Kathy
Schultz
Contributing Writer
Kathy Schultz is a former CBN staff contributor.
More from Ephp/person/kathy Schultz
More from Ephp/person/kathy Schultz
Bump, Bruise, & Blessing
CBN.com "Time for school", I called to my granddaughter. It was time for her to catch the bus. We were both running behind schedule, and it was my job to hurry her along. She responded by running quickly to the car. She opened the car door with such force that it swung and hit her in the forehead. I stood right beside her, unable to help. All I could do was watch. She looked up at me with tears forming in her eyes saying, "Grandma" with a tone in her voice that meant, why did you let this happen? She was crying and trying to blame someone or something for what had just happened. Truthfully, it had been her fault. My intention was just to make her aware of the time, to hurry her along, to get her to stop dilly-dallying. Now she had a nasty BUMP and BRUISE on her forehead, and I felt awful.
God showed me there was a lesson to be learned here. God knows how often I rush ahead only to find myself in trouble. The trouble is my own doing. No one else is responsible. Often, I look around to find someone or something else to blame for my own foolishness. God must look down wanting to help, but it is too late. He often does not correct what has already happened. The laws of physics are in place and human error has occurred. When I rush ahead without praying for God's help, I find myself in hot water. This happens more than I want to admit.
But the LORD still waits for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the LORD is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for him to help them (
New Living Translation, The Book).Thankfully, God does intervene in our lives and sends his angels to protect us.
For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways ( NIV).
I can't always protect my grandchild, but I can and do pray for God's protection. Her family's job is to keep her safe as possible. This means taking all the necessary precautions, giving godly advice, teaching her right from wrong, and ultimately leading her to Christ. God is the only one that can protect her and us in any situation.
"Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him" ( NIV).
"He will shield you with his wings. He will shelter you with his feathers. His faithful promises are your armor and protection" ( New Living Translation, The Book).
The story of that morning did not end there. God did allow something good to come out of the mishap. Time had not permitted me to dress the wound. All I could manage was a little comfort and a quick prayer. I put her on the school bus with the bump and told the bus driver about the accident. That evening when I asked about her day, Alex replied with enthusiasm. The nurse at her school had taken care of her. She had iced the wound and comforted our little first grader. What a BLESSING! In times of need, God often uses others to help us as He had with Alex. He does that for me over and over again.
Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith ( NKJV).
Each one of us should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms (I Peter 4:10).
The school nurse had used her gift to minister to my grandchild. Can we use our gifts in service to others honoring God as well?
Leave It To Who?
CBN.com - Who could believe, listening to an old TV show, I could hear God speak? Recently, while fixing dinner, the old classic "Leave It to Beaver" was on. Now, I admit it was one of my all-time favorite shows, so I felt compelled to watch.
The previous Sunday night our Bible Study group had been listening to a videotape on Genesis by Anne Graham Lotz, which was excellent. The subject discussed was sin, and particularly the sin committed by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. We, like Adam and Eve, are taken in and do the thing we never intended. They did not get up that morning saying to each other, "The fruit in the center of the garden is wonderful. Let's go eat it". It was subtle. First, Eve heard the snake talk about it. She listened, looked, touched, and finally she ate. The sin did not stop there. She had to get Adam into the act. We never want to go it alone. Misery loves company.
"When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it" ( NIV).
Thankfully our God is loving, compassionate and forgiving, making a way for us to spend eternity with him. BUT He cannot and will not tolerate sin.
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" ( NIV).
Now back to "Leave It to Beaver." The story began with Beaver receiving about $20.00 (not much money today, but a lot back in the day of the show) for his birthday. His dad advised him to put the money in the bank to save for something special. He did not demand it, but made a strong suggestion. Beaver decided with a little encouragement from Wally (his brother), to take his Dad's advice. Then a notice from the post office arrived while no one was at home. Beaver and his buddy Gilbert headed right to the post office to pick up the package. It was money sent by his Uncle Billy. Beaver thought he should put the money in the bank, but the problem was he wanted to spend it. If only he had spoken with his Dad first but no, he didn't. Beaver, with Gilbert leading the way, went a different route home going right past the model shop. They both looked in the window and saw what seemed wonderful a beautiful model car. It was the car Beaver thought he wanted. Gilbert encouraged him to just go in and look. After all, the store didn't charge admission for them to look. Well, to make a long story short, Beaver went in, looked, touched, and the next thing you know, he bought the model. It really wasn't the model that made this purchase wrong, but that he did not seek his dad's advice. He listened to a crafty friend, a person who didn't have his best interest at heart.
Who do we listen to? You can guess the rest of the story yourself. Beaver lied to explain the model car. In the end he confessed his sin and was forgiven by his parents.
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9).
One of the lines I liked best was Beaver saying, "I wish I had gone home down Grant Avenue!" He knew if he hadn't walked where the temptation was, he would not have bought the model car. If we would just stay on the right path and go only the way God directs, sin may not tempt us. We often, like Beaver, go down a different avenue. We then look and buy what we shouldn't.
If only we would speak to our Heavenly Father to see what He would advise. Much like Beaver, we decide what He will saywe think we already know the answer. God might even say go aheadyou won't know unless you ask. We often detour, allowing ourselves to be lead by someone other than God. We even go in and look at what we should not, and tell ourselves it does not hurt to look. Before long we too have bought what we shouldn't. How often do we say, "I'm just going to look" and find ourselves trapped doing what we never intended?
The TV show reaffirmed exactly what Anne Graham Lotz had been saying. God let me know I often act as Beaver and Eve, listening, looking, and touching what I shouldn't, going the wrong way, and ultimately doing what I know is not right. The next time I'm not sure, I can make a choice to succumb to sin or speak with my Heavenly Father and get His advice and help. Thankfully, like Beaver, I can be forgiven. I have a wonderful gracious, loving, and compassionate God!
"You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you" ( NIV).
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A Dad Who Shows Up
Father’s day is rapidly approaching. Many of us will buy a card and small gift for our father to celebrate this date listed on the calendar. Dads come in all sizes, shapes, and varieties; good, bad and indifferent ones. In the last few weeks, I’ve come to realize what a blessing a good dad can be.
My friend Melissa performed in a high school play which ran two consecutive nights. Since her parents are divorced and family encounters still awkward, her father and his family chose to attend the first performance, and her mother and grandmother the second evening.
Melissa eagerly anticipated the evening. She practiced, had her lines down pat and talked about it nonstop for weeks. It was her opportunity to shine and make her family proud, especially her dad, who she no longer saw daily. When she came in the door the evening after the first night, her mother and grandmother had expected smiles and joy. Instead, Melissa fell into their arms in tears. Dad had forgotten and no one showed up to watch. The play had to go on and it did. The women attended the next evening and Melissa shined.
This dad let his child down. It happens over and over again, in many homes, in many different scenarios.
My husband was a different type of dad. I remember him rushing home from work to attend a band concert or a recital. He often could be found sitting on a hard bench regardless of the weather to watch his son play sports. Win or lose, he was there to cheer and encourage his children. He watched with glee when they graduated high school, pitched in when they went off to college, and was around to give them support on a daily basis. His laughter and love still resides in their hearts.
Time has marched on and now his son is a dad who learned a lot from his father's example. Just a weekend ago, I watched his youngest daughter’s ballet recital. In fact, I realized the room was filled with men who probably had never attended a ballet recital and could not distinguish one position from another. They were there because of their little girls. Most of these tiny ballerinas weren’t accomplished dancers and might never be. They were little tots performing for their families, doing the best they could do.
Afterward, our family went to dinner and I heard my son tell his daughter what a great job she did. It looked great to him and he knew she had done her best. She was his little girl and he was there to watch and encourage her.
“Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”
, NIV.
Then I remembered that we all have a Heavenly Father who thinks we are wonderful. He loves us and sees how hard we try. He knows exactly how to father us. He sees our attempts to do something right, he watches our effort and encourages us. He always loves us.
His love “always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. [ His] love never fails.” I Corinthians 13:7-8, NIV.
God forgives us when we make mistakes, even huge ones. He even sent His own son to die on a cross for us, so that we can live forever with Him. Father’s day will be forever and we won’t need to send a card or buy a gift.
“So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.”
, NLT
Invite God to your next performance, no matter the day or time. He will show up!
Denial: The Great Cover Up
Denial is something I seem to do so well. Let me explain. This past week I was sick again. You see, I've had asthma since my childhood. I always told myself that I had outgrown it and no longer needed to take medication. For the most part, that was true. God had healed me enough that the symptoms were not severe and full blown attacks seldom happened. Only when I got an infection did the asthma get too much for me to handle. Feeling poorly and with a little prompting from my daughter, I went to the doctor for the second time in a month.
The doctor listened to my breathing and immediately gave me a breathing treatment. Her next words to me took me back just a bit. She said "You're strong, but not that strong and there is no river in Egypt called De Nile". Oh, was she right. She went on to explain that all I had been doing was treating the symptoms and not the disease. I had been in total denial!
God then spoke to my heart and told me that sin was very much like that. I could deny it all I wanted, treat the symptoms, and never get to the root of the problem. I needed to confess, admit the sin to myself and to God.
People who cover over their sins will not prosper. But if they confess and forsake them, they will receive mercy. ( NLT)
Then I also needed to repent and seek God's forgiveness. The idea is to turn from sin and not to do it again.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us." 1 John 1:9-10 KJV
Without admitting a problem, you cannot get help. I realized that treating the condition meant work. It means avoiding things that are harmful for me. It is the same with sin. Once the sin is identified, we have to avoid being around it. For me, with asthma it means avoiding dust, pollen, smoke, and chocolate. Yes, chocolate!
Now it is easy for me to avoid the things that really make me sick. I never choose a smoke-filled restaurant as I can't breathe in that situation; but I am tempted to eat the chocolate. It is easy for us as Christians to avoid the big sins, such as stealing or murder, but those little ones such as a bad attitude, jealousy, and unkindness are easy to commit. We see it all around us and it is hard to avoid.
With my asthma, sometimes I need the help of medication because there is no way to stay out of the dust or the pollen completely. We, too, need the help of the Holy Spirit convicting us and keeping us free from sin.
So, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation whatsoever to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you keep on following it, you will perish. But if through the power of the Holy Spirit you turn from it and its' evil deeds, you will live. Romans 8:12-13, NLT
I am no longer denying that I have asthma. I am taking the medication to help restore my breathing and I am keeping away from the things that cause my asthma to flare up. I'm allowing the Holy Spirit to work in my life and I'm doing my best to avoid temptations. May we all live our lives sin free and controlled by the Holy Spirit!
Copyright Kathy Schultz. Used by permission.
Early Morning Adventure
CBN.com I am so tired. I took my daughter and granddaughter to the airport this morning at 5:00 a.m. The trip to the airport turned out to be a somewhat frustrating yet funny time.
After arriving at the airport, Alexandra my granddaughter managed to trip over her suitcase and land on the floor. Then when I tried to get in line, I ducked under the ropes and knocked them down. My daughter informed us we were in the wrong line and that we needed to move. Of course, she did not want to be seen with the two of us after all the confusion.
About this time the airport employee checked in my granddaughter's luggage. Big crocodile tears came running down her cheeks. She did not understand why the man was taking her suitcase. This was a little girl's dream suitcase. It was pink and purple bought especially for this trip. It was her first suitcase ever and she did not want this stranger taking it from her. We had to stop and reassure her that she would get the suitcase back at the end of the journey. She then had to place her backpack on the conveyor belt and we got apprehensive. Thankfully, she could see where that was going. We told her that she could retrieve it in a moment.
As if that weren't enough, we went to the designated area to wait for our flight and over the intercom came an announcement for "Washington/Dulles". Wouldn't you know, she piped right up and told us she did NOT want to see George Washington. She wanted to go to DisneyWorld. My daughter Cindy was undone at that point and we both howled. What a morning!
I left them both going down the ramp, hand in hand, headed for the airplane that would take them to Orlando and it wasn't even 6:00 a.m.! After I left the airport, I made a couple of stops at the store and off to work I went. I was at work by 7:15 a.m. It felt like the day should soon be over but it was only beginning.
Have you ever had a morning like this? God must laugh with us. I remember thinking about how we thought we were prepared before leaving for the airport. Somehow, you never plan for the mishaps that occur. No one thought to explain to my granddaughter how the suitcase would be taken from her. In our minds we had prepared her for the trip, but we obviously forgot some of the details. Certainly, we did not think of how they would announce the flight. This little girl had to put her trust in us, the airline, the pilots, and people she had never seen before. Fortunately, she was there with her mother, who would guide her through to her destination. She knew she could trust her Mom and just needed to hold tightly to her hand.
Whom do we place our trust in? Do we trust in God? We need to be like Alexandra, even when things are going poorly in our estimation. We need to hang on to God. He will see us through!
And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, For You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You ( NASB).
O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge ( New Living Translation).
Do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord, no matter what happens ( New Living Translation).
The Lord is my strength and my shield: my heart trusts in Him and I am helped ( KJV).
My daughter called that evening to say they had arrived safely. Excitement and joy filled my granddaughter's voice as she told me she had already seen Mickey Mouse! She made it to her destination just as we promised she would. It is such a joy to trust in our loved ones and in our God. He will not fail us.