Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts with the label Faith

True Christian Women

By Angela Wittman The Execution of Lady Jane Grey , by the French painter Paul Delaroche , 1833 Wikipedia 'Good people, I have come hither to die and by a law I am condemned to the same. The fact, indeed, against the Queen's Highness was unlawful and the consenting thereto by me. But touching the procurement and desire thereof by me or on my behalf I do wash my hands in innocence. Before God and the face of you, good Christian people, this day I pray you all, to bear me witness that I die a true Christian woman, and that I look to be saved by none other means, but only by the mercy of God, in the merits of the blood of his only son, Jesus Christ. And I confess, when I did know the word of God, I neglected the same, loved myself and the world, and thereto the plague or punishment is happily and worthily happened unto me for my sins. And yet, I thank God of His goodness that he hath thus given me a time and respite to repent. And now good people, while I am alive, I pray you to a

For Mother's Day 2016: 'In Honor of my Mother: Marsha Lawson Somers (1929 - 1995)'

Marsha Lillian (Lawson) Somers A woman of fierce family loyalty. Date of Birth: March 26, 1929 Father: Ace Levi Lawson (Feb. 1894 - Sept. 1972) Mother: Ester Anna Stone (Jan. 1908 - Dec. 1998) Marriage to Jesse C. Somers: March 26, 1957 Mother went to be with the Lord on New Year's Eve, (December 31, 1995) after a brief battle (approximately 6 months) with cancer. She was buried at Millers Chapel in Pettis County, Missouri, on January 5, 1996 during a soft snowfall which was mother's favorite seasonal event. (I can remember being ill in bed as a young child and mother taking a laundry basket outside to catch some snowflakes to bring into me; we both loved the soft snow so much.) Mom's Baby Picture Mother and me June 1958 Mom and Dad 1975 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God b

"The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit."

By Angela Wittman My mother in her early twenties - a victim of domestic violence. Those suffering from domestic abuse and violence have always been close to my heart. My mother was a victim of domestic violence as a young bride and I remember the stories she told of being beaten while pregnant with my older brother and how she had to flee from her husband in the middle of the night to save her own life. Also, as a Christian I cannot help but cry with those suffering, as we all should do, for as one member of the body of Christ hurts, so do we all. For those who have not experienced abuse or seen it in their own families and are seeking understanding on how to pray for or minister to the abused, I want to share this touching post by a Christian sister, Anna Grace Wood. I think that her post will give you a glimpse into the heart of someone who is hurting by the abuse of the one who is supposed to be her protector, and it will also show you the hope she has found in Christ in the midst

New Life for a Sinner

By Angela Wittman Chris and Matt - my boys. Love, Mom This winter season is proving to be a time of reflection and while I understand the need to occasionally take stock of one's life and review the past, the time spent before I became a follower of Christ holds regret. As a mother I fondly remember my sons as little boys who would pick their mommy dandelions and proclaim they wanted to marry someone like me. But, even those memories are tinged with regret as I didn't raise my sons in church, nor did I teach them about Jesus Christ. So, for me the past is bittersweet and yet, I see the good Lord's grace and care of me and my loved ones even when I did not know Him. I can remember wanting to pray, but not knowing how to or if the Lord would hear my prayers. I had been baptized as a teenager, but fell away from the church and didn't understand how I could be forgiven of my sins. I thought I needed to "clean myself up" before I could even attend church, much less

Facing Fear

By Angela Wittman As a follow-up to yesterday's post:  Thoughts on the Duggars, the Ninth Commandment, Reporting Child Sex Abuse and Repentance , I'd like to encourage those who are grappling with sins that others have committed against them. One of the hardest things for me to do is to confront others who have sinned against me.  I would rather walk away from any type of confrontation, but this isn't always possible, nor is it always the best course of action. I try to discern whether the offense is strictly personal or if it will impact others. If it hurts only me, I tend to lay it at the cross and place it in Christ's safe keeping, knowing He will do what is right and just. But if the offense is of a nature that it affects others or may lead to additional abuse, either physical, spiritual, or mental, then I feel it is my duty to speak out or confront the abuser to see if I can help remedy the situation. So, please take some advice from a seasoned sister and

Mom's Hope

By Angela Wittman In Honor of my Lord and Savior who chose to save my mother and me from a wretched life of sin and misery. Mom and me. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. - 2 Cor. 5:17 After much prayer and reflection, if there is any message or legacy mom would want to leave her loved ones, it is that she became a sold-out believer of Jesus Christ before her death. I watched her make a complete transformation and while mom wasn’t perfect, she truly became a new creation in Christ. Her message for her family and loved ones would be for you to repent of your sins and follow Christ. ... Mom’s in Heaven and while I still miss her, I look forward to serving our King together for all eternity. Do you have this blessed assurance? -  Angela Wittman Revelation 22 King James Version (KJV)   And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 

Are You A Fearless Believer?

By Angela Wittman James Renwick - Martyred Covenanter I can think of nothing more stirring than hearing accounts of those martyred for their faith. While there are those who scoff at the zeal of Christians willing to lay down their lives for Jesus Christ, history proves that those who have done so were full of the grace and joy of the Holy Spirit even until the very end. These men and women who counted their lives not as dear as the Gospel impacted the world for Christ in a way that will never be forgotten. J. C. McFeeters, author of “ Sketches of the Covenanters ” writes this about those who spill their blood for the Gospel of Jesus Christ: “God has His own way of calling out His witnesses, and assigning service to them. The Church, as a whole, has invalidated and incapacitated herself for this responsibility, by weakness, declension, and compromise. God does not commit His testimony to the Church, while in such condition; nor to the faithful in the Church, whose voice and

Reblogged: A Christian Wife’s Marriage Catechism (with comments by Angela Wittman)

For my readers: I am reblogging this Catechism because I am a Christian wife whose husband has not yet confessed Christ and I have found the principles expressed in this catechism to have given me great peace and encouragement during my 30+ yrs. of marriage. While my friends were divorcing, the good Lord gave me the patience and faith to stay in a difficult (at times) situation and trust Him with the outcome. Now my husband and I are closer than when we were first married and he has become more loving and gentle with me. Of course, if a wife is in an abusive situation, she should flee to safety, but if one is in a tolerable situation, hang in there and trust God. He will heal your broken heart and life. May His name be praised. And for the Christian man who finds himself in a similar situation, here is a link to "A Christian Husband's Marriage Catechism:" http://reformedbaptistfellowship.org/2014/07/09/a-christian-husbands-marriage-catechism-2/ *After "

Have we lost the Culture War?

By Angela Wittman The  Christian Post recently featured an intriguing article called 'The Bible Belt Is Collapsing;' Christians Have Lost Culture War, Says ERLC President Russell Moore . First of all, I think the "Bible Belt" was collapsing a long time ago. I began my Christian life in 1993 with involvement in the Christian Coalition and other conservative groups. I can remember how frustrating it was to try and get local Christians active in cultural endeavors. The few friends I had that were Christian Activists were looked down upon by local clergy and considered as "trouble makers." We consisted of grandmas, grandpas, moms, dads and perhaps a few youth who joined us for potluck dinners held after our meetings. The only trouble we caused was in trying to wake-up those sleeping in the pews; I suppose we were a bit successful or there would have been no need for opposition from the respectable local church and civic leaders, who I might add included the lib

Christians can find hope for the future by looking to the past

As the New Year begins, a Christian can find great comfort and encouragement by reflecting upon what God has done in their life during the previous year.   And while one can find peace while tracing the hand of God in their circumstances, hope for the future can also be found by looking at the history and triumph of God’s Church in this world. One of the best loved passages of Scripture is Hebrews, chapter 11 , which is also referred to as the chapter of the “Heroes of the Faith.” One can find hope in the stories of others who faced persecution, adversity and severe trials for their faith, but who remained steadfast and did not waver in their faith. Here is an excerpt from the King James Bible, beginning at verse 32:   32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:   33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths

Spiritual direction for Americans questioning God

A study of The Barna Group conducted in April of 2011 reports that nearly one out of three Americans feel they aren’t living up to their “fullest potential” while three out of ten adults report they are “dealing with unresolved emotional pain or conflict in life.”   And 15% of Americans are questioning God due to “their experiences with religion.” The director of the study 70 Million Americans Feel Held Back by their Past concludes the report by saying “the research shows that internal doubts about fulfillment, faith, emotion and personal history significantly define millions of the nation's residents."   Clearly many Americans are not content with the current status quo and are seeking truth, meaning and purpose for their lives. One can find direction from the Westminster Assembly of Divines . The Westminster Larger Catechism composed in April of 1648 begins with this question: What is the chief and highest end of man? And responds with the answer: Man's chief and hi

God Hears Grandma's Prayers

By Angela Wittman "Bring that baby back. If you're scared to bring her back, put her somewhere where you know she'll be safe," said Mary Foiles. She added, "They're going to catch him. I pray to God and God answers my prayers. They're going to catch him, maybe not right away but they will catch him. And I just wonder if that man knows he's going to burn in hell." (Source: Girl's Grandmother: Kidnapper Will "Burn in Hell" Hundreds Gather, Praying For Alisa Maier's Safe Return , KTVI Fox 2 News, St. Louis, Mo. ) The words spoken above by a praying grandmother of an abducted child in Louisiana, Missouri says it all. God does hear the prayers of Bible-believing Grandmas and this story of the abduction of a four-year-old little girl in a small town in Missouri is proof. According to news reports, the little girl was abducted from her front yard on Monday (July 5th, 2010) evening while playing with her six-year-old brother. She was t

A Faith to Live By

Many are experiencing financial difficulties due to the economic downturn our nation is experiencing. We all have friends and/or family members who have lost their jobs and some who have even lost their homes. The Bureau of Labor reports: “The national unemployment rate was 8.9 percent in April 2009, seasonally adjusted, up from 8.5 percent the prior month and from 5.0 percent a year earlier.” (Source: BLS.gov, Mass Layoffs, Monthly – May 2009.) These are challenging times in which to live, and while many have placed their trust in temporal things, they now see that foundation is not as sure as they once thought it was. I invite you to seek refuge in the sure rock of Christ Jesus. And while the Christian has eternal security in which to place his hope, he also has the temporal security of knowing that God is his help, refuge, and strength. Scripture tell us: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. "Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, a

Leaving a Legacy of Faith

Each one of us will eventually face death and while many are uncertain about what lies beyond the grave, the Christian knows for a certainty that heaven awaits them. This knowledge gives us confidence to face mortality and say, “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1Cor. 15:55) For we know our Lord “has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2Tim. 1:10). Scripture tells us: “He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.” (Isaiah 25:8) “For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Rev. 7:17) “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

The Christian and Politics: Stand Fast

The God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spoke to me: ‘He who rules over men must be just, Ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be like the light of the morning when the sun rises, A morning without clouds, Like the tender grass springing out of the earth, By clear shining after rain.’ (2 Samuel 23: 3-4 – NKJV) Dear Friends, Many are shouting for Christians to do something to save America, when perhaps the best course of action may be to simply stand fast (or still) wearing our spiritual armor and looking to the LORD until He commands us into action. Here is a devotional from Charles Spurgeon’s “Morning & Evening Daily Readings” which has good advice that I believe is applicable for the Christian in the political realm as we wait for strong godly men to vote for. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord." (Exodus 14:13) “These words contain God's command to the believer when he is reduced to great straits a

The Love of God in Christ

For the last several weeks I have been sharing with you character sketches of Christian women known in Church history as Covenanters. These ladies were adventurous, courageous, bold in their faith and loyal to each other. These are character traits which we can all pray and work to have; but I think there is one essential ingredient to developing a godly character which we ought not to miss, and this is the love of God in Christ in our hearts. Matthew Henry writes this in his “Commentary of the Whole Bible” for 1 John, chapter 4, verses 14 through 21: “The love of God in Christ, in the hearts of Christians from the Spirit of adoption, is the great proof of conversion. This must be tried by its effects on their temper, and their conduct to their brethren. If a man professes to love God, and yet indulges anger or revenge, or shows a selfish disposition, he gives his profession the lie. But if it is plain that our natural enmity is changed into affection and gratitude, let us bless the na

Nothing but the Righteousness of Christ

“It pleased God of his great goodness, early to incline my heart to seek him, and bless him that I was born in a land where the gospel was at that time purely and powerfully preached; as also, that I was born of godly parents and well educated. But above all things, I bless him that he made me see that nothing but the righteousness of Christ could save me from the wrath of God.” – Mrs. William Veitch Marion Fairlie was born in Scotland in 1638, and married William Veitch, a non-conforming minister in 1664. It has been reported that her friends tried to persuade her from marrying the young minister as he had been ejected from the pulpit for not being licensed by the bishop to preach, and for having “opinions hostile to prelacy”. Instead of listening to her friends’ advice, Marion chose to cast her all upon the LORD and to trust in His providential care. She then began a life of hardship, separation and persecution as the wife of an “ejected minister” in Scotland. After only two years of

A Humble Heart

Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear… Psalm 10, verse 17 – KJV Lady Anne, Duchess of Hamilton (Wikipedia) Lady Anne, Duchess of Hamilton was born in 1631 in Scotland to Christian parents. Her mother died when Anne was 8 years old, and her father, James, was beheaded for treason when she was only 19 years old. James Hamilton was one of the leading Royalists who supported King Charles I. He had tried to form an alliance between the King and the Earl of Argyll, a Scottish Covenanter and friend. They eventually had a falling out and their friendship became severed. James was arrested during the administration of Oliver Cromwell, charged with treason and then executed. (Source: British-Civil-Wars.co.uk) Due to the death of Lady Anne’s father and then her guardian, an uncle, she became impoverished as the family wealth was seized by the administration of Cromwell. The hardship of poverty left its imprint upon the ch