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The Adoption: It Can Be Heavenly

Some of us adopt children. Some of us adopt dogs. Some of us get adopted, and it can be Heavenly!

Have you been adopted by God into His family? As I end each of my blog posts, I always say, “May God call you to Himself.”

Where did I get that idea from? Straight out of the Bible, which is the Word of God.

“God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.” (Ephesians 1:5)

You see, God wants us to come to Him. He calls each one of us by name! He hopes you’ll answer His call with a resounding “yes.” Yet, God gives us the free will to choose Him or reject Him.

Many people lack the understanding that without Jesus Christ, the Savior, we are not free. We are held by bondage to the enemy and to sin.

That’s why: “God sent Him [Jesus Christ] to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as His very own children.” (Galatians 4:5)

Every child who is an orphan yearns for parents to adopt them. Aren’t you at least open to being adopted by God? God is pure love, and He created us in love. We have the opportunity to be adopted by the best father of all, our Heavenly Father!

God tells us what He did when we were first created in the womb. He tells us that He already called us to Himself BEFORE we were ever born! That’s amazing! Not only that, the scripture that follows also tells us that He called us by our name!

“The Lord called me before my birth; from within the womb he called me by name.” (Isaiah 49:1)

“You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb.” (Psalm 139:13)

God explains that we are all a part of Himself, the olive tree. We are the branches that are grafted into the tree when we believe in God. We must confess our sins, forgive others, believe in our heart that Jesus Christ died and rose again as our Savior, and accept His forgiveness. When we accept the free gift of grace – our salvation, we are saved from the separation of our Heavenly Father, and we are joined with Him in Heavenly places and within our own heart. Before that, by nature, we were a branch cut off from the tree. Yet, God “did something contrary to nature” by grafting us into the tree when we first believed.

 “You, by nature, were a branch cut from a wild olive tree. So if God was willing to do something contrary to nature by grafting you into his cultivated tree, He will be far more eager to graft the original branches back into the tree where they belong.” (Romans 11:24)

It is important to understand that the Jews were God’s original branches from the beginning, but these branches were cut off because they didn’t believe in Jesus Christ as their Messiah. In restoration, every Jew has the opportunity and will still have the ability to understand that he or she can be re-grafted back into the tree. God is “more” than “eager” to re-graft His own Chosen People (the Jews) back in. 

“And if the people of Israel turn from their unbelief, they will be grafted in again, for God has the power to graft them back into the tree.” (Romans 11:23)

Don’t you want to be adopted into the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven? There will be no more tears, no more pain, no more fear, and there will be amazing love, peace, and unity! Please consider being grafted in and realize that you have a Heavenly place awaiting your affirmative choice to be called a Child of God. You have a Heavenly Father whose name is God who loves you more than any other. He is calling your name!

Don’t be lost to the enemy’s hands. God wants you to seek Him. He wants you to know Him. He wants you to love Him back, but He will never force you. He gives us all the choice to be adopted! It can be heavenly, but it's your choice!

Until we virtually meet again, may God call you to Himself.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

God’s Word for Today: “I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” (Mark 10:16 and Luke 18:17)

Copyright © 2018 by Patricia Shehan

All scripture is quoted from various translations of the Holy Bible (God’s Word) with permission. All scriptures are set with italics added (my emphasis).

Hallowed Means

Hallowed means ... not Halloween!

As we approach "Halloween," which I do not condone or celebrate, I find it strange that the word is so similar to another word we know and use: hallowed.

I do understand that it's fun for the kids to dress up and get candy on Halloween. I used to enjoy it, too, and so did my kids. However, I didn’t understand the meaning behind it at the time.

The definition of Halloween is the night of October 31, when people dress in disguises, go trick-or-treating, and display lit, carved pumpkins. Many also display cobwebs, spiders, monsters, witches, and goblins. Why? Because most people, I’ve found, think nothing of it.

Yet, Halloween originates in paganism and everything that is unholy. Most of the decorations and costumes are evil and scary.

Personally, I dislike going into the local stores to see and hear witches and monsters with sensors in them causing them to scream or make unpleasant sounds as I walk by them.

In the world today, with school shootings, mass killings, and threats of death all around, we can only be safe in our salvation. “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28)

Now, think about the word "Hallowed," which is close in sound and spelling to Halloween, and yet it is a word used in the Lord's prayer.

Hallowed means to be honored as holy, to make holy or be sanctified, to be blessed and greatly revered and respected.

When we say "hallowed be thy name" in the Lord’s prayer, we are showing honor and respect to God's name. We are showing holy respect and blessing to God. Let's be mindful of the word as we pray the Lord's prayer, and do not ever confuse it with the word so close in spelling and sound.

“And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.” (Luke 1:1)

“And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.” (Luke 1:2-4)

Also note that when God created the Sabbath day, the seventh day, He also hallowed it. He blessed the day, making it holy to be respected and to honor Him.

“For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.” (Exodus 20:11)

Until we virtually meet again, may God call you to Himself.

God’s Word for Today: “Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” (Exodus 20:8)

Copyright © 2018 by Patricia Shehan

All scripture is quoted from various translations of the Holy Bible (God’s Word) with permission. All scriptures are set with italics added (my emphasis).

The Gathering

When I found out about a Christian singles retreat, I really felt called to make all attempts to go. The big plus was that it was going to be held in the mountains of North Carolina. I’ve wanted to visit the area, and this was a great opportunity to go. This was also on my short bucket list! I’ve been talking about visiting the state for the last 3 years!

I was going to be attending the gathering. I got to know the person I was riding along with a whole lot better as we traveled. He is the co-leader for a singles small group I was able to start through my church, and I’m pleased to have a great man of God to serve alongside me.

The gathering was located in the perfect setting. It was at a beautiful place in the valley of the mountains.

We were able to go on an excursion to hike up the mountain at Dupont National Forest in Hendersonville, North Carolina. The majestic scene of a huge waterfall was magnificent and well worth every step to get there, although this picture just doesn’t do it the justice it deserves!

At the gathering, everyone (except my co-leader) was a stranger going in, but by the time I left, I found that I had made multiple new friends from around the country, and even one new friend from outside the country!

In fact, I wrote the following statement on Facebook: “I have never met so many loving strangers before in my life! Feeling the love of God! Strangers no more!”

On another note, have you ever seen vultures gathering to feast on a dead animal? The Bible describes them in the following way:

“Just as the gathering of vultures shows there is a carcass nearby, so these signs indicate that the end is near.” (Matthew 24:28)

God is preparing the way to Heaven and to Hell. He did not create Hell for mankind, but it doesn’t mean that some people won’t end up there anyway.

“He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.” (Luke 3:17)

I sure want to be found in the wheat, not the chaff. I pray that I will be found working for the Lord when He calls us home to Heaven. Isn’t that where you want to be found, too?

If the Lord had returned while I was at the retreat, I certainly wouldn’t have minded one bit. I would finally be home, and I would see my granddaughter alive! Yet, I have much to accomplish here on this earth, so it wasn’t time just yet to leave that gathering in that way.

The disciples questioned Jesus about the time of the gathering that he spoke of as written in the Holy Bible. Jesus tells them that the angels will be sent first to gather the chosen ones.

Are you chosen? If you have been saved, then you’re chosen and you will be there for the gathering.

“And He will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world — from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.” (Matthew 24:31)

And then:

“For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16)

Then we will be gathered to enter into the great feast God will have ready for us in Heaven! What an awesome thing to imagine!

... “Come! Gather together for the great banquet God has prepared.” (Revelation 19:17)

If you don’t know if you are saved, or if you don’t understand salvation, please write to me and let’s talk. I am praying for you.

Until we virtually meet again, may God call you to Himself.

God’s Word for Today: “Cry out, ‘Save us, O God of our salvation! Gather and rescue us from among the nations, so we can thank your holy name and rejoice and praise you.’ ” (1 Chronicles 16:35)

Copyright © 2018 by Patricia Shehan

All scripture is quoted from various translations of the Holy Bible (God’s Word) with permission. All scriptures are set with italics added (my emphasis).