Christmas is fast approaching and I’m glad to say that this year, I’m doing pretty well in the gift department.  I only have 2 more presents to get and send.  All the gift buying and wrapping often causes me to appreciate many of the gifts I’ve received through the years.  Some of those gifts have come from faraway places.  The friends and loved ones who bought these treasures for me knew the kinds of things I like and their gifts reflect that: a little copper pyramid from Egypt, Brussels lace from Wales, a lovely decorated bird from the Ukraine, and a “widow’s mite” from Israel.  None of them seem unusual and all of them have a personal meaning to me.
            Holiday souvenirs are not the only gifts that people give and receive.  When a baby is born the same usually happens.  Those gifts can range from the practical (diapers, bottles, baby clothes) to the more elaborate (monitoring systems, strollers that convert to car seats and baby rockers and numerous toys!) but in the end they are all useful in one way or another even if it’s just to entertain baby while you make dinner.  Not many people would think of bringing the kinds of gifts to a baby that the Wise Men brought to Jesus but Scripture tells us they brought 3 very costly gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh.  It is obvious to most of us that gold is a gift you’d bring to a king and Matthew’s Gospel tells us that Wise Men did believe the star which led them to Jesus was an indication that royalty had been born (Mt. 2:1-2).  So we read of this gift and naturally pass by the other two without much thought.  But here is where the “baby gifts” get interesting!
            The use of essential oils has become quite popular recently but they are nothing new.  They were used widely in the ancient world for much of the same reasons we use them today, most notably in perfumes and medicinal treatments.  The Ebers Papyrus, a 16th c. B. C. list of medicines and recipes, includes both of the oils brought by the Wise Men to Jesus in Matthew 2- frankincense and myrrh.  Frankincense was extracted from the trunk of the Boswelia tree.  When the bark was cut resin would ooze out and harden into whitish beads.  These were collected and processed to make the oil.  Myrrh was also a plant based gum resin which was reddish in color.  Its name is derived from the Semetic root word mor which means “to be bitter” because of its taste.  Both of these oils were used perfumes and for incense (Ps. 45:8; Prov. 7:17; Est. 2:12; Rut. 3:3; SOS 3:6; 4:6; 2 Sam. 12:20; Ex. 30:7-8, 23, 34; Lev. 2:1-12; 6:14-18; 24:7).  Once processed the oils were transported throughout the ancient world via camel caravans (Gen. 37:25; 43:11; Is. 60:6; Rev. 18:13).
            Although oils were used by both rich and poor, male or female to cover over offensive odors and protect the skin from the ravages of the climate and age, frankincense and myrrh did not fall in that common use category.  The regions where their sources grew (Arabia, Ethiopia, Somalia and India) made them more costly, so they along with several other oils were considered luxury items.  In fact because of their value and cost, frankincense and myrrh were on equal par with gold and silver as commodities for trade and a sign of wealth (Is. 20:12-15).  So it is not surprising that the Wise Men brought them along with their gold as a gift for the newborn royal the star had led them to.  What is surprising in the context of this “baby gift” is that both of these oils were used to prepare bodies for burial as well (Mk. 15:23; Jn. 19:39-40).  Can you imagine receiving a gift like that for your baby or even yourself?  They don’t seem to be as loving and personal as the collection of gifts I have in my home.  However, like the gift of gold the Wise Men brought which truly was fitting for a king (even though He was only a baby at the time) the frankincense and myrrh by both their value and purpose were fitting too in that they reflect the reason why this King was born in the first place.
            In the much-cherished Christmas hymn In the Bleak Mid-winter Christina Rosetti’s poignant lyrics ask an important question, “What can I give Him?”  The poetess considers the shepherds’ and Wise Men’s gifts as significant offerings but laments that she is not in a similar situation, so what can she give?  The conclusion is that she can give her heart.  In a commercial culture where Christmas has become a give-and-take holiday we check off a list of gifts we have to give and look forward to the ones we will get.  The Wise Men remind us that the One most deserving of gifts at Christmas (and especially those of value) is the Child whose gifts signified His death.  Rosetti’s poem reminds us that the best gift we can give Him in response to the gift He gave to us is our heart (Dt. 6:5; Mt. 22:37; Mk. 12:30; Lk. 10:27).
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 of those things are meaningful and some not so meaningful but this year I’ve discovered they all hold a lesson from the Lord if I’m willing to think about it for a while.  I must say that thankfully I think my home holds more meaningful “things” than meaningless things.  That would most certainly be true of a plaque that hangs in my bedroom.  It was a wedding gift from a good friend who decoupaged our wedding announcement on to a small wooden block with a hook on top.  (Yes, we were married in much simpler times!)  The announcement eloquently asks the recipient to join my parents in celebrating the upcoming marriage of their daughter (that’s me!) and my soon-to-be husband at the church I grew up in on June 17, 1978.  It was an announcement that I’m sure those who received it were pleased to get.
            The Bible is full of announcements.  Beginning in Genesis 1 where God announces that what He has created is “good”, and all the way to Revelation 22 where Christ’s return is promised as “coming quickly”, a variety of messages are announced to anyone “who has ears to hear”.  It is announced to Noah that there will be a great flood (Gen. 6:13-14) and how he should prepare for it.  Abraham is warned that destruction is coming upon Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 18:16-21).  Moses is told to go to Pharaoh and announce God’s message, “Let My people go” (Ex. 3:1-11).  It is announced to Joshua that his battle plan is to march around the walls of Jericho (Jos. 6:1-5).   Gideon is told that he will become a deliverer of Israel (Jud. 6:11-18).  Elijah announces to Ahab that it will not rain for 3 years (1 Kin. 17:1).  It is announced to Jonah that he is to go and preach to the Ninevites (Jon. 1:1-2).  An angel comes to Daniel and announces the time frame of God’s plan for salvation (Dan. 9:1-27).  While each one of these announcements carry their own distinct amount of surprise and often garner a strong reaction of protest, wonder or disbelief from those who receive them, they pale in comparison to the numerous times someone, usually a woman, received the good news that they would be having a baby.
            Why were birth announcements so amazing?  Because in most cases the prospect of having a child was deemed impossible!  Abraham and Sarah had lived well beyond the years when children were biologically possible (Gen. 17:15-19; 18:1-15).  Manoah and his wife had accepted a childless state when they received their special announcement (Jud. 13:2-3).  Hannah was also childless (1 Sam. 1:13-18) as was the Shunammite woman (2 Kin. 4:8-17).  In each of these stories there was a stigma attached to the woman for being unable to produce an heir.  But in each of these stories, God demonstrated that He was not only the One who brought forth the fruit of the earth for physical sustenance but the fruit of the womb as well.  Birth announcements are not limited to the Old Testament, but the two we have recorded in the New Testament are perhaps the most outstanding of them all.  The announcement the Elizabeth and Zacharias receive in Lk. 1:5-20 resonates with similar elements to that of Abraham and Sarah and each child was the fulfillment of a great promise made by God (Gen. 12:1-3; 21:1-8; Mal. 3:1-2; 4:5-6; Lk. 1:16-17).
            But perhaps the most spectacular and amazing birth announcement in all the pages of Scripture occurs in Lk. 1:26-38 when one of God’s most magnificent and impressive messengers visits a young but devout Galilean teen to tell her that she will become the mother of the promised Messiah.  Unlike all her predecessors who had earthly husbands to assist in the baby-making process, Mary “has not known a man” (Lk. 1:34) and her betrothal period has not been consummated.  But Gabriel explains, “Nothing is impossible with God” (v. 37).  After all He is the God who created the world out of nothing!  Mary’s response exhibits her extraordinary faith.  She refers to herself as a doulos, a servant whose will is bent on doing only the will of the master and affirms that this event (as we would say) is as good as done.
            During the final weeks of every year churches around the world celebrate the season of Advent which begins with reflections on the world’s greatest birth announcement which was continued in the grazing fields outside of Bethlehem 9 months later (Lk. 2: 8-14).  It is the perfect time to think about the special announcements you have received throughout your lifetime- a promotion, an award, an engagement, a wedding, a graduation, a child- all have carried some special significance.  But the greatest announcement that you and I will ever receive is embedded in the one Mary received from Gabriel.  “You will bear a son and you shall name him Jesus (Yahweh saves)” for that Child has made the greatest announcement of all (Lk. 4:16-21; 24:44-48; Jn. 11:25; 14:6 and more!).
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

          Health care professionals from a wide variety of disciplines readily agree on the benefits of drinking water every day.  Therefore my water bottle is often within eyesight reminding me I need to keep hydrated.  It was given to me as a gift a couple years ago and I particularly like its wider mouth and the handy-dandy flip top and handle.  Our home is blessed with its own well, so we have great tasting water.  Others prefer the bottled kind over their tap water and there are plenty of brands to choose from.  Recently the world of bottled water was all abuzz when a class action suit filed against one of its most prominent companies claimed that its “pure 100% natural spring water” did not actually come from a spring hidden somewhere in the Maine woods.  The claim went on to say that Nestle, the parent company of Poland Springs, was actually using common ground water which didn’t meet USDA standards in their product.  This is not the first time Poland Springs and Nestle have been sued in this fashion.  A complaint filed in 2003 claimed Poland Springs was not sourced from deep in the Maine woods as their advertising claimed.  That lawsuit was settled leading the industry to wonder what will happen with this latest litigation.
            We tend to think of water as a daily commodity.  The only time we really recognize it for the necessity that it is comes when we are encountered with a storm that takes out the electricity and our ability to get it.  But in the world of the Bible that understanding of water was constantly on peoples’ minds.  In the northern regions of Israel water was more available.  The mountains of Upper Galilee had springs which fed into several rivers; the Jordan River being the most prominent of them.  The Sea of Galilee was also (and still is) a major source of fresh water and the geography allowed a significant enough amount of rainfall for agriculture.  But in the southern portion of the land, water was (and still is!) harder to come by.  The Dead Sea offered no help here so water was collected in cisterns and those who lived in the wilderness learned how to “read the rocks” that had porous capacities which could cause pockets of water to form just under their surface.  Wadiis, deep gouges on the earth’s surface could also be water source if they had a spring within them like En Gedi.
            The cycle of seasons in the ancient world truly forced those living in it to recognize their dependence on the God who set it all in motion.  In ancient Israel, there were two crucial “rainy seasons” which contributed to a bountiful harvest and a continued growing season.  Rainfall was critical to collecting water for basic needs.  It filled cisterns and wells from above but it also had an effect on natural water sources raising the water level of rivers, the Sea of Galilee and springs.  Water thus became “labeled”.  The water collected and stored in a cistern for example was called “common”.  But water from a spring or river was considered “living”.  When Jesus walked upon the earth the source of one’s water was very important.  It was taken just as seriously as the advertising claims of modern bottled water companies.  In fact the oral tradition of the rabbis (the Mishnah) even graded water on its religious value!  Most importantly “living water” was considered to be water whose direct source was God Himself unlike the water of a cistern that was transported by human hands.  With all this in mind one can easily see why Jesus’ claim in Jn. 7:37-38 was so shocking to those who’d come to the Temple to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles or why His discussion with the woman at the well in Samaria was a bit confusing to her at first (Jn. 4:1-30).  In each instance water is at the center of the event.  The worshippers at the Temple were recognizing God as their source of the life giving entity; the woman focused on the tradition of Jacob establishing a well there for the preservation of future generations.  In each case Jesus claimed He was a better source of water.  Jesus declared He was better because He was both the “living water” and its source.
            I confess that when I go to my water faucet each day and pour its cold and refreshing liquid into my handy-dandy water bottle that I do not think about where that water is coming from.  I don’t thank God for the water table 1500 feet below my house that supplies me with some of the best water I’ve ever had.  And while it is good to thank God for these daily provisions my thoughts this week have made me examine where I’m getting the water for my spiritual nourishment.  Am I tapping into the “Living Water” or drawing it from a cistern produced by someone else’s hands?  One of those sources is going to eventually leave me high and dry so I’m reminded to drink wisely.  How about you?  Does your water source live up to its advertising?
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 meaningful, some not so meaningful.  Some are useful and some more useful than others… which brings me to the subject of scissors- one of the more useful items in my home.  However in the inexperienced hands of a child scissors can be a precarious tool.  I have one beloved doll from my childhood who was victim to a “trim” I gave her.  Thankfully my mother discovered me in the act before I cut off too much hair.  My granddaughter Lucy thought she could be just like Grandma (the other one who was a professional hairdresser at one time, not me) and cut her own hair with the kitchen scissors.  Thankfully real-life hair grows back and Grandma was able to fix it so that Lucy’s haircut didn’t look too strange!
            The Bible has its own scissor story.  I’m sure you know which one I’m referring to!  We are introduced to the story in Judges 13:1-3 with the appearance of “The Angel of the Lord” visiting the “wife of Manoah” a woman who is barren.  The angel brings surprising news.  Mrs. Manoah is about to conceive a son and he will be dedicated to the service of the Lord.  The Bible briefly mentions Samson’s birth and his upbringing (v. 24) and heads right into his adulthood where one would expect then to see a young man seeking after God’s will and leading the people in a righteous manner.  But Samson is anything but that!
            We learn in 13:5 that Samson was to be a “Nazirite” to God.  Nazarites are first mentioned in Num. 6:1-21 as a person who undertook a special vow to be “separated for the Lord”.  During the timeframe of the vow that person was not to cut their hair, touch a dead body, drink any fermented beverages or consume any product from the grapevine.  Most vows of this nature were for a limited time but the angel tells Mrs. Manoah to abstain from these as well because Samson was to be a Nazirite “from birth” (Jud. 13:4).  However it seems that Samson never took his dedication seriously.  We see this in the impulsive and over the top way he lives (Jud. 14:8-14; 15:4-5, 14-16; 16:1-3).  But Samson’s greatest mistake and downfall was his relationship with Delilah (Jud. 16:1-22) which resulted in the world’s most infamous scissor story.
            While Samson’s choices and behavior were highly questionable, Scripture makes it clear that many times his behavior became a catalyst for God’s judgment on the Philistines who were oppressing the Israelites (Jud. 13:4, 6, 19; 15: 14-20; 16:28-31).   God did not condone Samson’s behavior nor tell him to do these actions.  Things like mixed marriage were forbidden (Dt. 7:3) because sooner or later one value system and faith will override the other (Solomon is another great example of this principle- 1Ki. 11:4) and Samson’s first marriage certainly was the beginning of his undoing .  God did not force Samson into his ill-conceived decisions but even though they were not right, God was still able to accomplish His will in spite of the lack of wisdom in Samson.  Thankfully God can work through even our worst mistakes!
            But why compromise?  Why do we insist on following a path we know is wrong when there is a better choice?  One author wrote, “Even with the blessings of God in his life, Samson gave in to his own physical desires.  His life was ultimately ruined because of his insistence upon having whatever he wanted”.  Ironically what Samson wanted was often due to what he SAW at the time (mostly women!) and the first thing the Philistines did to him was gouge out his eyes.  But Samson’s blindness finally got him to see what the Lord wanted for him and in the end he repented and literally gave his life to vindicate God before his pagan captors.  This act earned him recognition as a man of faith in Heb. 11:32 in spite of the reckless life he lived beforehand.  Thankfully when we suffer the consequences of our ill-conceived choices, God can use them to shape and mold us into a better witness for Him (Heb. 12:9-11).
            Jesus warned against succumbing to compromise (Mt. 5:27-30) saying that even if one body part causes even the slightest hint of sin one should destroy it.  Was He really advocating mutilation?  No, of course not, but His use of hyperbole shows us that compromise sneaks up so quietly and stealthly that drastic measures have to be taken to get rid of it and it’s not surprising He uses the two senses which were Samson’s downfall.  If you and I think we are above that, we should think again!   Do we compromise in the area of entertainment?  I think we do.  Do we take care of our needs first and then give what’s left of our time to the Lord?  I think we do.  It’s easy to compromise.  It’s not easy to “clean house” after the effects of that compromise have taken their toll.  So when you’re tempted to compromise this week, ask yourself if you’re about to pick up a pair of scissors for “just a little trim”.
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 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