Asters for the Needy
Thank You, Father, for the beautiful bright but crisp autumn day! The beauty of Your creation uplifts even the downtrodden!
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Last week, Massey and I went on a walk around a pond that is maintained by our local school system. On our second pass around, I wanted to take a picture of a wonderful outcropping of Asters that were growing near the pond amongst some evergreen shrubs. I was pretty sure they were asters, and when I researched the pictures I took, sure enough, they were labeled as New England Asters.
Maybe I shouldn’t be, but I am always amazed at the fact that I can find a lesson in just about anything I find in God’s great creation! Take these simple but beautiful flowers. While most other flowers are tapering off – our coneflowers and black-eyed Susans, as well as our petunias, are pretty much done. But when I took this picture, the Asters were at their prime.
An online article I read stated, “The flowers are an important source of nectar for late-season pollinators, especially Monarchs, as they stock up for their fall migration to Mexico.”
You may be thinking, “Yeah? So what?” Well, it got me to thinking. What kind of person am I? What kind of person are you? In our hectic and time-consuming lives, have we pushed ourselves so much that when “late arrivers” come, we have nothing to offer those who are in need?
I know that there are times when I am just whipped. I am out of reserves. I’ve given my all to the day behind me, and I don’t seem to have anything left to give. Then I get a phone call, or my family needs something. Most often, I will dig deep and give what is needed.
Monarchs – and I’ve seen several fluttering about the last few days – need sustenance. They have a long trip ahead of them. Their journey is not yet complete. And while many flowers on God’s green earth are done, the aster comes out to take care of the need that remains. Granted, that’s the way God made them, but they do what they were made to do.
God made us to love Him and to love others. We must do what we were created to do. Often it doesn’t have to be anything that involves a great amount of time or resources. Oftentimes all that is needed is a listening ear…a shoulder to cry. Someone who takes the time to show that someone else’s need is not trivial, that it doesn’t go unnoticed.
And when it seems our resources are running on empty, we have but to tap into God’s great reserve! Love! Strength! Mercy! Compassion! Wisdom! Patience! It is all right there for the asking and the taking. We might just be what a “late arriver” needs to carry on!
And God is able to make all grace [every favor and earthly blessing] come in abundance to you, so that you may always [under all circumstances, regardless of the need] have complete sufficiency in everything [being completely self-sufficient in Him], and have an abundance for every good work and act of charity. 2 Corinthians 9:8 AMP
Oct 11th, 2023, Wed, 12:44 pm
Value the Message, Not the Messenger
It has been a busy day, and I am only halfway done, but I am blessed, Father, with Your presence and guidance! Use me as You will now and the rest of today. Amen.
1 Corinthians 3:18-22 (<<click here to read the passage)
I really believe that one of the most problematic issues for the church is pastoral leadership – and that can be in the local church or anyone, leadership-wise, above that individual. I realize that it is not the norm, by far, but too often, it seems that some pastors let the “power” of their position go to their heads.
We hear of pastors who feel totally justified in getting rich. Granted, it’s essential to heed the words of the Apostle Paul found in 1 Timothy 5:17-18,
The elders who perform their leadership duties well are to be considered worthy of double honor (financial support), especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching [the word of God concerning eternal salvation through Christ]. For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain [to keep it from eating],” and, “The worker is worthy of his wages [he deserves fair compensation].” AMP
I am all for fair compensation for pastors’ hard work, but personal multi-million dollar jets? High-end homes with all the bells and whistles? Amongst many other things…it’s just too much!
Others, because of the power they hold, control the masses under them. It’s one thing if they are ardent followers of Christ, living out their lives in the emulation of their Lord and Savior. But it’s another thing altogether if they twist God’s word to say what they want it to, and anyone who questions them is booted from the fellowship.
I’ve seen too many examples of pastors who honestly find themselves in the right to demand total allegiance from their followers (aren’t we to be followers of Christ?) I’ve seen churches decimated because of such leadership. And it seems that in every situation, there are people who will follow those men and women to the ends of the earth…never questioning, never checking with God themselves to see if everything is on the up-and-up with the person they have chosen to follow.
Sadly, this mentality plagues us not just in the church but in our world as well. Regardless of contrary evidence, once we’ve latched on to a particular human leader who we think has all the answers or is bringing us into everything we want, we refuse to let go. We refuse to see any other viewpoint – thinking them all heresy in opposition to the “truth”. Our pride makes us value the messenger more than the message.*
Humanity before our eyes can be deceiving. We must be on our guard in all the many venues of life. God alone before our eyes enables us to rid ourselves of deception. We see things for what they really are, and we have nothing to fear.
Verses 21-23 wrap it up nicely.
So don’t boast about following a particular human leader. For everything belongs to you – whether Paul or Apollos or Peter, or the world, or life and death, or the present and the future. Everything belongs to you, and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.
Everything is under God’s control; if we look only to Him, we will not be deceived or led astray.
*Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation
Oct 10th, 2023, Tues, 12:23 pm
The Three Little Pigs and Me
Artwork from https://shortstoriesshort.com/story/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/The-Three-Little-Pigs-1.jpg
Ah, I’m finally back at a time when my brain is a bit more fresh. Father, speak through me Your word. I would plead for Your impact on my small corner of the world.
1 Corinthians 3:1-17 (<<click here to read the passage)
As a child, a familiar story was The Three Little Pigs. There are different versions but all of them involve three pigs who build three homes – the first pig’s home was built out of straw; the second was built out of sticks and the third little pig’s home was built out of bricks.
Along comes the big, bad wolf. He’s a pork lover and is out to get them all for a fine meal. He comes to the first pig’s house of straw and calls out, “Little pig! Little pig! Let me in!” The pig calls out, “Not by the hairs on my chinny chin chin!” The wolf replies, “Then I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house down.” And that’s exactly what he does! Some versions have him eating pig number one and others have the pig running to pig number two’s house of sticks.
The same banter happens back and forth, with the house falling in and they run to pig number three’s house made of bricks. The scenario is repeated but this time the wolf fails in his attempt to get to the pigs.
There are many variations but the point I want to make is that the only house that withstood the big bad wolf was the house of bricks. The other two houses had nothing to stand on and collapsed with minimal effort from the wolf.
In today’s passage, Paul speaks of the weaknesses of the Corinthians in saying they were followers of Paul or Apollos. Paul uses a couple of examples, planting and watering, and building on a foundation. Both had different people contributing but his emphasis was that God was the one who took what was contributed and brought the growth or was the foundation upon which others built. Unless God factors into the equation, all the “work” we do– watering, planting, building – is to no avail.
The thing is even if pigs one and two had had a solid foundation, their building materials still would not have withstood the wolf’s huffing and puffing. The same goes for us. Read verses 12-15 of our passage.
But if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will be clearly shown [for what it is]; for the day [of judgment] will disclose it, because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality and character and worth of each person’s work. If any person’s work which he has built [on this foundation, that is, any outcome of his effort] remains [and survives this test], he will receive a reward. But if any person’s work is burned up [by the test], he will suffer the loss [of his reward]; yet he himself will be saved, but only as [one who has barely escaped] through fire. AMP
Genuine followers of Christ will survive the fire, but our works may…or may not yield a reward. The thing is we don’t really know what the reward will be and I honestly feel that God – not us – will determine what will be considered gold…or straw.
Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and let Him lead you to what is best for His Kingdom.
Oct 9th, 2023, Mon, 12:40 pm
The Futility of Bootstrap Pulling
Good times of worship and good times with family today, Father. We were blessed with Your love and protection. All praise to You for Your freely given abundance!
1 Corinthians 2:11-16 (<<click here to read the passage)
I’m sure that most of us are familiar with the idiom “pull yourself up by your own bootstraps”. When it was originally verbalized it referred to something that just didn’t make sense or was preposterous. Over time it came to mean the ability to do it ourselves with no one else’s help.
One author stated that thinking one could do that conveyed the same idea as pushing a wheelbarrow while sitting in the wheelbarrow itself – it’s absurd! Neither action can be accomplished.
It is a physical impossibility but in our walk with God, it is also a spiritual impossibility. We may have done everything we need to seek His forgiveness for our sins and are very likely genuine followers of Christ. But to victoriously follow Him we cannot pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps spiritually or push ourselves in our own wheelbarrow either. We absolutely must depend on the Holy Spirit to achieve ongoing victory!
My Life Application Study Bible states that our great enemy, the devil, his greatest impact on us occurs when he deceives us, we need the Holy Spirit’s help. We will not succeed in trying to go it alone. My study Bible goes on to say,
Spiritual discernment enables us to draw conclusions based on God’s perspective, make wise decisions in difficult circumstances, recognize the activities of God’s Spirit, distinguish the correct and incorrect use of Scripture, and identify and expose false teachers. Ask God to give you his discernment as you serve him. Let that discernment guide you in your daily walk.
I expressed the same idea in today’s sermon. If we try to do it all by ourselves, I can guarantee that we are going to fall flat on our faces. We may think that will not be the case, but we are incapable of any other outcome! We are weak…He is strong.
Here’s what I shared in my sermon (Daniel’s Strength and Conviction):
I don’t believe there is any way that we can tackle the big things if we are letting littler things slide. How can we possibly take on changing the world for Christ if we can’t successfully change ourselves for Christ?
It is a battle! From experience, I know I must be diligent, saying “no” to the fringy things that are just the taste of bigger things that will take me down if I am not exceedingly careful. And the most important thing is realizing and flat-out owning the idea that I cannot do it by myself. We all must call out to God, for only He can help us, only He can deliver us!
Seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance for your life, then watch and see what God can do in and through you!
Oct 8th, 2023, Sun, 7:47 pm
Benefits of Hard Pruning
One of the more stressful afternoons on my routes, Father. I would ask that You would continue to help me to be firm but loving. Tough love is a challenge, but often necessary.
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This picture is from one of the main thoroughfares on my bus route. It keeps flitting through my mind, and I finally decided to run and snap a pic after my routes today, hoping to not get drenched in the process. I started thinking about it when all the leaves were still green, so obviously it’s been a while.
It’s pretty cool to see it every day on that trek. It’s composed of three different trees, two deciduous (with leaves that fall in autumn) and one evergreen. From this angle, the pine has its right side lopped off, the taller green one on the right has its left side lopped off, and the one turning orange in the middle has had most of its middle removed.
Also in the picture is the reason why the middle of it all has been cleared – electric power lines. There is still probably some risk that one of the trees may take down the lines but most of the threat has been removed, allowing the much-needed power to course through the lines to customers who depend on its many benefits.
Of course, the Bible speaks of pruning. Looking at this picture it’s easy to see that sometimes the pruning can be pretty severe. For those in close relationship with Him, God will do the same in our lives. If we are open to His work and direction, sometimes there are things that need to go. It may not be easy, but it is necessary.
In my picture, the owners of the trees could not say “no” to the pruning. It’s just the way things are done. But we…we can say “no” to God. It is not in our best interest, but we can hinder God’s power from passing through us to benefit both ourselves and those in close proximity.
For the Lord disciplines and corrects those whom He loves,
And He punishes every son whom He receives and welcomes [to His heart].” Hebrews 12:6 AMP
Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that continues to bear fruit, He [repeatedly] prunes, so that it will bear more fruit [even richer and finer fruit]. I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. John 15:2, 5 AMP
Allow the Lord to work in and through you, and, oh, the wonders you will see!
Oct 5th, 2023, Thurs, 5:29 pm