Planting and Watering for Christ

Matthew 28:18-20 ¹⁸And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. ¹⁹Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: ²⁰Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen

I am much more comfortable attempting to reach out behind the safety of my keyboard than in person. It seems that every time I get up the courage to invite someone to church or to bible study I run into the most negative person in the bunch and I quickly withdraw behind the security of my computer.

I am a person who truly believes that I can ask the Holy Spirit for guidance in every aspect of my life; so, when I felt like giving up on trying to reach out in person to be a light for Christ, I felt I needed to seek support from the Helper before I retreated into myself. 

And just like that…

1 Corinthians 3:6-9 kjv  ⁶I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. ⁷So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. ⁸Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. ⁹For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.



Thank You, Holy Spirit for reminding me that bringing the increase was never my job. My job is to reach out. My job is to live a life that shines in the darkness of this world and is a beacon to Christ. My job is to study the Word so that I am prepared to speak about our Savior in ways that do not bring shame to the Body of Christ. Perhaps my job is to water rather than plant. And it has never been my job to bring the increase!

Thank You, Father God, for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Thank You for the gift of Your Son. Thank You for this medium to reach out in hopes of being a blessing and inspiration to someone. I ask You, please, allow me the privilege of bringing at least one soul closer to You.

Thank You.

Perhaps you are that someone!





May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!

Running the Race with Fortitude

Hebrews 12:1-3 (KJV)

12 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

³ For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

I picture a great marathon and all the runners as Christians who are a part of the “great cloud of witnesses”. At the beginning of the race everyone is ready, full of energy, seeing themselves as  potential winners of the race!

The beginning is exciting with all of the spectators cheering on.

But, between the exciting beginning and the glorious finish there is life! The cheering crowd is much thinner in the middle of the course. The Witnesses are still there but they are busy cheering new racers, trying to stay the course themselves and just enduring the race.

We find ourselves confronted with our own personal “weights”; the things in life which distract us and take our eyes off “the author and finisher of our faith”.

Scripture tells us to “ ,,,,  lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us”. This allows us to acknowledge first that there will be weights, issues, and trials which we must overcome, then Scripture  gives us the course to follow “² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith….”

There are refreshing stations along the course. We have the Word of God. We have the examples of the saints. We have the comfort of the Holy Spirit. We have the promise of the finish line if we just hold the course!

Father God, I thank You for encouragement and strength. I thank You for renewal of Your promise to “never leave us or forsake us”. I thank You for the privilege of being Your child and pray for Your continued patience with all of us who are attempting to run this race with fortitude.

May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!

Yes, I Believe in God!

It is very trendy these days to poke fun at people who believe in God. Remarks range from mildly disparaging to downright cruel. Someone I love once told me that I was “too intelligent to actually believe in God” as if my faith were a warm and fuzzy blanket I could put on and off when it was convenient or fashionable.

Truthfully, as a statement of faith,  I do believe in an Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Omniscient, God!

John 1:1-5 King James Version (KJV)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  ² The same was in the beginning with God.

³ All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.  ⁴ In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

⁵ And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

We have been given a guide book, a book of encouragement, a book of strength and wisdom, a book of comfort. It’s when we try to use the Book to box God, Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Omniscient, God into our very finite, limited comprehension that we get into deep trouble.

The authors of The Attributes of God (AlohaBible Net) describe our futile attempts to bring God to our level as: “people tend to dream up a mythological god who is either...

• An emotionless Power [such as *The Force* in the Star Wars movies]
• OR a mean bully who sits around in heaven, anxiously waiting for you to make a mistake so he can send you to burn in hell
• OR a grandfatherly old fuddy-duddy [sort of like *Santa Claus*] who doesn't give a rip what you do, just so long as you have a good time doing it.”  (http://www.biblestudy101.org/theo/g-d1.html#navigation)

These are such pitifully narrow restrictions to try to hold the wonder of our living, Immortal,  Infinite and Eternal God!

When our need to define God within the constraints of our comprehension is stronger than our love and reverence of God, we can totally miss the absolute joy of His love.

How much energy will we spend arguing about the time frame of “the beginning”?

He was here In the Beginning, whenever the beginning was. How do we even take a breath or open our eyes and doubt that there is a Creator?

If your prayer is to gain a deeper relationship with God you might begin with trust as the foundation on which you will build.

Pray to understand the difference between knowledge and wisdom and pray for wisdom.

May God Forever Be A Blessing in Your Life!!!