Colors of Faith

Devotions, Stories, and Love of the Lord

By Charles (Bill) Eldredge

Colors of Faith
FOREWORD.................................................................................................................................................... 2 MY NEMESIS ................................................................................................................................................... 3 FROM CLUELESS TO BLUELESS............................................................................................................... 4 THE DEAL....................................................................................................................................................... 6 CHANGES?..................................................................................................................................................... 8 PURE?............................................................................................................................................................ 10 IN NEED OF FORGIVENESS........................................................................................................................ 11 UNDESERVING.............................................................................................................................................. 13 THE TREAT.................................................................................................................................................... 15 COPYCAT....................................................................................................................................................... 17 NIGHT AND DAY........................................................................................................................................... 19

Colors of Faith
Foreword
About ten years ago I tried my hand at writing. I sold my first story for a decent sum to a magazine I am too ashamed to mention. After several attempts to repeat the magic, I found nothing but rejection and gave up on my efforts. Since then: my son was born, I have changed careers, and I was blessed with accepting Jesus Christ as my personal savior. Recently, while searching the web for writing opportunities that could supplement our income, I found a site for writers of all skill levels and abilities, which focuses on supporting and growing writers of faith. One way it does so is through writing challenges with specific topics. Since I place my life in Gods hand, I know it wasnt accidental that I found a site that gives me an outlet for sharing my faith. I began writing and submitting my work to the writing challenges and you will get to see the (amateurish at best, in my opinion) results. The writings within this eBook are all the result of writing challenges based on color-related topics. See if you can guess which each one is. If you like what you read and are interested in sharing it with others, please feel free to do so as long as you share the eBook in its entirety and ensure my name stays on it. Thanks for your interest in reading my collection. If you are saved, I hope these works have reminded you why we love the Lord. If you are not saved, I hope these works show you the wonderful, amazing love and joy that you too can have by accepting the Jesus Christ as your personal savior.

Bill Eldredge 12/23/09

Colors of Faith
My Nemesis
Am I familiar with Red? The answer is, of course I am. I have been seeing Red on and off for the last 38 years of my life. Red slowly became a tolerated nuisance I learned to deal with, although, not actually enjoy. In fact, since I accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior, Red has become an enormous, but welcome thorn in my side. As a new creature in Christ, I thought that it would be easy to control when I see Red, but that is not the case. Although I do actually see Red less than before, the fact that I see Red at all bothers me. Red, better known as my anger, still comes upon me like a bolt of lightning. One minute I am fine; the next I am in a rage and fighting myself about trying to calm down. Why do I get so angry? I dont know, but my theory is that by making me lose my temper so much, Satan is trying to make me do something that causes me to lose sight of my faith. Fat chance of that! When I get that worked up, I turn to prayer, asking forgiveness for losing my temper and help to calm down. Even though I may not relax immediately, just like every promise God has made, I do receive the help I ask for, in His time. Would I prefer to not lose my temper? Absolutely, but then I remind myself that if I didnt have something to keep me humble and needing His help, I may just fall for Satans games after all. To me, my anger is a small price to pay to have a reason, with no excuses, to come to our Father and seek just a little of his attention the same type of attention I myself appreciate being able to give my own son.

Colors of Faith
From Clueless to Blueless
Thinking of the word blue, what images does it conjure up for you? For me, it relates to sadness, melancholy, being upset in general. I mean, who hasnt listened to a good blues singer? The songs are about nothing but problems and the associated sadness and loss. Personally, it has been a while since I felt true, blue sadness. A few years back I hit my own rock bottom, placing myself in a situation which had me facing the prospect of losing my family due to my actions. When the realization struck me that my wife and son might no longer be a part of my life, I felt true sadness. I was miserable, scared and didnt know what to do, so I went to several churches in my area looking for someone to talk to. At all the churches I tried, no one was available for me to see, which made my situation worse. Was I such a bad person that even God didnt want to help me? What hope did I have if that were the case? Dejected, I decided to talk to my friend J. at work a Baptist that I now realized God had actually placed in my life. Without going into great detail (pride making me think that I couldnt make myself look as bad as I felt), I told him about my situation and how I low I felt that even God was ignoring me. Using portions of the scripture, he showed me how that wasnt true and how Jesus came into the world to save sinners, thieves, and everyone else who needed him, not the people who were already His. According to J., the reason I found no one to talk to was because those churches were not where I should be. I thanked him for his help, and being the cynic that I am, went home to look up the scriptures he quoted to verify them for myself. When I found that he quoted the passages correctly, I spent a few days thinking about what J. and the Bible said. I realized that for all the years of mocking the faith of people I met, I did need Jesus as my personal Savior, but I was scared. Even with the troubles we were dealing with, I asked my wife to pray with me. She agreed, I hit my knees and cried like a baby as I called out for Jesus to save this filthy sinner and become part of my life. Since I turned my life over to the Lord I have received many blessings probably more than I should have my wife forgave me of my transgressions and we are working

Colors of Faith
on regaining the trust in our marriage, I received a promotion at work, I felt the Lords hands stop my truck from running off the road one morning when I blacked out behind the wheel, and I can now see the many blessings I received even before I was saved (but was too ignorant to realize Who was helping me). Even when my wife faced multiple emergency surgeries, I was blessed by the knowledge that it was in Gods hands and according to His perfect plan things would turn out for us yes, my beautiful wife is still here, praise God! Just as God blessed America, my Savior Jesus has blessed me, using his precious red blood to make my garments white as snow and I am no longer blue.

Colors of Faith
The Deal
He heard the voice calling to him from the darkness, invading his senses, Judas, Judas, hear me speak. He instantly woke up and jumped from his bed, the hair in the back of his neck standing at attention. Who is calling me, he barked, what do you want? Judas, do not be alarmed. I merely want to discuss a proposition with you. Sir, I do not know who you are. Why do you come into my room? The figure stepped into the light, exposing his twisted grin and his flushed complexion. Judas, my name is Lucifer. Relax, I merely ask that you would simply sit and listen to my offer. Is that acceptable? Judas, still trying to gather his bearings from being awakened so abruptly, sat back on his bed. He did not recognize the stranger, yet the name was vaguely familiar. Where had he heard the name before, he wondered, yet could not recall. Observing that the stranger did not seem intent on harming him, he asked Sir, what is this offer of which you speak? I need you to do something for me, Lucifer began with a concerned look on his face, You friend, Jesus of Nazareth is in trouble. The word of His deeds has spread across the land and many are angry with His doings. Several groups are looking to bring harm to Him, and He needs to be protected. How may I protect him, pray tell? He is the Son of the Lord, what harm can befall him? Judas asked. Dear Judas, he continued gently, Jesus is so busy with his ministry that he is unable to see the anger of the Jews. Unless he is protected, he will likely be taken and put to death by an angry mob. Only you, with my help, have the power to protect the Christ Why then do you not move to protect Jesus yourself, Lucifer? Judas inquired.

Colors of Faith
Ah, Judas, if it were that simple. You see, I have had multiple run-ins with the authorities around here and as a result, no one will listen to what I have to say. Why then are you looking to help Jesus if you are against the laws? Lucifer grinned and spread his open palms with a shrug, Judas, my problems with the authorities are merely because of my preaching on the Christ. The elders do not believe that our friend Jesus is the Christ, and they are unhappy with my persistence in sharing that knowledge. Judas was all too aware of the problems he, Jesus, and the other apostles had encountered during their travels. Indeed, it was easy to see the possibility of angry mobs, already speaking and murmuring against the Son of the Lord, deciding to finally take action. At Lucifers words, Judas realized that Jesus did indeed need protection, and the opportunity to do so was sitting right in front of him. Lucifer, what must I do to protect my Lord? Judas, I am happy to see you feel the way I do. I want to let you know that with my plan, not only will you take care of the Savior, you will also be able to make some money that can be used to help the poor. What will you have me do then? It is simple Judas. Go see the chief priests and the captains. Although He is not fond of them, they are the only ones who can keep him safe. Tell them that for a reward, you will turn Jesus over to them. I will do it Lucifer, thank you for showing me how I may help the Christ! Lucifer replied with a smile as he saw himself to the door, Dont thank me dear Judas, I thank you for allowing me to help. Bless you and I will see you again soon. Judas did as he was told, he established a covenant with the chief priests and captains, and betrayed the Lord Jesus. When he realized what he had actually done, fall victim to the lies and temptations of Satan, Judas took his life. Like many to follow after him, Judas turned away from the Son, thereby turning away from the Father, all the result of allowing Satan to corrupt him and turn his heart black.

Colors of Faith
Changes?
As fall settles in, the leaves on the trees change colors. Beautiful orange, yellow, brown and red highlights appear, the tones stunning enough to cause the phenomena known as leaf-peeping. This change; however, quickly gives way to the leaves falling off of the trees completely, all in preparation for the arrival of the early darkness and the bitter chills of winter. As winter overtakes the country, the days are short and the nights are long. The sun, when it penetrates the clouds only exists for a few hours a day. People are forced to stay inside as much as possible, with only the brave facing the cold, bitter weather for long periods of time. As everyone sits inside, using whatever means of warmth is on hand, thoughts turn to the time when winter ends and spring returns. Discussions start to revolve around the excitement that comes with seeing the first bit of new grass growing, the way it sprouts, green and full of new life. When spring does arrive, everyone is happy to see that the signs of life have returned. They know that they will be able to get out, stretch, and just feel the warmth of the sun beating down on them. Unfortunately, many of these people, anxious to get back into the warm weather and enjoy the lush green of the trees and grass in bloom, do not realize that they are still trapped in the winter. Their lives are surrounded by the cold and bitter ways of the world. No matter what the season outside is, the darkness is long-lasting and the light is virtually non-existent. For those of us that have turned our lives over to Christ, this is not the case. We are in the wonderful position of always having light, bright and eternal, keeping the darkness at bay. Even when we are surrounded by several feet of snow, we have the privilege of feeling warmth, being able to always bask in the radiance of the Son. I would like to thank you Father; thank you for Calvary and the sacrifice made by your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank you for your wonderful plan that gave us eternal life through the Precious Blood, washing our sins away and making us

Colors of Faith
new creatures. Thank you for the knowledge that when our time comes, we will be able to join you, your Son, the Holy Spirit, and all of the saints in New Jerusalem, worshipping and praising you forever and ever. Amen!

Colors of Faith
Pure?
As fall fades away and winter appears, I know what to expect living in New England. In fact, this year we have already had our first taste of snow. In October we were treated to about two inches of the fluffy powder, so expectations are that it will be a long winter. In New England, it is not uncommon to wake up in the morning, open the front door to get the paper, and find yourself staring at a foot of fresh, untouched snow. When we get a snow like this, it is beautiful to behold (unless of course you have to dig your way to the car and go to work!) and is usually accompanied by a silence that has no parallel. The pure, white snow stretches as far as the eye can see; covering everything it is powdery shroud. The fresh snow is a treat for ones eyes, gorgeous and untouched. When the sun shines on the snow the whiteness is blinding, so bright that you have to squint or cover your eyes to not have the brightness temporarily superimposed onto your retinas. As bright as this is; however, it is no match for the pure white we become when we come to Jesus Christ, accept him as our Lord and Savior, and get washed in His precious blood. No matter how bad you have been in your life, how many sins you have committed, or the number of commandments you have broken; all you need to do is come to the Lord, humble yourself and admit that you need Him in your life, He will accept you, forgive you, and make you whole. You will receive the greatest gift you have ever imagined, eternal life with a loving Father who will meet your every need just for trusting in Him. Father, thank you for the gift you have given this filthy sinner, even though I have done nothing to be worthy of your love. I know I will never be able to repay your generosity, but I will do what I can to continue to glorify you and your Son until the day I am blessed enough to join you. Amen.

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Colors of Faith
In Need of Forgiveness
John heard the yelling again, just like he did every Friday night when Dad came home. Mom, knowing what was to come, had sent him to his room and had him turn up the TV. Her eyes were already beginning to fill with tears and Dad hadnt even gotten out of the car yet. It was going to be a long night, he thought, as he heard Dad come in. Where were you this time Mark? Mom asked. None of your damn business, Dad yelled, as long as your bills are paid, you dont need to worry about it. Were you with a woman again? I told you, woman, it is none of your concern. It is my concern Mark, we are married! Do you remember what that means? I sure do, he replied it means that you have to obey me, and I said quit asking me about what I have been doing. Mark, you need to stop going to the bar and running around with those women. What kind of example are you trying to set for John? John doesnt know what is going on, besides if he did all he would see is how a real man behaves. A real man, Mark? A real man takes care of his family and respects his wife. He acts as a father to his child and teaches him about the Lord. What did I tell you? he yelled, his voice continuing to rise, I dont want you talking about that stuff in my house. It aint real and I told you before I wont hear it! Before she could react, he was on her and the hand was moving. The flash in her eyes was blinding, and her eyes began to water. It took a second for her mind to register what had happened. You hit me again! she yelled, shoving him away from her. Do you want more? Theres plenty more where that came from. John threw open his door and ran into the room. Daddy, dont hit Momma!
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Colors of Faith
Mark spun, raising his hand again and moving towards him. As he got his hand all the way back, his face went pale and he grabbed his left arm. Slumping to the ground, he felt like an elephant was standing on his chest. Help me Honey he whispered, I cant breathe. Nancy gathered John in her arms, hugging him tight. She continued to hold him as Mark lay gasping, his face slowly turning a deep shade of purple. Bowing her head, she began to pray. Heavenly Father, I want to thank you for removing us from this situation. I hope that you can forgive me for not helping him

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Colors of Faith
Undeserving
How could I be so stupid? I cant believe I did something so cowardly. If my brothers were here they would definitely call me yellow, and a chicken. I really dont care what they would say, though. I am more concerned with the disappointment I feel in myself. Not only did I do something terrible, now I cannot get the image of my act to quit replaying over and over again in my head I was outside the building waiting for be let in. I knew the trial was about to start and wanted to make sure I had a good view of the proceedings. As the woman monitoring the door opened it for me, she asked Are you a friend of the accused? No I replied, I do not know him. She let me in and I gathered with everyone else in the lobby, waiting for the proceedings to start. Since it was so cold outside, I worked my way over to one of the heaters, trying to warm myself. As I stood there shaking the chill, a guard who was also warming up asked me Arent you a friend of the Defendant? Again, I couldnt believe I was being asked this. No, I dont know who he is. As I tried to forget the rudeness of the guard, I stood muttering to myself. I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to see who it was. There stood another guard, this one with a quizzical look on his face. Didnt I see you in the park with the man accused of these crimes? Now I was indignant, No sir, I said that I do not know this man The words were scarcely out of my mouth when I heard a rooster crow, and I felt the tears start to run down my face. There I stood; crying like a baby because I knew that I had let my cowardice, yes that yellow streak of fear, cause me to lie in order to save my own life. Even worse was

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Colors of Faith
the fact that I had just denied my Lord and Savior, even as he said I would and I adamantly promised I would not. Here was the man who chose me as a friend, confidant, and disciple; facing death for merely telling the truth about who He was and what His Father wanted us to do, and I acted in such a manner. I could only hang my head in shame knowing that I, like every human being, was undeserving of the love that Jesus Christ shared with us all. What did I receive for my disgusting act? I was washed in the Lambs precious blood, given eternal life, and forgiven of my sins. The same thing anyone may receive if they only accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and give their lives to Him. Amen.

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Colors of Faith
The Treat
Jeff knew that this was going to be the last Halloween he would be able to dress up for before he was too old to go Trick-or-treating. Just for fun, he and his friends decided to dress up in what they called kiddie costumes, not the cool movie and video game costumes that were the current fad, but the silly ones parents pick for their small children. As he finished putting on his costume, he took the time to check it in the mirror before heading out to meet his friends. The image looking back at him made him smile. The round body with its triangular eyes, nose, and mouth; the orange paint covering his face and hands; the combination sure looked like the baby get-up he was trying for. With a chuckle he picked up his bag and headed for Joes house. Once everyone met up, the group started their route. As they always had, they made their way down Mr. Smiths street, knowing this area always gave out full sized candy bars. With their bags already straining with the weight of their loot, they turned left and headed down the cul-de-sac. When they reached the house at the turn around and rang the doorbell, they found themselves face-to-face with someone they did not recognize. They overcame their initial shock and chorused their Trick or Treat. The lady smiled, reached into the bowl she was holding, and placed a piece of paper in each of their bags. You boys have a good night she called after them. As they got back up the road, Jeff broke the silence. What in the heck did she give us? It looked like a piece of paper! One of the other boys stopped under the streetlight and dug into his bag. Pulling the paper out of the bag, he twisted his body, finding the best light to look at it. It is a stinkin church pamphlet, thats what it is! Listen to the name, Why Jesus Died for You, what a load of crap. With a laugh, he threw the pamphlet to the ground and headed on to their next destination.

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Colors of Faith
When their adventure was over, Jeff returned home, went to his room and dumped his bag onto the bed. He took his time sorting the candy into piles of his favorite, so-so, and those he refused to eat. As he finished making the piles, he picked up the tract again. Looking at the cover, he read the title, Why Jesus Died for You. He flipped it open and began to read. WhyDidJesusDieforYou? AlmosteveryonehasheardthatJesusdiedatCalvaryforthem,butdoyoureallyknowwhyhe did?Bydyingforus,HetookonoursinsandallowedustoreceiveGodsgrace.AstheBible tellsus,Jesuswastheonewhogavehimselfforoursins,thathemightdeliverusfromthis presentevilworld,accordingtothewillofGodandourFather(Galatians1:4,KJV).Takealook attheworldaroundyouorjustwatchthenews,andyouwillseewhatevilsaboundinthis world.Whatdoyouneedtodotoreceivethisprotectionfromevil?TurnyourselfovertoJesus, askhimintoyourlife,andaccepthimasyourLordandSavior.Youwillreceivehisloveandthe eternallifeonlyHecanprovide. As he finished reading the tract, Jeff thought about his fifth-grade classmates who were just expelled from school for being involved in gang activities and the shootings he heard about on the news. Maybe there was something to this pamphlet, he thought. That was the last thought he gave to the tract that night. He finished his routine and went to bed. He spent the night tossing and turning, seeing the words of Galatians over and over again intertwined with images of crime he was familiar with. When he woke up, he got dressed, ate breakfast, and told his Mom he was going out to play for a while. Heading to the cul-de-sac, his heart was beating and he felt his palms sweating. He was nervous, unsure of what to he was going to say, but when he reached the house from last night, rang the bell, and the door opened, he knew exactly what to say: Maam, could you tell me more about Jesus?

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Colors of Faith
Copycat
Sitting in my recliner, stealing a couple of minutes for myself, I couldnt help thinking about the funk that I had been in lately. Ever since my company closed and I was laid off, I havent been able to find another job. Instead I have been spending my days taking care of our son Nick while my wife supports the family, which has been eating away at me and making me feel like an incompetent husband. To be honest, before my layoff I never really thought about how much work it was to run the household, but I definitely didnt know that it was this hard. Today started pretty much like every other day, I made my wife breakfast and fed Nick while she was eating, gave her a kiss as she left, and went about cleaning everything up. For the next couple of hours things were quiet on the home front and I was able to entertain Nick and still get the housework done. I put Nick down for his nap and decided to catch some of last nights hockey game, which I recorded while I was spending time with my wife. I made it through most of the first period when a loud crash sounded, scaring the heck out of me. With my heart pounding, I ran into the kitchen to see what happened. My fight or flight instinct was instantly gone, however, when I saw what had caused the noise because I immediately burst into laughter. Not just any laughter, mind you, but the kind that leaves your eyes watering, your sides hurting, and your lungs begging for air. There was my wonderful son sitting on the kitchen floor with a goofy grin and wearing my favorite Red Sox hat cocked on his head like a rapper. It wasnt just his grin that made me crack up though. It was also a combination of the broken chocolate syrup bottle at his feet, the sweet brown snack covering his little body, and the perfect outline of him on the white cabinet behind him, surrounded by a bottles worth of cocoa splatter. What are you doing, Buddy I asked when I caught my breath. I make chockit milk like Daddy he replied, clearly proud of himself, inna Sox hat! With another chuckle, I told him to stay still and went to get the camera. There was no way I was going to rob my wife of this image, so I captured the scene from as
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Colors of Faith
many angles as a crime scene investigator. She would love this, especially when I told her what he was doing. I grabbed Nick, got him into the bath, and laid him down again, this time turning on the radio for him to keep him occupied. Heading back into the kitchen, I couldnt keep from giggling again, picturing the little knucklehead standing there. I finished cleaning up the mess, checked on a finally sleeping Nick, and headed for my chair. As I sit here recalling the days events, I realize that Nick trying to make chocolate milk reminded me that I should be following his example; instead of feeling sorry for myself, I should be a good son who appreciates the little things his Father does for him.

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Colors of Faith
Night and Day
When we look at the world, we see colors being used in various ways. While colors are pleasing to our eyes, they are also metaphors to represent Satans efforts to keep us in the world: Red signifies anger, something Satan enjoys seeing us relish in. Blue conjures images of sorrow or sadness, such as when someone sings the blues. Green not just the color of money (the love of which is the root of all evil); but also the color of envy. Black universally known as the color of the bad guy and representative of evil. Yellow equated by most to be the color of cowardice, i.e., the proverbial yellow streak. White used to describe fear, ex. I was as white as a ghost. As much as he tries, Satan does not have a monopoly on using colors to show the ways he can interfere in our lives. As someone inferior to God, his use of colors, just like everything else he does, falls short of the magnificence of God. God, as He does with all of His actions, uses His colors in a glorious manner that benefits all of His children: Red the color of Jesus wonderful words in the Bible, also the color of His blood that was shed for us. Blue the color of his frozen lake we will all pass through when we ascend to the third Heaven. Green the color of fresh grass, growing the way we can grow with the Holy Spirit. Black the ink used to record His inspired world, preserved for us all Yellow the color that is reflected from New Jerusalems streets of gold

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White the color are garments become when we are washed by Jesus precious blood Just as people viewing the images in an art gallery, we all have certain colors that appeal to us and that we lean towards. When you look at the comparison between Gods perfect use of colors and Satans sad copies, I hope that you too appreciate the Lords handiwork the way a collector sees a Dali next to a preschoolers finger painting.

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