Its Time for an Update

Greetings, 

Well, my dear friends! It has been quite some time since I updated this website, and I'm sorry to say that. After the release of the first 10 Episodes of my next story, The Ephesus Pages, I began focusing on a secret project for my kids that requires a Pen Name, leaving everyone wondering where in the world I had gone. 

Finding Philemon: Research Required

 One of the best things about being a historical fiction writer is all the research I get to do to build one of my stories. I can honestly say that researching everything for Finding Philemon was a ton of fun. Everything from the character backstories to the weather patterns of the story's origins, from the traditions of the time to clothing that could have been worn. All of this was fascinating to me and it drives my creative process. When I develop an idea for something to write, I tend to get so pulled into the concept that I just can't stop researching it.

A Journey with ACTS 2:1-4

Greetings Readers, 

Here is the first Segment of Chapter 2 on my Journey with Acts. This marks the beginning of an awakening in History and there is so much more to gain from taking a deeper look into what I've been reading. My eyes are open and I can't wait to see what comes next. Please feel free to share your thoughts our this post with someone else.

Blessings, 

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When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.  Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongue as the Spirit enabled them.

Acts 2:1-4 NLT

Being together in one place is quite an accomplishment, in spite of everything the disciples and the other followers were going through.  They were being chased all over the city of Jerusalem and even further. Thinking about this certainly makes me wonder a few things about how the disciples and the group that followed them. How bad were things at that point? How many of those that came together had already lost a loved one to the tyranny of Rome? What really drove the believers together? 

These are all great things to wonder about but the reality is that much of the answers to these questions are not found in scripture. The answers are left up to us to imagine. Most of the time I enjoy using a bit of imagination but in this case I’ve always really wanted to know. The fact that scripture says ‘suddenly a violent wind came and filled the house’ and ‘they saw what seemed like tongues of fire that separated’ has always sparked my imagination. Honestly, I’ve watch movies about this passage just to see how someone else would imagine what happened that day.

We know that it had to be pretty amazing but to imagine that day or to wonder about how they all got together has always been a mystery.  This mystery often reminds me just how amazing God’s power truly is. God was with the believers every step of the way, from the beginning when the few were called until the ascension when there were many and even to pentecost when they all seems to do the impossible and become part of the most important aspects of the Christian heritage. 

The amazing thing about all of this is this; God is with us today just as he was for all the believers. Remember that the next time you begin to doubt God’s amazing power. 

6/29/16 9:15pm

Revised 7/14/16

Blessings in Christ and Thanks again for visiting us at "The Gathering Room."

"Times of refreshing come from the presence of the Lord." 45.3.20

M.J. Elliott

A Journey with ACTS 1:23-26

Greetings Everyone,

Here is the next segment of my Journey with ACTS. I know I haven't been here for a while, so we are going to be making up for lost time. This is the last few verses of Chapter 1 on our Journey. Look for Chapter 2 coming soon.

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“So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they all prayed, “O Lord, you know every heart. Show us which of these men you have chosen as an apostle to replace Judas in this ministry, for he has deserted us and gone where he belongs.” Then they cast lots, and Matthias was selected to become an apostle with the other eleven.” - Acts 1:23-26 NLT

They Nominated two men and then they prayed. My question is why didn’t they pray from the beginning? Did they feel like they knew everything they needed to know before choosing the candidates through prayer? If that’s not enough they then proceed to cast lots. It almost seems like they are running the show on their own. Whatever happened to waiting on God when it came to making big choices for our future?

That’s the problem in today’s world as well.  We tend to forget that God doesn’t work on our time. He works on His time. God’s timing really is perfect and if we mess with that, everything we’ve worked for would have fallen apart. We need to make sure we are, indeed, waiting on God but we also need to be aware of the conscious effort that needed as we grow in God.

Sometimes God has something planned for us and we just need be patient and wait upon Him. In the midst of it all through,we must remember that if concerns and worries to the doctor things may just turn out a bit differently that you might think, but in a good way. Make it a point to actively seek God.

6/29/16

Blessings in Christ and thanks again for visiting us at "The Gathering Room,"

Stand Strong and continue to believe the teachings given to you... (2 Thes. 2:15b NCV)

M. J. Elliott

A Journey with ACTS 1:9-11

Greetings, 

Here is the next segment of my Journey with ACTS. I'm been thinking on this verse a lot in the past few weeks.  It's amazing just how much one verse change open your eyes to the reality that is the world around us. I hope you find some encouragement through these few verses.

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“After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him.” 

- Acts 1:9 NLT

Jesus was indeed taken up to heaven.  As the disciples watched while he was taken up into heaven them they must have had some interesting thoughts going through their heads. I can imagine some of them thinking, “what are we going to do now?” or “What was the point of all this if he was just going to leave us?” Honestly, I'd guess many of them were still dumbfounded, or in awe of everything that had just happen.

The reality is, many of us are probably thinking similar things today. It's not easy living in today's world is it? Well, that is where we have to realize that just because we can’t see something doesn’t mean that it’s not there. We don’t have to think this way. Why not? It's simple, because of the promise that was given in the previous verses.

Even though we may feel alone at times or wonder why something happened, we can always trust that someone is watching. Sometimes we need to let go of the past, and even the present, to move into a brighter future. It’s never easy to continue on when you’ve been a part of one chapter in your life for so long only to find out the next chapter is on the next page.

Don’t hold on to that one page so much that you lose sight of the page that is on the other side. God has something wonderful in store for each of us just as He did for His disciples. Moving into the next chapter in life will not be easy, but remember that even though we can long longer see our savior face to face that He is indeed with us.

5/12/16, 1:05am

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“As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”.

- Acts 1:10-11 NLT

Sometimes we get distracted, just like those that were watching Jesus ascend to Heaven.  When these distractions come we can miss the opportunities right in front of us. In this instance the disciples were so distracted by what was right in front of them that they could not look towards the moments that were to follow.

When the angels appeared they reminded the disciples that Jesus would come back one day and that they needed to get to work.  It was their time to share what they had learned.  There are many opportunities for you to share what you have learned with others all we have to do is look past the distractions of the present moment.

Someday, Jesus will return and he will be asking us, “what did we do to share what we’ve learned with others?” I for one want to be able to say, “Lord, I shared as much as I could with anyone who would listen.” My hope is that all those that claim to believe would desire to have the same answer or at least one that is similar.

5/14/16 6:55pm

Blessings in Christ and thanks again for visiting us at "The Gathering Room"

Stand Strong and continue to believe the teachings given to you... (2 Thes. 2:15b NCV),

M.E.

A Journey with ACTS 1:7-8

Greetings Everyone,  

Here is the next segment of my Journey with Acts, this segment particularly made me think about why I do what I do. It also made me think about what I could to to better prepare myself for what ever God has planned for my family and I in the days ahead. The photo below is my first attempt at a theme for this Journey. Feel free to tell me what you think :-)

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“He replied, ‘The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’” Acts 1:7-8 NLT

This is a pretty common passage isn’t it? People use this all the time to encourage us to go forth and share the message of Jesus with the world around us. It serves as a reminder that we have a deeper calling than just going through the motions doesn't it? It is quite an amazing passage if you ask me but there is more to it than what most people think.

Read this passage again and ask yourself, why does Jesus reply this way? Is there something more that we are suppose to be seeing here? Once I did this I began to see the deeper message that is woven into the words of these two verses. While it is meant to encourage the believer, it is also meant to serve as a promise of restoration.

We are given a promise that the Holy Spirit will come upon us. Jesus promises those closest to him, and us today, that there is a purpose for our existence and that when the time is right, that purpose will be revealed to us. The father alone knows when he will restore his chosen people.

Did you know that we are all chosen? It’s true and Jesus will restore us to our divine purpose in life as and when He knows we are ready for it. I know I've been asking myself this lately, who knows though maybe soon a new path will be revealed to all of us. Don’t give up on yourself or whatever dreams you may have, in time your purpose will be revealed.

5/9/16, 1:20am

Blessings in Christ and thanks again for visiting us at "The Gathering Room"

Stand Strong and continue to believe the teachings given to you... (2 Thes. 2:15b NCV),

M.E.

A Journey with ACTS: 1:4-6

Greetings,

Here are the next two segments of my Journey with Acts, keep looking here more more. Feel free to share your own thoughts as well. Join me on this journey and God may just change your life as I hope he does to mine. :-)

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“Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, ‘Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’” Acts 1:4-5 NLT

There are going to be times in life in which we are given specific instructions not to move forward or backward. We will be asked to just stay put and bloom where we’ve been planted.  Usually there is a good reason for this instruction as well. We may not always know right off hand what God has in mind but we should take comfort in knowing God has something specific for us.

In verses 4 and 5 Jesus promises his followers that He will provide them (and us) what is needed to bloom in our present circumstances. He promises a new life and a new purpose for each of the apostles and He knew how amazing that gift would be. We too can receive a gift from God today, if we are willing to let go of our own desires and embrace His.

You may be struggling to identify what you were truly created for or you may just be wondering what’s next, as I sometimes do. Take courage in knowing that God is working and that He has promised each of us something that will be worth it in the end. Go forth and ask God to 'baptize' you today with His promises.

5/7/16. 1:15am

“So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, ‘Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?’” Acts 1:6 NLT

We all ask questions sometimes, and that is okay for the most part. We need to ask questions in order to comprehend things better (for our own sake). There are times though when we may need to figure things out for ourselves instead.  We don’t really learn anything from doing it the easy way do we?

In this instance, the apostles should really have known what was going on. But for one reason or another, they really didn’t. Sometimes there will be things placed in front of us while we are on our journey with God that will spark a question or two. The reality is though, We need to remind ourselves daily that God may have already given us the answer or He may want us to figure it out on our own.

As you think about the questions you’ve brought to God in the last few days, ask yourself, are the questions I’m asking really the questions I am suppose to be asking or is there something more or different that I really should asking. God usually provides answers to our questions In the most unexpected ways. Remember to look outside the ordinary.

5/8/16, 1:35am

Blessings in Christ and thanks again for visiting us at "The Gathering Room"

Stand Strong and continue to believe the teachings given to you... (2 Thes. 2:15b NCV),

M.E.

A Journey with ACTS: 1:1-3

Greetings,

Here is where it all begins. I will begin posting each section I put together as they are finished. If there is one that speaks to you go ahead a share it with someone else. Don't be shy about leaving comments either...

Blessings In Christ,

M.E.

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“In my first book I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit. During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.” Acts 1:1-3 NLT

Luke is one of my favorite Biblical characters. There is not much share of him as of this point but he plays a huge role in building the foundation of the Early Church. The support he offered those closest to him is immeasurable. As he begins this book, he mentions he is writing to Theophilus. While we do not know much about Theophilus...

What we do know is that his names means “Loved by God”. From my perspective, that means this book is written to all who are “Loved by God.” This means that Luke is speaking directly to us today.

As Luke continues from his previous book, The Gospel of Luke, there is a connection that I believe I’ve not really paid much attention to before. This is a continuation of the gospel and an account of how the church moved from being a small group of Disciples who followed Jesus to what it became a movement of people acting upon what Jesus had taught them. The connection from one to the other and that can guide us today.  

Our actions speak volumes, just as theirs did. When Jesus appeared to His followers, they saw that He was actually alive. For many of them, the appearances were completely unexpected but they responded quite well. When we begin to see the unexpected we, as believers, should embrace how alive the church truly can be. 

God has something for all of us and when he calls our actions should show response. Today’s encouragement can serve as a reminder that we are all “loved by God,” that Jesus is indeed alive and that our actions will speak volumes if taken properly.

5.6.16

Dealing with Discouragement

Have you ever gotten to a point in which you have felt as though there was nothing left for you to accomplish in your present place in life? Maybe you felt like it was time to move on but there didn’t seem like there is anything coming over the horizon? Or Maybe you had this underlining desire to do something more and couldn’t engage in what was currently going on around you?

 Let me assure you right now, dear reader, they are natural and there is nothing wrong with feeling that way.  No one ever said we couldn’t make something more of ourselves. On the other hand though, no one ever said that we couldn’t bloom right where are planted. Feeling discouraged is a part of life and it is in those moments of discouragement that we can find fulfillment, if we are open to it. God has many wonderful things in store for us as we live our lives and he desires for us to find peace. 

 While we are only human and will always have to deal with feelings of discouragement, we don’t have to deal with them on our own. Jesus said in one of his final messages to his followers that “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 ESV) This is a great word of encouragement for those that are facing discouragement, because they remind us that we truly don’t have to face those feelings on our own.

 You may be asking, what does this have to do with the questions that were shared in the beginning?  Well, those questions all come back to discouragement. You see, as we begin to ponder these questions we are letting doubt seep into our hearts. We are truly dealing with discouragement because discouragement and doubt come hand in hand. 

 When you doubt yourself, you are open to intimidation and that leads to deterrence. Deterrence can keep us from seeing what God is doing through our lives, thus leading us back to the questions that we asked at the beginning of this post. It is difficult sometimes when questions like these begin to make their way to the forefront of our minds. The important thing to remember is that God says “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9a ESV) it may not feel like we are weak in those moments in life, but the reality is that we are.

 The reason behind this is not because discouragement is a weakness, but because if we don’t properly work through those feelings of discouragement we become vulnerable to that intimidation mentioned before.  Our ability to believe in ourselves can be lost, leading us to make wrong choices. Maybe God has us planted in our perspective places for a reason we will never really understand. Maybe God feels that instead of moving to the next big thing we simply just need to rest in His will for a season. 

 Maybe God wants to use us as a witness of his love for those that are engaging in things that aren’t really that honoring Him. What it comes down to is this, feeling discouraged is a part of life and through giving those feelings to Him, and we can find fulfillment, maybe even in a way we really never thought of before. Here is a word of encouragement for you today, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV)

Blessings in Christ and thanks again for visiting "The Gathering Room"

Stand Strong and continue to believe the teachings given to you... (2 Thes. 2:15b NCV),

M.E.