R.E.A.L. Women Devotional - Trees of Hope

It is so amazing to me how God will speak to me through His Word and nature.  He made me a visual person so I suppose this is His way of communicating.

Two weeks ago, I noticed a scripture card that I had placed on my bulletin board over my desk.  To be quite honest, I have several scripture cards pinned to the board and this one was not one that I really noticed until one morning in my devotions. 

Last week, I happened to land in the book of Job.  Amazingly, the scripture that I had pinned to the board was in the scripture reading.  It was Job 14:7-9 NLT "Even a tree has more hope! If it is cut down, it will sprout again and grow new branches. ⁸ Though its roots have grown old in the earth and its stump decays,⁹ at the scent of water it will bud and sprout again like a new seedling." 

In context, this portion of scripture is during a conversation Job is having with his friends who are telling him he's been disobedient and that is why his life is in turmoil.  Job replies in his moment of sorrow sounding a bit hopeless, yet never turns his heart from God.  

This same week, we took a mini trip up to Northern California.  Little did I know that God was going to use trees to speak to me.  We visited the redwoods in the Muir Woods National Monument.  As we followed the trail, giants redwoods stood hundreds of stories high.  These trees have been there for centuries.  The nature of redwoods is that they are very hearty trees.  Not much can destroy them, which is why they have grown so tall and their trunks are pretty thick.  But what I found interesting was that some had fallen and never removed.  It was at this moment I heard the Holy Spirit say to me, "Are you going to be like the fallen tree or are you going to be the standing tree?"  Although the fallen trees added to the beauty, they had no life to them and actually got in the way of some of the paths. They had been cut in half so visitors could continue to view the beauty of the redwood forest. 

Over the last 18 months, I have pulled back because of circumstances. I felt I had lost my sense of calling and purpose.  Some, to be honest, I know was my frustration with God as it seemed some "pruning" was going on.  I know pruning is good, but it does hurt!  


On our way home from our mini vacation, we took a detour and visited the Sequoia National Park.  This too was another amazing forest of trees that have stood for thousands of years. These trees, like the redwoods are hearty trees as well.

The "cone" of a sequoia stays on a tree for 20 years.  The only way for the cone to reproduce is with fire.  When a fire comes through a forest, it causes the cones to open and release millions of seeds.  These seeds are best fertilized by the compost left from the burned areas of where the fire has been.  These trees have also built up a resistance to fire and can survive a fire.  During our visit, there was a forest fire happening in Kings Canyon, just north of the sequoias.

What makes this illustration come alive to me is not only can the tree survive, the fact that it is fire that allows it to reproduce and grow.  This made me think about life in general.  We often go through fire storms in our lives that we often let burn us out.  Unlike the sequoia that needs the heat to produce something, we let the fire become a negative and kill what God is doing in our lives. Even worse we let it burn up the desires and dreams in our heart. This reminded me of Jeremiah 17:8 NLT "They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought.  Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit."

In the verse in Job, it says a dead tree can bud at the scent of water.  Job had no idea when he said this that he was drawing a picture of salvation.  We are dead in our spirit until we "drink from the Living Water" who is Jesus and then our spirit comes alive. Jesus often referred to himself as "living water." And it's only when we stay connected to Jesus can we see our desires and dreams come to life.

As I close, there is one thing these forests have in common.  It's the fact they are forests and not a single tree.  Even in the redwood forest some of the trees had grown together.

 This is a reminder to me that we can't live our lives alone. God created us to need one another for encouragement and strength.

The Body of Christ should be a beautiful forest of green trees that stand together with one another during the storms and fires of life.  We should look more like the picture below in a green garden because we thrive on the Living Water to keep us strong and healthy.  A dry plant won't blow away, burn down or dry up if it has been watered.

If you are walking through a season of hurricane force winds, fire or drought, first ask yourself if you have received from the one and only "Living Water." If you have never accepted Jesus as your personal savior, you can do so right now by just stating that you believe and receive him.  If you are a follower of Jesus and feel like you have been knocked down, then allow the scent of water to begin to breathe new life into you.  If you are in the midst of fire, allow the fire to reproduce the purpose God has for your life and not burn it out.  If you have not taken root, whether it's committing to a church or gathering with fellow Believers, then do so because you weren't meant to stand alone.  

I'll close with this from Romans 5:1-5 NLT"Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. ² Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. ³ We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. ⁴ And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. ⁵ And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love."







                                                                                                                            

R.E.A.L. Women Devotional: It's Reigning, It's Pouring...

For months I've been waiting to write on the book of Joel. This book has a special place in my heart. It is scripture that I have clung to many times in the past 5 years. I must give a disclaimer as what I am about to write is not backed by Biblical Scholars or Theologians. It is what I believe the Holy Spirit has been speaking to me over a period of time.

It wasn't until my trip Israel that I could fully understand this book. There are many metaphors used to describe situations and circumstances through this book of only 3 chapters. Yet it is powerful. I don't think Joel knew when writing this how much it would resemble the middle east in the 21st century. Even though some of the prophetic books in the Bible have already taken place, I do believe the reason they are still important to this day is because history does repeat itself. Joel 1:2&3 says "Hear this, you elders; listen, all who live in the land. Has anything like this ever happened in your days or in the days of your forefathers?" 3 Tell it to your children and let your children, tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation."

The premise of this book is a warning to the southern kingdom of Judah. They have rebelled against God and now they are paying the consequences. But God in His mercy tells the prophet Joel to warn Judah of their doom if they don't make a change in their current lifestyle. No matter what, God is God and He will reign.

Joel Chapter 1 speaks of an invasion of locusts. Why locusts? Locusts are an insect that devours everything in its path. As well as leaving it in complete devastation and ruin. As we traveled by bus from Galilee to Jerusalem, the book of Joel came to life for me. So much of what I saw now makes sense to me. Our tour guide mentioned there was a "nation" in the land of Israel that is not known for the upkeep of its property. We could definitely tell which areas were possessed by this people group. These areas were not as clean as those occupied by the Jewish people. I remember too walking into the old city of Jerusalem and being greeted by this particular nations children. They were making evil faces at us as we entered. It was very interesting. It was at this point, the "locusts" represented this particular group of people. Joel 1:6-7 says, "A nation has invaded my land, powerful and without number; it has the teeth of a lion, the fangs of a lioness. 7It has laid waste my vines and ruined my fig trees. It has stripped off their bark and thrown it away, leaving their branches white." This is exactly what the areas occupied by this nation were like.

While on the bus from Galilee to Jerusalem, we drove along the Jordanian border. There was an eeriness about this particular section of the drive. It was desolate and as we passed by cinder block bunkers, we could see the residue of war. We could see where bullets fired at these places had penetrated the cement blocks. Trees were nothing but charred sticks. We can't imagine what war looks like here in the U.S. It was a bit disturbing to this American-bread Southern California girl. War here is spray paint along the freeway walls where gang members write in code to one another. Joel 1:19 says, "To you, O Lord, I call, for fire has devoured the open pastures and flames have burned up all the trees of the field." Doesn't that fit the description of what I saw?

As we continued our travel along the border, the Jordan River was in the distance. We had left it earlier where it was lush and green. But now the river seemed to get smaller and smaller, while the banks of where the river used to flow got higher and wider. This must have been where the Israelites had crossed because if the river had come up to the top, it would have been deep and wide. Our tour guide said that the Jordan had been cut off due to keeping the Lake in Galilee filled with water. This body of water is now used as a reservoir. This is why the Dead Sea is drying up because there is no water from the Jordan flowing into it. The farther we drove, the smaller and more shallow this river became. Now it was like a stream. Joel 1:20 says, "Even the wild animals pant for you; the streams of water have dried up and fire has devoured the open pastures."

Chapter 2 of Joel is a warning to the people of Judah that an army is coming to destroy their land. Verses 2&3 says, "a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large and mighty army comes, such as never was of old nor ever will be in ages to come. 3Before them fire devours, behind them a flame blazes. Before them the land is like the garden of Eden, behind them, a desert waste-nothing escapes them." Being from Southern California, I am no stranger to fire storms. They are incredibly overwhelming as well as intriguing. Most Southern Californians stay glued to their television when these fires break out as they move across hillsides and deserted terrains leaving only charred ground and ash in their wake. The air is thick with ash and the sky as dark as clouds of a thunderstorm. It looks much like snow flakes as they drift through the air. Even living several miles away from one of these fires can leave its residue covering yards, porches and cars. Unlike snow that is pure and white, the ashes leave its victims feeling filthy and dirty. Joel 2:10 says, "Before the earth shakes and sky trembles, the sun and moon are darkened, and the stars no longer shine." During these kind of fire storms, the billows of smoke leave the sun and moon a reddish color, while the stars cease to shine. Have you ever been underneath those commercial fireworks that are shot off? I have and the whole area shakes and sounds like thunder. I wonder if when it talks about the sky trembling if it's not a picture of air strikes in battle.

In this 2nd chapter of Joel, God calls the nation of Israel to a Holy fast. If they obey this command, the Lord promises they will be restored. "Then the LORD will be jealous for his land and take pity on his people.

19 The LORD will reply to them: "I am sending you grain, new wine and oil, enough to satisfy you fully; never again will I make you an object of scorn to the nations. (A thought: grain represents the bread of life - Jesus, new wine - the blood of Jesus to cover sin and oil- the Holy Spirit*)20 "I will drive the northern army far from you, pushing it into a parched and barren land, with its front columns going into the eastern sea and those in the rear into the western sea. And its stench will go up; its smell will rise." Surely he has done great things. 21 Be not afraid, O land; be glad and rejoice Surely the LORD has done great things. 22 Be not afraid, O wild animals, for the open pastures are becoming green. The trees are bearing their fruit; the fig tree and the vine yield their riches.

23 Be glad, O people of Zion, rejoice in the LORD your God, for he has given you the autumn rains in righteousness. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before. 24 The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil. 25 "I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten— the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm - my great army that I sent among you. 26 You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed. 27 Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the LORD your God, and that there is no other; never again will my people be shamed.

28 "And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. 29 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. 30 I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 31 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.

32 And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has said, among the survivors whom the LORD calls."

There is a lot said in this passage of scripture about God's mercy and his love for His people. In verse 22 it talks about the autumn rains in righteousness and abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains that will be a harvest. In a spiritual sense, the reign of the Spirit of God will bring a harvest of Salvation and repentance to the land. When the Holy Spirit is reigning down and flooding our souls, we should begin to see new believers sprouting up everywhere. Isn't that what happens after the winter rains? The seed in the ground begins to shoot through the soil and things seem to come to life in the spring. I believe this is what it will look like in the Spirit.

Joel 2:28 and 29 describe what will happen when the Holy Spirit is poured out on all men and women. They will begin to prophesy and see visions, young and old, men and women. No one will be exempt from this glorious season of harvest.

Chapter 3 concludes this book. Verse 9 tells the Holy people to prepare for war. There is no doubt that war must take place inorder for them to see the victory that is to come. Verses 17 &18 says, "Then you will know that I, the Lord your God, dwell in Zion, my holy hill. Jerusalem will be holy; never again will foreigners invade her. 18 In that day the mountains willd drip new wine (A thought: those redeemed by the blood of Jesus*), and the hills will flow with milk (A thought: living a life nourished by God's Word*); all the ravines of Judah will run with water(A thought: Living Water*). A fountain will flow out of the Lord's house and will water the valley of acacias." (Remember Ezekiel 47?)

Are you currently in the midst of a season that the "locust swarm" has devoured everything? Do you feel the spiritual battle going on within your soul? Does it seem as though the residue of life has left you with nothing but ash and filth? Don't loose hope. He is the God who will restore what the locusts have eaten. He is the God who reigns down and yields a harvest of new wine and oil. He is the God who removes shame and disgrace. Trust Him in the desert because when He reigns, He pours!

R.E.A.L. Women Devotional - M'm! M'm! Bad!

Like a good bowl of soup or stew that hits the spot, this short story in 2 Kings, chapter 4, verses 38 to 41 is that kind of story. It's says so much for such a short story. This reminded me of words we speak. It is subtitled in my Bible as "Death in the Pot." 

"And Elisha came again to Gilgal when there was a famine in the land. And as the sons of the prophets were sitting before him, he said to his servant, "Set on the large pot, and boil stew for the sons of the prophets."One of them went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine and gathered from it his lap full of wild gourds, and came and cut them up into the pot of stew, not knowing what they were. And they poured out some for the men to eat. But while they were eating of the stew, they cried out, "O man of God, there is death in the pot!" And they could not eat it. He said, "Then bring flour." And he threw it into the pot and said, "Pour some out for the men, that they may eat." And there was no harm in the pot." 

You might ask, "what does this have to do with words?" This was my observation of this story. In verse 38, it says there was a famine in the land. I believe famine can represent us when we are not reading God's Word daily and especially not reading it for ourselves. You can't live off of preaching only. So many Believer's don't read because they don't understand the Bible. It reminds me of when I was introducing my children to table foods. They didn't like it at first, but the more I kept serving it to them, they began to develop a taste for those foods. So it is with reading the Bible. 

Elisha tells one of his servants to prepare some stew for them. The servant uses vines, herbs and gourds to put into the stew without knowing what they were (ignorance and illiteracy). Then he served them to the sons of the prophets. Now this servant had no idea what he was cooking, but after eating it, the men realized it was poisonous. The men cried out saying there was "death in the pot". As I began digesting this, the Holy Spirit began to show me that like food that becomes apart of our bodies after eating, so do the words that others speak to us. What are others serving you, when it comes to words and is it poisonous to your spirit? What music do you listen to? What do you watch on t.v.? What movies do you see? What kinds of books are you reading? All these are snacks and meals that we ingest everyday. Proverbs 18:21 says "The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat it's fruit." Whether we recognize it or not, we do live on good and bad words, whether we receive them by what we are listening to or by watching or reading. On second thought, what are you serving others?

Elisha responds, by telling them to bring flour and pour it in the stew. That would seem a little strange to put flour in it. But that is when I recognized the importance of that ingredient. Isn't flour the main ingredient for making bread? In John 6:48 Jesus said "I am the Bread of Life!" I believe that flour is a representation for Jesus and he is life. Only Jesus overcame death! 

I want to encourage you to be cautious of what you allow into your spirit. Even out of ignorance, negativity, gossip, curses, etc., those words become apart of who we are. You are what you eat. But know that if you are in the Word of God daily, (it is our daily bread) it will absorb any words of death that might be served to you. As you read the Word of God pray that you will receive every morsel that God wants to feed you. Be more aware of what you are being served each day. Spend more time nourishing your spirit on the Word of God. This is a life changing meal. As the an old Campbell's soup slogan says, "Good for the Body. Good for the Soul." God's Word is that and more, it's just M'mmmmm good!

R.E.A.L. Women Devotional - "Do" teronomy or "Do Not" eronomy

I love the book of Deuteronomy. It is one of the five books of the law that Moses wrote. Where it is positioned in the Bible, it sums up Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers. It is a shortened version of the "do's" and "don'ts" of the three other books. I noticed how often the words do and do not appear. As a parent of teenagers who are learning to drive, it reminds me of the rules that have been set for the road. I often tell them that the rules aren't just for them, but the other drivers too. Sometimes other drivers break the rules and the consequence is a collision which are sometimes a fatal. The rules have been given to not only protect you, but to protect other drivers as well. I always tell them to be alert for others.  I think that is what God is telling the Israelites in the book of Deuteronomy.

Towards the end of the book, Moses concludes with the blessings if you fully obey the law that has been given and it is so encouraging. It is found in Deuteronomy 28:1-14. It reads, "If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. ² All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God: ³ You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country. ⁴ The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. ⁵ Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed. ⁶ You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out. ⁷ The LORD will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven. ⁸ The LORD will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The LORD your God will bless you in the land he is giving you. ⁹ The LORD will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the LORD your God and walk in his ways. ¹⁰ Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they will fear you. ¹¹ The LORD will grant you abundant prosperity—in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground—in the land he swore to your forefathers to give you.¹² The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. ¹³ The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom. ¹⁴ Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them. "It doesn't get more encouraging than that. If anything, this passage should ignite the enthusiasm to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord.

On the flip side, Moses then writes the consequences of what will happen. It only took 14 verses to explain blessing, but it takes 53 verses to explain the curse to come if any of the law is broken. Here is a sample of verses 15-19. "However, if you do not obey the LORD your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: ¹⁶ You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country.¹⁷ Your basket and your kneading trough will be cursed. ¹⁸ The fruit of your womb will be cursed, and the crops of your land, and the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. ¹⁹ You will be cursed when you come in and cursed when you go out."

I want to encourage you to read the rest of chapter 28. It will open your eyes to as to why some of us Believers just can't seem to move into the blessings that God has promised. Little compromises here and there begin to sneak in. When we compromise we "curse our promise". God is pretty clear on His expectations of us on the obedience issue. 

Deuteronomy 22:9 says, "Do not plant two kinds of seed in your vineyard; if you do, not only the crop you plant but also the fruit of the vineyard will be defiled. " How many followers of Jesus tithe and then spend the rest of their money on things that are unpleasing to the Lord. Galatians 5:19-21 tells us not to be given to sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; ²⁰idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. As New Testament children of God, it is about inheriting the Kingdom of Heaven rather than the Promised Land. I am as guilty as anyone on compromise. Those times when I told God that I couldn't tithe because my car payment was due or because I just bought a new outfit and if I tithed it would put my checking account in the red. Or allowing certain music and movies to feed my spirit.

The good news is that under the new Covenant, I can ask for forgiveness and my compromise will no longer bring curses into my life. But there is a consequence to my action and sometimes I have to live out the consequence before the promise can take effect.

I challenge you today to take an inventory of your life. Jesus died to break the curse of this world so we might walk in blessing. Ephesians 1 is the new Covenant version of Deuteronomy 28. It is all about spiritual blessings. It says, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ⁴ For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love ⁵ he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. ⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace ⁸ that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, ⁹ he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, ¹⁰ to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
¹¹ In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, ¹² in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. ¹³ And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴ who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory." (Ephesians 1:3-14) Walk in obedience and you will be blessed.

R.E.A.L. Women Devotional - Snakes On The Plain

 I've been pondering on this particular passage for the past few days. I think partly because I am guilty more often than not of discontentment and complaining.  I know it's not pleasing to the Lord, but why do I do it?

In Numbers 21, the Israelites defeat the Canaanites and are headed along the Red Sea around the land of Edom.  They begin to get discouraged along the way.  So as any discouraged follower, they start speaking against God and Moses saying, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread.” (Numbers 21:5) God doesn't stand for "ungratefulness, complaining and whining." God then sent "snakes on the plain." Verse 6 says, "So the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died." 

When the people realized that their tongues were speaking venomous words against God and his servant Moses, God had to help them understand that every time an accusation came from their mouths, it was the same as if being bitten by a snake.  You don't die instantly, it is slow and painful. This is how much our words affect our life.  James 3:8 says "But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison."

When the people realized what they had done, they went to Moses and repented.  Moses in turn prayed to the Lord to remove the snakes.  The scripture goes on to say "Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.” ⁹ So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived." (Numbers 21:8 & 9)
  
I surely would have been one of those who would have had to look at the pole if I had not already died.  What is interesting to me is that the people were speaking out against God and Moses. How many times in our lives, especially those of us who are Christians, have talked against pastors, evangelists, those called to lead by God? We blame them for why we don't trust church leaders, church people and it's their fault why we stopped attending church.  We often give ourselves the benefit of the doubt, but when it comes to leaders, we complain about their actions. We are human and we all make mistakes. But sometimes, just as little children don't understand why parents make some of the decisions they do, God doesn't explain what He's doing. Sometimes that includes the leaders he places in our lives.

The passage says that they were on a route near the Red Sea going around Edom.  They didn't like the direction God was taking them.  How many times do we get frustrated with God at the direction our lives are going?  We often scream like an impatient child, "it's taking too long." I can say this because I'm the first to raise my hand at this. The more I ponder on this, I wonder if that is why so many of us Christians are stuck in our wilderness suffering through the poisonous words that have cursed our lives and have caused us suffering and pain.

I learned several years ago after reading this, that the medical symbol comes from this passage.  When I went searching for this image, it looked very similar to another image of salvation. God made a way to reverse the curse of the snake bite by having the people look at the pole with the bronze serpent.  This really made me think about the cross and how it is a similar picture for us.  The cross is a symbol of salvation.  Instead, Jesus bruised the serpents head and conquered death by going to the cross. The curse was reversed because of Jesus being willing.  Jesus didn't complain or whine about the direction his life had to take.  Why do we think we have right to complain about the direction God is taking us in our lives? I wonder if most of the sickness in the church is from the poisonous words we've spoken about one another and about those God placed in our lives to lead us?

I want to see the promises of God come to pass in my life.  Could it possibly be my own tongue delaying them? This short little passage has made a big imprint on my heart.  I need to forgive those I've accused of leading me the "wrong way" and blaming others for some of my decisions. But even more, asking God to forgive me for blaming Him just because things aren't to my preference.  Hebrews 12:2 says, ^"looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." 1 Peter 3:10 says, “He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit."


What "snakes" have slithered their way into your life? What venom has gotten into your bloodstream that is affecting your health and attitude? Take a moment right now to look to the cross for forgiveness. Jesus said in John 3:14-15, "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,¹⁵ that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” Humble yourself, repent, receive healing and eternal life. An interesting thought is, the scripture doesn't say God removed the snakes from them, He only made a way for them to live.  There will always be snakes in our lives so keep your eyes on Jesus, he is the author and finisher of our faith.

R.E.A.L. Women Devotional - Whine and Dine

One time, I happen to catch a pastor on t.v. talking about whiney Christians. He said that sometimes he gets so tired of hearing people whine he asks them if they need some cheese. I half laughed at that because often times I'm guilty.

Today the Bible reading was from the book of Numbers. The chapter was 11 and the particular section was "Quail From the Lord." It starts with verse 4 "The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, 'If only we had meat to eat! 5We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost-also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. 6 But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!'" Wow, does that sound like me sometimes. The manna bread that fell from heaven, baked in the heavenly ovens was delivered to their door step everyday. I would imagine every morning as they came out of their tents it might have smelled like it smells walking down Main Street at Disneyland. I have a friend who researched and found a similar recipe that might have been what manna tasted like. Its was similar to a waffle cone, dense and sweet.

Then I came to verse 10. It says "Moses heard the people of every family wailing, each at the entrance to his tent. The Lord became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled." Here God was giving them something that was special that could not be replicated. Think about it, the women didn't have to get up early to get the oven hot or coals and spend all morning baking bread for the family. The men didn't have to go out and grow the grain and harvest the grain needed to make the bread. It sounds so much like me. How ungrateful I am more often than not, that I can drive to the market and get what I need and it only takes me an hour of my week. And I still complain about going to the grocery store.

Verse 18 says "Tell the people: 'Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow, when you will eat meat. The Lord heard you when you wailed, "If only we had meat to eat! We were better off in Egypt!" Now the Lord will give you meat, and you will eat it. 19 You will not eat it for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, 20 But a whole month-until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it-because you have rejected the Lord, who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying "Why did we ever leave Egypt?" They whined and dined. But probably not the way they had anticipated. Be careful what you ask for. How many times has God given me exactly what I wanted and after I got it, wasn't so happy about it? In fact, sometimes it becomes a burden in my life.

Then I read verse 33, "But while the meat was still between their teeth and before it could be consumed, the anger of the Lord burned against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague. 34 Therefore the place was names Kibroth Hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had craved other food." Ouch! I can remember one time in my life when I was blessed with a great little car. My great-grandmother told me to pick a car that I would like. We went to the dealer and she paid cash and I drove off the lot in a brand new car with no car payments. Other than replacing the battery, I never had a problem with that car. Then a few years later, a new model came out and I really wanted it. So I decided to trade in my payment free car for a newer model and now I was having to make car payments every month. Needless to say, that car ended up being a lemon. Because I didn't have any problems with the previous car, I opted out of the warranty. This car had problem after problem and because of it, put me deep in credit card debt.

I don't think God's feelings were hurt because the people got tired of the manna, I think it was more about their attitude. God is pretty clear on his expectations of our heart and character. Thankfulness is where He prefers us to be. Philippians 2:14 & 15 says, 14Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe." He is holy and whining and complaining doesn't line up in the holy category.

This passage hit pretty close to home for me. Down deep in my heart, I really don't want to be a whiner. I really need to watch how I talk from now on. Its so easy to point out and complain about the things in my life that aren't the way I would prefer. I need to be more thankful for the things the Lord has provided for me. Its more important for me to be grateful. Thats is what is pleasing to Him. Psalm 100:4 says to "Enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart and to enter his courts with praise." I don't think there will be whiners in Heaven.

Something I "Fig"ured Out

Over these past weeks, I've really enjoyed reading Isaiah and now Jeremiah. I don't know if I've mentioned it before, but I'm on my third time of reading through the Bible. There is a saying that the third time is the charm. I have to say, I do feel like now it is all beginning to make sense and its all beginning to come together for me this time around.

Chapter 24 of Jeremiah is titled "Two Baskets of Figs." Let me show you what I figured out today as I read. Here is what it says, " 1 After Jehoiachin ^[a] son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and the officials, the craftsmen and the artisans of Judah were carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the LORD showed me two baskets of figs placed in front of the temple of the LORD. 2 One basket had very good figs, like those that ripen early; the other basket had very poor figs, so bad they could not be eaten.

3 Then the LORD asked me, "What do you see, Jeremiah?"
"Figs," I answered. "The good ones are very good, but the poor ones are so bad they cannot be eaten."

4 Then the word of the LORD came to me: 5 "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Like these good figs, I regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I sent away from this place to the land of the Babylonians. ^[b] 6 My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them. 7 I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.

8 " 'But like the poor figs, which are so bad they cannot be eaten,' says the LORD, 'so will I deal with Zedekiah king of Judah, his officials and the survivors from Jerusalem, whether they remain in this land or live in Egypt. 9 I will make them abhorrent and an offense to all the kingdoms of the earth, a reproach and a byword, an object of ridicule and cursing, wherever I banish them. 10 I will send the sword, famine and plague against them until they are destroyed from the land I gave to them and their fathers.' "

I read up on figs and they are a very common fruit tree found in the middle east. They grow best in sub-tropical climates. The first reference made to fig's is in Genesis when Adam and Eve use a fig leaf to cloth themselves after they had disobeyed God.(Genesis 3:7) Off the record, God does everything intentionally. You'll see where I'm about to go.
As I began reflecting on this chapter, I realized that the figs that God was showing Jeremiah was representing Judah. By this time in the time line, the kingdom of Israel had already been taken captive by Assyria. Only the southern kingdom, Judah existed. Remember they broke in two after King Solomon's reign.

So the Lord was showing Jeremiah what was to become of the figs. Judah was also going to be divided. You see, God was still making a way for the Messiah. He was narrowing it it down to who was the most obedient. At this point, no one was being obedient to the Lord, but in His mercy and grace he still found one group who would obey. I began to research the timing and Nebuchadnezzar was a clue. Daniel and Shadrack, Meshack and Abenigo were the "fearsome foursome" during that time. So I realized that God has used those four to begin to separate out the "good figs." But I believe this is where Esther comes in. She was the one who saved the Jewish people from complete destruction from the plan that Haman had set out for them. God had preserved the good figs because out of this tribe He promised the Messiah would come.
Here is another story found in the New Testament about figs. It is found in Mark 11 verses 12-14. "The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. 14Then he said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard him say it."

Jesus came from that special tribe of Judah that was preserved through Daniel, Shadrack, Meshack, Abednigo and Esther. Jesus was the "fruit" of the "figs." I know it sounds kind of funny. But the tree wasn't bearing any fruit. The Jewish leaders did not recognize who he was and therefore kept the Jewish people from truly receiving their Messiah. Therefore, Jesus cursed it and said it would never bear fruit again.
If you look at a fig leaf, it's a pretty large leaf, when its on the vine. When we were in Jerusalem, Jeff pulled a fig leaf off of a tree in the Old City. It was bigger than my hand. I placed it carefully in my booklet so I could preserve it to take home. I was collecting rocks and leaves as souveniers. At the end of the day, I pulled my fig leaf out and to my surprise it had shrunk considerably. I've never seen anything like it. All of the water had evaporated from it and it was now half the size of my hand. Jesus called himself the "living water." After that fig leaf was disconnected from its life source it shrank. Jesus said that He is the vine and we are the branches and if we remain in him and him in us, we will bear much fruit, but apart from him we can do nothing. (John 15:5)

Now back to the symbol of the fig leaves that Adam and Eve used to cover their disobedience. Figs represent God's chosen people. The fact they covered themselves with that particular leaf even clues us in that God had a plan for man's redemption. That he was going send a plan of salvation through a special group of people that he would call his own. In Jesus' family tree, Zerubbabel was one of his great grandfathers and he was one of the first released from Babylon after being in captivity for 70 years. He was the first to begin rebuilding God's temple and saw it to completion. That line of people were protected because Jesus was going to be born through them.

God's Word is so amazing to me. The more I study and read, the more it comes to life and it truly is part of my spiritual nutrition. Figs are good source of vitamins, but also help rid the body of the waste that we eat. Jesus too is a good source of "life" for us. When we spend time with him daily. He died for us too so we could get rid of the waste in our lives, but also he also gives us what we need to live. Not only here on earth, but eternally as well. I know this may seem a little over thought, but God is very creative and I wouldn't put it past Him to draw this kind of picture for us.