Harvest Time

 Happy Sunday!

"While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease."(Genesis 8:22 Amplified).

One of the content creators that I enjoy watching on YouTube has been harvesting various fruits and vegetables from her garden.  She is well versed in her growing zone, first frost date, and what the plants look like when they have "gone to seed".  She is excited to see items producing especially when she didn't think they would.  If you think green beans, cabbage and corn come from a can, you will be surprised to see how much work must be done during harvest season. LOL!

Jesus compared the Word of God to seeds being planted in the hearts of men.  He often spoke of the great harvest of souls.  John 4:34-36 says, "Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God who sent me, and from finishing his work. Do you think the work of harvesting will not begin until the summer ends four months from now? Look around you! Vast fields of HUMAN SOULS are ripening all around us, and are ready now for reaping. The reapers will be paid good wages and will be gathering eternal souls into the granaries of heaven! What joys await the sower and the reaper, both together!"(Living Bible). 

Jesus always used parables and stories that incorporated things the listeners were familiar with.  For example he told this parable in Luke 12:16-21, "A wealthy man owned some land that produced a huge harvest. He often thought to himself, “I have a problem here. I don’t have anywhere to store all my crops. What should I do? I know! I’ll tear down my small barns and build even bigger ones, and then I’ll have plenty of storage space for my grain and all my other goods. Then I’ll be able to say to myself, ‘I have it made! I can relax and take it easy for years! So I’ll just sit back, eat, drink, and have a good time!’”  Then God interrupted the man’s conversation with himself. “Excuse Me, Mr. Brilliant, but your time has come. Tonight you will die. Now who will enjoy everything you’ve earned and saved?” This is how it will be for people who accumulate huge assets for themselves but have no assets in relation to God."(Voice).

How can we make sure we have assets in heaven?  Great question.  I'm so glad you asked.  Matthew 13:23 says, "The good ground represents the heart of a man who listens to the message and understands it and goes out and brings thirty, sixty, or even a hundred OTHERS into the Kingdom.”(Living Bible).  Jesus said, "Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”(NLT).

"Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need."(Matthew 6:33 NLT).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Bless The Lord

 Happy Sunday!

"O my soul, come, praise the Eternal with all that is in me—body, emotions, mind, and will—every part of who I am— praise His holy name.  O my soul, come, praise the Eternal; sing a song from a grateful heart; sing and never forget all the good He has done.  Despite all your many offenses, He forgives and releases you. More than any doctor, He heals your diseases. He reaches deep into the pit to deliver you from death. He crowns you with unfailing love and compassion like a king.  When your soul is famished and withering, He fills you with good and beautiful things, satisfying you as long as you live."(Psalm 103:1-5 Voice).

The Psalmist commanded his soul to "Bless the Lord".  There are times when we need a little motivation, and inspiration.  Many times we have to encourage ourselves.  Don't worry we are in good company in this, King David had to do the same.  1 Samuel 30:6 says, "And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David ENCOURAGED himself in the Lord his God."(KJV).

To stay encouraged we must Glorify God, remain Thankful, and Think on and Imagine Good things.  Glorifying God is easy.  Bring to remembrance who He is and what He has done.  In the early 1990's I made photo copies of prayers from the book called, Prayers That Avail Much by Germaine Copeland.  It belonged to my Aunt Theaha.  Later a dear friend, Nancy bought me my own leather bound copy! One of the prayers involves the names of God.  Rehearsing the names encourages me and reminds me of how God has been all of these in my life.  For example, Jehovah Jireh means My Provider; Jehovah Shalom means My Peace; Jehovah Rapha means My Healer; El Shaddai means the Breasted One Full of Blessings.  I could go on but I hope you see the benefit of Glorying God.

To stay encouraged we must remain thankful.  Saying Thank You is not outdated or out of style.  I still send hand written Thank You Cards, and just yesterday I received the most beautiful hand-made Thank You card from my niece, Gretchen.  In 2 Timothy 3:2 the Apostle Paul wrote to his son in the ministry, Timothy.  He described what people would be like in the end times, "For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, UNTHANKFUL, unholy,"(KJV).  Don't be like these people.  Instead, "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."(1 Thessalonians 5:18 KJV).

To stay encouraged we must think on and imagine good things.  Philippians 4:8 says, "And now, brothers, as I close this letter, let me say this one more thing: Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others. Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about."(Living Bible).  It's been said that our lives are going in the direction of our dominant thoughts.  Don't miss this!  What you think, you will become.  That's why it's important to know what God's Word says about you, and to agree with what he has declared.  Forget about all the negative that has been spoken to you or about you.  Think on GOOD things.  Imagine them.  See yourself healed, prosperous, and joyful.  Jesus said, "Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them."(Mark 11:24 KJV).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

God is NOT a Liar!

 Happy Sunday!

"True, some of them were unfaithful, but just because they broke their promises to God, does that mean God will break his promises? Of course not! Though everyone else in the world is a liar, God is not. Do you remember what the book of Psalms says about this? That God’s words will always prove true and right, no matter who questions them."(Romans 3:3-4 Living Bible).

Don't miss this!  God's Word will always be true no matter who disputes it, disparages it, or disbelieves it.  That's very, very Good News considering all the bad news in the world.  If you have questions, ask God.  The Apostle James was inspired to write, "And if, in the process, any of you does not know how to meet any particular problem he has only to ask God—who gives generously to all men without making them feel foolish or guilty—and he may be quite sure that the necessary wisdom will be given him."(James 1:5 Phillips).

Are you worried about tomorrow?  Jesus said, "Don’t worry and say, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ That’s what those people who DON'T know God are always thinking about. Don’t worry, because your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things. What you should want most is God’s kingdom and doing what he wants you to do. Then he will give you all these other things you need."(Matthew 6:31-33 Easy-to-Read Version).

The Apostle Peter encourages us, "Since God cares for you, let Him carry all your burdens and worries. Most importantly, be disciplined and stay on guard. Your enemy the devil is prowling around outside like a roaring lion, just waiting and hoping for the chance to devour someone."(1 Peter 5:7-8 Voice).  God is a GOOD father.  Clear your mind of any bad memories of other fathers, and see Him as the Perfect, Loving, Caring, and Providing Father He is.  The Amplified Version of verse 7 says, "He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully."

Isaiah prophesied about the Messiah and the wonderful things His anointing would do for us. Here are just a few of them, "To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified."(Isaiah 61:3 KJV).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

He's The Light

 Happy Sunday!

"You, Lord, are the LIGHT that keeps me SAFE. I am not afraid of anyone. You PROTECT me, and I have no fears. Brutal people may attack and try to kill me, but they will stumble.  Fierce enemies may attack, but they will fall. Armies may surround me, but I won't be afraid; war may break out, but I will TRUST you."(Psalm 27:1-3 CEV).

Are you afraid of the dark?  In the modern world with street lights, headlights, and motion sensors we rarely experience total darkness.  If you are privileged to live in the country or in wide open spaces without light pollution you may experience darkness, but hopefully you enjoy great views of the stars and planets as well.  This first scripture reminded me of the stories my mother-in-law told me about walking home after dark in Mississippi.  Just hearing it frightened me.  I always imagined vicious animals or bad people lurking in the darkness.  I am so glad to have been born when I was. We even have flashlights on our phones. LOL!

The psalmist recalled how God was his light and his salvation.  GOD is our light and our salvation as well.  1 John 1:5 says, "This is the message God has given us to pass on to you: that God is Light and in him is no darkness at all."(Living Bible).  Don't miss this! Light reveals things, and shows us the way.  Light dispels darkness, and will keep evil away.  He is also our salvation.  You remember the word salvation means wholeness: nothing missing, nothing broken. Psalm 34:19 says, "The good man does not escape all troubles—he has them too. But the Lord helps him in each and every one."(Living Bible). 

Knowing that God is our Light gives us courage and hope. The psalmist said, "Life will go well for those who freely lend and are honest in business. They won't ever be troubled, and the kind things they do will never be forgotten. Bad news won't bother them; they have decided to TRUST the Lord."(Psalm 112:5-7 CEV).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

What's in a name?

 Happy Sunday!

"So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ORDINARY life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an OFFERING. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. READILY recognize what he wants from you, and QUICKLY respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the BEST out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you."(Romans 12:1-2 Message).

Do you know who Jochebed was in the Bible?  Not Jehoshaphat, or Jeremiah, or John but Jochebed.  Do you need a moment?  No Googling allowed.  Jochebed was Moses' mother.  Probably not a name you may have remembered.  At least her name was mentioned, so many others did great things in the Bible and remain unnamed.  Think about the widow who gave her last two mites, or the woman with the alabaster box.  They used their everyday ordinary lives to worship and honor God and we are still using them as godly examples.

Jochebed refused to allow her baby boy to be thrown in the river and drowned as the Egyptian Law required(Exodus 1:22). She hid him as long as she could, then she made a little basket boat and sent him floating down the river.  Pharoah's daughter just happened to be at the river bathing that very moment.  She opened the basket, Moses cried, she had compassion on him, and raised him as her own son.

What if Jochebed hadn't recognized what God wanted her to do?  What if she hadn't responded to the instructions quickly?  Thankfully, we don't have to even think about what may have happened.  She was "not conformed to this world"(Romans 12:2 KJV).  The world may never know your name, but you are called to do great things.  Each and every day you have an opportunity to trust and obey.  You have a chance to be a blessing to everyone you come in contact with.  It may be as simple as holding the door for another person, smiling sincerely, treating the Customer Service Representative with respect, allowing another to go before you in line, giving your employer a full days work, or sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."(Matthew 5:16 KJV).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

HELL is Real

 Happy Sunday!

"And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in HELL he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame."(Luke 16:22-24 KJV).

At 5 years old I believed that Jesus came to save me.  Save me from what, you may ask?  Save me from Hell.  We were taught Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."(KJV).  A few years after that, while traveling from Missouri to California by car I was certain I wanted no parts of Hell.  We drove through the desert and the air conditioner fuses kept blowing.  If you have ever traveled in a station wagon you know the windows in the very back rarely open.  I felt as if I was going to suffocate and melt all at the same time.  While in California I don't think I could fully enjoy myself, since I was dreading the trip back home.

Jesus told the story of the rich man and the beggar, Lazarus.  This is not a parable.  Jesus never named names in parables. These two men actually existed.  The Dake Annotated Reference Bible says of these scriptures, "This is a literal story of two beggars - one who begged in this life, and one who begged in the next".  Jesus often spoke of Hell.  I believe we can definitely trust the words of Jesus.  Don't you?

What can we learn from these scriptures?  I'm so glad you asked.  First, Death is inevitable.  Hebrews 9:27 says, "Everyone must die once, and after that be judged by God."(GNT).  I know death is sad and shocking to us, but it happens.  Ecclesiastes 7:2 says, "It is better to spend your time at funerals than at festivals. For you are going to die, and it is a good thing to think about it while there is still time."(Living Bible).  Second, when we die we will be conscious. The rich man knew he was in a place of torment and he could feel it.  He could also see Father Abraham, and Lazarus in the distance.  In verse 26, Father Abraham told him, "...there is a big pit between you and us. No one can cross over to help you, and no one can come here from there."(Easy-to-Read Version).

Third, there are separate locations or destinations for the righteous and the unrighteous.  All dogs may go to Heaven, but all people do not.  As I have said many times, God does not send anyone to Hell.  Let that sink in.  People go to Hell by choice.  You may say, that's ludicrous!  But it's true.  When you reject Jesus, you are choosing Hell.  Jesus said, "The world’s sin is unbelief in me;"(John 16:9 Living Bible).  Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."(John 14:6 KJV).  Jesus is the only way to the Father, and the only way to Heaven.

There is hope.  If you are not certain of your final destination now, you can be in a matter of minutes.  Romans 10:8-11 says, "It is the secret of faith, which is the burden of our preaching, and it says, in effect, “If you openly admit by your own mouth that Jesus Christ is the Lord, and if you believe in your own heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” For it is believing in the heart that makes a man righteous before God, and it is stating his belief by his own mouth that confirms his salvation. And the scripture says: ‘Whoever believes on him will not be put to shame’."(Phillips).  That's Good News!

Love and prayers, Cynthia

NO Anxiety

 Happy Sunday!

"Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God."(Philippians 4:6 Amplified).

It would be unjust for God to require us to do something that we were incapable of doing.  He never commands us to do anything we can't do.  Think about this.  Jesus said, “You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the supple moves of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that."(Matthew 5:43-47 Message).  It must be possible if the Word says so.

Proverbs 12:25 says, "Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but an encouraging word makes it glad."(Amplified).  The Bible is God's Word to you. The Psalmist said, "Your word is like a lamp that guides my steps, a light that shows the path I should take."(Psalm 119:105 Easy-to-Read Version).  The Apostle Paul said, "I know how to be abased and live humbly in straitened circumstances, and I know also how to enjoy plenty and live in abundance. I have learned in any and all circumstances the secret of facing every situation, whether well-fed or going hungry, having a sufficiency and enough to spare or going without and being in want. I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency]."(Philippians 4:12-13 Amplified).

God loves you and he has given you His love, His strength, and His promise that you can live this life without anxiety. 

Love and prayers, Cynthia