When God Becomes Real

While in Bible college, I would go to the Prayer Room and beg God to become real to me. I wanted more awareness of Him, a better sense of His presence. On my knees, I pleaded with the Lord: “Let me know You and the power of Your resurrection” (Philippians 3:10a). At the time it seemed like nothing happened. Did He answer No? Looking back, I think He answered Wait. A few decades later, I propose why God didn’t seem real at age twenty – I hadn’t suffered much. Knowledge of Christ grows from “the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death” (Philippians 3:10b).

In the years since Bible school, I have experienced many deaths (losses). Loved ones have died. Goals and expectations have failed. Cancer has impaired my body. Every loss causes grief. But God is real. He is King of my life, my ministry Partner, and ever-present Friend. For me, learning to trust Him completely was a struggle – a series of deaths to self. I like having a reason for everything, but God doesn’t want me to dwell on why when I know Who is in charge. He needs my heart not my head. At every new hardship I must lay down my arms and accept whatever He does.

The reality of His companionship is a coveted by-product of fellowshipping with Him during times of suffering. That would be compensation enough, and yet He promises more. Sharing in Christ’s sufferings gives us the privilege of sharing in His glory. Grief here equals glory there. I don’t know what “glory” will involve, but I suspect that when we finally get the view from eternity, it will be worth it all.

If we have been broken-hearted or humiliated, betrayed or falsely accused, mocked or rejected, we fellowship with His sufferings. If our body has been violated or experienced great pain, we suffer with Him. I have friends who were molested as children. Innocently, they suffered like Christ and will share in His glory. Another friend has been widowed twice. She also buried both of her children – one from suicide and the other from an overdose. Her favorite Psalm is 69, a psalm of deep lament. Yet she has a radiant smile and evident godliness. She shares what Christ suffered, and she will also share His glory. Could this be one reason why James 1: 2 tells us to rejoice in “various trials,” and verse 12 promises the crown of life to everyone who loves the Lord and “perseveres under trial”?

From my observation it seems like the people who know God best are those who have suffered most. Compared to them, I’m a spiritual babe. But I “press on, so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ” (Philippians 3:12). Perhaps the best way Christ lays hold of us is through our fellowship with His sufferings. It makes Him real to us. Someday, partaking in His glory will be real also.

For further study on the relationship of Suffering to Glory, see:

Romans 5:1–5

Romans 8:17–18

2 Corinthians 4:16--18

Ephesians 3:13

Colossians 3:1-4

Hebrews 2:9–10

1 Peter 1:6-8, 11

1 Peter 4:12–16

1 Peter 5:1, 10-11

New Release: Gift Book by Marcia Hornok

Fruit of the Spirit: Inspiration for Women from Galatians 5:22-23 is a delightful women’s devotional that celebrates the fruit of the Spirit and the joy it brings to a Christian’s life. Thoughtful readings speak to the heart of the reader. Memorable quotations and poignant spiritual insights add to the rich spiritual depth of the 192-page book. Set in a charming 4-color design, Fruit of the Spirit the perfect book to give as a gift or use for personal quiet time.

This 4.5" x 6" Gift Book is not only the "fruit of my hands," it is the fruit of my  broken arms. Injuries last summer forced me to stop other activities to concentrate on studying and writing to meet my contract deadline. 

The colors and graphics are beautiful. I love the font and layout, and the paper weight quality of the pages is great. I am so proud of it.  

Christian author R. J. Thesman says, "Sometimes it seems as if I’m trying to push myself on other people, just for the purpose of sales. I hate that. But the truth is, I worked hard to write my book, and I feel the words have meaning and purpose....We want more sales, because that means more and more people will find encouragement for their faith journey."

Fruit of the Spirit is available from Amazon, barnesandnobel.com, and Barbourbooks.com in hard copy ($7.99), Kindle, and NOOK. 

Quotes that Convict Me

From Philip Nation: All leaders face the temptation to love their work for God more than God Himself. It is our own temptation toward idolatry. To speakers, I would say that they should love Jesus more than their words about Him. For worship leaders, love God more than the music about Him. No matter what else happens on the platform, it will be obvious where your passion rests.

From Dan Block (per Leah) – The Sunday service should be the culmination of the personal worship you’ve done all week. The purpose of worship is to connect with God, which I should do every day by abiding in fellowship with Him. What He says to me through His Word is probably more important than what I say to Him. (ie. sermon over singing???).
Worship has become too casual and too equated with music. Praise is part of worship but so is lament.
The biblical word ‘worship’ does not mean ‘praise.’ It means ‘prostration.’ Therefore worship is more about surrendering than it is about getting a good feeling in church.

From Carolyn Arends, Christianity Today, Oct 2009:
I suspect I have sometimes used spiritual disciplines as smoke signals to get God’s attention. Now I am learning they are ways of letting Him capture mine.

Re: Evangelism – I don’t have to give a nonbeliever something I have that she does not. I need only invite her to open herself up to God and respond to what He is doing in her life.

Christian Gals: Preview "Quotes that Convict Me"

Christian Gals: Preview "Quotes that Convict Me"

Will You Go to a 'Better Place'?

“We know that he/she is in a better place.” People often say this after a loved one dies, and it provides comfort in the midst of bewilderment and grief. Tuesday’s Salt Lake Tribune had the phrase twice, quoting people whose friends had died due to tragic car crashes.

But how can we know we will depart to a better place? The Bible answers that decisively. It says, “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:11-13).

The key to having eternal life is to have the Son of God, Jesus Christ. But what is eternal life? The best-known verse in the Bible, John 3:16, tells us it is the opposite of perishing. “Whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:15-16). [Note: everlasting and eternal are the same Greek word.]

Jesus illustrated both eternal life and perishing when He told about the rich man and Lazarus. Read the thought-provoking account in Luke 16:19-31.

In their earth-life, the rich man was blessed and comfortable every day while Lazarus, hungry and full of sores, begged at the rich man’s gate.

Both died. They went to opposite places. In their after-life, the rich man was begging for relief from torment, while Lazarus was comfortable in Abraham’s bosom. Lazarus had eternal life while the rich man was perishing. One was in a better place; one was not.

As a biblical truths examiner (www.examiner.com) I will not impose a certain religion or church on my readers. My approach will always be non-denominational but will regard the Bible as truth for all people of all times.

So how does the Bible say we can live eternally in a “better place” after we die? Simply by believing in God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. We learn who He was and what He taught and did for us by reading the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

What does “believing in” Jesus mean? Many people believe He was a true prophet, good teacher, great example, or at least—a historical person. The Greek word for believing means to be persuaded of, place confidence in, to trust and rely upon, not mere credence. When we believe in Jesus Christ for eternal life, we stop putting our faith in our own logic, our good works, our church membership, or in human religious leaders.

Jesus Christ guarantees eternal life to all who believe in Him by faith. Do you trust in Him alone? Then you will go to the “Better Place.”

Airport Security: Scancer or the Pet Down?

Let me get this straight. If I want to fly, my choices are to have a stranger see me naked or to be fondled by a stranger! Before TSA started the more intense frisking, I always refused the scanner. Not because of someone seeing me virtually naked. A good laugh never hurts anyone.

Doctors and nurses and morticians see people naked all the time—why not TSA scan viewers? Even though I’m at an age where it should be illegal to wear a swim suit in public, that’s not what bothers me about the scan. It’s the radio waves or whatever they shoot you with. How do we know they are safe?

My parents bought my childhood shoes at a store with an x-ray machine. You put the new Buster Browns on and inserted your toes in the machine. When you pressed the x-ray button your parents could see how close your toe bones came to the end of the shoes. Of course, eventually x-rays were found to be harmful and these machines disappeared. It’s a wonder I don’t have toe cancer.

But that’s the thing. I’ve already survived two kinds of cancer. I don’t want to expose myself to another cancer while being exposed at the airport. So I plan to let them frisk me. I might even giggle or moan while they do it—make the frisker feel as uncomfortable as I do!

But what about pilots and flight attendants not being subject to the new rules? Won’t that defeat the purpose of having stricter guidelines? Don’t let terrorists know they can buy a uniform and two fake IDs and get on an airplane without being scanned or patted. That sounds scarier than cancer from radio waves.

What think ye?

Cat Humor

“A devotional book about cats? You wrote cat devotionals?”

Yes, and I had as much fun doing it as a kitten in a basket of yarn.

Barbour Publishing asked me to submit two humorous stories about cats and draw a spiritual lesson from them. Okay. Back in 1970-something our cat named Moondust did a funny thing, so I wrote about that. Then I had no more funny cat stories. So I wrote about my friend Kim’s cat who is so obese that when he lays on his side he looks like bagpipes.

Barbour bought the stories and requested eight more. I started asking friends, “What’s the funniest thing your cat has done?” I learned that people enjoy telling stories about their cats and that cats often make us laugh.

Nick’s cat was the best dog he ever had. In Hawaii, Cindy’s cat liked to bite the tails off geckos. Every gecko on the wall in their house was tailless! And Steve had to get married with his hand and wrist completely bandaged because his cat freaked out that morning.

So how do funny cat stories deepen one’s relationship with God? You’ll have to read Heavenly Humor for the Cat Lover’s Soul-75 Fur-Filled Inspirational Readings to find out.