Busy Summer and Eternal Security in Jesus

Tending the garden has sure kept me extremely busy. Last night we had a nice bit of rain, so it affords me a few extra moments that would otherwise be spent watering the vegetable garden. God is so good! ...even when we forget to thank Him, which is more often than not.

I allowed myself to get tangled up on a group on Facebook that talks about end times and how to be a "prepper". There is a woman on there that talks about how you can lose your salvation and talks about the evils of Calvinism at every turn, so I kept trying to put out her fires....but this woman does not give up! Don't try to confuse this woman with the facts! lol, because she knows better than anyone else, and sadly fancies herself a teacher, one that instills in her followers a subtle lie that you can undo what God does in your life. I found myself getting frustrated, a sure sign that it is time to back away, and pray.

But thankfully I did find a couple of good blog articles on eternal security. Hope you enjoy them too!

https://snyderssoapbox.com/2014/09/04/if-you-could-lose-your-salvation-you-would/

 https://carm.org/can-believer-lose-his-salvation

 https://snyderssoapbox.com/2014/04/21/hebrews-61-8-eternal-security-perseverance-of-the-saints-justification-and-sanctification/

New Breedism

 On Herescope (excerpt):

The whole NEW BREED concept is totally unscriptural. The only way they can attempt to prove their false doctrine is to twist, misquote or allegorize the Scriptures. According to the "prophets" all believers are not a part of the NEW BREED because it is reserved for a special quality of Christian in the last days. But Praise God, the Bible refutes this fallacy. On the contrary, it gives all believers the following assurance:

1. All believers are equal in Christ. Galatians 3:28.
2. All believers are new creatures. II Corinthians 5:17.
3. All believers are made righteous by faith, that is of grace. Romans 4:16.
4. All believers are of the seed of Abraham. Romans 4:16.
5. All believers were baptized into one body. I Corinthians 12:13.
6. All believers are members of the body of Christ. I Corinthians 12:14.
7. All believers are part of the ELECT. I Peter 1:2.
8. All believers are a CHOSEN GENERATION. I Peter 2:1, 2.
9. All believers are "born again." John 3:3, 15.
10. All believers are lively stones and a holy priesthood. I Peter 2:5.

The word BREED is not found once in Scripture, much less the term A NEW BREED.[17]

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That second picture with the knight holding the child reminds me of Arthurian legends....

 When King Arthur was born, Merlin took him away and raised him in secret...

http://mortimerjordan.com/T4/Language%20Arts/kingarthur/legend.html 

The Bible tells us that our hope is not in this world, yet the "new Christianity" will have it's adherents believing that Jesus is going to set up His kingdom on this earth, but as Herescopes blog also shows, the way they reshape what the Bible says, has some strange connections with Hitler's philosophies and the New Age doctrines as well. 

We must be wise as serpents while gentle as doves.

A Love, Such as the Lord Loves us with...

link for picture

Often I hear people in the world talk about that little four letter word...LOVE. It's easy to TALK about love, but how often do we see the same people who want to bludgeon others over their heads for not being "loving" actually walking the walk of which they speak? Oh sure, they get along great with those who worship the ground they walk on and hang on their every word. But what about the people they do not agree with? How do they treat those people? How did Jesus say we are to treat those who mistreat us, or those people that we just simply just do not like? I'm not saying I have that one down either, lol. What is it that they say about people who point their fingers at others and have four pointing back at themselves. Yeah, that shoe pinches alright...thank you Jesus for your mercy, and the fact that you still love us even though we can be, ahem, unlovable (at best)



Matthew 5:44-48

John 15:19

Mathematical depiction for the implicit heart curve link

The Gospel

2Th 1:8  In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
2Th 1:9  Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power

 This is one of those "trouble passages" for a TULIP Calvinist like me, and one that Arminians love to "use against me". With the word "obey" right there "in my face", how can I say that being saved does not involve something that I do and keep on doing to keep myself there? Hmmm....?

"Obey not THE GOSPEL"....

What is the gospel? What is the "good news" and how do we "obey" it?

From what Jesus has taught me in His word, THE GOSPEL is the good news that He paid the price for my sin, and I am to trust in Him and His finished work. I am supposed to REST IN JESUS, but without His help in this, it is something I cannot do...and I confess that I cannot do it, and REST in the fact that Jesus can, and does, and already did everything to secure that for me, and that is GOOD NEWS (gospel) indeed!

EDITED TO ADD

Gregg at Gospel Driven Disciples has the word GOSPEL for his A to Z challenge word for today. He has some excellent info on that excellent word here

Millions of Dead Fish....

She says "...but scientists have said that die-offs like this aren't so uncommon. The U.S. geological survey says that on average 163 such events are reported every year."

NO CAUSE FOR ALARM....EVERYONE MOVE ALONG....NOTHING TO SEE HERE....

II Peter 3:3  "...there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts..."
(that will say):
II Peter 3:4   " ...all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. "


This one took place in the Baltic Sea, this article says it is because the poles are shifting:

Dead fish on the shores of the Baltic Sea

The one in Redondo Beach, California, was mostly sardines. Cindy by the Sea is the blogger that I had seen make a connection between sardines and the city of Sardis:

as soon as I went to Wikipedia, the first thing I read about sardines is that their name originated with the Mediterranean island of Sardis. 
 See cindybythesea blog entry on this here

But actually Wikipedia says it is from the island named Sardinia (Sardis was a city in the Apostle Paul's time in what is now the country of Turkey, on the mainland and not an island):

see Wikipedia article

There might be a common thread there...not sure though, I couldn't find one.

What I do find interesting is that animals are dying off in huge numbers, and the MSM is doing it's job of making people aware of the fact and then turning people's off switch to not pay attention to it because "it is normal"....but is it really? I personally don't believe it to be normal...and the fact that the book of Revelation gives one of the signs of the tribulation to be 1/3 of the fish dying should make us pay attention.

Rev 8:8  And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;

Rev 8:9  And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.

People who saw what happened in the gulf of Mexico said the ocean had the appearance of blood from all the oil, and that the oil was like a ruptured vein spewing into the sea. I think it is possible, and I don't think it wise to pretend that it is normal to have huge waves of animals dying off this way. We need to keep our eyes fixed on our Creator and Redeemer. He said these things would happen and that they would be for signs of His return. The mockers will say it isn't so, and that it has always been this way, and that these abnormal occurances are perfectly normal. Do we believe "them"?...or do we believe God's word?

Jesus said to watch and pray.

Mar 13:31  Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
Mar 13:32  But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
Mar 13:33  Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.

It's Almost Spring...

Technically, it IS spring, it's just not acting like it yet. Spring means beautiful flowers, and gardening and planting. At one time I had a garden. The soil... well, you couldn't really call it soil, it was so full of clay that hardened that it was more like solid concrete. I tried planting a garden. I planted cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers and zucchini. I did end up harvesting about a half dozen bell peppers about the size of cherry tomatoes, and the tomato caterpillars got all my tomatoes. I remember when I tried to dig the ground and clear the weeds thinking about how backwards creation is. I had to work very hard to coax plants that I  wanted to stay alive, but the ones I didn't want grew like...weeds. Sigh. It wasn't like that in the garden of Eden. I don't think there was such a thing as a weed there. Everything grew nicely (I imagine) not out of control and haywire all over the place. And the soil must've been perfect and lush and full of minerals. The garden did need tending, but I don't believe that is was as back-breaking to care for as a garden of today is.

Paraíso - Jan Bruegel

In the Bible, the first mentioned garden is the garden of Eden. And what is mentioned in Revelation about the new earth sounds like a garden of Eden restored. Are there other gardens mentioned between the first and the last?



There's this one:


Deu 11:9  And that ye may prolong your days in the land, which the LORD swore unto your fathers to give unto them and to their seed, a land that floweth with milk and honey.
Deu 11:10  For the land, whither thou goest in to possess it, is not as the land of Egypt, from whence ye came out, where thou sowedst thy seed, and wateredst it with thy foot, as a garden of herbs:
Deu 11:11  But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven:
Deu 11:12  A land which the LORD thy God careth for the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.
Deu 11:13  And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,
Deu 11:14  That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.
Deu 11:15  And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full.

and what about this account of Ahab and Jezebel?

The Song of Solomon mentions a garden of spices

and this promise of the Lord:

Isa 51:3  For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.

and:

Jer 31:12  Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the LORD, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all.

and the Bible tells us that satan:

Eze 28:13  Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.

and this incredible passage that speaks to Pharaoh of Egypt about the beauty (greater than any of the trees in Eden) and deadliness of pride and how someone that is caught in pride will come to a terrible end

and the coming destruction:

Joe 2:1  Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;
Joe 2:2  A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.
Joe 2:3  A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them. (this is an amazing chapter to read see it here)

In this search, I discovered something about the garden of Gethsemane (which is what I've always heard it called, and what I've always referred to the place where Jesus prayed at the time He was arrested)...that isn't what the Bible calls it.

Mat 26:36  Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.

Mar 14:32  And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.
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Can you tell that I want the spring flowers to be blooming again? Sigh...soon...soon and as beautiful as spring is here on earth it won't compare with the beauty that the Lord has planned for His children when we are with Him...

More on the Topic of Goats

In trying to find more information on this topic, I found this at the End Time Pilgrim website:

Sheep and Goats Judgment

The problem for me with that article is that it states the sheep and goats of that parable are all unsaved Gentiles. Sheep (lost or not lost) in my way of thinking always applied to Jews or saved Gentiles so I have trouble with their interpretation.  They also say that everyone (all various theological perspectives) teach that it is different from "The Great White Throne Judgment". I personally believe it is possible they are the same, and that is the way it is presented here.

This is another site linked here that says the Sheep and Goats Judgment and the Great White Throne Judgment can be one and the same. I have found that because Jesus mentions something in a couple of sentences (in Matthew ch 25) doesn't mean the events that are told about happen moments (or even a few days) later... and conversely, if it is written about in another chapter using different word pictures, it doesn't mean it's about something else, it is possible the subject is the same but described differently.. There are at least two passages where a comma in the same sentence is separated by a couple thousand years in it's unfolding. I believe it is something that we can all have opinions about, but the final proof will be in the pudding....when it happens we will know exactly what God was talking about, and everyone will be amazed at how accurately God spoke and it will all be cleared up for us and  "the why" of why we couldn't understand it before the time it will happen (like we all disagree on how it will be at this time) won't even matter to us then when we see it played out. We will all just be glorifying God in how perfect He is and how perfectly He keeps all of His promises.

However, I was going to talk about goats...

...and more specifically, the scapegoat of the Day of Atonement. Why is it a goat that is being sacrificed when goats represent people that are going to hell in the Sheep and Goats Judgment? Please read Leviticus 16  where the subject is the sacrificing of the two goats, one on the altar, and one as a scapegoat sent away into the wilderness, is given to the Israelites.


This online lesson discusses the possibilities for Azazel (the scapegoat) being Jesus (He was made sin for us) or satan (who is the embodiment of sin), and this particular author concludes that both goats in this offering represent Jesus.


About Azazel (from my esword electronic Bible):


scape goats:  Heb. Azazel, that is, the goat-gone-away, The Hebrew עזאזל has been supposed by some to be the name of a place, either a mountain or cliff, to which the goat was led.  But no place of that name has ever been pointed out, except a mountain near Sinai, which was too distant for the goat to be conducted there from Jerusalem.  Other learned men think it was the name of the devil, who was worshipped by the heathen in the form of a goat.  But Bp. Patrick justly objects to this opinion; for it is difficult to conceive, that when the other goat was offered to God, this should be sent among demons.  The more probable opinion seems to be, that it was name given to the goat itself, on account of his being let go; from aiz, a goat, and azal, to depart.  So LXX αποπομπαιος, and Vulgate emissarius, sent away; Aquila and Symmachus τραγος απερχομενος, or απολελυμενος: the goat going away, or dismissed.

If I find more on the topic, I'll post it at a future date, Lord willing :-) Also if anyone has weblinks that would help to shed more light on this subject, they would be much appreciated. I have a feeling Arnold Fruchtenbaum might have insight into this topic, eh Ma?

Sheep and Goats

 picsearch

Did you know that there are alot of similarities between sheep and goats? I find that interesting in the light of the parable that Jesus gave us about the separating of sheep and goats:

Mat 25:31  When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
Mat 25:32  And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
Mat 25:33  And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Mat 25:34  Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Mat 25:35  For I was hungry, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Mat 25:36  Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Mat 25:37  Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
Mat 25:38  When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Mat 25:39  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
Mat 25:40  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Mat 25:41  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Mat 25:42  For I was hungry, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
Mat 25:43  I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
Mat 25:44  Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
Mat 25:45  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
Mat 25:46  And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. 

Do you notice what Jesus does here? The sheep come from a place of credit where anything they do is added to them. The goats come from a place of debit where the moment they fail to do the right thing, they have failed altogether and hopelessly so.

What can we learn from what these animals are like?

There's alot of info here about sheep and goats. One of the main differences is what they eat. Goats can eat just about anything and not get sick. If sheep eat the wrong things, they get diarrhea and it sticks to their wool, which can cause them further problems if the shepherd doesn't take care of his sheep properly. The link says sheep have tear glands, but doesn't say the same for goats..see also 

Goats are more independent while sheep get uncomfortable if they get separated from their group. 

Also check out this story told by someone who did some time as a sheepherder in New Zealand 

Most sheep don't have horns like goats do....but some do

Rev 13:11  And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.


Hmmm looks like a sheep, with two horns, and speaks like a dragon. What does a dragon speak like?

Dan 11:21  And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honor of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.
Dan 11:22  And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant.
Dan 11:23  And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people.

He will tell people what they want to hear. He will appeal to people's fleshy desires.

Jesus knows what His sheep really need, and it isn't flattering...but He loves us so what He does for us is out of a gracious and loving heart.

Pe 5:2  Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;

1Pe 5:3  Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock.
1Pe 5:4  And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

Sheep

According to Jesus we are His sheep...

Over the last few years I've been seeing references to "sheeple" and that used in a negative connotation. Sheeple are followers of current trends and the manipulations of tptb. We are not to be "sheeple" but we are to be Jesus's sheep.

Doing a word study using my electronic Strong's Concordance on the word "sheep" gives insight into what Jesus says about it.

The very first verse in the Bible that brings up the topic of sheep is with regard to the first brothers mentioned; Cain and Abel:

Gen 4:2  And she again bore his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
Gen 4:3  And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.
Gen 4:4  And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
Gen 4:5  But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

It seems that Cain and Able both knew exactly what was pleasing to God. Now from this I do not draw the conclusion that there's something wrong with farming, lol. However, the concept of sacrifice and sheep and "things of the earth" are here for us to ponder.

Psalm 53 is well accepted as being about Jesus and His sacrifice for us, and it mentions us as sheep in this way:

Isa 53:6  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 

Crystal Cathedral, Garden Grove, California

We have turned every one to his own way...Do we see that today? It makes me think of that Frank Sinatra song that people loved so much: "I Did It My Way". According to the Bible, Cain and Frank Sinatra were wrong...according to this world, self effort and self promotion and doing it "my way" are to be celebrated and encouraged. Are the Joel Osteens, Oprah Winfrees, and Robert Schullers wrong? According to Jesus, they are completely wrong

Jer 50:6  My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their resting place.

Ahhhhh.... resting place...


Mat 11:28  Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Heb 4:9  There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
Heb 4:10  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
Heb 4:11  Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

So flaunting our own works and abilities actually are examples of unbelief.....resting in Jesus...my spirit is so willing, yet my flesh still desires to elevate itself. Old habits die hard. You would think it should be very simple to REST in Jesus. There REMAINETH therefore a rest to the people of God. That blessed rest that the Saturday sabbath pointed to, which the Israelites failed at keeping, or twisted it into a ritualized keeping that made it seem they were keeping it. Even when at rest, the flesh elevates itself into thinking it is doing something holy and honorable. 

Mat 16:24  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

As Jesus sheep, we follow Him in doing those things that will bring us no honor or praise from this world.

Mat 10:22  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

We can only endure to the end if Jesus makes it so. With us it is impossible, but with God, all things are possible.

´You anoint my Head with Oil´ (Psalm 23). We see a shepherd anointing the heads of sheep with oil to preserve them from sunstroke, or to heal bramble scratches. An early photograph. 

Is Jesus "Good"?

Luk 18:18  And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
Luk 18:19  And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.
Luk 18:20  Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor thy father and thy mother.
Luk 18:21  And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.
Luk 18:22  Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
Luk 18:23  And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.
Luk 18:24  And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
Luk 18:25  For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Luk 18:26  And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved?
Luk 18:27  And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.



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I have seen that verse taken by Jehovah's Witnesses, and others, to be Jesus's own confession that He is not God....but is that really what is going on here? Is Jesus telling this young man that He is not God and therefore not "good"? Does He ever say "I am not God therefore I am not "good" "anywhere in the Bible?  If you can find that please let me know...

I was thinking about this last night as I drove up late and tired from work. I was thinking about the fact that I TRY to be "good", whereas Jesus JUST IS "good" (no trying, just is). And for that simple fact, I am grateful.

Fragility and Strength

On the topic of butterflies, I recently heard someone mention an interesting thing about their transition from caterpillars to those lovely winged creatures. It was said that a butterfly must emerge from the chrysalis without assistance or it wouldn't develop properly and die. The struggle to emerge from the confinement of the chrysalis causes the butterfly to become strong enough for the next stage of it's life.

The Butterfly and the Cocoon

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. The man sat and watched the cocoon for several hours as the butterfly struggled to force its body through the little hole.
Then it seemed to stop making progress. It appeared as if the butterfly had gotten as far as it could, and it could go no further. The man decided to help the butterfly in its struggle. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon.
The butterfly then emerged easily, but it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.
He continued to watch the butterfly. He expected that, at any moment, the wings would dry out, enlarge and expand to be able to support the body. He knew that in time the body would contract, and the butterfly would be able to fly.
But neither happened. In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.
What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were Nature’s way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If God allowed us to go through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been.
We could never fly.

~ original author unknown (sometimes attributed to the American writer and painter Henry Miller)

I've heard that said of baby birds coming out of their eggshells as well. If you break away the shell to help the "poor little bird" in it's struggles, you are actually doing it a disservice because in order for the bird to be strong, it has to come through that struggle on it's own.


God knows what will build us up in Him. He uses the challenges in the lives of His children to develop us and strengthen us. He is with us as we deal with life's trials and tribulations. When I was a baby in Christ, He heard my never ending cries and pleadings. As He continues to help me to grow in Him, I cry less and rest assured in His loving care of me despite the fact that I fall far short of deserving it.

From the writer of the book of Hebrews:

Heb 12:5  And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
Heb 12:6  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Heb 12:7  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Heb 12:8  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Heb 12:9  Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
Heb 12:10  For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
Heb 12:11  Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Heb 12:12  Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
Heb 12:13  And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. 

And from James:


Jam 1:2  My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Jam 1:3  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Jam 1:4  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.


When we go through the deep and murky waters of various trials and tribulations, may we remember that as sons and daughters of the living God, He is with us developing our "wings" for our flight to meet Him in the sky when He comes for us. Hallelujah! Count it all JOY!!! ;-)

Some links about butterflies :-)

Lots of articles and fun games and drawing tutorials for children and adults:
http://www.cocoon.org/

and this one:

http://www.kidzone.ws/animals/monarch_butterfly.htm