Unwanted blessing

So forty-five years ago I was having a cup of tea with my new neighbour. She was a Christian and I was a babe in Christ.

She already had two children and was dismayed to find herself pregnant with her third. Planning to adopt a child, this pregnancy was not part of her plans.

To rectify the problem, she told me that she consistently jumped off her kitchen table to dislodge the baby if possible. It did not.

I was shocked at her actions because she seemed oblivious to the fact that trying to procure a miscarriage was a sin. In previous discussions she said that abortion was sin and she would never go to an abortionist... yet here she was trying to abort her child.

Her actions smacked of hypocrisy and I wondered at the depth of this woman's relationship with Christ and her knowledge of the Bible.

It wasn't until later on in my own walk that I realised that not everybody who goes to church or says they are a Christian in fact are. And even if they are, they are not controlled by the Holy Spirit and are living carnally.

I kept our conversations about every day things from then on, realising that I could be led astray by her rationalisations about sin.

I often wondered if she would actually have been upset if she had miscarried. Abortion and miscarriage tend to make a woman depressed and full of regrets. It wouldn't have mattered if she jumped off the kitchen table or went to an abortionist. The end result would be the same. A dead baby.

Thinking of her often, I am glad that she was unable to dislodge her baby... even if it was an unwanted blessing...

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them. Psalm 139:16

Don't let fear ruin your peace!

So the world has become a scary place with UFO's and "aliens" (fallen angels) and mysterious fogs and rumours of wars and new diseases.

We live on the cusp of World War 3 and often we despair as we watch news of existing wars and devastation.

I won't lie- sometimes I become afraid. I know we are in the end days and we wait for deliverence by the Rapture. We are more than ready to be with Jesus.

I admit that I have too much time to think and I am morbidly attracted to the News and updates on prophecy playing out in front of our eyes.

That comes at a price though. It robs me of my peace! I mean, often I find myself confused by world events and back tracks and I don't know what to believe.

It is then that I have to take my thoughts into the captivity of Christ. If what I am seeing or reading does not agree with scripture, then I reject it. If one believes as I do, that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God, then it is imperative that one brings any doubts or fear to Christ in prayer.

Many are looking for the Anti-Christ and although there are quite a few who meet the criteria for that role, he will not manifest himself until after that which restrains him is gone. That is us with the Holy Spirit within us and until the Rapture has taken place, he is still restrained.

I am looking not for him, but for Christ. Personally, it won't matter to me who is he.. I know Who I follow and believe in.

If we have faith in Christ Who gave His life for us and Who will keep us eternally and carry us until He comes, then there's no reason to fret and worry. We are kept and secure.

God has told us what to expect in these end days and if we continue to pray and keep close to Him, fear will not get a hold of us and ruin our peace.

 © Glenys Robyn Hicks

You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3

Are you appropriately dressed?

There's a lot happening in the world today, both in the natural and the spiritual world. The times are fast paced and frightening.

There is a movement (though not a new one) of the evil one to make being a Christian even harder and we can see and feel the battle between good versus evil.

We cannot stand without putting on the full armor of God. But what exactly is this? Let us find out.

In Ephesians 6, we are told what to do to withstand the evil in each day by making sure we are dressed appropriately for spiritual battle...

• Firstly, we are to strengthen ourselves in the LORD so that through Him we will have strength.

  ¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.  This means we are to spend time with Him. In prayer. In worship. In the Word.

• We are to put on the whole armor of  God, preparing ourselves for battle, for we are in a battle with the forces of darkness.

¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. We have all experienced the cunningness of the devil. The appeal to the senses, the drive to try to separate us from the good Shepherd. It is a constant battle to resist him.

•  We must recognise that the battle is not carnal, but spiritual in unseen wicked spiritual hosts in the heavenly places. Our enemy is unseen, but very real- and active.
  

¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Although our enemy is unseen, he is not unfelt nor are the results of his influence unnoticed.  Where there is hatred in all its forms, deceit and lies and confusion, there we will know that the enemy is at work, doing what he does best.

• At the end of the day, we must be able to stand. To endure. To live for God another day

¹³ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. We are to be strong and resolute and daily putting on the armor is the way we can do this!

So what are we to put on exactly in order to stand in the evil day? 

¹⁴ Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,  We must remember that we have Truth on our side, our heart protected by the breastplate of righteousness.

¹⁵ and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; We are to be peaceable people, bringing the gospel of peace to all, living it, breathing it, sharing it.

¹⁶ above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.  We must have our faith intact, a shield that will quench the darts of doubt, fear and double mindedness

¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; We must go in the joy of our salvation, having been redeemed by the precious Blood of Christ, wielding the sword of the Spirit, deeply ingrained by and knowledgeable of the Word of God.

¹⁸ praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints  We are to be a person of prayer, in the Spirit and watchful. Constantly praying for ourselves and the saints of God.

 If we faithfully dress in the armor of God, we will stand, knowing that:

⁸ We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed-  2 Corinthians 4:8-9

We have been told how to withstand the evil in these days and it is imperative that we do what the  Word says in order to stand until our fight is done. Are you appropriately dressed? 

  

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ Isaiah 41:10

Thinking on those things that are good

 

How you think is how you live... and when life is tough, thinking on those things that are good, and pure will influence if you are just surviving or thriving! 

It is so easy to think negatively about your experiences but it will definitely help you in coming out of the Pit of Despair. 

It's easy to become entrapped in that Pit but it is difficult to free onself. But it's not impossible.

Keeping close to the LORD through reading the Word, praying and worshiping is key to overcoming morbid introspection, overthinking, discouragement and sadness.

With God's help, we are to bring negative thoughts in to the captivity of Christ by the renewing of our mind. And of course, that begins with thoughts we are thinking...

By being immersed in the Word and prayer, we will learn what thoughts are from God or what are from the evil one. We know thoughts that lead us to better ourselves and repentance, can help us overcome sadness are become godly. And of course, we know which ones are not- for they do the opposite.

We can learn that the Holy Spirit will convict us of any sin and lead us into repentance and joy in our salvation. Consequently, we learn that the evil one condemns us and leads us further into self-condemnation and grief and anguish.

Our whole life and enjoyment in it come from closeness to God, discernment of godly repentance opposed to condemnation and keeping our thoughts in the captivity of Christ.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

 

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. -Philippians 4:8

Of salvation and love glances

Over the past 44 years of my walk with the LORD, it never ceases to amaze me that He has always been attentive to my needs.

Before I  was born again,  I know He wooed me, calling me to Him by His Spirit. He rejoiced over me when I accepted Him as my LORD and Saviour and He spoke to me in my worship times. He corrected me in times of temptation and graciously pardoned me when I fell.

There were dry seasons when I didn't feel His Presence. Even felt alone, but it was always me who had moved away- never Him. He was and is and is to come, and He responds to me lovingly no matter how far I may have fallen or doubted or panicked. He hovers constantly by His Spirit and strengthens me when I cannot even formulate sentences. And there have been many times over the years I have just shot up an arrow prayer: help! And He has! 

There were times that I felt His compassion as I cried in pain from surgeries to remove kidney stones and lay with 9lb weights on my legs in traction for spinal problems, and I can testify that He has heard, for at my most vulnerable of times physically and emotionally, He has always sent someone- be it nurse or doctor or even patient, who has exuded compassion and concern. And even prayed for me.

Having had a rather sad life up until I met Chris, I can tell you that God keeps His promises to be with us and never leave us. He has been with me in my lowest of times and has given me that peace that surpasses all human understanding and I am humbled and grateful.

In happier times, I have shared a laugh with the LORD- something that was just for me and He to get and I tell you, there's nothing better than to laugh in the Spirit. You actually bubble up with happiness and joy in the pit of your stomach and it makes your eyes glisten with tears of mirth. There's nothing like it...

People are so wrong when they say Christians have got religion: loving Christ is not a religion- it's a relationship. God is love and He loves us with an everlasting love.

And talk about God being the Lover of our soul: He is most attentive to His Bride for He arranges things that only I will see and which He knows will delight me. I call them Love Glances. He causes me to see so many beautiful things that could easily be overlooked... and I love Him all the more for it.

I am sharing this with you not to say that God will live out your and His relationship exactly the same way as He does with me. We are individuals. But He will be faithful and true and would have died for even *you* alone if He had to. He loves *you* that much.

If you want to love the LORD in a deeper way, just tell Him. He will be there immediately. Start your new walk by developing gratitude for what He has already done for you: He has saved you from sin and has promised eternal life with Him. When you start being grateful for what He has done, you will see more and more what He is doing and you will believe more strongly in what He will do in your life.

I don't know how people can cope with some of the things we face in the world, especially now- without God. But if you believe in Him and what He has done and you have accepted Him as your LORD and Saviour, you will never have to face it in your own strength.

If you don't know Jesus as your LORD and Saviour but want to click on here. Time is short now and it is time for the Church Age or Age of Grace to end. Jesus is coming for His Bride- believers. This is known as the Rapture. Those who stay will have hell on earth. Literally. 

Why not accept the LORD'S offer of salvation now and enjoy your life as a Christian with us? Eternity could be seconds away and the decision you make now is one which will spell out your eternal end.

The Spirit and the Bride say "Come!" Today is the Day of Salvation and tomorrow's the Day of your own Love Glances!

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:  John 1:25

A personal God

 

 

I have been thinking about heaven and meeting Jesus.  How every eye shall behold Him and how He is omnipresent and is not subjected to the laws of time... I am thinking because He is in all and He holds all together, maybe He will greet us all personally in Heaven at the same time, yet we will feel like He and we are the only people who matter at the time...

After all, millions of believers worldwide will be raptured along with the dead in Christ and it would seem plausible that a supernatural God like ours could minister to each at his or her designated time in the clouds... on a personal relationship basis... 

Likewise we would all be at the wedding feast of the Lamb yet feel totally connected to Him and each other because there would be the Spirit of God indwelling us all at the same time... I can hardly wait... just thinking brings a longing for Home.... 

I am also basing my thoughts on the fact that the indwelling Holy Spirit leads us all simultaneously yet personally all the time. We feel Him in a uniquely personal way...   

Whatever transpires, I am sure it will absolutely spot on and miraculous for us all on a deeply personal level... Maranatha!

© Glenys Robyn Hicks   

He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together -Colossians  1:17

I couldn't live with myself

 

I have been grappling with writing what's on my heart lately. As a deep thinker, I ponder daily on what I feel God wants me to write about in this blog. I try to encourage and edify, but I know that sometimes what I speak of upsets some people.

As I looked at myself in the mirror today, I saw a woman whose life is spent mostly on studying the Word of God, praying and blogging in between bouts of chronic illness. It's all I can do now.

Writing's been a passion of mine for the last 30 years after three separate pastors at different services prophesied over me, saying that God has appointed me to be a spokesperson- actually the word was "mouthpiece" for Him throughout the world.

I really took this to heart and started writing Christian personalised verse and self published a book of poetry called "In Spirit And In Truth". It sold at various Christian bookstores, but somehow this didn't seem the way that I was meant to go...

With the advent of the internet, I started blogging and that and writing for various Christian magazines have become my form of service to God. As the blogs and articles circulated, I realised that that was where the "throughout the world" part of the prophecies were coming from...

Apart from obeying God by writing, I realised that I burn with the desire to see the lost being saved and that I do indeed love people. Christian or not. Coloured or not. 

As I combed my hair, I realised that I must write more of Christ and His offer of salvation than focus on our many illnesses and the Corona Virus. Times are short.

I know some who read may take offence, but please recall that I do so out of love and nothing personal to gain. I want you to be saved from the imminent wrath of God for people who prefer to live in their sin than to repent and serve God.

This world is getting darker and very soon Jesus will be taking the Church- His Bride, to be with Him. This is known as the Rapture and only believers will go. 

My prayer is that you will go with us and not be left on this earth which is going to be hell on earth. I need to say it, before it's too late. 

I don't want you to be offended, but saved. God doesn't want anyone to go to Hell, and neither do I. Times are short as I said and we have millenia of prophecies that have come true  to uphold this.

One must be saved or born-again to get to Heaven. Jesus is the only way and that choice must be made personally and voluntarily. Either we accept Jesus and go to Heaven, or we go to Hell.

I have written this post for those who as yet aren't born again, because if I didn't warn you, I couldn't live with myself.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8

For such a time as this!

 

In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried out to my God...

The Lord is close to everyone who calls out to him, to all who call out to him sincerely. The Lord will rescue me from every evil action and will save me for his heavenly kingdom. Whenever I’m afraid, I put my trust in you — in God, whose word I praise. 

I trust in God; I won’t be afraid. What can mere flesh do to me? God is indeed my salvation; I will trust and won't be afraid. It’s far better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust any human.  And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever.  

God didn't give us a spirit that is timid but one that is powerful, loving, and self-controlled. Throw all your anxiety onto him, because he cares about you. This is why we can confidently say, The Lord is my helper, and I won’t be afraid. What can people do to me?

Those who know your name trust you because you have not abandoned any who seek you, Lord.  In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul...  

He heard my voice from His temple and my cry came before Him even to His ears

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.  In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you.

I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also" 

"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." 

 "Don't fear, because I am with you; don't be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will surely help you; I will hold you with my righteous strong hand"

“Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world to test those who dwell on the earth."  

The  LORD  is  my strength and my  shield;  My  heart trusted in Him,  and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him. Psalm 28:7 

A compilation of scriptures for such a time as this by Glenys 

Micah says it all!

Recently during one of my quiet times, I read one of my favourite verses from Micah 6:8 "He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?"

Being a  Christian isn't  really that difficult. Once one has  surrendered his or her life to Christ, the Holy Spirit guides us into that which pleases God. 

Our walk with Him is continuous and should lead us to becoming better people than we were yesterday, emulating the Master, Jesus Christ.

As a sufferer of many ailments which cause chronic pain and fatigue, fibromyalgia being the worst culprit, I used to worry about not being able to serve God as well as I did in my younger Christian walk before illnessdep. 

Depression would hang around my shoulders like a cloak because I felt unable to do much for Jesus, in fact unable to do much at all for even my family.

Then I had an epiphany! I realised that God can be served mostly by having a loving heart. Besides, His love for us is not dependant on what we do, but on what He has done for us! 

God only requires that I love Him with my whole heart, mind and soul, that I love justice and mercy and that I walk humbly with Him. It's nothing to do with limitations brought on by illness or disability or our lack of energy or spoons to do things. Grace is wonderful and my favourite verse in Micah says it all!

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

"He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" Micah 6:8

A world we don't want to live in

My friend wrote on Face Book. "Acting out of wholesome and compassionate intentions won't magically prevent us from confronting the slings and arrows of life’s misfortune....on the contrary - it can make you a target in this world of 'spiritual warfare'"

Yes, kindness is often seen as weakness, love is made into a cheap word, forgiveness is for fools and good manners are often regarded as flirting...

So given that it is difficult in this world to be pure of heart and kind without people misconstruing our motives, how should we act?

• We must emulate our Saviour.

• We must remember that the very things that annoy the world delight God.

• We must keep in mind that the very fruits of the Holy Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control...

• We must keep in mind that because of this, the world is going to be contrary to it and react adversely.

• We must keep growing in the Spirit and emulating Jesus

• We must also remember that we are the salt of the world and must remain flavoursome... 

Kindness is an attribute of God and is a fruit of the Spirit, and as such, is highly regarded by Him. Being kind is something we should all aspire to be as Christians. And it often requires being strong in spirit. It means being forgiving. Loving. Selfless. Sacrificial. It includes purity of heart, mind and speech. It imparts grace. 

The King James Bible speaks of kindness 43 times, and from that one can see the importance of being kind in all its' aspects. Many verses exhort us to be kind and they extol kindness's virtues. 

Choose to be  kind even if that person doesn't deserve it, because that is what God has done for us all: saved and unsaved. That takes strength and prayer. Be kind. Because a world without kindness is a world none of us would really want to live in.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks   

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.-Galatians 5:22-23

And having done all.. to stand!

 

God wants us to be strong and He knows in the world, His children will be fighting many battles on a daily basis. Even with ourselves.

We will be tempted every day to do that which is not God honouring and we have to make choices every single day. Often we need extra strength from the Holy Spirit to actually do that which is right.

Whilst we battle our carnal side to bring it into submission, we will find that we need to call on God and bring to mind scripture. That is how we know what is right and pleasing to God. So we need to be in the Word daily.

Prayer is a vital tool to overcome and live righteously. Our Father is always attentive to the cries of His Children and we should pray fervently and often. About everything.

Gratitude and worship and praise are also integral parts of the Christian's armour of spiritual weapons, for in using them, the devil will flee. And by thanking God and worshiping and praising Him, we will find our own spirits elevated.

There is joy in the Christian life if one applies the armour of God according to scripture, but it must be donned daily for our battle against sin, flesh and the devil is constant.

Being a loving Father that He is, God has equipped us with the means of defeating the evil around us, and having done all...to stand.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword fo the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints- and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. Ephesians 6:10-20

Soon. Very soon.

Every night before I try to sleep, I pray that we will be raptured before dawn.... every morning as soon as I wake, I pray today will be the day.... Meanwhile, He is with us in Spirit..

To be with Him you must be born again. Read here to find out how to become a Christian.. Make the most important decision of your life and accept Christ while there's still time.

We will be with Him soon. Very soon.

©  Glenys Robyn Hicks  

Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation. -Psalm 91:14-16

You meant it for my harm

We have had a lot of chaos in our lives with Covid and world events. Being home has meant a lot of time to think. Sometimes this can be good but other times it can lead to depression.

Lately I have had too much time to think and it had given rise to depression at times. Often it lead to having the evil one throw darts at me, often in reminding me of sins and mistakes of the past.

Things have been better lately. Once I realised that the darts were coming from the evil one, I was able to take action.

We know that the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin with a way out: repentance and forgiveness. But the evil one condemns and accuses with no way to move forward out of the path of guilt and anxiety.

What the evil one was doing was trying to make me feel guilty and sad over past sins that have been forgiven and covered by the Blood of Jesus. 

Remembering that Jesus has thrown those sins and mistakes into the Sea of Forgetfulness and remembers them no more, gave me the tool and the power to overcome these attacks.

An example of this would be me remembering some sin in my past that I would prefer to forget. The old anxiety pattern would start, making me miserable. So my conversation (vocal if I was alone) was to acknowledge with Satan that I was indeed guilty... but reminding him that Jesus has paid the price for that sin and has forgiven me! 

Immediately, I would thank Jesus for His sacrifice and forgiveness and I would feel happy again. Satan cannot stand us to pray, praise and love Jesus! 

What Satan meant for my harm became a reason to rejoice in my salvation! 

Next time you are reminded of your past sin, remind him that you are redeemed and belong to Christ and start to praise Him. The devil will flee and what was meant for evil will be for your good.

 
© Glenys Robyn Hicks

 

But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Genesis 50:20

She won't be happy in Heaven!

 

Today we were watching The Blessing on YouTube. I was blown away by the beauty of all the different Christians singing in their own tongue.

What impressed me was that all of them were aglow with the Spirit and clearly in love with Jesus.

Jesus said that He would draw all men unto Him- people from every tribe and nation and watching this, I remembered an incident at a church I went to many years ago.

It was a big congregation which packed the church hall out and even packed the balcony. Faces of every nation were definitely as one worshiping the Saviour. It was a sight to behold.

I had friends from many backgrounds, colours and countries. I learned about their cultures as we grew closer to the LORD. It was a happy time.

But not everyone was happy with the many nationalities represented each Sunday. I recall the wife of one of the deacons commenting with a wrinkle of her nose and a sniff, that the Church had become a league of Nations! I was shocked!

Someone should have informed her that Christ died for all men- not just Anglo-Saxons like her. The gospel was for all nations. Christ is for all nations. But she obviously wasn't.

Globally all nations have been reached- or most have- and the response generally has been wonderful to see. So many brothers and sisters in Christ to meet in glory! Hallelujah! 

I can just imagine from The Blessing video that it will be a glorious time of being many in Christ, yet one in the Spirit! And I am so looking forward to it.

It goes without saying that the deacon's wife will be unhappy in glory because she has elevated herself to a position of superiority and has allowed racism to colour her view and stifle the  Holy Spirit.

To assume that Christ only came for Anglo-Saxons is wrong on so many counts, not only theologically, socially, morally and intellectually, but it will curtail any chance of true happiness now and for eternity.

Unless she repents, and of course she may have by now, but if she doesn't, I would imagine that she would stunt her growth in the LORD, as well as hurt Him and those she has rejected.

She really has to embrace the sacrifice of the Saviour Who died for all men, and come to love those of differing cultures, or she won't be happy in Heaven! 

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.  John 12:32

He is the Son of God!

“I did not know him but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down & remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ Now I have seen & testified that he is the Son of God.”-John 1:32

Loving all creatures.

 

Over the years I have come to believe that a lot can be gleaned about a person's character by the way they treat animals.

Without fail, I have observed that people who are kind to animals are tender hearted and usually are kind and fair with their dealings with people.

Conversely, those who are cruel or unkind to animals treat people in like manner. 

Indeed, I have seen this in my own family, starting with my ex-husband who was a particularly cruel man.

He was very cruel to animals and treated me badly in our 25 year marriage. So much so, that I was forced to leave him to save myself.

His legacy was handed down to my first two children who have a dislike of animals, but are not cruel to them. They treat people around them with indifference and dislike generally as well.

My last two children not only are kind to animals, but actually dote on them. Their treatment of people generally is kind and fair.

Sadly, it has been noted by forensic scientists and so on that people who are cruel or kill animals eventually kill people.

Whenever I see people loving their pets or animals, I feel an affinity with them. After all, gentleness and kindness are fruits of the Spirit. I can be pretty sure that they would be nice people to know and would treat me with equity and fairness. I am rarely wrong.

God created animals for man to have dominion over, but as we see in Judaic Laws, they are to be treated humanely and compassionately at all times. Even when slaughtering them for food, it has to be killed with one smooth cut which is supposedly painless. Kosher.

It is said that animals and children are good judges of character, and I think there's a lot of truth in that. A character that is appalled at cruelty will be loving and gentle and one who does not care will not. Certainly, as born-again Christians, we should treat all living things well as they firstly belong to the LORD.

Test me and see if I am right by observing this for yourself. It is a useful tool to help in judging whether you can trust a person in daily life or not..as well as their walk with the LORD. We should be loving all creatures. 

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

Proverbs 12:10 “Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.”

Choose the best

When reading the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10:40, many people think that Jesus was rebuking Martha in a negative way. But I don't believe this is so. He in fact, was liberating her from her perfectionism and showing her that there is more to life than just the mundane.

You may recall that Martha was busy serving and preparing the evening meal, whereas Mary was simply enjoying listening to Jesus. Martha was doing an important job, as do we wives and mothers when we manage our households and serve our families. We all know that preparing three meals a day, washing and ironing, cleaning and tidying the house, as well as caring for those of our household- and even extended households sometimes, is mundane. But no one would suggest it wasn't important. So Jesus wasn't undermining its' importance, but He was saying that putting the things of the LORD first is a better way.....

Have you ever thought about how we can so easily get too involved with the practical aspects and lose out on the social and spiritual side? I often plan to make time for Bible reading, or playing with my grandchildren or spending time with Chris, only to find that I have found something else to do. I need to prioritise my life. So, we must look at the Titus 2 order of priorities- love God, love your husband, love your children, then be a worker at home! This layout of priorities also emphasises the importance that our husbands be our first priority after God! That means my children are second to the needs of my husband. To clarify- that does not mean if a child is crying or needs something that we don't attend to them. It means we defer to our husband and put his wishes before our children's.

Often times we get so busy serving our husbands and children that we overlook enjoying them! Take time to enjoy the other important things in life, your children: they will grow up fast, and this season will be short! Leave the household chores that aren’t urgent to the childrens’ nap times, and spend time enjoying them while they are awake! Make time for your husband. He will be happier for it, you will feel more fulfilled and your children will have a happier home life because you have a good marriage!

And remember to spend time with God, for He is our firm foundation. God wants us to enjoy our life. Let us then be balanced and live under His Umbrella of Protection. For in Gods' Divine Order, we will find the balance we need for the other important things.We need to tend to the mundane things like housework, but we see that Jesus says it's important to tend to our spirit too. So choose the best! 

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. Luke 10:40