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!



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



I SURRENDER ALL - with a new bridge and chord arrangement

Click https://valleybible.net/MusicMinistry/Music/Audio/ISurrenderAll.mp3 
to hear us singing it at Valley Bible Church

All to Jesus I surrender, All to Him I freely give

I will ever love and trust Him, In His presence daily live.

I surrender all, I surrender all

All to Thee my blessed Savior,

I surrender all

All to Jesus I surrender, Humbly at His feet I bow

Worldly pleasures all forsaken;

take me Jesus, take me now.

All to Jesus I surrender, Make me Savior wholly Thine.

Let me feel the Holy Spirit, Truly know that Thou art mine.

Is there anything I wouldn't do, if You asked me to?

Is there anyplace I wouldn't go? Tell me if it's so.

All to Jesus I surrender, Lord, I give myself to Thee;Fill me with Thy love and power, Let Thy blessing fall on me.

I MET WITH YOU - Rejoicing in the privilege of casting all my cares on HIM!

I met with You alone in wakeful hours last night

Just a bit discouraged at my unworthy fight

Again as ever always You welled up deep within

My heart laid bare before You and You forgave again

I met with You this morning; came to worship with the saints

The children sang Your praises in full voice without restraints

They wriggled, danced and lifted hands in such abandoned way

It nearly broke my heart in two to hear you loved that way

I met with You today as my shepherd taught Your Word

He faithfully etched into me the truths I read and heard

Unfolding wondrous mysteries; enlightening corners dark

The hating world - the loving Lord; the contrast ever stark

I met with You this afternoon while praying for those I love

A growing peace seemed to increase I’m so unworthy of

The lost, the sick, the weak, the blind weigh heavy on my heart

Your yoke is easy; weight is light if shared right from the start

I’ll meet with You this evening when day turns into night

Prepare a meal, relax and heal but always keeping sight

Of why I love to live a life that’s set on honoring You

For late last night I feared the fight.  I’m glad I met with You!

THE ROMANS SEVEN BLUES

ROMANS SEVEN BLUES

S. Bentley

(sung with a traditional 12-bar blues)

It's a low-down dirty rotten cryin' shame

I always seem to keep a-sinnin'

Tell me WHO is to blame?

I really wanna be righteous

Oh Lord ya know it's true

But then my flesh creeps up and says

JUST DO WHAT YA WANNA DO!

I'm doin' the don'ts

I'm blowin' the do's

I'm singin' the Romans Seven Blues