New Life

There are signs of hope all around us these days, even in troubled times such as this. To find that hope however, we must look beneath the surface. And be able to interpret the signs of the times.

"The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven. 2He replied, "When evening comes, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,' 3and in the morning, 'Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times." - Matthew 16:1-3

We know that in springtime life returns to the plants and trees. Seemingly dead ground sends forth beautiful flowers and luscious new life all around us. We are able to tell that spring has arrived by interpreting signs, just like Jesus said. However, not ALL people can tell "the signs of the times." That ability is God-given and only a child of God can see such a thing.

I can write stories about it. Those who believe in God can read my words and know what I am talking about. But those who don't believe in God will quickly dismiss my words as trivial, even meaningless, because they don't believe in God. They have not received the Holy Spirit.

This saddens me. I look at the news. I read my Bible. My interpretation of both those things tells me that we are in the last days before Jesus returns. And, once Jesus comes back, we who believe will be departing this world. It says so in the Bible.

"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18Therefore encourage one another with these words." - 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

There are those who don't want to hear these words. Some of them even profess a faith in Christ. How can one be a Christian and not want to talk or hear about His glorious coming?

My wife was walking by one of her gardens today and noticed that the daffodils had sprouted. "That's funny," she said. "They weren't there yesterday." The Lord's return will happen rather quickly too, more quickly than overnight. Scripture says it will be "in the twinkling of an eye."

"Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed." - 1 Corinthians 15:51-52

And this is the tough part. No matter what I say, no matter how many of these stories I write, no one, and I mean NO ONE, will come to a saving faith in Christ UNLESS God wants it.

"No one is able to come to Me unless the Father, the one having sent Me, draws him, and I will raise him up in the last day." - John 6:44

But I keep writing. Why? Why keep writing even though it might not do any good? Because, it might. God might use these stories in some way, to touch somebody's life to the point where they might start to question the secular news feed. They might pick up a Bible or read the verses in these stories and might feel convicted enough to start asking questions.

Please, if you don't know Jesus, if He is not Lord of your life, ask Him TO be! The signs of the times are all around us. Jesus can return at any moment. There won't be an opportunity to plead for inclusion. It will be too late.

Everybody has time on their hands right now. The whole world has time. Use this time to seek God. This virus situation could be the last call before we hear the trumpet. Don't be left behind. Please.

50 Reasons We Are In The End Times

Blossoms

There are times we feel frustrated. I wrote about that just this past week. I was feeling frustrated. But there are also times we can feel incredibly blessed. Such was this past weekend. A weekend God showered the blessings down.

Saturday I went for a long walk. My wife and I are blessed to live right next to a state park. She and I spend hours there - walking, hiking, swimming. What a blessing it was as I went for my first extended walk of the year, just a shade over 13 miles.

I always lug all of my camera equipment along . . . just in case I see something worth remembering. I was glad I did.

I spent a lot of time early on looking for the male black bear that others have seen in the area. Nothing. Oh well. Maybe next time. But what I was really hoping to see was some early spring flowers. We had a terrible winter - long and cold. Very depressing. The sun shining brightly on Saturday was a welcome sight . . . and so were the blossoms on the forest floor.

I didn't see them right away. I had to walk for several miles before I saw any blossoms but the wait was worth it in the end. I walked through areas of the forest where oak wilt had killed many of the trees. The DNR had fenced off the area to keep the deer out. It was sad to see acre after acre of death. But out of death comes life.

This weekend I received an e-mail from our church's missionary in Turkey. His name is Brian Phipps. Brian reported that one of the men he had been witnessing to recently converted from Islam to Christianity.

Anyone see any similarity between the two pictures in this post?

We can go through seasons of drought in our lives. Being frustrated with how things are going. But when those blessings come, whether springing forth from the forest floor or rising up out of a pond of water . . .

Blessed be the name of the Lord!!
 

"24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." - John 12:24

Plant

Snow has finally left our part of the country. Things are beginning to get a little more green. There are more and more signs of life with every passing day. Most of the birds are back - the Red-Winged Blackbirds, the Sandhill Cranes, The male goldfinches are changing color from their blah winter color to that bright yellow and black color they are known for.

The streams are still swollen with the run-off the the winter's melting snow. And over at Turner's farm Market they are beginning to plant their crops. Tis the season for planting.

Sunday morning at church our pastor was preaching about the end times, the end of the world. He specifically used the text from Matthew 24. As he read the text to us we were reminded of signs to watch out for, the signs that will tell us Jesus is about to return. Jesus compared these signs to a fig tree and how we are able to tell what season it is, simply by looking to the signs it gives.

"32 “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near." - Matthew 24:32

As I left the church there was a large cardboard box by the front doors. It was something for us to take home with us. Guess what was sin it? It was seeds! Seeds to plant in our gardens. Carrots, radishes, lettuce, squash. Many different seeds to plant and ultimately food to eat.

"6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building." - 1 Corinthians 3:6-9

Take a look at the picture at the top of this page. You and I are the seed planters. We're the little things that are sticking onto the ground. God in the tractor. Without Him we can do nothing. He gives us the power through His Holy Spirit. Our job is simply to plant seeds in the hearts and minds of those we meet as we walk through this world.

Who in your life needs to have some new life? Is there anyone you know that could use the saving grace of God, our Father? Plant some seeds in their lives today. And then pray for rain! :)

Did you know that King Solomon wrote the lyrics to a 60's rock song? He did. His words were put to music by a band named the Byrds. With the exception of a few minor words changes the words are taken straight from the Book of Ecclesiastes, the third chapter. King Solomon also recognized a time to plant. That time is now!

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, a time to reap that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace."

We have been placed on this earth for a reason. We have been called by God to "spread the Gospel to all nations." We have been called to plant seeds.plant sees. May the seeds we plant today fall on fertile soil and produce a bountiful crop at harvest time.

Turn, Turn, Turn - The Byrds