Like an Olive Tree

History tells us that all of the trees in and around Jerusalem were cut down when the Romans conquered the city in 70 AD. Yet there are olive trees there today. They could even be off-shoots of the trees that were growing in the days that Jesus walked the Earth. It has been said that olive trees can regenerate from their roots. This means they can be cut completely down and sometime later sprout, flourish, and bear fruit again.

"For there is hope for a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its shoots will not cease. Though its root grow old in the earth, and its stump die in the soil, yet at the scent of water it will bud and put out branches like a young plant. But a man dies and is laid low; man breathes his last, and where is he? As waters fail from a lake and a river wastes away and dries up, so a man lies down and rises not again; till the heavens are no more he will not awake or be roused out of his sleep." Job 14:7-12 ESV

As long as there is breath in a man, there is hope. Hope for salvation. Hope for regeneration. Hope for an eternal life with Jesus Christ. We must never underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit. He searches the depths of man’s soul. He is the one who pricks the conscience of man. He is the one who draws man to the Father. He is the one understands the non-verbal communications of man.

God created man in His image. He put within man a place that can only be filled with Him. Many search the world over for something to satisfy. Drugs, alcohol, sex, and plastic surgery are a few things that have been sought to stop the gnawing of emptiness. Oftentimes a person will have to hit rock bottom before they realize that Jesus is the answer to their woes. But some only need to witness a life that is vibrant with the love of Jesus.

Our mandate is to go and tell. To that I add; and live well. So what if you have been battered and cut down? Let the Holy Spirit water you soul today and you will begin to sprout again. As long as you have breath, there is hope.

No Time for Sitting Still

"Sad will be the day for any man when he becomes absolutely contented with the thought he is thinking and the deeds he is doing; when there is not forever beating at the door of his soul some great desire to do something larger which he knows he was made and meant to do , because he is a child of God." Phillip Brooks

"It is just as true that sad will be the day when we of the church become contented with the deeds we perform for God. There needs to beat on the door of the heart of each one of us the great desire which the Lord has expressed that His truth be declared quickly to the whole world."
Louis K. Dickson

Passive Christianity is subtle, invasive, and deadly. The best counter agent is to be actively engaged in the Truth, the Life, and the Way.

Prepare to Serve

It seems like I have had too many irons in the fire to post as much as I would like. But video posting is so easy that I really have no excuse. Ahhh, but I don't frequent blogs that consist primarily of video posts. Time consuming.... so, I won't be upset if you don't hang around and view today's video. Without further ado, here is a clip of some Sunday morning preaching delivered by yours truly.

Stay on the Wheel

The Book of Jeremiah is a weighty presentation of prophecy concerning the nation of Israel. As such, it is often overlooked by the casual Bible reader. My intent is not so much to deal with the prophecy, but rather a few simple observations found in Jeremiah 18:1-6.

The Lord commanded Jeremiah to go down to the potter's house. There He would speak to the prophet and use the activities of the potter to illustrate His message. 1) We often need to be in a certain place to comprehend the fullness of what God is speaking to us.

Jeremiah obeyed. 2) Obedience is essential to receiving all that God has for us.

There he found the potter doing what exactly what a potter does. 3) God is a God of order. He speaks within the confines of order and never confusion.

Verse four states that the vessel of clay was marred. It had never left the potter's control, yet it became flawed. 4) One can be right in the Master's hand and still sustain hurt/damage.5) As the vessel is repaired, it may be changed in appearance and/or function/purpose.6) As long as the vessel remains in the potter's hands it will be fashioned as he sees fit. 7) God has control of every situation and the power to shape us in every circumstance.

We may tire of going round and round in circles, but we must stay on the wheel. The pressures of this life may bruise or nick us, but we must remain pliable to the Master's touch. Even the heat of the kiln will serve to strengthen us if we stay as long as the Potter deems necessary.

The Voice of the Stones

I just love the way the Word of God is so much more than an ancient text. Just this past week I was reading the account of David and Goliath found in I Samuel chapter 17. It is a very familiar story and I thought that I knew all about it. Then I realized the message of the
5 stones.

Everyone knows that David used one of them to down Goliath. But has it ever occurred to you the purpose of the other four? Some say that he just randomly picked five stones. Others say that he wanted to have some extra just in case he missed. My husband says it was because David knew Goliath had four brothers.

II Samuel chapter 21:15-22 tells of four of Goliath's relatives that set themselves against King David. Some commentaries say these were brothers of Goliath. Others say they were his sons. Though it wasn't the shepherd's stones that brought them low; it was the stones that prophesied their death. They were killed at the hands of David's servants.

David may not have given much thought to the number of the stones he stashed in his bag, but God did. He wrote all of David's days before they began.

The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way. Psalm 37:23
In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. Proverbs 16:9

As you face the giant of today, remember to be armed for his relatives that may counter you tomorrow. Face the battle with confidence knowing God is on your side. Let your battle cry be like that of David; "I come in the name of the Lord!" And one more thing; once you have vanquished the enemy, be sure to lop off his head.

Get Naked: It is Biblical Hebrews 4:13

It is Valentines Day, what did you expect? Really, it is all about our relationship with Jesus. He desires total access to His Bride. Prophetess Charli Pickett put it very plain as she ministered during a women's conference. The theme of the conference was "wilt thou be made whole". She
honed in on how spiritual wholeness will come when we reveal all our flaws to the Lord.

Love Is

1 Corinthians 13 The Amplified Version

1IF I [can] speak in the tongues of men and [even] of angels, but have not love (that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such [a]as is inspired by God's love for and in us), I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

2And if I have prophetic powers ([b]the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), and understand all the secret truths and mysteries and possess all knowledge, and if I have [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but have not love (God's love in me) I am nothing (a useless nobody).
3Even if I dole out all that I have [to the poor in providing] food, and if I surrender my body to be burned or [c] in order that I may glory, but have not love (God's love in me), I gain nothing.

4Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.
5It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].
6It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.

7Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].
8Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy ([d]the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth].

9For our knowledge is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect), and our prophecy (our teaching) is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect).
10But when the complete and perfect (total) comes, the incomplete and imperfect will vanish away (become antiquated, void, and superseded).
11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; now that I have become a man, I am done with childish ways and have put them aside.

12For now we are looking in a mirror that gives only a dim (blurred) reflection [of reality as [e]in a riddle or enigma], but then [when perfection comes] we shall see in reality and face to face! Now I know in part (imperfectly), but then I shall know and understand [f]fully and clearly, even in the same manner as I have been [g]fully and clearly known and understood [[h]by God].

13And so faith, hope, love abide [faith--conviction and belief respecting man's relation to God and divine things; hope--joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation; love--true affection for God and man, growing out of God's love for and in us], these three; but the greatest of these is love.