Here is the latest from the country...
I know that many of us are very stubborn in our ways. There are a few good sayings from back in the woods that go along with this:
He's just as happy as if he had good sense.
Tougher than a pine knot.
Grinning like a mule eating briars.
She's so stubborn she'd argue with a stop sign.
God calls us to peace. He calls us to follow Him without reservation. Last night's devo got me to thinking about that in this way: how often do I try to redo what God has already done just because I think I know better. I can get very stubborn and as we say back in Arkansas, 'muley'. Why do we try to improve on perfection. Adam and Eve back in Genesis, they had perfection. All the good food they could eat, all the protection they could want, and a relationship with God not seen again till Jesus' time. They had it all and then with very little encouragement, they wanted to improve on what they had. What do we have to do other than to trust in God for all our needs. In America, it is harder because we can just go straight to the store or shop or whatever and get whatever will improve on what our current situation is. Special creamer for my coffee, better tires for my car, better clothes for the organic husk that my soul resides in...
God has promised to us to fulfill EVERYTHING. He has never been wrong, he has never failed, and the best thing is he never will. May all of us in EVERY situation learn to lean on Jesus and God for ALL of what we need. He will be true to us if we will be true to him.
May God bless you with everything you need today. And give you peace too.
Jeremy
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Friday, October 31, 2008
The mystery of the hole
Here is the next devotional thought. I bet you guys are getting more country every day. So here is a country story with some merit.
The Mystery of the Hole
An old country preacher was out visiting one day, and he decided to stop by a ladies house around lunch time because he knew she could cook. And indeed, she was just starting to make something when he "happened by". She was putting all the ingredients in a bowl and began stirring when he came up and after some small talk, she took the dough and began cutting it out into small round looking cakes. She had a big pot over the fire with lard boiling in it. She began to carefully place each small pastry in the lard and then waited. After each was taken out, she gave the preacher one of the doughnuts and they were some GOOD doughnuts.
The preacher raved about the homemade delight, and then said, "These doughnuts are great. But what is the point of cutting out the hole? It just seems like there would be more goodness to this doughnut, or at least one more bite, if you just left the hole out and kept the doughnut in."
She said, "Some people are never content with the goodness they have before them. People complain all the time about the goodness they think is not there. You would be a fool to leave the hole in for this reason. You could cook it with the hole in until the outside is hard as a rock, but the inside would still be nothing but dough. It is like Ephraim in Hosea 7:8: "A cake half turned is a cake not cooked."
The preacher decided to ponder on the holes we have in our life. The pain that is caused by the holes can be debilitating. The empty spaces in human life and the desolation of the vacancies. But, without the hole, we wouldn't have a place for God to come in. He discussed all his thoughts with the cook and she said, "I don't really understand all the reasons why, because the hole in my heart aches sometimes to the point of surrender. But, a person who doesn’t use the good things he has and complains to God for what he lacks, is like a person who would reject a doughnut because he doesn't understand the mystery of the hole."
May God bless you with everything you need today. And grant you peace too.
Jeremy
The Mystery of the Hole
An old country preacher was out visiting one day, and he decided to stop by a ladies house around lunch time because he knew she could cook. And indeed, she was just starting to make something when he "happened by". She was putting all the ingredients in a bowl and began stirring when he came up and after some small talk, she took the dough and began cutting it out into small round looking cakes. She had a big pot over the fire with lard boiling in it. She began to carefully place each small pastry in the lard and then waited. After each was taken out, she gave the preacher one of the doughnuts and they were some GOOD doughnuts.
The preacher raved about the homemade delight, and then said, "These doughnuts are great. But what is the point of cutting out the hole? It just seems like there would be more goodness to this doughnut, or at least one more bite, if you just left the hole out and kept the doughnut in."
She said, "Some people are never content with the goodness they have before them. People complain all the time about the goodness they think is not there. You would be a fool to leave the hole in for this reason. You could cook it with the hole in until the outside is hard as a rock, but the inside would still be nothing but dough. It is like Ephraim in Hosea 7:8: "A cake half turned is a cake not cooked."
The preacher decided to ponder on the holes we have in our life. The pain that is caused by the holes can be debilitating. The empty spaces in human life and the desolation of the vacancies. But, without the hole, we wouldn't have a place for God to come in. He discussed all his thoughts with the cook and she said, "I don't really understand all the reasons why, because the hole in my heart aches sometimes to the point of surrender. But, a person who doesn’t use the good things he has and complains to God for what he lacks, is like a person who would reject a doughnut because he doesn't understand the mystery of the hole."
May God bless you with everything you need today. And grant you peace too.
Jeremy
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Reps and tags
There is much wisdom that comes from the country. There are also a lot of tags that can be attached. Here are some examples:
He is dumb as a box of rocks.
He is about two sandwiches short of a picnic.
He is as confused as a termite in a yo-yo.
He's so dishonest, you better count your fingers after shaking hands with him.
He couldn't hit sand if he fell off a camel.
He's so loud he must have learned to whisper in a sawmill.
And so on.
The reason tonight for these various descriptions of a person is this: What are we known for? What kind of "tag" has been applied to us by someone else? It amazes me to read the story of Jesus saying to people, "come follow me" and they do. They just dropped everything, left their old life behind, and followed. I don't think it was because Jesus offered them lots of money or promised them greatness. I believe the people who followed Jesus knew Him by reputation. They knew what kind of person he was, because he had a good reputation from the previous 30 years of living in that area. Even Matthew the tax collector followed. They all knew who he was and what he represented.
What do people know us for? Are we known for being Godly, or are we known for something else? If we are not known for being Godly, then we need to rethink our daily walk, our associates, and remember that we are Jesus on earth to unbelievers. I would hate for someone to think of us as stingy with ourselves or our time. They need to know just as much as anyone what kind of man Jesus was, and how much he wants to get to know them deeply.
May God bless you today with everything you need. And grant you peace too.
Jeremy
He is dumb as a box of rocks.
He is about two sandwiches short of a picnic.
He is as confused as a termite in a yo-yo.
He's so dishonest, you better count your fingers after shaking hands with him.
He couldn't hit sand if he fell off a camel.
He's so loud he must have learned to whisper in a sawmill.
And so on.
The reason tonight for these various descriptions of a person is this: What are we known for? What kind of "tag" has been applied to us by someone else? It amazes me to read the story of Jesus saying to people, "come follow me" and they do. They just dropped everything, left their old life behind, and followed. I don't think it was because Jesus offered them lots of money or promised them greatness. I believe the people who followed Jesus knew Him by reputation. They knew what kind of person he was, because he had a good reputation from the previous 30 years of living in that area. Even Matthew the tax collector followed. They all knew who he was and what he represented.
What do people know us for? Are we known for being Godly, or are we known for something else? If we are not known for being Godly, then we need to rethink our daily walk, our associates, and remember that we are Jesus on earth to unbelievers. I would hate for someone to think of us as stingy with ourselves or our time. They need to know just as much as anyone what kind of man Jesus was, and how much he wants to get to know them deeply.
May God bless you today with everything you need. And grant you peace too.
Jeremy
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Something less than the big dog ...
Here is your third dose of Country Boy Wisdom.
"If you can't run with the big dogs, stay on the porch!" I don't like this saying because it was said to me many times while playing football in Arkansas. Being the susceptible person that I was, it really hit home to me that maybe I wasn't good enough, or maybe I don't belong with everyone else. At times, it could have been used for motivation to help, but instead it was used to berate and tear down.
I was watching the History Channel the other day and came across a show on the Inquisition. The people who originally thought of this idea were probably devout God fearing people. Problem was, they became the elite, the best, the only. They were killing people in their "righteous cause". Problem was, they didn't realize how off they were and how far reaching this oppression would reach. When Rachel and I were in Scotland doing some mission work, we encountered priests and others who said that a large percentage of the people there were very distrustful of religion of any kind due to the old history of how oppressed people were by the "Cosmic Cop" God.
The most well know verse in the Bible is probably John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”
God said "the world", because he means "the world". He wants all to come and know Him and what he has. We don't have to be a big dog or part of the elite group. We have to be us and follow what He has for us to do. God offers everything we will ever need and we can share it with all the other people in "the world". So that everyone will come to know him and the "pack of dogs" can all run together and chase after God.
May you be blessed today with everything you need. And may you have peace, too.
Jeremy
"If you can't run with the big dogs, stay on the porch!" I don't like this saying because it was said to me many times while playing football in Arkansas. Being the susceptible person that I was, it really hit home to me that maybe I wasn't good enough, or maybe I don't belong with everyone else. At times, it could have been used for motivation to help, but instead it was used to berate and tear down.
I was watching the History Channel the other day and came across a show on the Inquisition. The people who originally thought of this idea were probably devout God fearing people. Problem was, they became the elite, the best, the only. They were killing people in their "righteous cause". Problem was, they didn't realize how off they were and how far reaching this oppression would reach. When Rachel and I were in Scotland doing some mission work, we encountered priests and others who said that a large percentage of the people there were very distrustful of religion of any kind due to the old history of how oppressed people were by the "Cosmic Cop" God.
The most well know verse in the Bible is probably John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”
God said "the world", because he means "the world". He wants all to come and know Him and what he has. We don't have to be a big dog or part of the elite group. We have to be us and follow what He has for us to do. God offers everything we will ever need and we can share it with all the other people in "the world". So that everyone will come to know him and the "pack of dogs" can all run together and chase after God.
May you be blessed today with everything you need. And may you have peace, too.
Jeremy
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Pale turnips and empty pitchers
Today’s words from Jeremy:
To further extend our country boy wisdom, here is a saying that is a qualifier for yesterday's devo thought of giving more. "You can't squeeze blood from a turnip". The wisdom in this saying is simple. If you don't have anything to give, you can't give it.
I love the idea of us all being water pitchers. We can pour out what we have into other's pitchers when they need to be refilled. But we have to go to the source of the living water to be refilled and refreshed.
We hear this verse all the time about renewal, Isaiah 40:31
Yet those who wait for the LORD
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.
Yesterday I said to keep pouring out what you have to give to others who are in need. Today here is the answer on what to do when we have no more blood in our turnip. We wait. The NIV says we hope. The Lord will come and He will refill us and take care of our emptiness. It won't be easy, it doesn't always feel good, it doesn't always come when we tell it to, but...it comes. And when it comes, it is constant renewal. We can run without getting tired. We can do everything we need to because God will take care of us. He will refill us and make sure we are full enough to be taken care of, but not too full so we are not "full of ourselves".
When you feel like Dracula has attacked your spiritual vegetable patch, give it up to God for a while and be patient. It will come and your strength will be complete again so you can handle what comes your way.
May God bless you today with whatever you need. And grant you peace, too, while you wait.
Jeremy
To further extend our country boy wisdom, here is a saying that is a qualifier for yesterday's devo thought of giving more. "You can't squeeze blood from a turnip". The wisdom in this saying is simple. If you don't have anything to give, you can't give it.
I love the idea of us all being water pitchers. We can pour out what we have into other's pitchers when they need to be refilled. But we have to go to the source of the living water to be refilled and refreshed.
We hear this verse all the time about renewal, Isaiah 40:31
Yet those who wait for the LORD
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.
Yesterday I said to keep pouring out what you have to give to others who are in need. Today here is the answer on what to do when we have no more blood in our turnip. We wait. The NIV says we hope. The Lord will come and He will refill us and take care of our emptiness. It won't be easy, it doesn't always feel good, it doesn't always come when we tell it to, but...it comes. And when it comes, it is constant renewal. We can run without getting tired. We can do everything we need to because God will take care of us. He will refill us and make sure we are full enough to be taken care of, but not too full so we are not "full of ourselves".
When you feel like Dracula has attacked your spiritual vegetable patch, give it up to God for a while and be patient. It will come and your strength will be complete again so you can handle what comes your way.
May God bless you today with whatever you need. And grant you peace, too, while you wait.
Jeremy
Monday, October 27, 2008
Commitment and contribution
This week’s devotionals come from the pen of Jeremy Luallen:
This line of devotionals comes from my country boy roots. There are so many great sayings that, as my mom always says, will preach. One of the first and best sayings that I remember is Ham and Eggs: who gave more for your breakfast? On one hand, you have the chicken who gave an egg or two. On the other hand, the pig gave his life for your morning repast.
This is a silly way of saying, how much of ourselves are we really giving to others? We can give some and just feel better about ourselves for how much we think we may have given. Or, we can really give of our lives spiritually, physically, and mentally. I don't want to think of myself or you as pigs, but I do want us to realize on a daily basis what we give to those around us.
One of my favorite verses is John 21:25: "Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written." Jesus gave us everything and then some of himself. So much that the world couldn't even hold the good news of all the things he did. And the best part is he didn't want to stop giving.
For our country boy charge and challenge for the day...see if you can give a little bit more to someone who could use the help. They may need something you have and don't even realize it. May God bless you with everything you need when you need it.
Peace be with you too.
Jeremy
This line of devotionals comes from my country boy roots. There are so many great sayings that, as my mom always says, will preach. One of the first and best sayings that I remember is Ham and Eggs: who gave more for your breakfast? On one hand, you have the chicken who gave an egg or two. On the other hand, the pig gave his life for your morning repast.
This is a silly way of saying, how much of ourselves are we really giving to others? We can give some and just feel better about ourselves for how much we think we may have given. Or, we can really give of our lives spiritually, physically, and mentally. I don't want to think of myself or you as pigs, but I do want us to realize on a daily basis what we give to those around us.
One of my favorite verses is John 21:25: "Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written." Jesus gave us everything and then some of himself. So much that the world couldn't even hold the good news of all the things he did. And the best part is he didn't want to stop giving.
For our country boy charge and challenge for the day...see if you can give a little bit more to someone who could use the help. They may need something you have and don't even realize it. May God bless you with everything you need when you need it.
Peace be with you too.
Jeremy
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