Verses from Mama

Hearing God speak one Bible verse at a time.

The Way Out of the County Jail and Other Prisons

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Zechariah 3:1 “Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him.” 

A Visit to the County Jail

The Way Out of the County JailA dark foreboding feeling crept over me as I pulled the metal door open and entered our neighboring county jail. I was there on business with nothing to fear, but still the clanging doors and dark dismal interior sent shivers up my spine. I waited on a cold bench until an officer unlocked the security doors and beckoned me into the hallway outside the office area. There, while waiting to be helped, I watched the movements of a few inmates and their wardens on the numerous security cameras behind the thick glass. Finally my business was completed. The door clicked open, and I hurried through the lobby and out into the sunshine.

As I headed to my car I breathed a sigh of relief. Yet my thoughts wondered about all of those who did not have the freedom to leave that imposing institution. What crimes did they commit? How long did they have to stay? What kinds of sordid things happened in there?

Satan, the Accuser of the Brothers

The Bible calls our enemy, Satan, an accuser of the brothers. He is always searching the earth for those whom he can indict before the Lord. There is nothing he would like better than to have us locked up in a prison of guilt and sin. He did this with Job, with Peter, and in a vision that the prophet Zechariah experienced.

In Zechariah’s vision Joshua, the high priest, was standing before the angel of the Lord. Satan was pointing to the dirty garments he wore and accusing him of vile things. The Lord, as judge, didn’t respond the way you would expect when presented with a terrible sinner. Instead He rebuked the accuser and told those standing near to remove the filthy garments and replace them with festal robes and a clean turban. The angel of the Lord then admonished Joshua to walk in the ways of the Lord. In so doing he would be fit to govern the temple, God’s dwelling place, and to perform the sacred duties with free access amongst all who were there.

Joshua, the high priest, represented the whole nation. God was revealing through this vision that though their accuser had a real case, He would cleanse them and set them free. In the following verses (3:8-10) a symbol of the Messiah, the Branch, is foreshadowed. This Branch, the Lord Jesus Christ, would eventually come to earth to set all prisoners free.

The Way Out of the County Jail or Other Prisons

Sadly, sin remains rampant here on the earth. There will always be those who stand before a judge and jury accused of wrongdoing and sentenced to imprisonment. There are many who, though they walk free on the streets outside the county jail, are imprisoned in their own hearts and minds. But everyone, even the cruelest of inmates, has the opportunity to be spiritually liberated.

The Judge of the earth vindicates all those who put their trust in Jesus. Satan, the accuser is thwarted. The prison doors of sin and guilt fly open. And the defendant is finally free!

Love,

Mama

Four Roadblocks to Effective Witness

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All children of God are called to be witnesses of the salvation He has provided for the world. There are millions of people inhabiting the globe who are in slavery to sin and need to hear about the way to freedom through Jesus Christ. What often keeps us from sharing this good news? Second Timothy 2 gives four roadblocks that we must overcome in order to have an effective witness.

2 Timothy 2:3 “Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.”

Roadblock #1: When we set out to give testimony to the things God has done for us, we embark on a spiritual war. There is an enemy who wants to keep the truth from those who are his prisoners. Those who are hurting the worst may be so entrenched in Satan’s lies they will not want to hear the truth even from those who deeply love them. Others think they are fine and don’t see their need at all. The messages and motives of God’s messengers may be misunderstood and literally, at times, all hell can break loose. As soldiers in God’s army we must be prepared to endure hardship without backing down from our calling, while continuing to love those who are hurting. This can only be done as we stay in constant contact with the Lord through the Bible and prayer.

2 Timothy 2:4 “No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs – he wants to please his commanding officer.”

Roadblock #2: In a world of many distractions, it is easy to become entangled in the web of constant activity. We sign up for every call for volunteers whether in school, work, or church instead of evaluating what it is God has called us to do. We waste time sitting in front of the TV or scrolling through social media, liking pictures and reading posts to be more informed about what’s going on in our circle of friends. While none of these things is wrong, we often take them to the level of our life’s calling. These “civilian affairs” drain our time and energy and take us away from the battles our commanding officer has called us to fight.

2 Timothy 2:5 “Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules.”

Roadblock #3: Sharing our faith with those around us must be done according to the rules. We tend to think a person will come to Jesus because of our knowledge and our ability to formulate our thoughts well. But this is not the case. The Spirit of God is the One Who makes inroads into a person’s heart. We are just the conduit for this power. We must study to show ourselves approved unto God. We must pray daily for our friends and family members, asking God to do the work in their hearts. Then we must be available to speak as the Holy Spirit leads us. He will give us His words and His timing to break through to those He is calling.

2 Timothy 2:6 “The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.”

Roadblock #4: In order to share in a spiritual crop, we need to plant the seed. So often fear or feelings of inadequacy keep us from doing what we can do and we miss the opportunities that are all around us. First Peter 3:15, says, “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” If we want to have an effective witness, we must plant the seed! This is hard work and can take a lot of time, but the rewards are amazing!

Each of us is called to tell others about our sure hope of salvation in Christ. It is not an easy job and there are many roadblocks, but we are guaranteed success by focusing our hearts and minds on the One Who leads the way. Endure hardship, don’t become entangled in civilian affairs, run according the rules, and start planting the seed. Be assured that God will use your effective witness to bring many people to Him.

Love,

Mama

While You Were Sleeping

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Ephesians 5:14 “Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

IMG_2987You miss a lot of things while you are sleeping. I should know because inevitably I sink into a deep slumber every time our family sits down to watch a movie. I can’t even count the number of half movies I have watched. But ask me how the desperate crisis or thrilling romance ended and I couldn’t tell you. The plot thickened, the climax came . . . and I was dead to the world on the couch.

You can miss good things while you are sleeping, but you can also miss trouble signs. Quite a number of winters ago Dad and I tucked all you kids in bed, and settled ourselves in as well. It had been a particularly exhausting day so I conked out immediately. Dad had a cold and took some Benedryl to help him breathe.

Sometime in the night I woke up with a strange feeling. Descending the stairs to the kitchen I was surprised to step into a puddle. Turning on the light I panicked to find water pouring through the ceiling, flooding the TV room and bathroom. I yelled for Dad who didn’t respond immediately as the Benedryl had knocked him senseless.

While the river of water cascaded from the kitchen overhead light I stared at the spray like a tourist visiting a mini Niagra Falls for the first time. Finally I came to my senses, and urgently made a phone call to get some help. In my stupor it never even occurred to me to run to the basement and shut off the water valve.

You may wonder why I couldn’t think straight in this desperate situation, but that is what a deep sleep can do to a person. The brain shuts down and doesn’t process correctly. Satan knows this and that is why he lulls people into a spiritual sleep. If he succeeds at drawing victims into slumberland, they will not know what he is doing. They will not be aware of the fate that awaits them for eternity if they don’t take their spiritual condition seriously.

Young people fall asleep as they are entranced by all the stimulation around them. Who wants to think about spiritual things when you can focus your attention on Netflix, video games, or social media? Who has time to know God and seek to understand the salvation He has to offer when you are late for your next sporting event or music recital?

Middle-aged people fall asleep as they are hypnotized by what they need to accomplish. There is a career to grow and money to be made. There are bills to pay and a family to raise. Don’t forget the children’s school activities and volunteer organizations. This is the time to make something of yourself. Maybe you will wake up and think of your eternal destiny later. There’s plenty of time!

Older people fall asleep because they are tired. They have spent years working and living. Maybe they have even followed God’s ways, but now they are growing older and think that they have life under control. They’ve been there and done that. There is no reason to be on the alert! Meanwhile the movie continues on. The plot thickens. The climax approaches.

“Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead…”

Now is the time to think of eternity!

Now is the time to accept Christ as Savior!

Now is the time to warn your family and friends of the disaster waiting if they are not right with God!

If you do not act now you may wake up and realize the pipes burst and water is rapidly filling the kitchen. Or worse yet you or a loved one has passed from this earth without knowing Jesus and missing the chance for  salvation and an eternity in heaven.

And it all happened while you were sleeping!

Love,

Mama

 

First Aid Training

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2 Corinthians 10:3-5 “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

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John-Keith c. 2001

Your first reaction when a crisis occurs is crucial. It could mean the difference between life and death. Years ago when I took a first aid class we memorized a checklist of things that we needed to do in a crisis. The very first thing on the list seemed a little basic, but I soon realized how important it was.

Over and over again the instructor had us practice what we should do. Immediately upon arriving at the scene we were to scream, “Call 911!” From there we were to begin the other techniques we had been taught.

At the time I wondered about the huge emphasis on screaming, “Call 911!” Wasn’t that obvious? Years later 5-year old John-Keith had an accident involving a knife slicing the lower part of his eye. I realized then why it was important to train yourself to respond correctly with even the simplest of things. If you are not prepared mentally for a serious accident, you often react with the natural human default response – panic!

If the crisis you are facing is of a spiritual nature there is also a default way of handling the problem. The world’s way of dealing with these kinds of struggles includes anger, aggressiveness, lies, revenge, gossip, and power struggle.

But those who belong to Jesus do not fight their battles in this way. We are to use weapons of a different kind. God’s method has divine power to demolish strongholds, arguments, and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of Him.

These kinds of struggles occur regularly in a world that is full of evil forces and we must be prepared to combat them appropriately. Ephesians 6:10-19 gives us the methodology that will help us be successful when spiritual crises strike.

• Focus on the truth in every situation.
• Live a life of righteousness.
• Be ready to share the good news of salvation.
• Stand firm in faith.
• Protect your mind by guarding it carefully.
• Follow God’s Word consistently.
• Pray at all times.

These things may seem obvious, but if you are not practicing them every day you will not be prepared when the enemy, Satan, strikes. It will be easy to fall back into the world’s default ways of dealing with his tactics.

Trust me, I know! When John-Keith injured his eye I went into panic mode because it had been years since I had practiced screaming, “Call 911!” Thankfully, Aunt Christine was there and had the presence of mind to make the crucial call that perhaps saved John-Keith’s eyesight.

How much more important to be ready for a spiritual crisis. The importance of preparing and living God’s way cannot be overstated. Without daily practice we will naturally respond with the world’s methods and our opportunity to be involved in a spiritual victory will be lost. In fact, our response to this type of crisis may just be the difference between spiritual life and death!

Love,
Mama

D-Day, A 3-D Battle

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2 Timothy 2:3 “Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus…“
During this Christmas vacation we visited the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, OH. It is quite interesting to follow the progression of human flight all the way from the Wright Brothers’ first attempts in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, to modern-day technology.
Many of the exhibited planes were important during wartime. “Bockscar” is the name of the B-29 bomber that, during World War II on August 9, 1945, dropped an atomic bomb over Nagasaki, Japan. The results of this explosion and another one over Hiroshima were devastating to the Japanese people, but were instrumental in bringing about an Allied victory for this terrible war.
My favorite part of the trip was sitting in the theater watching the IMAX 3-D movie about D-Day. On June 6, 1944, thousands of Allied troops landed on the beaches of Normandy, France. Their purpose was to liberate mainland Europe from the Nazi occupation. I was thrilled as I watched real pictures of the warships and airplanes traveling in close proximity to accomplish this goal.
I asked Uncle Chuck later if each pilot and soldier knew all the details of what they were doing. He said that they did not because so much had to be kept secret to protect information from leaking to the enemy. The typical soldier knew  only what he was supposed to do and was expected to obey orders without question, no matter how dangerous. What an example of commitment and faith in their government and commanders!
As followers of Jesus Christ we are also soldiers. There is a spiritual war raging throughout the world in which Satan is the enemy. He has gathered his forces against God’s children for the purpose of destroying our testimony and keeping others from coming to Jesus and receiving the salvation from sin that He offers. 
Though at times it may seem scary and discouraging, as good soldiers we must endure hardships, fully trusting in our commanding officer.  By sharing God’s salvation message and faithfully obeying His commands, even when we don’t see or understand the full battle plan, we prove our faith in the One Who has already won the victory through His death and resurrection.  
Some day, on the other side of glory, we will be able to look back and see our small part in this raging battle. We will know that everything we have endured as a good soldier of Christ was worth the cost. Who knows – maybe we will even sit together and watch a 3-D movie of the Battle of the Ages as we celebrate our Victory in Jesus!
 I’ll bring the popcorn! 🙂
Love,
Mama

Dry Bones

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Ezekiel 37:10. So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceeding great army.

Not a breath of air stirred in the forsaken valley as the cruel sun baked the parched ground with burning rays. There was no movement or sound to be heard except the occasional call of the large black scavengers that circled overhead looking for one last supper. When none was to be found they flew on searching for another place to get their fill.

Ezekiel considered how he had happened upon this barren forgotten place – it was the hand of the Lord who had placed him there. As he surveyed the hidden valley, he saw that it was full of dead, dry bones. What devastating battle had taken place here so many years ago? Who were these people and how long had they lay here so long forgotten? In the deafening silence Ezekiel heard a voice, “Son of man, can these bones live?” He answered, “O Lord God, You know.” Again he heard the voice, “Prophesy over these bones and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.'”

Ezekiel spoke the words and cocked his ear to listen. A slight rattling sound caught his attention and he turned his head to look. To his surprise the dry bones began to come together, each bone to its neighboring bone until a large body of skeletons filled the valley. Ezekiel held his breath in wonder as he watched sinewy muscle tissue attach itself to the frame and flesh grow over newly formed bodies.
Though Ezekiel was amazed at this recreation of a mighty army, there was something missing. Each of the soldiers stared ahead lifelessly like a battalion of wax warriors – not a breath of life stirred within them. But then the voice came again, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God, ‘Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they come to life.””  Ezekiel did as he was commanded and a gust of wind blew through the valley bringing life to the inanimate infantry. Immediately the sound of shouts and noise  reverberated through the canyon. An exceedingly great army had been restored.
What did all this mean? God spoke again to Ezekiel and revealed that the dry bones were the whole house of Israel. Since being taken into captivity the people of the nation had all but given up hope of being restored to their own land. They had been completely cut off from all that they loved and desired, but through this vision God gave them a message of promise. He would “open their graves” and bring them back again to their own land, and when He did then they would recognize that He is the Lord who has spoken and done it.
What about the army of the Lord today? There is a spiritual battle going on all around us, but where are the soldiers? When the church doors are opened do you see troops preparing for battle or lifeless corpses staring ahead with unseeing eyes and closed ears? Where is the life? Where is the Spirit of God? 
Shhh! Listen! I hear the Holy Spirit wind stirring. Wake up, army! There is a battle to be fought.  Stand up, put on God’s armor, and fight in the power of the Lord!
Love,
Mama


Stay up on the Wall

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Nehemiah 6:9. “They were trying to frighten us, thinking, ‘Their hands will get too weak for the work and it will not be completed.’ But I prayed, ‘Now strengthen my hands.'”

Have you ever gotten discouraged serving the Lord? When we begin a work of service we often begin with fresh enthusiasm and vibrant zeal, but as time goes on difficulties arise. In our humanness we become tired and wonder if we are really accomplishing anything. Nehemiah felt this way, but God encouraged him and helped him to finish the task he had set forth to do.
Nehemiah was in his 20th year of serving the king of Persia when he received word that his friends and family who had remained in Jerusalem during the Babylonian Exile were in great trouble and disgrace. The great wall of Jerusalem was broken down and the gates had been burned by fire. This left his compatriots in danger causing Nehemiah great distress. He started praying earnestly to the God of heaven asking forgiveness for his sins and the sins of his people. He then began to devise a plan to go to the king and ask for leave to return to his people and help them rebuild the walls of the city. “Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man (the king), ” he prayed.
God granted this request and the king gave his blessing for Nehemiah to return to the land of his birth.  He gathered a group of workers and they began earnest work to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. They were making great progress when an enemy who was not pleased with their efforts came and tried to stop them. The rebuilding continued, but it was dangerous work and very discouraging. Nehemiah encouraged the exhausted and fearful men with these words, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.” From that day on the men continued the construction in shifts – half worked while the other half stood guard with spears, shields, bows, and armor. The opposition mounted as the wall continued slowly to take shape. The enemy believed if they could frighten the workers enough, their hands would get weak, they would discontinue the work, and the wall would not be completed. But Nehemiah prayed for the workers and for himself, “Now strengthen my hands.” Again God answered his prayer and soon the wall was completed and all the enemies who heard about it realized that it had been done with the help of the Lord. The wall was finished and God received the glory.
We also have an enemy. Any work done for the Lord does not go unchallenged. When you feel discouraged and exhausted in your ministry, don’t give up.  Pray to the Lord of heaven to strengthen your hands and He will. He will give you power to accomplish the work He has given you. Whatever you do, stay up on the wall and don’t come down until the work is completed!
Love, 
Mama

Great Grandpa’s Battle Plan

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Good Morning,
The verse of the day is Psalm 144:1 – “Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.”
Your great grandparents, John and Henrietta
Thomson, on their wedding day in 1932

On Sunday afternoon, December 7, 1941, millions of Americans listening to the radio had their favorite programs interrupted with terrible news. The Imperial Japanese Navy conducted a surprise military strike on the United States naval port in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Three hundred and fifty-three enemy planes launched bombs damaging eight US battleships, four of which sank. The well-placed bombs also damaged numerous other ships and aircraft succeeding in killing 2,403 Americans and injuring 1,178 others.

This surprise attack came as a shock to most Americans and “the date that shall live in infamy” launched our country into World War II on both the Pacific and European fronts. Many citizens rushed to the recruiting offices to volunteer for war. Your Great Grandpa Thomson was one of the men who stood in line to serve his country. 
After going through the recruitment process, Great Grandpa was not accepted for various reasons. He was a little older than what was optimum plus he had a wife and two children. However, this did not discourage him from doing what he could to support the war effort. 
As my recollection of the story goes he was able to secure a part time job in a factory that made ammunition. If he could not be on the front lines, then he would find another way to beat the enemy. He worked hard and fast to produce the ammo that would protect our boys. But in doing so he received some discouragement from some of his co-workers. They asked him to slow down because his high level of production was making them look bad. 
We laugh at this now, but Great Grandpa had a strong determination to make a difference when our country was at war. This character quality also made him a strong warrior on the spiritual battlefield. For the 25 years that I knew my grandfather he was always sharing his faith with those around him. Even at the end of his life, while lying in a hospital bed, he was still sharing God’s plan of salvation to the patient in the bed next to him.
God had trained his hands for war and his fingers for battle on the spiritual front. Though he was never on an overseas mission field, he was always a “front line missionary” who spent his life ministering to people around him. One by one, person by person, he shared the Gospel story and contributed to the great battle of the ages – a battle not fought against other countries and peoples, but one fought against the greatest enemy of all time – Satan, the prince of the power of the air.
Great Grandpa is in heaven now, but the battle still rages on. Are you willing to sign up for the Lord’s army? Ask God to train your hands for war and your fingers for battle and, as He did with Grandpa, He will reveal to you your part in the battle plan.
Love,
Mama

Murder in the Hen House

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1 Peter 5:8. “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (NIV)
 
There was murder in the hen house this week. Monday evening started out like any other evening. The hens had made their way into the coop and found their roosts as usual. After putting our German Shepherd in the big barn and checking on the goats, Dad perused the chicken run. All seemed peaceful and quiet.
We prepared for bed and promptly fell asleep. Sometime in the night I awakened to a strange noise outside the window. I thought I heard the girls clucking, but in my stupor I rolled over and went back to sleep.
Morning came and I was horrified to see a pile of feathers lying in the grass outside the fence. Upon further investigation I saw that a predator had gotten one of the hens, bitten her head off, and left the rest of her body. Since her carcass was outside the fence, I deduced that she must have gotten out and fell prey to the murderer.
The next two nights, to our dismay, the same thing happened only this time the victims were inside the coop itself. Something was getting in and ravaging our hens. One by one they were being decapitated, leaving only a lifeless body as evidence.
Our enemy, the devil, prowls around in the night and the day. He is always searching for a weakness in the fence of our lives where he can slip in unnoticed. We may have left a loop hole into our minds  by allowing greed or wrong desires to dwell there. Possibly we have left a gate ajar by associating with people who will not be good examples. The devil is always looking for our vulnerable places to make his move. His desire is to destroy and devour us, ruining our lives and our testimony.
The way to combat this enemy is through self-control. Stay on the alert and always be on the lookout for his crafty ways. Resist him, remain firm in your faith, and recognize that you are not the only one who could fall victim to his schemes. Pray for your brothers and sisters in Christ, that they would not be led into temptation, but be delivered from the evil one. Always remember that greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.
It’s time to do some serious revamping of our chicken wire fence. It is very disturbing to think of some unknown murderer creeping around in the night. Whether it is chickens or our own lives, you just can’t ever let your guard down. If you do you might end up with murder in the hen house.
Love,
Mama