Lightkeeper's Journal

The Light Through the Trees

Great Egret

 

The Light Through the Trees

Photography and Poem by Norma Beaird

 

Sometimes, in the midst of the trees and the brush,

over the cloudy and dark murky water,

there appears a beautiful and bright, white light.

 

It's in the distance, just waiting for you to finally see it,

this beautiful white light shines brightly to guide you

as you migrate through life's troubled journeys. 

 

Though your wings may feel heavy, and the flight is so long,

you will soar through the sky and know that God's love

 will strengthen you through the wind and the rain. 

 

You may arrive to your destination quite exhausted and soaked,

but spread your wings and shake off the water.

You've made it.  The Lord never leaves us in the storm alone. 

 

 

Copyright 2022, Curtis and Norma Beaird.  All rights reserved. 

 

 

The Outdoor Art Gallery

 

 

Article By Norma Beaird

Photography by Curtis Beaird

 

If you enjoy beautiful paintings or intriguing photography, it is inspiring to go to a lovely art gallery or museum. You can quietly walk through and be mesmerized by the amazing oil paintings and captivating photos. However, there is another art gallery that is always open, day or night.

It is simply called "The Outdoor Art Gallery", owned by Creator of the Universe and Genesis One Productions. God's Outdoor Art Gallery is ever-changing; and, unlike other galleries and museums, each day offers spectacular new artwork on a universal canvas. Each morning, He creates and paints a new and exciting visual to inspire creativity in all of us. There is never an admission charge to view His gallery and you are never asked to leave.

If you prefer a nighttime viewing of His creations, He offers a mesmerizing experience of the moon and stars. He invites you to the "Night-owl Extravaganza" where those who prefer an evening showing can enjoy an astronomical encounter. You may need a jacket and hat, and the cool air may chill you to the bone, but the beauty of God's lunar wonder will warm your heart.

So, do not worry if you do not see the Mona Lisa or the works of Leonardo da Vinci in your future travels. The most glorious Artist of all will be showing His work each and every day. Come rain or shine, summer or winter, His canvas will change before your eyes; and, in minutes, and sometimes seconds, you will view a majestic new work of art. No matter where you live or travel.....there He will be.

Psalm 19:1-2 KJV

"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth His handywork.
Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge."

 

 

Copyright 2020, Curtis and Norma Beaird.  All rights reserved.  

Let us Pray

 

Prayer by Curtis Beaird

Photography by Norma Beaird

 

Father, we come before You, this Your day, with thanksgiving and praise. We bow before You with joy and gladness, that we might look away from the tangled and sad mess that is our world, and find Your holy face and celebrate your grace in Jesus Christ.  

We come not to escape the world,

but to confess our need for Your everlasting truth and Your never-ending mercy. 

Father, our vision fails. We are overcome with confusion, fear and anger.  We have lost our way.  We live among a people who have lost their way. 

We pray, oh Lord, that time has not ended, that Your created order is not too broken to mend.  We seek Your healing, Oh Lord. 

We turn away today from the half-truths, manipulations, political charade and unseemly power plays to confess our over-reliance on men and women who can’t find their way in the dark. 

We ask, Oh Lord, that You allow us to hear again, Jesus’ words from the cross, “Forgive them for they know not what they do.” 

Father, Your world stumbles, relying on itself, guessing at the future, while posing as powerful.   

Father, we look to You, not to avoid the world; but, that in these last days, You will pour out Your spirit upon us afresh. 

We look to You in hopes that we may silence the self long enough, that Your Holy Spirit might move us away from our self-seeking and selfish ways. 

That we might find the courage to bring Your light to the dark world, 

that we might find the heart to share Your truth in a world, lost in the same tired ways of greed and fear that has alway been. 

We pray, oh Lord, that You will open our eyes that we might see; and, in seeing, celebrate the joy and gladness that comes from trust in You. 

Father, this day, Your day, we praise Your Holy Name with grateful hearts. 

And now, Oh Lord, because of Your love and grace, we turn strong to meet another day in our broken world, glad that we are Your people who are privileged to serve Your Holy Name. 

For we know Father, that You are good, that Your mercy is everlasting; and, Your truth endures to all generations. 

 

Amen and Amen

 

Grace and peace

 

 

Copyright 2020, Curtis and Norma Beaird.  All rights reserved.  

God's Way is Always Better

Beautiful cotton clouds over rural Georgia

 

Photography by Curtis and Norma Beaird

Article by Norma Beaird

 

Isaiah 55:8-9

For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are My ways higher than your ways,

and My thoughts than your thoughts.

 

Before I looked on the front page of our blog today to see the daily scripture that was posted in the sidebar, I had already planned to use Curtis' cloud picture for this article.  I didn't expect to see another cloud picture attached to Isaiah 55:8 on the daily scripture, but I realized again, that God is in control and that it was the scripture that the Lord wanted me to use for today's blog post.  God is always one step ahead of us.  To be honest, He's usually ten or twenty steps ahead of us.  And for that, I am very grateful.  Here is the Bible Verse that was posted on 7/20/2017 (it changes everyday): 

I'm thankful that we serve a Heavenly Father whose thoughts and ways are higher than ours.  Sometimes, in our carnal human life, we can set the bar rather low.  We expect less for ourselves than God expects.  We can get to a point in our lives, especially as we get older, where we think that good things aren't in store for us anymore.  Because life has dealt us some tiresome blows, we find ourselves driving into an emotional ditch.  We reach for mediocrity and God wants nothing less than the best for our lives.  However, we may find it difficult to believe that God wants the best for us when we're in a frustrating situation, or we're physically sick, or emotionally drained.  We wonder where the Lord is when we're fighting evil, struggling on the job or dealing with financial worries.  We pray and it seems that the answer never arrives.  Still, God is always in control.  

.....His ways are higher than our ways.  

Aloe Vera Plants 

Just like these Aloe Vera plants have taken root and are growing, God wants us "take root" and grow spiritually.  One way that we grow in our Christian walk is the practice of faith.  Sometimes the skies look dark and gloomy and sometimes it seems that the answer will never come, but we must believe that our blue sky will soon show up.  We must live a life of spiritual expectancy, always expecting God's best for our life.

#FAITH

We must learn to trust God in the storms of life. 

Faith is not easy, but it's absolutely necessary to the Christian walk.  If we never learn to trust in God, then we will never find peace, no matter the situation.  Trusting God means that we get up every morning and thank God that we woke up today and then thank Him for His many blessings.  We pray unto the Lord and ask Him to guide our thoughts, our work, our steps and our words.  We ask the Lord to give us wisdom and discernment.  We pray for His divine protection.  We ask Him for healing and help in every trying matter.  We ask him to deliver us from the hand of the enemy.  ....and then we trust Him.  We trust Him completely.  Is it easy? Of course, it's not easy.  But, it's necessary.  If we want peace, we must have faith and trust in the Lord.

College Baptist Church - Mount Vernon, Georgia

The picture above of the church surrounded by the beautiful blue sky is a perfect way to explain "God's ways".  When we have faith and trust in God, we can know that no matter the storm, no matter how much rain is falling down, that a blue sky is just around the corner.  This is how it feels to trust God.  You don't "spiritually" see the dark, gloomy skies.  You "spiritually" see the sky of blue.  It's called faith.  Faith and trust.  

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Every single day that we wake up is another opportunity to strengthen our faith and deepen our trust.  The Lord knows that living in this sinful, selfish world is not easy.  He already knows and understands the challenges that we face every minute of every day.  But, His promises are true.  His ways are perfect.  And, He loves us more than anyone could ever love us.  As our Father, He is watching us when we think that He's nowhere around.  You may think that He's a million miles away; and, in reality, He's standing next to you, helping you every step of the way......if you will trust Him and allow Him to help you.  The choice is ours.  We can allow God to help us or we can push Him away with doubt and unbelief.  God loves us enough to not force us to choose His best for us.  We're neither puppets nor robots.  We do have a choice.  However, life will teach us that faith and trust helps to solve our problems, not doubt and unbelief.  

Please don't let another minute go by without turning your life or your circumstance over to God in prayer.   

The Lord is just as close as the next prayer that you pray.  

God's way is always better.

 

Psalm 13:6

I will sing unto the Lord, because He hath dealt bountifully with me.

 

 

 

Copyright 2017, Curtis and Norma Beaird.  All rights reserved.  

 

In the Wilderness of Life, You Can Find the Cross

 

 

Photography and Article by Norma Beaird

 

Romans 10:13

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

The picture above is our newly decorated coffee corner. It was time for a change. After we wake up, the first thing that we do is go to the coffee corner, unless we decide to go outside first and check on the plants. Curtis likes his coffee. I like my coffee. Regular or Decaf, coffee helps to get us in gear. Sometimes, it puts us in Drive, or gets us out of Neutral. Coffee helps us to focus on the day ahead. No, we’re not addicted, but we’re not 21 anymore. We need a little assistance.

In the wilderness of life, evil attempts to steal our focus.

The world. Well, what can I say? It doesn’t matter where you’re living. Our communities, towns and cities are experiencing chaos on a widespread scale. To turn on the news is to fall into a ditch of despair and to be exposed to unending propaganda. Therefore, we decided that it was time to be reminded every single morning of what is important. Each morning, when I go to make coffee, I see the Eastern Bluebird picture and the three crosses. Each morning, I am reminded of what Jesus did for me on Calvary. So, before I get too discouraged over shootings, wars and upheavals, I am reminded that God is still in control.

For the last few posts, I’ve kinda had a theme going, “Manna in the Wilderness…..”, “…..Finding Peace on a Front Porch”. Sometimes, life is just difficult. The world around all of us refuses to make it any easier. In many ways, it always has been difficult, especially if you’re a Christian. At times, you feel like a fish out of water and wish that you could find the right river to swim in. You always feel that you’re swimming upstream, while everyone else is happily tubing downstream, catching the rays and drinking their favorite carbonated beverage of choice. You continue to swim upstream, tired and worn out, hoping that someone will throw you a life preserver attached to a rope to pull you back to the river bank.

Does this mean that we’re unhappy, pining away in this world, drowning our sorrows in Eight O’clock coffee and Chocolate Chip Cookies? Of course not! However, as Christians, if we think for one minute that this world is not becoming more spiritually wicked, then we haven’t been paying attention to the signs and people all around us. Have you noticed the constant anger in people? The rudeness? The bad attitudes? Have you paid attention to the number of people who are lost in a world of chemical enhancements? You attempt to pay for your items at the store and the clerk is so stoned that they can barely count the money back to you. Heartbreaking, to say the least.

Sin will keep us in the wilderness.  

The number one problem with the world that surrounds us falls under the category of “Spiritual Wickedness”. Everywhere we look, we find people who are living in opposition to the Holy Scriptures. They are living in sin. There, I said it. It’s called SIN. We find people who live life, not before a holy God, but they live a life bowing down to the god of “self”. Anything that you worship more than Almighty God is an idol. People bow to the gods of materialism, narcissism, selfishness, drunkenness, lasciviousness and desire. They bow to greed, lust and envy. They bow to their careers and put their family last on the list. They bow to everything and everyone but God. And, they can’t figure out why they’re so incredibly miserable.

Some people bow to these gods and still go to church. They may outwardly do and say the right things, but all that they have is a head knowledge of family tradition, a tradition of “every once in a while” church attendance. They know about God, they know about the Christian holidays and events, but they don’t know God on a deep, personal level. They don’t pray and listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit. They don’t talk to God because they're busy.

Their prayers are reserved for when they get into trouble, physically or financially. They may pray if they sense that a relationship is in trouble. But, they don’t seek God on a daily basis and praise Him for His many blessings. Unfortunately, many people don’t want to know God on a deep, personal level. He may reveal some things that they need to change. And….change is not always negative. Our lives constantly need the positive change that only God can bring.

Going to church does not spiritually save a person. Only Jesus can save people and forgive them of their sins. Good works and generous contributions won’t buy a ticket into Heaven. Confessing Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and repenting of your sins will pave the way to peace and eternal life in Glory. Salvation is not a tradition, it’s an experience with God. Traditions are nice, but they’re not life-changing. Tradition can enhance family relationships and make a holiday more fun, but a tradition will not save your soul.  Going to church encourages the congregation in their Christian faith, but church must be about the worship of God, not a family tradition.  

Right now, we are living in a spiritual desert, a wilderness, wooded acreage with buried sins. Some people live in a high-rise of sin. The city beats them up every single day. It’s much easier to pretend that sin doesn’t exist, to ignore it, to look the other way. Because, with admission of sin comes a burden of necessity, the necessity to ask for forgiveness and to make a change. Why change when you can just cover it up with pretense?

 

1 Peter 5: 6 - 10

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God,

that he may exalt you in due time:

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion,

walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Whom resist stedfast in the faith,

knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus,   

after that ye have suffered a while,

make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.  

                                                                                       

We’re living in very dangerous times. People have an agenda; and today, most agendas are rooted in selfishness. Everywhere we look, we find unhappy, discouraged and depressed people. They don’t lean on God for help, they lean on prescription medications, alcohol, and illegal drugs. They are angry and stressed. They scrap and fight every day to make another dollar to buy another gadget or item that they believe will bring them happiness and satisfaction.

About satisfaction……we are all born with a spiritual void that can only be filled with Jesus Christ. You will never find peace and satisfaction until you find Jesus. There is a reason that He came to Earth in human form as a baby, endured ridicule and scorn and then died a horrible death on the cross of Calvary. He knew that all of us come into this life born in sin. He knew that we needed a loving Savior to rescue us from eternal damnation. He knew that we needed to feel the true love that only a loving Savior can give. Jesus loves us like no one else can love us. He always has and He always will.

Turn to Jesus. Confess Him as your Lord and Savior. Repent of your sins before Him. Lay your burdens at the cross. As the old hymn says, “Leave them there….” Don’t try to carry what God has already carried for you. Lay down the substances and pick up the Bible. Start reading. Start praying. Find a place of prayer and call upon the Lord. Make your prayer requests known to God. He hears your prayer.

In the wilderness of life, you can find the cross.

 

Romans 10:9

"That is thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, 

and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the sea,

thou shalt be saved."

 

 

 

 

 

Copyright 2017, Curtis and Norma Beaird.  All rights reserved.  

The Garden of Life - Finding Peace on a Front Porch

 

 

Photography and Article by Norma Beaird

 

Finding peace on a front porch.  That sounds rather simple and it possibly sounds quaint and sweet, but it's the honest truth.  We've said it before in various ways, using different phrases and words, but here it goes again......the world has gone crazy.  If we're looking to find peace in a world that has taken a nosedive into hedonism, violence and mayhem, then we will be looking for a very long time.  There is no peace in chaos.  There is no peace in materialism.  And, there is certainly no peace in the world's version of success.......because.....with the world, enough is never enough.  

There comes a time in life when we need to slow down and question why we're doing what we're doing.  Do we only see a brass and glass world?  Do we only see interstates and highways?  Or, do we ever notice the blooming Crepe Myrtles or the wildflowers growing on the side of the road? Do we ever notice the buzzing bees or the chirping of the birds?  

We've written about birds and nature for several years, and each day, God surprises us with new joys of nature.  On some days, it's the Northern Bobwhite Quail that brings his missus into the yard for dinner.  On other days, it's the beautiful colors of Coleus that brighten our days with shades of Neon Green and Burgundy.

Coleus, Peppermint, Spearmint and Asparagus Fern

 

On some days, the Lord blesses us with a collage of glorious color!

The lovely shades of Coleus.

 

Rex Begonia

 

Persian Shield

 

Peace doesn't appear out of thin air.  We must live in a way that brings peace to our mind and spirit.   This year, in addition to feeding the birds at Le Avian Cafe, we decided to have a front porch garden.  We kinda got carried away.  After all, you can't stop with just one plant.....or two plants.....or three plants.  Having a front porch garden has increased our physical activity and emotional calmness.  It's difficult to be stressed when you're watering the Basil and Rosemary.  It's not easy to complain when you're digging in the soil and picking out colorful pots.  And, you can't be frustrated when you've just cut some Basil leaves to place on top of Mozarella Cheese, on top of a tomato, with a little Extra Virgin Olive Oil on top! 

 

From Left to Right:  Italian Basil, Persian Shield and more Italian Basil

 We love Persian Shield.  It's grows beautifully in a hot and humid climate.  

This plant is perfect for the Deep South and Florida

 

Yellow pot - Purple Coneflower (Echinacea) and the multi-color pot has Aloe Vera 

Aloe Vera plant is essential to have on hand for cuts, scrapes or burns.  It speeds up the healing process.

 

   Yellow Pot - Rosemary (Barbecue)

Orange Pot - English Lavender

Colbalt Blue Pot - Rosemary (Barbecue - and yes, it's smells like a barbecue)

 

L to R:  Coleus, Purple Coneflower (Echinacea), Coleus, Peppermint and French Lavender (Lavandin)

We found the landscaping stones at Lowe's.  We were having problems with weeds, so we cleaned out this area, placed stones on top (bought some of the stones for 84 & 88 cents).  The stones work perfectly for keeping a lot of the weeds out and they give the pots an even surface.  These lovely plants came from The Garden House in Vidalia, Georgia.  

 

 

 

This planting and growing season has also been a learning process.  To the left is Persian Shield in a striped pot.  This is the rich beautiful color of Persian Shield.  In perfect humid conditions, it has the appearance of purple leather leaves.  The terra cotta-colored pot in the middle has Electric Lime Coleus in the back and Persian Shield in the front.  We have learned that Persian Shield needs to be in a pot by itself.  This particular Persian Shield does not have a rich, vibrant purple color. The Electric Lime seems to be halting the growth of the Persian Shield.  To the far right is French Lavender or Lavandin (a hybrid of English Lavender).

 

Moving the plants to more sunshine! 

 

Sometimes, after watering the plants and moving them around, my back muscles are a little sore.  However, my spirit is refreshed.   When we are connected to nature, we are connected to God.  This is not New Age thinking, it's Genesis 1 thinking.  Genesis 1 is the Creation Chapter of the Bible.  God created the Heavens and the Earth.  He is the God of Creation.  God created the plants, the herbs, the birds and the butterflies.  We can experience the presence of a Holy God through appreciating and caring for His creation. He provided the herbs and plants for us.  And, in His physical provision, we can experience a heavenly peace.  

Psalm 50:10 says, "For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills."  

God owns it all, to include this adorable little frog who was making his home in the pot of Rosemary.  

Genesis 1:29 - 30

²⁹ And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree,

in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

³⁰ And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth,

wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

L to R:  Spearmint in the red pot and Purple Coneflower (Echinacea) in the yellow pot

All of it belongs to God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth.

 

Red Rubin Basil

 

Peppermint - this herb is great for repelling spiders and mice.  

Spider Repellent Recipe.  You will need a plastic spray bottle.  Mix 16 ounces of warm water, 10-15 drops of pure Peppermint Oil, and a drop of dishwashing liquid.  Shake well. You can spray this mixture inside or outside, around doors, windows and anywhere spiders or mice can creep in.

 

As much as the American Dream encourages climbing the ladder to success, people will burn themselves out to make another dollar for another day.   As people rush here, there and everywhere, many times, they will miss the beauty of it all.   They go home exhausted beyond measure and dread the thought of doing it again tomorrow.  Mark 8:36 says "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?  Even though work is very important, we must never go through life missing the things that can't be bought with gold or silver.  

A front porch garden is a garden of life.  A garden is about life because a garden is about the Creator.

God is our Creator and everything that He creates or touches generates life.

 When the world is involved, we will find chaos, confusion and spiritual death.  

When God is involved, we find peace, promise and eternal life.  

 

 

 

Copyright 2017, Curtis and Norma Beaird.  All rights reserved.  

  

Wood Storks and Expectancy

 

 Article and Photography by Norma Beaird

 

At the end of last August, Curtis and I were on our way to the Recycle Center (the dumpster where we take our trash). Usually, we have our cameras with us in case of a new bird sighting or just in case the good Lord provides us with a unique sunset. On this particular day, we were driving slowly down the country road when something caught my eye. There were a line of trees on the right side of the road, but behind those trees was a pond lined with old Cypress Tree stumps.  Standing on those trees was the most magnificent sight.   There were approximately 75 Wood Storks standing on those stumps, all over the pond, and in the woods behind the pond.

This was not a sight that we expected to see. It was as though we were peeking into a fantasy world. Consequently, we had been wanting to photograph Wood Storks for quite a while. We had once again missed going to a National Wildlife Refuge where the storks breed each year in Georgia, and we were disappointed that we had missed this opportunity. However, God knew the desires of our heart and He birthed a blessing on the way to the dumpster.

For many years, storks have been part of a legend involving the birth of babies. The legend of the stork delivering a baby began with the famous 1838 fairytale by Hans Christian Andersen entitled, "The Storks". Even though storks don't deliver babies, the association of the stork and birth actually birthed a thought process and a question in my mind.

What if we actually lived every day with an attitude of hope and expectancy,

as though each day God could birth a new idea,

a new blessing or a new miracle in our lives?

So many times, we go through the day, never expecting anything good to happen. It's the same 'ole routine, the same 'ole job, same 'ole menu, same 'ole.....everything. We never expect anything good to happen or to be "birthed" in us because things like that always happen to other people. However, on this very ordinary day, going to do a very menial task of taking garbage to the dumpster, God blessed us to see something that many people never see. Wood Storks. And not just one Wood Stork, but many Wood Storks.

Since that day, I try to look at life a little differently. Maybe on this ordinary day, after eating my ordinary breakfast and drinking my ordinary cup of coffee, God may have a surprise blessing for me. Maybe the Lord will open up a door that has been closed for a long time. Maybe He will show me a path where He would have me to walk. Maybe He has a job for me to do where I can bless others. Every time I look at these pictures of our Wood Storks, I am reminded to never take any day for granted. You never know when God has a blessing.....just around the corner.

Proverbs 3:5-6

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths."

 

 

 

Copyright 2017, Curtis and Norma Beaird.  All rights reserved.  

Declaration of Spiritual Independence

 

 

Declaration of Spiritual Independence

 

Declaration and Photography by Curtis Beaird

This declaration was read at Ailey Baptist Church in Ailey, Georgia on Sunday, July 3, 2016.

 

While the founding fathers believed it was self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain rights, I believe that willfully setting aside the faith of our Spiritual Fathers Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and my Savior Jesus Christ, has set us on a course that will end the very truths that the Founding fathers thought self-evident, the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Arrogance goes before a fall.

Before the fall, arrogance blinds.

We are there.

Therefore, I declare independence from a Godless America that no longer believes in anything that approaches the faith of the Founding Fathers. And even less, the faith of our Spiritual Fathers Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and my Savior Jesus Christ.

I declare my independence from the ignorance of an arrogant world that denies creation, designs to miss the blessings of a miracle and gleefully lives alone in a barren logic that only knows what it sees, hears, feels, touches and can count or measure.

I declare my independence from a world that knows nothing of the saving grace of Jesus Christ, nothing of the leadership of the Holy Spirit, and has cast aside the revelation of God Himself, His Holy Word.

I declare independence from a world that believes that man is the measure of all things and ignores the gifts and callings of God.

I declare independence from their cynical spirits, their reprobate minds and the permissive spirits that confuse hedonism with love, and have turned love into permissiveness.

I declare independence from a numbing political correctness that ignores truth, in favor of lies proffered as propaganda. Words that are nothing more than clouds without rain.

I declare independence from the erroneous belief the self is god and that man is perfectible.

I declare independence from the hollow belief that we are but a generation away from the advent of that perfection.

I affirm the belief that God, the Father Almighty, is Maker of heaven and earth. That He is God and the only God.  I declare and affirm that I shall have no other gods before me.  I affirm that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior, that He died that all might know His mercy, His grace and His salvation. That without him there is no salvation.

I affirm the Biblical truth that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.  And all, every living, breathing human being that has ever lived or will live is in as much need of redemption today as the day Adam and Eve defied the Almighty.

My prayer is that Almighty God, through the life, death and resurrection of his Son Jesus Christ, will grant us all the capacity for confession and repentance; that we enjoy His forgiveness and unending mercy and grace. For it is in the risen, resurrected Lord Jesus Christ that we live and move and have our being.

Amen and Amen.  May God have mercy on this world.

 

Psalm 33:12

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord...

 

 

 

Copyright 2016, Curtis and Norma Beaird.  All rights reserved.  

Thriving in the Midst of Chaos

 

A rather frightening storm cloud just minutes before a rainstorm in Statesboro, Georgia...

 

Photography and Article by Curtis Beaird

 

A shrill voice, always loud, always assaulting, can tear away at the fabric of our soul. Shouting has become the order of the day. From the news media to politicians, the soft answer that turns away wrath is a voice seldom heard. Instead, harsh words that stir up anger are everywhere, read and heard.

Insults abound. Accusations fly freely. Barbed speech that “tells it like it is” is welcomed and applauded. The more absurd the attacks, the better we like it.

We are an angry people betrayed by the idols of our day.

Bring out the wrecking ball, we are mad.

But, there is a price we pay for indulging our rage. A soul-numbing withdrawal that leads us into our version of anger and calculated retaliation, even if the urge to slap back is never acted out. We seethe in silence.

The most serious loss, especially to a believer, is the knowledge and awareness of what the Apostle Paul called a “good work” begun by God in us. Paul put it this way to his Philippian friends, "Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ..." Philippians 1:6

If we allow ourselves to follow the ways of a world bent on retaliation and aggression, we risk forgetting to attend to the “good work" that the spirit of God began in us. Anger, rage and wrath silences the Spirit of God. Our own frustration, aggravation and irritation can overwhelm the knowledge of the good that God has placed in us. The world is seductive. It gleefully and gladly leads us away from the highest and best work that God has for us to do.

Basically, God has a habit of speaking to us in the same way He spoke to Elijah “in a still small voice”. Allowing ourselves to be overwhelmed by the blaring sounds of constant conflict, both within our spirit and from the colliding worlds outside of us, can insulate us from God’s longing to perform the work He began in us.

While there is no escaping the conflict that rages about us; nor should we want to, we do have the choice of focus. We do have the choice of the voice we listen to. We do have the capacity to determine our response. It is not a matter of avoiding the fray, it is a matter of following Paul’s example; and in generosity, speaking the truth into the darkness generated by a noisy world that knows only how to consume.

The Knox Bible translates the “good work in us” as a God-inspired generosity. Paying attention to the good that God seeks to develop in us, we are free to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a world that knows only wars and rumors of wars until Christ’s return.

 

 

 

Copyright 2015, Curtis and Norma Beaird. All rights reserved. 

 

God and the Cloud

 

 

Photography and Article by Curtis Beaird

 

Exodus 13:17-22

17 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt:

18 But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.

19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you.

20 And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness.

21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:

22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

 

Thankfully, we can count on God’s leadership. Not only does he make a way. He also shows us the way.
And, that way can be surprising.

When “Pharaoh let the people go” in Exodus 13:17, the scripture tells us that God “led them” in the direction they should go.  However, He led them home not by the shortest route, He led them by the safest route.  He chose the longer route “by way of the wilderness” rather than “the way of the Philistines” for a kind and generous reason.

God is not only considerate of his children, He knows us well.  Sometimes, when the tired and weary meet enough resistance, they change their mind and return to a former misery.  This was the case with the recently freed Hebrews.  God was concerned that “when they see war, they may change their mind and return to Egypt.”  The way of the Philistines, while a shorter route, meant a battle the Hebrews were not prepared to face.  The way of the wilderness, while longer, was the safest route and the one that their caring God chose.

His leadership was unmistakable. Its evidence was something that everyone could see; and, was understandable to all.   God chose to be present in a cloud, a garden-variety everyday cloud.

“And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud to lead them in the way…..He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day….from before the people.” Exodus 13:21, 22.

Thankfully, we can count on God’s leadership. Not only does he make a way, he also shows us the way.

Note: I was thinking that I needed an appropriate picture to demonstrate this blog post; and, when I walked outside, the above picture is what I saw.

 

 

Copyright 2015, Curtis and Norma Beaird.  All rights reserved.