Have Cake, Will Crumble

Have Cake, Will Crumble

He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.

                                                                                                …Psalm 101:7

            I killed a piece of chocolate cake today; thought it was a fly.  The unusually large spot appeared to me that it wasn’t a normal speck in the design of the counter-top. When I walked into the kitchen I was sure this blemished area was a fly or cricket. 

            When I fiercely smacked the intruder for it not to get away, the substance crumbled, I thought in fear of me.  Cake usually crumbles, but I didn’t see until I put my glasses on what I had captured.  The ferocious morsel was permanently detained in triumph, keeping all from danger of being devoured. 

            The only true devouring would have taken place was when I’d noticed it was a morsel of cake; I don’t usually let cake crumbs get away that easy.

            OK I told the story with a bit of drama but without my glasses things look so strange at a foot or two away.  Feeling foolish I cleaned up the crumbs and half giggled at my attempt, thinking I need to wear my glasses all the time now. 

            I was humorously deceived by a tidbit of dessert, but in the belief there was a trespasser I took it very serious. David takes wicked intruders serious.  God also wants us to be serious about liars and deceivers that come into our lives.   In this Psalm, David declares there will not dwell workers of deceit in his house, and he that telleth lies shall not tarry in his sight.

            I wish not for flies and bugs in my house, but also do not want liars and deceitful people in either.  Once in a while I may misjudge what I thought was a creepy-crawly thing, but spiritually I will work like David to keep ungodly intruders out.  I will however need God’s help and guidance to filter through those who deceivers that tend to fool me.  God is a better judge than I am at knowing true followers of Christ, or false prophets and teachers, though Satan can’t fool God Almighty.

            Watch out deceitful one!  Don’t try to linger in my sight or you might just get smacked, but this time I’m wearing my eyeglasses of wisdom from God, and you can’t escape.  No more chocolate cake smashed on the counter.  As David (vs.3), I will walk within my house with a perfect heart, or tuned in with God where His eyesight is perfect.

            Ps. Is that chocolate on your face?

Father,

Give me wisdom to see afar off those that try to deceive and make one thing look like another.  Help me not to fall for Satan’s tactics to pull me in by appearing to be something he is not.  Thank you for being my filter, because I don’t always trust my own judgment; my sight is not always so good, but I will trust yours.  In Jesus name I pray

Banana Split Decisions/Pancake Love

Pancake Love

The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee.

                                                                                                …Jeremiah 31:3

            Two of our grandsons are with me during the day while on summer break.  A tall order of pancakes is requested from Micah and Jordan for breakfast.  One day 13 year old Micah makes them with me close by, learning to flip those cakes pretty good.  The next day the “almost eight” year old Jordan helps me with the batter depending on my help.  Just as we are ready to pour the batter on the sizzling skillet he says, “I think Grandpa really likes you a lot because of your pancakes.” 

            As a writer I wait for moments like this of pure innocence and sweet thoughts. This child feeling very grown up while hands are in the batter, expresses what is on his mind.  I sure love how the two boys feel about grandma’s pancakes; they think they are the best around.  Of course I too thought everything tasted better at my Granny’s house.

            I wonder if they would feel the same if I burned them one day or two?  They’d be forgiving once maybe.  What if I mistakenly forgot one of the ingredients and they come out more like hard plastic Frisbees? Would they still feel the same about them? No, and it might even change their thoughts about me. 

            “Grandma sure can’t make pancakes,” might be said in low grumbling. 

            “Mom can we stop for breakfast before going to Grandmas?” might be the next idea in their heads. 

            Our love for each other can change depending on circumstances.  Right now all these little things I do for Jordan makes his love stronger for me, but I might disappoint him and he might feel different one day, pancakes or not.  We are a fickle, capricious bunch in this human race and change from hot to cold as easily as night turns to day.

            God’s love is everlasting as Jeremiah points out when talking about the restoration of Israel.  As Gentiles, Christ loves us the same with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.  Nations all around knew Jehovah was the True God and feared Him.  Many followed but when the Jews rejected Jesus as their Messiah, God opened the door for all who believed, come to Him.  He loves with an unconditional, an absolute and total love unlike our artificial, pancake type love.

            Why then do we love God like Jordan does when the pancakes are made the way he likes them?  Then Grandma is the greatest.  God, we will love you as long as you keep those cakes coming, they’re not burned, and as long as the flavor is what we expect.  If your goodness changes, we don’t know if we can feel the same way about you anymore.

            Sound typical?  We treat our Heavenly Father this way all the time.  God’s love is everlasting, even when things aren’t the way we would have ordered them.  He still loves us with an everlasting love, not a “pancake kind of love.”

Father,

Please show me how to love you with a pure heart that you so deserve from me and let it not be a “pancake kind of love.”

Are you confused?/Undeniable Stripes

Undeniable Stripes

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

                                                                                              --Isaiah 53:5

Watching a program on African wildlife, I became more and more aware of the God given protection of the zebra.  The stripes seem to confuse the predators when they are together in a herd.  Separately though they are almost defenseless from the wild animals roaming the savage land.  The document showed torn flesh and injured legs caused by the brutal attacks.  When together in a herd, the stripes blended together causing confusion.  Hard to define was where one zebra began and the other ended.

            The herd of zebras brought to mind the church body being attacked by our greatest predator, Satan.  The church body staying together will confuse even him.  Satan does not like it when we band together in one accord.  Branching off and splitting up causes us to be weak and easy for attack.

            Stripes confused the enemies of the zebra.  Imagine how the stripes Jesus bore on His body must have confused those who witnessed the miracles and healing power of Jesus.  Most of all it boosted Satan’s false sense of pride.  He proudly began to claim the victory his and thought he was the great conqueror over God’s eternal plan!  Then came the resurrection of our Savior. 

            Has Satan confused your mind about the stripes that Christ bore?  Has he tried to blend lies with the truth to where you cannot seem to define what is what?   John 14:6 the Word reads, Jesus is the Truth.  Remember sin sick soul, we are healed by His stripes. 

            As believers we know Him by His stripes.  There should be no confusion!

Written this morning/Are You Hungry Yet?

Are You Hungry Yet?

Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done; and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.

                                                                        …Psalm 40:5

He walked forward, stopped and turned back to see if I was following him.  Our Beagle knows me too well at times.  I will say “Come on Buddy let’s get some supper.”  But on the way I pick up the clothes basket, hang a towel or close a curtain.  He knows he will stop, start, stop and start again before he arrives at his destination-food.  With each stop he waits patiently while I’m sure that under his dog breath he is saying, “I’m hungry! Can’t you hear my belly growl?”

One thing for sure about our Beagle he does know I will feed Him, not maybe at the moment he wants, but he will be fed.  Twice a day we go through our routine of “Are you hungry?” and then his tail wags wildly at the hopes of being fed.  Buddy always seems to be hungry; has such an appetite. 

The thought occurred to me how the Lord waits patiently for me to act upon His direction but I am so easily distracted not acting on His plea to follow.  Christ always has great things in mind for me and He does want to see me follow Him.  His ways are not always my ways…sad to say I seem to think I know what is best for me.  I must do this, or finish that giving Him excuses why I haven’t arrived at the destiny He has for me yet. 

When I do arrive, I find all I need to be equipped for the task at hand, with all the tools needed.  How great are thy mercies and living kindness O Lord unto me.  Why then do I hesitate, linger long or even hold back from a bowl full of blessings.  Just as Buddy we will also come away satisfied.  Are you listening?  Can you hear Him say “Are you coming?”

Father,

In the name of your Son Jesus, Help me to learn to be quiet, listen and followwithout hesitancy.

Sliced, Diced and Mashed/ Cocaine or Grandma?

Choice: Cocaine or Grandma?

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;                                                                

                                                                                         2 Corinthians 3:5

Awake unto righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.                                                                

                                                                                          I Corinthians 15:34

           

Our five year old grandson expressed to us he was upset.  When questioning why he explained, "Granma! I wanted to take you to “Show and Tell,” but you won't fit in my backpack."  I found this so funny. The rule being that the object taken to "Show and Tell" could not exceed the size of the children's backpack.  This helped them understand at their age, the size allowed.  Even the children in pre-school had specific instructions to follow.

How do we expect children to follow instructions when parents don’t?  Listening to our news channel this week it was reported of a six year old child who took crack cocaine to school for “Show and Tell.”  I gasped in unbelief at what I heard.  The boy didn’t know it was wrong, because it was an everyday occurrence to him.  He even knew how to use it; having seen it used so often. 

Poor child!  The mother got off with possible child endangerment and paid a fine of around $345.  Parents!  Grow up! Raise your children, not the children raise you!  Children should not be cleaning up vomit from a drunken parent, or fixing meals for themselves because their mother or father is strung out on drugs. 

Set for them an example that you might be worthy to be called a parent.  Isn’t it   a “Parent,” our Nation needs God?  I am upset too Jordan, because as a nation we left the precepts or instructions God gave us, and this is what we have.  Jordan was upset not able to take me, but one day he will laugh at that.  He won’t laugh, when he sees the world left for him to raise his children in.  God forgive us!  Having the Lord will be his hope through it all.

No! Christian homes aren’t perfect; they too are struggling.  Christian, be what God wants you to be and the world will change.  If you are hiding behavior that does not please God, give it up and let Him clean up your “act.”

Believers, or unbeliever, don’t look at me, look at my Savior; the True example with instructions for you how to be the parent, husband, wife, sister or daughter God meant for you to be.    We all need God!  Read His instruction book.  Then maybe your child will want to take you for “Show and Tell.”

Sliced, Diced and Mashed/Hard as a Rock

Harder Than a Rock

O Lord, are not thine eyes upon the truth? Thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.

                                                                                                                          …Jeremiah 5:3

                Noticing something of mine hanging out of the young ladies purse, I dared confront her about it before she went rushing out the door.  Camp items were being kept in the back room awaiting the time to open the doors of the newly built camp.  Hiring a woman to give me a hand in cleaning was great, but when I realized she was stealing from us, her job was terminated on the spot.

            When I confronted her asking why she stole from us after we had been so good to her, she replied, “You have two of these; I have none so I took one.  It sounded good to her.  She played awfully dumb and even played the violin sad song to us, but to no avail.  She saw, she wanted, and she took.  Sound too familiar in today’s society.  

            Excuses she had and to her all of them made sense in her mind. It is easy to justify what we do.  You may even believe what you did was not wrong.  What does the Bible say about it?  God calls sin, sin, and doesn’t chocolate coat it.  My helper knew she was doing wrong, or she wouldn’t have hidden the items; she would have paraded them in front of me free of concern about consequences.

            In rebellion, this woman puckered her lips tight almost like a draw string bag.  She was mad, because she lost her job, but mostly because she was caught in the act. She did not want to receive correction and her face turned hard as rock.

            Jeremiah says, Lord, thou has stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou has consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock;

            Look at someone who is really mad, and notice how hard their faces become.  Harden not your face or your heart dear friend.  God has known what rebellion is since the days of Adam and Eve.  Receive correction if needed, and return to Him!

Sliced, Diced and Mashed/No Turning Back

No Turning Back

And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it.  Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.  And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall.

                                                                                      …Nehemiah 4:8-10

            Brazil was a most interesting place to live, especially in the state of Minas Gerais.  Outside my window I often looked over to the side of the mountain, watching this little creature the size of a Hummingbird.  The tiny Tiziu made me stand in awe as God used it to teach me another lesson in my life.

            Every day the Tiziu found its way to the fence post and in a perfect rhythmic form of jump and chirp, jump and chirp sang a high pitched sound never missing a beat. Hour after hour, day after day performing what to us would seem to be monotonous for sure.  I say performing, because if it is what God designed him to do, no matter what it is, he is performing for the Glory of God.  We may be feeling small and so insignificant, maybe that our duties are so monotonous. But if it is done unto the Lord it is considered great!  It takes commitment to keep going in the spot where God put us.  Does your spot feel the size of a fence post?

            I have had trouble myself, trying to stay focused, and not give up when discouragement rises its’ ugly head.  And there is always the cold water committee, to dampen our spirits. The chirping of the Tiziu, I understood as a joyful sound unto his creator. Are we rejoicing? Or are we somewhat like the guilty in our verses today? The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall. The team effort was dwindling and the strength of those building and clearing the rubbish were disheartened and ready to give up, tired and exhausted. Hindrance came from every direction; from within, without, from enemies round about.  But verse 9 reads, Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night because of them. The word “them,” portrays the enemy, the discourager, or the one hindering the work of God.

            Go ahead! Keep faithful like the Tiziu in his place, even if it is just clearing away rubbish like in the times of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. Do all in the Name of our Lord and Savior.  The platform may be just a fence post, but all the same, God is receiving the Glory if the heart is in tune with Him. If you are begging for a bigger fence post, be careful, pride cometh before the fall.

              Like Nehemiah was saying, don’t give up now the walls are just about up!  Child of God, Don’t give up! Be faithful and committed, His return is near.