Coming to the Still Waters

  I love figs.  I also love those little rectangle cookies called fig newtons!  (No sponsorship from them.)  This fig tree shows how massive these types of trees can become.   I was listening to a lecture by Tom Schetelich titled An Unhurried Urgency  and he referenced Mark 11.12-14 and Jesus' encounter with a fig tree before entering into Jerusalem.  Here is the passage and then some notes that I jotted down.  (Follow the link to listen to the whole message.) Mark 11.12-14 12 - And on the next day, when they had left Bethany, He became hungry. 13 - And seeing at a distance a fig tree that had leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 - And He answered and said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again!"  And His disciples were listening.  (LSB) Jesus could see from a distance that this was a fig tree.  He could see its trunk, branches and leaves but c

  I bought Stephanie and I a couple new "caps" so we would fit in at the Cleveland Indians baseball game.  A friend from the church couldn't make the game so we received the opportunity to go with another wonderful couple from the church, Russell and Carol.  We watched a "no hitter" but it wasn't in the home team's favor.  One of the beautiful aspects of this picture beyond my wonderful wife is another couple who have graced our lives.  God has wonderful people all over this country who love their local church.  We are so thankful to be co-laboring alongside of them at Weymouth Community Church. I also called this post a "recap" because I start the sermon with a couple of "take aways" I will remember through our study of the book of James.  16 sermons in total that we started the first Sunday in May. James loves illustrations and pointing us to Bible heroes. James wants us to compare man's way of doing things with God's pr

  I thought this picture was a good representation of what happened to us during the last couple of weeks.  We were just riding along and the horse stopped.  I am thankful that we are back in the saddle and Sunday was an opportunity to preach from the pulpit again.  Pastor James came out again as he was instructing us on how we are to live. James gives another illustration for us to ponder.  The farmer is taking advantage of the early rains and getting in his seeds.  He will also take advantage of the latter rains to finish off his harvest.  What does the farmer do with the time in between planting and harvesting?  If you have worked on a farm you know that waiting for the harvest is full of activities related to the harvest. Jesus came a first time in a little town called Bethlehem to seek and save the lost.  Jesus lived, died, rose again, and ascended into heaven with the promise to come a second time to judge the living and the dead.  We are living in the time between the early and