Flowers and Families

 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. ~Genesis 1:11

I love peonies. My favorite is the anemone peony. It's not as common as the double peonies that are filled with petals. Both are beautiful but to me, the Anemone is more delicate. Though the anemone may be more delicate looking, it has the same parts as other flowers that allow it to reproduce itself. Inside, the very middle contains the carpel. The carpel contains a trinity of parts.

Carpel

• the stigma 
• the style
•  the ovary. 

This is the female part. 

The stamen surround the carpel. It only has two parts.  

Stamen

• the anther
• the filament. 

These are the male parts. 

Lastly, the petals protect and accentuate the inner workings of the peony.  You can learn more about peonies here. 

Flowers are like families. The mother and father are the center of the family surrounded by God's loving hands. It's as if God's cupped hands hold the family. They protect the family. It's inside those petals, those cupped hands that the flower produces seeds, the offspring of the flower. If any part of the flower is broken, the flower doesn't produce the optimum seed. If the carpel or the stamen is damaged the flower cannot reproduce. If the petals are damaged then they can't protect the male and female parts; the seed may be less viable.

So in God's cupped hands, families produce offspring, held and protected, where the children can be nurtured, and mature into the people God intends them to be. Families create another trinity, the mother, the father, and the child(ren). If any part of the family is missing there can be no children. If any part of the family is damaged by sin it is more difficult to raise the children. God's loving hands will not be damaged but He will not hold those who will not be held. 

 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; ~Romans 3:23

Yes, we have all sinned, so it is up to us to ask forgiveness and allow the Lord to restore His loving hands around our families. There must be a commitment for the optimal family relationship. 

Commitment

• Individual commitment to the Lord
• Commitment as a couple to the Lord
• Commitment to the marriage

So what does that look like? 

• Daily commitment to the reading of God's word
• Daily commitment to prayer
• Weekly commitment to the house of God

These are hard things to ask in the busy, hurried, distracted days in which we live, but it is the only way we can restore our homes and our nation. It has to start with us. Government, laws, not even churches can fix our problems. 

You've heard "Stop and smell the roses." Maybe we need to stop and look deeply into the peony and how God has fashioned it as well as the roses. 

How has God surrounded your family with His love and protection? 

Heavenly Father, forgive us for neglecting You. Help us renew our commitments to You and our families. Please restore Your loving hands around our families and our nation. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Hey Kids:

Have you wondered how you can help improve your family? It's not just mom and dad's responsibility. 

What can you do to make life easier for your family? 

Here are a few ideas:

• pick up your toys and clothes
• do your homework without being asked
• walk away from a fuss with your siblings.
• remind your parents to have family devotion and prayer time

What other ideas can you add? 

Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right. ~Proverbs20:11

Under the Shadow of His Wings

 

Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.

Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O Lord, thou preservest man and beast. How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. ~Psalms 36:1-7 KJV

Your Love, O Lord by Third Day 

When I read Psalms 36 I was reminded of this song.

Have you ever heard the story of how a fire raced across the fields where a mother hen and her chicks were feeding? When the fire was over the mother hen lay dead but her chicks were safe, hidden under her wings. 

As I read this Psalm I thought about how each item named shows us how the Lord created the universe as a covering reminding us He keeps us under the shadow of His wings. 

•  The Heavens - God's Mercy is not getting what we deserve. In the heavens, God placed the ball of the sun to remind us He gives us the Light that emanates from Him. He wraps us in the unseen warmth of His loving Holy Spirit. The light and the warmth are all part of the trinity God demonstrates with the sun. 

• The Clouds - God's Faithfulness is demonstrated in the clouds. God is faithful, drawing the water into the clouds. Then they release the water on the dry ground, the plants, animals, and us without which everything would die. God never leaves us or forgets us but is faithful to supply our needs. 

• Mountains - God's Righteousness is demonstrated by the unmovable mountains. God's laws never change. We can depend on the fact that what was sin in the past is still sin today. What was right in the past is still right today. God doesn't move the goal post. His laws never change. 

• The Deep - God's Judgements are right. If we were wronged and the judge at a trial turned the defendant lose because it was the first offense, we would feel betrayed. He would be an unrighteous judge. But God is a righteous judge. Sin must be punished so He sent His Son to pay for our offenses, our sins. He has judged His Son in our place and cast our sins into the depths of the seas where He will remember them no more. 

• The Shadow of His Wings - God is trustworthy. He is there for us. We can trust Him and find comfort in all He does. 

How will you put your trust in God's mercy; finding Him faithful this week? 

Father God, thank you for the beautiful universe You have created with such purpose. Help me keep my eyes and heart wide open to Your wonders. In Christ's name. Amen

Hey Kids:

Have you read the book I Went Walking by Sue Williams? 

Animals hide in plain sight that go walking with the child once she sees them. 

I wonder what you might find hiding this week that God has put in plain sight to remind us of His mercy, His faithfulness, His righteousness, and His judgments. His creation lets us know we can trust Him to take care of us. 

What could be important about a grain of sand, a caterpillar, a sparrow, and other things God created? 

Take a walk. Enjoy your findings. Keep a nature journal. Share your journal with your family and friends.

Celebrate Life

         

photo courtesy of Pixabay

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. ~Psalms 139:14 KJV

A friend of mine posted a picture this week of a swan walking around Lake Junaluska, NC. Its majestic swagger was evident even in a still photo. I wondered if he was looking for a mate or a place to show her for a nest. 

I follow the Wonderfilled Days blog, though I no longer teach or homeschool or even have children at home, I love reading her explorations and connections to children's literature. Part of her email this week was about The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White. She brought to the reader's attention that at the end of most chapters Sam, posed a question, a thought provoking question. 

    "I don't know of anything in the entire world more wonderful to look at than a nest with eggs in it. An egg because it contains life is the most perfect thing there is. It is beautiful and mysterious. An egg is a finer thing than a tennis ball or a cake of soap. A tennis ball will always be just a tennis ball. A cake of soap will always be just a cake of soap until it gets so small nobody wants it and they throw it away, an egg will someday be a living creature."

~The Trumpet of the Swan

We value so many things, our grandmother's china cabinet, or our dad's '67 Mustang. We value the homerun baseball signed by our favorite player and the concert tickets from that special night but how valuable is a life? Tennis balls, fragrant soap, china, cars, signed balls, and tickets are just stuff, even those with memories attached are still just stuff but an egg, any egg is life itself. It will grow and transform into that beautiful cygnet, a bluebird, a salamander, or a platypus. Watching a mother robin tend her nest and seeing the newly hatched chicks is one of my favorite childhood memories. But these are not the only eggs that contain life. 

We may not be able to see the horse's egg or our dog's egg, or even a goat's egg but they all originate as an egg. Neither can we see the human egg inside the mother's womb but it is there growing with God forming the little person's every detail. He creates each human with love and a purpose. Whether there is only one child or twenty, whether the child is born into a family or adopted a child is still created with purpose and loved by God. 

Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward
As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.
Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate. ~Psalms 128:3-5

So much is happening to destroy the lives of our children physically, mentally, and spiritually. The swan builds a nest six feet wide to lay her eggs and protect her cygnets. The cob (male swan) swims close by guarding her and the young. Like swans, we need strong homes with watchful fathers and mothers who "fuss" over our families.  I pray we watch carefully over our children from conception to their flight from our nests. 

Father, give us a new heart for children and families. Help us guard them against Satan's entanglements and create a home where the wonders of the Lord and His salvation are shared daily. In Jesus's name. Amen. 

Hey Kids: 

Have you read The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White? Perhaps you have had it read to you. 

Did you notice the questions Sam thought of each night? 

He wrote them in a journal by his bed and pondered them as he went to sleep each night.

When he wondered about eggs he also wondered how the bird knew how to build a nest. 

Take some time to go outside and watch as spring brings new life. Watch as the birds and insects and other animals prepare homes for new life. 

Create a journal for your observations and questions. Ask for help finding literature about your questions. Add quotes from the literature or Bible verses that support your observations and questions.

Wonder at the wonderful world God has created to for us to enjoy and teach us of His great love. 

Crosses on a hill

 

 

Everything is showing signs of spring - peach and apple trees blossom, daffodils and tulips pop up everywhere. Even the pine trees are sporting new growth. But wait! What is that I see?

 Today

 This morning, a pair of hungry house finches searched

 the wreath on the door.

 At noon, a wren sang a song from the dogwood tree.

Black, against the evening sky, three geese flew in form, 

What did I do today?

Was I hungry for God’s Word this morning?

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Did I search for the Truth I need to hear?

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Did I sing a song of rejoicing at noon?

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.

Did I work in unity with the brethren?

That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

What did I do today?

References: Matt.5:6; John 8:32; Psalms 100:1; John 17:21

Hey Kids:

April is Poetry Month so I thought I'd get a jump on things.
I wrote a little free verse about birds.
Each bird I observed reminded me of something the Lord wants us to do.
What are you observing this week?
How is the Lord using your observations to direct you?

Hope my attempt at poetry inspires you to write a little too. Let me know how it turns out.

Together

 

not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. ~Hebrews 10:25 (ESV)

My apple tree stood alone this year during bloom time. Lots of pretty blooms covered the tree but no baby apples grew. We had to cut down the two trees that stood on each side. They were rotting and produced poorly. I intended to replant but it just didn't happen. Apple trees need one another to pollenate and produce apples. 

Churches need their members to produce fruit. They need people to faithfully do the necessary jobs of preaching, teaching, disciplining, singing, making music, and just faithfully encouraging one another. If the members forsake meeting together, who will invite, who will greet, who will instruct, who will sing and make a joyful noise? Who will encourage us? How will the church produce the fruit of the next generation? 

Maybe we can start here.

• Pray for those we noticed who weren't there this week.
• Let others know they are missed by sending a card, visiting, or making a call or text.
• Reach out to co-workers and friends who do not attend a church. 
• Volunteer to do something, sing, play an instrument or put together a family night.
• Volunteer to teach a class.
• Clean the bathrooms (everything is an important job).

Just like apple trees, to produce fruit, we need one another. May I encourage you to go stand beside someone at church this week?

Heavenly Father, help us to encourage one another by inviting others to your house, by participating, and volunteering to do the scary and necessary jobs. Please help me to be present to greet those who have come to worship you. In Jesus's name. Amen.

Hey Kids:

What kind, or encouraging words can you share with others? How can you be helpful at church, at school, and in your neighborhood?

Even a child is known by his deeds,

Whether what he does is pure and right.

~Proverbs 20:11 (NKJV)

Even a young person can do many of the things in the bullet list above. How will you stand with others to help your church produce fruit? 

To Tell the Truth

 

 For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting;

and his truth endureth to all generations. Psalms 100:5

"What is truth?" Pilate asked Jesus this question. He didn't wait to hear the answer. 

The picture on this blog of the apple blossom with the bee inside tells us a truth. An apple blossom opened and its sweet fragrance drew a bee. The bee is pollinating the apple blossom by dusting the pollen from the stamen (the male part of the flower) onto its body and dusting pollen from other apple trees onto the pistil (the female part) of the apple blossom. From this pollination, an apple will form which will be food for many creatures and people. It will also form seeds that will grow more apple trees. 

That's not the end of the picture. What about the bee? It will return to the hive with pollen to be made into honey to feed the hive and allow the queen to produce more bees to replenish the hive. The honey will also be food for other creatures and people. 

This is a very simple explanation of both processes, but it is plain that there must have been a plan for this to work so perfectly in tandem. Would we just pour liquids into a vial and wait until it exploded and expect to make something? We would never attempt even the most simple of tasks without first having a plan we expect to succeed. 

Pilate asked the same question many people ask today. "What is truth?" Earlier Jesus, while praying to the Father declared "thy word is truth." (John 17:17).

So why is it that we ask "What is truth?" when we have the truth probably in our own homes. Suppose we don't have a copy of God's word in our homes. Romans 1:20 says we are without excuse. That creation itself shows us the Godhead and His eternal power. You may say, "nature has evolved over millions of years." Why not consult the truth?

 Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created...

So many people today are rejecting the truth in the name of equity, love, tolerance, etc, etc, etc. The truth is no one wants the truth because it doesn't approve of their sin. Excuse me for the politically incorrect term. I should have said agenda. Sin is sin and I called it what it is. Anything that is the opposite of truth is a lie. A lie is a false witness. The Bible has said Do not bear false witness. Again, truth is God's word. What other truths are found from the beginning?

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. ~ Genesis 1:27

And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. ~Genesis 2:23,24

Heavenly Father, Help others not to think I am unkind. My desire, Lord, is to speak the truth in love so that no one is deceived by believing a lie. In Christ Jesus's name. Amen.

Hey Kids:

Spring is showing up more every day. What a special time of year Life is being resurrected from the dead of winter. We discussed some of God's special plan for creation in the devotion above. 

As the weather warms, go out and try spotting bees. 

Count how many flowers a bee visits in a minute.

What type of flowers are the bees visiting?

If you're not allergic, see how close you can get. Can you spot the pollen sacs on the back legs?

Honey bees won't usually sting because once they sting they die.

Try journaling your observations. Draw some pictures of the bees you've spotted.

Thank Jesus for His marvelous creation. 

For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. Colossians 1:16

I borrowed some of the Hey Kids ideas from my friend's new devotional Quirky Critter Devotions by Annette Whipple. Check out her devotions and activities for an adventurous summer. 

What Does the Holocaust have to do with Purim?

       

No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the LORD 

 ~ Isaiah 54:17 NIV

One of the saddest times in recent history is the Holocaust. Since the beginning of creation Satan has attacked God's people thinking he could win. When God provided the first sacrifice He not only showed Adam and Eve there is forgiveness of sin through the coming of His Son but He told Satan he would be defeated by His Son. So all through history Satan has dreamed up plans to stop the coming of the Messiah Jesus. When Jesus was crucified Satan thought he had won until Jesus came forth from the grave, alive again forever more. So what is Satan trying to do now? 

Satan knows one day he will find himself eternally in the bottomless pit, not in control but in eternal punishment of hellfire. His last ditch effort is to destroy God's people, the Jews. Psalms tells us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Peace is not an absence of war. It's not happiness gained with money. No one can have peace without salvation that gives a peace past finding out. In other words you can't understand the peace God gives without knowing Him in a personal relationship. Scripture says before the great and terrible day of the Lord Israel will come to know their Messiah (Zechariah 12). So we see over and over in history how Satan tried to destroy the Jews. 

In the 1930's a man named Julius Streicher began publishing a newspaper Der Strumer (The Attacker). It was propoganda against the Jews. He also published a children's book, Giftpilz (The Poisonous Mushroom). It too was propaganda to turn the children against their Jewish schoolmates and neighbors.  He was vehemently anti-Semetic, so much so that after the World War II he was charged with war crimes. He was convicted and sentenced to death. A gallows was built. As he was led to the gallows to be hung he said, "Purim 1946". 

Purim the day the Jews were to be destroyed by Haman. Esther had intervened for God and her people. Now there is the feast of Purim to celebrate the saving of the Jews from destruction. 

It seems strange that someone who knew the scripture well enough to know he was a modern day Haman would be willing to be used in such a horrific way. In our times many in government are trying to destroy our faith. They are trying to silence us just as Haman and Streicher tried to do. But as Esther and others stood firm in the face of death, we too must stand firm in proclaiming the gospel even if it comes to death. Satan cannot prevail against Christ and his church. 

on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 

~Matthew 16:18 ESV

Father, we know you are the good and perfect God. Though we may go through trials and may even face death, you have promised us a place of eternal peace. A place of no more dying, no more tears, no more pain. Father God, help us look to you for strength in our times of need. May we rejoice in your salvation. In Jesus's name. Amen.


Hey Kids:


Do others make fun of you when you don't go along with their sinful actions?
Are you asked to read books that are against scripture?
These things are happening in many public schools across our country. How can you stand against these things? First and foremost you have to have a personal relationship with Jesus. 

• There has to be a time and a place where you know you are a sinner, you have done wrong things, like telling a lie, disobeying parents, taking something that doesn't belong to you. 
• There has to be a time and a place where you ask Jesus to forgive you and save you.
• There has to be a change in your life, the way you live and behave that is different than the way you were. It doesn't mean you will never sin again but it does mean that when you sin you will feel sorry and ask God's forgiveness so that you stay in the right fellowship with Him. 

God is a powerful helper to those who have come to Him for salvation.  If you've never heard or read the stories of Daniel, Esther, and David, let me encourage you to begin learning about these true heroes/heroines of the Bible. 

Am I a Donkey?

                                   

 Come take up the cross and follow me. ~Mark 10:21NKJV

What first comes to mind when someone says donkey? What do you think about when you see a donkey? 

A Sycamore Tree

             

Ask of Me, and I will give You
The nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession.

~Psalms 2:8 NKJV

"Father, would you plant a sycamore tree along the road from Jericho? There will be a man who will need that tree in a few years."

"Yes, my Son. It is done."

Fifty years later - A small man scurried about preparing to leave his house. All the money needed to be secured. The expensive goods needed to be hidden. All the while he wondered how he, the shortest man in town, would be able to hear and see the great Teacher if he were trapped in the middle of the noisy moving crowd. Perhaps if he went ahead of the crowd he would be able to see Jesus as He led the crowd out of town. 

Hurrying down the road he noticed an old sycamore tree. Its heart-shaped leaves were already large. If he climbed the tree the leaves would hide him from the crowd. They despised him anyway. He gained his riches from their taxes. Perhaps climbing up the tree would be his best option. He would be able to see without being seen. 

As he settled in the wasps annoyed him. He knew the figs drew the wasps needed to prick the fruit allowing them to ripen. Otherwise, they were inedible. Still, he swatted. Didn't they know he wasn't a fig? There, just up the road, Jesus led the raucous crowd. He spoke to the people listening intently until the Pharisees interrupted with their questions. Jesus was drawing nearer. Now He stopped. Jesus looked up with a smile. Suddenly, the man felt very exposed. 

"Zacchaeus, come down. I want to go to your house today. " 

He nearly fell scrambling down the slick trunk. "You want to go to my house? Come, come this way. It's only a short distance."

The crowd murmured. They watched in shock that Jesus would go to the house of a sinner like Zacchaeus. He was a thief and a robber. "Jesus doesn't know what He is doing. He can't be the Messiah if he keeps company with a tax collector."  Many shook their heads in disbelief but they followed Jesus to Zacchaeus's house. 

Zacchaeus's heart was pricked. He knew he didn't deserve to have Jesus in his home. But he knew Jesus cared about him. He had robbed many people and needed to be forgiven. He wanted to change his ways. "Jesus, I want to give half my goods to the poor. If I have wronged anyone I will give them back four times what I have taken." 

Jesus looked about at the people. “Today salvation has come to this house because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Each time Zacchaeus passed the sycamore tree on his way to the town, he looked up. "Thank you Father for planting this tree here just for me."

Have you ever felt like you were hiding from God? Zacchaeus wasn't the only one. Remember Adam and Eve tried to make clothes with fig leaves. Have you ever felt God pricking your heart so you could turn from your bitter sin and ripen into the sweet Christian Jesus wants you to be? 

Have you ever thought how Jesus planned to get the message of salvation to you? How he planned for everything to be in place at the right time just for you? We've all been Zacchaeus at some point. 

Heavenly Father, thank you for planning every situation for my salvation. May I continually thank you for the day you pricked my heart and brought salvation to my house. In Jesus's name. Amen.

Hey Kids:

Have you ever climbed a sycamore tree? My grandmother called the tree a sycamine. I thought it was just her old-fashioned English but when I did a little research through Bible Study Tools it turns out that Zacchaeus's sycamore tree was actually a sycamine. It grows much like a fig tree in the Middle East and has inedible fruit unless the fruit is pricked. 

Use the Bible Study Tools link above to help you find out more about Sycamore trees and what trees we have that are similar. It could be you have eaten a fruit pricked by a wasp. I've eaten its fruit from a tree in my backyard. It's pretty tasty. 

Do you know the song "Zacchaeus was a Wee Little Man"? Follow the link to hear the Cedarmont kids sing it on YouTube.

Raising Kids to Follow Christ

 That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: ~ Psalms 78:6-7

I received a pre-release version of my writing friend Lee Ann Mancini's book Raising Kids to Follow Christ.  I wish it had been written when I was raising my children. The chapters are conversational. I felt like Lee Ann was sitting there encouraging me as a young parent. Encouraging is the right word here. She isn't high-minded or judgemental but rather takes us through useful information that every parent can use.  She incorporates scripture with each recommendation, so it's not her that speaks, but God's Word. Each chapter builds on the previous with good instruction beginning with building a spiritual foundation for our children and taking instruction through the years. 

I really like the way each chapter is broken down into small bites. As a busy parent, I needed small bites of information so I could change a diaper or fix a meal. These are meaty small bites such as Praying Over Our Children (even while they are still in the womb), The Ten Commandments (memorizing by living them out before our children), and Tell the Next Generation (instilling allegiance to God like we show allegiance to our sports teams - go all out). 

Some of the chapters address character development and building a strong Christian foundation. She offers practical methods for connecting children to Jesus and cultivating trust in God. One of my favorite chapters is Helping Shape a Godly Worldview. To me that was always a hard concept but Mrs. Mancini breaks it down so it's a natural process of everyday life. 

I often hear people say "Kids are mean." Lee Ann has a chapter that helps us instill virtues in our children. Guess what, they are caught not taught. There's also a chapter on the fruits of the Spirit. Every chapter is built on the idea that we must demonstrate not tell our children how to live godly lives.

At the end of the book is chapter by chapter questions. I love this because I can reflect on what I've read and if I have a question about how she recommends handling something I can easily find the chapter. 

Mrs. Mancini's conclusion is "Raising kids to be followers of Christ is all about the salvation of our children." We want to know that one day we will sit down in heaven and our children will be sitting across the table from us. 

Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us writers who point us to the ultimate instruction book, Your Word. Thank you, you've given them the gift to break down the scripture in such a way as to increase our understanding. Father, help us follow through with the concepts in Your Word to raise our children to be followers of Christ so that we may spend eternity together in heaven. In Jesus's name, I pray. Amen. 

 

Patterns and Promises in Creation

And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: Isaiah 11:1 KJV

 Fractals— never heard of them until this fall. Fractal is a comparatively new term coined in 1975 by Benoit Mandelbrot. It's from Latin meaning broken or fractured. We've always seen fractals, we just didn't use that term. God used fractals in Creation.

Praying God's Promises

 Photo by pixabay.

And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord. 

~Genesis 4:26

Why do we pray? Is it just because we think we should or are we praying for the things God has promised?


A friend of mine related how her pastor used the verse from Genesis 4:26 to help them see how God honors His promises. Seth was Adam and Eve's third son. In Genesis 3:15 God promised to send the Savior to bruise Satan's head though Satan would bruise his heel. Satan immediately began a plan to derail God's promise. God gave Adam and Eve two sons, Cain and Able. They taught their boys to make the blood sacrifice of an animal for the forgiveness of sin just as God had made the sacrifice for them. However, Cain felt his hard work should be good enough. When God rejected Cain's sacrifice of his crops, Cain was angry and in jealousy killed his brother. The righteous seed of Able was destroyed and Satan thought he had won the war early.


Adam and Eve did not lose faith in God's promise. Nor had God turned his back on his promise. Eve conceived again and Seth was born. Once again Adam and Eve taught their son to have faith in God's promise, to make the blood sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin. There is no mention of Adam and Eve's other children following the Lord except in a lineage of Godly men and their families to Noah. When all the world went their own way every thought was evil. But Noah believed God and found grace in his eyes.


When we pray today, do we hold to God's promises or are we simply making rote prayers in vain repetition like the heathen to their idols?

Remember your first prayer of faith in God's promise? 

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Romans 10:13

• We know we sin daily. What is God's promise? I John 1:0
• We pray for the salvation of our family. Do we stand on the promise of Acts 16:31?
• We pray for the sick. Why? James 5:16
• If we ask for healing does that always mean we are healed on this earth? The saved are winners either way. Psalms 116:15
• Do we pray for our leaders, even those with whom we disagree? I Timothy 2:1-4
• As conflicts arise more and more in the Middle East, do we love Israel enough to pray for her? Psalms 122:6

God makes us a promise of blessings with each prayer we pray. 

What an awesome God we serve.

Father God, we love you and thank you for your promises and blessings. May your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10). In Jesus's name. Amen.

A Patchwork Country

 

Photo by Nathan Bang on Unsplash 

Turn us back to You, O Lord, and we will be restored.

Lamentations 5:21 NKJV

Quilts --- small colored pieces of cloth stitched together in a pleasing pattern to provide comfort, warmth, and protection against the cold. 

I'd much rather have a quilt than a blanket. If you've seen one blanket, you've seen them all. Not so many years ago, women saved their scraps from the family clothes to make winter quilts. Often those scraps held memories of family events or funny stories. Scraps were saved from baby clothes, men's jackets, and even mourning clothes. My Papa bought a bolt of white cloth so Grandma could make the family Easter clothes, a dress for their little girl, a dress for her, and a Sunday shirt for Papa. Without thinking, Grandma dyed the whole bolt --- pink!

Yes, Papa wore his new pink shirt with his overalls that Easter of 1925. Wouldn't a piece of Papa's shirt make a great piece for a quilt? Their little girl had recovered from infantile paralysis. Wouldn't a piece of her dress make another great square? 

Long Ago and Far Away

 

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. ~Genesis 3:15

Long ago and far away in a time when men wrote stories to empress the rulers, a story was written about a prince with a shield that bore a red cross. A princess searched for this prince because she and her kingdom were in danger of being eaten by a dragon, especially the children. Her parents locked the princess in a tower with them to protect her but she was brave. She knew she must find a way to save the children. 

The prince's intention was to reach the beautiful castle on the hill but first, he must cross the valley where the evil dragon lived. He was entreated by the princess to conquer this fire-breathing dragon. Three times he was almost killed by the dragon but each time he overcame the injury and wounded the dragon. The first wound was his wing. The second time the prince chopped off his hand. The last time he stabbed the sword into the dragon's mouth. He fell dead to the delight of the valley people. 

The princess introduced the prince to her parents. The gift to the dragon slayer was to be the hand of the princess in marriage. The two were wed but the prince had to return to serve the Fairy Queen for six years before his job was complete. 

What a fairy tale! One I had never heard or had I? It sounded vaguely familiar but the story I know is no fairy tale. My son's high school English teacher had made him aware there was a Jesus character in every good piece of Western literature. The Jesus figure would seem to be the underdog but by the end of the story, he would be the victor. 

Let's take a moment to analyze the importance of this story. St. George and the Dragon is part of Faerie Queene written by Edmund Spencer. When it was written, the printing press was a new invention. So the Bible was not yet printed in England and probably wouldn't have been well received by the Queen or the priests. Scripture was strictly reserved for the church hierarchy. So this tale could be printed and distributed in England especially if the author gave the story to the queen and made her think she was a heroine in the story. 

So thinking about the characters

• St. George the Conqueror who was almost conquered. - God told Satan he would bruise the woman's seed but the seed of the woman would bruise Satan's head. 
• Three times St. George was almost killed. - Biblically, three is the number of God. Many times Satan has tried to destroy the lineage to Jesus and to destroy Jesus himself; Herod's killing of the babies, the people took Jesus out to stone him but he passed through the crowd, and when Jesus was crucified. 
• Three times the dragon was wounded. Many times Satan tried to overturn God's plan but Nebuchadnezzar came to his senses and praised God, Haman was hanged on the gallows built for Mordecai and the Jews defeated their enemies, and Antiochus Epiphanies desecrated the altar by sacrificing a pig and attempting to destroy the Jewish religion.  But in the resurrection, Jesus conquered death and defeated Satan who now awaits his time. Oh yes, he still likes to wreak havoc, but his time is short. 
• The princess becomes St. George's bride. - The church is the bride of Christ awaiting his return for the wedding supper. 
• St. George must serve the Fairy Queen six years. - The universe was created in six days. One day is like a thousand years with the Lord. Did the author have a notion that maybe six thousand years would be an end to Satan? 

Heavenly Father, help us keep our eyes upon you and your word. Help us be aware of the spiritual warfare that goes on every moment and may we, the bride of Christ, put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:11-18), and proclaim the faith until he returns. In Jesus's name. Amen.

Beginning the Year

                          

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. II Timothy 2:15 KJV

Daily Devotional? Read through the Bible in a Year? How much time will these take out of my busy schedule? I thought I might take into account how much time I spend watching TV. I thought I'd also see how much screen time I use daily. Out of 16 waking hours, I spend ____  WHAT???WOW!!! 

If I give 10% of my income could I not give 10% of my time? WOW again, that would be over an hour and a half each day. So maybe if I skip 15-30 minutes of TV or screen time that would give me time to do a little Bible study. 

I use the S.O.A.P. method. It usually takes 15 -20 minutes. Then I do a five minute devotional. I'm often surprised how well they mesh together. 

Here's the journaling method I do with my Bible reading. Reading and journaling is usually about 20 minutes.

S. Scripture - I prayerfully read a chapter and allow God to impress one or two verses on my heart. I copy that scripture as the heading of today's reading. 

O. Observation - In my own words, I write my observations about the context of the verse. In other words, I retell the story. 

A. Application - How has God impressed upon me to apply these verses in my world? 

P. Prayer - I write my prayer about applying this scripture in my life.

The verse I chose today was from John 12: 1-11 with an emphasis on verse 9. Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead. 

My observation was that people came to see Lazarus because he knew what it was like to be dead and then come back to life. They probably had questions like; "Did you go toward a light? Was it scary? Did you hover around and watch people as they mourned for you? Did you go to paradise or heaven?" One of the biggest takeaways I had was that Lazarus was a man just like the people and they wanted to see someone whose life God had resurrected from death to a new life.

My application became my Christian walk. I say I am a Christian and people watch me every day to see how God has changed me, how He has delivered me from a lost/dead state to a new/resurrected life in Christ.

Usually, folks don't really come to church looking for God. They come because someone invited them. People want to see how God can change us in such a way that we are new people/creatures in Christ. They've never known what it is like to have their lives completely changed. They are curious to see how it works. 

My prayer was of course personal and individual but here's my thoughts.

Heavenly Father, help me demonstrate my life in Christ every day so that others might see the wonderful change Jesus makes in my life because I have asked for forgiveness and salvation. May others be so affected by the change that it would cause them to turn to Jesus as well. In Christ Jesus's name. Amen

Hey Kids:

Paul wrote these words to young Timothy. And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 

II Timothy 3:15.

You can use S.O.A.P. You may want to do your own study or find out where your parents will be studying each day. God may reveal something different to you that you can share at the family altar time. God has something for each of us no matter how old or how young. We'd love for you to share with us, but most importantly, share with your family and demonstrate Christ to others.