CALL OF A COWARD

                                               

By MARCIA MOSTON

Marcia Moston, a New Jersey wife and mother, and her husband, Bob, commit to working at a home for widows and orphans in Guatemala. She had qualms about going to a country with a civil war going on. Marcia struggled with the idea of going there. But, several years earlier, they had told the Lord they would go wherever He would send them. Now it looked like God was calling them to Central America. The family had to deal with certain health disorders peculiar to third world nations. Enroute to their language school, the family had to bribe officials in order to get from point “A” to point “B”. They had to endure living with Gila monsters. They heard warnings of bandits in the area.

After their time in Guatemala, the Lord gave them a year back in their New Jersey home. Bob continued his part-time education-he was studying theology. They were invited to Vermont to fill the pulpit at her brother’s church. They went and eventually accepted the call to be that church’s pastoral family. All the while the memory of a promise she made to people in Guatemala stayed close to Marcia’s heart.

While they ministered to the people in Vermont, the led several missions trips to Central America.

I found this book interesting. The story told of a woman and her family going into an area unknown to her and minister to the people. The book held my interest. Marcia Moston spoke from her heart about working at the home for widows and orphans. God opened her heart and her eyes to the needs of His people in a foreign land. I was challenged by her book. While I consider myself too old to work on a foreign mission field, I can pray for those who are called. I can also support them by donating funds.

I received this book free of charge from Thomas Nelson publishers through BookSneeze®. All they ask of me is I give an impartial review.

He is the One-- RJD January 2013

                          

Taken from 1/01/1997

God is the One who holds all the answers to our questions about the complex issues of life and yet He is the One who responds to these questions with simplicity. He responds to my questions I have with “Trust Me;” with “My grace is sufficient for you;” with “I AM God.”

Two days ago, I bought five napkin rings to go with my Christmas table cloth and napkins. I purchased five because last week we had Christmas Eve dinner at my dad and stepmother’s home, as we usually do. (I chose five because of my husband, our son, myself and the two of them.) 

This past year has been one of serious illness for both of them. I can only trust God to allow them both to surmount their respective illnesses and be here for us to have another Christmas. At the same time, I know that all this is in God’s hands. And for that I am very thankful.

**************

Update: At the time of this journal entry my dad was receiving radiation treatments for Colon Cancer. The previous May, my stepmother had been diagnosed with a second round of Breast Cancer. I had to take her to treatment four days a week. Her sister took her the fifth day.

 I had September, October and most of November ‘to myself’ (getting things back to ‘normal’). During this time I also had to see about a first cousin of my dad who experienced seizures from childhood. In the first three months of 1997, each of them had a stay in the hospital.     

We had one more Christmas together. God did answer my prayer as I had asked. I just realized that fact as I reread this old journal entry.

Linking to :http://beneaththesurface-dawn.blogspot.comn

All I Need

“’ My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’

 Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses,

 so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)

               The Apostle Paul had a chronic problem-which he referred to as a thorn in his side. He asked God to take it away. When Paul prayed about it, God gave him a peculiar answer.

“‘My grace is sufficient’” God chose not to honor Paul’s request. Instead He worked through the condition. God spoke of grace—His unmerited love. He told Paul His love was enough to see Him through.

 “‘. . . my power is made perfect in weakness.’” God says something here that seems to be a paradox. His power is perfected in weakness. What does He mean? When we can’t do something because we aren't strong enough to handle the issue, He, at our request, takes over and works through the circumstances and turns it into something that glorifies Him.

”‘. . . I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses.’” THE MESSAGE translation of Bible has an interesting interpretation of these words. “I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness.”

”‘ . . . so that Christ’s power may rest on me.’” Paul wanted God to be seen instead of him. Paul, who previously persecuted Christians, wanted the LORD to be seen, not him. He didn’t want to stand in the way.

               Do we let things get in the way of the LORD-between Him and us? Yes, sometimes we do. It happens because we are human and we have shortcomings. This happens when take our eyes off of Jesus and put them on other people.

               Because of God’s grace we are privileged to walk with Him each day. As we walk with God we represent Him to those we meet. This happens in the market place, in the doctor’s office, at the park, and just outside our front door.

                  It is my goal in 2013 to lean more on God’s grace

                A rendition of a hymn I love by a group I have seen. One of the singers is from my area.   Wonderful Grace of Jesus

              .  

Greeting to All

 

 

  Merry Christmas to you, all my blogging friends and my Facebook friends. .

Relationship

Advent Thoughts

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name,

he gave the right to become children of God-

children born not of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

John 1:12-13 (NIV)

“. . . to all . . .” Jesus came for all mankind, the poorest, as well as the richest, the most vile, as well as the kindest.

. . .  who received him. . .”  He left heaven to bring us closer to the Father. God sent His Son to earth so that we may learn of His ways and get to know God better. We receive Jesus when we prayer the sinners prayer.

“. . . believed in his name. . .” When we allow Jesus into our hearts, we give Him full reign over our lives. We learn that He can be trusted for everything. 

“. . . he gave the right. . . . ” God granted us the status He wanted us to have- He willingly gave us a place in His family.

“. . . to become children of God. . .” God established a relationship between us. He calls us ‘son’ or ‘daughter’. He desires us to be in close relationship with us. We are His children. He loves us unconditionally.

“ . . . born of God.” We know that God creates us. He molds us to His image. The longer we walk with Him, the more we resemble our heavenly Father.

Wonderful Counselor, part 3

                                                                    

Advent Thoughts  
                                                                                        

“Your Statutes are my delight; they are my counselors.”

 Psalm 119:24 (NIV) 

”Your Statutes. . .”The psalmist speaks to God about His Laws. As a child I heard a teacher explain that we had to have rules, aka laws. We have rules in our daily lives; certain professions have codes of conduct.

” . . . my delight.” The writer felt joy from having God’s Law govern his life. Laws in our nation are for the common good. The traffic laws are for our protection; likewise, the law for cars to be insured and the overseeing agency having that information.

” . . . my counselors.” The psalmist carries this thought further by stating God’s Laws guide him. God’s Law educates us on how to live for Him, how to respond to those who taunt us, and how to pray.

In the book of James we read,” If any of you lack wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt. . . .” Have you ever had someone approach you and seek advice about an issue and then, right after you tell them your thoughts, he or she tells you they are going to do what they thought all along? Many times, I found myself angry about this. Can you imagine how God feels when we do that to Him? 

Wonderful Counselor,part 2

Advent Thoughts

“A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;

from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.

 The spirit of the LORD will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,

 the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD-

“Isaiah 11:1-2 (NIV)

”A shoot. . . “The prophet Isaiah tells the people of Israel about the new life to come from one of their own. This new life is described as being tender-a sprig, something easily broken off. (MH)* A few verses earlier, those against God’s church have been described as a strong bough.  But Isaiah describes Jesus as a new life who, although a sprig, shall be victorious over them. (MH)

“. . . from the stump of Jesse. . .” Jesse was an obscure man, who lived in poverty. “The house of David was reduced and brought very low at the time of Christ’s birth.” (MH) Joseph and Mary were very poor and unknown to those living beyond their village. 

” . . . a Branch will bear fruit.” This branch would blossom (grow) and generate God’s wisdom to the people in Israel and to lands beyond.

”The spirit of the LORD will rest on him . . .” He shall have {all} the fullness of the Godhead resting on Him. This spirit is so great that it is immeasurable. He began his preaching with ‘The Spirit of the LORD is upon me.’ (Luke 6:18) (MH) Can we imagine what could be done in our world if God’s Spirit fell on us?

”the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding . . .”This offshoot would have God’s wisdom and the ability to understand all that He sees. In the Psalms (3:5) we are told not to lean on our own understanding. Ours is incomplete-we only see a small part of what is happening; God sees it all. We only know a very miniscule part of how things operate. God put all things into motion.

” . . . the Spirit of counsel and of power. . .” God is omniscient-all knowing. He knows everything about us and our lives. He gave this Spirit to Jesus. God is omnipotent-all powerful. He has the power to perform any task imaginable. He shared that power with His only son.

*MH=Mathew Henry commentary