Give thanks to the Lord who is still and always will be, the giver of the rain.
“He wraps Himself in light as with a garment; He stretches out the heavens like a tent, laying the beams of His chambers in the waters above, making the clouds His chariot, walking on the wings of the wind.” (Psalm 104:2-3)
Would you have gotten into the ark of Noah? Or would you have scoffed because you didn’t believe. Now we have heard that Jesus is coming back and the world will be going through such tribulation as have not been seen before. Times and events so bad that if God didn’t stop it that there wouldn’t be a human left alive on this earth. People scoff and say that the Bible is a man made book that’s not of God. They don’t believe. Do you? Are you and yours in Christ. Like the ark of Noah, Christ is the only escape. Let’s get everybody in before it’s too late.
Frost on the Pumpkin Dust on the Bible
I remember waking up to the radio alarm one day to the refrain, "Hello country bumpkin, how's the frost out on the pumpkin?" My wife and I laughed and laughed at such words to be awakened with. In this season of the fall harvest when pumpkins seem to spring up everywhere, I think about those days of innocence, those days when our biggest concern was the frost on the pumpkin.
At this time of the year our nation celebrates Halloween's many activities, which includes carving out pumpkins and sitting them on the front porch steps. It has become a family tradition for millions of people. Yet very few use the bounty of the pumpkin for food.
One year at this time we had so many real pumpkins on our porch, fake pumpkins in the flowerbeds, and even giant blow up plastic pumpkins in the front yard that we earned the title, "The Pumpkin house," from the neighborhood kids. But we didn't eat a single one! (Pumpkin, not kids).
Now here we are again in the fall season when these orange spheres show up in front yards like dandelions on a summer day. We surround ourselves with this beautiful bounty as decoration but the food within we discard on newspaper.
The Bible says,
"Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee" (Psalm 116:7 KJV).
Are we enjoying the bounty?
The poet John Greenleaf Whittier, who was born in Massachusetts in 1807, wrote:
"The Pumpkin" (1850)
Oh! Fruit loved of boyhood! The old days recalling.
When wood-grapes were purpling and brown nuts were falling!
When wild, ugly faces we carved in its skin,
Glaring out through the dark with a candle within!
Back in the olden days, a carved pumpkin was placed on the family hearth to keep evil spirits from coming down the chimney and into the home to do their dastardly deeds.
Today, in homes across America many have replaced this use of the carved pumpkin with the Bible. Now bear with me a moment. We set the Bible out on the coffee table, enjoy its beauty, and yet rarely pick it up. We know that it holds a bounty within, yet we don't feast on the rich food of the word when it's sitting right here in front of us. We dust it, and display it with pride when visitors come, yet how many times, like the pumpkin, does it end up just sitting on a newspaper?
The food within the Bible nourishes our spiritual man within, yet we are starving ourselves and allowing the spirits to enter our homes through the modern-day chimney, the television. Now that's scary. Wouldn't our fore-bearers be aghast if they could see us today? We might call them superstitious for trying to ward off evil spirits with a carved pumpkin, but what would they say about us for not even trying?
The wonderful bounty of the pumpkin awaits the pies, while the life-giving food in the Bible awaits our eyes. This season, when you see the pumpkin carved so ingeniously and sitting on the porch, remind yourself of the Bible written so divinely and sitting on your table. It has a candle within which will never go out and will keep every evil spirit at bay.
Inside the Bible it says,
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Psalm 119:105 KJV).
So hello, County Bumpkin! How's the frost out on the pumpkin? Hello, modern rival! How's the dust out on the Bible? Happy Feasting!
Officials recommend having an emergency radio for times of disaster, bad weather, and such, for communications. How much more important is it to have good communications with God in those times of emergencies. Keep your spiritual batteries fresh. You never know when disaster will strike and good communication with Him could determine life or death.
We are so unworthy of the forgiveness, grace, peace, and love given us by God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Yet in His eyes He sees something in us that we don’t see in ourselves. He sees His family and will do anything, pay any price, make any sacrifice, to bring us home to Him. Even to the death on a cross of His most precious family member, His only begotten Son...Jesus.
When you have a personal relationship with Jesus, you’ll come to realize that He is with you all the time. You’re joined in Holy union through the Holy Spirit. He is not obstructive, for the Holy Spirit is a gentleman. Rather He is a comfort in times of distress, a blessing in times of need, a friend in times of loneliness. It is a joy to walk with Him. - gene
Lord, I believe in You: increase my faith. I trust in You: strengthen my trust. I love You: let me love You more and more… Guide me by Your wisdom, correct me with Your justice, comfort me with Your mercy, protect me with Your power. I offer You, Lord, my thoughts: to be fixed on You; my words: to have You for their theme; my actions: to reflect my love for You…. I want to do what You ask of me: in the way You ask, for as long as You ask, because You ask it. Amen.” (Clement, 95 AD)
Prophesy is the history of the future.
The Bible proclaims, describes, and warns us not to be caught unaware.
For as surely as the past has happened, the future, as described in biblical prophecy, has as well. - gene
O Nations, why do you shake? Why do you tremble? What wakes you from your slumber as you repose with your full stomach? Know that God is not mocked. Do not mistake His patience and long suffering for weakness or even non-existence. Oh, He is there and He sees. But you say this is our time! This is our moment! You only have the moment in time which God gives you. You have plundered His people, ruined the goodness bestowed by God on your forefathers, whom acknowledged Him with fear and respect. Search the scriptures and see your fate. For He, who cannot lie, has clearly warned you, in His Holy word, what becomes of Nations who refute the laws and precepts of Almighty God. Wake up! Slide from your bed of drunkenness down to your knees and repent before it’s too late oh Nations. For when God breaks both of your arms like he did to Pharaoh, as recorded in Ezekiel 30:20, you will be defenseless to even raise a sword and will by destroyed by your enemies.
Beware of temptation. In the time in which we live, there is an ocean of temptation. You may feel like a castaway in this ocean, but remember that God, your God, promised in His word that when temptation come in strong against you, He will provide a way of escape. He will throw you a life jacket, or cause a board to float your way. Keep your eyes pealed for the way of escape, not the seemingly overpowering ocean of temptation which encompasses you. He will provide a way to safety if He has to walk on the water to pull you out. -gene
Have faith in God. Make peace with God through Jesus Christ his son. You know you’re going to face him one day, maybe one day soon. Accept Christ as your Savior and have the peace and assurance that when you face God, it will be a pleasurable glorious experience. To face God without Christ is a fearful thing. Either way, one day we will all face God. - gene
