Feed them, they will come!

What an amazing reaction! If you put out food they want to eat, they will show up! I remember back to one day when Pat and I had just finished supper with the kids and Mother called that she had some leftover shrimp scampi she had made. So, I got up from the table and ate my second supper that night. Love shrimp scampi!

If you put out the right birdseed, the birds will show up to eat! The same is true for the church. If you feed the congregation with solid, biblical truths, then those who are hungry for the Word of God will show up!

When I would hear about someone fixing a casserole, automatically my thoughts would go back to when I was a teenager and on Saturday nights we would have casserole. Now, that casserole was not made from fresh ingredients like many make today. No, it was from all the leftovers throughout the week put into a casserole because we were not going to waste any food. Did it taste as good as new ingredients? Not going to answer because my mother will probably read this post and I do not want to get into trouble.

See, church is like the dinner table. For those who are hungry, they will come if you feed them the Word of God. However, if all you feed them is leftovers, then the congregation will suffer. This is why the pastor, Sunday school teachers, and small group leaders need to be consistent in the Word of God so they can teach with a fresh outlook and understanding of the Word of God. Quit giving leftovers! Get back into the Word and feed the flock.

If you feed them, those who are hungry will come to listen and feed on God’s precious word.

Acts 20:28 KJV “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”

Most of us know how the week is going to go because, many times, this week will be just like the last week. We will do the same things, eat the same foods, talk to the same people, and have the same schedule we had last week. Our life is like a rut you have gotten into, doing the same things over and over. Unfortunately, it also includes making the same mistakes over and over.

But life can change in a hurry and what we think we are going to do can be altered in a moment.

Really, our future is like this picture. As we look ahead, everything blends together so we do not know what is coming around the next corner. Time is going by, but the future is uncertain.

However, the only thing that is certain is the Lord and His guidance on our lives. This is where faith comes in. Faith is trusting God for what lies ahead. Faith is trusting my Heavenly Father that He is going to take care of me as I travel this journey of life.

Future is uncertain and foggy but the Lord is the only constant in our life we can really upon.

Trust in the Lord and He will see you through.

Proverbs 3:5-10 KJV “3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. 3:8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. 3:9 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: 3:10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.”

Life is not about waiting for the perfect time or circumstances. Life is to be lived now, not waiting for everything to line up in order because the perfect time might never come and things might never line up.

God’s timing is perfect and our timing is limited. We see the clouds; He sends the sunshine. We see the excuses; He sees the opportunities. We see the hinderances; He opens the doors.

Seek God’s will. If God says “Wait”, then wait. If God says “Go ahead”, then go ahead. If God says, “No” then don’t do it. If God says, “I have something better for you,” then wait patiently.

Just because the wind is blowing and the clouds look heavy is no reason to delay planting the seed or reaping the harvest. Never let excuses keep you from doing what God has called you to do.

Ecclesiastes 11:4 KJV “He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.”

When we stop chasing fame or popularity and decide to strive to be the person God wants us to be, then we can see that our life has meaning and purpose. Each person has the potential to make a difference in the family, church, place, and position God has put them in.

Just like this single flower, which is one among thousands, provides so much. It helps to produce seeds for the production of more plants. Provides nectar so bees can produce honey. Adds color and beauty to the area. Helps to reduce stress and provide joy for those who admire its beauty.

God has a purpose and plan for your life. Don’t be someone you are not. But strive to be more like Christ and you will make a difference in the lives of others.

2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

When the older generation is discarded, wisdom leaves and folly arrives. When the older generation is disrespected, sin arrives at the door. When the older generation is looked down upon, fools walk in.

Solomon’s son made a grave mistake in not heeding the counsel of the old men that served his father. Instead, he took the advice of the young men he grew up with and the results were devastating. Israel was weakened because the nation was divided.

The old will not look as vibrant as the young. Faded around the edges, yet still they hold a wealth of wisdom, not just knowing but how to apply the knowledge. So, take time to listen to your parents and elders. It will help you avoid a lot of heartache and pain if you learn from their wisdom.

Proverbs 23:22 KJV “Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.”

1 Kings 11:43-12:1; 12:6 KJV “11:43 And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.12:1 ¶ And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.12:6 And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?”

1 Kings 12:8 KJV “But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:”

1 Kings 12:13-16 KJV “12:13 And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men’s counsel that they gave him;12:14 And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.12:15 Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the LORD, that he might perform his saying, which the LORD spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.12:16 ¶ So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.”

1 Peter 1:22–25 ESV “1:22 ¶ Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 

1:23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 

1:24 for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 

1:25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.””

Devotion:  How do I handle times of great trials?

Peter is addressing Christians who were forced to flee their homes because of the great persecution they were facing.  Imagine having to leave your home and move to an unfamiliar place because you are being persecuted for your faith in Jesus Christ.  The difficulties can weigh heavily on one’s heart and life, taking a great toil.  Discouragement and doubt can creep into one’s heart during these times.

Peter encourages the Christians to remember these truths which will be a foundation for your life.

1.  During difficult times, do not forget to love one another sincerely.  

How much we need one another when we are going through great difficulties!  We need their love and care.  We need their encouragement.  We need one another, to love one another with a earnest, sincere love.  When we truly listen to the Lord and obey His command to love one another.

Love helps all.  Love encourages all.  Love heals all.

John 13:34–35 ESV “13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

13:35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.””

Romans 12:9 ESV “¶ Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.”

2.  During difficult times, do not forget you are born again by the precious blood of Jesus and the living Word of God.

1 Peter 1:19, 23 ESV “1:19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 

1:23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;”

We are saved by the grace of the Lord!  We are saved by the precious blood of Jesus, which was shed on Calvary’s cross for you and me.  We are saved by the living Word of God, where the seed is planted in our lives.  The Word grows and grows in faith in our lives.

Remember what Christ did for you!

3.  Do not forget life is short so focus on eternal things, not temporal.

Colossians 3:1–2 ESV “3:1 ¶ If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 

3:2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”

Life is short.  Before we realize it, we have grown old.  We spend so much time on things that do not last.  We focus on the temporary, worldly things that vanish away.  Houses come and go.  Possessions come and go.  Jobs come and go.  What we think will last soon fades away.

Keep your eyes on Christ and eternity and it will help you get through times of great difficulties.

Three lessons:

• Love one another.
• Remember the blood of Christ.
• Focus on eternal things.

I captured this photo yesterday in my backyard. Interesting because all the leaves look exactly the same as the other leaves. None of the leaves stand out. They are all about the same size, color, shape, and location. Nothing unusual or out of the ordinary. They look alike.

Our world is like this. Billions of people who look different up close, but as a group, many features are the same. In this kind of world, how do you stand out? How do you stand out when you are one in several billion?

The problem is this; I am asking the wrong question. The question is not how to stand out but “Am I doing what God has called me to do?”

Each leaf on the fern has a purpose. The leaves perform three major functions: manufacture of food, interchange of gases between the atmosphere and the plant body, and evaporation of water. They know what to do and they do it.

TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram are social medias where individuals try to stand out from the surrounding crowd. They are searching for fame and fortune. Some have achieved this, but it does not last. Fame is fleeting as well as fortune. Here today and gone tomorrow.

We need to learn from the leaf and fulfill the purpose God has intended for us: to live our lives to glorify Christ. When we are following God’s will for our lives, then we stand out to the Lord.

Quit trying to impress the crowd; strive to please the Lord! And when we walk in faith, then our lives are pleasing to Him.