Journeys . . .

It is our choice

2012-01-30T11:19:00.000-06:00

The world was not fallen until one of God's creatures - the serpent - became an instrument of evil. That one acted out of his boundary to bring another of God's creatures - the humans - out of their boundary. A boundary set by God, rules to live by, a code of conduct.

Once the humans acted, or reacted, against God's commands, separation came into being and there was no way to return to what once was. It was lost, we were lost.
We became God's fallen creatures - what once He had been so proud of, declaring good, was no more.

Yet, we were still God's creation.

We fell into an endlessness that knew and knows no bounds, ever widening and deepening. Our disobedience to God, our Creator, keeps us separated from Him.

BUT, God, the Almighty God, who is and was and will forever be, had a plan.

He came to earth as Himself.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." (John 3:16-17)

God's Son - Jesus Christ came to defeat the evil one, to die for the sins of mankind, to bring us new life and renewed hope.

It is our choice.

Do we choose to live for our wants and desires, continually separated from the Lord God our Creator, doomed to eternal torment in a place called Hell

or

Do we choose to be one with Him, our Lord and Savior, complete, obedient, giving Him all the praise and honor and glory and love He deserves.

When our time on earth has ended, will we have chosen heaven as our eternal home or will be remain in the eternal abyss of hell and damnation?

Have you accepted Jesus as your personal savior?
Have you Admitted to God you are a sinner ...
Do you Believe in Jesus Christ as God's Son ...
Have you Confessed your faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord?
To view an interactive flash presentation of the Gospel: www.thekristo.com

How you can know you have eternal security: God's Promises

All belongs to God

2012-01-16T17:58:00.001-06:00

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." - Genesis 1:1 NKJV

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made." - John 1:1-3

"The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." - Genesis 1:2

"In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." - John 1:4-5

In The Beginning
of time ... probably
of creation ... definitely

God - Jesus Christ - Holy Spirit

separate, yet united
One complete whole
yet
three distinct parts

What was first
remains
forever
What was the beginning
has been completed
What is the end
is still to come

The chicken came before the egg
How can that be?
God created it
On the fifth day
it was so.

The human male
and female too
came before the egg
How can that be?
God created them both
On the sixth day
it was so.

The sky, the waters,
the sun and moon, and stars
the trees and grasses,
seeds and flowers
came
before
and God
created it all.

But
as to what was before
the world
cannot be surmised

God does not share
what was
in the beginning
of time ...
only the beginning
of creation

God - Jesus Christ - Holy Spirit
The Trinity
Three in One
One in Three

God is
God was
God will be
The Alpha and The Omega
The Beginning and The End
Forever
Always

But the end,
although prophesied
and written,
is not complete

Waiting ...
The Second Coming
The Return of Christ
The Tribulation
The Judgments
The New Jerusalem
The New Earth

The end
still to come
God
the keeper
of all knowledge,
of time and space.

But what about the in-between
the beginning and the end?
Where life is
where life and death co-exist
in this middle realm.

Do we live recognizing to whom we belong -
our true Creator?
and abide by His rules

or do we refuse to believe,
refuse to accept,
refuse to acknowledge,
and live by our rules,
claiming allegiance to self alone?

The end times are closer

The longer you put off
turning your life around
and toward the Almighty God,
the more likely it is
eternal security will escape you;
the more likely
you will face
eternal damnation,
eternal agony.
And there will be
no release, no relief

Cathy Orrick Luders
1.16.2012

God does not deceive ... begin a new life today

2012-01-15T08:31:00.000-06:00

God deceives no one
Others do
The Devil and his advocates do

Having to prove who you are
is not God-designed
He knows who you are
He can see into our hearts
How we live reveals who we are and to whom we belong
whether we follow Jesus –
The One who is The Way
or another
who is in the way of Him.

Deception.
Pretense.
IF you love me, give me a new place to live
IF you care about me, give me a baby
IF you want me more than anything, give, do, be

Oh why?

Why should we have to prove to another anything?
It should be apparent. One’s actions should reveal one’s motives.
One’s heart determines one’s true love.

Deception is an act of the devil.God does not deceive.

God tells us the way, shows us the way, is with us along the way through all of life, but the devil …

he tempts us, deceives us into believing that whatever we think is best,
our desires are more important than the truth. The devil gets us to thinking our loved one does not love us, could never love us, therefore
we’ll show them. We’ll go away and then they’ll be sorry.

Who will be sorry? Will they … or will you?

The devil enticed you, played upon your already depressed spirit and brought you to a place you truly did not want to be. He won. But have you? The devil succeeded in getting you to fall prey to him and all the evilness and insincerity in the world.

Hear what is written in the New Living Translation of God’s Holy Word, James 1:

“Dear brothers and sisters,
whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything. If you need wisdom – if you want to know what God wants you to do – ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. People like that should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. They can’t make up their minds. They waver back and forth in everything they do.” verses 2-8

“God blesses the people who patiently endure testing. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. And remember, no one who wants to do wrong should ever say, ‘God is tempting me.’ God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else either. Temptation comes from the lure of our own evil desires. These evil desires lead to to evil actions, and evil actions lead to death. So don’t be misled.” verses 12-16

“Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God above, who created all heaven’s lights. Unlike them he never changes or casts shifting shadows. In his goodness he chose to make us his own children by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his choice possession.” verses 17-18

We – you and me – are children of God. But unless we have a personal relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ, who gave up his life on the cross at Calvary for your sins past present and future, we miss the mark.

We are God’s choice possession. He calls us to holiness, to a life set apart for Him, not onto our selves. When we ignore God’s welcoming hand, His love, and turn away from Him, we are effectively saying NO! I’m doing it may way. The life I live is my choice.

Yes, it is your choice. God gives us all free will. But we can choose to turn away from personal desires and turn to the Lord. We can choose to say YES! I believe YOU died for me. YES! I accept Your gift of grace. YES! The Lord’s birth, death and resurrection was all for me.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.”

John 3:16-17 NLT

We can choose to obey the Lord … or not to obey

“If you want to be perfect (complete), go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Matthew 19:21 NLT

We can choose to rely on the Word of Jesus Christ, we can choose to accept His Word as a more secure foundation than all the securities of the world.

We can choose to hear His call, His tug on our hearts.

We can choose to make a positive response, we can choose to follow Him and be obedient to every instruction He gives us.

We can choose to listen, to be still and hear, really hear His response to us.

It is our choice, each one of us. Why not choose God, obedience?

Why not choose New Life and give up the old?

“He died for everyone so that those who receive new life will no longer live to please themselves. Instead, they will live to please Christ, who died and was risen for them.” II Corinthians 5:15 NLT

“So we have stopped evaluating others by what the world thinks about them. What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anyone, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!” II Corinthians 5:16-17 NLT

In that new life we have begun we must not forget His word – His promises, His truths, His commandments, His love, Him.

Every day is a new day – a day to remember, a day to not forget, a day to be obedient, a day to be loving – a day to turn again to God’s act of salvation so that again, we can move forward.

Won’t you choose to take that step forward, to depart from the old, to become new … today?

Have you accepted Jesus as your personal savior?

http://windowtochristianministriesiniowa.com/ReflectionsOnJesus.html

How to know you have eternal security:

http://windowtochristianministriesiniowa.com/GodsPromises.html

Finals Funk

2012-01-10T14:02:00.001-06:00

My nephew composed this electronic funk this past semester after finals at UNI in Cedar Falls. Although its been nearly a month now, I think it sounds cool and decided to share it.

Finals Funk

Adversity doesn't mean God has said stop

2012-01-09T08:52:00.000-06:00

"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."

I Peter 5:6-7

Do not presuppose because you do not hear God calling you to continue (that) He has commanded you to stop.

The calling came. He called you out of nothing to be His, to follow Him, to obey Him, to listen to His Word, to seek Him, to give Him all glory and honor.

And in response, you answered. But the response is not a one-time happening.

Yes, you answered ... Yes, I will follow You. Yes, I will obey You. Yes, I will listen to You.

But it is continual. There is no short rein on whatever God has called upon you to do.

This is what I want you to do. This is how you will proceed.

A little ... albeit a lot ... adversity (trouble) comes upon us. We find ourselves struggling with job concerns - perhaps we lost a job and can't find another, or have fewer hours or excessive overtime; health needs; relational confrontations with our spouse, children, siblings, parents, co-workers and even friends. We are persecuted for our beliefs.

Jesus faced adversity. He faced persecution. Yet His response, in the face of all that was against Him, was and is to be obedient to His Father, at all cost. To go on, to continue.

How can we do less?

God created us for His glory. To fulfill our God-given destinies, we must overcome all temptation to seek our own glory and desire His instead. We must allow circumstances and weaknesses and any thorns in the flesh God has chosen to leave upon us ... so He, the Lord God Almighty can lift us up.

Higher and higher we shall rise

when with the Lord our lives are no disguise

Jesus is the Reason for the season

2011-12-24T09:54:00.000-06:00

His name is Jesus

2011-12-24T09:26:00.000-06:00

"And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." - Matthew 1:21

"For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." - Luke 2:11

"Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." - Philippians 2:9-11

"Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." - Acts 4:12

The gifts
under the tree
seem unnecessary

whether there is little
or much to give
and or receive
The gifts
are not important

If there is little,
we become desolate
If there is much,
we become proud and arrogant

We share and show
our love for another
but what have we to give
to Jesus?

Does He have need of material things --
toys or clothes or books
I think not.

It is love
and compassion
patience,
kindness,
comfort,
goodwill to another

He looks into our hearts
in the midst of wherever we are
He knows who we are
and what we are
He desires us to know Him.

There is no amount of good
we can ever do or achieve
to obtain the gift
of love
Jesus freely offers

We have only to accept
Accept, believe, obey, trust, love.

Love.
Trust.
Hold onto the promises.
Never forget,
Never let go.

Remember the baby
It is God
who chose to come
to earth
to be for me and you --
among us
to bring us new new life
to save us from our sins

Love Him
Trust Him
Never cease to remember
who He is,
the Mighty King
Jehovah Jirah,
Our All in All
Never lose sight of
His Glory,
of the Love
He has for you,
He has given us.

Do we owe Him any less?
Not as an obligation,
but of love.

Love and reverence,
Love and joy,
Love and trust.
He is worthy.
Trust Him.

There is nothing we can do
ourselves.
There is nothing we are
or can ever hope to be
without the Lord Jesus -
our lives are incomplete.
Without Him, we cannot
accomplish His purpose.

Remember
Always remember

It is His love for us
that is the true gift
of all
Our response
is our love for Him

Be it ever true,
full of faith
and hope,
but most especially,
full of love.

Cathy Orrick Luders
(c) 12.21/22.2011

"Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, (that) you also love one another." - John 13:31-32, 34

"(for) the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God. I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father." - John 16:28

Love ... the greatest Light

2011-12-19T21:46:00.000-06:00

In Isaiah 9:6, it says "Authority rests upon his shoulders" or in the New King James version, "And the government will be upon His shoulders." In this morning's devotional reading by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, he tells us the bearing of this authority, the right of the one who rules, begins in the manger - it begins where the eternal word of God assumes human flesh - when God Himself becomes human, in the form of a baby, in the name of Jesus.

God's promises are everywhere in the Scriptures. He provides signs of His coming to earth as one of us, to be among us, and signs of His rejection and dejection among the peoples He proposed to save.

We don't listen. Many Jews refused to hear, refused to believe and obey when they did hear, neglected all but their own selfish desires and reasoning. So, God's Word given to another - the Gentiles, strangers in a foreign land. And many heard and many believed and many obeyed. But there were also among them, many who refused to hear, refused to believe and accept, refused to be obedient.

God, creator of the universe - the heavens and the earth.

God, the Son, who is born for us, the Son given to us, to save us from eternal hell to everlasting life.

God, the holiest of holies, whose divine Spirit dwells within us upon our acceptance of Jesus, He, the babe, the Christ Child, whose birth His followers celebrate at Christmas.

God, Our Father
Jesus, His Son, Our Lord and Savior
The Holy Spirit, Our Comforter

These three as One, in the beginning, throughout time, in the end.
The Word was. It is. It shall forever be.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

"There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through Him might believe. He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light. That was the true light which gives light to every man who comes into the world.

"He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name; who were born, not of blood, but of the will of the flesh, not of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:1-14)

And love.

Love ... the greatest Light

"the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us" (Romans 5:5b) ... Jesus. He is the Light of the World.

"If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." (1 John 1:6-7)

"And now abide faith, hope, love, these three, but the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:13)

Love
is of God,
from God,
God's Love
came down
to earth
as a human baby, His Son,
the Light of the World
God's Love
Jesus
God's Love
The Spirit within us

God's Love ...
the greatest Light,
the greatest gift,
promised, foretold, fulfilled, and to return.
JESUS!

Giving thanks in all things

2011-11-22T11:34:00.000-06:00

My husband read the following anonymous work to the congregation when he had the opportunity to preach in July. I came across it today when looking for other things and decided it would be a good time to share and to remind me and you of just how great our God is.

I Refuse to be Discouraged.
I refuse to be discouraged,
To be sad, or to cry;
I refuse to be downhearted,
and here’s the reason why . . .

I have a God who’s mighty,
Who’s sovereign and supreme;
I have a God who loves me,
and I am on His team.

He is all wise and powerful,
Jesus is His name;
Though everything is changeable,
My God remains the same.

My God knows all that’s happening;
Beginning to the end,
His presence is my comfort,
He is my dearest friend.

When sickness comes to weaken me,
To bring my head down low,
I call upon my mighty God;
Into His arms I go.

When circumstances threaten
to rob me from my peace;
He draws me close unto His breast,
Where all my strivings cease.

And when my heart melts within me,
and weakness takes control;
He gathers me into His arms,
He soothes my heart and soul.

The great "I AM" is with me,
My life is in His hand,
The "Son of the Lord" is my hope,
It’s in His strength I stand.

I refuse to be defeated,
My eyes are on my God;
He has promised to be with me,
as through this life I trod.

I’m looking past all my circumstances,
To Heaven’s throne above;
My prayers have reached the heart of God,
I’m resting in His love.

I give God thanks in everything,
My eyes are on His face;
The battle’s His, the victory’s mine;
He’ll help me win the race.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I AM with you

2011-11-19T09:40:00.000-06:00

"Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." -Isaiah 41:10

It happened
The unimaginable
A child dies
A job is lost
Health deteriorates

Our concern
gives way to anguish
as we pursue
over and over
and over again
in our minds
the possible reasons

But the source
of all that is
The One
who knows
the whys
and wherefores
stays silent

Where do we go
What is the next step
How do we move on
past this point
of deep despair?

He tells us
to stay focused
not on the what if's and buts
not on the what once was
and is now gone
not on what we wish could return
No,
He tells us
to remember Him
to "Fear not,
for I am with you;
Be not dismayed,
for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes,
I will help you.
I will uphold you
with my righteous right hand."
(Isaiah 41:10)

We see,
but do we see Him?!
Does the brokenness of our hearts
cause us to dwell
more on our pain
than on the Lord
who can heal us?

Jesus,
our beloved Savior and Lord,
shows us
the way to peace.
Through Him
we find comfort and consolation,
we find beauty and love,
we find hope.

We must be in His Word,
study His Word,
talk with Him,
listen to Him.

We must not settle
our selves on events
in and of the world
that will cause us to stray
from
The One
who gives us life,
who is our life.

Cathy Orrick Luders
11.18-19.2011

Guilt

2011-11-16T08:43:00.001-06:00

Guilt.
Amazing how another can make you feel
Not build you up
Not encourage you
Not say I'm praying for you
Not asking how a loved one is doing
or how you yourself are doing ...

simply amazing.

You receive what you think
is an act of kindness
but find it is not.
Given under false pretense,
wrong motive

Guilt.
Feeling you need to apologize
for the situation you're in
Feeling you need to explain
why laundry and dishes
and grocery shopping
and preparing meals
don't get done
in a timely fashion.
Feeling you need to come to your own defense.
Of course I know how to cook.
I know how to do laundry
and wash dishes
and buy groceries
and pay bills.
Knowing how is not the issue.

Guilt.
Feeling the need to rest,
to relax,
to put your feet up
and do nothing for an hour or two
is wrong.

I am guilty before God,
but He does not condemn me.
He forgives me for all of my shortcomings.
He forgave me at the cross.
He forgave me when I asked Him into my heart.

He has compassion

He is patient, faithful,

He is gentle and kind.

He is love.

Who are we when if what we say and do does not show Christ in us?

"If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another." (Galatians 5:25-26)

"And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith." (Galatians 6:9-10)

Guilt.

You are as much guilty as the next person. You are not free from sin. You are not above another. God does not tell us to be "goody two shoes" and forget how to be filled with His love and His compassion.

Cathy Orrick Luders
11.16.2011

He

2011-11-13T23:38:00.000-06:00

If you reject Christ
you also reject God
for God is He who
came in the flesh

Jesus the Christ
Son of God
"I am the way, the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through Me."
(John 14:6)

Jesus the Christ
Son of Man
born of the Virgin Mary
conceived of the Holy Spirit
to save mankind from their sins

"Do you not believe
that I am
in the Father,
and the Father
in Me?
The words that I speak to you
I do not speak on My own authority;
but the Father who dwells in Me
does the works.
Believe Me that I am
in the Father
and the Father in Me,
or else believe Me
for the sake of the works themselves."
(John 14:10-11)

Who, you question
is
The Son of Man
Who
is this Jesus
whom you declare to not know?!

You consider the commandments
sent forth by God to be
followed at any and all cost,
but Christ came
to fulfill the law.
You are too blind.
God said
in His word
it would be so.

"Keep on hearing,
but do not understand;
keep on seeing,
but do not perceive."
(Isaiah 6:9)

"He has blinded their eyes
and hardened their heart,
Lest they should see
with their eyes
and understand with their heart,
Lest they should turn,
so that I should heal them."
(John 12:40)

God is He
Christ
And the Lord
Is He
God
And the Holy Spirit
dwells within

Cathy Orrick Luders

11.4.2011

Help me to wait, to not be hurried

2011-11-11T08:43:00.000-06:00

What is, was
What will be, has
Round and round
The lives of all revolve
Struggle to maintain balance
sanity
clearness of mind and thought
Fearful of the unknown
So much there
God said He would be with us
All
Nothing
is so perfect we can move without thinking
We cannot be in a hurry
But hurried we are
Harried too
Must rest
Must pray
Must stay rooted
Must seek His guidance
Must
Must
Must
So hard
Help me Lord
Help us all
Keep us mindful of all You are
Help us to not be in a hurry over anything and everything
Nothing is trivial
Everything we go through You are aware of it
Help me, help us to wait
Help me to be confident
in You, to trust in You,
Your answers, Your timetable.
I pray in your name.

Cathy Orrick Luders
11.11.2011

A Prayer

2011-11-03T20:56:00.000-05:00

"And in the 39th year of his reign, Asa became diseased in his feet, and his malady was very severe; yet in his disease he did not seek the Lord, but the physicians." (II Chronicles 16:12)

"Thus says the Lord: Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the Lord." (Jeremiah 17:5)

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but her leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit." (Jeremiah 17:7-8)

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (I John 2:15)

"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you." (John 15:7)

You live in the world, but don't let the world become your life. Don't let all that surrounds you, all that is, in the world be a priority over the Lord Jesus you have aspired to follow. What appears to be is not always what is. Assumptions are not always the best. Only God knows for definite. He knows our comings and goings, our beginnings and endings. He knows all and everything there is to know about every single person and thing. We do not. God enables us to do, to be, to overcome, to endure. With Him as our lead, we can do all things. We can climb the steepest hill and not be overcome with drudgery and despair. We cannot settle for less. We place our hope on Him who is our hope and we live our lives trusting in His promise. We may have plenty or we may have little. All we have is enough if in the Lord we seek his sustenance. Even in the midst of little we can yield His fruit.

You live in the world, but don't let the world become your life. God -- your relationship with Him is your life. Surround yourself with Him, His word, meditate and pray for Him to show you the way. Do not succumb to the way of another. The Lord is all you need. He will show you where to go, how to proceed, who He has enabled to provide you with the answers you seek. Abide with Him and He will enable you to pass through the fire and flames of this life without injury, without anxiety, with peace.

Amen.

I AM is greater than i am

2011-10-28T09:10:00.001-05:00

The Lord sees our oppression
He hears our cry
He knows our sorrow

He comes to deliver
to protect
to guide

I AM WHO I AM
is greater
than I am

He brings us up
out of the affliction
He meets us
at the point of our greatest need
He stretches out His mighty hand
to keep us safe and secure
and to strike down the enemy.

The Lord seeks,
asks of us,
His children
created from a speck of dust
to turn
from disceiving
conniving
selfish paths
to Him.

The Lord desires us
to keep our eyes,
our minds and thoughts,
our hearts
focused
entirely on Him.

The Lord WILL provide.

We accept, believe
without a doubt
His Son was sent to save us
from our sin.
But that is not the end!
Only the Beginning ...
The beginning of a
heart-filled love relationship.

Our fears
need not become
a steppingstone
of dismay,
setting us up for failure,
but a realization
that anything and everything
we can do
is futile
and meaningless
if our faith in the Lord Jesus
is not
and if also,
that faith does not grow.

For the Lord
there is no boundary
There is nothing He cannot do
He is everything,
all around us,
our Master and King.
We are His servants
And when we are in Him,
there are endless possibilities.

First we start
Then we continue
We don't look back
We look up
We stay focused
We don't stop
We trust Him
We obey Him
We believe in Him
We remember

Every step forward
is a gigantic leap of faith.

Cathy Orrick Luders
10.28.2011

The Ten - God's Covenant of Love

2011-10-25T11:19:00.000-05:00

The commandments,
The ordinances,
The regulations,
The rules,
The Covenant --
set forth
by God
to and with His people,
designed to shed light,
to be Light
to give instruction,
guidance
for holy living.

The Lord God seeks
a willing heart,
a love-filled heart.
The gifts, offerings
we bring
show our reverence
to the Lord,
our Master and King.

Those (gifts) given selfishly,
without love
and devotion
to Him,
the giver of life,
are not accepted,
are not approved.

If in our living
it is not to
The Most Holy One
our total allegiance
lies,
we have failed.
Our reward is just --
we face
eternal punishment,
eternal damnation,
eternal separation.

God's Covenant --
He has made many such pacts
But,
The Ten
boils down to
LOVE
"Love the Lord
with ALL your heart,
ALL your soul,
ALL your mind,
All your strength
and
Love your neighbor
as yourself."
(Mark 12:30-31)

Jesus,
son of God,
The Most High,
The Most Holy One,
tells us
no other commandment
is greater than these.

Jesus,
The One
Whom God the Father
destined would fulfill
His plan to bring mankind
to Him,
to Eternal Glory.

Jesus,
born of God and
the Virgin Mary

Jesus,
born to suffer and be rejected,
persecuted.

Jesus,
born to die,
to hang from a cross
pounded nails into flesh
Our Sin, Our Sin!

Jesus
paid the price.

Born to die,
to rise from the dead
to live forevermore
within our hearts
to bring mankind to a
saving knowledge
to Eternal Security
Eternal Life

Jesus
"the living stone
chosen by God
and precious"
(1 Peter 2:4)

Jesus Lives!

Cathy Orrick Luders

10.25.2011

God's Love

2011-10-24T06:59:00.000-05:00

Love
is
patient

Love
is
kind

Love
is
fresh and new
each day

Love
is
viewing life
clearly
plainly
without grudges
without pretense
without masking feelings
that are false
and hateful

Love

True Love
is
God's Love

"It bears all things,
believes all things,
hopes all things,
endures all things."
(I Corinthians 13:7 NKJV)

Cathy Orrick Luders

10.24.2011

Him

2011-10-22T09:35:00.000-05:00

He spoke.
His Word
Became flesh.
His Son
His only begotten
full of grace
and truth
dwelt among us.
Jesus.

He spoke.
His Word
full of grace
and truth
shows us
His commandments
His judgments
His promises

Fulfilled.
In Him
Through Him
in His time
now
and to come.

Cathy Orrick Luders

His glory ... everywhere

2011-10-21T09:14:00.001-05:00

His glory
Everywhere
It surrounds us.
We think
sunny
cloudless days
are the best
We feel better
about living
about life
But
even in the midst
of darkness
and seemingly dismal
cloudy days
or lightning storms
He is there
Ever present
Our guiding light
Our protector
over every enemy
that stalks us
We praise Him
for the good
we receive
and perceive
But for
days that make no sense
praise belongs too
He preserves us
for another time
a better time
perhaps
His glory
always shining
We must seek
His word
to find His way
and rejoice
in all
that comes
For we are
only because
He is.

Cathy Orrick Luders

10.21.2011

We can be complete

2011-10-18T09:20:00.000-05:00

God's glory
His power
His majesty
His completeness,
whole
and without blemish

We stand on the rock,
waiting
We want to see
His ...
Him
as He is

But,
His response?
"I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion." (Exodus 33:19)

But, however,
"You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live." (Exodus 33:20)

And so,
He sends His Son --
complete
whole
and without blemish --
JESUS
who is the rock.

"Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected by men, but chosen by God ... a chief cornerstone, a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense." (I Peter 2:4, 6, 8)

We want to see
and when we do
We reject
We rejected God
We reject His Son

We only reach out
when we glimpse
the results
of what sin has done to us.
When we accept
When we believe
When we choose
obedience to Him,
who passes by,
who shelters us
in "the cleft of the rock
and covers us with His hand." (Exodus 33:22)

Obedience
to the King of Kings
who was
and is
and is to come
He is our salvation
our truth
He makes us too
complete
Not pure,
not without blemish
But still complete

We are One with Christ
One with God
One with the Holy Spirit
His grace
His glory
and we are His
... a child of the King.

Cathy Orrick Luders

10.18.2011

Find a moment ... for laughter

2011-10-14T09:05:00.000-05:00

God is the master ...
turns our burdens
into blessings

The stress
and trauma
and unending pain
in our lives

why do we stay there?

I go
to talk,
visit a friend

life is short
why spend so much of it
churning the turmoil
into bigger

laughter
a better medicine
remembering,
reminiscing,

pleasing the Lord
a much better plan
than distressing
oneself.

I think ...

when I get old
I shall laugh more

but wait,
I am getting old
why wait longer

from the moment of birth
age creeps upon you

how much older do I need to get
before I laugh more
before I see the lighter side
the humor

even in the dark,
there can be laughter.

We mustn't let
all that is
not-so-good
overcome us,
overtake us.

Find a moment
and then find another
for laughter

Cathy Orrick Luders
10.14.2011

"Delight yourself in the Lord" (Psalm 37:4a)

"You have put gladness in my heart" (Psalm 4:7)

"I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me." (Psalm 13:6)

The path of Peace

2011-10-10T16:49:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, Oct. 8, I wrote of the path of our comings and goings - a path based on the solid rock of Jesus Christ ... a path determined not by our life or our experience, but by God's word.

When we abide in God's Word and stay focused on Him and not Everything Else surrounding us, we find God's peace.

The promise given in Isaiah 26:3 reigns true -- "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You."

God will keep you and me in perfect peace (whole, genuine well-being), whose mind is stayed (focused, fixed) on Him, because we trust in Him.

The path of Peace is

the way of faith

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me." (John 14:1)

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27)

The path of Peace is

the way of righteousness

Do right, be right, obedient to the judgments -- precepts -- testimonies -- commandments -- The Law, wholeheartedly, lovingly.

"Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes,will find so doing." (Matthew 24:45-46)

The path of Peace is

God's work for us

God empowers us to be a blessing to and for another. It is He who is at work; it is simply us He uses as a channel. We can do nothing without Him -- He is the performer.

"Lord, You will establish peace for us, for You have also done all our works in us. O Lord our God, other masters besides You have had dominion over us; but by You only we make mention of Your name. They are dead, they will not live; they are deceased, they will not rise. ... You have increased the nation, O Lord, You have increased the nation; You are glorified; You have expanded all the borders of the land." (Isaiah 26:12-15)

God empowers us to confess His name, to share His word, to enlarge His territory, to be and do His desire, His will.

It is God who empowers some to rise from the dead to a new life in the heavens and others never to rise, but sentenced to the bottomless pit of hell and damnation.

"And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt." (Daniel 12:2)

"Jesus said, "I am the Resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live." (John 11:25)

The path of Peace

offers protection from His punishment

God instructs His people to go into seclusion, a "hiding place," and stay there until the punishment God is extending has passed. He will let us know when the time is right to withdraw from our place of hiding and come back into the Light.

"Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you; Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, until the indignation is past. For behold, the Lord comes out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity." (Isaiah 26:20-21)

Wherever God sets us, places us, in the path of our comings and goings, we can have peace in the midst of it.

Do you want to escape the wrath of God? ... Trust in Him!

(based on notes from the Oct. 9 sermon, "The Path of Peace," (Isaiah 26)

Immanuel Baptist Church, Cedar Rapids

The paths we take

2011-10-08T08:58:00.000-05:00

Not from life
nor from experience
should we set into motion
our path
but on the solid ground
of Christ

He is all knowing
of who and what
we are now
and in our future comings

His Word
is the proof
we seek and need.
In His Word,
through study
and intent searching
of the Holy Scriptures
and meditation,
we can know
with certainty
and confidence
the way
of all our comings and goings.

Cathy Orrick Luders

10.8.2011

God never gives up

2011-10-06T08:40:00.000-05:00

God never gives up on us
We give up on Him,
we ignore Him
we pretend He doesn't exist --
at least not in our personal sphere.
He may exist
Somewhere,
but not here,
not right here
and not right now.

We have gone so far away
Yet
God continues

He created us.
He seeks us,
desires we become united
with Him.

We are nothing without Him,
yet
we think we are more
than He ever was.

God is judge and jury,
merciful and loving.

He is the Almighty One,
The King of Kings,
The Great I AM
The Alpha and The Omega
Beginning and End.

Without Him,
what we think is in
the middle --
is meaningless.

Cathy Orrick Luders

10.6.2011

Won't you come, won't you come and meet with Me?

Today

2011-09-20T10:55:00.000-05:00

Today – the first day of the rest of my life.

My actions get in the way of my thoughts, my plans, my desires, my wishes. My actions – often the result of Satan planting seeds of doubt, therefore I react – my reaction is not to my good, not positive, but very negative.

It is as Paul writes in Romans 7:14-23 (New Living Translation) …

“The law is good, then. The trouble is not with the law but with me, because I am sold into slavery, with sin as my master. I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate. I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong, and my bad conscience shows that I agree that the law is good. But I can’t help myself, because it is sin inside me that makes me do these evil things. I know I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn, I can’t make myself do right. I want to, but I can’t. When I want to do good, I don’t. And when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway. But if I am doing what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing it; the sin within me is doing it. It seems to be a fact of life that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another law at work within me that is at war with my mind. This law wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.”

Jesus tells us in John 8:31-32, 36 (New King James) …

“If you abide in My word … you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”

FREE

Freedom from sin, freedom from the hold Satan has on you.

Satan strives every minute of every day to reduce us to slavery.

“He who is of God hears God’s words; " (John 8:47a)

We hear

We comprehend

But!

Our actions belie our hearing, our comprehending

Our actions give way to a single moment of desire and Satan has us hook, line and sinker. Our desire consumes us – it becomes of more importance than anything else.

We are of God

We hear His word

Yet, unfortunate it is, complete and total allegiance, obedience to Him is missing.

Who am I under?

God’s will

or Satan’s dart of contention warring within me

Who do I serve

Romans 8:5 tells us “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit the things of the Spirit.”

Who do I please

Who do I want to please

What do I want to please

The troubles of the moment will overwhelm us if we don’t look at the overall picture! - If we don’t look to God.

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18)

“(Likewise) the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses for we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:26-28)

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

Who?

“Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect?
Who is he who condemns?
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
What will separate us?

Not tribulation, nor distress, nor persecution, nor famine, nor nakedness, nor peril, nor sword.” (Romans 8:33-35)

I am complete in Him.

Our actions may belie our thoughts from time to time, but we are not to stay there.

Our thoughts must always bring us to Jesus.

Our actions must be a result of where God brings us, NOT into a corner where Satan continually strives to drive us.

We must remember to continually look to Him for our everything. For with Him, in Him, I can do anything.

Without Him, I remain floundering in an open sea without a life jacket, without Hope.

Not of the world

2011-09-15T10:02:00.000-05:00

Not of the world
But of the Lord Jesus
Yet whose inner voice do we hear and follow
We live in the world
Jesus lived here too
It was no different
He faced the same struggles we too face
Yet He persevered,
looked to His Father in heaven
for all His answers

We are wayward
We may persevere
but we do not always look up or even in His general direction
We look to our neighbor, our friend, our spouse,
at what the world says or suggests or rules

The Lord says do not fear
Yet we do fear
Our fear escalates
anxiety builds ...
oh what will we do,
relationships estranged, jobs lost, hours shortened,
savings depleted, retirement accounts dwindled,
bills higher and higher, oh how to pay
The circle is endless
There is no end
Round and round she goes
and where she stops nobody knows
Where to get off
How to get off
The merry-go-round of life
The world
We live in the world
But ...
But what?!
We live here
We work here
We play here
We have babies here
We get married here
We take vacations here
We do everything here.

Yet,
didn't we give our hearts to Jesus?
didn't we say Yes, we will follow You?
didn't we say we will trust and obey?
didn't we?

We are not of the world
Not of this world
but we darn sure act like we are

The Lord promises us His kingdom
But do we strive to do, to be ALL He wills for us
Do we listen to Him at all
Are we mindful of His commands or disobedient

Have we forgotten?

We live in the world
We are not of the world

The Lord God created the heavens, the world, you and me

He
My God
My Shepherd
My Father
My King
and yours?

He is in control
He knows the beginning from the end and all that is in between
He is
The Alpha and The Omega

He.
Not the world.
has everything under control.

We must rely on Jesus
Not anything anywhere else
Only Him.
He will take us places no one else can dare.

We must
Come to Him alone
Follow Him alone
Stay the course with Him alone
Be complete in Him
alone.

Cathy Orrick Luders

9.15.2011

In Memory of Bridget

2011-09-06T20:00:00.002-05:00

"I Loved You Best"

The end came
too soon,
always too soon
Never a timely moment
for death
Never too late
Always too early
Years and years
or months and days
Doesn't matter
The bond formed
lasts beyond time
Nothing is the same
ever again
But the joy and love
shared
brings a
spontaneous
laugh
and then
a tear.
Oh good-bye my sweet
sweet girl
Good-bye for now
but I'll see you
again ...
maybe just around
the next bend.

In Memory of
Dianne's
yellow lab
Bridget
1994 - 2011
Sept. 6

"The Rainbow Bridge"

Go, and ...

2011-09-03T10:25:00.000-05:00

I often think “Go, Do” is the way, and perhaps it is, but to be sure and to perhaps change my thinking I decided to do a mini-study on Jesus’ command, “Go.” My study led me through the four gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

‘And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)

o Go everywhere and preach the gospel – preach repentance, salvation, everlasting life – to everyone

‘These 12 Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: Go wherever the Lord sends you, not of your own choosing; (my words of Matthew 10:5) “go and as you go, preach, saying the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal, cleanse, raise the dead, cast out demons, freely give. … And when you go into a household, greet it. Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they will deliver you up … and scourge you … but do not worry … do not fear.” (Matthew 10:5, 7-8, 12, 16-17, 19, 26)

· Go wherever the Lord sends you and preach eternal life; as you meet another, greet them in the name of the Lord, but be wise, beware.

‘Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the Kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:60)

· Go and preach the Kingdom of God

‘But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62)

· Go and go forth and do, but if in going you look back, forlorn over what you have lost, you are not worthy to enter God’s heavenly realms

‘Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John (John the Baptist) the things which you hear and see: The blind receive their sight and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.” (Matthew 11:4-5, Luke 7:22)

“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.” (Matthew 18:15)

“Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” (Mark 5:19)

· Go and tell

· Go, forgive

· Go, show compassion

‘But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” (Matthew 14:16)

· Go, give what you have, give what they need

“And at midnight a cry was heard. Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him! (Matthew 25:6)

· Go, meet him

‘So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” (Matthew 19:17)

The commandments –

“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31)

· Go, keep the commandments

· Go, love the Lord

· Go, love your neighbor

Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect (complete), go, sell, what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come, follow Me.” (Matthew 19:21, Luke 10:37)

“One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” (Mark 10:21)

· Go, sell, give to the poor; and come, follow Jesus

‘And He said, “Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, The Teacher says, My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.” (Matthew 26:18)

· Go, say

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

· Go, make disciples, baptizing and teaching them

‘And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.” (Mark 5:34)

“Go your way; your faith has made you well.” (Mark 10:52)

· Go in peace and be healed

‘And He said to them, “Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you will find a cold tied on which no one has sat. Loose it and bring it.” (Mark 11:2)

· Go and find and bring

“Rise up, let us go. See My betrayer is at hand.” (Mark 14:42)

· Go, go

“And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.” (Matthew 5:41)

· Go more than what you are asked

‘She said, “No one Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” (John 8:11)

· Go, do not sin

Jesus commands us to go, sending us; we go, we came, we went, we come back, we return.

When Jesus made the blind man see, He said: “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him, “Go wash in the pool of Siloam.” So he went and washed, and came back seeing.” (John 9:4-7)

· Go, obey

· Go, believe

· Go in faith

“If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” (John 13:14-15)

Go, do as I have done for you

“Where I am going, you cannot come.” (John 13:33)

“Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.” (John 13:36)

Go, be
Go, keep my commandments

Go forth and follow Me

“Lord, I will follow You wherever you go.” (Luke 9:57)

Will you?

Optimism...?

2011-08-31T08:38:00.000-05:00

Optimism ...
living
or
dead?

the power of hope
or
resignation?

the power of holding one's head high
when everything seems to be going wrong
or
withdrawing into self and ashamed?

the power to bear setbacks
or
let setbacks break you down?

the power to let the future be promising
or
filled with chaos and disorder and despair?

the power of God
or
the enemy of Satan?

Optimism
or
Pessimism?

Which avenue do you follow?

Cathy Orrick Luders
8.31.2011

Kerplop!

2011-08-31T08:33:00.000-05:00

The little acorn

falls

and falls

from high and higher

above --

The mighty Oak

standing firm

between human abodes.

Splatt! Kerplop! Kerplunk!

Acorn follows acorn

as it gathers

momentum

and hits

the ground

to whatever lies

within its path.

Cathy Orrick Luders
8.30.2011

A weekend get-a-way to Clear Lake

2011-08-30T22:37:00.000-05:00

Mondays and Tuesdays are weekends for my husband and I and these last few days of August were spent a few hours north at Clear Lake, Iowa. We arrived at our cottage shortly before sunset Sunday evening so hurried down to the lake (less than a block away) to watch the glorious setting and take some digital photos. The second photo looks like an automobile taking off for the great unknown.

Our cottage, named "Jo-Jo," is the smallest of eight owned by Clear Lake Cottages on South Shore Avenue. Shown here are front and back views of our cottage.

Looking out the back door, past the garbage cans, you can see the lake.

Here are inside views of our cottage ...

And among our many excursions out and about ....

.... here is a seagull about ready to take flight.

.... Jim "Papa Daddy" and our bunny son, BeeJay, at City Beach.

... on a clear day you can see forever ... and reflections ... and shadows

... Here is the Lady of the Lake ... we took an hour-and-a-half cruise with Captain Roger at the helm. We learned a lot of interesting things about Clear Lake and its surroundings.

A memorial commemorating the Buddy Holly crash site was recently dedicated in rural Clear Lake. It was a good thing we had directions; otherwise, we would never have found it. The directions said it was a half-mile walk, but to us it seemed much further. In 2009 it had been 50 years since that fateful night in February.

... Clear Lake State Park

... Mighty oak tree outside our cottage. The noise of little acorns falling was a little annoying at times.

... The Guardian Angel Chapel is another place hard to find

... Beeds Lake near Hampton. We were last here about 15 years ago.

The right to life ... the gift of life

2011-08-20T09:26:00.001-05:00

Our rights
Our duties
We all have One right
and that …
The right to life
for it is life we have all been given
by our creator God.

The right to life
brings with it duties, tasks
in which we give honor and praise
to our Creator God.

The right to life

began with creation.

And our duties …?
To live honorably, to be loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, faithful, gentle, self-controlled (Galatians 5:22)

To not be jealous, nor boastful, nor proud.
To not be irritable, nor demanding, nor a keeper of lists of wrongdoing
To be hopeful, enduring through every trial and circumstance
To not be prejudiced, nor judgmental
(1 Corinthians 13: 4-7)

The gift of life
and life again

First given at birth

Given again at our rebirth

How you ask
How can we be reborn?

Rebirth –

God sent His Son to earth to rekindle the hearts of mankind.

To know the life we lead is because of the fallen state we entered when Adam and Eve sinned.

Our life is not the way God intended it to be.

"It is God who has made us, and not we ourselves. But because we enjoy feeling powerful, we accept Satan's offers." -- Madeleine L. Engle, author of A Wrinkle in Time

Sin is the culprit.

And all the sacrifices we make are to no avail.

Rebirth –

God sent His Son to earth to live among us, to become the sacrifice, once and for all, and to rid mankind of all the sin we live under.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17 NJKV)

Rebirth –

To be reborn is to accept God’s gift given through the life, death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Living not to ourselves, not to the old life we came from, not to the way we were

But Living to Jesus, living in His image, following in His footsteps … to the way we will become …

and someday to be and do and actually say, “the way of Jesus is me.”

To be there for another

2011-08-15T20:34:00.001-05:00

To get out of the doom and gloom
everyday
not just one day
Yesterday came
All day
Today is here
All different

Reach out to another
Why haven’t you written
I’d like to hear from you
I hear

But me too

Wherever You desire us to go
I will go
Send me

Sometimes where you are
is stagnant
Need to move on
get going

Not just physically
but
mentally
emotionally

Must get past the hurts
Hurts come at every turn
and angle …
from siblings, parents,
personal sphere of friends,
even our church family …
who would think?!

The image of Christ
bears no resemblance in us
it seems.

Although we try,
our image of Him
is perceived
far differently
than the image
portrayed in His word.

Sometimes we are just like
the Jewish Pharisees,
seeing ourselves above another

Who is better
None of us can truthfully lay claim
to such reasoning

Jesus is who we follow

If we aren’t following Him,
we cannot be one with Him.
We must therefore
be one with ourselves,
which only leads to
selfishness and
self-centeredness.

We have a new life.
We buried our old life
with Christ
and is reborn
in His image -
not His physical image.
The image of
Who He Is.
We are to be like Him.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer says,
“We must learn to look less
at what people do or don’t do
and more at what they suffer.”

To be there for another
You be there for me
I for another.
Jesus shows us
the way -
fellowship of love.

To be there for another
to show mercy ….
with cheerfulness.

To be there,
however it may be
God must give us the will
to do so,
to be so.

To get past the pain
past the “what if”
past the “how”
even past the moodiness
Just go
and do.

We cannot say
it doesn’t depend on me
to reach out to another
It is up to the church
But the church
is made up of many me’s
and many you’s.

The church –
the Body of Christ
and Jesus is its head,
not the pope,
not anyone other than Jesus.
There are not multiple foundations.
The church’s one foundation …
Jesus Christ.

There are not multiple platforms
in which we can follow and arrive
at the same place.
There is only one – JESUS!

No Allah

No Buddha

No Rabbi

No Pope

Only one Truth --
Jesus is the Son of God

Only one Savior --
Jesus is the way to salvation.

Jesus is available to all.
Believe in Him, accept Him
as your personal savior,
and eternity will be spent with Him
in the glories of heaven.

Only one basic problem with Humanity – SIN

All of us are sinners.

Some of us have been
forgiven.

Sin – what we feel
in our heart
is demonstrated
in our life.

Only one solution for Sin –

JESUS!

He died for us.
He went to the cross,
burdened with the sins
of ALL of MANKIND,
past, present, future.

He became the sacrifice
fulfilling Old Testament
laws and requirements
of animal sacrifices for
human sin.

A new life,
a new covenant,
buried in death
with Christ
Born again, alive,
renewed.

Be there with Him
for others
Our lives are not about us
But about our Lord
His will
Not ours
His steps for me
Not my steps for me

He took it all
my pain, my burdens
ALL upon himself
He took my SIN away

Who am I
to forget all that He has done
continues to do
and think only of me ….
poor me.

I need to be there
for you and you
through Christ
For with Christ
blessings will be.

Remember.

“for in Him we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28a)

Come to Jesus

2011-08-13T09:02:00.000-05:00

A few days ago I was reading Luke 16: 19-31. Jesus is speaking to his disciples and also to the Pharisees regarding the deaths of the rich man and Lazarus and reminds them of Abraham’s answers.

Verses 24-26 say: “Then he (rich man) cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.’ And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.”

When we die our souls are separated from our bodies. The body remains in the grave – whether buried underground, above ground or cremated, but our souls are immediately transported to heaven or to hell. There is no intermediate place.

Verse 26 reminds us that at death there is no escape. No amount of praying by our loved ones can move one from hell to heaven. It is the life lived while alive, to whom your allegiance lay, that determines your fate. Alive or dead, we are either “in Christ” or “in and of the World.”

If you do not know the Lord, only know of Him, make the effort, take the time, do it now before it is too late, and come to Jesus.

Truth is in His Word

2011-08-13T08:59:00.000-05:00

Of all we hear – from ministry leaders, friends and acquaintances – be sure you can back it up with Scripture. Do not take what any other person says is truth unless you can verify it in The Word.

There are many who claim to be believers in Christ who are not. There are many who profess to follow the ways of Christ who do not.

Unless you regularly read and study God’s Holy Word, how can you say you know what the Scriptures say? In all honesty, I do not believe it possible.

Even regular study leaves questions to be answered. It is God who will show us, lead us to, the answers when He deems it the right time.

Patience

2011-08-08T09:59:00.000-05:00

Patience.
Each of us need it.
Patience when another uses their freewill for themselves, their pleasure.
Patience to build another up.
Not anger, not "I heard you say this and this and that."
Forbearance, control.

Where is God's image in me when my patience wears out, wears thin and my frustration builds so I become unnecessarily angry?

Who am I to judge?
Who am I to be indifferent?
What right have I to be upset with another's indecision when I have enough of my own?

How does one succeed at being kind and honest, not obnoxious and honest?

Being a Christian is not easy and Christians together struggle just as much with personal issues as those of the world.

We see apathy and pessimism and intolerance.It all can bring another's downfall.

Who are we ... who am I?

What does it say about who I am if my relationship with Jesus Christ fails to live up to His standard, fails to show His love to you and you and you.

Oh how do I bear your burden without losing my patience with your choices or your seeming indifference or your despair ...

How do I build you up without tearing you down?

Patience.

P - Pray continually
A - Affirm another in
T - Truth
I - Inspired by God
E - Endure faithfully
N - Never-ending
C - Compassionate
E - Edify - build up

C-O-N-T-R-O-L

2011-08-08T09:46:00.000-05:00

C - Christ, our Lord and Savior
O - Obedient servant
N - Name above all names
T - Triumphed over death
R - Reigns on high
O - Overcomer of evil
L - Lives forever in our heart

In Him, am I

2011-08-08T09:42:00.000-05:00

Who
are you?
Who am I?
Have we forgotten
from where we came
from what we came
who brought us,
brings us still
face to face
with our sin
reminds us
we are far from
the perfectness
of the
Lord Jesus
yet He Loves Us
continually
never ceasing

There is an ever increasing
reason for condemnation
yet
He doesn't
condemn us

The Holy Spirit
the same
in Christ
in me

We,
"Those of us who are
in Christ Jesus,
who do not walk
according to the flesh,
but according to the Spirit,
there is therefore
now
no condemnation." (Romans 8:1)
We have been set free
Jesus has proclaimed us
Not Guilty

Who are we?
We,
You are a man in Christ
I am a woman in Christ

The enemy
cannot touch me
or you

I must remember
You must remember
know who you are
Stay focused on
The One
to whom you belong

Who said it was easy
Easy is looking down
being swallowed up
by fear of the unknown

Hard is seeking out God
at every turn
Hard is soaring
like an eagle
wings outstretched
when fear and anxiety
take precedence

Easy is burying
our heads in the sand
or under the bed blankets.

So fearful,
we forget
the Lord above
can do anything
and everything.

We must trust.
Must trust.
We are in Christ
Christ is in us

Struggles do not
disappear
Struggles remain
Sin remains
yet God
does not condemn us.

We are His
Only in Him
am I
Only in Him
are you

Abide in Him
Listen
to His Word
to the sounds of nature
Watch
the glorious splendor
of a sunrise
and a sunset
Remember
He is with us
always
He is but a breath away,
a step away
a hand reaching out
toward you.

His gaze is upon us
we must meet His gaze
and remain constant

Do not look away
He will bring us through
it all.
He is our guardian,
our protector,
our healer.

He is
the Great I Am
and in Him
am I.

Cathy Orrick Luders

8.3.2011 / 8.4.2011

Give me strength

2011-08-08T09:08:00.000-05:00

Give me strength
for this day
Bring me peace
Bring me rest
Cover me, enclose me
within Your hand

I ask so much
and You continually give

You said our lives would be
filled with turmoil
and pain
and it is
but still you give
and give
and I will find comfort
only You can provide.

Only You can heal
Only You.

Bring me out of the dismay
Bring me peace
Help me to trust
Be my support
for my pain,
my personal physical anguish
and my emotional and mental trauma
Bring me relief

Show me how to proceed
Give me strength
Be with me
Be with Jimmy
Show us the way
We are one.
One in the spirit
One in You.

Thank you Lord Jesus
Bring me strength
and peace for this day
I pray.
Only in You
am I.

Cathy Orrick Luders
8.3.2011

To see a need and ....

2011-08-08T09:00:00.000-05:00

To see a need
to strive to fill it
The Lord's will be done

What -- When -- Where?

To the least of these
is I says the Lord.

To see a need
but fail to act
you believe you say
you trust you say
but why
oh why
is foot not taken
the task not given
not begun
not carried out
not fulfilled.

To see a need
God has called you to
but rules
and regulations
requirements
of the world
all detriments
toward accomplishing
His will, His purpose
for you.

He tells us
in His word
to go forth
not in fear
and trepidation
but in faith
looking to Him
only to Him

Seeking answers
to our many questions
without questioning
His answers.

He knows the way
He created the way
He is the way.

He sees the needs of mankind
He sees my needs
and yours too
And all is fulfilled
And we are witnesses ...
but do we understand,
do we comprehend?

He has given us
eyes to see,
ears to hear,
a mind to discern
a heart to share
a love to give.

To see a need
to strive to fill it
to pray, meditate
and petition
believing without questioning
proceeding without faltering,
without stumbling,
not wondering if you are doing it right.

For what does it matter?
Who are you serving?
The Risen Lord
or the family next door?!

To see a need
to strive to fill it.
Just Go.
Just Do.
And the Lord be with you.

Cathy Orrick Luders
8.1.2011

Jesus Is The Way

2011-07-28T09:06:00.001-05:00

It is not the Christian religion we follow,
but Jesus Christ Himself.

It is not the way to God
but the way of God
that is our salvation.

It is called Grace
It is called Love
and it brings Hope.

Cathy Orrick Luders
7.28.2011

a new day will arise

2011-07-22T08:45:00.001-05:00

"for now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known." (I Corinthians 13:12)

a new day rises
the earth is freshened
with rains from above
the darkness of the preceding day
retains its hold
but God sees all.

To and fro
He goes as we go
and as our gaze
settles on Him
and Him alone
-- not darting or questioning or
taking too quick action --

another day will rise
tomorrow perhaps
or the next.
the darkness
will not keep us
secluded and fearful.

Our God
who sees
all
and knows
all
our comings and goings
will show us
what He knew
in the beginning.

We see oh so dimly now
as in a mirror
fogged over.

Another new day will rise
the darkness will fade
We will be in the Light
and it will be good.

Cathy Orrick Luders
7.22.2011

Faith IS the Victory

2011-07-21T08:42:00.001-05:00

Faith is the Victory.

Our faith is what is tested when the waves of doubt and despair announce themselves at the open door of our heart and mind.

Do we live within the world and fall prey to how the world lives and conducts its business?

Success -- failure ... a fine line exists.

We all live in the world, but we who have been reborn - not recreated, but born anew from old ways to new ways, from without to within, from alive to sin to dead to sin and alive to Jesus, our Savior, our Redeemer, we are not of the world.

We take up residence in the world, just as Jesus did when he walked the streets of Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria and elsewhere (Acts 1:8). But our residence is not permanent. We come, we stay awhile (to us it may seem a long or short time), and we go.

Life is not permanent. Do we "curse God and die" (Job 2:9) as the wife of Job said to him in the midst of pain and suffering when Job did not know why?

Struggles do come and stay awhile and go.

The timing is ALL in God's hands, not ours.

How we cope with the struggles and calamities that strike us from every side and angle tells, shows others where our faith is, where our strength to go on comes from.

When Job was beset with problems did he blame God? He did not understand the why of any of it. But he did not curse. Instead, he praised and worshiped the Almighty.

"Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord." (Job 1:21)

Satan can only destroy us if we allow him to.

Our covenant, our pact has been made with the Lord God above.

He sees everything. Nothing escapes Him. He sees all our ways. He sees our destruction, our disasters, false statements made to ourselves and another. He sees the steps we make backward and forward. He sees our integrity and our lack of it.

God knows everything and it is His purpose, His plan for us that is vital, NOT how much we know, not how our plan or purpose goes.

Faith is the Victory.

Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, not faith in me.

What can "me" do?

We think we can do much, but it is only what God has enabled us to do that is real and comes to fruition.

Remember what God's servant Paul says in I Corinthians 15:58, "be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."

Faith IS the Victory. .... the assurance of things hoped for in great anticipation, but not seen.

We must persevere .... in Christ.

What is Love? ... God

2011-07-19T08:35:00.000-05:00

"If I do not have love, I gain nothing." (I Corinthians 13:3 NRSV)

Speech
becomes
meaningless,
obnoxious,
without thought,
noisy like a clanging bell.

Predictions
foretold
of a future time
Fortune tellers
they are -
past
and present -
for personal gain.

Feed
clothe
fund
the poor
the less advantaged.
Do it all

But,
without God,
without Love,
you and I gain nothing
we are of
no value.

Love Is God
It is
more than what may unfold between man and woman
more than friendship
more, much more.

Love Is
God's gift of His Son, The Christ, to mankind

Love Is
patient

... kind

Love
seeks after the truth

.... rejoices in the truth

Love
builds up another,

... encourages

Love Is

... Unselfish

... Unending

... Unfailing

... Undeserved

... and without thought of return.

Love Believes
Love Hopes
Love Endures

What is love?

God.

By Cathy Orrick Luders
7.19.2011

Godlessness

2011-07-16T18:31:00.000-05:00

“We were not born of fornication; we have one Father – God,” the Jews said to Jesus in John 8:41.

I. We are ALL born of fornication. You think not? From the beginning when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and sinned, all generations following were cursed.

“So the Lord God said to the serpent, ‘Because you have done this, you will be punished. You are singled out from all the domestic and wild animals of the whole earth to be cursed. You will grovel in the dust as long as you live, crawling along on your belly. From now on, you and the woman will be enemies, and your offspring and her offspring will be enemies. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.’ Then he said to the woman, ‘You will bear children with intense pain and suffering. And though your desire will be for your husband, he will be your master.’ And to Adam he said, ‘Because you listened to your wife and ate the fruit I told you not to eat, I have placed a curse on the ground. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains. All your life you will sweat to produce food, until your dying day. Then you will return to the ground from which you came. For you were made from dust, and to the dust you will return.’ ” (Genesis 3:14-19 New Living Translation)

You may be born of parents married to each other, but that fact alone does not make you sinless. Fornication goes beyond sexual immorality. It encompasses all godlessness, physical and spiritual.

“looking diligently lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; lest there be any fornicator (godless) or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright.” (Hebrews 12:15-16)

“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

“Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. (Galatians 5:16a – 17)

II. We do not ALL have one Father, that being God. For some, our father is the devil.

“Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:24-25)

Recently, coming before the spotlight is a clinic (Bachmann & Associates, Minneapolis) owned by Marcus and Michelle Bachmann, who is campaigning for the presidency of the United States. Reports show the clinic offers a service called “reparative therapy,” which apparently claims gay people can be cured of their homosexuality.

I do not believe any one person can lay claims to curing another. Homosexuality is a sin, not a disease like cancer. Only Jesus can transform a sinner. The goal is not homosexuality to heterosexuality, but homosexuality to the transforming faith of God.

God created us man and woman to unite, to become one (through marriage) in Him, not man and man nor woman and woman. Men and women who think and believe they are something other than what God has created and commanded are fooling themselves, living to themselves, following another.

If we profess to be a believer of Christ, we will give up old ways. For as a believer:
“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

We give up the old, we follow Christ; we have a new life. It is not easy. The path does not instantly become clear and stumble free. It takes work. Work through prayer, through studying His Word, through fellowship with other believers in Christ, through living and being obedient to Him and His commands.

When we are baptized, it is a representation of dying with Christ and being reborn to new life in Him.

If we are unwilling to give up the old, if we prefer to remain fornicators, godless, immoral people, then we will.

Believers in Christ can pray for you, show you the way to righteousness, but it is between you and God the way to go.

“We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us; we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.” (2 Corinthians 5:20)

But if you are not One with God, One with Jesus, One with the Holy Spirit, then you are most definitely one with Satan.

Jesus says to us:

“If God were your Father, you would love Me.” (John 8:42a)

“You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” (John 8:44)

“He who is of God hears God’s words, therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.” (John 8:47)

“If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31-32)

All Scripture is taken from the New King James version of the Bible except Genesis 3: 14-19 which is taken from the New Living Translation.

With or Without ... God?

2011-07-14T08:37:00.000-05:00

Without God we are nothing
Without God we have no purpose
We simply exist,
go about, here and there,
aimlessly.

With God our lives take root
We have a reason
to be,
to do
to live.

Without God
love and obedience
is too much effort.

With God
we see His love for us
through His Son
who died for us.

Without God
our focus is on self.

With God
our focus -- heart, soul and mind
is on Him.

Without God
death is the end of life.

With God
death is only the beginning
-- the beginning of life eternal.

Cathy Orrick Luders
7.14.2011

Where are you ... Who have you joined forces with ... Has Jesus extended His hand toward you ... Have you heard His call ... Have you ignored His tug ... Are you true only to yourself ...? Don't wait too long. Act now. Be now. Live now.

"Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. Therefore, you be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him." (Matthew 24:42, 44)

Jesus is our example

2011-07-11T09:43:00.000-05:00

Why are there some people who think and thereby believe once they have accepted Christ they are above reproach?

They can do no wrong. They can accuse and judge. They can condemn another for their wrongdoing. They can proclaim, You Are Wrong.

And that makes Mr./Mrs./Miss High and Mighty right?

We are all one, assuming the "we" is those who have come to know Christ, have accepted Him as their personal Savior, have a walk of love and obedience with and to the Lord.

Love -- that means everybody, not just those you personally select.

Obedience -- total commitment to the Lord. ... But do we always know all that entails?

Jesus gives us instructions, but because of our imperfections, our discernment is not always right on the mark.

Yet, perhaps you think it is. You know right from wrong. But it's not all about what or who is right and what or who is wrong.

It's about Him -- His relationship with you, your relationship with Him.

It is not your responsibility to remind a fellow Christian of their faults, their shortcomings, to continually point out to them what they cannot do, where they cannot go. We hinder God's work when we take things upon ourselves.

Jesus shows us how to live and be responsible. He is our example. If we do not follow him, but our own thoughts, we are not being ALL that God has called us to be.

Even as Christians we are not above getting off the path. We still have sin in our lives. The Lord Jesus knows us and wants to show us how to stay on His path and not wander off. But we do stray. ALL OF US.

We seek God's love, His forgiveness.

He gives. He is. Love. He does not condemn. He saves us from condemnation, for unrighteousness. We are reborn, renewed.

To do what?!

To be and do as Christ
To love as Christ
To suffer as Christ

If/when/since God has forgiven me, why do you still hold over my head my guilt? Should not you also, whom God has forgiven, forgive another?

We must show love
compassion
gentleness
patience
forgiveness
to each other, every one.
We must show Jesus.

Remember -- it is to Jesus we belong. It is not to ourselves we are to strive, but to Jesus. We are His children, His disciples.

We must walk in the Word. Our mission must be to Christ toward all, unbeliever AND believer.

"Do all things without murmuring and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain." (Philippians 2:14-16 NKJV)

"Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in your richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." (Colossians 3:12-17)

Without Jesus there is no unity, no peace, no promise, no hope.

"With Him (God), all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26)

Let us live as believers.

The strong and the weak, together

2011-07-08T08:12:00.000-05:00

Within the community of believers, no Christian should be made to feel useless and unusable. The strongest and the weakest belong together. ... the lion and the lamb. They are dependent upon each other.

When one is excluded because of personal agendas the Christian community is not being and doing all Jesus has commanded ... disobedient children.

Dying not to self but instead reaping rewards solely for our own benefit.

It is to be for the glory of God. But, where is His glory if it is not to Him we gaze?

Where are you headed?

2011-07-07T09:15:00.000-05:00

"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearer. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you. Therefore be followers of God as dear children And walk in love, as Christ has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma." (Ephesians 4:29-32, 5:1-2)

We, who profess to be Christ's followers, must renounce our lives, our self-seeking desires and wants, and live the life Christ set out for us.

Who are we to pronounce judgment on another, believer and non-believer, determining in our hearts our way is the only way ...

How can we possibly think we know exactly what is right and true ...

How can we condemn another just because there is disagreement, disunity ...

When did Jesus say you have no sin, you may throw the first stone ...

"He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone ... first." (John 8:7)

When did Jesus make you a god ...

Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." (John 8:12)

Jesus is the light of the world and we as His believers are to follow Him, walk in His ways, obedient to the end.

You, Mr. Above Reproach and Mrs. Know It All should rethink who you are and who you follow. Where do your true loyalties lie ... Is Jesus your commander-in- chief or are you listening to another ...

"You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world." (John 8:23)

"If you abide in My word, you are my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:31-32)

"He who is of God hears God's words" (John 8:47)

To be fully obedient to the call of Christ is to follow His path that He sets us on wherever it leads, within the body of believers and within the world. The Christian life is to be lived within the world. We are to renounce secular worldviews for Christian thinking. We are to live our life, follow Christ's walk for us anywhere and everywhere. There is no perfect place, and even if there was, that is not where God would purpose us to be.

Following Christ is God's divine command for all.

Grace is God's gift I received when I accepted Jesus' death, burial and resurrection, when I accepted through faith that Jesus died for me, my soul, that He forgave me of my sins, because He loved me, loves me still. God gives me this gift. Who I am, what I am, what I do with this gift shows Him where my life is or isn't in His Son, Jesus. My answer should be one of following Christ at any and all costs.

I pledge allegiance to the lamb

2011-07-01T09:07:00.002-05:00

On Wednesday night, June 29, my husband and I attended the 10th annual Voices of Hope concert at New Covenant Bible Church in Cedar Rapids. The final song - "I Pledge Allegiance to the Lamb," brought many, myself included, among the hundreds in attendance to their feet... standing for Christ, our Savior. Do you too stand ... and will you stand still in the last day?

Video by Ray Boltz:

It is God's gift

2011-07-01T08:45:00.000-05:00

It is God's gift of grace
that found us
and through the shed blood of
His Son,
gave us new life.

It is God's gift of grace
that brings us,
His followers,
into fellowship sweet,
a source of
incomparable joy and strength.

It is God's gift of grace
in the midst of sorrow
wherever we are
to gather
gaining nourishment
for the weariness
that seeks to overcome us.

It is God's gift of grace
that destroys
the tall gangling weed
or short stubby one
and replaces it with
roses and lilies.

It is God's gift of grace
His very love
that encircles us
renews us
enhances us
in the home
in a letter
in a phone call
in a prayer
in a Bible Study
in the workplace
in the food court
in fun and games
in community worship.

It is God's gift of grace
that reminds us
without Him
there is nothing,
we are nothing,
But
with Him
All things are possible.

It is Go's gift of grace
that binds us --
our compassion,
our kindness,
our humility,
our gentleness,
our patience,
our forbearance,
our forgiveness,
our love for the Lord --
together as One.

Cathy Orrick Luders

7.1.2011

Who in the world ...?

2011-06-29T08:43:00.000-05:00

The world changed
when
Adam and Eve
no longer
followed God

when
Adam and Eve
listened
to the voice of a serpent

when
Adam and Eve
reasoned
God did not know All

when
Adam and Eve
sinned.

As the world changed
the people
followed
their own desires and interests

the people
listened
to their peers

the people
reasoned
they could find a way out of the chaos

the people's
choice
was to sin.

The world changes still
good and bad
ugly and sweet
poor and rich
life and death

Who owns the world

Who causes its problems

Who will destroy it

Who?!

Who are you
You, who live in the world
Are you of the world
Do you too follow
the voice
of error

Or have you
heard
the still small voice
of God
amid your pain
and sorrow

Have you turned away
from the world
and what it represents

Have you turned to
the One Way
the Only Way
to
redemption
salvation
completeness

Have you turned to
God
through His Son,
Jesus Christ?

Cathy Orrick Luders

6.29.2011

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believe in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God, And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." (John 3:16-19 NKJV)

Jesus is the door

2011-06-20T13:15:00.000-05:00

“I am the door.”

Jesus is the door. He is The way.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His live for the sheep.” (John 10:11 NKJV)

“I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers (-- false Messiahs, false teachers, false prophets -- ) but the sheep did not hear them.” (John 10:7-8)

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)

“I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” (John 10:9)

The good shepherd must lead all his sheep … so they will know the right way to go and be protected from danger and injury. All, yes all divisions of Christianity will come together, be united, as one -- converted Jew and Gentile alike, in one spiritual body -- the flock and The One True Shepherd, The Good Shepherd, The Door leading in and out.

“And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.” (John 10:16)

The voice of The Good Shepherd is and will continue to be that which unites. The word of God … He calls …. Do we hear? Do we obey? Do we follow?

Dietrich Bonhoeffer says the unity of the church will consist not in organizations, not in dogmas, not in liturgies, not in pious hearts, but in the word of God, in the voice of Jesus Christ, the good shepherd of his sheep.

“I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.” (John 10:14)

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.” (John 10:27-29)

“I and My Father are one” (John 10:30), Jesus tells the Jews.

“But you do not believe, because you are not of my sheep.” (John 10:26)

“The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me.

“But you do not believe. …”

The Jews surround Him and say to Him, “How long do You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” (John 10:24)

Jesus tells them, He tells us, it is plain as day is from night. “I told you, and you do not believe.” (John 10:25)

Their ears, eyes, hearts, and ours as well, covered. Did not / do not hear or see or understand. Did not / do not remember God’s commandments. Did not / do not remember His blessings, His promises … future victories, future judgments. They reject; they live their life based on selfishness, personal bias. They go so far, and then stop. This is not true. They refute the Bible. They refute God’s word. They claim Jesus is guilty of blasphemy when it is THEM and US, the Jew and Gentile unbeliever, who fall prey to what is condemned of another.

^“Who has believed our message?
      To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm? My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot,
      like a root in dry ground.
   There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance,
      nothing to attract us to him. He was despised and rejected—
      a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
   We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.
      He was despised, and we did not care.
Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
      it was our sorrows^[a] that weighed him down.
   And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
      a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion,
      crushed for our sins.
   He was beaten so we could be whole.
      He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
      We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
   Yet the Lord laid on him
      the sins of us all.
He was oppressed and treated harshly,
      yet he never said a word.
   He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.
      And as a sheep is silent before the shearers,
      he did not open his mouth. Unjustly condemned,
      he was led away.^[b]
   No one cared that he died without descendants,
      that his life was cut short in midstream.^[c]
   But he was struck down
      for the rebellion of my people. He had done no wrong
      and had never deceived anyone.
   But he was buried like a criminal;
      he was put in a rich man’s grave.
But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him
      and cause him grief.
   Yet when his life is made an offering for sin,
      he will have many descendants.
   He will enjoy a long life,
      and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish,
      he will be satisfied.
   And because of his experience,
      my righteous servant will make it possible
   for many to be counted righteous,
      for he will bear all their sins. I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier,
      because he exposed himself to death.
   He was counted among the rebels.
      He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.” (Isaiah 53 NLT)

Jesus is the door. We who are His sheep, His followers, have entered the way of His door, not any other, and have been given eternal life. We hear His voice. We listen with our whole being, soul and heart, to Our Master’s voice. We hear, we obey, we follow. We are One in the spirit with the Lord of Lords. We cannot be snatched away from Him who is the good shepherd fore He protects us from the evil one. We know Jesus and His Father are one. We are believers

Room for Jesus

2011-06-13T09:31:00.000-05:00

There was no room
No place
Not for His mother Mary
Nor His stepdad Joseph
Not for Himself
The Christ Child
Infant Holy

There was no room
No place
Foxes had holes
Birds had nests
But for the Son of Man
There was no place
to dwell and rest

He had the whole world
and has it still
For He, God Almighty
formed it from nothing
Our Creator is He

But there is no room
No place

The Call extended
to you and you and you
to become like Christ
There is no room
No place
No home on earth
to call his own

We, His followers
To Go Forth
to be His witnesses
to everyone
and everywhere --
within our community
our city or state
or another more distant
with cultures beyond our own

To Seek
the poor,
the sorrowful,
the weak,
the hungry,
the thirsty,
the lame,
the blind,
the disillusioned and misguided
to show all
the way
to Him, Our Eternal Savior.

There is no room
There is no place
Except within our hearts
It is our choice
to invite Him, The Holy Spirit
into our hearts
a place to abide
to dwell and rest
a place to call home
a place of life

There was no room
There was no place

But there can be ...

When you accept God's call
When you give your heart to Him

Won't you give Him room
a place
to be Lord of your life?

Cathy Orrick Luders
6.13.2011

"...and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." (Luke 2:7 NKJ)

"Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." (Matthew 8:20)

"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8)

God's blessings can be found in any situation

2011-06-10T08:55:00.000-05:00

Blessings
come.
Sometimes
a situation
develops
and we don't see
the good
in it
Only the bad
But God's blessings
can be found
in whatever situation.
Good
Bad
Ugly

When our being
is kept eyed on
The Holy One
When our questions
start with
How Lord
rather than
Oh what will "I" do
He helps us,
guides us,
shows us
the way past
the chaos.

Oh what a blessing
indeed
to call upon
The Lord
to bear
under the load
of a given day
with His strength
His power
His love.

Keep us always mindful
Lord
of You
and Your majestic greatness
Remind us
daily
to stay focused
on You
Not
to falter and fall away
Never
to neglect
our loving obedience
to you,
Our Lord and Savior.

Cathy Orrick Luders
6.10.2011

"Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power." (Ephesians 6:10 NKJ)

"Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer." (Romans 12:11-12 NRSV)

We are chosen ... to be His

2011-06-08T09:12:00.000-05:00

"Long ago, even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the wonderful kindness he has poured out on us because we belong to his dearly loved Son." - Ephesians 1:4-6 NLT

Chosen
chosen before time
by the Lord God above
chosen to be
a child of the King
you and me
and him and her
adopted into His Kingdom
through the
shed blood of His Son
Jesus!
Chosen
and settled for eternity
adopted into His family.

His family --
may
or may not
be
your spouse
your children
your brother or sister
your cousin
your nephew or niece
your uncle or aunt.
His family --
all ... everyone
who professes
the Lord Jesus
as their Savior
who is
obedient
to the call extended
and follows
and still obedient,
abiding in Him,
He abiding in us.

Chosen
selected personally
by the Lord God
to be a vessel
of His love
first choice
second choice
There are no favorites
in God's Kingdom
There is, however,
the best choice
for this time
this moment
The present.

Chosen
to serve
the Lord God Almighty
to serve with gladness
of heart
remembering
it was His Choice
to send His Son
His Choice
to die to you
His choice.

Why should your choice
and mine be any less?

Cathy Orrick Luders
6.8.2011

Peony blooming

2011-06-07T19:51:00.000-05:00

Our James Pillow peony is now in bloom ...as of June 7, with temperatures in the 90s, there are at least 60 buds and 24 blooms

Is God's army ready for battle?

2011-06-07T15:43:00.000-05:00

“Wise warriors are mightier than strong ones; and those who have knowledge than those who have strength; for by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory.” (Proverbs 24:5-6)

“Do not envy the wicked, nor desire to be with them; for their minds desire violence, and their lips talk of mischief. Whoever plans to do evil will be called a mischief-maker. The devising of folly is sin, and the scoffer is an abomination to all.” (Proverbs 24:1, 8-9)

“If you faint in the day of adversity (trouble), your strength being small; does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it?” (Proverbs 24:10, 12)

God sees all, knows all. It is in His strength, His power, His wisdom that we are enabled to overcome evil. Wisdom and knowledge will take us farther than any strength we alone possess. Wisdom, His wisdom, guides us. In wisdom we can discern right from wrong. We can defeat the enemy.

“Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh.” (Romans 13:14)

“God did not give us a spirit of cowardice; but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline. Do not be ashamed … join (with me) in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to His own purpose and grace. (2 Timothy 1:7-9)

“Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus; share in suffering like a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one serving in the army gets entangled in everyday affairs; the soldier’s aim is to please the enlisting officer.” (2 Timothy 2:1, 3-4)

“If we have died with him, we will also live with him;

If we endure, we will also reign with him;

If we deny him, he will also deny us;

If we are faithless, he (STILL, YET) remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself.” (2 Timothy 2:11-13)

“Remind them, … warn them before God that they are to avoid wrangling over words, which does no good … do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth. Avoid profane chatter. … God’s firm foundation stands – The Lord knows those who are his. Let everyone who calls on the name of the Lord turn away from wickedness. (2 Timothy 2:14-16, 19)

We can be ordinary or we can be special. We can continue in former ways and neglect, reject God’s call on our hearts or we can reject the world’s tug and pursue God’s righteousness, faith, love and peace.

“Shun youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with stupid and senseless controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly to everyone, an apt teacher, patient, correcting opponents with gentleness. ” (2 Timothy 2:22-24)

“You must understand this, that in the last days distressing times will come. For people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, inhuman, implacable, slanderers, profligates, brutes, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to the outward form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid them!” (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

“Indeed, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. But wicked people and imposters will go from bad to worse, deceiving others and being deceived. All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient; equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:12-13, 16)

Beware of those who oppose but don’t give in to them.

“Proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching, for the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, … they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths.” (2 Timothy 4:2-4)

God’s battle … and ours, for He abides in us who abide in Him. .. We put on the Lord Jesus, His armor, to do battle in the world.

“Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically. Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful.”

(Romans 12:11-12 NLT)

“The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness … Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 13:12-14 NLT)

“Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armor of God … Take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand, to resist the evilness, and thereby, to stand firm.” (Ephesians 6:10-11, 13)

“Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” (Ephesians 6:14-18 NLT)

And may God grant you peace.

(All Scripture taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Holy Bible except where noted.)

To live as the Lord directs

2011-06-03T21:26:00.000-05:00

To live, really live, as the Lord directs, not as the world suggests and even it seems commands, means
to give up our lives, our thoughts, our desires and dreams, our positions. To renounce all we have, all we hope to have, all we plan, all we do, and lay it at the feet of Jesus, at the foot of the cross, in His hands.

To live, really live, as the Lord directs, means first we must be obedient. Obedient to His call -- "Come."

"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine."
(Isaiah 43:1 NRSV, New Revised Standard version)

It is in our obedience to the Lord that our faith grows ... But easy it is not. God tells us, "My grace is sufficient for you." (II Corinthians 12:9) My grace, My love. God's grace is God's love. His love is nothing like that between husband and wife. But more, much more.

He is with us ... Always, forever.

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior." (Isaiah 43:2-3)

We are precious to Him. He created us. We are His children. Precious ... and honored ... and loved. God yearns for His spirit to live within us. He wants more than anything for us to "know" and take hold of
His love.

His instructions, His teachings, His commandments are written in His Word for the benefit of His children.

"Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you." (James 4:8)

"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you." (James 4:10)

His children. He created all.

"whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made." (Isaiah 43:7)

From all nations, all nationalities, every religion, known and unknown.

"Bring forth the people who are blind, yet have eyes, who are deaf, yet have ears!
Let all the nations gather together, and let the people assemble ... Before me no god was formed,
nor shall there be any after me. I, I am the Lord." (Isaiah 43:8-11)

To live, really live, as the Lord directs, we would be content with God's truth, God's love, God's commandments, God's promises. Truth is God and God is love. Truth without love is a falsehood, a lie. All perceptions, all knowledge, all so-called truth is meaningless, worthless, useless, if there is not love.

"If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing." (I Corinthians 13:1-3)

He tells us His grace is sufficient, for His power is made perfect in weakness. All of His children are weak, the world over, we have no power, unless we are united with The One, The Only One, The True One, The Holy One, The Eternal One. If we would only look upward and grasp hold of Christ's hand extended to us ...

Related post: Stay focused on Jesus, 11.21.2009

Only in Christ are we anything

2011-05-29T13:56:00.000-05:00

God is the Truth
We crucified Christ
We crucified the Truth
We set up our own truth
We determined our way
was the right way, the best way
We knew what could
make another happy
We had only to persist
in making them see the light
We are messengers of His Light
yet we fight against it
and follow our own way.

Jesus was humble
a servant among us
yet we
do not follow the way
of His humbled heart
but become
full of pride
and domineering
toward another.

We develop an attitude
of being better
using position in life
to usurp another.
We should not so reason
for fellowship can be destroyed.

No one is greater
It is our faith
in the Lord Jesus
that brings us together,
unites us.
Not our experiences
Not our prestige
Not anything
other than what we are,
what we have
through Christ, our Savior.

Single-Minded Obedience: So simplistic yet so hard

2011-05-27T09:30:00.000-05:00

To obey
To be obedient
To rely totally
always
only
on Christ
on His Word

Not on self
Not on peers
Not on feelings
Not on governments
peeling promises
resulting in half truths
and lies

But to cling
to all that the Lord is
to all the security He offers
no matter what the world
suggests

To remember
the dream
He gave you

To listen
to His still small voice
heard
during the nights you cannot sleep
or during an exam you struggle to comprehend
or even with another with whom personalities clash
Don't let barriers prevent you
from hearing
with your ears, your eyes, your heart

Jesus hears
He listens
He answers

Do you pour out your heart to Him
who does hear your agony and
frustration?

Do you wait for His reply?

Are you obedient in your response
when His answer
requires
a step of faith?

Cathy Orrick Luders

5.27.2011

The path to joy is found in JESUS!

2011-05-26T09:06:00.000-05:00

We rejoice.
By God's mercy
through His Son
We are blessed
with a new birth
a living hope --
The resurrection of
Jesus Christ from the dead.

Our inheritance
not of gold or silver
but of that which
will not perish,
undefiled, unfaded,
kept secure in heaven
for you and me.

We rejoice.
Our obedience to God's call
brings us to salvation
- the new birth -
our souls have been cleansed,
and to faith.
It is our genuine faith
in the Lord Jesus
that fuels our obedience.

We rejoice
when we've come through
the fiery trials
that bewilder us
and bring much turmoil.

We rejoice
bestowing praise and honor and glory
upon the Lord Jesus

Him
whom we have not seen
yet love
Him
whom we believe in
and have
glorious JOY
(paraphrased from I Peter: 1:3-9)

Where is the path to joy?
Jesus is our joy!

Henry van Dyke penned the words to "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee." Music was written by Ludwig van Beethoven.

verse 1:
Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, Opening to the sun above,
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness, Drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness, Fill us with the light of day.

verse 2:
All Thy works with joy surround Thee, Earth and heaven reflect Thy rays,
Stars and angels sing around Thee, Center of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain, Flowery meadow, flashing sea,
Chanting bird and flowing fountain,Call us to rejoice in Thee.

verse 3:
Thou art giving and forgiving, Ever blessing, ever blest,
Wellspring of the joy of living, Ocean depth of happy rest!
Thou our Father, Christ our Brother -- All who live in love are Thine;
Teach us how to love each other, Lift us to the joy divine.

verse 4:
Mortals, join the happy chorus With the morning starts began;
Father love is reigning o'er us. Brother love binds man to man.
Ever singing, march we onward, Victors in the midst of strife,
Joyful music leads us sunward In the triumph song of life.

The call

2011-05-24T18:41:00.000-05:00

The call
extended
The answer
given
Obediently
I go
from a life
past lived
to one anew
Learning,
growing,
fellowship
sweet
Faith blossoms
with Him
as my Lord
and me
as His child

Pretty Things At Our House

2011-05-24T17:56:00.000-05:00

A Beacon of Light

2011-05-20T08:42:00.000-05:00

Today's devotional led me to Psalm 119:10-16, particularly verse 13. I was reading in the New King James version when I decided to see how it read in the Chicken Soup for the Soul Bible (New Living Translation). Those verses are here:
10 "I have tried my best to find you -- don't let me wander from your commands. 11 I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. 12 Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your principles. 13 I have recited aloud all the laws you have given us. 14 I have rejoiced in your decrees as much as in riches. 15 I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways. 16 I will delight in your principles and not forget your word."

What lies within our heart will come out of our mouth. If it be God's word we profess to carry, then the Lord must have command of our whole heart, not just a teeny portion we feel obliged to share.

The very next page in my Chicken Soup for the Soul Bible was a story titled "A Beacon of Light." It was about a woman who had been considering suicide yet found her way to a church, whose tower was a brilliant beacon of light.

Suicide. It seems it is running rampant these days. Young people falling into despair and not knowing where to turn, who to turn to, how to turn around. What have they missed ... do they not know they are loved? Has the sadness within themselves brought such a lostness and forlornness ... does no one see it? Does no one reach out.

A beacon of light ... God's light ... is there shining, reaching out to you. All around you. Look up to the Father, talk to the Lord Jesus who understands your pain. He died for you. Grab hold of His hand that offers you a new life. A ray of hope.

Being a Christian; a follower of Christ

2011-05-17T11:22:00.000-05:00

Christ is not the bringer of a new religion, but the bringer of God. - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Christ came
God sent Him
The gift
Our gift
of Christ
and eternal salvation
is God's love
God's grace
culminated at the cross.

We accept
His death
His burial
His resurrection
His Spirit
alive in us.

We follow
His Way
We read and study
His Holy Word
We obey
His Truths
We remember
His Promises
We seek
His Will
We are known
as Christians
for we are
followers of Christ.

But being a Christian
Is not just a word
to be added to a resume
or hung on a wall
Is not a denomination
Is not our own interpretation
of the Scriptures
Is not a denial of what God says
Is not listening to and believing
what people of the world profess
as truth, as real
Is not preaching falsehoods
Is not a license to kill, or be hateful
Is not living for your own selfish motives

Being a Christian
is about Jesus
and our walk,
our journey through life
with Him
as our guide
and teacher
and mentor
and friend
and judge.

Being a Christian
means
we follow Christ,
The Lord Almighty.

We share
His Love
for us
with every other.

"And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch." (Acts 11:26)

"If anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God." (1 Peter 4:16)

God's will or yours?

2011-05-14T09:43:00.001-05:00

"And lo, I am with you always." - Matthew 28:20

God's will ... different?

Can it be

Is it true

What we believe to be God's will one day

may not be another day.

How can we

follow the path

we believe God has laid out for us

if it may change at a moment's notice

Have you stopped to consider ...

We can follow the Lord, yes,

but we each can make changes,

detours along the way

that may prove to be

vastly different from God's plan.

Have we asked God

about the detour we ponder taking

or have we made our own decision

Is it right or or is it wrong --

to seek God's will

perhaps find it

but ignore it

to discredit it

to say no, God's doesn't know.

I know.

God's will ... different?

Perhaps it is our will

that is different

out of step

not in tune with His

If we are really His believers,

His followers,

living under His truth,

in obedience to Him,

our will would be His will.

We would look anew

every day

at what He

has to say

to us.

We would continually

ask of Him ...

Lord, is this the way?

Lord, what will you have for me today?

Lord, show me how to get out of this pity party.

Lord, where do you want me to go today?

Lord, who do you want me to be a blessing to today?

Lord, is this the job you want me to continue?

Lord, what is your desire for me this day?

"Low, I am with your always"

Jesus tells us

Where are we

Are we with Him?

Have we forgotten

what He has taught us

Do we follow and listen

only to the sounds

of our steps

within our heart and mind,

within our personal observations

and experiences

Or,

can we truthfully say

we seek God's will

and rejoice when we do find

Cathy Orrick Luders

5.14.2011

The Lord reigns over fear

2011-05-07T09:31:00.000-05:00

Fear overwhelms us
Takes control
Drags us along the crooked and perverse
passages
over rocks
pebbles
we stumble upon
missing,
and falling
deep
withdrawing
into cocoons

the unknown
scares us

We want to know
what will be tomorrow
today
yet we do not

God knows
All
In knowing
for ourselves
all He knows
wouldn't greater fear
protrude its
ugly head?

Is it not safer
Are we not more secure
alas, even more confident
if / when
fear envelopes us
we look upward
to Him

Him
The Lord Jesus Christ

The Lord of all
of life
of death
of fear
of courage
of strength
of love

Look upward!
and pray
share your concerns, your worry, your fears
with The One
who does understand
Seek the meaning of His Word for you
Believe in His promises
of hope and a better tomorrow
Believe in Him
In His Love for you.
He has conquered fear
and death
He is The Overcomer

Fear does not belong
here
For if / since
we are one
with Him
through Faith
we have His peace

His peace
His love

Peace.
Whatever comes
God knows all
and we are surrounded
by His presence,
His love
and that is enough.

We face an unknown
our fear escalates
But the fear within us
will dissipate, yield and fade
Freedom reigns
through faith
in the strong and living Savior
The Lord Jesus Christ.
(See Matthew 8:23-27)

Cathy Orrick Luders
5.7.2011

The form of Christ

2011-05-06T08:54:00.000-05:00

To be formed, shaped
The form of Christ
is the way to be
His form works on us
so His form becomes our form
We live and strive
to be as He is
in the world
in all of time.

We are not to be like
David or Moses or Paul
or Esther or Ruth
They were who they were
and we each
are us,
individuals.

We cannot be another
The path we take
may be similar to another
but not completely
It is ours
and it is our faith
in the Lord Jesus
who guides us
who shapes us
Our form is His form
in us.

Are we human ... as Christ?

2011-05-03T11:13:00.000-05:00

Jesus Christ
The Incarnate One
God became human
because of His love for creation

Jesus Christ
The Crucified One
God pronounces final judgment
on His fallen creation

Jesus Christ
The Resurrected One
God puts an end to death
A new creation, a new life is born.

To be real
To be new
To take the form of Christ
as
human

What is real
What is new
How is the form of Christ
different

In Ephesians 4:17-32,
we see a new creation
in righteousness
and holiness,
according to God

To give up former ways, old ways
of conduct that lead us away from God,
away from The Truth,
to self-seeking / selfish behavior,
to evilness.

Away from foolish talking and coarse jesting,
bitterness, wrath, loud quarreling,
excessive and continued anger

To take the form of Christ
as
human

To be kind
tender
forgiving
loving

Once in darkness
now light in the Lord
We are to walk as children of light.
(See Ephesians 5:8)

The form of Christ
The one who came
to save
The Incarnate One
The Crucified One
The Resurrected One

In Galatians 5:16,
we are reminded to
"walk in the Spirit"
and we won't be overcome
with the lust of the flesh.

The form of Christ
as
human

to bury (all) our desires of the flesh

The form of Christ
as
human
We to live
is and in
as He

love
joy
peace
patience
kindness
goodness
faithfulness
gentleness
self-control
(See Galatians 5:22-23)

Not conceited,
not provoking another
not envying
not deception

The form of Christ
as
human

Is real
new
and alive

Are we human
as Christ?
Is His example the one
we follow?
Are you
a child of the Light?

The Light returns

2011-04-30T09:15:00.000-05:00

"Thus let all Your enemies perish, O Lord! But let those who love Him be like the sun when it comes out in full strength." (Judges 5:31 NKJV)

A new day
dawning
The Lord's Day,
every day

In days long past
night expectantly waits
for the coming
of Light

He is here!
Morning comes
bringing joy
gladness of heart

The baby Jesus is born
a light
in the
surrounding darkness

The Light - Jesus.
The message
proclaimed. He
dominates
the darkness,
overcoming the evil
that threatens us,
that seeks to destroy us.

Satan
and all of his followers
have not won,
darkness does not rule
Appearances can be deceiving.

The Light - Jesus
dominates
overcomes
He is The Victor

His life
given
for yours
for mine

Fulfillment.
Completeness.
Morning comes again
The sun shines
The Son has risen
bringing renewed joy
hope
love

The Lord has risen!
He has risen indeed.

Cathy Orrick Luders

4.30.2011

Are you a doubter?

2011-04-28T09:08:00.000-05:00

The doubter
questions
wants clear answers
wants to be sure
not gullible,
not deceived
not drawn into
a fellowship filled with enthusiasm
for the wrong reason

Thomas,
one of Jesus' disciples,
a doubter.
We too
pass through, suffer from
this dilemma

Thomas responds,
"Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails
and put my finger into the print of the nails,
and put my hand into His side,
I will not believe." (John 20:25)

Woe to him
to others too
to us
to not believe
simply because we have not seen,
have not witnessed

Where is your faith!?
For Jesus has said
even faith as small as a mustard seed
can move mountains. (see Matthew 17:20)

IF
to believe
we must see
with our very own eyes
and hear
with our very own ears

There is much of life
to be missed
that has already been missed

The doubting can believe
Thomas did
but only because he saw
what he needed to see
to believe.

Jesus says to us all,
"Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:29a)

That One ... JESUS!

2011-04-26T08:12:00.000-05:00

You who do not believe
who proclaim there is no God,
that JESUS is NOT His Son,
that He is mere human
and nothing more

THAT ONE
died for You
and You and You

For Your Sins
He hung on the cross

For Your Sins
He had nails pounded into flesh

For Your Sins. ... And mine.

THAT ONE
who you refuse and reject.
who You buried and laughed at
and said, "no more."

THAT ONE
His Father God
resurrected
And lives among us still.

Yet You continue the path
you've chosen.
JESUS conquered death.

But You
You who do not believe
who proclaim there is no God
that JESUS is NOT His Son,
that He is mere human
and nothing more

You have achieved nothing.
Your path leads
to death and destruction
and judgment.

Jesus -- "a new cleansing wind"

2011-04-23T09:09:00.000-05:00

A puzzling equation of science …
The resurrection of Christ - for how can it be?!

A miracle …
God’s miracle
The Holy Scriptures are filled with the miracles of God surrounding us
Not to be puzzled over, questioned
But simply to believe
in God
in His Son
in the Holy Spirit
to Trust.

“He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” (John 3:36)

“…You believe in God, believe also in Me.” (John 14:1)

“Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29a)

God is the master of the universe.
He can do anything.
He can do all.
He is all.

Of Himself
Yet separate
He is the Lord Jesus sent to Earth to save its people from damnation

Jesus
the perfect atonement,
replaced the dove, the animal sacrifices of old.

Jesus
He took the sin of us all upon Himself
carried to the cross
because of His love for us.

His Father loved Him too and loves Him still
but He had to look away
He could not witness all the evilness of the world
loaded onto His precious Son. Overwhelming dismay for this One, His Son.

And so it was finished. Jesus died.
And was buried.
But death, alas, was not the end.

He said He would … after 3 days in the tomb, arise.
And so He did.

He is risen!

The Lord has risen! He has risen indeed!

Christ overcame death.

Some of us only sleep, perhaps a very sound sleep, giving the appearance of death, because we cannot be awakened.

A “new, cleansing wind,” Dietrich Bonhoeffer says.
The resurrection of Christ
rings anew, brings renewal.
Easter is coming.

Christ was reborn. He died. He was buried. After three days, He was risen.
Risen from the dead.

The dead of darkness, of sin, has died, been destroyed.

The Lord has risen to new life.
And we, as believers, through Him, live in this new life.

Our old has died. We have been reborn. And in the Last Day, our bodies in the grave or still alive on Earth will be resurrected to join Him in the heavenly realms.

Divine, supreme Love
intervenes, coming against guilty humanity and is the ultimate winner.

Easter.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (II Corinthians 5:17)

“For when we were still without strength, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly.” (Romans 5:6)

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while were were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

The judgment of sin is death. Jesus’ death was the only and final act of judgment made for the future of mankind as well as past and present. Upon Him was all our sin.

“…For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift (given by Christ) which come from many offenses resulted in justification.” (Romans 5:16)

“For as by one man’s (Adam) disobedience many (all) were made sinners; so also by one Man’s (Jesus) obedience many will be made righteous.” (Romans 5:19)

For Christians, our life has meaning only because of Easter.

If Easter wasn’t – if the Jesus Christ who died for the sins of mankind and was buried, did not arise, then our life would be meaningless. We would not be Christians, we would still be living in guilt, we would still make sacrifices for our sins and hope whatever we do/did would be good enough. The foundation upon which our whole live rests as Christians, believers in Christ, falls, collapses.

“But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is vain and your faith is also vain. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up – if in fact the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ; we are of all men the most pitiable.

“But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.” (I Corinthians 15:13-22)

“What you sow is not made alive unless it dies. And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be; … But God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body. All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fish, and another of birds.” (I Corinthians 15:36a-39)

“So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. Sown in dishonor, raised in glory. Sown in weakness, raised in power. Sown a natural body, raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and a spiritual body. And so it is written, The first man Adam became a living being. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” (I Corinthians 15:42-45)

Love, God’s Love
overcame sin

Sin and death were defeated at the cross
upon which His Son
The Christ
hung and died
buried in a tomb
and after 3 days,

AROSE!

There are no what ifs or how can you be sure. The Scriptures say it.

Do you believe?

You who do not are already damned.

“He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:16)

Christ lives because God lives, because God’s love lives.

God forgives us of our sins through Christ, His Son, when we accept and believe.
God loves us / loved us so much He came to earth as His Son to save the children of the world.

God has committed Himself to Christ, and Christ has committed Himself to us.

In Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, the faith of His disciples was confirmed, giving their faith new meaning. That new meaning encompasses Easter.

When we believe Jesus and God are one yet separate entities, that Jesus came to earth, born of God and the Virgin Mary, that He walked upon the earth teaching, suffering, being tempted (all that we too come in contact) that prophecy foretold, His destiny came to be, was fulfilled.

He died for us, was buried, and after 3 days, God set Him free – He arose. Jesus Christ arose!

And because my life is wrapped in His, I too have been set free.

“Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36)

“And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. … For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:18-23)

Let's Celebrate - Jesus IS Alive!

2011-04-21T09:19:00.000-05:00

April 24 is Easter, when Christians around the world celebrate the Risen Lord!

On April 4, 2010, over 1,300 young people (and some not so young), all of them members of Faith Church celebrated Resurrection Sunday in Budapest, Hungary.

Jesus: He Lived Among Us

2011-04-20T21:07:00.000-05:00

The Voice of the Martyrs presents the new animated film, "Jesus: He Lived Among Us."

Visit www.TheJesusMovie.com now

The kiss of remorse

2011-04-16T10:43:00.000-05:00

"One of you will betray Me.” (Matthew 26:21)

Scripture must be fulfilled. Jesus knew the path. He couldn’t waiver from it. The course of history could not be changed.

Betrayal … a turning against, a lack of trust and belief. It never comes from outside the ranks, but from within.

The hour is at hand.

“… See, he who betrays Me is at hand.” (Matthew 26:46)

Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, whom Jesus selected. For 30 pieces of silver, counted, Jesus was delivered unto death.

Judgment was executed because of God’s love for mankind. Mankind was doomed, wickedness abounded everywhere. It was this wickedness, this evil of the world, in the world, that nailed Christ to the cross. It had to be.

Judas …

he brings a multitude … chief priests and elders and others with swords and clubs… he comes to Jesus and says, “ ‘Greetings, Rabbi!’ and kisses Him. (Matthew 26:49) Jesus knows why he has come, yet he asks of him, “ ‘Friend, why have you come?’ (Matthew 26:50a)

The kiss of death. The kiss of comdemnation.

“Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him.” (Matthew 26:50)

“… all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put Him to death.
And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor.” (Matthew 27:1-2)

The kiss of remorse.

Judas, the betrayer, was filled with guilt, great sadness, extreme remorse. For Jesus, His teacher, the One whom He did not believe nor follow, the One whom He delivered unto death at Calvary for a mere pittance realizes the error of his ways.

“Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
saying, ‘I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.’ And they said, ‘What is that to us? You see to it!
Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.” (Matthew 27: 3-5)

Jesus, from the cross, forgave all of mankind.

Was Judas forgiven at the moment he realized what he had done?

Men can be saved from damnation at the last moment before death. Is Judas among those counted?

I'm still Me!

2011-04-14T22:13:00.000-05:00

Yesterday .....
April 13
A milestone celebrated
A new decade

To some I'm just a babe
To others,
more like ancient history

Alas, ....
I'm still me.

Young or old
yesterday or tomorrow
Here I be

Me.

It was a good day ...
from early morn
to close of day.

A surprise card shower
brought nearly 60 cards.

A relaxing massage
helped smooth sore muscles.

A delicious dinner with
my beloved husband
and dear friends,
little ones too,
was most enjoyable
and entertaining.

Yes, it was and is
a very good day

And I'm still Me.

VIDEO: "Yesterday When I Was Young," by Glenn Campbell

VIDEO: "Tomorrow," by Annie

God's mercies are new every morning

2011-04-11T09:03:00.000-05:00

"Through the Lord's mercies we are consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:22-23)

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27)

God's mercies ...
His love
His compassion
New
every morning
every single day
For you.
For me.

He sees
He remembers
He reaches
to embrace you
holding you
and me
secure. ... to Himself.

He is faithful
Let your heart
not be troubled

Hear Me
My child
in the breeze
as storm clouds gather
in the springtime rains
in prayer
in the worshipful gathering
of fellow believers
Hear Me
My child

"I will never leave you
nor forsake you."
(Hebrews 13:5a)

"lo,
I AM
with you
Always."
(Matthew 28:20)

Do not
falter.
Do not allow
your pain,
your suffering
- be it mental anguish
or physical uprooting
to reduce you
to a heap of black ash.

Stay close
To Me
To My Word

I see your beginnings, He tells us
You, looking back, see too
I see your final days, He reminds us
But you, you can only surmise
I see all that lies in between, He says
as we move, moment to moment

I see it all, The Lord says

Stay close ...
To Me
To My Word

"The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?"
(Hebrews 13:6a)

Whatever befalls
Come what may
It is His will
that governs
our being.

His mercies ...
His love,
His compassion
Bring renewed joy every day.

Lord,
I pray
this one of David
Psalm 17
for another.
In your blessed name ...

You have tested (his) heart
You have visited (him) in the night;
You have tried (him) and have found nothing;
(He) has purposed that (his) mouth shall not transgress.
Concerning the works of men,
By the word of Your lips,
(He) has kept (himself) from the paths of the destroyer.
Uphold (his) steps in Your paths, That (his) footsteps may not slip.
(He) has called upon You, for You will hear (him), O God;
Incline, Your ear to (him) and hear (his) speech.
Show Your marvelous lovingkindness by Your right hand,
O You who save those who trust in You
From those who rise up against them.
Keep (him) as the apple of Your eye;
Hide (him) under the shadow of Your wings.
(Psalm 17:3-8)

Amen.

Through Christ we can overcome

2011-04-05T10:27:00.001-05:00

Our faith in Christ Jesus, or even our lack of it, shows itself in our actions that God above and our fellow man sees.

If / Since we are One with Him, then our actions should reveal a calmness in that whatever comes our way we will be able to withstand it.

Romans 5:3 tells us that because of our faith, because of God's grace, we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance.

To persevere is to keep on going. We are to rely solely on God's promises, remembering Jesus whose very death unites us with Him, whose Spirit lives on in us, to guide us in the way of Truth.

A blow comes and our first reaction is "what if, what now." It is natural to fear the unknown. But what is natural does not make it right.

We must not allow fear to take root. We must not permit the darkness of Satan to gain a foothold.

Christ overcame the darkness. We too must overcome. We must persevere.

"Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us." (Romans 5:1-5 Revised Standard)

"Depart from evil, and do good; Seek peace, and pursue it." (Psalm 34:14)

"Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another." (Romans 14:19)

Jesus tells us in John 16:33 -- "... in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

"22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23-1gentleness, self-control ... 25If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." (Galatians 5:22, 23, 25)

"I Look to the Shepherd" by Walt Harrah

I look to the Shepherd,
He meets all my needs;
Beside the still waters
He faithfully leads

Bringing peace to my soul,
As His love makes me whole.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me,
follow me all the days of my life.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me,
all my life.

And when in the valley
of deepest despair,
I look to the Shepherd,
His presence is there

Bringing peace to my soul,
As His love makes me whole.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me,
follow me all the days of my life.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me,
all my life.

Video: "Think About His Love," by Don Moen

Peace comes from the Father

2011-04-04T09:09:00.001-05:00

"Peace I leave with you, My Peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27)

Peace comes to
me
from Him
my Savior
my Redeemer
my Father
in Heaven

Peace surrounds me
Embraces me
Protects me

Peace
I leave you My peace

Cathy Orrick Luders

4.4.2011

Christ is The Light -- are we a follower?

2011-04-02T08:06:00.000-05:00

"The only visible sign of God in the world is the cross." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Christ is the Light of the world
He came among us
to show us the Light
the way out
of the darkness
that consumes us

Christ died
and was reborn
He is the resurrection of the Light

Christ's death on the cross
All the darkness of humankind
was upon Him
He could not escape it
He sought its removal,
but His destiny was upon Him

A prayer to the Father
amidst a grove of olive trees
in a place called Gethsemane ...
"Abba, Father,
All things are possible for You.
Take this cup away from Me;
Nevertheless, not what I will,
but what You will." (Mark 14:36 NKJ)

The burden
The heaviness
of each of everyone
our sin
upon Him, who is without
taken
each step, each stripe, each lashing,
each pounding

All He embraced
All our sin
upon Himself
His destiny
His Father's will

All the darkness
that Jesus took upon Himself
separated Him
from the Love of His Father

but
in dying came rebirth
Three days
in the tomb
buried
just as He foretold

The resurrected body
of Jesus Christ
All the darkness of the world
was not enough
to overcome The Light.

"And the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness did not comprehend it."
(John 1:5 NKJ)

The Light of God
of the Son
triumphs

Judgment is made.

What of you and me --
The very ones whose souls
He came to save

Who do you follow
Do you remain in the darkness
or has the Light
found you?

In His image, according to His likeness

2011-03-31T09:30:00.000-05:00

Being a Christian means being a human being - as Christ became a human being.

The race we belong to is human. God created us --

"Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;" (Genesis 1:26a)

"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being." (Genesis 2:7)

In Our image
According to Our likeness

Jesus
Son of God
came
as us --
created by
Him and His Father God
in
Their image,
according to Their likeness.

Jesus
Son of God
the culmination
of us all
came
took our place
showing us
how to live
and
how to die
in Him,
and according to Him,
Lord Jesus Christ.

It is not
appearances
not emotions
not price tags
not traditions, not customs
These do not make a "human being."

We became
through God

How we
become,
what we become
is dependent on
on who we perceive
our maker, our creator.

Is it
the Word of God
or
is it
the word of me

Do we share,
Do we participate
in the sufferings
of our Lord Jesus,
the bearer of new life
and unending love,
in the life of this world,
a society of human beings
living in hopelessness ...

reaching, seeking ...
Are we there? Like Jesus,
in His image,
according to His likeness?