If you ever watched any of the Star Wars Trilogy, you have been introduced to the villain, Darth Vader and his master of the Darkside….it’s enough to give you chills and for the squeamish at heart, nightmares.
The same was true for the prophet, Daniel, as the Lord of Hosts revealed to him the coming of the end of the age, the Antichrist and the horrors of the time of Tribulation. Yes, Daniel had a strong faith in God, but he was ill-prepared for the dark visions of the future that God gave him. In fact, scripture tells us that he temporarily lost heart.
“I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit within my body and the visions of my head troubled me…I fainted and was sick for days…I was mourning three full weeks and ate no pleasant food; no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all….I turned my face toward the ground and became speechless.” Daniel 7:15, 28; 8:27; 10:2-3, 8 & 15-16.
The visions caused Daniel great heartache; unfortunately, there was no way around this calling of God but to suffer through the anguish caused by the visions. Fortunately, Daniel was buoyed in his faith by the testimony of his three friends that defied King Nebuchadnezzar’s decree to bow down to an idol…their defiance and the Lord’s protection of them surely encouraged him in some of his darkest hours. Daniel, too, was soon tested regarding his willingness to serve and worship the one true God…and he passed with flying colors due to his love of Jehovah and his desire to be found faithful in his service and worship.
According to God’s Holy Word, there is coming a time when we, as his followers, will be challenged to make our allegiance to God known. We may be pressured into bowing to a political correctness, multiculturalism or to denying a testimony to the validity of our faith. We must not allow ourselves to be pushed off course….We must stand for Jesus and continue to be relevant in sharing our faith….yes,
BAD TIMES ARE COMING...SO WE MUST KEEP OUR HEART IN OUR FAITH!
This is a great rallying cry for these days of financial hardships, economic and political persecution and uncertainty. We must not give up or embrace helplessness; rather now is the time to go about our business with the confidence of knowing how the future will unfold…OUR GOD IS IN CONTROL…. AND THERE IS NOTHING, NOBODY AND NO WAY THAT WE CAN BE PLUCKED FROM OUR SAVIOR’S HAND…..
Though the world may come crashing down around us that in no way alters our basic duty, changes our allegiance nor disturbs our ultimate security…we know the truth and his name is Jesus.
We know who we are and to whom we belong. We are God’s people, living under His marvelous grace and assured that no matter what happens on this dark side of heaven, we are safe and secure in the Master’s strong and dependable hands.
We are forever His and those who believe in Him will…..
KEEP OUR HEAD IN THE GAME
KEEP OUR HOUSE IN ORDER
KEEP OUR HEART IN OUR FAITH …and most importantly,
KEEP OUR HOPE IN GOD.
Keeping on…KEEPING ON,
WPQ
PS....I will be out of town for the next week so if you have a few moments, rummage through the older posts and see if there's one that God has earmarked for you to read....BE BLESSED!
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Bad Times Are Comin'
Again today, I want us to take a look at some of the advice I gleaned from Dr. David Jeremiah’s book, Then Coming Economic Armageddon. Our topic today deals with another of his axioms…..
BAD TIMES ARE COMING ….SO KEEP YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER.
We know from our discussion yesterday that there is little, if anything, we can do about the economic crisis that looms over our global economy; but sticking our head in the sand will only make matters worse…and though we can’t control what is going on around us, we can control what happens under our own roof. So lets talk about doing the following so that we can keep our house in order.
TAKE A PERSONAL INVENTORY of your financial situation and seek the truth no matter how painful that may be. You can’t change and do better if you don’t first admit that change is needed or even required…and how can you change if you don’t know what needs to change. No matter how bad your finances appear, God owns it all and He can make a way where there seems to be NO WAY.
MINIMIZE YOUR INDEBTEDNESS by just saying NO! The Bible does not forbid indebtedness, but it warns us time and time again regarding its misuse. Proverbs 22:7says, “The rich rule over the poor and the borrower is the servant to the lender.” Keep your spending to the minimum when it comes to things that are outside your family budget …cut up those credit cards and deal in cash only. It’s call a plasitectomy!
MANAGE YOUR MONEY and don’t let the roles be reversed. If you have funds to invest, seek godly financial counsel and spend time in God’s word asking for His direction. There are 9 principles that Dr. Jeremiah points to that help us stay focused on this important matter….
1)Desire principle- Your heart resides where your treasure lives.
2)Discernment principle-Ask God to reveal lies and to make known His truths.3)Discussion principle-Seek out godly counsel, trusted advisors and learn to talk and to listen to them as God directs.
4)Discipline principle-Seek God first for everything else follows that.
5)Depreciation principle-Place your treasure above; it all just rust and rots when left behind.
6)Due Diligence principle-Calculate ALL the cost before plunging head first into anything.
7)Diversification principle- Share some with all and all with some.
8)Descendant principle- Take care of those you love and those you leave behind.
9)Devotion principle-Be a cheerful giver of all you possess so that God will be pleased by your honor of Him.
Yes, we can count on this….Bad times are coming… so we need to make sure that we keep our house in order so that we can remain faithful in finishing the race we now run. If God is on our side…who can stand against us?
Come back tomorrow and we’ll answer that question as we come to understand how we need to keep our heart in our faith….
Blessed and Believing,
WPQ
BAD TIMES ARE COMING ….SO KEEP YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER.
We know from our discussion yesterday that there is little, if anything, we can do about the economic crisis that looms over our global economy; but sticking our head in the sand will only make matters worse…and though we can’t control what is going on around us, we can control what happens under our own roof. So lets talk about doing the following so that we can keep our house in order.
TAKE A PERSONAL INVENTORY of your financial situation and seek the truth no matter how painful that may be. You can’t change and do better if you don’t first admit that change is needed or even required…and how can you change if you don’t know what needs to change. No matter how bad your finances appear, God owns it all and He can make a way where there seems to be NO WAY.
MINIMIZE YOUR INDEBTEDNESS by just saying NO! The Bible does not forbid indebtedness, but it warns us time and time again regarding its misuse. Proverbs 22:7says, “The rich rule over the poor and the borrower is the servant to the lender.” Keep your spending to the minimum when it comes to things that are outside your family budget …cut up those credit cards and deal in cash only. It’s call a plasitectomy!
MANAGE YOUR MONEY and don’t let the roles be reversed. If you have funds to invest, seek godly financial counsel and spend time in God’s word asking for His direction. There are 9 principles that Dr. Jeremiah points to that help us stay focused on this important matter….
1)Desire principle- Your heart resides where your treasure lives.
2)Discernment principle-Ask God to reveal lies and to make known His truths.3)Discussion principle-Seek out godly counsel, trusted advisors and learn to talk and to listen to them as God directs.
4)Discipline principle-Seek God first for everything else follows that.
5)Depreciation principle-Place your treasure above; it all just rust and rots when left behind.
6)Due Diligence principle-Calculate ALL the cost before plunging head first into anything.
7)Diversification principle- Share some with all and all with some.
8)Descendant principle- Take care of those you love and those you leave behind.
9)Devotion principle-Be a cheerful giver of all you possess so that God will be pleased by your honor of Him.
Yes, we can count on this….Bad times are coming… so we need to make sure that we keep our house in order so that we can remain faithful in finishing the race we now run. If God is on our side…who can stand against us?
Come back tomorrow and we’ll answer that question as we come to understand how we need to keep our heart in our faith….
Blessed and Believing,
WPQ
Monday, February 14, 2011
Stay Focused to Stay Sharp
If you are like me, it is quite possible that you have sworn off reading a daily newspaper…so much is not newsworthy. It seems the paper is loaded with bad news….and more bad news. It’s enough to make your head hurt and your blood pressure rise. But one of the truths that Dr. Jeremiah shares in his book deals with this axiom…
BAD TIMES ARE COMING…. SO KEEP YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME.
It is so easy to want to run and hide or dig a great big hole and bury our head in the sand…we adopt the mentality that what we don’t know can’t hurt us. But obviously that way of thinking is sorely flawed and just leads to personal catastrophes in our families.
Too many people, even God’s people, think that because the news is so depressing, it’s best just to ignore it ….or they believe that because things are so messed up, they can’t keep up with what’s going on anyway; besides, there’s nothing they can do about the mess we’re in, so they just ignore the news and muddle on with life.
These mindsets are harmful and not what the word of God instructs us to do. In Romans 13:11, we read, “And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber” or in I Thessalonians 5:6, “So then, let us not be like others who are asleep, but let us be alert, self-controlled and sober.”
God’s Word instructs us to pay attention to what’s going on around us and to “discern the signs of the times’ (Matthew 16:3). We are living in historic and fragile times, facing global and national changes on a daily, moment-by-moment basis. We need to stay focused and we need to continue to learn so that we can discern what is taking place and how it might affect us in our homes, our jobs and in our witness….God is getting ready to open some incredible doors of witness for those who are prepared to walk through them and be used by Him in the tumultuous days that are before us.
When our daughter was about eight years old, my wife and I had the “privilege” of coaching her youth soccer team. They were a spunky bunch of younguns’, always running helter and skelter as they chased that ball around the soccer field…except for one young chap, who always seemed to be off in his own little world. I was forever hollering out to him across the field, “Ben, get your head in the game, son. You’ve got to pay attention so you will be ready if the ball gets kicked in your direction.” Ben was a fine young man, but he never became a soccer play under our tutelage. His interest and his desire was spent elsewhere…he just couldn’t seem to keep his head in the game.
Unfortunately, that seems to be true for a lot of us Christians as the time of our Lord’s return is approaching…we are just too busy with our focus on other priorities or we are just negligent in our desire to be prepared for His return…we don’t have our head in the game.
So today, let me challenge you to spend time in the Word of God as you search for the signs that God is using to signal that His return is imminent….read other books that deal with the state of affairs in our growing global economy and the consolidation of nations that is building to a one world government….listen to trusted and knowledgeable commentators and politicians that are believers and are interested in getting the truth out to us….and lastly, KEEP YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME and be ever aware of the growing amount of resources that are at your fingertips, literally just a click away.
Then, when Jesus returns, you won’t be found like my little pal Ben…..running around in circles, making yourself dizzy ….
Rather, you will be totally prepared and eagerly awaiting the glorious return of Jesus as He comes once again to earth, gathering all of His children and taking us home to be forever with Him.
Keeping my head in the game…Awaiting that Glorious Day,
WPQ
BAD TIMES ARE COMING…. SO KEEP YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME.
It is so easy to want to run and hide or dig a great big hole and bury our head in the sand…we adopt the mentality that what we don’t know can’t hurt us. But obviously that way of thinking is sorely flawed and just leads to personal catastrophes in our families.
Too many people, even God’s people, think that because the news is so depressing, it’s best just to ignore it ….or they believe that because things are so messed up, they can’t keep up with what’s going on anyway; besides, there’s nothing they can do about the mess we’re in, so they just ignore the news and muddle on with life.
These mindsets are harmful and not what the word of God instructs us to do. In Romans 13:11, we read, “And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber” or in I Thessalonians 5:6, “So then, let us not be like others who are asleep, but let us be alert, self-controlled and sober.”
God’s Word instructs us to pay attention to what’s going on around us and to “discern the signs of the times’ (Matthew 16:3). We are living in historic and fragile times, facing global and national changes on a daily, moment-by-moment basis. We need to stay focused and we need to continue to learn so that we can discern what is taking place and how it might affect us in our homes, our jobs and in our witness….God is getting ready to open some incredible doors of witness for those who are prepared to walk through them and be used by Him in the tumultuous days that are before us.
When our daughter was about eight years old, my wife and I had the “privilege” of coaching her youth soccer team. They were a spunky bunch of younguns’, always running helter and skelter as they chased that ball around the soccer field…except for one young chap, who always seemed to be off in his own little world. I was forever hollering out to him across the field, “Ben, get your head in the game, son. You’ve got to pay attention so you will be ready if the ball gets kicked in your direction.” Ben was a fine young man, but he never became a soccer play under our tutelage. His interest and his desire was spent elsewhere…he just couldn’t seem to keep his head in the game.
Unfortunately, that seems to be true for a lot of us Christians as the time of our Lord’s return is approaching…we are just too busy with our focus on other priorities or we are just negligent in our desire to be prepared for His return…we don’t have our head in the game.
So today, let me challenge you to spend time in the Word of God as you search for the signs that God is using to signal that His return is imminent….read other books that deal with the state of affairs in our growing global economy and the consolidation of nations that is building to a one world government….listen to trusted and knowledgeable commentators and politicians that are believers and are interested in getting the truth out to us….and lastly, KEEP YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME and be ever aware of the growing amount of resources that are at your fingertips, literally just a click away.
Then, when Jesus returns, you won’t be found like my little pal Ben…..running around in circles, making yourself dizzy ….
Rather, you will be totally prepared and eagerly awaiting the glorious return of Jesus as He comes once again to earth, gathering all of His children and taking us home to be forever with Him.
Keeping my head in the game…Awaiting that Glorious Day,
WPQ
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Bad Signs of the Times
During my more than 30 years as a road warrior, I have traveled across this wonderful land of ours and on many occasions, I have encountered signs along the roadway that have redirected my journey.
Signs that read, “Detour Ahead….Bridge Closed Ahead….One Lane Traffic, Be Prepared to Stop….and a list of a thousand more….and each time, I had a decision to make…heed the sign and alter my course or plunge headlong into a major catastrophe.
I just finished reading the third in the series of books by Dr. David Jeremiah; a well-versed and well-respected authority on the end times. The book, The Coming Economic Armageddon, is filled with the signs of our times …it is filled with a prophetic look of what lies ahead for our world that Dr. Jeremiah has gleaned from his extensive study of the Bible and his research of other notable and reliable authors. IT IS A MUST READ!!!
Why a must read? If you want to be prepared for what lies ahead in the days to come and you want to make the proper choices for you and the ones you love, then you need to read and heed the signs and alter your course accordingly.
I was particularly enthralled with the final chapter; but so as not to give away its ending, I would like to take the next few days and share a few things that will help as things go from bad to worse, according to scripture and the signs of the times.
BAD TIMES ARE COMING….KEEP YOUR HOPE IN GOD.
The scripture of Romans 5:5 encourages us by saying, “And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” Although those of us that are believers in Christ will be spared the Tribulation, the shadows of those days of turmoil are already being cast upon the world. Those same shadows of disappointment, loss, heartbreak and a sense of hopelessness will be cast upon those of us who are waiting for Jesus’ return. Times are hard…what with lost jobs, lost investments, lost savings, lost retirement funds and even lost loved ones who have passed on, many of us will be faced with the choice to travel the road of self-pity and hopelessness or to choose the road of hope and faith in a God that sometimes seems to be silent in the midst of our turmoil and strife.
Yes, times are hard and all the signs point to this one dramatic conclusion….TIMES ARE GOING TO GET MUCH HARDER BEFORE CHRIST RETURNS FOR HIS OWN!
But for those of us who belong to Jesus, we know that our hope is not in what we have, what we’ve stored up or in what we do and how much money we make; all that is fleeting and can be gone in an instant….the last couple of years should have taught us that lesson of life ….rather, our hope is in who we are and what we believe …we are the sons and daughters of God who believe in the eternal hope that Jesus died to set us free from sin and one day soon, He’s coming back to take us to our heavenly home.
Maybe, when you look at your bank account or IRA or any of the other financial instruments in which we so often place our faith, you are fearful and unsure if you will be able to weather the bad times that are coming…but know this….GOD CARES FOR HIS OWN…just read the signs in His creation and put you HOPE in Him….
For He cares for YOU!!!!!!!
Putting My Hope in Him,
WPQ
Signs that read, “Detour Ahead….Bridge Closed Ahead….One Lane Traffic, Be Prepared to Stop….and a list of a thousand more….and each time, I had a decision to make…heed the sign and alter my course or plunge headlong into a major catastrophe.
I just finished reading the third in the series of books by Dr. David Jeremiah; a well-versed and well-respected authority on the end times. The book, The Coming Economic Armageddon, is filled with the signs of our times …it is filled with a prophetic look of what lies ahead for our world that Dr. Jeremiah has gleaned from his extensive study of the Bible and his research of other notable and reliable authors. IT IS A MUST READ!!!
Why a must read? If you want to be prepared for what lies ahead in the days to come and you want to make the proper choices for you and the ones you love, then you need to read and heed the signs and alter your course accordingly.
I was particularly enthralled with the final chapter; but so as not to give away its ending, I would like to take the next few days and share a few things that will help as things go from bad to worse, according to scripture and the signs of the times.
BAD TIMES ARE COMING….KEEP YOUR HOPE IN GOD.
The scripture of Romans 5:5 encourages us by saying, “And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” Although those of us that are believers in Christ will be spared the Tribulation, the shadows of those days of turmoil are already being cast upon the world. Those same shadows of disappointment, loss, heartbreak and a sense of hopelessness will be cast upon those of us who are waiting for Jesus’ return. Times are hard…what with lost jobs, lost investments, lost savings, lost retirement funds and even lost loved ones who have passed on, many of us will be faced with the choice to travel the road of self-pity and hopelessness or to choose the road of hope and faith in a God that sometimes seems to be silent in the midst of our turmoil and strife.
Yes, times are hard and all the signs point to this one dramatic conclusion….TIMES ARE GOING TO GET MUCH HARDER BEFORE CHRIST RETURNS FOR HIS OWN!
But for those of us who belong to Jesus, we know that our hope is not in what we have, what we’ve stored up or in what we do and how much money we make; all that is fleeting and can be gone in an instant….the last couple of years should have taught us that lesson of life ….rather, our hope is in who we are and what we believe …we are the sons and daughters of God who believe in the eternal hope that Jesus died to set us free from sin and one day soon, He’s coming back to take us to our heavenly home.
Maybe, when you look at your bank account or IRA or any of the other financial instruments in which we so often place our faith, you are fearful and unsure if you will be able to weather the bad times that are coming…but know this….GOD CARES FOR HIS OWN…just read the signs in His creation and put you HOPE in Him….
For He cares for YOU!!!!!!!
Putting My Hope in Him,
WPQ
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Asking For More?
In a chapter in the Old Testament where the writer is listing the descendants of Judah, there is a brief mention of one of Judah’s relatives…a man by the name of Jabez. In I Chronicles 4:9-10, we read,“Jabez was more honorable than his brothers; and his mother called his name Jabez, saying “Because I bore him in pain.” Jabez called upon the name of the God of Israel, saying. “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory, and that your hand would be with me and that you would keep me from evil so that it might not bring me pain. And God granted what he asked.” (English Standard Version)
Did you catch that last part…..God granted his request!!! Why was this man so special in the eyes of God....and how can we achieve that same dominion in the eyes of our Creator?
Well, first, he was an honorable man…more honorable than any of his brothers and more honorable than anyone in the surrounding community. He must have understood what God required of him; therefore, he was a very responsible and considerate person. He truly sought to serve the Lord and to honor him in everything he did….thus, the reason for the first part of his bold request… God’s blessing of enlarging his territory.
He knew that God would not give him more if he were not thankful for that which he already had. Also, how could God entrust him with more if he were not already a good and faithful steward of the blessings that were currently his. The only reason God will enlarge a person’s territory is if He knows that person will use it responsibly to bring glory to the Father and to enlarge the kingdom of the Most High.
So, if you’ve been petitioning our heavenly Father for greater blessings and a larger, more fruitful territory ….the question is quite simple…..ARE YOU BRINGING HONOR TO GOD IN ALL YOU DO?
Before you move on to greater endeavors for the Lord, you might want to stop and ask your self these questions ….
Am I bringing honor to my God through my words and my deeds?
Am I causing pain…harm…promoting evil in my relationships?
Am I thankful for the blessings that I have already received?
Am I using the resources that I currently have to expand the work of the Lord?
Am I responsible for my actions and their results?
Am I using my influence to bring others to Christ?
Take some real, quality time to search your soul as you answer these questions….and if you believe that you can answer in the affirmative in all these areas, then you can precede with the final part of the prayer of Jabez….for a life that is free from pain.
I don't know about you, but in all my studies of the Bible, I do not recall anyone else who was spared the pains of life…save this one ordinary man with his extraordinary prayer….
So today, why not pray the prayer of this humble man and seek to live as he lived before God ….and maybe, you too may live a life of enlarged territories …full of blessings and free from harm.
Expanding the Kingdom…Living for the Lord,
WPQ
Did you catch that last part…..God granted his request!!! Why was this man so special in the eyes of God....and how can we achieve that same dominion in the eyes of our Creator?
Well, first, he was an honorable man…more honorable than any of his brothers and more honorable than anyone in the surrounding community. He must have understood what God required of him; therefore, he was a very responsible and considerate person. He truly sought to serve the Lord and to honor him in everything he did….thus, the reason for the first part of his bold request… God’s blessing of enlarging his territory.
He knew that God would not give him more if he were not thankful for that which he already had. Also, how could God entrust him with more if he were not already a good and faithful steward of the blessings that were currently his. The only reason God will enlarge a person’s territory is if He knows that person will use it responsibly to bring glory to the Father and to enlarge the kingdom of the Most High.
So, if you’ve been petitioning our heavenly Father for greater blessings and a larger, more fruitful territory ….the question is quite simple…..ARE YOU BRINGING HONOR TO GOD IN ALL YOU DO?
Before you move on to greater endeavors for the Lord, you might want to stop and ask your self these questions ….
Am I bringing honor to my God through my words and my deeds?
Am I causing pain…harm…promoting evil in my relationships?
Am I thankful for the blessings that I have already received?
Am I using the resources that I currently have to expand the work of the Lord?
Am I responsible for my actions and their results?
Am I using my influence to bring others to Christ?
Take some real, quality time to search your soul as you answer these questions….and if you believe that you can answer in the affirmative in all these areas, then you can precede with the final part of the prayer of Jabez….for a life that is free from pain.
I don't know about you, but in all my studies of the Bible, I do not recall anyone else who was spared the pains of life…save this one ordinary man with his extraordinary prayer….
So today, why not pray the prayer of this humble man and seek to live as he lived before God ….and maybe, you too may live a life of enlarged territories …full of blessings and free from harm.
Expanding the Kingdom…Living for the Lord,
WPQ
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
The Month of Love
If you’ve been keeping up with life and have flipped the page of the calendar recently, then you already know that the month of February is well under way. In fact, according to my calculations, we are less than 6 days from the day set aside to celebrate LOVE.
Now, I know that a lot of men (and possibly some women too) see this day as an artificial or bogus day; when florist, candy makers and jewelers try to stick their hands into our pockets and pull out something other than lint….and maybe, that’s a good thing. Perhaps too many of us fellows need a swift kick in the seat of our pants to let go of a few coins and buy our “sweetheart” a token of our affection. As for me, I am doubly blessed; first with Valentine’s Day and then, ten days later, I get to celebrate my anniversary with my lovely bride of 21 years.
But maybe this V-Day, we should turn our hearts and our eyes more toward heaven as we thank God for His love and sacrifice. It would do each of us good to heed the words of the apostle John, writing in Revelation, regarding our first love; he writes, “I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.” Revelation 2:2-5
John, in writing to the church at Ephesus, tells them that he greatly admires all the hard work they have been doing in growing the church, fighting against false teachers and dissenters within the body and with their perseverance over hardships…they have not grown weary; however, in all the work, toil, strain and strife, they have become distant with each other….and even more concerning, distant with their Heavenly Father. He offers them a simple, quick and seemingly easy solution….GO BACK TO DOING WHAT THEY DID WHEN THEY FIRST INVITED CHRIST INTO THEIR HEARTS….
RETURN TO THEIR FIRST LOVE….JESUS!!!!!!!
It really is that simple….getting back to the basics of loving Jesus…..returning to a heart that is filled with love and overflowing with His goodness and mercy…seeking to spend time in His presence and longing to hear Him speak to our hearts….guarding our thoughts, our time and our talents so that we might present them to Him as a gift of love and adoration.
Want to serve Him more….Just Love Jesus!
Want to work for His kingdom and bring others to the Master…Just Love Jesus!
Want to persevere and overcome obstacles….Just Love Jesus!
Want to walk in closer communion with the Father….Just Love Jesus!
Whatever you want to do, give, be …wherever you want to go, serve or lead….you MUST get back to the start of it all…your love relationship with the Savior.
So in this month that is dedicated to the celebration of love, let your focus return to the cross….where God SO LOVED the world that HE GAVE….and you do likewise….
Give your heart…give your mind…give your body and soul to the one that is ETERNAL and to a love that is EVERLASTING…give your love to Jesus….He’s already given His all for you…..and by all means, don’t forget your Sweetie….
Loving Him Because He FIRST Loved Me,
WPQ
Thought for the Day:
More love for Thee, O Lord,
This is my earnest prayer
Draw me closer in my walk with you
And always keep me there!
Let your love fall on me, Lord
As I journey along life’s way;
May you be my one true love
Every moment of every day.
WPQ
February 2011
Now, I know that a lot of men (and possibly some women too) see this day as an artificial or bogus day; when florist, candy makers and jewelers try to stick their hands into our pockets and pull out something other than lint….and maybe, that’s a good thing. Perhaps too many of us fellows need a swift kick in the seat of our pants to let go of a few coins and buy our “sweetheart” a token of our affection. As for me, I am doubly blessed; first with Valentine’s Day and then, ten days later, I get to celebrate my anniversary with my lovely bride of 21 years.
But maybe this V-Day, we should turn our hearts and our eyes more toward heaven as we thank God for His love and sacrifice. It would do each of us good to heed the words of the apostle John, writing in Revelation, regarding our first love; he writes, “I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.” Revelation 2:2-5
John, in writing to the church at Ephesus, tells them that he greatly admires all the hard work they have been doing in growing the church, fighting against false teachers and dissenters within the body and with their perseverance over hardships…they have not grown weary; however, in all the work, toil, strain and strife, they have become distant with each other….and even more concerning, distant with their Heavenly Father. He offers them a simple, quick and seemingly easy solution….GO BACK TO DOING WHAT THEY DID WHEN THEY FIRST INVITED CHRIST INTO THEIR HEARTS….
RETURN TO THEIR FIRST LOVE….JESUS!!!!!!!
It really is that simple….getting back to the basics of loving Jesus…..returning to a heart that is filled with love and overflowing with His goodness and mercy…seeking to spend time in His presence and longing to hear Him speak to our hearts….guarding our thoughts, our time and our talents so that we might present them to Him as a gift of love and adoration.
Want to serve Him more….Just Love Jesus!
Want to work for His kingdom and bring others to the Master…Just Love Jesus!
Want to persevere and overcome obstacles….Just Love Jesus!
Want to walk in closer communion with the Father….Just Love Jesus!
Whatever you want to do, give, be …wherever you want to go, serve or lead….you MUST get back to the start of it all…your love relationship with the Savior.
So in this month that is dedicated to the celebration of love, let your focus return to the cross….where God SO LOVED the world that HE GAVE….and you do likewise….
Give your heart…give your mind…give your body and soul to the one that is ETERNAL and to a love that is EVERLASTING…give your love to Jesus….He’s already given His all for you…..and by all means, don’t forget your Sweetie….
Loving Him Because He FIRST Loved Me,
WPQ
Thought for the Day:
More love for Thee, O Lord,
This is my earnest prayer
Draw me closer in my walk with you
And always keep me there!
Let your love fall on me, Lord
As I journey along life’s way;
May you be my one true love
Every moment of every day.
WPQ
February 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
The Time for Planting Approaches
Riding through the countryside of South Carolina the other day, I noticed that first rite of spring had begun. As I looked across field after field of newly turned sod, it reminded me of my childhood days and the work of my Dad’s Merry Tiller.
Now, every other spring our large back yard was converted from a neighborhood ball field into a very large and productive garden. It all began with my Dad, who after working all day, would come home to work behind the tiller, over turning the dark earth in to ball- sized dirt clods. It then became my job to take the hoe and break the clods down into plant worthy soil.
Dad explained to me how necessary my job was….that in each dirt clod, there laid nutrients and other minerals that would be needed in growing our vegetables. These nutrients were trapped and it was my job to release them by breaking them up. I worked for days, chopping and beating the clods, until, at last, there lay before me a field, ready for planting. We then began to meticulously furrow each row and make preparation for the seed. This whole process usually took a couple of weeks…it sure seemed like a lot of work to an eight year old; but, when I saw those tiny corn shoots, the rows and rows of beans and squash and the great big smile on my Dad’s face, it was worth it all.
Our hearts are like that soil….waiting to be overturned and prepared for the planting and the harvest that follows.
Matthew 13 tells of the sower and the condition of the soil as we read, “A sower went out to sow. As he sowed, some seed fell along the path and the birds came and devoured it. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil; but when the sun rose they were scorched. Since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear.” Matthew 13:3-9
What’s the condition of your soil…and you soul today? Is it fertile ground, ready and receptive to the word of God? Or is it overturned sod that is still rocky and clod-like?
Maybe, you need the work of the Holy Spirit to prepare your soil…to break apart those clods of indifference and release the nutrients of peace, harmony, patience and love. You need to surrender to the great Gardner and let him have his way with you soil….and your soul.
Why not pray this simple prayer today and ask the Holy Spirit to use whatever tool is necessary to prepare your heart for the planting of God’s word in your heart, body, mind and soul….Ask him to prepare your soil so that your harvest will be a hundredfold of good works for the glory of our great and awesome God.
Father, today let the work of your Holy Spirit prepare my heart for service. Let all I do bring honor to your name. May your word permeate the soil that is my heart and grow in me those qualities that produce a life that is pleasing in your sight. Amen
Tilling for the Kingdom...Preparing for a Time of Planting,
WPQ
Now, every other spring our large back yard was converted from a neighborhood ball field into a very large and productive garden. It all began with my Dad, who after working all day, would come home to work behind the tiller, over turning the dark earth in to ball- sized dirt clods. It then became my job to take the hoe and break the clods down into plant worthy soil.
Dad explained to me how necessary my job was….that in each dirt clod, there laid nutrients and other minerals that would be needed in growing our vegetables. These nutrients were trapped and it was my job to release them by breaking them up. I worked for days, chopping and beating the clods, until, at last, there lay before me a field, ready for planting. We then began to meticulously furrow each row and make preparation for the seed. This whole process usually took a couple of weeks…it sure seemed like a lot of work to an eight year old; but, when I saw those tiny corn shoots, the rows and rows of beans and squash and the great big smile on my Dad’s face, it was worth it all.
Our hearts are like that soil….waiting to be overturned and prepared for the planting and the harvest that follows.
Matthew 13 tells of the sower and the condition of the soil as we read, “A sower went out to sow. As he sowed, some seed fell along the path and the birds came and devoured it. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil; but when the sun rose they were scorched. Since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear.” Matthew 13:3-9
What’s the condition of your soil…and you soul today? Is it fertile ground, ready and receptive to the word of God? Or is it overturned sod that is still rocky and clod-like?
Maybe, you need the work of the Holy Spirit to prepare your soil…to break apart those clods of indifference and release the nutrients of peace, harmony, patience and love. You need to surrender to the great Gardner and let him have his way with you soil….and your soul.
Why not pray this simple prayer today and ask the Holy Spirit to use whatever tool is necessary to prepare your heart for the planting of God’s word in your heart, body, mind and soul….Ask him to prepare your soil so that your harvest will be a hundredfold of good works for the glory of our great and awesome God.
Father, today let the work of your Holy Spirit prepare my heart for service. Let all I do bring honor to your name. May your word permeate the soil that is my heart and grow in me those qualities that produce a life that is pleasing in your sight. Amen
Tilling for the Kingdom...Preparing for a Time of Planting,
WPQ
Friday, February 4, 2011
The God of Then, Now and NASA?
For all the scientists and intellectual scholars out there who have difficulty in dealing with the truth and relevancy of the Bible, here's something that shows how God deals with His awesome creation and reminds us all that He is still in control.
Did you know that the space program is busy proving that what has been called 'myth' in the Bible is true?
Mr. Harold Hill, President of the Curtis Engine Company in Baltimore, Maryland, and a consultant in the space program, relates the following development. “I think one of the most amazing things that God has done for us today happened recently to our astronauts and space scientists at Green Belt, Maryland.”
We were checking out where the positions of the sun, moon, and planets would be 100 and 1,000 years from now. We need to know this so we won't send up a satellite and have it bump into something later on in its orbits. We have to lay out the orbits in terms of the life of the satellite and where the planets will be so the whole thing will not bog down. We ran the computer measurement back and forth over the centuries, and it came to a halt. The computer stopped and put up a red signal thus signifying that there was incorrect data fed into it or the results were incorrect as compared to the acknowledged standards.
So we called in the service department to check it out, and they said, 'What's wrong?' We said, “Well, we found there is a day missing in space in elapsed time.”
They scratched their heads and tore their hair out but could find no answer.
Finally a Christian man on the team said, “You know, one time I was in Sunday School and the teacher talked about the sun standing still.” Well, they didn't believe him; but since they didn't have an answer either, they said, “Show us!”
He got a Bible and went to the book of Joshua where they found a pretty ridiculous statement for any one with 'common sense. There they found the Lord saying to Joshua,
'Fear them not, I have delivered them into thy hand; there shall not a man of them stand before Thee.'
Joshua was concerned because he was surrounded by the enemy and if darkness fell, they would overpower them. So Joshua asked the Lord to make the sun stand still! That's right.... “The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down for about a day. (Joshua 10:12-13 ESV)
The astronauts and scientists questioned if this could be the missing day? They checked the computers going back into the time it was written and found it was close but not close enough. The elapsed time that was missing back in Joshua's day was 23 hours and 20 minutes. Not a whole day. They read the passage from the Bible again and there it was ….about [approximately] a day. These little words in the Bible are important, but they were still in trouble because if you cannot account for 40 minutes, you'll still be in trouble 1000 years from now. The forty minutes had to be found because it can be multiplied many times over in orbits. As the Christian employee thought about it some more, he remembered that somewhere in the Bible it said the sun went BACKWARDS.
Of course, the other scientists told him he was out of his mind, but they got out the Bible and read these words in 2 Kings that told the following story: Hezekiah, on his death bed, was visited by the prophet Isaiah who told him that he was not going to die. Hezekiah asked for a sign as proof. Isaiah said “Do you want the sun to go ahead 10 degrees?”
Hezekiah replied, “It is nothing for the sun to go ahead 10 degrees, but let the shadow return backward 10 degrees.” Isaiah spoke to the Lord and the Lord brought the shadow ten degrees BACKWARD …and ten degrees is exactly 40 minutes!'
Twenty-three hours and 20 minutes in Joshua…. plus 40 minutes in 2 Kings combined together make the missing day in the universe! Isn't our God AMAZING!!!!!
If you want to get the full story regarding this “lost day” in the universe go to Joshua 10:8, 12-13 and 2 Kings 20:9-11.
Just remember this story the next time someone who thinks they have all the answers raises the question regarding God and His abilities as the Creator of the Universe….He was …is…and always will be in TOTAL CONTROL of His creation ….and that should put a smile on your face when you are reminded that He loves you and He gave His Son to bring you back into a full and glorious relationship with Him…..
Reign on, God…..REIGN ON….FROM EVERLASTING TO EVERLASTING, HALLELUJAH….AMEN.
WPQ
Did you know that the space program is busy proving that what has been called 'myth' in the Bible is true?
Mr. Harold Hill, President of the Curtis Engine Company in Baltimore, Maryland, and a consultant in the space program, relates the following development. “I think one of the most amazing things that God has done for us today happened recently to our astronauts and space scientists at Green Belt, Maryland.”
We were checking out where the positions of the sun, moon, and planets would be 100 and 1,000 years from now. We need to know this so we won't send up a satellite and have it bump into something later on in its orbits. We have to lay out the orbits in terms of the life of the satellite and where the planets will be so the whole thing will not bog down. We ran the computer measurement back and forth over the centuries, and it came to a halt. The computer stopped and put up a red signal thus signifying that there was incorrect data fed into it or the results were incorrect as compared to the acknowledged standards.
So we called in the service department to check it out, and they said, 'What's wrong?' We said, “Well, we found there is a day missing in space in elapsed time.”
They scratched their heads and tore their hair out but could find no answer.
Finally a Christian man on the team said, “You know, one time I was in Sunday School and the teacher talked about the sun standing still.” Well, they didn't believe him; but since they didn't have an answer either, they said, “Show us!”
He got a Bible and went to the book of Joshua where they found a pretty ridiculous statement for any one with 'common sense. There they found the Lord saying to Joshua,
'Fear them not, I have delivered them into thy hand; there shall not a man of them stand before Thee.'
Joshua was concerned because he was surrounded by the enemy and if darkness fell, they would overpower them. So Joshua asked the Lord to make the sun stand still! That's right.... “The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down for about a day. (Joshua 10:12-13 ESV)
The astronauts and scientists questioned if this could be the missing day? They checked the computers going back into the time it was written and found it was close but not close enough. The elapsed time that was missing back in Joshua's day was 23 hours and 20 minutes. Not a whole day. They read the passage from the Bible again and there it was ….about [approximately] a day. These little words in the Bible are important, but they were still in trouble because if you cannot account for 40 minutes, you'll still be in trouble 1000 years from now. The forty minutes had to be found because it can be multiplied many times over in orbits. As the Christian employee thought about it some more, he remembered that somewhere in the Bible it said the sun went BACKWARDS.
Of course, the other scientists told him he was out of his mind, but they got out the Bible and read these words in 2 Kings that told the following story: Hezekiah, on his death bed, was visited by the prophet Isaiah who told him that he was not going to die. Hezekiah asked for a sign as proof. Isaiah said “Do you want the sun to go ahead 10 degrees?”
Hezekiah replied, “It is nothing for the sun to go ahead 10 degrees, but let the shadow return backward 10 degrees.” Isaiah spoke to the Lord and the Lord brought the shadow ten degrees BACKWARD …and ten degrees is exactly 40 minutes!'
Twenty-three hours and 20 minutes in Joshua…. plus 40 minutes in 2 Kings combined together make the missing day in the universe! Isn't our God AMAZING!!!!!
If you want to get the full story regarding this “lost day” in the universe go to Joshua 10:8, 12-13 and 2 Kings 20:9-11.
Just remember this story the next time someone who thinks they have all the answers raises the question regarding God and His abilities as the Creator of the Universe….He was …is…and always will be in TOTAL CONTROL of His creation ….and that should put a smile on your face when you are reminded that He loves you and He gave His Son to bring you back into a full and glorious relationship with Him…..
Reign on, God…..REIGN ON….FROM EVERLASTING TO EVERLASTING, HALLELUJAH….AMEN.
WPQ
Thursday, February 3, 2011
The Other Commandment
A few years ago, I was flying back from a business trip to southern Florida. It was a wonderful day; overcast with those big fluffy clouds that always look like something to those with vivid imaginations. Looking out my window as were passing along the coast, suddenly I see the Space Shuttle come bursting through the clouds as it rockets toward the heavens. It nearly took my breath away in its magnificence as it hurled itself toward the confines of an immeasurable blackness known as space. I followed its path as I watched the flames of the rockets pushing it higher and higher and I thought to myself that those rockets were built for one purpose….to quote Captain James Kirk, “To boldly go where no man has gone before.”
And that brings me to the second commandment of which I spoke yesterday.
Christ has been crucified and now raised from the dead; He stands before His disciples and issues his last command in Matthew 28:18-20…his final parting words before He ascends to His Father; Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, GO and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
And there it is ….in one imperative commandment….GO!
Go and make disciples; go and baptize; go and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you to do…..Go and show my love to the lost and hurting in a lost and hopeless world. But for all too many of us that call ourselves disciples of Christ, we fail to heed this simple commandment…GO!
We would rather stay put and be part of the establishment…the church, the choir, the Sunday school or the ones that give little yet expect much from others. We can’t be called from our comfort zone or expected to sacrifice….that’s just not who we are! Somehow we have gotten it into our minds that we are not built like a rocket with one specific function….to GO where no man has gone before.
Now I’m not trying to say that we all must sign up for the foreign mission field…but somebody must! We don’t all have to knock on doors and invite total strangers to church….but somebody must! We don’t all have to work at the homeless shelter on the weekend…but somebody must! For if we are to be faithful to our Savior, then we need to be obedient to His commands to LOVE and to GO…..and the order in which we do this probably matters least.
It would be nice if we all were so filled with His love that we could not contain ourselves in seeking to show and to demonstrate that love…to love so much that we can’t help but GO and look for ways to love. But if you struggle with being filled with the love of Christ, then I challenge you to GO and let love find you in the act of doing, caring and loving in the name of Christ. Just the act of GO..ing might be all that is needed to stir your heart and let love propel you into service for the Savior.
Christ told his disciples to love as He had loved them and demonstrated throughout his solitary life...He commanded them to be willing to go and to serve. If you want to be obedient to Christ then your life’s mission is simple…follow his two commandments to LOVE and to GO….all else will fall right into place.
Seeking to GO where the Savior leads,
WPQ
Poem for the day:
We should follow Christ’s example
With everyone we meet…
We should seek to show the Savior’s love
For we are His hands and feet.
For Christ would have us working
To care for those distraught;
To go and serve in loving ways
Is what our Savior taught.
WPQ@ February 2011
And that brings me to the second commandment of which I spoke yesterday.
Christ has been crucified and now raised from the dead; He stands before His disciples and issues his last command in Matthew 28:18-20…his final parting words before He ascends to His Father; Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, GO and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
And there it is ….in one imperative commandment….GO!
Go and make disciples; go and baptize; go and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you to do…..Go and show my love to the lost and hurting in a lost and hopeless world. But for all too many of us that call ourselves disciples of Christ, we fail to heed this simple commandment…GO!
We would rather stay put and be part of the establishment…the church, the choir, the Sunday school or the ones that give little yet expect much from others. We can’t be called from our comfort zone or expected to sacrifice….that’s just not who we are! Somehow we have gotten it into our minds that we are not built like a rocket with one specific function….to GO where no man has gone before.
Now I’m not trying to say that we all must sign up for the foreign mission field…but somebody must! We don’t all have to knock on doors and invite total strangers to church….but somebody must! We don’t all have to work at the homeless shelter on the weekend…but somebody must! For if we are to be faithful to our Savior, then we need to be obedient to His commands to LOVE and to GO…..and the order in which we do this probably matters least.
It would be nice if we all were so filled with His love that we could not contain ourselves in seeking to show and to demonstrate that love…to love so much that we can’t help but GO and look for ways to love. But if you struggle with being filled with the love of Christ, then I challenge you to GO and let love find you in the act of doing, caring and loving in the name of Christ. Just the act of GO..ing might be all that is needed to stir your heart and let love propel you into service for the Savior.
Christ told his disciples to love as He had loved them and demonstrated throughout his solitary life...He commanded them to be willing to go and to serve. If you want to be obedient to Christ then your life’s mission is simple…follow his two commandments to LOVE and to GO….all else will fall right into place.
Seeking to GO where the Savior leads,
WPQ
Poem for the day:
We should follow Christ’s example
With everyone we meet…
We should seek to show the Savior’s love
For we are His hands and feet.
For Christ would have us working
To care for those distraught;
To go and serve in loving ways
Is what our Savior taught.
WPQ@ February 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
The Two Commandments of Christ
Joy...Do You Have It?
Whether you believe in God or not…or unless you have lived totally secluded from human contact, you have probably heard of the Ten Commandments. Many people know, understand and try to implement the following of the Ten Commandments into their daily life…they live trying to keep the letter of the laws to make themselves “good enough’ to earn their way in to God’s perfect heaven.
But, as Christians, we know this is an impossible task …no one makes it to heaven on their own merit. We are not and can never be good enough to qualify for admission. So our gracious God provided a way through the shed blood of His Son and our admission of guilt; thus, by placing our faith in Jesus and His redemptive power, we are declared righteous and invited to spend eternity with God and His Host of heavenly beings.
But while we are still sojourners here, Christ gave us two commandments that I believe now supersede or at least encompass the former ten and place on each of us a higher calling of service and obedience.
The first is found in some of the last words shared with His disciples on that fateful night of the Passover Supper in John 13:34-35. “A new command(ment) I give you: LOVE ONE ANOTHER. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples because you love one another.”
I consider this the eleventh commandment and surely one that Christ himself lived out in giving himself for our redemption. It is the greatest commandment that we love God with all our heart, mind, body and strength…and as Christ taught; our neighbor as ourselves. So in love we are to love on three accounts….Love God, love others and love ourselves.
I fear that all too often, we in the Kingdom community get these out of balance and our lives begin to flounder in ineffectiveness and chaos…we fail to find JOY in living because we have our love quotient unbalanced…..Jesus-1st ….Others-2nd ….Yourself-3rd.
J O Y…..do you have it? Are you living as God intended and Christ commanded? Are you known by the love shown in your life…or are you loving yourself first, God on Sunday and others whenever it will prove to be beneficial to you and your personal agenda?
If so, then that might explain the lack of JOY in your life and the absence of peace that passes all understanding. Living outside the will of God and breaking His commandment to love so that you might be known as a disciple of Christ has many ramifications ….but one in particular….and that’s the other commandment that Christ gave his disciples before He returned to His Father.
Come back tomorrow and get the rest of this story….
Loving as He loved…Obeying the Master,
WPQ
Thought for the Day:
If I’m living for the Lord
The proof is easy to see;
I’ll be loving others
And not just loving me.
I’ll seek to obey His command,
To make it all about His love;
Then Jesus will smile down on me
From His heavenly home above.
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