If you have read the past 3 posts (Heaven help you), you know that the seeds ended up four different ways. One seed was eaten by the birds because it was on the path; another was thrown among rocks and died because there was no place to root,; yet another was choked by the thorns and died; and the last seed grew and grew.
There was no difference in the seeds whatsoever. There is bad seed, but for all purposes of this parable these seeds were all the same. The difference was the surroundings in which they were placed. No one can grow on a sidewalk, or on rocks, or among weeds and thorns... NO ONE! Yet we stay among the sidewalks and the rocks and weeds of our lives. There is no way that anyone will ever grow until they remove themselves from these things. Unlike a seed which cannot remove itself from those places, we can. It may be a job change; it may be a location change; it may even be a church change. If there are any obstacles that come between our "spiritual" growth and walking tall in God's kingdom, it has to be removed.
There are too many planters and not enough gardens. Plants in planters are cared for with lots of TLC and watched very closely so that they don't get too much water or sunlight or draft. But that is not the purpose of the church. we are not a bunch of specialized plants in a very controlled situation. The church is more like a garden. The seed that is to grow in God's kingdom is to be everywhere and thrown to the wind so that it can be planted wherever and nurtured by the "Master Gardener" -- Jesus. Jesus is the Gardener, man is the waterer. no more and no less. If we try to be the Gardener, we take away God's purpose for Jesus on earth. We spend too much time worrying about the weather and not about the one that is in control of the weather.
Psalm 1:1-3 says it best... "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, an on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers."
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
The Truth About Dawn Seed (#3)
What a sadness, what a dilemma! Seedland heard about the horrible deaths of Homer and Gomer. The agony -- the Sneedy Seeds have long been enemies of Seedland. There had been a great battle with Godseed and Luciseed. Luciseed took many seeds with him after the battle and have fought Godseed ever since.
Ex Seed, Homer and Gomer's mom, was outright emotional. You never saw a seed carry on so; she went into seedshock; the little seedbodies of her sons were never recovered. In the midst of this tribulation, there was a seed that knew the meaning of pain and hurt. Her name was Inter Seed. Inter prayed daily that all Seedland would love the good Lord, would grow to bring nourishment to the Flesh-people, and that she could some day bear seed, for poor Inter was seedless. Inter prayed and prayed and prayed and one day the good Lord gave her a seed. Inter named her Dawn, because she was the beginning of a new day for her.
Inter taught Dawn to be patient and to wait on God and allow God to bring about things in His own time. She also instructed her daughter that the good Lord had a great purpose for her -- to bring nourishment to the Flesh-people. Dawn went to Germinating University like her cousins Rufus, Homer and Gomer. She learned many things and amazed her Professeeds. The day came when Dawn germinated and was Valiseedtorian of her class. She was finally on her way to the Great Farmer.
It seemed like an eternity before she arrived to her final destination. Dawn prayed that the good Lord would find her worthy of the Flesh-people. As she finished her prayer, the Great Farmer lifted her with the many other seeds in his hand and tossed her into the air. Dawn squealed with glee as she flew through the air. All the way to Mother Earth, Dawn just prayed, "Lord, may I be worthy." She fell in beautiful, black, soft, and earthy soil. Her root system went into action and she became the most beautiful plant that the Farmer had ever seen.
"Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown... but the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the Word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop."
All things happen in God's timing. We may have to wait a long time for our prayers to be answered, but the harvest and the wait are worthy it because we are under God's care and protection. Grow!
to be continued...
Ex Seed, Homer and Gomer's mom, was outright emotional. You never saw a seed carry on so; she went into seedshock; the little seedbodies of her sons were never recovered. In the midst of this tribulation, there was a seed that knew the meaning of pain and hurt. Her name was Inter Seed. Inter prayed daily that all Seedland would love the good Lord, would grow to bring nourishment to the Flesh-people, and that she could some day bear seed, for poor Inter was seedless. Inter prayed and prayed and prayed and one day the good Lord gave her a seed. Inter named her Dawn, because she was the beginning of a new day for her.
Inter taught Dawn to be patient and to wait on God and allow God to bring about things in His own time. She also instructed her daughter that the good Lord had a great purpose for her -- to bring nourishment to the Flesh-people. Dawn went to Germinating University like her cousins Rufus, Homer and Gomer. She learned many things and amazed her Professeeds. The day came when Dawn germinated and was Valiseedtorian of her class. She was finally on her way to the Great Farmer.
It seemed like an eternity before she arrived to her final destination. Dawn prayed that the good Lord would find her worthy of the Flesh-people. As she finished her prayer, the Great Farmer lifted her with the many other seeds in his hand and tossed her into the air. Dawn squealed with glee as she flew through the air. All the way to Mother Earth, Dawn just prayed, "Lord, may I be worthy." She fell in beautiful, black, soft, and earthy soil. Her root system went into action and she became the most beautiful plant that the Farmer had ever seen.
"Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown... but the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the Word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop."
All things happen in God's timing. We may have to wait a long time for our prayers to be answered, but the harvest and the wait are worthy it because we are under God's care and protection. Grow!
to be continued...
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
The Triuth About Homer and Gomer Seed (Part 2)
The news about Rufus Seed hit Seedland with a whirlwind of dismay. Pro and Sec went into seed-shock. Pro, Rufus' mother, had a sister named Ex Seed who, when hearing the news was lamenteous. Her own two seedlings, Homer and Gomer,were at Germinating University ready to germinate. What a pitiful tale! Poor ol' Rufus, she'd say over and over to herself and no one in particular.
The day came for the graduation of Homer and Gomer. They were packaged together and sent to an unknown destination. Ex had never explained about the flesh people and Seedland to her two seedlings. They picked up what they knew in the locker room at Seedling Elementary. The flesh people were considered the ultimate in the Creator's handiwork, yet even at Germinating University, there was an element of not sharing that bit of info with everyone. And that is another story entirely.
Homer and Gomer finally arrived at their final destination. They were a little worried, the news about the demise of Rufus traveled like the wind. They wondered what would happen next and what the Great Farmer would be like. At GU, there was a thought that maybe the Great Farmer was the ultimate of all things, and yet that is another story.
Then the Great Farmer took them into his hands and tossed them. Homer was elated, the wind screaming past his seed-ears. He landed on hard packed dirt. It was a path (he had read about them at GU). Meanwhile, Gomer was just as excited as he flew through the air. He landed on a part of the ground already occupied by Sneedy Seed, of the Thorny Family.
Within moments Homer realized that he was going to die -- one of the Creator's flying creatures had him in view and there was no place to hide. The creature picked him up as he screamed then he became the dinner of the creature that went looking for more.
As Homer died, Gomer himself was being choked by the Sneedy family and he likewise perished.
Jesus said, "... some fell along the path and the birds came and ate it up. When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.. other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. What was sown among thorns is the man who hears the Word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, and make it unfruitful."
The seed, as good as it was, still faced uncertain death. You don't have to live in fear of the evil one or the worries of this life... your seed can grow
to be continued
The day came for the graduation of Homer and Gomer. They were packaged together and sent to an unknown destination. Ex had never explained about the flesh people and Seedland to her two seedlings. They picked up what they knew in the locker room at Seedling Elementary. The flesh people were considered the ultimate in the Creator's handiwork, yet even at Germinating University, there was an element of not sharing that bit of info with everyone. And that is another story entirely.
Homer and Gomer finally arrived at their final destination. They were a little worried, the news about the demise of Rufus traveled like the wind. They wondered what would happen next and what the Great Farmer would be like. At GU, there was a thought that maybe the Great Farmer was the ultimate of all things, and yet that is another story.
Then the Great Farmer took them into his hands and tossed them. Homer was elated, the wind screaming past his seed-ears. He landed on hard packed dirt. It was a path (he had read about them at GU). Meanwhile, Gomer was just as excited as he flew through the air. He landed on a part of the ground already occupied by Sneedy Seed, of the Thorny Family.
Within moments Homer realized that he was going to die -- one of the Creator's flying creatures had him in view and there was no place to hide. The creature picked him up as he screamed then he became the dinner of the creature that went looking for more.
As Homer died, Gomer himself was being choked by the Sneedy family and he likewise perished.
Jesus said, "... some fell along the path and the birds came and ate it up. When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.. other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. What was sown among thorns is the man who hears the Word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, and make it unfruitful."
The seed, as good as it was, still faced uncertain death. You don't have to live in fear of the evil one or the worries of this life... your seed can grow
to be continued
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
The Truth About Rufus Seed
There once was a seed named Rufus. Now Rufus was a very healthy seed. When he was born, the seed-doctor said, "Pro (Pro Seed was his mama's name), you have a very nice specimen of a seed here. He's one of the best little seeds I've seen in a long time." Pro would rock little Rufus in a pod every day. She's sing to him and tell him how wonderful he was and how someday he would be a mighty plant. How the good Lord put him on this earth to bring nourishment to the Flesh-people. Rufus would just listen and dream of the day that the Great Farmer would come and put him in the Mother Earth and let him grow so he could feed and nourish the Flesh-people.
Now Rufus went to Germinating University, like all good seeds did, and germinated the "Head Sprout" of his class. His daddy, Sec Seed,* was mighty proud of his little germinator. He told Pro that "someday Rufus would be a tall, healthy plant, as all good Seeds are supposed to."
The day for packaging came. Of course Rufus was one of the first in the bag. He traveled for days and days. He had no idea where he would end up. Finally he was taken into a big warehouse with millions of other seeds and was left there for several days. He was very homesick, but he knew that someday he would be very tall and majestic and serve the one and only purpose he was made for -- to nourish the Flesh-People.
It happened, he was moved from his dark, dreary prison with several thousand friends and relatives and taken on another ride. He came to a very beautiful and quiet place. The seeds waited with anticipation and it happened. The Farmer took him in his hand and tossed him. The wind felt glorious on his little seed-body. Rufus was in second heaven. He finally landed with several other seeds not on soft Mother Earth, but rocks. The great Sun beat its hot rays upon him. Rufus tried to get into the Mother Earth and find water, but he couldn't. The rocks had him and would not allow him to go anywhere. Rufus screamed for help, no one could help him. Others cried and begged for help. He felt his life shriveling. He knew he was dying. A seed-tear fell down his emaciated seed-body. He died.
Jesus said, "The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the Word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the Word, he quickly falls away." have you wondered why you aren't growing? It's not the "seed", it's you. Seek the good soil...
to be continued
Now Rufus went to Germinating University, like all good seeds did, and germinated the "Head Sprout" of his class. His daddy, Sec Seed,* was mighty proud of his little germinator. He told Pro that "someday Rufus would be a tall, healthy plant, as all good Seeds are supposed to."
The day for packaging came. Of course Rufus was one of the first in the bag. He traveled for days and days. He had no idea where he would end up. Finally he was taken into a big warehouse with millions of other seeds and was left there for several days. He was very homesick, but he knew that someday he would be very tall and majestic and serve the one and only purpose he was made for -- to nourish the Flesh-People.
It happened, he was moved from his dark, dreary prison with several thousand friends and relatives and taken on another ride. He came to a very beautiful and quiet place. The seeds waited with anticipation and it happened. The Farmer took him in his hand and tossed him. The wind felt glorious on his little seed-body. Rufus was in second heaven. He finally landed with several other seeds not on soft Mother Earth, but rocks. The great Sun beat its hot rays upon him. Rufus tried to get into the Mother Earth and find water, but he couldn't. The rocks had him and would not allow him to go anywhere. Rufus screamed for help, no one could help him. Others cried and begged for help. He felt his life shriveling. He knew he was dying. A seed-tear fell down his emaciated seed-body. He died.
Jesus said, "The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the Word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the Word, he quickly falls away." have you wondered why you aren't growing? It's not the "seed", it's you. Seek the good soil...
to be continued
Thursday, August 27, 2009
THERE IS A PLACE
I wrote this years ago, but wanted it here so that I don't lose it (again). It was written for Makkael and Tyler and also for the baby that Cherie and I lost .
There is a place...
a place that is between dreams and waking
a place I will be
I will ask Jesus to take me there each and every day
to say... I love you! I miss you!
It is where I will wipe your tears and kiss you gently and hug you.
You are the joy of my life
and yet you are loved greater by the One who has brought me there...
the Lover of our souls
And we will stand there in that place before you wake, Jesus and I... together…
saying... we love you.
There is a place… beyond that place
a place by a river, a river with shores of diamonds and rubies.
That is where I will wait for you to enjoy eternity and to worship together... the ONE who has truly loved you.
and in the place where there will be eternal joy.
There is a place...
There is a place...
a place that is between dreams and waking
a place I will be
I will ask Jesus to take me there each and every day
to say... I love you! I miss you!
It is where I will wipe your tears and kiss you gently and hug you.
You are the joy of my life
and yet you are loved greater by the One who has brought me there...
the Lover of our souls
And we will stand there in that place before you wake, Jesus and I... together…
saying... we love you.
There is a place… beyond that place
a place by a river, a river with shores of diamonds and rubies.
That is where I will wait for you to enjoy eternity and to worship together... the ONE who has truly loved you.
and in the place where there will be eternal joy.
There is a place...
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
June 2, 2009
Just wanted to say I had a great day. Had lunch with Bob Riley @ Quizno's in Clovis. Bob is always fun to be with.
Working on worship services as usual, listened 2 hours to Christmas music from Word. Oy!
Working on worship services as usual, listened 2 hours to Christmas music from Word. Oy!
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
In The Twinkling Of An Eye
I used the King James phrase for this because it is a great explanation for an event in the future that we will probably be a part of. in I Cor 15:51-52 (New King James)
"Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed"
That is just an awesome thought that in the part of a second it takes to blink your eye, the amount of time it takes to just shut your eye and open it in a blink, that is all the time it will take for Him to return. That's it.
A blink.
a "twinkling"
it is less than a second. that is all that separates us from the return of Christ. When will that be? is it this blink? the next one? how about the next blink?
It is a moment... a twinkling... and we will be changed.
The thing i love the most is that that is how quick it will take to get to the greatest worship service that will go on for eternity. unfathomable!
we complain about worship services being too long, we have to stand, it's too loud, we don't like the songs, we can't wait for church to be over... gotta eat, gotta watch a game, gotta see mom and dad.... it goes on and on... It seems that the worship part of the service (all 4 songs) is just too much to deal with. Some people time their arrival to coincide with the end of the "singing" because it isn't "their thing". Some leave the second the sermon is over (something about the offering) and some as soon as communion is over (communion saves us thank God, and as long as we get our bread and juice, we are ok till next week).
The saddest part of it all is that a lot of people never really worship! we are too busy getting there and waiting to leave to actually give any reverence to the reason we are there! I have to admit it makes me angry, but I just trust God enuf to know that He can handle it. I think we must become indignant to the things that hurt the heart of God. We need to be bold and loud to the ones that break the heart of God.
And when is it even reasonable that 4 songs and a sermon change the world. It can, and it has, but when is that the definition of worship.
And when is it acceptable that we complain because we don't like a style of music or a song or that we don't sing enuf hymns??? Who has given us the right to tell God what he needs. I always shake my head when someone tells me we need more hymns or newer songs or .... what does God want? Is it songs He is looking for? Is it a musical style? Is God looking to see what we are wearing on? or what the lady on the 4th row was doing during the sermon? What is God doing during the drama in Pew # 5??? He is looking at our hearts.
So what is the answer to all these questions? When we seek more to our own personal desires in "worship" and what we want to see and hear, we do not have the heart of God. God is looking at our hearts. He is checking our motives. He knows when we've been bad or good...
My other thought is this. If we can hardly make it to a worship service here while we are live, how do we think we will enjoy heaven with the "eternal' worship service? Why would we think that heaven would be the place to end up with when we can't even "sit thru" the rehearsals. DO NOT TELL GOD WHAT WANT IN A WORSHIP SERVICE. It is not about YOU... it has nothing to do with YOU... the questions is WHAT DOES GOD WANT???
that being said and ranted... i started this with a great thought... and I will end this post with the same thought. The greatest worship experience can happen here on earth, not in most churches, but it can happen. We have to prepare our hearts, and our minds, and our lives. It has nothing to do with the hour and ten minute event that takes place millions of times each week. It has nothing to do with what we want and like and demand. It is about the worship of the Creator of all things. Only through grace have we been made worthy to be in His presence. Only through grace will we be able to worship in spirit and truth, for EVER... eternally... in the twinkling of an eye.
"Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed"
That is just an awesome thought that in the part of a second it takes to blink your eye, the amount of time it takes to just shut your eye and open it in a blink, that is all the time it will take for Him to return. That's it.
A blink.
a "twinkling"
it is less than a second. that is all that separates us from the return of Christ. When will that be? is it this blink? the next one? how about the next blink?
It is a moment... a twinkling... and we will be changed.
The thing i love the most is that that is how quick it will take to get to the greatest worship service that will go on for eternity. unfathomable!
we complain about worship services being too long, we have to stand, it's too loud, we don't like the songs, we can't wait for church to be over... gotta eat, gotta watch a game, gotta see mom and dad.... it goes on and on... It seems that the worship part of the service (all 4 songs) is just too much to deal with. Some people time their arrival to coincide with the end of the "singing" because it isn't "their thing". Some leave the second the sermon is over (something about the offering) and some as soon as communion is over (communion saves us thank God, and as long as we get our bread and juice, we are ok till next week).
The saddest part of it all is that a lot of people never really worship! we are too busy getting there and waiting to leave to actually give any reverence to the reason we are there! I have to admit it makes me angry, but I just trust God enuf to know that He can handle it. I think we must become indignant to the things that hurt the heart of God. We need to be bold and loud to the ones that break the heart of God.
And when is it even reasonable that 4 songs and a sermon change the world. It can, and it has, but when is that the definition of worship.
And when is it acceptable that we complain because we don't like a style of music or a song or that we don't sing enuf hymns??? Who has given us the right to tell God what he needs. I always shake my head when someone tells me we need more hymns or newer songs or .... what does God want? Is it songs He is looking for? Is it a musical style? Is God looking to see what we are wearing on? or what the lady on the 4th row was doing during the sermon? What is God doing during the drama in Pew # 5??? He is looking at our hearts.
So what is the answer to all these questions? When we seek more to our own personal desires in "worship" and what we want to see and hear, we do not have the heart of God. God is looking at our hearts. He is checking our motives. He knows when we've been bad or good...
My other thought is this. If we can hardly make it to a worship service here while we are live, how do we think we will enjoy heaven with the "eternal' worship service? Why would we think that heaven would be the place to end up with when we can't even "sit thru" the rehearsals. DO NOT TELL GOD WHAT WANT IN A WORSHIP SERVICE. It is not about YOU... it has nothing to do with YOU... the questions is WHAT DOES GOD WANT???
that being said and ranted... i started this with a great thought... and I will end this post with the same thought. The greatest worship experience can happen here on earth, not in most churches, but it can happen. We have to prepare our hearts, and our minds, and our lives. It has nothing to do with the hour and ten minute event that takes place millions of times each week. It has nothing to do with what we want and like and demand. It is about the worship of the Creator of all things. Only through grace have we been made worthy to be in His presence. Only through grace will we be able to worship in spirit and truth, for EVER... eternally... in the twinkling of an eye.
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