Category: Blessings

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Thankful for the Trees

We  lived in an area for several years where we were greeted each fall day by the beautiful turning foliage.

After being raised in the desert, this was quite a sight to behold. Most of those days I would walk our youngest daughter either to or from school and I would just soak in the beauty.

It wasn’t just the color of the leaves that intrigued me but also the size of the trees. How many winters they endured when the climate was chilling. The years they stood tall and stately in the pouring spring rains. How many times did they provide shade for summer picnics, games of tag and laying on the grass beneath their boughs.

Then Autumn comes and their leaves would turn from green to yellow and gold. In a matter of weeks they would be standing bear to face another winter. Their seasonal transformation is a sign of God’s faithfulness. And it gives me reason to be thankful.

“Great blessings belong to those
    who don’t listen to evil advice,
who don’t live like sinners,
    and who don’t join those who make fun of God.
2 Instead, they love the Lord’s teachings
    and think about them day and night.
3 So they grow strong,
    like a tree planted by a stream—
a tree that produces fruit when it should
    and has leaves that never fall.
Everything they do is successful.” Psalm 1:1-3 ERV

The trees in this verse are different from the ones I enjoyed. It says that their leaves will never fall or whither or fade, depending on which version you read. Now that is a miracle!

We are promised if we love the Lord’s teachings and follow them we will be like those trees. Growing tall, our hearts will be rooted deep in God’s word. We will be fruitful, abundant with the fruit of the Spirit; love, joy, peace, patience, endurance, gentleness, goodness and kindness.  And our leaves, which depict the flow of life through the tree, will always be green, supple, full of life and they will never fall.

This is God’s law of success. We have the promise that we will be successful in all  we do if we live our lives like this.

This verse has caused me to be retrospect on more than one occasion. There have been many times that I have had to examine areas of failure in my life. If I evaluate those times by these verses I have to admit that I wasn’t drawing my advice from God’s word and staying ground in it day and night. Those failures came because I was trying to do things my own way or trying to follow worldly advice.

Yes, these tall and stately trees are examples of God’s goodness and His faithfulness. Even when we have times that our leaves seem to be falling to the ground, God’s faithfulness will sustain us as we draw strength from His word. His promises will bring us through the winter seasons of our lives and soon new growth with appear.

These last verses are from Isaiah. Isaiah was a prophet who gave many prophecies about Christ; his birth, life and death. This one is about the purpose of Jesus ministry.

“The Spirit of the Lord God is on me, because the Lord has chosen me to bring good news to poor people. He has sent me to heal those with a sad heart. He has sent me to tell those who are being held and those in prison that they can go free. 2 He has sent me to tell about the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day our God will bring punishment. He has sent me to comfort all who are filled with sorrow. 3 To those who have sorrow in Zion I will give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes. I will give them the oil of joy instead of sorrow, and a spirit of praise instead of a spirit of no hope. Then they will be called oaks that are right with God, planted by the Lord, that He may be honored.” Isaiah 61:1-3 NLV

Jesus came to take away our sorrow and our shame. He gives us beauty in place of our mourning and joy in place of our sorrow. He has come to plant us as trees, trees that are right with God and bring Him honor.

Lord, today I’m thankful for the object lessons you have placed all around us. Thank you that the principles in your Word give us guidance, hope and bring us to a place of success in You.

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Thankful for Parents

Yesterday I began to think about today’s blog and where I should direct our thoughts on gratitude. I thought of parents.

We all fall into at least one of these categories. We have parents or we are a parent. Elementary but true. This picture was taken last November as some of our family joined with my Mom to celebrate an early Thanksgiving.

So grateful for Mom and her impact in my life. As she says, “I wasn’t a perfect parent but I tried”. That she did. She loved my dad, us kids, her grandkids and greats and she has loved the Lord for almost all of her life. At 95, she has been an influence in the life of many young men and women, some now in there 70’s. She was a school teacher, a Sunday school teacher, a young women’s leader, small group hostess and a welcoming friend.

“Her children say good things about her. Her husband brags about her and says, 29 “There are many good women, but you are the best.” Proverbs 31:28-29 ERV

Very thankful for the wonderful Mom I was given.

I’m also thankful  for my children, who made me a parent. They, and their families, are the joy of my life. Life would be empty without them. Like my mother, I was not/am not a perfect parent, but my love for each one of them is unconditional. They could never say or do anything to make me love them more and they could never say or do anything to make me love them less.

“See, children are a gift from the Lord. The children born to us are our special reward. 4 The children of a young man are like arrows in the hand of a soldier. 5 Happy is the man who has many of them. They will not be put to shame when they speak in the gate with those who hate them.” Psalm 127:3-5 NLV

“Grandchildren are the pride and joy of old age, and children take great pride in their parents.” Proverbs 17:6 ERV

So thankful for those who call me Besta. Bestamor is the Norwegian word for Grandmother. There are six who call me Besta and that is one of the sweetest words to my ears.

You know I’m going to end this with our heavenly Father, don’t you? It’s from Him we learn to be the loving parents we are. He is our example, it’s His life we try to imitate. Some haven’t been blessed with a good human role model but we have all been blessed with the love of our Father in heaven.

“Therefore be imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father].” Ephesians 5:1 AMPC

He will never turn us away when we come to Him. He will never leave us to flounder on our own. His arms are open wide, welcoming us to come. He has tattooed us in the palms of His hands.

“Ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. 8 Everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find. And the door will be opened for everyone who knocks. 9 Would any of you give your hungry child a stone, if the child asked for some bread? 10 Would you give your child a snake if the child asked for a fish? 11 As bad (earthly) as you are, you still know how to give good gifts to your children. But your heavenly Father is even more ready to give good things to people who ask.” Matthew 7:7-11 CEV

“Can a woman forget her nursing child? Can she have no pity on the son to whom she gave birth? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. 16 See, I have marked your names on My hands. Your walls are always before Me.” Isaiah 49:15-16 NLV

Oh yes, I am thankful for parents; the ones I had, the one I am and for the One who has always been!

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Enriched Living

All this week I have been back to work on the book I am writing. It is filled with Scripture and each time I include another verse the Holy Spirit reminds me of the time that verse became a reality to me and not just words on a page.

I cannot begin to explain how choosing to live according to God’s word and His promises have enriched my life.

Some of you know me well and others only through these words on a page. I feel I need to say this, in case you have the idea that I never know struggles or disappointments. Nothing could be farther from the truth. It has been in those times that I have dug deeper into God’s word to find the answers I needed and the unshakable foundation that He has promised.

When the Word of God lives in our hearts we can give thanks to God in whatever we do. You see, if we have His word we have His wisdom, His strength, His power, His blessing.

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” Colossians 3:16-17

I am particularly drawn to the phrase in the verses above “dwell in you richly”. Over my lifetime I have stayed in many different hotel rooms. Anything from the Mom n Pop, small town motor courts to the luxury view rooms in large cities. And I’ve stayed in some real dumps, places you wanted to have someone standing guard at the door as you slept. I prefer to stay in the ones where I can dwell richly.

The beds are bigger, the pillows softer, the showers are heavenly and they are so spacious that I don’t trip over the furniture when I get up in the middle of the night. It’s nice.

That’s the atmosphere I want God to feel He has in my life. I don’t want Him to be forced to “dwell” in a life that pushes Him to the back room or the broom closet. I want Him to come in and feel welcomed. I want to roll out the red carpet and make Him the honored guest of my heart. I desire to give His word pre-eminence over everything and everyone.

I have folks ask me don’t you ever get down and I answer “yes, but it’s only when I have my eyes on myself”. If I am looking at God and His word, I see that He loved me before the foundation of the world; He sent His Son to die so that I will have a new & abundant life; He is ever-present to be my help and strength; He has blessed me with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places so how could I possibly be down? I have to give Him praise!

Jesus, who is The Word, said He came to give us a life overflowing. That’s the same picture that King David paints for us in Psalm 23 when he said “my cup runs over”.

“The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).” John 10:10 AMPC

I am so blessed in my overflowing life; it’s luxurious to have overflowing love, joy, peace, strength and provision. I’m not being a greedy or materialistic; I have the heart of a grateful loving child. When we’re offered a wonderful gift, we accept it with a grateful and thankful heart. To do any less would be an insult to the gift giver.

Receive from our Father today. Let His word bring richness to us, heart and soul.

 

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Lessons From the Pumpkin Patch

Fall. The joys of autumn. Cooler temperatures, shorter days. The year’s final harvest.

When we lived in the Northwest, each Fall there would always be a field trip to the pumpkin patch. There was an area close to  town called Green Bluff and that was the place to go.

We loaded up in the school buses; teachers, students, parent helpers, and headed up the hill for a day in the country. When we arrived at the designated farm everyone got onto a wagon lined with hay bales and a tractor would pull the wagon out to the field of pumpkins where the kids could pick out their own pumpkin to take home.

It was a wonderful day; laughing children, happy teachers, cool air and a cup of hot apple cider before heading back. What a treat!

But it was called a pumpkin patch because the farmer had planted pumpkins. Well, of course. That’s what you would expect, right? If you plant pumpkin seeds you expect pumpkins, not turnips or zucchini or cabbage or spaghetti squash – no, pumpkins. Can you image how shocked the farmer would be if he went out and found that there were potatoes coming up where he planted pumpkins?

Well naturally we know that couldn’t happen. Then why do we think it should be any other way in the other areas of our life?

We burn the candle at both ends. We get very little sleep, don’t drink enough water, aren’t eating right  and we end up stressed out, overly tired and sick. But we seem to be surprised when that happens.

Or how about this? We are cranky, rude, sarcastic, unsympathetic and unconcerned about those around us yet we are surprised when we receive the same treatment. Why should that be shocking? If we plant the negative things of life, they are going to grow.

Jesus compared God’s word to seed. He said if we (our hearts) are good ground, the seeds will root, grow and produce a harvest.

It’s a fact of nature and it’s a spiritual principle as well.

“Make no mistake about this: You can never make a fool out of God. Whatever you plant is what you’ll harvest. 8 If you plant in the soil of your corrupt nature, you will harvest destruction. But if you plant in the soil of your spiritual nature, you will harvest everlasting life. 9 We can’t allow ourselves to get tired of living the right way. Certainly, each of us will receive everlasting life at the proper time, if we don’t give up. 10 Whenever we have the opportunity, we have to do what is good for everyone, especially for the family of believers.” Galatians 6:7-10 GW

What we plant in our lives is our choice. Just like the farmer, he wants a crop of pumpkins so he plants pumpkin seeds. He will have to go out occasionally and pull some weeds that pop up but he knows what his harvest will be because he’s confident of the seeds he put in the earth.

Now we all have had times that some of the seeds  we’ve planted weren’t good ones. What we need to do about those is pray for crop failure. We ask the Lord to help those seeds die before they sprout and if they should come up we take a hoe and chop them out.

Here’s verse 9 from the King James Version:

“ And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

Harvest is hard work but well worth it.

Not only did the school kids have field trips to the pumpkin patch but those farmers made an event out of harvest. There were other crops too; corn, apples, peaches. So every weekend for several weeks they would open their farms to the folks from town. There would be hay rides, a corn maze, cider, fresh pies – apple and pumpkin. This was harvest and it was fun.

Just think, if we plant the right seeds we can expect a bumper crop. A crop that we can share with friends, family and others.

 

 

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Enjoying Good Fruit

So as I’ve been sitting here with my coffee and my thoughts I had the following verse fill my heart:

“14 May my words and thoughts please you. Lord, you are my Rock—the one who rescues me.” Psalm 19:14 CEV

Words and thoughts – those two are linked together on more than one occasion in the Bible. Jesus put it this way.

” Every tree is known by the kind of fruit it produces. You won’t find figs on thorny weeds. And you can’t pick grapes from thorn bushes! 45 Good people have good things saved in their hearts. That’s why they say good things. But those who are evil have hearts full of evil, and that’s why they say things that are evil. What people say with their mouths comes from what fills their hearts.”   Luke 6:44-45 ERV

I remember my first experience growing peaches. It was years back. We had moved to a home with a small peach tree in the back yard. I was so hopeful that we would have sweet juicy peaches at the end of summer. But no! It took a couple of years to see the tree really produce . All the time it was drawing nourishment from the ground, developing a strong root base and maturing. Only then did the peaches come. The first harvest it was only a few large peaches but the second harvest there were many more.

We’re like that tree. When we begin our walk with Christ we need time to take in His word, our roots spreading out deep, giving us a firm foundation. As we apply His word to our lives our thoughts and actions change. Our heart changes and we begin to produce good fruit.

Thoughts, the things we save in our heart will come out our mouths. Just like fruit grows on a tree, thoughts produce words. If we spend our time thinking on the hurts, failures, and criticism, those are things that we will produce with our words.

However, if the meditation (thoughts) of our hearts are pleasant, loving, forgiving and kind then the fruit we produce will be gracious, loving, understanding and good!

When we allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives He shows us what Jesus truly did for us – He cleansed us completely so we are able to have confidence in the Father’s presence. Confidence brings peace.

The night when Jesus was arrested He was in the Garden with His closest friends. He was still teaching them up to the very end. They came to the point where they could finally see that yes, Jesus was the Messiah. He was God’s Son.

Jesus spoke to them the words He held in His heart.

“31 Jesus answered them, Do you now believe? [Do you believe it at last?]  32 But take notice, the hour is coming, and it has arrived, when you will all be dispersed and scattered, every man to his own home, leaving Me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.

33 I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]” John 16:31-33 AMP

Jesus knew they would all leave him when he was arrested. Fear would overtake them. However, He spoke words of encouragement and confidence to them and to Himself. These men who had once been afraid of their own shadows would soon stand before the rulers of the land and boldly proclaim that Jesus was the Christ and they would serve Him even if it cost them their lives.

Jesus gave us this example. Don’t think about our fears, failures and heartaches but instead look at the bigness of His sacrifice. He conquered the world for us. We can live in peace and victory knowing that God has and is working everything out for us.

“We show our love for God by obeying his commandments, and they are not hard to follow.

4 Every child of God can defeat the world, and our faith is what gives us this victory. 5 No one can defeat the world without having faith in Jesus as the Son of God.” I John 5:3-5 CEV

We need to fill our hearts, our minds, with memories of all the times the Lord has proven to be our defender, our strength, our joy, and our unshakable hope. When we plant those seeds of confidence we will harvest peace and rest.

Father, I want to speak gracious and loving words from a heart that’s filled with confidence in You!

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Tradition – Tradition

I love musicals! When I was a young girl we went from Yuma to Phoenix to see Sound of Music on the big screen. It was amazing!

I became enamored with Rogers and Hammerstein’s productions; Oklahoma, Cinderella, State Fair, Carousel, South Pacific. Stories told with music were wonderful.

They still are!

But the one I remember most was when we went again to Phoenix/Mesa area and saw Fiddler on the Roof! Awww. I laughed, I cried and I had the time of my life.

Tradition, Tradition!

Traditions are important. They come from a place of family history. Traditions either mark great trumpets or they can come out of tremendous hardship.

The Jewish holidays were established to commemorate monumental things that God did for the nation of Israel. We celebrate communion as a remembrance of the Lord’s sacrifice for us.

Tradition, very meaningful tradition.

What do we pass down from generation to generation? What family stories are forefront; which recipes; which photographs or printed articles?

My mother’s mind is still pretty sharp and it’s fun to sit and talk with her about her childhood and what she remembers hearing from her parents and grandparents.

Now, what do my children and grandchildren want to learn from me? What stories are they interested in?

It’s important to me that they know how good God is and how many times I would have been overtaken by despair and discouragement if my Father God had not been my source of strength!

When there was no one else to depend on, when hope was all but gone, when situations looked disastrous He was there! When things were good and grand, when blessings were obvious, when I felt strong and at ease He was there! Times of health and healing, prosperity and lack, courage and disappointment, joy and heartbreak, purposeful direction and aimless wandering – through all He was and still is there!

“I will praise you, my God and King, and always honor your name. 2 I will praise you each day and always honor your name. 3 You are wonderful, Lord, and you deserve all praise, because you are much greater than anyone can understand. 4 Each generation will announce to the next your wonderful and powerful deeds.

5 I will keep thinking about your marvelous glory and your mighty miracles. 6 Everyone will talk about your fearsome deeds,
and I will tell all nations how great you are. 7 They will celebrate and sing about your matchless mercy and your power to save.

8 You are merciful, Lord! You are kind and patient and always loving. 9 You are good to everyone, and you take care of all your creation. 10 All creation will thank you, and your loyal people
will praise you. 11 They will tell about your marvelous kingdom
and your power. 12 Then everyone will know about the mighty things you do and your glorious kingdom.

13 Your kingdom will never end, and you will rule forever. Our Lord, you keep your word and do everything you say. 14 When someone stumbles or falls, you give a helping hand. 15 Everyone depends on you, and when the time is right, you provide them with food. 16 By your own hand you satisfy the desires of all who live.

17 Our Lord, everything you do is kind and thoughtful, 18 and you are near to everyone whose prayers are sincere. 19 You satisfy the desires of all your worshipers, and you come to save them when they ask for help. 20 You take care of everyone who loves you, but you destroy the wicked.

21 I will praise you, Lord, and everyone will respect
your holy name forever.” Psalm 145 CEV

It’s never too late to start a tradition. Ask the Lord to show you how and when to have special times of remembrance, and let those in your world see that God is good!

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True Friendship

We’re just returning home after spending several weeks in Idaho. We have wonderful friends there and it was so great to see them. You know, they are the kind of friends that you don’t see for years and still have that wonderful heart bond with.

When we lived in the Northwest we had that same yearning for our friends in the desert. Now we get to see those dear ones more often and it warms our hearts with each visit.

This morning the house is quiet and I began to think of dear friends, far and near, and as I was praying for them by name I heard myself tell the Lord “I would do anything I could to help them”.

And then the Lord reminded me of this story.

“A few days later, Jesus came back to Capernaum. The news spread that he was back home. 2 A large crowd gathered to hear him speak. The house was so full that there was no place to stand, not even outside the door. While Jesus was teaching, 3 some people brought a paralyzed man to see him. He was being carried by four of them. 4 But they could not get the man inside to Jesus because the house was so full of people. So they went to the roof above Jesus and made a hole in it. Then they lowered the mat with the paralyzed man on it. 5 When Jesus saw how much faith they had, he said to the paralyzed man, “Young man, your sins are forgiven.”

6 Some of the teachers of the law were sitting there. They saw what Jesus did, and they said to themselves, 7 “Why does this man say things like that? What an insult to God! No one but God can forgive sins.”

8 Jesus knew immediately what these teachers of the law were thinking. So he said to them, “Why do you have these questions in your minds? 9-10 The Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins. But how can I prove this to you? Maybe you are thinking it was easy for me to say to the crippled man, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’ There’s no proof it really happened. But what if I say to the man, ‘Stand up. Take your mat and walk’? Then you will be able to see if I really have this power or not.” So Jesus said to the paralyzed man, 11 “I tell you, stand up. Take your mat and go home.”

12 Immediately the paralyzed man stood up. He picked up his mat and walked out of the room. Everyone could see him. They were amazed and praised God. They said, “This is the most amazing thing we have ever seen!” Mark 2:1-12 ERV

Here were four men who heard about Jesus reputation to heal. They had a friend who was paralyzed. They put him on a bed and carried him through the streets of town to the house where Jesus was teaching.

When they got there they couldn’t get in. There were too many people so they went up the stairs to the roof top. They began to dismantle the roof! Seriously! I’m sure that the owner of the house valued his roof as much as I do mine. These men were determined – their friend needed help. He needed Jesus!

They worked until there was a hole in the roof large enough to lower the man to Jesus. Imagine for just a minute what it was like to be inside the house and hear the commotion on the roof. There were particles falling and hitting people but we can only assume that Jesus kept on teaching.

I always ask questions, you know that. Did the paralyzed man object when his friends carried him out into the streets? Did he ask to go home? The Scripture tells us that Jesus “saw” how much faith they had. The friends and the man all had to have faith in Jesus to go to so much trouble.

There are so many ways we can help our friends. We can provide physical strength, financial help, emotional support and prayer support. The best thing we can do to help our friends is bring them to the One with all the answers. Sometimes we just need to “carry” them to Jesus.

Jesus not only met the man’s physical need but He forgave his sins. Jesus is still doing both of those today.

“A man who has friends must be a friend, but there is a friend who stays nearer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24 NLV

True friendship.

First we take them to Jesus, either in our prayers or through a Scripture verse or spoken word of encouragement. Then we lend a helping hand and lighten the load.

Thanks to all the friends that have done both for me. I love you dearly and consider you a gift from God!

 

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Wonderful Works of God

Yesterday after telling you about our travels and the roads we take I began to reflect on the beautiful scenery we have seen over the years.

There is a single verse in the Psalm 40 that I want us to look at this morning.

“Many, O Lord my God, are the wonderful works which You have done, and Your thoughts toward us; no one can compare with You! If I should declare and speak of them, they are too many to be numbered.” Psalm 40:5 NKJV

Look at this phrase “many are the wonderful works which You have done”. Think about that for a moment – what WONDERFUL works do you see that He has done? Was it last night’s sunset or this morning’s sunrise? Was it the love and compassion you felt for a stranger who was in need? Or was it the unpretentious love and acceptance of a child? What did you experience just yesterday that you could see was a wonderful work of God in your life?

As I said, I spent time reflecting on the beauty we see on each of our travels, some of the sun rises and mountain ranges are breath taking. To me, they are an example of God’s greatness.

“Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!” Psalm 107:8 NJKV

“He has made His wonderful works to be remembered; The Lord is gracious and full of compassion.” Psalm 111:4 NJKV

“O Lord, You are my God. I will exalt You, I will praise Your name, For You have done wonderful things; Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.” Isaiah 25:1 NKJV

God is always reaching out to show off for us. He has given us the beauty of creation to display His power and also given us the miracles of life to reveal His character.

I like the verses above because they move our focus from God’s creation to His character. God says His counsellors are faithfulness and truth. The things that are “wonder-full” are the things that have the character of God woven through them; faithfulness, truth, love, forgiveness, peace, gentleness, patience, joy.

As surely as the sun shines each day and the tides roll in at their appointed times God’s love reaches out to us. Each day the faithfulness of God can be seen in the way a hawk soars above and the fish thrive in the waters beneath. The course of nature allows them to break the hold of gravity and the fish to extract oxygen from the water in ways we can’t. It’s been happening that way since the beginning of creation. That’s faithfulness!

“We are still alive because the Lord’s faithful love never ends. 23 Every morning he shows it in new ways! You are so very true and loyal!” Lamentations 3:22-23 ERV

The daily miracles we experience are constant reminders that He is there and He loves us.  As we grow confident in the love that God has for us we begin to reflect His character in the same way that the moon reflects the light of the sun. The moon has no light of its own but it does shine brightly in the night.

As we reflect the Father’s love and His wonderful works, we will begin to shine brightly and bring the joy to others.

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Summer is Time to Grow

Dave and I spent 13 hours in the truck driving from Arizona to Nevada. We enjoyed our travel time – we talked, looked at the scenery, talked some more and filled our day with the beauty of God’s creation.

I loved driving through the ranch country. We didn’t see a lot of cattle grazing but the alfalfa fields were filled with big square green bales. The thing I did miss seeing were the fruit trees. I guess the area we were in isn’t known for it’s fruit. But I always love how the spring rains prompt the blossom of the peach, apple, pear, cherry and apricot trees which lead to a full and bountiful end-of-summer harvest.

Summer is good for that – producing a harvest. I feel like I am going through, and growing in, a harvest season of my own. God is working in me, changing me, giving me strength and peace. I can see fruit developing and maturing.

There is a single verse in the Psalm 40 that I want us to look at this morning.

“You, Lord God, have done many wonderful things, and you have planned marvelous things for us. No one is like you! I would never be able to tell all you have done.” Psalm 40:5 NKJV

Look at this phrase “many are the wonderful works which You have done”. Think about that for a moment – what WONDERFUL works do you see that He has done? Was it last night’s sunset or this morning’s sunrise? Was it the love and compassion you felt for a stranger who was in need? Or was it the unpretentious love and acceptance of a child? What did you experience just yesterday that you can see was a wonderful work of God in your life?

“Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!” Psalm 107:8 NJKV

“He has made His wonderful works to be remembered; The Lord is gracious and full of compassion.” Psalm 111:4 NJKV

“O Lord, You are my God. I will exalt You, I will praise Your name, For You have done wonderful things; Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.” Isaiah 25:1 NKJV

I like the verse above – God’s counsellors are faithfulness and truth. The things that are wonder – full are the things that have the character of God woven through them. Things like faithfulness, truth, love, forgiveness, peace, gentleness, patience, joy. When God’s love fills us, we begin to produce fruit.

In nature a fruit  tree produces fruit for the kind of tree it is. Apples – apples, oranges – oranges, bananas – bananas and so on – you know what I’m saying. When we grow in Christ we will begin to produce fruit that is consistent with the vine we are growing on – we will begin to produce godly character.

As we examine our lives we should see godly fruit is growing. The Father is wanting us to share the fruit that grows in our lives with others. He is wanting to use us to do wonderful things in the lives of those around us.

“Stay joined to me and let my teachings become part of you. Then you can pray for whatever you want, and your prayer will be answered. 8 When you become fruitful disciples of mine, my Father will be honored. 9 I have loved you, just as my Father has loved me. So remain faithful to my love for you. ” John 15:7-9 CEV

I pray that this summer we all produce a bumper crop! May God bless  you with an abundant harvest.

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Get Up – Get Going

Today is a day of victory!! Yes, victory. I awoke this morning with an old praise and worship song going through my head and my heart.


I will arise and go forth
In the name of the Lord of hosts,
For He has conquered every foe
By His name, by His name.
I will declare He is the Lord.
I will trust and not be afraid,
I will arise and go forth by His name. By Daisy Essery

After singing it over and over, I went to Bible Gateway and looked up the words “arise go” and there are a lot of them. Didn’t find the actual words for the song above but I did find over and over where it was spoken, “arise and go”.

Getting up requires action. You don’t just get up to stand and not move. Today is your day to get up and move.

We used to watch the program Amazing Race. Each day they had to get up and get going to the next destination. Some of the contestants spent a lot of time whining, blaming their traveling partner and others in the race for their failure. I know it made for good viewing but it didn’t bring them success.

The prodigal son said “I will arise and go to my father’s house”; Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Arise take up your bed and walk and go to your house”; he also told the leper “Arise and go thy way, thy faith has made thee whole”.

The Apostle Paul on the road to Damascus when the Lord spoke from heaven and told him to “Arise and go into the city”. The angel told Joseph to “Arise and go to Egypt” with Mary and the young child Jesus to keep him from being killed by Herod.

This morning I want us to look at a story of victory, “Arise and Go”, from the Old Testament. Let me put the story in context. There is a famine in the land. The Syrian army is in full siege against the Israelites. The Israelites are hold up in the city and things are so bad they are eating animal dung and even their own children. There are four lepers outside the city wall and they are starving to death.

“About the same time, four men with leprosy were just outside the gate of Samaria. They said to each other, “Why should we sit here, waiting to die?There’s nothing to eat in the city, so we would starve if we went inside. But if we stay out here, we will die for sure. Let’s sneak over to the Syrian army camp and surrender. They might kill us, but they might not.” 5-8 That evening the four men got up and left for the Syrian camp.

As they walked toward the camp, the Lord caused the Syrian troops to hear what sounded like the roar of a huge cavalry. The soldiers said to each other, “Listen! The king of Israel must have hired Hittite and Egyptian troops to attack us. Let’s get out of here!” So they ran out of their camp that night, leaving their tents and horses and donkeys.

When the four men with leprosy reached the edge of the Syrian camp, no one was there. They walked into one of the tents, where they ate and drank, before carrying off clothes, as well as silver and gold. They hid all this, then walked into another tent; they took what they wanted and hid it too. 9 They said to each other, “This isn’t right. Today is a day to celebrate, and we haven’t told anyone else what has happened.

If we wait until morning, we will be punished. Let’s go to the king’s palace right now and tell the good news.” II Kings 7:3-9 CEV

Notice the thought process of the lepers. If we sit here we will die so they “got up and left” to the Syrian camp. And when they did, God not only provided for them but He provided deliverance for all the Israelites and destroyed their enemy.

When we arise and go forth, we are moving in the right direction. We can trust the Lord to direct our paths and to secure our outcome. We mustn’t become complacent and sit where we are until we die.

Get up, Get going – go forth in His name and He provides the victory. It’s an Amazing Race.

Blessings!

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