Cathy Bryant's Blog: CatBryant.com ~ Journey Blog, page 31

PROOF: Why The World Is So Evil

A heavy gray curtain veiled the morning sky. Then, in a mere heartbeat, between leaden skies and lofty mountain top a small sliver of light appeared, bursting forth in all is glory, illuminating the dark morning.

Isn’t it comforting to know that no matter how dark it gets, how stormy it seems, the sun is still there, temporarily hidden from view, still shining its light, day after day after day?

The same glorious effect can be noticed in a dark room. It can be so dark that you literally cannot see your hand in your face, but one tiny flame breaks and dispels that darkness.

We’ve all been there, haven’t we?

At some point in our lives, the happy bubble we lived and played in as children breaks, and suddenly we are very much aware of dark and foreboding evil. Sometimes it gets so dark we wonder if the light is still there, if we’ll ever escape the darkness.

One of the first (and biggest) questions we get from unbelievers is this: If there really is a God, and if He really is good and loving, why does He allow evil to exist?

My hope and prayer for this blog post is that I can lay forth some evidence that will help us understand this present darkness we live in. I hope to prove that the sun is still there, that all we see is temporary and fleeting, that beyond this is everlasting day, much like what we experience when we soar via airplane above the dark clouds.

Before I get to that part of the post though, let me lay the groundwork by reminding everyone about the first two posts in the series. These two post heavily influence my argument here, so they must necessarily come first.

First we learned that there is indeed proof that a being higher than ourselves exists. The proof lies in the innate moral code that lies within each human being regardless of culture, socioeconomic status, and upbringing. The second evidence is creation itself. It is far too complex and diverse to have evolved or just happened by two heavenly bodies colliding.

The second thing we learned is that the Bible is true and God’s revelation to us of who He is and what He is doing. No book has been more scrutinized beneath the microscopes of men throughout the ages. No book has had more of its prophetic utterances come to pass. No book has held the power to impact millions of lives. No book has so much archaeological evidence supporting it. No book, written by forty men over several hundred years–all from different backgrounds, cultures, and educational levels–has been so consistent in its message. The Bible is Truth and God’s message to man.

Before Evil

All that God created was good. Early on in the story of creation, we see God–that great Power behind the moral code that exists within each of us–exerting His power and speaking our current world into being. After each day, God proclaims His work to be “good.” The only exception to this pattern is the sixth day, the day God created mankind. Instead of just good, He declares His creation to be “very good” (Genesis 1:31). In other words, it was perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

We can learn a lot about the nature of God in this early account of our world. We don’t see Him haphazardly slapping a few ingredients together to make the universe. Nor do we see Him tossing man to the ground and saying, “Okay, let’s see if you can survive.”

Instead we are treated to a master artisan weaving an intricate and complex tapestry, making man in the image of Himself, breathing His very life into man, placing Adam and Eve in a paradise that would provide all they needed, and walking with them in the cool of the day (in other words, in a one-on-one relationship with them). Even when the two “mess up,” we see God seeking them out from their hiding places and lovingly creating clothes to cover them.

The Background of Evil

Before we get to the interaction between forces of evil and mankind, I think it’s important to realize where evil started. Besides this created world, there is also God’s dwelling place in heaven and an angelic army at His disposal.

One of these angelic beings–overcome by pride in his own personal beauty and his desire for power–was cast to the earth. Demoted. You can read about it here: Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:11-17; Luke 10:18). As you can well imagine, this cherub who once enjoyed the splendor of heaven isn’t at all happy about his demotion. He knows full well his time is limited, so he is doing all he can to make earth a miserable place to live and to deceive as many people as possible into taking his side in the conflict.

The Advent of Evil

In Genesis 3 of God’s message to the world we see this fallen creature–Satan, the devil, the embodiment of evil–begin his attempt on earth to bring man under his power. And he succeeds. Through lies, trickery and an appeal to man’s free will, Eve and Adam both succumb.

That one compromise, that one seemingly tiny event, changed the course of human history. Evil entered the world, and all succeeding generations became genetically disposed to sin, which simply put, is rebellion against God and His goodness.

The Course of Evil

From then on out in the Bible, we see God’s attempt to put things right and Satan’s equal determination to keep the power on his side. In other words, we are in the midst of a civil war. There is a spiritual war going on around us and inside us–yes, in case you haven’t noticed, evil isn’t confined outside us–it’s also within.

But there is great good news: God sacrificed His only Son–Jesus Christ, God with skin on–to take care of our sin problem once and for all. All we have to do is accept the gift by faith and hand our lives over to His control.

For now, we still live in enemy-occupied territory. Our faith and relationship with other believers is the insurrection against evil, the revolution if you will, that will one day culminate with a battle in which our Savior reclaims what is His once and for all and throws the enemy of our souls into a pit from which there is no escape.

How to Live in the Midst of Evil

Until that final battle, we all have a choice to make. How will we live in the midst of this fallen world? We must take sides. There is no middle ground. The choice not to be on God’s side means that you are choosing the enemy and evil. If that sounds too simplistic, so be it. It’s the Truth.

But you should also know this. If you turn your life in faith over to God, He will provide all you need: help, encouragement, a growing faith, forgiveness for your sins and the evils you commit, spiritual armor, companionship through His Spirit, an Advocate in heaven who states our case before God Almighty, and so much more!

The choice is yours. Which will it be? God and His goodness or the enemy and his evil? For the love of all that is good, don’t let the enemy deceive you into taking his side.

Oh Father, we see evil everywhere we look–in wars, famine, pestilence, corporate greed, corrupt government–and in the mirror. Thank You, Lord, that You haven’t left us alone as we dwell in the midst of evil. Instead, for those who willingly lay down their lives to make You Lord and Savior, You and Your kingdom dwell within us, creating heaven on earth. Jesus, we pray for those that have been deceived, especially those that once professed You as their King. Help them to wake up. Remove the scales from their eyes. Help them to see You. And as Your people, may we stand up as readied soldiers in the heavenly battle against evil. In Your holy, precious, and powerful Name we pray. Amen.

The post PROOF: Why The World Is So Evil appeared first on Cathy Bryant.

TEXAS ROADS: 99-Cent Sale (And Special Request)

Just wanted to write a quick post to let you all know that TEXAS ROADS is on sale at Amazon for just 99-cents (Kindle version). Just in case, anyone out there doesn’t already know, this was my first novel. It was a finalist in the  2009 American Christian Fiction Writers’ Genesis contest and tells the story of a woman searching for a home. And home she finds…just in an unexpected way. (Isn’t that how the Lord usually works?)

Back Cover Book Description:

One secret kept, another uncovered…

Dani Davis just wants a place to call home. With quirky residents, quaint country charm, and loads of business potential, Miller’s Creek, Texas seems like the perfect place to start over…except for the cowboy who gives her a ride into town. Dani secretly finances renovations to downtown Miller’s Creek, but malicious rumors force her to choose between keeping her involvement a secret and the home for which she’s always longed. Then a devastating discovery propels her down a road she never expected to travel.

Steve Miller is determined to rescue his dying hometown. When vandals jeopardize the renovation, he can’t help but suspect Dani, whose strange behavior has become fodder for local gossips. Can Steve and Dani call a truce for a higher cause, and in the process help Dani recognize the true meaning of home?

Special Request

I have a special request.

First of all would you share this sale with your network of friends and family either by e-mail, word-of-mouth, or social media sites? I would really appreciate it. I do all I can to get the word out when there is a sale going on, but I need an army of volunteers to truly spread the news. And please consider sharing the book with lost friends as well as those that already believe.

Quick story. Shortly after TEXAS ROADS was published, I was contacted by a prison ministry organization that placed Christian books and Bibles in prisons wanting to know if I would be interested in donating several copies. I jumped at the opportunity, because my primary reason for writing is to share God’s message of redemption. There are people out there who might not ever crack open a Bible, but they will pick up a work of fiction.

Fast-forward several months. I received a letter from a woman inmate in Texas who had just read Texas Roads. I cried tears of joy as she shared how the book had touched her life and how she was sharing it with other women in the prison. One of those moments that I felt like I needed to fall on the floor in worship and praise. What a blessing!

Okay. Off my side story now. If you receive this post in your inbox, you can simply forward it on to your friends. If you’re reading it at my website, you can scroll down to the bottom of this post to use the share buttons. (One of those buttons is actually for sharing via e-mail, but you can copy the link in the browser bar and include it in an e-mail.)

Secondly, if you’ve read the book (or if you read it after purchasing it during this sale), would you take just a few minutes to leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes & Noble, etc.? Reviews can make or break a book, because readers pay attention to them. Authors depend on your reviews to help sell their books (even during a sale)!

Thank you so much for your help. I appreciate it more than you know and more than I adequately express.

Wishing you and yours God’s richest blessings,

 

 

 

The post TEXAS ROADS: 99-Cent Sale (And Special Request) appeared first on Cathy Bryant.

PROOF: How Do We Know the Bible is True?

In writing the next Miller’s Creek Novel, Crossroads, a story about a non-believer’s journey to faith in Christ, I’m attempting to study the various arguments against Christianity and the rebuttals. I want to share my research here, not just for the sake of argument, but so that each of us are “always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence” (1 Peter 3:15).

Our first post in the PROOF blog series discussed proof of a Higher Being by virtue of an innate moral code within mankind and the created universe around us. In this blog post I want to discuss how we can know without doubt that the Bible is true.

Why? Because this is usually one of the first questions posed to Christians by non-believers. Also, since I used scripture in my first post, I wanted to defend the truth, significance, and accuracy of the Bible as one of my sources.

The Bible – The Facts

So let’s look at the facts that I believe prove the accuracy and truth of the Bible:

The Bible was penned by forty men from various occupations and educational levels on three continents in three languages over a 1,500-year time span. In spite of this diversity, the message of God’s redemption is a consistent thread from one book to another. Though some may argue that a great collusion took place in order for the Bible to be so consistent, we must remember that not all of the writers would have had access to the earlier books. In addition, the Bible was written in a time when there weren’t conference calls, Skype, e-mail, etc.
Biblical prophecies, often given with great detail, have been fulfilled with startling accuracy. Statisticians will tell you that the chance of just eight of the 300+ prophecies dealing with Christ’s birth taking place are 1 x 10 to the twenty-eighth power. Here’s what that looks like written out: 1 in 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.  Yet all of the prophesies regarding the birth of Jesus were fulfilled. “The very dimension of the sheer fulfillment of prophecy of the Old Testament Scriptures should be enough to convince anyone that we are dealing with a supernatural piece of literature….God has himself planted within the scriptures an internal consistency that bears witness that this is His Word.” R.C. Sproul, Now That’s a Good Question.
The historical events chronicled in the Bible are accurate and substantiated by other historical records. The Babylonian invasion, the Assyrian invasion, the Pharoahs and pyramid-building of Egypt, the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, etc.
Archaeological finds have confirmed the accuracy of the Bible as well as places and events recorded in the Bible. As an example, the walls of Jericho were found in a position that matches what the Bible says happened. In addition we have thousands of manuscript copies of the New Testament (compared to The Iliad which has less than 700 copies and the works of Aristotle, of which there are only a handful, neither of which are disputed). And the New Testament itself, along with the Dead Sea Scrolls and other manuscripts, corroborate the accuracy of the Old Testament. The Bible has been hand-recorded through various scribes over a large period of time, with astonishing accuracy. There are no serious contradictions or errors, and in places where there are minor discrepancies, the content meaning does not change.
What we now know to be scientific fact was recorded in the Bible long before they were scientifically confirmed. These include: the earth as a sphere (Isaiah 40:22; Job 26:10), the infinitesimal universe (Isaiah 55:9), the water cycle (Ecclesiastes 1:7; Job 36:27-28), the vast array of stars (Jeremiah 33:22), the importance of blood to life (Leviticus 17:11), atmospheric circulation (Ecclesiastes 1:6), gravitational pull (Job 26:7), etc.
The geographical accuracy of the Bible has been substantiated through archaeological finds. Biblical places once thought suspect have since been confirmed through archaeological findings. In sharp contrast, other religious books list places that have not been proved to exist (in addition to being penned by one author without anything to back it up).
Eyewitness accounts of those who lived during Biblical times also verify the accuracy of the Bible. What makes this even more mind-boggling is that many of these eye-witnesses testified to the truth in spite of persecution. Would you risk your life to testify for something false? “It is no moderate approbation of Scripture that it has been sealed by the blood of so many witnesses, especially when we reflect that they died to render testimony to the faith …with a firm and constant, yet sober, zeal toward God.” John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion.
Another proof for the Bible is the approximately one thousand references within scripture that mention God or Jesus speaking, even though the individual books were written by different men who never claimed that the words they were writing came from them.

The Bible – The Arguments

Some will argue that the canonization process vulgarized the original scripture, but that is inaccurate. Many criterion were used to make sure that only the most reliable manuscripts were included. These criteria included, but weren’t limited to: conformity to the Christian faith, historical credibility through apostolic influence, and widespread and continuous acceptance by the church.

Others will argue that the number of translations available today prove that the Bible is inaccurate. Actually, many of the Greek and Hebrew words can’t properly be defined with just one English word. Only by study of the various translations can we get the most complete picture of the Bible’s original meaning.

The Bible – In Conclusion

The Bible is the world’s all-time best-seller. Men have tried to eradicate it and deny its source, but have failed. It’s the only book that reads the person reading it. Instead of being changed, the Bible changes those who read its words with sincerity. Billions of people from different cultures, continents, and periods in history have read it with the same results and have agreed through personal experience that it is true, wise, and sound. It has been scrutinized more than any other document in the history of the world, substantiated by other records, and not been proved false. No other religion’s books can make these claims.

Without a doubt, the Bible is God’s revelation of Creation, the fall of man, and God’s solution to redeem a fallen world. Though one book cannot contain Him, we are given enough information in God’s Word to know what happened to God’s good Creation, what He is like, and how we need to live in light of His perfect plan.

Since we’ve determined through this post that the Bible is indeed true and accurate, let’s look at what the Bible has to say about itself.

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” -Matthew 5:17-18

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness… -2 Timothy 3:16

So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. -2 Peter 1:19-21

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. -Hebrews 4:12

So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;

It will not return to Me empty,

Without accomplishing what I desire,

And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. -Isaiah 55:11

(And in case my arguments don’t make sense, listen to Ravi Zacharias in the video below.)

The post PROOF: How Do We Know the Bible is True? appeared first on Cathy Bryant.

PROOF: Proof of a Higher Being

In preparation for writing the next Miller’s Creek novel, Crossroads, which tells the story of a woman who has exchanged a life of belief in God for atheism, I’ve been doing quite a bit of study on the why’s and how’s of belief in God. I truly believe that God is directing me to write this particular story. The pull to this topic began for me early in 2014, first with a children’s musical and then Vacation Bible School which both discussed evidence for God’s existence and a need for Christians to defend their faith. This was further affirmed through the movie, God’s Not Dead*.

I honestly cannot think of a more relevant topic for today, since droves of former God-fearing Christians are defecting to the other side. I hope that through the new novel and this blog post series I can give those still in God’s army ammunition to use in drawing our former comrades back into our ranks.

And lest we think we can shirk this all-important task, allow me to point to a passage in Ezekiel, where God made Ezekiel a watchman for the rebellious house of Israel, who had exchanged God’s glory for man-made idols. (Sounds all-too-familiar, doesn’t it?)

“When I say to the wicked, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to warn the wicked from his wicked way that he may live, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. Yet if you have warned the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered yourself. Again, when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I place an obstacle before him, he will die; since you have not warned him, he shall die in his sin, and his righteous deeds which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. However, if you have warned the righteous man that the righteous should not sin and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; and you have delivered yourself.” -Ezekiel 3:18-21 (NASB)

In other words, we are our brother’s keeper. Turning people to God is our responsibility.

In this series of blog posts I will address relevant topics that prove God’s existence, His love and concern for the people He created, and the need to turn to Him as the Lord of our lives. I hope also to rebut some of the arguments hurled at us from those who don’t believe.

Proof of a Higher Being – A Collective Sense of Right and Wrong

This first post in this blog series, PROOF, reveals a universal moral code that exists within each human despite differences in culture, socioeconomic status, and upbringing.

Think about it for a second. Every person, regardless of whether they are ‘good’ or ‘bad,’ regardless of where or how they grew up, have a sense of right and wrong behavior. Though we don’t always live by this unwritten code of ethics, we can attest to it. We all have a sense of fairness or justice that’s somehow embedded deep within us.

So where does this ethical or moral code come from? Does it originate with man? Hardly.

The very fact that men are incapable of keeping this code proves that it originates outside of us. Therefore it can only be assumed that Someone or Something bigger than us created the code or at least created us with the code buried deep within the fiber of our being.

To me, this is evidence exhibit number one in the case for God’s existence and superiority to mankind.

Proof of a Higher Being – Creation

Another proof lies in Creation itself. And no surprise, but this very point is illustrated and confirmed in God’s Word.

The heavens are telling of the glory of God;

And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.

Day to day pours forth speech,

And night to night reveals knowledge.

There is no speech, nor are there words;

Their voice is not heard.

Their line has gone out through all the earth,

And their utterances to the end of the world. -Psalm 19:1-4 (NASB)

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. -Romans 1:20 (NASB)

Notice that the heavens are continuing to express God’s glory and His role as Creator. And across the globe and around the planet, all men have seen it. This leaves us all without excuse.

There will be those who take the position of the big bang theory and evolution as a way of denying God. My answer to either of those theories is that it takes a lot more faith to believe either one than it does to believe in the existence of God. In addition, if they’re right and I’m wrong, then I’m no worse off. However, if I’m right and they’re wrong, it means a life of eternal separation from the presence and power of God for them. In one word, death.

Proof of a Higher Being – Questions and Answers

One of the first questions we might face in drawing people to God is: “What proof or evidence is there that there is a God?”

Our answer as revealed above is two-fold: the existence of a universal sense of right and wrong (justice/injustice, good/evil) AND the created world that exists around us. Remember: it’s our job to speak up. We have no control over others’ response. Our prayer should be for a planted seed that causes others to at least consider and mull over our case for Christianity. And ultimately, we pray that all men will turn to God.

Heavenly Father, thank You for proof that You are. There is nowhere we can look and not see evidence of Your existence. In addition, You’ve embedded in the makeup of mankind a knowing of right and wrong. Lord, as we stake a claim for the souls of men for Your Kingdom in this enemy-occupied territory, give us a holy boldness and sense of urgency. We pray for seeds to be planted and lives to be eternally changed. Amen.

*Affiliate link. I am an Amazon affiliate which allows me to earn a small income from referrals when a product is purchased from Amazon.

The post PROOF: Proof of a Higher Being appeared first on Cathy Bryant.

How to Get From Here to There

Imagine you’re on a trip. Finally you reach a place where you can see your final destination. But there’s a problem. While you can see it with your eyes, in your limited human ability it’s impossible to get from here to there. As impossible as reaching the sun.

Here to There – Man’s Attempt to Reach God

That is an accurate picture of man and God. On our own, we can’t get from here to there. Religion, morality, philosophy, enlightenment, knowledge–none of it can bridge the gap between man and the God who created Him.

But there is good news.

Even though God, in His holiness, cannot abide sin, He loves us and longs to be in a relationship with us. In fact, He is the One who takes the initiative in seeking us out.

Here to There – Hide and Seek

Consider these verses about the first sinful men.

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:8-9, NIV)

Notice what man did. He hid (or attempted to hide) from God.

And then see what God did. He called out to man with the question: Where are you?

While it is true that our sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:2), God isn’t the One who moves away. We’re the ones responsible for the separation. We’re the ones who hide. God, in His great love and mercy, seeks us out, longing for reconciliation.

Still not convinced?

Then remember the story Jesus told of the prodigal son. As soon as he recognized that he had messed up, the prodigal humbly started his trip back home. The father ran to the son while he was still a long way off and embraced him.

Here to There – The Big Lie

We must recognize that we live in enemy-invaded territory and in a time when the enemy has sold us a big lie about how to get to God. Satan wants us to believe that there are many ways to get from here to there.

Don’t fall for it!

Here to There – One Way: Jesus

There is only one way to get to God, and that is through His prescribed method of de-sinning and forgiving us–His Son, Jesus Christ. Only Jesus can take away the sin that causes us to hide from God. Only He can remove our blame and guilt and shame.

So how do we get from here to there? One word: Jesus. Nothing else works.

God loves you, and still He calls: Where are you?

The post How to Get From Here to There appeared first on Cathy Bryant.

The Risky Business of Faith and Obedience

Ever go through one of those times when you wonder if anything you do is really making a difference?

Yeah, me too.

I’m sure Peter must have felt the same way in the story told in Luke 5:1-11. He and his friends James and John had fished all night with no results. Then while washing out their nets, this stranger called Jesus crawls aboard and asks Peter to move the boat further out. He does so, and the guy proceeds to teach a gathered crowd from the boat.

Risky Business – Doing What Doesn’t Make Sense

When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” (Luke 5:4, NASB)

Can’t you just imagine what went on inside Peter’s head? They’d toiled all night and caught nothing. They must have been exhausted. Surely their arms were sore from casting out the water-logged nets over and over again with the same disappointing results. They’d just washed out their nets. What Jesus requested made absolutely no sense. But in simple faith they obeyed what Jesus said.

Risky Business – The Results

When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break;so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink. (Luke 5:6-7, NASB)

These three fishermen must have been overjoyed at their catch, especially after the discouragement of the previous night. As they reeled in their over-abundant catch, did economic prosperity at least enter their thoughts for a brief second? Probably. But as they considered what had just taken place, another realization took over.

Risky Business – The Response

But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!” For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken;and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. (Luke 5:8-10, NASB)

Some translations liken Peter’s emotion, here called amazement, to terror. And that’s exactly what I would have felt. Something akin to an electrical shock must have rippled through his body at what had just happened and a dawning awareness of who Jesus was knocked him to his knees.

Risky Business – Committing to the Unknown

And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.” When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him. (Luke 5:10-11, NASB)

Life for these three men would never be the same. For Peter, James, and John, it meant leaving behind the tools of their trade and their livelihood to follow Jesus. And they did so without hesitation or question, even though they truly had no idea what the future held.

Risky Business – The Application for Us

First of all, the Lord will often call us into deep water, a place that feels, well, a little unsafe. So many bad things can happen in deep water, right? Swift and unexpected storms, waves that toss us about until we feel sick, the possibility of falling overboard. We don’t like being where we can’t touch bottom, and we much prefer the security of the shoreline where we can watch at a distance.  Faith-stretching and obedience-testing isn’t a whole lot of fun. And quite frankly some of the things we feel Jesus telling us to do don’t make a whole lot of sense–much like uncharted and deep water. Even in not making sense it somehow does make sense. After all, nothing significant really happens in shallow water, does it?

Secondly, when we risk it all and follow Him in heart-trusting obedience, we can expect results. Honestly this is where it gets hard from me, because I don’t always see results. But consider this. We may never know this side of heaven the impact we make on others through faithful obedience. Someone who is struggling with their Christian walk may gain strength from our example. Someone may decide to launch out into the deep and follow Christ. Results are happening. Seeds are planted. Fish are caught. Boats launch out for deeper waters. Some of this we might see with human eyes. As for the rest, we just have to trust that if we are following Christ in obedience, there will be results.

Next, our response to God’s presence in our lives and Him working through us should knock us to our knees in a new awareness of Who He is. This isn’t just another person, a great teacher or leader. This is all-powerful Creator and Sovereign God who can’t be fully explained with human verbiage. And in light of this knowledge, we should recognize our inadequacy and sinfulness, and confess.

And lastly, our experience with the Divine should change and challenge all of us. We mustn’t grow lackadaisical in our walk with Christ. He takes us where we are and pushes us into new situations–situations that seem a bit uncomfortable and uncertain–but that grow our dependence on Him. Even when it means leaving behind all we’ve ever known.

After all, “a ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what ships are for.” You and I are built for the deep waters of faith and obedience. So let’s launch out at His command, no matter how risky it might feel.

The post The Risky Business of Faith and Obedience appeared first on Cathy Bryant.

Excited About Christian Kindle eBooks!

Hi everyone! Just wanted to share with you a new website I started last week called Christian Kindle eBooks. I had many reasons for starting the site: I wanted to help promote Christian books, especially freebies, bargains, giveaways, and new releases. In addition, I wanted to give authors a place to share mini-interviews for more online exposure for them and their books. And last, but not least, I am an Amazon affiliate, which means when people click the links to purchase a book, I get a small commission. This is just pennies on the dollar, so I’m lucky if I make $30 a month, but I’m trying to do everything I can to continue to write Christian books without taking on a full-time outside job.

Hopefully the site will grow to become an online stopping point for Christian books, both fiction and non-fiction. Everyday except Sunday I list ten books in the freebie and bargain category. You can actually subscribe so that these posts land in your e-mail inbox. And I tweet as many bargain books as I can find in addition to the ten books in the post. If you’re on Twitter, you can follow Christian Kindle eBooks HERE. Our Twitter handle is @ChristianKeBook. I also post all the bargain book finds I come across each day at Christian Kindle eBooks Facebook page and on the Christian Books ~ Giveaways, Freebies, Bargains, New Releases Facebook group.

In addition to the daily posting, we are compiling a list of all the 2014 Christian book releases and also link to Amazon’s Top 100 categories in the Christian Book categories.

For all my author friends out there, please check out our super low advertising rates for special features of your books as well as our free author interviews to help promote you and your books. Also be sure to contact us with your 2014 releases so we can add them to the list. You can also let us know when your books will be free or on sale via the Contact Us tab so we can help you promote them.

I hope you’ll all take a minute to check out the new site, subscribe, and especially share us with your friends and family so they’ll know about the book goodies as well! As always…

Thanks for your support,

P.S. Don’t forget that Pilgrimage of Promise is on sale for just 99-cents right now. Please help me hit the Amazon best-seller list by sharing the info with your friends and family.

 

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PILGRIMAGE OF PROMISE Sale

Happy Friday, friends! Just wanted to let you all know that the Kindle version of PILGRIMAGE OF PROMISE will be on sale for the next few days for only 99-cents. It will be a while before this one comes around again, so if you haven’t snatched it up for yourself or shared it with a friend, you might wanna do that!

I recently gave myself a mini-course on writing Amazon book descriptions for the purpose of doing some update work on the books. Here’s the end result for this particular book.

Pilgrimage of Promise Sale – Book Description:

2013 Grace Award Nominee (Reader-Nominated)

“…Karen Kingsbury meets Nicholas Sparks.” ~Amazon reviewer

Amazon best-selling Christian fiction author Cathy Bryant delivers a timeless story of love gained, betrayal, and the unfailing promises of God.

Broken promises, enduring love…

A dusty stack of unopened love letters forces Bo and Mona Beth Miller to revisit a part of their past they’d rather leave buried-especially in the face of impending death. Only as they retrace history will they learn the truth about the shattered promise that threatens to come between them. But can their relationship endure the deception and sabotage they unearth, or will the experience compel them to trust more fully in the promises that never fail?

If you enjoy a faith-based read that makes you laugh and cry while driving home Biblical truth, Pilgrimage of Promise is the book for you!

(Makes you want to go out and buy about a thousand copies, right?)

Pilgrimage of Promise Sale – What Readers Are Saying (Reader’s Digest version):

“…her strongest yet.”

“An amazing, touching read…”

“Heartwarming story…”

“Excellent book!”

“Best book yet!”

“Great addition to a great series!”

Pilgrimage of Promise Sale – Excerpt

And for those of you haven’t yet read the book (my personal favorite of all five books), here’s an excerpt from the first few pages.

Mona Beth lifted a hand to her aching chest and peered down at the only man she’d ever loved. Garbed in a light blue hospital gown, her gentle giant somehow seemed small and vulnerable amidst the towering machines which surrounded his bed. Though his eyes were closed in sleep, the wrinkle between his now-white brows revealed pain and suffering. She allowed her gaze to linger on every nuance of the face she’d memorized years ago, growing fear returning to gnaw at the last fringes of her unraveling hope.Her heart leaped to its familiar position in her throat. Somehow she had to find the strength to make it through this valley, not for herself, but for Bo. He wouldn’t recover well or quickly if he spent all his time concerned about her. And the sooner he got better, the sooner they could go home to Miller’s Creek where they belonged–but only if they got a good report.A nurse entered the room and sent a polite, close-lipped smile as she strode noiselessly toward the hospital bed. “How are you, Mrs. Miller?” She half-whispered the question as she checked the data on one of the contraptions Bo had nicknamed the green-eyed monsters for their tendency to glare an eerie green into the room at night while they tried to sleep.

“I’m fine.” His same old lie for their same old question.

Once she finished her routine duties, the nurse turned to face her. “You’re welcome to go to the cafeteria for breakfast, but you should know that Dr. Kumar will most likely be here soon. He usually makes his rounds about now. And please let us know if you need anything.”

“Thank you.” News of Dr. Kumar’s probable visit whisked away any appetite she might have had, not that she had much of one considering the tasteless cardboard the hospital cafeteria characterized as food.

The young woman departed as quietly as she came. Now the walls of the hospital room, completely devoid of any of the homey comfort to which she was accustomed, seemed to close in on her once more.  A yearning sigh escaped.  The place held not even one ounce of the charm of the home they shared in Miller’s Creek, and there was only so much more she could take of this antiseptic-smelling place.

Mona Beth meandered to the plate-glass window of the Baylor Medical Center hospital room. People scurried below, hurrying to the warmth of nearby skyscrapers, living their normal everyday lives. But for her it was just another icy-cold and dark day. Another day in a month of days confined to this darkened room–another day of endless waiting.

She rubbed at the headache building above her eyes. Dani and Steve had come to visit over the weekend, but with Dani expecting a baby and running the day care, and Steve tending to the business of Miller’s Creek and the ranch, they’d had to leave Dallas yesterday to return home.

Trish and Andy and the kids would be up next weekend, but a hospital wasn’t a good place for kids who needed to run and make noise and expend energy–kids who needed to play rather than watch their beloved Papaw grow weaker.

Lord, bring him through this. Heal him. Please don’t take him away from me now. You’ve already taken Cecille, and I just don’t think I can handle any more deaths in the family. Through tear-filled eyes she once more glimpsed the pain etched on Bo’s face as one of the green-eyed monster machines at the head of the bed continued its infernal beeping. Lord, I don’t want him to suffer, so if healing him is not part of Your plan… She squeezed her eyes shut, forcing tears down her face, unable to finish the prayer.

“You okay, hon?”

Bo’s whispered words shook her from self-pity, and she quickly swiped her face and stepped toward him, relieved to see him awake. “Of course. Just being a silly goose and giving into a little bit of a pity party.” She leaned across the bed rail and cupped his grizzled cheek with her palm. “Are you feeling okay? Any pain?”

He closed his eyes and gave his head a little shake. “Not too bad.”

“You’d best not be feeding me a line, you know.”

A gentle laugh eased out of him, forcing his previously- taut lips into a smile, a hint of the familiar twinkle returning to his dark eyes. “Now would I do that?” He searched her face. His expression sobered, and he lifted a hand. “Never mind. Don’t answer.” He grew quiet momentarily, and an unnerving frown landed on his forehead. “Bethie, I know we promised when we got married not to bring up the past, but I think it’s time.”

No! Every fiber of her being screamed the word in unison. That meant he was giving up. She leaned back to give him a hard stare. “Don’t you dare give up, Bo Miller. I just won’t have it. You hear me?”

The door swung open, and Dr. Kumar whisked into the room. Though small in stature, the Asian doctor’s constant motion and energy gave him a large presence. “And how’s Mr. Bo doing today?” His voice held just a trace of his native accent.

“Oh, fair to middling, I suppose.”

Dr. Kumar faced her next, the scent of his cinnamon gum floating to her nose. “And does Dr. Mama Beth concur?”

“No. He’s hurting and acting like the macho fool he can sometimes be.” She sent Bo a semi-teasing wink.

The surgeon laughed and moved to the other side of the bed to pat Bo’s hand. “You should know better by now, don’t you think?”

One corner of Bo’s mouth curved upward in a wry grin. “I keep hoping she’ll let one slide past.”

Dr. Kumar gave his head a shake, a smirk on his face. “You forget I’ve been dealing with your wife for a few weeks now. Don’t think there’s much chance of that happening.”

Bo grunted in agreement. “Me either.”

Mama Beth edged closer and swallowed hard, the question in her heart burning holes in her patience. “Any news?”

Dr. Kumar raised his eyes to hers, his smile disappearing. “Yes.”

Her pulse roared in her ears and dizziness descended at the doctor’s grave look. She gripped the cool metal bed rail and waited.

He pulled up a stool and perched on it, switching his intense dark-eyed gaze to Bo. “As you know, the tumor we removed from your stomach was very large. That’s why you were having breathing problems. It was pushing against your lungs. I’m honestly surprised you could breathe at all.  “He paused to catch a breath. “We received the lab results earlier today. The oncologist wants to discuss them with you and should be here at any mo–”

As if on cue, the door opened and Dr. Wheeler strode into the room, his white tennis shoes squeaking against the tile floor. His head jutted out further than the rest of his lanky body, reminding her of an ostrich in mid-run. Round glasses perched atop a long nose on an even longer face. “Good morning. Sorry I’m running a bit late.” He shook all their hands and then took a position at the end of the bed, his arms crossed across his chest as he cradled a clipboard, his features giving no clue to the answer she both longed for and dreaded.

“I was just telling the Millers we received the results this morning and that you wanted to speak with them.” Dr. Kumar volleyed the comment to the other doctor.

“Yes.” Dr. Wheeler broke off all eye contact and launched into his spiel. “The tests reveal that you have a soft tissue sarcoma as we suspected. Unfortunately, it has progressed to stage four, which basically means there are cancerous cells throughout your body. You could take radiation and chemotherapy, but…” His words dwindled away as if he wasn’t quite sure what to say next.

Just like that. He delivered the news like it was a common occurrence. In his line of work, maybe it was.

Pilgrimage of Promise Sale – Conclusion

It’s a tear-jerker from the beginning of the story. Seriously, you WILL need tissues for this one. For just 99-cents you can afford a copy for you and a friend. So what are you waiting for?

P.S. Though I wrote this post rather tongue-in-cheek, I would appreciate you passing on the news to those you know who might enjoy the story. Simply send them the link to this post or to Amazon, or use the social media share buttons below to share it on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. And don’t forget the giveaway going on for a digital copy of the book. It ends soon! Here’s the link: http://www.catbryant.com/2014/08/04/pilgrimage-promise-giveaway/. Thank you! Hope you all have a blessed and relaxing weekend!

#99cents PILGRIMAGE OF PROMISE #ChristianFiction 4.9* http://amzn.to/1eSs8ZH
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#Giveaway PILGRIMAGE OF PROMISE ends soon!
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God’s Sovereignty, Our Choice

I confess. I like to be in charge.

While I don’t necessarily enjoy making decisions–mainly because I’m fearful of making the wrong call–more often than not, I’d rather call the shots than let someone else do it for me.

I think that’s pretty true of all of us.

But God’s Word tells us that we are not the ones in charge. God is. He is the potter; we are but clay. Because of the spiritual fact of His Sovereignty, He has the right to do with us as He chooses. If we become marred, He has the option of destroying us or re-molding us. If we stay mold-able in His hand, His purpose and plan for us will be carried out.

That doesn’t mean we’re without choice. Our choice is whether we will try to take over for Him in His role as potter, or whether we will turn away from prideful thinking, turn toward Him, and submit the clay of our lives to His touch for His plans and His purpose.

In Jeremiah’s day, the people of Israel and Judah–God’s chosen people–had wandered far from Him. Oh, they still paid Him homage with their lips, but then turned around and did what they chose, including the worship of false gods.

Are we guilty of the same? Do we sing His praises on Sunday in our best Sunday clothing and our best Sunday faces, then live however we please without consulting Him, without humbly asking Him to use us as He sees fit? Do we claim Him as our God, then put ourselves or other things and people on the throne of our lives?

God’s Word to His people in Jeremiah’s day is just as relevant and true as it was back then.

“…if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned.” ~Jeremiah 18:8

“…if it does evil in My sight and does not obey Me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for her.” ~Jeremiah 18:10

That’s where our choice comes in. We get to choose whether we will repent, do good, and be obedient…or not. But we must also realize that our choices come with consequences.

“This is what the LORD says: Look! I am preparing a disaster for you and devising a plan against you. So turn from your evil ways, each one of you, and reform your ways and your actions.” ~Jeremiah 8:11

LORD God, Creator of all that is, You are the One who made us. We are not our own. We are the work of Your hands, the sheep of Your pasture. Do with us as You will. As Your people, You have given us the ability to choose. May we not choose to reject You and go our own way. Instead, help us to submit to Your Lordship and Your will. Help us to change our willful and disobedient ways. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

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LibraryThing Giveaway of A BRIDGE UNBROKEN

Hey all! Just wanted to give you a head’s up about the LibraryThing giveaway of three digital copies of A BRIDGE UNBROKEN. The giveaway is open internationally.

You do have to be a member of the LibraryThing social media site in order to enter the drawing. Also, when you click the link below or the pic to the left, you will have to scroll down through all the other giveaways to get to this particular book. In other words, there isn’t a separate page specifically for this book giveaway.

Here’s the link to the LibraryThing current book giveaways page: http://www.librarything.com/er_list.php?sort=startdate&program=giveaway&country=0&offeredby=1&batch=open&publisherid&media=ebooks

LibraryThing Giveaway: About the Book
A Bridge Unbroken

Book Five in the Miller’s Creek Novels

Letting go to build a bridge…

Dakota Kelly wants her painful past to disappear. A plan to start afresh is derailed when she co-inherits her late grandfather’s farm with Chance Johnson, the man responsible for the scars on her heart. But Chance isn’t the only ghost from the past. Someone else is out to get her and will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Will Chance and Dakota lay aside their grudges to restore the old farmhouse and bridge, or will evil forces sabotage their attempt at forgiveness?

| Print Version Amazon Page | eBook Version Amazon Page |

Please tweet the giveaway!

LibraryThing #giveaway of A BRIDGE UNBROKEN by @Cathy_Bryant - Details here!
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LibraryThing Giveaway: What Readers Are Saying

“Another home run for Cathy Bryant!” ~Amazon Reviewer

“Cathy’s tale will keep you on edge until the end!” ~Amazon Reviewer

“Loved it! Waiting for more!!!” ~Amazon Reviewer

“…a must read.” ~Amazon Reviewer

“Never disappointed with Cathy Bryant books.” ~Amazon Reviewer

“Another faith-filled, dramatic romance from Bryant!” ~Amazon Reviewer

“The books show of God’s great love and forgiveness for us.”  Sharon Rudolph| 9 reviewers made a similar statement

“Her characters are well-developed, and her story flows with humor, compassion, some tension, romance, and faith.” JC| 8 reviewers made a similar statement

“I also loved all the twists and turns of this story which made it a definite ‘stay up way too late to read’ kind of book!” Julie Danielson| 7 reviewers made a similar statement

LibraryThing Giveaway: Sneak Peek at Chapter 1

Heart thumping wildly, Dakota peered out the peephole at the figure of a man obscured by the semi-darkness of early morning.

“Just peachy.” She kept her voice to a hushed whisper in the small and dingy apartment she’d called home for the past few months. What now? No longer secure, her downtown San Antonio getaway had obviously been compromised. But calling the cops wouldn’t work–a lesson she’d learned the hard way with scars as evidence. No, Kane had friends in high places.

Lord, help me. She inhaled sharply and backed away from the flimsy front door, willing her heart to slow its frantic pace. Calm down, Dakota. You’ve prepared for this scenario. Emergency backpack? Check. In its usual place by the window that led to the fire escape. Now to gather her bedding, meager food rations, and laptop. At least she was already dressed. Another lesson she’d learned in a life on the run.

A sharp knock sounded.

“Sorry, buster. I’m not falling for that trick.” Especially at this hour of the morning. Her neighbors partied until 3 a.m. and slept until noon. Whoever banged on her door at this ungodly hour wasn’t a neighbor or friend.

She sped to her bed in one corner of the room and rolled up her bedding. Less than a minute later she returned to the escape window, her computer bag slung over one shoulder. With nimble fingers, Dakota snapped the sleeping bag onto the backpack latches and strapped the drawstring trash bag that housed her food to a dangling carabiner clip.

The polite knock on the door now erupted into a persistent pounding.

Her pounding pulse responded in kind. Dakota struggled to lift the old window, finally able to raise it high enough to crawl through the narrow opening. A shiver rattled her body at the cold blast of autumn wind whistling between the tall brick buildings. (CLICK HERE FOR MORE…)

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