Greetings and Blessings to each of you as we begin to anticipate the celebration of the upcoming Christmas season….I trust that each of you were blessed with a spirit of thanksgiving during the past days and that your hearts are already filling with the joy that the Christmas season brings.
Unfortunately, our society is being pressured (in the name of tolerance) to accept the notion that Christmas is not about the birth of Christ; rather, it is to be celebrated as just another holiday when the banks close and the mail is not delivered.
To that I say, “Poppy-cock and balderdash!” It is time for all of us who wear the banner of Christ and call ourselves, Christians, to gently encourage those we encounter to enjoy not a Happy Holiday, but a JOYOUS AND MERRY CHRISTMAS…..
The following poem that I received today in an email may help us to muster our courage and to proclaim to all that we believe in Christmas and celebrate the birth of our Savior….please feel free to share it with others and never tire of wishing all you know,
MERRY CHRISTMAS…..
WPQ
Twas the month before Christmas*
*When all through our land,*
*Not a Christian was praying*
*Nor taking a stand.*
*See the PC Police had taken away,*
*The reason for Christmas - no one could say.*
*The children were told by their schools not to sing,*
*About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.*
*It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say*
* December 25th is just a 'Holiday'.*
*Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit*
*Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!*
*CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod*
*Something was changing, something quite odd! *
*Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa*
*In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.*
*As Targets were hanging their trees upside down*
* At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.*
*At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears*
*You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.*
*Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty*
*Are words that were used to intimidate me.*
*Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen*
*On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton!*
*At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter*
*To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.*
*And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith*
* Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace*
*The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded*
*The reason for the season, stopped before it started.*
*So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'*
*Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.*
*Choose your words carefully, choose what you say*
*Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS ,
not Happy Holiday!*
Please, all Christians join together and
wish everyone you meet
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Christ is The Reason for the Christ-mas Season!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Have a Blessed Thanksgiving 2009
Here’s a new twist to an old saying:
Due to the recent financial difficulties, the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off!
Now, I know that things are not as good as they could be; but, heaven knows they could be worse. So on this special day that we as Americans set aside to give thanks ….let us do just that….GIVE THANKS!
In fact, in God’s word that is an imperative; a command from the Great, I AM.
Throughout the Psalms, David continually wrote to praise the Lord and to give thanks. In Chapters 106 and 118, he begins each psalm with this admonition, “Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever.” Time and time again, David reminds us to give thanks…to let our hearts overflow with thanksgiving. In fact, in over 33 passages in the Bible, we are commanded to give thanks to our Father who is the giver of every good gift.
On this Thanksgiving Day, maybe you’re bank account isn’t as fat as you would like…but if you have any spare change just lying around the house, you are already wealthier than 75% of the world’s population. If you have a roof over your head, clothes and shoes to wear and get even one meal a day, you are living above the poverty level of 85% of those in third world countries.
Yes, times are hard for many of us here in America, but that does not relieve us of our command to obedience to give thanks to our Heavenly Father. But, we should give thanks not out of duty or obedience, but rather out of love and gratitude for the immeasurable blessings of God on this great nation.
Times may be hard and they may become harder…but we, as followers of Christ, are called to a higher standard of thanksgiving…we are to praise him and give thanks in ALL things…the good and the bad…in the best of times and the worst of times.
Today, do this….set aside some time to make a list of the things for which you can give thanks and after each one, BLESS THE NAME OF JESUS….tell Him, personally, what and why you are thankful and how, even if that blessing were striped away, you would still give thanks and bless his name…..for scripture tells us, “What shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, yet lose his own soul.”
That is my prayer of thanksgiving today…not for the blessing of my beautiful wife or the sweetness of my lovely daughter, although both are my joy and treasure; but, for the saving of my soul …that my name is written in capital letters in the Lamb’s Book of Life and that my eternal destiny is settled …and one day, very soon, I’m going home to be with my Savior.
If you, too, know the indescribable joy of being a child of the King….then,
HAPPY THANKSGIVING…..MAY GOD BLESS YOU WITH MANY MORE,
WPQ
Due to the recent financial difficulties, the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off!
Now, I know that things are not as good as they could be; but, heaven knows they could be worse. So on this special day that we as Americans set aside to give thanks ….let us do just that….GIVE THANKS!
In fact, in God’s word that is an imperative; a command from the Great, I AM.
Throughout the Psalms, David continually wrote to praise the Lord and to give thanks. In Chapters 106 and 118, he begins each psalm with this admonition, “Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever.” Time and time again, David reminds us to give thanks…to let our hearts overflow with thanksgiving. In fact, in over 33 passages in the Bible, we are commanded to give thanks to our Father who is the giver of every good gift.
On this Thanksgiving Day, maybe you’re bank account isn’t as fat as you would like…but if you have any spare change just lying around the house, you are already wealthier than 75% of the world’s population. If you have a roof over your head, clothes and shoes to wear and get even one meal a day, you are living above the poverty level of 85% of those in third world countries.
Yes, times are hard for many of us here in America, but that does not relieve us of our command to obedience to give thanks to our Heavenly Father. But, we should give thanks not out of duty or obedience, but rather out of love and gratitude for the immeasurable blessings of God on this great nation.
Times may be hard and they may become harder…but we, as followers of Christ, are called to a higher standard of thanksgiving…we are to praise him and give thanks in ALL things…the good and the bad…in the best of times and the worst of times.
Today, do this….set aside some time to make a list of the things for which you can give thanks and after each one, BLESS THE NAME OF JESUS….tell Him, personally, what and why you are thankful and how, even if that blessing were striped away, you would still give thanks and bless his name…..for scripture tells us, “What shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, yet lose his own soul.”
That is my prayer of thanksgiving today…not for the blessing of my beautiful wife or the sweetness of my lovely daughter, although both are my joy and treasure; but, for the saving of my soul …that my name is written in capital letters in the Lamb’s Book of Life and that my eternal destiny is settled …and one day, very soon, I’m going home to be with my Savior.
If you, too, know the indescribable joy of being a child of the King….then,
HAPPY THANKSGIVING…..MAY GOD BLESS YOU WITH MANY MORE,
WPQ
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Trust or Treasure?
I know that today, as many of you look out across the economic landscape, the view is anything but encouraging. The daily newspapers and TV continue to report rising unemployment and those of us who are still looking for a job grow weary and despondent.
But as a child of the King, I have to ask this question….Do you trust in your Heavenly Father to provide all your needs; to grant you the desires of your heart…or are you trying to make it on your own, relying on your ingenuity to get you a job and keep your head above water? Whatever your answer, it boils down to a simple thought….Trust or Treasure?
Now, the Bible is filled with scriptures that remind us that we are to trust our Heavenly Father for all our needs. In Psalms 37: 4-5, we read, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, TRUST IN HIM (my emphasis) and He will act.” Or what about the passage from James 1:17a…“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.” And who of us doesn’t need to be reminded by Paul in his writing to the Corinthians, “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8
But my favorite reminder of the faithfulness of God is found in the story of the widow and the offering box. We know that this widow must have truly and completely trusted in God for her very existence….for when she placed those two small copper coins, which was about a penny, into the offering box, she gave not out of abundance but out of poverty….she gave everything she had, all that she had to live on.
She had nothing left ….but her trust in God and His sustaining power. She knew in her heart that God would provide and that His love would be sufficient for all her needs.
So what does that say about you and me in these difficult days? Are we holding back the hand of God and holding on to what we have? Do we still continue to tithe and give to the commitments that we have made in our Savior’s name? Is our reluctance to give more about holding on to our treasure or is it really a matter of trusting in our God?
I am constantly amazed by how many of us say we are willing to trust God with our eternal souls, but we draw the line when it comes to trusting Him with our temporal riches. We will believe that there is a Heaven waiting for us, filled with jasper walls and streets paved with gold; but, we can’t trust our Heavenly Father to take care of providing next month’s power bill. It warms our heart and soul to believe that He sent His only Son to take our place on the cross, but it sends shivers up our spine to give our offering each Sunday and see the balance left behind in our checking account.
Our God knows what we need even before we ask….nevertheless, He wants us to ask.
Jesus told His disciples to “Ask and it shall be given unto you, for everyone who asks receives.” James, the brother of Jesus wrote, “You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it all on your passions.” James 4:2b-3
It all come downs to that simple equation, ASK + TRUST= GOD’S ANSWER.
God expects us to ask for what we need and in accordance with His will, He provides from His storehouse of riches….so start trusting God today with the everyday needs of your heart…a job, better health, greater love for others….whatever the need ….HE CAN AND WILL PROVIDE …the TRUST is up to you!
Trusting in the Father …Asking to do His will,
WPQ
Poem for the day;
Don’t put off until tomorrow
What you can achieve today;
Just trust the Lord in all you do
And He will guide your way.
Don’t be afraid to trust in Him
Just follow where He leads.
For when you put your faith in Him,
He’ll meet your every need.
wpq@June03
But as a child of the King, I have to ask this question….Do you trust in your Heavenly Father to provide all your needs; to grant you the desires of your heart…or are you trying to make it on your own, relying on your ingenuity to get you a job and keep your head above water? Whatever your answer, it boils down to a simple thought….Trust or Treasure?
Now, the Bible is filled with scriptures that remind us that we are to trust our Heavenly Father for all our needs. In Psalms 37: 4-5, we read, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, TRUST IN HIM (my emphasis) and He will act.” Or what about the passage from James 1:17a…“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.” And who of us doesn’t need to be reminded by Paul in his writing to the Corinthians, “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8
But my favorite reminder of the faithfulness of God is found in the story of the widow and the offering box. We know that this widow must have truly and completely trusted in God for her very existence….for when she placed those two small copper coins, which was about a penny, into the offering box, she gave not out of abundance but out of poverty….she gave everything she had, all that she had to live on.
She had nothing left ….but her trust in God and His sustaining power. She knew in her heart that God would provide and that His love would be sufficient for all her needs.
So what does that say about you and me in these difficult days? Are we holding back the hand of God and holding on to what we have? Do we still continue to tithe and give to the commitments that we have made in our Savior’s name? Is our reluctance to give more about holding on to our treasure or is it really a matter of trusting in our God?
I am constantly amazed by how many of us say we are willing to trust God with our eternal souls, but we draw the line when it comes to trusting Him with our temporal riches. We will believe that there is a Heaven waiting for us, filled with jasper walls and streets paved with gold; but, we can’t trust our Heavenly Father to take care of providing next month’s power bill. It warms our heart and soul to believe that He sent His only Son to take our place on the cross, but it sends shivers up our spine to give our offering each Sunday and see the balance left behind in our checking account.
Our God knows what we need even before we ask….nevertheless, He wants us to ask.
Jesus told His disciples to “Ask and it shall be given unto you, for everyone who asks receives.” James, the brother of Jesus wrote, “You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it all on your passions.” James 4:2b-3
It all come downs to that simple equation, ASK + TRUST= GOD’S ANSWER.
God expects us to ask for what we need and in accordance with His will, He provides from His storehouse of riches….so start trusting God today with the everyday needs of your heart…a job, better health, greater love for others….whatever the need ….HE CAN AND WILL PROVIDE …the TRUST is up to you!
Trusting in the Father …Asking to do His will,
WPQ
Poem for the day;
Don’t put off until tomorrow
What you can achieve today;
Just trust the Lord in all you do
And He will guide your way.
Don’t be afraid to trust in Him
Just follow where He leads.
For when you put your faith in Him,
He’ll meet your every need.
wpq@June03
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Tribute to Our Veterans
Today is a special day that only we in America celebrate…it is a day to honor all the men and women that have served their country in the military…it is VETERAN’S DAY.
Now, I know for a lot of people this day is a day of inconvenience; the banks are closed and there is no mail service….but for anyone who has red, white and blue coursing through their veins, this is a day of grateful celebration.
Throughout the history of this great nation, there have always been men and women that have stepped up to answer the call to arms whenever our country has been threatened or there is tyranny in the world…..but what about the day after day after day activity of protecting our country and the freedoms we hold so dear…
Who answers that call?
The young man who just graduated from high school…the father of three who runs an auto repair shop….the mother who was a filing clerk ….each and every person who swears an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of these great United States is bound by their vow to serve …and TODAY, WE HONOR EACH AND EVERYONE THAT HAS ANSWER THAT CALL……
VETERANS, WE SALUTE YOU AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO US ALL….
The following poems seek to honor those that have served and given sacrificially for us all….May God Bless You!
A SOLIDER’S PRAYER
I signed a piece of paper,
I took an oath as well.
I promised to protect My Country,
Tis’ a mission I can’t fail.
I’ve banded with my comrades
So together strong we stand;
In defense of this Great Nation,
Of this bright and promised land.
So, I will gladly do my duty
And if I must give my all,
My prayer will be…those left behind
Will continue to stand tall…
To fight for Peace and Freedom
To protect Sweet Liberty
I pray, Dear Father
That you grant this humble
SOLDIER’S PLEA.
W. PATRICK QUEEN
Copyright October 2001
WELCOME HOME
Welcome home, soldiers proud
Together, strong we stand
Defending freedom around the world
From this bright and promised land
Called to do your duty
To sacrifice for all
You proudly wear the uniform
For freedom, you stand tall.
You gave upon the battlefield
Your blood, your sweat and tears
And stood against the Evil ones
Who filled our lives with fear.
And now though spent, the battle won
Your respite is close at hand
As you return to freedom’s breast
To this great and glorious land;
We applaud you…we shout with joy
We immortalize this day
Welcome Home… Dear Patriots
To the good old U.S.A.
With Heartfelt Thanks We Salute Those Who Gave Their Best…
May God Bless You Every Day And Grant You His Sweet Rest!!!!!
W. Patrick Queen
February 14, 2005
Now, I know for a lot of people this day is a day of inconvenience; the banks are closed and there is no mail service….but for anyone who has red, white and blue coursing through their veins, this is a day of grateful celebration.
Throughout the history of this great nation, there have always been men and women that have stepped up to answer the call to arms whenever our country has been threatened or there is tyranny in the world…..but what about the day after day after day activity of protecting our country and the freedoms we hold so dear…
Who answers that call?
The young man who just graduated from high school…the father of three who runs an auto repair shop….the mother who was a filing clerk ….each and every person who swears an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of these great United States is bound by their vow to serve …and TODAY, WE HONOR EACH AND EVERYONE THAT HAS ANSWER THAT CALL……
VETERANS, WE SALUTE YOU AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO US ALL….
The following poems seek to honor those that have served and given sacrificially for us all….May God Bless You!
A SOLIDER’S PRAYER
I signed a piece of paper,
I took an oath as well.
I promised to protect My Country,
Tis’ a mission I can’t fail.
I’ve banded with my comrades
So together strong we stand;
In defense of this Great Nation,
Of this bright and promised land.
So, I will gladly do my duty
And if I must give my all,
My prayer will be…those left behind
Will continue to stand tall…
To fight for Peace and Freedom
To protect Sweet Liberty
I pray, Dear Father
That you grant this humble
SOLDIER’S PLEA.
W. PATRICK QUEEN
Copyright October 2001
WELCOME HOME
Welcome home, soldiers proud
Together, strong we stand
Defending freedom around the world
From this bright and promised land
Called to do your duty
To sacrifice for all
You proudly wear the uniform
For freedom, you stand tall.
You gave upon the battlefield
Your blood, your sweat and tears
And stood against the Evil ones
Who filled our lives with fear.
And now though spent, the battle won
Your respite is close at hand
As you return to freedom’s breast
To this great and glorious land;
We applaud you…we shout with joy
We immortalize this day
Welcome Home… Dear Patriots
To the good old U.S.A.
With Heartfelt Thanks We Salute Those Who Gave Their Best…
May God Bless You Every Day And Grant You His Sweet Rest!!!!!
W. Patrick Queen
February 14, 2005
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep
Those are the first words to the childhood prayer that most of us learned during our formative years. Each night, we would kneel at our bedside or curl up under the covers and with our Mom or Dad, kneeling beside us; we would pray that God would watch over us and take us to heaven if we failed to make it through the night.
For so many of us, unfortunately, that prayer was the highlight of our prayer life.
What do I mean by such a harsh and uncaring statement? Simply put….our young hearts were unfettered with the woes of this world and we prayed simply and honestly to our Heavenly Father….trusting that He would not fail us. But now that we have matured, our prayer life is often cluttered with appointments, to-do-lists, engagements and social obligations, not to mention a host of church and religious meetings that require our attention.
So, we cram in a few minutes of prayer at the start of a meeting or whisper a “God, I really need you help” hail Mary as we bolt into traffic, running late for a scheduled appointment. At night, we climb into bed and as we pull the covers up, we thank God for His protection during the day and ask for His safekeeping during the night….and before we finish the litany of the things we need to ask Him to do for us, we have fallen asleep.
Now, I know this is not everyone nor does it happen like this all the time; but my thought today is that we need to become prayer warriors as evidenced in the book of Colossians, the fourth chapter, where Paul begins his writing by saying, “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us that God may open a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ.” Colossians 4:2-3
It is in the same chapter, just a few verses beyond, that he extols the prayer life of one of his companions in Christ; “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Jesus Christ, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.” Colossians 4:12
Did you catch that? This young follower of Christ struggled…toiled …work tirelessly in his prayer life to pray that those who knew Christ would stand mature to know and to do the will of God. His prayer life was a struggle; not in finding what to say, but in finding the time, energy and commitment to spend quality moments in prayer for his fellow believers….but as we see by this passage, he made that commitment and received the adulation of the great apostle.
So my questions for each of us today….for whom are we struggling to pray? What issues or concerns need our prayerful consideration? Are we just paying lip service to God when we shout out a few religious platitudes, followed by an Amen or are we serious about prayer …about communicating with our Heavenly Father?
Only you know the “true” nature of you prayer life…. Only you can determine if it is worthy of praise and recognition as experienced by Paul’s cohort, Epaphras. Though we pray not for the praise or recognition of others, we do pray for others to stand tall.... to walk the walk, to talk the talk, and to in all things be salt and light to the world around us.
Take time today to pray…steadfastly…unceasingly…unwaveringly…unashamedly; though it may be a struggle, it will be well worth your time and effort …..Do it before it is time to call it a day.…after all, your Heavenly Father is just waiting to hear from you.
Struggling in the body…confident in His Spirit,
WPQ
Poem for the day: (excerpt from Bent…not Broken!)
So when life’s storm clouds gather and your heart is filled with pain;
Just pray to the Father and like a gentle rain,
He’ll wash away your anguish; He’ll vanish every care.
He’ll grant your every heart’s desire through the power of your prayer.
WPQ 1998
For so many of us, unfortunately, that prayer was the highlight of our prayer life.
What do I mean by such a harsh and uncaring statement? Simply put….our young hearts were unfettered with the woes of this world and we prayed simply and honestly to our Heavenly Father….trusting that He would not fail us. But now that we have matured, our prayer life is often cluttered with appointments, to-do-lists, engagements and social obligations, not to mention a host of church and religious meetings that require our attention.
So, we cram in a few minutes of prayer at the start of a meeting or whisper a “God, I really need you help” hail Mary as we bolt into traffic, running late for a scheduled appointment. At night, we climb into bed and as we pull the covers up, we thank God for His protection during the day and ask for His safekeeping during the night….and before we finish the litany of the things we need to ask Him to do for us, we have fallen asleep.
Now, I know this is not everyone nor does it happen like this all the time; but my thought today is that we need to become prayer warriors as evidenced in the book of Colossians, the fourth chapter, where Paul begins his writing by saying, “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us that God may open a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ.” Colossians 4:2-3
It is in the same chapter, just a few verses beyond, that he extols the prayer life of one of his companions in Christ; “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Jesus Christ, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.” Colossians 4:12
Did you catch that? This young follower of Christ struggled…toiled …work tirelessly in his prayer life to pray that those who knew Christ would stand mature to know and to do the will of God. His prayer life was a struggle; not in finding what to say, but in finding the time, energy and commitment to spend quality moments in prayer for his fellow believers….but as we see by this passage, he made that commitment and received the adulation of the great apostle.
So my questions for each of us today….for whom are we struggling to pray? What issues or concerns need our prayerful consideration? Are we just paying lip service to God when we shout out a few religious platitudes, followed by an Amen or are we serious about prayer …about communicating with our Heavenly Father?
Only you know the “true” nature of you prayer life…. Only you can determine if it is worthy of praise and recognition as experienced by Paul’s cohort, Epaphras. Though we pray not for the praise or recognition of others, we do pray for others to stand tall.... to walk the walk, to talk the talk, and to in all things be salt and light to the world around us.
Take time today to pray…steadfastly…unceasingly…unwaveringly…unashamedly; though it may be a struggle, it will be well worth your time and effort …..Do it before it is time to call it a day.…after all, your Heavenly Father is just waiting to hear from you.
Struggling in the body…confident in His Spirit,
WPQ
Poem for the day: (excerpt from Bent…not Broken!)
So when life’s storm clouds gather and your heart is filled with pain;
Just pray to the Father and like a gentle rain,
He’ll wash away your anguish; He’ll vanish every care.
He’ll grant your every heart’s desire through the power of your prayer.
WPQ 1998
Monday, November 9, 2009
Do You Yearn for the Urn?
Does the question posed above strike at the heart of where you are in your life? For many people in our culture today, they find themselves “scraping the bottom of the barrel” or at “the end of their rope’……Hapless…Helpless…Hopeless. Many truly believe that life is not worth living…. they often feel they would be better off if Death escorted them from this planet.
But for those of us who follow Christ, we find ourselves caught in the conundrum of a different nature ….living joyfully in this world, yet longing for the world to come. The apostle Paul went to great lengths to help the Corinthians understand this new “feeling” that seemed to overwhelm them as they began to walk ever closer with their Savior, Jesus Christ.
He wrote in I Corinthians 5:1-6, “Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile, we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal is swallowed up in life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us his Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Therefore, we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in this body, we are away from the Lord.”
Let that scripture sink in …let it permeate the core of your being and bubble up in your deepest soul….YOU WERE MADE TO BE WITH GOD….anything else will leave you feeling desperate, diminished, despondent; even downright depressed…..but God has made a deposit in you to guarantee what is to come….His Holy Spirit indwells….living in you so that you can live in and through His power.
Yes, this world is NOT our home! Our very spirit groans to be with Jesus; to be at home in Heaven, resting peacefully in His loving arms. Paul tells us that our mind should be set on Him…that we should long to leave this world to be with Jesus….but what about our earthly feelings to love those God has given us; to enjoy the beauty of His creation; to rise above our circumstance to serve our Savior? The rest of this passage gives us the insight we need to live as God intended in these last days.
“WE LIVE BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please Him whether we are at home in the body or away from it.” I Corinthians 5:7-9
What are you doing to please the Lord? How are you living in the light of the trials, tribulations and circumstances that confront and compound you on every side? What message of hope do you offer in the way that you live…do others truly see the light and hope of Jesus in your life? Each of these questions begs to be answered by a Christian witness…sold out to Jesus….living within the confines of this world, but confident in the world that awaits each and every believer in Christ.
Yes, we as His children want to, long for and anxiously await the day that we leave this body to be with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ….we yearn for the urn; but until that day comes, we are to be working, not just waiting; watching, not just wishing; pleasing Him, not pouting about our problems.
Our anthem should mirror the words of Christian songwriter, Steven Curtis Chapman, who wrote….
We are not home yet…we are not home yet;
Keep on looking ahead; let your heart not forget,
WE ARE NOT HOME YET……
Until then, remember….A Tisket, A Tasket; you should long for your casket…..
For it is better to be absent from the body so that you can be at home with the Lord.
Longing to leave….praying to please my Savior,
WPQ
But for those of us who follow Christ, we find ourselves caught in the conundrum of a different nature ….living joyfully in this world, yet longing for the world to come. The apostle Paul went to great lengths to help the Corinthians understand this new “feeling” that seemed to overwhelm them as they began to walk ever closer with their Savior, Jesus Christ.
He wrote in I Corinthians 5:1-6, “Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile, we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal is swallowed up in life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us his Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Therefore, we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in this body, we are away from the Lord.”
Let that scripture sink in …let it permeate the core of your being and bubble up in your deepest soul….YOU WERE MADE TO BE WITH GOD….anything else will leave you feeling desperate, diminished, despondent; even downright depressed…..but God has made a deposit in you to guarantee what is to come….His Holy Spirit indwells….living in you so that you can live in and through His power.
Yes, this world is NOT our home! Our very spirit groans to be with Jesus; to be at home in Heaven, resting peacefully in His loving arms. Paul tells us that our mind should be set on Him…that we should long to leave this world to be with Jesus….but what about our earthly feelings to love those God has given us; to enjoy the beauty of His creation; to rise above our circumstance to serve our Savior? The rest of this passage gives us the insight we need to live as God intended in these last days.
“WE LIVE BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please Him whether we are at home in the body or away from it.” I Corinthians 5:7-9
What are you doing to please the Lord? How are you living in the light of the trials, tribulations and circumstances that confront and compound you on every side? What message of hope do you offer in the way that you live…do others truly see the light and hope of Jesus in your life? Each of these questions begs to be answered by a Christian witness…sold out to Jesus….living within the confines of this world, but confident in the world that awaits each and every believer in Christ.
Yes, we as His children want to, long for and anxiously await the day that we leave this body to be with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ….we yearn for the urn; but until that day comes, we are to be working, not just waiting; watching, not just wishing; pleasing Him, not pouting about our problems.
Our anthem should mirror the words of Christian songwriter, Steven Curtis Chapman, who wrote….
We are not home yet…we are not home yet;
Keep on looking ahead; let your heart not forget,
WE ARE NOT HOME YET……
Until then, remember….A Tisket, A Tasket; you should long for your casket…..
For it is better to be absent from the body so that you can be at home with the Lord.
Longing to leave….praying to please my Savior,
WPQ
Monday, November 2, 2009
Getting What You Deserve?
With all the turmoil that exists in our country today, there seems to be one recurring theme that is constantly being bantered about….and it deals with the mindset of those that are bent on getting what they deserve.
Now, I don’t know about you; but for me personally, I am not the least bit interested in getting what I deserve; especially when talking about my former relationship with God.
Throughout the scriptures, we are constantly reminded of our sins, failures, shortcomings, disappointments and overall lack of worthiness to be loved by God. In fact, we are told that even our best is “filthy rags’ when presented to the Almighty. We are told that the wages of our sin is death and that we are totally cut-off and separated from God by our sin….in simple words, if we got what we deserved, it would be separation and annihilation from and by God.
But our God is a God of mercy….and God’s mercy is not getting what we deserve. We deserve to be despised and loathed by our Creator but as we read in Romans 5: 8, “but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners (MERCY), Christ died for us (GRACE).”
It is so simple to run around with our chest puffed out and demand we get the things in life we think we deserve; however, when we view our lives through the eyes of our Heavenly Father, it is easy to see how that kind of thinking brings about ruin and a life lost forever.
God has shown each of us mercy by loving us in spite of our sin and He has bestowed His grace on us by allowing His only Son to pay the price for that sin. We deserve death but God’s mercy and grace have provided a way out….and I, for one, am grateful for His mercy shown and His grace bestowed.
So the question becomes….HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you really want God to give you what you’ve got coming to you…. or are you FOREVER GRATEFUL that God’s mercy and grace supersedes your sins ….and by your faith in the shed blood of Christ, DO YOU BELONG TO HIM?
It is a question that demands an answer….after all, one day you WILL bow before Jesus and receive all that you’ve got coming to you…..reward or retribution…..the choice is yours!!!!!
If you need to meet my Jesus, contact me…. I’ll be happy to make the introduction!
Bathed in His mercy….clothed in His grace,
WPQ
Now, I don’t know about you; but for me personally, I am not the least bit interested in getting what I deserve; especially when talking about my former relationship with God.
Throughout the scriptures, we are constantly reminded of our sins, failures, shortcomings, disappointments and overall lack of worthiness to be loved by God. In fact, we are told that even our best is “filthy rags’ when presented to the Almighty. We are told that the wages of our sin is death and that we are totally cut-off and separated from God by our sin….in simple words, if we got what we deserved, it would be separation and annihilation from and by God.
But our God is a God of mercy….and God’s mercy is not getting what we deserve. We deserve to be despised and loathed by our Creator but as we read in Romans 5: 8, “but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners (MERCY), Christ died for us (GRACE).”
It is so simple to run around with our chest puffed out and demand we get the things in life we think we deserve; however, when we view our lives through the eyes of our Heavenly Father, it is easy to see how that kind of thinking brings about ruin and a life lost forever.
God has shown each of us mercy by loving us in spite of our sin and He has bestowed His grace on us by allowing His only Son to pay the price for that sin. We deserve death but God’s mercy and grace have provided a way out….and I, for one, am grateful for His mercy shown and His grace bestowed.
So the question becomes….HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you really want God to give you what you’ve got coming to you…. or are you FOREVER GRATEFUL that God’s mercy and grace supersedes your sins ….and by your faith in the shed blood of Christ, DO YOU BELONG TO HIM?
It is a question that demands an answer….after all, one day you WILL bow before Jesus and receive all that you’ve got coming to you…..reward or retribution…..the choice is yours!!!!!
If you need to meet my Jesus, contact me…. I’ll be happy to make the introduction!
Bathed in His mercy….clothed in His grace,
WPQ
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