Inspirations

Today, I went apple picking.  It’s one of the fall things that I enjoy even though I’ll be sore tomorrow.  I have a friend that allowed me the privilege of picking as many apples as I wanted. What a blessing that was!  When I went to her house, she had two apple trees.  One tree had small apples that were still kind of green.  It didn't look like the apples grew very much. It was plain to see that it was not a good tree.  The other tree had huge red apples on it.  In fact, there were so many apples, that some of the branches were bent almost down to the ground.  It was also just as easy to see that this tree was indeed a good tree.  Jesus said that we are like trees and when people look at the fruit, the deeds, they can tell just as easily the whether we are good or bad.  Friends, fellow Christians what kind of fruit is your life producing?  If you are not sure, ask someone close to you.  They can see whether you are bitter, q...

  Here’s how we can be sure that we know God in the right way: Keep his commandments.  John 2:2-3 Growing up, there were many things that I chose not to do simply because I knew my parents, especially my dad, would be hurt if I did them.  It wasn't that I thought my dad would not love me if I did them; I just did not want to cause my dad shame or pain.  A few months ago, some friends went to a club.  Later another mutual friend if I went with them to the club.  The rest of the group laughed and said, “No, she’s a goody-two-shoe”.  Perhaps I should have been offended, but I wasn't.  We’re all friends, and I knew that they meant.  There are many things that I choose not to do because I love God.   I know that God will still love me even if I choose to participate in drunkenness, or do something immoral, or take part in any other lust of the flesh.  I would not cease to be a Christian because I did any of those things....

I was reflecting today, and my mind went to a time when my children were younger.  Our older daughter was probably in first or second grade.  She asked me a question that was in her Sunday school paper.  It was a question that I have never forgotten.  She asked, “How as being a Christian changed your life?”  I have to confess, until that moment, I had not given too much thought to how knowing Christ had affected my life.  As I began to answer the question, I had the joyful realization that my decision to follow Christ had changed my life in some dramatic ways.  First, I had problems learning, and I remember crying out to God to help me learn to read so that I could read the Bible.  God, in his grace, chose to answer that young girl’s prayer.  Later, I wanted to go to college.  As I was thinking about colleges, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, but I knew that I had a desire to go to a Christian college.  My decision to follow God w...