Breaking Open the Flask

     Sometimes, the words strike as a knife after they leave the mouth.  Ever had that feeling when the stab from the lips of another penetrates your ears, then your heart?  Or perhaps worse still your own words as they leave your mouth penetrating the ears and the heart of another?  Sometimes, we find ourselves closer to a facsimile of something we wish we were not.  It's tough to look into our hearts.      Our hearts are the breeding ground for all of our emotions.  It is the one place where both physical and spiritual birth take place.  (Oswald, Bib. Psych.)  In Matthew 12 we are told the story of God's Chosen Servant.  We become aware of the Pharisees' ill will, the heart, towards this man who called himself the Son of God.  It seems that everything Jesus spoke and taught cut through the core of their teachings and caused them to be uncomfortable. Yet, ...

If someone asks me what my favorite holiday is I don't respond with the usual "Christmas" or "Thanksgiving". I enjoy those holidays but New Year's is my favorite because it is a great time for new beginnings. On January 1st this year, as I was driving, I saw a full rainbow. It was brilliant and reached all the away across the sky. It stayed only long enough to remind me of God's promise of new beginnings. It was exactly what I needed and the timing was perfect as God's timing always is. I always make New Year's resolutions. They are usually about the same and I use Luke 2:52 as my guide. "Jesus grew in wisdom, stature and in favor with God and men". I set my goals in those four areas. 1. Intelligence (educating myself and exercising my brain and praying for wisdom) I don't want to ever stop learning. 2. Physical (becoming physically fit through a healthy diet and exercise)3. Spiritually ( putting God first in my life and b...

     When we choose obedience to Christ it costs us nothing.  Christ chose the long road of obedience much to the dismay of his tempter.  He didn't put a rush on it or order it up from the drive thru lane.  He spent 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness.  So many times, I find myself wanting to hurry things up when that is not God's plan at all.  My motives are fleshly of course.  I just want to move quickly passed tough times or the inconvience it places on my heart.       Genesis 8:1, "Then God remembered Noah...."  I take comfort in the fact that God will remember me in my obedience.       Proverbs 1:20-22, "Wisdom calls aloud outside; ....How long you simple ones will you love simplicity?  For scorners delight in their scorning and fools hate knowledge."      Psalm 3:3, " But thou, O Lord , art a shield for me; my glory ...