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Gleanings From The Word

Category: God’s Faithfulness

  • Murder – death of Jesus for our sake

    Murder – death of Jesus for our sake

    four crows on a tree branch

    Today, I saw a murder of crows in the tree. In case you don’t know, a murder is the formal name for a gathering of crows.

    Seeing the crows brought murder to mind. I started to think about all the murder mysteries I have watched and read over the years. They all had something in common, besides the body. In all of them, as far as I can remember, the victim was unable to prevent his own murder.

    There is one murder, however, that I know of, where the victim willingly submitted to being murdered for a greater cause. I’m Speaking of course, of the murder of Jesus, planned by the Jewish leaders, and carried out by the Roman rulers.

    The Jewish leaders perceived Jesus as a threat, and when they could not discredit him, they planned to kill him. They used Pontius Pilate to have him crucified, a most ignominious death.

    Let’s set the scene, before Jesus was taken to Pilate, one of his disciples betrays him and shows up at the Garden of Gethsemane with troops to arrest him

    Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.” Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?”At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled. Matthew 26:50-56 ESV

    Jesus willingly goes with them and submits to being convicted in a kangaroo court on completely fabricated charges. He is mocked, rejected, tortured, and eventually killed on the cross.

    Why would the God of the universe permit himself such indignities? Because he loves us. He humbled himself, set aside his rights, and came to earth to die.

    “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Philippians 2:8 ESV

    If that thought doesn’t amaze you, you need to stop and think about what he has done for you.

    Praise God for all his mercies.

    Be blessed

    Kevin

    For the Birds – God’s provision
    The Gospel – the best news you will ever hear
  • For the Birds – God’s provision

    For the Birds – God’s provision

    male white-crowned sparrow

    Our yard is aflutter with birds. The rear of the property is fenced, keeping out most predators. The seed feeders and hummingbird feeders (in season) stay busy with various birds. The trees and brush provide plenty of nesting sites.

    We see chickadees, dark-eyed juncos, nuthatches, robins, Northern Flickers,  sapsuckers, doves, half a dozen species of sparrow, varied thrushes, common redpolls, and many more species regularly. There are also many LBJ’s (little brown jobs, small birds that I don’t get a close enough look at to identify). 

    We can watch bald eagles, hawks, ravens, and crows soar above us.  Geese and ducks often fly noisily overhead. The other day a flock of sandhill cranes flew overhead whooping away as they traveled. At dawn and dusk we are serenaded by a wide range of song birds.

    We often sit in the yard and watch and listen. Many birds are so accustomed to us that they will come within a couple of feet of us. We are not seen as a threat unless we suddenly move in their direction.

    A passage of Scripture often comes to mind as I watch them. 

    “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:25-34 ESV

    Appropriate words for the times we are in. 

    Our security nets have eroded. The political world is in chaos, and our economies are in shambles. There are wars, rumors of wars, plagues, and natural disasters on what seems an unprecedented level.

    Yet the birds go about their daily lives, completely unaware of what makes us fearful. God looks after them and will watch over us as well. Things might be difficult for a season, but He has not abandoned us, nor will He.

    The LORD  is our source, our strength, our comfort, and He is our peace. We can rest in Him whether things get better or worse. No matter what the world throws at us, we can withstand it joyfully in Him.

    When it gets too much, take a minute to watch and listen to the birds and look to the Savior. If you live where birds are scarce, go online and watch some videos of them.

    Until next time, consider the birds and trust in Jesus.

    Be blessed

    Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

    Kevin

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