Enchanted

Dear Friend:

I was watching the movie “Enchanted.” Have you seen it? I have to say it was worth seeing. If you did not see it, I am sure if you grew up seeing any of the Disney movies like “Snow White” or “Cinderella” this sort of combines them. Today what I want to focus on is the “Red Delicious Apple” that was given to the princess to entice her into believing “if” she eats the apple things will change for the better. Hmmm? I wonder where this age old idea came from.

Don’t wonder any longer. I am going to tell you where it came from, God’s word. Right in the beginning of the world back in Genesis, READ GEN. 2:15 TILL END OF CHAPTER 3 IMAGINE YOU’RE IN THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GARDEN EVER CREATED AND SINK INTO THE DRAMA OF Adam and Eve’s story. God said “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” Satan (the serpent) responds by deceiving or confusing Eve to what God really asks in verse 3:1 “did God really say, ‘you must not eat from any tree in the garden?’” She replies ‘you must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” She sort of quoted what God said didn’t she? The serpent asks “you will not surely die.” “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” This was a lie! LIE= FALSE STATEMENT WITH DELIBERATE INTENT TO DECEIVE FOR DETRUCTION. God lovingly is like our parents. He knows what we should and should not do and lovingly tries to steer us in the right direction for our own good. Right? Sometimes we hear the truth and know the right thing to do, but our thoughts make an argument in our mind and lie to us and we end up changing our mind. Kind of like a train on one track when it gets to a fork in the track and switches to another track.

You know in “Snow White” and “Enchanted” a prince charming had to come and save the princess with a kiss, because she ate the apple. She did not deserve new life, but the Prince loved her so much that he gave her new life “free” she did nothing to earn it. Jesus is our “Prince” he is the solution to the most unforgiveable sin that started in the Garden in Eden, acting apart from God caused separation. Indeed Eve and Adam did not physically die, but their eyes were opened and life was completely on their own free will. We have that free will today. God really has called us to draw near to Him and the only solution he could bring was Jesus on the cross, by His death and resurrection. We keep separating ourselves from God with some new philosophies that are out there today. Here are a few:

1. Eckhardt Tolle’s book A New Earth. Some truth mixed with philosophy. Just like Eve did with the serpent in the Garden. Truth mixed with lies.

2. If I am good, I will go to heaven. How good is good enough?

3. There is not evil in people. Everyone’s perfect?

4. My fortune cookie said “rely on your own good judgment to lead you to success.”

Do you leave God out of decisions?

You maybe asking “Elaine, aren’t you being a little harsh?" I am just quoting God’s word, ask Him if I am being a little harsh, he said it not me.

Praying scripture: Proverb 3:5-6 Lord help me trust in you with all my heart and lean not on my own understanding; in all my ways help me acknowledge you and you will make my path straight. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Enchanted by God,

Elaine

Relationship

Dear Friend:

Hi how are you doing today? I have just came back from travelling to Florida and California. So I have been doing some casual reading. An interesting book that I read is called “Mistaken Identity.” It is a true story about two college girls at Taylor University in Michigan who were in a car accident. Ironically the two girls look very much alike. One of the girls lived and the other died. The coroner mixed their identity up. This was on national news when the accident occurred April 2006. For five weeks one of the girls suffered from being in a coma from brain damage and was given the name of the dead girl. So the wrong parents were called in to care for who they thought was Laura, but really was Whitney. At about five weeks the parents, boyfriend, friends and siblings discovered the mistaken identity. They then had to call the parents of Whitney and tell them their daughter did not die, but has been living under their care for five weeks. The ID came from dental records. You would have to read the book to really get how these parents were mistaken to care for Whitney believing that it was Laura.

The extra ordinary circumstances were undoubtly odd, but the story of both families being united by them is incredible. Both family’s faith and RELATIONSHIP with Jesus was what truly got them through such unimaginable circumstances.

I know people that are full of faith and have a personal relationship with Jesus. They know his character and love. Because of that relationship I see the character of Jesus in them and it spills out in their daily life. Some of us judge and say “oh they are always talking Jesus, they are so religious.” The personal touch these families had because of their relationship with Jesus became very profitable when it came down to this real life situation. Their powerful God tools were in place for crisis and they used them. What are some powerful God tools? Let me list a few:

1. Assurance of a sovereign Jesus.

2. Prayer

3. Community of believers to support them.

4. Forgiveness

5. Mercy

6. Grace

7. Love

All taught by the master or as the Bible says the High Priest which is Jesus Christ the King. Let me quote what scripture says

“Hebrews 4:14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.

4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin.

4:16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. “

Jesus experienced the death of a friend also. When Lazarus died the bible says “Jesus wept.” These two families held on firmly to their faith and went to Jesus throne of grace with confidence and they received mercy and grace in their time of need.

Do you need to go to the throne today?

Let’s pray: Father in heaven thank you for being my high pries who goes through the heavens so that I can hold firm to the faith I profess. You alone can sympathize with my weaknesses and troubles. Help me to approach your throne of grace with confidence, so that I may receive mercy and find grace to help me in my time of need. (may want to list the needs) In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Grace be with you,

Elaine

He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

Dear Friend:

Do you remember when you were younger and use to pick a flower and pull the petals off saying “He loves me, He loves me not?” Remember when you got to the last petal and you either stopped on He loves me or loves me not. I always loved it of course when I had a boy in mind, especially Donny Osmond and it landed on “He loves me.” LOL!

I was thinking about this when I was going for a walk the other day and passed a blossoming tree that smelled so beautiful. I picked a flower and remembered the saying “He loves me, He loves me not.” Then my mind wandered to Jesus and how much he loves me. When I was young I don’t think I understood Jesus love. I think when I was young I looked for true love by trying to find a person who could love like Jesus. As I know now nothing can compare to Jesus love.

Jer 31:3 - The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.

The word of the Lord soothes my soul. The word everlasting is remarkable, don’t you think? I pray that you take a walk and see a blossom or flower and remember “Jesus loves you.” I have attached a music video that is going around on e-mails. It shows the greatest act of love for all times. View it and see what you think. You can click below.

Let’s pray: Father in Heaven. My flower always stops on “LOVES ME” because you do love me. I love you too! Bless me and my family today. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

HE LOVES ME,

Elaine

Shark

Dear Friend:

I was on the beach this past week in Florida for Spring break. Yes, it was beautiful! My husband and his friends were so in to fishing this year. Can you believe that they caught two 6 foot sharks? It was after 10pm at night and many people that were on the beach stopped to watch the 10 or 15 minutes it took to get the big shark in on the beach. The adrenaline rush for the fishermen was so awesome. At first they had many sharks bite their bait and then break the line and get away. My husband got information from the locals and they talked about what kind of line and hooks he would need to keep the shark on the line to bring it in. After successfully making, I think 9 hooks; they had a plan and were ready to do some serious shark fishing. They did not keep the sharks. They just cut the line and let them swim back out.

There were many times that Jesus helped the apostles catch fish. Maybe you remember the stories. (You can find the stories in John 21, Luke 5, and John 6) Jesus used fish to teach of His deity. He did this by multiplying the fish for food for large crowds to eat. He demonstrated to the Apostles that they were sinful men and with Jesus they will not only catch fish, but catch men. When Jesus returned to the earth after His death the Apostles were going back fishing , which is what they were doing before Jesus. But they did not catch anything until Jesus appears and fills their nets with 153 fish.

I was on the beach and felt led to read Psalm 78. It starts out by saying “oh my people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter hidden things, things from of old- what we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the NEXT GENERATION the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done. To teach their children, so the NEXT GENERATION would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. “(Please read Psalm 78)

We will probably pass these Shark pictures down and tell of the great stories of how they were caught. How much fun! But I guess I want to ask you , do you do the same thing with the word of God and the stories of Jesus' life? There are so many times in the bible when the Israelites found the book of God had been buried and full of dust in their churches. Our responsibility is not to let it depart from our mouths. Will you read and renew your mind with the life of Jesus and pass it on? Do you rely too much on the church to do this rather than yourself?

Here is another thought I had. The Psalmist wrote this many years before Jesus even came to earth. He was well known for telling parables to teach. God was already at work telling His people how they would learn from Jesus.

Let’s pray: Father in heaven thank you for Jesus and what he did on the cross. Thank you that he came to give us life and give it to us abundantly. Please let me remember and pass it on to the NEXT GENERATION. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Passing the message on,

Elaine