Precious Pearls of Faith: Rejoicing in Spiritual Treasures

By Barbara Duncan

Barbara has used her amazing ability to apply the living word of The Bible to everyday life through her writing and preaching in this book.
Rev. Dr. Blake R. Heffner

Rejoice in the spiritual blessings of God!

I was silenced, in shock, as we descended those stairs; my pastor quietly quoted our Lord Jesus, Whatever you did for one of the least of these you do for me (Matt. 25:40). I stopped in my trackslooked back up at that apartmentI saw Jesus sitting next to Phoebe with His arm around her. That day changed my life! That verse from our Lord is at the core of who I am today and what I have believed every day for the past thirty-five years as a Christian; so shall it always be. Jesus has been right by my side, giving me His words. How blessed we are to have living words from Him!

This faith discussion is a collection of reflections, sermons and meditations we will share as we journey together exploring the spiritual blessings of our faith.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jul 9, 2014
• ISBN: 9781490840079

Barbara Duncan

Barbara Duncan, a licensed pastor and retired high school English teacher, has been researching, studying, and preaching on the foundations of Christian faith for over ten years. Precious Pearls of Faith, her second published work, was born out of her desire to share this quest for understanding of faith and His living Word with others who share her thirst for growing in the faith and bathing in the peace of the Lord. In short, Barbara loves to write about the love of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Having moved from Connecticut to Pennsylvania with her husband of forty-four years, Barbara enjoys her time with her two grown, married children and grandchildren, her active life of writing, cooking, and quilting, as well as serving as a pastor in her local church.

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Jumping on the Journey

I t was at least thirty some years ago that, as an elder in my church and fairly new Christian, I went with our pastor to serve communion to our shut-ins. At one location, we climbed up rickety back stairs to an old apartment door to greet Phoebe, a hunched-over, rather shriveled older lady, with thread-barren clothes hanging from her thin frame. She hadn’t bathed in a while, and had long, stingy, gray hair. We entered a very small room that smelled of a cat’s litter box, and contained a bed, one small couch, a ragged rug and a hot plate. Phoebe was hovering in the corner, trembling as she told us that the people were burning turnip skins again and going to set the place on fire. We gently guided her to the old couch and covered her with a shredded afghan as my pastor calmly soothed her, rubbing her back. He had heard this story every time he visited Phoebe. We prayed together and shared communion with her, which she received with a grateful smile. We prayed some more and left her sitting peacefully on the little couch.

Needless to say, I was silenced and in a bit of shock. As we descended those same creaking stairs, my pastor looked around at me and quoted our Lord Jesus: Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me. (Matt. 25:40) I stopped in my tracks on that step; I can still see it plain as day. I looked back up at that apartment and I saw Jesus sitting next to Phoebe with His arm around her. That day changed my life. That verse from our Lord is at the core of who I am today and what I have believed every day for the past thirty-five years as a Christian and so shall it always be. I have had to defend it often, but Jesus has always been right by my side, giving me His words. How blessed we are to have living words from Him!

Precious Pearls of Faith has been born out of my desire to share reflections on faith and His living Word with others who might have the same questions as I do, have the same desire to grow in faith as I do and who find inner peace in the Scriptures as I do. This is merely a collection of topical reflections, some of which I have preached as sermons, some are just personal journals and some meditations from conferences. I look forward to a Christian bond with you as I share my heart for Jesus.

A good place to begin is always at the beginning. For Christians, that beginning is Christmas Day. That day changed my life and yours as well. God came to Earth for you and for me.

We often get off base and distracted with Christmas gift giving. Was that all just a marketing ploy by department stores in the first century? I don’t think so! The wise men came bearing gifts for this precious babe in a manger because they were - indeed wise. They believed the angel who said God was in that little baby lying there, and they were filled with joy, wanting to give to Him every good and perfect gift. Do we approach that manger every year with that same incredible awe and belief - rejoicing and full of joy? Do we want to give that little baby all we have – including our hearts? Do you ask, What more can I give Him? I want to give Him my heart.

Instead of going to see Santa, what if we followed that magnificent, shimmering star to find Jesus? What if we went to see the Son of God, the Prince of Peace, in hopes of touching His robe, sitting at His side and looking into His eyes…the eyes of God?

Because of Christmas Day we can do all those things and the gifts He gives us will be eternal…never to break…We will receive the gift of eternal life, peace and love in Him.

It’s important that the world rush to Jesus right now - with grateful hearts and joyful spirits. May the reflections in this book help you to do just that. Christmas day is when it all started, when God became man in a tiny baby, when true love was born, when forgiveness came alive…and amazing grace poured out over all the earth. All we need to do is open the door and let Him in.

Praise God in the highest! Praise God for peace on earth! We shall live for all eternity - Praise Him for Christmas Day! How our hungry world needs to hear this message!

You will find questions and Scriptures at the end of each chapter to enhance your reflection and journal time. Hopefully, they will make this journey your own, as well as mine. I so look forward to you walking by my side as we explore the Precious Pearls of Faith.

SWEET SALVATION

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"O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee;

For Thou, in Thy atonement, Didst give Thyself for me.

I own no other Master, My heart shall be Thy throne.

My life I give, hence-forth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone."

(Chisholm and Lowden)

The Promises I Have in You

J ust as words on a page are meaningless unless they become a part of you, so Jesus does not become Jesus Christ, our Savior, unless He becomes a central part of us, the core of who we are. This is our choice. He knocks on our doors, each one, desiring a relationship, wanting our love. God has given us many avenues through which to share our love and our being so our decision to give our lives to Jesus is that much more meaningful. He wants you to, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. (Mark 12:30.) Jesus approaches each of us in a unique and personal way because He knows and loves us personally.

My time of knocking on the door of my life came in my early thirties. I was knee-deep in the chaotic life of a stay-at-home-mom with a darling daughter in kindergarten and an energetic two-and-a-half-year old terror of an adorable son. Friends encouraged my husband and me to attend a Marriage Encounter weekend and insisted on keeping the kids while we were away. As leery as I was about this type of exercise, I decided to give it a chance craving time away from the hustle and bustle called life for a weekend. What we found there was another type of existence, another aura…people were different. The air was soft, the leaders opened their hearts with a calm caring, tears were real, love was a bond and it was totally unconditional. We bathed in it - breathed it in - whatever it was and pledged never to leave this new spirit.

Reentry to life at home was not as pleasant. Very few understood where we had been - to this other world where hearts were light and compassion real and faith sturdy. Well, what happened? Christian friends helped us, nurtured us, and loved us but the struggle was still there. "What was this aura, this world?" A dear elderly lady took me aside and quietly said, You know, dear, you have seen the Holy Spirit in your life. Gasp! That was it! Craving that time in the Spirit forever, it was not long after that I confessed my sins, repented and gave my life to Jesus as my Lord and Savior! Life has never been the same and I have never looked back. Thirty-six years later, my mantra in life, every day, is: Lord, There is None Like You!

Salvation: God’s Amazing Gift

H allelujah! He is risen! Hallelujah, indeed! How incredible it is to feel the Hallelujah deep in every fiber of our beings!! This is the joy of Easter morning when we truly receive God’s gift of eternal life through His son. Thank You, thank You, Jesus.

Easter appears to be a completion of our season of Advent…yes, Advent! During that time we prepared for and celebrated the birth of our Savior Jesus. We welcomed Him into our lives and rededicated ourselves to living out His new covenant. On Ash Wednesday we began the sacred season of Lent as we somberly remembered Our Lord’s shedding of His blood for us and our sin on the cross. With Jesus’ joyous resurrection on Easter morn God completes the cycle, showing His absolute love for us and His longing for our salvation and new life in Him through this ultimate sacrifice!

Daffodils which were shriveled, cold and dead now bloom a brilliant gold! Stately tulips which fell apart, petal by petal are reborn into delicate cups once again reaching for Heaven! Those wilted, brown hyacinths once again flood the earth with sweet perfume from new vibrant blooms! Folks, just like these flowers of God, we were once dead in our forsaken spirits, fallen into shriveled pieces, wilted in our loss of faith until Jesus rose from the dead! Hallelujah!!

What does our new life look like? What difference does Jesus’ act for our salvation make in how we live? Have we forgiven ourselves and others because we feel washed in the forgiveness of His blood and sacrifice? Have you accepted Jesus as your Savior, ensuring you a home with God our Father for eternity? And most of all, has Jesus’ resurrection convinced you of God’s Love so that you trust Him with your whole heart and being? That’s what salvation is all about!

Together, we open our petals to Him and put the Risen Christ first in our lives by studying His Word, participating in weekly worship, praying without ceasing, gathering for Bible studies, Sunday school or serving Him wherever He leads us. Feel the joy of the resurrection of Easter in a new and magnificent way with each new day … that is salvation.

Thanks be to God.

Salvation: A New Look at Death

W hen we give up our lives and give in to Jesus, we flourish, we grow and we live in total abundance! That paradox is the true root of our salvation. Each day it is my goal to give up my life. This death and this sacrifice is the greatest, most positive approach we have as human beings to viewing death. As we sing in the age old hymn, Where, Oh death, is now thy sting? (Wesley), Jesus Christ hath conquered what we call death! Physical death no longer has its sting. Death to this world is, indeed, life in Eternity! Jesus himself tells us in Matthew 10:39:

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Thinking of Jesus’ death on the cross is always very painful for me. I remember one Maundy Thursday, in particular, where I felt a tremendous empathy for Jesus, for His pain, for His gift and He came very, very close to me at that moment and strengthened my faith and my commitment to Him. In Christ on the cross, we can see the perfect model of how to lose our lives for Christ.

Jesus made the concerns, the struggles of others, the pain of humanity, His own. We are called to do the same. Literally, Christ died a physical death for us and for the forgiveness of our sins. We, in turn, are called to die for one another every day…not in the physical sense…but to feel the concerns, the struggle and the pain of those the Lord puts in our path. We are to give up our life for the gospel in the way we live our daily lives, in our relationships and in the treatment of those around us. When Jesus predicts His death in Mark 8, he gives a command to us:

If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. (39)

Jesus continues to make it very clear how we are to live in John 15: 9-13: