THE TEST OF OBEDIENCE

IT'S HARD TO BE OBEDIENT TO OUR LORD WHEN WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON , OR WHEN WE ARE TOO ANXIOUS ABOUT THE POSSIBLE OUTCOME ISN'T IT ?.................... BUT THE TRUE TEST OF OUR FAITH COMES AROUND JUST AT THESE PRECISE MOMENTS ............ FOLLOWING THE LORDS COMMANDS REVEALS TO US THAT WE TRUST IN HIS DECISIONS FOR OUR LIVES NOT ONLY IN THE BIG AREAS OF CONCERN BUT IN THE LITTLE AREAS AS WELL ..............HIS WORD REMINDS US THAT OBEDIENCE DOES NOT COME EASY BUT WILL CREATE EASE IN OUR SOUL ............ WHEN WE EXAMINE THE SCRIPTURES GOD REVEALS THAT OUR SAVIOUR WAS 100 % MAN AND 100 % GOD ......... JESUS WAS NOT HALF MAN AND HALF GOD HE WAS 100% OF BOTH ...... CONFUSING AS IT MAY BE IT ALSO UNRAVELS ANOTHER MYSTERY ABOUT US AS HUMANS : WE CANNOT BE OBEDIENT WITHOUT DEPENDENCY ON CHRIST ...... THE OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES TELL US , "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding ; in all your ways acknowledge HIM , and HE will make straight your paths . " PROVERBS 3:5-6 .........WHEN WE LOOK AT THE NEW TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES , THE TOPIC OF BEING OBEDIENT TO GOD IS REVEALED TO US AS WE LOOK AT HOW JESUS WAS OBEDIENT TO HIS FATHER IN HEAVEN , "If you obey MY commands , you will remain in MY love ,just as I have obeyed MY FATHER'S commands and remain in HIS love . I have told you this so that MY joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete . " JOHN 15 :10-11........... WE MAY NOT UNDERSTAND OR EVEN BE AWARE THAT WHEN WE ARE OBEDIENT TO GOD IT WILL CREATE A JOY THAT IS COMPLETE !! ...............IT'S REVELING TO SEE THAT JESUS WAS OBEDIENT TO THE POINT OF HIS OWN DEATH , BECAUSE OF THE RELATIONSHIP HE HAD WITH HIS FATHER ........... JESUS NOT ONLY DID HIS FATHERS WILL WHEN IT WAS EASY TO DO , BUT ALSO WHEN IT WAS VERY UNPOPULAR , DIFFICULT AND EVEN UNBEARABLE ......THIS WILLING SUBMISSION BECAME A GIFT OF LOVE GIVEN TO GOD THE FATHER............JESUS KNEW THAT THE TIME WOULD COME WHEN HIS OBEDIENCE WOULD AFFORD HIM THE TIME HE WOULD SPEND WITH HIS FATHER ONCE HE COMPLETED HIS WORK ON EARTH ,"Later , knowing that all was now completed , and so the SCRIPTURE would be fulfilled , JESUS said , ''I am thirsty . '' A jar of wine vinegar was there , so they soaked a sponge in it , put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant , and lifted it to JESUS' lips. When HE had received the drink , JESUS said , "It is finished . " With that , HE bowed HIS head and gave up HIS spirit . " JOHN 19: 28-30.............. GOD WANTS US KNOW THAT WE TOO CAN AND SHOULD BE OBEDIENT TO HIM EVEN WHEN DOING WHAT HE SAYS IS DIFFICULT OR STRANGE , " This is love for GOD : to obey HIS commands . And HIS commands are not burdensome , for everyone born of GOD overcomes the world . This is victory that has overcome the world , even our faith . Who is it that overcomes the world ? Only he who believes that JESUS is the SON of GOD . " 1JOHN 5:3- 5.........THE TRUE TEST OF OUR OBEDIENCE TO GOD IS : WILL WE LISTEN ?.......................................................................SUMMER

STERLING SILVER AND BABY SHOES

SOMETIMES ITS HARD TO BELIEVE HOW FAST TIME CAN JUST WHIRL BY AND WE CAN'T EVEN DETECT THAT IT'S HAPPENING ....... TONIGHT I WENT TO DINNER AT A FABULOUS RESTAURANT WITH MY BABY BROTHER (WHO BY THE WAY IS NOW 33 YEARS YOUNG ) AND HIS BEAUTIFUL WIFE AS WELL AS MY WONDERFUL SISTER DO I HAVE TO SAY "IN -LAW "( SHE IS JUST LIKE A SISTER TO ME ) ...... AT FIRST I WAS GOING TO DECLINE BECAUSE I FIGURED IT WOULD BE A GREAT NIGHT TO MAKE GRANOLA FOR THE LOCAL CAFE I SELL TO ( AND TO SAY THE LEAST MY HUBBY WAS OUT COYOTE HUNTING SO I HAD THE HOUSE ALL TO MY LONESOME ) ...... I WAS SET !! ORGANIC OATS, LOCAL HONEY, A SNOWSTORM BREWING AND ITALIAN MUSIC ..... WHAT MORE COULD A GAL ASK FOR ....... AHHHHHHHHHHH SHE COULD ASK FOR AN ALL EXPENSE PAID FOR EXOTIC AND DELICIOUS DINNER AT A LOCAL FINE DINING ESTABLISHMENT ........... SO INTO THE SHOWER I WENT , PUT ON MY MAKE UP AND TOSS UP MY HAIR INTO A SCRUNCHIE AND PUT ON A REALLY NICE PAIR OF DENIMS , PRETTY WINTER SWEATER AND A RECENTLY PURCHASED BROWN WOOL CAPE....... DINNER WAS GREAT ...... WE ATE AND LAUGHED BUT AS WE WERE REMINISCING OVER THE PAST I HAD A VERY STRON G DESIRE TO VISIT WITH DAD ...... IT WAS GETTING LATE BUT MY BROTHER TOOK ME ANYWAY...... THE VISIT WAS WORTH EVERY MINUTE OF THE FEW WE ALL SPENT TOGETHER TONIGHT ....... WE CHATTED I SALVAGED THROUGH OLD JEWELRY AND CAME UPON MY MOMS ORIGINAL STERLING SILVERCHARM BRACELET.......THE CHARMS CONSISTED OF A SILVER HEART ENGRAVED WITH WEDDING BELLS AND THE DATE 11/14/59 (YES MY PARENTS WOULD HAVE BEEN MARRIED 50 YEARS JUST THIS PAST NOVEMBER ) ,THERE WERE SHOE CHARMS FOR EACH OF US KIDS ,A SILVER CIRCLE TO CELEBRATE MY PARENTS 20TH ANNIVERSARY AND A CHARM OF JESUS WITH HIS MOTHER........ AS I RUMMAGED FURTHER DOWN THROUGH THE DRAWERS OF MY MOMS OLD DRESSER I ALSO CAME UPON ONE MORE ANTIQUE ....... MY FIRST PAIR OF BABY SHOES .......SO TINY YET STRONG IN CHARACTER THESE SHOES LOOKED AND THEN IT HIT ME ..... THESE OLD TATTERED LITTLE WHITE SHOES HAD TAKEN ME ALL AROUND THIS BIG OL' HOUSE I WILL ALWAYS CALL HOME ........WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY TO END THE EVENING ..........WITH 2 BEAUTIFUL GIFTS FOR ME TO CHERISH ........ ITS NOT EVERY NIGHT YOU FIND STERLING SILVER AND OLD TATTERED LITTLE WHITE SHOES ....... IT REMINDS ME OF WHAT JESUS DOES WHEN HE FINDS US LOOKING AND FEELING LIKE AN OLD TATTERED SHOE AND WE ACCEPT HIM AS OUR SAVIOUR WE BECOME JUST LIKE STERLING SILVER..........SUMMER