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“…Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.”

There is more to life than material things. “A man’s life consists not in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Luke 12:15). Man has given into the lie that life is satisfying the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life. Jesus said this isn’t life. Man shall not live in this fashion. Man is to live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. He is to live by the word of God. He is to walk in the ways of God. He is to enjoy the promises of God, and he is to wait for the Son of God from Heaven, who is longing to take His bride away.  MAS

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“You…have done according to the customs of the Gentiles which are around you.”

Ezekiel prophesied in very dark times. In chapter 10, as Ezekiel is held captive with God’s people by the River Chebar in Babylon, he sees a vision of the glory of the Lord departing from the Temple in Jerusalem. The reason for the departure of the glory was the great wickedness and sin of God’s people who forsook the Lord and turned to idols. In chapter 11 the Lord shows Ezekiel the wickedness of men who held a lot of influence among God’s people. Under their guide, God’s people forsook the Law of God in order to follow the customs of the Gentile nations.

How easy it is to do. Today God’s people have a guidebook authored by God Himself to be a guide through all of our temporal life. Yet God’s people do not read it. They do not study it or take it seriously. Instead, they do according to the customs of this world and follow the advice of unbelievers in this world.

God’s judgment had come. Yet God told Ezekiel that despite the judgments and the scatterings of His people, God would remain with them and continue the work of gathering His people to himself (Ezekiel 11:16,19-20).

What are we to do when so many of God’s people have forsaken the Word and path of God to follow the customs of this world?  Around the globe God scatters a remnant and in the midst of so much apostasy, true believers can enjoy the holy place of God’s presence, can gather around the Word and listen to His voice.  Above the world’s distracting sound, there is a place by him, a quiet place, where God’s people can commune with the great Creator who became the Savior (Exodus 33:21).  His abiding presence in our hearts stirs the godly to remain faithful to His Word.  (MAS)

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“Large crowds follow him”

The gospel of Matthew portrays Jesus as a king, namely the King of the Jews. The theme of this gospel is the kingdom of heaven. Jesus had left his kingdom and gone into a far country where his subjects had rebelled and gotten lost in their own folly. He came to announce the kingdom, to tell us of another world in which righteousness reigned. He came to seek and save what was lost.

Jesus went about preaching the gospel of the kingdom (4:23). The good news about the Kingdom is that He is calling men to follow Him. In Matthew 5-7 Jesus preached the famous Sermon on the Mount and in our world, he called on men and women to follow him. What does it mean to follow Him?

Before we can follow, we need to be clean (8:2-4). This means we need to be saved. Christ had just finished the Sermon on the Mount (Chpt 5-7). After his sermon, He came down the mountain and into our sad world “to seek and save what is lost”. People are attracted to him, and many follow. Before we can follow, we need a right relationship with Christ (8:5-13). We need to see He is worthy and we are not. Before we can follow, we need the touch of Christ (8:14-17). This implies service. Before we can follow, we need to give up the world (8:18-22). This means rejection in the world and the giving up of relationships and worldly pleasures that hinder us from following Christ. Before we can follow, we need to trust him (8:23-27). This means we must trust him in all the storms of life.

There are those who do not follow Him (8:28-34). At the end of this chapter, we read of stories of those who did not want to follow him. There are the demons who beg, “Leave us alone” and

the people who cry, “Depart from us”. (MAS)

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If you were to ask me early on before I started reading up on autism more in depth, what is it that makes Joel not a ‘typical’ child I would say, “He’s….nervous…a nervous kid.” When I noticed how well Joel started responding to sensory integration therapy which I am learning how to do through an in-home training program I began to look more into SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder). Joel’s speech and communication skills have sky rocketed once I began addressing each sensory issue with him. For example his body doesn’t naturally figure out how to balance itself out on a swing. It’s so sad to have a child who doesn’t want to take part in this childhood fun. Every kid loves to swing, right?!

I started out getting Joel comfortable enough to swing with me (straddling me) on the swing. He fought me my first few tries. I would wait a week or two and try again. I learned in my program that if you hug a child like Joel and help them ‘feel/sense’ their muscles they feel more secure and actually find their balance better. I squeezed Joel as tightly as possible, putting his arms close to his body. I let him put his head on my chest and we swung together. He enjoyed it! We did this more and more. Still he did not want to swing alone. I got out the backing and front piece to our plastic ‘baby swing’. Today I put Joel into it. He liked the idea of trying it out when I set it up. Once I put him into it and he felt it move I could see the panic rise. I pointed out that he could actually touch the ground with his feet. He calmed down. I should have thought sooner to crouch down as I swung him gently because the moment I did that and was closer to him he began to enjoy it. After a bit he said, “Go away.” I always know that that is his signal that he’s got it and he wants some independence. He discovered on his own to back his feet up and then to lift up his feet to get a good swing going. Now I know that Joel has one more favorite to add to his list. I know that in addition to, “Go in car? Eat icecream? Ladybug store?!” I will know here, “Swing mama?”

To our huge surprise Joel asked to go to the swimming pool. His brothers must have known that this would be their best drawing card. Maybe they talked Joel into it. They always are wanting to go but daddy has been too busy to go but the moment Joel asked, “Go in car. Go swimming pool?” mom and dad looked at each other and said, “We’ll go tomorrow!” I really hope that he actually goes into the pool. Last time that they were there he did not.

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“And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty years: few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.” (Genesis 47:9)

We are all growing older…but we are also growing closer…closer to the Lord, closer to the end of the pilgrim journey, closer to home, closer to Christ.

And that is the goal. This temporary life is just a passing fad, the glory of which is tinsel on a thrown away Christmas tree. We are pilgrims. We are foreigners. We are outcasts. We are in a world which has a value system and philosophy that we are not a part of.

And too often we settle; we take too long a rest amid all that sparkles on the pilgrim road. We take an exit ramp into worldly towns and places, exchange our pilgrim clothing, our godly character, for the masks of the world and the pleasures of the glittering tinsel, and seek to show the world that our minds and hearts are here and not on eternal things.

We are growing older…but we are growing nearer to the goal, the prize, the glory of Christ, who shines far brighter than the brightest glory of man. Cheer up, dear brother; cheer up, dear sister. Keep your eye on the glory. Keep your eye on Christ. Walk the pilgrim pathway, and let the glory of Christ shine in your face and in your life, encouraging others to not settle for the glory of sin, selfishness and pride, but to reach higher and see the beauty of the sinless One, the beauty of holiness, the beauty of a life that has helped many others out of the misery of sin, and into the pleasures of knowing God.

Abraham, after he caught a glimpse of the glory of God, left the glory of this world for the pilgrim pathway that led to God (Acts 7:2). Moses, after he saw the glory of Christ, left the glorious palaces of this world for the pilgrim pathway that led to God (Hebrews 11:24-27). The disciples, after they saw the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, left their careers, their families, their world for the pilgrim pathway that led to God (John 1:14).

And now here we are, in our day, in our generation, in our age, and in our moment. We can spend the rest of our earthly existence enjoying the world and all that is passing away, or we can leave it all behind for the pilgrim pathway, that leads to a closer walk with the Lord. (MAS)

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The believer’s home is a Christ-centered home; a place where the Word of God is honored, read and known.

“Teach them to your children and speak of them as you sit in your house, as you walk along the road as you lie down, and as you get up” (Deuteronomy 11:19 NET Bible).

We are to have Christ-centered lives. As we live and work day by day, Christ is to dwell in our minds and shape our thoughts; Christ is to dwell in our hearts and shape our behavior. Christ is to be first and central. When He is given that place…when He is everything to us, we become like Him in our attitudes, behavior and deeds. MAS

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“Do not entangle yourself in the affairs of this world”

Entanglement can take us out of the fight and away from the battle. Don’t entangle yourself financially. Don’t entangle yourself socially. Sporting enthusiasts have their time eroded by games and events. Social organizations and societies may be fun or prestigious, but they too will eat up our time. Don’t entangle yourself occupationally. Some people get so wrapped up in their jobs and work that they have no time to do battle for God. Don’t entangle yourself with luxuries that will tax your time. A warrior must be disciplined. Don’t entangle yourself with the politics of this world or the politics of the church (that is a church system). Some people get so upset over these things that they render themselves ineffective in the battles of the Lord. Don’t entangle yourself with moral arguments or social issues of the world. We need to be a voice proclaiming morality, but don’t entangle yourself to the point where you cannot do battle in the spiritual realm. Yea, don’t entangle yourself with anything that will cause you not to be able to do what the Lord wants you to do. Thus may we please Him who has called us to be a soldier of the Cross. MAS

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“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”

The Christ-Centered Home: Many times evangelists and preachers give up the comforts of their own homes. I may be asked to do this or to aid by hospitality in my home those who may have to give up this comfort. It is for others to enjoy the home God gives you. (TAS)

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If you have an autistic child that has touch sensory dysfunction here are a couple ideas that have worked for us with Joel. These ideas provide visual stimulation as well as introduction to new textures for touch. Joel HATES sticky hands, always has. He hates to get his hands dirty or sticky. Joel has always helped me willingly in the kitchen. Before viewing the Autism Essentials DVDs I didn’t realize how helpful making bread dough was for Joel. Joel is turning into a really good kneader and he really kneads this for strengthening his fine motor skills. At first Joel will look at the sticky gook on his hands and is troubled but if I reassure him that he will get to wash his hands when he is done he will continue kneading. Rolling the dough into balls for buns and rolling it out for rolls provide extra fine motor skill exercise. Getting to eat his final outcome makes all the sensory trama worthwhile! The whole family benefits from this type of therapy. Another thing that Joel loves to do is make Kool Aid. If you buy the packets of Kool Aid without the sugar it makes it more interesting. Joel first changes the 2 gallon jug of water different fun colors. He really starts flapping his hands when he sees the water turn colors (his sign of sheer excitment). Next he gets to use a funnel. It’s good visual strengthening for his to line up the opening of the bottle just right with the end of the funnel and fit them together. He slowly pours teaspoon after teaspooon of sugar in and just loves watching the sugar go through the spout into the colored water. I think that he enjoys the smell as well, I do. I actually don’t give it to him to drink. I save it for guests which we have often. I don’t like him to have the artificial flavorings and colorings as well as the huge amount of sugar that goes into Kool Aid. He is not tempted to drink it anyway since he is a orange juice only guy.

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I think that homeschooling is the ideal setting for children with autism. I also think that lots of sibblings helps a lot too. Joel has seen from birth that learning is a part of life. Also our home is well equipped with materials that aid in fine and gross motor skills. Sibblings aid in rough play and other games that help improve movement sensory prosessing skills. If Joel will have learning difficulties as I am sure he will at least I do know that he has a very good foundation. It is great that he naturally began painting and play dough by age two. I have learned through my Austism Essentials~connect therapy program that these types of activities help with sensory prosessing difficulties. The Lord is good in leading our family into the right lifestyle suitable to a child like Joel. Thank you Lord! He deserves all the honor and glory. (TAS)

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Joel is not ready to sit on a swing by himself yet but he will swing with me. This is great for his balance and movement issues. We video taped him doing some fan play to help me tolerate wind. He held a flag near the fan and loved the visual stimulation that it offered. His brother Elliot also showed Joel how to alter his voice by talking into the fan. The boys played out in the yard today with the big gym balls. It was a nice cool day today for this. Joel would never let me allow his whole body be on top of the ball. Today he tolerated it and even learned to enjoy it. This also is great for his movement sensory receiving and processing problems. We played the song “Bluey Bluey the Blue Blue Blanket” on the Pat the Bunny CD and all the boys danced around with sheets. Wrapping Joel up in a sheet is something that he likes a lot and it is helpful to his development. The boys all had fun with it. It really is key to have the boys involved in all the sensory integragation tips that I am getting from my DVD training vidoes (Autism Essentials). In DVD 3 Monique takes us right into an OT room and gives us lots of ideas to work with our kids with sensory issues. I am learning how to better help our second son Zachary who is seven as well. His sensory information receiving and processing problems interfere with his learning. I can look back now and say “Oh that’s what was going on with Zach”. I wish I had learned this stuff sooner but it is never too late. I am understanding Zach now better and that is helping with our student-teacher relationship as we homeschool.

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