The Treasures of the Snow

By Gillis Killam –

When the first snow fell this year I was not happy that summer and fall were over. However, God has seasons in their order for a purpose. I might question the seasons, but when I looked out the window and saw the beautiful sparkling white snow, I remembered God’s query of Job in Job 38:22, when He questioned Job’s comprehension of the world around him. There were so many things that Job didn’t understand.

God said, “Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow?”(Job 38:22 KJV) Another translation: “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow or seen the storehouses of the hail” (Job 38:22NIV).

God is not referring to the composition of the snow, as complicated and interesting as it might be, He is speaking about the way God uses snow for His purposes along with the hail and lightning. God is saying He has a way of reserving these elements of nature to fulfill His purpose in judging those who oppose His will.

I understand that Napoleon lost his final battle with the Russians partly because of the snow and harsh winter. When God wanted to bring judgment He used snow, rain, hail and lightning to accomplish His purpose.

It is recorded in the Old Testament that God thwarted the enemies of Israel through water, flood, fire and earthquakes. Remember God’s judgment on Egypt in Exodus, where there is a vivid description of God’s use of natural forces to bring judgment on Pharaoh (Psalm 105:23-33).

Today with so many disasters of nature happening around the world, society doesn’t seem to get this concept. Instead, they criticize and blame God for these storms rather than hearing what God might be saying.

“He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’ So that everyone he has made may know his work, he stops all people from their labor” (Job. 37:6-7 NIV).

It is interesting that when God speaks about the completeness of cleansing from sin He says, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18 NIV).

PRAYER: O God my Creator, help me to learn from the snow and the storms, just what you are speaking to me.

Being Committed

By Kim Stokely –

Ah, the New Year. A time to look over past achievements and set goals for the future. A good friend of mine once asked, “If I’ve accomplished all my New Year’s Resolutions by January 9th, did I set my goals too low?”

Maybe.

I hate making goals. They mock me. As soon as I make one, all of life seems to conjoin to keep me from accomplishing it. If I say I’m going to lose weight, then strangers start throwing chocolate my way. If I promise I’m going to write a certain amount of words each day, then my computer freezes or my zip drive gets lost. If I commit to a quiet time in Bible study and prayer, then every telemarketer from here to Mumbai calls for that exact hour.

Instead of “goals” I prefer lists. They’re a little less formal. More laid back. A list invites me to accomplish it, rather than demanding my participation. I can check things off at my leisure. There’s no deadline. No obligation.

This kind of attitude doesn’t work in my walk with God, however. Not if I want to grow in any measurable way. God doesn’t demand that I seek Him, but He certainly rewards those who are faithful. If I’m putting my relationship with God on some kind of checklist, then there’s a good chance I’m taking it too lightly. Treating it too casually. There’s a saying, the difference between being involved with someone and being committed to them is like a ham and eggs breakfast. The chicken is involved with the meal. The pig is committed.

This year I’m setting one goal. I’m going to strive to be more committed to my relationship to God. Intentional in the time I spend with Him. Not out of obligation, or because He’s on my list of “things to do,” but because I long to have the kind of faith that He desires for me.

The great thing about this resolution is I can’t set a deadline for when I have to have it accomplished. There is no actual “goal.” I will never be perfect or sinless. I can never know all there is to know about God. He will never run out of ways to surprise me. Although I can never fulfill this resolution, I can never fail at it either, because as long as I am seeking to know more about Him, I’ll be successful.

Hurry Up

By Elaine James –

“Hurry up, we have to go!” I yelled.

I ran out onto the back porch with my baby in my arms racing to get into the car and all of the sudden I tumbled, crashing to the ground. I checked out the baby and, miraculously, no injuries.

My toddler came running up with a panicked look shouting “Mom are you okay?”

“Thank goodness we are fine” I spoke with a bit of reassurance in my voice. This could have been more serious. With resolve I said, “Listen to me. Let’s agree right here, right now we will not say the H word any longer.”

“What’s the H word, mom?” Nick asked peering at me with his cute inquiring eyes.

“Hurry!” I explained. “We were divinely lucky this time, but if we continue to hurry every time we go somewhere one of us may get hurt. All hands in!”

I had us put our hands all in on top of each other like the ball players do when they come out of a huddle, and we cheered, “No more hurrying!”

It felt good when we came to an agreement. No yelling. No screaming. Just teamwork. Yay for our team!
The Bible teaches that we are to submit to one another and be team builders. Jesus selected the twelve disciples, taught them and encouraged them to work together. One day the disciples came to Jesus and said, “‘This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.’ Jesus replied, ‘They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat’” (Matthew 14:15-16 NIV).
Jesus made a plan, the disciples responded and obeyed therefore Jesus was able to create a miracle, which resulted in order, peace, joy and contentment. Teamwork!

This New Year you may prayerfully consider this question “How can I intentionally and deliberately build better teamwork into important relationships in my life?” Wait and trust the Holy Spirit to answer this meaningful question.

You may be tempted to call a teambuilding meeting where you get dreary looks and meaningless head nodding. Consider trying this instead:

1. Get a package of Three Musketeer’s candy bars.
2. Attach a note to the candy stating your desire to build team work in the New Year.
3. Include the motto “All for One, One for All.” Certainly that will pique their taste buds and interest!

“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21 NIV).

PRAYER: Father, thank- you for a New Year. My desire is to be deliberately intentional in my relationships this year so that I can build a team like you did, Jesus. (Name the team members) Help guide us all with clarity and unity. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Through Life’s Troubled Journey

By Gillis Killam –

Like all grandparents, we pray for each one of our children and grandchildren, not only because we love them, but because we want them to know the presence of God is with them. We never stop praying for them.

Not long ago, one of our grandsons, Hudson, found out that he was diabetic. We were devastated by the news because Hudson is only 12 years of age. Everything seemed fine until his Mom realized something was wrong. He was sent to the specialist in Saskatoon where they stayed for several days to get his blood sugar down. His A1C had been 22, which is very high. Now he has to be vigilant and make sure he is eating right and taking his insulin. Quite an adjustment for a young man!

When I think of him spending the rest of his life watching his diet and taking the needle twice a day, I pray God will help him to draw near to Him, and that a miracle of healing could happen.
Being diabetic myself, I know what is ahead for him unless a new cure is found.

What seems to be a catastrophe may turn out to be a great blessing in his life and family. This is the part of life’s journey where he needs to trust God. Nothing happens in our lives as Christians but that God has some reason for allowing it. I know God can heal him, and this we pray for, but should it not happen right now, we are confident Jesus is “watching over him”.

One reason we know, is that He desires us to know where real help comes from. What comfort it is to know that the One who made heaven and earth is watching over us day and night.

“The LORD watches over you—the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore” (Psalm 121:5-8 NIV).

I pray every day for Hudson that through this journey of life he will know where to look for help and know that God cares and watches over him.

Prayer: I thank You, Maker of heaven and earth that you are with us through life’s entire journey.

The Bible & Reincarnation

By Warren M Mueller  –

Is there any evidence in the Bible that supports reincarnation? I recently met a person who claims that Matthew 11:14 supports the idea that at least some people are reincarnated. In this verse, Jesus says that John the Baptist is Elijah or Elias and therefore, John is either the resurrected or reincarnated prophet. Since Elijah was taken bodily up to heaven, he presumably never died and so John could not be the resurrected prophet (2 Ki 2:11). His mother was Elizabeth, a relative of Mary (Lk 1: 36, 57-60) and he was special even from birth being filled with the Holy Spirit (Lk 1:15). Jesus said that there was nobody greater than John the Baptist ever born which certainly would put him in an exceptional class with Elijah the prophet (Mt 11:11). Mark and Luke both attribute prophetic verses from the old testament prophets Malachi and Isaiah to John the Baptist as the messenger who prepares the way for the return of the Lord Almighty (Mal 3:1; Is 40:3). So is the literal sense of Mt 11:14 what Jesus meant?

Some of the Jewish priests wondered who John the Baptist was and asked him if he was Elijah. John said he was not Elijah (Jn 1:21) which clearly conflicts with the literal sense of Mt 11:14. During the transfiguration of Jesus, Elijah and Moses appear and talk to Jesus who is changed such that “his clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them.” (Mk 9:3, NIV) Peter is present and offers to set up three shelters for each of them Jesus, Moses and Elijah.(Mk 9:5) This event happened after the death of John the Baptist so if he was Elijah reincarnated, why didn’t Peter and the others recognize him as John? Also, after the transfiguration, the three disciples ask Jesus why the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come before the Lord. In Mk 9:12, Jesus responds to their question and affirms that Elijah does come before the restoration of God’s kingdom. This is fulfilled in the appearance of Elijah before the death and resurrection of Jesus which establishes the kingdom of God on earth inside of believers (Jn 3:3; 1 Cor 6:19). The appearance of Elijah at the transfiguration of Jesus could also fulfill Mal 4:5 which predicted that Elijah would return before the great and dreadful day of the Lord. Jesus continues in Mk 9:13 to explain that John the Baptist is the Elijah that has come and suffered. John the Baptist is the last of the Old Testament prophets who were rejected and suffered at the hands of the kings and priests of Israel. Therefore, these verses describe both the return of the Old Testament prophet Elijah (at the time of the transfiguration) and John the Baptist as the last forerunner of the kingdom of God and the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Reincarnation is not supported by the Bible which teaches that each person lives once and then is judged by God to determine eternal life in heaven or hell (Heb 9:27; 2Co 5:8; Rev 20:11-21:4). Jesus and Paul taught that every legal matter should be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses (Mt 18:16; 2Co 13:1). The diety of Jesus was witnessed by both Elijahs at the baptism of Jesus and his transformation. Jesus taught that faith in him leads to perfection and unity with God, not multiple human life experiences (Mt 14:6).

Next Page »