Friday, January 16, 2009
Friday, October 31, 2008
It's Halloween and this Election is getting Scary
Or maybe you're thinking this election has been pretty scary for quite a while!
The latest polls show the race tightening--Mr. Obama's numbers coming down slightly, Mr. McCain's coming up a bit, the difference diminishing. Yesterday some polls showed the difference between the two tickets within the margin of error, meaning the race is a dead heat.
No doubt it's getting scarier for those for Barak Obama and Joe Biden.
Those for John McCain are holding their breath, wondering if he and Sarah Palin can pull it out.
There's one thing few people reporting on this race have taken into consideration. There's one person the polls haven't polled. That would be God. When God's involved, there's an unpredictability because things can look like there's no way they'll turn out right--and yet when He steps in, He is the majority vote. It's that David versus Goliath thing.
On the other hand, when God is involved there's a definite predictability. He will see that what is right is done in the end. That doesn't mean wrong things can't happen--any sane person knows better. But it does mean that ultimately, God has His way.
So I keep saying, "When God is involved..." So is He? Is He involved in this U. S. election? Yep. How do I know? Because I've been asking Him to be in it all along. And I'm definitely not the only one! Many, many Christians talk to God daily and know that He hears, acts, and is involved in human history.
So whose side are you on?
The latest polls show the race tightening--Mr. Obama's numbers coming down slightly, Mr. McCain's coming up a bit, the difference diminishing. Yesterday some polls showed the difference between the two tickets within the margin of error, meaning the race is a dead heat.
No doubt it's getting scarier for those for Barak Obama and Joe Biden.
Those for John McCain are holding their breath, wondering if he and Sarah Palin can pull it out.
There's one thing few people reporting on this race have taken into consideration. There's one person the polls haven't polled. That would be God. When God's involved, there's an unpredictability because things can look like there's no way they'll turn out right--and yet when He steps in, He is the majority vote. It's that David versus Goliath thing.
On the other hand, when God is involved there's a definite predictability. He will see that what is right is done in the end. That doesn't mean wrong things can't happen--any sane person knows better. But it does mean that ultimately, God has His way.
So I keep saying, "When God is involved..." So is He? Is He involved in this U. S. election? Yep. How do I know? Because I've been asking Him to be in it all along. And I'm definitely not the only one! Many, many Christians talk to God daily and know that He hears, acts, and is involved in human history.
So whose side are you on?
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you.
Romans 13:1-3, NIV
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Dow drops 777 - God winks
Have you missed me? I hope you enjoyed the interview with author Kathi Macias in August. I've found myself with so much work on my plate I'll have to blog when I have time...which might be hit and miss for a while.
That feels a little crazy to me with all that is going on in our country. The election. Sarah Palin's arrival on the scene. This financial situation.
But today I just had to chime in. Couldn't keep quiet. Here's why:
Yesterday the Congress voted down the package they've been working on that is supposed to help stabilize Wall Street, banking, and our financial situation. After the vote, the Dow fell 7%, the biggest drop in history they say.
When I heard the Dow had fallen 777 points, my head whipped around to make sure I had really heard what I thought I heard. 777 points?!
I wasn't surprised because of the large number. I was surprised because that means something to me. Of all the number of points the Dow could have fallen, it lost 777?
Okay, now I know this will open me up to ridicule and some of you will think this is nuts, but I'll say it anyway. If you're a Christian, I'm betting you're already thinking the same thing I'm thinking. Aren't you? Okay, if you're not getting it, here we go:
In the Bible, the number 7 is the number of perfection. The number 777 represents God.
Christian or not, you have probably heard of another number from Scripture. The number 6 is a little less than perfection (which means it falls short, meaning it is a loooooonnnng way from perfection). The number 666 represents that human who will try to replace God, according to the prophecies that will come true in our future.
So, yesterday I hear the Dow drops 777 points, and I immediately think, "That's God's number!" As time went on, I wondered, Am I reading too much into this? Did God intend to send a message that He is in this...which would imply it's going to be okay?
I decided I should ask, and so I began to ask God, "Did you mean to send a message...?" And like He often does, before the question got fully out of my mind, the answer was there. The voice from the TV then said Congress would not be meeting again to work on this until Thursday--due to the holiday. Rosh Hashanah!
That's when I knew for sure. I ask God to confirm and He answers by reminding me of what I knew yesterday morning when I looked at a calendar, but had forgotten. The break is for a holiday His people celebrate, a Jewish holiday! Message confirmed.
When my husband got home, I asked him if he heard how much the Dow had dropped. He said yes--777 points. I asked if that meant anything to him. He said, "Of course. God's saying don't worry about it. He's got us covered." See? It wasn't just me who took it that way. Message confirmed again.
I would bet money my husband and I are not the only ones who took it this way.
So what does this mean? Does this mean God will restore the Dow Jones and Wall Street to what it was before all this started? Not necessarily. But it does mean God is saying, "Trust Me." It means God is in it. He's paying attention. He's involved. He's in control. (Not the Congress. Not Wall Street. Not the markets or the banks. God. God is the only one Who is in control.)
It also means that we cannot rely on our own selves to provide for ourselves--we must rely on God. Our bank accounts and retirement accounts can vanish as quickly as the Twin Towers did. So much is out of our hands. But nothing is out of God's hands. He is in complete control. And the wise person invests in Him, invests time in knowing Him, and relies completely on Him for our every-days and for our future--not on bank accounts or money investments.
When God sends a message like this, I've heard some call it a "God wink." God is looking you straight in the eye, and He gives you a wink. It can't help but make you smile. I've seen God wink before. It doesn't happen often. It's always unexpected (not when I'm wanting to see it).
Until yesterday, it has almost always been private--a message just to me. (I know God winks as others, too!)
Last night, I saw on the TV the big board at Wall Street that showed the drop: -777.68. There it was for all the world to see. But I have a hunch most people who saw that number in lights didn't see the God wink. Only those who are linked in to God, who know Him, who listen to Him, who recognize Him and His ways, understood.
What about you? Did you understand? Were you listening? Did you get the message? Did you see God wink?
I don't know what will happen with the Dow Jones, Wall Street, or banking America--or this election--but I do know for certain that for those who depend on God, no matter what happens, it'll be okay.
That feels a little crazy to me with all that is going on in our country. The election. Sarah Palin's arrival on the scene. This financial situation.
But today I just had to chime in. Couldn't keep quiet. Here's why:
Yesterday the Congress voted down the package they've been working on that is supposed to help stabilize Wall Street, banking, and our financial situation. After the vote, the Dow fell 7%, the biggest drop in history they say.
When I heard the Dow had fallen 777 points, my head whipped around to make sure I had really heard what I thought I heard. 777 points?!
I wasn't surprised because of the large number. I was surprised because that means something to me. Of all the number of points the Dow could have fallen, it lost 777?
Okay, now I know this will open me up to ridicule and some of you will think this is nuts, but I'll say it anyway. If you're a Christian, I'm betting you're already thinking the same thing I'm thinking. Aren't you? Okay, if you're not getting it, here we go:
In the Bible, the number 7 is the number of perfection. The number 777 represents God.
Christian or not, you have probably heard of another number from Scripture. The number 6 is a little less than perfection (which means it falls short, meaning it is a loooooonnnng way from perfection). The number 666 represents that human who will try to replace God, according to the prophecies that will come true in our future.
So, yesterday I hear the Dow drops 777 points, and I immediately think, "That's God's number!" As time went on, I wondered, Am I reading too much into this? Did God intend to send a message that He is in this...which would imply it's going to be okay?
I decided I should ask, and so I began to ask God, "Did you mean to send a message...?" And like He often does, before the question got fully out of my mind, the answer was there. The voice from the TV then said Congress would not be meeting again to work on this until Thursday--due to the holiday. Rosh Hashanah!
That's when I knew for sure. I ask God to confirm and He answers by reminding me of what I knew yesterday morning when I looked at a calendar, but had forgotten. The break is for a holiday His people celebrate, a Jewish holiday! Message confirmed.
When my husband got home, I asked him if he heard how much the Dow had dropped. He said yes--777 points. I asked if that meant anything to him. He said, "Of course. God's saying don't worry about it. He's got us covered." See? It wasn't just me who took it that way. Message confirmed again.
I would bet money my husband and I are not the only ones who took it this way.
So what does this mean? Does this mean God will restore the Dow Jones and Wall Street to what it was before all this started? Not necessarily. But it does mean God is saying, "Trust Me." It means God is in it. He's paying attention. He's involved. He's in control. (Not the Congress. Not Wall Street. Not the markets or the banks. God. God is the only one Who is in control.)
It also means that we cannot rely on our own selves to provide for ourselves--we must rely on God. Our bank accounts and retirement accounts can vanish as quickly as the Twin Towers did. So much is out of our hands. But nothing is out of God's hands. He is in complete control. And the wise person invests in Him, invests time in knowing Him, and relies completely on Him for our every-days and for our future--not on bank accounts or money investments.
When God sends a message like this, I've heard some call it a "God wink." God is looking you straight in the eye, and He gives you a wink. It can't help but make you smile. I've seen God wink before. It doesn't happen often. It's always unexpected (not when I'm wanting to see it).
Until yesterday, it has almost always been private--a message just to me. (I know God winks as others, too!)
Last night, I saw on the TV the big board at Wall Street that showed the drop: -777.68. There it was for all the world to see. But I have a hunch most people who saw that number in lights didn't see the God wink. Only those who are linked in to God, who know Him, who listen to Him, who recognize Him and His ways, understood.
What about you? Did you understand? Were you listening? Did you get the message? Did you see God wink?
I don't know what will happen with the Dow Jones, Wall Street, or banking America--or this election--but I do know for certain that for those who depend on God, no matter what happens, it'll be okay.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Visit Kathi Macias' web site
It didn't occur to me to include Kathi's web site URL during our interview. Duh!
If you'd like to stop by for a visit, find her here:
www.kathimacias.com
If you'd like to stop by for a visit, find her here:
www.kathimacias.com
Friday, August 29, 2008
Beyond Me - Part 13: Interview with Kathi Macias
Continuing the interview with Kathi Macias, author of the new book Beyond Me: Living a You-First Life in a Me-First World (New Hope, 2008):
Is there anything I didn’t touch on that you’d like to say?
KM: First, thank you for hosting me on this blog tour, Dianne, and for taking the time to come up with such thoughtful questions and insights. I pray your readers will be blessed by what we’ve discussed—but more than that, will buy the book and/or do whatever God directs to help them draw closer to the Father’s heart. For whether Jesus is “at the door,” ready to return, or whether that great event is still years or generations away, it is a fact that our days are numbered and each of us is drawing close to the time when we will pass from this earth into eternity. May we do so wrapped in the righteousness of Jesus and the unconditional love and forgiveness of the Father.
One more question: What’s your next project? Are you working on another book?
KM: My next book releases in February 2009 (six months from now) from the same publisher: New Hope. The title is How Can I Run a Tight Ship When I'm Surrounded By Loose Cannons?
Then there are two more coming right behind Loose Cannons.
My Son, John is a novel about a family that is devastated over the brutal murder of the maternal grandmother, and then is hit again when their 23-year-old son, John, is arrested for her murder (a story of unconditional love). That releases in March 2009, and the publisher is Sheaf House.
Then, in May 2009, I have another nonfiction book releasing called Mothers of the Bible Speak to Mothers Today (also from New Hope).
Thank you, Kathi, for this interview!
Is there anything I didn’t touch on that you’d like to say?
KM: First, thank you for hosting me on this blog tour, Dianne, and for taking the time to come up with such thoughtful questions and insights. I pray your readers will be blessed by what we’ve discussed—but more than that, will buy the book and/or do whatever God directs to help them draw closer to the Father’s heart. For whether Jesus is “at the door,” ready to return, or whether that great event is still years or generations away, it is a fact that our days are numbered and each of us is drawing close to the time when we will pass from this earth into eternity. May we do so wrapped in the righteousness of Jesus and the unconditional love and forgiveness of the Father.
One more question: What’s your next project? Are you working on another book?
KM: My next book releases in February 2009 (six months from now) from the same publisher: New Hope. The title is How Can I Run a Tight Ship When I'm Surrounded By Loose Cannons?
Then there are two more coming right behind Loose Cannons.
My Son, John is a novel about a family that is devastated over the brutal murder of the maternal grandmother, and then is hit again when their 23-year-old son, John, is arrested for her murder (a story of unconditional love). That releases in March 2009, and the publisher is Sheaf House.
Then, in May 2009, I have another nonfiction book releasing called Mothers of the Bible Speak to Mothers Today (also from New Hope).
Thank you, Kathi, for this interview!
Thursday, August 28, 2008
More from Kathi Macias, author of Beyond Me
We're about to wind up this interview with Kathi Macias, author of Beyond Me: Living a You-First Life in a Me-First World, with my last post coming tomorrow. If you'd like to read more from Kathi, here's a link to an article:
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/69877
And here are links to other blogs who have hosted Kathi this month during her blog tour. If you visit and leave a comment, you might like to include a note directing readers back to this interview:
Aug 4 http://litmizreviews.wordpress.com/ and http://rdtwot.wordpress.com/2008/07/24/new-book-beyond-me/
Aug 5 http://bookvideos.wordpress.com/
Aug 6 http://reviewyourbook.com/review.cfm?reviewid=889
Aug 7 http://rebecca2007.wordpress.com/
Aug 8 http://www.thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/
Aug 11 http://www.nancyisanders.com/
Aug 12 http://www.crosswalk.com/root/parenting/teens/11576470/page0/
Aug 13 http://bookexcerpts.wordpress.com/2008/08/01/beyond-me-by-kathi-macias/
Aug 14 http://tristisbooktours.blogspot.com/
Aug 15 http://www.blogginboutbooks.blogspot.com/
Aug 18 http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/69877
Aug 19 http://www.christianity.com/devotionals/kathi%20macias/11576601/
Aug 20 http://www.thebookstacks.com/
Aug 21 http://mochawithlinda.blogspot.com/
Aug 22 http://myheartbelongs2books.blogspot.com/
Aug 25 http://bookwormsballroom.blogspot.com/
Aug 26 http://www.divinecaroline.com/article/22197/52376-kathi-macias-takes
Aug 27 http://quiverfullfamily.com/blog/
Aug 28 http://morethanmudpies.wordpress.com/
Aug 29 http://canblog.typepad.com/canbookmarketing/2008/05/booksongtrailer.html
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/69877
And here are links to other blogs who have hosted Kathi this month during her blog tour. If you visit and leave a comment, you might like to include a note directing readers back to this interview:
Aug 4 http://litmizreviews.wordpress.com/ and http://rdtwot.wordpress.com/2008/07/24/new-book-beyond-me/
Aug 5 http://bookvideos.wordpress.com/
Aug 6 http://reviewyourbook.com/review.cfm?reviewid=889
Aug 7 http://rebecca2007.wordpress.com/
Aug 8 http://www.thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/
Aug 11 http://www.nancyisanders.com/
Aug 12 http://www.crosswalk.com/root/parenting/teens/11576470/page0/
Aug 13 http://bookexcerpts.wordpress.com/2008/08/01/beyond-me-by-kathi-macias/
Aug 14 http://tristisbooktours.blogspot.com/
Aug 15 http://www.blogginboutbooks.blogspot.com/
Aug 18 http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/69877
Aug 19 http://www.christianity.com/devotionals/kathi%20macias/11576601/
Aug 20 http://www.thebookstacks.com/
Aug 21 http://mochawithlinda.blogspot.com/
Aug 22 http://myheartbelongs2books.blogspot.com/
Aug 25 http://bookwormsballroom.blogspot.com/
Aug 26 http://www.divinecaroline.com/article/22197/52376-kathi-macias-takes
Aug 27 http://quiverfullfamily.com/blog/
Aug 28 http://morethanmudpies.wordpress.com/
Aug 29 http://canblog.typepad.com/canbookmarketing/2008/05/booksongtrailer.html
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Beyond Me - Part 12: Interview with Kathi Macias
Continuing the interview with Kathi Macias, author of the new book Beyond Me: Living a You-First Life in a Me-First World (New Hope, 2008):
On page 176, while talking about the marriage between the Bride—which is the church universal, collectively all Christians—and the Bridegroom—who is Jesus the Christ, you wrote: “And as the return of our Bridegroom draws breathtakingly near, the pace of preparation intensifies.”
What do you see that causes to you believe the return of Jesus Christ is “breathtakingly near”?
KM: Now we get into that exciting but easily misused area of prophecy again. Do I believe we are now closer to the return of Jesus Christ than we were a thousand years ago, or a hundred years ago—or yesterday? Of course I do. In fact, the Scriptures state that very thing, that now “we are closer than when we first believed.” And I can’t help but observe the “signs of the times,” as the Bible calls them, when I see the many things going on around the world. However, I’m a bit uneasy trying to take those occurrences and fit them into sections of Scripture to prove that Jesus is about to return at any moment. Could He? Jesus is God; He can do anything He wants! He can come back today—or not. And He Himself said that “no one knows the day or the hour.” The important thing is that the bride-to-be in the Jewish wedding customs, once she was engaged, spent her time preparing for her bridegroom’s return, never doubting that he would come for her at just the right moment. That should be our focus—anxiously and faithfully preparing for His return and never doubting that He will come “in the fullness of time”—on His time schedule, not ours.
What preparations are intensifying in pace?
KM: God is calling His people to holiness and integrity, to passionate love for Jesus, rather than lukewarm faith that offers lip service and little else. That is the most significant preparation that I see as we prepare for our Bridegroom’s return.
On page 176, while talking about the marriage between the Bride—which is the church universal, collectively all Christians—and the Bridegroom—who is Jesus the Christ, you wrote: “And as the return of our Bridegroom draws breathtakingly near, the pace of preparation intensifies.”
What do you see that causes to you believe the return of Jesus Christ is “breathtakingly near”?
KM: Now we get into that exciting but easily misused area of prophecy again. Do I believe we are now closer to the return of Jesus Christ than we were a thousand years ago, or a hundred years ago—or yesterday? Of course I do. In fact, the Scriptures state that very thing, that now “we are closer than when we first believed.” And I can’t help but observe the “signs of the times,” as the Bible calls them, when I see the many things going on around the world. However, I’m a bit uneasy trying to take those occurrences and fit them into sections of Scripture to prove that Jesus is about to return at any moment. Could He? Jesus is God; He can do anything He wants! He can come back today—or not. And He Himself said that “no one knows the day or the hour.” The important thing is that the bride-to-be in the Jewish wedding customs, once she was engaged, spent her time preparing for her bridegroom’s return, never doubting that he would come for her at just the right moment. That should be our focus—anxiously and faithfully preparing for His return and never doubting that He will come “in the fullness of time”—on His time schedule, not ours.
What preparations are intensifying in pace?
KM: God is calling His people to holiness and integrity, to passionate love for Jesus, rather than lukewarm faith that offers lip service and little else. That is the most significant preparation that I see as we prepare for our Bridegroom’s return.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
