SPIRITUAL GPS

...My father, thou art the guide of my youth.
Jeremiah 3:4b

It's never been our fortune or misfortune to have a car with a GPS system. It isn't that I don't know much about one because I've been in the car with friends or family who do have one. I guess they serve their purpose, but have learned that GPS's could use a little more refining. I had one friend who got a new car and had trouble with the voice in her system...she couldn't get it to shut up. I was with another friend when she was told to make a left hand turn onto a one-way street...going the wrong way. We laughed at the time, but it could have really been a problem. For me, despite computer read outs and guidance systems in a car, just give me a good old road map or atlas containing route information in every state. I can remember the day when I could walk into any gas station and pick up a free road map. Those days are definitely a thing of the past.

However, we choose to get from one place to a distant place, we often need help unless we've made the same trip many times. My first trip alone to our Smoky Mountains was almost a nightmare. I was around 23 at the time and was pretty sure of where I was going. When in Tennessee, I decided to take some back roads to the mountains. I thought if I pointed my car east on a two-lane road that seemed to be going straight, that I'd get there. After all, my dad had often told me what a great sense of direction I had. After an hour of wandering, I pulled up to an old beat up gas station that had one pump. The pump looked age-wise like it could have been new in the 1940's, A middle-aged man was in a chair leaning against the front wall. He had his faded overalls on with a beat up straw hat on his head. As he approached my car (that was about out of gas at that point), I noticed he didn't have many teeth. I went through my “lostness” with him and he took pity. I didn't have an abundance of money and told him that. He let me pay half on the gas and let me know that I was a mighty long way from my destination. He got me going the right way.

Whether on a vacation or finding our way through a city to a new job, we need to arrive at our destination with some success. The same is even truer with the spiritual road we are traveling. We need God's guidance more than I think we realize. I like to think of this process as God's Pathway System. Where our car systems are handy and efficient most of the time, God's guidance will never fail. He knows every curve in the road, rural lane, expressway ramp, residential streets of our lives. There are no wrong turns with God. Our problem often is that with our turns and curves in life, we choose to go our own way and then wonder what happened. Jesus made a wonderful promise to His disciples in John 16:13a that is still in effect today. He said;

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come,
he will guide you into all truth...

We have no excuse if we find ourselves driving into the ditches of life, spiritually speaking. We have truth, straight from God's Word that will guide us into right living, right spiritual direction. When we find ourselves having gone off the road of truth, the blame cannot be put at the feet of Jesus. He's given us all we need from His world.

Not only do we have the assurance of God's guidance in our lives, but this guidance isn't intermittent...come and go. He promises us His guidance on a continual basis. One place this is found in Scripture is in Isaiah 58: 11:

And the Lord shall guide thee continually,
and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones:
and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a
spring of water, whose waters fail not.

When Scripture tells us something God WILL do, we can believe it and stake our lives on it. people pay high prices for special doctors and counselors to give them advice and guidance. Depending on the expert, they may or may not be available for appointments when someone needs their help. God doesn't keep office hours. He is available to us every moment of every day.

One of best of all assurances in this special GPS is found in Psalm 48:14

For this God is our God forever and ever:
He will be our guide even unto death.

In that verse, we have a life-time guarantee of God's guidance. There isn't an automobile manufacturing company in the world that can give us that kind of guarantee on their GPS systems. God, however, is in a position to be with us anytime, anywhere with His guidance available through the Holy Spirit directing us through our Owner's Manual, His Holy Word.

Remember though, when He gives us the way to go and we decide otherwise, we will find ourselves in more ditches of life than can be imagined. “He leadeth me, o blessed thought...by His own hand, He leadeth me.”

Dear Father, help me to be teachable and responsive to every step You want me to take. Thank You for loving me even when I choose to go my own way. I'm so grateful for the direction of Your sweet Holy Spirit. I love You and thank You for loving me....Amen

Open My Eyes

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit
of wisdom and revelation in the
knowledge of Him:
The eyes of your understanding being
enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope
of His calling, and what the riches of the glory
of his inheritance in the saints.
Ephesians 1:17,18

One of my girlfriends in junior high school got a pair of glasses. I went with her to pick them up and I suddenly fell in love...with glasses. I had never even had a pair of sun glasses that I can remember, but in that moment in that doctor's office, fell in love with glasses. I talked my Mother into letting me get my eyes examined, but was unhappy to learn my eyes were perfectly fine. That was my seventh grade year.

During my freshman year, I found I was really and truly having a problem seeing the chalk board (boy, is a piece of equipment lost in most of today's classrooms). I couldn't figure out the problem. I had long ago forgotten the eye doctor visit. After several weeks, I again mentioned it to my Mother and went for an eye check. My sight had really deteriorated in that two year period of time. It's just something that happens to folks of any age. From the day of receiving my new glasses to this day, I am a glasses wearer. I could have gone to contact lenses but just never have. I almost feel undressed if I don't have my glasses on.

Glasses serve any number of purposes. There are some occupations that require safety glasses to be worn. I have a pair of sunglasses prescribed by my eye doctor. Over the counter sunglasses are purchased by the thousands of people every day to block damaging sun rays. I have seen people of every age wearing glasses...even a two year old. Why? I don't know of a person living who wants to have problems seeing or who want to go blind.

There are diseases that attack eyes. I have macular degeneration in both eyes. I have monthly injections in my left eye to fend of the damage that can be done by that disease. There are other problems that can attack one's eyes and if it does, we want to do everything possible to to avert any eye damage.

I have to wonder how careful we are about our spiritual eye sight. If we are so careful to protect our physical eyesight, I have to wonder what measures we take in protecting our spiritual vision. Christians at one time or another may have “I” problems. These problems may come on slowly, hardly noticeable while some may come on us in quick fashion. Being a backslidden Christian isn't usually something that becomes a part of us overnight. It usually happens through spiritual negligence. In this condition, one's spiritual sight is dimmed. With this dimming can come a spiritual blindness to God's truth that is dangerous. So what are some things we can do keep our spiritual vision clear.

First and elementary, we have to keep our lenses clean. One thing I hate about glasses is how they can become dim from everyday use...dust, cooking, finger prints, etc. There are common ordinary things that can lessen our ability to see the things of God and they may be every day things...busyness, hobbies, jobs, children, etc. None of these things are necessarily wrong until they dim our spiritual vision.

Open my eyes, that I may see
Glimpses of truth You have for me;
Place in my hands the wonderful key
That shall unlock and set me free.
Clara H. Scott

Then we must set our sight deliberately on the things of God. This is something that just happens. In this area, we must set out to have spiritual vision. Spiritual growth isn't just going to happen. These summer months are among the most dangerous for Christians where anything spiritual is concerned. Vacations, uncomfortable weather conditions and anything else that is different in these summer months from the other nine. I hasten to add that for some Christians, some of these spiritual sight problems may be problematic all twelve months of the year

Along with distractions comes a laxity in personal spiritual routine. Bible reading may become almost non-existent along with praying on a regular basis. Church attendance may go by the wayside. It's through these things we keep our spiritual lens clean and clear. A part of this clearing of vision is protecting our sight. There are things we should determine we aren't going to look at or participate in. This is tough in a world full of temptation and evil. God has promised His power to we believers in facing those things Satan throws our way.

My prayer:

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Nought be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

In Jesus precious name...Amen

The Proverbial Heart

Let not your heart be troubled:
ye believe in God, believe also in Me.
John 14:1

In March I had to go to the Emergency Room because of a reaction to an antibiotic. This happened to me several years ago so knew what was done there in a brief time and was sent home. It just wasn't going to happen that way this time. I had an ER doctor, overly aggressive insisting I had been the victim of a heart attack and he was going to admit me to the hospital. To be honest, I was fit to be tied. I knew I was probably about ten miles away from having a heart attack. It was proved after three days and a heart catheterization that I had beautiful, not damaged heart arteries.

Despite that experience, nothing can diminish my interest in hearts, especially hearts I have found in the book of Proverbs. Much is said in that book about various conditions of our spiritual hearts that might do us well to look at...a kind of heart checkup that won't hurt any of us to review. Let's look at some of the heart conditions, spiritual in nature, that can afflict us if we aren't careful.

Heart That Rejects Reproof (Correction)

And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof. 5:12

We don't like to be corrected. Sometimes it's because of pride or can be because we are on the defensive. However, we learn from correction. It may come in a direct way, by learning from another person's example or through experience of trial and error. The heart of humility will accept reproof as coming from the Holy Spirit through another source.

Heavy Heart

Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad. 12:25

This is the person who is depressed or filled with anxiety. Very often it can be noticed that when one is “down” even their posture can be different. The answer is twofold. Dn't worry about something you CAN do something about...just do it. Then don't worry about anything you CAN'T do anything about. See Philippians 4:6

Indiscriminate Heart

The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness. 15:2

Even the word “heart” isn't mentioned in this verse, we know that our words come from the heart. This is the person who usually knows the latest gossip and might not hesitate to spread it around. This person is one of betrayal and hasn't learned the importance of discretion and knowing what and what not to say. All of us must remember that everyone has a “best friend.” Even an innocent slip of the tongue can cause great damage.

Proud Heart

An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin. 21:4

Most people struggle in this area and it often is recognized for what it is. The proud person is one who is unteachable. Many times, the prideful attitude can be seen in one's face or even in some bodily movements. Pride is that wall that is erected that keeps us from sweet fellowship with God. It's a wall we have to take down. It's not a wall God will tear down for us. Pride was evident in the children of Israel who murmured and complained against God. God brought judgment on them for such behavior. God hates pride. It will keep us from being all God wants us to be.

However, all is not lost. In Proverbs, we also receive some great encouragement

Keep thy heart with all diligence;
for out of it are the issues of life.
4:23

For as he thinketh in his heart,
so is he....
23:7a

The Bible is our EKG. It will reveal to us all areas of spiritual heart trouble. It also gives us good “how to” information in remedying any spiritual heart problems we may have. For our main solution in this area, Psalm 119:11 gives us some great advice:

Thy word have I hid in mine heart,
That I might now sin against thee.

God will never leave us without answers. He loves us down into the very heart of each of us. He desires us to be clean and pure of heart as we see in Psalm 24:3,4

Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord?
Or who shall stand in His holy place?
He that hath clean hands. And a pure heart;
who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity,
nor sworn deceitfully.

Dear Jesus, only because of what You did in dying for each of us can we ever hope to be pure of heart as you were. Holy Spirit, keep convicting and teaching us from Your Word, helping us stay on track. In the precious name of Jesus....Amen

MIRRORS

“Mirror, mirror on the wall...who is fairest of them all.” 
 

I believe this came from a fairy tale, but never did I see that in full bloom like I did on one particular day. It was the first day of junior high school. Former sixth grade girls came together from four and an out of town school came together for their first day of seventh grade. When I got there prior to the first class, I was shocked. It seemed that all of those girls had congregated in the bathroom that was a good size room. Over several sinks was one long mirror on the wall. Girls were pushing here and there to look in the mirror in order to put their last curl in place or to put makeup on they hadn't worn much of until that day. That mirror was of vital importance on that day and other days as well. That mirror became a real security item for vulnerable girls away from grade school for the first time who felt they were suddenly someone different than they had been at the end of sixth grade.

When trying on my wedding gown at the store for a final fitting, I stood for a time in front of a three way mirror. Then a lady took me to a door and told me to go inside. There I found myself in a very small area surrounded by mirrors. In that small area, no matter where I looked, I could see a different view of myself in my gown. If there had been any problem with that gown from the front, back or sides, it wouldn't have been hard to see it.

Mirrors are important to women and men alike. Mirrors show what we look like and what improvements we need to make in our appearances. There's nothing wrong with mirrors if they don't become an obsession. Mirrors come in all sizes and shapes. Some can be carried in a purse while some hang on a wall. There are mirrors that are floor length while others may hang in a home for decoration only. However, just about everyone who passes by a mirror will do a quick check of what they look like.

Along with the various kind of mirrors we can purchase and use for whatever purposes, we can find in Scripture something about a mirror. Even though Scripture may refer to mirrors as being a “glass” the purpose is still the same. Our spiritual mirror isn't meant to be a wall decoration. Our spiritual mirror also comes in various sizes and shapes. It is the entirety of the Word of God, our Bibles...that mirror can show us on any given day what we look like to our Father and what smudges of sin and self need to be removed.

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearer
only, deceiving your own selves
For if any be a hearer of the word, and not
a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural
face in a glass:
For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and
straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
James 1:22-24

Here we see the word “glass” that in Scripture refers to something that reflects. If it's a glass we look into, we will see our spiritual reflection. In the above verses we see a command to be doers of the word of God. We see if we are only hearers of the Word and not doers, we walk in disobedience. The Word of God is our mirror that gives us instruction in living for and serving God. The Word becomes our spiritual mirror that will reveal not just the things we are doing right but also convicts of those things we are doing wrong...sin. Some will see sin and just walk away from that precious mirror with no corrections. I can just about guarantee that not one of those junior high girls standing before that long mirror in that bathroom walked away with a hair out of place. We must be just as meticulous in looking into God's Word seeing what we look like spiritually. We must not walk away without responding to what our wonderful mirror shows us.

We have wonderful opportunities of beholding God in ways the world will never understand. It is a process by which we are miraculously changed to be like Him through the Holy Spirit.

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass
the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same
image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit
of the Lord.
2 Corinthians 3:18

James again tells us that our mirror is the perfect law of liberty. If we are doers and continue in God's will, we will be a blessed people.

But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty,
and continueth therein, he being not
forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this
man shall be blessed in his deed.
James 1:25

I don't know about you but I want God's blessing on my life. I have no excuse because I know the answer is my response to my spiritual mirror...the precious Word of God.

Father, I thank You for Your Word brought to us by Your Spirit. It's all about Your son Jesus and our being more like Him. As we look into Your mirror, may we be quick to comb away the sin and repent of those smudges of sin we see in our lives. In Jesus precious name...Amen

ALL OVER THE PLACE

Thou compassest my path and my
lying down, and art acquainted
with all my ways.
Thou has beset me behind and
before, and
laid thine hand upon me.
Psalm 139: 3,5

It was in college I read a book entitled “Your God is Too Small.” I can't tell you what an eye- opener that book was for me. I probably grew as much spiritually in college as I did in my previous years after my salvation at the age of 10. It was a very small book, but packed full of pointing out how big our God is and how we tend to keep Him in our own small boxes. I realized at that time I had a Sunday school view of God and His presence in my life. We'll never understand it all, but we are slack in putting into every day practice what we do know about Him and His all-encompassing presence.

As I write, Brian and I have been on the road visiting family. I find it isn't that often I think about the wonderful fact that God can be with me no matter where I am or where I go. It seems like such a simple concept in the theological view of things, but I am wondering if we know how blessed we are to have the watch care of our Heavenly Father every single place we go. Oh, we know as believers that the Holy Spirit dwells in us, but how often do we even give that fact a thought? It seems almost trivial to think God is with me when I go to the grocery store, run an errand, go out to lunch with a friend or when I go to get my hair fixed, but facts are facts.

I'm so grateful for God's continual presence when:

• visiting a friend in the hospital
• going to the doctor for my monthly eye injection
• comforting a friend going through a difficult time
• speaking with a young friend who is going through a difficult pregnancy
• our country seems to be bottoming out at times
• just sitting in my chair reading
• having a sandwich for lunch
• sitting in my favorite spot in the mountains
• concerned for my children and grandchildren.

It's hard to fathom how no matter where I go, God is not only with me, but already there at my destination. As I have left from where I was, He was there and remained there as well. He's above me and beneath me.

However, really thinking on those particular things also remind me of some things I might not want to think about. I love thinking about God's direction and protection in my life, but can it always be a good thing? Yes and no! What about when I:

• have a rotten attitude
• speak harshly to someone
• neglect spiritual responsibility
• share in spreading gossip
• fail to keep a promise
• show little respect for authority

You see, God is always present during those times as well. Such is just a fraction of the sin we commit toward our Heavenly Father often without even giving such a thought. If such things and others negative in nature are against God's wishes for us, then we call those things sin and He's as aware of those things as any good we do in His name.

Not long ago, our ladies Bible study worked on the topic of practicing the presence of God in our every day living. This doesn't mean just being aware of any good or sin God sees in us wherever we are. We have opportunities to not only be aware of His constant presence, but to put into practice doing everything for God's glory no matter how big or how menial.

I'm encouraging myself to be more aware that He is with me with His love and concern, and yes, with his guidance and direction. I also want to be more appreciative for how He views me in such a personal way....just as He does you. No matter the joy or heartache...the safety of life or peril, nothing can touch us without it first passing through the fingers of God. That's something I'm really trying to continue to learn, even if it takes some difficult times to teach me.

Thank You, Father, for Your loving care over us when we don't even realize You are present in every day life and events. May the thought encourage us to love and serve You with the greatest of love on our part and dedication to please You in every aspect of our lives. In Jesus' precious name....Amen

INTO THE WILDERNESS

And Jesus, being full of the Holy Ghost,
returned from Jordan, and was led by
the Spirit into the wilderness.
Luke 4:1

As much as I have read about any wilderness, I have no desire to spend a week's vacation in any I know about. I spent one summer in Arizona while in college where that summer, the temperature averaged at 118 degrees. I wasn't in the desert, but sure felt like I was. Just walking out the door, I could hardly catch my breath because of the heat. Loved the people I worked with but not the location.

Wilderness areas don't have much to offer to one choosing to wander though it. Many wilderness areas are dry, hot, sandy and very desert-like. Some wilderness areas are rocky and mountainous but also hot and dry and just as treacherous as a flat wilderness area.

In Scripture, we read of various wilderness areas. The Israelites, of course, had to traverse the wilderness in order to get to the Promised Land. Because of disobedience, their stay in the wilderness was extended in time beyond belief. Even though they started their journey with various types of provision, it didn't take long to go through the food and water they had gathered for the trip. However, God provided manna for them to eat. Manna was provided on a daily basis, gathering for the day's provision. They gathered double prior to the Sabbath. When water ran out, God provided that too from a rock. The people tired of the manna so God provided quail for them. No matter what He provided, the people were never happy for long.

I'm remembering how David and his men lived almost from hand to mouth as they too crossed through wilderness areas. On one occasion, they ate of the bread on the table of shewbread which was against the law but was allowed at that time. They were a hearty bunch of soldiers who needed food and water in abundance but it wasn't always available. The wilderness was not an enjoyable place for them to be.

Right up front in Jesus' ministry, Scripture tells us in the above verse some information regarding Jesus' upcoming wilderness experience. We read that He was filled with the Holy Spirit. That should come as no great surprise to any of us. We learn He was not only filled with the Spirit but was led by Him. This leading was going to take Jesus into the wilderness. Jesus was there forty days where He ate nothing. There waiting for Him was Satan where in that period of time, Jesus was tempted physically, mentally and spiritually by Satan. With each temptation, Jesus rebuked Satan with Scripture.

The best folks we can remember from the pages of Scripture who found themselves in any desert or wilderness can speak to us. I'm thinking of Moses spending years in the wilderness keeping sheep until God's call on his life.

Our wilderness experiences may not be in a certain desert-like location. I've had some wilderness times right in my own living room, in an office where I was employed, in a hospital bed and sometimes sitting in a church worship center. Some of my most difficult dry times were the few weeks after our family would make a move to another location, especially to a different state. You see, I had similar desert feelings as if I was sitting on a rock in the middle of the Sahara Desert. Thus, there are some things to be said for these wilderness wanderings we may experience and the reality of what we experience during those times that are very uncomfortable.

First is the physical effect on us during these dry, disturbing times. Satan tempted Jesus with bread. He knew Jesus hungered and this was the first area of his attack on Him. During our troubling times, we may not even feel like eating...appetite affected. Some may be tempted to over-indulge in food just to calm the spirit more than the stomach. Hopefully, we won't miss the point of our temporary wandering. Jesus said He is the Bread of Life. I may not feel like getting into the Word during this dry time but I must or Satan will be a winner. We need the strengthening of the Holy Spirit's teaching during these times.

Second, Satan approached Jesus with the offer of power and this of course, plays on a person's pride. Jesus refused this offer as well, coming back at Satan with more Scripture.

Lastly, Satan was probably working himself up to this third offer...that Jesus would just bow down and worship him. You see, if Jesus had yielded to this, the cross would have been out of the question. This was the big thing Satan was fighting against all along...the cross. Again, Jesus told him that there was only one person to be worshiped and that is God, the Father. This third attack was a spiritual one and it failed as miserably as the other two.

Satan approached Adam and Even in the same three ways. His tricks and temptations have not changed through the years. When you and I find ourselves in a desert time, whether God has led us there or we are there by our own doing, Satan is there, ready and waiting. He will attack with something physical in nature. He will play heavily on our emotions. When he feels we are already down, he likes to come in for the “kill”. When we may feel at our weakest, Satan will hit us spiritually causing us to question God's love, presence and even our salvation.

I've come to lear even though I tend to be a slow learner, that in my wilderness wanderings, God wants such a time with me, to get my attention, and to perhaps put a new calling on my life much like He did with Moses. I may not lead millions of people across a wilderness, but whatever His leading in my life, it's just as important. As often as I have done it, I have wasted so many of those times with feeling sorry for myself instead of sitting in anticipation of what God has to say. In those times, my desert can bloom because of how God brings forth His beauty in my life during those times.

Dear Jesus, thank You for Your example as to how we should deal with any of our desert wanderings that we all will go through at one time or another. Thank You that we don't have to sit in a helpless state, but can sit in anticipation of what You want to do in our lives. We love You and thank You for all You've done for us. In Your precious name....Amen

BLANK PAGES IN A BIBLE

But let it be the hidden man of the heart,
in that which is not corruptible, even the
ornament of a meek and quiet spirit,
which is in the sight of God of great price.
I Peter 3:4

A few weeks ago, a lady in my church asked if she could look in my Bible. I was only holding it at the time and had a few minutes to spare so handed it to her. Every Bible has some blank pages in the very beginning of the book itself and a few at the very end. Publishers I guess put those in there for note taking if someone would like to do that.

My friend found as she opened the cover that the blank pages in the front of my Bible have become a picture gallery of those people dearest in my life who I love and who I pray for on a regular basis. However, even on those pages and on those at the end of my Bible there are tidbits of sayings and “whatevers” that I have jotted down from time to time.
 

My friend is a regular reader of my weekly blog. She said she thought I should do a blog where I just list some of those things she herself had read. I'm going to take her suggestion and list some of those things hoping there will be a lesson in some of them for you and for me as well as I review them. Even the opening verse you see I wrote down a couple of years ago next to grand-daughter's picture and not sure as to the occasion. I do know that already, I see that meek and quiet spirit in her so maybe that was the reason at the time. So, here's a peek into some personal insights that have come mostly from the wisdom of others that I still enjoy every time I glance at them:

Let God be the Hero of your story.

Don't be a fan of Jesus.
Be a follower of Jesus.

The Spirit always has something to say
to those who listen.

Does God's truth excite me to this day?

Knowledge is knowing what to say.
Wisdom is knowing when to say it.

Greatly blessed
Highly favored
Imperfect, but forgiven
Child of God.
Song from Gaither Homecoming program

We struggle as did Paul with
unsatisfied hunger and unquenched thirst.
We also struggle with:
entitled self vs surrendered soul.

If you never stand for Jesus, you'll never be
held to a higher standard.

What's down in the well comes up in the bucket.

God is mighty big and we treat Him mighty small.

Wherever you are, be ALL there.

I want to slow down and taste life, give
thanks and see God.

What are they doin' in Heaven today?
“It's a beautiful place,” I've been told
Where peace and joy
And a friendly embrace,
Are waitin' to welcome you home.
What are they doin' in Heaven today.
…..Blue Bell Ice Cream TV Advertising song

Biblical revival is always Christ centered.

A Christian without a Bible is a naked Christian.

Courage is being scared to death but
saddling up anyway.
...on my John Wayne mug

Silent and listen are spelled with the same letters.

Thank You Father for the little snippets of inspiration you allow to drop into my heart that teach and bless me along the way. Thank You for those who have blessed me over and over with words of wisdom and encouragement. In Jesus precious name....Amen

CLING LIKE A PEACH PIT

Let love be without dissimulation. (hypocrisy)
Abhor that which is evil;
cleave to that which is good.
Romans 12:9

For years, I have loved fresh peaches. I love when they come in season so I can get that fresh peach taste in my mouth again. Canned peaches just don't do it for me. I like fresh peaches in cobbler, in sweet iced tea (a slice or two), in a dish of fresh fruit or just to eat with the juice running down my chin. There are two types of peach I've come to know....freestone and cling. When fully ripe, ready for cutting into, one finds the two types to be very different. A freestone is easy to cut into and the pit inside is easily released. However, with the ripest of cling peaches when cut, the stone actually clings to the fruit, resistant to let go.

A dictionary tells us there are two types of cleaving which are direct opposites in meaning. One definition tells us that cleaving means to cut or sever much like with a meat cleaver. Cleaving can also mean clinging or hanging onto something. Scripture uses the clinging meaning in some verses more than the severing meaning.

In Genesis, we read God's instruction concerning marriage that a man is to leave his own family and cleave to his wife. When I see that word in that context, I think of our recent visit to our son's home. On one occasion, our three year old grandson came up to Brian as he was walking toward the couch to be seated, and he grabbed hold of Brian's leg. Little children do that sort of thing to adults all the time. He had both arms wrapped as tightly around Brian's leg as his strength would allow. Brian walked some with him attached and then the moment was over. Married couples are to cling/cleave to each other for dear life.

Many of our “cleave” verses in Scripture can be found in the book of Deuteronomy. For instance:

Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God;
him shalt thou serve, and to him
shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.
10:20

For if ye shall diligently keep all these
commandments which I command you,
to do them, to love the Lord your God,
to walk in all his ways, and to cleave
unto Him;
11:22

That thou mayest love the Lord the God,
and that thou mayest obey his voice,
and that thou mayest cleave unto him:
for he is thy life, and the length of thy days.....
30:20 a,b

In the last two verses there is the phrase, “cleave unto Him.” I wonder with what intensity we cleave, cling to our Lord...to His will and ways we see so clearly in God's Word. As much as I love peaches, either freestone or cling, I appreciate that pit in the cling peach that just doesn't want to let go. Like that little boy clinging to his grandpa's leg, do I hang onto my loving Father like that or do I have a loose hold on Him depending on my mood of the moment.

Christians often say that the Bible isn't clear and hard to understand. In the above verses, I don't find it hard to see what is involved in the clinging to God process. In these verses I see we are to:

have a fear of God
serve Him
swear by His name
keep God's commands
love the Lord
walk in His ways
obey His voice

Many of those things overlap but they are things God charges us to do if we are to cleave to Him, clinging for all we're worth. Scripture tells us the result of all of this is that we will find that He is our life. I must ask myself, “Is Jesus my life...am I clinging/cleaving to Him for dear life.” The result will be the sweetest of experiences when we taste and see His goodness.

Father, thank You for how You draw me to Yourself through the wooing of Your Spirit. Forgive my slackness at times in my obedience to You. Help me to cling to You for dear life, for You are that important to me. In Jesus' precious name....Amen

THE SPIRITUAL MIND

Let this mind be in you, which
was also in Christ Jesus...
Philippians 2:5

In a recent Bible study, when we came to Philippians 2, we found ourselves in one of my favorite passages. The lead-in to the passage is our opening verse. If anyone really wants to know who Jesus was/is, that passage gives a wonderful list of some attributes of Jesus that would be worthy of us emulating. Such attributes cannot be a matter of pretense, but they must be incorporated into our lives through a sincere walk with the Lord that would be a worth while goal for any of us.

In the last twenty-five years, I heard of a former fellow social worker who was in a hospital on life support.. I learned there had been a tragic automobile accident. My friend was the dearest of Christians and a young mother. She had died almost instantly in the wreck. Her family agreed to organ donations although they never dreamed such a prospect would come so soon to any family member, let alone one so young. My friend was taken immediately to the hospital where she was put on life support that kept her body viable for the purpose of organ donating.

Should one have walked into my friend's room, the scene would have been surprising. Except for bandaging on the head of the patient, one would have thought my friend was just asleep. Of course, there were tubes and machines all over the place. Machines were breathing for her. The skin color of the patient was pink and healthy looking. It would seem as though my friend should be able to get up and walk. Minus machines and a bandage on the head, any patient under similar circumstances might look in many respects as if they were still alive.

In each case of this kind, it falls to the leading physician to speak with the family members, telling them that after much testing, they found there were no brain waves present in their loved one. Once brain waves are not found (and these measurements are precise) the victim of an accident is usually declared to be deceased. Denial generally sets in on heart broken family members and as they look at their loved one, it would seem there is life. That life appears real because of all the equipment keeping the body itself alive, physically speaking. You see, the mind is what and who we are. It is seated in the brain, yes, and the physical body functions because the brain/mind is working as it should.

What about our spiritual bodies? As Christians, we can put on such a front that other Christians think we are alive and well spiritually. After all, we appear to be doing all of the proper things that make us appear to be spiritually thriving. Perhaps we sing in the church choir, teach or attend a Sunday school class faithfully, pray good prayers before others, dress appropriately, and speak in pleasant tones. We may assure others of our prayers and carry a well-worn Bible. However, as good as things may look our being alive and well spiritually, we can fool folks. Inside of such ones, be they me, you or others, with all of the necessary “attachments” we may still be dead or near death spiritually, but no one can tell the depth of one's spiritual condition. I'm not speaking of a loss of salvation but of a loss of spiritual energy and even influence.

Putting on all the fronts of having a healthy and vibrant spiritual mind can take a lot of time and energy. Acting is time consuming and strength-sapping even if it does seem worth the effort to look good spiritually. Such pretenses have nothing to do with the mind of Christ. There wasn't a pretentious bone in the body of Christ. He was genuine, real with no effort of pretense to a sin fallen world. His only hook up was to His Heavenly Father, the same one who keeps you and me going, spiritually speaking. However, before a Holy God, we must approach Him in Spirit and truth. We may be able to make believe before others, but not before our all-knowing Father. We are to get eyes off of self and onto Him. To have a viable walk with our Lord means putting Him first, making Him the main focus of our lives. With that focus, we will do all in our power to be like Jesus with Holy Spirit power functioning in and through us.

I have asked myself in recent days, how much I want to have the mind of Christ. Am I willing to be a servant, to not strive for fame or all else Jesus was as He walked this same earth as I walk. To have His mind will be costly in that dying to self will never be comfortable. We are facing summer months when many take vacations even from the Lord. However, with the mind of Christ, we will keep going for Jesus no matter the time of year. You see, a big part of having the mind of Christ is consistency. Jesus died at Passover time, one of the most celebrated special times on the Jewish calendar. He could have said, “Not now...it's a “holiday”...but He didn't. He died a horrible death for you and me with no thought of personal timing. With His mind, we will be willing to die to self and to all else that would take our focus off of the One who paid it all for you and me

Dear Father, there is nothing about this Christian life I can manage on my own. I pray for Your power in my life not for the sake of pretense, but because I want a living, loving relationship with you. Thank You for all You have done in my life. In Jesus' precious name, Amen.

A TASTE FOR GOD

O taste and see that the Lord is good:
blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.
Psalm 34:8

When just a few months old, babies begin eating baby food, often the commercial kind purchased in grocery stores. Babies seem to really like the fruits which have some sweetness to the taste. There are some mixed foods like chicken and vegetables that seem to be palatable to most little ones. Then come the vegetables. Most perhaps are taken into the little mouths and swallowed with not much resistance. However, it's in this area that the funny faces begin to appear. Little heads may turn or little mouths twist in silent protest that what they are tasting isn't acceptable. I've always been surprised at some of the vegetables baby food companies encourage for the very young. Where a baby may wince at the taste of spinach, he may like spinach when older. What makes the difference?

This may sound elementary, but there is a lot in babies that aren't developed physically. We all know that, but don't think of some of the little integral parts that are important..I refer to taste buds. That's an area of development in the beginning stages. Some baby foods may not taste just right to a baby. Baby food companies have toned down certain foods that may be strong in tangy taste so they are aware that there must be some compensation for strong taste in foods to a little one. Where a baby may shun carrots or spinach at one year and under, they may develop a taste with maturity for those same vegetables in a few years.

Taste is something that is acquired. Generally we develop a taste for things through exposure. Frustrated parents wonder why a child of theirs dabbles in some things they do that brings them down or into serious trouble. It doesn't happen overnight. Generally a bad crowd is involved at school or even at church. With a teen's exposure to the wrong influences, a parent's worst nightmare begins. The exposure usually encourages more and more negative behavior and rebellion toward parents. Exposure of the wrong things in the lives of our children is common and of major concern and bad tastes culturally develop.

What about we adults? We don't just jump into the things of the world that affects our taste for the things of God. We are as easily drawn aside as any child by our exposure to those things that are not of God. I have spoken with women who little by little found themselves away from the Lord, no longer living for Him and wondering how it all happened. Our tastes are developed through exposure.

I wish you could have known my sister Kay. I admired just about everything she ever did, even from a young age. She always had good taste in clothes. She had a sense of style that I admired. I used to say that she could dress in a burlap bag and look good. She was pretty with hair in place, neat as a pin. She had a beautiful alto voice even from high school on and at the time of her Home-going was active in her church choir. She was a godly woman, loving the Word of God. She raised two godly daughters. My list could go on and on. In appearance, I was always a slob up against Kay. Even though I was the older sister, she was an influence on me more than she knew. I loved being “exposed” to her, a godly woman of great taste.

When we come across those who influence us with their class and good taste in so many ways, we are affected by them whether we know it or not. Inside, we want to adopt some of what they are into our own lives. We may want to look better, talk better, serve more, etc. This happens in us because of our exposure, that helps us in developing good,godly taste.

Taste is also at times experimental. I've heard of developing a taste for certain foods. The only way that can happen is if we actually taste the food in question. There are still foods I don't have a taste for and never will no matter how often I taste them. Taste is developed by exposure to whatever the food or drink may be. I hasten to say that the same is true of spiritual taste.

I don't know how often I heard in my life, “Come on, Glendarae, just taste this...try it, you'll like it.” When someone has to beg me that much, I figure the experience isn't going to be good. The purpose of tasting anything is with the hope we will like what we've tasted. All over our area, there are places where one can go into a store and take part in free wine tastings. Why would an establishment have such a thing? Those merchants are hoping with the tasting, a person will enjoy what they taste and will buy more of what was merely tasted.. Taste can take us in many directions.

Our opening Scripture verse encourages us to “taste and see that the Lord is good.” The thing with our tasting the Lord is that there is a trust that develops in us with this in-depth exposure to Him. This tasting and seeing the goodness of the Lord is not a one time thing. When tasting of Him with consistency, we will be drawn even more to Him. Acquiring a spiritual taste takes time and in that time, helps us love Jesus more. We hopefully will want more and more of who and what He is. Hopefully tasting of Him will create in us a deep hunger for God that will be on going.

My hope for each of us is that we will develop a deep taste for the things of God. Too often, I have settled for just snacking on the things of God. Snacking isn't healthy in most cases. It doesn't build the human body in healthy ways. Spiritual snacking doesn't build strong, spiritual bodies. May we enjoying feasting (and yes, tasting) on the things of God and come to develop a loving and ravenous appetite for our Lord.

Father, thank You for the privilege of eating from Your Word and drinking from Your fountain of life. Thank You for sending Jesus to make all of this possible. Thank You for loving me and giving me the privilege of being your child. In Jesus' precious name....Amen