Light or Shadows

There wasn't much light as I came to the street that led to the park. One of the largest oak trees still standing is in the front of the Episcopal church. The moon shined through the shadows of the tree.

The LORD always speaks to me on my visits to the park. The church sign spoke to me. Is our life a light in the darkness of the world or are we as a shadow? The Old Testament was Gods light but it also had shadows and types of the true light that was to be manifest. Jesus is the light of the world. We are to shine forth his light of goodness and truth.

Mat 5:14  Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 

Mat 5:15  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 

Mat 5:16  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 

The light of the moon made a veil of light on the pond surface. Our light must come from within, the light of God from the Holy Spirit.

1Jn 2:8  Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. 

1Jn 2:9  He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. 

1Jn 2:10  He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. 

1Jn 2:11  But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes. 

A small child was feeding the ducks from the dock. I gave my bread to her parents and the little girl was delighted to feed the ducks and Randy the goose with the encouragement of her mother. This was a good lesson of sharing from our abundance. Our LORD shares his abundance and all good things with us.

Jas 1:17  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 

The ducks were as ghosts in the night time light. There is a spirit world that we sometimes see through our spiritual eyes.

Deu 29:29  The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law. 

Randy is there too, but something else happened that troubled me. In the distance was a struggle, a black duck had been introduced into the pond. At one time there were four white ducks and over time there is now only one white duck left who acts as the shepherd over the Mallard ducks. Often I would see a line of ducks being led by the white duck. The black duck attacked the white duck as the other ducks were feeding. Then I saw the black duck chasing a female mallard away from the flock. The shepherd white duck followed seeking to protect the female from the black duck. This is not about racism concerning ducks, but it reminded me of a larger picture where Christians are being persecuted worldwide by Muslim extremists. They kill and destroy the family of God. We are to pray for these who are being persecuted.Their angels go beside them, but the LORD wants us to pray. There is power in the spirit world and our prayers are the power of God for the needs we see. Pray for the souls of the lost and for strength, peace and protection for the Christians and the suffering people of the world to come to Jesus.

Rev 2:10  Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. 

Frost feathers

Sunday morning our car roof was covered with beautiful frost patterns. Enjoy the beauty of God's frost patterns.

Isa 45:4  For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me. 

Isa 45:5  I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: 

Isa 45:6  That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else. 

Isa 45:7  I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things. 

Isa 45:8  Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it. 

A time for rest

The tree is planted near the water waiting for new life in the spring. We too must be planted near the water of the word. There is a time for rest and a time for growth. The water keeps the tree alive as the water of God's word keeps us alive in the Spirit. It is a time of rest for the winter tree. We also need our times of rest, rooted in God's word.

Friday night the clothes dryer motor went out.  After a great deal of searching for a replacement, I can say that a new dryer will be delivered on Monday. The old dryer performed well for ten years with no problems. Some of us push ourselves to do things of ministry and sometimes we are like that dryer or tree, exhausted, no leaves needing rest before our heart's motor says ... no more.  Life requires purpose and also times of rest. A friend likes to remind me that Saturday is the Sabbath day of rest and yet we need rest every day. Most Christians say Sunday is our day for meeting together and yet even Sunday is a day of ministry work. We need our rest. I need rest. We must have our times of rest. We rest in Jesus and he makes us alive again.

Mat 11:28  Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 

Mat 11:29  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 

Mat 11:30  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. 

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Pugilese bread

 My daughter brought home a small loaf of bread. On the label it said it was Pugilese bread, like what is made in southern Italy. This is our recipe for making this dense, moist and spongy bread.

Pugliese bread recipe

Endurance

Psa 102:25  Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. 

Psa 102:26  They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: 

2Co 11:23  Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. 

2Co 11:24  Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 

2Co 11:25  Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 

2Co 11:26  In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 

2Co 11:27  In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 

2Co 11:28  Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. 

2Co 11:29  Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? 

2Co 11:30  If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. 

2Ti 2:4  No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. 

Mat 24:12  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 

Mat 24:13  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 

Mat 24:14  And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. 

2Ti 2:2  And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. 

2Ti 2:3  Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 

All these Manzanita trees face this peaceful lake. We may be afflicted, aged, worn, and yet still standing, as these trees. We have God's peace because we are in his presence day and night.

John 14:27  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 

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. 

Turning again to the way

John 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 

I took a wrong turn in the car three different times today. I had to backtrack and get on the right way again. The last time made me a few minutes late for our rest home service. What a wonderful group of people were there waiting for us. They truly enjoy our time together as do we. The Lord is there; as one friend said, this is as the gates of hell or of heaven, a last chance to make a decision. We have the opportunity to point them towards Jesus and everlasting life. They hear us each week giving them the way.  We all were lost at one time, heading the wrong way. It just took correction, turning or repentance and accepting Jesus as the way to the Father. By loving them, by worshiping together we point the way. Maybe some have never heard the gospel message? They are given an opportunity before stepping into eternity. Lord save our rest home friends.

Act 2:36  Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. 

Act 2:37  Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 

Act 2:38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 

Act 2:39  For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.