The other woman is my wife Robin.  She is an amazing mom also, doing for our 6 kids what moms do, caring for them in every way.  I’m forever grateful that she has and is “there” for our boys and girls, ordering our house, teaching them what they need to know in life and pointing them to Jesus. 

I’m doubly blessed to have two wonderful women who have been such great human influences on my life and the lives of my children.  Mom, Robin, happy Mother’s Day.  Thank you Lord, you gave me just the right ones… PB

The Name of Jesus, the Bible teaches, is “above all names” and that sits well with what other portions of the Bible have to say about His authority.  It says that “all” authority is His and “all” is under His feet.  So you and I must bow to that authority.  Forces of darkness must also bow.  And every other entity or situation you can think of, that also must “bow” before the Lord and obey. 

What does that mean for you?  It means that you need to present your life to Him, God “Most High.”  It also means that when you pray and use His Name that if you ask according to His will, whatever you ask is done.  Because His Name is Higher than any other.  But it especially means that we need to love Him the most.  Because if One so great, so above everything and everyone else bends to love you, it’s the greatest love you’ll ever receive.  Love Him with your life, your thoughts, your words and your deeds, love Him with all your heart.  Because His Name is above every other name.  PB

I was floored by something I hadn’t really noticed until today, though.  It’s based on Deuteronomy 34.7.  It says that “Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died.  His eyes were not dim nor his natural vigor diminished.”  Wow.  In other words, Moses didn’t age or lose his strength or senses throughout all his years wandering in the wilderness and leading a rather stress filled “people situation.”  Could it be that his close relationship with the Lord, his daily face-to-face’s with God, put him so close to the source of Life that he didn’t age?  I think it was.

So what does that mean for us?  Living close to the Source of Life changes you.  He gives His vigor, His Life to those who seek Him regularly.  No, our faces may not literally shine with God’s glory as Moses’ did, but our countenance will be different, brighter, when we walk closely with God.  Because He is Life itself.  The door is open wide to us because of the Lord Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf.  Walk through it and stay close to Him and your heart will be forever young.  PB

But that’s only one thought. The amazing thing that’s on my heart right now is that God loves to heal.  He seems to love healing the condition of man, for one, changing every heart that trusts Him to forgive through His Son.  He came to heal the brokenhearted, as it says in Isaiah 61 and in Luke 4.  But He also heals bodies, physical bodies.  We had a time of prayer for those who had physical illnesses or injuries, just a couple of weeks ago.  One woman who has a degenerative problem in her hip joint (very painful) had the pain removed instantly as we all prayed. Wow.  Another man who had a bad burn on his hand and was in pain and in an ambulance on the way to the hospital, called out to the Lord and the same thing happened.  The terrible pain was gone.  More and more we’re realizing that He purchased our healing by His stripes on the Cross.  We can go to Him and ask on that basis. 

I guess He really is the Great Physician; especially when He heals what no earthly doctor can reach.  That would be the heart of man.  Go ahead, ask Him in the Name of Jesus.  PB

But we can see something of why God would choose to remove this man in particular.  He and his wife were pressing to completely liberalize abortion in New York through legislation that would allow abortions to be performed by people other than doctors, for example.  As if abortions weren’t numerous and evil enough in themselves already!  He and those in his party were also pressing for the redefinition of marriage, establishing same-sex marriage in our state.  Those two reasons, among others, explain to me why God would have wanted to remove this man from office. 

But as Christians, our response should be to pray and to speak out.  Pray for repentance and healing for Mr. and Mrs. Spitzer, to bring them to Christ and eternal life.  Pray for their teenaged daughters.  And pray for our new governor, Governor Paterson.  Pray that God would have mercy on our State and bring all to repentance and Godly change.  And as we have opportunity, let’s speak out for righteousness. 

The Lord does rule over all.  PB

But the great task beyond those is the Great Commission coupled with the Great Commandment.  We are called to grow in our accomplishment of those two “Greats.”  The Great Commission is the Lord’s command to go into all the world and bring as many as would come, into God’s Kingdom.  The Great Commandment is to love God with all the heart, soul, mind and strength and our neighbor as ourselves.  We grow in our understanding and skills in living those out.  God helps us to become better and and wiser and deeper in loving God and loving our neighbor.  Then the Life of God in our lives increases. 

So if you feel less than full of life; ask God to grow you and then do the things that help you grow. Prayer. The Word. Worship. Action.        PB

And it made me think; are we all as excited about the Kingdom of God?  Are we all fired up when someone comes to the Lord, when there’s victory in someone’s life, when a heart or a body are healed?  Do we put as much effort into winning those battles as the Giants put into their great win?  I think that our enemies try to tell us that we should be quiet about the One Who alone can change lives and hearts, the things that really matter.  Can we, will we put our efforts and joy into the Lord’s work as much as one might for a sporting event?  I think the answer is obvious, but walking that out is a struggle.  Because for our offense there’s a defense against us and vice versa.  Be determined that you won’t allow the enemy to keep you quiet or restricted in your love and service for God.