I am not sure when I got this poem...how it came to me and from whom? What I do know is that from the first time I read it, my heart was changed from within for every soldier, every sailor, every airman...male or female...who pledged their allegiance to serve our country; to take up arms to defend our liberties...and to willingly lay down their life for the brave comrades who stood beside them on the battlefield. It is only fitting that we spend the last day of this horrendous year and take a moment to read this poem...to thus honor not only today's servicemen and women who stand at the ready; but to give our never-ending thanks and gratitude for everyone who has served in the armed branches of our military; and through their unmeasured sacrifices, ensured that we can stand ready to enter the New Year 2021, with heads held high. Please let any service person you know (including those who service our local communities as police & fire and rescue) know how much we value their presence in our daily lives as the serve and protect. May God Bless Each of Them....and all those who seek to honor them as well!  HAPPY NEW YEAR as we say FAREWELL to Christmas 2020!

A Different Christmas Poem

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.

The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So slumbered I, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,
Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.

My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Trooper, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child. 

“What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts.
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."

"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.

My Gramps died in Europe on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."  
I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.

Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red and the white ... An American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.

I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother.
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."

"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.

For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

 

 Author Unknown

 

Poem for Christmas Day...December 25, 2020

 

While all the world was sleeping,

Our Father in Heaven above,

Sent down His Son, Emmanuel,

His greatest gift of love.

 

While all the world was sleeping,

Busy with Christmas cheer,

The angels in heaven said goodbye

To the one they held so dear.

 

The Holy Child of Christmas came,

To be born in a cattle stall;

With just one purpose in His life....

To be the sacrifice for ALL.

 

To once again restore mankind

To a life, holy and renewed...

Is why the little babe was born

and why He died for you.

 

So in a year filled with many sorrows;

With hatred dwelling in many hearts...

This should be the Christmas  we

Choose to make a brand new start!

 

To live not for our selfish gain

But to live in heavenly peace;

To know the Father sent to us

A way of sweet release....

 

For when we invite the Christ child in

With a heart that to Him is given;

We will know the Father's love

For our sins have been forgiven.

 

Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday to the

BABE IN THE STRAW...WHO CAME FOR ALL!!!

 

 

W. Patrick Queen © December 2020

 

 

 

 

A reprint of a former post....May you be Blessed the Christmas with the Father's Gift of Love!

Operation….Christmas Andrew!

Tis' the season of Christmas...gloriously  filled with all the sights and sounds of this special holiday with its twinkling lights, candy canes, sleigh bells ringing, children singing ...I am sure that you get the picture; however, the center of this season is and always should be the celebration of the birth of Christ. For each of us that profess to be a “believer” and call ourselves “little Christ”, we know that the birth of Christ is sacrosanct to our faith for it lays the foundation for us…it shows us that our God loved us enough to make himself one of us and to give his life for us so that we might forever live with Him.

EMMANUEL…GOD WITH US!!! Unfortunately, too many of us, on too many occasions fail to make this holiday a celebration of the birth of Jesus and his arrival among us; rather we toddle along with the world’s view that Christmas is about the money not the manager. We set aside our beliefs to satisfy our desires for pleasure and pride. Our gifts are about us and not about our spirit of giving.

What is the greatest thing you could do to bring about change in the life of someone this Christmas?

You should become a “Christmas Andrew!”

 John 1: 35-41 tells us how; “The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”  “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.  Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ).  And he brought him to Jesus.

Did you catch that? Andrew spent the day with Jesus and then he went to get his brother, Peter….WHY? So that he might introduce him to the Savior …The Messiah …God’s fulfilled promise of EMMANUEL.

Today, if you take a look around in your sphere of influence, there is a family member, a close companion at work or a nearby neighbor that for Christmas and all its pleasures and pageantry… they have become fixated on the familiar rather than focused on the Forever! They have become inoculated to the true meaning of Christmas and they need a Christmas Andrew…someone, who in love and gentle encouragement, will remind them that Jesus is the reason that we celebrate this season…or maybe, they don’t know the babe of Bethlehem at all.

It is your choice and you can be the “Andrew” that takes them to meet the Savior. You can share with them the joy that comes from knowing the true and living Messiah….Emmanuel. Then, they too can come to know that Jesus loves them and gave his life to ransom them from their sins. For the true message of each Christmas season is really quite simple….FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE…..WHAT WILL YOU GIVE THIS CHRISTMAS?

Give the greatest gift that anyone can give at Christmas...give YOURSELF... totally surrendered to your Heavenly Father. Be a Christmas Andrew and bring those you love to worship the babe in the manager….

Seeking to Share….Praying to be an Andrew,

WPQ

 

Poem for the day:

Christmas is a wondrous time

There’s always much to do;

But the greatest gift that you can give

Is to be a Christmas Andrew.

So seek to share the good news;

Tell others of the babe who came...

To heal the broken and discouraged;

The crippled and the lame.

This babe sent down from Heaven

With us as man to dwell...

The blessed Christ child with us,

OUR LORD...EMMANUEL!!!

 

WPQ © Dec 2017

 

 

The Man and the Birds...A Christmas Story

I remember the first time I ever heard the story that follows. I was driving in my car in the mountains of northeast Georgia. I remember being so moved to tears as Paul Harvey, in his most eloquent manner, told this story. In fact, the tears were running down my face so much that I had to find a place to pullover or run the risk of driving down the side of a mountain. Yet, even today, as I reprint this wonderful Christmas story, I am forever reminded of God's great love for you and me...and for the sacrifice that Jesus made to come to earth as a baby, die on a cross and then be raised to new life  so that one day, ALL WHO BELIEVE IN THE MATCHLESS NAME OF JESUS AND THE WORK ACCOMPLISHED ON THAT CROSS WILL LIFE WITH HIM...FOREVER!!!!

So enjoy this story and the little poem that follows and when given the chance this holiday season, wish all you know a MERRY CHRISTMAS...FOR CHRIST IS THE REASON FOR THIS SEASON!!!!

This is a reprint of a former post.....

The Man and the Birds...A Christmas Story

Each year at Christmas, I eagerly search across my radio dial trying to find the story of the Man and the Birds, as told my Paul Harvey. I find that in listening to that story, I am so wonderfully reminded of the love of God for each of us. On many occasions, I have been forced to pull off on the side of the road to listen to the conclusion of the story…it’s so hard to drive when your eyes are water-logged and leaking.

I hope and pray that during this Christmas season, you will have the wonderful opportunity to hear Mr. Harvey’s captivating telling of this timeless story…of Emmanuel, God with us. If not, then please read on and be forever blessed to know that the love of God was expressed…in human form…in a manager in Bethlehem…in a baby named JESUS.

The Man and the Birds by Paul Harvey:

The man to whom I'm going to introduce you was not a scrooge; he was a kind decent, mostly good man. He was generous to his family and always upright in his dealings with other men. But he just didn't believe all that incarnation stuff which the churches proclaim at Christmas Time. It just didn't make sense and he was too honest to pretend otherwise. He just couldn't swallow the Jesus Story, about God coming to Earth as a man.

"I'm truly sorry to distress you," he told his wife, "but I'm not going with you to church this Christmas Eve." He said he'd feel like a hypocrite. That he'd much rather just stay at home, but that he would wait up for them. And so he stayed and they went to the midnight service.

Shortly after the family drove away in the car, snow began to fall. He went to the window to watch the flurries getting heavier and heavier and then went back to his fireside chair and began to read his newspaper. Minutes later he was startled by a thudding sound...Then another, and then another.  Sort of a thump or a thud...At first he thought someone must be throwing snowballs against his living room window. But when he went to the front door to investigate, he found a flock of birds huddled miserably in the snow. They'd been caught in the storm and, in a desperate search for shelter, had tried to fly through his large landscape window.

Well, he couldn't let the poor creatures lie there and freeze, so he remembered the barn where his children stabled their pony. That would provide a warm shelter, if he could direct the birds to it. Quickly he put on a coat, galoshes, tramped through the deepening snow to the barn. He opened the doors wide and turned on a light, but the birds did not come in. He figured food would entice them in. So he hurried back to the house, fetched bread crumbs, sprinkled them on the snow, making a trail to the yellow-lighted wide open doorway of the stable. But to his dismay, the birds ignored the bread crumbs, and continued to flap around helplessly in the snow. He tried catching them...He tried shooing them into the barn by walking around them waving his arms...Instead, they scattered in every direction, except into the warm, lighted barn.

And then, he realized that they were afraid of him. To them, he reasoned, I am a strange and terrifying creature. If only I could think of some way to let them know that they can trust me...That I am not trying to hurt them, but to help them… But how?....since any move he made tended to frighten them, confuse them. They just would not follow. They would not be led or shooed because they feared him.

"If only I could be a bird," he thought to himself, "and mingle with them and speak their language. Then I could tell them not to be afraid. Then I could show them the way to the safe, warm barn. But I would have to be one of them so they could see and hear and understand." At that moment the church bells began to ring. The sound reached his ears above the sounds of the wind. As he stood there listening to the bells ….listening to the bells pealing forth the glad tidings of Christmas, he understood …. And he sank to his knees in the snow.

I trust that this Christmas, when you hear those church bells ring or the sounds of carolers lifting their voices in praise to the newborn babe, you too, will understand the message of Christmas….Jesus Christ is born and God is forever with us!

Merry Christmas….Happy Birthday, Jesus!

WPQ

Poem for the day...

 

On that starry Christmas night

Many centuries ago....

The King of Heaven left His throne

And came to earth below.

 

Not as a ruler or mighty king

but as a simple child;

Born of God and woman

This babe so meek and mild.

 

And in lowly cattle stall

In a manger filled with hay

The God of all creation

In a feeding trough did lay.

 

For one day he'd lay down His life

So our sin debt would be forgiven.

This precious babe of Christmas

Was the greatest gift that was ever given!

 

WPQ © Dec 2017

 

 

 

A Time to Shine

I grew up in Charlotte, near a small mill town lovingly known as Christmas Town, USA. It gained its name due to its Christmas tradition of lighting each home and the entire mill village in thousands and tens of thousands of Christmas lights. Each Christmas season, over a million viewers would climb in their cars, vans, SUVs’ and church buses and make the drive south on I-85 to the McAdenville Exit to make the 2 mile trek though this quiet hamlet. In fact, I have seen times when the cars were backed up in the exit and emergency lanes, bumper to bumper, for over three miles down the interstate…why all this commotion year after year to make a trip to this small town at Christmas?

Everyone was drawn to the LIGHTS….to the sheer magnitude of the beauty of millions of brightly shining lights, adorning each home; the tiny mill and the trees around the small pond and all the other buildings of this small, quaint mill town. But why did the people of McAdenville go to such trouble each and every Christmas season to do the work, spend the money on decorations and electricity and have the town invaded by millions of outsiders?

 I believe they understood the scripture in Matthew 5: 14-16 that reads, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a candle and put it under a basket, but on a stand and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

 This is the season for us to shine …to give light and warmth, love and encouragement to all those we encounter …to tell others that the light of the world has come …the Babe of Bethlehem….Jesus.

It is in this season, above all others, that our hearts should be filled with charity for those less fortunate than us. Our pocketbooks and our wallets should naturally fall open as we look for ways to bring “light” to those who are in the midst of “darkness”…the loss of a job; mourning for a dear loved one who has passed away; the onset of unforeseen misfortune or mounting bills; empty tables and empty cupboards…and the list goes on. You can be that “light” today if you will only open your eyes and then, open your heart and your hand to those who need help. There are many that are hurting in our communities, churches and company cultures that will never say a word or let anyone know the circumstances in which they find themselves…but God knows and He is just waiting for a willing heart and an open hand to meet their needs. Ask God to help you find someone who needs your help and then get ready for action. He will provide …both the need and the means to meet that need.

Today, let your light shine so that He will receive the glory….you can and must be the light of the Savior in the world today…He has no one but you….will you let Him be glorified in you….it’s time to shine for Jesus!

 

Glorifying the Father ….Shining brightly to light my world,

WPQ

Poem for the Day...

 Lord, make my life a guiding light

So that my neighbors might see.

May they be lead to seek your face

Because of what they’ve seen in me.

May this be the season of open hearts

May our wallets be open too;

So that those in want will have all they need

Because they choose to trust in you!

 For on that night, that wondrous night

When Heaven to earth came down;

As shepherds bowed in worship

And your Glory shone all around...

 O' may we bow as those that night;

Our hearts filled with grace and love...

To share with everyone we meet

The Christ child sent from above!

 

WPQ © December 2018

 

EVERY YEAR...ABOUT THIS TIME!

For probably the last 20 years or so, I have tried to take time in the Christmas season to write a Christmas poem that I pray will touch the hearts of those who read it. Some come easily as my fingers seem to glide effortlessly across the keyboard; while others are truly a "labor" of love. On the most part, I have received many "thank you's" and "atta-boys'" for many of my Christmas poems...and they are ALL WRITTEN so that the Good News is prolcaimed and that God gets the glory for what He did for us all as He sent His Son to be born of a virgin and to die that we might once again be reborn into the Kingdom of God because of the sacrifice of Jesus...that Babe in the Manger!!! The poem that follows is written to remind us all that God wants to use each of us as instruments in telling His Story about the Birth of His Son, Jesus Christ...who truly is THE REASON FOR THIS SEASON. 

My prayer, as always, is that you will be blessed and God will receive the GLORY...and to that end, I wish all who read this,

A VERY MERRY AND JOYOUS CHRISTMAS,

WPQ

MARY'S SURRENDER.....

 

I was kneeling at my bedside, like so many times before;

And while praying to my Father, behind a locked and closed door.

The room began to fill with light; it drove darkness from the room

And my heart began to feel alive as I let go of my gloom.

 

For standing right before me, surrounded in an aura of great light

Was the holy messenger of God, so I shrank from him in fright.

But then in his sweet angelic voice, he spoke to allay my fears...

And though I wanted to run and hide, something drew me near.

 

The words he spoke, each calmed me, as he told me to rejoice;

It was as if my Heavenly Father was speaking with His voice...

He told I was highly favored and would be blessed as no other;

For the Holy Spirit would overshadow me and make me a mother.

 

Not just any mother of a child born through my seed,

But one who would fulfill a promise that God Himself decreed...

For God alone had chosen me to bring forth His only Son,

So all mankind could find peace with God,

when His life on earth was done!

 

He told me I was favored, for God had chosen me

To bear the Holy One who would die on Calvary.

For He would be a Great and Mighty King... His Kingdom would never waver

And God would accomplish all of this... His Son would be our Savior!

 

It all sounded too great to me, how could this be done?

Why had I been chosen to bear God's Holy One?

So in my child-like faith, I asked with humble heart;

How can this come to be...where do I start?

 

The angel gave a simple reply, to ease my wondering heart

"Nothing is impossible for God....this is where you start!"

Just place you faith and hope in Him, and if you need a sign;

Just go and see Elizabeth and this is what you'll find....

 

The Lord has blessed His servant, in her old age to conceive;

A son to turn the hearts of men to a new life they could receive;

So I turned to God's messenger, in a voice I hardly heard....

"I am the Lord's maidservant...May it be according to His Word."

 

WPQ © DEC 2020

 

Getting Ready for a New Year....

For the last few years, at about this time, I begin to make my list of the things, events and blessings that have occurred in the last 11 months or so. I strive to enter the Thanksgiving season with a heart and mind centered on the good (and sometimes not so good) things that have made me a better citizen, better husband and better follower of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ....and that is one of the reasons that I look back on some of the "not so good" events that have occurred. You see, we all know that without rain, nothing grows. So I like to thank God for His bountiful harvest in the past year, fully realizing that none of it may have been possible without the rain...yes, even the thundershowers may have truly been a blessing. I also begin to analyze how I have done in the past year living up to my one word resolution that I set out to follow at the beginning of the year.

This past year, my one word resolution was TRUST....and I will have to admit, this year, with the corona virus, the Feb-March stock market crash, the mass hysteria of the media, the relentless drumming of the TV political ads and its subsequent outcome...well, it really tested by ability to TRUST! I wanted to trust in what was being reported on the airwaves and the internet; the double speak of so-called medical experts; the promises of those in power and their often idiotic decisions. It was during this free-for-all that I came to my senses and reminded myself of one simple truth...I COULD TRUST MY HEAVENLY FATHER WHO IS IN COMPLETE CONTROL AND WHO ALREADY KNOWS THE OUTCOME...and in leaning into and learning to place my trust in the ONE who is SOVEREIGN, I found something that I was not expecting to find....PEACE!!!! So at the top of my list of things I will be thankful for this Thanksgiving is the PEACE I found in the midst of conflict, chaos and consternation...and I will rest in the consolation that no matter how bad things are or may seem, God WILL NOT let anything or anyone snatch me from the loving grip that holds me in His hands....and all I need do...simply TRUST HIM!!!!

And the other thing I do this time of year is to begin to look for my next "one word resolution" ...and at this writing, I am in full find that word mode as the start of 2021 begins to peer around the corner. I often spend days or weeks trying to find such a meaningful word that I can give my full measure of devotion in trying to live out my life in accordance with its mandates. But this year, I found that word early in the Scripture that follows in James 1:12..."Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him."

It is my desire to live as Christ lived and to obtain this great quality that God Himself so clearly embodies...to be STEADFAST...fully committed, unwavering, standing firm without hesitation.

I am sure that we (as steadfast believers) WILL face many tough decisions, obstacles and road blocks to serving Christ in the year that is quickly approaching. We will be asked to compromise our values, accept doctrine and dogma that do not align themselves with our Christian principles and we will probably be tested in ways we never thought imaginable in America...so we are left with one of two choices....ACQUIESENCE OR STEADFASTNESS?

I HAVE CHOSEN MINE...AND I AM NOT WAITING TO START PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE...My start begins today; ONE DAY AT A TIME, I WILL TRUST IN MY GOD AND SEEK TO BE STEADFAST IN MY RESOLVE TO SERVE HIM NO MATTER WHAT THE COSTS!!! It is my prayer that you too will stand firmly with me as we commit to be STEADFAST followers of the one who gave His LIFE for the ransom of all who would believe...and God please, help me and all those who call on YOU in our unbelief. AMEN!

Living for my Father....STEADFAST in my walk with Him,

WPQ

 

 

Poem for the day....

A new day is coming;

Coming closer every day.

For the Father is watching

What we do and what we say!

 

For our Father is waiting

To see who is first; who is last.

Willing to live obediently...

Close to Him and steadfast.

 

Standing firm in our beliefs

Never wavering nor unsure;

Living a life that truly honors Him

One that is Holy, Righteous, Pure.

 

So don't give in to worldly lusts;

Leave  behind your sins of the past.

When you truly seek to honor God,

You will live a life that remains...STEADFAST!!!

 

WPQ © NOV 2020

 

 

 

Our pastor, Dr. Ted Sherrill, at First Baptist -Georgetown preached a wonderful sermon today that reminded me of the following blog. To me, as I evaluate the situation that we find ourselves in during these stressful times, I am reminded that there has never been a better time for those of us who call ourselves Christians to be light in a dark world; salt that allows others to savor the flavor and a lamp, when placed upon the lampstand, will light the hearts of those we encounter with the LOVE of Jesus. If we do those things, then our GOOD WORKS WILL SHOW and those that see is at work for Him, will glorify our Father and be drawn to come to know Him as their Father also; so my question is...

 

Are you an Authentic Christian?

 

Let me ask you a rather poignant question…..How’s life treating you…..Things going well, running smoothly, no problems? Are you a Christian and not being hounded on all sides? Well, could it be time to take your spiritual pulse?

 

What do I mean by such a preposterous question? Aren’t we all supposed to be working to have a better, smoother running, more fulfilling life? Besides, who wants trouble?

 

We all should….Why? Simply put…because Scripture says that’s the way it is to be. When we read 2 Timothy 2: 12 we have a better understanding of this Biblical truth,

“Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”

 

Since the beginning of time, it has been the mission of Satan to blind sinners and to beguile and undermine Christians…to inflict pain, suffering and discouragement to those who belong to God. He will do anything to disturb our minds, disrupt our lives and discourage our witness for our Lord and Savior. He is the one who led Lot to Sodom, instilled the anger in Joseph’s brothers so they would sell him into slavery and lead Peter, the Rock, to deny Christ three times. He even called out the Son of God and attacked Him…challenging Him to deny His Father to gain worldly fame and fortune.

 

In 1 Peter5: 8, we are reminded by Peter to “be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

 

If you are a Christian and seeking to live for the Lord in a godly and forthright way, you should be on the menu for our adversary, the devil. You will (a promise from God’s word) be pressed and stressed and messed with from all sides…that’s the way the devil likes to operate. He comes at you with all sorts of problems; some large, small, even life-changing …each designed to move your further from God’s perfect will for your life…each with the intent to separate you from the witness of God’s love in your life.

 

So if life has been treating you too good lately, you might want to ask yourself if you are truly living a godly life in Christ Jesus. If your life is truly making a difference in the lives of those you encounter, you can bet the devil is sniffing around to see if he smells “fresh meat”; however, if not; then, even a lion will not eat a dead, decaying corpse.

 

Is Jesus alive in you today…are you striving to live a life that is pleasing to Him….are you beset with trials, problems and persecutions of an earthly and heavenly nature? Then, PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW!!!!!!

 

Remember….the way you handle the trials, tribulations, test and temptations in your life can be a great beacon that shines the light of God’s love, support and encouragement to others that are watching you. You are living in Him and He lives in you …and it should show!!!!!

 

Today, count your blessings …but also count your persecutions as blessings….for in each one is an opportunity to draw closer and closer to your Heavenly Father…and as you lean upon Him, you will feel your pulse race, your heart pound and your faith grow as you win the war against your adversary….and when all is said and done, the VICTORY IS IN THE LIFE WELL-LIVED IN JESUS!!!!!

 

Living in persecutions ….counting each a blessing,

 

WPQ

 

Poem of the Day...

Father, in Heaven, please grant me

When faced by earthly foes;

A spirit that will not tremble

And be undone by earthly woes.

 

Let me place my trust in Jesus;

Not shrink from the battle near;

And may the sounds of victory

Be pleasing to my Savior's ear.

 

May I always seek to serve you

As I defend my life in you...

For you gave me life at Calvary

So the least that I can do...

 

Is be a Bright & Shining Beacon

So that all who see may know...

To follow in your footsteps

Is the way we each should go.

 

May the victory be ours, dear Lord

As we place our will in thine;

Then all who see will acknowledge

Our Lord and Savior is indeed…. DIVINE!!!!

 

WPQ © August 2018

 

 

If you would like to hear Dr. Sherrill's sermon today,

go to www.firstbaptistgeorgetown.org

and click on the icon for sermons.

Honoring our Veterans on Their Special Day!

 

During the time that our 5 year old daughter battled a childhood cancer, I wrote a little book entitled, Bent ...but not Broken! A Family's Victory Over Cancer Through the Grace of God!

From that small beginning, my wife, Terri, and I began a small cottage business that we later named THANKFUL PRAISE PRINTS.  For 6+ years, we took poetry that I wrote and Terri, along with a couple of wonderful local artist, would illustrate the poems. We would then print, frame and sell what we called PoeticArt to over 600 accounts nationwide. One of the many poems I wrote had to do with our service people...Police, Fire, EMT, Nurses and of course our servicemen in the Armed Forces. One of my favorite poems was A VETERAN'S SONG...a poem with which we sold and shared with many a funeral home that used this framed poem in Memorial services and then gave to the family of the deceased Veteran.  I am a  Veteran myself,  after serving on active duty in the Navy for two years and then another 6 years as a Reservist. It was a couple of years ago that I found this poem in my files and added a verse or two...it is my joy to share this today as we mark another November 11th...a day we pause to salute all those men and women who held this country and what it stands for in their highest regard and promised to defend it against all enemies, foreign or domestic...it was a pledge to give their life if so needed to ensure that we could live as a free people, bound together with love for our country, our flag and the ideals that draw us all together as one people in the LAND OF THE FREE and the HOME OF THE BRAVE.

SO FOR EVERY VETERAN THAT HAS PROUDLY WORN THE UNIFORM OF SERVICE TO GOD AND COUNTRY ...this poem is for YOU!!!!

 

Veteran's Song

I signed a piece of paper;

I took an oath as well.

I promised to serve my country...

'Tis a mission I could not fail!

I banded with my comrades

So together, in might, we stand,

In defending this Great Nation...

This bright and promised land.

For I have done my duty

I have sacrificed for all.

And now Sweet Liberty can stand

Forever...proud and tall.

So when our days are over

And the bugles sound no more

May those who stand beside us

And gaze toward Heaven's shore...

May they know that we gave freely

Without hesitation.... without fear!

For we gladly served unselfishly

To protect this life we hold so dear!

 

WPQ © September 2018

Are You Delighting in the Lord?

Have you ever reached a point in your life when it seemed that your prayers were just bouncing off of the ceiling? Times that your prayers went unanswered and left you without hope? If you haven't, then you are one of the fortunate ones that has your walk with the Lord in the primo position...and I say to you, "CONGRATS"...and keep up the good work.  In fact, you need read no further; however, if you are like me and so many of our other Christian brethren, this feeling of abandonment and disconnection from our Father creates a real and emotional emptiness that may very well overwhelm us and leave us impotent to do the Father's will.

 GOOD NEWS....this situation is fully TREATABLE and REVERSIBLE...and the answer(as always) can be found in God's Holy Word in Psalm 37: 3-4 that reads:

 Trust in the Lord and do what is right. Settle in the land and maintain your integrity. Then you will take delight in the Lord, and he will answer your prayers.

This is the remedy for unanswered prayer, but there are several things we need to unpack to fully understand what needs to be done (continuously) in order to have our prayers answered with the love and consistency that comes from our Heavenly Father who ALWAYS has our best interest at the center of His heart.

First and foremost, WE MUST TRUST IN THE LORD...and that means we need to have a relationship with Him; we must have accepted what He did for us at Calvary and have asked Him to enter our lives, not as a guest, but as a full-time resident. For when we truly TRUST in the Lord, His desires WILL overwhelm our desires and our greatest pleasure becomes serving Him in obedience. I am always amazed when people tell me they asked God to save someone they loved from a horrible disease; give them a new job; heal their broken marriage or a myriad of other "I WANTS"...only to find out that the last time they spent any time with God in worship was at Christmas service a year ago; or they know they have a Bible at home, but they are not really sure where it is kept....imagine if you treated your spouse this way and then asked them for anything...WHAT DO YOU THINK WOULD BE THEIR RESPONSE...Most likely it would be SILENCE!!! Why should we expect more than that from God when we have ignored Him for so long?

 Secondly, we need to DO WHAT IS RIGHT, and in God speak, that means to strive to be holy and live a righteous life in front of a world that has lost its moral compass. If you want God to answer your prayers...then, LIVE LIKE YOU MEAN IT...in short, you've got to do more than talk the talk; you've got to WALK THE WALK.

 Thirdly, we are to "settle in the land and maintain our integrity"....to me, this means that we are no longer living in and for this world; rather we have set our sights on the land of promise...THE KINGDOM OF GOD...brought to earth by His Son and now left in our hands to live as Jesus would. We settle into the land by being God's Heavenly representative now in this "foreign" land, so that others may long to have what we have and will choose to become citizens of Heaven as they come to know and follow Jesus...and how can that happen? Simple! Let the people of God live with INTEGRITY....DO WHAT WE SAY WE WILL DO, WHEN WE SAY WE WILL DO IT AND BE SURE THAT WHATEVER WE ARE DOING, WE ARE GIVING OUR BEST SO GOD RECEIVES THE GLORY!!!!

 If we do these things, then the best part of this Scripture will come to fruition....when we have chosen the first three life-altering courses of living, our hearts will be filled with love, adoration and JOY...and we will DELIGHT IN THE LORD...His desires will truly be our own!!! We will no longer pray with our selfish agenda for God to give us the desires of our heart; rather we will pray for HIS DESIRES TO BE ACCOMPLISHED IN OUR LIVES and when we pray with a broken and contrite heart, GOD STANDS READY, WILLING AND ABLE TO MEET US AT THE POINT OF OUR NEED AND GIVE US ANSWERS TO OUR PRAYERS.  It is only then that our connection to Him will grow stronger; and in good measure, we will see the hand of God work in ways we could not fathom before. When we have met the Lord at this juncture in our walk with Him we will see that when we pray for our needs, in accordance with the work God is doing in our lives, we will become mature in our relationship with our Heavenly Father and know that the answer to our every prayer is on its way...in the perfect timing of the One who loves us and gave His only Son so that we may become children of the Most High!

 So, what is your answer to my question? Are you delighting in the Lord? Are you confident that your prayers will be answered...all in God's perfect timing? If so, congrats and keep up the good work of living for and delighting in the Father. If not, grab a copy of His Holy Word and dig into its pages; it is there that God will begin to speak to you and prepare your heart to delight in HIM!

It is a place where old things will pass away and a place of new beginnings; it is where you will become a new creature in Him and the journey that begins here will give way to a life of....

 LOVE...JOY....and never-ending  DELIGHT!!!

 

Settling in the land...living in delight,

WPQ

 

 

Poem for the day....

 If trials and troubles have beset you

And you decided that you should pray;

But your prayers bounce off the ceiling

And no answers come your way...

 

Then maybe it's time to examine

Your relationship with Him;

For you just can't reach out in prayer

Like it's just another whim.

 

It takes a prayer warrior

That seeks the Father's light;

For when you seek to honor Him

In your heart you will delight.

 

For His answer is just waiting

For those hearts filled with His delight;

And He will always answer prayers

For those who love and seek His light!

 

WPQ © November 2020