Lord's Day Devotion - FAITH Which Sees

 

It is from the Bible we hear the stories of Jesus and learn of His love for each of us.  The Bible is God's Holy Word which helps us see the love of Jesus, God's own Son, that led Him  to die for us, providing the salvation we each so dreadfully needed.  It is from the Bible we read, meditate and obey, discovering the ways we are shown, that pleases Him - to walk in His way and not our own.

Most of us have been given two eyes, to look to God and if either of them are diminished, we can still see with the eyes of faith to look up to Him.  We have been given ears to hear His word to receive what our Father has to say.  Willing ears of faith listen well.  The obedience shows faith when we step out in faith to walk with our feet in His ways, which will energize our two lips to sing forth His praise, speaking with Him and of Him and all He has done and is doing in our lives and in the lives of others.  Our two hands represent the obedience, the action of faith to do His will, and with our one little heart that loves Him still - love because He first loved us.

How do we know we even have a heart?  It is by faith, that even though we  cannot see it, we see evidence of it by each breath we take, each song of praise we sing, each movement our body makes.

FAITH ... small word, big meaning.  

Followers of Jesus Christ have been justified by faith, giving us the peace with God, I'll say it again, we each so dreadfully needed. Now God's love is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us through the death, resurrection and ascension of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1).

It's like even trusting ourselves to a flight in an airplane.  Mostly we never see the pilot.  We board the plane, sit in our seat, buckle up and  prepare ourselves for the take off; pilot, sight unseen.  Does he or she even know how to get from Point A to Point B?  We trust they do!  Faith in another flawed human being and in one of their inventions!  How much more will we put our faith, hope and trust in Jesus and God our Heavenly Father!  They are perfect in every good way.

Jesus appeared to His disciples in that Upper Room after His resurrection.  Thomas wasn't there that first time.  When he was told by the other disciples that they had seen the Lord, Thomas staunchly wouldn't believe it.  He declared he had to literally see for himself and put his finger in the nailprints and in Jesus' side where the spearprint could be found.  He wanted to see before believing.

We all know what happened eight days later.  Thomas was there when Jesus returned.  Jesus, gracious as ever, bid Thomas do as he felt he needed.  I think Thomas could barely bear to do as he'd vowed to do.  Thomas proclaimed, 

"My Lord and my God" (John 20:28 NIV)!

Thomas saw and then believed.  Nowadays, we are among the blessed who...

"have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20:29 NIV). 

We are justified by our faith - believing before seeing - faith which sees.

Faith which is also a gift from God who only gives good and perfect gifts.  Let us all be encouraged to use our literal eyes, ears, feet, lips, hands, and heart, driven along in tandem with those of faith.  If any reading this do not have the literal body parts mentioned, then we use what we have in doing His will for us, still with those of faith, as do Joni Eareckson Tada and Nick Vujicic, who each have full lives of service to their Lord and God.

As we gather together to remember our Savior's death and resurrection this Lord's Day, ponder on what these nail and spear prints represent for us.  Pass the broken bread and cup of wine symbols of our dying Savior's love and risen Savior's victory - for each of us.  Praise Him for the faith we've been given to believe before we have seen.  Thank Him for all He has done for us, for you, and for me.

Thank Him in words and sacrifices of praise from our lips and obedient service for Him, with eyes, ears, feet, hands, and heart.  Thank Him too for leaving us His message of love which we learn of from the B - I - B - L - E!

Let us all have faith which sees.

                                                        ~ERC  May 2022~

Based on John 20:26-29 NIV and Sunday School songs: The B-I-B-L-E and Two Little Eyes to Look to God.

Good Book - Letta in China - By Connie Seaward Ong

 It is always wonderful to read testimonies of how a brother or sister-in-Christ gave long term service to the Lord.  This biography, written by a granddaughter, is about just such a single lady, who at the tender age of 22, left the USA for China in the early 1920's.  Little did she know what all would transpire but her love for the Lord and for the Chinese people shone out in her ministrations to one and all whom she encountered.  Her name was Letta Teuber.

She eventually married a fellow missionary and became Letta Hansen.  She and her husband Harold had several children who learned to speak Mandarin right along with their parents becoming fluent and even speaking with other missionary kids in Chinese. That tickled my fancy.  Although Letta keenly felt sadness, and the grief  of losing a very young child, the reader will eventually see how Letta dealt with that and overcame despite the lingering heart pain of such a loss even years afterwards.

This family, along with many other missionaries and expatriates were herded by the Japanese into concentration camps during WWII.  As you can imagine, conditions weren't great. Besides enduring the privations and cruelty, their food was mostly meager and rotten and children had to be forced to eat eggshells to get some calcium into their bodies and bones.  Eventually, due to a prisoner exchange, the Hansen family were shipped back to the USA.

There they recuperated but were not idle, serving in various Assemblies of God churches until Harold's death.  Letta was eventually led of the Lord to serve in Singapore along with her daughter Margie and her husband and children.

Any Christians who love to see how the Lord can work in our lives, of God's faithfulness throughout all those China years and beyond, and how one can have such a close relationship with the Lord will no doubt, I believe, enjoy reading this account of God's love and favor in His servants' lives.  What a legacy that passed down to their children, as well!

                                                        ~ERC  May 2022~

Vast and Wonderful - Prayer

 

Father God, Creator of all heaven and earth, the seas and all that in them are - You have a wonderfully vast creation!  This, when we consider it all - leads us to think of You and how totally amazing you are!  As David said,

"how majestic!"

We almost don't have the words to describe You!  David continues and shows us the way, 

"How majestic is Your name in all the earth!" (Psalm 8:1 & 9).

  He says it twice.  He too, was enthralled.  Glory and honor belong to You!  Yes, and You wanted relationship with Your human beings and even entrusted Your creation to us, putting it all under our feet!  It's incomprehensible yet You being the Creator can do what You wish and think best.

We humbly accept the responsibility and will try to do You proud!  I confess I haven't really, seriously thought much about how I, in my small sphere can make much of a difference but I'll try.  I'll try even in my own backyard.  I don't have much of a green thumb though - not like Yours!!  But I know You will help.

In Jesus name I praise You and make this promise.  Thank-You for Your love and forgiveness and for this responsibility.

                                                      ~ERC  April 2022~

Based on Psalm 8 (NIV).

Sing, My God is so BIG, so Strong and so Mighty and Psalm 8 song.

Book Review - The Fugitive Colours - By Nancy Bilyeau - Publication Date: 12 May 2022

 It all started with fugitive colours, spying and greed and the like of such covetousness did not fade throughout this wonderfully dramatic and fantastic historical fiction.  So many criss-crossing layers zipping this way and that surely kept me on my toes.  There were Hugenot refugees who came from France to Spitalfields, England where the setting of the story unfolds, many of whom were tradesmen in the silk weaving business; there's the spies egged on by Louis XV post the Seven Years War between France and England, infiltrating London and region; there's the chemists and painters trying to dig out information from the main character, Geneviere's husband Thomas, secrets which he is forbidden by law to reveal; and the aspiring and determined painters who'd do much to have the information. 

Geneviere herself is an artist - a painter on silk with two proteges Caroline and Jean, there's the housekeeper Daphne along with George and Sophie, also household staff and little Pierre, Geneviere and Thomas' son.  Each have their role to play.

Things really begin to boil when Geneviere accepts an invitation to Joshua Reynold's home and she gets more than she bargained for.  This chap was a true to life successful painter back in 1764 when this story takes place.  The flight of activity seems hinged on and around Geneviere and Thomas, and even Caroline, each with pasts they are loathed to reveal.  Somehow or another the info leaked out to unscrupulous people creating much suspense, mystery and thriller scenarios with the spies added to the mix for good measure.  Overlapping this are the silk weavers' employees airing disgruntlements and demonstrations.  The murder and the whodunnit will bate your curiosity and keep the  pages turning.

I really enjoy getting peeks into history wrapped in fiction form such as this author Nancy Bilyeau has penned.  This second book in the Genevieve Planche series is fast-paced and entertaining, as well as educational.  I believe most mature readers will love this book, especially painters and those who are interested in silk.

                                             ~Eunice C.,  Reviewer/Blogger~

                                                          February 2022

Disclaimer:  This is my honest opinion based on the review copy sent by NetGalley and the publisher.

Read review on Goodreads.

Book Review - The Surgeon's Daughter - By Audrey Blake - Publication Date: 10 May 2022

 

I do not have enough praises for this book!  The characters have strong backbones making the story strong and entirely believable.  In my opinion the authors have done an excellent job.  Their research task must have been mammoth but the pathos, the angst, the maddening frustrations, and deeply demeaning-of-women essence of the times as portrayed in this historical fiction, oozes out of the pages' pores and about knocks you over.  Like, "A female doctor?  NOT on my watch!"  

This was the general male reaction just as much as a female one.  Female doctors, female lawyers or female anything else should not be, except for ornamental housewives and/or mothers, being the acceptable vocation for any intelligent woman back in the day of the mid-to-late 1800's and early 1900's when these struggles came more to the fore.

The main protagonist Nora, overcame these great odds with the help of Horace, Daniel, Harry, Pozzi, Perra  and  the invincible M. Marenco and a handful of other cheerleaders such as Mrs. Phipps and Mrs. Crawford.  Together, this troop pulled together to overcome the tsunamis of prejudices against women and even against innovative male doctors.

Yes, there is an element of romance that threads its way throughout the narrative.  However, it does not supercede the main issues being addressed such as the woman being in formerly male-only positions, performing caesareans, trying to help diphtheria sufferers and so on.  Seeing how iron sharpens iron between the  characters is refreshing, in how they support and lift each other up for their good and to goad each other to do their diligent best and  succeed  with excellence.

The author of this book is labeled as Audrey Blake, yet this superb tale is the concoction and collaboration of two women in cohoots.  I hope they will co-author more historical novels to blow us readers out of our complacent chairs.  Women these days have much to be thankful for and it is well and good to have such valiant pioneers of the past who endured so much, documented in such memorable fashion and to help us realize what victories have been achieved, in great part, because of the courageous women of the past who stood resolute.  The Surgeon's Daughter is just such a monument.  Well done, Audrey Blake!

Since this story has some grit to it, there are some discussion questions to think through at story's end.  There's a spiel about the research material involved and referenced, along with the regular addenda of acknowledgements and about the authors' sections.  I hope any future readers will be as enthralled with this story as I have been.

                                            ~Eunice C.,  Reviewer/Blogger~

                                                        February 2022

Disclaimer:  This is my honest opinion  based on the complimentary review copy sent by NetGalley and the publisher.

Read review on Goodreads.

Book Review - NetGalley's Book Advocate Toolkit - By We Are Bookish - Publication Date: 8 March 2022

As designed, this helpful 'toolkit' will guide the 'new-to-NetGalley" and also some who have been at it for a while, to create good and better reviews as well as teach ways to disseminate these reviews in clever, fun and creative ways.  Those reviewers who are more 'tech savvy' will be able to be even more engaging in being a book advocate extra-ordinaire.  This through using their Blog, Bookstagram, YouTube, Booktoc, Twitter,  hashtags and more.  Give it a go! 

                                               ~Eunice C.,   Reviewer/Blogger~

                                                         May 2022

Disclaimer:  This is my honest opinion based on the review copy sent by NetGalley and the publisher.

Read review on Goodreads:

The Best Vengeance

 Heavenly Father, we cry out to You because you hear us and answer our call.  Many rise up against us, but You arise and are our shield of protection against our foes.  Even in our darkest times that may often seem unending and darkness comes in waves that crash over our heads time and again, so that it seems we will never be delivered, You are there!

You are defending us.  That's why we call out to You, O Lord.  We can trust You and lie down and sleep.  All our cares, fears, worries handed over to You.  We awake again, refreshed because You sustain us.

Father we are not used to asking You to bring vengeance upon our enemies as David did in Psalm 3.  We do ask for justice and know that Your wrath will be upon those who don't repent of their evil ways and will get their just rewards in time to come.

The best vengeance we can think of is for our enemies to come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of their lives and repent of their evil deeds.  Arise Father and work these miracles in our incessant foes.  Our deliverance comes only from You and so does theirs.  

Bless us and may Your blessings be upon Your people now and for always.  

In Jesus' Name I ask.

                                                    ~ERC  April 2022~

Based on Psalm 3 (NIV).