WAVES

  “They build up under the surface of the water, becoming larger and larger as the moments tick away.  They they crest, roll over, make a very loud noise, bubble and foam, they finally dissipate.  This is the pattern of the wave.  Waves at the beach are never ending. One is gone, and the next rolls in, one after another.  Some are larger and louder than others, but they keep rolling into shore.   

  I believe life’s problems are like that.  They build up, peak, and dissipate. They may be large, small, or in-between, but they keep on coming. They may crash your life with a resounding bang or make a more soft and subtle noise, but they keep on coming.  They may deal with emotions, health, finances, family relationships, or a variety of other difficulties one must face in a lifetime, but they keep on coming.

  As long as we live in this world, we will face one dilemma after another, be it large or small.  The unending load gets heavy after a while, and the waves of life can beat away at a person the same as ocean waves pound at the shoreline.  Jesus has told us to come to Him with our burdens and He will give us rest.  He said to cast our cares upon Him, for He cares for us.  He said He would send the Holy Spirit to be our comforter and guide; to give us wisdom and the strength to survive the battering waves of life.  He promises this in the Bible to to all who will reach out to Him and believe in Him.

  If the constant waves of life are beating you down, depleting life’s energy out of you, like the grains of sand that are pulled back into the ocean with each wave, call upon Jesus.  He will answer the call – you can count on Him.”
                                                                              Author Unknown

It has been said, “Calm seas never made a good sailor.”

Read Matthew 7: 24-27…Jesus told of the storms which come upon every person, just or unjust. Whether or not, we weather the storms depends upon the foundation. Only those who build their lives on the teachings of Jesus, putting His words into practice, will be able to overcome the storms of life.

HE BECAME LIKE US

  Soren Kierkegaard, the great Danish theologian of another century, tells the story of a prince who was running an errand for his father one day in the local village. As he did so, he passed through a very poor section of the town. Looking through the window of his carriage, he saw a beautiful young peasant girl walking along the street. He could not get her off his heart. He continued to come to the town, day after day, just to see her and to feel as though he was near her.

  His heart yearned for her, but there was a problem. How could he develop a relationship with her? He could order her to marry him. It was in his power to do so. But he wanted this girl to love him from the heart, willingly. He could put on his royal garments and impress her with his regal entourage, and drive up to her front door with soldiers and a carriage drawn by six horses. But if he did this he would never be certain that the girl loved him or was simply overwhelmed with his power, position and wealth.

  The prince came up with another solution. As you may have guessed, he gave up his kingly robe and symbols of power and privilege. He moved into the village dressed only as a peasant. He lived among the people, shared their interests and concerns, and talked their language. In time, the young peasant girl grew to know him, and then to love him.

  This is what Jesus has done for you. The Word became flesh. The King put aside His heavenly robes and divine prerogatives. He came to us as one of us.
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  John in his gospel, the first chapter, verse 14 states: “The word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.  We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” 

 

 

  It is called the “Incarnation”,  God in flesh.    

 I like the way someone has put it: “He became like us so we could become like Him.”  We must become the Incarnation, Christ in us.

                How are you doing in becoming like Him? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHAT SHALL WE DO?

  What a cry of despair coming from the lips of one of Elisha’s students in the School of the Prophets.  This student went up on the wall of the city of Dothan to look about.  What he saw terrified him.  Wherever he looked, he saw the  enemy. The Syrian army was encamped ready to capture his master, Elisha.  Perhaps, the rising sun reflected from the chariots, the shields, and the helmets of the soldiers.  He could hear the rumbling of chariots, the neighing of the war horses, and the shouting of the officers.  In great alarm, he ran down from the wall to the house of Elisha and told him what he had seen and asked, “Oh, my Lord, what shall we do?”  2 Kings 6:15 

  We know how he felt.  Does not our look at our changing world draw forth the same cry of despair and desperation.  I would try to be honest with you in saying, I think it becomes increasingly difficult to live strong spiritual lives. Whether we wish to admit it or not, our culture, the kind of a world in which we live, has a tendency to undermine us and to brain wash us.  It is our cry too, “O my Lord, what shall we do?”

  Look at Elisha’s answer to this young student, “Don’t be afraid, those who are with us are more than those who are with them?”  The young man must have looked at Elisha with astonishment.  What is he talking about, just two of us against the whole Syrian army.  Then, Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.”  2 Kings 6: 16-17    Then, the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.  God struck the Syrian army with blindness.  Elisha led them in helplessness to Samaria where their eyes were opened.  They were dismissed and sent home in defeat and humiliation.

  Our prayer must be, “Lord, open my eyes that I may see God’s love and power.”  That love and power of God as demonstrated conclusively and climatically in His Son, Jesus Christ. 
This will demand commitment to Jesus. 
Commitment will mean that we are sensitive to His presence.  We must live consciously, aware, that we live in the presence of the Lord. Can we accept the truth that we live life to Christ?
Commitment will mean that we are responsive to His will.  The will of God can be known to us as we know His mind through His Son and the Holy Spirit guided Apostles, recorded in his holy book, the Bible.  God has given us a sufficient piece of His mind and placed it for us in the Bible.  We need to study and rightly divide the Word of God.
Commitment will mean that we are dedicated to His purpose. The purpose of God is to make known His love for all mankind and through that love draw humanity unto Himself. The uplifted Jesus upon the cross is the demonstration of the love of God.  We are in the loving business.  Even as God has loved us so we are to love one another. 

  On the back of a truck, I saw this sign, “I AM A JESUS MAN”   That is it, if I am truly committed to Jesus, that is exactly what I am a Jesus person.  We are the means that God has of conveying Himself to the world.

SOAR LIKE EAGLES

  The eagle has the longest life-span among birds.  It can live up to 70 years.  But, to reach this age, the eagle must make a hard decision.  In its 40’s, its long and flexible talons can no longer grab prey which serves as food.  Its’ long and sharp beak becomes bent.  Its’ old, aged and heavy wings, due to their thick feathers, become stuck to its’ chest and make it difficult to fly.  Then, the eagle is left with only two options: die or go through a painful process of change which lasts 150 days.  

  The process requires that the eagle fly to a mountain top and sit on its’ nest. There the eagle knocks its’ beak against a rock until it plucks it out.  After plucking it out, the eagle will wait for a new beak to grow back and then it will pluck out its’ talons.  When its’ new talons grow back, the eagle starts plucking its’ old, aged feathers.  And after five months, the eagle takes its’ famous flight of rebirth and lives for 30 more years.

Why is change needed?   
  Many times, in order to survive, we have to start a change process. We sometimes need to get rid of old memories, habits and other past traditions.
Only freed from past burdens, can we take advantage of the present. 

NOTE: The above article was selected from an e-mail sent to me.  I found out that it is NOT factual at all.    This according to Snoops.  Still, it is a beautiful story, isn’t it?  I wanted to believe it.  In fact, I had copied it to send out as a devotional before I checked the authenticity of the information.  I would have passed on misinformation.
  
What about people who tell us things that the Bible says, which sound good, but when we check it with the authority, God’s Word, it is not true?  We need to be very careful and check what we are told by the plumb line of truth, the Bible.  Just because it is in print or someone says it, does not make it so…

I only know that God speaks of the Eagle in Scripture.  Some of this truth are these:  :

Exodus 19:4  “You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.”

Psalm 103:5  “Who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

Isaiah 40:31   “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” 

  God wants us to spread our wings and soar with eagles.

“THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER”

  Francis Scott Key was born on August 1, 1779 in Carroll County, Maryland. During his life, he was a lawyer, author and amateur poet.  He died January 11, 1843 at the age of 63 in Baltimore, Maryland.
  His most notable accomplishment and what he is most remembered for, is penning the United States of America’s National Anthem called “The Star-Spangled Banner.”  The song lyrics originated from Francis Scott Key’s roll during the War of 1812.  Key was trying to facilitate an American prisoner exchange with the British while on board the British ship HMS Tonnant.  Key was unable to do anything while the entire British navy bombarded the American forces at Fort McHenry on the night of September 13 and 14, 1914.  
  When the smoke cleared, he was able to see that the American flag at Fort McHenry  was still waving and reported this fact to the prisoners below deck whom he was negotiating for their freedom.
  Key was so inspired by his experience he published the poem, “The Defense of Fort McHenry,” which was published in the Patriot Publication on September 20, 1814.  It was latter to become known as “THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER.”  …

“Oh say, can you see, by the dawn’s early light, what so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?  Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thru the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming? And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave o’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep, where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes, what is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep, as it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?  Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam, in full glory reflected, now shines on the stream: tis the star-spangled banner: O, long may it wave o’er the land of the free and the home of the brave. 
Flag draped from the roof of the Pentagon. 

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore that the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion a home and a country should leave us no more?  Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’ pollution.  No refuge could save the hireling and slave from the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave: And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave o’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O, thus be it ever when freemen shall stand, between their loved home and the war’s desolation.  Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n-rescued land praise the power that hath made and preserved us a nation.  Then conquer we must, when our cause, it is just.  And this be our motto:  “In God is our trust.”  And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave o’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.” 

  It is up to us to keep our flag waving over this land of the free and home of the brave.       God will bless America, as we honor and serve Him.