MIDNIGHT VISITOR

FISH DINNER IN GALILIEE

What if your best friend arrived from a long journey at midnight.  He is hungry and knocks on your door asking for some food?

"And he said to them, If any of you had a friend, and went to him at midnight and said to him, Friend, lend me three loaves, because a friend of mine has come from a journey to me and I have nothing to set before him,"   Luke 11:5-6  NMB

Would you tell your friend to be quiet; I'll wake everyone up if I get you some bread?

"and the man inside were to answer and say, Don’t trouble me; the door is now shut, and my servants are with me in the chamber; I cannot rise and give them to you – "  Luke 11:7  NMB

Because his friend was persistent and wouldn't leave without some bread; he got up and gave him what he wanted.

"I say to you, though he would not arise and give him a loaf because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he would rise and give him as many as he needed."   Luke 11:8  NMB

We are like the midnight visitor asking our Father in heaven for what we need.

"And so I say to you: ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you."  Luke 11:9  NMB

Would we have received anything if we didn't come to the Father's house seeking, knocking and asking?

"For everyone that asks, receives, and he that seeks, finds, and to him who knocks, it will be opened."   

Luke 11:10  NMB

If you asked your parents for bread, are they going to served you a rock?  Or if you ask for a fish dinner, are you going to get a snake?   Or if you ask for an egg for breakfast, are they going to give you a scorpion?

"If the son asks for bread from any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for fish, will he give him a serpent for a fish?"   "Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?"   

Luke 11:11-12  NMB

The human nature of man is evil; but they would give only the best for their children.  

GOD's nature is good.  Your Father in heaven desires to give the gift of the Holy Spirit for those who knock, seek and ask him.

"If you then who are evil can give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father of heaven give a holy spirit to those who desire it of him?" 

Luke 11:13  NMB (New Matthew Bible)

POISON IVY

AUTUMN LEAVES OF UTAH

Touching POISON IVY can cause a rash, by an oily resin called Urushiol.   To treat the rash, wash with soap and avoid itching; or it will spread.  Don't scratch!  Don't rub your eyes.

You can buy a medicated cream too.

SCRUB OAK

AUTUMN LEAVES OF UTAH

GAMBEL OAK IS SCRUB OAK

  

These trees are found in the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains and lower elevations in Utah.

QUAKING ASPENS

UTAH STATE TREE

QUAKING ASPEN TREE

In 2014 the Utah Legislature changed the Utah State Tree from Colorado Blue Spruce to the Quaking Aspen tree; because they are found in more counties than the spruce tree.  

CROOKED?

What is crooked cannot be made straight.
What is missing cannot be counted.

Ecclesiastes 1:15  TLV  (Tree of Life Version)

ORANGE LICHENS

WASATCH MOUNTAINS TREES

ORANGE LICHENS growing on this tree in the national forest, outside of SNOWBASIN.  

Lichens are a partnership between Fungus and Algae.   

WHAT COLOR ARE MAPLE LEAVES?

AUTUMN LEAVES OF UTAH

WHAT COLOR ARE MAPLE LEAVES?

Are Maple leaves red, orange, 

gold, yellow or green?

POINTING YOUR FINGER

DO YOU  JUDGE OTHERS?

If you have a fault, do you quietly examine yourself for your sin; or do you point the finger at others, saying, 'He's a worse sinner?'

"Those people are on a dark spiral downward. But if you think that leaves you on the high ground where you can point your finger at others, think again. Every time you criticize someone, you condemn yourself. It takes one to know one. Judgmental criticism of others is a well-known way of escaping detection in your own crimes and misdemeanors. But God isn’t so easily diverted. He sees right through all such smoke screens and holds you to what you’ve done.

You didn’t think, did you, that just by pointing your finger at others you would distract God from seeing all your misdoings and from coming down on you hard? Or did you think that because he’s such a nice God, he’d let you off the hook? Better think this one through from the beginning. God is kind, but he’s not soft. In kindness he takes us firmly by the hand and leads us into a radical life-change.

You’re not getting by with anything. Every refusal and avoidance of God adds fuel to the fire. The day is coming when it’s going to blaze hot and high, God’s fiery and righteous judgment. Make no mistake: In the end you get what’s coming to you—Real Life for those who work on God’s side, but to those who insist on getting their own way and take the path of least resistance, Fire!

If you go against the grain, you get splinters, regardless of which neighborhood you’re from, what your parents taught you, what schools you attended. But if you embrace the way God does things, there are wonderful payoffs, again without regard to where you are from or how you were brought up. Being a Jew won’t give you an automatic stamp of approval. God pays no attention to what others say (or what you think) about you. He makes up his own mind."

Romans 2:1-11  MSG  (The Message)

CANYON MAPLE

TREES OF THE WASATCH MOUNTAINS

CANYON MAPLES near the SNOWBASIN Resort in the National Forest Maples Trail.  The trees can be found at 4,500' to 7,500' elevation.