A BABY CHANGES EVERYTHING

In just a few days, on December 20th, my wife and I will celebrate  the 32nd 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

 

 

The Timeless Story of Christmas

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

O Tannenbaum, O Perfect Tree…

The  following is a reprint of this post, but it definitely bears repeating....please share as God leads!

This past Friday was one of the best days of the entire Christmas season at the home of the Queens...it was the day we get our Christmas tree. Now, typically, it used to be that our entire family of three piled into the car and took off to a nearby tree lot…or in our days of living in the Georgia Mountains, we would drive up to Franklin, NC to a tree farm and there, cut down the tree of our choice.

But times, they are a changing. This past Friday, our daughter headed for school and though my wife had the day off, she had a “to-do” list a mile long; so that left me to make the trip to the nearby feed and seed store to pick out the “perfect” Christmas tree. I guess, after 20 years of instruction, my wife was confident that I could do this on my own.

So, there I stood, overwhelmed with the selection of over a hundred trees of all sizes, species and prices. I made my way up and down the rows of trees and when I finally got into the area that fit our budget, I began the painstaking process of standing up each tree, shaking it so the limbs would fall out and turning it around to see its good and bad side.

As I spent time alone in the tree yard, I began to hum that old Christmas song, O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum as I carefully surveyed each potential candidate for service in our living room. I remembered my childhood and the times I spent with my Dad as we diligently sought to find the “perfect tree” that would make our Christmas a true holiday celebration of love and joy. I thought of the words in the last verse of the song that says,

 O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, in plainness you were growing

Until we came and brought you here and set your branches glowing.

Your living beauty helps us see how clothed in Christ our lives should be.

O Christmas, O Christmas tree; you lift our eyes toward heaven.

 As I paid the attendant and loaded the tree in the back of my wife’s SUV, I thought that my work was almost done….I would get the tree home, cut the lower branches and set it into the tree stand and then bring it inside our home to its final resting place. Then, sometime, later in the day, my lovely wife and beautiful daughter would begin to adorn this tree with all the memories and treasured ornaments that have become an integral part of our holiday traditions and celebrations…..and with a little help from the foremen of decorating (that’s me), our tree would come to life …it would become the PERFECT TREE. But, for some reason, I could not shake the tune that kept running around in my mind….O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree. How lovely are thy branches? This has been a tough year in our home, as I am sure it has been for many of you…but don’t get caught up in the mentality that everything has to be perfect or Christmas will somehow be diminished….rather, this year, as you prepare to buy and decorate your Christmas tree; take a moment to see this symbol of Christmas as a gift from the Father of lights that reminds us of the perfect gift from heaven….JESUS CHRIST….THE REASON FOR THE SEASON;     FOR HE CAME AS A BABE ….TO DIE ON A TREE…. SO THAT WE WOULD FOREVER BE WITH HIM… O Tannenbaum, O Perfect Tree …..The one Christ bore to Calvary. 

This Christmas keep…..

Looking toward heaven….remembering Christ and His great gift,

WPQ

This poem was written 18 years ago, but its message has never been more relevant that at this time in our culture. May God Bless this little poem and bring it to life in the lives of those who call Jesus... Lord & Savior!

The Perfect Tree

High upon a lonely hill, above the town below

Wintry winds begin to swirl...the snow began to blow.

Trudging through the wintry mix, each step measured like the other,

Walking with my Mom and Dad, my two sisters and my brother.

Off on our yearly conquest to find the perfect tree,

To decorate for Christmas...in one week, it would be.

A time of excitement, of laughter and jubilation,

A special time that makes Christmas such a joyous celebration.

'Twas there upon that precipice stood a tree so small

That everyone overlooked it; because it was not tall.

Its branches looked like matchsticks; its tiny, barren limbs

Barely felt the winter's cold that encircled them.

 Standing so straight like a sentry stands his guard

All alone to keep his watch upon this vacant yard.

My family, they marched onward; but I...I stopped to see

This tiny miracle of God...this sparse unproven tree.

I pleaded with my Mom and Dad, "Let's take this little tree!

I know it doesn't look like much, but imagine its possibilities..."

A row of lights, some shiny balls; the tinsel placed just right.

It would be the center of attention on that very special night.

For I'm sure that the shepherds, and quite possibly the wise men too

Wondered about a tiny child and what he would someday do;

To set God's people free from sin; to fill those he met with grace...

For those who gazed on the manger's babe had seen the Father's face.

So, in each Christmas season, remember that the perfect tree

Is the one they made into the Cross of Christ…

The one He bore to Calvary.

For the real story of each Christmas Season

Has special meaning for you and me

When we understand our Father's Love and remember

The Perfect Tree!

 

W. Patrick Queen @ Christmas 2000

KEEPING THE MAIN THING...THE MAIN THING!

 If you are like most of the people you know and work with these days, you probably got up this  morning and were already behind for the day regarding all the things you need to get done. Yes, it seems like no matter how hard or fast we work, we always seem to be rushing, running and wrestling with getting things done in a quick and orderly fashion….and that’s not good for our blood pressure…or our walk with Christ.

In fact, that story line dates all the way back to the time of Jesus when he stopped for a short visit with some friends of his….Mary, Martha and their brother, Lazarus.

Luke 10:38-42 from The Message reads, “As they continued their travel, Jesus entered a village. A woman by the name of Martha welcomed him and made him feel quite at home. She had a sister, Mary, who sat before the Master, hanging on every word he said. But Martha was pulled away by all she had to do in the kitchen. Later, she stepped in, interrupting them. ‘Master, don’t you care that my sister has abandoned the kitchen to me? Tell her to lend me a hand.” The Master said, ‘Martha, dear Martha, you’re fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing. One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it—it’s the main thing and won’t be taken from her.” 

Martha was upset and displeased that she had been left to do it all, while her sister, Mary, had found her place at the Savior’s feet and was taking in His every word. Martha was anxious that all would not be prepared in time, while Mary was astounded by the words of the Savior that melted her heart and captivated her soul.

Martha demanded help ….Mary sought love and acceptance….Martha was concerned for the temporal things of this life ...Mary's heart was set on things eternal...and in the kind words of Jesus’ reproof, Mary found that she had indeed chosen wisely! Mary had chosen the one essential thing…The Main Thing…Time with Jesus.

Have you made the choice today to make the Main Thing, the main thing in your life? To forsake schedules, time constraints, excuses and even service for the sake of doing in pursuit of the main thing…Time with Jesus. The time you spend in reading and studying the Word of God will instill in you one thing that is inescapable....Your  need for a Savior. Your alone time with Him will give you instruction in how you can make Jesus the Lord of your life and how you can effectively have a closer walk with him. …it will convince you time and time again of your need to keep the Main Thing…the Main Thing.

There is no substitute for getting to know Jesus better than by spending time with Him by reading, ingesting and meditating on His Holy Word. Martha thought it was service to Him…Mary showed her it was in spending time with Him…......

That was, and still is.....THE MAIN THING!

Keeping my seat at His feet...hanging on every word,

WPQ

Poem for the day....

In this life we're living

As we hustle to and fro;

Seeking to accomplish goodness

While living for the "show."

Up late at night, we set our goals,

Then we work to see them through...

Hoping to make a difference

In the many things we do.

But I'm afraid we miss the "thing"

That should be at the top of our list;

The one sure thing that we must do

If we're to live a life of bliss?

We must start each day at the Savior's feet

Spend time in His Holy Word....

Reach out in prayer to the Father's Throne

He is listening ....you will be heard!

Yes time that is spent with Jesus

Will refresh your heart to sing...

When you begin each day with Jesus

That's keeping life with Him...THE MAIN THING!!!

WPQ©JULY 2018

Will You Be THE FIRST DOMINO?

GOD IS IN THE MIRACLE BUSINESS....and all you have to know to believe that statement can be found when you stop and take a look around.... and see the beauty and intricate timing of His creation. And because our Father is a loving God, who acts in accordance with His will, He listens to, reacts to and acts upon the requests of His children.

 I could fill up a book of all the "miracles" God has performed in my life; those I requested and those miracles that other believers prayed into existence at the hand of our Father. Now, GOD DOES NOT NEED OUR HELP IN THE FULFILLMENT OF HIS MIRACLES! In fact, if you have ever read the first few chapters of Genesis in the Bible, you know that God only had to speak this world and all its glory into existence...GOD SPOKE; IT WAS; AND IT WAS GOOD!

 HOWEVER....through the annals of time, God has used His angels to carry out His work among us...and that includes miracles. But the reason I am sharing my thoughts on this, all came to me during my time teaching this past Sunday morning. My class and I were looking at the many "what if's" in the life of Paul the apostle in his ministry...and in his later days, when the Jews sought to kill him (and many took an oath to not eat or drink until they had accomplished that mission). But standing nearby those oath takers, Paul's nephew overheard their plan and told his uncle; who then instructed him to tell the commander of the guard. The commander then quickly arranged an elaborate escape plan that kept the apostle out of the hands of his would-be murders and sent Paul on to Caesarea and safety from those assassins. Another MIRACLE of God at work in the life of his servant Paul...and all because of the FIRST DOMINO in this sequence of events.

 You see, it is my belief that God uses each of us in His miracle "workings"; not because He needs us to accomplish His plan (remember creation, 'AND GOD SPOKE'); rather because God loves to involve us in His "miracles" for the good of the person in need and for the need of ours to be involved in bringing His kingdom on earth in accordance with the kingdom of Heaven. When the disciples of Jesus asked Him, "Lord, teach us to pray," He responded by saying,

"OUR FATHER,WHO ART IN HEAVEN (who dwells in Heaven), HALLOWED BE THY NAME (may honor and praise be showered upon your name). THY WILL BE DONE, ON EARTH, AS THEY ARE IN HEAVEN!" (may the commands of your kingdom be fulfilled on earth as they are now accomplished in the heavenly realm).  ( )= my interpretation

I believe Jesus taught his disciples to pray in such a manner as to invite their Heavenly Father to include them in the workings of having His will brought to fruition on earth as the hearts and minds of sinful men would be turned to Him. AND THAT IS STILL THE WISH AND THE WILL OF OUR HEAVENLY FATHER TODAY....and thus I believe in , THE FIRST DOMINO EFFECT! So, what is that effect?

A few years back, there was a TV program that involved contestants using dominoes to create elaborate, intricate designs on a BIG, flat table (or in some cases the floor). Once the design was complete and the designers were ready to reveal their masterpiece, one of them would touch the first domino, pushing it over to start the cascading effect of "when one domino falls" ... while millions of  viewers watched breathlessly to the unfolding phenomenon before them. It took only seconds, but it was truly a sight to behold.....and for many of us that make ourselves available to our Heavenly Father, WE ARE OFTEN THE FIRST DOMINO THAT GOD USES TO UNLEASH HIS POWER AND PERFORM HIS MIRACLES! 

So, my question to you, fellow believer....do you believe God is a MIRACLE MAKER and if so, are you willing to be the First Domino that starts the chain reaction of love, hope, healing, and whatever else God wants to accomplish in the lives of those around you? I pray that you will look closely at the prayer that Jesus taught His disciples and see yourself as one that is intent on bringing about the will of God and His kingdom here on earth....and if that is your intention, then you must be one of God's children who looks for opportunities to be...THE FIRST DOMINO!

Seeking to be....ready to react,

WPQ

Poem for the day...

THE FIRST DOMINO...

I believe God works in mysterious ways,

His wonders, His will to perform.

And I am called to work where He leads

In calm seas or in storms.

 

For each of us are called to be

The hands of God as well as His feet;

So we must go where 'ere He sends

To those in trouble, their needs to meet.

 

For God has placed in each of us

A servant's heart to hear the call;

To be ready to answer that faintest plea;

To be a sacrifice in all.

 

For when God works His will and His way,

Tho' the outcome  we may wish to know....

We must strive to follow the Spirit's lead

So we might become the First Domino.

 

The one God uses to start the chain

As His hand of mercy begins the flow...

Because we were willing and wanted to be;

Involved as His....the very First Domino!

 

WPQ © April 2023

The Life Question That Matters Most!

Today's post has a little bit of a twist to it...because I hope it makes you take time to focus on this question...WHERE WILL I SPEND ETERNITY? It is a question that has been asked of everyone who has ever been born and it is one you can only ignore for so long. Why? Because to ignore this question and not come to the correct answer will commit your eternity to a place you will never want to be; spent with people you never want to know; doing things you never thought you would; for a time that has no measure as has no end. In my mind, this is THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION YOU WILL EVER BE ASKED...AND IT DEMANDS AN ANSWER ASAP!!! PLEASE READ ON.... 

It seems that a couple, enduring another harsh and bitter-cold winter in Minnesota had decided to take a trip down South to warm themselves on the sandy beaches in Key West. Unfortunately, the wife had a few things that needed her personal attention at work, so the husband flew down a day early to make preparations for her arrival.

Upon arriving at his hotel, he hurriedly unpacked his bags and was ready to make a mad dash to the beach, when he decided to send off a quick email to his wife. It was in that rush that he mistakenly transposed two letters in his wife's email address...and hitting SEND, off it went!

It seems that at about the same time, a wife who had been married to her minister husband for over 45 years, had just returned from his funeral. She was so distraught and sorrowful from losing him in such a sudden fashion that her grief was overwhelming. At that moment, she noticed the light flickering on her computer, meaning she had mail. Hoping that the incoming mail might be messages of hope and encouragement to soothe her shattered spirit, she opened the first email. And without bothering to look at the address of the sender, she read the message.....AND THEN FAINTED!

The daughter, who was in the next room, heard the THUD and rushed in to find her mother, passed out on the floor. After reviving her, she read the message, which said,

My Darling Wife....I'm sure you are surprised to hear from me. I've just arrived and checked in, and wanted to send you a quick note saying I can't wait until you get here. The staff has everything ready for your arrival tomorrow and I am so excited we will be together. If everything goes as planned, you should get here as quickly as I did!

PS: It sure is hot down here; but I know you're gonna love it!!!!

I hope this little story makes you laugh...or at least, tickles your funny bone...But more than that, I hope it reminds you that the question that looms over every human EVER BORN is one that must be answered before your last breath. After that moment, your eternity is sealed and your destination confirmed....HEAVEN OR HELL....THE CHOICE IS ALWAYS YOURS...For me, I have chosen Heaven and Jesus is my GUIDE! My prayer today...that you have or will make the same choice. If you need to know more about my Jesus, I am ALWAYS READY TO TALK!!!!

Answered the Question...Waiting to be taken HOME!

WPQ

Poem for the day....

Life can be a rollercoaster, 

One day your up, then down...

One day a grin adorns your face.

The next day, what a frown!

But if you want to live a life;

A life where all seems well....

Then best you answer right away;

Choose HEAVEN or choose HELL?

For this question comes for everyone;

There's no where you can run....

To escape the judgement of a Holy God 

Or the forgiveness through His Son.

So choose this day whom you will serve;

Before your last breath comes your way....

If you choose Jesus as the ONLY one

Your Heaven begins...TODAY!!!!

WPQ  March 2023

DAY THREE...THE FINAL KEY

As we complete this short series on Are You Unlocking the Doors...or...Withholding the Keys, we come to the third command of Jesus as he lays out, in no uncertain terms, the mission and the ministry that he expects the disciples of his inner circle to accomplish now that he has ascended to the Father.

So, what is that key and how are we to use it? We know now that we are TO GO and TO MAKE, THEN BAPTIZE THE NEW BELIEVERS....Surely that should be enough? But what usually happens to new believers is common in almost every avenue of life...we get a bright and shiny new "thing" in our life and we are soooo excited to take it out and show it to others; however, as soon as the shininess  wears off, we are looking for something else to catch our attention. This is why the third key is so IMPORTANT TO THE BUILDING UP OF GOD'S KINGDOM.

Let's take a quick look at our focus scripture one more time, reading from the Easy-to-Read version which says, "So GO and MAKE FOLLOWERS of all people in the world. Baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach them to obey everything that I have told you to do. You can be sure that I will be with you always. I will continue with you until the end of time.” Matthew 28:19-20

And there my friend is our third key, given to us by our Savior....TEACH THEM TO OBEY!

Now, I don't know about you but surely that must be one of the hardest things to accomplish in our new, digitized world....for everyone has their version of the correct answer to ANY question in the palm of their hand, clutching their mobile phone. Yes, our phones can be a great teaching tool if used properly; but we all know how so many people abuse the use of their phones on social media, Instagram and in a thousand other ways to cancel those whose opinions vary from their own special "truth."

So let me ask you this....ever tried to train a puppy...or raise a strong-willed child? We all know from experience that just trying to get a puppy to sit or stay in one place is a MONUMENTAL TASK...and often, WE FAIL MISERABLY IN OUR QUEST TO TEACH OUR PUPPY OR OUR CHILD TO OBEY OUR COMMANDS... commands given not to MAKE THEM COMPLIANT, RATHER TO INSURE THEIR SAFETY.

And here Jesus is telling us to teach our new believers to obey Him and all that He has taught us about himself, his teachings, his commands and his desire to draw all men unto himself. A COLLOSAL TASK TO BE SURE...But he did leave us a helper in the person of the Holy Spirit. It is only in and through the power of the Holy Spirit that we can become the teacher and not the pupil; although as believers truly seeking to do the Father's will, we too are always learning as we desire to share our new insights with our fellow believers in our daily walk with Jesus.

So how do we teach them to obey?  First of all we demonstrate what it means to OBEY JESUS by reading in God's Word the teachings of Jesus and seeking to put those teachings into work in our lives. We have probably all heard the old adage, "MORE IS CAUGHT THAN TAUGHT.  And if you are a parent, you have probably had a firsthand experience when your child gets agitated and screams out something you yelled out weeks ago when a driver cut you off in traffic?  Or that less than flattering comment you made about your neighbor's husband and your child repeats that in her presence? Yes, teaching requires a constant vigilance on our part when we have young children...or when we have someone at work who knows we attend church each Sunday, but from our actions and our language in the office on Monday's demonstrates that Sunday's really aren't that important in the life we are living the rest of the week.

Secondly, we TEACH others how to obey when we tell them of our struggles and they see us work things out with a positive attitude and a clear focus on what God is doing in our lives...all because we have given the problem and the stress it might cause over to Jesus. At lastly, we TEACH others how to obey when we come along side them in whatever they are struggling with and help share the burden. Being a good teacher requires that we see our students strengths as well as their weaknesses, then help them find God's solution through prayer, Bible study and the counsel of Godly men and women, seasoned in their faith and secure in their walk with the Lord.

Not everyone can win an award for being a great teacher; however, EVERYONE CAN PUT THEIR FAITH AND TRUST IN JESUS TO HELP THEM BE THE EXAMPLE THAT GOD HAS CALLED THEM TO BE AS THEY LIVE OUT THEIR FAITH AND OBEDIENCE TO THE FATHER.

So there it is my friend...the three keys that Jesus handed to each and every disciple, past and present....THE DESIRE TO GO.....THE WILLINGNESS TO ALWAYS BE PREPARED TO DO AND TO SHOW OTHERS THE LOVE YOU HAVE FOR JESUS....AND THEN LIVE AS IF THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING YOU, THEIR LIVES DEPEND ON YOUR TEACHING AND YOUR WITNESS FOR THE LORD.... FOR YOU MAY BE THE ONLY JESUS THEY EVER SEE....

Not just inside the four walls of a church, with locked doors and a country club mentality....BUT LIVING A VIBRANT LIFE IN ABUNDANCE, DAY TO DAY, IN THE REAL WORLD OF HEART BREAK AND BROKEN PROMISES....All because as the last line of our verse declares... OF THIS YOUR CAN BE SURE...

"I will be with you always. I will continue with you until the end of time.”

 Living for Jesus...Teaching others as I go,

WPQ

 

Poem for the Day

Life's trouble may get the best of you

    As you are tossed both to and fro;

    And you may question the Father's love,

    Unsure which way to go...

But never doubt how much He cares for you,
When life's volcanoes may erupt…
Just know that He is with you…
When you surrender…then, look up!

For there you will see your Father
With open arms, He waits for you;
Longing to have you come to Him
For in  His strength, He'll see you through.

Until that day, when He calls you home
Forever with the Son to reign...
The Father's love is all you'll need
And heaven will be your gain.
 

August 2020

 

Day Two....Unlocking the Doors or Withholding the Keys?

When we broke our football huddle in yesterday's post, ready to get into the game, we needed to know the play that our QB had called; otherwise, we would become a hindrance to our teammates rather than a help. So, we must ask ourselves...WHAT KEY DID CHRIST GIVE HIS DISCIPLES TO UNLOCK THE CLOSED DOORS TO EVANGELISM? 

The answer is simple, we GO in order to MAKE DISCIPLES (where?) IN ALL NATIONS(then do what?), BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT.

Why this specific command given after the command to GO? I believe the answer is really quite simple....after we are commanded to GO, we are given the command to DO!! Jesus knew that He had given His disciples a great task, but He had also given them a great helper in the person of the Holy Spirit....and He knew the enormous persecution that they would face could easily overcome even the strongest faith. Perhaps He knew the ancient Scripture, Proverbs 16: 27 which reads, "Idle hands are the devil’s workshop; idle lips are his mouthpiece. "

It would have been too easy for the disciples to hide in their homes, all huddled together, afraid to venture forth, especially now that their Master had been taken up. Surely at such a time as this, they were left feeling abandoned and alone. But Jesus gave them a mission, a ministry to a lost and dying world that needed to know that a Savior had come and dwelt among them. That He had laid down His life willingly to pay their SIN debt and ransom them from eternal separation from their Creator....and with that debt now PAID IN FULL because of His righteousness through the shed blood of Jesus spilled upon a cruel Roman cross, ANYONE who believed in this sacrifice of Jesus and His glorious resurrection from the tomb would be forever welcomed in the House of God to dwell eternally with the Father, His Son and the Holy Spirit.

But how could someone come to know this unless someone who had experienced such a transformation could tell them of the Good News that God loves sinners and has already made a way for them to be counted as righteous because of what Jesus had done?

Jesus used the word, MAKE disciples; but good, 'ole commons sense tells us we can't lead a horse to water; much less make him drink?  So how were the disciples going to make this happen? Well, it is really quite simple, but I fear that our modern day churches have missed the boat too often when it comes to this command. We think that MAKE means to build or create a beautiful building with all the trimmings....big screen jumbotrons; comfy pews or reclining seats; big stages with professional lighting and sound; stone work and a beautiful baptistery; praise and worship bands with lots of repeatable words or phrases that touch our hearts and make us feel GOOD! All in hopes that the LOST among us will come for the SHOW and find some portion of Jesus while they are there among other believers who are there to get their weekly fix of religion.

But to MAKE DISCIPLES, we have to get our hands dirty and live out our faith and followship of Jesus in the real world....no more hiding and hoping BEHIND LOCKED DOORS! We have to get involved in the lives of the lost who are part of our daily activities as we live out what we have learned of Jesus through our commitment to him and our time together with fellow believers in our congregation at church. It is only then, as others see the power of Jesus and the Holy Spirit in our lives, lived out in the muck and mire of this world (and with an all out assault from the devil), does the Holy Spirit have the opportunity to convict and convince others in close contact with us that they need a Savior...and His name is JESUS!

Then when they come to the realization that....JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY, THE ONLY TRUTH AND THE ONLY LIFE THEY WILL EVER NEED....THEN WE CAN SEAL THE DEAL OF THEIR CONFESSION AS WE BAPTIZE THEM IN THE NAME OF GOD THE FATHER, HIS SON JESUS AND THE PARACLETE PERSONANGE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

When that happens, then we have used the second key of DOING that helps to unlock the door of the church and release the power of God's Spirit in each of us as we seek to make disciples of our friends, our neighbors, our family and those who wait to hear the GOOD NEWS to the ends of the earth.

But there is still a third key that we must put in the locked door if all that Jesus commanded us to do as His disciples is to be completed;  and then replicated time and time again until ALL HAVE HEARD THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. SO....Come back tomorrow to get your hands on the third and final key to unlock the doors and let God's Spirit have its way in each of our lives.

Sharing the keys...Unlocking the doors of my heart,

WPQ

Poem for the day....

We Answer His Call...

God has called all His children
To step out and share His love;
To turn all worldly eyes upon
The Father's boundless love.

To go where help is needed
To do more than just take...
Called to leave our comfort zones
As disciples' we're to make.

To go where Jesus sends us
Without grumbling as we go...
To tell others of His sacrifice
May His love we always show.

So they will seek to find Him
As they grope in dark despair...
For Jesus stands there waiting
With love beyond compare.
 
WPQ © February 2023

UNLOCKING THE DOOR...or...WITHHOLDING THE KEYS? DAY ONE...

As I begin this three-part series, let me first say, it is, I believe a very personal view of  where I see the modern day church....LOCKED BEHIND CLOSED DOORS...TRYING TO KEEP THE WORLD OUTSIDE AND BELIEVERS SAFE AND SECURE IN THEIR FAITH.

 Now with that said, I would think that many of our fellow believers might truly feel this way and see no harm in living accordingly. But perhaps, as your read on, my discourse may change your view of what the church is doing and what it should be doing. For most of us in the Christian faith, we come to church to learn of God, inscribe His word on our hearts and get that warm, fuzzy feeling that comes when all is well and we find ourselves loved and accepted by those of similar ilk. But that was never the intent of the Savior to have us lock ourselves away and just enjoy each other and the good times of worship and praise.

I prefer to think of church as a war room, or at the very least, a football huddle. Allow me to explain. Before any general goes to war, he gathers his other military advisors, gets the latest information of the enemies' troops, locations, strengths, movements, etc. Then, when all the intelligence has been deciphered, he and his trusted entourage of advisors begin to lay out their plans for the next battle or the next beachhead to defend from the oncoming enemy...and as for the football huddle, the QB calls his teammates together; assesses the last play and its success or failure ; the needed yardage for a first down or TD and the type of defense they may expect to face; then with all this info, he calls the play...a play that the team has run many times, practiced recently and has had success with in the past...THEN THEY BREAK THE HUDDLE AND GET BACK TO THE GAME!

Jesus gave us such a play just before His heavenly departure.  In Matthew 28:16-20, Jesus has given his disciples these instructions ,  "Then the eleven disciples went away to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw Him, they worshipped Him. But some doubted. Then Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.    1) Go therefore and  2)make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 3)teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

So as Jesus is getting ready to go back to His heavenly home, He gives His closest friends and followers 3 keys so that they might spread His kingdom in this world, knowing this distinct promise that  HE WILL BE WITH THEM ALWAYS! But here is where I believe the modern church makes it first and probably biggest mistake; WE  FAIL TO GO...for the DESIRE IS NOT IN US! Yes, we know Jesus as our Savior; but our hearts do not burn with the same intense, all-consuming fire for the lost that Christ demonstrated to us throughout His earthly ministry.

WE HAVE NO DESIRE BECAUSE WE NEVER CAUGHT HIS FIRE!

Rather, we sit in our beautiful churches, locked behind closed doors, all the while surrounded by the opulence of stone and stain glass windows of Jesus, ministering to the lost....and we are complacent in our actions to sit in our comfort rather than confront the lost with the Good News that their SIN DEBT HAS BEEN PAID IN FULL!!! We have made a commitment to comfort rather that a declaration to the Divine, who called each of us to GO out into the world to seek and to save those that are lost.

As I close this thought today, I would like you to see that the key you hold in your hand that will open the locked door of the church to the world in which we have been called to GO is the simple key of DESIRE...without that key, placed in the locked door of God's house, we will become stoic, fixed and forgotten.  For as one generations dies and is no more, it is the next generation that must pick up the Lord's banner and continue to fight the good fight for lost souls.

I don't know about you; how old you might be or the status of your health, etc. But this I do know as I have begun the last portion of my journey on God's green earth....some days, I just don't feel like doing much of anything...no laundry, no cooking and no golf; however, I don't let myself feel that way for very long; 'cause if I do, pretty soon I won't be much earthly good and my time here will surely come to an end. So as to prolong my stay, I eagerly look for ways to desire to still be of use to my Heavenly Father; WAYS THAT I MIGHT GO AND SHARE THE GOOD NEWS....and like those football players that break the huddle with a unified clap of the hands as they run to the line of scrimmage for the play given to them by their QB....I stay in the game and look to my Savior to help me turn the key of desire so that I might share my love for Jesus....JUST ONE MORE DAY...JUST ONE MORE PLAY...LORD HELP ME BE OBEDIENT AND....GO !!!!

Breaking the Huddle...Ready to GO for Jesus

WPQ

Poem for the day....

It seems every day I'm searching
Using my heart and soul and mind;
Seeking the path God would have me walk
Soul-searching that I might find.

The path that leads to fulfillment
And keeps me close to Him;
That won't allow might heart to stray
When I chase my latest whim...

But keeps me tuned to the Father's will
My heart ablaze with His holy fire;
That keeps me ever longing for
A soul filled with heavenly desire

To share with the down-trodden
On the man in the 3-piece suit;
That life can withstand any problem
When Jesus is your ROOT!

 
So don't fret the woes tomorrow brings
Just trust in Him and you will see....
Jesus is always just a prayer away;
His answer comes...SPECIAL DELIVERY!!!
 

WPQ © February 2023

 

ARE YOU UNLOCKING THE DOOR... or...WITHHOLDING THE KEYS?

Introduction to a 3-part series....

These past Sunday at my home church, McConnell Memorial Baptist Church in Hiawassee, Ga., our YOUTH TEAM, led my our incomparable Youth Pastor, Jeremy Pearson, as well as the visiting band and Worship leader, Blake Goss; along with youth speaker/pastor extraordinaire, Nick Hurst, came to share their "gifts"  at McConnell for a youth-centric weekend movement known as WKND! Now this is not the first year our church has done such an event, but it was the first time we opened the weekend retreat to other churches in our area...and the Holy Spirit drew young people from 5 other area churches to come and meet the Lord at McConnell...

AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED AS OVER 150+ TEENAGERS (IN GRADES 6-12 ) CAME TO MEET THE LORD FOR THE FIRST TIME; OR RENEW THEIR COMMITMENT TO WALK DAILY WITH HIM; OR DEVOTE THEMSELVES TO FOLLOW THE LORD'S LEADING INTO FULL-TIME MINISTRY. IN FACT, OVER 25 YOUNG PEOPLE GAVE THEIR HEARTS TO THE LORD AS THEY TURNED FROM THE SINS OF THEIR YOUNG LIVES TO THE NEWNESS OF GOD'S GRACE AND MERCY IN COMMITMENT TO FOLLOW HIM AS NEW BELIEVERS. ANOTHER DOZEN OR SO ALSO COMMITTED TO FOLLOW GOD'S LEADERSHIP INTO FULL TIME CHRISTIAN MINISTRY FOR THE LORD AND THE WORK THAT HE WILL GIVE THEM TO DO.

And the climax of the WKND retreat was the corporate worship service with all the young people that had been at the retreat along with our Sunday morning worship crowd; gathered as ONE BODY IN CHRIST to sing and praise our Heavenly Father for all that had been done in these young lives.  And that's what got my gray matter percolating with the thoughts that I want to share in a three-part series entitled... UNLOCKING THE DOOR... or...WITHHOLDING THE KEYS?

You see, in my mind, the church is often the WORST evangelistic tool that God has in His arsenal to bring the wandering soul to the life-saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. What do I mean by such a statement? Let me explain.

On any given Sunday morning, in places of worship around the globe, you will find an enormous number of God's followers (His children, if you will), comfortably dressed and sitting warmly (or coolly) in their "assigned" seats, singing praises and songs of worship; applauding after the choir's marvelous performance of The Old Rugged Cross; then turning the pages of their Bibles or looking on the jumbotrons at the pastor's outline for today's sermon. AND DUE TO THE HEIGHTENED SECURITY FOR MOST CHURCHES THESE DAYS....THIS ALL HAPPENS BEHIND LOCKED DOORS. Now of course, when the sermon is concluded, the invitation given and the song of surrender sung, we wait, often impatiently for the Holy Spirit to move someone out of the pew and down the aisle to come to Jesus...and when no one comes, we have the benediction and move toward the doors of the church....which by now have been UNLOCKED.

HOWEVER, IT IS MY CONTENTION...THE CHURCH IS STILL IN LOCKDOWN!

So, come back tomorrow and read more about how the doors of the gospel are being held captive in the body of the church and how God wants us to use the 3 keys at our disposal to unlock those doors and stop withholding the keys to the kingdom.

Living for Jesus....turning the key,

WPQ