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Signs of the End

Posted by NormaGail on Jul 23, 2012 | Comments Off on Signs of the End

“For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west,

so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” Matthew 24:27

Soccer bags littered the field as the rain came down in torrents. I committed the worst faux pax a parent can commit, calling attention to myself, and forcing the end of an important tournament. The bolt of lightning striking the field just behind us and the fast approaching storm left me no choice. With the help of two men who believed their eyes, and my handheld lightning detector, we got the kids and fans to cars until the storm was over.

My high-schooler was livid. “Mom, I didn’t even know you could run! Are you crazy? Did you ever think that you could be struck by lightning?” When I finally reached the safety of my car, I was attacked by an angry teenager, something almost as fierce as the storm.

In our family, lightning is nothing to mess around with. My parents have had two different homes struck by lightning. My father was killed by lightning when he was fly fishing.

We have a sense of urgency to warn people of the danger and educate them about the safety precautions they can take. Lightning is deadly and too many people pay no attention to it.

God warns of the end of the world, of a judgment that will touch every person. The question is whether we will live in eternal separation from God, or in heaven with the light of His presence. It will come swift and without warning, like the lightning bolt which killed my dad underneath a clear blue sky, from a storm twenty-some miles away.

Everyone was concentrated on the soccer games. No one paid attention to the danous storm approaching, yet it was nothing compared to the end of the world. Peter says it will “come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar…” He says God does not want “anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

Are you ready for the coming of the Son of Man and His lightning-swift judgment? Do you take risks to warn people as if their lives depended on it?

Determine today to make your salvation and that of those around you a sure thing. Avoid distractions which draw you away from Him. Come to Jesus now. Don’t wait until the storm is upon you.

Eternal Salvation–God’s Way

Posted by NormaGail on Jul 16, 2012 | Comments Off on Eternal Salvation–God’s Way

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 7:21

I couldn’t help but laugh. One of the squirrels that comes to the patio of our mountain home many times a day, climbed up one side of the wrought iron gate and down the other. It stopped, sitting right next to it, looking around for anything either edible or threatening. After sitting for a few minutes, glued to its spot, it ran underneath the gate it had just taken such pains to climb over, and down the steps.

The squirrels around our house provide entertainment on a daily basis. They to reach for bird feeders day after day, never seeming to learn they are out of reach. They sniff at the door to the garage, always optimistic that today they will get to the food on the other side.

How like squirrels we people are. God gave a simple, and direct way to Him, through acceptance of His Son, Jesus, and confession of our sins. Yet reaching God on our own terms, somehow seems more attractive.

Recently, at a funeral for a man whose children grew up in the same church we did, the oldest son talked about the Eastern religions he is into. He has chosen their do’s and don’ts and lists of steps with no certainty of eternal life over God’s guarantee of eternity with Him.

The squirrel didn’t gain anything by the complicated way of reaching the patio, it just wasted time and energy, ending up as bad off as it was before. Just as futile, is the idea that mere human beings can gain the acceptance of the God of the universe by performing repetitive actions, or chanting verses over and over, and being good people. Believing in the completed work of Christ on the cross, confessing their sin, and accepting God’s forgiveness, with the assurance of eternal life seems too easy.

Just as I don’t feed squirrels because they’re vermin, God doesn’t recognize those who choose their path to salvation.

Lord, help us to trust in you, the Creator and Finisher of all things, enough to follow your simple, but loving plan to salvation. Then teach us to spend our days in meaningful works that show our gratitude for all you have done for us, resting assured that you will keep us safe for eternity.

Strength for the Battle

Posted by NormaGail on Jul 9, 2012 | Comments Off on Strength for the Battle

“Your castles and strongholds shall have bars of iron and bronze, and as your day, so shall your strength, your rest and security be.”

Deuteronomy 33:25 AMP

All day the scripture kept running through my head. I kept thinking I must be supposed to relate it to something, maybe write something. I hadn’t looked it up yet, but it was there, nonetheless. God was speaking and it was important. I just didn’t know why.

I’m certain you’ve had it happen before. Someone’s name will pop into your head, you’ll think of a song, a poem, a picture, a scripture, and in a little while you’ll have the uncanny sensation that you were told of something ahead of time.

No, I don’t believe in hocus-pocus, and second-sight, whatever you want to call it. I do believe in God bringing things to mind when we need them for some reason. I don’t call it coincidence. I call it God’s timing.

This afternoon I heard from two friends who had received devastating news. One was far away and the assurance of my prayers was all I could offer. The other was down the street and I was able to be there with a timely hug and in-person prayer time. I was able to offer strength and comfort to my friends because God had prepared me ahead of time with strength.

In the days of old, castles and strongholds were built for protection because they knew at some point they would be attacked. They were armed and ready at all times. We too, must be armed and ready. Daily in God’s word and prayer, arms us for battle in a difficult world.

God goes ahead of us preparing our hearts through His word, and the timely whispers of the Holy Spirit. When attack threatens, He reminds us that He has already provided the weapons we need. We can look to Him and rest in Him, knowing that our fortress is ready for whatever onslaught may come, assured we don’t face the fight alone.

Shore up the defenses of the castle of your heart with His word. Prepare for the coming attack, secure in the knowledge that your heavenly Father has gone before. His weapons of warfare, as well as His provisions for strength to bear up, rest for your weariness, peace of mind, and the secure knowledge that He is in control will be yours.

The Radiance of the Rainbow

Posted by NormaGail on Jul 2, 2012 | Comments Off on The Radiance of the Rainbow

“Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown…” Ezekiel 1:28

“Come quickly!” my husband called, as we stood atop the Grant Tower of Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness. Hurrying to his side, I saw a beautiful rainbow arching from one side of the loch to the other, about a mile wide at that spot. Placing his hands on my shoulders, he said, “Look down.”

I drew in my breath in amazement. The tower is about 50 feet wide, and the rainbow seemed to originate from the water near one corner and end at the other, forming almost a complete circle. Out of the hundreds of tourists strolling through the castle ruins that day, we were the only two in a position to see it.

God gave the rainbow to Noah as a sign of His covenant that never again would He destroy the entire earth by flood. When storms threaten, the rainbow is a reassurance that it is not the end.

A loving father uses teachable moments in the lives of his children to help them grow and mature. In the same way, God prepares unique moments in our lives to reveal Himself in new ways. Those moments help us capture the essence of a God who is far beyond our understanding and hold them in our hearts for the times when He seems far away. They come back to us as reminders of His power and glory when all is dark and He seems too distant to hear our cries.

That unique sight struck a chord in my heart, showing me God in an unexpected way. I can look back on that once in a lifetime event as a reminder that, at any given moment, there is always more to what God is doing than I can see.

Today’s shadows will, in time, give way to a new revelation of God which will grow us and mature us as His children. According to Paul, what we now know only in part, we will someday know completely.

Are you in a dark place today? Search God’s word for promises which relate to your situation, promises which shed the light of hope for the future. Fall face down and worship Him as one whose love is perfect and complete, full of awe and wonder. Hold those promises in your heart, and trust Him.

Blessing Out of Trial

Posted by NormaGail on Jun 24, 2012 | Comments Off on Blessing Out of Trial

“If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” 2 Corinthians 11:30

God answered our prayers with two beautiful adopted children, twenty-one months apart, but parenting was far harder than I had ever imagined. We spent days on end in doctor’s offices, first one would get an ear infection, and then the other, then I would get a sinus infection. One never slept, night or day and wanted to be carried all of the time, while the other found mischief everywhere.

I was exhausted, sick, and disheartened. Finding time for a quiet time or Bible study often eluded me; though my Bible often stayed open on the kitchen counter, for quick peeks as I passed by. When I asked my mother why she had not told me how difficult it would be, she said I wouldn’t have believed her. Everyone has to experience it for themselves.

Life is often hard and answered prayers are not always what we think they will be. Difficulties are a part of life and no blessing comes completely without cost. God answers our prayers, but challenges our souls. He wastes no experience, but uses even small events to train us and with great blessings come great challenges. Our God wants us to look to Him in every season of life and realize our need. He is a great economist and nothing is wasted which might draw us closer to Him.

The pain of infertility was a blessing which brought me two of the greatest joys of my life. God uses our children to teach us great lessons. As our heavenly Father, God experiences pain when we must learn things the hard way also. He knows our pain, and therefore is our perfect help.

Joy and sorrows both are wasted if we gain nothing from them. We must learn to look for God in every situation of life. God is faithful no matter what our situation. He is there is the good times to rejoice with us, and there in the hard times to comfort and guide. His desire is to show us Himself and to draw us closer to Him.

Lord, help me not to miss you in the place where you have me today. In both blessing and trial, help me to see what glorifies you and what benefits me. Help me to do my part in never missing the lesson you are teaching, that I might more fully reflect you to those around me.

Finding Peace

Posted by NormaGail on Jun 18, 2012 | Comments Off on Finding Peace

^“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:6, 7

I was upset, hurt, and afraid. Every time I turned around I was being met with something else that sent up red flags, hints that told me things were not as they should be. I couldn’t concentrate, felt like crying, felt like nothing would ever be right. I felt hopeless, with no peace of mind and heart. I was in turmoil.

I had done everything I could. My emotions were raw and my patience was exhausted. I felt miserable and in turn I made others miserable also. Praying was the only thing left, but it was the one thing which had the potential to settle me down and bring me peace.

We are often guilty of saying, “There’s nothing to do but pray.” Far from being a statement of hopelessness, this statement is full of hope. It is full of truth. If I would learn to make it the first thing every time, my life would be better off and so would the lives of those around me. The one, single, most important thing we can do is to pray.

Scripture tells us to “pray without ceasing.” That speaks of a life of prayer, of praying being as natural as breathing, not something we do after calling all of our prayer partners and crying on their shoulders, and worrying ourselves half sick.

If I was to take all the energy I put into worrying and use it praying, some marvelous things would happen. I have seen it happen before when I focused on keeping things in God’s perspective rather than my own.

The one thing we crave when everything seems out of control is peace. We want to let things go and feel like they are being handled, that something positive is being done. Why then, do we put ourselves through such torture and upset? Why do we avoid the very thing which can give us hope?

Dear Lord, help me to keep my priorities right, to keep things where I can see them from your perspective. Help me remember that only you have the power to make things right when I am helpless and hopeless. Only in you can I find peace. Father, help me remember to take things to you first, and leave them there. Only then will I experience the peace that passes all understanding. Thank you for always being my Prince of Peace.