WHERE DO YOU BELONG?

Having experienced so much sickness and death of close family and friends over the past few years has led me to a more intense mode of seeking God. He is my / our Heavenly Father who created all things and made us in His own image and likeness. So, as I continue my journey through life, I am reminded that this world is not my / our home. We experience problems and difficulties, joys and happiness as a part of this earthly journey. But we must realize and face the fact that we are not “home.” Even though it feels like this earth life is the life and final destiny, it isn’t – it’s only a part of the journey.

I have become more cognizant of the need to fulfill God’s reason for my life on earth, keeping my eyes on Him as I travel toward and eventually transition to my “real home” in heaven with Him; where He intended for us to be in the beginning. As I was reading a book written by one of my cousins, Practical Principles for Powerful Prayer (p 17)  by Rev. Tracy A. Leggins (now Brown), she makes a profound statement that is so inspiring and worth repeating. She says,

“Heaven is the place where we should all want to spend eternity. And because heaven is the place where God dwells (although God dwells in all places), it reminds us that God is already where we are hoping to go. He is already where we are striving to be. In other words, He is already in our future. He is the One who knows what tomorrow, next week, next year will bring. As Author and Finisher of our faith, He has already arrived at the scene on time, and is just waiting for us to get there.” 

She goes on to explain how engaging in conversation with God, which is called prayer, we enter His home, heaven, while still here on earth. That we enter His Presence and “get glimpses of what God already sees…bringing heaven to earth.” As an aside, this reminds me of the song by Israel Houghton and Micah Massey, entitled, Your Presence is Heaven to Me (listen to it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNAvRdSkE10). So for me, in my more intense mode of seeking God, (worship, praying, reading and studying His Word), I have come to a deeper understanding and revelation. Whether I am on earth or when my body ceases to function and I go to heaven, I am always with God and He is always with me!

The trials of life have forced me to become more aware of the reality (Colossians 2:17-NIV) that in Christ is all of God and through living the Christ life on earth, no trials or anything else, as Romans 8:35-39 tells us, can separate me /us from God the Father and His Awesome Love! You see the enemy of God, the devil, whom unfortunately has convinced many people that he doesn’t really exist or that he doesn’t really have power of influence, or that he can only do what God allows, aims to make us believe that pain and suffering means that something is wrong. That either I did something wrong, or you did something wrong. Perhaps, our ancestors did something wrong. But his most persuasive argument is that God Himself did something wrong causing many to question God’s genuine love never able to receive it or His healing that comes when we turn to Him when in pain or suffering.

The truth is “yes” we have all done something wrong! This is why we have been granted the ability to repent (asking God or others for forgiveness) and to forgive others. This forgiveness is what often leads the way to healing. But more accurately, we have been told to expect pain and suffering (1 Peter 4:1, 2 Peter 4:12-16, 1 Peter 5:12, 2Corinthians 4:17, Romans 8:18, Philippians 1:29 and other verses; do a Goggle search on what the Bible says about suffering). This world, this earth place is not the perfected home where we belong. If you will read or listen to Genesis 1-3, you will find that man doing something wrong, as prompted by the devil, is what led us to an earthly life.

God allows us joys and happiness here on earth. His goal for us is an eternal life of joy and happiness. But earth cannot provide that; only heaven can. And the only way to heaven is relationship with God through receiving His answer to our ability to make it on earth and eventually making it to heaven. That answer is in Jesus Christ. Jesus paid the penalty for our wrongs which are inevitable on earth and in this earthly body. Jesus made the way for us to make it to our “real home” which is heaven. Through prayer which my cousin Tracy expresses in her book, “we can have heaven on earth in the midst of our trying situations of life!” And even more powerful, we can be sure to get to the place where we belong, heaven, when we choose to make our lifestyle that of living the Christ life and having a continuing Father/child relationship of talking with God!

2015 © Rosalind M. Stanley

Stairway to Heaven

EDNA

Last year, for Edna’s homecoming service announcement, Cousin Elaine posted a picture on Facebook of her with the notation “Stairway to Heaven.”  I immediately began to think about Michael Landon’s show “Highway to Heaven.” In the show he is an angel who has a human ex-cop working with him. As they travel along “the highway,” they are given assignments by God that they are to complete.

Their impact in a person’s life was always positive and uplifting, but definitely life changing. They had purpose for each assignment even though it wasn’t fully understood until they were involved in a person’s situation. The ex-cop was as human as human could be; doing all that he could to help through many blunders. He learned something through each assignment and grew spiritually as a result.

Well, those of us who really knew Edna, knew that she was a woman who took her daily life assignments very seriously. She considered them God-given and wanted to please Him and fulfill her reason for existence. She went out of her way to impact people with the love of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ; family, friends, neighbors, church members, and strangers.

She was human in her ways, like the ex-cop, not perfect, but purposeful. She was like an angel in how she reached out to so many people in so many different ways. She did in my life, and I am sure, many of yours, what God assigned her to do. She gave, whether it was time, effort, money or some material thing, she gave.

Edna rarely missed an opportunity to share the Gospel, teach something positive or have a friendly moment with a stranger.  She was always looking for ways to uplift and encourage someone in their walk with the Lord. And, she loved to pray.

She worked very hard at every job that she had because helping people to benefit or improve was always her goal. And she did it, one step at a time, a few people at a time, Backyard Bible’s studies, women’s meetings, and other ways, but she did it! She made impact for Christ.

She climbed the stairs to her heavenly destination while here on earth, and she made it! Though the last days were difficult and steep, physically speaking, she continued to smile at us and wave at us. She remembered that God was her Maker.

She determined to accomplish some “bucket list” desires even through her pain, then she went to be with Jesus. The song that she sends to us today, on her earth birthday, is that song “IF YOU COULD SEE ME NOW,” By Don Moen. She is with the Lord! No more suffering, no more pain, she has achieved her heavenly gain. Standing tall and whole!

She was fast in her pace and she finished her race! She overcame. Can you picture her? Smiling and waving, full of joy, standing and laughing in the Presence of the Lord! HAPPY BIRTHDAY EDNA! We love and miss you!

There is a Time…

There is “a time to give up” according to the words written by Solomon in Ecclesiastes 3:6. Meaning ” to let go of” a particular thought, desire, expectation, relationship, etc. For whatever the reason, an active ingredient in walking by faith is yielding to the seasons and or timing of God. Recognizing this then choosing to yield to it are the “dying to self” activities that tend to hurt and are hard. It requires a growing sensitivity to the voice and nudgings of God.

Whatever is the season or time in each person’s life or each family, church, business, or ministry, God “makes everything beautiful in its time.” This is like Romans 8: 28 where it says, God turns all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.”

The thing that I (and we) must reconcile in our hearts is that God’s time is not like our time (2 Peter 3: 8) and His ways and His thoughts are not like ours (Isaiah 55: 8). What we expect and especially the way we expect what we expect to happen, is not always the way God planned it or purposed it. The timing of it may not come about in the time or season we hoped for or the exact way we thought.

But if we are to live our lives in the abundance that God promised in John 10:10, (unfortunately abundance doesn’t necessarily mean without problems) we must choose to believe that whatever God says will eventually come to pass. Not necessarily what we think should happen or what we desire in our human natural way of thinking.

“The rain and the snow come down from the
heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth.
They cause grain to grow, producing seed for the
farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same
with My word (God speaking). I sent it out and it
always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want
it to, and it will prosper everywhere I sent it.”
Isaiah 55:10-11 (NLT)

How we choose to believe is by allowing God’s word to take effect in our hearts and lives plus renewing our minds to His word (reading it) so that we can have the mind of Christ (Romans 12:2, 1 Corinthians 2:16). And we cannot pick and choose what we think or someone told us is or isn’t God’s word. Everything written in the Bible from the Old Testament to the New Testament was from God as He inspired men that He chose to write it. (Romans 15:4, 2 Timothy 3:16, 17).

When we do this we will live in peace and joy regardless of the events and tragedies that surround us; even when it hurts, even when we are mourning, even when we do not understand. That is because the Kingdom of God consists of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 55:12, Romans 14:17).

It’s a matter of perspective: the carnal/human mindset versus the God-like/spiritual mindset (read Romans 8:5-14). This is no easy task. It takes relationship with God through accepting Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord (the easy part) then daily developing that relationship by really getting to know Him.

Making relationship with God our priority leads us to a peace that passes all of our understanding ( Philippians 4:7) and a joy that gives us the strength to endure whatever we are facing (Nehemiah 8:10). This developing relationship with God enables us to live out this life on earth according to His plan for us individually with an eternal perspective instead of thinking that the world and this life on earth is “the best it is gonna get.”

God has a plan greater than our human minds can comprehend! Don’t be afraid to wrestle with God to get to the place He has chosen for you. Just don’t wrestle too long because no one knows the day or the hour for eternal life (versus eternal damnation) to come for you.

In loving memory of my dear and sweet sister and brother:

Dawn Bonita Generals Patterson
(January 28, 1969 – April 24, 2013)

Walter Leonard “Lenny” Caldwell
(September 15, 1961 – April 29, 2013)

And

Jennifer Caldwell (Niece, Keith’s wife)

Edna Mae Williams (aunt)