Author: admin

Look out the kitchen door and what do I see? Two cute horses staring at me! They are amazing creatures and they are trying to get our attention. They will look at the house then look at the field, longingly, kind of like hey (haha) look out there…You see, it’s springtime and they know it. The birds chirping, the trees blooming and most importantly to them, the grass is growing. We keep them in the front field during winter so that they don’t destroy the good fields. We feed them hay over the winter, and when the grass starts coming in, they start getting antsy. They go around their field covering every square inch snatching up any little blade that pops through. They hunch down on their two front legs as low to the ground as they can go, and crane their necks under the fence trying to get any morsel they can. The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, right?

Anyway, they alert us to Spring. When we turn them out on those crisp mornings, they no longer run for the hay, they run to the gate. What’s behind that gate? Fields of grass. Beautiful, sweet, succulent grass. Who wouldn’t long for that? You can always tell a grass fed horse by the size of their girth. They usually start running to the gate about the first week of March. They’re usually not out fully on grass until the first week of May. That’s a whole lotta yearnin’ goin’ on.

Because horses have sensitive tummies, yes, the gigantic oafs do, we have to wean them onto grass. The new grass is a little too rich on their stomachs and a horse with a belly ache is dangerous and expensive. So, when Farmer T says that the grass looks good, we start turning them out a little at a time. Our habit has been to put them out for a few hours each evening for about a week. Believe it or not, their bellies have timers. About evening time they go to the gate, look at the house with those beautiful, pleading eyes, then look at the field, the house, the field, the house, the field. They will do this for hours. They get a little uptight, a little impatient. They push on the gate, trying to get to the other side, trying make something happen.

Here’s the thing. We fully plan to put them out at just the right time. They don’t understand that if we put them out full time right away, it could be dangerous for them. They don’t understand the method to our madness. They don’t understand the plan. In fact, they don’t even know the plan. So, they look at us with those pleading eyes, go to the gate, and get a little testy for weeks, until we answer the call to open the gate, putting the plan into action.

As I was fussing with them and telling them to be patient, they had to wait until just the right time, that they shouldn’t be anxious or frustrated with our failure to respond to their pleading to open the gate, and that they shouldn’t be pushing on the gate trying to open it themselves, that they have to trust us with the plan, it hit me. I must be a horse!! Don’t you see it? I have a girth thing going on, I’m a pleader, I get anxious and frustrated, I try to push to make things happen before their time, I don’t wait until the plan is revealed. You too? Yes!

The Lord is probably trying to give me the same speech I give the horses. Why is that? Because I don’t listen. Because I want my own way. Because I’m afraid of His plans for me. Because I want to run headlong. Because I’m impatient. The because list could go on for quite some time. But, look what He says:

“The truth is that you will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

He says He’s got a plan for us. He says that we have to hang back for a bit, but then all His promises for good will be realized. We know that and yet we’re like the horses. Longing, anxious, pushing to make things happen, when we have no idea what His plan is. But we can know for sure that His plans are for good.

Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful.
Romans 12:12

So, with whatever it may be in our lives, we must commit to His plan, even though we may not know what it is and in the meantime be patient and prayerful. Otherwise, we may have a tummy ache that could be dangerous and expensive. I’m definitely a horse!

Do you always follow your gut? No, I’m not talking about to your fridge. We most all could answer that with a resounding, Yes! I’m talking about listening to your innards, those deep seated feelings, your inclinations, the sways of thoughtfulness.

What’s she talkin about, you say? I’m talking about following the little voice inside. The other day a friend of mine couldn’t decide whether or not to go to another friend and comfort them when they’d heard some sad news. I don’t want to intrude. I don’t want to upset them. I don’t want to do the wrong thing. I don’t want to say the wrong thing. We’ve all been there and we have all ended up doing nothing. Just like we don’t follow through on those hugs we mean to give, those cards we mean to send, the calls we mean to make, the visits we mean to schedule. Not a criticism, just an observation of me. Sometimes we just don’t listen to our gut. Does it matter? I think probably. You see, I think we could be missing out on the worship and the blessing by not following our guts.

Have you ever considered that when His children follow their gut on the kindesses of life those acts are viewed by God as acts of worship, that they bring honor to God? Kindnesses by unbelievers are just that, kindnesses. Those kindnesses cannot be acts of worship if they are not done by worshipers. It doesn’t mean those acts are not kind. It means that those acts are not intended for His glory.

So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel he had around him.
John 13:4-5

God’s children following their gut in serving others, in any capacity, is always worship. Do you think Jesus had an agenda when he attend the Last Supper? Do you think he said: “Ok, after the meal’s second course, I’m going to stand up and take off my robe, wrap a towel around my waist, pour the water into the basin, and then I’ll wash the disciples’ feet and then wipe them off with a towel?” I may be completely wrong, but I don’t think it went down like that. I think Jesus looked around, had a stirring inside, in His gut, for the people He loved. He didn’t just think about it being a nice thing to do, He acted on it. Can you imagine how God must have felt as He watched from the heavenly realms this act of service, this act of love?

Whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through him to Go the Father.
Colossians 3:17

As Christians, all of our lives should be about the business of serving others. We were born sinners so we were not born with that natural inclination to be about others. Our natural inclination is to be about our own business, worshiping ourselves. Ouch! We rarely follow our gut because we don’t have time – our lives are so full of the things “we” need to do; we forget – our lives are so full of the things “we” need to do; we don’t have the energy – our lives are so full of the things “we” need to do; and frankly, we don’t have the desire – our lives are so full of the things “we” need to do. Hmmm…. But, remember our rebirth, our changed spirits – it’s no longer about the “we” but about the He.

“For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many.”
Matthew 20:28

Those acts of service can only be accomplished if we are guided by the Spirit, who works in our gut, in our core, in our splankna (yes, that’s a word). The urge to anoint a friend for healing, follow your gut. The impulse to make that phone call, follow your gut. The desire to reach out and give that hug of reassurance, follow your gut. The compulsion to stop by a friend’s house, follow your gut. The overwhelming impulse to reach out to another, follow your gut. Those are Spirit nudges that result in acts of worship. And those Spirit nudges are blessing makers. Following through on the spurring of the Spirit, on the goading in your gut will always result in blessings, even when you don’t see it.

Heard a gut moment the other day: A friend had an overwhelming urge to buy her friend an Easter dress. My friend followed through on that unquenchable idea that kept running through her head all the way home from work. Off to the mall. Unfortunately, the dress didn’t fit. However, my friend suggested that her friend’s daughter try the dress on. It fit perfectly. The daughter responded with gratitude and also advised my friend that she now had a dress she could wear to the prom. You see, the daughter was going to the prom and she had no dress to wear. Following through on the gut produced an immeasurable blessing for a young girl, and a powerful opportunity to draw close and witness. If we follow through on our inside inclinations of kindnesses, God smiles.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

The oddest thing just happened. Walking the worst-best this morning, hearing all the morning sounds, I had a thought. No, me having a thought is not the oddest thing, but the thought I had was. It was a reveal, an epiphany, it was a “the more” moment, from Unbelief.

Each morning, before the real day gets underway, I start thinking about what’s on the day-tap. You know, I start making my day plans, my daily to-do list. I’m sure you do that too, right? Every good planner does. But, yesterday, it was pointed out to me that I was going about it all wrong. The thing about it is that I didn’t realize it until this morning.

It goes like this – a group of us have been praying for God’s direction in a particular matter. Seeking His guidance on which way to go, next steps. You’ve been there too, I’m sure. Anyway, in talking with a friend, I spoke about an idea I had to make a phone call that may bring about a resolution to the particular matter, to take next steps regarding the particular matter. After our phone conversation she sent me this:

STOP TRYING TO WORK THINGS OUT before their times have come. Accept the limitations of living one day at a time. When something comes to your attention, ask Me whether or not it is part of today’s agenda. (Jesus Calling, Sarah Young)

STOP. I didn’t shout out those words, Sarah did. Sometimes He has to shout at us to get our attention, doesn’t He? He’s got my number, man. He knows the frenetic pace at which my mind moves after all, He is my Creator. So, I read it and promptly texted my friend and said what do you think? Should I make the call or not? The response:

Have you asked Him if it’s part of today’s agenda?

KAPOW! Why didn’t I see that? What’s the big deal about this, you say? The agenda part. You see, I’m all about planning my daily agenda, oh sure, I pray as I go along, but rarely, if ever, do I stop and ask what His agenda is for my day and most assuredly I don’t ask Him before I make my list. That’s what He pointed out this morning. As we’re walking along planning my day, I gotta do this… I gotta do that… Get this done… You know the drill, your day-list is probably a mile long too, the words of yesterday came into my mind. AHA worst-best. I plan my days without a thought to what God’s plan for my day may be. I start working out what needs to be worked out many times before I even have to.

“The more” parts are several. The more I stop trying to work things out, the more I can see how powerful He is to work them out. The more I accept living one day at a time, the more I must depend on His provision for those days. The more I ask Him and expect Him to answer, the more I may see the answer. The more I seek, the louder He speaks.

Another funny thing I realized is that I had to have the lesson before I could put it into practice. What? He taught me, then He taught me where to apply it. The lesson was Friday. I didn’t understand the lesson completely until I started carrying on with my life on Saturday. See? I plan my day-agenda in the mornings. Saturday, He brought to mind the lesson I had learned on Friday (oh, how quickly we forget), which is to first seek His day-agenda for me. You see, anything I put on my agenda for the day will be everything less than what He has planned for me for the day. By not seeking Him about the day, we limit what can happen in the day. Why? Because we rely on what we have in mind, we rely on what we think needs to be done, we rely on our own power to accomplish our to-do lists.

Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.
Ephesians 3:20

Paul’s prayer of praise lays it all out, doesn’t it? He is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or even imagine. Think about that. We have some pretty vivid imaginations, don’t we? But God is able to do an unmeasurable amount more than we can even imagine. If He is that powerful, doesn’t it only seem right that we should seek His will for our days? His day-plans for us can be more than anything we can dream up!

When I think of the wisdom and scope of God’s plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.
Ephesians 3:14-15

Do we think of the wisdom and scope of God’s plan or do we think only of our own plans? He created the heavens and the earth and everything in it. Just think what He could do with our days, with our lives, when we consult Him on the to-dos of our days. His immeasurability can only be found in His plan, in His agenda.

What is unbelief? Not believing? Not sure? Wishy-washy? Can’t make up your mind kind of thing? That uneasy feeling? Do you ever get discouraged by unbelief? That shoulder burden kind of discouraged? It’s not just a matter of having a bad attitude or just trying to think positive, but a real live weightiness. Peering at the ridge this morning, I started thinking about unbelievers. We’ve all been there. We’ve all been unbelievers at some point. None of us are born believers. Oh sure, some can’t look back to a time when they weren’t believers, but I’m not talking about just a belief. I’m talking about a living belief. The kind of belief that changes life – for you and all those around you. You see, if we aren’t changed, belief does us no good. Even the evil one believes.

As all these thoughts ran through my whacked out mind, waiting to be separated and solidified into some stream of understanding, I asked myself the question – Am I an unbeliever? How about you? Do I always believe in His power? Can He really handle this problem, without my help? Do I always believe in His omniscience? Does He really know everything? Do I always believe in His salvation? He can save even me? Do I always believe in His presence? He’s here with me right now? Well, since you put it that way…

If I’m lay it all out there-honest, sometimes I am an unbeliever. Some say that’s not possible if you’re a Christian. I say pshaw! Belief is an absolute kind of thing. We either believe or we don’t. We can’t half believe, or sort of believe. But, our faith is not perfected here on earth. Oh, it will be one day, but not while we are still in this world. While I’m still in this world, there may be times I struggle with belief in God’s power, in His perfection, in His grace, in His mercy, in His provision. Yes, I do struggle with unbelief. But, belief is a process. You see, if we believe in God, are obedient to Him, seek His Word and are guided by it, we are in the process of being made perfect, being made holy, sanctification is happening.

Then many who hear him say these things believed in him.
Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you keep obeying my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” “ But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone on earth. What do you mean, ‘set free’?”
“Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because my message does not find a place in you hearts.”
John 8:30-37

Do you see that? Jesus was talking to the people who believed in Him. Even the Jews who believed in Jesus struggled with unbelief, with understanding.

“But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
“’If you can’?” said Jesus ‘Everything is possible for him who believes.’”
Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
Mark 9:24

The more I see God’s power, the more powerful I believe He is. I do believe! The more I see God’s love, the more loving I will believe He is. I do believe! The more I read God’s Word, the more I understand and am guided by it. I do believe! The more I seek God’s voice, the more I listen for it, the more I will hear it. I do believe! The more, the more, the more. I do believe! I do believe! I do believe! In order for our belief to grow, the Light must always be getting brighter in our darkness, kind of like a de-dimmer.

As long as there is breath in the lungs there is hope for the heart. Breathe in the hope that belief brings. Breathe in the hope that brings salvation for friends. Breathe in the hope that His grace is enough. Breathe in the hope that His mercy never fails. Breathe in the hope that His power can change anything. Breathe in the hope that He is persistent. Breathe in the hope that He will help us in our unbelief, if we only believe enough to call to Him – help me overcome my unbelief!

Do you ever feel like sometimes all you can do is praise? That it just bubbles up and overflows, cascading and seeping into every life nook and cranny. Like, it’s sunny and 75! You know, that giddy all is right with the world.

The sun is shining…Praise! Yes. The bills are paid…Praise! Yes. The car is running…Praise! Yes. The kids are safe…Praise! Yes. The animals are good…Praise! Yes. The job’s good…Praise! Yes. The health restored…Praise! Yes. Life’s good… Praise! Yes. …Praise ! Yes. …Praise! Yes.

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee! How Great Thou Art!

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Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
Praise Him all creatures here below!
Praise Him above ye heavenly host!
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost!

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Praise the Lord, I tell myself; with my whole heart I will praise His holy name.
Praise the Lord, I tell myself; and never forget the good things he does for me.
He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.
He ransoms me from death and surrounds me with love and tender mercies.
He fills my life with good things.
My youth is renewed like the eagles!
Psalm 103

It’s easy to break out in song and cut the happy rug when all is well, isn’t it? In those times, it’s hard to believe life has ever been anything but good. But, what about the Praise…when all is not so well? Yes?

In the mourning…Praise? Yes. In the illness…Praise? Yes. In the fear…Praise? Yes. In the uncertainty…Praise. Yes. In the trials…Praise? Yes. In the temptations…Praise? Yes. In the death…Praise? Yes. In the storm…Praise? Yes. In the brokenness…Praise? Yes. …Praise? Yes. …Praise? Yes. …Praise? Yes.

When sorrows like sea billows roll.

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I will praise the Lord at all times.
I will constantly speak his praises.
I will boast only in the Lord;
Let all who are discouraged take heart.
Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness;
Let us exalt his name together.
Psalm 34:-13
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“When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior…Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will gather you and your children from east and west and from north and south. I will bring my sons and daughters back to Israel from the distant corners of the earth. All who claim me as their God will come, for I have made them for my glory. It was I who created them.”
Isaiah 43:2-7

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Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later.
Romans 8:18

It’s in the praise that the miracles happen.  Praise always precedes the miracle. Let’s make today a day of praise, for the miracles to come! The miracles of yesterday. The miracles of today.  The miracles of tomorrow.  In His leading,  in His carrying, He is always, in everything, worthy of our Praise.

In the bleak midwinter
Frosty wind made moan
Earth stood hard as iron
Water like a stone
Snow had fallen snow on snow…

It was gray, cold, foggy and the ground was snow covered. Yuck! As me and worst-best were walking along, I was thinking about how winter it seemed, almost bleak. So quiet. Creepy still. Of course, that’s normal. It is winter. While bemoaning how winterish it was, out of the blue – Tweet! I don’t know what kind of bird it was, I don’t know my birds, remember the Great Snowy Owl? Anyway, it was not some gentle, slow awakening tweet, but a loud, robust, confident tweet. Like, TWEET! Hey! You know the kind in the early morning, the only day you can sleep in, right outside your window. I wondered if he knew it was winter. It was such a contradiction. Winter, cold, dead, heavy, hard, sunshine hopeless. Tweet, bright, light, airy, alive, hopeful.

This little bird, in the midst of the gray, was a sign of awakening life, even in the dead of winter. Quite a contrast. Dreary versus chirpy. Desolate versus hope. Despair versus joy. In the barrenness of the day, a joyful song. We live in two parallel worlds – one full of despair and one filled with hope. Sometimes we unfortunately find ourselves with a foot in both. One in the mud and one on dry land. That can make us a little lopsided. Makes us feel a little off kilter. Makes our spirit uneasy.

Still winter, in the evening hours, darkish, I was doing what I do with the one I do it with. She pranced along as evening turned into night. It was life quiet. It happened again. Out of the blue. Peep. A hearty PEEP! I was like, “What, it can’t be!?!” Of course, I don’t know my frogs, but I tell you what, I know a Spring Peeper when I hear one. PEEP! In an instant the dark faded to light. Dusk to dawn. Gloom to cheer.

A spring peeper in the midst of the dark winter evening is a sign of awakening life. Do you see the disparity here? In the dark season, the new season yawns. Spring peepers are called spring peepers for a reason. The peep is a signal. Peepers usher in, with their ever expanding chorus, spring. It’s awakening life.

The bird and the spring peeper are rousings of rebirth. The rebirth of a season. In our area this rebirth happens four times a year. This winter, in the gray and the darkness, I was privy to the dawn of spring. Oh, it’s not a privilege only for me, awakening life is for all to see.

Awakening life. Awaken from your slumber. From your hibernation. From the death of winter to the life of spring. Sometimes the gray and dark are all we can see. But that’s not all we are meant to see. We are meant to see the new life. We can be awakened in the complete stillness of winter. Sometimes it just has to be that quiet to hear the tweet and the peep.

“Quiet down!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm…
And they were filled with awe
Mark 4:39

In the darkness of that night, in the quieting, something happened. Jesus revealed. The Disciples awakened.

Be silent, and know that I am God!
I will be honored by every nation.
I will be honored throughout the word!
Psalm 49:10

Be silent… Be still…Be awakened…

We have seen his majestic splendor with our own eyes…We ourselves heard the voice when we were there with him on the holy mountain.
2 Peter 1:16, 18

Seeing and hearing his majesty, Peter and his friends were awakened…

We can plow through life, through the gray, through the dark, sometimes without ever hearing the tweet or the peep. Sometimes without ever being awakened to life, without rebirth, without recognizing the nod from the bird and the frog, without ever hearing His voice. If only we can quiet our hearts to hear God’s revelation, we too can be awakened to a new season in life.

Some study I’ve recently been doing has led me to question my motives. What causes me to think the way I think? What causes me to do what I do? What causes me to say what I say? What causes me to act the way I act? Oh, you say, that’s easy. Jesus. The right answer for everything. Righto! But…let’s just get honest.

Is that always true? Is Jesus always my motivation? Is that enough of a motivator? Gasp! Well, of course it is…how could you ask such a thing? Hush your mouth, you say. Well, speaking for myself only, I’m wondering if that’s always true or even a little bit true. If I drill down on myself, ashamedly, I say, no, it’s just not true, sometimes not even a little bit.

It’s so hard to ask ourselves the hard questions, that we rarely do. But, it’s critical that we do. Oh sure, it’s always easier to question others’ motives – I see a tiny speck of dust through my big log! Owww, stop beating yourself up, you say. Stop beating me up, you say. I throw no punches at you I don’t first throw at myself! Why is it important to contemplate these things, you say? Because as followers of Christ, we must realize that He will and does question our motives.

They say, “The Lord does not see; the God of Jacob pays no heed.
Take heed, you senseless ones among the people;
you fools, when will you become wise?
Does he who implanted the ear not hear?
Does he who formed the eye not see?
Does he who disciplines nations not punish?
Does he who teaches man lack knowledge?
The Lord knows the thoughts of man; he know they are futile.
Psalm 94:7-11

He says it right there, “The Lord knows the thoughts of man…” Does anyone else feel like they’ve just had a tooth extracted without novocaine? I don’t know about you, but, when I really think about it, the thought that He knows my thoughts makes me want to avoid eye contact and maybe throw up a little in my mouth. You too?

We are called to check our motives over and over. Why? Because we’re sinful folks. We just are. Because, if everything we say, everything we do, everything we are is not to glorify God, our motives are wrong and we need some soulful consideration, or reconsideration.

And whatever you do, whether in word of deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Colossians 3:17

Why do we do it all in the name of Jesus? To bring Him glory! Are we genuinely motivated by Christ, or by our own selfish desires? Ouch, another extraction.

The plain and simple is that as Kingdom people, everything we do and say should be Godly motivated.

If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and every. Amen.
1 Peter 4:11

We are not going to always get it right. Sin is subtle. It sometimes masks itself as Godly motives when sometimes they’re simply Bethly or Youly motives. Our life paths will be fraught with all kinds of motivators. Some are obviously bad. Some are very good, but not very God. We will stumble, but because of His promise, we will not fall. If we stay on His path, which is the only saving motivation, He will be glorified.

The evil one is crafty. He uses the ungodly motives of our hearts and minds to lure us from the path. Clinging to Jesus will allow us to push ourselves down as the motivator and for Jesus to be raised as our motivator, all for His glory. Let’s commit to the glory. Not ours, but His.

To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
Jude 24-25

I’m still hung up on those trees…

As I looked out on the trees laying by our deck — we might be looking at that tree carnage a long time — I thought about how the downing of those trees changed our landscape, our view. We used to look out on the one tree and remark about how it obstructed our view of the front field. We had planned to take it down eventually, but it’s still a little sad that it’s gone along with the tree beside it. Just as the view looking toward the field is different, the view from the barn looking at the house, is quite different too. Very open.

Those fallen trees used to shield the house and gave the yard a neatish border. When we finish the work that the wind began, we will be sky-wide open on the east side. I know it will have its benefits, but it makes me feel a little naked on the west, a little unprotected, a little vulnerable. I will miss those trees. I loved them. Our view has changed. Oh, it’s not the end of the world, they are trees, renewable resources. Of course, new growth will take a bit. Trees are slow growers. Still, it looks a little different.

The Bible is full of changing scenery. The change of landscape, the change of the lay of the land, is not always a bad thing.

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
Hebrews 11:8-10

Abraham, as well as Isaac and Jacob, were called to change scenery. To view a new landscape. No doubt they felt vulnerable, I mean come on, they were living in tents! Furthermore, or maybe most importantly, they had no idea where they were going. At God’s call to each of them, they obeyed and went, though they didn’t know fully what the landscape would look like. They trusted.

Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.
Exodus 14:21-22

Talk about a change of scenery! From wet to dry. From floatable to walkable. From vulnerable to safety. From death to life. The powerful hand of God changed life’s landscape for the Israelites. The powerful hand of God can change life’s landscape for us too. Not only can He, He will. Isaiah foretold.

Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth—so wonderful that no one will even think about the old pones anymore. Be glad; rejoice forever in my creation! And look! I will create Jerusalem as a place of happiness. Her people will be a source of joy.
Isaiah 65:17-18

New heavens and a new earth. Talk about a change of scenery.

But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world where everyone is right with God.
2 Peter 3:13

Peter speaks Isaiah, and John speaks Jesus Christ, through God, from an angel. It’s a message for all time.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw a Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Revelation 21:1-4

Wow. A new earth. A Godly earth. Talk about a landscape change. A re-recreation. I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to that new view. It might be a little dicey getting to the new view, but…a new earth. No more pain, no more hurting, no more hate, no more violence, no more killing, no more anger, no more evil, no more lostness, no more fighting, no more suffering, no more…a new earth. The scenery will change. God will live with us! Think about that for a minute. It’s certainly a different perspective, isn’t it? Isn’t that something to look forward to?

For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.
Romans 10:9-10

There’s only one way to experience that new view, that new scenery, by confessing that Jesus is Lord. Oh sure, confessing is humbling, it makes us feel vulnerable, exposed, but what do you want your eternal view to be? This world will definitely pass away, it is temporary. It’s in The Book. But just like our fathers before, trusting in Him, the One who will live among us for all eternity, throughout the changing scenery of our life, will enable us to experience an eternal view…Why wouldn’t we want that?

The wind blew. Coming from the west. It began out of nowhere. A soft breeze, a little swirling of the clouds. At first, the breeze didn’t seem to be a problem. A clean the leaves out of the flower bed breeze. Those are always good. It was a sun shining, breeze blowing, flag billowing kind of day. We remarked at the beauty. At some point though, things changed. The sky became a little ominous, from sun gold to gray, you know the look. The breeze picked up and it was wind storm watch. As the day progressed, the momentum of the wind picked up and we were at wind storm warning. The soft gentle breeze had turned to a wind advisory before we knew what was going on. Batten down the hatches, mates.

One thing I noticed about the wind storm was the sound. The wind usually pops over the mountain and flows right down Clock Makers Way. Like a child’s slide. You can actually hear it when it tops the mountain. Then as it flows down the driveway, gaining speed and filling all the empty space all around it sounds like a freight train barreling by our house. No kidding. The force of the wind was so intense I prayed our windows would hold as our curtains danced to the 66 mph tune.

The wind can be refreshing on a hot summer day. The wind can dry the saturated surface. The wind can sweep earth’s floor. I’ve often wondered if I opened my front and back doors on a windy day, if that could be considered vacuuming? The dirt wouldn’t be sucked up, it would just blow through.

It is a mighty force, though. The destructive forces of the wind are amazing. Things in its path are broken, uprooted, torn, ripped, fallen, crushed. We move our lawn chairs into the garage, we take down our flagpoles, we move our cars from under the trees, we try to build up, build around, and protect smaller outdoor stuff. But sometimes, there’s nothing you can do to prevent the damage, or is there?

See that tree there? It’s been there since we moved in seven years ago. It’s a great tree, or was. A big sugar maple momma. It did its part, it shielded that side of our house from the sun, and provided a cool sitting spot in the summer. It also provided a little protection from the wind. But, it was no match for the 66 mph song. Why not? Because it was rotten inside, soft. Oh, it didn’t look like it, it was beautiful on the outside, but decaying on the inside. It was not strong enough to withstand the winds. We had warning, over the last year or so, we had a branch down here, a crack in the trunk there. But, when the really strong winds came, it simply could not stand.

Just like trees on a windy day, life has destructive forces that can tear us apart and leave us broken, battered, sometimes limbless and cracked. Many are self-imposed, all are harmful. We are neglectful, decaying, sick in spirit and we simply can’t stand. When gale force blows a dying tree will break. There will almost always be warning signs.

I’m not a treeologist, I can’t tell you how to keep a tree from rotting, from decaying, from dying. I do know, without a shadow of a doubt though how we can keep from rotting, from decaying, from dying from the inside out. How? The right answer to everything, Jesus!

You don’t have to wait for the End. I am, right now, Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live. And everyone who lives believing in me does not ultimately die at all.
John 11:25-26

See that? We don’t have to wait until the end to be alive! His resurrecting power is resurrecting us, right now. Do we live as Believers? Jesus told Martha, if you live like that, you are alive, you don’t have to wait to be resurrected to be alive. What’s that mean? We are to live inside like Believers. Not old, rotted wood, that may crumble at any time. Not like we’re just waiting for the next branch to fall. But live like we know whom we have believeth and are persuaded that He is able! Live as Believers on the inside, allowing His resurrection power to work in and through us. Doing so will enable us to sway to the winds of life that blow our way.

We are pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
2 Corinthians 4:8-12

The wind storms of life will blow us and we may lose a leaf here and there, a twig here and there, a branch here and there, but we will never perish. We may be bent but we will never break. Just as a rotted tree, has death working within it, so is an unbelieving life. We know what will ultimately happen to that tree. The evidence is above. It may not be an instant death, it may happen branch by branch. But we also know what will happen to a believing life, we will never die!

Do you ever wonder how God processes all of our prayers? I know He’s God, but I wondered. I’m one person and I know how many prayers I whisper a day. Prayers for help. Prayers for hope. Prayers for healing. Prayers for justice. Prayers for mercy. Prayers for grace. Prayers for others. Prayers for change. Prayers for clarity. Prayers for provisions. Prayers for direction. Prayers for guidance. Prayers for answers. Then there are those that just can’t be put into words. The achings of my heart, of your heart, those anguished desperate pleas.

And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. Revelations 5:8

Golden bowls full of incense that are filled with my prayers, with your prayers, with all prayers. Dwell on that a minute. Every one of my prayers, every one of your prayers, the incense. Close your eyes and picture that. Priceless containers of gold overflowing with every single utterance to your Creator. Can you see your prayers landing in the bowl? The bowl of incense. Those prayers that are the essence of who we have become in Him, offered up to Him, poured out to Him, laid at His feet. It takes vulnerableness to bow low before our God. All of that vulnerableness, that opening of ourselves, is a sweet aroma to Him.

Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel’s hand. Revelations 8:3-4

Close your eyes again. Be there. The smoke of the incense slowly swirling and threading it’s way upward, rising to the throne of God. Inhale the sweet aroma hanging in the air, just lingering there, weaving through our prayers, enveloping them, our prayers that have been saved, gathered and placed on the golden altar. How much love is that?

Our prayers are an offering, a sacrifice. An offering of ourselves to Him. A humbling of ourselves to Him. An opening of ourselves to Him. A saying, I can’t, but You can. I’m not, but You are. Praying to Him shows we need Him. Calling to Him shows we trust Him. Relying on Him shows that we simply can’t live without Him. This vulnerableness, humbleness, openness demonstrates that.

O Lord, I call to you; come quickly to me.
Hear my voice when I call you.
May my prayer be set before you like incense;
May the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.
Psalm 141:1-2

Close your eyes one more time.

And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. Luke 1:10

The incense is being burned. It is the vehicle on which our prayers rise. Higher and higher they move with the smoke, instantly heard and seen by God, but treasured forever in the golden bowl. How much love is that?