The Colors of Fall

What is it about Fall?  Why all the colors?  What is the message God is sending us?

Who controls this change?  Why does it happen? What triggers the change?  As I am sure many of us would happily answer with scientific reasoning that this change occurs with the change in the sun (length of days) combined with the change in weather patterns.  And yes you would be correct?  But who designed it that way?  Who painted the trees with their colors?  Who orchestrated this scenic event?

It has to be our Creator...the God of the Universe.  There is no other logical explanation!  Nothing like this could be orchestrated by chance across the northern and southern time zones that experience these seasonal changes.  Even the tropics experience some change although not quite as dramatic.

The message is: "I am the Lord Your God!"

Proclaim the message...it's painted in the landscape...it's obvious...you cannot deny it!

Thank you God for this powerful display of your Majesty and Glory!

He presented Himself Alive!

According to the accurate accounts of Dr. Luke in the first chapter of the book of Acts, "Jesus presented Himself alive, after His suffering by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days, and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God." (Acts 1:3)

Why is it that many of us who claim to be Christians do not boldly proclaim our faith?  Is there any other religion, be it Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, Mormonism, where the founder of that particular faith appeared after death for 40 days and was teaching his disciples. 

Can a God who does this create the earth in 6 literal days?  Can a God who does this part the Red Sea?  Can a God who does this flood the entire earth?  Can a God who does this make a donkey speak?  Can a God who does this raise the dead?  Can a God who does this feed well over 5000 people with a few loaves and fishes?

Why is it that we need more convincing of the magnitude of God's Power?  What else do we want?  He has plucked us from the path we were on and holds us gently in His hand.  He has set His word before us, made it plentiful in our land.  Can He not do anything He wishes to do? 

Can He heal our land?  Can He bring the homosexual to salvation?  Can He heal us from our sickness and strife?  Can He bring Peace?  Can He save our friends and relatives who do not yet confess and believe in Him?  Does He choose to do all these things?  Are we asking Him to do these  things and do we trust Him to do it? 

Do you hear Him now saying, O Ye of little faith?  Believe in Him NOW!

Looking at others with Gospel Eyes...

How do we see others? Do we find ourselves very often judging our first impressions of others? Do we treat others in our mind as less important or more insignificant than ourselves? What measuring stick do we use when our thoughts quickly cling together to create our "point of view"? Is that how God sees? Is that what Jesus saw in others?

Of course our answer should be an emphatic NO!!!!!!!!!!!

Jesus sees a work of art...poetry in motion...a created being that HE created and LOVES with Agape love! He loves unconditionally! Do we? He sees the wonder of an individual with exclusive DNA...exclusive traits...unlike any other...totally a one of a kind person! That is how He sees us...why is it we struggle with seeing others that way?

It is simply because we don't view people with Gospel Eyes! Jesus said when asked what the greatest commandment was..."Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, with all of your mind and with all of your strength...and Love your neighbor as yourself"! (Mark 12:30-31)

The question for us now is, who is my neighbor? Realistically our neighbor is everyone we see, meet and interact with! That's a lot of neighbors!

Do we love our neighbor as ourselves? Do we see them through Gospel eyes? Have we shared Jesus with any of our neighbors?

Maybe we should start today!

When God is at the Center...

When God is at the Center...

So much of the time in our daily lives is taken up with thinking about ourselves. By that I mean just thinking of numero uno! Me, myself and I! What a contradiction this is to the word of God. He wants to be at the CENTER of all that we are and do. Psalm 127 tells us that "Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain to build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain." Nothing we do or are, can succeed apart from God's help. We are instructed by this very simple Psalm written by Solomon, King David's son, to live our lives in total dependence on the Lord.

Further more God shows us where our priorities should be...He says, "Behold, children are a gift of the Lord; The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth. God himself blesses us with children as a heritage from HIM!

When God is at the center of the Family -

• God grows the Family - He builds the house!
  
• God blesses the Family -He gives to His beloved!
  
• God guides the Family - He directs our paths!
  
• God protects the Family - He is the watchman!

Oh, Great and Gracious God, teach us to put you totally first in our lives every moment of every day! Increase our dependence upon you for meeting our needs. Place us on our knees before you that our faith might increase and your will shall be done in our lives. Focus our attention on you O Lord that others may see and experience your boundless love and mercy! In the name of Jesus, our savior...Amen and Amen.