I shiver beside the raging waters, watching in horror as they roar onward, sweeping away everything in their path. Then I hear it--a voice coming from upstream. A pitiful cry escapes the mouth of the poor man as he struggles to keep his head above water. “Help me!” he screams. I fall to my knees and reach out. But I barely miss his outstretched hand as he washes by. I bury my head in my hands and sob. “If only I could have reached just a little farther, I might have saved him.” 

Dear Reader, it doesn’t have to end like the story above when it comes to souls that are drowning in sin. We’ve been give the tools to reach them if we will only use them. Our heavenly Father has called us to be His arms and has provided all we need to lengthen our reach if we will only recognize and use these tools. Proverbs 31 talks about a virtuous wife who extends her hand to the poor, and reaches out her hands to the needy. May I add that this should include all of us?

Prayer is our longest arm. It can reach to every grain of sand on this earth. How far is my reach into the mission fields? Am I praying daily that lost and hell bound souls will find Jesus before it’s too late? Am I praying that many of God’s children will hear His call to go, and respond to that call?

The next arm is the arm of giving. What kind of giver am I? Am I selfishly spending my resources on trivial trinkets for myself and my pleasure, or does my arm reach around the world to bless hurting families who often don’t even have food to eat?

The next arm is the arm of going. Am I in such close fellowship with my Lord that I am open to His voice if He should call me to go to the mission fields?

 Think about this? Probably half the world goes to bed hungry every night--especially little children--while most of us threw enough in the garbage can every day to feed an entire family in Asia or Africa for a week.  Hordes starve to death every single day. 

So, which one are you, Beloved? Are you a Pray-er, a Giver, or a Goer? How far is your reach to suffering humanity? Search your heart, and then decide what Jesus would have you do. But don’t wait. Time is running out.

One word of caution. God pronounces woes on those who choose to be Ignorers, those who care about no one but themselves.  --Rebecca Somoskey

“For I have learned in whatever state I am in, to be content.” Phil 4:11 (NKJV)

 A number of years ago Emory and I read the account of an old man who had taken his son to catch the bus that would take him to military basic training. Just as the son reached the bus door, the old man placed his arm around his shoulders and gave him these last words of advise. “Son, no matter where you go, there you are.”

At the time we thought it was hilarious because it was so obvious, and we laughed about it for days. But after much thought we began to see the deeper meaning and realized it was an incredible bit of wisdom. Hidden deep in the old man’s words was a truth that he had learned, most likely, from dealing with whatever came his way. And he wanted to prepare his dear son because he knew what the boy was facing.

The secret of this thought is to form the habit of making the best of every circumstance. And sad to say it has taken me seventy years to learn the best way to do that. For years I have battled the ugliness of self pity. I hated myself for it, but just couldn’t seem to find deliverance. I prayed. I quoted scripture. I did everything I knew to do, but to no avail.

Then that old saying came back to me, “No matter where you go, there you are,” and with the help of the Holy Spirit I learned that, “Godliness with contentment truly is great gain.” (1 Timothy 6:6) And you can learn this too.

Every morning when we wake up we are faced with a fork in the road and we have to make a decision. Will I take the road of self-pity which leads to depression and despair? Or will I take the road of prayer and praise which leads to contentment?  Instead of the “Oh, poor me! Why has God put me in these dreadful circumstances?”  I call on the Lord to strengthen me by reading and quoting His powerful promises, then I make a list of all the good in my life, and my depression vanishes. I remind myself that no matter where I go, there I am, in God’s plan, and I am to make the best of my circumstances no matter how difficult they are.”

Beloved, I am sure that many of you face difficulties far more severe that I ever will, but I assure you, if you will choose God’s way He will be faithful.

Wherever you go, there you are! Which road are you going to choose? –Rebecca Somoskey

     The earth is the Lords and the fullness there off, the world and they that dwell therein. Psalm 24:1 
    The slimy fingers of the litter bug has reached into every hollow and down every ridge. The road sides are decorated with soda and beer cans, plastic bottles are resting in the ditch, a candy wrapper decorates the weeds, a fast food bag lays open beside the pavement with it’s greasy wrappers and half eaten food spilling out. The woods along the road have become a cemetery to rusty automobiles, antique refrigerators, inoperable engines, commodes and sinks, broken kitchen appliances, plastic bags of who knows what, and the list goes on. I walk no where on the mountain without seeing evidence that someone else has been before me. What a tragedy to trash God’s beautiful earth, the temple of nature where all living things can praise Him for His glorious creation. But it’s far worse to trash His marvelous creation, the physical body of the believer, the temple where our souls and His Spirit dwells.
    I have been guilty, I confess!! I wouldn’t even dream of lugging a bag of filthy garbage into my church sanctuary and dumping its contents on the floor. I want to keep my church sanctuary in perfect order. Yet I am guilty of dumping garbage into my body, every time I stuff unhealthy food into my mouth just because it tasted good. Every time I eat until I am so full I can hardly breathe, I am putting extra stress on His creation that makes me sick. When I am too lazy to get proper exercise I am causing pain, not only to my body but to His dear heart. 
     Every time I set evil before my eyes by way of television, movies or my reading choices, or allow my ears to listen to what is evil and unholy, be it gossip, filthy communication, or my music preferences, I help to make my soul sick.
     Thank You, Lord, for making me aware of my sin of rebellion and for providing Your power to help me clean up my body and soul. Even though I sometimes fail, I strive to keep Your temple pure and holy, so I may please You better!!! |
     Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. Corinthians 3:16-17 (See 1Corinthians 6:19-20)--Rebecca Somoskey

From the beginning the road was rough and rocky, but when it led her into the dark forest, all she could do was put one foot in front of the other because she was determined to finish this challenge. But when the trees began to make whispering sounds, she paused to listen. They were speaking words she could understand! Trees talking like humans?  The whispers grew louder and stronger. Then hideous laughing covered the forest, followed by unbelievable words. She froze, then buried her head in her hands.

“So you say that God is good? Don’t you know that good is not good.Good is evil. And didn’t you know that evil is not evil. Evil is good, and we are making it so. Walk on and you will see. You will soon be destroyed.”  (See Isaiah 5:21-22)

Terrified beyond belief, she fell to her knees and cried out, “Oh God, help me!” Immediately a nail scarred hand lifted her to her feet. “Lord Jesus! It’s you!” She began to laugh, as the evil voices died away.

 “Walk with me and you will be safe from the evil one.” He said. So they continued walking side by side, hand in hand, on through the forest.  

 After awhile he spoke. “The end is upon us my child, so I must warn you of what is coming to earth. Those voices in the trees were the lying agents of the evil one and they were trying to make you stop walking.  But as I have said before, “Woe to those who call evil, good, and good, evil. Their defeat is coming. (Isaiah 5:20-25) Even now the earth is hearing of wars and rumors of wars. Nation is rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There are famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. And tribulations like you’ve never seen are just around the corner. (Matthew 24)  But as long as you walk with me I will take you safely to the other side.

 Then she asked, “Lord, what will it really be like there?”

 He smiled a gentle smile, “Heaven? It defies description. Just wait and see. You will not be disappointed.” (Revelation 21 & 22)  He grasped her hand a little tighter and said, “Hold on, we still have a few more difficult miles, but together we will get there.”

Beloved, can you identify? Is the road you’re walking a nightmare like nothing you’ve ever experienced? If so, then read on. Jesus said in Luke 21:28 “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” Are you walking with Jesus? It’s your only hope.  

Yes, we have bears on Bearwallow, and bobcats and coyotes. The bears have not come by this spring, but if they do we will hear them outside, poking through cans and containers looking for food.

Bobcats are like shadows. They sneak in late at night when most of the world is asleep and go fishing in the pond . We might catch a glimpse of them just at dawn, but mostly all we see is the pale grey droppings they leave behind.

But coyotes are another story. Occasionally we will hear a small pack yipping just after dark. Coyotes remind me of wolves,. Wolves run in packs and when they are hungry they will kill and eat anything that is not protected. We don’t have wolf packs here in our part of Appalachia. Unless I consider my mental wolves!

My thoughts are often like wolf packs, and sometimes me thinks my thoughts are gonna kill me. They circle, snarling, just outside my small fire of consciousness, and will devour me if they can get close enough. Their names are branded in their foreheads like tattoos. Self-pity is the leader of the pack. He is followed by Anger, Hate, Resentment, Revenge, Unforgiveness, Selfishness, Discouragement and Despair, destroyers from the pits of hell. The circle tightens. I shout and lunge forward just outside their reach, my arms flailing like a maniac. They stagger backward for only a few seconds then rush in again.

I scream, "My thoughts, my thoughts, oh God!! They’re gonna kill me!" I turn my face toward heaven and beg, "I can’t stand it any longer. Please help me." I drop my head and wait.

Soon a gentle voice whispers. "Come closer child. I am the Light. The destroyers can’t touch you if you stay in the Light. They fear the Light. Make the firelight stronger. "

I toss a song of praise onto the waning fire. The blaze surges up. I quote a scripture, "The Word of God is quick and powerful, sharper than any two edged sword". I remember my blessings or intercede for others. The fire becomes a blazing inferno. As the wolves back away and disappear, a song of rejoicing pours forth from my throat. Victory!

Will the destroyers return? Yes. Just as soon as I move away from the light, the battle rages on. So, if I want them to stay away, I must keep the fire blazing and stay in the Light.  "Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things." Philippians 4:8--Rebecca Somoskey