Fresh Buds

Scripture: It had been planted in good soil by abundant water so that it would produce branches, bear fruit and become a splendid vine.’ “Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Will it thrive? Ezekiel 17:8-9

At this time of year I always find myself desperate for signs of the end of cold weather. The first signs usually come as the buttercups start to spring up. But lately after the buttercups have come and wilted I find myself desperately looking at the things I plated last year to insure me that their buds are setting on and they have endured the winter.

There is no doubt that our God looks at us with that same anticipation. He recalls the bitterness of our cold dark trial and wonders if the things he planted in us at that time will spring forth and bloom into displays of his glory or has our vine of faith withered. I personally love that we serve a God of do-overs (I know I say that all the time). He never looks on and thinks why can’t she get it? I mean, for real, she has been down this road 1000 times. Quite the contrary, he sees our potential. And says, “O Boy! That was time 1000, only 1000 more to go until she stops withering and starts blooming.”

My dad is a fickle hobbyist. Every year he takes on a new thing that requires time and energy. This year’s fixation is fruit trees. I had concerns because I know he likes to see results quickly and I reminded him that fruit trees do not always bear in the first season. Sometimes it takes them as many as 5 years to really bear a harvest. O man, that rang in my ears! How many times has God looked on in hopes that I would bear fruit and that my fruit would not be withered? Then he would once again find worthless or nonexistent fruit?

How can we insure a big harvest of good fruit? Well, we can’t. Only God’s Spirit within us bears the fruit in us. We have to keep surrendering to the work of the Spirit within us. I really think it is our unbelief and rebellion that causes the fruit of God’s Spirit to wither within us. Never neglect to get a fresh filling of that fruitful Spirit each day. And do not be discouraged by small buds. We are human and change comes slowly sometimes. God is not tired of waiting on you to be fruitful.

Leslie Stephens
McMinnville, TN

Prayer: O Great Gardener, thank you for being patient with me. I can’t be fruitful without your Spirit flowing within me. Fill me today and each day as I seek to bear the fruit of your Spirit. Amen.

Prayer Tip: Take a time of silent examination of the fruit in your life. Does it display the qualities of Gods’ Spirit? If not ask for that.

Just 30 Minutes

This devotion is in loving memory of a faithful servant of The Most High God, Travis Burt. I never actually met Travis in person. He has written devotions for me as a gift of love and support. Please pray for his family in their grief. Chaplain, I pray that you are feasting on the bounty of Christ in all its fullness my friend. And I am excited that you now know the VICTORY of Christ!

Travis sent this devotion to me as a personal email on January 29th, 2011, less than 30 days before his death February 13, 2011. He had no idea that his time to share was almost up. I pray that this story inspires you to make the most of the time you have here on this earth for Christ and His Kingdom.

Just 30 Minutes...
I often pray, as you do... for opportunities to share The Hope In Christ, we ourselves have received... with both those I know, but especially with strangers. It is amazing how many opportunities of sharing Christ Jesus... I am sure I have balked on... when I restrain taking action, as He has Commanded to all His Followers, through shamefully... "reserving immediate action" by "not getting involved in other peoples' problems/business... you know what I'm saying.

We needed a few things from the grocery store, so I simply dropped Susan off right at the front of the entrance door of Sav-A-Lot store, off West Lincoln Street in Tullahoma. (Susan had asked me to stay in the car, because I often reach for things that are just too expensive for our limited amount of money to spend to "get what we want". Smile~~~! I think you know what she was saying, too. Smart woman! )

So there I sat... in for a wait... and, I don't like sitting in a car waiting to pick her up. Well, the first thing I spotted was a very elderly woman, who seemed very confused about how to get her groceries into her old 1968 Ford, Thunderbird. I mean she would lift out a bag, only to put it back in the shopping cart... she acted like so many, dare I say... senile people... we all know.

I simply exited my vehicle, carefully approached her, so as not to frighten her... and ask would she give me the privilege of assisting her in properly placing her bags of groceries in the vehicle. She advised me she was 84 years old, and probably should not be driving... that she was shopping for her next door neighbor, too, who was too sick, and older than her... to get out. She could not find her keys, to put the things in the truck, keeping the things belonging to her neighbor separated from her things, said it made it easier to handle that way, when she got home. Well, we found the keys, where she had left them, in the drivers seat of her vehicle. (She was so very embarrassed about this, I just laughed... and told her I had done things like this before, which was not true, but my words seem to give her comfort.) It was so easy to stand there, and listen to her predicaments of her great fears of losing her driver's license, as her doctor had said could happen, if she continued to keep driving. I fully understood how she felt, and which of us elderly seniors, would not? I asked if I might pray with her, and she warmly smiled, although taken back a bit back... and said, "No one has ever prayed for me in a parking lot, but PLEASE do!" I gently took her hands in mine... and prayed... watching her eyes, shed warm tears flowing down her cheeks as we prayed. Yes, I assured her... confirmed in her... Jesus Loves her... and it was by His Spirit I was moved to exit my vehicle, and draw next to her side. I advised her to give all the Glory to God... and the fact I was simply His Servant... and probably His Least One, at that. I walked back to my vehicle, thanking God for such opportunity to elevate His Name, and demonstrate His Love for us all.

Okay, I thought... mission accomplished... now I could rest, and wait on Susan. Wanna bet? The next scene that came before me was an attractive young woman, talking loudly on her cell phone... it was not difficult for me to hear, with windows rolled down on this lovely day... every word she was screaming into her cell phone. Her last words in this one sided conversation I could plainly hear, were... "I am telling you, damn it... I want to see my babies... these are my babies!!! and I'll be &^%$ @*!a, if I let you get by with this!!! She slammed off her cell phone, if one could do that, raised the phone toward the sky... and broke out in angry tears, as she shook the phone toward the sky, in great bitterness and anger.

Well, she walked directly by my vehicle driver's side, my window had remained down.. apparently to move on to reach her next destination. "Young lady... would you walk over here for a minute... I am a Chaplain.. and want but a moment of your time... to pray for you!" "What? I thought... Travis have you lost your mind... this young woman is raging mad... now what will happen here, in this very public place! What will people think? " I was shocked to see her moving toward me, and her story spilled out about what caused her rage. I simply listened to her broken heart speak... and then asked her to give me her hand, and allow me to pray with her... she did so immediately. As I prayed... I literally felt her hands become more relaxed... as her tears fell to the ground... and she thanked me profusely for being willing to pray for a stranger, in a parking lot... and reported she felt a new hope in her heart, as I also assured her God would arrange for her to see those "babies"... in His Time, not hers. I asked her name, and she said, "Angel". I simply told her she had a beautiful name, and now was the time to act like one. I thanked her for her allowing me to pray for her... and asked that she pray for me too (I gave her my "Chaplain Card")... when time would be available for her to do so. She promised she would, and squeezed my hand, before she walked away ... a gesture I understood, as ongoing gratitude, of just knowing God had not, and would not... abandon her.

Now, I sincerely desire to make this VERY PLAIN to you each. I am sending this "sharing"... and want you to realize... None of what happened in this parking lot... was any of my making... it was simply our Jesus creating moments of these of His Gifts of Opportunities to me. Most of you have experienced such things... and allow me to confess... I have not taken opportunities as I should have... many times. Yep, I have missed a bunch... by feeling this would be an awkward time and place... and being so stupidly concerned about how I might be misunderstood... or even more worse an excuse... the famous "What will people think of me... if I do this?'. Well, this year I will be seventy... somehow you get a little bolder in your words... and say, perhaps stupid things... but ya don't care, at least as much, about what people think... you begin to be more concerned about what Jesus Thinks, Amen? (And, to think... all of this took less than thirty minutes... to unfold.)

Chaplain Travis Burt
Heavenly Home (address unknown)

Prayer: Father God, please help us prioritize sharing our faith with others, so that the hope we have in Christ might make a difference before we die. Amen.

Prayer Tip: Before you begin your day ask God to make opportunities for you to share you hope with others and give you eyes to see those opportunities.

Hands Free!

Scripture: Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. They will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God their Savior. Psalm 24:3-5

Since I had another baby I find myself without enough hands. When I go to get in the car I have to make 3 or 4 trips to get it all loaded: Diaper bag, cup, toy bag, purse, baby, jackets, ect. When I return home I always find myself unable to open the door, because I have my hands packed full of stuff.

It occurred to me as I was trying to open the door with my hands full that is how we look standing at the foot of the cross. We are so encumbered that we can’t even raise up our hands. It is only when we come to Christ and lay down those things that we are holding that we can free our hands for service and praise!

Whatever you are gripping tightly, you must lay it down at Christ’s feet, so that your hands are free to praise Him who is able to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine. As you come to your prayer time this week, picture yourself walking up to Christ. Begin to visualize yourself lying down your burdens. With empty hands begin to praise him for all he is going to do in those situations. He is able!

Leslie Stephens
McMinnville, TN

Prayer: God help us to trust you enough to empty our hands, so that we may praise and serve you better. Amen.

Prayer Tip: Imagining Christ standing before you helps make your prayer experience more tangible.