WHY PANIC?

Photo provided  by Katie Peace

Today was a very unusual day in the metropolex.  I drove to work as I always do and started my day.  Around 10:00 am the office began to buzz with rumors of a gas shortage.  It seemed everyone I passed in the hallway asked the same question, "Did you go get gas yet?"  My answer was, "NO," why should we be getting gas?

Some were in a panic and left the office to go sit in a line for an hour to an hour and a half so they could fuel up.

I began to walk around the office and ask people, "Did you hear on the news that we are going to have a gas shortage?  Did you hear this on the radio?  Did you hear from a good source that we are going to be facing a shortage?"  Each time the answer was, "No".  I then asked, "So can you please tell me why the entire city of Irving is leaving their offices and making lines at the gas station that is a mile long?  Each time they would say, "I don't know but I would advise you to get in your car and go fill up with gas now, before the pumps have no gas.  I didn't!

Now the metroplex is without gas.  Why?  Why on earth would the entire city start such a panic that everyone would follow without checking out the source.  I am guessing one person started this panic and called their children, mother and father, then called a few aunts and uncles and before you know it we start hearing, "The sky is falling!  The sky is falling!

Well guess what?  We now have a crisis!  The crisis only occurred due to the panic of the people. If everyone would have stayed calm we would have gas in our truck to go to work tomorrow.  As it is, I have gas in my vehicle because I filled up yesterday.  Steve didn't fall into the panic and has about a fourth a tank of gas left.

Remembering back to Y2K and the 911 attack, this very thing took place.  The whole world went into a panic, for what?  Hmmmm, we try so hard not to be sheep and follow everything we hear but then suddenly we realize; we have been sucked into that vacuum without us even realizing it.

I think what happened is everyone emotions were escalated due to the hurricane and one little hint of fear and it was like throwing gasoline on a fire.  Now each of us want to use sound judgement but it's easy to get sucked into this vacuum.

The sad part is, you can give these exact same people the message of the returning of Jesus Christ and how we should prepare and they say it's a haux and would never believe such a thing.

May each of us learn how to rightfully evaluate the most important things and line our lives up with the Word of God and shun those things that are fleeting fables.

Be strong and of a good courage, 

fear not, nor be afraid of them: 

for the LORD thy God, he it is 

that doth go with thee; he will 

not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

Deuteronomy 31:6

  

PREACH THE WORD

Photo provided by Lash Banks

I charge thee therefore before God, 

and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall 

judge the quick and the dead at his 

appearing and his kingdom;

Preach the word; be instant in 

season, out of season; reprove, 

rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering 

and doctrine.  For the time will come 

when they will not endure sound 

doctrine; but after their own lusts 

shall they heap to themselves 

teachers, having itching ears;

And they shall turn away their 

ears from the truth, and shall 

be turned unto fables.  But watch 

thou in all things, endure afflictions, do 

the work of an evangelist, make full 

proof of thy ministry.  For I am now 

ready to be offered, and the 

time of my departure is at hand.

I have fought a good fight, I 

have finished my course, I have 

kept the faith:  Henceforth there is 

laid up for me a crown of righteousness, 

which the Lord, the righteous judge, 

shall give me at that day: and not 

to me only, but unto all them also 

that love his appearing.

II Timothy 4: 1-8

THE HUMAN HEART

The Human Heart - Fearfully and Wonderfully Made - Written by Steve Long

This is part two of a series on the amazing human body that God created for us. For the first installation, see here.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All things were made through Him, and without Him
nothing was made that was made. John 1.3
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You wouldn’t want me doing surgery on your heart, but I am going to attempt to give my basic understanding of how the heart operates – kind of.

It’s been said that the heart is one of the strongest muscles in your body. A muscle that works hard for you even as you are sleeping.

The heart, which consists of cardiac muscle, is said to be the hardest working muscle in the body. The average adult heart beats 72 times a minute; 100,000 times a day; 3,600,000 times a year; and 2.5 billion times during a 70-year span. This is a great example of dynamic strength as well as strength endurance.[i]

My grandson asked me why the heart keeps on beating the way it does. I had to tell him, “If it doesn’t, we die.”

Inundated with carbon dioxide, our used blue blood, which


Diagram from http://www.newhealthadvisor.coml

has cycled through our body, enters the heart through the large Superior Vena Cava (from the upper body) and Inferior Vena Cava (from the lower body) veins, into the Right Atrium of the heart.

Then the blood passes through a valve, into the Right Ventricle before passing through another valve, through the Left and Right Pulmonary Arteries into each lung. Once the blood flows through the lungs, picking up needed oxygen, it is ready to return to the heart through the Pulmonary Veins into the Left Atrium. Traveling though another valve, the blood enters the Left Ventricle. Then through another valve it makes its finale by traveling through the vast Aorta.

From the Aorta, the oxygenated blood travels through the branches of hundreds of vessels into the whole of the body, giving oxygen and nutrition to every organ, limb and extremity of the body. Because of the faithfulness of the heart, the brain, bones, muscles, skin and vital organs are supplied with the needed blood.

Of all the things that strike me about the heart, the valves are some of the most interesting. When I saw the diagram of the heart for the first time in many years, I thought about plumbing, not just the plumbing in humans but the plumbing done by humans.

You may recognize that the valves of the heart are basically check valves. When properly functioning, they compel the blood to flow forward but never backward.

The Romans may have been the first to implement this concept in their plumbing systems:


Diagram from http://www.reefaquarium.com

There is … evidence of the use of angular valves, mixing valves and also check valves for avoiding back flow.[ii]

We humans make most of our best inventions by imitating what God shows us in nature. The making of the check valve does just that.

God’s ways are mighty and awesome. When we delve into the heart that God made for each one of us, we see amazing design, structure and intelligence. God, our creator did a glorious thing when he made our hearts. Let us now turn to him as our Savior and Lord – the Lord Jesus Christ.[iii]

ONE WHO HAS NO NEED

One who has No Need

We all have needs. What if your home were taken away for a few days or you were removed from family, friends and human company for a time?

Try going without gratitude or appreciation for the rest of your life. Try going without food for several days or water for just one.

If we went without breath for even one minute, we would see how needy we are.

Yes, we all have needs. But there is one who needs nothing. He is YHWH (Yahweh or Jehovah). He is the “I AM”

In the Bible we read:

And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? What shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. (Exodus 3.13-14)

As the “I AM” or Yahweh, he is the self existing one. He has no creator for he is the Creator. He has no sustainer – he is the Sustainer. He has no provider – He is the Provider. We depend upon Him. He does not depend on us.

When Paul, the Apostle of Jesus Christ, preached on Mars Hill at Athens to people who believed in many different gods, he labored to explain who the only one and true God is, saying:

God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything  since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. (The Bible – Acts 17.24-25)

Did you catch that? He said, “As though He needed anything.” This great God is the one – and the only one – who has no need!

He does not need our worship. He does not need our allegiance. He doesn’t need our help. He doesn’t need our money, our time or our resources.

But isn’t this the same God who said “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength”? (Bible – Deuteronomy 6.5) Yes, but I think now we can understand why God said this. It is not because he needs anything from us. It is because we need him.

A small child needs his Mom or Dad. So too, we need God and will never outgrow that need.

Right now, place your hands in God the Father’s hands through faith in his Son, Jesus Christ. When you do, your needs will be met too.[1]

God doesn't have needs; he meets needs.

WHAT DOES YOUR WALK LOOK LIKE?

Photo by Lash Banks

What does your walk look like, is the thought that 

crossed my mind as I was writing my blog yesterday.  

As we seen Adam and Eve walked with God in 

the garden and then for ten generations after 

that point there was no mention with any of 

the other generations walking with God. 

It does say they offered sacrifices and

taught their children about God but 

each generation passed on with the 

mention of a close relationship with 

their creator. 

They lived, it says in the scripture and 

then it list the next generation and it says,

he lived and so on and so forth.  

How would your story read and the 

generations that follow you?  I know for 

my grand mother the generations 

that followed her did more than live.  

They took all they had been taught and

used it to pour their lives into other 

peoples lives.  

It's easy to accept God's sacrifice of

forgiveness and just live your life

from day to day.  It's a whole new

story if you walk with God.  

How would your life change if 

you decided to walk with God daily?

How would it affect my life?

How would it affect the lives of the

people you are in contact with every

day?  How would it affect the lives 

of your children, grandchildren 

and great grandchildren. 

We can see that the Lord was very

pleased with Enoch for making 

the choice to walk with him and

I believe he would be greatly 

pleased if we began to walk with 

him daily. 

And I will walk among you, and will be 

your God, and ye shall be my people.

Leviticus 26"12

THE EARTH IS FULL OF THY RICHES

Photo provided by Lash Banks

Have you ever been in that special place; the place

when you breath in, you feel the very presence of the 

Lord?  The place you never want to leave; yet you 

know there is no way you will be allowed to stay.  As 

you drive away, you know the scenery will only be an 

image to look back at in photos.  This is a 

moment that can never be replaced.  

Do you ever wander how Adam and Eve felt as 

they walked out of the Garden of Eden and the 

Lord placed at the east of the garden of 

Eden the Cherubims, and a flaming sword 

which turned every way, to keep the way 

of the tree of life.

The most beautiful breathtaking place 

ever seen by human eyes and now

it's a place they were not allowed 

to enter back into. 

Now, what do you think was the next

thing that happened?  Did Adam and Eve

sit at the gate and grieve for centries over

what they had to leave behind?  Did they

refuse to live their life in any other place

other than this beautiful garden?

No, the next thing that took place after 

leaving the place where they walked 

with God daily in the garden free of sin, 

was they had their first child. They worked 

the ground and learned to live, but they 

never once could go back into the 

beautiful garden. 

Many of us have lived our lives in

a beautiful garden and that door 

closed.  Sometimes it's a door 

of an office job that closes, 

sometimes it's the door of a

marriage.  Sometimes it's the door

of the lose of a child or the door 

of a ministry.  

The sorrow will always be there 

but I don't think the Lord ever

intended for us to sit at the gate

and wait for those doors to open 

back up and not live the life

he has laid before us in the present. 

If you read the scriptures of Genesis

chapter 5, you will notice that after God 

drove mankind out of the garden of Eden,

the verses continually say about 

each generation, "and he lived"

No matter where we've been and how

great the experience was, "that was then 

and this is now," so make sure you 

continue to live.  

Life brings forth growth; as did when 

Adam and Eve gave birth to their first

child.  The same is true in our lives.  As

we begin to live, new things will be born.  

It may be the birth of a new vision 

or the birth of a new ministry.  It may

be the birth of going the extra mile to

support another ministry, so others can 

go forth and share the gospel to other 

regions of the world. 

So for whatever you have in your life

that has taken you away from this

place you always called serenity and 

now it's been stolen from you, be sure

to look forward to the new growth 

the Lord has in store for your life 

and enjoy the blessings it will bring

instead of looking back into the garden.

O LORD, how manifold are thy works! 

in wisdom hast thou made them all: 

the earth is full of thy riches.

Psalm 104:24

THE BREATH OF ALL MANKIND

Photo provided by Chris Taylor

But ask now the beasts, and they shall 

teach thee; and the fowls of the air, 

and they shall tell thee: Or speak to the 

earth, and it shall teach thee: and the 

fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.

Who knoweth not in all these that the hand 

of the LORD hath wrought this? In whose 

hand is the soul of every living thing, and 

the breath of all mankind.

Job 12:7-12

WHO GAVE HIMSELF FOR OUR SINS

Photo provided by Barbara Gray

On Friday night my grand daughter stayed the

night at our house.  She suddenly asked me if

someone she knew was going to heaven when

they died.  I went on to explain to her, I really

don't know if they are or not. 

She suddenly had a serious look on her face

and said, "I thought when I asked Jesus to

save me from my sin, I wouldn't sin ever

again."  She was so serious and said, "I still

sin and I don't understand. 

This opened a door for a great conversation

with her.  She wanted to know why Jesus

died for our sins if we were still going to

sin over and over. I explained to her that

the angels in heaven had a perfect place.

Yet Lucifer tried to become God.

He had the other angels joining him to

go against the ultimate plan of God, so

God had to kick him and his angels out

of heaven.  Then I explained to her

that mankind was created and we also

sinned and the when God looked down

from heaven he loved us so much that he

was willing to go beyond his love for the

angels.  He went so far as to send His

son, Jesus Christ to die for our sins.

She was amazed that God would love

us more than the angels in heaven whom

we think are so great. 

God loved us so much that he gave his

own son to die for our sins so that we

could have forgiveness knowing all along

we would still fail and sin day after day.

I loved her next question, "So if God

loves us more than the angels, will we

get to fly when we get to heaven?""

My answer was, we will be celestial

beings and able to do the same thing

the angels can do. 

The look on her face was priceless. 

She was so excited and said, "Oh

MeeMee I have wanted to fly my

whole life and I can't believe that

when I go to heaven I will get to fly."

She once again turned her thoughts

to how sad it is that God

has given us so much more than

he gave the angels in heaven and

yet we still sin against him.

The good news is; he will come

again and deliver us from this

present world, this world where

we try to feed our flesh far more

than we  try to feed our spiritual

body.  Until that day, may we

rest in His grace and peace

knowing we have something

available to us that even the

angels are not able to experience.

CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST

What Does it Mean to be "Crucified with Christ?" 

A devotion by my husband, Steve Long

For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2.19-20)

Being crucified with Christ, we can see from the context, has something to do with being dead to the “law” (the commands of God).

The Apostle Paul had already stated in verse 19 that he was dead to the law. This had not always been true. At one time he had been very alive to the law, for it had meant everything to him. (See Philippians 1.6; Acts 22.3; Acts 23.1; Acts 26.5) At one point he thought himself to have been blameless concerning the law of God. Then, he realized that he had fallen short, saying, “And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.” (Romans 7.9-10). That very thing he thought was his life ended up being the instrument of his death.

It is not that there was (or is) anything at fault with the law of God, but it is in our own sinful weakness which makes us all come short of obeying it.

So now, in the Galatians verses at the top of the page, Paul is saying, having found Christ who truly brings life, that he is now “dead to the law.”

"Crucified with Christ," I believe, is a term of legality. When Jesus went to the cross and died, we (believers) died with him. Just as sure as Jesus died with our sins upon him (2 Corinthians 5.21), he truly paid the penalty of our sins through his death. In God’s eyes, judicially, we died with him. Having died with Christ, what have believers died to? We have died to the law and its demands. We no longer look to ourselves and our own obedience to make us right with God because we look to the righteous Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, we are now dead to the law.

Though there are many things in Galatians 2.20 we may not yet comprehend, we should clearly see this. Verse 19 is talking about giving up living by the law to be right with God. Verse 21 talks about abandoning any notion of being right with God through keeping the law, and verse 20 must be along the same subject too.

As a Christian, I have been crucified with Christ, meaning that I am dead to the law. I have been raised with Christ which means I am alive in him.