Ken Ham's Foundations: Relevance of Genesis
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Be Still
A compilation
Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.—Psalm 37:7
*
What exactly does it mean to “rest in Jesus”? It means trusting that once you have asked Jesus to provide solutions to your problems or to help you with the work at hand, He will take charge and do just that. It means trusting that He will show you what you can do to help the situation, that He will empower you to do your part, and that He will do the rest, whatever you can’t do. It means stepping back from your problems or work, shutting out the world around you, and letting your spirit be strengthened through communion with Him.
In short, resting in Jesus means turning matters over to Him and then trusting Him for the outcome. That way, you’re not under such pressure, because He is carrying the weight, not you. You’re still busy‚ but your most important work is the spiritual part, the praying, believing, and trusting. When you focus on that, you set wheels in motion in the spiritual realm that have the potential to bring about far greater results in the physical realm.—Maria Fontaine
*
In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength.—Isaiah 30:15
*
God does not stand afar off as I struggle to speak. He cares enough to listen with more than casual attention. He translates my scrubby words and hears what is truly inside. He hears my sighs and uncertain gropings as fine prose.—Timothy Jones
*
My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.—Exodus 33:14
*
My little boy came in one day and stuck his little head into the doorway of my study. Now he knew he was not supposed to disturb me during working hours. And his conscience troubled him a little on account of this. But he looked at me nevertheless with his kind, round baby eyes and said, “Daddy, I will sit still all the time if you will only let me be here with you!” That he received permission when he approached my father-heart in that way, every father will know.
That little experience gave me a great deal to think about. Is not that just the way we often feel with regard to our Heavenly Father? We do so love to be with Him, just to be in His presence! Moreover, we never disturb Him, no matter when we come nor how often we come!—Ole Hallesby1
*
Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee.—Psalm 55:22
*
Peace comes not from the absence of trouble, but from the presence of God.—Unknown
*
Our daily lives can easily become filled with stress, pressure, and confusion. But we can stop at any moment and slip away into the presence of God’s Spirit through prayer and meditation, and there find peace and refreshing.—Maria Fontaine
*
Dear restless heart, be still, for peace is God’s own smile,
His love can every wrong and sorrow reconcile;
Just love, and love, and love, and calmly wait awhile.
—Edith Willis Linn
*
What shall the believer do in times of darkness? Sit still and listen. Let him trust in the name of the Lord and rely upon his God. Let him just sit still, as the Scripture says—be still and listen. The first thing to do is to do nothing, to stand still. That goes against human nature, but that’s the wise thing to do. There’s a saying, “When you’re rattled, don’t rush.” In other words, when you aren’t sure you know what to do next, don’t rush blindly into anything, hoping for the best.
Be still and see what God will do. It is when we are quiet and trusting in God that He can work. Worry often prevents Him from doing all that He can. If our minds are distracted and our hearts are stressed, we’re not in a position where He can do much for us. The peace of God must quiet our minds and bring rest to our hearts.
Put your hand into the hand of God, and let Him lead you out into the bright sunshine of His love. Be still. Let Him do the work for you. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving”—by getting still before God—“let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”2—Virginia Brandt Berg
*
There remaineth … a rest to the people of God. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest.—Hebrews 4:9, 11
*
Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. … And ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.—Matthew 11:28–30
*
Oh, how divinely sweet it is to come into the secret of His presence, and abide in His pavilion!—David Brainerd (1718–1747)
*
There is no place where the mind can be as fully renewed as in the secret place of prayer, alone with God. When we come aside from the temporal things that distract and harass us, and there in the presence of God we put our mind on the things of God, the transforming power of God then begins to work in us, and we are changed, renewed.—Virginia Brandt Berg
*
They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength … they shall run and not be weary.—Isaiah 40:31
*
Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.—1 Peter 5:7
*
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.—Philippians 4:7
*
Learn to know Jesus so well that we feel safe when we have left our difficulties with Him. To know Jesus in this way is a prerequisite of all true prayer. This, therefore, is what the spirit of prayer tries to teach us.
As in this way we learn to know Jesus better and better, our prayers become quiet, confidential, and blessed conversations with Him, our best Friend, about the things that are on our minds, whether it be our own needs or the needs of others. We experience wonderful peace and security by leaving our difficulties, both great and small, with Him, who is not only solicitous for our welfare but who also understands what is best for us.
And especially will our prayer life become restful when it really dawns upon us that we have done all we are supposed to do when we have spoken to Him about it. From that moment we have left it with Him. It is His responsibility then…
‘A little while with Jesus—
oh, how it soothes the soul,
and gathers all the threads of life
into a perfect whole.’—Ole Hallesby (1879–1961)
*
You are going to get more done if you will spend more time in “the closet,”3 alone with God. Unless you get quiet and try to seek the Lord, how are you ever going to get anything from the Lord? I am fully convinced that I’ve gotten more from the Lord alone and quiet than any other way, because He can talk to you alone, and you can give Him your full attention and the reverence due Him, and you’re listening.
Even Jesus had to get up at the break of day before His disciples, and walk out across the hills or up in the mountain to get alone with God and get His orders from His Father.4 If Jesus Himself had to do it, how much more we need to do it!
You’re going to have to get quiet by yourself—somewhere, somehow, sometime—if you’re going to hear from the Lord. You’ve got to know you can’t do it, and be desperate for God’s answer, and stop everything else, and listen!
(Prayer:) So help us, Jesus, to remember that we can’t go on without the heavenly vision You give. We all need more quiet time alone with You, to rest and nestle in Your arms and partake of You, to just have You alone to think about and pray about, and to get close to You without all the other distractions. Thank You, Jesus.—David Brandt Berg
*
“STAND STILL,” my soul, for so thy Lord commands:
E’en when thy way seems blocked, leave it in His wise hands;
His arm is mighty to divide the wave.
“Stand still,” my soul, “stand still” and thou shalt see
How God can work the “impossible” for thee,
For with a great deliverance He doth save.
Be not impatient, but in stillness stand,
Even when compassed ’round on every hand,
In ways thy spirit does not comprehend.
God cannot clear thy way till thou art still,
That He may work in thee His blessed will,
And all thy heart and will to Him do bend.
“BE STILL,” my soul, for just as thou art still,
Can God reveal Himself to thee; until
Through thee His love and light and life can freely flow:
In stillness God can work through thee and reach
The souls around thee. He then through thee can teach
His lessons, and His power in weakness show.
“BE STILL”—A deeper step in faith and rest.
“Be still and know” thy Father knoweth best
The way to lead His child to that fair land,
A “summer” land, where quiet waters flow;
Where longing souls are satisfied, and “know
Their God,” and praise for all that He has planned.
—Selected by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman, author unknown
Published on Anchor February 2014. Read by Simon Peterson.
Music by Michael Dooley.
1 Ole Hallesby (1879–1961) was a Norwegian Christian teacher who spent two years in a concentration camp during the Second World War. These selections are taken from his book Prayer, translated into English by C. J. Carlsen and published in 1948.
2 Philippians 4:6–7 NKJV.
3 Matthew 6:6.
4 Mark 1:35.
Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.—Psalm 37:7
*
What exactly does it mean to “rest in Jesus”? It means trusting that once you have asked Jesus to provide solutions to your problems or to help you with the work at hand, He will take charge and do just that. It means trusting that He will show you what you can do to help the situation, that He will empower you to do your part, and that He will do the rest, whatever you can’t do. It means stepping back from your problems or work, shutting out the world around you, and letting your spirit be strengthened through communion with Him.
In short, resting in Jesus means turning matters over to Him and then trusting Him for the outcome. That way, you’re not under such pressure, because He is carrying the weight, not you. You’re still busy‚ but your most important work is the spiritual part, the praying, believing, and trusting. When you focus on that, you set wheels in motion in the spiritual realm that have the potential to bring about far greater results in the physical realm.—Maria Fontaine
*
In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength.—Isaiah 30:15
*
God does not stand afar off as I struggle to speak. He cares enough to listen with more than casual attention. He translates my scrubby words and hears what is truly inside. He hears my sighs and uncertain gropings as fine prose.—Timothy Jones
*
My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.—Exodus 33:14
*
My little boy came in one day and stuck his little head into the doorway of my study. Now he knew he was not supposed to disturb me during working hours. And his conscience troubled him a little on account of this. But he looked at me nevertheless with his kind, round baby eyes and said, “Daddy, I will sit still all the time if you will only let me be here with you!” That he received permission when he approached my father-heart in that way, every father will know.
That little experience gave me a great deal to think about. Is not that just the way we often feel with regard to our Heavenly Father? We do so love to be with Him, just to be in His presence! Moreover, we never disturb Him, no matter when we come nor how often we come!—Ole Hallesby1
*
Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee.—Psalm 55:22
*
Peace comes not from the absence of trouble, but from the presence of God.—Unknown
*
Our daily lives can easily become filled with stress, pressure, and confusion. But we can stop at any moment and slip away into the presence of God’s Spirit through prayer and meditation, and there find peace and refreshing.—Maria Fontaine
*
Dear restless heart, be still, for peace is God’s own smile,
His love can every wrong and sorrow reconcile;
Just love, and love, and love, and calmly wait awhile.
—Edith Willis Linn
*
What shall the believer do in times of darkness? Sit still and listen. Let him trust in the name of the Lord and rely upon his God. Let him just sit still, as the Scripture says—be still and listen. The first thing to do is to do nothing, to stand still. That goes against human nature, but that’s the wise thing to do. There’s a saying, “When you’re rattled, don’t rush.” In other words, when you aren’t sure you know what to do next, don’t rush blindly into anything, hoping for the best.
Be still and see what God will do. It is when we are quiet and trusting in God that He can work. Worry often prevents Him from doing all that He can. If our minds are distracted and our hearts are stressed, we’re not in a position where He can do much for us. The peace of God must quiet our minds and bring rest to our hearts.
Put your hand into the hand of God, and let Him lead you out into the bright sunshine of His love. Be still. Let Him do the work for you. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving”—by getting still before God—“let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”2—Virginia Brandt Berg
*
There remaineth … a rest to the people of God. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest.—Hebrews 4:9, 11
*
Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. … And ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.—Matthew 11:28–30
*
Oh, how divinely sweet it is to come into the secret of His presence, and abide in His pavilion!—David Brainerd (1718–1747)
*
There is no place where the mind can be as fully renewed as in the secret place of prayer, alone with God. When we come aside from the temporal things that distract and harass us, and there in the presence of God we put our mind on the things of God, the transforming power of God then begins to work in us, and we are changed, renewed.—Virginia Brandt Berg
*
They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength … they shall run and not be weary.—Isaiah 40:31
*
Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.—1 Peter 5:7
*
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.—Philippians 4:7
*
Learn to know Jesus so well that we feel safe when we have left our difficulties with Him. To know Jesus in this way is a prerequisite of all true prayer. This, therefore, is what the spirit of prayer tries to teach us.
As in this way we learn to know Jesus better and better, our prayers become quiet, confidential, and blessed conversations with Him, our best Friend, about the things that are on our minds, whether it be our own needs or the needs of others. We experience wonderful peace and security by leaving our difficulties, both great and small, with Him, who is not only solicitous for our welfare but who also understands what is best for us.
And especially will our prayer life become restful when it really dawns upon us that we have done all we are supposed to do when we have spoken to Him about it. From that moment we have left it with Him. It is His responsibility then…
‘A little while with Jesus—
oh, how it soothes the soul,
and gathers all the threads of life
into a perfect whole.’—Ole Hallesby (1879–1961)
*
You are going to get more done if you will spend more time in “the closet,”3 alone with God. Unless you get quiet and try to seek the Lord, how are you ever going to get anything from the Lord? I am fully convinced that I’ve gotten more from the Lord alone and quiet than any other way, because He can talk to you alone, and you can give Him your full attention and the reverence due Him, and you’re listening.
Even Jesus had to get up at the break of day before His disciples, and walk out across the hills or up in the mountain to get alone with God and get His orders from His Father.4 If Jesus Himself had to do it, how much more we need to do it!
You’re going to have to get quiet by yourself—somewhere, somehow, sometime—if you’re going to hear from the Lord. You’ve got to know you can’t do it, and be desperate for God’s answer, and stop everything else, and listen!
(Prayer:) So help us, Jesus, to remember that we can’t go on without the heavenly vision You give. We all need more quiet time alone with You, to rest and nestle in Your arms and partake of You, to just have You alone to think about and pray about, and to get close to You without all the other distractions. Thank You, Jesus.—David Brandt Berg
*
“STAND STILL,” my soul, for so thy Lord commands:
E’en when thy way seems blocked, leave it in His wise hands;
His arm is mighty to divide the wave.
“Stand still,” my soul, “stand still” and thou shalt see
How God can work the “impossible” for thee,
For with a great deliverance He doth save.
Be not impatient, but in stillness stand,
Even when compassed ’round on every hand,
In ways thy spirit does not comprehend.
God cannot clear thy way till thou art still,
That He may work in thee His blessed will,
And all thy heart and will to Him do bend.
“BE STILL,” my soul, for just as thou art still,
Can God reveal Himself to thee; until
Through thee His love and light and life can freely flow:
In stillness God can work through thee and reach
The souls around thee. He then through thee can teach
His lessons, and His power in weakness show.
“BE STILL”—A deeper step in faith and rest.
“Be still and know” thy Father knoweth best
The way to lead His child to that fair land,
A “summer” land, where quiet waters flow;
Where longing souls are satisfied, and “know
Their God,” and praise for all that He has planned.
—Selected by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman, author unknown
Published on Anchor February 2014. Read by Simon Peterson.
Music by Michael Dooley.
1 Ole Hallesby (1879–1961) was a Norwegian Christian teacher who spent two years in a concentration camp during the Second World War. These selections are taken from his book Prayer, translated into English by C. J. Carlsen and published in 1948.
2 Philippians 4:6–7 NKJV.
3 Matthew 6:6.
4 Mark 1:35.
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Teens’ Bad Breakfast Habits Linked to Future Health
By Chioma Ihekweazu, Yahoo Health, Feb 01, 2014
They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. New research may add more support to that claim, especially when it comes to teens.
A recent study found that people who had poor breakfast habits as teens had an increased risk of having metabolic syndrome as adults.
Metabolic syndrome is a group of risk factors that increase a person’s risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
The researchers noted that creating school breakfast programs could offer a potential solution to this problem.
“Make sure your teen gets a healthy breakfast every day.”
This study was published on January 29 in Public Health Nutrition.
They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. New research may add more support to that claim, especially when it comes to teens.
A recent study found that people who had poor breakfast habits as teens had an increased risk of having metabolic syndrome as adults.
Metabolic syndrome is a group of risk factors that increase a person’s risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
The researchers noted that creating school breakfast programs could offer a potential solution to this problem.
“Make sure your teen gets a healthy breakfast every day.”
This study was published on January 29 in Public Health Nutrition.
Castaway’s 16 months adrift on Pacific
Daily Telegraph, February 1, 2014
Islanders on the remote Pacific atoll of Ebon do not see much passing sea traffic so when a battered fibreglass boat floated on to their reef, they were understandably curious.
To their amazement, an emaciated man, with long straggly beard and hair, dressed only in torn underpants, his skin weather-beaten from sun and salt, was inside the vessel, along with a turtle.
He had a remarkable story to tell, saying that he had survived 16 months adrift on the Pacific, eating turtles, birds and fish that he caught with his hands and drinking turtle blood and rainwater.
It is a story reminiscent of the Tom Hanks film Cast Away. And if details are confirmed, it is believed he will claim the record for surviving the longest time adrift after floating more than 8,000 miles from Mexico.
The details are still sketchy, not least as the man speaks only Spanish and there is only one telephone and no internet connection on the atoll, the southern-most outpost of the Marshall Islands.
He has communicated that his name is Jose Ivan and that he left Mexico for El Salvador in September 2012 with a companion who died at sea several months ago. His story was in turn relayed to the world by Ola Fjelstad, a Norwegian anthropology student conducting research on the atoll, who spoke by telephone to a news agency.
“His condition isn’t good, but he’s getting better,” Mr Fjeldstad said. “The boat is really scratched up and looks like it has been in the water for a long time.”
Mr Ivan indicated that he survived by eating turtles, birds and fish caught by hand as there was no fishing gear on board. He drank turtle blood when there was no rain.
The men who found him took him to the main island on the atoll to meet Ione de Brum, the mayor, who used the single phone to call foreign officials in Majuro, the Marshall’s capital.
The castaway’s voyage is not over yet. The government airline has only one plane that can land at Ebon but that aircraft is out of service for maintenance and not expected to be available before Tuesday. Officials may instead send a boat to pick him up and bring him to Majuro, from where there are international air connections.
“He’s staying at the local council house and a family is feeding him,” said Mr Fjeldstad. “We’ve been giving him a lot of water, and he’s gaining strength.”
Jose Ivan was given a basic health check and was found to have low blood pressure, but he is walking slowly with the assistance of islanders and does not appear to have any life-threatening illness.
Home to fewer than 1,000 people, Ebon is a coral atoll of 22 islands, with a land mass of just 2.2 square miles and a highest elevation of nine feet, strung around a deep lagoon. It is one of 24 atolls that make up the Marshall Islands, which have a population of about 60,000.
Mr Ivan’s boat is a 24ft fibreglass vessel with propeller-less engines. Such craft are capable of circumnavigating the globe, although he clearly had no such plans when he set off.
It is not the only epic story of survival on the Pacific. In 1992, two fishermen from Kiribati were at sea for 177 days before they landed in Samoa.
In 2006, three Mexicans were found in a vessel near the Marshalls, nine months after setting out to catch shark. They survived on rainwater, raw fish and seabirds, their hopes buoyed by reading the Bible.
Islanders on the remote Pacific atoll of Ebon do not see much passing sea traffic so when a battered fibreglass boat floated on to their reef, they were understandably curious.
To their amazement, an emaciated man, with long straggly beard and hair, dressed only in torn underpants, his skin weather-beaten from sun and salt, was inside the vessel, along with a turtle.
He had a remarkable story to tell, saying that he had survived 16 months adrift on the Pacific, eating turtles, birds and fish that he caught with his hands and drinking turtle blood and rainwater.
It is a story reminiscent of the Tom Hanks film Cast Away. And if details are confirmed, it is believed he will claim the record for surviving the longest time adrift after floating more than 8,000 miles from Mexico.
The details are still sketchy, not least as the man speaks only Spanish and there is only one telephone and no internet connection on the atoll, the southern-most outpost of the Marshall Islands.
He has communicated that his name is Jose Ivan and that he left Mexico for El Salvador in September 2012 with a companion who died at sea several months ago. His story was in turn relayed to the world by Ola Fjelstad, a Norwegian anthropology student conducting research on the atoll, who spoke by telephone to a news agency.
“His condition isn’t good, but he’s getting better,” Mr Fjeldstad said. “The boat is really scratched up and looks like it has been in the water for a long time.”
Mr Ivan indicated that he survived by eating turtles, birds and fish caught by hand as there was no fishing gear on board. He drank turtle blood when there was no rain.
The men who found him took him to the main island on the atoll to meet Ione de Brum, the mayor, who used the single phone to call foreign officials in Majuro, the Marshall’s capital.
The castaway’s voyage is not over yet. The government airline has only one plane that can land at Ebon but that aircraft is out of service for maintenance and not expected to be available before Tuesday. Officials may instead send a boat to pick him up and bring him to Majuro, from where there are international air connections.
“He’s staying at the local council house and a family is feeding him,” said Mr Fjeldstad. “We’ve been giving him a lot of water, and he’s gaining strength.”
Jose Ivan was given a basic health check and was found to have low blood pressure, but he is walking slowly with the assistance of islanders and does not appear to have any life-threatening illness.
Home to fewer than 1,000 people, Ebon is a coral atoll of 22 islands, with a land mass of just 2.2 square miles and a highest elevation of nine feet, strung around a deep lagoon. It is one of 24 atolls that make up the Marshall Islands, which have a population of about 60,000.
Mr Ivan’s boat is a 24ft fibreglass vessel with propeller-less engines. Such craft are capable of circumnavigating the globe, although he clearly had no such plans when he set off.
It is not the only epic story of survival on the Pacific. In 1992, two fishermen from Kiribati were at sea for 177 days before they landed in Samoa.
In 2006, three Mexicans were found in a vessel near the Marshalls, nine months after setting out to catch shark. They survived on rainwater, raw fish and seabirds, their hopes buoyed by reading the Bible.
Monday, February 3, 2014
WHAT IS RITALIN?
Ritalin is the common name for methylphenidate, classified by the Drug Enforcement Administration as a Schedule II narcotic—the same classification as cocaine, morphine and amphetamines.1 It is abused by teens for its stimulant effects.
Even when Ritalin is used as a prescription drug, it may have severe effects including nervousness, insomnia, anorexia, loss of appetite, pulse changes, heart problems and weight loss. The manufacturer says it is a drug of dependency.
In June 2005, the US Food and Drug Administration issued a series of public health advisories warning that Ritalin and drugs like it may cause visual hallucinations, suicidal thoughts and psychotic behavior, as well as aggression or violent behavior.
One writer put it this way: “Parents are never told: ‘Oh, by the way, once in a while a child dies simply by taking their prescribed medication.’ Or ‘By the way, children on stimulant medications have twice the future rate of drug abuse.’ Or ‘By the way, one third of all children on these medications develop symptoms of obsessive-compulsive behavior within the first year.’”
1.amphetamine: a powerful central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) stimulant, often called “speed.”
STREET NAMES
RITALIN:
Diet Coke
Kiddie Cocaine
Kiddie Coke
Poor man’s cocaine
R-ball
Finding Strength in Times of Trouble
by Dennis Edwards:
About three years ago my twenty-seven year old son died in a swimming accident. After finishing his education in England he had been offered a job in Bermuda at $50,000 a year. He took it. Six months later at midnight, I received the phone call that every parent dreads. Your child has gone missing. His clothing has been found on the beach front near to his home. He has missed work for the first time in six months.
I immediately got on my knees and cried out to God, as any parent would, beseeching Him for my son’s safety. No sooner had I begun to pray, than I saw, in my mind’s eye, a vision. My son was entering into the Heavenly City. A crowd had gathered to meet him. I saw my recently departed father and a close friend who had died from cancer a few months earlier. Everyone was hugging my son with warm embraces, like a great celebration or graduation. At that moment, I knew my son was with the Lord, and we would not find him alive. His body was found five days later.
I remember, there in Bermuda, while sorting through his things, a wave of emotions hit me like a tsunami. “Why, God? Why, God? Why did this happen? Why, my son, who was hard-working, friendly and had so many good qualities?” I had walked down to cliff where his clothes had been found above the churning waters of the Caribbean at a local diving spot. The tide was high and rough. If I dove in, could I make it through those troubled waters to the mouth of the little natural pool where bathers would swim peacefully some forty meters away? The voice of conscience told me it was too dangerous. Besides, I knew not where the hidden rocks stood beneath the waves that had injured many a young diver.
When I got back to his apartment, I was still in emotional turmoil. Desperately, with tears forming constantly in my eyes, I opened up my computer and logged in. I had a message on Facebook. My son’s former girlfriend had written me. While she had been taking time to listen to the Lord and receive from Him some encouraging words for me in prophecy, she heard my son’s voice in her voice of conscience. “Tell my father not to be discouraged. Tell him I’m okay. Now, I understand all that he had tried to teach me. Tell him I am thankful for all he did and not to worry about me. I am okay.” She thanked the Lord for the privilege of receiving this message and sent it on to me.
As I read those words, tears swelled in my eyes. But they were not tears of despair and anguish, but tears of joy and comfort knowing that my son was okay. He was safe in the arms of Jesus. You may say, “It was a figment of her imagination.” Maybe it was. All I know, I was encouraged and through those words found strength to continue on in the face of one of life’s most difficult tests, the death of one’s child.
How God does sends the message, is His business. Whether or not it was my son speaking to his former girlfriend or an angel disguising himself as my son or Jesus himself speaking as my son, or the girlfriend’s own wishful imaginative thinking, I do not know. I do know that I was encouraged, and strengthened in that difficult time. I was able to face that dark hour in faith and with the knowledge that my son was okay. He was with Jesus.
“All things truly do work together for good to them that love God.” She called upon the Lord and He answered and He gave her just the message I needed to be inspired and encouraged and to find the faith to continue on in life’s difficult journey. Her listening to the Lord in prophecy and accepting the message bore good fruit in my life. Like Jesus said, “and by their fruits you shall know them.” Therefore, I conclude it was good. It was from the Lord.
Are you calling upon the Lord and learning to hear His still, small voice in your heart? He may have a message for you or for you to pass on to someone else who’s passing through a time of trouble. He may give you a vision, or a dream, or you may have a sensation. Or you may hear his still, small voice in your heart telling you this is the way, walk in it.
“Ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find. Knock and it shall be opened unto you”. Are you knocking on Heaven’s door for the answers that you need? Please do. You won’t be disappointed. Your message from the Lord may be just the comfort your loved one needs in their time of anguish!
The Balsam of God's Love
Six years ago my twenty-seven year old son died suddenly from a swimming accident. On midnight the 17th of March, Saint Patrick’s Day, I received a call from my son’s roommate. My son was missing and his clothing had been found on a nearby beach.
My first reaction was to get down on my knees and cry out to the Lord in prayer. As I did, I had a vision of my son entering into Heaven to the joy of my parents and other departed loved ones. I immediately knew he would not be found alive. Five days later his body washed ashore and was found by some tourists.
What helped through those difficult days? What was the healing balm? Of course, having a relationship with the Lord and being able to hear His voice in prophecy was a great help and stabilizing affect at that time. The prophecies I received from others were also very strengthening. Reading His word to receive comfort from the written word was important, too. Crying out to him with all my heart in prayer was another important aspect of the healing and helped me in ways I probably do not consciously understand.
But perhaps the most important key to my healing in a tangible, physical way, that I remember most clearly above all the rest was the love and encouragement I received from others. For that to happen, I had to confess and share my heartache. The Bible says, “Confess your faults one to another. Pray one for another that you may be healed.” (James 5:16) Confessing to others what I was going through enabled me to receive the encouragement that I needed and was perhaps the key to victory and healing.
I remember my first day in Bermuda where my son had died. While asking for directions at a shop, I mentioned to the shop girl that I was the father of the young man who had recently drowned. “You poor thing,” she sighed. “Can I come around and give you a big hug.” On numerous occasions I received encouragement from strangers that I met in this way.
God promises to comfort us in our times of tribulation. Jesus said He would send the comforter, the Holy Spirit, to us. He wants us to be comforted. But if we keep our troubles locked inside, if we keep the pain in, we won’t receive the love and encouragement we need and our healing process will be longer and perhaps never complete.
Therefore, don’t keep those emotions hidden. Let the tears flow. Share your pain. In doing so, others will respond with the balm of love you need. Don’t suffer in silence. Share your hurt and others around you will help heal it. God works this way to draw us closer to one another and be His arms and His hands and His lips and His ears to one another.
When we receive the love and encouragement that we need in our time of anguish, we are able later to return that love and encouragement to other needy or suffering souls that pass our way. “Blessed be God…who comforts us in all our tribulation, so that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” (2Corinthians 1:3-4)
