Kingdoms Rise...Kingdoms Fall.

Photo by: Ambenalain

Nebuchadnazzar was King of ancient Babylon. At that time, Babylon was the world's dominant kingdom. It's realm covered most of the known world. 

One night, the king had a dream from God. He dreamed of a large statue made up of different metals. The head was gold, the chest silver, the thighs bronze, the legs iron and the feet were made of iron and clay together.

The story of this dream, and the prophet Daniel to whom God gave the interpretation, is found in Daniel chapter 2 of the Bible. Daniel told the king God had sent the dream to show the future. God used Nebuchadnazzar to proclaim to the nations that the God of the Hebrews was the true God. He did this through two proclamations that were sent throughout the kingdom.

Depiction of statue.

God showed the rise and fall of kingdoms through this statue. Daniel told the king that he himself was the head of gold.

Head of gold: Babylon

Chest of silver: Persians/Medes

Thighs of bronze: Greece (Alexander the Great)

Legs of iron: Rome

Feet of iron and clay: Nations of the world. No one nation would rule the world again.

While gazing at the statue, Nebuchadnezzar saw a rock cut out, but not by human hands, strike the iron and clay and smash them to pieces. This rock was God, who will set up his universal kingdom at the end of time.

We are living in the time of iron and clay. There have been mighty nations after the Roman Empire, but none that ruled the entire world. Britain was powerful, Germany tried to rule the world, and now the strongest nation on earth is the United States, with Russia coming in second and China third. They all have the power to destroy the world with their bombs, if they so desire.

United States

Russia

China

Kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall. These kingdoms will also fall one day like all others, and the way the world looks right now it could be soon. But God has told us not to fear what nations do. He says he is the one who sets them up and pulls them down. 

The night Babylon fell, Nebuchadnezzar's grandson, Belshazzar, was king. He gave a large party, inviting all the important people and his wives. As they drank, the king sent for the golden goblets that the Babylonians had taken from the temple of God at Jerusalem. They poured wine in them and then gave toasts to their own gods.

All of a sudden, a hand came into the room and began writing on the wall. 

"Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lamp stand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote. His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his legs became weak and his knees were knocking."   Daniel 5:5,6

No one could understand the writing. The king sent for Daniel and he interpreted the words for the king. 

“Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor. Because of the high position he gave him, all the nations and peoples of every language dreaded and feared him. Those the king wanted to put to death, he put to death; those he wanted to spare, he spared; those he wanted to promote, he promoted; and those he wanted to humble, he humbled. But when his heart became arrogant and hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. He was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal; he lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like the ox; and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and sets over them anyone he wishes.

“But you, Belshazzar, his son, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this. Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways. Therefore he sent the hand that wrote the inscription.

“This is the inscription that was written:

MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN

“Here is what these words mean:

Mene : God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.

Tekel : You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.

Peres : Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”

Then at Belshazzar’s command, Daniel was clothed in purple, a gold chain was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom.

That very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was slain, and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two.ⁱ      Daniel 5:18-30

I believe God weighs each nation on the scales of justice. When evil is rampant, as it was in Sodom, as it was at the flood, then God will act to put a stop to it. God had shown the Babylonians over and over again how powerful and loving he was. Now a new nation would take over, and God would work with them through Daniel to show himself to these new people. 

I see the United States as coming into judgement. For many years, morality has been cast to the ground. Not only cast down, but laughed at. This has become especially apparent when it comes to sex. 

Then there is the opposite side of the pendulum. People who say they are Christians, yet act like they hate those who don't agree with them. There is a middle group. These people go quietly through life believing in God and doing good for others. If they are persecuted, they don't get angry and strike back. They just keep working for the Lord and waiting for his coming.

Some Christians, want to unite Church and State. They think this will mend the country. They think God will be pleased with this and I can understand that. Unfortunately, every time Church and State are united there is persecution of those who don't believe the same. This will happen in the United States if they amend the Constitution in order to pass religious laws.

I'm not sure if there is anything worse than persecuting good people for their religion. That is what they did to Jesus. The church leaders joined with a Roman Governor and nailed him to a cross. He was teaching things the leaders thought were blasphemy, things that put them in a bad light.

After Jesus, they started killing more believers. This happened again in the Dark Ages with the Catholic Church that tortured and burned those who believed differently. Then the Protestants persecuted the Catholics. Quakers were persecuted by other churches. Mormons were persecuted. Now ISIS is killing everyone who won't join their brand of Islam.

What can we do when it feels like the world is falling apart? Trust in God and do good. That's what Jesus did.

Do not fret because of those who are evil

or be envious of those who do wrong;

for like the grass they will soon wither,

like green plants they will soon die away.

Trust in the Lord and do good;

dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

Take delight in the Lord,

and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord;

trust in him and he will do this:

He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,

your vindication like the noonday sun.

Be still before the Lord

and wait patiently for him;

do not fret when people succeed in their ways,

when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;

do not fret—it leads only to evil.

For those who are evil will be destroyed,

but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.

A little while, and the wicked will be no more;

though you look for them, they will not be found.

But the meek will inherit the land

and enjoy peace and prosperity.

The wicked plot against the righteous

and gnash their teeth at them;

but the Lord laughs at the wicked,

for he knows their day is coming.

The wicked draw the sword

and bend the bow

to bring down the poor and needy,

to slay those whose ways are upright.

But their swords will pierce their own hearts,

and their bows will be broken.

Better the little that the righteous have

than the wealth of many wicked;

for the power of the wicked will be broken,

but the Lord upholds the righteous.

The blameless spend their days under the Lord’s care,

and their inheritance will endure forever.

In times of disaster they will not wither;

in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.

But the wicked will perish:

Though the Lord’s enemies are like the flowers of the field,

they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.

Psalm 37:1-20

Toxic Family and Christians.

Toxic people are those who belittle and demean others. They make those they are with feel bad about themselves. What does God want us to do about these people if they are in our family? Should we stop all communication or should we carry on seeing them while they treat us in a horrible manner?

In my opinion, we are not called by God to hang around with toxic people. But there is an exception to that; if someone in your family becomes ill, I think we should go help that person, no matter what they have done. I think that is part of the commandment of honoring your parents. And if we show kindness and mercy towards a sister or brother who is ill, it is a powerful witness of the love of God.

So, unless illness is involved, I would stay away from toxic people if they make you feel bad. If people in your family are toxic and it doesn't bother you, then go ahead, be with them. This is a personal decision.

Here are some Bible verses that address the issue of being around toxic people. I hope they help someone.

Jesus said, "Who are My mother and My brothers?"  Looking about at those who were sitting around Him, He said, "Behold My mother and My brothers!  "For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother."  Mark 3:33-35  Jesus said this when his family had come to where he was and wanted to talk with him because they had heard he was insane or full of the devil. The chapter does not say if Jesus saw them or not, it only records his answer to those who told him his family was looking for him.

"How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!"  Psalm 1:1

"I do not sit with the deceitful, nor do I associate with hypocrites."  Psalm 26:4

"I did not sit in the company of revelers, nor did I rejoice; I sat alone, because your hand was upon me, for you had filled me with indignation."  Jeremiah 15:17

"But He (Jesus) answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted. Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit."   Matthew 15:14

"I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them."   Romans 16:17

Love that Sacrifices.

“Love is when the other person’s happiness is more important than your own”
– H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

"Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him."  Isaiah 53:6

Every good parent loves their children more than themselves. I remember the day my daughter, Sandy, was born. I held her in my arms and was overwhelmed by a feeling of love and responsibility. I realized I could not just live for myself any longer.

Sandy was so little, vulnerable and innocent. I was not a Christian when that day began, but I became one as I looked on her face. I asked God to help me raise this tiny human. I knew I would mess it up if he didn't help me. So, it was my baby daughter who brought me to Christ. I've always told her this. 

Her, and her sister's happiness was always more important to me than mine. Sometimes when they were very sick, I would ask God to take their sickness and give it to me. He did that only once and I remember being so grateful to have the pain off of them and put on to me.

When I have sinned and feel bad about myself and guilty, I remember God feels the same love for me as I do for my children and grandchildren. No matter what they do, I love them. 

"Can a woman forget her nursing child And have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. 
See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me."

Isaiah 49:15,16

"...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." 
Hebrews 12:2

What was the "joy set before him"?  It was knowing his suffering and death would save billions of people who would come with him to heaven when he returned. It was joy because he loves people. He loves you and he loves me. He loves us more than he loves himself. 

Jesus was willing to go through terrible physical pain and humiliation. but not only that, he took sin upon himself and the Bible says, "he became sin." How that felt, we do not know, except that he sweat drops of blood and in his agony, he said to his father, "Why have you forsaken me?" 

His father had not forsaken him, for the Bible says that God was in Christ on the cross. But Jesus felt forsaken - all alone. He did not know if he would see his beloved father again. 

I remember once, my grandson told me that God couldn't love him because he had done so many bad things. I said, "Craig, God loves you even more than I do."  He knew the depth of my love for him, and I think he took to heart what I said because he began to pray to God after that.

Live in My Love.

Three of my granddaughters, taken quite a few years ago. I've never seen sisters who loved each other so much, except maybe their mother and her sister. Love is so beautiful.

My blogging friend, "Lene in Japan," at  https://songofvirginity.wordpress.com/ has asked me to take part in a challenge. I was given three quotes to write about. My last post was one quote, and today I am writing on the second quote:

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another”.
– Jesus Christ

A young rich man ran up to Jesus after seeing him bless the little children. He seemed to be overcome with the feeling that this Jesus could help him with a problem. You see, he had been keeping all the rules and commandments of his religion, but he didn't feel saved. He felt something was missing in his relationship with God.

He knelt before Jesus and asked, " "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"

 Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” The man refused to do this and walked away feeling sad.

What I want to point out in this event is that as Jesus looked on the young man, he loved him. I believe that whenever Jesus looked on the face of a person, he loved them. As he looked on Pilate's face, when he was on trial, he loved him. He explained to Pilate about his kingdom, and then God sent a dream to Pilate's wife to warn him away from what he was about to do. Pilate was loved.

When he looked at Zaccheus, who had climbed up a tree in order to get a glimpse of Jesus, he loved him. When he looked at the woman who had committed adultery, he loved her. When he looked over at the thief on the cross, he loved him.

He loved them all, and as he looks upon us, he loves us. God is love, the Bible says. He can't help loving everyone, for that is who he is. He can't save everyone, but he loves those he cannot save. He loves Satan and his evil angels. He loves the worst person on earth. He loves the best person on earth. He is love personified. He cannot stop loving.

Love gives people freedom. The freedom to choose and the freedom to believe or not believe. God asks us to choose life. 

"I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants."

"The LORD appeared to him from afar, saying, "I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with loving kindness."  Jeremiah 3:13

"Say to them, 'As I live!' declares the Lord GOD, 'I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?'"

"Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love."  John 15:9

Virginity and Losing a Smart Phone.

My friend, Lene in Japan at  https://songofvirginity.wordpress.com/  has kindly asked me to join a challenge based on these three quotes. I'm going to begin with this one:

“We live in a world where loosing your phone is more dramatic than loosing your virginity”
– Megan Fox

Megan Fox is right in basically saying our priorities are messed up. Who you have sex with is much more important than losing your phone. I know losing a Smart Phone can be awful. All your contacts are gone along with your games and recent conversations. But who you give your body to, well, the deep, sacred meaning of that is gone in our secular society. On TV and movies, people hop out of bed with different people and there are no consequences to it.

I lost my virginity one night when I was 16. I went to a party, got drunk and passed out. I remember a boy carrying me into a bedroom, taking off my clothes and entering me. The pain was pretty bad and there was blood on the bed. He asked, "Are you a virgin?" When I said yes, he looked very upset. I guess he thought I was always going to parties and having sex.

My mindset at the time was immature. I had been longing for someone to love me; I had been aching for a boyfriend and this boy went to my high school. We laid in bed until morning, sleeping and then talking. I thought he liked me and now I had someone. Not too bright. Actually, I was just inexperienced about the world.

He never spoke to me again. I would see him in school and he would look past me. I could see he was ashamed. I was very hurt. Another rejection.

This was in the 1960s, a time when "free love" was everywhere. My girlfriends and I didn't think it was a big deal to have sex, as long as it was with a boyfriend. But it was wrong, because I ended up being hurt. He was hurt too as he didn't mean any harm to me, at least I'm pretty sure he didn't. I know what he did is at the level of "date rape" but I never saw it that way until I was in therapy.

The consequences of having sex casually is pain. Always. When we have sex, we are sharing our deepest self to that person. I know people in my family who have been "swingers." Casual sex with other couples and so on. They used to say to me, "Nobody gets hurt." I told them someone will get hurt because they will start to love someone and be rejected. They told me I was wrong.

Years later, these same people told me I had been right. People had been deeply hurt by sharing sex. There had been friendships lost and physical violence done.

One young man I know answered an ad in our local paper for sex with a girl. These ads are for casual sex. No strings attached. The first girl he called fell hard for him. He liked her, but she was pushing to move in with him. He cut her off and out of his life. I can imagine how she felt.

God made us to be one with him and one other person. This is the path to true happiness in this life. I would suppose a lot of people will never believe this because this truth comes from God. When we give our lives to God, he will lead us into all truth, the Bible says. We will see how wrong we have been and how right God is. Wonderfully, he forgives all the past and we have a brand new start. He will make us feel content with one person to love in a sexual way. And he will do much more than that if you give him a chance.

What Should Christians Do When Surrounded by Evil?

What did Jesus do when surrounded by evil?  In his home town they tried to throw him off a cliff because he said he was the Messiah. What happened? God made him disappear because his hour to die had not come.

In Jerusalem, they picked up stones to kill Jesus. What happened? God again intervened and Jesus disappeared. His time had not come.

They sent solders to arrest him. The soldiers came back empty-handed and said, "No man has ever spoken as this man has."

But at the end, when his time had come, he went with the soldiers, he stood trial and didn't say a word except to Pilate, who didn't really know what was going on.

"When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly."   1 Peter 2:23

"He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished."  Isaiah 53:7,8

"Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes. Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil."  Psalm 37:7,8

If we worry, fret and become angry, the Bible says it will lead to evil. It will lead to violence, and violence is something we should have nothing to do with.

In Jesus day there were groups of Jews called, Zealots. They hated Romans and they're government. They would plot, riot and kill. This is not God's way. His way is for us to wait on him. If we are thrown into jail or persecuted, we have to accept this and if possible Jesus said to run away to another place.

Never Feel Alone.

Photo by,Wolfgang Sauber

Thus says the LORD,

 "Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, 
let not the mighty man boast of his might, 
let not a rich man boast of his riches; 
but let him who boasts boast of this, 
that he understands and knows Me, 
that I am the LORD who exercises loving kindness, justice and righteousness on earth; 
for I delight in these things," declares the LORD.   Jeremiah 9:24

Jesus said, "And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent."   John 17:3

Do you want to know God? If you have never come to him before there is a way to know him. You just ask him to help you get to know him and then read the Bible. He will reveal himself to everyone who asks.

"I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the LORD; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart."   Jeremiah 24:7

Years ago, a blogger, who was considering becoming a Christian, asked her followers, "Are you glad you became a Christian?"  I said, "It was the best decision I've ever made."

There is nothing like knowing you can turn to God about everything in your life. To know the Creator of the universe is interested in you and cares about your day. He cares about your children, your job, your health, your desires and thoughts. He wants to walk and talk with you, share his love and comfort. He wants to fill you with love, confidence and peace. Believing all this may take time, but it will come eventually if you don't give up seeking.

Once you understand God loves and accepts you just as you are, you never feel alone.

If You Do This...That Will Happen. (Not Necessarily.)

Me, walking by the Pacific Ocean when I lived in Vancouver, BC.

I walked one to two hours a day. Loved living there.

I remember when I was in my thirties, forties, and fifties. I was always trying to lose weight. I used to buy women's magazines and each decade they would have a new idea on dieting. The first was having a low-fat diet. If you cut your fat intake down to so many teaspoons a day - you will lose weight. I did it for a year. Try enjoying toast with 1/2 tsp. of butter. I did it, but I never lost a pound.

They would tell us to walk for half an hour to an hour a day and we would lose weight. I did it for years. I did get toned up, but I never lost a pound. They told us to do aerobic exercises for half hour a day. Our metabolism would go up and we would lose weight. I did that by going to a gym, doing step-aerobics and going on the treadmill. I never lost a pound. I did look better though. I looked like I lost 10 pounds, but I didn't!

The one time I did lose weight was when I joined Weight Watchers. They put you on a 1,200 calorie a day diet. I lost weight the first week and every week thereafter. It isn't easy. I was hungry all the time. But that's how it goes if you want to lose weight. Now that I'm old and sick and can't walk far, I gained all that weight back. But at 66, I don't care too much.

I've also read if you have a bad habit, such as drinking Pepsi every day, if you stop it for one to three months your craving for it will go away. I did stop drinking Pepsi one time, I still craved it 2 years later. I don't know where all these health experts come from but they are wrong about a lot of things.

In my Christian life, I've noticed that when Joyce Meyer says if you quote the Bible out loud if you are feeling depressed, peace and joy will come to you. And she says the more you do it, the easier it is to do. The more you fight depressing thoughts with good thoughts from the Bible, the happier you will become. I started doing this regularly about a year and a half ago. I found it to be true.

Because I was sexually and physically abused by my father from a very young age, I have always struggled with depression and suicidal thoughts. Some years were better than others, but a crisis could bring on a terrible depression that could last a long time. I think if I had done what Joyce said, all those years ago, I wouldn't have had the trouble I've had. My life would have been happier. I didn't know the power of the Scriptures or the power of God for so many years.

But I'm so happy to have learned God's power personally. I used to wake up each morning wishing I was dead. Now, I wake up happy, knowing God will help me through the day and make me feel good about life. It has been an amazing 18 months of chasing sad thoughts away, amazing because it actually works!

If You Do This...That Will Happen. (Not Necessarily.)

Me, walking by the Pacific Ocean when I lived in Vancouver, BC.

I walked one to two hours a day. Loved living there.

I remember when I was in my thirties, forties, and fifties. I was always trying to lose weight. I used to buy women's magazines and each decade they would have a new idea on dieting. The first was having a low-fat diet. If you cut your fat intake down to so many teaspoons a day - you will lose weight. I did it for a year. Try enjoying toast with 1/2 tsp. of butter. I did it, but I never lost a pound.

They would tell us to walk for half an hour to an hour a day and we would lose weight. I did it for years. I did get toned up, but I never lost a pound. They told us to do aerobic exercises for half hour a day. Our metabolism would go up and we would lose weight. I did that by going to a gym, doing step-aerobics and going on the treadmill. I never lost a pound. I did look better though. I looked like I lost 10 pounds, but I didn't!

The one time I did lose weight was when I joined Weight Watchers. They put you on a 1,200 calorie a day diet. I lost weight the first week and every week thereafter. It isn't easy. I was hungry all the time. But that's how it goes if you want to lose weight. Now that I'm old and sick and can't walk far, I gained all that weight back. But at 66, I don't care too much.

I've also read if you have a bad habit, such as drinking Pepsi every day, if you stop it for one to three months your craving for it will go away. I did stop drinking Pepsi one time, I still craved it 2 years later. I don't know where all these health experts come from but they are wrong about a lot of things.

In my Christian life, I've noticed that when Joyce Meyer says if you quote the Bible out loud if you are feeling depressed, peace and joy will come to you. And she says the more you do it, the easier it is to do. The more you fight depressing thoughts with good thoughts from the Bible, the happier you will become. I started doing this regularly about a year and a half ago. I found it to be true.

Because I was sexually and physically abused by my father from a very young age, I have always struggled with depression and suicidal thoughts. Some years were better than others, but a crisis could bring on a terrible depression that could last a long time. I think if I had done what Joyce said, all those years ago, I wouldn't have had the trouble I've had. My life would have been happier. I didn't know the power of the Scriptures or the power of God for so many years.

But I'm so happy to have learned God's power personally. I used to wake up each morning wishing I was dead. Now, I wake up happy, knowing God will help me through the day and make me feel good about life. It has been an amazing 18 months of chasing sad thoughts away, amazing because it actually works!

Hard Hearts Vs Soft Hearts.

Photo by, Hajor.

I'm studying the book of Acts right now. One thing I noticed, that when I used to read Acts, I thought all these things happened quickly. Apparently, there were years between each event. The disciples were allowed to preach the gospel openly for quite a few years.

Peter's first sermon took place in the porch of the temple. This was where everyone would go to pray each morning and evening. It was the perfect spot to preach because thousands of people came by every day.

After his sermon, Peter said,

“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”

When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.    Acts 2:36-41

The reason I underlined the words above is because something really struck me when Peter later gave a sermon to the rulers of the people. They were jealous of the disciple's influence and had them all arrested. They told the disciples to quit preaching in Jesus' name.

Peter said, "We must obey God rather than human beings! The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

"But when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and wanted to kill them."  Acts 5:29-33

Paul used the same words in his sermon. He accused both the people and the rulers of killing Jesus. The common people reacted with sorrow and shame. They repented and were baptized.

The rulers reacted with hatred and murderous thoughts. I think they would have killed the apostles that very day if Gamaliel had not stopped them.

My sister once asked me why it says in the Bible that God hardened Pharaoh's heart. (Exodus 11:10)  She knew the Bible, and this did not agree with the rest of Scripture.

I told her about what I had read. God is like the sun. The sun hardens clay but it melts butter. Hearing about God will either harden a person or soften a person. 

It is up to each human in the world to make a decision about God. He will either make you angry, completely indifferent or he will melt your heart.

Small Beginnings in the Mighty Hands of God.

Photo by, Boby Dimitrov

Once, Jesus was a small, little, wee baby. Yet he was God. Mary and Joseph were small people in a big world of famous Romans, Greeks and Jews. Kings would have looked on them as insignificant. Beneath their notice. But they held the Saviour of the world in their hands.

Jesus' ministry started out small. Two followers of John the Baptist turned to Jesus and asked him where he lived. "Come and see," said Jesus. This was the beginning of a church that would go around the whole world even until this day.

When Ezekiel was in a vision he saw something that was a parable of the growth of Christianity:

The man (God) brought me back to the entrance to the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar. He then brought me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and the water was trickling from the south side.

As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits and then led me through water that was ankle-deep. He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist. He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in—a river that no one could cross."

After this, the man (God) showed Ezekiel the result of this living water. Some of these same words are used to describe the city of God in heaven.

Then he led me back to the bank of the river. When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river. He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh. Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live. Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets. The fish will be of many kinds—like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea. But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt. Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.”

Ezekiel 47:1-11

Jesus said our growth as Christians would be small at first, like a shoot coming out of the ground.

He said, "First a leaf blade pushes through, then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally the grain ripens.  Mark4:28

Water flowing, leaves growing, yeast rising, such are the small steady ways of God. Until a trickle becomes a mighty river and a leaf becomes a tall tree and a lump of dough becomes a loaf of bread.

In this way, we are to become like Jesus. We cannot see ourselves growing; (the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens. Mark 4:27) but if we give our lives to him every day, we are growing.

"Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ."   Ephesians 4:15   

It's the Little Things that Count.

My granddaughter, Hope, in Princeton, BC, Canada

I'm reading a book called, "Simply Tuesday: Small-Moment Living in a Fast-Moving World," by Emily P. Freeman. It's a wonderful book on how to celebrate our smallness in the great scheme of things and to celebrate the small moments in life, because they are important.

I remember years ago, noticing that God said, "Yes," to all my small (what I considered small) prayers, but not the big ones (what I considered big).

I remember wondering why, but still grateful for all the little "yes" prayers that made my life happier. I later realized the "big" prayers kind of depended on what people did. God influences people to do things, but he doesn't force them. Also, physical healing is not always healed in this life, and some of the greatest testimonies are from those who have suffered from illness or persecution. I have to trust God about the big things. He knows what he is doing.

I started thinking about my childhood and what was important to me back then. I remember my mother's cool hand on my brow when I had a fever. I remember my grandmother putting a mustard plaster on my chest when I was sick. I remember my sister playing cut-out dolls with me and my brother playing cowboys and Indians. I remember hopscotch and jump rope. I remember a horse that was at the end of our road and how he would let me pet him on the way home from school. Small things, yet so important to me.

As an adult, I remember holding my babies, my grandchildren when they were infants, smiles from my family, Christmases and Thanksgivings, trips into nature like Jasper National Park, Monument Valley and the ocean. Seeing bears, deer, whales and other animals as we drove through the mountains. Walking in Stanley Park, smiles from strangers, watching the birds from my balcony. Small things, yet great things; the things that matter and you always remember.

Big things, or things I thought were important, were things like graduating university. I had a mental breakdown and dropped out. Having a career from that education was something I wanted after the kids were grown up. That didn't happen for two reasons. My mental problems and my daughters needed me to babysit for them. Now, I am really glad my life worked out that way. Nothing is more important than family.

Lots of money. I thought if we had lots of money we could help our children and grandchildren. I figured there was no harm in asking God for tons of money, so I did. I was wrong. After a few weeks of that, I felt something in my mind, like a rebuke, and God said, "Never pray for that again." Believe me, I haven't. All these years later, I found out why God said that. My children and grandchildren had to learn things the hard way. Money would have solved their earthly problems, but it would have been detrimental to their maturity.

Well, I have more to write about small things that are in the Bible, but I'll leave that for the next post since this is long enough! See you then.

Coping with Fibromyalgia.

(I have to update this post since I forgot to write about what pills I take to help me feel stronger. Once, when I had a bad cold, I took a cold medicine and noticed it also helped my fibromyalgia. I began to take one every day and yes, it helped a lot to give me strength in place of exhaustion. Then I found out about my allergies, so now I take Benedryl Total Extra Strength. I take one in the morning and one in the evening. I can feel the benefits within 1/2 hour. I also take Vit B12, because it works to take the numbness from my legs. I'm also on an anti-depressant, which they say is supposed to help.)

I got fibromyalgia when I was 45 years old; I am now 66.  I was in a car crash and got whiplash. The first time I noticed my body was different was when I went to pick strawberries in an open field. I grabbed a bucket, bent down and began to pick. The pain through my body was terrible. I couldn't stay bent for more than a few seconds. It was also painful to try to stand up. I had to take back the bucket and leave.

I started to have pain in my neck, shoulders, arms and legs. The pain would be in one area and then jump to another area. I started feeling exhausted all the time.

Then I noticed my legs and feet would swell up. I would wake up with my hands bent like claws and have to push my fingers outward. I couldn't open them up by themselves. I went to the doctor and he suspected MS, which is pretty scary. It wasn't MS, it was fibromyalgia. Nothing to do but take ibuprophen, he said.

I did that, but then I went to a naturopath. I especially wanted her to do something about my swollen legs. She told me about a book called, "Eat Right for Your Blood Type, by Dr. Peter J. D' Adamo. She said I could be sensitive to food. I bought it and read it. As soon as I started following the diet I felt better. Also, I had to give up Diet Coke. Drinking no Diet Coke stopped my legs from being so swollen, but my legs would still go numb and so would my toes. If I ate one thing not on the diet, I got sick.

I followed that diet for years, especially not eating any bread except Spelt bread. Then I decided to try acupuncture. The treatments really helped my legs and feet; I didn't have any more trouble with them swelling any longer. Then I read about NAET:

https://www.naet-canada.com/

NAET® was discovered by Dr. Devi S. Nambudripad’s in November 1983. NAET® is an innovative, non-invasive, drug free, natural solution that may alleviate sensitivities of all types and intensities. NAET® utilizes a blend of selected energy balancing, testing, and treatment procedures from acupuncture/acupressure, allopathic, chiropractic, nutritional, and kinesiological disciplines of medicine.

One sensitivity is treated at a time with NAET®. If you are not severely immune deficient, you may need just one session for a sensitivity. A person with mild to moderate amount of sensitivities may take about 15-20 office visits to desensitize 15-20 food and environmental substances.

I couldn't afford the treatments, so my sister paid for a lot of them. They were working, but the cost was just too high and I stopped going. However, I did understand what they were doing. They found out what foods I was sensitive to and I would hold a vial with its essence in it while they did the acupuncture.

When I went back to my acupuncturist, I took food with me that made me sick. One was cheese and one was soda pop since I missed it so much. I wish I hadn't done the pop. Lol  Anyway, I could eat those foods and still can all these years later. The treatments really do work.

About 2 years ago, my sister was reading online how all food has histamines in them. We both started a low-histamine diet. Both of us got better within a few weeks. So, that's what I'm doing now. I've been thinking about going back to NAET because it was working so well. I think we are covered for a lot of sessions by my husband's work. I'm just tired of the whole thing and feel tolerably well, so I don't want to bother.

I hope this helps some people who have fibromyalgis. It is a horrible affliction when you don't know how to  get better. Doctors just give pills, but there are healthier ways to feel better. Most of the time I am not in pain. I am tired a lot. If I do too much work at one time, I am exhausted. But I'm still much better than I was.

I'm going to give you a list of foods that make my fibromyalgia worsen:

Diet anything. No aspartame, no artificial sweetener at all.
Berries
Fruit juices/Smoothies
Anything with yeast in it, especially any bread.
I do eat thin crust pizza. I get tired, but not pain.
I can have things like perogies made with flour but no yeast.
Chocolate. I know, I know. It is very sad. It is one of my worst triggers.
Vinegar
Spices - any kind.
Too much salt.
Additives and preservatives.
Packaged food.
Eat only Delicious Apples
Anything pickled.
Any kind of tea. Absolutely awful for me. They are made from leaves. High in histamines.

Even though nuts are high in histamines, they don't seem to bother me if they are roasted. I can eat peanut butter too.

Well, everyone's body is different. My set of triggers may not be your set. It is very easy to find out what foods you are sensitive to. Any naturopath can test you for this in one visit. If you don't have enough money to go, then you can hold the food in both your hands, close your eyes and see if you begin to fall forward, backward or stay upright easily. The foods that push you backwards are the foods to avoid.

Elderly Parents and Their Medications.

My mother with my daughter, Christine, 2 years ago,

When my mother turned 88 and started using a cane, I asked her to move in with my husband and myself. She told me she loved her neighborhood and her independence and she didn't want to. As she grew weaker, I asked again and again if she would move in. She finally said to me, "Are you asking me because you want rent money?"  Well, that made me quit asking! Lol

We used to pick her up to visit and have dinner with us, but I rarely went up to her apartment because I have fibromyalgia and was feeling very bad that year. One day, I did go up and was shocked by the kitchen. All the counters were covered with dirty dishes. I could see she hadn't washed any for at least a week. I asked her why and she said, "I keep wanting to, but when I leave the kitchen, I forget." The rest of her apartment was a bit messy, but not too bad. I had also noticed her memory was failing. I finally told her, "Mom, you must move in with us as soon as possible."

Since she had been feeling quite weak that month, she finally said yes. I was relieved. She was very upset at moving all  her things into one bedroom at our place, but I tried to cheer her up and we picked out her favorite things and packed them. I became too sick to finish and so did she, so my daughters came over and did all the rest of the packing.

As my mother became more ill and more forgetful, I asked her if she had been taking her vitamin B12 shot regularly. She swore she had, but I looked on the bottle and it was still almost full and it was a year old. I finally realized why her stomach was upset and why she was so weak and forgetful. She kept asking the same questions over and over. I thought she was getting dementia.

Mom has pernicious anemia, and if someone who has that doesn't keep up with the shots they can become very ill and even die. Mom became pretty angry when I told someone she hadn't kept up those shots. She insisted she had.  I took her to the doctor and yes, she was not only anemic but her iron was too low. This all happened in December of 2015.

I wanted to share this experience with others because I wish I had kept my eye on her medications even when she didn't live with me. Her sister, who was 10 years older than her, had had the same thing happen except she was taking too much medication. This can be a real problem when older people become forgetful.

My mother is very much improved now. Her stomach problems went away and she eats more. She is still weak and she bought a travel chair because she can't walk far. But she is very happy living here now. We have great days together. We watch Joyce Meyer every morning after breakfast. We play Scrabble, if we are up to it. We talk about God, the family and politics. She loves to read so we got her a Kindle so she always has a book. She plays word games on a laptop. She is glad she moved in and so am I. My husband is very good to her and they joke around. They are always excited to order in Chinese food. Lol  I'm sick of it now!

I'm very thankful to God that I can be here for my mother. She is always saying, "What would I do without you?"  And I tell her, "You would have to live in a nursing home and you would do what you always do - be happy. Because that's the kind of person you are; you make the best of everything and are always happy." That is true. No matter what happened in her life, she tried to make the best of it. I've always admired that about her.  Oh yeah, and the rent money comes in handy. lol