It was an ordinary day in the Temple. Scribes, Chief Priests, and Sadducees were trying to trap Jesus into saying something for which they could arrest Him. As always, He perceived their hearts and answered in ways that left them speechless.
Elsewhere I the temple people were bringing their monetary gifts into the treasury. Then it happened. A poor widow lovingly placed her gift into the treasury. Any other day, she would have come, deposited her tiny gift, and left - without being noticed by anyone else. But on this day something very special happened.
Jesus saw her. And he saw not just her physical appearance - He saw her heart, and the faith with which she deposited "all that she had to live on" (Luke 21:4). Of all the people in the Temple that day, Jesus noticed this poor widow and her gift given out of her incredible faith.
We do not know from scripture whether this widow ever knew that Jesus noticed her. But we certainly read Jesus's reaction. He saw her and He told everyone to follow her example of faith.
Very often we might tend to feel lonely. Especially when our spouse is gone, we go through times in which we wonder if anyone notices us or cares about us. Please read these words carefully: God sees you. He notices you. He knows your heart. He loves you. He is watching out for you.
A widow 2000 years ago or a widow(er) today: Jesus sees. He sees you. You are not alone.
Will you rest in that knowledge today?
Psalm 23:4 - "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me…." God is with you. May He fill you with grace and peace today.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Monday, October 29, 2012
Free Resources from Whitaker Writings
I have a number of free resources available on my main website, www.whitakerwritings.com.
Click HERE to find some free articles that might encourage you today.
Click HERE to listen to some sermons I've preached.
Click HERE to listen to a seminar I gave a couple of years ago, "Handling Hardship with Hope." On that page I have also included pdf files of the handouts I prepared for that workshop.
May these resources bless and encourage you today!
Click HERE to find some free articles that might encourage you today.
Click HERE to listen to some sermons I've preached.
Click HERE to listen to a seminar I gave a couple of years ago, "Handling Hardship with Hope." On that page I have also included pdf files of the handouts I prepared for that workshop.
May these resources bless and encourage you today!
Thursday, October 25, 2012
October 25
Exactly nine years ago today, Cynthia Whitaker passed from this life into eternity. The car accident was so violent that she died before any emergency personnel arrived.**
Amid the feelings of shock and grief, I was so thankful to know that Cyndi followed Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. She had a personal relationship with Christ. Because of this, I knew she was in heaven, and that she was full of peace and joy like she had never known on this earth. At times I was almost jealous that she got there first, but I'm sure I'll be there in 50 years or so, because I too have given my life to Jesus. In the meantime, I will continue to show great love to my dear wife Kristin and our three growing children (all of whom have also given their lives to Jesus).
Dear reader, I wish I could speak with you face-to-face so you could look me in the eye and see the deep sincerity with which I communicate these words: Life is precious and life is short. We never know when our earthly life will end. I pray that you, too, have given your heart to Jesus Christ. You never know when your earthly days will end, so it's not something you want to put off until "a more convenient time." How about now?
I like to explain the steps very simply, using the letters A-B-C-D:
*A - ADMIT you are a sinner. If you've ever told a lie or taken something that wasn't yours, that makes you a sinner. The Bible tells us we are ALL sinners: "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
*B - BELIEVE that Jesus died on the cross to save you from your sins. "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).
*C - CONFESS that Jesus is your Savior. "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved" (Romans 10:9-10).
*D - DEPART from the sinful things you have been doing. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17).
If you want to ask Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, you can pray a simple prayer like this: "Dear Father, I know I am a sinner. I believe that You sent Jesus Christ into the world to save people from their sins. I ask You now to forgive my sins. I want to turn away from my sin and follow Your way. I want Jesus to be my Savior and Lord. Thank you for showing Your great love for me. Amen."
If you prayed that prayer with all the sincerity of your heart, then you are now a follower of Jesus Christ. I urge you to find a good church that teaches the Bible every week, and start spending time with other people who follow Christ. I encourage you to start reading the Bible - perhaps you might start with reading the gospel of John - to learn more about the God of the universe and His Son, Jesus Christ.
We never know when our earthly days will end. Cyndi didn't know that October 25, 2003, would be her last day on this earth. She had no way to know that she would die at the age of 30. But she was ready to meet her Savior.
Are you?
__________________
**If you're interested in reading more of my personal story, you can read it in two parts (click these links to pull up each post):
Part 1
Part 2
Amid the feelings of shock and grief, I was so thankful to know that Cyndi followed Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. She had a personal relationship with Christ. Because of this, I knew she was in heaven, and that she was full of peace and joy like she had never known on this earth. At times I was almost jealous that she got there first, but I'm sure I'll be there in 50 years or so, because I too have given my life to Jesus. In the meantime, I will continue to show great love to my dear wife Kristin and our three growing children (all of whom have also given their lives to Jesus).
Dear reader, I wish I could speak with you face-to-face so you could look me in the eye and see the deep sincerity with which I communicate these words: Life is precious and life is short. We never know when our earthly life will end. I pray that you, too, have given your heart to Jesus Christ. You never know when your earthly days will end, so it's not something you want to put off until "a more convenient time." How about now?
I like to explain the steps very simply, using the letters A-B-C-D:
*A - ADMIT you are a sinner. If you've ever told a lie or taken something that wasn't yours, that makes you a sinner. The Bible tells us we are ALL sinners: "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
*B - BELIEVE that Jesus died on the cross to save you from your sins. "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).
*C - CONFESS that Jesus is your Savior. "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved" (Romans 10:9-10).
*D - DEPART from the sinful things you have been doing. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17).
If you want to ask Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, you can pray a simple prayer like this: "Dear Father, I know I am a sinner. I believe that You sent Jesus Christ into the world to save people from their sins. I ask You now to forgive my sins. I want to turn away from my sin and follow Your way. I want Jesus to be my Savior and Lord. Thank you for showing Your great love for me. Amen."
If you prayed that prayer with all the sincerity of your heart, then you are now a follower of Jesus Christ. I urge you to find a good church that teaches the Bible every week, and start spending time with other people who follow Christ. I encourage you to start reading the Bible - perhaps you might start with reading the gospel of John - to learn more about the God of the universe and His Son, Jesus Christ.
We never know when our earthly days will end. Cyndi didn't know that October 25, 2003, would be her last day on this earth. She had no way to know that she would die at the age of 30. But she was ready to meet her Savior.
Are you?
__________________
**If you're interested in reading more of my personal story, you can read it in two parts (click these links to pull up each post):
Part 1
Part 2
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
"How can I survive on my own?"
When our spouse dies, one of our first questions is probably this: "How can I survive on my own?" For the years we were married, we leaned on our spouse for comfort and encouragement. We laughed together and cried together. We argued occasionally, but we came out together fighting on the same team. We faced challenges together, drawing strength from one another to overcome any obstacle. We honed one another's ideas and helped each other become better, wiser people.
When my wife died, I remember feeling incomplete. Almost immediately I missed her wisdom in making decisions regarding the house or the children. I missed being able to share good things from my workday. I craved her listening ear and her encouraging words when I had a bad day. I missed hearing her own stories about the day.
On top of that I faced fears about how I could survive the day-to-day practical needs of life all by myself. I had to care for two preschool-aged children. I had to cook and clean and pay the bills without any help. Going to the store, buying clothes for the kids, fixing things around the house, making big decisions - in every area I missed the help of my wife, my partner, my best friend.
I was lonely. I was overwhelmed. I wondered how I could possibly survive.
Can you relate?
Through that time I did three things that helped tremendously:
1) I took comfort in the constant presence of God. Many scripture passages remind us of God's presence, but for now I'll share just one from Isaiah 41:10: "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
2) I simplified my life as much as possible. I developed hairstyles for myself and my children that I could cut and style without having to go to a professional. I bought all the same kind of socks - one style for my daughter and another style for my son - to save the time and frustration of sorting socks in the laundry. I developed a bill-paying system I could easily follow so I wouldn't miss a payment. I bought a chest freezer so I could bulk-buy meats, vegetables, and easy-to-prepare dinners.
3) I gratefully accepted the gracious help of others. People generously offered us home-cooked meals, childcare, play dates with their own kids, rides to school or church, and hand-me-down clothes. People were not offending my sense of independence; they were genuinely trying to help me during a time I most needed help. I am glad I humbled myself and accepted their help, praying there might be a day I could pass the blessing on to others who might be need similar help in the future.
If you have recently lost your spouse, please know that you CAN survive this time. Accept the generous offers of help from family or friends. Find ways to simplify daily tasks so they are manageable. And above all, rest in the constant presence of our faithful Lord. He is with you even now. As you look to Him, He will fill you with peace and provide for your every need.
When my wife died, I remember feeling incomplete. Almost immediately I missed her wisdom in making decisions regarding the house or the children. I missed being able to share good things from my workday. I craved her listening ear and her encouraging words when I had a bad day. I missed hearing her own stories about the day.
On top of that I faced fears about how I could survive the day-to-day practical needs of life all by myself. I had to care for two preschool-aged children. I had to cook and clean and pay the bills without any help. Going to the store, buying clothes for the kids, fixing things around the house, making big decisions - in every area I missed the help of my wife, my partner, my best friend.
I was lonely. I was overwhelmed. I wondered how I could possibly survive.
Can you relate?
Through that time I did three things that helped tremendously:
1) I took comfort in the constant presence of God. Many scripture passages remind us of God's presence, but for now I'll share just one from Isaiah 41:10: "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
2) I simplified my life as much as possible. I developed hairstyles for myself and my children that I could cut and style without having to go to a professional. I bought all the same kind of socks - one style for my daughter and another style for my son - to save the time and frustration of sorting socks in the laundry. I developed a bill-paying system I could easily follow so I wouldn't miss a payment. I bought a chest freezer so I could bulk-buy meats, vegetables, and easy-to-prepare dinners.
3) I gratefully accepted the gracious help of others. People generously offered us home-cooked meals, childcare, play dates with their own kids, rides to school or church, and hand-me-down clothes. People were not offending my sense of independence; they were genuinely trying to help me during a time I most needed help. I am glad I humbled myself and accepted their help, praying there might be a day I could pass the blessing on to others who might be need similar help in the future.
If you have recently lost your spouse, please know that you CAN survive this time. Accept the generous offers of help from family or friends. Find ways to simplify daily tasks so they are manageable. And above all, rest in the constant presence of our faithful Lord. He is with you even now. As you look to Him, He will fill you with peace and provide for your every need.
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