Lessons Learned

One Moment

/ The WheatandTares

One moment with the King…

What would YOU do to have just one moment with a king? I wonder if it might be like the first date you ever went on? Do you remember how long it took to get ready? How many outfits you tried on? How many days in advance you started planning?

What about that first prom…or maybe your wedding day? How long was that planning? How much did you spend? Ladies, what kind of beauty treatments did you endure? …maybe a message, a wax, a deep facial, a medi and a pedi?

Guys, how ’bout it? Well, most of you probably didn’t splurge on a pedicure (ha!), but what about that first hunting day, a day at the races, a boxing match or maybe that champion golf tournament? Hmmm, I might be getting somewhere now… How much did you spend on that new rifle, those new shoes, or even the fuel in the car to get there? How early did you set your alarm? How long did you go without sleep?

What about you, teens? Maybe you still depend on your parents to buy most things; so, you might feel this little post doesn’t really apply to you…but how much time do you spend texting on your phone, scrolling through Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, or just simply surfing the Internet? How much money are you saving for that new car, that new outfit or, maybe, that special gift for your new sweetheart?

Think of your time, talents and temporal means…or to put it more simply:  your thoughts, your sight, your speech, your actions and your money…how much do you spend on the things of this world? How much time do you lose everyday doing things that aren’t really going to matter 150 years from now?

Sure, we do live in this world, but God said not to be of it! What does that mean for us? Does that mean we can’t “have fun?” Does that mean we can’t use technology, can’t go on a date, can’t play a game on the Internet, can’t have an Instagram account??  I can’t quite tell you what it means for you; sometimes, what’s a conviction for one family, or person, may not be the same for another. You have to work those “not-necessarily-sin” issues out with the Almighty, but I can tell you what’s going to matter for eternity: our relationship with the King of Kings! If you’re not preparing now, you’ll not be ready when the time comes!

Esther prepared for 12 months, of an intense regimen, to have one night with the king. David prepared 15 years to be king. Joseph was in preparation for 13 years to become second in the land to Pharoah. Jesus prepared for 33 years, on Earth, for His moment on the cross. That’s a lot of preparation for one moment in time!

How much are we preparing? How much are we planning? Will we be ready for that encounter with the King of Kings? He is God. He is awesome, and He loves us so very much. He wants to give His best to us, and I wonder, sometimes, if we might miss it, because we’re too busy preparing for other things rather than His return… One moment of decision is all it takes…

Not Without Hope

/ The WheatandTares / 3 Comments

My heart was heavy today, thinking of all the brokenness in this world. The weight of it resting upon my shoulders like a wet, woolen blanket. Tears filled my eyes as I pondered the wounded, the shattered, and the lost. Heaviness so intense, I could hardly breathe. Air stagnant with heartache, weariness and emptiness. So many wandering in this place. So many without a face.

I drove by this house sitting beside the road. Abandoned, dark, damaged and alone. People driving by, hurrying to their destinations, never stopping to see, never stopping to care. Shoved off to the side, barricade built, weeds and trees rummaging to find a home. Broken down roof, shattered windows, busted doors, all haunted by lost potential.

The broken lives of those lost are a lot like this old house. They take the abuse, receive the ridicule, accept the blame, wondering all the while if anyone cares as they wander aimlessly in the dark. Others are like those who moved this old house. Hard working, simply pragmatic, fighting to succeed at the task. More are like the ones who vandalized it. Kicking, biting, clawing, shattering the dreams of a once well made life.

Can you see them? Can you see yourself?  Who are you? Where are you going? Do you feel that all is lost? Do you wonder if there could still be any life inside? I am here to tell you. I am here to help you see, if there is still breath in your being, there is still hope. If there still a beating of your heart, there is still a chance. For your life is never so lost that He cannot see you. You are never so far gone that He cannot hear.

See that foundation? He placed it there in your heart before you were even born. It is that longing you feel to find something of worth, something to adore. It is that deep inner desire to be more than you are today. He placed it there. It is His drawing of your heart to bring you love, hope and life beyond your dreams.

He can rebuild a life broken. He can mend dreams that have been shattered. He can give hope to the hopeless. He can bring life to the lifeless. All can be renewed if you will just let Him in. Let Him see the abandonment, the pain, the desperation. He can change and transform. All you must do is believe.

First Priority vs. Last Resort

/ The WheatandTares / 1 Comment

I want to ask you today, do you live your life by first priorities or by the last resort? I mean, we all do it at some point, don’t we? Delay something until the inevitable happens…yeah, you gotta go to that dentist before they have to do surgery or something!

Let me explain a little more of what I mean…

FIRST PRIORITY

– you set out to do it…First

– you have lots of energy and focus for it

– you will forsake other things for this one… Often, all others things for this one

– your failure rate is lowered b/c you have incredible energy, intense concentration, deep passion and determination to

complete the task

– you willingly suffer pain, ridicule, criticism, heartache, even complete loneliness…if that’s what it takes

– you’ll change your hair, your clothes, your house, your town or location

– you’ll rise early, stay up late, not eat, not sleep, just to accomplish the goal.

– many times, you will quickly, or at least determinedly, alter your whole LIFE for this first priority

If you don’t believe me, let’s plug in a few words for that phrase “first priority”… Boyfriend, girlfriend, spouse, children, your BFF, sick or dying parent, new friends, new job, new position or title. We will do a lot to accomplish those first priorities.

But what about those last resorts? …those things that we wait and we ponder on …those ideas we “need more information on before we can complete” … (😉 wink) …those people maybe we “put on the back burner” for a little while …

You know, those things we just don’t accomplish or deal with at the onset…

LAST RESTORT

– this option usually isn’t much fun

– this option isn’t always attractive or exciting

– this choice may cost you emotions, energy, even suffering

– this choice may cost you monetary means or pride

– you put this off until there are no more options

– you have tried everything else with no success

– often, getting here is a result of procrastination, fear, laziness or even rebellion

– often, when you get here, you have lost your dream, your purpose, your passion and, sometimes, even your hope

Shall I name a few? Let’s see…

bad habits, weight-loss, doctors’ appointments, that 1500 page textbook reading, annual reports, or maybe it’s people… The in-laws and the outlaws, your boss, that friend that really gets on your nerves but keeps wanting to get together for coffee, …or maybe it’s just…..your mother! Ahh, those last resorts. They are definitely a sore spot, aren’t they?

Now, I’d like each of us to take a minute and examine our hearts to see where God fits in. Is He our first priority, or is He our last resort? Is He at the top of the list or the bottom? Do we give Him our first, our best or our last, our leftovers?

Living a life with habits which lead toward first priorities helps you to have better focus, more energy. It causes you to be more dependable and committed, and it saves you a lot of headache and worry in the end. If you’ll put God at the top of your priority list, you’ll be able to see more clearly and you’ll be able to find strength in what you must accomplish. It doesn’t mean everything will always be perfect, or without struggle, it simply means, you’ll have an internal peace and strength that will help you through those times. You’ll find as you consistently place Him at the top, those last resorts will be less frequently needed. As you consistently look to Him as your highest priority, you will find that many things just seem to “fall into place” a little easier.

Living a life with habits which always leads you to the last resort CAN be done; however, you do more surviving than you do thriving. You do more worrying than you do smiling. You do more crying than you do laughing. The Word says, “The JOY of the Lord is my strength.” Ask yourself, where is your joy today? Where are your concerns? Where are your priorities?

God is a gracious and loving God, and if you choose Him as a last resort, He will still love you. He will still forgive you. He will still help you, and He can still change and transform you! He will never neglect your cry simply because you choose Him last, but choosing Him first, as a first priority, helps YOU live a more full life. It helps you avoid more pitfalls. It helps you to love more deeply, and it helps you to laugh more freely!

Choosing God as your first priority helps YOU more than it does Him! 😉 So, if I can, let me encourage you today to choose God as you FIRST priority; so, you don’t have to seek Him out as your last resort!

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:33

Fall Into It (4)

/ The WheatandTares

Fall into PEACE

Fall into peace like you’re falling back onto your incredibly soft pillow top or down mattress (or whatever you prefer), and you’re about to get the best night’s sleep you’ve had in your life! Perfect peace doesn’t depend on the situation or the persons involved. It is a quiet knowing of the soul that says, “Everything’s gonna be alright.” It’s a settling within that is beyond settling. It’s a peace that surpasses all understanding. It’s that moment when “all hades” has broken loose, and you sit back and breathe…and maybe even chuckle, because you know within your heart and soul that no matter what may come, “All is well with my soul.”

Fall Into It (3)

/ The WheatandTares

Fall into JOY

Fall into joy like you laughed, as a child, when you “turned over your tickle box.” That moment at five years old, when you got the giggles so bad, you couldn’t stop even at the warning of a spanking from dad. True joy is not only laughter, but it’s attitude. It’s a perspective. It’s an outlook. When true joy bubbles up, it can’t be contained. It can’t be hidden. It can’t be consumed by only one person. True joy changes your mood. It changes the way you see the circumstances. It changes how you see the future, how you see your destiny. Joy changes the very atmosphere. The Word of God says Jesus came to give us “joy unspeakable and full of glory.” This kind of joy changes hearts. It changes sight. It changes lives.

Fall Into It (2)

/ The WheatandTares

Fall Into GRACE
Fall into grace like a refreshing swimming pool on a hot summer day. It’s a gift. It’s free. We don’t earn it. There’s nothing we can do to get more or less of it. It allows us to breathe the fresh air. It helps us to continue breathing when we’ve lost a loved one, and we feel there’s no air left to take in. It helps us to stay on the straight and narrow when hell is knocking at our door, and it gives us strength to stand when we feel that same enemy has busted down the door and is about to overwhelm us. Grace gives us an escape from the temptations. It gives us rest for our souls. It gives us tenacity for the journey. Receive that grace to take one more step. To live one more day. To breathe one more breath.

Fall Into It (1)

/ The WheatandTares

Fall Into LOVE

Fall into love like you fell into those piles of autumn leaves as a child, or maybe, you’d prefer that snow to make snow angels. Either way, you wanted nothing more than to keep falling over and over and over. You wanted nothing less than to get right back up and fall again. That is just how our love should be, falling deeper and deeper with each new day…with God…with family…with our spouse…with children…with nature…with LIFE.
Our problems with people are not always the people. Too often, when we have a conflict, we like to tell ourselves, it’s because we haven’t loved enough. We haven’t tried enough. We haven’t sacrificed enough. When all we need is more of Him and so much less of us. If we’d just fall into love with Him, He would love through us. He would speak through us. He would reach through us. So, fall into Him; so, your heart can love them.

Never Let Go (of Hope)

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For years, I prayed for a change, for a difference…I prayed for a miracle, really. For more than 20 years, I prayed these two would makes a change; so, we could have the life and the relationships for which I so longed. I knew God could only do so much, for He will never force a man’s will, and the rest would be left to that man. Oh, that human will can be so very stubborn! I was clinging to the last bit of hope in my heart when we got the call…the news was not good; frankly, it was terrible. Shortened days…a shortened life. Surgery impending. Death probable. How could this be? He was bigger than life! He had been the biggest part of my life. He was supposed to be invincible. My sons were supposed to know him and love him like I did. This wasn’t fair! Often, life just isn’t fair. It doesn’t play favorites. It rains on the just and on the unjust. So, we waited. Then, it happened. A vision was seen. His glory was revealed to the heart. A life was rededicated. His faith and his fate were forever sealed. I rejoiced as one lifelong prayer was answered; yet, I wondered, “Could we possibly get another?” Maybe it was just too good of a dream to imagine. Almost 15 years later, my heart had almost given up hope that a change could ever occur. After all, prayers had been sent up for over 35 years. Maybe that human will was going to win out this time… Out of the blue, a mistaken email reveals possibilities, a glimmer of hope. Could it be? Could it possibly be true? I stand in awe to testify of God’s mercy and grace, of His awesome love being shown through a man whom many had counted as forever lost. God is good. Are all things perfect? Are things as they once should have been? Sadly, I must confess, some things are simply lost as the water rushes under that bridge of time. Yet, we will not dwell on yesterday’s regrets, nor will we miss the precious gifts of the present. If we did, we would overlook the beautiful promises of the future! Sometimes, you just have to take the baby steps of grace today; so, you can bask in the love of His tomorrow. So, never let go of hope, for hope is the only thing which brings true life back into our prayers.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1

In the Depths of the Falls

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I saw a glimpse of something today. We took a little hike to Amicalola Falls and were standing on the bridge, looking up at the falls when I saw it. Looking up, this song started rolling over and over in my mind, and before I realized it, I was softly singing: 

Peace, peace, wonderful peace

Coming down from the Father above

Sweep over my spirit forever I pray 

In fathomless billows of love

As I stood there, listening to the waters rush over the rocks and tumble down below, I began to really see it…The rocks were solid, strong, unyielding. There were sharp places and dark places…green, squishy patches and dry, splotchy parts…even some spots with crackly, dry weeds. Yet, where the water flowed, the rocks were smooth and even shiny, almost like jewels glistening in the sun. The waters rushed over the edge at one place and trickled down, hardly noticeable in another. Sometimes, it would bounce and jump, almost seeming to dance in laughter off the rocks, and in others, that same water swirled and pooled, making little collections of shimmery basins in which you could’ve cooled and refreshed your feet. The falls were simply beautiful, invigorating and peaceful, inviting and overwhelming, all in the same breath. 

As I stood there, tears streaming down my face, I could see the depths of my very soul. The rocks are the image of my soul. It’s solid, strong, and unyielding, sometimes for very good reasons, sometimes for not so good. The water is the Living Water of God. It washes my heart, cleanses my mind and purifies my soul. It causes the green patches of soft, squishy grass to grow.Those are the places where I’m tender and soft toward the things of God. I’m pliable, moldable, easily moved and quickly changed. These are the places where I long to stay, to learn, to grow. 

Yet, there are other areas where it’s not so sweet. His water has to smooth out the sharp, ragged, painful places, those places we’d rather not talk about, those pains we’d just as soon forget. He pours over those jagged rocks of my soul to bring life, restoration and joy.

I was reminded, in that moment, all our souls are in this similar state of being. Some are more, some are less, but we all have sharp, jagged rocks that need His soothing. We all have dark places, those things which are ugly and hidden from the world that need His cleansing. Each one of us has a dry spot or two that needs more water and oh, those pesky weedy areas that are in such need of His purifying. Every one of us has a need for so many more of those soft, squishy, green patches, those places where His love and mercy abide. Our soul longs for those times when we are fully immersed in His goodness and grace.

You see, when we let Jesus into our soul, His rivers of Living Water rush into our lives to show us His love, His grace, His mercy, those things which He’s just been waiting to pour out. Sometimes, the water is so loud, so consuming, we can’t even contain it or comprehend it. Other times, He lets it trickle down a forgotten path, one we thought we’d pushed far into the past to a place never to be seen or remembered again. Yet, He gently lets His waters flow, washing over those places, drawing us back, soothing our soul. 

Just as these falls towered before me, His Living Water towers over our souls. He cleanses us, changes us, and transforms us into a beautiful spectacle for all to see. As we allow His water to wash over the depths of our being, we will know He is God. We will know He loves us; we will experience His grace, and we will be transformed into a new creation. We will become a beautiful waterfall that others will gaze upon and feel refreshed, invigorated, challenged and changed. They will gain strength and wisdom as they see what the Lord has done in our life. Many will long for the same as they see the place where He abides. All we must do is allow His Holy Spirit, His Living Waters to flow into and through our lives. Will you let Him flow today? 

“…And let anyone drink who believes in me.” As Scripture has said, “Out of him (or them) will flow rivers of living water.” John 7:38

  

     

Shadows

/ The WheatandTares

Have you ever been outside on a bright sunshiny day and all of a great big shadow covers you like a blanket? You look around to see what is causing the shadow in the middle of the day only to realize a great big cloud is passing overhead, and its shadow was being cast upon you. I want you to think about that image for a moment. Think of how that shadow makes you feel in that moment. Does it cast a bit of fear in your heart from the sudden darkness it brought? Does it bring a sense of coolness, giving you a break from the summer’s heat, or maybe it actually brought about a chill, because the temperatures were a little cooler on that fall afternoon…
Now imagine YOU are that shadow….What kind of shadow do you cast on others?” Is it anger, fear, rest, relief, or joy…
Let me give a few examples of the different shadows we can encounter from day to day…
Shadows can make some afraid…fear comes from the unknown and the concern for danger.
A little child is often scared at night because the shadows being cast upon his bed. He doesn’t know that it’s only the light from the hall casting the shadow on the wall. He imagines a “boogeyman” is sneaking by.
A young girl gets frightened as she walks down a deserted street at night as shadows seem to lurk around every corner. She has a concern for her safety and longs to be in the security of her own home.
To some, shadows can bring relief…relief from the blistering heat and the bright, overbearing sun in the middle of summer. That shadow will cool the brow and soothe the tension.
A farmer seeks refuge in the shade after a long, hard day’s work, taking a break to catch his breath before the evening’s done.
A child seeks solace from the overbearing sunshine on the heated shore. The shade brings comfort and relaxation; so, he might go run and play again.
Yet, to some, that same shade is further pain and bitter wind on a cold and dreary day. On a winter’s day like we had last week, the shadows only bring more misery and bitterness to an already blistering, below freezing day.
To the young, these same shadows can mean a time of playful figures dancing on the wind. These shadows can be translated into beautiful stories and testimonies of happy endings and even fantasies as the children make shadow boxes and hand motions creating animals, faces and even figures with the light and darkness.
So, you see, there are so many conclusions for shadows. Some good, some not so good. It all depends on how that given shadow causes a person to feel…
If you will notice in each of these scenarios that I’ve listed, it wasn’t the source of light that caused the differences of feelings within the person who received the shadow, and it wasn’t even the person, necessarily, as I mentioned, there were children and adults, alike, who responded with a good or bad feeling, but rather, it was the OBJECT through which the shadow was cast!
When we are in the light of the Son, we have the choice to be a “good” shadow or a “bad” shadow.
Your talk can cast your shadow of doubt as you spew negativity and gloom on an already dreary land. Or your talk can cast your shadow of faith as you speak of God’s goodness, His grace and His faithfulness.
Your actions can portray your hope in God above. Your smile can cast a shadow of relief on a weary soul. Or your actions can show your very doubt of His eternal abilities!
In these moments, when I see or hear believers casting “dark” shadows on other believers, I have to ask, “Where is the very hope to which we cling? HE is the Author and Finisher of our faith! We are conquerors through Christ who strengthens us! We can live victorious, in Jesus Name!” We must cast shadows of HOPE, of JOY, of LOVE, of LIFE!!
In the book of Genesis, Abraham cast a shadow of diligent obedience…in sacrifice, he was obedient…in directives (when told to “go”), he was obedient.
Throughout the Psalms and in the history of I & II Kings, King David cast a shadow of passionate worship…in victory, he worshiped passionately (ark of covenant brought home)…in sorrow, he passionately worshiped (death of child)…even after sin, in repentance, he passionately worshiped (Psalm 51)
Daniel cast a shadow of fervent prayer…when intimidated by Nebuchadnezzar, when threatened by the Kings’ court officials, and even when he was about to be devoured in the lions’ den, he fervently prayed.
The Apostle Paul cast a shadow of zealous and bold witness throughout his ministry in the NT…when faced with trials (before Caesar) and faced with imprisonment (in various places).
Even Peter cast a shadow when faced with others’ needs (remember, his shadow cast healed the sick?).
These are the ways that we should cast our shadows upon others. These men have given us examples of what kind of “shadows” to be…
I want to leave you the question with which I began, “What kind of shadow are you casting, or going to cast, for others to follow?”
Anxiety – Is it too tall, too big for them to ever feel success?
Fear – Are there too many expectations, too many demands, or is it only a fraction of what you have received?
Doubt – Is it too small, limiting their dreams to your abilities and only the things which you have achieved?
Anger – Is it full of strife and anger, grouchiness and negativity?
Insescurity – Is your shadow too limited by your own faults and failures that they cannot see Jesus within it?
Or is it a Shadow of….
Confidence – Or is it an inviting shadow, allowing them growth, maturity and wisdom to gain? Rest & Strength – Drawing them close to learn, to develop, to expand and add to their own thoughts and dreams?
Joy – Making them laugh at the face of danger, brandish their swords before the enemy, rejoicing for the days and dreams to come?
LIFE – A shadow that brings animation to their own as the two blend to become one that looks a whole lot like the Savior whom we serve?

Hebrews 12:1-3
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

If we are living a life that is knelt at the foot of the cross, and if we are daily turning toward the cross; then, our shadows will become that of the cross! When the cross is before us, in the LIGHT, which is the Son, we no long are seen, but the cross is seen!!
Let our shadows become the cross; then, all those who follow will only see JESUS!