He Owns the Cattle

May 14th, 2013 dsisler

Colorado weather has finally decided to warm up. After months of cold and snow, we are now enjoying warmer temperatures…perhaps a little too warm for some. But we are at least able to enjoy the outdoor patio.

 

As I woke to the birds singing and a beautiful sunrise, I looked out my window and saw the open space behind our property. It was green! It looked like a rolling meadow and I was awestruck.

 

I then told my husband, “This is beautiful! Without my glasses I can’t even see the junk yard.”

 

This field is green now, but just a few weeks from now, it will be dry and it will turn brown. My beautiful green meadow will be gone.

 

As I snapped photos of the field, I remembered an old song we used to sing. “He Owns the Cattle (on a Thousand Hills).” There isn’t a cow to be seen, not even a chicken. There is an occasional prairie dog or coyote, but still no cattle. So why would I think of this particular song?

 

Because that song goes on to share an even greater message. Take a look at these words and if you’d like, you can listen to a medley of songs by the Gaither Trio that includes “He Owns the Cattle (on a Thousand Hills)” by clicking here.

 

He owns the cattle on a thousand hills,
The wealth in every mine;
He owns the rivers and the rocks and rills,
The sun and stars that shine.
Wonderful riches, more than tongue can tell –
He is my Father so they’re mine as well;
He owns the cattle on a thousand hills –
I know that He will care for me.[i]

 

It’s not that God owns all of His Creation. It’s that He has shared it with me! I am His heir and therefore all that He owns belongs to me as well.

 

But the earthly portion of it isn’t even the best part. Oh we have some beauty in our world to see, but my future home is far greater and more wonderful than anything this world has to offer.

 

Because God is there. Jesus, my Savior sits at God’s right hand. I will be able to sing praises to them forever without my voice cracking or feeling weak. I will be able to stand in their presence without my feet hurting. I will never grow weary of worshiping.

 

And unlike my green meadow that will turn brown soon, nothing in heaven will grow old or fade away or die. Forever, it will be green.

 

And unlike the drought season that will return to my small portion of this earth, there will always be water in heaven for there is a river that runs through it.

 

And unlike the small amount of trees that line the landscape from my view, there are trees that produce crops of fruit and they are on either side of the river of life.

 

And all of this will be mine one day for I have Jesus’ promise that He will return. I find great hope in John’s final words after seeing the vision of heaven. “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20 – NIV)

 

I believe that sometimes I get too comfortable in this world. I love its beauty and the people I am blessed to have in my life and I forget Jesus’ words that He is coming soon. And I rarely ask for Him to come as the Apostle John did.

 

And because my mindset isn’t always as it should be, I miss opportunities to share God’s grace and message with the lost and dying world. I am too focused on the now instead of the eternal future.

 

I must be determined to live my life with urgency. The urgency Jesus felt in those three short years of ministry. The urgency of His mission “to seek and save the lost.” (Luke 19:10 – NIV)

 

We find these words in Psalm 50:10 (NIV). “For every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.” But I find greater joy in knowing that I am His and that He cares for me.

 

Do you belong to Him?

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

 

I would sure love to hear from you. If you would like to leave a comment, please click here.


[i] He Owns the Cattle, Words and Music by John W. Peterson

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A Cut Wire

May 13th, 2013 dsisler

Yesterday was such a good day. A celebration of motherhood is always enjoyable. But the day had possible threat looming over it.

 

On her way to work, my daughter Candace called and said her engine light came on and that her car wasn’t running well. So we knew when she returned home, we’d have to see what the issue was.

 

So at 8:30 last night, my husband pulled out his handy gadget that told him the fourth cylinder had misfired. And after looking at the engine, he knew why.

 

Somehow the spark plug cable had been cut, possibly by the fan.

 

I know there are times in our lives when we aren’t running on all cylinders. Illness may be hindering our function. Young children may be zapping energy from us. A busy schedule may be keeping us from releasing our full potential.

 

But it can be downright dangerous if we allow this to happen in our spiritual lives. Perhaps we’ve “taken a break” from church attendance or group Bible study. Perhaps there’s no time to add personal devotions to our lives. Or perhaps we’ve grown lazy in our spiritual development.

 

Whatever our “good” reasoning is, it isn’t.

 

There is a reason Jesus gave us the command in John 15 to remain in Him. Jesus is our life source. Without Him, there is no life. It’s not just one cylinder misfiring, it is your entire life misfiring.

 

And according to Jesus, apart from Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5). That may seem a little dramatic to some, but I’ve lived on both sides of this command and it is so true.

 

There is nothing outside of Christ.

 

However, Jesus doesn’t want us to just remain in Him. There is something we are to be doing in this state. We find this in the same verse mentioned above (John 15:5 – NIV).

 

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

 

We are to bear much fruit. And you’ve heard of this fruit before from Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)

 

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

 

This is the fruit we are to bear.

 

Jesus also mentions in this section what happens to the branch that doesn’t bear fruit.

 

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” (John 15:1-2 – NIV)

 

Looks like we’ve come full circle doesn’t it? We aren’t the only ones who cut ourselves off from God. If we are non-fruit producing followers of Christ, God will do the cutting for us.

 

Remember God’s words about being lukewarm? To the Church at Laodicea He said, “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” (Revelation 3:15-16 – NIV)

 

We cannot be happy with mediocrity. We must be working diligently to grow spiritually and by remaining in Jesus and with the help of the Holy Spirit, we are able to produce an abundance of fruit.

 

Mason had a spark plug wire. He replaced it in 5 minutes and Candace’s car now runs smoothly again.

 

We have the source and power to be great followers of Christ. Reach out and grab it. Repair that broken line between you and God. Then, wait to see what God produces in your life and what wonderful things He has in store for you.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

 

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Happy Mother’s Day!

May 12th, 2013 dsisler

It’s Sunday, May 12th. 2013’s day to honor and bless mothers all around the world. I am thankful for Mom and for all that she’s done for me through my life.

 

Mom, it’s been a great journey and I can’t wait to see where we are headed next. I love you!

 

It’s Sunday, May 12th. Also a day for re-posting. So today I bring you a little something from the past. And it is also about a special woman (and man) in my life. My Grandma and Grandpa Rich.

 

My Diamond Tree

 

Years ago, my Grandparents had a terraced garden in their small backyard. They always had great success and many of us were beneficiaries of their efforts.

 

One particular year, Grandpa was laid up after surgery and was not able to help out as he usually did. They asked if I’d like to help. Of course I said yes!

 

I enjoyed the time I spent at Grandma and Grandpa’s. You knew you’d be well fed and would have a chance to hear Grandpa’s newest tale.

 

But during this particular summer, I was in the garden on most visits. Weeding, watering, pruning, and staking were daily tasks and to be honest, it was therapeutic.

 

http://365-days-of-christmas.blogspot.com

After one particular visit, I noticed that the diamond from my engagement ring was missing. Somewhere in that garden lay my precious stone. It was discouraging to me.

 

I quickly recovered from my loss and knew I’d never retrieve it from the soil or the produce. I joked with my Grandparents that if a diamond tree were to grow, the diamonds would be mine!

 

I find it interesting that in Matthew 13, Jesus shares parables with the crowds and the disciples relating the Kingdom of Heaven to several earthly illustrations, most involving working the land in planting or harvesting:

 

  • The Parable of the Sower – hearing the message of the kingdom and how each person responds to it
  • The Parable of the Weeds – speaks of the growth of the kingdom of heaven
  • The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast – the productivity of the kingdom of heaven
  • The Parable of the Hidden Treasure – the priceless value of our eternal life
  • The Parable of the Pearl – what am I willing to give up for that greatest treasure?
  • The Parable of the Net – victory for the righteous

 

Jesus ends this section of parables with this verse. “Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his store room new treasures as well as old.” (Matthew 13:52)

 

As a teacher, this concept is a wonderful revelation. Not only are we to teach the old treasures, but the new as well. I love that God continues to show me new treasures each time I enter into His presence and spend time in His Word.

 

That garden never produced a diamond tree. It did however produce very good vegetables, some bonding time with my Grandparents, and a time of reflection for me. Perhaps that hidden treasure is still there, but I know it won’t be found by me.

 

From the parables, we see that we are never to stop learning. Dig deep. Search for those hidden treasures in God’s Word. Be open to His guidance, and you will be rewarded with renewed passion for the old treasures and exhilaration for the new.

 

What are you learning today?

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

 

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A Brand New Car! (using an announcer voice similar to that on “The Price is Right!”)

May 11th, 2013 dsisler

You’ve heard me speak of the problems I’ve been having with my current car. So much so, that it’s been sitting in my garage for over a week. I’ve been driving my husband’s truck (with manual transmission) and it was starting to get difficult.

 

So my husband and I have been looking for our next vehicle. We purchased the car issue of Consumer’s Report and scoured the pages for what we thought might be possibilities. We then would jump online to see who had what at local dealerships. We emailed possibilities to one another. We continued reading. It was quite a process.

 

Until he came home from work yesterday. As he was again searching the internet for yet another possibility, I made this comment. “You know we can research until there’s no more researching to do, but until we actually go to look at these vehicles and drive them, we won’t know what we’re looking for. After we’ve chosen the car we want, then we can search the internet for the best buy.”

 

He agreed.

 

So off we went to a local dealership and the “up close and personal” search. We found one we liked and could get a great deal on and were considering it. Then my husband asked what they had in my favorite color. Red. They had a beauty. A step up and for just a little more (really this is true), I could have the car of my dreams.

 

We made the deal, signed all the paperwork and I have a new car. But there was a little problem. It was dirty. It had been on another lot and needed to be detailed. But the detail department was closed for the night. It would be the next day before it could be completely ready to leave the lot.

 

I don’t even have a pic to show you!

I drove away without my brand new car. I mentioned to Mason how I was feeling. Like leaving my baby at the hospital. Something was wrong with the scenario. But it was for the best. Today, my car will be ready for me to pick up in perfect condition and as it should look.

 

As we left the dealership, I told our salesman to take care of my car. He promised he would.

 

I wondered if Jesus didn’t feel a little bit like this as He left earth. He had given all He possibly could for what would become the Church. He had spent three years traveling the countryside, teaching as He went. He healed multitudes of people. He spent sleepless nights in prayer with His Father asking for His guidance in the task. He mentored twelve men who would be the great leaders of His Church.

 

He offered His life as a sacrifice for the ransom of many.

 

There really was nothing more He could offer, except the Holy Spirit to help lead and guide these faithful believers after He was gone.

 

But still, Jesus left His life’s work to a group of men who had proven to be unfaithful to Him. Who had proven that their faith wasn’t as strong as He wanted it to be. Who had proven to fall back on their human, sinful nature on more occasions than He would have liked.

 

But in spite of all of this, Jesus left His Church in their hands. Now He did tell them to take care of it. Peter specifically was told three times to take care of Jesus’ sheep (John 21:15-19). And the whole group was given the mission in Matthew 28:18-20.

 

And as mentioned earlier, Jesus didn’t leave them to do the work alone. In Acts 1:4 Jesus tells the disciples of the gift they will receive. Jesus told them in greater detail throughout His ministry what this gift could offer them, so they had an idea of how the Holy Spirit would assist them (John 16:5-16).

 

Jesus knew He left His mission in capable hands. He knew this small group of disciples would spread His message to the entire world. And it happened just as He knew it would.

 

How are you doing with the mission and message of Jesus? Are you living it each day? Are you sharing it with those who need to hear the message? Are you caring for Christ’s Church as He intended? Do others see Jesus through you?

 

It’s morning. I get to pick up my car today. But more importantly, I have an opportunity today to be better at living the way Jesus has asked me to live. Live a life of faith, grace and love. Live a life that reflects His image. Live as He would live.

 

It’s a larger than life task, but with the guidance of God’s Spirit, I have a greater chance of doing so. It’s only with the help of the Holy Spirit that can be what I am and do what I do.

 

I pray that you too feel the urgency to live this way.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

 

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My Desktop

May 10th, 2013 dsisler

I have an odd mix of items on my desktop that I’d like to share with you today. But then I want to do a little “prayer walking” around my desktop.

 

You see, I prayer walk through my neighborhood. I prayer walk with a group of ladies each Wednesday morning. I prayer drive as I’m heading out each day. So why not prayer walk through my desktop? It is what I look at each time I sit down to write or check email or enjoy Pinterest. But if God is not in the midst of it, this screen could cause some problems for me.

 

I am easily distracted. And maybe a cluttered desktop is just what the evil one needs to keep me occupied with things of this world instead of concentrating on God’s work.

 

There is one verse in James 4 that carries some convicting words. Take a look at it. “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” (James 4:4 – NIV)

 

Bear with me today…this is important. Perhaps it is something that you need to do as well.

 

The first thing I see as my computer comes to life is the picture of my grandchildren. They are so precious to me, but they are more precious to God. My prayer is that I will be an example of God’s love and grace to them and that my focus must be on teaching them about Jesus.

 

There is a recycle bin. It holds all the trash that I no longer need. I pray that God will take the trash of sin in my life and delete it permanently. I don’t need the guilt or anguish to continue haunting me. Once it’s deleted, it is gone.

 

Zune is the program that goes with my little music contraption. My prayer is that the music that I choose to play is honoring to God. That God would be glorified by what my ears hear.

 

Symantec. I have no idea what this is for, but it’s one of those things that tells you if you delete it, there are consequences and so it’s easier to just keep it. I pray that God will show me those things in my life that are just space takers. If it isn’t important, get rid of it.

 

A Word document that teaches how to make a homemade mosquito trap. It’s pretty popular right now on the internet and I’m hoping it actually works! My prayer is of thanksgiving. For this little critter is so annoying to us, but it is one that God created. Thank you God for your creation!

 

There is a folder of the April snow storms we have had this year. Thank you God for the moisture we have received here in Colorado. Everything is so green and filled with life. Although we were tired of snow, the benefits far outweighed the struggles. Thank you God for your forethought and design. It is beautiful!

 

Well, that finishes the first row of my desktop praying. I’ll save you the details of my remaining prayer walking through my desktop. I’ll work on the rest throughout the day.

 

This morning in my Bible study time, I asked God to show me how to illumine Him. For Him to point me to ways that I could point others to Him. I believe this is a start.

 

Perhaps today you will find the need to do exactly what I am doing. Praying more and illuminating God. If so, let’s travel on this journey together. Let me know how God is showing up in your life. Let me know what you’re eliminating so that God can take His place out front.

 

My greatest desire is to serve God. But I cannot have friendship with the world and with God at the same time. Jesus taught this concept as well. “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” (Matthew 6:24 – NIV)

 

Okay, I’m going back to prayer walk through the rest of my desktop. When I’m finished here, I have my laptop to pray over as well. Then there’s my phone…and my Nook reader…and my Zune…

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

 

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  • "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe." Ephesians 1:18-19

  • I am a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. I lived in the beautiful state of Colorado for 20 years where I found great inspiration for my novels and devotional writings. Currently living in Jacksonville, Florida.

  • I am passionate about helping women find their way to Jesus through Bible study, teaching, speaking, inspirational writing and creative Bible journaling.

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