Pyramid

June 10th, 2012 dsisler

Do you remember the game show, $10,000 Pyramid, hosted by Dick Clark? It was a game where one team member would listen to clues from the other team member and give an answer. For example, one team member might say, “You sit on this item. It has four legs. There might be arm rests. It may be upholstered.” Then the other team member would say, “A chair.”Correct!
There were two elements to the show. During the first section, the giver of clues could use their hands and voice inflections to help with the description, but in the second section, their bodies had to be perfectly still and they had to speak without inflection. If during the second element either rule was broken, a buzzer would sound and they would move on.
Sometimes we feel like we are in this game show in life. We may not get clues, but we certainly get questions or statements. Like, “What are you going to be after school or college?” I always answered, “A high school music teacher.”If I had been on that television show, I would have heard the buzzer! I am anything but a high school music teacher…never have been and never will be.
Perhaps life turns serious. We may hear statements and be expected to have an answer. Like, “Your unborn child has a heart defect.” Or, “You have cancer.”How are we to respond to these statements? I’m not sure we have answers in these situations, just faith that God is in control of the situation and prayers will be answered according to His purpose.
And then, there are these dreaded questions. “Why do you believe there is a God?” “Can you tell me about Jesus?” “Your faith is so strong, why?” “How do I become a Christian?” Do you have an answer for this type of question?
I’ve heard from some that if you don’t know the theological answers to these questions, to simply tell your story. Tell them how Jesus has impacted your life and why you are different because of what He’s done. While I love this concept and think it is a start, it is just that. A start. A good start. But I believe we must be able to get into Scripture to tell others about Jesus.
We read in Scripture, “But make sure in your hearts that Christ is Lord. Always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks you about the hope you have. Be ready to give the reason for it. But do it gently and with respect.” (1 Peter 3:15- NIRV) So here’s my version of the salvation plan.
We must believe
There is a lot that we simply must have faith in. We must believe that God’s Word is living and active and that God breathed life into each verse. (Hebrews 4:12; 2 Timothy 3:16)
We must believe that Jesus is God’s Son, sent to be the Messiah, the Savior of mankind. (John 3:15-16; 1 John 5:1; 5:5; Romans 3:22)
We must believe that Jesus was crucified for the forgiveness of our sins and rose to life to prove victory over death. (Luke 24:46-7; 1 Thessalonians 4:14)
We must repent
Repentance means to turn completely around. To go the opposite direction of our original path. So for a believer, we must put to death the sinful nature in order for the spiritual nature to be visible. (Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:15; Acts 2:38; Acts 3:19)
We must confess
You’ve heard it before, Peter’s great confession of our Lord. “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16 – NIV) Yes, we must proclaim it as well. Matthew 16:16; 2 Timothy 2:19
We must be baptized
Jesus teaches that baptism is part of the salvation plan and was himself baptized. Peter preached it on the day of Pentecost. Paul also was baptized and preached baptism. (Matthew 3:13; 28:19-20; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Acts 9:18; Galatians 3:27)
We must live
Live lives that bring honor, glory and praise to God who has freely lavished grace upon us. There are plenty of passages that lead us in this direction, but I’m listing two here. (Galatians 5:16-26; Ephesians 2:10)
We must tell
If in fact we have the greatest news mankind has ever heard, why do we keep silent? Why isn’t His message on the tip of our tongues constantly? I don’t know the answer to that question, but I know that Scriptures tell me to share the Gospel. (Matthew 28:19-20; Luke 24:47)
This is just a start…but at least you’ll be able to begin with what is here. But here’s the thing. You must make it your own. I do like the story part. Write you’re your story. Practice telling it. Add Scripture to it and then you’ll be set and ready for the next person that asks you that hard question. You can do it. I know you can with God’s Spirit within you.
Believe it. Confess it. Live it. Tell it.
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Donna
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Trixie

June 9th, 2012 dsisler

There has been sadness in my household over the past few weeks. Our family cat of 16 years had to be put down. Trixie came into our lives when my children were young and experienced life with them. She was with them through several moves, graduations, first dates, breakups, first jobs, and all the ups and downs that came with puberty and young adulthood.
Needless to say, my adult children are missing not just a cat, but a member of our family.
As I thought about it, I realized that there are only a few periods of time in my life where there hasn’t been a pet of some sort in my household. We got a cross-eyed Siamese kitten that we (my Dad) named Gomer when I was very young and he lived until I was in high school. And the list can go on from there. So perhaps, I am a little sad as well.
The writer of Ecclesiastes says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: …a time to weep and a time to laugh.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4 – NIV)
Genesis 6:6 (NIV) tells us, “The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain.” How this verse breaks my heart. That mankind could be so wicked that God regretted creating us.
When Jacob died, the people “lamented loudly and bitterly.” (Genesis 50:10 – NIV) Joseph and all of the Israelites were saddened by the loss of the patriarch of this clan. They showed their love and gratitude by their mourning.
Nehemiah was saddened by the condition of the walls in Jerusalem. When he entered the king’s presence, the king asked Nehemiah “why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.” (Nehemiah 2:2)
Jesus experienced sadness. At Lazarus’ tomb, Jesus wept at the loss of a very close and dear friend. “Jesus wept.” (John 11:35 – NIV)
After John the Baptist was beheaded, we can assume Jesus was sad because “When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place.” (John 14:13 – NIV)
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus told His disciples, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” (Matthew 28:26 – NIV) Jesus knew the time was coming when He would be separated from His Father because of the sin of mankind. Separation from God will bring sadness to our hearts…here on earth and for eternity.
The good news is that God cares when we are sad and it is His desire to help us through the pain. Psalm 34:18 (NIV) says, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”God will save us from the sadness we feel.
Jesus shares that spiritual joy comes to “those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4 – NIV) Oh, to be comforted by the God of heaven; His only Son, the Messiah; and the gift God has given, the Holy Spirit.
It does get better. Psalm30:5b (NIV) says, “Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” Rejoicing will come. God has promised it. And if God promises it, He will come through and He will do it.
Sadness is part of life. Unfortunately events happen that cause us to be sad. And I believe if we don’t know some sadness in our lifetime, we will never be able to fully know the great joys in our lives. I also believe, we must give our sadness to God and allow Him to turn it to joy. I’ll go back to Ecclesiastes…there is a time to weep, but thankfully, there is a time for laughter.
Today I choose to laugh. To rejoice. To allow God’s comfort to cover me. What do you choose today?
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Donna
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Do Not Be Anxious

June 8th, 2012 dsisler

It doesn’t happen very often, but I received three phone calls from our city telling us that we were under a tornado warning. I guess it’s just natural to feel a bit anxious under these circumstances. But there were several reasons last night that sent me that direction.
First of all, Mason was working a night shift. Then there was the fact that Candace was still out working. And last but not least, Joy, our granddaughter was spending the night. I stayed by the television as long as I possibly could to see where these storms were headed and if, in fact, we were in any danger.
Several years ago, we were placed under a tornado warning and spent some time in the basement. Driving through the area where the tornado touched down was disturbing. The path was pretty defined. The damage was more severe in some areas than others. Destruction was evident.
I don’t like feeling anxious. I tend to become very warm, sweat much more than normal, and my heart races. After the anxiousness has subsided, I feel depleted.
Obviously in the situation of immediate danger, being anxious is normal and natural. Anxiousness can be a difficult issue for some. But for most people of our world, we do tend to overdo the anxiousness. Sometimes we are anxious for reasons that do not merit these feelings.
Proverbs reminds us that “an anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.” (Proverbs 12:25 – NIV) Anxiety can cause us to feel unnecessarily burdened.
Philippians 4:6 (NIV) tells us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” It may be difficult to act in this way, but we are told to face difficulty in this manner.
So what are we to do with our anxieties? 1 Peter 5:7 (NIV) says to, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” Give it to God. Give it completely, totally, without any hesitation, to God.
We are to trust God with all of our cares. Nahum shares these words, “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.” (Nahum 1:7 – NIV)
And if we jump back to Philippians 4:7 (NIV), Paul tells us what we will receive when we trust and give God our anxiety. “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” God’s peace will cover us and we won’t even be able to understand why we are at peace in tough situations.
The storms passed. We were unharmed. There was no reason to be nervous or anxious. For that I am thankful. I guess the real lesson in all of this is to listen to the experts. Understand what they are saying and then take appropriate action. It’s better to be safe than sorry in this situation.
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Donna
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The Legend

June 7th, 2012 dsisler

Our granddaughter Joy has been staying with us this week so she could attend Vacation Bible School with me. It’s always fun to have her around. She brings joy and laughter each time she comes.
One of her favorite things to do is play games on our WII. She plays a game that her uncle Philip played when he was her age. Zelda[i].
At one point in the game, it takes the player to a darker realm, where evil forces have subjected the kingdom to darkness and surrender.
The princess is held captive and it is up to the young hero to save her and the kingdom. To encourage him, the princess says, “Fear is a nameless evil.”[ii]
That phrase caught my attention. I think there is some truth to it. If we allow fear to go unchecked or won’t talk about what we are fearful of, it can become a dark place in our lives.
So what does the Bible say about fear? Paul encounters a time when he stated, “For when we came into Macedonia, this body of ours had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears within. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus.” (2 Corinthians 7:5-6 – NIV)
There will be times in our lives when conflict will hit us from the outside and fear will well up within, but when we remember that God comforts the downcast, we are able to move past the fear.
In Psalm 34:4 (NIV), David shares how he dealt with fear. “I sought the Lord and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.” We must ask God for help with fear. When we ask, He will answer.
And Proverbs 14:26 (NIV) tells us “He who fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge.”We have a secure fortress in our God, therefore we don’t have any reason to fear anything.
Psalm 27:1 (NIV) speaks of this idea as well. “The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” There is nothing for us to fear with God on our side!
And finally, 1 John 4:18 (NIV) says, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” According to this verse, love casts out and overshadows fear. If we fear, we cannot be secure in our salvation.
The princess and her hero will overcome this darkness. There will be no reason for fear. I know this because I know how the game ends.
You and I will also overcome the darkness of this world. Fear will be banished. I know this because I know that Jesus is victorious. And because He is victorious, we are too!
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Donna

[i]The Legend of Zelda, copyright 2006, Nintendo
[ii] The Legend of Zelda, copyright 2006, Nintendo
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Days Gone By

June 6th, 2012 dsisler

An interest in genealogy has seemed to explode in our society. The websites that give help with finding information about our ancestors are very popular.
I am no different. I am interested in where I came from. Who came before me in my family. I recently looked at the 1940’s census to find out all I could about my great grandparents, grandparents, parents, great aunts and uncles. It was an interesting journey.
Several years ago, one of my women’s Bible study groups wanted to work through a fun study during the summer. We found five novellas written by Francine Rivers on the five women listed in Jesus’ genealogy. While some of the content is fictional, a portion of each book is straight from Scripture. We thoroughly enjoyed reading through the summer and working on the studies included in each book.
Can you name these five women? If you are like I was years ago, you probably have skipped over the sections of genealogy in Scripture. So why not read the account of Jesus’ genealogy in Matthew 1?
The first gal mentioned in Matthew 1:3 is Tamar. Tamar and Judah give birth to Perez and Zerah. Tamar’s story can be found in Genesis 38 and is filled with disappointment. But in the end, Tamar was blessed with two sons and a place in Jesus’ lineage.
The second is Rahab (Matthew 1:5), mother to Boaz. Rahab was a woman saved from Jericho and some say a prostitute. Although her story contained untruths on her part, she believed in the God of the Israelites and knew that He would be her salvation. Rahab’s story is found in Joshua 2 and Joshua 6:22-23.
Ruth is mentioned next (Matthew 1:5). Wife to Boaz and a woman who loved her mother in law so dearly, she was unable to leave her. In the midst of great trial, Ruth proclaimed, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried.” (Ruth 1:16-17a – NIV) Ruth’s dedication was remarkable and God took notice!
Next in line is Bathsheba (Matthew 1:6). While she is not named specifically, she is referenced by her husband Uriah. David sinned with Bathsheba and great pain was the result of that sin. But again, God saw something special in Bathsheba and she was granted a special place in the genealogy.
Last, but not least is Mary (Matthew 1:16), the mother of Jesus. She was given the special honor birthing the Messiah, God’s own Son. Luke 1:28 (NIV) tells us of when the angel appeared to Mary. He said,“Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Yes, Mary was favored. Her character flawless. Her faith unshakeable. Her trust immeasurable. God’s plan of salvation was delivered to the world through her.
These women weren’t the only women in Jesus’ lineage, they were the women God felt should be mentioned. They are indeed special.
I am thankful for my heritage. I’m also thankful for my spiritual heritage. Church history and God’s Word gives me a great account of those who came before me to preach and teach the Gospel. I am proud to be who I am!
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Donna
If you are interested in reading more about Jesus’ genealogy, these are the books I’d recommend.
Callis, B. (2005) Biblical Genealogy: Abraham to Jesus Christ. Bloomington: Author House.
Rivers, F. (2000) Unveiled. Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Rivers, F. (2000) Unashamed. Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Rivers, F. (2001) Unshaken. Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Rivers, F. (2001) Unspoken. Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Rivers, F. (2001) Unafraid. Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
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    "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe." Ephesians 1:18-19


    I am a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. I lived in the beautiful state of Colorado for 20 years where I found great inspiration for my novels and devotional writings. Currently living in southwest Ohio.

    I am passionate about helping women find their way to Jesus through Bible study, teaching, speaking, inspirational writing and creative Bible journaling.

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