“Fruit flies, Gnats and other Nuisances”

The hot summer months bring out lots of insects and other critters. One of the most bothersome for me is fruit flies and gnats. These tiny insects are barely visible but seem to love to make their presence known by flying around in groups and swarming around food, beverages, and you.

I often wondered where do these fruit flies and gnats come from and how can I quickly get rid of them. So, I did some investigation. This is what I found out:

• Fruit flies and gnats seem to appear out of nowhere
• Fruit flies and gnats can quickly multiply in number, and be tough to get rid of once they’re around
• Fruit flies and gnats don’t come from spontaneous generation
• Fruit flies are built to find fermenting fruit
• Though small, they can detect the smell of overly ripe fruits and vegetables from a good distance away
• Because these insects are so tiny, they can get in through window screens or crevices around windows or doors
• Once inside, they reproduce. Before you know it, you’ve got yourself a full-fledged fruit fly and gnat infestation
• Sometimes, fruit flies hitch a ride into your home on fruits or vegetables and fruit flies lay eggs on the skin of very ripe or fermenting fruit
• To get rid of fruit flies you must get rid of the overly ripe or spoiled fruit that it is feeding/gathering around

Wow! That is a lot of information about those small insects. Let’s examine the theme, “Fruit flies, Gnats and other Nuisances”

Theme: “Fruit flies, Gnats and other Nuisances”

Read Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Those facts about fruit flies and gnats caught my attention from the point that fruit flies and gnats can detect the smell of overly ripe fruit. This means that fruit that has not been used and now is overly ripe or perhaps even fermenting triggers a fruit fly infestation, which is a tremendous nuisance.

I believe the same is true about the development and nurturing of the “Fruit of the Spirit”. Galatians 5:22-23 states that there is spiritual fruit. As a believer in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit works within you to develop and nurture spiritual fruit (love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control).

But much like fruit that grows on a tree or vine (i.e. apples, berries, oranges, bananas, grapes…), spiritual fruit must be put to use in the Christian’s life. Otherwise the fruit will become overly ripe and begin to spoil or become rotten.

You might wonder, “What is the connection between spiritual fruit and fruit flies and gnats?” Well, glad you asked. Fruit flies and gnats gather around fruit that is overly ripe; fruit that should have been used, but instead was left to spoil or rot. The same is true for spiritual fruit. When you are not using the virtues of the “Fruit of the Spirit” (spiritual fruit), you begin to get plagued by the small nuisances in life. Things that should not bother you become enormous nuisances. Things that if you were living and nurturing spiritual fruit that would be easily ignored, now begin to be extremely bothersome to you and seem to multiply, come out of nowhere, and spontaneously generate.

When these nuisances seem to be getting the best of you, rest assured this is happening because you are not using the spiritual fruit of love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control that God has given you through the Holy Spirit. Your spiritual fruit is spoiling on the tree or vine. So, pray to God for a new start and begin to use your spiritual fruit, and those nuisances or symbolically, those fruit flies and gnats, will begin to disappear out of your life because they won’t have anything to feed on.

Amen!

“Jewels and Jewelry for Christmas”

The Christmas season advertising demonstrates the lack of recognition that it is the birthday of Jesus Christ not an opportunity to request and purchase all the items and trinkets that you desired all year long. It is also an opportunity to request that someone else pay for and purchase your heart’s desire. The items that seem to be most requested are jewels and jewelry.

The television commercials and magazine advertisements display those brilliantly sparkling jewels of every color, size and shape. The typical purchases are diamonds and sometimes birthstones and gems in settings of gold, silver and platinum. Each of these has a specific symbolism and meaning. This is also true of the precious jewels and jewelry mentioned in the Bible.

The Bible contains what is known as “emblematic jewels”. These jewels symbolize important symbols within the Bible. A symbol is a sign which suggests meaning rather than stating it. A symbol is similar in some way to the item it represents thus it gives you an impression that helps you to understand what is portrayed.

So, when asked “What do you want for Christmas?” Just say, “I want emblematic jewels”. That will certainly bring a response of “I never heard of those before. Where do you find that jewelry”? or “What store should I go to purchase them”? You can then say, “Glad you asked. They are very valuable, beautiful, durable, splendid and rare. But, you can’t purchase them. They are absolutely free”.

Let’s examine “emblematic jewels”…

Theme: “Jewels and Jewelry for Christmas”

Scripture Reading:

Ezekiel 28:13 – You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: carnelian, chrysolite and emerald, topaz, onyx and jasper, lapis lazuli, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared.

  

Reflection:

The Bible has many references to jewels and jewelry. There is jewelry that is worn. There are jewels that surround; and jewels that complement. Each time jewels are mentioned in the Bible, they symbolize God’s love and the care and value He places on each of us. Each jewel mentioned represents how precious we are to God and how He wants the absolute best for us. Here are the jewels and jewelry of the Bible.

Jewels of “Knowledge” – Proverbs 20:15

Gold there is, and rubies in abundance, but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.

 

Jewels of “Wisdom” – Job 28:18

Coral and jasper are not worthy of mention; the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.

Jewels of “Defense” – Isaiah 54:12

I will make your battlements of rubies, your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones.

 

Jewelry of “The Breastplate of the High Priests” – Exodus 28:17-20

¹⁷ Then mount four rows of precious stones on it. The first row shall be carnelian, chrysolite and beryl; ¹⁸ the second row shall be turquoise, lapis lazuli and emerald; ¹⁹ the third row shall be jacinth, agate and amethyst; 20 the fourth row shall be topaz, onyx and jasper. Mount them in gold filigree settings.

Jewels personally inscribed on “The Foundations of the New Jerusalem” – Revelation 21: 14, 19-21:

¹⁴ The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb; ¹⁹ The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, ²⁰ the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. ²¹ The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.

 

Jewels of a “Women’s worth” – Proverbs 31:10:

¹⁰ Who can find an excellent woman? She is worth far more than rubies.

Jewels around “The throne of God” – Revelation 4:3

³ The one who sat there shone like jasper and ruby. Around the throne was a rainbow shining like an emerald.

Praise God for how much value He places on your life as He compares you and desires for you the most precious and marvelous jewels there are in all creation. God views you as very valuable, beautiful, durable/capable, splendid and rare. So, if you don’t receive your desired jewelry for Christmas, remember all the beautiful jewels and jewelry you desire awaits you in Jesus Christ.

Amen!

“The Tragedy of Wasted Influence”

George W. Truett (May 6, 1867 – July 7, 1944) was a great American clergy man and writer. He penned the book, “A Quest for Souls”. In his book he tells the story of man who met the Lord later in life and was so inspired that he dedicated his life to reading, study, and living the Word of God.  The man had two sons and grandchildren.

His sons and grandsons had lived most of their lives with an unsaved father and grandfather. A father that placed importance on everything but church. But, then one day at the age of sixty-eight the man was confronted with the question, “Are you prepared to meet God?” The man that thought he knew everything and had accomplished much did not have an answer.

The question gnawed at the man, until finally he attended church and was convicted of his sin. The conviction was so strong that the man was determined to live his life for Jesus Christ and even better he would confront others with the question that changed his life, “Are you prepared to meet God?” The man decided he would first pose the question to his sons.

Let’s see what happened…

Theme: “The Tragedy of Wasted Influence”

Scripture Readings:

James 5:20 (NIRV) reads, “Then here is what I want everyone to remember. Anyone who turns a sinner from going down the wrong path will save him from death. God will erase many sins by forgiving him.”

Reflection:

The man in the story came to the startling and disappointing conclusion that “no man liveth to himself”. Today, we would say, “no man is an island”. This conclusion was drawn because as the man talked to his sons and invited them to attend church, the sons replied, “Well Dad I guess we’ll start going to church when we get to be about sixty-eight, like you.  Not, being able to convince his sons to go to church, he decided he would invite his grandsons.

The grandsons winked at each other as their grandpa invited them to church. The grandsons with a little wit in their voices said, “Well grandpa, we will start going to church when we turn sixty-eight or seventy”. The grandsons were quite pleased with themselves by their comment. But, their comments fell on the man, their grandpa, like a ton of cement. The man realized he had wasted not only much of his own life by waiting so long to come to Christ, but his influence on his sons and grandsons had also set the stage to waste their lives.

The man realized “The Tragedy of Wasted Influence”. The man had influence over his family, relatives, friends, and associates. But, his influence to bring others to Jesus Christ had been wasted all of his formative years and most of his adult life. When others saw him, what came to mind was his success in business and his well-to-do life. What’s more all of it had been accomplished by him without attending church and without any regard for Christ. This was a severe tragedy to the man. His influence to lead others to Christ had been wasted for far too many years. Now, as an elderly man, no one wanted to listen to his testimony of Christ.

The man was pained by the thought that his influence ruined the lives of his sons and their families? He wondered had his influence led his relatives, neighbors, and co-workers down a path that did not prepare them to meet God? The man was broken-hearted at the thought. So, what can we learn from this story?

Who is in your circle of influence and have you led a life that guided them to Jesus Christ? Are you living the tragedy of a wasted life, and have not realized it yet? If so, act now! It just might not be too late.

Amen!

“It’s Not About You”

Most people would agree that they want the very best for themselves. This desire challenges us to work hard, study long hours, and do everything within our power to be the best so that we can attain the very best of everything. But, truth being told, in a lot of instances, we really don’t know what is the best thing for ourselves. We judge what is best by what the world says is best.

That was the predicament, Martha found herself in when Jesus came to visit her household. Martha wanted the very best, not necessarily for Jesus, but what was the very best for her. It was all about Martha. Martha wanted to be known as a celebrated gracious hostess and a great cook. She wanted to be known for an immaculately clean house with everything in order. Martha had high expectations of how she would be viewed after Jesus’ visit.

But, exactly the opposite happened. Martha planned to have her sister, Mary, help her with all the preparations. But, Mary did not share in the same expectations as Martha. Mary had no pretense of being the best cook, having the cleanest house, or winning a “Miss Hospitality” award. Mary just wanted to sit at Jesus’ feet and listen to him talk. It was enough for Mary just to be in Jesus’ presence.

According to Martha, Mary was not doing her part. So, conflict arose. Let’s see what happened, as we examine, “It’s Not About You”.

Theme: “It’s Not About You”

Scripture Reading: Luke 10:38-42(NIV)

³⁸ As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. ³⁹ She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” ⁴¹ “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, ⁴² but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

 

Reflection:

Mary strived for the best. She would go to any length to ensure she had everything just right as Jesus came to visit. But, when things did not turn out her way, she became critical and bitter and went to Jesus to complain. Martha’s complaint was not a general “I’m having a bad day” complaint, but was focused specifically on her sister.

First, Martha tried to guilt Jesus by saying, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?” Then, Martha tried to persuade Jesus with a manipulative emotional plea by saying to Jesus, “Tell her to help me!”

But, much to Martha’s surprise, Jesus did not react to Martha’s attempts to shift blame on Mary, project guilt on him, and make an emotional desperate outcry. Jesus supported Mary and her desire to simply sit at his feet and listen to him talk.

• Remember, it was Jesus that fed 5000 people with 5 loaves of bread and two fish. So, Jesus was certainly not concerned about having enough food. Jesus could multiply whatever food Martha had at her home to feed himself and others. (See Luke 9 :10 – 17)
• Remember, when Jesus was talking with the Samaritan woman at the well, he said his food was to do the will of God who sent him and to finish God’s work See John 4:1-35).

Jesus wanted to just spend time sharing with and witnessing to Martha’s household. Jesus basically said to Martha, “It’s Not About You”. “Mary is doing her part which is simply to spend time with me”.

So, in the church when you feel yourself getting all worked up because your sister or brother in Christ are not meeting your expectations, just relax and know the reason you are at church is to spend time with Jesus our Lord. It’s not an opportunity to make a name for yourself. It’s not a time to be impressive. It’s not a time to find fault in others. It’s your opportunity to simply enjoy the fellowship of Jesus.

Amen!