In This Season …Look For the Divine Appointments!

1a1 divine apptAfter the prescribed days had passed for the ceremonial purification for childbirth.(Lev 12:1-8) Mary and Joseph now venture with their new born baby, Jesus to the temple. (Luke 2:22-24) It was a day of celebration and anticipation as they come to dedicate this holy child to God. This was a day that can only be described as a “Divine appointment” involving multiple individuals that could only be orchestrated by a loving Heavenly Father. All of which, had their own circumstances filled with hurts and struggles, yet there was an expectancy grounded in God’s faithfulness.

One begins to understand God’s enormous love and commitment, as you become aware and experienced His divine appointments in your life. They confirm His faithfulness and involvement in your journey with Him. It’s much like the father giving his daughter a kiss at the altar as he gives her to the new spouse. It isn’t a “kiss off” but a kiss of endearment and approval, as well as, an assurance that “I am still with you” along your way. That’s how I look at God’s divine appointments; they are His kiss from heaven assuring you of His approval and endearment as you walk with Him. Have you ever been a part of God’s orchestration of His plan? Let me share one of mine.


It isn’t a “kiss off” but a kiss of endearment and approval, as well as, an assurance that “I am still with you” along your way.


Not in a million years did I ever think I would have someone come wondering into my high country camp. I had taken time to pull back from the white noise of society and position myself to be able to focus on what God was saying to me for my life. Over the past forty or so years I have been coming to this region off and on as a place to reset and refocus. You could say it’s a time that keeps me yielded and dependent on God.

There I was huddling around my campfire high in the Rocky Mountains. The early snowstorm had kept me socked-in for a couple of days, dumping a thick blanket of snow in the region. It made the solitude of the backcountry even more remote. I hadn’t seen anyone else or any sign of a human being for a good solid week. Of course the snow always reveals who is lurking closer than you think, such as bears, cougar and wolves who had seemed to be a little more curious of this intruder then I wanted.             The blazing fire was now winding down to a few flames and the crackling of red coals in the darkness. It was now ten-thirty and time to crawl into my mummy bag under the tree. When out of the darkness, five feet behind me comes a voice, “how are you doing”? Wow! All I can say is I went from being calm, relaxed and talking to God, to jumping out of my skin, screaming at who ever was there. The seconds went by as if they were minutes, as I tried to rationalize what I just heard and now see, a young man standing in the middle of my camp, in the middle of the night, in the middle of nowhere. Not thinking I would ever see anyone or hear anyone at all. A matter of fact in the last forty years I had never seen anyone up there, other than a handful across on a ridge or on another mountain with binoculars. Now in the midst of my camp stands a young man that has evidently been divinely directed whether he knew it or not.

You see I have learned to ask God daily to allow me to be apart of His agenda, using me in divinely orchestrated situations. This young man wasn’t just physically lost, but had lost his faith in God, and had also lost his earthly father to illness some time back. Miraculously, God had orchestrated this divine appointment at my camp. You see, I had also lost my father and had gone through times of questioning my faith. It was God’s set-up that brought much fruit that night. (John 15:1-17)      To be continued…     

Mothers are God’s Kiss on Every Home!

IMG_3544In a day where there was no canned “Spaghetti O’s” to be easily opened for dinner or a ready roasted chicken at the local grocery store. Or even any of the conveniences mothers have today, such as disposable diapers, automatic washing machines, packaged baby food and just add water-canned milk. Susanna Wesley raised her children in a pleasing manner before God.

In Prov. 31 we read King Solomon’s insight about a mother that is pleasing to God, he writes in verse 27, “She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness. The successful mother in God’s eyes is one that watches closely over her household. The phrase used here in this passage is to peer into the distance and keep a watchful eye out for her children. A mother is anything but a second-class citizen. A mother is one that is constantly working and tending the needs of her children preparing them to survive the future.

Susanna and Samuel Wesley had 19 children. Nine of which died while in their infant stage of life. Four of the children that died were twins. And tragically, one of her other children was accidentally smothered by a maid. To say the least


If Jesus honored and cared for His mother I think we should also!   (tweet)


Susanna’s experience as a young mother was far from being a life of ease. Many that has never been in the shoes of motherhood picture it as a life with your feet propped up with a bowl of your favorite delicacies in front of the TV watching “Soaps” and talk shows. But as we see in the life of Susanna Wesley that this “male-absorbed” disillusionment is most certainly farther from the truth of the reality. Can I hear an Amen from the mothers of the world? Susanna Wesley seized her opportunity of nurturing up her children in the ways of God with a tenacious spirit like none other. She actually impacted the world by training up her children to change the world. John and Charles Wesley grew up to be mighty ministers of the Gospel and founders of the Methodist church. She could have said the devastation of loosing children and being overwhelmed by the ones she had left, is too much and curled up in a fetal position for her remaining days, but she didn’t at all. She embraced the challenge


Mothers are Gods Kiss to every Home!   (tweet)


with a God ordained calling. Susanna would give each of her children quality time with her individually. She also was very adamant that her children were receiving correct teaching from the scripture weekly even with her husband being gone often ministering. These simplistic but deep teachings became books later. One of the most important habits she had was always making sure she had her time with the Lord. She knew where her source was.

            Being a mother is down right hard Work. I am not sure if it is totally true or not, but through the grapevine of media it has been said and repeated that by the time a child reaches 18, a mother has had to handle some extra 18,000 hours of child-generated work. In my guess-estimation I would say that mothers have done a lot more work than even that statement says. Becoming a mother is definitely not for wimps! Mother’s are God’s gift to the home!  Abraham Lincoln said, “I remember my mother’s prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.” I am so grateful for my mother who is now enjoying her reward in heaven.  I remember her prayer walks as if it was yesterday. I took all of her hard work for


If Mothers Ever Go on Strike we are in Trouble   (tweet)


granite and her Godly example as normal. But now as I reminisce i wish i would have spent more time of thanking her and honoring her for all she did for me. My mother like most deserve to be honored. Jesus had an earthly mother and honored her. In John 19:26-27 we read where He made sure she was taken care of before he died.

We ourselves need to take heed to Jesus’ example and the exhortation in scripture to honor our mothers! (Eph. 6:2) Our mothers are God’s kiss to each home. Mothers shape each of us to conquer and impact the future.