The B-I-B-L-E

June 12th, 2012 dsisler

I watched a documentary with my husband last night that he had recorded a while ago. The documentary revolved around Thomas Jefferson’s book, The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth[i]. The documentary was about the conservation of the book, the process of this conservation, and film of how it was repaired. That part of the documentary was very interesting and filled with information that held my interest.
Throughout the documentary, it described Jefferson’s philosophy for creating this book. He purchased two English versions, two Greek versions, and one French version of the Bible. He then began cutting out portions of Scripture where Jesus interacted with others and pasted them onto sheets of paper that would later be bound into a book.
Jefferson’s goal was to have a book filled with only the teachings of Jesus. The parts he chose to eliminate were miracles. All of them. There isn’t an angel appearing to Mary. No miraculous conception of Jesus. There are no healings. No calming of storms. There are no raisings from the dead. Including Jesus’ own resurrection.
This is where Jefferson lost me. I understand his desire was to only document Jesus’ teachings, but part of Jesus’ teachings on morals brought miracles into play. My faith in what God’s Word says drives me to be a moral person. And without the miracles and definitely the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Gospel doesn’t exist.
We must not dilute God’s plan. The Gospel is God’s plan for mankind’s salvation. So what can we find in God’s Bible about the Gospel?
Paul states in 1 Corinthians 9:16 (NIV), “Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” The gospel must be preached. We are compelled to preach it…completely. A total package.
Paul also says, “By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:2 – NIV) We cannot be saved by anything other than the full gospel.
Then of course, we see that Satan is working hard to keep us from understanding the gospel as a whole and shares in the perversion of the gospel. In 2 Corinthians 4:2 and Galatians 1:7 we see how Satan works.
“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:2 – NIV)
“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.” (Galatians 1:7 – NIV)
Paul also says in 1 Corinthians 1:17 (NIV) that the cross of Christ loses its power if the gospel is not preached. “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.”
And finally, 1 Thessalonians 2:4 (NIV) tells us that we are entrusted with the gospel and that it is God who tests our hearts. “We speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts.”
Perhaps I am being too hard on Jefferson. After all, he created this work for his own use. His desire was to learn exactly what Jesus said about being a moral person. He never intended it to be published, and it was not published during his lifetime. He read from it daily to learn Jesus’ words to live by. So why didn’t he just read from the Bible?
Someone once asked me about a book suggestion. They were looking for something to read through the summer and thought I might know of a new author to help them reflect upon God. My suggestion? Read the Bible. God’s Word says it best. No one can make His point better than God himself.
So if you’re looking for a great book to read for the summer, pick up God’s book. Read it…daily. I can guarantee it to be the best reading material and your life and outlook will never be the same.
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Donna

[i]The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth, Thomas Jefferson, 1820.
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Bethany’s Star

June 11th, 2012 dsisler

Several years ago, I bought my youngest daughter a star. A real star, out there in space.  When we received the information, the coordinates for her star were included so that we could go in search of that star.
Unfortunately, I have no clue where all that information is. I couldn’t tell you where her star is for certain. She might be able to, but I don’t know for sure. So for me, that star is lost. It really is out there in a big sky with millions of other stars.
I’ve since read that stars aren’t reallyfor sale. That makes sense. I mean, how can I say, “That’s my star!” when in reality someone else has probably purchased that very same star. It isn’t something I can hold or visit or re-gift.
Stars have held mankind captive since God placed them in the sky. They’ve been used by God to give emphasis to a promise (Genesis 22:17). They were used in dreams as examples (Genesis 37:9; Daniel 8:10). Mankind bowed down and worshiped stars (2 Kings 21:3). Stars signaled the end of a work day (Nehemiah 4:2). They praise God (Psalm 148:3).

A very special start guided the Magi to the Messiah (Matthew 2:2). And Jesus is referred to as the “bright Morning Star” (Revelation 22:16).
We too are called to be stars. Paul shares a section of Scripture in Philippians 2:12-18 that is titled, “Shining as Stars.” There are some great concepts in this section, but Paul encourages the Philippian Church to be a bright light in the darkened world. To be beacons drawing those caught in darkness to Jesus.
“Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life.” (Philippians 2:14-16a – NIV)
As Christians, we have the light, the word of life. It is only natural that we share it with others who need it so desperately.
And in 2 Peter 1:19, Peter explains that because we have Scripture (the word of the prophets), we should pay attention to them. We should listen and obey until the “morning star rises in your hearts.” I love this phrase. Has the morning star risen in your heart? It has in mine! And for certain, it draws me to God’s light daily. Hourly.
I don’t know where Bethany’s star is. It’s there, but with all the others in the sky, it’s difficult to pick out that special one. I am thankful that the Bright Morning Star is much easier to find and to spend personal time with. I pray that you too are in His presence daily.
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Donna
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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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  • "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 Jacksonville, Florida.

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