All Because I Chose

I haven't written in a very long time. I have tried to, here and there, but have lost desire. I know I have struggled with the feeling of being hypocritical if I blogged about things but in the end was lost. But truth is truth still, even if I let go of it at some point. If someone fails to receive it because I let go of it, then I and they will have both been foolish and end up experiencing the same result. With that said, know that while I may blog about points of victory, or about truths I know to be truths, I am subject to the same faults and failures of every other human. Wielding a pen does not make one immune from that. The only One that can keep us safe is Christ, and only if we hold on to Him.

Speaking of holding on to Him, I have been developing muscle in that way when it comes to sleeping. I used to stay up into the wee hours of the morning because noises and sensations frightened me. I have heard and read a lot about demonic activity, and experienced it a little. I also knew that God is stronger than Satan and his demons, but I also knew that sometimes He permits things to happen, and that terrified me. I would sleep with the light on, use my phone, or both to feel safer, when I knew none of those things would keep me safe at all. 

After finally falling asleep and waking up knowing God had protected me, I would be disheartened by the fact that I couldn't simply trust Him, no matter what happened. After some time, I made the decision to do just that. It wasn't easy. It meant that when I heard noises or felt something, I would keep my eyes closed and start talking to Jesus in my head. It doesn't mean that by doing this I felt all warm and fuzzy and safe. No. It was, and still is at times, a conscious choice against giving in to sweat-inducing fear and grabbing for my phone or lamp. Sometimes I fail. But every time I make that choice to talk to Jesus and ignore it, I end up falling asleep without realizing it. That's a lot better than fighting sleep till two or three in the morning. 

And, I was happier. All because I chose to trust.

-Jean

Sean's Gone

Gone. I'm not going to go into details. Suffice it to say, it was a strange and sad ending. Right now it seems permanent, more permanent than it ever has. Yet, it's going to be all right.

Don't misunderstand me. I don't mean to say that everything will be ideal. I don't mean to say that in the end things will have turned out the way they should have. I can't see into the future. What I do know, however, is that whatever happens, God will have been good. That's a comfort. We humans are so frail and faulty, prone to evil, yet "he is my rock and there is no unrighteousness in him." Psalm 92:15b. People that witnessed the works that Jesus did remarked, "He hath done all things well:" (Mark 7:37) and the record is no different today.

Of His friend Abraham, God said in Genesis 18:19, "For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him." I know God, and I can rest in Who He is, regardless of the situation. Though all else fails me, even myself, He stays the same.

Sean's gone, but the good Lord remains.

Yes, all will be well.

May He bless you,
Jean

Far More Glorious

I had hope. It wasn't a hope that would have been fulfilled any time soon as far as I knew, but it remained alive. God had ways of doing things that I was totally unaware of, and if it was meant to be, things would come together. I also knew it may not be what He had in mind, and prayed accordingly.

I learned not long ago that my hope was, if all went according to what I read, dashed. I knew all along that I may be disappointed someday, but nevertheless felt it when possibility became reality. Oh, the best laid plans can change, and these won't be executed till sometime in the future. But it would be wicked to put stock into that sort of hope. Besides that, it stands so weakly!

It may be that their plans are part of God's plan to save them and do some great work through them. Who can tell? Whatever the case, one fact is absolutely certain: the salvation of each is far more important than any earthly desire of mine. Let's imagine that this scenario is true, that God did indeed orchestrate this very thing. I have the power to help or to hinder them on this journey, to love or to hate them. Love "seeketh not her own," the Bible says (1 Corinthians 13:5).

I choose to love. The success of any venture depends on God's blessing it, so I will continue to pray--and pray even more. Whatever happens, I know that some good will come from what I've decided to do. May the bigger picture never fade from view. May self be swallowed up in realizing the privilege I possess in contributing to an end far more glorious than I can imagine.

God bless,
Jean

Please Consider

I am subscribed to a YouTube channel, Special Books by Special Kids (SBSK), where people (children and adults) with different conditions are interviewed. The newest video is about Zaid, a burn survivor. His video is below. Please watch it.

Thank you, Jean

My Fall

Solomon wrote, "Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom." Proverbs 13:10.

A mixture of tiredness and pain and sadness and anger. Some of it is from circumstances beyond my control, but I'll admit I could make wiser choices at times that would lessen it. I have a part to play too, and lately I haven't been doing my best. When I get like this, it's easy for me to snap at things that I could deal with better otherwise, such as little annoyances.

Earlier was one of those times. I saw it coming too, even prayed about it. But I lost the battle. Was it because God couldn't or wouldn't help me? No! It was because I didn't stay on guard, didn't keep my focus on Him. Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 26:41, "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Just like Peter on the sea, I let circumstances and pride master me.

A simple question. "What?"

I tell the inquirer I'm tired.

 Yeah, they are too.

And I end up upset and I yell. The response irritated me, and instead of praying for strength to resist giving into irritation, I let that straw break my back. I fell. I didn't follow what Jesus said to do. In my state of mind, it seemed to me that the response wasn't what I should have received, and that is where the proverb shows itself to be true. If there had been no "I" in my thinking, my reaction wouldn't have been what it was.

It's no wonder Isaiah wrote, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." (Isaiah 26:3). 

May we keep ever close to God. May we always "Watch and pray," for only then is success certain. And may we pray for each other, that we won't let our guard down.

-Jean

Reconnected

A few months ago, I wrote about Sean and my decision to leave him alone.

 I didn't write about my friend *Frank,* whom I hadn't spoken to for an even longer period than Sean. Frank walked out of my life years ago, without telling me. But I decided to reach out to him, and surprisingly, he responded promptly and amicably.

Not long after that, I messaged Sean, asking if we could be friends. Eventually he sent me a friend request (I was using Facebook then), and later we chatted. I talked with him about the letter. It turns out, he was never angry with me. He was busy making money.

Frank and I chatted about this and that, but his unexplained departure remained in my memory. Finally, one day I asked him why he did what he did. The answer? He honestly didn't remember. I experienced no revelation, no "Aha!" moment, when everything finally made sense. Instead, this bittersweet reality stared me in the face. On the one hand, there was the unpleasant fact that I carried this question in my heart for years, while he apparently dismissed the issue. On the other, the sweet knowledge that since there was no remembrance of the why on his part, it couldn't make it hard for us to be friends now. In the end, his memory loss outshines my wonder.

 

Reconnecting is a beautiful thing, but I'll admit that it hasn't been the easiest for me. We are all different and we all have faults, which can make interaction difficult at times. Yet while I realize that one day my role may have to change, at this point I'm not walking away.  My loving and longsuffering God calls me to reflect Him, the One Who handles my brokenness with tenderness, the One Who would be there for me if no one else were to stay.

"Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets." Matthew 7:12.

"This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you." John 15:12.

God bless,
Jean

An Update On My Chiropractic Journey

After contacting someone a friend told me about, things picked up. As it stands, someone else I have communicated with wanted my permission to share my story with some of her colleagues. She is coming over the house next week to meet Mom and me. We will see where it goes, but thank God for friends, and for people who take the time to try to help others! 

To Truly Love

We met in the fifth grade, and spent all of middle school together. We saw each other in high school, but after I left public school in the beginning of ninth grade, I didn't talk with *Sean* for a long time. Then I wrote him a letter of apology for all the trouble I caused in years past, and he replied by letter. The friendship resumed, and he even came over to the apartment where we lived twice. I moved to Maine, but still kept in touch with him. At times, however, we passed through periods where we didn't talk to each other. Unfortunately, smooth-sailing has never characterized our relationship. Over the years, I've hurt him and he's hurt me.

Right now, it's one of those periods. I haven't talked with Sean for a few years. We texted  quite a bit, and finally I wrote him a friendly letter, which included something about him writing me for a change (I had seen however much of the documentary Captivated around this time, and I wrote about that, even quoting from the back of the case as far as I remember). I never heard from him again, either through texting or mail. People have told me there was nothing wrong with what I did. I don't know for certain why he ignored me, what he thought or felt. Yet when I look back over the more recent past, I see failure on my part, failure to be a true Christian, a true friend, yet again.

It's true that I could reach out to Sean if I wanted. After talking to more than one person, however, I've decided to leave him alone this time. I can't say that joy filled me when I made that decision. I wanted to reach out again, wanted to make wrongs right, wanted him in my life again.

 But what if I ended up hurting Sean more by reconnecting? What if that helped lead him to turn his back on God, and eventually experience eternal death? True, he will have made those decisions. True, the strong act independently of the example of others when it comes to matters of life and death, but many people don't possess that kind of strength. Whatever I do about him will affect not only him, but also others as well, in ways I cannot tell. God alone knows all the damage I've caused others, and I don't need to cause anymore.

"This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you." John 15:12. The apostle Paul tells us in Romans 15:3, "For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me." Jesus lived for His Father's glory and for others' good. Love motivated Him to do what was best from that standpoint, no matter what He experienced.

Love led Him to suffer for us, to endure pain and unpleasantness so we could be redeemed. "A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." Proverbs 17:17. This means, then, that I must serve my friend the best I can, even if it hurts me. At this moment, that means staying away. I know that God is working to save Sean right now, just as He is working to save me. I know He can reunite us when He sees best.

And I know that He will give me the grace to do this, to truly love, come what may.

Worth It

Right now, it feels like I'm coming up against walls in life. Dead ends.

For instance, in the past I've been to see an Upper Cervical chiropractor in Yarmouth, ME. (Let me explain here that UC chiropractors are different from other chiropractors). I don't live in southern Maine, so it's a drive to get there. I've reached out to people in my town and another about UC. After all, it would be nice if there were one closer to me. One person I emailed about public transportation to Yarmouth. Some people have responded, some not at all. The status? There isn't an UC chiropractor nearby, or anything being done to get one nearby. I haven't heard about transportation. A wall.

I've also tried to join a website so I could make Seventh-day Adventist friends around my own age. That hasn't worked out. Another wall.

It's not pleasant. And yet, if I can learn from all of this, praise God. May the first issue teach me, if anyone needs my help, to put myself in their place as much as I can, and to help them as much as I can. May it teach me to be that considerate, compassionate, empathetic person I want others to be to me. May I learn to appreciate that God has a plan, even though it may be very different from what I think of, and that it is a good plan.

From the second, let me learn to trust my Father in heaven more fully. He may be keeping me from harm as far as this website goes. Let me learn to appreciate the many friends He has given me through my time sitting in a convenience store. He didn't have to do that. I could have no friends at all. Let me remember that there are others in situations like mine. If I can do nothing else, I can pray for them.

When all is said and done, the only thing that will matter is if I reflect the character of Jesus, my Saviour. If I'm more like Him by the end of all this, it will have been worth it.

Goodbye

Note: This doesn't mean I'm not blogging anymore.

"Goodbye."

"I think it's time to say goodbye."

Goodbye. A word that can be filled with sorrow, regret, and longing. Yet that word can have sweetness too, if we let it. The sweetness lies beneath the surface, in its origin. It is a word that comes from the 1500s and is a contraction of the phrase, "God be with you!" I'm not a person that likes to cut ties, to let go (at least not today). But when I let go of people and give them to my God, it's okay.

"The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works." Psalm 145:9.

"He that loveth not knoweth not God: for God is love." 1 John 4:7.

No matter where I am, no matter where my people are, He is watching over all of us. And so, to say "goodbye" (whether literally or not) can be a comforting thing, when we remember and embrace the expression it's short for. God be with you! What more could we want?

Blessings,
Jean

On Exercising

I have lived with my cerebral palsy from a very young age, but I have learned to adapt to the situation. When I could no longer use my naturally dominant right hand, I learned to use my left, and I even made good use of my head—literally. I adapted too much most of the time. Instead of seizing what therapy had to offer me, over the years I fought it, and slacked off, and quit.

Last year, I began to do something about my situation. If I had use of both my hands, I could achieve so much more. I know it is a blessing to be able to do what I can even now, but why should I stay so limited when I don't have to? I started with exercising at home, and then went for OT sessions, which continued into this year. My insurance covered only six visits, and I have one left (as of right now).

I'm not doing the best with the exercising, but what I am doing benefits my hand. My hand wasn't as good in the beginning as it is now, but I didn't quit, and I have seen physical improvement as a result. 

Proverbs 13:4 is true: "The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat."

If I hadn't seen any physical improvement, I would have at least improved my character by trying to do something worthwhile, and that's the better part of all of this. Character, just like mobility and strength, isn't gotten by sitting around and doing nothing. God sends us experiences which will perfect our characters if we let Him teach us through them, and perhaps I haven't been miraculously healed before now because I would have ended up with a good body but not a good character. I know that able-bodied people have formed wonderful characters in the experiences they have gone through, but what if I was able-bodied all of a sudden and failed to do that in my new circumstances? God knows best; and this is the schoolroom He decided to give me. May I be diligent, because even here that verse is right. "The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat."  

—Jean

A Daughter in Chains

Yes, and I helped to tighten them. When I was younger, I read a lot of "Christian" fiction. One of these books dealt with the persecution of Christ's followers in China, the main character being a young girl.[1] One of my friends really enjoyed the book, and at some point, it went from being mine to hers.

When in middle school, I gave away however many of my numerous novels to this same friend. I wasn't going to read them anymore. Sadly, I didn't care enough to loosen her chains as much as I could.

 
There is a sequel to this book, which I have never read. My friend to this day is still interested in the series, and has the second one. She still has those chains, even though I've shared how I look at the subject now. An influence on the wrong side exerts a strong force, and whose influence is it that has damaged so much? It's mine. By giving her those books, I haven't made it easier for my friend to have better thoughts and goals, but harder. I haven't made it easier for her to love the true more than the false, but harder. To this day I can see the bad effects of that decision, and I can't undo the past. What a horrible reality.

The good news is that she enjoyed a book about someone real on the same subject not too long ago. She saw something better, and how good it was. God bless it so that it can exert an even stronger influence than all the fiction in the world! May it exert an influence that will lead her to the Bible, the Book of books that speaks of the Saviour, for Whom many real Chinese people have suffered.

If you come to a point in your life where you realize a better way to live, but you have all these things from the old way of life, don't give it away! You may tighten somebody's chains if you do that, and they may never loosen. If you trash it, it might be the beginning of breaking them, which will bring them one step closer to sharing in your freedom.

 

God bless,

Jean

---

[1] The title of this is not the title of the book

The State of the Dead

This year, I learned about a death that happened in the past, but less than half a decade ago. The individual was young when they passed, and after doing some investigation, I learned more about this sad affair. It has left wounds in the family, wounds that are not fully healed. It doesn't help that those left behind don't understand what happens after death. It wouldn't ease the loss, but it would help them to know where their dear one is. It would also allow them to make sense of any after death experiences, and keep them, if they chose, from danger. Maybe they will find this blog post somehow; but even if they don't, I can share the wonderful truth with you, whoever you might be.

 

Understanding what the soul is key to understanding the state of the dead. Genesis 2:7 makes this very clear. "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." These two things combined make "a living soul."

After sin, God told Adam, "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." Genesis 3:19. The Bible does not tell us that he would continue as some spirit entity once this had taken place. The book of Job gives us more insight in vv. 14-15 of chapter 34. Speaking of God, it says, "If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath; All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust."

 

Job also said, "And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be." Job 7:21. The psalmist David said, "Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;" Psalm 13:3. If you search the Old Testament, you will find many more references that refer to death in this way. Ecclesiastes 9:5 reads: "For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten."

 If that isn't good enough for you, there is a passage in the New Testament, however, that makes the truth about death very certain. We find it in John 11:11-14:

 

"These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead."

 

How much clearer can it be? There are individuals who are in heaven right now; but they either never died, as in the cases of Enoch and Elisha, or they were resurrected. This was what happened to Moses and those spoken of in Matthew 27:52-53. All the other people are sleeping until Jesus raises them to life again. That means that there is no chance of your deceased relative communicating with you, and any supposed encounters with them are a deception. Demons watch us all the time and are able to impersonate us very well. They also hear what people say, so they have knowledge of the dead person's history.

 

As we can see, this truth is a lovely one. It is a safeguard, and it is some of the sweet in the bittersweet experience of death, because we don't have to wonder what is happening to our deceased relatives and friends. The privilege of eternal life adds even more sweetness. To think, one day we could be reunited with them forever! While this is possible, it is conditional.

 

What happens to those who were dead once they are resurrected is determined by each person's life. Sadly, someone who has rejected Jesus will be resurrected only to die again and stay resting in peace, not to burn forever. He would not be happy in God's presence, and even if God left him somewhere in the universe and made the spread of rebellion impossible, the person would be miserable forever. The way God deals with sin is a mercy.

 

If someone dies as a believer in Jesus, Jesus will resurrect him to live forever one day, in a place of complete safety and happiness. And though we will be safe and happy, we will be happily busy. "There every power will be developed, every capability increased. The grandest enterprises will be carried forward, the loftiest aspirations will be reached, the highest ambitions realized. And still there will arise new heights to surmount, new wonders to admire, new truths to comprehend, fresh objects to call forth the power of body and mind and soul." Ellen White, Education, p. 307.

We can do nothing about the destinies of the dead, but we can do something about ours. Which do you want?

A Solution Worth Seeing

My wheelchair has hill brakes, and while they are nice to have in the event of going down a hill, they can be a hindrance when used otherwise. One of my hill brakes was pushed down this time, and while it was less than ideal, it wasn't horrible. It wasn't as easy to do as when it was off, but I could go forward, turn, and even back up, if I pulled hard enough. In this state, I went over to talk to my sister. After awhile, I tried to go in reverse as before, but didn't get anywhere, although I will say that I didn't try very hard.

 There was a broom close by, and it occurred to me that I could attempt to solve my predicament with that. I went to it, although at first Kadri, who was washing dishes at the sink, wondered what I was doing. Using the broom handle, I pulled up the hill brake and once again enjoyed easy mobility! Praise the Lord! What's more, I was open to that thought.

What would have happened if I had chosen to sit there and be unhappy about my increased limitations, or if I had been content, even, with less than I could have had? As far as being unhappy goes, well, I would have made it worse for my sister in some way, and for me. That would have accomplished nothing. Being content with less than I could have had means that I wouldn't have had freedom so soon; that I wouldn't have had the joy of problem solving; that I wouldn't have had an experience to share with someone and that I wouldn't have been able to show them what God did for me.

Humans sometimes go through unpleasant situations where the key to freedom is right in front of them, and they don't see it. We can already see some of what may have been had I not seen the answer to my problem in the form of a broom handle. We must train ourselves to be alert to problem-solvers around us in every situation. It is so easy to want the solutions to come to us without any effort on our part, like they do at times, but that can't always be. While we are not to trust in ourselves, we are to use the brains God gave us to think, while staying in line with His will.

 There are some solutions to problems that aren't really solutions at all, to be sure. For instance, stealing food to satisfy hunger is not a real solution, for it only adds to the problem. We shouldn't try things like that, then; but we also shouldn't snub a good solution because we don't like it. Some people will not see the Bible as the greatest solution of all, because it means they must change somehow.  Yes, in the process of fixing problems, there is change, and sometimes that change isn't pleasant at first; but later on, we are glad we fixed the issue, even with the trouble in the meantime. We see that it was worth it.

Doing what the Bible says is even more worth it because when we view it further on in life's journey, we see that the so-called trouble (sacrificing for Jesus) wasn't trouble at all. Jesus loves us with a pure love, and wants our complete happiness; so He asks us to give Him only what would keep us from experiencing that. Remember what may have happened if I hadn't seen the help in the broom. When it comes to the Bible, the results are not what might be or may be, but what will certainly be. If we never try His way; if we sit there and complain about what He requires; if we have started and don't press on, forgetting the end of the journey, we will never experience true freedom. It means an unhappier existence while living, followed by death; and while death is a mercy to the wicked, it will certainly not be the best that they could have had! More than the broom, God's way is a solution worth seeing.

~Jean

 

You Will Too

In a previous post, I spoke of being lax when it came to my education. Because of this neglect, I haven't graduated high school yet even though I am in my twenties. My sister, who is younger, doesn't have her diploma either. I started homeschooling when I was fourteen years old, and I would like to think that if I could have seen eight years into the future I wouldn't have been so foolish, but I don't know. I realize that there were other people in my life that were responsible for my education to some degree; but we were both old enough when we began homeschooling, and we should have done better in the first place.

Although I eventually received a lecture from my father that spurred me to do more, life doesn't stop because textbooks need to be completed. I didn't think about the consequences of the path I was choosing, and I didn't make myself do it even though I didn't want to do it. I allowed other things to divert me from my studies, and, in fact, still do today. I know it shouldn't be the most important thing, but it should receive more focused attention than I give it.

A life without a diploma isn't very helpful, at least not where we live. It seems to be a problem for my sister, who wants to be a missionary. These days it is better if you go to college as part of preparation, and one can't go there without a diploma or GED. My being without a diploma doesn't help to show that I am not mentally challenged. My lack of a diploma has nothing to do with not being able to understand things in books, but rather a lack of understanding when it comes to the consequences of choices.

We searched for a way out of the messes we made, and found that the GED was out of the question if we wanted to remain true to principle. We looked into Seventh-Adventist schools too, but it wasn't possible for me, and my sister never finished pursuing a prospective academy. However, we will be able to receive the much-needed papers through Guilford Christian Academy, which makes it possible for homeschoolers like Katie and me to graduate. This opens up other doors, especially for Katie. Earlier on, there were thoughts of going to Hartland Institute, a school in Norway, an intern at Young Disciple. Now it is looking like she might be a camp counselor at Young Disciple camp.

I wouldn't be honest if I said I've always been thrilled with Kadri's going away—I haven't. God has showed me some things, however, that I would like to share with you. Perhaps some of you have to let someone go, too. When Kadri was considering Hartland more than she is now, I struggled but I did some thinking, and the principles still hold true today.

If Kadri were to go to Hartland, she would be going in preparation to do a good work. If she was supposed to go to Hartland and didn't, then she wouldn't be fulfilling God's plan for her.  On the other hand, if my sister followed God's leading, people would be in heaven that may not be there otherwise. What right do I have to be sad about that? Should I cherish the desire that would lead me to let someone experience death forever so that she could be with me a little longer?  No! Instead of pining, may I consider the possibilities; instead of tears, may there be a smile and a hearty, "Go!" Even if the people you know won't be involved in preparation for mission work or anything like that, think about how their leaving may mean that somewhere along the way, they will brighten someone else's life.

Before you think that there is no way you can think that way, that it will be too difficult to be without them and you will miss them too much, read to the end. Kadri and a friend of ours did go away recently—not to Hartland, but to the other side of the world, on a mission trip to the Philippines. I did struggle and shed tears. I was missing the adventure and whatnot. As time went by, however, thoughts came to my mind that helped me to come to terms with Kadri's absence and my place in life, and I talked and prayed with my mother about it. Things were obviously different, but I wasn't constantly thinking about Kadri or longing for her to come home. I adjusted to life as it was, and if you rely on God, you will too.

~Jean

 

His Return from the Wilderness

Matthew 4:1-11 tells us about Jesus' sufferings and victories in the wilderness. We know that He suffered for us, and that He was victorious for us. There are lessons we may learn from His return from the wilderness. "Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee; And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:" Matthew 4:12-13. Luke 4:14 says that He "returned in the power of the Spirit."

If we thoughtfully consider the nature of the events that Jesus went through and the reason for them, as well as the aforementioned verses, something becomes evident. Notice that He didn't boast about how He had conquered the devil, or about the fact that He had done it in our behalf. The Bible gives no such record. Rather, we find that He, to put it as Peter did, "went about doing good." Acts 10:38. He gave us an example of humility even here. Think about this in light of the contrasts presented in Philippians 2:5-8 and Isaiah 14:12-15. Isn't the character of our God amazing?

Let us look at where Jesus went next. "And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. Matthew 4:13-16, emphasis added. The people Jesus went to were not those who needed little or no help; He went to those who needed a lot.

Lastly, let us ponder Luke 4:14. "And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of Him through all the region round about." Mark 4:23-24 says, "And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them." The Holy Spirit is with us to enable us to do good, to follow in the footsteps of our Master in serving others, not ourselves. Oh, may we gaze upon the selfless character of our Saviour, and allow the Holy Spirit to make us like Him!

 Blessings,

Jean

"Parted His Garments"

"And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on Him, and led him away to crucify him." Matthew 27:29-31.

How do we mock the Saviour? Do we crown Him King with words alone, with self as the true sovereign?

"And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. And sitting down they watched him there; And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS." Vs. 35-37.

They crucified Him, but they took what they could get. They hated Him, but wanted what He had—as far as material things went, anyway. They didn't care to be like Him in character. Are we like that?

 

Blessings,

Jean

Something You Won't Regret

"If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the LORD, return unto Me: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of My sight, then shalt thou not remove. And thou shalt swear, The LORD liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in Him, and in Him shall they glory."Jeremiah 4:1-2. According to Strong's Concordance, the word for "remove" in the original can mean, "to nod, that is, waver; figuratively to wander, flee, disappear." If the Israelites listened and did what was said, they would "not remove." They would be stable!

More than that, through Israel's obedience, the surrounding nations would "bless themselves in Him." In the same way, those around us who don't know God will be led to Him by our obedience. After the LORD saw that Abraham would obey Him no matter what the cost, He told his servant, " By Myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only [son:] That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which [is] upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed My voice." Genesis 22:16-18, emphasis added. Abraham was blessed with being able to keep his son, as well as being able to understand the plan of redemption more fully; and succeeding generations have been blessed in that they have his example and a type of Christ's sacrifice to learn from. What if he hadn't obeyed? We wouldn't have it to inspire and encourage us today.

Don't you want to have stability in your life instead of confusion and trouble? Take hold of the promise in Jeremiah! One day when you're gone, don't you want to leave those you love with memories that will help them to follow Jesus and experience a blessing long after you are gone? Follow the example set by Abraham. Cultivating obedience is something you won't regret.

Blessings,
Jean 

A Lesson from Jael

The Israelites were fighting against Jabin, King  of Hazor, specifically against Sisera, the captain of the king's host. After "all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword" "Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for [there was] peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite." (Judges 4:16, 17). Judges 1:16 says, "And the children of the Kenite, Moses' father in law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which [lieth] in the south of Arad; and they went and dwelt among the people." Heber, however, "had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which is by Kedesh." (Judges 4:11). It seemed, too, that he had made an alliance with the king of Hazor.

For the time being, Jael acted in accordance with this agreement, playing the part of the solicitous host. She entreated Sisera to come in and told him not to fear, covering her endangered ally with a concealing mantle, or rug. She even went so far as to give Sisera milk when he asked her for water (see vv. 18-19). Nevertheless, there was one request of Sisera's with she wouldn't comply.

"Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and enquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No." (v. 20). The wife of Heber chose a drastically different course. "Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died." (v. 21).

Notwithstanding the "peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite," Jael was faithful to God and didn't suffer this enemy of His people to live. Yet, take note of what the next few verses say, particularly verse 23. "And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest. And when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail was in his temples. So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel." (vv. 22-23, emphasis added).

Even though Jael performed the act that subdued the king of Canaan, the Bible ascribes the glory of this victory to God. Think about it: who gave her the idea, and the brain to receive it? Who gave her the will and the strength to act upon it? She certainly didn't create it right then—it came from Someone other than herself. It's only fair that He alone should receive praise. Shouldn't we give glory to God also, then, for everything we accomplish, instead of to ourselves?

 

Blessings,

Jean

 

God Helped Me

Written January 29, 2016

It was in the evening. Around four o'clock or so, I had lie down on the couch to do my devotions, as I was feeling tired. My sister was in our room doing her devotions, and my father was back and forth between the house and the garage. I believe by this time it was six o'clock or later. In any case, I wanted a drink of water. My bottle was on the table in front of the couch, but I knew I shouldn't drink while not sitting up.

I had already needed my sister earlier on during our devotions, and I didn't want to bother her again. Dad was in the garage, so I couldn't ask him for help—and to be honest, I wanted to do it myself. Well, I reasoned, if I was by myself, I'd have to figure out some way to do it. I think it was then that I prayed, remembering Philippians 4:13: "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

I asked the Lord how we were going to do this, and attempted to sit up the way I recalled able-bodied people doing it, by swinging my legs over the side of the couch and using my stomach muscles to lift my upper body. After a few tries, it was apparent that wasn't going to work. I admit that at this point I doubted whether the Lord was going to help me. Maybe He just wanted me to call for somebody.

Then I attempted something I had done in the past with no success. First, I endeavored to move myself as close to the back of the couch as I could. Next, I grabbed a table leg with my left hand on which to pull to roll myself over, hoping there was enough space on the couch to shift my elbow under me, push up on it and move quickly over to avoid falling off. I'm sorry if that explanation doesn't make much sense; I'm not skilled in the art of explaining, and my methods for doing things are unorthodox as it is.

The venture was no easy one. I quickly realized there wasn't enough room on the couch when I rolled for me to move my elbow without my losing my equilibrium and potentially falling off the couch. To try to give myself more stability, I put my right hand (by that I mean two fingers that decided to work enough) on the table while I made an effort to move my left elbow over. The first time was precarious and scary. As was the rest of me, my two right fingers were sweaty and therefore somewhat slippery on the table, which really put me in danger of hurting myself—one wrong move and...

 I wished that Friday was a service dog and could lend me some assistance. I even thought of calling him over, but I didn't know if he would make a bad situation worse, so I remained silent and recovered myself. I rested for a minute and then attempted the process with all the speed I could muster. Perhaps that would aid me. Sure enough, it did, and while it was still risky and frightening, I managed to move at the right time.

I was now on my stomach. From there, I moved so that my feet were off the couch, and used my left arm to push myself up into a sitting position. I found myself on something hard. I was puzzled until I remembered the cold pack my sister had wrapped in a towel and placed on my leg. I had moved it off before I started, but then forgotten about it in my struggle—that's what I was sitting on!  I tried to move it, but when I realized I couldn't without falling, I chose to think that maybe it was there to give me more stability sitting up.

I grabbed my bottle of water and emptied it shortly; but the fact that I obtained what I wanted isn't the greatest thing out of this whole incident. It is the fact that God helped me, and in more than one way. Not only did He bless me with wisdom and strength to accomplish the goal, but He also blessed me yet again with a will to do. This is especially significant for me because for many years, I had a nearly unchangeable "I can't!" attitude, but He is changing my outlook through His grace—and this experience testifies to that. It also testifies to the truth of the Apostle Paul's words in Philippians 2:13:"For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure."

Blessings,

Jean