Category Archives: Sacred Snippets

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Sacred Snippet: Tree Trimmers

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As I watched a crew of tree trimmers pruning the trees in my yard, there was one designated man whose job it was to place ropes securely around himself and climb into the inner portion of the tree to trim the branches that were high and unreachable to the other crew members. Without a doubt, this man–I feel sure—had been meticulously trained on how to use the saws and climbing gear properly.

I held my breath as this man stood on the tree limbs—convinced some would be too weak to hold him.

But then, I froze when I saw him slip a few feet down the limb. Only I WAS FEARFUL. He was not. He was confident because he had ropes holding him securely fastened in case of a fall.

He trusted in the ropes.

Watching him, I was reminded how many times we slip in our Christian walk, i.e. gossip, jealousy, critical spirit, and more.

But we have a God who, just like the ropes, holds us securely in place.

However, first, we must trust Christ to be assured of His full protection.

We do that by believing in Jesus Christ.

Then, we can lean on Him, securely aware He is our protector, and that He holds us securely in His arms.

In the Bible, ropes were used both for positive and negative purposes. On the positive side, ropes were used for . . .

  1. Support

After they had hoisted it up, they used supporting cables in undergirding the ship; and fearing that they might run aground on the shallows of Syrtis, they let down the sea anchor and in this way let themselves be driven along. (Acts 27:17)

  1. An escape

So, Michal let David down through a window, and he went out and fled and escaped. (1 Samuel 19:12)

  1. A reminder of God’s commandments

You shall, therefore, impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. (Deuteronomy 11:18)

Let us choose today to allow God’s “ropes” to give us His confidence during our times of need!

God Bless,

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Sacred Snippet: A Silver Lining

I admit it! I am a readaholic! During this quarantine period, I have read a ton of books. I usually only like to read one book at a time (along with the Bible), but I have found myself in a pickle these past few weeks—to the point of becoming overwhelmed.

I am currently reading…
– A book by A.W. Tozer;
– A book on the Christian life;
– A book preview for a friend who will publish her book soon;
– A book that is accompanied by a workbook;
– Reference books for when I have questions; and
– A book on Winston Churchill and World War II. [Usually, my bedtime reading!] What’s up with that?

But, God always has a silver lining for us! My silver lining is that I now get to pick up whatever book my mood directs me too!

Right now, I think I will go back and reread 1 Kings 12! It was awesome yesterday, so I am going to reread it.

As much as this quarantine has changed our lives, do you have a silver lining you would like to share? I would love to hear it!

Christian Living, God's Will, GreenePastures.org, Jesus Christ, Patti Greene, Sacred Snippets

Sacred Snippet: Hidden Faults

If you have ever lived any length of time in a house, you know its hidden faults—those flaws that others who enter do not see. It might be the chips on your wooden floor that only you notice. It might be the water stain on the ceiling that no one sees unless they look up, or it could be the light fixture you never turn on because there is something faulty with the electrical outlet.

As a house has hidden “dents and dings”, we as human beings do as well.

We try to conceal them from others. Many times, succeeding.

Unfortunately, sometimes we try to hide these shortcomings, frailties, and weaknesses from God. Be that as it may, that is an impossible endeavor, because the Lord already knows everything about us. He knows our vices, our sins, and our thoughts. Our Heavenly Father even knows our personality and our temperament.

God confirms He knows us in Psalm 139 when He says, He…

  • Formed our inward parts;
  • Wove us in our mother’s womb;
  • Knows our frame;
  • Understands our thoughts;
  • Knows when we sit down and when we rise; and
  • Is acquainted with all our ways.

We may love our house—imperfections and all, but do these spots and blemishes ever end up on a “to do” list for someone to fix? Of course, they do!

God loves us—His children—and we are always on His “to do” list. He sees us and knows what is best for us. Desiring to lead and guide our souls, He disciplines and lovingly guides us knowing how to perfect us to bring more honor and glory to His holy name.

Today, let God have His way and will with you. Allow Him to fix you up so you can be the shining example He desires you to be. Ask Him to show you your imperfections. Then, confess them and claim the victory the Lord Jesus Christ won for you on the cross at Calvary.

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16 NASB)

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Sacred Snippet: Spiritual Growth

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I’ve been thinking about that dreaded feeling I experienced when I realized a painter had painted over all the markings on our “kid’s growth chart.”

Before the days of professionally-made wooden and personalized growth charts, I used to mark our kid’s height/growth on the inside pantry door in our home.

This reminded me of our spiritual growth!

– How is our spiritual growth chart?
– Is it short, tall, healthy, on track?
– Are you in a season of mighty growth?
– Or is it no longer there–just like our kid’s pencil and pen written growth chart?

We all grow at various times and through various means.

However, sometimes our growth chart patterns can signal a spiritual problem.

If you are concerned about your spiritual growth or lack thereof, talk to the Lord about it—just like a parent would talk to their child’s doctor if they weren’t growing.

“Complacency is easy and a deadly foe of spiritual growth.”
-A.W. Tozer

John 15:4-5