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Something tragic happened a few weeks ago. Something unexpected. Something unfathomable and unbelievable. Something that just doesn’t make sense. Kobe Bryant and his daughter and 7 other people’s families were torn apart on Sunday, January 26th. In an instant.
We can all speculate as to the cause but in the end, nothing is going to bring them back. We are only left with questions. Questions that don’t seem to have answers right now. I think about all of those kids growing up in not-so-great neighborhoods with not-so-great homes who have looked up to Kobe as an inspiration. He always spoke of not being defined by your past or your color or any malady but to keep moving forward and never give up. He not only said it, he did it. He would go out onto the court with torn ligaments and injuries because people were counting on him and he always kept his promises to his fans. He focused on hope and living out his dreams and he spent a lot of time working with kids to help them believe in their dreams too. It is times like these so many people ask “If there is a loving God, why do bad things happen to good people?” “Why would a loving God take someone who is such an inspiration to so many and is doing so much good in the world?” To me, something similar happened when I was just a teenager. I didn’t have a positive home life but thankfully I chose mentors that kept me on the straight and narrow throughout junior high, high school and college. I even chose some Christian musicians as my mentors. I would carefully listen to the words of the songs and they were like scriptures to help me repeat the promises of God through the dark times. I remember my first Christian album I ever bought. It was Keith Green’s “For Him Who Has Ears to Hear”. I wore out that album playing it daily. Since I grew up in Orange County, California, I would go every Saturday night to Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa where they had concerts. Keith Green would often play there. I remember meeting him and his wife Melody. She was nursing their first newborn at the time. They were this Jewish hippy couple who had found Jesus and they traveled often going out into the world to preach the gospel like Jesus did. Keith truly was doing what Jesus called us to do. His songs often rebuked the church and their apathy towards the oppressed and the homeless, poor and lost. He was frustrated….but he resonated with the. disconnected youth and those alter calls were huge. Lost kids getting found. It was an amazing experience to have the Holy Spirit so present in those concerts. My conversion stuck. It wasn’t a fad. I became a big fan. He was pointing me to Jesus and he was helping me have a closer relationship with God. He and his wife put out the “The Last Days Newsletter” and I quickly got on the mailing list. I looked forward every month to getting that and I read every article a number of times. I loved that newsletter because it was filled with so much great art and illustrations and being a young artist myself, that appealed to me. I wanted to be an artist when I grew up. Even though my family was not supportive, it was nice to know someone appreciated artistic talent even if it was someone I never even met. As the years went by, Keith put out a number of albums and had two more children with his wife Melody. He stayed my mentor throughout those years. He was at the height of his ministry at the time. He consistently brought so many young people to the Lord through his amazing, musical talent. He was a childhood protege whose song-writing, voice and piano playing were impressive, even by secular standards. Then tragedy struck. He took a quick plane ride with his friends on their ranch property where they were taking in the homeless and drug addicts. They were only in the air 20 seconds before it fell to the ground and burst into flames. Like Kobe’s helicopter, the plane had 9 members. No survivors. Along with Keith, were his two older children, Josiah 4 and Bethany 2. All three killed in the plane crash along with 6 others. At home, Melody, his wife, was with their one year old and she was also 6 weeks pregnant with their fourth child. At the time, I was so shocked I couldn’t think. I couldn’t even imagine Melody losing the love of her life and her two children at the same time. How does one get through the days or the hours, minutes or even seconds filled with such grief and loss? Why?!!, I cried aloud to God. “Why did it happen?” I asked my father. He said something that had to do with physics. “You can’t go outside the laws of physics”. Somehow that was a reasonable explanation to me at the time in one sense but in another…I wondered why God didn’t perform a miracle or protect him. He was doing so much good. Why would God not stop that tragedy? So, I spent years being heartbroken with so many unanswered questions. I admired Melody Green so much because she opened up her grief to the world and we all walked together with her through it one day at a time. She handled everything with such grace, and contentment and strength. I still don’t know how she did it except that the Lord brought her through. She knew her husband was with Jesus. The one he loved the most and she was okay with that, although devastated. The kids of course, innocent two and four year olds in heaven with him. To have the strength to keep going and raise a baby and deliver another one while you grieve three who have died, is nothing short of sainthood. She always has a smile on her face even through the tears. So when Kobe’s helicopter crashed a couple of weeks ago , all of those memories came back like it was yesterday. I would hear interviews from the newscasters and friends saying, “What do we do? We just don’t know the first thing to get us through this” and so many don’t. I don’t have all the answers except it’s not enough to give a hopeful sermon or talk to inspire. You have to show people what to do. How to navigate life when things don’t always go as you plan. To learn how to stay grounded when you’re in sinking sand. Our ways are not God’s ways. He didn’t create robots. He’s given us free will and there are a lot of things that go wrong because of human error and poor judgment. Innocent people get hurt or killed as a result of everyone having the freedom to choose. One thing I do know is that this world is not the final deal. The scriptures say, that absence in this life is presence with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:8. I have seen many near death experiences on YouTube. They tell of such a peace and contentment they never felt before. They experienced the unconditional love of Jesus and they seriously did not want to come back. This has been comforting for me to hear. It’s not the people that die who are saved that suffer…it’s the ones left behind. They are finally home if they have accepted Jesus because He’s the door to knowing the true nature of God. When I was 19, I knew this girl who would come to church by herself. Her name was Marny. She was only 16. She never missed a Sunday and always had a smile on her face. She went to church camp and ended up having a seizure under water and drowning. Once again, I asked God, “Why?” Why her? She was the sweetest girl I knew at the time! But then something happened. Her dad, mom and two brothers who were all atheists, all came to believe in Jesus and were saved through her death. That was a significant lesson for me. It taught me a lot. Marny was already saved but through her death, 4 more came to know Jesus. Therefore, if one’s life is cut short in their earthly life, when it comes to eternity, if it brings many more to the Lord who would have been lost otherwise, then their death. Is. not in vain. Now I’m not saying this to negate all the pain and suffering of losing a loved-one. It’s horrific…but I’m only looking at it from the other perspective as it deals with eternity. I think about what is going to happen to those kids whose mentor is now suddenly gone. They are traumatized. They have a choice. They can choose to have this tragedy bring them closer to God or farther away. It doesn’t ever work out to leave God at a time when He can comfort you the most. To trade in your grief for bitterness doesn’t work out in the end. I hope those kids that are Kobe fans, don’t reach for drugs or alcohol or act out in violence to escape the pain. I hope and pray that Kobe’s death will cause them to take the baton and continue the race of goodwill that Kobe left rather than choosing to go down a dark road. In the Bible, something similar happened that was devastating. Job lost all of his children, his possessions and his health. His grief is laid out in the scriptures and his pain was so deep it caused him to be ill with boils all over his body. The scriptures say, “At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.” (Job 1:20–21) How many times have we sat there in the midst of horrible grief and said, “blessed be the name of the Lord?!” Now that is true faith. To look beyond our circumstances and trust in the the fact that every wrong will be made right for those who love the Lord and have been called to His purpose. How many of us can truly believe this in the midst of heightened emotion? To rest in God’s peace even when you’ve lost everything? This was a test for me as well. Nothing went how I expected. I married someone who never kept his promises and ended up losing everything of material worth and experienced homelessness and hunger without seeing what was going to be on the other side of the next day. I had to get to the point where that journey was to gain knowledge and wisdom beyond my understanding and to trust God no matter what. Only through suffering can we gain understanding and compassion towards others who have suffered in similar ways. To have felt the pain they are feeling. To have navigated life in the midst of a fog of grief and having made it on the other side…you now are ready to help someone else as well and hold their hand and pull them up when they collapse in grief and tears. To make them feel they aren’t alone. God is with them and so are you. This is what I believe the baptism of the Holy Spirit is. Going through the fire of suffering. Feeling the pain but at the same time, experiencing God in a very real way rescuing you. The miracles you experience make all of your doubts go away. You really feel He is carrying you every step of the way and you will never be the same. Your faith is huge and now you can share that with others. Over 30 years after Keith Green’s tragic death, many have come forward stating that his death caused them to be a part of carrying that message of Jesus that he left on so many struggling teenagers. Those lost teenagers who heard the Good News from him, were saved and through his death, it motivated them to create ministries similar to what Keith Green was doing. I’m surprised today how many churches don’t have anything to with helping the poor, the abused, the oppressed and the addicted in their own neighborhoods. Keith Green was too. His song “Asleep in the light” talks about all of those self-righteous people in the church who close their eyes to the lost and hurting. I will leave the lyrics and a link in the description to his song. https://youtu.be/prJSdB126bw ASLEEP IN THE LIGHT- Keith Green Do you see, do you see All the people sinking down Don't you care, don't you care Are you gonna let them drown How can you be so numb Not to care if they come You close your eyes And pretend the job's done "Oh bless me Lord, bless me Lord" You know it's all I ever hear No one aches, no one hurts No one even sheds one tear But He cries, He weeps, He bleeds And He cares for your needs And you just lay back And keep soaking it in, Oh, can't you see it's such a sin? Cause He brings people to you door, And you turn them away As you smile and say, "God bless you, be at peace" And all heaven just weeps Cause Jesus came to your door You've left him out on the streets Open up open up And give yourself away You see the need, you hear the cries So how can you delay God's calling and you're the one But like Jonah you run He's told you to speak But you keep holding it in, Oh can't you see it's such a sin? The world is sleeping in the dark That the church just can't fight Cause it's asleep in the light How can you be so dead When you've been so well fed Jesus rose from the grave And you, you can't even get out of bed Oh, Jesus rose from the dead Come on, get out of your bed How can you be so numb Not to care if they come You close your eyes And pretend the job's done You close your eyes And pretend the job's done Don't close your eyes Don't pretend the jobs done Come away, come away, come away with Me my love, Come away, from this mess, come away with Me, my love. We fight in this country. We pick sides, we label, we attack our neighbors. Yet, when something like this happens, we come together and it’s beautiful. It reminds me of what America is supposed to be like. We are one country of individuals who have a heart and feelings and we all need love, support and encouragement. We should not forget this fact. Social media and news wants us to fight because bad news sells…but the American people are helpful, giving and kind. Turn off your tv and your phone and go help wipe a tear from someone’s eyes knowing that one day you will need someone to do the same for you. Let’s be there for each other.
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Many times we don't grow up with a good model for behavior. We just do what we have been shown to do from childhood without questioning if it is right or not. If we are taught these habits by our parents, we automatically assume they know best, are telling the truth and are showing us the best way to live our life. As children we trust our parents no matter what.
So now you are an adult and are still believing and doing the same things that your parents did...not questioning if what your parents told you or showed you was really the truth. The truth that sets you free is looking at these things from the past that we have avoided. Facing them...feeling the pain, allowing one to grieve as we say goodbye to the lies and embrace the truth about who we really are and our ultimate purpose. You don't have to be defined by your past and what you were told. You have a choice to become a new person. Every morning you are given a new day to slowly be transformed into a new person with purpose. Nothing is overwhelming if you just see it as one-day-at-a-time. That is how everyone changes. Rome wasn't built in a day and it takes awhile to create new, healthy habits. The key is to never give up. It's okay to fail and fall down. That is how we learn. Just get back up and keep moving forward. Jesus talked about imitating our earthly father's habits and mindset instead of our heavenly father's. If you have an earthly father who didn't and doesn't worship God, then he most likely didn't teach you God's way of living. He is teaching you man's way...and man's way can often times be self-serving and self-sabotaging. 31 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 “But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, ‘You will be set free’?” 34 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. 35 A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. 37 Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because there’s no room in your hearts for my message. 38 I am telling you what I saw when I was with my Father. But you are following the advice of your father.” 39 “Our father is Abraham!” they declared. “No,” Jesus replied, “for if you were really the children of Abraham, you would follow his example.[h] 40 Instead, you are trying to kill me because I told you the truth, which I heard from God. Abraham never did such a thing. 41 No, you are imitating your real father.” They replied, “We aren’t illegitimate children! God himself is our true Father.” 42 Jesus told them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me. 43 Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear me! 44 For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me! 46 Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47 Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.” John 8:31-47 So, in healing, one must go back to those things that you were told and that you assumed to be right and true and find out if they are the real truth. If they are good habits or bad habits. So many times, we just react and respond based on HABIT because that is all we know. Unless you are wiling to look at your own responsibility and your own part, you will always stay the victim. You can't change your parents or your spouse or anyone else...but you can make better choices for yourself and the results will be a better life of blessings and less suffering. Stop being your own worst enemy. Start loving and seeing you as God loves and sees you.  I started to take Sundays off as a Sabbath day. I owed God thousands of them over the years and now I am being obedient and taking care of me as well as others because, well, as a therapist once told me, “You’re a person too” and more importantly, I’m a daughter of the King! This has come with years of finally realizing and learning the hard way that my body had not forgotten all the missed day’s off.
After years of owning my own business and working 7 days a week, my body and health had suffered greatly from lack of rest. Even now, as I write this, I have not had a relaxing vacation in over 7 years. With everything I have been through, I have needed to just get away but it has taken all of my energy, time and money to heal and get back on my feet again. After spending another $500 on vet bills on Saturday, there went that vacation weekend…but nothing is stopping me from having a relaxing Sunday. So, yesterday, I decided to have my worship time riding my bicycle on the beach. There’s something about me getting on my bike that makes me feel so close to God. So many memories of adventures and encounters. Of seeing lovely scenery and climbing hills and valleys and crossing creeks. Getting out in God’s creation. I put my bicycle in the car and headed to the beach. Everyone had the same idea but I didn’t mind waiting in traffic because there was an interesting sermon I was listening to on the radio. Something I needed to hear. With my car parked by the shore, I pulled my bike out of my car and headed down the bike trail. My trek started from Huntington Beach to Newport Beach and beyond. I really didn’t have a plan but knew that it was the journey rather than the destination I was interested in. I was listening to classical music on my headsets and thanking God for the wonderful time. I was determined to have a vacation even if it was only for the day. Thirty minutes into my ride, my back tire went flat. “Oh no” I declared. I had my patch kit and pump but the stem had been torn from the inner-tube and couldn’t be repaired. I thought about all of those times that I was riding and had a flat but was always with someone who knew how to fix it. Even though I had an extra inner-tube, I didn’t know how to change it myself. I realized that my journey back would take at least an hour walking alongside my disabled bicycle. I said a prayer to God, “Lord, I’m so sorry I didn’t learn how to change a bicycle tire. If I did, I would be able to fix this. Thank you for providing everything I need for the day over and above what I need. Either provide the knowledge or provide someone with the knowledge to help me please. I promise I will learn if you would be so kind as to send me some help. Thank you God.” I have learned to never worry or get upset when things don’t go as planned because God always seems to show up in a big way. After I said my prayer, I gave it all to God and I just decided I would make the best of my walk and observe all the interesting things on my way back. I noticed beautiful houses and unique people out for their Sunday rides. It wasn’t 10 minutes later when I was passing a guy sitting in a chair on his porch in his nice beach property. He looked at me and I shrugged and said, “Flat tire. It’s a long walk back” He quickly stood up and said, “Stop! I’m not going to let you do that! Come here. I’ll fix your tire for you.” It was at that point I realized God answered my prayers again! I don’t have to wait very long before He answers in a big way…and I was just about to find out how big. He walked to his truck parked outside his place and I saw his bike in the back. He had a bike kit with tools. He proceeded to not only change my tire, but slowly tell me step-by-step, how to change my tire the next time it happens. He was patient and kind. I told him he was an angel who showed up and he was not only helping me but teaching me how to fish by teaching me to be able to do it the next time I get a flat. He said, “I love helping people. I do my best to always be there for people in need”. I told him I moved down here from Los Angeles a year ago to start a non-profit. He proceeded to tell me his name is Ronnie and that 21 years ago he was homeless and an alcoholic and Jesus saved him and now He speaks to others about how God helped heal him and inspires people and gives them hope. There are no accidents. There are no coincidences. I have countless stories to tell you of miracles happening. Something goes wrong and I immediately pray for the answer or someone to come along who does have the answer…and within minutes, God performs a miracle. These events are not mathematically possible by chance. I told Ronnie how proud of him I was and that we need more men like him to become mentors to other men and help lead them on the right path. Everyone can be a part of the solution if they are willing to do the little things to help those in need around them. Become a living testimony. Ronnie says He is thankful for Jesus and God’s grace and wants to share hope with others. Ronnie is a living testimony as to a solution that works permanently. The Bible promises that we can be transformed by the renewal of our minds. “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:2 I realized some people are filled with demons and some people are filled with angels. I’m glad there are angels walking around who listen to the Holy Spirit’s prompting. Someone is praying for us to show up to help and it’s up to us to listen to that voice of the Holy Spirit. Thank you Ronnie. Thank you God for taking care of me like you always do and always will. “Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters.Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.” Hebrews 13:1-3
I have never felt more free than on my bicycle. I wasn’t like normal girls. I didn’t have any sisters. In grade school, I hung around with the boys in the neighborhood and we went biking on the dirt paths through the orange groves. I loved it. I biked everyday.
I grew up in North Orange , CA and as I entered high school, I would take the path down the Santa Ana River to the beach. No one carried water with them in those days. It is a wonder we all survived. I would just buy some Diet Pepsi’s when I got to the beach and would soak up the sun all day. Around 3:00, I would get on my bike and head back home. It was 46 miles round trip but I didn’t think too much about it. It was awesome. I just got done riding my bicycle tonight. I found a great bike path that goes on forever that I can ride to from my place. It is wonderful. I still ride the same mountain bike I got in 1994. My first ride was the Crystal Cove Loop, Laguna Beach. I was dating a guy who thought it would be funny to take me on the same trail that professional mountain bikers train for competitions on. It was an almost impossible ride for a first-time rider like me…a 14 mile loop up what seemed like 90 degree hills. I did it though. I rode the whole loop! You would have thought I would have given up at that point. Nope. That ride is challenging even for the professional, so how hard can all the other trails be? Well, I spent years finding out. I took my bike everywhere. I loved going to Mammoth Mountain and Big Bear and riding the ski runs with my bike going as fast down the hills as I could. What a rush! Every morning before I went to work at Disney Studios, I would ride the fire trails in Eaton Canyon in Pasadena and would wave at the firemen on the way up the hills. It was my routine. It was a great way to stay in touch with nature and God as I was on my computer at work sometimes 12-14 hours a day. I have camped in the middle of nowhere in search of the best mountain-biking trails. I once camped a whole week on a remote beach in San Filipe Mexico with no facilities around for miles. I learned how to live off the land and loved the adventure. God prepares us all of our lives for our purpose. I am so grateful that He prepared me so well to survive out in the wilderness. If it hadn’t been for me learning everything about camping and surviving, I never would have survived being homeless after leaving my abusive marriage three years ago. I camped in tents and campers in the mountains, beach camp sites and in the middle of nowhere. I cooked food on park grills and campfire pits. I wasn’t scared of the dark or any animals. God equipped me for my journey. He put me on that path for a purpose…so I could teach others that no matter what comes your way, God has equipped you with the knowledge and experience and resources to survive and thrive. You just need to trust Him. You just need to trust yourself again. God has you. You will be fine. I would often recite this to remind me that I am never alone and either are you… “The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalms 23 Sonserae Leese October 28, 2018  I have been wanting to sweep up the leaves for the longest time but the Santa Ana winds made it necessary to not hold off on it any longer. So, this morning I grabbed my broom and trash can ready to face the challenge. As I looked at the task set before me, I realized the God of the Universe helped me out! The dirt and leaves were no longer stuck in the cracks and crevices around my place, but they were now in neat piles. The wind had cleaned up everything and placed them in a few manageable stacks. A job that would have taken me hours, was now cut down to just 30 minutes thanks to the one who is in charge of the wind and the stars.
As I swept, I noticed something amazing. A tree growing out of the concrete. Here is the photo. In Job 33 it says God speaks to us all of the time but we don’t recognize it. I have amazing things that happen to me everyday because I have learned that listening to that still, small voice is the most powerful thing I could ever do. It has saved my life many times in danger and given me wisdom beyond my understanding. As I swept out in front, a guy riding by on his bicycle yelled,“Are you going to keep that newspaper?” I said, “no” He said, “Oh, good, I love collecting coupons.” I replied, “You are welcome to it.” He got off of his bike and said, “I love my life. God is so good! I am content.” I said, “Yes He is! He gives us everything we need” He proceeded to tell me his story. This man got off his mountain bike with all of it’s gear. He appeared in good, physical shape from riding often. He said he used to be addicted to all kinds of drugs. He was mad at the world and in 1991 crashed his bike into a wall. He said he was in a coma for 2 months. He doesn’t remember much of his past except for his family filling him in on the details. He had to start over. He learned how to talk and walk again. He said God saved him. He explained he ended up being a missionary for 10 years traveling all over the world in different countries. “I have seen people so angry because they are hungry. They are hungry for food and hungry for God. God saved me and I am grateful and need nothing! I had to die to self in order to find out how to really live”. He continued with telling me amazing stories and then asked me if he could pray with me. He prayed with me like I prayed for that woman a couple of days ago outside of the restaurant. I was blessed by his story and testimony. More proof that if you have faith in God and repent, He will heal you and restore you. The last hour has been filled with a lifetime of lessons. We can make so many messes in our life and the wind can toss us about but God is the only one that can transform chaos into order. He can command the winds to blow and put all or our junk in a neat pile for us to easily grab and put in the Holy trashcan. We can just give it to Him in one fell swoop and Jesus will wipe it away and wash us clean. We can be like that little tree coming up from the cement. That tree that had hardness and hate all around it. It just focused on the light. It focused on the light that made it grow and breakthrough that hardness. One day at a time, it got stronger. It never gave up. Life coming from stone. Something that might be impossible for us, but possible with God. He gives us strength to go on. We can be like this man, who had to realize that God saved him for a purpose. He got back on his bike! The same situation that caused his accident. He faced his fears instead of avoiding them. He created new, happy memories with his bike again. He says he doesn’t remember his bad past and doesn’t want to but God gives him everything He needs today to thrive and be happy and content. We can rise from our dead life.…just like Jesus defeated death. Our life can have no hope but if we hold onto the one who says we have been given the same power to raise Jesus from the dead, we can prove that life can come from death. Death to self. We can be so arrogant to think that we know better than the one who created us. When we can finally realize through suffering and pain that we can’t do this on our own, then we can finally live and receive the abundant blessings that God has created for us before the world began. We can raise to a new life but only by dying to our own will. Life from death. Scripture reference: Mark 4:39-41 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” Job 33:14 For God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it. I Kings 9:12 And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. John 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. I John 1:7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. Numbers 20:8 “You and Aaron must take the staff and assemble the entire community. As the people watch, speak to the rock over there, and it will pour out its water. You will provide enough water from the rock to satisfy the whole community and their livestock.” Romans 8:11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. I Peter 5:10 In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. |
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February 2020
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