I've Had An Epiphany

It’s January 6^th, that means it’s Three Kings Day! Or you can call it Epiphany if you like. I don’t know anyone who celebrates this holiday, but I do know that it’s a big deal in Mexico. People on the Gulf Coast celebrate too, particularly in South Louisiana as it is the kick off of the Mardi Gras season.

In some parts of Mexico this is the day gifts are received. Not from Santa Claus, but it’s the three wise men who leave presents by the shoes of small children.

Another fun part of Three Kings Day is the “Rosca de Reyes’ or King Cake. There’s a lot of symbolism built into this cake. Notice the round or oval shape, like a king’s crown. The colors are symbolic too. The purple represents justice. The green represents faith and the gold represents power.

The cake has one more surprise. Baked inside is a small plastic baby Jesus figurine. The tradition is that whoever finds Him hosts the next feast party on February 2^nd.

So why is baby Jesus hiding in the cake? He’s hiding from evil King Herod of course!

A Letter To A Friend

My Dear Friend,

I don’t know why it sometimes takes a tragedy to express what needs to be said. But unfortunately that’s the way it is. What hampers us from conveying the most important thing anyone ever needs to hear? Are we selfish? Is it such a hard subject to share? So what is our excuse? There is none…so here goes.

The truth is, my friend, you’re dying and quickly on your way to hell. Not because of the terrible thing that has crept into your life, but because everyone who lives is at some stage of death. I’m dying, you’re dying, we are all dying and there’s nothing we can do about it.

Yes, death is inevitable. But does a soul really die? No, a soul continues to live throughout all eternity. The question is…where will your soul spend eternity, heaven or hell? Is the choice really that hard?

So you think you’re already going to heaven. What if you died today and met God face to face and He asked you, “Why should I let you into my heaven?” What would your answer be? I’m a good person. I help people. I go to church and I don’t really sin that much.

A recent survey shows over 94 percent of people believe in God and 89 percent of people believe in heaven, and 75 percent of those people think they will get to heaven. Few people, however, actually know how to get to heaven.

How do I get to heaven, you ask? Well I’m glad you asked, my friend, because I’m going to show you what the Bible says. It’s all a matter of FAITH. Each letter in the word FAITH stands for a different word.

F is for FORGIVENESS – Everyone needs God’s forgiveness. Why?

Romans 3:23 says “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

We must realize that we are sinners and that we need forgiveness. We aren’t worthy of God’s grace.

A is for AVAILABLE – God’s forgiveness is available for all. How?

John 3:16 says “God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”

Yes, God’s forgiveness is available to all, but it’s not automatic. Why?

Matthew 7:21 says “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven.”  So why isn’t forgiveness automatic?

I is for IMPOSSIBLE – The Bible says it is impossible to get to heaven on our own. Why?

Ephesians 2:8 says “By GRACE you are saved through FAITH, and this is not from yourselves; it is the (free) GIFT from God.” So how can a sinful person have eternal life and enter heaven?

T is for TURN – Turn means to repent-change directions. Turn away from what; sin and self. Why?

Luke 13:3 says “Unless you repent, you will all perish as well!”

So when you turn AWAY from sin and self, you must turn TO Jesus Christ.

John 14:6 Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” So…how do we do this thing?

Romans 10:9-10 says “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. With the heart one believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses, resulting in salvation.”

What happens if a person repents of their sins and confesses Jesus Christ?

H is for HEAVEN – A place where we can live forever with God. How?

John 14:3 Jesus says “If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come back and receive you to Myself, so that where I am you can be also.” Eternal life begins with Jesus.

How can this be possible? How can I have God’s forgiveness, eternal life, and go to heaven? It starts with a simple prayer like this one.

Father, I know that I’m a sinner and that my sins have separated me from You. I ask You to forgive me of my sins. I want to turn away from my past life and turn toward You. Please help me to avoid sinning again. I believe that Your Son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was raised from the dead, is alive and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me to obey You. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Friend, if you do this easy thing you can have assurance of an abundant life here on earth with Jesus in charge of your life and the guarantee that you have a place saved for you in heaven. If you prayed the prayer, then welcome, you are a new member of Christ’s family. Then go tell somebody about it. They will be happy you did. I know I am.

Your friend,

Annette O’Hare

Ripe For The Harvest

Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. John 4:35

What do these three things have in common?
A marriage license, a defense attorney, and a lost person

After moving back home to Houston in the 70’s, my parents failed to connect with a home church. The result was three children who weren’t raised in church as they had been.

Mom did her best, making sure her kids all heard and accepted the Gospel. But I would later realize that faith without a spiritual foundation is like the man who builds his house on the sand—eventually, your house is going to go SPLAT!

Thanks to me and my two brothers, there was a constant stream of “un-churched” teenagers passing through our home. Mom saw the opportunity God gave her; a field ripe for the harvest in her very own home. The Holy Spirit wouldn’t allow her to ignore these lost teens. She lovingly listened to their problems; befriended them and shared her faith. As a result, many came to a saving belief in Jesus Christ.

Fortunately Mom and Dad returned to church, ministering to countless youth over the years. Nevertheless, I can’t ignore the work God did through Mom all those years ago. Through her persistent, consistent obedience to the Holy Spirit, many raunchy, dirty, street savvy, teens heard about Jesus for the first time.

So what do a marriage license, a defense attorney, and a lost person all have in common? Simple—they all need a good witness.

You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8

Faith In The Midst of Hopelessness

For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100:5

I was twenty one years old when I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease; a disease of the immune system that causes your body to attack itself, specifically the small intestine. Having suffered with the disease and the horrible misdiagnoses my entire life, it was a relief to finally receive the news. Then it hit me—I have an incurable disease.

At the time, (I’m dating myself) there were only a couple treatments for Crohn’s. The preferred medication being Sulfasalazine, and the less favored drug was corticosteroids. Steroids are less favored because of their numerous side effects and inability to control the disease. I would soon find out that I’m allergic to Sulfa drugs. My only alternative was steroid therapy.

There were times in my late twenties when the pain, exhaustion and constant trips to the bathroom were more than I could bear. The ups and downs caused by the steroids were like being on an emotional rollercoaster, not to mention the damage they can do to your body. And I had to continue working a full time job in order to have medical insurance coverage.

I’ll never forget one night in particular when my pain became so severe that my husband called my mother for help. I was already taking a massive daily dose of steroids, so we knew that a trip to the hospital meant surgery…and surgery is not a cure for Crohn’s, only a temporary solution.

Mama arrived and came to my bedside. She laid her hands on me and prayed. It was hard for me then to understand why she praised God during this difficult time. But the pain immediately left my body, and I praised God right along with her.

There’s a lesson to be learned from Mama. As Christians we should learn to practice our faith even when the circumstances seem hopeless. God’s faithfulness to His children never ceases. So there’s no reason why we shouldn’t be faithful to Him, no matter the situation.