MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE – Deliver Us from Evil

What is your greatest temptation?  Not the ones that just tempt you now and then, but something that you really struggle with regularly.  I think you’ll agree, temptations are real, and they plague us every single day.  It’s a constant battle, and we do not always win.  But we try.  That’s the important thing… we try.

Lent is a time when we contemplate, among other things, the temptations of Jesus when he went into the wilderness for 40 days.  Satan tempted Jesus in every way possible, and Jesus not only resisted Satan every single time, but He rebuked him with quotes from the Bible every time!  Here’s something I bet you’d never thought of though.  We know that God is ALL-knowing.  He knows past, present and future, all at once, for everyone and everything.  So BEFORE God came to Earth in the human form of Jesus, He already knew that the time would come that He’d be in that wilderness and ALLOWED Satan to tempt Him in any and every way possible.  And just because God/Jesus permitted it, doesn’t mean that Satan was guaranteed success.  And as we all know, Satan didn’t win.  We are told that Satan has always wanted to be greater than God Himself, so he thought that if he could convert Jesus to his wicked ways, he would have the greatest human to ever have lived in his army.  He would have a being more powerful than any other.  Boy, oh boy, did Satan want that!  It would have been an instant win for him.  God had other plans though.  He basically told Satan to do his worst, knowing that Jesus would resist ALL temptation.  Make no mistake, Satan threw the book at Jesus with EVERY type and sort of temptation possible.  We only hear about a few in the Matthew 4, but there were many more. 

So if God already knew about and agreed to Satan tempting Jesus, then what was the point of it all?  Was God just teasing Satan, since He already knew what was going to happen?  That whole point was this:  Many of the things that Jesus did, said, and went through while here on Earth were for one thing, and one thing only.  HE WANTED TO SET AN EXAMPLE FOR THE REST OF HUMANITY.

Satan has so ways that he tries to lead us down the wrong path.  Two of the most deceptive are “half-truths” and “making us feel like we are alone”.  What you have to remember is that you are NEVER alone!  God is always just a whisper away.  He’s by your side even when you forget that He is.  As for “half-truths”… do the research.  Don’t take “facts” as being truth until AFTER you verify.  We live in a world of information at our fingertips.  Use it!

God gave us “CHOICE”.  He wants us to reach out to Him for comfort and guidance, but it really is all up to us. 

1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

 

Originally published Feb. 28, 2023
by Jackie Garrison

FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND - “True Change Starts Within”

How many times have changed in your life? Ten … maybe twelve … hundreds … thousands? … We start of as helpless … cute … cuddly babies … then we change into toddlers … then children … teenagers … young adults … and then we reach adulthood … You get a job … then perhaps you change jobs … you buy a house or rent an apartment … and then you buy a new house … you buy a car … then you buy a new car … all of these changes happen … continuously … happening one after another … and with all of these changes come an array of emotions … some things that change in our lives bring grief … sadness … or perhaps anger … some joy … happiness and elation …

Sometimes … when changes enter our life … it’s overwhelming … confusing … even terrifying … We can go to bed at night to one reality … and wake up to a completely different life … Change can make us feel lost and abandoned … like we’ve been tossed overboard in the midst of a storm … We’re left reeling … trying to grab ahold of anything we can find that’s strong and stable … We’re tempted to run from change … as though we could ever escape it …

Things in our past life have constantly changed … things in our present life continue to change … and things in our future life will change … it’s one of the two things in life that you can count on … things change … continuously … and you may be thinking that the other thing you can count on in life is … as the old saying goes … taxes … but you’d be wrong … The other thing in our life that ultimately will never change is our Almighty Father in heaven …

As we all encounter major changes in our individual lives … and as the world around us continues to change … we need a place to find hope … We need somewhere to stand when we wake up to news that a loved one has passed away … or our job is in jeopardy … or someone we love has a terminal illness … well … the truth is … there is one thing that never changes … one place we can go that always brings hope … comfort … peace … and security … the one thing that stays the same … of course … is our unchanging God.

He is our ever-present help in troubled times … Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble.” … People everywhere seek refuge and strength … This is what undergirded so much idolatry in the ancient world … even among God’s chosen people … and this is what undergirds idolatry in our world today … You may think that you don’t have an idol … or that you never have … but this … my friend … is probably incorrect … Idols come in all shapes and sizes … money … cars … houses … relationships … our identity … our jobs or status … our physical appearance … entertainment … comfort … technology … our influence … and even our family and friends … just to name a few …

We may even idolize being a Christian … perhaps we try to pray like a Christian … or read the same books they read … we go to church every Sunday … because we know it’s what believers do … maybe we try because they have something we feel we lack … but as I saw on a Facebook post recently … “You can’t glue wings on a caterpillar and make it fly like a butterfly. It must change from within.”

It is the same with a Child of God … you can try to walk the walk … and talk the talk … but unless your soul is changed from within … unless you truly believe Jesus is the Son of God … and truly repent … truly accept the indwelling of the Holy Spirit … you can act all day … everyday … and still fall prey to the sin of idolatry …

The Bible speaks a lot about idolatry … In the Garden of Eden … Adam and Eve had God alone as their refuge and strength … They completely and totally depended upon Him even as they fulfilled their responsibility as image-bearers with the delegated authority to make decisions and rule the earth (Gen 1-2) … It was not enough for them … Satan found a way to exploit a desire to be their own god … “knowing good and evil” (Gen 3:5-6) … Their own knowledge and wisdom would be their refuge and strength … It was the thought of this that became more important than God … the very definition of an idol …

But because of His mercy and His compassionate forgiveness … manifested and made possible by Christ on the cross … we can be restored to the faith that trusts only in God … He knows every hair on your head … If you dedicate your life to God … He will protect you and strengthen you for whatever He has in store for you … You are precious to Him … just as you are … but His desire isn’t to leave you just as you are … His desire is to mold you and make you into the person He created you to be … starting from the inside … He’s reaching out for your hand … take it … you’ll never regret it.

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by Joan Paschal

(originally published on 02-20-23)

MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE – Lent (no, not the belly button kind)

Lent starts tomorrow, can you believe it?  Easter is coming early this year, and I don’t know about you, but it’s really mixing me up.  Time seems to fly anymore anyway… days fly by in what seems to be hours.  Weeks are done in just a few days.  Months fly by in just a week or two.  So for Easter to be coming in, what seems to me, the middle of winter is, I suppose, just par for the course.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

What is Lent anyway though?  We go through the rituals each year, but do we really stop to remember what it’s supposed to be about?  Here’s how the UMC defines it (link at the bottom of this post):

“Lent is a season of forty days, not counting Sundays, which begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday. Lent comes from the Anglo Saxon word lencten, meaning “lengthen” and refers to the lengthening days of spring. The forty days represents the time Jesus spent in the wilderness, enduring the temptation of Satan and preparing to begin his ministry.

Lent is a time of repentance, fasting and preparation for the coming of Easter. It is a time of self-examination and reflection. In the early church, Lent began as a period of fasting and preparation for baptism by new converts and then became a time of penance by all Christians. Today, Christians focus on relationship with God, growing as disciples and extending ourselves, often choosing to give up something or to volunteer and give of ourselves for others.

Sundays in Lent are not counted in the forty days because each Sunday represents a "mini-Easter." This is why you will see the designation "Sunday in Lent" rather than "Sunday of Lent" in the naming of these Sundays. On each Lord's Day in Lent, while Lenten fasts continue, the reverent spirit of Lent is tempered with joyful anticipation of the Resurrection.”

The 40 days of Lent represent the 40 days that Jesus spent in the wilderness being tempted by Satan.  We spend an entire lifetime doing the same thing, really.  Satan is just around the next corner every step of our life… ready to tempt without even seeming too sometimes… ready to influence our decisions in whatever way possible.  Satan twists the truth, creates lies and half-truths, and can even make us think that we’re completely right when, in fact, we are completely and totally wrong in the eyes of God. 

Lent is a time of contrition… a time to reevaluate ourselves and our lives and repent of our sins.  It’s a time of contemplation… a time to look at ourselves, where we are in our lives, and reset our focus on what we need to do going forward. 

Jesus commands us to look after each other, and love each other.  That is the single best reason to take this opportunity of the Lenten season to do something for other people.  Help someone that you know needs a helping hand.  Go through your pantry and find a box of food, toiletries, and paper goods to donate to S.A.F.E.  Sit down and send out some greeting cards to folks… not just the shut-ins, but just anyone.  Everyone loves getting cards in the mail, just to know someone is thinking of them.  Volunteer to help at one of the church functions, or on one of the committees at church.   Bring hope and joy to someone’s life, even if it seems like it’s just a small gesture.  You never know what someone is going through.  It could be that your small gesture is the very light that someone needs in their life today! 

Just as the sun warms the earth and makes the flowers bloom, so should you and your light shine into the world and bring hope and joy to those around you.  Do small things in great ways.  It doesn’t have to be overwhelming ideas… start with something small.  Then just keep that up!!

Wishing you hope and peace and joy this Lenten Season.

Reference:  https://www.umc.org/en/content/ask-the-umc-what-is-lent-and-why-does-it-last-forty-days

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Published Feb. 21, 2023

by Jackie Garrison

FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND - “Tranquility = Trusting”

Have you ever met someone that seemed to be the epitome of tranquility? … Someone that kept their ‘cool’ in any situation you’ve ever observed them in? … They sail through rough waters with grace … when faced with difficulties their strength does not waver … They always come up with just the right thing to say or do … or know when to say or do nothing? …

We wish we could emulate them … but we find we are not … we turn our worries over and over in out minds ... passing them through one scenario after another … We try to pray … but we don’t feel any better when we say ‘Amen’ …

Tranquility starts with practicing trust … practicing trust … delight in the Lord … commitment to our faith … and stillness throughout our day … Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God” can point us toward tranquility in most every situation … this verse tells us more than to rest and relax … we are to rest and relax in who God is … omnipotent … omnipresent … omniscient … it’s more of a verse that tells us to wake up to who God is … He’s the creator of all things … from the beginning of time … He is the author of the past … the present … the future … there is nothing apart from God … We are to take time each day to rest in who God is … to meditate on the power of His love for us … the Grace that He bestows on each of us every day … By taking time to be still and connect with our faith in God … we can find peace even amidst the chaos life offers … We can take time to be thankful for what we do have … and remember that while we are above ground … trials are going to be a part of our lives … and are a part of God’s plan …We can take time to pray … asking God for guidance and strength … Being still isn’t always easy … but it can be enriching if we take time to be thankful and remember that God is always with us …

The term here ‘be still’ lends itself more to ‘cease striving’ or ‘stop’ … and more specifically in this case … ‘stop fighting’ … We … as God’s people … should interpret this more as ‘wake up’ … stop fearing’ … ‘realize WHO God is’ … and revere Him for all that He is … of course … the words are not incorrect in this verse … for every verse in God’s Word is breathed by God … 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us … “16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” So … the words are not incorrect … not at all … we are simply to note the context of the phrase …

At some point in your life … you may … or may have … be … or have been blessed to be witness to something that is worked out only by what can be explained as ‘God’s intervention’ … I have been … more than once … and in each and every instance I am left in Awe of our One True God … Some try to explain it away as coincidence or luck … not me … I don’t believe in luck … I believe everything … e v e r y t h i n g is orchestrated by God … there is not one thing … no matter how big or how small … that is outside of His control … I trust Him … and in that it doesn’t mean that we stop wringing our hands and let them hang limply at our side … it means that we rely on His integrity … His strength … His ability … It’s placing our worries in His capable hands … and choosing to walk in His way …believing that His heart toward us is true and everlasting … even when our prayers are not answered the way we want them to be … He answers … Trust … it leads to tranquility …   

I’ll close today with a verse to meditate on … to be still with … “Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself 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 act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices." Psalm 37:3-7

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Originally published on Feb. 13, 2023

By Joan Paschal

MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE – A Cord of Three

There’s an old adage that says:  “Life is hard; then you die.”  That’s a pretty dark way of looking at life, wouldn’t you agree?  Yet there’s some truth in it as well.  I like to think of myself as a cautiously optimistic individual.  I look for the lessons in every difficulty… mostly because I don’t wish to repeat them, so let me learn it the first go round.  So when I encounter hardships, difficulties or challenges, I try my best to “see the way through” rather than be “overcome by darkness”.  Sometimes though… it takes more than what I have within myself to “see the way through”… so I reach out to a friend, family member, or trusted counselor for a different perspective.   Life is, on the whole, how you look at it… it is a matter of PERSPECTIVE, and often times, all it takes is just someone else looking at your problem to see the way through. 

Ecclesiastes 4:12 tells us:  “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."  

Troubling times can overwhelm even the smartest, wisest, and cleverest of us.  Learning to deal with problems is all part of growing up, and it follows us (and challenges us) all the days of our life.  BUT… IT DOESN’T HAVE TO DEFEAT US!!  God gave us “community” right from the beginning.  He saw that Adam needed a helpmate, so Eve was created.  When they left the Garden of Eden, “family” was one of the first things that God gave them.  None of us were ever meant to be alone.  We are meant to help each other, love each other, and support each other in whatever way we can. 

Jesus was once asked what the most important commandment was.  He answered, saying:  “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.”  (Matt. 22:37-39)

We are not just commanded to love each other, but it is a necessity of life itself.  Babies cannot flourish and develop properly without the love of an adult.  Children cannot grow and learn without the attention and love of parents and adults in their lives.  Adults cannot face all the difficulties of life without the love and support of family and friends.  We’re MEANT to be together! 

So today, on this day when we celebrate LOVE… reach out to someone who is alone.  So many times, we think that we’re alone in the world.  YOU can be that “someone” that reaches out! 

And here’s the magical thing about being that “someone” who reaches out… YOU receive as much as you give!  Don’t believe me?  Give it a try!  You’ll see!  Happens EVERY time!

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Published Feb. 14, 2023

By Jackie Garrison

 

WHY DID JESUS FOLD THE LINEN BURIAL CLOTH?

 

“Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His resurrection?  The Gospel of John 20:7 tells us that the napkin, which was placed over the face of Jesus, was just not thrown aside like the grave clothes.

John 20:6-7 (ESV)

6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus'[a] head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself.

The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly folded, and was placed separately from the grave clothes. Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and I don’t know where they have put Him!

Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see.. The other disciple outran Peter and got there first. He stooped and looked in and saw the linen cloth lying there, but he didn’t go in. Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrapping lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying to the side.

Was that important? ABSOLUTELY!!

In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about the Hebrew tradition of that day. The folded napkin had to do with the Master and Servant, and every Jewish boy knew this tradition.

When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it. The table was furnished perfectly, and the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating and the servant would not dare touch that table until the master was finished.

Now if the master were done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth and clean his beard, and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table. The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, “I’m done! “

But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because... The folded napkin means, “I’m coming back! “

Jesus knew He was coming back!

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- Author Unknown

FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND - Who Do You Know?

It’s not what you know … but who you know … we’ve all heard that expression at one time or another … and in life … sometimes … that holds true … This past Sunday I heard my pastor modify that statement to say ‘it’s not what you know … but who is known’ … this sprang into a whole line of thought …

Who knows you best in life? Your spouse? … your parents? … perhaps it’s a sibling or a friend … and who do you know best? I’m sure the same list would apply … and when we think about how well we know someone … what do we know? Do we think we know all of their secrets? Do they know all of yours? I can tell you now that the answer is no … everyone has secrets … no one knows everything about anyone … well … there is one exception … and not only does He know everything about you … He knows everything about every single person on earth …

God’s omnipotence … When one says God is omnipotent (omni-all, potent—power) they are proclaiming that He not only has ultimate power over all things … but He is also the source of all power … Though He sets limits on all of creation … He Himself is limitless in strength … wisdom … love … holiness … and the ability to perform His sovereign will … The omnipotence of God credits God with infinite power … over all … at all times … eternally … and in all ways … Complete ability belongs to Him. His control covers everything and everyone … from the smallest to the greatest … His righteousness cannot be compromised … nor can it be without purpose …

So who do you think knows you best? Who knows all of your secrets … all of your thoughts … all of your actions … all of your omissions … your blunders … your slips … your lapses … Jesus … He knows it all … absolutely everything … He knows totally and completely everything about you … there are no secrets … that’s amazing if you really think about it … that the person that matters the most … knows the most … the person who’s judgement means the most … will have the most impact on your eternal life … knows all … Let that sink in for a minute … You are totally known … totally … You’ve never had a feeling … you’ve never had a thought … you’ve never done a deed … there’s not been a twitch in your brain or in your heart or in your body … that he hasn’t known fully and completely … unmeasurably more than you know yourself … and He loves us anyway …

So … there is always someone that knows everything about you … someone that can totally see right through you … someone that can see right through your mask … He simply and absolutely knows … This relationship is like no other relationship … It’s breathtaking … If you relate to him at all … you have the freedom to relate to him as utterly laid bare … absolutely known ... There is one … and only one … who truly knows you … only one … Your spouse’s knowledge of you … your best friend’s knowledge of you … your siblings knowledge of you is nothing compared to this …

One of the deepest longings of the human soul is to know ones self … to understand who we are … and why we are … and the wonderful thing is … we always have someone we can go to who knows all of the answers to all of these questions … and will reveal them to us at the proper time … which means the only way to achieve complete self-knowledge is to go to Jesus … and over time … in proportion to what is good for you … he will begin to lay you bare … and you will begin to gain some measure of self-understanding … and in heaven it will be complete … and you will be completely purified so you won’t be devastated as you would be if you knew yourself completely here … He knows what we can handle … and it is glorious to know that we are known by one who can help us know ourselves …

Remember the story about Peter denying Jesus three times … and he felt horrible afterwards … after Jesus resurrection … Jesus ask Peter three times … “Do you love me?” … on the last round of questioning Peter’s answer was “Lord, you know everything … You know that I love You.” Just as Jesus knew Peter’s heart … He knows yours … He knows if you love Him or not … He knows if you have faith … or not …

John Piper said … “He is willing to love you, knowing everything about you. Now, the reason I say he’s willing to love you — that may sound like an odd way to say — is because Jesus doesn’t love everybody the same way. The way he loves his sheep, and his disciples, and his children, is different from the way he loves those who reject him.

This is the way Jesus prays for his own people in John 17:9: “I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.” So that’s who he’s praying for. That’s a love that he doesn’t have for the world. You could call it intercessory love”

Jesus today is in heaven, interceding for you. He intercedes for you. He bought this intercession on the cross, and he applies his own blood, before the Father, interceding for you, to see to it that you will make it to the end — which is what he said he did for Peter, just as Peter denied him. “I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again [not if, but when you have turned], strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:32). I know you’re going down, but I know you’re coming up, because I’ve prayed for you that your going down would not be a staying down.

This is the authority of Jesus’ prayer for His own … John 1:12 tells us “12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—” If you receive Him … you are a child of God … and Jesus count you as one of His brothers and Sisters … and He loves you … sullied little secrets and all …

So as I close … if you are feeling misunderstood … or you are searching … or if you just want the best friend you can ever have … turn to the One who can be …who is … and who forever will be …

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Originally published by Joan Paschal on Feb. 6, 2023