The
Crooked Tree

I was driving down the road one early December day, when I passed a field dead and brown for the coming winter season. In the middle of the field was a tree. The tree was probably an Old Oak Tree. Perhaps older than my parents. But what struck me was it’s bent.

It had been striped of it’s magnificent rich green leaves that summer is shaded with. As well as it’s glorious Autumn’s colorful bouquet now gone. Now you could clearly see what all it’s “adornments” had so carefully covered, it’s bent. There in the middle of the field was this one lone tree, and all that was noticed was it’s bent. It’s imperfection now glaring at all who pass by.

I thought to myself, that is so like us!! We try to hard to hide our weaknesses, inconsistencies, our deep dark secret sins. But there will be a season to which all sin is exposed---just like this tree.

We all have a bent to sin since the time of the garden and first sin. But I challenge you that as in this tree that you do not allow sin to camp at you door so long that it becomes a permanent part of you life (like the bent tree).

That when all “adornments” are off (like a winter tree) it is the inner beauty of one who loves the Lord God with all her heart, soul mind & strength and loves others – this is what people will see when they pass by.

I praise God for the times in my life where He has striped me bare to reveal my bent ness so that through my repentance & contrite heart, He may begin to prune away branches and limbs. Scourge out diseases that may have begun, so that righteousness may take root.

I challenge you this winter while all the “leaves” are off to examine your life in light of Scripture & see if you are bent.

Sisters

There was a man who had several sisters. All these sisters were very close. As a matter of fact the whole family was very close, brothers and sisters alike. This family grew from the pitter patter of little feet to adulthood with little pitter patter feet of their own. But two of the girls never married and were in close with this brother and his family. His family adored the two sisters and made deep bonds even going into a family business together.
After a time the sisters and the aged parents moved to another state nearby. Thus disjoining the close knit little group. This was hard for them all, but something that had to be done.
Sometime later one sister fell ill and died of the most dreaded------cancer! All were devastated. She was so missed. It was as though those left, had their hearts ripped from their chest in such agony to see such sickness and finally it to end in the death of a very beloved loved one………
There was a woman along with her husband and children that had moved to the area where the man lived. She had lived away from her family for over twenty years. She had four sisters. She was so eager to finally be “home” closer to family. All the sisters lived within a 5 hour drive. After settling in, the woman made a few trips to see her sisters. And the first Thanksgiving ever to be at her house was upon her. She had waited oh so many years for this very occasion!! She sent out the invitations, and made special plans. Attending to every detail with anticipation. Well, two sisters did not show up. Two sisters did. Wow, how things were so different. There seemed to be no pleasing the two sisters & their families. The accommodations the woman had to offer seemed inadequate due to it’s simplicity. They scoffed that the life style of the woman and her family and constantly “pecked” at her like a scavenger bird on it’s mauled prey. The food was picked at and not much eaten. The activities planned were poorly attributed. The two sisters laughed and shared with each other, leaving the woman out of their lives and hearts-----leaving her utterly heartbroken. The two sisters left earlier than planned, as soon as they could get away. Tears were all the woman saw for days, weeks……….
What had happened, what went wrong?? After all these years, it was not the distance in miles that made them apart, she discovered, but their hearts!
The woman tried to inquire as to what was wrong, only to be met with more malice than during the Thanksgiving holiday.
Ahhh, sorrow………tears……..heartbreak!
After all these years, a long move across the country with such hopes and dreams of coming home from Christmas…..coming home for good. To the hearts and homes of the four sisters……..only to find out………they died! Yes not the same as a finally death mentioned with the man’s sister. But the death of the living. For many weeks, and months the woman grieved and grieved over the loss of her sisters. Oh how painful. How devastating to loose them so quickly and so agonizingly sorrowful.
How ironic the woman thought to herself as she thought of the man and his sisters……..They are desperately grieving over such a loved sister, how precious is that. They probably do not even know the how wonderful it is to mourn so much….the lady thought to herself, there will not be mourning over me like that……..not by my “blood” sisters. Oh to the man’s sisters I say, “You are blessed”. Hold on to every precious memory, for not everyone gets to have the kind of relationship that you have had with your sisters!
It is a rare jewel----treasure it!
The lady, as the time of year comes around when her sisters “died” to her, she still grieves. I am not so sure it isn’t harder to grieve the “living, dead” as they are able to still hurt you. And the lady is often reminded by silence, no invitation to family gatherings, so on………..that family really is.
There is two kinds of “Family”: Your “blood” relatives. And those who belong to the body of Christ Jesus are a family. The latter for the lady being what has held her and her family together all these years. This is the most important family there ever will be.

Then Jesus' mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, "Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you." "Who are my mother and my brothers?" he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother." Mark 3:31-35

There is two kinds of death. The first kind is simply where you “choose to loose” a relationship. This is really very sad. When it is not a matter taken out of your hands as with physical death. But one of one’s own choosing. It can be in the form of the most venomous breaking apart. Or it can simply be by starving the relationship. By not “feeding & nurturing” it. Either way, death is sure to be the out come. Then there is the physical death in which we all will experience. The last breath. Then our physical body “tent” will return to dust in which it came.

All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. Ecclesiastes 3:20
(But remember this is only the physical body---your soul is eternal)

There is two kinds of “Life”. Life here on this earth and life after death. We will ALL live the two. One here on earth and one either in heaven or hell. Depending on whether or not God “knows your name by heart”!!

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' Matthew 7:21-23

So what shall we say? but love…………..

Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Matthew 22:37-39

Tears

When was the last time you shed tears in the “name” of Jesus Christ? What I mean is on behalf of Christ and His sufferings, have you cried?

When was the last time that reading any of the 4 Gospels did you weep?

Perhaps you have shed tears at church during a particular touching song or testimony………

But when was the last time you cried at His feet? When was the last time you looked into His face and was broken over your sin?

I was reading this story recently and was really captured in a moment of challenge by this woman’s repentant heart. And I asked…………..
When was the last time I shed tears like this woman?

Read it and weep!

Luke 7:36-50 Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is-- that she is a sinner." Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you." "Tell me, teacher," he said. "Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?" Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled." "You have judged correctly," Jesus said. Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven-- for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?" Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

What kind of woman are you? One who has it all together and doesn’t have a need for tears? Or one who is a mess and need Jesus to pick up all the pieces and carry them in a basket!!?? A real “basket case”!

I am not trying to sound like an easy believeism here, however, this story depicts one not becoming “clean” before coming to Christ, but one who knew that only coming to Christ would make her clean!!

I have cried a lot in my lifetime. Yet to think of washing the Lord’s feet with my tears………would I have enough?................

She came completely “empty handed”. It does not record that she brought anything to Jesus, but a broken heart & some perfume. But she knew that she was at the feet of the Holy Son of God. As she came into the Presence of The Almighty she bowed her will, her life, her everything at the Savior’s feet. That is how we are to come……………..

Nothing in our “hands”—our lives……..not church attendance, teaching Sunday School, Pastoring, leading, singing in the choir, social work, giving money to the church or poor, driving a church bus, our own goodness etc, etc, etc, whatever is your “righteousness”-- will never impress God……….

He wants a broken and contrite heart…………..how is yours?
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Psalm 51:17

The
Passed Over
Lamb

Teachings from John 18:37-19:37

The Passed Over Lamb. How many times have you read the account of the arrest and death of Jesus? On this crisp morning the Holy Spirit showed my heart some new “nuggets” in this passage. ThoughtI would share them with you…………….

Look at John 18:37:
"You are a king, then!" said Pilate. Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."

Wow! Jesus is talking about me there. But yet, do I always listen to Him? It was like He was “taking up” for His followers. It is true, as spoken earlier in this same book: Jesus said, if you love Me, you will obey Me. John14:15. Now that sounds like the same thing.

So listen means obey. Do I obey Jesus? My immediate answer is why yes of course I do. Yet the more intently I look into the very Words of our Lord, I find I obey less. It is a startling thing. However, knowing Him more and more allows Him to change you. So might I encourage, admonish, challenge you to listen to Jesus by reading His Word and obey it’s Truths. All of His Truths IN CONTEXT. So you too will be on the “Side of Truth”.

Then the very next verse spoke of the “Untruths” I might say.
Verse 38 says: "What is truth?" Pilate asked. With this he went out again to the Jews and said, "I find no basis for a charge against him.

What stuck out to me so staunchly was that Pilate did not stay to listen for the answer to his question! It just showed inquiry, curiousity, but no heart to really hear The Truth and without the “listen” you can not be on the side of Truth. This is so true today. How many times have I heard a minister/pastor say: Well I got to keep the sermon to 20 or the people won’t listen. Hum………makes ya wonder. I love to hear Truth. I do not have trouble sitting for a long time hearing Truth speaking! That is also the whole thing behind seeker services, programs to draw a crowd, magicians, dances, plays, performances, etc, etc, etc, is to get peoples attention because the simple, unadulterated, undazzled, unplugged, untimed, unboxed, Truth will not keep the attention of the audience that is prefers a performance over The Person.

So the opposite of those who “listen” to Him, which are on the side of Truth. Are t hose who don’t listen and walk away. They may even have curiosity. Perhaps they are on committees at your church. Maybe even teach a Sunday School class, sing in the Choir, maybe even be the pastor, are those who hear but do not Listen! There is a difference.

Verse 39 Points out that the Lamb is right there, but the people pass Him over. They do not even see Him, the Lamb for the very occasion in which they are to celebrate. This is even more depicted to me in verse 31 of chapter 19


In the one simple phrase on thing that jumped out at me. The phrase "the day of Preparation."

Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down.

I thought Oh My, yes, it was a day of Preparation. The Jews were preparing to celebrate the “Pass over”. Yet they sought the “wrong” Lamb! Even after they had tortured Christ and nail pieced His hands and feet. And earth shaking, darkness, dead people rising from the dead and so on………………they were busy getting everything in order for the festivities to come. Thus they wanted to get this killing over with so they could finish their day of preparation! So that everything would be perfect for the festival.

Yet on the same day of Preparation Jesus Christ was preparing for the occasion too. He prepared to be The Lamb but was passed over by those preparing the lamb. Oh how sad that the very occasion that they celebrated the saving of life back when the death angel had passed over them with the blood of a lamb on the door frames, would now condemn those who did not seek The Lamb that would give them eternal life!! They passed over The Lamb at Passover that would make everyone perfect!!

I ask you, do you celebrate what you do not know?

If so, you will be passed over, when The Passover Lamb calls your name at the day of Judgment, because only those on “The Side of Truth” listen to Him!

L.D.W.

The “Lazyboy” Christian

What is the Lazyboy Christian? For many decades the pioneer, and very successful chair maker I might add, has been making extremely comfortable chairs for those of us who like to take life easy. I am sure since these reclining chairs have been in existence many other makers and styles and improvements have been made.

I have one of these chairs. And I love to sink into it and just relax. But I often find myself in an area of sin do to my “laziness” while in the “Lazyboy”. And it most recently occurred to me, how perfect the name of the most comfortable chair is-------a lazyboy. Conviction laid heavy on my heart. It was not that I did a lot of evil in the chair but it was what I wasn’t doing. Many times I have sat there tired and weary so with “true reason” I excused my lazy tendencies. With such clarity God showed me just how much this concept is also a part of the modern day churches today. Here is how:

What one often does while in a “lazyboy”:
à watch TV and/or movies (many times in which they would not watch if Jesus were right there with them--- unfortunately they forget that He is!)
à watch the news --- those who profess “not” to watch TV just watch the news and discovery channel. Just organized/publicized garbage!
à Serf through the TV channels since they feel guilty about stopping at any one station too long. Even the commercials are filthy!
à Read the newspaper--- mostly printed garbage with perhaps a few good things happening (?maybe)
à Read a book, perhaps a good one or perhaps not so good, then no one really knows what you are putting in your mind---the eye to the heart!
à Sleeping when it is not bed time

Whatever your doing - - Does it past the test--

Philipians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-- think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-- put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

What one does NOT do while in a “lazyboy”:

à These will be different for the man than the
woman. But the chores in which one should be doing. For the man it may mean fixing something in the house or yard work. For the wife it may mean any number of household chores.
à Serving others instead - - we have the tendency to
want to be waited on. We are here to serve others.
à Listen & participate with those around you.
à Be the leader or helpmeet of your family. Many times you won’t because of your self focus/self indulgence.
à Perhaps not get the needed fresh air and exercise
à Get the sweet “floor” time with little ones


These lists really just scratch the surface and are different for each person. However, the comparison I really wanted to make here is this: So very often a man or woman attends a church regularly perhaps two times on Sunday, once on Wednesday, sings in the choir, works once a month in the Nursery, one a few committees and that is their “Christianity”. But then when they get home……………they plop down in the “lazyboy”. They have fulfilled their “duty”. Done with their “Christian Service” they spend the rest of their day and week however they want to. To include a worldly secular version of Christianity is to accept materialism, lust of the eyes, immodesty of many kinds, allowing lowers standards as long as it is rated less than X for movies and many other unrighteous actions are deemed OK. Self Centeredness and indulgences are the food they feast upon instead of the Will of The Father.

No, if the lazyboy keeps you men away from your job as the Spiritual leader in your homes, away from doing what is right in the sight of God (who is watching!!) get rid of it. I challenge you to at least examine yourselves----------are you in sin as you sit and relax in the privacy of your home? Your children are watching you. They will do what they see you do!

No, if the lazyboy keeps you ladies from your duties at home. Though maybe for a short reset period, may be OK. But so often the time slips away. There is so much to do, time can not be afforded spent being lazy. How much time do you spend there in fornt of the TV yourself or reading junk (or even good stuff if you are to be doing something else!) There maybe times to sit and cuddle with little ones or read to them which perhaps can be done in the comfort of such luxuries. However, if you have any tendency to become lazy----- stay out of the lazyboy!! God is not pleased with the sin of laziness.

By all means, realize that your “churchianity” is NOT Christianity! None of those above things really amount to a hill of beans. God wants your heart! He wants an undivided heart that will obey the whole counsel of The Word no matter the cost. A lazyboy does not equal to a godly man or woman!

The Pattern
The "Pattern" is the Word of God

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-- this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-- his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:1-2

What is the pattern we follow? As born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we should pattern our lives after God. In flesh we see God incarnate Christ as He walked t his earth.

John tells us: "Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did. " 1 John 2:6.
So what does this mean exactly? What does it mean to walk as Jesus did? Can we even do that completely? We will talk about the many various aspects in weeks to come. Hope you will join us! Pray my brother and ask God to show you areas that you are conformed to this world. As He reveals them, turn from them and renew your mind in His Word.

The Fabric
The "Fabric" is the "Obedience" in your life
What kind of "fabric" do you have?

"If you love me, you will obey what I command. John 14:15

"He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."
John 3:36

There seems to be this huge debate going on out there in the "Christian" arena about which Bible version is best, better, so on & so on. Unfortunately what is really meant many times is that "their" version is the only Holy, God Inspired version and therefore anyone that does not use that version is either conlesserd a lessor Christian or unsaved. While some may not so say with their lips - they don't go that far, but their actions say otherwise. I think that satan has used this one debate to tear the body apart like a roaring lion (let's see if all the versions say that). It is sad to say. What would our Lord say? What I have noticed the ones who hold so harshly to this are the ones with the least love.

Listen to me when I say this: If would would simply obey what we read and know from the Word in any version we would be doing more to follow Christ than we are now!

The Thread
A "Thread" of Truth on a "Spool" of Lies

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves
the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1 John 2:15

Our "Christian" lives have become so much like the world they are filled with half Truths! Because we have comadulteressand had an adultress affair going on with the World, there is oh so little difference between the what is called the "church" and the "world".

Here in this section I want to address the many sayinclicheuotes, statements, cliches, doctrinal stances that are often said in the quote Christian arena but are onlconvolution truths, thus convoluting Christianity even more..... This deception of the evil one perhaps being one of his best weapons of keeping Christians believing that they can leave their "faith" at the church door and find their righteousness in religious deeds NOT in the finished work of CHRIST!

One excuse for obedience that we here often is: "The Lord is just not leading mscenariothat right now"

The scenereo is usually something like this: Conversation goes into territory that is uncomfortable and convicting so instead of "changing" and conforming to the Word, one just uses the above quote as an excuse for disobedience.

If I tell you something that is my opinion, it is just that and nothing more. But if it the Word of God that is binding. My friends, if it is clearly commanded in Scripture and it is brought to you, you are no longer in ignorance and you need to obey. There is no excuse for you.

The Needle
The Needle is The Holy Spirit
The “Needle” leads us through The Fabric
And “pricks” us when we sin

He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
Micah 6:8


Most of what we see today in churches that is called the "work of the Spirit" finds itself in conflict with the revealed truth in God's Word, this is NOT of God when this happens. When individuals begin examining scripture based on their experiences instead of examining their experiences in light of scripture error is sure to be found leading people astray.

On the otherside we have those who have so put the Holy Spirit into a box that He can't do anything anymore in their view. While the real truth is that they want the blessing of the Holy Spirit on whatever they do in the name of Christ, but want nothing to do with His power.

If the Holy Spirit shows up things have to change! Sin and self righteousness will always be incompatible with holiness and righteousness that can only come from living a life submitted to the will of God.