And Let There Be Light... Again

by Keith Gardner

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. –Gen. 1:1-3

Before there was anything there was God. God transcends time, space, matter, consciousness, knowing, thinking and creating. If God was in the beginning before there was anything else then nothing else is as important as God. God is all that matters. If God is all that matters why do we spend some much of our time chasing after so many other things besides God? The other things are a distraction from what is really important.

The Two Disobediences

by Keith Gardner

We are all familiar with the story of the prodigal son as found in Luke 15:11-32.

Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them. "Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. "When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him." The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' "But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate. "Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. "Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.' "The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!' "'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'"

This is an important story and is a key to proper kingdom living. There are two brothers; these two brothers represent how we tend to live as believers if we are not mindful. The father is God; he is our Heavenly Father. The sons are the father’s children, sons of God, or believers. The first son was given his blessings. He used his blessings as he pleased to indulge himself. He squandered his blessings until they were all gone. What a shame. God never intends us to indulge in his blessings; they are always met to be shared with others. This is disobedience number one; let’s call it self-indulgence.

McAngels

by Linda Hagen

My wait at the traffic signal seemed interminable. Sweat ran down my face on this, the fifth day in a row of suffocating July temperatures.  My water jug was empty, my truck's AC was on the fritz, and my mood was growing more foul by the moment. I endured my time in the red light purgatory by studying the McDonald's billboard across the road.


There, featured in all its glory was... a chocolate shake.  An extreme close up of the twelve foot tall shake showed little rivulets of water running down the outside of the cup. So cool to the fingertips. Inside the cup, well, inside was that heavenly, chocolaty, thick, cold creamy shake, guaranteed to slake the thirst and soothe the soul. And there was the McDonald's, right around the corner.

Hearing God

by Keith Gardner

A few year ago, during a particulary vurnerable time I wrote this poem or what ever one might call it. Please listen to it.

Notice the Lonely

Early in the morning, long before the bustle of busy people begin stirring the houses to life, and filling the streets with motion, I stand there, staring out of the window at the cold dark night. My own motions seem pointless. When I move the air is not stirred; the leaves are not rustled. My life cannot even manage a whisper in the mist of the roar of rowdy time; invisible to all; the unintended chameleon.

Healing

by Steve Ferber

I am not writing this to give biblical teaching; this is just an account of my experience with the Lord concerning physical healing in my life.  It all started in the early 1980’s.  At the end of the church service the pastor said that the Lord was present for healing, to come forward to be prayed for.  There were several people praying for healing.  As I waited in line a man came up to me and asked what I needed prayed for.  He said that he wanted to pray for my healing.  I told him that there has been a lot of pain in my left knee.  He knelt down and laid his hands on my knee asking the Lord to heal it.  I could not tell you everything that he said because while he was praying I was really hoping it was the pastor who was praying for me.  Well God healed my knee right then, despite my wrong attitude!  The biggest lesson I learned was that God was not a respecter of persons; not me because he did not use the person l thought he should.  I also learned not to look at the person that the Lord chooses to use, Gods ways are not my ways.

Prepare YOU, the way of the Lord

by Steve Ferber

Easter Sunday, what a wonderful celebration for us Christians!  A time of celebrating the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Churches may celebrate a little differently, but we all rejoice in the fact that thru the blood of Jesus Christ our sins our forgiven and by His stripes (the physical punishment he endured prior to the crucifixion) we are healed.