change

New Year’s is Coming!

/ The WheatandTares

Can you believe 2023 is almost upon us?

The new year is nipping at our heels.

Looking back, I search for the value of what I have done.

Is it worthy? Is it useful? Is it enough?

Every season at this time, I question my intentions.

I begin analyzing and questioning.

Were my plans well executed or were they wasted?

Were the goals fulfilled and throughly accomplished?

The questions begin to flow like a river until I almost feel overwhelmed with the gravity of the search.

But then, I remember. Then, I recollect.

It’s not a competition. It’s not a race to defeat.

Tomorrow is a new day, and today is still here for the catch.

Make the best of this moment, and make a point to create the rest even better.

It’s not about perfection. It’s not about the ideal.

It’s about integrity, sincerity and virtue.

It’s about determination, perseverance and fortitude.

Let’s make the most of right now and work towards a great time to come.

To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born,
And a time to die;
A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;

Ecclesiastes 3:1-2

There are many plans in a man’s heart,
Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.

Proverbs 19:21

Eternity Echoes

/ The WheatandTares / 2 Comments
I do not own or possess this pic.
Google search.

What we do matters.

What we say is important.

Who we impact echoes into eternity.

Too many today attempt to play the nonchalant card.

They try to act as if they can do what they want, you can do what you want, and no one pays any rewards or consequences.

It’s just living life.

But oh. How wrong we can be.

If I always do me, and you always do me, all we create is two spheres full of selfishness and self centeredness.

If I’m focused only on me, and you only on you, we become consumed on our own desires, our own requests, our own demands.

And eventually, no one else matters.

Yet, it’s supposed to matter because after all, my expectations are highest priority to me.

And your expectations are highest priority to high, and then, we’re both at an impasse.

Because if it’s all about me, and it’s all absolutely you, then, you don’t matter to me, and I don’t matter to you!

What wretched and lost souls we become, and what wrecked havoc we leave for those behind us.

All kindness, and love and harmony is expected for me (and for you), but it sucks the life out of all those who are impacted because they are seeking the same.

And what about the children racing toward the edge of a knife?

What about those innocent souls who cry out to be loved, nurtured and directed?

Our self consumption depleted their hope for tomorrow because all they can see is our command for the now.

What we do in life does echo in eternity.

It is a repeating anthem across the chasms of time.

What will your reverberations be?

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.

Proverbs 13:22

So these nations feared the Lord, yet served their carved images; also their children and their children’s children have continued doing as their fathers did, even to this day.

2 kings 17:41

Stretch

/ The WheatandTares

How’s your stretching today?

If you’re growing, you’re going to be stretching.

If you’re learning, you’re going to be expanding.

If you’re progressing, you’re going to be changing.

You can never become without growth.

You can never advance without change.

You can never develop without pruning.

When a seed bursts into a plant, the seed pod breaks.

When the sprout grows, it has to break through the ground.

When the stems reach for the sky, they have to stretch and move.

And if the tree is to one day flourish and bear abundant fruit, it has to be pruned.

Growing is never easy, and sometimes, it’s definitely not fun.

But if we are to be what we are called to be, we must embrace it.

We must look for opportunities to learn, to progress, to change.

If we are to succeed, we must learn to love the stretch.

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do,forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:12-14

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

RED

/ The WheatandTares / 2 Comments

This draft was written a at back on December 27, 2015. In that year, there was a “cultural war” going on concerning Starbucks’ red Christmas cups. Remember that?

The circumstances may have changed, but the wisdom here still remains the same…

It’s quite the topic as of late.

It’s quite amazing what a color can create.

It’s quite incredible what a simple choice can become.

…It’s really quite ridiculous…

…on both side of the fence….

Yes, Christians are fired up over the color, believing more should be said…more should be written…more should be done. They have a point, too often, Christians are expected to simply swallow whatever ‘tolerance pill’ society is currently handing out, and it is implied, if not outright spoken, that they just need to “shut up and realize, ‘This is the way things are going to be. If you speak out, you’re just a bad witness, a bad influence and definitely a bad Christian!'” After all, they’re sick of being silenced.

Yes, quieter Christians are fired up over the cup, believing less should be said, less…less should be written…less should be done. They have a point, vocalizing, “Christians, more often than not, ‘major on the minors’. They make major fusses over the little things that are petty, insignificant and unchangable, and they minor on the important, life-altering, transforming things of this society.” After all, all the fuss is offensive to the world; a kinder, gentler approach is best. A more loving voice to this world will reach more and save more.

Honestly, I’ve been on both sides of the fence. I’ve made my own mistakes, and I’m trying to find my way back to Center. Neither side looks pretty, and, frankly, neither side looks completely like Christ. Yeah, that’s a shocker, I know. However, let’s look at a few things to see if that’s true…

Jesus spoke in parables to the multitudes.

Jesus called the Pharisees “sons of snakes.”

Jesus fed the 5,000, not including women and children.

Jesus took a whip and cleansed the temple.

Jesus told the rich young ruler Truth, and he went away sad.

He said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan,” and Peter loved Him anyway.

Jesus told the adulterous woman she was forgiven; yet, He ALSO told her to, “Go and sin no more.”

Too often, we as Christians, tend to lean too far toward grace (=tolerance) or too far toward judgement (=intolerance).

You will always lean more to one side or the other. The key is to (1) recognize it, (2) pray for wisdom and love, (3) Find what The Word says about it on both sides. We need to learn to lean more on the Truth of God, rather than our own opinions, feelings and intuitive interpretations of what we think He means.

Too often, we seek out what makes us comfortable not changed.

We share what relaxes rather than what confronts.

We long for tranquility rather than transformation.

Yet, when Christ walked this Earth, He loved, challenged, comforted, confronted, taught and changed lives.

His truth neither caused relaxation nor condemnation.

His Truth brought about true conviction which brought about TRANSFORMATION.

His Truth also, eventually, made them want to kill Him…

Shouldn’t we be trying to be more like Him and less like them? Shouldn’t we be fighting more in prayer and less on Facebook, Twitter or even face to face?

Shouldn’t we be seeking the manifestation of His presence rather than the exaltation of those around us?

But I tend to wonder if we’re more afraid of the crowd than we are the cloud…

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Matthew 6:33

If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

John 15:18-19

Survival Guides Were Meant for Sharing

/ The WheatandTares
*I do not own or have rights to this pic.
Google search/Fb repost*

You weren’t made to stay in the valley.

You weren’t made to remain stuck in the mire.

We all feel pain.

We all have heartache.

We all experience tragedy.

The brokenness of life was never meant to be a trophy we wear nor a badge we frame for the wall.

The hardship didn’t come for you to create a fortress around and hail the crisis as king.

We all feel the rain.

We all have tornadic seasons.

We all experience death, sorrow and grief.

You weren’t made to linger in the basin of despair.

You weren’t made to hover in canyon of defeat.

Look up. Cry for help. Claw your way out.

Write your survival guide and pass it along to the next to-be survivor.

Your destiny is waiting, and your little ones are watching.

Thus says the Lord to His anointed,
To Cyrus, whose right hand I have held—
To subdue nations before him
And loose the armor of kings,
To open before him the double doors,
So that the gates will not be shut:
‘I will go before you and make the crooked places straight;
I will break in pieces the gates of bronze
And cut the bars of iron.
I will give you the treasures of darkness
And hidden riches of secret places,
That you may know that I, the Lord,
Who call you by your name,
Am the God of Israel.
For Jacob My servant’s sake,
And Israel My elect,
I have even called you by your name;
I have named you, though you have not known Me.

Isaiah 45:1-4

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

1 Peter 2:9-10

Sometimes, You Just Walk

/ The WheatandTares

Relationships can be so complicated.

Sometimes, we stay so long, receiving abuse, pain and turmoil until we are beat to a pulp.

But we stay because we need love.

Sometimes, we remain in a tornado of split personalities, control and narcissism until we feel insane instead of calm.

But we stay because we need comfort.

Sometimes, we maintain the friendship, believing one day it will change, or worse, we’ve become blinded by the toxic norm.

But we stay because we need acceptance.

Yet, once our eyes behold truth…

There’s no backing up from reality.

There’s no returning to what was.

There’s no retreat from the withdrawal.

Sometimes, to be truly free, you must walk.

And never look back.

Seeing truth is discernment.

Knowing truth is wisdom.

Doing truth is courage.

Enduring truth is faith.

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

John 8:32

Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: “For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.” But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.

Hebrews 10:35-39

Twisted Heart

/ The WheatandTares

You say you love me, and my heart twists in a knot.

Butterflies fly and my head is light.

My mind wants to believe, but my heart has been deceived.

So, I pray your words are true while I doubt their veracity.

I find myself desperate for your affections, yet shielding my emotions.

I hear myself reply to your promises with longings of my own,

Yet, I don’t trust you to be faithful.

I don’t trust you to be true.

Why does my heart twist and turn and refuse to accept yours?

Why does my heart twist and turn your words to mean ill-will to mine?

Oh God, forgive my betrayal.

Please, forgive my unbelief.

You are my Creator, my Source, my eternal King.

You are the mender of my heart, untwist this vile thing.

Return me to my first love, and purify my soul to sing.

Penned – MG – 6/13/22

The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?

Jeremiah 17:9

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me hear joy and gladness, That the bones You have broken may rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.

Psalm 51:7-12

While in the Fire

/ The WheatandTares

What do you do while in the fire?

What do say while in the Potter’s hand?

How do you react when your life is being stretched like a rubber band?

Whine, Rage, Hide, Distract, Bite and Rile

Laugh, Rest, Sing, Worship, Serve and Smile

What you find yourself doing in the middle of the storm can determine your promotion or demotion at it’s end.

You will destroy and kill, or you will lead and make a friend.

The choice is yours.

Penned – MG – 6/13/22

But now, O Lord, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand.

Isaiah 64:8

And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make.

Jeremiah 18:4

Let It Burn

/ The WheatandTares

Sometimes, we’ve got that thing that hinders holding us back.

Sometimes, we’ve got that thing that makes us pause, and it’s slowing us down.

Sometimes, to get rid of it,

You’re gonna have to let it burn.

Fire purifies. It refines.

Fire cleanses. It redefines.

Let it burn away the dross.

Let it burn away the residue.

You will be brought for as precious silver.

You will come forth as brilliant gold.

I will bring the one-third through the fire,

Will refine them as silver is refined,

And test them as gold is tested.

They will call on My name,

And I will answer them.

I will say, ‘This is My people’;

And each one will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’ ”

Zechariah 13:9

But who can endure the day of His coming?

And who can stand when He appears?

For He is like a refiner’s fire

And like launderers’ soap.

He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver;

He will purify the sons of Levi,

And purge them as gold and silver,

That they may offer to the Lord

An offering in righteousness.

Malachi 3:2-3

Evil Is In The Heart

/ The WheatandTares / 2 Comments

Let’s be clear.

Evil may be manifested through weapons of all kinds.

In guns, in knives, canes and even rocks, evil may be displayed.

But only the purging of the root will ever bring about change.

This truth has been revealed since the beginning of time.

Cain had a rock.

Herod had a law.

Romans had a nail.

Nero had a torch.

This one had a knife.

That one had a gun.

The next may have a bomb.

Evil in the heart will always produce evil. Violence is the fruit. Evil is the root.

Let’s purge the heart and return to truth.

It will change the world.

Penned – MG – 5/25/22

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Luke 6:45