​Easter Story
Allen Meets Jesus
By Toni Smothers

I was running some errands in town yesterday when I came across a mentally challenged young man named Tim. Everyone around knew him. He was usually a very cordial young man – just a bit simple.

Tim was swinging a picnic basket as he walked. "Going on a picnic Tim," I asked.

"Nope, caught me a bunch of baby chicks; want’a see?" On the bottom of the basket, there were three little, dainty, trembling, yellow chicks looking near scared to death.

I stopped Tim and asked him, "What are you going to do with those little fellas Tim?"

"Take ‘em to my house to play," he answered. "I'm gonna see if they can roll around, maybe … or pull some of those pretty, fluffy feathers out to play with. I dunno, play some fun games with ’em. I'm gonna have lots of fun with ’em I bet."

"Don’t you think they might get hurt Tim? What will you do if you hurt them by accident?"

"Oh, I won’t do that. Besides, they’re just plain little chicks. Who cares about plain ole chicks?" said the simple boy. "What’s the difference? They ain’t good for nothing and they mostly die anyway."

I tried to think of what to say to Tim to make him give me those chicks. "Want to make a trade, Tim?"

"Huh??!!! Why? You don't want them chicks. They're just plain ole chicks. They don't do anything but poop and they’re all skinny and little."

"How about it?" I asked again. "I’ll trade you an ice-cream cone for them."

"Really? Boy, I sure would like an ice-cream cone!" Tim said as he handed over the basket.

I went with him a few blocks to the ice-cream store and bought him his cone. He was happily licking his treat as he walked away – all thought of the little chicks totally forgotten.

I carried them back to the nearest farm down the road, and sure enough, there were several adult chickens squawking about. I carefully placed each chick on the other side of the fence, pretty certain that was their home. I was their hero; the little chicks were free and all it cost me was an ice-cream cone.

I couldn’t help telling the story to my seven-year-old son, Allen, because I thought there was a good lesson to be learned from the story of Tim and the chicks. Jesus set us free too – but instead of an ice-cream cone, He paid for our freedom with His life. So after supper, when bedtime rolled along, I scooped my son up into my lap and said, "How’d you like to hear a little story?"

"Sure," he replied excitedly. Allen always loves to hear a good story.

First I showed him the basket and told him about Tim and the chicks. After that I really had Allen’s attention, so I wanted to take the opportunity to teach him something deeper than just my saving some chicks at a pretty cheap price. So, I made up a parallel story to teach him a little bit more about our real Savior.

I began, "One day a mean and dangerous man named Sin and a rather gentle young man named Purity were having a conversation. Sin had just come from abusing a young family and was bragging. "What fun – I just caught the boy by the ankle and caused him to break his leg. I got the Dad while he was running to help his boy. He tripped over the skate in the driveway and busted up his nose and chin pretty bad. Then, the best part of all, the young mother flew out the front door across the yard and tripped on a rock. She hurt her hip, but the best, best part is, she’s pregnant, so – you guessed it… She’s definitely going to lose her unborn baby! Got 'a love it! That was really fun."

"Why’d you want to do all those cruel things," Purity asked?

Sin answered with a snicker, "Oh, I'm not done with them! I'm gonna teach them, and lots of others too, how to ruin their marriages, how to belittle each other and be prejudiced and backstabbing. I’ll teach them about war and revenge and pain. Let them be burdened with addiction to all kinds of harmful substances. I’ll make sure they learn how to kill each other, maybe even start a war or two. I'm really gonna have fun!"

"And what will you do when you get done with them?" Purity asked.

"Oh, I'll torture some of them … kill all of them for sure," Sin boasted.

"What can I do to make you stop?" Purity asked.

"Oh, why should you care about those people? They‘re absolutely no good and never will be. Why, I’ve already made most of them hateful. They’ll just hate you, spit on you, curse and kill you. You don't have any reason to want those people!!"

"What can I trade you that you will accept?" He asked again.

Sin looked at Purity and got really mad. "You’re a fool – give me your life if you want to be the big hero! And be sure that if you agree, you will die very painfully!"

Purity said, "I agree. It is finished!"

"Eventually He paid up and died a terrible death on the cross, just like Jesus did for us." I told Allen.

I picked up the basket that held those little chicks. We both looked inside, and it was empty. "Those little chicks are free, just like us sweetie." I said.

"I sure hope Purity didn’t really die." The concern in Allen’s voice was very real.

"Oh, but that’s what the story is all about, Allen. Purity is just a story name. He’s just like Jesus, who really did die for us. He protected us from Sin and saved us with his own life."

A tiny tear rolled down Allen’s sweet cheek. "I think Jesus is my best friend."

"Mine too." I said.
***

Let’s all try to start this New Year remembering that Jesus truly wants to be our very best friend. He is as close to us as our own breath. His love is always available and each and every one of His beloved family, which means you and me, are so important to Him that He gave His very life to prove it.

I hope that you all had a Blessed Easter and that you will have a Spirit-filled New Year!

​I was a ghost writer for Got Questions.org for a few years, this is just one of them. Go to https://www.gotquestions.org/  for all-your answers



Q: I'm in prison, and everyone here is talking about an inmate who claimed he found God just a week before he died of cancer. How could he live like the devil most of his life but still get into heaven? He didn't deserve to be saved. — L.H.
 
A:  Dear L.H.,
If God only let people into heaven who deserved to go there - then heaven would be empty! We all have sinned, and even one sin - just one - would be enough to keep you out of heaven.

In other words, someone who has followed Christ all their life doesn't deserve to go to heaven any more than this man who had been a Christian only a week. No one "deserves" heaven because we are all sinners. As the Bible says, "There is no one righteous, not even one ... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:10, 23). This is hard for us to accept, because down inside we all think God ought to reward us and allow us into heaven if we're good enough. But it isn't true, because God's standard is nothing less than perfection.

This is why we need Christ, for only He can save us. He was without sin - but on the cross, all our sins were placed on Him, and He died in our place. Now God in His grace offers us salvation - not as a reward, but as a free gift. The Bible says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).

Don't let another day go by without Christ. No matter what you have done or how others may look at you, God loves you and wants to forgive and save you. And He will, if you ask Him to come into your life. Open your heart to Christ today.

​God Is Unchangeable
 
Scripture Reading for the day: 2 Chronicles 33:7-13


click to read the scripture

 
Scripture Quote: “I, the LORD, am your God, who brought you from the land of Egypt so you would no longer be slaves. I have lifted the yoke of slavery from your neck so you can walk free with your heads held high.”  Leviticus 26:13(NLT)
 
            We can sometimes feel that God is angry with us. We fear the lose of His love. On some subconscious level, we fear a whip behind His back or a fury that would forsake us if our sinfulness is too great. This is a perverse cartoon that is entirely untrue. God forgives as many times as you confess your sin and He forgets them forever. He loves us and that will never change.
 
            Would our lives be different if we could really accept and experience total forgiveness?  We seem to hold on to our guilt even after we have confessed to our Father, God. Wouldn’t we love to stand innocent before our God? The thing is, we really can because of what Jesus has done for us. By confession and repentance that is genuine, God’s love for us, which is greater than our sin, blots it out. He is so fond of us that He is eager to forgive and restore communion with His children. God’s love is greater than any sin there is.
 
Meditation for Today: Are you willing to leave your sin at the feet of the throne of God?
 
Memory Verse: “Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O LORD, have never abandoned anyone who searches for you.” Psalms 9:10  (NLT)

​God Is In Control
Scripture Reading for the day: Psalm 37


click to read the script

 
Scripture Quote: “A man’s steps are of the Lord: How then can a man understand his own way?” Proverbs 20:24 (NLT)
 
            We are often confused by the events around us. Some things we will never understand until years later when we look back and see how God was working. Other things we may never understand until we are with God in heaven. But God has a special plan and purpose for our lives. Trusting that God’s direction for us is far better than we would choose for ourselves, we can try to live a life that models Christ – Cultivate justice, wisdom and integrity. As believers we must learn to trust God with everything, which requires strong commitment, obedience and patience.
 
            God’s mercy and faithfulness are unsurpassed. His love endures forever. He will preserve and strengthen us as our trust in Him increases. We are safe to put our trust under the shadow of His wings. God is the fountain of life, giving us living water to drink so that we may know and understand His truth. God takes great pleasure in the prosperity of His children. Shout with joy and be glad and magnify the Lord.
 
Meditation for the day: Faith in Jesus is knowing Him personally and entrusting our eternal life into His hands. 
 
Memory Verse: “the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way.”  Psalm 37:23 (NLT)

​What is Baptism for?
Toni Smothers
 
The reason a person gets baptised is NOT FOR salvation BUT as a PICTURE or as a symbol of what has happened in their life. It pictures the fact that the person (you) has DIED to their OLD way of life and their old way of sin and is buried (in baptism) and then is RAISED to a live NEW LIFE in Jesus (following Jesus and obeying Him instead of yourself as you did before you died to sin).
Of course there are 2 ways to be baptised. Some denominations baptise by sprinking and others by immersion. Either method is 'ok' but, of course, immersion is more illustrative of the picture or symbolism of being baptised and immersion is the method that is described in the Bible. The word 'baptise' in the Bible is the transliteration of the Greek word, Baptizo, which means "to dip or to immerse" as, for example, when a person dips or immerses a piece of cloth into a vat of color and it is dyed that new color.
Anyway, Yes, a person SHOULD be baptised when they are saved. It is NOT essential for salvation, (remember the thief who died on the cross was not baptized in water but he was saved) but baptism pictures to you what you have done, and it is a witness to others that you have accepted Christ and His salvation and that you are now living a NEW life in Him and have DIED to your old ways of living and your old sinful lifestyle.
When I was baptized, my pastor had a phrase that he would say as he immersed me (or anyone being baptised)... he would say:
"Buried in the likeness of His (Jesus') death
and
raised to walk in the newness of His (Jesus') life."
I have never forgotten that, and on every remembrance of my baptism or whenever I see a baptism, it reminds me that I am dead to my old life and that I am now walking in the new Life provided for me by Jesus. It is Jesus' death that I am claiming for the payment of my sin debt and it is Jesus' life that now indwells me and makes me righteous and enables me to commune and fellowshiip with God. Thus it is in Jesus' life that I now live and walk.
Jesus' death provided the atonement for my (and your) sins (if I, or you, accept the gift of His substutitionary death to pay the penalty for my, and your, sins.). If I accept Jesus' death as my substitution, then my 'burial' in baptism is a picture of my dying with Christ. When Christ rose from the grave, He conquered death and now lives forever as God. In the same way, my being raised up out of the submersion in the water at baptism, pictures my being raised with Christ to walk with and in Him in the newness of His life which I received when I was 'saved' (believed in, trusted in Him for my salvation.)
So, that is WHY a person is baptised..... as a picture of what has happened in their life.
It is a picture to the believer and is a witness to the entire world that I truly have been
"Buried in the likeness of His death and raised to walk in the newness of His life."
 

Coping With Stress

Stress can be a good thing, if it is mild and simply serves to motivate and jump start your body. It can become a problem, though, when you begin to feel like your family and work obligations are less like normal activities and more like a frantic juggling act. We’ve all been there, its when these pressures become the norm, rather than the exception, that you feel that tightening in the pit of your stomach. When your daily activities are consistently hectic and all your time is scheduled down to the hour and minute, with unreasonably urgent deadlines, something has to change.

The body’s reaction to stress can be broken down into three different processes: Initially, the reaction is fight or flight, where a threat is supposed or expected. This quickly startled stage causes an automatic assumption of jeopardy. Next, if the perceived danger is not resolved, the following response predicted is called the resistance level, where your body discharges hormones that are meant to prepare you for a more prolonged readiness to take action. Soon the final stage of exhaustion completes the body’s coping cycle. During this final period, the body regroups and refreshes itself. If there is never a break in this series of reactions and your body never gets the opportunity to replenish itself and take the necessary rest, this series of stressful reactions can often develop into overwhelming feelings of anxiety.

Some level of stress is a natural part of life for everyone. Overdue bills, workdays that spill over into nights and weekends, or strained relationships, all contribute to a crazy lifestyle and too high a level of sustained stress. This can easily become a problem. For example, adrenaline is initially secreted by your body to help you quickly cope with a real or imagined threat. If that hormone is excreted too frequently, or in excess, without enough rest, adrenaline can also cause harm to your exhausted body in the form of physical illness. Too much adrenaline can weaken your heart.

There are a myriad of common maladies, as well as dire diseases, that have been directly attributed to a stressful lifestyle. Vasopressin and cortisol, other hormones released by your body during the resistance stage, are known to raise both blood sugar and blood pressure. Additionally, the body’s continued state of fight or flight will eventually disrupt your sleep cycle, which only serves to further contribute to your state of exhaustion. Certain debilitating headaches, bowel irregularities and a decreased immune system are also associated with exhaustion.

It is important to identify an unduly stressful lifestyle so that anxiety is not permitted to take a firm control over your health and emotions. If you remain aware of the pace of your life and deliberately take time for planned relaxation and recreation, that will go a long way toward keeping your equilibrium.  Deliberate optimism and a positive approach to challenges can also contribute to a well rounded outlook. A sense of humor and the ability to laugh, even at yourself, can always help keep troubling anxiety at bay. You can’t really laugh and worry at the same time.

Maintain a balanced, healthy lifestyle. If you have financial difficulties, approach your problem incrementally, come up with a well thought out plan of action and begin to resolve the situation. If you need outside help, by all means seek it out. Worry is counterproductive and leads to feelings of helplessness. Affirmative action can give you the sense of calm that your overall wellbeing demands. You want your body producing endorphins to help you relax and cope with one thing at a time.

If your children, marriage or significant relationship needs attention, resolve to spend more time with those you love, making the time spent with them a main priority. Everyone seems busy as a natural consequence of our culture. Keep track of what gains your efforts, determining to devote time only to those things you consciously choose.

If you have thought through what the source of your anxiety is and made an actionable plan toward defusing it, you may need to exert patience. Untangling a knotted head of hair takes slow, deliberate effort. If you have to smooth things out with your kids, wife, employer, or even your debtor, there is usually a way to succeed. Patient and persistent effort toward a foreseeable goal will calm your body, mind and spirit. Stressful drowning in a sea of unresolved worry will become a thing of the past for you.

(Reference – Allaboutlifechanges.org)

tasmothers@mail.com www.writingforthemaster.com

Choose Forgiveness

By, Toni Smothers

We are prideful people who tend to strike back at whoever, or whatever wrongs us - There is this immediate, primeval reaction that wells up within, compelling an angry desire to retaliate. If the opportunity to vent those hurt feelings doesn't readily present itself, we often internalize, stroke and nurture the anger. Feeding our grudges, enlarging them as we go, while a weird comfort evolves. It insipidly steals our sense of joy and hope as they are swallowed up by the ever expanding snowball of our perceived injustice. That indignation constantly drains our mental and physical health. It is even more difficult to reconcile this vindictive thinking with the law of love that a Christian is accountable to - Not to mention, showing any semblance of walking with Christ as our example.

Resentment, lack of forgiveness, righteous pride, are all totally detrimental to your well-being - And they are a definite decision. Whether you are aware of it, or not, you do choose these harmful reactions. So, it follows that you are just as capable of disowning your anger. There is scientific data confirming the power in trading resentment for forgiveness: “The Law of Forgiveness,” written by Connie Domino, discusses that evidence. Her book offers some very convincing ideas that draw on the benefits in releasing the hold that the lack of forgiveness can have on a person. There is positive energy in reconciliation.

Psychologist, Everett L. Worthington, Jr. Ph.D., began his study of forgiveness during the 1980s. In 1995, his mother was murdered. From that tragedy, coupled with his studies, Dr. Worthington experienced forgiveness in his own heart. Having learned and grown from that struggle with grief, he began speaking and writing about forgiveness. He was intent on sharing with others the healing that forgiveness facilitates.

Those suffering from loss of loved ones due to war, often cling to their desire for revenge. Even though those reactions are understandable, they only serve to make their victims bitter and miserably unhappy. The director of the Stanford University Forgiveness Project, Dr. Fred Luskin, worked with people who dealt with the death of their loved ones killed in the war in Northern Ireland. Those who managed to embrace forgiveness over the alternative of overwhelming vindictiveness, were freed to live more hopeful lives.

Besides regaining the love God wants for us in our lives, there are real, obvious, physical benefits realized from releasing the desire for vengeance. Lowered blood pressure and heart rate, as well as the return of normal digestion, are only some of the rewards achieved when anger and resentment are dispelled. The effects of lessened stress are also well known. Emotional and physical well-being is a persuasive enticement when compared to the internal disharmony created by nurturing bitter wounds. Other studies from the Universities of Wisconsin and Tennessee concur that improved health can be attributed to the ability to forgive.

Additionally, Katherine Piderman, PhD., staff chaplain at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., advises those she councils that forgiveness can lead them down the path of physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. The single best remedy to overcome anger is the unparalleled power of forgiveness. That is not to say that forgiveness takes away a perpetrator’s accountability for his behavior. And it doesn’t mean that you are saying that what was done is somehow permissible. Forgiveness aims at restoring balance to your life. It is much more for you than for the person who invoked your hostility.

"Not to forgive is to be imprisoned by the past, by old grievances that do not permit life to proceed with new business. Not to forgive is to yield oneself to anther's control... to be locked into a sequence of act and response, of outrage and revenge, tit for tat, escalating always. The present is endlessly overwhelmed and devoured by the past. Forgiveness frees the forgiver. It extracts the forgiver from someone else's nightmare." - Lance Morrow

Let go of your victim status and refuse to define your life by your wounds. Get outside help if you need to, but realize that there is a whole world out there full of joy and fulfillment. There is more than enough to go around. Choose forgiveness and give yourself a break.