Don't be deceived

Even though one church may be similar to another church, if (they) don't have the same beliefs, meaning 1 God, 1 son Jesus, 1 Holy Spirit = 1 Gospel, thou are a deceiver, a false apostle.

2 Corinthians 11:13b, 14b, 15a New Living Translation: "They have fooled you by disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. "Even Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light. "So it is no wonder his servants can also do it by pretending to be godly ministers."

Don't become deceived like Eve was by the serpent. Don't believe what everyone tells you. If you preach something different, if you hear and listen and follow something different, you are deceiving others and being deceived. You are as the serpent.

Do you think all denominations preach the same ... or all religions? What do you think is the common denominator?

Disasters and our response

The message this past Sunday morning at church would have been about Father's Day, since it was Father's Day, but..... instead it was about disasters (Iowa floods), particularly about how we, as Christians, can and should respond to them when we're in its midst.

Our pastor read Job 1 and made these points:

• Disasters are not necessarily God's judgement
• Disasters can prompt us to turn from sin and turn to Christ
• Disasters can prompt us to a more fruitful life
• Disasters should prompt us to do what we can

Our response should start with faith in Christ.

1964 Goldwater glass for sale

We're planning a garage sale for Friday, June 13. No, I'm not suspicious. Hoping for good weather ... it will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. here in Cedar Rapids. Will have at least 1 collectible - a 1964 Barry Goldwater drinking glass. Asking price is $15. Other items include jelly glasses that I've decided to rid ourselves of and use instead the glasses we received as wedding presents. Also, a gas-powered weed eater, miscellaneous magazines, some small kitchen appliances and computer ware and other miscellaneous items. If interested, send an e-mail to cjandbeejay@gmail.com

A Time for Everything

"And I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God's purpose in this is that people should fear him. Whatever exists today and whatever will exist in the future has already existed in the past. For God calls each event back in its turn." (Ecclesiastes 3:14-15, New Living Translation)

The events of today (the present) happened yesterday (in the past) and will again tomorrow (in the future). Each may be different to an individual but also similar. All events are for instruction ... from the Lord.

"There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven,
A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to rebuild.
A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
A time to search and a time to lose.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak up.
A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace."
(Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)

"To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven..." - Only God knows the true time. According to our thinking the time should be now, immediately. But it never is. When is now? To everything there is a time, a season - but it's not according to our time - it's God's time.
For we are created for His purpose. But we cannot lie dormant and expect God to take care of everything without us doing anything to accomplish it. Our efforts are required for God to bring about his purpose, his desires, for us, in us. God doesn't need our help ... but we surely need His.


"There is a time to plant ... a time to harvest."
Sometimes that window appears to be extremely small.

"...a time to tear down and a time to rebuild."

What goes around comes around again and again.

What day was the first day?

"God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day." (Genesis 1:5)
"Then God said, 'Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth; and it was so. Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also. God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. So the evening and the morning were the fourth day." (Genesis 1: 14-19)

The evening and the morning were the first day. What time did evening begin? When is sunset? What day of the week was the first day?

From my perspective, in current times, Saturday is considered the seventh day and Sunday the first day. But that isn't true everywhere. What is Saturday and Day 7 here may be Friday or Sunday somewhere else. And then, of course, evening-morning was changed to morning-evening (12:01 a.m. to midnight) as Day 1. And the same calendar is not used by everyone.

Does it matter? Is it important? We won't know, not as long as we live in this world. The day we are ushered into the presence of our Lord, then, we may know. If its important to know. Worshipping and praising our Lord and Savior just may be more important than trivial pursuits of knowledge.

Show mercy and compassion

The Lord tells us (in Zechariah 7:9-10) to
"Execute true justice,
Show mercy (or lovingkindness) and compassion
Everyone to his brother.
Do not oppress the widow
or the fatherless,
The alien or the poor.
Let none of you plan evil in his heart
against his brother."

Verse 11 says,
"But they (the Hebrew people) refused to heed,
shrugged their shoulders,
and stopped their ears
so that they could not hear."

And so, as says in verse 13, "...I (the Lord) would not listen."

Who do you think your brother is .... ?
Who is the widow?
Who is the fatherless?
Who is the alien?
Who is the poor?

Do you, do we, are we any more obedient to God than the people of Old Testament times?

The 4th Commandment of the Lord

Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy

So, what is the Sabbath? when is the Sabbath? When do we observe the Sabbath? When and how do we keep the Sabbath holy? How does the 4th commandment relate to the other commandments?

These are my my own thoughts based on what I have gleaned from the Scriptures.

God's law is principally about faith. Listening, waiting for God's answer, earnest prayer, then following through. The Ten Commandments are instructions God gives us. We are to learn and pass it on. Learn what God says, teach others what God says. Not learning and teaching what we think, what others think. We will know when we wait on God, seek him earnestly in prayer. Our faith makes us whole.

"Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law." (Romans 3:31)

Without faith we can not understand all that God's law entails. We can not know the whys and wherefores, we can not fully comprehend, not even partially. Obeying the commandments, the law, without faith is of no use. Works alone gets you nowhere. Works do not make you righteous. If you're not righteous, you are not in right standing with God. You are unrighteous, unholy.

"Observe the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. ... And Jesus said to his disciples - The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. ... Therefore the Son of man is also Lord of the Sabbath." (taken from Exodus 20, 23, 31, Mark 2)

The Sabbath is a sign between God and believers throughout generations, that you - we may know that "I am the Lord who sanctifies you - consecrates, makes holy, cleanses? purifies? sets you apart? We are to keep the Sabbath therefore because it is holy to you. A day of rest and refreshment.

"One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day (such as the Sabbath), observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day to the Lord, he does not observe it." (Romans 14:5-6)

What day is the Sabbath? - the 7th day. But worship is not just one day a week - it's an everyday happening.

What does it mean, 'remember the Sabbath - keep it holy? "And God blessed the 7th day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from his work of creation." (Genesis 2:3) It does not say He doesn't bless days 1 through 6 or that those days are not holy. Remember the Sabbath - a day of rest from work - keep it holy - reflect on the Lord, on all He is, all He has done.

The first day - the evening and the morning, sundown to sunrise - what day was the first day? When God created, days of the week were not established. There was no calendar. Where does it say day 1 is Sunday or day 7 is Saturday?

"And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made." (Genesis 2:2)

Again, as Jesus himself said, the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

A corporate day of worship - be it Saturday or Sunday or some other day - we have no individual right to judge the reasonings thereof. In this day and age, how do we remember, observe? How do we keep it holy?

Stimulus money - how grateful are we?

Ah, what a break! The government says, or so we hear, if you file a 2007 income tax refund, you will get $600 back for an individual, $1200 for a married couple ..... It's what in the very fine print .... where it says you will get up to $600, up to $1200. ... where it says you might get $600 or $1200. It's not set in stone. There are all sorts of scenarios the government has set up. If you make this amount, of if your net income liability is less than another amount.

A married couple filing jointly may only get $600. A single individual may only get $300. Depends on how much income you brought in last year.

But look on the bright side .... no matter how much or how little the amount is, its still a gift ... we didn't earn it. ... Where is our graditude?

BIBLE TRUTHS

• When confrontation is necessary to resolve conflict, Christians are to confront in love in order to restore relationships.
• Christians are to take the necessary actions to be reconciled to others in a conflict situation.
• Disobeying God has immediate and longterm consequences, including boggind down in one's journey of faith.
• Jesus desires to forgive our past sins and directs us to live pure lives in the future.
• When Jesus transforms a person's life, no arguments can convince that person that his or her experience is not valid.
• Like a good shepherd, Jesus knows, sustains, and protects His sheep. He even sacrificed Himself for them.
• Even when situations seem hopeless and are irreversible, Jesus is able to help people through tragedies and restore hope to their lives.
• Jesus, the Messiah-King, died on the cross for our sins.
• Because Jesus rose from the dead, His followers are to tell others Jesus lives for them and that He ascended to God the Father for them.
• Jesus wants His followers to serve others humbly as He did.
• Those who love Jesus do what He tells them to do and produce fruit that lasts.
• Christians should anticipate the world's hating them, continue to testify of Jesus during times of persecution, and remain steadfast and faithful.
• Conflict situations provide opportunities to please and honor God.
• In a conflict situation, believers are to accept responsibility for their attitudes and actions that contribute to the conflict.
• God wants His people to obey Him and blesses those who diligently do so.
• The Lord is God, and His people are to remember He is God in their difficult times as well as in their good times.
• When believers come before God in worship, they should seize the opportunity to renew their devotion to Him.
• Believers demonstrate unity by supporting one another.
• God calls each of us to use the gifts and skills He gives us to serve the body of Christ.
• Because God's offer of salvation is for all people we are to share the gospel with all people and invite them to faith in Jesus Christ.

Jesus

Jews who still currently do not believe in Jesus will eventually, someday, come into favor with God the Father and receive Christ as their Savior.

Everyone, Jew and Gentile alike, who does not know Jesus, who have not accepted Him, believed in Him, acknowledged Him as their personal Lord and Savior, will have no part in His kingdom. They are spending eternity in hell.

Once you die, once you are physically dead, there is no turning back. That's it. It is The End.

Accept the Lord. Believe He died for your sins and rose again. Live in newness of life with Him before its too late.

We can walk....

We can walk through the darkest trials when we walk with God in the light.

Dearest Lord,

Your winds blow
and we think of the havoc it causes

Your sun / son shines brightly,
paving the way
enabling those in darkness
to see,
to find the way

but, we complain
that it's too Bright
we want to go our own way

Your word is ever present
in multiple translations
of The Bible
and through men and women and children of the faith
who present the Good News
to others in word and deed.

But still,
we do not see,
we do not hear,
we do not understand,
we remain ignorant.

Your calm stillness before a storm
makes us think momentarily
of the turmoil to come

But we do not reach out to you O God.
We seek to stop the inner pain
through our own means and methods.

How can I fix it...

Ah Lord,
I grow in understanding.
It is only with time,
with personal study,
with a close walk with you,
with listening, and asking questions
and listening, and obeying,
and knowing.

You are all things
You are in all things
Without you there is nothing
Without you I am nothing.

Thank you for me.
Thank you Lord
for my walk with thee
for finding me
for keeping me from being forever lost.
Thank you for sending your son.

Amen.

Cathy Orrick Luders

11.05.2007

Today is Beanne's birthday

It's interesting I think, sometimes after one dies, you remember their birthday more frequently than when they were alive. Beanne was my mother's friend - they went to college together, at Coe, back in the early 1930s. Beanne and her husband Dick became family friends. Dick was a member of the El Kahir Shrine and my sister and I often went to the annual Shrine parades. Dick was my escort when I got married. Beanne had a sense of humor ... humor keeps you young she would say to me. I'm glad they were a part of my life and through my memories, they are still alive.

Gentle words

Today's devotional brought me to Ephesians 4:17-32 ... a lot to say in that passage. Verses that particularly caught my eye and mind: "So put away all falsehood and tell your neighbor the truth ... And don't sin by letting anger gain control over you. For anger gives a mighty foothold to the Devil. Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words and slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you."

Gentle words are more powerful than angry words

My prayer is to be gentle in all my words to all I come in contact. ... to refrain from anything that appears malicious. Even when/though it not be my intent, another might perceive it as such. My desire is to be and do whatever the Lord desires. I have far to go in my journey.

Only 1 way

There is only 1 way into heaven ... and that is through Jesus Christ.

Those who think and tell others there are many ways are lying. They are Satan's workers. Only Satan would have you believe no matter what you do or how you live, you will go to heaven when you die. Everyone will go there. Hell exists only on earth. Satan will tell you, IF God loves you, why would he sentence you to hell?

Your choice, your choice.
It's what you choose.

Jesus is the way ... the only way.

Do not compromise your faith to please one of Satan's workers, to please the world.

Satan is a fallen angel. He wanted all that God had. He wanted to be God. He was sentenced to damnation.

Human beings, God's creation, were given choices. Follow and obey the Lord or do Satan's bidding.

It's our choice. Don't ride the fence, travel down the middle of the road. Follow Jesus the Lord.

... or don't. Reap the consequences of your actions.

It's About Faith

Faith is not what we see,
what appears to be
Faith is not the spoken word of others
It is not what we view on television
or read in the newspapers.

Faith is
believing, accepting
God is in control
God has all the answers
God knows.

Faith is
Looking to Him for everything,
Thanking Him for everything.
Seeking answers to all our questions from Him alone.
Not questioning
the hows, whys, whens, wheres, what ifs.

Just knowing
Just believing

Faith
can be as tiny as a mustard seed
or as huge as a mountain

We each have a mountain or many to climb
Our successes are not really ours
We achieve through our faith
in Him alone.
My Jesus
My Savior
My Lord
My God

In His Name, Amen.

Cathy Orrick Luders

9.10.2007

Faith vs. Tradition

Following Jesus is all about faith, not about tradition nor what we feel nor what we experience nor what we accomplish in life.

Last night's Bible study message, Following Jesus: "Putting Tradition In Its Place," was taken from Matthew 15: 1-20. Earlier this week I started a personal Bible study in Romans.

Following Jesus begins with faith and continues onward and upward. When we accept that Jesus died for each and everyone of us and our sins, that He was buried and that He rose again, we achieve God's righteousness, we are in right standing with God. We are His children. Because of that righteousness God has given us through His son, we are enabled to produce more righteousness by how we conduct our lives and give service to the Lord.

There is nothing more, nothing additional needed for us to be in right standing with God. Some Christian denominations mistakenly think more is needed, by saying "we interpret the Bible according to experience, reason and traditon."

God clearly says He is in control, not us. The Bible is God's book for us.

I concur with my pastor's consensus, "we interpret our experience, reason and tradition according to the Bible." Three points he made make sense to me:
(1) Don't let tradition invalidate God's commands
(2) Don't let tradition blind you to God's call
(3) Don't let tradition hide the real source of your filth

What do you think?

Fear

Dear Lord,
The fear factor is setting in. Shouldn't, doesn't belong. Help me to overcome. Trust, only you can provide what I need. But somehow I've allowed disbelief to reign. No, not disbelief. But maybe so. With you I can do all things. With you I can overcome. With you, I can move forward. When I don't totally rely on you, but take it back, take it to myself, I will fail. Help me to overcome again Lord. Amen.

Being like Christ

I wish I could be just like Jesus . . . passionate, tenderhearted, kind, humble, gentle, patient, loving, and much more. Sometimes I am, but of course not all at once. But one at a time, and not every day nor every hour.
Being like Christ is not just something a Christian should be to another Christian. Its what we should be to every one, all the time, every time.
I get upset. I criticize. I step on people's toes. I say things that come out wrong. I put my foot in my mouth. At work, at home, at church, family, on the bus, at school. Everywhere.
Jesus says in Colossians 3:13 "we are to make allowances for each other's faults and forgive the one who offends us."
But its seldom that we do all that Jesus says we should do or should be. We act, react to immediate feelings. We don't first stop and think about what Jesus would do.
I'm supposed to be a representative of the Lord Jesus. After all, God chose me to be one of His.
Think first, speak - act - react second
If only I could remember that instead of react/speak/act first and think about it all second - that's how discontent, disheartedness, depression settles in us and around us.

"Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony." - Colossians 3:14b

It is God's world afterall

Do you hear?
Chimes a-ringing
over yonder
up above
God's chapel in the sky ... on the hillside

God's creation
down below
murky water
still
Turtles big
bigger than a hand
maybe two
paddling
swimming
Dozens there are.

Stillness,
quietness
mugginess
will come
Perhaps not
Perhaps so

Pleasant sitting
out on the porch
The heat of the day
is but a moment away.

Cathy Orrick Luders

8.4.2007

Scripture

I didn't know what to title today's commentary, so have the generic title of "Scripture."
Yesterday, last night, Sunday, my husband and I went up to Cedar Falls for the Bible Conference. Its in its 86th year. Still run by free-will donations. Still a wonderful blessing to us and numerous others. Last night's speaker was Bryan Loritts, pastor of Fellowship Bible Church in Memphis, Tenn. He spoke from Matthew 25, specifically verse 31 and his subject was "Engaging the Less Fortunate."

The less fortunate ... those who have less than we do. You may not have much, but there's always another who has just a bit less.

Jesus separates the sheep from the goats. The sheep represent the saved, the righteous; the goats the unsaved, unrighteous. It is not the separation of those who care for the less fortunate vs those who do not. For there are many who care (for the less fortunate), but do not know Jesus. And until you do know Jesus, have accepted Him as your personal savior, all the works you do mean nothing. If you don't know Jesus, all the help you provide for another may be good, but it doesn't get you across the bridge ... to eternal life.

~~~~~~~

Today's Scripture reading from Our Daily Bread brought me to James 1:19-20, which says:

"... Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Your anger can never make things right in God's sight."

Oh to learn and remember. Remembering is the key I think. When you don't remember, Satan, who is always lurking in the shadows watching and waiting, pounces on you, and then by the time you remember God's words, Satan has succeeded in causing anger in raise its ugly head. Fortunately, Satan's claws don't stay implanted long, and he is crushed until the next time we cave in.

I read all of James 1. About faith and endurance. Always something new to be gleaned from God's word, every time. Verse 2: "...whenver trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy."

Trouble ... trials come in many dimensions. Our finances, our jobs and careers, our health, our relationships. Individually, don't we tend to think we have it worse than another? But then we share with each other and often discover another has it far worse than we do. What have we to complain about... yet we do. An opportunity for joy ... we should be thankful for the trials at the work place? thankful for the pain we undergo in our bodies?

Verse 12: "God blesses the people who patiently endure testing..." Patiently endure. Learning patience in the midst of our trials.