Author: Jayne Lawson

“What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” Psalm 56:3

I’m afraid of a lot of things. At the top of my list is spiders, but the list is long after them. Here are some of the things of which I am fearful.

• late night phone calls that only mean one thing
• fire ants (allergic to these monsters!)
• creaks and groans from my house when I am alone
• medical test results (especially the cancer-related ones)
• hurting someone’s feelings with my words (happens way too often)
• my pride

If I trust God, He will take care of them all. I often forget that, and when I do, that’s when fear creeps in. And when fear replaces trust, it’s… well, it’s pretty scary. The feeling of being alone with overwhelming fears is terrifying!

So what do I do? I go to the Bible. Why? Because it speaks truth to me. In addtion to Psalm 56:3, there are several other verses that I cling to in times of fear. Jesus said, “…I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:20) When I remember that God is with me in that very moment, the fear lessens. A sense of peace begins to calm my trembling heart when I trust God and take Him at His word. Isaiah 43:1-2 states, “… Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.”

Isaiah 41:13 tells me, “For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.” I remember as a little girl holding on to my father’s hand. His large fingers would tightly curl around mine, and I would be safe and protected. Nothing could harm me when my dad was with me! That’s how it is with my heavenly Father! He is holding on to my hand always, and He promises to help me in every situation! I am safe in His hands and nothing can pluck me out! (John 10:29)

Fear can be crippling, but if I remember that God is always with me, helping and protecting me, I can face my fears. It’s not always easy to overcome them, but it is possible. The Bible reminds me, “For with God nothing shall be impossible.” (Luke 1:37) and that “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13)

In the dark of the midnight have I oft hid my face
While the storm howls above me, and there’s no hiding place
‘Mid the crash of the thunder, Precious Lord, hear my cry
Keep me safe till the storm passes by

Till the storm passes over, till the thunder sounds no more
Till the clouds roll forever from the sky
Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand
Keep me safe till the storm passes by

(from “Till the Storm Passes By” by Mosie Lister)

“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” Joshua 1:9

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If I am following after Jesus and not running ahead of Him, I never will run into my fears alone.

“And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Revelation 22:12

Lately, I’ve heard a lot about the corona virus. I’ve read about the rapid spread of the disease, and how people are in a frenzy trying to buy everything they might need to prepare for its onslaught here in America. Stores are running out of face masks, toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and anything else deemed necessary for survival. There’s a worldwide movement to be prepared because it’s coming… we just don’t know when!

Too bad there isn’t that same type of passion to get ready for the coming of Jesus. We all know it’s going to happen, and by the looks of things, His coming may be very soon, but I haven’t seen a lot of people getting ready for that, certainly not at the magnitude in which they are preparing for the corona virus. Imagine if we knew for a fact that Jesus was coming tomorrow. What would we be doing today?

I know what I would be doing. I would be telling everyone I knew that Jesus was coming! I would be praying that my lost friends and family would be open to the gospel! I would be begging God to open their eyes to the truth of who Jesus is and why they need Him. I would be praying for their salvation! I would be doing so much more than I am doing right now. Wouldn’t you?

Mommy, won’t you come and hear what I learned in church today?
They told me about a man who could wash my sins away!
She said something ‘bout the healing of a man who had been blind,
I smiled and told her sweetly that I did not have the time.

Mommy, won’t you come with me to Sunday school this week?
They said there’d be a missionary coming there to speak.
She looked at me again and asked if I would like to go
But I had dirty clothes to wash and so I told her no.

I wish I took the time to hear the things she had to say
I wish that I had knelt with her at night to hear her pray
She tried so hard to tell me of the love that God had shown
I know I would have listened if I had only known.

Mommy, did you know that Jesus said He’d come again
To take us all o heaven where we’ll be with Him,
And then she ran off singing something about the glory land
I watcher her go then shook my head ‘cause I did not understand.

One day while we were walking in the park, her hand in mine,
She shouted as she pointed to the sky
Mommy, see the angels there! I tried, but couldn’t see,
I looked at her, then she was gone… in the twinkling of an eye

I wish I took the time to hear the things she had to say
I wish that I had knelt with her at night to hear her pray
She tried so hard to tell me but I never took the time
And now my little girl is gone, and I’ve been left behind.

(from “Mommy, Did You Know” by J. Lawson)

“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” 1 Corinthians 15:52

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I wonder what I’m going to do today…

“He who gains Wisdom loves his own life; he who keeps understanding shall prosper and find good.” Proverbs 19:8

If something is mentioned only once in the Bible, is it important to know? Of course, it is! The entire Bible is the Word of God. Every single thing in the Scriptures is given to us for a purpose… to open our eyes to our own depravity and draw us near to God through His redemptive plan. There is nothing we can arbitrarily throw out of the Bible. It’s critical to remember that even If something is only made manifest to us in one verse, it is still vitally important in our relationship with God.

What about something that has more than 200 occasions where it is mentioned in the Bible? I would consider that something of which God really wants me to take notice. According to the Christian Bible Reference site, the word “wisdom” is written 234 times in the KJV Bible! Clearly, this is something to which I need to pay attention.

Psalm 111:10 tells us that “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom…” Understanding who God is, having a reverential awe in regards to the Lord, is the start of attaining wisdom. When we understand that we are the creation and He is the Creator, our journey toward wisdom begins. Proverbs 9:10 confirms this. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.”

Why should we desire wisdom? Here are just a few reasons mentioned in the Bible.

• Wisdom makes us happy.
  • “Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.” Proverbs 3:13
• Wisdom helps us remain humble.
  • “Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.” James 3:13
• Wisdom helps us obey the Lord.
  • “The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.” Proverbs 10:8
• Wisdom helps us know God better.
  • “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:” Ephesians 1:17
• Wisdom will protect us.
  • “Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.” Proverbs 4:6-7
• Wisdom enables us to listen and receive godly advice.
  • “Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.” Proverbs 19:20

How do we get wisdom? First, we pray and ask God for it. James 1:5 states, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” From beginning to end, the Bible is filled with God’s wisdom that He readily makes available to us.

Second, we seek godly instruction for our daily lives. Proverbs 8:33 tell us to “Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.” We receive Biblical instruction from Sunday school classes, worship services, godly devotionals, and of course, from God’s Holy Spirit as we read the Scriptures ourselves. Colossians 3:16 states, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

Wisdom is more precious than gold and better than rubies (Proverbs 16:16, 8:11). It is also available to each of us, but it is not acquired passively. It is a conscious choice we make to obtain it. “So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;” (Proverbs 2:2).

Choose wisely.

Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word;
I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.

(from “Be Thou My Vision” as translated by Mary E. Byrne)

“And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.” Job 28:28

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Is your house built upon the solid rock?

“…If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” Matthew 17:20

Have you ever seen a mustard seed? It’s very small, only about 1-2 mm in diameter. If conditions are right, that tiny seed will grow into a huge bush that could be anywhere from 6-20 feet tall and 20 feet wide!. It will be large enough for birds to nest in its branches, and in addition to the seeds that are ground into mustard, it will yield a bounty of bright yellow flowers.

It was this little seed that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 17. For the longest time, I read this parable as a chastisement from the Lord, but lately I’ve seen His words in a different light. He did state that it would take only a small amount of faith to do great things, and He used the impossible task of moving a mountain to compare what we could do with a small amount of faith. Moving a mountain would require an enormous amount of effort, more than humanly possible, but He went on to say that just a small amount of faith could result in the greatest of difficulties being overcome.

God knew we would face huge trials in our lives, and these trials would surely test our faith. I know that when I have faced hard times in my past, it was so hard to hold on to what my heart knew was true. When I couldn’t see God working, I admit my faith wavered, but I still had a sliver of hope. When I cried until no more tears could come, when I saw no possible way for my prayers to be answered, when I felt utterly defeated, I could still cry out to God because I had the tiniest seed of faith that refused to die.

I learned that when times are hardest, and my faith is weakest, and I am only holding on to a tiny little thread of my faith, it can “move mountains.” I don’t have to have the faith of Daniel or Paul; I can have the smallest flicker of faith, and it can still do wonders through the power and grace of God!

As I nourish my faith with the richness of God’s Word, my faith, like the mustard plant, will grow more and more! The more my faith grows, the more trust I will have in God, and that will influence my prayer life, making it stronger also. Remember, prayer is not an exercise in futility. It’s the way we touch the heart of God. When God’s heart is touched, He moves, and when He moves, mountains crumble!

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say
It is well, it is well, with my soul

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul

It is well (it is well)
With my soul (with my soul)
It is well, it is well with my soul

(from “It Is Well With My Soul” by Horatio Spafford)

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” Isaiah 41:10

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“Faith is not knowing God can, it’s knowing God will.”

“And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” Acts 16:31

Becoming saved, that is having your sins forgiven by Jesus, is pretty easy to do. In fact, it is so simple that people have trouble accepting that, so they sometimes make it extremely difficult for a person to accept Christ as their personal Saviour.

I’ve been told that there were certain words that must be said or certain things that must be done in order to be saved, but I have not been able to find anything mandated for us to say or do to earn our salvation. In fact, the Bible says just the opposite.

The Bible states that to be saved the only requirement is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Who is He? Jesus is the Son of God. He was born of a virgin as was prophesied in Isaiah 7:14. “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Jesus lived as a man without sin for about 33 years preaching and teaching people about the need to repent from sin and follow God. Eventually, He was crucified and then buried in a tomb. Three days later, He rose from the grave, victorious over death and sin, fulfilling God’s plan to redeem us. Jesus proved that He is the Saviour of the world, and only He can forgive sin and give us eternal life. All we have to do is ask Him!

That’s it. Once you determine in your heart that what the Bible states is true, and you believe it, you simply need to call upon the name of Jesus for salvation, and He will forgive you of all your sins, past, present, and future. You then become a child of God, and your future in heaven is secure.

Nothing else will save you. Not anything you can do, for the Bible tells us that our works are as filthy rags. “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” (Isaiah 64:6) Baptism doesn’t save you; church attendance doesn’t save you; tithing doesn’t save you. Works will never save you. Jesus said the only way was through Him. John 14:6 records the words of our Saviour. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

In fact, the Bible specifically says that we are saved through His grace alone. Ephesians 2:8,9 states, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” It is God who gifts us with salvation if we but believe in the work of His Son, Jesus. “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,” (Titus 2:13)

It also doesn’t matter where you are when you get saved. You can be in a church, your home, your workplace. I even know a person who got saved while sitting in a deer tree stand! Remember the thief on the cross who asked Christ to remember him? Jesus forgave him on the spot, and that thief had never done any works for his salvation. He simply believed that Jesus was who He said He was (Luke 23:43). Salvation is a free gift from God to all who choose to believe in His Son, Jesus Christ.

Another thing that is irrelevant is your age. Children can get saved; teenagers can get saved; young adults can get saved, and the elderly can get saved. Jesus even said we were to come to him with the faith of a child! Matthew 16:3 records Jesus’ words. “And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” When a person understands that his or her sins need to be forgiven, they are able to ask for Jesus’ forgiveness no matter what their age.

If you want to be forgiven of your sins, all you need to do is believe in Jesus and ask Him to save you. When you do that, He will forgive you and become your Lord and Saviour forever! From that point on, He will always be with you, and His Spirit will help you grow as a Christian through the Word of God.

Accepting God’s gift of salvation is the most important thing you’ll ever do! It’ll change your life forever, and you’ll never regret it!

What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

(from “Nothing But the Blood” by Robert Lowry)

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20

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If you have questions about salvation, feel free to leave me a note. I would be happy to answer them (or find out the answers if I don’t know them!).

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:14

Every now and then I find myself driving down the freeway and someone cuts me off. What do I do? I yell at the driver, who, of course, cannot hear me… thankfully. Sometimes I’ve said things out of anger to someone I really cared about that I later regretted, but it was impossible to take those hurtful words back. Shamefully, I have even caught myself gossiping about another person.

The Lord heard every word.

What about my thoughts? Ever catch yourself thinking something you really shouldn’t? I have. Maybe it was when I saw a teenager with hair the color of cotton candy, or maybe the time a crying child disrupted a church service. Or maybe it was the bitter thoughts that erupted every time I saw someone who had hurt me in the past. Maybe it was simply the thoughts generated by a particular television show or movie.

The Lord knew every thought.

Psalm 139:2 states, “Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.” When I am thinking of things, whether positive or negative, good or bad, God knows. He is aware of every thought I have.

God also hears every word I speak. Jesus said He was always with us (Matthew 28:20), so everything I say is heard by God. Whether it is complementary or destructive in nature, it falls upon the ear of the Lord. He hears everything that comes from my mouth whether it is intended for Him or not!

The book of James states that the tongue is like a fire and full of deadly poison! We must exercise control over it continually. In Psalm 34:13, God instructs us to “Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.” Proverbs 15:4 reminds us that “A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.” It can be difficult to bridle our tongues, but a sincere desire to do so can yield positive results. The Bible reminds each of us that “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13)

Likewise, God tells us what we are to think about in Philippians 4:8. “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” If we fill our mind with these things, there will be no room for evil thoughts, gossip, or hatred. Allow the Holy Spirit to purge your mind of sinful thoughts and replace them with those that are godly.

Search me, O God, and know my heart today,
Try me, O Savior, know my thoughts, I pray;

See if there be some wicked way in me;
Cleanse me from every sin, and set me free.

(from “Search Me O God” by James E. Orr)

“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.” Colossians 3:23

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God knows every thought and hears every word, so let’s fill our minds and our speech with His Word and His words!

“For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.” Isaiah 64:4

I’ve traveled a lot and seen some amazing places. I can still remember how glorious the Matterhorn appeared as the morning sun reflected off its snow-covered summit. In my mind’s eye, I can still see and hear the cascading waters of the Iquazu Falls in Argentina, and I will never forget the breathtaking beauty of the sunrise over the Sea of Galilee.

God has created so many spectacular things to see in this world, but I imagine they will all pale to the glories we will see in heaven. While the Bible speaks of jeweled gates and walls, a city of pure gold, a river whose water is as clear as crystal, and the light of God shining eternally (Revelation 21 & 22), I cannot even begin to imagine the splendor of heaven. Its beauty is beyond my comprehension. Isaiah tells us that we cannot fathom what God has prepared for us in heaven!

I do know I have a home there that Jesus is readying for my arrival, and soon He will come to get me and take me back to heaven to live forever in the presence of God. I know that there will be family and friends who have gone before me, and the reunion will be sweeter than I could ever imagine. I will be introduced to those whom I have only read about… Noah, David, Ruth, Paul, and so many more! Oh, what a moment that will be!

But the most wonderful sight to see in heaven will be my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. I cannot imagine what it will be like to finally see Him face-to-face, but I will see those wounds that were a result of my sin, and I believe I will finally grasp the depth of love that Jesus has for me. I will see His eyes full of love and compassion for me, and I will fall at His feet thanking Him and praising Him. I will see Him as He is, and I will be amazed that He could love someone like me. And then I will join all the hosts of heaven as together we sing praises to Jesus, the Son of God.

Can I imagine what it will be like? No, I cannot, but I do know that when I do get to heaven, it will be the most glorious moment of my existence, and it will never end! I can’t wait to get there!

I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene,
and wonder how he could love me, a sinner, condemned, unclean.
How marvelous! How wonderful!
And my song shall ever be:
How marvelous! How wonderful
Is my Savior’s love for me!

(from “I Stand Amazed” by Charles Gabriel)

“And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.” Revelation 5:13

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The invitations have been sent. Will you be there?

“Behold, I shew 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 trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” 1 Corinthians 15:51-52

When we lived in California, we were advised to anchor heavy furniture to the walls and keep a supply of freshwater and canned goods in our homes in the event of an earthquake. Because earthquakes were few and far between, there wasn’t much thought given to them until after one had happened, and frankly most people did not heed the warnings to be prepared, so when an earthquake of significant magnitude occurred, most people were not ready for it.

Now that I live in the southeast, preparations for natural disasters are quite different due to the fact that both tornadoes and hurricanes can be predictive, thus allowing for the opportunity to be more prepared for these weather events. When news of impending storms is broadcast, scores of people flock to the grocery and hardware stores to purchase items deemed necessary for survival. People take shelter; cell phones are fully charged to receive weather updates; generators are fueled, and pantries are stocked. When the storm hits, they are ready!

There is a very significant Biblical event on the horizon that will be more similar to an earthquake than a tornado when it comes to preparedness. Like an earthquake, there will be a few indicators of its coming, but there will be no one to say that it will happen in the next day or week. The only thing we can determine at this point is that will happen very soon. I am referring to the moment when Jesus appears and takes all of those who have trusted Him as their Saviour to heaven to live with Him forever

Recently, there has been a renewal of life in the region around Israel’s Dead Sea due to the unprecedented rainfall in the region. These signs of reawakening are the precursors to the most anticipated post-Resurrection-of-Christ event in the Bible… the Rapture!

• Isaiah 35 tells us that “The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God.”
  • This month there have been reports that the region surrounding the Dead Sea is blanketed with blossoming flowers. According to Prophecy Today, the increased rainfall in Israel had awakened the long-dormant seeds in the desert and wildflowers are blanketing the area.

• Ezekiel 47 states, “And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many.”
  • En Gedi is located on the western shore of the Dead Sea, and Eneglaim is thought to be an ancient city also on the shores of the Dead Sea.
  • Recent rains are overflowing the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River impacting the underground water table as far south as the Dead Sea. Flashfloods are sending torrents of water into the Dead Sea.
  • Breaking Israel News reports that sinkholes around the Dead Sea are now filling with freshwater and fish are reappearing.

• Isaiah wrote in chapter 2:3, “And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.”
  • Israel is near completion of its high-speed train from Ben-Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Jews can come from all over the world and within 30 minutes of landing, they can be at the western wall in Jerusalem.

When we see the signs of a prophetic event coming to pass, we need to take notice! Although there are other signs of which people are more familiar, such as those mentioned in Matthew 24:6-7, these three are the most recent that have come to fruition. God is reminding us that His Son is coming soon, and we need to be ready, or we will be left behind. Titus 2:13 tells us that we should be “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.”

Jesus’ return is closer than ever, and when He does comes, it will happen so quickly that there will be no time to get ready. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15 that Jesus’ coming would be “in the twinkling of an eye”! If you don’t believe you are ready for the return of Christ, you can change that today. Simply accept Christ’s free gift of salvation! You can pray to Jesus right now, admitting that you’re a sinner who needs the forgiveness that only He can give. Accept that forgiveness and invite Him to be the Lord and Saviour of your life. Romans 10:13 states, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Some glorious morning sorrow will cease
Some glorious morning all will be peace
Heartaches all ended, school days all done
Heaven will open – Jesus will come.

Some golden daybreak Jesus will come
Some golden daybreak, battles all won
He’ll shout the vict’ry, break thro’ the blue
Some golden daybreak, for me, for you.

(from “Some Glorious Daybreak” by Carl Blackmore)

“Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11

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The signs are all around us. Are you ready?

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23

Have you ever eaten an orange freshly picked from a tree? Wouldn’t it be great to bite into it, and never hit a seed? It might be nice for eating purposes, but it wouldn’t be very helpful when trying to grow more oranges.

Seeds serve a very important function. They are the offspring of the parent plant, and they are formed in the fruit of the adult plant. Some fruits have many seeds, like the watermelon or apple. Other fruits have only one seed, such as the avocado and peach. When the time is right, the seeds will be dispersed and implanted. If a seed receives the nutrients it needs to continue its growth, one day a tiny plant will emerge from what was once the seed. Growth will continue until the plant is mature, producing fruit with seeds of its own.

If we are saved, the Bible tells us we have the Spirit of God within us. “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” (I Corinthians 6:19) If we have the Holy Spirit within us, then we also have His fruit within us. The Holy Spirit is like a tree that can yield fruit in our lives. Like a tree that will only yield one type of fruit naturally, the Spirit also yields only one fruit, but it is a fruit with many seeds in it. Those seeds are the nine attributes of Galatians 5:22-23.

There is the thought that the word “fruit” means more than one type of fruit. Grammatically, the word “fruit” is an exception where the noun is both countable and uncountable. So the plural of “fruit” can be either “fruit” or “fruits”. When we think of “fruit” as a group collectively and in a non-specific way, then we tend to use the word “fruit” without the “s”. However, in these two verses, the fruit is very specific. If we are emphasizing the different kinds of fruit, then it would be correct to use “fruits”. If each “fruit” of the Spirit was a different type, it would be grammatically correct to use “fruits of the Spirit.” So what does this all mean? It means that the “fruit” of the Spirit is one type of fruit.

Why is this important? It is important because when we have the fruit of the Spirit, we don’t arbitrarily “pick” one fruit and get “self-control,” and then at a later time, pick another fruit and get “love.” We are given one all-encompassing fruit from the Holy Spirit when we get saved. We receive all the seeds (attributes) at one time. Therefore, the attributes of the Holy Spirit are not items on a list that we check off as we acquire them, nor must we attain one before having the next one on the list. Instead, we are endowed with the whole fruit of the Spirit, which means we have the capacity to love, rejoice, be at peace, be patient, be gentle, be good, be meek, be faithful, and be self-controlled… all at the same time. We cannot claim that we are “working on love,” so that is why we haven’t had any patience. It doesn’t work that way. We are able to exercise all of the “seeds” because we have the entire “fruit” through the empowerment of God’s Spirit.

Because we have the entire fruit of the Spirit, we have the responsibility and the capability of dispersing its seeds to the world around us. We can spread love, gentleness, faithfulness, etc. to those with whom we interact at any time. The Holy Spirit empowers us with this ability. Then as those divine seeds are dispersed through the gospel message, they take root. Lives are impacted, and souls are won for Christ as God takes those seeds and nurtures them until they begin to grow and produce spiritual fruit themselves. Once “ripe” in the faith, they then go out and share their fruit with others!

Let’s make sure we have a bountiful harvest this year!

Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me,
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.

(from “Spirit of the Living God” by Daniel Iverson)

“Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” John 15:8

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Tomorrow’s harvest depends upon the seeds sown today.

“Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:” 1 Peter 1:8

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to actually see Jesus? To be able to sit at His feet and listen to His words? To follow in His real footsteps as He explained the Word of God? Oh, what a blessing to be able to look into His face and see the love He has for us reflected in His compassionate eyes! Oh, to see Jesus!

While I know that one day, all of these wonderful moments will happen, I realize that I can see Jesus every day if I look for Him. I can see Jesus in the opening blossoms of the flowers as they stretch toward the morning sun. I can see Jesus in the red-headed woodpecker who bangs away on the tree without getting a pounding headache! I can see Jesus in the caterpillar who emerges from its cocoon as a transformed butterfly. “The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;” Song of Solomon 2:12

I can see Jesus in the silent snowflakes as they fall gently through the sky. I can see Jesus in the tall pines swaying ever so slightly in the summer breeze. I can see Jesus when the millions of glittering stars twinkle in the black velvet night sky. I can see Jesus in the ocean waves that advance to their designated point on shore and no farther. I can see Jesus in the powerful display of lightning shattering the darkness of the storm. Romans 1:20 states, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

I can see Jesus in the helping hand of a teenager as he holds the door open for an elderly lady. I can see Jesus in the contented face of a sleeping baby whose cooing delights my heart. I can see Jesus in the mother who puts a band-aid on a skinned knee and kisses her child, making everything good again. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

I can see Jesus in the pages of the Bible. He is there from Genesis to Revelation. Jesus is the living Word. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)

I can see Jesus everywhere if I look for Him.

Open our eyes Lord
We want to see Jesus,
To reach out and touch Him
And say that we love Him.
Open our ears Lord
And help us to listen,
Open our eyes Lord
We want to see Jesus.

(from “Open Our Eyes, Lord” by Robert Cull)

“Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof. Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice.” Psalm 96:11-12

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Where have you seen Jesus lately?