight! Then they heard the builders ask, “Where is the top-stone? Where is the pinnacle?” They gave little thought where the crowning marble was, until someone said, “Perhaps that stone which the builders refused is meant to be the top-stone.” 

They then took this discarded stone and hoisted it to the top of the house; and as it reached the summit, they found it fit perfectly to the place. The crowd shouted such loud Hosannas, it surely made the heavens ring...as the stone which the builders refused became the headstone of the corner. 

So is it with Christ Jesus.

“Christ is the Stone that was put aside by you workmen. But He has become the most important Stone in the building. There is no way to be saved from the punishment of sin through anyone else. For there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we can be saved.”          ~ Act 4:11-12

For meditation: In the end God saw to it that the last shall be first. Where do you place the Lord Jesus Christ?

Adapted from a sermon by Charles Spurgeon 

Kathy 

God's "I Will" Promises

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?  As it is written:

   “For your sake we face death all day long;
   we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 

~ Romans 8:28-39 NIV

When I need a sign of encouragement for when life seems to have spun out of control... 

When I need a clearer view of God’s power...

or when I just need to know I am not alone and that I am loved... 

I always find just the encouragement and better understanding I need when I read Romans 8:28-39. 

Several years ago a favorite Bible teacher demonstrated how to take the above Scripture and create a personal letter from God. She said for me to read the Scripture verse by verse and pull from them each promise God has made and turn it into an “I will” statement to me. 

I would love to share with you what I wrote and encourage you to place your name where I have written mine. The underlined portion is what I wrote from Scripture. 

My Child, Kathy

I will make sure all things work together for your good.

I will conform you to the likeness of Jesus.

I will always be for you.

I will call you, justify you and glorify you.

I will protect you ~ you will be more than a conqueror against foes

I will never forsake you ~ nothing will separate you from my love.

Love, God

When I read this...I can’t help but feel strengthen for what I am facing. These are promises from God. These promises are as much for you as they are for me. 

We all face many trials and have experienced troubles that seem to last far too long...

It is good to remember that the Lord is not against you and He doesn’t just put up with you because He feels sorry for you either. He love you because He has chosen to love you. 

If God hadn't been for us —all together now, Israel, sing out!— 

   If God hadn't been for us 

      when everyone went against us, 

   We would have been swallowed alive 

      by their violent anger, 

   Swept away by the flood of rage, 

      drowned in the torrent; 

   We would have lost our lives 

      in the wild, raging water. 

  Oh, blessed be God! 

      He didn't go off and leave us. 

   He didn't abandon us defenseless, 

      helpless as a rabbit in a pack of snarling dogs. 

  We've flown free from their fangs, 

      free of their traps, free as a bird. 

   Their grip is broken; 

      we're free as a bird in flight. 

  God's strong name is our help, 

      the same God who made heaven and earth. Psalms 124 The Message

God is for us...He is always with us...and when He makes a promise...He keeps His promise!

Glory!

Kathy