EVERGREEN CHRISTIANS

Laela

Sidestepping the "lynch mob"
Evergreen Christians - Friday, July 8th, 2011

As written and presented by Mary Whelchel

If you live up north, like I do, you develop a real love for evergreen trees, because in the midst of winter when everything else is bare and brown, that evergreen tree is still tall and green, giving color and life to the otherwise bleak winter scene. Jeremiah liked evergreens too. And he made a beautiful analogy for us using the evergreens; it's found in Jeremiah 17:7-8:

'Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.'

I really want to be an evergreen Christian, don't you? One whose roots are so firmly entrenched in the Lord, that nothing turns my leaves brown or keeps me from bearing fruit. I want to learn to trust God so completely that whatever heat comes my way, I will have absolutely no fear! To come to the place where no amount of heat could turn my leaves dry, because my faith in God is rooted so deeply.

Of course, a tree like this doesn't grow overnight. It takes time to get those roots down deep into that water supply. If I'm ever going to be an evergreen Christian, it will take time and discipline to get my roots firmly entrenched in God's water supply. I want each day to find me digging in deeper, pushing my roots of trust down further into Jesus. I want to trust the Lord more each day so that I can be ever green and ever fruitful.

Are you in a situation that seems rather dry or cold or barren? Perhaps you're facing some unknowns. As you go through this experience, you have two choices: to worry and fear, and thereby shrivel up and get dry and brown. Or to trust God and push your roots deeper and deeper into that spring of living water, Jesus Christ. The only thing that makes sense is to trust God.

I challenge you to be an evergreen Christian, one that bears fruit and stays green regardless of the circumstances. You can do it if your roots are firmly entrenched in Jesus Christ, deeper every day.

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Yesterday's encouragement was edifying as well... :yep:


Read the Last Chapter - Thursday, July 7th, 2011
As written and presented by Mary Whelchel


I wonder, do you have days when you feel like the score is: The World - 100; God - 0? Does it sometimes appear that you're on the losing team?

You go to a job where God is irrelevant to the people around you. Where his name is used only in profanity, and they seemingly give no thought to God as Creator, Ruler, or Sovereign. You're in a daily environment where a commitment to Jesus Christ is looked upon as foolish, naive, laughable. When you apply biblical principles in your everyday world, people take advantage of you, ignore you, or discount your ideas altogether.

Let's face it, that's the way it seems at time. You're walking the straight and narrow, but what for? Where does it get you? The other team does what they please, and get ahead for it. Do you sometimes feel like joining the other team? Are you tired of being in the minority all the time-seemingly losing all these skirmishes you face every day?

Well, I want to encourage you to remember one thing: The final chapter has been written, and we know what the end will be. I think of the young boy who was reading a thrilling mystery book when his mom insisted he put the book down and do his chores. 'But, mom, I'm in the fourth chapter and the villain has the hero in his clutches. Looks like he's going to die! I can't quit now.' But mom insisted so hurriedly he flips to the last chapter and reads the final page. He then bounds into the kitchen where his mother is waiting and says, 'Wow, that old villain is doing real good in Chapter 4, but just wait till he gets to the end of the book. Is he in for a surprise.' It looked like disaster in Chapter 4, but when you know the end, then Chapter 4 takes on a whole new perspective.

Maybe you're in Chapter 4 t oday, and you need to flip to the end and read the last page. It's already been written, and I can tell you the outcome: Jesus wins and those of us who are his followers will win and reign with him. Read Revelations 20, 21, and 22 today.

Remember, God has not lost control of this world. He is bringing it to its end in his time and for his purposes. He is Sovereign and he still reigns in heaven.

So, as you head into that world where it may appear that the score is unevenly in favor of the world's crowd, remember the last chapter, and don't let Chapter 4 get you down. If you know Christ as your Savior, you're on the winning team!
 
Yesterday's encouragement was edifying as well... :yep:


Read the Last Chapter - Thursday, July 7th, 2011
As written and presented by Mary Whelchel


I wonder, do you have days when you feel like the score is: The World - 100; God - 0? Does it sometimes appear that you're on the losing team?

You go to a job where God is irrelevant to the people around you. Where his name is used only in profanity, and they seemingly give no thought to God as Creator, Ruler, or Sovereign. You're in a daily environment where a commitment to Jesus Christ is looked upon as foolish, naive, laughable. When you apply biblical principles in your everyday world, people take advantage of you, ignore you, or discount your ideas altogether.

Let's face it, that's the way it seems at time. You're walking the straight and narrow, but what for? Where does it get you? The other team does what they please, and get ahead for it. Do you sometimes feel like joining the other team? Are you tired of being in the minority all the time-seemingly losing all these skirmishes you face every day?

Well, I want to encourage you to remember one thing: The final chapter has been written, and we know what the end will be. I think of the young boy who was reading a thrilling mystery book when his mom insisted he put the book down and do his chores. 'But, mom, I'm in the fourth chapter and the villain has the hero in his clutches. Looks like he's going to die! I can't quit now.' But mom insisted so hurriedly he flips to the last chapter and reads the final page. He then bounds into the kitchen where his mother is waiting and says, 'Wow, that old villain is doing real good in Chapter 4, but just wait till he gets to the end of the book. Is he in for a surprise.' It looked like disaster in Chapter 4, but when you know the end, then Chapter 4 takes on a whole new perspective.

Maybe you're in Chapter 4 t oday, and you need to flip to the end and read the last page. It's already been written, and I can tell you the outcome: Jesus wins and those of us who are his followers will win and reign with him. Read Revelations 20, 21, and 22 today.

Remember, God has not lost control of this world. He is bringing it to its end in his time and for his purposes. He is Sovereign and he still reigns in heaven.

So, as you head into that world where it may appear that the score is unevenly in favor of the world's crowd, remember the last chapter, and don't let Chapter 4 get you down. If you know Christ as your Savior, you're on the winning team
!

Laela ...

Thank you... thank you very much.

So many promises of God which He has given me in my personal time with Him, have been confirmed in what you have shared here.

Promises from Job 5

Nahum 1:9

Isaiah 7:1-8

Psalm 16 and 18

Psalm 89

I could list so many more....

Instead, I will just bless His Holy Name for God He is and God He has always been and God He will always be.

Praise the name of Jesus...forever and ever, Amen. :Rose:
 
^^^ My pleasure, Shimmie. Those are powerful Scriptures you've posted here. Praise the Lord indeed!
 
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