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Good Morning.

Do not be conned, or formed [conformed] to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2

As I was out capturing photo’s a few weeks ago, this little guy caught my attention. He was over playing by a tree, he was up and down the fence until I focused my camera toward him. It seemed when I turned my attention and my camera to him, he tried to pose and look like he was part of the pattern and design on the gate. It was as if he was trying to blend with the figure’s of the Cocker Spaniels on the gate. Like he imagined he would fit in, and I would not notice him, that I might look away, thinking he was one of the Cocker Spaniels.

Isn’t that the way we are with The Lord, at times? Trying to look like we fit in. Are we trying to convince ourselves that we can fit, or are we thinking to convince God? We know we are different, don’t we?

Do you find yourself struggling, like I did many years ago? Trying to act like others and be happy, yet never really fitting in. Are you one who knows that there must be more? I just knew that the dysfunction surrounding me, couldn’t be all there was. I tried to fit into the world, I really did. I didn’t know there was anything else, so where did this longing come from? Why did I feel so out of place?

Because I was out of place! Trying to copy a worldly pattern that never felt right to me. I couldn’t counterfeit, I couldn’t fit in, measured by a status quo just didn’t work for me. Why was I different?

Because just like you, we are longing for the connection with Our Lord. We are created for this connection, and we are born with a beacon, one that calls out a distress signal, until the connection is restored. Anything less leaves us longing and in soul starvation.

Could that be a major cause for depression? Could that be the cause for the anxiety that plagues our society? Could that be why for many frustration, turns into aggression and why some are extremely angry? I know there are legitimate causes and chemical imbalances that cause depression, I am not suggesting you not listen to your doctor. I am, however, believing the word of God is good medicine. His word comes straight to us from the Manufacturer.  I believe it is better than the best man can come up with. When we know who we are in Christ, it causes us to enter into His rest. Rest is the first part of the word restoration. Think about that for a minute.

The reason for the longing I have discovered is because, there is so much more! We are created in God’s image and likeness. We cannot fit in to worldly molds and feel good about ourselves. We aren’t fooling God, and if we are honest, we are not even fooling ourselves. Other’s know you are different no matter how you try to fit in.

Doesn’t God command and tell us, come out from among them? So that means we are to be out-standing.

Today I encourage you to be your beautiful design, and to let your light shine, to the glory of God, in Christ Jesus.

I’ve lived, I’ve learned,

I’ve loved, I’ve lost;

But nothing, Oh nothing,

Compares To the cost.

Our Lord willingly gave,

It was all for our gain.

The Cross He endured,

The shame and pain

Life can be hard

But nothing compares

To the glory with Him,

We shall all share.

In brokenness and despair,

I fell to my knees,

I cried out to The Master

“Oh Jesus save me!”

Do not become hopeless

If you are broken or sad,

He is in the waiting,

Not angry, nor mad!

He made a way

Though not easy or trite,

He knows your victory

Is seized by the fight.

That _________ diagnosis

It is not the end,

Jesus is waiting

For you my friend.

Never give up

Or settle for less,

His Devine power

Is better than best.

I sought Him about

What the doctor had said,

He simply answered;

They’ve not read.

He said to tell you,

To pick up that bible.

Read it for yourself,

It is totally reliable!

Ready to take root

His word alive and powerful

Planted securely in your heart,

It grows where allowable.

So I say to you,

Carpe Diem-get ready,  get ready

Because God has a plan….

The victory has been won already!

carpe diem

: the enjoyment of the pleasures of the moment without concern for the future. [This sounds like faith to me.]

 

Romans 8:18 Weymouth

Why, what we now suffer I count as nothing in comparison with the glory which is soon to be manifested in us.

Poem written by laurette laster © 2018 May

Thank you, for listening with me.

Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit,  John 15:1,4-5

For we are a sweet fragrance of Christ to God in those being saved and in those perishing. 2 Corinthians 2:15

A fragrance so heavenly
almost divine;
From whence do you come?
But abiding in The Vine!

Privets sweet cluster’s
Glistening pure white,
So tender and delicate
swaying, catches my sight.

Tiny little flower
That blooms with blossoms,
Always alluring me,
fragrant morning balsam.

I love how you bunch
Staying closely connected,
How is it you know?
Where do you receive directive?

Oh sweet privet
Now your season is here,
I believe to take a seat
Your sweet aroma, so near.

A season so short,
burst forth with splendor,
Honey bees gathering,
The nectar you tender.

Flowers so delicate
White clusters divine,
Beautiful and passionate
your due season, set time.

 

Blooming to His glory,
beauty, God’s perfect design,
You bring joy every season
While abiding in The Vine.

 

Poem written by laurette laster © 2018 May

Photo’s captured by laurette laster © 2018 May

apart from Me you can do nothing.

Thank you for listening with me.

 

 

 

Abiding in the Vine.

Jesus said apart from Me you can do nothing. If you remain in Me and My words remain in you in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples.

In The Pruning, © poem by laurette laster.

When I was a bud beginning to grow,

What I was to become, did You already know?

When I was a blossom adorning this tree,

did You see what I was destined to be?

Now on to grow and to become mature,

this is going to take some time, and that is for sure.

During maturing is where I’ll become tender and sweet,

while young, before ripening, dry, bitter, and incomplete.

As we abide in The Vine, there is precious work taking place that isn’t noticeable each day. Often we cannot see or measure the internal work and the growing that is taking place. However in order to become nutritious and useful to the body of Christ we must abide in The Vine, patiently.

I think about new Christians or babes in Christ, as I watch my peach tree. My husband, Greg and I, did a drastic pruning to our old peach tree, this past winter. The tree is an older peach tree, that had not been properly pruned for several seasons. After pruning we were concerned for our tree. We listened to a master gardener, and followed his advice on how to prune older peach trees. He said you will think you are killing the tree, but you are actually reviving the tree. Greg and I, discussed how as we watched over our tree, this is so like God, and how He watches over us. He watches carefully over us as He prunes away the unnecessary branches that are hindering our work, so that we may bear much fruit.

I watch these new buds, blossoms, and now fruit, and think about when I was a babe in Christ, and new in my call from The Lord. After an intense pruning, and some study I thought I knew a lot about the kingdom of God and my call. I was ready and willing and sure it was going to happen very fast. I didn’t see all the work (internal work) that had to take place. I didn’t see how that in the abiding, I was becoming what Our Lord Jesus, desired, not what I thought I should be.  I realize how without abiding, we are just like these small unripe peaches. If we are picked to soon we will not have any meat with which to nourish others. It takes time to abide in ‘The Vine’ and bear fruit. It may require a drastic pruning so that we may bear much fruit. There is a promise to those of us who abide, that we should show we are disciples. This is to God’s glory. My prayer is that we will not grow weary in well doing, for we shall reap in due season, if we continue to abide.                           Thank you for listening with me.

 

 

 

 

 

The Father looking, and seeing us on our knees with our heads bowed in prayer…..it is then He stoops down to hear.

On this National Day of Prayer, aren’t we blessed to serve a God who hears and listens to our prayers? He gives us the format to use. He isn’t trying to keep anything from us, He is showing us the way to His heart. He tells us He will hear from heaven, when we meet the criteria set by Him. 2 Chronicles 7:14, a verse we all have heard and know. If My people, who are called by My Name will humble themselves and pray, seek My Face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and I will heal their land.  Humbling ourselves is a posture. I can see The Father looking, and seeing us on our knees with our heads bowed in prayer…..it is then He stoops down to hear.                Thank you for listening with me.

 

As we prepare our hearts to hear from The Lord, I’m reminded of the scripture verse in Mark 4:9 Then, He (our Lord Jesus) said, Let anyone who has ears to hear, let him listen. Some translation’s say let them hear and understand. In scripture when it talks about ears that hear, and eyes that see, it is talking about developing an understanding heart. A heart that understands the things pertaining to and concerning the kingdom of God. I pray this morning that our hearts are open to hear the voice of God. Father we have ears that hear, open our understanding so that our hearts will understand and turn fully toward Your will for our lives.

Thank you for coming to listen with me. laurette

I am glad you have decided to listen with me. My prayer is that you and I become closer and closer to our Lord Jesus, each day. I pray you and I learn to hear and know the voice of The Lord, in a much clearer way. As we take this journey together I say  Speak Lord, we your servants are listening.

 

thank you for listening with me. laurette