Its a cold winters night, but no one seems to notice the chill. Gathered in the tiny 36 x 18 foot building, 31 Romanians are in the midst of praise and worship. The small wood stove is barely casting a glow, but each person present is filled with warmth in their hearts. Now its time for testimonies and a father, mother, and their teenage son step to the front.
“I lived a hard life before coming to Christ,” Onefrei, the father, begins. Several nods are seen in the room.
Growing up in communist Romania, Onefrei had always been taught that God did not exist. So having no knowledge of the spiritual, he sought to find happiness in any way he could. He often turned to alcohol, believing the drink could manage to lift his spirits.
Ironically, the drink of pleasure was the very thing that threw him into deep despair. Onefreis developing addiction to alcohol wreaked havoc in his life, and he became a source of heartache for his family. He argued with everyone he encountered, became a habitual liar, put his job in jeopardy, and he beat his wife and son in the midst of drunken rages. At one point, Onefrei hurt his wife so severely that doctors were forced to correct her broken arm with a metal plate.
In a fit of rage
Feeling a desperate need for comfort, Onefreis’ 16-year old son, Valenti, decided to try out a new church in their village. The small church had been established by a Bible League trained church planter, and the pastor invited Valenti to become involved through Bible studies. Valenti accepted the invitation, and not long after, he received his own Bible from the Bible League. Hearing the Word of God for the first time, the young boy was moved and accepted Christ as his Savior.
Excited about his new relationship with God, Valenti decided to tell his parents. But the instant Valenti began to speak, Onefrei was filled with fury. He took a knife from the kitchen and tried to go after his son. Onefrei recalls, My anger at his becoming a Christian caused me to be in such a rage that I did not really care if I killed him. In my mind I thought, That will be a punishment to him for becoming a believer in a non existent God.
Valenti ran out of the house and sought shelter with some of the local Christians. As the teenager told them what had happened, they committed to praying for the salvation of his father.
God does exist
Two days later, Christians from Valentis church came to talk to Onefrei. By Gods perfect timing, Onefrei had just been warned by his boss that he would be dismissed from his job if his behavior did not change soon. Onefrei felt powerless, how could he free himself from the bondage of his addiction?
The Christians began to share from Gods Word and Onefrei listened intently. He says, “Suddenly I realized these Christians were talking to me in a kind way. I felt they were interested in me and wanted to help me. They asked me to come to one of their church services, and I said I would.”
That Sunday, Onefrei followed through on his promise. He remembers, I sat there amazed at how they praised God as if He really was listening, because He was real to them. The Bible was opened and the pastor preached as though he knew God in a personal way. A powerful realization came to me, God did exist!
Onefrei continued to attend church for several weeks, because he says, There was something inside of me compelling me to be at church. The pastor gave him a Bible and Onefrei became more convinced about the reality of God, Jesus Christ, and his need to be freed from his sin. On a warm June evening, he accepted the pastors invitation to ask Jesus into his heart, and four months later, he was publicly baptized.
Incredible changes
When Onefrei first told his wife, Jenica about his new faith in Jesus Christ, she was skeptical, to say the least. She tells the congregation, I knew he did not believe in God, so when he started going to church, I found it hard to believe. At first I thought his drinking had finally made him crazy.
Jenica became more puzzled as she watched him read his Bible, and she was truly astounded by the changes in his behavior. She recalls, He started to laugh. He sang. His drinking stopped. So did his violence and bad language. He paid attention to me. Then I knew a miracle had happened.
Convinced his change was real, Jenica wanted what her husband had. I was so moved, she says, I just had to go to church and find the faith he had. It was not long before Jenica gave her heart to Christ.
Abundant joy
Now, as Onefrei, Jenica, and Valenti stand before their church, they are a true family of God.
Valenti can hardly contain his emotions. What abundant joy the Lord has given me, he says. Now we are a family that God has brought together. All three of us read and study the Bible together as a home.
A powerful realization came to me, God did exist!
About the Author
John Savage has an interesting Blog and website which can be viewed by going to Persecuted Christians
Article source:
The Power of the Bible
Tags: Bible Study, Christian growth, Devotion, Faith, God's Love, persecution, Shared Devotion, Shared Devotions, talks with God, Testimony
Although Christianity can be recognized as one of the most common religions around the world, many people are virtually unaware of what Christianity really is. The following article is intended as an introduction to Christianity for non-Christians. It is a brief overview of the major beliefs that are involved in Christianity.
Christianity originally developed from Judaism. Jesus was alive from 3BC to 300AD, and he was a Jew. He lived and taught his religion in Palestine primarily but not exclusively among other Jews. Christianity is different from Judaism for two major reasons. The first being that Christians believe that Jesus is God in human form, which is an unheard of belief in Judaists. The second being that Judaists believe that Jesus had a special covenant made between him and the Jewish people. This was a sort of law, or a set of ethical and religious principles. However, most Christians believe that this set of laws was outdated by Jesus’ teachings, and on the night of his death, he talked about a new covenant that was based upon his death and resurrection. These two differences are the most controversial aspect of Christianity, and continue to be controversial even among Christians. While most modern Christians accept these two views, there are still many that do not.
Christians believe in one God, who they attribute to creating the universe and all that is in it. Christians also believe that God plays the pivotal role in history, because he acts as a guide to his people. They believe that God is a person, but not in the same way we are human. Whereas humans have physical and spiritual beings, God is entirely spiritual. They believe that he exists in a sphere outside of the normal, physical universe. Christians believe that humans have been developed in the image of God. We are different from God because we have physical matter, but we are similar in the fact that we are capable of making rational decisions, and also capable of having relationships with others and with God himself. Christians also believe that God is responsible for sustaining the world itself, and humans hold a responsibility to God.
This introduction to Christianity is extremely brief, as the religion is very complex, and can be researched in great detail. However, the main aspects of the religion are here, and if any of the ideas pique an interest in you, you should continue to research this vast and amazing topic on your own. There are thousands of books around the world that deal with the history and the practices of Christianity. Even if you don’t want to become a Christian yourself, it is always worthwhile to examine the life and religions of other people and other cultures.
About the Author
Author Barney Garcia is a proud contributing author and enjoys writing about many different topics. Please visit my web sites @ Christianityand www.churches-of-god.info
Article source:
A Brief Introduction to Christianity
Tags: Bible Study, Christian growth, Devotion, Shared Devotion, Shared Devotions, talks with God
Does the enormity of our World prevent a Christian from making a difference? I believe that we can all make a difference and I’ll explain my reasoning by again looking at our favorite fall fruit, the pumpkin.
During November, the United States celebrated Thanksgiving. Consider these pumpkin statistics:
- As American families joined together to share meals and thankful moments, approximately 50 – 75 million pumpkin pies were eaten.
-
Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin pie is considered the second favorite pie of Americans, although it is only eaten around the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. (2 months out of 12)
- Pumpkins are hardy plants and can be grown in six of the World’s seven continents.
- Antarctica is the only continent where pumpkins cannot grow due to the cold climate. They are strong enough to grow in Alaska.
- Morton, Illinois, claims to be the pumpkin capital of the World.
- According to the Nestle Libby’s website, Libby’s produces 85% of the canned pumpkin throughout the world.
- A study at the University of Illinois found that 90% of US processed pumpkins are grown within a 90-mile radius of Peoria, Illinois, a close neighbor to Morton. To put that into perspective, if Illinois covers 57,918 square miles and the United States covers 3,537,441 square miles, then 2% of the square miles of the U.S. produces 90% of our canned pumpkin each year.
- In 2008, 90% of canned pumpkin represented 496 million pounds of pumpkin worth $141 million. That’s a big feat for one state.
How did Illinois become a pumpkin empire? Eighty years ago, a canning company in Chicago, Illinois, named Libby’s, expanded their canning operations to include pumpkin. The Libby’s company worked for years to perfect their processes and was dedicated to producing only the richest, most golden, creamy textured and pure flavor pumpkin on the market. Even today, they still continue to produce 100% pure pumpkin, canned without preservatives or additives. They plant 5000 acres of pumpkins each summer and continue to increase and grow their plantings yearly.
Pumpkin Harvest
So, where am I going with this? In 1929, did Libby’s set out to become the World’s largest pumpkin producing company? I honestly don’t know; however regardless of their original goals, they achieved quite a lot in the past 80 years. Their efforts to expand their canning operations created the demand that Americans have for pumpkin and pumpkin pie each and every year.
What if Christians didn’t worry about the outcome of serving the Lord, but just did it? Imagine the impact and growth that would come from parking cars on Sunday morning, cleaning and sweeping the facilities at churches and charities, painting Sunday school classrooms, or cooking meals for people in need. If those things sound small in the Kingdom or in this enormous World, consider the simple task of planting a pumpkin seed. Even if you don’t consider your contribution to God to be huge, you must know that God always rejoices in the small things and uses humble beginning to build a prosperous future. Without Libby’s canning expansion, American’s second favorite pie might be mincemeat instead of pumpkin.
Here are some verses to consider:
“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.” (Zechariah 4:10 NLT)
“Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be”! (Job 8:7 NIV)
“He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much.” (Luke 16:10 NASB)
Tags: Bible Study, Christian Walk, Devotion, God's Garden, Shared Devotion, Shared Devotions, talks with God
What’s so exciting about a pumpkin seed? It’s a beige, flat, almond-shaped seed that can be between 1/2 to 1 inch in length. It’s not fancy at all.
A Pumpkin Seeds Knows How to Grow No Matter How It Is Placed In the Ground
Have you ever tasted a pumpkin seed? They are quite yummy with an earthy, nutty-sweet flavor. Pumpkin seeds can be roasted or toasted alone for a healthy and delicious snack. Used as an ingredient, pumpkin seeds can be found in breads, cereals, soups, breakfast bars, desserts, and sauces.
Some nutritionists think that pumpkin seeds are as close as you can get to a perfect food. These little seeds are a natural source of carbohydrates, amino acids, and unsaturated fatty acids. They are packed with most of the B vitamins, along with C, D, E, and K, and have the minerals calcium, potassium, niacin, and phosphorous.
For centuries, Native American Indians found pumpkin seeds to be helpful in treating illnesses, as well as, to treat kidney problems and to eliminate parasites. Today, pumpkin seeds are being used to treat prostate and bladder problems and also to help with depression and learning disabilities.
The most amazing thing about a pumpkin seed is that no matter which way you place it in the ground, it knows which
Pumpkin Plant Shoots Up With Hands Raised to the Sun
way to grow. It seeks the sun and needs to stay under its rays for a minimum of six hours each day. Its oval leaves shoot up from the ground unfolding like a pair of praying hands reaching in surrender to the sun. As it matures, it reaches out its branches and produces fruit filled abundantly with more seeds that will provide a good food source or be available for next year’s planting.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to act like a pumpkin seed in our walk with God?
We would:
- Always know which way to grow no matter where we are planted.
- Seek the Son and stay in His light.
- Humbly and prayerfully surrender to the Father in everything we do.
- Reach out to others bearing good fruit (Galatians 5:22-23) teaching others of God’s perfect Love.
- Plant seeds that continue to bear fruit and further God’s kingdom.
Remember this verse:
Deuteronomy 4:29 (New International Version)
29 But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.
Life can be difficult, but through the lesson of the pumpkin seed, I pray that I will always know which way to grow and seek the Son, always humble, and with dedication to continue to bear fruit.
Tags: Bible Study, God's Garden, Pumpkin seed, Shared Devotions, talks with God
Anna Weatherup is a Christian artist from Brisbane (Australia). She is working with a Christian label this year and hoping to sign a contract.
http://annaweatherup.com/
Tags: Christian artist, Christian music, Devotional music, I will stand
What is the largest fruit in the world? It’s the American fall favorite, the pumpkin, known for its round shape and bright-orange flesh. A single pumpkin can grow as large as 1,000 lbs or more, depending on the seed variety. Each year, competition growers sow their seeds around June or July, hoping to produce the largest pumpkin in the world by the first of October.
This year, the 2007 record was scattered at the Ohio Valley Giant Pumpkin Growers (OVGPG) Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off [whew!] by a specimen weighing-in at 1,725 pounds. Christy Harp, a schoolteacher from Jackson Township, Ohio, set the new record and hopes to teach the world her growing secrets.
Dixie Classic Fair - NC's Record Breaking Pumpkin
North Carolina’s pumpkin record was also broken this year by Ricky Holder, who produced a pumpkin weighing in at 1,257.8 lbs. and crushing the current record of 960 lbs. Our family got to see it on display at the Dixie Classic Fair and it was impressive! A child around us remarked, “Here’s the Great Pumpkin.” It definitely could have been with its massive breadth.
After I looked at our pictures from the fair, I decided to Google for any news articles about Ricky’s record-breaking pumpkin and I found a newsreel from the local station, WXII. I listened to the clip several times to hear how Ricky grew the gigantic pumpkin. Because of my unsuccessful attempt to grow pumpkins this year, I hoped Ricky could give me some tips for next year. Instead of gardening tips, I heard something in the clip that amazed me.
VIDEO: WXII News – Ricky Holder’s Record Breaking Pumpkin
The announcer said that, at one point during its growth, the pumpkin was putting on 38 lbs. a day. If you do the math, that’s 7.6, 5lb bags of sugar. That’s an incredible increase in a short period of time. Was it possible to just sit there for a few hours and watch the pumpkin grow?
It made me think of a Bible passage in Thessalonians. Paul, Silas, and Timothy wrote a letter of Thanksgiving and Prayer to the church of the Thessalonians.
2 Thessalonians 1:3-4
3We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. 4Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.
It would be amazing to grow in faith and wisdom at the rate Ricky’s pumpkin grew. You can’t measure intangible things like faith, love, and perseverance, but if you could, then imagine adding thirty-eight pounds of those things each day in our Christian lives. The results would be powerful.
Ricky said that it required a lot of hard work, good soil, lots of fertilizer, and a little bit of luck to grow his champion pumpkin. Christians can apply that technique in our lives by working hard for the Lord, planting ourselves in his firm foundation (soil), studying the scriptures and praying daily (fertilizer), and having faith and trust in God (it is a sure thing.) If we do those things, we will surely grow with God.
Tags: Christian growth, record breaking pumpkins, Shared Devotion, Shared Devotions, talks with God
If you ever talk to a U.S. Navy sailor, you will find that most of us have a few sea stories under our belts that we are willing to share. The story below is one of mine. I have never told this outside of my immediate family; but on this Veteran’s day, November 11, 2009, I want to share it.
In 1982, I joined the U. S. Navy. I graduated from college the previous year, but could not find a job. I was stuck with a lot of education loans and my debt felt astronomical. Our country was in a recession and without any work to be found, I needed to do something quick. Instead of waiting a year to get an officer’s billet, I enlisted and joined as a Fireman. With my recent college degree, the Navy school was easy for me and I aced all my qualification tests.
USS Waxahachie (YTB-814)
As a reward, I got orders to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. That was the good news. The bad news was that I was assigned to a Navy harbor tug. I reported to the USS Waxahachie (YTB-814) in June of 1982.
Being on a tug was a lot of work. Our crew of young men and women struggled to get the heavy lines over to the ships and submarines and pull them out to sea or push them up to the piers. There were four (4) tugboats that worked the harbor. The workload rotated to share the load. No crew was ever forced to work long hours seven days a week.
All 4 Pearl Harbor Tugs in action (1980s) Escorting the Destroyer, USS Sampson, DD63 in Pearl Harbor
The #1 boat did the majority of the daily moves and runs, while the #2 boat was just there if a move required two connections. The #3 and #4 boats were on stand-by each day in the event that multiple ships or subs came in at the same time or if an aircraft carrier was scheduled to dock at the piers. An aircraft carrier required all four boats to guide it in because of its enormous size. When a boat was on the #4 rotation, the crew mustered (which means ‘checked-in’ in Navy terms), did some small maintenance or clean-up, drank some coffee, and were dismissed for the day.
That was how it worked the whole time I was stationed on the tugs, except for November 23, 1982. Hurricane Iwa had other plans for our boats. Since I was on the #4 boat that day, all I brought with me was my uniform. I hadn’t packed a lunch and I wasn’t carrying any money. My plans were to be shopping down in Waikiki by noon. There would have been plenty of time to go back to my quarters and get what I needed. I was there for the 6:30am muster. Our boat had to take a quick run out to assist another tug, but we would not have to work any lines.
The announcement came over the intercom that we were not getting early liberty that day. In fact, we were to prepare to stay all day. We thought the Craftmaster or Chief Petty Officer was joking with us and we laughed and poked fun at him. The second announcement was stern. He told us that Hurricane Iwa had changed course during the night and was heading towards Oahu. We needed to get as many ships out of the harbor as possible to protect them from damage. Most piers had ships docked two deep or side by side. Unless the boats moved out to sea to ride out the storm, they would be knocking against each other or smacking against the pier and pilings when the hurricane hit land. The damage to both the harbor and vessels would be astronomical. Our tug was diverted to pull one of the first ships out immediately.
All day, we pulled ships out of the harbor. Our boat had no food because none of us expected to be there. We dug through the galley and found old bags of frozen vegetables and bottles of ketchup and tried to make some soup in a crock pot. We started a soup watch and whoever was on soup duty kept going back in the galley and adding water, ketchup, and whatever we could find to the pot. Even though the crock pot was strapped down, we lost a cup of broth and ingredients every time we took a big wave. The mush tasted horrible, but we had to force it down. We were working extremely hard.
We must have pulled out 6-8 ships during the first 12 hours. That might not sound like a lot, but multiply that by the remaining 3 boats. We were clearing the harbor as fast as possible, but there were still boats and submarines at the piers. Every vessel was filled with sailors and marines. Everyone on the tugs was doing their part to protect our country’s ships, harbor, and military personnel.
The water became so rough that it was getting risky to pull anymore boats out of the harbor. The last boat that we were able to pull out was the USS Goldsborough. Our entire crew felt very scared as we released our lines and let them go. The water was very choppy and we wondered if they would get past the big waves in time.
The Port Operations Officer gave the order that no more ships could leave the harbor. The hurricane was getting closer causing an increase in wave height and wind speed and making it impossible for ships to get out to sea before the hurricane hit land and Pearl Harbor. The tugs were sent back to our piers. Our new assignment would be to hold the remaining ships against the piers by pushing against them to control the rocking and swaying. Before we received our new instructions, we got a distress call. The USS Goldsborough had taken a big wave and there was a man overboard. Our tug had to go back and ride the area to try and find him. We did what we were ordered to do, although we were just a harbor tug and not prepared to stand against big ocean waves.
As we approached our coordinates, the crew scanned for a body floating in the waves. We couldn’t see anything. There was nothing to see but teal, green water swelling around us and over us. We realized that we were in trouble. Our little tug was taking on big waves. The waves had swept us too far out to sea and our tug was bobbing and rolling against 120 mph winds and 30+ feet waves. All of our lines and rigging on deck were washed away. Everyone was ordered to come to the pilothouse where the Craftmaster steered the tug. Braced against the map table, we held hands and prayed. Our little boat was in trouble. The waves were going over the top of the pilot house. I thought about my family and felt sad that I would never see them again. There were no tears or screams as we all stood watching the water hit the windows over and over again. There was complete calm among the crew.
The Craftmaster was a small man. During an illness, he lost half of his stomach and at 6 feet, only weighed 95 lbs. He couldn’t hold the ship’s wheel steady. Another sailor was trying to help him when the Chief Engineer came up from the engine room. Without hesitation, the Engineer grabbed the wheel, and very steadily, he held us against the biggest wave I have ever seen. Our tug went down deep under this wave, like we were being flushed to the ocean floor. As we rose up, there was a split second of calm. The engineer saw an opening and turned the wheel to the left.
Within minutes, we were in safer waters, and pushing up against the piers at Hickam Air Force Base. One of the sailors was injured in the engine room during the tossing and had to be removed for medical treatment. The rest of us rode back to Pearl Harbor and remained there for another 12 hours pushing against ships to keep them from rocking and sustaining damage.
God was with us the entire ride. (And believe me, there is no ride at DisneyLand or anywhere like that boat ride.)
In Psalm 107:28-30, our crew found comfort.
28 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
and he brought them out of their distress.
29 He stilled the storm to a whisper;
the waves of the sea were hushed.
30 They were glad when it grew calm,
and he guided them to their desired haven.
Hurricane Iwa was a Category 1 hurricane and one of the most destructive hurricanes to ever hit Hawaii.
1982 Hurricane Iwa Destruction (Click link)
USS Goldsborough - Man Overboard (Click link)
Fortunately, the Lieutenant that was washed overboard was able to overcome the tumultuous seas and swim to safety. He washed up near a runway at the Honolulu airport. Even though we were safe, I’ve always struggled with why we went after him in the first place. We were just a tug boat against a mighty sea. He was washed overboard from something much more powerful than we were. What chance did we have and why did we take the risk? We were ordered to do it, but never once did anyone complain. We had the chance to save a life of a shipmate. We had to try to find him. There was no other choice for us.
The parable of the lost sheep explains it the best.
Luke 15:3-6
3Then Jesus told them this parable: 4“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
Happy Veteran’s Day to my shipmates and to all the United States Armed Forces.
Tags: Devotion, Pearl Harbor, Psalm 107, Shared Devotion, Tugboat, Veteran's Day, Waxahachie
My husband and I just rented the movie, “New In Town,” starring Renee Zellweger and Harry Connick, Jr. We really enjoyed the movie. A female executive from Miami is sent to Minnesota to help re-structure a plant that her firm owns. It’s a pretty basic boy meets girl story, but the dialog and characters are quite funny and charming. We had to pause the DVD to take laughter breaks quite a few times.
Here’s a part from the script that we found hilarious. It’s a conversation between the executive secretary (Blanche) and her newly arrived boss from Miami (Lucy).
Blanche: Can I ask you a personal question? Have you found Jesus?
Lucy: Well, I didn’t know he was missing!
Blanche: [Looks aghast]
Lucy: Sorry, it was just a joke.
Blanche: Normally we don’t joke about Jesus around here. But I can see how you’d think that was sorta funny. Imagine Jesus goin’ missing.
Blanche: [Looks terrified]
Blanche: Imagine
I’m glad I don’t have to worry that Jesus will go missing.
Psalm 9:7 (New International Version)
7 The LORD reigns forever;
he has established his throne for judgment.
Matthew 28:20 (New King James Version)
20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
If you need a movie night, give this film a try. Hope you enjoy.
The Bible is full of advice and tips for living and this morning I ran across a rather humorous piece of advice in 2 Kings 9. The chapter describes the story of Elisha sending one of the sons of the prophets to Ramoth-Gilead to anoint Jehu king of Israel. It is a great and very powerful story; however, today, I could not get past the first verse. Reading the Holman Christian Standard Bible, I got to “tuck your mantle under your belt” and stopped cold. I am not a Bible scholar and did not know the meaning of the word mantle. I had to look it up. Wikipedia defined it as “a type of loose garment usually worn over indoor clothing to serve the same purpose as an overcoat.”
Now, did this mean that Elisha instructed the young man to tuck his coat under his belt? How cool is that? I spent a few minutes looking at various translations of this verse.
2 Kings 9:1
(New International Version)
1 The prophet Elisha summoned a man from the company of the prophets and said to him, “Tuck your cloak into your belt, take this flask of oil with you and go to Ramoth Gilead.
(King James Version)
1And Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets, and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this box of oil in thine hand, and go to Ramothgilead:
(Holman Christian Standard Bible)
1 The prophet Elisha called one of the sons of the prophets and said, “Tuck your mantle under your belt, take this flask of oil with you, and go to Ramoth-gilead.
The word, loin, was used in many translations. I have eaten pork loin, but needed to know what loin is in reference to a man and not a piece of pork? The wordnetweb at Princeton (http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/) says that loins are the lower part of the abdomen just above the external genital organs or the region of the hips and groin and lower abdomen.
If you are a parent, you might understand how excited I got at this point! I now have proof for my son that “back in the day” of Elisha, which is thought to be 9th Century BC, boys were told to tuck their shirt into their pants, especially when getting ready for a special event outside of their home. Elisha gave me a truly golden piece of parenting advice and wisdom.
This lesson reminded of a friend’s facebook post from earlier this week and I’ll share it here. (Thanks Harriet!)
Remember to always search and seek for truth in the Word of God. It always amazes me. Now, instead of nagging my son to “tuck in your shirt”, I will be saying “gird up your loins, boy.”
Turning the World Upside Down
It’s October and my spring garden has wilted and crumbled. It’s strange, but I can’t say that I’m sad. I love working in dirt and growing things, but the squirrels and bugs tormented me this year. My son and I were heartbroken to find jagged teeth marks in our beautiful, red tomatoes. We both secretly wished that the squirrels would mistake our habanera peppers for tomatoes and learn the hard way to stay out of our garden. Unfortunately, they never touched the peppers.
We did get some good tomatoes this year despite the pests. I tried one of those highly advertised growing hangers, called a “Topsy Turvy.” After viewing the fabulous bounty that these hangers produced in an infomercial, I rushed out to buy one. It didn’t seem possible that anything could grow upside down, but I was willing to give it a try.
It worked. I’m not sure what made the inventor think of such an unconventional idea. It literally turns conventional gardening upside down. My plants grew hanging completely upside down and away from the sun. It was amazing.
Every time I looked at the topsy turvy planter, I remembered how Christ turned the world upside down. The whole salvation story defies convention. He was born of a virgin, walked as man to teach and preach about God, and died to save the world. That is truly the most amazing story ever told. There is no one else that has ever come close to doing anything so spectacular.
(In the Bible) Paul visited Thessalonica and he went straight to the Jews. For three Sabbaths, he told them the extraordinary story of Christ. Some of them believed, including many of the devout Greeks and many women, and they wanted to help Paul and Silas. But many Jews were angered by the story and wanted to throw Paul and Silas out of the city to shut them up. They attacked the house of Jason where Paul and Silas were staying.
Acts 17:6-7 reads: (King James Version)
6And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, these that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;
7Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.
Thousands of years ago, people recognized that Christ and His plan of salvation turned the world upside down. Jesus will turn your world upside down. With Him, you will never be the same. Being a Christian defies the conventional, but it’s the only way that to grow/go.
Tags: Christian Walk, Christians, Devotions, Faith, God's Love, Men seeking God, Shared Devotions, Women seeking God
