Guard Your Heart

Above all else, guard your heart,

for everything you do flows from it.

Proverbs 4:23

I don't think I gave much thought to the phrase “guard your heart” until I heard Steve Green sing a song of that title. I looked up the Scripture verse and found that not only is guarding our hearts a command, but the next three verses tells us how to do it:

Keep your mouth free of perversity;

keep corrupt talk far from your lips.

Let your eyes look straight ahead;

fix your gaze directly before you.

Give careful thought to the paths for your feet

and be steadfast in all your ways.

(Letters in bold print are of my doing)

First, what do we mean by “heart” as it applies to this verse as well as to many verses we find in Scripture. It isn't unusual for us to refer to heart as being the seat of our emotions. It's that place where we think, plan, desire, feel and other of those responsibilities we feel belong to the heart. Bottom line is, we know that the heart in us only has the responsibility that is physical in nature. It is responsible for pumping blood through our bodies. All cultures, have usually referred to a body part like we do with the heart when thinking of one's inner being. Some viewed their cores as being situated in the kidneys or even liver. (Can you imagine saying to someone, “I love you with all my liver.”) We must keep straight in our own minds what we are guarding.

I can guard my physical heart through taking very good care of it. Some folks take an aspirin each day to avoid heart attacks. Some see doctors on a regular basis where one of the first things done when one is ushered into the exam room is to go through a blood pressure check. The doctor then enters and with stethoscope, listens to the heart from back and front of the body. So there is exercise, special diets and medications to keep our physical hearts healthy.

Why are we not just as careful in guarding that inner core, the center of who we are that keeps us going in every other way. This kind of heart problem can occur in almost any setting. There is no kind of aspirin or medication for attacks on our spiritual hearts. These attacks can happen in the home, watching TV, at work, on vacation, school, and yes, even in church. Somehow we feel people will be insulted if we walk away from situations that are unhealthy for that inner heart in us that no doctor's stethoscope can detect. In my single days, movies were fairly free of curse words. I remember the first time I went to see a movie and within 15 minutes, I was absolutely sick with disgust. I got up and walked out. On the way out, I saw the manager and told him if he were really a man of integrity, he would return my ticket money. I learned quickly that he wasn't a man of integrity.

There is a sweet lady in my church who does something very few women do. If someone talks to her one on one and the person begins to speak negatively of someone else, she finds a way to excuse herself. If talking with a group and the conversation turns negative, you can tell when she begins to move away from the group. She's never ugly about it and remains pleasant as she walks away. Whether she's aware of the terminology or not, she's “guarding her heart.”

How many times in our day have we seen marriages destroyed because of people having affairs with people from their offices. Many people spend more time with people at work these days than they spend at home during any waking hours with their families. My hubby and I were reminded of a lady he once worked with that worked her way into a small group of men from Brian’s section of work who went out for lunch every day. Eventually, she had worked her way into a relationship with one of those men. Two marriages/homes were destroyed, children’s lives shattered. Someone(s) didn't guard their heart(s). Included in this heart thing are friendships, family relationships, and marriages. We must set up a line of defense against anything or anyone that would cause damage to those relationships we hold dear. Our verse tells us to look straight ahead as even a casual glance to one side or the other can lead us into trouble.

I'm thinking in our day how many schools have come between students and parents. In many school settings, concerned parents are regarded as the enemy while their children are being indoctrinated, not educated. Sometimes, we have to help guard the hearts of children who are vulnerable and don't even know that there is a battle going on. I was saying to a lady just this week that if I had children in grade school in this day, I would go to the school ahead of the school year and ask to see a complete set of text books my children would be working from. If the school refused me that privilege, then I would have to regard the material as not suitable for my child and if need be would remove them from that school. Sound rash??? Guarding is serious business.

Some things we must guard against, remembering that sin will always start in the mind (spiritual heart). Avoiding sin must be our first line of defense. The following might be some things we will have to guard against:

• rebellion
• bad attitudes
• angry spirits
• gossip
• feuds
• inappropriate activities
• sin taken in through the eyes...movies, TV, books, magazines, etc.
• false teaching in the spiritual realm
• inappropriate contact with the opposite sex
• distractions
• lack of spiritual focus

Our list could go on and on. If we are to be spiritually fit, we must have a healthy heart, (that well guarded core of our being), if we are follow to God's plan for our lives. An unguarded heart will become weak and sick, weakening us in every way spiritually. Pride will suggest to us that we are above being infected by the things of this wicked day we live in. That is our first mistake. Many well-known Christians have fallen into Satan's grasp and the media is very quick in telling us all about it. We must be alert just as a soldier is ordered to be when on sentry duty, guarding a certain secure area. We too are called upon to guard a very private area of our lives...our hearts. It means determining some things ahead of time, not in a prideful way but in moving in God's strength. Pride can tear down any good intentions we might have. I've always said though that when we shoot at nothing, we'll probably hit it. Guarding our hearts is a worthy goal and God wants to equip and strengthen us in our efforts.

My dear Heavenly Father...I haven't always been as spiritually alert as I should have been. So easy it is to fall into sinful habits almost without thinking. I'm so sorry for failing You in not being all for You I should have been. Keep me alert to Satan's wiles and ways and may I be ever alert to guard my heart. I can do nothing without Your strengthening. I love You and praise You for Your love and direction in my life. Amen

Wonder of Wonders

And they were all amazed at the

mighty power of God. But while they

wondered every one at all things

which Jesus did, he said unto His disciples...

Luke 9:43

The word “wonder” is described as being filled with awe, amazement and being in the state of marveling over something that is new or unusual to someone, no matter the age of the person.

When at the age of four, I remember noticing for the first time, dew that had formed on our front yard grass. The sun had just moved enough into the sky that it shown on those dew drops. It looked like there were diamonds all over our front yard. To this very day, I still marvel at the sight of dew drops poised on blades of grass no matter where I reside. Those things we so marveled at when very young, still seem to captivate out imaginations when we are adults.

Have you ever watched a young baby when it first notices its toes? That baby will fold up and will play with those tiny toes off and on for several minutes. Sometimes, they will view their tiny fingers with an amazing fascination. It's really funny when they sense their tongue, especially when they are fed their first bite of baby food.

My mother brought me and my sister Kay to these very mountains where I now reside when I was about 5 years old. Gatlinburg was a mere village with next to nothing here. Kay and I played, digging in mountain dirt, pretended to plant seeds, all the while enjoying the aroma of trees and rocks. Even then, I was in awe of the mountains that were so huge, and they inspired such wonder in this little girl's heart.

All of us have experienced wonder in various sizes, shapes, and in various places. Whatever the wonder, it might not impress anyone else like it does us. I still stand in awe of seeing rainbows, watching a mother bear with her two or three cubs, sniffing the air after a spring rain, watching the face of a tiny baby as it sleeps and hearing it's sighs of contentment. Our wonders can come as we observe people or as we enjoy the things of nature. I marvel right now as I look out my back or front porch and marvel at the brilliant colors of fall as trees prepare for their winter slumber. God is just so smart as He capably handles all of the things of His natural world.

Just stop and think of those things around you that still almost catch your breath in wonder. My sister Kay who is now in Heaven felt that way about her various garden plots as she designed, planted, and weeded. She was a true gardener from the top of her head to the soles of her feet. She found such wonder in just feeling the earth filter through her fingers.

My youngest sister has been a new grandmother now for a little over a year. She's had the joy of watching her grand-daughter through all of those wonderful first year stages...the smiles, physical growth, hugs, crawling until little footsteps take the place of little knees. Although many of us have gone through all of this with our own children, it seemed at times that we were so involved that we might of missed some of those things of wonder but not with our grandchildren. Everything they do is pure wonder.

Life itself is a wonder. A bad cold and many simple diseases we can contract now and get over within days, are things that in the latter 1800's were killing people. We recover from bodily maladys in almost short order in our day. My friend Mary was in a horrible car accident a couple of years ago. She should have died in that accident as we look at the severity of it. I stood in awe as did others at her recovery and all that modern medicine did to “put Mary back together again.”

I was reminded of a George Beverly Shea song that only he could sing as it was meant to be sung...The Wonder of It All. I love especially the first verse and chorus:

There's the wonder of sunset at evening,

The wonder as sunrise I see;

But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul

Is the wonder that God loves me.

Chorus

O, the wonder of it all! The wonder of it all!

Just to think that God loves me.

O, the wonder of it all! The wonder of it all!

Just to think that God loves me.

 

Far beyond dew drops, rainbows or a baby's smile is the wonder of God's love for me.  I don't deserve one ounce of attention of God or His Son.  I have failed Him so many times, it's not even funny.  The really amazing thing apart from my salvation is tht God never gives up on me.  That is one of the greatest examples God sets for you and me.  We are sometimes quick to give up on people who disappoint or hurt us deeply.  Amazingly, God just keeps pouring out His love and attention on all of us.

 

 

I marvel at the love He pours into our lives...love He intends for us to then invest into the lives of others.  I don't have one ounce of love to give anyone...only His love will suffice.  What a marvel it is that He would choose us to act for Him on this eart, to be chosen to



represent Him in the everyday things of life.

During our darkest times, we can look around in awe...leaf of a tree and it's intricacies, scent of a rose on a bush, an orange harvest moon, birds as they chatter with one another, innocent little children at play, a baby picking up a Cheerio and finding it's mouth, and on and on we could go. But in the wonder of it all, the simple fact is that Jesus loves me, and Jesus loves you.

Dear Father...I stand in awe of You and Your love for me even when I don't deserve any of Your consideration. It's such an honor to be one of Your children and I thank you for those benefits You daily load me down with. I love You and thank You for sending Your son to die for me that I might one day have the privilege of enjoying all of the wonders and marvels of Heaven. Amen

The Precious Hand of God

Nevertheless I am continually with thee:

thou hast held me by my right hand.

Psalm 73: 23

I'll never forget our first trip to the Smoky Mountains with little one, Jennie. She had outgrown the backpack carrier she used to ride in so now was either walking with her hand in her Dad's or riding on his shoulders at times. After about three days, we noticed Jennie was being resistant to letting her Dad hold her right hand. Finally, this dumb, first time mom asked to look at her hand. The back of her little hand had started to bruise. That little hand had been in her Dad's and at times for safety, Brian held her hand in a little tighter grip than he realized. He was upset about it because he had never intended hurt, but only her safety as we walked on those beautiful mountain trails.

I love that God holds us in the palm of His hand. I'm so grateful for his guiding hand, that hand that leads us along. There are times we are hand in hand with Him and don't even realize it. However He chooses, His hand is intended for our very best, our spiritual safety. It may seem at times that our hands are a little bruised as He holds us a little tighter trying to keep us from the evil of this world or from the steep precipices where we could so easily trip and fall over into danger.

If you are female, do you remember the first time a guy held your hand? By this I mean a guy who really “liked” you. You couldn't buy that tingle up your spine from any dime store. WOW!  Whoever he was has probably long come and gone but we are constantly holding hands with the God of the universe...our Heavenly Father. No fickle guy, this Heavenly Father of ours.  Unlike earthly fathers, our Heavenly Father constantly holds us in His hand. Scripture assures us of this wonderful ongoing practice.

He's holding my hand when:

Enemies threaten me: “My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.” Ps. 31:15

I need saved : “Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear.” Is. 59:1

In the good times: “Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.” Is. 49:17

But does our Heavenly Father ever withdraw His hand for a brief time? In the book of Job in chapter two, verse 10, Job makes a comment that would lead us to believe that God might withdraw His hand from us for a time. He says...”Should we accept only the good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” You see, sometimes God removes His hand and allows negative things to to happen to good people. Why would He do such a thing?

His long range eternal plans for my life may not line up with the short-range plans I have for myself that I might consider to be much more comfortable.

Just because God allows difficulties to come into our lives doesn't mean He has forsaken us. His promise that He will never leave us or forsake us is still as true from the Word of God as it has ever been. Even in the difficult times, there still is nothing that can touch you and me without His approval. He knows what we need in order to grow and be as fruitful as we can be.

In recent days, I must admit to feeling like my hand is a little bruised. In face I feel it spiritually and can definitely see it physically. After a very serious fall, plunging down 12 wooden steps, in the dark and head long into a cinder block wall, I must admit to you that I have never questioned God's presence. Some have already asked me, “Where was God?” I assure them that He was right there. It all could have been so much worse without Him. I know in the process that He has things for me to learn. In it all, there might be some folks who can also learn from my experience.

The slight bruising on Jennie's hand was very temporary but that hand holding kept her safe and near to her Dad. I am praying that my bruises will serve the same purpose.

Dear Father...I thank You for the intimacy I have with you that You and I hold hands, that You are that concerned for my well being in every way. Help me to not try to wrestle my hand from Yours and to learn and trust You as we walk together. I love holding Your hand and You holding mine. Amen

A Word to the Wise

If any of you lack wisdom, let

him ask of God, that giveth to all men

liberally, and upbraideth not; and it

shall be given him.

James 1:5

In my younger years, I often looked at people with gray hair and wrinkles viewing them as being very wise. Surely their long years of life contributed to their great knowledge. I think we look at people who have worked hard in the education arena, who have come out with a master's degree or even a PhD as being the wisest of men and women. However, the older I get, the more I recognize that people who are highly educated or who appear to be very intelligent, may have very little in the way of wisdom. We live in a day when wisdom is direly needed.

There is wisdom as the world sees wisdom that amounts to experience of life, general knowledge or even common horse sense. Doctors not only have great knowledge in their field but have an added discretion in how to apply that medical knowledge for patients and their various conditions. Just because a person is a teacher does not mean she has wisdom as God views wisdom. No one is elevated to the status of wise in our day like those who hold public office. I am constantly amazed as I see politicians interviewed on TV. Whether on the local, state or national level, many speak with great pomp as if wise beyond all others. They may have a certain level of the worlds knowledge but at times, I have to wonder even about that.

Some of the most intelligent people in the world would find their kind of wisdom in the following statements:

• Forgive a person only if they apologize to you.
• Love a person only if they love you.
• Take care of #1...self
• God won't send a good person to Hell
• Sometimes you have to do wrong in order to do right
• The older I get, the wiser I become
• Bad things just don't happen to good people
• Someone hurts me, I will hurt them back
• Wealthy people are the wisest, not people in need
  

 

All of the above can be refuted by looking up information from the Word of God. The world has it's own guidelines regarding wisdom.

The real, godly, spiritual wisdom you and I must be concerned about is the wisdom spoken of in Scripture. This wisdom is not based on the things and achievements of this earth. This wisdom is of God. It is the wisdom whereby we learn to appropriate knowledge and apply spiritual emphasis to that knowledge. In every area of our knowledge, we must apply the things of God. That's the only wisdom that counts. There is not an area of our lives exempt from the application of wisdom. Whether it is one's marriage, child rearing, career, serving God in various ways and even in more areas, wisdom is so necessary.

So how do you and I get this wisdom?

1. Spiritual wisdom is made available to the born again Christian. It is not available to an unsaved person. Proverbs 1:7 states: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” The unsaved person has no fear of the Lord, thus no wisdom as God would define wisdom.
2. Spiritual wisdom is extended to each Christian by and through the Holy Spirit. The majority of our wisdom comes from the Scriptures. It is the Holy Spirit Who teaches us and interprets for us the Word of God.
3. Placing God first place in one's life is a prerequisite for receiving God's wisdom.
4. Walking in obedience to God makes one wise.
5. Being a student of God's word makes a Christian wise.
6. Ask God for it. We don't just need wisdom for major decisions but we need it in the ordinary times of life, in all of the little things.
   

One of the great examples of one seeking wisdom was King Solomon. God spoke to him in a dream at the beginning of his reign and gave Solomon a choice. God told Solomon that he could have anything he wanted. Every time I read this story, I wonder if God came to me with the same offer, and really caught me off guard, how would I reply? Solomon's answer was a surprise I think even to the most casual reader. Solomon's answer was one word...wisdom.

One can almost feel God's enthusiasm and pleasure with Solomons answer. Solomon could have asked for long life, victory in battle, all the riches his heart could desire but asked for wisdom. Unfortunately in later years, Solomon didn't draw on that wisdom as he should and could have but God was pleased in those beginning days. He not only gave Solomon unlimited wisdom but added all of those other things that were probably Solomon's desire. In Solomon's latter years, he looked back as he wrote the book of Ecclesiastes regarding the folly of having anything he ever wanted. His life didn't go in the direction he had thought it would. Although bestowed with the greatest of wisdom, he certainly didn't make the best use of it. Having all those wives is a testimony to his not appropriating wisely the wisdom he had been given.

This wisdom we should desire is not something we use in showing others what great Christians we are. God's wisdom should be very humbling that we use “wisely” to be of benefit in our lives and the lives of others. It must be used in a way that brings honor and glory to the One who is all knowing, the Source of all wisdom.

Dear Father...keep me wise as I deal with the every day things of life. I want Your wisdom, not the wisdom the world has to offer. I also want Your wisdom so that You will receive all honor and glory. When You bless me with Your wisdom, may I use it as I ought. I thank You as well for Your love in my life. Amen

Fallow Ground

Sow to yourselves in righteousness,

reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground:

for it is time to seek the Lord, til he

come and rain righteousness upon you.

Hosea 10:12

I LOVE DIRT!! You would really believe that if you were to come into my house right now and see the dusting it needs. I don't consider the dust anything but sprinkles of blessing. That might be a bit of a stretch for an excuse but the best I can do right now. I do know someone who loved the soil in her yard more than any seasoned farmer I ever knew. That was my sister, Kay. She had the most beautiful mini-gardens and settings around her house. She could have taken an acre of weeds and turned them into a million bucks in beautiful natural decor. She told me that when she could get out in her garden, digging around, she just felt a real closeness to the Lord when diggin' around in the dirt. I used to tell her that she could grow grass on concrete. She could grow anything from almost nothing...me,...well, my plastic house plants die. I guess that's why I always admired Kay's horticultural talent.

This last Saturday I attended a ladies conference where the speaker spoke on dirt and gardening. She has a bit of acreage and she engages in farming on a rather small scale. We were reminded that the main meaning of Adam's name is “man of the ground.” Guess what that makes you and me? So for a bit, let's look at ourselves as being a plot of ground...dirt.

Fallow ground is something farmers are very acquainted with. This is a field that is usually left for a season without any planting done on it. It is hoped that plot of land with take the year to replenish itself during that time of rest. There may be times when fallow ground has been forced upon a farmer. When there has been a drought, the ground may dry up and even develop huge cracks in it. Under those circumstances, nothing grows on it. Either way, the plot of land sits and can even develop a hard surface that sometimes can have a bit of a shiny look to it.

I saw a field like this I've described and said to the farmer, “What you need is a real good downpour of rain.” He immediately corrected me. He said from experience that a heavy rain could wash away valuable top soil. The harden ground doesn't always accept such a deluge of rain all at once. As it was into October at the time, he suggested that what that land could use was a nice heavy but slow falling snow. That way he said, as the snow melted, it had plenty of time to slowly melt and sink into the ground.

To this point, what do we know about a fallow field?

• It is a field that was once productive.
• Given the right conditions, it can again be productive
• For the time being, it is no longer productive...perhaps even barren
• The ground may have a crusty surface with possible cracks of varying sizes
  

 

What does that field need to be productive?

• A desire to bring that field back to being productive
• Plowed up...weeds and stones removed
• Fertilizers applied if necessary
• Rain, rain, rain
  
•  

I have recently gone through a time of feeling spiritually dryer than I want to be. As I'm definitely kin to Adam, I know my make up and know the day will come when I will return to that original state...dust to dust. Meanwhile, I have the field of my life to tend to. I refuse to sit in a fallow state spiritually. So how do we begin to get back to being as productive spiritually speaking as we know God wants us to be.

1. We must recognize the problem and want to do something about it. The Holy Spirit so sweetly nudges us to bring us to this point.
2. We must also realize that spiritual growth comes from the Lord and from Him alone. Somehow we feel that spiritual growth is our responsibility. Yes, we must be ready, willing and able in our cooperation with Him. Every farmer realizes he can do only so much in crop production. He can plow and plant...tend the fields as much as he can but only God can send the rains that are necessary for a bountiful crop to grow.
3. On our part, there may be thorns, other weeds and stones that can hinder fruitfulness in our lives. Here's where we must be honest with ourselves about those things of sin in our lives that need to be removed. Some may be huge in size, weeds with very deep roots. God will strengthen and enable us to clear our own personal plot of dirt.
   (Remember that our only responsibility is to clean up our own acre and not pull the weeds or gather up the stones from someone else's plot.)
4. God may have to do a plow job in our lives to break up that hardened, fallow ground. You can't just throw seeds out on it because they won't take root. He may have to break up the hard shell of our complacency, laziness and even our disregard for spiritual things.
5. We must allow God to plant those things in us that He wants to grow in us. All we have to do is look at Galatians 5 to see the fruit of the Spirit, those things He wants to produce in us in abundance. The things of this world will only bear weeds in our lives that are all for nothing in the whole scheme of our spiritual walk.
6. God must do the watering. I love in John 4 where Jesus talks with the Samaritan woman. It's got to be one of my favorite Bible accounts. In this account Jesus speaks to this woman regarding living water, a spiritual water that will forever quench a persons thirst. That isn't just for the unsaved person to know that encourages her to be saved. You and I have access to that living, flowing water every day we live and breathe.

 

Doctors are always tell me that I need to drink more water. I have water all over the 

place and I don't mind drinking water. I just don't do it like I should. The water in my

faucet or bottled water I keep handy is all for nothing if I don't drink it. No one is going

to feed it to me. This living water that is spiritual in nature will keep me hydrated and

healthy spiritually speaking but I must drink of it.

As I write, we are coming off of the summer months. Most Christians tend to slide somewhat during that time. Perhaps our own spiritual dirt needs stirred, the unnecessary removed and our ground being sowed and productive again. I can see more and more why my sister loved the earth, the dirt dropping between her fingers, the planting process and the enjoyment of the beauty her plots of dirt produced. The best part of it all for her was feeling so close to God in the process. That should be the end result for us in the spiritual land clearing and planting we are called to do.

Dear Father...I long to be productive for You and even closer to You in the process. Do what You must to get me where You want me to be. I'm Yours to weed, plow, plant and water...dirt in Your hands. I love You and yield myself into Your loving and capable hands. Amen.

Cool, Clear Water

Let us draw near with a true heart

in full assurance of faith, having our

hearts sprinkled from an evil

conscience, and our bodies

washed with pure water.

Hebrews10:22

When in grade and middle school, my delight was getting to go to the “show” (that's what we called the movies) on Saturday afternoons. Most often, I liked going to the State Theater because on Saturdays, they were usually showing cowboy movies. I loved when there was a Roy Rogers movie. Most people think Roy started out in cowboy movies when in reality, he started out in California as a singer. He was more than talented playing a guitar as well as singing. Through some amount of time, Roy helped in the forming of a men's quartet that after some struggles came to be known as “The Sons of the Pioneers.” When Roy was in a movie, you pretty much knew those singers would be hanging around a corral or campfire singing. Probably their most popular song was “Tumbling Tumbleweeds” but my favorite was “Cool Water.” It was the first time I had heard a song about water, the need and longing for it even if it was a cowboy song.

We still need and long for it but we don't tend to think about water until we have a dire need for it. There are times we do this to ourselves spiritually. Many Christians don't take in God's spiritual water on a regular basis, thus comes a time when they find themselves in the throes of spiritual thirst which isn't a good place to be. They will drink and drink at those times and then often fall back into their old patterns. A steady diet of God's water is what will keep us spiritually hydrated and healthy.

Water is something we take for granted: we bathe in it, cook with it, brush our teeth with it, water our yards with it, wash our cars with it, swim in it, water ski on it, and wash our clothes with it. We can't forget that people get baptized IN it as well. There are so many uses for water that we can't list them all. One of my favorites these days is to sit by a mountain stream, just taking in the beauty of the water dancing and splashing over and around rocks.

Water was often used by God for judgment or punishment in Old Testament days. Noah's experience was one such instance of that. Noah and his family along with a menagerie of animals were saved, but no one or nothing else. Don't forget one of the plagues Pharaoh had to endure was with the waters of Egypt being turned into blood. The Israelites wandering in the wilderness found themselves without water and gave Moses a hard time about it. Thus the rock was struck and water poured forth for the people. God's people in captivity found themselves sitting by the waters of Babylon weeping as they remembered the homeland. Armies often cut off a city’s water supply and when that was accomplished, all the enemy had to do was sit and wait. Thirst would take over and people were quick to surrender.

It is important for us to remember that it is God who is in charge of our water supply be it physical water or spiritual. Scientists of various sorts have tried to come up with ways and means of coming up with water during times of drought. Years ago, it wasn't unusual to “seed” clouds by flying into clouds in small planes, dropping chemicals of every sort and shape to encourage clouds to give off even the lightest bit of rain. Most of those efforts went for nothing despite the desperation of those who had paid huge sums to have that process done. I'm so often amazed at the arrogance of scientists who feel they are in some way in charge of nature. It would seem to me that God has never had a problem in taking care of His earth no matter what damage man does to it. Physical water in whatever form it comes (rain, snow, sleet, hail, dew, etc.) is on God's to-do list, and not on anyone elses.

The thing I love about water in the Bible is that it so often refers to spiritual need, refreshment or salvation. One can read the following verses with a good glass of ice water in hand, splash around in God's Word and be renewed and refreshed.

We must have an all consuming desire and thirst to be in God's Word with consistency. I'm always blessed as I read about a very thirsty deer that isn't just thirsty. It is so thirsty, it is panting, can't wait to get to a stream to drink. Scripture indicates that our thirst for God should be the same as that deer that pants after water.

As the hart panteth after the water brooks.

So panteth my soul after thee, O God.

Psalm 42:1

At one time, we drew living water out of the well of salvation. Praise the Lord for that water that is available to all who seek God and the salvation He offers.

Behold God is my salvation; I will trust

and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH

is my strength and my song; he also is

become my salvation. Therefore

with joy shall ye draw water out of the

wells of salvation.

Isaiah 12:2-3

Oh that wonderful water that is permanently available to us, an ever running stream that never runs dry despite the fact that we at times run dry spiritually. That water is ever present to perk us up, refresh us and bring a renewal in our spiritual lives.

But whosoever drinketh of the water that

I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water

that I shall give him shall be in him a

well of water springing up unto

everlasting life.

John 4:14

I love this next verse. In fact it is the last verse in Scripture that speaks of water. It has attached to it a wonderful invitation. No matter how thirsty we become, the water of life is available without cost. The Spirit throws out His ongoing invitation.

And the Spirit and the bride say, Come.

And let him that heareth say, Come.

And let him that is athirst come.

And whosoever will, let him take

the water of life freely.

Revelation 21:17

Thank You Father for giving to us Your precious Son Jesus, the Source of our living water. May we not waste a single drop of Him but allow Him through Your Holy Spirit to continually drink in the water of life You have so lovingly provided for each of us. We love You. Amen

How Firm is Our Foundation???

For other foundation can

no man lay than that is laid,

which is Jesus Christ.

I Corinthians 3:11

Finally, after arriving here to what is now our home town, builders got started on the construction of our new house. We were living only a block from the building site which made it very handy for Brian to keep a check on the construction progress. However, on one particular morning, our phone rang. A lady who lived a short distance from where our house was being worked on, called with great concern. She said that there were large machines being used to dig what would be a crawl space under the house. She was a little alarmed because the workers had been digging unreasonably deep into the ground.

Brian jumped in the car and headed for the lot. Within a few minutes, he was back and wanted me to go with him to view the disaster. When we got there, I noted that they had practically dug out a full basement. I figured we could at least have one Olympic size swimming pool for a crawl space. When asked why they had done what they did, the reply was that they were trying to dig down to a firm area and still hadn't reached a solid table that they could consider a foundation for the house. Terrible mistakes had been made. They had not tested the soil before proceeding to even know what they were dealing with. We live a block from the river so the soil is very different than other places. The company had to make corrections. My concern was that if there was just a small area of that ground that could give way, the whole house could be affected. I knew if one little place gave way, the whole house could give way or be rendered unsafe for habitation.

Foundations are important. Foundations are important enough that Jesus chose to close His Sermon on the Mount with a very familiar story about building a house either on sand or on solid rock. He wasn't just talking about the how-to's of building houses. Jesus was speaking of spiritual foundations in people's lives. If you are like me, you learned a little song in Sunday school about the wise man and foolish man who each built a house but on different foundations. We know that the wise man built his house on rock while the foolish man built his on sand. Thus, when the storms came, one house fell while the other one stood firm.

There was a time when the foundation of our country was firmly in place. We've never been a perfect country, but most of us of any age beyond 50 recall a country with moral integrity and you didn't even have to be a Christian to know what America was all about. However, much of the character, morality and integrity of our country is eroding and eroding quickly. Did we ever think a president of our country would endorse the gay agenda including gay marriage? Fifty years ago, such a president would have been run out of the White House with no apology. That's just one example of where we are and the list could go on. Let me hasten to say, though, that a nation's foundation doesn't just slip and crack on it's own, nor does it happen overnight. It happens individual by individual and sadder yet, it happens Christian by Christian. We aren't the Christians we used to be either. We used to be a very vocal influence in our country. Now we've been cowed into corners and we're told to just sit and keep quiet because the “separation of church and state” requires that we do so. What is sad is that even Christians have fallen into the trap of believing that statement. No other key statement has done the damage to our country like that one and it isn't even true.

 

So where are you and I as far as our own personal foundations are concerned. What today are we standing on spiritually...sand or ROCK. I recently taught a Sunday school lesson entitled, “Back to Basics.” At first, my thought was that such a lesson would have to be the most boring thing to teach, but it turned out to be a very beneficial lesson. How often do you and I take stock of what we believe spiritually? I'm not talking about doubting ones salvation but just taking a good look at what we believe and why.

I know Christians who would consider the business they own to be their foundation of life. They might not want to admit it but it's what their overall attitude reveals. Just listen sometime to what friends talk about and you will quickly learn what is important to them. Some may speak of stocks and bonds, while others dote conversationally on their children. Many women talk ad nauseum about scrap booking and crafting. It's just interesting to listen to those things sometime. We are all guilty. There's nothing wrong with sharing interests but when was the last time, in the course of conversation, someone said, “Let's talk about Jesus.”  Where does He fit in our every day conversations and doings?

On the other hand, I know of folks who don't claim any relationship with Jesus Christ. Many do claim to be religious but base their religion on good works of all shapes and sizes. They seem to do and say all the right things, but it's all based on a faulty foundation. That foundation won't make it in life and definitely won't at the time of death. I repeat our opening verse:

For other foundation can no man

lay than that is laid, which is

Jesus Christ.

I Corinthians 3:11

Whatever else we stack on that foundation that is Jesus Christ, is basically good for nothing. He's strong and quite capable of holding us up, giving us sure spiritual footing. There's nothing we can add to it or subtract from it. Jesus is who and what He is...we can stand straight and firmly on Him. Any other foundation will crack, give way and be disastrous. Isn't it wonderful, in these days of so much insecurity that we can look to our sure foundation knowing that He not only supports us but wants to be in close relationship with us and on a personal level too. Along with this one on one relationship we enjoy, we all come together to make up His church. There have been times when we have been in a worship service and have sung a familiar hymn that is so appropriate:

The church's one foundation, is Jesus Christ her Lord;

She is His new creation, by Spirit and the Word;

From heaven He came and sought her, to be His holy bride,

With His own blood He bought her, and for her life He died.

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Thank You, dear Jesus for giving Yourself, shedding Your blood for me. I can't repay You but I can live my life to please You. I can also fully and lovingly be a part of Your church that You founded and that You still dearly love day by day, year by year. Thank You. In Jesus' dear name. Amen and Amen!

Zucchini Bread

Behold, how good and how pleasant

it is for brethren to dwell together

in unity.

Psalm 133:1

I remember the summer we planted a garden in our back yard. Our three children watched carefully for growth of veggies on a daily basis. Our green beans were doing well when we left on vacation. By the time we returned in a week, beans should have been ready for harvesting. We pulled up in our driveway at the back of the house only to see that someone(s) had pulled up all of our green bean plants. We were sooo disappointed. However, whoever had done the damage had left our zucchini plants alone. Zucchini was growing all over the place. We had zucchini practically coming out of our ears.

A dear friend had given me a wonderful recipe for zucchini bread. All I knew to do with our overload of zucchini was to get busy baking bread. We had a good food grinder so that was a blessing. We also had a freezer where we could stash the nut bread and that was a blessing as well. For several days, we breathed and slept zucchini bread. Our freezer was full of the individual loaves. I was thankful at Christmas for all of those loaves of zucchini bread because they made wonderful gifts.

As I looked at the recipe for this very special bread, I didn't understand why some things were included in the recipe. I must admit that through the years, I have tried leaving out one or two ingredients I thought wouldn't matter. Guess what?...the bread never tasted the same when I did that. It looks like a little spice here or there wouldn't matter but it did. To be successful in cooking my zucchini bread, I have had to consider every single ingredient important in the process. Sometimes, I tend to leave out or ignore what I consider might be an insignificant element. I have often done that in real life. I've been guilty of disregarding people if I didn't feel they mattered or fit in with whatever the cause, especially in the church family. We've all done that at one time or another even if it is hard to admit to it.

All we have to do is look at the church we attend, the Sunday school class we are members of, the choir we sing in and see how we view people. Let's be honest..some people just seem to be more important than others, kind of like the zucchini, flour, sugar or eggs in our recipe. Some may be no more than a bit of salt or allspice...surely we can do without them but we would be sadly mistaken. I've tried my recipe without both and let me tell you that even those small ingredients are necessary. The most important element in the bread is the zucchini but we all can't be the zucchini in our church. In fact, as important as flour is, there's only so much that can be added to the mix. All in all, every single ingredient, no matter how large or small is necessary for a good end result. The largest quantity ingredient in this baking wonder is 3 cups of zucchini. If I'm salt, I might wish I could contribute 3 cups of salt to the mixture but that wouldn't work, nor would 3 cups of cinnamon or 3 cups of baking powder. Whatever we are, God has placed us where we are to be in amount and strength as He has deemed best. We ingredients blend together in unity, each contributing to the end product for God's glory. God loves unity and wants it in our very large Christian family. A part of that happening means respecting the value of each person and respecting whatever their contribution is in this large family of God.

God loves when His people dwell in unity. A lot of our judgments come from our deciding who is worth keeping around and who isn't...who we could get along without and who can stay. We may get into disagreements with fellow church members because we value our own opinion over those of others, who may not seem worthy of having an opinion. Sounds cruel, I know, but there are some things in life that are very real. Unity doesn't come unless we face up to the facts of why unity doesn't exist.

We would be surprised all those who contribute to making our churches run smoothly. It may be some seemingly insignificant people who do the most for us and we don't realize it. I am in a small church right now. We don't have a paid staff to do things. There is a lady who cleans the building, a man comes early to unlock doors, someone sets up rooms for meetings, a dear lady is in charge of the kitchen when we have get-togethers and let me tell you, she runs a tight ship. Ushers “ush,” deacons “deek,” and greeters greet. Nursery workers watch children so that services can be orderly. If light bulbs go out, someone changes them. If there's ice on the steps, someone salts them down. I know a lady at my former church who wipes off the bathroom sink and fixtures before leaving a church bathroom. I would guess her to be in her 80's. I'm grateful for that courtesy. The list could go on and on. All are ingredients of this wonderful “unity bread” that is the end result of so many who do their part and do it joyfully.

Perhaps one of these days when at church, we ought to look around and notice all of the things that must be done by many who we may not know but who contribute to keeping things running smoothly for the benefit of us all. Maybe we need to forget petty differences and appreciate each and every member of our church family. Some may appear to not be doing anything to contribute to our church life, but we might be surprised. 

Unity is when we are functioning with loving spirits as a well-oiled machine. Every person in our church is important and needed. We need to drop the high-hat attitudes and love and appreciate each ingredient God has placed in the recipe of our church. We must also realize that the “glue” in this recipe is the Holy Spirit who indwells each believer. There can never be a true spirit of unity among Christians anywhere unless all are walking in tune with the Holy Spirit. This doesn't mean, however, that we will always agree on everything. That just wouldn't make sense but we can learn to offer our opinion, step back and do a lot of praying. We can make a determination to get along with others, respecting opinions, enveloping all in God's love.

Dear Father...I thank You for my church. I know it isn't a perfect place. If it was before I got there, it wouldn't be after I got there. Help me to be a loving church member, loving each member and recognizing the value of each person. May our churches be places of unity. That will only happen in Your power. I don't have to be the flour or eggs....I'll be that ½ tsp of salt, but I want to be the best ingredient You want me to be. In it all I pray that the end product of my church will be that of a strong witness and souls won for You. Amen

 

 

I hope you'll try this wonderful recipe for Zucchini Bread, remembering the importance of each ingredient as you blend them together.
                                                                                                                                

Preheat oven to 350

Grease & Flour 2 loaf pans

Mix together:

                                          3 eggs                                1 tsp nutmeg

                                          2 cups sugar                       1/2 tsp salt

                                          2 tsp baking soda               1 tsp cinnamon

                                          1 tsp baking powder           1 tsp allspice

                                          ½ tsp almond extract          1 cup salad oil

    

Add

3-1/2 cups flour

3 cups grated zucchini unpeeled

(Add these alternately)

Add:

1 cup raisins

1 cup nuts (pecans are best)

 

Pour into loaf pans and bake 1 hour, 15 minutes

Walking on Water

And He said, COME. And when Peter

was come down out of the ship, he

walked on the water, to go to Jesus

Matthew 14:29

I've heard people speak in admiration of a friend, family member or well-known celebrity, saying, “He's so great... I'm sure he can walk on water.” In making that remark, they usually aren't talking about Jesus. There are only two people I know of who have walked ON water...Jesus and Peter. Jesus walking on water has never surprised me...Peter walking on water is another thing. Have you ever tried walking ON water? I would sure like to know who you are if you did such a miraculous thing. I've waded in water, gone swimming in water, gone off of a diving board into water, bathed in water, skated on frozen water, but never have I walked ON it.

Peter was successful in doing what Jesus asked him to do if only for da few moments...a very few steps. All Jesus had to do was stand ON the water and ask Peter to come to Him. Peter only had three things to do in this process:

• Notice first that Peter had to get out of the ship. Something I had never paid attention to was that Peter had to “come down” out of the ship. This wasn't a row boat or a canoe like we often picture. Fishing boats were often pretty good sized vessels. This one was big enough that Peter had to get over the side of the ship and ease himself down to water level. Whatever moments this took, if this were me, I would be asking myself, “What in the world am I doing?” Verse 24 reveals some complications. The sea was tossed with waves and on top of that, the winds were contrary so this wasn't a calm sea situation. Peter lowered himself onto water with waves blown by wind gusts. Under those circumstances, it might be hard to even stand steady on the ship.
  

 

• Why did Peter do this in the first place? The invitation didn't come from a fellow disciple or family member. It was from Jesus, Peter's dearest friend in the world. He didn't seem to hesitate even though I'm sure his heart was skipping a few beats. Peter was well acquainted with ships, turbulent water and high winds. His life as a fisherman had exposed him to all of that. This was different because Someone called Peter who he had come to love and trust. Peter had witnessed Jesus' miracles. He knew by now that Jesus could do anything and in this case, all would be well.
  

 

• Peter no sooner let his feet touch the water and his hand let go of the ship but what he found himself taking steps on water that was as firm and steady as any road he had walked on with Jesus. In fact, straight ahead of Peter stood Jesus with his inviting smile and perhaps outstretched arms. Nothing to it...piece of cake. Peter began doing what no man had ever done. I can't imagine how thrilling that must have been. Also remember that Peter wasn't the only one in that ship. There were others taking all of this in. We have no idea what they were saying to Peter, but he appears for a time to be undeterred.
  
 

• Something happened and verse 30 tells us what it was:

But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was

afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying,

Lord, save me.

Peter took his eyes off of Jesus...he saw the winds stirring the sea. In fact we see that

the wind was boisterous. That word means that the wind was very loud. There

was a lot to grab Peter's attention. Whatever those things were, Peter's attention suffered a lapse. Before his attention was firmly fixed on Jesus, all of the circumstances around Peter caused him to forget the One who had invited him to come. RESULT: he no longer saw the One who could hold him up, could keep him walking on the water. He began to sink. A very loving Jesus extended a helping hand to Peter just as Peter cried out for help. Again, Peter wasn't new to the sea and it's storms. He probably knew of fishermen who had lost their lives in that very same sea. But Jesus took hold of Peter caught him and got Peter back to the boat, but not without a word of correction. Jesus said, “ O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” Oh my goodness, I would never want Jesus to have to say that to me, but I'm afraid He could for there have been times when I like Peter have lost focus and found myself sinking.

Back safely in the ship, the winds immediately calmed. In the boat, men were in the presence of Jesus, the controller of all weather events. I don't believe in these moments that this incident took a lot of time. No matter how brief, that was some object lesson for all who witnessed it. As they all came together on that ship, there broke out a worship service. It was a time of praise as they recognized the Son of God in their presence.

You and I may at times be called upon to accomplish what looks to be an impossible task. We know at that time that God has called us and in our enthusiasm we step right into whatever the task is. Sometimes, though, things get rough and are nothing like we thought they would be. The winds of adversity blow strong and we lose our mental or emotional footing. We end up disturbed, unhappy, maybe afraid of failure...all types of wind that can blow straight at us. I find it odd that so many of us Christians try everything to rescue ourselves, not thinking to call on Jesus for help first. Peter had no alternative plan...it was Jesus or drown.

I must admit that I am going through such a time. I know that those who pen books, blogs or whatever are never supposed to admit any kind of weakness but I find that on the dishonest side of life. All of us, no matter who or what our title, face difficult times. We all get to the end of our rope and when I get there, don't ask me to tie a knot in it and hold on. When at the end of my rope, I generally have no energy of any kind to do anything to help myself. I just get too weary.

Let me share some things I'm doing that I feel are helping:

1. I'm tracking my sleep schedule to see if I'm getting enough. Along with that part of things, I'm thinking about my diet as well and if I'm eating regularly.
2. I'm re-evaluating the task I felt called to because I never want to be doing what the Lord doesn't want me to do. At this point I know I'm doing what I'm called to.
3. My big point of evaluation is spiritual in nature. How much time am I spending in the Word of God? What about my prayer life? In both of those areas, am I backslidden? Without both, I will be weak and upset. My strength will be come from being in the Lord's presence. When in His presence, I am focused on Him. Even when I feel like I'm sinking, He stands ready to take hold of me and get me back to my “boat.”
   
 

Someone had a really good statement on FB and I must share it with you:

When you feel like you're drowning in life,

don't worry, your Lifeguard walks on water.

I just love that and hope to keep it in my memory. What a sweet assurance that is and just as Scriptural as can be.

So...........

Walk by faith

                         Keep walkin'

                                               Keep eyes on Jesus.

                                                                              

Dear Jesus,

When the storms of life are raging,

Stand by me.

When the storms of life are raging,

Stand by me.

When the world is tossing me

Like a ship upon the sea,

Thou who rulest wind and water,

Stand by me.

Amen

Are You Catchin'?

For I have given you an example,

that ye should do as I have done to you.

John 13:15

It's been years and years...way back to childhood since I was asked, “Are you catchin'?”

I was in first grade when someone came from city hall to nail a brightly colored sign to the wall beside our front door. I remember that I saw a big word on it that I couldn't read or even sound out. When the man came, I was on the front porch. Before coming on the porch he asked me to come into the yard and stand by my swing set. From there, I saw him nail the sign for all to read: QUARANTEENED. He didn't speak to my Mother or anyone...he just did it and then left. (I'd like to see anyone get by with that now.) After he left I went up on the porch, about to go into the house to tell my Mother what had happened. She was coming out of the house just as I was going to go in. She stood looking at the sign but made no comment about it. 

I asked my Mother what that sign meant. She said that if anytime I saw a sign like that on the front of someones house, I wasn't to go up to that house because it meant that someone in that house was “catchin'.” I asked her if someone in our house was catchin' and she said that it was me...chicken pox. I knew I had been out of school that day because of some itchy bumps on my skin and now knew I would be out of school for a few more days. The doctor said I could play in the yard if I felt okay but couldn't have any friends near to play with. I can remember seeing friends coming home from school while I was in the yard. Before I could say anything to them, someone would say “Glendarae's catchin' and we can't play with her.” I remember crying a lot that week.

When I went back to school, Miss Irene my first grade teacher took one look at me and asked, “Are you still catchin'?” I had a note from my mom that said the doctor gave permission for me to go back to school. For a few days, various people asked me if I was still catchin' and hated every time I heard it. When anyone would get a bad cold, one always spoke of “catching a cold.” I used to wonder how in the world one caught a cold.

In that day, when you caught something, it was an indication that whatever you had caught was contagious and no one else wanted to catch what you had caught. Still to this day, I tend to speak of catching a cold or catching a bug of some kind.

All that to say... how contagious are you and I spiritually speaking. Are we so strong in our faith that someone could nail a quarantined sign on the front of our houses, cautioning others that if they got around us, they might catch more of Jesus than they ever have in their lives? I would hope for us that our desire would be to spread as many spiritual germs around as possible.

I have been so blessed to have some of the most wonderful, godly women in my life. With all the times we have moved, I have known dear ladies all over the place. They each one have been contagious in such a way as to encourage me more for the Lord than I've ever been. You know the type of ladies I'm talking about. They are ladies of genuine humility who will never know until Heaven the spiritual impact they have had on my life. They are ladies you can sit for long periods of time talking about what the Lord is doing in her/your life. You walk away refreshed and ready to charge a sinful world with more of the things of God.

So what are some ways we can be more spiritually contagious? Perhaps we'll have cause to remember how others have affected us without knowing it. There's nothing wrong with some spiritual peer pressure. For instance...

In our day, one thing that shocks me are the Christians who go to church without a Bible. I'll never understand a couple bringing one Bible to share. Bible's ought to be very personal things. If we attend a church where bringing a Bible isn't a regular thing, we too will get to where it doesn't bother us if we forget ours every now and then. When the large majority of church members bring Bibles to church and Sunday school, we feel more like doing the same.

Church attendance...even there some spiritual contagion can be good. There have been times to be honest when I just didn't feel like going to church or Sunday school. My mind at those times quickly went to those faithful ladies I was privileged to see or sit by whenever we were together at church. There was an accountability thing there for me.

I think of participation in church services. With usually singing in a church choir, I've been in a position to view the congregation. One gets to know where people sit most of the time. There are those who participate in the singing and are engaged in the sermon that is preached. I will sing more when sitting around singers. I will pay better attention to a sermon if I'm sitting by note takers or those who don't whisper or write notes during that time. Then there are those who look like they were forced at gun point to come to church that day. I've noticed when I'm seated in the congregation, I generally participate as much as those I am sitting with. It's a “catchin'” thing.

Some folks don't bow their heads for prayer, taking advantage of that time to look around. How do I know?.....I've been one of them. It's not just a closing eyes thing, its a sensing of the spirit in the moment.

If a lady friend is physically contagious, I probably won't want to be around her for a time other than dropping off a casserole at her house. However, if she is spiritually contagious, I will want to be around her when we can get together. I want those lady friends in my life who are strong in the Lord, encouragers and yes, contagious. Beyond that, it should be my desire to be one of those ladies. This desire cannot be for prideful reasons. There are already too many spiritual super stars in most churches that intimidates more than encourages. Our spiritual contagion must be a natural thing that comes from us because of a living and vital relationship with the Lord Jesus. We will become that sweet aroma, that spiritually refreshing woman that draws others into their own close relationship with Jesus. We are called to be contagious for Christ.

*********************************************************

Dear Jesus...Help me to be a very active germ, a spiritual contagion that can start an epidemic in folks around me who want to live more for You than ever before. May this epidemic spread into my community and go from there. Help me to be the kind of example You set for me. I love you...Amen.