MESSAGES
"For if you live according to the flesh you will die"
- (Romans 8:13) -
Over the years, our home has been visited by many of God's creatures. We've had possums and foxes attempt to set up camp in our backyard. We even had a skunk take over our home for 2 hours one evening, but that's another story. Our most recent uninvited guest was a sparrow-hawk. It actually flew down our chimney, and became trapped in our fireplace.
We heard the bird as its wings fluttered against the brick wall, unsuccessfully, in an attempt to fly up and out of the fireplace. Yours truly donned his Captain Birdbrain uniform, and came to the rescue. After freeing the hawk from the fireplace, and chasing it around the inside of our home for the next half hour, I was finally able to catch it in order to set it free.
Upon re-entering our home, thinking the excitement was over for the evening, our ears detected a softer noise coming from the fireplace. As we began our investigation, we discovered the sparrow, which the hawk had chased down the chimney.
As I thought about it, I realized that hawk was so concerned with satisfying its fleshly appetite that it paid no attention to what lie ahead. Its pursuit of the sparrow almost led to its own death. I guess you could say: The hunter almost became the game. What if the sparrow had made no noise, and I had decided to build a fire that evening? Roast hawk! What if I heard its noise, saw that it was trapped, but made no effort to reach out and save it? Dead hawk!
You and I were once very much like that hawk. We were chasing after our sparrows: alcohol, drugs, sex, money, possessions, fame, etc. Whatever would satisfy our immediate craving was all we were looking for. Nothing else seemed to matter. We were focused on one thing and one thing only self-satisfaction.
And where was our way leading us? Perhaps not to a fireplace, but indeed a place of fire. The Bible says, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end leads to death" (Proverbs 14:12).
When we realized we were trapped, we began frantically fluttering, trying to save ourselves, all to no avail. But God heard our cry, reached out and saved us. He didn't light a fire under us and watch us roast. He didn't hear our cry and then turn His back on us. God heard our cry, came running to us, reached out His hand, dusted off the soot, cleaned us up, and gave us life. God caught us in order to set us free. It's time to stop chasing sparrows, and let God satisfy you.
"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing"
-John 6:63-
God bless you,
Pastor Steve
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| SHIELD OF FAITH |
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For more information,
call (951) 687-6902
Attention Juanita
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