Reward Is Certain (Spurgeon’s Faith’s Checkbook)

From Charles Spurgeon’s “Faith’s Checkbook”
Reward Is Certain
September 16
And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. (Matthew 10:42)

Well, I can do as much as that. I can do a kind act toward the Lord’s servant. The Lord knows l love them all and would count it an honor to wash their feet. For the sake of their Master, I love the disciples.
How gracious of the Lord to mention so insignificant an action — “to give to drink a cup of cold water only”! This I can do, however poor: this I may do, however lowly: this I will do right cheerfully. This, which seems so little, the Lord notices — notices when done to the least of His followers. Evidently it is not the cost, nor the skill, nor the quantity, that He looks at, but the motive: that which we do to a disciple, because he is a disciple, his Lord observes and recompenses. He does not reward us for the merit of what we do but according to His riches of His grace.
I give a cup of cold water, and He makes me to drink of living water. I give to one of His little ones, and He treats me as one of them. Jesus finds an apology for His liberality in that which His grace has led me to do, and He says, “He shall in no wise lose his reward.”

From the Faith’s Checkbook Mobile Devotional Android app – http://www.LookingUpwardApps.com/fcb

 

Gaining by Giving (Spurgeon’s Faith’s Checkbook)

From Charles Spurgeon’s “Faith’s Checkbook”
Gaining by Giving
January 9
The liberal soul shall be made fat. (Proverbs 11:25)

If I desire to flourish in soul, I must not hoard up my stores but must distribute to the poor. To be close and niggardly is the world’s way to prosperity, but it is not God’s way, for He saith, “There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, and it tendeth to poverty.” Faith’s way of gaining is giving. I must try this again and again, and I may expect that as much of prosperity as will be good for me will come to me as a gracious reward for a liberal course of action.
Of course, I may not be sure of growing rich. I shall be fat but not too fat. Too great riches might make me as unwieldy as corpulent persons usually are and cause me the dyspepsia of worldliness, and perhaps bring on a fatty degeneration of the heart. No, if I am fat enough to be healthy, I may well be satisfied; and if the Lord grants me a competence, I may be thoroughly content.
But there is a mental and spiritual fatness which I would greatly covet, and this comes as the result of generous thoughts toward my God, His church, and my fellow men. Let me not stint, lest I starve my heart. Let me be bountiful and liberal, for so shall I be like my Lord. He gave Himself for me; shall I grudge Him anything?

From the Faith’s Checkbook Mobile Devotional Android app – http://www.LookingUpwardApps.com/fcb

 

God Repays (Spurgeon’s Faith’s Checkbook)

From Charles Spurgeon’s “Faith’s Checkbook”
God Repays
April 21
He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again. (Proverbs 19:17)

We are to give to the poor out of pity. Not to be seen and applauded, much less to get influence over them; but out of pure sympathy and compassion we must give them help.
We must not expect to get anything back from the poor, not even gratitude; but we should regard what we have done as a loan to the Lord. He undertakes the obligation, and, if we look to Him in the matter, we must not look to the second party. What an honor the Lord bestows upon us when He condescends to borrow of us! That merchant is greatly favored who has the Lord on his books. It would seem a pity to have such a name down for a paltry pittance; let us make it a heavy amount. The next needy man that comes this way, let us help him.
As for repayment, we can hardly think of it, and yet here is the Lord’s note of hand. Blessed be His name, His promise to pay is better than gold and silver. Are we running a little short through the depression of the times? We may venture humbly to present this bill at the bank of faith, Has any one of our readers [oppressed] the poor? Poor soul. May the Lord forgive him.

From the Faith’s Checkbook Mobile Devotional Android app – http://www.LookingUpwardApps.com/fcb

 

Giving Without a Whisper (Spurgeon’s Faith’s Checkbook)

From Charles Spurgeon’s “Faith’s Checkbook”
Giving Without a Whisper
March 2
But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in, secret himself shall regard thee openly. (Matthew 6:3-4)

No promise is made to those who give to the poor to be seen of men. They have their reward at once and cannot expect to be paid twice.
Let us hide away our charity — yes, hide it even from ourselves. Give so often and so much as a matter of course that you no more take note that you have helped the poor than that you have eaten your regular meals. Do your alms without even whispering to yourself, How generous I am! Do not thus attempt to reward yourself. Leave the matter with God, who never fails to see, to record, and to reward. Blessed is the man who is busy in secret with his kindness: he finds a special joy in his unknown benevolences. This is the bread, which eaten by stealth, is sweeter than the banquets of kings. How can I indulge myself today with this delightful luxury? Let me have a real feast of tenderness and Row of soul.
Here and hereafter the Lord Himself will personally see to the rewarding of the secret giver of alms. This will be in His own way and time; and He will choose the very best. How much this promise means it will need eternity to reveal.

From the Faith’s Checkbook Mobile Devotional Android app – http://www.LookingUpwardApps.com/fcb

 

Christian Liberality (Spurgeon’s Faith’s Checkbook)

From Charles Spurgeon’s “Faith’s Checkbook”
Christian Liberality
January 22
Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. (Psalm 41:1)

To think about the poor and let them lie on our hearts is a Christian man’s duty; for Jesus put them with us and near us when He said, “The poor ye have always with you.”
Many give their money to the poor in a hurry, without thought; and many more give nothing at all. This precious promise belongs to those who “consider” the poor, look into their case, devise plans for their benefit, and considerately carry them out. We can do more by care than by cash, and most with two together. To those who consider the poor, the Lord promises His own consideration in times of distress. He will bring us out of trouble if we help others when they are in trouble. We shall receive very singular providential help if the Lord sees that we try to provide for others. We shall have a time of trouble, however generous we may be; but if we are charitable, we may put in a claim for peculiar deliverance, and the Lord will not deny His own word and bond. Miserly curmudgeons may help themselves, but considerate and generous believers the Lord will help. As you have done unto others, so will the Lord do unto you. Empty your pockets.

From the Faith’s Checkbook Mobile Devotional Android app – http://www.LookingUpwardApps.com/fcb

 

Divine Recompense (Spurgeon’s Faith’s Checkbook)

From Charles Spurgeon’s “Faith’s Checkbook”
Divine Recompense
January 10
He that watereth shall be watered also himself. (Proverbs 11:25)

If I carefully consider others, God will consider me, and in some way or other He will recompense me. Let me consider the poor, and the Lord will consider me. Let me look after little children, and the Lord will treat me as His child. Let me feed His flock, and He will feed me. Let me water His garden, and He will make a watered garden of my soul. This is the Lord’s own promise; be it mine to fulfill the condition and then to expect its fulfillment.
I may care about myself till I grow morbid; I may watch over my own feelings till I feel nothing; and I may lament my own weakness till I grow almost too weak to lament. It will be far more profitable for me to become unselfish and out of love to my Lord Jesus begin to care for the souls of those around me. My tank is getting very low; no fresh rain comes to fill it; what shall I do? I will pull up the plug and let its contents run out to water the withering plants around me. What do I see? My cistern seems to fill as it flows. A secret spring is at work. While all was stagnant, the fresh spring was sealed; but as my stock flows out to water others the Lord thinketh upon me. Hallelujah!

From the Faith’s Checkbook Mobile Devotional Android app – http://www.LookingUpwardApps.com/fcb

 

Gaining by Giving (Spurgeon’s Faith’s Checkbook)

From Charles Spurgeon’s “Faith’s Checkbook”
Gaining by Giving
January 9
The liberal soul shall be made fat. (Proverbs 11:25)

If I desire to flourish in soul, I must not hoard up my stores but must distribute to the poor. To be close and niggardly is the world’s way to prosperity, but it is not God’s way, for He saith, “There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, and it tendeth to poverty.” Faith’s way of gaining is giving. I must try this again and again, and I may expect that as much of prosperity as will be good for me will come to me as a gracious reward for a liberal course of action.
Of course, I may not be sure of growing rich. I shall be fat but not too fat. Too great riches might make me as unwieldy as corpulent persons usually are and cause me the dyspepsia of worldliness, and perhaps bring on a fatty degeneration of the heart. No, if I am fat enough to be healthy, I may well be satisfied; and if the Lord grants me a competence, I may be thoroughly content.
But there is a mental and spiritual fatness which I would greatly covet, and this comes as the result of generous thoughts toward my God, His church, and my fellow men. Let me not stint, lest I starve my heart. Let me be bountiful and liberal, for so shall I be like my Lord. He gave Himself for me; shall I grudge Him anything?

From the Faith’s Checkbook Mobile Devotional Android app – http://www.LookingUpwardApps.com/fcb

 

Bible Verse…II Peter 1:2-9

 2 Peter 1:2-9
2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
� KJV

Have you ever wondered why some people are so hard to work with?  Or have you wondered why some people handle situations so well, while others going through the same thing struggle or have such a bad attitude when they go through it?  The difference in these people and their attitudes has been given to us in these verses from II Peter.  The difference is Jesus in their lives, and the work of the Holy Spirit in their souls.  I have been blessed to see people I love and respect go through the pain of terminal cancer who have shown God’s love in their struggle.  I’ve also seen others who didn’t have Jesus as their Savior, struggle with the loss of a loved one because of terminal cancer.  The difference in how they handled their struggle is completely on the opposite ends of the spectrum.  My mother died of terminal colon cancer, and my favorite aunt died of leukemia.  Right now one of my favorite pastors is facing the fact that if his last series of chemotherapy doesn’t work he will only have 3 to 5 months to live.  My favorite Aunt Pat’s son, my favorite cousin, was born with a serious heart condition that left his parents with a diagnosis that they would lose him before he reached school age.  Through God’s mercy this cousin has lived and is living still today, although it is a daily struggle for him, causing him to suffer kidney failure, having to have a transplant, and suffering through a coma for the weeks around his mother’s death.  The amazing thing about all 4 of these people in my life is the hope they held on to, that my cousin still holds onto.  Never have I heard any of them complain about how unfair it was for them to suffer through these terrible diseases.  In fact, all four had been, or still are more concerned about others and the salvation in Jesus that would bring others hope and peace.  Yes, they hurt, and they felt ill, but never did they become angry at God and think he was being unfair to them.  It was through my mother’s illness, in her last days, that I really got to know my Savior, Jesus Christ.  Her witness to me, as I sat in the hospital with her days on end, that allowed me to see the Holy Spirit at work in her life.  In her struggle and her faith I saw these verses come alive…

“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;  And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.  For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

From the night we first found out that she had terminal cancer and were told she wouldn’t make it through the night, and on through her last 3 years of life, Jesus used my mother to show us how real he is.  Yes, 3 years, and it was a miracle that God gave her for his glory and praise.  You see, I needed those 3 years and God knew it.  He knew that I was hardheaded and hardhearted, and that he would have to show me how real he was for me to come to him.  He had to show me that there was hope in Him, for me to find that hope for myself.  God had to bring me to a point of letting go, and finally putting my trust in Him, instead of only trusting myself.  For the most part my mom was a quiet woman, talking about family matters, church, and memories, but up until her illness she rarely spoke of her own personal faith.  Oh, she shared with me events that she and my dad had been through where God worked, but not how he worked in her heart.  Those 3 years were filled with many highs and lows.  The highs were times that Mom would get to be back home.  The lows were the days just before or after she had a chemo treatment, when I would watch her weak and suffering with pain and nausea.  There were also lows in the days she spent in the hospital having surgery and recovering, or when there was no more hope of recovery, and it was just a time of wondering when it would happen, and God would take our mother.  Back then I saw it all as a punishment from God, and figured he was angry with me, why else would he take my Mom, my one protector in this world away from me.  I don’t see it that way now though.

During that time I didn’t realize it but God was doing a great work in me, and he was doing it through my mother.  First, it was in showing me that he still does miracles.  I was 18 when I found mom laying on the sofa, moaning in great pain.  I remember coming home from Beauty School, and seeing her in a position I had never seen her in.  She rarely was ill, and when she was Mom usually just went to bed and slept it out of her.  She never complained, or blamed God for her feeling sick.  That day though something was different.  When I asked her what was wrong, she said that she thought she had pulled a stomach muscle moving the big freezer in the garage.  But she was pale, moaning like she had never done before, not even after a root canal, or eating something she was allergic to (which she often did, loving both strawberries and oatmeal).  I remember Dad coming home and asking why she was laying on the sofa, because he knew it was not like her.  I told him what Mom had said, but that I didn’t think it was just a muscle pull.  Mom had pulled muscles before, and never acted like she was that day.  I told Dad that I thought she needed to go to the hospital, and for once he agreed with me.  He called for an ambulance and we all piled in the car to meet her at the hospital.  They took her into a room in the back immediately, and it seemed like hours before the doctor came out to let us know what was going on.  I remember my little brothers, my dad, myself and my baby girl (my oldest daughter) sitting in that waiting room, slowly joined by other family who came from around the state to be with all of us.  When that doctor came out and told us that a tumor on Mom’s colon had ruptured, spreading cancer throughout her insides and had ruptured a kidney as well, and that she wouldn’t make it through the night, my world came crashing down, and I was angry with God.  It was decided to send her from the base hospital to a hospital in Kansas City to have a cancer specialist and surgeon do what he could to save her life.  At that moment I thought I would never see her again.  I went home, and waited for a call from my father to say Mom was out of surgery or that she had passed on.  I remember that anger at God boiled up in me.  An older brother flew out to be with us and came in from California during the early morning hours, while the rest of us were still waiting for news from Dad.  My oldest brother, Bill, made the mistake of telling us that God was still in control, and I lost it.  I ran outside, crying, yelling at God, that if he was in control why was he taking the parent that cared for me and leaving me with the one who abused and hated me.  My oldest brother came out, knowing I was angry, and in his hands was a pile of plates from Mom’s kitchen cabinets.  He told me that I needed to get that anger out of me, and quit blaming God.  Bill handed me a plate, which I took as him being insensitive and wanting me to set the table for breakfast.  I grabbed that plate and threw it against a tree, hoping he would see that it wasn’t going to happen, and he should leave me alone.  Instead Bill handed me another plate and told me to throw it too.  Again and again, Bill handed me a plate, and when those ran out, he got me more.  I must have broke every plate in that kitchen, and being from a very big family meant there were a lot of plates.  At one point, Bill finally asked if I was through, and exhausted I knew I was.  My big brother walked me into the house with his arm around my shoulder and told me to go lay down and get some rest, and he would let me know when Dad called.  That night was a long night…one of the longest nights in my life.  But I found out that my brother was right, God was in control, and he had a plan already in action.

When my mother was rushed to the other hospital, God was putting that plan in action by bringing another woman into the hospital as a patient, a woman named Minnie who was a Christian.  The Oncology specialist met the ambulance at the hospital, and after his examination and looking at the results of the tests the Base Hospital had run, he immediately rushed my Mom into surgery.  He removed all the damaged and infected tissue, stopped the internal bleeding, removed whatever he could find of the tumor and cancerous tissue, then closed her up, and placed her in an I.C.U. room, which she would share with Minnie.  Now this part of the story I’m telling from the accounts that Minnie and my mother shared with me.  It was about midnight the day of her surgery, around 30 hours after she initially went to the hospital.  She had woke up from the anesthetic about 8 or 9 that night, and found herself in the room with Minnie.  The two women struck up a conversation about why they were there, and Miss Minnie, as we called her, asked my mom if she could have one thing from God what would it be.  My mother said that she would ask for 3 more years.  Three years to make sure I was remarried and that my daughter and I were taken care of.  Three years to make sure my 2 younger brothers were out of high school and into college.  Three years to make sure that her children were taken care of before she died.  Miss Minnie asked my mom could pray for her, and of course Mom agreed and the two women prayed and then drifted off to sleep.  About midnight, Minnie and Mom told me, that a bright light came into their 3rd story room, and that beam of light was brighter than the sun.  It settled on my mother’s stomach, as the 2 women watched it.  Now they were up higher than the streetlights in the parking lot outside their window, and it was a cloudy night that night, so they were amazed at this light.  As quickly as it came, it disappeared, and the 2 women fell fast asleep.  The next morning the specialist who had operated on my Mom came in to check on her.  He was surprised to see her sitting up and chatting with Minnie like she had never been through a thing.  He did his examination, and told Dad that he should call the family and tell them that we would be able to come up and see her.  Dad called and we rushed up to the hospital, not knowing what we would be facing when we got to the hospital.  The doctor went about scheduling Mom’s first round of chemotherapy for that week, knowing he had to now deal with infection that resulted from the ruptured tumor and the cancer that was spread by it as well.    I can tell you, I thought we were going up to say goodbye to my mom for the last time, but I wasn’t ready for that or what we found when we got to the hospital.  Try as I might, I could not prepare myself for saying goodbye, but nothing could have prepared me for walking in that morning to see my mom and seeing her sitting up in bed, smiling and claiming that God wasn’t ready for her to go to heaven yet.

I must have stood there for minutes, with my mouth hanging open, when I walked in and Mom said “Did you miss me?”

She looked like nothing had happened to her, and you wouldn’t have known she was sick if it wasn’t for her being in a hospital, and wearing a hospital gown.  She was excitedly talking to me and her roommate, Minnie, at the same time.  Minnie and Mom told me about how they had prayed and about the light that touched my mom’s stomach, and there was no doubt that God had brought my mom through that previous night and the surgery for a reason.  But in my hardheadedness, I wasn’t ready to buy the farm they were selling me.  Within a week, Minnie left the hospital and Mom was moved to a regular room.  The hospital allowed one of us to stay with her all the time, and so we set up a schedule where all of us could do what we had to do, and take turns being with her.  I usually took the night shift, as my sister who lived in town watched my daughter.  She took the shift when her husband came home from work and one of my brothers took the morning when Dad was at work and I was at Beauty College.  Dad was taking the fewest hours, due to the college classes he was taking, and so was usually up there at different hours.  It was in those long night hours that Mom decided to begin writing down her life story and testimony, knowing that if she was too weak to write that she could dictate it and I would write it down.  It was during those long night hours that God began working on me through her testimony.

Was she angry with God for her having cancer?  No.  Did she complain about the poking and prodding of the doctors and nurses?  No.  During that time she never complained once about how unfair this was, or that she couldn’t take it anymore.  Instead she laughed, teased the hospital staff, and worked on getting her testimony written down.  Why she chose to do this only when I was with her is something only God knows.  Although now I realize that it might be because it was the one time she could get her hyper, hardheaded and hardhearted daughter to sit still and really listen to her.  I did listen, even when she wasn’t talking about her life.  I listened when she told me that one day people would be buying bottled water, which I thought was odd since they didn’t have bottled water at that time, and we often drank water from the tap or the garden hose.  I listened when she told me that if the U.S.S.R. ever broke up and seemed defeated, not to believe it, because one day they would be a greater enemy that would lead an attack against Israel.  I listened when she said that one day land would be of greater value than anything in this world, and that those who owned land would be able to survive better than those who didn’t.  Back then I thought she was talking crazy, but as I look back now I know that this was wisdom coming from God.  Mom quit high school in 11th grade to help my grandfather take care of their family during the depression, and up to that time I thought I was a lot smarter than mom because I had finished high school, but now I know that she had a wisdom than that I couldn’t understand.  Mom had a wisdom that only comes from God.

Although I didn’t realize it then, that wisdom was going to have a profound effect on my life for years to come.  But not only that wisdom, but her testimony through her words and attitudes at that time, have come to be a foundation that God laid in me to continue his work, to teach me patience, strength, faith, and so much more.  It was the beginning of God tearing down the walls in my heart, and opening up my soul to the work of His Holy Spirit.  It was through this experience, and through the same attitudes and actions of these others I loved and respected who have lived their faith in Christ that have helped me through this period of time in my life where I find myself struggling with health issues and disabilities.  I only hope and pray that when my time is up, I will have lived the same witness that these others have done in my life, and for the glory and praise of God.  I know that to do so I will have to hold on to these passages from the Bible and trust God’s Holy Spirit to work in me and through me during this time.  I know that these are characteristics that Jesus showed in his life on Earth, and that even in his greatest trial he displayed.  He set the example, and all I have to do is  follow it, and let the Holy Spirit do the work in me to help me do so.

 

Bible Verse…I Peter 4:7-19

1Peter 4:7-19
7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. 9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging. 10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. 16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
� KJV

I posted these verses from my time with God the other day after reading many articles about current events going on in the United States and Israel.  It is evident the the world is in a tail spin, headed quickly into the days when the Tribulation will happen.  As a believer there are many things I believe as truth besides knowing that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and that he rose again then ascended into Heaven to prepare a place for those who are His.  I know I am one of those, and that it won’t be long whether through my death or the Rapture that I will be with Jesus there in Heaven.  But there are many other things that I know from the prophecy in the Bible about what is to come.  For one, the rising persecution of Christians and Jews, and for another that there will be a chain of events that will happen before Jesus comes back to end all the evil on Earth and judge all people.  There will be great roaring of the seas that will cause men’s hearts to fear.  There will be wars and rumors of wars.  Another list of things is famine, earthquakes, and pestilence.  In the last years we have seen those things growing, and during the Tribulation these things will be far worse than even what we see today.  One thing we know as Christians is that we don’t know the day, nor the hour, not even the very moment of the 2nd coming of the Lord Jesus, but we know what he tells us to look for so that we will know it is close.  In Matthew 24 Jesus, himself, gives us many of these signs to look for in his answer to the disciples question about what would be the signs of His coming.  Jesus gave us these signs so that as his children we would know what to watch for.  i can tell you that I’ve been watching, as are many other Christians and those times are upon us.

Some believe that the trumpet sound the Rapture, or the moment when Jesus will take all true believers to Heaven so we won’t live through the Tribulation, that we will just pop out of here and never have to face any trials at all.  Others, like me, know that God doesn’t promise that we won’t see any of these trials, but that we won’t see the worst of them that will come in the Tribulation, when the Antichrist (False Messiah) rules the Earth under a One World Government.    We already see some of those near future elements of the Tribulation being put into affect.  For example, Agenda 21 of the U.N., which will have many effects on all the world, from education, to confiscation of guns, even those liscensed and registered to personal owners, which will leave only criminals and governments to have them.  It will also put all economics, all personal records including medical records under one government.  It will put so much control on the people of the world that ultimately we will all be slaves to those in power, forced to worship the AntiChrist or face death.  People will be executed for not denying Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, and those who do not take the Mark of the Beast (AntiChrist) will not be able to buy or sell, get food, or live in homes like we do now.  It will be a terrible time, of what will be a global dictatorship, with a global one world religion, and a time of great persecution of anyone who doesn’t conform, especially Christians and Jews.  It will also be a terrible time of environmental upheaval as storms become even deadlier than they are now, great food shortages, greater earthquakes and volcanic activity, and plagues like we have never seen.

As I said, these things are already on the rise.  I read an article the other day that coined the term “Christianopobia”, which is the hate and fear of Christians.  A week doesn’t go by that I don’t read comments on articles or hear how someone on the news is calling Christians “haters”.  I read articles weekly about churches all over the world being bombed or attacked and Christians being imprisoned, persecuted, and killed.  Of course these aren’t reported on the mainstream media as much, but there are articles coming out of news sources around the world that report these attacks.  There is a group called “Voice of the Martyr” that acts like an advocate for those Christians who are being persecuted around the world.  In the U.S. there is a growing hatred for Christians coming from many different groups from Athiest, Muslims, Gays, Communists, Socialists, Marxists, Anarchists, and many groups on the Left.  It seems like every terrible event that happens the left rushes to blame it on Conservative Christians, even though it isn’t true.  Our own government under Barack Obama has gone as far as calling all those who disagree with his agenda as Homeland Terrorists, including those who are Pro-Life, Pro-Marriage, Conservative, Christian, Stay-at-Home Moms, Military Men and Women, Military Vets and Retirees.  They have even installed security measures to spy on us like we are no more than common criminals.  They allow Leftists Protestors speak out, and even allow their acts of vandalism, but threaten anyone who gathers peacefully to protest Obama’s wicked agenda which includes the killing of millions through his Healthcare Plan, and through abortion.  Recently there was a pastor who was jailed for holding a Bible Study in his own home.  As we near the Tribulation more of these attacks on Christianity will rise.

As I said earlier, we do not know the day, the hour, nor the very moment that Jesus will call us home.  But I can tell you this as this time approaches we will see more attacks on Christians, on freedom, and on truth, and my friends, things could get a lot uglier than we ever dreamed of until the day of our Rapture.  But we don’t need to be afraid, because there are so many verses in the Bible that God has given us to see us through, just like tese found in I Peter.  God gives us instructions on how to stand strong, how to overcome, and reminds us that in the face of these trials and tribulations, in times of great fear and adversity, God will always be here for us.  He will see us through if we just keep holding on to him.

 

Being a Giving Person

Giving to others is truly a wonderful way to show them the love of Christ.

People often think being a giving person means giving money, but if we follow the example of Jesus Christ we will learn that it is much different.  Why?  Because throughout the life of Christ we see that he didn’t give money, but instead gave time, love, healing, forgiveness, hope, and peace.  We also read what he taught about giving food, clothing, shelter, and even friendship to those in need.  I’ve often had to address the idea of helping those in need with my husband and my children.  Some get it, and others still haven’t.   But for me,  giving to others in need was instilled through my parents.  It always seemed that although we were a big family (9 kids) and not wealthy by any means, my parents always found the money to take care of needs that they saw others needed, even if it meant going without something at home.  As kids we never saw the sacrifice they made because there was always food on the table, clothes on our back and a warm home to live in.  Even as a teen my mother set the example for me, by taking me with her to clean the home of someone who was bed-ridden from illness or surgery, or were elderly and couldn’t do it all themselves.  I never even thought of it as doing what the Bible ask us to, because it was just something we did.

As an adult I often found the television full of ads yelling “help these children”, “help those refugees”, or “give or else”, and my heart would feel the sting of guilt that I couldn’t help them all.  Many were for secular, non-Christian charities.  I remember often wishing I had the money to send to each one of these charities…that is until I answered an add for a job with UNICEF.  I went to their week long training session, and came away with a disappointment at those charities that advertise on television.  I found UNICEF to be a pyramid scheme, where those who are suppose to be helped by it, getting the least in the chain of their financial breakdown.  They often hired low-income people, homeless, and single moms to walk the pavement going to each business asking for donations.  In return they gave the donor  a little stuffed animal with the UNICEF tag on it.  Donations usually ranged in amounts from $5 to $25, which would be turned in back at the UNICEF office.  From there the cost of the stuffed animal was removed.  Then they broke down the amount to go to each level of the company workers, with the most being received by those on top, and the one walking the pavement getting barely 10%.  I saw workers walk all day from 6 a.m. to dark, and barely make $5 a day.  It was a sad situation, even more when I saw that very little went to the fund for those it was meant to help.  That was enough of secular charities for me.

I then decided I would help through Christian organizations that I knew were helping around the world. Many of these type of Christian charities are great for getting your family involved in giving, and through this teaching them about why it is important to take care of those in true need.   For example, with my youngest daughter,  we’ve saved quarters for months to put towards feeding centers here in the U.S. and also in Africa.  Many of these around the world also serve as home and school for children.  I found that I can’t help everyone, but I can help some perhaps even closer to home.

After my oldest was born, I went 24 years before having another child.  During that time I found there was a great need for foster homes in the Los Angeles area.  As a foster parent we gave a home to almost 15 children, and of these 15 we adopted three.  I was surprised at the stats of children in foster care and even more that there were 18,000 children who needed to be adopted to get them out of foster care, and that is just in L.A. County back in the 1980’s.  I can’t imagine what the amount is now.  When a foster child doesn’t have a home they are sent to a large home, like a orphanage, for children.  The conditions are often worse than in most prisons, and the dangers for small children are often greater.   It was unbelievable that our government entities allowed such a place to even exist.  Once we had adopted our last three foster kids the house was full and we couldn’t take any more.

So now I had to find other ways to help.  Most churches now have what they call a “food pantry” to stock up on items to take to those in need.  I began putting a few extra things in the basket each time I went grocery shopping and would take them to the church on Sunday.  I still do this, but allow my daughter to take them to donate.

My oldest daughter and I would go on mission trips when she was a teen to the Navajo Reservation in Arizona.  We found children there living in a small house or hogan with as many as 18 to 20 family members.  Often they had only one outfit to wear each day.  Some were without shoes, and still others didn’t even have the basic underclothes to wear.  We worked with the natives through Christian mission churches often pastored by an indian from their tribe.  It wasn’t unusual for a teen to use some of the money sent with them to go into town and buy something they saw a child needed.  Even my daughter bought underwear and shoes for a little girl.  There was a young man at this reservation who had a great talent for playing instruments although he had never had any formal lessons.  He was training with the pastor to be a missionary to his own tribe who would travel around the reservation sharing the Gospel.  I ran the Bible School that summer, and would always find this young man in the sanctuary of that little church, trying to learn to play the songs that we taught the children.  I would set and teach him on my guitar how I played them in the time before the children arrived, often joined by various teens from our church who also played instruments.  I found out through the pastor that the young man loved those times and would miss them until the next summer when we returned.  I also found out that the young man was praying that God would provide him with his own guitar to use in his ministry.  I thought what could I do about it, since I used mine for my own areas of ministry, and needed it for the rest of the trip.   Well, God answered his prayer and mine, when I was given a new guitar at Christmas that had a thinner neck for my small hands.  I had the teen director from our church contact the pastor from the mission church and ask him if that young man still needed a guitar.  The answer came back…yes.  With a message to him that we would see him that summer, and were working on helping, we left it at that.  When summer came it was a blessing to take my old guitar and leave it with the pastor to give to the young missionary native when he returned from his rounds.  We asked him not to mention who it was from, but just to say “God answered prayer.”

As a single mom, with 2 kids still at home, I opened my own store off my house.  We lived from sale to sale during that time, but it allowed me as a single mom to be home for my daughters, and yet work.  Behind our home was a trailer park filled with veterans who had served their country and then were forgotten by them.  Most had severe health issues linked to their time in Vietnam, and many had long since lost any contact with family because they found it hard to find a job that understood their health difficulties.  But these men were like fathers and brothers to me, and like uncles and grandpas to my girls.  They watched out for them, let me know if they saw the oldest doing something she shouldn’t, and when they did work during harvest time, they often brought us boxes of fresh oranges and other produce.  I often wished I could help them out as well, and found myself praying that God would show me a way.  One day when talking to my landlord’s wife, I mentioned that I would like to do something for the guys in the trailers.  Her husband was their landlord too, and was a veteran who had been blessed in life.  That is when she mentioned one of the guy’s had a birthday coming up and knew he would not even get a card from his family, as he had never received one.  That is when God showed me the way.  With her help, I found out every veteran’s birthday.  My store was a novelty gift store offering balloon bouquets, party planning, and even a rent-a-clown.  That’s right…I was the clown.  With list tacked up behind the counter, each day one of the vet’s birthdays came up my daughters and I would create a balloon bouquet, make a card signed from “your secret family”, and decide on a special gift for that vet.  We would sneak to the door of their house, and leave it on their porch, with the balloons tied to the gift.  Then we would sneak back inside our home and peak out our back window to watch the look on their face as they were surprised by the birthday gift.  We went from just doing this to hosting holiday meals for the guys, never letting them know that we were doing this just for them, but just doing it as something special for our neighbors.  The landlord and his wife helped me provide enough food for the dinner and for each of the guys to take home a big plate of leftovers to eat that week.  I’m sure they knew in their hearts that we knew their need, but we never told them.  We got the blessing of knowing that they felt that someone cared, that they were getting a good homecooked meal and the feeling that there was family around who cared.  I got the joy of knowing that my children were learning the joy of giving to those in need, and for caring for others.  We may not have been rich in money at that time, but we were rich in blessings from God…blessings of the heart.

Even the use of our talents can be a form of giving.  There is the memory of a Mother’s Day  when a frazzled nurse ran into my store and asked me if I could come to the local Nursing Home as a clown and put on a program for the people there.  The act they had scheduled had canceled at the last minute and they had no one to replace it.  At the time I was a single mom with 2 kids at home and we had a couple of my daughter’s friends over helping us with getting ready for a birthday party in a local park.  After talking with the kids, I told her we had the party to do, but if she didn’t mind giving us a couple of hours we would be there.  My daughter’s friends rallied with us, not only helping set up, entertain, and clean up the birthday party, but in donning clown costumes, and going with us to the Nursing Home.  We told jokes, sang silly songs, and even did the Hokey Pokey.  I had taught the teens how to make balloon animals and flowers, and that day each of them went table to table talking to each of the elderly people there while making them a balloon creation as a gift.  On the way home, the teens were so excited about the whole experience, yet touched deeply by some of the sad stories that the Nursing Home residents shared with them, of never seeing their kids or grandkids, of being lonely and of feeling like no one cared anymore.  It went right to the hearts of these 3 teens, and they didn’t take the situation lightly asking if we could go again, just so they could visit the people they had met.  This was a time when our giving came through the use of our talents.  All the money in the world could not have filled the need of those elderly adults like just having someone listen, make them laugh, and spend time with them.  I have since been blessed to use other talents I have to fill the need of others, from making a special backpack for a child to carry his oxygen tank in, to teaching a young lady to sing who’s parents couldn’t afford lessons, to even tutoring a child with severe learning disabilities to help him build confidence in his learning ability.

Each of the above examples from my own life are blessed memories.  I’ve never thought of myself as giving anything, but in thinking about this and looking back I was surprised at how many times God opened a door and led me into giving something to help another.  These are only a few of those times, and each one, when remembered also brought a renewed feeling of being blessed to be able to do so.

You see the point I’m getting at is…no we can’t help everyone in the world who is in need, but we can help some in need, and that we should be willing to do so.  Sometimes the least selfish are those who have the least, because they know what it is to need, and in their heart they can’t stand to see someone else suffer.  As Christians we are to give to those in need, and sometimes we are leary because of feeling like we don’t want to encourage that money being used for drugs or alcohol, sometimes we have very little to give ourselves.  But one thing I have learned is we are all able to help someone in need along the path of our life, and often if our heart is attuned to God, we find that there are many that we can help.  When we allow God’s Will to be first in our lives, we also find that he often provides the means to help others.  There are a variety of ways God opens the door for us to give to those in need, and there are safe and legitimate ways to give so that you know where your money or items are going and that they are truly being used for those in need, whether it is giving a lunch to someone holding a sign at a street corner, or donating toys to Toys for Tots or Angel Tree, to seeing if your local hospital can let you provide something special for children or adults who are there for a long period of time, such as books, quilts, even gifts at Christmas.  Don’t forget those in nursing homes, because many haven’t seen family for a long time, and for the most part are forgotten.  Just going in and reading to them, playing a game of checkers, can be a form of giving that is cherished beyond the money you give.  Don’t let your own finances limit your ability to give.  Give of your time, possessions, talents, and most of all yourself and your love for others.  The blessing you will get from being a giving person far outweigh any treasures you can receive on Earth.  Helping others is truly like wrapping them in the loving arms of Jesus Christ.