A Walk By Faith - Alone

"Nothing else but this seeing God in everything will make us loving and patient with those who annoy and trouble us. They will be to us then only the instruments for accomplishing His tender and wise purposes towards us, and we shall even find ourselves at last inwardly thanking them for the blessings they bring us. Nothing else will completely put an end to all murmuring or rebelling thoughts." H. W. SMITH.

The above words were penned by Hannah Whittal Smith in circa 1800. This is a woman whose husband, once a fiery evangelist, preaching the gospel to thousands, turned away from "the call" for something other than being obedient to the Holy One, even to the point of taking up a mistress in the years before his earthly death.

Mrs. Smith gave birth to three children during her marriage, one of whom died at an early age. She watched her other two children, once devoted to "The Way," grow up and walk away from God and the faith that she herself walked in her entire life.

It could only have been God and the Holy Spirit within her that allowed her to pen such words and to walk by faith without her family, seemingly alone. But I know, she knew what lie ahead, she could see the celestial city beyond the hill....

As I continue to travel the narrow path to that city, oh for eyes to see Him, a heart filled with only Him, and ears closed to everything but the voice of the Holy One.

Breakthrough

BREAKTHROUGH

A seed is planted.

Rich soil and moisture cause the seed to break open under the ground. Roots begin reaching downward. Life within the seed stirs causing it to stretch upward. The seed begins its journey upward toward being a thriving plant.

After a little time of struggling and stretching; it finally breaks through the soil.  Its new and tender shoot stretches upward toward the sun. External elements keep it alive: sun, water, soil nutrients.

My life is like that seed.

To grow, thrive, and ultimately breakthrough those things determined to hold me back or keep me down, I must continually depend on the external elements which God provides for me.

The Son I must continually reach toward.
His Word I must soak in.
And the Holy Spirit, full of fruit and giftings, who I must let flow through me.

To cast these "elements" aside and try to grow, thrive, and live without them means the same for me as it would that little seed...

...a stunted life form for a short while; and then the inevitable, death.


(written in March 2003 - dss)

Safe In the ARK

Noah, after he was in the ark of safety, the ark's door shut by God Himself, could do nothing but wait with his family through the biggest storm of the world and for the for waters to recede.

This picture of Noah and family floating makes me think of our position today with others and with Christ.

Like Noah, Christians have entered into the ark of safety – that is Jesus Christ. Prior to coming into the ark, we did not know Christ. A wall (sin) separated us from God. Some of us lived good lives, others lived "riotous/wonton" (Bible talk for wild, crazy, unrestrained, and totally self absorbed) lives.

But when we entered into the ark, the wall came down, sins were forgiven, and God shut the door for us to be in a place of safety, sealing us with the promise of the Holy Spirit.

Even though we are in the ark of safety now, rains fall around us daily – we float atop of issues, assaults, insults, persecutions, our own temptations, and false doctrine which try and tear at our bowls so to sink us.

However, grace keeping us afloat; God who shut us in the ark of safety will not let us sink.

Meanwhile we rest in Jesus, we sit and wait, each taking care of day-to-day activities. Surely Noah had a lot to do in overseeing the day-to-day activities on the ark:

• ensuring all those animals stored on the boat were fed,
• ensuring they were cleaned,
• the stalls washed out, and
• assuring his family continually that God is faithful, and for them to trust in Him because He would return for them one day.

We too have day-to-day activities to tend to while walking out our faith:

• share our faith with others (Noah must have shared the story of God speaking to him about the ark with his wife and children),
• anticipate the blessed appearance of our Lord (Noah sent the birds in anticipation of land),
• wait patiently for our Lord's return (patiently Noah sat in a boat floating, floating, floating, waiting, not knowing the day or the hour), and
• dealing with day-to-day issues that life has a way of throwing our way.
  
  
  We eagerly await the day when God will open the door of heaven for us and usher us in to His eternal kingdom. I am sure once we arrive there, the magnificence of our surroundings will far surpass that of the rainbow that Noah was shown.
  
  Lord help us to be still in you, be close to you, be patent in you, be content in you, be active in you – until the day of the Great Promise arrives.
  

The WUD Factor

Here is something that jumped off the pages when reading the scriptures in Proverbs. It spoke volumes to me.

Feel free to use it as a Wall paper for your PC or print it out to post on your bullentin board (sorry if it appears grainy). If the entire graphic does not show in the frame on your screen, click on the graphic to see the full version.

Blessings, Seedsower deb.

Drawn from Deep Waters... Drifting

Drawn From Deep Waters... Drifting - Written: 10/8/1997 - dss

"He drew me out of the deep waters."

Once again, I've drifted out too far. The tide has carried me away. I knew before stepping into the water of its underlying current and its subtle drawing power.

 

Yet, I still ventured out.

 

Now I am too far out to get back in on my own - the very current that gently took me out, will now keep me where I do not want to be - in deep waters.

My strength is not enough to tread to the shore. The further out I drift the less of the shoreline I can see. Huge waves come at regular intervals crashing over top of me and cutting off the view of my focal point... drifting, drifting, drifting.

"In my distress I called to the Lord; I called out to my God. He reached down from on high and took hold of me. He drew me out of the deep waters." (2 Samuel 22:17, Psalms 18:6 and 16).

Holy - who do we have in heaven or on earth, but You Lord? Oh to be back on solid ground. Give me strength today to stay firmly in your way and away from the tempting waters.

Many thanks

Father you are so good to me;
I thank you for showing me
mercy when it shouldn't be.

You extend your love when most would shun;
Always forgiving when I fail
Thank you that You'll not leave me undone.

If it were I "working on me,"
I would have stopped long ago, thrown in the towl, and gotten up from the potter's wheel.

But you are faithful, working always Your perfect plan;
shaping and conforming me to the image of your beloved son.

Thank you that you will never quit;
What an honor, what an end it will be to the
...beginning.

Laugh or Cry

Do I laugh now, or do I cry?

Let me not ask the question why.

All for a reason, a reason for all.

To make one's character mighty and tall.

We rejoice in our sufferings,

for it works patience in our hearts.

This patience forms character and experience,

then comes the next part.

Hope...

And it is hope that will never leave us

disappointed or dismayed.

To You I'll handover all tormenting, frustrating times,

and grow in Your presense, oh Hope Divine.

Being and Doing the Next Thing

Who am I when circumstances try
to defy
the peace and joy that are mine
by design?

Given to me to live life in harmony.

I know this state is possible,
as it is decreed,

By the Ancient of Days
Who came to set captives free.

Free am I? To be me and stand tall above all?
Yes, it is so... who says?

I know. For it has been said from the beginning of time
we are...

Free to stand by the power of Grace Divine

So to circumstances surrounding, I denounce with set face.

Surrender will I only to Thee, setting my heart to unite
to honor Thy name and be the me You intended.

Having done all to stand, I will continue this Way,
being me as designed, and doing the next thing..

totally understood it's by Thy power alone

...with peace from above and a joyful heart,

Regardless of what opposes, or come what may.

The Way

Although I do not see Him,
I know He is there;
Taking hold of my every care.

Every care given,
He replaces with Light;
sustaining me always from morning to night.

Casting my cares on the One who always will care,
keeps me safely secure;
in the Master; and in...

the Way.

Blooming or Fading?

Today I feel more as a fading vine rather than a blooming flower. I like to be productive. I like to know that what I do matters. Jesus, when asked if He wanted something to eat, replied "my meat is to do the work of my Father." In other words that is where He got His sustenance, doing what He was sent to do. If He was not doing the assigned task, there was no life, so what would be the point?

I am grateful for a nice job, a good boss, a great family, and a good home. But lately, I do not feel if what I do is valuable or has meaning. I feel like I am fading. Productivity, knowing what you do has meaning and value, is quite important.

Maybe all of this is that what I am doing is not the work the Father has intended for me? And, somehow, I have gotten into situations that are not included in His plan for me? Is this factual? Or is it something I am rationalizing because today I do not 'feel' productive? Surely, all humans have slump days?

Today I am in the Garden alone... I want to hear the voice of the Master. If this is a time for me to simply be content with where I am, and surrender my will "to be productive" give me peace in that. If I have managed to get myself off track because of my own doing, please move me to where You want me to be.

It is very noisy here on earth. Help me to get quiet, to hear Your voice and to grow in Your grace and knowledge, and more importantly to be about the Father's business; whether it be busy about things or sitting at Your feet. Forever Yours, in productive times and in times of lull.

Faith, Righteousness, and Wine (or Whine)

On the way to work one morning I was thinking about some news I'd gotten that was very unsettling. As I drove I was talking to God about it. I was speaking out loud to God (very loud) telling Him all of the things that I wanted to say to the person who I felt "caused" the unsettling news.

As I drove I recalled my morning devotion; It was about how wine comes from grapes and how grapes have to be smashed and stepped on before they can become the fine form of priceless wine.

As I conversed "with" God it became clear that the "unsettling news" was growing into a battle of frustration and anger in my mind. Yet, this news was nothing over which I had control. It was not something I could fix myself with my own flesh and blood.

So I began to picture myself putting on the “Whole Armor of God,” (Ephesians).

The helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, my loins girded with truth, and my feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace.

I took up the shield of faith in my left hand and was holding it firmly in front of me, and I had the sword of the Spirit in my right hand.

But then I could see myself slowly lowering the shield of faith toward the ground. I said to God, “This shield is too heavy for me to carry.”

As I tried to walk, the shield further lowered to the ground. I struggled to put one foot in front of the other as I walked. I said out loud, “God, I am so tired of being a grape, when is all of this going to end?" He only said to me "My grace is sufficient for you." To which I replied, "Then surely I will become a fine bottle of wine by the time my life on earth is over."

Within a millisecond I saw in my mind's eye that though the shield of faith, which was still in my hand, but resting on the ground, was not held where it could protect me from an enemy.

Yet, the breastplate of righteousness was still in place: it was there, sealed by the Holy Spirit, protecting me. My prayers to the Almighty, with supplication in the Spirit, kept me safe in God and His great peace fell upon me; my heart and mind turned to Christ Jesus. The unsettling news was no longer at the forefront of my mind, stirring my emotions causing distress.

How faithful He remains when I am not.

Now, I was thinking about the Lord who faced much more than unsettling news in His life. He walked on this earth and was trampled upon by mankind -- stepped on, smashed; faced mockery; beatings; and died the cruelest of all deaths.

He did all of it by choice for mankind - no whining, he just became wine. Even though He knew the condition of man, rather their "depravity" or "nobility," He still came and He died so that we could be reconciled to and have a relationship with God.

I am glad God was with me that morning while driving to work...and listened to me whine. Without that talk, my day would have been consumed with something I, humanly, could do nothing about.

With my thoughts set on Him, my loins girded with truth, and my feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace -- and my emotion contained -- I approached the person who I felt "caused" the unsettling news with love later in the day.

Whoever, whatever, the "cause," of the unsettling news, the experience allowed me to know the beauty of not feeling like a loose grape rolling around aimlessly, with whining emotions out of control; rather, I experienced safety and security, found in His presence (as wine would be within the confines of its bottle).

Blessings, Grace, Peace, and Love… Seed Sower Deb