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January 4, 2018

Remembering to Remember, Part 2

By Answers2Prayer
Today we come to the concluding part of the series titled "Remembering to Remember". In this part, we shall further understand the significance of "Remembering the Lord's several favors" under two sub-headings...


Reflect...

While we all have the universal call to be witnesses for the Lord, it would serve us well to reflect on what being a faithful witness to the Lord entails. First and foremost, like a Jew would speak passionately (See Deut 6:20-25), just as Moses desired, about the Pre- and Post-Passover history of his nation (Deut. 26:1-11), every Christian who is "worth his professing salt" needs to have a "BC (read "before Christ) and an AD (read "after Christ)" experience. Before Jesus came into my life, I was a wayward sinner (a spiritually wandering Aramean--See Deut. 26:5) with no real goal in life. After Jesus came into my life, I became a focused God-pleaser (see 2 Cor. 5:9, 15-17). This ought to be the recurring refrain in every Christian's testimony.

Secondly, one needs to become more like Christ, primarily in the matter of loving God. Jesus loved the Father the most, and this truth was reflected not only in His words, but also in His actions as well. Never was this truth more on display than at the time when He submitted Himself to indescribable, excruciating agony in order for the Heavenly Father's Redemption plan for the World to be completed (See John 14:30-31/2 Cor. 5:21).

While within the mostly incomprehensible, indescribable Trinity, the love for one another stems primarily from the "Goodness" of one another. In the relation between the Christian and God, love ought also to emanate primarily from understanding the Father's "Goodness". Hence the more we remember the Lord's amazingly good virtue of faithfulness in our lives by recollecting His various favors, the more is our gratitude. And the more gratitude, the more love. Oh boy. The role of "remembering" all of our Heavenly Father's acts that He directs towards our overall welfare in revving up our spiritual lives, can never, ever be understated! A Christian deeply in love with the Saviour is the best advertisement for Christianity. As remarked St. Augustine, the great Christian Theologian of the fifth Century, "God is most glorified in my life, when people observe that He is more precious to me than all that life can give or death can take away." Remember (oh remember, yet again...sic...): the width of a Christian's Ministry for Christ is directly proportional to the depth of the relationship he or she has with Christ. By width, I do not necessarily mean popularity in the Church circles. Rather, I am referring to the number of people a Christian impacts for good, whether it is "picked up or not by the Church's or World's radar".

By the way, remembering the Lord's faithfulness in the past will also help us emotionally tide over the problems of the present (See Psalms 42:4-5), for if He has been faithful in bringing us out of messy situations in the past, He is bound to deliver us out of our present troublesome circumstances as well...

Resolve...

During this season of resolutions, what better time than now to resolve to remember the Lord's faithfulness every single day of 2018 and beyond!!!

In my own 35 years of walking with the good Lord, I have found "Prayer time" to be more fruitful when it has morphed from merely being a time of supplication or intercession to a time of recollection of the Lord's innumerable favours in my life.

So folks, remember to remember what all the good Lord has done in your life. This will stoke the smouldering ember(s) of your soul better than any other spiritual exercise, giving you thereby renewed spiritual vim, vigor and vitality to gracefully "walk" through 2018 and beyond in your (I repeat your--and not John Bunyan's) "Pilgrim's progress".

Prayer: Father, I am weak but Thou art strong, help me weak as I am, ungrateful as I am to always remember Thy several favors in my life. In Jesus' Name. Amen

Suresh Manoharan
An unworthy servant
J and SM Ministries
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Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."

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January 2, 2018

Remembering to Remember, Part 1


By Answers2Prayer
Your Bob owes our Bob a Bob, if your Bob doesn't return the Bob your Bob owes our Bob, our Bob will give your Bob a Bob in the eye...

So goes an old tongue in cheek tongue-twister with the word Bob being repeated not less than 10 times. Now Moses, that peerless leader of Old Testament times, certainly did not want his swansong sermon, the one he delivered before disappearing atop Mount Nebo and never returning (see Deut. 34:1-6), to be remembered as some kind of a tongue-twister. A closer scrutiny of his monumental address, which is preserved in the Sacred Canon under the title "Deuteronomy", would reveal that he used the word "Remember" again and again to press his point home. He used it 16 times to be more precise! When we consider at what stage of their wilderness journey the children of Israel were at that point in time (remember that they were travelling from Egypt to Canaan under his leadership), the word "remember" becomes all the more relevant. Oh yes, they were camped on the Eastern Bank of River Jordan, with the "Promised Land" seemingly just a stone's throw away. With the mission, "Conquest of Canaan", looming large before them, they, more than anything, needed to be reminded of the Lord's power and faithfulness in shepherding their nation through the wilderness over the past 40 years. They needed this to emotionally and spiritually strengthen them for the mission ahead. After all, for the previous generation who had seen with their "own eyes" (words "own eyes" used advisedly), all of God's powerful miracles in Egypt and beyond, had declared the task of conquering Canaan, courtesy their wavering faith, "Mission impossible", and this had lead to the tragic and anticlimiatic "so near...yet so far" end (See Numbers 13-14).

The audience Moses was addressing now hadn't seen with "their eyes" like their fathers before them. Instead, they would hear with "their ears" (words "their ears" used advisedly) all of God's power and faithfulness, and Moses' message, as evidenced by the subsequent events, would achieve the desired positive, salutary effect (Joshua 11:23). As they took upon themselves the task of conquering Canaan, they were earnestly influenced by this singular address to "remember". Talk about faith being generated by hearing and not by seeing... (see Romans 10:17)...

With us about to enter the New Year, after being shepherded faithfully by our good Lord through the previous ones, yours truly felt inspired to share a 2-part series about the Lord's faithfulness from the book that, after Psalms and Isaiah, is the most often quoted in the rest of the Bible: The book of Deuteronomy...


Remember...

A Biblical Scholar put a spiritual truth very creatively as such: "God gives and forgives whereas men get and forget". How true! It is this forgetfulness that leads to the "cooling down of the first love" (Rev. 2:4-5). Because much of love is dependent on gratitude (see Luke 7:47), it would serve us well to regularly stoke the fires of gratitude by remembering again and again what all the good Lord has done for us faithfully over the years. And not only in 2017. That's what spiritual exercising is all about (See 1 Tim. 4:8). Oh how often, when his spiritual temperatures have plummeted, yours truly would be led to seek solitude (see Matt 6:6) to revive his spiritual health. For unlike in the physical realm, good health of the soul and temperature are directly proportional. Our Heavenly Father, who would not put off a smouldering wick, is so faithful (See Matt. 12:20). He has time and again helped me, through His Holy Spirit, in my weakness (Romans 8:26) to breathe fire into the smouldering embers of my soul.

Unless one is healthy spiritually, where is the question of us standing up as faithful witnesses for the Lord, which ought to be the primary goal of any Christian at all times?

Coming back to Deuteronomy, the Israelites would soon be living off the fat of the Land flowing with milk and honey. They faced the live danger of becoming "fat and bloated" by concentrating more on the gifts, as it were, than on the faithful Giver of those gifts. Therefore Moses, besides so many times making them "remember" about the Lord's loyalty towards their welfare in his farewell message, also taught them a song. A portion of this song, that I am quoting verbatim hereunder, has overtones of gentle warning. The portion is oh-so-explanatory that it ought to serve as a gentle warning to all us even in the current age as well:

"But Israel was soon overfed; Yes, fat and bloated; Then, in plenty, they forsook their God.
They shrugged away the Rock of their salvation..." (Deut. 32:15 TLB).

God forbid such a condition coming upon a Christian whose needs have been adequately taken care of at all times by our Divine Provider...

Prayer: Father, I confess I often forget Thy innumerable favors in my life to my own detriment. I resolve hereby to remember Thy manifold blessings. In Jesus' Name. Amen.


Suresh Manoharan
An unworthy servant
J and SM Ministries
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December 30, 2017

Control! A New Years' Message...


By Answers2Prayer 

 While He was here on Earth, Jesus gave us a simple command: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matt. 11:28 NET)

It sounds easy enough, doesn't it? I mean, how hard can it be to "come" to the lover of our souls (See Ps. 18:19)? How difficult should it be to "come" to our best friend (See John 15:14-16)? How tough is it to "come" to the most powerful being in the universe (See Matt 19:26), the steadfast, unmoving "rock" (See Is. 26:4)?

Why is it then, that in the face problems, do I have so much difficulty "coming"? Why do I so often fall into the traps of worry, fret, discouragement, self-pity, depression, even anger? Hasn't God proven Himself faithful time and time again? Why is it so hard to "come"? 

I found the answer this morning. The Biblical setting was just before the fall of Jerusalem, the fall brought on by the continuous, stubborn insistence of God's people to worship their idols instead of God. In the midst of the turmoil, a group of men came to the prophet Ezekiel seeking God's council, and God's response is quite interesting: "Son of man, these men have erected their idols in their hearts and placed the obstacle leading to their iniquity right before their faces. Should I really allow them to seek me?" (Ezek. 14:3 NET) 

Whoa. These men were being rebuked by God for having "idols" in their hearts, "idols" that act as "stumbling blocks" and were being used by the enemy of our souls to cause them to fall into sin! Because these men weren't willing to give up their other "gods", because they weren't ready to embrace God's sovereignty, He rebuked them. 

I realized as I read this verse that God was telling me why it can be so hard for me to "come". It is because I have set up an "idol" in my heart, and that "idol" is the enemy's stronghold, the "rock in my path" so to speak that the devil uses to ensnare me. 

Just what is my "idol"? 

It didn't take God long to place Truth in my heart: My "idol" is...control! I want to be in control. I need to do things to resolve problems. I desire to figure things out on my own, and this so often keeps me from coming. 

But I actually do sometimes "come" to the Lord with my problems, and often when I do, I don't get any answers...Why?

It is interesting that in the Ezekiel story, the men actually did "come" to God as well, yet He rebuked them: "Should I really allow them to seek me?" It made me think. When I do come to Jesus with my troubles, could it be that it is only to ask Him to bring about the solution I came up with? I'm afraid that I am very guilty of doing just that, and God's response to me is the same as His response to the men who sought Him through Ezekiel: "Should I really allow--her--to seek me?"

It makes sense, really. How can God manifest His power in something that I am not willing to relinquish completely to Him? How can He work to bring about "my" will when it is goes against His own? 

When Jesus tells us, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matt. 11:28 NET), this isn't all of the command. He goes on to say in the next two verses that we so often overlook, "Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry." (vs. 29-30 NET)

When I relinquish control of my problems, of my busyness, etc., it makes me feel vulnerable; yet I am, in essence, taking His yoke upon myself, putting myself in the position to learn from Him how gentle and humble and kind He is. And it is only in so doing that I will find rest for my soul!

I was having a "moment" yesterday. The work seemed endless, discouragement and self-pity had set in, and to top it off, everything was going wrong. My family noticed my panic (they would have had to be pretty blind not to!), and bless their hearts, they prayed for me. I was able to take Jesus' yoke. I laid my problems, my worries and my work in His hands, and I immediately felt peace. Who is surprised to know that everything proceeded to get done in a timely fashion, with God even sending me help from unlikely sources? 

Control? I renounce you in the name of Jesus. No longer will you keep me from coming to the only true source of help. No longer will you keep me from taking Jesus' yoke and learning from Him. No longer will you be a stumbling block causing me to sin. Be gone! Instead, I come and I take up Jesus' yoke, for it is easy and light; and I give the all-powerful God of the universe--the tender lover of my soul, my best friend, my rock, my confident--complete and total control!

Will you join me in my New Years' resolution? 

In His love,
Lyn

Lynona Gordon Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two, Author -- "Aboard God's Train -- A Journey With God Through the Valley of Cancer", Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries. Follow Lyn on Twitter @lynchaffart.
 
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December 5, 2017

God's Armour, Part 5: The Helmet of Salvation
By Answers2Prayer
Last Saturday, in the "God's Armour, Part 4", we saw that we take up the "shield of faith" by ensuring our faith is "covered" by the blood of Jesus, and then by remembering the mercies and the bounty of our God in past times and by spending time His Word and in His presence.

This brings us to the next piece of armour that Jesus makes available to us as part of the greatest gift ever: "And take the helmet of salvation..." (Eph. 6:17a NET)

The helmet, or galea, worn by a Roman soldier in battle, would have likely been the inspiration behind the imagery of the helmet of salvation. Paul would have been very aware that when a soldier suited up for battle, the helmet was the last piece of armour to go on, and in essence, donning the helmet was the final act of readiness in preparation for combat.

Why did they wear a helmet?

To protect the body's command station, the brain.

Let's remember that the battlefield against the devil is primarily in the mind. We are told that we don't battle against physical enemies, but spiritual (See Eph. 6:12), and that God will "...keep completely safe the people who maintain their faith, for they trust in ." (Is. 26:3 NET). Thus, the primary purpose for this piece of spiritual armour is to protect our minds from the fiery darts of deception. And since this is exactly what the devil continually tries to throw our way, this "helmet" becomes a vital piece of our armour!

As we approach the Christmas season, the most beautiful part is that this "helmet" represents Jesus' Christmas gift to us: Salvation. And the assurance of our salvation is this impenetrable defense against anything the enemy can throw our way.

What most people don't fully comprehend is that because of the power of the cross, the devil no longer has any hold on us: "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the life-giving Spirit in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death." (Rom. 8:1-2 NET; See also Romans 6:10 and 1 Corinthians 1:18). As a result of our failure to embrace this Truth, our minds are totally unprotected, and the enemy's "fiery missiles" of deception and fear can so easily lodge themselves in our thoughts. It is only by fastening the "Helmet of Salvation" securely under our chins that, "We tear down arguments and every arrogant obstacle that is raised up against the knowledge of God..." (2 Corinthians 10:4b,5a NET).

Here are some suggestions for how to don the helmet of Salvation that I found on GotQuestions.org*:

1. We don that helmet of Salvation by making a practice of renewing our minds: "Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God--what is good and well-pleasing and perfect." (Rom. 12:2 NET). Because the outcomes of the battles in our minds determine the course of our lives, we need to "renew" them by replacing all of our preconceived ideas with God's Truth.

2. We don that helmet of Salvation by grasping the truth that the victory is already won: "So you too consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus..." (Rom. 6:11 NET)! When we fully grasp this truth, we eliminate the traps Satan uses to ensnare us.

3. We don that helmet of Salvation by recognizing that God's Salvation is the most important thing in our lives: "Whom do I have in heaven but you? I desire no one but you on earth." (Ps. 73:25 NET). The helmet of salvation is only going to be effective when we begin to understand and treasure what it represents.

4. We don that helmet of Salvation by trusting in God's ability to bring us through: "Now without faith it is impossible to please him, for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." (Heb. 11:6 NET; See also 1 Peter 1:8-9). We tend to disregard whatever we cannot perceive with our senses, and as a result, Satan easily makes us believe that God isn't powerful enough to resolve our circumstances. We must reject these doubts. We must rise above what we can see and perceive, and remember that God rewards our faith!

5. Keep an eternal perspective: "But accumulate for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal..." (Matt. 6:20 NET; see also 1 Cor 3:11-13). We truly must fully comprehend that our true treasure is not material but spiritual.

In summary, when we fully embrace Jesus' Salvation and fully understand its power, when we choose to guard our minds against excessive worldly influence and to think on things that honor Christ instead, we are "donning" this "helmet of Salvation" that will "...guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 4:7 NET).

I encourage each of you today to spend some time with God contemplating the full meaning of the helmet of Salvation. Renew your minds by replacing the devil's lies with Truth. Choose to believe in what appears impossible. Keep an eternal perspective. Grasp onto the Truth that thanks to Jesus' ultimate gift to us, the victory is already won. And above all, treasure your Salvation. Then, when the flaming arrows of temptation, commercialism, tradition, doubt or discouragement are at the door, you will face them changed, empowered, protected, ready to continue the battle, "...so that you may be able to stand your ground on the evil day" and then, "...and having done everything, to stand" (Eph. 6:13 NET).

Join us Thursday for the final part: "God's Armour, Part 6: The Sword of the Spirit"!

In His love,
Lyn

Lynona Gordon Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two, Author -- "Aboard God's Train -- A Journey With God Through the Valley of Cancer", Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries. Follow Lyn on Twitter @lynchaffart.

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Join us on Thursday for the final part of God's Armouor: The Sword of the Spirit!
Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."

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December 2, 2017

God's Armour, Part 4: The Shield of Faith

By Answers2Prayer
Last Thursday, in "God's Armour, Part 3", we saw that when we put on those "gospel shoes" we are basically rooting and grounding ourselves on God's love, that same love that He poured out on us through Jesus. When we make the gospel of Jesus Christ our firm foundation, we ensure that no matter how strong the wind of circumstance or how fierce the storm of trouble--we will stand!

This brings us to the next piece of armour that Jesus makes available to us: "...and in all of this, by taking up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one." (Eph. 6:16 NET)

Of all the armour we are advised to take up, a shield is perhaps the one that makes the most sense to me. It has always been a vital part of any soldier's armour, and in Roman times, the time in which Paul lived and wrote, the shield was as large as a door and could completely cover the warrior. Not only was it a defensive weapon, but it could also be used to push opponents away; and when fighting in a group, the soldiers could position their shields so as to form an enclosure around themselves.* Thus, the shield was used to protect, screen, guard against, safeguard, provide security for, cover and defend.

This sounds like a pretty important piece of armour, doesn't it? Especially since what we are fighting is not even of the physical world: "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens." (Eph. 6:11-12 NET)

And what is this "shield" made of?

Interestingly, the Roman shield was often made of a flammable substance: Wood!*

The Bible tells us that our spiritual shield is made up of our faith, and faith is: "... being sure of what we hope for, convinced of what we do not see." (Heb. 11:1 NET).

Now I don't know about you, but my faith is often kind of like that wooden shield of the Romans: It is flammable! Sure, my faith is growing, but as soon as one of those fiery darts of the enemy comes my way, it becomes shaky at best, and it often seems to "go up in smoke".

Wood wasn't the only material used in the construction of these roman shields, however. History tells us that the base, wood, would then be covered in animal hide. Because animal hide can also be flammable, the hide-covered Roman shields would then be dipped in water, thus giving this flammable piece of armour the ability to extinguish the flaming arrows of the enemy.*

The good news about our spiritual shield is that it, too, can be covered in animal hide and dipped in water! Let's remember that when Adam and Eve first sinned, God gave them a covering of--Animal hide (See Gen. 3:21)! He would later, under the Old Covenant, command that the people make animal sacrifices, and the blood was used as a symbol of the washing away of our sins that would happen when Jesus' blood was shed on the cross (Ex. 29:10-14; Heb. 10). Thus the "animal hide" is symbolic of Jesus' blood sacrifice that once and for all forgave all of our sin, and our faith cannot stand without the firm foundation of Salvation. "Water" is also an often-used symbol that refers to a number of things in the Bible, including: the Word of God (See Ephesians 5:26), the knowledge of God (See Isaiah 55:10-11), and the presence of God (See Hosea 6:3). In the same way that the wooden, animal-hide-covered shield of the Roman soldiers were dipped in water, our spiritual shields of faith, covered by the blood of Jesus, must also be dipped in spiritual water to render them useful in our spiritual battles.

In summary then, what our often-times shaky faith-shields need in order to provide us with adequate protection from those "flaming arrows of the evil one", namely temptation, addiction, circumstance, and especially this time of year, materialism, commercialism and tradition that the enemy of our souls continually throws our way, is to be covered in the "blood of the lamb", and then "dipped in water" by spending time in the Word of God, by increasing in the knowledge of God, and by spending time in the presence of God!

I encourage each of you today to spend some time with God thinking about what it means to take up the shield of faith. Accept His Christmas gift of Salvation with all of its other beautiful parts--joy, peace, victory, healing, freedom, etc. Then spend time contemplating God's goodness to you and to others around you. Spend time in His Word and in His presence, and continue to grow in the knowledge of God. Then when the flaming arrows of temptation, doubt and discouragement are at the door, you will face them changed, empowered, protected, ready to continue the battle, "...so that you may be able to stand your ground on the evil day..." and then, "...and having done everything, to stand..." (Eph. 6:13 NET).

Join us next Tuesday for "God's Armour, Part 5: The Helmet of Salvation."

In His love,
Lyn

Lynona Gordon Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two, Author -- "Aboard God's Train -- A Journey With God Through the Valley of Cancer", Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries. Follow Lyn on Twitter @lynchaffart.


*Taken from: https://gotquestions.org/shield-of-faith.html

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Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."

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November 30, 2017
God's Armour, Part 3: Gospel Shoes

By Answers2Prayer Subscribe Unsubscribe Devotionals Contact us
Last Tuesday, in "The Armour of God, Part 2", we saw that the breastplate of righteousness refers to Jesus' righteousness, that pure and perfect righteousness that is ours at the moment of salvation. All we have to do to put on this righteousness is accept the Truth that God sees us as perfect and does not condemn us. Not only will this serve to protect us from any fatal wounds the devil may be trying to inflect, but it will also ensure that we can stand before a Holy God, leave our current concerns at His feet and learn His will!

This brings us to the next piece of armour we are told to don: "Stand firm therefore...by fitting your feet with the preparation that comes from the good news of peace..." (Eph. 6:14a,15 NET)

When I was a toddler, my grandmother was in charge of the nursery program at her church. I recall that one of the little songs she would sing to the children was called "Gospel Shoes". Though I don't remember any of the words, to this day I can see us all marching around the room in time to the music, carrying little pairs of paper shoes. I've come to know that those "gospel shoes" in my grandmother's song were the same ones referred to by Paul as part of the armour of God. Nonetheless, I still have to ask myself just what is meant by these "gospel shoes"...

Since the "gospel shoes" are mentioned as "armour", and since shoes would be considered an important part of a warrior's dress, we can find some clues as to what is meant by "gospel shoes" by looking at the role of shoes to the warrior of Paul's day...

A brief snapshot of military footwear in the 1st century comes to us from an archeological find at the Hippos-Sussita archaeological site east of the Sea of Galilee. A perfectly-preserved pair of footprints, set in mortar, were found in a Roman bastion. Given their location, they are believed to have been left by a 1st century roman soldier. The prints clearly show the hobnail-type cleats on the soles of the shoes, and the meaning is clear: Not only was this footwear meant to provide protection for the wearer's feet, but it was also specially designed so that the feet of its wearer would be secure against slippage!

Therefore, when Paul tells us to stand firm by "fitting your feet...", he is suggesting a piece of clothing that will ensure that we don't slip and fall. He is encouraging us to put on something that will enable us to "stand firm", that will ensure that we are, to quote Paul's words, "fully prepared" (Eph 6:15b)!

A closer look at the verse in Eph. 6:15 shows that this footwear that I've always heard called "gospel shoes" is actually not the gospel itself, but rather: "... the preparation that comes from the good news of peace... " (NET)

What is this "preparation"?

Some translations call it "readiness"; however, when you look at how the Greek word has been translated in other contexts, it is clear that a better translation would be "foundation" or "base", as it is used in the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures) in Ezra 3:3. In other words, this support for our feet that will keep us from slipping, that will help us to "stand firm", is achieved simply by allowing the gospel of peace to be our foundation!

Let's remember that the gospel is "peace on earth", and it is a vital part of Jesus' ultimate gift to us: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people with whom he is pleased!" (Luke 2:14 NET). It is only by having the gospel of Jesus Christ, that gospel of peace, as our firm foundation, that we can even hope to stand firm.

One thing I noted while hiking the trails along the shores of Lake Superior during the summer of 2016 was that the tree roots are very close to the surface. This is because the ground is rocky with very little topsoil, and as a result, many trees are lost each year to wind. But not all trees fall. Some send their roots deeply down the tiny crevasses in the rock, and these trees stand firm. This all makes me think of Jesus' parable of the wise and foolish builders: "Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them is like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the flood came, and the winds beat against that house, but it did not collapse because it had been founded on rock." (Matt. 7:24-25 NET). When we put on those "gospel shoes" by standing firm on: "... the preparation that comes from the good news of peace..." (Eph. 6:15 NET), we are essentially sending our roots deep down the tiny crevasses of the Rock, Jesus Christ. We are grounding ourselves on God's love for us, that same love that drives out all fear (see 1 John 1:14); and in so doing, we are ensuring that no matter how strong the wind of temptation or how fierce the storm of trouble--we will stand!

I encourage each of you today to spend some time with God thinking about what it means to fit your feet with: "the preparation that comes from the good news of peace..." Ask yourself if you have truly embraced the fullness of the love of God that is so perfectly demonstrated in the gospel of Jesus Christ, the gospel that brings peace of heart and mind. If you do not fully understand how deeply God loves you, take time today to meditate on God's love for you. Accept His love, rest in it and renounce all fear. Claim Jesus' peace as your own. I guarantee you that if you do, you will walk away from your prayer chamber with your feet properly protected and shod against slippage. You will be changed, empowered, protected, ready to continue the battle, "...so that you may be able to stand your ground on the evil day" and then, "...and having done everything, to stand" (Eph. 6:13 NET)

Join us on Saturday for "The Armour of God, Part 4: The Shield of Faith".

In His love,
Lyn

Lynona Gordon Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two, Author -- "Aboard God's Train -- A Journey With God Through the Valley of Cancer", Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries. Follow Lyn on Twitter @lynchaffart.

Announcement:

Do you have a prayer request? Do you know someone who needs to be prayed for? Prayer works! The Bible confirms this in James 5:16: "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." (NIV) Send your prayer request to prayerrequest@answers2prayer.org and let us pray in agreement with you! Matt 18:20: "For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." (NIV) Hallelujah!
Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."

Welcome to the Nugget
November 28, 2017
God's Armour, Part 2: The Breastplate of Righteousness
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By Answers2Prayer
Last Saturday, in "The Armour of God, Part 1", we saw that the belt of Truth refers to Jesus' ultimate gifts to us: joy, peace, love, wisdom...power! We "wrap" this "belt of Truth" around our waists by accepting each of these gifts for ourselves, and when we do, we are ensuring that we will have God's wisdom and power to help us "resist the devil" (see James 4:7, 1 Peter 5:9) and "stand firm" (See Eph. 6:10-18).

This brings us to God's next piece of armour: "Stand firm therefore...by putting on the breastplate of righteousness..." (Eph. 6:14 NET)

Now I could relate to last Saturday's belt, for I have many in my closet. But a breastplate? No one wears one of those. In fact, I had to go to the dictionary to find out that a breastplate is actually a piece of armour covering the chest...

You all know that the chest is the body cavity containing the heart and lungs, which are our most vital body organs; but did you know that the most fatal stab wounds are those to the left chest region, involving injury to the heart or its vessels? Thus, the purpose of a breastplate is to protect our most vital body organs.

Let's remember that the attacks God's armour protects us from are all spiritual in nature: "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but...against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens" (Eph. 6:12 NET). Let's also remember that spiritually speaking, our spiritual lungs are filled with the breath of God, and this is what gives us life (See Gen 2:7). In similar fashion, our spiritual hearts are the hearts of spirit-born children of God. Thus, the trials, temptations, addictions, physical and mental illnesses and financial problems that assault us are nothing but strategies of the devil designed to attack our spiritual lungs and heart. Without the breastplate, these attacks of the enemy could very well be spiritually fatal; but with this breastplate of righteousness firmly in place, our most vulnerable spiritual body parts are protected.

So just what is this "righteousness" that the breastplate is made of?

This refers to the righteousness that Jesus purchased for us at the cross: "God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God." (2 Cor. 5:21 NET). Our own righteous acts are no better than dirty, worn-out strips of clothing (See Isaiah 64:6), and any righteousness from ourselves can do nothing against the attacks of the enemy. But when we accept Jesus' Salvation, that means God no longer sees the bad things we have done ("...as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." Ps. 103:12 NET). Instead, He sees in us the good things Jesus has done (See 2 Cor. 5:21), and as a result: "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Rom. 8:31 NET).

The problem is, even though Jesus' righteousness is available to us from the point of salvation on, we so often don't understand and accept that God no longer condemns us (See Rom. 8:1), and this leaves us vulnerable to spiritual attack. When we choose, however, to put on this "breastplate of righteousness" by embracing the truth that Jesus' righteous is ours, when we accept the truth that we are received and embraced by Him, then this "breastplate of righteousness", this assurance that God does not condemn us, will protect our most vital spiritual body parts against the lies and the temptations of the devil.

Interestingly, there is one other way that a breastplate was used in ancient Jewish history. A jeweled breastplate, known as the "breastplate of decision", covered the chest of the high priest (see Ex. 28). On it were 12 stones, each representing one of the 12 tribes of Israel. It also held the Urim and the Thummim, stones used in communicating with God (See Ex 28:30). The Bible actually tells us the exact reason for this "breastplate of decision": "Aaron will bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of decision over his heart when he goes into the holy place, for a memorial before the Lord continually. You are to put the Urim and the Thummim into the breastpiece of decision; and they are to be over Aaron's heart when he goes in before the Lord. Aaron is to bear the decisions of the Israelites over his heart before the Lord continually." (Ex. 28:29,30 NET).

In other words, Aaron's breastplate enabled him to represent the people in the presence of the Lord and to learn the Lord's will for them. We can never stand before a Holy God, let alone bring our questions to Him, wearing nothing but our own filthy-rag-type righteousness. Only through the merits of Jesus' righteousness, imputed to us at Salvation, can we stand. It is only when wearing Jesus' righteousness that we can learn the Lord's will.

In the midst of any assault of the devil, be it temptation, spiritual attack, trials, illnesses, or simply the circumstances of life itself, isn't standing before the Lord exactly what we long to do?

I encourage each of you today to spend some time with God thinking about just what it means to put on the "breastplate of righteousness". Do you truly recognize that Jesus' righteousness is a gift for you? Have you accepted it as your own? Do you fully comprehend that God does not condemn you? If not, then don this "breastplate" daily by accepting anew His righteousness as your own. I guarantee you that if you do, you will walk away from your prayer chamber changed, empowered, protected, ready to continue the battle, "...so that you may be able to stand your ground on the evil day" and then, "...and having done everything, to stand" (Eph. 6:13 NET)

Join us next Tuesday for "The Armour of God, Part 3: The Gospel Shoes"!

In His love,
Lyn

Lynona Gordon Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two, Author -- "Aboard God's Train -- A Journey With God Through the Valley of Cancer", Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries. Follow Lyn on Twitter @lynchaffart.


Announcement:

Do you have a prayer request? Do you know someone who needs to be prayed for? Prayer works! The Bible confirms this in James 5:16: "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." (NIV) Send your prayer request to prayerrequest@answers2prayer.org and let us pray in agreement with you! Matt 18:20: "For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." (NIV) Hallelujah!
Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."

Welcome to the Nugget
November 23, 2017

God's Armour, Intro

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As we all know by personal experience, life is full of challenges. The Bible actually describes this quite vividly in the book of Isaiah: "When the enemy shall come in like a flood..." (Isaiah 59:19b KJV). I think we can all relate to this, for problems swamp us, negative circumstances engulf us, illnesses, both physical and mental, drown us, temptations overcome us...In fact, the Bible has yet another vivid metaphor for this: "Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, is on the prowl looking for someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8 NET). 

Is it for naught that we are told to: "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you..." (James 4:7 NET)? That we are told to: "Resist him, strong in your faith..." (1 Peter 5:9 NET)?

But just how do you "resist the devil"?

As with any battle, it is important that we first be properly clothed and armed. Going into any battle without the proper gear would be like getting caught in a thunderstorm without a raincoat, boots or umbrella. It would be like trying to cross the busy street without a crossing guard or a crosswalk, or to cross the Atlantic without a boat or a submarine. It would be like trying to fly to India without an airplane! 

But what kind of "gear" are we talking about here? I mean, since our worst struggles are: "...but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens...." (Eph. 6:12 NET), then it makes sense that any human guns, shields and protective clothing will not help us. This is why we are told very clearly to: "...Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil." (Eph. 6:11 NET)

Friends, putting on this armour of God is vital to overcoming; it is to resisting the devil and standing strong in the storm; and it is vital to going coming through trials, illness, addictions and circumstances victorious.

Just what is this "armour" that can make us strong and give us victory over the enemy? What protection will help us to stand strong through the trials that beat and bash at our door? What defense will cause us to triumph over temptation, physical and mental illnesses and addictions? 

The Bible outlines this for us as well: "Stand firm therefore, by fastening the belt of truth around your waist, by putting on the breastplate of righteousness, by fitting your feet with the preparation that comes from the good news of peace, and in all of this, by taking up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." (Eph. 6:14-17 NET)

With the Christmas season nearly upon us, it is fitting to mention that the protection we need is actually part of God's precious Christmas present to us. When Jesus came to this earth as a tiny baby, not only did He come to pay the price of our sin and ensure that anyone who accepts His gift will have eternal life with Him, but it was also to give us direct access to wisdom, to healing, to joy and peace, to help in times of trouble, to friendship with God and to liberty from bondage (See Isaiah 9:6, 11:2). Perhaps, however, the most priceless part of this wonderful "Christmas Gift" through the birth of Jesus Christ is that God also gives us direct access to protection and strength for overcoming the traps of the enemy (See 1 John 5:4; 1 Cor. 15:57).

More than anything else, my wish for each of us is that we truly experience Jesus--throughout the upcoming Christmas season and New Year, and throughout the rest of our lives. I pray that we will fully focus on the many aspects of His wonderful gift for us and that we will know who we are in Him and what it means to give ourselves completely to Him. Let's all resolve to go through our lives fully protected, so that after the trials and temptations, after the illnesses and the attacks on our lives and families, we will truly be standing even stronger than ever before. 

But wait a minute. What does it actually mean to "clothe" ourselves with the "full armour of God"? The articles of clothing we are told to don are not exactly common...

Please join us for the next two weeks as we take a close look at each these pieces and how we are to go about donning them.

In His love,
Lyn

Lynona Gordon Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two, Author -- "Aboard God's Train -- A Journey With God Through the Valley of Cancer", Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries. Follow Lyn on Twitter @lynchaffart.

Announcement:

Happy Thanksgiving to all of our American subscribers. We have so much to be thankful for!
Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."

Welcome to the Nugget

November 18, 2017

When God Seems so Far Away...

By Answers2Prayer
I can't believe hubby had the nerve to do what he did! He sat among executives around a large conference table for their weekly meeting. They all took turns sharing a bit of news about their life and family.

"Well," hubby said, "this weekend Janet and I split up."

Gasps spread around the room. They all know we've been happily married over 40 years.

Then he followed by saying: "Yep, I went to California, she went to Titusville and we both came home on Sunday."

Funny guy, isn't he?

But whether a joke or not, separation is devastating. I know firsthand. Years ago, sorrow had separated me from God. My sudden blindness at age 30 and the death of my youngest son pushed me far away from Him.

Drained by my heartache, I didn't sense Him near. I didn't hear His comfort or even felt that He cared.

Have you been there? Although our mind wants to believe, our heart refuses. And though we know God exists, His comfort seems distant.

What joy to write this for you. My fingers are dancing on the keyboard as a result of the peace that fills my soul. Here's the reason: Jesus said: "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:5)

He had His place. And I had mine. He claimed His role and named mine, too. When my foolish notion of finding answers on my own faded, peace came back, joy was born and freedom from sorrow swept through.

Father, I praise you because we don't have to face this life alone. Thank you for promising we'll bear fruit, find refuge, have a new beginning, and live with victory united with you. In Jesus' name, amen.

What are you trying to accomplish on your own?

Janet

Janet Eckles

If this message resonated with you, please visit Janet's cyberspace home for more inspiration.
Announcement:

Answers2Prayer ministries is offering a series of non-denominational bible studies called "Getting to Know Him". These consist of three in-depths studies:1. Can you believe the New Testament?Discover how reliable the New Testament books are. The verdict will be yours to make!2. Jesus, a Fraud, a Lunatic or the Messiah?Who was Jesus Christ? Were His claims true? Was He really who He said he was? Is there anyway to verify who He truly was? Who do YOU think Jesus really was? Was He a liar, pretending to be someone that He truly was not? Was He a lunatic, truly believing He was someone that He was not and deserving to be locked up in an institute? Or was He the one He proclaimed Himself to be?3. Basking in God's Unfailing Love, An Open Invitation to Experience God Personally To a world gone mad, trying to get to know Jesus may seem foolish. However if you give Him a try, you will desire to get to know Him more and more at the deepest level possible. His relationship with you will be more precious compared to any other human relationships out there. Enjoy getting to know Him.These Bible studies are available on the Net. Subscription is free.These studies are also available via email, for those who do not have web access. If interested, please let us know by sending us an email.Come and discover the wonderful purposes Jesus has for you. Enjoy!
Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."

Welcome to the Nugget
November 16, 2017
How Old are You?
By Answers2Prayer
"And I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun." (Eccl 8:15)

I have another birthday coming up soon. With the card, cake, present and hugs will, of course, come the inevitable question, "How old are you?" I have gotten to the point now where I can honestly say, "I'm not sure." This body of mine is going to be 50 years old. This vehicle that carries around my soul will have been here half a century soon. Parts of it look younger and other parts of it feel older. My energy level has certainly gone to the dogs. Some of the time I feel like my two month old puppy who is chewing on my toes right now. Some of the time I feel like my twelve year old beagle who is napping by the fan. Mentally my age varies too. In some things I feel like a wise old sage. In other areas I feel like a first grader. Emotionally there are times when I feel like a five year old playing in the sunshine. There are other times when I feel like a nineteen year old looking forward to the rest of my life. There are still other times when I feel like a ninety nine year old wondering where all the years have gone. Spiritually it is just as confusing. I feel like the eternal soul that I truly am. Yet, that eternal soul is also forever young.

From now on then I am just going to live each day with all of the love, laughter, and joy that I possibly can and let the years take care of themselves. After all, it isn't the number of years you live that matters. It is how you live them. For all of us here the longest life is too brief. Why then should we waste a single moment not living our lives to the fullest? Why should we pass up a single opportunity to love, to share, to help, to care, to smile, to pray, to laugh, to sing, to dance, or to be kind?

How "old" are you? Are you the slowly aging body you see in the mirror or are you the forever young soul within it? Are you a collection of wrinkles and gray hairs that will one day turn to dust or are you a Child of God meant for an eternity of love?

Joseph J. Mazzella

Announcement:

Does anyone out there find the Bible dull? Lacking in excitement and action? Check out: Lights, Camera, Action! -- A mini-series in the books of Joshua and Acts by Suresh Manoharan.
Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."

Welcome to the Nugget

November 14, 2017
The Trails, Part 2: The Better Road
By Answers2Prayer

Our recent trip to Spain was highlighted by a fair amount of hiking, one of my personal favorite activities. A pattern began to emerge, however, as our trip progressed.

It began on day two, when we decided to hike down to a lovely little cove on the Mediterranean coast: Cala Pola. Initially we couldn't find the place, but after several attempts at getting directions with our limited (Okay, let's be honest...our "non-existent") Spanish, we ended up in a parking lot at the head of a rather perilous-looking trail.

Being half mountain goat by nature -- or so says my husband -- I hopped on down without a thought. He, on the other hand, wasn't quite so enthusiastic; but with lots of help from trees, boulders and his wife, he made it down without incident, and after about half a kilometer, we came to a dirt road that continued to wind its way gradually and safely to the beach below.

Interestingly, the dirt road didn't begin where we had joined it, and on our way back to the car, we decided to follow it instead of trying to take the perilous path we had hiked on our way down. We were pleasantly surprised to find it brought us within about 100 meters of our car.

Why hadn't we taken that road in the first place?

The answer is simple: I started down the first path I saw, and my husband followed. We never even looked to see if there was an easier way.

A few days later, we found ourselves hiking around Las Medulas, an ancient Roman gold mine in northern Spain. We thoroughly enjoyed seeing the beautiful rock sculptures left behind by the mining operations from the bottom of the cliffs, but we wanted more. We wanted to explore the mines from the top, and when a trail leading upwards presented itself, we turned off the wide, smooth path in favor of a narrow, steep, slippery one that led towards the top of a particularly beautiful formation.

We climbed for a good 30 minutes before it began to dawn on us that what goes up must also come down. If we were slipping and sliding so badly in the upward direction, it would be far worse on the descent. Since there was no evidence that there was any easier way back to the path below, we turned around and very carefully made our way down that hazardous trail. The descent was so bad that even I was a bit nervous; but praise be to God, there were no injuries. After a few more moments of walking, however, along that wide, level path at the bottom, we discovered a much safer way to arrive -- not at the top of one of the Medulas, but at the top of four.

As we returned to the car from our Las Medulas hike, I began to think about how our hiking trails are very much like the rocky paths we are often required to take in life. Illnesses come; spouses leave; death happens; children rebel; financial problems arrive; jobs are lost...And we have no choice but to walk these paths. Last Saturday, in The Trails, Part 1, we talked about how the more difficult path is often the one that will build our strength of character and sharpen our patience, our endurance and our resilience. But what if there were an easier way to arrive at the same destination, a better way that we are simply overlooking?

Jesus says, "I am the Way" (John 14:6 NLT). He also says, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light." (Matt 11:28-30 NLT)

When we choose to rely on Jesus through the troubled times, He promises us rest. He promises to "yoke" Himself to us and take the majority of the pull. He promises that the road will be "easy to bear" and "light".

No, we don't choose to trod the valleys of life, but when we are forced onto them, let's remember two important things: 1) The hard times help us build character; and perhaps even more importantly, 2) Jesus is there to help us through, to make our road "easy" and "light". All we have to do is choose the "easier" way, the way that allows Him to carry us through.

In His love,
Lyn

Lynona Gordon Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two, Author -- "Aboard God's Train -- A Journey With God Through the Valley of Cancer", Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries. Follow Lyn on Twitter @lynchaffart.

Announcement:

Do you have a prayer request? Do you know someone who needs to be prayed for? Prayer works! The Bible confirms this in James 5:16: "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." (NIV) Send your prayer request to prayerrequest@answers2prayer.org and let us pray in agreement with you! "For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." (Matt 18:20 NIV) Hallelujah!
Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."

Welcome to the Nugget

November 7, 2017

Prayers off the Ceiling

By Answers2Prayer
I'd like to start by asking you a question. This is more to assure myself that I'm not alone in the pursuit of a picture-perfect prayer life. So here it is...

Do you ever wonder if your prayers simply bounce off the ceiling? Or maybe God's wearing 'prayer cancelling headphones' and isn't tuning into your petitions? I'm hopeful that your head is bobbing up and down right now, not because I'm happy you might also periodically struggle with your prayer life, but because as a believer in Jesus Christ, I'm comforted by the fact I'm not alone!

I believe unwavering faith is an attribute we all crave. That when we pray, it's a done deal! When I pray, I envision myself placing burdens down at the foot of the cross and then backing away to leave God to handle the mess. I hunger for the unwavering certainty that He hears everything, and according to His purpose and plan for my life, He will act upon those requests. So if God's ears are tuned in as the bible assures us... "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us." (1 John 5:14 NIV)...why does it sometimes feel like the ceiling blocks any outgoing transmissions?

Here's my theory; Prayer can be both gratifying and exhausting, and when God takes His time to respond to our troubled hearts or things escalate beyond our comfort zone, the air in our tire of faith can rapidly deflate and we're left feeling empty and discouraged. Prayers that go unanswered can be a tough pill to swallow.

I'll toss you an example from my personal prayer crisis memoirs: One evening when things seemed rather bleak, I dropped to my knees and asked God to intervene on several fronts, "Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing." (1 Timothy 2:8 NIV)

Looking back, I realize I was honoring the first part of this verse, but in all honesty, my heart wasn't without anger or dispute! It felt more and more like my prayers were ricocheting off the ceiling and going no further. God was being silent and I felt very alone in my escalating tribulations. Have you ever felt that way? I sense more nods.

My wife was dealing with significant health issues and I had just discovered my employer was shutting down operations. My job ended. So as I often do when the trouble ensues, my knees hit the carpet and my hands lift up to appease my angst. It was then I felt water absorbing into the fabric of my jeans! I froze, my immediate thought being that God was anointing my knees with holy water because of my faithfulness to pray! That was wishful thinking!

I knew right then our water lines had sprung a leak somewhere behind the walls and that my prayer time was over. "How could you do this to me God?" I asked. "I was being faithful in prayer. I was looking for divine intervention and all I ended up with was another massive headache and untimely renovation bill!" Feeling sorry for me yet?

Despite a failed attempt at successfully leaving my troubles at the Lord's feet, my wife gently reminded me that had I not knelt in prayer, I might well have missed the soggy carpet underlay in the first place and things could have been worse. I gather you've heard the expression, God moves in mysterious ways? Seems that might have been case here. God reminds us, "'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the Lord." (Isaiah 55:8 NIV) Point for you Lord!

When I thought my prayers were going only as far as the stipple on the ceiling, God had something else to show me. That's how it is sometimes. When you're in the midst of crisis and God appears un-involved, I can assure you He's working in the background and will turn everything for good. "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28 NIV)

As I look back upon my life, there have been times when it felt as though my prayers were ineffectual. That what I specifically prayed for resulted in the exact opposite. But in time, I realize God was there all along. He loves me enough to turn all my worries, heartaches and disappointments into something good, something useful for His purposes. Our job is to keep at prayer and abide in patience.

Though it may not always seem this way, our faith grows as we flounder amidst sunless valleys. And it's then God says to us, "for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." (Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV) Amen to that!

I assure you God hears prayers beyond the confines of a ceiling. It may take some time before you see His master plan, but we can say in confidence, "I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears." (Psalm 34:4 NIV)

As a final word, I'll offer you this reminder. God loves you and is interested in everything that concerns you. But the next time you drop to your knees in prayer, be sure to check for water first!

Paul Smyth

Announcement:

The easy path or the hard climb: Which do you prefer? Please join us on Saturday for Part 1 of a 2-part mini-series designed to help us see that sometimes the easy road isn't always the best: "The Trails", a mini-series by Lynona Gordon Chaffart
Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."

Welcome to the Nugget
October 31, 2017

Of Motion, Reformation and Celebration! Part 3
By Answers2Prayer

Today we come to the concluding part of the series whose purpose is to cast the spotlight on the significance of progression (and the principal cause behind it) in the spiritual realm, even while tracing the history of the Church (in brief) till the Reformation movement of the 16th century.
Reformation...

We can fully appreciate the significance of reformation only if we fully grasp to what depraved depths the Church had plummeted in the "Dark age". Power corrupts, and Popes, Bishops, etc. were sadly no exception to this truth. Somehow, just as our Lord had prophesied that in the good field the Devil would one day plant tares (See Matt 13:24-25), the enemy number 1 got his men into key positions, and spiritual malaise infected and then spread in the once "pure" Body of Christ (refined by persecutions) like never before.

Non-Biblical practices (I say this with utmost love and concern for my fellow dear Brothers and Sisters who have been misguided) began, such as:

a) The worship of Mary. She came to be seen as the "divine mediator", in blatant violation of Scriptures: "For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus…" (1 Tim. 2:5 ESV). Remember that Jesus Himself said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6 ESV). Some apologists even today try to present Luther himself as Mary worshipper. A proper, analytical study of his works, however, clearly points to the contrary.

b) Selling of Indulgences, meaning that a person who has committed a sin can go and "buy" his forgiveness from the Pope by shelling out some money. This is also in gross violation of Scriptures, which state that the Blood of Christ alone atones for sin: "He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins--and not only our sins but the sins of all the world." (1 John 2:2 NLT. See also 1 John 1:7).

c) Prohibition of Scripture-reading amongst the Laity, in stark contrast to the Scriptural mandate that Scriptures should not only be read, but also memorised and medidated upon, by both Clergy and Laity: "but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night." (Psalm 1:2 ESV. See also Ps. 119:11).

d) Climbing 28 steps of what is known as the St. Helena's or Scala Sancta staircase on knees to "win over" God's favour (St. Helena the Mother of Emperor Constantine had shipped this structure from Jerusalem to Rome. It is believed that this staircase bears the marks of blood which had oozed out of the Saviour's head as he, wearing a crown of thorns, had climbed these steps to stand in his trial before Pontius Pilate -- See John 19:1-5). The assumption that this one-time act of scaling the steps on one's knees would "win-over" God's favour by way of temporary withdrawal of the Divine punishment for the sins committed (plenary indulgence and all that) is in stark contrast of the Scriptural mandate that a life-long walk of faith alone would please God: "but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him." (Heb. 10:38 ESV. See also Hab. 2:4, Romans 1:17)

It is said that only when Martin Luther himself was performing this unbiblical ritual of scaling St. Helena's steps that he received a divine revelation that these practices do not lead a man to right relationship with God; but rather, that, "…the just shall live by faith." (Rom. 1:17 KJV). It was this revelation which triggered the Reformation movement, of which all of us are beneficiaries.

It must be noted here that while due credit needs to be accorded to Martin Luther for initiating the Reformation, there were other fully committed, sincere Christian leaders at that time like William Tyndale, John Calvin, Thomas Cranmer, Menno Simmons, et al, who also "put their shoulders to the wheel" so to speak, in their own inimitable ways, to take the Reformation movement forward. How these inspired souls weathered the consequent persecution that followed from the powerful church constitutes yet another shining chapter of the Reformation history. More about it...some other time...even while we remain riveted to the subject (events leading to Reformation) in hand.


Celebration...

Yes, since all of us who constitute the "Body of Christ" are beneficiaries of this monumental Reformation movement that led the then "Body of Christ" from "darkness to light", we need to celebrate with much thanksgiving that Landmark day, 31st October, 1517, when that great German Reformer nailed his 95 theses on the door of the All Saints Church in Wittenberg, Germany.

To put it in a nutshell, his 95 Theses contained a sound Biblical argument as to why the non-biblical practices, such as the ones I had outlined above, are "far off the mark" scripturally when it comes to pleasing the Lord. Just imagine still being under the yoke of those rituals. It is scary, to say the least, to think that there are those still doing this in 2017. Yes, we all need to be profusely thankful for the Reformation which removed some of the "spiritually debilitating unnecessary, paralysing weight" off our shoulders.

The Protestant Church itself, even after enduring for some time the "rough weather" of Papal persecution, would in due course become "complacent and sickly" when persecutions ceased! Enter the likes of Jonanthan Edwards, Wesley Brothers to set right the matters...well...that's a different story altogether...

Meanwhile, let's celebrate with much thanksgiving the 500th year of the birth of the Reformation movement on 31st October 2017. Hallelujah!

Prayer: Father, like in Israeli history, in Church history too, You have from time to time used great Reformers to bring back Your wayward people onto the right track. We praise and thank You for the Reformation movement of the 16th Century, thanks to which, we are possessors of sound doctrine today...applying which would please Thee. If there is any waywardness in us today, Father reform us. We are open to Thy correction. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Suresh Manoharan
An unworthy servant
J and SM Ministries
Announcement:

Good news!

"Aboard God's Train", the personal testimony of my walk with God through the valley of cancer in 2012, has been published and is now available for purchase in North America through Gospel Folio Press and for worldwide sales, through Sable Publishing House.

May God bless each of you abundantly as you continue to draw closer to Him through the trials of your life!

Lyn Chaffart, Moderator, The Nugget
Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 ...Freely you have received, freely give....

Welcome to the Nugget
October 28, 2017

Of Motion, Reformation and Celebration! Part 2
By Answers2Prayer
Friends, you would remember that in this 3 part Series, yours truly had said that he would endeavour to cast the spotlight on the significance of, as well as the principal cause behind progression in the spiritual realm, even while briefly tracing the history of the Church until the Reformation movement of the 16th century.

While coming now to church history in this penultimate part of the series, let it be told at this stage that until the Reformation, the history of the church can broadly be divided into the following ages...so here goes...let's hit the rewind button...


Recollection...

1. The Apostolic Church Age (AD 30 to AD 100): A period ranging from the Birth of the Church on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2) to 100 AD, when the last of the Apostles, namely John the Beloved (John 21:20), died. Yes, persecution was rampant during this age, especially during the rule of Roman Emperors such as Nero and Domitian; however, this age is not clubbed with the name "Persecution age", mainly in deference to the Apostles (rightly called the Foundation of the Church -- See Eph 2:20) who lived during that time. I reiterate that it is because the apostles needed to be given "Pride of place" (rightly so) in Church History that this age was thus called and not clubbed with the following "Persecutions age".

2. The Persecuted Church Age (AD 100 to AD 313 AD): From the death of Apostle John to the "conversion" of Roman Emperor Constantine to Christianity. In the interim period, when persecution was severe during the reigns of other Roman Emperors like Marcus Aurelius, Trajan Decius, and Publius Valerian...the church was flourishing spiritually, and the Law of Spiritual progression (I began my essay with the same) was very much in operation. We should remember that persecution also always separates "the wheat from the chaff". Only the genuine Children of God hang on to the Lord, irrespective of the consequences, whereas others are "swept away". From our Heavenly Father's perspective, a church faithfully enduring persecution would appear to be "pure gold": Nothing more, nothing less and nothing else!!

3. The Imperial Church Age (AD 313 to AD 476): With the Roman Empire itself turning into a Patron Saint from being a Persecutor, courtesy the conversion of Emperor Constantine, the Church had "unwelcome visitors". These were the souls who wanted to embrace Christianity just because they wanted to identify themselves with the "faith of the Emperor" and not because of any new found love for the Saviour. These folks, inside the Church without a genuine born-again experience (Acts 2:37-41), were bound to be more of a liability than an asset. What harm the Devil couldn't inflict upon the "Body of Christ" from "far outside", he could now do from much "closer quarters".

4. The Medieval Church Age (476 AD to 1517 AD): The age of "Bye bye persecutions...Hello complacency". With refining persecutions out of the way, complacency was bound to creep in. Soon the Church lapsed into what is now known as the "detestable Dark Age". Just like King David, who, at the peak time of Israeli military might, drifted into "idiocy of indolence" (he wouldn't go to war with his soldiers -- See 2 Sam 12--which paved the way for his hideous sins soon after). Oh, how spiritually vibrant he had been when he had to be on his toes both physically and spiritually, as it were, whilst encountering persecutions wrought by his enemy King Saul!

Prayer: Father, in thy Sovereign, infinite wisdom, permit all that is needed in our lives to keep us spiritually alert. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Suresh Manoharan
An unworthy servant
J and SM Ministries
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Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 ...Freely you have received, freely give....

Welcome to the Nugget
October 26, 2017
Of Motion, Reformation and Celebration! Part 1

By Answers2Prayer
"Stagnation is self-abdication," said a wise Philosopher. Humans were made for "going places" literally and figuratively speaking in both physical and spiritual realms rather than "rotting" at one place (Gen 1:27-28/Gen 9:7, Acts 1:8).

In this 3 part series, yours truly would endeavour to cast the spotlight on the significance of, as well as the principal cause behind progression in the spiritual realm, even while briefly tracing the history of the Church until the Reformation movement of the 16th century.


Motion...

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

The Fundamental Law of Motion, designed by the all-wise God and discovered and revealed to us by Sir Issac Newton, says that we move forward whilst walking or running, not just by exerting the force on earth with our feet by ourselves, but also by the propulsive force which the earth exerts in return when we first exert force on it. How true in the spiritual realm as well! Simply put, the act of gospel advancement by the spiritually vibrant Christians of the First century AD was always countered by the resisting forces of evil. Nonetheless, this actually resulted in furtherance of God-honoring work. Simply put the gospel advancement has essentially been through the ages, "a fight between the liberating truth on one side and the lies of the Devil on the other." How often in Christian history have we not witnessed persecution; however, it may not have registered on many that these persecutions prima-facie exerting pressure in the opposite direction to the gospel advancement had actually induced further beneficial growth of:

a) the church at large, as the scattered Christians came out of the their "comfort zone" of Jerusalem thanks to persecution, and went about preaching the Gospel everywhere (See Acts 8:4).

b) Building up the character of the persecuted ones (Romans 5:3-4/ James 1:2-4), making them "move forward", as it were spiritually. Truth be told, minus the persecutions (the scope of which is also controlled by the infinitely Wise God -- see 1 Cor 10:13), the Apostle Paul, as well as the genuine Christians of different stages of Church history, would not have grown as much in Christ-like qualities like meekness, gentleness and exemplary patience as would be desired by our Master.

Prayer: Father, keep us on our toes always lest any needless complacency starts creeping in. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Suresh Manoharan
An unworthy servant
J and SM Ministries
Announcement:

On October 31 of this year, protestantism will celebrate its 500th anniversary. What lessons can we learn from this monumental day? Join us on Saturday, along with Tuesday of the following week, for "Reformation!" A Mini-Series by Suresh Manoharan.
Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 ...Freely you have received, freely give....

Welcome to the Nugget

October 7, 2017

CATHEDRALS!

Lessons on Being Supportive, Part 3: Gaudi's Crypt



By Answers2Prayer Subscribe Unsubscribe Devotionals Contact us Last Thursday, in "CATHEDRALS! Part 2", we learned three things from the construction of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona: 1) We must do everything in our power to teach those we wish to support to be self-supportive by introducing them to the Source of true strength and support: Jesus Christ; 2) We must make a habit of building relationships, listening and loving unconditionally and unselfishly...not just when crisis arises, but all the time; And finally, 3) We can look to the example of God, the ultimate Father, to see that being supportive means being there for them...when it is requested!

But what if they refuse our help? How we sit back and watch while those we care about make the wrong decisions, decisions we know are not for their ultimate good, decisions that may result in harm to others?

God had an answer for me...in an unfinished cathedral!

Not all of the works of Antoni Gaudi, the famous Spanish architect and designer of the Sagrada Familia, were completed. Perhaps the most famous example of his uncompleted work can be found in a small hamlet outside of Barcelona, Colonia Guell...

The town itself was constructed around a textile factory, and company owner, Eusebio Guell, worked hard to ensure the social conditions of his workers was optimized by providing funding for cultural and religious facilities. He entrusted Antoni Gaudi with the design of the town's church.

Gaudi considered this project to be a culminating point of his work, and its construction was to include practically all his architectural innovations. His design foresaw a two-level structure with a lower crypt and the main sanctuary above, and he planned to top the project with towers and a 40 meter central dome. Unfortunately for Gaudi, he had only completed the walls and the interior of the lower crypt when the Guell family stopped financing the venture, and without financial support, Gaudi's work on the cathedral came to a screeching halt. A few years later, another architect put a flat roof on the uncompleted structure, and the church has popularly become known as "Gaudi's Crypt".

Just imagine how hard it must have been for Gaudi to abandon this culmination of his life's work. He knew the church would never be completed, and he lived to witness the flat, ordinary top that was put on his magnificent creation. How his heart must have ached for what could have been.... Yet when his assistance was no longer requested, he had no choice but to abandon the project.

This is the lesson we can learn from Gaudi's Crypt: When our support is no longer requested, we must let go!

But if we truly love someone, how can we just leave them to make bad decisions?

Again we must look to God our Father as our ultimate example. The Bible tells us that God created man in His image: "Let us make humankind in our image, after our likeness, so they may rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move6 on the earth." (Gen. 1:26 NET).

Notice that God specifies here that man would rule over everything on the Earth. This means that we were created to be in charge, to make our own decisions.

We also know that God placed the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil in the midst of the Garden of Eden and told Adam and Eve not to touch it: "Then the LORD God commanded the man, 'You may freely eat fruit from every tree of the orchard, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will surely die.'" (Genesis 2:16-17 NET).

Let's also remember that God did not stop Adam and Eve from making the most horrible decision of eternity, one that would affect all of mankind and ultimately result in Jesus' death on the cross. Why? Because He was giving them the choice to obey or to disobey Him. He created us to be free, to make decisions, to choose between good and evil. If He hadn't given us this power, we would essentially be robots, doing only what we are programmed to do.

In the same way, those we wish to support are also creations of God, and God has also given them the freedom to choose. Just as it was not God's place to intervene with Adam and Eve, and thus, was forced to sit back and allow them to make the most horrible decision of eternity, it is also not our place to intervene where we are not asked to do so. And yes, sometimes we will be forced to sit back and allow them to make bad choices; but if God, our ultimate example of a supportive Father, did not stop the first human beings from their very bad choice, then how can we, who are imperfect, claim to "know best"? When God allows us to choose between good and evil, how can we remove this from those we wish to support?

Just like Antonio Gaudi worked hard at building the cathedral in Colonia Guell, our support is to be given when it is requested. But just as he was forced to abandon this culminating work of his career, we, like Gaudi, must also stop trying to convict, assist and advise once it is no longer bidden. Yes, we know what the potential consequences might be, but just like God respects our power of choice, we must respect the rights of those we care about to make their own choices.

What will happen if we persist in forcing our support on those who have declined it? Join us on Tuesday for "CATHEDRALS! Part 4: The Cathedrals of Janovas and Mediano".

In His love,
Lyn

Lynona Gordon Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two, Author -- "Aboard God's Train -- A Journey With God Through the Valley of Cancer", Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries. Follow Lyn on Twitter @lynchaffart.
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Feeling a little lost in this world? Patricia Quigley, a Nugget writer, has composed a song entitled: I'm Not From This World, which she sings with her granddaughter. You can view this song on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jc3Qq0UP8L0
Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."

Welcome to the Nugget
September 30, 2017
CATHEDRALS!
Lessons on Being Supportive, Introduction

By Answers2Prayer
I love cathedrals. One of my favorite things to do when in Europe is to visit these tall, majestic, regal--and rather imposing--structures that stud the landscape. To me, they are far more than just buildings; rather, these towering feats of architecture are masterpieces of art, built in the name of the Lord, that speak of His power, His strength, His protection, His love and His beauty.

On our trip to Spain in the summer of 2016, however, these towering edifices spoke to me somewhat differently...

You see, when I began this trip, I was struggling with the concept of how to "parent" my adult boys and the girls they bring into my life. Some weeks before, a good friend and I had been commiserating about this via text, and she mentioned that she had been advised to be "supportive". That sounded like excellent advice to me, not only for how to continue parenting my adult children, but also for how I should deal with all the relationships in my life. Yes, it was absolutely brilliant.

Then reality set in: Just what does it mean to be supportive?

The more I contemplated this question, the more frustrated I became, for if I were to be perfectly honest with myself, all my former attempts at being "supportive" have never truly been fueled by supportiveness at all. In fact, "controlling" would likely be the descriptor best used to describe my past efforts at showing love and support. Hadn't my own version of "supportiveness" resulted in my son being torn between doing what I was sure he should do and the direction God was leading him? Hadn't my "supportiveness" succeeded in making this same son afraid to tell me he had bought himself a car? Hadn't my attempts at "being supportive" created a chasm between me and one of the girls my boys brought home? Didn't my "supportiveness" often bring my own dear mother to tears?

Sadly, my list of examples could fill this page, but I won't continue to bore you with the details. It is safe to say that all my efforts at being supportive have failed miserably. The truth of the matter is, I have no idea what "supportive" looks like, and I have no clue how to separate it from its destructive but mimicking cousin, "control".

I am sure that I am not the only one struggling with the concept of how to be supportive. You may be struggling to be supportive of adult children and parents, as in the above examples, but you may also be struggling in one of many other incidences where being supportive is vital. After all, doesn't God exhort us to: "...encourage one another and build each other up..." (1 Thes 5:11 NIV)? We may desire to be supportive of good friends or neighbors; we may wish to be supportive of our coworkers, our clients and the people who share our pew at church; and we are called to be supportive of our pastors, mayors, councilmen, representatives, presidents and prime ministers. In fact, aren't we exhorted to pray for and be supportive of...everyone? "I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people--for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." (1 Tim 2:1-2 NIV)

I am not writing this today because I feel I have found the answer to the question of how to be supportive; but as God spoke to me in His gentle, all-wise way, through the many beautiful cathedrals in Spain, He began to paint a picture for me of what it means to truly be supportive. I have a burden on my heart to share these precious lessons with you, and this will be the subject of the next six devotionals. It is my hope that some of you will benefit from the struggles I have undergone and the lessons God has given me. Please join us on Tuesday for "CATHEDRALS! Part 1".

In His love,
Lyn

Lynona Gordon Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two, Author -- "Aboard God's Train -- A Journey With God Through the Valley of Cancer", Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries. Follow Lyn on Twitter @lynchaffart.
Announcement:

HAVE A BEAUTIFUL FALL!
With Autumn already showing her colours throughout the Northern Hemisphere of our planet, with the children all back in school, let's all take a moment to reflect upon the blessings that God has granted us througout this past summer. May God bless you abundantly and with abundance this fall!
Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."

Welcome to the Nugget
September 26, 2016
The Perfect Hope for Happiness

By Answers2Prayer
No airplane flight has ever been boring for me. I hear stories and details from fellow passengers that make me think, surprise me at times but more often, they become fodder for my writing.

Here is the latest one: "Oh, I was really hoping this would be the one," the woman seated beside me in the plane related as she sipped her coffee. "but didn't happen. He was just another jerk. I married two of them already...don't need another one."

With disgust in her voice she detailed how for months and months she did all she could to find her soul mate, her partner for life, the husband to make her happy.

And each time she hoped God would send the right one. She hoped the matching website she signed up would render positive results. And to make it more urgent, she told me that, she hoped, really hoped her time clock would slow down a bit.

She wasn't alone. King David might have been on the same search. However, His version of Christian Mingle was probably more effective as he had relationships galore. But sadly, he wasn't the purest of them all. He was flawed, he failed, he lied, he cheated and he even murdered.

Yet...are you ready...God called him "a man after His own heart."

How could that be! Possibly, one of those nights, like so many nights before, David drank yet another glass of sorrow and regret. As he dropped to his knees, his hope surged. But his hope was different than the woman on the plane. This is what he said:

"Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God." (Psalm 42:3-5)

David finally got it right. He found the only hope for his happiness and meaning. What an example of a ghastly life with a glorious ending. That's because David put his hope in God, the one who forgives, the one who provides and the one who brings our deepest desire to reality.

How about you...may I ask in whom or in what are you placing your hope these days?

Janet Eckles

If this message resonated with you, please visit Janet's cyberspace home for more inspiration.

Announcement:

"And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." (2 Cor. 9:8)

Wait a minute: If God promises abundance, then why do I have all this need? Click here to find out!
Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."

Welcome to the Nugget

September 28, 2016

More to Do

By Answers2Prayer
It was a hot and humid day in July. I was driving to the local grocery store because the heat had made my bananas go from yellow to brown overnight. My air conditioner in my car was on high, but it still wasn't cooling me down. Suddenly, the car in front of me signaled that it was pulling off. I pressed on the brakes and slowed down. Out of the corner of my eye I saw several teenagers standing in the sweltering, Summer sun. They weren't playing, goofing off, or hanging around though. They weren't drinking, smoking, gossiping, or looking at their cell phones. They were working on a porch.

I recognized them immediately as one of the church work camps. For more years than I can remember these young men and women have volunteered their Spring and Summer vacations to come here and help repair the homes of poor people. I smiled when I saw them there sweating, straining, and working hard to do some good in this world. While the news headlines were so full of murder, hate, and violence, these young people were doing their best to share some love and light with others. In my heart and mind I heard the words once again: "I was hungry and you gave me food...I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me." (Matt 25:35)

There is so much good we can do in this life. There are so many people we can help. There is so much love we can share. And as long as there is life, there is more to do. Whether it is repairing a house, sharing a smile, offering a hug, adopting a dog, visiting the sick, giving to charity, praying for others, sharing a kind word, or doing any act of goodness, every single thing we do is precious in the eyes of Heaven.

God loves us all so much and His greatest wish is for us to love each other as well. Choose to love then. Chose to love and you will have joy. Choose to love and you will share joy. Choose to love and you will help others and make this world a better place. There is no greater way to live and there is always more to do. May God bless and guide you always.

Joseph J. Mazzella

Announcement:

Most of us truly desire to be supportive, but we simply don't know how. Little did I know that God would use the towering basilicas from Norther Spain to teach me valuable lessons on how to be supportive God's way. Join us on Saturday for the first of this 7 part series: "Cathedrals!" by Lynona Gordon Chaffart
Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."