The Mother’s Pain

Mary, my dear sweet Mary
I cannot imagine the pain
when the blood of your Son
did the ground on Calvary stain

To have watched Him thirty-two years
as from an infant He grew
into a fully grown man
all to die and you knew

When such a tragedy is waiting
one day your child to befall
how did you ever hold on
to your sanity through it all?

The pain, the grief, the sorrow
must have pierced your heart too
when the soldier took a lance
and run you Son’s heart through

Thank you for all you suffered
so that I might now live
with the freedom from sin
your Son to me does give!

Teresa Marie   8/25/11

My Dear Sweet Jesus

My dear sweet Jesus
born again am I

 All because for me
You chose to die

How I do love You
my closest of friends

I know I’ll see You
when my journey ends

You have made me
clean and brand new

Removed my sins and
took them upon You

How could I ask
of You any more?

My dear sweet Jesus
it’s You that I adore!

Teresa Marie  8/17/11

 

Doctor’s Fee

 

God heals, and the doctor takes the fee.

Benjamin Franklin

 

When it’s God Who heals
the doctor takes the fee
and His ‘thunder” steals
like He is his enemy

But the whole truth is
his job he couldn’t do
without the help that’s His
he wouldn’t have a clue

They all take His credit
as if it were their own
and from their speech do edit
the miracle they have kown

“Cause there is much to lose
if they admit He’s there
and we need only choose
to place it in His care

Just remember what I’ve said
when to the doctor you go
what they put in your head
doesn’t mean they really know

God’s the One Who heals you
regardless of what they say
He tells them what to do
in each and every way!

Teresa Marie  7/6/11

Perfection is God’s Business

I am careful of one thing
which is not to ever confuse
that perfection to life I bring
when about it I have no clues

But excellence is within my reach
and what I do strive for
this is what my kids I teach
on earth we can’t do more

‘Cause perfection is the business
of God and God alone
a point that I do stress
 in creation He has shown

And so while I’m still here
it’s excellence that’s my goal
when I enter heaven it’s clear
 that perfection becomes my soul.

Teresa Marie   7/6/11

 

Related articles

• Can Humans ever be perfect? (anamericanpointofview.wordpress.com)
• I Want Perfection (thedistinctdot.com)

My Saturday Thoughts – Demons Among Us

Ever since the fall of Lucifer and his angels, ever since the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the garden, we have been subject to the attacks of the demon world.  Have you ever done something that you knew you shouldn’t and later wondered, “Why in the world did I do that?”, because it was totally out of character for you?  I believe that we commit some sins because of demonic influences.  Other sins that we have committed are purely out of rebellion, but where does that tendency for rebellion stem from?

I’m not, by any means, trying to say the old Flip Wilson line of, “The devil made me do it!”  That is a cop-out.  Ultimately it is our choice to perform an act of any sort.  All I’m trying to put out there for your consideration is this, be wary!  As the Bible tells us, “the adversary looks to and fro for whom he can devour”, or something like that. 

The only way that Satan can have his “kingdom” and be “worshipped” is to influence us into sinning against God.  But, as a countermeasure, we have His grace and the offer of redemption from the Son.  When we do sin, by the death of our Lord Jesus, we have forgiveness and may be reconciled with our Father.  It is all a matter of choice, free will. 

What we have to realize and be on constant guard about is the demons among us.  If we could see the spiritual world around us like we do this everyday one, it would terrify us into paralysis.  We would be too scared to function and that’s probably why we can’t. 

It is not something that we often think about or even believe in today’s society but I’m here to tell you that Satan and his demons are a real as you and me.  I have seen them.  I have felt the evil and hatred that is the very essence of hell.  I was terrorized by them momentarily, but I quickly remembered that we have the God-given power over them through Christ Jesus.  By His blood, through His death and resurrection, hell does not have the ultimate power over the human race.  But, as Father Lucas said in the movie “The Rite”, “Choosing to not believe in the devil doesn’t protect you from him.”  I do more than believe that he’s real, I know it for a fact.  Which do you choose, belief or unbelief?  Think about it ’cause eternity never ends!

Always remember that Jesus died for us because He loves us!

Humbly yours,
Teresa Marie

Related articles

• The unseen world of angels and demons (idreamofeden.wordpress.com)
• Like a Lion (kjwinters.wordpress.com)
• Isn’t the “Devil” Just a Myth? (freshlyground.wordpress.com)

My Friday Thoughts – Possession By A Devil

To possess money is very well; it may be a most valuable servant; to be possessed by it is to be possessed by a devil, and one of the meanest and worst kinds of devils.

Tryon Edwards

Possession and exorcism – that is what was on my mind this morning when I opened my e-mail to find this quote.  Once again I wondered at the appropriate and timely nature of it.

Last night I rented the movie “The Rite” with Anthony Hopkins.  Any horror movie with him playing in it is scary to me ever since “Silence of The Lambs“.  The fact that this was based on a true story even made it worse.  And the worst part of all, with me being raised in the Catholic Church, was that I totally believe in demonic possession as a literal thing and the Rite of Exorcism.  To see it so realistically and graphically portrayed haunted my thoughts for an hour afterwards.  I also found myself praying in the Spirit often as I viewed it.  And all of that pushed my thinking towards this:

In the movie it was stated how many more reports the church had recently (in context with the movie) received.  As it is my opinion that the world is growing darker with every passing year, this was not hard for me to believe.  And the thing that concerns me about the gist of the movie in relation to everyday reality is that, as with the priest that was given to Anthony Hopkins’ character to train, people don’t believe in the devil, demons or possession anymore.  That’s good business for them and very, very bad for us!  As a direct result of the anti-religious belief system, the rise of atheism and Satanism, the runaway abortion rate, etc.  that we are now facing throughout the world, we have given Satan and his horde free reign on this earth to deceive us and pillage our very souls thereby condemning them to  hell for eternity!

I don’t know about you, but I believe it is real because the Bible says that it is so.  As Christians, we are to believe what the Bible tells us is the truth and not what the enemy says it is.  How do you know?  Prayer and spending time with God.  I will expound on this tomorrow as it is too hot up here to continue with this for today.  Until then…

Always remember that Jesus died for us because He loves us!

In His love,
Teresa Marie

Related articles

• Movie Review: The Rite (2011) (blogcritics.org)
• Healing Mass offers help for the ‘possessed’ (chron.com)
• Does the Devil Exist? A Review of “The Rite” (2011) (holyblasphemy.net)

My Wednesday Thoughts – The Family I Love

 

Good Morning to you all, I hope and pray that everyone survived the deadly storms of yesterday.  Today I am asking for you prayers once again on behalf of myself and the family that I love so dearly.

Yesterday, a tornado touched down approximately 35 miles north of our house.  More dangerous weather is headed our way today.  I don’t worry about it too much because I trust our Lord and angels to protect us, as they did a couple of days ago, but I would much rather it come when Mark is home with me.  Beings that I will be here alone, it does make me a little more nervous.  Please say a prayer for me.

My 80-year-old mother is having double knee replacement surgery beginning in 5 minutes.  She is in good health and I don’t expect any problems but I do ask that you say a prayer for her and her recovery.

My daughter is doing as well as can be expected.  She and her husband have finally talked in-depth about what she has decided to do.  He is, of course, now desperate to save his family.  She told him that her plans are to file for separation immediately; he has to move out; get help to overcome his alcoholism;  prove to her that he loves her and the children enough to change his ways; if he does all of that, she will consider reconciliation.  She loves her husband and doesn’t want to divorce him. Please continue to pray for her.

I don’t know what is going on with my husband but I do know that something is making him unhappy.  I don’t believe that it is me, we deeply love each other, but I there is something happening with the new job that is causing him displeasure.  Also, he is suffering physically.  I don’t know if he is in the first stage of arthritis or what but he is in a lot pain.  It makes me very sad to see him like this.  We both had such hope for this new job being the one he will have for the rest of his life to enjoy.  So please pray for him as well.

Finally, I need prayer myself.  I have been suffering problems on and off with my knee as well.  Of late it has been becoming an everyday thing.  I don’t think that I can go on much longer without going to a specialist.  I have been trying to hold off to see how mom does with this surgery and what she thinks about the doctor that is doing it.  If she is happy with him, that is who I will go to but that will just add more expense to our already tightly stretched budget and I hate to put more stress on Mark about money.  He has this better paying job but, after he pays his half of the insurance benefits, he is bringing home less than he did at the other job.  I know this is probably one of the things that is bothering him. 

And those are my requests of you all today.  Thanks you for those thoughts and prayers.  Until later…

Always remember that Jesus died for us because He loves us!

Humbly yours,
Teresa Marie

God’s Grace – A New E-mail From Mom

This is a recent one from my mom – another teary response from me:

Work like you don’t need the money, love like you’ve never been hurt, and dance like you do when nobody’s watching.”

God‘s Grace
I wonder how many people will delete this without reading it because of the title. It is a shame but this message is very true. Hope you are all as blessed as I was by this story.

 
There once was a man named George Thomas, pastor in a small New England town. One Easter Sunday morning he came to the Church carrying a rusty, bent, old bird cage, and set it by the pulpit. Eyebrows were raised and, as if in response, Pastor Thomas began to speak….

“I was walking through town yesterday when I saw a young boy coming toward me swinging this bird cage. On the bottom of the cage were three little wild birds, shivering with cold and fright.  I stopped the lad and asked, “What do you have there, son?”

“Just some old birds,” came the reply.

“What are you going to do with them?” I asked.

“Take ’em home and have fun with ’em,” he answered. “I’m gonna tease ’em and pull out their feathers to make ’em fight. I’m gonna have a real good time.”

“But you’ll get tired of those birds sooner or later. What will you do then?”

“Oh, I got some cats,” said the little boy. “They like birds. I’ll take ’em to them.”

The pastor was silent for a moment. “How much do you want for those birds, son?”

“Huh?? !!! Why, you don’t want them birds, mister.  They’re just plain old field birds. They don’t sing. They ain’t even pretty!”

“How much?” the pastor asked again.

The boy sized up the pastor as if he were crazy and said, “$10?”

The pastor reached in his pocket and took out a ten dollar bill.  He placed it in the boy’s hand. In a flash, the boy was gone.  The pastor picked up the cage and gently carried it to the end of the alley where there was a tree and a grassy spot.  Setting the cage down, he opened the door, and by softly tapping the bars persuaded the birds out, setting them free.  Well, that explained the empty bird cage on the pulpit, and then the pastor began to tell this story:

One day Satan and Jesus were having a conversation.  Satan had just come from the Garden of Eden, and he was gloating and boasting.  “Yes, sir, I just caught a world full of people down there.  Set me a trap, used bait I knew they couldn’t resist.  Got ’em all!”

“What are you going to do with them?” Jesus asked.

Satan replied, “Oh, I’m gonna have fun! I’m gonna teach them how to marry and divorce each other, how to hate and abuse each other, how to drink and smoke and curse. I’m gonna teach them how to invent guns and bombs and kill each other. I’m really gonna have fun!”

“And what will you do when you are done with them?” Jesus asked.

“Oh, I’ll kill ’em,” Satan glared proudly.

“How much do you want for them?” Jesus asked.

“Oh, you don’t want those people. They ain’t no good. Why, you’ll take them and they’ll just hate you. They’ll spit on you, curse you and kill you. You don’t want those people!!”

“How much? He asked again.

Satan looked at Jesus and sneered, “All your blood, tears and your life.”

“Jesus said, “DONE!”  Then He paid the price.

The pastor picked up the cage and walked from the pulpit.

I pray, for everyone who sends this on, whether to their entire address book or just a few, that God will bless them in a special way.

And for those that just deleted it……… And I KNOW there will be…… ?   WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?

I thank God everyday for my blessed life. I’m not rich, don’t live in a mansion and don’t have the nicest of material things, but, I’m healthy, have , a roof over my head, clothes on my back, food on my table, a family that loves me and lifelong friends to get me through. I’d say I have a lot to be thankful for.And I do as well!  That’s why I had to pass this on.  Always remember that Jesus died for us little birds because He loves us!

 

With a heart of gratitude,
Teresa Marie

My Tuesday Thoughts – The Healer

 

I am, once again and always, singing the praises of my LORD!  Jesus has shown me over and over again that He is the Great Physician, but now He has also shown my brother!  He never ceases to amaze me with His graciousness and love.  Wow!!  Don’t ever let anyone tell you that prayer doesn’t work!!

Some of you will remember this but others won’t, so please allow me to lay a little foundation for those who aren’t aware of the details.

Almost 6 years ago, my bother had a liver transplant because he had cancer.  Everything went very well and with each passing year he felt better and better.  That is until last year.  For some reason, which is still yet undetermined, he started passing out.  Well he eventually ended up in the hospital here where we live, not where they did the transplant.  The doctors treating him must not have been in close consultation with the other doctor because they put him on a medication that was extremely damaging to his liver.

After he was released from the hospital, he complained to the doctor here that the medicine was making him feel bad and told him that he wanted to get off of it.  This doctor refused to do that because it was a different doctor that put him on it.  It was a huge mess!  When my brother finally had his blood work done for the transplant doctor, it showed that he was rejecting the liver that he had successfully accepted for 5 years – unheard of basically unless there are extreme extenuating circumstances.  Well, by them giving him this medicine, they caused it.  The liver doctor said that there was no way he should have been prescribed that. 

As time progressed, so did the rejection process until it became “chronic liver rejection” and there was little hope in the doctor’s opinion but he told my brother that they were not giving up.  After Christmas, when he returned to the doctor, he informed my brother that he really didn’t think he would live past it.  We were very concerned and angry at the injustice of it all.  My mother was especially fearful and confided in me that is was her worst nightmare coming true, having one of her children die before she did.  I sent out dozens of prayer requests to as many different ministries from here to the Jerusalem wall.  I prayed the 91st Psalm every day and gave my brother and mother a copy to do the same.  We bombarded heaven with our petitions.

When I checked my e-mail this morning, there was one from him telling me that his latest tests show that his liver levels are almost back to the normal ranges!  Praise God!!  They have been gradually improving every month since the first of the year.  I love the Father/Son/Holy Spirit with all my heart and soul!  I will forever sing His praise and give glory to His Name above all names!!!  If you or anyone that you know needs help/healing, pray – pray – pray and don’t give up even when you think it’s not working.  There is power in persistent prayer.  Until later…

Always remember that Jesus died for us because He loves us!

Blessed be the LORD,
Teresa Marie

My Sunday Thoughts – Happy Easter! Jesus Lives!

The latest sermon from The Ranch:

Don’t Forget: Jesus Is STILL Alive

By Eric Elder
The Ranch
 

Happy Easter from The Ranch!  I hope you’ll enjoy today’s special Easter message and the conclusion of our study of “The Top 20 Passages in the Bible.”  He is risen!  He is risen indeed!  Here’s today’s message…

 

If you’ll remember back to when we started our look at “The Top 20 Passages in the Bible,” we were looking at a passage that described what happened on the very first Christmas:  the birth of Jesus Christ.  Today, as we conclude this study, I’d like to focus on what happened on the very first Easter morning:  the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

 

You already know the story, but here’s the brief conclusion of it all.  In some of the most mind-blowing words in all of Scripture, the angel at the tomb where Jesus had been buried just a few days before greeted two woman who had come to the tomb very early on that first Easter morning.  The angel said:

 

“Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here, for He has risen, as He said. Come, see the place where He lay” (Matthew 28:5-6).

 

If that didn’t send a shock wave through their systems, moments later they not only saw the empty tomb, but as they turned to run and tell the disciples the good news, they saw Jesus Himself, alive and well, just as the angel had said!

 

And as amazing as that news must have been to them, there’s even more good news for you today:  Jesus is STILL alive! He didn’t just rise from the dead and then disappear into heaven.  He rose from the dead and appeared to hundreds of others in the weeks that followed.

 

When it finally came time for Jesus to go up into heaven, He said that he wouldn’t leave His followers as orphans.  He said He would send His Holy Spirit to be with them, speaking His very words to them through His Spirit after He had gone.  Ten days later, it happened just as Jesus had said it would:

 

“These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. … It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you.  But if I go, I will send Him to you. …  When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth, for He will not speak on his own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for He will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that He will take what is mine and declare it to you” (John 14:25-26, 16:7, 13-15).

 

Jesus is STILL alive and well today, and that fact means that He hasn’t left you alone either.  The same Holy Spirit that He sent to His disciples is available to you as well.  When you have the Holy Spirit living inside you, it’s not just like having Jesus walk and talk with you, it is having Jesus walk and talk with you!

 

The reason I wanted to close this series by reminding you of this truth is because I wanted you to remember why we were looking at the top 20 passages in the Bible in the first place.

 

Some people wonder why Christians have such a love affair with the Bible.  The truth is that we’re not just in love with the words on the pages.  We’re in love with the One who is portrayed by those words.  

 

It’s like carrying around a picture of your beloved in your purse or wallet.  When you take out that picture, looking fondly at the image, and maybe even brushing the picture up against your cheek, or giving it a kiss with your lips, it’s not that you’re in love with the picture on the paper.  You’re in love with the one whose image is displayed on the paper.  In the same way, those who love their Bibles aren’t just in love with the Bible.  They’re in love with the One who is displayed on its pages.

 

Yet as wonderful as this kind of love affair with the Bible can be, there’s a surprising danger in it.  There are times when you might fall so much in love with the words on the pages that you miss having a relationship with the Word Himself, Jesus Christ, who is described on those pages.  Even Jesus warned of this danger when He said to some of the religious leaders of His day:

 

“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about Me, yet you refuse to come to Me that you may have life” (John 5:39-40).

 

The Message translation of the Bible paraphrases these same words of Jesus like this:

 

“You have your heads in your Bibles constantly because you think you’ll find eternal life there…These Scriptures are all about me! And here I am, standing right before you” (John 5:39-40, MSG).

 

Imagine holding a picture of your beloved in your hands, treasuring it, pulling it close to your heart, and even gazing at it longingly, all the while not even realizing or acknowledging that your beloved is standing right there next to you the whole time!

 

As much as I love the Bible–and it is my favorite book in the world–I have to remind myself from time to time that the Trinity is not made up of “the Father, the Son, and the Holy Scripture.”  But rather, the Trinity is made up of “the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,” three aspects of the same singular God who loves you and wants to be actively involved in your life today!

 

Keep reading your Bible, but don’t forget:  Jesus is STILL alive!  When His Holy Spirit prompts you to give, then give!  When you ask Him a question in prayer, then wait and listen for His answer!  When you’re feeling stressed out and start meditating on God’s Word, remember that God’s Word–Jesus Christ–is standing right there with you, too!

 

The words of the Bible are like love letters to you from your beloved, scented with the perfume of heaven, and sealed with a kiss from the Creator of the universe.  He loves you more than you could know, and He demonstrated that love by sending His Son Jesus to live and die and rise again from the dead, so you can live and die and rise again from the dead with Him one day, too.  Enjoy reading your Bible, and enjoy your time with the One who is described in it!

 

Don’t forget:  Jesus is STILL alive!

 

Let’s pray…

 

Father thank You for revealing Yourself to us in the words on the pages of the Bible.  Thank You for showing us not only a picture of who You are, but reminding us that You’re still right here with us today, in the form of the Holy Spirit, who lives in our hearts because we’ve put our faith in Christ.  We invite Him into our hearts again today, to fill us with Your power and presence, so that we can fall deeper and deeper in love with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

And Amen!  Always remember that Jesus died for us because He loves us!

 

Teresa Marie