Wednesday, August 31, 2016

God's Favor…Your Fervor!

When's the last time you stopped and took a good look at your life? Are things going about as well as you expected? Is your life as joyous and enthusiastic as it was when you first asked Jesus to come into your heart and create a new life within you?

If not, then in may be that you've lost your FERVOR for God and thus, He is holding back His FAVOR!

Now, many theologians would probably debate me on this issue, but let's take a closer examination and see what the Scriptures might have to say on such an important matter. First, let me make sure that you understand my premise…You can't be good enough to win God's favor (the outpouring of His blessings on your life) any more than you can earn your salvation…God doesn't play that game!

He does say, however, in Proverbs 12:2,"A good man obtains favor from the Lord, but a man of evil devices he condemns." And paraphrasing "good" or "righteous" would allow us to use the word, FERVENT…which means stretching or straining…as Paul says in Philippians 3:14, "I press (strain) for the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

When we have lost our fervor for God, we have placed him in the passenger seat of our life and we have taken over the controls. We no longer strain to be the believer that He has called us to be and it shows in all the areas of our lives. How can God be expected to open up the storehouse of Heaven and shower us with His favor when we have not given Him the proper place in our lives?

If we have lost our enthusiasm for spending time in His Word; become complacent in our prayer life; lost our zeal for sharing the Good News and no longer run after Him with ardent fervor in our hearts; why should we expect our Creator to be more than casually concerned about us and our desire to see an outpouring of His favor on us and our activities?

In Revelation 3:16, we read, "So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth." What does that mean in context of the favor of God?

Simply put… if you are not fervently seeking the Lord in worship and in service for Him, He can hardly be expected to release His favor on you…so if you are a born again believer these days and are not seeing or experience the FAVOR of God in your life, you might want to take your temperature…hot or cold or just lukewarm.

God is waiting and willing to help you regain that fervor that has you straining for the goal of becoming a "sold out" convert for Christ…commissioned and battlefield ready to be all that God wants you to be in the war against our foe…and when you are back in the trenches, you will see the FAVOR of God poured out on you like never before. So, don't delay one more day, fervently seek the face of God and see if He is not willing to shine down His abundant favor on you.


Fervently Following My Commander, Jesus Christ….


WPQ 

Saturday, August 27, 2016

ARE YOU READY FOR A NEW LOOK?

Fashion has always been a mystery to most of us. We look at what the "designers" parade across the runaways of the fashion industry and most of us think, " I would never be caught dead wearing something like that!" The sad part of it all is that we are often prejudged by what we wear...whether good or bad, most of us dress to impress. Thankfully, the apostle Peter had some words of wisdom for us regarding our wardrobe. In 1 Peter 5:5, he writes, "Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another." And you might ask, why is that so important?

At the heart of the temptation in the Garden of Eden, at the heart of human rebellion and the fall of mankind is the foundation of pride. It is the best weapon in the arsenal of the instigator of man. In fact, it has been said on many occasions that pride is at the root of every sin. Is it not pride that tells us to choose our way over the will of God; to pursue the pleasures of this world rather than the treasures of our eternal home; to treat others as though they serve us and our here to make our lives better?

In His Word, God has said in no uncertain terms that "He opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."  So it is only fitting that Peter should share this fashion tip when it comes to our garments of grace.

He tells us to put on new clothes that show we belong to Jesus and that His Spirit of humility is our foundation for service. We are admonished to cast off our old clothes of selfishness and pride and be adorned in the newness of God's abundant grace. Gone is our gaudiness of pride and self promotion; replaced with the humility of the Kingdom of God and with deference to our Savior and the will of the Father.

When we cast off our pride, it is then that God can clothe us appropriately for His service. We will no longer find ourselves at the center of controversy or consternation because our cloak of humility will not allow such a spectacle to be seen from a child of God. Prideful people feed off of each other and stir up more pride, but the man clothed in humility is honor by his Father and will undermine the whole process.

Peace will exist when God's people are truly clothed in Heaven's humility...so what will you choose to wear today?


Stripped naked of pride...clothed in humility,

WPQ


Poem of the day:

If you seek to serve the Father
Be careful what you wear;
For the world is ever watching
To see if you really care.

Cast off your cloak of pridefulness
And be clothed in humility...
The world may follow Jesus
Because of what they see in you and me!


Monday, August 22, 2016

A former reprint of Salt & Light....

A Call to Action

I had the day off yesterday, so I decided to treat myself to a big breakfast at my favorite morning place in downtown Greenville. After a very filling and satisfying meal, I cranked up my car and made my way into morning traffic to begin my errands. I had driven only a few feet out of the parking lot when my attention was diverted to a small white van, unloading boxes of fruit at the homeless shelter next door to the Ham House.

In front of me, in tattered and worn clothing, was a man of about 40. His was so tiny in stature, so frail and thin that when he turned sideways, he seemed to disappear. I found that in that next moment, my thoughts turned to pity as I wondered what might have led to his unfortunate circumstances ….I quickly uttered a prayer of thanksgiving, that but for the grace of God could have been me; then, the light changed and I moved along with the flow of traffic as I began my busy day.

But all morning long, the thought kept coming back…. was my pity enough?

You see in many instances in the Scriptures, the Bible tells us that our Lord felt pity…..He felt pity in Matthew 9:36, “And what pity He felt for the crowds that came because their problems were so great and they didn’t know what to do or where to go for help. They were like sheep without a shepherd.” (The Living Bible)

Jesus felt pity for the people in Mark 8:2, “One day as another great crowd gathered, the people ran out of food again. Jesus called his disciples together and said, “I pity these people for they have been here three days and have nothing left to eat.” (TLB)….or in Luke 7:12-13, “As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother and she was a widow. And when the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” (English Standard Version)

In each of these situations, our Lord felt pity….But, oh my friend, HE FELT SO MUCH MORE!!!!

If he had only felt pity or sympathy for these people, he would have checked his emotions and just moved on…. like I did yesterday…..but our Lord felt so much more and with His growing feeling of sympathy and empathy, His compassion became action.

Yes, Jesus took pity….but more than that, JESUS TOOK ACTION!!!!!!

To the multitude of the lost and aimless, He became our Shepherd….To the hungry, he fed them and became our Bread of Life….to the broken-hearted and forlorn, he became their comfort and our Resurrection to Life Eternal.

And now, where does that leave you and me and our feelings of pity?  Are we to feel pity, sympathy and compassion for those that Christ sets in our path…or are we just to observe that pain and sufferings, thank God that it is not us and pass by on the other side ….OF COURSE NOT!!!!

We are called to serve …called to mirror our Savior and to give our feelings….FEET and HANDS and a VOICE that proclaims the love of Jesus in and through our ACTIONS.

So, resolve with me today that you will not fall victim to Satan’s ploy ….when you encounter those that need a helping hand …don’t just pity their plight and leave them for someone else to show them compassion….simply ask, WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?

JESUS WOULD TAKE ACTION TO ALLEVIATE THEIR PAIN OR SUFFERING BUT MORE THAN THAY….. HE WOULD SHOW TRUE COMPASSION FOR THOSE WITHOUT A SHEPHERD…..

Striving to Minister for Jesus,
WPQ


Thought for the Day:
We should follow Christ’s example
With everyone we meet…
We should seek to show compassion
For we are His hands and feet.

For Christ would have us working
To care for those distraught;
To give ourselves unselfishly
Is what our Savior taught.

WPQ@ October 2010


Saturday, August 20, 2016

Mighty Oaks

Life is full of difficulties and for some of us; we just accept that this is the way it is. Others fight and squirm and fuss and complain that life just isn’t fair. Some others make the most of difficult situations and never let others know what they are going through nor do they ask for help. But whatever you operating style, when it comes to problems….

WE’VE ALL GOT THEM.

So today, be encouraged and if you can, be encouraging….I hope this little poem helps.


Mighty Oaks


Like a giant oak that stands tall against the sky;
Roots like thirsty straws gathering nourishment when it's dry;
There is no storm or peril that can fell so grand a tree
And in this work of nature, there's a lesson for you and me.

From just a tiny acorn planted in the deepest, richest sands
Grows this towering testimony to the majesty of God's hands.
A single, little bud that comes bursting forth in spring
Filled with all God's creatures, their melodies they sing.

And with each passing season as the years may come and go,
This once small, tender sapling into a mighty oak does grow.
Its powerful, gnarling limbs arch gracefully toward the sun
Offering shade and sweet repose for those whose work is done.

As centuries come with each new age, the oak is stalwart still.
Its majesty and grandeur, the elements cannot kill.
This warrior survives all pestilence as it reaches above,
And each of us will thrive and grow when grounded in God's love.

So when life's burdens weigh you down or you're feeling all alone,
Remember little acorns into mighty oaks have grown.
Just plant your tiny seed of faith in the Master's Holy sod
And you will grow, like mighty oaks, to touch the face of God.

W. Patrick Queen
Excerpt from "Bent…but not Broken"

For more info regarding our book, go to

www.thankfulpraiseministries.com

Friday, August 19, 2016

Ready for the Race?

I don't know how you start your morning, but reaching for the TV remote or grabbing your cell phone to see if you have any messages, twetts or whatever else social media may have flung your way while you slept...well, that's now the Biblical way to begin a new day.

Life is hard and each day our faith (if we are trying to walk with our Lord) will be tested. We must be prepared to meet the enemy and our adversary, the Devil, head on in the field of battle.
So, the Bible says in 1 Peter 1: 13. "Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought at the revelation of Jesus Christ." The KJV says in translating the Greek, "girding up the loins of your mind" which brings to mind in the days of Peter, grabbing the long, following lower part of your garment and pulling it up so you are ready to run either into or away from the battle.

And that's what we should be doing FIRST THING EACH MORNING...getting ready for battle by preparing our minds by spending time in God's word. Now, there is never a bad time to open the word of God for instruction, reproach, correction or encouragement; however, the time to prepare for battle is the start of each new day...it's when God issues your "marching orders" for the day that lies before you. Any good soldier checks all of his equipment before being given the order to "turn out" and "fall in" ...he knows what is coming. His commanding officer is getting ready to tell the troops their objective and then lay out the plan of moving forward into battle to obtain their objective and be victorious over the enemy. God wants to do that with you and me each day...at the start of the day... so that we are fully prepared for WHATEVER weapons the devil launches against us.

It also says in this scripture that we are setting our hope on the grace we receive in the revelation of Christ. Now one day, Christ will be fully revealed to us at His second coming; but until that time, He is revealed to us each time we open the Word of God and read about Him and the work of the Holy Spirit. We become immediately better equipped for battle when we know what Jesus himself might do in any given situation....and we are given insight into those moments as we read the Word and receive direction and guidance from the Holy Spirit.

God wants us to win the battle...each and every battle...and He is willing to equip us with all the weapons we need to fight and win. So, if God's arsenal is ready, but we do not prepare our minds for action and for what comes next, we place ourselves at a distinct disadvantage to be the "conquered" rather than the "conquerors."

So when you wake up, don't grab the remote to see what "world changing" event may have occurred during your slumber...rather "gird the loins of your mind" by reaching for the infallible, never-changing Word of God and get ready for action. You have enlisted in the army of the Lord and He will not let you fail in your skirmishes with the enemy...He has already assured the victory through His Son, Jesus Christ...so get step out in faith ....THE VICTORY IS YOURS!

Enlisted in the battle....claiming the victory,

WPQ



Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Keeping on ...Keeping ON!

Yesterday, another year on the calendar ticked off because I celebrated my 67th birthday. Now, I personally do not think I am getting older, but my body keeps telling me otherwise. In fact, two weeks ago, I tried to relive my glory days as a well-accomplished softball player from back in the 70's and 80's of my young adulthood....I AM STILL FEELING THE SORENESS AND ACHES OF THAT DAY ON THE SOFTBALL FIELD.

Let's face it...I am out of shape for such activity simply because I have not participated in a softball game in the last twelve years. When the ball was hit my way, instinctively, I knew what to do; however, my body would not respond as it should because it was out of shape. It wanted to scoop the ball up, throw it to first base and send the runner back to the dugout...it did not happen.

Looking at our spiritual life can show the same type of dilemma when it comes to doing good...we know what we should do, but we have not been doing good and our actions are limited by the lack of activity in this regard. In simple terms, we just don't do the good we should!!!!

Paul warned the Galatians about this in Chapter 6 verse 9 when he said, "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap a harvest, if we do not give up."

And that's the rub of life for you and me...God has called us to do "good" works; works for which He wants to richly reward us for doing; however, we get lazy or complacent and before we know it, we forget what a good work looks like...or we are so set in our ways that we can be bothered to do good for those around us. We quit using our "do good muscles" and we are out of shape to do even the simplest of good deeds for someone who is struggling and needs a helping hand. This can and does happen even to the best of us...so what are we to do?

Take a moment today to put those "do good" muscles back to work....start small so you don't strain yourself (I jest)...but reach out to a friend in the faith and see what is going on in their life and offer a word of encouragement or actually find a way to help them through their situation. It may be to drop off their kids at soccer practice so they can run a few personal errands; go visit a friend in the hospital or drop by and see an elderly person that needs a little "company"...take a homeless person to lunch or swing by the soup kitchen and help clear the tables. Whatever it is, it will get you back on the right track of "doing good" and exercising the talents and gifts of grace that have been bestowed on you by a loving and caring Heavenly Father.

Don't let this world tell you that you can't make a difference...you will make a BIG DIFFERENCE in each life that you touch by doing a good work, offering a helping hand, speaking a word of hope and encouragement or pointing them to Jesus....who did the greatest of "good works" when He died for you and me....and that alone is the only reason you need to reach out to this lost and dying world...because Jesus did that for YOU!

Keeping on doing Good so God gets the Glory,


WPQ

Saturday, August 13, 2016

Are you going to be ….LEFT BEHIND?

With all the economic turmoil that exists in our world today, it is easy to see why there is increased interest in all things of an “End Times” nature. From movies of the last several years such as Terminator Salvation, The Book of Eli or Legion, our American movie-makers have racked in over $10 billion at the box office with movies regarding the end of the world….. And let’s not forget the all-time best selling Christian fiction series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins, LEFT BEHIND, which sold over 63 million volumes in a period of fifteen years.

Why all this interest in the apocalyptic outcome of mankind….because everyone knows, deep within their heart, mind and soul, that we were created for so much more than this temporal existence……

We were built for GLORY….not ours but to display God’s Glory!!!!!

Now, many of the people I know are trying to live a good and moral life….reasonable, BUT WRONG! Our “good life” will not get us into heaven and the realm of God’s glory…rather our dependence on good works will accomplish only one thing…it will insure that we will be LEFT BEHIND.

It seems to be a forgone conclusion for most of us living in this world today that tomorrow is a “sure thing”; however, Scriptures paints a different picture according to Luke 17:26-35. “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. “It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. Remember Lot’s wife! Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it.  I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.”

There is only one reason that you will be left behind…..YOU DO NOT KNOW JESUS AS YOUR PERSONAL SAVIOR…..Today you can change that with this simple prayer:

Jesus, I am a sinner and today I ask you to forgive me of my sins, come into heart and become my Lord and Savior. I believe that you died for me on Calvary and from this day forward, I want to be a new creation and live for you. Amen.

If you have prayed this prayer, tell someone else what Jesus has done for you, then find yourself a Bible-believing church where you can grow and become all that God wants you to be…..they will help you live each day for Jesus as you anticipate His glorious return…..He promised that He was coming back to gather all those who are called by His name and take them to their heavenly home to reign forever with Him…

So don’t get LEFT BEHIND!

Watching the Eastern sky….Anticipating His Glorious Return,

WPQ




Wednesday, August 10, 2016


R U ARGUING WITH GOD?

The following is a letter written to my daughter who  is struggling with the ups and downs in her life and needed a word of correction and encouragement. My prayer is that this may touch your spirit  should  you be struggling in your life as well...remember God loves you so much that He has already given his Son in death so that you might forever live with Him....HALLEUJAH!

Good Morning Little One...

I am compelled to write to you after reading your blog post of yesterday and talking with your Mom, who was visibly disturbed after her reading. It seems that you are going through a valley in your life at this time and may be struggling to find your way in this maze we call life...or you just may be a emerging cynic who is becoming the "town crier," running about the village shouting the alarm that your sky is falling. In either case, let me try and share a word or two of encouragement and correction as I deem appropriate.

First, congrats on your "baptismal birthday;" however, in the grand scheme of life it does not make you anymore "saved" than someone that doesn't know when they accepted Christ, got baptized or failed to follow in the ordinance of baptism. The act of baptism was NEVER meant to be a goal line or a measuring stick of your arrival into the Kingdom...it was always meant to be an outward expression of an inward decision in obedience to the Lord's direction. So if you have asked Jesus into your heart to be the LORD and SAVIOR of your life, then nothing else is required. With that said, here's the rub...Most of us get the fact that we NEED A SAVIOR; all we have to do is look at our life and see that we have made a mess of it and we fail to live a holy and righteous life that is required to be a child of God. It is a life that no one can live; one that is pure and blameless. So, we willingly and wonderfully accept what Christ did for us on the cross and count ourselves as blessed because Jesus was willing to trade his life for ours...that's where we get the "warm and fuzzies."

It is the other part, making Jesus Lord of our life, that creates all the hassles and heartaches of life. We want to give God control of our lives, especially since He has promised us an "abundant life" but giving up control of who we are and what WE want; well, that's not so easily accomplished.

In fact, that is where the conflicts and the arguments begin. We TELL God what we want and then we pray as if there is no other alternative that could possibly be right for us. So when God does not value our opinion and give us the desires of our heart, we begin to doubt His love and His commitment to take care of us and provide for us. In fact, if we are not careful in this way of thinking, rebellion rears its ugly head and we find ourselves at odds with God...us seeking to go in our direction and God pulling, prodding and provoking us to follow Him where He leads. This conflict leads to great tension in our relationship with Him and often can lead to a total breakup...us going our own way and leaving God out of our lives altogether.

It sounds to me in reading your blog that you are engaged in an argument with God about your life. This happened and that happened and that made you unhappy and wrecked your life and so on and so on.  Let me say this to you in great love and affection, arguing with God about what has happened in your life to date is an argument that you can't win....simply because GOD IS SOVEREIGN and YOU ARE NOT!!!

This simple lesson took me years and many heartaches to learn...and my hope is that I might spare you from some of that heartache. I would ask you to do me this favor. Pull out your Bible and go to the book of Job and start reading at Chapter 37 through Chapter 40, with particular attention to verses 1 and 2 of chapter 40. It calmly asks, "Will the one who argues with the Almighty correct Him?"

It is sooo easy to look at our life and lament about how it has turned out so far and to want to question God and argue with Him about what He has allowed to happen and why we find ourselves in such "bad" place. We fuss and fume about what He has or has not given us and continually try to correct His way of thinking so that He will get back to our "plan" for our life and we can once again be happy.

Here's the truth about our happiness and God...He is not interested in making you or me happy in the living of our lives; however, He has promised that when we seek HIS WILL FOR OUR LIVES that all the things we need and many of the things we want (that would make us happy)....HE WILL ABUNDANTLY SUPPLY....and the caveat, He will supply all our needs in HIS TIME!!!!

So my prayer for you is simple....quit arguing with God about the past or even the present and begin to trust Him with the child-like faith that says, GOD YOU ARE THE SOVEREIGN BEING IN MY LIFE AND I SUBMIT MY WILL TO YOU SO THAT YOU MAY LEAD ME WHERE YOU WANT ME TO GO. MAY MY LIFE BE A TRUE REFLECTION OF YOUR SON AND HIS LOVE AND MAY I QUIT GRUMBLING ABOUT HOW BAD THINGS MAY HAVE BEEN IN MY PAST OR MAY BE IN MY FUTURE. HELP ME TO KNOW THAT YOUR LOVE IS SUFFICIENT FOR ME AND WILL ALWAYS SEE ME THROUGH TO A BETTER AND BRIGHTER FUTURE, ORDAINED BY YOU TO BRING YOU HONOR AND GLORY...AND IN THAT I WILL FIND TRUE HAPPINESS.

AMEN!


May God Hold You In His Loving Arms as You Surrender to Him,

WPQ

Tuesday, August 9, 2016

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  


Wednesday, August 3, 2016

   What’s in Your Wallet?

I don’t know if you’re anything like me when it comes to opening your wallet…if so, then a plastic, cascading waterfall of family snapshots comes falling out… and there for all the world to see are those that you love most in this world…YOUR FAMILY!

Now, I know for all the high techies out there, you proudly display your family album on Facebook or Twitter or whatever else is the “web du’jour”…but for just a moment, I want each of us to stop and take a closer look at that family photo album and see if we have the most important picture in the most important place …a picture of Jesus.

For many of you that might seem a little absurd; I mean, no one really knows what Jesus looks like and so we have no actual picture of our Lord…but what if we could get a picture on a prayer card, or a bookmark, or a small photo-shopped color-rendition…. why should we carry it in our wallet?

Simply put …because we are part of the family of God and Jesus is the first-born.

What a difference it would make if every time we opened our wallet to show a picture of our daughter in her leotard or our son in his football uniform, we saw Jesus. How proud we could be as we opened our wallet to show our favorite picture of our granddaughter or our grandson, if the first picture that fell from that waterfall was our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Scripture says it best in Ephesians 4: 4-6, “There is one body and one Spirit-just as you were called to one hope when you were called- one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

Yes, we are all related family members by the shed blood and resurrection of Jesus, God’s only begotten Son…. for when we accept His free gift, we are grafted into the family tree… and if you’re like me, I like to show-off the people to whom I am related.

Besides, just to take a moment and look into the face of Jesus can bring sweet relief from the cares of this topsy-turvy world…. Just to meditate on His precepts can bring clarity out of calamity and will calm the troubled soul…Just to know that a picture of our blessed brother is in the first place in our wallet can keep in  Him in first place in our hearts and minds.

And then there’s the added bonus of others who see our photos for the first time and ask, “Who in the world is that? And we say, “Why that’s my brother Jesus! He died to set me free so that I might spend eternity with Him. Let me tell you more about my family.”

And it all can start with just that one simple question….What’s in Your Wallet?

Sharing and Caring …Calling Others to Him,

WPQ


Tuesday, August 2, 2016

The 3 C's of Godly Conviction....

There's a old saying that goes, "If you are not sure what you STAND FOR, then there's a good chance you will FALL FOR ANYTHING!" That is a statement that would have definitely been true for one of the great characters in the Bible...the prophet Daniel, if he had not been in possession of the three "C's" of Godly conviction.

Daniel 1:8 reads, "Daniel determined that he would not defile himself with the king's food or with the wine he drank. So he asked permission from the chief official not to defile himself."

You see, Daniel was a young man in possession of the 3 "C's" ...Courage, Character and Commitment. He stood his ground before the King of Babylon because he stood firm in the Word of God that had be taught to him all his life. He had been instructed on what he could and could not eat as a Jewish man and his conviction was solid...and so was his character.

He could have beat his chest and told his captors that he would not be defiled and that there was not anything they could do to him to make him change his mind; rather he asked permission of the chief official and gave him an alternative plan that allowed him to stand on his conviction to honor his God and at the same time, give God a chance to show His great power.

His courage could have been further tested, but God honored this young captive and set in motion the plan to have Daniel find favor with the officials and allow him to rise to great prominence at a later time in the Babylonian kingdom that he now called home.

Time and time again, when one looks at the life of Daniel, we see him display his courage through his character...He was ALWAYS seeking to do God's will and to obey God's laws, even though the expedient measure would have been to do what he was ordered to do and stay on the good side of his captors...but that was not the man we know as Daniel. Daniel was a man of great commitment as he spend the majority of his life as a captive in a far-away land; always seeking to know what God's will was for him and then having the courage of his convictions to stand for Jehovah God...and in that stand, GOD NEVER LET HIM DOWN!!!!

Which brings me to the question for you and me...do we possess the three 'C's" when it comes to taking a stand for our God in today's sinful and perverse society...where we are asked to compromise our values and beliefs for the expediency of tolerance or "political correctness"?

Heaven forbid this to be true!!!! May we as believers in the Almighty God of Heaven and Earth stand firm in our faith, courageous in our willingness to call out evil for what it is and committed to be the ones that stand up for truth and justice before our God.

It takes Courage....Character...and Commitment to be one of God's elect...what do you stand for today?

Standing firm in the Faith...Committed to His Will,


WPQ

Monday, August 1, 2016

Ready to Serve?

For most of the Christians I know, they believe that they have been called to serve; however, for far too many of those who believe that God has called them to serve Him in this world, their belief is about as far as they go...it is not a verb of action.

Now for many of us, we believe that we are just not capable of serving God, of making a difference in the lives of others or sharing our faith in a way that begs another to follow Christ. After all, we are no Billy Graham! So we sit on the sidelines and leave the real work of God's Kingdom to a small band of the truly committed....besides we just aren't very gifted when it comes to service.

Well, consider this verse from John 6:9 that reads. "There's a boy here who has five barley loves and two fishes-but what is that among so many?"

Why do I mention that verse? Well, in perhaps one of the greatest miracles in the history of mankind (and the earthly ministry of Jesus), we have the story of the feeding of the five thousand. People from all regions of the country had followed Jesus because of the wonderful miracles he had been performing in their midst and they gathered to hear Jesus speak. In fact, noonday was fast approaching and it was time for lunch. The disciples were concerned about such a large crowd with nothing to feed them so Jesus sent them throughout the crowd to see what might be available.  Their search turned up a young boy whose mother had prepared for her son a delicious lunch...five barley loaves and two small fish...a nutritional lunch for a growing boy. Then, Jesus told the disciples to have the multitude sit down on the grassy plain and to bring him the boy's lunch....and here's the sticky point...WHAT IF THE BOY HAD SAID NO?

Scripture tells us that Jesus already knew what He was going to do, but first He needed the little boy to surrender what he had to Jesus; then Jesus would take his sacrifice and multiply  it for all those He was about to feed. And the same holds true for you and me.

God has blessed each of us with what may seem to be "a small lunch", but when surrendered to the Savior, we become far more than we could ever be on our own. Our contribution in service may indeed be small and seem insufficient for the need at hand...but when surrendered to Jesus, He alone can make our contribution of significant value and prominence in the Kingdom work...just like He did with those barley loaves and fishes.

So quit asking yourself if what you have to give can make a real difference in this world? Rather the question to ask is....AM I WILLING TO OFFER WHAT I HAVE SO THAT HE CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE?


Willing to serve...giving all I have,


WPQ