The Nemesis

 I started my fourteenth year of teaching.  After all these years, you'd think I would be a pro when it comes to the first day of school.  I wouldn't have any nervousness and I'd be "cool" the whole time.  

Far from it.  I still have nightmares leading up to the first day.  Usually my class is rowdy and unmanageable.  The students refuse to listen.  I show up to school and slowly lose my clothing throughout the day.  Crazy dreams.  Thankfully none of them ever come true.  The morning of the first day, my stomach is in knots.  Forget butterflies.  I think I have dogs running around in there.  I play it cool on the outside, but inside is a battlefield.  Please tell me I'm not the only teacher who goes through this. 

I consider my first day of school my nemesis.  What is a nemesis? you may ask. It is a long-standing rival or an archenemy.  First day of school has been my rival since I was in kindergarten.  

I think about others who have or had a nemesis.  Eve and the Serpent.  Abel and Cain.  Joseph and his brothers.  David and Saul.  David and Goliath.  Daniel and the Persian princes.  Jesus and Satan.  There are so many in the Bible.  

Eve succumbed to her nemesis, hence the reason we are in this sinfilled world.  Abel succumbed to his as Cain killed him.  But the others mentioned?  They all overcame.  David ran for his life many times but was able to become king of the Israelites.  The giant fell when David trusted in God.  Daniel survived his trip to the lion's den despite the tactics of the Persians.  Jesus.  Praise the Lord!  Jesus overcame.  And now we too can overcome.  Herod tried to kill Him, Satan tried to tempt Him, the Jews tried to stone Him, the Jews tempted Him, and the Romans crucified Him because of the Jews.  But He overcame.  Death could not hold Him down.  He rose again! 

So yes, the first day of school is my nemesis.  But Jesus overcame so I am able to do the same.  He was victorious so I can be victorious!  I am sure one day I will let the dogs out!  One day not even butterflies will fill my stomach.  The nightmares will vanish.  I will overcome!  And so will you!  You can be like Jesus!  You can defeat your nemesis.  You can do it!  But only By God's Amazing Grace!

Just Joking

 Little Bit and I were walking her dog when she said something quite profound.

"People who love Jesus don't make fun of others."

So simple, yet so profound.  

Yet we do it all the time.  For simple reasons or malicious.  Either way, a huge majority of people make fun of others.  I have heard so many times, "If I didn't love you, I wouldn't pick on you."  Then don't love me so much.  I understand Proverbs 27:6, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy."  But why are we going out of our way to wound our friends?  Why do we purposely wound the ones we love.

I had a conversation with a friend and we actually were talking about this.  When we get comfortable with those we love, we let our guard down and become snappy and hurtful.  But neither one of us want to be this way. 

I remember when the Hubs and I first got married.  I was extremely quick witted and would say hurtful things.  It was not my intention to be hurtful, but to be funny.  I never would purposely hurt him.  But I did hurt him nonetheless.  I have learned over the years to be more kind to him and not make him the butt of a joke.  Does it still happen?  Occasionally.  But not like it used to.  Ephesians 4:29 says, "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."  When I was joking with him, I was not building him up, but instead, tearing him down.  

There have been many people in our lives that have used joking as a way to "love" us, but instead, it tears us down.  Luke 6:45 says, "The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."

Now am I saying that those that joke are evil?  No.  I am not saying that.  God knows the heart.  I don't.  What I am saying is, if we say we love someone, shouldn't our actions and WORDS express that?  What do we gain from joking about someone by tearing them down?  There is a difference between joking with and joking about.  I love to tell jokes.  I have come to learn the difference and have done my best to refrain from joking about someone.  I know I have hurt people's feelings.  I know my feelings have been hurt in return.  Those wounds may be faithful, but why do there need to be wounds in the first place?  

We need to remember Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report: if there is any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things."

Is joking true.  Someone may go the speed limit.  But that doesn't mean you need to make fun of them for driving slow. 

But is joking may be honest, which actually means honourable?  How does joking about someone honor them?

Is joking just?  Is it righteous?  If it hurts someone, I don't see how it could be.

Is joking pure? Is it sacred or exciting reverence? Well...who was the shortest man in the Bible?  Bildad, the Shuhite.  It comes from the Bible.  But I'm not making fun of anyone.

Is joking lovely? Is it acceptable and pleasing? To others around, it may seem as much.  But is it pleasing to hear, "Oh don't listen to her.  Her opinion doesn't matter?" when said in jest?  Not at all.

Is joking of a good report? If you compare a preacher to someone who puts you to sleep, is that a good report?  I think not.

Is there any virtue in joking? Is there moral goodness?  

Is joking praiseworthy? I used to think so.  But I was so wrong.  There is nothing praiseworthy about tearing someone down, even if it was said in jest.  

Is this something I still need to work on?  Oh, yes.  For sure.  But I know I can change. I know I don't have to give faithful wounds to my friends.  I don't want to wound anyone.  Period.  Friend or enemy.  But I know I can change.  I can apply Philippians 4:8 to my words.  This is possible only By God's Amazing Grace.

True Education

As August is starting, school is becoming more of a reality. How school will look when it actually begins is still up in the air, many families still have big decisions to make. Are we sending our kid back into a normal classroom? Are we going to have our kid learn virtually? What about home school? There are quite a few options this year. Many families don’t have the option to home school or for virtual learning. 

When both parents have to work, the child staying home is not an option. There are many parents not willing to send their child back to school with all the uncertainties right now. 

Schools are working hard to come up with a plan to ensure the health and safety of every student that walks through the doors. Do we wear masks? What will the classroom size look like? Will students change classrooms? What will electives look like? So many questions and some of those can’t be answered at this time due to regulations not be handed down yet. Law makers have not made a decision yet.  Teachers are being challenged quite a bit this year.  With all the changes, teachers have to learn new methods of delivery. Zoom, google classroom, meet, bitmoji classroom, online instruction while teaching in person. So much learning. Teachers want the best for their students. 

This isn’t the first time students have been in this situation. There were a group of students who were removed from their homes and sent to a government supported private boarding school. There was no home leave or vacations. The students were not allowed to speak with their parents. Everything changed for them overnight. They were captives of the country. What did they do wrong? Nothing. They were Israelites and the Babylonians took them captive. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego were among the captives. And they excelled at the new school. Even though they were put in trying positions, they still were the top of their class. They passed all their tests and never compromised once. But how? How were they able to stand strong in a foreign country, learning the ways and customs of the Babylonians, and never once compromised or bowed a knee to anyone but God? Easy. Their first school was the home. Their parents taught them from their youth of the ways to walk in. Their parents had an active roll in their education.  They knew that if they “Train up a child in the way he should go , when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6. And Daniel and his three friends never departed from the knowledge their parents imparted on them. 

Parents, true education starts at home. Our children are watching our every moves. Are our actions teaching them to trust in God or to have a lack faith? Are our children hearing the word of God from the Bible or the words of the world through music and videos? Are we raising our children to please God or the world?

Whether someone is sending their student back to the classroom, virtually or in person, remember that education begins at home. The parent is the first teacher. The Bible is the first textbook. 

Your child can stand up for what is right like Daniel and his three friends did. It is possible but only By God’s Amazing Grace. 

Did He Hear Me?

Do you ever wonder if God answers your prayers?  Or even if He hears them? I know there have been times that I have questioned just that, even though I know He does.  Sometimes I forget how God has worked in my life in the past so I doubt how He is working in my life now.  

My family has been on a journey for many years.  There is so much to this story. Let me start from the beginning.

When Little Bit was a baby, we started noticing some delays.  She wasn't on track for anything.  She would only speak one or two words at a time and couldn't actually express herself.  We would speak to doctors to no avail.  So we began praying.  We prayed for a miracle in Little Bit's life.  Since the doctors were not listening to us, we knew God would. We knew that in Psalm 37:4, we are told to Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.  Within the time we began praying, Little Bit was diagnosed with autism.  This made sense.  But we continued to pray for her sake. 

One year after we began praying, we found a chiropractor due to my migraines.  The chiropractor offered to also work on Little Bit.  Within one month she was a completely different child.  She was speaking complete sentences, was very social, and was doing things she couldn't do before.  God had answered our prayers.  

But that is not the end of the story.  And just to make it clear, our Little Bit still has autism.  She wasn't "cured".  We didn't ask God to take away the autism.  We asked God to help us understand her.  We asked God to help her be able to do things she couldn't. And He answered that prayer.  

By the time Little Bit was 8, she was doing well.  The one thing we were concerned about at the moment was her speaking.  She would interact and play with people but refuse to speak to them.  And when we moved, we saw a regression in that speaking ability.  She went from speaking to multiple people, to only speaking to four, not including family.  We were concerned.  She was eventually diagnosed with selective mutism.  Now we understood a little bit more of what she was going through and we worked with her.  But if there was an option to help her, we would seek it out.

So we turned back to God.  We want Little Bit to be able to talk to people so she could tell others about Jesus.  We want her to talk to people so she can ask for help.  We want her to talk to people so she can feel included.  We called over our elders and Pastor and we prayed over her and anointed her.  We prayed that He would touch her mouth like He did Isaiah to help him speak.  We prayed that God would use her voice for His glory.  We prayed that if it wasn't His will for her to speak to others, to allow her life to be a witness without words.  We asked God to help us accept His answer.  And we waited.

We saw Little Bit open up to a few people.  As of two weeks ago, she was speaking to about eight or nine people.  We were thankful for the answers.  We assumed God answered us according to His will.  She was doing great.  

But.  And this is a big but.  God wasn't done.  

It was a Monday.  Little Bit came to me asking if she could call some friends and she promised she would talk to them.  I doubted her.  But I let her call anyway.  When their mom answered the phone.  "Hi, Ms. Diana!"  I was almost in tears.  She spoke to her for about a minute and then spoke to her friends.  And then their dad.  Once she got off the phone with them, we began calling more people.  And more people.  And even more people!  By the end of the day, Little Bit spoke to 21 new people.  And it didn't stop there. The next day, Little Bit continued calling people and speaking to them face to face.  I have lost track with how many people she has spoken to since she began.  

Sometimes God answers immediately.  Sometimes God says no.  Sometimes God says Wait a minute.  You won't believe the miracle I have in store for you.  And boy did He show off!  

If you are waiting for God to answer your prayers, keep waiting.  Don't lose faith.  He has something in store for you.  If you are doubting that He is hearing your prayers, read 1 John 5:14-15.  And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.  And if we know hat he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests we have asked of him.  Remember to Pray without ceasing, 1 Thessalonians 5:17.  So continue to pray.  He will answer according to HIS will.  Not ours.  Wait on the Lord.  

Little Bit is still amazing us each day.  She will continue to speak.  God heard us.  This is possible only By God's Amazing Grace.

Reflect His Image

When I look in the mirror, you know who I see?  I know, you'd never believe it, but I see my reflection.  I see me.  But that is the problem.  I don't want to see me when I look at my reflection.  I don't want to see my imperfections of character: my stubbornness, over sensitiveness, sarcasm, self-consciousness, insecurities.  I want to see my Father.  

No, not my earthly father, but my Father in Heaven.  I want to see His reflection in me.  I want to reflect His character, not mine.  

What is His character, you might ask?

God is good.  A rich young ruler called Jesus "Good master" in Luke 18:18.  Jesus responds with, "Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God."

God is love.  1 John 4:8, "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." and 1 John 3:1, "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God; therfore the world knoweth us not, becasue it knew Him not."

God is just. In Deuteronomy 32:4, Moses is speaking to the Israelites.  He tells them that God is "a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right He is."

God is pure.  1 John 3:3 states, "every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure."

God is righteous.  The psalmist tells us that The Lord is righteous in all His ways and holy in all His works.  Psalm 145:17

God is caring.  God even cares for the birds of the air.  Matthew 6:26

God is kind.  Ephesians 2:8, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God."

God is gracious and merciful.  The psalmist tells us in Psalm 116:5 that God is gracious, righteous, and merciful.

God is forgiving.  "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."1 John 1:9

God is faithful.  Lamentations 3:22-23, Jeremiah tells us, "it is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.  They are new every morning; great is they faithfulness."

God is compassionate.  Psalm 103:8 tells us that God is merciful and gracious, but also slow to anger and plentious mercy.

These are all characteristics I strive for.  I want to reflect His image.  I am made in His image according to Genesis 1:26. He got down on His hands and knees to create mankind.  He spoke everything else into existence, but He formed man and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.  When my husband got down on his knee to ask me to marry him, I knew I was special.  But when I realized that God did that to create mankind, I knew we were all special.  He made us to reflect His image, His character. 

Today is a special day.  It is Father's day.  As you celebrate your fathers, husbands, neighbors, remember the Greatest Father Ever.  Remember the One whose image you are created in.  Remember God.  He is the best father anyone could ever ask for.  He is love, just, pure, righteous, caring, kind, gracious, merciful, forgiving, faithful, compassionate, and so much more.  

And fathers, follow the best example given.  Our Father in Heaven will lead you and guide you.  He will show you how to be a great father.  Reflect His image.  Look in the mirror.  Who do you see?  You can see Him.  It is possible only By God's Amazing Grace.

The Wedding

I received an invitation to a wedding in the mail.   I get really excited about weddings when I know God has ordained the relationship.  It is quite obvious that God is leading in theirs.  This is an exciting time for them.  I couldn't imagine missing the wedding of these beautiful people.  So when I received the invitation, I immediately said, "Yes, we will be there!" I couldn't imagine saying no to my friend and her soon to be husband.  

But the crazy thing? There was a wedding where the wedding guests all said no.  To a king.  Can you believe it?  A king was holding a wedding for his son.  He sent out all the invitations.  No one RSVP'd.  No one showed.  The king sent his servants to bring the guests to the wedding.  Maybe there was car trouble.  Or the bridge was out.  Maybe the king would have to send helicopters to the guests.  But even with a personal chauffeur to the wedding of the king's son, the guests would not come.  Can you believe that?  Even after the servants told the guests that the dinner was prepared and the best food was there for their liking, they still didn't want to go.  They had other things to do.  Better things.  What could be better than the wedding prepared by the king?

The king was rightfully upset.  So he finally told his servants that the wedding is ready, but there needed to be guests.  He told them not to waste any more time of those he invited to the wedding.  Instead, find as many people as you can find and invited them.  The servants went everywhere.  Walmart, Sams, Target, parks, streets, houses, tents.  Everywhere.  They did not have to worry about what to wear because the king would provide wedding garments for each guest.  So they all came.  They accepted the invitation.  

If I was invited to a wedding put on by the king, I would want to make sure I was wearing my best.  My best would be whatever the king provided for me. I would gladly put on the garments provided to me.  Yet, there was a guest who chose not to put on the wedding garments.  He was approached by the king.  "Where are your wedding garments?"

He was speechless.  He had no excuse for his actions.  All he had to do was put on the clothing provided for him.  This was unacceptable.  He was kicked out of the wedding.  I am sure the king was saddened by this.  It is unfortunate, but he had a choice.  He chose to wear his own filthy rags to the wedding of a prince.  

Can you believe there were people who refused the invitation to the wedding of the king's son?  Or that someone would choose not to wear garments provided by the king?

Although this is actually a parable told by Jesus in Matthew 22:1-14, it is something that will actually happen. 

We are all invited to the wedding.  The King of kings is hosting a wedding.  He wants us all there.  He has sent out the invitations.  He wants you to accept His invitation.  He doesn't want you to come in your street clothes.  He doesn't want you to wear your filthy rags.  He is providing a robe for you to wear.  The robe represents the character you must possess to be accounted fit for the wedding.  Each guest will be judged by their character, the one thing we will take to heaven with us.  

In Christ Object Lessons, chapter 24, page 310, it says,

 

"By the king's examination of the guests at the feast has represented a work of judgment.  The guests at the gospel feast are those who profess to serve God, those whose names are written in the book of life.  But not all who profess to be Christians are true disciples.  Before the final reward is given, it must be decided who are fitted to share the inheritance of the righteous.  This decision must be made prior to the second coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven; for when He comes, His reward is with Him, 'to give every man according as his work shall be.' Before His coming, then, the character of every man's work will have been determined, and to every one of Christ's followers the reward will have been apportioned according to his deeds."

You are invited to the wedding.  Will you accept His invitation?  God has a robe of righteousness for you.  Will you put it on?  I want to accept it.  I want to wear His robe.  But this is possible only By God's Amazing Grace.

Mountains and Valleys

Have you ever been on the top of a mountain only to be knocked down into the valley?  You just got a job promotion, but your car broke down.  You just graduated high school, but you haven't decided on a major and everyone keeps asking you.  Or even more, you aren't able to have a graduation.  We find ourselves in these high moments in life.  Things are going wonderful, but then something happens and it brings us down low.  I know I have felt that way so many times.  I think the hardest ones are where I am up high and I share this with someone, but they then bring me down with their discouragement.

Someone in the Bible had a similar situation.  He was high up on the mountain top.  Things were great.  Then he was afraid for his life and zoom.  Back down in the valley.  Yes, I'm talking about Elijah.

In 1 Kings 18, Elijah went against the prophets of Baal to see who served the one true God.  The prophets of Baal ran around in circles, cut themselves, called out to Baal, danced.  But nothing.  No fire came down to consume the sacrifice.  Then it was Elijah's turn.  Such contrast.  He prayed to God saying,

“Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word.  Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.” 1 Kings 18: 36-37.

He came to God in such peace and reverence.   He praised God.  And God answered.  Fire came down and burned the sacrifice.  All the prophets of Baal were then killed and the drought that was there ended after 3 and a half years.

Talk about a mountain top experience.  I am sure many people were converted that day due to the witness of Elijah.  Unfortunately, we have to turn the page and go to the next chapter

In 1 Kings 19, Jezebel wants the life of Elijah.  She is furious.  Now if the threat of your life does not bring you down off of the mountain top, I'm not sure what will.

Not only was his life at stake, he felt alone.  He thought he was the only prophet of God left.  So...he left.  He ran for the mountains.  Funny that he came off of a mountain top experience to go to the mountains to experience his valley.

God asked Elijah why he was there. His response? "I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.” 1 Kings 19:10

I wonder if God laughed.  Honestly.  I mean, God knows everything.  Technically God didn't even have to ask Elijah why he was there.  He already knew.  And God's response after all was said and done? Go back.  In verse 15, God tells Elijah to go back to where he came from because he wasn't the only one.  There were seven thousand still in Israel who has not bowed their knee to Baal.  There were still seven thousand who had stood faithful to God.

There is a song by Tauren Wells called, "Hills and Valleys".

On the mountains, I will bow my life
To the One who set me there
In the valley, I will lift my eyes
To the One who sees me there
When I'm standing on the mountain
I didn't get there on my own
When I'm walking through the valley
I know I am not alone!

That is key. We need to praise God whether we are on the mountain top or in the valley.  Those are the two places we usually forget.  We didn't get on top of the mountain on our own.  When Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal, it was God all the way.  When he was in his valley, God was with him the whole time.  He had never left or deserted him.   We are not alone in our hard times.  God is there for us each step of the way.

God says in Isaiah 54:10, "For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee."

In the book: Thoughts From the Mount of Blessings, we are told:

If you have given yourself to God, to do His work, you have no need to be anxious for tomorrow. He whose servant you are, knows the end from the beginning. The events of tomorrow, which are hidden from your view, are open to the eyes of Him who is omnipotent. MB 100.1 

When we take into our hands the management of things with which we have to do, and depend upon our own wisdom for success, we are taking a burden which God has not given us, and are trying to bear it without His aid. We are taking upon ourselves the responsibility that belongs to God, and thus are really putting ourselves in His place. We may well have anxiety and anticipate danger and loss, for it is certain to befall us. But when we really believe that God loves us and means to do us good we shall cease to worry about the future. We shall trust God as a child trusts a loving parent. Then our troubles and torments will disappear, for our will is swallowed up in the will of God. MB 100.2

When you are on the mountain experience, praise God for getting you there.  Hold on to that.  Write it down so you don't forget you were there.  Then when you are in the valley, look towards Him, the One who will never leave you nor forsake you.  Go back to the memory of the mountain experience.  Your valley is only temporary.  He will bring you through.  This is possible only By God's Amazing Grace.