Remembering Forgotten Heroes

by Barbara Latta

Many heroes have given their lives for others.

Heroes saved many lives during all the wars and conflicts fought during the life of the United States. So many lie unknown, but their acts of valor preserved freedom and the life of their comrades.

One of the unknown stories is of Airman 1^st Class William H. Pitsenbarger, an Air Force Para rescue and medical specialist from Piqua, Ohio who served during the Vietnam War. On April 11, 1966, Pitsenbarger, known as Pit to his comrades, left the safety of a helicopter to descend into a jungle under intense fire to treat and care for wounded Army soldiers of Company C, 2^nd Battalion, 16^th Infantry of the 1^st Infantry Division. After landing, Pitsenbarger ministered first aid to those he could find and dragged men behind trees and logs to get them out of the line of fire. He placed those who could be evacuated into wire baskets while others were ducking for cover. He refused to be evacuated himself several times. For two hours he crawled through dense jungle looking for wounded.

Using Faith and Spiritual Authority to Speak to the Mountain

by Barbara Latta

Have you ever lost something valuable and felt that sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach when you realized the item was gone?

I recently looked through my jewelry and discovered one of the blue diamond studs my

Faith restored a lost item.

husband had given me was missing. I searched all over the floor, under the dresser, under the bed and even went through the dust in the vacuum cleaner in case I had sucked it up. No earring. I totally emptied the entire jewelry box and ran my hands inside in case the earring was stuck in some of the seams. I still did not find it.

My heart sank. I kept telling myself it was just a “thing” and yes it wasn’t a matter of life’s importance, but because my husband had given the earrings to me they had special meaning. I also wasn’t thrilled about losing something of value.

The Bible says in Mark 11:23-24, “Have faith in God,” Jesus said to them. Truly I tell you that if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and has no doubt in his heart but believes that it will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours (Berean Study Bible).

I decided to do what the Bible said and took command of my situation and said, “I am standing in faith believing I am finding that earring. I call it to come back to me the way Jesus said to take authority over our mountain.”

I then stopped thinking about the loss and a couple of weeks went by. One morning I opened the jewelry bag and that blue earring was lying on top of the earring section. I know most people would say it was there all along, but I had scoured the entire container and the surrounding area when it was lost and the jewel was not there. My prayer was answered and I received a miracle.

I can identify with the woman who found her lost coin and the joy she felt when she spied

Our faith takes the message of the cross to the world.

her find (Luke 15:8-10).

How much more valuable a lost soul is to God. Heaven rejoices when a person comes to Christ and hell loses a citizen.  Our calling as believers is to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. We may not individually be going to foreign countries, but we can support those who do and also expand God’s kingdom in our own world—which is our neighborhood, to places we go and to people we meet.

Finding the lost requires our faith whether it is an item, or more importantly a lost person. Without faith we have no message to share because our belief in a risen Savior doesn’t make sense to the world. The reason we believe can shine from our life because we have used our faith.

Share some examples of how you have used your faith.

Believe that you have received (click to tweet)

Using faith to overcome circumstances (click to tweet)

Milk & Honey Faith

The Challenges of Raising the Son of God

by Barbara Latta

The most miraculous birth was in Bethlehem.

Stories of mothers are woven throughout the Bible. Divine intervention delivered many babies from previously barren mothers. Sarah, Rebekah and Rachel all had children after all hope had been given up. Hannah prayed for a son and God intervened. Ruth married a man the population said would never want her because she was a foreigner but her son was the great grandfather of King David. But the most miraculous birth of all time took place in Bethlehem because a virgin conceived when the Holy Spirit came upon her and chose her to bear the Son of God.

What a responsibility to be laid upon young shoulders. Can’t you see her having to bite her tongue when neighborhood mothers were bragging on their children and she so desperately wanted to 

say, “Hey, mine is the Messiah?”  And how did the other children of Joseph and Mary react when they heard slurs cast against their parents about the birth of the firstborn?

If Mary had kept a journal, is this what she would write?

How to Prepare for a Natural Disaster

by Barbara Latta

I posted this information several months ago, but with the advent of hurricane season and

Several people were killed by tornadoes last week.

recent disastrous weather events, we all need a reminder of stay ready for emergencies.

Tornadoes in Texas killed several people and caused widespread damage to property. Flooding in several states, including my home town in Arkansas, abounded last week. Most of the time we do not think about the possibility of evacuation, but a few tips and preparedness can save us a lot of heartache if we will plan ahead.

In the event of a disaster that does not require leaving the home, living for days or weeks without electricity can be a possibility. Pre-planning can avoid scarcity and empty shelves. If homes do not have electrical power, neither will the stores, banks, ATM’s or gas stations.

The following steps can be a start in the preparation process:

How to Grow an Abundant Spiritual Crop

by Barbara Latta

Seeds must be planted in the right type of soil.

Planting season is here. Gardeners are plowing fields making soil ready to receive the seeds that will bring a harvest in a few weeks. Water, fertilizer and sunshine will be applied to the ground where the seeds lie waiting for the nourishment they need to grow. Seedlings sprout and soon large plants produce vegetation or flowers for the gardener to enjoy.

The one who sows the seeds has to plant in the right kind of soil to expect a return on the planting. No one would expect to grow a garden planted on rocks, inside thorn bushes or in only an inch or two of dirt. Yet some Christians can’t understand why they are not receiving spiritual nourishment when they don’t have good soil to plant the Word of God into.

What happened between the crucifixion and the resurrection?

by Barbara Latta

Jesus surrendered His spirit into the hands of His Father.

Jesus breathed His last and surrendered His spirit into the hands of His father. God’s wrath against sin had been poured out on the innocent Son. Payment was final.

Jesus went into the realm of hell.

For You will not forsake Me and abandon my soul to Hades (the realm of the dead), nor let your Holy One undergo decay [after death]. You have made known to me the ways of life; you will fill me [infusing my soul] with joy with your presence (Acts 2:27-28 AMP).

He made an open show of triumphing in His victory. He stripped Satan of the power and authority that had been stolen from Adam. Christ paraded the fallen angel in front of the minions of hell and proclaimed evil’s defeat.

When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities [those supernatural forces of evil operating against us], He made a public example of them [exhibiting them as captives in His triumphal procession], having triumphed over them through the cross (Colossians 2:15 AMP).

Jesus told the thief on the cross that he would be with Him that day in Paradise. Paradise

Jesus led captivity captive.

was the place where the Old Testament saints went after death. They could not enter into heaven yet because the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sin (Hebrews 10:4). But they died with faith in the future redemption and after Jesus died His blood was retroactive to them.  He led those in Paradise into their heavenly home.

Therefore it says, When He ascended on high he led captivity captive, and he bestowed gifts on men (Ephesians 4:8 AMP).

Death could not hold Him.

But God raised Him up, releasing Him and bringing an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in death’s power (Acts 2:24 AMP).

Because Jesus Christ took upon Himself our punishment we can now be free of the fear of death.

Death where is your victory?

O death, where is your victory? O death where is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin [by which it brings death] is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory [as conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:55-57 AMP).

No more does there need to be a sin offering of an animal which only covered sin. Jesus Christ presented His blood on the mercy seat in heaven which eliminated sin once and for all.

He went once for all into the Holy Place [the Holy of Holies of heaven, into the presence of God], and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, having obtained and secured eternal redemption [that is, the salvation of all who personally believe in Him as Savior] (Hebrews 9:12 AMP).

Because of the Resurrection believers are now reconciled to God, not under guilt or condemnation any longer and are made partakers of His heavenly kingdom.

For He has rescued us and has drawn us to Himself from the dominion of darkness and has transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son in whom we have redemption [because of His sacrifice, resulting in] the forgiveness of our sins [and the cancellation of sins’ penalty] (Colossians 1:13 AMP).

What better way to celebrate Resurrection Day but by rubbing the devil's nose in his defeat and reminding him of the victory we have in Christ.

Share your thoughts.

What happened between the crucifixion and resurrection (click to tweet)

Jesus stripped the devil of the power of death (click to tweet)

Prince of Peace and Conquering King

by Barbara Latta

Among His other miracles, Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead.  People were thronging

Jesus entered Jerusalem as the Prince of Peace.

Him for a chance to hear him, see him and touch him. In our day we would say news had gone viral.

God His Father had made plans ahead of time for His Son’s entry into Jerusalem. A man was waiting. His donkey and her colt were tied and waiting for the royal rider to take possession. When two disciples came looking they found everything the way Jesus said it would be.

Jesus mounted the humble beast and she proudly carried her Creator into the city. Worshippers waved palm branches into the air and laid them on the ground before Him. Hands were raised in worship as palms of flesh mingled with the green tree branches.

“Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord,” voices praised.

Worshippers waved palm branches.

How quickly the tide would turn. Only a few days later, one of His own would betray Him and the shouts of adoration would sour. The palm branches littering the streets turned brown as quickly as attitudes toward the Messiah had mutated into doubt.

The same hands that been raised in worship curled into fists raised in hatred while the voices cried, “Crucify!”

Attitudes about miracles transformed into skepticism and hope slipped away when the Savior of the world became a prisoner. Confusion reigned and fear replaced faith as even his own circle of followers ran and hid.

Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey as the Prince of Peace. He left the city as a criminal carrying a cross. He submitted to the hands of sinful men to pay the price we all deserved.

When He returns He will be on a stallion as a conquering King.  Sinners will be the ones submitting to judgement because they didn’t accept the price He paid.

May we say, "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord", and raise our palms in adoration to our King.

Share your thoughts.

Palm Sunday brought the Prince of Peace (click to tweet)

The Second Coming brings the Conquering King (click to tweet)