KEEPING MEMORIES ALIVE

It's always hard when we lose a love one.  I remember when I lost my mother.  We lived in Ignacio, Colorado.  I had two small babies.  Lisa was six months old and Joshua was a little more than two.  It was my concern that my children would never really know who and what their grandmother was like.  It broke my heart that they would never be able to go to her house for the weekend and spend time with her.  Even though she was gone, she was still a very huge part of me.  I would always remember her, but I also wanted her to be a huge part of them.

We lived twelve hours from both our parents, brothers and sisters.  We wanted our children to know our families even though they were not with them; so I began a ritual.  Each day after breakfast was done we would read books together.  Josh was not quite one when we began to do this.  Each day after reading a book together we would get the picture album and I would flip the pages and tell him who all the people were.  He soon learned to talk and as I flipped the pages he would tell me who they were. 

Josh always loved it when he came to Aunt Kathy's picture.  He really didn't know that much about her but there was something about her picture that he liked.  I would tell him things about the people in the picture.  I would tell him what kind of dogs they had, if they had taken a trip, what their kid's names were and anything I could think of to tell him.

When we made the trip to Andrews and Seagraves, Texas where our families lived, I was pleasantly surprised.  When we walked into the house Joshua instantly knew the people in the room.  When we got to Andrews he found Kathy and told her what her name was.  He conversed with her as if he had known her forever.  I soon realized that those pictures and stories were the very thing that kept the memory of my family and Steve's family alive in my children's heart even though they lived twelve hours away. 

My children and grand babies are all in the Dallas area and I am blessed to have a daughter-in-law that keeps the memory of her grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins alive in her children's lives.  She will Skype or Facetime with us anytime we ask.  They have always made sure to keep the memories alive. 

The Lord knew what we needed to keep him alive in our hearts.  I have never seen God, never touched him, nor have I ever heard his audible voice; yet I know who God is.

How do I know who God is?  When I was just a small child, my mother and father would sit me in their lap and tell me about God.  When I visited my granny and pops, my grandmother sang songs about him and spoke of him as if he lived next door.  They would tell me all the wonderful things he has done for us.  As I grew older they continued to tell me about my creator and his love for his creation.  It is very easy for me to know who God is by the things I was taught.  Keeping the memory of the Lord alive for future generations is important.  This will help others know him even though they can't see or touch him.  They will still know that he is God.  He is our Father.

DEUTERONOMY 6: 5-13

 

And thou shalt love the LORD

thy God with all thine heart,

and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
And these words, which I command thee this day,

shall be in thine heart:
And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children,

 and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house,

 and when thou walkest by the way,

and when thou liest down,

and when thou risest up.
And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand,

and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house,

and on thy gates.
And it shall be, when the LORD thy God shall

have brought thee into the land which he sware

unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob,

to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not,
And houses full of all good things,

which thou filledst not, and wells digged,

which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees,

which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full;
Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out

of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him,

and shalt swear by his name.

CAN THEY REALLY DISPROVE GOD?

There have been people that have tried to prove there was no God. They will argue that we can't prove that he does exist, therefore it proves that he doesn't exist. One guy even said we can imagine anything in our minds and nobody can disprove it, such as believing in leprechauns.

Why is he trying so hard to disprove the existence of God anyway? What would cause him to be so bitter and angry at God that he doesn't even want to admit in his mind the Creator's very existence? You might say, "How do you know he is bitter and angry." As I read his writings I could almost feel the anger.

Has this person tried to prove that leprechauns do not exist? The answer is, no. He states very plainly that leprechauns are in fairy tales. He knows they do not exist so he doesn't have to try to prove it. He says that God is imaginary and doesn't exist. If he believes God is imaginary, leprechauns are imaginary and Cinderella turning into a pumpkin is imaginary, why did he choose God out of all of these so called imaginary characters to seek to disprove?

If they all are imaginary then leave them in the fairy tales and don't try to disprove them. The only reason he would try to prove God doesn't exist is there must be a twinge of something planted deep within his heart that says, "There is a God." Therefore he has to do everything within his power to disprove him.

This guy uses science to prove there is no God. How many people truly believe everything that science teaches? I must say we all know that science has it's fallacies, yet we are using that one thing to prove there is no God. How many science books over the centuries have become obsolete because they found out that the information inside of them was incorrect? The word "science" itself means "knowledge." If there is knowledge, there has to be a place that knowledge comes from.

There is no way that scientists can prove who holds gravity in place. If our earth were very much closer to the sun, we would burn up. If the earth were very much further from the sun, we would freeze to death. God knows exactly how to hold the earth into place. He created it and knows the most intricate details about it.

JOB 26:7

He stretcheth out the north over the empty place,

and hangeth the earth upon nothing.
 

In history, the books passed down from ages talk about the existence of deity. Every culture of the earth has stories of a higher power or powers. Many cultures have different stories about both the creation and the flood but the truth still remains; even though they spoke in different languages, the story was passed down.

One idea that men have perpetrated to prove God does not exist is the concept of a missing link. This is the idea that mankind evolved from apes. Yet, scientists know this doesn't all connect. That is why they call it the missing link.

May I ask you; when are we going to find this "missing link?" We constantly hear about this in science books but nobody can find it. They all want to prove there is no God, so they created a theory of evolution. May I submit to you what the missing link is that they do not understand?

The problem with modern men is they are looking for a missing link from ape to man when in reality, the link they are missing is man to God. But God has given us the knowledge to understand what that missing link is:

I Timothy 2:5-6

For there is one God,

and one mediator between God and men,

the man Christ Jesus;
Who gave himself a ransom for all,

to be testified in due time.

LEAVING A MESSAGE AFTER YOU ARE GONE

The impact on the lives you touch is probably beyond anything you can imagine.  There are many of our loved ones that have slipped from our hands into eternity.  I can't tell you how many times that years later I continue to hear their voices. 

Am I saying that I believe in ghost and I am actually hearing them speak?  No, what I am saying is, when I get ready to do a project or when family members get together the things those people said during their time on the earth come back into my memory.

My brother in law passed away last night and he will be missed so very deeply. He has left so many messages that will be stamped onto our hearts. His love for his family and Christ was never mistaken. He let everyone know how much he loved both of them.  He told his doctor one day when we were there, "You haven't attended my church and heard me preach yet."  His doctor replied, "Lynn I don't need to attend your church to hear you preach, your life has preached volumes to me."

The voice of my Grannie Creekmore is a deep love and affection for the Lord Jesus Christ. "Don't wait until it's too late to trust him or to serve him with your whole heart."  "It's only a heartbeat away."  These are the words she pressed upon our lives.

The voice of my MawMaw Poss is one of laughter.  She loved her children and grandchildren so dearly and loved nothing more than to laugh and enjoy them to the fullest extent.  Each time I think of her I can hear her laughter in my memories.  She taught me to laugh with my children, dance with my children, and to love my children to the utmost.

It seemed that after Steve's father passed away you could still hear his whistle and his yodel.  He had so many funny quotes and poems he used.  Many times when people are telling a story, those quotes or poems come back to my memory.

My mothers' greatest desire was that her children serve the Lord.  She pressed on her childrens' lives the need to tithe.  She also set a pattern in our lives of cleanliness and being the type of Godly person that others would desire to be around.

We have been left with a message from each persons' lives that has gone before us.  As Steve Green said in his song, "Find us Faithful,"  "and may the footprints that we leave lead us to believe."   It is important that we run this race for others not for ourselves. 

Let's leave a message for future generations; a legacy of love and footprints that lead others to the Lord Jesus Christ, is the best thing we can leave behind for future generations.

Hebrews 12:1

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about

with so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us lay aside every weight,

and the sin which doth so easily beset us,

and let us run with patience

the race that is set before us,

STORMS OF LIFE

Two great storms have pounded our country over the last several decades. In 1929 on October 29th the stock market crashed sending millions into panic.  On the same day this year hurricane Sandy hit the United States with great force. Both of these events leaves lasting effects in the lives of Americans for many year.

These storms can cause us to lose focus, to send us into panic or depression if we are the ones involved in the heart of these events. There are many people when storms in their lives hit, they don't know where to turn.

Storms can make us react in ways that even we ourselves are not prepared for. Hurricane Sandy has created extreme havoc in peoples' lives.  People are hurting; houses and businesses flooded and eight million people are without electricity.

How do we prepare for these types storms? God is the one that wrote history. Since he is the author of the book, he is the one that chooses what will happen. History is His-Story. We need to put our full trust in the Lord and know that whatever happens, he is still in control.

At 2:00 a.m. our family also experienced a huge storm. Steve's brother, Lynn Long who was a pastor in Tahoka, Texas passed away. He has battled cancer for 10 years. He is no longer suffering. He is now in the presence of the Almighty God, his Maker.  He was loved dearly by his wife, children, brothers and sisters. 

Will this storm affect our lives and the lives of his wife and children? Yes, but each of us knows that the Lord wrote the book of Lynn's life and nothing took the Lord by surprise. We must look to Jesus during the next few days, weeks and months and know that the Lord was the author and finisher of his faith. The Lord loves Lynn more than any of us could ever love him.

In Psalm forty-six it says, "Be still," and "know that I am God." This verse gives us two things to do. First of all we need to be still; many times during a storm, the hardest thing to do is to be still. Don't be causing higher waves by your instability. It's when we get still that we are more able to do the second part; know that I am God. He is God, and even if you feel he's not in control, he is. The thing we need to do is get our eyes fixed on him.

Jesus Christ will give you peace in the midst of your storm, if you but look to him, the author and finisher of your faith.

HEBREWS 12:2-3

Looking unto Jesus the author
and finisher of our faith;

who for the joy that was set
before him endured the cross,

despising the shame,
and is set down at the right hand
of the throne of God.
For consider him that endured
such contradiction of
sinners against himself,

lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

A VIRTUOUS WOMAN AND THE IMPACT SHE LEAVES

Do you have ladies in your life that you consider a Proverbs 31 woman? If you do not, it would be a great thing to look around and find one of these women. They will be such a blessing to your life and they will fill you with such treasures that you can bask in the memories for years.

When I was a teenager there was a woman in my life that I considered a Proverbs 31 woman. June Dozier took me under her wing and loved me. She never told me how to live my life but she was a perfect example of a Godly woman.

When we took our first church in Colorado, I was 17 years old and there was a woman in that church that mentored me in so many ways. During this time I lost my mother who had been a very special part of my life. Jeannie Faverino stepped in and was there for me. I know there were times that she put off her own needs in order to help me. She is a Godly teacher and I only wish I had half the ability that she has to teach. She is a woman that I will always hold a special place in my heart for. Overall Jeannie has impacted my life more than any one person.

Later in our ministry we lived in Post Texas. There was a lady in our church that was the perfect picture of peace. Dortha Jackson quietly led me into one of the greatest things in my life. At 5:15 a.m., Dortha and I would call each other on the phone and have prayer. I have had prayer partners in my life that prayed with me but none could compare to prayer time with her. It was prayer and earnestly going to the throne of God. These were times of intercessory prayer, prayers of praise and prayers for our lack of knowing how to serve the way we should.

We moved from Post but I have always cherished those prayer times on the phone that we had. There have been several times following those years that the memory of those prayer times brings me back to getting up at 5 a.m. to do my prayer time. Getting up at 5 a.m. isn't what brought me closer to the Lord. What brought me closer to the Lord is the way she taught me to pray.

It's not likely you will find a woman with all of these traits but you can find someone that will guide you in a mighty way in your walk with Christ. Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. I am thankful to the Lord for providing me with many examples of this virtuous woman during our ministry.

PROVERBS 31:10-29

Who can find a virtuous woman?

for her price is far above rubies.
The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her,

so that he shall have no need of spoil.
She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
She riseth also while it is yet night,

and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
She considereth a field, and buyeth it:

with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.
She perceiveth that her merchandise is good:

her candle goeth not out by night.
She layeth her hands to the spindle,

and her hands hold the distaff.
She stretcheth out her hand to the poor;

yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of the snow for her household:

for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
She maketh herself coverings of tapestry;

her clothing is silk and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates,

when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
She maketh fine linen, and selleth it;

and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
Strength and honour are her clothing;

and she shall rejoice in time to come.
She openeth her mouth with wisdom;

and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
She looketh well to the ways of her household,

and eateth not the bread of idleness.
Her children arise up, and call her blessed;

her husband also, and he praiseth her.
Many daughters have done virtuously,

but thou excellest them all.

Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain:

but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.

A BABY BIRD TEACHES ME TO DWELL UNDER THE SHADOW OF THE ALMIGHTY

Have you ever sit in a park or your yard and watched the birds up in the trees? They are very interesting to watch how the mother bird flies away and gathers straw, sticks, cotton balls, strings and anything else that she can find that will help her nest be soft for the eggs she will soon be laying.

Weeks may go by and you not even realize that she has laid the eggs or that their are baby bird's inside the nest. The mother bird may be out hunting for worms to feed her babies when all of a sudden one of the baby birds decide that he is tired of that little area. He decides he wants to see the world. He wobbles up onto his feet, walks to the edge of the nest. Then out of nowhere the song starts playing, "I believe I can fly." No, there is no music but he really does think that he's ready to try his wings.

Off he goes and down he goes. "Wow, this is much more difficult than I thought it would be." "Not only that, I'm cold, and away from mom's protection." Cold and confused he has to sit and wait for the mother bird to return to the nest.

Soon the mother bird returns to the nest to find one of her babies are gone. Panic almost sits in and then she hers the chirp in the distance. Off she goes to get her baby before a predator comes along and takes it away.

Do you ever remember being like this baby bird. Thinking you are ready to try your wings and ready to give it your all? There was no fear. You knew within yourself anything was possible.

We see this happen often in the ministry. Sometimes the Lord allows us to try our wings knowing that we are going to fall to the ground. He knows we are not grounded enough in the word of God but he also knows that when we stand up and try, that we are going to learn some valuable lessons. The chapter shown below is beautifully written and gives me great hope that when I try and fail that he is going to be there with me.

Does he say he will be with everyone that tries and fails? No, he will be with those that abide under the shadow of the Almighty. What a blessed place to dwell.

PSALM 91

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide

under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress:

my God; in him will I trust.
Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler,

and from the noisome pestilence.
He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings

shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night;

nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness;

nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand;

but it shall not come nigh thee.
Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and

see the reward of the wicked.
Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge,

even the most High, thy habitation;
There shall no evil befall thee,

neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
For he shall give his angels charge over thee,

to keep thee in all thy ways.
They shall bear thee up in their hands,

lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion

and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.
Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him:

I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.
He shall call upon me, and I will answer him:

I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.
With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.
.

THE WORD OF GOD, MY LIFE BUOY

There are times we can go through life for long periods of time and feel everything is going wonderful. Then one day we look around and wonder how we ended up where we are. We are able to look back and see that indeed we have wandered too far in the wrong direction.

We don't intently set out to wander away from the Lord's presence.  But many of you are like myself and find one day that you have drifted. Many times we get caught up with our jobs, our families and our friends to the point that we don't realize we are drifting away. It is such a slow process sometimes that it catches us off guard.

I remember a song that my children learned at a very young age. God's love is like a circle, a circle big and round, for when you see a circle no ending can be found.......... We see that God's love is eternal. It never ends and if you find that you have wandered too far from the Father, look around for your life buoy, the word of God, and ask the Lord to draw you back to himself. He is waiting earnestly for you to return.

One reason we don't need to drift away from the Lord is Satan is lying in wait. He delights in seeing God's children fall into his evil traps.

I Peter 5:8

Be sober, be vigilant;

because your adversary the devil,

as a roaring lion, walketh about,

seeking whom he may devour:

 

 

Once we have drifted and recognize it, we need to reach for the life buoy, the word of God. In the scripture below we see that the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous. Our response should be to set our eyes on the Lord. If we are trying to get back to the Father, we shouldn't fix our eyes on anything else. Taking our eyes off the Lord for a moment causes us once again to drift away. 

 

 

If you are willing to fix your eyes on the Lord, he will guide you through the roughest storms of life. Jesus said, "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.  I have found in my writing that if I focus on anything except for him, things get distorted.  If I keep my eyes on the Lord and he is guiding me, then the words that come out on the blogs will be things from his heart.  The word of God, our life buoy is essential for our survival.

 

 

II CHRONICLES 16:16-17

The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous,

and his ears are open unto their cry.
The face of the LORD is against them that do evil,

to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth,

and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart;

and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

WHAT DO YOU PICK UP WHEN YOU'RE OUT IN THE WORLD?

Behind our house is a field covered in cactus, tumble weeds and stickers of several kinds.  As I was out searching for grasshoppers there were things that found me, before I found the grasshopper.  I searched for twenty minutes only to catch one grasshopper for the praying mantis that I have in a cage, in order to use as an object lesson on Sunday.

What I noticed during my search was that my life was being affected by the objects all around me.  When I finished and entered the back door of our house I was carrying more than a grasshopper.  My sneakers had accumulated nine stickers.  My pants leg had tumble weed splinters stuck to them and there were a couple cockle burs clinging to me.

I was expecting to come in the house with one object but had accumulated lots of unwanted items in the process.  These nuisances brought pain when I tried to remove them but I knew it's better to remove them now then to leave them and be wounded worse by them later on unexpectedly.

When we enter our world each day the same thing is going to happen in our spiritual life.  We may be searching the internet for something Godly and instead a pop up shows up in front of our face.  This pop up might be one that provokes ungodliness.  We have the choice to sit and leave it or remove it.  The choice to leave it may be one that brings deep sorrow and wounds later on down the line. The best thing to do is destroy it. 

Romans 12:9 

 

Abhor that which is evil;

cleave to that which is good.

There are other things that tend to latch themselves onto us.  Foul language is something we are hearing more and more of.  Sometimes when we hear these words, we tend to use it ourselves later.  It surprises at the amount of parents that latch on to worst language and use it in front of their small children.  Futhermore, they smack the child if they ever us the word. 

Be careful when you go out into the world.  Make sure you aren't bringing things back into your home that will bring pain, confusion and suffering. 

EPHESIANS 4:29-32

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth,

but that which is good to the use of edifying,

that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God,

whereby ye are sealed

unto the day of redemption.
Let all bitterness,

and wrath, and anger,

and clamour,

 and evil speaking,

be put away from you,

with all malice:
And be ye kind one to another,

tenderhearted, forgiving one another,

even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

"FEED MY SHEEP"

We lived in Ignacio Colorado during the early years of our ministry.  There was a couple in our church that my children loved and adored.  Glenn and Jeannie Faverino took me under their wing and it didn't take long before my children believed they were their grandparents. 

When Josh was three years old he followed Glenn around everywhere he was given the opportunity.  We spent quite a bit of time on their ranch in Allison.  Steve and Josh would go outside with Glenn and feed the horses, while Jeannie and I prepared the meals.  We were unaware that Josh was watching intently every move Glenn made. 

Josh soon gained a love for horses that was manifest on a daily basis.  He owned his very own horse and had an area in his backyard sectioned off, so his horse couldn't escape. Josh made sure his plastic bouncing horse was well taken care of each day. 

Each morning after breakfast. Josh would inform me that he was headed out to feed the horse.  He would gather his pail, fill it with sand and carry it over to the horse.  He would stand there for quite some time making sure his horse had been given plenty to eat. 

This became a daily ritual that Josh performed.  After making sure his horse had been fed and well taken care of, he then would go for a ride.  Josh learned the need to take care of his horse by watching Glenn.  We never had to show him how to carry this task out.  He learned it by seeing it demonstrated. 

In John chapter 21 we see, this was this third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after his crucifixion.  The Lord knew he was fixing to ascend to His Father. He wanted to make sure his children would be taken care of.  He wanted to be sure that Peter and the deciples had been watching him intently and knew what to do once he ascended to the father.

When I had children at home and I was planning on leaving I wanted to make sure my children were in good hands.  Not just the hands of a person who would sit in the house and be available, but someone that would intently watch them.  I wanted to be sure they would take care of all their needs; needs for protection, for food, bathing, and then placed into bed with care. 

The Lord, at this point is making sure that Peter will not only feed his sheep but he is probing into the depths of Peter's heart.  He is wanting to see if Peter is willing to do everything needed for his children's safety and maturity during his absence.  He didn't only probe Peter to see how well he would feed his sheep.  He also probed to see if Peter was willing to care for his lambs. 

The Lord is fixing to hand over the Keys to the Kingdom to Peter.  He is expecting Peter to keep the gospel alive and to pass it on to others.  It wasn't just for one generation of sheep but for many generations to come. 

We see each time Jesus asked Peter this question, there was more depth.  He probed him to the point that it frustrated Peter.  But when it was all said and done, the Lord know Peter was the one to recieve the Keys to the Kingdom.  He knew the depths of his love.

How much do you love Him?  The Lord may be asking you at this point, "__________, will you feed my sheep?"  What will be your response? 

There have been many faithful witnesses that have gone before us.  Let us learn from the footprints they left behind how to take care of the Lord's sheep.

JOHN 21:14

This is now the third time that Jesus

shewed himself to his disciples,

after that he was risen from the dead.
So when they had dined,

Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon,

son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?

He saith unto him, Yea, Lord;

thou knowest that I love thee.

He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
He saith to him again the second time,

Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?

He saith unto him, Yea, Lord;

thou knowest that I love thee.

 He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
 He saith unto him the third time,

Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?

Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time,

Lovest thou me? And he said unto him,

Lord, thou knowest all things;

 thou knowest that I love thee.

Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

CARRY HIS LIGHT

As a child I remember going to my grandmothers house in Alabama.  If someone asked where she lived, we would say, "The Holler."  It seemed like it took forever to get down into that old holler.  There always seemed to be some wide open space in the fields until you turned down Mary Davis Holler Road, the last road that led to Maw Maw Poss' house.  On this road the trees engulfed the road making it extremely dark at night, but enchanting during the daytime. 

If it was daytime when we arrived, the six of us children, loved to visit the hill behind Maw Maw's house.  We used to think this hill was the tallest one in all the area.  As we go back and visit now, we are amazed to see how small the hill actually is. 

If it was night time when we arrived I remember the excitement of catching fire flies. We lived in Texas where there were no firefies thus making it wondrous fun to visit the holler.  These little critters were numerous back in the woods.  We would chase them and put them into jars.  I know this was cruel but we smeared the bottom half of the firefly onto our clothing so they would glow in the dark.

These fireflies are becoming extinct.  There may come a day when their light is no longer able to be seen.  This reminds me of a quote from Ronald Regan, ""Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children what it was once like in the United States where men were free."

The freedom in the United States gives you the privilege of sharing your light with the world. You now have the freedom to share the gospel with any and everyone you choose.   Are you doing everything possible to keep our freedom?  People shed their blood so that we could be free.  Are you willing to let them die for no cause or will you take a stand with them and help America protect its freedom.

Jesus Christ has done the same for us.  His blood was shed so that you and I might live.  Was his blood shed in vain?  Was the price he paid for you just going to be thrown away, disregarded or ignored?  He holds the key.  All you have to do is except it and then you can walk in freedom.

"We the People" need to stand for our freedom in America so that we will be able to carry the light to the next generation.  We need to make sure this is not the generation that drops the baton.  The generation following ours needs to hear the saving gospel of Jesus Christ.  Are you willing to run the race and make sure they get that opportunity?

JOHN 8:32 

And ye shall know the truth,

and the truth shall make you free.

ROMANS 6:18 

Being then made free from sin,

ye became the servants of righteousness.

 

GALATIONS 5:1

Stand fast therefore in the liberty

wherewith Christ hath made us free,

and be not entangled again

with the yoke of bondage.

A PENCIL SHOWS THE NEED TO BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT

Writing on my blog has become my passion.  It has become such a part of me that I am now dreaming about writing.  I tried one day not to write at all, just take a day off.  It just didn't happen.  I had gone four hours into the day and a topic was on my mind to the point it was going to drive me crazy if I didn't stop and put it onto paper. 

I dreamed last night that I was a pencil.  Seriously, it is quite funny.  I dreamed that it was time to write and there was no lead inside of me.  This was very frustrating to me that I was uable to write what I was wanting to.  I was unable to accomplish my task due to my neglect to refill the pencil.

Have you ever picked up a pencil and started to write only to find out that there was no lead inside. Someone had failed to refill the compartment, leaving you with nothing to write with. It is impossible to complete your project until you get up, search the drawers, find the lead and place it into the cylinder of the pencil. Once the cylinder holds the lead, you will be able to start writing.

Our lives are much like this lead pencil. If we decide to be used of God and we haven't been filled with him, nothing will come out.  You may become frustrated, but the truth is, you never search for nor opened the cylinder, your life, and allowed your Father to fill it.

Until you realize that your life is empty, you probably will not realize the need to be filled.  Don't wait until it's time to be used to find out that you haven't let the Father fill you with the Holy Spirit. 

You may be like the pencil and you have given yourself to the Lord.  You can truly be saved but not filled with the Holy Spirit.  Have you allowed your vessel to sit there and not be filled? 

How many times do we do this very thing?  The Lord is waiting to fill your vessel.  He may be waiting for you to get up, look for his indwelling, and ask him to place his word into your life so that you can be filled.  In doing so, you will be able to be used of him.

Whatever I allow my pencil to be filled with is what will come out when I begin to write.  Therefore, if I don't want a mess and I want my words to be precise and able to be read by others, it is vital that I feel that pencil with lead.

"Filled," means to put an item into the vessel to the point it is fixing to run over if you put more.  As we see in the verse below there needs to be nothing else in the vessel, only him. 

EPHESIANS 5:18

 

And be not drunk with wine,

wherein is excess;

but be filled with the Spirit;
Speaking to yourselves in psalms

and hymns and spiritual songs,

singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Giving thanks always for all things unto God

and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

ACORNS SHOW THE IMPORTANCE OF SOWING MUCH SEED

Yesterday I was outside sweeping the sidewalk.  We have several oak trees in our yard.  As I was sweeping I was astonished at how many acorns there were.  They had fallen into our yard, driveway and even over into our neighbors driveway. 

These acorns falling have produced about a hundred little oak trees sprouting up in our yard.  There are so many sprouts that the grass has decided not to grow in that spot any longer. 

As I continued to sweep I realized that there weren't hundreds of acorns that fell to the ground and produced hundreds of oak tree sprouts.  There were thousands of acorns that fell from the tree that produced a hundred oak tree sprouts. 

Jesus tells us, "we are to bring forth much fruit."  You might be like me and ask, "How can this be done when I live in such a rural area?" Another question you may ask is, "How can you use me with my talents and abilities being so limited?"

First we need to know what the seed is and if it's able to produce fruit.  In Luke 8:11 the scripture says, "The seed is the Word of God."  I don't know about your bible but mine is full of scripture or should I say, "seed." So our next question is, "Why are you not scattering the seed?"

You may find yourself in the same spot as I did four years ago.  When we moved to this town, I told the Lord he has brought me 20 miles the other side of the earth to a place that seemed impossible for me to carry out his calling on my life.  I remember one day praying and telling the Lord that I was tired of living in small places and producing small fruit.  I specifically said out loud to my Father,  "It's about time you produce much fruit in and through me and I don't see how you are going to do it in Kermit, Texas."

What a statement.  The scripture says in Matthew 13; That the mustard seed is the least: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.  The Lord can use little old me, in little old Kermit to spread his seed, if I but pick the seed up and start sharing it. 

The ministry where we live now has been the greatest ministry we have had in the 32 years we have served.  We have given out more bibles, used the blog as a way to minister, and seen more people saved in Kermit than anywhere else.  Why have we seen this take place?  Was it because I became frustrated?  No, the only reason we have seen fruit in this ministry is there has been many seeds planted.

As with the acorns in my front yard, there were thousands that fell, but only a hundred reached fertile soil?  This is a perfect example that we need to be about our fathers business of scatting the seed, his word, to the lost world.

Pray and ask the Lord how that he can use you. He has used me in ways that I never expected since I shared my heart with him. What is he waiting to do in your life, if you but trust him?   He only ask you to scatter the seed; let him do the rest.

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is quick, and powerful,

and sharper than any twoedged sword,

piercing even to the dividing

asunder of soul and spirit,

and of the joints and marrow,

and is a discerner of the thoughts

and intents of the heart.

K'NEX USED TO SHOW TEAM PLAY

This last week we had a group of boys that have had a difficult time getting along with each other at school and at church.  Needing some good games to help them learn to get along with each other,  I began to search the Internet. 

Before leaving the house I organized all the items needed to play the games I had studied out on my computer.  Walking into my garage, before entering my vehicle my eye caught the box of K'NEX that sat on a shelf. These K'NEX used to belong to my boys during their younger years.  I'm not sure what possessed me to pick the box up but I quickly tossed it into the back seat.

Upon beginning the class it didn't take long to realize that the wonderful games I had pulled off the Internet was not going to be the key I was looking for.  These boys needed something different..  I love it when the Lord does this.  I plan a lesson out and he shows up and takes over. 

Instead of following through with my plans I had to trust the Lord that he knew best.  I placed the boys about two feet apart.  Boy #1 received all wheels.  Boy #2 received all five inch sticks, Boy #3 received all clips.  Boy #4 received all one inch sticks. 

Each boy was asked to take his own items and build something.  As you can see, this was impossible.  They soon became frustrated and this was my golden opportunity.  Suddenly they realized that by themselves they were nothing. 

The main rule of the game was to communicate with the other boys.  They had to say the boys name and then ask for a piece of equipment that was in their possession.  They were not allowed to receive the object unless they specifically said the boys name and the other boy gave them permission. 

Before leaving the church last night these four boys had constructed a car.  They were laughing and enjoying each other instead of being verbally and physically attacking one another.

Is this what our Father wants us to learn to do as fellow Christians?  We are able to accomplish so much more when we work together.  When we treat others with kindness the Psalmist said it is like precious ointment upon the head. 

There are times we don't even know why we are not getting along.  We just get in the habit and are not willing to take the time to say the person's name and communicate with them. 

Go ahead and try pouring some of the precious ointment on those that seem to be your enemy.  You never know what the Lord will do when you start working together.  It is through us working together that we are able to reach more for Christ. 

PSALM 133

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is

for brethren to dwell together in unity!
It is like the precious ointment upon the head,

that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard:

that went down to the skirts of his garments;
As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that

 descended upon the mountains of Zion:

for there the LORD commanded the blessing,

even life for evermore.

GOD'S CREATION SHOWS OUR NEED FOR NEW GROWTH

Do you ever wake up sometimes and feel there is something in your life that needs to be removed?  This is something we all go through.  There are things we allow into our lives that drag us down.  The question is, "Are you going to allow it to stay or will you get rid of it?"

 

Have you ever noticed a praying mantis.  The instinct in these little critters are amazing.  Their instinct tells them that in order to grow there is something they will have to do.  They will have to put off the old in order for new things to take place in their lives.

 

Did you know the praying mantis is the only insect that can turn his head?  He isn't like the rest of the insects.  We need to realize that we are not like the rest of the world.  We have the ability to turn our heads and make sure our eyes are set on the things of the Lord.

 

Mankind was not created with instinct but with intelligence.  It would do us good to learn from God's creation and his word, the things we need to do in our own lives.  Paul tells us in Ephesians that we need to put off the former things in our lives.  The only way to put on the new and move forward in our Christian lives is to put off the old.

 

Putting off the old is something the praying mantis does this repeatedly during his lifetime.  His instinct lets him know when it's time to grow.  If the old skin didn't come off, he would be locked into the same stage of life forever.  The top skin must die in order for new growth to manifest itself. 

The Lord has given us his Holy Spirit for the same reason. He gently will speak to your heart and let you know when it's time to grow. He will urge you to get rid of the old things that are keeping you from that growth. Are you willing to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit?   If not, you will not experience the growth you are needing in your Christian walk.
 

Have you ever noticed that the praying mantis folds his hands close to his head almost looking as if he is praying.  How often does your friends and family members see you in this posture?  Spiritual growth comes with time spent with the Lord..  It comes by us allowing the Holy Spirit to manifest to our hearts the things we need to put off. 

 

 

EPHESIANS 4:21-32

 

If so be that ye have heard him,

and have been taught by him,

 as the truth is in Jesus:
That ye put off concerning the former

conversation the old man,

which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
And that ye put on the new man,

which after God is created in

righteousness and true holiness.
Wherefore putting away lying,

speak every man truth with his neighbour:

for we are members one of another.
Be ye angry, and sin not:

let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
Neiher give place to the devil.
Let him that stole steal no more:

but rather let him labour,

working with his hands the thing which is good,

 that he may have to give to him that needeth.
Let no corrupt communication

proceed out of your mouth,

but that which is good to the use of edifying,

that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God,

whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour,

 and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
And be ye kind one to another,

 tenderhearted, forgiving one another,

 even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

ARE YOU COMBINING THE RIGHT INGREDIENTS?

Did you know that yeast is alive? Living organisms need food. Even though this ingredient is alive, it will do nothing until the correct ingredient is added to it. You can add flour, water and yeast together, cook it, and your product will come out flat. This is called unleavened. You can add salt to the mixture and you will get the same result. The one ingredient that makes a change in the appearance of yeast is sugar.

If you take the same ingredients and add sugar, instantly a change begins to take place. The process of fermentation begins. You can watch before your very eyes, the mixture start to grow. Within a couple hours, the mixture will double.

How many times have we had faith and no results? In our Christian lives we may be doing the same thing. We may be combining the wrong ingredients and yet expecting the Lord to give us increase. If you want to see your Christian walk rise to new heights be sure to mix the right ingredients.

You might say, "What ingredients are you talking about?" We are saved by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ but what is the one ingredient that shows the world we are saved. It is when they see something active in our lives that they know we are serving a living Savior and not one that is dead. In order for others to see our faith, they must see our works.

Belief isn't enough. The devils believe but they don't reach out and take the gift, nor do they put the gift to action.

Belief is trust that Evil Knievel can jump the Grand Canyon. Faith is climbing onto the bike with him. You are showing action when you climb on the bike yourself.

The Lord is looking for the right ingredients in your life. Have you been living a "life of belief" or a "life of faith?" Let's start mixing the right ingredients and see what the Lord does in our lives.

Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? (James 2:17-20)

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained we should walk in them. (Ephesians 4:8-9)

Read Hebrews Chapter 11 to see people who made it into the "Hall of Faith." You will notice each of these individuals did something during their lives that caused them to be chosen for the "Hall of Faith." You will notice, they all didn't do the same thing. They all did the thing the Lord asked them to do. What is the one thing the Lord is asking you to do so that others will see your faith?

DIVING BOARDS SHOW US OUR NEED TO GO DEEPER

Have you ever watched the swimming competion on television or attended a swim meet?   Every professional pool I've ever seen has a diving board. 

If you want to go deeper, there is certain equipment that you are going to need.  A spring board enables you to rise higher and then plunge into deeper depths.  Do you ever feel the need to rise above your problems?  Now, you have that opportunity! So what's holding you back?  Let's dive in and explore the treasures from beneath. 

Hope can be a spring board.  I have found this to be true in my own life.  If there is no hope, I will not desire to dive in.  If my future looks bleak, with no excitement, I'm not as likely to use this springboard to help me plunge deeper.  It can be right in front of me but if I don't use it, it will never change my view.

Once the springboard of hope is put to use, you will rise above your problems and be on your way to diving into the truth.  When you enter these waters, life will begin to take on a new dimension.  Diving into the truth will help you reach the Father's heart, and see the depths of his wondrous power in your life.

Read Psalm chapter 146 and 147 for the full understanding of what hope in the Lord can do in the lives of those that choose to use this springboard.

Psalm 146:5-10

Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help,
whose hope is in the LORD his God:
which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is:
which keepeth truth for ever:
Which executeth judgment for the oppressed:
which giveth food to the hungry.
The LORD looseth the prisoners:
The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the LORD
raiseth them that are bowed down:
the LORD loveth the righteous:
The LORD preserveth the strangers;
he relieveth the fatherless and widow:
but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.
The LORD shall reign for ever,
even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations.
Praise ye the LORD.

IF YOU BELIEVE IN FAIRY TALES

My aunt and uncle from Alabama spent a week in good old West Texas with us a few weeks back.  They live where the hills are numerous and the trees engulf the roadways.  Just the memory of my family back home brings a sweet aroma to my spirit. 

A short trip to the Guadalupe mountains after touring the Carlsbad caverns is always good for the soul.  I find new truths about God's glorious creation with every visit.  Without exception, this is where my heart longs to stay, in the mountains. 

We had spent the whole day looking at stalactites and stalagmites, the mountain, trees and cactus'.  The sun began to set and time stopped for a moment.  Questions began to run through my mind.  How does the sun remember to shine each night?  How does gravity hold it into place?  What makes it so magnificent.

Have you read how scientist say the sun was formed?  If you believe in fairly tales, than I can understand why you would believe their statement.  This was not by chance that our universe spun into perfect order. 

As my uncle Glenn bowed his head and prayed at the dinner table on afternoon, I was reminded of a simple truth about our creator. Three words into his prayer and he said it all.  As he bowed his head in prayer, he prayed to our Eternal Father.  This means he prayed to someone who was, and is, and is to come.  He prayed to someone greater than the sun, moon and stars.  Greater than anything we viewed in Carlsbad or in the mountains.  He prayed to the very one that created all of those marvelous things we drove to see.  He prayed to the one that created us and put breath into our very being. 

The glory of our God is beyond any West Texas sunset we could ever see. His power is more than our infinite minds can fathom. He is mighty enough to hold the whole universe in his hand. He is the one that provided his son to be the Living Water for our souls.

Our Eternal Father was here before the world was formed.  Have you heard the term, "Name it and Claim it?'  Well my friend, he named it and claimed it.  There was no one else around to claim it.  It was him and him alone.  This universe belongs to him and he holds the copyright. There will be those that come along and try to disprove his handiwork.  There will be those that claim the copyright belongs to someone else.  It was recorded in the bible so that everyone could see that he holds the copyright on this universe and we rest on his everlasing arms. 

Dueteronomy 33:26-27

There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun,

who rideth upon the heaven in thy help,

and in his excellency on the sky.
The eternal God is thy refuge,

and underneath are the everlasting arms........

 

 

A FRIENDSHIP THAT IS OUT OF THIS WORLD

What is true friendship?  This is a topic that I have pondered on for many years.  Watch people on facebook and you will understand that friendships are not always easy.  There are people that beg for a deep friendship and after they get it, it is destroyed, by none other than themselves.

Do you have those that want to be your best friend?  The instant that I move into a new town, there is always someone that wants to be my best friend.  I am always honored by this gesture but usually decline due to it becoming a stumbling block in the ministry.

Many friendships are so close that others are shut out.  I have found it's not easy for me to have open arms to our whole congregation and also have a best friend.  The Lord has shown me that the need to have open arms should surpass the need for a deep friendship. 

I love nothing more than to kick my shoes off and have a blast with others.  To some, this may be surprising.  To others, you might say, "I thought this is the way you are all the time."  Emily, I really am a serious person sometimes. Emily is my niece, who probably thinks I don't have a serious bone in my body.  When her and I get together you never know what is going to happen.

My husband, children, and sisters are very dear to me, but I should never allow them to take the place of my friendship with Christ.  They can listen to my problems, but only Jesus Christ can heal the pain.  I should never put that kind of pressure on others.  That would be called, "Dumping".

Jesus tells us to cast our cares on him, for he cares for us. Does that mean I should never share with my family or friends?  No, we all need others to talk to.  What we don't need to do is expect for them to fix our problems.  We also need to understand that they are humans and may say something wrong or tell others something we said in confidence.  Your confidential information is only safe in Christ hands, the perfect friend. 

If we do as the following scripture says our joy will be full, we will not have a void in our lives that a friend needs to fill.  Have you ever noticed that the Lord has shared everything with you?  He has not held back anything in his friendship.  There are no secret compartments.  You are allowed to know the height and depth of the Lord.  He is asking you in this verse to learn of him, his love and to also share it with others.  The Lord is wanting to use you, but can only do so it you have a true friendship with him.

JOHN 15: 11-17

These things have I spoken unto you,

that my joy might remain in you,

and that your joy might be full.
This is my commandment,

That ye love one another,

as I have loved you.
Greater love hath no man than this,

that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Ye are my friends,

if ye do whatsoever I command you.

Henceforth I call you not servants;

for the servant knoweth not

what his lord doeth:

 

but I have called you friends;

for all things that I have

 heard of my Father

I have made known unto you.

Ye have not chosen me,

but I have chosen you,

and ordained you, that ye should go

and bring forth fruit,

and that your fruit should remain:

 that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father

in my name, he may give it you.
These things I command you,

that ye love one another.

DON'T EVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF PRAYER

One of the first ladies tea's that I spoke at was held at Calvary Baptist Church in Andrews, Texas.  I was living in Burkburnett Texas at the time.  Ladies ministry was the farest thing from my mind. 

My baby sister, Kay Rowe lived in Andrews and attended Calvary Baptist Church.  She was to organize a ladies tea that would be held at her church.  The Lord had been dealing with my heart for months about the twenty-seventh Psalm.  Verse four of this chapter had been my life verse, but the Lord was showing me how that the whole twenty-seventh Psalm would be my life chapter. 

Kay called me one evening and asked if I would be the host speaker at the ladies tea.  My response, was a quick, "no!"  I had never spoken in front of people and I was not planning on starting to do so.  Fear beyond anything you can imagine crept through my body, at the very thought.

Kay sit quietly for a moment, then she asked, "If God wanted you to speak to the ladies, what would you speak on?"  She set me up and I had no idea until later.  I took a deep breath and said, "If, I was to speak, it would be on the twenty-seventh Psalm."  Knowing all the time, the Lord would never ask me to do such a thing. 

Kay told me the date she had the ladies meeting scheduled for and ask me to pray about it.  I could see that it was easy to get out of this event, as at the very time, I was to be helping the Baptist Student Minister in Wichita Falls with an event. 

Do you think that stopped my sister?  No, because she had prayed with a group of ladies and they felt I was the one that should come.  She gently said, "Why don't you ask your director if there is any way you can be excused."  I knew I couldn't be excused, so it was no sweat off my back.

The next day, I entered into my bosses office and asked him the big question.  I had promised my sister, the night before, that if my director allowed me to be out of town and help with his event, that I would know it was of the Lord and would definitely speak.  After popping the question and feeling confident of what his response would be, my boss informed me that the event had been called off due to unforeseen issues.  "No! this could not be happening."

This really disturbed me, but I called Kay and let her know I would surely be there and be her guest speaker. Little did I know that the Lord was wrapping his arms around that whole event and was going to do a great thing through it. 

While speaking on Psalm twenty-seven, a lady that was attending began to cry.  The more I spoke the harder she wept.  As soon as the meeting dismissed this lady searched me out.  She had a bracelet in her hand.  As she placed it into my hands, she shared her prayer. 

She had prayed for many years for a young lady that was at her house working on the day this little girls mother shot herself.  She had kept track of this young lady for many years, without this child knowing.  She had prayed for her often that she would grow to be a Godly woman.  After years pasted, the girl married, moved to Houston and she had lost track of her.  The lady standing beside me had continued to pray for her.  She had began to ask the Lord to open the door where she could once again find this girl and see if God had answered her prayers for the young lady 

As I was speaking, she realized that her secret sister, Kay Rowe was the very lady she had been praying to find.  She put my testimony together and knowing that Kay was my sister, she realized why the Lord had put on their hearts to have me come speak.  Her prayers for the child had been answered. 

This was the beginning of seeing how that God could use my obedience to him to help others.  My topic wasn't one that would blow anyone away.  It was not one full of laughter.  The words I spoke that day were from my heart and the Lord used them in a mighty way, not only in this ladies life, but also in my life.  He showed me that day the power of obedience.

As I write this article, I have the bracelet laying beside me.  O! I marvel at the wonder of my God!

MATTHEW 7:7

Ask, and it shall be given you;

seek, and ye shall find; knock,

and it shall be opened unto you:

MORINGA OLIEFERA - A TREE TO BETTER LIVING

There is much study being done on the Moringa Oliefera tree.  This tree has been growing in Afrcia and some other regions of the world for centuries.  To the people in some area's it was just a tree.  In other area's this tree is known to be special for some reason but the people of the area have no idea why.  In a small village near Kenya, the tree stands with a plaque on it, but no one in the area knows the reason why. 

I was doing a study of Moses months ago and happened upon this tree in my research about the time our son was to travel to Kenya, with World Vision.  Since that time I have been curious as to why it's not being used.  Last week I found out that the Discovery Channel is beginning to put out videos on the Moringa Oliefera tree.  An individual in Kenya where our son traveled, is now looking for the tree and information on it.  

The Lord has shown me recently that it is He, who opens the door to our knowledge.  He says in Matthew 7:7

Ask, and it shall be given you;

seek, and ye shall find; knock,

and it shall be opened unto you:
 

It isn't surprising to me that the Lord has used Church World Services in this study to help the African people with their great health needs.  This tree has helped children with malnutrition, and numerous other deficiencies.  This tree purifies water.  It is full of vitamins and is very nutritious.  All this time, diseases have ran rapid in these area due to the polluted water, when all along there was a tree right there that could purify it. 

Is not all mankind the same?  We don't understand why they didn't discover this tree sooner, when in fact there are as many truths right under our feet, that we walk by everyday and never see. 

INTELLIGENCE OR MOTIVATION?

Which would you rather have, intelligence or motivation?  Intelligence can only take you as far, as your motivation does.  Motivation can take you all the way.  If you have the motivation to achieve, link up with people that have wisdom.  In doing this, you will be able to achieve great things.

I have seen many people in my lifetime that held within themselves, the intelligence to be a millionaire, yet they never reached for the stars.  It's not that they didn't want to be a millionaire, but it's that they had a lack of motivation.  There are a lot of intelligent people that spend all their time watching television or playing computer games.  It is hard for me to understand people who possess the gift of intelligence and allow it to just sit on a shelf.

This is one area I have always lacked in.  Learning was never something that came easy to me.  Motivation on the other hand, is something I was blessed with.  There were times in my life that I was told I couldn't walk and chew gum at the same time.  I was never introduced as being the smart one.  Although, in the workforce, I seem to be the one they chose because I have the motivation to complete the job, not because I had the intelligence to do it. 

There are many people in life, that if you conducted a survey, the survey would say that they would never really achieve anything.  Susan Boyles was laughed at publicly for the world to see.  Everyone thought her to be a looser.  Her motivation to show up, walk out on the stage, perform for the world is the very thing that made her famous. 

Motivation is the feet to becoming what God wants us to be.  He has a plan for our lives.  He created us to praise him and to serve him.  We will never find out what he desires our lives to be, if we don't show motivation.  The Lord doesn't just walk in and do everything for us, he wants us to walk with him, to learn together what his will is for our lives. 

Jeremiah 33:3

Call unto me, and I will answer thee,

and shew thee great and mighty things,

which thou knowest not.
 

Notice the first two words in the scripture below.  Those two words show action.  If you do not have the motivation to get up and "put on", you will never have the motivation to stand against the wiles of the devil.  You can be smart enough to do it but if you don't have the motivation, you will lose the battle.   Take some time and read Ephesians chapter six and write down all the action verbs.  Pray that the Lord gives us the motivation to take action, so we will be able to stand with boldness and speak the word of God.

Ephesians 6:11

Put on the whole armour of God,

that ye may be able to stand

against the wiles of the devil.

YOU WILL ONLY GO AS DEEP AS YOUR ROOTS

Have you ever noticed the difference in trees?  I remember when we lived in Tennessee and Alabama, when I was a child, the trees grew very large there.  They engulfed the highways and covered the landscaping.  Their beauty was breath taking.

When I was ten years of age, my father paid me to memorize Psalm chapter one.  This chapter comes to mind often, as it has many riches stored within it.  In verse three of this Psalm it says, 

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water,

that bringeth forth his fruit in his season;

his leaf also shall not wither;

and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
 

You will only go as deep as your roots!  The root system is what makes a tree great.  If a tree has a shallow root system, when the storms come, the tree may be uprooted.  Trees with shallow root systems have to be watered more often, and they have a hard time surviving during a drought.  These things cause the tree to be more susceptible to disease.  

 

The Lord tells us where we need to be planted; beside the rivers of water.  Jesus, being the Living Water, we should get as close to him as possible.  There are many ways that we can do this.  We can receive watering for our spirit and soul; by attending church, bible studies or studying the word of God for yourself.  Our souls are also watered by listening to praise and worship music, or other music that gives us the word of God.

 

Colossians 2:6-7

 

 As ye have therefore received
Christ Jesus the Lord,

so walk ye in him:
Rooted and built up in him,

and established in the faith.....
 

If you are desiring to be deeply rooted in the Lord, you will never do so unless you spend time with him.  What is keeping you from doing this?  We all want to gain strength but many of us are not willing to go through what it takes to achieve that.  Getting our body under subjection is not an easy thing to do.  The Lord gives us a tip in the verse shown above, he says, "Walk Ye".  He didn't say jump into it or run.  Take it easy, just walk and enjoy the time you spend with him.  Before you know it, you will find you love having walks with the Lord.  Don't let the things of the world keep you from being rooted and grounded in the Lord.

Ephesians 3:16-21

 

That he would grant you,

according to the riches of his glory,

to be strengthened with might

by his Spirit in the inner man;
That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith;

that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
May be able to comprehend

with all saints what is the breadth,

and length, and depth, and height;
And to know the love of Christ,

which passeth knowledge,

that ye might be filled

with all the fulness of God.
Now unto him that is able

to do exceeding abundantly above

all that we ask or think,

according to the power that worketh in us,
Unto him be glory in the church by

Christ Jesus throughout all ages,

world without end. Amen.

WHAT WOULD YOUR MOLD LOOK LIKE?

 

Do you ever look at nature? Do you look at all the things that have taken place since creation?

There are so many wondrous things in the outdoors to behold. While walking today, I noticed a leaf had fallen into some cement and created a mold. It left a mold of every line and every curve the leaf had. You could tell everything about the leaf except for the color of it.

As I continued to walk, my mind kept thinking back on how awesome it is when people leave the handprint of a small child in the sidewalk. As the child grows into adulthood, he can go back and see that print had been molded a century ago.

As my mind seems to go in a hundred different directions with thoughts, I began to wonder what my life would be if time stopped today and I was placed into a mold. When people walked by in twenty five years what would be the one picture they would be able to gather from that imprint.

Would it be one of shame? Would it be one that exemplified dissatisfaction or greed or would it be one we could proudly say, "I'm sure glad that is the day my mold was set?"

I have periods of time in my life that I would never want my mold to be made from. This gives me reason to press forward toward setting a better mold each day of my life. There will be things I can't achieve at this point in my life, but one day I will be able to achieve each goal I set.

As we walk each day, let us do our best to leave a wonderful impression, for others to view as they pass by.

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24

PRESSURES IN LIFE

Are you having battles and pressures in your life?  Are you feeling defeated?  We all go through difficult times.  We can react to those times in different ways.  We can run away from our problems, or we can stand up and face them. 

When we decide to stand up and face our problems, it can change our lives.  Standing up and facing the difficult things in life can be very tough.  There is a wrong way to handle bad situations, so we need to be sure and spend time in prayer before trying to stand against our problems.  If we are not careful we will make things worse, instead of making them better.

As I was thinking about problems and pressures in life I was reminded, at an early age, I learned about how a pearl was created.  I believe that Lord has given us examples in nature for us to ponder and learn from.  These things do not just happen for no reason.  The Lord desires that we study his word and his creation.  He desires for us to live a happier, healthier life.

The pearl is a beautiful creation.  A pearl is created inside of a shell in the depths of the ocean.  The shell has many parasites and other things that try to attack it.  The sand itself enters into the shell and acts almost like sand paper.  This very process is what causes the magnificent pearl to form.  If the shell clamped shut and never experienced any of these irritants, a pearl would never form. 

What actually takes place during the process of the pearl is amazing.  An irritant enters into the mollusk and settles.  The mollusk becomes irritated, starts to produce a sac of external mantle tissue cells, and it secrets calcium carbonate and conchiolin to cover the irritant.  If this mollusk produced anything except for the calcium carbonate and conchiolin, a pearl would not be formed. 

We need to find out exactly what we need to produce during these times that will cause something beautiful to be formed in our lives.  Needless to say, Satan also has produced his own products.  He would much rather you pick up bitterness or revenge in place of what the Lord has offered.  The Lord has made available to us the very thing we are needing. 

James 1:5

 

If any of you lack wisdom,

let hin ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally,

and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

The scripture says that wisdom is more valuable than rubies.  There is only one way to get wisdom and that is to ask of God.  We are going to need the wisdom of the Lord to help us handle these trials in our life and come out a beautiful creation. 

Proverbs 119: 133-144

 

Order my steps in thy word:

and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.
Deliver me from the oppression of man:

so will I keep thy precepts.
Make thy face to shine upon thy servant;

and teach me thy statutes.
Rivers of waters run down mine eyes,

because they keep not thy law.
Righteous art thou, O LORD,

and upright are thy judgments.
Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded

are righteous and very faithful.
My zeal hath consumed me,

because mine enemies have forgotten thy words.
Thy word is very pure:

therefore thy servant loveth it.
I am small and despised:

yet do not I forget thy precepts.
Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,

and thy law is the truth.
Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me:

yet thy commandments are my delights.
The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting:

give me understanding, and I shall live.

BROKEN TRUST

Have you ever put your trust in someone that broke it?  It's not an easy thing to build trust back but it is possible. 

What if someone has broken your trust repeatedly?  This becomes even harder.  Each time the person breaks your trust a wall immediately goes up. 

Broken trust can be like a wound on your body.  Each time you allow the person to come back and they are not trustworthy, it opens the wound deeper.  The wound may have time to scab over and start to heal but when they hurt you once again, it breaks open and bleeds.  Each time, if the wound hasn't had enough time to heal, the wound gets deeper and deeper. 

If you allow a wound on your body to become festered and out of control it can eventually lead to cancer.  The same thing is true with a relationship that has been broken.  There may be a period of time that you must walk away from that person or the relationship in order to keep the wound from getting out of control. 

Have you ever been in a relationship like this?  If so, you know how deep the pain of broken trust can be.  You know that if you keep allowing it to be picked at and bleed that eventually it will become a cancer.  It will get to the point that there is nothing that can heal it, except for the Lord

We don't need to put our trust in mankind.  People will always let us down.  In Romans it says, "There is none good, no not one."  When we put all our trust into one person we are looking for failure. 

We would never want to shut ourselves completely off from everyone.  We need to live our lives to it's fullest.  We need to pack a tote and have it available for when people break our trust.  We need to be sure to have plenty of forgiveness packed in that tote bag.  Bring along mercy, kindness and hope.  We may need to pack some grace and prayer, for when this person breaks our trust.  We need to reach into our bag and pull out whichever one of these things that will help you through this hard time.

There have been many times that I have had to pull hope out of my tote bag, when I felt forgiveness had been used up.  Other times I may have to pull out some grace, prayer or peace from the bag in order not to destroy the other person, or myself.

Jesus Christ is the only one that we should put our trust in.  He is the only one that is perfect and the only one that will not let us. down. 

MICAH 7:5-7

Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide:

keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.
For the son dishonoureth the father,

the daughter riseth up against her mother,

the daughter in law against her mother in law;

a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.
Therefore I will look unto the LORD;

I will wait for the God of my salvation:

my God will hear me.

.

FOREVER CHANGED

Have you ever noticed how Satan loves to spin a web around your life?  Have you ever found yourself inside of one of those webs? 

There was an event in my life that I felt a web had been spun around me and that at any moment I would be eaten alive.  Little did I know, but the web became my cocoon.

This was a period of time that I felt Satan was out to destroy me.  I truly believed that my life as it had been was over, finished.  I found out later that I was correct.  It was never to be the same.  What I didn't realize is that it was going to be better than before.  As the web had been tightly woven around me, to destroy me, the Lord used it as a time of metamorphosis.

This cocoon was a time of resting and renewal.  It was a time of great thinking and planning.  A time of study and meditating.  The Lord had chosen that time of my life to turn me into something more wonderful than just a worm.  He was going to give me wings to fly higher than ever before.

Have you had times in your life like that?  Satan desires more than anything to destroy you.  Will you allow the web to be the death of you or will it be your meeamorphosis, a time of change?  Will you allow the Lord to hold you close and trim away all the things he wants, out of your life, during this cocoon stage. 

When Jesus Christ died on the cross Satan was sure that he had defeated him.  He thought he would soon rule in power over all.  Satan had used mankind to spin a web around Jesus Christ.  Satan thought he was victoruious, 

He soon found out that Jesus Christ had gone through metamorphosis., and things were going to change, that change would be eternal.  When Christ came forth from the grave, not only was Satan defeated, but Jesus Christ had a new body.  This body was spiritual and nothing would be able to stop him or hold him back.

What do you allow to happen when you go through great defeat?  Do you allow Satan to come and suck the life out of you or do you allow Jesus Christ to work in and through you, thus bringing you forth as a new creature?  Forever changed into a beautiful creation.  One able to sour above all those little trials that hold us down. 

ROMANS 12:2

 

And be not conformed to this world:

but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,

that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable,

and perfect, will of God.