On a lighter fig note...

I thought it would be good to end off this week of fig leaves with something that would bring a smile to the face!

Fig Leaves

Bobby, nine, opened the big and old family Bible with fascination, and looked at the old pages as he turned them. Suddenly, something fell out of the Bible, and he picked it up and looked at it closely. It was an old leaf from a tree that had been pressed in between the pages.

'Hey, Mum, look what I've found!' Bobby called out.' What have you got there, dear?' his mother asked. Astonishment written all over his face, he answered: 'I think it's Adam's suit!'

The fig leave

A priest walked into a bar and found a raucous scene. Everyone was dancing, drinking and yelling, and the music was blaring. Suddenly, they noticed his entrance and the entire patronage became quiet.

He approached the bar and asked to use the restroom. The barkeep leaned over and whispered, “I don’t think that’s a very good idea, Father.” The barkeep obviously wanted the priest to leave, lest business slow down.

“Please, sir.” begged the priest. “I won’t be long.”

“You see, Father, it’s like this,” the bartender explained. “There’s a beautiful statue of a naked woman in the restroom and she’s covered with only a fig leaf. We just don’t want you to be offended.”

“Ah, my good man, not to worry,” assured the priest. “If that’s the only thing that’s bothering you, you have no problem. I shall take no notice of the statue.”

With that, the bartender told the priest where to go and off the cleric went. When he returned, the action in the bar was in full swing again.

He questioned the bartender. “A few moments ago everything was quiet and calm. Now — pandemonium! What happened?”

“Well,” said the bartender with a grin, “you’re one of us now.”

“I don’t understand,” answered the priest.

“You see, Father, the lights in the bar go off whenever the fig leaf is lifted.”

Shalom till Monday!

Anina

Don’t wear fig leaves

It is almost impossible to ponder about figs and not think about the first time we read about fig leaves! It was when Adam and Eve used the leaves to cover up their nakedness after they have sinned!

Genesis 3:7(NLT)

⁷ At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.

Many a times, just like Adam and Eve we try a lot of “fig leaves” to cover up our shame and guilty conscience.

Wil Pounds says man has never been able to make a “fig leaf” that will cover his sin. We try “fig leaves” of good works, church membership and religious works – all those activities that makes us look good (like we saw yesterday – figs symbolizes natural good).

There is nothing wrong with good works, but it will never be able to take away our guilt. There is only one remedy for sin.

Genesis 3:21(NLT)

²¹ And the Lord God made clothing from animal skins for Adam and his wife.

Can you imagine the shock in the mind and heart of Adam and Eve when they saw two dead animals, probably lambs, lying dead before their eyes? God killed the animals and made from their skins garments and clothed Adam and Eve.

The wages of sin is death, but the immediate death that occurred was not their death, though they were guilty and deserved the death penalty; it was the death of two innocent animals. In His mercy God killed those animals for Adam and Eve.

This off course pointed to another Substitute who in time would give Himself as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”. The only death that can possibly deal with sin is His death.

All outward acts of religion without the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins are withered “fig leaves.” Take off your fig leaves and clothe yourself with Christ – this will put you in perfect righteousness with the Father!

Shalom!

Anina

Sprouting fig tree

Monday we mentioned a verse in Habakkuk about fig trees that had no blossoms. When your fig tree has no blossoms, you are actually in the middle of a spiritual winter!

But today I read the most amazing Scripture in Song of Solomon 2:11-13(NLT)

 ¹¹ Look, the winter is past,
      and the rains are over and gone.
 ¹² The flowers are springing up,
      the season of singing birds has come,
      and the cooing of turtledoves fills the air.
 ¹³ The fig trees are forming young fruit,
      and the fragrant grapevines are blossoming.
   Rise up, my darling!
      Come away with me, my fair one!”

The winter will always past, and after every winter there is a summer. Fig trees begin to sprout when the summer is near.

 Matthew 24:32(NLT)

 ³² “Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near.

Is your fig tree beginning to sprout?

The spiritual significance of the grapes on the vine that are blossoming, denote spiritual good and the figs on the fig-tree, denote natural good!

Maybe you are struggling spiritually, having difficulty to read Bible and pray. This will always have an effect on your outside world. You will struggle to bear fruit – you will lack natural good!

But take heart, God says your grapes are blossoming and your fig trees are forming young fruit! Spiritual and natural good is on their way in your life!

Shalom!

Anina

Is God dead?

There was a widow that lived in a small village. She was poor but lived a Godly life. Despite difficult circumstances she always stayed positive and focused on God. She always encouraged her children: “Don’t be afraid, God is alive, He will look after us!” In this truth they lived happily and contently. Knowing that they can trust the God that is alive!

But one day everything became too much for her. Desperately she sat in her house and started to cry, not knowing what to do. She did however not realize that her youngest son was still at home. When he saw her, he walked to her, placed his little arms around her neck and asked: “Mother, is God dead?”

It was as if this question shook her out of her desperation into faith. She wiped away her tears, stood up and said: “No my son, God is still alive! He lives forever and He is faithful!”

At one stage or another all of us go through trouble or difficult times in our lives. Psalm 34:19(NLT) says:

 ¹⁹ The righteous person faces many troubles,
      but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.

Righteous people are those who are in a right relationship with God. People that know He is alive and well. Unfortunately righteous people are not immune against trouble. The Bible states that the righteous person will face many troubles.

The challenge is to keep holding onto God and His promise during these difficult times. That He will rescue you every time!

How do you react when you go through difficult times? Do you keep on confessing that He is alive and well and He will rescue you, or do you react as if He is dead?

Shalom!

Anina

Yet, I will rejoice!

Time and time again I am amazed by the people of our church.

Sunday we sang an Afrikaans song that comes out of Habakkuk 3. Every time we sing this song, I get an overwhelming feeling of God’s presence. I know it is because His children are singing words they are presently experiencing.

Habakkuk 3:17-18(NLT) says:
 ¹⁷ Even though the fig trees have no blossoms,
      and there are no grapes on the vines;
   even though the olive crop fails,
      and the fields lie empty and barren;
   even though the flocks die in the fields,
      and the cattle barns are empty,
 ¹⁸ yet I will rejoice in the Lord!
      I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!

Many of our precious people are currently experiencing no blossoms, no grapes on their vines and failed crops. Circumstances forced them to live a life of survival! Some are in these circumstances because of wrong choices, other’s because of the lack of opportunity and other’s just because the circle of poverty was never broken in their lives.

When we however get to the part where we sing “…yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!” They sing these words with conviction, people with so little, rejoice in the Lord and they are joyful in the God of their Salvation!

This generates a spirit of hope! That no matter where I am or what I have! I still have my Lord, the God of my salvation!

Can you say: “Yet…!” Even if there is no money in the bank! Yet, I will rejoice. I’ve lost my job! Yet, I will rejoice!

Even if all looks dark and difficult, we can rejoice in the Lord – He is our hope and our salvation. He is the One who will be with us, now and forever!

Shalom!

Anina

Jars of Clay

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water in his master's house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you." "Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?" "I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said.

The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path."

Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."

Each of us has our own unique flaws. We are all cracked pots. But if we will allow it, the Lord will use our flaws to grace His Father's table. In God's great economy, nothing goes to waste.
So as we seek ways to minister together, and as God calls you to the tasks He has appointed for you, don't be afraid of your flaws. Acknowledge them, and allow Him to take advantage of them, and you, too, can be the cause of beauty in His pathway.

Go out boldly, knowing that in our weakness we find His strength, and that "In Him every one of God's promises is a Yes".

Shalom till Monday!
Anina

From a guest to God

Yesterday day’s jars of clay, made me think of the first miracle Jesus ever preformed.

It was at a wedding in Cana. The wine supply ran out during the festivities so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.” “Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 

Firstly it is interesting to note that Jesus initially said no, but because of His mother’s faith in Him she told the servants to do whatever He tells them. Jesus honored her, not only because of her faith, but primarily because Jesus will never go against the Word. He honored His mother – as the Bible commands us to do!

Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. So Jesus told the servants to fill the jars to the full with water.

Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”

The water in the six stone jars was turned into wine!

The pots needed to be filled up to the brim – in the same we need to be filled up with God’s presence. A filled up vessel, is a vessel ready for a miracle.

A filled up vessel is a person who not only invited Jesus as a guest in their life, but allow Him to be God in every part of your life!

John 2:11(NLT) says:

 ¹¹ This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

Make sure Jesus is not only a guest in your life. Invite Him to fill you to the full each and every day then He will reveal His glory through you and miracles will take place!

Shalom!

Anina