Three men in the furnace

In Daniel 3:1-28 we read about Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego's refusal to serve other gods or worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar wanted them to worship. The king had an image of gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide. (or bout 27 meters high by 2.7 metters wide). The people were told that as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, they had to fall down and worship the image of gold. Therefore, as soon the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music, all the nations and peoples of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold. People were warned that anyone that did not fall down and worship the image of gold was going to be thrown into a blazing furnace. Some astronomers who desired to gain the favor of the king were quick to warn him that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were ignoring the king's orders. In verse 13 the bible says that upon hearing the rebellious attitude of the three young men, the king was furious with rage. But the faith of these three young men was unshakable and they were not going to bow down to the image of gold. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were committed to God. They had confidence that the Lord would deliver them from this predicament. The king was so infuriated that he ordered the furnace heated seven time hotter than usual. Then he had them firmly tied and thrown into the blazing furnace. But God was with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Later, when the king returned to have a look at the men in the furnace, he was amazed that not only the three young men were walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed. The king noticed that there was a fourth man walking around in the furnace. In verse 25 he makes this comment: “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”  He realized that the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had indeed delivered them while they were in the blazing furnace.  King Nebuchadnezzar could no longer denied the power, the faithfulness and the deliverance iof the God of these three young men. In verse 28 we read that he praised the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. 

Every time I read this story, it encourages me to keep praying and believing God for situations I have been praying about for a long time, but yet I'm still waiting for God to intervene. The level of faith demonstrated by Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego shows me to just keep believing and keep praying because in His time, the Lord will take my situations “out of the fire” and turn them into His glorious deliverance.

 I realize that most of you have read this story several times. Nevertheless, I wrote this article to encourage all of you that are waiting for answers to your prayers, to just keep believing and keep praying. Your day is coming where you will see the deliverance of the Lord for those prayers that are so dear to your heart. If you have asked the Lord for healing, the salvation of a loved one or a restoration of a relationship, your prayers are still in the hands of the most high God. He has absolutely not forgotten about your petition. In His time, your requests will be “out of the fire” and delivered to you with the type of the love and compassion that only the Lord is able to bestow. 

In Isaiah 60:22b it says.“ .....I am the Lord, and when it is time, I will make these things happen quickly,”            

In the meantime, may the Lord bless you and keep you strong!

Denise 

         

        Bible references are from the New International & New Century versions.

 

 

MY “BUS” WAS NOT “MY” BUS!

For the 32 years that I was a missionary in Tijuana, Mexico, transportation for our volunteers and the children was always an issue. We needed transportation for our workers, but most important, we needed to have the flexibility to pick-up kids in the surrounding shantytowns that lived too far to simply walk to the local church. Once at the  church, the kids would learn about Jesus and receive a good meal.

In 2015, someone wanted to help us get a small bus. This person knew the owner of a school bus company. It was a tough sell because this businessman was not open to helping a Christian ministry. But perseverance prevailed and after several conversations, he relented and gave us a 2006, 20-seater bus along with the legal paperwork.

Shipping the bus to San Diego, was the best and cheapest way to get it to Tijuana. Once in San Diego, we then could apply to the Mexican customs to legally import the vehicle into Mexico. The shipping and importing costs were about $3,800. It was a bargain compared to buying a used vehicle in California. The regulations stipulated that I had to be in San Diego to get the delivery of the bus because the paperwork could only be done in my name and not in the name of Tender Loving Care Children Ministries.  

In July, I was in Tijuana for our annual TLCCM Vacation Bible School program. My plan was to make all the arrangements to have the bus imported during my October trip. But, once in Tijuana, someone familiar with the Mexican customs and regulations, informed me that the bus could not imported. This donated vehicle was too old to satisfy the criteria of the Mexican border authorities. The importation law required the vehicle be no older than a 2009 model.

I was completely devastated. Here I was with the donated bus that we so badly needed, but no legal way to get it to Mexico. During that time the bus was parked at my local church. I had nowhere else to store it while we figured out what to do. Returning it to the original owner was absolutely out of the question. I thought of selling it, at least this way TLCCM could get some needed funds out of this entire experience.

At the time my church was providing Sunday morning transportation for people living far from the church. A small bus was a possible solution. After discussing this matter with TLCCM’s financial advisor and with the church pastor, the decision was made to give the bus to my local church.  

For several weeks “my” bus was still parked in the church parking lot while the church did the paperwork to register it in their name. It was parked just a few feet away from my parking space. Every time I parked my car and saw the bus, my heart sank, and I thought, “but Lord this is my bus”.

One Sunday morning, as I came out of the church, and saw “my bus”, I once again complained to the Lord saying: “Lord this is my bus.”  Immediately, I felt the Holy Spirit whisper in my ear: “Denise, if this was your bus, it would already be in Mexico.”  With tears pouring down my cheeks, I sat in my car and asked the Lord to forgive me for my lack of trust in Him to provide for our need of a vehicle to transport the children in Tijuana.

For a few years, every Sunday morning the bus was used to pick up people to take them to church. I am grateful that the Lord used this situation to teach me that nothing is mine unless the Lord permits it to be. No, I never got another bus. Nevertheless, I can honestly say that I have been completely at peace with this situation. Meanwhile in Tijuana, week after week I saw the Lord provided the transportation that was needed and He did it without “my bus”.

One day, in the months following this experience, I read the following paragraph that said: “How hard it can be to trust in God’s timing. We are a people who want what we want and would prefer it right now. Sometimes it seems as if we are not even on God’s clock. Yet, there is never a time in which He is not aware of the desires of our hearts. He does, however, know better than we do, whether what we want to happen is necessary or good for us. Sometimes His timing may be just the amount we need to see that what we thought we needed, we never did, or that the waiting made the receiving that much better. His timing will always be perfect, even when our trust in it is not.”

The following bible verse is very appropriate for this situation:” There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens”. (Ecclesiastes 3:1) (NIV))

All I can say is: “Lord, You absolutely and always know what is best for us.” AMEN!

Denise

Please note: To protect the privacy of the various people involved in this situation no names or specific details are made public. Picture of the bus is not of the actual bus but was a free download. Bible verse is in the NIV.

All is well with my soul!

 They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord. Psalm 112:7 (NIV)

Cancer is a curse. It arrives like a thief in the night. It interrupts your life. It alters your daily routine. It plays havoc with your emotions, your strength and your faith. Once one gets this devastating prognosis, one’s life is never the same.

In February 2005 we returned to Ottawa because Roger was having some health issues. He had been suffering from crippling migraines for over one year. In 2003, he had a detachment of the retina in his right eye. Surgery and recuperation were difficult. It required a second surgery and although the surgery was successful, the vision in his eye was diminished to only 25%.

After much prayer and seeking the Lord’s will, he felt it was time for us to come back to Ottawa. After living in San Diego for fifteen years, having our children and grandchildren in the same general area was a real blessing. About three months after we returned to Ottawa, his migraines completely disappeared. We really did not know what to think. We were happy that the migraines had left. Roger wondered if he had missed God's will by coming back to Ottawa. But by the end of 2005, we both knew he had heard from God by deciding to come home.

In November 2005, he had pneumonia. Even with two consecutives doses of antibiotics, the dry cough would not stop. His doctor sent him for a CT-Scan. In January 2006, to our great shock, he was diagnosed with Stage 3 lung cancer. Roger was a non-smoker. After weeks of chemotherapy, we were told that his tumor was inoperable. His oncologist ordered another series of chemotherapy along with radiation. After another bronchoscopy, I was sitting in his hospital room waiting for him to come back from the procedure. When the surgeon walked in the room with his assistant, I knew something was terribly wrong. He gave me all the medical information and then he held my hands, and he said: “Mrs. Deschamps, you are a strong woman, you have great faith.  You will get through this, you will.”  I knew what he meant. After he left, I just sat there and cried. When Roger came back to his room, the doctor had already talked to him. I gave him a hug and neither one of us spoke for quite a while. Nevertheless, this man of mine did not give up. More chemotherapy treatments were ahead of him. Each time he started a new session of treatment, the doctor would change the protocol. Roger was determined to fight this disease, for himself, for me, for our children and grandchildren. In total he went through seven protocols. In early summer of 2006, he got a good review. The tumor had shrunk. Sadly, the good news did not last long.  By October the cancer was back in full force. 

By the spring of 2007, he was now on oxygen and needed a tube on his right side to drain the liquid on his lungs. On Easter Sunday morning 2007, he suffered an embolism.  Nevertheless, we kept believing for a miracle. Roger knew that medically he was not doing well.  He told me a few times that without a miracle, he knew his chances were not very good. 

In the fall of 2007, he was scheduled to start protocol #7.  By this time, he was no longer able to drive.  As I drove him to the hospital I asked him:“Honey, if this protocol does not work, what are we going to do?”  He put his hand on my lap and with a very peaceful voice he said: “All is well with my soul.”  I took a deep breath and kept driving, but not another word was said until we got to the hospital. By making that statement, I knew what Roger was trying to tell me. At that specific moment, my faith, my strength and my peace were probably at their lowest level. The words: All is well with my soul are words that were on my mind every day for the last few months I still had him with me. 

After he died, I went online and searched for the words of that song and information about the man who wrote this song. His name was Horatio Spafford. This man knew the meaning of pain. As a lawyer in his early 40s, Spafford lived in the north side of Chicago with his wife, Anna and his five children. In 1870 their only son died from scarlet fever. A few months later, in 1871, he lost his entire life savings in the Great Chicago Fire.  As a successful lawyer, he had invested heavily in real estate in the Chicago area, which was devastated by this disaster. *** Two years later, in 1873, the Spafford’s decided to go on a much-needed vacation to Europe on the SS Ville du Havre.  Delayed by last minute business, he sent his wife and daughters ahead, promising to follow in a few days. On November 22, 1873, the ship was struck by an iron sailing vessel, the Loch Earn, and it sank into the Atlantic in just twelve minutes, killing 226 people on board. *** When the survivors of the shipwreck landed in Europe, Anna Spafford cabled her husband saying: “Saved alone. What shall I do?” All four of their daughters had died in this tragic accident. 

Amid his great sorrow, he got on a ship to go join his wife in Europe. While passing near the place where his daughters had died, he was inspired to write the words to the hymn “It Is Well with My Soul”. *** Despite these series of tragic events, the Spafford’s later had three more children. Then in 1881, the family set sail for Jerusalem, along with baby Bertha and their newborn Grace.  There they founded a group called the American Colony, whose mission was to serve the poor. ***

The lyrics in Spafford’s hymn reveal his attitude and approach with dealing with these very difficult trials. It also spoke of his determination to stay strong in all circumstances. This man was and still is an inspiration to us all! *** This man’s faith inspired me to stay strong and keep serving God. It is normal for us, young or old, to be overcome by our problems. Nevertheless, our attitude is a choice we make, no matter how difficult our circumstances can be. *** 

Even though we may not have had all the answers to why God allows some to die untimely deaths, we always must remember that God knows what He is doing, and that in the end “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).

Over the years when a loved one died without a receiving a healing, Roger always said: “The biggest healing of all is to be in the presence of the Lord.”   I really understand why his answer to me back in the fall of 2007 was: ALL IS WELL WITH MY SOUL.

On March 14, 2008, God took Roger to his heavenly home. He left knowing that all was well with his soul. Within a split second he went from thinking “All is well with my soul” to experiencing the reality of these words.

Words of this song:

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll, 

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, “It is well, it is well, with my soul.”

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, 

That Christ has regarded my helpless estate, And has shed His own blood for my soul.

And, Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight, The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend; Even so, it is well with my soul.

Sincerely,

Denise

 

***notes taken from an online article written about Horacio Spafford

 

You have potential!

Philippians 4:13 says: “ I can do all this through him who gives me strength”.

You have potential, I have potential. We all have potential!

Our potential is strengthened by a God who is filled with great love for each one of us. We are strengthened by the Lord Himself. With His divine strength, our potential to follow and serve Him is therefore activated in a positive way.

When we are reinforced by God Himself, I like to compare this to an eagle on top of a high mountain waiting for a favorable wind so it can take flight. When that wind comes, the eagle takes flight with strength and confidence that this wind will sustain it. Therefore, as children of God, our potential is manifested in a positive way when we allow “the wind” of the Holy Spirit to strengthen us and take charge of our lives.

Potential, what a crucial word for all of us. It is very important to realize early in life that we have potential. It is also important to always use our potential in a positive fashion. I was an adult when I learned that I had potential. Earlier in my life, I seldom felt that I was meeting the demands made on my life. When I became a teenager, like many other kids that age, I went through a stage of rebellion. I gave up getting good grades in school, I gave up trying to pursue certain projects because I did not believe that I could accomplish them. I gave up because it was easier to give up than to be criticized. I gave up because I did not understand that I had potential. At that time, I also did not have Jesus in my life. 

When I met my husband, he quickly realized that when things got too difficult, I would get discouraged and give up. He was a very quiet man, but a man who was determined to reach his full potential. He decided to help me change. When I had to learn something new, he would always tell me: “Denise, you can do this, you can do it, don’t give up.” With these words of encouragement, I slowly started to pursue dreams and do things I would never have done before.

On September 9^th. 1981, I received Jesus as my Savior. With Jesus in my heart, it encouraged me to continue the conquest of pursing and living to my full potential. Always under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, it is possible for us to grasp and use the potential that the Lord gifted each one of us. This permits us to pursue our dreams and follow the call of God on our life. When we have Jesus as Lord, He holds our hand and He helps us. With His help we can do all things through Him who strengthens us.

I have known the Lord for 43 years. During all this time I have also learned a lot about who I am in Christ. I have learned that in God’s eyes, there is no reproach, there is no condemnation. He loves me as I am, and He teaches me how to correct certain areas of my life that need correction. But there is never any condemnation. 

Every time that I had to make changes in my life, the Lord has been gracious, patient and loving during those periods of transition. Therefore, because of the unconditional love of my Heavenly Father, I am free to reach my full potential.

Our mind is a powerful tool. When our mind is free, we realize there is no limit to our potential. We are free to dream big dreams, have great visions and pursue God’s heart more than ever before. If we are not free in our thoughts, then we cannot possibly be fully free.

At times the Lord closes a door, but He never does it without opening another one. With each door He opens, we can always have all that God has for us. I have learned and adapted my vision with the knowledge that even at my age, I can still pursue the call that God has for my life. It is important to understand that when our life changes direction, the potential that the Lord has placed in you and in me never leaves us. In each stage of our life, #1 God is faithful, #2 our potential is ready for new experiences. With each new experience, we quickly notice that many blessings do follow.

In Jeremiah 29:11 it says: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

In closing, I want to say that I think that you are all wonderful God created human beings full of God given potential. Never be afraid to reach for your full potential. It will open doors and it will take you places you cannot even imagine.

Denise

 

(Bible verses are from the New International Version)

You will never live there!

For God does speak, now one way, now another,
    though no one perceives it. Job 33:14

The sweet voice of the Lord! It is so very precious!  He speaks to His children.  At times, we expect Him to speak to us, sometimes He does and sometimes He remains silent. Often, He speaks to us when we least expect it. 

Possibly this explains Isaiah 55:8 (NIV) “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.

From Adam in the book of Genesis and now to us, He speaks to His people in a variety of ways. He speaks to us through His Word, our circumstances. He speaks to us in prayer, through dreams and visions. He speaks to us when we worship Him. He speaks to us when we enjoy His beautiful nature. He speaks to us through our spirit and often through a person. Most of the time this person is unaware that the words they spoke to us were an answer or a specific direction from the Lord. At other times, God speaks to us through an inanimate object such as a poster or even a billboard.

In 1 Kings 19:12 God spoke to Elijah, not in the earthquake, not in the fire, but by a gentle whisper. In my walk with the Lord, I find that He has spoken to me in various ways because of various circumstances or situations.

God is very versatile. He also knows us so well. He knows that speaking to us like thunder probably would not work with many of His children, although it has been known to work for some of us.

In Kings 19:11-12 the Lord said: “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by. Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. ¹² After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.” It is less important how God speaks to us; what is important is that when He does speak we need to obey. 

Roger had a very successful accounting firm and financially we were doing very well. But financial stability is not the answer to everything. One day in 1987 Roger told me in these exact words: “I do not want to continue to push a pencil just to make another buck (dollar). We began to pray for the Lord to open a door for us, so we could serve in His kingdom. But we were not specific, so this became a dangerous prayer.

Meanwhile while we waited for the Lord to open a ministry door for us, we continued to work at his accounting firm. We lived in a beautiful home on a 25-acre lot in Carp. As the months went by it became a challenge to keep up with all the maintenance necessary to keep everything up and running.  Now looking back, I realize that the Lord was slowly preparing us for our calling. The first test was to give up our big house in the country. We both agreed that were ready to downsize, except that in our minds, we were only going back to live in the city.

In the spring of 1989, we started to look for a new home. We visited several new developments. Our hearts had settled on a house in a fairly new development in Centerpointe in the west end of Ottawa. Although our house in Carp had been on the market for a few months, we had not attracted any serious buyers. Therefore, we delayed going forward with the purchase of a new house.

On July 11^th, we were going to celebrate our 25^th wedding anniversary. Some dear friends had invited us and another couple to their home for a delicious celebration dinner. A few days later, we were scheduled to leave for California and Tijuana. Our daughter was on a mission trip in Tijuana, and we were concerned because at the time she had health issues. We were really going to California/Tijuana to make sure she was coming home.

Both of these couples were very precious friends of ours and we always enjoyed spending time with them. After another great meal and a good time of fellowship, we left to go back home. Roger was driving on Woodroffe Avenue heading towards the Queensway.  At the corner of Woodroffe Avenue and Maitland Avenue, he stopped at the red light. This was also the main entrance to the new subdivision of Centerpointe.

Because I thought we might live there one day, I automatically looked at the big Centerpointe advertising billboard on the left side of the road.  As I looked at the sign, I burst into tears. Roger looked at me in complete dismay because just a few minutes earlier I was happy as a lark and chatting away as usual. He certainly wanted to know why this drastic change of emotion. “What is wrong”, he asked me.  I said: “Roger, nothing is wrong but as I was looking at the big billboard at the entrance to Centrepointe, the Lord told me we would never live there. 

He gently squeezed my hand, then put both hands back on the steering wheel and we drove home in complete silence. We absolutely had no glue what “we would never live there” meant. Deep down in our hearts, both of us realized that the Lord had a different plan for our lives than moving into a new house in Centerpointe. But at that time His plan had not yet been revealed to us.

We did not talk about this billboard again. This was certainly the beginning of our journey to the mission field, although neither of us realized what was going to happen during our trip to San Diego & Tijuana. God knew it, but at the time, we certainly had no clue. 

Every time I drive by the area of Centerpointe, I always remember the Lord telling me that we would never live there, and we never did. Instead, His plan for us was the shanty towns of Tijuana. Certainly, a far different setting that a house in the west end of the city. For us, God did not speak to us through a wind or a whisper, He spoke to us through a billboard! 

How is He speaking to you?

Let me conclude by quoting Jeremiah 29:11:“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Denise

Please note: The names of our friends are not noted to respect their privacy. Also, the house in this picture only resembles the house we had looked at in Centerpointe. 

“I will go down the escalator with you.”

You may be wondering why I chose this theme for this blog article. I chose it for the simple reason that my heart is full of gratitude because of the sweet grace of God in my life. I want to encourage you that He has that same sweet grace for each one of you.

The verse in Romans 5:8 tells us:“But God proves his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” God’s sweet grace has always been there for me. It was there, even when I didn't realize it or in certain situations where I chose to feel sorry for myself instead of relying on His sweet grace.

In the last few months, I have experienced several situations that I know in my heart that I would not have succeeded or had victory without the sweet grace of God.

In Isaiah 61:7 the bible says:“ Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so, you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.” 

I reread some of my notes and I also shed tears of gratitude as I read the countless times in my life where I have experienced the sweet grace of God. Lately, I experience such special moments almost on a daily basis. These precious moments show me how much God loves me. And most important, He loves me just for who I am.

Sometimes we think or imagine that when these special moments happen, we should hear thunder, angels singing, or a beautiful blue sky. But in reality, most of  these precious moments happen as we go about our day. That is because the Lord wants us to know that He is always with us in the big details and in the smaller details of our daily life.

I recently I experienced His sweet grace while at a shopping mall near my home. I have always been terrified of escalators, not the ones going up but the ones going down.  Upon arrival at the mall, I parked on the second level of a large department store. I was there to buy my little great granddaughter a dress for her birthday. But I could not find the children’s department. I asked a salesperson for direction. She said to me: “You are not on the right floor. The children’s department is on the 1st floor,” and she kindly directed me to the escalators.

I asked her if the store had an elevator. Unfortunately for me, it was out of order on that specific day. So, I made my way to the escalators. I looked down and I thought, NO, I cannot do this, I cannot go down this escalator. I completely froze in place. After a few moments a nice young man, an employee of the store, said to me: “Excuse me miss, do you need any help? Do you need to go down the escalator?” “Yes, I need to go to the first floor, but I'm terrified to get on the escalator.” He then extended his hand to me and said: “Give me your hand and I will go down with you!” He got on the escalator ahead of me and held my hand until we safely reached the first floor.  Once we got back on solid ground, I thanked him, he smiled and said: “I'm glad I was able to help you”. Then, we both went our separate ways. For me, it was yet another very special moment where I really felt the sweet grace of God over my life.

Why am I telling you this? It is simply to reiterate that without a doubt, I know that every day the sweet grace of God is available to me. By the same token, that same sweet grace is also available for each and everyone of you. It probably will not come with thunder, angels singing, or a beautiful blue sky. But, watch for it, expect it and always be grateful for the sweet grace of God on your life.

I pray Numbers 6:24-26 over each person reading this article: “The Lord bless you and keep you; ²⁵ the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; ²⁶ the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”

 Denise

 Bible verses are from the New International Version

 

 

Forgiveness is better than condemnation!

Each one of us has read the passage in John 8:1-11 where the scribes and pharisees brought to Jesus a woman caught in adultery. They dragged this woman before Jesus so that HE would condemn her. With Jesus' condemnation, these men could then proceed to stone her to death as per the laws existing in that era. These men claimed that she was caught in the act of adultery. Have you ever wondered how they got these intimate details? Possibly they were at her window spying on her. It is even possible that one of these men was the one with whom this woman had been caught in adultery?

In any case, she found herself trembling at the feet of Jesus. Can you imagine the terror she must have felt knowing the repercussions of her adultery? There she was on the ground alone, surrounded with her accusers and Jesus. She must have been feeling completely desperate thinking her situation would end in a negative solution. But out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Jesus had bent down and was writing with His finger in the sand. He was calm, not looking at the adulteress or at the men that brought her to His feet. Meanwhile, the scribes and pharisees were waiting for Jesus to condemn her so they could start to stone her with stones they already had in their hands. There was certainly no room for forgiveness in their hearts. 

In John 8:7 we read: “When they kept on questioning him, He straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”  

We all know what happened next. This verse always touches my heart because of the demonstration of kindness, the compassion, but above all, the forgiveness that the Lord has for each and every one of us. If Jesus forgave this woman of her sin of adultery, who am I not to forgive my children, my family members, my friends, brothers and sisters at church and even strangers. Really who am I to retain forgiveness from anyone? 

As children of God, we must learn to ignore our accusers. Instead, we need to fix our eyes on Jesus. We must learn to forgive every accuser, everyone who has hurt us in any way. We must let go of the rocks of judgment and let the Holy Spirit invade our heart and fill it with the same compassion that Jesus had for the adulterous woman. Not only is this what the Lord wants from each and every one of us, but a change of attitude brings us peace and makes our witness more effective towards those who have offended us. We all know people who have not yet learned to forgive. As time goes on, they become more and more bitter; they are easily offended. They are angry people. Anger makes them negative and certainly there is no joy in their hearts. However, we know people who have learned to forgive, to forgive small offenses and some have learned to forgive big offenses. These people have peace, they have beautiful smiles and always positive words. In the case of this adulteress, Jesus unveiled His complete forgiveness to a very undeserving sinner. 

After her accusers left, Jesus spoke these words to the woman who was still on the ground:“Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

Conclusion: Forgiveness brings peace to my heart! Because Jesus is always ready to forgive me, my heart must be set to always forgive others. To me, there is no other way to live a happy & fulfilling life.

Denise

A few Scripture references from the Amplified version. 

Colossians 3:13: “ bearing graciously with one another, and willingly forgiving each other if one has a cause for complaint against another; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so should you forgive.”  Ephesians 4:32: “ Be kind and helpful to one another, tender-hearted [compassionate, understanding], forgiving one another [readily and freely], just as God in Christ also forgave you.”   Colossians 3:13: “ bearing graciously with one another, and willingly forgiving each other if one has a cause for complaint against another; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so should you forgive.”

 

No matter what we face, always rejoice in the Lord!

No matter what we face, always, yes always rejoice in the Lord! 

Rejoicing in the Lord means always having an attitude of contentment and hope that goes beyond our situations or circumstances. Although our hearts may be heavy with sorrow from life's trials and difficulties, beneath the surface is the unwavering, unshakable confidence that our God is sovereign and our lives are in His hands, so that even the hairs on our heads are all numbered. (Luke 12:7).

I have a passion for writing; therefore, I always carry a notebook with me so I can immediately write down when God speaks to my spirit, or if I see something in His wonderful nature or a picture that touches my heart and inspires me to pick up my pen. This picture made me pick up my pen.

This Blog article was inspired after receiving this photo from my daughter while she was visiting a northern part of Prince Edward Island. Chantal knows that I like photos of scenic pictures, therefore every day when she is on vacation, she sends me pictures of beautiful views. This picture is one that really touched my heart. Immediately, when I saw the green grass, the trees, the blue sky and the water, Psalm 96:12 came into my mind. It says: “Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy”.   

In Philippians 4:4 the bible says: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”  

The Lord wants every believer to experience this same kind of joy, especially when we go through difficult times. Joy is a fruit of the spirit that we must cultivate. By developing this fruit of the spirit, it will greatly improve our walk with the Lord and our quality of life.

Rejoicing in the Lord is not always or primarily a matter of feeling. Actually, it is rarely a matter of feelings or circumstances, but rather it is an act of obedience. If we are constantly depressed and overwhelmed by our problems and the joy of the Lord is not dominant in our lives, we are not effective witnesses for our Lord Jesus Christ. Neither can we be productive workers in the church. We are certainly not good witnesses for our families and in our environment. As children of God, it is our responsibility, and it should be also our goal to develop the joy of the Lord as our permanent way of life.

I certainly do not want to imply that we should ignore our feelings when we are going through difficult times. Absolutely not. But we must learn that during times of sadness, or difficulties, it is always better to give glory to God, not for the sadness or the trial we are experiencing, but to give glory to God because during these difficult times, He gives us unwavering joy.

Psalm 5:11 says:“ But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy.” In Philippians 4:11-13 Paul has a very good explanation when he says: “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.” 

Paul and Silas experienced this type of joy when they were unjustly incarcerated, their backs torn, their feet in the stocks, but they still sang hymns of praise to God. They understood that in all circumstances it is better to be content because when we are content, we are then free to rejoice. The joy in the Lord that we should all desire is not a superficial happiness based on circumstances or the absence of trials, but rather a solid, lasting satisfaction and hope that assures us that our God is faithful and that His promises He gave us in His Word, are true and are always available to every one of us.

Thank you for letting me share my heart with you through this article. In closing I declare Romans 12:12 that says: “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

 Sincerely,

 Denise

 This picture was taken by my daughter Chantal and used in this BLOG with her permission.

All Scriptures references taken from the New International Bible.