My house is full of little things.  Some are useful, some sentimental and some surprising.  If you took one glance around my living room you’d probably never expect to find a lava lamp in my home, but I have one!  Lava lamps were invented by Edward Craven Walker, a British accountant, in 1963.  The glass lamps contain a special colored wax mixture floating inside a translucent liquid which is heated from below by an incandescent light bulb.  The heat from the bulb causes the wax to rise, but once away from the heat source it cools and floats back down to the bottom of the lamp.  The bulb then heats the wax again and it floats back to the top.  The process repeats over and over as long as the lamp is on.  When they are off, lava lamps are not much to look at, but when the heat is on you can watch those floating shapes for hours!  Without the heat, the beauty of the lava lamp is unperceivable, but when the heat is on, its beauty is noticeable to all.
            Beauty produced by heat is not exclusive to lava lamps.  Most precious gems are produced by massive amounts of heat below the earth’s surface.  Sand is turned into glass by the heat of a furnace and glass-blowers will heat and reheat it until they’ve created a piece of beauty.  Steel and other forged metals are shaped into decorative items in the same way.  Ceramic glazes look down-right ugly until the fire of a kiln brings out the hidden colors from the minerals and elements that were mixed in order to produce it.  But according to the Bible the most beautiful thing produced by “heat” is our faith. 
            There is a mind-set among some believers that once you accept Christ as your Savior nothing bad will ever happen to you again.  Apparently Peter knew some folks who felt the same way for in 1 Pet. 4:12-14 he admonishes them, “Don’t be surprised when you encounter trials” echoing the very words He heard Jesus say (Mt. 5:10-12).  Not all trials have to be catastrophic or monumental, but we shouldn’t be surprised by them.  According to Jesus they are a natural part of faith-based living.
            But why do they come?  What is their purpose?          James reveals the answer in his letter written to believers scattered across the Roman Empire in Js. 1:2-4.  There are several key words here.  First, the word “testing” (dokimion) refers to a criteria or process that demonstrates whether or not something is genuine.  In NT times it was used of metals that were without alloy.  In a similar fashion, it’s like the folks who “thump” a melon to see whether or not it’s ripe.  The second word is “produces” which is based on the verb “to work” and it carries the idea of something being carried out until a task is complete or finished.  The third word, endurance, can also be translated as perseverance and it is the same word Paul uses in Rom. 5:3-5 to describe the effect of tribulations we encounter while living out our faith.    Both James and Paul state that the “result” (a word that can also mean objective or purpose) of this testing is that our faith reaches its desired goal.  This word combined with “perfect” paints a picture of something which is finished and complete- that is the process has come to an end and the work is done much like a product which has reached the end of the production line in a factory.
            Faith under fire or faith which has encountered various struggles is faith which brings out the beauty of what we believe.  Or perhaps it is better to say WHO we believe.    If we have placed our faith in material possessions our faith will come under fire when they slip away (Mt. 6:19-21).  If we have placed our faith in human institutions or one particular person our faith will come under fire when they fail us.  But when we face a trial as a result of misplaced faith or any other reason and we understand that it is part of the process of refining our faith and bringing out its beauty then our struggles take on a whole new meaning.  It doesn’t mean we will look forward to going through them!  But it does mean we will appreciate their purpose because they will teach us more about Jesus and His suffering (1 Pet. 4:13) and help us to be more like Him (Rom. 8:16-18; 1 Pet. 2:21; 3:13-17).
            Like a lava lamp whose wax remains lifeless until the warmth of the incandescent bulb reaches the right temperature, our faith will remain unnoticeable until a struggle or trial causes us to stretch our faith muscles and rely on no one else but Jesus (Mt. 5:14-16).  But accepting a trial as a “proof-test” of our faith helps us to see that struggles are a thing of beauty and the end result of them brings glory and praise to Jesus (1 Pet. 1:6-8).
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

            My house is full of little things.  Some are useful; some not so useful.  Some are meaningful; some not so meaningful.  And some are just part and parcel to the more functional aspects of life.  Such is the state of all those wires and cords running through my home.  They attach smaller necessities such as lamps, small appliances, computers and hair dryers as well as the BIG stuff, like the oven and the washing machine to the source of power running through all those wires in my walls. Without all those wires and cords none of those household items would function unless there was a battery-powered option on them.  But even if the electricity is running and no storm has downed the power lines in our area, unless those wires and cords are plugged into the power source, they’re totally useless!  That thought has reminded me of an image from nature that Jesus used to describe our need to be connected to Him- vines.
            While a tangled mass of cords and wires may not be very pretty (and pose a safety hazard too!), vines, on the other hand, are quite appealing when their tangled branches grace a trellis or the edges of a garden.  Vines are really quite beautiful in my opinion.  The graceful way they curl and twist about their host has such an artistic appeal.  Cultivated vines, like the ones you see in a vineyard, are elegant and picturesque.  But some vines, although visually appealing, rob both nutrients and oxygen from their host until they completely kill it.  Covered with a massive and invasive vine the host appears to be full of life, but in reality, life is long gone.  Good or bad, there is one common element in all vines.  Unless the smaller branches are connected to the main branch, they will not produce fruit.
            In John 15:1-11 Jesus uses imagery from the vineyard and proclaims, “I am the True Vine and My Father is the Vine-dresser” and, “I am the Vine and you are the branches”.   As the “true” vine, Jesus is opposite of that which is false.  Some vines may produce beautiful berries, but if they’re not edible, you’d better not eat them!  As the Vine-dresser, God the Father cultivates the vine by pruning away dead branches when they cease to bear fruit.  As the branches of Jesus’ vine, His disciples are to remain connected to Him.  For some this passage may evoke concern over the permanence of salvation, but it’s very important to keep the principles you draw out of a passage within the context.  The point here is not which branches will stay and which branches will be burned; the point is that fruitless branches are, well…without fruit!  As any vintner knows, branches which don’t produce fruit deplete nutrients and water from the branches that do.  So the branches which are healthy are therefore the ones the farmer wants to invest his time and energy on.  Simply put, Jesus is conveying the idea that we should stay connected to Him because that is the way our lives will be fruitful.  And not only will we be fruitful, we will also bring glory (doe-kah-zo) that is, recognition, honor and praise, to the One who tends our branch.
            Jesus says it is a far greater accomplishment to bring God glory by producing fruit that He is pleased with (Gal. 5:22-23).  It is obvious when you look at a natural vine to see the smaller branches connected to the larger and the larger connected to the root system.  But we are speaking of a spiritual connection when we talk of Jesus as the Vine and we being His branches.  What are the ways we stay connected to Him?  There are three ways that come to mind.  First, we stay connected to Him by communicating with Him in prayer (Mt. 6:5-13; Lk. 18:1-8; 1 Thes. 5:17; Js. 5:13-18).  Secondly, we stay connected to the Vine when we are in His Word (Ps. 119:11-16, 105-106; Col. 3:16-17; 2 Tim. 2:15; Heb. 4:12; 1 Pet. 2:1-2).  And thirdly we stay connected to the Vine when we are connected to His people (Ac. 2:43-47; 1 Cor. 11:33; Eph. 2: 14-21; 5:15-21; Heb. 10:24-25).  Each one of these connections brings nutrients into our faith that help us to grow and mature as Christ wants us to (Lk. 8:11-15; Eph. 4:11-16; Heb. 5:13-14; 6:1) and enables us to produce the kind of fruit He desires.
             Are you connected to the True Vine?  If yes, then you will be producing the kind of fruit which makes others recognize Who is tending to your branch (Mt. 5:14-16 with a slightly different metaphor).  But if you are not connected to The Vine, perhaps it is time to reconnect with Jesus, for by remaining separated from Him, you will not be able to produce the fruit He is looking for (Jn. 15:5).  I don’t know about you, but I do not want to be a vine that has no grapes!  Therefore I’m staying connected to THE Vine.  How about you?
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

            My house is full of little things.  Some are useful; some not so useful.  Now that the cooler weather has come to stay there is one item (in fact many) that will come in handy when it’s time to light the woodstove (our main source of heat): matches!  The practical ones which stay on top of the mantle until needed come in a box which has rough sides so that match can be struck there to bring forth a flame.  But in a decorative tin on a shelf in my dining room I also have a tiny collection of matchbooks from places I’ve been throughout my life.  Most of them are from restaurants (several of which are no longer in business) but two are souvenirs from first trip to Israel.  It’s funny what little trinkets turn into collections of fun memories.  But as for the useful ones, I’m not sure how many boxes we’ve been through- but I know it’s a lot! 
            Have you ever watched a match ignite?  Without the benefit of modern photography it’s nearly impossible to see the actual moment when the phosphorous and other elements on the match head connect with the strip on the side of the box which gives it enough friction to light.  But looking at photos which have captured the moment is quite fascinating- at least to me it is!  The actual moment is most likely a millisecond or less, yet the result is instantaneous and the fire it causes spreads quickly.  One popular song began, “It only takes a spark to get a fire going…” (Pass It On), and this fact is born out in many a wildfire that was inadvertently started by a careless camper.  Matches are volatile and therefore a very apt illustration of one seemingly insignificant part of the body- the tongue.
            James in writing to believers who were dispersed across the Roman Empire wrote very strongly about the effects of the tongue (Js. 1:26; 3:1-2).  He likens the tongue to two different items.  First, he says the tongue is like a bridle which steers a beast of burden, and secondly it is like a rudder which directs a ship.  Both of these objects are rather small compared to the whole, but each one determines the path which will be taken.  James also states that the tongue is “set” among the members of the body.  The Greek word here indicates that whatever direction the tongue steers us stems from the body as a whole and James indicates that this is inherently evil.  The “evil” spoken of here is not that of some horror movie where evil is almost beyond stopping or the epic battle between good and evil in a fantasy novel.   It is instead related to injustice or literally “that which ought not to be”.   What evil stands in contrast to is truth which occupies a place with justice.  Whatever does not match God’s justice is not God’s goal for us and in the end what is wrong in man’s relationship to man, is also wrong in man’s relationship to God.  James completes his thought with two more examples.  The first, a fountain of water, is noted as only being able to produce one kind of water.  It cannot produce both sweet and bitter.  The second, a fig tree, only produces its own fruit.  It produces figs.  It cannot produce grapes.  What James is indicating here is that the tongue can only produce what’s on the inside of a man.  Whatever the tongue produces only reveals what is truly on the inside of a person.  And it is as hard to tame or control as a fire.
            Guarding the tongue is serious business.  Whether it is watching your temper, your language, your attitude or simply minding your manners, how well you control it shows to others the level of your Christian maturity.  James is not the first one to take note of this or to liken the tongue to a fire (see Ps. 12:1-4; 32:8-9; 140:3; Prov. 16: 24, 27; 26:20; Mt. 7:16; 12:34-37) and Jesus considered words spoken in anger akin to murder (Mt. 5:21-22).  In a day and age where there are few filters on what people say to one another, the area of the tongue is one that testifies what life in Christ is all about.  It seems that everywhere you go, a new voice rises to incite anger and unrest and sadly many times Christians get caught up in the thick of it.  What kind of witness does this bear to those around us?
            There is probably no better example in the New Testament concerning the tongue than Paul’s urgent plea for reconciliation with two women in the church at Philippi, Euodia and Syntyche.  Apparently their disagreement and the ensuing “whisper campaign” threatened to destroy the unity of this church.  Paul emphatically urges them to live in harmony with one another; not in tension (Phil. 4:1-3).  Likewise Paul urged Philemon, a master who had every right to publicly humiliate his runaway slave, to speak with love and concern rather than anger and judgment (Philemon vv. 17-21).  Like James, Paul says that words well-chosen achieve righteousness and that is God’s desire for us (Jas. 1:19-26).  What is coming out of your mouth these days?  Are you starting fires?  Or is your rudder set on God’s course?  Perhaps these verses will spur you on to use the tongue in a positive way (Ps. 19:14; Prov. 10:11, 19, 31-32; Rom. 10:14-15; Col. 3:15-17; Heb. 13:15).
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

            My husband Jeff was holding a conversation with our friend Tom a while back concerning all those wonderful aches and pains that come with getting older.  But Tom had found some relief from them with the purchase of a new pillow.  He was absolutely convinced that this pillow had made a huge difference in the way he was sleeping.  It was enough of an endorsement that a few weeks later when Jeff saw a display of them he got one.  You may have seen the infomercials featuring Michael Lindell, the creator of “My Pillow”.  The company was founded in 2004 with Lindell and 5 employees sewing the pillows by hand.  Today the Chaska, Minnesota based company employs 1500 people and has sold millions of pillows.  It is not surprising to me that in today’s rushed and stressful way of life that people are constantly looking for a restful night’s sleep.  Perhaps that’s what is so appealing about “My Pillow”.  It lives up to its advertising for most people and for Jeff it has done the same.
            On the opposite end of the spectrum, no one would think to use a stone as a way of achieving a good night’s sleep or a place to rest one’s head.  But it is the image portrayed in Gen. 28: 10-22.  Jacob has cheated his brother Esau out of his birth right and his blessing from their father Isaac.  He has left the easy grazing and water supply at Be’er Sheva and is on his way to seek refuge at Uncle Laban’s in Haran. It’s not an easy trek by any means but with the threat of a hot-headed brother bent on revenge it is one that Jacob is making quickly.  Jacob exhausted and at a safe distance from Esau, decides to rest for the night.  Although most artistic depictions of this scene have Jacob resting his head on “My Stony Pillow” in reality he probably placed several stones around his head.  When you’re sleeping on the ground in the desert it’s safe to say there are a few creepy crawlies who are out and about at night that you don’t want crawling on top of your head!  Stones are a good deterrent.  What follows is a heavenly vision which prompts Jacob to proclaim the area sacred and to set up a “standing stone” in remembrance of the event.
            Jacob is not the only person in Scripture who while on the run finds rest and an encounter with God.  Elijah is fleeing the angry and vindictive Jezebel after his amazing showdown on Mount Carmel against her false prophets (1 Kin. 19:1-18) and after some rest, he too encounters God.  Jesus also valued rest and promised to give it to His disciples (Mt. 11:28-30).  This wonderful promise follows on the heels of a declaration of judgment against three popular and industrious cities in the time of Jesus: Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum (Mt. 11:20-24).  In each of these cases, whether an individual who is on the run, or a city whose industry makes for a comfortable life, it would appear that the activity will result in rest.  Persecution will cease (as soon as I escape).  I’ll be able to take a vacation (when the work is done).  But Jesus claims neither of these things will bring rest.  On a deeper, spiritual level, there is only one way to find rest.
            The author of Hebrews continued this train of thought when he approached the subject of rest in chapter 4 (Heb. 4:1-16).  The believers he wrote to were still worshipping in the Temple and following the sacrificial system as prescribed in the Mosaic Covenant.  Apparently they assumed that this system was THE way to “rest” before the Lord.  But there is nothing permanent in the sacrificial system.  Each offering, each sacrifice only supplies rest on a limited basis.  Simply put, there are not enough sacrifices to pay for the penalty of sin.  The writer uses two examples to illustrate this principal.  First he recalls the incident at Meribah where the Israelites argued about water with Moses and tried God’s patience (Ex. 17:1-7).  The second illustration also draws from Israel’s history as Joshua leads the people into the Promised Land but must conquer it before they can “rest” (Jos. 23:1-13).  Each one of these illustrations involves work in order to accomplish the goal but the “work” involving the removal of sin is far more difficult.  In fact, it is impossible in human terms to completely remove it.  But, echoing the words of Christ Himself, the author points out there is a permanent, lasting, and perpetually superior way into the presence of God- Jesus Christ (vv. 14-16).
            It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that we can work long enough or hard enough to earn rest.  After all most of us have jobs with paid vacations that reinforce this, right?  We can approach our faith the same way.  “If I’m good enough, put a tithe in the offering plate, say grace before meals, go to a Bible Study, watch my language, be nice to other people…”, the list goes on.  None of these actions will bring us the rest being spoken of here.  Like the believers who were basing their relationship with the Lord on the sacrificial system, we think our behavior allows us access to God’s ear and we’ll find rest.  If that’s what you’re doing my friend, then you are resting your head on the wrong pillow (Heb. 4:9-10).
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

            The year was 2016 and it was my birthday.  But on this particular birthday, I was the one who was giving a gift, not receiving one.  My youngest granddaughter was totally into the “Frozen” phenomena like many little girls were at the time.  My niece, an aspiring actress, had a job playing “princesses” for a party company.  So I had hired her to come dressed as Elsa (one of two main characters in the Frozen story, and perhaps the more popular of the two) to surprise my granddaughter.  Our family was chatting and enjoying each other’s company when there was a knock on the door.  “Oh, Lucy, I think that knock is for you,” I said, “Could you go open the door?”  She was a little hesitant so her mom took hold of the handle while Lucy waited.  My camera was up and ready and the look of surprise on Lucy’s face was priceless!  “She’s REAL!!” she exclaimed as Katie/Elsa stepped through the door. 
            My house is full of doors.  I’m sure yours is too.  I decided to count them today and discovered that including my furniture and appliances I have 50 doors in my house!  And for the most part (excluding a knock on the front door) I know what is behind each one of them.  The most common word for door in the Old Testament is a word (pehtah) which can refer to an opening, an entrance, a door, or doorway.  It could apply to tents, homes, or even caves where there was an unobstructed entrance into an enclosure which also allowed this word to be used metaphorically as well.  We find an example of this very early on in Scripture in the account of Cain and Abel (Gen. 4:1-8).  Most of us are familiar with the story.  Adam and Eve have two sons.  Cain, the older, becomes a “tiller of the soil” while his younger brother, Abel, tends to flocks.  At some point each man determines it appropriate to bring the Lord a sacrifice.  Cain approaches this quite casually and grabs whatever is handy from the harvest (v.3) but Abel takes this more seriously and brings the finest of his herd with a fat portion (the tastiest and most desirable part of the meat- v. 4).   The Lord is pleased with Abel’s sacrifice but was disinterested in Cain’s (v. 5).  We are not told how these men knew one offering was preferred over the other, but we are told how it affected Cain.  The NASB says his “countenance fell” and that he became angry.  The Lord challenges this behavior and basically tells Cain, “If you do what you know pleases Me, you won’t be downcast and angry”.   The Lord then reveals to Cain that “sin is couching at the door and it desires you, but you must master it” (v.6-7).
            Cain is presented with two choices.  The first is to do what he knows is right.  The alternative is to allow what is “at the door” to enter.  The allusion here indicated by the word “couch” (rabas) is that of a wild animal which is lying down, either at rest or stalking prey.  Sin is at rest, just outside the door of Cain’s heart.  But its desire (tsoo-kay) is for him like a wild animal which desires to eat.  This word is the same type of longing that lovers have for one another.  That kind of longing is not always a healthy one and that is certainly the case here.  Cain must “master” this- a word which means to rule, reign or have dominance over.  Cain must tame the beast.  Sadly, as one commentator noted, Cain does not respond to the Lord’s guidance.  Rather than allowing the reprimand to lead to contrition, it embittered him toward his brother.  Cain allowed sin to master him by opening the door to it.  Kenneth A. Matthews wrote, “In this account we learn that sin has a pervasive power that seizes occasion to enslave its victims (Rom. 3:9; 1 Cor. 15:56; 1 Jn. 5:19).”  Paul echoed this struggle in Rom. 7:14-25 emphasizing that the only hope in mastering sin is Christ Himself.  Matthews concluded, “Cain’s refusal to deal rightly with his sin permitted his anger to fester into murder.”  It was a tragic ending to something that could have easily been corrected.
            And that is usually the outcome of sin, isn’t it?  We think that some little indiscretion, a miss-step, a lax of attitude, a burst of anger with a quick, haphazard apology, an undetected wrong, can be overlooked or not held against us.  But with each “little sin” we have cracked open the door.  We have given over our freedom to a master other than Christ and before we know it, we’ve become “dinner” for the beast (1 Pet. 5:8).  But we do not have to open the door to it.  Through the power of Christ and through the work of the Holy Spirit, we can tame the beast (Rom. 8:1-8; 1 Cor. 2:10-16; Eph. 5:18).  The Church at Laodicea thought they had their sins covered.  They thought their wealth and beauty masked the stench of sin hiding underneath all the glitz and glamour of their city.  But they didn’t fool Christ.  Neither do we.  Jesus admonished them that He was standing at the door knocking (Rev. 3:14-22).  And I believe He is often knocking upon our “door” as well.  The question is, who are we letting in?
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

            I am not a very good gardener- at least not in the planning, cultivating and nurturing sense.  If it comes in bulb form, or you can plant it once and it takes care of itself from then on, I’m good!  So I think you would find it surprising that I have a small bag of Marigold seeds on hand.  Marigolds seem to be one of the flowers that do well in the decorative pots I keep on my deck.  After the blossom has faded, I collect the seed heads for next year’s “crop” and in the Spring I plant them back in the pots to bloom once again.  Whether you’re a master gardener, or a lazy one like me, every garden starts with the same components:  seeds, soil and weather (that is sun and water), and of course, a gardener.
            The psalmist claims in Psalm 1:1-3 that a fruitful garden (the garden being a metaphor for life) is accomplished when the gardener takes “delight” in God’s Word and “meditates” on it day and night.  The Hebrew word for “meditates” means chew.  The allusion is that in the garden of life one gets all the nutrients he needs by chewing on God’s Word.  It’s not hard to see the similarities here to planting seeds in soil which has the proper nutrients.  If seeds need to be in nutrient-rich soil to thrive, so does our soul and God’s Word is the soil we must be planted in.
            Jesus used another agricultural example to further illustrate this principle (Jn. 15:1-5).  In Jesus’ version a vinedresser is examining his vineyard and pruning off branches that aren’t producing fruit.  There are two harvests in Israel- one in the Spring and one in the Fall.  Gardeners prune in the Spring to encourage the branches to produce fruit.  But they also prune a second time in the Fall- after it has become evident that the branches pruned in Spring were fruitless.  The discarded branches ended up making some nice kindling, but that’s about all they did.  The branches that are generally cut off are those branches that appear to have the promise of fruit, but in the end do not produce it.  Those branches were sucking nutrients away from the good branches, so they needed to be removed.  Like the plants in the garden of Ps. 1, the branches which produce fruit on this vine are fruitful because they are connected to a nutritional source.  They are connected to the vine.  Jesus claims that in order for us to produce fruit we must be connected to Him.  He says that “apart from Him we can do nothing”.  I can’t think of a better illustration.  A branch not properly connected to the vine produces no fruit- we can see that!  If we are not connected to Jesus, we will not produce the fruit He desires.  What kind of fruit is Jesus looking for?
            You were probably thinking of the Fruit of the Spirit in Gal. 5:22-23 when you read that question.  That’s a great response!  But it would do us well to look at what happens if we do not “abide in Christ”; if we do not stay connected to The Vine found in the verses which precede the “Fruit of the Spirit” (Gal. 5:19-21).   If any one of the things listed in those verses is evident in your life, it may mean that you are not connected to the Vine when it comes to whatever is causing it.  I know it’s easy for me to say, “Well, I don’t have to worry about idolatry, drunkenness, sorcery and all those things on the list attached to inappropriate sexuality”.  BUT I’m not completely off the hook.  What about envy?  Oh yeah- I deal with that sometimes.  Outbursts of anger?  It’s easy to find excuses for those!  Even the godliest of people will face some of the interpersonal/relational struggles on this list because the flesh is prone to all of those (2 Cor. 6:18-19; Gal. 5: 16-17).  So when Jesus does His Spring pruning on us, it’s then up to us to become a productive part of the vine by responding to it (Prov. 3:11-12; Heb. 12:11).
            However our Gardener has not left us to take care of ourselves.  By remaining or abiding in Him, by meditating on His Word as the psalmist suggested, we as His garden can produce the fruit He desires which has led me to think about the most necessary item if you are to have a garden at all.  Seeds.  We all know the Parable of the Sower.  Most often we hear messages on that beloved parable that focus on how the Gospel is spread and who responds to it.  But that is not really the point of the parable.  It’s really all about FRUIT.  Each one of those seeds falls upon the ground.  Each one produces a plant.  But not all of the plants thrive due to the place where they have landed.  Without stretching the parable’s limits to where it should not go, our focus should remain on the type of fruit each seed produced.  Jesus wants us all to be like the seeds which landed on the good soil.  He wants us to produce fruit.
            So my musings on gardens and seeds has caused me to look over my life and examine it to see if I’ve been a seed which fell into good soil.  Have I watered myself with God’s Word?  Am I connected to the Vine?  Have I produced fruit?  Lord, I pray the answer is yes.
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

            I’m not sure what you have on your kitchen countertops but there is one item on mine that has been there for a long time- my honey pot.  I bought it and its matching syrup pitcher at a craft fair early in our marriage.  I’d never really given much thought about honey for many years and assumed it was basically all the same.  But as I’ve gotten more in touch with a healthier lifestyle and the medicinal benefits of honey, I’ve learned that there are as many different kinds of honey as there are flowers from which the bees can make it! 
            The land of Israel has a "nickname" which is derived from Exodus 3:8.  It is called "The Land of Milk and Honey".  We often associate the phrase milk and honey with the things that are familiar to us.  We hear the word milk and think of cows.  We hear the word honey and think of the sweet bounty of bees.  But if you were to travel about Israel in the days when God spoke these words to the people of Israel (Dt. 11:8-9; 26: 9, 15), you would have a hard time finding cow farms and bee keepers.  Goats were (and in many cases still are) the primary source of milk in Israel and the word most of our translations call honey was a sweet jam-like liquid made from dates.  These two words poetically describe the two general environments in Israel.  The Land of Milk describes the way of life in the southern and eastern regions, and the Land of Honey describes the way of life in the north and west. 
            There are three main characteristics of the Land of Milk: shepherds with herds, wide open spaces with plenty of room for them to roam, and desert areas such as the Negev (Gen. 13:1), the Wilderness of Paran (Num. 12:16), and the Wilderness of Zin (Num. 27:12-14).  There are three main characteristics of the Land of Honey as well:  farmers, less or no space to roam, and mountains with lots of water.  Life in the Land of Milk is unpredictable because of its low rainfall and sparse population.  It is a silent and lonely place.  Life there is demanding but with the right know-how one can survive.  It drives home the need for community.  Life in the Land of Honey though is quite different.  The seasons and life-cycles are predictable.  Because there are many villages and cities in this area, it is noisy and congested.  Life here is manageable, busy and the community is at the center of it all.
            When you are reading Bible stories, it is always a good idea to keep in mind whether the story takes place in the Land of Milk or the Land of Honey.  Putting these stories within their regional context helps to drive home their meaning.  When you read about the Red Sea, wadis and cisterns (Gen. 37:18-24), Abraham, Isaac, Jacob or Moses and Mount Sinai (Ex. 19:1-2), think about the Land of Milk.  Relationships are critical here since the environment can be so severe, so relationships are usually a central factor in these stories.  When you read about The Sea of Galilee (Mt. 4:18), mountains, terrace gardens (Lk. 8:5), the prophets and Jesus, or Mount Zion (1 Ki. 8:1), think of the Land of Honey.  The busy way of life here can be stressful and distracting.  Many of the “honey” stories have to do with value, priorities and maintaining a steadfast faith.  Even though it is a modern country in every sense of the word, the land of the Israel brings the ancient world of the Bible to life.  It is still possible to see all the attributes of the Land of Milk and Honey in action today.  Bedouin still roam with their herds across the Negev in the Land of Milk.  The Land of Honey is still bustling in the cities of Tiberias, Tel Aviv, and Jerusalem.
            “But Ann”, you may ask, “Is the land and its regions anything more than just a nice geography lesson?”  Yes!  The land is also a great metaphor for life.  We have days when our life feels as sparse and severe as the Land of Milk.  We have days when our life is as busy and productive as the Land of Honey.  Both attributes of the land were promised to the people of Israel and both attributes are to be found in life.  God is active in both of them and provides in every situation.  Though it is a harsh environment, the Land of Milk is successfully navigated by shepherds.  This aspect reminds us that the Lord is the Good Shepherd who guides us through our Land of Milk times (Ps. 23; Jn. 7:12; 10:14).  Though busy, the Land of Honey is well-watered and gardens are abundant there.  It teaches us that the Lord is our Gardener who manages the branches of His vine- that’s us! (Jn. 15:1-5) and determines if the fruit we are bearing is good (Lk. 6:43-45).  It is good for us to remember that God promised His people a land that included both of these environments so both will be a part of life and we will experience God working in both of them.  Which one do you find yourself in today?   Where do you see God at work?
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

     When my grandmother passed away there were many things from her home that I “inherited” mostly due to the fact that we were renting a home at the time and could use some of the less valuable items- like curtains.  Gramma had many windows draped with “sheers”- a soft flowing curtain made of fabric that let the light pass through into the home but obstructed a full view from outside.  I used some of them but many remained in a box until a friend of mine needed some sprucing up in her kitchen and Gramma’s curtains were just the style she wanted to hang there.  Unlike Gramma’sheers, the veil which separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies obscured the view of those ministering in the Holy Place.  They knew behind that curtain, the light of God’s glory rested on the Ark of the Covenant, but they could not see it.
            The Veil (Ex. 26:31-35; 36: 35-38) acted as a barrier between God and man.  In Hebrew the word is paroketh and it means “to separate”.  Simply put, the veil shut God in and kept man out.  There was only one day when the two could come together (Yom Kippur), and then, only one man (the High Priest), was allowed to enter.  Skillfully woven, the veil hung from gold hooks supported by four pillars of acacia wood overlaid with gold, and resting in silver bases.  Figures of cherubim (angelic beings of the highest order) were woven into the veil.   They symbolized God’s protective presence over the Holy of Holies.  According to the Talmud (a written collection of Jewish tradition, history, and interpretations of the Torah) the veil was 60' long and 30' wide, 4-6" thick (that’s THICK!!!).  It was made of 72 square yards of wool sewn together.  According to Jewish tradition, it took 300 men to hang it.
            The veil signifies several great spiritual truths.  First and foremost it reminds us that sin once separated us from God, but Christ, as our High Priest, has brought us back into fellowship with God (Heb. 9:1-14).  Secondly, it represents the fact that Jesus’ glory was also veiled when He took on flesh (Jn. 1:14; Phil. 2:5-8) and was only briefly visible during His earthly ministry (Mt. 17:1-8).  Third, it reminds us that we did not have any access to God before the finished work of Christ on the cross.  Mt. 27:45-53 records that the veil was torn from the top to the bottom at the time of Jesus’ death.  Considering that the veil was 6" thick, 60' by 30' in size, and that it took a large amount of men to hang it, it was obvious no one could tear it in this manner.
            Lastly, there is still a veil between ourselves and God, but it is not the veil of sin that separates us.  It is the limitations of our earthly bodies that will be removed when we are reunited with our Creator and we shall be fully like Him (1 Cor. 13:9-12).  At that time we will enter the presence of God without fear, unlike the High Priest who entered the Holy of Holies once a year to offer atonement for the nation of Israel (Lev. 16:1-34).  History tells us that this became such a moment of fear among the priesthood that by Jesus’ day a long cord was tied around the priest’s ankle, just in case he entered inappropriately and was struck dead.  The cord would allow the priest’s body to be pulled out so that no one else would die!  But now because we are in Christ, we can draw near to God in confidence (Heb. 4: 14-16, 7:23-25).
            I often imagine what it might have been like to pass through that massive curtain and set foot inside the Holy of Holies; to see the Ark of the Covenant with the cherubim gazing down upon its cover with their wings spread out overhead.  It must have been both awesome and overwhelming to be in the presence of God’s glory.  It has been said that the angels stared down upon the Mercy Seat (the name for the top of the Ark) in wonder for they do not have the experience of salvation as we do.  And then I realize that for me the greater wonder is that I can pass through the curtain into God’s presence any time I desire and I don’t have to be a priest to do it.  The curtain has been parted for me through the atoning work of Christ.  The blood of sacrifice that was sprinkled on the Ark by priests in the past has been surpassed by the blood of Christ.  The sins represented by that fabricated division have been paid for by Him- ALL of them.  Even more so is the fact that the Lord no longer dwells in a building such as the Tabernacle or the Temple, but instead has taken up residence in me by the indwelling of His Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19; Eph. 1:13; 2 Tim. 1:14)!  Curtains may have both a decorative and functional purpose in my home, but now they are a reminder of a great spiritual truth: the veil is torn, the curtain is parted and I am welcome to enter the presence of God (Heb. 10:19-23).
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

            It is one of the more unusual items on my bookshelf.  It’s twisted but smooth on the outside and bears a bright gold sticker that says, “Made in Israel” (although that’s not where I bought it).  Its streaked pattern covers the polished surface in brown, tan and creamy white.  I have used it many times when teaching and one of my more talented students was actually able to produce sound with it even though I never could.  You are probably thinking, “Well, what is it?”  It is a shofar.  And now you are probably saying, “And what is a shofar?!”  A shofar is a ram’s horn which has been boiled until the cartilage can be removed.  A hole is then drilled in the end to form a mouthpiece by cutting off the tip.  Shofars vary in length and size (the largest almost 3 feet in length).  In Biblical times the smaller ones were used in battle and the larger, longer ones were used at the Tabernacle and Temple when the people of Israel were gathered to worship the Lord.  Though an unusual item to be found in a home, my shofar has become a great reminder of God’s faithfulness to me.
            Most often translated as the word “trumpet” in our English translations the shofar plays an important role in several well-known Bible stories.  Perhaps the most well-known of these is Joshua’s epic march around the walls of Jericho (Jos. 6:1-27) but the shofar also factored into a decisive victory by Gideon as well (Jud. 7:15-25).  And although the word trumpet brings to mind a shiny metal instrument with valves and tubing on its top and sides, the horn of a ram is generally what is being spoken of when mentioned throughout the Psalms (47:5; 81:3; 98:6; 150:3) and in several New Testament passages too (1 Cor. 15: 25, 50-52; 1 Thes. 4:13-18; Rev. 8:1-6).  Most importantly the shofar takes center stage in one of Israel’s festival days but you would never know that since it was renamed during the Exile.  That festival is listed in Lev. 23:23-25 and Num. 29:1-6 as “a day for blowing trumpets” (Yom Teruah) but is now known as Rosh HaShannah.  The latter name means “the head or beginning of the year” but it’s clear from the layout of Lev. 23 that Passover holds that chronological distinction.  The name switch was an easy solution for the exiles to continue following the festival calendar without drawing attention to themselves since their Babylonian and Persian neighbors were holding their New Year celebrations at the same time.  After the Exile the new name for this holy day stuck and it has remained in place ever since.
            The celebration of trumpets in Biblical times was commanded to be “a holy convocation”, a day of rest from work, and a time for offering sacrifices.  Modern day observances are somewhat similar- no work, no school and a gathering of local congregations to hear the sounding of the shofar and to hear the stories of Abraham and Isaac (a ram whose horns were caught in a thicket spared the sacrifice of Isaac on an altar- Gen. 22:1-19), Joshua and Gideon.  The theme of each story reflects the way God has provided for His people and is a reminder that He will continue to provide in the year to come.  In Orthodox synagogues the shofar is sounded 100 times, while Reformed congregations sound 30 blasts.  Apples dipped in honey are also a tasty addition to the celebration symbolizing the wish for a “good and sweet New Year”.  The shofar blasts also announce a 10 day period of repentance which culminates on the next festival day, Yom Kippur.
            Bruce Scott wrote in regards to some of the modern observances, “There is no reason given in Scripture for blowing the trumpets other than as a “memorial” or reminder (Lev. 23:24).  But who needs to be reminded and of what?  Jewish tradition views blowing the shofar as more of a reminder to Israel than to God”.   In that way, the blowing of the shofar is like the ringing of an alarm clock.  Awake!  Reflect!  Be ready!  Of course we ALWAYS remember how faithful God is, don’t we?  No, we do not!  Devout Jews are not the only ones who need to be reminded of what God has done for them.  It is beneficial for us to do the same!  Just think about this: He is the God who destroyed a fortified city with seven shofars.  He is the God who routed an army of 10,000 soldiers with an army of 300 men using only torches and shofars.  He is the God who provided a ram caught in a thicket just when Abraham was about to make the ultimate sacrifice.  Is there anything that is impossible for Him (Lk. 1:37)?  That ram is a reminder that He also reconciled His wayward creation with another sacrifice of far greater value (Jn. 3:16-17).  Your own personal stories include times when God has faithfully been by your side.  Do you have “shofars” on your shelves that remind you of that?  I hope you do!
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

            My house is full of little things.  Some are valuable, some not so valuable, but the valuable things have been itemized and placed on our insurance policy.  The paper on which the policy is written is not valuable but it designates the things which are.  Some of those things have even greater value than their monetary worth because they have been handed down through our family.  Hopefully we will never need the money from our insurance to replace them because, truth be told, they are irreplaceable as far as our family is concerned.  Some people place a great deal of value on the “stuff” that they own.  I came across a sad confession some years ago as I read through the postings of my friends on Facebook.  A young father wrote of his feelings of failure in this life.  I sensed that they were due to that measuring stick we call "The American Dream".   A man is supposed to find himself a good job that pays well and allows him to acquire all the material pleasures of the good life- a home, a car, and of course, a big screen TV.  It is a common way of assigning worth these days.  People are valuable if they own things of value. 
            What things are considered valuable today?  The most valuable athlete in the world is Floyd Mayweather who recently took home $275 million in a boxing match against Conor McGregor.  The most valuable home, dubbed “The One”, is a mansion in the posh Bel Air hills overlooking L. A. and is selling for $500 million upon its completion.  It boasts 20 bedrooms, 5 elevators, 7 pools, a private night club with its own VIP lounge whose walls and ceiling are made of jellyfish aquariums, and a full-scale in-house beauty salon.   The most valuable gem, a red diamond (there are less than 30 in the entire world), sold in 2011 for $8 million.  The most valuable car is a 1963 Ferrari GTO, one of only 36 made, which sold for $70 million dollars to a private collector this past June.  I often wonder how the astronomical monetary value of the items on this list were established.  How can a boxing match be worth $275 million or a house $500 million?  I don’t see how an event, a house, a gem or a car could be worth THAT much!
            The psalmist warns us in Psalm 49 (vv. 16-20) to remember that wealth accumulated on this earth cannot be taken with us when we die.  Our sense of value and accomplishment must be taken from a different set of criteria than that of the world.  Oddly enough, the story of Cinderella illustrates what the Bible teaches.  Cinderella's father had married a proud and haughty woman, who relegated Cinderella to servitude after he died.  The "wicked" stepmother repeatedly told Cinderella that she was "common" and of little value but when the prince enters the story all that changes.  The extent of the prince's love for Cinderella compels him to search the kingdom high and low until he finds her.  His persistent love demonstrates her value and he goes to great lengths to be reunited with her.  Jesus told a parable about the same kind of love in Luke 15 (vv.3-7).  A shepherd with a large flock has lost one of his sheep.  Rather than leave it in the wilderness to succumb to the elements, the shepherd searches out the lost sheep and brings the little wanderer back to the fold.   This is a picture of God's love.  He has gone to great lengths in expressing His love for us and demonstrating our value to Him (see Phil. 2:5-8). 
            The greatest pitfall to emphasizing the monetary value of things (or people) is that it truly distracts us from what really matters in life.  Jesus challenged His followers to consider two examples from the world around us- the flowers of the field and the birds in the air (Mt. 6:25-29).  While each needs the basic necessities of food and shelter, neither stresses over those needs the way we do.  Jesus reminds us that God sees to the needs of His creation, and therefore He sees to ours as well.  Instead of striving to achieve value in society’s eyes, it is more important to strive for those things God values (Mt. 6:30-33).  In light of His love for us and the extent to which He expressed it, our perspective on earthly value should be drastically changed.  The author of Ecclesiastes understood that labor and the things we gain from it are only valuable if we keep our focus on the Lord (Ecc. 3:9-13) and Jesus also stressed that if we lose sight of our spiritual goals because of our need for profit and value, we lose something far greater (Mk. 8:36).
            In times of economic uncertainty it becomes easy to fall prey to calculating our value in terms of our earthly possessions and accomplishments as my friend on Facebook did.  Maybe you have been having similar feelings.  When those doubts come up, remember, God so loved you, that He sent His Son to save you (Jn. 3:16-17).   The world and its value system may lead you to believe that you are common.  That is not true!  The Prince has traveled throughout the kingdom to find you.  The Shepherd has searched the wilderness to bring you home.  There is no greater value than that.
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre