Monthly Archives: July 2012

The Netherlands Pt. 7: The Hiding Place

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Haarlem Train Station

One of the cities I was most excited to visit on my trip to Holland was Haarlem, home of world reknown evangelist Corrie TenBoom. For those who do not know of her, Corrie Tenboom lived her first fifty years of life as a watchmaker who served God faithfully. Her family held a weekly prayer meeting for the nation of Israel starting in 1840 (if you don’t think that is amazing consider that Israel did not become a nation again until 1948)!

When Hitler took over Holland the Tenboom family began hiding Jews and helping them flee the country. The entire story can be read in Corrie’s book 

On our day out to Haarlem we met with Brenda’s friend Mona. Since we were early for the tour we stopped for a capuccino!

YUMMY!

The Ten Boom house was built in 1492 the year America was discovered!

Judy (Brenda’s boss) leads the English tours at the Ten Boom House.

Judy at the hiding place. a false wall in Corrie’s bedroom could hide up to seven people from the prying eyes of the Nazi’s

When the Nazi’s raided the Tenboom house Corrie and her family were hiding seven people. Corrie’s sister Betsie managed to ring the alarm which saved the seven fugitives, but the Nazi’s caught her trying to remove the safety sign from the window

and put it back in its place. As a result thirty people were arrested that evening as they came to pray for the nation of Israel. In the ensuing months Corrie lost her father and sister in the concentration camps. Upon her release from Ravensbruck Camp by “a clerical error” Corrie dedicated her life to preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ all over the world. If the darkness of those war years can be felt as an under current running through the house then the grace of God is the jet stream controlling every dark eddy. As Corrie would have said “There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still.”

The Ten Boom family Bible, a guiding light through a dark time.

Pastor Wrinkles: Chapter Charts Pt. 102

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As I began writing the chapter charts for Pastor Wrinkle’s Pt. 101 I began to have an elusive feeling of deja vu’. Now as I begin to write Pt. 102 I remember why. I have just written a post regarding this chapter in  the “Heaven” series.  https://jelillie.wordpress.com/2012/07/14/heaven-pt-67/

I always wonder when the Spirit repeats passages of Scripture like this for me. Some would call it a coincidence, but I have lived too long as a Christian to believe in coincidence. So here I am today wondering what I am supposed to key in on  from these two posts. Perhaps you will see it for me or perhaps after all it is for you! 🙂 Let me know what you see.

Joshua chapter 10 sermon topics/ titles:

1. When Taking God’s Side Makes You Enemies: Joshua 10: 1-5

2. The Day That God Used a Lie: Joshua 10:1-15 (referring back to Josh 9)

3. Taking the Old Kings Down At Night Fall: Josh. 10: 16-27

Joshua chapter 11 sermon topics/ titles:

1. The Enemy Has A Plan B: Josh: 11:1-5

2. God Only Needs Plan A: Josh 11:6-15

3. Getting Rid Of Giants: Josh: 11:21-22

🙂

Pastor Wrinkles: Chapter Charts Pt. 101

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Deb Maciorowski winner of count down to 100 contest and Pastor Wrinkles

Congrats once again Deb for winning our count down to 100 contest! Once you are finished with your summer course I will give you a proper lesson in using the Strong’s.

It will be a while until our next contest. For now let’s settle into the joy of the work shall we? Here is what I see in today’s chapters.

Joshua chapter 8 sermon topics/titles:

1. The Valley Between: Joshua 8: 10-13

2. The Time of the Javelin: Joshua 8: 18-27

3. Rehearsing the Things of God In Victory: Joshua 8: 30-35

Joshua chapter 9 sermon topics/titles:

1. Listening For the Lie Rather Than the Lord: Joshua 9:1-14

2. The Unbreakable Vow: Joshua 9: 16-21

3. When Wood Cutting and Water Carrying Is a Grace: Joshua 9:22-27

What sermon topics or titles do you find in these chapters? Let me know if something here helps you find material for your blog. 🙂

 

Heaven Pt. 69

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“And the Angel of the LORD said to Manoah, ‘Though you detain Me, I will not eat your food. But if you offer a burnt offering, you must offer it to the LORD.’ (For Manoah did not know He [was] the Angel of the LORD.) Then Manoah said to the Angel of the LORD, ‘What [is] Your name, that when Your words come [to pass] we may honor You?’  And the Angel of the LORD said to him, ‘Why do you ask My name, seeing it [is] wonderful?’   So Manoah took the young goat with the grain offering, and offered it upon the rock to the LORD. And He did a wondrous thing while Manoah and his wife looked on– it happened as the flame went up toward heaven from the altar–the Angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar! When Manoah and his wife saw [this], they fell on their faces to the ground When the Angel of the LORD appeared no more to Manoah and his wife, then Manoah knew that He [was] the Angel of the LORD.” Judges 13:16-21 NKJV

The Angel of the Lord appeared to Manoah and his wife to predict the birth of their son Sampson, one of the greatest and most notorious of all Israel’s judges.

I wonder if it were you or I this stranger appeared to with such wild predictions what would our reaction be? Would we have questions? Would we, like Manoah, want the stranger to stick around for a while so we could grill him to make sure of his credentials? Would we ask for his name? When he refused to give us a name would we be a little skeptical? Would our skepticism be burned away as the man stepped into the fire and rocketed into the air?

I wonder. I have been privileged to see miracles. I have been privileged to share the story of miracles with others. I have been saddened when rather than rejoicing with me people  have opted for a more “scientific” explanation.

How often in our society have I heard “That’s not God! There’s a simple, logical explanation!”

How sad that as a culture we would rather have logic than Logos! We can’t even muster the faith of Manoah ( and folks he was not the epitome of a man of faith). I’m all for reason but when our reason separates us from the Lord it’s time to question it! Skepticism is not a fruit of the Spirit!

 

Share Your World With Cee Cee Pt. 15

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…or 32 depending on how you look at it! Since I came into this game half way through I shall call it 15. The questions are getting harder! I love it!

 Which would you prefer:  a wild, turbulent life filled with joy, sorrow, passion, and adventure–intoxicating successes and stunning setbacks; or a contented bordering on happy, secure, predictable life surrounded by friends and family without such wide swings of fortune and mood? I would choose the quiet life. I do choose the quiet life. But in this world adventure finds us all. I have learned that what determines a quiet life is not the events but our reactions to them. We really do carry our own weather!

Would you like to be famous?  In what way? This depends on the day and how rejected I feel. There’s nothing like a little rejection to make you wish you were the  toast of the town.

I guess I view this as one of the weaknesses I am still working on. I think other people have turned the desire for fame into a healthy ambition. I’m not sure I’ve quite made it there yet!

If you could cure one disease, what would that be?Definitely cancer! So many in our church are struggling with it.

If you were invisible, where would you go? I would sit at home and enjoy the peace of no one being able to find me for a while.

The Netherlands Pt. 6: More Museums

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Museum Street!

You might get the idea I like museums.

The Nemo. Didn’t make it here but it looks llike a cool museum to visit!

You would be right.

A still life at the Rijks

I love to wonder at the talent it takes to make something like this look like a photograph with nothing but paints made from plants and bugs.

Rembrandt

Brenda at The Hermitage, Amsterdam

The Cheese Museum Alkmaar

A Stained glass window at The Hermitage, Amsterdam

It is interesting to look at what others have collected. It speaks of what they valued of what they thought was important.

A rich lady’s doll house. To expensive to ever be played with. The Rijks museum

Sometimes what I see speaks of how easily we are distracted from the important things in life.

The Ten Boom Museum a home and family dedicated to rescuing Jews during the Holocaust

Then sometimes what I see restores my faith that not everyone has lost touch with the truly important things in life.

Heaven Pt. 68

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“They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.” Judges 5:20 KJV

Sisera was an enemy of God’s people. His armies were defeated by the Israelites led by one woman (Deborah). He died at the hands of another woman (Jael) while he was taking a nap.

It has been my experience that those who line themselves up against the Lord never end well. Though they make great boasts for a while and even have some success for a season, they are ultimately brought to nothing by the hand of Divine Providence.

Stories like the one from Judges chapter 5 remind me that I serve a God of omnipotent resources. While His enemies might appear powerful they cannot keep pace with the mighty hand of God! They are more to be pitied than feared, more to be prayed for than hated. Any pain they might be able to bring me will be repaid by the God who is my shield and protector. Perhaps it was for this reason that Jesus counselled “Love your enemies… and pray for those who despitefully use you.” Ma. 5:44

Let’s Pray: Father you know those in my life who stand opposed to You and to your work in my life. Father I bring them before You today and ask that You would have mercy on them. Please transform their hearts. Change them from enemies of the cross into mighty saints of God. In Jesus name I pray A-men!

Heaven Pt. 67

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As the Amorites retreated down the road from Beth-horon, the LORD destroyed them with a terrible hailstorm from heaven that continued until they reached Azekah. The hail killed more of the enemy than the Israelites killed with the sword. Jos. 10:11 NLT

In Joshua chapter 9 the Gibeonites fooled the Israelites into signing a treaty with them. Yet in so doing they greatly angered the Amorite nations around them. Provoked to war, the Amorites surrounded Gibeon and set about its destruction in Joshua chapter 10. But the Gibeonites had an ace in the hole, Israel.  Calling on their new found friends  the Gibeonites hoped for salvation. And they received it in spades as Joshua 10:11 indicates.

I’m not sure the Gibeonites counted at all on God but the Israelites did.That is what made the difference in the war for Gibeon.

You and I both know people whom we would consider allies or friends in life…people who don’t know the God we serve but who do know we are people to be counted on in a crunch. At some point you will be given a divine appointment to meet a need for your friends with the power of God. When that opportunity comes make sure you are ready not only to fight in your own strength but make sure you bring something of the supernatural God along with you to the battle.

Let’s pray: Father God thank you for the souls you have placed in my pathway! Allow me the opportunity to be a supernatural witness of your love and glory to them I pray. Breathe salvation upon them through my life. In Jesus name A-men!