If All Else Fails, Read the Directions.... or NOT

About a year ago I was given a nice little Sony digital camera. Although curious about the technology, it isn't likely that I would have purchased a digital camera any time soon because I have been content with my old-fashioned Minolta. The digital camera came with a detailed book of instructions. Now, you would think that I would begin by reading the book. I opened it! But, way too many words faced me, so I closed it and put the camera back in the box. Spring 2009 rolled around and I decided to learn how to use my camera. For me, that meant just using it. I still haven't read the directions. Josiah, (my son) helped me load my 1st bunch of pictures onto my computer and then I figured out how to export them to other places. I am hooked! Good-bye Minolta!

One morning I shot a picture of the magnolia blossom in the photo. For some reason, this year my Southern Magnolia tree has had more blooms than ever before. I wish that you could smell the delicious fragrance! Nothing, other than the rose even comes close to its wonderful perfume. As you can see, the insects like it, too.

If all else fails... read the directions is not an approach that I would recommend for most things. I certainly didn't learn cooking, drawing & painting, piano, gardening and numerous other things that way. In fact, when I am interested in learning something new, I can spend hours researching. I am currently in that process with learning how to groom my Shih Tzu dog, Max. I may even invest in a DVD that takes me step by step through the process. I am determined to learn!

Sometimes in our walk with the Lord, it is easy to regard His Word as one of those guides that we take a look at when all else fails, or NOT! Maybe we are too tired to read, or too overwhelmed by all of the words, or we run to our friends and loved ones to find solutions or consolation. How determined are we to learn God's ways? How determined are we to know the One who loved us so much that He gave up 100% of Himself so that we could have redemption? Are we determined enough to spend hours reading and searching His Word so that we can live life right? It probably doesn't matter much if I learn to use my digital camera by trial and error. It does matter if I live my life that way! Wrong choices, no matter if intended or not can result in a lifetime of heartache. We only get one chance at life. To live life right, one needs direction. God has given us all the directions that we need for living this life in His Word. Psalm 119 clearly expresses that concept. What a great gift His Word is to us! Let us read it and reap the blessings that He has promised!

O Word of God incarnate, O wisdom from on high,
O Truth unchanged, unchanging, O Light of our dark sky;
We praise You for the radiance that from the hallowed page,
A lantern to our footsteps, shines on from age to age.

The Church from You, our Savior, received the Gift divine,
And still that Light is lifted over all the earth to shine.
It is the sacred Vessel where gems of truth are stored;
It is the heaven drawn picture of CHrist, the living Word.

The Scripture is a banner before God's host unfurled;
It is a shining Beacon above the darkling world.
It is the Chart and Compass that over life's surging tide,
Mid mists and rocks and quicksands, to You, O Christ, will guide.

O make your Church, dear Savior, a lamp of purest gold,
To bear before the nations Your true light as of old.
O teach your wandering pilgrims by this their path to trace,
Till, clouds and darkness ended, they see you face to face. (words by William How)

Images

I recently had the opportunity to attend a wonderful performance of Debussy’s Images done by one of the world’s finest orchestras. The music painted pictures of images that the composer had in his mind and wished to communicate to an audience of listeners. The watercolor on the left is a picture of a village lane. My love of the quaint and nostalgic as well as my longing for tranquility motivates me to paint such scenes. They are merely images of what I perceive will communicate those ideas. Images are simply that! They are not reality!

What is reality? Truth is reality! But, what is truth? Psalm 119:160 says, “The sum of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting.” In John chapter 8, Jesus said, “If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” And again in John 14, “I am the way, and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

God’s Word is full of images… images that are based on truth. One of my favorite Psalms is Psalm 1. “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers…” What an image of strength, health and success! In the New Testament book of John, Jesus paints a vivid picture – “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”

How can we obtain a reality that is filled with blessings and peace? Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” This does not mean that worldly desires are going to be granted. When we truly delight ourselves in the Lord, our hearts are changed. Our longings and desires become transformed to that which pleases God and brings us great peace and joy. Sometimes the most abundant peace and joy comes in midst of trials and suffering. The book of Job paints an amazing picture of a man who suffered greatly but remained faithful to God. Job said, “But He (God) knows the way I take; when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” I believe that some of the most exemplary saints are those who have gone through the refining fires of trial and suffering and have come forth shining like gold. Their lives are a picture of strength, health and success! Their joy is indescribable! Peace and tranquility belong to them because they trust in God’s sovereign plan. They know that He is good and that He is accomplishing His purposes through their circumstances.

Ron Hamilton, a contemporary hymn writer wrote the following hymn after going through an intense trial. This hymn has often been a source of comfort and encouragement to me and I hope that you will be blessed by the words. You can hear it sung by Ron Hamilton at this link.

http://www.majestymusic.com/p-165-rejoice-in-the-lord-cd.aspx

O REJOICE IN THE LORD

God never moves without purpose or plan

When trying His servant and molding a man.

Give thanks to the LORD though your testing seems long;

In darkness He giveth a song.

I could not see through the shadows ahead;

So I looked at the cross of my Savior instead

I bowed to the will of the Master that day;

Then peace came and tears fled away.

Now I can see testing comes from above;

God strengthens His children and purges in love.

My Father knows best, and I trust in His care;

Through purging more fruit I will bear.

Chorus:

O Rejoice in the LORD

He makes no mistake,

He knoweth the end of each path that I take,

For when I am tried

And purified,

I shall come forth as gold.

Weeds

The flowers in the photo on the left grew in my garden one summer. What a vibrant contrast the gaillardia blanket flower is to the purple lavender. What beauty can be cultivated into a backyard garden! Unfortunately, it doesn’t last unless one is diligent in keeping the weeds out. I am not a true gardener. I do not enjoy spending hours in my gardens. I am an artist and I love beauty. I especially love to photograph and paint flowers. I am fascinated by the variety that God has created. So, in a sense my desire for the end result is what motivates me to pull out the weeds. What an abundance of weeds, especially this spring when we’ve had more rain than usual. Some of the weeds grow and spread quite rapidly. Some look like the plants that are growing in my garden. Some are rather persistent and hard to get rid of and then there is a particular weed that is rooted so deep that I can pull with all my strength, but I can’t get it out. I am pretty sure that its roots go all the way to China and are someone’s bonsai plant on that side of the world. I usually hack it off at the base, but the roots are still there and the plant comes back.

So many things in the natural world point to things in the spiritual world or at least remind me of my walk with Jesus Christ. Often, as I am weeding in my garden I am reminded of how sin can be like weeds. It is ugly. It can be invasive. It is destructive. It is also deceptive. If it is not properly dealt with, it will come back. Most definitely, it is NEVER worth it to sin. Just as you wouldn’t plant the seeds of weeds in your garden because of the problem it would produce, we should never willingly go ahead and sin. If you have trusted in Christ and are His child, then the Holy Spirit lives within you. As you submit to the process of sanctification you will look more and more like Christ. Paul implored the Christians in Ephesians chapter 4 to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” In 1 Peter chapter 3, true beauty is referred to as, “the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.” 2 Peter, chapter 1 tells us -“His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness.” We are partakers of the “divine nature.” Doesn’t that mean that we have power to overcome! With Jesus Christ living within, we can truly say, “I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.”

We can live godly lives! If you are struggling with sin, repent! Ask God to grant you the grace to overcome. Submit to whatever He allows to touch your life. He is good! His purposes are always for good and not for evil. “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11. Don’t let the weeds of sin spoil the garden of your soul. Enjoy the blessings of God. Live for Him! Submit to Him!

My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign.
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

I love Thee because Thou has first loved me,
And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree.
I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

I’ll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death,
And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath;
And say when the death dew lies cold on my brow,
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

In mansions of glory and endless delight,
I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;
I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now. (Words by William Featherston)

Waiting

Life is filled with times of waiting. In fact, I think that we do more waiting than we realize. Waiting in traffic, in lines, on the phone, for important events, and the list goes on. The painting on the left is a watercolor of a gladiola plant that once bloomed in my garden. That particular summer, I decided to plant gladiola bulbs. Then came the waiting! There wasn't much that I could do to speed up the process. It was worth the wait! I had never planted gladiolas before and wasn't prepared for the beauty and elegance of the flowering plant. So it is in life! Waiting has purpose and can be a time of great spiritual growth. The end result for the one who submits to the waiting and trusts in the Lord is that of greater refinement and beauty. Patience is learned through waiting! Patience is a fruit of the spirit and should be greatly desired by those who are chosen of God to be His people and who represent Him in this world.

Waiting is NOT easy! It can be painful. Often I've cried out the words of the Psalmist (39:7), "And now, Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You." Psalm 27:14 says, "Wait for the Lord; Be strong and LET your heart take courage: Yes, wait for the Lord." Psalm 25: 3 says, "Indeed, none of those who wait for You will be ashamed...." and Isaiah 40:31 has given me courage many times while waiting to see the outcome of a difficult situation. "Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary."
So, friend, if you are in a difficult waiting time, what can you do? You can rest in the Lord and keep His ways (Psa. 37:34). God will enable you to do so, if you ask Him? What a blessing that God has chosen to work in your life through a time of waiting. Be thankful that He is at work in your life. "He who began a good work in you, will complete it." (Phil. 1:6) "We are His workmanship." (Ephesians 2:10) God doesn't do shoddy work and those who "put their trust in Him will not be disappointed." (Isaiah 49:23) Offer praise and thanksgiving to God. Think of all the blessings that He has bestowed upon you! Remember that He will keep His promises! He has to because He is faithful and He does not lie. His Word clearly says that "He will lead and guide you for His name's sake". It also promises that "He will never leave or forsake you." It's so important to read God's Word! It is a living WORD! Psalm 1 promises that those who meditate on God's Word day and night will be "like a tree firmly planted by the streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers."
I would encourage you to cultivate your relationship your heavenly Father! He loves you far more than any person on this earth ever could. He has your best interest at heart! He wants you to succeed in your walk with Him! Trust Him! Praise Him! Study His Word and obey Him and you will bloom like a flower in the garden of life!

Another hymn.... (words by Anna Waring)

Father, I know that all my life
Is portioned out for me,
And the changes that are sure to come
I do not fear to see;
But I ask Thee for a present mind
Intent on pleasing Thee.

I ask Thee for a thoughtful love,
Through constant watching wise,
To meet the glad with joyful smiles,
And to wipe the weeping eyes;
And a heart at leisure from itself,
To soothe and sympathize.

I would not have the restless will
That hurries to and fro,
Seeking for some great thing to do
Or secret thing to know;
I would be treated as a child,
And guided where I go.

Wherever in the world I am,
In whatsoe’er estate,
I have a fellowship with hearts
To keep and cultivate;
And a work of lowly love to do
For the Lord on Whom I wait.

So I ask Thee for daily strength,
To none that ask denied,
And a mind to blend with outward life
While keeping at Thy side;
Content to fill a little space,
If Thou be glorified.

And if some things I do not ask
In my cup of blessing be,
I would have my spirit filled the more
With grateful love to Thee,
More careful, not to serve Thee much,
But to please Thee perfectly.

There are briers besetting every path
That call for patient care;
There is a cross in every lot,
And an earnest need for prayer;
But a lowly heart that leans on Thee
Is happy anywhere.

In a service which Thy will appoints
There are no bonds for me;
For my inmost heart is taught “the truth”
That makes Thy children “free.”
And a life of self renouncing love
Is a life of liberty.

May you be blessed as you submit to God during your times of waiting!

~Ruth

The Rose

Soon my roses will be blooming! Every year, I grab my Minolta 35 mm camera and start shooting. The pictures are nearly the same! Why do I feel such an incessant need to keep photographing the same flowers? Perhaps because they are so beautiful and I just want to capture and keep the memory.
Roses certainly are beautiful flowers and the fragrant ones are delightfully fragrant! Some might say that they are one of the most desirable flowers. Lovers throughout the ages have sent roses to their beloved, so they are at least a symbol of love and devotion.
In Morning and Evening by Spurgeon, the writing for May 1st evening is as follows....
"Whatever there may be of beauty in the material world, Jesus Christ possesses all that in the spiritual world in tenfold degree. Among flowers the rose is deemed the sweetest, but Jesus is infinitely more beautiful in the garden of the soul than the rose can be in the gardens of the earth. He takes the first place as the fairest among ten thousand. He is the sun, and all others are the stars; the heavens and the day are dark in comparison with Him, for the King in His beauty transcends all. "I am the rose of Sharon." This was the best and rarest of roses. Jesus is not "the rose" alone, He is " the rose of Sharon." just as He calls His righteousness "gold", and then adds, "the gold of Ophir" - the best of the best! He is positively lovely, and superlatively the loveliest. There is variety in His charms. The rose is delightful to the eye, and its scent is pleasant and refreshing: so each of the senses of the soul, whether it be the taste or feeling, the hearing, the sight, or the spiritual smell, finds appropriate gratification in Jesus. Even the recollection of His love is sweet. Take the rose of Sharon, and pull it leaf from leaf, and lay by the leaves in the jar of memory, and you shall find each leaf fragrant long afterward, filling the house with perfume. Christ satisfies the highest taste of the most educated spirit to the very full. The greatest amateur in perfumes is quite satisfied with the rose: and when the soul has arrived at her highest pitch of true taste, it will still be content with Christ, nay, it will be better able to appreciate Him. Heaven itself possesses nothing that excels the rose of Sharon. What emblem can fully set forth His beauty? Human speech and earth-born things fail to tell of Him. Earth's choicest charms commingled feebly picture His abounding preciousness. Blessed rose, bloom in my heart for ever!"
Wonderful words written by Spurgeon!! They paint a lovely picture of Jesus Christ! But, do I live it? Is He truly the rose that blooms in my heart? Does His fragrance fill my life? When others look at me, do they see Christ reflected in my life? True beauty is the beauty that radiates from within. True beauty should be characteristic of all who are children of the Heavenly King because Jesus, the Rose of Sharon lives within them. My prayer is that of David as written in Psalm 63..... (NASB)
¹O God,You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly;
My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You,
In a dry and weary land where there is no water.
²Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary,
To see Your power and Your glory.
³Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
My lips will praise You.
⁴So I will bless You as long as I live;
I will lift up my hands in Your name.
⁵My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness,
And my mouth offers praises with joyful lips.
⁶When I remember You on my bed,
I meditate on You in the night watches,
⁷For You have been my help,
And in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy.
⁸My soul clings to You;
Your right hand upholds me.
⁹But those who seek my life to destroy it,
Will go into the depths of the earth.
¹⁰They will be delivered over to the power of the sword;
They will be a prey for foxes.
¹¹But the king will rejoice in God;
Everyone who swears by Him will glory,
For the mouths of those who speak lies will be stopped.
The next time you view a rose, stop for a minute and think about THE ROSE... the ONE who is more lovely than the loveliest thing you've ever set your eyes on. Think of what He has done for you! Think of what He offers you! A beautiful hymn that is one of many of my favorites is written below..... (words written by Kate Wilkinson)

May the mind of Christ, my Savior,
Live in me from day to day,
By His love and power controlling
All I do and say.

May the Word of God dwell richly
In my heart from hour to hour,
So that all may see I triumph
Only through His power.

May the peace of God my Father
Rule my life in everything,
That I may be calm to comfort
Sick and sorrowing.

May the love of Jesus fill me
As the waters fill the sea;
Him exalting, self abasing,
This is victory.

May I run the race before me,
Strong and brave to face the foe,
Looking only unto Jesus
As I onward go.

May His beauty rest upon me,
As I seek the lost to win,
And may they forget the channel,
Seeing only Him.

Blessings,
~Ruth

Humility of Spirit

What a beautiful time of the year here in my little part of the world. Lawns are ablaze with flowering trees, tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, to mention a few. The birds are singing at the top of their tiny bird-sized lungs.... Artists of all types must find this time of the year most inspiring. I certainly do. The painting on the left is one that I painted a few springs ago. I intend to paint some more at some point in my life but am more focused right now on developing better musical technique on the piano to assist me in my current profession.

This past month, I've reflected on a number of things. In Spurgeon's Devotional, Morning and Evening, I am continuously challenged to think about heart issues. One reading (April 5th- evening) led me to thinking more about what it means to have true humility of spirit. That's so hard for most of us. My worst enemy is often myself, who I tend to think about far more than I should! When I read Psalm 17:15 "As for me, I shall "behold Your face in righteousness; I will be satisfied with Your likeness when I awake." I have to pray, "God, help me to be satisfied with Your likeness when I awake." How many of us wake up thinking about our Savior and Redeemer who paid a tremendous price for our Salvation? How many of us go through each day with such gratitude for what we have in Christ that all of the discomforts of this life fade into the background? I do believe that true humility of spirit can be gained, but not without eyes fixed on Jesus Christ and the cross that He bore. True humility of spirit is a spirit of contentment. That means never complaining about anything. Being willing to accept that all that comes my way is part of the plan that my loving, heavenly Father has for me. True humility of spirit is a spirit that offers grace to others. It accepts their weaknesses and differences patiently. How dare we, who caused our Savior's pain, live lives that are prideful and arrogant. We should be the most humble of all people, knowing that our eternal riches were gained at great cost by our Savior.
Blessings,
~Ruth

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

’Tis mystery all: th’Immortal dies:
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love divine.
’Tis mercy all! Let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.
’Tis mercy all! Let earth adore;
Let angel minds inquire no more.

He left His Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

Still the small inward voice I hear,
That whispers all my sins forgiven;
Still the atoning blood is near,
That quenched the wrath of hostile Heaven.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.

No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own. (WORDS BY WESLEY)