A MESSAGE OF HOPE

April 3, 2020, was the 54^th anniversary of my father's death. While most of us today are trying to avoid death by the coronovirus, on April 3, 1966, my dad desperately chose death by his own hand to escape a life that he felt he could no longer bear.

One thing is sure: we all will die. There is nothing more grievous than to lose a loved one. There is nothing more fearsome than death. As a girl, I was afraid of death. I huddled under the covers at night imagining that there was an evil man behind the door by the head of my bed who would jump out and grab me at any moment. I had recurring nightmares of a little man in red under my bed who reached up and pulled me under into oblivion. If a thunderstorm awoke me at night, I would close my eyes tightly and pray over and over, “Help me not to be afraid and make there nothing to be afraid of.” As a teen, when I came home for lunch from school to an empty house, the first thing I did was to check all the closets and behind all the doors to make sure no one was there. After my dad died, my fear of death multiplied. When my uncle was killed in a car accident that same year, I was terrified to ride in a car, especially on long trips. Some people repress it, but we all fear death. 

The Bible says death will be swallowed up in victory and will be the last enemy to be destroyed. (1 Cor. 15:26, 54). If you could take a pill that would destroy death, would you take it? Of course! We would all line up for it. But wait! This world has so much evil in it and it seems to be getting worse. Am I sure I want to live in it forever? It was so bad for my own dad that he chose death. Why would I want to live forever in a place like this? Where would I want to live forever?  In a place where there is no pain or suffering or wickedness. And no death.

Believe it or not, there is such a place. And that is the crux of the matter - believe, or not:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory [over death] through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:57)

Do you remember the first time you asked those “big questions”? Where did we come from? Why are we here? What happens when we die? That is a turning point for all of us. How we answer those questions determines the way we will live, how we will feel, act, treat others, etc. We want to know the Truth, but lies abound. Is there one Truth? If so, where is it found?

I found it in the Bible, the written Word of God. As a result, I have found peace and no longer fear death like I did before. I looked elsewhere at first and ended up in a mental hospital, debilitated by fear of death, irrational, helpless, and hopeless. God picked me up and placed me where I could learn His truth and restored my mind, renewed my spirit, strengthened me, helped me and gave me an everlasting hope.

Now 48 years later, we find ourselves in the midst of a pandemic that has paralyzed the world in fear, fear of death. As I consider the possibility of getting the virus, this I know:

1. I will not be alone; God will be with me. (Psalm 23:4)
2. I will either live or die, but either is a gift from God, for death is but a door to eternal life for all who believe and receive Him as Savior from sin and death.. (John 11:25-26; Romans 6:23)
3. In death or life I want to show others the way to eternal life. (John 14:6)
4. Whether there is a pandemic or not, we all face the possibility of dying every day and should and can be ready. (1 John 5:11-13)

My dad got his eyes off of the only One who could help him. There was a time when he believed and received Jesus as Savior, but he became overwhelmed as he focused on the cares of this life instead of on God and His Word. A few nights ago, I was feeling very anxious. I opened my Bible and read Psalms 27-31. God's Word comforted me. I know that when I am afraid, I can trust in Him.

If you are looking for hope in this pandemic, consider looking in the pages of Scripture. Start by looking up the verses above and read those chapters and beyond. You too may find that Truth can be found and that it will set you free from fear. 

A MORE COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING

I love it when God opens my eyes to something in Scripture I haven't seen before. That happened while I was reading a devotional about the life of Christ by John MacArthur.

When John the Baptizer was baptizing in the wilderness, the idea was that people were coming to repent of sins, desiring to change, in preparation for the coming Kingdom of God. Some came without true repentance, and John rebuked them in no uncertain terms. But here comes One who had no sin, asking to be baptized. John protested, understandably. But Jesus insisted. He knew that repenting and desiring to change was not enough to get us into God's Kingdom. We were born sinners, and we needed to be “born again,” to have our sins taken away.

Jesus had a plan to fulfill, His Father's plan. He (who knew no sin) was to “be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” By being baptized, Christ was identifying with us and our sin. He knew at the time of His baptism that just as He went down under and rose up out of the water, He would die, be buried and rise out of the grave for us.

Our sin had come between us and God. Only removal of sin would bring us together again. God came down to us as His Son Jesus to take our sins away. That's how much He loves us. His baptism showed His willingness to identify with us in His death, to be our substitute, to die for us, to take the punishment for our sins.

When we are baptized (by immersion) we, in turn, are identifying with Him “who bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sin, might live for righteousness.” He identified with us so that we could identify with Him and be reconciled to God. 

Repentance alone cannot get us into God's kingdom, but paves the way for us to accept Him as our only Savior from sin and death. Baptism is a wonderful opportunity to give testimony of our faith in and obedience to the Father's plan for us, even as Christ fully obeyed the Father's plan for Him. "Through baptism we declare, “He died for me - I'll live for Him!”

SEND ME!

For years my husband and I languished because we were not called. We had purposed to be full-time missionaries in the early years of our marriage. Home missionaries (in the USA). Opening closed churches. Helping struggling churches. But God had other plans. At every missionary conference we cried bitter tears inwardly as the altar call asked for those who were willing to give all to go to a lost and dying world. We prayed that the embers of our passion would die out.

“Here am I, send me” seemed to fall on deaf ears. We were not equipped to be the laborers to be sent to the white fields of harvest. Others went, while we stayed behind.

Now, years later, at my kitchen table over breakfast, I contentedly whisper the vow again, “Here I am, send me, Lord.” My eyes sweep over the scene outside the windows overlooking my neighborhood: The muddy trailer park road we have walked up and down countless times in our 20 plus years living here, greeting neighbors along the way. The trailers and RV's that house utility workers who move from job to job or young struggling families who stay until they are evicted or able to move up a step. My mind wanders to the Tuesday morning Bible study I attend, the ladies I am getting to know, the way we share burdens and grow together, those who need uplifting and encouragement. I see in my mind's eye the trailer across the street that is no longer there, that my husband and I emptied out and sold after the dear mother and daughter who lived there were admitted into a nursing home nearby. The mother has since gone home to heaven. And to think that God used me to share the hope of Christ with her when she was hopeless! There is no greater joy! And I thank God for the many and varied opportunities He has given us to help struggling churches we have been involved in over the years.

Maybe you, like me, often pray for God to send someone to come alongside wayward or lost loved ones to show them the love of Christ, to lead them to Him. But do we make ourselves available to be used by God to be the answer to such a prayer? Pray for God to show you how and whom, and He will. The fields are ready to harvest, but the laborers are few. “Here I am, Lord. Send me.”

THE PERFECT GIFT

by Dawn Baumeister

I longed to give my friend a gift--

A treasure of great worth,

But I had no wealth to spend,

No riches here on earth.

I longed to give my friend a gift--

A source of lasting joy;

Not something that would fade with time

Or break like some cheap toy.

I longed to give my friend a gift--

To show that someone cares,

A gift of love and sacrifice

To which no gift compares!

At last, I found the perfect gift!

It's priceless, yet it's free!

It never will grow old with time;

Its love would fill the sea!

It is the gift of God's dear Son,

Sent down from Heaven's throne

To give His life to pay for sin--

No greater love was shown.

If you accept this gift by faith,

In Jesus you will find

The joy of His forgiveness that

Will bring true peace of mind.

And when your days on earth are done,

A door will open wide

To everlasting life with Him

Who lives, though once He died!

  

GOD'S PLAN

by Dawn Baumeister

 

 

It was God's plan that shepherds

Should be the first to hear

The news that the Good Shepherd

Was born in stable near.

 

The brightness of His angel,

To them so troublesome,

Declared the message clearly,

"The Light of the World has come!" 

 

The wisemen came to worship

The Counselor all-wise.

King Herod sought to kill Him,

The King of Kings in guise.

 

Joseph named Him Jesus--

Though his adopted Son,

Yet Everlasting Father--

He and God are One.

 

Young Mary gave birth to Him

Who gave His life for all.

She called on Him as Savior

In answer to His call.

 

They brought Him to the temple,

Our great High Priest for sin.

Priest Simeon's eyes were opened:

The Christ has entered in!

 

A prophetess named Anna

Thanked God for what He'd shown:

That this was the Great Prophet,

Redeemer of His own.

 

For us He is the Answer

To wars that never cease,

So Wonderful, the Mighty God,

The coming Prince of Peace,

 

Emmanuel (God with us)

Master, Lord, and Friend,

The Truth, The Way, The Bread of Life,

Beginning and the End.

 

The Lamb of God, the Lion,

The Bridegroom and the Vine,

The only Mediator.

(The virgin was a sign.)

 

The Resurrection and the Life,

The Door to Heaven above. 

God planned it all for you and me

Because of His great love.

 

So if you need a Shepherd

To guide you on your way,

Or if you're seeking Wisdom

Beyond what mere men say,

 

If you need an Answer

To the war within,

If you want Redemption

From the power of sin,

 

Come humbly to the Savior,

Our Sacrifice for sin.

He knocks upon your heart's door--

Won't you let Him in? 

 

 

   

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE MIRACULOUS BIRTH

by Dawn Baumeister

A promised seed, conceived in Eden,

When sin was born in the heart of man;

A nation sown in the loins of Abram

To carry out the Father's plan;

The place foretold, the city of David,

The chosen King of Israel;

A virgin called to receive the blessing,

To bear a Son--Immanuel;

A sacrifice, a Son is given

To take away the sins of men;

A sinner comes, to be forgiven--

A child of God is born again!

"For the wages of sin is death,

but the gift of God is eternal life

through Jesus Christ our Lord."

(Romans 6:23)

   

CHRISTMAS WISH

by Dawn Baumeister

Merry--yes, we hope it is,

But oh--much more than this!

We wish you lasting inner joy

Akin to Heaven's bliss!

Blessed Christmas many say

And yes, that is our prayer--

May blessings from the Father's hand

Proclaim His loving care.

Christ-filled Christmas says it all--

This is the only way

To know God's blessings and true joy

So that's our wish today!

HAVE A CHRIST-FILLED CHRISTMAS!