Mary Cantell

Nov

25

A word of thanks…

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With the Thanksgiving holiday upon us, we, as a nation, celebrate all that is important to us. While gathered around the table with family and friends to feast on food and fellowship, let’s take time to remember the ones who are suffering for their beliefs and pray God would abundantly bless them with his power and presence in their midst.

When we stop to think about all that we’ve been blessed with as believers, the list should begin and end with Christ. Having Jesus as our Lord and Savior is our fruitful bounty. Everything else is a side dish. For the Lord is our everything, and all that we have stems through his love and mercy—his grace to us.

With thanksgiving in their hearts, the early settlers gave praise and honor to the Lord for many things…most notably, a liberal harvest. William Bradford wrote:

“…And afterwards the Lord sent them such seasonable showers, with interchange of fair, warm weather as, through His blessing, caused a fruitful and liberal harvest, to their no small comfort and rejoicing. For which mercy, in time convenient, they also set apart a day of thanksgiving… By this time harvest was come, and instead of famine, now God gave them plenty … for which they blessed God.” 

Have a lovely Thanksgiving Holiday!

 

Nov

18

A story of greatness

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In ancient days, the passing down of stories and teaching about God were ordinances to be practiced faithfully. The oral traditions of the early Hebrews were something to keep their past alive. Adding to the tradition, acts of worship and praise were adopted through songs that preserved the tradition of both God and family. Through them, each generation kept the past ever-so-present to remind their families of the Lord’s protection and how far he took them to overcome their days of slavery and suffering.

As with anything great or special, we tend to want to promote it. If there’s anything noble or worthy of bragging about, it would be the Lord, Jesus Christ himself—the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, who dethroned himself to become one with man for a time of 33 years and then died a gruesome death, so that man may have a bridge to the father once again.

That kind of love is worthy to be shouted from the mountains and rooftops. The honor that he deserves is beyond a mere nod of observance; it should be the first thing we think of upon arising and remain a steady, persistent thought all throughout the days of our lives.

May the spirit of the living God thrive in our hearts forever…until he comes again. Maranatha!

Nov

10

Veterans’ Day Thanks

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This Veteran’s Day, we salute the courageous men and women who fought to preserve our nation and its sovereignty. America is fortunate to have a unique position in the world through the sacrifice of so many patriots who’ve bled and died defending America’s liberty. One nation, under God, indivisible…

There’s another who gave up his life sacrificially and shed his blood for our liberty. Jesus committed the highest act of sacrificial love for not just America but for the world. He came to earth from his heavenly home to bridge the gap between his father and sinful man. His battlefield was the cross, and he died there to pay the high cost of our sins in order that we may have freedom and liberty in Him forever.

The land of the free and home of the brave is the only one of its kind and was established first and foremost on the principle that only God holds the reins of power. This nation was established to be under God always.

Thank you, Vets, for your strength and bravery. Thank you, Lord, for your selflessness in battling the war we could never fight alone. To God be the glory.

Nov

03

Gratitude is the best attitude

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Thanks. A simple one-syllable word. It comes in handy when someone does something pleasing and when credit is due. It’s not hard to say, and while only a word, it’s meaning encompasses so much. When we thank people, we’re expressing not only our appreciation but also our heart’s gratitude.

If there’s one entity in the world that deserves our utmost thanks, appreciation, and gratitude, it’s our blessed Creator. When things go swimmingly for us, of course, it’s easy to express thanksgiving. When God chastens or chastises us or allows something to occur that is not of our choice, the thanking may grow quiet.

Some would say they cannot thank God for the storms in their lives. However, if God allows “all things to work together for good to those who love him…”, then he is there in the midst of the storm and allowing it for a purpose. Out of love for us, God works in ways that are beyond our comprehension. We thank him for being in control of the storm and for sustaining us while in it.

There have been scientific studies, including one from Harvard, indicating that giving thanks and having gratitude lends positively to human lives. As Christians, we already know this. Giving thanks is rewarding not only to the recipient but also to the giver.

Oct

28

Lead me…

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King David had it right when he sought the Lord at the hand of his enemies. The wicked wanted him killed, and by the grace of God, he was brought to safety. That’s the way it is for all of God’s people; we are the devil’s prey.

So many evil plans are tied up and convoluted. Like a spider’s web, the tangle becomes so twisted the deeper the lie, as in the old saying, “Oh, the tangled web we weave when at first we practice to deceive.” As for David, he asked the Lord to show him the straight path—the plain one. There’s only one true way to go and that is upon the straight and narrow road where the Lord is our guide.

The wicked will always seek to turn us away from the way we are to go. Like David, we may find ourselves asking the Lord for help and guidance, particularly if we’ve strayed from the path. There’s one way back, and God is sure to be there to take us by the hand and lead us, once more, to safety. With a repentant heart and a humility to understand that God’s ways are higher than ours, our paths will remain straight and will not turn toward evil as we yield to the Lord.

Oct

21

Laus Deo!

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The direction and tone of the unique founding of our great nation was set from the beginning to be ‘One Nation, Under God.’ The following prayer was from founder and first president, George Washington.

“Almighty God; We make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy holy protection; that Thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government; and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow citizens of the United States at large.

And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love MERCY, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without a humble imitation of whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation.

Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

Laus Deo! Yes, to God be the Glory!

 

Oct

13

Waiting on God

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Who likes to wait? In this stepped-up-pace of a world, it seems like everyone is rushed. With places to go and things to do, busy people often feel like they’re on auto pilot without an airplane. If you’re stuck in traffic or running late, it would be great to hitch a ride on the wings of an eagle and move ahead swiftly, wouldn’t it? But the Lord did not make man to fly…or did he?

It’s been said that an eagle soars upward toward the sun probably higher than any other bird. It often lives to an old age and, after shedding its feathers, grows new ones.

When we’re born again into a new life with Christ and the Holy Spirit now dwells within us, we are new creatures. Metaphorically, we’ve shed our old feathers and now bear new ones.

As we wait upon the Lord, it’s a precarious balance of trust and expectation. Though, by his word, we are assured that like the stately eagle, our strength will be renewed. We will rise toward His glory, and His grace and power will sustain us all the way to heaven.

Oct

06

In its season…

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Even though we understand our time on earth is precious, as believers, we hunger and pray daily for the Lord’s second coming; there’s a yearning to be with Him. While we consider each day a gift, let’s consider the words of Ecclesiastes 3.

For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;  a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away…

Life is not always lived at the top of the mountain. From that elevation, there is little experience of the valley to give the mountain its context and grandeur. A farmer’s field can only yield a harvest after the old growth is dead and cleared away. Even in the midst of a tumultuous forest fire where the rampant heat destroys acre upon acre, there are species of herbaceous trees, plants, and shrubs that thrive on the heat and from it produce new growth.

Everything in its time can be blessed by God and is what has been established according to his good and perfect will. Until the final day when the Lord brings us into a new heaven and a new earth, let’s do all to the glory of the Lord in word and deed in each of our allotted seasons.

Sep

29

God’s sweet grace

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The awesomeness of God never ceases to amaze. In heaven, we’ll understand what the spirit of God is all about. Until then, the marvelous grace he bestows on his people is utterly unfathomable.

How is it that the epitome of all grace and truth came down from heaven to dwell among us as our Immanuel? How is it that the one who is all grace and truth came to take the sins of the world upon himself to make restitution for evil man?

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works—so that no one can boast ~ Ephesians 2:8-9.

Wonderful grace of Jesus…greater than all my sin. We’ve sung these words often, and the impact can sometimes bring us tears of joy as the reality of the wondrous nature of God speaks to our hearts.

2 Corinthians 9:8 ~ And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.

When you open your eyes in the morning, may God’s grace be among the first things that comes to mind, knowing that his supply of grace is never ceasing, free, and available just for the asking.

Sep

22

Life in the waiting zone

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Life doesn’t always move as fast as we’d like. We want the restaurant table seating now, or the coveted job offer soon, or the call returned quickly. And we definitely wish the line would move faster and the check would arrive today, or the answer delivered immediately, if not sooner. In all of this, while we distract ourselves and focus elsewhere for a moment, the things we’re waiting for will eventually come in due time. Though, even better, to just sit and wait patiently on the Lord and dwell in him is the perfect place to be.

The secret about in due time, is that it requires waiting—that lull where we can either fret or just trust in the Lord. If he is sure to guide our steps, then we really don’t need to step ahead of him. Resting in him assures us that he’s got the reins; fretting says we’re holding on too tightly.

Too often, we put the cart before the horse in our goals and desires. Sometimes, it’s just better to sit on the horse and let God drive the cart. When we’re too quick or too rushed, we are prone to stumbling. Then we might really have problems. Is that all there is to the human condition…to be fighting an uphill battle, sometimes of our own making?

Our place is not to fight but to wait. To settle into a place where the peace of God can hold us up…a place where his word and his spirit can renew us to the point where we feel at peace right where we are. Waiting on the Lord and putting our hope in him goes against the fleshly nature, but it’s where true contentment lies.

“Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles…” Isaiah 40:31