Day 17 - Aspen Groves

Thoughts on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 167

         

Michael’s book is available through:

Abiding Life Ministries International

Littleton, Colorado

(303) 972-0859       www.abidinglife.com

Notice:  this email is part of a BLOG, called Living Life With a Capital “C”.  Why a blog?  So that many can receive these thoughts in an easy manner. 

As 2015 draws to a close, it comes to mind to take a look back and see where God has brought us…and where He is taking us.  In Day 17 of MWfHS Michael takes us on a walk through the fabulous Aspen trees of Colorado…and draws a connection between the aspens and the Lord…very interesting.

Day 17

Aspen Groves

And the {seed} in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance. --Luke 8:15

I love to walk in the aspen grove, said to be the largest living organism. The aspen does not have seeds but sends up shoots from its roots. One tree, then, can spawn a thousand; a whole forest is often attached to one tree! Amazing! So it is with Jesus, the firstborn of a new race of man. He does not drop seeds here and there, for every true tree must come from the root of the True Tree; we must all be attached to Him. In the aspen grove some trees are great, some weak, some dead, and some, apparently, doing nothing. Yet every one of them is attached to the same root; they all have the same potential. It is a mystery why some grow and some fail, some become large and some stay spindly. It is a surprise that the greatest trees fall in the worst winter storms, their bark becoming the food that will sustain the deer. They become great only to become food for something else. Well, amen! Are you willing to be an aspen that is attached, becomes great, and one day is food to nourish others?

Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point      Green – IT, Incredible Truth        

Red – GP, Greatest Promises

Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches           Pink – PV, Priceless Victory

I suppose it goes without saying, but…has there been any fruit in my life this past year?  Every one of us should ask that question.

Interestingly, just in the past few days, I have had the discussion with a couple of close friends as to why some Christians “are great, some weak, and some, apparently, doing nothing.  Yet every one of them is attached to the same root; …all have the same potential.  It is a mystery why some grow and some fail…”

But, then we must ask ourselves the question Michael poses: Am I willing to be an aspen that is attached, becomes great, and one day is food to nourish others?

Wonder what 2016 will bear out???

To access ALL past weekly blogs, go to Living Life With a Capital “C” by logging onto www.leemccm.blogspot.com 

NOTICE: another blog on Michael Wells’ book, Sidetracked In The Wilderness, called Getting Out of the Wilderness.  You can access by logging onto www.leemcchristianministries.blogspot.com

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

(twitter) @bleemc67    (email) leemccm@gmail.com

P.O. Box 633244    Nacogdoches, Tx 75963                                       936-559-5696

"Our Heavenly Passport"

Thoughts on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 166

         

Michael’s book is available through:

Abiding Life Ministries International

Littleton, Colorado

(303) 972-0859       www.abidinglife.com

Notice:  this email is part of a BLOG, called Living Life With a Capital “C”.  Why a blog?  So that many can receive these thoughts in an easy manner. 

Three weeks ago I mentioned that I was going to Africa on a mission trip.  It was a marvelous experience.  Our mission team visited Kitale, Kenya, and had the privilege to be with Pastor Richard Makani & his wife, Hellen, and missionaries Jim & Melody Cooper from Arkansas.  The work GOD has done, and is doing, through these folks in the kids out of the Kipsongo Slum in Kitale is nothing less than miraculous…God’s miracle work.  I summed up what I saw by saying, “God’s hand is not ON this ministry…He has both of His hands IN this ministry!” 

Michael Wells experienced this same work of God in many places around the globe.

“Our Heavenly Passport” (my title today)

Let’s look once more at what Michael has stated, and then what our team experienced, as we travelled to Kenya…

(an excerpt from day 255 in MWfHS…repeated from blog #165)

Christianity has rightly been described as a “much more” gospel, for what it gives is always much more! Our citizenship, our passport, our protection, and our representation are much more than the world can conceive of or offer. Wherever we go, we stand in Christ. In Him, we are more than conquerors. In Him everything is given to us. We are His possession. To let the Christian into a business or home is to let in Christ. I enjoy the concept of American citizenship, but I love the power and reality of a heavenly citizenship. Wherever the believer stands is a safe place, with a force much greater than himself behind him.

Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point      Green – IT, Incredible Truth        

Red – GP, Greatest Promises

Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches           Pink – PV, Priceless Victory

1. We experienced the presence of God in every spot we placed our feet.  It was incredible how we saw Him in the eyes of airport security in Amsterdam, the elders of the Kipsongo Slum, the people of Nairobi and Eldoret we interacted with, in the businesses and streets of Kitale, and especially in the kids of the orphanage.

2. We experienced the protection of God every moment of every day.  Not once did God allow an incident or a person to present any danger to any of us.

3. We experienced the provision of God in every way possible…safe travel, abundance of food, secure housing, reception and fellowship with Believers, no sickness, total coverage of all costs for the trip, abundant gifts from friends to provide special services for those we were ministering to…and perhaps the greatest provision: freedom to preach and teach Christ everywhere we went.

In essence, we experienced the plan of God for our lives for these 11 days.  In non-typical Michael Wells fashion, most of our days were “mapped out”…hour after hour.  But, in the end, it was the “change of our plans,” the “un-planned moments,” the “God has a plan happenings” that made me remember Michael, and Michael’s writing above, and remember Almighty God walking along with me (us)…and to smile and think of just what “our Heavenly passport” always provides.  Well, amen.

To access ALL past weekly blogs, go to Living Life With a Capital “C” by logging onto www.leemccm.blogspot.com 

NOTICE: another blog on Michael Wells’ book, Sidetracked In The Wilderness, called Getting Out of the Wilderness.  You can access by logging onto www.leemcchristianministries.blogspot.com

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

(twitter) @bleemc67    (email) leemccm@gmail.com

P. O. Box 633244    Nacogdoches, Tx 75963                                 936-559-5696