Just so much and no more

One of the children’s books I read my little ones was about a tiny goldfish in a fishbowl and a young child.  The child was allowed to feed the fish but told to feed it just so much and no more.  Well, the child felt sorry for the fish and keep feeding it more and more and more.  That fish grew and grew and grew until it didn’t even fit in the bathtub.  Although the child thought he was being kind and good, he hurt the fish and himself plus in the process made a mess of everything.

You know we can do that… all the while think we are kind and helpful but make a mess of everything hurting ourselves and others. 

I do things wrong, not intentionally but I do.  I had 5 children, they gave me 13 grandchildren, who have so far given me 7 great-grandchildren.  Each one is so precious.  GOD said it right when HE declared that if any of them asked me for a fish I would not give them a snake, or if they asked for an egg I definitely would not give them a scorpion. (Luke 11:11-12). Yet, I don’t always give them what they want either. 

One of my granddaughters loves to eat and she always wants more.  Sometimes I think she would eat until she popped if I would let her. There have been a time or two when I misjudged and let her have a bit too much and she got a belly ache. 

It is because I really love her, that I will give her just so much and no more, even when she thinks she wants or needs more.

GOD is good.  JESUS said that there is no one good but GOD (Matthew 19:17).   Sometimes we go to our loving Heavenly FATHER and ask for something we want or think we need yet HE says no or gives us something else. 

One I know who loves the LORD went to the LORD and asked for something special  during a hard situation.  He fully expected it, for he knows GOD loves to answer the prayers of HIS children.  This man waited patiently for the LORD to answer.  Then one day something happened and he realized that GOD was not going to give him what he so desperately felt he needed. He felt he had asked GOD for a fish, but GOD gave him a snake.  At that point the guy felt GOD had cheated him. 

I must admit, there have been a few times when I asked for a fish and GOD chose to do something different, I reacted, thinking HE had given me a snake too.  However, later as I looked back over the situation I realized GOD knew what HE was doing all the time. But at that moment, I thought HE had given me a scorpion to bite me.

Luke 11:10-13 says that if we who are far from perfect know how to give good things to our children, how much more will GOD give us what is best for us.

“No good thing will HE withhold from them who walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11).

So, if you are walking with the LORD and HE withholds something from you, you can be sure that what HE is withholding is it not the best thing for you right now.  You can trust HIM to know what is best.

Hugs

Sharon

Snake lifted up

As a short, freckled faced, redheaded six-year-old girl living in the mountains of Northern California, I was a little tomboy who climbed mountains and trees and dug for worms to sell to the tourist fishermen.  My daddy yearned to have a son, but ended up with three daughters, that may have influenced some of my tomboyish ways, who knows? 

Daddy was a teacher, and for one learning session he took us, the handful of students from his one room schoolhouse, down the hill to the meadow across the highway.  He led us to the small creek, lined with fuzzy brown cattails.  There he caught a small harmless snake that caught his eye as it soundlessly slithered through the grass.  Dad said the snake was harmless and I believed him.  Feeling very brave, I begged Daddy to let me carry it back to the schoolhouse, and with a wry smile he handed the colorful little snake to me.  But the little girls who saw the snake, squealed, and scattered.  So naturally, I began to chase them with the snake held out in front of me, laughing all the while.

That incident was decades ago.  Today, snakes are not my favorite thing, I definitely would not play with one.  In some countries snakes are revered.  The devil took the form of a snake to entice Eve to commit the first human sin.  GOD put a special dislike of snakes in women, back then in the Garden (Genesis 3:15) for that 1^st lady listened to that snake and by believing the snake she fell into sin.

From that time on a snake was a symbol in the Bible of sin.

GOD delivered the Jews who’d been cruelly treated as slaves in Egypt because they cried out to the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY (Exodus 3:9).  GOD delivered them through Moses from slavery by a strong hand doing great miracles.  But the Jews had two major weaknesses.  The Jews had very short memories, they forgot how cruelly they had been treated in Egypt and they didn’t trust the power and goodness of GOD though HE had proved it over and over.

When problems came, instead of asking GOD for help they murmured and complained, and cried out, “Where is GOD?” or “Let’s go back to Egypt.” (Exodus 16:3) Even so, GOD, in HIS great mercy, always came through for them and met their need.  HE fed them with manna (the corn of heaven/ angels food) from heaven (Deuteronomy 8:3, Psalm 78:24-25), and once when they didn’t have water, GOD told Moses to strike a rock and out gushed water.  There was enough water for all to quench the thirst and being there was over a million people, plus all their cattle and sheep that was a lot of water! (Exodus 17:6).

Even after seeing GOD deliver them over and over, providing them with food and water, defeating their enemies, the Israelites continued to murmur and complain.  Sick and tired of daily problems, and delays (sound familiar?) they became discouraged, impatient, and at the end of their endurance.  Plain and simple, they forgot all GOD had done for them.  They trusted GOD to get them out of Egypt, but didn’t trust GOD to fight their daily battles, or meet their needs.

Sometimes you and I act just like them.

As GOD’s people they needed to learn to trust GOD.  The way on learns to trust is though seeing GOD at work which means PROBLEMS.  To learn to trust, you must have situations where you need to trust. Every time they failed the test, it meant another round in the Wilderness. Trust was necessary before GOD could do for them all the wonderful things HE wanted to do for them.

After years of this the people became very discouraged because of their struggles and spoke against GOD and Moses.  So, the LORD sent fiery serpents among them.  When a person got bit, they died.  Immediately the people understood it was their murmuring and complaining that had caused this, so they ran to Moses and begged him to pray to the LORD for them.  GOD told Moses to do a strange thing.  HE told him to make a bronze snake and put it on a pole and put in on a high place, so all the millions of Jews could see it.  If someone got bit, all he had to do was to look at the snake on the pole and he would live.  But, if he didn’t believe GOD’s word that looking at the snake would help, and refused to look at the snake, he would die. (Numbers 21:4-9).

JESUS talked about that very snake on a pole.  HE said, “As Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man (JESUS) must be lifted up so whosoever believes in HIM, should not perish but have eternal life.  For GOD so loved the world that HE gave HIS only begotten SON that whosoever believes in HIM, should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:14-16).

Just as the Jews had to look to the snake on a pole, to be cured from the deadly snake bites; so, we must look to JESUS, who carried our sin on the cross, to be cured/ forgiven of our sins and made righteous in GOD’s eyes (Romans 3:20-22). 

If a Jew had been bitten by a snake and refused to look to the snake on the pole, he died.  All of us have sinned (Romans 6:23) and if we believe in JESUS and look to HIM to save us we are forgiven and gain eternal life.  But if we refuse to look to JESUS and believe and call on the name of LORD JESUS to save us (Romans 10:13), we will die in our sins (John 8:24) and the wrath of GOD will be on us (John 3:36).

Did you notice it was the murmuring and complaining that got the Jews into trouble?  Why would murmuring in hard situations get GOD so mad? It shows a lack of trust in GOD amazing wisdom and power. 

Do you, do I ever murmur or complain? Or do we look to JESUS who bore our sin on the cross and promises to help us if we come boldly to HIM in prayer? (Hebrews 4:16).

Looking unto JESUS, the Author and Perfecter of our faith.

Hugs

Sharon

Snake in the grass

The snake in the grass

As young girl of six, living in the mountains, I was very much a tomboy and climbed like a mountain goat up the mountains. Being my dad yearned to have a son, but ended up with three daughters, may have caused some of my tomboyish ways in competition for attention.

Daddy was a teacher. On one learning session he took the handful of students from his one room schoolhouse in June Lake, California on what today would be considered a field trip. We went down the hill the school was on and across the highway to the grassy meadow below. Then he led us down a path to the creek hidden by the tall grass and fuzzy brown cattails that grew on either side of the creek. I reached out and touched a cattail and loved the way it felt.

There by the creek Daddy spotted and caught a small harmless garden snake as it soundlessly slithered over the rocks and through the grass. Dad said the snake was harmless and I believed him.

Feeling very brave, I begged Daddy to let me carry it back to the schoolhouse, and with a wry smile he handed the colorful little snake to me. But the other girls who saw the snake, squealed, and scattered. So naturally, I began to chase them with the snake held out in front of me, laughing all the while.

The sneaky devil disguising himself entered a snake to entice Eve to commit the first human sin (Revelation 20:2). GOD put a special dislike of snakes in women, from that day in the Garden til now (Genesis 3:15) as HE began to reveal some of HIS strategy in dealing with sin by prophesying that her seed (JESUS) would crush the serpent’s (the devil’s) head (Revelation 20:2).

Many years later after delivering over a million Jews from slavery in Egypt though miracle after miracle HE began leading them to the Promise land. Over and over and over again, problems came up, and instead of asking GOD for help, the Jews murmured and complained.

They cried out, “Where is GOD?”

Even so, GOD, in HIS great mercy, always came through for them. GOD kept delivering them and providing them with food and water, keeping their clothes from wearing out and fighting their enemies, yet the Jews continued to murmur and complain.

They were sick and tired of daily problems, and delays (sound familiar)? They were discouraged, impatient, feeling they had reached the limit of their endurance. Plain and simple, they forgot all GOD had done and was doing for them.

Instead, they listened to that old serpent -the devil’s snide accusations and whispers focusing them to be tunnel visioned on their temporary struggles, so they forgot GOD.

GOD got them out of slavery in Egypt yet the Jews didn’t trust GOD to fight their battles, or meet their needs.

Sound familiar? Do we trust GOD to save us from the death penalty of sin but forget that HE is with us and wants to help us with our daily problems? Do we, like the Jews, listen to those snide accusing whispers of that old serpent leading to fear and tunnel vision onto our limited abilities and blocking our view of our all wise and powerful GOD?

One time the people became very discouraged because of the way and spoke against GOD and Moses. And the LORD sent fiery serpents among them. When a person got bit, they died. Immediately the people understood it was their murmuring and complaining that had caused this, so they ran to Moses and begged him to pray to the LORD for them. GOD told Moses to do a strange thing.

GOD told him to make a bronze snake and put it on a pole and put in on a high place, so all the million plus Jews could see it. If someone got bit, all he had to do was to look at the snake on the pole. If he looked, he would live. But, if he didn’t believe it would help, so refused to look at the snake that was lifted up, he would die. (Numbers 21:4-9).

JESUS talked about that very snake on a pole. When HE said, “As Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man (JESUS) must be lifted up. That whosoever believes in HIM, should not perish but have eternal life. For GOD so loved the world that HE gave HIS only begotten SON that whosoever believes in HIM, should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:14-16).

Just as the Jews had to look to the snake on a pole, to be cured from the deadly snake bites; so, we must look to JESUS, who carried our sin on the cross, to be cured/ forgiven of our sins and given the righteousness of GOD (Romans 3:20-22).

Let us look to JESUS the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2) and refuse to listen to the snide accusations against GOD that come from the enemy. Did you notice it was the murmuring and complaining that got the Jews into so much trouble? It showed that they didn’t trust GOD or praise HIM for the wonderful things HE had done and was doing for them. Do you, do I, murmur and complain? Or do we look to the LORD and trust HIM to know best how to deliver us? Remember accusations against the goodness of GOD is weapon of Satan that began in the Garden of Eden and it worked so well he still uses it today.

Looking unto JESUS, the Author and Perfecter of our faith.

hugs

Sharon L Manning

Who was he?

Today is St Patrick’s Day and people wear green.  But who was this St Patrick?

Patrick was born in Britain, just before Patrick turned 16 years old, he and his family were attacked by Irish pirates. Although Patrick’s family escaped, Patrick and many of the family’s workers did not. The captives were taken to Ireland, where Patrick was sold as a slave was forced to work as a herdsman.

Though raised in a Christian home, Patrick didn’t come to faith in Christ until he was kidnapped and made a slave. As he herded sheep his devotion to GOD grew and did not go unnoticed. He was nicknamed “Holy Boy” among his fellow slaves.

One night Patrick in a dream heard a voice telling him, “Soon you will be returning to your own country.” At age 22, Patrick escaped and traveled 200 miles to the coast of Ireland. He later wrote, “I turned on my heel and ran away, leaving behind the man to whom I had been bound for six years. Yet I came away from him in the power of GOD, for it was HE who guided my every step, so I felt not the least anxiety until I reached the ship.”

When Patrick approached one of the men on the ship and asked to board, the seaman scowled at him. As Patrick started to leave, the man called back to him, saying the other passengers wanted him on board. 

After running out of food, the captain turned to Patrick and challenged him to ask his GOD for more. Glad to oblige, Patrick turned trustingly to the LORD who was his GOD and said, “Put your faith in HIM with all your heart, because nothing is impossible to HIM. On this day, HE will send us food sufficient for our journey, because for HIM there is abundance everywhere.”

According to Patrick’s autobiography, when the men turned around, a herd of pigs was standing before them. They feasted for days and gave thanks to God.

Patrick finally made it to his beloved Britain and into the arms of his mother and father, who pleaded with him never to leave them again. But one night Patrick had a dream and he seemed to hear the voice of the same men he worked with as if they were shouting, “Holy broth of a boy, we beg you, come back and walk once more among us.”

But church leaders and Patrick’s parents fiercely opposed his plans to return to Ireland. Patrick had to sell his title of nobility to become the “slave of Christ serving the barbaric nation.”

While in Ireland, Patrick shared the gospel with his former slave owner, Miliuc the Druid. But instead of turning his back on his pagan gods, Miliuc locked himself in his house and set it on fire while Patrick stood outside and pleaded with him to turn to Christ. It is said that Miliuc drowned out Patrick’s pleas by crying out to his false gods.

Miliuc’s refusal to hear the gospel was just the beginning of Patrick’s challenges with the Druids as he spread the Good News across Ireland and taught its people how to read and write. While some Druids believed, others tried to kill him.

As Patrick journeyed across Ireland he preached at racetracks and other places of worldly indulgence, seeing many come to Christ. However, this was not without opposition. The Druids often tried to poison him. Once, a barbarian warrior speared Patrick’s chariot driver to death in an attempt to kill Patrick. He was often ambushed at his evangelistic events and was enslaved again for a short time and had to purchase safe passage through a hostile warlord’s land to continue on his journey.

Patrick wrote, “As every day arrives, I expect either sudden death or deception, or being taken back as a slave or some such other misfortune. But I fear none of these, since I look to the promise of heaven and have flung myself into the hands of the all-powerful God, who rules as Lord everywhere.”

Patrick journeyed throughout Ireland, sharing Christ until his death on March 17, around the year A.D. 461. Later, the creatures of Irish mythology known as leprechauns crept into the holiday celebrations, as did the symbol of the shamrock, believed to have been used by Patrick to illustrate the Trinity as he preached and taught.

Some legends say that Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland. But since there are no snakes in Ireland and snakes often symbolize the devil and evil, many believe the “snakes” were a metaphor representing his work of driving the idol-worshiping Druid cult out of the country.

Patrick took what he learned through a deep trial to testify of JESUS.  Our struggles can also be turned into a testimony.  Do you, do I have a heart like Patrick’s set on fire for the lost and a boldness willing to speak of our Savior JESUS to those we come in contact with?

Hugs

Sharon