tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89339576503474529222024-03-13T21:01:30.476-07:00Pearls in a NutshellJuliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02029451742280017744noreply@blogger.comBlogger646125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933957650347452922.post-85828707327595677922024-03-13T21:00:00.002-07:002024-03-13T21:00:43.999-07:00Barabbas<p><br /></p><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3f2ji5fk3vYl6UJL8-icx60wcyQXViupcLe902fdrD9C6YlGLHTapBPO9tfhNc7hWO7BxWaZYx4D-hML80UeiNYD6zVflcOLsfuuXPBnFppJebsaQOqiQzAY7WfTPMXjvdu_jniZu57Sv01xNdj47nYPSHrENVMP9q6uXXIODFFQOEZAqyN7Y3fS7lZA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="563" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3f2ji5fk3vYl6UJL8-icx60wcyQXViupcLe902fdrD9C6YlGLHTapBPO9tfhNc7hWO7BxWaZYx4D-hML80UeiNYD6zVflcOLsfuuXPBnFppJebsaQOqiQzAY7WfTPMXjvdu_jniZu57Sv01xNdj47nYPSHrENVMP9q6uXXIODFFQOEZAqyN7Y3fS7lZA=w640-h384" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Interesting QUOTES.</span></b>.. <br /><span face=""Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">Our old history ends with the Cross; our new history begins with the resurrection. </span></div><div><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Watchman Nee<br /><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The New Testament writers speak as if Christ's achievement in rising from the dead was the first event of its kind in the whole history of the universe. He is the 'first fruits,' the pioneer of life,' He has forced open a door that has been locked since the death of the first man. He has met, fought, and beaten the King of Death. Everything is different because He has done so. <br />C.S. Lewis</p><div class="gmail-author" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 18px 0px 26px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I know the resurrection is a fact, and Watergate proved it to me. How? Because 12 men testified they had seen Jesus raised from the dead, then they proclaimed that truth for 40 years, never once denying it. Every one was beaten, tortured, stoned and put in prison. They would not have endured that if it weren't true. Watergate embroiled 12 of the most powerful men in the world-and they couldn't keep a lie for three weeks. You're telling me 12 apostles could keep a lie for 40 years? Absolutely impossible. <br />Charles Colson <br /></p><div class="gmail-author" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 18px 0px 26px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Devotional Thoughts .. --- BARABBAS <br /></span></b><br /><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: x-small;">Barabbas ... we all know the details of his part in the crucifiction story, but he is quickly passed over with little further thought given him. I have been thinking about him and would like to take a bit of literary license with his story. I think I have some credibility in doing so because in James 5:7 we are told that Elijah was , </span><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>"of like nature or passions"</i></b><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"> as us. That means that given the same circumstances we respond with our emotions and actions with predictability, because we are all of the same flesh - 'human'. <br /></span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><br />So taking the scant details we are given about Barabbas in Matt. 27:15-26, Mark 15:6-15, Luke 23:18-24, John 18:40 I put myself in his place to try to flesh him out as a fellow human being. <br /></span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: small;">******<br /></span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><br />"My name is Barabbas. <br /></span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: small;">I was well-known , but infamous rather than famous. I was an angry, violent man who charted my own way of dealing with life. I hated the Romans, hated them with a passion. I hated their arrogance and their domination over us Jews. What right did they have.... NONE as far as I was concerned. <br /></span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><br />I lived by my own standard of right and wrong. If I needed something, I took it, not caring from whom. So I was known as a 'robber' by my own people. <br /></span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><br />I rebelled against authority, in particular, the Roman authority and was vocal about it, thereby gaining some support from men who thought like me. Joining with me, they agreed to my plan. We cared little about our own well-being, just wanting to inflict some pain on the Romans, and find a way to vent our churning anger. <br /></span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><br />We planned our insurrection plan, and carried it out ! It was at least partly successful, we murdered men guilty of nothing more than being Roman, but that was enough reason for us. <br /></span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><br />The part that didn't go so well was that we were caught and arrested - thrown into prison, bound with chains. I knew my life was over, crucifiction my sentence, I tried not to care! I waited for the inevitable along with the fellows chained with me. <br /></span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><br />One day, I heard the footsteps of the guard approaching our cell. The door clanged open and I fully expected my time had come. The guard bent to unchain me and then his words startled me, no = they shocked me. "You are free to go." <br /></span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><br />What? There was no mercy for me - I knew I had long ago crossed that line! So what was the guard saying? I was free? How? Why? I must be dreaming. <br /></span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><br />But, the guard roughly pushed me out of the cell and turned back to relock the cell door. He didn't even look at me. Really? I was free to go? I didn't believe it until I found myself outside, breathing fresh air! <br /></span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><br />I stopped the first person I met and asked what was going on. Why would I have been released from a Roman prison? Demanding answers I finally found someone who could answer my questions. A man named Jesus was on trial, and Pilot , trying to play his cards in Jesus' favor, used the tradition of setting a prisoner free that day. He offered the people a choice, Jesus or me ! Well, even I knew that I should have been the last criminal to be offered freedom. But me instead of Jesus? I had heard of him, people spoke of him as a great prophet, some even suggesting he was the long-expected messiah ... and now they wanted him dead so badly they were willing to have me freed? me? a robber, murderer, rebellious rabble-rouser? How was that possible? Had the people gone mad?<br /></span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><br />My feelings were conflicted, I hardly knew what to think ... much less what to do. I wandered aimlessly... but then hearing the crowds was curious to know what was going on. I quickly became aware that a crucifixion was about to take place -- three men. A chill shivered up and down my spine with the realization I was to have been one of those men. I recognized one of the men as Jesus, the one who was taking my place. <br /></span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><br />I stood at a distance watching the horrifying events unfold. I witnessed the suffering inflicted on the men on the crosses. My eyes were fixed on Jesus - literally my saviour! I was grateful for my undeserved, unexpected freedom but I could not justify, much less understand, the reason for it. What was I going to do for the rest of my life? "<br /></span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: small;">*****<br /></span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><br />To my regret, we are not given any details about what Barabbas did after he was set free. Did he hear of Jesus' resurrection? Did he listen to the gospel story and come to faith in Jesus? <br /></span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><br />We will have to wait for eternity to find out. But truly, Barabbas is representative of each one of us. We all stand at the cross looking at the One who took our place there. Our sin laid on Him, when He Himself had no guilt at all. I am offered freedom, only because "God so loved!!" <br /></span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><br />At this time of year, as we again focus on Jesus' sacrifice -- His death -- and His resurrection, we can be so thankful that in Him we have forgiveness and life eternal . <br /></span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><br />God asked Jesus' "Who shall I set free? You or ---------- (</span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">fill your name in the blank</i><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: small;">) ?<br /></span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"> and Jesus answered... " Set ______________ free, I am willing to take their place!" </span></div></div></div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02029451742280017744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933957650347452922.post-27128405499600359002024-03-09T14:30:00.000-08:002024-03-09T14:45:04.264-08:00<p><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;">My Amaryllis </span></b></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img alt="image.png" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" data-image-whitelisted="" height="400" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=df32fb03c0&attid=0.1&permmsgid=msg-a:r1049644272111840207&th=18e178ec2d1d7840&view=fimg&fur=ip&sz=s0-l75-ft&attbid=ANGjdJ_oclTBGc9xQYAnO4pwkEyf8Gm8wK-K6_aI8wmxQA8p_qZAUFqHJnQ71upycd6GuFb4gucDHy79NOWaC3BwN1LxRJomCYpyKBb0LGhI4cvfi2uobBQuVqO4r0w&disp=emb&realattid=ii_ltgtzs460" style="margin-right: 0px;" width="274" /><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><div><b>I was gifted an amaryllis bulb for Christmas and I had so many Christmas flowers that I decided to wait to plant it. I finally planted it a few weeks ago, and I took this photo today. It has 4 huge flowers on the tall stem and more coming up on the second stock. </b></div><div><b>I was telling my sister how I loved my amaryllis and she listened and then commented...:"I hear a devotional coming up !!" Well, I never turn down a challenge .. and I am a firm believer in God having a lesson or message in everything He does .... soooo.... you, my friends, are the recipients of my amaryllis lesson !! </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Before I planted my bulb I did some research on how-to, what-not-to , to try to ensure my success. One comment I read on one of the sites gave me great hope ! It said ..<i> "Amaryllis' are easy to grow no matter what colour your thumb is !!"</i> Well, my thumb is all colours but green so I loved this comment ! </b></div><div><b>It made me think .... I am so encouraged that God doesn't 'grow me' because of anything I have, or because of who I am. He just grows me because HE IS and because He wants to. </b></div><div><b>I love the verse in Psalm 115:3 -- <i>"God does what He pleases!"</i> Did you ever think of that ? God does what He does because it PLEASES Him ? And it pleases Him to grow you and me into His likeness... and He uses His own righteousness to do it .. All we have to do is be willing, ready and open to receive what He has for us. II Cor. 3:18,<i>"But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." </i>Amazing, isn't it ? </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>I looked at the ugly bulb before I planted it. I really would have just tossed it out if I thought that was all there was to it! But the box said that it would grow into a beautiful blooming plant. Okay ... I was willing to give it a chance. </b></div><div><b>Aren't we like that bulb? Plain, ugly, useless... <i>(okay, I'm speaking for myself!)</i> and yet God looks at us and sees the beauty in us that He can bring out. He knows exactly how and where to plant us and nurtures us to bring us to be transformed into something lovely! </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>It is a mystery to me how those beautiful blooms can be hidden in that ugly bulb. How does it know how to get out and just grow and unfold in such glory! Isn't that a miracle ? Since I cannot explain that, yet accept the truth of it , then why should I doubt when God says He sees beauty in me and you and that He will 'cause us to bloom' !! </b></div><div><b>Paul in Ephesians 3 speaks of the mystery of God's plan of salvation... how it all unfolds God's mystery, to reveal that<i> "the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel'. </i> I believe the 'mystery of the amaryllis' and I believe the mystery of Christ - God's perfect salvation, planned from the foundation of the earth. Ephesians 1:4 <i> "even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him in love."</i></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>I learned something amazing about the amaryllis' bulbs. If the bulb is waxed it can be placed in a decorative pot, or simply hung from the ceiling and it will grow and bloom without you paying any attention to it, you need not even water it !! </b></div><div><b>Wow... the lesson in that is really profound, isn't it ? If there are no missionaries, if there are no churches, if there are no Bibles, God can find the most isolated person and find a way to reveal Himself to them and open their hearts to 'grow' in Him. We have all heard the stories of Jesus appearing to Muslims in the Middle East in dreams and visions because that is the only way they will hear of Him ! Only a God of love can care so much that He will do all He can to reach every single person! No one will ever stand before Him on judgement day and say they never knew of Him ! </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>It was almost scary watching my amaryllis grow - up to 2": a day. It stands almost 2 feet tall! Easy to see what it is teaching us here, isn't it? God did not save us to be 'hidden'. He wants us to stand tall, where we can be seen by those who need to be saved. In Matt. 5:14 and 16, Jesus says <i>"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden ...... Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b>I have been reading how to take care of the amaryllis bulb so it will bloom again year after year!. It has to have a period of dormancy or rest after a blooming season, before it will once begin to sprout forth new growth. . We too go through periods where we feel tired, burned out, we need to 'rest' or maybe encounter a period where God seems far away, or a time that tests our faith. Even though these times may be difficult we know that 'spring' is coming and we will be renewed in strength! </b></div><div><b><i>"But those who wait on the Lord, shall renew their strength, They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." -</i></b></div><div><b>Isaiah 40:31.... see also II Cor. 4:16-18 <br /><br /></b></div><div><b>My amaryllis is red, but there are at least 500 varieties and colours. Easy to draw the analogy here that we too are each unique - our own 'variety' and our own 'colour'. Yet all are precious in His sight ! </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>I hope you enjoyed my ramble inspired by my amaryllis. To God be the glory for His wonderful creation so full of His love-notes tucked into it for those who seek to find them ! </b></div></div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02029451742280017744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933957650347452922.post-78579804113566401452024-02-29T21:16:00.007-08:002024-02-29T21:16:57.369-08:00 Words of the Wise<p> </p><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiuS498s2a616rtLAfiUkzXLWpd67N_u8NmaT_hnhWljqS8cIt0a-H10Ro8z88gkqby3xUK33M-tzqbpED-QerTR7IFzFYdvBqM5Y0ixSI7vZCdHmK819Pi0ijDJ6ME97xiDnlqSAhINfy6QICiE3exVBwu08Yv7dKfmoGre52HP3MKga1VupAsyJp3eas" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="564" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiuS498s2a616rtLAfiUkzXLWpd67N_u8NmaT_hnhWljqS8cIt0a-H10Ro8z88gkqby3xUK33M-tzqbpED-QerTR7IFzFYdvBqM5Y0ixSI7vZCdHmK819Pi0ijDJ6ME97xiDnlqSAhINfy6QICiE3exVBwu08Yv7dKfmoGre52HP3MKga1VupAsyJp3eas=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Well-driven nails by One Shepherd !! </span></b></div><div>This morning in my Bible reading I focused on two passages - one from Ecc. 12 and the other from Acts 16. </div><div>Ecclesiastes 12:11 -- I love the words of this passage, they always stir my heart-emotion.</div><div>Let me quote the words .. </div><div><b><i>"The words of the wise are like goads, </i></b></div><div><b><i>and the words of the scholars are like well-driven nails, </i></b></div><div><b><i>given by one Shepherd, "</i></b></div><div>Do you see the pictures painted in this verse? </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Goads</b> -- are farming implements , a round stick with a pointed end used to urge cattle to move forward, or in the right direction. So to apply the analogy we see that the words of the wise are meant to be 'sharp' as in they get our attention and spur us on in the way we should go. </div><div><br /></div><div>The next picture is that of a carpenter driving nails into the wood. My dad was a carpenter and how often I watched him drive one nail after the other with unfailing precision straight into the wood. Here the analogy points to the fact that words from the wise or the wise scholar will not 'knock' us off course, will not cause us to bend to the right or to the left but will encourage us to stay on a straight path. </div><div><br /></div><div>And the 'source' of these good words? The last picture is that of the Shepherd. Who is a Shepherd but one who cares for his sheep. He will watch over them, protect them, feed them, care for their health and well-being. And the pivotal word here is ONE ... Who is the ONE Shepherd but Jesus ... the WORD made flesh in the one who is a faithful and true Shepherd. All the words that are 'wise' ,that are 'true' come from ONE source - <b><i>"I am the way, the TRUTH..!". </i></b> Truth is the kind of thing that defines 1 plus 1 equals 2. Any 'word' contrary, is immediately recognized as being false. </div><div><br /></div><div>In John 16:13 Jesus - the ONE Shepherd - promises that when the Holy Spirit comes, whom He calls the Spirit of Truth, He will guide us into ALL truth. He will only repeat the words of the ONE Shepherd. </div><div>You and I and every believer have the indwelling Spirit of Truth, who guides us into all truth. </div><div>But the enemy is also at work to distract us from hearing/recognizing that 'voice'. We are easily moved to doubt we are 'discerning' God's Voice , we are overwhelmed with the amount of info and knowledge and media voices that bombard us daily. And so - too often- that soft voice is covered by the noise around us. </div><div>Self-doubt is the most effective tool in the enemy's hand isn't it? We are quick to second guess whether it was our own thought/feeling or if we were discerning the nudge of the Spirit., and we tend to err on the side of caution and surmise that it was our own 'words'. I want to encourage you to be confident in knowing that you CAN and DO hear the voice of the ONE Shepherd through His Holy Spirit that lives within you. </div><div><br /></div><div>in Acts 17:11 The Bereans are commended, praised, because they checked what Paul was teaching , against the words of the One Shepherd. If Paul came as guest speaker to our church do you think we would all be checking to see if he was speaking 'truth' ? I don't think so ... and yet if the Bereans were praised for checking Paul's teaching for themselves .. and they only had the Old Testament!! - how much more should we heed the warning to be discerning - to check for ourselves what we hear - no matter who the 'teacher' is .. (myself certainly included!!!) Know for yourself what 'words' are well driven nails given by ONE Shepherd - the Spirit of truth !! </div><div><br /></div><div>The second passage I focused on this morning was an account of fitting life-examples of the Ecc. passage. In Acts 16. we have snap-shots of the 'word' being spoken and how it was received and by whom. </div><div><br /></div><div>The<b> first example</b> is Timothy who met Paul, who desired to have Timothy join him in spreading the 'word'. We know Timothy gladly responded and in verse 4 we see that Paul and Timothy delivered the 'gospel truth' as it had been determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem. The 'words' agreed.</div><div> </div><div>The <b>second exampl</b>e was a man from Macedonia whom Paul and Timothy and Silas were sent to preach the 'word' - again the man heard and believed. </div><div><br /></div><div>The <b>third example </b>is a woman named Lydia, who was obviously a wealthy independent woman. How do we know? She had her own business - a weaver of purple (worn only by the rich) she was leading a group of women, and she had the authority to open her home and hospitality to Paul and company.. She was already a worshipper of God but verse 14 says that she<b><i> 'opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul".</i></b> She discerned the 'words spoken by ONE Shepherd" </div><div><br /></div><div>The<b> fourth example</b> is the demon-possessed girl. She followed Paul and his friends proclaiming that they spoke the 'words of truth'. Paul cast the demons out of her and she was set free, to the anger of those who had used her for their monetary gain! </div><div><br /></div><div>The <b>fifth and last example</b> is the keeper of the prison that Paul and Silas were cast into. When God sent an earthquake to get the prison keeper's attention as well as set Paul and Silas free, the jailer received the word of truth and he and his household were saved !! </div><div><br /></div><div>how beautiful , how powerful are the words of Truth. Truth has the power to set free, to change anyone who receives it ... whether a Greek youth, a man from a foreign city, a rich business woman, a demon-possessed girl or a jailor doing his job! </div><div><br /></div><div>I love how in each of these examples the word 'spread' through the one who first heard and received the 'word', to impact their sphere of social contact. </div><div>May we learn from these examples and know how powerful the unchanging truth is and may we be discerning so that our 'words' will be well-driven nails that will not cause someone to 'bend' from the truth, but will be life to those who hear us. </div><div><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" /></div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02029451742280017744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933957650347452922.post-78968513716793906272024-02-09T11:35:00.000-08:002024-02-09T11:35:10.482-08:00<p> . I was actually looking for a different image, but this one caught my eye .. and imagination! </p><div><img alt="image.png" class="CToWUd a6T" data-bit="iit" data-image-whitelisted="" height="542" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=df32fb03c0&attid=0.1&permmsgid=msg-a:r7626167095212259410&th=18d869a9abe4cb79&view=fimg&fur=ip&sz=s0-l75-ft&attbid=ANGjdJ-GMwGLYWGgv84vfhl6wPiGJeWyCTgOuWYitu9EMX8YIqiivScWzFDQso1MwkGtWRORqLMM1tDZfOt9VDjwssx2cKAAeImreA9cKHjFwGiRqJw4trdmZJnsh4w&disp=emb&realattid=ii_lsb18fwb0" style="cursor: pointer; outline: 0px;" tabindex="0" width="339" /><br /></div><div>How often do we judge things with a false or twisted mindset or world-view! We judge by our own standards, our own preferences, our own tastes or desires. </div><div>And too often we voice those false judgments, and words are powerful ... especially to children. We can all think of something someone said to us as a child that we have never forgotten and we still feel the influence of those words --- good or bad. </div><div>If we follow the analogy in the image of the fish, think of that poor fish. If it is told by a squirrel that considering how easy it is for them to climb a tree, they must be very stupid to not even be able to get out of the water !!! And the fish, seeing the squirrel run up and down the trees with such skill, concludes that the squirrel must be right ... and he must be very stupid. </div><div>We are vulnerable, easily tempted to make us believe we are 'less than' we really are. </div><div><br /></div><div>My granddaughters' generation is into what they call 'thrifting'. For those of you who are around my age remember how embarrassing it was to have to wear hand-me-down clothing. Even purchased second hand clothes was only for the poor. Yet today, it is praise worthy and a habit that is enthusiastically embraced!<wbr></wbr> <br /></div><div>Garbage used to be garbage -- all went into the one garbage can. Today it's about how or what can be recycled and we have 4 different bins that garbage needs to be sorted into, plus the depot for what can't be put to the curb. All because we have a cultural mindset of 'recycle, don't waste'. </div><div>A good thing , isn't it ? We have all heard 'waste not, want not' !! </div><div><br /></div><div>What got me thinking along this thought path, was learning something about the egg shell. How many egg shells have we all thrown away? my friend Mary encourages everyone to crush the egg shells and use them as a very nutritious plant fertilizer, but I have never thought of them as an edible food item! </div><div>My husband has recently developed some kind of stomach related medical problem -- ulcers? inflammation of stomach lining? I don't know, he hasn't been to the doctor yet.. though he does have an upcoming appointment. So I was searching the internet looking for natural remedies. And to my surprise the egg shell was very high on the 'healing' potential list.. Boil egg shells for sterilizing, then dry them .. then crushed into powder -- coffee grinder works great.. Then add a teaspoon to a cup of hot milk ... or mix into your drinks of choice. Who would have thought that we were throwing away a valuable part of the egg?? </div><div><br /></div><div>God is the original 'nothing wasted' recycler. When you study nature everything has its place, everything plays a significant and important part in the ecosystem. My response is -- well, except for mosquitos. But then I researched that and found how very important they are and if they were eradicated the breakdown of the food chain would filter down to affect us !! </div><div>You only have to look at a flower, to appreciate how every detail is important, how every animal is cared for in their given environment, how the seasons follow one another, how the ocean tide flows in and out ... on and on.. </div><div>We read in Romans 1 how God created the earth to display His character. It is so clear that no detail in God's sight is wasted. </div><div>On the contrary, we tend to be wasters ... Why? because we don't see or recognize the value of something and throw it out. . </div><div><br /></div><div>We see God's 'no waste' rule even in scripture. I love how every word is important -- hence the title of my latest book "No Word Wasted". But it is also shown in the stories of the Bible. The feeding of the 5000 from a little boy's lunch, where the crumbs were gathered up, the widow's oil and grain that lasted throughout the time of famine, Joseph's story of the storing of extra grain so there was a supply for the famine years, even our tears he collects and keeps in a bottle. (Ps. 56:8) <br />I love that even though God is not a waster, He is generous to the extreme! God never heard of the popular saying .. "Less is more!" He says 'more and greater is better !!" </div><div><br /></div><div>But I want to tie this back to the egg shell and mosquito. If God created every detail of His creation to have an important purpose, then does it not follow that He would also not waste anything about His highest creation - man made in His image? </div><div>Do you think you are the egg shell that is a 'throw-away- or the mosquito that is an annoyance? That is totally contrary to God's character, and His expressed love for His children all through scripture! Yes, you are unique ... God intended you to be! So don't compare yourself to someone else. (remember the fish and the squirrel) <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Okay... so I've convinced you that you are NOT a 'throw-away' or 'nuisance' in God's Kingdom. But it goes much deeper. </div><div>What about the details of your life? What about the difficult circumstances, the tragic events?</div><div>Do you believe He is in the midst of them , orchestrating them for good? </div><div> What about your sin, your failings, your wrong choices and decisions? Do you think He can recycle those too to 'create' something good on your behalf and for His glory? </div><div>This morning, I was reading Paul's comments on this thought (Rom. 6:1).<b><i>. "Wow! really? then let's sin some more so that God has more to 'recycle' into something good !!" (my paraphrase !! ) </i></b></div><div>But he quickly lays that argument down and says ...<b><i> "Of course not! if God can recycle even our failings, how much more will He use us when we die to self and live in His righteousness!" (again, my paraphrase) </i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>The enemy is always ready, to distract us and he plots for us to live in discouragement or despair thinking we have messed up. How quickly God forgives when we come to Him with heart-confession. Why quickly? Because He is eager to begin the restoration - the 'recycling' process. </div><div>Being a creative person , as many of you are as well, we understand the joy and fulfillment of taking something 'useless' in itself and creating something beautiful and valuable. That is a 'God-characteristic' that He gave us so we can believe Him when He says ...<b><i> "I have wonderful plans concerning you, I can make you into something beautiful !!" (my paraphrase of Jer. 29:11)</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>The trouble is that many of us, at least at some points in our life, are 'hoarders'! Hoarders of guilt about past or present sin, hoarders of resentment.... of unforgiveness, of anger. Hoarders of remembered offences.... we note and label every one ! <br /></div><div>It's hard being a hoarder. It fills up good spaces that could be used for something so much more useful and enjoyable. </div><div>We can keep our 'garbage' , or give it to God for 'recycling'. </div><div>Can we embrace, even get excited about the fact that God loves to recycle? Remember that the material gathered for recycling is completely worthless in itself and has very little value, It is the vision, creative ability and skill of the one re-creating that is important to achieve the oft surprising value and worth of the end result. If we admire this gift in other human beings... how much more should we believe that God - the greatest Creator of all - would be able to take the worthless 'junk' we give Him and in His forgiving and restorative work turn it into something beautiful - something that causes us to shine in His kingdom and give Him glory ! </div><div><br /></div><div>Here are a few verses that speak to who we are in Jesus,... there are so many more! Take note when you are reading them to KNOW that they are meant for YOU, personally, if not you, then NOONE. <br /> Jeremiah 29:11, Malachi 3:16,17 , I Thess 1:4, II Cor. 5:17, Eph. 2:10, John 1:12 Philippians 4:12, Col. 3:12 Rom. 8:1 John 15:16 , II Cor. 3:18</div><div><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" /></div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02029451742280017744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933957650347452922.post-2827171543125275502024-01-14T18:52:00.000-08:002024-01-14T18:52:17.358-08:00<p><b><span style="font-size: large;"> Parallel Stories</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhYZJ5Jjcy_DUZwBUUmlgpNJn9LBtOOPSu8SZuBr2g8bt3e5fsl-FrOo-juT830KDczk8U3i3iZFldHIWDaqvdYj_MZgKP3jZbZfORuN2n0BPSSCY8WabHLj4DJ2WUinOY-GSyWLnYzfVhQjE2KO3-Yc_KcnBUvMEAA2_H3UXnpFZ7BFeD605QzdQMZflg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="806" data-original-width="563" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhYZJ5Jjcy_DUZwBUUmlgpNJn9LBtOOPSu8SZuBr2g8bt3e5fsl-FrOo-juT830KDczk8U3i3iZFldHIWDaqvdYj_MZgKP3jZbZfORuN2n0BPSSCY8WabHLj4DJ2WUinOY-GSyWLnYzfVhQjE2KO3-Yc_KcnBUvMEAA2_H3UXnpFZ7BFeD605QzdQMZflg=w280-h400" width="280" /></a></div><p></p><p>Isn't it comforting to know that we do not have to trust in our own righteousness, but can trust in His right hand holding us up and His indwelling Spirit strengthening us when we are weak? </p><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Parallel Stories in Contrast</span></b></div><div>in my mornings, I have a habit of asking the Lord what I should read and into my mind will drop a scripture - often one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament. And I am delighted how most often they fit together or together confirm a teaching or word of God. </div><div>I want to share one example of such a parallel here.... </div><div><br /></div><div>The old Testament chapter I read was Numbers 32, and this is the story. </div><div><br /></div><div>The excited Israelites had finally completed their wilderness journey. Except for Moses, Joshua and Caleb all the Israelites at the end of the 40 years in the wilderness had either been under 20 years old leaving Egypt or were born in the wilderness. <br />It is easy to imagine how excited they would have been. The thought of settling into their own homes and having land to grow crops and yards their children could play in would have been exhilarating. <br />So now Moses is standing in front of the gathered people and informing them what part of the promised land is allotted to which tribe. </div><div>It seems everyone was happy with what their tribe was given, except for the children of Gad, the children of Rueben and half the tribe of Manasseh. They were cattlemen and they had taken note of some prime land perfectly suited for them on the east side of the Jordan -- the other side from where Moses was settling the other tribes. <br />When they presented their request for land on the other side of the Jordan, Moses reacted with anger. He rebuked them for plotting to separate from the rest of their brethren and refuse to fight with them to take possession of the land. Moses accused them of selfishness and rebellion against the commandments of God. </div><div> But they were quick to assure Moses that he had misunderstood ! They were not separating from their brethren. They had full intentions of joining with them in battle to secure the land God had given them. They just wanted to settle their wives and children first and then they would cross the river to join the other tribes in battle. </div><div>Moses' anger was deflated and he assured them if that was their intent then all was well. God would not find fault with them. BUT .. if they did not follow through on their promise then "their sin would find them out!" (isn't it interesting that it is in this story that we find this familiar , oft quoted verse??) </div><div>The children of Gad and Reuben and part of Manasseh were given the land they desired and they were faithful to their promise to fight with the other tribes until they had secured the land. </div><div><br /></div><div>My other passage is found in Galatians 2:11-21 and we have a surprisingly similar story. </div><div>It happened like this. </div><div>Peter travelled to Antioch to fellowship with the believers there. Peter, after his vision, had accepted that God's salvation was not just for the Jews but was also intended for the Gentiles. He was happy to eat with the Gentiles and enjoyed the mutual fellowship. </div><div>But .. then certain men from James also came to Antioch - Jews who were "of the circumcision", meaning that they believed that you had to be circumcised to be accepted by God. Peter was afraid of their judgment of him eating with the Gentiles, and so he took the coward's way out. Wanting to avoid confrontation he withdrew from the Gentile believers and sat only with the Jews. And he wasn't the only one, others followed his example including even Barnabas! </div><div>Peter was shocked and did not mince his words in criticizing the Jews' action to separate from the Gentile believers. He said "they were carried away with their hypocrisy." </div><div><br /></div><div>It is rather humbling to recognize that the Old Testament people refused to 'play the hypocrite' and separate from their brothers, but the New testament believers who should have supported their brethren even under duress or persecution, failed. </div><div>My lesson last week stressed how 'love' is the motivation that keeps us from sinning. We see that played out in these two stories. </div><div>The half tribe of Manasseh, children of Gad and Rueben loved their brethren and were not even tempted to withdraw from them, to protect their own interests. </div><div>Peter and even Barnabas who was known as "the encourager", were not motivated by love, but rather their own self-interest. <br />To Peter and Barnabas's credit, I believe they deeply regretted their cowardly actions and were never guilty of it again. <br />Sometimes God lets us fail, because our subsequent regret/sorrow/shame is a strong deterrent, keeping us from falling into that same error again! </div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02029451742280017744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933957650347452922.post-58049936817753233752023-12-12T18:27:00.000-08:002023-12-12T18:27:14.147-08:00<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWOI47WbUvEFSUH2t8B3hV7hPQN70T7FxwphsKZU8Zc2SawpM0xqSV2uN9SchXO-hfS9UObc2DcH0f7-o656DZjZpZH21c8tXXgLGX81MfY4MEzCAqXkGeIPoCWf6CDz1yysyAJe6BFBcPXV3lUYBvUXK9ULMhF_qhnyslowX9xTTHXHp2ThWBBCjNvq0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="287" data-original-width="236" height="381" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWOI47WbUvEFSUH2t8B3hV7hPQN70T7FxwphsKZU8Zc2SawpM0xqSV2uN9SchXO-hfS9UObc2DcH0f7-o656DZjZpZH21c8tXXgLGX81MfY4MEzCAqXkGeIPoCWf6CDz1yysyAJe6BFBcPXV3lUYBvUXK9ULMhF_qhnyslowX9xTTHXHp2ThWBBCjNvq0=w312-h381" width="312" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Our Father , Our Shepherd - Looking
at God as our Shepherd through the eyes of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ezekiel, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>David and Jesus <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I love how
God never says anything just once. David proclaims in Psalm 62:11 <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“God
has spoken once, twice I have heard this…..”<br />
</i></b>And Hebrews 6:17 is speaks of God confirming His word with an ‘oath’ so
that by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we
might have strong consolation.” </i></b>Meaning that everything God says He
will confirm or say more than once. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A Shepherd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How beloved and familiar is <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Psalm 23, and we speak often of Jesus as our
Shepherd. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
But maybe we have not followed the theme or thread throughout the Bible showing
us again how God does not change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
truly is the same, yesterday, today and forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And in speaking of Himself as a Shepherd
there is more to be gleaned than just the familiar, warm analogy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">EARLY REFERENCES<br />
</span></b>The theme of Shepherd and sheep is found throughout our Bibles
.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first reference is found in Gen.
49:24<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-language: X-NONE;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>…. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">By
the hands of the Mighty <span style="color: grey; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">God</span>
of Jacob (From there <span style="color: grey; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">is</span>
the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel).</i></b> This is Jacob’s prophecy over
Joseph.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is noteworthy because Joseph
is a type of Jesus, and we know the ‘Rock’ of Israel was pointing to Jesus, and
here it first refers to Him as the Shepherd. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Normal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 3.0pt; tab-stops: 36.0pt 72.0pt 108.0pt 144.0pt 180.0pt 216.0pt 252.0pt 288.0pt 324.0pt 360.0pt 396.0pt 432.0pt 468.0pt 504.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-language: X-NONE;">The second
reference is in Num. 27:17 <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“….that the congregation of the Lord may not
be like sheep which have no shepherd.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p>
<p class="Normal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 3.0pt; tab-stops: 36.0pt 72.0pt 108.0pt 144.0pt 180.0pt 216.0pt 252.0pt 288.0pt 324.0pt 360.0pt 396.0pt 432.0pt 468.0pt 504.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-language: X-NONE;">Also in I Chron.
11:2 Samuel quotes God having said to Saul<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">…”</i></b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="X-NONE" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-language: X-NONE;"> You shall </span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-language: X-NONE;">shepherd</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="X-NONE" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-language: X-NONE;"> My people Israel,
and be ruler over My people Israel. "</span></i></b><span lang="X-NONE" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-language: X-NONE;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Normal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 3.0pt; tab-stops: 36.0pt 72.0pt 108.0pt 144.0pt 180.0pt 216.0pt 252.0pt 288.0pt 324.0pt 360.0pt 396.0pt 432.0pt 468.0pt 504.0pt;"><span lang="X-NONE" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-language: X-NONE;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="Normal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 3.0pt; tab-stops: 36.0pt 72.0pt 108.0pt 144.0pt 180.0pt 216.0pt 252.0pt 288.0pt 324.0pt 360.0pt 396.0pt 432.0pt 468.0pt 504.0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-language: X-NONE;">EZEKIEL 34, PSALM 23, JOHN 10 <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="Normal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 3.0pt; tab-stops: 36.0pt 72.0pt 108.0pt 144.0pt 180.0pt 216.0pt 252.0pt 288.0pt 324.0pt 360.0pt 396.0pt 432.0pt 468.0pt 504.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-language: X-NONE;">My lesson today
focuses on three passages, Ezekiel 34, Psalm 23 and John 10 and <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>how we will see that both David and Jesus’ drew
from the words of this Ezekiel chapter. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="X-NONE" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-language: X-NONE;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Normal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 3.0pt; tab-stops: 36.0pt 72.0pt 108.0pt 144.0pt 180.0pt 216.0pt 252.0pt 288.0pt 324.0pt 360.0pt 396.0pt 432.0pt 468.0pt 504.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-language: X-NONE;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="Normal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 3.0pt; tab-stops: 36.0pt 72.0pt 108.0pt 144.0pt 180.0pt 216.0pt 252.0pt 288.0pt 324.0pt 360.0pt 396.0pt 432.0pt 468.0pt 504.0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-language: X-NONE;">DAVID
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="Normal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 3.0pt; tab-stops: 36.0pt 72.0pt 108.0pt 144.0pt 180.0pt 216.0pt 252.0pt 288.0pt 324.0pt 360.0pt 396.0pt 432.0pt 468.0pt 504.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-language: X-NONE;">David was
obviously familiar with the words of the scroll of Ezekiel and sitting alone in
a field watching his sheep it must have run through his mind and he penned the
beloved words of Psalm 23 as his heart-response to Ezekiel 34.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Normal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 3.0pt; tab-stops: 36.0pt 72.0pt 108.0pt 144.0pt 180.0pt 216.0pt 252.0pt 288.0pt 324.0pt 360.0pt 396.0pt 432.0pt 468.0pt 504.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-language: X-NONE;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="Normal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 3.0pt; tab-stops: 36.0pt 72.0pt 108.0pt 144.0pt 180.0pt 216.0pt 252.0pt 288.0pt 324.0pt 360.0pt 396.0pt 432.0pt 468.0pt 504.0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-language: X-NONE;">I paralleled Ezekiel’s words to David’s response. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="Normal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 3.0pt; tab-stops: 36.0pt 72.0pt 108.0pt 144.0pt 180.0pt 216.0pt 252.0pt 288.0pt 324.0pt 360.0pt 396.0pt 432.0pt 468.0pt 504.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-language: X-NONE;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #9cc2e5; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themetint: 153;">Ezekiel 34:11<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>“Thus says the Lord God, Indeed I
Myself will search for My sheep….I will deliver them from all the places where
they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day…”<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="color: #70ad47; mso-themecolor: accent6;">Psalm 23:1<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“The
Lord is my Shepherd , I shall not want …. “</i> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #5b9bd5; mso-themecolor: accent1;">Ezekiel 11:14,15 </span>-<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I will feed them in good pasture … there
they shall lie down in a good fold and feed in rich pastures….<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will make them lie down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<br />
<span style="color: #70ad47; mso-themecolor: accent6;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Psalm 23:2… </span><span class="text"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";">He makes me to lie down in </span></i></span><span class="text"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;">[</span></sup></i></span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2023&version=NKJV#fen-NKJV-14238b" title="See footnote b"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="color: #4a4a4a; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;">b</span></sup></i></a><span class="text"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;">]</span></sup></i></span><span class="text"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";">green
pastures;</span></i></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="text"><span style="color: #9cc2e5; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themetint: 153;">Ezekiel 34:18 </span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";">..”to have drunk of
clear waters … “<br />
</span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: #70ad47; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: accent6;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Psalm 23:4 </span></span><span class="text"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";">He leadeth me beside the still waters</span></i></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="text"><span style="color: #9cc2e5; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themetint: 153;">Ezekiel 34:16, </span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";">I will bind up the
broken and strengthen what was sick ..<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: #70ad47; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: accent6;">Psalm 23: 3</span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">He restores my soul <o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #9cc2e5; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themetint: 153;">Ezekiel 34:23, </span>And I will
establish one shepherd over and the shall feed them .. and be their Shepherd. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="color: #70ad47; mso-themecolor: accent6;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Psalm 23: 3</span>, <span class="text"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";">He leads me in the paths of righteousness<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>for His name’s sake. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #9cc2e5; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themetint: 153;">Ezekiel 34:28 “</span>And they shall
no longer be a prey… nor shall beasts of the land devour them, but they shall
dwell safely and no one shall make them afraid. “<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="color: #70ad47; mso-themecolor: accent6;">Psalm 23:4</span>…<span class="text"><b><sup><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";"> </span></sup></b></span><span class="text"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";">Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,</span></i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";"><br />
<span class="text"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I will fear no evil;<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p>
<p class="line" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><span class="text"><span style="color: #9cc2e5; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themetint: 153;">Ezekiel 34:30 “</span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";">Thus
they shall know that I, the Lord their God am with them …”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="line" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><span class="text"><span style="color: #70ad47; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: accent6;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Psalm 23:4
</span></span><span class="text"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";">for You are with me ..<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></p>
<p class="line" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><span class="text"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="line" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><span class="text"><span style="color: #9cc2e5; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themetint: 153;">Ezekiel 34:17,18<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";">As for you O My flock,
thus says the Lord God, Behold I shall judge between sheep and sheep , between
rams and goats… …Behold I Myself will judge between the fat and the lean
sheep..”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="line" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><span class="text"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: #70ad47; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: accent6;">Psalm 23:4 </span></span><span class="text"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";">Your rod and your staff they comfort me. <o:p></o:p></span></i></span></p>
<p class="line" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><span class="text"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></span></p>
<p class="line" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><span class="text"><span style="color: #9cc2e5; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themetint: 153;">Ezekiel 34: 26 </span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";">And I
will make them and the places all around my hill a blessing and I will cause
showers to come down in their season , there shall be showers of blessing.. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="line" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><span class="text"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: #70ad47; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: accent6;">Psalm 23:4,5,6<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><span class="text"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";">You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;</span></i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";"><br />
<span class="text"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You anoint my head with oil;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>M cup runs over.</span><br />
<span class="text"><b><sup><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></sup></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surely goodness and
mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p>
<p class="line" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><span class="text"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="line" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><span class="text"><span style="color: #9cc2e5; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themetint: 153;">Ezekiel 34:30, 31 </span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";">They ,
the house of Israel are My people says the Lord God, You are my flock and I am
your God …</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";"><br />
<span class="text"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: #70ad47; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: accent6;">Psalm 23:6 </span></span><span class="text"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";">And I will dwell in the house of the </span></i></span><span class="small-caps"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-variant: small-caps;">Lord forever ! <o:p></o:p></span></i></span></p>
<p class="line" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Comparing Jesus words
in John 10 we also see parallels to Ezekiel 34. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="line" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">Jesus
uses an <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>illustration in John 10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In His illustration He uses several ‘pieces’
that fit together in the analogy He is teaching. . <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">To understand an illustration or parable that is speaking of
one thing but meaning another, we need to rightly assign the meaning intended
to each piece of the parable. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In Jesus’ illustration we have … <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The sheep</b> --<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>you and me<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>- “God’s own”<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The door</b> – by which the good
Shepherd enters <br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The good shepherd, who loves his sheep</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus <br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The wolf</b> – Satan<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The hireling shepherd</b> - leaders of
God’s people who are false shepherds and do not love the sheep. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who kills, steals and Destroys?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There is a phrase in this passage that is often taken out of
context<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“who comes to kill, steal and destroy”</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and these words are <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>applied to Satan. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But that cannot be the intended meaning <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>because the ‘hireling’ <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>who ‘kills, steals and destroys’ flees from
the ‘wolf’ .<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wolf cannot flee from
himself, therefore the ‘hireling’ that ‘steals, kills and destroys’ cannot be
the wolf - or Satan. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The ‘kill, steal, destroy’ is a strong condemnation directed
to ‘false teachers/leaders/shepherds” As I noted above, we cannot establish
truth from just one scripture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We must
have confirmation. In this example we need to find confirming scripture that
gives the same message as we have defined it here – that the ‘hireling’ is
false teachers/leaders’. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Confirmation in Ezekiel 34 <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And we find that confirmation in Ezekiel 34.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here God calls the leaders of His people
“false Shepherds” (or hirelings) and He condemns them accusing them, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 25.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->of<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">
‘stealing’</b> -<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ez. 33:1,2 says that
instead of feeding the flocks, they ‘steal’ the food to consume on themselves. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 25.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">‘destroying’</b>
the flock in verse 4 when He says that they have not strengthen the weak or
healed the sick nor bound up the broken, nor sought that which was lost, but
ruled with force and cruelty. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 25.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Of ‘<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">killing</b>’
-<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the sheep <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">‘become
prey, and are killed by the beast of the field’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></b>– <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>because of the false
shepherds<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So in both Ezekiel 34 and John 10 it is the ‘false
leaders/shepherds’ that are the ones accused of ‘stealing, killing and
destroying’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just like in the Old
Testament we have God’s words condemning the leaders who did not Shepherd His
people, but destroyed them in leading them into worshipping false gods. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Jesus <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>first condemns the ‘hirelings’ or false
Shepherds,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and then compares Himself to
a Good Shepherd. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Just like David, Jesus repeats ore rephrases <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the thoughts in Ezekiel 34 about what a good
shepherd is and does<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and applies it to
Himself. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->He says He is <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the ONLY Good Shepherd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>( John 10: 14, Ezekiel 34:23) <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He speaks
of being the very ‘door’ of the sheepfold – He keeps them safe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(John 10:9,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ezekiel 34:25, 27,28) <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->He will not flee like the ‘hireling’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(John 10: 13, 14<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ezekiel 34:30) <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->He will care for His sheep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He gives His very life to them, and they know
Him and trust Him and hear His voice. (John 10:9, 15 , Ezekiel 34:13, 14, 15, 26,
29)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->He gives them a secure home -<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘eternal life’. (John 10:28,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ezekiel 34:22, 30, 31) <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Why is it so important to see
God/Jesus as our Shepherd?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">God created ‘sheep’ so that we could clearly understand the
relationship God wants to have with His people – the Sheep of His pasture. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(Psalm 100:3 “We are His people and the
sheep of His pasture”) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What does the
relationship between a shepherd and his sheep teach us ? <o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->A sheep is the most dependant of all
animals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It cannot care for itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It cannot even clean itself, the Shepherd has
to do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So we also <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>– only our Shepherd can cleanse us of our
sins. <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->The sheep needs the shepherd to lead it to
water, to the lush pastures, it doesn’t know the way by itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And so
we too, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>need our Shepherd to lead us and
guide us and “direct our paths”. <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->We tend to want to be independent – do things
our own way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We so quickly hear the insistent
words of a toddler <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">.. “Me do it!!”</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Occasionally a sheep will wander from the
shepherd,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and fall over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If he does he cannot get up by himself, he
needs the Shepherd to help him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
So with us --<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>when we wander from the
Lord, do we not ‘fall’ into diverse sins and situations and can’t get up on our
own?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
Or the sheep gets caught in the bramble bushes …<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>so like us going our own way get ‘caught’ in
habits, relationships and consequences of our actions and can’t free ourselves.
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->A sheep will quickly get himself lost on his own
and can’t find his way back. The shepherd has to go find him and bring him
home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does our Shepherd not continually
‘find us’ even as he went out to look for Adam and Eve, or Elijah saying, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“What
are you doing here”</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And He lovingly invites us to come back to the
safety of His fold. <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->A sheep wandering away from the Shepherd is
vulnerable and easy prey for the enemy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
As are we. Our enemy is ever on the watch to see if he can catch us in a weak moment
and tempt us to ‘sin’ in whatever way he can… in our deeds, our words, or our
choices or decisions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Isn’t it amazing how God has made it so clear and simple in
His word, confirming His truth over and over so<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>that we need never fear or wonder who He is. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can rest in the assurance of who He is as
our Good and Faithful Shepherd! <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I was wondering</span></b> ….<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you think that much of our ‘trouble’ comes
into our life because we want to do things our way?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We try to solve our own problems, find our
own answers and then when things go sideways, we<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>wonder how we got there ! We even ask, “where
are you God?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All along, He has followed
us, calling for us , <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to bring us back to
the ‘good pastures’ and the safety in His presence. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Should we not<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>‘surrender’ our self-will, our desire to self-rule and just completely
trust our needs and cares and , yes, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>our
very life into the hands of our Good Shepherd who is the PERFECT Shepherd?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a saying that many believe is in
the Bible – of course it isn’t – but the saying goes… “God helps those who help
themselves.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is not how a Shepherd
relates to His sheep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we ‘insist’ on
helping ourselves, God LETS US.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is
watching to help those who totally trust in Him !!! It is not weakness to
implore the Lord for help BEFORE we try our own way, it is a strength.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even Jesus said that He said nothing He did
not first hear the Father say, did nothing He did not see the Father do !” Jesus
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>did nothing in His own authority. (John
8:28, John 5:19)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He set the example, we
as the ‘sheep of His pasture’ need to follow !!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></p>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02029451742280017744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933957650347452922.post-896823661144016262023-11-03T12:27:00.000-07:002023-11-03T12:27:05.689-07:00<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6BfnBKMKJTNewXFcih007HiJ-ByWgCOo_29wzCvA_MYSBHZtbNdCw2-HTYvtdJpKmQQgEv2G8I1kyir-baK3ju5jAWP0i5m_ucDB77JpUqG9W-S6NcOt74LlHbzlnWb2AQpyyYFmf5YzU1ISY44cvlb_bgW3aR1ZQlt1CwqO0HO7546OnYgQn923JM_Y/s800/Vic's%20sunset%20007%20Standard%20e-mail%20view.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="800" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6BfnBKMKJTNewXFcih007HiJ-ByWgCOo_29wzCvA_MYSBHZtbNdCw2-HTYvtdJpKmQQgEv2G8I1kyir-baK3ju5jAWP0i5m_ucDB77JpUqG9W-S6NcOt74LlHbzlnWb2AQpyyYFmf5YzU1ISY44cvlb_bgW3aR1ZQlt1CwqO0HO7546OnYgQn923JM_Y/w470-h315/Vic's%20sunset%20007%20Standard%20e-mail%20view.jpg" width="470" /></a></div></div><div><br /><br /></div><b>
"<span style="font-size: large;">LIGHT"</span></b><div> I was reading Psalm 27 the other day, and was caught by the first line in which David declares ..<b><i> "The Lord is my light"</i></b> </div><div> We take light for granted, don't we? If the sun goes down we simply flick a switch and carry on.</div><div><br /></div><div> I think for most of us 'fear of the dark' is one of our first experienced fears.
I remember as a child, one of my chores was to carry the day's left-over food scraps to the barn for the cats or pigs to enjoy. The barn was far enough away from the house that the yard-light attached to the house did not reach all the way to the barn, leaving a stretch of inky darkness. I was fine in the light but my heart always pounded in fear when I stopped to gather my courage to dash through that black corridor of 'no light'. </div><div><br /></div><div>Why are we so afraid of the dark? This week Tuesday was Halloween, when 'black' is the colour of choice. -- witches, black magic, dungeons, evil.
Why is the colour black chosen to symbolize evil? Because in I John 1:5 it says, <b><i>"God is light and in Him is NO DARKNESS AT ALL!" </i></b>
Black shuts out all light and therefore aptly symbolizes everything outside of God - everything outside of His goodness.<i> (and I love the word 'good' - it is God (Goooood) stretched out and is that not what God does ... stretch out His hand to bestow goodness upon His people?) </i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>
So when David says <b><i>"The Lord is my Light!"</i></b> what is he saying? </div><div>The first thing he says is he is not afraid. Just as I was not afraid where the yard light shone, so also David was not afraid when he was in God's LIGHT.
He mentions the enemy stumbling. By inference we can deduce that his enemies were NOT walking in God's light and therefore stumbled. It is so easy to stumble in the dark, is it not? </div><div><br /></div><div> David makes another comment in verse 4 when he speaks of <b><i>"beholding the beauty of the Lord".</i></b> Do you know that 'colour' is ONLY in LIGHT itself and not in any object we see? The beauty of colour is in the light rays and when they touch an object some rays are absorbed and others are reflected. We see only the colour of the reflected rays.
You know how after a notable dimming of lights .. all colour disappears. The ocean bottom, as we have all observed watching underwater films, is incredibly beautiful, but without the light of the camera, it lies in darkness devoid of any perceivable colour. The creatures who dwell there never see any colour, unless they happen to be in the range of a diver's light.</div><div><br /></div><div> I love the symbolism of this fact. Without God, there is no beauty to behold. Only by Him and through Him , when He shines on our life are we able to see and appreciate His beauty all around us.
We say ... "I have to see it to believe it !!" It is hard to see in the dark, and very hard to know what to believe. How often as children did you tell scary stories -- and remember how much more effective they were to inspire racing hearts if the stories were told in the dark! If you are in the dark, you are easily led to believe anything you are told is lurking in the corners.
But If God is our 'light', we are 'enlightened', we can 'see' clearly the things of God. We can see His face, and we believe because we see and understand!</div><div> </div><div> David's 27th Psalm is a beautiful declaration of faith, but he adds one clearly identifiable characteristic of faith in the last verse - 14. The quiet confidence of 'waiting' on God!
Waiting - Have you ever grown tired of waiting on God? Waiting for an answer? Waiting for His direction? Waiting for Him to smooth the wrinkles in your life? Of course... we all have. BUT .. as we continue to live and walk in the 'light' of who God is, we will notice how much easier it becomes 'to wait' because our confidence is sure -- God does hear, God does have an answer, and God will deliver in His good time! While I am waiting I am hidden in His secret place, in His tabernacle - high on a solid rock!
</div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02029451742280017744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933957650347452922.post-67955981343565299892023-10-18T15:02:00.003-07:002023-10-19T06:06:58.115-07:00<b><span style="font-size: large;">"Nothing new under the sun"</span></b><div> We are having a sermon series from Ecclesiastes on Sunday morning and in Ecclesiastes there is the recurring phrase ... "under the sun" ...Solomon uses this phrase 27 times in the book. In observing the things 'under the sun', he concludes that there is nothing new under the sun. What once was, is and what is, will be again.</div><div><br /></div><div> I listened to a very insightful conversation between Jonathan Cahn and Gary Hamrick. (link below) </div><div>We all look around us in horror at what is happening in our world on so many levels we are moving away from a godly society. Morally our world is falling apart and we shake our heads in confusion wondering what went wrong. How did things change so quickly from what was the 'norm' not that long ago!! </div><div><br /></div><div>Jonathan Cohn is very insightful and gifted to lift the scripture off the ancient Bible page and paste it into our modern world.
Because we are visually oriented, we judge by what we see and too often do not give enough attention to the unseen spiritual world which is very very real. Not only is it real but has a greater impact in our society than we might think. </div><div><br /></div><div> Ephesians 6:12 tells us that our earthly battles are not against 'flesh and blood' , literally other people, but our battle is against "principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, .. against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." </div><div><br /></div><div> How literally do we recognize the truth of that, knowing that it is not ungodly people we need to protest against, and argue with, but we need to stand against the very 'rulers of darkness' , real beings - entities - that are the ruling influence here ! </div><div> Note that these demonic entities are rulers over the DARKNESS .. they cannot overpower us who live in the LIGHT ... Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil (I John 3:5) and gave us the authority, in His name, to stand against what the enemy is orchestrating in our society today ! </div><div><br /></div><div> Jonathan explains it so well, I will give you the link and encourage you to listen to it ...</div><div> I know you will find it most insightful !</div><div> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ib7zZXBjeOM </div><div><br /></div><div> On another note, I know we are all watching the war in the Middle East ... and there are many who have much to say about it ... but the best sermon I heard about it was by Gary Hamrick - so concise and to the point ... Here is the link if you wish to listen to it .. I encourage you to do so! You won't be sorry ! <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/live/upeQUaVwRSY?si%3DrudpBn7CZWJs9c1x&source=gmail&ust=1697807123470000&usg=AOvVaw0g4-l3FD6fpaumDnax4EWS" href="https://www.youtube.com/live/upeQUaVwRSY?si=rudpBn7CZWJs9c1x" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/live/<wbr></wbr>upeQUaVwRSY?si=<wbr></wbr>rudpBn7CZWJs9c1x</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Psalm 81:13-16 </div><div><b><i>"Oh, that My people would listen to Me, </i></b></div><div><b><i>That Israel would walk in My ways! </i></b></div><div><b><i>I would soon subdue their enemies </i></b></div><div><b><i>And turn My hand against their adversaries. </i></b></div><div><b><i>The haters of the Lord would pretend submission to Him, </i></b></div><div><b><i>But their fate would endure forever. </i></b></div><div><b><i>He would have fed them also with the finest of wheat, </i></b></div><div><b><i>And with honey from the rock </i></b></div><div><b><i>I would have satisfied you !" </i></b></div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02029451742280017744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933957650347452922.post-265084557269181222023-08-30T21:27:00.002-07:002023-08-30T21:27:49.835-07:00The Chicory Plant<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiXiWrUq4pj9etbPxPVYc5nUN6qa2G6DIa1wHDTqchLBRkjJ9RIDRmZJECLTV9Fl-ejk_-vUc0qMW1FDciFFKwLMpcVhLAfzipFKz5Ltwt2-FEFZ9aa1Mm3eS1SbFLxo0KjPSqJmSryfJSsHPwa6akG-9mqyP1nDrI-ttYDkLUeXo7qmP0ajmifmUaZ5Ak" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="967" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiXiWrUq4pj9etbPxPVYc5nUN6qa2G6DIa1wHDTqchLBRkjJ9RIDRmZJECLTV9Fl-ejk_-vUc0qMW1FDciFFKwLMpcVhLAfzipFKz5Ltwt2-FEFZ9aa1Mm3eS1SbFLxo0KjPSqJmSryfJSsHPwa6akG-9mqyP1nDrI-ttYDkLUeXo7qmP0ajmifmUaZ5Ak=w464-h259" width="464" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">On our way to church on Sunday, I admired the lovely blue Chicory flowers blooming beside the road. I have noticed that they seem to really like the sides of the roads - i have not seen them growing elsewhere ! </span></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">And I thought .... hmmmm.... there has to be a lesson here ! </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />I googled the Chicory plant to see if it was true that they preferred to bloom beside the road. Apparently, they do ! For two reasons. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">One - not many plants/flowers grow beside the road, so they have chosen to bloom there because there is little competition for space! </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Two - they rather like rocky, dry, clay soil conditions, as provided roadside.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I did not make that up... you can google it for yourself. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I realized the Chicory paralleled our life as believer's. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Separated and set apart . </b> </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">When we chose the Lord, and are born-again, we are separated and set apart for His glory! <br />We chose to withdraw from the crowded places of the world, so we can 'grow' beside the roads less traveled where we do not have to compete for space or position.. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The chicory could have chosen to bloom in lush fields or shaded forests, but it chose to sacrifice the world's best for its higher calling and purpose. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">So we, as believers, have rejected the lure of what the world offers - the glitz, the glory, the fame or fortune, the comfort. Instead, we have chosen the higher calling and purpose we have in Jesus, even though it is a life of sacrifice and separation. ( John 17:15,16)</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Set on a hill </b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">If the chicory had chosen to bloom in fields or forest glades, it would have only been noticed by those who sought out those places. But growing beside the roadway, it is seen by every passerby. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">We too, like the chicory, are positioned so that we are seen by those who pass us by and notice we have something to offer . We are the light to the world, we are the city set on a hill, we are God's love extended to the world, </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">(Matt. 5:14) </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Called to serve </b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Chicory is an edible and medicinal plant and the leaves, flowers and roots are all useful! </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Isn't that the purpose of every believer? That we are 'food' for those who are hungry - physically and spiritually. That we bring 'healing' to those who are sick or suffering, comfort and hope to those who are mourning or in despair. And just like the Chicory offers its very life so that its roots can be ground into coffee - so we too are called to lay down our lives for the brethren. (I John 3:16)</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Difficult or dry places</b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">When all goes well, when looks life we have it all together, the passers-by look and think , well, sure .. why wouldn't they be happy? everything goes their way! </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">But when things go sideways, when difficulty and hardship and persecution comes our way, and we 'keep blooming' THEN the world takes notice and wonders what we have that can make us keep our joy in the midst of a difficult situation or life. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Just as the Chicory is noticed and admired because it can grow and thrive where other plants quickly die, so we too have a visible witness to those who pass us by. (Acts 1:8, I Peter 4:19))</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Look up! </b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I love the colour of the chicory, is it looking up to reflect the blue sky above?</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Are we not called to 'look up' into the face of Jesus and reflect His image in our life?</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">(II Cor. 3:18) </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Called into His rest! </b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">There is one more thing the Chicory pictures for us. Have you noticed it only blooms in the morning and 'rests' for most of the day? </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Isn't that what we are called to do as well? Enjoy the 'rest' Jesus promised us? He does not burden us with tasks that weary us, He does not ask more of us than what we can give. He asks of us only what He has already enabled us to do. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;"><b><i> "Come to Me, all you who are heavy labor and are heavy laden </i></b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;"><b><i>and I will give you REST .. </i></b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;"><b><i>Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me for I am</i></b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;"><b><i> gentle and lowly in heart </i></b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;"><b><i>and you will find REST for your souls.</i></b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;"><b><i> For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."<span style="color: #4d5156; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">...</span></i></b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #4d5156; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Matt. 11:28-30</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">"Thank you, Chicory, for your faithfulness in reminding us every time we look at you of who we are in Christ and how we should live in the world ! " </div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02029451742280017744noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933957650347452922.post-11200599933522752392023-07-07T12:50:00.000-07:002023-07-07T12:50:21.516-07:00<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKipa-wS1-T2hQo5mV2VrtLPR4vUeHs3gH5YXTT7FJXRiGTrPdrt0KwVC7GNi_X5HtM1QbUro194qTeJfx6fRJJAD4cMUhlaF-6SCQ-SBVu0V9xAbf1G67j87uUU9ctPUNQrbvjdCe_4mNfWNC3rTkqFhHrpF6_uoeASA1ZjH0ZVhYlpiCYopZNSMcg30" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="563" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKipa-wS1-T2hQo5mV2VrtLPR4vUeHs3gH5YXTT7FJXRiGTrPdrt0KwVC7GNi_X5HtM1QbUro194qTeJfx6fRJJAD4cMUhlaF-6SCQ-SBVu0V9xAbf1G67j87uUU9ctPUNQrbvjdCe_4mNfWNC3rTkqFhHrpF6_uoeASA1ZjH0ZVhYlpiCYopZNSMcg30=w301-h320" width="301" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p><b style="font-size: large;">"DID YOU FALL?" </b></p><div>Monday morning I took my Bible to spend some quiet time with the Lord. It was a beautiful morning and the patio was so inviting! </div><div>My first question to Him was .. "What can I share in this week's devotional?" Immediately the answer came ... "Go to the book of James." I did and started reading the first chapter. My eyes and attention stopped at the word 'fall' and I knew here lay my lesson. </div><div>In context this verse (James 1:2) is talking about trials of life. Interesting that it uses the word 'fall' to describe how we meet the trials of our life. I looked up the Greek word translated 'fall' and the meaning is ... "<span style="color: #202124; font-family: "Google Sans", arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: rgba(80, 151, 255, 0.18); color: #040c28; font-family: "Google Sans", arial, sans-serif;">to fall into something that is all around, i.e. light among or upon, be surrounded with:--fall among (into)</span><span style="color: #202124; font-family: "Google Sans", arial, sans-serif;">."<br /></span>Have you fallen lately? <span style="color: #202124; font-family: "Google Sans", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;"><br /></span></div><div>In this short lesson, I want to point out the parallels between a physical fall and how applicable the use of this word 'fall' is in relation to our trials. </div><div><br /></div><div>We never fall 'on purpose', do we? If we were told one morning we were going to fall,that day, I think we would seriously consider just staying in bed and avoiding the experience, wouldn't we? </div><div>We don't want it, we don't plan it, we don't anticipate it, it happens unexpectedly - suddenly we find ourselves on the ground. </div><div>Could we not describe the trials of our life the same way? A trial is not a welcome event in our life, it is not something we plan for. It happens , often suddenly, and there is nothing we can do to stop it. Whether our trials involve failing health, financial trouble, broken or troubled relationships, loss of loved ones, a missed appointment, stuck in traffic, a broken dish or burnt toast, we all have days that just go wrong! We could each write our own list of things that upset our life or cause us stress or worry. </div><div><br /></div><div>The James verse begins with the words .. "count it all joy!" I have never seen someone fall, or tell of a fall where joy was the expressed emotion! When we physically fall, the closest to feeling 'joy' is the feeling of relief if we are not seriously hurt ! Could it be that that is where the 'joy' lies in our trials, knowing we won't be seriously hurt when the trial is over? </div><div><br /></div><div>When we fall, being 'surrounded' with the fall is an apt description, isn't it? Suddenly, in the blink of an eye you are totally 'encompassed' by the experience. All else leaves your mind, Nothing else is important. You are focused on one thing - you have fallen!! </div><div>So also with the trials of life. When we 'fall' into them, we are encompassed by the trial. Everything else in our life slips down the list of our priorities. The trial captures our thoughts, our emotions, our focus. We desperately look for an escape. .</div><div><br /></div><div>When we fall, after we have determined that we are not dead, or seriously injured, our focus immediately shifts to how we are going to get up ! No one just stays down if they are able to get up or have help in getting up ! <br /></div><div>So also in a life-trial, our mind races to find a solution or escape. But we can make the mistake of wallowing in our misery and giving in to the debilitating emotion. . We are so overcome or discouraged we don't think of 'getting up' - it seems impossible, we are weighed down and blinded by our distress. </div><div><br /></div><div>"<b><i>Count it all jo</i></b>y, my friend!" No? not there yet? </div><div><br /></div><div>My favorite Bible character is Joseph. We all love his story. We love him being given authority, the position of a ruler, second only to Pharaoh himself. We love how he provided food for so many, including his own family. We love how he treated his brothers, tested them and forgave them. It is such a great story !! </div><div>BUT ... do we read the 'before' and see how in Joseph we see our James scripture played out as an example to follow? </div><div>Didn't Joseph 'fall' into trials? First, he 'fell' into his brothers' evil intentions. He 'fell' into being sold. He 'fell' into becoming a slave' ... He 'fell' into being falsely accused and 'fell' into prison. He even 'fell' into being forgotten by someone who promised to help him. </div><div>None of the trials he 'fell' into were anticipated nor could he have done anything to avoid them. Did Joseph count them all joy? I don't think so. It must have been terrifying for a teen-ager to be 'sold' and dragged away from his father and his home.</div><div>We know he suffered - which is a given, otherwise it wouldn't be a trial, right? </div><div> We read in Psalm 105:17,18<b><i> "He sent a man before them - Joseph - who was sold as a slave, they hurt his feet with fetters, He was laid in irons.." </i></b> The passage goes on to say<b> "the Lord tested him"</b> until the right time for the Lord's word to be fulfilled. </div><div>Is that where Joseph found his 'joy' ? In remembering, knowing, believing the dreams in which God had spoken to him about what was to come - what God's plan for his life was. God's word to Joseph was never in jeopardy - it was never threatened. </div><div>Joseph could have 'fallen' into his trials and given up, staying down, giving up. Who would have blamed him? Yet he didn't. While his 'trials' surely encompassed him, and there was little joy in the midst of them, he didn't stay down. In every trial, he got up and walked through it, knowing God was with him. In the end his declaration was that while his trials were 'meant for evil', God used them for good !! </div><div><br /></div><div>That is joy, isn't it? To never lose hope? To never forget that our trials are for a good purpose leading to God's goodness poured out into our life and into eternity? That our trials can work out for good in His kingdom?</div><div><br /></div><div>We see the perfect example in Jesus Himself. When He faced the trial of His life - a trial more horrific than any of can imagine - we are told where the 'joy' was. </div><div>Hebrews 12:2 tells us that because of the 'joy set before Him", He endured the cross. It was not the trial itself that was 'joy' , it was what it would produce.</div><div>Having the hope and assurance of what a trial will produce gives us the strength and perseverance to endure the trial. We think of a woman facing the pain of childbirth which she endures for the 'joy set before her', the hope of the child soon to fill her arms and heart. </div><div>So also our James passage 'sets the joy before us'. If we endure the trials that come our way - be they big or small - then we will enjoy the 'fruit' of the trials. Patience, and Romans 5:3-4 adds character and hope. And we read in verse 5, hope never disappoints because God's love has been poured out in our hearts. </div><div><br /></div><div>If you find yourself 'encompassed' by a trial you would dearly have avoided, take comfort and be encouraged, there is a secure 'hope' anchored in the promises of God. When the right time comes, God's word to you WILL come to pass. And then you will echo Joseph's words,<b><i> "It was meant for evil but God meant it for good !! </i></b></div><div>"Count it all joy...." my friend. </div><div><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" /></div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02029451742280017744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933957650347452922.post-45700394687700498942023-06-29T14:23:00.001-07:002023-06-29T14:27:57.463-07:00<p> <b><span style="font-size: medium;">Nothing For Naught ! </span></b></p><div><img alt="image.png" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" data-image-whitelisted="" height="264" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=df32fb03c0&attid=0.1&permmsgid=msg-a:r1454805168482958140&th=18905d354146b23a&view=fimg&fur=ip&sz=s0-l75-ft&attbid=ANGjdJ-fyInk5pztDsPkxmeqsCjhqcputinoyu35Q1fdDJ18ZDCO4XcRE87LIs4_teoJ4FJte5mCocvQCbObr8_BRelT892aM6I6S7L4S__bexs1jj1v6PfzKgBQhcA&disp=emb&realattid=ii_ljc1l36g2" width="236" /><br /></div><div>If we could truly -- from our heart -- pray that prayer with child-like faith would we ever feel anxious and afraid? Do our times of anxiety and fear not come when we have doubt that God is REALLY is in control of the details? And if He really is, then what do we have to worry about?? </div><div>Our God is a God of details -- in His creation , in His plan, but also in His Word ! If there was one detail that escaped God's attention, He would no longer be perfect ! And perfect we know He is. </div><div>We all acknowledge that God's word - our scripture - is God-breathed and inspired but have we not all at times let our eyes skim over some obscure reference or some minor character or unpronounceable name and wondered why these details take up space in our Bible's pages?</div><div>Yet, we know in God's creation there is no unnecessary detail. Sometimes it is a very small detail by which some 'big' thing is held together ! Everything has a purpose!</div><div>Should we not expect God to be consistent in all of His work - whether it be created acts or words?</div><div>I believe every word in the Bible is there for a purpose and reason, whether or not we see it. But .. sometimes it just takes a little extra focused reflection and thought to see what the purpose is. </div><div> I want to look at a few of the 'obscure' characters in the Bible that I think have something to teach us. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">1. Two Thieves</span></b></div><div>Two characters that are familiar to us are the two thieves crucified with Jesus. Interesting, isn't it that the crucifiers put Jesus in the middle. Maybe so He could converse intimately with both. Two thieves who had lived a life-style of crime serious enough to be condemned to the cruel death of crucifixtion.They obviously knew each other judging from their conversation with each other. Yet, how different they were. One held onto his hard heart and felt no remorse for his 'sinful' life. The other, guilty of the same, looked at Jesus and his heart melted. He dared to ask !</div><div> "Remember me ... !" </div><div>Yes, Jesus remembered him! He knew all the details of his life, and saw the honest acknowledgement of his sin. Without any hesitation Jesus simply welcomed him into the Kingdom </div><div>Do you ... or someone you know... feel that they are not worthy, that they dare not come to Jesus fearing He will justly turn them away? Point them to this thief on the cross. For two thousand years he has been the witness to Jesus' freely forgiving ANYONE who asks. No one will be turned away. (John 6:37)</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">2. Ehud - Used Because He was Different</span></b></div><div>Our second character centers in a rather gruesome story that is not pleasant to envision. But it sits on our Bible page in Judges 3. There is an insightful detail that is easily overlooked. The character is Ehud. You may not be familiar with him, so here is the back story. Israel had been under enemy oppression for eight long years - finally in their desperation they cried out to the Lord to rescue them. And the Lord heard and answered by providing a deliverer, a man by the name of Ehud. </div><div>Ehud was 'different' and maybe suffered ridicule because of it. We so want to be the same as everyone else - we want to fit in , not stand out. But the God of details gave us that characteristic that makes us different - because He has need of it, as we see in Ehud's life story.. </div><div>What was 'different' about him? He was left-handed. Different, awkward , when the world caters to 'right-handedness'. </div><div>Ehud loved God - he was faithful, dependable and fearless! </div><div>The enemy Israel feared was Eglon, king of Moab - the enemy God raised up against Israel because of their evil ways, , but he had served his purpose and now God needed to save his people from his cruel oppression of them. </div><div><br /></div><div>Ehud had a plan. </div><div>Fearlessly, he walked into the enemy's camp, accompanying those who were carrying the tribute demanded by Eglan.The tribute was delivered, but Ehud's plan required a private meeting with the king. so he shouted, "I need to see you alone, O King, I have a secret message from God for you." The king, obviously curious what this message could be, dismissed those with him. Before they left, I'm sure they patted Ehud's left side to make sure he had no weapon. </div><div>Because Ehud was left-handed, his weapon was not hung under his clothes on his left side but on his right ! The guards did not expect he would have a weapon on his right side ! That made it too difficult to access for a right-handed man. </div><div>Therefore, because he was 'different', he had the advantage of surprise when his 'left-hand' reached over to his right side to pull out his dagger. Before Eglon could react, it was too late. His life was over! </div><div>Are you 'different' in some way? Did the God of details not give it to you for a good purpose? Have you asked Him how you can serve Him with the special gift He 'detailed' you with? </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">3. Elishama who?</span></b></div><div>I'm sure you could not tell me who Elishama was if I asked. </div><div>We know every little about him. He is briefly mentioned in passing in Jeremiah 36:12. He lived in the time when Jehoiakim, King of Judah ruled and God sent Jeremiah with a warning message to the king. Elishama, we read, was a scribe, in whose chamber Jeremiah's scroll was hidden. Jehudi by order of the king went to get it, and he read it to the king, who seized it and threw it into the fire. </div><div>Why was it important for God to record that Elishama was a scribe in the service of the king? </div><div>Many, many years passed - millenia, in fact. Then, in 1986 in an excavation in Jerusalem a clay seal was uncovered. What was important about it is what was written on it... "Elishama, servant of the king." </div><div>The world is always eager to prove God doesn't exist, that the Bible is a collection of fables and full of errors. But God is in the details - Elishama's name was needful to be recorded so that he stands as 'proof' that God's word is true -- EVERY WORD !!! </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">4. Ittai the Gittite</span></b></div><div>Another character whom you may not be familiar with is Ittai the Gittite. (II Samuel 15).The Gittites lived in Gath but you may be more familiar with Goliath than with Ittai -- both Gittites. <i>(II Sam. 21:19 says .. Goliath, the Gittite) </i> Obviously, the Gittites were Philistines, hardly the friends of Israel, yet here we have in our Bible reference to Ittai. He has a message for us. </div><div>Background -- King David was being betrayed by his own son Absolum. Absolom had won over to himself many fellow Iraelites. He beguiled them with lies about how King David was a thoughtless judge, not caring about the peoples' complaints. If only he - Absolom- were king he would certainly care for them with more empathy and support! </div><div>David had to flee for his life and his supporters went with him. Ittai and all the Gittites also went with David and when Daved noticed them he encouraged Ittai to go back and stay with Absolom, even referring to him as king. I believe he was 'testing' Ittai's loyalty since David did not know why Ittai and his men had joined him. They had only been with him for a day. </div><div>But look at the words of Ittai in response to David telling him to go back home. His words echo Ruth's words to Naomi -- that where David goes he will go , in life or death! </div><div>His sincerity was obviously proven because king David subsequently put Attai in charge of a third of his army. (II Sam. 18:2) </div><div>What is Ittai's message? Don't judge someone by their family or their history or their ancestry or ethnic background. Though Ittai was from a godless nation that prided itself on its giants - Goliath being one of them - he chose to live contrary to his upbringing. </div><div>God leads and judges everyone on their own merits and does not judge anyone for the sins of their father's. (Ez. 18:20) </div><div>King David reflected God's heart in his attitude and actions toward Ittai. He believed him and rewarded his loyalty, putting him in a position of trust. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">5. Dear Shiphrah and Puah ! </span></b></div><div> Then we have Shiphrah and Puah whose names are recorded in Ex. 1:16. We know that because of their 'lie' , God's plan for the deliverance of Israel through Moses unfolded. These two midwives boldly stood before Pharaoh who could have with one wave of his hand, order their death but they declared that the Israel women were different from the Egyptian women in that they gave birth very fast , before the midwives even got there ! The obvious should have struck Pharoah. If the midwives statement was true why did they have midwives?? God was pleased with the midwives and rewarded them with families of their own. Why was that unusual? I read one article that stated that midwives were not generally allowed to marry. If that is true or not, we know God blessed them in a way that was very meaningful to them ! </div><div>The lesson they teach? That it is okay to lie to save our skin or life? No, I don't think so, although I know we all take pleasure in the picture of these two women standing so brazenly before the king with their cover story! </div><div>I think the lesson they teach is that when we are brave enough to do the right thing even though we are disobeying authorities and our life may be in danger because of it, God will protect us, cover us, and reward our faithfulness. </div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div>I hope the above glimpses into some of the lesser known passages of our Bible encourage and enrich your own Bible study. And may you be encouraged to know how important you are in God's thoughts. You may see yourself as a small detail ... but God sees you as an important piece in His unfolding eternal plan ! You are necessary and needful and BLESSED in God's love for YOU ! <br /></div><div><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" /></div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02029451742280017744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933957650347452922.post-65116126287506237422023-06-07T14:49:00.003-07:002023-06-09T16:51:33.936-07:00<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">"My Name Is Naomi" </span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhrPuZEnSdK3bgXwrfFBU2rt1fTiVUk0pdnpQHGIYuTKoOrUL9W31sieIO_7I6xrn-ebrrurZA2hr8ZJMLghSt-rzd2zKMSBzWemauLYB2K6VGD82BR9wpZHiXjDVxkDfjAbPrZBzi9u1fGTh9HDnBbPGpsb76MY1jX07lOI5prsuCn3nDWIPhnBN_b" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="564" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhrPuZEnSdK3bgXwrfFBU2rt1fTiVUk0pdnpQHGIYuTKoOrUL9W31sieIO_7I6xrn-ebrrurZA2hr8ZJMLghSt-rzd2zKMSBzWemauLYB2K6VGD82BR9wpZHiXjDVxkDfjAbPrZBzi9u1fGTh9HDnBbPGpsb76MY1jX07lOI5prsuCn3nDWIPhnBN_b=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><div>"Hello, my name is Naomi. You have found me in the pages of your Bible, though I am not the main character in the story - my daughter-in-law Ruth is. But I have some thoughts I so desire to share with you, if you have the heart and time to hear them. </div><div> </div><div> Hindsight is very wise, but it comes a little late - we have already reaped the 'fruit' of our choices, actions and decisions. They say the best way to learn is through others' mistakes, so you don't have to make them yourself ! So let me share what I learned and I pray that my experiences might be of help to you. </div><div> </div><div>I, like every other young woman, had my dreams and expectations.. I would marry and have children and live my life, happy and content to run my happy household. My name , Naomi ,means 'pleasant' and that is how I expected my life to be. </div><div>And that is how ,at first, it began to unfold. I married and was excited to find I was soon pregnant with my first child. It was a son - but he was not strong. I feared for his well-being and afraid I was going to lose him so I named him "Mahlon" (meaning sickly) maybe to remind myself that he might not live to adulthood. Shortly after, I became pregnant again - another son, but to my sorrow he too was born sickly, so I named him Chilion (meaning pining or wasting away) </div><div>But, I was so thankful that as I cared lovingly for my boys they did become stronger and to my relief and joy grew to be men. </div><div>But then a famine swept our land and it became difficult to get enough food. Not that anyone was starving 'yet' , but we did not know for how long this famine would go on. We knew God had always cared for His people, and I believed that He would see us through this famine. </div><div>Then one day, my husband, Elimelech came to me and said he had decided that we would move to Moab, where there was plenty of food . I couldn't believe my ears! Moab was cursed by God because the Moabites refused to give food to the Israelites, and these were the very people Elimelech was choosing to trust? The very thought of leaving my home, my family, my friends - everything I had ever known was heart wrenching and filled me with anxiety. But what could I do ? My husband was determined and I had no choice but to obey him. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Lesson 1 </b>-- Sometimes life throws the unexpected in our life-path, upsetting our security, our comfort, wrecking havoc with the very things we thought were solid in our life. </div><div>Or someone makes a major decision that affects us, yet we are not considered or given any voice or control. Because we feel the rug is pulled out from under us, we cry out to God but feel left adrift, because surely He could have prevented this life-changing, devastating circumstance. </div><div> But God does not abandon us in the wilderness or when we are forced to go to Moab . He quietly guides and watches over us, even when we do not see Him, and are unaware of His Presence! He is never troubled or at a loss, He knows the way we will go, knows what we will encounter, and all He asks is that we trust Him to guide us through, because He knows the way! </div><div>******</div><div>So we moved to Moab where everything was new and strange. Yes, we had food, but at what price ? <br /></div><div>And then, my husband died, leaving me grief-stricken! Now, I was really alone, responsible for my two sons. And I worried about them. They were young enough that they embraced their new country and felt quite at home. My heart plummeted when I realized that they were interested in the Moab girls, thinking of taking them as wives. I had never considered that I would have pagan grandchildren ! I had already lost everything. Was I to lose my family line of descendants as well?</div><div> But when my sons brought the girls home that they had chosen to marry, I had to admit that they had chosen well. I grew to love both girls, Ruth especially bonded to me and was eager to hear about my God, so different from the gods of Moab. Orpha clung to her own gods, but we did have a good relationship and loved each other. </div><div>It was another sorrow and hardship when we realized that my sons could not father children . Ten years went by but I have to credit my daughters-in-law for their faithfulness. They could have left but they didn't, and I did not experience any blame or resentment from them. </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Lesson 2</b> - Sometimes what seems to be a 'blessing withheld' is really God withholding what would hinder Him from giving us His best! And in hindsight, I am grateful that my sons were not able to father children, because the beautiful story you all know would not have happened ! </div><div>*****</div><div>But again, my life was shattered - this time completely , when both of my sons died. I was overcome with grief and anxiety and also a very real fear! Now what was I going to do? My daughters-in-law were still young - they would surely remarry and join their husbands' families - leaving me completely alone with no one to care for me, and certainly no means of support. </div><div>Where was God? </div><div>How could He have dealt so harshly with me? It was not my fault that we moved to Moab. It was not my fault my husband died and it was not my fault that my sons were born sickly, never strong even as men, and it was not my fault they were unable to have children. My bitterness overshadowed even my grief , and life became unbearable. The pleasure in life was gone, 'Naomi' was no more - henceforth I would be called "Mara" , meaning bitter, and how bitter I was! </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Lesson 3 </b>- Nothing is so dark as when there is no light. I could not see any possible way out of the deep pit I found myself in. There was nothing I could cling to, no possible way to rebuild my life. But oh... how wrong I was. God always has a way. There is no night so dark that God cannot bring light in the morning. Our despair comes when we no longer believe that 'light' will come and the night seems endless. Ohh.. dear friend, the night will pass, because God is waiting in the morning light and will reveal what He could see all along, even when you felt only despair. </div><div>*****</div><div>Then one day I heard the famine back home was over and I made a decision. I would return to Bethlehem - at least then I would be with my own people, even though I dreaded facing them. How would they react when they heard my story? When they heard how harshly God had dwelt with me. Would they blame me for having left to dwell in Moab? Would they say, I deserved all of God's punishment? I wouldn't blame them, since I knew God so clearly had turned against me and punished me severely. If they looked at me with scorn and disgust, it was nothing new. It was what I accused myself of every day. </div><div>So, you know the story - how I encouraged Ruth and Orpha to return to their homes, their mothers, and their gods, and how Orpah reluctantly returned, but Ruth insisted on coming with me. She had more faith than I had, the dear girl ! What a God-gift she was to me, but I didn't even realize that at the time ! All I could focus on was myself and the reasons for my bitterness. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Lesson 4 </b>- No matter how dark and hopeless a place we find ourselves in, no matter how alone we believe we are, if we are willing to open our eyes to see beyond our own pain, we will see the hand of God reaching out to give us hope. Whether it is through another person, or some written word, or an unexpected blessing, God will find a way to encourage us, to stir up our trust in Him and cling to the hope that we have in Him. And even when there is no relief in sight, no answers, no way of escape, God has a way. </div><div>Why do we lose our trust in Him so quickly? Why do we judge by what we see rather than in what we know God has promised? There is nothing that can upset God's gentle and wise planning of our life -- ALL things working out for good because He is Good! </div><div>*****</div><div>On that long journey home, I indulged my bitterness, falling deeper and deeper into despair. My life was over , and now not only was I coming home with empty hands and a bitter heart, but I had with me, a heathen daughter-in-law. - a cursed Moabite. I could not think of any way I was going to provide for myself, let alone a young woman who would surely not be accepted by my people! <br /></div><div>With each step I felt the pain of despair, of hopelessness, of fear and worry. The darkness of my soul made every breath an exercise in futility. Why was I even alive? Just so God could watch me suffer? </div><div>Ohhh ... if only I had known what God had planned ! I thought my life was over, full of dark despair, but God was planning the most beautiful story about to unfold. </div><div>*****</div><div><b>Lesson 5 -</b> Ohh.. my friends, NEVER despair, NEVER give up ! When it is darkest, God's light is about to shine on His unfolding story! God will never take you along a lonely path or bring you into a desperate situation to leave you there ! No, no, He is planning to take you through because sometimes the only way to get to the 'joy' is to go through the 'sorrow'. </div><div>I praised God for the rest of my life - how He so gloriously provided for me in ways beyond my comprehension. Even doing what I thought was impossible - laying a grandson into my arms. A grandson that would be the grandfather of Israel's beloved King David. Oh... my ... my heart could hardly hold my joy and my face wore a 24/7 smile! </div><div> If you are going through a dark season of life, please know that as God did for me, He will do for you ! The best is yet to come - wait for it !! " </div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>"Ascribe greatness to our God, He is the Rock, </i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>His work is perfect for all His ways are justice, </i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>A God of truth and without injustice, </i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Righteous and upright is He !!": </i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Deut. 32:3b,4</div><div><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" /></div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02029451742280017744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933957650347452922.post-77696231223024889902023-05-24T18:49:00.001-07:002023-05-24T18:49:20.123-07:00<p><b><span style="font-size: large;"> Our God-Space </span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGiN5J2gcInsOh2wmX0gjH8fga2DRPunprAaFrIIPYqrWhXq-ffboGWguJFB1ZkqmV43Wal5zYMghx9hTaVVPVQciJqrzNpLh1RWbYA6ckP16PJwRaJH6dEmo35CGouE0Xt30UIf9mY5jwSQHFvvO1P47Ch6UmS7iR6aj1GfTEnwooQgsK1QvQg1GB" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="314" data-original-width="236" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGiN5J2gcInsOh2wmX0gjH8fga2DRPunprAaFrIIPYqrWhXq-ffboGWguJFB1ZkqmV43Wal5zYMghx9hTaVVPVQciJqrzNpLh1RWbYA6ckP16PJwRaJH6dEmo35CGouE0Xt30UIf9mY5jwSQHFvvO1P47Ch6UmS7iR6aj1GfTEnwooQgsK1QvQg1GB=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Recently, I discovered something interesting that I did not know before. <br /></div><div>Did you know that you have a body part called Reinke's Space?<br /></div><div>My mother's maiden name is Reinke, which is not a common surname. My grandfather once had a letter sent from Europe that was delivered to his door with no address on the envelope other than his name and British Columbia. </div><div><br /></div><div> The Reinke's Space is close to the vocal cords. There is a condition called Reinke's Edema, which mostly affects smokers. When Reinke's Space is inflamed it presses on the vocal cords and causes a hoarseness in the voice. </div><div>It was discovered by a man in Germany named Fredrich Reinke in 1895 and hence the body part was named after him. My great great grandfather moved from Germany to the Ukraine so ... I'm thinking we could well be related !! . My claim to fame! <span style="font-size: medium;"><img alt="😊" aria-label="😊" class="an1" data-emoji="😊" loading="lazy" src="https://fonts.gstatic.com/s/e/notoemoji/15.0/1f60a/32.png" /></span></div><div> </div><div>I find it strange that we have a body part that most people are unaware of. There is another 'space' in our bodies that people are not 'naturally' aware of, and that is the God-space that God placed in every human being. </div><div>Just like he gave us 'hunger' so we would know that we need to eat, so also He gave us an urge to find Him. Even though people may not be aware of their God-space they are aware of an emptiness that needs to be filled. </div><div>Just as only food will satisfy our 'stomachs', so also only God will satisfy the longing of our God's space. </div><div><br /></div><div>Wealth, love, success, status, possessions, fame, - whatever people choose as their pursuit in life to fill their 'God-Space' will not satisfy, and the longing drives them to strive even more after the things that promise to give them what they desire. Or, they create a God-space - as in the photo above - outside of themselves - a futile effort to create a 'space' that will please or satisfy God. </div><div>. </div><div>It is interesting that the Reinke Space is close to the vocal cords and when it becomes inflamed it affects the vocal cords, changing the voice. </div><div>When you listen to people talk, you soon find out what they have filled their God-space with. The 'voice' of people who have filled their God-space with the fruit of the Spirit, will speak words that are loving and encouraging. If they have filled it with 'things' other than God , their words will be angry, accusing, complaining, or prideful and selfish. What we fill the God-space with will be revealed in our 'voice'. </div><div>Even as Christians , if we don't guard what we put into our God-space, we will be guilty of an angry word we wish we could take back, or that unloving response to someone who annoyed us, or that unforgiving thought. </div><div>This last week I had a troubling conversation with a friend, who calls herself a Christian but her words were so accusing against God, because He had not done what she wanted Him to do, and because He 'failed' her, she angerly declared that He did not exist. That is a bit extreme , I know, but it made me think about how when I focus on something - even something small like being annoyed at something (like being stuck in traffic, or waiting for someone who is late) it does not take long for it to be revealed in my 'voice'. </div><div><br /></div><div>Pastor Matt encouraged us last Sunday, to give out 'invitations' to people who do not yet know God and I think there are many ways we do that, perhaps even BEFORE we invite them to church. </div><div>Our 'voice' speaks our heart, and if our God-space is filled with the thoughts and words of God, then our 'voice' will 'invite' people to be willing to listen when we share our faith with them.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Colossians 1</b> is a wonderful chapter - read it today - I will quote one verse .</div><div>Verse 10 -<b><i> "that you may have a walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God."</i></b></div><div>God desires that we show good fruit in our life - and we can only do that if we fill our God-space with thoughts of Him. </div><div style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #121212; font-family: ArialMT, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Liberation Sans", FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02029451742280017744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933957650347452922.post-56705204073398218842023-05-12T13:25:00.000-07:002023-05-12T13:25:19.448-07:00A Mother's Love<p> I am wishing each of you a</p><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: #741b47;">VERY BLESSED HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!</span> </b> </span></div><div>Many of us no longer have a mother, and for some I know, children live far away. And sadly for some, they have experienced the loss of a child or children and I express my sympathy for your pain. </div><div>But there is still reason to celebrate you because there is someone to whom you have shown a 'mother's love' and changed, if not their life, their day! </div><div>Here is my prayer for you today, and days to come! <br /><div><div><img alt="image.png" class="CToWUd a6T" data-bit="iit" data-image-whitelisted="" height="542" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=df32fb03c0&attid=0.1&permmsgid=msg-a:r-8322661714359761141&th=1880985697a99f94&view=fimg&fur=ip&sz=s0-l75-ft&attbid=ANGjdJ_UiDIo1V69qGqemZw5TKRnRrcUiIQBGWmtKnpIYGYgxNgilnwprHeTENQ4AaVlbx2AGjFC7Qu6G0Si6vtf-BASeST0DtWI-Lr-s4yOMc-v0nlZynu8D1o2fPk&disp=emb&realattid=ii_lh0u2g7t0" style="cursor: pointer; outline: 0px;" tabindex="0" width="362" /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">THE MOTHER'S HEART - A REFLECTION OF GOD'S HEART</span></b></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span><div>I watched the coronation ceremonies on Saturday. An amazing display of pomp and glory. It reminded me to consider that if this is what man can do, then what is God's throne room like in majesty and wondrous glorious display?</div><div><br /></div><div>One of the traditions that were part of the crowning / anointing ceremony of the King was very significant and meaningful to me. </div><div>King Charles had the crown on his head, the orb and sceptres in his hand, and then the Archbishop brought the beautiful Bible to present before him, with these words..<span style="color: #741b47;">.<span style="font-family: arial;"><b><i> <span style="font-size: 16px;">“We present you with this Book, the most valuable thing that this world affords. Here is Wisdom; This is the royal Law; These are the lively Oracles of God.”</span></i></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Noto Serif"; font-size: 16px;">The crown, orb and scepters King Charles held in his hands are worth </span><span style="font-family: "Noto Serif"; font-size: 16px;">1.3 BILLION dollars ... and yet - for all the world to hear - it was truthfully declared that God's Word exceeds the value of any earthly thing! It is the Word of God - it is LIFE.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Noto Serif"; font-size: 16px;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Noto Serif"; font-size: 16px;">What would we do without the written word of God -- it is in His Word that God presents HIMSELF so that we can get to know Him. He reveals who He is, what He thinks, and how He relates to us and how we are to relate to Him.</span><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: "Noto Serif"; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Noto Serif"; font-size: 16px;">Sunday is Mother's Day, a day that is set aside to honor mothers. Why? because there is no love on this earth that outshines the love of a mother. </span></div><div><br /></div><div>Every woman has in her DNA a desire, yes, a NEED to mother... it is an instinctive drive given by God. Why ? Because everything we feel, everything that motivates us to do good comes from the heart of God - a reflection of who HE is. He has put within us all we need to become in a very mini way His voice and hands and feet and heart in this dark world. </div><div>We don't often think about God as 'mother', nor does He ever speak of Himself other than Father and we respect and honor Him as that. </div></div><div>BUT .. He does show us that His love for us reflects that of a 'mother' as well as a Father. </div><div><br /></div><div>There is a heart wrenching passage in Ezekiel 16:4-14 where God speaks of us as an abandoned baby, uncared for, unloved', left to die....and He was filled with compassion for us, and He gathered us into His loving care, doing for us what our 'mother' should have done ... he dressed and adorned us and fed us with royal food. He declared us beautiful and our status - royalty! He covered us with His splendor so all who looked upon us were amazed! </div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>In Isaiah 49:15 God speaks of the love of a mother, and then declares His love is even higher! He says..<b><i> "Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the child of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget !!" </i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div>Then we have Jesus reveal His heart in Luke 13:34 where He cries out ..<b><i>"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, ...... How often I wanted to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings... but you were not willing." </i></b></div><div>If you have had a hen with chicks , you know how devoted she is to them and her insistent clucking sees the chicks dive for safety under her winds. There are reports where, after a fire , a dead mother hen was found, with her little chicks alive and well under her wings. </div><div><br /></div><div>We may no longer physically have the love of our mother, but we have an even better love in God's love, that surpasses any love we could imagine! And so we can celebrate Mother's Day -- remembering that the love God put in a mother's heart was taken from His very own heart. </div><div><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" /></div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02029451742280017744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933957650347452922.post-10423158148014681912023-04-27T09:55:00.000-07:002023-04-27T09:55:00.099-07:00<p><b><span style="font-size: large;"> T</span></b><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;">o day my thoughts focus on GENTLE </span></b></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img alt="image.png" class="CToWUd a6T" data-bit="iit" data-image-whitelisted="" height="542" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=df32fb03c0&attid=0.1&permmsgid=msg-a:r2558073465020282753&th=187c0da987e4faac&view=fimg&fur=ip&sz=s0-l75-ft&attbid=ANGjdJ9tfklvFjQUvMUXboo36wnhNim5DgTVymwTndqJfbzW4xhmS7z8wlDxYYRgfr3_INAmyPHpIsi3AApqvUepkXPuLwB70WoNKUqty7HJdXP1eiejEXGlwtnxM20&disp=emb&realattid=ii_lgva9myc0" style="cursor: pointer; outline: 0px;" tabindex="0" width="371" /><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(source - Pinterest Karen Gritton)</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">On Sunday my husband and I went out for lunch. A young couple and their baby were given a table very close to ours. They put their baby in a high chair and it wasn't long before I was engaging with them in conversation. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Their little girl was almost 10 months old, named Isla (eye-la). A very sweet little girl who sat calmly in the chair, her eyes brightly observing her surroundings. Her parents were so gentle in their interaction with her, their love for her so obvious. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">They spoke of her walking soon and the need for them to cushion off the fireplace so she would not stumble into it and hurt herself. They also wanted the house to be safe so that she would not trip or get into things that could cause her harm. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">What a delight it was to me to watch this little loving family -- the child so clearly reflecting her confidence in being secure and loved. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Later in the day, I was reading in the Psalms and the following passage halted my attention. I saw in the words of this passage the 'picture' of the little family I met in the restaurant. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Psalm 18:25,26</span></b> records David's words about how the Lord has loved him... It reads... </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i><b>"You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, your right hand has held me up, your <span style="font-size: medium;">gentleness</span> has made me great and you enlarged my path under me so that my feet did not slip." </b></i></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Hebrew word translated <b><i>gentleness</i></b> is the feminine form of the word translated 'humble' in Num. 12:3 where it says that Moses was the most 'humble' person who ever lived. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Why is the feminine form used in our Psalm 18? I think because it adds the depth only understood when observing the gentleness seen in a mother caring for her beloved child. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">In this we see the tender heart of God - His 'motherly' gentle care over His children. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><i>The salvation we have in Jesus is the shield</i></b> He has given us -- a shield - a barrier between us and incoming danger.. He hovers like a watchful parent over a toddler just learning to walk, shielding them from danger and harm. . </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><i>His right hand</i></b> holds us up. How quickly a child reaches out to grasp the hand of their parent. In church, on Sunday, a young mom arrived late with 2 sweet little girls. They slipped into the pew in front of us and immediately both girls wanted to hold their mother's hand. She took both girls' hands as they exchanged gentle smiles! There is strength and security in holding the hand of a parent - the comfort of knowing we are not alone. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">So God reaches out to hold our hand, ensuring that we will feel neither vulnerable nor afraid. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">His <b><i>gentleness</i></b> has made us great! What a delightful, encouraging environment 'gentleness' provides. It gives room to grow, to ponder , to learn to understand. There is no judgment or harsh criticism in gentleness - only a patient coming-alongside that provides a safe environment. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><i>"You enlarged my steps so my feet did not slip".</i></b> God doesn't make us walk our earthly journey on a tightrope. Not even an adequate path. No, He makes sure it is wide enough so that there is no way that we can slip off the edge.. He provides a 'paved highway' without uneven ridges or cracks and obstacles that could cause us to slip and fall. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">We too are encouraged to be 'gentle' in our relationships. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Philippians 4:5 reminds us to be 'GENTLE' to all men .. because the Lord is watching! </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Colossians 3:12 encourages us to 'put on' tender mercies -- gentleness mixed with compassion toward each other .. and never forgetting that 'love' is the perfect bond! (vs.,14) </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Galatians 5:22,23 lists 'gentleness' as being part of the fruit of the Spirit. God Himself, indwelling His children moves us to respond to others with His gentleness. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I hope your heart is warmed by this reminder of how much and how tenderly God loves us - Too often we stumble because we fear we have caused Him to frown upon us when all the while His hand is outstretched to invite us to become 'great' in His tenderness and when we need it, His ready forgiveness! . And as we live 'in Him' we too learn to be gentle one to another living in the bond of love. </div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02029451742280017744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933957650347452922.post-45523632675541242342023-04-12T12:27:00.003-07:002023-04-13T12:17:01.901-07:00<p><b> Dear friends</b> ... I hope you all had a wonderful and meaningful Easter... the yearly celebrations may be over but the wonders of what Jesus accomplished for us remains for us to celebrate every day! It is a lovely sunny day as I write this, reminding us that the Son always shines in His eternal Kingdom! </p><div>Enjoying the beauty of God's Kingdom, let us love one another ! </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYPnmoUqj0rEZ2Vr27L7oEJoM4zgDnWL_nXLyknGKecQ-uHnQzvLqXJv-wcdn5lAWvygbclC29wSS-eneSqXv3YyyoXO6A_5w60GUHQyLy49z5TYA1ePaHhX2fp02vnJKerAp6-memAfhk6Y2PsNxCLtlPJM4CHIsBnqLev9AFpqI5VPTcVK4CFiU7" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="635" data-original-width="480" height="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYPnmoUqj0rEZ2Vr27L7oEJoM4zgDnWL_nXLyknGKecQ-uHnQzvLqXJv-wcdn5lAWvygbclC29wSS-eneSqXv3YyyoXO6A_5w60GUHQyLy49z5TYA1ePaHhX2fp02vnJKerAp6-memAfhk6Y2PsNxCLtlPJM4CHIsBnqLev9AFpqI5VPTcVK4CFiU7=w299-h397" width="299" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">Little but Exceedingly Wise! </span></b></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div>God's Lists are important to study! </div><div>There is only one kind of wisdom -- God's - and whether we see that wisdom in His word or in His creation or in His creatures, it is all God's wisdom. When He directs us to look at <i>"little things that are exceedingly wise" </i> He is saying .. "Look, I have put my wisdom in these little weak things so that you can see how it looks -- and how very wise my wisdom is and how my wisdom when followed NEVER FAILS !" </div><div>One of the 'little' things in God's list of exceedingly wise little things found in Proverbs 30:24 is a little creature called the rock badger or coney . it is found only in the Middle East and in parts of Africa. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUpna_5Qyu99StuR3AxHkeMSPXcGQRLGiQu-QQuS1LvzXw-xanhvG7xR7AKTy-J2Rqb1_FYtagei1kB2MTnZLl-zeeONum8nBb-4RIlZ8xaVd35MtIDkSGyhywTHV7C9O1Vhd66cOcEccxvJRDVZoCKXC6zORmwZap9gEhQxahJEQpotXSorCPX482" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="564" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUpna_5Qyu99StuR3AxHkeMSPXcGQRLGiQu-QQuS1LvzXw-xanhvG7xR7AKTy-J2Rqb1_FYtagei1kB2MTnZLl-zeeONum8nBb-4RIlZ8xaVd35MtIDkSGyhywTHV7C9O1Vhd66cOcEccxvJRDVZoCKXC6zORmwZap9gEhQxahJEQpotXSorCPX482" width="320" /></a></div><br /> </div><div>So what does God want us to learn from the little rock badger? Let me count the ways..</div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">. </span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">1. The rock badger knows where it is safe!</span></b> In the open the rock badger is very vulnerable to predators and easy prey. But it wisely makes it home in the rocks, Hiding under the rocks and in the crevices, it is safely protected from the reach of any predator. </div><div>So also God calls us to hide in Him where we are safe and secure ... Proverbs 18:10 says <i><b>"The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run to it and are safe." </b></i>Look how safe the badge is and consider how much safer we are if we hide in our Rock! </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>2. Finding food !</b> </span> -- The badger does not leave the safety of the rocks except for about 1 hour a day and then only to find food. </div><div>An interesting parallel to us is found in I Cor. 5:10, where Paul speaks about the company we are to keep and who to avoid but he adds that he is not saying we need to completely come out of the world. <br /><b><i>"Yet I certainly did not mean with the [people] of this world ... since then you would need to go out of the world." </i></b>Do we not need to go 'into the world' for our food as well? Of course, our physical needs are supplied 'in the world' and we go out to gather what we need recognizing that it is God who supplies both the righteous and the unrighteous from the abundance of supply. </div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">3. They spend much of their time 'resting' </span></b>in the sun, enjoying its warmth. </div><div>How many times are we encouraged to 'rest' in the Lord .. Psalm 37:7 ,<i><b> "Rest in the Lord ... "</b></i> and Matt. 11:29<i><b> "Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." </b></i></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">3. The badger is a social creature </span></b>-- lives in community with others. He benefits from living in a colony in several ways ... </div><div> a> Rock badgers do not have a very good internal thermostat and are easily cold ... so they gather together and sleep one on top of another., being careful to face their heads away from each other so they do not suffocate . </div><div>We as well are social creatures , and need the fellowship and comfort we offer one another..</div><div> II Cor. 1:4 <i><b> "... that we may be able to to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.. </b></i>"</div><div> b> They stay in communication with each other in low- toned voices so not to attract predators. And they sing to one another .. </div><div>So also, we fellowship with one another - protected from the enemy - and we sing ...<b><i>"..speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs......" </i></b>Ephesians 5:19. </div><div> c> they watch out for one another. If the sentry on duty sees danger he emits a sharp alarm and instantly the rocks are cleared , every badger slipping into a crevice or rock shelter. </div><div>We too are admonished to watch out for one another - to warn of danger. In Col. 1:28 we read .<b><i>.".... warning every man....." </i></b>Are we as quick as the badgers are, to take note of warnings, whether in God's word or from another believer? </div><div>We too have 'predators' , enemies seeking to devour us and are told to be watchful. I Peter 5:8, <i><b>"Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." </b></i></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">4. They are 'specially equipped' ..</span></b> They have keen eyesight . They can detect movement 1/2 mile away. Even if an eagle is right against the sun they can see him because their eyes are equipped with a special membrane that filters the sun's rays. <br />They also have special feet that sweat. Because they sweat they create little suction cups that make it easy for them to run up smooth rocks. </div><div>We also are equipped in every way needed. We read in II Tim. 3:17 ..<b><i> "that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly EQUIPPED for every good work."</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">5. They are very clean. </span></b> You will never find a flea or tick on a badger. They have on a hind foot a handy little claw that is very effective for keeping them clean, combing through their hair keeping it clean and shiny. </div><div>The badger also have a 'designated' toilet area that the whole colony uses to keep all other areas clean. </div><div> <br /></div><div>We too are admonished to 'stay clean' "I John 1:9<i><b> "If we confess our sin He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." </b></i>and also in Ephesians 5:27 ,<i><b> "that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish." </b></i><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>6. The badger is little and weak in himself,</b></span> but God's wisdom makes him strong !! So we too, are aware of our frailty - we are but dust -- yet in God our very weakness makes us strong. God declares in II Cor. 12:9 <b><i>"My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness ..."</i></b> and our response should be .. "<i><b>for when I am weak, then I am strong!!"</b></i>(vs. 10)</div><div><br /></div><div>If God's wisdom is so evident and admirable in the little badger, allowing him to live a fulfilled life, generation after generation, how much more will God's wisdom guide us, who are His children, created in His image. How much more can we be assured His promises will always be true in our lives. </div><div>Let us learn from the badger and humbly accept God's wisdom for us, for in so doing we too shall be as wise as the little badger! </div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02029451742280017744noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933957650347452922.post-37731047580174001352023-02-02T20:45:00.001-08:002023-02-02T20:47:37.199-08:00<div><b><span style="font-size: large;">Who were the Nephilim in Genesis 6:1-4?</span></b></div>We live in such a fast paced world where it is so easy to let someone else do our thinking for us and we just accept what we hear, taking for granted that it must be true if we trust the person saying it. But we know that the great deceiver, the father of lies is still prowling in our midst and seeking whom he may deceive.<div> In Matthew 22:37 Jesus tells us to love God "with all our mind". I think one way to 'use our minds' is to discern truth from error </div><div> I am what people call 'black and white'. I don't allow a very wide grey area in my beliefs. If I hear or read something that presents a conflict of opinion or interpretation, I need to know which one is true and I can't rest until I have searched out the answers. </div><div> Yesterday I was listening to a Bible Teacher, David Pawson, whom I have admired and enjoyed and respected yet in the teaching video I listened to yesterday, he explained a passage in a way that really upset me and I was so disappointed in him.
Pawson is not by any means the only one who believes as he does -- he is in the company of well-known Bible teachers such as John MacArthur, Chuck Swindol, J. Vernon McGee, David Jeremiah. I tried to find a well-known Bible teacher who took an alternate viewpoint but couldn't find any except for Lisa Laizure, a well known Bible study teacher with over 350 bible videos. She was the only familiar name I could find that held to an opposite viewpoint. although I found many others whose names I had never heard.</div><div> Since the men I named are all very open with what they believe, I think it only fair to be able to point out why I disagree with them.
I cannot understand why that list of well-known Bible teachers all hold to a view that makes absolutely no sense to me in light of what the Bible clearly says. </div><div><br /></div><div> The passage in question is Genesis 6:1-4
Verse 2 reads... "t<b><i>hat the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful and they took wives from themselves of all whom they chose."</i></b> and then in verse 4 we read.. <b><i>"when the sons of God came into the daughters of men and they bore children to them."</i></b> </div><div>The controversy is concerning who the 'sons of God' are. The above-named list of teachers all agree that these 'sons of God' were fallen angels who intermarried with human women and started a whole new race of people called Nephilim , who are still on earth today.
.</div><div><br /></div><div> Here are the reasons that convince me they have to be wrong , Consider the following list and see what you think, </div><div> 1. There are 9 other references where the phrase "sons of God" is found in our Bibles.and every one of the references refer to either 'good angels' or 'righteous people' .. .not one of the references refer to fallen angels.</div><div><br /></div><div> 2. Angels cannot 'marry' - . Jesus in Mark 12:25 explains that when people rise from the dead they are like the angels - not marrying or giving in marriage. </div><div><br /></div><div> 3. Moses wrote Genesis (along with the other 4 books of Moses) Every time he wrote concerning an angel he referred to the being as an angel, never a 'son of God'. So why would he in this one instance call fallen angels "sons of God'. </div><div><br /></div><div> 4. Heb. 1:7 tells us that angels are 'spirits', they do not have physical bodies.. They can only 'appear' in human form when God sends them to minister to someone (or in any other form that God chooses them to appear) .- Hebrews 1:7 - For these 'evil spirits' to be able to take 'wives' from human women they would need real physical bodies. Where would they get them?? Only God can create, angels do not, cannot create so if evil spirits suddenly take on physical bodies God Himself would have to 'create' them for them so that they could carry out their evil desires... Really ? I don't think so, do you? And God never included the fallen angels in His plan of salvation so the Nephelim -- even though they were half human -- could not be saved. </div><div><br /></div><div> 5 . Everyone was destroyed in the flood except for Noah's family. So then how did these Nephilim survive the flood to still be here on earth today? God's judgment was to destroy the wicked people -- surely the Nephilim would not have survived. Some teach that the 'evil spirits' even today can take on physical bodies and impregnate women. </div><div><br /></div><div> 6 . When God gave account of His creation He decreed that everything would reproduce after its own kind. Nowhere do we see a crossover of two kinds of creatures or beings. So if angels crossed with humans and created a new species,, or a kind of hybrid-people, then God's decree failed. </div><div><br /></div><div> 7. If this passage is looked at with simple logical thought we must first look to see this passage in context. What came just before these verses.. We can ignore chapter 5 because it is an inserted genealogy. But chapter 4 describes two groups of 'people'. First we are shown that Cain, who was rejected by God for his wickedness went out and made his home in the land of Nod, built his own city, had wives and begat children.
Then we see Seth, who was a righteous man, taking the place of Abel. Seth also married and had children ... and we are told in verse 26 that his descendants began to call on the name of the Lord.
So we have two 'groups' of people -- one evil and one good.
Then in the chapter 6 passage, the story continues.. and we see that the 'sons of God' - or the group that called on the name of the Lord -- looked at the women, who descended from Cain , saw they were beautiful , lusted and gave in to temptation, and took wives from them.
No need to add fallen angels into the story!!! </div><div><br /></div><div> Some may say.. "Okay, but this doesn't affect salvation". Maybe not, but it says something about God that isn't true and that offends me. To believe that God went against His own character to create physical bodies for fallen angels so they could 'enjoy' a physical relationship with human women and beget children who were half evil spirit and half human is an insult to His Holy righteousness and a direct contradiction to His plan of salvation offered to all mankind.</div><div><br /></div><div> This week I heard a theologian say that theologians were the most gullible of people - they were easily convinced to believe what they were told. . BUT the common people are not so easily fooled, as we see in the time of Jesus. It was the common people who heard Him gladly! Aren't you glad you are a 'common people' ??</div><div> I am.</div><div><br /></div><div> P.S. So then who ARE the Nephilim? Since they cannot be some hybrid new race .. we know that they are 'human beings. </div><div> The simplest explanation is usually the closest to the truth, </div><div> Here are my thoughts.
First, the word Nephilim is the Hebrew word for ‘giants’. The KJV and NKJV use the English word ‘giant’ instead of the untranslated Hebrew word. That demystifies it immediately, doesn’t it?</div><div> We have eleven Bible references to giants – we all know Goliath and see also Deut. 2:10, 11, or Joshua 12:4. Always the people were afraid of the ‘giants’. </div><div> We are not given an explanation of who the Nephilim were - probably because it says they were 'well-known' so no explanation was needed, Like if we wrote something and mentioned the Hell's Angels ... we would not bother to explain who and what they were, taking for granted everyone would know. </div><div>So also the Nephelim -- but we have some hints that I think are clear enough.</div><div> Nephilim simply being the word for ‘giant’ and thus suggesting tyrants or bullies.
It isn't much of a stretch to explain them as a 'powerful' gang or organized group of men who were ‘big’!! They were maybe bandits or I think more likely, like the Bolsheviks who took political control and persecuted and oppressed the people of Russia in the early 1900’s - ruling over the people who feared them - recognizing no law but their own.. I lean toward the later because it says they were 'men of old' -- so they had the advantage of age and influence.
</div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02029451742280017744noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933957650347452922.post-896638199131352272022-12-24T11:06:00.001-08:002022-12-24T11:06:26.040-08:00<p> <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> It is Christmas 2022, another year gone by - a new one waiting . A time to reflect on what was important in 2022 and pray for God's blessing to rest on the new year. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">.</span></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I want to wish you and your families a most blessed Christmas season with the blessings that come from the One who IS the reason we celebrate with love for Him and one another. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img alt="image.png" class="CToWUd a6T" data-bit="iit" data-image-whitelisted="" height="504" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=df32fb03c0&attid=0.1&permmsgid=msg-a:r3627775827088499381&th=1853836a08f422b2&view=fimg&fur=ip&sz=s0-l75-ft&attbid=ANGjdJ_ab-IsBcLk7u9g_X0xB2nT60HcJuVbfGi65QBj_ACVArAhk0hlQ37hEw5Jprl2qv-ZlTQnI0Ng6WJHNKluz1sFcMEage4t9NNsEOUnkae4z1ZAZzKlop2iD8g&disp=emb&realattid=ii_lbwvwcka0" style="cursor: pointer; outline: 0px;" tabindex="0" width="504" /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /><div><b>Last Sunday was the 4th Advent of Christmas and it is the 'best' .. LOVE .</b>.. </div><div>Listen to Rosemary Siemens sing the beautiful hymn "The love of God " and make sure to keep listening after her song as she tells the story behind the song. </div><div><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3D9z94p2bmeoA&source=gmail&ust=1671994913160000&usg=AOvVaw20mhkl4Hn8x-uhIoVu72vb" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9z94p2bmeoA" rel="noreferrer" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?<wbr></wbr>v=9z94p2bmeoA</a><br /></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Devotional Thoughts on LOVE </b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The first three Advents are Hope, Peace, Joy - all wonderful emotions we hold close to our heart. They warm us , encourage us, give us the strength to persevere through this earthly life. But- LOVE - is different. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b> Love is </b></span>-- an action. It must be acted upon to be experienced. Without action, it is cold, lifeless. It is not something we hold for ourselves - it is not rooted in quiet devotional thoughts, or even meditation on God's Word. No, it's worth is only felt, experienced, realized as it is acted out.! </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Love is </span></b>-- self-less. Love is unsatisfying, meaningless when it is directed inward - hoping to be consumed, fed by our selfish inclinations and desires. Love is something that is only fulfilling and meaningful when we give it away! Just like a 'runner' is not a runner until he 'runs' so also love is not love until it 'runs\' from one to another giving the gift that warms another's heart. It is the only gift we can give, and receive it in the giving. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Did you notice in the first verse of the song, The Love of God, how it expresses God's 'love-in-action' ? He 'gave' , He 'reconciled', He 'pardoned' ! John 3:16, God so loved that He 'gave', and He gives still to you and me ! </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Love is </span></b>-- costly. We need only think about God's expression of love in that He gave His only Son, to suffer and die on our behalf to recognize the incredible cost to Him. Only LOVE will move someone to give their life for another - unworthy though they be! So also we, no matter how much loving someone might cost us -- the cost is always less than the worth of the love given. We cannot out give 'love'. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I know Christmas has in many ways been secularized but even in trying to push "Christ" out of Christmas, no one has been able to remove 'love' from the season, from the traditions and the celebrations we all enjoy. What other time of year so stirs people's generosity than the Christmas season -- the giving in so many ways, toy drives, hampers, dinners, volunteering at charities and donating to those in need, caroling at nursing homes, sharing Christmas baking with shut-ins, family reunions , filling shoe boxes for Samaritan's Purse, Christmas banquets ....etc. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I pray that this Christmas and throughout the New Year, love will be our ACTION word. May we start each day asking God to show us where we can 'act-out' the precious gift of 'love'. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">PRAYER -<b><i> "Dear Father, thank you for your incredible love that was enacted on our behalf. May our response be to love you in return!. Your love shed abroad in our hearts - not to keep for ourselves but to give to those whose lives we touch. Not only to those that love us but also to those who do not love us. </i></b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><i>May your hope and peace and joy in our hearts move us to express our love in action to others, no matter what the cost may be! </i></b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><i>I pray for a safe holiday season -- protect those who travel, protect from harm and accident. Keep us in your joy and peace.<br /></i></b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><i>May our eyes be stayed on you so that this world grows strangely dim. Only the things of you are of eternal value and we put our trust in you, because there is no other! In Jesus' Holy Name we pray, amen."</i></b></div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02029451742280017744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933957650347452922.post-23759129052747329882022-09-30T13:10:00.001-07:002022-09-30T17:54:33.860-07:00<p> The Chest </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1giXyjM48YfAbH3JCFZAwAE2V09XvHjKDJ-ceJuigBrE1mOtT0BaNwhkzYu-h1Ajf5t2nq6EUbj303-SZb3Xq-M5S1gI7vGYNaNL7Yshjul8SZpuKeNAYtBeNhEtZqkqWoJY5eadM-OUSpliOywZs5kpJkYqknaaFNDK7nEeltbiiP3HSwVyQUiGJ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="564" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1giXyjM48YfAbH3JCFZAwAE2V09XvHjKDJ-ceJuigBrE1mOtT0BaNwhkzYu-h1Ajf5t2nq6EUbj303-SZb3Xq-M5S1gI7vGYNaNL7Yshjul8SZpuKeNAYtBeNhEtZqkqWoJY5eadM-OUSpliOywZs5kpJkYqknaaFNDK7nEeltbiiP3HSwVyQUiGJ=w328-h328" width="328" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>This morning in my quiet time, my eyes fell on a verse from Deuteronomy that jumped out at me and I knew the Lord wanted to tell me something about it. <br />Immediately, the memory of a childhood experience flashed into my mind. </p><p>This experience happened when I was, between one and two years old,. I lived with my parents on a small hobby farm. Every morning my Mom would have to go outside to do the chores, meaning she had to leave me in the house alone. Wanting to ensure I would be safe and out of trouble, every morning before she went outside she would lift me onto a rounded top wooden chest that stood under the kitchen window. Sitting on this chest I could watch her walk away and then wait to see her coming back to the house. </p><p>When my mother came home she would lift me off the chest and our day would continue. Then one day that all changed. </p><p>That morning my mother , as usual, lifted me onto the chest and I watched out the window. When she came back inside I lifted my arms anticipating that she would, as always, lift me off the chest. But she didn't. Instead she turned my on my stomach over the rounded chest lid and stepped away, telling me to slide off. <br />I was confused and started to cry, looking at my mom, expecting her to recognize my fear and lift me off the chest.. But she didn't! Terror filled my heart as only a child can feel terror and I continued to cry. Looking into my Mom's face, I saw she was not concerned at all.. She just stood there without moving, a smirk on her face. watching me. I can see her face as clearly today as I did those many many years ago. I could not understand why she would not help me ! I had never considered that there would be a time I needed help and my mother would refuse to help me. <br />I clung desperately to the top of the chest, resisting the pull of gravity threatening my tenuous hold, but my little hands were getting tired and I knew I could not hold on for much longer. <br />Finally, the inevitable happened ! I felt my hands slipping and I knew something terrible was about to happen! But then .... </p><p>My hands gave way... I slipped .... and to my shock my feet hit the floor. The whole time my feet had been no more than three inches from the floor. <br />I was not an adventurous child and my mother wanted to teach me how easy it was for me to slide off the chest - that I no longer needed to be lifted off ! The memory stayed clear in my mind along with a feeling of confusion that my Mom had not been willing to help me when I was so desperately afraid. <br /><br /></p><p>As I relived this childhood experience, I saw a mind picture that showed me how Jesus would have responded had He been there. Even though my Mom was a loving Mom and did nothing wrong ... if Jesus had been there He would not have stood watching my terror with a smirk on His face knowing that I was going to be just fine and would learn something valuable from the experience. </p><p>No... He would have bent over the chest beside me, and with one arm over me whispered in my ear ... "It's okay, I'm here, let's just slide down together!" </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhBYKYRMLBwkDayrv6efhkE19a-GZP6Ecq82pnsUVHFk1MWrUj1wdDpMvCpV2Vpy3tZPhSJ5udZjQ-ANZHFQ4QoG840wOFjzuZByIUNgc0QKJNSHOTCnH5axSkoP81nkIuLFYhLMdL0uZ7FRqfvYz9GqJ5q6QCo-Qec4PTEo7MeKsATsKGWZ1kewXmc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="385" data-original-width="495" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhBYKYRMLBwkDayrv6efhkE19a-GZP6Ecq82pnsUVHFk1MWrUj1wdDpMvCpV2Vpy3tZPhSJ5udZjQ-ANZHFQ4QoG840wOFjzuZByIUNgc0QKJNSHOTCnH5axSkoP81nkIuLFYhLMdL0uZ7FRqfvYz9GqJ5q6QCo-Qec4PTEo7MeKsATsKGWZ1kewXmc" width="309" /></a></div>Difficult or painful times come to all of us - it is part of life. We so often feel that inner terror as we desperately cling to our 'chest' - looking to whomever we trust to help us and see they are not willing or able to help. We are alone...and we know that we cannot hold on much longer. We can feel everything slipping away and our cries for help go unheard. <p></p><p>God wants us to know that no matter how terrifying life circumstances may be, He will never stand by and just watch -- even though He knows He has it all in hand. He will always be close, sharing in our pain. And always, beneath us - no more than three inches - are the everlasting arms that will catch us and hold us close to His heart! </p><p><br /></p>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02029451742280017744noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933957650347452922.post-14732716946263093462022-08-23T16:21:00.002-07:002022-09-02T11:49:23.614-07:00<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgidFYLwQbRJnUdLtQDbYHD4SU9G0e7GFi6GDPw8_8eUTORxXbnJfFxA1qePVZpYo9wGSK_YXNIl5mh3kP1B0k0u2We_yUGUZyrsueY0_YUPkIBfUifZglbp92z4kgNGToMid4W77O_CF0xJSRS4j3KPyiHbpcsCYqDRFa0VB0zPbFsGlHUnY6qijH2/s800/dead%20leaf%20climber.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="800" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgidFYLwQbRJnUdLtQDbYHD4SU9G0e7GFi6GDPw8_8eUTORxXbnJfFxA1qePVZpYo9wGSK_YXNIl5mh3kP1B0k0u2We_yUGUZyrsueY0_YUPkIBfUifZglbp92z4kgNGToMid4W77O_CF0xJSRS4j3KPyiHbpcsCYqDRFa0VB0zPbFsGlHUnY6qijH2/s320/dead%20leaf%20climber.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> A Strange Plant with a Lesson<p></p><div><div>I have a plant that I bought on a whim - - I don't know the name of it . I planted it in a patio flower box and it immediately reached out and grabbed hold of the patio railing spindles and curled its way up. </div><div>I was wondering why some of its leaves kept turning yellow since I knew it had enough water and the rest of the leaves looked green and healthy. So I picked the yellowed leaves off, hoping the plant would thrive to where its leaves would no longer yellow and die. </div><div>BUT ... the plant did not flower and I knew it bloomed because the little starter plant I bought did have a pretty, white with a purple center flower on it. </div><div>Then I got busy and did not remove the 'dead' leaves from the plant for a few days and I made a surprising discovery. The 'dead' looking leaves were not leaves at all but were the actual flower buds. They opened into the pretty blooms! How silly I felt that I had been picking off the buds and then complaining that my plant was not blooming !! </div><div><br /></div><div>But what an insightful analogy this presented ! </div><div>I thought about how we all encounter experiences that we would so gladly have avoided. Accidents, health issues, disasters, emotional pain, disappointments, hardships, financial losses, etc. We can all compile a personal list. </div><div>If we could we would have removed these from our life before they happened ... BUT what if these less-than-desired things in our lives are actually the buds that produce the 'blooms' in our character and in our relationships with God and bring about the blessings we so love?</div><div><br /></div><div>I think of Joseph. I'm sure he would have quickly removed the 'dead leaf' of being thrown into the pit and then sold by his brothers to the slave traders - but would he then have 'bloomed' as ruler of Egypt saving many from starvation?</div><div>I think of Esther. How quickly she would have removed the 'dead leaf' of being taken into the King's harem ... but if she had, would she have 'bloomed' as the favored Queen and savior of her people?</div><div>I think of the apostle Paul. He would gladly have removed the 'thorn in his flesh'. But God explained to him that it was there so he would 'bloom' in his ministry... saving him from the pride that would have destroyed him. </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>ULTIMATE EXAMPLE </b></div><div>I think of Jesus Himself. He would have removed the 'dead leaf' of suffering the horrific death by crucifixion, It is here that he proves how 'human' He was - He begged God - if it were possible - the remove the 'dead leaf' of suffering that filled his soul with dread. Luke 22:22-24</div><div> and YET - He understood -- he knew that the 'dead leaf' was necessary for Him to fulfill His purpose - to sacrifice Himself for the ones He loved. </div><div>He knew that the 'bloom' was coming .. He said ... "for the joy set before Me I will endure the cross." He knew what looked 'dead' would rise and open into beauty that would save all who called on His name. The thought of the 'blooming' to come' filled his heart with joy! </div><div> Hebrews 12:2</div></div><div><br /></div><div>Are the difficult things that come into our life easy ? No... they weren't for Jesus, they won't be for us... but we have the promise that He will carry us through and the 'joy' will come. </div><div>So let us learn patience, holding onto the promise that nothing in our life is for naught, but all things WILL work out for good, because 'JESUS SAID SO !" Romans 8:28 .. </div><div>Even Jesus longed for the support and comfort of His dear ones.. but they were not there for Him.. so Jesus understands what it is like to feel alone in our difficulties.. but He will never forsake or leave us -- and we know how important it is to support with our love and prayers those who are going through a difficult time. </div><div><br /></div><div> Remember ... <b><i>God doeth all things well</i></b> ... even the things we do not understand! </div><div></div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02029451742280017744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933957650347452922.post-88228506178434722892022-04-16T20:49:00.001-07:002022-04-16T21:01:06.381-07:00Only Weeds<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgrB3AEOnQoZpPVkusODJogslJDgJvga7TGjZa9o9D33dczFNaE7_aKMjqF-4n2-T0Rr1mC2DsnnXQOYOwgxGrvdx8zVfXGC0yiYDpzL1NrHVQA0_b5GgPo36t_LYOY1C6aeAiFwUTKMfBxVXGfjXxpdaiWNpsMsa5FBg7IF5ols4wiCavFByifH3wp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="267" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgrB3AEOnQoZpPVkusODJogslJDgJvga7TGjZa9o9D33dczFNaE7_aKMjqF-4n2-T0Rr1mC2DsnnXQOYOwgxGrvdx8zVfXGC0yiYDpzL1NrHVQA0_b5GgPo36t_LYOY1C6aeAiFwUTKMfBxVXGfjXxpdaiWNpsMsa5FBg7IF5ols4wiCavFByifH3wp=w267-h400" width="267" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>I remember a childhood experience that is vivid in my memory </p><p>My mother was a very practical woman, always working to make sure everything was in the perfect order a well maintained home and hobby farm should be. <br />I was much happier curled up with a book than I was doing household chores. Although I wanted to please my Mom, too often I ended up with another miserable failing mark against me. </p><p>I remember one summer day my Mom took me out to her large vegetable garden and showed me a long row of vegetable seedlings that stood maybe 3 inches tall in company with weeds just as tall fighting for space. My Mom told me to pull out all the weeds leaving the seedlings with room to thrive in the warming sun and rain. </p><p>I thought, "okay, I can do this. I will do such a good job, Mom will be impressed." And crouching down, I began to pull out all the weeds. It was a long row, but finally I reached the end of it and I stood up to look down a straight clean row of seedlings. It looked so good.. and I ran to call Mom happily expecting her praise. <br />She came to the garden and as I looked up into her face, I knew something was terribly wrong! Understandably, she was angry and I got the tongue lashing I deserved. <br />Yes, I had left a very neat garden row - but of weeds - all vegetable seedlings were gone. </p><p>As I visited that memory, I thought about the verse in Isaiah 64:6 that says that all our righteous acts are as filthy rags. No matter how hard we try to please God in the flesh, it will never be enough to win His approval. And yet, amazingly, He loved us while we were yet sinners and He died to save us. <br />We come to Him with nothing to show but a 'row of weeds'. Wonder of wonders, instead of the 'tongue lashing' we deserve, He reaches out to embrace us in His love and forgiveness and in exchange for our 'weeds' covers us with His righteousness. </p><p>How blessed we are to pause at this Easter season to remember His love and sacrifice that cost Him so much to gain everything for us! <br />He is risen, so we too can rise to new life and righteousness in Him ! </p><p><br /></p>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02029451742280017744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933957650347452922.post-57447638897292512882022-02-17T14:25:00.002-08:002022-02-17T14:30:04.401-08:00<p> My New Book is out!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYzDtL6KXO2-NdE_w-LlJSq15pDrCz3gYy52aqu019qe4bHL76t1SkEcB3bRzugsFqX9NwwLkPUAU9nFWw55FsUpSfeqUu1iCxOb35HarveVLzE5DVjnLF6SuQvlC-kPdXkQF7SewNB2AgNibZ3VOdcyIck3Y6vK7QepgBYj_3aK6JcqdMFFWTcTKB=s800" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="610" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYzDtL6KXO2-NdE_w-LlJSq15pDrCz3gYy52aqu019qe4bHL76t1SkEcB3bRzugsFqX9NwwLkPUAU9nFWw55FsUpSfeqUu1iCxOb35HarveVLzE5DVjnLF6SuQvlC-kPdXkQF7SewNB2AgNibZ3VOdcyIck3Y6vK7QepgBYj_3aK6JcqdMFFWTcTKB=s320" width="244" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It is available in bookstores and from Amazon </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(sorry - couldn't make the link work.. but in Amazon.ca books, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">type in No Word Wasted Julianna Joy Klassen </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and it will come up.) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Over the past two years, to keep my ladies' Bible study group together I put together an online once-a-week e-version of our Morning Break women's morning at church. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After some time I began to get some comments that the lessons I wrote should be for more people than just our group - could I not put them in a book or something? I smiled, but did not take the comments very seriously. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I had never considered compiling the lessons into a book. But God has a way of first planting a 'seed' and then watering it, confirming it and guiding our steps. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, as you see, the book happened - thirty-five of the lessons I wrote over the many months - 90,000 words - one at a time! . </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The title came to me after much thought, but I could not come up with a cover design. I thought and thought and scoured the images on Adobe and elsewhere to get ideas but nothing seemed right. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I finally decided to just leave it open for the publisher's designer to see what he would come up with, Then one morning I woke up with a word in my mind. "Dandelions" My immediate reaction was 'perfect'. .</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We all know a dandelion does not 'waste seed'.. and God's word is compared to seed that is sown in the hearts of man. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The back cover of the book ,which you can see on Amazon, gives a good overview of what the book is about, so I won't repeat it here. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The book process has been a lot of work but rewarding work which I have enjoyed and working with FriesenPress has been a joy. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My prayer is that the book is a blessing to those who pick it up. </div><br /><p><br /></p>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02029451742280017744noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933957650347452922.post-32676727539482213622022-01-01T14:39:00.003-08:002022-01-07T18:01:21.461-08:00<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigZHJzDWcP0rYW_lI9G8RCCXbYiSU4crigDDnyX4cfAg_GYuO7vji7ixLfZFAu5qSubWim6B-WAqhUVDX3D9tmmK6nQfFY2wIlzpmAN3qUYjPHX0VC458uSXSn9oDpLHM5d7kXlmk0qqY/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="388" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigZHJzDWcP0rYW_lI9G8RCCXbYiSU4crigDDnyX4cfAg_GYuO7vji7ixLfZFAu5qSubWim6B-WAqhUVDX3D9tmmK6nQfFY2wIlzpmAN3qUYjPHX0VC458uSXSn9oDpLHM5d7kXlmk0qqY/w206-h320/image.png" width="206" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial black", sans-serif;">God's Prescription for a New Year</span></p><span style="background-color: white;"><div><br /></div>What a year 2021 has been ! We have had a continuing plague/epidemic, fires, floods, extreme heat, extreme cold, restrictions, isolation, fear and all the other emotions and responses that go with an unstable environment. </span><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;">2022 is standing on the threshold and once again it is the time the age old question arises... … “What about New Year Resolutions?” </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;">I doubt anyone is thinking about New Year Resolutions this year. We can hardly predict what tomorrow will bring, let alone make long range plans or set future goals. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;">The only hope we have for the new year is to hold onto God's hand and trust that He will guide us through the coming days. If we keep our eyes on Him we know we will be safe. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;">When it comes to the bottom line I think we will all acknowledge that if something feels secure, if something has the settled feeling of truth, we can easily trace it back to God as the source of it. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;">So why don't we start the year with putting God's directives first and strive to hold onto that no matter what the new year is destined to bring. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"> I did a search and found some interesting scripture references about the first day of a new year, and I want to share the important truths these verses hold for us today. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"> I will quote the verses in the order of occurrence in the bible. I invite you to walk with me through </span><span style="font-family: arial black, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: medium;">“God’s Prescription for a Happy New Year!” </span><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #663333; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><strong><span style="font-size: 20.8px;">Trust His Promises</span></strong> </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;">The very first reference to the first day of a new year is in Gen. 8:14 where it says</span><span style="color: #993399; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><em><strong>……”And it came to pass in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, that the waters were dried up from the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and indeed the surface of the ground was dry.” </strong></em></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;">Here we have the first reference to a New Year’s Day .. and isn’t it exactly how we see a new year - as a new beginning, a clean slate, a reason for renewed hope and excitement of what the new year will bring? Here we see Noah standing with the promises of God over him , symbolized by the rainbow ! How thankful we can be for God’s promises that are new again on the first day of a new year! What promises of God are important to you as you stand to begin 2022? </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><strong style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #333300; font-size: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #663333;"><br /></span></span></strong></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #663333; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"></span><strong style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #333300; font-size: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #663333;">Pay attention to His Commandments</span> </span></strong></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;">In Ex. 12:2 we read…”</span><span style="color: #993399; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><em><strong>This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.” </strong></em></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;">Then God gives His instructions to Aaron and Moses regarding the Passover. If they would follow His instructions God promised the destroyer would not have power to strike them ! </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;">The first month of a new year - take time to review God’s commandments. Are we obeying God’s laws so that He can bless our coming in and going out in 2022? Do we hold His Word high as our shield to protect us from the fiery darts of the enemy ?</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="color: #663333; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 20.8px;"><strong>Prepare a Place of Worship </strong></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;">In Exodus 40:2 God commanded the Israelites ….. </span><span style="color: #993399; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><em><strong>“On the first day of the first month you shall set up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting.” </strong></em></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;">What a perfect time...the first day of the first month… to set up a time and a place for us to fellowship with God - to prepare our heart as a tabernacle in our busy, and oft, confusing lives. A spiritual 'tabernacle' where we can retreat to meet with God face to face -- a habit that keeps us faithful throughout the year. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><strong style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #663333; font-size: 20.8px;"><br /></span></strong></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><strong style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #663333; font-size: 20.8px;">Make Necessary Repairs </span></strong></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;">In II Chron. 29:3 we read about Hezekiah , the king. </span><span style="color: #993399; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><em><strong>“In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the LORD and repaired them.“ </strong></em></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;">Perhaps your ‘tent of meeting’ needs some repair. Has something crept into your life that has broken it down or made it a place cluttered with things that should not be there? How easy it has been over the last year to allow negative thoughts, attitudes, habits to find a seat in our hearts and minds. Maybe it's time to do some 'house cleaning'. To bring it all to the Lord, and commit ourselves afresh to make Him Lord of our life - the One who sits on the throne of our heart. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><strong style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #663300; font-size: 20.8px;"><br /></span></strong></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #663300; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 20.8px;"><b>Sanctify</b></span></span><strong style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #663300; font-size: 20.8px;"> Yourself </span></strong></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong><span style="color: black;">In II Chronicles 29:17 we read,</span><span style="color: #993399; font-size: small; font-style: italic;"> "Now they began to sanctify on the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they came to the vestibule of the LORD. So they sanctified the house of the LORD in eight days, and on the sixteenth day of the first month they finished." </span></strong></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;">Sometimes we are overwhelmed with thinking about how often we fail before the Lord, or how far we are from 'perfect'. But notice the word 'began' in the above verse. Though the sanctification <b>began </b>on New Year’s Day .. it took some time. As it should for us as well. It takes time to examine the things in our life and put them in order. To prioritize, to downsize, to sort and discard, to clean. We belong to the Lord, we are His tabernacle. Is everything in our life ‘sanctified’ -- set apart ‘ for His use? Or are there things that we keep just for ourselves, our own selfish pleasure or profit? </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;">Let us examine the things in our life - and begin the work needed in our personal inner life as well as the outer things seen by others. Let us desire to be in the best place we can be to offer ourselves as a 'temple of service' to honor and glorify our Lord?</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><strong style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #663333; font-size: 20.8px;">Prepare for a Journey</span></strong></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><strong style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #663333; font-size: 20.8px;"> </span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black;">It is interesting that Ezra, having received permission from the king to travel to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls of his beloved city, began his journey on the first day of the first month. </span><span style="color: #9900ff; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">"On the first day of the first month ...</span><span style="color: black;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">". </i>(Ezra 7:9)</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;">I love that he began his journey …. </span><span style="color: #993399; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><em><strong>“according to the good hand of his God upon him.”</strong></em></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"> (Ezra 7:9) </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;">What a journey 2021 has taken us on. And now we are about to embark on a new journey. It too is of a year's duration! We have no idea where the journey will take us …or even if we will complete the journey. Though the journey is one into uncharted territory, how comforting to know it has already been planned </span><strong style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><em>‘according to the good hand of God upon us’ !! </em></strong><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;">He has already gone before to prepare the way for us! </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><strong style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #663300; font-size: 20.8px;"><br /></span></strong></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"></span><strong style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #663300; font-size: 20.8px;">Repent</span></strong></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;">In Ezra 10:17 we read </span><span style="color: #993399; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><em><strong>“By the first day of the first month they finished questioning all the men who had taken pagan wives.” </strong></em></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black;">Is there sin in our life that is displeasing to God? Are we willing to rid ourselves of it, repent and then wholeheartedly follow after God and His righteousness? We know that if we repent, He is </span><i><b><span style="color: magenta;">'faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us ... "</span></b></i><span style="color: black;"> (I John 1:9) </span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><strong style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #663333; font-size: 20.8px;"><br /></span></strong></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><strong style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #663333; font-size: 20.8px;">Listen for God's Voice </span></strong></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;">There are several verses I found where it speaks of hearing God’s voice as in Ezra 29:17 </span><span style="color: #993399; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><em><strong>“And it came to pass in the twenty-seventh year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came to me, saying…” </strong></em></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;">Do we hear God’s voice this New Year’s Day ? Are we listening, eager to hear what He is saying to us ? We are so quick to make our own plans, but if 2021 taught us anything, it taught us that plans can change in a moment. How important it is to listen first to what God has to say and then our choices, our decisions will be good ones and our steps will fall in solid places! </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><strong style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #663333; font-size: 20.8px;"><br /></span></strong></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><strong style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #663333; font-size: 20.8px;">Prepare a Sacrifice</span></strong></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><strong style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #663333; font-size: 20.8px;"> </span></strong><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;">In Ezra 45:18 God called for a special sacrifice on New Year’s Day…. </span><span style="color: #993399; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><em><strong>“Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘In the first month, on the first day of the month, you shall take a young bull without blemish and cleanse the sanctuary’ .” </strong></em></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;">A sacrifice… something special you offer to God that is of value to Him because of what it accomplishes. I offer you a challenge. This new year give something to God that is just between you and Him…perhaps something He has already been speaking to you about… perhaps something you have never done before… perhaps something no one else will ever know about!</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><em style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #006600;"><br /></span></em></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black;"><em style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;">I wish YOU, my dear friends, a very blessed New Year ! and pray that it might be a special journey that leads you into an ever closer walk with God. </em><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"></span><em style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;">***</em></span></b><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: black;"><em style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><br /></em></span></b></div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02029451742280017744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933957650347452922.post-20193836680992772612021-11-29T16:14:00.000-08:002021-11-29T16:14:13.733-08:00<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEa9nR2H7Ne8zeVJYQJ0GQjijpM3siofEGfePFzHpxTVRLpylsICvFnmVEWgeN4oTfYKSZra8bASvCcm0lT3Sqjajnn4ixFCwHyORPcZ9-cC9Ja4GuqN81EHCfYZuK_1zCkPlZT57OwkE/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1001" data-original-width="564" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEa9nR2H7Ne8zeVJYQJ0GQjijpM3siofEGfePFzHpxTVRLpylsICvFnmVEWgeN4oTfYKSZra8bASvCcm0lT3Sqjajnn4ixFCwHyORPcZ9-cC9Ja4GuqN81EHCfYZuK_1zCkPlZT57OwkE/w225-h400/image.png" width="225" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> <b>When bad things happen, where is God?</b></span><p></p><div><div>Probably about a year ago or more... I noticed a strange lump on my left elbow. It grew and grew until it was so large it fit into the cup of my hand. It was rather unsightly so all summer, no matter how hot it was, I wore long loose sleeves to keep it hidden. </div><div>It was a lipoma -- a benign tumor that grows under the skin. It can grow anywhere on the body. </div><div>There is no cure or treatment -- it can only be removed by surgery.</div><div><br /></div><div> I was combing my hair in front of the mirror one day last week and looked at the growth protruding from my elbow. I talked to the Lord about it.<i><b> "Lord, I know it isn't life threatening and maybe I am being vain , but ... couldn't you just melt it? Take it away?"</b></i></div><div>Later it seemed to me it might be smaller, but I thought I was just imagining it and I went to bed. The next morning when I got up, I realized that it was completely gone, completely, as if it had never been there. I could feel the bones of my elbow ! I went into the kitchen and said to my husband..<i> "Do you believe in miracles?"</i> He said, <i>"Yes, of course !</i>" and I held up my arm. He looked, stared and then shouted .. <i>"Praise the Lord !!!!"</i> </div><div>It took me a while to believe what the Lord had so lovingly done for me. It felt like a warm hug. </div><div><br /></div><div> I could have asked...<i> "Lord, why did you so easily get rid of this tumor when I asked, but you have not healed me of Celiac nor rheumatoid arthritis that has caused me so much pain and suffering over the last 25 year."</i> I did not ask God that question because I know the answer. God did not heal me of my RA because there is a reason for it. It is needful in the purposes and plan of God that would be hindered if He healed me. </div><div><br /></div><div> I like to think of it this way. A child becomes very ill and is in hospital undergoing frightening (to the child) ,uncomfortable, painful treatment and procedures. The child cries and begs to go home - looks to the parents to stop the hurting. The parents are there and their heart aches for the suffering of their beloved child but they do not remove the child from the hospital or prevent the treatment given by the doctors and nurses.. Why? Because they know this is the only way for their child to be helped and the only way for it to get better. They stay with the child, bring candy and treats to brighten their day , hold the child in their arms and love it... their hugs assuring the child of their love. And the child trusts them. </div><div><div><br /></div><div> So God too has a reason why He does not always heal us or prevent the difficult times that come into our life. But He allows only what He can turn for our ultimate good and for His glory. </div><div>It is not easy to understand or see purpose when we are in the middle of suffering, just like the child in the hospital -- but one day looking back we see what God accomplished through it. </div><div><br /></div><div> God so desires us to trust Him, know Him as a loving Father and he gave us so many examples in the Bible to show us His ways and purposes when <span style="font-family: arial black, sans-serif;"><b>'bad things happen'.</b></span> We tend to read the stories backward and go... Wow!! but stop and think about what it was like for them BEFORE they saw the purpose of God. </div><div><br /></div><div> We see Shadrach, Meshach and Abednigo who were trying to survive in a foreign land,to worship God when everyone else was worshipping false gods and idols. And of course they were hated ! They were 'tried and found guilty' and they were condemned to be thrown into a burning furnace. We read their brave words but any one in their situation would have felt dread and fear twist their emotions . just thinking about being burned alive !! Where was God? The king looked into the furnace and saw 4 men walking.. not three ... God was in the furnace WITH them ! (Daniel 3:25)</div><div><br /></div><div> We think about Joseph and all he suffered for so many years.. torn from his family, made a slave, falsely accused, thrown into painful stocks in a prison and yet Joseph recognized that while 'men' meant his suffering for evil, God was working it for good... not just for Joseph but for many many people. (Gen. 50:20)</div><div><br /></div><div> Who does not know the story of Job and his suffering ? The financial losses, the killing of his servants and his children, then the loss of health .. his wife turning on him, and his friends accusing him. Where was God ? watching over him, in control, knowing that all would be restored to Job double.. but the best thing would be that Job , instead of living in fear, would come into an intimate relationship with God. (Job 3:25,26 -- Job 42:5)</div><div><br /></div><div> We see Paul who begged God to take away "his thorn in the flesh" but God refused. Why? Because God understood Paul's natural bent and He knew that without a 'deterrent' in his life Paul would grow proud of what God could do through him and his ministry and God's purposes would be spoiled. Without the thorn in the flesh , Paul may not have written much of the New Testament. (II Cor. 12:7)</div><div><br /></div><div> A king' son was sick and he died. Why did God allow the child to die when he had not done anything wrong? Why was his life cut short? Where was God? Watching... and we are told that God took the child to Himself because the palace family was evil. Only the child had 'goodness' in him and God could not bear for the child to suffer the wickedness around him so He 'rescued him'. ( I Kings 14:12,13)<br /></div><div><br /></div><div> Then we have Jonah, unwilling to obey God's command to go to Nineveh and he ran away to hide in a ship going in the opposite direction. Then when the storm threatened to sink the ship, there was only one way to save the ship and crew, throw Noah overboard. Where was God? Right there watching, and had a big fish ready and waiting to swallow Jonah and when Jonah repented , throw him up on land. Jonah reluctantly then obeys even though his heart is not in it and he hopes that God will NOT save the Ninevites. Jonah has a bad attitude but where is God ? Right there. He even causes a plant to grow to shelter Jonah from the heat. (book of Jonah)</div><div><br /></div><div> I could go on and on. The stories are so many, addressing so many different<b> 'bad things that happen'. </b>Take note when you read the accounts of the Bible characters, put yourself into their shoes and then follow through to what God was able to do in the end. It is the endings we love and remember but the 'end' could not have come without the difficult times. </div><div><br /></div><div> So when you feel alone and abandoned in the middle of trials and trouble remember that God cannot lie!! He says that He is "no respecter of persons" -- meaning that God does NOT make one person more important than another. If you believe that ANYONE is important to God then you have to write your name alongside What God will do for one, He is committed to do for you! He will not let you go through anything that He will not go through with you and work for good, no matter how hopeless it looks. </div><div> He gave us His Word, His LIVING Word .. .it is not a yellowed letter, long-ago written and forgotten, out of date. NO .. it is new and fresh every morning, not one word has ceased to have meaning for YOU. God put living examples in our Bibles to prove who He is and since God is the same yesterday , today and forever, we know that what is true in the past is still true today. </div><div><br /></div><div> Our God is truly a faithful and ever present God -- His eyes, full of love, are upon us , His purposes for our life are for good and not evil and we can without reservation trust Him completely knowing He is right beside us walking WITH us. And we can count our blessings, even in the midst of the storms. </div><div><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" /></div></div></div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02029451742280017744noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933957650347452922.post-18894364422288478722021-08-26T11:37:00.001-07:002021-08-26T11:37:14.485-07:00New Life Mandeville<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4zfrsaO4CJM0qPgSA2qcLk_8XBTw-Xp-UZCjKGbFicF18jt1WM6IoUAZOeQ1qLre6DL60qwAZcXn4-Fzz4bQ8BK8pi4rCroYrfZ-6ammJmFp7zZfIV2aC8AOTeAbdqxGV5Girw74bERM/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="935" data-original-width="1405" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4zfrsaO4CJM0qPgSA2qcLk_8XBTw-Xp-UZCjKGbFicF18jt1WM6IoUAZOeQ1qLre6DL60qwAZcXn4-Fzz4bQ8BK8pi4rCroYrfZ-6ammJmFp7zZfIV2aC8AOTeAbdqxGV5Girw74bERM/w640-h426/image.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Three summers ago I bought a Mandeville plant, but it didn't do very well. I took it in for the winter - it struggled through without completely dying and I put it out in the summer. It stayed very sickly looking but, being loath to kill something that still had a few green leaves on it, I took it back inside and watered it. It did not grow and I know it really was not worth keeping. But, believe it or not I again put it out in a corner of my patio last spring to see what it would do...Well, the best it did is that it didn't completely die. So for the second winter I let it sit in my ensuite with its few half-yellow leaves and thin branches. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This spring I put it out again, tucked it out of sight, where I didn't have to look at. It grew a little, but nothing that impressed me. <br />Then, a miracle happened !! <br /><br />One Christmas my daughter gifted me with a book , "The Hidden Life of Trees" by Peter Wohlleben. A very interesting book by a man who could be called a 'tree whisperer'. One thing he said stuck with me. He said that plants communicate with each other and if two or more different plants are planted in the same space they are provoked to fight for personal growing space - becoming very competitive. They do not do this with like-plants. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A dear friend gifted me with a little miniature rose plant several weeks ago. Not wanting the plant to die <i>(I do NOT have a green thumb</i>) I thought it would do best planted outside. Since my half-dead Mandeville plant wasn't growing anyway, I decided to plant my little rose bush in the same pot. Several days later I looked out my kitchen window and to my shock saw a cluster of super-big Mandeville leaves ! Really? As you can see in the photo the plant suddenly took on new life and it is thriving, full of fresh new growth and even BUDS ! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I saw a spiritual lesson in this. One of God's object lessons tucked into His creation. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I thought of the verse in Hebrews 10:24. The old KJV has the words "Let us consider one another to PROVOKE unto love and good words." (<i>other translations use words 'stir up' 'motivate' 'encourage' instead of 'provoke</i>') But I think the word 'provoke' best fits with this object lesson. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Just like planting the rose bush into the Mandeville pot - PROVOKED the Mandeville to suddenly grow, so also we are called to 'provoke' one another, in love, to grow in 'good works' and be an example to those who are watching. We cannot do this if we don't 'have close relationships with one another'. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We have been 'isolated' or 'quarantined' for much of the past year and a half and we have not been gathering together. And we see the 'lack' of growth. Churches open but attendance is low. Airlines report a sharp increase in aggressive behavior. Is this why we are admonished in Hebrews 10:25 not to "forsake the assembling of ourselves together,....... and the more as you see the day approaching."? In the middle of that verse it repeats the 'provoking' thought , "exhorting one another". <br /><br />In a politically correct world mind-set we have lost that zeal to watch over our brothers and sisters to stir them up in their faith. My Mandeville plant reminded me how important it is to 'be our brother/sister's keeper". We need each other to grow and be strong. Alone, it is easy to become weak.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />Paul, in Romans 14:12-23 spells it out how we are to live in relationship with one another - and if our relationship, our interactions with one another are not motivated by love, then we will "destroy the work of God" ..</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The apostle John's sermon is still all we need to live worthy of God's praise, "Children, love one another!" <br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02029451742280017744noreply@blogger.com2