Ready to Go Home?

A feeling of heaviness and uncertainty are looming across this country and world like I have never experienced before. It’s not just one thing to point to but many. A deadly virus that is keeping us separated and worried, civil injustice and riots that scare us, leaders that are untrustworthy, and media that cannot be trusted. These examples are not all that is putting pressure on the average person. Unemployment and uncertain futures for our families are at the forefront of every home across the country. Many theologians are referring to this as the beginning of the end times. I tend to believe that its almost time for Jesus to move His children to safer pastures.

Jesus is the Good Shephard and as Christian Believers, we are "His" sheep that follow Him. I believe it is almost time for Jesus to return for His Church (Believers).  1 Thessalonians 4:17 states, We, who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so, we will be with the Lord forever (NIV).

I understand that there are some who believe Christians will go through the end days or tribulation with those who don’t believe in Jesus Christ, but I am not one. I want to be as ready as possible to meet my Savior whenever He decides its time.

Many Christians will tell you that they feel it too. The heaviness and urgency of getting ready. Most of my thoughts are not on what is wrong in the world but finding ways to help people understand that there may not be much time left to get ready for Jesus’ coming. I know that many think of this topic as ridiculous but as a true believer that has been on my knees praying for the lost to know Christ Jesus this is the most serious concern I have right now. How about you? Are you ready to go home? Are you prepared to meet the one who died and rose again so you could come home to be with him?

Jesus Christ is God’s Son plain and simple. He came, lived a perfect sinless life, and was sacrificed for our sins. He came because the Father loved us so much and knew if left to our own, we could not be apart of His family any longer. We needed a perfect man to take our place and pay our debt, that man was Jesus Christ. Believing in Him and knowing and asking forgiveness for the sins that put Jesus on the cross is the beginning. Turning to Jesus and asking Him to help us through God’s Holy Spirit will put your life on a path of healing and peace knowing as God prepares to send Jesus for us you will be among the ones who call Him Savior and Father.

I’m packing to go home, and I sure would like it if you could go with me. Until then let us pray for the eyes of the lost to be opened and the hearts of the weary to be full of the joy of knowing the living God. What a day the Homecoming of the Church will be! I am praying I will be next to you as we look into the loving face of Jesus and know we will always be with Him.

Your Sister in Christ,

Jacque Barnes

It a Matter of the Heart

 When you lose your ability to trust the ones who are closest to you, it's hard to have a normal life. Being a victim of abuse can cause a person to live inward and rarely let others in. If the abuse happens repeatedly over many years, some individuals never get to the point of trust again. There are exceptions but without major work, it is near impossible to overcome.

One exception is laying yourself at the feet of Jesus Christ and giving Him everything, including the part of your life that has caused so much pain. You see abuse starts with our hearts. I know this sounds funny, but it really does. A therapist or even a cardiologist can’t come close to healing a broken heart, but Jesus can.

With many types of abuse, it starts with trust. Whether it is a parent or a stranger the victim has developed a trusting relationship most times. A child loves and trusts his or her parents, it’s just part of the parent-child relationship from the moment a child is born. The child is vulnerable and naturally trusts the parent will do everything to protect and shelter him or her from harm. If abuse begins to happen the child is not only being harmed in his or her body and mind, but their heart is harmed. The child is heartbroken, and trust will slowly disappear. 

The same happens when a stranger starts to groom a child. The abuser will begin by playing on the child’s heart. The grooming involves gaining trust and acceptance from the child. Once the abuser is satisfied that the child has given him or her their heart, they will slowly begin the abuse. 

You see it starts in the heart, in a place that is hidden from everyone but the victim. This is one reason it is so hard to heal from abuse unless you have the right kind of help. Healing must begin with love and respect on the part of the person helping the abused individual. Who better than the one who loved us enough to die for us? Jesus will begin to help regain trust and mend a heart that has been broken through abuse.

Don’t get me wrong, a therapist that specializes in abuse is never wrong, but it must begin with someone working with the abused person long enough to gain the respect and trust of that individual. It must start with the heart. Jesus is the only one who can truly heal an abused heart and give new life to anyone who has a heart that has been broken through abuse. Selecting a therapist who understands Jesus and His way of healing can lead to a heart that is full of trust, love, and forgiveness. 

A Life that is free of the chains of resentment and hatred has room for Love and forgiveness. Letting Jesus heal our hearts will never prove to be a mistake. A heart mended through Jesus Christ will always have peace and freedom from the scars of abuse. 

Sack Cloth and Ashes

Ok this is where we should put on sack cloth and ashes and began to plead for mercy from God! As a Nation we have made everything an idol except the one who is able to save us. We sacrifice to everything that will bring us pleasure and riches. It's time to get on our knees and as forgiveness and ask for a change of heart. Please stop asking God to heal our home and nation without first repentance of where we've fail Him! We do that and I can promise things will start to turn around for us. God is in charge people and loves us deeply but will not move until we make changes in our lives and in our hearts. Just saying! Love y'all ❤️

Where the Rubber Meets the Road

If you don’t already know, the time has come to make a choice. Because when the Rubber meets the road, God is the only one who can turn this situation around.  Science and medical communities can only do what God gives them the ability to do. God is and has always been in control.

Throughout history, our world has seen many disasters, some man-made, some natural.  I’m not one who believes that God has caused these disasters, but I do believe that He has allowed them. Man, on the other hand, has been responsible. Since the fall of man in the garden, our world has been on a path of one disaster after another. Sin has taken over this world and nothing is out of reach of the evil that was produced when it entered the Earth.  God gave man a choice to either believe Him and obey or to listen to the lies of Satan and spend his days away from the Creator who loved and protected them. The choice is apparent to anyone who will open their eye. Genesis 2: 16-17 clearly states this, “And Jehovah God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (NSV, Bible).

Although God is in control, He has let us make our own mind up about what we believe. Consequences come from the choices we make. When we decide to break the rules of how our world is set up, we will suffer from those decisions. Galatians 6:7 states, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows” (NLT, Bible). If we allow the Creator of All things, God, take the reins, things will start to level out and correct themselves. History has many examples of this happening.

For God to begin to set things right with us we must believe Him and accept that He has reached out with His own Son Jesus. God allowed Jesus to come into this world and live a full life, with choices, in order to set things right once and for all. There needed to be one man who could live life without sin to fulfill the role of sacrifice. God’s son would have to make the choice to give Himself to death as a sacrifice for mankind’s sin. Jesus did what the rest of us could not, He lived a sinless life and gave Himself to die for us so we could come back to our Creator Father and find life again with Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 states, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (NLT, Bible). There is not enough thanks and praise in the world to make up for such a gift.

In this life, we will always be subjected to the sins of man, but if we make that commitment to believe God and accept that Jesus paid the price to make it right with the Father we can walk through this world and anything it throws at us, knowing that God is in control of our lives and that He will never leave us. Romans 8:28 says, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (NIV, Bible). I know I have been eternally blessed and been given new hope through my savior Jesus Christ and I pray that you have also. Please if you haven't accepted this free gift of salvation do it today and watch your life change.

People throughout history have had to live through earthly disasters and plagues, and many have suffered, but the ones who took the hand of Jesus have given thanks instead of living in dread. They have been the ones who come out singing instead of crying. James 1:2-4 states, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (NIV, Bible). We will bend but will not break! Take this time to gain strength and wisdom in Christ. Pray, Praise, and read His Word. I promise it will give you peace that this world cannot. Please choose to praise Him for His mercy and goodness today and just watch what He does tomorrow.

Your Sister in Christ,

Jacque

Valentine from God

As we give gifts of appreciation and love to the special people in our lives let us also realize that God is also wishing us a Happy Valentines Day. Not in the sense of giving us superficial gifts like roses and candy but just the fact that we celebrate a day where we outwardly appreciate the people in our lives that we love is a gift from God.  God is love and has from the beginning of time shown us how much He loves us and how He wants us to love one another.

1 John 4:8 states, "God is love." Not only does God love; love is part of His essential nature (Bible). Love is who God is, therefore He cannot but love. What a beautiful picture of who God is. His whole nature is love! Some examples of His love for us is His Son, Jesus.  1 John 4:9 explains, “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him” (Bible). John 3:16 goes on to say, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (Bible). By giving us the gift of salvation through His son, His grace is also revealed and counted as Love.

Grace is something that God has extended to us as the result of Jesus, His only son, dying for our sins. It cannot be bought or loaned, it cannot be bartered with. It is free. God’s Grace is the most loving gift anyone could ever receive. Ephesians 2:8-9 explains it this way, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Bible). If you are a child of God you have been given grace, not because you deserve it but because God loves you unconditionally. Another expression of God's love is His preparation of a home for us. 

Heaven is a place we Christians long for, It is our hope and our future. In John 14:2-3 Jesus promises, "In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (Bible). What love God is showing to us just by giving us the promise of our new home with Him. God gives us many hints into what this home will be like and it will be wonderful but being face-to-face with Jesus will be the best gift yet.

The Bible is full of other examples of God’s love for us, but the very nature of God is reason enough to know we are loved dearly by our Lord and Creator. We are God’s creation and He created us to bring Glory to Him. Loving us and us taking His hand and trusting Him to keep His promises is doing just that, bringing Honor and Glory to our Father, the God of Creation.

Happy Valentines Day!

Your Sister in Christ

Jacque Barnes