Every person that Jesus prayed for was healed.  He demonstrated the works of His Father by healing, delivering, and raising people from the dead.  It was His desire that His disciples and all Believers do the works that He did.  He said, "Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." (John 14:12) The power to do these works comes from the Holy Spirit who was first given to the disciples who waited in Jerusalem.  Today Believers are filled with the Holy Spirit when they accept Jesus as Savior.  However, the power comes to us through the Holy Spirit as our relationship with Him, Jesus and Father God grows.  We become like those we spend time with and develop a reservoir of anointing as we spend quality time with the Lord.
 
Recently, I was encouraged to research reservoirs.  They are defined as basins or receptacles where water is collected and stored for us.  The water can be used to supply drinking water, to irrigate land, to enhance recreational opportunities and to generate hydroelectric power.  The largest reservoir in our country is called Lake Mead.  It was formed by damming the Colorado River, covers 248 sq. miles, and can hold 28.9 million acre-feet of water. (One acre-foot equals 325,000 gallons.)  You may know the dam holding back the water as Hoover Dam.  The reservoir accomplishes all the uses listed above.  However, its most important function is supplying water for the hydroelectric station that generates four billion kilowatt hours of power annually.  For the water to be used for its intended purpose, it must be collected and maintained at a certain level.  This allows it to be moved through cylindrical gates toward the powerhouse.  In the case of Lake Mead, the water falls about 500' to the hydroelectric power plant at the base of Hoover Dam.  Power is distributed from the plant to people in four states.
 
It is my opinion that one of the reasons Jesus was able to heal everyone who came to Him was because He had a huge reservoir of anointing that was collected through His daily intimacy with Father God.  The first chapter of the book of Mark tells how Jesus went to Simon and Andrew's house to heal Simon's mother-in-law.  In the evening, many people from the local village brought the sick and demon possessed to Jesus for healing.  On the next day, before moving to nearby villages to preach, Jesus rose early in the morning, while it was still dark, and "went off to a solitary place, where He prayed."  (Verse 35)  
 
Jesus was a man of prayer.  Even at His baptism, "He was praying and heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form like a dove..." (Luke 3:21-22)  Later, Luke tells us that "Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed." (Luke 5:16)  Before selecting His 12 disciples, "Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God." (Luke 6:12)  Jesus knew that He would need to be filled with power from God to face crucifixion.  That is why "He went with His disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and He said to them, 'Sit here while I go over there and pray.'"  (Matthew 26:36)
 
We must follow Jesus and the way He prioritized intimacy with His Father.  Our job is to go out into the world to preach the gospel, heal the sick and set the oppressed free.  Only through the power of the Holy Spirit will we be able to live out the call on our lives.  We must build up a reservoir of favor and anointing from the Holy Spirit through our times of intimacy with Him to see the power that Jesus displayed operating in our lives.

"Keep on giving your thanks to God, for He is so good!  His constant tender love lasts forever!" (Psalm 118:1 - TPT) The theme expressed here is a common one in "The Passover Hallels." (Psalm 113-118 and Psalm 136)  In these Psalms, God's people give Him praise and thanksgiving for the way they were saved from their enemies and given provision for life and victory in their battles.  The ultimate battle is the one against the sin that separates us from God.  But God thought of everything.  He sent His Son, Jesus, to earth to become the sacrificial Lamb.  His death on the Cross brings freedom to all who embrace what He did to restore intimacy with Father God.
 
Psalm 118 goes on to say this:  "The very stone the masons rejected as flawed has turned out to be the most important capstone of the arch, holding up the very house of God.  The Lord Himself is the one who has done this, and it's so amazing, so marvelous to see!" (Verses 22-23 - TPT) "The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; The Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes." (Verses 22-23 - NIV) Comparing these translations of the Bible, their seems to be a difference in what Jesus is called.  Is it Capstone or Cornerstone?  Jonathan Cahn provides us with an answer to these differences in his Book of Mysteries.  
 
The Hebrew word for cornerstone (the foundation stone that holds a structure together) is Rosh Pinah. But this Hebrew word has two meanings; the second one being capstone. (the finishing stone or top stone that protects what is below it)  Both translations are correct yet incomplete.  Jesus became both. He referred to Himself as the Rosh Pinah in Matthew 21:42, Mark 12:10-11, and Luke 20:17.  In these Scriptures we read how Jesus just finished telling the people the parable of the tenants, which describes how a landowner planted a vineyard and then rented it to some farmers.  When the owner sent his servants to collect some of the fruit at harvest time, the farmers beat and/or killed the servants.  Eventually, the owner sent his beloved son, who was killed.  Jesus quotes Psalm 118.  "The stone the builders rejected has become the Rosh Pinah."  Jesus continues to give an expanded explanation:  "Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed."
 
Today we can see, as we read Psalm 118 at Passover, that in His death, Jesus became the Capstone, the stone that brings completion.  He is the Capstone for all of us who come to Him.  And, His resurrection is our Cornerstone.  He is what begins our life as Christians and what holds us together. Death and resurrection—Capstone and Cornerstone!
 
In the book of Ephesians, the apostle Paul reminds us that we are "no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of His household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone." (Ephesians 2:20) Peter the disciple calls us living stones, like our Messiah:  "As you come to Him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to Him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.  For in Scripture it says:  'See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in Him will never be put to shame.'  Now to you who believe, this stone is precious.  But to those who do not believe, 'The stone the builders rejected has become the Rosh Pinah,’ and 'A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.' …But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light." (1 Peter 2:4-9)
 
As we celebrate the death and resurrection of our Savior, let us give Him thanks and praise.  "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever...The Lord is my strength and my defense; He has become my salvation.  Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous. 'The Lord has done mighty things!' …I will give thanks, for You answer me; You have become my salvation." (Psalm 118:1, 14-15, 21 - NIV)

He was a godly man of faith who wanted to see his people freed from oppression.  He quoted Scripture in his speeches.  He encouraged peaceful protests and was resolute in his mission.  Martin Luther King Jr. was eventually killed for his leadership in the Civil Rights Movement.  But, his dream did not die.  He left us his "I Have a Dream" speech as a picture of the goal and an inspiration for the future.
 
Peppered throughout the "Dream" speech are words that come from Scripture:  "We will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream." (Amos 5:24) We should remember that the foundations of God's throne are righteousness and justice. (Psalm 89:14) "I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low.  The rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight.  And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.  This is our hope."  This portion of the speech was taken from Isaiah 40:4-5.
 
Could it be that King recognized the mission of Jesus Christ to set captives free and so quoted the prophets that told of the coming of this King who would fight for the weary and oppressed and bring hope to the hopeless?  As the apostle Paul writes to the Galatians, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free." (Galatians 5:1)  Jesus Christ Himself made His mission known when He stepped into the synagogue in Nazareth and read from the scroll of Isaiah: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoner and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." (Luke 4:18-19)
 
Freedom in every realm of our lives is a God-given right since we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and his life, death and resurrection.  However, many of us are not walking in complete freedom.  The battle for our freedom is a spiritual one.  God gives us direction on how to obtain freedom.  Here are the words of Jesus: "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free...So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:32,36) 

Like last year, this year our celebration of the birth of Christ occurs in the middle of Chanukah.  When events on the Jewish calendar converge with events on the Church's calendar, I like to look at the similarities between them.  Both these events land in the month of Kislev, the ninth month on the Jewish calendar.  Since Kislev is associated with the Hebrew letter SAMEKH, which pictures trust and support, it is time for us to do just that in our relationship with the Lord. 
 
The constellation Sagittarius, the archer, appearing in Kislev, reminds us that this is the month to develop our warfare strategies for the season ahead.  We must "fight against empires and cultures,” as Chuck Pierce says in his book, A Time to Advance.  And, it is important that we trust God to guide us and give us mercy.  Psalm 23:5-6 says, "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies: You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."
 
During the time when the Temple was overtaken by the Syrian-Greek army the flame of the candelabra had been extinguished and the altar defiled.  There was little hope for the future; times were dark.  Likewise, at the time when Christ was to be born the darkness of oppression covered the people.  But God had a plan.  With His help, warfare strategies were developed to overcome the enemy.
 
A group of Jewish patriots called the Maccabees had hope and developed a battle plan to retake the Temple.  They bravely fought and defeated the Greek army to free their people from tyranny and re-establish worship in the Temple.  As they set about to cleanse it, they realized there was only enough purified oil for the lampstand to burn for one night.  Miraculously, it burned for eight.  God arranged for the light to continue burning and followed them with goodness and mercy.
 
God's plan to overcome darkness and bring freedom for the oppressed was to ultimately be done through Christ Jesus.  He came to shine His light in the darkness and to defeat Satan and the kingdom of darkness.  His battle strategy includes us, His Church.  Victory is promised through the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony and not loving our lives as much as to shrink from death. (Revelation 12:11)
 
As we look back in history, we see that God has always been faithful to His people.  He is trustworthy and sent Jesus as the Lord of Hosts, Light of the World, Prince of Peace and Redeemer to help us develop battle strategies and lead us in triumphant procession (2 Corinthians 2:14) and who "made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God..." (2 Corinthians 4:6) It is time for us to develop our strategies for the New Year and to look to the One who leads us in victory and follows us with goodness mercy.

Have you feasted your eyes on all the beautiful Christmas plants in the stores?  One particularly interesting one is the Christmas cactus.  Its unique form consists of hanging branches made up of flat, green segments.  The flowers appear on the tips of the branches and have tiers of petals in a multitude of colors:  red, white, pink, purple, yellow or a combination of these colors.  Unlike most cactus that grow in dry desert climates, this plant is native to the Brazilian coast where the atmosphere around the plant is humid.
 
Another interesting feature of the Christmas cactus is that it is an epiphyte or air plant.  Like orchids, they grow primarily on branches or trunks of trees.  They are called air plants because "they have no firm grip in the earth."  The web site "Gardeningknowhow.com" tells us this:  "One of the amazing adaptions of epiphytes is their ability to attach to vertical surfaces and capture their water and much of their nutrient needs from sources other than soil."  The name epiphyte comes from the Greek word "epi," meaning "upon," and "phyton," meaning "plant."
 
It is common to find aerial roots growing from the branches of the Christmas cactus.  These roots serve several purposes in helping the cactus grow in its native Brazil.  They help the plant attach to the tree branches.  Tree bark and the crotches of branches collect organic debris that is rich in nutrients for the plants' roots.  In addition, the entire plant, including the roots, also gathers the moisture it needs from the air.
 
Let's take the information we have on the epiphytes to see how it corresponds to our life in the Spirit.  Go back to the fact that these plants have "no firm grip in the earth."  Jesus told Pilate, "My kingdom is not of this world...But now my kingdom is from another place." (John 18:36) Like Jesus, our inheritance is in the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matthew 25:34) Hebrews, Chapter 11, describes our fathers of the faith.  "They admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth." (Verse 13) And, Peter writes, "I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul." (1 Peter 2:11) We must not sink our roots into the soil of the world for we belong to the Kingdom of God.  Our tenure here is temporary.  Like the epiphytes, we must gather our water and nutrients from our source of life--The Spirit of God. "So then, just as you receive Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." (Colossians 2:6-7)
 
Living water and the bread of life come from Jesus.  He came to earth to demonstrate how to drink and eat from Him and His Kingdom.  A song called "Breathe," written by Marie Barnett, comes to my mind.  She wrote it to describe the life-giving presence of our Lord:
 
     "This is the air I breathe; This is the air I breathe--Your holy presence, living in me. 
      This is my daily bread; This is my daily bread--Your very Word spoken to me.
       And I'm desperate for You.  And I'm lost without You."
 
That is it, dear ones.  We must spread out our roots and attach them to the Tree of Life.  Like the epiphytes, be fed and watered from the true Source of Life.

Although God intended the fifth month of Av to be a time of yearly celebration of His goodness, the sin of unbelief by the Israelites caused a complete change in what would happen.  According to the Hebrew calendar, on the 9th of Av the children of Israel chose to believe a negative report instead of the promise of God.  The voice of faith spoken by Caleb and Joshua was ignored and the voice of unbelief was embraced.  Caleb said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it." (Numbers `3:30) The ten spies reported:  "We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are." (Numbers 13:31) This is a vow that led to a curse that is still in place today.
 
We are now at the beginning of Av.  A yearly cycle of cursing occurs because repentance of past sins never took place.  Unbelief was repeated when Jesus walked the earth.  Though the Jews heard God's words of truth through Him and saw the miracles He performed, they did not receive their Messiah.  They crucified the Promise.
 
Jesus came as a Redeemer with the intent of rebuilding everything that Satan has destroyed.  He requires us to repent and make a choice to walk in freedom.  We must be extremely careful who we agree with.  Any time we agree with Satan a bad root develops and gives him permission to operate in our lives and those of our descendants.  When we are overwhelmed with what we see we must listen to the voice of truth.  Truth trumps what we see.  The promises that God placed in the Bible are for us to stand on.  "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ.  And so, through Him the 'Amen' is spoken by us to the glory of God." (2 Corinthians 1:20)
 
In Deuteronomy 11 God's instructions to the children of Israel were written down.  He was letting them know the importance of His words.  He said, "Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your foreheads.  Teach them to your children...Write them down on the door frames of your house and on your gates so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the Lord swore to give your forefathers...If you carefully observe all these commands I am giving you to follow—to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to hold fast to Him—then the Lord will drive out these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations larger and stronger than you.  Every place where you set your foot will be yours...No man will be able to stand against you.  The Lord your God, as He promised you, will put the terror and fear of you on the whole land, wherever you go." (Verses 18-28)
 
We have a choice today to agree with the blessing or the curse.  As God said in Deuteronomy, curses come to rest on our lives when we agree with the wrong kingdom; blessings come when we obey the Lord.  We are warned in Hebrews 3:12:  "See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God." If we discover that we have made an agreement with the kingdom of darkness, we can repent, rebuke it and declare the truth.  We must declare that our alliance is with the Lord.  He is the one who will restore what has been stolen and help us rebuild what has been destroyed.

An interesting visitor comes to our Maple tree on a regular basis.  His colorful feathers stand out in the drab winter landscape.  His head and throat are bright red and are surrounded by black and white stripes.  His back is a mottled black with markings of white.  He gets his name, yellow-bellied sapsucker, from his dull yellowish belly.  The sad part about our visitor is that he comes to drill holes in our tree.  Over the years he has weakened the tree, and we see branches slowly dying from the impact of his feeding habits.  He bores 1/8" holes into the cambium layer or inner bark of the tree, causing the sap to ooze out.  With his long, brush-tipped tongue he laps up the sap.  It is common for these birds to drill several holes in a perfect row around the trunk.  Too much of this will kill the tree.  The holes provide entry points for insects or diseases which also contribute to the weakening of the tree.

Once the yellow-bellied sapsucker discovers a good feeding spot, he returns to it again and again.  In order to discourage these birds, one must wrap the tree trunk and larger branches with burlap, particularly where the first holes are drilled.  This keeps the bird from reaching the sap in the tree.  It is critical to stop the path of destruction before it goes too far.

We have an enemy who would like to destroy us.  He comes to "drill holes" in our minds.  He wants to destroy our clarity of thought.  Frequently he comes as a whisperer to whisper an idea or bad thought into our minds.  If he finds "fertile ground" he will return with more lies.  It is interesting to note that the Hebrew word for serpent is Nahash, which literally means whisperer.  King Solomon, known for his wisdom, made an interesting observation in Proverbs 16:28.  "A whisperer separates close friends." (ESV)

The serpent first appeared on the scene when he whispered into Eve's ear.  He put thoughts that are counter to God's truth into her head.  Once these thoughts prevailed, she sinned by eating the fruit from the forbidden tree and giving her husband some of it.  Consequently, Adam and Eve died a spiritual death and became separated from God.

Just as burlap protects the bark of a tree from the yellow-bellied sapsucker, the Word of God protects our minds from our enemy--the one who whispers lies.  We must not allow him to continue his litany of lies.  Every whisper that turns into a thought must be taken captive so that it is obedient to Christ.  (2 Corinthians 10:5) Both King David, in Psalms, and King Solomon, in Proverbs, write that "Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him." (Psalm 18:30/Proverbs 30:5)

Indeed, not only is God a shield, but He is our Redeemer.  God sent His Son Jesus as a "second Adam" to restore and redeem us from the curse of the enemy.  He came as the Living Word to bring light and life to us.  John 1:12 tells us, "To all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God."  Victory over the enemy is ours as we shut down the whispered lies by declaring the truth of our God and Savior.

​What does it mean to go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah as was prophesied about John the Baptist?  John's father, Zechariah, declared, "And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord.  You will tell people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins." (Luke 1:76-77 - NLT) He certainly had an important call on his life!  I think that every Believer has the same call—that we should live our lives to "prepare the way for the Lord," in the spirit of Elijah.
 
We can read about Elijah's life in the Bible in 1 Kings 17 through 2 Kings 2.  Here are some of the highlights of his life:

• He spoke only God's message.
• He came to call people back to God and to demonstrate His power and sovereignty.
• He predicted the beginning and the end of a 3-year drought.
• He represented God against false prophets of Baal.
• He showed that God cares for the individual as well as the nation by providing daily necessities. (e.g. the widow of Zarephath)
• He cried out for the resurrection of the widow's dead son.
• He mentored his predecessor Elisha.
• He parted the River Jordan by striking the water with his cloak.
• He went to heaven in a chariot of fire

We may say, "How could I demonstrate the power of God in my life?"  And yet, Jesus told us this:  "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing.  He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.  And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father." (John 14:12-13) There is nothing more beautiful or satisfying than sharing the love of Christ with someone!  Definitely, it is a faith builder.  Our faith will grow as we are able to demonstrate the power and love of God.
 
The prophet Malachi declared, "See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes.  He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers..." (Malachi 4:5-6) The angel of the Lord repeated this prophecy to Zechariah to let him know that his son John would fulfill it. (Luke 1:15-17) And John's life is seen as a standard for all of us to follow.  Jesus said, "I tell you the truth:  Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.  From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it." (Matthew 11:11-12)
 
We are in the season of celebrating the break-in of heaven to earth.  Jesus came to earth as a seed in his mother's womb.  As that seed grew, John the Baptist would prepare the way for Him.  Time would show that Jesus is the Lord of the breakthrough.  He demonstrated the power and love of His Father in heaven.  Many around us are celebrating Christmas but may not comprehend its true meaning.  We are those who can and should prepare the way of the Lord through a ministry of power and love that fosters reconciliation between family members and friends.  The anointing is upon us:  "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." (Luke 4:18-19) These promises from the Word of God may challenge us, but let us not bring the truth of the Word down to our level of experience.  Ask Holy Spirit to bring our experience up to the truth of the Word.  Let's claim these promises over our lives and launch out into a lifestyle to "prepare the way of the Lord."

The Cape Florida Lighthouse at Key Biscayne, Florida has been preserved along with a house that the light keeper and his family would have lived in.  The job description for the "Keeper of the Light" is on the wall of the house.  As I read about the duties of the light keepers, I was reminded that they are like the duties of the priests in the temple and the responsibility of those of us who carry the light of God within us.  
 
For the Light Keeper, self-sacrifice, loyalty and dedication to the care of the light and the property around it were of utmost importance.  Here are some of the duties of the Keeper of the Light:

• Prepare the oil for the lamps
• Clean and fill the lamps with oil
• Trim the wicks of the lens lamps or replace burned wicks
• Clean and polish the lenses
• Maintain equipment and structures in good repair

The priests who served in the tabernacle and temple had similar requirements:

• "They made the lampstand of pure gold...They made its seven lamps, as well as its wick trimmers and trays, of pure gold." (Exodus 37:17, 23)
• "Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning continually." (Leviticus 24:2)
• "The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes, then Aaron presented them as a wave offering before the Lord and made atonement for them to purify them." (Numbers 8:21)
• "The priests went into the sanctuary of the Lord to purify it..." (2 Chronicles 29:16)

As royal priests before the Lord, we also have the responsibility to be Keepers of the Light--the light of the Holy Spirit:

• "Jesus said, 'You are the light of the world.  A city on the hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:14-16)
• "For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ ." (2 Corinthians 4:6)
• "...Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth.)" (Ephesians 5:8-9)

As Keepers of the Light we must be mindful of the season we are in.  Both Chanukah (beginning at sundown tonight—the 25th of Kislev) and Christmas, on the 25th of December, are marked by light.  Isn't it interesting that they occur during a time of greatest darkness, when the nights are longer than the days?  Chanukah is about the miracle of light when the Menorah in the temple burned for 8 full days without enough oil to do this. However, the most important thing to remember is that God came to shine His light of love and provision on His people.  Likewise, the light of the star of Bethlehem directed the wise men to a greater light—the light of Messiah.  We live in a time of increasing darkness.  The world needs to see the light of Messiah in us.  This season resolve to shine the light of Jesus brightly so that those around us see the love of God.  We must ask Holy Spirit to set us ablaze!

​Spring flowering trees that are blossoming in October?  What is going on?  As I look out my bedroom window I see clusters of rosy-colored crabapple blossoms.  The tree has been confused by our uncharacteristically warm weather.  Spring blooming trees set their flower buds for the following spring in the summer.  The extra warmth of our autumn brought those buds into bloom.  Now I am seeing both flowers and fruit on the same tree.
 
Like the crabapple tree, Christians are to blossom and bear fruit.  God made it clear to the Israelites that He wants priests who blossom and bear fruit to minister to Him.  He instructed Moses to place a staff from the leaders of each tribe in the Tent of Testimony.  "The next day Moses entered the Tent of Testimony and saw that Aaron's staff, which represented the house of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds." (Numbers 17:8)  This was a confirmation that those in the tribe of Levi were to perform duties in the Tent of Testimony and minister before the Lord.
 
Jesus dealt with the issue of spiritual unfruitfulness while He was walking with the disciples from Bethany to Jerusalem through the cursing of an unproductive fig tree (representing Israel).  "The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry.  Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to find out if it had any fruit.  When He reached it, He found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs.  Then He said to the tree, 'May no one ever eat fruit from you again.’  And His disciples heard Him say it." (Mark 11:12-13)
 
God's desire for us to blossom and bear fruit for His Kingdom is talked about in Isaiah 27:6.  "In days to come Jacob will take root, Israel will bud and blossom and fill all the world with fruit." How can we increase our season of bloom and fruit bearing?  The crabapple tree blossomed out of season because of the warm environment around it.  We must be atmosphere changers!
 
God rewards those who seek Him with all their hearts. (Jeremiah 29:13) Let us ask the Lord to draw us unto Himself.  "Take me away with you--let us hurry!  Let the king bring me into his chambers." (Song of Solomon 1:4) Let us strengthen our faith. "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6-NAS) Let us be diligent in our pursuit of the Lord and watch the flame of love bring us into blossom and increasing fruitfulness.