“The RoseBouquet”

Here’s Jesus’ own answer to those who think that He came to do away with the Old Testament laws. He came to fulfill every tiny bit of it, down to the punctuation marks. He even dots every i and crosses every t. So, no, while keeping the law perfectly could not save anybody, Jesus didn’t come to overthrow it but to fulfill it.

This means that we need to read the whole Bible and not just the New Testament books. Jesus approves and finds it all holy and worthy of obedience. Those who practice and teach these commandments will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

I find it a bit odd that in verse 19 Jesus says anyone breaking the least commandment and teaching others to do so shall be the least in the kingdom of heaven; then in verse 20, if our righteousness does not surpass that of the Pharisees and teachers of the law, we won’t even enter that kingdom. Either we are in or we are out.

But Jesus was, and is talking, to those of us who think we are already part of the kingdom. How do you feel about the ten commandments and the laws spelled out in the Bible?

Do you realize that if we studied the life principles behind those laws we’d discover that God set them all up for our good and protection? That’s true. There are special blessings for you and me if we obey them. Ones we’ll never taste as long as we balk.

PRAYER: Lord, sometimes I’m so eager to obey Your will if only I can find out what it is. Then when I find I have to quit my way to do things Your way, I’m not so sure. Here I see, dear Jesus, that You want to fulfill all the laws Our Heavenly Father gave. You know more than I do, so that must be the best way.

Would You grab my hand and bring me along to this kind of glad obedience? Please? I believe I can trust Your reasons.

+++++Jesus is my King+++++Jesus is my King+++++

Blessings on you Today!
Ruth Marlene Friesen

P.S. “God, give ME a Friend!” Is that your heart’s cry? If you feel friendless, you will be thrilled to meet Ruthe and her BEST Friend, whom she loves to share! Get the book; Ruthe’s Secret Roses.

“…let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

Jesus calls us the light of the world. Naturally, a light is not for hiding under a cover-up. Its purpose is to shine as widely as possible. The brighter the light, and the more open a space it is in, the better it does its job. Jesus says, if it is put on its stand, it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way we - who are lights reflecting His glory - are to shine by doing good deeds.

Did you know the good deeds you do attract attention and praise to God? There are various motives of course, and most people can tell if we’ve done something to gain attention for ourselves or for God.

Let’s say we are full of the love of Jesus, and love to Him, and in spending time with Him, we’ve gained some valuable insights into God’s will and plan for us all. So we share this love with others, and teach them what we’ve learned, we do kind deeds for those who need help because we know this pleases our Lord. Then we are being lights in our area of the world.

Now it can happen that our deeds become known in a wider circle, either because of publicity, or because we’ve done them in a public arena or stadium, or where the media can see and describe them. That means our light is suddenly shining over a much larger area and can draw and influence more people to come to Christ, and to love and obey God the Father.

No matter how small our sphere is, we ought to shine right there. God wants to scatter His light all over the world, including the nooks and closets of the most obscure corners.

PRAYER: Lord, I am not Your only light. You are big enough to line up thousands and hundreds of thousands of lights all over the world. However, You may not have assigned any other light but mine in this particular cubbyhole. Help me to shine brightly, unreservedly and gladly! May I reflect the true light of the world, Jesus.

+++++Jesus is my King+++++Jesus is my King+++++

Blessings on you Today!
Ruth Marlene Friesen

P.S. Wish You had One Loyal Friend?

The secret is to BE one first. Discover how by watching Ruthe in this book! (You could gain her BEST Friend too).

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness...”

Jesus reveals an amazing principle or truth here. Those of us who believe in Him and follow Him provide a special flavour to all society around us. We make life more palatable for many others, whether they know it or know. Whether we know it or not too.

Secular media doesn’t often notice this, and Christians often forget as well; a study of history shows that whenever a country or epoch has had true believers living unashamedly for Christ, the quality of life for all people of that nation or era has been upgraded. For instance, woman are only treated as human and have a political voice where Christianity has had a foothold.

This is why in our day, as worship of God is cast aside and Christians grow secularized and worldly, the presence of evil returns to cause devastation, harm and death to many, and wars and threats of war.

This is exactly what Jesus warned about in this verse! When grains of salt lose their saltiness, it’s good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled. Same with godly Christians; we start thinking like worldly people and doing like them, and right away we lose our influence for good. No positive flavour.

The taste or tastelessness of salt is obvious to anyone who has a lick. It shouldn’t be hard to tell whether we have lost our flavour as pure and godly people in our society. If we detect this, let’s not despair and throw ourselves out of God’s grace too quickly.

Instead, let’s go to Him in prayer begging to be re-flavoured.

PRAYER: Oh God, You are quite able to transform me, and put Your flavour fresh into me, so that when people meet me, they get a taste of You! And they’ll want more. Please make me salty again with the purity and righteousness I can only gain by faith in Christ Jesus Your Son. Spread me out where You want more flavour in the world. A flavour of goodness, love, mercy, and peace.

+++++Jesus is my King+++++Jesus is my King+++++

Blessings on you Today!
Ruth Marlene Friesen

P.S. Need a Friend? You’ll soon think of Ruthe as your friend, when you read Ruthe’s Secret Roses

If you’ve missed the earlier devotional pieces, you can find them in the archives at http://blogs.Ruthes-SecretRoses.com/daily-devotional/ Choose the category: The Kingdom of Jesus, or - under Archives, for the month you want to see.

See you on Monday! Have a great weekend!

“…and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad...”

I don’t feel like rejoicing when people are talking negatively and cruelly amongst themselves about me, or for that matter publically. (I don’t think I’ve experienced enough of the latter to count). Just even sensing that they are gossiping about me feels awful.

You don’t enjoy it any more, I’m sure.

Yet here Jesus says that we are very blessed or fortunate when people insult us, persecute us, and falsely say evil against us. He says we are to rejoice and be glad because we’re going to be greatly rewarded in Heaven. Besides, this is the same way the prophets of long ago were persecuted.

Does that comfort you yet? Me neither. Not much.

Let’s look at what those heavenly rewards are all about, and how the prophets perceived their suffering.

We are eligible to receive various crowns in Heaven, a real place with real people. Our Father-God, and our Saviour, Jesus, will both be visible, and we’ll be at home together. Crowns to be distributed as earned, representing the highest award and commendation from the God-head. When we see Jesus face to face, we will only desire to throw them at His feet in worship, giving Him the glory for anything we achieved - even if it was only staying true to Him right to a horrible martyr’s death.

Once we truly see Jesus and the majesty of our God, I suspect we’ll be glad of those crowns only because they give us something to give back to the One who did so much, so very much for us.

PRAYER: Oh Lord Jesus, You are worthy of our utmost devotion and endurance. If we loved You more, it would not be so scary to suffer and die for You. Then help us to fall deeper in love with You!

+++++Jesus is my King+++++Jesus is my King+++++

Blessings on you Today!
Ruth Marlene Friesen

P.S. Need a Friend? You’ll soon think of Ruthe as your friend, when you read Ruthe’s Secret Roses

As it is all across Saskatchewan, today is the day we’re suppose to go out and vote for a new town mayor and some council members. Dad and I both feel a bit at a loss. We don’t know the people of Hague that well, that we even know who some of these folks are, never mind what they stand for, or whether they would be good in these leadership roles.

The statistics for voting are sad. Only a small percentage make the effort most times when this comes around. In light of that, I’ve been encouraged that this year some of the candidates made an effort to distribute small flyers with their photo on it and a call to vote for them. Some paid the bulk rate to have them distributed to every mail box at the post office. One man has home made posters up on a number of power poles around town and a wooden sign on his own front lawn. I guess he’s hoping to garner a few more votes than just his own friends and relatives.

Should I vote for him to give him an A for his Effort? But what kind of spending will he vote for on council? I don’t even have a face to go with that name.

Dad has heard negative comments about the incumbent mayor, so we’re inclined to vote for the school secretary who is running as the first woman ever - for mayor. I know her only to see her. But knowing secretaries’ abilities generally to be organized and to get things accomplished should be in her favour.

So Dad has just talked himself into making the effort; he’s going to go vote as best as he knows how, and I’ll stop in there this afternoon on the way to the post office, and make a brave effort too. We’ll exercise our franchise and hope for the best.

My fight with SPA M MERs continues. I won’t bore you with the details, but I think I nearly have a different script ready to work. On the one site that was just overwhelming, I deleted my two of my email addresses on Monday and so far not a peep! But I’m not sure how long that will last. I’m marking the days.

This morning I found myself telling off a “Rev.” in my head when I meant to be praying! All because she had the gall to spam me on my from on my gospel song page. I’m now in danger of sinning with tremendous anger over this garbage. I really do need to find a conclusive solution so I can move on to other work.

Speaking of other work - I finally have my Google-appealing sitemaps done for the business site, and just need to finish listing those on all the right places. Then I’ll turn that hour into a marketing and promotional time each day. Although you can be sure I’ll be using only ethical ways.

On the last weekend I finished a kids’ book for my great-nephew Calvin. It took longer than I’d anticipated, but I’m glad it’s done and on it’s way to him in B.C. May it bless him as he learns his ABCs in Plaut Dietsche. (or Low German).

By the way, the invitation to subscribe to my daily devotional blog, “Kingdom of Jesus” (Mon. thru Friday) is still open. Either bookmark the blog, at Daily Devotionals or join the double-opt-in mailing list

Once upon a time, in the late 20th century, there was this salesperson at a video dating club (no lie…) who wanted to be a writer. NOT a poor, destitute writer. No ramen noodles for this boy. He wanted to make some nice scratch. One tiny problem: he had NO writing background and NO paid professional writing experience. In fact, he’d never written anything for money.

But one day, he stumbled across the field of freelance commercial writing, where writing buyers will pay smart, strategic scribes rates of $50-$125+ an hour. The light bulb went on. (for more see The Well-Fed Writer)

I had been happily playing with one cousin in our small village, Chortitz, when another cousin arrived with her family from a distance for a visit. At first we both made a fuss over the visiting cousin and played together under the spreading oak tree. After a while I noticed the cousins were whispering together, and leaving me out of their plans for their next move. I tried to get closer and be part of their secret sharing, but the one shoved me and told me to go home. I was too young for them.

Hurt, I turned and dragged my feet in the gravel as I went home.

After the visiting relatives left, my usual playmate cousin soon wanted me to come play again, and she acted as if nothing had happened between us. But I grew up with this constant caution that people didn’t find me acceptable.

Have you had similar experiences? If someone is well-known and popular, do you hold back too from getting close, because — well, they can’t possibly want to include you in their circle?

I suspect a lot of shyness begins this way. It also leads to us missing out on many relationships and things we could do, if we but had the courage to believe we would be welcome and treated as an equal.

There is one very special relationship though, that I’ve had since even those childhood, girlish friendship years, where I have discovered that I am welcome and treated royally. I owe my very mental health and my courage to dare to dream and do things I might never touch to this unique friendship. The Lord Jesus always has time for me, gives me His undivided attention when I need to talk or mull things over in His presence, and He treats me just any of His other world famous ‘best friends.’ What’s more, I believe that when I have an unusually bright idea, it is because He has whispered a secret suggestion to me. When I carefully, open-heartedly read the Bible I often get the sense that He is confiding these truths to me. If I act on them, it is as if the two of us are doing them together!

The good news I have for you, is that Jesus and I are not exclusive in our friendship. We’ll let you in!

I’m confident that because He has all the traits of God, He is perfectly capable of having thousands and millions of other relationships with other people. Close Friendships like He and I have, yet each one individually tailored for the person who wants such a close friendship with Him. I have no fear of ‘losing Him’ to you. Nor do you have to worry that your friendship with Jesus is of less value than mine.

Each of our friendships can of course, always grow deeper and richer. No need to worry that He will push me away, to make room for you as a friend.

Besides, knowing that we both know and love the same perfect Friend, can help us to become good friends too! That’s one of the perks in my friendship with Jesus; He knows how much I appreciate having friends so He keeps connecting me with others that He knows will bless me and give me joy! He delights in all my new friendships.

Oh, He’s the BEST Friend in the whole universe! I recommend Him highly to you!

[Note; in case you’re wondering; yes, I am writing more articles on this topic and themes in my novel. I have a reason for this ].

……….
Read sample chapters of my first novel online, starting at the beginning

Order the e-book to download and read on your computer; order the ebook (or if you email me, we can make a deal and I’ll send it to you on CD).

You can order the softcover paperback from Booklocker.com

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

If this is the first time you are discovering this it will seem very strange, the reverse of normal to you. Some of us have heard it so often that we’re almost asleep when we hear this. We probably haven’t suffered much persecution either.

This blessing doesn’t apply to all who are picked on, harassed, teased, or attacked for just any reason. It applies to those who, for the sake of their righteous faith and deeds are picked on, harassed, tormented, imprisoned, beaten bloody, denied food and water, hung by their thumbs, or many things worse, and even killed.

These are the ones who can be happy and cheerful, assured of God’s goodness towards them, and confident of going to Heaven. The stories of the martyrs confirm that it was so for them. How positive and unflinching they were at their torturous deaths.

Many times we read of those who watched, or even those assigned to be their executioners, were so affected that they converted on the spot to faith in Christ. This blessing Jesus pronounced on those who suffer for His name’s sake does come to pass.

As a child I used to worry that when facing a firing squad I might recant. Then I read in a children’s feature from Back to the Bible, that God just gives us grace for today. When the day comes that we really must die for Christ, we’ll receive the grace to do so. I haven’t been troubled with that thought since.

So live out your faith boldly and unashamedly. Have no cringing thoughts about what people might do to you for walking with the Lord; Jesus promises here that you will be blessed and have the kingdom of Heaven, and great will be your reward there.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I want to start loving You unreservedly, without fear of persecution, because You will bless with abundant blessings! Thank You!

+++++Jesus is my King+++++Jesus is my King+++++

Blessings on you Today!
Ruth Marlene Friesen

P.S. I come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses, and the voice I hear, falling on my ear…. Ruthe’s Secret Roses, my novel, illustrates that dear song!

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God.”

To be called the son or daughter of someone, means the one so naming you thinks you are just like that parent figure. Somehow that person sees a strong resemblance.

So? Do you mind being thought of as a child of God’s?

It is in the context of being peacemakers that Jesus says we will be called sons, or daughters, of God. This implies that God is a peacemaker, and we are just like Him when we try to settle quarrels and arguments. Stop to think, are you trying to live peaceably with others, and to settle differences before they blow up into huge problems or wars?

You are probably not in politics or involved in international intrigue. We’re also talking of our family and personal lives. This doesn’t mean we are never at cross-purposes with anyone; the question is, do you desire and look for ways to settle the matter? It’s amazing how often we do find a way to peace once we earnestly desire it.

I can think of several instances though, when I sought to bring peace to a situation, and it was only possible by some sort of sacrifice of my own time or intentions. Especially at the beginning, it has not come easily to set aside my own hurts and focus on comforting and solving the problems of someone who has just wounded me. Being a peacemaker has its costs.

Ah, but we will be known as the son or daughter of God! Jesus said so. Others will say so too. This should motivate us to really put great effort into speaking for, negotiating, and striving towards peace in any and all situations.

PRAYER: Help me, Father-God, to be a peacemaker just like You! Help me to desire peace more than I do. I probably don’t want it yet as much as You do.

+++++Jesus is my King+++++Jesus is my King+++++

Blessings on you Today!
Ruth Marlene Friesen

P.S. God tells me I am His own - does He ever tell you that? You can find out how by reading my novel, Ruthe’s Secret Roses