faith

What Do You See?

/ The WheatandTares

There is a beautiful quote by Marcus Arelius that says, “To offend a strong man, tell him a lie. To offend a weak man, tell him the truth.”

So many people in this world are okay with less than truth. They can be inundated with lies and never be distracted. They can receive half truths and simply run with it and retell the story. And when truth actually confronts them, it is like a slap in the face, and they become offended.

As this becomes more and more prevalent in our modern society, you can watch a whole culture become divided and polarized, as fallacy makes a home like locusts and devours the innocent, while truth reigns in the hearts of a few, and a great chasm opens between them.

May we all examine our hearts today and determine which side of the canyon we belong.

For weak men will rise to power when weaker men rebel against truth and seek their own desires, demanding falsehood as the accepted edicts.

How you respond when you hear the truth exposes your strength of character. How you retell a lie displays to the world the depth of who you are. Even how you respond to this quote can determine your success or failure.

Strong men will be relegated to the haunted ghosts of yesterday as the masses embrace falsehoods as their standard.

But wisdom cries out to be heard. Truth never changes simply because someone silences it.

Rest assured, Truth will reign in the afterlife, and all will weep who did not heed the call.

Does not wisdom cry out,
And understanding lift up her voice?
She takes her stand on the top of the high hill, beside the way, where the paths meet.
She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city, at the entrance of the doors:
“To you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men. O you simple ones, understand prudence, and you fools, be of an understanding heart.
Listen, for I will speak of excellent things,
And from the opening of my lips will come right things;
For my mouth will speak truth;
Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
All the words of my mouth are with righteousness; nothing crooked or perverse is in them.
They are all plain to him who understands,
And right to those who find knowledge.

Proverbs 8:1-9

Generational Fade

/ The WheatandTares

The natural progression from generation to generation is a proven fact.

What one generation places value in, their children rise to place more value in.

Or they revolt and rebel against that value.

Typically, there’s not a lot of gray area found.

So, if you’re a parent and you place a high value on education, often your children will do the same.

If your parents were hyped about ballgames and competitive sports, more often than not, you will do the same.

If you as a parent struggle to hold down a job throughout their formative years, many times, your children will, too.

If your parents weren’t super committed to God, a relationship with Him may not even be on your radar, or it may be seen as a dismissive once-a-year-whether-I-need-it-or-not event.

It’s truly the way of human nature. If you’re conditioned in one way throughout your childhood years, you’ll walk in those footsteps paved for you.

To walk a different path, you will literally have to fight and claw to be different.

This has been proven for generations. Look at abuse statistics, divorce patterns, and even educational journeys from one generation to the next. It is what it is.

So, if you want your children to be what I would call, “God chasers,” those kind of people who seek Him with all their hearts and work diligently to not only know Him and follow His will for their lives but also who live intentionally to share His love with others, this begins now, with you.

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

Matthew 6:33

Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6

Soul Applications

/ The WheatandTares / 2 Comments

Truth is not enough to sustain your life lest you apply it.

Application of truth is the only way our lives become transformed from what they have been.

So, let’s ask ourselves some heartfelt questions today,

How much Truth am I receiving?

How much Truth am I accepting?

(And yes. There is a difference in receiving truth and accepting that truth as truth.)

If I am accepting Truth, am I applying it to my life?

If I’m apply this Truth to my life, is there fruit coming from my life?

Simple as that.

We can hear Truth all day long, but if we fail to receive it, accept it, apply it, and then, produce it, we fall into the age old trap of becoming a fool.

The lack of Truth being applied in someone’s life doesn’t change the Truth.

It only leaves a void of change in the hearer’s life.

And that, my dear friends, leads to a most tragic end.

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

John 8:32

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

James 2:14-19

At the Foot of the Cross

/ The WheatandTares

I have no righteousness within me.

I do not deserve mercy and grace. How can this be?

I stand in humble adoration of the One who gave me life.

I kneel in repentance and plead as He washes me of all the strife.

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,  being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…

Romans 3:23

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

1 John 1:9

Friend or Foe

/ The WheatandTares

Sometimes, it’s just hard to deal with certain humans.

If we’re being honest, you know it’s true.

Yet, just as it’s important to walk away from toxicity and dangerous relationships, it’s also important to be able to discern those who might be in a bad mood and those who are truly damaging.

And this distinction can truly make or break a leader.

Come to the wrong conclusion, and you can damage a relationship, a ministry, a group of people, and even a home.

Assume a friend is a foe, and you lose a covenant and companion for life.

Suppose a foe is a friend, and you may walk away wounded and scarred, or worse, you can find yourself enclosed in a cage of emotion.

Presume inaccurately on either side, and you can wound the most innocent among you.

Judge incorrectly, and the grace needed to make amends can sometimes be insurmountable.

So, step carefully and evaluate slowly.

Learn to recognize warning signs and decipher welcome flags.

Acknowledge personal hangups and triggers and work harder to overcome.

Create an atmosphere of curiosity and courage and allow for input from the older, wiser sages near you.

Open your heart wide and your ears and eyes even wider.

And above all, if you believe in the One who created you, pray and ask Him to guide, not only in the final decision but to the people who can help lead you in that direction.

A friend can be hidden from immediate view because the search is always an adventure.

A foe can be veiled from initial sight because the desire for communion is always a heart’s home.

Friend or foe, learning the difference is essential.

Open rebuke is better
Than love carefully concealed.

Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

Proverbs 27:5-6

Ointment and perfume delight the heart,
And the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel.

Proverbs 27:9

Allow for Some Goodbyes

/ The WheatandTares

Change brings adjustments in relationships.

Adjustments bring uncomfortable conflicts.

Conflicts bring choices to remain or walk away.

When you are seeking to better yourself, sometimes, it will irritate those who want to remain the same.

When you are moving beyond the trauma, sometimes, those who enjoyed the drama will want to stay.

When you are healing and pursuing something better, sometimes, those who liked you broken cannot handle the new strength.

And that’s ok.

Keep walking ahead.

Keep healing from the past.

Keep moving forward toward wellness, peace, and joy.

Those who are meant to go with you will arrive.

Those who aren’t will remain where you were.

And that’s ok.

To thrive, sometimes you have to say goodbye to the old you and also to the old them.

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

Letting Go

/ The WheatandTares / 4 Comments

Well, I’ve been taking a bit of a hiatus from writing. I just peeked back at my past notes, and it’s been since December that I posted here. For my friends and followers, my apologies if you wondered where I’d gone or what I was up to. And to those who might not have noticed, that’s ok, too. I’ve just been over here living life in my little corner of the world.

I hope to get back to posting at least weekly, if not more, but I’m maybe not going to make a grand announcement this time of how much. It seems I don’t do a great job when I make the big ol’ declaration and keep up with it for a bit of time, and then, life happens, and I get distracted, or I simply don’t feel like I have anything “brilliant” or worthwhile to share. So I think this time, I’ll just begin small and see where it takes us…

LETTING GO

Sometimes, you’ve got to let go in order to hold onto the things that really matter.

Sometimes, you’ve got to release the pain to embrace the joy.

Sometimes, you’ve got to drop the anger like a hot rock to pick up the love that’s been there waiting for you.

It’s only when you walk away from what you’ve always known that you can finally see what is most important and valuable.

So, remove the chains that have bound you.

Be liberated from your shackles that confine you.

Set your souls free and let your spirit fly!

Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

Galatians 5:1

You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?

Galatians 5:7

Messages From A Hope Filled Heart…

/ The WheatandTares / 4 Comments

Day 20

Share the Load

It’s not always about who wins the game.

Sometimes, we carry too heavy of a load. Sometimes, we carry too heavy of a load alone.

And it’s not Biblical.

Now, I know. We don’t need to be wimpy Christians. I know we need to rely on Christ for all we need. I know we need to be faith filled and encouraging and strong.

Yet, He told us to share the load, too. He told us to be the Body of Christ, each one having a part to play. He also told us when one mourns, we all mourn. When one rejoiced, we all rejoice.

So, don’t carry your load alone.

Share it with someone. Ask for prayer. Ask for help. Ask for a hand to be lended. And let them lift your load.

Don’t steal their blessing when they want to pay. Don’t shut them out when they want to pray. Don’t turn your back when they come to offer comfort and love.

You’ll be surprised as your load is lifted how much more of theirs you’re able to help carry.

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:2

For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ…But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary…And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

1 Corinthians 12:12, 20-22, 26

Messages From A Hope Filled Heart

/ The WheatandTares / 2 Comments

Day 19

Hope is in the season, if you’re willing to see it.

Hope is in the greetings, if you’re willing to hear it.

Hope is in the warmth of home, and fellowship, and love, if you’re willing to receive it.

Yet, I’m often asked, “What If….?”

What if the season is hard because of grief, pain, and trauma?

What if the greetings are anger filled, hate consumed, and altogether damaging?

What if the home is broken, dysfunctional, and chaotic?

The “what ifs” of life make it difficult to have cheap, cliche , easy to deliver answers.

The “what ifs” confuse, complicate, and bring doubt when it just doesn’t fit.

I can’t answer all the what ifs, but I can answer the Who.

I know Who can bring peace that surpasses all understanding and strength to scale the mountain.

I know Who can shut the mouths of lions and bring comfort to the child.

I know Who can speak to the winds to calm and set a fire within the soul to save.

He is the only One who can bring grace to sustain.

He is the only One who can wisdom to abstain.

He is the only One who can bring sight to the blind.

Just try Him today. Say His Name.

He heals the brokenhearted
And binds up their wounds.
He counts the number of the stars;
He calls them all by name.
Great is our Lord, and mighty in power;
His understanding is infinite.
The Lord lifts up the humble;
He casts the wicked down to the ground.

Psalm 147:3-6

You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.

Isaiah 26:3

Messages From A Hope Filled Heart…

/ The WheatandTares / 6 Comments

Day 18

This little ornament has always struck me when I read it each year.

“With nails, the carpenter fashioned our salvation.”

Think about it. The Creator of the universe. The Beginning of all things. The King of all we see and beyond, He chose to leave all His glory to come to earth as a babe and be raised here as a carpenter’s son.

He chose to become humble, a lowly workman’s son who fashioned wooden creations with hammers and nails by his own hands.

He grew into a man, obedient to His Heavenly Father, even unto death, to save a world that hated Him. He chose to be nailed to a rugged cross, accepting a cruel and violent death to shed His blood, being atonement for all who would believe.

And then, breathing His last, He died. But not without promise. In three days, He arose; later ascending, promising to come again for all those who are His own.

He is real. The promises He gives are true. And it is all unconditional, free to him who believes.

Will you believe in Him this season?

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

John 3:16-17

By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us.

1 John 3:16

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

1 John 4:15-16