The Appearance of First Fruits

July 27, 2012 by hiwaychristian

Tomato plants in the garden. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

His wife looked out the kitchen window. She saw him sitting in the dirt next to the tomato plants. His head was in his hands. His elbows on his legs. And a silly smile pulled his lips as if to tear them down the middle. She smiled too, then softly walked away to pray a short prayer.

“Father in Heaven, I thank you for what you have done. You have given my husband great joy as You blessed the work of his hand in the planting. I went to see him out the kitchen window, and I’ve rarely seen him so happy. I give you thanks for the single ripe fruit of his labor. By Jesus name I pray; from whom we are like that fruit to You. Amen.”

How absolutely lovely is the soul lit when we witness the bounty of the Lord appear from the labor He has sent us to accomplish. How we desired to see it! And nothing on earth can match the beauty it brings to the heart. It is like the joy a mother has when seeing her child for the first time after the pain of labor. Pure, undefiled, over-arching joy, the source of which is the Love of God!

Blessings to the Blessed Lord of Life for such moments in our time here. Amen!

A Memory of Gentle Beauty

April 22, 2012 by hiwaychristian

Hummingbird Nest 2 (Photo credit: Robin Miller Photography – westcoastrobin)

For a short while we managed an apartment complex. One day we were cleaning out an apartment and I happened to be in a bedroom. I noticed something in the corner of the window. As I approached it became clear it was a humming-bird. It had flown in and hid behind the curtain while we were cleaning. I reached out my hands and, very gently, picked it up. I took 2 seconds of the little bird’s life to hold it in the palm of my hand. Then I released it through the open window.

What a marvelous world the Lord has made. How beautiful it is when it is not corrupted by the things of man. How very delicate and precious is this creation of His. And it makes me wonder how it will be in that place He is building even right now.

Pride of Man-vs-Joy of Salvation

March 21, 2012 by hiwaychristian

Sculpture – head of Jesus Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I step out on the back porch, again, to consider the difference between pride and joy. Pride is of the flesh. But joy in understanding the Lord’s ways is acceptable. While the world walks in darkness there is no time or room for the pride of man; that is to say an internal boasting that I know more than others. Even in our time of reflection before the Most High God it is wise to consider the difference between the pride of man and the joy that we receive from His Grace. All of us who come to know the Lord were, at one time, full to over flowing with sin, disgrace, shame, and wickedness of every kind. It is by Grace we are saved.

I am stunned at the consistency of the war within us. And I am reminded that, in this place of testing, this war against sin will not cease. My heart is encouraged to pick up the battle afresh. To render to God what is God’s while I kill the flesh by the power of Christ Jesus in me. Never, in this place, will a man be rid of the things that plague his walk with God. They are at the very door of our house. As it was said to Cain, it is now said to each of us: “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” (Genesis 4:7)

So I say with all the saints (those being sanctified, transformed, by the power of God in Jesus), “I will rise in the early morning before it is light. I will find a solitude among the trappings of this world of chaos. And I will seek the Lord that I might rid myself of the things that have and will destroy me. I will raise up to kiss the face of He who has kissed me. And I will learn from Him to do the perfect will of eternity. Sin will not have me! For I am being made a son in the house of my Father. And all this is to the Glory of Jesus, my Lord, Master, King, and Desire!”

Amen.

Life Worth Living

February 14, 2012 by hiwaychristian

Image via Wikipedia

In my wickedness I am lost. Even my breathing is labored with the weight of a guilty conscience. Sighing consumes my days. And there is never any rest. Even my joints complain with stiffness because of my evil ways. I seek release but find none.

But in the days when the Spirit of God thrives among the fibers of my body, I am found and strong. It can be said that when we are weak, we are pitifully weak. When we are strong there is no longer any comparison to man. For the Spirit of God is not weak in any measure. So the measure of filling we allow becomes a strength that has no end. My body rests in peace. My mind thinks clearly. My speech is slowed and calculated, no longer frantic to explain what I believe. Sleep is sound and joyful. And a silent revelry reigns in my soul.

By the Spirit of God we become a union of God and man. We no longer desire the things of the flesh. This is why it was written, “Live by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.”

Though you already know this, isn’t it wise and good to remind each other of these things? Iron sharpens iron. What good is a dull axe?

Almost Home!

August 5, 2011 by hiwaychristian

God has granted you a soul within a body. With this granting comes restrictions and expectations. But also with this granting comes a wonderful promise.

We are created to do the will of He who made us. We are not created to seek our own pleasure. And there is an accounting at the end of this place of testing for every soul created. “How did you do with what you were given”? This will be the question. Did you seek the Lord of Life who made you? Or did you vent your strength on everything selfish and evil?

Now, during our testing in this body of flesh, we are tempted to count our days as too much for our ability to handle. Not one of us has gone without that thought. But what should be our response to such a thought? Shall we say we are too weak? Shall we say we don’t know what to do? Shall we say there are no answers to our deepest request for strength, wisdom, and dedication toward God’s demands?

Though we often resort to such foolishness, it is not God’s desire that we lose our hope like that. We are born, just a few years ago. We now live somewhere in between that initial place and our death. Ah! Our death. The end of the test! For those who commit themselves to the task of serving the Glorious God of Eternity, death is a friend and a release into a magnificent reward for service well accomplished.

So take hope! Lift up your eyes! Strengthen your walk! You are almost HOME! Keep the faith and do not fail to give Him the Glory He deserves.

By His Grace.

A Wonderful Depression

May 9, 2010 by hiwaychristian

When we begin to come aware of our sinfulness, there is accompaniment of sorrow. I’ve learned to love that sorrow. Not that I appreciate my sin and remain in it because I like being sad. But there’s an aspect to understanding the need for Christ’s work in my life. It’s a continual reminder that the Holiness of God is so much more than we can know in our sinful state.

Paul said, for now we see as through a glass darkly. Then we shall know fully, even as we are fully known. This I look forward to with great expectation and joy. In the present, however, I feel the great sadness of being locked together with this sinful nature.

By His Grace.

Words From There

We: Live, Die, Face Judgment. Jesus or die twice.

Tag Archives: joy

The Appearance of First Fruits

A Memory of Gentle Beauty

Pride of Man-vs-Joy of Salvation

Life Worth Living

Almost Home!

A Wonderful Depression

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