Going Above and Beyond

I’ve been thinking about the Samaritans lately… I know, crazy thing to think about!

Quick history lesson :)

When Assyria conquered Israel the Israelites were exiled to Assyria, and other people were brought in to live there. These people were eventually known as the Samaritans. This picks up in 2 Kings chapter 17…

The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath and Sepharvaim and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites. They took over Samaria and lived in its towns. ²⁵ When they first lived there, they did not worship the LORD; so he sent lions among them and they killed some of the people. ²⁶ It was reported to the king of Assyria: "The people you deported and resettled in the towns of Samaria do not know what the god of that country requires. He has sent lions among them, which are killing them off, because the people do not know what he requires."

²⁷ Then the king of Assyria gave this order: "Have one of the priests you took captive from Samaria go back to live there and teach the people what the god of the land requires." ²⁸ So one of the priests who had been exiled from Samaria came to live in Bethel and taught them how to worship the LORD.

²⁹ Nevertheless, each national group made its own gods in the several towns where they settled, and set them up in the shrines the people of Samaria had made at the high places. ³⁰ The men from Babylon made Succoth Benoth, the men from Cuthah made Nergal, and the men from Hamath made Ashima; ³¹ the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire as sacrifices to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim. ³² They worshiped the LORD, but they also appointed all sorts of their own people to officiate for them as priests in the shrines at the high places. ³³ They worshiped the LORD, but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought.

What I’ve been thinking about is… these people served God just enough to keep from being killed by lions and that’s it, no more. They still held on to all their old habits and beliefs.

How many times are we like that?

No, we’re not being killed by lions, but the idea is the same. We want to be saved, be Christians, spend eternity in heaven… but we still want to hold on to all our old habits and beliefs, too. We still want to do what we want to do and so we make excuses or we ignore God or we try to justify our actions and make them seem okay.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying we can earn our salvation… it’s a free gift (Ephesians 2:8). We could never be good enough or do enough to earn it, our righteousness is as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). BUT, once we’re saved, Jesus said if we loved Him we would keep His commands (John 14:15).

And, I believe, that there are some things we can do for Him that He doesn’t require, but we can do just because we love Him. (Now what I do may be different from what you do, that doesn’t mean that what I do is better… just that different people have different ways of showing their love!) As parents, doesn’t it please us when our kids go above and beyond? Why wouldn’t it please God, too?

My friend Katie had a wonderful blog post about something her son did that blessed her. It wasn’t something she asked or even expected of him, but when he rose to the occasion she was so proud of him. We need to rise to the occasion for God, stop making excuses and trying to justify our actions and just do the things we know will please Him.

It might not be easy, and we may have to get out of our comfort zone, but it will be so worth it!

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Romans 8:18

Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 1 Corinthians 2:9

The True Vine

 

I’ve been feasting off the scriptures from Saturday night’s service for last couple of days… so I thought I’d share them with you!

Of course I forgot my notebook and didn’t write anything down so I think I’m forgetting at least one, but here’s what I remember

 

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.  Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.  Abide in me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.  If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.  If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.  Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.  ~  John 15: 1-8

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.  Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.  ~  Hebrews 4: 12-13

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.  ~  John 14: 26

He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.  Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?  And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:  And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.  ~  Luke 13: 6-9

 

Helping or Hindering…

 

This weeks chapters in A Woman After God’s Own Heart dealt with our role as a wife.  They were very convicting chapters!

As wives we are called to be helpers to our husbands.  So one thing she asked was if the things we do are a help to him or do they hinder him. 

He has a responsibility to provide for our family… am I actively helping him, or am I hindering him by placing extra demands on his time, spending our money unwisely, or constantly nagging him to do more.

He has a responsibility to be the spiritual head of our family… am I helping him to achieve that, or am I hindering by pointing out all his shortcomings and failures, taking over the role myself (he won’t stand up and fill in the gap if I’ve already done it and there’s no gap to fill), or failing to follow Christ myself in the fullness that I know to do.

There are so many little things we can do for our husbands that don’t take a lot of effort on our part but they can mean so much to them.  For Brian one thing I can do is make sure there’s always sweet tea available for him to drink… that’s it, not a big deal but it means a lot to him.

Yesterday while I was working in the garden God really spoke to me about this.  It’s good advice and something we should be aware of in our marriages, but it also applies to other relationships.

Our friends, are we helping or hindering their walk with God?  Acquaintances, same question… when they see us do they see Jesus or do our actions hinder them in their walk?

Our actions have consequences, and many times they are consequences we would never dream of.  Look at Eve, one little piece of fruit and humanity is still reaping the consequences. 

We must be very cautious in what we say and do.  That news we just have to share… is it going to help or hinder the one we tell? How about the one they tell? Or the one we’re talking about?

We try to justify, “It’s true, so it’s not really gossip”, or “They need to know what so-and-so is really like.” But the Bible says differently.

Proverbs 11:13 ~ A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.

Proverbs 18:8 ~ The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

Proverbs 20:19 ~ He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.

Proverbs 26:20 ~ Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.

Just recently I had to apologize to someone for being a talebearer.  What I told was true and really wasn’t a surprise to the one I told… but it didn’t concern me and did absolutely nothing to uplift or encourage anyone, so I should have kept my mouth shut!

I’ve said it before, but I’m going to say it again!… We are the light of the world, a city set on a hill can not be hid.  For better or worse our light is shining before men… does what people see cause them to glorify our Father in heaven or does it hinder them?

Can You Hear It??

 

And when David enquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees.  And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee     2 Samuel 5:23-24

Can you hear that rustling? 

This has been on my heart for a while. When I look with my natural eyes it’s not always apparent that God is moving.  Oh, but when I close my eyes, I hear a rustling in the tops of the trees.  God is on the move and I don’t want to be left out because I was looking with my natural eyes and not my spiritual eyes. 

In 2 Kings ch.8 the king of Syria came out to fight against Israel…

And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?  And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.  And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

The army of God was there the whole time but the servant couldn’t see them until God opened his eyes. God is moving all the time but if our eyes aren’t opened we’ll miss it.

Do you hear the rustling?  Can you see how God is moving?

So many little things I’m seeing, small things God is doing, small changes in people’s hearts… on their own they don’t seem like much, but all together they add up to big things!

I’m excited to see what God’s going to do next!  From the small things He speaks to my heart to the big ways He makes things fall into place, I don’t want to take any of it for granted.

Rain!!!

 

Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. ~ Joel 2:23

So thankful for the rain today!! 

Even though my garden’s washing away and the refrigerator we buried last week to make a root cellar is floating up…. I’m still thankful!

I’m also thankful for good rubber boots!! ;-)

Speak the Word

 

We’ve had a wonderful beginning to the revival.  The first night was good, the second even better, but last night you could really feel everyone in one mind and one accord reaching out to God. 

The sermon last night was on speaking God’s Word.  John 6:63 says “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”  God’s word is life, it is powerful.  And if we have His Spirit in us He wants to speak through us.

Jesus said in John 12 that He spoke the words the Father told Him to speak and in John 5 that He did the things the Father showed Him to do.  Well, if we have that same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead, then we have that Word living in us…. it’s life, let it come forth! 

In Matthew 8 the centurion said “Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.”  Just speak the Word. 

Matthew 21:21 “If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.” Speak the Word.

Ezekiel 37, I won’t quote the whole thing but God told Ezekiel to speak to the dry bones.  God told him what to say, and when Ezekiel obeyed God caused it to happen. 

Isaiah 55:11 “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”

Speak God’s Word and great things will happen.  Jesus said we would do even greater things than He did….. imagine that!

 

 

That’s the condensed version!  I left my notes at church so I know I’m forgetting a lot.  If you haven’t made it out yet I encourage you to come…. you won’t leave disappointed! 

A Couple of Videos

 

My friend Jennifer has some pictures of her two youngest on her blog that will make you laugh out loud!  It reminded me of this song that always makes me tear up…..

It never ceases to amaze me how the boys can go from beating the tar out of each other to best friends in two seconds!  Brothers!

 

Totally unrelated but this video makes me laugh so I thought I’d share….

What a Difference a Month Makes….

Peas a month ago…

Peas today…..  

Please ignore all the grass, I promise soon to get after it with the tiller!

 

Squash a month ago….

Squash today….

 

Tomatoes a month ago….

And today….

 

And corn….

I don’t have an old picture of it…. but you get the idea!!

 

And just in case all these pictures are making you hungry for some home grown veggies……

We are in business!!