June Foster's Blog, page 10

Open Our Minds to Greater Understanding

I’ve been a Christian for a long time but am certainly not a theologian. After all these years, I still have trouble understanding many portions of the Bible, yet hunger to comprehend more drives me on. When reading Luke 24:45 the other day, a notion struck me. See if you agree.

After Jesus’ resurrection, two men were on their way to Emmaus. A stranger showed up and walked along the road with them. To their astonishment, he explained the scriptures then disappeared. At that moment they realized it was Jesus and rushed back to Jerusalem where they found the eleven disciples assembled. Together, they discussed the meaning of the events.

While they were gathered together, Jesus appeared in the room. John 24 reveals the whole story. One verse that stood out to me is verse 45. “Then He opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.”

It hit me. Jesus is no respecter of persons. If He could do that for the disciples, couldn’t he do the same for us if we ask Him?

“Then Peter began to speak: ‘I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.'” Acts 10: 34-35

Dear Lord, open our hearts and minds to better understand Your word. Amen. 

God’s Mighty Plans

What is God doing in your life today? That sounds like a question a lot of preachers seem to ask in their sermons. Sometimes, I’ll admit, I brush off the notion by thinking the pastor is talking to someone else—not me. Someone with more influence.

But then, I read in my Bible a letter Paul sent to the Ephesians by his servant Tychicus to strengthen and encourage the churches in the area. I’m sure Mr. Tychicus had no idea of the widespread effect his efforts would have. He probably thought one church would be encouraged and benefited by Paul’s message. But it would mean more—much more.

2000 years later that letter encourages, teaches, and admonishes Christians all over the world. Don’t discount what God is doing through you. You never know what far-reaching effects God’s work will have.  

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” Ephesians 3: 20 

Dear Lord, never allow me to limit what You can do in my life. Give me eyes to see and ears to hear Your divine plans for me. Amen.

God Created Chickens

I’m not trying to get in the argument about whether God created the chicken or the egg first. That was supposed to be a joke, ha, ha. But here’s the focus of this post.

What was I to make for dinner tonight? I know, my husband’s favorite: fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, and lemon pie. Great idea, right? Afterall, he’s from the south and that’s a good ol’ southern meal.

My fridge was kind of empty so I needed to restock. I went to Walmart, my source of groceries. Wait! When we say grace at dinner, we thank God for our food. This got me to thinking.

If I trace this all the way back, the original Source of the food is from the Lord. Take the chicken for example. Going backward: Walmart, Tyson Foods, Chicken farmers, God. (Who created the chicken in the first place?) Try that on any food you can think of. 

What about the green beans and lemon pie? “The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds.” Genesis 1:12 Proof that the ultimate Source for the green beans and lemon pie is God. Don’t forget the mashed potatoes. They come from the roots of the potato plant.

“All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time.” Psalms 104: 27. 

The next time you say grace at dinner, you can focus on the true Source of your meal.

Death of His Saints

I received the call. My 93-year-old aunt was nearing the time when the Lord would call her home. She’d been unconscious for a couple of days. I’d be sad that I wouldn’t be able to talk to her on the phone any longer or take her out to lunch for her birthday again or hear her sweet laugh any longer.

Before she passed away, I considered how I could pray for her, and the Lord gave me a beautiful prayer. Any elderly person who’s sick could benefit from this:

Lord, so fill (put in the person’s name) with Your Holy Spirit, Your presence, and Your love that there is barely any room left for pain and disease.

I’ll miss my aunt, but praise be to the Lord, she was a believer. We’ve talked about how we’ll see each other again in the next life. If I’m sure of anything, I’m positive of the reality of Heaven.

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. Psalm 116:15

Good bye, Aunt Gina. I love you.

Virginia Mills 1909-2013

In my book, Christmas in Cranberry Cove, I honor my aunt by featuring one of her delicious recipes she passed on to me. Look for Book 3 of the Cranberry Cove series available on Amazon.

The World and the Kingdom of God

The and in this title indicates two entities, two things and not one. In a spiritual sense, the world means not the planet earth, but a system of operation or set of standards governed by certain beliefs. In other words, it’s a philosophy or theory about man’s existence and the set of rules that define that system. We act and live according to what we hold dear. The Kingdom of God could also be defined by that definition. But the difference is the belief structure that distinguishes the two.

The world system tells us to look out for ourselves first. Afterall, no one else will. Fame, power, and money are all important. These highly treasured assets elevate our status in life. The richer you are, the more toys you possess, the more influence you have over others—these determine your value. This definition is broad but gets to the essence of the beliefs of people who are operating within this world’s structure. “Follow your heart” is a key axiom. When thinking of death, many of these folks aren’t sure where they will go. At first reading, some may disagree with these statements, but the real test is to ask: what do you value most?

The Kingdom of God is the other belief structure. In this kingdom, people believe that God is of most value. Their focus is to live in a way that pleases Him, to choose to put Him first, to worship and honor Him, and to read His word, the Bible. It’s all about Him and not self. When they die, they have the hope of eternal life with God. At times, people in this Kingdom of God find themselves thinking like people in the world, but the Holy Spirit generally nudges them back on track. The hearts of the people in this group have been changed.

Case in point. A well-known politician recently threw a party for himself and scaled back to invite only family and friends. Somehow that included many Hollywood celebrities. Despite a COVID surge in the area, people arrived without masks and forgot about social distancing. When the guests began to leave the party, the police had to direct traffic on the congested roads. Was God honored by the event?

Another case in point. A different gathering happened in a church in El Paso, Texas. Here, the hosts served food and drink much like the other party. But the attendees were different. No one came from Hollywood, and none of the attendees were famous. Most had no homes. In fact, they lived in tents around the city. While the hosts provided food to nourish the bodies of these homeless people and informed them of local resources to help, they also informed them about the other Kingdom. This was their opportunity to choose where they would spend eternity. “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” 1 John 5:13 Why did the church bunch throw this party? Not to honor themselves, but God.

Yes, there are two different existences we can choose in this life. Which would you like to seek?

Saved by Grace

Have you ever asked someone the question: If you died tonight, where will you go? Try it. You’ll get some interesting answers.

The answer I hear the most is: “I hope I would go to heaven, but I’m not sure if I’m good enough.”

If by chance, you’ve given that response, please read this to the end. I have some good news.

First, I think it would be really scary going through life not knowing what will happen when you die. In  I John 10:13 it says, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” That’s from God’s word, so you can count on the validity. The Bible says you will KNOW you have eternal life—that’s life in Heaven. No guess work needed.

Ephesians 2: 8-9 says: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works so that no one can boast.” So, if I say I’m not sure I’m good enough, in a sense you’re calling God a liar. He doesn’t expect you to be good enough. No one is. I believe that response is actually arrogant. Saying you’re not sure if you’re good enough is saying it’s your responsibility to get yourself to Heaven and not God’s. No one can get to Heaven on their own merits. It doesn’t work like that.

Lord, allow me to understand You are mighty. You are the Creator of Heaven and earth. Nothing I do in my own effort can make me right in Your sight. Only You can accomplish it by Your grace. Amen.

Computer Problems

A while back my computer became quite ill. It refused to “save” my documents and wavy lines streaked across the screen. Its cry for help warned me of the need for a doctor. So, limping along because of my lack of technical knowledge, I decided to call Microsoft.

Unfortunately, I clicked on the wrong website. Like a crazy person, I opened the first link on the page after a google search. One of those pages that had the words “Ad” before the link. “Ad” means they want to sell you something. Here’s the story.

My first clue should’ve been the guy that came on the phone who could barely speak English. I understood every other word. He assured me he could “fix” my problem. But first he had to “take control” of my computer. I had to let him go inside my poor, ailing machine so he could make his diagnosis.

I should’ve known better, and I’m warning anyone reading this, beware. Unless you know the source is reputable, DON’T DO IT! After he took charge of my computer, he changed the subject. He said he would sell me access to his technical services for an entire 12 months for only $175.00. At that point, I realized I’d called the wrong person. I told him I wouldn’t be interested, and he all but said I was an idiot for not buying his support.

When he realized I really wasn’t interested, he said okay. I noticed the cursor was traveling all over the screen. In moments, he disappeared without another word and the computer came back under my control. Only thing, I had a terrible virus, worse than before. The debilitated machine wouldn’t even go on the internet or access any of my files. Now my instrument had to visit the local computer doctor for virus removal to the tune of $150.

I’m so grateful that there is One we can give control of everything in our lives, our computer, our family, our finances, everything!

The Lord Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.

He is faithful and trustworthy in all things and will never do us harm.

A Prayer Request

I’d like to share with you a prayer that sprang from my heart recently. Feel free to make it your own.

Dear Heavenly Father,

You command that I shouldn’t allow my heart to be troubled. Please allow me to remember and reflect on this requirement every time I’m tempted to fret. Help me to keep my spiritual eyes focused on my glorious future and the place You’ve prepared for me.

I want to be ready and watching every day for Your return. Please give me wisdom to know what to ask in Your name—those things that honor You and Your kingdom. Allow me to remember every day how much You love me, and guide me in obeying Your laws.

Thank You that You are greater than the prince of the world, and I need never fear. In Jesus’ name, amen.

I Can Explain why my husband took a squirrel to church –

TRUE STORY

I promise, I wouldn’t tell the readers of I Can Explain a fib—or a lie. It’s true. My husband took a squirrel to church. Here’s how it came about.

This summer we have been inundated with squirrels in our backyard trying to get on the feeder and eat the bird’s food. Please note: birds are welcome in our yard, not squirrels. Oh, yeah. The only exception is the big grackle that on occasion likes to slam into my dining room window.

Back to the squirrels. My husband has a theory that if he merely thins out the squirrel population, they will no longer venture into our yard. So, he set up squirrel cages by the bird feeder. Actually, he’s been quite successful. So far, he’s caught and released 8 squirrels. Lest you think him cruel, he lets them go in another forest environment where they can get to know another squirrel family. At least ten miles from our house.

So, one Sunday afternoon, Joe had a deacon’s meeting at the church. That morning another squirrel had decided to hang out in the cage. Since our church is surrounded by a lush forest environment, he put the cage in his trunk so he could release the animal into the forest. Kill two birds with one stone. Whoops, that didn’t sound right.

Good plan, right? Joe parked at the church, the trunk facing the forested area and opened the cage. Instead of running toward the trees, the squirrel took off across the parking lot. Joe lost sight of him about that time and meandered toward our church’s entrance.

At the entrance to our church, glass doors open to a small foyer, then there’s another set of glass doors. In the first foyer, Joe’s friend Mark was jumping around and waving his hands. You guessed it. The squirrel was inside the first foyer looking for a way to get into the sanctuary.

Joe joined Mark in holding the doors open and shooing the confused animal out of the building. Finally, the little guy left. I hope he went to join new friends in the forest, but I’m not 100% sure.

The Blessing of a New House

For quite a few years, my husband and I lived in a tiny space about 350 square feet. The good news was we could change the front and backyards anytime we wanted. That’s right. We lived and traveled in an RV. It was a ton of fun, but I’ll be honest, after a couple of years, our living quarters felt cramped.

So, when we decided to settle down in Cullman, Alabama and buy a new house, I felt like a queen living in our 2600 square-foot house.

God has blessed us immensely.

Someone else I know lived in a 10,000 square foot home until she got married.

She’s not actually a real person but a character in The Inn at Cranberry Cove—Ashton Price. She owns and manages the B&B her aunt left to her before Aunt Gina passed away. Let’s talk to her.

Ashton, what was your greatest obstacle in running the inn?

“Hi folks, first, learning the operation of a bread and breakfast. Later, I fell in love but at the same time had to deal with troublesome guests whom I suspected weren’t who they said they were. Finally, my boyfriend, James Atwood, and I had to discover the location of jewels hidden in the inn before the unethical guests found them first.

Read Ashton and James’ story in the Selah award winning book, The Inn at Cranberry Cove, book one in the series. https://amzn.to/3sMMLVb