The Challenge

Good Morning My Beloved Ones,

     I pray that peace, joy and love are able to overcome all the negatives in your life.

     Today I want to talk to you about "The Challenge".  At the beginning of each new year the Christian radio stations in my area offer their "30 day challenge".  They challenge listeners who just flipped onto their station by mistake or who are just checking it out to listen to nothing but Christian music for 30 days and watch how God begins to change their lives.

     I want to share the stories of some who have taken and completed the 30 day challenge.  One was a man who had anger issues and was often violent toward his wife and children.  He said the music calmed him, made him less angry and some of the teaching on the station actually gave him tools to manage the stresses causing the anger.  His wife declares him to be a different person after just 30 days of nothing but Christian music.  Another testimony was by a 19 year old girl who had never felt loved or wanted or like she belonged anywhere.  Her mom had the station on in the car and she heard the message that Jesus loved her just as she is with all her faults and failures and she decided that if that was true, maybe life was worth living after all.  Christian radio radically changed her life.

     And I have a testimony as well...it was listening to a segment on Godly parenting that caused me to see how I'd thrown away my son for a man that wasn't even faithful to me.  I pulled the car over, wiped my eyes and called my son to ask forgiveness and our relationship is now being restored due to Christian radio.

     I know that God uses this avenue to speak to His people.  A person can be agonizing over a situation in his life and a song will come on that speaks directly to the problem he is having.  It is one way God uses to tell his people, "I'm here, I know, I care, I can help."

     So today, my friends, I am extending the challenge to you.  Some of you already listen to Christian music, some do not, and some listen off and on.  The challenge is this:  Listen to nothing but Christian music for 30 days via radio, mp3, however you get your music.  If you can't find a Christian radio station in your area, you can always stream it online.  Here is a link to the station I listen to: http://www.klove.com/.  Then after 30 days, come back to this letter and leave a comment sharing the difference you are beginning to see in your life.  I believe that everyone who is faithful to the challenge will see a change for the better.

Are you up for the challenge?   Raelynn

The Blame Game

Good Morning My Beloved Ones,

     I pray that you are in good health and are prospering even as your soul prospers.

     Today I want to talk to you about "The Blame Game".  I'm sure you've heard the old saying that when you point your finger at someone else, there are three pointing back at you.  No one wins the blame game.  The truth is we all sin and fall short of the glory of God, so why blame another when we are guilty too?

     But what about when we blame God?  As the days darken and our society continues in a downward spiral, crime and destruction are on the rise.  Not too long ago there was a school shooting where 20 children under the age of 10 were killed.  I heard many people say, "I can't believe in a God who would allow that" and "If God cares, why didn't He stop this?"  People point the finger at God when a drunk driver takes a loved one or tragedy befalls them in some way.  While they are pointing at God, where are the other three fingers pointing?  They, themselves, may not be personally to blame, but mankind certainly is.
     There are only two things God cannot do:  lie, and break a promise.  Most of the time we are grateful God doesn't break His promises to us.  He's the only One we can count on to always do what He says He will do.  When God created man, He gave him free will.  He promised not to violate that free will.  Man can choose how to live his life and what actions to take.  But when man chooses to go on a shooting spree in a public place or drive a car while intoxicated, we blame God for the outcome.  How does that make sense?
     We've got it backwards, my friends.  It is in those times when our minds scream, "I can't serve a God who would allow this" that we need to realize "I need God to get me through this".  God doesn't violate free will to keep bad things from happening, but He does bring life from death and bring good things out of bad circumstances.  When man is done wreaking havoc, God is there to bring comfort, peace, strength, bring people together, and turn their hearts toward Him.
     Do you know someone playing the game of blaming God?  Ask the Lord to help you show them the truth about God's role in the circumstances.  He's not to blame.  He is there to bring order from chaos, and comfort to their souls.  I can't imagine how people endure tragedies without God.  It'd during the times that we would push Him away that we need Him most.

     Don't blame God when tragedy befalls you, beloved ones.  Cling to Him, draw on His strength.  His grace is sufficient for you.

Love in Christ, Raelynn

You are Needed

Good Morning My Beloved Ones,

     I pray that each day you go to work you are thankful for the job and the God that gave you the ability to do it.

     Today I want to talk to you about "You are Needed".  One of the basic, core needs of every individual is to feel needed.  If we are not needed by anyone for any reason, what is the purpose of living?

     I was reading in Genesis 46 and 47 where Joseph brought his family from Canaan to Egypt.  He instructed his family to ask permission to live in Goshen (outside of Egypt proper) because they were shepherds and shepherds were an abomination to the Egyptians.  When Pharoah asked Joseph's brothers what they did for a living, and they replied that they were shepherds, he told them to live in Goshen, not so they'd be out of the Egyptian's sight, but rather because the land was fertile for sheep.  He also told Joseph to make the most competent of his brothers the chief herdsman over Pharoah's own livestock.

     Egyptians looked down their noses at shepherds; they would put them away out of their sight.  The ruler of the Egyptians did not.  He gave them fertile land.  He needed them to tend his own sheep.  Men look down at those less fortunate or prestigious than themselves.  They want to shove them away out of their sight and pretend they don't exist.  The ruler of men (God) does not.  He has chosen the poor of this world to be heirs to the kingdom James 2:5 tells us.  He needs each and every person He created or He would not have created them.  Our God is an intentional God.  He didn't create you for the heck of it. You are needed, beloved.  And like Pharoah with Joseph's brothers, He has a very specific job He needs you to do.

     The next time you feel unneeded, stand before the ruler.  Tell Him what you do, and He will not only show you what He needs you for, He will put you in the best place in which to accomplish the task.

     Don't worry about what men think of you, friends.  Every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.  Present yourself to the ruler and find out just how important to Him you are.

Love in Christ, Raelynn

  

Trapped in Topsoil

Good Morning My Beloved Ones,

     I pray you are strong in the Lord and in the power of His might and are not relying upon your own strength.
 

     Today I want to talk to you about "Trapped in Topsoil".  Those of you who know me know that I am not a gardener.  I have a black thumb.  But I've learned a few things through the years about what works and doesn't work in a garden.

     Suppose you have a dry, hard patch of ground with rocks scattered here and there and you cover it with rich, dark topsoil so that the topsoil is all that can be seen.  Then you plant seeds in that topsoil.  How well will those plants grow?  They might sprout if they are being watered, but the roots won't be able to penetrate the ground below to anchor the plant.  Then what happens if a big wind blows?

     There are Christians like that.  They are trapped in topsoil.  They are all excited about the forgiveness of their sins and the promise of Heaven, but they don't take the next steps and remove the rocks (like making time with God a priority in their lives) and they don't allow the gardener (Jesus) to break up the dry, hard ground of their hearts (allow Him to bring healing, forgiveness for others, to show us areas in which we need to change).  These Christians are easy to recognize - they are all sprout, no root.  They are the first to announce they are Christians and to proclaim their righteousness and to tell others what they should and should not be doing instead of focusing on that for themselves.  Jesus called them "Pharisees" and "hypocrites".  We call them "self-righteous" or "holier-than-thou".  They are trapped in topsoil.

     Then there are those who have removed the rocks in their gardens, by changing the things they know to change and have given the heavy digging to Jesus.  These let Him break up the hardness of their hearts so the water (His Word) can penetrate and soften them so the roots can go deep and take hold.  These, the Bible says, shall be like trees planted by rivers of living water whose leaves shall not wither and everything they set their hand to do shall prosper.  Have you seen Christians like this?  They walk in joy, have peace in turmoil, and seem to abound in blessings.  They don't have to claim to be Christians - you can tell they are.
     Which type of plant would you rather be?  Are you trapped in topsoil in some areas of your life?  We all are from time to time.  Remove the obvious rocks in your heart then hand the hoe to Jesus.  He wants your roots to go deep so you can't be blown about by every wind that comes along.  He wants you to bear fruit and prosper.

     It's not too late to tend your garden, my friends.  We all want to have fruit to share with others.

Love in Christ, Raelynn

Stovetop Christianity

Good Morning My Beloved Ones,

     I pray you are each experiencing the blessing of the Lord and are feeling His presence as you go through your days.

     Today, I want to talk to you about "Stovetop Christianity".  Now, don't go looking in the Bible for that phrase - you won't find it.  I just made it up to illustrate the concept I am bringing forth.

     A Stove top usually has 4 burners: 2 in front and 2 in back.  Except in the case of large families, get-togethers or professional cooks, the back burners are rarely used except as a spot to let something rest or cool.  In fact, front burners are replaced three times before a back burner usually needs replacing.

     Having a Sunday School teacher for a mom, my children learned about Christ early on.  At age 5 my son accepted the Lord, fully understanding the choice he had made.  He was baptized at age 6.  At age 9, he was miraculously healed from a sledding accident on Mount Lemmon which had caused many broken bones, a punctured lung, and required him to be air-lifted from the mountain to Tucson Medical Center.  God was front-burner in my son's life - active, cooking, boiling, being stirred.

     As my son approached high school, college, military and marriage, God got relegated to the back burner of his life.  God was still there.  My son still believed in Him, but his life had become too busy to actively interact with God as he had earlier in his life.  There wasn't time for prayer, Bible reading and church-going.  He had a life to live.  His relationship with God was left to cool on the back burner - the one that doesn't get used.

     We all have times like that in our lives, but my prayer is that they are few, far between and short lived.  My prayer for my son every day is that God would become front-burner in his life again.

     Recently, changes have happened in my son's life.  He told me he is talking with God again.  I sent him his deceased step-father's Bible and I pray he is reading it.  A year ago July, my son was miraculously spared in a car accident which destroyed his car in flames.  I see God simmering in my son's life again and I'm praying for a full rolling boil.

     Have you checked your stove-top lately?  Which burner do you have God on?  Is He on low heat, medium, or high - or is He cooling down in your life, set aside on a back burner?  If so, that can change.

     It's time to get cooking again, my friends.  Turn up the heat on your relationship with God and let Him prepare the gourmet life He has for you.

Be blessed my friends, Raelynn

Empathy in Action

Good Morning my Beloved Ones,

     I pray that you are allowing healing to take place in your hearts and lives and are being strengthened for the days to come.

 

     Today, I want to talk to you about "Empathy in Action".  What is empathy, some of you are asking.  It is a deeper, more sincere form of sympathy.  Sympathy says, "Gee, I'm sorry that happened to you."  It's passive.  It's the expected response when something bad happens to someone.  Empathy says, "I understand.  I've been there.  I feel your pain.  I'm going to help you through this."

 

     Jesus is the picture of empathy.  It's the whole reason He came to earth in the flesh, was born as a human (not in a fine home, but in a stable).  It's the reason He was homeless (Matthew 8:20).  It's the reason He was hated and misunderstood.  Jesus felt every emotion we feel, encountered every situation we will ever face and had even felt forsaken by God.  Jesus had been tortured and even had to experience death.  He endured all this so that when we struggle or fall, He can stand up for us and say, "But, Father, I've been there.  I know how hard that is to handle in the flesh."  Jesus feels our pain because he's experienced it.  He can help us through because He, Himself, has overcome.

 

      We, too, are called to be Empathy in Action.  Galatians 6:2 tells us we are to bear one another's burdens.  We do that through empathy.  It's the reason we are allowed to experience the difficult and terrible things in this life.  

 

     My mom has had a difficult life.  She has had to go through things I'd wish on no one.  Two of the hardest were the death of her oldest son and surviving breast cancer.  My mom is the kindest, most loving and giving person I know.  She loves Jesus with all her heart.  So why did these heart-wrenching things happen to her?  They happened so she could experience empathy in action.

     

     When my brother died, mom was devasted, but her good friend, Twinkie was there for her.  Twinkie is a pastor's wife whose son died many years previously in a drowning accident.  Twinkie understood what my mom was feeling.  She felt her pain and was equipped to help her through it.  Recently Twinkie was diagnosed with breast cancer.  And my mom was able to be there for her.  She understood what Twinkie was feeling, knew the thoughts and fears she had, and was equipped to be empathy in action for her friend, as her friend had been for her.

 

    They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.  I believe that's true.  It gives you the strength to bear one another's burdens.  It gives you the ability to empathize.

 

     Don't sympathize with another's plight, my friends.  "Gee, that's too bad", doesn't help anyone.  Be empathy in action.  Let the traumas you've experienced become a help and a blessing to someone else.  

 

     It's time we quit whining about the raw deal we've gotten and time to use our bad experiences for good.  As Jesus empathizes with us, so we must empathize with others.

 

Following the Master, Raelynn    

The Difference

Good Morning my Beloved Ones,

     I pray that the peace of God rule in your hearts and that fear has no place in you.

     Today, I want to talk to you about "The Difference".  Jesus told a parable in the New Testament about tares (weeds) that grew up in a field among the wheat.  He cautioned the harvesters to let the wheat and tares grow up together, lest when trying to pluck out the tares they pull up the wheat by mistake.  There is a time while they are growing that the wheat and tares look much alike.

     There is a time while we are growing that believers and unbelievers look much alike as well.  We both sin, question God, try to do things our own way...can anyone identify?  I can.  So what difference is there between the wheat and the tares, the believer and the unbeliever, those who follow Christ and those who refuse to?

     The difference is found in the fire.  Everyone experiences fires - trials, unpleasant difficult circumstances in their lives, and it's in these fires that a person's true character is revealed.

     The Bible in Kings, Chronicles, Isaiah, Ezekiel and many other places talks about a people upon whom judgment has come that they might recognize the error of their ways and turn their hearts to God.  These people instead harden their hearts and blame and curse God for their circumstances.  These are the tares.

     Then there are those who are refined in the fires, who allow the impurities to be burned off, who come forth as pure gold.  They are the ones who glorify the Lord in the fire (Isaiah 24:15).  They are the wheat.

     Come harvest time, the difference between the wheat and tares is obvious.  The wheat is gathered into the storehouse and the tares are gathered and bound to be burned.  The growing season is nearing its end - harvest is upon us.  Is there a difference between you and the unbeliever?  How have you responded in recent fires?

     There is a difference my friends, and soon it will be obvious to all.  Be among those that are gathered into the storehouse.  I don't know about you, but I've had enough fires in my life to want to avoid an eternal one.  I choose to glorify God in my fires.  I choose to be wheat.

Preparing for the harvest, Raelynn

     

    

Wild Grapes

Good Morning My Beloved Ones,

     I pray that you are bright lights shining in the darkness and that no man can extinguish your flame.

Today, I want to talk to you about "Wild Grapes".  Grapes are a wonderful fruit God has given us.  They are sweet, full of anti-oxidants, make juice, jellies and fine wines and are used to represent the blood of Christ in communion services.  But those grapes that grow wild and are not cultivated are hard, bitter, sour, and sometimes poisonous.  They'll grow up and choke out the good grapes if they are allowed to.

     I quote Isaiah 5:1-6,"My well-beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill and he fenced it and gathered out the stones therein and planted it with the choicest vine and built a tower in the midst of it and also made a winepress therein, and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.  What more could have been done to my vineyard, that I have not done in it?  Why then, when I looked for grapes, did it bring forth wild grapes?  And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard:  I will take away the hedge thereof and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down, and I will lay it waste..."

     Jesus said in John 15:5, "I am the vine, ye are the branches".  I believe we've just read a description of our day and time.  I believe the very fruitful hill my well-beloved planted his vineyard in could represent the United States of America.  God hedged this nation about with His protection, founded this nation on His principles and gave us His Word and a constitution to live by and expected to see a sweet, healthy society grow up.  But look around you today, my friends, and you will see wild grapes in abundance.  Selfish, unholy, lovers of self more than lovers of God, choosing every evil thing and calling it good and doing whatever they can to choke out the good grapes in the land.

     What shall God do with this vineyard?  He'll take away the hedge (the protection) and break down the wall (that keeps the enemies out) and allow it to be trodden down and laid waste.

     I tell you these things, not to scare you, beloved ones, but so that you can be prepared as you see these things come to pass.  But notice
in our passage, the Lord also built a tower in the midst of the vineyard.  Proverbs 18:10 tells us that the name of the Lord is a strong tower that the righteous run into and they are saved.  Praise God!

     You need not fear a land overrun by wild grapes nor the removal of its protection or an invading enemy.  The good grapes are not appointed unto wrath.  Run into the tower, my friends.  Dwell in Jesus.  Let Him dwell in you and you'll be saved from the wrath to come.

One of the branches,  Raelynn

Zombie Apocalypse

Good Morning My Beloved Ones,

      I pray that you have life and that more abundantly.

 

     Today I want to talk to you about “The Zombie Apocalypse”.  According to a recent poll, 15% of people worldwide believe in an impending zombie apocalypse (the dead coming back to life and roaming the earth looking to devour the living).  These give scientific reasons how such an apocalypse can happen:  brain parasites, neurotoxins, mad cow disease, regrowth of dead brain tissue, and nanotechnology.  Do you believe in a coming zombie apocalypse?  I do.  It’s already happening.

     In the Garden of Eden, God warned Adam and Eve that the day they touched the fruit in the midst of the garden they would surely die.  Indeed, before transgressing God’s law, death did not exist.  First Eve, then Adam partook of the fruit and true to God’s Word, the day they did, they died.  Adam and Eve did not cease to breathe at that point, they continued to walk around, dead in their sin and from that point on, human-kind learned to devour one another. 

     Ephesians 2:1 tells us that prior to Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, we were dead in sins and trespasses. Look around you, 

beloved ones, at all the walking dead.  Zombies don’t know they are dead.  Adam and Eve didn’t believe they died when they defied God in the garden and chose to do their own thing.  How many of our friends, loved ones, or possibly one reading this letter are walking around dead in their sins and trespasses believing they are alive?

     But there is hope!  In John 11:25, Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life; He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.”  Let’s end the zombie apocalypse, beloved ones.  Let’s introduce this world to Jesus.  In Him there is life and that more abundantly.

 

Alive in Him - Raelynn