Giant Sequoia Redwood tree

The giant sequoia redwood trees in California are a great lesson for us.  Let me explain:  Although they average 300 feet tall, their roots are only 12-14 feet deep.  But these roots spread out over an acre anchoring in 90,000 cubic feet of soil.  The key to the sequoia’s stability is the grove of trees that they surround themselves with.  Sequoia redwoods never exist alone.  They can’t.  Winds would easily blow over a solitary 300-foot-high tree.  But their roods intertwine with each other in the grove keeping each securely anchored with the others.  Hey, while I am praying for you, you are praying for me as well.  Like the giant sequoias, we depend upon each other.  And I am so grateful for your prayers for Kathy and me.  Blessings and prayers to you as WE pray to the dear Lord for each other.

Looking for the Master

Yesterday afternoon, my daughter, son-in-law, and kids stopped by on their way to the coast for a vacation.  They dropped off Rosie, their little Shih Tzus to stay with us.  Rosie is well-behaved and no trouble at all.  But after Becky left, Rosie laid down at the top of the stairs watching the front door.  We distracted her with her ball, and she fetched for a while.  But she kept watching the door.  After we wore her out, she jumped up on the couch, crawled up onto the back of the couch and stretched out in front of the big living room window.  She was still watching for her master to return.  Hey, isn’t that what we Christians are supposed to be doing?  Aren’t we supposed to be watching for the return of Jesus?  When Jesus left this world 2,000 years ago, He promised that He would return. And He will!  Read I Thessalonians 4:13-18 for the details.  And, although these verses teach the doctrine of the second coming of Christ, our hearts should swell with the longing of the second coming of Christ.  Just like Rosie is longing for her master to return, we Christians should be longing for our Master to return.  Are you looking for the second coming of Jesus Christ?  It could be that you aren’t looking for the second coming of Christ because Jesus isn’t your Master.  Good question … and something to think about.

Prophecy

The Jews were proud of their beautiful Temple.  And rightly so.  With its gold-clad roof and white marble walls, it fairly shone in the bright sunshine.  But Jesus prophesied in Matthew 24:2 “… See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”  The Jewish leaders scoffed at the words of Jesus, but in 70 A.D. those words came to pass in an interesting way.  A Jewish revolt that began in 66 A.D. was being squelched by Vespasian when he was selected as the emperor to replace Nero.  He returned to Rome leaving his army in the hands of his son, Titus, who laid siege to Jerusalem.  Wanting to save the beautiful Temple, Titus gave strict orders not to touch the Temple Mount.  But after Jerusalem fell to the Romans, the ransacking began.  Someone set fire to the Temple and it burned to the ground.  As it burned, the gold melted and ran down into the cracks of the huge marble blocks.  The Roman legionnaires pried the scorched stones apart to retrieve the gold.  And, what do you know, when the Romans were finished, not a single stone was left on top of another.  Jesus’ words had come true.  His words were true when He spoke them in the first century, and they are just as true today.  Hey, have you trusted in Jesus as your Lord and Savior?  Don’t you want to know the peace that comes from knowing Jesus as the Lord of your life?  Do it now while you have the opportunity.