If you lead the horse too deep, it may drown ...then you will no longer be able to lead it.

I may be flooded with comments ...but, it may be more a matter of the rains, than the reigns.

And things aren't always what they appear to be either.

A young man, Evan, thought there were too many contrary influences on campus. A friend of his who was attending his second year at college, recommended some affordable housing just off campus.

Evan decided to take the advice, and was happy with his decision. It was spring break and most everyone seemed to be going to Florida to hit the beaches, but Evan thought that wild parties may be one of the main attractions of the southern trek ...and he decided to stay back. 

Evan had one Grandma and one Grandpa who had reached a considerable age ...yet, they were not married, one being dad's mom and the other mom's dad.  Suddenly, a phone call announces the passing of Grandma. Evan was very close to Grandma ...and had just received a letter from her expressing how she was looking forward to seeing him this summer.

Evan was not aware that anyone was around as he packed his car ...to go North for the funeral.  But, he heard the voice, "Changed your mind?  You decided to join the others in Florida after all?"

Evan turns around, a bit startled ...but, his tears bring no words.

She notices his tears, "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by it ...I mean, sometimes I speak without thinking about it, I didn't know, I mean, I don't know why I ...well, sorry, I've seen you around and was just trying to be friendly. I guess I caught you at a bad time ...sorry!"

Evan takes a deep breath, "No, it's not your fault for being friendly ...I appreciate it, and no, I don't think you are prying if you ask why I'm crying."

She doesn't say anything ...she just stands there.

Evan takes another deep breath, "You don't even have to ask ...because I'll tell you.  I'm not going South, I'll be traveling North ...I just heard that Grandma died.  And I'll also tell you my name if you tell me yours ...my name is Evan."

"I'm so sorry about your Grandma ...I know she must have been real special to you.  And oh, my name is Merrie. I know you must be eager to be on your way ...I pray you have a safe trip, and maybe I'll, well, take care of yourself, Evan."

Evan returns for spring term, after the break ...and he brings back a plant with him, from the funeral. He is surprised he had not seen Merrie around before, except that one time ...but, this time he makes a point to.

Evan quickly steps outside his apartment when he sees Merrie coming down the walk, "Merrie, I have something for you!"

Merrie sees that Evan has both hands behind his back, and as he approaches ...he extends a hand forward, offering her the plant.

Merrie is surprised, "Is that from the funeral?"

Evan smiles, "Yes, it was Grandma's favorite plant ...she had a real green thumb."

Merrie stutters, "I, I ...can't take that ...I'm sure Grandma would want you to have it."

Evan insists, "Oh, no, she wanted you to have it."

Merrie can barely speak, "You hadn't even met me ...until after she passed."

Evan smiles, "Grandma had told me she wanted me to have the plant ...to give to a special girl, and she said she'd keep it for me until then.  She said I'd know when I met the girl I'd want to give it to."

Merrie is still finding it hard to find words, "That is very flattering ...but, I don't have a green thumb.  I don't think Grandma would be happy if her plant got sick."

Evan laughs, "Here, let's see if you are good enough to take care of it."  He hands her the plant, "Okay, I'm letting go of it now ...make sure you don't drop it.  There ...see, you are doing fine. If you can carry it to your place, you can take care of it."

Merrie half smiles, "I'm serious ...I don't know anything about plants."

Evan smiles, "It likes the sun ...and all you have to do is water it!"

Merrie is still hesitant, "I don't know how often to water it ...and with all my studies, I can be a bit forgetful."

Evan smiles, "You won't forget, just water it when you think of me. But, speaking of studies, thanks for the reminder ...I have to run, I'm running late for my class.  Good seeing you again, Merrie."

The next day, as Merrie returns from her early class, she sees Evan packing his car again, and with another tear in his eye.

Evan looks up as she approaches, "I don't want to make this another awkward moment for both of us ...and I'm finding it real difficult, but last evening Grandpa passed away ...and I'm heading up North again."

Merrie hesitates, finding it hard to believe herself, "I'm sorry, you've really been having a rough go of it."

And another week goes by ...before Merrie sees Evan again.

Evan is the one to approach her as she returns from class, and again, he has his hands behind his back.  As they meet, Evan extends his hand, "I thought I'd bring you another plant to keep the first one company ...seeing as you have such a heavy class schedule."

Merrie looks into his eyes, "I'm sorry, but the first plant died."

Evan smiles, "That's okay ...I know why."

Merrie looks perplexed, "How do you know why?"

Evan looks into her eyes, "Because you drowned it. I asked you to water it when you thought of me."

Merrie smiles, "You do know!  And Grandma was right about you knowing too."

Grandma was right about much more ...

Grandma wanted me to be right too ...right with God.

How is that done?  By what I do??

Was reading from John, Chapter 15, about abiding in Him ...that His joy shall remain in us.

I know there are certain cultures, at least depicted in movies & on TV, where a person is indebted to you for life ...if you save their life. They view it as a form of gratitude and obligation.

The joy of being saved from eternal damnation, as a result of the death of Jesus on the cross is no small thing. Ray Comfort describes putting on a parachute in his example of putting on Christ ...as to say, "taking up the cross daily", as Luke puts it. Ray describes a man boarding a plane ...being asked to put on a parachute to "improve his flight". But, the parachute is heavy & cumbersome, especially in the cramped area, not even being able to sit comfortably. People begin to laugh at the man with a parachute on. (I've only flown a few times, but never did I wear a parachute ...and I would have probably laughed too ...though to myself.) Not only is the man's flight not improved, it begins as the worst one he has ever been on ...and he throws off the parachute. He does not feel the joy he felt he was told he'd have.

But, suddenly, something happens!!

They are flying over a mountain, and something dreadful is going wrong. They no longer have any fuel.

The plane is not going to be able to land safely ...and suddenly, everyone wants to scramble for the parachute he had thrown off. The only chance of survival is to have that parachute, and take the leap of faith.

We look at Matthew, Chapter 25, where there were those who were also out of fuel. And though we can get the message Jesus is telling us with the "likened" aspect of the story, we do not have to go to buy for ourselves. It's not about us, it's what He's done for us. Jesus has already purchased it for us ...all we have to do is accept it, and not throw off the parachute we are given which will guarantee us a safe landing.

Grandma always felt it was important to have a positive attitude. When we approach anything, our attitude can affect how we perceive it ...and that goes for reading the Bible also. If we look through a lens of disbelief, we will look to what we feel are contradictions.

Picture this ...a young son, doing some schoolwork, reading his Beka Book.  Schoolwork does not bring much motivation for the majority of students ...and naturally, perhaps the future value of it is not fully understood or realized. So, it's hard to be optimistic ...but, Beka drew a little humor to a pessimistic view: "A pessimist is one who feels badly when he feels somewhat okay, for fear he will feel worse if he ever feels generally good."

Yes, our attitudes and perspectives on various facets of our lives does matter greatly towards how we proceed through this life. 

So, in that way, does it matter what we do?

Of course it matters what we do ...we are supposed to try to do right.  But, if we do wrong ...there are those wrongs that are helpful and those that are thoroughly destructive. 

Thomas Edison was an inventor, and the trial and error of doing things wrong brought him closer to eliminating those options and getting closer to what was right. 

But, there are wrongs that we know are wrong ...which we do anyway, and those choices do harm to not only us, but also to others. Yet, it does not forfeit the deal. God is always waiting for us to return to Him. He wants us to learn, eliminating those wrong options.

It's difficult to get the sin out of us, but we can work at it ...by asking Him to work within us, or work it (the sin) out of us.


You can take me out of the country, but you can't take the country out of me.  How does that old song Glenn Campbell used to sing go, "Country boy ....you got your feet in L.A., but your mind's in Tennessee; lookin' back ..."??

Okay, looking back ....it could be Lot's wife.  Or it could be the mumbling people in the desert with Moses. 

With the latter fact, they had witnessed and experienced miracles to the extent that any person living today could likely not fathom ...yet, they began to reflect back to what they had during the good years, as they perhaps saw them.  The vision of where they were going was not an enduring vision.  They needed guidelines to help get the Egypt out of them.

I don't want the country out of me ...they are good memories.  I wasn't there, but can't imagine things were so great in Egypt after the Pharaoh whom favored Joseph died.  The guidelines they needed, which we all still need, were the Ten Commandments.  And they were rewritten a second time ...because they weren't received too well the first time.  Or more accurately, they didn't even seem to be presented ...as it seemed Moses felt his role was one still guided by his emotions. Emotions caused difficulty in his youth, and emotions seemed to keep him from being able to enter the Promise(d) Land.  Yet, he was not denied the eternal promise ...as Jesus would allow Moses to be seen, along with Elijah, in a mountain, by three of the disciples: Peter, James, and John.

But, what I want to focus on now, is not just the witnessing and experiencing of miracles as a basis of belief ...but, also the necessity of something else as effectually influencing our growth.  Mind you, it does not affect our salvation ...but, go back to the horse.  If the horse is drowning, it is time for action ...while a couple things can be reserved for conversation the next day: Either the horse was saved, or it was not.

Yet, if the horse is alive the following day ...the question may become one of asking about the quality of the horse's life.  Our salvation is different. We are led to the Living Water ...and we are saved because of His sacrifice for us ...yes, clearly it is Jesus.

And we should also realize that we are much like those that were in the desert with Moses.  They were mumbling.  They had greatly seen what God had done ...and they were, in truth, saved from their previous condition.  But, they also had to allow a change within themselves ...that was so much a part of them.

The people with Moses experienced something that was much like what they were doing themselves. Their complainings and biting comments were not that much unlike the quick strike of a serpent or snake. And they got bit by snakes.  To live, they had to realize that something else had to die.  

It was depicted by a brass figure on a stick ...and for them to truly live, they had to look upon that brass snake.  It was by obedience ...which they were much lacking. And the brass figure was much a result of their brash comments. But, it also seemed to be sort of a symbol. A squirming snake does not balance itself on a stick ...the only way one will get on a stick, is if it is dead. 

Sometimes it takes a lesson by example ...from one of our kind. Though we often can learn much from the others God has created.

Some people may claim they are just naturally good ...whether they feel they've had a superb upbringing, a happy childhood, or whether they feel they are exceptionally good on their own merit.

The rest of us feel we need a little help ...or a lot.

Some of us are a real mess, and we struggle constantly ...and we don't like gatherings, especially the ones that sit around and talk of their successes.

Though the self-proclaimed first group would say they are what they are because of them, the more honest lot of us feel we can not overcome our struggles without God ...and it is only through Him that we can perchance accomplish anything good.

Many of us feel we must first come to God to succeed ...but, we often differ in our definition of success also. And we must come to God if we are to have hope ...but, our hope is also a different kind of hope. I would say it is a more lasting hope ...and everlasting one.

So, we come to God ...and we read what He has for us to read, about Him.  And we read, " ...first be reconciled to your brother (sister) ..."

Why is this important?  Many of us had a childhood where we became tired of hearing our parents say, "Because I said so!!" And it is important because He says so, but there are reasons He says so.

We are in a world of not just individual sin, but community ...corporate ...and national sin.

How we treat our neighbors, and how we respond to law enforcement becomes our community attitudes.

How we vote, how we view our representatives of our views ...how we exchange our views on Twitter or Facebook, are our national views.  We share from household to household ...community to community ...and state to state, while we state our group opinions which form our society.

And how we respond within our households, to our families, is the activity of a corporate entity established by God.

We should be polite on Twitter & Facebook, as well as being polite here ...or any other venue. Yet, that does not mean we should cower or bend to those who are mean ...or confident and assertive.  We can firmly, yet politely hold a different view.

We should be respectful and polite to our neighbors. And the core of it all is that which is within our corporate family, of husband and wife ...and often children. Of course, God should be at the center of the family ...and the fellowship of families of faith should not be neglected, as they are a community of believers with much to share and contribute.

So, what about ..."first reconcile".

We are not perfect.  I doubt that statement is a shocker to anyone. More accurately, we are sinners ...and though most people will not claim they are perfect, they are not ready to admit their sin. And if they do admit it, they only do in comparison ...making it clear that they are not as bad as other people.

But, the definition of sin is not set by us. Sin is sin, whether we acknowledge it or not.  Sin is separation from God ...which is not only separate from His ways, but separate from His grace, if one does not accept the pathway Jesus has made possible through His sacrifice.

So, we all sin ...as we exist here on earth, with the choices we make.  In that way, we separate ourselves from what He wants for us here on earth ...and to glorify Him and His ways. But, we are not separated from Him eternally ...if we accept the grace of Jesus.  

In summary, sin separates us during those struggles on earth ...and Jesus allows us to return back to Him.  So, it could be said that sin separates us from Him, but Jesus separates us from sin.

Yes, we sin in our families, in our testimony to our neighbors, and in our various visions for the pathway of our nation.  We are not excluded from this sin ...we are all participants in our corporate and community sins. We don't suddenly say, "Oh, I know I was part of that, but now you are on your own ...since you own the problem now, it's yours. I've moved beyond that."

No, that should not be the attitude.  And it's probably much at the root of the anger over the abortion conflict. If we've helped create the problem, then we should also be a part of the solution.  And the biggest part of the abortion solution is in realizing that the problem is not the pregnancy ...the baby is not the problem. The baby is likely the solution to the problem, inviting you to regroup and prioritize. And perhaps the true value of life can be realized, and ingrained within you.

More accurately, the problem could be the lack of resolve in accepting responsibility, lack of maturity because of such rampant self-fulfilling desires, and yes, in most cases it has to do with lack of morality and a system to clearly and accurately define it.

We may feel we are not a part of one problem, but we are a part of some problem ...and we all cause some damage to the surroundings around us. And I'm not talking about climate change as a result of our indirect or direct contribution to polluting our earth. I'm talking about the damage we do to individuals and also to their inner beings. The biggest way we can be a part of the solution is by realizing that a few cents is better than no cents ...a headache is better than no head ...and a little pain in life is better than an eternity of it.  So, try to make some sense out of it by using your head ...and accept Jesus, for an eternity with Him.

And if we want to find joy, many people can tell of where they find it, but think of where you'd imagine it may not be ...and tell me why you think it sometimes is. (http://theyliveintherealsenseofthekingdom.blogspot.com/)