God's goodness

Lately I have been thinking of a great gift among the many gifts that the Lord has granted me: my little two year old! There is a big gap between our little one and our two oldest daughters, I almost went into cardiac arrest while in labour and my precious angel almost suffered a stroke from the lack of oxygen. We are blessed to have her. Her name is Ruhamah (" one who has received compassion", from the book of Hosea), and we have experimented compassion just by the fact that He granted phisical and healthy life to both her and me. But I think the gift of God in giving us Ruhamah goes beyond that. While living a new adjustment, being in a new culture, new environment, ministry and type of life, this little girl is just such an encouragement. She is a constant reminder of the grace and compassion of the Almighty towards us. The way she hugs and kisses and demonstrates love to us is sweet. If she sees me sad I love her little voice asking me "what happen?" or "You ok?" I love listening to her singing "Jesus loves me," and "The B I B L E" while in the crib and ready to go to bed. I love her hugs and when she asks me to put her shoes on only so that she can act like she is being tickled! She is a small two year old full of joy and life, I honestly think that she is just a gift to me in these difficult days in a foreign country so that she can put a smile on my face by reminding me of the goodness of God. 

There can be difficult situations in life, and one way to handle them is by looking at the blessings that he Lord has given us. 

        "Come, thou Fount of every blessing, 
 tune my heart to sing thy grace; 
 streams of mercy, never ceasing, 
 call for songs of loudest praise. 
 Teach me some melodious sonnet, 
 sung by flaming tongues above. 
 Praise the mount! I'm fixed upon it, 
 mount of thy redeeming love. "

Spiritual contentment is rooted in and based on an inward relationship to God, not to external circumstances... True contentment is not the same thing as getting whatever we want; it is submitting to the Lord's will and learning to desire what He does. Only then will we discover that his will is good, perfect, and acceptable.

- Sinclair Ferguson

The Divine Weaver

My life is but a weaving

Between my Lord and me;

I cannot choose the colors

he worketh steadily.

Ofttimes He weaveth sorrow

And I in foolish pride,

forget that He seeth the upper,

And I the under side.

Not till the loom is silent

And the shuttle cease to fly,

Shall God unroll the canvas

And explain the reason why.

The dark threads are as needful

In the weaver's skillful hand,

As the threads of gold and silver,

In the pattern He has planned.

- Author Unknown

This poem can better explain that I can Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him..." God has a plan for our life, a perfect plan.  There are times that we concentrate on the negative things that happen in our life while God sees the whole pictures and  orchestrates all things for our good.

The more colors, the better, but the dark colors are essential too to give definition and accentuate image. In the same way in our life the times that seem harder are the ones where our character gets defined and where we learn to trust more our god and His wonderful work in our life. It is just awesome to know that our lives are in the hands of an amazing God that loves us so deeply and cares for us to the end.

"Lifesong"

As I was listening to the radio I came cross this song by Casting Crowns. And I was reminded to live a life that brings glory to God. As we listen to a song that we like and the words of the song impact our life, so we too should live our lives in such a way that we impact other. We need to make sure to leave an impact to both christians and non christians, to live out love, mercy, compassion, forgiveness, to give God the glory and reach out to the lost.

"Lifesong"

Empty hands held high

Such small sacrifice

If not joined with my life

I sing in vain tonight

May the words I say

And the things I do

Make my lifesong sing

Bring a smile to You

Let my lifesong sing to You

Let my lifesong sing to You

I want to sign Your name to the end of this day

Knowing that my heart was true

Let my lifesong sing to You

Lord I give my life

A living sacrifice

To reach a world in need

To be Your hands and feet

So may the words I say

And the things I do

Make my lifesong sing

Bring a smile to You

Hallelujah

Hallelujah

Let my lifesong sing to You

May the song that comes out of our lives today bring glory to God! And may we be today His hands and feet, serving others and reaching the needy.

The source and origin of the Church is the free love of God...In the whole world there is nothing enduring but the Church...Her happiness must be considered in consisting principally in this, that she has reserved for her an everlasting state of Heaven...

- John Calvin

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain!

On Saturday I was saddened by the news that a sister in Christ, back in Italy, went to be with the Lord. Maria Teresa Standridge has been a missionary in Italy for the past decades, now at 88 years old was battling leukemia. Maria Teresa spent her all life for God. I remember as a child, when my mom got one of her books "Figli piccoli, gioie grandi" talking about raising kids. As I grew older and had my family of my own, I read the book myself. I had other opportunities to listen to Maria Teresa at women's conferences. One time while she was visiting our church, at a church meeting, my kids were sitting right behind her and Bill, her husband. I have always encouraged my kids to be quiet and well behaved at church but that time I felt an even stronger pressure. I always expected my kids to obey and to be good, but that day I learned a new lesson. At the end of the service, Maria Teresa turned around, looked at the kids and said "Thank you so much for being so well behaved during the sermon," I never thought of thanking the kids for being obedient, for being quiet in church! 

Maria Teresa never thought she was too old to serve God, just a few months before she got sick she was in Sicily with her husband and I am sure she took any opportunity she had to teach the women she met, either individually or as a group. She spent her all life sharing the Gospel, writing books to encourage believers on various topics and gospel tracts of all sorts, she was involved in conferences, discipling. I don't think she ever stopped, not even when she found out she was sick and she had only few months left! She lived her life for God, her life was a praise to God! 

This year I was studying a passage in Philippians and in the first 11 verses of the 3rd chapter Paul was talking about how for him the most important thing in life was not tradition anymore, but to be found in God by His own righteousness, to live for Him and die for Him. I was studying this passage right as I found out of Maria Teresa's sickness. Maria Teresa lived a life that was full of Christ, she lived for Him serving Him till the end. What an amazing testimony and example she left behind. If I can say this...when I grow up I want to be like Maria Teresa, and spend my all life serving the special Father that we have. I want to share with you a few words from Maria Teresa's testimony has she discovered her sickness.

"I HAD JUST FINISHED BLOOD TESTS IN A MEDICAL CENTER and things seemed really serious. I did not expect anything like this, even though, for a few weeks, I had been feeling pretty weak and with little energy. We went straight to the emergency room of a large hospital in Rome, close to home, and soon I was lying on a bed with a needle stuck in my arm and a nice bag of blood, which was followed by two more, transferring its liquid, drop by drop, into my veins.

Since then, I have been on a rollercoaster of news and surprises, hospitalization, other

blood tests, and also samples of bone marrow, that led to a diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia, to which doctors have added the unpromising adjective “terminal”.

So today, without any particular pain and, apparently, still in good health and with a

good measure of strength, I find myself thinking in a very practical and realistic way, of my “going home with the Lord” when He wills. Perhaps very soon.

How have I reacted to a story like this?

Honestly, surprised and almost in disbelief. But even so, with HIS peace.

A few years ago, when I was invited to do Bible studies in a Conference for women, I said with a laugh that, given my age of more than 85, (soon I’m going to be 89), the  organizers would do well to also get a “spare tire” in case I had to decline the invitation. But honestly, given my health that I thought was disease-proof, I said it jokingly, as if I were actually immortal.

Today, the jokes are over and the reality is different. It is a reality of a certain sadness

(I’d be lying if I said otherwise), but also is very calm.

Sadness, because leukemia is a reality that speaks of separation from Bill, the only love

of my life, with whom I have spent more than 56 years, and have had the joy of serving the Lord with, in a kind of spiritual, as well as and also intellectual symbiosis. We shared a passion for the Word of God, the commitment of raising four children, and the responsibility of helping many to learn and grow in biblical faith. I know that after my departure Bill will feel a bit as though he was “mutilated”, but I know that his love for the Lord, His Word, and the Italians, will support him and help him serve as long as he has the strength. Of course I do not like, either, the idea of leaving our four children, three daughtersin- law and also a son-in-law, who love me and twelve grandchildren (one married) and two great-grandchildren, each one more lovely than the other.

But the moment of separation will come. However, my joy is that all have trusted

the Lord as their Savior and are therefore in his hands.

But now, let’s talk about the reasons for my peace of mind.

I came to know Jesus as Savior and Lord when I was 20 years old. Since then, the grace of God has surrounded me and the unmerited favor of the Lord has wrapped and protected me.

I know I’m saved, and my faith is based on the promises of God’s Word. One that

comforts me in particular is the letter of the Apostle Paul to Titus: “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:5-7) What more than that could you want or hope for? Then I had the honor to receive from the Lord a clear call to serve full-time. I went to Bible school, I had teachers of great value, I have experienced the extraordinary time of evangelistic fervor and spiritual growth in Italy after the end of World War II. I was a part of the beginning of the new period of political freedom in Italy that gave us permission to start youth camps, summer schools, conferences and all kinds of activities that the Lord has blessed. I threw myself headlong into every new evangelistic project. My university studies prepared me to have a ministry of writing, and my heart led me to make available to the Lord every capacity that He had given me.

Over the years I learned to study and nourish myself in the Word of God.

I understood the importance of furthering knowledge in His truth, and rooted my faith in

obedience to what it says. Without a good supply of this type of knowledge, the Christian life can become very severe and be very flat.

I confess also that I have made many mistakes for which I had to ask forgiveness from

the Lord, from my loved ones, brothers and sisters, and I realized that forgiveness is the key to the Christian life. It is essential in both the human family and that of God.

He who does not forgive others has understood little of the love of God, but those who

practice the confession of their sins to God and asking for the pardon of all they have offended, know that the blood of Christ purifies them and allows them to walk in the light (1 John 1:8-10).

After so many years of walking with the Lord, I realized that “in me, in my flesh, Maria

Teresa, dwelleth no good thing” (Romans 7:18), but whatever I did that is good is what he has done for me and in me (Isaiah 26:12).

During a meditation given at a conference in Isola del Gran Sasso, Daniel, one of our

sons, stressed the fact that after the resurrection, Jesus bore in his body the marks of his suffering and death for us. The disciples had seen his scars and knew that, with his resurrected human body, Jesus ascended to heaven.

In the vision of Revelation, John later saw Him as a “lamb, standing, which seemed to

have been sacrificed” (5:6) and I, with myriads of believers (and hopefully with you) will behold for all eternity those signs of the price paid by Jesus for our salvation. Those signs will inspire us to worship Him in perfection.

This wonderful thought humbles me, but also fills me with great gratitude."

With love, Maria Teresa

ROME, MARCH 2013

(from www.wor4word.blogspot.com)

I have one great encouragement from her life, to live my life to glorify God by what I do and say and the way I live. I have one big regret, I wish I got to spend more time with her, and be somewhat part of that beautiful life. I was invited to her house before coming to the States and I though "I will come back and visit you when we come back from the USA"...now it's too late!

Maria Teresa teaching the ladies in Acireale in 2010

"For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."

Philippians 1:21

A way to live in harmony - Submission (part two)

(continued from the last post)

I do want to focus this study on submission based on a few passages in 1 Peter. Peter was writing this book in a time of persecution, in fact it was probably written during the time of the emperor Nero, who persecuted the first century church and under who Peter and Paul were murdered. Nero put Rome to flame and then blamed it to the Christians and which resulted in the deaths of many christians. History tells us that the christians were covered in wax and then burned to stake to light Nero’s gardens, some of them were fed to wild animals other were crucified. So this is what was happening when Peter is writing his letter.

Three principles of submission

          1. Submit for the Lord’s sake

1 Peter 2:13 -14(ESV)

¹³ Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.

Peter is encouraging the believers to be in submission, to obey, to put themselves willingly under every human institution. This means also to the emperor Nero, one of the worse persecutor of the first century christians.

So the message that Peter is trying to get across is that even when we have leaders in society that do not do what is godly we still need to be subject to them, why? Because God wants us to and our submission will honor God who placed them there.

          2. Submit with all respect

1 Peter 2:18 -19 (ESV)

¹⁸ Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.

¹⁹ For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.

Here again Peter talks to servants encouraging them to be subject to their masters. Masters today could be employers, our bosses, Peter is saying that it doesn’t matter if they are good or bad, we are called to submit. And submit how? “With all respect.” Complaining about our boss, the way he runs the company, the way he runs people is not respectful.  And if we do suffer because of our unjustly master, i.e. boss, Peter reminds us that it is a gracious thing to suffer unjustly.

          3. Submit to win souls

1 Peter 3:1-2 (ESV)

"Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct."

Peter turns now to the wives to encourage them to be submitted to their own husbands. The principals are the same, we need to respect, we need to submit for the Lord’s sake. Remember that the Lord appointed their leadership and position in the house, but with one more addition, so that our lifestyle may win souls to Christ when they see our conduct pure and respectful.

So if our husband is a believer can we omit submission because we don’t have to win him to Christ? No, we still have to remember the he is the leader appointed by God for our household ad we should submit with all respect and no matter if we have a good or bad husband. 

So what we gather from those verses is that in whatever area of life we face submission, we are called to submit because the Lord commanded it to us, to submit with all respect because the Lord appointed certain leaders in our life and to submit to win souls, though our conduct people may see a different life changed by God.

Submission doesn't just effect marriages but many other areas of life, but submission is a way to live in harmony!

Submission is taught in the context of various relationships. In divinely ordained relationships, submission enables a unique Christian harmony, based on God’s good design.