For the next several weeks I’d like to follow the footsteps of Jesus as He moves through the gospels, and in the process observe His attributes, His character, His altogether loveliness. For in observing these things, we can observe the very qualities of God. Colossians 2:9 (Amplified) says, “For in Him (Jesus) the whole fullness of Deity, the Godhead, continues to dwell in bodily form giving complete expression of the divine nature.”

Imagine! All the qualities of the divine nature are revealed in Jesus. Most of us already know the New Testament stories, but it’s always profitable to revisit them for new insights and revelation, or just to reinforce what we already know. In doing so I believe we’ll fall in love, all over again, with our wonderful Savior.

We first hear about Jesus in Matthew 1:21-23 and Luke 1:28-33 when the angel Gabriel appears to Mary and tells her she is to bear a son who is to be called Jesus and “the Son of the Highest,” and that the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. From this we know that God Himself named Jesus; that Jesus is the very Son of God, for there is no “Highest” than God; and that Jesus is a King. John 1:1-14 adds to this by saying, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made, in him was life; and the life was the light of men . . . And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father.” This tells us that Jesus is God, the living Word, the Creator and the light of men.

Next we see this amazing, wonderful Jesus coming in the flesh as a baby born in a smelly animal shelter, a birth unnoticed by the world at large. No velvet cushions were put under His head, no royal bedchamber to sleep in, no princes and noble lords paying homage. No pomp, no ceremony. None of that. And the royal birth announcement was made by holy angels, not to the powerful or the influential of the world, but to simple shepherds, ordinary people like you and me. And they declared that a Savior was born! Again, adding to the picture of who Jesus is.

Wow! How humbly and simply Jesus, the Son of the Highest, a King, the Savior, the living Word, God Himself, the Creator of everything, the light of men, enters the world! It takes my breath away. Most people want to shout their accomplishments and pedigree from the rooftops so that everyone will know who they are. But not our Jesus.

Just by this, Jesus has already shown Himself so far above anyone who has ever come before or since.

Until next week,

Sylvia

I’ve been feeling stressed lately while trying to finish a project and keep my other commitments on track. And when that happens I begin functioning like a car with an empty gas tank. Knowing the past several months were going to be hectic, I made it a point to keep my prayer time and Bible reading and church attendance on par, and not bump them in order to compensate for my schedule. But even that didn’t work.  And when that happens I know I need to employ my tried and tested stress relievers—things like “soaking” in my favorite praise and worship tapes, reading the Psalms, or just sitting quietly before the Lord and “listening.” They never fail.

We can’t always keep stress out of our lives, but we can manage it. And nothing manages it more effectively than spending quality time with the Lord in our own unique way.

Today is “Labor Day” in American, a time to rest from our work. What better time to reconnect with God in a special way? Even so, we don’t have to wait for a holiday or a designated date. We can do it whenever needed. And in this high-stressed world, that means far more often than we sometimes realize.

Until next time,

Sylvia

A hurricane is bearing down on the Gulf of Mexico. It’s been in the news for days and people have been busy preparing. I doubt it will take many by surprise. But what of those other storms that come our way? Storms we’re not prepared for and that do surprise us? Things like a sudden serious illness, the loss of a job, financial reversals, etc.

Isn’t that just what happened to the apostles? They had spent the whole day with Jesus as He preached to the multitudes from a boat (Mark 4:1-41). Then at the end of the day Jesus told them to take Him across the Sea of Galilee. And that’s when the trouble started. That’s when “there arouse a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship,” and all this while Jesus slept. They hadn’t expected that—a storm so enormous it looked like they could drown, and certainly not while Jesus was with them.

So what does this have to do with us? Well, sometimes we’re just trying to follow the Lord, too, and do what He’s instructed us to do, and suddenly, from out of nowhere, we’re hit with something so big we think it could sink us. The truth is Jesus never promised us a life free of trials and tribulation. He only promised that He’d be there with us when they did come.

The apostles were so fearful they actually woke Jesus up, and He had to rebuke the wind with “Peace, be still” (Mark 4:39). But He also rebuked the apostles for their lack of faith. “Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?” Did they really believe the boat would sink when the God of all Glory, the Creator of the Universe was with them?

In our flesh it’s easy to take our eyes off Jesus and put them on our problems, or think that He’s asleep on the job. And that’s just what we shouldn’t do. If our boat is being tossed about by storms not of our making, what we need to remember is that Jesus is in the boat with us. And He’s telling us what He told His apostles, “Let us pass over unto the other side” (Mark 4:35). And what’s more, He’s able to get us there safely.

Until next week,

Sylvia

Last week I went with my daughter and grandchildren to a place that provided opportunities for interaction with aquatic animals. It was amazing! We snorkeled in waters filled with stingrays—whose tail barbs had been filed down, large beautiful colored fish, and schools of smaller fish where we could closely observe how they moved in straight formation then turned direction in an instant. The crowning adventure, however, was actually swimming with a dolphin. I cannot describe the thrill of interacting with these marvelous animals. And the entire adventure left me in awe of God’s generosity. How diverse and awesome His creatures are! And His creation is so vast, so diversified even a lifetime isn’t enough to really study and enjoy it all.

It says so much about God, for doesn’t every creation reflect its creator? This carries over to man, as well, for it is man who is made in the “image and likeness of God” (Genesis 1:27). And man’s diversity of personality and ability surely reflects God’s own marvelous diverse nature. It shows us God is anything but boring.

We should revel in the marvelous cornucopia that is mankind, and value each life. Among us are inventors, painters, aviators, laborers, soldiers, bakers, teachers, homemakers, nurses, construction workers, doctors, etc., etc., but each one shows a small facet of what God is like; His creativity, His compassion, His strength, His varied interests, and we need to celebrate that. I’m not talking about religion here or about embracing one another’s religious beliefs. No, there is only one Savior and His name is Jesus. What I am talking about is that we are all part of the amazing family of man, all God’s creation, and just on that bases alone we should respect, value and appreciate one another.

Until next time,

Sylvia

Have you heard this one? Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in addition to telling everyone he plans to wipe Israel off the face of the map, is, for the first time, telling his people to prepare for war—which he claims will be within the next 24 months—and to prepare for the end times. This doesn’t surprise me. But what does, is how few people are actually taking him seriously. They just don’t believe the guy. Is this history repeating itself? Wasn’t there a man named Adolph Hitler who not so long ago tried to conquer the world after ranting and raving about it for years? And wasn’t his ranting and raving ignored by most of the free world until it was too late? Then look what happened.

Personally, I’m weary of political correctness, that mindset that refuses to call a thing by its name. We need to start speaking the truth in love. What good is political correctness in the face of a world that might soon be in flames? It’s time to face the facts. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is serious. Why do I say that? Because, though he’s obviously a madman, he’s a religious madman, a deeply religious madman, and totally convinced he has been commissioned by Allah to bring forth the return of the Muslim Messiah, Mahdi, who supposedly will rule a globally Islamic-controlled world, and who, interestingly enough, resembles the Antichrist of Revelation. But first Ahmadinejad must annihilate Israel and bring chaos to the world (read war and destruction), and both of these he’s more than willing to do. The thing about religious zealots, no matter how misguided, is that they are sincere, and no amount of polite détente has the slightest chance of changing their minds. So if anyone thinks that Ahmadinejad will suddenly change his course just because a handful of heads of state congregate in a pleasantly furnished air-conditioned room, and smile and make-nice as they throw out a few half-hearted threats of more sanctions, you can forget about it.

“But what can we do?” you might ask. We can prepare. Get our spiritual house in order; and while we’re at it, our financial one as well, because when this happens it could change the face of the world by starting a cataclysmic chain of nuclear wars. Does this sound farfetched? I hope not. Does it sound like scare tactics? I hope not. But what I hope it does is show that the time for pussyfooting is over. We, as Christians, need to open our eyes and really see what is happening in the world, and then prepare ourselves so we can help others when the time comes.

We must also choose sides. Israel is already hated. And whether Israel strikes Iran before they can further harden their nuclear facilities or whether Iran strikes them first in the next 24 months, it is sure to start a serious Middle East conflict for which Israel will undoubtedly receive the lion’s share of the world’s scorn. And we, Christians, need to stand up and be counted on their behalf. God clearly promised Abraham, the patriarch of Israel, that He would bless those who blessed him and curse those who cursed him (Genesis 12:3). Let me say this as clearly as I can: anti-Semitism, whether in the Church or out, is demonically inspired. It is not Godly, but a malevolent force that has been trying to destroy the people of Israel for centuries. It would serve us well to remember that the Jews are the covenant people of God, the very bloodline of the Son of Man. So will the Church stand when the time comes? Or will it do what it did so often when that other madman tried to set up his Third Reich?

I only pray the former.

Until next time,

Sylvia

Summer is nearly half over. And before we know it, another one will bite the dust, swallowed by hectic schedules, work loads, and busyness. But I remember a time when summers were long, lazy days full of rest, wonderment, exploration and fun; a time of rejuvenation of spirit, mind and body when one could read, reconnect with friends and nature, rest and . . . think. Of course I was a young girl then and a lot has changed. There doesn’t seem to be time for lazy summers anymore. Little time to rest, explore or even for much reflection and thinking. Current life speed is “fast forward.” And it’s taking a toll on our health, our relationships, and even our creativity.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us that “to everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” It talks about a time to plant and to harvest, a time to cry and laugh, etc. But could we not add, “a time to work and a time to rest?” Ecclesiastes speaks of rhythm and balance, and the natural flow of things. And when that flow is broken something is sure to suffer. Is that why heart disease, cancer and a dozen other major illnesses are on the rise? I think it’s one reason.

But now as an adult and a doer, it’s not always easy for me to enjoy lazy summers. It seems too decadent somehow, too wasteful, too unproductive. Even my extended vacations always had a purpose and mission. New lands needed to be explored, historical sites visited. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed every minute of them, as well as all the countless mini trips I’ve taken with my family. But the truth is, some of the best times I’ve had were right in my own back yard, while I was smeared with sun block and holding a frosty glass of ice tea and listening to the squeals of my children at play, and now my grandchildren, or reading a good book, or just enjoying the feel of the sun on a warm summer afternoon.

I think there’s something magical about lazy summer days, days given to us by God for the purpose of enjoying His many blessings as well as for reconnecting with Him. Times for reflection, prayer and rest. I must admit I’ve squandered most of the first half of this summer but I hope to do better in the next half, and carve out quiet times to do all of the above, knowing it won’t be wasted because God is not only a God of action, He is also a God of balance and order and rest.

Until next week,

Sylvia

I’m so glad we’re no longer under the Law, and I don’t mean just the Ten Commandments, which is certainly part of the Law, but rather the 613 commandments which comprise the entire Law of Moses and which, the Bible tells us, if we break just one we are guilty of breaking all (James 2:10). Make no mistake, the Law is holy and reflects God’s standards which no man can ever attain. Indeed, that is the very purpose of the Law—to show us how far short we all fall, to expose our sin nature. For next to God’s standards we are clearly able to see our deficits as Romans 3:20b tells us, “for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

But praise God for Jesus, who fulfilled the Law with the shedding of His blood, and instituted the dispensation of grace enabling Romans 6:14 to tell us, we are no longer under the law but under grace.

But what does that mean, really? Well, it means we no longer have to try and try and try to do the impossible and live up to a standard so high no one can do it. Instead, we let God do it for us by allowing His indwelling Holy Spirit to change us from within, to empower us to live the life He requires us to live, the life He has planned for us to live.

Sometimes Christians try to revive the Law by saying, “you can’t do this and you can’t do that.” That’s all wrong. What they should be saying is “fall in love with Jesus and let His spirit dwell within you and you won’t WANT to do the things you used to do, those things that displease God. Not only that, you’ll have the strength and power to stop doing them.

Now who in their right mind would ever want to return to the Law?

Until next time,

Sylvia

Even in this world of over-communication with texting, blogging, facebook, twitter, and the like, words still matter, especially the spoken word. It is still powerful, can be a force for good or evil, can cause much pain or joy, and even alter lives. The Bible has a lot to say about the tongue, things like “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof” (Proverbs 18:21), and “the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity . . . it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell . . . it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison” (James 3:6-8). Psalms 57:4 even compares the tongue to a sharp sword. Strong statements, all, and statements telling us that with our tongue we can either built up or destroy, that our tongue can actually be deadly, and what we continually say is what we will eventually get.

I think most of us have witnessed some of the following: A parent saying, when speaking of their young child, “oh, he’s impossible and will certainly be a terror as a teenager.” And sure enough, their child grows up to fulfill that low expectation. Or how about a person who habitually proclaims, “I can’t do anything right. I’ll never amount to anything,” with the words actually becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. And how about a husband who constantly criticizes his wife, or a wife who constantly verbalizes her disapproval of her husband? More than likely, both will eventually end up “killing” their marriage. What they all have in common is that they have continually spoken words of death over their child, themselves, or each other, and will end up eating “the fruit thereof.”

What we need to do is first pray what the psalmist prayed in Psalms 34:13 that God would keep our tongue from evil, and our lips from speaking guile. Then we need to consciously speak words of life over each other and our circumstances. We need to encourage and lift one another up, not only our family but our friends, too. We need to find the good and speak about that.

It amazes me what a kind word can do for a person; how a word of encouragement or praise can lift a person’s spirit and even his/her outlook. But it shouldn’t surprise. Proverbs 15:4 tells us that “a wholesome tongue is a tree of life.”

Oh, how important it is for us to guard our tongue! Our words have such far reaching consequences. If we use them wisely, if we use them to build up and not destroy, we will, in due time, have a wonderful harvest of good fruit to enjoy.

Until next time,

Sylvia

This weekend I had the privilege of having brunch with my agent and some of her other clients, all Christian writers, and several well-known. We were a mixed bag: some wrote non-fiction how-tos; others, devotionals; still others wrote various genres of fiction. But what we all had in common was a desired to serve the Lord, a desire to use our skills for His kingdom.

It was a great time of fellowship, and while we talked amongst ourselves about writing and the publishing world, marketing and contracts, we actually spent more time talking about laboring for the Lord, about how He was opening the doors of service for each of us. One writer talked about her ministry to military wives and how she traveled around and spoke to these wives about Jesus, already resulting in hundreds coming to the Lord. Another writer spoke of her ministry to widows. For another, it was about getting people healthy and whole through nutrition. Servanthood was the main issue here.

And I think that’s the important issue for any Christian no matter his/her profession. We are all servants of the Most High. All called into different fields, given different talents and different marching orders, but all co-laborers in His vineyard. And each job is important.

I think sometimes it’s easy to forget that. In our day-to-day struggles our job can sometimes feel small, tiresome and even unrewarding. At those times we must remember the bigger picture; that we are fulfilling God’s plan and purpose for our lives. And at those times it would be prudent to recalled Ephesians 2:10 that states, “For we are His workmanship. Created in Jesus Christ unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” And then there’s 1Corinthians15:58 (Amplified) “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be firm, steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, always being superior, excelling, doing more than enough in the service of the Lord, knowing and being continually aware that your labor in the Lord is not futile, it is never wasted or to no purpose.”

Until next time,

Sylvia

Last weekend I went to a family wedding. The bride, of course, was beautiful in her lovely satin dress; and the groom handsome in his black tux. But what struck me most was the anticipation on the groom’s face as he waited beside the pastor for his beloved, and then the incredible love that radiated when he first saw her as she stepped onto the unfurled aisle carpet.

That look was heart stopping and made me imagine what Jesus’ face would look like when He first sees His bride—the collective believers, His set apart ones. I imagine His face full of love and yearning. He has, after all, waited over two thousand years for this, for us, all one body, cleansed and beautiful in white as a bride should be. But I also imagine His eyes lighting up as He looks at each of us as though we are the only ones in the room, for He also loves us individually and not only knows our name but the very number of hairs on our head.

And He has paid handsomely for her. As required by ancient Jewish law governing weddings, the bride price is paid prior to the wedding and reflects the value placed on her by the groom. And this bride is greatly valued for she has been purchased by the very blood of her beloved. And she is so beautiful. No longer the reproach of the world, or despised and ridiculed, she is now radiant in her splendid garment and crown; flawless and without spot or wrinkle or blemish (Ephesians 5:27).

Every bride’s wedding is memorable and special, but this wedding between the heavenly bridegroom and His bride will be a day like no other. All the heavenly hosts will be in attendance. And the celebration? Oh, my, it will be beyond anything we have ever seen before.

So when will the wedding take place? Again, according to ancient Jewish wedding laws/traditions only the father of the groom can decide this. That’s why Jesus said only the Father knows the day or hour of His return. But even now Jesus is preparing a place for us (John 14:2-3).

Then what should we, as the waiting bride, do in the meantime? I think it wise to heed the words of Paul in 2 Corinthians 11:2-3 (Amplified): “For I am jealous for you with a godly eagerness and a divine jealousy, for I have betrothed you to one Husband, to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But now I am fearful, lest that even as the serpent beguiled Eve by his cunning, so your minds may be corrupted and seduced from wholehearted and sincere and pure devotion to Christ.”

More than ever, we, the bride, need to be vigilant and keep our garments clean as we wait for out beloved.

Until next time,

Sylvia