Crystal felt the hot tear streaming down her face. The pantry that at one time held a vast assortment of food now stood desolate. But that wasn’t the reason for the tears. On the top shelf several rows of canned figs stood silently, displayed through the clear quart jars. They were dusty with spots of mold that told their age by the decay.
Mom couldn’t stand to see the figs waste. She grew up poor and the figs represented something special she could offer on her biscuits. She always thought to keep things on-hand for others, or for special occasions. Even if it was just biscuits and fig preserves, she always considered keeping something for tomorrow.
In heaven God also has things stored. Vials of prayers he turns to when he wants to smell the aroma of His saints reaching for Him. Monuments that stand before him as reminders of lives who need Him, placed where He can remember them and their needs.
We’re supposed to be storing treasures, spiritual things that reap life, returning to us by the law of sowing and reaping.
Our giving has always been investments. Like bread cast upon the waters, we expect it to return not many days hence. We are seeing the passing of a generation like Crystal’s Mom. People who built for tomorrow, storing away for the lean times and a day that the extra they have now would be part of tomorrow’s provision.
God gives us ample opportunity to store away for tomorrow, challenges to store away good things when our lives are simple and answers easy. Each test is a chance to react in love; doing good to them that hate us, serving, forgiving, and even agreeing with our adversaries while we are in the way with them. To store committed prayers, praise that is forced to Him when we don’t feel the inclination, all that we might need later for our loved ones when we need to believe God for a miracle.
But we’re not minding the store.
Peter bragged that he would protect Jesus. Jesus rebuked him and said; “thou savourest not the things of God,” or loosely translated, you’re not minding the things that matter to God.
Every day we could be building stores for the coming hours of temptation. Yet, we grapple with our ego and curse the way that others take because it offends our thinking. But have you ever thought that maybe God is giving us opportunities to store forgiveness and mercy for the dark hour we are yet to face?
But someone must mind the store.
R.A. Perry
Showing posts with label R.A. Perry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label R.A. Perry. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Friday, June 1, 2007
For Mature Audiences Only
David sat in the church pew contemplating his hate for his wife. for several years their love had fizzled away to the deep resentment he was feeling now. They both had learned to "fake" their "Holy Ghost", but knew the chasm was too great to fix. He was about ready to slip away quietly and start his life over. He could no longer stand the harping and nagging he heard incessantly. Now even the preaching was even getting on his nerves.
What began as moods and failure to accomodate the basics of marriage had blossomed to hypocrisy; why? The begining of the law was given with the prioritizing of the promises. Leviticus stated clearly to reverance the sanctuary.
The Hebrew origianations of this statement wasn't pointing to the Tabernacle because the tabernacle in the same chapters had its own proactive laws. This could have been stated; "To morally fear the failure of protecting the things of God you have consecrated." Our minds think church, and even the scriptures point to the sabbaths, but, this included so much more in the plans to bless from God.
Marriages are one of God's main focuses to bless our lives. If we neglect to morally fear to protect the bond and union of the marriage, it creates a chasm that God will not walk with us. Later, God stated that to do these things would fulfill the relationship with Him and He would walk with his people, and to neglect?
Defauding a marriage is razor-blade across the throat of love. We cannot change the way we need certain things. Some women have to have a regular confirmation of their value, something a man is not equipped to naturally do. Some men need a regular feeling of a manly shot of championing their home and fulfilling his natural emotion of master and leader.
To defraud one another steals a precious part of natural needs and displeases God. When the woman becomes frustrated and stressed, she begins to demand and expect things beyond her husbands understanding. When the man is neglected, the chasm of love and devotion widens, and his desire to keep, protect and honor is swallowed up in the emotion of resentment.
Sometimes the chasm grows quietly until all love and dedication is washed away in the bitter emotions of self-absorbed neglect. It will eventually turn to the relatonship of God and His people when those emotions are spread outward.
How you treat the things consecrated to God are very important, but nothing does more subtle damage to a congregation as those "unknown" emotions one deals with when they are not fulfilled as a human-being.
Eventually the trouble blossums into a negative energy that affects many. Paul was clear. Defaud not. You do not own your bodies. Simple, huh? The briefest moment of carelessness concerning reverancing this Holy act can destroy hearts and lives for decades.
R.A. Perry
What began as moods and failure to accomodate the basics of marriage had blossomed to hypocrisy; why? The begining of the law was given with the prioritizing of the promises. Leviticus stated clearly to reverance the sanctuary.
The Hebrew origianations of this statement wasn't pointing to the Tabernacle because the tabernacle in the same chapters had its own proactive laws. This could have been stated; "To morally fear the failure of protecting the things of God you have consecrated." Our minds think church, and even the scriptures point to the sabbaths, but, this included so much more in the plans to bless from God.
Marriages are one of God's main focuses to bless our lives. If we neglect to morally fear to protect the bond and union of the marriage, it creates a chasm that God will not walk with us. Later, God stated that to do these things would fulfill the relationship with Him and He would walk with his people, and to neglect?
Defauding a marriage is razor-blade across the throat of love. We cannot change the way we need certain things. Some women have to have a regular confirmation of their value, something a man is not equipped to naturally do. Some men need a regular feeling of a manly shot of championing their home and fulfilling his natural emotion of master and leader.
To defraud one another steals a precious part of natural needs and displeases God. When the woman becomes frustrated and stressed, she begins to demand and expect things beyond her husbands understanding. When the man is neglected, the chasm of love and devotion widens, and his desire to keep, protect and honor is swallowed up in the emotion of resentment.
Sometimes the chasm grows quietly until all love and dedication is washed away in the bitter emotions of self-absorbed neglect. It will eventually turn to the relatonship of God and His people when those emotions are spread outward.
How you treat the things consecrated to God are very important, but nothing does more subtle damage to a congregation as those "unknown" emotions one deals with when they are not fulfilled as a human-being.
Eventually the trouble blossums into a negative energy that affects many. Paul was clear. Defaud not. You do not own your bodies. Simple, huh? The briefest moment of carelessness concerning reverancing this Holy act can destroy hearts and lives for decades.
R.A. Perry
Thursday, May 31, 2007
The Lord's portion.
Deut 32:9-12
9 For the LORD's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.
10 He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.
11 As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:
12 So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.
The process of choosing a portion of anything is only decided by the offerings and variety to behold. Then it is solely chosen by the scrutiny and desire of the one whose choice it is to make.
The hour of Jacobs desert journey records historically one of the most powerfully diverse and historically dynamic times in which humanity displayed both intellect and creativity. The Egyptian Dynasties had developed into the scientific and military superiors of the world. The Persian kingdoms were thrusting their religious fervor throughout the known world. Even the mountainous Gutians and Hittite raiders shook the Euphrates valley with complete social upheaval.
But on a journey of a lost identity, Jacob, awoke everyday wondering if his supplanting had banished him to a future of loneliness and familial heartache.
The Eagle stirs its nest only when it wants to drive its inhabitants out of the comfortable place of ease. Natures plan clearly chooses a time for leaving and fending for themselves, away from the cushioned, well fed place of comfort to the learning curve of maturity.
Then the mercy of momma eagle causes her to spread her wings and descend beneath the falling, untrained eaglet. She will then capture the falling chick by letting the weight fall upon her wings and bearing it on a journey of discovery.
We stand before the epic of human invention. With video effects, electronic wonders, and even wonders of information becoming available to every simple dreamer, our perspective of successes has caused us to dream fantastic dreams. We venture well beyond our limited abilities to believe for ambitious successes in souls and symbols of affluence with benchmarks that regale our name among those who whisper amongst themselves of “powerful men of God.”
Alas; if we would all truly reflect on the great times we’ve had with God, it was when He stirred our world, shook us and separated us from the security of it, and then bared us on His wings.
God is not interested in the scientific marvels at our disposal. He is not impressed with the numbers and our abilities to trumpet our prowess. His portion is the hungry heart for Him who needs a divine experience on the wings of an eagle.
One afternoon around Jacobs well, God found another Jacob to love and help. His disciples returned from their quest for food from the city. They stood there with their offerings of meat and delicacies, breads and drink and after a moment of choosing, the Master turned to them and said; I have meat that ye know not of.
He had already had His portion.
R.A. Perry
9 For the LORD's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.
10 He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.
11 As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:
12 So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.
The process of choosing a portion of anything is only decided by the offerings and variety to behold. Then it is solely chosen by the scrutiny and desire of the one whose choice it is to make.
The hour of Jacobs desert journey records historically one of the most powerfully diverse and historically dynamic times in which humanity displayed both intellect and creativity. The Egyptian Dynasties had developed into the scientific and military superiors of the world. The Persian kingdoms were thrusting their religious fervor throughout the known world. Even the mountainous Gutians and Hittite raiders shook the Euphrates valley with complete social upheaval.
But on a journey of a lost identity, Jacob, awoke everyday wondering if his supplanting had banished him to a future of loneliness and familial heartache.
The Eagle stirs its nest only when it wants to drive its inhabitants out of the comfortable place of ease. Natures plan clearly chooses a time for leaving and fending for themselves, away from the cushioned, well fed place of comfort to the learning curve of maturity.
Then the mercy of momma eagle causes her to spread her wings and descend beneath the falling, untrained eaglet. She will then capture the falling chick by letting the weight fall upon her wings and bearing it on a journey of discovery.
We stand before the epic of human invention. With video effects, electronic wonders, and even wonders of information becoming available to every simple dreamer, our perspective of successes has caused us to dream fantastic dreams. We venture well beyond our limited abilities to believe for ambitious successes in souls and symbols of affluence with benchmarks that regale our name among those who whisper amongst themselves of “powerful men of God.”
Alas; if we would all truly reflect on the great times we’ve had with God, it was when He stirred our world, shook us and separated us from the security of it, and then bared us on His wings.
God is not interested in the scientific marvels at our disposal. He is not impressed with the numbers and our abilities to trumpet our prowess. His portion is the hungry heart for Him who needs a divine experience on the wings of an eagle.
One afternoon around Jacobs well, God found another Jacob to love and help. His disciples returned from their quest for food from the city. They stood there with their offerings of meat and delicacies, breads and drink and after a moment of choosing, the Master turned to them and said; I have meat that ye know not of.
He had already had His portion.
R.A. Perry
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