Storm Clouds Bring….Mercy or Judgment?

Here at the beaches of South Carolina, it is not unusual to see a storm pop up out of seemingly no where in the afternoons. One moment, you are looking at the bluest sky you've ever seen and just a few minutes later, you might be running for cover from the torrential rain and lightning.

The same can be said of life…One minute all is well; then out of no where, the storm clouds gather and the rains begin to fall. In the Bible, Job definitely experienced this phenomenon of life…and though perplexed and dismayed at the circumstances that had befallen him and his family, he still trusted in God. I'm sure that as he saw the storm clouds gathering over his life, he asked himself the words found in Job 37:13, "He brings the clouds to punish men, or to water his earth and show His love."

How do you view the storm clouds of your life? Is God setting up a time of judgment as He seeks to correct and discipline a child gone astray…simply allowing the conditions of life to help you determine if you are walking in His will or going it as "the Lone Ranger."

You see, the clouds may be filled with torrential rains that are meant to drive you to the shelter of the loving arms of a jealous God that wants you to worship and adore Him only. He needs to help you see that you are lost and in need of a Savior… and once committed to His Son, the clouds come to grow you in worship of your Creator. It is not the clouds that matter, it is the relationship that you have with Him when the clouds come that matters MOST. Some people use the adversity in their life to be drawn ever closer to God…to experience His MERCY in the midst of the trials that beset us all.

Others see the storm clouds and the torrential rains as God's judgment and lack of love. After all, how could a loving God allow this tribulation to so encompass and incapacitate them…such adversity shines a true light on their faith and they quickly fall away…they want nothing to do with a God that lets them suffer.

Oh, but the true believer, one whose heart is right and longs for the fellowship of God the Father, understands that the storms may come to bring refreshing…a time when they run into the arms of Jesus and feel the radiant warmth of His love and compassion…for Jesus suffered as we so that He might ask of God the Father to show His tender mercy to each of us.

So, let the storm clouds come!

But, let your response be one that drives you into His presence as you seek to know Him more deeply and to worship Him more passionately than ever before…don't run for cover; rather look to the skies and see that the clouds will soon pass by, thus reveling the glorious light of the Father who waters His earth to show His love…His ever abundant love for you and a mercy that endures forever!

Lingering under the storm clouds…driven into the arms of my Savior,

WPQ

A Lifetime of Learning…

I am so thankful that learning is a lifetime experience. Some very knowledgeable psychologists tell us that we learn almost 90 % of what we will learn in a lifetime by the ripe old age of 5….that leaves most of us, 70 plus years to work on the other 10%. Some folks work diligently, others give little effort at all.

Some things I learned as a child:

No matter how hard you try…you can’t baptize a cat!

You can’t trust your dog to watch your food!

You can’t hide broccoli in a glass of milk!

Some things I learned as an adult:

Raising teenagers is like nailing Jello to a tree!

Wrinkles don’t hurt, thankfully, anything but your pride!

Today’s mighty oak is just yesterday’s nut that stood its ground!

As I continue to mature: (that means I have my AARP card)

Forget the health food stuff…I need all the preservatives I can get!

If I fall down, what else can I do while I’m down here!

Did I remember to put the cat out and kiss my wife Goodnight and not vice versa!

Growing up is mandatory…growing OLD is OPTIONAL!

And most important of all……there are only two days that matter on any calendar; TODAY and “THAT DAY”! TODAY is the day to decide where I will spend eternity and once that decision has been made (as it has been for each of us as ambassadors for Christ) then I will spend today deciding how I will spend eternity. In Matthew 6:19-21, Christ tells us not to lay up treasure here on earth where all sorts of malady and calamity await, but to store up our treasures in heaven where the King of Kings and His heavenly host watch over our treasures  as He says: “For where your treasure is, there will be your heart also.”  On “THAT DAY” scripture foretells “that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is LORD!” I’m so thankful that I am living for “THAT DAY” when I will hear my Savior say, “Well done, my Good and Faithful servant, enter now into the Joy of thy Lord.”

I trust that this week your work for the kingdom, done in the name of Jesus Christ, is stockpiling your treasure chest in God’s heavenly throne room and He is waiting with words of encouragement….

“WELL DONE, WELL DONE …I AM WELL PLEASED!”

PRAYER:

God grant us your peace and keep us in your will as we seek to lay up treasures in heaven that demonstrate our love for you and our desire to please you alone. AMEN

BLESSINGS ABOUND,

WPQ

Lifted Up in the Arms of Jesus...

Maybe, today is a tough day for you. You, or someone you love, is dealing with some terrible disease and the prognosis is not very good. Maybe, you've lost a loved one and that void seems so deep and so wide that you are not sure that you will be able to get over or around it. Maybe, you are running low in your spirit and every where you turn you are meet with despair and disappointment...Take heart and share your burdens with those that believe that God is the Great Healer, Comforter and Sustainer...know that at any moment the doors to Heaven's throne room are thrown open and those that love and care for you are lifting you up in prayer...they have placed you in the arms of Jesus...FOR HE CARES FOR YOU...HE DIED FOR YOU...AND HE IS LIFTING YOU UP TO THE FATHER....My prayer is that you will know the....

Power Of Prayer 

The journey had begun, to where we did not know,

But listening to the doctors, we knew we had a long way to go.

We might still be wandering through the valley of despair

If not for God's people and the power of their prayer.

Oh, the power of prayer is a wondrous, glorious thing.

It can set the captive heart free once again to sing.

It can lift the burdened soul up, though loaded down with care.

You must never underestimate the mighty power of prayer.

For the Father has instructed those called by his name

To put our faith and trust in Him, His promises to claim.

We can carry our burdens to His throne

And prayerfully leave them there;

Our lives are changed, our burdens lifted

Through the power of our prayer.

As we have fought life's battle, we have never been alone,

For the prayers of His people have brought us to the throne.

They've carried us to Jesus, His grace and love to share,

And we now know God's healing touch

Through the power of their prayer.

So when life's storm clouds gather and your heart is full of pain,

Just pray to the Father and like a gentle rain,

He'll wash away your anguish, He'll vanish every care;

He'll grant your every heart's desire

Through the power of your prayer.

W. Patrick Queen

Excerpt from "Bent….but not Broken"

FIRMLY PLANTED….DEEPLY ROOTED!

For years, we lived in a quiet neighborhood, right across the street from the community pool and playground. This area was meticulously groomed each week and was always in the best shape when it came to the caliber of care that it received. I guess that is why I was so surprised to see one of my favorite willow trees cut down and carted off one week. Now, to be sure it was dead, but what struck me as odd was its demise.

Now, there where two willow trees planted not fifteen feet apart and for the last five years, I have watched them grow and mature, ever spreading their lovely branches and providing a great place for young children to take shade from the hot summer sun….and that’s my point of consternation. One lived and one died; each, seemingly, planted in the same soil, given the same care and exposed to the same elements. But, upon closer examination, I found the difference ….one had been struck down by some insects while in a weakened condition from the drought…the other willow tree’s roots had found a greater source of water. You see, about six feet away, the sprinkler head had malfunctioned and had built a small pond in a low lying area. In fact, every time we get any rain, the water puddles there….so, this tree near the puddle got more water and nutrients and was able to remain strong while its next door neighbor succumbed to the drought, insects and other natural causes and died.

The lesson for us in all of this is found in Jeremiah 17:7-8, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is in the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green and is not anxious in the year of the drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”

How’s your root system today? Are you trusting in the Lord …is your trust in the Lord and not in what you can do? Are you firmly planted in His word so that the barbs and darts and arrows from the Devil have no effect on your life? God has promised in His Son, Jesus Christ, to NEVER leave us or forsake us. No matter what you are facing today, God is here to see you through. Let you roots sink deep into the well of everlasting water and be refreshed. Know the joy of your salvation is something that is yours now and eternally. Don’t let the devil or circumstances or others rob you of the joy and peace that is yours as you continually grow in the Lord. Remember, WE BELONG TO HIM ….and we are to produce much fruit.

Today, give up the dry, barren way of following Christ…giving lip service and little else. Instead, look for a way to serve, offer a word of encouragement, do more than is required of you….Smile, tell someone you love them and back it up with your actions. God is the great gardener and He is watching to see if you are growing or if your roots have died and you should be cut down.

I pray that today you will be firmly planted, growing exponentially with roots that reach to the very soul of the Master and that your fruit will be bountiful for the Lord….”He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.” Psalm 1:3

Planted together…prospering for the Kingdom,

WPQ

The Discipline of Prayer

If you've ever set an important goal with the determination to achieve it, you know, right up front, that there will be a certain amount of discipline required to attain your dream. Whether running a marathon, making an A on your algebra test or climbing Mount Everest, you will need to devote time, energy and be disciplined to each task along the way toward achieving your goal.

The same holds true in our Christian walk. Whether it's becoming more like Jesus, memorizing scripture or praying to our Heavenly Father; they each require discipline.

And Jesus himself was the model of this kind of discipline as scripture reports in Luke 6, verse 12 that says, "In these days he went out to the mountains to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God."  Or Luke 9:16 a that reads, "And taking the five loaves and two fishes, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them." And let us not forget one of my favorites from Luke 11:1, "Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of the disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray."

Jesus was the model of discipline when it came to prayer. He had a time; he always had a place and he always prayed as long as it took to connect with His Father. He prayed in the morning when he would leave his disciples and go into the mountains; he prayed over his meals and when he was serving as the host of five thousand; and He always prayed before He released the healing powers of heaven.

He was disciplined in his prayer time and devoted to the process of leaving the cares of this world behind so that He could commune with the Father. Even in His darkest hour, we find Christ praying with his disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane in Matthew 26:36,39,44 that reads, "Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane and said to them, Sit here, while I go over there and pray."(verse36) "And going a little farther, he fell on his face and prayed, "My Father if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as your will."(verse 39).....and when his disciples failed him as they slept, scripture tells us, "So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again."(verse 44)

Throughout the life of our Lord and Savior, he alone is our ultimate model when we look to someone that understood the discipline of prayer. He marked out a specific time each day to talk with God and He used every other moment to be ready to call on the Father to meet the needs of that moment. But more than the discipline required to begin a prayer life is the discipline to remain constant in our praise, petition and the promise that God answers our prayers. (Romans 12:12)

Praying for the discipline to be the man of prayer God has called me to be,

WPQ

Are you a True Worshiper?

There's always a lot of finger-pointing going on whenever people of different faiths assembly in close proximity to one another ...each group wants to accuse the other of a lack of faith and the practice of true worship. The only thing that usually comes out of such encounters is bruised feelings and wounded egos.

Christ dealt with such problems of faith whenever he encountered the religious sects of his time...the Pharisees and the Sadducees always seemed to have some type of perpetuating skirmish or conflict in full riot gear and ready to do battle of who was the true protector of the Jewish faith.

Christ gave his best answer to this perplexing problem in a sit-down interview with the Samaritan woman at the well when he said, "Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem. "Woman," Jesus replied, "believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth." John 4:20-24

Jesus made it very clear to her that there was indeed a new way to worship...true worship of God the Father in SPIRIT and TRUTH....but was does that mean? Well, for me it means that we must first get our heart right (our spirit/soul/mind) by coming to the Father and accepting that we can do ABSOLUTLEY NOTHING TO EARN OUR SALVATION; rather we are TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON GOD'S GRACE AND HIS ABUNDANT MERCY  to save us through the shed blood of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Our spirit must become one with our Heavenly Father and that can never take place until our sins have been forgiven and our right relationship with God has been restored....we must surrender our desire to "make it on our own" and enter into a new covenant with God...a covenant that replaces our will with our desire to do His will. When this takes place, God breathes His spirit, the Holy Spirit, into us and then we can begin to worship Him as He forever intended.

But what about this TRUTH thing?

Again for me, its very simple...we live out a life of worship in the everyday nitty, gritty of life...when we worship God with our lives in service to Him, we do so in truth. Our very existence takes on the supreme element of truth as we live each day trusting God for our very next breath...our next meal...our next opportunity to share with someone  how our relationship with our Heavenly Father has made all the difference in who we are and in what we are becoming and where we are going.

As a child of his, the truth of the matter is evident in our lifestyle, our choices, our demeanor and our every action....we are HIS and so we worship Him in EVERYTHING....THE GOOD AND THE BAD....and when we are able to do that in a world that is lost and spinning out of control....God's Truth is shown and becomes known.

So next time a crowd of religious wannabes gather and begin to point fingers and take sides....excuse yourself from the impending malay and just stick to the basics of true worship....keep your heart right with God and live in the truth of each moment....now that's TRUE WORSHIP.

Living in the moment ...worshipping with every breath,

WPQ

Prepared to Flee

It was not that long ago while traveling through the back roads of South Carolina early one morning, I rounded a curve at approximately the posted speed limit to encounter a magnificent young buck standing only about twenty feet from the pavement. It appeared as if he was trying to decide if it was safe to cross to the other side. I guess the sound of my approaching vehicle had him stuck in that proverbial state, “a deer stuck in the headlights," as he seemed to be frozen in time. Then, in what could only be considered an unbelievable athletic feat, he jumped into the air, did a 180 degree turn and in one giant leap, bounded back into the safety and security of the adjacent forest. It all happened so suddenly that I, myself, was quite startled and felt my heart leap within me. In the few seconds that it took me to reach his former spot, he was gone….not a trace left behind, no view of where he had gone.

In the few moments that followed that brief encounter with God’s creation, I took pause to think of Holy Scripture that tells us that we are to be like that deer when we encounter evil or are in danger of slipping from grace. God tells us to FLEE….but too often we approach sin as if it’s NO BIG DEAL.!!!! We move in for just a closer look, a brief smell or lingering glance, a chance to “test our metal” against the wiles of the devil….and too, too often we fail and disappoint the One who told us to flee. If we would only heed His Word and obey, our lives would be so much easier and our testimony so much greater. Paul told Timothy, “But as for you, O man of God, flee (or run) from these evil things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith.” (I Timothy 6:11-12a).

So, the next time evil submits itself to you for your inspection, don’t even consider the possibility of giving it a chance to take a toe hold on your life …. Do what comes naturally to God’s creatures, great and small …TURN and FLEE as fast as you can…..don’t look back and don’t slow down until you are safely resting in the arms of your Heavenly Father.

In fact, God tells us if we submit to Him, we can resist the Devil and he will FLEE from us.

But that’s a lesson for another day…

Blessed and Believing,

WPQ

If you have lost someone close to you recently or are still dealing with the grief and sorrow that comes from losing a special loved one, today's post is just for you...I pray you will find peace and solace the God has called them HOME to be with Him...and one day, you will be reunited for eternity with them and your Heavenly Father.

GOD  ONLY  TAKES  THE  VERY  BEST

God only takes the very best

Whose labors are now done;

And brings them home to quiet rest

At the setting of life’s sun.

He saw your loved one  was growing tired

Each step, how it took its toll;

So He brought them to His heavenly place

To make them well and whole.

A golden heart no longer beating….

Tireless hands have now found rest

And in this, we find our comfort….

GOD ONLY TAKES THE VERY BEST!

He only takes the ones He loves

And though they had to part;

We know that they have left behind

Special memories in your heart.

For your loved one is not truly gone,

They  have only slipped away;

On a far and different journey….

Alas, you’ll meet again someday.

And on that wondrous, glorious morn

Oh, how you will be blest….

Home at last in your Father’s arms …

for

God only takes the VERY BEST!

W. Patrick Queen

August 2007

Measure What You Say…God's Listening!

Just yesterday, my wife was in the clubhouse that houses her real estate office in the community in which she sells. One of the residents in the community had passed away a few days before and after his funeral, the family was being fed and cared for in the clubhouse. Many friends and family were milling around, sharing their sorrow over the loss of this loved one; but one gentlemen's voice rose above all others…not just because of the volume, but also because of the vulgar expletives that were peppered throughout each sentence.

I am continually amazed by the speech I hear this days, particularly in public places. In the days of my youth, if you hit your thumb with a sledge hammer, a curse word just might leak out of the pain…but it was a short outburst, typically followed by a round of apologies to all those within earshot.

In our society today, it seems that anything is permissible, even if there are women and children present…and too often, the women are just as involved in this abhorrent language as the men.

Our speech has become all too casual and unencumbered by the dictates of social constraints…and it seems that such a mindset has also invaded our prayers. We used to bow and pray in humbleness and reverence, but because we have been led to believe that God is just a good, old grandpa; ever waiting to dole out our next request, we have become careless and indifferent in our manners and in our prayers.

The wise King Solomon warned us, "Do not be quick with your words, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God." Ecclesiastes 5:2  Even Jesus rebuked the religious hypocrites of his age for their many words uttered to impress God with their religiosity….it has never been about how many words you utter that captures the attention and the ear of God; it is the contrite heart that is being laid open and bare before the throne that draws a merciful God near to those that He loves.

In Hebrews 4:16, God encourages us to come before His throne with boldness and confidence, but never in carelessness. Our words are incredible instruments when laid before a righteous and holy God. Maybe we would all do well to remember this when we enter our "prayer closet"….

SURELY GOD HAS MORE IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND DIRECTION TO SHARE WITH US THAN WE HAVE TO SHARE WITH HIM…Yes, God cares about your needs and even your desires, but He also wants us to listen to His desires that will draw us into the center of His will…both are extremely important to anyone who loves the Lord and wants to be a good and faithful servant.

So, today, WHEN you pray, remember this simple statement by John Bunyan…

When you pray, rather let your heart be without words than your words be without heart!

Reverently listening more… obediently speaking less,

WPQ

LET GO ....LET GOD!!!

A few days ago, I was sitting in the waiting room while having my car serviced, when I struck up a conversation with an elderly lady that was quite concerned with the problems she was having with her car. She shared with me that she had just recently had to start dealing with these kinds of problems….her husband had just passed away after 50+ years of marriage and now, she was having to do all the things that he once took care of for her. I told her how much I empathized with her because I had seen my mother struggle with getting back on her feet when my father passed away suddenly. I assured her that God would see her through these difficult days and we began to share how dependent we must be on our Heavenly Father to take care of us, even when it seems to take longer than we would like for an answer to our prayers. You see, she was praying that God would provide her with another godly man with which to share the remaining years of her life….she was so lonely and she wanted God to answer her pray quickly; but, she knew that God’s timing is very often quite different from our own.

We later parted company with thanks for our time of sharing and I promised to be praying for the many needs in her life.  As I began my drive home, I thought of the story of the prodigal son and the three things that we must glean from that parable in Luke….we must GIVE UP…GET UP …AND GO UP ….before God can have his way in our lives.

When I say GIVE UP, I am referring to the miserable situation in which the prodigal found himself once he had squandered all his worldly possessions. In verse 14 of Luke 15, it reads, “When he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country and he began to be in great need (dire straits). SO, he went and hired himself out”…in other words, he kept trying to make it under his own steam; to turn things around with his might and his strength; to make up for his mistakes and restore himself to his glory days , ALL…. ON HIS OWN. The best he could do on his own….feeding the pigs of another farmer and eating the pods that he feed to the swine. It wasn’t until he was ready to give up control of his miserable life that he could GET UP from this horrible situation and realize that a better life was just waiting for him, at home with his father. Scripture says, “But when he came to himself”….in other words, when he got up, dusted himself off and looked at his situation, it came to him. I don’t have to live like this; why even my father’s servants are far better off than I am. I’ll go home and beg my father to take me back …not as his son, but as one of his hired servants. And that’s when the GO UP took over, “I will arise and go to my father and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you and I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” (Luke 15:18) When he decided to include God and to leave the outcome in His hands, the decision became obvious …so, he headed for home.

Yes, when life seems to beat you down, you can keep trying to “make it on your own”…or you can GIVE UP  the pride that keeps you from surrendering to the power of the Father … then GET UP from the despair and misery that engulfs your life ….and then do what is required in all of life’s dilemmas ….  GO UP in surrender to the will of the Father ….for He is standing on the road, peering down that dusty highway, waiting to catch a glimpse of His long, lost son….turning toward home ….and a Father’s eternal love.

A Prodigal No More,

WPQ

UNDER ATTACK…FOR THE GLORY OF GOD!

Scripture tells us on more than one occasion that the devil travels to and fro across the earth, seeking whom he may devour… and I can promise you, on the authority of God's Word, that if you are a sold-out solider of the cross, he has his sights set on you!

But, here's the startling news that we as believers often miss in our study of God's Word…God's going to let him land a few direct hits.

"Consider my servant Job?"  is the question that God poses to the devil when he approaches the Creator of the Universe. Why would God give up us His faithful servant to the wiles of the devil…so that in Job's defense of his faith in an all-knowing, all-powerful God…GOD WOULD RECEIVE THE GLORY!!!

The problem that our world faces today, especially with many that call themselves believers, is quite simple. We believe God is here for us and not the other way around. We see OUR world as a place where we allow God to do his good works for our good and to make sure that our struggles never overwhelm us or bring us down…that's just poor human-centered thinking and that's the reason we find ourselves in such a great mess. We too often assume that God's salvation, freely given to us, is first and foremost about our well being…and nothing could be farther from the truth. In fact, we often help God define our "well-being" in terms of comfort, prosperity, success and good health.

But God's definition is quite simple…we were created to bring HIM glory because this is a God-centered universe and not man-centered. We are created to worship and adore our Creator and to let nothing stand in the way of our God-given purpose.

So the next time the devil fires his evil wiles at you and you look to see that you are bleeding, battered and bruised, it's okay to ask God to protect and deliver you. But more than that… ask Him to be manifested in the conflict so that HE RECEIVES THE GLORY from your faithfulness as His follower.

Remember you are under attack…ALL FOR THE GLORY OF GOD!!!!

Resisting the devil, winning the battle for the glory of God,

WPQ

Poem for the day:

If you want to live for Jesus

To fight the fight and win;

Then you must surrender

And ask the Holy Spirit in.

To prepare for battle every day;

As God himself writes your story.

Stand firm and battle with all your might,

So that God receives the GLORY!!!!

WPQ

Praying in Joy…

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I encounter some people that really try my patience. In fact, in all honesty, they make me lose it completely. Now, I’m not one to name names…you know who you are, but in my studies the other night, Paul admonished me in Philippians 1 verse 3 to pray with joy. He said, "I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”  Do I always pray with joy? Not on your life…but there it is, from one of the pillars of the early church….PRAY WITH JOY!!!!

Paul is telling us to begin our experience with others by remembering them and then, in our remembrance, to pray with joy. Unfortunately, it seems that I don’t always remember the good things of others …only the things that seem to make me lose my patience. Then I am faced too, too often, with my shortcomings which are able to disrupt my walk with my Lord. What if I started using “spiritual eyes’ to view those that God brings into my life; then, as we unite in the partnership of the gospel, I won’t have to overlook their faults…rather, I will be focus on the good work that God has begun in them and in our relationship.

Philippians 1:6 says, “Being confident of this very thing, that He that began a good work in you will continue it until the day of Jesus Christ.” That should be my focus…if I must be myopic, let my focus be on the good work that God is accomplishing in each of us. I can revel in the misery of the injustice of the moment, past or present…..or I can look at those around me and see them as God does….A WORK IN PROGRESS!!!!

And then, I can pray for them and with them in a spirit of joy and thanksgiving, knowing that God is at work, bringing to completion this person of faith …my brother or sister in Christ. And that’s the eternal partnership that is available to each of us….we belong to Christ and we belong to each other. So, let the praise and prayer begin and let the JOY of Heaven rain down.

ABUNDANTLY BLESSED…PRAYING IN JOY,

WPQ

Poem of the Day…

We are called to work with others;

To serve our Lord both day and night…

And when we share in that great task

We are filled with  heaven’s delight.

We join with others joyfully

To share what He has done.

To tell the world of His great love

For He sacrificed His Son.

So that all may come to worship Him

To bow before His throne;

To proclaim to all that He is Lord

So in us His joy is shone.

Celebrating a Special day…

Today is a Very Special Day in my life…..no, it’s not my birthday or Christmas in July or any national holiday. It’s a day that holds significance for just a handful of people, but it is a day that I celebrate with great joy. It is my beautiful wife’s birthday. Now, being the gentlemen that I am precludes me from telling you what number it is or when she was born or any other tell tale information that might leak that protected number….let me just say that she is as young and even more beautiful than when we met some twenty-five years ago.

Now I know that for a lot of people, there is much significance in the number of birthdays you celebrate. For me, I always reasoned that your birthday was just the first date on your tombstone, followed by a dash   (-) and then the date you departed this earth. I have always believed that it didn’t really matter if you celebrated a birthday, but rather, you should celebrate what you do during the dash (-)….the life that you live is what really matters most. And when I consider that, my lovely wife is making the most of her dash (-)!!!!!!!!

In Proverbs 31, Solomon shares the marvelous attributes of a godly wife and each time I read those verses, I see my wife and all that she has become in the twenty-five plus years in which she has enriched my life. In verse 10, she is an excellent wife who is far more precious than jewels, who has my complete trust and admiration. In verse 15, he speaks to how wonderful she is in managing our household while ever excelling in her business as sales agent at Stonegate in Murrells Inlet and the Editor of our monthly newsletter, Prince Creek Living. In verse 17, he extols her great fashion sense and modest attire that is always impeccable and stylish. In verse 20, I see her as she works diligently for those less fortunate and how she uses her God-given talents to inspire others to be all that God desires for them to be. She is never lazy, idle or immobile, but ALWAYS ready to lend a helping hand and ask nothing in return. Strength and dignity are girded about her and those who are touched by her laughter can only be encouraged for a brighter day. Her daughter is blessed beyond measure to have such a loving and thoughtful mother and I, too, am the richest man I know; simply because she belongs to me. Many women have done excellently, but she outshines them ALL….at least that is my humble opinion.

Yes, and with all that we have been through in our years as husband and wife, I have learned to NEVER underestimate the abilities, the passion or the love of this woman and to know that as Solomon concluded at the end of this chapter….

A WOMAN WHO FEARS THE LORD IS TO BE PRAISED!!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEETHEART….YOU ARE ONE OF A KIND AND I AM SO BLESSED TO HAVE YOU AS MY WIFE, MY CONFIDANT AND MY BEST FRIEND!!!!!

If you are blessed like I am, don’t wait for a birthday to let you wife know how fortunate you are that she belongs to you….make a difference in her dash that we call …LIFE.

Blessed Beyond Measure,

WPQ

Are you a Shining Star?

Is there a precedent that is set in God’s word that calls us out of the darkness to be a glorious light….you better believe there is!

In Paul’s writing to the Philippians, he tells them to continue to work out their salvation with fear and trembling, “for it is God who works in you to do His will and to act according to His good purpose.” But, he doesn’t stop there as he continues, “Do everything without complaining or arguing so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life….” Philippians 2:13-16

Notice the admonishment here is continue to grow in our faith (working out our salvation) so that God’s good (and perfect) will is accomplished….and how do we do that? By doing everything we can to create harmony in the body of Christ (no arguing, complaining or backbiting). When that is accomplished we will be found without fault and we will become all that God intended for us to be….SHINING STARS IN THE UNIVERSE.

Now, I don’t know about you, but the thought of one star shining in the universe might seem a little bleak. Just walk out some night and look up when there’s a heavy cloud cover, fog or just a hot summer haze and there’s not much to get excited about. A few stars, twinkling WAY OFF IN THE DISTANCE. But, go out into the wilderness or a mountain lake or in the middle of a vast ocean and look up on a crystal clear night and it will take your breath away…….MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF STARS…so close it seems that you can touch them. Now that’s what God has called His church to be.

We are to be SALT & LIGHT to a dark and dying world….one shining star multiplied by the grace of God until the heavens erupt with His glorious light…..Shining with the love of our Savior for the entire world to see.

As one star, my light might not be too visible in this dark and depraved day; but when all the believers of faith seek to do God’s will, to become His people….then our lives will light up the world and His message of love and forgiveness will bring salvation to all who will bow before the Lord and proclaim him as KING. Our light will shine and HE WILL BE GLORIFIED!

What’s keeping you from becoming the star God intended you to be? There’s a place in the starry heavens that just waiting for you…..

SO SURRENDER TO HIM AND SHINE ON !!!!!

SHINING TOGETHER,

WPQ  

Hooray for the Fourth

It seems that each year, this day of celebration gets here just a little bit quicker and leaves me a little wearier and a little less hopeful for what lies ahead. We all run hither and yon, wishing all those we know a “Happy 4^th”, singing patriotic songs, eating BBQ and watching fireworks. We collectively ask for God to Bless America and then, somehow seem perplexed when gas prices keep rising, crime escalates and our leaders debate in open forum the merits of partial birth abortions, gay marriages and legalized gambling known as state lotteries. How can a righteous and holy God bless this mess that we now call America?

In fact, after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, Anne Graham Lotz was queried on the Early show, the host asking, “How could God let something like this happen?  Her response was quite profound. She said, “I believe that God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we’ve been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And, being the gentlemen that He is, I believe He has quietly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand that He leave us alone?”

And that my friend, unfortunately, is the sad state of affairs that we find ourselves facing in this year, 2015. God has slowly and surely left us to our own demise and I am sure that it is breaking His heart to see how far we have fallen from our roots as a Christian nation. A country that He ordained, that began with such great and magnificent promise is sinking fast and unless, God Himself, orchestrates some cataclysmic jolt to all of us….this nation that still prints “In God We Trust” on our money, is doomed to a bitter end.

There is one bright and shining star though ….His CHURCH that He ordained to be both salt and light for such a time as this. Let us not shrink from the battles that lie before us, but rather put on the whole armor of God and wage war. We serve the Great Commander-in-Chief who has never been defeated ….and HE NEVER WILL BE!!!!

Proclaim this July 4^th as our day of Dependence on the Creator of the Universe….and fight the good fight…..we know the outcome, WE WIN!         

MARCHING ON,

WPQ

Transformation or Stagnation?

There's an old story of the farmer that set out to plow his fields one Spring. Things went well for a spell, but the monotony of trudging behind the plow as his mule plodded along soon got the best of him; he slowly slipped into a daydream state and aimlessly followed where the mule led. It wasn't too long before his son appeared with their lunch to find his dad standing in a furrow, up to his knees in the red clay of the field. When the young man asked his dad what had happened, the father sheepishly replied, "Well son, when you stay too long doing the same thing, the same way…you no longer have a well-turned furrow; you've made yourself a deep, devilish rut."

Unfortunately, this story plays out all too often in our lives as we go through the motions of living for Christ. Oh, we are good to make time for church on Sunday: choir practice and prayer meeting on Wednesday; a quick daily devotion and a few minutes in prayer. We display all the "trappings" of a faithful follower, but we are really too often just stuck in a rut…wanting MORE, but not sure how to proceed to live the abundant life that we were promised when we choose to follow Christ.

Paul told us in Romans 12: 2, "Do not be conformed to this world (don't get in a rut), but be transformed by the renewal of your mind (get in and stay in God's Word) that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (My emphasis)

You see, often, it is not what we do that creates our worldly rut, it is the spirit with which we do it that makes us become ritualistic and stagnant. When we come to God with a fresh yearning to hear Him speak; when we open His Word with an expectant heart to know of His will for our lives; when we seek the Godly counsel of those that would guide, direct and encourage us…it is then that God begins and continues our amazing transformation to become all that He has ordained us to be.

It is not wrong to do the same things over and over if we first focus on the real reasons that compels us to do those things…our love for the Father and our desire to share the Good News with others. These things then become stepping stones to a greater and fuller relationship with our Father and not a rut that seems endless and tiring.

So enter this new day ready to be transformed into whatever God has set before you. Don't let the cares, trials or tribulations of this age make you keep plodding along behind the plow of woe that leads to a deep rut of cynicism and despair…rather, do all that you do with excellence as you represent the King of Kings in all of His glory and might.

Remember, you are a child of the Most High, so ACT LIKE IT! By showing and glowing in the transformation that is taking place in you, others will see your good works and they will glorify your Father in Heaven….Stagnation or transformation…it's totally your choice!

Living in the transformed mind of a new creation,

WPQ

Poem for the day:

Living life abundantly is really what we seek

And God has called us to serve Him

By loving  the lowly and the meek.

We are not to live our lives in sameness

 or in hopeless stagnation…

But to let the Holy Spirit have His way

in our ongoing  transformation.

Character or Comfort…You Decide!

Living in the now is hard for a lot of God’s people …what with our world’s infatuation with gathering and storing and saving for our old age. It seems that hoarding has become part of the standard thinking of the rich and the “wanna be” rich. Now, I for one can empathize with this thought process, being one of the “baby boomers” who has been suckled with the idea that if I am going to live a long and satisfying life, I better stockpile lots of “goodies’ to see me through my senior years.

But, let’s look at this from a Biblical perspective. This life is really just a dress rehearsal for the eternity that I will spend with my Heavenly Father …at home in the New Jerusalem. In fact, my entire purpose for living is to prepare me for eternity …to have me practice on earth what I will perfect in heaven. Now eternity, that’s a LOOOONNGGGG TIME according to 2 Peter 3:8 which says, “But do not overlook this one fact, Beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. God’s calendar is different than yours and mine…I may live to be a hundred here on earth, but I’m going to spend a trillion years in eternity and that requires that I get my eye on the prize while I’m here.

Each one of us was made by God…. for God. God did not put us here to make us happy, but to make us HOLY…and that’s the struggle of life. Until we get that thought at the center of our consciousness, we’re probably going to spend our time and efforts in pursuing the wrong things of this world….and those “things” lead to our destruction. Sure, we all want to be successful, fulfilled and comfortable both now and in our “retirement” years; but God is more interested in your CHARACTER than in your comfort.

So, where does that leave us? Do we listen attentively to the noise from the crowd that tells us to “grab all we can” since we only “go around once in life”…or do we heed the Savior’s call to “take up our cross and follow him.”

If your life is not facing some sort of difficulty, then maybe it’s time to check your Christian pulse and see if your really have a heartbeat for the Savior? Truly, it’s okay to want to be reasonably happy here on earth; to face a minimal amount of desperation or despair….but, remember, God is more interested in your growth in Christ than the size of your home or the value of your IRA. If you’re working for the Kingdom, then trust me; Opposition is near-at-hand….but that’s okay! 1 John 4:4 says, “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for He that is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

So start living for the eternity that God has promised you and leave behind the cares and troubles that so easily beset us….Today is the first day of the rest of your eternity ….at home with Jesus and our Father of Love.

Letting go of today…Reaching for eternity,

WPQ

Thought for Today:

The eyes of the Lord travel to and fro

Seeking to find someone;

Upon whom he might bestow,

Blessings for a life well done.

So give Him your love and obedience

And each morning when you arise;

Plan to live this day for Him,

To find favor in His Eyes.