Here is what the local newspaper said about the church that day.

Is anyone else out there using the mobile blogging features of Blogger?

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

]]> https://heartholy.kevin-bowser.net/cluster-maps/feed/ 0 https://heartholy.kevin-bowser.net/i-am-blessed/ https://heartholy.kevin-bowser.net/i-am-blessed/#comments Thu, 05 Apr 2007 15:33:00 +0000 http://heartholy.kevin-bowser.net/?p=123

Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.

Psalm 127:3 NLT

I am not a big fan of some of the more modern translations of the Bible. I am an old KJV kind of guy. But, the New Living Translation really expresses what my heart feels today better than any of the 13 other versions that I looked at.

Today is my birthday. That’s no big deal. What is a big deal to me is that my son called me at 6:45 Am this morning as we were both in our cars on the way to our jobs. He just called to say “Happy Birthday” and to tell me that he loves me.

My daughter texted me as soon as she got up this morning and before she went off to class at college. She said that she loves me and that I am “fabulous!” Not just good or great. But, fabulous!

My kids are truly a blessing from the Lord. I see that more and more each day as they continue to mature and become the man and woman that God is calling them to become.

Another verse comes to mind…

Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are away on a journey, when you are lying down and when you are getting up again.

Deut. 6:7 NLT

We are charged to instruct our children in the commands of God. Not just so that they might in their young and formative years they can join us in praise and worship, but that afterwards they might also, in their day, keep up “religion” (but more importantly, Relationship!), and convey it to their own children and those that should come after them.

On a day like today, I feel that I am blessed to be seeing that being lived out in my children’s hearts and lives.

Thank you God.
Thank you JR and EH.

Luke’s Gospel records the story and answers some of the questions from the song like this in chapter 1 and beginning in verse 26:

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin`s name was Mary. And he came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord [is] with thee. But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this might be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. And Mary said unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee: wherefore also the holy thing which is begotten shall be called the Son of God.

So, Mary did you know? YES! Yes, she knew! The angel told her!

Did she know all of the implications of what the angel told her? Probably not. I do not think she carried the site of the cross in her mind from the time the baby was born. I do not think she “saw” the events before they took place. But she knew who was to be born that day.

The good news is that you and I can know Jesus in all of his saving grace and majesty. This time of year we focus on the babe in the manger. But Mark Lowry reminds us that this child would:

• Some day walk on water
• Save our sons and daughters
• Come to make us new
• Deliver us
• Give sight to the blind
• Calm the storm
• Restore the hearing to the deaf
• Raise the dead
• Heal the lame
• Touch the mute
• One day rule the nations
• And is the great I AM

Mary did not know everything. But she knew enough. The rest she took by faith. You and I can learn from that. God speaks to us and He reveals to us the He is calling us to a right relationship with Him. He is offering us the best gift of all – Salvation.

Let’s accept the gift. And let’s take the rest of it like Mary did… by faith.

I am thankful that Jesus Christ saves and sanctifies me today.
I am thankful for my wife.
I am thankful for my children.
I am thankful for my family.
I am thankful for my friends.
I am thankful for my health.
I am thankful for my job.

I am also thankful for my blog where I can express some of the thoughts running around in my head. It has been a while since I posted something. But there have been a lot of thoughts running around up there and I haven’t been able to focus on getting them down in a coherent fashion.

Nevertheless, join me in being thankful for all that God has done for you throughout your life.

Blessings on you,

Kevin

It speaks to me about the steadfastness of God. He is steadfast and He is neverchanging. He loved me yesterday. He loves me today, And He will love me tomorrow. The Bible says that He will not leave us without a comforter. In fact, the Psalmist David cries out to God in Psalm 27:9 this way:

Hide not thy face [far] from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.

And then, in John 14:16-18 it says:

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; [Even] the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

I don’t know about you, but I need to hear that every now and again. There are some days when it just seems that the sun is not shining as brightly as some other days. And there are some nights that seem longer than others.

Read over the lyrics to this old song. And, if your computer supports playing midi files, then click on the link at the bottom of this post and listen to the tune. It will be familiar to some of you who are over 40!

Time is filled with swift transition,
Naught of earth unmoved can stand,
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

* Refrain:
Hold to God’s unchanging hand,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand;
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

Trust in Him who will not leave you,
Whatsoever years may bring,
If by earthly friends forsaken
Still more closely to Him cling.

Covet not this world’s vain riches
That so rapidly decay,
Seek to gain the heav’nly treasures,
They will never pass away.

When your journey is completed,
If to God you have been true,
Fair and bright the home in glory
Your enraptured soul will view.

http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/Hold_to_Gods_Unchanging_Hand/midi/