Doris's Inspirational Corner
James 1:8: A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. James 4:8: Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh unto you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners and purify your hearts, ye double minded."
Very often, we hear on talk shows, the terms - bipolar personality. When I was a youngster, the term, schizoid or schizophrenic was bandied about. Many times, we are pretty double minded in our every day thinking. We love the Lord, but sometimes we allow others to upset us so much that we are so concerned about pleasing them. We need to spend more time trying to please the Lord and letting our lights shine to show God's good works. Absorption in things of this world can truly make us spiritual schizophrenics. As an obedient child growing up in the old days, I always strived to please my parents. I did not want them to be upset or disappointed with me. My mom, and my dad, a Baptist preacher, were wonderful loving parents who worried about my brother, David and me. I always sought their approval in everything I did. Thank the Lord, I always felt comfortable to ask their advice about anything.
As a preacher's child, as you may imagine, I had to walk a different walk than most people. There was a strict Christian code that I had to follow. There were no "ifs", "ands" or "buts" about it. I could not give the excuse that the other girls my age are e.g. wearing lipstick, going to parties where they could come home late. As Rev. Burroughs' daughter, my father told me, my behavior was a reflection of the family and in my hometown of Jersey City, N.J. my family was highly respected.
I felt proud to uphold the standards my parents had outlined for me. If alcohol was served at a party, I was proud, even if I was the only one - to say that I do not drink. I enjoyed being different. Being different is something that one must continually strive for. We must not be so involved in earthly things that we become double minded. We need to strive to become more single-minded as we keep our minds stayed on Jesus. May God continue to bless us all!
Prayerfully submitted,
Doris V. Pennant
Psalm 31:14: But I trusted in thee, O Lord; I said, Thou art my God."
In today's economy, many have lost money, their jobs, their homes,etc. Lately the words from the first lines of Charles Dickens' "A Tale of Two Cities", come to mind: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity. It was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way."
Today we see the best of times when we hear of the safe plane landing of US Airways, Flight 1549, we see the worst of times when everyone perishes on Continental Airlines, Flight 3407 in upstate New York. We note the best of times when winter weather becomes Spring-like on one day and icy cold the next day. - (Someone said jokingly that it was so cold, he came home and stuck his head in the refrigerator to warm up) - The best of times is reflected when the stock market index goes up, the worst of time occurs when the stock market plummets, etc.
Especially during these devastating times, we must trust God as we call on Him for help. However, sometimes there needs to be a drastic change in our lives if we want God to help us. If we are not in the habit of praying, we must start praying; if we are not in the habit of going to church, we must start going to church for emotional Christian support. If we hurriedly read the Bible in the morning, we must arise early so we can spend more time absorbing what we read so we can remember God's words to sustain us throughout the day. Even though times may be rough for us right now, if we listen to the almighty voice of God, we will truly be able to say in the words of the Psalmist: (Psalm 31:7) I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy for thou hast considered my trouble, thou hast known my soul in adversities, . . .
Prayerfully submitted,
Doris V. Pennant
niceval@aol.com
Genesis 19:17: "So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, "Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed." Genesis 19: 26: "But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt."
The angels of the Lord commanded Lot and his family to leave the sinful city of Sodom and not to look back. When Lot's wife looked back behind her, she became a pillar of salt. Looking back is a problem that many of us have. We constantly reflect at our past sins, our past hurts, etc. We remember and reiterate constantly to others the stories of how others have hurt us. Lot's wife probably was a good wife and mother to her two daughters. But, because she was disobedient, she was no longer useful to anyone, she became a pillar of salt. She became immobilized and therefore, useless to do God's biddings. When we constantly look back and disobey Him, we too become useless to God - our memories and hurts immobilize us and we become just like pillars of salt. On the other hand, when we are obedient to God, great things can be accomplished - "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." We can proceed on our spiritual journey equipped with the God-given tools of forgiveness and tolerance.
In addition, what must be pointed out is Lot's remarkable courage and his unwavering obedience to God. Lot could have turned back in grief over the loss of his wife. He easily could have given up but he valiantly pressed onward with his daughters and family. Thank you, God for your Holy Word! There is so much information in the Bible to guide us on our way. Let us rejoice with a new spirit as we continue to stay in the Word!
Prayerfully submitted,
Doris V. Pennant
niceval@aol.com
Psalms 121: 1-2. " I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord who made heaven and earth."
This Christmas season, many of us have sung the traditional Christmas carols containing the word, joy such as: "Joy to the world, the Savior comes," "tidings of comfort and joy etc." These hymns are of optimism and hope: More so then ever, we need to look go up our eyes "unto the hills from whence cometh" our "help." There is such an air of sadness this season as news broadcasts continually bombard us with the discouraging news of the economy. Stores are closing, people are losing their jobs, their homes, etc. However, through it all, our Heavenly Father is continually faithful to us. We must never fail to remember that God has always taken care of us through every trial we have ever faced. For example, don't you remember how God brought you through an illness, how He provided you with clothes, cars, how He gave you comfort during a disappointment, etc.? I, personally know how God has blessed me and comforted me through my many trials. Always remember that God will never leave us or forsake us.
As we approach, the year, 2009, let us truly remember the words of the hymn, God rest ye merry gentlemen, let nothing ye dismay for Christ, our Lord & Savior was born on Christmas Day." May God bless all of you with a healthy and Happy new Year!
Prayerfully submitted,
Doris V. Pennant
niceval@aol.com
Psalm 92: "It is good to give thanks to the Lord, And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;"
This Thursday, November 27th is Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. Many of us are looking forward to having a turkey dinner with our families and friends but many are experiencing much angst during these uncertain times. Through it all, however we can still rejoice as we remember how God has always brought us through our individual trials. Let us remember how God has brought us through our illnesses, our losses through death, loss of finances, etc. As we deal with this economic unrest, let us not forget the many blessings that God has bestowed upon us. Each of us should have an individual grateful list; it may be small, but we all have at least one or more things for which to be thankful.
As we reflect on times past, how God has brought us through all our difficulties, let us pray for the leaders of our country, and the leader that is to come. In our country, let us pray for President Bush and President-elect Obama and his team. Through it all, let us continue to give God the praise: Psalm 92:1-3 "It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; To declare your loving kindness in the morning, and your faithfulness every night."
Prayerfully submitted,
Doris V. Pennant
niceval@aol.com
Proverbs 3:6 "In all thy ways, acknowledge Him, and he shall direct thy paths." KJV
Most of us remember the verse Proverbs 3:5: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." The next verse Proverbs 3:6 is equally important to remember: "In all thy ways, acknowledge Him, and he shall direct thy paths." KJV
Webster's dictionary defines the word acknowledge as getting to know, to admit to be true, to recognize as authority, to give thanks for. The best way to acknowledge God is to be conscious of His presence at all times and to recognize Him as our creator and our Supreme Guide.
Many of us have made so many mistakes because we have not asked God for direction. Sometimes we want things so badly and so quickly, we do not turn to Him. Could it be we are afraid that He will not agree with our wishes? Hence we do not pray and ask for God's will to be done. For example, if we live in the city, we may want to purchase a beautiful home in the suburbs, whether we can afford it or not. We go ahead and purchase the house without praying about it first and we find that our job has relocated to another city. Perhaps if we had asked God for His advice, He would have advised us not to buy this house yet. He, alone knows the future. Allowing God to direct our paths will save us from making many mistakes. Isn't It ironic that some of us, before leaving for work, will consult the weather forecasters to tell us whether it will rain or not? We rely on the traffic reports to find out if there are any delays on the road. We rely on people to help us direct our paths. Let us trust and rely on God through prayer to direct our paths. When we learn to trust Him, our earthly journey will be less problematic.
Prayerfully submitted,
Doris V. Pennant
niceval@aol.com
Ex: 20:7: "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy god in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain" (KJV).
The aforementioned verse, that was conveyed through Moses to the Hebrew people, is a commandment for all of us to follow. Everything that is written in the Bible is inspired by the Holy Spirit and the commandments from the Lord must be followed and obeyed. "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain," is a commandment by God that seriously needs to be addressed today. Webster's Collegiate Dictionary defines vain: "having no real value or significance, worthless, empty, idle, hollow." At any time when we use the Lords' name in vain, we are demonstrating irreverence to our Lord.
Nowadays, it has become commonplace to hear such phrases as: "I swear to God", "Jesus Christ!" O my God! I realize that we can get so caught up in the world that we do not realize what we are saying and these utterances become a habit. We must remember, however, that these phrases are abhorrent to the Lord for He said those who take His name in vain will be held accountable.
Thank God it is not too late to change our ways. Our God is forgiving and compassionate to those who seek Him. Let us praise the Lord and extol his virtues every time we use His name. Soon it will become a habit that God will condone for He said, Ex 20:6: He will show "mercy unto thousands that love me, and keep my commandments."
Prayerfully submitted,
Doris V. Pennant
niceval@aol.com
Proverbs 21:2: "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord pondereth the hearts." (KJV)
"Open my eyes, Lord, I want to see Jesus,
To reach out and touch him, to show him I love him.
Open my ears, Lord, and help me to listen.
Open my eyes, Lord, I want to see Jesus."
"This is such a beautiful hymn that many of us have sung in our churches at various times. In this prayerful hymn, the author is asking God for help so he can truly hear God's will for his life.
In our own eyes, we may feel that we are living "good" lives, but Proverbs 21:2 implies that we may not be living right in God's eyes! This may be a sobering thought for a lot of us for we probably feel that we are, on the whole, good Christians. How many of us have had a "discussion" with someone where the person would say, "I know I'm right, you can't tell me!" When we do not communicate with God and ask Him to change our lives, we may be taking that same position, "but the Lord pondereth the hearts."
Some of us may feel they do not need to change, so they pray for others to change. It is truly wonderful to pray for the sick and the needy, etc. but we must acknowledge the need for change in our own behavior. Let us sincerely pray that we will listen to the gentle voice of God and heed his direction for our lives.
Hebrews 4:12: "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (KJV)
Proverbs 1:1: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." (NKJV)
Since 2007, our economy has been on a downward spiral. Two weeks ago financial adviser, Suze Orman appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show. She was so "riled up" over the plight of today's economy. Her anger was focused on Main Street (the everyday man) for not listening to her. She said that over the years she had been writing and telling people that they should not spend beyond their means. If Suze Orman is upset because no one listened to her, you can imagine how God must feel. He provides for each and everyone of us, yet we do not listen to him via the Bible or prayerful meditation. We want things immediately, we are not willing to wait until we can afford them. We want to have the latest gadgets, a $250.00 cell phone for our child, a car for our child when he/she graduates from high school, etc. Even though we travel the same route every day, we absolutely need a GPS so we won't get lost. Even though we cannot afford to buy a new home right now, we cannot wait because we do not want our landlord to have our money. Do we realize that the banks will have our money, instead?
As a child of the 50's, we were told that we would have to wait sometimes for our chosen toys & gadgets. When my children were young, at Christmas time, they would prepare their wish list. My husband and I told them, at an early age, that they would not be getting everything on that list. They should arrange their lists in priority order - the one thing they wanted first should be on top. As young children in my generation, we took good care of our toys for we were told that if we broke them, we could not have any more. We were taught that "money does not grow on trees." We had to be deserving of our gifts. If we wanted things so badly, we had to do our chores, etc.
Sadly, many parents today will sacrifice to give their children whatever they want even if they are disobedient. When the child becomes an adult, he feels that he is supposed to have whatever he/she wants. Hence, the wife, e.g. becomes very confused and upset when her husband refuses for financial reasons to give her the things that she is accustomed to having.
Let us learn from our mistakes as we continue this journey on earth. Let us return to the Christian standards of old: putting God first in our life, asking the Lord to guide us in all our decisions especially in our spending habits. If we allow God to lead us, our lives will go much more smoothly.
"Lead me, guide me along the way
Lord, if you lead me, I will not stray
Lord, let me walk with thee each day,
Lead me, O Lord, lead me."
November 2007
"Therefore it happened, that just as He proclaimed and they would not hear, so they called out and I would not listen, says the Lord of hosts." Zechariah 7:13.
It is written that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen. As Christians, we "lean not on our understanding," we "pray and seek the Lord whilst He may be found." We each know that "the Lord is our light and our salvation'" and we need not fear. However, there are times that we become very frustrated and confused when our prayers are not answered, We need to ask this question, are we obedient Christians? We may not even realize that we are disobedient to our Heavenly Father.
If someone had ever told me, "Doris, you are such an disobedient woman", I would have been terribly offended. Yet now when I think about it, I must admit that sometimes I am disobedient. God has given me a gift of inspirational writing but sometimes I do not use my gift. When I allow my headaches or simple things like housework to get in the way of doing what God has asked me to do, I am being disobedient to His will for me. What a sobering revelation!
In conclusion, when God tells us to do something and we do not follow through, we are disobedient. God has given each and everyone of us a talent or gift which must be used for His service. If we disobey God in any way, we cannot expect Him to answer our prayers. God told Zechariah that the people of the land were disobedient to Him so therefore He would not listen to them. Let us be God's obedient servants as we use our God-given gifts to serve Him.
Prayerfully submitted,
Doris V. Pennant
July/August 2007
Isaiah 55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:"
In the above mentioned verse, God was speaking to the people of Israel and Judah through the prophet, Isaiah. We learn that God wanted the Hebrew people to turn from their sinful ways and to seek the Lord. Seeking in this case means to inquire of the Lord, to pray and to seek His Word. There are also passages in the new Testament where the word, "seek" is used: Matt 6:33 and Luke 12:31: - "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. It is clear in this passage that we will be rewarded if we seek God. Hebrews 11:6: "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."
After experiencing the loss of my loved ones, there were those wonderful people who offered to help by taking me to the store, etc. Sometimes I would refuse their help for I didn't want to be a burden to them. Very often, they would say that they sincerely wanted to help me while they were still around. Other times, I would hesitate to ask for help because I did not want to be a nuisance. Just as we refuse to seek help from well meaning people, we sometimes are very hesitant to seek God's help.
Thank God our Heavenly Father is here for the asking. He is never too busy to hear us - He wants us to seek Him. When we call on Him, great things will happen: e.g. we will not suffer from anxiety - we will be "in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee." By staying in constant prayer and seeking God's Word: we will hear God speaking: Matt. 6:34:"Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself." Let us use our time wisely by seeking God and "calling on Him while he is near."
Prayerfully submitted,
Doris V. Pennant
June 2007
Matthew 7:4,5: NKJV: "Or how can you say to your brother, "let me remove the speck from your eye and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."
Our Lord Jesus says, according to Matthew, that first, we need to evaluate our own hearts and remove any impediments that are separating us from God before we criticize others. If we take the time to do this, we may see that there is nothing much to criticize in others. The negative things that appeared to be big and overwhelming, will by contrast, appear very minimal and small. By keeping in tune with God and His teachings, we will be familiar with what is wrong with us and we will not be so judgmental of others.
Every year we diligently go to our respective physicians for our annual physical. We have faith that our physician has had his own check-ups for we know that if he cannot see or hear clearly he will not be able to give an accurate diagnosis upon examining us. If he cannot hear well, he will not pick up any irregular heart beats that may resonate from his stethoscope. If he cannot see clearly, he will not perceive any suspicious moles, etc. Isn't it interesting how we take for granted that our doctors are healthy? We may check to see if he is Board certified and if he has staff privileges at the best hospitals, etc. Yet, we assume that he has had a good check-up, that he is in top notch condition and qualified physically to give us a thorough exam. How do we know that he can see clearly the imperfections of our body? How do we know that he can hear the different sounds that resonate from our lungs, our stomachs and our hearts? We readily take for granted that the eye doctors/ophthalmologists have already removed the impediments, or specks, from their own eyes so they can see the specks or disorder in our eyes. In order for them to be proficient at their work, they must be free of any physical restrictions that may impede them as doctors.
Let us remove the impediments of being judgmental, of being harsh with criticism of others. Let us rid our hearts of envy and greed which causes us to be so judgmental. Let us remove the splinters of anger and distrust from our souls for then we will see only the tiny chips in our brother's eye.
Prayerfully submitted,
Doris V. Pennant
May, 2007
Psalm 139:13: For You formed my inward parts: you covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made."(NIV)
Happy Mother's Day! This is the time that we celebrate our mothers; some men will take their wives out for dinner or give presents to them. Many children may express their appreciation for their mothers by writing a card or calling them. However, there are many people who think of Mother's Day as a day they feel obligated to remember their mothers in some way.
Sometimes we need to take a deep look at our mothers so we can really appreciate them. My mother was a very special Christian woman with deep religious convictions. My mother and my uncle often relayed to me the story of how my mother, after giving birth to my brother three years prior, was told by her physician that she would be unable to have any more children. Her life or the baby's life would be threatened if the baby was brought to term.
Both my parents were strong in the Lord - my dad was a Baptist preacher who supported my mom with prayers, My mother, however had such a deep faith in God for as she prayed to God for a healthy baby, there was no doubt in her mind that everything would be all right. Her prayers were answered and hence I was born with no medical problems and there were no problems for my mom. Praise the Lord! I am so thankful to God that He "covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise Him, "for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. "
Let us give thanks this Mother's Day for our mothers who gave birth to us! By the grace of God, we were born to mothers who took care of us before we were born and afterwards until we reached maturity. Sometimes mistakes are made in the rearing of children, but thanks be to God for watching over us. May we all enjoy this Mother's Day as we remember the blessings that were given us by our Lord!
Prayerfully submitted,
Doris V. Pennant
April 5, 2007
Mark 14:38: Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak (RSV).
Our Lord and Savior was in the garden of Gethsemane when He asked his disciples to stay awake and pray. The disciples fell asleep and when Jesus returned to them a third time, He asked them: Mark 14: 41: " . . . are you still sleeping and taking your rest?" How many times have we put off doing things for Jesus because we are "too tired?" For example, how many times have we been too tired to go to church, to go to prayer meeting, etc.? I am sure you have heard excuses for not going to church such as "I worked hard all week - I need some time for myself. Many of us are guilty procrastinators. We find time to entertain ourselves by watching shows such as "American Idol", "Dancing with the Stars". However, do we spend equal time reading the Bible before we go to bed or are we too tired?
As we celebrate Easter this weekend and for always, let us put our love for God first in our lives. Let us read the Bible conscientiously so we can know what God requires of us. If we do not attend church and we do not read the Bible diligently, how can we understand and remember God's teachings? If we start putting God first in our lives, we will thus begin to govern our lives based on what we know we should do rather than on what we think we should do. We will remember God's teachings because we are consistently refreshed and revived by God's Holy Word.
Giving praise to the Lord for the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we can say: Hallelujah in abundant gratitude because HE LIVES!
HAPPY EASTER, EVERYONE
March 2007
1John 4:12-13 (NKJV): "No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and his love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His spirit."
What a responsibility we have to show others God's love. The only way we can do this is by living a Christian life. We need to emulate our Lord & Saviour by behaving in a way that will show that we are loving and kind like our Heavenly Father. The Bible teaches us to be transformed by the Holy Spirit. We are God's children so we have a legacy to uphold and we must teach our children Christian love so our legacy can continue. The scriptures tell us that God abides within us. In other words, God dwells in us. We allow God to dwell within us the instant we become transformed by Him.
Not too long ago, there was a movement whereby bracelets were worn with the inscription, WWDJ - abbreviation for the words, "What would Jesus do?" The apostle, Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit explains to the people of Corinth the principles of love. If you would read the 13th chapter of 1Corinthians - you will clearly understand how Christ's love should be manifested and the Christian behavior you should reveal in your life.
For example, I particularly like these verses from 1 Corinthians 13: "Love suffers long and is kind, love does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up, does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil, does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. How often do we easily get provoked and our feelings get hurt? How often do we rejoice in iniquity - another's person's pain? Do we say that they deserve the pain they are going through? When we see our neighbor with a brand new Mercedes-Benz, do we wish we had a new car or are we happy for our neighbors?
Nowadays, many people are taking antidepressants. We have not learned the coping techniques that are expressed in the Bible. We can change our mental health by the way we love one another. and thus be better Christians. As you are transformed, men will truly see God's good works and will glorify Him. May God bless us all as we endeavor to do His will.
February 17, 2007
Isaiah 45:3: "And I will give thee the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places that they mayest know that I, the Lord which shall call thee by name am the God of Israel."
Often, God will not immediately reveal the secret treasures that lie waiting for us. He will keep his plans secret until the time comes when you acknowledge Him. We all remember the game we played as children, "Hide & Seek,". One person would hide and the other would go looking for him. If the seeker could not find him, he would just give up and the person would come out of hiding. He may then reveal his secret hiding place. In our every day lives, we are constantly seeking answers to our problems. The treasured answers may be hidden for a long time. When we give up and allow God to show us the way, then our problems are resolved. After my husband, Edward, died in 1991, I would often pray that God would send me another Christian man. I looked for him at my church, I looked for him at work and various social situations, I constantly looked for my "ideal" man. Nowhere was he to be found. God kept His plans for me a secret, .After I gave up my active search and solely trusted on His will for me, then he sent me my beloved husband, Van - a terrific Christian man. -This man happened to live very nearby in my neighborhood!- PRAISE THE LORD!
In conclusion, God did not reveal the "hidden riches of secret places" until I humbly and willingly accepted His will for me - whether it was his will for me to be single or married. Hence, I have learned not to worry about tomorrow, but to trust God and know that God's secret treasures will be revealed according to God's own time.
January 3, 2007
Matt 6:14: "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you." (KJV)
Matt 6:15: "But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." (KJV)
Jesus teaches us through the Lord's prayer to "forgive" others. We all want the Lord to forgive us for our sins, our trespasses - the harm we inflict on others. If we want our heavenly Father to forgive us in the same way we forgive others, we truly have a problem for many of us still hold on to past hurts. We must forgive and forget the hurts that were inflicted on us. If we truly forgive the trespassing party, the one we allowed to hurt us, we must not even talk about it. Each time we recall and relive the painful situation, we hurt ourselves innumerable times over and over again. We must also forget our past hurts so we can move on with our lives. When we truly forgive others, our minds and hearts will be receptive to God's bountiful blessings.
As we make a clean sweep of all the negative memories, we will see the light of God. Recently, my husband and I were viewing a beautiful sunrise through our upstairs bedroom window. It was so beautiful that my husband, an extremely talented photographer wanted to take a picture of it. I could not open the window so Van would have to take the picture through a closed window. As he went running down the stairs to get his camera, I noticed that the window was dirty and smeared. Wanting Van to get the best picture possible, I quickly cleaned the window with a paper towel. When he arrived back up the stairs, the window was much clearer and he could get a much picture of the beautiful colorful sunrise.
Let us clean our minds of the negative thoughts that are cluttering our minds so we can see the light of God. If we allow God's light to shine through us, we will be more forgiving and we will really mean it when we ask God "to forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us."
Luke 11: 2: " --- Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." (KJV).
On Saturday, September 2nd, 2006, Van Pennant and I were united in holy wedlock at Lynbrook Baptist Church in Lynbrook , LI. My journey to this point has been combined with great joy and great sadness. It is said that some people are brought into your life for a season, a reason or a lifetime; when I was married to my late husband, Edward, I felt that this would be for a lifetime. Prior to meeting Eddie, I spent many hours in prayer asking God to send me a Christian man. Therefore, when Eddie died in 1991, I was devastated for a time. I felt de'ja vu for I found myself praying all over again for a Christian man. Often times those couples who have had a happy marriage - when their spouse dies- they will want to remarry. On the other hand, those who have had a problem marriage will say, "never again." I was blessed to have had 24 wonderful years with Eddie so I truly looked forward to getting married again. I prayed constantly for a Christian man but God wanted me to wait 13 years for my prayers to be answered. I am thankful that I was not resigned to accept offers from those who wanted to marry me. I thank God for the gift of discernment for now I have the man of my prayers.
Let us realize that as Christians, we may experience a great deal of sadness and trials while we are here on this earth. However, I personally can attest that if we pray in advance to accept God's will no matter what, we will receive bountiful blessings "on earth as it is in heaven."
Matthew 14:29: "Come, He said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. Matt. 14:30: But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and beginning to sink, cried out, 'Lord, save me!'"
How many of us really believe that we have a lot of faith in God? We know that we can handle anything if we truly put out trust in the Lord. However, sometimes our faith is tested. Our loved ones may suddenly become sick and we immediately become frightened. We quickly let go of the strong arm of God and begin to worry. We look for the right doctor, we try to find remedies on our own. When all else fails, we begin to call on Jesus like Peter did, "Lord, save me!" Let us first and foremost talk to God, not as a last resort. Let us forever hold onto our faith in God like never before.
On Trust
Thy God hath said, tis good for thee
To walk by faith and not by sight;
Take it on trust a little while;
Soon shalt thou read the mystery right
In the bright sunshine of his smile.
John Kebler
Prayerfully submitted,
Doris V. Lewis
Jeremiah 1:5: "Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee;"
After my brother, David was born, my mom decided that she would like to have more children. However, she was told by her physician that she could not have any more children safely. If she had a child, either her life would be threatened or the baby's life. My mother always paid heed to advice from others, but she would first direct her concerns to the Lord. Thus, when she did become pregnant, she faithfully prayed special prayers for her unborn child. The childbirth went very smoothly and there were no problems for my mom or for her newborn child, me! I thank God everyday for the unwavering faith of my mom!
Many of us recognize the fact that God is an all knowing God and all - powerful God. We realize that "the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof and they that dwell therein." Now we are reminded from the 1st chapter of Jeremiah that God knew all about us even before we were born! What an exciting revelation! God knows our beginning and He knows our future. We must strengthen our faith in our Heavenly Father every day even when things are not going our way for they are going God's way for God does not mistakes.
We become nervous when it seems that our prayer has not been answered. If our loved one is sick, and we do not see any signs that he will be healed, we need to pray for the acceptance of God's will. During the last days of my mom, my sons and my husband, I have learned that as soon as I was truly able to accept His will, God would compassionately take them home. God is merciful and He is kind, we need to trust Him and His will for us with complete faith -"thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
Prayerfully submitted,
Doris V. Lewis
Deuteronomy 6:5: "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul, and with all thy might ." (KJV)
For the most part, many of us try to live God-fearing lives. We spend time attending church on Sunday morning, we read our Bibles and feel that we are basically good people. Often we hear, "I am a good person, I don't bother anybody." We walk around feeling very content believing that we are doing the best we can in trying times. We may even realize that there is much more we can do, but we soothe our guilt by telling ourselves that we are living pretty decent lives, for the most part. We may not visit the sick, nor contribute towards the feeding of the poor. We feel that at least we pray and give to the church so two out of three is not bad. Do we realize that 2/3 is equal to 66.6%? In school, 66% is considered to be a failing grade. We are failing God if we continue to pursue the 2/3 mentality.
A story comes to mind of a child who was given chores to do: He washed the dishes, cleaned his room, but failed to walk the dog. He tries to defend his actions by saying that at least he performed two out of three of his chores. However, the very chore of not walking the dog caused havoc to the carpet. He had neglected to obey his parents and chose to do the chores that were more comfortable. We may inadvertently be causing havoc to our lives by selecting the commandments that are more comfortable for us to follow.
Our Lord wants us to obey him completely. We do not have the option to pick and choose which laws to follow. Let us "love the lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might" so we may pass the test that He has outlined for each and everyone of us.
Prayerfully submitted,
Doris V. Lewis
Proverbs 19:21: "Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will be established."
The above words taken from the book of Proverbs are truly thought provoking. We should wear these words like a cloak of armor in these troublesome times. How many times have we set goals for ourselves, but then we learn that we have to set new goals as our plans are thwarted. We set plans to work until we retire at one job, but then illness comes and we have to retire much sooner than we would like. Sometimes the office moves out of the city so then we have to make the decision to either retire, find another job or move with the company. Sudden changes in lifestyle are mind-boggling. Especially as we get older, life changes forced upon us are very unsettling.
Many plans that I have set forth myself have changed over my lifetime. For example, I went to college to be a social worker but I did not finish. I thus looked for work and since I was a good typist, it was not too difficult to find clerical work. I applied to a temp agency and they found work for me at a hospital facility. In the office of Risk Management - a department that settled suits brought against the hospital, I learned a lot of medical terminology. As a medical transcriber, I was truly fascinated and intrigued with this knowledge and I began to think that perhaps my future career was with medical research.
After a while, however, the thrill of working in Risk Management was gone. My boss decided to make changes and I felt forced to resign. Needless to say, I was very upset about resigning, but I had the support of my family in making that decision. Some months prior to my resignation, my mom had been complaining of a chronic cough - she had been to the hospital a few times and was seen by different doctors who said that she had bronchitis. Since I had some experience by now working for doctors, etc. I called Long Island Jewish Hospital asked for a pulmonary specialist. After some tests, they eventually diagnosed her with lung cancer. Because I had vast experience as a medical transcriber, which was not the career I had planned for me, the medical knowledge I learned enabled me to have a meaningful dialogue with the doctors involved in my mom's case. Initially, I was upset after leaving my job as a medical transcriber but later I realized how God had enabled me to be with my mom during her last days. What a mighty God we serve! I have learned that we may not understand why plans change, but we must always be ready for change and realize that God's "purpose will be established.'
Prayerfully submitted,
Doris V. Lewis