Agents of Prophecy

Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.

Colossians 3:21

Dell was one of the smartest kids in school. He was also one of the most under-achieving freshmen Mr. Holman ever taught. Finding ways to engage the young man had proven a challenge.  

Mr. Holman talked to Dell’s other teachers and some of his friends, intending to discover why someone so bright seemed to care so little about his future. What he discovered was disturbing. Dell’s father was a bully. Although he never touched Dell physically, he broke his spirit mentally and emotionally, spewing venomous curses at him, “You’re so stupid! You can’t even tell the difference between a spark plug and a fuel injector! What the hell is wrong with you?! You’ll never be a mechanic! You’re worthless!”          

Knowing otherwise, Mr. Holman determined to show Dell who he really was. Over time, he was able to penetrate Dell’s protective barriers. Once inside, he spoke words of truth; words to edify and nurture; words of encouragement and support. And by his senior year, Dell’s poor self-image had been replaced by one of hope-filled anticipation. His grades mirrored his intellect, and he began setting goals for the future.  

† 

Day in and day out the man who should have been encouraging Dell was beating him down. And Dell, instead of looking toward a successful future in a career he could find pleasure and happiness in, aspired only to survive and escape his father’s harsh treatment.          

We are agents of prophecy. Our children hear everything we say. Not only do our words speak loud and clear, our body language and voice inflection have much to say as well. Make no mistake…they will become who we tell them they are.        

Fathers, don’t make the mistake of telling your daughter, “Go change your clothes, you look like a whore!” or she just might turn to the streets for a father’s love.  

Our kids go from stroller to SUV in less time than it takes to blink. We have only a small window of influence. We should look for every opportunity to invest wisely.

Sometime today, tell your children how smart they are, and how blessed you are to have them.        

   

Prayer

“Holy Spirit, give me words of encouragement to speak over my children; help me build their self-esteem. And hold my tongue in times of frustration to keep me from discouraging them. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”    

Take a Stand

Who will take a stand for me against evildoers?

Psalm 94:16

At the beginning of the 2011 U.S. Open, NBC broadcast a lead-in meant to stir the hearts of patriotic Americans. With flags flying in the breeze and soldiers standing at attention, a group of children held their hands over their hearts and recited the ‘Pledge of Allegiance.’  

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America…” They paused, and the picture cut from the children to soldiers standing at attention, saluting our Nation’s most honored symbol.  

“And to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation…” There was a discernable sense of pride on the faces of the children as they took the sacred pledge. The pause lingered, the viewers awaited the declaration of the real reason for our freedom…   

“With liberty and justice for all.” the kids proudly proclaimed.  

And with that the announcer began NBC’s coverage of the U.S. Open Championship.

†

“Under God” had been cut from the ‘Pledge of Allegiance’ not once, but twice. Sadly, NBC had removed the most important statement in the ‘Pledge’ on purpose. Within minutes the telephone switchboard had overloaded, and their email mailbox was full from the responses of true Americans.  

In their feeble apology an hour later, NBC stated, “Regrettably, a portion of the Pledge of Allegiance that was in that feature was edited out. It was not done to upset anyone and we’d like to apologize to those of you who were offended by it.”

Funny, but no one mentioned that the word “indivisible” had also been edited. The reason? By cutting ‘under God’, NBC was trying to render our United States divided, so they couldn’t use it either.  

And in truth, we are no longer ‘one nation, under God.’ We have been effectively divided by left wing liberals, gays and homosexuals, and every other godless enterprise that hates God.

But unless you are willing to take a stand with God, as David did in today’s text, remain quiet. No one wants your opinion.  

I hope that statement makes you angry…angry enough to take action.

Prayer

“God, I am sorry for not standing up for You and this great Nation. I re-pledge my allegiance to You. Open doors for me and give me another opportunity to speak on Your behalf.  In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

From Snapshots: a spiritual look at daily life

By Invitation Only

June 3

Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.

Luke 14:15

She had not always been a popular woman. But today they were begging for an invitation to tonight’s party. Reporters lined the sidewalks by the gate, waiting for her to appear and bless them with an invitation. They stood for hours, waiting.

When the owner of the estate made her appearance, it was brief. She smiled and read a short, pre-written statement; “As none of you responded to my prior invitations, I have invited a select group to dine with me tonight. My guests will be arriving momentarily, please be considerate and allow them to pass. Once again, this banquet is by invitation only. Please do not attempt to gain entrance or you will be arrested, and I will prefer charges against you.” With that she returned to the house.

Ten minutes later, limousines from every escort company in the city began pulling up to the gate. They provided proof of invitation, then drove to the large portico and presented their guests to the hostess.

To the paparazzi’s amazement, the guests appeared to be beggars and homeless people. The hostess had them chauffeured from their cardboard homes as though they were royalty!

†

In the blink of an eye all invitations to the Feast in the Kingdom will be sealed and no more will be issued. The King will determine that the banquet should begin, and there will be no admittance to those who do not have a personal invitation.

Until then God continues to issue an open Invitation to any and all who would receive Him. Because of the blood of Jesus we have the right to R.S.V.P.; which is to tell the Host whether or not we plan to attend.

Those who respond will partake of all the goodness of the Kingdom. They will be seated in a position of prominence at the King’s table.

And just like those in today’s story, there will be many who will be turned away, never having accepted God’s Son. Admittance to Heaven is by Invitation only. Have you sent your R.S.V.P.?

Prayer

“I gratefully accept Your Invitation today, Lord. Thank You for sending Your Son to escort me to the Dinner Party. Amen.”

Stuck in Saturday

I tell you the truth … you will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.

John 16:20

Penny lay awake, the heartache tonight not much less than a year ago. She hadn’t slept much since Richard had died.

Married only six months, Richard had died when his car skidded on a patch of ice. The vehicle had gone over the guardrail above a deep gorge, roll­ing several times before coming to rest at the bottom. It had been several hours before he was found, and it had taken several more to remove him from the wreckage; he’d lived for two days before succumbing to his injuries.

Penny was numb, yet her brain never shut down. She rarely went a full ten minutes without it all playing back in her mind: the scene at the trauma center, the two days in ICU, the funeral, and the emptiness. It seemed her life was stuck on replay.

Penny cried out to God for answers, answers that probably wouldn’t relieve the ache or make this any easier.

Family and friends felt she was stuck in her grief. They continued to min­ister to her in love, praying that her outlook would brighten, bringing this profound grief to an end.

†

Anyone who has lost a loved one or a friend knows the depth of Penny’s heart­ache. Their absence creates a hole in us that refuses to be refilled; we’ve lost someone so precious that to think otherwise would feel like betrayal.

Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, did what He could to reassure His disciples of His resurrection. But on Good Friday nothing could take away the sting, the shock, or the pain in their chests. And all day Saturday they tried unsuccessfully to console themselves.

Then came Sunday!

The truth is if we live long enough, we will experience Penny’s pain. If we love deeply, we will grieve the same way. But someday our grief will turn to joy. It’s Jesus’ resurrection that keeps us from getting stuck in Saturday.

Death came on Friday, resurrection on Sunday, but there was a very long day in between. It’s okay to grieve. But do it with hope.

Prayer

“Give us strength to walk on in the pain, Lord. Thank You that, because of Jesus, this pain will turn to joy. Amen.”

Into Satan’s Domain

April 13

“On those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. For unto us a child is born.”

Isaiah 9:2, 6

There had been no end to the frustration and struggles Rena had endured. It seemed like the deck had been stacked against her from birth. Born two months premature to a drug-addicted mother who couldn’t support her, she’d been in and out of foster care until the age of twelve and had finally found a permanent home with the Donaldsons.

Rena, who suffered with subdued mental acuity, had struggled in the school’s special needs class. She couldn’t seem to make the pieces of the puzzle fit. The Donaldsons prayed that before the next school year something would break in their daughter’s favor.

When next year arrived, Mom led Rena into her new classroom. They were greeted by bright colors and life-size animated figures pasted on every wall in the room. On the chalkboard was a pastel rainbow arching over the words, “Welcome to Miss Jenny’s Classroom!” Rena pulled Mom down to her level and exclaimed, “I like this place, Mommy! Can we stay awhile?”

Miss Jenny greeted them with a bright smile, knelt down, and said, “I’ve been so excited and just couldn’t wait to meet you, Rena. Welcome to my classroom! We’re going to have so much fun!”

                  †                             

In one brief moment, Rena’s struggles changed. Instead of it being Rena against the world, it became Miss Jenny and Rena in a partnership that could see possibilities for the future. Miss Jenny loved to turn on the lights for those who struggled to understand. She was gifted in discerning a child’s needs and developing a curriculum to meet those needs.

When Jesus entered Satan’s domain over seven hundred years after Isaiah’s prophecy, it was a light-switch event. In one brief moment, Israel had a new teacher; One Who cared about their welfare and future.

Jesus showed them a brighter path that led out of the darkness into His marvelous light. You can hear Him say, “I’ve been so excited and just couldn’t wait to meet you!”  

Prayer

 “Father of the bright and morning Star, we give thanks for Your precious gift of light and love. Teach us to faithfully follow Jesus’ path through this dark world. Amen.”

Made for Laughter

April 4

A cheerful heart is good medicine… Proverbs 17:22

Nancy and Craig constantly looked for little ways to make each other laugh, and enrich their marriage. This particular morning found Nancy headed out the door for the day as Craig was finishing breakfast. They never parted without a ‘what if’ kiss. ‘What if something terrible happened and they did not see each other again?’ So, getting up from the table, Craig joined his beloved at their favorite spot, the doorway between the dining room and kitchen. Nancy stood on the step above the threshold, Craig on the kitchen floor, several inches below her. This offset their height difference making for the perfect fit. As they embraced and kissed a mischievous thought came unbidden, to Craig. Not given time to brush his teeth prior to Nancy’s heading out the door, he realized, with increasing amusement, here was a moment given by God! Leaning back while still holding her around the waist, he looked into Nancy’s eyes and said, “I guess this makes me a cereal kisser!” Spontaneous laughter with a twinkle in their eyes, gave testimony to the love they shared. These precious moments, given of God, deepened their relationship with each other, and God.

†

We were created with an expressive nature and it testifies to what’s going on in our heart.

Many of us suffer from heavily burdened hearts, rarely displaying any sign of joy or happiness. God Himself desires to bring complete joy to our lives that we might recognize His Nature and learn to emulate it. It is my belief that we bring a smile to our Creator’s face when we laugh with abandon. One of my favorite paintings is of a head-thrown-back, all-teeth-showing, belly-laughing, Jesus. We weren’t created to walk around with a downcast countenance showing everyone how miserable we are. We will find what we look for… joy is optional. Yes, there will be sorrow, but if we look for a light heart we just might find one—filled with laughter.

Prayer

“Help us look to create those seemingly insignificant moments in life, Lord. Teach us to laugh as You intended, to love each other passionately, with fervor and great joy! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

The Apostle John’s Bio

Who was John?

Ø      John was born in Bethsaida on the Sea of Galilee in the year 6 AD.

Ø      Before he met Jesus, John was a fisherman; not uneducated yet not born and raised to be a writer.  

Ø      He was the son of Zebedee and Salome, and brother of James (Apostle, not ½ brother of Jesus). Mark 3: 17 

Ø      He was one of the Twelve original Apostles of Jesus. Matthew 10:1-4; Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-16

Ø      Named ‘Boanerges’ by Jesus, meaning ‘Sons of Thunder’. Also Mark 3: 17

Ø      The ‘disciple whom Jesus loved’John 13: 23

Ø      Apostle (spoke with authority).

Ø      One of the 3 in Jesus’ inner circle (Peter, James and John mentioned throughout the Gospels).

Ø      He was the last surviving of the Twelve Apostles and died around the age of 94—

Ø      The only apostle to die naturally. Died in the year 100 AD.

Ø      A cousin of Jesus. If Mary and Salome were sisters, as scripture seems to imply, John the Apostle and Jesus were first cousins. This would make him related to John the Baptist whose mother was Mary's cousin, Elisabeth. Luke 1

"Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary (Salome), the wife of Cleophas (Zebedee), and Mary Magdalene." John 19:25 KJV

Where was John when he wrote?

Ø      Ephesus (Turkey) for Gospel of John and the Epistles; then exiled and sentenced to work the mines on the Isle of Patmos where he received and wrote the events foretold in the book of Revelation.

Ø      He was later freed and returned to serve as Bishop of Edessa in modern Turkey.

When did John write?

John didn’t write anything until late in life…

Gospel of John - AD 70 – 85

Revelation – AD 54 – 96

Epistles (1, 2 & 3^rd John) – AD 85 – 95

John most likely dictated his latest writings to his aide and scribe, Polycarp, who became Bishop of Smyrna, who in turn taught Irenaeus, who became Bishop of Lugdunum (Both have writings available online).

John suffered for the Gospel of Jesus Christ:

Exiled to Patmos, a small island off the south-west coast of Turkey, by Roman Emperor Domitian (who was known for his persecution of the early Christian Church) after being plunged into boiling oil and suffering no effects (it is believed every witness to this in the Coliseum became believers). Written of by Second Century theologian, Tertullian in his work, The Prescription against Heretics chapter 36.

First Century Historians

• Aufidius Bassus
• Ban Gu
• Ban Biao
• Dio Chrysostom
• Claudius
• Quintus Curtius Rufus
• Fabius Rusticus
• Getica (Dio)
• Jasher
• Josephus
• Justus of Tiberias
• Titus Labienus (historian)
• Liu Xin
• Livy
• Marcus Cluvius Rufus
• Valerius Maximus
• Mucianus Nicolaus of Damascus
• Asconius Pedianus
• Plutarch
• Seneca the Elder
• Servilius Nonianus
• Thallus (historian)
• Marcus Velleius Paterculus
• Ban Zhao

Check out the following links:

http://www.godlessgeeks.com/LINKS/1stC_Hist.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josephus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justus_of_Tiberias

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claudius

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolaus_of_Damascus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Velleius_Paterculus

http://www.sacred-texts.com/chr/apo/jasher/index.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Jasher_(biblical_references)

Historians: Christian Historians: Modern Day Church Historians: http://www.lifeofchrist.com/history/historians/default.asp