FROM THE HEART OF DR. REXELLA VAN IMPE

Listen to the Birds

I have a special fondness for birds. I enjoy seeing them fly, darting from tree to tree, soaring and wheeling about, riding the wind in joyous freedom.

And it’s fun to watch them splash in a puddle or pool of water, bathing themselves and carefully preening their feathers.

I have two feeders and a drinking bowl in our backyard, and the birds have discovered this safe haven. Besides sparrows, cardinals, robins, blackbirds, and other small songbirds, I’ve seen crows, doves, mallard ducks, and even Canadian Geese in our yard. Sometimes there will be several different kinds of birds there all at the same time.

I especially enjoy listening to the birds. More than any other creature, it seems to me they have learned to serve the Lord with gladness: [and] come before his presence with singing (Psalm 100:2).

When God created the fowl of the air on the fifth day of creation, He gave them a song. And virtually all types of birds make some kind of joyful noise — it seems like they’re always praising the Lord. I’ve seen them after a winter snowstorm, sitting on top of the feeders, thankfully chirping and singing because the food is there.

Jesus once referred to the sparrows, which many consider an ordinary little bird with no apparent value. But He, who values all His creatures, said not one of them falls to the ground without God noticing (see Matthew 10:29).

Luke records what the Lord said about the common crow. Consider the ravens; for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? (Luke 12:24).

Watching the birds and remembering what God has said about them has really been a blessing to Jack and me.

Lessons from the birds

There is much we can learn from our fine feathered friends. The Bible is filled with references to birds as symbols of what we humans ought to be or can do with God’s help.

On the top of the pole where our American flag flies there often is the image of an eagle, symbol of strength and majesty. The Bible tells us that if we wait upon the Lord, He will give us strength to overcome every difficulty and to mount up on wings, as the eagle (see Isaiah 40:31).

Genesis 8 tells us that when the ark landed on solid ground after the great flood, Noah sent out a dove to see if the land was habitable. The dove found no place to light and returned to the ark. A week later, Noah sent the dove out again and it returned in the evening with an olive branch in its beak. So Noah knew it would soon be safe to go out into the unknown.

Of course, it is no accident that the dove is symbolic of the Holy Spirit who wings His way over the abyss of man’s sinful past, bridged by the sacrificial ark of the cross of Christ, and leads all who will follow step by step into the Father’s new beginning.

God used a common barnyard rooster to deal with the heart of Peter during the last days of Jesus’ life. After Peter had boasted that he would stay close to the Lord no matter what happened or who turned against Him, Jesus told Peter that he would deny Him before the cock crowed the next morning.

The gospels tell the awful story of how Jesus was betrayed by Judas in the Garden of Gethsemane, then taken before Caiaphas the high priest to be sentenced to death. Warming himself by the fire at the edge of the angry mob, Peter was asked once, twice, three times if he knew or was a companion to this Jesus.

Once, twice, three times — with oaths — Peter denied knowing the Lord! And at that darkest hour, just before the dawn, a rooster crowed! Instantly Peter remembered his prideful boast and Jesus’ prophetic words… and he wept bitterly.

Of course, we know Peter repented and went on to become a leader in proclaiming the message of Christ’s death and Resurrection all across the known world.

Being fed by the birds

You may remember the story of how God used birds to answer the prayers of the Children of Israel. After wandering in the wilderness for many years and being fed on manna, the people cried out for meat. God caused coveys of quail to come near their camp until there was plenty to feed all the people.

The Old Testament tells of the Prophet Elijah being sent into the wilderness to wait beside the brook Cherith. Twice a day the Lord sent ravens to deliver his food. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening (1 Kings 17:6).

Imagine depending on crows to deliver your breakfast and supper! I’m not sure I’d want to trust them with my food. But Elijah did… and he never went hungry.

Are birds good parents?

I’m certainly not an ornithological expert, but I’ve been impressed about the strong parental instinct birds seem to have. It’s fascinating to watch them building a nest, gathering twigs, straw, string, and grass to fashion a fragile but sturdy place to lay their eggs.

In some species, both father and mother bird take turns sitting on the nest, keeping the eggs safe and warm. And once the little ones come out of the eggs, the parents feed the babies until they grow large enough to fly.

I’ve seen mother birds fiercely attack other birds, even animals that prowled too close to their nest. In many instances, the mother seems willing to give her own life to protect her young.

During the time the baby birds are being incubated, then fed and cared for until they can fly away, nothing is more important to the mother bird. Her babies are the center of her life and the sole reason for her existence.

In our day, necessity sometimes forces both parents to work outside the home. Still, I can’t help feeling there are lessons both fathers and mothers can learn about parenting from the example of the birds. Most of all, we must understand how precious the lives of our children really are, worth any sacrifice to protect and nurture in the fear and admonition of God.

Once for a lifetime

I’m impressed with the instinct of birds to be good, faithful partners. I’ve heard that some species, including the turtle dove, mate once for a lifetime. Once a male and female come together, they stay with their mate and remain faithful to each other until separated by death.

Oh, that these beautiful creatures could teach the men and women of America the lessons of fidelity and faithfulness. In a society where there are more divorces being granted than new marriages performed, surely we need to turn again to the example of these beautiful creatures for instruction in living as God intended.

Listen, my friend, to the voices of the little birds, and hear God speaking to you today. Observe the life-style and the joy of these beautiful creatures and learn anew of God’s plan for your life.

A CLASSIC MESSAGE OF HOPE FROM DR. JACK VAN IMPE

Walking in the Saviour’s Steps – part 2

Confession

Prayer, however, is meaningless without confession because God’s holiness demands it. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me (Psalm 66:18). Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear (Isaiah 59:1, 2). This is why 1 John 1:9 states, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and, just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Bitterness

Bitterness is the greatest sin of the hour. There is nothing in the realm of sin that is damaging the Church of Jesus Christ and destroying one’s spiritual life more than bitterness. This spirit of animosity surely is not of God. If one is controlled by hatred, he certainly should question his profession of faith. Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love (1 John 4:7,8).

A Spirit-filled Christian is known by the love he has for others. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance (Galatians 5:22, 23).

You may say, “I have experienced the second work of grace.” Do you have love for other believers who may not agree with your interpretation?

You may say, “I have spoken the heavenly language, yea the vocabulary of angels.” But are you filled with love? First Corinthians 13:1 declares, Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity [love], I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. The Holy Spirit says that heavenly languages, when boasted about without the evidence of love, become nothing but manifestations of the flesh.

The real evidence of the Spirit is found in verses 4-8: Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not [is not jealous]; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up [hey, look at my gifts], doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked [made mad], thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth.

This is the love the crucified Savior manifested at Calvary. After they battered nails into His hands and feet, jammed a crown of thorns into the flesh of His head, ripped His beard from the facial area, scourged His back and chest into mutilated shreds of flesh, then-after all their brutality was unleashed upon Him-He lovingly cried, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34).

Some carnal mind is already excusing self for the bitterness he holds by saying, “This was Christ, and He was God. Because of His Deity He could love in the midst of hate. Our humanity limits us in loving the unlovely.” Let me immediately answer you with the example of Stephen in Acts 7:51-60.

This mere mortal man, filled with the Holy Spirit, manifested the same loving kindness that his Savior did upon Calvary’s tree. The Scriptures picture Stephen preaching a strong, sin-denouncing sermon. The enraged crowd can’t take the truth and so verse 57 says, Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, and cast him out of the city, and stoned him; and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. Now please get verse 60: And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Think of it …as they stoned him to death crushed his head with rocks-he asked his Lord not to hold them accountable for what they had done. Verse 55 tells us why his heart was so filled with love-he was filled with the Holy Spirit. There is the evidence.

A man can talk about every experience in the book and still be a trouble-making church-wrecker, but when the Spirit is truly in control, he won’t have to prove it. Instead, the love that flows from his heart to the saved and lost will indicate that the blessed Spirit of God is at the helm of his life. When the world sees this love in the Christian, a genuine moving of God will take place.

CHANGED LIVES-one at a time

Dear Dr. Rexella,

I always look forward to your weekly newsletter and feel that only you really understand my feelings and thoughts. This week’s newsletter talks about that special luminous look that some people and in my case pets have displayed.

I have lost two old-aged pets past the age of 15 and each of them gave me that long intense glowing look reassuring me that they were ready to join the Lord in his kingdom. I have upon occasion recognized that same look in a young physician’s eyes. I understand perfectly what you mean by the look in the eyes of this speechless family.

Thank you again Rexella and I look forward to receiving the next newsletter. Please do keep them coming.

Sincerely,

P.A.

I personally want to thank you for all of your continued work for the Lord.  I anxiously await the weekly newsletters to study and read.  May God continue to bless Rexella and Jack Van Impe ministries. 

Can’t wait to see the Lord’s arrival to retrieve us into heaven. 

Kim

HIGHLIGHTED MINISTRY OFFERS

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