Category: Mark

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Social Distancing

Yesterday morning Dave and I took a hike in the open land near our home. Social distancing at it’s finest!

We walked down the dirt road, enjoying the wild flowers that have started to bloom. The hillsides were covered with tender green grass which popped up after the Spring rains we had last week. We walked over three miles, visiting the whole way and thanking God for His beauty. Not bad for a couple of senior citizens.

Did you know that social distancing is a Biblical idea?

It started in the garden of Eden. God called to Adam and Eve to walk with Him each evening. Abraham met with God; they walked and talked on many occasions as the Lord told Abraham His plans. Moses practiced social distancing when he left the Israelites at the base of Mount Sinai and met God at the top.

Daniel used social distancing three times a day when he left all the activities of the king’s court and went to his room, where he opened the windows and prayed. His practice of self-isolation got him thrown into the lions den – now that really is social distancing. On and on it goes; one person after another separated themselves from the populous and they prayed.

Jesus patterned that activity for us. After being with people all day, facing ridicule, harassment and personal demands, He would separate Himself and spend most of the night praying. He needed to come away from the virus that surrounded Him, a virus of jealousy and hatred.

“While it was still night, way before dawn, he got up and went out to a secluded spot and prayed. Simon and those with him went looking for him. They found him and said, “Everybody’s looking for you.” Mark 1:35-37 MSG

“As soon as the meal was finished, he insisted that the disciples get in the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he dismissed the people. With the crowd dispersed, he climbed the mountain so he could be by himself and pray. He stayed there alone, late into the night.” Matthew 14:22-23 MSG

Prayer is the epitome of social distancing. It’s the Lord and us talking, talking about our joys and our sorrows, our hopes and dreams. It’s ok to the tell the Lord about our disappointments and our anxieties. But we must never be the ones doing all the talking – we need to listen too.

Once we finish praying we need to be quiet enough to hear the Lord speak. To some that may be a new idea, the idea of God speaking to us. But He does and He wants to tell us more than what we sometimes want to listen to.

“Call to me and I will answer you. I’ll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.” Jeremiah 33:3 MSG

When we get quiet and listen we might have something “just pop into our head” reminding us of something that happened before. Or, how many times have we heard someone say, “It just dawned on me” or “I knew I shouldn’t have done this or that”? What about the phrase “I just felt that on the inside” or “I had an intuition about that”?

The primary way that the Lord speaks to me is by reminding me of a verse I’ve read or a message I have heard preached. Not everything that pops into our head is from God; there have been times I’ve had thoughts that I should eat the whole bag of chips or finish off the last of the cake – unfortunately, that’s not God.

I am definitely into social distancing, even when it isn’t required, to prevent the spread of this virus. Every morning I self-isolate when I get up and have my quiet time. It’s my time to be alone; to pray, to read and to talk to the Lord. This type of social distancing will inoculate us from the infectious diseases of jealousy, bitterness, pride, anger and selfishness.

I hope you experience the joy of self-isolation as you and the Lord spend this time together.

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Don’t Limit God

When I was a little girl we sang a song in Sunday School. The lyrics went something like this: “God can do anything, anything, anything. God can do anything but fail. He can save, He can keep, He can cleanse and He will. God can do anything but fail”. It surprises me that some sixty years later that little chorus is still be going through my mind. Those words are true and they will not change.

God can do anything but fail.

In my reading this morning I came across two different incidences where the Bible said exactly that. The first was in Numbers. The Israelites were complaining, again, that they had no meat. The Lord talked to Moses and said He would provide meat for all of them. Moses reminded the Lord that there were over six hundred thousand men and their families. Here is God’s response:

“But the Lord said to Moses, “Don’t limit my power! You will see that I can do what I say I can do.” Numbers 11:23 ERV

God can do anything He says He will do.

After I read a little while longer I went to the New Testament and was reading in Mark. Jesus had just met the rich young ruler who wanted to become a disciple. Jesus knew he was a good man but there was one thing in his life he trusted more than the Lord; it was his riches. Jesus told the man to sell everything he had and come follow Him. The Bible says the young man left very sad because he had great riches. Jesus told his disciples that it was hard for the rich to commit to following Him.

“The followers were even more amazed and said to each other, “Then who can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “That is something people cannot do, but God can. He can do anything.” Mark 10:26-27 ERV

Jesus answer was one filled with hope. None of us can save ourselves. Not the wealthy or the poor, the educated or the unlearned. Those born in one country don’t have a greater chance of being saved than those in another. Being saved, becoming a follower of Christ, isn’t based on what we can do, who we are or where we come from. That is something we cannot do but God can.

God can do anything!

He saves us by His grace and not based on our goodness. We simply put our trust in Him.

There is something God won’t do. He won’t lie. When God gives us His promise He will never go back on His word.

“God is not a man, so he does not lie.  He is not human, so he does not change his mind.
Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?
20 Listen, I received a command to bless; God has blessed, and I cannot reverse it!” Numbers 23:19-20 NLT

God can do anything; we can trust His word!

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Hard Hearted

If we aren’t careful life has a way of making us calloused. Do you remember the days of three television networks? Those days when Ricky and Lucy and Rob and Laura slept in separate beds even though they were married. It was a time when the newscasters shielded us from the brutal graphics of war and harshness of life.

We were a more tender hearted people back then. We weren’t blinded to the situations of life; we felt compassion. Our hearts ached over injustice.

Tender hearted -> a condition where we can be easily touched by another’s adverse or favorable circumstances; an attitude that allows us to be open and accepting.

Hard hearted -> cynical, calloused, disbelieving, selfish and self-centered

Pharaoh was a hard hearted man. The plagues that came on Egypt were a result of his hard heartedness. He was unwilling to let the Israelites go and worship God. He was unyielding and stubborn. When Moses told him what plagues were coming, he actually had his magicians create the same plague just to prove he was in control. When Moses asked him when he would like one of the plagues to end his response was tomorrow.

“All right,” Moses answered. “You choose the time when I am to pray for the frogs to stop bothering you, your officials, and your people, and for them to leave your houses and be found only in the river.” 10 “Do it tomorrow!” the king replied.” Exodus 8:9-10 CEV

The Egyptians were suffering because their leader had a hard heart. He wasn’t willing to give in to the Lord. After several of the plagues had passed even his advisors encouraged him to let the Israelites go but he refused. A hard heart!

Jesus grieved over people with hard hearts when he was here on earth.

“Then he asked, “On the Sabbath should we do good deeds or evil deeds? Should we save someone’s life or destroy it?” But no one said a word. 5 Jesus was angry as he looked around at the people. Yet he felt sorry for them because they were so stubborn. Then he told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did, and his bad hand was healed. 6 The Pharisees left. And right away they started making plans with Herod’s followers to kill Jesus.” Mark 3:4-6 CEV

Verse 5 in the King James version says He was grieved because of the hardness of their hearts. The Pharisees were more concerned about keeping the law than they were about the man being healed. Their traditions meant more to them than the well-being of one of their neighbors.

Sad to say, we all go through times that our hearts are hardened. However, that can be remedied as we spend time in God’s word and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. The outer shell will crack and fall away revealing the tender heart that comes from the Father.

“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:31-32 KJV

When we focus on what God has done in our lives we will be more tender hearted to others. A heart transplant.

If we have to be hard hearted it should be toward sin and evil. Resist the devil (be calloused) and he will flee from you. As Jesus was hard hearted to sin and resisted temptation we should be too. He hated sin and the enemy who brought its effects into the world but he loved the sinner and did all He could to set them free, that’s why He died for us.

So, let me encourage you today to be tenderhearted to others and hard hearted to evil. This is a Christ-like attitude.

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Listen for the Bugle

Isaiah, the prophet said this about Jesus.

“Like a young plant or a root that sprouts in dry ground, the servant grew up obeying the LORD. He wasn’t some handsome king. Nothing about the way he looked made him attractive to us. 3 He was hated and rejected; his life was filled with sorrow and terrible suffering. No one wanted to look at him. We despised him and said, “He is a nobody!” Isaiah 53:2-3 CEV

According to Isaiah Jesus was common looking, unattractive and nothing special as far as physical traits. He wasn’t Charles Atlas; he wouldn’t have been the captain of the football team or even voted most likely to succeed. His own family and disciples didn’t understand Him.

Remember how the disciples became upset with Jesus because the ship they were in was taking on water and about to sink?

“Jesus was in the back of the boat with his head on a pillow, and he was asleep. His disciples woke him and said, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re about to drown?” Mark 4:38 CEV

If their faith had really been in Jesus as the Son of God, they would have approached the problem differently. “Hey, let’s wake Jesus up because He’ll have the answer to our problem. This storm isn’t a surprise to Him. He’ll know what to do.”

Those who were closest to Jesus had to grow in their faith and accept Him for who He was, the Son of God, just like us. We cry out “Lord, don’t you care I’m about to go under; cancer is about to sink me, the waves of debt are flooding my boat, the storm of rebellious children or a typhoon with my mate is about to capsize me in this ocean? Don’t you care?”

Even when we come to Him in that kind of desperation and fear, He will speak to our storm and say “Peace, be still!” Then He takes time to teach us again – Come boldly to my throne and find help in your time of need. But then, He expects us to accept, by faith, that help is on the way!

In the old Westerns you could always hear the Cavalry bugle before you saw the soldiers. The invitation to come boldly is the sound of the bugle. It’s then our responsibility to “Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day” (Exodus 14:13)

Let God be God in your life today. Don’t limit Him but what you see. Say like the young virgin Mary, “with God all things are possible”!

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True Treasure

One of the things I value most is the cedar chest I have in the guest bedroom. It was my Mom’s hope chest. I loved it when Mom would open it and let us go through the keepsakes that were inside. I remember seeing a newspaper that told about the end of World War II and then there was the program from the Ice Capades, a date night that she and Daddy had so many years ago.

It’s interesting that my kids, grown adults now, also enjoy going through the cedar chest. It’s contents are my most valued treasures. There are the family photo albums which contain pictures of my parents as young adults; my grandparents wedding picture and then the treasures that our kids made in Sunday School or public school. There’s a plastic candy cane wrapped in eyelet, a wooden board that has been sawn in wood shop and painted with red letters that say “#1 Mom”. There’s a sweet letter that tells me how much I am loved and a bud vase with a red rose that was made in ceramics.

My treasures!

All this has me thinking this morning, what have I given the Father that He would deem worthy of putting in the cedar chest for safe keeping? What is valuable to Him? It was then I remembered the story of a widow who gave all. I’m sure her two little pennies are in the Father’s treasure chest.

“Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. 42 Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins. 43 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. 44 For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.” Mark 12:41-44 NLT

What the widow gave was an insignificant amount but the way she gave was priceless!She held nothing back; she gave her all.

When I was little, before we would head out the door to church, Mom would take some coins and tie them in a hankie for us to take to Sunday School and place in the offering. I remember being so excited to carry that hankie, my offering, and give it to Jesus. Sometimes I would pull the knot so tight, I didn’t want to loose the coins, that I would have to use my teeth to loosen the knot at offering time. I loved giving all I had to Jesus!

If the Lord had a cedar chest I’m sure my hankie would be in it. It was the symbol of a child’s love, a cheerful heart, giving all.

“You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” 8 And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. 9 As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”

10 For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. 11 Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.” II Corinthians 9:7-11 NLT

True Treasure isn’t measured by the amount given but by the attitude of the heart. It’s just like that candy cane, wooden sign and sweet letters that are in my cedar chest. Those items have value because they were given from the loving heart of a child to their parent.

Whatever we give to the Father should be given from a heart of love. We can give money, time, possessions, attitudes, kindness. When we give, we are planting seeds and those seeds will return a harvest in like kind.

Give the Father your best; that is the treasure He desires!

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Listening for God’s Voice

This morning I was reminded of an incident that happened some years back. I had been reading about Samuel as a young boy. The Lord called his name in the middle of the night and Samuel thought it was the priest, Eli. After being called several times, Eli realized God was calling Samuel and so he gave Samuel instruction on how to answer the Lord next time he heard God’s voice.

“Speak Lord. Your servant is listening.”

I remember saying that very thing in my morning prayer. Speak Lord, I’m listening. Shortly after that Dave and I headed out to town. We had already stopped at the car wash and Home Depot and now we needed to make a stop at the gas station.

As soon as we pulled in and Dave got out to pump diesel I heard a loud cheery voice saying, “I’ll wash your windows for a quarter. Oh but it doesn’t look like they need washing, do they?” So Dave explained no, we had just come from the car wash. At this, the man walked away to another vehicle.

As I sat there my heart began to race and I knew the Lord was dealing with me. This thought came – give the man the ones you have in your wallet. Really? I figured there were probably 2 or 3 ones but wasn’t sure. So I opened my wallet and looked, only one. I took it out and held on to it thinking when he comes back around I’ll roll down the window and give it to him.

My next thought was he’s probably a panhandler or a scammer. I have seen stories about “those people” who hang out at the freeway exits begging for money or food. They aren’t really needy…

Then this thought – “Really? You’re going to argue with what I’m asking you to do. It’s only a dollar. Go give it to the man.” So I jumped out of the truck, walked over and gave him the dollar. I told him our windows were clean but wanted him to have this and before I could get the words out of my mouth to say “God bless you” he said them to me.

“The Lord blesses everyone who freely gives food to the poor.” Proverbs 22:9 CEV

I never want to stop hearing from the Lord. I know His voice and when he speaks I want to be obedient, even if it’s just a dollar. I know I did what my Father asked. Reluctantly, but I did.

Now, from time to time, I find myself thinking of this man, praying for him and asking the Lord to bless him and to protect him. I have never heard the devil tempt me with being kind. It’s not his nature but kindness is our Father’s nature.

Jesus often stopped to talk with beggars. His disciples would try to quiet them as Jesus walked along the road but Jesus would interrupt His day to meet their needs.

“Jesus and his disciples went to Jericho. And as they were leaving, they were followed by a large crowd. A blind beggar by the name of Bartimaeus son of Timaeus was sitting beside the road. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus from Nazareth, he shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!” 48 Many people told the man to stop, but he shouted even louder, “Son of David, have pity on me!”

49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him over!” They called out to the blind man and said, “Don’t be afraid! Come on! He is calling for you.” 50 The man threw off his coat as he jumped up and ran to Jesus. 51 Jesus asked, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man answered, “Master, I want to see!”

52 Jesus told him, “You may go. Your eyes are healed because of your faith.” Right away the man could see, and he went down the road with Jesus.” Mark 10:46-52 CEV

Each day we should spend time listening for the Lord’s voice and being obedient to His instruction. He’ll always lead us to do what’s right; He will lead us to safety; He will lead us to be like him.

“You, Lord, are my shepherd.  I will never be in need. 2  You let me rest in fields of green grass. You lead me to streams of peaceful water, 3  and you refresh my life. You are true to your name, and you lead me along the right paths. 4 I may walk through valleys
as dark as death, but I won’t be afraid. You are with me, and your shepherd’s rod makes me feel safe. 5 You treat me to a feast, while my enemies watch. You honor me as your guest,  and you fill my cup until it overflows. 6 Your kindness and love will always be with me each day of my life, and I will live forever in your house, Lord.” Psalm 23 CEV

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Be a Kid!

This morning I was remembering a friend of ours and his wife who had nine children. When we first met them they had seven children. The two oldest were in preschool with Kaci, our youngest. Later we learned that they also attended the same church we did.

What a happy family! It was always a fun time at their house – kids everywhere. Laughter filled the air. Each time we went over, the twins took great pleasure in making Dave their living jungle gym. Dave would sit down on the couch to visit with Brian and one child would be crawling up his legs while the other one was crawling down over his shoulders.

To be honest, it was a bit distracting to adult conversation but the kids were having a ball. They knew they were loved and they were important because they were being treated with kindness, affection and were given priority over the other things that were happening.

Each time I read about Jesus taking time to pray for and bless the children I picture it very similar to the way it was for Dave with Luke & Lizzie. Total joy and focus.

Jesus’ disciples seem to have been a bit annoyed that these parents were wanting Jesus to take time for their children. In fact, the disciples scolded the parents for taking up Jesus valuable time.

“Some people brought their children to Jesus, so that he could place his hands on them and pray for them. His disciples told the people to stop bothering him. 14 But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, and don’t try to stop them! People who are like these children belong to God’s kingdom.” Matthew 19:13-14 CEV

“Some people brought their children to Jesus so that he could bless them by placing his hands on them. But his disciples told the people to stop bothering him.

14 When Jesus saw this, he became angry and said, “Let the children come to me! Don’t try to stop them. People who are like these little children belong to the kingdom of God. 15 I promise you that you cannot get into God’s kingdom, unless you accept it the way a child does.” 16 Then Jesus took the children in his arms and blessed them by placing his hands on them.” Mark 10:13-16 CEV

This event of Jesus blessing the children is recorded in the books of Matthew, Mark and Luke. It made an impression on all three writers. Jesus used what his disciples thought was an interruption in his busy schedule to teach a valuable lesson.

Be child-like. Accept spiritual things as a child, in simple faith!

As adults we have a tendency to analyze, rationalize and criticize when we don’t understand what we see or experience. Children accept things by faith and aren’t bothered by the technicalities.

I find it interesting that just a short time earlier than this situation with the children, Jesus had used another child to teach his disciples about being humble and having a servant’s heart. Obviously, the disciples had forgotten what Jesus had said about children.

“After Jesus sat down and told the twelve disciples to gather around him, he said, “If you want the place of honor, you must become a slave and serve others!”

36 Then Jesus had a child stand near him. He put his arm around the child and said, 37 “When you welcome even a child because of me, you welcome me. And when you welcome me, you welcome the one who sent me.” Mark 9:35-37 CEV

Jesus had a compassion for all people – no one was of greater or lesser value in His estimation. He wanted his disciples to see that.

You know that I frequently use this verse in Hebrews when I talk about the Father and His desire to help us. I see this verse through the eyes of a child.

“So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will find help.” Hebrews 4:16 CEV

I have always imagined this verse like this. A small child comes running through the door calling “Daddy, Daddy. I need your help! My toy is broken; the neighbor kids are picking on me…Daddy help!” And it’s there, at the Father’s throne that I see myself standing in child-like faith saying “Daddy, I need your help” and He, my Father, has never turned me away.

God, the Father, is inviting us to be like a kid – take Him at His word, bring Him everything. He always has time for us!

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Keeping Short Accounts

Today I am recycling a blog that I first published two years ago. Dave and I have been in the mountains on a week’s vacation. It has been so good to get away, unplugged and refresh. As you know last time we went to the mountains we had very poor internet service, the same holds true on this trip so I took time before we left to schedule remote postings of my morning blogs. So that explains why I am reusing a teaching from a couple years back.

“Yesterday I spent a good portion of the day working on bookkeeping. Evaluating some things and determining if they were financially profitable based on the time expended.

Have you ever put together a profit and loss statement? Listing your assests and liabilities can certainly be worthwhile in determining how you should spend your time and your money.

So let’s get down to the bottom line. What do you owe? That’s the question the Apostle Paul was addressing as I read Romans 13.

“8 You should owe nothing to anyone, except that you will always owe love to each other. The person who loves others has done all that the law commands. 9 The law says, “You must not commit adultery, you must not murder anyone, you must not steal, you must not want what belongs to someone else.” All these commands and all other commands are really only one rule: “Love your neighbor the same as you love yourself.” 10 Love doesn’t hurt others. So loving is the same as obeying all the law.

11 I say this because you know that we live in an important time. Yes, it is now time for you to wake up from your sleep. Our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is almost finished. The day is almost here. So we should stop doing whatever belongs to darkness. We should prepare ourselves to fight evil with the weapons that belong to the light. 13 We should live in a right way, like people who belong to the day. We should not have wild parties or be drunk. We should not be involved in sexual sin or any kind of immoral behavior. We should not cause arguments and trouble or be jealous. 14 But be like the Lord Jesus Christ, so that when people see what you do, they will see Christ. Don’t think about how to satisfy the desires of your sinful self.” Romans 13:8-14 ERV

Owe no one anything…nothing except love!

The desire to live debt free is admirable and is one worth pursuing. An even greater goal is to live a life of loving people, not with an human selfish love but with the same love that Jesus shows us.

So let’s look at that bottom line again, the P&L Statement.

” For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Mark 8:36 KJV

Let love be your daily ambition!

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Oil & Wine

When we first moved to Rio Rico and began working to make this house our home we quickly became acquainted with the hard, stony, clay infused ground. I don’t think we have ever lived anywhere with soil as hard as here.

It was necessary to soak it for several days, a slow soak, and then use a pick to break through. When the footers were dug for our courtyard wall it took several men, several days to dig deep enough to have a trench that would hold the concrete and rebar for the foundation. When I decided I wanted a flower and vegetable garden we had to mix in many bags of a top soil/garden soil mixture just to provide a good environment for them to grow.

Hard ground. Stony earth. Both of these prevent proper growth of the seeds that are planted. To have a good and healthy growing environment the soil needs to be broken up, the rocks removed and good earth mixed in. The same is true of our hearts.

“The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. 17 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.” Mark 4:16-17 NLT

I know what it’s like to work with hard soil, the time it takes to get a good harvest and I know what it’s like to have an unproductive heart and the time it takes to see a good harvest there, as well.

” I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness,  and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.’” Hosea 10:12 NLT

For years I had memorized Bible verses for Sunday School contests and awards at Vacation Bible School but all they were, were words on a page. My heart was hard and there wasn’t much fruit. But I remember when I prayed “Lord, I want to know your Word. I want the Holy Spirit to make it come alive in me.”. It was only a couple days later, as I sat at my kitchen table, Bible open before me and I read…

“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. ” Philippians 4:19 NKJV

I had memorized this verse over twenty years earlier but it had never taken root. That day as I read it out loud, I began to cry. That Bible verse, that seed, planted in the soil of my softened heart, took root and immediately brought a harvest of hope. That was just one of many examples I could share with you.

If the soil in a garden isn’t tilled regularly it will harden. It needs to be watered and the sun baked surface needs to be broken up. The same is true of our lives. Our hearts can become hardened and the seed of God’s word won’t produce a good harvest. So, we must break it up with repentance and water it with prayer.

When our older children were in high school, they went to a winter camp with the church group. The kids came home and on a Sunday evening sang a song they had learned at camp. The words of that song are still captured in my heart. The song was written by Keith Green, My Eyes are Dry.

“My eyes are dry
My faith is old
My heart is hard
My prayers are cold
And I know how I ought to be
Alive to You and dead to me

But what can be done
For an old heart like mine
Soften it up
With oil and wine
The oil is You, Your Spirit of love
Please wash me anew
With the wine of Your Blood

The good news is we don’t have to go through the dry spells. We can keep our hearts tender and always producing good fruit if we work the soil everyday. We do that with prayer and applying God’s word.

Reading the Bible and praying doesn’t get the Father to love us any more than He already does. But it does keep us in constant remembrance of His promises and HIs love.

Maybe you’re like I was, hard and unproductive. Let the oil and wine soft you again.

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Love Hurts

A few days back I read something that Max Lucado had written. He asked what would have happened if the two Mary’s hadn’t have gone to the tomb on that Sunday morning. I like how he thinks – he looks at the Bible not as a religious book but as a book about relationships.

Religion would tell us that the women went to the tomb of Jesus because that’s just how God commanded it to be. Not true, God has never forced anyone into obedience. We all have a free will and these women were no different. It was their love for a dear friend that drew them to the tomb not religious teaching.

“The Sabbath was over, and it was almost daybreak on Sunday when Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.” Matthew 28:1 CEV

Their hearts must have been aching. They had watched Jesus die. There was no one like him. Did they try to figure out how they would move the stone? After all, they were just two women. They didn’t have the strength. They weren’t going expecting to find an empty tomb and a risen Saviour. Their purpose in going was to properly prepare His body for burial since it had been so rushed when he was taken down from the cross.

“The Day of Rest was over. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices. They wanted to put the spices on Jesus’ body. 2 Very early in the morning on the first day of the week, they came to the grave. The sun had come up. 3 They said to themselves, “Who will roll the stone away from the door of the grave for us?” 4 But when they looked, they saw the very large stone had been rolled away.” Mark 16:1-4 NLV

And when they arrived and saw the stone was moved and the tomb was open they were heart sick. Where was Jesus?

“While they wondered about what had happened, they saw two men standing by them in shining clothes. 5 They were very much afraid and got down with their faces to the ground. The men said to them, “Why do you look for the living One among those who are dead? 6 He is not here. He is risen. Do you not remember what He said to you when He was yet in Galilee? 7 He said, ‘The Son of Man must be given over into the hands of sinful men. He must be nailed to a cross. He will rise again three days later.’” 8 They remembered what He had said.” Luke 24:4-8 NLV

Now they remembered! Their grief gave place to joy. They had come to grieve, to say good-bye to the Man who had changed their lives dramatically. In their sadness they had forgotten His words that He would rise again.

Joy, absolute joy! They had to go tell the disciples that Jesus was alive. He had risen from the dead!

“Now hurry! Tell his disciples that he has been raised to life and is on his way to Galilee. Go there, and you will see him. That is what I came to tell you.”

8 The women were frightened and yet very happy, as they hurried from the tomb and ran to tell his disciples.” Matthew 28:7-8 CEV

I’m asking you to imagine that you were with those women. Place yourself there. Hear the message of the angels, watch the anguish melt away and pure joy fill your heart. Now do as the angels said.

Go tell someone that He is alive! We serve a risen Saviour!!

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