RECOGNIZING THE DANGER

I was out on my walk this morning enjoying the fall colors here in the mountains.  Occasionally, I stopped to take a picture with my camera-phone.

Glorious, Gorgeous, Magnificant artwork by my wonderful Creator!  He didn't create in black and white.  He didn't make food all one flavor.  He added fragrance and breezes.  He went abundantly beyond the "necessary" and lavished His creation with delicious, wonderful pleasures! 

As I saw these colorful trees and bushes, I was thinking that maybe we could plant some of these varieties within eyeshot of our living room windows - like the trees we have already aren't enough!?!

I came across this one and wondered, if I break off some clippings maybe they'll take root in water so we could plant them in the spring.



As I came close to choose a cluster to take home, I noticed that they had leaves of three.  That means one thing up here.  It's poison oak.  The plants that I recognize so easily in the spring and summer became deceptively beautiful in the fall; so much so that I nearly wanted them for my home.

My husband spends much of the spring trying to kill off any of this stuff that grows where our grandchildren might play or hike,  He sprays it and hacks at it and burns it - and here I am, going out and bringing it home!

How very much like sin!!

What we recognize clearly and reject in one season of our lives suddenly becomes attractive to us in another when we aren't preceptive enough to recognize its latest new presentation.

Knowing the shape of the leaf this morning saved me from a whole lot of grief and aggravation.

Knowing the deceptive nature of sin (and the one who tempts us) will help us recognize it's appearance in all its forms.  This knowledge or skill is developed by prayerfully renewing our minds in the Word and practicing restraint when the bait is dangled in front of us.

Hebrews 3:12-14

Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God.  But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.  For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end



I AM EVE - Seeing myself in the women I've come to know in the Bible

 

 

I Am Eve

I am Eve:  I defy the One Who created me.  I choose to do the very things that separate me from living in oneness with Him.

I am Rahab:  I seek satisfaction in things and people that bring no fulfillment.

I am Bathsheba:  Breaking my promises.

I am Sarai:  I have trouble believing that God can keep his promises.

I am Naomi:  Feeling at times abandoned.

I am Ruth: Seeing that there is one true God and He is to be followed no matter what the cost.

I am Esther:  Pleading before my Heavenly Father’s throne for strength and guidance when my actions will impact others.

I am Sarah:  Following my husband to a new land knowing God has a wonderful, but unknown plan for us there.

I am Mary:  Astonished that God chose me to be a vessel through which He would do His work.

I am Martha:  Getting distracted with all the busy activities and missing what really matters.

I am Sally:  Lost, Blind, Found, Saved, Doubting, Struggling, Faithless, Faithful, Prayerless, Prayerful, Astonished, Distracted, Transformed, Hopeful, Growing, God’s Woman – Eternally!



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



AND THEY WERE WATCHING... a poem about integrity

And They Were Watching
S. Bentley

He went to work and did his job
And now and then shared his faith in God
And those around all watched his life
His love for God, his kids, his wife
And they were drawn, not by his words
But by what their eyes could see

And they were watching - they always do
You never notice but it’s true
Watching me and watching you
What is it they see?

He preached the gospel on T.V.
“The Lord shall bring thee victory!”
But many tender souls were crushed
When news arose of his crimes of lust
They were repelled not by his words
But by what their eyes could see

 

She was the mom of one small boy
She taught him faith in God with joy
And as he matured that boy could view
That in fact his mother’s faith was true
And he was drawn, not by her words
But by what his eyes could see

 

He was a man who shared his thoughts
Then lived it out before those he taught
He asked them all to come follow Him
Then laid down His life to free them from sin
And they were drawn, not just by His words
But by His magnificent deeds!

 

And they were watching - they always do
You never notice but it’s true
Watching me and watching you
What is it they see?