In LIGHT of the RIGHT FLAVOR:)))

How many times have you had an expiration date to sneak up on a bottle or BOTTLES of seasoning? The other day my husband placed like ten bottles of seasonings on the counter top that had met their date.

Let’s BE THE PERFECT FLAVOR FOR GOD

I defended the life of the herbs which spared them from final removal. Depending on what type of herb it is can make a difference in the shelf life.
MATTHEW 5:13, 14
13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

If a seasoning has no flavor, it has no value. If Christians make no effort to affect the world around them, they are of little value to God. If we are too much like the world, we are worthless. Christians should not blend in with everyone else. Instead, we should affect them positively, just as seasoning brings out the best flavor in food.

Can you hide a city that is sitting on top of a hill? It’s light at night can be seen for miles.

If we live for Christ, we will glow like lights, showing others what Christ is like. We hide our light by (1) being quiet when we should speak, (2) going along with the crowd, (3) denying the light, (4) letting sin dim our light, (5) not explaining our light to others, or (6) ignoring the needs of others. Be a beacon of truth-don’t shut your light off from the rest of the world.

FRUITFUL OBSERVATION: We are told not to lose our flavor for God. Christ paid the ultimate sacrifice, which defends us today so that we may never meet a final expiration date. Salvation is forever.

Let’s make sure that we are the salt and light that pleases the Lord today and every day. It makes a difference in our shelf life:)) !!

Fruit Bite 3/8/16 Scoffers

Scoffers, READERS and HAPPY ROOTS:))))

Do you ever feel challenged or a little-disappointed when trying to share God’s Word with others? It can seem as though they think that you may be too excited about studying a boring history book of days long ago. I want to encourage you not to get discouraged for one moment:))))))) God is working in our heart and mind! I feel a real sadness for people who don’t show any concern or excitement about our God that they profess to ‘believe’ in for their eternal salvation.

PSALMS 1:1-3
1 Blessed is the man
that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly,
nor standeth in the way of sinners,
nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord;
and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water,
that bringeth forth his fruit in his season;
his leaf also shall not wither;
and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

God doesn’t judge people by race, sex, or national origin. He Judges them by their faith in Him and their response to His revealed Will. Those who diligently try to obey God’s Will are like healthy, fruit-bearing trees with strong roots (Jeremiah 17:5-8) And God promises to watch over them. God’s wisdom guides their lives. In contrast, those who don’t obey God have meaningless lives that blow like dust.

FRUITFUL OBSERVATION: As a tree soaks up water and bears luscious fruit, we also are to soak up God’s Word, producing actions and attitudes that honor God. To achieve anything worthwhile, we must have God’s Word in our heart.

Let’s soak up God’s Word today and every day! Man-made sources are temporary…But salvation is FOREVER:)) We NEED the correct WATER SOURCE:)

We shall be like trees planted by a river NOT like an overflowed puddle that leaves our roots compromised

TWO MINUTE FRUIT BITE 3/1/16

Are you distressed with your thorn today? DON’T BE :))

Did you expect NOT to learn the hard way? As I look back over the past nine years since accepting Christ into my heart, I realize just how much I didn’t know when making my profession of faith. I understood and trusted that Christ died for my sins, forgave my sins once I repented, and my salvation was secure in Him. The Holy Spirit indwelled and filled me with a willingness and hunger that’s always been hard to explain, in fact, my family sometimes thought I may have been just a little over the top at times :))!!
I’ve recently begun to understand that it truly is trials in life that cause us to grow in our trust in Christ. I’m talking about situations that cause you to know what it means to say “I’m a sinner saved by GRACE.” It’s only after repeated attempts to get out of where we currently are trapped in our situations that we have no control over, That we are finally aware that He is entirely in control and will give us all that we stand in need of this day and every day.

2 CORINTHIANS 12:8-10
8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ sakes: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
We don’t know what Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” was because he doesn’t tell us. Some have suggested that it was Malaria, epilepsy, or a disease of the eyes (Galatians 4:13-15). Whatever it was, it was a chronic and debilitating physical problem, which at times kept him from working.
This thorn was a hindrance to his ministry, and he prayed for its removal, but God refused. Paul was a very self-sufficient person, so this thorn was difficult for him. It kept Paul humble, reminded him of his need for constant contact with God and benefited those around him as they saw God at work in his life.

 

 

FRUITFUL OBSERVATION: Although God did not remove Paul’s affliction, He promised to demonstrate His power in Paul. God’s power shows up in weak people and should give us courage.

Let us recognize our limitations, admit our weaknesses and affirm God’s strength today and every day!

My First online video lesson 🤔Abraham’s testing

SOMETHING MORE HARMFUL THAN A PINECONE!

Our WORDS, like  a pine cone can do GREAT HARM to OTHERS... LET’S LEARN HOW TO DROP THEM QUICKLY before they can do damage!

Hello Readers and HAPPY Monday! 🙂
I have been successful for seven days on Weight Watchers. It can be difficult keeping track of everything that goes into our mouths. Better yet, the REAL challenge for us as Christians, may be what escapes out of our mouth due to what we are holding in our heart.
JAMES 3:2-6
2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
3 Behold, we put bits in the horses ‘mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. (wherever the pilot desires)
5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
What you say and what you don’t say are both important. Proper speech is not only saying the right words at the right time but controlling your desire to say what you shouldn’t.
James compares the damage the tongue can do to a raging fire-the tongue’s wickedness has its source in hell itself. The uncontrolled tongue can do terrible harm. satan uses the tongue to divide people and pit them against one another. Idle words are damaging because they spread destruction quickly, and no one can stop the results once they are spoken.
A few words spoken in anger can destroy a relationship that took years to build. Before we speak, remember that words are like fire-you can neither control nor reverse the damage they can do.
We can still learn enough control to reduce the damage “it” (gossiping, putting others down, bragging, manipulating, false teaching, exaggerating, complaining, flattering, and lying) can do. It is better to fight a fire than to go around setting new ones!

FRUITFUL OBSERVATION: Before we speak, ask, “Is what I want to say true? Is it necessary? Is it kind? Keeping track of everything that comes out of mouth is far more challenging to me than my Weight Watchers after all, and MORE important to the Father.

Let’s remember to ask ourselves the three questions listed above- today and every day! 🙂

COME ON, GET IN THE RED WAGON…

We all know how to fly right, but sometimes we have to be pulled in the right direction!

Hello and Happy Tuesday to you all:)

Have you ever had a day when you felt like you needed to be pulled along in the right direction to avoid what comes naturally?

PSALMS 34:11-14
11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me:
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 What man is he that desireth life,
and loveth many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep thy tongue from evil,
and thy lips from speaking guile.
14 Depart from evil, and do good;
seek peace, and pursue it.

The Bible often connects the fear of the Lord (love and reverence for him) with obedience. “Fear God, and keep his commandments” (Ecclesiastes 12:13); If a man love me, he will keep my words” (John 14:23). David said that a person who fears the Lord doesn’t lie, turns from sin, does good, and promotes peace.
Reverence is much more than sitting quietly in church. It includes obeying God in the way we speak and the way we treat others.
David encouraged others to trust and fear God and to exemplify faith, truth, obedience, and goodness in their lives.

Somehow we think that peace should come to us with no effort. But David explained that we are to seek and pursue peace. Paul echoed this thought in Romans 12:18. A person who wants peace cannot be argumentative and contentious.
Since peaceful relationships come from our efforts at peacemaking, work hard at living in peace with others each day.

FRUITFUL OBSERVATION:
As humans, our natural tendency is not always in line with God’s Word. Let’s try to make a real effort today and every day to do what He commands. Depart from evil and do good.

Being obedient due to EASY CHEESE

Who would’ve thought it? Easy Cheese? Cheese in a can. The vet that I use for Jack, my doodle, uses a dab of Cheese to calm him down while they are doing something that he’s opposed to having done. So with today being bath day for Jack, I grabbed the Easy Cheese to make it easier. While doing so, I observed his behavior and my thoughts led me to this blog today.
I thought about how God requires obedience from us.
The word obedience is defined as submissive to authority; to comply with orders.
In fact, 1 Samuel 15:22 is the first of numerous places in Scripture where the theme “to obey is better than sacrifice” is repeated (Psalms 40:6-8; 51:16, 17; Proverbs 21:3; Isaiah 1:11-17; Jeremiah 7:21-23; Hosea 6:6; Micah 6:6-8; Matthew 12:7; Mark 12:33; Hebrews 10:8,9).

Was Samuel saying that sacrifice is of little importance? No, he was urging Saul to look at his reasons for making the sacrifice rather than the sacrifice itself. A sacrifice was a ritual transaction between man and God that physically demonstrated a relationship between them. But if the person’s heart was not truly repentant or if he did not truly love God, the sacrifice was a hollow ritual. Religious ceremonies or rituals are empty unless they are performed with an attitude of love and obedience. “Being religious” (going to church, serving on a committee, giving to charity) is not enough if we do not act out of devotion and obedience.
As I couldn’t afford to give the whole can of Easy Cheese to my beloved pup just for him to be obedient and listen to my commands, I realized as he had squirmed himself back as far as he could go into a corner. It was then that I thought about how God will allow us to back ourselves into a corner through our not being obedient to Him.
By this time, I was experiencing some physical pain along with burning sensations in my back and neck, and all I was trying to do was clean him up and make him all better.
I’m sure that our Lord experiences some Spiritual burning sensations in His heart while He tries to clean us up and make us all better!
Let’s not have to be backed into a corner to sit still in His presence.
We need to be obedient to His Word daily and seek Him through Prayer.