Today and every day I will bless the Lord at all times and his praises will continually be in my mouth. As I sit here looking out the window of my bedroom, I see a tree with it’s branches swaying in the breeze so I decided to go into the Word and get some wisdom about trees since that is where my spirit is going. This is going to be a two part message. May you all be blessed by this venture into the Word of God.
Today’s Prayer
(make this personal)
Father, Your Word tells me that “whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let me give from my heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for You love a cheerful giver. And You are able to make all grace abound toward me, that I, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work” (based on 2 Corinthians 9:6-8). Lord, please bless me that I may bless others. Through the hands of Your servants, You minister to and touch the lives of others. May I be a faithful servant and give of my time, my talents, my treasures as You have provided. In JESUS’ name, Amen.
Let’s eat.
Some Bible Trees
Adam hiding behind a tree
Genesis. 3:1-8
The Man and Woman Sin
The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the LORD God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’” “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the LORD God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the LORD God among the trees.
Fallen Sinner; Zacchaeus up a tree
Luke 19:4
Jesus and Zacchaeus
Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way. When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.” Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled. Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!” Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”
Quote of the Day
Who is it that has helped you most? Has it not been those who believed in you? Perhaps there may be few such left. The light of expectation may have died out of the most friendly and hopeful eyes; and you yourself may have lost heart. Ah! but there is still One whose faith in you has never wavered. And how wonderful it is that that one should be Jesus Christ!…It was a wonderful dream God dreamed, Christ says, when He created you; it was a stately being that was in His mind when you were fashioned; and I can make you all He meant that you should be.
~Arthur John (A. J.) Gossip~
WITH HOPE AND FAITH
REV. ELDER G E STERRETT
FOUNDER
GCKRS HELPING HAND FOUNDATION – THE RELATIONSHIP FACTORY
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