The Christian Corner Ministries

A look at God’s grace.

Pay attention to your dreams.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: (John 10:27)

In this study, we are going to take a look at God’s grace and patience. We are going to take a look at a letter in the Bible, which is located in the Old Testament. Many of us know about the letters that the Apostle Paul wrote in the New Testament, but this one was written in the Old Testament and was none other than a Gentile.

Our spotlight will be on King Nebuchadnezzar, who wrote a letter of testimony of his encounter with God. In Daniel 4, the King had a dream that disturbed him. He called his astrologers, fortune tellers, magicians, and wizards to help him interpret his dream. They were not successful, so Daniel came to the scene to help. The interpretation was so impressive and fearful that he had difficulty revealing it to the King. (Daniel 4:19)

Beloved, be careful how you live because your dreams will reveal your secret sins. The King pressed on Daniel to reveal the dream, which he did. The meaning of the dream was that the King would lose his mind and live like an animal eating grass for seven years. At the end of the interpretation, Daniel urged the King to repent, but to no avail. (Daniel 4:27)

God’s grace.

Now, let’s look at a beautiful picture of God’s grace. God had given the King twelve months to repent. Did he repent? No, instead, he got lifted up in pride, and God spoke his judgment over him. He lost his mind and lived seven years with the animals of the field. It was not a pretty sight, but that was enough to break him out of his pride.

In his letter, he gives praise and glory to God, and his sanity returns back to him. God, in return, restored his kingdom. He added more blessings by giving him favor with his royal subjects and proceeded to have greater honor than before. God is a good God! (Daniel 4: 29-37)

Personal application

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. (Rev 3:19)

It may not be popular to say this, but the body of Christ needs to stop celebrating Halloween. I pray that those in the body will wake up and see the consequences before it is too late. This kind of carelessness will open portals of darkness and will cause harm to you and your loved ones. Repent and be determined not to partake in this event ever again.

Take advantage of God’s grace before it is too late. Beloved, let’s make it a point to draw close to God. When he shows us something that we need to change, repent, and eliminate anything offensive to God. The Lord is willing to work with us. He gave King Nebuchadnezzar twelve months to get it right. There is a saying–Rome was not built in a day!

God knows that it takes time to change. He is willing to work with us through the Holy Spirit. Remember what the word says? Perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord. (2 Cor 7:1) Practice makes perfect. If you stumble, dust yourself off, confess your sins, and put your hands on the plow. As you do, you will grow stronger, and soon, you will have a testimony to help others like you. God bless.

Faithfulness.

O love the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. (Ps 31:23)

I am an animal lover, especially when it comes to dogs. We have owned a couple of dogs and have been blessed by their company. One of the most impressive traits that I admire is their faithfulness. It’s hard not to get attached to these animals, and the pain is deep when they die. I have lost two dogs, and it was a sad moment in my life.

Yesterday, the Lord gave me an interesting analogy about dogs and how it applies to our walk with the Lord. It had been years since we had a dog. My son, who lives with us, brought a dog for us to have in our home. I remember when I first saw our new dog, Sheba.

She came to me while I was working on a couple of tasks on my computer and wanted me to pet her. From then on, she won my heart. Dogs are brilliant, and they can sense affection. Even though she was my son’s dog, we adopted her as part of the family. From then on, my son James read all he could about dogs and how to train her.

Joshua (My other son) with Sheba who is part of our family.

Recognize God’s Voice.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: (John 10:27)

From day one, my son James was determined to train Sheba to hear his voice. He told us not to order her around and let him take care of that. Diligence and patience paid off. Sheba is quick to listen to James’ voice. As I observe this, I notice how patient God is when he trains and prepares us to hear his voice.

Beloved, now more than ever, we need to learn how to listen to his voice. The word of God tells us that there are many voices. ( I Cor 14:10) The voices of distraction, our soul, and confusion. These voices make their way into our lives and will lead us into disaster if we are not careful. Let us learn from the example of Caleb to be faithful.

Recently, the Lord had me do a study on the name of Caleb. The Hebrew word for Caleb is “kaw-labe” which means dog. It defines the faithfulness that is present in a dog no matter what the circumstances. Caleb was faithful, along with Joshua. They stood strong on the promises of God despite opposition from the Jews. In the end, Caleb inherited God’s promises.

Take some time to practice hearing God’s voice. A couple of nights ago, I could not sleep, so I decided to hear God’s voice. Nothing happened. Many would have given up at this stage, but I was determined to hear from the Lord. I went to his word, and the Holy Spirit showed me his will for the day.

Here are a couple of things to consider. Don’t read the word like a newspaper. Pray the prayers of Ephesians. Have at your side a notebook and pencil. Take advantage of what technology has to offer. Read Bible helps and devotionals along with your study of the word.

The Holy Spirit will bring to light something relating to your life. Please write it down and rehearse it during the day. An excellent tool to use is Biblegateway. For just under six dollars a month, you can have access to many Bible commentaries and study aids. You would be surprised what the Lord will bring to your attention.

I have enclosed some funny and exciting animal videos below. We can learn a lot by looking at our pets. These links will provide some encouragement and bring some laughter. God bless.

Prayer–Dear Lord, Thank you for your word. Help me to discern your voice. Forgive me for the times I have disobeyed you. Help me to remain faithful to your cause. I confess that I am your sheep and I hear your voice. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Funny and interesting animal links-

My Sheep hear my voice—https://youtu.be/mmfduDJXM6Y?si=qMyUdkrLKGkyGrZ
A Talking Dog —https://youtu.be/nGeKSiCQkPw?si=mWKGpHOSZ82u2JyH
A singing Dog—-https://youtu.be/39xq5AATMp4?si=mdbxoW-bDvuWJh7u

Bible verses courtesy of http://www.biblegateway.com

Dog picture courtesy of Richard Brutyo, whose works can be found on http://www.unsplash.com

Dealing With Life’s Resets.

For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. (Exodus 20:11)

Recently, the Lord brought Exodus 20:11 to my attention, so I asked God to show me what he meant with this. I researched the word made, which comes from the Hebrew word Asah, which means to fashion or form. In one of our previous posts, I stated that God did not create the Earth in six days. I showed, through scriptures, that the world was already created by God, but it suffered the consequences of sin.

This was due to Satan’s rebellion on Earth. Satan was known as Lucifer, and he was put in charge by God to manage the world. His dwelling place was the Garden of Eden. (Ezekiel 28:13-15) Due to this rebellion, the Earth suffered great judgment. As a result, it became without form, void, and darkness was upon the Earth. God in his mercy, started to do a reset and recreate the world.

God’s Reset.

Two words I want to call to your attention. The word replenish appears two times concerning the issue of man on Earth-

1- After the flood, God commanded Noah to replenish the Earth. (Gen 9:1)

2- When Adam was created, God told him to replenish the Earth. (Gen 1:28)

The definition of replenish is to fill it back again. Based on Gen 1:28, we see that there was a human race previous to Adam. Another interesting fact is that Jer 4:23-26 tells us that there was no light on the Earth and that it was inhabited by cities. This gives us strong evidence that there was a human race inhabiting the Earth. I realize that this is a deep subject and I have enclosed some helpful links to help understand this subject further. (*)

Keeping in mind how frustrating it must have been for God to start something again and again, we see his patience and mercy. We, also, see diligence. The Lord had a plan, and he did not lose his vision for mankind. The love that God had for us was so great that he was willing to take a body and die for us on the cross.

He chose to have a reset on the Earth and start again, loving recreating the world in six days. When Noah came along, there was another reset with the flood, and God started the process all over again. God’s patience paid off when Jesus came on the scene. Jesus became the 2nd and last Adam and opened the way to Eternal life.

Life Application

I believe that you are not reading this by coincidence. God has brought you to this blog and wants you to know that he loves and cares for you. Life may have given you some sour lemons in life. A relationship that went bad. A business that failed. A bad report on your health or a host of other things. God wants to give you a reset.

Let us learn by the example of Gen 1:2 and how God blessed this mess. Ask God to give you light in the midst of darkness and confusion. Speak his word and recreate your own world. Learn to use God’s wisdom, and you will see victory in your life.

Prayer-Father, thank you for speaking to me. Help me to learn from life’s reset. Give me the wisdom to recreate my world through your word. You said that you desire to give us days of heaven on Earth. Help me not only to experience Heaven’s best for my life but to help others in the process. In Jesus’ name amen.

Bible verses courtesy of www.biblegateway.com

(*) Helpful links–

(1) Pastor Bob Yandian’s Student of the word for deep Bible teachings. Please follow through to Part 4 in his series of teachings. (YouTube)—https://bit.ly/464KPen

(2) Earth Earliest Ages by Manning Pemble (Free download)–https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.222681

Prayer Of Salvation

If you have not accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, please click on the enclosed link. God loves you and has a plan for your life. You can enter a new and exciting time in your life with Jesus. Take his free gift today. (https://bit.ly/2YDgPUZ)

Trusting God In Perilous Times.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: (John 10:16)

Our topic for today is trusting God for protection. We live in one of Earth’s most dangerous and turbulent times. The news is filled with violence. Robberies, shootouts in schools and Shopping malls are common sights in the media. People are afraid to leave their homes for fear of becoming a victim.

One of the first things to remember is not allowing a spirit of fear to get the best of you. Stress, anxieties, and worries will shut the flow of God’s power in your life and open the door to various health problems. When fear comes knocking at your door, consider praying God’s word. Every Christian should consider praying Ps 112 every day. Doing so will bring faith. Peace is another thing that is added when you pray. It will keep your mind on God and give you peace. (Isa 26:3)

The second thing to remember is to practice hearing God’s voice. During times of prayer, find a quiet place and be quiet for about 15 minutes. Don’t feel bad if you didn’t hear anything because you are not alone. Remember, it took Moses 7 days to hear God. (Exodus 24:16) When God is silent, a good alternative is to take God’s word and study it. As you do so, ask him to reveal what he wants to show you in his word. Remember, his word is his will.

Be Prepared To Obey

For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you. (Exodus 12:23)

The Jews were given some instructions during their time in Egypt. They were to sacrifice a lamb and apply the blood to the doorpost in their homes. As they followed his instructions, they were safe. Imagine if one of them decided to venture outside of the house? They would have died along with the Egyptians!

In these last days, it is imperative that we take time to listen to the Lord. Not following the instructions of God can cost you your life. Learn to depend on God for his protection. His Angels are there to help you. God willing, we will look at the ministry of Angels and their role in our lives in our next upcoming study. Be blessed.

Being Afraid Of Failure.

Failure! At one time or another, we have experienced it. The definition of Failure is lack of success. Let’s face it, Sooner or later, we are going to fail at something. The good news is that when God gets involved, we can wind up winning in life.

Bless This Mess.

Many of us heard the saying-God is not going to bless your mess. I have to differ. God can indeed bless your mess and help you in life. Let’s look at the life of Peter when he and his disciples faced a storm at sea. They saw Jesus walking on the water. As they met, Peter wanted to make sure it was Jesus.

Now, put yourself in Peter’s shoes. You see a man walking on water, and the first thing that comes to mind is that you are hallucinating or seeing things. He asked Jesus a question–If it be thou, bid me come unto thee in the water. (Matt 14:28) Notice what Jesus said-

And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. (Matt 14:29)

The word ‘Come’ had the faith for Peter to walk on the water. He acted on the word and did the impossible–he walked on the water. After a while, his senses took hold of him, and noticing what had happened, he started to sink. His circumstances spoke louder than his faith.

Jesus, full of mercy and grace, took hold of him and walked with him back to the boat. Think about this, the Lord took hold of Peter when his faith waivered. Jesus used his faith and walked back to the boat with Peter. He was about to get into trouble by drowning at sea, but Jesus blessed his mess.

Life Application.

When we meditate on this, we see some interesting things–

Peter stepped out in faith
His unbelief got the best of him
Jesus was there to lift him up.

In life, there are times in which we are going to fail, but the good thing is that God is there to straighten our mess. Peter had little faith and acted on God’s word, but he did not go all the way. He slipped into unbelief. Let us learn from this fact- God is there to help and teach us. His desire for us is to develop our faith to such a level that we will see a breakthrough in life.

The centurion was a prime example. He had great faith, taking God as his word. His faith got the breakthrough needed. Jesus was so impressed by this that he actually rebuked Israel-

When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. (Matt 8:10)

Great faith takes hold of God’s word and does not doubt. Notice Jesus did not even have to go to the centurion’s house. He believed it and took God at his word. Let’s learn from this example and exercise our faith to the highest level. As we do so, it will grow and produce miracle breakthroughs.

This Is A Job For God-Man!

For with God nothing shall be impossible. (Luke 1:37)

Today, we are going to continue our study of the second member of the Godhead, which is Christ Jesus. You may have noticed our unusual picture above of the Phone Booth. How does it relate to our message? Well, if you read any of the Superman comics, we know that he used a phone booth to change his secret Identity. Think about identity for a minute. The moment that you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you entered a spiritual phone booth and got a new Identity.

A new Divine identity with unique benefits and powers. The righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. A genius (Holy Spirit) who lives inside of you, providing the answers you need for life’s most challenging problems. The power to live holy. A release of unspeakable joy when you worship.

God’s Telephone Number.

When thinking about that, it should put us at peace and give us the confidence to go thru the valleys of life. Let’s face it, we will go through tests, persecutions, and challenges. Sometimes, you will want to talk to Jesus when you face a mountain that refuses to move. Times in which you will face sorrows and weeping.

I got good news. God has a phone number you can call. His number is Jer 33:3-

Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

If you call on him, he promises to answer. He will unravel the mysteries of life, give you revelation knowledge and bring answers to your problems. You may ask-How do I hear from God? Let’s address some concerns about hearing from God.

Be Quiet And Listen.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: (John 10:27)

We discussed identity at the beginning of this post, and I will repeat it again. Hearing from God starts with identity. When you accepted Jesus, you got born-again and became his sheep. Now, the first thing is to receive it. Confess and declare that you are his sheep. Call those things that are not as though they were. (Rom 4:17)

During your times with the Lord, don’t do all the talking. Yes, we need to talk to the Holy Spirit. The word says to reason together, and that involves talking to one another. (Isa 1:18) I like fellowshipping and spending time with my closest friends. One thing that I am working on is talking too much (I am being transparent).

Talking can be fun, but one thing that turns me off is that the other person is talking for a long time without allowing you to respond. Imagine doing that to God? You are talking at length for a long time, feeling relieved, and then say-“Later, Lord, I got to go.” Imagine how God feels? You spent an hour talking, and meanwhile, God was waiting for his turn.

He probably had the answer that you needed. Your future could have opened up to prepare for your calling and ministry. Breakthroughs such as healings, provision, and deliverance could have been revealed to you by his Spirit if you had taken the time to listen. Listening can be an asset in your walk with Christ.

A rule of thumb-take ten minutes daily and practice listening to his voice by being quiet. At first, you may not hear anything in your spirit but continue to spend time listening to the Holy Spirit. Moses had to wait 7 days before God gave him instructions (Exodus 24:16-18). Learning to wait and be patient is key.

Closing thoughts.

In these last days, it is very important to learn to listen to the Holy Spirit. Personally, I learned the hard way about the consequences of not listening to God, and it almost cost me my life. Another way that God speaks is through his word. God is speaking to us 24/7 through the Bible. Ask the Holy Spirit to open his word up so that you can apply it to your life. When you ask God to speak to you, he will answer. He sees your prayers and says–This is a job for God-Man! God bless.

If you are reading this and have never accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, today can be a new beginning in your life. A change of Identity that will impact you, your family, and your friends. Click on the link below for more information on your doorway of blessings.

Salvation prayer- https://thechristiancorner.org/2021/02/01/the-sinners-prayer/

A little bit of humor-https://youtu.be/OHtYBif7Ric

The High Cost Of Salvation

How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; (Heb 2:3)

Our Bible topic today is entitled The High Cost Of Salvation. Here are some eye-opening facts that will help us to see and appreciate what Jesus did on the cross. Scripture refers to him as the second and last Adam. (1Cor 15:44-45) Questions to ponder-Why would a loving and powerful God bother to put on flesh, lose his power and die for us? Here are some thoughts.

Adam’s Fall

The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s: but the earth hath he given to the children of men. (Ps 115:16)

When Adam was created, God gave him the earth. Now, ponder on this-Almighty God gave him the earth. The earth, with its resources and lands, belonged to Adam. This world contained the Garden of Eden. Eden was the place that was managed by Lucifer before he fell.

Can you imagine the jealousy and anger that Satan felt when he saw man occupy the place that belonged to him? Man was created lower than the Angels and was now walking in the garden. (Ps 8:5) Eden was under new management. We know the rest of the story-Satan came in like a serpent and caused Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit.

Eating of the forbidden fruit had grave consequences. Let’s look at some highlights-

It cost them to lose their covering. Yes, the word said that they were naked and not ashamed. Why? God had them clothed in his glory. The word crown comes from the Hebrew word ‘Atar,’ which means surround. The glory of God surrounded them, and it represented the armor of God. The armor was given to them to enforce their authority over the earth and Satan.
It cost them their lives. The Lord warned them they would die if they ate the forbidden fruit. Let’s think about Adam and compare him to the last Adam (Jesus). When Jesus was resurrected, did he have blood in his immortal body? No, he gave it all for us at the cross. The glory of God was given to him, and it flowed in his veins and his new body. The same was for Adam. The moment he disobeyed God, the glory of God left his veins, and God had to replace it with blood to keep him alive on the earth!
God had a problem with this new management change, so he devised a plan. He spoke a prophetic word to Eve. He told her of a seed that would come and bruise the head of Satan. (Gen 3:15) Yes, it can be argued that God could have come and taken over, but he could not. He had to abide by his word because the earth was given to man.
God, in his wisdom, took on the form of flesh. He took on an earth suit which gave him permission to dwell on the earth. He lost his divine powers, gave us an example to live, and opened the door to salvation and eternal life. This made Jesus the second and last Adam.

Closing thoughts

This morning as I got up, I started to think about the Superman movie part 2 with Christopher Reeves. Superman fell so deeply in love with Lois in that movie that he voluntarily lost his power to be with her. In one scene, while having dinner in a cafeteria, they encounter a bully who harasses Lois. Clark (Superman) stood up for her and, unfortunately, received a beating. Without his powers, Superman was helpless.

Toward the end of the movie, Superman gets his powers back. In the closing scene, he returns to the cafeteria and beats up the bully. (2) An excellent ending to a great story. Consider Jesus- He became sin for us, got beat up by humanity, and rose from the dead. When he resurrected, he got his divine powers back and beat up Satan. It resulted in the beating of the century. (Col 2:15) and opened the way to Salvation for mankind.

So, consider that when you are going thru trials. God, thru Christ, has given you all things in this life. You just need to ask and receive. If you do not know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, today can be a new day for you. Click on the link below for more information and start a new adventure in Christ. (1)

Bible verses courtesy of http://www.biblegateway.com

(1) Prayer of Salvation–https://thechristiancorner.org/2021/02/01/the-sinners-prayer/

(2) Additional link for your amusement—https://youtu.be/thQDPxobH0s

The God-Man.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (Jn 1:1)

Today, we will continue our studies of the Trinity series. Our focus is on the second member of the Godhead-Jesus! In the last study of our series, we observed the Trinity, its meaning, and how each member worked as a team. In this study, we are going to see the function of Jesus in Genesis 1.

Points To Consider.

Jesus was part of the Trinity as the word. It became flesh when he came to Earth (Jn 1:14)
He created the Heavens and the Earth. (Col 1:12-16) Earth was created by words. When God released the word, the Spirit was activated and created all things. The Word and the Spirit worked together.
I want to call your attention to Gen 1:1-2. We see that in the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth. (Verse 1) Verse 2 says that it was without form, void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. (KJV) Let’s look at what the Amplified version has to say-
“The earth was formless and void or a waste and emptiness, and darkness was upon the face of the deep [primeval ocean that covered the unformed earth]. The Spirit of God was moving (hovering, brooding) over the face of the waters.” (Gen 1:2). Observe the sentences…Primeval ocean that covered the unformed earth. Friends, the Earth was created long ago until it fell into judgment. (2 Peter 3:6)
The Earth was not created in 7 days. The Earth was created before it fell into judgment by the first flood. Scriptures tell us the garden of Eden was on Earth before Adam, and God delegated Satan to manage it. (Isa 28:13-15) Satan rebelled and was cast out from heaven. (Rev 12:3-4) Notice in Rev 12:4, it says that he and his angels was cast down on Earth. Due to Satan’s rebellion, the Earth was flooded, and all life ceased. As we read Gen 1, we see God at work restoring the earth in seven days, God restored the Earth to what it used to be.

Life Application For Us.

Summing up our lesson, we see that Jesus is the Word. He has given us his word for our benefit. When all hope was gone on the Earth, God restored it in seven days. He will do the same for you. Learn to take his word and recreate your world. Remember, he promised to give you days of Heaven on Earth. ( Deut 11:21)

Prayer–Thank you, Lord, for speaking to me. Thank you for giving me the word. Lord, I admit that sometimes I have made a mess of my life. Father, help me to use the word and recreate my world. You are the Lord of Restoration. You are restoring me. Thank you for giving me joy and peace. Thank you for giving me days of Heaven on Earth. Today is the best day of my life because you are with me. In Jesus’ name, we pray-Amen!

Bible verses by http://www.Biblegateway.com

Overcoming The Loss Of A Loved One (Part 2)

…Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. (Luke 6:21)

We are continuing our study of dealing with the loss of a loved one. In our last study, we saw how important it is to get healing and comfort. Today’s study will deal with the next step-Restoring the joy of the Lord in our lives. Having joy is very important, especially when walking thru this valley of sorrows.

In Luke 6:21, we see that laughter is a part of the joy of the Lord. When our family was trying to comfort my mom, we gathered at our sister’s house. We wanted it to be a time of celebration and joy-my father just graduated and went to heaven! I encouraged my mom to gather with us; it was a wonderful event.

Laughter Brings Healing.

(Note-My family and me. I am at the left with our ministry logo hat. My sister, mom and brother are sitting next to us)

At the gathering, we were determined to remember my father through pleasant and funny memories. My father was a funny guy, and one of the things that he was good at was dancing. At any party gathering, he would call the people’s attention by how he danced. We also remembered many other funny incidents in his life.

The atmosphere in that place had changed, and I saw how laughter began to bring about healing. My mother seemed happy and comforted. I believe that if my father had been present, he would have been happy too. Joy and laughter are powerful tools for the believer.

Many times, I would practice laughing. I remember one time I had pain in my knee. I focused my mind on laughing, and the pain left. Another time, I was visiting some relatives in Florida. While I was riding with my cousin around the area, we ran into some wildfires. This affected my breathing, but I did not panic.

I started to remember funny incidents in my family’s life and shared them with my cousin. We laughed so hard that this helped me get healed from my respiratory ailment. Folks, take some time to laugh. It will relax and assist you in the long run. I have enclosed below some medical information concerning the wonders of laughter. (1)

Release Your Loved One as A Seed.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. ( John 12:24)

This verse above talks about Jesus ( John 12:23-24). He compared himself to a seed. During his death, he was planted, and we see what impact this had made throughout history. The power of a seed is amazing.

A way to deal with the death of a loved one is to offer them up as a seed in the hands of God. As you do this, God will give you a new beginning in life. He is the God of new beginnings. Let’s look at an example–If you lost a child and you plant him as a seed, you will harvest many spiritual children. God will give you the heart of a mother/father, and you will enter an exciting phase of ministry in your life. Death is not the end but the beginning of a doorway for blessings in your life.

An Arena Of Blessings.

Since we have such a huge crowd of men of faith watching us from the grandstands, let us strip off anything that slows us down or holds us back, and especially those sins that wrap themselves so tightly around our feet and trip us up; and let us run with patience the particular race that God has set before us. (Heb 12:1-Living Bible)

Think about this. You are not alone. If your saved family relative has departed, then they are looking down on your spiritual progress. Picture a big stadium of all your departed loved ones cheering as you run for the Lord. Many athletes have shared that when their home crowd is cheering them on, it motivates them to win.

You have departed loved ones seated in the heavenly stadium. They are looking down at your progress and cheering you on. They are rooting for your success! Remember in the midst of tragedy, you are more than a conqueror. Run to win because Heaven is cheering you on!

Bible verses courtesy of http://www.biblegateway.com

(1) Medical studies on laughter-https://mayocl.in/3OI4XMt

Overcoming The Loss Of A Loved One (Part 1).

…Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. (Luke 6:21)

Today’s topic is on the subject of grief. Let’s face it, we live in a fallen world, and suffering is real. The pain of losing a loved one or pet hurts. Many do not get over this process, which consumes them, resulting in health problems or death. We will look at how to deal with this pain and start a new beginning with the Lord.

My Personal Story

I came face to face with this reality a month ago when my father passed away. In fact, I thank God that he prepared me for this because he should have been dead a year ago. He was having problems with Dementia and severe intestinal issues. I credit the extension of his life to my Mom. She is a mighty prayer warrior.

I prepared for this a year ago because he was 94 years old. He was blessed to live a long life, and I was ready to let go. My mom, on the other hand, refused to let go. She stood in the gap for him and prayed. My main concern was my mom and her care for him. Thank God for my brother and sister, who lent her a helping hand.

Even with all this help available, it was wearing out my mom. I saw her body get worn and battered. Honestly, I felt some relief when my father died because it helped lift up that heavy burden from my mother. Yes, death is always sad, and she took it very hard. They were supposed to celebrate their 70-year anniversary in October, which was painful.

Let The Healing Begin.

(Note-The above picture is my father sitting down with a friend. He had served with honor in the Army during the Korean War conflict.) In dealing with the pain of a loved one, there has to be a healing process. Friends, don’t take your loved ones for granted, especially those lost or backslidden. Pray and never stop believing in their redemption through Christ Jesus.

My Dad had accepted the Lord many years ago but strayed away. Upon his deathbed, he re-dedicated his life to Jesus. I am comforted that he is now walking the streets of gold with his Savior. Thinking about that brings relief and comfort even though we miss him.

While the grieving process is normal, it is not healthy to stay in that mode. There has to be the healing of a broken heart. I prayed for my mom to get that healing, and within a few days, she was comforted and strengthened. Enclosed below is a prayer for a broken heart. (1) You may not be going through the death of a loved one, but we will have times in our lives in which our hearts are broken.

Having this in mind, I want to encourage you to pray it over yourself. It will give you the comfort that you need in your life. Remember, God is the God of new beginnings. I am adding a video family tribute (2) made for my Dad. His nickname was Manolo. The Spanish ending is translated as —Until we meet again. We will remember you always.

(1) Prayer for a broken heart–Father, I come to you because I have a broken heart. I ask you to remove any root of bitterness inside of me. I forgive those who have hurt me. I receive healing in all areas of my life. (Grief, sadness, and loss of a loved one). You said in your word that you have come to heal my broken heart. Lord, heal me now. Restore to me the joy of salvation. Bring laughter back into my life. I receive this now and am excited about my new beginning in life. You are the Lord of new beginnings, and I thank you for your comfort, in Jesus’ name-Amen.

(2) In the third frame at 12 seconds is my Father and me on top of a slide. (I was one year old)