Why Do We Write Romances? Guest Blog MaryLu Tyndall

God is a Romantic at heart!  By Mary Lu Tyndall  https://www.marylutyndall.com/ Posted: 16 Sep 2019 12:30 AM PDT Sometimes people ask me why I write romance. Aren't there more important things to write in these trying times? I always answer them that I write about God, and God is a romantic!  In fact, the entire Bible is one huge love story composed of a bunch of little love stories.  It goes something like this. God seeks out a bride for Himself. A people who will love Him and follow Him and be in relationship with Him. He wants a bride who will tell the rest of mankind about Him.  He chooses the Jewish people. He saves them from bondage (Egypt), marries them on Mount Sinai, and then intends to bring them into the promised land where they will live happy and free with Him.  The Jewish people cheat on God. They run off after other lovers.  God divorces them.  Then I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but went and played the harlot also. Jeremiah 3:8 Jesus becomes a man in order to pay the penalty for everyone's sin and bring the Jews back into relationship with God.  God loves the Jewish people (all people) so much that He is willing to sacrifice His own Son in order to win them back.   The Jews reject Jesus. Jesus turns to the gentiles to seek a new bride.  God has sent His Holy Spirit to earth to call each individual member of the bride and help them get ready for her wedding!  Note:  In the end, God will save Israel when they turn to Jesus, and they will once again be His bride.. He's not done with them yet. (This is mimicked in the story of Jacob listed below) So you see, the entire Bible is a love story!. It's all about how much God loves us, how much He is willing to pay to set us free from our prison of sin, how much He is willing to lose to bring us back to Him, how much He is willing to suffer.. It's the greatest love story of all time., and embedded within it are a dozen great love stories that all illustrate and point back to the major one: God loves you with an undying, sacrificial, unconditional, immense love! And He never leaves you and never gives up on you, and He pursues you as if you were the only object of His great affection. Don't ever forget that! Look how God has woven the same story throughout Scripture! Adam and Eve What a grand love story. Adam was lonely. He needed romance in his life. He needed to fall in love. So what did God do? He brought him Eve. What is God preparing for His Son now? A Bride, which He will bring to Jesus at the rapture. Note. Jesus doesn't come down to earth. We go up to meet him in the clouds! Just as God brought Eve to Adam. Abraham and Sarah. What a grand love story!  Apparently she was so beautiful he had to lie and tell other men she was his sister so they wouldn't kill him for her. Not his best moments. Isaac and Rebekah!  Who could forget this great love story that mimics the love story between Jesus and His bride. Abraham (Father God) sends Eliezer (the Holy Spirit) back to his homeland (earth) to find a suitable bride for his son, Isaac (Jesus). Eliezer finds Rebekah, who agrees to marry Isaac. He pays the bride price and brings her willingly home to her new husband (Jesus) Joseph, who many scholars believe is a typology of Jesus, took a gentile bride from Egypt, an Egyptian princess. Just as Jesus is taking a Gentile bride (the church) Jacob, who was forced to marry a bride he did not want at first, Leah, in order to get the bride he did want, Rachel.  Sounds a lot like Jesus who is now about to marry a gentile bride, (the church), but that is not the original bride God wanted for His Son. The Jews were to be the chosen people, the chosen bride but they rejected him. However, after Jesus marries the gentile bride, the Jews will be saved during the tribulation and they will once again become part of God's family. Moses took a gentile bride. Rahab, the prostitute of Jericho who sided with the Jews. She married a Jewish man and from their union, Jesus was eventually born. David and Bathsheba - who can forget this love story, as immoral as it started out. It was through their lineage that Jesus came as well. Ruth and Boaz, one of my favorite love stories. It it the perfect analogy of Jesus and the Church. Boaz was Ruth's kinsmen redeemer, just as Jesus is ours. If you don't know the story, I encourage you to read the book of Ruth.  Esther - who doesn't love a story about a young girl who is nobody but who then becomes Queen of the Realm!   And of course the ultimate love story. Jesus, who loved us so much, He gave up everything to become nothing, who was beaten and scorched and crucified so badly, He didn't even look human. He was rejected by men, a man well acquainted with sorrows, belittled, mocked, spit on, and harassed. And He did all of that to win your love,. to save you from eternal fire. Now, there's a love story for the ages!  In fact, many of the things Jesus said are idioms for a Jewish wedding. It's a fascinating study, and I encourage you to read this article about the Jewish Wedding and Jesus And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8:38-39 Remember you are bought with a huge price--the death of the Son of God. It is the bride price God paid for you to become His Son's bride. That makes you the most valuable thing in all of creation. Highly loved and exceedingly precious!                                                                        *** Thanks for stopping by! Would love to read your comments about this post by a dear author friend, MaryLu Tyndall. Feel free to share by clicking on the icons below. Be blessed, Elva Elva Cobb Martin is Vice President of the SC Chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is a former school teacher and a graduate of Anderson University and Erskine College. She has two inspirational novels published with Lighthouse Publishers of the Carolinas. Summer of Deception, a contemporary romantic suspense, and an historical romance, In a Pirate’s Debt. Both have spent time on Amazon’s 100 Best Sellers List for Women’s Religious Fiction. She has indie published a Bible study on Amazon, Power Over Satan, on the  believer's authority in Christ. Decision, Charisma, and Home Life have carried Elva's articles. She and her husband Dwayne are semi-retired ministers. A mother and grandmother, Elva lives in South Carolina. Connect with her on her web site http://www.elvamartin.com, Twitter www.twitter.com/ElvaCobbMartin; Facebook http://www.facebook.com/elvacobbmartin;  and Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/elvacobbmartin    Link to her romance novels and non-fiction works on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2pOgVHI  Coming Nov. 12, 2019  Marisol  Book 1 in Charleston Brides           https://amzn.to/33Npc2L

Writers' Devotion: Be still and know...

by Elva Cobb Martin

With this blog I start something new--a brief writers' devotion the first week of each new month. This week is a good time to start. The first Thursday in May each year is America's National Day of Prayer which I participate in on our Court House Steps.

Psalm 46:10 KJV

"Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the heathen."

It may look like the heathen have taken over, but God says: Be still and know...I will be exalted among the heathen.

In the past others have tried to exalt themselves above God: 

Lucifer
Pharaoh
Hitler
Stalin

Today, abortionists and pro-abortion pushers/judges, 
the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning), 
Islam, and ISIS are trying to exalt themselves above God and His Word.

Like every Christian writer, I read the news and am troubled by the inroads evil seems to be making in our nation and world.

But God says: Be still and know that I WILL BE exalted among the heathen.

That's good news to keep remembering and agreeing with daily as we continue to pursue our writing mandates.

Onward! In His Majesty's Service,
Elva Martin

Elva Cobb Martin is vice-president of the South Carolina Chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is a former school teacher and a graduate of Anderson University and Erskine College. She has two inspirational novels published with Lighthouse Publishers of the Carolinas. Summer of Deception, a contemporary romantic suspense, and an historical romance, In a Pirate’s Debt. Both have spent time on Amazon’s 100 Best Sellers List for Women’s Religious Fiction. She has indie published a Bible study on Amazon, Power Over Satan, on the  believer's authority in Christ. Decision, Charisma, and Home Life have carried Elva's articles. She and her husband Dwayne are semi-retired ministers. A mother and grandmother, Elva lives in South Carolina. Connect with her on her web site http://www.elvamartin.com,on Twitter www.twitter.com/ElvaCobbMartin; Facebook http://www.facebook.com/elvacobbmartin;  and Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/elvacobbmartin    

 Link to her romance novels and non-fiction works on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2pOgVHI

Christmas Special: Angels - Our Supernatural Helpers Part 3 "On Assignment"

By Elva Cobb Martin

Today in Part 3 we will look at angels on assignment and how we can make sure they work for us, not against us. To find Part 1  click here  http://bit.ly/2UVVtAc
and to find Part 2 here http://bit.ly/2LsTvTG.

Angels on Assignment
Jacob had a vision in Genesis 28:12 of a ladder reaching from heaven to earth with angels descending and ascending and God standing above them. I am so glad God showed Jacob and us He does send angels to earth and back on special assignments. Jacob was going through a real family crisis and had, in fact, fled from his home. God wanted to reassure him and share great promises for his future.

The Bible shows several angel visitations during the lives of people trying to serve Him, or in the case of Balaam, not obeying Him. 

Remember Balaam's story in Numbers 22? God never meant for Balaam to go at the Midian king's request and curse Israel. He went anyway and God put a warrior angel in his path "for an adversary against him." His donkey saw it and stopped but Balaam did not see the angel and he became furious and beat the donkey,until the donkey spoke to him. God can use anything to get our attention in an effort to turn us from a wrong path. Note: Disobedience can cause our angels to work against us, God forbid.

The Bible describes other angels sent on assignment, in addition to Gabriel being sent to Mary in Luke 2 we covered earlier.

• The two angels sent to Sodom because of Abraham's intercession to save Lot and his family before judgment fell for the city's practice of homosexuality. Isn't it great to know we may have loved ones living in the devil's camp but we can intercede and expect God to send angels to pull them out in time?                                                                                                            
• The angel sent to Daniel while he was in Babylon in chapter 10 who had to battle the demon angel over Persia for twenty-one days before he could get through. He told Daniel that Michael (Israel's guardian angel) came to assist him. We can glean a lot about angels from this story. The angel told Daniel he came "for his words." Daniel was fasting and praying. Evil nations have evil angelic principalities leading and guarding them--but God's angels can overcome. They told Daniel what would come in the future of nations. And let's don't forget the angel sent to shut the mouths of the lions to save Daniel. (God's angels can be sent at a moment's notice to deliver and help us.)                                                                                                                    
• The future assignment of ONE angel in Revelation 20 who will lay hold of Satan, bind him in a great chain and cast him into the bottomless pit. (Angels were sent on assignment throughout the Bible and will continue to be sent in the future).

To understand about angels form and abilities, here are some general facts I've gleaned from the Bible:

They are heavenly spirit beings with personal spirit bodies, created by God, with human-looking body parts, emotions, passion, intelligence, wisdom, great strength (one angel in the OT slew 185,000 of Israel's enemies in one night). 

They need no rest, they travel at inconceivable speeds, speak all languages, are innumerable, are subject to God, are interested in human affairs, can cook, wear clothes, not to be worshiped, can lead sinners to gospel workers and rejoice over one sinner who repents, minister to the saints, can appear unawares, bring answers to prayers, appear in dreams, guard Christians and Christian nations, wage war against the devil and evil spirits, and receive departed spirits. Last, but not least, angels will come with Christ when He returns.

How can we encourage the work of angels on our behalf? Remember the angel told Daniel he came "for his words." His prayers. Here's something from my personal experience.

I was in my prayer closet one day of prayer and fasting and God showed me a door opening in the spirit and a mighty warrior angel came marching through. Then the Lord lifted me up to see like a courtyard with many doors and behind these doors also stood mighty warrior angels, but the doors were closed. I asked the Lord about this, and He told me those Christians were not praying and that was what opened the doors into the earth for special assignments.

In Psalm 103:20 KJV, the Psalmist tells us that angels "hearken unto the voice of God's word." As we speak and confess God's mighty Word, His promises, over whatever situation we are in, angels hearken and get busy helping that word come to pass. Find God's promises for deliverance, healing, or supply and speak them out and stand in faith. ALSO stay in obedience to make sure your angels won't be sent to work against you, like Balaam.

As a final Christmas comment, have you ever wondered just exactly WHEN Mary became impregnated with God's Son? We know the Holy Spirit was involved in this process.

Based on my understanding of scripture, I believe it was when she SAID aloud, "Be it unto me according to thy Word." I also believe that's about when some camels in a far country got up on their dusty legs and started on the LONG desert trek toward her and Joseph with their supply they would need in nine months --gold, frankincense and myrrh. 

God and His angels are just waiting for us to speak out God's mighty Word in faith instead of doubt, fear, and doom the world speaks. I believe demons are activated by these depressing kinds of words. Let's keep our angels working hard on our behalf and on the behalf of America!

Thanks for stopping by. Do share this article by clicking on the small icons below.

God bless you and your family this Christmas and New Year,

Elva Martin

Elva Cobb Martin is vice-president of the South Carolina Chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is a former school teacher and a graduate of Anderson University and Erskine College. She has two inspirational novels published with Lighthouse Publishers of the Carolinas. Summer of Deception, a contemporary romantic suspense, and an historical romance, In a Pirate’s Debt. Both have spent time on Amazon’s 100 Best Sellers List for Women’s Religious Fiction. She has indie published a Bible study on Amazon, Power Over Satan, on the  believer's authority in Christ. Decision, Charisma, and Home Life have carried Elva's articles. She and her husband Dwayne are semi-retired ministers. A mother and grandmother, Elva lives in South Carolina. Connect with her on her web site http://www.elvamartin.com,on Twitter www.twitter.com/ElvaCobbMartin; Facebook http://www.facebook.com/elvacobbmartin;  and Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/elvacobbmartin    

 Link to her romance novels and non-fiction works on Amazon:http://amzn.to/2pOgVHI

Christmas Special: Angels - Our Supernatural Helpers Part 2

By Elva Cobb Martin

Some people refuse to believe in God, heaven, hell, the devil, or angels. But this unbelief does not negate the reality of the spirit realm and our Creator of both the natural and the supernatural realms. 

The Bible records hundreds of manifestations and encounters with angels. Angels are mentioned 108 times in the Old Testament (OT) and 165 times in the New Testament (NT).

Here are more angel facts that you can confirm by a good concordance and search of the word:

The word "angel" (Hebrew malak; Gk angelos) means "messenger." They are God's heavenly messengers or servants created by God before the earth began (Colossians 1:16).

Angels are not omnipresent--only God is, but angels are around everywhere on assignment. Jacob received a vision of them descending and ascending from assignments. In every nation assigned angels are among the agents executing God's will in the earth and assisting those who are trying to do so. Satan also has his demon angel assignments over various nations (Daniel 10) and ranks in his evil kingdom Paul received a revelation of in Ephesians 6. We'll discuss this in a later blog in this series.

Angels are not to be worshiped. Only God deserves worship.

The Bible speaks of good angels and evil angels, though it stresses that all were created good and holy. Having the freedom of choice, one-third of the angels joined in Satan's rebellion and were cast out of heaven (Ezek. 28:12-17; Jude 6). The Bible is not clear, but some theologians think likely these fallen angels can be identified with demons. Isn't it wonderful to know God has two good angels working for us for every bad one working for Satan?

In NT idol feasts Paul told the Corinthians that idol worshipers sacrificed to devils and that no one can drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils. This is just one of many Biblical prohibitions against Christians having anything to do with the works of Satan, sorcery, or the occult (I Cor. 10:21, Lev. 19:31). Anywhere the gospel was preached in the NT, God's power overcame the works of Satan and demons (Acts 19:11-20; Mark 8:26-36). This same power is available to us today if we learn and use our authority in Christ. This is why I wrote my primer, Power Over Satan. It can be found here  https://amzn.to/2G73tep

Thanks for stopping by. Next time we will look at the works and assignments of angels, good and bad. Please do share this blog by clicking on the small icons below.

Have a blessed Christmas aware of God's angels' helping us as we speak God's Word,

Elva Martin

Elva Cobb Martin Elva Cobb Martin is vice-president of the South Carolina Chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is a former school teacher and a graduate of Anderson University and Erskine College. She has two inspirational novels published with Lighthouse Publishers of the Carolinas. Summer of Deception, a contemporary romantic suspense, and an historical romance, In a Pirate’s Debt. Both have spent time on Amazon’s 100 Best Sellers List for Women’s Religious Fiction. She has indie published a Bible study on Amazon, Power Over Satan, on the  believer's authority in Christ. Decision, Charisma, and Home Life have carried Elva's articles. She and her husband Dwayne are semi-retired ministers. A mother and grandmother, Elva lives in South Carolina. Connect with her on her web site http://www.elvamartin.com,on Twitter www.twitter.com/ElvaCobbMartin; Facebook http://www.facebook.com/elvacobbmartin;  and Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/elvacobbmartin    

 Link to her romance novels and non-fiction works on Amazon:http://amzn.to/2pOgVHI

Christmas Special: Angels - Our Supernatural Helpers Part 1

By Elva Cobb Martin

Most of us are familiar with the vital part the angel Gabriel played in the story of Christ's birth in Luke 2:26-38 when he appeared to the virgin Mary. I encourage you to reread this text. I do so each Christmas season. Just from these few verses we can glean a lot of information about angels.

• They are very intelligent beings with computer-like brains and human characteristics. They can talk, walk, greet, share information from God, have feelings and desires.
• They are at God's command and able to move from His presence to a specific, assigned place on earth at a moment's notice--God's GPS, far superior to ours!
• They know specific countries, towns in those nations, persons in the towns and their names, who they are a descendant of and God's plan and purpose for these at their time in history, as God reveals it to them for their assignments on earth.

God says he gives His angels charge over us in Psalm 91:11. Isn't it wonderful to know, that today, if you are a born-again believer in Christ, you are in the charge of ANGELS?

We are in their charge and they are sent to minister to us when needed according to Hebrews 1:13-14: 

 “But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thy enemies thy footstool?  Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

I’ve personally experienced a few angelic visions and received help when needed. 

The first experience took place not long after we were called into the ministry. I had gone through deliverance ministry at my home with a young father who had such serious demonic panic attacks he could not work or even drive his truck. After three hours of deliverance prayer ministry with him, he became free and left our house a happy, new man. I was totally drained and just dropped into bed at 8:30 PM after he and my prayer team warriors left.

I awoke  with the sensation of the four corners of my bed being shaken with me bouncing in the middle. I remembered I had not commanded the demon spirits I had cast off of the young man to leave our property, so I did that and the shaking stopped immediately. 

My husband in the living room who heard the commotion I had made back in the bedroom came in, and he was upset. This was the first time I had gone through personal deliverance ministry with anyone at our house and some doubts of how all this could work well in the future in our new ministry calling assailed my mind as I tried to soothe hubby and then go back to sleep. 

Just as I was about to drop back off I became aware of a supernatural mighty being standing beside the bed, with weapons drawn. I can only describe him as looking like a powerful Mr. Clean standing guard. Peace flowed from him to me and all doubts fled. I truly believe this was a ministering angel sent from God or revealed as my guardian angel God had assigned to me to encourage us in our ministry.

Another angelic visitation took place late one night as my husband and I were headed home down the interstate at about 75 MPH. He was driving. Suddenly a carpenter’s wooden sawhorse, which had apparently fallen off a truck, appeared in the headlights in the middle of our lane, just in front of our car. In a micro mini-second I knew if we hit it, it would bounce up on the hood, through the windshield and probably kill us both. All I had time to say was, “JESUS!”

Immediately our car swerved to the left shoulder, passed by the sawhorse, then righted itself back in the proper lane. My husband, when he could catch his breath, said, “Elva, why did you grab the steering wheel like that? We could have wrecked!” I told him I HAD NOT grabbed the steering wheel. To this day, I believe an angel did that impossible split second maneuver and saved our lives.

Thanks for stopping by?Have you ever had angelic assistance or help? Would love to hear about it in the comments.

In the next parts of this series as we look at the different kinds of angels in the Bible and their assignments, and how to keep your angel working in your behalf versus against you. Yep, according to the Bible, it is possible to offend our angel helpers. 

Would you please share this blog on your social media by clicking on the small icons below?

Have blessed Christmas Season,

Elva

Elva Cobb Martin is vice-president of the South Carolina Chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is a former school teacher and a graduate of Anderson University and Erskine College. She has two inspirational novels published with Lighthouse Publishers of the Carolinas. Summer of Deception, a contemporary romantic suspense, and an historical romance, In a Pirate’s Debt. Both have spent time on Amazon’s 100 Best Sellers List for Women’s Religious Fiction. She has indie published a Bible study on Amazon, Power Over Satan, on the  believer's authority in Christ. Decision, Charisma, and Home Life have carried Elva's articles. She and her husband Dwayne are semi-retired ministers. A mother and grandmother, Elva lives in South Carolina. Connect with her on her web site http://www.elvamartin.com,on Twitter www.twitter.com/ElvaCobbMartin; Facebook http://www.facebook.com/elvacobbmartin;  and Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/elvacobbmartin    

 Link to her romance novels and non-fiction works on Amazon:http://amzn.to/2pOgVHI

Best Verse in the Bible - Christmas Amplified

by Elva Cobb Martin

"For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He (even) gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal, (everlasting) life."   
                                                                          John 3:16 Amplified Bible

The story of the vision and work on the Amplified Bible, my favorite translation, is a remarkable story of faith, hope, and love. It begins with a woman of vision and intense study of the Bible, Frances Siewert, a non-profit foundation, and, finally, a young, Christian publishing house in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Mrs. Siewert (1881-1967) devoted her life to studying the Bible in the Hebrew and Greek languages. She began work on a Bible translation that would expand, amplify, the text with all the richness of the Hebrew and Greek languages. The Lockman Foundation caught on to her vision of a translation that would add all the color of these two languages to the Bible text and came alongside to assist her. One chapter yet remained to bring the vision into reality. 

Zondervan Publishing House seized the opportunity to participate in this vision they believed would be blessed by God and change lives. They published the Amplified New Testament in 1958 and the full Amplified Bible in 1965.

Merry Christmas and Happy, Blessed New Year!
Elva 

Elva Cobb Martin is president of the South Carolina Chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers (2014-2017). She is a former school teacher and a graduate of Anderson University and Erskine College. She has two inspirational novels contracted with Lighthouse Publishers of the Carolinas. Summer of Deception, a contemporary romantic suspense, and an historical romance, In a Pirate’s Debt. Both have spent time on Amazon’s 100 Best Sellers List for Women’s Religious Fiction. Decision, Charisma, and Home Life have carried Elva's articles. Jim Hart of Hartline Literary represents her. She and her husband Dwayne are semi-retired ministers. A mother and grandmother, Elva lives in Anderson, South Carolina. Connect with her on her web site http://www.elvamartin.com, her blog http://carolinaromancewithelvamartin.blogspot.com, on Twitter www.twitter.com/ElvaCobbMartin; Facebook http://www.facebook.com/elvacobbmartin;  and Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/elvacobbmartin

Link to her romance novels and non-fiction works on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2pOgVHI