The One Less Traveled

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. Proverbs 14:12 NKJV

I love Cades Cove and my favorite spot is the John Oliver cabin. The walk to and from the cabin is a spectacular view. Thousands, probably millions walk the trail to the cabin every year. It's incredible how quiet and respectful everyone seems to be. With so many others surrounding you, there is still that sense of peace and quiet. We've all come looking for the same thing, I suppose, peace and quiet. Out behind the cabin, other trails lead off into the woods. I don't know that I have ever ventured down any of them very far. They seem just a quieter place to sit and contemplate. But most of us are hurrying to the next point of interest and don't have the time to sit. We turn and go back among the busy crowd as quickly as we came.

A quiet place to contemplate - most people don't really want that quiet place. We don't have to think about things when our lives are busy and filled with noise. We complain, but when confronted with quiet we often turn to the TV or radio or social media. Even now, we are rushing into Christmas, almost overlooking the Thanksgiving season of quiet contemplation of the blessings of our merciful God. We gather together to eat in ten minutes the foods it has taken hours, perhaps days to prepare. Then we settle into a football game. Did we really stop and contemplate the blessings we have received or the One who daily loads us up with these benefits? 

Our title is from a poem by Robert Frost. He knew his choice of "the road" he traveled would make all the difference in his life. Our choice will make all the difference in our lives as well. Actually, it will make an eternal difference. If we allow the noisy, busy-ness of our lives to hinder us from considering the love and goodness of the God who gave His only Son for very souls, if we fail to receive the salvation He so freely offers, we miss the very point of living. The road to destruction seems like the way to go. It's wide and filled with lots of the attractions and distractions the world has to offer. It's the way everyone else is going. But the road less traveled is narrow and straight. Very few travel this road. It's a little rough and lonely, but you'll have time to talk and listen to God. Jesus says He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. For me, it's worth traveling on the road less taken. It's the road that leads to Life.

Won't you share with us the blessings God has shown to you this week in your times of quiet?

Gail 

Hey Kids:

Have you stopped to notice the leaves? Is there a tree you can go sit under, draw up your knees and just soak in the beauty of creation? Maybe you could take a drawing tablet or a notebook and journal your thoughts and prayers of Thanksgiving. Hey parents: Maybe we could do the same. 

What's My Purpose?

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. Psalms 100:4

I’ll admit it. I struggle with public worship. I like to sing and sit and listen but raising my hand, standing alone, and other forms of worship that make me noticeable also make this introvert uncomfortable. Then I think, haven’t I been given something, something very special. What’s should be the reply? “Thank you!” of course. God’s reply is  “You’re welcome.” Here the conversation begins. Fellowship begins.

When God created the heavens and the earth and all the plants, birds, fish, and animals, there was no one with whom He could fellowship. So God created man in His image, someone with feelings, thoughts, and most of all voice that could praise and fellowship with Him. God wanted someone who would give worship and with whom He could have fellowship. That was God’s purpose for man. Man was a reflection of God. He had body, mind and soul. I think, how thankful to be in a perfect garden with perfect weather, perfect food, and friendly animals. Adam and Eve could take a deep breath and enjoy talking with God about the wonderful, beautiful world he created just for mankind.

Man was created perfect for worship and fellowship. But when man made the choice to disobey, sin and death entered into the world. Adam and Eve broke fellowship with God. Man lost his purpose and he has been searching for it ever since. The problem is the world doesn’t want to admit we are out of fellowship with God. We keep searching for a purpose.

So how do we find purpose again? Take a mirror. Hold it where you see yourself. Now hold it where others can see a reflection of you. The purpose of the mirror, regardless of where you hold it, is to reflect whatever is in front of it. If we are in right fellowship our lives will reflect the image of Christ to the world. Thankfulness, praise and blessings will reflect His image to the world. It will also reflect back to God who will fellowship with us.

But how can we reflect? First we must realize that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Second we must turn to Him in repentance (a change of heart about our actions/sins) and ask forgiveness. God will always say “Yes.” That begins the conversation. How about a “Thank you, Lord”? How about praise and blessings. Worship then begins and the fellowship of a new life in Christ. We should now be a reflection to God and a reflection of God to the world.  

God sent me to an awesome conference this weekend. I praised and worshipped and learned with fellow believers. My prayer is that as I go into next week, I can reflect Christ to the world I will be in.

How’s your mirror working?  Are you entering into his gates with praise and into his courts with thanksgiving?

Won’t you let us know what God is doing in your life to help you fulfill your created purpose?

The Thanksgiving Miracle

O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. Psalms 105:1

You know that picture in our minds we all get of the Indian brave who walks into the Pilgrim village in the spring of 1621 to show the Pilgrims how to plant corn? Wasn’t his name Squanto? Or didn’t any one ever tell you about Squanto?

This Thanksgiving tale of the Indian who greeted the Pilgrims with an English “Welcome” and then taught them to plant corn and fish, always seemed to me to be just that – a tale, until I learned how God had brought it all about. A slave ship sailing along a shore, kidnapping young boys and taking them back to Spain. An entire tribe wiped out by disease. A lone man returning from Europe to find no one left. There’s far more to the truth than meets the eye here. God is always taking the evil man devises and turning it into good for those that love him.

In the Bible Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery. They thought he probably died in Egypt until they went there to buy food. Who should they find to provide for them, but their own brother, in control of all the food of Egypt. Joseph’s brothers meant it for evil against Joseph, but God had used it for good.

In the same manner, the slave traders of Europe had meant it for evil against the Indians but God used it for good for the people who came seeking to worship him in a new land.

What can you find out about the first Thanksgiving? About Squanto? What can you tell this Thanksgiving about God’s goodness to you and to God’s people? Won’t you share God’s blessings with us, so that we too might rejoice with you in God’s blessings.

squanto 

A Thanks Giving Tree

And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. Genesis 22:18

Thanksgiving – it’s right around the corner. Have you considered the things that you are thankful for? I’ve seen several Thanks Giving Tree. Basically, they are twigs or drawings with paper leaves attached. People write or draw something on a leaf every day and attach it to the tree. It’s a simple reminder of how blessed we all are.

Have you considered your greatest blessing and where it came from? Salvation would have to be one of the first leaves on my tree. God freely sent His Son to die for my sins so I can spend eternity with Him. But someone at some point in time had to be willing to be responsible for the family into which Jesus would be born. Abraham was that man. God wanted to see if Abraham was willing to give his son, Isaac, back to God as a sacrifice. God stopped Abraham just in the nick of time. Because Abraham obeyed God’s voice, he received a promise that all the nations of the earth would be blessed through his family. Wow! What a promise to know that somewhere down the line God’s Son would be born into Abraham’s family. Abraham believed God and obeyed God in all He asked.

I’m just wondering what blessings we would receive if we believed and obeyed whatever God asked of us. Would school be a better place? Would there be peace in our families? What would our nation look like if we Christians obeyed God? Is there hope for the lost? Abraham could have thought all hope was lost when he had no child. Yet he continued to believe God and when he was 100 years old and Sarah was 90 they had a child, their only son that God asked Abraham to sacrifice. God blessed Abraham with family because family is the only thing that lasts.

Why not begin a Thanks Giving Tree today. Then let us know how God has blessed you.