There’s a New Year coming and its literally just hours away. For many of us this seems to be good news….for we suppose in our minds that as awful as this year has been, SURELY next year will have to be better….however; as much as I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, this may not be true.
At the end of this year, many of you are suffering from lost jobs, lost incomes, lost clients, lost savings and investments and maybe even the loss of a loved one. But your ability to function and find joy in the New Year should not be determined by your circumstances….for God may be using your problems to prepare you for greater things to come … He may be testing your trust, faith and resilience in these difficult days…or He may be correcting, punishing and reshaping your behavior for sins or disobedience in the past….whatever the reason, the Christian walk is not without its problems and difficulties.
There are many well-intentioned orators and preachers of the highly acclaimed “success and prosperity” religion that is so popular with the masses these days; however, these men and women seem to have left out a number of biblical passages that deal with God using our problems to prepare us for greater service. One of my favorites is found in Hebrews that reads, “Let God train you, for he is doing what any loving father does for his children. Whoever heard of a son who was never corrected? Our earthly fathers trained us for a few brief years, doing the best for us that they knew how, but God’s correction is always right and for our best good, that we may share His holiness (my emphasis). Being punished isn’t enjoyable while it is happening-it hurts! But afterwards we can see the results, a quiet growth in grace and character.” Hebrews 12:7, 10-11 (The Living Bible.)
As you look back on the pitfalls, problems and perplexities of this past year, don’t fall into that mindset that says you are doomed and nothing good can come out of the situation in which you now find yourself…rather understand that even our Savior lived in and through the midst of his problems. Even with all of the trials and tribulations of life that lead to his death on a cruel Roman cross, Christ was ultimately victorious in life. Neither the scorn nor prejudice of the Pharisees nor the grumblings of the religious leaders held Him back from seeking and doing the Father’s will. He had temptations, problems, desires, and yet, He was without sin because He knew that each moment spent in self-pity would take Him away from service to his Heavenly Father.
So, as this year comes to a close, why not take a moment to look back at last year’s failures, problems or difficulties and see what it might have been that God was trying to teach you. Was it TRUST….OBEDIENCE…FAITH….ACCEPTANCE; whatever it might have been…. know this; even though each problem or disaster might have been unpleasant, difficult or even gut wrenching, God was building in you character and grace that will be sufficient for all of life’s woes.
It is true for each of us that we may not understand God’s methods and we may be perplexed in our circumstances, but know this….GOD IS WORKING ALL THINGS OUT FOR OUR GOOD!!!! He will not let you fall any further than your knees as you come to Him in complete surrender and acknowledge Him as Lord in your life. Your problems may get worse….Christ’s did, as He was led as a lamb to the slaughter; but, in His obedience, God was glorified and He was lifted up to draw all men unto himself.
Got problems? Then, rejoice that God is at work in your life….either He is punishing you and correcting your ways so that you might be of greater service or He is preparing you and equipping you with greater character for an ever-increasing role in His Kingdom….either way, GOD IS IN CONTROL AND NOTHING HAPPENS TO YOU BY CHANCE…so go on, let go and let God have His way….living the good life for God lies just ahead in the New Year.
Looking Forward to Perfection….Enduring the Pains,
WPQ
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
ON YOUR MARK...GET SET...
Well, it’s that time of year again…when we put away the Christmas ornaments, tinsel and lights and begin the task of getting ready for a New Year. We stop looking back at our past failures and mistakes and look forward to the prospects of new beginnings….we call them New Year’s Resolutions.
This year let’s try something simple….no resolutions to lose weight, quit smoking, get more exercise, eat better, eat less and on and on the list goes. This year let’s make one simple decision that will forever immeasurably impact our lives and the lives of those around us….let’s resolve, with the Lord’s help, to sin less.
You see, sin is all about us…it’s evident in the very center of the word …the letter “I”! Life becomes all about what I want, what I need, what I deserve, what I should have….I…I…I! It’s no wonder that God’s blessings can’t get through to us …they are held back by the dam of sin that separates us from His love and from our fellowship with a loving and caring Heavenly Father.
If you’re not sure of this, then take a look at Ephesians 2:1-10 and there you will read of God’s mercy toward us while we were yet sinners. But, God did not leave us in our hopeless state for scripture tells us, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not of your own doing: it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
It’s not about what you can do to make yourself better in the coming New Year…it’s about what God has already done through His Son, Jesus Christ. It’s about the mercy and grace of God. It’s about your desire to walk closer with Him on a daily basis and the only way to accomplish this is to sin less…..so we ask; how does one accomplish that?
The first thing to do is to replace the “I” in sin with the “O” and the word, sIn becomes the word, sOn ….and it’s always about the SON!!!! If you want to sin less, you need to be more like the Son of God in all you do. Is it easy? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Is it within our means …not without the help of the Holy Spirit! Can it make a difference in your world and with those God puts in your path….ABSOLUTELY, WITHOUT A DOUBT!
As we prepare for the start of a new year, God is calling each of us to begin 2011 resolved to sin less and to walk more like Jesus in our daily lives. He is waiting to bless each of us in ways we can not even imagine if we will just surrender to Him and allow Him to be the center of our focus. If we focus less on ourselves and more on Jesus, WE WILL SIN LESS AND OUR HEAVENLY FATHER WILL BE EXALTED …..
And that’s the best way to start a New Year….walking with our Lord so that others may see Jesus in us.
Will it be easy to forego the trap of New Year’s resolutions and the fallacy that we can somehow make ourselves better and more acceptable to God? I don’t know…but this I do know; God is calling us to be salt and light to a dark and desperate world. We can not expect to keep doing things the same way and get better results…we must change and that change comes from God and God alone.
So put down your paper and pencil and set aside the anguish that comes from making resolutions that are too easily broken…rather focus your energies on reading God’s word and asking for the power to become the man or woman God has called you to be in 2011.
He’s just waiting to open the floodgates and make 2011 a year like no other ……the choice is up to you!
May Blessings Abound,
WPQ
This year let’s try something simple….no resolutions to lose weight, quit smoking, get more exercise, eat better, eat less and on and on the list goes. This year let’s make one simple decision that will forever immeasurably impact our lives and the lives of those around us….let’s resolve, with the Lord’s help, to sin less.
You see, sin is all about us…it’s evident in the very center of the word …the letter “I”! Life becomes all about what I want, what I need, what I deserve, what I should have….I…I…I! It’s no wonder that God’s blessings can’t get through to us …they are held back by the dam of sin that separates us from His love and from our fellowship with a loving and caring Heavenly Father.
If you’re not sure of this, then take a look at Ephesians 2:1-10 and there you will read of God’s mercy toward us while we were yet sinners. But, God did not leave us in our hopeless state for scripture tells us, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not of your own doing: it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
It’s not about what you can do to make yourself better in the coming New Year…it’s about what God has already done through His Son, Jesus Christ. It’s about the mercy and grace of God. It’s about your desire to walk closer with Him on a daily basis and the only way to accomplish this is to sin less…..so we ask; how does one accomplish that?
The first thing to do is to replace the “I” in sin with the “O” and the word, sIn becomes the word, sOn ….and it’s always about the SON!!!! If you want to sin less, you need to be more like the Son of God in all you do. Is it easy? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Is it within our means …not without the help of the Holy Spirit! Can it make a difference in your world and with those God puts in your path….ABSOLUTELY, WITHOUT A DOUBT!
As we prepare for the start of a new year, God is calling each of us to begin 2011 resolved to sin less and to walk more like Jesus in our daily lives. He is waiting to bless each of us in ways we can not even imagine if we will just surrender to Him and allow Him to be the center of our focus. If we focus less on ourselves and more on Jesus, WE WILL SIN LESS AND OUR HEAVENLY FATHER WILL BE EXALTED …..
And that’s the best way to start a New Year….walking with our Lord so that others may see Jesus in us.
Will it be easy to forego the trap of New Year’s resolutions and the fallacy that we can somehow make ourselves better and more acceptable to God? I don’t know…but this I do know; God is calling us to be salt and light to a dark and desperate world. We can not expect to keep doing things the same way and get better results…we must change and that change comes from God and God alone.
So put down your paper and pencil and set aside the anguish that comes from making resolutions that are too easily broken…rather focus your energies on reading God’s word and asking for the power to become the man or woman God has called you to be in 2011.
He’s just waiting to open the floodgates and make 2011 a year like no other ……the choice is up to you!
May Blessings Abound,
WPQ
Friday, December 24, 2010
A BABY CHANGES EVERYTHING....
The following is a reprint from Salt & Light, December 2009...It is the REASON FOR THE SEASON....Please read on and be blessed!
In my last submission to Salt & Light, I wrote about the upcoming birthday of our daughter, Alyson…and as her mother and I took a walk down memory lane, I was reminded of that age-old truth…A BABY CHANGES EVERYTHING!
I remember that during those long months of expectancy, I took a simple note card and in my rudimentary calligraphy wrote the following and placed it in Alyson’s crib….COMING SOON…..ALYSON TAYLOR QUEEN.
As a father, expecting his first (and in my case, only child), I was filled with fear, trepidation and anxious moments as I anticipated this new arrival….would I be a good father? Would I know what to do and how to protect this small child? Would I, could I and should I filled my every thought, for as I have mentioned before….A BABY CHANGES EVERYTHING!
I’m sure that was true on that first Christmas night, two thousand plus years ago, as Mary and her betrothed husband unloaded the donkey and began to make a birthing bed for Mary. They probably waited in silence, huddled together to stave off the cold night air as they awaited the miracle of birth. The cattle stirred and the bleating sound of the sheep interrupted their thoughts of what had happened in days past ….and look where they were now…on the precipice of the moment when.....
A BABY CHANGES EVERYTHING…..ESPECIALLY WHEN HE IS THE SON OF GOD!!!!
And now, tomorrow ( some 2,000 plus years later) the same is true….A BABY CHANGES EVERYTHING….for that was God’s intent all along. Through His prophet Isaiah, God foretold, “For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6
God came to us in a form and in a way that we could understand….He came as a baby and through His birth, His life, His death and His glorious resurrection, HE HAS CHANGED EVERYTHING. No longer is God mad at us; no longer is His perfect justice the means to our destruction because of our sin and disobedience….He has shown His great love for each of us because He sent His son…His only Son to take our place; to pay our debt; to forgive our sins; to cleanse us from all unrighteousness; to make us a new creation; to give us eternal life as a free gift from Him….and it all started with a baby.
It is my hope that you know the Christ-child of Christmas not only as the babe in the manger, but as the Christ on the cross. I pray that the babe of Bethlehem lives in your heart and is the Lord and Savior of your life. I trust that for you this baby, God’s son, is the BABY THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING FOR YOU.
BUT IF NOT....THEN, WHY NOT?
Don’t let another day go by without the acknowledgement that you need a savior. Accept today that the baby born to Mary and Joseph so very long ago is the baby that changes everything ….for if you are willing to confess that He is Lord and that His death on the cross paid your sin debt, you will have eternal life… and that forever life, in the presence of the Heavenly Father, starts the moment you invite the Christ- child, JESUS, into your heart. Trust your heart to the babe, God’s Son, EMMANUEL….GOD WITH US!
Be Blessed and Know that He is God,
WPQ
In my last submission to Salt & Light, I wrote about the upcoming birthday of our daughter, Alyson…and as her mother and I took a walk down memory lane, I was reminded of that age-old truth…A BABY CHANGES EVERYTHING!
I remember that during those long months of expectancy, I took a simple note card and in my rudimentary calligraphy wrote the following and placed it in Alyson’s crib….COMING SOON…..ALYSON TAYLOR QUEEN.
As a father, expecting his first (and in my case, only child), I was filled with fear, trepidation and anxious moments as I anticipated this new arrival….would I be a good father? Would I know what to do and how to protect this small child? Would I, could I and should I filled my every thought, for as I have mentioned before….A BABY CHANGES EVERYTHING!
I’m sure that was true on that first Christmas night, two thousand plus years ago, as Mary and her betrothed husband unloaded the donkey and began to make a birthing bed for Mary. They probably waited in silence, huddled together to stave off the cold night air as they awaited the miracle of birth. The cattle stirred and the bleating sound of the sheep interrupted their thoughts of what had happened in days past ….and look where they were now…on the precipice of the moment when.....
A BABY CHANGES EVERYTHING…..ESPECIALLY WHEN HE IS THE SON OF GOD!!!!
And now, tomorrow ( some 2,000 plus years later) the same is true….A BABY CHANGES EVERYTHING….for that was God’s intent all along. Through His prophet Isaiah, God foretold, “For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6
God came to us in a form and in a way that we could understand….He came as a baby and through His birth, His life, His death and His glorious resurrection, HE HAS CHANGED EVERYTHING. No longer is God mad at us; no longer is His perfect justice the means to our destruction because of our sin and disobedience….He has shown His great love for each of us because He sent His son…His only Son to take our place; to pay our debt; to forgive our sins; to cleanse us from all unrighteousness; to make us a new creation; to give us eternal life as a free gift from Him….and it all started with a baby.
It is my hope that you know the Christ-child of Christmas not only as the babe in the manger, but as the Christ on the cross. I pray that the babe of Bethlehem lives in your heart and is the Lord and Savior of your life. I trust that for you this baby, God’s son, is the BABY THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING FOR YOU.
BUT IF NOT....THEN, WHY NOT?
Don’t let another day go by without the acknowledgement that you need a savior. Accept today that the baby born to Mary and Joseph so very long ago is the baby that changes everything ….for if you are willing to confess that He is Lord and that His death on the cross paid your sin debt, you will have eternal life… and that forever life, in the presence of the Heavenly Father, starts the moment you invite the Christ- child, JESUS, into your heart. Trust your heart to the babe, God’s Son, EMMANUEL….GOD WITH US!
Be Blessed and Know that He is God,
WPQ
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
The Man and the Birds
Each year at Christmas, I eagerly search across my radio dial trying to find the story of the Man and the Birds, as told my Paul Harvey. I find that in listening to that story, I am so wonderfully reminded of the love of God for each of us. On many occasions, I have been forced to pull off on the side of the road to listen to the conclusion of the story…it’s so hard to drive when your eyes are water-logged and leaking.
I hope and pray that during this Christmas season, you will have the wonderful opportunity to hear Mr. Harvey’s captivating telling of this timeless story…of Emmanuel, God with us. If not, then please read on and be forever blessed to know that the love of God was expressed…in human form…in a manager in Bethlehem…in a baby named JESUS.
The Man and the Birds by Paul Harvey:
The man to whom I'm going to introduce you was not a scrooge; he was a kind decent, mostly good man. He was generous to his family and always upright in his dealings with other men. But he just didn't believe all that incarnation stuff which the churches proclaim at Christmas Time. It just didn't make sense and he was too honest to pretend otherwise. He just couldn't swallow the Jesus Story, about God coming to Earth as a man.
"I'm truly sorry to distress you," he told his wife, "but I'm not going with you to church this Christmas Eve." He said he'd feel like a hypocrite. That he'd much rather just stay at home, but that he would wait up for them. And so he stayed and they went to the midnight service.
Shortly after the family drove away in the car, snow began to fall. He went to the window to watch the flurries getting heavier and heavier and then went back to his fireside chair and began to read his newspaper. Minutes later he was startled by a thudding sound...Then another, and then another. Sort of a thump or a thud...At first he thought someone must be throwing snowballs against his living room window. But when he went to the front door to investigate, he found a flock of birds huddled miserably in the snow. They'd been caught in the storm and, in a desperate search for shelter, had tried to fly through his large landscape window.
Well, he couldn't let the poor creatures lie there and freeze, so he remembered the barn where his children stabled their pony. That would provide a warm shelter, if he could direct the birds to it. Quickly he put on a coat, galoshes, tramped through the deepening snow to the barn. He opened the doors wide and turned on a light, but the birds did not come in. He figured food would entice them in. So he hurried back to the house, fetched bread crumbs, sprinkled them on the snow, making a trail to the yellow-lighted wide open doorway of the stable. But to his dismay, the birds ignored the bread crumbs, and continued to flap around helplessly in the snow. He tried catching them...He tried shooing them into the barn by walking around them waving his arms...Instead, they scattered in every direction, except into the warm, lighted barn.
And then, he realized that they were afraid of him. To them, he reasoned, I am a strange and terrifying creature. If only I could think of some way to let them know that they can trust me...That I am not trying to hurt them, but to help them… But how?....since any move he made tended to frighten them, confuse them. They just would not follow. They would not be led or shooed because they feared him.
"If only I could be a bird," he thought to himself, "and mingle with them and speak their language. Then I could tell them not to be afraid. Then I could show them the way to the safe, warm barn. But I would have to be one of them so they could see and hear and understand." At that moment the church bells began to ring. The sound reached his ears above the sounds of the wind. As he stood there listening to the bells ….listening to the bells pealing forth the glad tidings of Christmas, he understood …. And he sank to his knees in the snow.
I trust that this Christmas, when you hear those church bells ring or the sounds of carolers lifting their voices in praise to the newborn babe, you too, will understand the message of Christmas….Jesus Christ is born and God is forever with us!
Merry Christmas….Happy Birthday, Jesus!
WPQ
I hope and pray that during this Christmas season, you will have the wonderful opportunity to hear Mr. Harvey’s captivating telling of this timeless story…of Emmanuel, God with us. If not, then please read on and be forever blessed to know that the love of God was expressed…in human form…in a manager in Bethlehem…in a baby named JESUS.
The Man and the Birds by Paul Harvey:
The man to whom I'm going to introduce you was not a scrooge; he was a kind decent, mostly good man. He was generous to his family and always upright in his dealings with other men. But he just didn't believe all that incarnation stuff which the churches proclaim at Christmas Time. It just didn't make sense and he was too honest to pretend otherwise. He just couldn't swallow the Jesus Story, about God coming to Earth as a man.
"I'm truly sorry to distress you," he told his wife, "but I'm not going with you to church this Christmas Eve." He said he'd feel like a hypocrite. That he'd much rather just stay at home, but that he would wait up for them. And so he stayed and they went to the midnight service.
Shortly after the family drove away in the car, snow began to fall. He went to the window to watch the flurries getting heavier and heavier and then went back to his fireside chair and began to read his newspaper. Minutes later he was startled by a thudding sound...Then another, and then another. Sort of a thump or a thud...At first he thought someone must be throwing snowballs against his living room window. But when he went to the front door to investigate, he found a flock of birds huddled miserably in the snow. They'd been caught in the storm and, in a desperate search for shelter, had tried to fly through his large landscape window.
Well, he couldn't let the poor creatures lie there and freeze, so he remembered the barn where his children stabled their pony. That would provide a warm shelter, if he could direct the birds to it. Quickly he put on a coat, galoshes, tramped through the deepening snow to the barn. He opened the doors wide and turned on a light, but the birds did not come in. He figured food would entice them in. So he hurried back to the house, fetched bread crumbs, sprinkled them on the snow, making a trail to the yellow-lighted wide open doorway of the stable. But to his dismay, the birds ignored the bread crumbs, and continued to flap around helplessly in the snow. He tried catching them...He tried shooing them into the barn by walking around them waving his arms...Instead, they scattered in every direction, except into the warm, lighted barn.
And then, he realized that they were afraid of him. To them, he reasoned, I am a strange and terrifying creature. If only I could think of some way to let them know that they can trust me...That I am not trying to hurt them, but to help them… But how?....since any move he made tended to frighten them, confuse them. They just would not follow. They would not be led or shooed because they feared him.
"If only I could be a bird," he thought to himself, "and mingle with them and speak their language. Then I could tell them not to be afraid. Then I could show them the way to the safe, warm barn. But I would have to be one of them so they could see and hear and understand." At that moment the church bells began to ring. The sound reached his ears above the sounds of the wind. As he stood there listening to the bells ….listening to the bells pealing forth the glad tidings of Christmas, he understood …. And he sank to his knees in the snow.
I trust that this Christmas, when you hear those church bells ring or the sounds of carolers lifting their voices in praise to the newborn babe, you too, will understand the message of Christmas….Jesus Christ is born and God is forever with us!
Merry Christmas….Happy Birthday, Jesus!
WPQ
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
A Time to Shine
I grew up in Charlotte, near a small mill town lovingly known as Christmas Town, USA. It gained its name due to its Christmas tradition of lighting each home and the entire mill village in thousands and tens of thousands of Christmas lights.
Each Christmas season over a million viewers would climb into their cars, vans, SUVs’ and church buses and make the drive south on I85 to the McAdenville Exit to take the 2 mile trek though this quite hamlet. In fact, I have seen times when the cars were backed up in the exit and emergency lanes, bumper to bumper, for over three miles down the interstate…why all this commotion year after year to make a trip to this small town at Christmas?
Everyone was drawn to the LIGHTS….to the sheer magnitude of the beauty of millions of brightly shining lights, adorning each home; the tiny mill and the trees around the small pond and all the other buildings of this small, quaint mill town.
But why did the people of McAdenville go to such trouble each and every Christmas season to do the work, spend the money on decorations and electricity and have the town invaded by millions of outsiders?
I believe they understood the scripture in Matthew 5: 14-16 that reads, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a candle and put it under a basket, but on a stand and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
This is the season for us to shine …to give light and warmth, love and encouragement to all those we encounter …to tell others that the light of the world has come …the Babe of Bethlehem….Jesus.
It is in this season, above all others, that our hearts should be filled with charity for those less fortunate than us. Our pocketbooks and our wallets should naturally fall open as we look for ways to bring “light” to those who are in the midst of “darkness”…the loss of a job; mourning for a dear loved one who has passed away; the onset of unforeseen misfortune or mounting bills; empty tables and empty cupboards…and the list goes on.
You can be that “light” today if you will only open your eyes and then, open your heart and your hand to those who need help. There are many that are hurting in our communities, churches and company cultures that will never say a word or let anyone know the circumstances in which they find themselves…but God knows and He is just waiting for a willing heart and an open hand to meet their needs. Ask God to help you find someone who needs your help and then get ready for action. He will provide …both the need and the means to meet that need.
Today, let your light shine so that He will receive the glory….you can and must be the light of the Savior in the world today…He has no one but you….will you let Him be glorified in you….it’s time to shine for Jesus!
Glorifying the Father ….Shining brightly to light my world,
WPQ
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Lord, make my life a guiding light
So that my neighbors might see
May they be lead to seek your face
Because of what they’ve seen in me.
WPQ Jan 2003
Each Christmas season over a million viewers would climb into their cars, vans, SUVs’ and church buses and make the drive south on I85 to the McAdenville Exit to take the 2 mile trek though this quite hamlet. In fact, I have seen times when the cars were backed up in the exit and emergency lanes, bumper to bumper, for over three miles down the interstate…why all this commotion year after year to make a trip to this small town at Christmas?
Everyone was drawn to the LIGHTS….to the sheer magnitude of the beauty of millions of brightly shining lights, adorning each home; the tiny mill and the trees around the small pond and all the other buildings of this small, quaint mill town.
But why did the people of McAdenville go to such trouble each and every Christmas season to do the work, spend the money on decorations and electricity and have the town invaded by millions of outsiders?
I believe they understood the scripture in Matthew 5: 14-16 that reads, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a candle and put it under a basket, but on a stand and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
This is the season for us to shine …to give light and warmth, love and encouragement to all those we encounter …to tell others that the light of the world has come …the Babe of Bethlehem….Jesus.
It is in this season, above all others, that our hearts should be filled with charity for those less fortunate than us. Our pocketbooks and our wallets should naturally fall open as we look for ways to bring “light” to those who are in the midst of “darkness”…the loss of a job; mourning for a dear loved one who has passed away; the onset of unforeseen misfortune or mounting bills; empty tables and empty cupboards…and the list goes on.
You can be that “light” today if you will only open your eyes and then, open your heart and your hand to those who need help. There are many that are hurting in our communities, churches and company cultures that will never say a word or let anyone know the circumstances in which they find themselves…but God knows and He is just waiting for a willing heart and an open hand to meet their needs. Ask God to help you find someone who needs your help and then get ready for action. He will provide …both the need and the means to meet that need.
Today, let your light shine so that He will receive the glory….you can and must be the light of the Savior in the world today…He has no one but you….will you let Him be glorified in you….it’s time to shine for Jesus!
Glorifying the Father ….Shining brightly to light my world,
WPQ
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Lord, make my life a guiding light
So that my neighbors might see
May they be lead to seek your face
Because of what they’ve seen in me.
WPQ Jan 2003
Monday, December 13, 2010
Operation….Christmas Andrew!
The season of Christmas is filled with all the sights and sounds of this special holiday…twinkling lights, candy canes, sleigh bells ringing, children singing …you get the picture….however, the center of this season is and always should be the celebration of the birth of Christ.
For each of us that profess to be a “believer” and call ourselves “little Christ”, we know that the birth of Christ is sacrosanct to our faith for it lays the foundation for us…it shows us that our God loved us enough to make himself one of us and to give his life for us so that we might forever live with Him.
EMMANUEL…GOD WITH US!!!! This is the true message of Christmas. Unfortunately, too many of us, on too many occasions fail to make this holiday a celebration of the birth of Jesus and his arrival among us; rather we toddle along with the world’s view that Christmas is about the money not the manager. We set aside our beliefs to satisfy our desires for pleasure and pride. Our gifts are about us and not about our spirit of giving.
What is the greatest thing you could do to bring about change in the life of someone this Christmas?
You could become a “Christmas Andrew!”
John 1: 35-41 tells us how; “The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon. Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.
Did you catch that? Andrew spent the day with Jesus and then he went to get his brother, Peter….WHY?.....So that he might introduce him to the Savior …The Messiah …God’s fulfilled promise of EMMANUEL.
Today, if you take a look around in your sphere of influence, there is a family member, a close companion at work or a nearby neighbor ….that for Christmas and all its pleasures and pageantry… they have become fixated on the familiar rather than focused on the Forever.
They have become inoculated to the true meaning of Christmas and they need a Christmas Andrew…someone, who in love and gentle encouragement, will remind them that Jesus is the reason that we celebrate this season…or maybe, they don’t know the babe of Bethlehem at all.
Today, you can be the “Andrew” that takes them to meet the Savior. You can share with them the joy that comes from knowing the true and living Messiah….Emmanuel…then; they too can know that Jesus loves them and gave his life to ransom them from their sins….
The true message of each Christmas season is really quite simple….FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE…..WHAT WILL YOU GIVE THIS CHRISTMAS?
Give the greatest gift that anyone can give at Christmas...give YOURSELF totally surrendered to your Heavenly Father.
Be a Christmas Andrew and bring those you love to worship the babe in the manager….
Seeking to Share….Praying to be an Andrew,
WPQ
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Christmas is a wondrous time
There’s always much to do;
But the greatest gift that you can give
Is to be a Christmas Andrew….
WPQ Dec'10
For each of us that profess to be a “believer” and call ourselves “little Christ”, we know that the birth of Christ is sacrosanct to our faith for it lays the foundation for us…it shows us that our God loved us enough to make himself one of us and to give his life for us so that we might forever live with Him.
EMMANUEL…GOD WITH US!!!! This is the true message of Christmas. Unfortunately, too many of us, on too many occasions fail to make this holiday a celebration of the birth of Jesus and his arrival among us; rather we toddle along with the world’s view that Christmas is about the money not the manager. We set aside our beliefs to satisfy our desires for pleasure and pride. Our gifts are about us and not about our spirit of giving.
What is the greatest thing you could do to bring about change in the life of someone this Christmas?
You could become a “Christmas Andrew!”
John 1: 35-41 tells us how; “The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon. Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.
Did you catch that? Andrew spent the day with Jesus and then he went to get his brother, Peter….WHY?.....So that he might introduce him to the Savior …The Messiah …God’s fulfilled promise of EMMANUEL.
Today, if you take a look around in your sphere of influence, there is a family member, a close companion at work or a nearby neighbor ….that for Christmas and all its pleasures and pageantry… they have become fixated on the familiar rather than focused on the Forever.
They have become inoculated to the true meaning of Christmas and they need a Christmas Andrew…someone, who in love and gentle encouragement, will remind them that Jesus is the reason that we celebrate this season…or maybe, they don’t know the babe of Bethlehem at all.
Today, you can be the “Andrew” that takes them to meet the Savior. You can share with them the joy that comes from knowing the true and living Messiah….Emmanuel…then; they too can know that Jesus loves them and gave his life to ransom them from their sins….
The true message of each Christmas season is really quite simple….FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE…..WHAT WILL YOU GIVE THIS CHRISTMAS?
Give the greatest gift that anyone can give at Christmas...give YOURSELF totally surrendered to your Heavenly Father.
Be a Christmas Andrew and bring those you love to worship the babe in the manager….
Seeking to Share….Praying to be an Andrew,
WPQ
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Christmas is a wondrous time
There’s always much to do;
But the greatest gift that you can give
Is to be a Christmas Andrew….
WPQ Dec'10
Thursday, December 9, 2010
The Season...Revisited!
Today's thoughts are from one of last year's postings ....when I read this the other day, I felt the tug on my heart to share its poignant message again...I trust you will be blessed and these thoughts will help you to prepare to more greatly enjoy this season of giving...God Bless.
The Chore of Giving
Well, it’s that time again as we begin the dash to the malls and we rush to the outlets to buy the latest thingamajig or whatjamucallit. In fact, it all started this past Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, in what has become known as BLACK FRIDAY.
Now, I don’t about you, but that seems to be a rather ominous name with which to begin what is suppose to be the most joyous season of the year…..Black Friday…as if something, terrible and sinister is about to happen….and if you don’t check out the motivation of your heart, well, that could very well be the case.
Let’s take just a moment and examine what this season is all about…. It’s all about GIVING!
We have, as the perfect example, the gift of God’s beloved Son; who laid down His crown and came as a baby, giving himself as a ransom for us all. Jesus taught us all, “that it is more blessed to give than to receive,” but somewhere in our self-centered culture, we have replaced the spirit of giving with the hunger lust for getting.
For many of us today, giving has become just another chore…something that we put on our “to-do” list as just another one of the many activities that fill up our holiday calendar. As for me, I think it is time to get back to giving as a hilarious way of living. What do I mean by such a statement?
In the second letter to the Corinthians, Paul says, “Each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times; you may abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:7-8
In the original manuscript, the word cheerful is from the root word we translate as hilarious….defined as very funny, entertaining, uproarious and riotous. What if each of us, this Christmas season, determined to give from a mind-set that would bless the one who receives our gift in an uproarious fashion….they would be so overcome with emotion that they would not be able to contain themselves because of the love and gratefulness that would fill their hearts. What if we gave with no thought as to what or how big or how much were giving and without wondering or worrying if our loved ones were going to reciprocate in like manner…in short, without expecting anything in return!!!!! How hilarious would that be?
Giving for the sheer thrill of giving….not tuned into counting the cost or expecting a gift of like kind….giving cheerfully, as unto the Lord. Wow, just the thought of such giving is indeed liberating and would promote uproarious living of a great and powerful nature.
For many years, my wife and I have always ask our daughter for her Christmas and birthday list, since the two dates are separated by only five days; but, this year, I’m going to ask her for her “giving” list. It’s time that she, as well as her father, starts thinking of how to give and bless others during this Christmas season ….
This Christmas, rather than making a list of the things that we hope to get, let’s make a list of things we hope to give and know without a doubt…..GOD LOVES A CHEERFUL GIVER…..especially at Christmas.
Make it your Christmas mission to find someone that needs to know they are loved this Christmas and give ‘til it makes you hilarious from the excitement of giving….you will be blessed beyond measure.
Giving all…Counting on God to multiply,
WPQ
The Chore of Giving
Well, it’s that time again as we begin the dash to the malls and we rush to the outlets to buy the latest thingamajig or whatjamucallit. In fact, it all started this past Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, in what has become known as BLACK FRIDAY.
Now, I don’t about you, but that seems to be a rather ominous name with which to begin what is suppose to be the most joyous season of the year…..Black Friday…as if something, terrible and sinister is about to happen….and if you don’t check out the motivation of your heart, well, that could very well be the case.
Let’s take just a moment and examine what this season is all about…. It’s all about GIVING!
We have, as the perfect example, the gift of God’s beloved Son; who laid down His crown and came as a baby, giving himself as a ransom for us all. Jesus taught us all, “that it is more blessed to give than to receive,” but somewhere in our self-centered culture, we have replaced the spirit of giving with the hunger lust for getting.
For many of us today, giving has become just another chore…something that we put on our “to-do” list as just another one of the many activities that fill up our holiday calendar. As for me, I think it is time to get back to giving as a hilarious way of living. What do I mean by such a statement?
In the second letter to the Corinthians, Paul says, “Each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times; you may abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:7-8
In the original manuscript, the word cheerful is from the root word we translate as hilarious….defined as very funny, entertaining, uproarious and riotous. What if each of us, this Christmas season, determined to give from a mind-set that would bless the one who receives our gift in an uproarious fashion….they would be so overcome with emotion that they would not be able to contain themselves because of the love and gratefulness that would fill their hearts. What if we gave with no thought as to what or how big or how much were giving and without wondering or worrying if our loved ones were going to reciprocate in like manner…in short, without expecting anything in return!!!!! How hilarious would that be?
Giving for the sheer thrill of giving….not tuned into counting the cost or expecting a gift of like kind….giving cheerfully, as unto the Lord. Wow, just the thought of such giving is indeed liberating and would promote uproarious living of a great and powerful nature.
For many years, my wife and I have always ask our daughter for her Christmas and birthday list, since the two dates are separated by only five days; but, this year, I’m going to ask her for her “giving” list. It’s time that she, as well as her father, starts thinking of how to give and bless others during this Christmas season ….
This Christmas, rather than making a list of the things that we hope to get, let’s make a list of things we hope to give and know without a doubt…..GOD LOVES A CHEERFUL GIVER…..especially at Christmas.
Make it your Christmas mission to find someone that needs to know they are loved this Christmas and give ‘til it makes you hilarious from the excitement of giving….you will be blessed beyond measure.
Giving all…Counting on God to multiply,
WPQ
Friday, December 3, 2010
Taking A Stand
While going through my files the other day, I came across this email that was sent to me. I remembered saving it, but I wasn’t quite sure why until I read it again….it touched my heart and made my blood boil at the same time. I trust that you will see what I mean and will share this with all of your Christian friends. It is up to each of us to stand up and be counted for honor, decency and the moral values that made this country great. If not, our children and grandchildren will be the ones that suffer the most when America is no longer “the home of the brave and the land of the free.” Please read on:
I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT A HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL CAN SEE THE PROBLEM, BUT OUR SOCIETY CANNOT.
IF I OFFEND ANYONE BY THIS, I REALLY DON'T APOLOGIZE!
Subject: Tennessee Football !
This is a statement that was read over the PA system at the football game at Roane County High School, Kingston, Tennessee, by school Principal, Jody McLeod.
"It has always been the custom at Roane County High School football games to say a prayer and play the National Anthem, to honor God and Country;” however, due to a recent ruling by the Supreme Court, I am told that saying a prayer is a violation of Federal Case Law. As I understand the law at this time….
I can use this public facility to approve of sexual perversion and call it "an alternate life style," and if someone is offended, that's OK.
I can use it to condone sexual promiscuity and by dispensing condoms, call it, "safe sex...” If someone is offended, that's OK.
I can even use this public facility to present the merits of killing an unborn baby as a "viable means of birth control"…and if someone is offended, no problem...
I can designate a school day as "Earth Day" and involve students in activities to worship religiously and praise the goddess "Mother Earth" and call it "ecology.."
I can use literature, videos and presentations in the classroom that depicts people with strong, traditional Christian convictions as "simple minded" and "ignorant" and call it "enlightenment.."
However, if anyone uses this facility to honor GOD and to ask HIM to bless this event with safety and good sportsmanship, then Federal Case Law is violated… and I and those that would stand with me could be arrested.
This appears to be inconsistent at best, and at worst, DIABOLICAL. Apparently, we are to be tolerant of everything and anyone….except GOD and HIS Commandments.
Nevertheless, as a school principal, I frequently ask staff and students to abide by rules with which they do not necessarily agree. For me to do otherwise would be inconsistent at best, and at worst, hypocritical... I suffer from that affliction enough unintentionally. I certainly do not need to add an intentional transgression.
For this reason, I shall "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's," and refrain from praying at this time. "However, if you feel inspired to honor, praise and thank GOD and ask HIM, in the name of JESUS, to bless this event, please feel free to do so.
As far as I know, that's not against the law----yet!”
One by one, the people in the stands bowed their heads, held hands with one another and began to pray. They prayed in the stands. They prayed in the team huddles. They prayed at the concession stand and they prayed in the Announcer's Box!
The only place they didn't pray was in the Supreme Court of the United States of America- the Seat of "Justice" in this, “One Nation, Under GOD."
Somehow, Kingston, Tennessee has remembered what so many have forgotten. We are given the Freedom OF Religion, not the Freedom FROM Religion. Praise GOD that HIS remnant remains!
My prayer today is that each of us will take a visible stand for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Today, why not bow your head in the company lunch room and say a prayer of blessing over your noontime meal…Tell others to have a “Blessed day” instead of the old cliché, “Have a nice day.”…Share your faith when others tell you of the problems that seem to be mounting up in their lives….Smile and hum a tune of thanksgiving as you go about your daily chores….but most of all, tell others that you love Jesus and he loves you …so much that he died to set you free.
Remember, as we enter this season of Christmas, that Jesus came to pay a debt He did not owe because we owed a debt we could not pay….Stand Tall for Jesus ….He died for YOU!!!!!
Walking Tall in His Mercy,
WPQ
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
You may attempt to persuade another
To change their point of view;
But nothing speaks more plainly
Than what Christ has done in you.
So if another’s lifestyle
You are hoping to rearrange;
Just testify how the Father’s love
Can make an everlasting change.
WPQ
I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT A HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL CAN SEE THE PROBLEM, BUT OUR SOCIETY CANNOT.
IF I OFFEND ANYONE BY THIS, I REALLY DON'T APOLOGIZE!
Subject: Tennessee Football !
This is a statement that was read over the PA system at the football game at Roane County High School, Kingston, Tennessee, by school Principal, Jody McLeod.
"It has always been the custom at Roane County High School football games to say a prayer and play the National Anthem, to honor God and Country;” however, due to a recent ruling by the Supreme Court, I am told that saying a prayer is a violation of Federal Case Law. As I understand the law at this time….
I can use this public facility to approve of sexual perversion and call it "an alternate life style," and if someone is offended, that's OK.
I can use it to condone sexual promiscuity and by dispensing condoms, call it, "safe sex...” If someone is offended, that's OK.
I can even use this public facility to present the merits of killing an unborn baby as a "viable means of birth control"…and if someone is offended, no problem...
I can designate a school day as "Earth Day" and involve students in activities to worship religiously and praise the goddess "Mother Earth" and call it "ecology.."
I can use literature, videos and presentations in the classroom that depicts people with strong, traditional Christian convictions as "simple minded" and "ignorant" and call it "enlightenment.."
However, if anyone uses this facility to honor GOD and to ask HIM to bless this event with safety and good sportsmanship, then Federal Case Law is violated… and I and those that would stand with me could be arrested.
This appears to be inconsistent at best, and at worst, DIABOLICAL. Apparently, we are to be tolerant of everything and anyone….except GOD and HIS Commandments.
Nevertheless, as a school principal, I frequently ask staff and students to abide by rules with which they do not necessarily agree. For me to do otherwise would be inconsistent at best, and at worst, hypocritical... I suffer from that affliction enough unintentionally. I certainly do not need to add an intentional transgression.
For this reason, I shall "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's," and refrain from praying at this time. "However, if you feel inspired to honor, praise and thank GOD and ask HIM, in the name of JESUS, to bless this event, please feel free to do so.
As far as I know, that's not against the law----yet!”
One by one, the people in the stands bowed their heads, held hands with one another and began to pray. They prayed in the stands. They prayed in the team huddles. They prayed at the concession stand and they prayed in the Announcer's Box!
The only place they didn't pray was in the Supreme Court of the United States of America- the Seat of "Justice" in this, “One Nation, Under GOD."
Somehow, Kingston, Tennessee has remembered what so many have forgotten. We are given the Freedom OF Religion, not the Freedom FROM Religion. Praise GOD that HIS remnant remains!
My prayer today is that each of us will take a visible stand for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Today, why not bow your head in the company lunch room and say a prayer of blessing over your noontime meal…Tell others to have a “Blessed day” instead of the old cliché, “Have a nice day.”…Share your faith when others tell you of the problems that seem to be mounting up in their lives….Smile and hum a tune of thanksgiving as you go about your daily chores….but most of all, tell others that you love Jesus and he loves you …so much that he died to set you free.
Remember, as we enter this season of Christmas, that Jesus came to pay a debt He did not owe because we owed a debt we could not pay….Stand Tall for Jesus ….He died for YOU!!!!!
Walking Tall in His Mercy,
WPQ
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
You may attempt to persuade another
To change their point of view;
But nothing speaks more plainly
Than what Christ has done in you.
So if another’s lifestyle
You are hoping to rearrange;
Just testify how the Father’s love
Can make an everlasting change.
WPQ
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Building Heaven’s Faith Account
When we closed our computer yesterday, I posed the question and asked “how much faith was in your heavenly account …in the black or in the red? So, today, let’s take a few minutes and examine “how much faith is enough?”
It seems in each of the Gospels, Jesus keeps coming back to the men he has chosen to carry on his heavenly work on earth and asking them, “Where is your faith?”
In the gospel of Luke in the eighth chapter, Jesus sets sail with his disciples to cross to the other side of the lake when they encounter a squall that threatens to capsize the boat. The disciples hurry to awaken Jesus for fear that they will all drown….He speaks to the winds and waves and all is calm…and then he says, “Where is your faith?”
Or let us consider the time that Jesus held up the faith of the centurion in Matthew 8:5-10…. “When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.” Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?” The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith."
And the story that always seems to speak to the heart of my faltering and half-hearted faith is found in Luke 12:22-23, 25-28…”Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in his entire splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you— O’ you of little faith!"
Time and time again, Jesus calls us to forget what our eyes see …only to trust Him in blind faith so that we might be amazed at his power and fulfilled in his promises. God’s ability to perform more than we can ask or imagine in our lives is a direct result of the faith by which we encounter the Living God. God’s word says that we have not because we ask not; but I contend, we ask not because we believe not!!!!!
So how much faith do we need to realize the power that is stored within each of us who call Jesus, Lord and Savior? The answer is found in the story of the disciples who failed in their attempt to cast out a demon from a small boy….Matthew 17:19-21 “Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
Are you exercising faith in your walk with the Lord today….or are you going down a path that can be seen by the human eye? Are you trusting in the power of the Most High God to remove obstacles and defeat giants …or are you flinging rocks at your enemies, hoping they will retreat?
God is waiting on you to use your faith, no bigger that a mustard seed, to say to the mountain of hopelessness, loneliness or emptiness…BE GONE…AND THEN, BY YOUR FAITH AND THROUGH HIS POWER, HE WILL REMOVE IT.
Today, God is waiting for you to join your faith with His power to accomplish things for Him that you can’t even begin to comprehend…He is waiting for you to take a stand, as did the centurion, and trust the Savior to heal and restore you (or someone you love) to a place of service …so that one day, you can hear the Father say, “Well Done, my good and FAITHFUL servant!”
How much faith do you have….only you and God can answer that question!
Living by faith…growing the mustard seed,
WPQ
It seems in each of the Gospels, Jesus keeps coming back to the men he has chosen to carry on his heavenly work on earth and asking them, “Where is your faith?”
In the gospel of Luke in the eighth chapter, Jesus sets sail with his disciples to cross to the other side of the lake when they encounter a squall that threatens to capsize the boat. The disciples hurry to awaken Jesus for fear that they will all drown….He speaks to the winds and waves and all is calm…and then he says, “Where is your faith?”
Or let us consider the time that Jesus held up the faith of the centurion in Matthew 8:5-10…. “When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.” Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?” The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith."
And the story that always seems to speak to the heart of my faltering and half-hearted faith is found in Luke 12:22-23, 25-28…”Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in his entire splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you— O’ you of little faith!"
Time and time again, Jesus calls us to forget what our eyes see …only to trust Him in blind faith so that we might be amazed at his power and fulfilled in his promises. God’s ability to perform more than we can ask or imagine in our lives is a direct result of the faith by which we encounter the Living God. God’s word says that we have not because we ask not; but I contend, we ask not because we believe not!!!!!
So how much faith do we need to realize the power that is stored within each of us who call Jesus, Lord and Savior? The answer is found in the story of the disciples who failed in their attempt to cast out a demon from a small boy….Matthew 17:19-21 “Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
Are you exercising faith in your walk with the Lord today….or are you going down a path that can be seen by the human eye? Are you trusting in the power of the Most High God to remove obstacles and defeat giants …or are you flinging rocks at your enemies, hoping they will retreat?
God is waiting on you to use your faith, no bigger that a mustard seed, to say to the mountain of hopelessness, loneliness or emptiness…BE GONE…AND THEN, BY YOUR FAITH AND THROUGH HIS POWER, HE WILL REMOVE IT.
Today, God is waiting for you to join your faith with His power to accomplish things for Him that you can’t even begin to comprehend…He is waiting for you to take a stand, as did the centurion, and trust the Savior to heal and restore you (or someone you love) to a place of service …so that one day, you can hear the Father say, “Well Done, my good and FAITHFUL servant!”
How much faith do you have….only you and God can answer that question!
Living by faith…growing the mustard seed,
WPQ
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