Yesterday ...

Yesterday, this country suffered a major shock. Oddly enough, it was the day before the twenty-fourth anniversary of 09/11, a horrific event in our country.  Is this a  coincidence or was it planned that way?  I don't know.  

Hearing about Charlie Kirk being gunned down was tragic.  Honestly for many of us, it is difficult to believe.  Yesterday afternoon and last night I watched the news and read social media posts. 

Please pray for Charlie's wife and children.  Their lives will be very different now that he is gone.  I cannot even imagine the heartache.  

Some on social media noted shock, sorrow, and outrage because of his death.  Unfortunately, others on social media were horrific.  They had no sympathy for Charlie.  Honestly, it seems some folks have no regard for the sanctity of human life.  They called Charlie Kirk all sorts of horrible names. 

At first I was shocked - then angry - but the anger quickly turned to a deep sadness.  Sadness for his wife – sadness for his children – and sadness for a lost society.  The world certainly seems dark these days, doesn’t it?  

I have a feeling Charlie Kirk’s actions and words will live on for a long time.  And I pray we as Christians can help turn things around in this country - I'm not necessarily talking about politics. I am talking about spiritually.  I pray for our religious freedom.  I also pray we will learn to stand up for our beliefs and speak out when necessary. 

The death of such an iconic figure is always tragic. I believe Charlie did a lot of good in his life.  I will miss seeing him and hearing about him.  He was a positive influence for many of us.  

And so it seems the battle of good vs. evil isn't dying down anytime soon.  That is why we hold on to our faith.  

Jesus Christ came over 2000 years ago to die for our sins and then rise again.  Jesus lives! 

“…Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us” (Romans 8:34).

It is important for us to remember the fact that Jesus is alive!  He reigns in heaven now, and He stands for us. He claims us as His own.  This is why we hold on to our hope.  It is why we should always be strong and courageous. 

Here is another verse we should always remember.  It is found in Romans 8:1 – “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”   We can have confidence in Christ.  He will never let us down.  Never.

Yes, there is a lot of darkness in this world.  There is hatred and evil.  Someone will always want to stop the message of Christ who is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”  It is through Him that we will be able to go to the Father one day. (John 14:6).

The battle of good and evil will rage on as long as this world stands; but we can never give up.  We must continue to let our light shine because when it is all said and done, God wins!  This means those who follow His Son will also win! 

“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,” (2 Corinthians 4:17).

Christ above all things - Robin

Noah

 

Hello everyone, 

I know I’ve written about Noah before, but his life was crucial to our existence today, as well as our salvation.

Most of us remember when Eve was deceived by the serpent.  She and Adam both ate from Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.  God found them in the garden.  He told the serpent “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel,” (Genesis 3:15). 

This was the first prophecy of Christ, our Savior.  Apparently, it was handed down to each generation.  Noah was the tenth generation of mankind and when he was born we read about the hope of the prophecy being fulfilled.

“ When Lamech had lived 182 years, he fathered a son and called his name Noah, saying, “Out of the ground that the Lord has cursed, this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the painful toil of our hands,”  (Genesis 5:28).  The name Noah means rest.

Lamech’s statement was also a prophecy, but it was probably not like he expected.  However, it did express hope. 

Noah found himself in an almost impossible situation because of all the evil in the world.  God regretted He had created man and planned to “blot them out”  (Genesis 6:6, 7). 

Genesis 6:8 is a dramatic turnaround from the previous verses. “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.”  Why Noah?  We know it wasn’t a random choice.

Noah’s ancestry is so interesting and I believe it is at least part of why Noah found favor with God.  We first have to be taught about God to walk with Him, right?   

Based on what he said when Noah was born, his father Lamech believed in the Lord.  Noah’s grandfather was Methuselah, the son of Enoch.  And Enoch was the man who did not die because he walked with God.  

I believe Noah was taught about God by his father and grandfather.  However, knowing about Him and acting on that knowledge are two different things.  But Noah made his own decision. 

Genesis 6:9 tells us he “was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.”   He chose to walk with God.  He was looking for God’s favor.  That’s why he found it.

Here are some other passages which tell us about Noah’s relationship with God.

 ^“Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him” (Genesis 6:22 and Genesis 7:5).

“By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith,”  (Hebrews 11:7)

2 Peter 2:5 – “if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;”

Let’s all make the same choice Noah did. 

Christ above all things - Robin

Luke 22:32 – Strengthen Your Brothers

         Lately I’ve renewed my interest in the topic of encouragement in the Bible.  Yesterday, I started a word study.  I was looking at different words that could mean encouragement in one form or another.  Words like help, comfort, support, exhort, and edify.                 

     Then I came across the passage where Jesus told Peter the devil wanted to sift him like wheat, “but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail.  And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers,” (Luke 22:32).

        Know how sometimes when we study God’s word something new jumps off the page?  It’s like we’ve never read the verse before because we gain an entirely new perspective on the passage. 

      That’s what happened to me yesterday morning when I read this verse and I thought about it all day.  Most of us know what sifting means.  The wheat is put into a large strainer.  It is shaken roughly to separate the grain from the dirt and impurities. 

        Peter was in for a rough time and Jesus knew it. 

Let’s remember with the exception of John, all the other apostles ran away.  Peter was there during that mock trial in front of the high priest. 

I know the scriptures do not tell us what Peter was thinking.  I know he was always bold.  When he walked on the water, he was the only who tried.  No one else got out of the boat.

Peter was the proclaimed that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God.  He was also the one who pulled Christ aside and rebuked Him for saying He was going to die. 

Finally, when Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane Peter raised his sword and cut off Malchus’s ear in an attempt to defend His Lord.  But Jesus stopped him.

Like I said, we don’t know what Peter was thinking, but we know what he had experienced up until this time. Jesus told the apostle he would deny Him three times and He did. 

        Jesus knew something else too.  The devil would win the battle, but he would not win the war over Peter’s soul. Jesus had prayed for Peter – that his faith would not fail.  It did, but only temporarily. 

        Jesus told Peter “And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”  Being who He was, the Savior knew Peter would repent and come back to Him. 

        Peter hit rock bottom when he denied Jesus, but he didn’t stay there.  He came back even stronger than ever.  Because of his experience that night, he could relate to how the other apostles felt about running away. 

        I have no doubt he strengthened them.  Through his renewed courage and resolve, he became an example for them to serve Christ for the rest of their lives. 

        Christ above all things - Robin

What About the Soldiers?

             About three years ago, Mom and I met a gentleman who served in the Korean War.  I felt like I was meeting a celebrity!  It was an honor to shake his hand.  We talked to him and his wife for a few minutes.  They were sweet couple.  

Most of us know we wouldn’t have a free country if it weren’t for brave soldiers who gave their lives for our freedom.  Many of us also know the ultimate sacrifice was when our Savior shed His blood for our freedom from sin.  

I bring this up because the traits of a good soldier should also be the traits of a faithful Christian.  After all, we are soldiers of Christ fighting the good fight of faith!

First of all, I think of loyalty.  A loyal person is one who is devoted and faithful.  Soldiers are usually loyal to their country, what it stands for, their leaders and the company or group of men they serve with.  Christians are devoted to Christ, His church, and their fellow sisters and brothers.  A Christian will stand up for what’s right and be true to the Lord. 

             In Matthew 24:12-13 Christ Himself talked about loyalty: “And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”   

         I wonder if Peter and the rest of the apostles remembered this when they were brought before the council.  They were asked why they kept preaching about Jesus when they were clearly told not to.  Their answer?  “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). What faith and courage they had! The apostles gave us all a great example to follow.

It still takes a lot of courage to be faithful to Christ. Sometimes we might be the only one in a crowd who stands up for what is right.  But even when we are only one, we are not alone! God promised to always be with us. We must hold on to that promise!!

Soldiers need to be strong – they need to be prepared to fight at any time. They should be ready with the tools they were trained to use.  Christians are the same way.  We must put on the whole armor of God, so that we will be strong enough to avoid temptation. The devil is powerful, so we must be prepared to fight.

We need to always be watchful and ready with the tools God gives us. When Jesus faced temptation in the wilderness, He answered the devil every time with “It is written.”  We must study God's word so we can be prepared to fight against our adversary who seeks to destroy us.

We must stay in the battle and keep the faith! Souls are at stake.  Not just ours, but also those who might follow our example.  We might be surprised at all the people who observe our behavior.  Usually, our influence affects more people than we  would imagine.

Jesus loved us so much that He died for us, surely we can live for Him!!  Let's soldier on.  The benefits of being in the Lord’s army far outweigh the bruises of the battle!

“If God is for us, who can be against us” (Romans 8:31b)?

Christ above all things - Robin

 

You Went the Wrong Way

We always had a great time on vacation! We spent a week with my grandparents in Virginia, went to the beach two or three times, and had a great time with our cousins. We always loved our vacations. The long road trip from Mississippi to Virginia was never boring. No way. For us, it was quality family time.

We were on our way home. We had been on the road for two or three hours and Dad decided to take the Blue Ridge Parkway. We didn’t usually go that way, but it is a beautiful route through the mountains. We traveled on the Blue Ridge for a while and then needed to stop.

When it was time to get on the road, my Dad was about to get on the Parkway again. My youngest brother told him, “Dad, I think you just went the wrong way.” But John was only about ten or so and Dad was really good with directions. He was sure he went the right way. His reply to John was something like, “Son, we’re going the right way.”

Some time later Dad realized John was right and he was not. As we found a place to turn around, Dad apologized to my brother. I always respected him for that.  He was a grown man who had the humility to admit he was wrong and apologize to my brother.  I hope I never forget that day because it told me a lot about Dad's character - about the kind of man he was!

Even as Christians, we can get mixed up and go the wrong way for a while. We get to a place in our lives, and we don’t know what to do or which way to go. That’s when having good and faithful Christian friends is so important. We need someone to hold us accountable – to speak up and say “Hey, I think you went the wrong way on that situation” or “Are you sure you want to do that?”

We all need folks in our lives who care enough about us to keep us on the right track – or get us back on track. James, the brother of our Lord, tells us “My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” (James 5:19-20)

If you have friends like this, thank God for them! They love your soul enough to help you keep from going the wrong way. What a treasure it is to have a friend like that!

The best thing we can do for our brothers and sisters in Christ is to be a friend like that. It is absolutely the best kind of friend to be.

Christ above all things – Robin

Stop and Smell the Flowers

        Sometimes when you are allowed to witness a sweet moment, it is just that - a sweet moment.  It brings a smile to your face and then you go on about your day.  But when you witness almost the same sweet moment just a few short minutes apart from one another, then you might begin to think that someone (like your Heavenly Father) is trying to tell you something!  Such a thing happened to me once and I am so glad it did.  I think I got the message, too, Father.  Thank you for the gentle reminder.

     A few years ago, I was in the Dollar Tree store on my lunch break.  I love to go to the Dollar Tree and just look around to see what they might have.  I noticed a young girl somewhere between three and four stop and look at the artificial flowers.  She smiled, leaned forward and just buried her in face in them - inhaling deeply.  She took in a long, deep breath,"Mmmm" and then exhaled with an "Ahhhhh" and another big smile.  Then she turned and went quickly down the aisle with her grandmother. 
      As I watched her I wondered if she knew the flowers were artificial ones and was just pretending - or if she actually thought they were real.  At any rate, the child was quite happy and I was glad I had a chance to see that. 

     I continued looking around.  Not even five minutes had gone by and I was able to witness a very similar moment.
This time the child was a little boy.  He was a cutie pie - a little younger than the girl had been.    

    He was probably only about 2 or so - a short and stout little blonde-haired  boy who was just chattering away to his mother.  As they rounded the corner of the aisle, he too saw the flowers.

      "Oooh Mama, see the pretty flowers.  They are so pretty!"  He leaned toward the ones closest to him and took a deep breath too. 
       His Mom said, "Uh huh - they are pretty."  
            "And they smell good too, Mama."  He took another deep breath.  "Ah, they smell so good." 
       Across the aisle there was also some greenery - artificial plants with some pretty big leaves.  This little sweetheart noticed them too and went straight toward them.  "Oh look, Mama there's grass too."  

      And yes folks, he smelled the grass too. Breathing deeply he asked his mother if she wanted to smell the "grass."  She sweetly declared that she was OK.  He took another sniff of the "grass" and then those sweet little legs followed mother down and around the aisle. 
       Yes, you might think it is silly - but I do think God was sending me a message that day.  I won't say the obvious, because it is such a cliche' BUT then again cliche's are based in truth.  I do think we are supposed to take the time to respect and enjoy God's beautiful creation -- including smelling the flowers. 
      Children are so very precious.  They are pleased with the simplest things - like flowers and grass.  It is no wonder that Jesus said, "Except you be converted and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."  (Matthew 18:3)  

      Children enjoy the clouds and the sky during the daytime and they love to look up at the stars at night.  They respect and love God's creation.  They "oooh" and "aaah" over what they see.  Birds, flowers, trees - turtles, frogs, rocks -- the stars or a full moon, the mountains, the ocean -- all of these delight and fascinate a young child. 
      So many times as adults we forget to stop and enjoy the beauty of the world around us.  We don't notice how bright and blue the sky is on a sunny day.  

     We don't pay attention to all the shades of green God made in the grass and trees. We don't watch the butterflies flit from flower to flower - or watch the birds bathe in the bird bath in your back yard.

      We don't look up at the stars at night, realize there really are too many to be counted and then remember God's promise to Abraham so long ago.  We miss the chance to thank God for that promise.  

    We don't get to think about the fact that we are the recipients of that promise. Do you ever wonder how Abraham must have felt as he looked up the sky and heard God tell him - "In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed."  

     That sky - that sky that Abraham admired is the very same sky we gaze into.  How awesome is that?
     Even artificial flowers are beautiful because they are imitating the real thing -- the things that God made.  Have you ever thanked God for colors and our ability to see them?       You know when it gets right down to it, God did not have to give us such a beautiful world.  He could have created everything in grays and blacks.  

     Think how dull and dreary everything would be if it was all the same color.  Think how different it would be if we all looked alike -- like so many paper doll cutouts. 
      There is beauty in diversity and there is so much diversity in God's beautiful world!  Thank you -- thank you so much Heavenly Father.  Have you ever really thought about how much love God put into creating the world in all its beauty.  He wanted us to a have a beautiful world so we could imagine how wonderful heaven would be. 
      So the next time you are outside - look all around you.  Look up at the sky.  Look at all the colors in the world.  Listen to the birds sing -- or the wind blow.  Watch your children or grandchildren run and play and breathe the air God made.  

     Thank God for the beauty of the world.  And remember.  Remember that there is an all powerful Creator who loves you so much -- He made -- well He made everything!  And it was - IS good.  It is very good!!
     And the next time you are given the opportunity to watch a child be amazed at something beautiful and wonderful -- be amazed with him.  Validate his emotions.  Teach him that there is a God that made all these things and that God loves him beyond measure! 
     OK - I am going to say it -- take time to stop and smell the flowers.  Smell them, whether they are real or not. That doesn't matter -- the real ones are God-made.  The artificial ones are patterned after what God made. 
      Remember God loves you!  
      What a beautiful world He made for you to live in!

Christ above all things, Robin

"Who Shall Separate Us from the Love of God"

We have all seen our share of bad news.  It seems living in this old world gets tougher every day - because the world grows farther and farther away from God every day.   

Somehow, out of the tragedies in our lives - we still find good in people.  Every day people reach out to help their fellowman and in that moment -- that one moment of choosing to do the right thing -- they become heroes.  

There is some good in this world, it is just not what we see on the news.  I am thankful we find it in our local communities. Those instances give us hope and comfort.  We see the good in people and through all that goodness we remember the goodness and the love of God.  

We can also find encouragement through the scriptures.  The Bible - the true and living word of God- help us get through our toughest times.  One such chapter that offers us hope and reminds of God's goodness is Romans chapter 8.  Many of us are familiar with parts of this chapter and in particular vs. 28 -- "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." 

However, there are other verses in this wonderful chapter that give us much needed reassurance.  One of the passages is verse 18: "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."  God has promised us glory ... if we are faithful.  

Verse 14 says - "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."  If we put to death our worldly way of life - then we are called the sons (and daughters) of God.  To be adopted as God’s children truly is glorious!  

God's Spirit knows our infirmities and He intercedes for us when we don't know what to pray for.  The Spirit takes what is in our hearts and gives that to God (verses 26-27).  Then comes verse 28 which so many of us have memorized. 

This whole chapter is rich and full of treasure.  Read it whenever you are having a tough time.  I don't think anyone can read this chapter without feeling blessed and encouraged.  

Consider Verses 35-39 “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or sword?  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord."

So hang in there, even when the world gets ugly and we feel like we have gone as far as we can go,  just remember “If God is for us, who can be against us? (v. 31b)”

Christ above all things - Robin

An Almost Empty Peanut Butter Jar

Good morning, everyone!  This is my first post for 2025.  I hope everyone has a great day!

I peered into the nearly empty peanut butter jar and tried to decide if what was clinging to the sides and bottom would make just one more sandwich.  Could I scrape up enough to spread over one more piece of bread?  Was this scant amount worth saving?  

It's funny how the most random things can sometimes put our thoughts on a more spiritual plane.  My thoughts immediately turned to Christ.  Do you think our Savior ever questioned whether or not we were worth saving?  I don’t think He did - and that is totally unfathomable to me.  

Think about it.  Even in the Garden of Gethsemane when He prayed to God, He said "not My will, but Your will be done."  Christ knew what He was about to face -- had known from the time He began His ministry.  

He knew they were going to beat Him and spit on Him.  He knew they would mock Him -- shame Him.  Jesus could have stood up in that garden, said "Why bother?" and simply gone back to His home in heaven.  

Instead, Jesus chose to go through with it.  He chose to go through all the torture and pain -- to die on the cross -- for all of us.  As they crucified Him, Jesus even prayed "Father forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34 NKJV).    

We are much like that almost empty peanut butter jar - with barely anything to offer.  Yet Jesus Christ didn't throw us away.  Instead - even though He was equal with God - He emptied Himself and took on the form of a servant.  He was born in the likeness of men "and being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." (Phil. 2:7-8 ESV).     

Jesus definitely believed we were (and are) worth saving!!  What a wonderful thought!  His decision to save us was made "before the foundation of the world" (Ephesians 1:4). 

Jesus sees the potential in us.  He sees what we can be.  Figuratively speaking, Jesus sees not just a little bit left in the jar, He knows all the good things He can fill us up with.  And that makes all the difference for us.

Choose Jesus, because He has already chosen us.

Christ above all things - Robin