In our neck of the woods it is still very much winter with several feet of snow and the likelihood of seeing some more.  It has gotten to 37 degrees but the next few days, we are told, it won’t get much over that and at night it will be in the 20’s.  Snow here won’t be going away very soon.

I-84 from Troutdale to Hood River and from Pendleton to Ontario remains closed.  Don’t know about farther east, but the news people are saying the Gorge won’t be opened up until tomorrow, maybe. 

Across the river in Washington, Highway 14 is back open, so there is still a path leading from Portland to Hood River, IF there really is a need.

Talking with Norm last night and he said that several passes in Washington are also closed due to this weather.  Our passes, at least for now, are pretty clear, but not sure how long that will last.

Cleared the sidewalk of ice from the last couple of days – can’t tell just how thick since the freezing rain fell on a trace of snow, but the ice filled snow came off in large sheets and I had to break them in order to lift and throw them to the side.  They were a good half to three quarters of an inch thick.

Our driveway, of course, is as slick and ice covered as the side walk.  I put rock salt on the rest of the path, on the driveway, to the truck, and hopefully that will get it melting down.  It is gravel and the shovel couldn’t break it up.

Carla was able to get the pickup going down the driveway with little difficulty – hope she is able to come up, later tonight, with the same ease. 

There are times I miss wearing the uniform, during times like this I don’t; not even a little bit.  I am quite happy that others have picked up the baton and are running with it.

But, with all that, as I look out my window at this winter wonderland, it is shore purdy.

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John 3:29-31 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.

³⁰ He must increase, but I must decrease.

³¹ He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.

He that hath the bride is the bridegroom

It is so easy for Christians to slip into a false since of confidence in their ministry.  They do well and forget that they are but the friend of the bridegroom, not the center of attention when it comes to serving God.

I have felt resentment that others have good ideas and the Lord blesses them, forgetting that each of us have a role in God’s plan to bring the sinner to Him. 

I have started programs that were very successful, but in the process, in the operation of those programs, I forgot to give the credit to where it was due, in the mind and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

I have felt that my skills and abilities were enough to get the job done, forgetting that without the Holy Spirit we can accomplish nothing; while things may go well for a while, without His true blessings they are doomed to failure in the long run.

We cannot forget that our service is to God, not the other way around.

He is not a genie that we call upon to fix things, He is the master and we but humble servants that owe Him our salvation and owe Him the credit for anything and everything we have accomplished.

When we see others succeeding in their ministry to Him we should be praising God for His support of that ministry.

We can never be bigger than God.  Without Him, without His guidance we will not succeed, and we risk failure and falling away from Him.

He must increase, but I must decrease

John KNEW that his ministry was to point people to Christ, when Christ began HIS ministry it was John’s responsibility to support Him, not to usurp His authority.

If we keep the fact that God is in charge in mind; if we accept the responsibility that our job is not to place ourselves on a pedestal, not to try and boast about our holiness, not to tower over others so they submit to us instead of the Holy Spirit, then He can use us.

Yes, people with strong personalities are used by God; they put themselves out there as having the wisdom to present God’s Gospel so others will accept Him.  They advertise and show themselves as the person whom others should listen to – they become evangelists who have a gift from God and use it to His glory.

AND as long as they are in continual communications with God they can truly present His Word.  But in their private lives, out of man’s sight they must be very careful and live the Word that they have been preaching.

We have seen far too many Christian leaders that have been given a gift by God, forget who gave it to them, and believe it is their skills and abilities, alone, that are important and must be proclaimed. 

And they have fallen.

I do not want that to happen to me – again.  I want to continually be in touch with God so that my service to Him meets with His approval and others learn of and are drawn to Him.

John’s key message was that those that listen to Him must understand that the Son of God would soon be coming forth; and we must accept Him to have everlasting life.

 Verse 36  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Later, Art (-: