Mary Cantell

Jul

09

Unshakable faith

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In the midst of a sin-filled world where evil never rests, there’s no greater joy than knowing the Lord is on the throne. Holding onto the rock of our salvation is the only fortress against the battles. When we cling to our Lord and Savior, there is nothing else to fear for we are in capable hands. What can mere man do to remove us from the arms of Jesus?  When the storms of life hit and when we feel helpless in the onslaught, keeping our faith strong in the Lord through meditation and prayer is our only defense. Our hope remains steadfast as we dwell in Him and his word.

In the Psalms, David waits upon the Lord and places his faith solely in the Lord to be his security and trusts in God through everything, including the face of his enemies. They come in all shapes—both visible and invisible—and these enemies are helpless to fulfill their objectives when God is at the helm.  God sees all and his arms are not too short to reach down and protect us.

To be silent before God and to wait on Him… to hear his still small voice is to empty ourselves of worldly chatter and disturbance. To allow our creator to take prominence in our hearts and minds, as we silence all of the noise, is a sure balm to our souls and the opportunity to witness His grace. In a world where so many man-made cure-alls are at our disposal, the first place we should run for help is to the beckoning arms of Jesus, our prescription for life.

Jul

02

Happy Birthday, America!

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When we consider all that went into the founding of our nation—the struggles, the battles—the historical accounts are incredible. Our nation is blessed. We are unique. We have the freedom to worship as we desire in America, while there are many nations who don’t have this opportunity. The hard won separation from a tyrannical king through the efforts of so many did not come easy. But are we truly free in America?

Yes, we have freedom in that we don’t have slaves today in the traditional sense, but man is still under the bondage of sin. If we do not have the Holy Spirit to guide us, we will ultimately be slaves to our own fallible nature.

“If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” – John 8:31-32

It’s easy to be led away by our own devices and become enslaved to that which controls our flesh. Through the finished work of Jesus on the cross, we have a choice of which master we will serve.

“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” – Joshua 24:15

We may be free in the USA, but we are only truly free to enjoy our liberty by the saving grace of Jesus. As we remain under his care and protection while passing through the muck and mire of the world, we are blessed to have everything we need in Him.

“…where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” – 2 Cor. 3:17

 

Jun

25

A fount of limitless love

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There are no yardsticks in Heaven. Though we cannot fathom the Lord’s mind as He is too far above us to even contemplate, His word tells us the truth: His love knows no bounds.

Unlike worldly love that ebbs and wanes at its own discretion, God’s love is an unlimited source that wells up from His true nature. God is love.

In times of fear or uncertainty, it should be comforting to know that God is right by our side. If we are abiding in Christ, there is nothing to fear because we are held in the palm of God’s hand. We are as close as marrow is to bone.

It’s a marvelous mystery how much God loves us. The unfathomable depth of His love began in the Garden with the first murder of an animal and the skin was used to clothe Adam and Eve. Why did God do that? Even outside the Garden, while his fellowship had been broken, His love remained. It continued so much that He eventually sent his son to redeem mankind from his own sin.

Now, Christ sits at the right hand of God after making the ultimate sacrifice. Those who’ve put their trust in Him should no longer have any fears, worries, or doubts about the Lord’s love for us or His plans and provisions for our lives. Whether there’s famine, peril, nakedness, or sword, there’s nothing—at all—imaginable that can come between the Lord and His redeemed.

“…nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” –  Romans 8:39

 

 

 

 

 

Jun

21

21st century world

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While we are all looking for the next big solution and want a mere man to solve all of the world’s problems, it can’t be done by man alone. This is a broken world. What we should focus on is on the one who CAN fix this. And that is Messiah Jesus who came to restore man to the Father God. Our hope should lie above, not in this world but in the One who created us in His image.

We can bark and scream at the situations that befall a sinful world (as well as towards each other) and, frankly, our word fights aren’t going to solve anything but divide us all further. We become shrill activists claiming to be above the fray when we, too, are imperfect and don’t do anything but point fingers and lay blame.

Putting our trust in man or leaders–these are all fallen people.
Donald Trump is a flawed man just like the rest of us. With all of his warts and shortcomings, he took on this job, neglecting to take a salary, and is doing his best with the advisers he has in his council. Please give him a chance. When he fails, ask God to give him wisdom. Our hope should be in the Lord. Perhaps then, we all wouldn’t be so unsettled about things.

 

Jun

14

Love in a broken world

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The marvelous mystery of God’s love for his creatures is beyond amazing. Even out of the Garden of Eden, when his covenant with Adam and Eve became broken, his love followed them–and to us today.

Our Lord, the infinite God and creator of the universe, is desirous to have a relationship with each of us and sent His beloved son to pave the way for that union.

Some would say that Jesus only died for a designated few and not for all. On the other hand, the Bible clearly speaks to the outward grief of Jesus as well as the Apostle Paul toward the lost and unbelieving. Through God’s grace, salvation has appeared “to all men” (Titus 2:11). Jesus is the Lamb of God who “takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29; 1 John 2:2). Truly, God is not willing for “any to perish” (2 Peter 3:9).

God’s love extends to the entire world and He wants all to be saved, but He will force no one to yield to His plan. He knows not everyone will believe nor seek to accept his Son and the riches of His glory, but the invitation is open for all to receive.

Our great father in heaven is all about giving. He gave His only begotten Son, who, in turn, gave His life, in order that we may have abundant life—in Him.

In our finite minds, we attempt to comprehend the depth of an infinite God whose ways are not our ways. To fathom the depth of His love will likely take an eternity. And for all who have come to a saving knowledge of Jesus, we will have that opportunity.

Jun

05

Culture Wars

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The world has been from the beginning of time a place where self seeks predominance. Love of self began in the Garden with the serpent tempting Eve to become a self-seeker and deny God’s commandment. So the battle continues today to gain its ground.

Cultural clashing of one group over another is more than ideologies butting up against each other. It’s not just about civil unrest vs. civility, racial fairness vs. inequality. It’s about man’s idea that he wants to take the reins of power upon himself and live, rule, and dictate toward these same ends. This is not love.

In the midst of cultural warfare, there is but one weapon that needs to be used. It’s God’s truth shared in love. God has given us the capacity to love through the power of his Holy Spirit. If man were to take his cues from the Almighty maker of heaven and earth through his Word, these wars would cease.

”For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities… against powers… rulers of the darkness of this world.” Ephesians 6:12 (KJV).

We need to arm ourselves with the strongest weapon we own—the power of God’s Word.

May

28

The fallen ones…

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This Memorial Day, we honor the thousands of veterans who’ve sacrificed so much for our country. We thank them for their heroic efforts to ensure the safe keeping of our land and its liberty. We salute every one of you for your great strides to keep our nation whole.

America, the land of the free, is a concept our founding fathers brought forth on this continent that all men should be free from tyranny. They acknowledged our Creator as God—the one who created us all equally—and thus paving the way for America to become a nation of liberty and freedom.

There’s also one other who made the ultimate sacrifice so we can be free. Our savior, Jesus Christ. The price he paid was the willing sacrifice of his own life in the most excruciating manner there could ever be. Not just the cruelty of the Roman cross but the beating, scourging, and mocking, along with the weight of our sin. Because we as a people sinned from the beginning, Jesus came to take our place in death and to bear all of our sin, so we can be free from its bondage. Truly, we are only completely free in Jesus.

Consider the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus and those of our Vets this Memorial Day and pray that God will allow our nation to continue in the manner the founding fathers designed.

Thank you, Lord, that we have liberty to worship you in this great land because of the sacrificial efforts of so many, the greatest being your son. May God continue to bless the USA, the greatest nation on God’s earth.

May

21

Finding one’s way

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We all know someone who’s left for the far country. Seeking to find oneself, a wanderer will travel far and wide. Some may choose to travel even to the ends of the earth in search for what delights. The treks are as individual as each poor soul who wanders away… down the long, often tortuous, path. Searching and still not finding what’s being sought, the traveler desperately seeks to assuage his longings while inevitably missing the antidote.

In Luke 15, the Prodigal son yearns for such a life. He takes his portion of inheritance money from his father and heads out for the unpromised land of living a worldly life, high on the hog. One day, he’s literally face-to-face with swine and while hungry, laments over who’s got the better meal.

The son soon realizes his sad state and seeks to go back home. He sees the error of his ways and comes to understand his sin before his father. But even before the son travels back, while still on his way, the father sees him. The welcoming arms of the father are as wide as the east is from the west—the Lord’s measurement for how far he chooses not to remember our sins any longer.

How many of us have traveled the wrong paths seeking the tinsel instead of the gold? The word tells us we “reap what we sow.” Sow to the flesh, there is death and destruction; sow to the spirit, there is life. Abundant life.

By the grace of God, the spirit of the Prodigal son may not be in us, but for those who are wandering, please know that your journey will come to an end. What you’re looking for will never be found… unless, of course, you are looking for Jesus.

May

13

A mother’s love

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There’s something special about a mother, and today, Mother’s Day, we lift up our mothers in praise and gratitude for all they are and do. As we grow by the hand of a loving mother, we don’t always appreciate or even see the extent of her love. Little things often go unnoticed until the day arrives when we look back and the picture comes clearly into focus.

A mother’s love extends far and wide, often exceeding her own needs or concerns. Sacrificially, she’ll hold back from herself even the last morsel if her child is still hungry, lend her only dollar, drive to the ends of the earth, or stay awake through the night, if necessary. She’ll do almost anything for the welfare of her offspring.

There are no heights or depths to a mother’s compassion; her generosity knows no bounds. Day in, day out, she’s there through every up or down, good or bad thing to encourage and advise. Being a mother is a volunteer job that doesn’t start at eight o’clock and end at five. No time clocks to punch or paychecks to receive. Her responsibilities are 24/7. She gives and gives until it’s time to give again.

Today, all mothers, including our grand, foster, and surrogate moms are being celebrated. You are a blessing to your children and they are blessed to call you Mother. You are God’s special gift to this world. Next to Jesus, there is no other love like a mother’s. Whether here on earth or at home with the Lord, we remember you today and every day with our love and utmost thanks.

My mother and grandmother.

May

07

Remembering His miracle

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The miraculous story of the Exodus is close to the hearts of Jews and Gentiles alike as God demonstrates His unfettered grace toward His people.

In the reigning years before Christ, the Pharaoh of Egypt was a very proud and stubborn man. It took ten plagues sent from God to break him of his tyrannical hold upon the subjected Israelites of whom he was envious as well as fearful. At God’s final instruction, the blood of a slaughtered lamb was to be sprinkled on the doorposts and lintels of every Jewish home. This was to guarantee that death should pass over these homes and they be preserved against the imminent death destined upon the first born of all of Egypt.

When Pharaoh eventually let the Israelites go after the tenth and final plague amid Moses’ continual pleading, the day of their departure still looked dicey when they came upon a roadblock in their path. The waters of the Red Sea stood before them with the Egyptian army hot on their heels. At God’s command, Moses raised his staff and the waters miraculously parted by the strong winds. In faith, the people stepped across on the dry sea bed and escaped the forces of their foes.

The Passover seder is a family dinner where the story of the Jews’ liberation from slavery in ancient Egypt is remembered. The children of Israel are commanded to observe the anniversary of the exodus from Egypt by removing all leaven from their homes for seven days and sharing the story of their redemption to their children. The seder itself is based on the biblical verse, “You shall tell your child on that day, saying, ‘It is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.'” (Exodus 13:8).