Edtucner, Author at Creation Beckons

Gentle and Majestic

Isaiah 40:11 Gentle and majestic

“He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; He will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young” (ESV).

“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all” (ESV).

I am drawn to this picture and to the two verses above. Together the verses describe the gentleness and the majesty of our God, the Lord of all, the Creator, the one who proves His strength and His gentleness by his love. The picture shows the grass-covered meadow with grazing cattle in the foreground, while the background literally shouts of the majesty and grandeur of the mountains and spires. In one picture we see the extremes of landscape and in the Scriptures quoted above, we see the extremes of the personality of our God.

Our Lord is our gentle shepherd that gathers us in His arms and gently holds us in peace. He is also the grand God of creation, who created all we can see and all we cannot see by His Word, His spoken Word. He owns all of it. He rules all of it. Yet, with all of His grandeur, He knows you and He knows me. He not only knows who we are, he knows all about us, our needs, our desires, our wants, our problems, our shortcomings, our sins, and our love for Him. I am overcome by the knowledge that the King of the universe wants to hold me in His arms and listen to what I have to say. He is honestly interested in my interests, but most of all, He wants me to know that He wants to spend eternity with me and with you. Each of us is His favorite, for “God shows no partiality (Romans 2:11 ESV).

Harvest the Continuous Crop

Proverbs 27:25 Harvest the Continuous Crop

“After the hay is cut and the new growth appears and the harvest is over” (CEV).

It’s a long time since this hay rake has been used, but the process is still important. Hay that has been cut and is lying flat on the ground is hard for the hay baler to pick up, so the rake lifts it into rows that are easier for the baler to collect. Hay that is left flat on the ground is susceptible to rot if it is not fluffed up. This hay rake was drawn by two horses, and the operator sat on a seat on the rake with the reins in his hands. The mechanism may be old, but I am sure if it were oiled, it could still do the job. Today’s machinery, the tractor, pulls a similar piece of equipment to accomplish the same task, but fuels used are different. It makes me wonder about a comparison of the cost of feed for the horses, and the feed, excuse me, gasoline for the tractor. And the horses are quieter. There are some things to be said for the old methods—just ask some of the most successful farmers in America, the Amish.

Hay is a continuous crop. Once it is cut, it grows again, and it can be cut again. The harvest we are to work for as Christians is also a continuous crop. What is our harvest? Jesus told us in Matthew 28:19,20 and again in Mark 16:15,16 that the harvest is the souls of men for salvation. Every year, millions of new souls are born on the earth, and as they mature, they become ripe for salvation’s harvest. And there are millions already here who have never heard the Good News of salvation. There are similarities between the harvest of hay and the harvest of souls. A new soul, once he (she) has heard the Gospel, needs to be “fluffed up,” that is, taught so he can live as Christ would have him live, and so that he can be joined with others who have received the Good News of salvation. Those in the Church who walk beside and teach new believers are important to the harvest, just as the hay rake is important to the harvest of hay. There are many functions in fulfillment of the Great Commission, and you and I will probably perform one or more of those functions as we grow in Christ. Be encouraged, for we are doing what Jesus asked of us.

Am I in Camouflage?

Matthew 5:14-16 Am I in Camouflage?

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (NIV).

Do you see the roadrunner in the picture above? God created them with colors that blend into the desert surroundings so that they are difficult to see. It often takes some degree of concentration to discover a roadrunner in its surroundings. God did this for their safety.

God asks those who have accepted Jesus as Savior to do the opposite. As the verse above says, “…let your light shine before others….” No camouflage for us. We are to stand out by doing good deeds. We are not to be hidden for our safety. We are to shine for His glory. The result of our good deeds will be the glorification of our Heavenly Father. So I have to ask myself the question, “Am I easy to pick out as a Christian in a crowd?” God asks us to, not only be easy to spot, but also asks us to shine forth so that God is glorified and so that others may be drawn to Him. There’s a saying, “Don’t do as I do. Do as I say.” Jesus doesn’t live by that saying. Instead He says, “Do as I Do and do as I say.”

Growth While Freezing

Galatians 6:9 Growth While Freezing

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (NIV).

There’s a plant that actually thrives in conditions that would kill most plants, including snow cover and temperatures well below freezing. And this plant is used as a food source, particularly in the baking of various types of breads. This plant that defies nature is called winter wheat. It is planted in the fall and is ready for a spring harvest. It begins growing in the fall and becomes acclimated to the cold as the fall temperatures cool, and it needs even colder temperatures in order to produce seeds in the spring. Some varieties even withstand temperatures lower than ten degrees below zero. As temperatures warm, the plants resume growing, and seeds begin to form. The plant is not harmed by low temperatures and snow. In fact, it does not grow well if the winter is not cold. Winter wheat can even be used as a cover crop to help control weeds. Okay, so what does winter wheat have to do with the life of a Christian?

Many of us experience times when we are not particularly spiritually active, perhaps a period we could call a spiritual malaise. I am not advocating that we lower our spiritual activity on purpose, but it is good to remember that the same God who created winter wheat that thrives in cold times, also created us. I am sure that if He cares enough to create a plant that thrives in the cold, He recognizes that we may experience spiritual lows, and He provides for growth during these times, as if we were gathering strength to burst forth in bloom ready for a harvest after the cooler times end. So be encouraged by the story of winter wheat which brings forth a harvest after enduring cold times. If we are willing, God will quicken the seed within us and bring us out from spiritual darkness into the light of springtime harvest.

Unequally Yoked

Matthew11:28-30 Unequally Yoked

“Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light” (NLT).

The double looped contraption hanging on the wall is a yoke for oxen. We saw it at a farm in Iowa where they demonstrate farming methods from the past several hundred years. In fact, we saw a yoke of oxen walking around the grounds. They did everything together. If one walked, they both walked, and if one wanted to eat, they both ate. It is interesting to know that in every yoke of oxen, one is dominant and the other generally follows his lead. Farmers who use oxen usually yoke together an experienced ox with a younger ox that is subservient. In a short period of time, they work together as a strong team. They have learned to work together for the better of both of them.

In the Scripture above Jesus invites us to become yoked with Him. Being omnipotent and omniscient, He is obviously the leading member of the team. We know that because He asks us to “take my yoke upon you.” He says He will teach us and give us rest. He states that He is “humble and gentle at heart.” Finally, He says, “For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” As the omnipotent member of the team, he will take the larger of the burden, and as the omniscient member of the team, he will direct us in the best way to go. Because He is humble and gentle at heart, He will not demand that we follow Him exactly, but He will show us the way that is best, and then allow us to actually choose whether to stay yoked with Him or not. As time goes on, and we learn from Him, we will follow His lead. One important difference between this yoke and the yoke used by oxen is that there is no outsider who decides when our yoke with Him is broken. Jesus gives us the opportunity to leave His yoke at any point. He is saddened if we do leave the yoke, and He always gives us the opportunity to rejoin His yoke at any time in the future. Why would I not want to partner with the creator of the universe, who is both omnipotent and omniscient? Being yoked with Him means that I will always have the best direction from the strongest. Sign me up!

Blessed Feet

John 13:4,5 Blessed Feet

“So he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him” (NIV).

This was a job for a servant. It was not a job for their teacher, their master, their Lord. No, it was too menial a job for Jesus, and Peter told Him so in verse 6: “’No’ said Peter, ‘you shall never wash my feet.’” Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash your feet, you have no part with me.’” I believe that Jesus was showing His closest friends that He had come as a servant, not a conquering king, at least not in a worldly manner. They knew that He had come from God. They knew that Jesus was the Messiah. I’m sure some of them were thinking in amazement, “But He washed my feet!” Jesus didn’t leave them wondering for too long. He stated in verses 14 and 15, “Now that I, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” No one should value himself higher than any of the others. Jesus demonstrated to His disciples that He may have come as the Messiah, but He had also come as a servant through whom all people would be blessed. He should have been exalted by all men, yet He was ridiculed and ultimately thrown away. He was crucified between thieves, people that the Romans threw away as not being worthy of living. Jesus, the Messiah, had become the magnificent servant who gave His all.

Another Scripture, Ephesians 6:14,15, speaks strongly of feet: “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace” (NIV). Was Jesus readying His disciples for spreading the gospel of peace when He washed their feet? Was His foot washing a precursor of the message given in Ephesians to shod our feet so we are ready to spread the good news He brought?

Jesus, the Messiah, washed the dirt off His disciples’ feet. He cleaned their feet to make them ready to spread the Gospel. His blood shed on Calvary cleansed not only our feet, but also our souls, our spirits, and our minds so that we can join the first missionaries, His disciples, in bringing souls into His Holy Kingdom,

I Can Brag

Jeremiah 9:23,24 I Can Brag

“This is what the Lord says: ‘Let no wise man boast of his wisdom, nor let the mighty man boast of his might, nor a rich man boast of his riches; but let the one who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises mercy, justice, and righteousness on the earth; for I delight in these things” (NASB).

“Don’t brag about your wisdom or strength or wealth. If you feel you must brag, then have enough sense to brag about worshipping me, the Lord. What I like best is showing kindness, justice, and mercy to everyone on earth” (CEV).

God calls for us to have humility—humility about what we have or can do. He wants us to be able to boast about knowing Him. That I know the creator of the universe, that I know the one who sacrificed His life to gain heaven for me, that I know the one who “…so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (KJV)—those are reasons to boast. I can boast that He knows my name, that He listens to me whenever I need a listener, that He protects me every day, all day. Those are reasons to boast! Hey, you can boast about the same things, right? You’ve accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, right? If you have, then you can boast that Jesus loves you enough to have left His heavenly home and came to earth as a human being, and that He died to gain forgiveness for all your sins. That’s a BIG DEAL. The creator of the universe cares enough about each of us to know us personally and loves us enough to die for us. I gladly boast about that.

As for my own accomplishments, they all pale compared to what Jesus has done. Jesus is stronger than I, smarter than I, and richer than I, but He still takes the time to listen to my prayers. Thank you, Jesus, for reaching out to me through all of eternity.

Friendship Is Important

I Thessalonians 5:11 Friendship Is Important

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing” (NIV).

According to Webster’s Dictionary, one of the definitions of “friend” is “supporter or sympathizer.” It sounds like Paul is encouraging the Thessalonians to become friends, to extend friendship to each other—to encourage each other. Paul also states that they are already doing that.

Our church is of a size that I don’t know everybody, so I am certainly not friends with everyone, but I am friendly with most of them, and it is easy to observe the comradery we have as many people come quite early for service in order to spend time talking with their friends. Our pastor sometimes experiences some difficulty in getting people to stop their conversations in order to get the church service started on time. Several times each month various groups get together for fellowship. So perhaps we are extending friendships as the Thessalonians were. I believe that Paul is speaking of a general friendship within a congregation, a comradery if you will. That’s an important characteristic for a church to have, one in which there is general agreement and a willingness to discuss areas of difference without anger, and bitterness which usually lead to the splitting of a church.

The Bible also speaks of a friend who is closer that a brother, and that is also a necessity. We each need a small group where we can be free to discuss personal problems, where we can go for help when we need it, and where we can discuss our Lord and His Word. The passage is in Proverbs 18:24: “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother” (KJV). Many other translations give a negative tilt to the verse: “He who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (NIV). I leave it to you as to which translation makes sense to you. My focus is on the last part of the verse, “…but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Each of us needs a friend like that, perhaps several. I am blessed to have several men close to me who act as that friend closer than a brother. I am also blessed because I can call my wife my best friend. Within this small group I have support at any time in any way. Thanks you, Jesus, for giving me friends like these. I pray that you are similarly blessed. If you are not, I encourage you to pray that God will supply you with someone or some very small group with similar beliefs with whom you can share intimate details of life. We have been created to need people close to us and to need a God who is closer than any human we know. God is always there, and we need humans who are “almost” always there.

Leave Some for Others

Leviticus 23:22 Leave Some for Others

“When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am the Lord your God” (NIV).

The Hebrew meaning of “gleaning” is the practice of collecting leftover crops from fields after they have been harvested. It is an agricultural term that can also refer to any activity that involves collecting individual items from different sources. In other words, “Get it all. Be sure nothing is missed or anything of even the smallest value is left where someone could get it.” Makes sense doesn’t it—except that it doesn’t make sense to God. God instructed His people to leave the bits of the harvest that were difficult to harvest. He instructed them not to go back over the fields once they have done the main harvesting work. They’ve got the whole field while others not as fortunate as they may have had little or nothing. In fact those less fortunate may have been living on the leavings from the owner’s fields. What is just the “leftovers” to the owner may have been the very food that a mother gathered to feed her young children. The poor and foreigners referred to in Leviticus 23:22 are the dispossessed, the ones who are just hanging on. Even though this is an agricultural example, it can just as well refer to a business owner who squeezes every possible penny out of his business rather than being certain that his workers are paid a good wage. So what does it mean to you and me, John Q. Public? How about taking the change from everyday purchases and keeping it until a substantial amount has accumulated, and then making it available to those in need in the community. There are numerous community services that make sure that your “small change” goes to feed those who are hungry.

One interesting example of leaving the gleanings is told in the book of Ruth. Ruth was a woman whose husband died in a foreign land. Ruth joined her mother-in-law in returning to Israel, where Ruth gathered the gleanings in the fields of a man named Boaz. As the story progresses, Boaz took notice of Ruth, and eventually married her. This woman who gathered the leftover grain in the field gave birth to a son called Obed. Oh, yes, Obed had a son named Jesse, and a grandson named David, yes, the David who became the king of Israel. The entire nation of Israel was blessed because Boaz instructed his men to leave plenty of gleanings for the poor and foreigners in the land.

Melt Me, Mold Me, Fill Me, Use Me

Acts 1:8 Melt Me, Mold Me, Fill Me, Use Me

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (NIV).

Daniel Iverson wrote a prayer song asking: “Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on met. Melt me, mold me fill me and use me.” Jesus told us in Acts 1:8 what happens when that prayer is answered. We will be given power, enough power to speak to everyone and anyone about the life, sacrifice, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus said it, the Holy Spirit will “give you power.”

That’s quite a request that Daniel Iverson made. Let’s look at it one part at a time.

“Melt me” infers that I have things that need changed, maybe radically changed. My attitudes may need to be changed to properly represent our Lord. It also infers that I need to be softened. I need to make myself available to God’s will to the point that who I am may need to be altered until I no longer look or act like I have in the past.

“Mold me” gives God my permission to make me into the person He wants me to be, to blunt the sharp edges of my personality, to form me to be what He wants and needs me to be. “Mold me” is to ask God to make me into someone who will draw others to Him.

“Fill me” invites the Holy Spirit to come inside me and fill every corner with God’s desires, His love, and His compassion. It implies that I am giving God permission to move out anything that would get in the way, take up space that is needed for the filling He has for me.

“Use me” implies that I know that God has a use for me, and I haven’t been fulfilling it. I am asking God to make the best use of me that He can now that He has melted, molded, and filled me.

If I truly mean this prayer of melting, molding, filling, and using, my life may be radically changed. And why wouldn’t I want that? I recognize God as my Heavenly Father who wants the very best for me, and the very best is to be in His will doing what He wants me to do. If I truly ask and accept this melting, molding, filling, and using, people will probably ask me why I have changed so drastically. And then, I will be ready to be an effective witness for Jesus Christ everywhere I go.