Tag: Resurrection

“Stay Safe.”

“Stay safe!” Multiple urgent warnings, minute upon minute reporting, and hour upon hour projections come our way when satellite images prove a storm is near.

Plans are made to prepare.

Well, there’s a storm on the horizon. Haven’t you heard?

Are you in search of proof? A visual image?

The Bible recorded a “test” for Jesus when the religious leaders asked Him for a “sign from heaven.”

Jesus answered,
“When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.

Jesus, not so “mild and meek,” continued,

 A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” 

Jesus then left them and went away (Matthew 16:2-4).

The sign of Jonah? (Does this indicate the Bible account is actual and not a fairy tale. This is the only sign we get, according to Jesus.)

I see five pictures in this “sign of Jonah,”

Five Pictures:

  1. Jonah disobeys God and runs in the opposite direction. (We all have disobeyed God and run in the opposite direction, Romans 3:23).
  2. Jonah’s rescue: A great storm and realization. “Throw me overboard,” cried Jonah. (When we “see” our waywardness brought a storm.)
  3. God’s grace and salvation is given through a very large fish who swallows Jonah. (“The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is . . . )
  4. Three days of revelation for Jonah to bring about repentance. God gave life to Jonah, undeserved, unearned favor. (“. . . the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord, Romans 6:23.)
  5. Regurgitated resurrection life in Jonah and a call to obey God for hope and peace!

We see 1. A storm. 2. A gracious whale. 3. Hot revelations and repentance. 4. A resurrected life.

This is all we get, minus the gracious whale. Instead, when we believe, we’re received and accepted by a gracious Lord Jesus.

He’s the only safe place for you and me and all the people of the world, today. Jesus, He’s the Rock we can stand on. He never changes.

To be saved, or un-saved, this is the “safe” question:

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 

The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

  But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 

The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash” Matthew 7:24-27, NIV.

There’s a storm coming. Make wise plans. God’s report is 100% accurate!

How to talk about God in flower seeds

In helping parents and friends talk about God to children as they walk along the way, today we take a Zinnia seed and explore the wonders of God. Let’s talk to the kids and bring God in ordinary things:

Do you see the seeds on the dirt in the picture?

These are Zinnia seeds. In that one flower there are more than 100 seeds. That means 100 Zinnia plants.

But, not until those seeds are put in the soil to grow. Otherwise, they will simple sit, alone.

Do you see the little baby Zinnia’s in the next picture?

Yes, they’re young and growing. All because someone, (well, in this case, it was me), took a shovel and softened the soil and took out the rocks, and then planted the seed. And then, buried it in dirt.

The seed was buried. Then the seed basically died.

Well, you see, the seed loses itself as a seed. It allows itself to become something entirely different. A living sprout.

Yes, after being watered, it starts to grow.

Life bursts forth with water, and sun, from the soil and the seed where it all began.

What a promise in each seed. A possibility of  a hundred plants from only 1 flower!

That’s what the word “glorious” means. Well, maybe not, but at least to me.

This is actually a picture of the Gospel. The Good News of God.

Yes, God speaks to us everyday through everyday things. He is the Creator of all the natural beauty around.  I suppose He’s waiting to see who’s looking for His messages from His many glorious wonders that occur throughout each day.

Well, back to the seed that died in the ground. There’s a verse in the Bible about all this in John 12:24, NLT, Jesus  speaks to those who have listening ears:

I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels, a plentiful harvest of new lives.

How is the gospel message hid in this seed? Well, It died. It gave up it’s own identity.

Jesus was God, in heaven from the beginning. God sent His Son, as the Christmas baby, with angels announcing to shepherds to be the Savior of the world.

He came that He might die.

Yes, on the cross. Have you heard the story? He died on the cross. His blood was shed for forgiveness of our sin.

But He rose from the dead! Much like this sprout that came from the seed that was buried.

Yes, Jesus rose again. This is call the resurrection. And for those who believe, He forgives and makes new everything that was old. I know it’s hard to believe, but look at the seed.

There’s a whole new look, and a whole new life, and then with time and water and sun, there’s fruit in the end. This is God’s love and life all shown through nature.

Yes, and when we believe in Him, He makes us new. God’s Word expresses this truth in 2 Corinthians 5:17,

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

Daily, we need to die to our own stubborn way, and instead of putting ourselves first, we need to seek God, and obey His way. for example, when a guardian asks, “Can you clean up your space.”

Do we whine, and moan and put it off for a time? Or do we simply obey? And, cheerfully?

God is watching. He knows everything!

Hey, the seed picture should help move us to action. The seed died to itself, in a way, that a plant could grow. But more than that, there’s a reward in it for us.

Can you see in the picture, the reward of putting God first and doing things His way?

Yes, fruit. Well, in this case a flower. Beautiful and bright.

Have you prayed to God, receiving Jesus, and His promise of new life? Pray today with no delay, ask Him in your life. He uses a simple seed of faith, and creates beauty and life.

And maybe, you have the Lord, but need to be planted anew. Pray to God. He hears. He waits for us to talk with Him.
“Dear Lord, help us this day make the choice to put You first.

To give You some time, and forget about ourselves.

I bow my head and ask, “Will You forgive me Lord? For the times I’ve been stubborn and not cared about what’s right.

Help me to “die” to my own selfishness, and sometimes, meanness too, and lead me to care and desire about what You say.

Thank You that You gave up Your life that I might have mine. That You, Jesus, went to the cross for my wrongs. That You were willing to pay for my debt of sin. You loved me . . . then.

And You love me now.

Thanks for speaking in a simple seed that was buried in the ground, but didn’t remain like that. No, it changed and grew to something beautiful in time.

Thank You God.

Help me choose You, today. That I might have a flower’s joy.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Proverbs 4:8,9, (about gaining wisdom when we hear God’s Word),

Cherish her, (wisdom), and she will exalt you;
    embrace her, and she will honor you.
She will give you a garland to grace your head
    and present you with a glorious crown.”

Aren’t the “heads” of these flowers arrayed with glorious crowns?”

Amen, and when we obey God and seek to obey, we will have His light shining from us.