Saturday, October 23, 2010

Beholder, Beware!

Psalm 65:11-13 Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness. They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side. The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.

I love this view of the pasture. We don't even have a fence around it anymore since we don't have cows or a horse now. I took the picture late one afternoon trying to capture the golden glow of all the Ragweed that was blooming but the evening shadows cover some of the "glow". I don't know if ragweed grows in your part of the country or not but around here it's the culprit that's causing a lot of allergy problems for lots of people right now! Looks can be so deceiving! And isn't that the truth for so many other things? Satan will mask sin with all sorts of beautiful things that tempt our flesh. It's a bit like what a fisherman does to the fish--he dangles a beautifully colored, eye-catching lure on the end of a line and the fish thinks he's getting something he really wants....that is, until he realizes he's swallowed the hook!

As I looked closer at the ragweed blooms, I saw a bumblebee and a huge red wasp sucking up the nectar. Just looking at these stinging insects and remembering the pain and agony I have had from them in the past is enough to give me the shivers! I took the picture and got away from them as fast as I could! That's what we should do when we realize what Satan is trying to offer us! It may look pretty. It may feel good. It may smell nice. But if Satan is offering it....it's poison! Turn and run from it as fast as you can before it can get it's stinger into you!

I have this last word of caution: Beholder....Beware! Make sure what looks beautiful does not have some hidden hook or stinger in it before you partake of it!

God bless!

Marilyn

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Praise Ye the LORD

"Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow,...Praise Him, all creatures here below.....Praise Him above, ye heavenly host.......Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost...Amen."


As a young girl I always loved when we sang the "Doxology" at our church. There was just something special about singing all those "praise" words!
This morning I was looking in the latter part of the book of Psalms and noticed how many of them began with the words "Praise ye the LORD."

Psalm 147: 1 "Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely." This verse tells us that it's good for us to sing praises to God. It will actually make us feel better! And it even makes us look better (comely)!


Psalm 148: 1-5 "Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights. Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him all ye stars of light. Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created." Not only should we as human beings praise the LORD, but creation itself praises Him!

Psalm 149: 1 "Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints." When we sing and praise the LORD together as a congregation in our churches we are giving honor unto God!

Psalm 150: 1-6 "Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD."


And that's just what we should do today! Praise the LORD! For all that He has done for us. He made us. He gave us a beautiful world to live in. He saved us and gave us eternal life. What a wonderful God we serve! Praise ye the LORD!

Marilyn

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Signs of Fall

Fall has arrived softly this year in north Mississippi. We've had a really hot summer and in fact it's still warm this week. Seems like it should be around the first part of August instead of the middle of October! We're beginning to have some leaves turning pretty colors now. I love the fall colors but it always makes me a little sad cause I know the leaves will then soon turn loose and fall off leaving the bare trees. That I don't like!

Last week it felt like fall. Early morning low temps in the thirties and highs for the days in the seventies. Back to summer for the last few days though . Broke a record with a high of 91 yesterday!

Along our country road the wildflowers and weeds are blooming profusely.

There especially seems to be an abundance of ragweed this year! I am pretty sure that's what is making a lot of people sick. I know it's affected me!

All in all, it reminds me of the wonderful creativeness of our God. He knows how to change things up with the seasons so that we always have something new to look forward to.

Acts 14:17Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.

Marilyn