Called Home....Left Behind!

I just got an email this morning that I knew that without a miracle from the Lord would be inevitable. One of our neighbors in our community has been battling pancreatic cancer and last night, the war came to an end and the Lord called him home to his reward.

Now, his wife and family are left behind to pick up and move forward with their lives without the "rock" of their life ...their husband, their father and the man that loved life and all its trappings as he guided his family on a daily basis. It is a journey that far too many people have to travel these days.

So to these wonderful friends and to all those who have lost someone to the horrendous disease or who themselves may be in the midst of a battle with this foe...DO NOT LOSE HEART...God is still on His throne and He alone is the one who will decide when it is time to lay down your "tools of war" and go to home to be with Him. If you have lost a love one and they have gone to be with Jesus...May your heart be filled with joy and gladness that your loved one is free at last from the pain and suffering of this terrible scourge that so many bravely battle. It will take time to come to that place of rejoicing,but our time is coming too when we shall go home to the Father. I pray that you will each take solace in this and know that our Heavenly Father is just waiting over there to welcome you into His loving arms so you too will know His peace and love.

The following is a poem from our book, Bent...but not Broken! and I hope that if you or someone you love has succumbed to this foe after giving it their all, you will find hope and healing in knowing that in the midst of the valley, God is still there!

WHAT IF THE VALLEY WERE TOO DEEP?

What if the valley were too deep ....

the journey far too long....

What if we give all we have

But sing no victor's song?

What for all our loved ones us struggle with us each day;

When we've gone to meet our Father and they're left behind to stay...

To wrestle with the pain and grief...the lonely agony ?

What can we say before we go that will help them to see?

Do not mourn for us, for now

In Christ, there's rest and sleep....

And He was with us all the way

Though the valley was too deep.

We may not sing our earthly songs; we may not run the race...

For we've been called to our glorious reward in the Savior's abiding place.

Cry not for us dear family. Blessed friends do not weep....

For the Savior carried us in His arms when the valley was too deep.

We thank you for your undying love...

Each sacrifice you've given;

And we shall await the day

When at last we meet in heaven.

And then, at last, you too will know our Lord's promise He did keep.

The Father's love will see you through,

WHEN THE VALLEY IS TOO DEEP.

W. Patrick Queen

excerpt from "Bent...But not Broken!"

A HEAVENLY PERSPECTIVE FOR CHRISTMAS...

The following is a reprint from a former post in 2017...but it definitley bears repeating; so,

If you are like a lot of folks this time of year, you begin to look at what you have and what you can give to those you love. After all, it is the Christmas season and that is the reason for the season ...to give to those we love and show them how much we love and appreciate them. But I would beg to differ and ask that we approach this season of gift giving from a different perspective ...to see Christmas from the one who gave and held nothing back.

I know that when man sinned and we fell from grace, God put into motion His plan of redemption ....and that plan called for justice and for the shedding of blood so that sins might not just be covered over, but might be forever removed.

Yes at Christmas, it is easy to get caught up in all the tinsel, lights, decorations and presents...and for those of us that believe in the birth of the Christ-child, we so love the compassion of a mighty God that sent His Son to be born as a babe and dwell among us...Emmanuel, God with us.

But the Christmas story is not about the child born to us....it is about the cross borne for us by a Savior, Jesus Christ the Lord. When God's plan went into effect that day in the Garden of Eden, God prepared all of Heaven for the sacrifice that was to come and though it began with the lowly birth of the King of the Universe, wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a lowly cattle stall...the true gift of Christmas was the sacrifice that Jesus made for us at the cross.

Jesus could have held His position in Heaven and told His Heavenly Father to come up with a new plan to save mankind; but He did not! He forsook all and stepped out of Heaven's glory to become the substitute for you and me. The cross and all its pain and suffering belonged to you and me...it was for our sins that we should have been nailed there; however, God would not let that happen because of His great love for His creation ...so He gave up His most precious Son and send Him to stand in your place and mine.

Yes, the story of Christmas centers around the CHILD; but, it is really about the CROSS and the love of the Father for His lost children, the joy of His creation. So, this Christmas, see the gift of Christmas in a new and heavenly perspective as you see what Jesus sacrificed for you in Heaven so that He could become the sacrifice for you on the cross. I promise if you do, Christmas will mean so much more than presents you give or receive.

Besides, if we know Christ as our Savior, we are already blessed beyond measure...what else could we possible need?

Wishing you a Merry Christmas through Heaven's Eyes,

WPQ

Poem of the day:

If you just celebrate Christmas

With lights and gifts and such...

You may miss God's greatest gift

And the joy of Heaven's touch.

For on that night so long ago,

When angels came from glory;

And heralded the baby's birth

To begin the Christmas story.

The night was filled with joyous song

As Heaven's light show filled the skies

And we now come to celebrate....

To see Christmas through Heavenly eyes.

wpq@2016

Praise Him, Praise Him!

I remember as a small child learning the following song when I was about 3 or 4 years old….

Praise Him, Praise Him; All you little children.

God is good; God is good.

Praise Him, Praise Him; All you little children …

GOD is GOOD…GOD is GOOD!!!!!!

This little song should ever be on our lips as believers especially as we enter a season of praise and thanksgiving. Scriptures says it best in Psalm 107:1-2, “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for his steadfast love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.”

Did you catch that? The act of gratitude and thanksgiving falls to those of us that are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb….for if anyone has a reason to be thankful, it is surely those that God has forgiven and adopted into the family of righteousness.

The problem for all too many of us is that we are often filled with gratitude, but fail to express it….to our spouse, our family members and especially to our Heavenly Father. It is like picking out a great gift, going to the trouble to wrap it in the best paper, placing an awesome bow on top…..and then sticking it in the closet, never to be given to our intended recipient.

Gratitude that is not shared is not really gratitude at all….it fails to give us that warm, fuzzy feeling that one would expect when shared ……and it leaves our object of affection feeling cold, sullen and unappreciated.

So in this upcoming Thanksgiving season,  let’s start at the top of the list with those to whom gratitude and expressions of love are due….Our Savior for His gift of eternal life…our spouses for their affection, tenderness and support …our children for their honor, obedience and admiration….our church, its staff and those who give unselfishly in loving acts of service…..and anyone else that brightens your days and lightens your load.

Let’s unwrap our gifts of gratitude and tell everyone we meet, “Thank you and God Bless you for all that you are and do for those that you love.” Remember, there is one debt we each owe that should never be fully repaid...and that is the debt of GRATITUDE.

So as we celebrate this day of Thanksgiving, let us, as the Redeemed of Christ, express our thanks and show our gratitude to those we love. In that way, all of those around us will see a true picture of the love of Christ in the gratitude we show to those that God has put in our path....and all will receive the blessing of a true and grateful heart.

Don't let this Thanksgiving Day pass without singing Praise Him, Praise Him…. God is Good...GOD IS GOOD!!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving,

WPQ

Poem for the Day:

In this season of thanksgiving,

Best watch your attitude;

So share with all your loved ones

Your thanks and gratitude.

Don’t leave them in the darkness

Wondering if your care;

Just thank them for their support

And always being there.

WPQ@ 2011

PUTTING AMERICA BACK TOGETHER...

A father wanted to read a magazine but was being bothered by his little girl who wanted to know what the United States looked like. In order to get some momentary peace, he tore a sheet out of his new magazine on which was printed the map of the country. Tearing it into small pieces, he gave it to her and said,  "Go into the other room and see if you can put this together."

After a few minutes, she returned and handed him the map, correctly fitted and taped together. The father was surprised and asked how she had finished so quickly. "Oh,' she said, "on the other side of the paper is a picture of Jesus. When I got all of Jesus back where He belonged, then our country just came together."

How poignant and true this is...our country is a MESS and we are being totally ripped apart and torn in small and bitter pieces as faction upon faction of Americans fight over politics, religion, ethics, morals and so many other things that it boggles the mind to try and comprehend them all.

BUT ONE THING IS CLEAR...THIS COUNTRY , ONCE PROUDLY FOUNDED ON JUDAEO-CHRISTIAN VALUES, IS LOSING THE WAR WITH THOSE BENT ON PROGRESSIVE SOCIALIST THINKING AND WE ARE BEING TORN ASUNDER.

We must truly do as this little girl did and get Jesus back where He belongs....in our government...in our courts...in our schools...in our churches...and most of all, in our homes as we train up our children in the fear and admonition of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We cannot continue down this path of self-destruction that has led to the mass killing of  innocent bystanders, whether gathered to see a concert in Las Vegas or assembled as the body of Christ, seeking to worship Jesus on a Sunday morning. WE MUST PUT JESUS BACK WHERE HE BELONGS....

AND THAT PLACE IS FIRST PLACE IN THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF THOSE WHO PROFESS TO CALL HIM....

LORD...

Have you done your part and surrendered you life to Him? Are you walking today where your Savior leads or is your agenda more important than His? Can you say that your are making a difference in the lives of those He has entrusted to your care and are you faithfully leading others to know and follow Him?

St. Augustine probably said it best, " Always be a witness for Christ; when necessary, use words." Today, you may be making an eternal difference in the life of someone you encounter, not just by what you might say, but moreover, by your actions. You are pointing someone to heaven or hell and that is the sad state of affairs in our country today...when the world looks at America, which way are we pointing?

Make up your mind and consecrate your soul today to follow Jesus and to do your part to put Him back where He belongs...if we will all do this, then just as in the little girl's puzzle...when we put Jesus back where He belongs, our country will come together and He will make America great again.

Pointing others to Jesus...Praying for the healing of America,

WPQ

Poem for the day:

Everywhere you might turn each day

You often will hear the people say;

America now has sealed its fate....

It's no longer good, much less great!

For gone is prayer in the marketplace;

People hurt others and feel no disgrace.

Evil and wickedness seem to rule the day

As people trample those who get in their way.

So what can be done my friend,

To make America great again?

Just trust in Jesus and He will prevail

And turn back America from the gates of hell.

WPQ©NOV 2017

Patience…The Lost Virtue of Our Time!

It wasn't that long ago that patience was on everyone's "to do" list; however, in our fast-paced world of instant mashed potatoes, microwave popcorn and self-help psychology to assert ourselves if we really want to succeed; patience has been tossed on the trash pile of obsolescence….in other words, patience is not all that desirable anymore.

But God's Word still has a lot to say about patience… and Jesus was the best model of patience that the world has ever seen. 

Proverbs 19:11 says, "A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense."  In our world today, we see so many people so inflated by their own ego that they believe that what they want and when they want it is simply the most important thing in the world to them and therefore, it should be the same for everyone else.

The patient man or woman, however, knows that by their patience that all good things come to those that wait… and wait PATIENTLY! They know that to build a quality, long-lasting reputation takes time and therefore, they are slow to anger, reluctant to speak harshly or with a divisive tongue and most importantly, they do not assert their reputation…they simply earn it!

The same can be said about our Savior…He could have won all the kingdoms of the world at the Temptation; but He waited! He could have set up an earthly kingdom when He rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday; but He waited! He could have called the heavenly host to His rescue as He hung upon the cross; but He waited…and most all, He could have returned yesterday for you and me, but He waited!

Why is Jesus so eternally patient? Because the greater His patience, the greater our opportunities to be more like Him in our service and our character…and the greater our portion will be in His eternal scheme.

Yes, Jesus is our example of patience, love and so much more…but do not be deceived! He will not always wait for us to "come around" to Him and to His eternal plan for our lives …or for us to make that simple decision to trust Him with our salvation through His sacrifice on the cross.

His love may know no bounds…but I'm not sure the same thing can be said about His patience…don't test the Father another day…make today the day you come to Jesus!

Living patiently…awaiting His glorious return,

WPQ

Poem for the day:

The way to get ahead in life

Is to simply push on through;

Reminding others as you go

What matters most is....YOU!

But Jesus taught a different way

If we are to walk as He...

To live my life in service

Means it can't be all about...ME!

So walk in the Master's footsteps...

Show others how much you care;

And the joy you'll find in His service

Will be beyond compare!

WPQ © Nov 2017

Prepping for the Holidays...

Now, I don't know about you, but in my day, the upcoming holidays for Thanksgiving and Christmas kind of snuck up on us. It's not that they weren't on our calendars and on everyone's radar, but there was no big rush to start the season of Thanksgiving ahead of the week or so before the date itself.

Nowadays, nothing could be further from the way things used to be. I was in a store two weeks ago and not only was the Halloween candy in full display as well as other fall decorations, this store already had all it's Christmas lights in place ...and they were playing Christmas music.

We all like to get presents and many of us find great joy in giving presents to those we dearly love, but this materialistic manner in which we approach Christmas has gone too far. Many of our American counterparts see the Thanksgiving holiday as a time to start our early Black Friday shopping early; therefore, how much time do we really do and honor what this holiday is really all about....being THANKFUL!

Now I know a lot of people look at all that is happening in our communities and across our nation and there are despondent....I GET THAT; however, I just returned from a two week river cruise in Europe and I can testify that we as Americans have it REALLLLLLLY GOOD! Even with all our problems, setbacks and disagreements, living in the USA is still the greatest privilege afforded to anyone who calls this great country, HOME. I found in talking with every service person on our ship, THEY ALL WANT TO MOVE TO AMERICA...AND THEY SEE THE NEWS AND KNOW THAT ALL IS NOT PERFECT.

So this Thanksgiving, let's do something different than in years past...forget shopping on Thanksgiving day and spend your time, your energy and your focus on the things (and the people) for whom you are thankful...you will be a better, more loving person as the Christmas holiday draws near...and you just might change the outlook of someone who still thinks that they really don't have that much to be thankful for.

It's the way Christ lived before us and it is the way those that follow Him have been called to live...PRAISING THE SAVIOR ALL THE DAY LONG!

BLESSED BEYOND MEASURE...HOPING IT SHOWS,

WPQ

Poem for the Day:

In harmony with one voice we raise

Our grateful songs of thankful praise.

In song and dance we do proclaim

That we are blessed in Jesus’ name.

May all creation spend each day,

Praising Jesus in every way…

And may the very rocks cry out;

The valleys sing, the mountains shout...

And echo through each humbled heart

As all who know Him do their part….

To sing and worship all our days

With hearts filled with eternal praise.

WPQ 2011