Faith and lots of Snow!!!

After a week of being snowed in - either trudging up and down our hill to get to a drivable vehicle or riding the four wheeler to do so, being stressed out with vehicles getting stuck and trying to get them out - now we are "mudded" in . . . if there is such an animal. :) With 8-10 inches of snow melting (not our usual TN weather), our gravel has disappeared into the abyss of muck, I guess. We still cannot get up or down the driveway and I fear my husband would "give" our 10 acres away out of his frustration. Needless to say, it has been a trying 8 days!! I have a ton of respect for folks who live like this ALL winter! Forecast for tomorrow is RAIN . . . LOL!!! ;D

But Praise the Almighty, we had a blessed weekend of much Bible study. Saturday for our bi-monthly study we have been talking about the Covenant of Salt. How we are to be the salt of the earth. How are we salt? By being the preservative whereby germs cannot live -- translation . . . by being the righteous whereby evil cannot live, HIS LIGHT, HIS PEOPLE! And how do we do that except by being obedient to HIS Word.

Then Sunday for church interestingly enough we studied about covenant. Covenant requires FAITH -- a strong belief in something unseen. Faith requires a willingness to seek that unseen thing. We have to become seekers -- we cannot have faith if we do not seek HIM. Faith brings about our repentance, that "about face", if you will, when we have sought Him and found ourselves lacking. And then covenant cannot be completed without a death. For the seeker that would be death to self, portrayed through baptism - buried with Him in death, leaving behind the old man; resurrected in life, to walk as a man MADE NEW.

Hebrews 11:1 --> "Now faith is the substance (i.e. - a thing put under, a substructure, a foundation) of things hoped for; the evidence (proof) of things not seen."

Hebrews 11:6 --> "But without faith it is IMPOSSIBLE to please Him; for he that cometh to God MUST BELIEVE that HE IS, and that He is a rewarder of them that DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM." Emphasis mine

A "New" Year?

Golly! A new year already? It is scary to me how quickly the years pass now. Scarier still when my teens and adult children comment on the quickness of time. So true the Scriptures state, ". . . my days are but a breath!" Job 7:16

Winter is always a good time for reflection. I'm not much on New Year's Resolutions. It seems my life is a series of resolutions. There is always something to which I want to attain :D !!

It has been a while since my last post. Isn't it funny how when you go through the lows in your life you feel like you have nothing to offer or even less to give. There is a confession in there somewhere.

Anyway, "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:13 "These things I have spoken unto you that in Me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer (NAS - take courage); I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD!" (emphasis mine) And all I can say to that is Amen and Amen!!! Now moving on . . .

Have you ever wondered why we start a "new" year in the dead of winter? Did you know that the Hebrews of old began their "first" month (Exodus 12:2 & Exodus 13:4) about the middle of our March (SPRINGTIME!!!)? I have to admit that we stayed up to usher in our "New Year" Friday evening with fireworks, etc. But it has never made any sense to me why we begin a "new" year at a time when the earth sleeps. I believe the Almighty was a much better Authority on this than whoever changed it! ISN"T HE ALWAYS!!!
Food for thought . . .