I’ve seen a few robins around, but yesterday I saw a pair in our backyard. Most years a pair (or two) nests somewhere on the property, so it’s a promise that spring is on the way.
We will likely get more cold, winter-like weather, but we are through the worst of it. I miss some aspects of the places we’ve lived most of our lives, but the long, cold weather isn’t one of them.
It won’t be spring officially for 28 more days (March 20 this year), but the true weather seldom follows the official seasonal starts. When we lived in Alberta, it saw snowfall in every month of the year, and the same for spring-like weather.
Even if it’s not officially Spring, the hope and promise of it bring me joy. Spring is a time of renewal, fresh growth, and great beauty. It’s a reminder that even in the darkest of times, God is in control and has promised us something better.
The coming of Spring doesn’t negate the possibility of bad weather ahead; it comes with a promise. In the same way, becoming believers doesn’t mean we won’t have dark times, but it comes with the promise of something greater.
You can’t avoid the cycle of seasons; every year gets some winter. We can’t avoid tough times; they are an integral part of our Faith walk. Hard times turn us to God for help, hope, and comfort.
Winter is a time for plants to be dormant and rest in preparation for the busy growth of Spring. Hard times are when we sink our roots deeper into Christ, preparing for deeper growth and a closer relationship with Him.
The scriptures are full of promises for renewal.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.2 Corinthians 5:17
…he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”Revelation 21:5
If you are facing hold times, hold fast, He has something better for you. If you aren’t having a struggle, prepare because one is coming.
I was editing my children’s book series and researching woodstoves when I recalled something from years ago.
My parents moved to a farm not long after I left high school. Technically, it was more of a homestead: 160 acres, mostly cleared, a 1950’s mobile home with no indoor plumbing and heated entirely by an old wood stove in the living room. It was a dream come true for Dad; I’m sure Mom went because it was Dad’s dream.
I’d often travel up for a few days to give them a break and let them get away. One very cold winter evening, I arrived after they had already left. Not being experienced with wood stove hearths, I quickly got a fire going.
When it didn’t warm things up fast enough for me, the less-than-genius part of me stoked it even fuller. As soon as it burned down a little, I rammed it full again. Before long, it wasn’t warm; it was so hot that I was genuinely afraid the place was going to catch on fire.
I panicked. I filled a bucket with ice-cold water, opened the door, and threw it into the firebox. That dampened the fire but filled the house with smoke and steam. The stove made some awful groaning noises.
It was then that I realized the folly of throwing cold water on a near-glowing cast-iron woodstove. Fortunately, nothing broke, and while the fire risk was contained, I had to clean up, air out, and restart the process. All the while, I had the image of the stove cracking when I threw in the water, and the fire spreading everywhere.
I wasn’t yet a follower of Christ, yet God had his hand of protection over me. Perhaps I wasn’t in danger at all, that time, yet I know of many times His hand protected me.
I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
I often wonder if we will see all the places His hand was on us, after we get to glory. I suspect the number of times will boggle our minds. Whether we ever know that or not, He is worthy of praise.
I snapped this pic of a Japanese maple tree one day late this past fall. Everything around it was green, and the brilliant reds jwere eye catching. They seemed to pop out against the background foliage.
The image isn’t quite centred properly, but the tree was far from symmetrical and defied my efforts to frame it better in the few moments I had to snap the shot.
There are many things in the world that stand out for whatever reason and grab our attention. It could be something that grabs our eyes, a sound that catches us, or a concept that intrigues us.
It’s one thing to appreciate a moment of beauty; it’s quite another to be constantly distracted. Our thoughts are often easily diverted from thinking about or seeing the things of God.
It’s why Job made a covenant with his eyes not to look lustfully at women. The eyes can trap our minds into thoughts they should not have. It isn’t just lust that is a problem. Many forms of distraction can draw us from God, sometimes even to good things, yet still leave us not focused on the Lord.
That tendency battles our desire to become more Christlike. It’s part of why Paul wrote to the church in Philippi.
The maple prompted Kathy and me to remark on God’s incredible artistic skill. But distractions often pull us away from Him.
I love Paul’s words, “What you have learned[and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
I don’t know about you, but the thought of God and His peace being with me is very appealing and comforting. It’s something I want more of in my life all the time. I want to rejoice, and with Him, I have plenty to be joyful about.
Just a quick prayer on the subject to close. I pray it mirrors your heart’s desires as well as my own.
Lord, help keep me from being distracted. Teach me to keep my eyes, ears, mind, and heart aimed towards you. Be glorified in me. May I be pleasing to you. Amen.
Good morning, it seems like forever since we last chatted. Here in BC, it was the Family Day long weekend, so there have been no Gleanings since Friday.
We got a skiff of snow last night. Most of it is already gone except for some shady spots on the lawn. It melted into thick, scraper-resistant ice on the windshield, making it harder than usual to get the car ready for Kathy to go to work. I found myself mumbling, rather than being grateful, to live in a place where snow is rare.
Ooops!
How easy it is to slip back into old habits, whether it’s grumbling or something else. I’m grateful that God is so patient with us and never gives up on His promise to conform us into the image of Jesus.
I can’t generate enough willpower to break all the old fleshly ways under my own strength. I need Holy Spirit power to break me through. Fortunately, he dwells in all believers.
If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will bein you.John 14:15-17
He transforms us from the inside out. Those are the places we can’t reach ourselves. We can modify our behaviors to some degree by willpower alone, but real transforming power comes from deep within.
Sometimes, he changes us instantaneously, and at others, it is a long process. I can be a slow learner.
I am grateful that I didn’t have to change and get my life cleaned up before approaching His throne of Grace. I would never be able to do it without the imputed righteousness of Christ.
He sees me covered by the blood and growing, and that pleases Him. He hears the Spirit groaning when I don’t even know what to pray for, and He answers.
I’m not all that I will be, but I’m far from what I was. All of that is His work in me (and you).
I’m learning to repent more quickly, and I’m likely to stand longer between falls, and that’s progress.
Praise god for the changes He is making in us all.
Yesterday, I spent time studying the tiny New Testament book “Jude”. Written by one of Jesus’s brothers. It is so short (1 chapter, only 24 verses) that it is often overlooked, yet it contains some very important teaching.
Much of the teaching surrounds false teaching and false fellowship in the church.
Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. Jude 1:3-4
Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones. But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.” But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively. Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion. These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.Jude 1:8-13
But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. Theysaid to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment[ stained by the flesh. Jude 1:17-22
Jude’s warning has grave implications for today. The church is awash in poor teaching. The word “sin” has become politically unacceptable in many churches and has been exchanged for a victim philosophy, i.e., “It’s not my fault … it’s my parents or the abuse I suffered.”
Please understand that I am not trying to minimize the damage others have caused to many people. There is no doubt that circumstances can be terrible and bring us to horrible places, BUT we need to take responsibility for our own actions at some time and deal with them. Our sin will never be forgiven if we will not admit we are sinners.
One megachurch that comes to mind has a huge international following, but its leader has publicly stated that people do not need to know they are sinners. The church preaches a gospel of self-esteem, allowing people to feel good all the way to hell. True self-esteem comes from knowing who we are in Christ and experiencing His forgiveness and unconditional love for us.
There are churches with Christian roots that have abandoned the “need” for Christ. They teach that there are many paths to salvation. In doing so, they do just as Jude warned they would. They “deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.” These teachers pollute the truth, and their own destruction follows them. It has been ordained so from before the beginning.
What about those who choose to follow such teaching, either by choosing to ignore the truth or by simple ignorance? They need to hear the truth and be brought to safety. Jude had this to say to us …
But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment[ stained by the flesh Jude 1:20-23
We are to snatch them away from hell’s fires. We are to love them but hate what they have been taught and their sin. We need to be careful not to condemn the teaching, not the teacher.
If you know people stuck under these false teachers, pray for them. Encourage them to read the Word for themselves. Invite them to a church where the truth is proclaimed. Sitting under false teaching is not a small matter; it could be the difference between life and death for many.
Until next time, keep “building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.”
I’ve been thinking of whitewash since a passage came up in my Wednesday group. Whitewash is, of course, a mixture of lime and water, often with whiting, size, or glue added, that is used to whiten walls, fences, or other structures. The fence in today’s image has been whitewashed.
Jesus had some harsh, but true words to say to the Pharisees.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.” Matthew 23:27
Jesus rebuked the religious leaders of the day for their outward religion and hard hearts. Knowing that Jesus often used the words of the Old Testament in His teaching, I did some digging and came across the following.
“And you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, Thus have you said: ‘Surely our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we rot away because of them. How then can we live?’ Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel? “And you, son of man, say to your people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him when he transgresses, and as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall by it when he turns from his wickedness, and the righteous shall not be able to live by his righteousness when he sins. Though I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, yet if he trusts in his righteousness and does injustice, none of his righteous deeds shall be remembered, but in his injustice that he has done he shall die. Again, though I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ yet if he turns from his sin and does what is just and right, if the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he has taken by robbery, and walks in the statutes of life, not doing injustice, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the sins that he has committed shall be remembered against him. He has done what is just and right; he shall surely live. Ezekiel 33:10-16
That’s a pretty powerful rebuke. Fortunately for us, it was for the Pharisees. Right? Unfortunately, not, we can whitewash with the best of them.
We are quite capable of putting on our pretty Sunday morning church faces, reading our Bibles, going to church, and even doing ministry under our own power. But the Lord sees right through that.
We might fool others. We might even fool ourselves since we are very good at self-deception. We’ll never fool him.
He looks to our hearts, not the outward appearance.
Are you a whitewash Christian? Only you and the Lord know, but your faith needs to move from your head to your heart. Our goal is to become Christlike, not perfect seeming Christians, but dead on the inside.
Late last week, we took a road trip to Manning Park for a walk along the Skagit River Trail. We needed some fresh air, some mountain time, and a touch of snow (but not on our streets or driveway). It’s just over an hour’s drive away, so it’s relatively handy.
I find that when I get out in nature, it often clears my head (as well as my lungs) and helps me “see and hear” God more easily. I took this shot of a nearby cliff face from where we parked. Even through the haze, it’s beautiful.
That mountain has stood there for a long time. It looks as if it will still stand there for a long time. Yet the face is slowly changing. Erosion and rockslides are subtly recarving the face. We live in an area prone to earthquakes and with active volcanoes; either could totally transform the mountain.
Even the things we consider rock solid don’t last forever. We live in a broken world that is destined for destruction. The day will come when even the mountains and the oceans will burn up.
If everything will be destroyed, why bother trying to preserve any of it? Humankind was put on this little blue planet, third from the sun, to steward it.
We have been appointed to a God-given task to steward a part of His kingdom. Its eventual disposition is in the hands of the owner, but in the interim, we manage it until His return.
I’m reminded of the parable of the talents (or minas) where the master gives the servants responsibility for a certain sum, and there is an accounting when he returns. (Matthew 25:14–30, Luke 19:11–27)
How well will we fare when the master returns and we face a review of our stewardship? Not well in general.
I’m not suggesting we all become earth worshippers; that’s a sin. Simply that we could all make small changes to be better stewards.
What are your thoughts? Have you ever compared our stewardship to those parables before?
I’ve been down with a bit of a bug since late last week. Mot enough to be really sick, just enough to feel tired, miserable, and sorry for myself. I’ve mostly isolated myself to keep from sharing it with others. I’m sure it will run its course in a few days. In the meantime, I’ll stay housebound. Now, the funny thing about being under the weather is that immediately, well-intentioned and compassionate people have the cure. We all know that one miracle cure.
Use these essential oils. Take this herb. Smoke this wildflower. Try the newest wonder drug. Kiss a toad whose mother was conceived under an oak tree during a full moon. Some of these wonder cures may even work, in some circumstances, for some people., and I always appreciate the caring behind the suggestion.
I’m reminded of the words of Charles Dudley Warner from “My Summer in a Garden.” “This soothing syrup is said to contain no opium or anything that could possibly injure the tenderest infant. It is recommended for children of all ages. It is sure death to worms. It allays irritation, assists digestion, and cures wind colic. It regulates the function and promotes natural, healthy sleep. It is pleasant to take and is perfectly harmless. It is good for everything, and it does nothing, – and is good for that too.”
Sometimes we treat Jesus as the miracle cure all. Yes, all things are possible with Christ and prayer, but that doesn’t mean we always get what we want, when we want it. Sometimes His plan includes some suffering, persecution, and trials. Please note I don’t consider the bug to be either suffering or a true trial, even if it’s inconvenient.
To paraphrase an old thought, God is not committed to your immediate comfort, but to your eternal conformity to Christ — and that conformity is your truest happiness. It isn’t that He doesn’t want us to be “happy” or “healthy,” it’s just that His benchmarks are much higher than ours. He can and does heal. He can alleviate every form of suffering. Sometimes that’s not what is best for us.
What is it that God desires? We are set apart for Christ, to become like Him.
He wants us to be like Jesus. What an incredible thought. We will never be God but we can be Jesus-like in mind, heart, and character. Now that makes me happy despite feeling sorry for myself over this bug. He is our literal miracle cure.
Hold fast, my dear friends. Everything you are going through has a purpose and God will complete His work in you.
This is a Rowan tree. It’s also known as Quickbeam and mountain ash. (although it isn’t a true ash tree). There are likely many other names it goes by.
People, especially Christians, love labels. We label ourselves by denominational affiliation, theological positions, and more. Sometimes we call our groups names designed to sound like we don’t have those “hang-ups,” and opt for names like “Community church” or single words that seem to obscure our ties to Christianity, like the Bridge or the River.
Some of the brand names are ridiculous. “The first national church of the redeemer re-reformed” is one I made up, but it mirrors one I have run into; the name was changed to protect the church. One nearby community of 16,000 people has at least 8 “reformed” churches.
Then we label ourselves, charismatic or Pentecostal, Calvinist or hyper Calvinists or four-point Calvinists, Armenians, Baptists, mainline, and more.
While there is a sense in which the brand names and labels serve a purpose, I think they confuse more than help.
If pressed, I will say that I am a Christian who follows the Baptist tradition. Even that’s not enough, they want more labels, so here we go, I am a Christian in the fundamentalist evangelical Baptist tradition (modernized), mostly Calvinistic, who holds to the current day present of the spiritual gifts and signs (mostly), but not the offices associated therewith, lightly complementarian, who holds strongly to traditional values, believes we have lost much from the early church teachings who worships in a an affluent North American community. My leanings are more intellectual than emotional, but I believe we need to share our stories. I think. If I wrote that an hour from now, it might read differently.
What am I really? A redeemed sinner, who still struggles, saved by God’s infinite grace and mercy. I’m still learning and a work in progress.
That’s more than I deserve to be. My sin ought to keep me separated from the Lord forever. But He has given me the faith I need.
However we label ourselves, no matter how far we have progressed in our faith walk and our theology, no believer ever got that way on their own.
Whatever brand names and labels you choose to give yourself to define your faith, remember that you are first and foremost a child of God saved by grace. Don’t let any theological or denominational label replace that.
The afternoon was shifting towards evening, one fall afternoon, as I took a shortcut through the woods on the way home and had a surprise encounter. That sounds like the beginning of a classic fairy tale, but it isn’t. I rounded a bend in the trail and came face to face with a large, healthy-looking male coyote. Not the one in the image; this was long before cell phones were invented. I was in my mid-teens.
I’m not sure which of us was the most surprised. We stood, perhaps 10 feet apart, looking directly at one another, each with a stunned expression on our faces. I’m sure we were both thinking, “Oops. What now?’
Before I could move, he turned and took off through the brush at a dead run. I stood there still trying to get my head around the encounter. The whole thing lasted perhaps a few seconds, but it felt like we had faced each other for a long time. I felt thoroughly blessed.
Sometimes, God works in our lives to give us a chance to see the beauty of His love. We can miss them easily if we are not looking.
Recently, I was chatting with a young couple at our local assembly. Their toddler came up, and when I said hello, she told me, “My tummy is empty.” While we chatted about that and possible remedies, an elementary school student I had just been chatting with interjected and told her there were some snacks in the kids’ ministry area.
The parents politely thanked her and declined as they were about to head home for lunch. The toddler again rubbed her tummy and reminded us it was empty. The elementary school student then asked for permission and then shared the small bag of snacks she was munching on.
A few seconds of interaction, but the beauty of the one child attempting to compassionately meet the needs of the other, even sharing her own snack, was a moment of pure and simple love, a moment of seeing God in action.
People complain that the world is ugly, and they never see God’s hands at work. It’s true we live in a fallen, sin-filled world that can be ugly indeed. The total depravity of humankind and the results of it all stare us in the face.
Yet. If we look around, He is there in billions of small ways, choosing to speak in whispers. He spoke to Elijah in a still small voice.
Why whispers? I can only speculate it’s because when he shows up and does the big things, we want more of the show, and not more Jesus. When he fed the crowds by the sea, most of them wanted more free meals, not their savior. When God fed the wandering Israelites in the desert, they wanted a broader menu. And so, it goes.
Or maybe because when someone whispers, we lean in closer to hear. That act creates an intimacy of sorts. When we lean into God to hear His voice we are being drawn closer.
God is speaking, and in the seemingly surprise encounters, we get a glimpse of how good He is and the way He is working in people’s lives. He whispers to us as well in His word as we read, illuminating Scriptures in new ways for us.
Keep those eyes and ears open, my friends. He is whispering to you.
