Tag Archive for scripture

06 Jun 2011
Devotionals • In Other Words Tuesday

“Deciding on Worry”-In Other Words Tuesday

This Week’s “In Other Words”

“ If we can trust God for our eternal salvation,
How can we not trust Him to provide for the “little” things of life?”
~M.E.Howard

Hosted this week by:Urailak on her blog,Living for God

25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
(Matthew 6:25-27, New King James Version)”

Ever asked yourself where does worry get?Well, besides maybe grey hair?

Matthew 6:25-27 is a reminder to the Christian that God does provides; He provides for the things that He knows we need, not want, and like the birds that fly….they are provided sustenance, so He will not abandon us.
We live in a world that seems to be filled and thrives on worry, but as the quote by M.E. Howard provides, how is it that if we trust in Him, that we have eternal salvation that we worry about things that in the long run are temporary.

What does worry really do? It can distract us. It can fill us with fear. It can take away not only our energy, but our time that can otherwise be spent focus on things we have a say in, but worry, in the long run, isn’t productive.

A sermon called, “How to Escape Worry” was shared on a site called the John Mark Ministries, and in that sermon by Rod Benson, it is shared, “When you worry about your life, does that change it? No. When you worry about the future, does that control it? No. Worry won’t change the past, and it won’t control the future. All it does is distract us, and waste our emotional energy, and make us miserable.”

Isn’t it true?

Worry is really just negative energy that can drag one down, leave one feeling worse than they already does, but does it make any changes for the better in a situation? Not really. Does it contribute anything positively that lifts up the situation? Not really.

God is in control and if we believe that and trust Him, we also have the faith that just as our eternal salvation is rested in His hands, whatever we are going through right now, He is working through it that it is to His Glory.

There are things in our lives we can’t control, but making the decision to believe and follow Christ is one thing we do have control of…all else…really is in God’s hands.

Ron Benson really put it well when he shared in his sermon,”We sometimes do that with God when we say to him, “You take care of all the big needs, and I’ll handle the job issues, or the health problems.” When you worry, you’re acting as though God won’t do what he’s promised to do – that he’s not there. Non-believers have a right to worry – they’re alone in a dog-eat-dog world.”

Several tips are offered through his sermon:

1. Put God first-focus on Him; Having a strong relationship and developing that relationship through reading His word is a huge benefit for the Christian facing struggles

2. Focus on Today-If anything else, don’t worry what you can’t change about yesterday and tomorrow is still unwritten so right now…focus on today.

3.Rely on God-Philippians 4:6-7 says give all things to Him. Anxieties, worries, fears…all of it….

When it comes down to it….if you know eternity has been taken care of….then remember…what happens today is only temporary…give it to Him and focus on what you can do for today.

If you haven’t participated in,”In Other Words Tuesday” before and would like to, feel free to drop by and find out more about it, or drop by,”In Other Words Tuesday” newest hostess, Urailak on her blog, Living for God and leave a link to your own,”In Other Words Tuesday” perspective of this week’s quote.

God bless you, Gentle Readers!

Sunflower Faith | 4 comments | Tags: , , ,
06 Jun 2011
Bible • Printables • Quiet Reflections

Quiet Reflections-Using a Life Journal and S.O.A.P.

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tarting in 2009, I started using the  Life Journal as part of my daily bible reading time.

What I really enjoyed about it, is that it really encourages, through the use of the,”S.O.A.P.” to bring a deeper look into reading His Word.

Like everything, its a tool, a tool that can be modified to suit your own personal needs, but it does help make, setting aside “Quiet Time” for reading His word and to study it more fruitful.

“There are times when solitude is better than society, and silence is wiser than speech. We should be better Christians if we were more alone, waiting upon God, and gathering through meditation on His Word spiritual strength for labour in his service.via — Charles H. Spurgeon

As shared by Into Thy Word,”It is essential to our understanding of not only God, but ourselves as well. Without God’s Word we will be purposeless and disrupted from our call and the purpose for our salvation. When we base our lives on the Word of God, then Christ can create His work in us by the power of the Spirit
”

Now, you don’t have to get the, “Life Journal” per se, to document your readings, any notebook can work, or you can even use a Life Journal that is available online or your own blog to document your readings.

The important thing is to work, with what works best with you, you know yourself and your reading habits better than anyone else.

Like everything else, the Life Journal and even just using the “S.O.A.P” method as outlined by Pastor Wayne Cordeiro of New Hope Christian Fellowship, are just tools; One of many tools that are out there and the key is working with what works best for you.

If you’re a night owl, night time is the best time to get your reading in and if your a morning person (who can make it through the mornings without coffee), maybe mornings are the best for you.

Something that I made that, I pray and hope, can be a source of encouragement and reminder of what ,”S.O.A.P.” breaks down into, is a little bookmark that you can easily print out,laminate and even use a hole puncher at the top to tie your favorite ribbon in so that you can use as a marker while reading your bible to remind yourself, how to break down what you are reading.

Click on image to download your own bookmark

The Life Journal was started by Wayne Cordeiro of New Hope Christian Fellowship.

Some other resources to consider if you are using the Life Journal:

  • The East Hill Church Family (no affiliations with them) has the entire year, broken down by downloadable, month based reading plans available on pdf
  • Go to YouVersion, sign up (membership is free) and read through the bible using your mobile, email, etc.
  • Life Journal with your phone or computer</b><br>Interested in using a Life Journal but want to use today’s technology? Drop by LifeJournal.me and start your own LifeJournal via your Ipad, Mac or PC. Sign up is free.Disclaimer: I am not personally affiliated with the church that the link goes to, but merely share it as a resource of what the Life Journal is, how to order it.


Desiring a deeper and more fruitful relationship with our Heavenly Father? Join me each Monday to start the weekend with Quiet Reflections and developing a deeper relationship, spending time in His Word and prayer

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Sunflower Faith | 5 comments | Tags: , , , ,
01 Jun 2011
Uncategorized • Word-Filled Wednesday

James 1:6-Divided

When it comes down to it….it’s all about Him, our Father in Heaven, no one else, but in today’s world, everything is competing for our attention.

The world teaches us to depend on fads, or culture or validation by others, but as we time after time….those things are fleeting, yet our Father…our Father is forever.

<b>From Matthew Henry Commentary</b><br>Worldly wealth is a withering thing. Then, let him that is rich rejoice in the grace of God, which makes and keeps him humble; and in the trials and exercises which teach him to seek happiness in and from God, not from perishing enjoyments.

What do we put our hope in?

When the storms of life hits us, where is our anchor…is it in a world that is changing faster and faster every minute and subscribes to a “me” outlook that is fast paced, happening at a moment glance or is it based on something not fleeting, but forever, like that of our Father in Heaven?

Listen to this words from Matthew Henry Commentary,”Let us take care, in times of trial, that patience, and not passion, is set to work in us: whatever is said or done, let patience have the saying and doing of it.

When the work of patience is complete, it will furnish all that is necessary for our Christian race and warfare.

We should not pray so much for the removal of affliction, as for wisdom to make a right use of it.”

What powerful words, “Let us take care, in times of trial, that patience, and not passion, is set to work in us…..”

Emotions are fleeting and like waves that can overwhelm us and threaten to sink us, but our Father, when we rest our hope in Him, He is forever and a stable foundation that we can count on…

There is such powerful images of a boat being tossed about by the sea….it goes in every direction with no certainity or knowing what to grasp in…but the Christian who knows that no matter what, God <b>is</b> in control…who can beat that!

We cannot have the world and our Father too; Eventually we would find ourselves torn by loyalties and have to choose.

 

Come join me and everyone else for “Word Filled Wednesday“;

Sunflower Faith | 3 comments | Tags: , , ,
30 May 2011
Bible • Printables • Quiet Reflections

Quiet Reflections

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o you set aside time, be it early in the mornings or evening time to spend some quiet time in His Word?

In a busy world, where everything seems to speed up and just taking time seems to be impossible, as a Christian, one of the things, we can’t neglect is taking that time to spend in His Word.

There are many ways to do so, but it’s important that before we do anything else that the first things we do, is not put aside God and say we are too busy, but to make that time, even if it means writing down on a sticky note or setting an alarm, and just make that time with God.

Notice how when you make an appointment, you take the time out of your day to attend to it?

Maybe that is something we need to do is just set aside that time for Him. Only Him.

If you find yourself an early bird, or more likely to get things done in the morning, do so, but if you find yourself to be a night owl, that is the time, to just put aside whatever is being done and set it aside just for Him.

Be it a dayplanner, google calendar, whatever is the case, reserve time for God and use it for Him.

Turn off the radio, the t.v., the phone and just let it be time between you and our Father in Heaven.

Notice how if it was anything else in our lives, we set it aside, but what is it that keeps us from sitting down, I mean really, sitting down with Him and just using time with Him?

Over the next few weeks in my, “Quiet Reflections” I will explore tools to make the most of our quiet time with our Father in Heaven, but in the meantime, I would like to hear from you, “What do you think keeps you from having a quiet time with our Father in Heaven?”

 

Sunflower Faith | One comment | Tags: , , , ,
01 Dec 2010
Word-Filled Wednesday

Tis Not the Season to Complain-Word Filled Wednesday

Watching images of “Black Friday” and listening to people around me, it’s hard not to wonder if people take “Deck the Halls” to literally as they push and shove and grimace.

We had wrapped up watching one of many versions of Scrooge and I couldn’t help but wonder, “Notice how many people tend to turn into one and not with money, but with emotions and time”.

Being weird as I am, I turned to reading “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens instead and and love this thought shared by Mr. Dickens,“It is a fair, even-handed, noble adjustment of things, that while there is infection in disease and sorrow, there is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good-humour.”

If ever there is a time we can use to share the “Good News” the most effectively, is this time of season of love and joy and words of hope and peace, yet it seems so easy to get caught up in everything else but that.

Phillipians 2:14 (NKJV) implores us to,”Do all things without complaining and disputing….“, but as we elbow each other in the stores  and share how we really don’t look forward  to spending time with family or friends.

Are we shining our lights in the world or are we  just blaring our car lights and honking our horns sending the message, “Look out and get out of the way or you’ll be run over”?

Maybe I’m looking at the world through “Mary Colored- glasses” as others put on their “Martha Colored glasses” while trying not to run over poor Mr.Smith in aisle 10, but it just seems that the holidays have lost their cheerfulness in lieu for competitiveness.

We compete against each other.

We compete against time and as if we are in a race against the sun to beat it before it sets again on another day, but through it all, it’s hard not to want to put up a yield sign in the middle of the busyness and say out loud to everyone, “Slow down, relax, enjoy…really..it’s not a race”.

Is it really important that we decorate our homes in such a way that puts Martha Stewart to shame, buy that outrageously priced gift and through it all, roar at everyone like hungry lions?

“Relax………..”

“….that you may become blameless and harmless,children of God……”

I mostly write this as I observe loved ones and others around me complain and say that “…they don’t have time”, “…they’re too busy”, “…can’t enjoy”, and yet this is “supposed” to be the happiest time of the year.

I just find it funny as the holidays get closer, the stress seems to go up and the less goodwill there seems to be.

In the end, how do we not hurt ourselves more by assigning busyness in lieu of priority.

We sit restless while on vacation and complain we are bored and then when we work, we complain we need vacation and can’t wait for the holidays, but when the holidays come, then complain we can’t wait for the holidays to be over and so the cycle continues….

Maybe it’s time, this holiday, any day, to put an end to the complaining and remember our Father’s urging to “Do all things without complaining and disputing….” and enjoy the blessings that He has to offer at any time.

He is not a box that open and closes at one time of the year or on a set day or time, but every day and every time, and if all we had was Jesus and nothing else, can we find contentment and enjoy Him for Him without the trappings of the season?

Be like the shepherds that night in Bethlehem :

8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
14 “ Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

(Luke 2:8-14, New King James Version)

All the more when we walk about this holiday season, work to resist the urge to growl and instead embrace the urge ,”…..And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!””.

Come join us at “Word Filled Wednesday”, a weekly meme that occurs every Wednesday.

The purpose of Word Filled Wednesday, has been to share God’s Word, through photo or a graphic image combined with scripture. WFW is a love offering to Christ; A remembrance to His Word,It’s all about Him.

Word Filled Wednesday

Come Join us at "Word Filled Wednesday",every Wednesday, at Internet Cafe Devotions!

Sunflower Faith | 4 comments | Tags: , ,
09 Jun 2010
Word-Filled Wednesday

Psalm 1:2-His Word

There is really no subsitute for God’s word…No taking of anyone else really, over what is in the bible and for anyone and not just a select few, but anyone to read, to cherish, to hold close to heart and to seek.

From the Matthew Henry Commentary it is shared:”To meditate in God’s word, is to discourse with ourselves concerning the great things contained in it, with close application of mind and fixedness of thought. We must have constant regard to the word of God, as the rule of our actions, and the spring of our comforts; and have it in our thoughts night and day. For this purpose no time is amiss. (Ps 1:4-6)”

It’s not about what we think or feel, because feelings change and can often lie to us what is really there, but His word, is a strong foundation that never changes, has never changed and will never change.

In a reality, there really is just two ways of life…God’s way or our way, and from what happen with Adam and Eve, we already have seen what happen that choice led to.

From,”Psalm 1: Two Ways of Life“, it is shared,

“Passivity toward God and His Word leads to activity in sin and finally to overt activity against God. That is a law of life.

How do people scoff at the Word of God? (a) By blatant ridicule or rejection. But there are other ways. (b) By indifference. We think we have better things to do with our time. (c) By substituting one’s own ideas, experiences, emotions, feelings, or traditions for the Word and its principles. (d) By listening to the Word proclaimed, but then ignoring it. In essence we scoff at the Word when we fail to obey it and order our lives accordingly (cf. Prov. 1:22 with 29-33).

These verses pose a warning to us. They teach us how little by little we can step out of the place of blessedness and into the place of misery and cursing with horrible consequences.”

It is shared though later that,there is hope and it is in and through His word….as the article continued,

“The man who experiences great blessing is one who has a love affair with God’s Word. He/she is a person of the Scriptures. I would emphasize how remarkable this is. Note that that quality which characterizes the life of the blessed above everything else which could be mentioned is one’s relationship to the Word of God.”

“…..one’s relationship to the Word of God.”

He wants to have that relationship and for us to really know what Him and His word has to say and what He desires for us and the blessings that it offers….

Boils down to a simple choice.

One way.

Or the other.

Sunflower Faith | 15 comments | Tags: ,
19 May 2010
Word-Filled Wednesday

Bearing Fruit-Matthew 13:22

What is unfruitful in your life? It’s funny the things that we discovered are unfruitful when we take the time to check our lives and the world along with the ultimate truth, His word.

Not too long ago, I read and review a book called, “Present Perfect” in which the author shared the following:

From, “Present Perfect” ,
“For us ordinary Christians, trying to remain aware of God’s presence moment-by-moment seems like a hyperspiritual pipe dream. If you’re inclined to feel this way, it might be because like everyone else in modern Western culutre, you’ve been brainwashed by what is called “the secular worldview”.
In this view of the world, what’s real, or at least what’s important, is the physical here-and-now. When we’re brainwashed by this worldview, we experience the world as though God did not exist, for we habitually exclude Him from our awareness. We may still believe in God, of course, but He’s not real to us most of the time.
Because of this we go about our day-to-day lives as functional atheists. We may pray and worship God on occassion, but these are “special times,” isolated from our “normal,” secular day-to-day life.”-Chapter One, Mere Christianity, “Present Perfect” .

I hate to think that despite anything and everything that I read and feel, that I maybe a “functional atheists”, after all, that has to be very harsh words, but this verse, Matthew 13:22 (NKJV), convicts and challenges us to ask ourselves, “What in our lives, in what we do, say, read and see” bearing either good fruit that is a praise to and in our Heavenly Father, or bears bad fruit that only deadens and numbs us from His Glory and who and what He is.

From the MHC is shared the following thoughts on this passage:

The parable of the sower.

Jesus entered into a boat that he might be the less pressed, and be the better heard by the people. By this he teaches us in the outward circumstances of worship not to covet that which is stately, but to make the best of the conveniences God in his providence allots to us. Christ taught in parables. Thereby the things of God were made more plain and easy to those willing to be taught, and at the same time more difficult and obscure to those who were willingly ignorant.

The parable of the sower is plain.

The seed sown is the word of God. The sower is our Lord Jesus Christ, by himself, or by his ministers. Preaching to a multitude is sowing the corn; we know not where it will light. Some sort of ground, though we take ever so much pains with it, brings forth no fruit to purpose, while the good soil brings forth plentifully. So it is with the hearts of men, whose different characters are here described by four sorts of ground.

Careless, trifling hearers, are an easy prey to Satan; who, as he is the great murderer of souls, so he is the great thief of sermons, and will be sure to rob us of the word, if we take not care to keep it. Hypocrites, like the stony ground, often get the start of true Christians in the shows of profession. Many are glad to hear a good sermon, who do not profit by it.

They are told of free salvation, of the believer’s privileges, and the happiness of heaven; and, without any change of heart, without any abiding conviction of their own depravity, their need of a Saviour, or the excellence of holiness, they soon profess an unwarranted assurance. But when some heavy trial threatens them, or some sinful advantage may be had, they give up or disguise their profession, or turn to some easier system.

Worldly cares are fitly compared to thorns, for they came in with sin, and are a fruit of the curse; they are good in their place to stop a gap, but a man must be well armed that has much to do with them; they are entangling, vexing, scratching, and their end is to be burned, Heb 6:8.

Christ does not say that this good ground has no stones in it, or no thorns;but none that could hinder its fruitfulness. All are not alike; we should aim at the highest, to bring forth most fruit. The sense of hearing cannot be better employed than in hearing God’s word; and let us look to ourselves that we may know what sort of hearers we are. (Mt 13:24-30)

I hope and pray and seek and give myself to our Heavenly Father, that my thoughts, what I seek, what I am, is not determined or measure by what the world condones or desires, but by what our Heavenly Father desires.

For our lives to bear true fruit, it should seek, not after the world, but after Him, and part of that, is not going with the world, that often, like bad soil that is everywhere, doesn’t allow a plant to grow and eventually bear fruit, but instead, wither and eventually become part of unfruitful bad soil, but instead, going with that of our Heavenly Father, though there maybe patches here and there, at least, we know we can grow and be nurtured with nutrients, that will strengthen and help us grow in His light and in the process bear fruit

 

The purpose of Word filled Wednesday is to share God’s word (no famous quotes or other literature — only the beautiful word of our Father) through photo’s & a Bible verse!

If You’d like to join us for Word Filled Wednesday,post your photo and Bible verse and hop on over to AmyDeanne’s @ The 160 Acre Woods to share the link to your blog.

Sunflower Faith | One comment | Tags: , , ,
05 May 2010
Word-Filled Wednesday

Psalm 56:8-Bottle of Tears: Word Filled Wednesday

A dear friend shared this during a discussion we were having and I couldn’t take my mind off of this verse. 

It was just a reminder to me, how much our dear Abba, our Father in Heaven, loves us so much that in times when we, any of us, are in pain, in sorrow, in grief, He is there. 

Our tears collected and brushed from our eyes and Him, yearning, calling, pulling us close, telling us there is hope, there is love, there is a promise that He does and will deliver. 

There were times when I thought the tears would never end and there are times when I see Him, seeing me through, and through it all…a reminder…we’re never alone through anything. 

“You have collected my tears…….” a vivid reminder.  The full scripture is: 

 8 You number my wanderings;
         Put my tears into Your bottle;
         Are they not in Your book? (Psalm 56:8, New King James Version) 

Matthew Henry Commentary shares: 

The heavy and continued trials through which many of the Lord’s people have passed, should teach us to be silent and patient under lighter crosses. Yet we are often tempted to repine and despond under small sorrows.

For this we should check ourselves. David comforts himself, in his distress and fear, that God noticed all his grievances and all his griefs.

 God has a bottle and a book for his people’s tears, both the tears for their sins, and those for their afflictions. He observes them with tender concern.

 Every true believer may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and then I will not fear what man shall do unto me; for man has no power but what is given him from above. Thy vows are upon me, O Lord; not as a burden, but as that by which I am known to be thy servant; as a bridle that restrains me from what would be hurtful, and directs me in the way of my duty. And vows of thankfulness properly accompany prayers for mercy.

 If God deliver us from sin, either from doing it,or by his pardoning mercy, he has delivered our souls from death, which is the wages of sin. Where the Lord has begun a good work he will carry it on and perfect it.

David hopes that God would keep him even from the appearance of sin.

We should aim in all our desires and expectations of deliverance, both from sin and trouble, that we may do the better service to the Lord; that we may serve him without fear. If his grace has delivered our souls from the death of sin, he will bring us to heaven,to walk before him for ever in light.

Sounds like what we all seek in our lives.

We have good days and we have bad days. No one is perfect but it also doesnt’ mean that we have license to continue to sin or to be bound in sin. Instead we should place our hope, not in anyone else but our Heavenly Father and not put the world or it’s petty wants before Him.

He holds us close. He seeks to free us from the bondage of sin. It can’t get any better than that.

 

 

  

  

  

  

  

I invite you to join and participate in Word Filled Wednesday. Right now it’s being hosted at Penny @  pennyraine.com/blog/

Sunflower Faith | 14 comments | Tags: , ,
14 Apr 2010
Word-Filled Wednesday

Be Still—Mark 4:39–Word Filled Wednesday

PhotobucketHow easy in the busyness of life we forget to just….be still.

Not many of us can go away on a retreat but during “A Women Inspired”, I was inspired to create a personal retreat in my own home using inspiration from “5 Minute Retreats” shared on “Marsha Musings“.

I have a small wicker basket that I keep my bible, life journal a candle and “My Upmost for His Highest” in while looking for a hymn book to add to it, but the biggest thing is just embracing the importance to take time for ourselves and really learning to slow down.

More than anything, just learning to take time when time is needed.

Be it away from blogging, facebook, twitter, and just learning to establish boundaries and  manage commitments so it doesn’t overwhelm but rather balance.

Peace.

Still.

Funny how the simplest thing is always the hardest thing for us.

Feeling a bit tired?

 Overwhelm?

Constantly on the go?

 Maybe it’s time to take a breather…find and carve a little personal retreat at your home, even if it’s just at the kitchen table, pour a cup of coffee or hot tea, and re-energize yourself by having some quiet time with our Heavenly Father and His word.

Peace.

Be Still.

Listen.

Instead of being on the go, use this time instead to stop and listen to what our Heavenly Father. Five minutes. Hour. Sometimes, part of simplifying life is simply….being still.

 Today’s hostess is Lori  @  allyouhavetogive.com . If you’ll like to participate in WFW, it’s pretty simple. The purpose of Word filled Wednesday is to share God’s word (no famous quotes or other literature — only the beautiful word of our Father) through photo’s & a Bible verse!

So find a scripture that touches your heart and drop by this week’s hostess to leave a link to your blog.

Sunflower Faith | 16 comments | Tags: , ,
24 Mar 2010
Word-Filled Wednesday

Matthew 13:31-32Word Filled Wednesday

Photobucket

Matthew 13:31-32 (New International Version)

The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast
31He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.”

What a reminder of Spring.

The promise of new life and not far from now, we will be reminded of our Heavenly Father’s Son’s Ressurrection.

I did a little look into the signficance of why a mustard seed? After all…it is beautiful, it captures the heart, but it’s not roses.

I mean, when we are brought flowers from our loved one, it’s usually roses or something more ornate, but the mustard seed? When it blossoms…it is everywhere, it’s so ordinary and sometimes easy to miss, but for the birds, it is attractive and gives them a place to rest and it stands out from everything else.

Why?

From,”Parables of Jesus”, the writer shared,” …the message in the parable was hidden to many. Human nature looks for great things. It looks for self-importance, esteem of fellow men, pride and grandeur. Not so the kingdom of heaven. Even the disciples were not entirely free of this human trait, as they debated among themselves who should be the greatest. Jesus reproved them and made clear that the greatest were those who served. [Luke 9.46-48]

Our Father does not say, build me a tower and I will love you. Our Father does not say, if you’re not missing any teeth, I will love you. Our Father does not care what degree we do or do not have, or how well, or not so well we can speak.

Our Father loves us for us. All of us. Our imperfections. Our gifts (and we all have gifts, we just have to see them from His eyes and not from side to side eyes).He just loves us.

Just like we just love our kids for who they are, but His love, really. His love is just bigger, grander but simple.

What is humbling about what our Father’ Son did for us is as the writer shares,”Jesus, without whom the kingdom of God could never be established, was despised and rejected and finally crucified by his generation. They looked for glorious things and he offered them a mustard seed!”

It’s kinda like, waiting for a celebrity to pull up in a stretch limosiune, but instead He shows up in a beat up truck and saying, “Here I am”.

Wouldn’t you get that all too human,”Oh, not really what I expected”.

Yet…this is what He shares with us how simple and yet grand His kingdom would be. I was humble by a conversation I was privy to. Everyone was talking about the mansion they were getting when they got to Heaven and what type of crown they might get and one person said,”I’m just happy if I go to Heaven and clean the toilet. It doesn’t matter what I get because at least I’m going to be in Heaven”.

Oooo.

Talk about missing the point.

What if we go to Heaven and the mansion we have there, doesn’t match up to what we thought either.  What if we don’t even get a mansion, but maybe just a humble home. Are we going to go. “Oh”.

Or are we going to just be thankful to just be in Heaven, with Him, our Father.

Have faith like a mustard seed and see what blossoms.

It’s not roses but that’s okay.

The thing is…it’s not about what we are going to get or have that is the whole point. It’s about Him. Our Father.

When you think about it…a mustard seed. When it grows….it’s a wildflower. A humble, lost among many simple wildflower, but to the bird…it’s everything.

So should be our Father’s kingdom, so should, just be our journey and passion to with Him.

It’s not about what are going to gain in the long run, but, really just about being there with Him. That should be enough.

Nothing can really compare to the glory and joy of our Heavenly Father.

‘To see a world in a grain of sand
                  And a heaven in a wild flower;
                  Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
                  And eternity in an hour.’-William Blake

Welcome to this week’s “Word Filled Wednesday”. If you would like to join up, drop by this week’s hostess: Susan @  susan2956.blogspot.com/

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