Example, Teaching, Test

Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

“We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. 

“Bring them here to me,” he said. (Matthew 14:16-18 NIV)

The gifts we have to offer which God himself has given to us must be presented back to Him to be of use to the people around us. We do not have enough of even what we have for ourselves and our family unless He gives the increase.

Jesus was interrupted by the crowds after He got word and was mourning the death of John the Baptist. So He fed the crowd of five thousand and taught the disciples by example in the midst of His grief. Afterward He dismissed the crowd and sent the disciples across the sea and continued His time alone with God. 

The crowd brought themselves to Jesus for healing. The disciples brought their gifts(food) to Jesus for direction and increase. And Jesus modeled compassion, giving, power, and especially dependency. 

Then Jesus and Peter walked on water. 

Lord, 

In the midst of the example, teaching, and test, may I keep my eyes fixed on You.

In Jesus name,

Amen.

James 3:18

Camelot

Life is Hard, but God is Good

This is my pond. My water lilies are blooming again. They close at dark and open in the morning. Amazing to watch. I saw them this morning and three were about to open to let the sunlight in, but this picture shows only two; the other on is right in front of the farthest flower, you can barely see it. Mainly because if the shadow the lily pad casts on it. There is no use to open now, the lily is not above water yet, not in its own space not out of the shadow of the lily. 

At just the right time, God forgave me and delivered me from all my sin. Now I am praying for others who are still in the shadow of darkness, under the influence of their father, the father of darkness that at just the right time they would hear His voice and open their hearts to Him. 

Today I remember the goodness of my God and the extent of His love toward me even in the days of my rebellion.

Scripture: Ephesians 2 followed by a great song of remembrance...

Made Alive in Christ

2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, ² in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. ³ All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh^[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. ⁴ But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵ made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. ⁶ And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, ⁷ in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

James 3:18,

Camelot

Pro-Choice?

You have probably heard a lot about paths, the poem about two paths and choosing the one less traveled, narrow is the way to life...and broad is the road which leads to destruction. I have come across another attitude in people that I guess you would say makes me Pro-Choice.

One of my favorite quotes is "Not to decide, is to decide."

It is not a choice to not make a decision, to keep your options open. I am all for variety and getting all of the facts before you make a decision that is not a matter of life or death, but when it comes to matters of life or death, make a decision. Choose!

The Bible is life for right now, present day.

“Today, if you hear his voice,
    do not harden your hearts
    as you did in the rebellion.” Hebrew 3

⁹ This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live  Deuteronomy 30:18-20

 Whereas some decisions get easier with time and waiting, the life or death decisions to not. Life exists only on the "way" or road to life, not before the decision and certainly not on the road to destruction. Why would you put off life.

⁶ Seek the Lord while he may be found;
    call on him while he is near.
⁷ Let the wicked forsake their ways
    and the unrighteous their thoughts.
Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them,
    and to our God, for he will freely pardon. Isaiah 55:6-7

James 3:18,
Camelot

Listen To Me Voice

Hebrews 5 says...

We have a lot to explain about this. But since you have become too lazy to pay attention, explaining it to you is hard. By now you should be teachers. Instead, you still need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word. You need milk, not solid food. All those who live on milk lack the experience to talk about what is right. They are still babies. However, solid food is for mature people, whose minds are trained by practice to know the difference between good and evil. (Hebrews 5:11-14 GW)

My husbands sitter growing up used to sit the children down after they had gotten I  trouble and say...now this is my "listen to me" voice as she tried to make them mind (mind is southern for obey).

     Yesterday in our worship service, we honored the teachers that are a part of our local church family. I started thinking of the teachers that taught me... God bless them!  I have always believed that the purpose of school is to teach us how to learn, how to pay attention, how to listen. Now that I am not in school anymore, my prayer is that God never has to go to His "listen to me voice" with me. Father may my ears be attune to Your still small voice.

Listen to your teachers. Mostly, Listen to Your God!

James 3:18,

Camelot