Follow Me!

Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?”        John 21:21

As Jesus and Peter walked along the beach in conversation about God’s will, Peter turned around and saw his friend John following close behind. Maybe John just wanted to see if Jesus would talk with him also or maybe like a younger sibling he was simply eavesdropping! When Peter saw John suddenly the question came to him that often comes to us all: “What about him? Why won’t he have to experience the same things I do? “Lovingly Jesus turned Peter’s focus back to where it needed to be: “Follow Me!”

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As Americans we are raised on fairness. We grow up with it in the home, we hear and see it in the media and it is almost written into our DNA! But our God does much better than being fair with us: He gives us His grace. What a wonderful rest will enter into the DNA of our soul once we settle the matter of His grace and His will. What others will or won’t have to do will fade away and the eyes of our heart will begin to see Jesus clearly as we hear His plain message; “Follow Me!”

 

 

Harvest Planning

Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering his seed, some fell along the path and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop – a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown. Matthew 13:3-8

IMG_5328In seed catalogues every variety comes with a photo. But the photos are not of the seeds; they are of, red ripe tomatoes or deep green broccoli. No one wants to see shriveled up corn or dried beans. Continue reading

Are You Thirsty today?

July 2012 016Not too long go we stayed in a hotel in South Carolina. At home we are quite used to drinking only spring water because the city water has such a heavy taste of Chlorine. That night I  had forgotten to bring in bottled water but I was so thirsty that I decided to settle for water from the sink. How wonderfully surprised I was at the sweet clean water that simply flowed freely from the tap!

In the Bible God promises that if we thirst for Him we will be satisfied. But there are days that I am thirsty only for approval, financial blessings or some “me time”. Those kind of days are far too common. But on rare mornings I wake up to realize that it has been weeks or maybe months since I was really thirsty for Jesus. Those mornings I long to draw close enough to Jesus Christ to drink from the cup of water that He is holding in His hands. It is easy and available both to me and you just like the water in the hotel. We don’t have to hoard it, buy it or wait for it. It is water that is free! It is water that becomes in me a source so great that I am almost forced to share it with others. His water is for anyone but there is just one catch. We must wake up thirsty enough to be willing to come to Him and drink! Are you thirsty for Jesus today?

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled  Matthew 5:6 NKJV

Taste and see that the Lord is good. Psalm 34:8

Ho everyone who thirsts come to the waters.. Isaiah 55:1

 

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