Hunt for the Treasure

Parable:  A traveler, fleeing a tiger that was chasing him, ran till he came to the edge of a cliff. There he caught hold of a thick vine, and swung himself over the edge.  Above him the tiger snarled. Below him he heard another snarl, and behold, there was another tiger, peering up at him. The vine suspended him midway between two tigers.  Two mice, a white mouse and a black mouse, began to gnaw at the vine. He could see they were quickly eating it through. Then in front of him on the cliff side he saw a luscious bunch of grapes. Holding onto the vine with one hand, he reached and picked a grape with the other. How delicious! That’s the end of the parable. 

Huh??? That's it??? Well how does the story end? Does the man get eaten by one of the tigers? Does he manage to find a way of escape? That's the fun thing about parables.  They are stories that don't have a traditional beginning,  middle or an end.  You have to hunt for the treasure.  

A pearl to string:  I know myself that I can sometimes be so focused on wanting to know what's going to happen in the future that I fail to enjoy what I have right here, right now.  There will always be good times as well as plenty of trials in life and countless difficulties to overcome.  But look up from your trouble and see that you are surrounded by countless blessings from God: a breath taking sunrise, a blanket of snow, seeing your breath on a frosty morning, a steaming cup of aromatic coffee, the fireplace flickering, my husband in his easy chair reading God's Word and our little dogs curled up beside me.... now that's a bunch of grapes! 

Is it possible to focus on the blessings at hand even when we are bobbing in a sea of difficulties and we don't know how the story will turn out? For a child of God, it is not only possible, it is essential that we learn to do so.  "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." (Philippians 4:11-12) 

Are you surrounded by tigers today? Take a moment to enjoy the grape that God has placed right in front of you.

Know you are loved,

                             Lyndi

Coyote Solution

Environmentalists and the U.S. Forest Service were presenting an alternative to Wyoming ranchers for controlling the coyote population. 

It seems that after years of the ranchers using the tried and true method of shooting or trapping the predators, the environmentalists had a "more humane" solution to this issue. What they were proposing was for the animals to be captured alive. The males would then be castrated and let loose again.  

All of the ranchers thought about this amazing idea for a couple of minutes. Finally an old fellow wearing a big cowboy hat in the back of the conference room stood up, tipped his hat back and said; "Son, I don't think you understand our problem here... these coyotes ain't having sex with our sheep... they're eatin' 'em!" 

The meeting never really got back to order. 

I look out around our world and I see satan doing the same thing to God's people - eatin' 'em alive.  The religions of the world are NOT going to save anybody, no where, no how. Nor are any of the smart thinkers scattered across our planet. The tried and true method through the ages holds true today.  It is only by the blood of Jesus that we are saved. 

"For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul".  (Leviticus 17:11) 

A pearl to string: It's baffling too witness the hate and mistrust of those who bring the message of forgiveness & eternal life.  I suppose it is because we are all flawed and imperfect.  Maybe some can be over the top with their enthusiasm, some may be boring and some may be annoying - imperfect people can be like that.  It's not, however, the people that are knocking at the door of your heart.  It's Jesus!  We are instructed in 1 Peter 5:8 to be sober and vigilant for satan walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.  So don't be devourable!  Stay in His Word.... Hear His knock! 

He came that we might have life

Know you are eternally loved,

                                            Lyndi

Earth Sick

What on earth is going on?  Not much good I can tell you that.  If you want to be cheered don't tune into the 5pm news.  If you want to feel safe don't read the newspapers. If you want to feel encouraged don't listen to talk shows.  If you want to know the truth don't believe politicians.  

So how do you stop yourself from feeling helpless in uncertain times?  The same way you keep from getting seasick when on a sea cruise. Don't look at the waves crashing around you.  Look at the horizon far away.  Look at that stable, stationary line.  When you fix your eyes on the unshakable, unwavering line, even though the ship bobs up and down in the rough sea your stomach will stabilize. I learned that lesson growing up in California during my days as a Sea Scout/Mariner Girl Scout. The same holds true in our spiritual lives.

A pearl to string:  Don't keep the eyes of your heart focused on your circumstances or the appalling things happening in this world... it will make you earth sick.  Steady your heart and harvest peace for your soul... look to the unshakable, eternal Word of God. Watch "...my God {will} supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus". (Philippians 4:19)  From temporal needs to spiritual needs .. including our need in suffering, for many of us are called to take our turn in the Lord’s prison-house. Here we need patience under pain, and hope under depression of spirit. Who is sufficient for furnace-work? Our God will supply us with those choice graces and consolations which shall strengthen us to glorify His name even in the fires. He will either make the burden lighter, or the burden stronger; he will diminish the need, or increase the supply. 

Lean on Him,

Keep your eyes in His Word

And know you are loved,

                                     Lyndi

Blinker Fluid

If your mechanic is telling you that you need blinker fluid...friend,  you are getting ripped off.  But if you really want to see what is going on in this world of yours..... feed your faith: that's true blinker fluid. 

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)  

Faith is your lifeline to the Lord.

Lose your faith in the Lord,

and you will lose all contact with Him. 

It is very easy to have high levels of faith in the Lord when all is well in the kingdom of you, but let someone face a heavier type of storm cloud, and all of a sudden their high levels of faith in the Lord could take a major nosedive. People in pain start yelling at God as to how He could have allowed this kind of heavy storm cloud to come into their life in the first place. That's when the whisper lie begins, "Yeah if God loved you He wouldn't let anything hurtful or painful or bad happen to you."  Been there, heard that whisper lie! Can we get a grip on reality here? Life is not fair... period! From God's lips to your ears, "In this world you will have trouble, (John 16:33) but be courageous-I have overcome the world!"  So throw all of the temper tantrums you want, wrestle with God over certain issues you are really struggling with – but please do not ever lose your faith in the Lord and then quit and walk off His playing field.  

God has already laid the ground work for faith in you and His Word tells you how to grow it:

1. “… as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith …”

(Romans 12:3)

2. “… because your faith grows exceedingly.” (2 Thessalonians 1:3)

3. “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”  (Romans 10:17)  

A pearl to string: You can sum all of this up in one simple little statement – as you grow in the knowledge of God through your study of the Bible, then your faith will start to grow right along with it. But stop growing in the knowledge of God (stop taking time to read God's Word) and your faith will stop growing right along with it.  

The deeper your faith grows

the wider your peace flows

regardless of circumstances 

Don't let your soul go naked into the new year.

May your faith grow exceedingly in 2012

Grow your blinker fluid and

Know you are loved,

                            Lyndi

Happy New Year