No Good If Not Applied

About a month ago, I sat in the doctor's office with both of my sons for their annual check-ups and to check up on some issues they both are dealing with.  My youngest son has eczema in several places all over his body.  The doctor prescribed him with a topical steroid cream.  The instructions are: Apply the cream to the affected area two to three times daily. 

What exactly do they mean when they say "apply" the cream?  To apply means to make use of something; to put to use. 

While sitting at my desk I happened to notice the tube of cream laying there and the thought came to me, The solution to the problem is laying there not being applied.  This cream does no good to help relieve my son's problem as long as it lays there and never gets applied.  How often in life we go through a learning process or experience and fail to apply what we have learned to the problem we are dealing with.  Or how many times have we suffered with a problem, all the while having what was necessary to relieve the problem laying right before our eyes.  

When Jesus was tempted by Satan, He knew the Word, He is the Word, but He still had to apply the Word to the problem, and when He did, the problem (Satan) left!  

This past Sunday we finished a 10-week series in Children's Church on the 9 Fruits of the Spirit.  I explained to the kids that memorizing them/learning them is good, but just to know them doesn't do anything to better ourselves as Christians.  If we do not apply what we have learned, it remains useless to us the same way this cream is to my son's eczema.  

If you've been in church for a while, you have gained a lot of knowledge of the Word.  You've probably gained enough Word to apply to whatever problem it is you may be faced with.  Don't allow your problems to continually irritate you, apply the Word that you have access to, put it to use!  The Great Physician has a prescription for whatever ailment you may have.    

Oh How He Loves!

Sometimes when reading God's Word, I like to place my name in the scriptures in place of other names.  I know God's Word is His love letter to me.  As I was meditating upon this passage, I found great comfort in adding my name to it, making it personal to my current situation.  Whatever you may be going through today, allow God's Word to speak to you in a personal way. 

Isaiah 43: 1 But now, O (Rhonda) , listen to the Lord who created YOU.  O (Rhonda), the one who formed YOU says, “Rhonda, Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed YOU.  I have called YOU by name; YOU are mine. 2 Rhonda, When YOU go through deep waters, I will be with YOU. When YOU go through rivers of difficulty, YOU will not drown. When YOU walk through the fire of oppression, YOU will not be burned up; the flames will not consume YOU.  3 For Rhonda, I am the Lord, YOUR God, the Holy One of Israel, YOUR Savior. Rhonda, I gave Egypt as a ransom for YOUR freedom; I gave Ethiopia and Seba in YOUR place.  4 Others were given in exchange for YOU.  I traded their lives for YOURS because Rhonda, YOU are precious to me.  Rhonda, YOU are honored, and I LOVE YOU!

Now you put your name where my name is and allow it to comfort and encourage you.

From the Heart of a Child

While taking a shower the other day, my oldest son went outside without me knowing about it.  When I had gotten dressed I went to look for him because I realized he wasn't in the house.  I assumed he would be riding his skateboard on the carport like he usually does or either his bike.  When I went to the door, he was balling up a piece of paper that he had written something on and was very discouraged.  I said "What is wrong Jeremiah?" and he said "NOBODY STOPPED!"  I said "Stopped for what?" and he said "I was trying to sell drink to people that ride by that are thirsty, the world is full of thirsty people and nobody stopped!" 

My heart immediately broke for him as I realized all the effort he had went through to accomplish what he had set out to do, all for it to fail right before his little eyes.  On his paper he wrote "Diet Mt. Dew $5 a cup", which I agree is rather expensive.  I said "Why were you trying to raise money?" and he said "I was trying to sell enough drink to buy us a car".  I get emotional every time I think about this, because he was so discouraged, but even more so because I realize he has such a big heart and at the same time is so tender-hearted as well.  His intentions were to raise money, but in his mind he thought he would also be helping someone else with their need.  Here is a picture of his little project.

As I thought about this incident, I also thought of how Jesus has already paid the price for our salvation. He is standing there waiting at the well, to give living water to the thirsty so they will never thirst again, but so many people ride by and don't even acknowledge Him. 

John 4:13-14(NKJV)  "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst.  But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life."