Freshwater: Do You Still Stand?

Freshwater

Located in the wilds of Wyoming, the name Freshwater was chosen as a Western analogy to Christ. Just as He is the Living Water, and we must have Him to have eternal life, any desert dweller knows the importance of fresh water to life, both for self, and the nourishment of crops or livestock. By taking nourishment in God and His word, we strengthen our own relationship with Him, our faith, and the quality and abundance of our fruitfulness.

Our keystone verse is from Jeremiah, Chapter 17, Verse 8: "For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see whenSave heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit."

The fruit that we speak of is mentioned in Galatians 5:22
"²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, ²³Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."

And the heat could be anything we experience that might test our faith in God; trials and tribulations, relationships, anything that focuses our love and attention anywhere but on Him...

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Do You Still Stand?

Do you still stand for the National Anthem? I do. And I think it is an important sign of honor and respect for our country, our flag, and our service men and women who are out there serving for what that flag represents, and it shames me when I look around at an event, at the park, at the parade, when I hear it on the radio, and I see people who are not standing when they hear those familiar notes or see the flag passing by.

Then I think of all the times when I haven't stood for Christ like I should have. I know that it's my job, my duty, my calling and my commission to stand for Him. But I also know there are times I haven't. Whether it was in my conduct or my speech, or not taking the opportunity to share Jesus when it was presented to me, there are times when I have failed to Stand.

I told my girls just this morning, that I know they're not perfect, and in fact I'm not either. We do the best that we can to follow God's will, and ask for His forgiveness when we stumble, take His hand, get back up, and try again. But when it comes to not speaking up for Jesus when I should, well that one is hard for me to let go and let God. It weighs on my soul that I can look back at times in my life and see where I could have shown or told someone about the love of Jesus, and that I not only missed the opportunity, but I may have hindered someone else's.

One of the biggest things that I struggle with, is timidity and fear. I don't know why, I have the most powerful, wonderful, amazing Creator of the Universe on my side, just waiting for me to step into His light and share. But that is something I pray for each day, as Paul says in Ephesians, that I may speak boldly as I ought to speak, to make know the mystery of the gospel.

Ephesians 6:18-20

¹⁸Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit,

and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

¹⁹And for me, that utterance may be given unto me,

that I may open my mouth boldly,

to make known the mystery of the gospel,

²⁰For which I am an ambassador in bonds:

that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Do you stand? What do you stand for? Or, more importantly, WHO do you stand for? Are there times you look back and wish you would have done it differently? What can you change now, so that will be different?

Stand, and speak boldly the message of Christ, Until the Whole World Hears.