This week, I have been planning and researching (and spending) money for this summer and next school year. I will share what I have been working on a later post.Today I want to share my biggest thought from the week.

Since I have been staying up researching books and curriculums for our summer plans and next year’s school year, I haven’t been studying out of my Bible studies as much. For three weeks, I am sitting in on a “new member’s class” for adult Sunday School. This class is done a couple of times a year so that people can learn more about what it means to be a member of our church. Since I am in that class, I am not teaching the ladies class, which means I did not study that lesson, which in turn affected this post!

However, I think sitting in that class had an impact on my thoughts last Sunday. For some reason, I was a little emotional. Maybe I was more tired than normal. I was able to sit in that class and listen to my husband talk about our church family — and that is what we are.

We are a church family.

We left our flesh and blood family and drove over 1,000 miles to be part of our church family. We still talk to and love our biological family, of course. And my family is part of our universal church family as they are believers as well. But our local church family is wonderful. We fit right in, we get hugs and support, because we have something in common — the blood of Jesus Christ which washed away our sins.

As I sat in the choir loft on Sunday morning, I was able to sing the congregational hymns and watch the faces of the congregation as they sang along with us. As they smiled and sang out fervently, it made me smile. As I saw different people walk in the back of the church, it made my heart so happy to see that they came that day. I saw two little girls filled with joy bumping into each other and laughing as they sang. I was so glad to see them happy to be there. The feeling that overwhelmed me was, “I love being here with my church family! Sunday is my favorite day of the week!”

I know our church is not perfect. There have been interpersonal relationship problems in our church just like most other churches have had. Why? Because we are a family. Families can have fights and have discord from time to time. I have also been in churches where there  have been big fights and almost splits. I know some of you may have been in situations that are very painful and have stopped going to church. I urge you if that is the case, look for a different one that you can go to, where you can learn, where others love. You need a family.

I really feel that I am in one of the most loving churches I have ever attended. It was that way when we came, but we also wanted a culture of joy in the Lord and that Christians can be happy. We shared our desire for a church family where the Word of God is taught and obeyed and practiced by a joyful, loving membership. We still believe the doctrines of the Bible, we are a separated church, we have a conservative worship style, we believe that God is holy and therefore our lives should be holy. We do not compromise just to draw a crowd, yet we are joyful, happy, and loving.

At the end of our church service on Sunday, we had the Lord’s Table. While the deacons pass out the bread and juice, it is our tradition to sing Behold the Lamb (Communion Hymn) by Keith and Kristyn Getty. I love the words of this song:

“Behold the Lamb who bears our sins away,
Slain for us – and we remember
The promise made that all who come in faith
Find forgiveness at the cross.
So we share in this bread of life,
And we drink of His sacrifice
As a sign of our bonds of peace 
Around the table of the King.

The body of our Saviour Jesus Christ,
Torn for you – eat and remember
The wounds that heal, the death that brings us life 
Paid the price to make us one. 
So we share in this bread of life,
And we drink of His sacrifice
As a sign of our bonds of love 
Around the table of the King. 

The blood that cleanses every stain of sin,
Shed for you – drink and remember
He drained death’s cup that all may enter in
To receive the life of God.
So we share in this bread of life,
And we drink of His sacrifice
As a sign of our bonds of love 
Around the table of the King. 

And so with thankfulness and faith we rise
To respond, – and to remember
Our call to follow in the steps of Christ
As His body here on earth.
As we share in His suffering
We proclaim Christ will come again!
As a sign of our bonds of love 
Around the table of the King. ”

Every time we sang the words together, “So we share”, I got overwhelmed by how the church family is sharing together because of what God has done for me.

When we sang the words, “The wounds that heal, the death that brings us life; Paid the price to make us one.”, I became overwhelmed by what Christ had done for me in providing me our church family. Because He died for me even though He was sinless, because His body was broken and His blood was shed, I am able to have this church family that comes together weekly and shares with me my concerns and problems. They rejoice with me; they cry with me. All because of what Christ did for me.

That’s just an extra benefit. Obviously, the ultimate joy is that because of Christ’s suffering is that we can receive eternal life and be saved from eternal punishment. We have fellowship with God Himself and receive His peace and joy, but a side benefit if that I now have a new family that has a new culture. No longer does race, nation, or tongue have a boundary. We are all one in Christ and because of what He has done for us, we can meet and rejoice together and find oneness in Him. It’s an overwhelming thought — one that I hope will always overwhelm me.

After we celebrate the Lord’s Table, we close out our service by holding hands and singing “Blest Be the Tie that Binds.” If you have not experienced this tie that binds, keep looking for it. If it is impossible to find, maybe it’s not the church, maybe it’s you. No church is perfect, but it is needful. Look for a church where you can serve, not be served. Look for a church where the atmosphere is joyful and the desire of the leadership wants the Word of God taught and God to be glorified. There may be a few grouchy people. There are going to be sinners still there as we all are sinners. Mistakes will happen. But we need the church, and the church needs you.

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In Sunday School, we  have been studying the stories of Mary and Martha. Whole books have been written over Jesus’ rebuke to Martha.

We see this story in Luke 10. The part that has been studied and discussed for centuries is found in verses 40-42:

But Martha was cumbered [over-occupied, too busy] about much serving, [used often as the word minister – Acts 1:25. 6:4, 6:25, 12:25] and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful [to be anxious; to be troubled with cares] and troubled [to be troubled in mind, disquieted] about many things: But one thing is needful [necessary]: and Mary hath chosen that good [excellent, distinguished; upright, honourable] part, which shall not be taken away from her.

As we looked at this passage, we noticed some pros about Martha:

• She was a servant. Ministering to others is commended in God’s Word.
• She was a hard worker.
• She was capable.

But of course we know that she had some cons too:

• She was too busy — so busy that she was stressed about it and developed a bad spirit about her service.
• She accused Jesus of not caring.
• She told Jesus what to do.
• She was anxious and troubled in mind. She was worrying.
• She did not have the right priorities.

Martha was cumbered about much serving;” she was distracted by the many things she was trying to do. It is possible for a follower of Christ to attempt too much; sometimes this is due to a sense of self-importance and of pride. It may result in such a mood of irritation and temper as was shown by Martha when in criticizing her sisters he humiliated her by rebuking her in the presence of their Guest, and by addressing the remark to him rebuked him as well, “Lord, dost thou not care that my sister did leave me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.” In his reply Jesus showed his affection by tenderly repeating her name, but he rebuked her spirit and revealed its cause, “Martha, Martha, thou art anxious and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful: for Mary hath chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” There was no need for an elaborate meal; but few things or one would have sufficed; yet one thing was needful, and that Mary had chosen, for while the Master does appreciate all that we undertake for him, he knows that our first need is to sit at his feet and learn his will; then in our tasks we shall be calm and peaceful and kindly, and at last our service may attain the perfectness of that of Mary when in a later scene she poured upon the feet of Jesus the ointment, the perfume of which still fills the world. Charles R Erdman

I see myself in Martha, but I don’t see myself too much in Mary. I was very convicted by the cons. I am very busy. I get a bad attitude sometimes about my service. I don’t take the time to sit at Jesus’ feet like I should. My priorities definitely need some work. I think I know what God should do in my life. I can worry about things I cannot control.

I know I am not the only way that feels this way. No wonder God included this story in His Word! I’m sure there are many more Marthas in this world than there are Marys.

As I studied to teach about these interactions Jesus had with Mary and Martha, I liked some notes I found my David Guzik. He mentions how there are other examples of having the right priorities in the Bible. Look at these verses:

• One thing have I desired of the Lord, that I will seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple. (Psalm 27:4)
• When Jesus heard these things, he said to him, “You still lack one thing…come, follow Me.” (Luke 18:22)
• Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14)

David Guzik shares what that one needful thing, sitting at the feet of Jesus or to have the ONE THING that is truly important,  means:

• To sit at the feet of Jesus implies readiness to accept and obey what Jesus teaches

• To sit at the feet of Jesus implies submission to Jesus; rebellion is done with

• To sit at the feet of Jesus implies faith in who Jesus is

• To sit at the feet of Jesus implies discipleship

• To sit at the feet of Jesus implies love

Are you sitting at the feet of Jesus?

If you aren’t, there is still time to do that one, needful thing. Martha did! When Lazarus died, she was the first out of the house to go see Jesus. When she sees Him, she remarks that if he had been there, Lazarus would not have died. As they continue their conversation, Jesus asks her if she truly believes that He is the resurrection and the life. She answers, “Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.” 

Even though her brother died, she believed that He was her Messiah. 

It is also interesting to note that in the last interaction we have with Martha, it is mentioned that she is serving.

Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. 2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.

Martha is still serving, but her attitude must have now been right because she is not rebuked. It is wonderful to serve; God wants us to serve! But He wants us to do it because we love Him. He wants us to do it in such a way that He receives the glory. He wants us to do it not of duty but out of delight!

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Since getting back from South Africa last Friday, I have been very busy. School is back in session so I am teaching there; I taught my Sunday School class; I’m cooking for our senior citizens lunch tomorrow; there is a ladies activity on Sunday; our water softener got fixed; I went grocery shopping; I signed my son up for basketball and took him to a practice; we went to our co-op on Tuesday . . . the list goes on and on.

Even though I could share some thoughts from my Sunday School lesson, I thought instead I would share some of your posts I enjoyed reading. Here they are!

• Reminders by A New Lens — I liked her last  point:

Those coming after us need to know what has sustained us during the hard times, the failures, the doubting times in our lives. That can build their own faith and nudge them when they are tempted to believe no one has faced anything as difficult as they face.

• Stay Faithful & Trust God by Soul Survival

But ultimately we must choose to meditate on and believe His promises and learn to rest in His grace. There is nothing that will happen in this world and nothing that can happen in our lives apart from His sovereign care and control. Believing that and living like we do is what it means to trust in Him.

• 10 Simple Ways to Appreciate Your Spouse More from Confessions of Parenting

I like her point about looking for the positives.

For every negative thought you have you think of 5 positive ones!

• Standing Secure from Hope Secure

God promises that even though storms will come – some that threaten to shake the foundations of our life, He will stay by our side and help us through. He hears our cries! He will secure justice for the poor and He will uphold the cause of the needy. 

• Six Reasons Why Christian Women Fellowship is Very Important from Unshakeable Joy

• How To Teach Kids to Get Rid of Toys from Confessions of Parenting

• Reintegration from Jennifer Lambert

Enjoy this articles and link up some of your articles!

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A discussion came up in Sunday School about why Jesus tells the Syrophoenician woman and the disciples that He is come only to the lost sheep of Israel but then He went ahead and granted the Syrophoenician’s daughter. Someone said, “Didn’t He just contradict what He just said? So I went home and researched this topic, and I hope what I found can help someone!

Purpose statements Jesus gave of why he was here on earth:

• Luke 19:10– For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
• Matthew 20:28 – Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
• John 12:47-50 – Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.
• Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. (Die on the cross so that all could be saved) John 4:34
• For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. John 6:38

Why does it say salvation went to the Jews first and then to the Greek (Gentiles)?

We see Paul say in Romans 1:16 – For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Why does Jesus say to the disciples, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” (Matthew 15: 24).”

Why did He say this statement to the Samaritan woman?

You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.”  John 4:22

Jesus came to the Jews and salvation is from the Jews. What do those statements mean?

Jesus came to the Jews first with the salvation message as the promised Messiah come in flesh. They refused the message and the messenger (as a whole/as a nation). Those who did believe (such as His disciples and His apostles) took the message to the whole known world after Jesus ascended up into heaven; so therefore, salvation came from the Jews. (John 4:22 above) Also salvation came from the Jews because God had a covenant with Abraham. Jesus was the fulfillment of that covenant, He was a Jew and therefore salvation came from the Jews .

Jesus is the Messiah that the Jews had been anticipating for centuries (see Luke 2:25; 3:15). As such, He was born into a Jewish family and was reared according to Jewish law in a Jewish town (see Luke 2:27; Galatians 4:4). Jesus selected Jewish disciples, spoke in Jewish synagogues and the Jewish temple, and traveled mostly in Jewish areas. His mission, in fulfillment of the Jewish prophets, was to the Jewish people.

Jesus’ focus was on reforming Israel, not bringing his kingdom message to the rest of the world. His focus on Israel can be seen in his prophecies and pronouncements of judgment on the nation. Through symbolic, prophetic actions like cursing the fig tree (Mark 11:12-14, 20-25; Matt 21:18-22) and cleansing the temple (Mark 11:15-19; Matt 21:12-17; Luke 19:45-48, John 2:13-16), as well as strong prophetic denunciations (Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21, 13:6-9), Jesus made his particular focus on Israel clear.

None of this means that Jesus’ ministry was limited exclusively to the Jews. Anyone who had faith received salvation (even Gentiles – we see this with the Syophoenician woman and the centurion, and the Samaritan woman). As the Syrophoenician woman kept up her appeals, Jesus finally responded, but His words seemed to hold little hope: “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel” (verse 24). Here he was just defining His focus to His disciples. He was training them. They needed to know His ultimate purpose. However, the woman did not give up, and Jesus eventually granted her request, based on her “great faith” (verse 28). Here they can see that He did love the Gentiles and that His salvation was for everyone – which the disciples would need to know as it was their purpose/mission to take the salvation message to everyone. (All the Great Commission verses in Acts 1:8, Matthew 28:19-20 and more) He was here for 3 years; His mission was to present Himself as the Messiah and to die on the cross. The disciples’ mission was to take that news to everyone.

We see His love for Gentiles in the way He healed a Roman centurion’s servant (Luke 7:1–10), traveled through the Gentile region of the Gerasenes (Mark 5:1), and ministered in a Samaritan city (John 4). Jesus came to save everybody (1 John 2:2).

I found some of this info at https://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-Jews-only.html

More good articles:

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevin-wax/why-did-jesus-say-he-came-only-for-israel/

https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/to-the-jew-first-and-also-to-the-greek

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Next Thursday, I will still be in South Africa visiting my sister. I got this post up before I left, but I  will probably not have a post next week as I will not have much access to the internet. Maybe I will be able to do one there. If I do, I will send you an email. Thanks!

The thoughtful topics for your posts could be related to but not limited to the following topics:

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“O woman, great is your faith!” Matthew 15:28

What caused Jesus to say these words to a Canaanite woman?

These words were not said directly to any other person by Jesus, although He did say the same thing about the centurion, another Gentile.

Let’s look at the faith of this woman and see what we can do to have the same type of faith!

We can find this story in Matthew 15:22-28 and Mark 7:24-30. We learn that Jesus goes to the region of Tyre and Sidon to get away from the crowds. The passage says that He doesn’t want anyone to know He has there, but His fame has spread before He arrives. This is the only time that we know of where He went outside Jewish territory, but He had a divine appointment to meet the need of this woman of faith.

There are many obvious evidences of faith in these two passages:

• We see this woman’s faith right away in the title she gives Jesus.
  In Matthew 15:22, she says, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David;” She understood who Jesus was. This was the title which the Jews used in speaking of the Messiah. She believed Him to not only be a miracle worker, but to be the Savior!
• Her persistence in her request showed her faith.
  In Matthew 15:23, it says that Jesus did not answer her a word. A Gentile had no right to approach Him as Lord, Son of David. After the disciples ask Him to send her away, He answers, “I was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” He made His mission known. But she did not give up. She kneels before Him and rephrases her question. She said, “Lord, help me.” She drops the title “Son of David”, and worships Him as her Lord.

  “If she couldn’t come to Him as a Jew to her Messiah, she would come as a creature to her Creator.” (Believer’s Bible Commentary)

• She shows her faith in her responses. Jesus tells her that it would not be right to take the children’s bread (He came to seek and save the Jews), and throw it to the dogs (the Gentiles). But she did not become discouraged or upset. Instead, she acknowledged His statement and used the faith-filled words, “Yet even!”

Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.

I like this quote from Poole about her perseverance:

She accepted Jesus’ description and asked for mercy despite it – or perhaps because of it. She would not give over, though he gave her three repulses. So as she said, like Jacob, I will not thee go, until thou bless me. And as he, like a prince, so she, like a princess, prevailed with God and obtained the thing which she desired.

I contemplated the fact that Jesus marveled at her faith. Why was her faith so amazing? Why did she, of all the people who asked Jesus for a miracle, get the answer, “O woman, great is your faith!”?

My conclusion was because she came to the Lord in the following manner:

1. Knowing He was the Lord.
2. Believing He could answer.
3. Persevering until He did answer.

Do I want my requests answered? Of course I do! Then I need to follow her model. I know He is my Lord. I believe He can answer. But I often give up. I don’t persevere. I forget to pray. Look at these verses:

• James 4:2 — Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
• Matthew 7:7-8 — Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
• John 14:3-14 — And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
• John 15:16 — Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
• John 16:23-24 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
• Luke 11:8-10, 13– I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth 9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Now I am not a “name it, claim it” Christian. I know God can answer, “No” or “Wait.” I know all things must be according to His will. But I also know that he told me to ask. And He wants me to go on asking. We see that her faith was commended and marveled at by Jesus Himself! So go on asking.

 It was faith that conquered over the silence of Jesus. It was faith that conquered over the seaming reluctance of Jesus. It was faith that won. Chuck Smith

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For the next two Thursdays, I will be in South Africa visiting my sister. I will not have much access to the internet, so if I do not get any posts scheduled before I leave, there will be no Thoughtful Thursdays, the next two weeks. If I do get them scheduled, I will schedule a reminder email as well. I will share my thoughts on my trip when I return!

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As my Sunday School class continues to study stories in the Bible of different ladies who met Jesus, I am learning so much from passages that only are a few verses long.

This past week, we studied the lady who had the bleeding issue for twelve years. She heard Jesus was coming to town, and she made sure that she was able to get through the crowd and touch the fringe of His robe because she had faith that He could heal her.

When I study to teach, I usually first read all the passages that talk about the topic I am going to teach on. Then I go and look at some commentaries. My husband studies at least 8 commentaries every time he preaches. I do not have the time to do that. So I always look at The Believer’s Commentary by William MacDonald, and then I look at the commentary notes that are on Blue Letter Bible’s website.

I really liked David Guzik’s notes on Mark’s rendering of this miracle. (Mark 5:25-34) He mentions how the lady acted a little in superstition as Jesus had never healed a person this way. Yet she had faith. She believed Jesus’ power could heal her disease. I love this quote:

Nevertheless, her faith was in Jesus, and the object of faith is much more important than the quality of faith.

Jesus recognized the quality of her faith when He asked, “Who touched my clothes?” The disciples answered in disbelief, “Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?”  But this touch wasn’t an accidental bump. This was a purposeful touch of faith. David Guzik applies that to our lives by saying,

But there is a huge difference between bumping into Jesus here and there and reaching out to touch Him in faith. You can come to church week after week and “bump into” Jesus. That isn’t the same as reaching out to touch Him in faith.

Spurgeon said about this purposeful touch of faith by this woman:

It is not every contact with Christ that saves men; it is the arousing of yourself to come near to him, the determinate, the personal, resolute, believing touch of Jesus Christ which saves.

What I love is how Jesus stops and talks directly to this woman. He could’ve been in a rush — like I would have probably been, as He was on the way to see the ruler of the synagogue’s  sick daughter. But no, He stops! He talks to her! And He gives her a unique title: Daughter. No other woman did He call daughter. Only her.

I learned from this miracle that God values us coming to Him in faith, even when we are afraid to come. This lady was scared! She was an outcast. She knew she was considered unclean. Yet she came anyway. She touched Him believing He could heal, yet not wanting to draw attention to herself. Jesus honored her faith and calls her daughter.

He will stop and heal my needs, He will take notice of me, He will claim me as His daughter; I just need to come to him with the touch of true faith!

Three giveaways went up this week. Go enter them!

• 2 boxes of Krusteaz’s Protein Pancake Mix
• Making Your Own Greeting Cards and Gift Wrap book
• 1 set of California Design Den Sheets

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I have always been healthy — something I took for granted. I went about my life doing what was needed to be done and not appreciating how easy it was for me to do all of these things. And then life changed.

I am still healthy. However, I was told I will need surgery on my shoulder, and I’m seeing how I did not appreciate the ease of my life.

Last month, I was rear-ended. I was sore. My shoulder hurt, my neck was sore and stiff; but I thought it would all go away. Just to make sure, I went to see a chiropractor who took X-rays and made me do different movements, and based on some concerns he saw, I went and had an MRI done on my neck and shoulder. The MRIs showed I had bulging and herniated disks in my neck and a full thickness tear in my shoulder. My neck is sore, but it hopefully will get completely better with time and treatment.

I was hoping the shoulder would also get better with time, but my chiropractor sent me to an orthopedic doctor that specializes in shoulders. I went this week, and he told me I needed surgery — sooner rather than later. I was in denial. But as I talked to him, my chiropractor, and other medical people, I realized he was right if I want to get full function of the arm back.

But I also knew what this meant– my dad had two of these surgeries. If I do it before school ends, who will do my teaching? We aren’t a regular school that has substitutes. Who will drive my kids all over — for 6 weeks!? I needed to go get shirts to get ready for having to wear a sling. I will have to clean my house beforehand and get freezer food stocked. There were so many that started flitting through my head.

Now I realized that my life and health was still great compared to many other people, but I felt very sad. This is not what I wanted to happen — plus we have to now look for a minivan to replace the one that was totaled in the accident. Since we drive our cars forever, we didn’t get a lot for our 2006 van. I could feel myself slipping into anxiety and a little pity party.

And then I went to our Wednesday night kids program. Two teenagers gave the challenge to the kids last night. They were not very exciting or original, but the message spoke to my heart.

The topic they were talking on was patience, and the first verses that were read were James 1:2-4:

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

The lesson started off by saying,

This verse is saying to be happy when bad or difficult things come your way. The difficult things help you to be more patient. And when you are patient in the difficulties, God can use His chisel and hammer and make you into a more complete and beautiful Christian. The best time to work on patience is during tough times.

Talk about convicting! We don’t know why God allowed this accident to happen, but it could have been much worse, and now He wants me to be patient!

The lesson then talked about Joseph and all the “bad” things that happened in Joseph’s life.

There were three takeaways from this lesson that made me look at my attitude again:

1. Trust God to do what He knows is best for us.
   

   Sometimes it seems like things are going wrong in our lives. But never forget that God has a reason for everything that He does. Trust God to bring good things out of even the worst situations.

    And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

   

2. Look for ways to stay busy honoring God in our present situation.
   

   Joseph could have used his energy to complain, but instead He used it to work hard and God blessed him wherever he went. When we stay busy, we leave less time for feeling sorry for ourselves and for getting upset about what is happening to us.

   Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Romans 12:11

3. Remember that God has not forgotten us and will not abandon us.
   

   The Bible says that God is faithful to finish what He starts in our lives. God will not forget about you. Don’t give up on Him.
   

   Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. I Thessalonians 5:24
   Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

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I have shared the past few Thursdays about the Sunday School lessons I have been teaching about the women who met the Master. The book is about different women who had interaction with Jesus.

I have only gone through a few of the chapters, but what has struck me is how Jesus loved in word and deed the women who were undesirable, unwanted, and unloved.

• To the Samaritan women, He offered kindness and truth to her and showed her what she really needed — a Savior.
• To the widow who lost her son, He saw her with compassion and brought her son back to life.
• To the sinner who loved her Master for forgiving her, He sees her not as a sinner but as a woman who is forgiven and needed a new start.

As I contemplated these women and how Jesus showed love by giving them what they truly needed, I thought, “Do I love the unlovely?”

I cannot heal a dead person. I cannot forgive sins, but I can point them to the One who can.

However, if I am to be like Jesus, it can’t be just my words. With the Samaritan woman, He talked about her physical needs — the desire for water that never runs out — and then He gives her what she really needed — eternal salvation. Words sometimes aren’t enough. Sometimes we have to show the love of Jesus before people will listen to the words.

With all the events concerning the new and failed abortion laws in New York and Virginia the past few weeks, there has been an outcry from supporters of pro-life causes. I am one of those who supports the rights of the unborn. I see every unborn baby as a child made in God’s image. But what have I done about it? Have I shown the love of Christ to those who are desperate and in need of help in support? I took time to look up Crisis Pregnancy Centers in my area and what I can do to help.

There are many ways that people — even those with limited finances — can help to support the rights of the unborn:

• Volunteer your time.
  One center our area had many ways they needed help such as data entry, assembling marketing materials, preparing mailings, landscaping, general building maintenance,  and events.
• Give your money and supplies. Another center was asking for diapers – all sizes, wipes, bottles. pacifiers, 6-12 month outfits, and toiletries such as shampoos, baby wash, powder, and diaper rash cream.
• Some centers have different fundraisers. Some are easy such as a “Baby Bottle Boomerang” where they give you labeled baby bottles you can distribute among a group of supporters. Participants fill baby bottles with spare change and donate the filled bottle to the center.

There are also many women who have had an abortion who need our support and help and love.

According to some statistics, one in four ladies will have an abortion by age 45. We cannot reach others if we are not willing to love them. Including them in our ladies circles, being non-judgmental about their previous decisions and be willing to talk, if they want to talk, are some ways we can support and love them. When we talk about being pro-life, we need to be careful that we don’t verbally crucify the ladies that have made a decision we don’t agree with. That will never reach them for Christ. I have not used this website, but it does offer counseling for women who may be struggling with an abortion they had previously.

There are the homeless who need to see the love of Christ.

• This mission gave some tips on how to help the homeless in your area.
• A mission in my area gave a list of supplies they needed.
• Many soup kitchens need volunteers.

And there are abused women and children who need help and support. There are elderly who need our kindness, prayers, time, and love. These are just a few groups of people who need to see the love of Jesus as well as hear about it.

We can’t do it all, but we can do something. Do we get upset about the injustice and sin that we see around us? Do we talk about it and share pictures on Facebook but never put action to our words? I know I sometimes do, but I want to be more like Jesus. He never compromised truth for social standing or politics. He always spoke the truth; but when people were repentant, He offered complete forgiveness.

I cannot forgive sins, but I can offer my friendship and love to those searching for truth and for those who need a helping hand. And for some who haven’t realized that they need the truth yet, the only way they may come to that realization is by seeing the love of the Savior in my life.

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