Fresh Fruit: Seeking Jesus for His Goodness

Fresh fruit is a staple in my household. My son especially loves it! But, one thing this Mama has a hard time with is how quickly fruit rots. I buy so many varieties that by the time we have tried a bit of all, we find rotting has begun with the remainder.

Take a carton of strawberries, for example. Once one has molded, the strawberries that surround it begin to mold as well. Interestingly enough, the opposite side of the strawberry that is touching the non-moldy ones still appears in good condition.

However, it is said that once the mold has begun they are no longer safe to eat and must be thrown out. Even if half of it still appears good, the whole is not considered good to eat.

I pondered the implication of this imagery with the condition of my heart. Imagine, if my heart touches the heart of the world that’s full of sin, I, too, reflect that sin nature.

As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.”- Romans 3:10-12 (NKJV) [emphasis mine]

But, if my heart touches the heart of God, then I’m healthy, full of goodness, and safe.

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.- John 15:5 (NLT) [emphasis mine]

On my own I am merely self-righteous or an appearance of good. But given time, one may see the true reflection of a heart that touches a world full of sin is no different.

However, a heart that touches the heart of God produces the fruit of ‘goodness’ by the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). And what does this goodness look like? It’s definition says this: uprightness of heart and life.

Good and upright is the Lord; Therefore He teaches sinners in the way.- Psalms 25:8 (NKJV)

Though, imagine it’s said that, I, too, must be thrown out if my heart has started to decay from touching a world of sin.

If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.- John 15:6 (NKJV)

It’s a stark realization. But living for Christ is a wholehearted commitment. It is daily dying to self and surrendering both heart and life to His righteousness.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.- 1 John 1:9 (NKJV)

Thank God for His mercy and His grace to accept us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ.

For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!- Romans 5:17 (NIV)

A life found in Christ is certainly like finding and consuming the freshest fruit. May we continually seek Him and touch hearts with His. For in Him is true goodness— uprightness of heart and life!

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Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.- Matthew 7:17‭-‬20 (NIV)

 

Casting Oneself in Love and Casting Out Fears

The winter blues has me missing warmer weather and the outdoor activities that accompany it. One of my favorite summer pastimes is a family fishing day. Our family of four would regularly pack up to spend a few hours at our local reservoir.

My husband and son would identity their best spot and set up their fishing rods. My daughter and I would locate the nearest bench and watch from uphill. Both enjoying the scenery and supporting their efforts from slightly afar.

My husband spent countless times showing our son how to cast the fishing line. At times, he modeled it using his own pole. Other times, he cast our sons line for him. And the rest of the times, our independent toddler opted to cast the line himself. Often, getting it caught in the weeds on the bank.

I can’t say that much fishing was truly had. As a spectator, it both tickled and frustrated me to witness. I often wanted to take the matter into my own hands. But I now understand that the learning experience for our son was a integral part of becoming skillful for later on in life.

I see how I relate to my toddler in a spiritual sense. I want to be so independent and say, “I’ve seen this done before, I can handle this.” Then, I cast all my efforts into my circumstances. And most often, it results in me getting tangled up in life’s weeds. Any spectator would be both tickled or frustrated to watch my efforts.

Nearly every time this entanglement happens, I become all too fearful. Look at the mess I’ve made. Can you help me out, Lord? Where are you? And yet He’s right there with me. Just as my husband is close by our son’s side. Waiting patiently and ready to help.

The Holy Spirit reminds me; look at the model of Jesus and how He cast Himself in love to others- in life and in death. He is the greatest example and points us back to our perfect Father. 

[Jesus speaking] I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. (John 13:15 NLT) Since you are children of a perfect Father in heaven, you are to be perfect like him.” (Matthew 5:48 TPT)

And how can one be perfected like our heavenly Father? By becoming the image of Him, which is love.

God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. (1 John 4:9-10, 16‭-‬17 NLT)

The Holy Spirit also reminds me what to do when I’ve gotten myself tangled up in fears; give it all over to the holy One. He is love. He is perfect. And He will cast your fearful circumstances far away from you. 

Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.. (1 John 4:17‭-‬18 NKJV)

The combination of following Jesus’ modeled example, God’s perfect love, and casting away our fears can be interwoven in the following guideline: It is written. 

By casting my self in His love, I am to take His word and put it into practice. Whether in speech, in actions, in behaviors. Whether I think I have it all figured out, or I don’t. Whether I make the cast and get tangled up in life’s circumstances. I can trust that each experience is an integral part of becoming skillful for later in this life. But only because my heavenly Father is always and forever present. And His helpfulness to my efforts points to His goodness, greatness, and glory. 

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God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress.- Psalms 46:1‭-‬3‭, ‬10‭-‬11 NLT

Saying “Yes!” to Right Now

“Not right now.” I’m guilty of repetitiously quoting this phrase to my children.

Just the other day, my daughter was chasing my heels and trying to hand me a book. The same book I had already read twice before 7:30 AM. And just one of the dozens of others I knew she would hand to me thereafter. I hurriedly muttered, “Not right now, Sissy”.

Except this time, I heard an internal voice chime back at me, “If not now, then when?”. I stopped in my tracks and whispered back, “Yes, You’re totally right!”.

I decided to cease what I was doing in order to read her that book. Because I knew if I didn’t, I’d fall into my cycle of, “Mommy just needs to finish ______, and then I’ll read it to you”. And then task one morphs into task two. Task two magnifies task three. Task three trails onward to task four. And before I know it, half the day is gone and I still haven’t read that one book.

This revelation dawned on me that I don’t just fall into this cycle with my children. But I have been guilty of doing this with Almighty God. I offer up a quick “Thank You, Lord, for this day”. I check off a couple devotions. And then I move hastily to those stacked up tasks.

Though non-verbal to my daily tasks, it’s as if my actions have muttered to God’s bid for me to “Come!” with a harsh “Not right now!”. And His still, small voice acknowledges my disregard by saying, “If not now, then when?”.

Every day is a new opportunity to say to my Creator, “Yes, You’re totally right! Right now is when.”.

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.- Lamentations 3:21‭-23, ‬25 ESV

The soul who seeks the Lord is one who joyously responds saying yes to right now. Here are but a few ways to do so:

• Surrender– Before the day begins, maybe even before my feet hit the floor, I can choose to yield my heart and thoughts to the Lord. So then, surrender to God. Stand up to the devil and resist him and he will turn and run away from you. Move your heart closer and closer to God, and he will come even closer to you. … Be willing to be made low before the Lord and he will exalt you!- James 4:7‭-‬8‭, ‬10 TPT
• Worship– This is more than just playing some Christian tunes and singing godly lyrics. It is a glimpse into the posture of my heart. Whatever I place the most emphasis upon is where my heart is postured. Now, with breathtaking wonder, let everyone worship Yahweh, this awe-inspiring Creator. The Lord looks over us from where he rules in heaven. Gazing into every heart … he observes all the peoples of the earth. The Creator of our hearts considers and examines everything we do. The eyes of the Lord are upon even the weakest worshipers who love him— those who wait in hope and expectation for the strong, steady love of God.- Psalms 33:8‭, ‬13‭-‬15‭, ‬18 TPT
• Prayer– I often tend to overcomplicate this one. This doesn’t have to be forcing out perfect words or meeting a specific time quota. It’s simply longing to have conversation with the Lover of my soul. … But the Holy Spirit rises up within us to super-intercede on our behalf, pleading to God with emotional sighs too deep for words. God, the searcher of the heart, knows fully our longings, yet he also understands the desires of the Spirit, because the Holy Spirit passionately pleads before God for us, his holy ones, in perfect harmony with God’s plan and our destiny.- Romans 8:26‭-‬27 TPT
  
• Gratitude– I often remember to thank God for the physical blessings I have- life, my family, a home, a car, food, clothing, etc. But, I, too, should thankfully acknowledge every spiritual blessing that’s promised to me as God’s beloved child. Let every activity of your lives and every word that comes from your lips be drenched with the beauty of our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One. And bring your constant praise to God the Father because of what Christ has done for you!- Colossians 3:17 TPT
  

Before the tasks begin. In between the tasks. After the tasks are complete. -It’s not about ignoring life’s demands. But it’s also not about ignoring God’s call to “Come!”. I have found there are so many reasons and opportunities to obediently transform my heart’s response from “Not right now!” to “Yes! Right now!”.

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“Jesus said to them, “I am the Bread of Life. Come every day to me and you will never be hungry. Believe in me and you will never be thirsty. But everyone my Father has given to me, they will come. And all who come to me, I will embrace and will never turn them away.”- John 6:35, 37 TPT (bold emphasis mine)

I’ve Got a Golden Ticket: A Pass to the Kingdom

While getting myself and the kids ready for church this morning, I opted for a movie to play in the background. My three-year old son has become particularly bored with the same favorite movie. So, today I chose a childhood classic, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. (Yes, the original!) I thought, “He’s obsessed with candy, he should surely like this one!”.

I moved about the house in a shuffle to shower, gather nice clothes (and extra nice clothes), snacks, activities, breakfast, etc. I’m sure most caregivers of little ones can relate. Now I’ll be honest, I never paid much attention to certain scenes of this movie. In my shuffling about, a particular song stopped me in my tracks which caused me to realize how much I had missed. 

Charlie’s grandpa Joe is bed-bound for most of the opening movie. Until he comes to the realization that Charlie found the last of the “golden tickets”. He exclaims, “Look at me!-Hopping about- I haven’t done this in twenty years!” With an eyebrow raised I thought to myself, “How absurd!” Then, Grandpa Joe, proceeds to sing, I’ve Got a Golden Ticket, with joyful glee and moving his body about in ways he apparently hadn’t done in twenty years.

Most assuredly, I’ve complained the past couple weeks how I’ve felt like my mind has been in a fog. I have felt extremely exhausted round the clock. It didn’t matter how much or little sleep I had. I even changed my diet for the better, due to other unforseen circumstances. And yet, day in and day out my mind has been in overdrive while the rest of me tries to catch up.

Until this morning. Until Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Until “Grandpa Joe”. Until the Holy Spirit. Until I heard the same familiar whisper again repeating, “strongholds”.  Then, my mind was no longer in a fog. And the message was crystal clear.

In an effort to do, to perform, to strive to exist in any given day, I’ve created my own strongholds. I’ve built up my own fortified walls in order to protect my own heart and my own mind from being attacked. Except, there is only so much that I can do as mere human being. I’m not meant to take upon myself, by myself, such critical responsibility.

In creating strongholds, I’ve neglected one crucial component. I’ve left God on the other side of those fortified walls. I now understood “Grandpa Joe”. I realized I had become bed-bound; falling into the same patterns as I have for the past twenty-or-so years of my life. I have my “good days”, and essentially I turn away God by saying, “No thanks, I can do this in my own strength.” How absurd! Because I can promise I have zero strength or defense without the Lord God Himself.

My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.- Psalms 73:26 NKJV, (emphasis mine)

I’ve allowed myself to be a victim. I’ve listened to the lies of the enemy saying, “you’ve got this” when in reality I don’t. So there I lay bed-bound, in my own fortress, with my mind in a fog.

Here’s the thing. All I have needed to do is to throw back those covers and “hop” out of bed. Then, ask the Holy Spirit to “come over here and help me”- “be my defense”.

We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.- 2 Corinthians 10:3‭-‬5 NLT, (emphasis mine)

I should be singing with joyful glee and moving about spiritually, mentally, and physically in ways I never have before.

Sing to the Lord! Praise the Lord! For though I was poor and needy, he rescued me from my oppressors.- Jeremiah 20:13 NLT

I’ve got a golden ticket. His name is Jesus. He’s given me an all-access pass to royal treatment as a child in God’s kingdom. And I am the final winner. Not without Jesus. But because of Jesus.

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Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan. For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.- Ephesians 1:11, 2:6, 8-9 NLT, (emphasis mine)

Perfect Love: What Fuels a Tolerable Fog to a Passionate Fire

My whole life I’ve seen relationships end and rarely mend. I’ve long witnessed broken marriages. Thus, I leave this disclaimer: I am far from an expert on relationships, let alone marriage.

Then, a beautiful celebration took place one month ago as my little brother was married.  I have watched, over the past few years, how he and his new bride have grown in God and grown with one another. It was a fresh take on relationships that I hadn’t witnessed before.

I yearned for that. But that yearning quickly turned into comparing. And that comparing planted a wrongful, jealous root in my heart.

When I first met my husband, we most certainly had a passionate fire kind of love. The love like I observe between my brother and his bride. However over time, my husband and I became comfortable with one another. Our every day relations became ordinary. Until that love dwindled down to a tolerable fog.

I can admit, most often, I’ve been quick to point out everything he’s done wrong. Or that he’s lacking what I think is right. I didn’t care about the fact that I was ignoring the deliverance of love on my end. My love became conditional. If you do this, then I’ll do that. My love became obstinate. It’s either my way or no way. That’s not necessarily love.

In recognizing, repenting, and releasing my jealous heart issue to God, He shared truths with me that I needed to receive. He taught me and brought me to a new level of understanding. He gave this under-qualified wife some depth of insight into what makes my brother’s relationship with his new bride so special.

This insight shifts focus onto the Person of Jesus Christ. And He is known by the name of “the bridegroom”. He models the type of love that I yearn for. In fact, He has betrothed me, and the whole body of Christ, as His bride. Making us recipients of this unified love!

You are my private garden, my treasure, my bride, a secluded spring, a hidden fountain.– Song of Songs 4:12 NLT

This kind of love is intentional and intimate. Like the love I observe between my brother and his bride. Intentionality is defined as being “done with intention or on purpose”. Also interchangeable with “willful”. Intimacy is defined as “a close familiar, and usually affectionate or loving personal relationship”.

Contrary to being conditional and obstinate. Like the love I’ve offered my husband. I realized that by setting conditions and being obstinate, I fell into the habit of dishonoring him. I would discredit his integrity by talking ill of him. Whether under my breath or to another friend. 

The Holy Spirit has transformed my thoughts to a new understanding. Every time I dishonor my husband, I dishonor myself. For when we agreed to the covenant promise of marriage, we became unified; one.

This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.”– Mark 10:7-9 (NLT)

My condemning words became our own worst enemy- snuffing out the passionate fire to a fog. That unloving behavior is a component of this warning here in scripture; “let no one split apart what God has joined together”. It is most certainly a contributing factor of various reasons why many relationships come to an end.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.– Ephesians 4:29 (NIV)

The love I share with my Heavenly Husband, Jesus Christ, is the perfect model for the love I can share with my earthly husband. And this love can be taken a step further by the love I share with the Church; the body of Christ, (His bride).

[Jesus speaking] “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.– John 17:20-23 (NLT)

This love doesn’t ever become comfortable. It’s transformative. It doesn’t dwindle to a tolerable fog. It fuels the passionate fire. It is willfully choosing to intentionally love. It is becoming relationally familiar by intimate love.

That same love I witness between my brother and his bride? It’s found here. Growing deeper in love with the Perfect Man, Jesus Christ. Who cultivates that same love I can so tenderly yield to others.

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I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.- Ephesians 3:16-19 (NLT)