Catch the Vision



Picture couertesy of Free Christ Images



Where there is no vision, the people perish; but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. Proverbs 29:18

This week we spent a few days camping in the Great Smokey Mountains at Cades Cove. It’s a very different place where no one and nothing feel afraid. Little sparrows literally hopped around our feet collecting the crumbs we dropped from the picnic table. A deer grazed at the side of the ranger station. People walked by. Cars passed. Nothing caused the deer to startle. Butterflies landed on children’s fingers. And I wondered, why can’t life be this peaceable every day? Then I remembered there will be a time when life is peaceable. God tells us in Isaiah 11 that there will be a peaceable kingdom on earth, a time when animals and children play together without harm. We got a small vision of that time for a few days this past week. How nice it will be to see that and feel the peace every day.

But what is the key to peace on earth? Isaiah 11:9 holds that key. There will be a time when “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” Jesus gave us a command just before he sparrowleft. In Matthew 28:19,20 He told us, Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

How can I go into all the world; we might ask. Just by starting where we are with our family, with our friends, our neighbors, or even on this site. The internet reaches into all the world, even to closed countries where missionaries can’t go.

What do I say; we might ask. All we need to do is tell someone how Jesus changed our lives. Tell someone how Jesus died for you. When you see a butterfly, tell how that butterfly is a new creature, totally changed from a caterpillar. When you hear a bullfrog croaking, tell someone how that frog is totally changed from a tadpole. We can show someone by our actions and our words that Jesus has totally changed us. Let me be the first. I was 15 years old when the Holy Spirit began to nudge my heart that I was a sinner. He made me begin to realize that if I died, I would not be in heaven. At a campmeeting on a hot summer night, I went to an alter and asked forgiveness of my sins. I asked Jesus to save me. He changed my life that night. I am not perfect but I am a very different person now who loves that Lord and seeks to keep His commands. He has given me a vision for my future.

Tell someone in person, in a letter, on the phone, or join a discussion on this site so the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord.

In a Flash!

 

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. II Peter 3:9,10

Wow! What a storm we had the other night! At first it seemed like a normal summer storm and it was, but not for us. As we sat at the supper table there was a huge ball of light in our back yard. The lights went off, then came back on, sort of. Six light bulbs were blown, three above our heads, 2 in the kitchen and 1 in the living room. Oh, but that’s not all. The phones were dead. The modem was blown on the internet. The mouse was blown. The ground fault receptacle was dead. And the air conditioner was blowing heat and would not cut off! An A/C repairman thought the lightning may have melted some elements together! When we went out side we noticed mud splattered on top of a car under a carport shed. How odd, until we noticed the other signs; a hole the size of a cantaloupe near the car, another hole under the wheel of a flower stand. The ground was ripped up and roots de-barked and more mud slung on a patio. What in the world? The spot where the lightning had struck! None of our neighbors had been affected and thankfully we were all safe but the things of this world had melted and burned up in a flash.

In Matthew, chapter 24, Jesus tells his disciples that the coming of the Son of Man will be like lightning coming out of the east and shining to the west. The storm the other night helped me picture the unexpectedness of His coming. It also helped me understand that it is very visible. All our neighbors for miles saw and heard the storm but, compared to the number of people who saw and heard the storm, only a few were affected, including us.  A little further in Matthew 24, Jesus says 2 people shall be in the field, one shall be taken, the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill, one taken the other left.

God is not slack. He will come back for his people and the rest will be left. But, there are many more who need to know his salvation so he patiently waits, knowing that when He comes the disaster for those left will be sudden and destructive, even to the burning of everything.

Would you like to know a little more and do some experiments with “lightning”? Try this website for some insight: http://www.weatherwizkids.com/experiments-thunder.htm

Have you asked for God’s forgiveness and salvation? Has God shown you His patience and power in some way?  Please share your experiences with us.  

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. II Peter 3:9,10

Wow! What a storm we had the other night! At first it seemed like a normal summer storm and it was, but not for us. As we sat at the supper table there was a huge ball of light in our back yard. The lights went off, then came back on, sort of. Six light bulbs were blown, three above our heads, 2 in the kitchen and 1 in the living room. Oh, but that’s not all. The phones were dead. The modem was blown on the internet. The mouse was blown. The ground fault receptacle was dead. And the air conditioner was blowing heat and would not cut off! An A/C repairman thought the lightning may have melted some elements together! When we went out side we noticed mud splattered on top of a car under a carport shed. How odd, until we noticed the other signs; a hole the size of a cantaloupe near the car, another hole under the wheel of a flower stand. The ground was ripped up and roots de-barked and more mud slung on a patio. What in the world? The spot where the lightning had struck! None of our neighbors had been affected and thankfully we were all safe but the things of this world had melted and burned up in a flash.

In Matthew, chapter 24, Jesus tells his disciples that the coming of the Son of Man will be like lightning coming out of the east and shining to the west. The storm the other night helped me picture the unexpectedness of His coming. It also helped me understand that it is very visible. All our neighbors for miles saw and heard the storm but, compared to the number of people who saw and heard the storm, only a few were affected, including us.  A little further in Matthew 24, Jesus says 2 people shall be in the field, one shall be taken, the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill, one taken the other left.

God is not slack. He will come back for his people and the rest will be left. But, there are many more who need to know his salvation so he patiently waits, knowing that when He comes the disaster for those left will be sudden and destructive, even to the burning of everything.

Would you like to know a little more and do some experiments with “lightning”? Try this website for some insight: http://www.weatherwizkids.com/experiments-thunder.htm

Have you asked for God’s forgiveness and salvation? Has God shown you His patience and power in some way?  Please share your experiences with us.  

Planting God’s Seeds

Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. John 12:24

Remember those seeds you planted last spring? What happened to them? You may have seen the seeds come out of the ground on the first leaves or they may have remained in the ground. Either way, the seeds died when the little plant began to put down roots and lift up the first sprout. Now, months later, you are enjoying veggies (the fruit)  and flowers from those seeds that rotted and died. Inside the fruit of the veggie, the beans, squash, tomatoes, okra, etc. are more seeds, lots of seeds to plant next year.

Experiment 

Take 2 or 3 left over seeds or a few dry beans. Grab a paper towel and a sandwich bag to see what happens.

Fold the paper towel in half twice so it is the size of the sandwich bag. Now, dampen it.

Place it inside the sandwich bag.

Place your seeds on the towel and zip the bag closed.

Pace your bag of seeds in a sunny window and watch what happens.

Jesus wants us to be like that seed. He wants us to “die to self”. In other words forget about what you want and let Jesus show you a better way. When we follow what Jesus wants, we will be witnesses for Him to everyone we meet. When someone gets save, that’s called bearing fruit. Lots of people can be saved through the witness of one person like you and me. We can bear lots of fruit. Like the veggies in our garden, a new Christian has the potential to bear more fruit. They can tell others just as you did.

Did you have any left over seeds last spring? What happened to them? Aren’t they still lying there in the package doing nothing, just waiting on someone to poke them in a little dirt?

That’s the way Christians are who don’t witness. We give all kinds of excuses. We don’t know what to say. We don’t want others not to like us. The excuses can go on and on. We just sit there without any fruit. Isn’t it exciting when we see someone get saved? Let’s all get out of the chair, step out into the world and plant a few of God's seeds.

Got any fruit to share? Leave us a comment about your experiences planting God’s seeds in the hearts of others.

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A Cherokee's Love

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

John 15:13

Got any Indians in your closet? Family history says my great grandmother was a Cherokee. I haven’t found a way to prove it but the outward appearance says it’s probably true – black hair, chocolate brown eyes, dark skin, no sunburn. Since we only live about 2 hours from the NC reservation, my dad took us to see the outdoor drama of Unto These Hills when I was a kid. It was the first time any of us had ever seen it. It broke our hearts to see how one man gave his life for his people. Because of Tsali, the Cherokee hiding in the mountains of NC were allowed to stay. Those already  surrendered were taken on the Trail of Tears to Oklahoma. Kermit Hunter did a great job in writing the drama so we don’t forget the sacrifices people have always made for the freedoms we enjoy.

Funny thing happened one year when I was planting a garden. A friend of mine gave me a handful of black beans. She said they came off the flea market in Sylva, NC. The seller called them Black Wax beans. I planted them, watched as they put on beautiful purple flowers and made long pods of pole beans. They tasted pretty good too! The next year I searched the bean catalogs and on line for Black Wax beans. I couldn’t find a thing. Then I saw a picture of Cherokee Trail of Tears beans. The description was exactly the same as my Black Wax. It also gave a little history. The Cherokee women hid the beans in their hair or in their pockets for food and seed when they walked the Trail of Tears. Could the seeds I was given be seeds left in the mountains with those for whom Tsali died?

Tsali died for the love of his people, to save them a place in their land. It got me to thinking, Jesus died because of his love for us, to save us a place in heaven. Tsali killed a soldier in defense of his wife. The soldiers made a deal to let the Cherokee stay if Tsali gave himself up. He knew he would be shot. Jesus committed no sin or offense against the Jews or the Roman army or anyone. He was without sin, yet He and God the Father decided before the world was made that He would give his life for us, so we could receive eternal life.

I still grow Cherokee Black Wax beans in my garden. It reminds me of why I get to live here instead of Oklahoma. It also reminds me that Jesus willingly gave His life so I get to live eternally with him. What reminders has Jesus given you of His eternal love for us? Won’t you share your experiences on our blogsite?