Dear Friends,
The holidays are upon us! Thanksgiving is nearly here and Christmas will be right behind it! For many it’s a time for gathering in joyful celebration while for others these times serve as sad and painful reminders of lost loved ones and broken relationships.
I come from a broken and dysfunctional family, so I know how raw and uncomfortable it can be during this time of year. Throughout my adult life, things didn’t change much in my family… but I did! And that’s the incredible power of the Good News…even if nothing changes in your family dynamic, YOU can change!! And when you change, EVERYTHING CHANGES!
I have intimately experienced the reality of Psalm 27:10 as it says… “My father and mother may abandon me, but the Lord will take care of me.” (GNT)
If you have been affected by a broken family you can also find hope and new life in Jesus. When we surrender the broken and shattered pieces of our lives, the Lord recreates them into something beautiful and purposeful by placing us among people who can love and support us in the ways of Christ.
In this edition, I want to present a different perspective of the term “HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS”. We’ll discuss what “home” really means and help you see the bigger picture when it comes to family relationships.
I have put together personal accounts to demonstrate how God provides both Comfort and Truth to help us get through difficulties in our family dynamic. I have also included other entries that provide a framework for personal healing and reconciliation. Enjoy the Newsletter!
In His Loving Name,
Life With Father Ministries
BITTERSWEET
The cost of following Christ
One day I was thinking of my dad who passed away years ago. For 50 plus years, we maintained an awkward yet cordial relationship. I remember the day I returned home from church one Sunday with my best friend and her mother. It had been a year or more since my mother had passed away and the Lord put a special friend in my life to comfort me during those difficult years. I enjoyed spending Saturday nights at her house because her mother brought us to church on Sunday—a discipline we did not practice at my home.
On one particular Sunday, at the end of his sermon, the pastor gave an altar call for salvation and membership. Back then we didn’t have children’s church—we sat quietly in the main sanctuary with the adults. I was only 8 years old when I heard the call of God and made that lone journey down to the altar.
When I returned home, I couldn’t wait to tell my dad that I had gotten “saved”! Unfortunately, he did not share my excitement. Without looking up from his Sunday newspaper, he mumbled, “That’s nice.” I admit I was disappointed in his lack of enthusiasm but I believed I had made the right decision.
Jesus said in Matthew 10:34-38 (NLT), “Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword. ‘I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. Your enemies will be right in your own household!’ “If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine.”
Throughout the years my dad remained unimpressed by my “spiritual zeal.” Although he believed in God, and later in life acknowledge Jesus as Savior, he simply did not understand that someone could actually have a relationship with a LIVING God. He didn’t understand how someone could get to know a heavenly Father who fills our lives with so much joy—who loves us when we don’t even love ourselves, who restores our body and mind—a Father who teaches, encourages, and provides wisdom and direction in life. Needless to say, my dad’s disinterest in spiritual things created a lifelong chasm between us as Mathew 10:34-38 describes. But as painful as it was, I was willing to forgo a relationship with my earthly dad in exchange for one with my heavenly Father! It was simply and painfully the cost of following Christ.
Recently my dad came to mind and I had this comforting thought, “At least now he knows the truth about Jesus. Now that he has gone HOME, he knows firsthand what and WHOM I was talking about all those years.” Oh, what a glorious day that will be when I embrace him again and we both see eye to eye! These thoughts and many others are some of the ways the Lord comforts and strengthens us as we walk through earthly difficulties.
JUST BE HELD
The faithful love of God
“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 (NLT)
There used to be this ride at an amusement park in Texas called the Rotor Ride. The Rotor was a large, upright barrel, where people line up in a circle with their backs against the walls. As the barrel began to spin, it created a centrifugal force that forced the riders against the wall. Once the barrel had attained full speed, the floor was retracted, leaving the riders stuck to the wall of the drum, suspended in midair. At the end of the ride cycle, the drum slowed down and the riders slid down the wall slowly.
This is the only way to explain what it felt like when my mother died suddenly, overnight when I was 6 years old. When she passed away it was as if the bottom dropped out of my life and I was left suspended in midair. Over the years I had asked the Lord why it had to be this way but never really got an explanation—just a sense of peace. I had an assurance that God was good and that He had a purpose for it that was beyond my comprehension at the time.
Today I have a better understanding of the situation. One day as I prayed and asked the Lord about the loss of my mother He replied, “Though you have felt as if you were hanging in midair, I never let you drop, and I never let you down!” And that is so true! Like the rotor ride, I was safely “held” by His loving hands as He carried me through the most difficult years! Isaiah 46:4 was written to all of us… “I will be your God throughout your lifetime—until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.” (NLT)
When tragedy happens, of course there is always a season of mourning but in time the Lord can heal our pain when we interact with Him in prayer. I’m not talking about forgetting the loved one, I’m talking about removing the pain associated with the loss. Pouring out our hearts to Him is like lancing an infected wound. He takes the pain and in exchange, gives us His comfort, joy and purpose. There is no pill or concoction that can remove the pain that comes from a broken heart—those things only temporarily mask what’s clearly there. Jesus is the only one who can heal the anguish and sadness that comes from loss and broken relationships.
From his own personal experience, King David encouraged us in Psalm 62:8 to go to the Lord in prayer where we can turn over our issues and problems to Him and in exchange, receive His unshakable peace. He wrote, “Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.” Psalm 62:8 (NIV)
The door to God’s heart is always open. He invites you to come to Him in prayer, pouring out the poison in your broken heart so that you can be healed and restored. “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation].” Matthew 11:29 (AMP)
HE IS OUR HOME
A place of safety and acceptance
“Lord, through all the generations you have been our home!” Psalm 90:1 (NLT)
This psalm was written by Moses who led the Israelites through the wilderness for 40 years! (Exodus) These people never stayed in one place very long because the wilderness was not intended to be their home… God provided a “promise land” for them to settle into. It was a fertile land abundant with everything they needed for a fruitful and successful life. I want you to notice in this verse that Moses wasn’t talking about a house as in a fixed structure, rather he was talking about a LIVING PERSON—the person of JESUS CHRIST. You know there’s a big difference between a house and a HOME. A house is a concrete structure where someone lives, while a home is a place or a state where someone feels safe, comfortable, and emotionally attached. A home can be a house or any other type of dwelling, but a house may not be a home if it lacks love and happiness.
This is what Moses said about the Lord. As they traveled through the wilderness for 40 years, they were always on the move. In both the good times and difficult times, the one constant thing was the presence of God. It really didn’t matter where they physically resided, the Lord was the one who brought them food, kept them healthy and strong. God was their caretaker, provider, protector, companion, peace, and guide.
Jesus truly is a HOME and a safe place for our troubled mind and emotions. Psalm 103 provides a CLEAR and ACCURATE description of who our heaven Father is (our home). Whatever you have believed in the past about your heavenly Father, if it doesn’t line up with Scripture then it’s a lie! This is who He really is…
- He forgives all my sins.
- He makes me well again when I am ill.
- He saves me from the deep hole of death’s power.
- He always loves me and he is kind to me.
- The Lord does what is right and fair.
- He helps poor people who suffer.
- The Lord is kind to people and he forgives them.
- He is slow to get angry and his love always continues.
- He will not always tell us that we are wrong. He will not always continue to be angry.
- How far is the sky above the earth? His love is greater than that!
- How far is the east from the west? The Lord has taken our sins further away than that!
- He no longer says that we are guilty.
- As a father is kind to his children, the Lord is kind to us.
- He is kind to people who worship him.
Jesus is the person who awaits you in personal prayer time! You can find a place of acceptance, safety and security in Him! Connect with Jesus and you will discover HIS IS your HOME!
THE HEALING PROPERTIES OF MUD
The precious gift of sight!
“God made men and women true and upright; we’re the ones who’ve made a mess of things.” Ecclesiastes 7:29 (MSG)
The Good Newsletter is distributed to a variety of places, including jails. I recently received a letter from an inmate that quite frankly, was appalling. I was insulted. The audacity! The callousness and entitlement of this man! It was almost a joke…on me! The inmate began to tell me how bored he was in jail and how expensive the commissary store was. He then proceeded to tell me how much money to put on his commissary account!
Sadly, at the end of the letter there was no mention of remorse for his wrongdoings nor did he pretend to be a follower of Jesus! Just asking for money from a stranger to squander on himself. I’m not trying to shame the man as I have kept his identity hidden. But it broke my heart to hear this man’s absurd way of thinking! Now every time he comes to mind, I pray for the Lord to change his heart and ways.
This inmate reminds me of the entitled prodigal son in Luke 15 who found himself in a muddy pit at the end of his road of reckless living! The story begins when the prodigal son left home with money from his inheritance.
“He went to a country far away, where he wasted his money in reckless living. He spent everything he had. Then a severe famine spread over that country, and he was left without a thing. So he went to work for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him out to his farm to take care of the pigs. He wished he could fill himself with the bean pods the pigs ate, but no one gave him anything to eat. Luke 15:13-17 (GNT)
Alone, wallowing in a cesspool of selfishness and sin, God used that mud to open the wayward son’s spiritual eyes, causing him to “come to his senses” so that he could find his way HOME!
“At last he came to his senses and said, “All my father’s hired workers have more than they can eat, and here I am about to starve! I will get up and go to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against God and against you.” (v18) Of course, the son’s father had been eagerly watching and waiting for his son to return home and welcomed him with open arms!!
Jesus also used mud on another occasion to heal a blind man’s eyes. In John 9:1,6-7, “As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been born blind. After he said this, Jesus spat on the ground and made some mud with the spittle; he rubbed the mud on the man’s eyes and told him, ‘Go and wash your face in the Pool of Siloam.’ So the man went, washed his face, and came back seeing.” (GNT)
Today, Jesus still uses our muddy situations to open our eyes so that we can truly SEE and find our way home to HIM. But He waits for us to humble ourselves and make that one life-altering decision to leave the muck and mire of our own making, so that He can restore our lives and our relationships!
Humility and honesty open the door or pathway to Him (our home). “…All of you who are believers must respect one another. Do not think that you are more important than other people. The Bible says: ‘God is against proud people. But he is kind to humble people.’ Remember that God is strong and powerful. So be humble in front of him. Then he will lift you up to a good place at the right time. If you have any kind of trouble in your mind, give it to God. God has promised to take care of you.” 1 Peter 5:5-7 (EASY)
Our heavenly Father takes the poor decision we make and creates something miraculous in our lives! David said in Psalm 40:1-2, “I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.” (NLT)
When someone’s car is stuck in the mud, many times they will continue pressing on the accelerator to try and get out of the muck. But soon they realize this approach doesn’t work as they are really digging themselves deeper into it! What they need the traction of outside help!
This also happens in life as people find themselves in murky situations. They struggle to pull themselves out of the pit on their own but with little to no success. People hide the fact that they are too weak to make it out on their own. They are ashamed to ask for help! This is the dilemma we all face! But only in humbling ourselves and asking the Lord to help us, will we not only get free but STAY FREE! If we will cry out to the Almighty, He will personally lift us up and out! He will “set our feet on SOLID ground and STEADY us as we walk along!”
Are you as hungry and thirsty as the prodigal son was? Have you realized that the things you are partaking of are not benefitting you but are rather leaving you empty and unfulfilled? Isn’t it time for you to come HOME to HIM?? He will not scold you nor will He point out all your mistakes. But He will heal your brokenness and give you new purpose and fulfillment in life!
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THE CARPENTER’S HOUSE
A Safe Place to Call Home
I once read a story called, “The Carpenter’s House.” I remember this story because of its powerful message! It goes like this…An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by. The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.
When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter. “This is your house,” he said, “my gift to you.” What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well.
So, it is with us. We can build our lives in a haphazard way, reacting rather than acting. We can choose to live thoughtlessly but there are always consequences for our actions. One day we may be shocked to look at the careless and flimsy life we built for ourselves! Of course, if we had realized the gravity of our mindless living, we would have done things differently!
Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today. The truth is that you are building a life one day upon the next. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity. Ephesians 5:15-17 encourages us…“So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.” (NLT)
Think of it this way… your soul (mind, will, and emotions) is a place you live in daily. Think of what it would be like living in a safe, clean and functional home. And your home, although it cannot stop the dangerous storms from coming, it does protect you from those storms! But what if half your roof was caved in? You would not feel so safe any longer! This is what God does for us when He restores our soul so that we can become whole again! So we can feel safe! So we can enjoy living again!!
That’s what David was talking about in Psalm 23:3 when he said the Lord, “restores my soul.” The word “restore” means: to be returned or be brought back to God. If you find that you’ve been building your life unwisely, there is still hope! We have a Master Builder, Jesus, who is willing and able to take your shoddy workmanship and redeem it! He is ready to turn things around for you if you are willing to return to Him! It is NEVER too late for God to miraculously restore a life surrendered for His purposes!
ARE YOU GOOD ENOUGH?
Salvation can only be found in Christ
“We know very well that we are not set right with God by rule-keeping but only through personal faith in Jesus Christ. How do we know? We tried it…Convinced that no human being can please God by self-improvement, we believed in Jesus as the Messiah so that we might be set right before God by trusting in the Messiah, not by trying to be good…I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn’t work. So I quit being a “law man” so that I could be God’s man. Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it…” Galatians 2:16, 18-20 (MSG)
It is clear from this passage that “trying to do better” is not the answer to a changed life. The life of a Christian is not lived through self-help or self-effort. It doesn’t matter how hard we try to be good; we will never be able to muster enough goodness to be like Christ or obtain eternal salvation! Only by asking Jesus to impart His perfect life into us, could we ever become like Him. We must admit we are sinners and ask for the GIFT of eternal life.
“When people work, they earn wages. It can’t be considered a free gift, because they earned it. But no one earns God’s righteousness. It can only be transferred when we no longer rely on our own works, but believe in the one who powerfully declares the ungodly to be righteous in his eyes. It is FAITH that transfers God’s righteousness into your account!” Romans 4:4-5 (TPT)
If you died today, do you know for certain where you would spend eternity? All anyone needs to do to have eternal life is to call on the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 2:21), repent of your sin (be sincerely sorry for your sins and change your mind and actions (Acts 3:19), believe that Jesus died on the Cross for your sin (1 Thessalonians 4:4), and ask Him to become born again by the Spirit of God! Jesus said in John 3:6-8, “I speak an eternal truth: Unless you are born of water and the Spirit, you will never enter God’s kingdom…‘You all must be born from above!’” (TPT) If you are uncertain about your eternal destiny then pray the following prayer with all sincerity of heart and become Born Again and enter into the joy of His Salvation!
PRAYER OF SALVATION
Dear Jesus, I admit I’m a sinner. I believe that you died on the Cross for the forgiveness and remittance of my sins. I ask you to forgive me now and cleanse me from all wrongdoing. I also forgive those who hurt me and ask that you help me to get free from all resentment and pain. Jesus, I surrender my life to you and ask you to be my Lord and Savior. Give me new life—eternal life! Lord, fill me with your Holy Spirit and empower me to live this new life your way! Amen!