The Tree, The Cross, The Savior

I am writing on Thursdays for the KJV Blog. You may go there for today's devotional. Happy Easter to all. He is risen!!

A Lesson in Bambi ~ Fly When You Are Supposed To

One of the first movies we bought for our daughters was Bambi. We watched that movie again and again and again. One scene that is ingrained in my memory is when "the hunters" enter the forest and the birds and wildlife scramble. There is a conversation between two pheasants as they are hiding and basically one bird is telling the other to be quiet and "not fly - lay low and keep your cover." Often times I have used the line "Don’t fly ~ whatever you do, don’t fly" to encourage myself and others to wait upon the Lord. Don’t fly until He tells you to. This morning when I was reading in Isaiah 40 and 41 (two of my most favorite chapters in the entire Bible), I was once again comforted with these words ~ He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength [40:29]. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles;they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint [40:31]. Fear thou not; for I am with thee; be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the hand of my righteousness. [41:10]. For I the Lord they God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee [41:13]. That little pheasant in Bambi was faint and weak. He didn’t wait ~ for if he had his life would likely have been saved. I got to thinking about this application this morning and it is more than safe to say that we humans are notorious for flying when we shouldn’t and not flying when we should ~ and often fear comes into play keeping us from doing what the Lord wants us to do. We grow faint ~ feeling as if we have no strength ~ as we wait for the Lord to show us His perfect will. And yet He promises that He will increase our strength. What a precious promise to claim! The Lord also promises that if we will wait on Him we won’t be weary, and we will no longer be faint. And so, like the little pheasant, we need to wait ~ wait upon the Lord for whatever He needs us to wait for. Be not dismayed ~ He says ~ for He is our God. He will strengthen us and help us. And on top of it all He will hold our hand too. Oh what a comfort!

Loose Lips Sink Ships

A recurring theme in Proverbs is the use of our tongue. Have you ever heard it said "what is in the well of the heart will come up through the bucket of the mouth." Eventually the mouth will reveal what is in your heart. So often we speak when we shouldn’t. Then we try to cover our tracks by saying "I was just kidding." Sometimes I have even heard others say "there is only an element of truth to what I’ve said" ~ in other words they "sort of" meant it. Yet other times, Christians will blame God for their ill-chosen words ~ implying He burdened them to speak frankly. Our mouths do give us away - revealing what we are harboring in our hearts.

Proverbs 4:24 says Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. I looked up froward and perverse and they mean contrary, obstinate, cranky, stubborn, etc. We’ve all had a contrary and stubborn day here or there - God says to put this type of talking "away." In chapter 8 and verse 13 of this great book, God says He hates the froward mouth.Chapter 10, verse 19 says In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise. When we are not wanting this means we have plenty. So this verse is saying many words = plenty of sin. Usually it is best to just let things go - not get into an argument with someone. Because if we refrain our lips (which is to hold back or curb our speaking) ~ God says we are wise.

The tongue is a powerful weapon ~ it is described in James 3 as a fire, a world of iniquity, an unruly evil. In Proverbs 12:18 God’s Word says There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health. Have you ever said something to someone in anger and even you were surprised with the words that came from your mouth? I know I have. It is kind of like toothpaste ~ once out of the tube it can’t be put back in. People can accept our apology and forgive us but the damage that we have done with our tongue can take much time to get over. satan gets great joy from replaying the words again and again in the minds of the erred - hoping we will remain angry, become discouraged, and that the stream of bitterness will begin to flow through our veins. This is why God warns us to hold our tongue.

So how will we know when to speak and when not to speak? Well, chapter 10 and verse 32 says that the lips of the righteous know what is acceptable; but the mouth of the wicked speaketh forwardness. We need to stay in God’s Word, stay "prayed up" and walk as close to God as we can . And while we may not always speak what is right we know what is right, don’t we. For as soon as that which is not righteous has exited our lips we know.I believe the most affective approach is found in Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath; but grevious words stir up anger. I have been on the giving and receiving end of "a soft answer turneth away wrath." And I’ve also been on the giving and receiving end of "grevious words stir up anger." When we speak softly to someone’s anger, things calm down almost instantly ~ or if we are the angry one we will calm down (kind of like throwing a wet rag on a small fire). And, as well, if we speak grevious words to someone they can immediately get their ire up and fight back ~ or we can get our ire up very quickly when someone speaks in an unkind or ungodly way to us (like throwing gasoline on a fire).

It isn’t rocket science - just remember a soft answer, a soft spirit, a kind word is going to shut down someone’s anger almost immediately. I’ve seen it many times over the years.We know what is acceptable and unacceptable to speak. And we know what to do when someone speaks unkindly or angrily toward us ~ soft words..... It sure makes life a whole lot easier.

Preservation

My visit yesterday with the blacksmith was followed by another visit that I reserved telling you about until today. While waiting for my car to be repaired, I walked up the street to a family restaurant ~ hoping to use up some of the wait time for my car.

For as long as I can remember I've known a gal that works in this restaurant ~ and she was on duty yesterday. I sat down with my food and she soon followed and sat beside me. I sensed something was wrong ~ and I was right. She began to share what she had been going through ~ another tragically sad story of a spouse falling prey to the one-eyed-monster known as the internet. It was difficult to listen to yet another account of a Christian family being broken apart from the fall out that comes with an addiction to porn.

Does it not make the statistics (of 1 in 2 Christian men addicted to porn) believable when I know several in my own little part of the world? It would seem that a support group for these folk is in order ~ for wives dealing and coping with the devastation that befalls their family when porn wreaks havoc on their home. All I can say is Heaven help us! It is hard not to get discouraged. We must be praying for the preservation of the family unit.

Crossing Paths With Terry ~ The 'I Can' Man

This morning I found myself in a car situation that required me to sit and wait at a local repair shop. I was intrigued by a black man sitting near me who was talking to someone about "shoeing" horses. When he got off the phone we exchanged greetings. I told him I couldn't help but overhear that he worked with horses. He told me he was a blacksmith and was enroute to a local horse farm to work on some horses. He was one of those kinds of folk that you could have sat and listened to all day. It didn't take long for us to realize that we were both Christians. What a delight he was to listen to.

God had placed us in each other's path and I believe that it was for my greater benefit. Christians need encouraging and I think one of the most effective ways to do that is through a "vessel" that is on fire and sold out for God. And for me, it was just what the Great Physician ordered. This man, Terry, talked about how he shares his faith in the horse farms across the country ~ from Lexington, Kentucky to Sacaremento, California. He said, "I always get around to sharing the Lord ~ I have to. " He shared how he and other horse farm workers would make there way to the interior walkway of the horse barns ~ around noontime ~ and pray and study God's Word. My heart was warmed that this man of God ~ a man named Terry ~ is moving in and out of the presence of folk who race horses for a living.

We talked about his church and I asked him if it was only African American or were there people of other races that attended. He has gotten me so excited about his church that I have to visit. He did say that he doesn't call himself "African American." He said, "I am black and that is not an incorrect term." I told him how my best friend in high school was black and that back in the 70's it was in no way disrespectful to refer to blacks as black. It was considered respectful. He agreed and then he said something that really impressed me. He said, "What I like about African American is that they both end in "I Can" ~ I can do whatever I set my mind to ~ I can live for the Lord ~ "I can" ~ that is what I like about those two words."

God sent Terry to encourage me in a time when I really needed it ~ I've surely had a hard week ~ some very large decisions loom on the horizon for me ~ and I seem preoccupied with searching out what God's will is in this matter. Visiting with my brother in Christ, I was reminded that I can do what God sets before me ~ I can discern His will and proceed toward that end ~ I can.

~You can meet some of the sweetest people in the strangest of places~

My Absolutely All Time Favorite Time Of The Year ~ It Has Arrived

It’s here. It is finally here. The first day of Spring. I’m blogging from the southern most part of Kentucky this morning ~ and it is so beautiful here. The grass is green, the daffodils are a brilliant yellow, the pear trees are adoring their delicate blooms, the forsythia are everywhere, the robins are singing their songs. Spring has definitely sprung.

I’ve wondered before why Spring is my most favorite of seasons over the warm and sunny weather of summer or the beautiful array of colors in the fall. Spring represents new beginnings to me. In April of 1971 I walked the aisle in a little Baptist church to take Christ as my Savior. I was only 12 years old. There was a Spring revival at our church ~ and at the time of the invitation my momma walked up into the church choir loft where I was sitting ~ she whispered into my ear with tears in her throat ~ "Cathy, if you died tonight do you know that you would go to Heaven?" I immediately began to cry ~ knowing I was bound for a devil’s hell ~ I came down from the choir loft and knelt at the altar begging God to forgive me of my sins and to save my soul. It was ~ hands down ~ the most wonderful life-changing experience ever.

Spring represents "new beginnings" in so many ways ~ for the land which has been laying dormant all winter ~ for the wildlife as they began their new families ~ and the most important new beginning of all ~ my second birth into the family of God. Spring has definitely sprung - isn’t it wonderful!

A Call To Arms - Part Two

This is a somewhat lengthy read ~ please, please hang with me though.

Don’t you just love to have recipes right at your finger tips when you can’t find your paper copy? I don’t know how many times I’ve misplaced a recipe and merely had to plug it into recipes.com and there "she" sat ~ I push the ‘print button’ and I have another copy in moments. What about when you hear a word for the first time ~ you can’t spell it much less know its definition ~ it’s so easy to just check out Webster’s Dictionary online and "bam" you’ve got the info. And I couldn’t even begin to list the benefits of email. It is so much faster than a phone call. If you have to call several folk with the same message it is an even better use of your time. And my favorite of all ~ blogging right here with all of you ~ my lifeline to many wonderful Christian ladies who bless me with their devotions, who guide me with their kind words, who love me and they don’t even know me. By far it is my favorite use of the internet ~ and there are several other enjoyable ways I use the world wide web ~ from using map quest to get driving directions to listening to Billy Graham, Charles Stanely, J. Vernon MeGee and a host of others preach across the cyber air waves. The internet has many admirable qualities.

And yet I wonder ~ is "easier" all it is cracked up to be? Today I was once again made aware of another good man falling into the devastation of pornography. Right now all I can think is "Oh how can it be?" The ease of viewing pornography on the internet seems to be one of satan’s most effective tools in destroying Christians and their families. One in two Christian men and one in four Christian women are addicted to porn. Those statistics are nothing less than shocking and staggering ~ and they don’t even include the many men, women, and children that view it off and on and are not addicted.....yet. It is hard to fathom that we are sitting in our church congregations with this secret sin having overtaken so many lives.

A friend of mine talked with me this week about her pastor who confessed that he had had an addiction with porn some ten years ago and now he has an accountability system set up to help keep him on track - everything that he writes and views on the computer is automatically copied into an email each day and sent to his wife and one of the deacons of the church. At some point and time he realized that in order to heal he would have to be held accountable. And this was a preacher. I’ve talked with my pastor lately and he is aware of other pastors who have left the pulpit because they couldn’t break the habit ~ and yet others who are still preaching and continue with this battle. Indeed the statistics do not limit themselves to just the church congregation ~ they reflect the church pastors and other leadership like deacons and trustees as well. This is all so overwhelming indeed.

I’m not convinced that folk realize just how serious this is. It is such a powerful and addictive vice ~ and the ramifications can be likened to the rippling effect left by a concrete block rather than that of a pebble or stone thrown into the water. Indeed, the affect is paramount and the tremendous harm that is done is mind boggling. I have watched more than one family affected by pornography in the home. Minds are altered forever. Families are broken. Healing is difficult to attain "in part" much less "in whole." It is simply devastating.

We must have a call to arms ~ for this is a spiritual battle of great magnitude. I am weary of hearing about the fall of one good soldier after another. Satan is picking Christians off one by one ~ and we must fight back. May we pray as if everything counts on our prayers alone. KNOW what your children are watching on TV. KNOW what your spouse is watching on TV. KNOW what everyone is viewing on the computer. Install filters on your computers that cannot be altered except by the computer administrator. Have an accountability system in place with your spouse. Don’t expect that they can have the strength to move freely within the internet without falling. Many a good man and woman has already fallen. And those images that they have placed in their minds will be with them for the rest of their lives short of a miracle.

Oh dear friends, take some precautions and insure that all is right in your home. In a world of ipods, cell phones, computers, and tv’s ~ the temptation is overwhelming. And no one - no one - is above falling. Lord bless you today as you take up arms to protect yourself and your own.