35 Two Trains Collide...brokenness...pain...death

There are many many scriptures that declare God’s love for us:

One verse  tells us that He  (God) chose us from the beginning of the world.  Eph 1:14

Another verse says  He adopted us.  Verse 5

Vs 11 sez we have obtained an inheritance (done!)

Vs 13 sez we were bought by Jesus blood and sealed with the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is our guarantee of this inheritance.

For God so loved the world……Jn 3:16

These are just a very few that declare His presence with us, His peace upon us, His mercies, new every morning...His word is sure and He is not a man that He can lie.   So what in the world are you getting at this day, Margaret?

My TRAIN of thought, if I pay attention to the above verses, is  absolutely the biggest ole’ freight train that can come down the track… absolutely unstoppable, nothing can de-rail this train!!! 

Agree?  Sure!!!

So the other TRAIN is just a paper mache toy running wildly down the track, driven by the winds, and the storms of life with NOOOOOOO substance at all.  There is no place to find shelter, nothing to keep you safe and in the distance you see  BIG OLE’ TRAIN,  coming straight for you…you realize you are definitely on the wrong train, on the wrong track and you are soon to be history. 

Why is this?  

We know the Scriptures, we play them over and over but we just don’t believe them--that they are for us.  There is going to be a collision, and yes we are going to be broken, hurt, yes even killed in the train wreck.  

We can’t believe The One who created us, and we believe the lie that the devil keeps placing in our minds  that He isn’t going to do for you what He promises.   How in the world can we get on the right train of thought and stay there?

He has brought us into the Banquet of His Word, pulled our chair up close to the table, everything setting within arms length.  

Are we to look at it?   

I guess if  that is what you want.   

Are we to reach out and partake?   

Absolutely...when we choose to receive what God has for us. 

 

Oh God, today, help me to fully put my trust in the God of the universe, who is always good, even if we cannot see  your goodness, even when it hurts so bad and we can’t see or FEEL your arms around us…open our eyes Lord, open our ears…Oh God send angels to minister to my precious son, Greg.. it is so hard to hang on!

Editorial note:

I received a link from a friend just a couple days ago that I just have to insert here.  I think it is a perfect complement to the train theme.  From Nashville, with love:  CLICK HERE TO PLAY

18 LIFE-DEATH-LIFE

Pretty ominous title there....but what is life?  

You wake up when you are born.....live your life....then death comes...you go to sleep....and wake up REALLY ALIVE!!!!  Since our dear friend, Dawn, went to sleep yesterday, and woke up in Heaven....that is pretty much what I am  dwelling on today.

Every morning I wake up, (and that is a blessing) sometimes Cliff comes down the hall, telling me (in a not so quiet voice) that the coffee is ready.  I try to have that first cup with my most Precious Friend Jesus, and start my day.  But mostly I am up, feeling good, not too many aches and pains, and thankful that I can walk, talk and move myself....as

opposed to Sug, who can still do these things, but with a very limited ability.

This life thing is pretty interesting....the other day I was reading about how God knew us BEFORE we were in our mothers' womb.....which is pretty deep in itself,  but He also said, before you were in your mother’s womb, 'I carried you.'......well!!!   What is that all about?   I don't have a clue!!!!    However, when He says He carries us between His shoulders, to me I get a picture of Him carrying us like a child, in His arms, or literally 'on His back'.

Is He trustworthy?  Absolutely!!!   He is omniscient, omnipotent, sovereign, and very much EVERYTHING else.....He can do all He says He will/can do.....

He has it all planned out, from the very beginning,  and He knows the end of the Story as well .

So what is birth, death and life?  When you think about it, we do not have any of the answers.  But He does, and He is so willing that we know as much as we can learn, HOWEVER, He is past finding out, so stop trying, and start Trusting, stop running, and try Resting.

My heart is not heavy this a.m. even tho' not much has changed about your condition, Greg.  They put in a stint in your eye to relieve the pressure and it has.  At this time, they took the option of removing your eye off the table.  That is a blessing.  You have to move next weekend  (and can't lift anything for 30 days...smile, could it be any more difficult?) so I guess we just wait and see just where this move is going to be, and how it is going to happen.  Maybe He will send angels to help, that IS a possibility, you know...but maybe He will send angels with 'skin' on to make this happen...Just keep your eye (eyes if possible, smile)  on Him, 'Who doeth all things well!'

Dawn has her wedding garments on, and is sitting at the feet of Jesus, this is what we are all waiting for eh? Maybe she has seen Andy....think?

So hang in there, hang on, and look up...for He is coming soon, and for you that don't know Jesus and the wonderful Hope that we have about Heaven, what are you waiting for...Jesus is your ticket out of here and into His presence...

See you here, there or in the air!!!!

Crayola, thank God for the Hope we have in Jesus!!!!!!!

Nanny

15 The Blessed Hope

 I am still chewing on last Sunday's sermon, and am going to try and condense it.

Our bodies start to decay and  breakdown as soon as we are born.

 We are born....to die.

Chilling thought...but true.    

So we live our lives (not thinking about death so much,)  but seeing just how much we can get out of it, and what we can put into it. RIGHT?

If we feed it right, and work on every good thing for our bodies, we may live a healthier and longer life.

The inner man is just about the opposite.   When we meet Jesus, we truly begin to live.  

If we feed it right, with God's Word and His principles, it begins to live and thrive and grow, it doesn't deteriorate, but strengthens,  all because we know we are NOT going to die (spiritually) but live on eternally.  

Our Hope!  

So now comes the interesting part...

Even though we know physically, we are not going to live forever, the challenges, sickness, of our particular situation does not (should not) effect our inner man, because we have THE BLESSED HOPE...

So even though we go through lots of struggles--some many, some not so many--we can encourage our neighbor in his trying time, not because we don't have struggles of our own, but  because we know where we are going and we do have Hope that never dies, and that Hope can be his too.

This is really to encourage you Greg, because it seems your struggles have gone on for a long time...never ending...

always something else around the next corner...tearing at your flesh to destroy you another little (big) bit.

Grandma used to say, 'this too shall pass.'  The longer we live, the closer Heaven gets.   I am soooooooooo ready, but...not just today, Lord, I have a lot more I want to do, see, feel.  

Life is precious...Heaven is more so!!  

We can't even imagine. 

The sermon was about the Christian’s affliction and hope.   I've never been too fond of the affliction part.  But it seems to be part of every life...we all have troubles, some more than others, like you My Son.  

I just want you to be whole and have a GOOD rest of your life. 

 But mainly I am a blessed Mother, having raised three wonderful sons, all of them

have spent their lives serving Jesus, and my Mother’s heart is full of gratitude for that...What do people do who do not know the Lord, and His never-ending love, His limitless grace, His never failing mercy?  I would be like Paul who said, 'Of all men, most miserable.'

We have His Word, His Promises, but  mostly: The Blessed Hope.  

We will walk, talk, do, pray, encourage, all...but when this short life is over, which is pretty good (leaving out the bad parts)...

 

'Only one life t'will soon be past,

Only what's done for Christ will last.'

So let's do 'lasting' things...the things done for Christ in the right motive, will be 'gold, silver and precious stones',

all the other, even some of the good things we do to be seen, will be easily burned up like hay, wood and stubble.'

Life is hard, by the yard,

By the inch, it's a cinch.

Anxiety never strengthens us for tomorrow, it just weakens us for today.

Hang in, hang on and we'll meet you here, there or in the air.

(that's it, Cray!)

Nanny