​Something new came to our attention as we vacationed on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire this year. It is common for some of the homeowners to anchor a swim platform a few hundred feet from their docks. It gives swimmers a destination and a place to rest or catch some sun. The problem is that the Lake ducks also use the platforms. We frequently saw several ducks preening and sunning themselves on these structures. 
 
This year we saw artificial, but very real looking owls and coyotes on the platforms to scare away the ducks. We all had a good laugh when we saw two ducks resting on either side of a coyote. Daily, these ducks took up their restful positions with the fake animal. They seemingly know that this predator has a bark much worse than its bite. As they bravely fly aboard the platform and lay down next to the nasty-looking deterrent, they seem to have no concerns.
 
Does this remind you of the defeated enemy we call Satan? "...He prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." But Peter tells us to "Resist him and stand firm in the faith." (1 Peter 5:8, 9) In addition, James 4:7 says, "Resist the devil, and he will flee." Those of us who know our power and authority in Christ will not succumb to the devil's attempts to take us down. We know the one who defeated him completely at the Cross. There is no need to be concerned about his attempt to place fear in us. In fact, like the ducks at Lake Winnipesaukee, we can lay down next to him and rest.
 
That being said, let us remember that we can give the demonic realm permission to attack us when we behave or speak in agreement with what they say. There are times when we unwittingly make a vow or judgment, or hold someone in unforgiveness, or take on self-righteousness or a haughty spirit that opens us up to a battle with the demonic. These behaviors that send a message that agrees with the kingdom of darkness can be easily rendered null and void by rebuking any offense, declaring our repentance, and asking the Holy Spirit to fill us where sins have been emptied out.
 
Whenever we experience the attack of the enemy let us remember the ducks sleeping at the feet of the ineffective coyote. We are destined to be overcomers. We should have no fear. Our confidence is in the Lord who made us with power and authority to take charge of the environment around us. Our inheritance from the Lord includes victory over our enemies.

​For the first time in 22 years a plant, misleadingly named the Century Plant or Agave americana, came to bloom this summer at Longwood Gardens. The plant originally got its name because scientists believed that it only flowered every 100 years. Longwood's Century Plant is growing in their "Silver Garden" greenhouse along with many other succulents. Botanists tell us that the plant will continue to bloom until October. The blossoms are green and yellow clusters that look similar to broccoli flowers. The staff at Longwood first noticed the flowering stalk in February. Every day during that month the stalk grew five to six inches a day. Eventually, the crew of workers had to remove a pane of glass from the greenhouse roof so that the plant could continue to grow.
 
Since the Agave plant only lives to bloom once in its entire life, it is called "monocarpic." It will die after it blooms because it dedicates all its energy to producing its blossoms. However, when it is finished blooming the gardeners at Longwood will save the flower heads and dry them to be used in the Christmas display. A new Century Plant will be planted in place of the current one, and plant lovers will begin waiting for another blooming season. The new plant will probably be an offshoot from the "mother plant" which is called a "pup." The small offshoots are tiny clones of its mother. Gardeners dig out the pup with its roots and plant it in another location so it can continue to grow.
 
The life of the Century Plant reminds me of the life of Jesus. After He quietly grew from a child into a man, He bloomed during the last three years of His life. He was sent to earth from HIs heavenly throne to display the beauty of heaven and to "plant pups" close to Himself that would be able to root and be established in new locations to demonstrate His love. This is what is says in Paul's Ephesians prayer:  "...And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." (Ephesians 3:17-19)
 
After His death, Jesus left His Holy Spirit to empower us with life without Him. The residue of His bloom is to be used to display the beauty of Christ in the world around us. Jesus told His disciples this before ascending to heaven. "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8)
 
Can you see yourself as a "pup" of the Lord? That is what we are! Each of us has been planted in a different location to demonstrate the love of Christ and bloom where we are planted.

The nation of Israel would do well to look back to the past to remember God's faithfulness to His children after bringing them out of slavery in Egypt. We have entered the month of Av, the fifth on the Hebrew calendar. Historically this month is remembered as one of crisis and destruction, especially the 9th of Av or Tisha B'Av. Calamities were brought about at this time by the curse of Kadish Barnea, the Israelite camp at the border of the Promised Land. God told Moses, "Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites." (Numbers 13:2) Twelve leaders from the nation of Israel, one from each tribe, went into Canaan to survey the land. When they returned ten of the twelve gave a bad report, warning the Israelites that the natives were "stronger than we are." (Numbers 13:3b)
 
During the month of Av, the children of Israel rebelled against the advice of Caleb and Joshua. Hebrews 4:2 tells us, "Those who heard (the message from God) did not combine it with faith." (NIV) The Complete Jewish Study Bible puts it this way:  "...But the message they heard didn't do them any good, because those who heard it did not combine it with trust." According to Rabbinic tradition, the Israelites' refusal to believe that God would give them the Promised Land occurred on the 9th of Av. How quickly they forgot the miraculous ways in which God had provided for them and protected them! Because of this they made a negative confession and established a curse upon themselves. They asked, "...Wouldn't it be better for us to go back to Egypt?" (Numbers 14:3) Because Joshua and Caleb believed that God would give them the land "flowing with milk and honey, the whole assembly talked about stoning them." (Number 14:10)
 
There are ramifications from our confessions—whether good or bad. Moses had to intercede for the Israelites so that God did not strike them down with a plague and destroy them completely. God instructed Moses to tell his community, "I will do the very thing I heard you say. In this desert your bodies will fall—everyone of you twenty years old or more who was counted in the census and who has grumbled against me. Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home...For forty years—one year for each of your forty days you explored the land—you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you." (Numbers 14:28-30, 34) The curse that was confessed over the children of Israel took hold to such a degree that on the fateful day of the 9th of Av (throughout the years) destruction has occurred:  Babylon destroyed the first temple (587 BC), the Romans destroyed the second temple (70 AD), thousands of Jews were killed during the Crusades that were launched on this day (1095 AD), Jews were expelled from England (1290 AD), Jews were expelled from Spain (1492 AD), Jews were deported to concentration camps (1942 AD), Jews were removed from their homes in Gaza (2005 AD).
 
These are perilous times! Even as I write this letter, the nation of Israel is expecting a furious attack from Iran and its proxies, Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. The month of Av was originally to be one of blessings since the Israelites would have been entering their Promised Land. Even the number of the month, five, means grace. In addition, the name Av means Father. Father God longs to be gracious to all His children. Like the children of Israel, we may declare an agreement with the powers of darkness through our words and actions. If we do so, how do we reverse the curse and open the door for grace and blessings to be poured out? First, we must repent of any sin of unbelief, and then live our lives so that we mix God's promises with our faith. We must not allow the Word of God to be subservient to our circumstances! This month is a pivot point where we can select our destinations. As we remember God's faithfulness to us and look to the Cross, God will make a way for us to have victory over our enemies so that we can enter our own promised lands.

Proverbs 147:9 tells us, "He provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they call." I watched this proverb in action over the last few weeks. There is a small birdbath on our deck that we can see from our living area. One day, as I looked out the glass door, a raven came to visit the birdbath. In his mouth was a huge, hard piece of bread. He brought the crust to drop into the water. While he waited, he took several sips of water. Then he removed the crust from the water and ate it. I have seen this bird repeat these actions three times. The intelligence of this raven is amazing! Yet, why should I be surprised? God made him that way.
 
The raven is written about in several Bible stories. Noah took ravens on the ark with him. After the rains stopped and as the water was receding, Noah sent out a raven. "It kept flying back and forth until the water had dried up from the earth." (Genesis 8:7)
 
In 1 Kings 17 we are introduced to Elijah the Tishbite, a prophet who was not popular with Ahab, King of Israel, or others because of his prophecies of warning. The Lord sent Elijah to a brook in the Kerith Ravine to protect him. God said, "I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there." 
(1 Kings 17:4) Scripture says, "The ravens brough him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook." (1 Kings 17:6) I find it interesting that God provided for Elijah's needs in the most unexpected way. I am not sure why He used what was considered an unclean bird by Israel to bring food to Elijah. I wonder if Elijah would have known what God asked Job. "Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God and wander about for lack of food?" (Job 38:41) God wants us to trust Him even when what He does seems strange. He has His reasons for doing everything. Our job is to trust Him.
 
Jesus talked about ravens in Luke 12:22-26. ".... I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothes. Consider the ravens:  They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?" Think back on what the ravens brought to Elijah. Where did that bird get the bread? Did it come from someone's table? That might be a likely conclusion. Ravens are known to be intelligent. "Treehugger" reports that "Not only can they figure our puzzles surprisingly quickly, but they learn from past experience to build on their conclusions about how to get what they want."
 
These stories of the raven should encourage us. The Lord loves us and knows what we need. Worry should not be a part of our lives. Jesus told those who followed Him, "Don't let worry enter your life." (Luke 12:29 - TPT) "Refuse to worry about tomorrow, but deal with each challenge that comes your way, one day at a time. Tomorrow will take care of itself." (Matthew 6:34 - TPT) We need to be reminded of these words of advice from time to time. I am grateful for the visit from the raven.