Wednesday, May 25, 2016

HEAVENLY DIRECTIONS

This is an UPDATED reprint of a former post....May  God's Direction and Provision be your sufficiency in this new decade and beyond...HAVE A BLESSED AND PROSPEROUS 2020 ...and remember to trust in the Lord, FOR HE IS GOOD AND HIS MERCIES ARE NEVER ENDING!!!!

I don’t know about you, but even after all these years as a Christian; even after seeing the hand of God work in ways that defy human understanding; even after my faith has seemed to disappear as the morning dew….I am still blown away by the awesomeness and the grace that is imparted to me in God’s heavenly direction.

What do I mean?

Well, I have been jobless (and virtually hopeless) for the past five months as I have diligently and methodically scoured the internet job sites and career boards looking for my next great job (not that my last ones were anything to brag about). I have prayed ferociously for God to direct my steps…to lead me to the place or person or position that He would have me fill ….and I have not so much as sniffed a possibility. I really was getting quite despondent yet trying to remain faithful and patient for God’s direction.

It came last week….in the form of an email and then a phone call from an old friend with whom I once again became re-acquainted. I had forwarded an inspiring email to many of my friends and this dear brother-in- Christ, read that forward.  He then went to my blog and began to read some of the daily inspirations posted there….he called and left me a voice mail that gushed with praise and thanksgiving for God’s hand upon my life.. He closed by saying to give him a call; he had an opportunity that he wanted to discuss with me.

I did …and now, starting today, my wife and I are embarking on a new adventure that we believe without a shadow of doubt, God has prepared.

However, there’s little more to the story that I need to share. Three years ago, when God led me to go to work with a Christian company named SEED AMERICA; He laid upon the heart of one of the directors the scripture from Isaiah 43:18-19 that reads, “Remember not the former things nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”  

Now, I was laid off from SEED AMERICA in July of 2008. In fact, I had not heard or thought of that scripture in the last three years until last Sunday when one of my good friends and his wife shared this scripture with our Sunday school class and remarked that God had begun a new work in their family. I came home and read it several times and knew that God was speaking regarding the new opportunity that He had laid before me.

Yes, the answer to all my prayers and concerns was to trust that God was about to begin a new thing in my life….that if I would follow his leading that He would make a new way for me out of the wilderness of unemployment and despair…. into the light of His mercy and grace. My responsibility was to forget the past, filled with failures and pitiful shortcomings…and TO LET GO AND LET GOD make that new way.

 As I read and re-read this Scripture, it became clear to me that my chief concern was to understand that my Heavenly Father wanted to bless me and to make rivers of abundance spring forth where once there was only the desolation of broken dreams and unfulfilled promises.

GOD HAS BEGUN A NEW THING IN MY LIFE….He has set my feet upon a new path that will lead to fulfillment, prosperity, joy and above all else, a closer and more dedicated walk with Him….How do I know?  Because God never breaks a promise…He never goes back on His word….He never gives bad directions.

How’s your heavenly GPS working these days? Are your plugged into the one true power source? Is God waiting to begin a new thing in your life but being held up because you are still clinging to your old ways and your former life? Why not claim these two verses and the heavenly promise they hold and let God begin a new thing in you TODAY?

Let God do His "thing" in your life and don't hold on to past glories and success nor be dragged down by past failures and unsurmountable obstacles. If God has a new thing planned for you in 2020, then the ONLY thing holding you back is YOU! I promise you will never miss the things of old when you take hold of and claim the NEW THING God is waiting to do in you and for you!!!!!

Forgetting the old ways….living in His new thing,

WPQ



Poem for the day:

A new year has begun 
With possibilites anew...
The only thing that keeps them back
Could quite possibly be ...YOU!!

So let go of past failures
Or dreams that slipped away.
Just place you faith and trust in Him
And the new thing He begins today.

Give the Father your whole heart
And cast your fears aside;
For you have no need of a GPS,
When the Heavenly Father is your Guide.

Just trust in all that He knows best
And once again your heart will sing; 
Forgetting the past and pressing on
Living in His NEW thing!!!!

WPQ @ January 2020


May you receive many showers in 2020...
Showers of blessings and love
Raining down on your from
Your Father above....













Saturday, May 21, 2016

Running Life’s Marathon

In most of last week’s topics, my thought process seemed to be focused on dealing with the obstacles and obsessions that seem to beset us all. We looked at the opportunities or the obstacles that God often sets in our path and we considered the life that God rewards as we continually look for ways to be faithful in our worship, service and love for our Heavenly Father….but before I leave this area of concern, I want us to consider how we deal with the trials, tribulations and tests of faith that are the markings of those who are called by the name of Christ…as we take up our cross and follow Him.

When a trial …trouble…test…or “tough break” come our way, how should we as God’s chosen deal with this “speed bump” along heaven’s highway? I believe we will respond in one of three ways.

We will seek to ENDURE the trial….often dragging many of our closest friends and family members down the road of suffering we now travel. We will lower our head, stick out our lower lip and cast our gaze downward… then, we will moan and groan about the “cross” that we must bear. We endure because we must…. and in that mindset we run the risk of becoming…BITTER.

Sometimes we will choose to ESCAPE the trial….we look around, find the closest EXIT and then, we make our move ….WE RUN TOWARD THE HILLS, never looking back at those we have left behind…never caring to help those that may be hurting and dealing with a seemingly insurmountable problem. We are free from the pain of the trial and in that mindset we try to convince ourselves that we feel….BETTER.

And then, there is the third choice of dealing with a trial…we can choose to ENLIGHTEN ourselves by seeking to know God’s will in the midst of the calamity. We can choose to let troubles or impending crises move us to a place of growth …we can use our trouble as a “stepping stone” to a higher place of commitment and trust  in our relationship with our Savior and in so doing, we allow our strengthening faith to make us BRAZEN and BOLD in our walk with our Lord.

As we seek to know God’s will in the midst of tumultuous times, we must realize that life is not a sprint but a marathon…we must endure in order that we might enlist our problems and our troubles to enable us to run that “good and perfect” race that God has set before each of us.

The writer of Hebrews said it best, “You have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive what is promised.” Hebrews 10:36

We must run life’s race to endure all that God has set before us… so that we may become all He has ordained us to be…so that we may accomplish all that He has set before us…but most of all, so that we may receive ALL that He has promised….

So lace up those shoes and prepare to run where God leads….a marathon that will carry you to the very gates of Heaven into a life everlasting…

Running into the fray…Growing stronger in My Savior,


WPQ

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

A Bad Outlook or A Perfect Uplook?

If you’ve read the newspaper, watched the TV or listened to the radio lately, you’ve probably come away with the same conclusion that many of us in our society hold to…

THINGS DON’T LOOK GOOD AND THEY’RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO GET BETTER ANYTIME SOON…..

It seems that a lot of people have that point of view. Me? Well, I’m not a pessimist, but rather a realist and I would have to concur with that kind of thinking; however, I am a child of God, so I’m looking forward to the days that lie ahead.

You see each day that passes brings me one day closer to my Lord’s return….and as a Christian, I am told in the Scriptures “to long for the day of the Lord’s return.”

So I may beset with bad news, rising prices, shrinking dollars and the like; but my destiny is not tied to the stock market or a job or the ebb and flow of good or bad times….My future is tied to an event…even greater, it is tied to someone who has promised He’s coming back for me.

All through the Old and New Testament, we are told to look up. David announced in his Psalms that he would “look unto the hills from whence cometh our help” and the gospel writer Luke tells us to “Look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”

The best example of misdirected vision is the apostle Peter and his ill-fated attempt to walk to Jesus on the angry waves. His faith spurred him to step out of the boat …and for the moments that he kept his eyes on Jesus, ALL WAS WELL! It was only when he began to look down at the waves and the circumstances that surrounded him that he began to sink.

The same is true for each of us in these dark and tumultuous times….we can wring our hands and worry that things are only going to get worse …or we can lift up our heads and focus our gaze on the one who gave His all to redeem us and has promised He is coming again.

As Christians we are not just looking forward to something happening …rather we are looking for Someone to come…the blessed Son of God.

So today, put on your spiritual specs and restore your perfect vision of who you are and to whom you belong. Forget the circumstances that surround you and lift your head and look up to see the Savior’s face. Remember, when the outlook is bad …the uplook is always PERFECT!!!!

Looking and Longing for Him,
WPQ


Poem for today:
When life’s full of disappointments
And no one seems to care;
Just life your eyes toward heaven …
See the Savior waiting there.

For in life’s travels you might see
Just one pair of footprints in the sand.
Remember then, He carried you
In the palm of His nail-scarred hand.


WPQ @1999 

Monday, May 16, 2016

Holding on to the Helm…Steering toward Home!

When I began my active duty in the Navy, I reported to my duty station, the USS Strong, without a billet classification; so, I was immediately assigned to the Deck Force. Now besides being in charge of the overall upkeep the ship, it was our job to steer the ship…to man the helm while underway.

I’ll never forget my trepidation when I took hold of the helm for the very first time.  I was in the middle of the Atlantic, water surrounding me on all sides, no lines or boundaries or demarcations of any type to give me a point of reference ….absolutely nothing to help aim the ship and steer toward a destination. I only had the big wheel and a heading marker that gave our course direction in degrees.

I truly wanted to panic…but then the Officer of the Deck, the one who was in charge of directing our course, shouted out a command, “Come to a heading of 175 degrees north, speed 15 knots.”  I immediately shouted back his command and began to spin the wheel and watched as the heading began to change…..155 …160….165…170…and then, I reversed the wheel several turns until the heading was exactly 175. We were on course and heading toward the direction that the OOD had called out. Now, I’m not sure how he knew exactly where we were heading or the calculations that were required to make sure that we stayed on course to our final destination….but day or night, whenever I was at the helm, I knew I could trust the Officer of the Deck to give me the exact heading to steer that would take me and my shipmates safely to our final port of call.

The same is true in our Christian experience as we set sail across the stormy waters we know as life. We are at the helm of our ship, seeking to sail safely through to our final port of call….but fear, anxiety, confusion and so much more cloud our vision and make the way treacherous….in fact, all too often we fail to even leave the safety of the harbor. But Jesus said in His word that he would provide us an Officer of the Deck…one whose commands we could follow and obey…one who would be with us and guide our journey.

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth; it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.” John 16:7

The Holy Spirit is with you today as you take hold of the helm ….He has come to give you guidance and direction and to help you steer through the treacheries of life. The sailing will not always be smooth; your ship may be come battered and torn; you may want to turn around and return to the safety of the harbor….but you can trust the Officer of the Deck.

He has made all the necessary calculations and he knows the waters, the currents and the ebb and flow of the tides. You can trust him to lead you to the calling that God has placed on your life. You can remain calm when seas toss you about and you can be assured that he can overcome any storm and lead you safely through to calm, still waters.

So, today ….get a firm grip on the helm of your life and listen intently for the voice of the Holy Spirit as he calls out the heading for today’s journey. It may be through uncharted waters or simply a shake down cruise that prepares you for a longer, more arduous voyage…..but no matter the destination, you will arrive safely home...where you will be greeted by the Father’s loving arms and a whisper of … 

“Well Done, my child….WELL DONE!”

Tossed Upon Life’s Waters….Steering Safely Toward Home,

WPQ

Thought for the Day:

Begin each day with this new thought;
Jesus cares for you….
Then when upon life’s seas you’re tossed
Know His Spirit will see you through.


Thursday, May 12, 2016

Getting What You Deserve?

With all the turmoil that exists in our country today, there seems to be one recurring theme that is constantly being bantered about….and it deals with the mindset of those that are bent on getting what they deserve.

Now, I don’t know about you; but for me personally, I am not the least bit interested in getting what I deserve; especially when talking about my former relationship with God.

Throughout the scriptures, we are constantly reminded of our sins, failures, shortcomings, disappointments and overall lack of worthiness to be loved by God. In fact, we are told that even our best is “filthy rags’ when presented to the Almighty. We are told that the wages of our sin is death and that we are totally cut-off and separated from God by our sin….in simple words, if we got what we deserved, it would be separation and annihilation from and by God.

But our God is a God of mercy….and God’s mercy is not getting what we deserve. We deserve to be despised and loathed by our Creator but as we read in Romans 5: 8, “but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners (MERCY), Christ died for us (GRACE).”

It is so simple to run around with our chest puffed out and demand we get the things in life we think we deserve; however, when we view our lives through the eyes of our Heavenly Father, it is easy to see how that kind of thinking brings about ruin and a life lost forever.

God has shown each of us mercy by loving us in spite of our sin and He has bestowed His grace on us by allowing His only Son to pay the price for that sin. We deserve death but God’s mercy and grace have provided a way out….and I, for one, am grateful for His mercy shown and His grace bestowed.

So the question becomes….HOW ABOUT YOU?

Do you really want God to give you what you’ve got coming to you…. or are you FOREVER GRATEFUL that God’s mercy and grace supersedes your sins ….and by your faith in the shed blood of Christ, DO YOU BELONG TO HIM?

It is a question that demands an answer….after all, one day you WILL bow before Jesus and receive all that you’ve got coming to you…..reward or retribution…..the choice is yours!!!!!

If you need to meet my Jesus, contact me…. I’ll be happy to make the introduction!

Bathed in His mercy….clothed in His grace,

WPQ

Monday, May 2, 2016

Defending the Faith?

Here lately I’ve been working out…nothing to strenuous, just lifting a few dumbbells and stretching on the exercise ball. It’s important at my advancing age to keep fit and flexible. You never know when these “old muscles” might be involved in a “flight or fight” scenario.

Now, I’m not bulking up to fight, but it is always a smart move to be prepared to face “the enemy”….especially as it pertains to our walk with our Lord. Scripture tells us that we are to be prepared,  I Peter 3:15-16 says, “But in your hearts regard Christ as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.”(English Standard Version)

It is easy to see that Christians in our world today are being attacked from every side…the public and private media, the government and its supporting agencies; even our culture is in direct opposition to our faith and our beliefs. Unfortunately, too many of us who call ourselves Christian have run from the line that has been drawn in the sand. We have sounded the retreat and have fled the battlefield.

But all that comes to an end TODAY….Today is the day that the Lord hath made ….and it’s time to put on our armor and prepare for battle. We are to be prepared to defend our faith, our beliefs, our values and most of all, our hope in the world to come….the world where every knee will bow and every tongue proclaim that Christ is Lord indeed. We are to fight not with bullets and bombs, but with love, gentleness and respect for those whose opinions and faith differs from ours. We are to toss aside name-calling and hold fast to loving the sinner as Christ loves us. We are to open our hands to accept and to encourage others to come to know our Lord and Savior personally …even though we condemn their past transgressions; we forgive even as Christ forgave each of us.

We are being called out in these latter days as a lost and dying world seeks redemption in all the wrong places. We are TO DEFEND OUR FAITH by living as obedient soldiers, following orders and going where God leads….always giving the answer to all of life’s turmoil ….our hope is in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Are you prepared to defend your faith today…in gentleness and respect …with the love and hope of Jesus Christ in your heart…if you fight the good fight and do as our Lord instructs, then there is a wonderful benefit waiting for you tonight when you lay your head on your pillow….A GOOD CONSCIENCE.

I don’t know about you, but that seems like something worth fighting to have ….after all, Christ gave himself so that we might forever belong with Him…surely, defending our faith is not too much for Him to ask of you and me.

Standing on His Promise…Defending My Faith,
WPQ

Poem for the Day:

Whatever task God has given you
Be filled with holy zest;
For when you’re working for the Lord
He expects your very best.

All of you, our Lord requires
It’s what He asks of you;
For He gave all that He could give
Nothing less from you will do.


WPQ@1999