Tag: Jesus

Life-giving Dew

Let my teaching fall on you like rain; let my speech settle like DEW. Let my words fall like rain on tender grass, like gentle showers on young plants. Deut 32:2 (NLT) – (my emphasis on dew)

Jewish scholars relate that dew is essential in the resurrection of life. Just as a seed must die before it can bring forth life, it needs the dew to water it when it is grown in the semi-arid regions of the Mediterranean. The region where the stories of the Bible were written are dry for about half of the year. In most parts of the world, plants do most of their growing in the middle part of the day when the sun is abundant.  But in the Eastern portion of the Mediterranean, morning dew is essential. Plants grow mostly in the early morning when the dew is available. There is scientific evidence that in these regions, native plants shut down during the heat of the day to keep water loss at a minimum.  Plant life depends on the morning dew to thrive.

But those who die in the Lord will live; their bodies will rise again! Those who sleep in the earth will rise up and sing for joy! For your life-giving light will fall like dew on your people in the place of the dead! Isaiah 26:19

Dew is pure. It is able to permeate a plant. Dew, like pure water, transfers through the harder surfaces of the plant to give nourishment. If you remember Osmosis in school, because of the purity of dew, it is a hypotonic* substance. If water has too many impurities, it will not permeate the plant. If plants are given a hypertonic* solution (such as impure water or arid conditions) they will shrink because whatever moisture is in the plant will release out, causing the plants to shrink and eventually die. But since the pure dew is hypotonic*, it refreshes and renews. What a picture! Dew and Living water, (the Holy Spirit) nourishes and refreshes! Dew leads to all truth, the words of God. The truth is that there is life in us and the Holy Spirit nourishes that life and renews it.

And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. Romans 8:2,6,10-11 (my emphases on Spirit, life & death)

Dew is known as tal in Hebrew. Just as God covers us, the word ‘tal’ in the Hebrew is translated specifically as “a covering for vegetation.” We are the vegetation, which means to be alive and growing. God’s protection covers us like the dew covers plants.

I will be to Israel like a refreshing dew from heaven. Israel will blossom like the lily; it will send roots deep into the soil like the cedars in Lebanon. Hosea 14:5

Prayer: Father, let me be refreshed with your dew, your speech, which covers me. May I become saturated with your Word. Help me to blossom, so that others may see your beauty through me.

If you are trying to remember the terms hypotonic & hypertonic, here is an explanation: *hypotonic has a lower concentration of solutes, which is able to push through a higher solution, such as water passing through the cells of a plant; hypertonic has a greater degree of solute, for example a plant in an arid environment has more moisture inside of it than the environment around it and it will release its moisture into the air, causing it to shrivel. (In other words, plants which are less succulent require more water.) To see more explanation on hypotonic solutions, here is a link: Hypotonic Solutions

Resisting Temptation and Conforming to Christ

When I walked into the kitchen this morning, I saw the pumpkin pound cake I baked last night. I have tried to lose the weight I gained in the last year due to some medical issues. I saw the cake and my first thought was, “I could eat that for breakfast!” and took the cover off.

Immediately, I realized it would be detrimental to my goal of losing the extra pounds. I disciplined myself and walked to the bathroom where we have a set of scales. I stepped on them and was two pounds heavier than yesterday, much to my dismay. I know we fluctuate by a few pounds every day, but I didn’t want to lose this battle! I went back to the kitchen, covered the cake with the lid and pulled out a box of cereal. 

While I was doing this, I thought about how, as Christians, we face temptations every day of our lives. Sometimes it is frustration in traffic, or being impatient in line at the grocery store. It could be irritation at a family member or an acquaintance, seeing what we view as inadequacies, instead of seeing what they add to life. The list is endless and everyone has a different set of temptations they face. I thought about how we need to discipline ourselves to keep our thoughts Christ-centered. It sounds like such a simple thing until we get away from that focus.

… Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8

… Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12

The verse in Timothy says to be an example; the Greek word for example is tupos which means to be indelibly marked (marks which cannot be erased). It is likened to a seal on soft wax or to leave an impression of something, to be a replica or pattern. When we bear the image of Christ, we are able to resist temptations, we are sealed in our hearts. It is a surrender to the will of God, which conforms us into His image.

“Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” Mark 14:38

So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. 2 Corinthians 3:18

Jesus’ instructions were to watch and pray to keep our hearts from temptation. If we don’t keep our Spirits malleable, our fleshly nature takes over. When we submit to God through Jesus Christ the veil is removed and we reflect the image of God.

Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! 2 Corinthians 5:14-16

The love of Jesus Christ controls our thoughts when we live for him, which allows us to see others with the eyes of God… How awesome is that?!

Prayer: Father, help me to resist temptations and allow Christ to conform me into his image. Guide me to immediately take captive of thoughts which are contrary to your will. Help me to have discipline in all that I do and the way I act towards others. Give me your vision as I keep my Own eyes on you!

The Greater Blessing

As I weed my garden, I often think of scriptures and their meaning. I find peace in the garden amongst the beauty of nature. Yesterday morning my thoughts went to a phrase spoken by Jesus. When Jesus said “Your sins are forgiven” to the lame man to be healed… which was the greater blessing? Was it that he was physically healed or that he was given Eternal life? While it is wonderful to be healed, especially of a debilitating illness or emotionally healed of the problems we deal with, isn’t it better to be given life everlasting?  The lame man was given both physical healing and spiritual cleansing. We are given both through faith and redemption.  The woman with the issue of blood, who had been bleeding for twelve years, knew that if she only touched Jesus’ garment, she would be healed. She had faith in his ability to heal. Shouldn’t we have faith in his power?

Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” Luke 8:48

He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20

Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” “Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.” John 4:13-15

Faith is all it takes for miracles to happen. The woman at the well believed and brought many more to believe by telling them of Jesus’ words. She had faith enough to gather others. She and Mary Magdalene knew their sins were many and saw the great blessing in what Jesus offered. Mary Magdalene anointed Jesus’ feet w/costly perfume and her tears… those who have been forgiven of much, show more gratefulness & love! She recognized the blessings he could give her were far better than anything she could achieve on her own. Faith and belief are synonymous here. We cannot be saved by how we live, but with the Spirit of God it is Possible to receive eternal life!

Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. John 3:5-6

Prayer: Thank you Father for sending Jesus to bless us with salvation and giving your Holy Spirit so we can live a life full of blessings!