Much cooler yesterday.  We were blessed with about a dozen new humming birds at the feeder.  Each year those passing through give us a visit for a day or two; it seems a little early this year, but it was still fun watching them.

We normally have at least four, year in and year out that stay with us, during the summer their off spring join them and eventually leave with the flock that migrate.

Some say that you must stop feeding them the first of September so they will move on, but that base we have doesn’t seem to care to do so.  I don’t know what the life span of a humming bird is, I have to believe that those we fed, up here, 12 years ago, are not the same ones we are feeding now, but it doesn’t make any difference, they stay.

The little gold finches are starting to hit the sunflowers in the garden, it is fun to listen to their happy chirps as they partake of the bounty.

The quail still have little ones as they parade through the garden or the neighbor’s yard.  You can always tell when they are about to come through as they post a ‘sentry’ down the paths to watch for danger.

Our cats don’t seem to want to bother them, and I have only seen one neighbor cat with one in its mouth.  Then nest in the black berries on the north side of the property, it gives them good protection.

“Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.”  Abraham Lincoln

Romans 5:1-2 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

² By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

As I read this quote from Abraham Lincoln this morning I thought about my stand for Christ over the years – unfortunately sometimes that stand wasn’t as firm as it should have been.

I, like many people, first asked questions trying to get some insight into what the other person was thinking before I was ready to say something. 

Now, it didn’t happen often, but the fact it did reminds me that I must always focus on Him and never compromise my stand for Him; and sometimes those compromises were terrible.

We are seeing more and more compromises by Christians.  Part of it is to not suffer ridicule.  Some of it is so we think we can make people see we are just like them and in doing so will somehow make them more interested in Christ – when in fact it does just the opposite, they see no change in us, so why should they accept Christ?

American Christians are just now starting to endure the things that many Christians all over the world have been living with for almost 2000 years.  Living in a government that doesn’t recognize their right to say and do what Christ says to do.

They find that government regulations try and force them into denying the Word of God and even casting the Bible out of their lives.  Failure to do so can lead to loss of business, homes and even incarceration.

At least one state, HERE IN AMERICA, has formed a committee to make sure all public speeches are politically correct and are attempting to deny Preachers the right to preach the Word of God in their churches.  They claim that since the building is a public gathering place, they have the ‘right’ to demand those who lead it follow the state’s law. 

It is under litigation.

I am not as confident now, as I might have been 10 years ago that the court system would chastise the government and remind them of the first amendment – especially when it comes to churches.

When we stand for Christ, we are on solid ground.  Even though we may go through the same persecution that Paul, Peter and millions of other Christians have gone through to proclaim our redeemer’s salvation, we know that God will prevail.

And as long as we remain on that firm ground others will be saved.  It is happening all over the world.

People are hungering for the peace and joy that only Christ can give, when they see those that are being persecuted for His sake many will run away, but others will allow the Holy Spirit to guide them into the truth because they see Christ in the Christian.

And Christ’s church of believers is growing in those countries.

While the government tries to dictate what is acceptable, the only ground we need to stand on is God’s; it is ‘the right place.’

Later, Art :-)