The Secret to a Happy New Year…

Just about everyone starts off the New Year by making a few, well-thought out New Year’s resolutions. In fact, I would venture to guess that most of us reason that if we will remain true to our vision of a better “you” and will commit ourselves to the fulfillment of our resolutions…we will enjoy a truly HAPPY New Year. The sad fact of the matter is that RARELY EVER HAPPENS.

So, in order to insure that you and my other faithful reader enjoy a blissful and extremely HAPPY New Year, I have decided to share my secret with you; although in truth, it really belongs to the apostle Paul. He wrote in Philippians 4:11-12 the following, “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low and I know how to abound. In any and EVERY circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.”

And there it is, my friend….in a few simple sentences, the great apostle Paul tells us the secret to happiness….for life, health, wealth and everything else. We need to learn contentment….whether in good times or bad, whether happy or sad, in want or abundance; we need the following mindset...LEARN TO BE CONTENT AND YOU WILL BE HAPPY! Now, I know that sounds almost too simplistic and as you stand there scratching your head, think on this….We learn contentment when we abandon comparison….It is the constant use of comparison that leads to discontentment. If we buy a new car that meets our needs, we have reason to be happy…. until we compare our ride to that of our boss or neighbor or anyone else who has a newer, sleeker model. The bloom of comparison leads to the seeds of discontent and there goes the joy and happiness that was once ours.

Time after time after time, when we compare what others have with what we don’t have, we tear down our foundation to happiness. We need to see what we have as sufficient for our needs…as God’s measured blessing to insure our happiness and to keep us focused on doing His will; however, whenever you trade your contentment for discontentment, you become myopic in your vision for the Lord’s work and in His will for your life. You become so self-centered in looking at what you don’t have that you are rarely thankful for what God has given….this is more than just seeing the glass as half-empty or half-full….it is a greater truth that speaks to the heart of who you are and who you want to be in Jesus Christ.

Contentment is a learned response to the actions of a loving God….you can choose to be happy with little or with much…with great wealth or abject poverty….with exceptional wellness or poor health….the list is inexhaustible ….but the choice is always yours ….and the correct choice will lead to contentment and happiness that is often inexplicable to those who view your life from outside the faith.

 So, learn this invaluable lesson that Paul sought to teach each of us….in EVERY SITUATION, in EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE….don’t look around to see if others have more or less than you…learn to be content in your situation….then you will be able to live in the fullness of verse 13 in Philippians 4 that says, “I can do all things through Him that gives me strength.” Choose today to be a person that lives with a flexible cup that is always ready to expand or contract  based on the Lord’s provisions…it is a mindset that will lead to contentment and one step closer to living a life that will honor your Heavenly Father….get started today; and oh, by the way, this is a secret that is okay to share with those you love….I know that’s what I intend to do.

Go On…..Make it a Happy New Year,

WPQ

 

Poem for the day:

Every year about this time,

The calendar begins to shrink...

And we are left to wonder,

To ponder and to think.

 

Am I happy with what I have

Or am I a discontent...

That squanders all my blessings

Wondering where my money went?

 

For when I trust in the things I have

I'm left feeling empty and wanting more.

My joy and happiness come and go

Like living life in a revolving door.

 

But when I give my all to my Master;

My Savior...My Lord...My King!!!!

My heart is overflowing and

My soul will shout and sing...

 

Hosannas to HIM in the highest

I'm thankful for whatever comes my way.

I'm always blessed beyond measure

And thankful for each new day!

 

Make this new year your BEST ever...and give your Heavenly

Father the praise and adoration that He is due!

 

 

WPQ © Dec 2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AND THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD IS....

I had a VERY illuminating experience early this morning. While lying in bed, I realized the bedroom was VERY cold, especially with the temperature hovering around 0 degrees; so, I grabbed the little remote to my portable heater, hit the "ON" switch and listened for the sound of upcoming warmth...NOTHING HAPPENED; SO, I rose from my bed to see what was the matter and what to my eyes should suddenly appear....TOTAL DARKNESS...THE POWER TO OUR ALL ELECTRIC HOME WAS OUT!!!! So as not to awaken my beautiful wife from her restful sleep, I grabbed my trusty flashlight (that is always next to my side of the bed), went into the family room and lit some candles. This allowed me to better determine that indeed the power was out and THE HEAT WAS NOT RUNNING.

So, I returned to the bedroom, pulled on some heavy sweats and turtleneck and climbed back in bed. While lying there in the darkness, with just the hint of light coming from the candles in the adjacent room, it was at that moment, when I asked the Lord to get the lights back on, I came to fully realize how much I have for which I should give thanks...SO THAT'S WHAT I DID!!!

As I gazed into the shroud of darkness that filled my bedroom, I began to thank God that there was a roof over my head; that I had warm clothes to put on; that I was in a warm bed, with quilts and blankets covering me from my bald head to my socked feet below. I had a heater (waiting on the power to come back on) that would begin to warm my room and a HVAC system that would once again bring warmth to our home....and most of all, there was a tireless, well-trained power company employee, just outside our house, that was at work to restore our power and all the things that fill our house with joy when the power is on!!!!

So what else did God teach this old man this morning in the darkness? He taught me that it was not that long ago, when this world was plunged into darkness; when there in the perfect garden that He had created for His most wonderful creations, Adam and Eve willingly chose to disobey the one simple thing God told them not to do...and that first bite of that apple plunged this world into the darkness of sin and evil....and it remained that way for thousands of years...but as time rolled on through the ages, God's plan to redeem His creations came into being "at just the right time."

The Holy Scriptures tell us in Luke 2:1, "At the right time in those days, Caesar Augustus sent out word that the name of every person in the Roman nation must be written in the books of the nation."  (New Life Version).... and thus began the story that we all know as "The Christmas Story." In this decree by Caesar Augustus, Joseph took Mary, who was "great with child" and they began their journey to Bethlehem. Upon arrival and finding no place in the inn in which to rest, they made their way to the barn where THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD...THE BABY JESUS....THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD WAS BORN!

And that light is still ALIVE AND WELL in the hearts, minds and souls of those who know this Christ-child as the KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS...who upon leaving His royal throne, laying down His crown and taking on the mortal being of man; came to earth in human form and debased himself, so that we might see GOD, face-to-face...

 EMMANUAEL...GOD WITH US!!! And that story is still true in every heart and mind of every believer that knows without a shadow of doubt that Christ came as a babe; died as a spotless lamb on a cruel cross to pay our sin debt; and then on the third day, through the miraculous power of our Almighty God, rose again and is now once again, at the right hand of the Father, just waiting for God's command to "go get my children and bring them HOME to me!"

So this Christmas season, please don't stumble around in the darkness, looking in all the wrong places for something or someone to fill that empty hole in your life....that hole belongs to Jesus! For only He can save the "sin-sick soul" and fill it with love, joy and peace everlasting....and that all will happen when you allow the baby Jesus to become the LIGHT OF YOUR LIFE....

THE KING OF KING WHO IS COMING BACK TO TAKE US HOME TO THE FATHER!!!!

Thankful for all....Living in the LIGHT...Shining for HIM,

 WPQ

 

 

NO ROOM IN THE INN

I was tired, weary; it had been a long, long day

When came the knock at the door; I turned to walk away,

But peering out the window, there on the dusty street

A young man, his pregnant wife…stood shuffling their feet.

 

He knocked again upon my door and pleaded to let him in.

I opened the door just a crack and said, “There’s no room in this Inn.”

“Please, dear sir,” I heard him beg, “don’t turn us away,

We’ve been traveling for so long; my wife needs a place to lay.”

 

“Be gone,” was my curt reply, “there’s no room in this place;

You should have made better plans; your steps you should retrace.

Go back to your home, for this small town is filled to its brim.

There’s not a room to be found in this little village of Bethlehem.”

 

“I can’t go back” was his reply, “I must follow Caesar’s decree,

I’ve returned to my ancestral home…my wife and our child to be.”

I closed the door and turned to go for there was much that must be done;

 What with guests to feed and beds to make before the setting of the sun.

 

But walking down the hallway of my busy, bustling inn

I thought of that young family and how I spoken then;

Sorrow filled my heavy heart …Oh, how I wish that I was able

To give them shelter for the night. Wait! What about the stable?

 

So turning on my heel, I raced to open the closed door

To catch a fleeting glimpse of this young family once more.

“Come my son,” I said to him, “I think I might have some room;

Away from the dirty streets; away from the despair and gloom.”

 

“It isn’t what I would want for you; but, maybe it will meet your need.

It’s warm, dry and quiet…it’s where the cattle feed.”

So there Joseph and sweet Mary, safe from the city’s danger

Began to prepare their baby’s bed …a lowly cattle’s manger.

 

The time came late that night that she would deliver

In swaddling clothes she wrapped her son so he wouldn’t shiver.

The sky had such a wondrous glow…darkness gave way to light

I knew not why, but my heart was warmed on that special, glorious night.

 

For in my haste and weariness, I almost missed His birth

The night the Holy Son of God came down to live on earth

My life was full; my heart was cold…there was no room for Him then

I turned away God’s most precious gift for there was no room in the Inn.

 

Oh, don’t be too busy…too filled with life’s chores

To turn away the Savior from behind a closed door

Just let his love envelop you and know beyond all reason

To celebrate His birth each year is the greatest gift of this season.

 

W. Patrick Queen

December 14, 2007

 

The Innkeeper....Turning Away

One of the great joys of each Christmas season is spending time with friends and family…being close to the ones you love. But, often that joy is pushed to the limits due to the hassle of getting to our separate and often distant locations….on time and in good spirits.

What if you traveled for days and when you finally reached your destination, you were told there was no place for you to stay…not a single room to be found….ANYWHERE! You would be highly bummed out and probably a little on the cranky side…but what if you were the bearer of those bad tidings …and what if the couple you turned away were expecting a child and were in desperate need of shelter and warmth….how would you feel? Just think for a moment of that very first trip of the very first Christmas family …
Our next character of Christmas is not officially listed in the program, but in every child-like play of the Christmas story, he has the toughest part, even though he speaks but one line…."I’m sorry but I have no room in the inn."

Here’s the rest of his story…and please, if you identify with the innkeeper, then

May God Bless You as You Open Your Heart to the Babe in the Straw…..


NO ROOM IN THE INN

I was tired, weary; it had been a long, long day
When came the knock at the door; I turned to walk away,
But peering out the window, there on the dusty street
A young man, his pregnant wife…stood shuffling their feet.

He knocked again upon my door and pleaded to let him in.
I opened the door to tell him, “There’s no room in this Inn.”
“Please, dear sir,” I heard him beg, “don’t turn us away,
We’ve been traveling for so long; my wife needs a place to lay.”

“Be gone,” was my curt reply, “there’s no room in this place;
You should have made better plans; your steps you should retrace.
Go back to where you come from; this small town is filled to its brim.
There’s not a room to be found in this little village of Bethlehem.”

“I can’t go back” came the reply, “I must follow Caesar’s decree,
I’ve returned to my ancestral home…my wife and our child to be.”
I closed the door and turned to go; there was much that must be done,
With guests to feed and beds to make before the setting of the sun.

But walking down the hallway of my busy, bustling inn
I thought of that young family and how I spoken then;
Sorrow filled my heavy heart … how I wished that I was able
To give them shelter for the night. Wait! What about the stable?

So turning on my heel, I raced to open the closed door
To catch a fleeting glimpse of this young family once more.
“Come my son,” I said to him, “I think I have some room
Out of the dust and dirt; away from the despair and gloom.”

“It isn’t what I would want for you; but, maybe it will meet your need.
It’s warm, dry and quiet…it’s where the cattle feed.”
So there Joseph and sweet Mary, safe from the city’s danger
Began to prepare their baby’s bed …a lowly cattle’s manger.

The time grew late but this was the night that she would deliver
In swaddling clothes she wrapped her son so he wouldn’t shiver.
The sky had such a wondrous glow…darkness gave way to light
I knew not why, but my heart was warmed on that special, glorious night.

For in my haste and weariness, I almost missed His birth
The night the Holy Son of God came down to live on earth.
My life was full; my heart was cold…there was no room for Him then
I turned away God’s most precious gift for there was no room in the Inn.

Oh, don’t be too busy…too filled with life’s chores
To turn away the Savior from behind a closed door
Just let his love envelop you and know beyond all reason
To celebrate His birth each year is the greatest gift of this season.


W. Patrick Queen
December 2007

 

A BABY CHANGES EVERYTHING…

 Just a few days ago, on December 20th, my wife and I celebrated the 31st birthday of our daughter, Alyson…and as her mother and I took a moment to walk down memory lane, I was reminded of that age-old truth…A BABY CHANGES EVERYTHING!

I remember that during those long months of expectancy, I took a simple note card and in my rudimentary calligraphy wrote the following and placed it in Alyson’s crib….

COMING SOON…..ALYSON TAYLOR QUEEN.

As a father, expecting his first (and in my case, only child), I was filled with fear, trepidation and anxious moments as I anticipated this new arrival….would I be a good father? Would I know what to do and how to protect this small child? Would I, could I and should I filled my every thought, for as I have mentioned before….A BABY CHANGES EVERYTHING!

I’m sure that was true on that first Christmas night, two thousand plus years ago, as Mary and her betrothed husband unloaded the donkey and began to make a birthing bed for Mary. They probably waited in silence, huddled together to stave off  the cold night air as they awaited the miracle of birth. The cattle stirring and the bleating sound of the sheep interrupted their thoughts of what had happened in days past ….and look where they were now…for we all know….

A BABY CHANGES EVERYTHING…..ESPECIALLY WHEN HE IS THE SON OF GOD!!!!

And now, as another Christmas eve draws near(and 2,000 plus years later) the same is true….A BABY CHANGES EVERYTHING….for that was God’s intent all along. Through His prophet Isaiah, God foretold, “For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

God came to us in a form and in a way that we could understand….He came as a baby and through His birth, His life, His death and His glorious resurrection, HE HAS CHANGED EVERYTHING. No longer does the notion that God is mad at us hold water...that He is hell bent on our destruction because of our sin and disobedience….He has shown His great love for each of us because He sent His son…His only Son to take our place; to pay our debt; to forgive our sins; to cleanse us from all unrighteousness; to make us a new creation; to give us eternal life as a free gift from Him….and it all started with a baby.

It is my hope that you know the Christ-child of Christmas not only as the babe in the manger, but as the Christ on the cross. I pray that the babe of Bethlehem lives in your heart and is the Lord and Savior of your life. I trust that for you this baby, God’s son, is the BABY THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING FOR YOU.

If not, why not?

Don’t let another day go by without the acknowledgement that you need a savior. Accept today that the baby born to Mary and Joseph so very long ago is the baby that changes everything …and if you are willing to confess that He is Lord and that His death on the cross paid your sin debt, you will have eternal life… and your forever life, in the presence of the Heavenly Father, starts the moment you invite this baby into your heart.

Trust your heart to the babe, God’s Son, EMMANUEL….GOD IS WITH US!

Be Blessed and Know that He is God,

 WPQ

 

Poem for the Day:

Born that night in a cattle stall,

This one babe to die for all...

God's most precious gift was born

In a manger laid on Christmas morn.

Shepherds and Angels announced His birth

Glory to God...Peace on the Earth.

And with the Wisemen let us bring

Our precious gifts to Christ the King.

In each heart may the Savior's reign

Fill the skies and the lowest plains;

With our praise and everlasting joy

And all because of Mary's baby boy.

 

W. Patrick Queen @ December 2015

 

 

A CHRISTMAS ANDREW...Bringing Others to Jesus!

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 and 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. 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 a CHRISTMAS 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

 

 

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

 

The Eloquent Story of Christmas...by Paul Harvey

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 moved to tears as Paul Harvey, in his most eloquent manner, told this story. In fact, my eyes were filling with tears so much I had 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!!!!

A reprint of my former blog begins with 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 living room window.

Well, he couldn't let the poor creatures lie there and freeze, so he thought of the barn where his children stabled their pony; surely 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 whistling 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  Emmanuel.....GOD IS FOREVER WITH US!!!

Merry Christmas….Happy Birthday, Jesus!
WPQ

The Truth of Christmas

 Many stories have been told

Of that night so long ago;

When the shepherds left their flocks

And to Bethlehem did go...

There to find a tiny babe

And a maiden so young and fair.

They could not fully understand

It was God who was lying there. 

The babe was wrapped in swaddling clothes,

Yet, no crying did he make;

And the message of the angels

To the silent town they'd take.

So all who they encountered

Would know that on this wondrous night;

The King of Heaven had come to earth

And  darkness was expelled by the LIGHT....

 

AND THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD IS JESUS!!!!!

 

W. Patrick Queen © December 2019

HONORING MY FRIEND...JOEL DRIVER

The poem that follows is new and was written today in honor of one of my childhood friends that was my back-door neighbor, JOEL DRIVER. Joel is battling a rare disease, Adrenal Cortical Carcinoma and the doctors have not given him a good prognosis. He refused any treatment since they could not offer any hope, even with surgery, chemo or the chance at a better quality of life; so he has courageously battled this disease, facing each new battle head on. I ask you to join me in prayer for Joel in the days that lie ahead that he might find comfort in the love of family and grace and mercy in at the hands of Jesus. This could well be his last Christmas with his family, so I pray that the love and support of his family and friends will be ever present as a constant reminder of how much he is LOVED AND CHERISHED!!!

JOEL, MY FRIEND...THIS POEM IS FOR YOU!!!

JESUS IS THE REASON...

The story of the Christ child

And the way that it unfolds;

Is a story that bears repeating

No matter how many times it's told.

It is a story of God's great love for us;

The night that Heaven came to earth;

As the angels welcomed the tiny babe

Who was born of a virgin birth.

The angels in one great chorus

Declared to the shepherd throng;

"Peace on Earth, goodwill to men...

'Twas the message of the angels song.

The shepherds hurried off to see

This wonder to them proclaimed;

Not knowing that the Son of God

Had come to earth to claim....

The soul of every Child of God

Would nail Him to that tree...

As He would shed His precious blood

On that hill called Calvary.

So that everyone who would believe

The message the angels did sing;

Would seek His will in obedience

As they worshiped the Christ-child KING!!!

So let us not forget this tiny child

Who should be the center of this season;

For in every heart that He indwells

Knows that JESUS IS THE REASON!!!!

So to everyone who believes in Him

Let the message ring loud and clear...

Share the Good News of Christmas JOY

With all those that you hold dear!!!!

WPQ © December 2022

A SIMPLE CHOICE...CHOOSE WISELY AND DO IT TODAY!

 We all got to this planet with one question WE MUST ANSWER....

WHERE WILL YOU SPEND ETERNITY?

THE CHOICE IS REALLY QUITE SIMPLE...CHOOSE JESUS AS YOUR SAVIOR AND HEAVEN WILL BE YOUR HOME! CHOOSE ANY OTHER ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION AND HELL WILL BE YOUR ETERNAL RESTING PLACE....NOT BECAUSE WE HAVE AN ANGRY GOD WHO WANTS TO PUNISH US...RATHER WE HAVE A HOLY, RIGHTEOUS GOD THAT SURROUNDS HIMSELF WITH PERFECTION.

AND SINCE NONE OF US, EVEN ON OUR BEST DAY, ARE PERFECT; GOD HAS MADE THE ONLY WAY TO COME TO HIM FOR OUR SALVATION THROUGH THE DEATH OF JESUS CHRIST. IT IS HE, AND HE ALONE, WHO BOUGHT AND PAID FOR OUR SINS WITH HIS DEATH UPON THAT BEAUTIFUL, TERRIBLE CROSS.

SO CHOOSE WISELY AND DO IT TODAY!!! TOMORROW MAY COME AND IF YOU HAVE NOT ANSWERED THIS ALL IMPORTANT QUESTION BY INVITING JESUS TO COME INTO YOUR HEART AND MAKE YOU A NEW CREATION IN HIM ....YOUR ANSWER WILL SIMPLY BE....I CHOOSE HELL AND THE ETERNAL SEPARTION FROM MY HEAVENLY FATHER AS MY FINAL ETERNAL DESTINATION. REMEMBER THIS.... NO MAN KNOWS THE HOUR OF HIS DEMISE. I PRAY YOU MAKE THAT DECISION AND SAY "YES TO JESUS" BEFORE YOUR TIME IS UP!


A Simple Choice
We all must make a simple choice as we travel along life's road.
Plan to make it on our own or find someone to share life's load?
Do we take the straight, widest road, skipping merrily on our way?
Or choose the bumpy, narrow road filled with peril for us each day?
It really should be an easy choice; one that brings us joy and love;
But try to make it on our own, we may lose God's favor from above.
So make the clear, simple choice; choose the road less traveled on...
For you final destination lies ahead...with Heaven as your HOME!!!

WPQ © May 2022

IS THERE RUST ON YOUR TRUST?

I have a gas grill on the back deck at our home in the North Carolina mountains and on almost any Summer or Fall evening, you will probably find me, grill spatula in hand, flipping something meaty and tasty on that grill. I have had this grill for almost two years and I must admit, I have not exercised the kind of care that was needed to keep it in pristine or even good conditions.

There have been more than a few occasions when I have finished cooking our supper on the grill;  then, I head inside to enjoy the "fruits of my labor." In doing this,  I have left the grill top open and the whole unit uncovered. If I had done that only a time or two, no big deal; however, in my laziness of multiple times of not taking care of the grill, I have began to notice some disturbing brown spots on the grill plates and other utensils I use in cooking...those spots are RUST...

SOMETHING THAT IS NOT BENEFICIAL TO MY GRILL OR THE FOOD THAT IS COOKED ON THOSE GRILL PLATES...which got me thinking about the sermon our pastor shared last Sunday...how we are to TRUST GOD FOR HE IS TRUSTWORTHY!!!

 Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.

You would think this Scripture would be a simple task for us as believers to follow...TRUST GOD AND FOLLOW WHERE HE LEADS, RIGHT?

But here's the rub, and it's found in a Matthew 6: 25-28, where Jesus instructs his disciples by saying, "“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? ²⁷ Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? (New Living Translation)

Yes, the Master had to call his disciples out on how they were living...THEY WERE TRUSTING IN WHAT THEY COULD SEE  RATHER TRUSTING IN THE ONE THAT IS UNSEEN BUT WHO IS ALWAYS TRUSTWORTHY....OUR HEAVENLY FATHER GOD!!!

You see when we worry about our circumstances, get strung out with anxiety about things we THINK might happen or just find ourselves in a funk over life, we are letting RUST begin to CORRODE OUR  TRUST.... AND A BELIEVER'S LIFE THAT DOES NOT EXUDE TRUST FOR OTHERS TO SEE IS A LIFE THAT PRETTY SOON WILL LOOK LIKE THE LIFE OF AN UNBELIEVER. Besides, as Christ asks so poignantly, "who can use worry to add a SINGLE moment to your life?"

Let's be real....when we worry over things which may or may not happen; worry over bills, money, health problems, or other concerns of life; what are we really saying to God? Probably something like these... 

1) God you are Good, but I need Great in my situation

2) God my problems are SO big, I need a miracle

3) God, I love you; but I'm not sure even you can fix my problem

4) God I love you, but I can't help but worry about my life

 And there are probably many more excuses that we tell ourselves so that our worry becomes our comfort rather than putting our TRUST in the God who created us and sent His Son to save us. 

Rust in our Trust is a slow, almost imperceptible, conditioning of allowing our fears to well up in our minds as we spend our energy worrying about what might be rather than trusting in a God that says as we acknowledge who He is, the Power He holds, the love He bestows...the more we will see Him guide and direct our steps to lead us through any storm that life may bring our way.

So how do we knock the RUST OFF OUR TRUST...Just follow the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:33-34 which says,  "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. ³⁴ “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today." (Matthew 6:33-34 NLT)

So my final question to you today is...WHAT ME WORRY?  And our unanimous answer as His sons and daughters should be.... NO WAY!!!  FOR MY GOD IS TRUSTWORTHY AND I CAN PLACE MY LIFE IN HIS HANDS FOR HE CARES FOR ME!!!!

Knocking off the rust on my trust....following where He leads,

WPQ

 

POEM FOR THE DAY....

The Bible is our Guide Book

For the journey that lies ahead;

We can face the coming unknown

With excitement or with dread?

 

We can believe in the Father

And the love He has for us...

As we search His Holy Scriptures

There's a few things that we must...

 

We must TRUST in His Holy will

And the plans He brings to bear;

We must take our worries to the Throne

And gladly leave them there!

 

We must love our fellow neighbors

And our enemies as well...

As we seek to share His saving grace

That keeps us each from Hell.

 

So don't let the Devil do to you 

What he's done to the unjust...

Just live your life in service

And keep the Rust off your TRUST!

 

WPQ © October 2022

I HAVE A FRIEND IN JESUS....

I have a friend in Jesus;

He's all I'll ever need.

And I began my journey

With the faith of a mustard seed.

 I know that He is with me;

He is with me to the end...

And He will not forsake me; 

He's my closest, dearest friend.

 

He's always there to pick me up

Should life's trials knock me down.

He's always there to guide me

When my friends cannot be found.

 I gave my life to Jesus

For I know He cares for me....

He proved His Love forever

When He died on Calvary's tree.

 

So I will not forsake the One

Who loves beyond compare...

Whose always just a prayer away;

I can see Him standing there.

Waiting there with open arms,

He is longing for my embrace...

And I, in turn, am longing

To see my Savior's face.

 

So I have no fear of what lies ahead;

For Jesus will see me through.

And if you invite Him to become your friend....

He'll do all the same for YOU!!!

 

 

WPQ © July 2022

Prayer...A Great Gift From God

LIFE IS HARD...AND WITHOUT FAITH IN GOD, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO LIVE IT OUT TO OUR GREATEST POTENTIAL. PRAYER IS ONE OF OUR STRONGEST CONNECTIONS TO GOD. WE SHARE WHAT IS ON OUR HEARTS AND HIDDEN OFTEN DEEP WITHIN OUR SOULS...AND GOD HEARS FROM HEAVEN AND SENDS HIS REPLY. IT MAY COME IN  THE FORM OF A STRANGER DOING A KIND DEED FOR YOU; IT MAY BE YOU DOING A KIND DEED FOR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IN NEED...OR ANY OF A THOUSAND OTHER WAYS; BUT GOD ALWAYS MEETS THE NEEDS OF HIS CHILDREN AND HE IS NEVER LATE...ALWAYS ON TIME.

Now, I do not know if this story is true, but if you are a believer then you have probably already experienced the AWESOMENESS OF GOD in some similar or other miraculous outpouring of His Love thorough answered prayer. If not, then pray harder and believe! And if you are having a hard time believing, then ask God for a stronger and more vibrant faith in Him and He will answer that prayer as well. And in closing, if this story, real or imagined, does not stir you to tears, better check your pulse or see and eye doctor to have your tear ducts cleaned.

GOD BLESS YOU AS YOU SEEK HIM IN FAITH AND THROUGH PRAYER AND MAY ALL YOU ASK IN ACCORDANCE WITH HIS WILL BE ADDED UNTO YOU. AMEN!

This is a testimony written  by a doctor who worked in Africa.

One night I had worked hard to help a mother in the labor ward; but in spite of all we could do, she died, leaving us with a tiny, premature baby and a crying two-year-old daughter. We would have difficulty keeping the baby alive; as we had no incubator (we had no electricity to run an incubator). We also had no special feeding facilities. Although we lived on the equator, nights were often chilly with treacherous drafts. One student midwife went for the box we had for such babies and the cotton wool that the baby would be wrapped in.   
Another went to stoke up the fire and fill a hot water bottle. She came back shortly in distress to tell me that in filling the bottle, it had burst (rubber perishes easily in tropical climates).  “And it is our last hot water  bottle!” she exclaimed. As in the West, it is no good crying over spilled milk, so in Central Africa it might be considered no good crying over burst water bottles.  They do not grow on trees, and there are no drugstores down forest pathways. “All right,”  I said,  “put the baby as near the fire as you safely can, and sleep between the baby and the door to keep it free from drafts. Your job is to keep the baby warm.”

The following noon, as I did most days, I went to have prayers with any of the orphanage children who chose to gather with me. I gave the youngsters various suggestions of things to pray about and told them about the tiny baby. I explained our problem about keeping the baby warm enough, mentioning the hot water bottle, and that the baby could so easily die if it got chills. I also told them of the two-year-old sister, crying because her mother had died. During prayer time, one ten -year-old  girl, Ruth, prayed with the usual blunt conciseness of our African children.  “Please, God” she prayed, “Send us a hot water bottle today.  It'll be no good tomorrow, God, as the baby will be dead, so please send it this afternoon.”
While I gasped inwardly at the audacity of the prayer, she added, “And while You are about it, would You please send a dolly for the little girl so she'll know You really love her?” As often with children's prayers, I was put on the spot. Could I honestly say “Amen?” I just did not believe that God could do this.

Oh, yes, I know that He can do everything; the Bible says so. But there are limits, aren't there? The only way God could answer this particular prayer would be by sending me a parcel from the homeland. I had been in Africa for almost four years at that time, and I had never, ever, received a parcel from home.  Anyway, if anyone did send me a parcel, who would put  in a hot water bottle? I lived on the equator!

Halfway through the afternoon, while I was teaching in the nurses' training school, a message was sent that there was a car at my front door. By the time I reached home, the car had gone, but there on the verandah was a large 22-pound parcel. I felt tears pricking my eyes. I could not open the parcel alone, so I sent for the orphanage children. Together we pulled off the string, carefully undoing each knot. We folded the paper, taking care not to tear it unduly.  Excitement was mounting. Some thirty or forty pairs of eyes were focused on the large cardboard box. From the top, I lifted out brightly-colored, knitted jerseys. Eyes sparkled as I gave them out. Then there were the knitted bandages for the leprosy patients, and the children looked a little bored. Then came a box of mixed raisins and sultanas - that would make a batch of buns for the weekend. Then, as I put my hand in again, I  felt the.....could it really be? I grasped it and pulled it out. Yes, a brand new, rubber hot water bottle. I cried.  I had not asked God to send it; I had not truly believed that He could. Ruth was in the front row of the children. She rushed forward, crying out, “If God has sent the bottle, He must have sent the dolly, too!”
Rummaging down to the bottom of the box, she pulled out the small, beautifully-dressed dolly. Her eyes shone! She had never doubted!  Looking up at me, she asked, “Can I go over with you and give this dolly to that little girl, so she'll know that Jesus really loves her?” “Of course,” I replied!

That parcel had been on the way for five whole months, packed up by my former Sunday school class, whose leader had heard and obeyed God's prompting to send a hot water bottle, even to the equator.
And one of the girls had put in a dolly for an African child - five months before, in answer to the believing prayer of a ten-year-old to bring it “that afternoon.”

“Before they call, I will answer.” (Isaiah 65:24)

Prayer is one of the best free gifts we receive. There is no cost, but a lot of rewards. Let's continue to trust in God with all our heart. What a faithful God!!!