New and Improved

New and Improved…

“And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.” (Revelation 21:5 KJV).

We all enjoy having “new” things in our lives. It is even fun to meet “new” people, travel to “new” places, and experience “new” activities and adventures. The word “new” just appeals to our senses. Where would we be without all of the “new” and “improved” products in our lives? New and improved washing detergent? New and improved shampoo? New and improved technology? Our marketing world grosses millions of dollars each year on advertising items that are “new” and “improved.” But, sadly, many of the “new” and “improved” products we try leave us feeling disappointed, frustrated, and aggravated. They don’t live up to their “promised” results.

The same thing can happen when traveling to new places. I remember as a child while traveling on vacation with my parents that we kept seeing a very promising sign every few miles advertising a country store that showcased a real, live bear….My little eyes and imagination were filled anticipation and wonderment. I kept imagining this huge grizzly bear standing ten feet tall fiercely roaring as he delighted a huge crowd of people. I begged and begged my dad to make the turn-off and drive the extra ten miles to the place. When we finally arrived to the greatly advertised location, the store was barely large enough to hold ten people at one time and the bear…well, the poor “old” bear was cooped up in a small cage where he laid on a slab of concrete barely noticing the three people that had gathered. Instead of being thrilled and amazed by this wonder of nature, I left feeling sorry for the bear and hating that my dad now had to drive the ten extra miles back to our route. But, the experience taught me a valuable lesson…”Advertising can be misleading.”

But, notice that God told the Apostle John on the Isle of Patmos that “He” would make “all” things “new,” and his words are “true and faithful.” We can trust in and rely on God’s promises. They won’t disappoint, frustrate, or aggravate us one tiny bit. There are “no” false advertisements with God!!! When God promises something we can take great delight within our expectations and anticipation. I don’t know about you, but knowing that God will make “all” things “new” one futuristic day is exciting!

Even though I cannot imagine what all the “new” things will be like, I do know that God promises that there will be no more tears, sorrows, sicknesses, or death in His “new” world…A “new” and “improved” world that holds many great and exciting promises. So, even though “new” and “improved” can sometimes let us down in our present day life, we can be assured of a “new” and “improved” world ahead for those who put their faith and trust in Christ Jesus…

Remember, God Loves You!
Lin T Rollins, Author

Happy, Happy, Happy…

Happy, Happy, Happy…

Phil Roberson, from the cast of Duck Dynasty, has made the phrase, “Happy, Happy, Happy” an overnight sensation among many Americans. But, what is the secret to being Happy, Happy, Happy?

The true secret to happiness; especially for a Believer and Follower of Christ Jesus, is found in TRUST(ing) and OBEY(ing) God. I can remember singing the hymn, Trust and Obey, as far back as I can remember. It was one of Mr. Gear’s, our Sunday School Director, favorite hymns. I think he began practically every Sunday morning by having the entire youth department stand and sing, Trust and Obey. How little did we know from the ages of nine through twelve how important the meaning of those precious words would become in our lives…“Trust and Obey for there’s no other way to be Happy in Jesus, but to Trust and Obey.”

As we get older we somehow get side-tracked into believing that “other” things in life will bring us joy and happiness. But, somewhere along the way we discover that all those “other” things have let us down and the “only” thing that hasn’t let us down is “Trusting and Obeying” Jesus! After we have learned this great life-lesson, we can say with assurance that we are truly Happy, Happy, Happy!

Recently, I have been writing a lesson on God’s Grace. At first, I was really struggling with how to teach and explain the concept of God’s Grace; something so far above our finite minds. God’s Grace is everywhere just like the air we breathe. But, then it dawned on me after days of seeking God’s guidance in the matter that Grace is something we “seek” and “find.” Noah “found” Grace in the eyes of God (Genesis 6:8). After he did, God not only saved him from the pending flood waters upon the Earth, but He saved his entire family. Wow! Now that’s Grace!

Yes; God’s Grace is sufficient, but we must first learn to Trust and Obey Him in order to “find” God’s sufficient Grace within our lives. No amount of struggles, perils, trials, temptations, or battles can escape the powerful force of God’s Grace when we believe and trust that God is doing exactly what God does best…Being God! When we trust God as being God and trust that HE is the Great I Am who has the whole world in His hands only then can we fully know, accept, and understand God’s sufficient Grace…So, in actuality, God’s Grace is found by trusting and obeying…

Oh, how wonderful it is to Trust our Loving God through His Son, Christ Jesus. If you do not know him today, I pray that you will. For in knowing God through His Son, you will find all the Grace you need to make it through this life. Then, you will know what it means to be Happy, Happy, Happy!

Remember, God Loves You!
Lin T Rollins, Author

Are We Ignoring the Signs?

Are We Ignoring the Signs?

Today, as I was walking through my living room I overheard a CNN reporter saying that NASA was launching a spacecraft tonight (Friday, September 06, 2013) to “investigate” the “unusual glow” of the moon’s surface. Amazing! Right out of the Bible! In the New Testament Book of Luke, chapter twenty-one, verse twenty-five, it reads, “And there shall be SIGNS in the sun, and in the MOON, and in the stars; and upon the Earth distress of nations with perplexity…” Did you see that? At the same time that these “signs” begin to appear in the sun, moon, and stars the Earth will be perplexed with distress of nations! How much more distressed can we be at this point when the entire world is waiting to see if our nation’s current President will launch an attack on Syria with or without Congress’ approval? If we don’t do anything a mass murderer will go seemingly unpunished for using chemical warfare on his own people. But, if we do retaliate on the behalf of innocent lives we stand in danger of setting off a powder keg in the Middle East and possibly the rest of the world! Sounds pretty distressed and perplexing to me! So, I don’t believe we should be “ignoring” God’s signs!

Even though I disagree and have total contempt for the use of chemical warfare on citizens, I would like to ask our President these two questions, “If you are so enraged by the use of chemical warfare on another nation’s citizens, why are you so supportive of abortion-on-demand within your own country?” Life is life… And, life, to me, begins at conception. And, murder is murder whether it is by brute force or chemically induced. And, my second question would be, “Why didn’t you feel just as enraged when our own American Ambassador to Benghazi was beaten to death?” Both of these questions are unanswered and produce a mystery to me…So, I’ll just return my thoughts back to God’s Signs of His return!

For Christians, let us not ignore the signs… Thank goodness three very Wise Men heeded the Signs of the Time at the Birth of our Lord…Therefore, let us fix our eyes upon the next great event in history; the Rapture of the Church. Let’s be out going door to door, if need be, sharing the Good News of the Gospel with as many people as possible… Look up; our redemption draweth nigh! Maranatha!

Remember, God Loves You!
Lin T Rollins, Author

Why? Why? Why?

“Why?” “Why?” “Why?”…

How many times do you catch yourself asking, “Why?” in any given situation? It seems that no matter what is happening to you or around you there is always a “Why?” lingering somewhere in the shadows. And, the truth is that most of the “Why’s” of our life will not be answered until we reach the other side of eternity. Until then, our curious finite minds will just have to wait.

The Bible is filled with many stories of God’s people being placed in a “Why” situation…I’m sure Abraham wondered “Why” God was taking so long to fulfill His promise of an heir. In fact, Abraham’s wife, Sarah, wondered “Why” for so long that she decided to “help” God out by providing her own solution. I’m sure Joseph wondered “Why” he had been “forgotten” in a cold dark prison cell after serving the king of Egypt so faithfully. And, I’m pretty sure that the Apostle John wondered at times “Why” he was exiled and left alone on the Isle of Patmos to write the great book of Revelation before he died. We all have certain times of “Whys” within our lives.

So, what are we to do in such times? The answer to that question can be found in the Bible; “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”(Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV). Our Lord is more interested in developing our Faith than answering all of our “Whys.” The Bible also teaches us, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6 KJV). God actually desires for us to “diligently seek Him” more than we seek answers from Him!

So, today you may be facing a “Why?” in your own life. If so, let me encourage you to apply this Biblical truth in your life: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” In doing so, you may very well be adding your own name to the list of “Heroes of Faith” found written down in the book of Hebrews, chapter eleven!

Remember, God Loves You!
Lin T Rollins, Author