Inspirations From The Mountains
September 21, 2009
This is a tale of two grapevines.
A number of years ago Emory planted two grapevines. The first vine was a Concord seedless that produced succulent grapes, and we both loved them. Every time Emory passed by during the grape season he plucked great clusters, and had a feast. I ventured out to the vine occasionally. But the weather was not always cooperative, so sometimes the grapes were scarce, or there were none at all, so we grumbled, and he threatened to chop the vine down.
The second vine was a regular Concord grape that bore fruit that was bursting with flavor, but they were filled with seeds. Emory just stuffed his mouth with the fruit, chewed on them until he separated the meat of the grape from the seeds, then he spit the seeds out. I liked the taste of the grapes but I didn’t like the seeds. I detested it when I crunched the hard little rascals and the bitter taste mixed with the sweetness of the fruit. I didn’t want to spit everywhere, and I wasn’t about to swallow them. I let him know that I preferred seedless ones. But grapes are very nourishing, so I missed a lot of good taste and nutrition because I didn’t want to spit out the seeds. And, as with the seedless grapevine, the weather was not always cooperative and sometimes there were no grapes at all, so Emory complained and threatened to chop down the second vine
In John 15 Jesus gives us the parable of the vine. He says He is the vine, and we, His Church, are the branches. I like to think of the clusters of grapes as the individual church congregations, and the grapes are the members. The seeds are the bitter faults and pain in all our lives.
Spiritually speaking, the first vine is a myth. There is no such thing in the church family as a grape without seeds. Every church family is like the clusters on the second vine. Just as I shied away from the grapes with seeds I sometimes shy away from folks who have irritating faults and weaknesses. Instead of enjoying the taste and nourishment of the grapes and spitting the seeds out (overlooking their faults), I miss out on opportunities to serve and enjoy the good in others. And when I complain about the seeds, I am complaining against Jesus, because He is the Vine, the source of all life, both grapes and churches.
From now on I am going to eat the grapes and spit out the seeds without complaining about the vine. "Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being." 1 Corinthians 10:24
--Rebecca Somoskey
|
|
Inspirations From The Mountains
September 14, 2009
Ahhh! Football season again. What a thrilling time for those who love the sport. Our local team is well into practice, learning new strategies, polishing skills and gaining strength. Our cheerleaders are busy too. There are rusty routines to polish and new cheers to learn. School will start soon, and then it will be pep rally time. Most of the population of the high school will storm the auditorium, or wherever the rallies are held, and the cheer leaders will do everything they can to get everybody pumped up. Everybody has a great time. Then, when the rally is over, the student body is dismissed to go back to class, or to catch their ride home. Right? Wrong! The primary purpose of the cheer leading squad is to prepare the team mentally and emotionally to get out on that field and defeat their opponent.
Isn't this what our church services are supposed to be all about? Instead of a refueling station, we meet together to have a spiritual pep rally. We worship, listen to the Word preached, have fellowship, and sometimes we see souls saved and even miracles. This is good, and certainly God's plan for believers. But so often that is as far as it goes. They are like a football pep rally with no game afterwards, and as a result the opponent is never defeated.
What the church in America needs is not just another spiritual pep rally to excite us. We need an Acts chapter 2 revival the brings us to repentance, fills us with Holy Ghost power, and then spills us out onto the streets to defeat the enemy by rescuing the lost and dying. (Acts 2:41) The day of Pentecost records 3000 souls saved the first day, then goes on to say more were added daily.
Dear believers, a church without outreach is very much like a pep rally with no game afterwards. I beseech you, pray for revival, the Acts chapter 2 kind.
But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (Acts 1:8)
Then the master said to the servant, "Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be full." Luke (Luke 14:23) --Rebecca Somoskey
|
Inspirations From The Mountains
September 7, 2009
What If?
Let’s play “What if?” You know. That game of imagination we played as children where the sky was the limit and we could have or be anything we wanted. “What if I had a million dollars? What if I was a famous movie star? What if I was president of the United States?
Ready? Let’s begin. What if all God’s people had gotten involved in our governing process from the beginning? What if all of us had learned the process, been a faithful voter, ran for office, or at least stayed aware of the actions of our elected officials and demanded accountability? What if all of us had prayed for our governing officials faithfully as the Bible instructs us to do, instead of a token prayer when times were a little uncertain? Where would we be now? 1Timothy 2:1-2 says “I exhort first of all that prayers and intercessions be made for ….kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.”
Instead we misunderstood the meaning of “separation of church and state”. And too many of us have been so busy building or maintaining our own personal empires that we didn’t even notice when evil began to creep in and begin is deadly assault. Now we see our democracy slipping through our fingers like so much sand, and being replaced by a hand full of socialism. We are wandering around in a fog of hopeless confusion. “Too late! Too late!” We cry, “If we had only….”
But wait! God still has the final word. He is still the God of mercy and grace. Consider his words in 2 Chronicles 7:14. If My people who are called by My name (not those who have never known the God of the Bible), will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
Will you join me in prayer? Father, I come now in shame for all my selfish wicked ways that caused me to neglect Your commandments to support my governing authorities. Please forgive me, and not only me but all of Your people who have had a part in bringing our nation to its present state. I am partly to blame. Please heal our land, Strengthen us so we will never repeat our mistakes again. Thank you for your eternal mercy and grace. Amen
What if every one who reads these words would heed them and pass them on to others, and then they would do the same? Our land would be healed because God said so!! –Rebecca Somoskey
|
Inspiratons From The Mountains
August 31, 2009
It’s not unusual here on Bearwallow to find a neighbor’s lost hunting dog wandering around our yard. The first thing he does when he sees us is start begging and whining because he’s hungry and needing help.
What do we do? Ignore him? Chase him away? Some folks would, but others have a heart for God’s creatures, and will do the right thing. A smart hunter will usually have a collar on his dog that gives the owner’s name and phone number. A caring person will call so the owner can come and fetch the dog. This not only meets the dog’s needs, but is a marvelous opportunity to make new friends. And often this is a God ordained meeting to minister to a hurting neighbor.
Dearly Beloved, now as never before, opportunity is knocking. Yes, it’s banging on our doors. It’s not clothed in the fur of a lost hunting dog, but is clad in the garments of the unemployed, desperate, homeless, hopeless victims of our economy that hover nearby. Dare we ignore them or chase them away like some old hunting dog that is being a bother to us? Never! We must be a Barnabas. Barnabas, a Levite of the country of Cypress, having land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet. Acts 4:36. God’s plan was for the church to be the welfare system, but it was to be voluntary, driven by love, not ruled by the government. In light of this, we must rise to the challenge and seize the opportunity.
Few of us have land to sell but we all have something to give. As Christ followers we are to give willingly of what we have to meet the needs of those who have nothing. Some may say, “But I have nothing to give.” Oh yes you do. You can pray, be a friend, be a servant. …through love serve one another. Galatians 5:13.
We can give them food for the body, encouragement for the soul, or the gospel for the spirit. He(John) answered and said to them, He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise. Luke 3:11.
Who knows? Some day it might be us in need, and if we have given it will be turned back to us many times over. Give and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you. Luke 6:38
I’m going to be a Barnabas! How about you? –Rebecca Somoskey
|
Inspirations From The Mountans
August 17, 2009
The wild flowers are abundant on the slope behind our house this year. Displayed against the rich green foliage are the exquisite Queen Anne’s lace, the sassy Black-eyed Susan, the brilliant red Indian paint-brush, the sweet-faced Shasta daisy, and many more whose names I do not know. A few days ago we woke to see two royal purple morning glories waving hello. We’ve never had wild morning glories, but the wind must have carried the seeds from somewhere to a pile of soft soil nearby and they took root. To me the beauty of wildflowers rivals the best tended rose gardens on earth.
But dandelions are different. Although most home owners will use poison or anything in their power to kill out the sunny little flowers, Emory and I don’t mind them at all. Why? Because dandelions are beneficial in other ways besides preening themselves so others can admire their beauty. Yes, their sunny faces bring cheer, but the leaves from the dandelion are a treat to those who love to eat wild greens. Folks used to make dandelion wine, and we know wine can still be used to make a grieving heart happy, or as medicine for the sick. See Proverbs 31:6 &1 Timothy 5:23 And dandelions are so tenacious. Within a day or two after mowing they are already blooming again. When they dry wind blows the seeds away, they take root and grow wherever they land. I like their perseverance. Even after they have had their heads chopped off, somehow they come right back again, smiling and offering their help.
As a Christian I want to be something more than just a display in God’s flower garden that walks around with a sign on my back that says, “Look what a beautiful person God has made.” Although that can be good, there is much more to the life of a child of God. Like the dandelion I want to nourish others and comfort folks in their pain and sickness. Even after Satan has dumped his poison on me, or lopped off my head, I want to rise and shine the very next day. And wherever the winds of adversity take me I want to settle down and grow where I am planted.
Philippians 4:11& 12 …for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
“Yes, Lord, just make me a dandelion.” --Rebecca Somoskey
|
|
|
