For the Least of These...

I was reminded yesterday how important friendships are, especially in the difficult epidemically-produced times of quarantine that so many of us have had to endure in the last weeks and months.

Yesterday, I got a call from a "good buddy" of mine to come join him and another friend for a quick nine holes of golf at his club. Normally, I jump at the chance to play a round of golf, but with the time I have spent locked indoors, trying to stay healthy and out of the heat indices of 104 degrees, I must admit my first instinct told me to say, "No thanks."  But what came out of my mouth was, "What time should I be there?" And before I knew it, I was out the door to enjoy some golf, but more than that....time with two male friends, laughing, joking and ribbing one another; as though nothing in the world could get us down.

Which got me thinking back to another time in my life when I had the opportunity to befriend a very small, and often unlovable group of young men. It was the summer of my eighteenth birthday and I had raised over a $1000 to take 10 young men (ages12-16) to a summer camp sponsored by Youth for Christ of Charlotte. The camp was called Lifeline and it was a camp for delinquent boys who had been in trouble with the law... and if things did not change in their lives, they were probably heading for prison sometime down their life's path.

Now this was a YFC sponsored program that was taking place across the country and after hearing one of the founders of the program speak and share the testimony of what his community of believers had done in Miami, I wanted to do likewise in our community in Charlotte. After speaking with our Executive Director of YFC Charlotte, and with his blessing, I went to work...and God blessed our efforts with the monies needed to take our guys to a camp just outside of Raleigh, NC.

The first day in camp, the oldest of the young men (Glen D. age 16), grabbed me from behind, like he wanted to tussle and see who was going to be the alpha dog in our group. After all, he outweighed me by 20 pounds and stood 2 inches taller.... so he took his cigarette and held it to my arm and gave me quite a burn...I still have the scar to prove it. But it was in the next second that God took hold of my heart and taught me what it meant to turn the other cheek. I wanted to knock him flat; but I knew in that instant in so doing, nothing else I would say or do in the week that followed would find fertile ground in his heart if I retaliated and fought back.

So, I threw him off, shook my fist in his face and let him know in no uncertain terms, this was not going to EVER HAPPEN AGAIN...or he would be toast !!!! From that moment on, we settled into an uneasy friendship, but before the week was over, Glen gave his heart to the Lord and became my brother in Christ. Over the next eleven weeks of that summer, I spent time with my guys...shooting hoops, eating pizza, playing Putt-Putt and becoming friends...it was one of the best times of male bonding I ever experienced in my life.

Why do I share this story of Glen? Well, Glen was 16 and just heading into the ninth grade. He lived with his 74 year old grandmother because his mother was a drug addict and his father had been in prison since he was eight. No one cared for him and he was ALWAYS in trouble with someone, having broken some law or involved in a fight or worse. He was headed for prison, probably before the age of twenty...BUT GOD (my two favorite words) had a better plan. God brought Glen into my world for two reasons...so his world and his outlook on life would change and so Glen would change me. For Glen, giving his life to Christ opened doors of joy that I am sure he never imagined. In school that year, he became the President of his student body, became a better student and went from D's to B's...and best of all, had no more altercations with his peers....yes, Glen had truly changed and was on to a better, more fulfilling life.

For me, he helped me truly appreciate the family that had raised me and for our steadfast love that held us together in some pretty rough times. I learned in watching him that you only stay the way you are because no one has taken the time to show you a better, more life-giving way in which to live. I had given Glen that opportunity because God laid it on my heart to make a difference in the lives of these 10 young men. Scripture says in best in Matthew 25:40,

 And the king will answer them, ‘I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.’

I wish I could tell you what happened to those young men after we parted that summer. I was off to college and then, within a few years, I enlisted in the Navy (and that's a bonding story for another day). I do know that 8 out of the 10 guys did make professions of faith at camp that summer... I know that we had Bible studies every two weeks during that summer and I was there to watch as their faith and confidence grew. It has always been my prayer that the commitments they made that summer had a life-long impact on the men they became.  If it did, then the poem that follows is one I penned to celebrate them and the courage it took to rise above their circumstances...so Glen, this one's for you and the boys!!!

Thankful for each of you...Walking in the Way,

WPQ

YOU STAND BY ME...

If you were like the world, you would have long since turned away

And left me with my struggles as I wrestle with life each day.

You would have washed your hands and turned your back on me;

Left me to fight my demons; bound by my destiny.

From  broken home to troubled youth, everyone turned and ran

And left me with my emptiness that no one could understand.

You could have been like all the rest and given up on me

But you, my Lord, had a better plan....one that would set me free.

You sent your one and only Son to show your tender love

And when I came to trust in you, you showered me from above.

With laughter, joy and your sweet peace that filled my life anew....

You sent your Son to ransom me, so I put my faith in you.

A faith so ever fragile that I was sure it could not last;

But down every road that we would travel, I walked further from my past.

I wasn't sure what I could become; never knew who I could be....

But in every step we took together, you were there to stand by me.

So if I live to be a hundred, those years will be too few

To tell the world what you mean to me and all that we've been through.

My list of all I owe you is in the life that the world can see...

And it's all because of who you are and that

YOU ALWAYS STAND BY ME!

WPQ © July 2020

GOOD MEDICINE

With all that we have been going through in our homes, our communities and across our nation, I thought today might be the perfect time to take a big dose of ...GOOD MEDICINE...read on and see what I mean. (The following is a reprint of a blog written 12 years ago, but definitley bears repeating in today's period of tumult and trepidation)

I’m so glad that our Heavenly Father created laughter…in fact, in Proverbs 17:22, it says, “A JOYFUL HEART IS GOOD MEDICINE.” So, today, grab a spoon and take a big dose of laughter (or at least a little chuckle) with these treasures of things I’ve learned.

I’ve learned that life is like a roll of toilet paper;the closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.

I’ve learned that bananas are great food for the elderly;they taste the same going either way.

I’ve learned that love…not time, heals all wounds.

I’ve learned that my memory is not as good as it once was…but sometimes, it’s as good once as it ever was.

I’ve learned that my Dad was smarter than I ever gave him credit for…and I’m so thankful I got to tell him that before he went home to be with the Lord.

I’ve learned that you should always keep your words soft and tender…they’re a lot easier to swallow that way.

I’ve learned that in every missed opportunity….someone was just waiting for theirs to come along.

I’ve learned to smile and smile often….it always increases my face value.

I’ve learned that no one is perfect…until they become the love of your life.

I’ve learned that memories are like my hair….fleeting, but worth holding on to all that I can.

I’ve learned that to ignore the facts….doesn’t change the facts.

I’ve learned that when you harbor resentment or anger….happiness never makes your heart its port-of-call.

I’ve learned that it’s better to be a lover than a fighter…..the boxers are shorter and easier to get in and out of.

But most of all, I’ve learned to be thankful that God doesn’t give us everything we ask for…..what would we have to look forward to if we got everything now.

Make this a weekend of love, laughter and leisure with the ones you love….

WPQ

Poem for the day...

When this old world is getting you down

And you're ready to call it quits.

I've got the perfect remedy...

One that I'm sure will fit!

Just think of all God has done for you

Let a smile overtake your face...

And know that you are living for

A far much better place.

So take a big dose of laughter;

A spoonful of joy and cheer.

And soon you will be thanking Him

For all those you hold so dear.

For our Heavenly Father has promised us

An everlasting life to come;

Where He awaits with open arms

To welcome us finally... HOME!

R U AN OBSERVANT SERVANT?

I don't know about you, but I often find myself regretting missed opportunities for service. Times when a chance to do a good deed goes undone because I was so wrapped up in my own world and the magnitude of my problems. You know, times when you could have let someone out of the parking lot into ongoing traffic, but you just pulled up and blocked their access; all because you were focused on your destination and the time it was taking to get there. Or how about a homeless person, standing feet away from your car at a stop sign? But, after you look both ways and see that the road is clear, you speed ahead, never realizing that a time of blessing just slipped through your fingers.

If only we could teach ourselves to be more observant to our surroundings and the people and opportunities that God places in our daily paths; however, sometimes we may need a little help in knowing that an opportunity even exists....like the story of Elisha and the Shunammite woman found in 2 Kings 4: 8-15.

As the story goes, Elisha traveled through Shuhen on a pretty regular basis and was persuaded by a Shunammite woman to stop at her home and let her feed him. In fact, she even got her husband to build a room on the upper outer wall, complete with table, chair, bed and a lampstand...all the comforts of home that this holy man of God might require to rest from his journeys. This sojourning probably went on for some time, when one day while staying in the room, Elisha called his servant, Gehazi, and ask him to bring the woman to him. As she stood in the doorway, Elisha, seeking to do her a good turn for the kindness she had shown him, asked if he might intercede on her behalf with the king or the commander of the army? She told him that was not necessary and left...which left Elisha puzzled as to what he might do to repay her kindness?

And that's where the story takes a new turn as Elisha asks his servant "What then is to be done for her? To which his servant, Gehazi replies, "Actually, she has no son, and her husband is old."

And why is that important? Because in Old Testament times, if a woman was barren, cultural mores believed she was cursed and should be ashamed by her inability to bear children....and since her husband was old, if he died, she would likely end up impoverished and destitute. So, Elisha had his servant summon her again, and this time as she stood in the doorway, he told her that this time next year, she would hold her son in her arms...AND SHE DID JUST THAT!

And all of this came about because of the observant servant, Gehazi. Now speculation would have us surmise that Elisha just had too much on his mind to see what had to be obvious...she was childless and her husband was old....not a good scenario for a woman in those times. However, his servant was quick with his answer with the perfect kindness that Elisha, through the power of mighty Jehovah, could bestow on this kind and thoughtful woman...a woman who was not a Jew, but knew a man of God when she saw one. She had a need and with a little nudge from a observant servant, the man of God gave her an unspeakable gift in thanks to her and her willingness to show him and his servant the simple kindness of hospitality.

So what does this story say to you and me? First off, God has called each of us to be like His Son,  who came "to seek and to save those who were lost"....to have a servant's heart and to always be ready to give out of our bounty, as well as out of our need. And to do that and do that well, we must be an Observant Servant...ready to see the need; ready to meet the need; and ready to praise the ONE that makes that possible in every situation. So again I will ask...

ARE YOU AN OBSERVANT SERVANT?

Eyes wide open...ready to see, ready to do, ready to serve,

WPQ

Poem for the day....

Our Father has laid before each of us

The opportunity to serve;

But it takes one to be observant

And then to have the nerve.

The nerve to go to the mission field

Or stand beside a hospital bed;

To seek to alleviate the pain and loss

The fear...the hurt...the dread.

The desire to serve when no one will

To lay aside all fears and doubts.

To give ourselves in surrender

When our hearts want to back out.

For if we want to follow Him

And live as His servant....

We must keep our eyes wide open

As we learn to be observant.

WPQ  July 2020

Dealing With Life ...Trusting InGod?

The following is a reprint of a letter written to my daughter that is struggling with the ups and downs in her life and in need of  a word of correction and encouragement. My prayer is that this may touch your spirit as well should you be struggling in your life....

Good Morning Little One...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So my prayer for you is simple....quit arguing with God about the past or even the present and begin to trust Him with the child-like faith that says....

GOD YOU ARE THE SOVEREIGN BEING IN MY LIFE AND I SUBMIT MY WILL TO YOU SO THAT YOU MAY LEAD ME WHERE YOU WANT ME TO GO. MAY MY LIFE BE A TRUE REFLECTION OF YOUR SON AND HIS LOVE AND MAY I QUIT GRUMBLING ABOUT HOW BAD THINGS MAY HAVE BEEN IN MY PAST OR MAY BE IN MY FUTURE. HELP ME TO KNOW THAT YOUR LOVE IS SUFFICIENT FOR ME AND WILL ALWAYS SEE ME THROUGH TO A BETTER AND BRIGHTER FUTURE, ORDAINED BY YOU TO BRING YOU HONOR AND GLORY...AND IN THAT I WILL FIND TRUE HAPPINESS.

AMEN!

R U One of the Few?

Our world is filled with special people of all sizes, shapes and talents; however, there are only a few that breathe that rarified air of being the very best at what they do. Whether professional athlete, star performer or other person of notable acclaim…only a few can  follow the path that leads to stardom and all the trappings that go with it.

The same can be said for those of us that seek to follow Christ; firstly, in our conversion and secondly in our daily walk. Scripture tells us in Matthew 7: 13-14, "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few."

Now let me assure you that I am not saying that you or I can place any claim on being one of the "few" by anything that we do…no amount of good works, amazing talents or concentrated effort on our part can make us a star in the kingdom of God. It is only by the grace of God and His gift of His beloved Son that we can be saved. In fact, it is God himself that leads us to that narrow gate and the Holy Spirit that can usher us through and into the realm of everlasting life.

In fact, when left to our own design, we end up following Proverbs 16:25; "There is a way (path, my translation) that seems right to man, but in the end it leads to death (destruction, my translation)."

God, our Creator, knew that we would seek Him…that's why we were created…to seek holy fellowship with Him; but sin changed all that… and ever since the fall of man, we having been trying to rebuild that relationship on our own…and that my friend, ONLY LEADS TO DESTRUCTION AND ETERNAL DEATH.

Yes, you can spend your life trying to be "good enough" to get into God's perfect heaven so that you may spend eternity with Him…but that path only leads to an eternal HELL; and unfortunately, you will have plenty of company. However, the path that leads to heaven has already been walked by our Savior, Jesus Christ, who carried His cross to Calvary and there bore my sin, your sin and the sin of all mankind so that we might enter the narrow gate and be one of the "few" that will be forever with the Father.

Are you one of the few? Can you claim Jesus as your Redeemer and Friend? Are you heaven bound when your time on this earth is over? If you can't answer that question with a resounding "YES", then let's talk! I would love to introduce you to my Savior and Friend and share with you how you can become one of the few….a Child of the King!

Choosing the gate that leads home to the Father,

WPQ

Poem for the day...

I want to walk with Jesus

Every step along life's way;

But narrow is the path

That I must walk today.

So walk with me, dear Savior;

Hold me close to you each day;

So other's will know I belong to you

And join me along the way!

WPQ  May'15

BE STILL...

David, the great King of Israel and a man after God’s own heart, knew the secret to a lasting and fulfilling relationship with our Creator. His life was filled with action and adventure, wars and conquest, money and fame; in fact, this list could go on for days on end and I could not describe all the turmoil and tumultuous activity that characterized the life of this great Biblical hero. In his book of Psalms, we find that so many of David’s songs of praise center on the theme of coming to a quiet place to spend time with the great and mighty Jehovah God.

In Psalm 46:10, in eight simple life-changing, life giving words, David gives each of us the secret to a life fulfilled in relationship with our Heavenly Father…." BE STILL, AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.” I have read and quoted this verse literally thousands of times in my Christian walk, but it wasn’t until recently that I noticed the comma (,)...

Be still , !

But, there it is ….we are to be still, to pause, to think, to contemplate, to meditate…..to come to the stark realization that GOD is GOD. He is sovereign, in charge, in complete control and nothing, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING HAS EVER CAUGHT HIM BY SURPRISE!!!!!

And yet, if we are to know Him, we MUST be still. We must cast out all the cares and concerns of this world, the things that drag us now and keep our focus from thinking about Him. Until we learn to do that; to be still and to think about Him, what He wants and what pleases Him, we can not get to the best part of the scripture….what comes after the comma.

God wants to impart the knowledge of Him to each of us …to have that personal, first-name basis that we each desire. And He’s waiting for us to do just one thing, BE STILL!!!!! If we will take the time to do as David did and “lie down in green pastures, beside the still waters” and in those quiet moments, be still…we will come to  know the one true God who manifested himself in His Son, Jesus Christ... We will know Him and we will be known by Him.

I trust that today you know him as confidant, Savior and friend…if not, just be still! He’s waiting for you to know Him…intimately and eternally.

If you don’t know Him, I’ll be happy to make the introduction.

Loving Jesus…a Friend for all Seasons,

WPQ

Poem for the day....

The Father in Heaven is waiting for you

To lay down your work and all you've got to do.

To take the time to know Him and to follow His will....

But to do this my friend, you must learn to Be Still!

You must learn to push back all the cares of the day

As you spend time with Him to walk in His way;

To gather your thoughts and in quiet.... meditate.

Don't spend time in worry about all that's on your plate.

Just sit down in green pastures in the recesses of your mind

And as you spend time in His presence, there you will find;

The joy of the Lord, now living inside of you....

And His peace will overshadow in all that you do.

Yes, the life you're living comes at you from all sides;

And from its pain and sorrow, you can't run and hide.

But when you spend time with the Father and seek His Holy will

Then a life of peace and serenity your Father will fill.

And all the joys of knowing HIM will come,

when YOU... LEARN TO BE STILL!!!!!

W. PATRICK QUEEN © JULY 2020

Is Christ the Lord of Your Life?

Poem of the day....

Is Jesus Christ the Lord of your Life?

On Him do you bestow all your praise?

Do you surrender your all

And together stand tall.....

As you walk in the light of His ways?

Do you share His great love that flows from above?

Does your life show others you care?

Do you take time to pray

In the midst of your day.....

Are you willing with others to share?

Can others see Jesus in the life that you lead?

Do they want to know Him as you do?

Will they make a new start

And surrender their heart....

Because Jesus is living in you?

So the question my friend as you come to your end

And your life fades like the setting sun;

Was Christ Lord of your life

Through the pain and the strife....

Will He whisper to you, "WELL DONE!"

W. Patrick Queen © July 2020

HOW GREEN IS YOUR GRASS?

I am sitting in my office this morning, looking out at perhaps the greenest grass I have ever seen in the yard that surrounds our condo here in Murrells Inlet, SC. It has achieved this magnificent color due to at least two reasons.... 1) it has been extremely well-watered this month and 2) I am not the one that takes care of it. In fact, when rain is not it's source of refreshment, we have a sprinkler system to use to take up the deficiency of diminished rainfall; however, with all the rain we have had in June, it has never once been employed to do its job.

So what happens when our grass in not watered so abundantly? It withers and turns a sandy shade of brown (could be the topsoil shining through)...and it is not a very pretty sight. Yes, everyone wants to have a healthy, GREEN lawn in the summer; but, if the rain does not fall and there is no other system in place, BROWN BECOMES THE NEW GREEN.

The same can happen in our spiritual lives as we go about our daily living. If we are plugged into the  "Living Water" that is Jesus and are given our daily refreshment and nourishment from His Holy Word...we can cultivate and grow our lives to be as God intended...FULL OF GRACE,  MERCY AND LOVE THAT WE CAN BESTOW ON ALL THOSE WE ENCOUNTER IN OUR DAILY WALK WITH HIM.

Perhaps the apostle Peter said it best when he wrote, "For all flesh is like grass, and all its glory like a flower of the grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord endures forever. And this word is the gospel that was proclaimed to you." 1 Peter 1:24-25

I am confident when I write this that no one entered into a relationship with Christ and expected that we would naturally grow in Him, have meaningful fellowship, build an enduring friendship or grow to be whom God intended us to be without having to do SOMETHING ON OUR PART.  To think otherwise would be like throwing handfuls of grass seed on brown dirt; walking away and coming back in several weeks (or months), pushing a lawn mower, planning to mow our gorgeous, healthy green lawn....that's totally ridiculous thinking!

Yet, it amazes me that many young followers (an elderly saints as well) treat their relationship with Christ in such a manner. They attend church, bring their Bibles and follow along as the pastor reads his text for his weekly sermon; but once back inside the comforts of home, their Bible is place on the desk or in the bookcase, waiting for the next Sunday to roll around so the cycle can begin again. If you watered your lawn like this....what color would you expect it to be?

So let me ask again...HOW GREEN IS YOUR GRASS? Are you proud of the color of your spiritual lawn? Is it getting all the  "living water" and spiritual nutrients that it needs so that others will see your life and think, "Now that's what I call a GREEN lawn!"

If you are spending time in the Word of God which never fades nor falters but endures and energizes forever, then I believe that you are well on your way to making sure that brown grass will not be what others see when they look at the lawn you are cultivating with and for the Lord.

And one last thought concerning the sprinkler system I mentioned before....it is there as a backup plan, not there to replace the original watering system of God's abundant rain. For in our spiritual lives, if we allow the substitutes of religious meetings, activities, fundraisers for good causes, and other worthwhile endeavors to take the place of spending time in God's Word, totally  focused on Him, it will not be long before we begin to see brown patches taking over our once green grass. Yes, every sprinkler system has its costs and since they are there to backup and not be a substitute for the REAL THING, you must be careful how you use this system. If you are not very careful, you might have brown grass growing everywhere before you know it....and let's face it, brown grass is NOT A PRETTY SIGHT ......and it can take a long time, possibly at some great costs, to restore what once was GREEN!

Digging deep into God's Word...Living for the Abundant Rain,

WPQ

Poem for the day....

I began a brand new walk

When Christ came to live in me.

Not knowing what would lie ahead

Or what He would ask of me?

But His requests were quiet simple

As each day would begin anew;

He wanted me to walk with Him

And to His cause be true...

To love those who were unlovable,

To help mend a broken heart;

To lift up the weak, downtrodden

Is always a place to start.

So as I make this journey

With Christ walking by my side;

I'll gladly go where He directs

As my friend and lifelong guide.

W.  Patrick Queen © July 2020