Rescue the Perishing

The forecast for tonight is a hard frost.  This means pretty much any remnants of the warm seasons will soon be history.  The bed of snapdragons in our front yard provided a nice array of color all summer, but lately really decided to flourish.  At a time the plants appeared to be done blooming, I decided to cut off all the "dead heads" to see what would happen.  The combination of this process and no heavy frosts has made for a real bright spot amid our fall colors.

 

 

Not wanting to say my final farewell to their beauty, I decided to cut and bring in the remaining flowers with plans to place them into bouquets to share with others around town.  Twice I had to go back inside the house for another container to put them in.

 

 

It took some time, but eventually all the leaves and wilted flowers were removed, leaving me with quite the assortment to work with when it comes time to create the bouquets.  Looking at the clock, this may be a project for tomorrow!

 

 

As I was working with the flowers, a song kept going through my mind.  "Rescue the perishing, care for the dying. . . "  It is an old hymn of the church written by Fannie Crosby back in 1869.  A quick search on Goggle provided the rest of the words to the song:

 

Rescue the perishing, care for the dying,
Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave;
Weep o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen,
Tell them of Jesus, the mighty to save. 

 

Though they are slighting Him, still He is waiting,
Waiting the penitent child to receive;
Plead with them earnestly, plead with them gently;
He will forgive if they only believe.

 

Down in the human heart, crushed by the tempter,
Feelings lie buried that grace can restore;
Touched by a loving heart, wakened by kindness,
Chords that were broken will vibrate once more.

 

Rescue the perishing, duty demands it;
Strength for thy labor the Lord will provide;
Back to the narrow way patiently win them;
Tell the poor wand’rer a Savior has died.

 

Refrain:Rescue the perishing, care for the dying,
Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save.

 

 

Somehow, as I worked with the flowers, there was a bigger picture unfolding.  Much like the flowers growing in the yard, people living without Jesus in their lives are simply going about their business, unaware of the pending doom.  For the flowers, death would surely come from exposure to cold temperatures.  But for the life facing death without acknowledging Jesus as Savior, a different temperature awaits them in the fire of hell. 

 

As I sorted through the piles of flowers, there were buds not yet opened, flowers in full bloom and other blossoms which were showing the withered signs of age.  In the same way, people of all ages face the possibility of their life's end at any moment.  None of us is guaranteed tomorrow.

 

According to the forecast, the night ahead brings with it impending doom for the snapdragons.  Because of my care and concern, their life will be extended because I rescued them.  Tonight the question at hand is not so much about my flowers, however, but about what awaits YOU in eternity.  Have you been rescued by Jesus Christ, our Savior?  As the song says, He is waiting for each of us to believe and receive the forgiveness He freely offers. 

 

The snapdragons will now have a few more days to spread their beauty, but how wonderful it is to have the assurance my soul has been rescued not only for today and tomorrow, but for all of eternity.  Praying you, too, will be among those who say "Yes, I believe" to Jesus!

A Double Portion of Revelations - Part 2: More From Dan

On the tail-end of reading David Jeremiah's "Agents of the Apocalypse" came the arrival of Dan Johnson.  He spoke at our church for a series of four services.  During the second service his message also supplied a bit of a "revelation" I had not seen prior to his pointing it out.  The title of his message was "No King, Man's King and God's King" and was taken from the books of Judges, and 1 & 2 Samuel, with a brief peek into the book of Ruth which falls between them.

He showed us through the Scriptures of a time when the people of God had no king.  After the great leadership of Joshua, Judges 2:10 tells us there arose a generation who didn't remember him.  Because of this, it seems "everyone did as he saw fit" or as other versions are worded, "everyone did what was right in their own eyes".  You will find this phrase repeated often throughout the book of Judges.

Eventually it came to a point where the Israelites decided they wanted a king like the other nations around them, and thus it was God gave them Saul, who was what Dan referred to as "man's king".  Eventually in 2 Samuel came David, who was God's choice as king and a man after God's own heart.

These stories from the Bible were not new to me.  In fact, over the course of my lifetime, they have been read many times.  And so it was quite "enlightening" to have Dan point out something very interesting relating to the bigger picture of this portion of the Bible.

In Dan's opinion, we are now in a period much like the one referred to in Judges.  It seems there is no one looking to anyone in particular to be the absolute authority, leaving everyone to do what is right in their own eyes.  We are in essence doing a repeat of what happened to God's people in Judges.

Jumping over the book of Ruth, Dan compared the time when the Israelite's were ruled by Saul, man's king, to a time in the future when a person known as the Antichrist will arise and unite the world under one government.  It will seem as if this world ruler will be the answer to the problems, but unfortunately, during this time in the future, people will relinquish their freedom for a false sense of security.

Following this time of "man's king" will come the return of Jesus Christ, which will be the establishment of God's King.  At this point, the Bible says, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.  Dan questioned why we would want to wait until a time we will be forced to kneel when we can freely do so now?  By doing so, the Bible says we will avoid a very troublesome time under the rule of the Antichrist.

This is where the Book of Ruth comes in.  Ruth is a love story between a young widow and her "kinsman redeemer", Boaz.  In Old Testament law, a kinsman redeemer could marry a relative's widow to redeem the inheritance.  Dan used the story of Ruth as a picture of the love between God's people and Jesus Christ who redeemed us by His death on the cross.

Will the Old Testament pattern of no king (Judges), a wedding (Ruth), man's king (1 Samuel) and God's king (2 Samuel) play out in the end time scenario?  Looking around our world, it certainly is a point in time where everyone is doing just as they please as they did in Judges.  The wedding will take place when Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom, comes to claim His bride, the church.  A time of man's king ruling will take place during the troublesome time referred to as "the tribulation" under the rule of the Antichrist.  Finally, God will put Jesus in place as the King of Kings after His second coming. 

It is exciting to me to realize we may be alive during the time all this happens!  Many come with the argument, "Yes, but people have been saying the end is near for a long time".  I say, "How much closer are we now?" and "Someday there will be a generation who will live through the ending of the story".  Could it be we will be the ones?  I guess only time will tell.  In the meantime, I'm thankful for powerful men of God, like Dan Johnson, who help us see God's timeless story in a new light!

A Double Portion of Revelations - Part 1: Book Report

All too often books find their way into my house and get relegated to the "back burner".  For some odd reason, it seems scrolling endlessly through FaceBook takes priority over reading books which could enlighten me in new ways.  (Could this be a secret plot on the part of the enemy to distract me?)  Looks like I may need to call on some Holy Spirit help to change my habits.

Fortunately, as we were preparing for our trip to the League of Cities convention, a book which had been purchased some time ago caught my eye.  I opted to bring it along, as there would be free time both on the road and while Bert was attending his meetings.  I'm so glad I did!

Thinking back to school days, there were times we were assigned "book reports" where a book was read and then reported on to the class.  Things to include were the name of the book, author and a summary of what the book was about.  With this in mind, here is my latest report:

 

Title of Book:  "Agents of the Apocalypse"

Author - Dr. David Jeremiah

Summary - The subtitle of the book is "A Riveting Look at the Key Players of the End Times".  As the first chapter unfolded, so did an outline of how future chapters would be presented.  First, there was a fictitious story written about someone playing a role in a particular piece of the "end time puzzle".  For example, chapter one was entitled, "The Exile" and featured a possible scenario of how the apostle John became exiled to the Isle of Patmos.  This was where God revealed to him the events recorded in the book of Revelations.  Following this, the second part of the chapter would come under the heading of "The Scripture Behind the Story".  In this section, the author would share passages from the Bible which inspired him to write the story as he did in the first half of the chapter.

Other "agents" covered in the book were the martyrs, the 144,000, the two witnesses, the dragon, the beast from the sea and the beast from the earth.  If you've ever taken the time to read through the book of Revelations these will sound familiar.  The final three chapters covered the Victor, the King and the Judge, all referring to the role of Jesus in the unfolding of the end of time as we know it.

What I found refreshing in this book was the way the author inserted "lifelike" human characters into a plot which previously had seemed very confusing to me.  Somehow, placing a person who could be you or me into the events made them much easier to comprehend and far less mysterious.  It also left me with the challenge, "Where will my life story fit into these events as they unfold?".  In addition, it gave me a desire to encourage others to read and heed the message of this book, which mirrors the final book of the Bible as inspired by God many years ago.

Have you read the book?  What was your opinion of  it?  Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments or contact me personally with your reflections.  If you haven't yet read the book, you certainly have my recommendation to make it one to read in the future.

Dan, the Man!

[Dan Johnson will be speaking at our church this coming week-end, and for two nights next week.  If possible, come hear for yourself the wisdom he shares.  Sunday, October 14, 2018@11:00am and 6:30pm; Monday, October 15@7:00pm; Tuesday, October16@7:00pm.  This is a blog I wrote when he was last at our church. . .what a blessing it has been in my life to sit under his ministry!]



It was a special day at Crosby Assembly of God.  For two services we were blessed by the ministry of a man named Dan Johnson.  His FaceBook page says he is "retired", but at 83 years of age he still travels the country to do speaking engagements and is also an author.  At a time our church was without a pastor, he drove all the way from Tacoma, Washington just to fill in for a service, and was instrumental in connecting us with our current pastor.  Needless to say, we tend to get excited when he comes to town!

As a pastor for many years, and now as a traveling evangelistic speaker, he is an amazing man of God who has years of wisdom to share.  This morning he shared a passage of Scripture in Proverbs 22:28 which says:

"Do not move an ancient boundary stone

set up by your forefathers."

 

Also being a history buff, Dan often shares quotes from the forefathers of our country.  Stressing the importance of history, he told us the desecration of the past is the first step in overturning the present.  Sadly, what we are seeing in the current generation is a move away from even knowing history, let alone valuing it.  One sad statistic he gave was 47% of American youth have no memory of Billy Graham, a great man of God. 

Tying in with Dan's message was a song which was included in our worship time.  The title of the song is "Ancient Words", one we first became acquainted with during a VBS session a few years back.  It was also made popular by Michael W. Smith and combines words about the Bible with a beautiful melody.  You can access a recording of the song at this link:

Ancient Words

Tying the verse and the song together, he reminded us how important it was to hold fast to the truths of the Bible and not waver or move from them.  In my own personal life, the Bible is the "ancient boundary stone" passed on to me by my forefathers, and its words guide my life.  I am so thankful it has been a part of my life for as far back as I can remember.  Today I am also thankful for a man named Dan who reminded us today to stay true to its words!




Happy Grandparents Day!

Although this may be mere speculation on my part, days such as "Grandparents Day" are on the calendar mostly so Hallmark can sell more cards.  Cards which, after being received, generally end up displayed for a time and then discarded or added to a collection of memories, tucked away somewhere, never to be seen again.

Because of this, it has never really bothered me when, like today, the text arrived saying, "Totally forgot that today was Grandparent's Day. . .So sorry!  We are thankful for you today and every day!"  The real blessing is knowing my grandchildren are only an hour away, and the drive can be made as often as I like.  Arrival at their home is generally accompanied by four voices saying, "Grandma!" and eight arms providing hugs.  Yes, I don't need a special day to remember being a grandparent is special!

Looking back on my own life, the world of grandparents consisted of only one grandmother.  My maternal grandfather and paternal grandmother died long before I was born, and my paternal grandfather died when I was just a toddler, leaving me without memories of who he was.  Where other children had "grandparents", I had "Grandma and Henry" (Henry was my uncle who never married and lived with Grandma).  Still, I never really felt cheated, as Grandma Ellen embraced her role in such a way I never felt lacking in the grandparent department.

Some of my fondest childhood memories are of times spent at Grandma's house.  The farm, which began as a small homestead shack on the prairies of North Dakota, was lovingly built up into a beautiful yard filled with trees, a big red barn, chicken coop and come summer, a garden and lots of flowers.  Many a day was spent exploring and enjoying the freedom of "life at Grandma's house".  Our family often made Sunday the day to visit, culminating with an evening meal of sandwiches and home canned sauce in pretty oval bowls with purple flowers on them.  To end the day, there was "Wild Kingdom", "The Wonderful World of Disney" and "Bonanza" to fill our minds with more adventures.

And so it is, at the end of this Grandparents Day, I find myself saying, "Happy Grandparents Day, Grandma Ellen!  Thank you for the storehouse of memories you provided in my life.  Thank you for being the greatest example of someone who showed love to all and never anger, even amid a life filled with heartaches.  Thank you for being a wonderful role model for me to follow, as I now have my own grandchildren to love.  Tell my other grandparents I look forward to getting acquainted one day, knowing they, too, are a part of the person I've become.  Also, please tell God thank you for arranging it so you were always close by in my life, and for now providing the same privilege in the life of my grandchildren.  What a blessing to know we will one day enjoy an eternity of time together with the God who placed us in each other's lives!"

Unexpected Blessings

It has been another good year for my little garden.  How fun it is for me to watch as tiny seeds sprout into "baby crops" and eventually into mature, producing plants.  Although I did the planting and stayed busy pulling weeds and making sure there was adequate moisture, it is only God who brings forth the growth.  We find a comparison of this to the spiritual world in 1 Corinthians 3:6-8, where Paul gives the following discourse:

 

I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth.

So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.

Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

As summer winds down, so does the yield from my garden.  After enjoying two different varieties of lettuce over the course of the summer, the plants are now going to seed and I will soon be back to finding my lettuce in the produce aisle of the grocery store.  The sugar snap peas have also come to the end of their cycle and only occasionally do I find a quick treat off the vines.  While I have enjoyed several meals of garden beans, something tells me we are soon done with them until next year, as well.

The cucumber plants have blessed me abundantly, with my count total up to 26.  It was looking like the hot days had taken their toll on the plants and I wasn't expecting many more to mature, but yesterday revealed several more making good progress.

With three rows of carrots, we have enjoyed many a meal with them as the vegetable of choice.  Our youngest grandson in particular enjoys marching out to the garden in search of a treat, eaten Bugs Bunny style.

There has also been one helping of potatoes supplied and some small but tasty onions to add to meals.  Five little watermelons sitting among the vines seem to have stopped growing, but will be given until the first threats of frost to put on some inches.

One final row sprouts greens above ground and round, pointy ended, red roots below. . .beets.  They are such a treat when they final get big enough to pull a few, making room for the others to grow larger.  Steamed and served sliced with butter is my favorite, but with the first batch it was possible to pop them in my mouth whole!  There is also a friend in town who loves to cook up the greens, so I enjoy sharing.  (My attempt to make them last year resulted in choosing to pass them on this year!)

As I was looking out the kitchen window one day, I spotted an interesting splash of a deep pink, almost burgundy color among the beet greens.  What could it be?  Further investigation revealed a lone petunia growing in the middle of my beet row.  What a mystery!  How did it get there?  Was it a "gift from a bird" or a tiny seed which got in the wrong package?  There is no way of knowing, but it sure was an unexpected blessing!

Seeing it shining forth in its beauty made me wonder how long it had cried out for my attention before finally catching my eye.  And so it is with so many of our blessings in life.  They abound around us, but we fail to notice them.  This brings to mind a song I recently shared at a prayer breakfast at the Independent Community Banker's Convention in Bismarck, ND last month.  It is a song written by Laura Story during a time her husband was dealing with a brain tumor.  Hopefully you will take the time to listen and ponder what blessings are lurking unnoticed in your life!

http://www.musicvideolife.com/laura-story-blessings-official-video_b70a788a1.html

 

Back in the Saddle Again

This morning I crossed paths with a woman who has taught first grade for many years in our hometown.  It would be interesting to know how many lives she has touched, doing what she loves to do. . .teach.  She had retired, but a pressing need for more teachers brought her out of retirement.  As I asked how it felt to be back at it again, she replied it was good. 

Doing what one loves to do reminds me of a conversation we had with a pastor in his 70's.  He said he is often asked when he is going to retire.  His response was, "As far as I can see, pastors who retire end up looking for a place to preach shortly after doing so.  I've got a place to preach, so why retire?"

Banking was a part of my life for 32 years.  About 2 1/2 years ago it felt like time to end my career.  Life has been good, and I have enjoyed the freedom of not answering daily to a 9 to 4 job.  (I know, banker's hours!)  For the third summer I have enjoyed a little hobby garden.  Most days I find time to stop by my precious aunt's home.  She is also my godmother and, at 93, is my inspiration and hero in life.   Not having to work has given me the opportunity to sing with a group of people who provide music at our assisted living center and nursing home.  The freedom of being available when my daughter needs help with the grandkids is priceless.  Retired I am, but certainly not bored!

As I consider "doing what one loves to do" it reminds me I have been neglecting one of my loves. . .writing.  Our winter season in Bismarck with the ND Legislature is in the past, and the busy summer will soon come to an end.  Perhaps it is time to get "back in the saddle again". 

How about you?  Are you working or retired?  Are you doing what you love to do?  They say if you are doing what God created you to do, you will find joy in the task.  My husband often asks when I think he should retire.  My response usually comes in the form of a song. . ."We'll work 'til Jesus comes, we'll work 'til Jesus comes, we'll work 'til Jesus comes and we'll be gathered home".  The way things are unfolding these days, it may be sooner than we think!