Friday, October 13, 2017

Withered

Early one morning Jesus was hungry, he saw a healthy looking fig tree with all of its leaves.  As he looked up He saw that it had not produce fruit, although it was fig season.  His response was to say to it, “May you never bear fruit again!”  Then, “Immediately the tree withered.”  The disciples were amazed as to how quickly the tree withered away to nothing.  (Matthew 21:19-20).

We Christians are like a fruit tree in season.  The Lord is continuous in bearing fruit for us, such as answering prayer.  I am reminded how God operates.  He never lets us down.  He is continuous in his love and favor.  As Apostle John shows us heaven, we see how God works; there we see the “tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month” (Rev. 22:2).  The Lord is non-stop, “24 x 7,” all day every day, all year every year, pouring out upon us.  In humility we simply receiver all He gives.  
Notice, God gives always.  Your fruit bowl may not be full this moment and it may take a while to get all the fruit you need to do accomplish God’s will for you.  Like Israel in the wilderness, they received quail and manna daily, enough nourishment for them to make it to the Promised Land, where God wanted them to be.  God provides.  Sometimes not as much as you wanted at once and neither as fast as you want.  But, in his will and his promise he does provide.

God answers prayer.  In example, you pray for cake.  Our Lord Almighty answer does not come in an instant, but over a few days.  First you receive some eggs, then some oil and butter, and them the chocolate for your favorite cake.  But, you want more.  You assume God has not answered your prayer.  Then a delivery truck comes with not only a pan and cooking utensils but also a new oven – more than you needed!  But, it is not the cake you prayed for!  You get frustrated and leave the kitchen.

God sees another fig tree with leaves and nothing else.


Just a thought,
Owen <><  

Sunday, October 1, 2017

Lift Your Head Up

When we think of being Christlike there is a tendency to think it being something we make ourselves do and not reflecting who Christ is, and who is in us.  As Ken Sande writes, “There is more to being like Jesus than simply recognizing weaknesses and confessing sin.”  When Christ Jesus came in human form he lived in the midst of our afflictions, but is that a reflection weakness?  What we forget is that Jesus was with us “in the appearance of a man,” he was incarnate, God revealed in human flesh and, yet, the fullness of God’s love, power, grace, and presence came among us.   

He had power, but yielded love and mercy. He raised the dead. He healed the crippled. He healed the sick, a woman with blood issues, and leapers.  He had power over life and death.

As for sin, he recognized it, yet was not subject to it. He was in the midst of a sinful world, but Jesus was without sin – that is how He was able to deliver righteousness to us, there is no other way. He had power sin and the father of lies and the liar’s demons. Jesus, in human “weakness,” warned Satan of twisting God’s word into temptation, rejecting the devil. Jesus had the power to cast demons out of people they had possessed. 
 
Where was there a reason for shame and where was weakness? Not to be found.  Only good, truth, and righteousness was with him in power.  So, was he weak and hanging his head in shame. I don’t think so.  Christ Jesus’ power reigned in humility and power. 

What did or does God give you when confessing Christ and following Jesus? He has justified us, making us righteous.  His Spirit has empowered you.

 
Lift Your Head Up,
Owen <><     

 
Following are a few verses given in order of above devotional, there are many more you can find:  Philippians 2:6-7; Hebrews 4:15; John 10:7, 14: Matthew 4:1-1; 1Matthew 1:34, 39; Romans 8:9-15, Galatians 4:6  

Saturday, September 2, 2017

Life Is Hard Then You Die

Life is hard then, you die.  Or, so says a proverb of our world. 
This proverb reveals a bleak outlook on every breath one takes and the lack of there being any hope.  There is no hope of anything being good.  Everything is hard and no such thing as an easy button.  Only lament, grief that life is hard.  Then the letdown, it all ends with our last breath.

Life can be hard as the world’s proverb says.  I have my list of stuff that I admit to feeling defeated in or mad about or both.  It is hard to move on.  It is a mixture of things more than one thing that eats at us.  And, yes, then we all die.  However, God created us to live forever and not a hard, bad life (John 10:10).  God has rolled out a plan, it was revealed when Jesus Christ came to us. When Jesus was with he had come “to seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10).  I know we are lost when we see life as pitiful and see the world through a lens of an empty heart.  All we can say in life without the love of Christ is, “Life is hard; then you die.”  That is a sad state of mind to have.  We waste a wonderful life given to us by God.

As I read the Bible I see an answer from the Apostle Paul.  I am sure he thought about this, and yes he had a very hard life.  Paul shared his heart with what the Holy Spirit had comforted him with, he wrote, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Rom. 8:18).  It is “not worth” the effort to wallow in the bad stuff.  We will see God, when we do His “glory … will be revealed in us.”  That is the blessed hope!  So, yes we will die, but there is a glory, which is being with God in what is our true home.

Do you believe that God, Christ Jesus loves you and came for you?  Then confess him to others, pray and ask for his comfort.  Then, live a life that is good and full of hope in Christ.  As you do, “rejoice and be glad and give him glory!” (Rev. 19:7)   As God answers your prayer His Spirit comforts you in the world we live, where “life is hard,” but, note hopeless.
 
I love you,
Owen <><




“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38-39).