Verses from Mama

Hearing God speak one Bible verse at a time.

Found Treasure Worth More Than Marbles

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2 Timothy 3:15 “. . . from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

MarblesThe phone was ringing off the hook last week! We were selling a glass decanter of old marbles and it seems they were very desirable. Calls from all over the country came in to inquire about the condition, size, colors, quantity, and age. Just a jar of glass spheres – but so special. I couldn’t wait to see how much they would sell for.

Auction day rolled around and the crowds were record breaking. The facility was full of hopeful people and beautiful antiques, but I only wanted to know the selling price of one thing – the marbles.

The auctioneer started his chant. The clerk was poised and ready. Bid spotters scanned the crowd and manned the phones for the absentee buyers. The race was on! The bidding passed $1,000 and continued to climb while everyone held their breath in anticipation.

The gavel came down as the featured jar sold for the astounding price of $2,200!

Oh, how I wish I had the box of colorful aggies that Uncle Chuck and IIMG_0023 played with as kids at Great-Grandma’s house. Who would have ever dreamed this child’s plaything would bring so much?

I never could have afforded to buy such an expensive item, but guess what?

The other day I found a better treasure in the bottom of a box lot left for the trash after another auction. What I found was more precious than fine gold and sweeter than honey. Underneath the other miscellaneous junk were two worn Bibles. I grabbed them and took them home, giving one to a friend and keeping the other for myself.

IMG_2562These two copies of God’s Word were overlooked by those who had their eyes on other “fancier” things. But for me this was the best find ever! Within the worn pages are words that can make even the youngest of children wise about God’s plan of salvation. There are directions for living life to the fullest. There are warnings about the evil one who seeks to kill and destroy. Each word is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness so that God’s children may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

I am still reeling over the great price that someone paid for a glass jar of antique marbles, but as far as I am concerned I got the better deal!

I wouldn’t trade God’s ancient and living words recorded in the Bible for a whole truckload of old marbles.

Love,
Mama

P.S. To see a video of Dad selling these marbles, click here.

Another Reason to Struggle

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2 Corinthians 1:3-4 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”
 
Dad auctioning children’s artwork.
There are many reasons that God allows trials into our lives. Sometimes we suffer because we or someone else has sinned, but that is not always the case. We know from the Bible that Christians will suffer painful trials on this earth as a result of being a child of God. When we identify ourselves with Christ, there will be times when we will be misunderstood and mistreated just as He was. Difficulties also sharpen us and help us to grow in our faith. But there is another reason that we may suffer.

As we struggle through temporary troubles on this earth, God gives us His real and compassionate comfort. He promises never to leave us and He gives us the grace to make it through our struggles as we keep our eyes focused on Him. On the other side of our trials, or sometimes even in the midst of them, we will have the opportunity to encourage others who are enduring their own personal struggles. In sharing our experiences and the comfort we have received from God, we may be able to help sustain the weary one with the Scripture as well as with empathy and practical help.

Monday night Dad and I attended a fundraising event for the Children’s Miracle Network. Dad was the auctioneer for the event and was charged with selling six pieces of children’s artwork to help raise money to support this good cause. One of the special guests was Jack Nicklaus, perhaps the most successful professional in the history of the game of golf. He and his wife Barbara were attending the event to raise awareness as well as to encourage the children who have gone through so much pain because of their medical problems and subsequent treatments.

Jack and Barbara Nicklaus sponsoring event.
Jack and Barbara explained that the reason they have spent so many years and so much money to sponsor this cause is because of something that they experienced many years ago. Their young daughter was having trouble breathing and kept passing out, so they took her to the hospital and found that she had swallowed a crayon.

As the doctor’s tried to remove this foreign object from her tiny body, the crayon broke into small pieces and parts of the crayon migrated into her lungs, causing them to nearly lose their little girl. Miraculously she survived. Jack and Barbara were so grateful that they have dedicated many of the following years to encouraging and helping other parents and children who are going through medical tragedies.

Miss America 2015 even showed up.
How much more can a child of God who has experienced very difficult circumstances encourage and strengthen others with his or her sympathy and understanding? Not only can we offer our support, but we can also share our faith in what God has done and can do?

Nothing is wasted with God. Everything we experience comes through His loving hands and He is there with us the whole time, encouraging and strengthening. As we feel His presence and sense His strong arms holding us in these times, what a wonderful blessing it is to unite with others in similar circumstances and share our encouragement with them.

When you are going through a difficult time, look to God and ask Him for His compassionate comfort and mercies. Then look around and see who you can help as a result of the encouragement God has given to you. You may be just the one who gives another sufferer the strength to look up.

Love,
Mama

Word Handler

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2 Timothy 2:15. “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”

Recently we had an auction where we sold some very old and decrepit prints. The yellowed paper was ripped on the edges in a few places and one corner was folded up on itself. Though these old drawings looked like nothing special to the untrained eye, they were worth quite a bit of money and sold very well.

The buyer was from out of state, so we brought the prints to our office to prepare for shipping. Generally we take all our absentee bid items to the UPS Store for the packaging and shipping, but the new owner was not comfortable with this idea. Apparently these items were so precious that he wanted to send his own special parcel and entrust me to ship the items to him. I was a little concerned, but agreed to do it. He promised to send me wrapping instructions.

True to his word, the container came in the mail. When I opened the letter that was firmly affixed to the front of the portfolio, I was flabbergasted to read the full typewritten page of instructions. Carefully open 3 sides of the package making sure not to slice through the hinge on the fourth side. Slide two prints in between the enclosed tissue paper placing the third one between them. Enclose the receipt making sure to remove all staples so as not to damage the aged paper. Close the lid and without moving the box reseal the three sides with clear packing tape. Tape new mailing over the old label -DO NOT REMOVE OTHER LABEL . . . and on and on it went.

I thought to myself, “If this is how careful we should be with some old and crumbling prints, how much more we should take care of God’s precious word.” Not only should we handle the book itself with care, but, more importantly, we need to study it diligently to know what God intended when He wrote it. We should not wrangle about words because this is useless and leads to the ruin of those who hear us. Instead, with the Holy Spirit’s help, handle the Word of God with accuracy, seeking not only to understand it, but also to do what it says. In doing so we will present ourselves to God approved as a workman that does not need to be ashamed.

I hope that the package got to the new owner in good condition. More importantly I trust that my study of God’s Word will approve me as a workman that does not need to be ashamed. Make sure you are a good Word handler.

Love,
Mama

Salt Shakers

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Good Morning,

The verse of the day is Matthew 5:13. “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it useful again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.


You won’t believe what we sold at yesterday’s auction! I walked into the barn where the sale was being held and lying on the floor were flats and flats of salt and pepper shakers. There were hundreds of different shapes, from a pair of chickens, to geese, to giraffes. You name it, it was probably there sporting holes in the top to supply bland food with a flavorful zing.

All the shakers were acquired by the same person who had collected them over the years. The purpose for these cute and crazy utensils is to dispense a common but useful seasoning for all sorts of fare. But the problem is that with this many in one home they were all relegated to a useless existence in a huge china cabinet.

God calls His children the salt of the earth. When believers share the good news of God’s salvation the message is sprinkled all over the world. Others can taste and see that the Lord is good and may choose to accept Him as their Savior, too. But what happens when salt has lost its flavor? It is thrown in the garbage and new salt is purchased. When those who confess Jesus as Lord do not share their faith, God will eventually remove their influence from this world.

I hope that all those salt shakers found good homes.  And I especially hope that some of them are used to jazz up otherwise bland food. That’s what they were made for. 
What kind of salt are you? Is your shaker sitting on a shelf or is it doing what it was made to do?
Love,
Mama

The Right Clothes

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Isaiah 61:10a. I will rejoice greatly in the Lord, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness…

It is very important to wear the correct clothing. The other day we had a rainy outside auction. The temperature was 50 degrees and it rained most of the time. There were old cars, engines and miscellaneous scrap metal all over the farm. We slogged through ankle deep mud from 8:00 AM until 4:30 PM. I was so glad that I had dressed in layers with a rain poncho and rubber boots. Others were not as prepared for this weather and setting. One man lost his dress shoe when it stuck in the mire. Another fell when trying to wade through a thick spot. Numerous others ruined good tennis shoes. I was also surprised that many had not worn any kind of rain gear and were trying to cut holes in black plastic garbage bags to put on and keep somewhat dry. Yes, it is very important to have the right kind of clothes.

There is a correct attire for heaven too. No one is allowed in when they are covered with the mire of this world. Everyone who enters must be wearing a white robe of righteousness. This is not a garment we can get for ourselves. We need to allow Christ to clothe us with His righteousness. When He died on the cross He shed His blood to wash the muck and mire of our sin away. By accepting His payment for our sin, we receive His righteousness making us right with God and fit for heaven. Though we continue to live in a world full of sin we are now wearing the right clothes. When God looks at us He no longer sees our sin but the pure white robe of Christ’s righteousness.

When I go to an outside auction I always take the time to dress appropriately and wear the right gear. I was warm today when others were wet and cold. In like manner, I am glad that when God looks at me He sees a nice clean robe of righteousness and not my muddy rubber boots.  What about you? Are you wearing the right clothes?

Love,
Mama

Lessons From an Auction Clerk

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Good Morning,
The verse of the day is Hebrews 12:2. Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and
perfecter of faith…
The bright sun danced in my eyes as I zipped my
jacket and headed out of the barn into the crisp morning air. I threaded my way
through the crowds of Carhart-clad men and women who had gathered for the farm
machinery auction. I followed the sound of the auctioneer’s chant to the place
where our clerking cart was located and exchanged places with the clerk on
duty. Without speaking I immediately gave all my attention to what was
happening before me. As the auctioneer called bids, my fingers flew over the
computer keys recording the description, the price, and the bidder number for
each item sold. Moving through the line of green and yellow riding mowers, I
inched through the pressing crowd to keep the auctioneer and the items in view.
As I moved my cart forward I realized that my
antenna was having trouble transmitting to our main computer in the metal barn.
I wheeled the cart back until I had better reception, all the while continuing
to type, and positioned myself in a place where I could clearly hear the
auctioneer’s chant through our speaker. The crowd moved forward and I focused
my hearing on the voice coming through the PA system, completely putting my
trust in what the auctioneer was saying. I now needed to rely on him fully to
give me the correct information because I could no longer see what was going
on.
This is much like our lives. We follow God
along the path of life until something gets in our way. An interruption breaks
into our comfortable situation and we feel left behind as the world moves on.
There may be an illness, a death, or a financial situation that causes despair
and suddenly we feel as if we have lost contact with Him. We lose sight of God
through our frustration and pain and the voices of life swirl around us causing
us to feel confused. These are the times when we need to tune out the crowd’s
noise and with every ounce of our concentration fix our eyes on Christ. Hang
onto God’s words for they will never fail. Even when we cannot see what is
going on, God is still in control. 
It takes training and practice to block the
distractions around me when clerking an auction. Similarly, it takes a lot of
determination to fix our eyes on Jesus in a world of distractions. But when we
do we will experience God’s perfect peace and we’ll never miss a bid!
Love,
Mama