Beautiful … Elegant … Delicate … Fragrant … all words that describe the deep purple Iris accentuating the landscape in my front yard.  I have noticed that my neighbors often break from       their evening walk by my house to appreciate this wonder of God’s handiwork.  This flower is just          one of many flowers that grow in our gardens and yards this time of year, all  reminders of God’s       care and provision for His creation.    Last night Cindi and I were watching television, one of those nature shows declaring how          vital it  is for man to “take care” of nature.  Indeed, it was God who took Adam and put him in the Garden of Eden to “tend and keep it” (Genesis 2:15).  We all must realize our responsibility to our  world, God’ s world.    The focus of the show was on the great Sequoia trees in California, trees that were over         3,000 years old, the biggest living things on earth, some over 270 feet tall and 30 feet in diameter.     I was interested in the show because a few years ago Cindi, Ben, and I took a vacation to              California to see these giant trees.  What a sight to behold!  There are no words that can       adequately describe just how magnificent these giants are.  Even the pictures we took do not adequately show their majesty.  Anyway, the show’s commentators spoke about how important          it was for scientists to keep a close watch on these trees to make sure they were healthy.  I       wondered and laughed.  How did these trees ever survive the past 3,000 years without man’s intervention?  Of course, the answer to this question is … God!  When you read about the history        of these trees, you will find that man almost logged these trees into extinction in the early 1800’s.    Take your Bible and read Matthew 5:1, then 6:25-34.  Jesus, the Son of God, went up on a mountain and sat down to speak to the multitude gathered to hear.  He told the people to stop worrying about things, “your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body,        what you will put on” (6:25).  He spoke of how our heavenly Father feeds the birds and clothes             the flowers.  He said, “Are you not of more value than they?”   He then said,  “If God so clothes           the grass of the field … will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?”   From Jesus’        Sermon on the Mount, we learn what our first priority in life must be.  “But seek first the kingdom        of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (6:33).  He promises us            that when we love Him supremely and one another as Jesus loved us (John 13:34-35), and when        God and His church become our #1 priority, then He will provide for our every need.    One of God’s greatest promises can be found in this same sermon from the  gospel of Luke.   “Give, and it will be given to you (Simple, isn’t it!): good measure (what you asked for and more), pressed down (filled up then pressed down and more added), shaken together (filled up, shaken       then more added), and running over (You know what this is!) will be put into your bosom (lap).            For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you”  (Luke 6:38).    This promise can be yours and mine when we fulfill its condition … Give!  We must put our        faith in God first.  He is ready, willing, and able to fulfill His promises.  We must seek His kingdom          and His righteousness first.  When we do, our lives will be full of all the fruit of the Spirit of God.           We can find a list of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-24, “love, joy, peace, longsuffering,        kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”    What a life we can have in Christ!  Are you a Christian?  Faith (Hebrews 11:6) – Repentance       (Acts 2:38) – Confession (Acts 8:37) – Baptism (Mark 16:16) – A faithful life walking in the light of Christ (1 John 1:7).