In the Path of the Wind

There it went! Headed across the parking lot – caught by the wind – the piece of something I didn’t WANT to blow away! There I went! Right after it . . . trying my best to catch it – looking much like a lunatic – but the sane part of me knowing – I HAD TO CATCH THAT IMPORTANT SOMETHING! Ever been there?

The fact of the matter is, wind affects everyone and everything it touches. Even just a little bit of wind makes a tree limb “jiggle.” When a big wind comes through . . . watch out, a whole lot of things will be blowing over, and blowing away!

The Bible has many references to the wind – the most powerful being when it is used to describe the coming of the Holy Spirit in the upper room. In Acts chapter 2, we see the disciples positioning themselves for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit as Jesus had told them to do. They were doing what Jesus had told them to do before He left to ascend back into Heaven. They were obeying. They were in the upper room. They were sitting. They were waiting. They were in unity. They were together . . . By faith they were expecting the fulfillment of His Promise, and IT WAS TIME! Suddenly, the Holy Spirit came in His Power, in His fullness, as a mighty rushing wind.

When He showed up – He affected everyone! Think about what happened. They began looking like “lunatics,” too! People actually mocked them – accusing them of being drunk – even though it was way too early in the day for drunkenness. People who were from other countries, just “visiting” Jerusalem for one reason or another, were hearing the gospel in their own language. Peter, who had denied Christ three times was, boldly declaring Christ, preaching to those who had crucified Him. Repentance was everywhere; – “about three thousand” – came to Christ and were baptized. Possessions lost their hold on believers – they shared gladly with one another. They fellowshipped with one another. Their hearts were happy and glad – and together they PRAISED GOD! What was going on? The wind of the Holy Spirit was blowing and affecting everything He touched.

How much our innermost souls long after Him will determine just how fervently we pursue “getting in the path of the WIND.” This path requires obedience — obedience to His call for complete surrender. When HE comes, the “sane” part of our spiritual life knows — we cannot exist without staying in “the path of THE WIND!”

Once He breathes on us, breathes within us, breathes through us, we gladly “chase after” Him, pursuing His heart, allowing Him to continually “blow away” whatever would displease Him. Allowing him to tumble anything that even begins to hint of self. Allowing Him to “breathe into” our lives the imperative Christ-likeness He so desires for us to have.

Take it with You

“He sends his word and melts them; he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow.” Psalm 147:18

By Janene A. Dubbeld

For God’s Glory

What's Fair About a Cross?

A beautiful pink sunrise graced the horizon. The beauty of the morning eloquently expressed the magnificence of just being alive! This time I was up before the alarm began to beep. All too soon – not one – but several “beepings” began to sound around the house. Yes, it was time for everyone to move!

Ironing some clothes, the sounds associated with “morning news” seeped into my brain. A governor was speaking – and actually sounding quite positive! Then, it broke into advertisements. It was another one of those “if you ever took this certain medicine and anything mildly associated with these major results happened YOU could be ENTITLED to a settlement . . .”

“That is exactly what is wrong with this country,” I said to my husband as I finished ironing and headed for the stairs. He was agreeing with me. Everyone thinks they are entitled to this or entitled to that. Everyone is consistently concerned with FAIR! What’s “in it for me” . . . that’s “NOT FAIR!”

In that moment, the beauty of the morning was in great danger of being jeopardized with the consistent talk of “me-ism!” Then, it dawned on me. What was fair about the Cross?

Here was the Author of Justice itself hanging between two thieves! Here was the One with all Power, choosing to remain there – all for love! All for a love freely given to a sinful race – given with no guarantee of return – just given.

Fair? No! Oh, what mercy! What grace! What love!

Forget the “me-ism” and live for Christ! His love compels me to love Him more, and more, and more!

Life isn’t “fair.” Never has been, never will be. But what a joy to take part in the sufferings of our Lord. It wasn’t fair for Him either!

And . . . another morning is coming!!!! The Powerful Resurrection of our Lord took away all the pain of the night and burst into our world with ecstatic, eternal, LIFE! TODAY IS NOT FOREVER!!!

Living the Christ life here calls us to consistently keep our eyes on the skies! It won’t be long until eternal justice WILL be served! Forever, and ever, and ever we will live in perfect peace with our Lord.

Do we deserve it? No! CHRIST made it possible by “unfairly” taking our sins on Himself and going to the Cross. Walk the road with Him and know His accepted provision gives us the beautiful hope of another morning!

Take it with You

"For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

A Parent for the Parents

Parenting seems to be one of the most wonderfully exhausting things in the universe! You wouldn’t trade anything for the wonderful blessings of your children – yet, there are times the ever existent needs, triumphs, hurts, learning processes, mood swings . . . leave a parent wondering wonderfully (or not so wonderfully) where the strength is going to come from for the next set of “whatever’s!”

Exhaustion usually doesn’t help the wondering process – it usually turns it into a WANDERING process instead – until we find ourselves right back at the place where peace always comes from, God and His Word.

The settling Truth brings an assurance that springs and flows from One Who is never exhausted, doesn’t run out of answers, and possesses a love that permeates everything He touches. He is our Heavenly Father, and in His eyes I’m not the parent – I’m His child! He understands the human side of me – remembers than I’m dust – and loves me still.

He is FOR me – not against me. When no one else knows the burden – He does, and even more than knowing the burden, He knows me too – better than I know myself! What comfort to rest in His arms.

His incredible power to intervene in circumstances, to change people, to guide and direct doesn’t fade with time – He is ALL powerful and He is there – whether anyone else is or not! We can trust Him with all the blessings and challenges of parenting – with all the ups and downs of life – He is FOR US!

Take it with You

        “Then God’s bright glory will shine and everyone will see it. Yes, just as

God has said.” Isaiah 40:5 The Message

"Too Busy" to Eat

Aren’t family picnics the best? It was the day before one of our children’s birthdays. One thing he wanted for his birthday was to go to the park not far from our house. Since the weather forecast on his actual “day” called for thunderstorms, we took advantage of the gorgeous evening before!

Packing up fried chicken and fruit – along with iced tea, cookies, and whatever else we thought we needed we headed off to the park. It was so relaxing and such fun – just to be together. Soon everyone knew the food was ready – “come and get it!” Someone asked God to bless it, and we “dug in.”

All except for one that it. My youngest son was just “too busy” to come and eat! After all, he was learning to skateboard, and he had to play on the playground, and then there was football with Dad, ball toss with his brother, Frisbee with mom, and baseball with his brothers . . . what could be more important than that? Certainly not food!

All too soon, the sun dipped behind the mountains, and the evening had to come to a close. We loaded everything back into the van and headed home. We had gone very far at all until a little voice piped up and said, “I’m hungry!” All of those fun, and legitimate things he found so important at the time hadn’t done one thing to fill his need of food! Sure, they had kept him from thinking about it for awhile, but at the end of the day they couldn’t substitute or satisfy his hunger.

Makes me stop and think of soul hunger. The inner need, the emptiness within a person can only be filled through an intimate, personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He is the Bread of Life, the Water we thirst for! When we fill ourselves on “play things” this world has to offer, or get too busy – even with legitimate things to stop and feed on Him and His Word and the end of the day we find ourselves looking around saying, “I’m hungry!”

See, He is what makes us complete! Nothing else can substitute or suffice. The joy of knowing Him takes time, but its time spent that holds eternal value. It doesn’t get any better than that! Today – let’s take time to be Holy – and time to eat healthy – in the Presence, of the essence, of the Bread of Life!

Take it With You

“Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 635)

Stink Bugs and Sin

WHERE DO THEY COME FROM? I absolutely despise them! I am sure in some form of time surely they had some value to their life in creation – but now? YUCK! They sneak in – where from? Who knows!!!! The only thing I know is . . . spraying, smashing, catching CONTINUES!!!!!! The horrible stink bug has invaded yet again!

For those of you who don’t live in “stink bug territory” be thankful! Be VERY thankful! I’m not sure there are any doors or windows that can keep them out – and YES, they DO actually stink!

Even in all the frustration of the moment a thought comes to me. These crazy things remind me of sin! Stinking, sneaky, smelly sin. The enemy of our souls waits with an unbelievable patience. How can he most hurt the Kingdom of God? How can he trip up those loving and serving God?

He looks for a weak spot, throws temptations into our pathways, then laughs with glee at the pain and damage sin causes.

STOP! Take a moment to spend some time with Jesus. He can be the strength in any weak spot we need. He can fortify the windows and doors of our mind, our spirit, our soul and keep out the horrible results of wrong choices.

Choose to prevent the worst by loving HIM the most! He is able to keep us from falling and to present us before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy! (Jude 24)

We don’t have to give in – He will enable us to stand!

Take it With You

“. . . stay steady and strong. The Master could arrive at any time.” (James 5”8b The Message)

Don't Wrestle, Just Rest

The stop sign at the end of the road demanded I pay attention. Looking to my right, I saw another car waiting to pull out of a gas station a few feet away. Why wasn’t he pulling out? There didn’t appear to be any vehicles coming – at least not that I could see.

Well, he wasn’t – so I did. No sooner did I turn on to Route 24 then a set of headlights showed up – very close to my tail lights! Where did that vehicle come from? Then, I realized. THAT was why the car at the gas station didn’t venture out! The driver could see over a hill that I couldn’t visualize from my location. He saw the other car coming when I couldn’t.

Thankfully there was no collision! Yet, from this incident, God spoke to my heart! He sees where we cannot see. He goes before us, and His Holy Spirit longs to live within us – giving us the guidance we need to live within His will!

His eye is all seeing – His wisdom is all knowing – His love all prevailing!

Listening closely to His voice will spare us many a “collision” on the road of life. So ably He puts an arm around our shoulder, warning us with a gentle whisper, warming our spirits with the breath of His . . .

Sometimes we wonder just why He isn’t moving at a quicker pace or the reason He answered a prayer differently than we thought He would. We are tempted to struggle instead of surrender – to wrestle instead of rest – but the truth remains – He knows best AND loves us most!

To those of us who love Him deeply, our goal is to bring Him glory. Sometimes the process seems agonizing, but the prize will be well worth it.

Let’s trust Him anew today – place our hand in His and look to His face. He sees all.

Take it with You

“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!” Romans 11:33