Fear What God Can Do

     I am in the process of a Bible study, Joy of Living, on the Prophecy in the Book of Daniel.  Often, I am like Daniel was when he saw visions and received some explanations on what was going to happen at the end of the times.  The study leaves me disturbed and perflexed.   Yet, as I read about the end times, the anti-Christ, his control, and the plight of the Christians, I am comforted by Matthew 10:28.  "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.  Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell."
     As a reminder of this scripture, I decided to write the following prose:

Fear What God Can Do  

 

Only fear what God can do!

Not the evil where sin has grew,

Not the persecution done;

Dwell upon the life we've won.

Count on what God can do.

Not the troubles that we've drew,

Not man's injury and pain;

Rather, walk the life-giving lane.

Fear your God and what He can do!

Not the cruel words delivered, and you knew,

Not the hazards of the land;

Hold to promises God has planned.

 Fear what God can do!

Not man's earthly view,

Not the world or social control;

Only God can kill the soul!

His heart is where we need to dwell

To keep us from the fires of hell. 

                            Mary Crisp Jameson

Love

     I have been intending to write about love for the past week, but have not taken the time to sit in "A Friendly Shade" and decide how to get started.   Love takes so many different directions.  I believe love has to be developed.  To have love we need forgiveness even without being asked, we need to develop an intent not to hurt others, and we need to eliminate self pride.  So I knew that to talk about love, there was no way to cover every aspect that needed to be considered.
     Then as I was watching a video on Facebook about a farmer's presentation to the Shark Tank, I realized how his heart changed the perspective of the Tank members.  He was full of humbleness and genuine caring for the farmers in the area where he lived.  He was demonstrating a love which was coming from his heart.  If we don't have true love it simple cannot flow from our heart.  For this reason, I think I can truthfully say the heart and love are connected.  
     In Proverbs 4:23 we are told "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."  Therefore, we cannot put love on a shelf and just take it down occasionally like a trinket, dust it off, and expect to use it from time to time and see results.   Others, who we are around every day, see how we use love; they recognize us for who we really are.  Matthew 15: 18 shows us this.  "But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them." 
     If we don't have love in our hearts, what does that make us?  I think we can find the answer in 1 Corinthians 13, "If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing."
     How should we handle love?  In Proverbs 3:3 we find, "Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart."  From this I find love to be tender and we strenghen it by protecting it.  We endeavor to keep it safe, stored away in our heart so we keep our love growing for others. 
     Who should we show love to and how?  Matthew 22:39 answers that question, "And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’"
     I realize it is hard to love those who are unlovable, but what more does the scripture have to say:    Take a look at what Luke 6:32 says, "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.  You see, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.  And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13)
     Finally, but certainly not least,  is the commandment on who we should love the most.  "Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'" And another scripture cautions to beware of where we place our treasure:  "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."   Where is our love, our treasure?  Are we willing to set pride aside to give love to others?

Simplicity

     Our Sunday School lesson today was taken from 2 Kings, chapter 5. I will try to sum up the simplicity of the lesson.  It is about proud, turned into humility, and the simplicity of healing. 
     As the story goes, Naaman, a commander of the king's army, highly regarded and a brave warrior had a skin disease of leprosy.  In one of his raids he brought back from the land of Israel a young girl.  Instead of resentment, she cared enough to tell of a prophet, one who represented the one true God.  She said, "If only my master would go the prophet who is in Samaria, he would cure him of his skin disease."
     Naaman was so desperate to be healed that he made the journey loaded up with "750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold, and 10 changes of clothes."
     Upon arrival at the prophet's home, he was met by the prophet's servant and told to "go wash in the Jordan and you flesh will be restored and you will be clean."  Naaman became angry. You see, the healing process seemed too simple, the river was dirty and beneath him.  He also lacked humility and faith.   He obviously was expecting the prophet, himself, to meet him and perform some type of ritual.  How dare he just sent out a lowly servant to give him instructions.  Secondly, the Jordan river was dirty and nasty unlike many others which were clear and clean.  Why choose this one? 
     However, with encouragement from his men, Naaman finally did as the prophet's message instructed and, to his surprise, "his skin was restored and became like the skin of a small boy, and he was clean."  Whereupon, Naaman returned to the prophet in order to present him with the gifts of riches he had brought in exchange for this healing, but the prophet would not accept them.  He simple said, "Go in peace."
    What is the point of this story, you may ask.  Healing for Naaman turned out to be a simple humbling process.  There were no demands and no request for payment.  This is much like the spiritual healing which God provides.  
     God's plan, the cross, is one of humble simplicity.   God send His messenger, Jesus, to give us the healing we all need.  If we will simple accept the name of Jesus and His cross, God will say, "I am well pleased, go in peace." 

A Picture

     "A picture is worth a thousand words!"  This is an English idiom referring to the notion that an image is very effective in grabbing your attention in order to portray an idea which is probably why a Facebook posting grabbed my attention long enough for me to listen to a sales pitch for a product.  It was about a life change promising free information.  The salesperson was rapidly drawing images to go along with "free" information; however, at the end there was a cost involved in order to obtain the product which would provide this new healthy life change.
     Images do have a way of grabbing our attention even though we quickly get turned off when the price of the product is finally revealed.   Yet, I have experienced and do know about a life change which comes at no cost!
     Close your eyes for a moment and imagine a child born and laying in a dirty animal crib.  The scene takes place in a barn filled with smelly animals.  It was cold and the only warmth was a bed of dusty hay and a small thin blanket. 
     Now envision this child all grown up.  He chose to leave a home where he was nurtured with love to travel the countryside sharing about hope for a life changing event.   His only mode of transportation was by foot with maybe an occasional donkey ride or in a fishing boat. 
     Was this simply a sales pitch that would end up with a cost to the crowd which followed Him?  No!  This life changing event was free to all except Himself.  He was the One going to pay the cost.  Many chose to listen, while others scoffed and spit in his face. 
     Finally, picture a cross.  Upon that cross is a man with nails hammered through his hands and his feet.  Blood runs down his body.  His head is hung in agonizing pain.  This is the cost the man paid.  In the end, as he had foretold, there was no cost to anyone.  It is truly a life changing event with no cost if you choose to accept Jesus as your hope and Savior of the world.   This is a package deal providing hope, peace, joy, and life. 

John 3:16  "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."

      

What's In A Name?

     A person's name is part of what defines him.  In fact, most expectant parents spend a lot of time selecting names for their new-born infants, and they should, because their  name will be with them for a lifetime.  I learned early on that names are important.  Whether addressing an adult or a child, being able to call them by name gives them a sense of importance.  I tried very hard when I was employed to call every customer by name.  Also, when I was trying to find a craft project, one mom told me that if I were able to put the child's name on it, the project would sell.  Children like to hear their names and even see their names in print.  It gives them a sense of recognition.   
     Even in Bible times, names were given which had meaning.  In Charles Stanley's devotional, it was stated that in Hebrew, Judah means "this time I will praise the Lord," Jacob means "one who supplants," and Jesus means "salvation or He saves."   
     It should be noted here that God's Son's name was important to Him.  God picked out His own son's name when an angel from God said to Mary, "And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thou womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS." 
     When I consider the importance of a name, I am also reminded of Proverbs 22:1, "A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold."  This reminds me that it is up to me to make my name one to be respected.  I am further reminded that when I was born again with Christ, I was given a new name, "The Child of God."  Also, most important of all is that I must continually acknowledge His name.  Nothing would be worse than when God comes to gather his children home, to hear Him speak my name saying, "I never knew you."

 Matthew 7:21-23  "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²² Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ ²³ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’