A Spring Enclosed

“You are a garden locked up, my sister, my bride; you are a spring enclosed, a sealed fountain. Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates with choice fruits, with henna and nard, nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with every kind of incense tree, with myrrh and aloes and all the finest spices. You are a garden fountain, a well of flowing water streaming down from Lebanon.” Song of Solomon 4:12-15 NIV

Listen to the words that God uses to describe the love that He has for you. The lush portrait that He paints of His Beloved is illustrative of His extravagant love for us. The Song of Solomon is popularly attributed to be written by Solomon in 900 BC. Some scholars believe that it was eponymously, or written in the name of Solomon, by some other ancient writer. This theory is put forth due to some verses that compare and contrast the writer to Solomon; although, this in itself, is a technique used by writers to accentuate a point, and is not strong evidence that Solomon did not write the book himself. Other scholars have argued that several of the words used in the book are Persian, which would indicate that the work was written in the postexilic period or after the Babylonian captivity. Regardless of the authorship or dating, this allegorical book is God breathed and very telling about the love that He has for us and our necessary response to Him.

God desires that we put Him first in our lives. He desires that we not lift our souls up to any other, which in essence, is idolatry. This concept seems so adverse in the fray of the world. As human beings we crave creature comforts. We covet human relationships, possessions, notoriety and power; while most of these things in and of themselves are not inherently bad, allowing them to come before God in our lives blocks our entrance into the lush garden of experiencing His love in the fullest. Imagine a locked garden verdant and overflowing with fruits and fragrant herbs, a pure fountain waters its enclosure. Contrast this to a garden with its walls broken down, its water source tainted, it is trampled by the world and its foliage withering and dying. Our lives can so easily become like this polluted garden. God wants us to guard our relationship with Him wholeheartedly. Exodous 34:14 admonishes, “Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” This is not petty jealousy, but God's desire for our hearts to be pure before Him so that He is able to flow through our lives as living water.

Lord, we come before you in humility and prayer, please show us the areas of our lives that we need to release to You. Lord, sometimes it is painful to admit our sins and let go of them in repentance, thank you that it is very freeing and healthy to do so. Lord when our flesh revolts against You when You ask us to let go of something that it thinks it needs, I pray that you cover us and enable us to lay down our idols at Your feet. I know that very often You will restore what we let go of, when we don't put it before You. Thank you for your Word, thank you for your Son. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.

Patti

Galatians

 

Galatians 3:2

^"This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?" (KJV)

 

 

 

 

 

Paul minces no words in this epistle written to the churches of Galatia, as he employs none of his typical lengthy greetings and encouragement.  Whether or not the book of Galatians was written to the Celtic Gauls of North Galatia or the inhabitants of the Roman acquired region of South Galatia, the apostle's message still stands unchanged.  Paul defends his apostleship and discredits the Judaizers, who drew even Peter and Barnabas into their hypocrisy.  Judaizers were a sect who taught that in order to become a good Christian, one must first follow the mandates of Jewish Law, including circumcision.  Paul, in this epistle or letter, lays out a framework to understand the juxtaposition of the Law of Moses and faith in the Messiah.  Paul uses the account of Sarah's offspring of promise vs. Hagar's offspring of bondage to illuminate our standing as children of God and our rights and privileges thereof.  The book of Galatians is a discourse directed at the heresy of the Judaizers and an entreaty to the children of faith to keep the faith free of the pollution of Law.

 

Paul's apostleship was under attack by the Judaizers who argued that he was not one the original twelve disciples, thus his message was secondhand.  Paul defends his apostleship in Galatians 1:1, "Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead)." Paul continues to explain, that after fourteen years he went up to Jerusalem accompanied by Barnabas and Titus.  Titus being an uncircumcised Christian was compelled by the Judaizers to receive circumcision as a precursor to becoming a Christian.  The Judaizers, to avoid persecution by the Jews, attempted to meld the Law and the Cross into a void theology.  Even Peter curtsied to the Judaizers as he stood aloof from the Gentile converts at Antioch.  Peter had previously fellowshipped with the converts, but at the arrival of the Judaizers he withdrew from them.  Paul demonstrated his integrity and authority as he ". . .withstood Peter to his face. . ." over this matter (Galatians 2:11).  The fact that Barnabas imitated Peter's behavior is evidence that the behavior of leaders is of the utmost importance in the example they set forth to others. 

 

That men are justified by faith in Jesus Christ and not the works of the Law is evident in Paul's entreaty to the churches of Galatia.  He asks a poignant question in Galatians 3:12, ". . .Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by the hearing of faith?"  Paul communicates that Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law and that this promise is received by faith and not works.  An unbridled acceptance of God's Grace apart from works is necessary in accessing this glorious promise.  If in the Law or our own works we could gain justification, of what use would the Cross be? 

 

Paul uses the account of Sarah and Hagar to illustrate the Law and the promise.  As the faithful are not children of the bondwoman, we have the privilege to, "Cry Abba, Father" and receive the promise given to Abraham (Galatians 4:6).  This privilege is offered to every human being and was bought by the Blood of Christ at His crucifixion.  Again Paul asks a profound question in Galatians 4:16," Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?"  Hagar is compared to Mount Sinai and Sarah as free Jerusalem.  Those who are born according to the Spirit possess Christian liberty and are not under the Law.  The Law is fulfilled in the command to love your neighbor as yourself.  The unmerited favor of God is a free gift to all whose faith is in His Son, Who loved and died for them.

 

Father, thank You for Your Word in due season.  Thank you for the Grace that You have provided to us through Jesus' sacrifice.  Lord I pray for salvation, for all people in every land.  I pray that Your Spirit penetrates the most defiant and remote areas of the world.  I pray that Your desire be fulfilled, that all men come to You.  I love You and praise You.  Thank You. . .

 

Patti   

 



 



Hoarded Emotions

Psalm 51:7

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
KJV

Life hurts.  That is a plain and simple fact that we all must someday face.  What we do with that hurt is the defining factor in the quality of life that we eventually live.  Sometimes the battering of life's storm is so intense and prolonged that we no longer deal with situations and just begin to accumulate layers of pain and scars that cripple us from living healthy lives.  These emotional injuries are not so apparent; such as, a missing body part or jagged scar.  Nonetheless, these scars continue to carve into our life experience in ways that are far reaching. 

 

When we internalize pain from the storms of life and hurts that we receive from others, intentional or otherwise, it is akin to a hoarded home.  Hoarding occurs when more baggage, whether it be material or emotional is brought into a dwelling then is let go, and is not maintained in an orderly manner.  That dwelling may be your home or your heart.  If you have ever watched the television shows that deal with this issue, you understand that it isn't easy for those that hoard to let go of the material things that are cluttering their lives.  The emotional significance of the hoard is tantamount to the life issues that each one of these persons is attempting to deal with.

 

 Several years ago I had my art studio set up and organized.  Due to a family crisis, I needed the space that it was housed in.  All of my art supplies were boxed rather unceremoniously and stored.  Later, I set my studio up again but it was never as organized as it was originally.  Due to another issue, that reincarnation of my creative space was stored again and I ended up with a tangled mess of art supplies.  Upon my first attempt at sorting my things, I had a minor meltdown when some old and irreplaceable pictures were almost discarded by someone helping me.  No one but God understands what precious things are under the strata of our lives.  Recently I reestablished my studio space into a functional order, although it needs some tweaking.  Each item  I sorted brought back memories of the projects I had left unfinished, the tragic emotions I had not dealt with at the time, and the hope that I had for the future.  Please don't allow your heart to become like my art studio.  Please allow God to be your sorting partner.  He understands and is totally invested in purging our lives and hearts to be healthy and walk in His light.  

  

Father, please lead and guide us to walk in Your perfect light.  Life becomes so burdensome, thank You that Yours is the shoulder that we must lean on to bear it.  I pray that You hearken these words to the eyes of those who need to understand how our hoarded emotions harm our lives.  I thank You for purging us, even when it is painful.  In Jesus name, please continue to do Your perfect work in all of our lives.  Amen.

 

Patti

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Business As Usual

 



"Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh. . ."

Mark 13:35

At times we can be so tired, busy, distracted or comfortable that we become complacent.  Complacency is a dangerous place to dwell.  It is a place where we react rather than being aware, analyzing situations and taking appropriate action.  It is far too easy to fall into a mindset of  complacency and miss opportunities to negate risk to ourselves and others. 

Living in a wooded area, our family enjoys feeding the wildlife.  The array of colorful birds that the birdfeeders attract is a source of entertainment for us.  The antics of the squirrel's acrobatics in attempting to loot the feeders is humorous.  We have a large picture window from which we view the action.  Over the years birds have crashed into the window, sometimes fatally and sometimes with a glancing blow that stuns them.  When my children were little we would run out to see if the bird could be saved.  We would keep them from the fate of being found by our cat.  We saved numerous small birds, mostly house wrens.  We would put them in a shoebox and sit it on the top of our garden arch, giving them a chance to shake off the blow. 

One morning we had a doctor's appointment and I was rushing to finish to get there on time.  I was in my bedroom blow-drying my hair and my youngest daughter came running in crying that a bird had crashed into the window.  Without a thought I said, "Put him in a shoebox and we will see if he is ok."  I continued rushing to get ready and she walked into the bedroom with a shoebox containing a Pileated Woodpecker!  Expecting a wren or a sparrow I was shocked to see this huge bird looking dizzily at me with one eye.  I looked at him and he looked at me, I don't know who was more surprised.  I screeched, "Put it down. . . that thing could peck your eyes out!"  He was either so dazed that he was incapacitated, or he was just glad the cat hadn't found him before my daughter.  We left him on top of the arch and he was gone when we returned.  So my daughter is a bird whisperer and I should pay more attention.  This is a cute story that could have turned out badly.  We can't always think that life is business as usual.


Scripture speaks of this condition and how detrimental complancency is to our spiritual health.  We are told to wait and watch for Jesus' return numerous times.  One example is Matthew 24:42,

"Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come."  It behooves us greatly to keep the Lord's return at the forefront of our minds and prayers.  It changes the way that we operate our lives and it changes our prayers.  Revelation 1:1 opens the last book of the Bible with these words, "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John. . ."  The phrase "shortly come to pass" is translated in part, from the Greek word, tachos.  Many have used this translation to support the preterist view that the prophecies of the Bible have already occurred.  They theorize that if these things were shortly coming to pass at the writing in approximately AD 96, that 1900 plus years later that they surely have.  This Greek word tachos speaks of suddeness, quickness and speed.  II Peter 3:10 tells us,"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up."  What Revelation 1:1 is saying is that these things will come quickly and without warning.  Complacency is a deadly matter in spiritual currency.

Patti

 

Dear Lord,

Thank You for Your Word.  I love and praise You.  Please help us to dig deeper into scripture to understand exactly what it is that You are saying to us.  Please help us to not be complacent and look at life as business as usual, because everything can and will change in an instant.  Lord, I pray that You put Your arms around people who are hurting and are in need of the emotional healing that only You can give.  Thank You for our service men and women and for all the valiant souls who have fought for the freedom of others on this earth.  Lord, please bless the families of those who have lost their loved ones in battle.  Thank You.
Amen    

 

Wounded by God's People by Anne Graham Lotz

Matthew 25:40

"And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."



KJV

 

 

I have agreed to write this unbiased review of Anne Graham Lotz's book entitled "Wounded by God's People" for Booksneeze.com for no other remuneration than the free copy of this book.  The opinions contained in this review are mine as they coincide with scripture as I understand it.

 

Wounded people wound people, while this statement is true, it isn't a reality that one would desire to find in Christ's church where the ailing and burdened are beckoned to come.  "Wounded by God's People" by Anne Graham Lotz, the daughter of Billy Graham, is written with an eye to the wounded and the wounders.  Lotz's book, published by Zondervan is well-written and she uses many personal stories to illustrate the truth that she is expressing.

 

Lotz shares an account of a young investigative journalist, who as a Christian, had become disenchanted by the hypocrisy of the organized church that he had eventually walked away from God.  Having an opportunity to speak with this man, she relates her conversation with him, "I told William I was so sorry for the way we--God's people-- had behaved.  I apologized to him for the very real hurt Christians had inflicted on him. . .I told him that while we had had similar experiences, we had come to dramatically different conclusions.  Rather than drive me away from God the hypocrisy. . .had caused me to run to God" (Lotz 2013, 166).  Much of the church has become like the Pharisees of Jesus' time, mixing their own customs and notions with God's Word to the degree that it drives men to their knees with its weight.  Jesus said in Matthew 11:30, "For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” 

 

Lotz illuminates the plight of the church and those wounded by it well in this book.  Coming from the family of Billy Graham she has certainly seen both sides of this issue and is able to identify it.  Honesty, with ourselves as well as God, the strength to go against the status quo and integrity as Christians and as human beings is what is necessary for this tragic maleficence to cease.  Certainly it is the responsibility of Christian leadership to not allow these actions to persist.  When the dictates of popular opinion, favoritism and self preservation intervene, leaders must stand strong in the commission they have been given.  We all must stand before the same God and give account of our actions, in that mind-set what is more important than preserving God's Word and dividing it correctly to His people in the spirit of love.

 

Lord, in Jesus' name, I pray for the people who have been wounded by the church and have broken relationships with You as a result.  I pray that You draw them to Yourself and heal the rift that has been carved in their spirits.  I also pray for the wounders, that they recognize their sin and lay it at Your feet in repentance.  Lord, the time is short and I pray that Your church, Your remnant rise up and accept the charge that You have given them.  I thank You and praise You for Your great love for us.  Amen 

Rev. Patricia Paige Harrison

 

 



Jesus On Every Page by: David Murray

John 1:1 

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." 

(KJV)

 

 

I received a free copy of "Jesus On Every Page" by David Murray from Booksneeze.com in return for this unbiased review of said book.  I received no other remuneration for this review from Booksneeze.com and the thoughts and opinions expressed in it are my own as they coincide with scripture.

 

"Jesus On Every Page, 10 Simple Ways to Seek and Find Christ in the Old Testament" is authored by David Murray, a former pastor and Professor of Old Testament and Practical Theology at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary.  His contention that Jesus is intrinsic in every page of scripture is spoken directly to by scripture itself.  John 1:14 leaves no doubt, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth" (KJV).  Murray takes an Apologetic stance almost immediately to counter the notion that the Old Testament is somehow superseded or deleted by the New Testament.  Jesus, Himself in scripture, spoke to this heresy in Matthew 5:17 when He said, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill" (KJV). 

 

Aside from Calvinistic doctrinal differences, this book is a valuable road map to guide one through the Old Testament into the New Testament tracing the thread of Messiah throughout.  Calvinism purports the thought of Predestination.  Predestination states that God only intended for certain persons to be saved.  Murray echoes this belief on page 95 of "Jesus On Every Page," Though not intended to save every sinner in the world, Jesus' death did have as one of its ultimate aims the restoration of order and life to a disordered and dying world."  I Timothy 2:3-6 states, "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.  For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time" (KJV).  God is omniscient, meaning all-wise.  He obviously knew before creation who would come to the saving Grace of Christ and who would be lost; albeit, this is not to say that this is His will, scripture counters that entirely.  

 

Murray's use of Jesus' name in reference to the Old Testament is distracting, although he does forewarn the reader of this device.  He begins on the road to Emmaus, which I found to be a very strong device, but does not carry this throughout the book.  If he had referred back to Emmaus throughout, it would have carried continuity.  Murray's explanation and use of exegesis is very valuable, as this term rarely makes it out of the classroom.  Exegesis views scripture through the mindset and customs of the people living when it was written.  Viewing scripture through our modern Western mindset skews the truth of the Word.  Leaders and lay people need to dig into the original meaning of scripture, to the people it was originally written to. 

 

The Word is multifaceted and alive.  Jesus surely is the direct representation of the Word.  This contention is valid and life-giving.  This book is thought provoking and challenging to the lukewarm Theology that is so often offered superficially.  From Alpha to Omega surely every jot and tittle will be fulfilled in Christ.

 

Rev. Patti Harrison            

 

Persecuted The Global Assault on Christians

Psalm 119:161

"Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word."



 

I received a copy of "Persecuted The Global Assault On Christians" from BookSneeze.com in return for this unbiased review.  I have received no other remuneration for this review and the opinions contained within it are entirely my own. 

The faces, names and countries change but the tragic truth that remains unchanged is the egregious and widespread persecution and murder of human beings whose only "crime" is their Christianity. "Persecuted The Global Assault On Christians" (PTGAOC) is a book written by Paul Marshall, Lela Gilbert and Nina Shea that chronicles the atrocities faced by the faithful worldwide.  A father is murdered in cold blood in the presence of his children, a women is raped and beheaded as a warning to others, churches are burned with the parishioners still inside, the horror is unending.  Christians are facing these monstrosities and sadly, many governments turn their backs on this truth and many Western Christians are blissfully unaware of the magnitude of this atrocity.  It is true that historically the Church has grown and become stronger in times of persecution; although, under unrelenting massacre, the Christian population is becoming decimated in some areas. 

The authors quote Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German minister martyred at the end of the Hitler regime, "Christians should give more offence, shock the world far more, than they are doing now.  Christians should take a stand in favor of the weak rather than considering first the possible right of the strong."  The superficiality and complacency demonstrated by much of the mainstream Western Church currently is a luxury that those being persecuted and martyred across the globe cannot afford.

I recommend the reading of this book to anyone who possesses a social conscience.  It is vitally important that those of us with a voice and the ability to speak for these persecuted believers stand in prayer and protest for them.  God has granted some the freedom that others can only imagine, and we must use this freedom to fight for theirs. 

Christianity must stand united in prayer and social advocacy for our brothers and sisters in bonds.  PTGAOC was produced as a project by the Center For Religious Freedom, underwritten by the Hudson Institute.  For more information:  Hudson Institute's Center For Religious Freedom, 1015 15th St. NW, Suite 600, Washington DC 20005; http://crf.hudson.org.

Take Off The Grave Clothes

This article was formerly published in "Devotions by The Christian World College of Theology"   Class of 2004.

"And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, 'Loose him, and let him go.'” 

John 11:44 NKJV

"Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there,and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself." 

 John 20:6,7 NKJV

 

 

     It is intriguing that the importance of the grave clothes in these scriptures is accentuated by the mention of the cloth that was wrapped on the face of both Lazarus and Jesus.  In Jesus' time, interment of the deceased was performed quickly, usually the same day as the death.  As the body was prepared with aloes and herbs, they took the time to separately wrap the face in a handkerchief or as some translations read, a napkin.  We are all born into death, by Adam's sin.  At His birth, the one who was sinless, Jesus Christ, lay wrapped in swaddling clothes in that ancient manger, a foreshadowing of His death.  "And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn" (Luke 2:7).  

     He that is above all creation had no nursery at His birth and was laid in a borrowed tomb at His death.  The swaddling clothes gave way to cruel torture and grave clothes infused with aromatic herbs, as if this heinous deed could be covered by sweet incense.

     The intriguing element of both scriptures is that the removal of the handkerchief was intentional and careful.  Jesus ordered the men present at Lazarus' raising to, ". . .loose him and let him go" (John 11:44).  As Christians, we are responsible to assist new converts in putting off the ways of death that coincide with life in the world.  We are to help them to become Christ-like and grow in the Word.  At our conversion, we are all as newborns, not knowing or understanding until we learn and grow.

     So many times new Christians are left to die, when they need nourishment and acceptance from their big brothers and sisters.  We are not to accept the ways of death, but to help them remove the cloth from their faces, so that they can see and breathe this new life.

     When Jesus arose, He cast aside the burial garment that was enfolding Him.  It lay in a heap upon the stone where He had been placed.  The face napkin, although, was folded together and set apart.  Why would Jesus go to the trouble of carefully removing the napkin, folding it, and setting it aside?  He was speaking directly to us by this act.  We must intentionally and with great care put off the ways of death.

     If one can imagine having one's head wrapped in a linen napkin, it would be difficult to hear, see, breathe. and speak.  One would be bound and not able to discern the environment around them.  Jesus is asking us to carefully remove the grave clothes, to lay them aside intentionally, and not to live in the tombs anymore.  Jesus said, ". . . I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live."  John 11:25

Dear Heavenly Father,

 

I thank you today for Your Word.  It is Life and it is Life giving.  Thank you for all things, Lord.  Thank You Jesus for dying as ransom for my sins.  Thank You Holy Spirit for abiding in me and empowering me to live for You.  Father, please show me places in my life that I have not removed the grave clothes, so that I may walk in total life.  Please show me others that need my assistance in removing their own grave clothes.  Lord, I love You and praise You and I lay down my life for Your Kingdom.  In Jesus' precious name I pray.  Amen.

Patricia Paige Harrison

 

Persecuted The Global Assault on Christians

Psalm 119:161

"Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word."



 

I received a copy of "Persecuted The Global Assault On Christians" from BookSneeze.com in return for this unbiased review.  I have received no other remuneration for this review and the opinions contained within it are entirely my own. 

The faces, names and countries change but the tragic truth that remains unchanged is the egregious and widespread persecution and murder of human beings whose only "crime" is their Christianity. "Persecuted The Global Assault On Christians" (PTGAOC) is a book written by Paul Marshall, Lela Gilbert and Nina Shea that chronicles the atrocities faced by the faithful worldwide.  A father is murdered in cold blood in the presence of his children, a women is raped and beheaded as a warning to others, churches are burned with the parishioners still inside, the horror is unending.  Christians are facing these monstrosities and sadly, many governments turn their backs on this truth and many Western Christians are blissfully unaware of the magnitude of this atrocity.  It is true that historically the Church has grown and become stronger in times of persecution; although, under unrelenting massacre, the Christian population is becoming decimated in some areas. 

The authors quote Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German minister martyred at the end of the Hitler regime, "Christians should give more offence, shock the world far more, than they are doing now.  Christians should take a stand in favor of the weak rather than considering first the possible right of the strong."  The superficiality and complacency demonstrated by much of the mainstream Western Church currently is a luxury that those being persecuted and martyred across the globe cannot afford.

I recommend the reading of this book to anyone who possesses a social conscience.  It is vitally important that those of us with a voice and the ability to speak for these persecuted believers stand in prayer and protest for them.  God has granted some the freedom that others can only imagine, and we must use this freedom to fight for theirs. 

Christianity must stand united in prayer and social advocacy for our brothers and sisters in bonds.  PTGAOC was produced as a project by the Center For Religious Freedom, underwritten by the Hudson Institute.  For more information:  Hudson Institute's Center For Religious Freedom, 1015 15th St. NW, Suite 600, Washington DC 20005; http://crf.hudson.org.


 

Who Is On The Lord's Side?

“Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, 'Who is on the Lord's side? Let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him” (KJV).
Exodus 32:26

 

 

 

 

Certainly every Christian wants to hear these words at the end of their lives, “Well done, my good and faithful servant”(Matthew 25:21). God has called His people to do His Kingdom work. It is up to us to heed the call and arrange His churches in the way that He has proscribed. A valuable question to ask is, “What are we doing here?” If the answer is not evangelism and discipleship, then the church ministry is off track. There is an appointed time, we don't know when Jesus will return and it is our responsibility to harvest the fields while the sun is still shining. Ministry doesn't just happen, it must be intelligently and strategically organized so that it may be carried out in His will. There is a crisis in our churches today. The invasion of the enemy is possible because her walls and gates are broken down, not unlike the situation that Nehemiah faced. Our walls and gates are spiritual, but no less in need of repair.

 

Church as usual is not fulfilling the emptiness that the Postmodern era has loosed on our culture. In order for the church to be relevant, her people must rise up and truly become the hands and heart of Christ. Pastors with integrity, who will not sell out to greed, ego and other lusts are necessary for this to happen. Our churches can't be run by the highest bidder, or tither, as it were. The status-quo driven cliques that tend to sway the tide must not be given in to. A pastor with true integrity must say, “We are going to do this God's way point blank.” It is an obvious fact that the people cannot rule themselves. The golden calf debacle (Exodus 32) is evidence of this fact. Exodus 32:26 is quite profound, “Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, 'Who is on the Lord's side? Let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him” (KJV). That is the question that is necessary to ask of ourselves and our churches. Who is on the Lord's side? 

 

Patti

Ever Of Old

^"God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?" 
 Numbers 23:19

Pic from freepicturesweb.com

Many people have difficulty reconciling the God of the Old Testament and the New Testament.  The wrath-filled rule giver compared to the merciful grace giver seems rather bi-polar, and has caused many to question His nature.  Albeit this is a superficial view of God's behavior in the Old Testament; as, His love and grace are illustrated throughout the Word.  Marcion of Sinope in AD 144 went so far as to form a heresy claiming that the God of the Old Testament and of the New were separate beings.  Marcion also dissected the scripture and reorganized a revised version of the Bible that fit his theory.  Interestingly, the existence of heresy historically has caused the Church to be cautious and crystallize it's doctrine all the more.  The imprecatory Psalms are another instance of seeming contradiction in scripture.  The word imprecatory is derived from the Latin word imprecatus, and it means "to curse."  Psalm 55:15 is an example, "Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them" (KJV).  This is the antithesis of Jesus directing his disciples to, ". . . Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you" (KJV).  There is a seeming chasm between what The Old Testament and The New Testament teach.  What is the truth that bridges this apparent gap?  The cross!  Jesus' sacrifice spans the gap and brings us to the place in which we are given the opportunity to step into His imputed righteousness and out of the sin nature we inherited from Adam.  God's first intention was a loving fellowship relationship with man which was marred by sin.  There is no confliction between God's nature in The Old and New Testaments, only the saving grace of Christ's sacrifice.

Patti

"The Christian Mama's Guide To Baby's First Year" by: Erin MacPherson

I received a free copy of "The Christian Mama's Guide To Baby's First Year" from BookSneeze.com in return for this unbiased review.  I received no other remuneration and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

"The Christian Mama's Guide To Baby's First Year" by Erin MacPherson and published by Thomas Nelson Publishers is a light-hearted look at the first year of baby's life from a Christian mother's perspective.  Speaking as a Christian Grandmamma, whose grandson is a month away from his first birthday, her advice is refreshing and her conversational writing style is an easy read.  I only wish that someone had told me that my house, child and life didn't have to be neat and colored coordinated 27 years ago, who knew?  The medical and nutritional advice given by MacPherson is bolstered by experts.  Speaking from experience: I read every book, took every class and tried all the "new" gadgets for both my children,  trends and "medical thought" will change and you will be considered a dinosaur. . . it happens.  MacPherson interjects scripture and prayers that are very heartfelt.  She also includes "The Christian Daddy's Guide to Basics" for the men in our lives.  The index is exceptional to track down specific topics and questions.

One issue that I have with "The Christian Mama's Guide To Baby's First Year" is regarding alcohol consumption.  MacPherson brooches the subject and explains that "pumping and dumping" may not be effective during breast feeding as the body cycles breast milk and all the alcohol may not be expelled.  As a minister, I understand that some denominations allow the drinking of alcohol, but the scripture admonishes us to be, ". . .sober and vigilant (I Peter 5:8).  I would certainly advise Christians to abstain from alcohol.

"The Christian Mama's Guide To Baby's First Year" is a funny and informative book that I would recommend to any young mother, or father.  Babies are wonderful gifts from God and making the most of the time that we have with them when they are little is so vital.  Teaching them about God and allowing them to see us serve and love Him is an awesome gift that we are responsible to give them. 

Rev. Patti Harrison

"Dreams and Visions" By Tom Doyle

"I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me."

Isaiah 65:1

 

 

 

 

 

 



I received an advance copy of this book from BookSneeze in return for my unbiased review.  The thoughts expressed in this review are entirely my own and I received no other remuneration for it. 

 

In this incredible and awe-inspiring book, author Tom Doyle with Greg Webster take the reader on a fast-paced adventure through several personal stories of Muslims who have experienced Jesus firsthand in dreams and visions.  There is a great move of the Spirit in the Muslim community, numerous people are being visited with dreams and visions of Jesus. These dreams and visions are culminating in salvation in one of the most inhospitable environments in the world for Christianity.  It is far too easy to become complacent in our faith when possessing it does not threaten our lives and well-being.  These converts face persecution and many times death in the "Honor Killing" environment of the Muslim world.  Tom Doyle seamlessly melds adventure and information in this book as he explains the very complicated religious dynamic of this area of the world. 

 

The encompassing love that the recipients of these encounters experience is a hallmark of this phenomena. On pages 104-105 of "Dreams and Visions" Doyle recounts a young mother's experience, "The Man's eyes dazzled Jamilla.  She stared as He stepped close and wrapped powerful arms around her shoulders.  White folds from the arms of His robe draped her body.  "Jamilla, they love you because I love you."  As with any religious experience one should compare it against scripture and not blindly accept anything.  We know that there is an enemy who is a deceiver.  Doyle includes an Appendix entitled, "Real or Fake? A Biblical Test for Dreams and Visions" which addresses this issue.

 

"Dreams and Visions" is an eye-opening book regarding the spiritual work that God is doing in the Muslim world.  In places that conventional evangelism is not able to penetrate, God is infusing His Spirit.  I would recommend the reading of this book to any Christian, as it is a manifestation of The Great Commission, and an example God's unfathomable love for all mankind.  Please pray for these brothers and sisters in Christ as they face persecution and death for their faith.

 

 

Reverend Patti Harrison

 

 

 

 

 



Here Today

 

 

"The life of mortals is like grass,
    they flourish like a flower of the field;
 the wind blows over it and it is gone,
    and its place remembers it no more."

Psalm 103:15,16

 

 

 

 

The most seemingly mundane moments of our lives may very well become the most poignant.  Dragging myself out to the grocery store last week, I would have never imagined that I would experience anything but a long line at the register and possibly the annoyance of a price check.  I ran into an old friend and asked how she had been.  Expecting a rote, "Fine how are you?" I was saddened to hear that a young member of her family was terminally ill with cancer, in Hospice care and expected to pass at any time.  I knew that sharing my experience with her and God's comfort and support through it all would be helpful to her.  There is that moment when you think, "Do I really want to get into this in public next to the dog food aisle?  Of course I did. 

 

Our lives are like a vapor.  A passing blip on the fabric of time.  Psalm 103:15,16 speaks of this truth, "The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more" (NIV).  We truly have no assurance of how long we have on this planet.  One thing is certain and that is our Creator's love for us.  We, all of us, live in a fallen world and due to this fact our spirits are in need of redemption.  Few things in life truly make sense to our mortal brains:  the death of a child, evil, tragedy and war.  These things cause us to be snatched out of the comfortable caves that we build around our lives, if we have that luxury.  God is there and more than ready to accept us and cover our hearts during these dire times.  I know very intimately that God loves you an immeasurable amount and that His plan is that you spend eternity with Him.  If you don't know God, please read the book of John.  This book explains His great love for us.  I pray that you come to know Him and that He becomes a necessity in your life.

 

As I walked out of the store, the sun was setting and the sky was an awesome wash of purple and gold.  I noticed a silhouette in the sky and stood there in the cold to see what it was.  A bunch of balloons rose above my head and over the store.  As I stood there shivering in the dusk, they disappeared over the roof and out of my sight.  In that moment I knew that God was reminding me that time is short.  We only have but a moment in the scope of eternity to secure our eternity and to assist others to do the same.  I pray that God quickens to your mind and heart the urgency of this quest.

 

Please pray with me.

 

Dear God,

That You for this moment in time.  Thank You for Your Son and His promise of salvation.  I pray that You remind us of our responsibility to speak Your Word and show others Your love in our day-to-day lives.  Lord, I pray for salvation for the nations.  I pray that Your Word is cast far and wide.  We have this moment, we have this hour.  Please do Your work in our lives and let the Kingdom of Heaven be multiplied.  To all men, of all races and creeds I pray for Your salvation.  In Jesus name, Amen.    

 

Patti 

 

If you do not know God, I have included a salvation prayer on the front page of this blog.  I pray for your salvation.  Please feel free to join this blog and message me.  I would be honored to pray for you. 

 

Hoarded Emotions

Psalm 51:7

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. KJV

Life hurts.  That is a plain and simple fact that we all must someday face.  What we do with that hurt is the defining factor in the quality of life that we eventually live.  Sometimes the battering of life's storm is so intense and prolonged that we no longer deal with situations and just begin to accumulate layers of pain and scars that cripple us from living healthy lives.  These emotional injuries are not so apparent; such as, a missing body part or jagged scar.  Nonetheless, these scars continue to carve into our life experience in ways that are far reaching.  

When we internalize pain from the storms of life and hurts that we receive from others, intentional or otherwise, it is akin to a hoarded home.  Hoarding occurs when more baggage, whether it be material or emotional is brought into a dwelling then is let go, and is not maintained in an orderly manner.  That dwelling may be your home or your heart.  If you have ever watched the television shows that deal with this issue, you understand that it isn't easy for those that hoard to let go of the material things that are cluttering their lives.  The emotional significance of the hoard is tantamount to the life issues that each one of these persons is attempting to deal with.

Several years ago I had my art studio set up and organized.  Due to a family crisis, I needed the space that it was housed in.  All of my art supplies were boxed rather unceremoniously and stored.  Later, I set my studio up again but it was never as organized as it was originally.  Due to another issue, that reincarnation of my creative space was stored again and I ended up with a tangled mess of art supplies.  Upon my first attempt at sorting my things, I had a minor meltdown when some old and irreplaceable pictures were almost discarded by someone helping me.  No one but God understands what precious things are under the strata  of our lives.  Recently I reestablished my studio space into a functional order, although it needs some tweaking.  Each item  I sorted brought back memories of the projects I had left unfinished, the tragic emotions I had not dealt with at the time, and the hope that I had for the future.  Please don't allow your heart to become like my art studio.  Please allow God to be your sorting partner.  He understands and is totally invested in purging our lives and hearts to be healthy and walk in His light.    

Father, please lead and guide us to walk in Your perfect light.  Life becomes so burdensome, thank You that Yours is the shoulder that we must lean on to bear it.  I pray that You hearken these words to the eyes of those who need to understand how our hoarded emotions harm our lives.  I thank You for purging us, even when it is painful.  In Jesus name, please continue to do Your perfect work in all of our lives.  Amen.


Patti  
  

  

The Last Piece

Revelation 10:4

 "And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not." 

 

 

 

One of my childhood friends had a United States map puzzle, which we would play with together.  She would dump the pieces out of the frame onto the floor and inevitably she would grab Rhode Island. She would hide it under her leg so that she could place it in the map last to complete the picture.  I really have no idea why she was so enamored of Rhode Island.  Her habit was quirky and slightly annoying, but it was her game and her rules. 

God has given us a plethora of information regarding creation's past, present and future.  So much, in fact, that one could spend an entire lifetime studying His Word and still only barely scratch the surface of it.  He has given us intellect and insight in order that we can come to understand Him and His intention for humanity.  The Book of Revelation, although shrouded in symbolism, speaks massive amounts about the destiny of man and creation.  Revelation 10:4 divulges another truth, "And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not."  John the Beloved was made privy to information regarding God's intentions that he was instructed to "write not".  This is very telling about the relationship God has with us.  We are not in control.  We have been given a sacred road map, but a piece, or pieces have been left out.  This may be dismaying to some.  How can we know what to expect?  What can we do to prepare?  The answer honestly is nothing; but, trust God and keep His Word that He has given. 

 

 Ultimately, even if my friend had not placed Rhode Island on the map, I knew that it belonged there.  We are not aware of what God is holding back, but we can be assured that it is amazingly awesome and for our eternal best.

Patti

Praying for the families of the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting victims.  God please cover their hearts with Your peace.

All That Glitters

I Corinthians 3:13

 "Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." 

Decorating for the holidays entails removing and packing away the baubles from the previous season.  This job is usually bittersweet, as I ponder the things I may have missed or wished had been more perfect.  My mother always said that when you finally cleaned up the last piece of Christmas tinsel it was time for Easter grass, and so the cycle revolves.  I love to decorate with brightly colored autumn silk leaves, I scatter them on my porch floor and anywhere else that seems appropriate.  In the fall, they inevitability get swept out onto the sidewalk and yard with the freshly fallen leaves.  They aren't very remarkable until the real leaves begin to fade and become detritus.  At this point it is very obvious that they are artificial.  Sometimes it is not so easy to tell the artificial from the true, until the end of the season when it is painfully obvious.  Penned Shakespeare in "The Merchant of Venice":

   "All that glitters is not gold;

Often have you heard that told:

Many a man his life hath sold

But my outside to behold:

Gilded tombs do worms enfold.

Had you been as wise as bold,

Young in limbs, in judgement old

Your answer had not been inscroll'd

Fare you well, your suit is cold."

Detecting the superficiality or artificiality in modern Christian culture is as easy as becoming supremely intimate with God through scripture.  Certainly times change and the fads and fashions of the previous seasons change as well; although, the Truth remains the same.  Don't be discouraged by the foibles and sins of other who claim to be "enlightened."  Get to know God yourself through scripture reading and prayer.  The genuine will be obvious.  I Corinthians 3:13 speaks this truth,"Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." 

Lord, In Jesus' name, Thank You and praise You that we are able to know You through Your Word.  Scripture says that Christ is the Logos, the living Word.  Please help us to detect the artificial and cleave to Your Truth.  Lord, help us to forgive and pray for people who mistreat us and harm others under the cloak of "religion."  Lord, thank You for this time and this season and the assurance that You will set all things right.  I love You. Amen.

Patti

"Lifted By Angels" by Joel J. Miller

Psalm 91:11
"For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways."

I received a free copy of this book from Booksneeze.com in return for this unbiased review.  I received no other remuneration for this review.

"Lifted By Angels, The Presence And Power of Our Heavenly Guides And Guardians" was written by Joel J. Miller and published by Thomas Nelson Publishers.  Miller is a writer and editor; he has written several books including "The Revolutionary Paul Revere."  This book promises concise and scriptural accounts of angelic encounters.  While the author delivers this promise at times, some information is taken from Apocryphal writings.  The Apocrypha, meaning hidden, is a collection of fourteen books included in the Douay Bible.  These books are not included in the sixty-six books of the canonized Protestant Bible.  The early Church fathers applied stringent tests to candidate books, and by faith Christians accept these canonized books as holy scripture.  Some Apocryphal books, such as the Maccabees are valuable for historical reference, but are not considered scripture by the Protestant Church.  That being said, it is a slippery slope to begin to accept information that is not scriptural.  The book of Revelation ends with this admonition, "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:  And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book" (Rev. 22:18,19).

I would not recommend the reading of this book by anyone who is not well-informed of scriptural truth regarding angels, and only then as a critical thinking exercise.  A glaring oversight in this book is also information found in 2 Corinthians 11:14, "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light."  The author speaks of angelic fellowship and detecting their presence, this is infinitely dangerous as Satan is a grand deceiver.  We are not to worship or pray to angels.  They are God's ministers.  We may pray to Him and ask Him to send His angels to surround and protect us, but too much focus on angels is unbalanced. Psalm 91:11 sums up this truth, "For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways."   
Rev. Patti Harrison