I've been sitting here reading my blogging friends' various posts from today and over the weekend, and I'm thinking that I should be writing something, but it seems as though I can't get my brain in gear to say anything. Stayed up last night and watched the Super Bowl, which is unusual for me, but hubby would have had to watch it alone if I didn't, and that didn't seem like much fun for him. Normally, or at least in times past, there would have been at least one or two of our sons here to watch with him. But since one got married this past fall and the other works evenings on the weekend they aren't around so much to watch the games with him. So, I actually got into it and enjoyed the game. I wasn't rooting for either team in particular, but was glad to see the Eagles win. They truly played the better game, and in my opinion, they deserved to win!
So that being said, as I was sitting here typing this, my brother in law called to tell us that he had just had a phone call that my mother-in-law's house has been broken into. He was on his way to check it out and see what kind of damage has been done. Sadly, her house has been sitting there empty for sometime since she has been in the nursing home. Due to circumstances beyond our control, we aren't able to sell her house yet, so this has been a major concern that vandals would discover it. We had removed most of the more valuable items from the house, but there was still quite a bit of furniture and appliances inside. This is not good news.
Yesterday's sermon verses seem to fit here:
John 10:10
"The thief does not come except to steal,
and to kill, and to destroy.
I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."
II Timothy 1:7
"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."
I John 4:1, 4
1. "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets
have gone out into the world."
4. "You are of God, little children,
and have overcome them, because
He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world."
(Pictures from the beautiful camellia bushes that are blooming at the church)
When fears and disappointments come our way, we have a tendency to run and hide and throw up our hands in fear and surrender to the enemy.
(For a little comic relief, I just had to throw this picture in, which is at a three way intersection on our way to the town where the church is that we attend. It is someone's way of getting our attention so that we don't drive straight into the woods! )
But God has come to give us a spirit of "power, and love and a sound mind." We need to remember that our God is able to deliver us from the hands of the evil one...
We need not fear what man may do to us, for we belong to Jesus...and "Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world."
It is sad when things that are of value to us are stolen or damaged or lost...but they are just that...things. In the grand scheme of life, those things are not what is really important.
What is truly important is our soul, mind and spirit...and when we belong to Jesus,
no man can take us away from Him.
John 10:28-29
"And I (Jesus) give them eternal life,
and they shall never perish;
neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.
My Father, who has given them to Me,
is greater than all;
and no one is able to snatch them out of
My Father's hand."
You Belong to Jesus? Never Fear!
Praise God!!
