Onions and Tears

Bible Reading:  Psalm 126

Key Verse: Verse 6 – " He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come   again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”

Key Words: He that goeth forth and weepeth

Did you know that onions are low in calories?  Onions have only about thirty calories per serving.  Onions have no sodium or fat and are cholesterol-free.  The onion provides fiber, Vitamin C, B6, potassium, and other key nutrients.  Onions also contain generous amounts of quercetin.  Quercetin is believed to help protect against cataracts, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.  In addition, onions contain a variety of other natural occurring chemicals known as organosulfur.  Organosulfur has been linked to lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

If you have ever sliced an onion, you know that tears and onions seem to go together.  Before you can reap the good of the onion, you have to experience the tears.

Have you ever considered the following: the sound and reason for crying changes, but never does it stop.  All infants do it everywhere—even in public.  By adulthood, most crying is done alone and in the dark.  Weeping, for babies, is a sign of health and evidence that they are alive.  Isn’t this a chilling omen?  Not laughter, but tears are the life sign.

So the next time you are slicing that onion and tears start to flow, remember that tears, not laughter, are a sign of health and life

                                                                                                    Dr. Mike Rouse 

What to do:

      ✞When you see or taste an onion, remember that   tears are a sign of life. 

The Anise Plant

Bible Reading:  Matthew 23:17-39                           

Key Verse: Verse 23 – “Woe unto you, scribes and   Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other     undone."

Key Words: anise 

The anise plant is an herbal, aromatic plant.  Every part of the plant is used as a food source: the bulb, the leaves, the seeds, and the root.

The therapeutic vines of the anise plant have been known since ancient times.  The anise plant enhances man’s strength, cures insomnia, and stimulates the appetite. Anise contains Vitamins B1 and B2, C, calcium, phosphorous, potassium, sulfur, iron, and aromatic essences.  As a food, anise is used for cooking sweet and spicy dishes.

In the Bible, the anise plant is a picture of tithing (see Matthew 23:23).  So when you think of the anise plant, think about tithing.

A church was trying to pay for a new building over a period of three years.  They asked the church members to pledge how much money they would be willing to give for the new building over the next three years.  A poor washwoman belonged to the church.  She sent in her pledge card with a commitment of $468.00 (this was back when a dollar was a dollar).  The pastor and the deacons just couldn’t believe she could give so much so they went to see her. 

They told her, “We know that you love the Lord and want to help with the new building, but you cannot afford to give $468 in three years to the building program.  All you do is wash clothes to make a living.” 

She replied, “No, I figured it up.  I wash three places a day, but I have got another place I can wash.  I have turned it down because I have been so tired, but I have decided to do it for the next three years.  I am going to give that extra money to the building program.”  Then she continued, “Do not cheat me out of this privilege!”  So instead of doing three washes a day in the neighborhood, she took four and she called the fourth “the Lord’s wash.”  Imagine how much more we could do for the Lord if we had the commitment of this woman!

So when you think of the anise plant, think about your financial commitment to God. 

                                                                        Dr. Mike Rouse 

What to do: 

      ✞Remember the anise plant and giving…and remember, you cannot out-give God. 

The Barley Fields

Bible Reading:  Ruth 2:4-23

Key Verse: Verse 23 – "“So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother in law.”

Key Words: to glean unto the end of barley 

Did you know that barley is a member of the grass, or poaceae family, and is primarily a cereal grain?  It was once one of the only major staple food sources in Israel.

There are various types of barley available, which include whole barley, hulled barley, pearled barley, as well as barley flakes.  Barley contains copper, phosphorus, and zinc.  It is also rich in fiber and has been known to lower high blood cholesterol.  Barley also contains calcium and iron.  It contains zero fat and zero cholesterol.

If you will remember in John 6:9-10, in the story of the lad with five loaves and two fish, the loaves of bread were five barley loaves.  Barley was known as the bread of the poor.  The point being that God can use even the poor and lowly to accomplish His will when they surrender their lives to Him.  The answer for the poor is not bread, but Jesus.

A little over a century ago, Leo Tolstoy tried puzzling out a plan to rid Moscow of the poor and homeless.  The famed novelist and wealthy aristocrat first went to the worst hovels in town and gave money to beggars.  He realized, however, that he had been “cheated by men who said they only needed money to buy a railway ticket home” when he would spot them still in town days later.  Next, Tolstoy spent several months helping take the Moscow census, searching for the “truly” needy.  But Tolstoy saw the homeless could not be helped merely by “feeding and clothing a thousand people as one feeds and drives under shelter a thousand sheep.”  At last, he sadly concluded, “Of all the people I noted down, I really helped none…  I did not find any unfortunates who could be made fortunate by a mere gift of money.”  Jesus truly is the answer.  As we meet the physical needs of the homeless, let us give them the bread and water of life, which will truly set them free.

The next time you see barley bread, think of how Jesus can use you if you will only surrender your will to do His will. 

                                                                                    Dr. Mike Rouse 

What to do:

      ✞Remember that barley is the poor man’s bread, and the next time you see or eat barley bread, remember that God can use you.

The Water and the Cucumber

Bible Reading:  Numbers 11:1-9

Key Verse: Verse 5 " We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:"

Key Words: We remember…the cucumbers 

There are two primary varieties of cucumbers.  There are slicers and picklers.  Slicers are for fresh use, such as in salads or vegetable trays; whereas picklers are, of course, used to make pickles.  Cucumbers are a member of the gourd family, which also contains melons, squash, and pumpkins.  Cucumbers grow on a vine in sandy soil.  The sand gets warm during the summer giving the cucumber a more favorable growing environment.

Cucumbers are 95% water, which means they do not contain a lot of nutrients.  However, they are low in fat, sodium, cholesterol, and calories.  Cucumbers also contain Vitamins A and C.

From our text in Numbers 11, you can see that the cucumber was a favorite of the people of Israel.  The cucumber, because of the amount of water it contains, reminds us of God’s Word.  We are told in John 15:3, “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.”  In Ephesians 5:26 we read, “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word...”

J. Wilbur Chapman tells the following story:

A number of travelers were making their way across the desert.  The last drop of water had been exhausted, and they were pushing on with the hope that more might be found.  They were growing weaker and weaker.  As a last resort they divided their men into companies and sent them on, one in advance of the other, in this way securing a rest they so much needed.  If they who were in the advance guard were able to find the springs, they were to shout the good tidings to the men who were the nearest to them, and so they were to send the message along.

The long line reached far across the desert.  They were fainting by the way when, suddenly, everyone was cheered by the good news.  The leader of the first company had found the springs of water.  He stood at the head of his men shouting until the farthest man had heard his cry:  “Water!  Water!” 

The word went from mouth to mouth, until the whole company of men heard the sound, quickened their pace, and soon were drinking to their hearts’ content. 

I have found the Water of Life; it is flowing fully; it is flowing freely.  And so I stand and cry: “Water!  Water!”  Take up the cry, everyone, until every thirsty soul shall drink and live.

So the next time you see a cucumber, remember the Word of God: the Water of Life.

                                                                                                  Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do:

      ✞Every time you see a cucumber, remember the Word of God, and how important it should be in your life.

The Pomegranate

Bible Reading:  I Samuel 14:1-14

Key Verse: Verse 2 – " And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the people that were with him were about six hundred men;"

Key Words: And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree 

The name pomegranate comes from the Latin word meaning “the fruit of many seeds.”  The pomegranate originated in Persia (Iran-Iraq). 

Snacking on pomegranates can be laborious, as the edible seeds must be selected almost one by one to avoid the bitter-tasting membranes that house them.  The pomegranate is about the size of an apple, and it has a leathery, rosy-red skin.  While originating in Persia, the pomegranate is a popular fruit in all of the Middle East.  It is high in protein, carbohydrates, and fiber; and it is a good source of Vitamin C.  Another thing the pomegranate does is fight against intestinal disease caused by tapeworms.

In our text, we find Jonathan, the son of King Saul, and Jonathan’s armor-bearer leaving Saul and his troops behind while they proceed to defeat the enemy.  While Saul and his men are resting in a pomegranate orchard, Jonathan is fighting the battle his father should have been fighting.  The pomegranate reminds us not to tarry, not to be lazy, when there is work to be done – not to sleep when we should be out about the business of God.

Speaking of laziness, I recently read about an old mountaineer and his wife who were sitting in front of the fireplace one evening, just whiling away the time.  After a long silence, the wife said, “Jed, I think it is raining.  Get up, and look outside and see.” 

The old mountaineer continued to gaze into the fire and finally sighed, “Ah, Ma, let’s just call the dog and see if he’s wet.” 

Now, that’s laziness.  The pomegranate reminds us not to be lazy.  So, the next time you see or hear of the pomegranate, let it remind you not to be lazy, but to be about the Master’s business.

                                                                        Dr. Mike Rouse  

What to do:

      ✞Remember the pomegranate, and do not be lazy

Nuts

Bible Reading:  Song of Solomon 6

Key Verse: Verse 11 – "“I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished, and the pomegranates budded.”

Key Words: the garden of nuts 

Most scholars agree that the nuts referred to in our text are pistachio nuts.  Did you know that the pistachio nut is full of nutrition?  It is said that the pistachio nut may help reduce the risk of heart disease.  The nut also helps to calm acute stress.  It is also believed that the pistachio can help in the area of weight management.  It is also filled with fiber and vitamins.  I enjoy eating pistachio nuts simply because I think they are delicious.

According to Genesis 43:11, they were also used as a prized gift.

When my wife and I were in Israel, our Israeli tour guide for some reason connected with the two of us.  One day to our great amazement, he gave us a gift.  To my wife, he gave an expensive piece of jewelry; and I received a container of pistachio nuts.  Now, on the surface it appears as though my wife got the better gift; but according to the custom of the Middle East, a gift of jewelry for the women is the highest form of a compliment; and for men – you guessed it – either ointment, fruit, or pistachio nuts.

If you buy pistachio nuts fresh in the Middle East, they are quite expensive:  around $20.00 a pound.  Their high price is doubtless one of the reasons they are considered such a great gift.

I am reminded of another gift that came at a high price.  That gift is our salvation; and the price is the blood of Jesus Christ.  So the next time you see or hear of a pistachio nut, remember what Jesus did for you on Calvary.

                                                                        Dr. Mike Rouse 

What to do:

✞Every time you think of the pistachio, let it remind you of what we have through Jesus Christ: everlasting life. 

The Fig and Israel

Bible Reading:  Mark 13:14-37

Key Verse: Verse 28– " Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near:”

Key Words: Now learn the parable of the fig tree    

I have had the privilege of visiting Israel on two occasions.  It was during those visits that it became very obvious to me that the fig was one of, if not the most, favorite article of food there.

The fig tree differs from almost all other fruit trees in that its fruit is green and inconspicuous.  It is concealed among the leaves until the time of ripening.

As you study God’s Word, you will find that God often uses the fig as an illustration.  For example, it is used to illustrate the nation of Israel in Isaiah 34, and it is used to illustrate the second coming in Matthew 24.

Ah, the fig tree!  Have you ever eaten a fig?  Ok, Ok…so figs are not the most exotic of the fruits; but I like them, especially in the form of jelly, or even better yet, cookies…you know, the Fig Newton Bar.  I know, calories galore!  Fat gram city!  But they are still good.

Figs can be healthy.  They are known for their restorative power.  Pliny, the Roman Naturalist, wrote, “Figs are restorative and the best of the fruits that can be used by those who are brought low by sickness.”  Figs provide energy and vitality because of their sugar content.  If you do not drink milk, add figs to your diet; they are a good source of calcium.

Did you know that figs are the first fruit mentioned in the Bible?  Remember how Adam and Eve covered their nakedness with fig leaves?

Ah, the fig!  You cannot think about it without thinking about the nation of Israel (Mark 13:28).  So the next time you see or eat a fig, think about and pray for the nation of Israel.

                                                                                         Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do:

✞Remember, the fig, above all other fruits symbolizes Israel; so when you see a fig, remember to pray for Israel.