We've been studying faithfulness in our Sunday School Class. We've been asked the questions, 'Are we excited about God's faithfulness?' and 'Is it worth it to be faithful?' This past Sunday we talked about God's faithfulness being a constant. The dictionary definition for constant is not changing or varying. Isn't that our God? In talking about faithfulness, we often talk about our end of the deal. We talk about how we are not always faithful, how we falter. That is so true. We are human, we are going to fall. He knows this, and loves us anyway!
But let's look at His faithfulness. It is unwavering! It is a constant. Nature is a good example of His faithfulness. We cannot count on many things in this life as being a constant. Our health is not a constant, our love is not a constant, our feelings are always changing, aren't they? Our surroundings are not a constant. We often move, and even if we don't, things around us are always in a state of change. But, plant a corn seed in the garden....what will you get? You'll get a corn stalk! You can be guaranteed that your apple tree will bear apples! You won't look in the tree one day and find a banana growing! And not to disappoint any child, but, as long as cows are milked........they will never produce chocolate milk, will they? NO! Nature has it's constants! God's faithfulness to His children is a constant for us! No matter how dark, how dim the way may appear, we always KNOW that God is faithful! We may 'feel' that He is no where to be found....but that is only a feeling, it is NOT a constant! When we are eating an apple, we don't have to see the tree to know it came from an apple tree and not a peach or a pear tree, right? So when our emotions tell us that God is not with us, hold on to your 'head' knowledge...He 'will never leave you nor forsake you!' Let the scriptures remind you of the truth. He is our constant, hallelujah!!!! David wrote in Psalm 37:25 "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." What a blessing to know that God will be with us from the beginning and forever! What a constant!
I've had a lot of disappointments in my life.... we all have. People, things, situations that we thought would always be there have not been. One constant in your life, if you are a christian, is Jesus Christ. Hebrews 13:8 "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever." He does not change or vary! I can't depend on some things in my life, but I can ALWAYS depend on Christ, my constant forever!
Monday, April 28, 2008
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
The Importance of a Mother's Faith
Today is my oldest daughter's birthday. Kaylea is 14! Wow! Where does the time go? My children's birthdays are more special to me than my own. That's the way it should be, that's the way God has programmed moms. In my morning Bible study, I had the privilege to read in II Kings chapter 4, 2 stories of wonderful moms and their faith. The first is the widow who had no hope, her husband was dead and the creditor was coming to take her sons into slavery. She sought help from the man of God, Elisha, and her cries were answered! Her sons were saved from slavery and her debt was paid, with some left over! She wasn't too proud to cry out to the man of God for help! God doesn't expect us to handle our troubles alone! Run to Him.......He's waiting with open arms for us!
Then there is the story of that Shunammite woman. This was no ordinary woman. She was wealthy and had a significant social standing. She could have anything money or social prestige had to offer! But,she had a heart for the man of God, and because of this, she was blessed with a son. The son followed dad out to the fields and became sick. As most dads do, he sent the child straight to the mother! She cradled him there in her arms until he died. She didn't get hysterical, she didn't scream or wail! What faith this woman had! If we could just grasp her faith! She knew that is was impossible to have this child to begin with, she had no children and her husband was old. Because of her faithfulness to Elisha, she conceived this child. She could've been bitter, sad, and angry to say the least. Look at her faith! She took him up and 'laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out." She didn't pick up the phone and tell all her friends about the tragedy, she didn't collapse from the weight of her emotions. She knew God had given her this child and that God would take care of him. In verse 23 she told her husband,'...it shall be well.' And then in verse 26, when she had gotten to Elisha, she was able to answer '....It is well.' Notice the change in the verbs. As she was going to Elisha she said it SHALL be well.....and when she got to Elisha she said it IS well. If our faith is solid, no matter the problem, whatever the circumstance, on the way to the Saviour you can say it shall be well, and at His feet you can say it is well!
Is it well with you? Do you have that mother's faith? I would love to say that I did, but there have been times that my faith has been weak. We've got to stay humble in our christian walk, listen to God, and be humble enough to do what he tells us. What if that widow thought it too crazy to try to fill all those vessels with the little oil she had? What if that Shunnamite woman had just given up when her son died in her lap? Hang on children of God.......NOTHING is too great or too small for God to handle! It's not God that makes our problems seem impossible.......it is our lack of faith! Whatever the outcome to your situation is.....it will be done in God's will, have faith in Him and you will be able to say 'IT IS WELL!'
Then there is the story of that Shunammite woman. This was no ordinary woman. She was wealthy and had a significant social standing. She could have anything money or social prestige had to offer! But,she had a heart for the man of God, and because of this, she was blessed with a son. The son followed dad out to the fields and became sick. As most dads do, he sent the child straight to the mother! She cradled him there in her arms until he died. She didn't get hysterical, she didn't scream or wail! What faith this woman had! If we could just grasp her faith! She knew that is was impossible to have this child to begin with, she had no children and her husband was old. Because of her faithfulness to Elisha, she conceived this child. She could've been bitter, sad, and angry to say the least. Look at her faith! She took him up and 'laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out." She didn't pick up the phone and tell all her friends about the tragedy, she didn't collapse from the weight of her emotions. She knew God had given her this child and that God would take care of him. In verse 23 she told her husband,'...it shall be well.' And then in verse 26, when she had gotten to Elisha, she was able to answer '....It is well.' Notice the change in the verbs. As she was going to Elisha she said it SHALL be well.....and when she got to Elisha she said it IS well. If our faith is solid, no matter the problem, whatever the circumstance, on the way to the Saviour you can say it shall be well, and at His feet you can say it is well!
Is it well with you? Do you have that mother's faith? I would love to say that I did, but there have been times that my faith has been weak. We've got to stay humble in our christian walk, listen to God, and be humble enough to do what he tells us. What if that widow thought it too crazy to try to fill all those vessels with the little oil she had? What if that Shunnamite woman had just given up when her son died in her lap? Hang on children of God.......NOTHING is too great or too small for God to handle! It's not God that makes our problems seem impossible.......it is our lack of faith! Whatever the outcome to your situation is.....it will be done in God's will, have faith in Him and you will be able to say 'IT IS WELL!'
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Your Own Agenda
Have you ever had your own agenda? You knew exactly what was needed, exactly what was supposed to take place. Surely there is one 'carnal' person out there who can relate to me! I often get so caught up in all I have to get done and how I am going to accomplish it, that I forget to listen to Christ. Yesterday was a good example. It was a Wednesday, and that right there should tell you that the devil is going to be extra diligent! If something is going to go wrong or happen to try to defeat your christian walk, it for sure will happen on a church day! I went to work as usual, as soon as I could get off work, I ran over to my mother's house to mow her yard. Everything was working out just as I had planned so far. I was able to get Mom's yard mowed within an hour and a half, just in time to run back to the middle school to pick up my oldest daughter from track practice. You see, our pastor was out of town preaching a revival, and the preacher that was to take his place is a real blessing to me. I have been excited all week knowing that I was going to get to hear him preach that evening! I'm on my way home, in a hurry, but happy and pleased all the same. I quickly cook dinner, and we eat. I am thankful for God's goodness, because the girls had no homework to do. We quickly get our showers and jump in the car to go to church. I'm really proud of myself for accomplishing all my goals, and now I am anxiously waiting to hear the message from the man of God! My agenda was going just as I had planned.....'I' being the key word!
Church begins as usual with prayer requests and a good altar of prayer. The songs the audience sing are a blessing. A gentleman is asked to sing, "I'd Rather Have Jesus". It was a blessing, I have to admit, and people were touched by it. The preacher got up to preach and people started testifying. "Okay, now," I'm thinking to myself, that's great that the Lord has blessed you, but let's all hush now so the preacher can preach! Again, I had my own agenda. He should have sang, "I'd Rather Have My Own Agenda, Than Jesus", that would have fit me better! I could feel that little impish spirit rising up in me.........now you spiritual folks may have no clue about that! But, I was actually feeling anxious about people getting blessed! Can't they just sit down and hush! Their testimonies were NOT on MY agenda! Back the truck up! Who am I to think I know how the service should go! There on my pew I had to ask God to forgive me and please allow me to get in on the blessing. After all, it is for Him that we assemble ourselves together, right? The preacher let people testify, and added a few precious words himself from time to time. He then asked the gentleman to come again and sing that song one more time, he felt as though that was the will of God, he didn't feel the liberty to preach, although he was prepared to. With a much more humble heart and my agenda thrown away, I truly did enjoy that song the second time.........I would rather have Jesus than anything! Once I was willing to give up my own agenda, I was able to receive the blessings that God had intended me to receive in the first place! He was gracious enough to even let me get a testimony in!
My mind thought of Jonah........boy, he had his own agenda, didn't he? Where did that land him? Well.......right smack in the pit of a whale's belly, that's where! After he decided to listen to God and go preach to Ninevah, the people repented of their sins. God still used Jonah to get His work done. But, Jonah still had issues, didn't he? He saw God bless Ninevah...and through his preaching...but he was still angry about it, he just wanted to die. Nothing would make him happy, not for long anyway, even that gourd withered and died, and that just gave Jonah something else to complain about.
God help me! God help me to throw out my agenda and trust in His...whether it be something as small as a church service or as big as an important decision in my life! He is in control...all of the time, He sees the future, He holds us in the palm of His hand! No where in that sentence is the need for the word 'I'. Who am I that I think my agenda is the right one? I am so thankful that I didn't give in to my stubborn thoughts, that I didn't let the devil rob me of a blessing....I gave in to the will of my Saviour, and by doing so I was blessed and was able to leave church refreshed! I don't want to be like Jonah, grumpy and displeased, and yet the work of the Lord right in front of me! Lord, here am I.....my agenda... is to follow You!
Church begins as usual with prayer requests and a good altar of prayer. The songs the audience sing are a blessing. A gentleman is asked to sing, "I'd Rather Have Jesus". It was a blessing, I have to admit, and people were touched by it. The preacher got up to preach and people started testifying. "Okay, now," I'm thinking to myself, that's great that the Lord has blessed you, but let's all hush now so the preacher can preach! Again, I had my own agenda. He should have sang, "I'd Rather Have My Own Agenda, Than Jesus", that would have fit me better! I could feel that little impish spirit rising up in me.........now you spiritual folks may have no clue about that! But, I was actually feeling anxious about people getting blessed! Can't they just sit down and hush! Their testimonies were NOT on MY agenda! Back the truck up! Who am I to think I know how the service should go! There on my pew I had to ask God to forgive me and please allow me to get in on the blessing. After all, it is for Him that we assemble ourselves together, right? The preacher let people testify, and added a few precious words himself from time to time. He then asked the gentleman to come again and sing that song one more time, he felt as though that was the will of God, he didn't feel the liberty to preach, although he was prepared to. With a much more humble heart and my agenda thrown away, I truly did enjoy that song the second time.........I would rather have Jesus than anything! Once I was willing to give up my own agenda, I was able to receive the blessings that God had intended me to receive in the first place! He was gracious enough to even let me get a testimony in!
My mind thought of Jonah........boy, he had his own agenda, didn't he? Where did that land him? Well.......right smack in the pit of a whale's belly, that's where! After he decided to listen to God and go preach to Ninevah, the people repented of their sins. God still used Jonah to get His work done. But, Jonah still had issues, didn't he? He saw God bless Ninevah...and through his preaching...but he was still angry about it, he just wanted to die. Nothing would make him happy, not for long anyway, even that gourd withered and died, and that just gave Jonah something else to complain about.
God help me! God help me to throw out my agenda and trust in His...whether it be something as small as a church service or as big as an important decision in my life! He is in control...all of the time, He sees the future, He holds us in the palm of His hand! No where in that sentence is the need for the word 'I'. Who am I that I think my agenda is the right one? I am so thankful that I didn't give in to my stubborn thoughts, that I didn't let the devil rob me of a blessing....I gave in to the will of my Saviour, and by doing so I was blessed and was able to leave church refreshed! I don't want to be like Jonah, grumpy and displeased, and yet the work of the Lord right in front of me! Lord, here am I.....my agenda... is to follow You!
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Mother Hen
My family roots are of the farm life. My parents were raised on Sand Mtn., Alabama and worked their family farms. It's all they knew growing up. They never had much, but they had family and love. So, I guess you could say that farming is 'in my blood.' I was never raised on a farm. Long before I was born, my parents had left the farms of Alabama for a 'better life.' They moved into the North Georgia area, near the cities, where jobs could be found. But, we always gardened and visited our families and their farms often. I may have been raised in the city, but I sure had a good taste of the country life. I'm so thankful for that heritage! God gave me a wonderful husband with the same interests in nature as me. Five years ago, we were able to purchase about 7 acres and build our dream home. I dedicated it to my father, because he always wanted to buy a small farm one day, but never got the chance to. We have a few cows, and chickens and a garden. I absolutely love it! I am thrilled to give my girls the opportunity to see nature at work....experience God's work first hand!
We bought some chickens a few months after we had settled in. My husband can do nothing 'small' scale. So, of course, he builds this grand chicken coop on the side of our barn. It's beautiful, if something like that can be viewed as beautiful. I call it our 'chicken condo'. Anyway, I began watching our chickens and how they interact. There is alot to be learned spiritually by watching chickens!
There are a lot of references to wings in the Bible. Psalm 17:8 "...hide me under the shadow of thy wings." Psalm 36:7 "...Therefore the children of me put their trust under the shadow of thy wings." Psalm 57:1 "...yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge..." Psalm 61:4 "...I will trust in the shelter of thy wings." Psalm 63:7 "...therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice." In Deut. 32:11, Isaiah 31:5 and 40:31 he speaks of the majestic eagles wings. Yet in Matt. 23:37 and again in Luke 13:34 he speaks of the hen. Matt. 23:37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent, unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" I've read that several times over my lifetime, and each time just said to myself, 'okay.' But you see, now I have personal experience with chickens (other than just eating them!) and I gained new insight to just how meaningful that sentence that Jesus spoke was!
The word chicken is often a derogatory word used...'Your a chicken!' Why? Well, they run at the least amount of movement! They won't stay around and fight, I assure you! Why then would our massive Saviour, our Rock of our Salvation use a hen to describe himself? As I said earlier, he had used eagles and their wings before. After all, they are certainly majestic creatures! They are the symbol of our country! Why not a fierce lion, a roaring bear? Well, hours of sitting beside that 'chicken condo' beside my barn, I now know why he would use a hen to describe himself.
A hen is one of the best mothers I have ever seen! She will almost starve herself while sitting on those beloved eggs! She knows that those eggs will not hatch if she doesn't keep them warm. She barely takes the time to race and get a small bite to eat and a little water each day. After 21 days........she looks so weak.......but she never grumbles! Once the hatching begins, new life is seen in that mother hen! She begins to cluck in a special way, and those chicks know the sound of mom and quickly do as they are told. She teaches them how to gather food and where to go...and where not to go. She gently corrects them and she's the biggest protector you'll ever meet! Try to step into a coop with a mother hen and her chicks some time! She may not be very big.....but let danger come near, and she will fluff her feathers until she looks twice her size! She immediately will give the 'warning clucks' and spread her wings wide. Those chicks quickly assemble underneath her wings........and pay attention to this.......that mother hen will keep herself between those chicks and the danger! She continues to cluck loudly, always moving her feet, keeping one eye on the enemy and the other on the chicks. Get too close, and you may just lose a chunk of flesh, mom's beak is a very sharp weapon! Once the danger is gone.......and only then, will she let her feathers relax, and allow the chicks to come out of her wings. They never are too far from her that when danger presents itself, they can get into the safety of her wings. Those chicks don't have a clue as to what they have just narrowly escaped! You see, they were safe and secure in the warmth of mom's wings!
What a picture of our Jesus!!! He is our 'mother hen'! He is tender and parental and loving and yet solid, tough, and strong! He cares enough to call us underneath his wing when danger comes near. We may never know just what that danger was or how bad it could've been, because if we are humble to Him, we are safe in His warmth!
I also notice that mother hen is not a tyrant. She is strict, she will guide, discipline, and instruct those chicks.......but the chicks still have the choice not to stay near her. She doesn't force them. We have a wire covering over our coop.....this lessens the stress for our chicks. They don't have to worry about a chicken hawk swooping in and getting the chicks with the cage on top. BUT... every now and again, we have a little stubborn, independent chick born. This chick will not stay as close as the others....and since they are so small, they can jump out of the wire coop and are on 'free' ground! No cage, no doors.......freedom!!! But you see, mom is too big, she can't fit through the wires to that chick. She will squawk and have a fit trying to get that one to come back in, sometimes they do....... but,sometimes we find a pile of feathers in the yard....no more chick. It may have been a hawk, it may have been a dog, a coyote, who knows....that 'free' ground the chick had found....it's also free for the enemy to come around then too. The chick may see the danger and start running, but it may just be too far away from mom's wings to find protection! Just as Jesus had described Jerusalum in Matt. 23:37.
I thank God for His protective wings! I've rested there many times! I am ashamed of the times I have gotten too far away at times and narrowly escaped the enemy! He is always there to protect me, all I have to do is stay close to Him, listen to His instruction, and heed the call when He tells me to come near because of impending danger! The protection of His wings are for everyone.......no one is turned away! We've 'tricked' our small Banham hens before, by sliding a regular egg underneath her as she is setting. Sure enough that big old chick will hatch, funny sight to see! The chick is almost the size of that little hen when it is born. But you know what? She raises that chick, teaches it, cares and protects it just like it is her own! Jesus' wings of protection are for everyone, too! Aren't you so thankful of that?
So, next time you are called a 'chicken'.........smile, that's not so bad.......think of that mother hen, and her fearless actions toward her chicks! Think of our loving Saviour who humbled himself from all that majesty to protect us from the storms of life.....and loved us enough to give His life for our protection!
We bought some chickens a few months after we had settled in. My husband can do nothing 'small' scale. So, of course, he builds this grand chicken coop on the side of our barn. It's beautiful, if something like that can be viewed as beautiful. I call it our 'chicken condo'. Anyway, I began watching our chickens and how they interact. There is alot to be learned spiritually by watching chickens!
There are a lot of references to wings in the Bible. Psalm 17:8 "...hide me under the shadow of thy wings." Psalm 36:7 "...Therefore the children of me put their trust under the shadow of thy wings." Psalm 57:1 "...yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge..." Psalm 61:4 "...I will trust in the shelter of thy wings." Psalm 63:7 "...therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice." In Deut. 32:11, Isaiah 31:5 and 40:31 he speaks of the majestic eagles wings. Yet in Matt. 23:37 and again in Luke 13:34 he speaks of the hen. Matt. 23:37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent, unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" I've read that several times over my lifetime, and each time just said to myself, 'okay.' But you see, now I have personal experience with chickens (other than just eating them!) and I gained new insight to just how meaningful that sentence that Jesus spoke was!
The word chicken is often a derogatory word used...'Your a chicken!' Why? Well, they run at the least amount of movement! They won't stay around and fight, I assure you! Why then would our massive Saviour, our Rock of our Salvation use a hen to describe himself? As I said earlier, he had used eagles and their wings before. After all, they are certainly majestic creatures! They are the symbol of our country! Why not a fierce lion, a roaring bear? Well, hours of sitting beside that 'chicken condo' beside my barn, I now know why he would use a hen to describe himself.
A hen is one of the best mothers I have ever seen! She will almost starve herself while sitting on those beloved eggs! She knows that those eggs will not hatch if she doesn't keep them warm. She barely takes the time to race and get a small bite to eat and a little water each day. After 21 days........she looks so weak.......but she never grumbles! Once the hatching begins, new life is seen in that mother hen! She begins to cluck in a special way, and those chicks know the sound of mom and quickly do as they are told. She teaches them how to gather food and where to go...and where not to go. She gently corrects them and she's the biggest protector you'll ever meet! Try to step into a coop with a mother hen and her chicks some time! She may not be very big.....but let danger come near, and she will fluff her feathers until she looks twice her size! She immediately will give the 'warning clucks' and spread her wings wide. Those chicks quickly assemble underneath her wings........and pay attention to this.......that mother hen will keep herself between those chicks and the danger! She continues to cluck loudly, always moving her feet, keeping one eye on the enemy and the other on the chicks. Get too close, and you may just lose a chunk of flesh, mom's beak is a very sharp weapon! Once the danger is gone.......and only then, will she let her feathers relax, and allow the chicks to come out of her wings. They never are too far from her that when danger presents itself, they can get into the safety of her wings. Those chicks don't have a clue as to what they have just narrowly escaped! You see, they were safe and secure in the warmth of mom's wings!
What a picture of our Jesus!!! He is our 'mother hen'! He is tender and parental and loving and yet solid, tough, and strong! He cares enough to call us underneath his wing when danger comes near. We may never know just what that danger was or how bad it could've been, because if we are humble to Him, we are safe in His warmth!
I also notice that mother hen is not a tyrant. She is strict, she will guide, discipline, and instruct those chicks.......but the chicks still have the choice not to stay near her. She doesn't force them. We have a wire covering over our coop.....this lessens the stress for our chicks. They don't have to worry about a chicken hawk swooping in and getting the chicks with the cage on top. BUT... every now and again, we have a little stubborn, independent chick born. This chick will not stay as close as the others....and since they are so small, they can jump out of the wire coop and are on 'free' ground! No cage, no doors.......freedom!!! But you see, mom is too big, she can't fit through the wires to that chick. She will squawk and have a fit trying to get that one to come back in, sometimes they do....... but,sometimes we find a pile of feathers in the yard....no more chick. It may have been a hawk, it may have been a dog, a coyote, who knows....that 'free' ground the chick had found....it's also free for the enemy to come around then too. The chick may see the danger and start running, but it may just be too far away from mom's wings to find protection! Just as Jesus had described Jerusalum in Matt. 23:37.
I thank God for His protective wings! I've rested there many times! I am ashamed of the times I have gotten too far away at times and narrowly escaped the enemy! He is always there to protect me, all I have to do is stay close to Him, listen to His instruction, and heed the call when He tells me to come near because of impending danger! The protection of His wings are for everyone.......no one is turned away! We've 'tricked' our small Banham hens before, by sliding a regular egg underneath her as she is setting. Sure enough that big old chick will hatch, funny sight to see! The chick is almost the size of that little hen when it is born. But you know what? She raises that chick, teaches it, cares and protects it just like it is her own! Jesus' wings of protection are for everyone, too! Aren't you so thankful of that?
So, next time you are called a 'chicken'.........smile, that's not so bad.......think of that mother hen, and her fearless actions toward her chicks! Think of our loving Saviour who humbled himself from all that majesty to protect us from the storms of life.....and loved us enough to give His life for our protection!
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