hearts joys

hearts joys

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Birds of a feather

This is pretty amazing.  We have a least 6 hummingbirds that attend our feeder.  I have seen pictures of people hand feeding them.  So I decided to give it a try.  Here are a couple videos.  The one was shot through the screen so it is hard to see.  But there are two or three dancing and chittering around me and between me and the feeder.  There is also one where I am buzzed by one as I shoot video.

Saturday, June 20, 2015

Sweeter than Honey

Grace is God demonstrating His love for us. Our obedience is us demonstrating our love in return. That is the relationship of love Scripture declares we have with God Himself.



Here is how Scripture defines God’s law:

1. The Law blesses (obey) and curses (disobey). It blesses us when we obey, and we are cursed when we disobey.
Deuteronomy 11:26-28


26See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse - 27the blessing if you obey the commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you today; 28the curse if you disobey the commands of the LORD your God.


(See also Psalm 112:1, 119:1-2; 128:1; Proverbs 8:32; Isaiah 56:2; Matthew 5:6, 10; Luke 11:28; James 1:25; 1 Peter 3:14; and Revelation 22:14)



2. The Law defines sin. If we break the law of God, that is sin. If we observe the law of God, we stay out of sin.
1 John 3:4


"Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness."

(See also, Jeremiah 44:23; Ezekiel 18:21; Daniel 9:11; Romans 3:20, 7:7; and 1 John 3:4)



3. The Law is perfect.
Perfect means that it cannot be made better. Perfect means that if you take any of it away, it is no longer perfect.
Psalm 19:7


The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.

(See James 1:25)



4. The Law is liberty/freedom.
Psalm 119:44-45


44So I will keep Your law continually, forever and ever. 45And I will walk at liberty, for I seek Your precepts.


That means if you walk in the law of God, you are free; but free from what? Free from sin. Remember how Yeshua walked? He walked the law of God. Remember how Christ said to walk, how John said we should walk (1 John 2:6)? Walk like he walked...that is why Christ is freedom. Remember, it is the truth that sets us free (John 8:32). What is Truth?

(See also Psalm 119:45; James 1:25, and 2:12)



5. The Law is the truth. Psalm 119:142 says it best:
Psalm 119:142


"Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and your law is truth."

(See also Malachi 2:6; Romans 2:20; Galatians 5:7; Psalm 43:2-4; and John 8:31-32)



6. The Law is the way.
Exodus 18:20


"Teach them His decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave."

(See also Deuteronomy 10:12; Joshua 22:5; 1 Kings 2:3; Psalm 119:1; Proverbs 6:23; Isaiah 2:3; Malachi 2:8; Mark 12:14; and Acts 24:14)



7. The Law is life
Proverbs 6:23


"For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life."

(See also Job 33:30; Psalm 36:9; and Revelation 22:14)



8. The Law is light.
Proverbs 6:23


"For the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light; Reproofs of instruction are the way of life."

(See also Job 24:13, 29:3; Psalm 36:9, 43:2-4, 119:105; Isaiah 2:5, 8:20, 51:4; 2 Corinthians 6:14; and 1 John 1:7)



9. The Law is Yeshua (Jesus), the Word made flesh. (He is PERFECT + He is FREEDOM + He is the WAY + the TRUTH + He is the LIFE + and He is the LIGHT. The Law = Jesus).
Revelation 19:13


He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.

(See Psalm 27:1; John 1:1-14, 14:5-11; 1 John 1:7)



10. The Law is also for those who were once Gentiles (the foreigner or alien) but are now grafted into Israel.
Numbers 15:15-16


15One ordinance shall be for you of the assembly and for the stranger (alien/foreigner/Gentile) who dwells with you, an ordinance forever throughout your generations; as you are, so shall the stranger be before the LORD. 16One law and one custom shall be for you and for the stranger who dwells with you.


(See also Exodus 12:19, 38, 49; Leviticus 19:34, 24:22; Numbers 9:14, 15:29; the book of Ruth; Isaiah 42:6, 60:3; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 37; Matthew 5:14; Ephesians 2:10-13; Acts 13:47; Romans 11:16-27; 1 John 1:7, and 2:10)



11. The Law is God’s instructions on how to love God, and how to love others, and how to not love yourself.
1 John 5:2-3


2By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. 3For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.


(See also Exodus 20:6; Deuteronomy 5:10, 6:5, 7:10, 11:13, 22, 30:16; Leviticus 19:18; Nehemiah 1:5; Daniel 9:4; Matthew 10:39, 16:25, 22:35-37; John 14:15, 21; Romans 13:9; and 2 John 1:6)


In following the guidelines of scripture interpretation something in today's theology does not line up with what the Scriptures tell us concerning the instructions of the Father for His set apart children.
Pro 4:1 Children, listen to the discipline of a father, And give attention to know understanding;
Pro 4:2 For I gave you good instruction: Do not forsake my Torah.
Pro 4:3 For I was my father’s son, Tender and the only one in the eyes of my mother,
Pro 4:4 Then he taught me and said to me, "Let your heart hold fast my words; Guard my commands, and live.
I remember singing this as a youth at church.  Little did I really think about the words I was singing.  Elohim's Law or as it should be interpreted "instructions"  are not just for Jews.  They are for those who are set-apart by the Father to be His children.  These instructions are sweeter than Honey.  They are to be desired, not abandoned or set aside.  Whoever believes they are set aside misinterprets Paul and disbelieves Peter when he tells us to be careful how we interpret Paul concerning the law.
Psa 19:7 The Torah of יהוה is perfect, bringing back the being; The witness of יהוה is trustworthy, making wise the simple;
Psa 19:8 The orders of יהוה are straight, rejoicing the heart; The command of יהוה is clear, enlightening the eyes;
Psa 19:9 The fear of יהוה is clean, standing forever; The right-rulings of יהוה are true, They are righteous altogether,
Psa 19:10 More desirable than gold, Than much fine gold; And sweeter than honey and the honeycomb.
Psa 19:11 Also, Your servant is warned by them, In guarding them there is great reward.

Saturday, June 6, 2015

What is New

What's new in the Race household.
 My beautiful and gifted wife posted this and she did such a great job I had to share it too. She did forget to mention the owl that occasionally perches on the telephone pole just across the road.  The Blue Herons at the ponds and the hawks soaring in the air.  There are also the Turkey vultures, cows and llamas.  We live on a ranch with over 3,000 acres and 27 ponds where I manage 12 turkey barns.

Our 6 year old discovered what she thought was a fossil but which actually turned out to be a native American spearpoint.  Also some crayfish skeletons.  We hope you enjoy the pictures and what we have been up to.



 Then there are the turtles we find crossing the roads. We bring them home so the girls can learn about them and then take them back and drop them off where we found them.





Here is what Laurie has to say:

What's new in the Race household since we moved to MO? An Abyssinian kitten - Pharaoh, a rescue puppy - Trixie (who is a he and not a she), a rescue dog - Daisy Mae (who was 3 wks pregnant when we got her), and Daisy's 5 day old puppy. Do you know I got more sleep when I was pregnant than I did with a pregnant dog in the house? I also got more sleep with a newborn than I do with a puppy in the house.



Mike's job is going well; hopefully the ranch will hire someone to work with him as the person who was going to changed his mind. There is way too much work for one person. He put in over 66 hrs a couple weeks ago, and hoped to have a shorter week after, but when things break down...the animals still have to be fed.
The girls are excited as almost daily we have pkgs of homeschool curriculum and books coming to the house. After testing a few weeks ago, I was thrilled to see the steady learning that has taken place in the last year with more relaxed schooling. Several tested ahead in math, and all tested ahead in reading.
Oh yes, I must not forget the skunk family! In the barn nearest the house there is a mama skunk and her 4 babies. They can't get in the barn, but just between the outside and inside walls. Every night as the sun is going down, mama skunk heads down the drive and the road. During the day we have seen mama and babies walking along the outside of the barn. We tried to take pictures, but didn't want to get too close.



Today, Esther, Jennella, and Kaytelyn saw their first live police chase and arrest in a small town not far from here. They heard the police officer shout, "Stop her, stop her!". I think I prefer farm-life excitement to police chases.


 And so our lives continue at a fast pace amidst the beauty which Yahweh our Elohim has created.