The God Clock

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways my ways," says the LORD.  "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Isaiah 55: 8-9 NKJV 

I've learned something recently, possibly something I've already known perhaps.  It would seem that, despite my best efforts, my view of time is skewed compared to Gods.  See, in Gods realm, time essentialy has no ending.  That doesn't play too well in our here and now, where we expect everything to be on our schedule.  I admit, I often wonder if God really is listening or if he just takes a message and gets back to me later when he has more time.  Then I see the truth of Isaiah 55:8 and my eyes are once again opened.  It is foolish of me to even venture to think that this very same God who loved me enough to send his own son to die for me, would even consider ignoring me.  That's just not in the nature of a loving God.  Yet, when we humans are faced with circumstances where we definately feel we can't take another step, it is THEN that God will remind us of his presence.  

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.  Now both Jesus and his disciples were invited to the wedding.  And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine."  Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does your concern have to deal with me?  My hour has not yet come."  His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it."  Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece.  Jesus said to them, "Fill the waterpots with water."  And they filled them up to the brim.  And he said to them, "Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast."  And they took it.  When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom.  And he said to him, "Every man at the begining sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior.  You have kept the good wine until now!"

John 2: 1-10 NKJV

How close can you get?  Here the guests at this wedding in Cana were faced with that dilema of running out of wine during a wedding celebration!  Now, if you don't know anything about these celebrations in Jewish culture, they could last about 3 to 7 days!  In fact, being caught without wine could have brought shame upon the host of said celebration.  So, it is against this backdrop that Jesus' mother comes to her son for help.  I love Jesus' response to her request, "Woman, what does your concern have to deal with Me?  My hour has not yet come."  WHAT?  Here was his own mother asking for his help!  Jesus' timing was not based on ours, the God clock.  Despite this, it is here we see the first of many miracles of our Lord.  

In spite of all that is swirling around us, we do well remember that our Lord has only good intentions for us.  Not only that, but he will reveal them in his perfect timing!  In this microwave speed world in which we live, we want a resolution NOW!  Our hurts, confusion and stress are highly personal to each of us.  At times, we shout out to Jesus, "Lord, we have no wine!"  As always, calm in the midst of our chaos, Jesus gently tells us, "Be still, my time has not yet come."  I recently shared a word of encouragement with a dear friend at my mothers memorial service.  This woman had suffered the same loss I was dealing with, the loss of her mother.  Through her tears, she mentioned that she wasn't  quite ready to stop grieving just yet.  I understood, having experienced the same feelings as she was.  I gave her the best advice I could, "There IS NO time limit on our grief!"  Indeed I know that, as in my own grief, our loving God will release us from our grief in his timing.  Funny, I can almost hear those words of our Lord Jesus, "My time has not yet come."

~Scott~ 

Guided By Voices

For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.  And no wonder!  For satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.
2 Corinthians 11: 13-14 NKJV

Some call it conscience while others call it a "Sixth sense."  The mythical Spider Man went so far as to refer to it as his "Spider Sense."  Whatever we call it, there is something to be said about that inner voice that helps guide us at times.  But what voice are we listening to?  In 2 Corinthians 11:14, the apostle Paul warns us that even satan has transformed himself into an angel of light.  Indeed, we should know that our enemy is able to deceive many, and has already.  Although I would make the argument that satan himself is incapable of being all knowing as God is, he is still able to offer his suggestions to Gods children.  What may be some of his suggestions?  Well, I would assume that something that is obviously against Gods nature and will just may be a suggestion from satan himself.

"You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do.  He was a murderer from the begining, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.  When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it."
John 8:44 NKJV

I've heard many people use that ever so famous phrase,"The devil made me do it!"  However, I would suggest that satan himself cannot "make" us do anything!  For it is by our own choices that we either follow our Lords will or succumb to satans advances.  For it is God, the creator of the universe, that is ultimately in control of everything, even though we have that ability to make our own choices.  In James 1, our Lords brother tells us in no uncertain terms what happens when satan makes his "suggestions."

Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he himself tempt anyone.  But each one is tempted when he is drawn in by his own desires and enticed.  Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.  Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
James 1: 13-16 NKJV

So it is here in James that we see the source of many of these "voices" that we may happen upon during the course of our daily life.  Should anyone think that God is tempting them, James warns us to "Do not be deceived."  For our Lord cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he TEMPT ANYONE!  It is simply not in Gods loving nature for him to tempt his children into evil.  However, I will mention here also that there is a huge difference between temptation and testing!  For our Lord can and will test our faith from time to time.  How can we tell if that voice we are hearing is that of God and not of satan or his minions?  Well, I would suggest that if that "voice" we are thinking of heeding has any hint of evil attached to it, that satan is most likely the author of  this temptation.  We do well to remember that satan is crafty and deceitful in his dealings with Gods children.  For if we are indeed being tempted, we are being lied to by the father of lies!

~Scott~

That Insurmountable Wall

Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him.  Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.  And they said among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?"  But when they looked up, they saw the stone had been rolled away - for it was very large.  And entering the tomb,  they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting  on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed.  You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.  He is risen!  He is not here.  See the place where they laid Him.  But go, tell his disciples - and Peter - that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you."
Mark 16: 1-7 NKJV

Can you imagine the reaction of these women that morning as they journeyed to what they fully expected to be the tomb of this man they knew as Jesus?  For as they walked along, they wondered just how they would open the tomb of their Lord, as the entrance was covered by a large, heavy stone.  What would you expect to see there?  As for me, I would be expecting the obvious, a tomb occupied by the body of Jesus.  Why else would these women be bringing spices to anoint the body of the Lord?  THEY fully expected to find Jesus' body in that tomb!  However, as we all know by now, God had different plans for his one and only Son.  I guess one thing I would tell these women as they walked to the tomb of Jesus that morninng is to expect the unexpected.  This is one thing we should always consider when we deal with Gods timing, expect the unexpected!

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.  For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.  By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
Hebrews 11: 1-3 NKJV

The elders mentioned here in Hebrews 11, what were they expecting?  Each of the patriarchs listed here in Hebrews, Noah, Abraham, Joseph and Moses, these all fully expected God to deliver on what he had promised.  God promised Noah that he would deliver his family from the floood, and he delivered.  God promised Abraham and Sarah a child in their old age, and he delivered.  As we're told in Hebrews, it is through the stalwart faith of these men of old that carried them.  They trusted God to keep his word.  Far from being just a handful of stories in scripture, these experiences of our forefathers are useful to us in the here and now.  I believe that this was the very purpose of the God breathed scriptures of Hebrews as well as the rest of Gods word.  For it is here that we find help in the face of the turmoil of this world.
What is it that you are facing?  Are you worried about your health?  Jesus told us not to worry about that.  Does it seem like the entire world is against you?  Well, I imagine that our Lord Jesus felt this same way on his path towards his destiny.  My point is this, whatever it is that we are facing today, it's surely nothing that God can't help you with.  Just like those women who journeyed to the tomb of the risen Christ that morning, we often fully expect only what we see in front of us.  All to often, that insurmountable wall we are facing is nothing but a empty tomb!

~Scott~

A Glorious Death

What shall we say then?  Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?  Certainly not!  How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
Romans 6: 1-2 NKJV

Some people see it as just another slippery slope, another unachievable biblical passage.  For those of us who are alive each and every day in our Lords creation, it's hard to imagine that we're dead!  Now, of course the apostle Paul isn't talking about our physical death here, for that may be even harder to understand.  No, for the "Death" that Paul refers to in Romans 6:12 is  not a physical death, but a spiritual one.  Did we die for a cause?  Was our death painful?  I don't know about anyone else, but I certainly don't remember dying.  It seems that I would remember such a life event.  So, what is it that Paul tells us that we died to here?  I don't think we need a illustration to show just what Paul is refering to here.  For the death that we died was to sin itself.  WHAT?  If there's one thing that someone may be sure of is that they still continue to sin!  There's that slippery slope I mentioned.  How, if I have indeed died to sin, can I  still continue to sin?    Well congratulations, you're not alone in asking this question.   I can imagine the confusion on the faces of people in Pauls day as well.

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the spirit.  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.  For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh.
Romans 8: 1-3 NKJV

I believe that the key passage here in Romans 8 lies in verse 3.  For it is here that Paul tells us just how God dealt with that sinful flesh that he mentions.  Make no mistake, that sinful flesh HAD to be dealt with in order for Gods children to be redeemed.  In essence, as the law required, there needed to be a blood sacrafice to wash away our sins.

'For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.'
Leviticus 17:11 NKJV

"For it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul."  Yes, I believe that Gods plan for our ultimate redemption was already in place as Moses wrote Gods instructions to the Isrealites.  What is it that God set as a requirement for the atonement for our very souls?  Blood!  What is it that he sent his one and only son to do?  Shed his blood on a Roman cross!  Believe me, alot of blood was shed over the sins of the Isrealites on the way to the cross of Jesus! It is hard for me to imagine, but as Jesus died on that cross, a part of me died with there with him.

For he who  has died has been freed from sin.  Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we should also live with him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more.  Death no longer has dominion over Him.  For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He llives to God.  Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.
Romans 6: 7-12 NKJV

As the apostle Paul tells us, through the death of our Lord Jesus, we no longer carry the sin nature we once had.  We are not "sinners saved by grace," but new creations in our risen Lord!  When the temptation of sin comes knocking, we can say with confidence, "YOU'RE DEAD TO ME!"

~Scott~

The Acusser Of The Brethren

Guilty as charged I've been convicted and tried.
Was it too much to ask for you to take my side?
Cause' there's nothing here to defend.
when it's always me that you blame in the end.
"Brand New Low"
Trebel Charger

We've all had bad days, I've had my share lately.  Does our Lord love us enough to send his Son to redeem us only to point a accusatory finger when we do wrong?  No, for as Darth Vader once observed, "There is another."  Who is this accuser who so vehemently attacks the children of God?  We need only to go to scripture for this answer.

How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer,  son of the morning!  How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations!  For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit on the mount of the congregation.  On the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.
Isaiah 14: 12-14 NKJV

Understand, fellow christians, that it isn't your Lord Jesus who points that finger of blame against you.  No, for satan has lied from the begining, and he continues to lie to Gods children today!  It wasn't Jesus who, in the garden, persuaded Adam and Eve into disobedience from God.  How often I've felt the accusations of the evil one.  "You're ugly, you're not good enough, nobody likes you, God has abandoned you!"  How can a God who loved us so much to send his one and only Son to die for us turn and level such vile lies towards his children?  No, it is not  in Gods nature to attack his children in such a way!  Yet, when some believers are attacked by such feelings, they immediately think that they need to "Appease" God in some way.  There couldn't be anything farther from the truth.  For he who has lied from the begining continues to do so today!

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.  Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
1 Peter 5: 8-9 NKJV

If there is one thing we are told to do when confronted by satan it is to resist him.  When tempted, Jesus resisted all the accusers temptations.  I can take pride in the fact that the very same beast who tempted my precious Lord and savior also spends his time tempting me.  Whenever we are confronted by satans accusations, we should  be asking ourselves, "Why is satan even worried about me?"  Take a good look at the book Revelation sometime and you will see the ultimate ending that lies ahead for the accuser of the brethren.

The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are.  And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Revelation 20:10 NKJV

AHA!  This very same enemy of the brethren who tempted Jesus and continues to accuse Gods children even today has a special place reserved for him!  For God has already sealed the fate of he who accuses you, and it is VERY different from our future with God.  For satan will never hear his creator say to him "Well done, good and faithful servant!"  We can be at peace in the knowledge that God not only loved us enough to send his son to redeem us, but that he has set aside for us a eternal home in his glory.


"In my fathers 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 to  prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
John 14: 2-3 NKJV

My dear friend Chuck reminds me every now and then of some sound advice when we're confronted by satans accusations.   "When satan reminds you of your past, remind him of his future!"  AMEN BROTHER!

~Scott~

Love To Give

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.  And we have known and believed the love that God has for us.  God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
1 John 4: 15-16 NKJV

There is a verse in one of my favorite scriptures that has helped put my heart at ease more than a few times, "Because he first loved us."  Even before we could comprehend the word and feeling associated with the word love, God showered his unconditional love upon us.  Is it not our human nature that sets limits on who we show love towards?  Yes, we love our family, our mate and perhaps a few selected others, but can we truly love everyone that we meet?  God has.  In 1 John 4:16, the apostle John reveals something that many people may not have known.  Not only does our Lord love his children, here John tells us that God IS LOVE.  Keep in mind that the apostle John spent more than a few years in the very presence of God through his journey with Jesus.  It is here that we learn that instead of just showering his unconditional love, that our Lord exemplifies love in its purest form.  Not only that, but those of us who abide in love, abide in God.  For it is he who showed unconditional love who is the very definition of it.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.  But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.  We love him becasue he first loved us.  If someone says, I love God", and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God, whom he has not seen?  And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.
1 John 4: 18-21 NKJV

Do we love our family?  Do we love our friends?  If not, what or who is it that we love?  Does the scripture go too far by saying that he who hates his brother is a liar?  How can he who personifies the very word of love abide in hatred?  Yes, some people may find that reading 1 John 4:20 may be a tad bit offensive.  After all, we're human, and God should expect us to occasionaly mess up right?  Well, it's been my experience that Gods word is hardly politicaly correct at times.  As the scripture tells us, Gods word is sharper than ANY two edged sword!  Not only that, but people definately will react differently when others show them love or hatred.
There have been more than a few people in my life who have expressed their love for me.  My family, and a few dear friends come to mind.  Yes, there have even been a few who have shown me hatred, imagine that.  However, there is only one who, despite all of my trespasses, has loved me from the begining.  I didn't do anything to earn or deserve Gods love, it is unconditional.  He invites each of us to accept his invitation.  Whatever it is that our hearts may tell us we are unworthy to be loved, it is God who reaches out to shower us with his afffection.  For he first loved us.   One thing that we can be assured of, is that our Lord IS love, and he has plenty to give.

~Scott~

A Life In Ministry

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?  And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?  And how shall they hear without a preacher?  And how shall they preach unless they are sent?  As it is written:  "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!"  But they have not all obeyed the gospel.  For Isaiah says, "LORD, who has believed our report?"  So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Romans 10: 14-17 NKJV

I've heard it said of certain people, "He/she had a great ministry."  Is it necessarily only the pastors and preachers who are given to teach and preach the gospel of our Lord?  I feel that this kind of thinking would deny us of those among us who truly have a heart for, and a message from the Lord.  So it is, that Gods hand is not so short that he cannot use someone to relay his word to others.  Throughout the scriptures we see ordinary people speaking the word of the Lord to those who would listen.  From Moses and Jonah to the apostle Paul, throughout history God has used ordinary people among us to speak to the masses.  Paul, one of the greatest defenders of the gospel the world has ever known, would have hardly been considered a follower of Jesus.

Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest.  And asked for letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.  As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven.  Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul,Saul, why are you persecuting me?"
Acts 9: 1-4 NKJV

Does this sound like the Paul who spoke so vehemently of the work of Christ Jesus?  Breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord?  In fact, as Saul journeyed to Damascus, he planned on bringing a few church members back with him, in chains.  A wonderful candadite for Gods ministry.  However, it is for this reason why I feel that Saul was chosen.  As the world would soon see, this former persecutor of the followers of Jesus would soon become a great defender of his message.
Is it possible, then, if God could use a persecutor of the church such as Saul, that he can use any one of us to spread his word?  How lonely and void a world would it be if only those who were "Anointed" were tasked with revealing Gods message?  How much would we miss out on?  For ultimately it is not mans "Anointing" that produces a ministry.  No, a true ministry begins when God whispers his word into someones heart.
One of the greatest honors I've heard said of my mother, who recently passed, was that she had a great "ministry."  However, it was not until God called her home that I began to see just how great of a ministry this was.  When people would ask my mom to pray for them, she did.  I know this, because I was there.  When someone needed a encouraging word, she was there.  My mother was never one to tear down, but to build someone up with kindness and encouragement.  I will never know just how many people she touched until that day we meet again.

~Scott~

Hope Eternal

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of  them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you.  He will not leave you nor forsake you.
Deuteronomy 31:6 NKJV

There are times when hope can be a pretty hard thing to come by.  At times you'd think that hope was trading on the New York Stock Exchange for $100,000 a share!  This is how hard hope is to come by at times.  Why do we need hope anyway?  Can't we just take life as it comes?  Well, Solomon didn't think so.

Hope defered makes the heart sick, But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.
Proverbs 13:12 NKJV

I can honestly say,  that when I've received something I had been hoping for, my heart rejoiced!  Think back to those Christmas mornings as a child, when all you could think about was if you'd find that certain gift you had told Santa you wanted under the family Christmas tree.  Think  back to that job promotion that you had put in for, and how you hoped that you would get it.  Yes, hope carrys alot of weight among Gods children.
In Deuteronomy 31:6, we see Moses giving us a good lesson on hope.  Indeed, one for the ages!  No matter what valley it is we are going through, we are guaranteed of one thing, God will lead us through.  That doesn't say that we won't see and feel the effects of that journey through the valley, we will indeed.  However, what a comfort it is to know that our Heavenly Father is with us each step of the way.  Is it just our current situation that God is protecting us from?  No, for as the scripture says, "He will not leave you nor forsake you."  I believe that we will NEVER see those things that God saved us from until that very day we hear him say "Well done, good and faithful servant."  We may have an idea, but there are so many things in our lifes path that God has cleared away that we are not yet aware of.  We may wonder why God allows some things and not others, but one ting we can be assured of, is that our Lord does nothing out of spite for those he loves.
Lately,  I've been filled with many questions with the passing of my mother.  Why did God take her from us?  Why didn't he heal her?  I don't claim to know the answers to these questions, but I know in my heart that my mother is safe in the arms of our loving Father.  That is all I need to know to be comforted.  For in her home now there are no tears, no pain and certainly no sorrow.  No, I don't claim to know the answers, but I feel THIS is why God called my mother home.  I stand on my faith, that she is safe, and I will see her again as we share Gods heavenly glory!  So, what good is hope?

For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one hope for what he still sees?  But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.
Romans 8: 24-25 NKJV

~Scott~

In His Time

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  For as the suffering of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.
2 Corinthians 1: 3-5 NKJV

What do we say to someone who is hurting?  With each one of us being different, not everyone will accept of respond to the same reassurance each time.  There is no textboook on how to approach someone who is grieving.  With the recent loss of my mother, I am well too aware of just how important it is to have people, christian and non christian alike, come beside me and offer sympathy and support.  In fact, some of the most encouraging people in this time for me have been those who have not accepted Jesus as their Lord and savior.  Go figure.  However, I'm also aware in my heart that our Lord can use ANYONE to deliver his message of comfort and peace.  We all remember our friend Balaam and his talking donkey!  In fact, I've had a few similar experiences recently with people delivering that in my heart I knew was from God meant for me.
In 2 Corinthians 1:3 the apostle Paul tells us of the blessings and mercy of our Lord as he comforts us in our times of trouble.  Why?  Of course, God has promised his comfort and peace in our times of trouble, but there's another reason here that Paul points out, and it makes sense.  As God comforts us in our troubles, he also gives us strength and knowledge on how we are to comfort others who are hurting as well.  For who can know the pain of grief someone is going through unless they've experienced it themselves?  Ever wonder how Jesus would know so much about pain and suffering?  He lived it!

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses.  For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.  Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercessions for the saints according to the will of God.  And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.
Romans 8: 26-28 NKJV

One thing a dear friend of mine has told me as I go through this time, is that I have a advocate in heaven who is interceeding for me.  My mother may be looking upon me now and proudly exclaiming, "That's my son!"  However, it is my Lord Jesus who directly intercedes in my life, not only now but always.  Yes, I believe that my mother can still interact and speak kindly of me, but Jesus himself will intercede on my behalf.  When my mother was sick, I would often feel "prayed out" and drained after all we had been through.  It is here that the prayers of others and the love and grace of my Lord Jesus carried me through.  Jesus interceding for his children.  I've wondered just how long my pain will last.  One thing I do know, is that God will not give me anything I cannot handle.  There is no time limit on our grief.  However, we can be assured that, in his perfect timing, that God will carry us through our valley.

~Scott~

A Closer Walk

That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Romans 10: 9-10 NKJV

It is a little known teaching, even though it is to be found in scripture, that our risen Lord Jesus resides within each of us.  Many of us spend our lives simply looking for, as the old hym proclaims, "A closer walk with thee."  How can Jesus be any closer to us than if he resides within these earthly shells of ours?   Such a difficult concept is this to comprehend, that I know pastors whom also struggled with this truth.  We're taught that upon his resurection, that Christ rose into the heavens to sit once again with his Father who sent him.  After all, hadn't Jesus been sperated from God ever since he was sent to be among us?  Hardly.  For we often see the human Jesus in direct communication with his Father throughout the Gospels.  Jesus would often go  away to talk with his father, away from the crowds that would follow him.  As he faced the scourging and ultimate crucifiction that lay before him, Jesus retreated to the garden of Gethsemene to pray.  After all, we know that prayer is indeed communication with our Father.  For Jesus, this was just a closer walk with his Father.
It is here in Romans 10  that we see the single requirement  for the free gift of grace that God has extended to his creation.  Believe!

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.
John 1:12 NKJV

The theory is pretty basic, if you believe in the Lord Jesus, then salvation is yours.  You will notice that this gift from God requires no physical efforts on our part.  We need not spend time in a penal colony, prison or any other institution designed to punish us for our past sins.  This isn't some "A HA!" moment where God springs that punishment trap that we all expect him to do.  No, for it is through Jesus that God turns our condemnation to salvation.  No longer are we guilty in Gods eyes, for the very bloood of Jesus has washed away every sin past, present and future.  Like a loving father who awaits the return of a lost child, God welcomes all who return to him.

And he arose and came to his father.  But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.  And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.'  But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.  And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'  And they began to be merry
Luke 15: 20-24 NKJV

Like the father who runs to  greet his lost son, so God rejoices with the confession of each of his children that Jesus is Lord!  No effort, no work and no condemnation!  If you're looking for a closer walk with our Lord Jesus, that journey begins with knowing in your heart that he died and that God has raised him from the dead.

~Scott~

From The Begining

In the begining was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the begining with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  And the light shines in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
John 1: 1-5 NKJV

I heard a radio preacher the other day discuss a listener question of "who created God?"  Now, I feel that this well known preacher handled this question pretty well, using various scriptures to back up his point.  The truth is, this answer is written in Gods word not only in the begining of Genesis, but throughout the word as well.

In the begining God created the heavens and the earth.  The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. and the spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
Genesis 1: 1-2 NKJV

We read Genesis chapter 1, and our human nature, our curiosity begs the question, "who created God?"  Instead of accepting Gods word, we wonder if He has always been there.  I prefer to believe just as the scriptures tell us, that our Lord God has been with his creation from the begining, and even before that.  The fact is, these minds that God has blessed us with, cannot wholly comprehend the entire picture of our creator.  There are truths that have yet to be revealed to us.  Rest assured, in his timing, we will become aware of each and every question we've ever had.  However, I believe that this will not occur until we answer his call to return home with him.  I also believe that Gods word is true, and if our Lord was indeed a created being, that the scriptures would include this as part of their revelation  to us.

"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Begining and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."
Revelation 1:8 NKJV

The apostle John, having been exhiled to the Island of Patmos among the "Sporades" Island group of the Agean Sea for his testimony about the Lord Jesus.  It would seem that he had been a thorn in the side of the Roman occupiers.  In his day, Patmos was considered "Sterile" and not capable of producing life. I'm sure Johns captors thought this a fitting end for this firebrand of the holy gospel!  However, instead of being the crushing blow to the gospel I'm sure they were hoping for, God instead chose to take this opportunity to reveal himself to John, and us.  It is interesting that God chooses to introduce himself as the "Alpha and Omega" to our man John.  John would have understood this all too well, as Alpha and Omega are the begining and end of the Greek alphabet.  Gods message to John, "I am the begining and the end!"  I'm pretty sure that at this point John knows who he's dealing with.
I find it hard to comprehend that, in my limited time here in my Lords creation, that there is anything about me that is beyond Gods notice.

Have you not known?  Have you not heard?  The everlasting God, the LORD, The creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary.  His understanding is unsearchable.
Isaiah 40:28 NKJV

We may  not understand just why things are the way they are, but this isn't our concern.  That belongs to Him who created all that we see.

~Scott~

One Moment In Time

So when the centurian and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, "Truly this was the son of God!"
Matthew 27:54 NKJV

This Roman centurian, and those with him, have been a witness to history.  They had just been witness to the execution of the worlds ONLY truly innocent man.  Not only that, but the Christ had just breathed his last, giving his life for all mankind, including those who had eventually crucified him.  In one moment in time, the entire dynamic of the world had changed.  Mankind had gone from sinful to redeemed, in that one moment.  I find it interesting that it took the power of almighty God to convince these men who stood guard over our savior.  Certainly, Jesus had predicted many times the events that these men had just been witness to.

"Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, and deliver Him to the gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify.  And the third day he will rise again."
Matthew 20: 18-19 NKJV

Was it because of these predictions that the Romans decided to put a guard upon Jesus' crucifiction and tomb?  No, although the words of Jesus rang true with many people, for these centurians he was just another fake prophet of the Jews whose lands they occupied.  Even after his crucifiction and burial, these Roman soldiers remained to guard the messiah of the universe!  Well, if death could not hold our Lord, then certainly the best Roman legions of the day wouldn't be able to either.
Had they known, these Romans could have asked our Lords forgiveness in the same time it took for Jesus to breathe his last breath, and he would have blessed them.  This is exactly where many people stand today, on the outside looking in.  They've heard the stories of Jesus as one of historys great men, but that's as far as it goes.  As the scriptures tell us, there is indeed only one hope, one truth and one way!  

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.  If you had known me, you would have known my Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.
John 14: 6-7 NKJV

When we know Jesus, we know the Father who sent him as well.  For from scripture tells us that Jesus was with his father from the begining.

He is the image of  the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.  All things were created through Him and for Him.  And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
Colossions 1: 15-17 NKJV

It doesn't take long at all.  In one moment Jesus breathed his last and gave up his spirit willingly for us all.  In one moment we can choose to accept the free gift he has given us.  Is one moment worth an eternity?

~Scott~

With Each Step We Take

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to seperate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8: 38-39 NKJV

We've all had that feeling at one time or another.  That feeling that we are ultimately alone, with nobody there to help us.  Usually, these feelings come in step with a situation where we feel isolated.  With the recent passing of my mother, I've certainly wallked down that path more than a few times.  I've wondered where my Lord was, why he was causing me such pain in my heart.  However, as Romans 8:38 tells  us, there is nothing that will EVER seperate Gods children from his endless love!  For Gods love is never earned on our part, but has always been there for us to receive.  As his children, we can rest assured that we are in his love each and every moment.  My mom was fond of telling me in my times of pain, that God is as close as our next breath, and I believe this with all of my heart.

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?  For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.
1 Corinthians 6: 19-20 NKJV

It is in 1 Corinthians 6:19 that we see that my mom wasn't too far off when describing just how close our Lord Jesus is to us at each waking moment.  Our Lord shows his love for each of us not only in sending his son to redeem us, but in the fact that our "old" self was purchased at a very high price by our loving Father.  That price was the shed blood of his son.  How much is that worth to you?   As the apostle Paul tells us, as God has purchased us unto himself, we ought to glorify him for loving us enough that he would know we were worth saving!
How heavy does your heart weigh on you?  Having walked that "mile in your shoes," I can relate to alot of what so many of us are going through.  Despite our emotional condition, we can be assured that Jesus is as close as our next breath, to comfort and not condemn.

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the spirit.
Romans 8:1 NKJV

There are a few things I've learned from experience.  There WILL be pain in each of our lives.  Not only that, but during those times we may feel the tug of guilt brought forth by satan as well.  It is these thoughts of guilt, shame and condemnation that are the prefered weapons of our enemy!  When we feel this way, it is NEVER from our Lord God.  For God will only bring forth love and compassion for the children he loves so dearly.  Side by side with our Lord with each step we take.

~Scott~

In Memory of Marie Wakefield

It will be remembered that my mother was born in Duluth, Minnesota on April 25th, 1941.  She was born the last of the four children to William Spring and Helea Sahlsten.  They had immigrated to the frozen northland of Minnesota from Finland in 1913, possibly to escape one of the numerous border wars between Russia and my native Finland.  I often wondered if my grandparents chose Minnesota to settle because it resembled their native country.  Whatever the reason, that part of the country has strong Finnish roots.  Marie grew up with her older sister Lillian and older brothers William and Robert in a apartment building on Second Street near downtown Duluth.  Some of her happiest childhood memories were of following grandpa Spring through the apartment building she lived in as he performed various maintenance tasks on the building.  One thing that I found amusing, was that my mom got her first taste of coffee at the ripe old age of 10 years old.  She was pretty much hooked on it from that point on.  I suppose it wasn't entirely her fault.  Between maintenance projects, grandpa Spring would visit one of the elderly couples living in the building.  Every time this woman would see my mom come visit she would smile and say, "Coffee, Marie, coffee!"  My mom would also often talk with fond memories of the times the family spent at a family cabin on the shores of Bergen Lake in northern Minnesota.  Yes, Minnesota has 10,000 lakes, but Bergen Lake was special to her.  It was here that the Spring family would swim, fish and spend happy times together.
I am not too familiar with the formative years that my mother spent in Duluth, but I do know that she loved walking the short distance to the old Duluth Central High School as she grew older.  Ironicaly, her two sons attended the NEW Central High School atop the hill in Duluth Heights.  As a young child, my mother remembered the tearful nights that Grandma Helea would spend during the latter days of World War Two.  Bill, her older brother, was seriously wounded while fighting with General Pattons Third Army in the Ardenne forest in France.  It wasn't until weeks later that Grandma and Grandpa learned that he was safe at a field hospital.  Of her two other siblings Lillian and Robert, not too much is known of the early years.
After graduating high school, my mother worked various jobs, finnished typing school and eventually moved away from the apartment building on Second Street.  It was during this time that my mom lost her mother, my grandma Helea.  I can say that, through the years, she felt this pain deeply.  I can honestly say today, that I know all too well how she was feeling.  In 1960, Marie met Mark Eugene Wakefield, the son of Harold and Clara Wakefield of Rice lake, north of Duluth.  The oldest of five siblings, my dad  indeed had a troubled childhood.  After a hitch in the Navy, my dad applied for and was accepted for employment with the Saint Louis County Sheriff Department.  Mark and Marie were married on October 6, 1961 in Duluth, Minnesota.  One year later, in 1962, their first son David Adam Wakefield was born.  My parents continued to live in Duluth, close to family, during these years.  On October 24th, 1966, they were blessed with a second son, me.  My childhood memories of our family are still alive today.  We would enjoy trips to the Iron Range of Minnesota to Lake Vermilion, where my dads friend would keep a house boat we would often use.  I have many fond memories of our summers there.
Whether it was the fact that my parents married so young, or the independent nature of my own father, my mom and dad were divorced on May 10th, 1974.  I was eight years old.
In the years after her divorce from my father, my mother struggled with the burden of raising her two sons on her own.  I still remember her on her knees in front of our old couch as she prayed and wept.  I also remember, that this is where the seed of knowing our loving God was planted in me.  She would work whatever jobs she could to provide for her family.  She was extremely proud of the time she spent in study at the University of Wisconsin in Superior.  I remember many nights when the light in my moms room would not go out until the early morning hours.  Of course, I wasn't even supposed to be awake, but I noticed.  Eventually, my mom was forced to leave her college studies behind to tend to raising her boys.  My mom remained very proud of her college experience.  However, far from being a quitter, my mom took each and every opportunity to improve herself.  My mom would eventually apply for and be accepted for a position with the federal government in Minneapolis, Minnesota, some 350 miles south of Duluth.  In 1985, she moved from Northern Minnesota to Minneapolis to began a new chapter.  Of course, she dragged me along with her.  She would spend the next 9 years working in civil service before having her job eliminated in 1994.  In the fall of 1995, my mother and I moved from Minnesota to a temporary home in San Leandro, California to be with her older sister Lillian.  Moving to Oregon in 1995, my mom eventually found employment once again with the U.S Government, where she would remain until her retirement.
The years since my mothers retirement have seen ultimate joy as well as unbearable sorrow for my family.  For my mom, her joy came from reaching out to others in prayer as well as being with the ladies of her Women of The Word group here at New Hope.  There are names of friends that have come, gone and remained that my mom mentioned often with a smile.  Virginia Lorenzini, Tammi Larsen, Carolyn Mata and Christina Loyd, Jan Daniels, Patti Gilmouth and Gwen Goldberg are just a few of the names I recall.  Far from just being associated with my mom, more than a few of these ladies have become cloese to me in her final years as well.  My mom loved Sunday morning worship here at New Hope, and she missed this alot in her last years.  However, she also would cherish the visits she would receive from Tammy Larsen and Carolyn Mata as well.  One visit that I know in my heart that she cherished was the final time she saw her friends Tammi and Carolyn as they visited her in Providence Hospital.  I will always remember the way my moms face lit up in a smile as she recognized her friends.
In closing, I would like to share one of my mothers favorite scriptures, one she repeated often as she prayed from the 91st Psalm.

He who dwells in the secret place of the most high
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty
I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress
My God, in whom I will trust."
Surely He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
And from the perilous pestilence
He shall cover you with His feathers
And under His wings you shall take refuge
His truth shall be your shield and buckler
You shall not be afraid of the terror by night
Nor of the arrow that flies by day
Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday
A thousand may fall at your side
And ten thousand at your right hand
But it shall not come near you
Only with your eyes shall you look
And see the reward of the wicked
Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge
Even the Most High, your dwelling place
No evil shall befall you
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling
For He shall give his angels charge over you
To keep you in all your ways
In their hands they shall bear you up
Lest you should dash your foot against a stone
You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot
Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him
I will set him on high, because he has 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 honor him
With long life I will satisfy him
And show him My salvation

I will ask that those of us who remember my mother would not remember her in sadness and tears, but in the happy times she loved to share with each and every one of us.  Of course, as happens every time we lose someone close to us, we will cry.  Our Lord never assures us that we won't experience pain or tears, only that when sorrow does come, that we will be comforted if we will only seek him.  On one of the final visits I shared with my mom, I couldn't help crying as she struggled.  She saw my tears, smiled and said, "Don't cry, God loves you."  She will be missed.

Scott~

Shell Shocked

Lt. Cmdr. Rick "Jester" Heatherly ~ "He won't get back in the saddle, won't engage!"
Cmndr. Mike "Viper" Metcalf ~ "It's only been a few days"
Lt.Cmndr Rick "Jester" Heatherly ~ "You know he just might not make it back"
Cmndr. Mike "Viper" Metcalf ~ "Keep sending him up!"
~Top Gun~

For those of us who've seen the iconic film Top Gun, this is a pivotal scene.  Tom Cruise's "Maverick" character has just lost his co pilot to a flight accident.  Reeling from the loss, he struggles to come to grips not only with his grief, but his reality as well.  In spite of his turmoil, his commander makes his decision, "Keep sending him up!"  As it turns out, this ultimately gets the young pilots mind back on track.  Following the recent passing of my mother, I recalled this scene for a very important reason.  See, I was that young pilot, lost and confused in my grief.  Despite this, a few of my friends, just like that wise commander, told me to get back to work and a normal routine as soon as possible.  It seems that sitting around  thinking of all that's happened is not a good thing.  Keep sending him up!

Shell Shock:
~Very confused, upset, or exhausted because of something that has happened
~Mentaly confused, upset, or exhausted as a result of excessive stress.

Although I've never been in combat, I believe I've felt the conditions that Websters defines as "Shell Shock."  Normally associated with Battle fatigue, I believe this stress demon can affect anyone who is under extreme duress.  However, as I've found, it is during these times of turmoil that we have a loving advocate for our pain.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus
Philippians 4: 6-7 NKJV

Here in Philippians 4, the apostle Paul assures us of that advocate we have in our Lord Jesus in our times of need.  For Jesus is not like the wise old General George Patton who, upon learning of a soldier in the field hospital with battle fatigue, slapped the lad across the face while shouting, "I won't have cowards in my army!"  No, for rather than shaming one of his children, God gently nudges us along as only he can.  As Paul tells us, we need only "Be anxious for nothing."  Whatever it is we face, grief, stress or the turmoil of life, we can draw upon the strength of our Lord Jesus who lives within each of us.

~Scott~

Strength Through Pain

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
PPhilippians 4:13 NKJV

One thing is for sure in this tempoary life of ours, we're bound to hurt at some point.  I've learned that our pain in NO WAY is a reflection of Gods feeling towards us.  In Philippians 4:13 we learn that, even in our darkest moments, Jesus is there to walk us through whatever it is we're goinf through.  I would add a comment to this passage, brought to my attention by my dear friend Dennis.  Not only can we do all things THROUGH Christ who strengthens us, above all JESUS IS OUR STRENGTH!  After all, it is indeed Jesus who is within us, so it his his strength we draw upon directly.  WE are HE.

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
Galations 2:20 NKJV

Can it be reasoned that if Jesus, as Galations 2:20 tells us, dwells within these earthly shells of ours, that we can draw upon his holy strength when we need it most?  Far from just being our strength in our despair, HE IS indeed the very strength that carries us through.  That can be a very calming influence for someone who is going through troubled times.

But he was in the stern, asleep on a pillow.  And they awoke him and said to him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"  Then he arose and ebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still."  And the wind ceased and there was great calm.  But he said to them, "Why are you so fearful?  How is it that you have no faiith?"  And they feared exeedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?"
Mark 4: 38-41 NKJV

Notice the disciples in Mark 4.  Here they were in the very presence of the Living Christ, destined to be crucified on a Roman cross for their iniquities.  The time for his suffering at the hands of men had not yet come.  Yet, despite Jesus' teachings on Gods love and protection, when the storm came and tossed their boat on the sea.  In fact, it was Jesus who had said to them, "Let us pass to the other side."  Those disciples could have taken his comment to mean that he expected a safe passage.  But no.  When the storm came about and tossed their fishing boat upon the sea, these followers of Jesus panicked.  Now, there were a few fishermen on this, so they were most likely used to the foul weather of the sea.  Add to this that these men KNEW that Jesus was special, he had told them and they had seen his power.  Ok, the storm on the sea.  As the boat is tossed on the water, the disciples' very first thought is "Hey, Jesus, we're dying here...Don't you even care?"  Now, I don't know if Jesus planned this on purpose in order to test the faith of the disciples, or to show them faith, the scriptures don't tell us this.  All we know is that, after being awakened by his followers, Jesus calms the very sea that was threatening them.  Of course, the reaction of the disciples is predictable.  "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"
At times we feel like those poor diciples in that boat crossing the sea.  There have been so many times where I've cried out to God, "Lord, don't you care that I'm perishing here?"  Recently, my dear mother passed away, and I asked God once again,  "God, don't you care?"  Rest assured, God does care!  It is our human thinking and emotions that cause us to feel God is distant and uncaring.  Don't get me wrong, emotions are a blessing from God and a good thing.  It is during the times that we struggle and are afraid that Jesus who is within each of us will utter those words that will calm our storm, "Peace, be still."

~Scott~

A Legacy

Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.
Matthew 5:4 NKJV

Marie Gwendolyn Wakefield passed away the night of January 17, 2016.  Besides leaving two sons, she also left behind love and kindness in those whose lives she touched.  I've heard it said by those who knew her, that my mother always spoke very kindly of me, her youngest son.  For this I am very grateful.  After all, I was the one she often comforted in my times of grief, sorrow and fear.  Who was it that comforted my mom in her times of need?  In these times she would often turn to her Lord and savior for that reassurance and comfort in those times when the world seemed to much to bear.  Yes, there were many of those times in her life.  I was there for most of them.

"And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.  There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.
Revelation 21:4 NKJV

Through the years, my mother would often tell me of the times that, when faced with a overbearing circumstance, how she would often be in prayer to her Lord for comfort and guidance.  The stories of my mother on her knees in front of that old couch in our living room will forever attest to her faith in God.  My mom was the very definition of a prayer warrior!  When she heard of a single mother in church who was struggling, my mom would make the time to intercede for her in prayer.  When one of her friends was going through a tough time, her prayers were with them.  The things that made my mom happy bear witness to her heart.  She LOVED meeting on Wednesdays with her Women of The Word bible study group.  She and her friend Tammy would often stop at a local Taco Bell after their Wednesday group meetings for some "girl talk."  I look back now at how she would laugh when I would bring this up.  My mom loved Sunday morning worship at New Hope Community Church.  For it was here that she developed many of the friendships that she cherished.  It was me who, on any given Sunday, was looking to rush home for the latest football game, while my mom would smile and remind me once again of what was more important.  Yes, the impatience of youth on display.
Many people will remember Marie for how they knew her, as the kind hearted, smiling friend who was always willing to offer prayers for anyone who asked.   I will always remember her as just my mom.  My mom who, despite my best efforts to assert my independence, always loved me and prayed over her sons.  People will ask me, "What was your moms legacy?"  Depending on what ones definition of "Legacy" is, my mother leaves one legacy that anyone who knew us would truly understand.  For those who knew my mom, I am her legacy.  Everything that she was, is in me.  May our Lord keep you safely until we meet again.

~Scott~

No Good On Our Own

Now all who  believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.  So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people.  And the Lord added to the church daily, those who were being saved.
Acts 2: 44-47 NKJV

During my mothers recent illness, I was amazed at that group of friends of mine who uplifted me in my time of need.  Of course, this was exactly what Jesus called  his followers to do, but I guess I wasn't expecting too many people  to come around me.  Why is that?  Have we become so ingrained with the idea that, in order to see our Lords grace, we MUST go it alone?  After all,isn't it said that God helps those who  help themselves?  Yes, self preservation has become a favorite past time of ours hasn't it?  There's nothing really wrong with looking out for ourselves per se, I believe where the issue lies is what we do for those in need.

What good does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?  Can faith save him?  If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, "depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?
James 2: 14-16 NKJV

I've  always loved Acts chapter 2 for it's example of the community of the early church.  I often wonder if we as modern christians could replicate such a condition?  Christians praising God and having favor with all people.  Then, as Acts 2:47 tells us, would  the Lord add to our church daily those who were being saved?  One thing we may miss about the ministry of Jesus is how evrywhere he went, he served.  Yes, for Christ was God in human flesh, and through all that he did, he manifested his father who sent him.

"Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me?  The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the father who dwells in me does the works.
John 14:10 NKJV

The woman caught in adultry, the woman at the well and even the Pharisees who persecuted him, to all of these God was manifested through his Son.  Oh, he told everyone who would listen just who he was, but many did not believe him.  Still, it wasn't until his death that many claimed, like the soldier at the foot of his cross, "Truly this was the son of God!"  I bring this up for one very important reason, that our Lord Jesus was indeed God in human form, the very image of God on earth.  We see this in all that Jesus did.  

And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not  forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much more as you see the day approaching.
Hebrews 10: 24-25 NKJV

I mentioned the christian brothers of mine who have uplifted me in my time of need.  To these men I am very grateful, I hate to think where I would be emotionally without the support of these brothers in Christ!  I've often thought of these guys lately, and the first thought that comes to my head is that I can NEVER repay them for their kindness and prayers for my family.  That's my human side, not seeing the big picture.  See, what these brothers of mine have done by coming beside me in my time of need, is exactly what Christ wanted for us.  To Love one another, as he also loved us.  I know that I'm no good on my own, I'm not created to be.  Against this world, none of us can be expected to do it alone.  I pray for my brothers, that one day we will stand together in his glory and hear our Loving God declare, "Well done, good and faithful servant!"


~Scott~

Worth Dying For

For the death that He died, He died to sin once and for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.  Likewise, you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6: 10-11 NKJV

It's a question I've heard from christians more than a few times.  If the death of Jesus on the cross absolved me from all sin, why do I still sin?  In fact, as Christ died on that Roman cross, didn't I also perish with him?  The scriptures attest to this as being true.

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
Galations 2:20 NKJV

So, if I indeed have been put to death alongside Jesus on the cross, why is it that I still have this tendency to sin?  I think in order to understand this question, we need to be aware of what got us here in the first place.  See, everything was going along just fine in Gods Garden of Eden until man, the crowning jewel of Gods creation, was enticed into disobedience.  Once that happened, there was a seperation between man and God, for God cannot be in the very presence of sin.  We see this in Genesis as God banishes his beloved man from his garden paradise.  One thing to remember here, after sin entered the world, God didn't immediately do away with man.  Of course, he did mostly in the days of Noah, but that's yet another story.  So, if God didn't immediately do away with us after we had sinned, what was his reason?  Yes, he did dole out his punishment for Adam and Eves disobedience, but he let them live.  Now, before anyone starts chiming in about how God is mean spirited by punishing man, remember that sin ultimately is disobedience towards God.  What did your own parents do when you disobeyed them?  That is a insight into Gods insight if you will.  Anyway, if God allowed Adam and Eve to live after disobeying him, it would seem logical that he had something better in mind for them?  At least that's how I see our loving God.  That he loved us enough to create us and provide for us, but also to redeem us when we fell.

But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.  Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
James 1: 14-15 NKJV

So, can we link our ultimate sin to our own desires?  I believe that we can do just that.  I believe that the very reason God didn't do away with mankind after the disobedience in the garden, was because he already had our ultimate restoration in mind.  The cross that Jesus would be crucified on had been planned out long ago.  Indeed, that seperation between sinful man and God needed to be dealt with.  We see Gods way of dealing with his children in a loving way, even after we've disobeyed him.  The death of Jesus not only absolved us off all sin, but  restored the closeness to God that was lost at the fall of man.

~Scott~

All For Good

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
Romans 8:28 NKJV

What is it you're going through?  What trials or tribulations have your attention?  If your like me, you're all too well aware that life can toss some pretty nasty curveballs from time to time.  Scripture tells us that it's during these times of trial that our faith and patience is strengthened.

My bretheren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.  But let patience have it's perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
James 1: 2-4 NKJV

It took me a LONG time, with the help of a few Godly men, for me to come to the realization that whatever God allows into our lives, he does for good and not wickedness.  For it is a loving and not a wicked God who loved us enough to send His Son to bear that burden of OUR wickedness.  Make no mistake, for without Gods loving grace and the selfless sacrafice of Jesus, that punishment for our sins would be upon OUR shoulders.  I can't speak for anyone else, but I'll take that tradeoff any day!  It is not just for my own self preservation that I accept the gift of the man who gave his life for me so long ago.  No, I accept Jesus because HE first loved me!
It's a hard pill to swallow when we accept the fact that, as Romans 8:28 tells us, all things work together for good for those who love God.  In my time, I've seen my share of the evils of this world.  Each day we're bombarded by the very sin of mankind around the world.  The seperation we MUST make is that God allows these events, yet he is not the underlying cause.  For God and sin do not mix well together.  So, I'll ask the question that so many others have asked over the years.  How could a loving God allow such wickedness in the world?  My short, honest answer, is Romans 8:28.  As difficult as it is for those who know me to understand, I AM NOT GOD.  I know that may come as a shock to more than a few people.

Young Recon Marine~"Don't Let him die Gunny!"
"Gunny Highway" Clint Eastwood~ "...That's not up to me"
~Heartbreak Ridge~

One thing I am pretty certain of, is that God is going to do whatever it is that his perfect will dictates.  Is it for me to question the motives of He who created the universe?  I think not.  However, I am also certain that whatever it is that God chooses to allow into my life, he does so with his love and perfect motives.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
Jeremiah 29: 11-12 NKJV

Two things we can learn here.  First, we WILL have trials in our lives, and it is during these tribulations that we can be confident that our loving God, who loved us first, has only our best interests at heart.

~Scott~

The Outcast

"How you have fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!  How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations!  For you have said in your heart; 'I will assend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation.  On the farthest sides of the north; I will assend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the most high.'  Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest dephs of the pit.
Isaiah 14: 12-15 NKJV

As believers, we understand that the earth, universe and all that surrounds us was created by our Father in heaven.  One good motivational phrase per se that I've often heard is "God doesn't make mistakes."  One look at the book of Genesis and we can see just what God thinks of all he's created.

Then God saw everything that he had made, and indeed it was very good.  So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Genesis 1:31 NKJV

In Genesis 1:31 we see God stepping back to gaze with approval upon all that he had created.  Of course, we can assume that he was pleased with what he had done.  Throughout the first two chapters of Genesis, we see the efforts of Gods labor coming to fruition, and we're told that it  was very good in God's eyes.  We only need to look around us to see with our own eyes the greatness of God's creation.
However, in Isaiah 14:12 we see another side of Gods creation unfold.  In this passage we are introduced to one who would eventually attempt to exalt himself above his creator.  Make no mistake, for as he created everything around us, God also created satan!

For by Him all tings were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.  All things were created through Him and for Him.
Colossions 1:16 NKJV

Ok, so here is where the hammer drops for many people.  We see in scripture that our Lord has created EVERYTHING around us, including our adversary satan.  We ALSO see, in Genesis, that when God looked upon all that he had created, he proclaimed everything he had created to be "very good."  Whoa, everything including satan, who tempted the jewel of Gods creation into sin?  YES, for scripture tells us that God proclaimed "Very Good" ALL that he had created!
One of the common questions I see from christians and non christians alike is, "How could a loving God create evil?"  Well, whatever that answer is, when God created it, it was good.  Therefore, for whatever purpose our Lord created both satan and wickedness, it was good in his eyes upon its creation.  One thing that is hard for people to come to grips with is the fact that God loves satan.  However, I believe this to be true, for God is not a God of hate.  Is God grieved that his own creation would exalt himself above his creator, most definately!  But hate?  I don't think that is in God's charachter at all.
This past summer, my good friend Dennis and I shared many a awesome hike in the forrests of the Pacific Northwest.  It is definately something special to be among such scenes of our Lords creation.  Indeed, God manifests himself through everything he has created.  Whether it is a scenic forest, a summer sunset or even satan himself, when God saw all that he had created, it was very good.

~Scott~

Sins Family Tree

"You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do.  He was a murderer from the begining, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.  When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
John 8:44 NKJV

Hopefully by now most christians are aware of their ultimate spiritual enemy.  That being the devil, satan.  From the begining of time, and probably before that, satan had his place as the enemy of gods creation.  In fact, as our Lord created the heavens and the earth, satan had already been banished from Gods presence.  Of course, he eventually found his way into the Garden of Eden to tempt the crowning achievement of Gods creation into falling into sin.  The rest, as they say, is history.  Most people view sin as the bad desires of our flesh, and they would be correct to say that, to a point.   I would venture to point out that what we see as sin can also be identified by name.  That name is satan himself.  Yes, our spiritual enemy also bears the identity of sin itself.

He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrafice of himself.
Hebrews 9:26 NKJV

And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.  Whoever abides in Him does not sin.  Whoever sins has neither seen him nor known him.  Little children, let no one deceive you.  He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.  He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the begining.  For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil.
1 John 3: 5-8 NKJV

In Hebrews 9:26 we are told once again of the sacrafice of our Lord Jesus for the very  purpose of "Putting away sin" through his sacrafice on the cross.  This is a basic truth of christianity.  We believe that by Jesus' death, our sins were made no more, Jesus himself put them away once and for all!  It is at this point that I point out what could be seen as the DNA of sin itself, the origin of that which Christ died to wipe out forever.  In this historical version of connect the dots, we see in Hebrews 9:26 that Jesus died to "Put away sin."  Still, sin itself has no identity, but wait.  In 1 John 3:5-8 we're told that satan himself has sinned from the very begining.  This passage goes so far as to link satan and sin together as one.  Ok, here's the kicker, we already know that Jesus died to wipe out our sins.  Now, if we accept that satan and sin were linked together from the very begining, then it is Jesus who gave his life to away with sin and, ultimately, satan himself.  1 John 3:8 we see that Jesus was manifested to destroy the "works of the devil."  What are the works of the devil?  SIN!
Scripture tells us that satan has sinned from the very begining.  It is no wonder, then, that it was through this father of sin that sin entered Gods creation.   Rather than being forever bound to sin, however, we rejoice in our risen Lord who gave himself to abolish sin once and for all.

~Scott~

Dead To Me

Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:11 NKJV

It's a question often asked by christians.  If Jesus Christ has indeed shed his blood and cleansed my sins, why do I still have a desire to sin?  Indeed, Jesus has cleansed us of all sins past present and future.  The slate has been wiped clean by his blood.  We no longer need to ask forgiveness for our transgressions.  For if we do, our Lord will not remember any sin which Jesus has given his very life for.  Imagine coming before the throne of grace asking for forgiveness for some iniquity we've done, only to hear our loving Father say to us, "My child, for what sin are you seeking my forgiveness?  I see no blemish upon you."  This is the way it is for we who have accepted the free gift that Jesus has given all mankind.  When we accept Jesus and what he did for us on the cross, our sins are remembered by our Heavenly Father no more.  That stain has been made clean once and for all.  But wait, if Jesus' death on that cross cleansed us of every sin we will ever have, doesn't that give us a license to sin?  I mean, even if I sin I'm forgiven, right?  Is this not a freedom to behave badly?  Not according to the apostle Paul.

What shall we say then?  Shall we continue to sin that grace may abound?  Certainly not!  How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
Romans 6: 1-2 NKJV

One thing we must remember, is that when Jesus breathed his final breath on a Roman cross and gave up his spirit, it is we who died with him!  For it is we who owned that sin that Jesus gave himself to conquer.  It was for our iniquities that Jesus suffered and died.  WE deserved that punishment that was given to our Lord and Savior.  We had become slaves to the sin Jesus gave his life for!  When sin was nailed to the cross, it was we who breathed our last breath as well!  Gone is that sin stained "former self" that once made it's home within us.  THAT is what needed to be put to death, and THAT is what was put to death with Jesus on that cross so long ago.  Knowing that we have died along with our sin, why should we continue to engage in it?  Those chains of bondage that once ensnared us have been broken forever!  The life we now live, we live in the forgiveness and love of Jesus who paid our debt once and for all.  That former sin has been vanquished!

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me"
Galations 2:20 NKJV

How good a feeling it is, when sin comes knocking, to smile and know in your heart "YOU'RE DEAD TO ME!"

~Scott~

The Jesus Address

"However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says:  Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool.  What house will you build for Me?   Says the Lord, or what is the place of My rest?  Has My hand not made all these things?
Acts 7: 47-48 NKJV

I noticed something peculiar during my mothers recent illness and hospital stay.  Something I'm sure that those that know me saw in me not so long ago.  Taking the opportunity to minister to my mother during her illness, I've asked her on a few occasions "Mom, where is God?"  Now, I knew the answer that I was looking for, but she didn't at the time. Predictably, her normal response to this question was "In heaven."  I'm not surprised, for this is what we've been taught all these years.

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of thhe Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are  not your own?  For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.
1 Corinthians 6: 19-20 NKJV

As I've said, I'm not wholly surprised in my moms answer to my question of where God resides.  In part she's right.  Yes, our Lord DOES reside in heaven, with Jesus at his side.  However, one important message from scripture that has traditionaly been overlooked is the fact that our risen Lord Jesus not only has been raised from the dead, but that he today lives on in US.   I can envision the looks of confusion on some peoples faces when they hear this truth  for the very first time.  Trust me, I've been in their shoes.  To me, the very thought that my Lord Jesus could inhabit the body of a sinner like me seemed unaceptable.  How could Gods risen, sinless son tolerate to be in the presence of such debauchery?  I'm not surprised that many people feel this way.  However, there is a freedom from this thinking of bondage to sin.  For we are no longer, as many preachers say, sinners saved by grace.  However, it  is through the loving grace of our Lord that we are NO LONGER sinners at all!

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."
John 3: 16-17 NKJV

We all remember the famous verse from John 3:16 as one of Gods love and mercy to his creation.  However,  there are people who miss verse 17 when refering to this passage.  For it is in John 3:17 that we discover the reason behind John 3:16.  That sin for which we condemn ourselves daily has been dealt with long ago!  We no longer need to revisit those words of blame against us.  In fact, this is why I shudder when I hear someone expalin that we are nothing but sinners saved by grace.  Indeed, as Christ shed his very blood on the cross, each one of those sins for which we continually condemn ourselves was placed on upon his shoulders!  The slate has been wiped clean!

What shall we say then?  Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?  Certainly Not!  How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
Romans 6: 1-2 NKJV

Rest assured, each time we approach God to seek forgiveness for a sin we think has stained the robes Jesus bought for us, God's first response to our request is "What sin, my child?"  WE are the ones who see that stain, not our loving God.  How can our  Lord forgive us for a debt that has already been paid in full?
I recently had another oppportunity to visit and minister to my mother.  Again, I asked her where God was.  This time she smiled at me and exclaimed "In my heart."  Maybe the truth isn't so hard to find after all.

~Scott~

The Fathers Voice

"Call to me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you did not know"
Jeremiah 33:3 NKJV


I've wondered many times what it's like to actually hear from God.  What is "Gods voice" like.  Would we recognize his callling?  The truth is, we all need to hear the voice of our Heavenly Father from time to time.  The voice of God can provide counsel, help when in need, warning and comfort among other things.  I'm guessing that anything we can receive from a human conversation we can get from God.  Now, this begs the question, does God have emotions?  I've had emotional conversations, I'm sure you have also.

Then God said, "Let us make man in our own image, according to our likeness."
Genesis 1:26 NKJV

We all know from the new testament that, when informed of the death of his dear friend Lazarus, Jesus wept.  I suppose that one could make the argument that this was just the "human" side of our Lord Jesus manifesting itself.  However, I'm of the opinion that if we, his creation, were created as we are, in our Fathers image, then we possess all the attributes our Heavenly Father does.

And when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam; so Balaam's anger was aroused, and he struck the donkey with his staff.  Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you,  that you have struck me these three times?"
Numbers 22: 27-28 NKJV

In Numbers 22:27 we see a unique interaction between the Angel of the Lord and our man Balaam.  It seems that ol' Balaam was venturing where God did not want him to go.  Therefore, the Angel of the Lord was dispatched to halt Balaams progress.  Now, we should take note here that Balaams donkey was the smart one in this situation, for when the donkey saw the Angel  of the Lord with flaming sword in hand, she resisted and refused to go further.  Seeing this, Balaam did the only logical human thing, he blamed the donkey!  Now, I know that the many times that I've had car trouble on the road, my first inclanation is to blame the car!  After all, it couldn't  possibly be my own fault for neglecting it, right?  Well, this is the very situation that Balaam finds himself in, that donkey of his was only trying to protect herself, Balaam couldn't see the big picture.  One thing I will say, when I've had car trouble and blamed my vehicle for letting me down, I've NEVER had that car talk back to me.  However, this is exactly what happens to Balaam here!  I can almost see Balaams expression as the trusted donkey speaks to him!
I bring the plight of Balaam up for one very important reason.  As we go through the motions waiting for a word from our God, what response are we waiting for?  Are  we waiting for a spoken word?  A whisper?  A "inner" word?   Whatever word from God we are waiting for, we can be assured that he hears us and will make his response known in his time.  I recently hit a pretty low point in my llife as I faced the sickness of my mother.  Other people were recruited to pray for her, but I somehow felt that this God I worship was unconcerned with what I was going through.  Ignoring the fact that each day I would see signs that God was healing her, I continued to plead with God to show his healing!  It was a pretty emotional time as you can imagine.  Then, one morning as I was driving to visit my mom fully expecting the worst when I arrived, out of the blue I received a message from a friend of mine.  At my lowest point this man, this non christian, sent me a short message "Your mom is ok."  Now, there are countless people out there who will shrug and say that this was just my friend trying to comfort me in a time of need.  Although that's true, in my heart I believe that my heavenly Father used my friend to relay his word of comfort to me when I so needed to hear it.  In his wonderful timing, God soothed my fears.  You may not believe in such things.   Then again, you may not believe in a talking donkey either!

~Scott~  

To The Least Of These

"For I was hungry; and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you visited me; I was in prison and you came to me.  Then the righteous will say to him, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?  When did we see you a stranger and take you in, or naked and clothe you?  And the king will answer and say to them, assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of My brethren, you did it to me."
Matthew 25: 35-40 NKJV

I've noticed there are plenty of people out there who go out of their way to assist and help those who are in need.  From gospel missions to long trips overseas to help build buildings and feed people, the people in this great nation have a proud history of helping those in need.  Or do they?  During my mothers recent illness, one of the questions she would often ask is "I need visitors, I'm lonely."  Now, my mom was a member of a rather large local church for very many years, so one would think that visiting her in her time of need would be a high priority for those who knew her.  Unforturtunately, this hasn't been the case.  Understandably, people get busy with every day life, I know I do.  However, how do we measure if we are indeed that "Good and faithful servant" that our Lord calls us to be?   Is it in our tithes?  In how many hours we spend comforting others?

And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into  the treasury, and He also saw a certain poor widow putting in two mites.  So He said, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundabce have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livlihood that she had"
Luke 21: 1-4 NKJV

In Matthew 25:35 Jesus pauses to give us a example of what I would like to call true charity.  Yes, building schools in underdeveloped countries is a good thing, but what are we doing here at home?  Does it seem to anybody but me that we seem to spend more time making sure people in other countries are provided for than we do our own neighbors?  Don't get me wrong, coming to the aid of those in need is a good thing for sure.  While we're jetting off to Africa to help some villagers, there may be a hospital, nursing home or shelter where those "Least among us" struggle with lonliness and wondering if  anyone cares.  Their prayers may ask for someone to visit them, who will heed that call from the heart?  Understandably, some people would rather not visit hospitals or nursing homes.  By their very nature, these institutions are home to the sick and VERY least among us.  As I've said, this issue is pretty close to my heart due to my mothers recent illness.  I've never been to Africa to help build a school or a church and I've never given a large "Give till it hurts" tithe either.  However, what I have done is visit my mother and be at her side when she'll ask me "Why doesn't anyone come see me?"  Now, you tell me, which is a greater form of charity?

~Scott~

He And Not We

"I do not pray for these alone, but also those who will believe in me through their word; that they all may be one, as you Father, are in me, and I  in you; that they also may be on in Us, that the world may believe that you sent me.  And the glory which you gave me I have given them, that they may be one just as we are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me."
John 17: 20-23 NKJV

I asked my mother recently if she knew where God is.  She nodded her head yes.  "Where, I asked."  "In heaven, she told me."  Seeing an opportunity, I smiled and touched her chest.  "No, mom, God is IN HERE."  I'll never forget the look of confusion on her face, but I understood what she was feeling.  See, I was in the very same place that she is not so llong ago.  Years of church teachings and Sunday sermons had drilled it into my consciousness that God and his risen son reside in heaven, with Jesus at the Fathers side.  While this may be true in context, there also another one who resides within these earthly containers of ours.  Here, I think, is where I got confused, and I'm  not alone.  I mention that God and his risen son reside for eternity in heaven as they always have because this is what scripture tells us.

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
Hebrews 1: 1-3 NKJV

In John 17:20, Jesus offers a prayer in the Garden of Gethsemene just before his trial and ultimate crucifiction for his disciples AND those believers who would come after them.  Those  "Other" believers that our Lord Jesus is offering prayers for are we who follow him today.  I believe the key passage in these verses in within verse 23.  ""I in them, and You in me, that they may be made perfect in one."  I believe that we can assume from this verse that, wherever we may find ourselves, the risen Christ is there within us.  Not only is Jesus in heaven at the right hand of his father, he makes his earthly home within these temporary bodies of those who believe in him.  The scriptures are full of passages of how close to us that God and his risen Son are in our daily walk, I think residing inside of us is pretty close indeed.
As I mentioned, I could totally understand my mothers confusion when I told her that God indeed resides within her, I've been there.  Not only have I been there, but I AM there as I  continue to discover the greatness of my risen Lord within me!  Better late than never.

~Scott~