THE ORANGE LEAF

Gorgeously brilliant, a true, bright hue,

a one-of-a-kind, a marvelous view.

And there I see it beam in the sun,

the perfect orange leaf unlike any one.

Ongoing giver, the star of spring,

a dainty orange tree, a new life to bring.

And there I trace it, sent through the sky,

the free swirling seed that came from up high.

Delicate showcase, the crown of fall,

an emblem of change, the best of them all.

And there I catch it, crisp in the air,

the Maple Tree’s Gift that none can compare!

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:

No man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

John 14:6

 

 

THE ORANGE LEAF

Brisk air brings Autumn while maple trees change into vibrant color. Kids jump into piles of raked leaves with joy. Some try to catch a leaf as it swirls down from a tree. Maybe a special orange leaf will be placed in pages of a book to be preserved.

In John 14:6, words are written that are either truth or foolery.

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:

No man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

John 14:6

The words are truth! Everyone must decide their answer to this claim made by Jesus. I hope you choose truth, too. I hope you know that His statement about Himself is true.

And now, continuing with this year's word, which is 'repent', let us consider the life of King Manasseh. In 2 Chronicles 33:1-20, we read about this evil king of Judah and the sins he committed. He supported the abominations of the people the LORD had driven out before the Israelites came into possession of the land. He rebuilt the evil high places that his father Hezekiah had taken down and he raised altars for Baals and set up Asherah poles.

Also he caused his sons to pass through fire in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom; he practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft and sorcery, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger.

2 Chronicles 33:6

This horrible king who was also a father sacrificed his own sons! Also, he used sorcery and consulted mediums and spiritists! This wayward king led Judah astray and God grew angry because of it. God was provoked to anger! To understand even better, one should read the Bible and see how God had commanded the people not to be involved in these practices. Do you think consulting mediums is any less of an evil to God today? What was evil in the eyes of the LORD then is still evil in His eyes today.

Then, when the LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, they wouldn't pay attention. They ignored God. So, scripture tells us that the LORD brought an army against them. Manasseh was taken prisoner, bound in bronze shackles. In his distress, Manasseh sought favor with the LORD and humbled himself greatly.

Now when he was in affliction, he implored the LORD his God, humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, and prayed to Him; and He received his entreaty, heard his supplication, and brought him back to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was God.

2 Chronicles 33:12-13

What does 'humbling yourself greatly' look like? Did Manasseh realize his terrible wrong? Did he drastically understand his plight apart from God and that he had angered God? Did he earnestly pray about his hopeless condition? Did he plead? Did he cry out? Yes! He poured himself out in prayer, I'm sure.

God received Manasseh's supplication, his entreaty. God restored Manasseh and gave the pleading king his kingdom. Manasseh's change of heart caused him to clean up. The king made the people do right and obey God's commands, which were originally given years before. There was a history before this time. He threw out foreign gods and restored the altar. He sent the mediums packing. He stopped doing what God expressly had said not to do. Even after all the horrible sins Manasseh committed, God still was available to the king if he would be humble and repentant. One would have thought Manasseh learned from his father Hezekiah when he, too, needed to repent.

Then Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride in is heart, he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah.

2 Chronicles 32:26

Fast forward to today. How is the spiritual health of the church you attend? Do people in the supposedly Christian fellowship fellowship? Do people in church pray believing? Do they pray only for the healing of the old and the sick, never praying for anything else? Does a choir member mark up his hymnal with the page numbers every time during opening prayer, when there is one? Is he demonstrating his apparent lack of need for God? Is formality more important in church than the word 'salvation'? Is 'business as usual' the norm? Has church become social religion, relying on works? Does anyone share their testimony about how Jesus saved them? Is the pulpit no longer guarded but used to promote agendas? Is the music guarded? Is a council member also a vendor selling crystals at the local psychic fair? Is there joy is wanting to share the Gospel? Does anyone understand scripture? Is there spiritual discernment? Let us clean up by truly seeking God through Jesus for our needs (which He already knows about!) before it is too late.

Or, find a church that does.

From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

Matthew 4:17

Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent.

Matthew 11:20

Apart from Christ, we can do nothing.

I hope you are enjoying the fall season thus far. We didn't have spectacular colors this year. No early frost. But in past year's we've seen the colors pop. The poem The Orange Leaf is all about Jesus, the Son of God. He's the answer to everything, the solution, the remedy for our sin problem. So, the best advice I can give here, from Veery Glade, is to do as He said: repent.

THE LONG SKIP HOME book trailer.

 

THE TREES OF THE FIELD

The colors of life are in the fall
where God’s bright truths are shown to all.
The trees of the field will clap their hands
and spread God’s love throughout the lands.
 
The warmest brown leaves will tell it straight:
“All have sinned and tend to hate.”
And red shiny leaves will sing of love
that comes from God who reigns above.
 
The brightest orange leaves will make all see
that Christ bore all iniquity.
And pure yellow leaves will give a smile
to be with Him in just a while.
 
The colors of fall are rich to see
the Painter of Eternity!
The trees of the field, forever true,

display God’s love for me and you.

 

For ye shall go out with joy,
and be led forth with peace:
the mountains and the hills
shall break forth before you into singing,
and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
Isaiah 55:12

 

THE TREES OF THE FIELD

The grieving prophet Jeremiah delivered God's message to either repent of sins or perish from them. Jeremiah keenly saw darkness and evil in the deeds of the people of his time. He experienced tremendous sorrow watching fellow countrymen and women spiral further and further away from God and into their sins, which they loved and were not ashamed of.

We lie down in our shame and our reproach covers us. For we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even to this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God.

Jeremiah 3:25

Jeremiah's job was to communicate God's message of coming destruction to people who did not repent of their sinful lifestyles. Because the people loved their sinful ways and did not seek God, the proclaimed message of consequence was not well-received. Jeremiah was mocked and abused for speaking the words God gave him to speak.

O Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved. How long shall your evil thoughts lodge within you?

Jeremiah 4:14

God put His words in Jeremiah's voice. Even though Jeremiah suffered, at times, delivering God's message, he was also told he would be rewarded and, being a God-fearing, faithful prophet, Jeremiah trusted God's word.

As a cage is full of birds, so their houses are full of deceit. Therefore they have become great and grown rich. They have grown fat, they are sleek; yes, they surpass the deeds of the wicked; they do not plead the cause, the cause of the fatherless; yet they prosper, and the right of the needy they do not defend. Shall I not punish them for these things? says the LORD. Shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this? An astonishing and horrible thing has been committed in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own power; and My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?

Jeremiah 5:27-31

Jeremiah knew that God would follow through with His plans of punishment. He knew God would execute judgment on the sin-loving people. People were even falsely prophesying. Isn't this going on today? The times grieved Jeremiah. He wanted the people of his land to have a heart for God before it was too late. Today's continuation of a fallen world echoes the times recorded in the book of Jeremiah.

Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.

Jeremiah 33:3

Oh, but here is a powerful verse, full of promise and wonderment! In the midst of the striving and difficult days that Jeremiah endured, hope shown bright. Would you not want to call on the LORD, too, to know great and mighty things you never knew before? Being God-fearing and faithful, we, too, can trust God's infallible word that He will follow through with this proclamation.

I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned and by which they have transgressed against Me.

Jeremiah 33:8

God, through the ordained prophet Jeremiah, conveyed the message that if the people repented and turned to Him, they would be cleansed. They would live with hope and be rescued by the coming Messiah. Destruction would be averted. God's plan for the remedy of sin and the gift of eternal life would be realized. Salvation would be possible through repentance. Confidence in the LORD would be rewarded.

Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah: In those days and at that time I will cause to grow up to David a Branch of righteousness; He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.

Jeremiah 33:14-15

Jesus, the Son of God, is that Branch of righteousness, who on the cruel cross died for the sins of the world. God's clock is not ours. Did you know that? He who, indeed, made time, has His own timeline. May we know this: God's word is most-assuredly performed. What He says, happens.

Then it shall be to Me a name of joy, a praise, and an honor before all nations of the earth, who shall hear all the good that I do to them; they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and all the prosperity that I provide for it.

Jeremiah 33:9

By Christ will goodness and prosperity be enjoyed. Call on Him today and repent.

THE FRUIT OF THE TREE

It’s Autumn and the harvest time
when the apple trees are bearing
sweet fruit that’s worth a mile-long hike,
and the afternoon for sharing.
 
We will know the apples trees we seek
by the goodness they are yielding,
by the bounty they have rich in store,
and the fragrance all so pleasing.
 
But the trees that have no tasty fruit
and are pleasant not for eyeing,
offer branches that are mostly bare,
and some look as though they’re dying!
 
In the rosy light, we’ll choose the best,
and our baskets we’ll be filling;
the love of Jesus in our hearts
will, with grace, be over-spilling!

 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23

THE FRUIT OF THE TREE

Fall has come early this year, and I have been busy with many things lately. But I will still post today, although it might be a tad shorter than usual!

"He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me."

Matthew 10:37

Jesus, the Son of God, instructed the disciples with what might have seemed a harsh truth but when the Holy Spirit reveals that eternal life is connected to this truth, it makes sense.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed and then obeyed His Father by submitting His will to His Father's. He willingly laid down His life for us. No one took it from Him. He was obedient unto death on a cross.

Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

Isaiah 53:4-5

All of Isaiah chapter 53 speaks of how the LORD laid upon His own Son the sins of the world. God turned His back on His Son. For us! Because He loves us so much! It pleased God to bruise Him.

Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities.

Isaiah 53:10-11

The blood of Jesus was a sin offering. Blood had to be shed to satisfy the penalty of our sin. The bruising of the soul of Jesus Christ (God's anointed, which is what 'Christ' means) serves as justification for anyone accepting Christ as their Lord and Savior.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

John 3:16

Oh, how much God loves us! We cannot fully fathom the immensity!

"Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance."

Matthew 3:8

Eternal life is for anyone who regrets their sin condition, has a change of heart and mind, and turns to God to repent.

FOREST WINDS

The September winds are kicking up,
and the poplars, all so grandy,
along the road are saying, “Turn!
Your way is not too dandy!”
 
Their silvery leaves are showing me,
as the sun falls in, and merry,
that the way I go is not that good,
and I’d best let someone carry—
 
Carry me to where the birches dance,
and the ferns, on a wind a-borning,
do swirl and twirl, as I listen well,
to their end-of-summer warning—
 
Warning of the way that I think’s right,
which is not, to be contrary;
for there are commandments to obey,
and they’re anything but airy!

 

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man,
but the end thereof are the ways of death.
Proverbs 14:12

 

 

FOREST WINDS

The September winds are kicking up, here in my neck of the woods. A yellow hue tinges the trees and some leaves are showing orange and red. The crisper days of Autumn have begun here in Veery Glade.

While walking on the faithful trail, have you ever noticed a lone fern twirling in a windy swirl as if it were waving while other ferns remained motionless? Even in the small things, creation speaks the truth of God.

Jesus answered. "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

John 3:5-8

Let us repent of doing things our own way. Let us follow the Lamb of God, who is also the Intercessor, the Friend, and the Way Maker. Let us enter into a relationship with Him by accepting Him into our heart. Trust the Savior's way. Trust His Word. Indeed, know His Word! Not knowing the Word of God opens up other attempts to gain salvation on other terms.

And the attempts will always fail. For it is only by the mercy of Jesus Christ that lost souls are saved. He was sent to save lost souls. If you're not a lost soul, then you're not in need of saving. But you are deceiving yourself, and that is a very dangerous place to be in. We are all lost souls before life from the Spirit. Lost souls will not survive the wrath of God. I wish I could say otherwise but I would not be echoing truth. I would be catering to something to make you feel more comfortable. I would be compromising the truth of Christ's death on the cruel cross, which is confrontational.

The Son of God's blood is too precious to be trivial or to be insignificant. 

Repent of relying on yourself and ways other than Christ. Renounce those other ways forthwith! A way is provided. A wave is provided! Hop up on the surfboard with me and fellow born-again believers and ride the wave! It's a beautiful view! It's a beautiful ride! It's right where our loving Heavenly Father wants us.

Repent of trying to earn salvation. You cannot. Salvation cannot be earned and yet people keep trying to do it. There will be people in Hell who did many good works in the world (and even in church). They will be in Hell because they never had a relationship with Jesus. They were never born from above. Maybe they had a head knowledge. Maybe they went to church and learned about Jesus but they never made a decision to accept Him. Maybe formality was more important to them than their salvation.

They didn't pray. They didn't ask God. They didn't believe or guard God's Word because it didn't mean anything to them once the novelty wore off. They read words but never understood what they were reading. They read for reading's sake. They didn't perceive what they heard. They saw but they never had sight. (Sounds familiar to the days of Isaiah!)

Let us repent of faithlessness. Let us repent of empty worship for the sake of church tradition, of not experiencing walking with the Lord, not communing with the Spirit, and not understanding scripture. Let us come to our senses and seek the Lord while He may be found. Ask Him in today. Oh, how He wants to come in!

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come; he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

John 16:13

The Holy Spirit brings light to the Word of God. God, the Holy Spirit, breathes wisdom into the minds of those born again. He points to the path the faithful should hike. We submit to His authority because we know He knows best. Faithful prayer is effective in communicating with a loving Heavenly Father who has amazing power to help us.

And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

2 Timothy 2:24-26

Let not the devil take you captive. Be in the care of our Creator who loves to hear you call upon Him. And pray for your lost friend to repent.

AUGUST SONNET

Raise voices like the singing crickets make

in August, when they start to stridulate.

In summer heat, and for our season’s sake,

match all the buzz cicadas resonate.

Crash cymbals through dark troubles, quick and sharp.

With louder tymbals, drum out jubilee.

Beat sistrums with the angel’s ringing harp

and tap a tune with Heaven’s tympani.

But, I know every tiny abdomen

will, one day, be a chamber passed away.

Yet for my merry soul, a glad ‘amen’

sings out the promise of eternal’s day.

So long as Christ lets voices amplify.

So long as hearts are raised to glorify.

And David and all the house of Israel

played before the LORD on all manner

of instruments made of fir wood, even

on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels,

and on cornets, and on cymbals. 

2 Samuel 6:5

AUGUST SONNET

The drawn-out season of summer lingers here in Veery Glade, my neck of the woods. Let singing crickets and buzzing cicadas remind you to make your requests known and to pray thankful praises for the specific things God has done. Raise your heart to glorify!

And Hannah prayed, and said,

My heart rejoiceth in the LORD,

mine horn is exalted in the LORD:

my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies;

because I rejoice in thy salvation. 

There is none holy as the LORD:

for there is none beside thee:

neither is there any rock like our God.

1 Samuel 2:1-2

Praying specifically can bring specific joy. Remember Hannah? She lifted praise to God for granting her specific prayer request. It’s a good prayer habit to bring specific praises before God and then prayer requests. How often do we go right to asking for more help without acknowledging what God has already done for us? Consider taking time to recognize God’s provision before presenting additional requests.

Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.

I Samuel 2:3-4

As Hannah continued her prayer as recorded in First Samuel, she expressed that thing we know God doesn’t like—pride. She states that actions are weighed by God. She knew someone’s boasting would be their downfall. She knew those that stumble but still trust God are strengthened. There is something to confidence in God, even when weak. In our weakness, God shines!

I imagine Hannah also knew about repentance. She knew to turn away from sin and turn to God for forgiveness. She loved God and had a sincere desire to obey His commandments.

They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.

1 Samuel 2:5

In bitterness of soul, Hannah had prayed and made a vow to God. God granted her prayer request to be able to have a baby and she gave her baby back to God as she vowed. God turned things around for Hannah from impossible to possible! Those who were full end up hiring themselves out in order to eat and those who were hungry end up full. Stay firm in the Lord.

Once barren, Hannah, now overjoyed, went on to give birth to more children while Peninnah, the other wife with many children and who had provoked Hannah, grew feeble. God turned things topsy-turvy because of a prayer request!

The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.

1 Samuel 2:6-7

Hannah continued her prayer, making acknowledgments gained only by realizing our all-powerful God. Today, we sense God’s presence as He dwells within the faithful. God, the Holy Spirit, enables us to understand what we didn’t understand before.

He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’S, and he hath set the world upon them. He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.

1 Samuel 2:8-9

God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. In our time, we know this too that by our own strength, salvation is not obtained. We cannot earn our salvation by doing good works, or maintaining church membership for years, or by supporting the organ fund. Only through faith in God's anointed is salvation made possible. Only by faith in Jesus Christ is anyone able to become a child of God. 

Prayer life should be noisy and active. Requests and praises go together like the sounds of crickets and cicadas in the hot summer month of August.

Hannah’s prayer ends with this declaring verse:

The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.

1 Samuel 2:10

The boy God gave Hannah became Samuel who anointed David as king, and David is in the genealogy of Jesus Christ, God’s anointed.

We are blessed in our generation to see God’s Word across time. When our almighty Creator will judge the earth, be covered by the blood of the Lamb. Repent of your sin and be saved.

From her heart, Hannah prayed both earnest requests and joyful praises. We can learn much from this smart, prayer-warrior lady.

So they went out and preached that people should repent.

Mark 6:12

In prayer, trust God for the forgiveness of sin by the decision to repent.

BLACKBERRIES

Blackberries ripen, full and sweet,

to make for me an August treat.

Their goodness calls me, “Come and dine!”,

so up I climb to make them mine.

Safe underneath the ash and beech,

the berries grow within my reach.

I pluck them quickly for my pail

and eat my fill along the trail.

Blackberries splendid, good and free,

are like the graces given me.

God’s fruit is for the picking ones,

and with it, love and mercy comes.

O taste and see that the LORD is good:

blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

Psalm 34:8

BLACKBERRIES

Picking blackberries is therapeutic on an August evening up behind Veery Glade, far away from worldly harms. We have time and space to reflect on God's goodness.

And God knows. God knows who wished you harm, and dug up the red geraniums you planted, and swindled you, and lied to you. He keeps a great tally sheet, and He will, someday, reveal Himself and the notes He has been keeping. Until then, we deny ourselves and pick up our cross, as instructed.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."

Matthew 16:24

Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord.

Romans 12:19

So, keep hiking the faithful trail, following Jesus. Trust God while picking blackberries, knowing He will repay. Along the way, remember God's provided goodness.

Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

Romans 2:4

Give God your hurts in prayer and ask Him for help. Soon, the burden is lifted. Soon, the heaviness of spirit is gone. Repent that you did not trust Him fully when difficulties had pressed in.

The book of Revelation is filled with vivid images of times to come. I found verses about repentance even here in the last book in the Bible. 'Lukewarm' is how the church of the Laodiceans is described, something God hates and would spit (or vomit!) out of His mouth.

So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.

Revelation 3:16

God advises this church on what they should do (in verses 17-18) and then says:

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and he with Me.

Revelation 3:19-20

Then later in Revelation, after horror-like descriptions of scenes and of locusts coming from the bottomless pit and then four angels with an army of 200 million destroying 1/3 of mankind, verses tell the fate of the rest of mankind:

But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of theirs hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see not hear nor walk. And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.

Revelation 9:20-21 

Oh, how important repentance is to Creator God! God sent His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins on the cross. His choice to do this provides justification for the sinner who truly believes. Repentance leads to salvation!

And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory.

Revelation 16:9

Some people just aren't going to give God glory. Period. No matter what. Pray that they do. Some people straddle man-made beliefs, seeking help outside of God, or maybe in addition to God, figuring it can't hurt. But do they really fully rely on God? Are we lukewarm? Neither hot or cold? God knows. Pray. Pray people denounce their reliance on things other than Christ.

And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

Hebrews 9:27-28

As we pick blackberries in August, let us remember that Jesus is the only defense lawyer anyone can have and that the goodness of God can be enjoyed because we were led to repent.