NCarolinian

          Even though we are more than sheep to God, thank God for His rod and His staff for they comfort me (Ps. 23:4). What is so comforting about a rod and a staff - nothing at first glance. The comfort comes in whose hands those sticks reside. Anybody else who has authority over me with disciplinary and protective powers I will always question and pray over. But those two traits, discipline and protection, in the care of Jesus, administers peace and love to the believer on their journey with Christ.           Even though both sticks can be used to strike someone or something, the shepherd mainly used the rod for protecting the fold. The staff, the stick with a hook at the end was used for protective measures as in snatching sheep away from danger or gently hooking them back into the fold.            In  Revelation 3:19 , Christ says,  "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline." ...

                      "Come out with your hands up, you are completely surrounded!" I never thought I would spiritualize that phrase, but that is how the Christian is to approach the beginning of each new day - hands up in surrender and praise, acknowledging God's presence all around us.           In Isaiah 52:12 God's presence is positioned before and behind the believer. "for the Lord will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard."   He prepares the way and protects the Christian's blindside. Therefore, the Lord takes care of a lot of unseen needs in the believer's life. Hindsight has revealed in my life that many times I was the one that got in the way of God's plan and/or protection.           In Psalm 91:7 , David speaks about a thousand falling at the believer's left hand and ten thousand at the believer's right hand. God's protective p...

                    Trees seem important to God. There was the Tree of Life, The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and The Tree of Salvation or Cross upon which Christ purchased humanity's redemption with His life.          Speaking about life and trees,  Jesus used an analogy in Matthew 7:17-20 to convey a message of lifestyle, mindset and attitude. He said,  "...every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them."             In Galatians 5:22-23   Paul encourages us to be a tree of many fruits .  Joy is characterized as a wonderful fruit to bear in one's life, but  he lists many more ingredients, characteristics or fruits that sh...