In Memory of Rose Daniel

I am reminded of a statement made by the Apostle Paul, "Seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses let us run with patience the race before us." That is not a direct quote but close enough. This past week another "Witness" has finished her race and is standing on the sidelines cheering us on.
I will never forget meeting Rose Daniel for the first time forty years ago this next December. I had heard so much about her and her family. They were taking a Home Bible Study and after each lesson Mike and Margie Power would come to our house and update us on what had taken place. Then one Sunday morning, in December 1970, Rose and her family came to Church. We were so excited to have a new family visiting the Church. Then I found out that I knew their son, David, having gone to school with him for three school years. David and I soon became close friends.
Just a few weeks later Rose and Slim, along with others from the Bible Study group, were water baptized in Jesus Name. A few months later, in March, she received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Rose began a different life than she had lived before.
Early in her relationship with Jesus Christ Rose developed a love for the Word of God. She loved good preaching. She loved good Bible teaching. As time passed, this love grew. I remember a Fellowship meeting not long after Rose had received the Holy Ghost. She had been studying her Bible trying to understand the Oneness of God. During this Fellowship meeting in Arcata, Brother John McDonald was preaching and began to talk of the Oneness of God. I was sitting behind Rose and suddenly, in a loud voice, she said, "I see it! I see it!" She had received a wonderful revelation of who Jesus Christ really is.
As a young person I spent a lot of time in Rose’s house. David and I were good friends so I was in and out frequently. I soon found out that Rose was a wonderful cook and so I tried to take advantage of that discovery. She was the only person who could bake a Blackberry Cobbler that I liked, and oh could she bake one!
I was a young man, just thirty-three when the United Pentecostal Church of Rio Dell asked me to be their pastor. I had grown up in this Church. Like I said, I hung out with David so his family knew me. I had some deep reservations about becoming Pastor to people who knew me "when" and could remember "what." However, I must say that not one time did I ever get the feeling that Rose Daniel did not look to me as her Pastor with honor and respect. I am sure there must have been occasions when she wondered if that "young fella" knows what he is doing, but she never voiced any doubts she might have had.
I was going through some pictures this week trying to find a good picture of Rose. I have stacks of them and it took several hours. Mainly because I was having to stop and wipe away tears and sometimes just cry. The memories were so precious. I was looking for some good candid shots of her. To my amazement I only found three. What I did find, however, spoke volumes of this precious woman. They were pictures of her worshiping her God. Her hands were raised! Tears were streaming down her face as she prayed as only Sister Rose could pray! Pictures of her with her hand on the shoulder of a fellow saint as she prayed with them. Encouraging them to keep praying until they received what they were needing from God.
Oh, I will never forget, in fact I can hear it right now in my mind, how she could pray and touch God. She had a voice that would ring with authority and familiarity as she would begin to pray in the Spirit, interceding for others before the throne of God. She wasn’t a stranger to God, you could tell they were on first name basis. In fact the song I remember her singing so often said it for her, "He’s my Lord and my God! He’s not just a stranger to me . . ."
There were several times when I would call the Daniel family, while I was their Pastor, to ask them to pray about a need. I recall one time feeling fearful and bewildered. I knew I had to have someone help me touch God. I called Sister Rose and just said that I needed her to pray about a situation with me, would she pray? There were no questions asked, just the assurance she was headed for her altar. What a peace that came over my soul knowing she was praying.
Melinda and I were talking one night and she reminded me that Sister Rose had been her Sunday School teacher for several years. I asked her, already knowing the answer, if she was a good teacher. Melinda, with teary eyes, told me of the love and dedication Sister Rose had for her class. She was teaching Junior Girls about the love of Jesus Christ and the importance of making Him first in their lives.
In many ways Rose was full of surprises. She was a private person. Yet she opened her home, for several years, to the Adult Sunday School Class to meet there each week. She took in a young man, Doug Giest, when he was in need of a place to live and she made him part of her family. She was giving to others, adopting some, mothering others. Rose was a precious lady. She was full of fun, a person who loved to laugh. She was a great friend with deep loyalty.
I, again, think of what must be going on in heaven. Another "Warrior" has gone home. There is a "song of sweetest praise drifting back from heavens shore" telling us that it is well worth the fight. The voice of Rose Daniel is assuring us that it is well worth every mile and every trial. Yes, there is a "Great Cloud of Witnesses" saying come on home! Sister Rose Daniel, we love you and will see you soon.

It's All In How We View The Storm

We might all see the same thing but when we tell what we have seen there will be very few times that two stories are the same. We each view an incident from a different perspective. So is it with the storms of life! We each have a different perspective on each storm. It is all in how we view them.
I came across a story I read somewhere and thought I would share it. It is the story of a first grade girl who had been begging her mother to let her walk to school. Since the very first day she had pleaded with her mother to let her walk to school and home. Her mother was afraid she wasn’t old enough but finally she relented.
The little Lady was up early the next morning and was quick to get ready. The mother was having second thoughts about allowing her daughter to experience this new step of independence. Along with these doubts came the weather report that there was a good chance of rain that day. However, our little Lady begged and pleaded and Mother finally relented, on the condition the little Lady take the umbrella and use it in case of rain.
Just at the time that the little Lady was heading home, rain came and along with the rain came thunder and lightning. Rain was one thing, but the Mother had to go and pick up the little Lady because she was not only worried about the danger from the lightning, but was worried the noise of the thunder would frighten her daughter.
When she found our little Lady, walking down the street, she noticed that each time there was a flash of lightning the little Lady would move the umbrella aside and look up in the sky. Her mother asked her, as she got into the car, "Why were you moving the umbrella aside?" The little Lady looked at her mother with a big smile and said, "Mother, God is taking my picture! Every time there is a flash I move the umbrella aside and look up and smile at Him."
How do we view the storms of life? Do we cower in fear? Do we scream in frustration? Do we recognize God is watching us and has the best planned for us? Paul said in Romans 8:35-39 there would be a lot of "junk" come our way but none of it can separate us from the love of God. It is all in how we few the storm.
It’s just a thought! God bless . . .

The Struggle of the Cocoon

I read a story a while back that really struck a chord in my spirit. I came across it again today and felt to share it with you. Hopefully it might put some things into proper perspective in your life.
A man came across a butterfly cocoon. Knowing what is inside his interest is captured and he sits watching it for a while. As luck would have it while he is watching the cocoon gets an opening and right in front of his eyes the butterfly begins the struggle of leaving the cocoon.
Watching for several hours, the man observes as the butterfly struggles to get out. Then it seems to have stopped making any progress at all. It seemed that the butterfly would be unable to go any further. The man takes scissors and snips off the remaining bit of cocoon. The butterfly is then able to emerge with ease. However, the butterfly is unable to fly. Its body is swollen and it has small shriveled wings.
The man continued to watch, expecting at any time the butterfly to stretch his wings and fly. Surely at any moment the wings would enlarge themselves and support the body which would contract with time. Neither happened, in fact the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings.
What the man did not know was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required of the butterfly to get through the opening were God’s way of forcing the fluid from the body into the wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.
Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If God allowed us to go through without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as we need to be. We would never fly.
Paul said three times he asked the Lord to take away his problem. Each time the reply from God was, "My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness." Paul went on to say, "Now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me . . . for when I am weak, then am I strong." (2Corinthians 12:8-10)
Maybe this poem will help bring it into a better focus . . .
I asked for Strength, and God gave me
Difficulties to make me strong.
I asked for Wisdom, and God gave me
Problems to solve.
I asked for Prosperity, and God gave me
Brain and Brawn to work.
I asked for Courage, and God gave me
Danger to overcome.
I asked for Love, and God gave me
Troubled people to help.
I asked for Favors, and God gave me
Opportunities.
I received nothing I wanted, but I
Received everything I needed!
Author Unknown
It is the problems, the difficulties that will better prepare us for the victories of life. When the problem and test come our way, accept it is a divine test which has been sent by God. Then rely on Him to provide the power for the struggle and watch as He takes you to new heights!
It’s just a thought! God Bless . . .

Five Things in Hell that Should be in the Church!

For the past forty years I have tried to preach "Hell" out of the Church. Realizing that Hell is the payment for sin and that it is a place God prepared for Satan and his followers, we should be abhorred at the thought of something from Hell being in the Church. However, today is different! I want to talk to you about some things in Hell that NEED to be in the Church.
We read a story, in Luke sixteen, of a man who went to Hell. This is not my favorite story in the Bible. In fact, I must admit it is one I do not like nor do I read it very often. It makes me feel very uncomfortable. Usually if I preach from it I am preaching to sinners who are in danger of missing out with God. Yet there is a vital lesson for the Church to learn from in this story. There is a message of what the Church needs that is seen in Hell.
We find a rich man and a beggar. The beggar laid at the gate of the rich man. The rich man fared well. He had plenty to eat, drink, a nice house and fine clothes. The beggar would have liked to have just had some of the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Instead he only had dogs licking his sores.
Our next scene shows us the beggar being taken away to be with Abraham in the place for the righteous. The rich man is also taken away but finds himself in Hell suffering great torment.
It is at this point that we are taken to the threshold of Hell and allowed to witness one of the most horrific and yet one of the most enlightening conversation that could ever take place. The rich man sees Lazarus, the beggar, with Abraham and asks that he might come and bring him comfort. This small wish is denied. He then asks that Lazarus might return to life and testify to the brethren the rich man had left behind, to warn them away from this place of torment. Again, the request is denied.
In Hell there are five things that should be in the Church. Five things we can see here that we need to pray should become part of our lives. Five things we need to pray out of Hell and into the Church.
In this day, we, the Church, need to have a Vision of Heaven. If we could only get a vision of heaven of the hope that is really there, we would have to share it with others. It is not just about the streets of gold, but it is the place where Jesus is. It is a place where there’s eternal hope and peace. We need to have a Vision of Heaven.
We, the Church, need to have a "Burden for the Lost." If we really have His Spirit, we should embrace His purpose. He came to seek and to save the lost. The rich man had a tremendous burden for those he knew were lost.
We, the Church, need to have a "Great Love for Our Brother." Do we realize that the scripture tells us that when we comfort a Brother we are saving a soul from Hell? (Jude 22-23; 1John 4:20-21) We can’t even say we love God, who we cannot see, if we don’t love our Brother whom we can see.
The Church needs to embrace the realization that "No Cost Is Too Great!" There was nothing that seemed ridiculous to the rich man. He didn’t care whom he inconvenienced or bothered. There were people lost and no cost was too great to reach them with salvation!
The final thing the Church needs that are in Hell is a "Sense of Urgency!" We need to realize His coming is soon, feel the urgency of the hour! Each obituary we read is a testimony that one more person has lost the opportunity to experience salvation for themselves. The events of our world let us know that His coming is getting closer with each tick of the clock. We can no longer sit back and just be glad we are "saved!" We must realize that our being saved is tied to our love for others.
Yes, Hell does have five things that the Church really needs in the 21st Century. We need a "Vision of Heaven," "A Burden for the Lost," "A Love for our Brother," "A Willingness to Pay the Cost,’ and "A Sense of Urgency!" Give it a try . . .
It’s just a thought! God Bless . . .

Won't Need E-flat

Auturo Tscanini, the great conductor, was sitting at his podium prior to a concert one evening. As the orchestra warmed up just minutes before the performance, a bassoon player approached him in a fearful panic. "Maestro, I am very sorry, but my instrument has suffered an accident, and the E-flat will not sound. I am afraid I will not be able to play tonight."
Upon hearing the news, Toscanini went silent and closed his eyes. The bassoon player cowered in fear of his fury. The great conductor put his hands to his head and continued in silence, adding to the poor bassoon players agony.
At last Toscanini looked up and said quietly, "Don’t worry, E-flat does not appear in your music tonight." Toscanini had played through the entire concert in his mind, reviewing every note the bassoon player would have to play. With his intimate knowledge of the music, the conductor was able to reassure the bassoon player that everything would be alright.
"I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Jer. 29:11
God already knows what notes you will need to hit in the concert of life. He is trying to equip you so that you can play and do well! Several translations us the word "Plans" for the word "thoughts." God has it planned, it is His desire that we experience peace. We just have to trust Him.
It’s just a thought! God Blesslll

Acceptable Worship

There are two subjects in the Bible that I love to study. The first is the Tabernacle in the Wilderness. The second is worship. Both are very important and vital in our relationship with God.
As a teen, our Sunday School class spent a year studying the Tabernacle in the Wilderness. Our Sunday School teacher, Mike Power, who later had the privilege of being my father-in-law (maybe that should be the other way around) used a unique method in teaching us about the Tabernacle. We would come to class and for one hour we would study the Tabernacle. We dissected it and looked at each part and its significance. There was no item, piece of material or article of clothing for the priest that was not studied. The second hour of our class was spent building a model replica of the Tabernacle. Again, time was spent on each and every item making sure it was done as close as possible to the original. We even tried to make shew bread just to know what it tasted like.
Later, as a Pastor, I again became fascinated with the Tabernacle. I was given a set of lessons by one of my mentors, Elder Kenneth Baglin, and taught for eighteen weeks on the Tabernacle in the Wilderness. I was able to find some slides, for the overhead projector, that were of a model of the Tabernacle.
Now, understand that this doesn’t make me an expert on the Tabernacle by any stretch. It just means that I really enjoy studying about it. One of the reasons for this is that there are so many types and shadows and parallels found in the Tabernacle. It was laid in the shape of a cross. It speaks of our approach to God. It speaks of the plan of salvation. It speaks of worship and our relationship with God. In fact Paul, in Hebrews, goes back to the Tabernacle and uses the rituals to explain the role of Jesus Christ in our being able to obtain mercy.
Worship, of course is something that should be important to all of us. It is paramount in our relationship to Jesus Christ. In fact, I will go so far as to say, without worship there is no relationship.
There is a difference between praise and worship. Praise is simply telling how good and how great God is. It is bragging on God for what He has done. It is telling what God can do. It is thanking Him for His blessings. Praise is vital and important. We are instructed to approach God with praise and thanksgiving. We do this because He is deserving and we want to let Him know that we hold Him in the highest regards.
Worship is the result of praise. Worship happens as we enter into His presence and begin to realize we are in the presence of the Most High. Worship is recognizing who He is. He is God. He is the Almighty. He is the Creator of all. He is wonderful. It isn’t about what He has done, but who He is. As the song says, ". . . it is not about what He did, it is all about who He was. If He never worked a single miracle, Jesus would have still been God."
Our worship is so important to God. He wants us to worship Him and yet at the same time He is very particular how we worship Him. Because of who He is and because of His Holiness just any type or form of worship isn’t acceptable to Him. Let me show you what I mean.
When you approach the Tabernacle of Moses you see a tent with an outer court which has walls which were made from fabric stretched between post made of wood overlaid with gold. As you enter into the outer court, the first thing you will see is a large altar that was used to offer the sacrifices of the people. Just beyond the altar was a large basin which was called the "Brazen Laver." This was used by the priest to cleanse himself before they were allowed to enter into the Tabernacle.
The Tabernacle of Moses was a large tent. It had walls that were again made of wood and overlaid with gold. These walls were not seen from the outside because of several layers of fabric that covered them. When you passed the curtain and entered into the Tabernacle you saw three articles of furniture. There was the Table of Shew Bread, the Seven Gold Candlesticks and the Altar of Incense. This is where the priest ministered on a daily basis. It was called the Holy Place.
Dividing the Tabernacle was a large curtain or veil. Behind this veil was another room where only the High Priest was allowed to enter and they could enter only one time each year. In this room, called the Holy of Holies, was the Ark of the Covenant and atop the Ark set the Mercy seat. It was here that the High Priest would apply the blood from the sacrifice once a year.
When the priest entered the Holy Place he had to be careful to first cleanse himself. A sacrifice had to be made. Cleansing had to take place at the Laver. It wasn’t good enough to have cleaned up at home. It had to take place at the Laver after the sacrifice was made. After washing the priest was allowed to enter into the Tabernacle.
The Altar of Sacrifice is a type or symbol of repentance. It speaks to us of repenting of or confessing our sins to God. 1John 1:9 tells us that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Just as the priest offered the sacrifice and cleansed himself at the Laver, we are to die to sin and allow God to cleanse us.
The Laver is a type of water baptism. The second step in the salvation plan is to be water baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission or removal of our sins. The priest had to cleanse himself at the Laver to remove all that was unclean and unworthy to be in the presence of God. As we confess our sins, God is always faithful to forgive and cleanse us.
The priest then entered into the Holy Place. He ministered to God there. This is a type of our praise. Our praise is not about getting a blessing! Our praise is about ministering to God. Here they ministered with the Shew Bread which is a type or symbol of the Word of God or Truth. They also were able to see to minister because of the Seven Golden Candlesticks which were always lit and was the only light in the Holy Place. They refilled the oil on a daily basis in the Candlesticks. This is a type of the Holy Ghost. Oil in the Bible always speaks of the Holy Ghost in our lives. It has to be refilled on a daily basis. It is the illumination to the Word or Truth. The Bible speaks of worshiping Him in Spirit and in Truth. The third article of furniture was the Altar of Incense which stood just in front of the veil. The aroma of the incense filled the Tabernacle. The Bible speaks of our prayer with uplifted hands coming up before God as incense or aroma and the evening sacrifice (Psalms 141:2). One of the Hebrew words for praise is Towdah. This word speaks of the extension of the hand in acknowledgment, acceptance or adoration. To honor God by taking Him at His word. The Altar of Incense is a type of our vocal praise to God as we enter into worship.
Now, I want you to notice something of great importance. In Leviticus 10:1 we are told of two men, Nadab and Abihu who were sons of Aaron. They came to the Altar of Incense with fire they had gotten from somewhere other than the Altar of Sacrifice. God sent fire from heaven that killed them. The Lord then spoke to Moses and had him give Aaron this message, "Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified . . ." (Lev 10:3) God demands those who approach Him in praise and worship must be cleansed.
Let me break this down a bit and try to explain what I am trying to say. When we come to God in praise and worship, there is a proper way to approach Him. Our hearts and minds need to be cleansed and pure before God in order for our praise and worship to be acceptable and blessed. Time should be taken to come before Him in repentance and humility. We should stop and realize that we all are sinners and need to confess and repent before God. John reminds us that we all have sin in our lives and if we say we are not sinners we are liars and the truth is far from us. However if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Then we are ready to enter into praise and worship. We have stopped at the Altar of Sacrifice and the Lave to cleanse ourselves. We are now ready to worship in Spirit and Truth.
When we begin to praise. Him. As we lift our voices to brag on who He is and what He has done. As we begin to talk of the blessings that He has bestowed upon us, we steadily approach the veil that separates the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. The uplifted voice and extended hand! The offering of a sweet-smelling sacrifice from our lips takes us to a place where our whole attention becomes focused on God! Who God is! We enter into a spirit of worship.
It is in the Holy of Holies that the Ark of the Covenant or Testimony was placed. This was a symbol to Israel of the presence of God. It was upon the Ark that the Mercy Seat was placed. It sat between the Cherubims which sat facing each other atop the Ark. Listen to the promise that God gave Moses for Israel.
　
"And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two Cherubims which are upon the ark . . ." Ex 25:22
We no longer have to go through the physical rituals with a High Priest, animal sacrifices and the shedding of blood. We no longer have to depend upon a man to take our atonement before God and hope that all is acceptable. We are now able to enter into the very presence of God through our worship. Hebrew 4:16 speaks of us now, as New Testament believers being able to come boldly to God to obtain mercy. We enter into that Holy of Holies, approaching the place where God will meet with us and commune with us. We can obtain mercy! We can obtain help! We can further a relationship with God.
The Psalmist asks the question, who can stand in the Holy Place? Then he answers, he that has clean hands and a pure heart and he will be blessed of the Lord. Clean hands and a pure heart come from repentance.
Being careful to approach God in our praise and worship by first taking time to purify yourself before Him is so important. Praise comes more readily. Worship becomes the spontaneous product of our praise. God’s blessings are poured out in response to the pure praise and worship. There is now nothing standing between us and God. There is now nothing hindering our praise and worship. There is now nothing causing us to feel guilty or condemned.
"Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water." ( Heb 10:19-22)
Well, it’s just a thought! God Bless . . .