Bait and Camouflage

I am not a deer hunter, but my husband is. Since I like venison, that's a good thing. Occasionally I sit with him in the deer blind. I enjoy watching the sun come up and keeping an eye out for deer. In the process, I have learned some things about how hunters prepare for the hunt.

Before hunting season starts, my husband puts deer corn in a feeder where it can easily be seen from the blind. A timer on the feeder releases the corn. Hopefully the deer will become accustomed to coming to the feeder at a time when we are sitting in the deer blind.

Deer are very skittish - running away at the slightest noise, unusual sight or human smell. Before heading for the deer blind, we spray our clothing with scent killer. We must get in the blind before the light of day so they will not see us coming. We must also be very quiet - speaking only in whispers if at all. The deer blind, our clothing and equipment are designed to blend in with the surroundings - most of it is camouflaged.

Hunting season only lasts a few weeks each year, but many deer hunters plan all year long for how best to use that time. It takes a lot of preparation and patience, but after deer appear and are shot, field dressed and processed for the freezer, there is a supply of venison -  possibly enough to last until next deer season.

When it comes to my spiritual life, I find myself in the position of the deer. I need to be as watchful as they are. God warns us to be aware of the bait Satan uses to distract us and describes how he can camouflage himself. Satan patiently plans for our downfall while blending in with our everyday surroundings - even in the church.

Ever since Adam and Eve were created, Satan has been actively deceiving men and women through bait and camouflage. Thankfully, we know the end of the story. There will be a day when his influence will end. His hunting season will be permanently over. I'm looking forward to that day.

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:13-14). 

Free Christmas Book

This year, I have put all my Christmas writings in a collection downloadable as a PDF file. This 33 page Christmas book is my gift to my friends and readers. You may download it here and read it either on your computer or print it out. There are no illustrations, so if you want to print it out, you may use the lowest setting on your printer to save money!

Merry Christmas!

http://onefocusministries.com/word/focus.php?The-Christmas-Book-47#.UqjYzI0hhSY

New Life for Broken Things

 Nash Statesman Super 2-Door Sedan, ca. 1950 | date 2011-06-29 | author Nbastian210 - outside Iowa store 

Reality television series featuring "pickers" who travel through their country looking to buy antiques and collectibles have become popular in several countries: Canadian Pickers in Canada, Aussie Pickers in Australia, Salvage Hunters in Great Britain and American Pickers in the United States.

As an antique lover, recycler and thrift conscious person, I enjoy watching American Pickers. It is very interesting to see what Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz discover as they go through people's old barns, homes, out buildings, storage sheds and property. They will climb through unstable attics and go under collapsed buildings in order to pull out a treasure or two for their Antique Archaeology stores.

Mike and Frank introduce themselves at the beginning of each show, saying, "We travel the back roads of America looking to buy rusty gold. We're looking for amazing things buried in people's garages and barns. What most people see as junk, we see as dollar signs. We'll buy "anything" we think we can make a buck on. Each item we pick has a history all its own and the people we meet? Well, they're a breed all their own. We make a living telling the history of America...one piece at a time."

Everything they uncover had value at one time. Believing it would be useful or decorative, someone bought or made the item. Some of the people they "pick" have their collections displayed and continue to enjoy them. Others have items buried so deeply the guys have to dig through a lot of other stuff to find them.

Uncovering these old things and using them in new or even original ways restores these items to usefulness. As Frank said in one episode, "Broken does not mean useless." He knows someone somewhere can see beyond the broken parts and either make it whole again or use it just the way it is.

So much is disposable today. Our landfills are full of disposable containers and items people no longer use. In an ever increasing throw away society, it is refreshing to know some people are working to salvage or restore items rather than get rid of them.

God is the ultimate restorer - our Redeemer. Vance Havner (1901-1986), a well known preacher and Christian author, once said, “God uses broken things. It takes broken soil to produce a crop, broken clouds to give rain, broken grain to give bread, broken bread to give strength. It is the broken alabaster box that gives forth perfume. It is Peter, weeping bitterly, who returns to greater power than ever.”

God knows the potential of usefulness in each of us. Sin and circumstance can break us down, but when God recreates us through His Son Jesus Christ, we are better than before.

“My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise” (Psalm 51:17). Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new (2 Corinthians 6:17).

Read about Vance Havner and download his free book, Reflections on Prophecy, on vancehavner.com

An Investment That Will Never Fail*

Things are not looking good in the financial markets. They continue to go up and down. With an unclear outlook, if you have any investments at all, you know they are at risk. That is one of the reasons why blogs and books on saving or stretching money are so plentiful these days.

We all need to help each other with ideas on how to make money if we can, how to save it if possible, and how to stretch what money we do have. History has shown us times where investments have been wiped out, jobs have been lost never to be regained and houses have been taken out from under families. Sound familiar?

The picture on the left is captioned: “‘The excitement before the bubble burst’ – people looking at ticker tape in front of a stock ticker, probably sometime in 1929.” Shortly thereafter, the calm appearances of these men probably turned to angst and bewilderment.

I have stock in an investment that is guaranteed to never fail. It is never ending, is totally secure and once I invested in it, I never had to worry about whether it is at risk. It is not.

On my behalf, God’s Son Jesus Christ invested Himself – becoming a man, living a perfect life (which is something I could never do) and paid the price for my sin (and yours) when He allowed man to nail Him to the cross. He died and rose again.

An owner of stock  or shareholder is actually an owner of a company. In a spiritual sense, because of Jesus, I am a shareholder of Heaven. I am promised forgiveness for my sins and God’s presence within me today as well as life forever with Him in Heaven. Everything I have is in His control. I just watch Him work out the details.

This is truly the most secure investment anyone could make with a promise of eternal life and a home that will last forever.

God keeps His promises. Anyone who believes in Jesus Christ is a child of the Father. Jesus was speaking to His followers when He said: Therefore do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” . . . For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble (Matthew 6:31-34). In My Father’s house are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you (John 14:2).

* This was first posted on my other blog: http://www.stretchmoney.wordpress.com

Protective Clothing

As winter approaches, I put away summer clothing and make sure warm clothes are readily available. Having spent many winters in some very cold climates, I have learned the value of layering clothes, covering my head, hands and feet adequately and know the difference between a coat that is just for dress and one that really serves as protection against harsh winds and frigid temperatures.

Have you ever seen pictures of men, women and children wearing nightcaps and thermal underwear to bed? There was a very practical reason for this attire. Prior to centrally heated homes, it was necessary to keep in body heat as much as possible. A heated brick placed in the bottom of bedcovers at night and proper clothing assured that you could make it through the night without freezing. You just didn't want to be the first one up in the morning to stoke the fire in the fireplace!

Appropriate clothing for every season and environment offers protection against the elements - blazing sun in the summer, protection from biting insects and thorny plants as well as my most dreaded contact - poison ivy. When working in areas where poison ivy and greenbrier are prominent, I take extra care - sometimes wearing a double layer even in the hot summer time just to protect my skin.

At the end of a workday, or when I know that I will not be going out in public again, I have comfort clothes I wear around the house. Not binding and usually made of soft materials, this clothing gives me the freedom to relax - quite a luxury after a long day of physical work. 

Our bodies need protection. Clothing can help provide that protection.

God, who created our bodies, knew we would also need spiritual protection from the harmful elements of a sinful world. He has provided the clothing we need. Without it, we are unprotected. Just like a child who has been given a warm coat to wear but goes outside in the cold without it, we can refuse to put on the garments He offers.

I choose to wear the protective clothing God provides and thank my Savior and Comforter for all it represents - now and forever.

I greatly rejoice in the Lord, I exult in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness, as a groom wears a turban and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels (Isaiah 61:10).  For this corruptible must be clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal must be clothed with immortality (1 Corinthians 15:53).  Put on the whole armor of God, that you can stand against the tactics of the devil (Ephesians 6:11 HCSB).

Missed Opportunities

I love a bargain. Better still, I love finding something fun or useful free. In many cases, I have stocked up on clearance non-perishables at my local dollar or grocery stores. I have even brought home items free from other people's discard piles.

When I lived in Germany, I often came home from a walk with items that left my husband scratching his head. I still have those sleds, baskets, dishes and other things used for decorating or repurposed in my yard. I knew that many German flea markets were stocked with these spermuhl items. If I got them before a dealer did, it was free. Even in America, if you see something put out for bulky item collection day, it is yours if you grab it before the truck shows up.

Although I am pretty good at bagging bargains or free items, I have kicked myself for the ones that got away. In every case, I missed getting something because I waited too long. I sometimes take one sale item home just to test it to make sure it is something I will use. If I wait too long to test it or go back to the store, I find that they were snatched up by someone else.

The same thing happens with free items. When I noticed that a neighbor had put a very unusual chair out for collection, I waited until after dinner to go out to get it. It was gone. On a walk, I saw a great headboard and footboard  - all solid wood with a Texas star in the middle of the headboard - in front of a house ready to be picked up. As I thought about it, I did some research and decided it would make a great bench. When I went back to get it, it was no longer there.

Those were missed opportunities to get some "thing" at little or no cost. They may make life a little more pleasant, but none of these things are important.

We can, however, experience important missed opportunities in our spiritual lives. God has often arranged circumstances for me to be able to share my faith. Some opportunities I took advantage of. Some I didn't. I waited too long. A better time never presented itself. I had to apologize to God for not doing what I clearly knew He was asking me to do. I remember well every missed opportunity.

Jesus told many stories related to this, among them the parable of the rich man who had so much that he decided to pull down his barns and build bigger ones in order to store all his stuff - ignoring the source of every blessing. God said to him, "Fool, This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided? So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God" (Luke 12:20-21).

None of us knows when our last breath will be. Salvation is too important to put off, thinking that there will be another chance tomorrow or the next day. That can result in missing out on the most important free gift ever offered.

Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life...For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God...Now is the day of salvation (Romans 5:18, Ephesians 2:8, 2 Corinthians 6:2b).

Dead Ends

When driving or riding with someone else in a car, I have noticed several "dead end" situations.

The road I am on may intersect with another in which we are able to turn right or left onto a new road. The end of one road leads to another one. Those roads are not dead ends, but simply a place where a choice needs to be made.

Sometimes the end of the road is a dead end. There is no way to go beyond it. The difficulty may also be magnified by the fact that it was a one-way road. You cannot turn around.

These roads are marked in various ways in different countries. Terms used on highways might include dead end, no exit, no through road, not a through street, or no outlet. In some cases the signs are just drawings indicating a dead end.

Where residential areas have been built with limited through traffic (sometimes a circular design) the term used is cul-de-sac. The no through traffic design results in more privacy in the neighborhood and potentially a safer environment for children.

Some dead-end roads are adjacent to a highway. They are very short roads built for the large construction equipment to park while the road is being built. These are of short term use and have no function after the road is built. They truly are dead end roads going nowhere.

Unless one pays attention to the signs leading up to the dead end roads, you can inadvertently wind up on the end of the road with nowhere to go - a real dead end.

During life, people come to many roads where important choices need to be made. Until death, there is an opportunity to make the right choice - to turn to God through Jesus Christ or to continue going in the wrong direction heading toward hell - the ultimate "dead end". Putting off that choice is a choice in itself. Death often comes as a surprise with no time to rethink the decisions of the past.

There is only one way to heaven and that is through trusting Jesus Christ. Through His sinless life, sacrificial death and resurrection, He paved the road for all believers to join Him for all eternity. Any other path literally leads to a spiritual dead end. There is no way out.

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me (John 14:6). There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death (Proverbs 14:12). For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23). Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2).

Pulling Weeds

In my garden, I have encountered a variety of weeds. Many of them are very hardy. Some have a single root. If that weed is pulled out by the root, wonderful! If not, it will come back. Others have complex root systems that make them next to impossible to pull out. They must be dug out. In those cases, I remember that the Lord said He was going to leave the tares and the wheat to grow together, and do the weeding at the end of time. Sometimes I make a similar decision. I will deal with those weeds again and again in order to save the good plants that are growing close to them.

The task of weeding reminds me of sin. Maybe you, like me, have discovered that weeding, like ridding your life of sin, involves the following.

Weeding is backbreaking work. If I don’t stay alert and “prayed up,” sin keeps coming back. If I don’t keep up with the weeding, the weeds overtake the garden. Vigilance is the key. Bill Gaither says there is a plaque on the wall of his home in Alexandria, Indiana that summed up his parents’ attitude about
 faith, “Pray for rain, but keep hoeing.”



It helps if the weeds can be pulled up by the roots. If possible, it is best to stop sin at its source. For instance, my nature is to panic and be fearful of unknown situations. That is the opposite of faith. When fear raises its ugly head in my life, I have to go back to the basics and trust God.

Sometimes I need help. The task of weeding is a bit overwhelming sometimes, especially since my husband and I travel much of the year. Occasionally someone will sit with me and help me pull out weeds. Likewise, an accountability partner can often notice an area that is displeasing to God that I have overlooked.

Weeding is easier if the soil is soft or wet. If you ever tried to pull weeds in hard, dry soil, you know how hard it can be. Likewise, it is easier to dispose of sin when it is fresh and recognizable as sin. The longer sin is left to harden in our lives, the harder it is to remove.

As I work in my flower beds, I often reflect on the fact that Jesus gave many illustrations using seeds, trees, fruit, plants, sowing, pruning and reaping. As a result of the fall, the ground was cursed and work became an effort instead of a joy. There remains, however, the beauty of God’s creation all around us. If we are privileged enough to have the stewardship of a plot of earth in which we can sow and reap, then we partner with God in His garden enterprise.

Weeding, both in my garden and in my life, is well worth it. As I observe the flowers in my garden, I am reminded that a garden is not just one flower. It is many flowers. You and I are part of a big garden that God has planted. Flowers need attention. But don’t we love the attention our Heavenly Gardener showers on us? We are linked to His Living Vine. We need each other. Together we can “bloom where we are planted” so that others can see Jesus in us.

Oh, the joys of those who . . . delight in doing everything the Lord wants. . . . They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season without fail. Their leaves never wither, and in all they do, they prosper (Psalm 1:2-3 NLT).

The Wit and Wisdom of Yogi Berra

If you live in America, you may have quoted a "Yogi-ism" and not even have known it. If you have ever quipped, "It's deja vu all over again" or "it ain't over 'til it's over," you quoted Yogi Berra. One of the few baseball managers to have won pennants in both the American and National Leagues and elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972, Yogi is as well known for his sayings as his famous coaching.

Yogi was a talker. During baseball games, Yogi talked to the opposing batters in order to distract them. Although his response to his reputation for originating so many quotable sayings has been, "I never said most of the things I said," he doesn't seem to mind being quoted so often!

Since I travel so much, one of my favorite Yogi quotes is "Why buy good luggage? You only use it when you travel."

Yogi said, "If you don't know where you're going, you'll wind up somewhere else." He may not have
intentionally been referring to eternity, but it certainly applies. After death, there are only two possible destinations - heaven or hell. Those who trust in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord can know they are going to heaven when they die. Those who don't trust Him are going to wind up somewhere else.

And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God (1 John 5:11-13).

Remember When?

After my parents and my husband's parents died, I browsed through countless photos. Many of them produced questions in my mind. Who were all the people in those pictures and what was life like for them? Were we related and if so, how? Have I been influenced by their lives? If so, in what way?

Some of those old photos brought back memories. Even as I pull up Facebook or read a family member's blog, many of the posted pictures bring back memories. Scrolling through my photo album on my laptop does the same thing. More recent than the old family photos, they still remind me of something that has happened in the past.

Often an item in my home brings back memories. If it was a gift, it reminds me of the giver and the occasion when I received it. If it was something I saved for, it reminds me of the time and effort put in to acquire it. If it was something that was an incredible bargain, it reminds me of how God has provided for me over the years.

Memories can be therapeutic or painful. Some memories bring great distress while others produce joy. Sometimes memories are a bit faulty. The good old days didn't seem so good while we were in them; however, looking back reveals that change and progress were not always what we had hoped for.

Memories help put life in perspective sometimes resulting in a desire to return to a slower, simpler life. Remember when children played outside instead of hanging out in front of a television set? Remember when prices of gas were so much cheaper? Remember when people walked to the store because there was a local store available to walk to? Remember when a piece of pie did not put on three extra pounds? Remember when life was not so complicated?

Memories link our past with our present helping us learn from our mistakes, sometimes turning painful experiences into an empathetic understanding of others and often producing smiles when times of family, fun and fellowship come to mind. That is why Alzheimer's disease is so devastating. Ties to the past are lost even resulting in being unable to recognize a loved one.

God knows the value of memories. Memories of our sins against Him should prevent us from doing the same thing again and the memory of our salvation experience should cause us to give thanks to Him every day.

One of the greatest values of memories is reflecting on the trustworthiness of God. I cherish the memories of every instance where He has shown me His love. He has always been there for me and He always will be. You can count on Him as well.

Then they remembered that God was their rock and the Most High their Redeemer (Psalm 78:35). He has made His wonderful works to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and full of compassion (Psalm 111:4). I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your works; I muse on the works of Your hand (Psalm 143:5).

A Legacy of Faith

Today my Dad would have been 96. He lived through the Great Depression and World War II. God allowed him to live to 90. Had he kept a diary, it would have recorded an incredible amount of changes during his lifetime.

Dad had a love for family, a frugal nature and an abiding faith. "A life lived for love of God and country" was engraved on his tombstone.

When I went through his belongings after he died, it was like a journey back through my own life. He kept every picture, every letter, every gift I had ever given him - sometimes making notations of how he felt when he received them. My dad took special care to express his love to me - especially in his later years.

Like many of his generation, Dad watched every penny. He didn't replace things. He fixed them. If he needed something, he often built it out of materials he already had. When my husband discovered Dad had repaired the seat in his recliner with a piece of plywood, he bought Dad a new one. Dad would probably have never purchased a new one even if he had the money.

His mother instilled in him a love for God that dominated everything he did. As far back as I can remember, Dad was looking for the second coming of the Lord Jesus. He felt confident it would happen in his lifetime. His favorite biblical subject was prophecy and he poured over every reference in the Old and New Testament to it. He was in his eighties when he wrote a book, The Unveiling: How the Symbols of Prophecy Reveal What Happens in the Last Days. 

I miss my Dad. His legacy lives on. I will see him again.

I will always remember that his favorite verse was Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6).

The Center

I am intrigued by how one word in the English language can have so many meanings. Take the word "center" for instance.

As a noun, we use that word in many ways.

We refer to someone wanting to be the center of attention; someone we deeply love as the center of our world, an important place being a center of influence, or the point or focus of discussion being the center of debate.

In sports, we refer to the middle player on the basketball team as a center. In baseball, the center fielder is the outfielder who plays defense in center field - the baseball fielding position between left field and right field. Center is a position held in American and Canadian football. He is the player who passes (or snaps) the ball between his legs to the quarterback at the start of each play. He is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense.

Centre (British spelling) is a position held in Australian rules football, ice hockey and rugby and there is a centre forward in Water Polo.

In cooking, we core the center of the apple or bake a cake or truffle with a surprise in the middle - maybe a chocolate center.

In aviation, the Area Control Center is an Air Traffic Control facility covering a large region of airspace not associated with a particular airport.

In mathematics and science, we refer to the center of mass and the center of symmetry.  A centroid is a geometric center.

We refer to a place where a specific activity is concentrated as a center - such as a center for medical research, a shopping center or a town center.

In general, the center represents the middle point with equal distances from all sides of something such as the center of the ceiling or the center of a vast territory.

The center of the Bible is Psalms 118. There are 594 chapters before it and 594 chapters after it.  The center verse of the Bible is Psalm 118:8.

When we focus on God, everything around us takes on a different perspective. He loves us. He does have a plan. His plan is good. His perfect will is that we trust Him.

In these days of confusion and uncertainty, going to the center of God's word can get us on track again - can center us on what is most important.

"It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man" (Psalms 118:8 NKJV).

The Last Shall Be First

Traveling exposes me to an interesting array of circumstances. Whatever mode of transportation I use I observe human nature at work. Watching crowds operate - and being a part of those crowds - is an educational experience.

Most of the time I board an airplane using a jetway from the waiting area in the airport. As a frequent flyer, I may be one of the first people to enter the airplane although I am often one of the last to disembark because I purchase tickets in economy and my seat is usually located in the back of the airplane.

At other times boarding requires riding a bus out to where the airplane is parked on the tarmac. People often line up early in order to get on the bus first, but I have noticed something interesting when that happens. Airport personnel require those who enter first to go all the way to the back of the bus in order to make room for the others who are boarding. The scurry to be first on often results in being last off.

Jesus knew this principle well when He said,"But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first" (Matthew 19:30, 20:16, Mark 10:31).

Matthew 19:30 and Mark 10:31 record the same situation. In response to Peter's statement that His disciples had left everything to follow Him, the Lord tells Peter His true disciples will have reward in heaven. He then said, "But many who are first will be last, and the last, first." I get the feeling He is telling Peter many people will be surprised.

In Matthew 20, Jesus, as He often did, was telling His disciples what the kingdom of heaven was like. A landowner needed laborers for his vineyard. Early in the morning he hired some agreeing to pay them a denarius for the day's work. He hired more at the third, sixth, ninth and even the eleventh hour. At the end of the day, he paid each one a denarius, no matter how long they had worked. When the ones who had been hired first, and had worked all day long, grumbled at the generosity of the landowner, he replied, "Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous? So the last shall be first, and the first last."

When all is said and done, we may be in for a few surprises. Our way of accounting and God's way are not the same. He knows who has tried to push and shove his way into heaven with a false belief that he deserves to be there. He also knows who is truly grateful for His generosity, painfully aware that without His love and grace we would not be able to enter at all.