Amos Bible Sketch

How can there be justice in my mess?

No matter what my or your mess is, Truth defeats lies of the devil, the world, and our fallen human nature. 

 

Righteousness is promised in the Word. 

God’s justification is where His peace enters the life of a sinner in the form of a divine gift. God creates faith to believe in Jesus. Thankfully, He knows us better than we know ourselves and His love for us doesn’t change upon circumstance or His Divine Knowledge of how depraved we are.

 “For I know how many are your transgressions and how great are your sins” Amos 5:12

The difficult things God allows are for His purpose to bring people to contrition, confession, and change for their own (or another person’s) present or eternal good. In an act of grace, His Spirit supports people through the process of confession and life of faith. Still, God’s good grace is a gift which can be received or rejected.

“Let love be genuine; abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.” Romans 12:9 read the chapter

We cannot save ourselves from the messes we make, nor those we protest.

Jesus died and was raised to forgive and clear us from our disordered position. All who receive His righteousness grow in knowledge, strength, trust, and joy! His perfect work heals and saves—it blesses and reverses the curse for the life to come.

Our Creator tenderly and constantly is doing reconciling work in our lives. 

The earth’s groaning in earthquakes and hardships are reminders to repent and turn to God for mercy. Beware of complacency. We do not deserve anything, yet forgiveness is made possible by the powerful, everflowing stream of Christ’s compassionate understanding, love and grace. His Spirit encourages us to serve Him and others by blessing us with words at the right moments—opportunities God provides for us to share this life-saving Good News. In gratitude, we share with others and cherish others who connect with us regarding the Gospel.

Amos 5:24

But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Amos 5:24

God wants justice for the oppressed. 

Injustices are constant in the world. Integrity is doing what God says when we allow Him to guide us.

“God’s people are to produce justice continually and swiftly, like the flow of a river. Just as plants and animals need a steady supply of water to survive, so also human communities can flourish only when justice and righteousness prevail.” The Lutheran Study Bible

God’s commands are to show our need for Him; also, to help us love Him and each other. He wants us to have right relationships. He will take actions to correct injustice. God confronts evil for His purposes to have mercy on us and restore us to walk in newness of life.

God and God Alone 
by Steve Green

God and God alone created all these things we call our own

From the mighty to the small, the Glory in them all is God’s and God’s alone

God and God alone reveals the truth of all we call unknown

and the best and worst of man won’t change the Master’s plan it’s God’s and God’s alone

God and God alone is fit to take the universe’s throne

Let everything that lives reserve its truest praise for God and God alone

Listen to a Bible study discussion about how God works through means, even uncomfortable ones. 

Read a Christian perspective on the decision by the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) Dobbs v. Jackson reversal of Roe v. Wade, stating the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion and returning the issue to the states. This positive action makes pro-life faithful people thankful for potential measures to protect lives of the most vulnerable. We pray individuals and states would step up and take responsibility to protect unborn babies.

Read more about

• Racism
• Disability
• Child Abuse
• Human Trafficking
• Domestic Violence
• Life
• Immigration
• Persecution
• Marriage
• Sexuality
• Religious Liberty

Amos Links

• Introducing Amos by Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller
• Watch an Illustrated Summary of Amos

I have cancer?! How do I tell others? Help me, God. What’s next?

Life is short or long; nobody knows.

 

Physicians and Ministers are intersecting occupations which I honor and respect; they’re arts of science and spirit.

Dr. Merle Hodges, Sr. delivered my precious baby boy several years ago. Two years later, his son Dr. Merle (Boo) Hodges, Jr. delivered my beautiful baby girl. This very important man in my life, last month, diagnosed me with Grade 1 Endometrial Cancer. I am thankful, not that I wanted cancer—it was tough news for him to deliver, but for his knowledge of it and his advice which led to life-saving action.

It’s difficult to tell people you have cancer. Suddenly, there’s this sense of sadness as we realize how short life can be; how much we love and will miss each other someday. We connect on a new emotional level. We humbly wonder what the future holds. It’s out of our hands. We pray.

Within two days of my cancer diagnosis, I met my new gynecologic oncologist Dr. Jed Delmore and he performed a robotic hysterectomy that same week. To God be the glory for skilled physicians and medical teams as well as for modern technology of the healthcare industry in Salina and Wichita, Kansas!

Through the process I saw God’s hand in everything. 

My pastor came to Wesley Medical Center to pray with me and sit by my husband on the day of my surgery. I imagine that God wanted many other people to see a man wearing clerical collar in the hospital, too. My fellow church members prayed for me in a phone-prayer-chain and also in regular worship services. Awesome is the blessing of having family and friends near me who share the faith! I was encouraged with hugs, kind words, cards, Facebook messages, calls and personal visits.

Surgery removed all of the known cancer!

No cancer was found in the other “extra parts” and fluids removed during surgery to be tested. It had only been in the endometria which they’d already determined from the initial D&C/hysterscopy. I was happy to get a call from nurse Lindsay with news that pathology testing reported that it was stage 1A, an early diagnosis.

During my 3-week follow-up the doctor mentioned that Grade-1, Stage-1A was the best possible outcome and, statistically, my chances for this cancer to return somewhere else are 3 to 5% for the first two years after surgery. If I pass two years in good health, the prognosis is lowered; it becomes only one-half of a percent. Well, that allows for some optimism!

Thankfully, I am in recovery mode now and won’t need further treatment such as radiation or chemotherapy. I know how difficult this is by remembrance of my husband’s journey with esophageal cancer.

I pray, God-willing, frequent follow-up check-ups during the next couple years will have good results and I may live a long life. I thank the Lord for spiritual care my Minister offers each week in his sermons and worship services that include The Lord’s Supper; plus, the privilege to pray and be in His Word everyday.

Yet, even if long life is not to be, I have comfort for whenever the Last Day arrives.

I know God is always by my side and has gone before me. Our Father in Heaven loves us so much that He sent His Son Jesus to live as God-Man with us. In His birth, perfect life, suffering, death, burial, descent to hell, bodily resurrection, and ascension, Jesus claimed victory over death for everyone! He hears believers repentant prayers, forgives sins, crushes boastful pride, encourages/teaches humility/love; and, finally, He awards heaven as the prize for all who receive the one true faith which the Spirit freely offers (in baptism and the Word). Through Christ, believers trust the promise we will live forever in Paradise when death takes our earthly body.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. Mark 13:31-33 ESV

God provides food, drink, work skills and everything to enjoy life.

I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man. Ecclesiastes 3:12-13 ESV

A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed. Proverbs 15:13

Today in my quest for making good use of my time and finding enjoyment, I discovered a tutorial How to Prepare an Old Book for Altering or Art Journaling on Pinterest. Experimenting in creating art journals has been on my bucket list. God has blessed me with a creative spirit. I hope to use this gift more often for enjoyment to the glory of God.

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17 ESV

My body was designed with the miraculous ability to become pregnant and give birth. I am Pro-Life; I do not support Pro-Choice-to-End-Life by abortion or human euthanasia.

I praise the Lord for creating me with a healthy uterus to protect and nurture my unborn children during those months of my youth. I thank Him for blessing me with a faithful daughter and a theologically-devoted son who takes time to read and talk with me and others about God’s Word. Just yesterday we discussed Colossians 3.

and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, “‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise’?” Matthew 21:16 ESV

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Psalm 127:3 ESV

Life is full of wonderful surprises and it also jolts us with shocking challenges we must be prepared to face. 

Like a cancer diagnosis which leads to death, ever since the fall of Adam and Eve, we’ve been diagnosed with sin which leads to death. Physical symptoms warn us to take medical actions; similarly, the Ten Commandments act like a mirror to help us see our sin. Symptoms of cancer don’t just fade away. Sin doesn’t go away in God’s eyes unless faith washes them away, whiter than snow, by Jesus blood (Psalm 51). This faith points us to want to follow God’s instructions for living and loving in this life He’s given us. Surgery may remove cancer, temporarily saving life on this earth; but, for sure, Jesus saves believers who inherit eternity in Heaven with Him. This is far better than to reject the gift of faith, leading to everlasting-punishment-without-God which is Hell!

I pray that you seek to read/hear His Word (the Bible) and receive the Spirit’s help so you, also, are confident that nothing will be able to separate you from His love. If you live near me and don’t go to church, please, will you join me at mine (Faith Lutheran Church)? If you live in another area, here’s a link to help you find one that shares my faith. I want you to be blessed by Christian fellowship and grow strong in the gift of faith in Christ which promises peace that passes human understanding.

Do you have questions? Comments? Please post them below. I review them and it may take up to a day for them to show publicly, so please check back. I will do my best to respond as soon as possible.

Are you open-minded?

Think about what is written on your heart.

1. Who was Adolf Hitler?
2. What do you do when you come to a green light?
3. When has watching a movie made you think twice?
4. How are you influenced to make intuitive decisions?
5. Do you trust your instincts?
6. Do you weigh pros and cons and use imagination to envisage living with your decision?
7. Why form opinions on political issues?
8. Do you like thought provoking questions?
9. Why are you receptive to new and different ideas or the opinions of others?
10. What do new ideas, arguments, etc. mean to you?
11. Is it important to share your perspective?
12. How can you help others think with an open mind?

Remember, some decisions we make won’t make sense to other people. Intuitive decision-making works best when greed is separated from discernment. An open-minded person is willing to consider that he’s made a ‘wrong’ decision, turn from it and strive for what is right. We are all human and can learn from mistakes.

What does it mean to be open-minded?

• unprejudiced
• liberal
• free
• balanced
• catholic
• broad
• objective
• reasonable
• enlightened
• tolerant
• impartial
• receptive
• unbiased
• even-handed
• dispassionate
• fair-minded
• broad-minded

Satisfy your curiosity. If you’re open-minded, watch “180movie” NOW!

More info on the movie at heartchanger.com
More info on life issues, abortion and adoption at Lutherans For Life

Please Tweet #180movie, Share, Google+

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Living proof I “chose life” and thank my grandma and mother for doing so.

My children Laura and Nathan having tire swing and sandbox fun.

Staying healthy with sweet corn and amoxicillin for dinner.

When I grow up, I could be an engineer or a pastor or an artist or a good friend…

Four-generation span shown in this photo. Great Grandma chose life for Mom who chose life for me and I chose life for Laura.

Life is reason to celebrate every moment. The only way to offer an unborn baby a Happy New Year is by choosing life.

I Googled “charity” and came up with 368,000,000 matches. It is amazing how much information is at my fingertips. When I Google “human life” there were 24,000,000 results. Topping the list is an organization dedicated to protecting life from fertilization to natural death.

Why do organizations need to promote life? The answer is because of sin. God gave us The Ten Commandments to help us recognize sin in our lives. Sin takes a gift God has given and uses it in a way God does not want it used. Each commandment also teaches us how God’s gifts are used to His honor and glory.

The Bible’s fifth commandment is You shall not murder. The Lutheran (LCMS) explanation interprets it along with the verses listed below: 

Curb anger, do not harm or kill, hate not, repay not ill with ill. Be patient and of gentle mind, convince your foe that you are kind. Have mercy, Lord!*

Human life is the crowning gift of God’s creation. We are not to end human life through murder, abortion, euthanasia or suicide. Prejudice, bigotry and abuse of those less fortunate are forbidden. We recognize that we can “murder” a person with our thoughts, certainly with our words, and then most dramatically with our actions. As God’s representative, the government has the authority to execute criminals and to wage just wars in order to punish evildoers, protect us, and maintain order. As we continue to receive mercy and kindness in Christ, so we support our neighbors when they need help. (Gen.9:6; Matt. 26:52; Jer. 1:5; Prov. 31:8; Matt. 5:22; 1 John 3:15; Eph. 4:26; Rom.13:4).

We cannot keep the commandments because of sin. Good news is that Jesus Christ sacrificed his perfect life for our sake and rose again on the third day so we may have eternal life.

I was recently invited to participate in an event called “Walk for Life”. It is a great reason to get some exercise and vitamin D (if the sun is shining) along with others who care about life. Every dollar raised will go to support the ever-expanding work of the Pregnancy Service Center. This organization is dedicated to helping meet the needs of those facing an unplanned pregnancy. You can easily donate to help! To learn more about how this organization is sharing the mercy and kindness in Christ by offering education and support to women, visit my page where you can GIVE. You will be happy you did!

*From Martin Luther’s hymn on the Ten Commandments, Here Is the Tenfold Sure Command, Hymn in Lutheran Worship (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1982).