I want to ask you to do me a special favor that, for the large part, should be painless. I want you to change your way of thinking….now, before you go off the deep in, take a deep breath and listen to my proposal.
From the beginning of creation, God has had a specific way of considering the 24 hours that make up a day. From His word we read in Genesis 1:5, “and the evening and the morning were the first day.” Did you catch that?
You and I don’t think that way, do we? We see it just the opposite. A day is the morning followed by the evening….always has been, always will be….and that’s what requires a change of thinking on our part.
There is always a wonderful truth embedded in even the smallest scripture …if we are only willing to take a good look. If we could but see our days as God sees them….first the evening followed by the morning, what a difference that could make.
We would then spend each evening contemplating and meditating on the activities and responsibilities that God will set before us in the morning….and then spend time asking Him for His guidance and blessing upon all that He wants us to accomplish for Him and His kingdom. Then, as we place our head on our pillows, we are free to experience a full night’s rest as we give everything to Him. We can sleep in the full assurance that He is in complete control and we can lay aside the worries and cares that beset us after a day of hurried activities.
David, the psalmist wrote, “Weeping may endure for the night, BUT JOY COMES IN THE MORNING!” Psalm 30:5 Why not change your thinking in this area of your life and experience the joy that is yours each new day…..
Let me know if seeing each day the way God sees it works for you….it only takes a moment to change your mind.
Enjoying the new day and all its promise,
WPQ
Poem for the New Day....
I want you to change your thinking;
To try a better way.
For evening precedes the morning
In the start of each new day.
So trust your Heavenly Father
In each step along life's way;
For He is there to greet you
At the start of each new day.
He walks each step beside you
And keeps you safe from harm;
And if you should stumble
He takes you in His arms....
He wipes away each tear that falls;
His peace He gives to you.
For at the start of each new day
His mercy will see you through.
WPQ @February 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
...Or a Roof Repairer?
When we left our story yesterday, we stood in the crowd and parted a way for the lame man, as he rolled up his mat and walked home to an elated family. We clapped and exclaimed that never had we seen such a miracle as we shook our heads in amazement and then, we went back to our busy lives…unsettled but not unchanged!
Maybe, before we departed, we paused and looked up into that gaping hole in the roof and wondered, “Who’s going to fix that hole that’s left behind? I’m sure glad this isn’t my house.”
Now, we can be sure it would not be the learned scholars and scribes….they were too busy criticizing Jesus for His methods; for surely, they would never have told such a man that his sins were forgiven and Jesus had no right to do that either. This was not the way things were to be done in the religious realm in Capernaum.
It was not going to be the four men that had brought their lame friend to Jesus. They had already gone above and beyond their call to duty…used up their concern and compassion and had seen the glorious outcome wrought by their unselfish deed. Surely, the work of patching the roof should be done by someone else?
What about the enamored people that stood outside the house….clapping and cheering; caught up in the excitement of this unforgettable moment? These onsite onlookers were just there for the show and they hung around to see if anything else was about to happen; if not, they would move on looking for the next thrill, for they were curiosity seekers…not Christ seekers. For them it was all about the miracle…not the Master!
Then, there were the fortunate few that had actually been up close and personal with Jesus…they had a front-row seat to the action and this wonderful miracle had occurred right before their eyes. But, they could not be bothered to accomplish such a menial task as fixing a hole in the roof. In fact, in their arrogance of proximity, they had not been willing to make a hole through the crowd that would allow the men to come through the front door, but rather forced them to resort to digging a hole in the roof. If they were so unwilling to step aside and allow the men to enter the house in the first place, then they would certainly be unwilling to fix the roof.
So my question for you…..into which group do you fall…the religious naysayers; the “diggers” of the hole; the thrill-seeking onlookers or the front-row followers….all willing participants in the moment of the miracle but not the restitution of the roof. So who would be a roof repairer you ask….someone that serves Jesus because of who He is rather than what He has done or will do.
The person that dons the work clothes and climbs up on the roof after all the crowds are gone is the one who is the embodiment of faithfulness, loyalty and duty to the task. When the cheers have subsided, this person picks up the tools of the trade and gets their hands dirty doing the work that no one else wants to do….keeping the church parking lot clean or driving the church bus every Sunday; working in the soup kitchen, peeling onions or preparing the next meal; taking a home-cooked meal to a shut-in or tending to the toddlers every Sunday in Sunday School….the list goes on and so do the people that have learned that the cross comes before the crown. They have learned there are no small jobs for God…only small people with a big God…and with Him, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.
Christ told us that “whoever loses his life for me will find it.”(Matthew 16:25) and Paul taught us, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Jesus Christ” (Colossians 3:23-24)
Across this country and around the globe, there are people with little talent doing little jobs to advance the kingdom of God ….how about you? Are you a Hole Maker or a Roof Repairer …are you working to bring God’s kingdom to those around you?
I pray that with an open and honest heart you can say, “Lord, here am I. Send me to do the job that you need done, today!’
AMEN,
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@2001
Maybe, before we departed, we paused and looked up into that gaping hole in the roof and wondered, “Who’s going to fix that hole that’s left behind? I’m sure glad this isn’t my house.”
Now, we can be sure it would not be the learned scholars and scribes….they were too busy criticizing Jesus for His methods; for surely, they would never have told such a man that his sins were forgiven and Jesus had no right to do that either. This was not the way things were to be done in the religious realm in Capernaum.
It was not going to be the four men that had brought their lame friend to Jesus. They had already gone above and beyond their call to duty…used up their concern and compassion and had seen the glorious outcome wrought by their unselfish deed. Surely, the work of patching the roof should be done by someone else?
What about the enamored people that stood outside the house….clapping and cheering; caught up in the excitement of this unforgettable moment? These onsite onlookers were just there for the show and they hung around to see if anything else was about to happen; if not, they would move on looking for the next thrill, for they were curiosity seekers…not Christ seekers. For them it was all about the miracle…not the Master!
Then, there were the fortunate few that had actually been up close and personal with Jesus…they had a front-row seat to the action and this wonderful miracle had occurred right before their eyes. But, they could not be bothered to accomplish such a menial task as fixing a hole in the roof. In fact, in their arrogance of proximity, they had not been willing to make a hole through the crowd that would allow the men to come through the front door, but rather forced them to resort to digging a hole in the roof. If they were so unwilling to step aside and allow the men to enter the house in the first place, then they would certainly be unwilling to fix the roof.
So my question for you…..into which group do you fall…the religious naysayers; the “diggers” of the hole; the thrill-seeking onlookers or the front-row followers….all willing participants in the moment of the miracle but not the restitution of the roof. So who would be a roof repairer you ask….someone that serves Jesus because of who He is rather than what He has done or will do.
The person that dons the work clothes and climbs up on the roof after all the crowds are gone is the one who is the embodiment of faithfulness, loyalty and duty to the task. When the cheers have subsided, this person picks up the tools of the trade and gets their hands dirty doing the work that no one else wants to do….keeping the church parking lot clean or driving the church bus every Sunday; working in the soup kitchen, peeling onions or preparing the next meal; taking a home-cooked meal to a shut-in or tending to the toddlers every Sunday in Sunday School….the list goes on and so do the people that have learned that the cross comes before the crown. They have learned there are no small jobs for God…only small people with a big God…and with Him, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.
Christ told us that “whoever loses his life for me will find it.”(Matthew 16:25) and Paul taught us, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Jesus Christ” (Colossians 3:23-24)
Across this country and around the globe, there are people with little talent doing little jobs to advance the kingdom of God ….how about you? Are you a Hole Maker or a Roof Repairer …are you working to bring God’s kingdom to those around you?
I pray that with an open and honest heart you can say, “Lord, here am I. Send me to do the job that you need done, today!’
AMEN,
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@2001
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Are You a Hole-Maker...
One of my favorite stories in the New Testament is found in the second chapter of Mark in the first twelve verses…the story of the paralytic and his four friends.
Now, these men all heard that Jesus had returned to Capernaum and could be found in a nearby home; they were eager to see him for they had heard the stories that were circulating regarding his healings in the region of Galilee. But, their eagerness was not for themselves but for their friend who laid confined in his paralyzed condition. So, in a spirit of love and compassion for their stricken friend and in a unified body of cooperation, each of the four grabbed a corner of his pallet and they took off to see Jesus. They believed if they could just get in front of Jesus, He would heal their friend.
When they got to their destination, the house was filled to overflowing and they could not get in to see Jesus; but rather than return home, rejected and disappointed, they devised a plan that would bring the house down…or at least the roof. Climbing up the steps on the side of the house, they laid their friend aside and began digging through the roof until they had a hole big enough to lower their friend down in front of Jesus. Scripture says, “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Mark 2: 5 and then in Mark 2:11-12, “He said to the paralytic, “I tell you, get up, take up your mat and go home.” He got up, took up his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” NIV Translation
So what are some of the poignant precepts we can glean from this wonderful story?
Well, first and foremost, it took cooperation and sacrifice to get the paralytic man to Jesus. Each friend had to do his part; set aside petty differences and preferences; cooperate for the welfare of another and lay aside any selfish motive or desire to see Jesus for their own gain. Next, when confronted with the large crowd, each man determined not to be deterred from their original mission…to see Jesus heal their friend. This took thinking outside the box and the will and determination to get their hands dirty. And last, but certainly not least, was the resolute belief that Jesus was the only answer for their friend…only Jesus could restore their friend’s health. Even though the throng held them back, their priority was to get their friend to Jesus.
They didn’t stop to make excuses that the crowd was too big…it just wasn’t in the cards for their friend to be healed …or that opening a hole in the roof would certainly break up the service and have the whole town talking about how rude they were to disturb the Teacher….they had but one priority…to see Jesus heal their friend….and looking down from the lofty rooftop, that’s exactly what they got to see…. as their long-time paralytic friend rolled up his mat and then made his way through the parting crowd.
Are you a hole-make when it comes to Jesus? Are you looking for ways to bring your sin-crippled friends to Jesus so that they may be forever healed and made holy by His shed blood? Are you willing to set aside your agenda and think and do to bring others to Christ? Are you willing to be laughed at or thought to be different because you will make a way when there seems to be no way to lead others to the Savior?
You just have to have a willing heart ….God will take care of the rest….as you trust in Him and follow the leading of His Spirit…. And that only leaves one problem;
WHO’S GOING TO FIX THAT HOLE IN THE ROOF…..Come back tomorrow and hear the rest of the story.
Dirty Hands Means a Helping Heart,
WPQ
Now, these men all heard that Jesus had returned to Capernaum and could be found in a nearby home; they were eager to see him for they had heard the stories that were circulating regarding his healings in the region of Galilee. But, their eagerness was not for themselves but for their friend who laid confined in his paralyzed condition. So, in a spirit of love and compassion for their stricken friend and in a unified body of cooperation, each of the four grabbed a corner of his pallet and they took off to see Jesus. They believed if they could just get in front of Jesus, He would heal their friend.
When they got to their destination, the house was filled to overflowing and they could not get in to see Jesus; but rather than return home, rejected and disappointed, they devised a plan that would bring the house down…or at least the roof. Climbing up the steps on the side of the house, they laid their friend aside and began digging through the roof until they had a hole big enough to lower their friend down in front of Jesus. Scripture says, “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Mark 2: 5 and then in Mark 2:11-12, “He said to the paralytic, “I tell you, get up, take up your mat and go home.” He got up, took up his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” NIV Translation
So what are some of the poignant precepts we can glean from this wonderful story?
Well, first and foremost, it took cooperation and sacrifice to get the paralytic man to Jesus. Each friend had to do his part; set aside petty differences and preferences; cooperate for the welfare of another and lay aside any selfish motive or desire to see Jesus for their own gain. Next, when confronted with the large crowd, each man determined not to be deterred from their original mission…to see Jesus heal their friend. This took thinking outside the box and the will and determination to get their hands dirty. And last, but certainly not least, was the resolute belief that Jesus was the only answer for their friend…only Jesus could restore their friend’s health. Even though the throng held them back, their priority was to get their friend to Jesus.
They didn’t stop to make excuses that the crowd was too big…it just wasn’t in the cards for their friend to be healed …or that opening a hole in the roof would certainly break up the service and have the whole town talking about how rude they were to disturb the Teacher….they had but one priority…to see Jesus heal their friend….and looking down from the lofty rooftop, that’s exactly what they got to see…. as their long-time paralytic friend rolled up his mat and then made his way through the parting crowd.
Are you a hole-make when it comes to Jesus? Are you looking for ways to bring your sin-crippled friends to Jesus so that they may be forever healed and made holy by His shed blood? Are you willing to set aside your agenda and think and do to bring others to Christ? Are you willing to be laughed at or thought to be different because you will make a way when there seems to be no way to lead others to the Savior?
You just have to have a willing heart ….God will take care of the rest….as you trust in Him and follow the leading of His Spirit…. And that only leaves one problem;
WHO’S GOING TO FIX THAT HOLE IN THE ROOF…..Come back tomorrow and hear the rest of the story.
Dirty Hands Means a Helping Heart,
WPQ
Monday, February 15, 2010
The Silence of the Lamb
There was a graphic movie by this title several years ago that spoke to the sinful nature of man; but today, I want us to look at the life of our Lord and Savior …and understand His silence in service.
In scripture, Mark 7: 33-36, we read of Jesus and his disciples, traveling through the region of Tyre, when a man that is deaf and has a speech impediment is brought to Jesus. “And they begged Him to lay His hand on him. And taking him aside from the crowd privately, He put His fingers into his ears and after spitting, touched his tongue. Then looking up to heaven he sighed and said, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” And his ears were opened, his tongue released and he spoke plainly. But Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more He charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it.”
Did you see that? In this miracle, as well as many others recorded in the Bible, Jesus sought anonymity….He stepped away from the crowd to perform the healing and then instructed those that witnessed the healing to tell NO ONE…. HE WAS SILENT IN HIS SERVICE!!!!
Now, surely these miracles from Heaven deserved center-stage; they deserved the spotlight of admiration and celebration; but Jesus did not come for this….He came to seek and to serve and to save the lost…..and He left us behind to continue His ministry.
So, the next time that you step out to do a good work…do it in silence and in secret, if possible….and let Jesus, the Lamb of God, receive the praise and adoration for your sacrificial service. What better way to honor Him who gave His all for you than to serve Him in silence …with no thought of who gets the credit or reaps the reward.
Practice service in silence lest you fall into the trap of the Pharisees and the hypocrites. Strive to follow Christ’s teaching in Matthew 6:1-4, “Beware of practicing your righteousness (or serving; my translation) before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father in Heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give (serve) to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing so that your giving (serving) may be done in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
The more we practice serving our Savior in silence, the more He will be honored and the more glory His work, through us, will receive. It is our calling to follow the Master in service and we can show Him no greater love than to serve Him in silence ….to follow the example of the silence of the Lamb of God.
Today, look for that quiet, silent opportunity to serve God….and let Him receive ALL the credit for your service to others.
Seeking to serve…in stealth-mode,
WPQ
In scripture, Mark 7: 33-36, we read of Jesus and his disciples, traveling through the region of Tyre, when a man that is deaf and has a speech impediment is brought to Jesus. “And they begged Him to lay His hand on him. And taking him aside from the crowd privately, He put His fingers into his ears and after spitting, touched his tongue. Then looking up to heaven he sighed and said, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” And his ears were opened, his tongue released and he spoke plainly. But Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more He charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it.”
Did you see that? In this miracle, as well as many others recorded in the Bible, Jesus sought anonymity….He stepped away from the crowd to perform the healing and then instructed those that witnessed the healing to tell NO ONE…. HE WAS SILENT IN HIS SERVICE!!!!
Now, surely these miracles from Heaven deserved center-stage; they deserved the spotlight of admiration and celebration; but Jesus did not come for this….He came to seek and to serve and to save the lost…..and He left us behind to continue His ministry.
So, the next time that you step out to do a good work…do it in silence and in secret, if possible….and let Jesus, the Lamb of God, receive the praise and adoration for your sacrificial service. What better way to honor Him who gave His all for you than to serve Him in silence …with no thought of who gets the credit or reaps the reward.
Practice service in silence lest you fall into the trap of the Pharisees and the hypocrites. Strive to follow Christ’s teaching in Matthew 6:1-4, “Beware of practicing your righteousness (or serving; my translation) before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father in Heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give (serve) to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing so that your giving (serving) may be done in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
The more we practice serving our Savior in silence, the more He will be honored and the more glory His work, through us, will receive. It is our calling to follow the Master in service and we can show Him no greater love than to serve Him in silence ….to follow the example of the silence of the Lamb of God.
Today, look for that quiet, silent opportunity to serve God….and let Him receive ALL the credit for your service to others.
Seeking to serve…in stealth-mode,
WPQ
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Pungent or Perfume...The Smell Tells!!!!!
I am reminded of the story of the mother skunk and her little skunkletts that had gone for their morning stroll just downstream from the paper plant. The air was crisp and filled with the pungent odor that only a paper mill can produce. One little skunk raised his head; nostrils flared and exclaimed, “Mommy, do you smell THAT?” The mother, likewise, took in a long, deep breath and said,’ Yes, I do honey child. I don’t know what it is……but we’ve got to get us some of that!!!!!”
The scriptures tell us that we are the aroma of Christ. In 2 Corinthians 2:14-16, we read:
“But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life.”
What do you smell like today? Is what you are and who you are becoming in Christ a sweet smell to our Savior or do you reek of this world? Others that come in contact with you, hear your words, examine your actions and test your motives …..they are really just getting a scent of who you are. Does that scent point them to your Heavenly Father or keep them trapped in this world of eternal death? The smell of Christ is life everlasting, but the stench of this world is eternal damnation.
I hate the thought that what I am or what I do may condemn someone that I may hardly even know to a life apart from God. I want the aroma of Christ to encircle my every thought, action and reaction as I encounter those set before my path. I pray that the sweet smell that is my life points them to a live-saving, life giving relationship with the one whose fragrance permeates my life…..Jesus Christ.
How about you…..are you willing to trust God to make you smell good for His glory or are you just going to use a little more of the world’s deodorant to mask who you really are? The world is watching and smelling…..fill the air with the aroma of Christ by telling those you meet what a wonderful Savior is ours.
AHHHHH…….I JUST LOVE THE SMELL OF JESUS IN THE MORNING…..THE EVENING …..AND ALL DAY LONG!
When others take a deep breath of who you are …will they say, “I don’t know what that is, but I’ve got to get me some of that!”
BLESSINGS ABOUND,
WPQ
The scriptures tell us that we are the aroma of Christ. In 2 Corinthians 2:14-16, we read:
“But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life.”
What do you smell like today? Is what you are and who you are becoming in Christ a sweet smell to our Savior or do you reek of this world? Others that come in contact with you, hear your words, examine your actions and test your motives …..they are really just getting a scent of who you are. Does that scent point them to your Heavenly Father or keep them trapped in this world of eternal death? The smell of Christ is life everlasting, but the stench of this world is eternal damnation.
I hate the thought that what I am or what I do may condemn someone that I may hardly even know to a life apart from God. I want the aroma of Christ to encircle my every thought, action and reaction as I encounter those set before my path. I pray that the sweet smell that is my life points them to a live-saving, life giving relationship with the one whose fragrance permeates my life…..Jesus Christ.
How about you…..are you willing to trust God to make you smell good for His glory or are you just going to use a little more of the world’s deodorant to mask who you really are? The world is watching and smelling…..fill the air with the aroma of Christ by telling those you meet what a wonderful Savior is ours.
AHHHHH…….I JUST LOVE THE SMELL OF JESUS IN THE MORNING…..THE EVENING …..AND ALL DAY LONG!
When others take a deep breath of who you are …will they say, “I don’t know what that is, but I’ve got to get me some of that!”
BLESSINGS ABOUND,
WPQ
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Return to Your First Love
It was just a few short weeks ago that we celebrated our daughter’s eighteenth birthday. As we rifled through the boxes and boxes of pictures of our daughter’s life, my wife and I uncovered a number of pictures that we took of us and our antics during our courtship. It was fun to laugh and remember those carefree days and to revel in that glorious time of falling in love. In fact, in less than thirty days we will be celebrating our 20th anniversary….our love is still strong and growing; however, the days are not as carefree. Just the thought of these passing years reminds me of a story…..
It seems that a husband and wife were heading home after enjoying a delicious meal in celebration of their 25th wedding anniversary. The wife looked over at her husband behind the steering wheel and dreamily remarked, “Honey, remember when we first started dating and I sat beside you and you put your arm around me as we drove around town.” The husband winked and said, “I sure do, sweetie and you know what? In twenty five years, nothing’s changed…I’m still right here; I haven’t moved an inch.”
If you stop and think about this little story, it just might mirror your relationship with Jesus. Maybe, after all these years as a child of the King, you just don’t feel as close to Him as you once did. Maybe the romance and excitement of knowing Jesus as a close and personal friend has lost its ability to stir you…to excite you…to move you to service. Maybe it’s time to examine your relationship and determine how you can get back the glow of that first love…after all, Christ has not moved one inch.
Perhaps, John’s writing in Revelation 2, verse 4 best describes the problem; “Yet there is one thing wrong; you don’t love me as at first. Think about those times of your first love (how different now!) and turn back to me again and work as you did before;” The Living Bible/Paraphrased
It’s time to turn back to Jesus…to once again revel in the sweet spirit of His love and know that He is just as close to us now as He ever has been. He loves us with a jealous love and His grip holds us tightly… so tightly that nothing that the Devil and his demons throw at us can shake us from his mighty hand; but we must come back to him and seek to serve him as we did in the beginning.
Remember when you first came to know Jesus as your Savior…the inexplicable joy, the excitement of belonging to Him, the cleansing power of His sacrifice and the ever-present peace of knowing that your name is FOREVER written in the Lamb’s Book of Life….that’s the power of your first love!!!!
And there is no greater demonstration of that love than to live out your love in SERVICE….Jesus came not to be served but to serve and He expects that from you and me. So, today, return to your first love, Jesus; show Him how much you love him in an act of selfless service…and in each act of service you will be drawn closer to the one you love and to the One who loves you and died so that you might live forever with Him….and that’s REAL LOVE!!!!!
Remember…Jesus hasn’t moved, you have….start moving back to Him today!
Returning to my first and forever love, Jesus
WPQ
It seems that a husband and wife were heading home after enjoying a delicious meal in celebration of their 25th wedding anniversary. The wife looked over at her husband behind the steering wheel and dreamily remarked, “Honey, remember when we first started dating and I sat beside you and you put your arm around me as we drove around town.” The husband winked and said, “I sure do, sweetie and you know what? In twenty five years, nothing’s changed…I’m still right here; I haven’t moved an inch.”
If you stop and think about this little story, it just might mirror your relationship with Jesus. Maybe, after all these years as a child of the King, you just don’t feel as close to Him as you once did. Maybe the romance and excitement of knowing Jesus as a close and personal friend has lost its ability to stir you…to excite you…to move you to service. Maybe it’s time to examine your relationship and determine how you can get back the glow of that first love…after all, Christ has not moved one inch.
Perhaps, John’s writing in Revelation 2, verse 4 best describes the problem; “Yet there is one thing wrong; you don’t love me as at first. Think about those times of your first love (how different now!) and turn back to me again and work as you did before;” The Living Bible/Paraphrased
It’s time to turn back to Jesus…to once again revel in the sweet spirit of His love and know that He is just as close to us now as He ever has been. He loves us with a jealous love and His grip holds us tightly… so tightly that nothing that the Devil and his demons throw at us can shake us from his mighty hand; but we must come back to him and seek to serve him as we did in the beginning.
Remember when you first came to know Jesus as your Savior…the inexplicable joy, the excitement of belonging to Him, the cleansing power of His sacrifice and the ever-present peace of knowing that your name is FOREVER written in the Lamb’s Book of Life….that’s the power of your first love!!!!
And there is no greater demonstration of that love than to live out your love in SERVICE….Jesus came not to be served but to serve and He expects that from you and me. So, today, return to your first love, Jesus; show Him how much you love him in an act of selfless service…and in each act of service you will be drawn closer to the one you love and to the One who loves you and died so that you might live forever with Him….and that’s REAL LOVE!!!!!
Remember…Jesus hasn’t moved, you have….start moving back to Him today!
Returning to my first and forever love, Jesus
WPQ
Monday, January 18, 2010
Working on the Inward Man
Now, I don’t know about you, but I seldom watch any of those celebrity award shows like the Oscars or Golden Globes or such. To me, it’s just a bunch of pretty people getting together to see who has the best plastic surgeon. I mean, just look at Joan Rivers…she’s had more work done than it takes to restore a 1940 Ford to prime condition. Besides, when I read scripture, I am constantly reminded that God’s looks on the heart, not on the outward appearance.
In fact, Paul probably said it best in 2 Corinthians 4:16, “Even though our outward man is perishing, our inward man is being renewed day by day.”
We all get it….we are fighting a battle we just can’t win …fighting to look youthful while day by day we lose ground in this battle against aging. It is so sad to see so many in our society spending thousands of dollars so their obituary picture will resemble their graduation photos.
God has a much different perspective…and He has tried for all time to help us adopt His philosophy regarding this matter….the outward man is here today and then gone tomorrow; the inward man will live FOREVER.
So then, how should we proceed if we seek to honor our Heavenly Father when it comes to his matter?
How can we show God that we value the inward man; how can we invest in renewing him daily? To do so, we must enter the spiritual gymnasium and workout with the inward man… just as we would workout with our outward, physical man if we wanted to build muscle or lose those pesky twenty pounds. Here’s a suggested inward man exercise program….
We must lift our hearts in praise ….daily!
We must push back selfish and sinful desires…daily!
We must run the race toward the prize of God’s high calling…daily!
We must leap for joy when God comes to our rescue…daily!
We must shoulder the weight of the needs and burdens of others…daily!
We must nourish our soul with the meat of God’s word….daily!
We must stand firm in our defense of God’s work in our lives…daily
We must flee the Evil One…daily …and most of all,
We must mirror our Lord Jesus Christ…for our inward man should be the reflection of our Savior and His Holy Spirit that lives within.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve got some work to do…
See you in the gym,
WPQ
In fact, Paul probably said it best in 2 Corinthians 4:16, “Even though our outward man is perishing, our inward man is being renewed day by day.”
We all get it….we are fighting a battle we just can’t win …fighting to look youthful while day by day we lose ground in this battle against aging. It is so sad to see so many in our society spending thousands of dollars so their obituary picture will resemble their graduation photos.
God has a much different perspective…and He has tried for all time to help us adopt His philosophy regarding this matter….the outward man is here today and then gone tomorrow; the inward man will live FOREVER.
So then, how should we proceed if we seek to honor our Heavenly Father when it comes to his matter?
How can we show God that we value the inward man; how can we invest in renewing him daily? To do so, we must enter the spiritual gymnasium and workout with the inward man… just as we would workout with our outward, physical man if we wanted to build muscle or lose those pesky twenty pounds. Here’s a suggested inward man exercise program….
We must lift our hearts in praise ….daily!
We must push back selfish and sinful desires…daily!
We must run the race toward the prize of God’s high calling…daily!
We must leap for joy when God comes to our rescue…daily!
We must shoulder the weight of the needs and burdens of others…daily!
We must nourish our soul with the meat of God’s word….daily!
We must stand firm in our defense of God’s work in our lives…daily
We must flee the Evil One…daily …and most of all,
We must mirror our Lord Jesus Christ…for our inward man should be the reflection of our Savior and His Holy Spirit that lives within.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve got some work to do…
See you in the gym,
WPQ
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