Fix it

My wife decided to go through her old recipe books and remove any that were not useful. Part of the books and pamphlets were her mothers and were printed in the 1930's. She found something useful among the books, it was a repair manual for her vacuum cleaner. The vacuum was not working well and we had called a repair place for an estimate to have it looked at. My wife is mechanically gifted and she wanted to fix it herself. I helped her remove the tight bolts and soon she had cleaned out a lot of gunk and found an exhaust filter that was plugged. It runs great now. Well it isn't too hard to apply this lesson. When things are not going well, look to the manual, the Bible and get cleaned out by repentance, asking for forgiveness and the oil of the Holy Spirit. We run better when we are in tune with God's plan. 

1Jn 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

2Cor 2:17  For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ. 

Heb 4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 

Images and Imagination

The Mallard duck was preening itself. What a lovely design of feathers and beak on this creation of the LORD.

Gen 1:21  And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 

Ducks love water and they are fun to watch as they splash and bathe in the water. Bathing in water is how we become clean.

Isa 1:16  Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
Isa 1:17  Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
Isa 1:18  Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. 

Are you watching me? The lovely "Common" Egret, is common in that they are numerous, but their design is wonderfully made; pure white. They stand out wherever they are, but from a fishes eye view they blend in with the bright sun, making them almost invisible.

Mar 12:36  For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.
Mar 12:37  David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly.
Mar 12:38  And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces,
Mar 12:39  And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts:
Mar 12:40  Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation. 

I see images in nature in old trees. This looks like an old owl sitting on an arm with open hand. An owl sitting on Cecil? God gave us imaginations, but we are to separate truth from untruth.

Rom 1:21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Rom 1:22  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23  And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 

I have photographed this old oak tree from many angles.
 This view looks to me like an elephant. I suppose the first idols were objects found that resembled birds or animals. We are not to worship these above God who created them. Can you imagine all of the creation just happening by chance? They call that evolution. The truth is that God created all there is and he loves us, wanting us to come to him through Jesus his Son.

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
1Pe 4:18  And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
1Pe 4:19  Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.