Wednesday, June 19, 2019
Grand Opening!
Today is the Grand Opening of my new website: www.bethvice.com. My first blog is at this link: https://bethvice.com/2019/06/19/welcome-to-my-new-website/. I hope you take some time to surf my new location. I think you'll be pleased with the new, easy to use format. I'm so excited about having everything together in one place!
Be sure to sign up as a Follower, even if you're already a Follower here, so you automatically receive word of new posts, books, and writing news. To comment, simply click the title and a comment box will appear for you to type in your message to publish. That simple!
I hope you like what you find. Keep your eyes peeled for more freebies available soon!
Friday, June 7, 2019
Look for my new website!
It shouldn't be long now until you can find both my blogs--Epiphany and Finding Strength in God, in one handy location. My new website address is www.bethvice.com. It will include all my writing and speaking news, regular blog entries, and free downloads to help you grow in the Lord and do fun stuff.
I apologize for my lapse in posting. I have been very busy keeping things afloat while my husband and I add a huge addition to our vacation rental in Central Oregon. He has been driving back and forth (four hours each way) every weekend for almost nine months now to get the work done. We're nearing the end and we will be so happy when life gets back to normal. At least as normal as it ever gets for us.
I've also taken on a new staff position with Oregon Christian Writers as the In-Person Critique Group Coordinator and the response of our members has been astounding. So exciting when writers want to get together for regular work sessions!
Even with all that's going on, I have missed writing to you and hearing what God is doing in your lives as well. It won't be long until I can post more often.
As a special perk, when you sign up as a follower on my new website, I will send you a FREE download: "When You Can't See a Way Out."
Watch for more news in the very near future.
I apologize for my lapse in posting. I have been very busy keeping things afloat while my husband and I add a huge addition to our vacation rental in Central Oregon. He has been driving back and forth (four hours each way) every weekend for almost nine months now to get the work done. We're nearing the end and we will be so happy when life gets back to normal. At least as normal as it ever gets for us.
I've also taken on a new staff position with Oregon Christian Writers as the In-Person Critique Group Coordinator and the response of our members has been astounding. So exciting when writers want to get together for regular work sessions!
Even with all that's going on, I have missed writing to you and hearing what God is doing in your lives as well. It won't be long until I can post more often.
As a special perk, when you sign up as a follower on my new website, I will send you a FREE download: "When You Can't See a Way Out."
Watch for more news in the very near future.
Saturday, April 20, 2019
Easter Series: The Blood
The old hymn keeps running through my head this week:
The blood that
Jesus shed for me
Way back on Calvary,
The blood that gives
me strength from day to day—
It will never lose
its power.
It reaches to the
highest mountain.
It flows to the
lowest valley.
The blood that gives
me strength from day to day—It will never lose its power.
Why is blood so
powerful? Can Jesus’ blood really give us eternal life or is it just a grisly
throwback from ancient tradition?
We know blood is
essential both for what it brings in and what it takes away. As it travels throughout
our body it brings life-giving oxygen and nutrients to every cell. On its way back
to the heart, our blood carries away waste products that would poison us if not
for this miraculous internal cleansing process.
The practice of bloodletting
in order to “balance the humors” began in Egypt, then spread to Greece, Rome,
Asia, and Europe and continued even into the 19th century. This dangerous
medical practice drastically weakens patients, reduces their ability to fight
infection and disease, and has killed many who might otherwise have survived.
We know blood is
essential to our physical bodies. You can watch a person’s life ebb away when
they lose too much blood. Everything was going fine when I gave birth to my
oldest daughter at home, until the placenta refused to disengage. It had
embedded too deeply into my uterine wall and wouldn’t detach. I lost more and
more blood in my efforts to deliver. Our midwife urged my husband to get me to
the hospital quickly before I got any weaker. I think he ran every red light on
the way in his panic. (Thankfully it was in the middle of the night so there
wasn’t much traffic.)
Many colloquialisms
come from the importance blood plays in our lives
- we show commitment and loyalty by making a pact with a “blood brother"
- we say “blood is thicker than water” regarding family relationships
- someone with murderous intent is “after blood”
- we hold “blood drives” to save lives with donations
We find references
to blood all through the Bible.
The life is in the blood: God told Moses, “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it
to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that
makes atonement for one’s life.” (Leviticus 17:11).
There is no forgiveness without blood: “In fact, the law
requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the
shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22).
The sacrifice has to be pure; only the blood of Jesus will do:
“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or
gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from
your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb
without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of
the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through
him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so
your faith and hope are in God” (1 Peter 1:18-21).
With all we know about
the importance of blood, hearing Jesus’ blood can cleanse us spiritually doesn’t
seem all that far-fetched. Asking Him to be our Lord and Savior is like asking
for a blood-transfusion. He replaces our sin-infected blood with His pure and sinless
blood. He carried away
our sins when He gave himself as our sacrifice on the cross, and fills us with life-giving Spirit-oxygenated blood. Jesus’ blood covers and
transforms into His likeness those who put their trust in Him, so when they stand before God they appear
spotless and sin-free. What an amazing process!
Today, if you have
shied away from all the blood-talk of Christianity, I challenge you to think
again. Search your heart. Examine nature. Ask God to show you the truth and
trust His love for you. You can be reborn today and celebrate Easter for the
very first time as part of the family of God—blood kin.
Happy Easter!
#lifeinblood
#bloodsacrifice #cleansefromsin #forgivenesssblood #bloodspower
Wednesday, April 17, 2019
Easter Series: The Crown
courtesy of pro-church media, unsplash |
When I think
of crowns, I think of kings, queens...and Jesus. Words from Handel’s Messiah
spring to life, “Who is this King of glory?” That was what
came to mind when Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem—symbolizing a king coming
in peace. They said, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name
of the Lord” (Luke 19).
So I thought it
strange when most references to crowns in scripture are not about
Jesus, but about us! Only two were direct references to Christ—His crown of
suffering and His crown of glory. The rest are an amazing mixture of gifts and
promises.
There’s the
crown of rescue:
“Praise the Lord, my soul; all
my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and
forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who
redeems your life from the pit and
crowns you with love and compassion, who
satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like
the eagle’s. The Lord works righteousness and
justice for all the oppressed.” Psalm 103:1-6, emphasis added.
A victor’s
crown:
“For the Lord
takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory. Let
his faithful people rejoice in this honor and sing for joy on their beds.”
Psalm 149:4-5, emphasis added.
From grief and loss to joy and beauty:
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because
the Lord has anointed
me to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the
captives and
release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year
of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our
God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead
of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead
of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting
of the Lord for the display of his splendor.”
Isaiah 61:1-3, emphasis added.
The transformation from the shame of sin...
“Joy is gone from our hearts; our dancing has turned to
mourning. The crown has
fallen from our head. Woe to us, for
we have sinned!” Lamentations 5:15-16, emphasis added.
...to being jewels in our
King’s crown:
“The Lord
their God will save his people on that day as a shepherd saves his flock. They will sparkle in his land like jewels
in a crown. How attractive and beautiful they will be!”
Zechariah 9:16-17, emphasis added.
Why should we get all these crowns? It is Jesus Christ who deserves them. Yet man mocked
His right to rule:
“You are a king, then!”
said Pilate.
“Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king.’ “Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again, saying, ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ And they slapped him in the face…When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, ‘Here is the man!’” John 18:37; 19:1-3, 5
But Jesus’ willingness to endure shame and suffering for us, gave us the chance to become royalty:
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” 1 Cor. 9:24-25
We can even be a crown for our spiritual mentors:
“Therefore, my brothers
and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my
joy and crown…!” Philippians 4:1. “For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the
presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed,
you are our glory and joy.” 1
Thessalonians 2:19-20.
Our crowns are the reward for faithfulness to Christ’s teaching
and example:
“No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs,
but rather tries to please his commanding officer. Similarly,
anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by
competing according to the rules.” 2 Timothy 2:4-5.
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have
kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge,
will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have
longed for his appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:7-8.
“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having
stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”
James 1:12.
Diligent and humble leaders get crowns that last forever:
“Be
shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not
because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not
pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it
over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And
when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.” 1 Peter 5:2-4.
And Jesus promised rewards for those who endure persecution: “‘Do
not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put
some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten
days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your
victor’s crown.’”
Revelation 2:10.
‘“Since you have kept my
command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that
is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. I
am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so
that no one will take your crown.’” Revelation 3:10-11.
The funny thing is, as soon as we get to heaven and receive our crowns,
one look at Jesus and we give them all away!
“The
twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him
who lives for ever and ever. They lay
their crowns before the throne and say: “You are worthy,
our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, or you created all
things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” Revelation
4:10-11.
There, finally, Jesus will finally wear the crown He deserves, and
not just one, but many crowns, because
He is sovereign over all the kingdoms
of the earth.
“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white
horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and
wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns.”
Revelation 19:11-12.
Crown Him with many crowns, the Lamb upon the throne!
#Jesuscrown #crownofthorns #manycrowns #crownofglory #crownofvictory
#crownofbeauty
Monday, April 15, 2019
Easter Series: The Tears
Have you noticed that babies cry a lot? If you have a new baby at home you’re
probably rolling your eyes, or bobbing your head in zombie-fashion for lack of
sleep. Jesus cried. He got hungry like other babies, needed his diaper changed,
and needed comforting. He experienced pain and hunger. He was fully man and
fully God. He came to testify to the truth (John 18:37) and was willing to
become one of us so we would believe what He said is true.
If I was God, I would have hesitated to send my Son to a planet infected
with sin, sickness, temptation, and heartache. But He did it so Jesus could
conquer Satan’s power over us. “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too
shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him
who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their
lives were held in slavery by their fear of death” (Hebrews 2:14-15).
Jesus also shed tears. The shortest verse of the Bible is, “Jesus wept”
(John 11:35). His dear friend Lazarus had died. Maybe He cried because death was
not God’s plan for us; it came because of sin. Or He was grieved for His friend
and family’s suffering, as well as His own. Even though Jesus was there to
raise Lazarus from the dead, He experienced the pain of death first.
When Jesus arrived at Jerusalem not long after that, He was again overwhelmed
with sorrow. This time in longing. “Jerusalem,
Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I
have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under
her wings, and you were not willing” (Matthew 23:37; Luke 13:34).
God wants to gather, cover, and protect us like a mother hen with her
brood, but since the first sin in the Garden of Eden, we’ve rebelled against
His care. Jesus was about to feel this
rejection in an even more personal way.
Before He was arrested, He prayed for release from this assignment. I’m
sure He shed tears. “‘Father, if you are
willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but
yours be done.’ An angel from heaven appeared to him
and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more
earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground” (Luke
22:42-44).
He accepted the plan laid out since the beginning of time. Jesus was
arrested, stripped, beaten, mocked, and nailed to a cross. The moment His
Father turned away from the sin heaped on Him there, Jesus cried in a depth of
anguish we cannot begin to understand, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken
me?” (Matthew 27:27:46). A moment like no other in history when the Godhead split.
After His final breath, Jesus was taken from the cross and wrapped in seventy pounds of spices then
laid in a borrowed tomb. It was sealed and guarded by Roman soldiers.
When Jesus rose from the dead three days later, the only tears shed by His followers were
happy ones of shock and relief. He spent forty days appearing to them,
explaining how this had been the plan from the beginning and the fulfillment of prophecy. Then He told them to tell the world about His offer of forgiveness!
The next time we see Jesus will either be the happiest of days or the worst--depending on what we have done with His offer. When He comes to
take all who have believed in Him and walked in His ways to heaven “‘He will
wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or
mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away”
(Revelation 21:4).
That makes me so happy that I want to cry. But instead maybe I will say,
“Halleluia! Come Lord Jesus.”
#didJesuscry #Eastertears #whydidJesusweep #nomoretears
Tuesday, April 9, 2019
Easter Series: The Robe
I saw her on the
corner of a busy road in a bright red bathrobe with large, white polka dots. She
repeatedly brought her fingertips together like a silent clap as she looked
vacantly around. Her frazzled white hair blew gently in the wind. I was glad her
remaining ensemble included green and blue plaid pajamas and black slippers since
it was chilly out. The 911 dispatcher promised me the police would do a welfare
check and get her safely home.
A robe can mean many
things—comfort, warmth, royalty, a cover-up. In these last weeks before Easter,
I’d like to explore four elements of Jesus’ story: The Robe, The Tears, The
Crown, and The Blood. Each tells
us more about Him and why Jesus Christ is vital to the celebration of
Easter.
Jesus’ robe was a
far cry from the old woman’s housecoat. Like other men and women of His time,
Jesus wore a linen tunic under a longer robe with sleeves. A man who went out
in just a tunic would be considered naked. Stripping prisoners before
crucifying them added shame to their pain. The soldiers gleefully taunted Jesus
like schoolyard bullies.
After His
arrest, “They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him....They put a staff in his
right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. ‘Hail, king of the
Jews!’ they said....After they had mocked
him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him
away to crucify him” (Matthew 27:28-31).
The Jews had
expected a Messiah to rescue them from Rome’s oppression. They rejected Jesus
because He came as Savior and King for all
mankind. We make the same mistake when we assume He comes to rule to our
advantage. Christ is not a piece of Easter décor like bunnies and eggs, or
someone we acknowledge only once a year. He is our King and deserving of worship every day.
Something else Jesus’
robe exposed is greed. Imagine what went through His mind as the soldiers gambled for His clothes while He
bled on the cross for them. “When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took
his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the
undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top
to bottom. ‘Let’s not tear it,’ they said to one another. ‘Let’s
decide by lot who will get it’” (John 19:23-24).
I hate to think I'm guilty of greed, but some of my prayers sound more like a wish list for Santa than an outpouring of gratitude to my Savior and Lord.
Our robes (spirits)
are stained by the thoughts, attitudes and works of sin. But Jesus’ death on
the cross made a way for our cleansing. “‘Come now, let us settle the matter,’ says the Lord. ‘Though
your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red
as crimson, they shall be like wool” (Isaiah 1:18). Exchanging our filth for
His purity is as simple as believing Jesus Christ is who He said He is, and asking Him to take away our sin. In exchange, He makes us clean (Isaiah
61:10).
No more wandering in slippers filthy from street walking. No more garments of hypocrisy, bitterness, or rage. No more fretting on the corner, lost and afraid in a red polka dot robe. Jesus gives us new clothes, not just for Easter, but for every day.
Finally, there will come a time when
we will see Jesus in His robe of glory. He will come to reign as King over all “dressed in a robe dipped in blood…On his robe and on his thigh he
has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords” (Revelation
19:13, 16).
Who do you think
Jesus is? On what have you based your decision? Was He confused and delusional, or is
He seated now at the right hand of God reigning in glory?
#Eastermessage
#Jesusrobe #whoisJesus #Saviorordelusion #mockorworship
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