Are you a Bargainer with God?

I sat down last night to view one of my favorite TV shows, NCIS, but about midway through I became a little peeved with the writers and directors.

There was a scene where Tony Denosoe, one of the NCIS federal agents finds himself alone in the chapel on the Navy base. He starts down the aisle of the chapel carrying on a flippant conversation with the” BIG GUY” regarding his lack of staying in touch (Tony’s been SOOOOO busy) as he continues to plead his case that “he is doing the best he can down here.” Now, here’s where I kinda wanted to plant my size nine squarely on Tony’s posterior region. He matter-of-factly queries God to see if God still intends to hold up his end of a bargain that Tony had made with him on a previous tough occasion…..of all the unmitigated gall.

He’s made a “deal” with God and he wants to know if God can deliver …or I guess through the implication; then if not, the deal is off!

I was perturbed on so many fronts, I really don’t know where to start….first with the writers who once again have chosen to represent God as a giant genie in a bottle…we rub it and our wish is his command,

Secondly… the only way to get something from God is to promise Him something in return….like we have anything that God wants, needs or can’t get or do for himself.

Thirdly….if you believe in God and trust in Him, you must be a moron. Besides, how can you believe that God is really going to keep his end of any bargain that you might make with Him?

Once again, those that bring us entertainment think that God or even the concept of an Almighty being is just to ludicrous for words…so they paint Him and all of those who might profess to follow Him as idiots….and then, it hit me as the words of Christ rang true in my head and then my heart…”You have heard it said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you that you may be the sons of your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5:43-44

Although the above scene left me feeling anything other than loving or forgiving for the blasphemous way in which our God was portrayed, I must admit Tony’s diatribe with the Father set me to thinking…do I bargain with God in order to somehow try and influence His answers to my petitions….have I made some vows or promises that I have failed to keep in my daily walk with the Lord….do I hold back my obedience to His will waiting to see if God comes through as He has promised in His Word?

So, let me be honest and admit that this show got me to thinking about two very important issues for me as a Christian……am I loving those that persecute me because I am a follower of Christ and eager to display my heritage as one of God’s chosen…. or am I all too eager to give them a swift kick in the pants as punishment for their treatment of me?

And, when given the opportunity to petition God for an answer to my needs, do I put myself in the position as a “deal maker” or a “faithful follower”?

Two pretty serious questions that definitely bear some more self scrutiny…and prayerful consideration in the light of God’s Word.


Holding to His Truth….Loving as He Loves,
WPQ

Poem for the Day:

May I faithfully follow you, O Lord;
In your service make my spirit meek…
And when others put me down, O Lord
May I turn the other cheek?

May I show your heavenly love O Lord
And never doubt your caring ways
May all who I encounter Lord
Be filled with joy and praise.

WPQ 2011

Are you a “Sweet” or “Sour”?

Down here in the South, we are known for many things….our gracious hospitality, our genteel manners and our ability to can or “pickle” just about anything that comes our of the ground, grows on a tree or hangs from a vine…..and my favorite object of pickled perfection is the cucumber.

Now the cucumber is mighty good on its own….thinly sliced for a salad or finely diced and served with tomatoes and onions on a hot dog; but, its crowning achievement as a delectable delight is after it has been subjected to days, weeks or even a month in high fructose corn syrup and special spices.

Yes, I’m talking about a PICKLE….but for a moment; join me in the journey from garden to your grocer’s shelf.

First of all, the pickle is a cucumber that is selected for its firmness, color and size so that it can do what it does best…..ABSORB! Yes, a pickle is nature’s sponge from your garden ….ready, willing and able to become your pickle of choice.

Now, if you place your cucumber in a solution of high fructose corn syrup, vinegar and sweet spices, you will end up with a sweet, satisfying morsel of heaven that can put a smile on your face ( my favorites)….on the other hand, if you use a mixture of less syrup, more vinegar, dill, garlic, pepper and loads of salt, you will end up with a SOUR DILL that can remove the enamel from your teeth (at least that’s what it feels like to me)….and I have said all this to say….

WE CHRISTIANS ARE A LOT LIKE PICKLES….SOME US ARE REALLY SOUR AND SOME OF US ARE REALLY SWEET….Which one are YOU????....That’s all determined by what you absorb.

If you spend your time in God’s word, seeking His guidance and direction…if you are constantly looking for ways to help others…if you surround yourself with genuine believers …if you make the worship, praise and adoration of your Savior the main thing in your life; odds are you’ll turn out on the sweeter side of the pickle meter.

But, if you frown more than you smile….if you believe that whatever your are doing it is “all about you” …if you never give until God says that’s enough…if you spend too much time in front of the “BOOB TUBE”….if your Bible is the biggest dust collector in your home….Well, I’m sure you can see the correlation…..you’ll end up a SOUR Christian with little joy and even less desire to change.

Why not follow the advice of the apostle, Paul, who when writing to the Philippians penned these words, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:8 Today’s NIV

Yes, where you spend you time in thought, prayer or meditation will determine what you are absorbing in your daily walk with Christ. It can be pure and noble or it can be devious and despicable …it will produce the SWEET or SOUR disposition by which you will be known.

So why not immerse your self in the only true and righteous one…Jesus…..the more you absorb of Him, the more you will be like Him ….and that will be really SWEET!

Taking Sweet to New Levels….Absorbing the Savior,

WPQ

Poem for the Day:

My outlook may be fuzzy,
Life’s trials may make me sour;
But the time I spend with you
Will make me sweeter with each hour.

So as I read your Holy Scriptures
And I bow my head to pray…
May the time we spend together
Be the sweetest moments of my day.

W. Patrick Queen

He’s Forever the Same

With all the bad news that seems to be circulating in our papers and on our TV sets, it seems that the world is caught in a whirlpool that is taking us down the proverbial drain…there is scandal, fraud, lying, cheating and all types of sexual sins that have allegedly been committed by those in positions of power, trust and influence…and these are the things we normally see on the sitcoms, not in those in pursuit of the nation’s highest elected office. And with all of the talk and speculations surrounding these recent events, the great consensus seems to be …..OOPS, I guess he got caught …or UHH-OHH, he should have been more careful….Thankfully that is one sound or phrase that you will NEVER hear coming out of our Lord’s mouth….

OOPS or UHH-OHH…….. That is a sound that is made by man not by our God on High…for nothing has EVER caught our God by surprise. He has never had to “go with Plan B”, search for a “better alternative” or even questioned “if this was good for all concerned.”

HE IS GOD… and His ways are higher and better than ours. We can not begin to fathom the depths of His ways nor understand the “whys” of His heart; but, we can trust who he is and we can find great comfort and hope in the desires of His heart.

His word says in Hebrews that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and tomorrow.” In other words, GOD NEVER CHANGES … and in a world that is in constant flux and seemingly unending change, this knowledge should give us hope and peace in spite of our circumstances.

You may be dealing with a job change or loss…aging parents and how to care for them…teenagers that are hell bent on self destruction….facing retirement with limited funds…or a myriad of who knows what….but that’s okay, because

GOD KNOWS WHAT… AND HE STANDS READY WITH HIS HEAVENLY HOST TO COME TO YOUR RESCUE.

None of the calamities that may befall us ever catch God off guard…He is prepared to deal with each one. He just needs your permission…for God will not force himself or His will on you. He said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him and eat with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20

He is waiting just outside your door. Do you hear him knocking …are you listening for his voice…are you willing to ask Him to come in and take control of your heart and soul and make your life better in surrender to His will?

Help is just on the other side of the door. If you open it and invite God in, He will make your path straight; he will guide you beside the still waters; he will restore your soul…..and he will give you the abundant life for which you were created.

God can deal with any problem, forgive any sin and cleanse the blackest heart …He can and will make new that which is dead…the choice is yours!

Why not invite the Master to be the Lord and Savior of your life…why not do it today? He will not stand at the door and knock forever…he will not continue to call your name and be ignored, shouted down by the cares of this material world. One day, you will draw your last breath and this life will be over…… But, your eternity will have just begun!

Where will you spend eternity…. Forever with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit…Or forever separated from the One who loves you and gave himself for you?

Start living for and serving the Most High God and you too can drop OOPS and UHH-OHH from your vocabulary!

WHY NOT OPEN THE DOOR AND INVITE THE SAVIOR IN ….IT’S A DECISION THAT WILL CHANGE YOU …AND YOUR ETERNAL DESTINY…STARTING TODAY!!!!

Changed Forever….By the One Who Never Changes,
WPQ

Poem For the Day:

If life is filled with strife and stress
No peace for the troubled heart
Just listen for the Savior’s voice
Then your fears will soon depart.

He’s standing at your heart’s door
If you open it, you’ll find….
The Father will come into to you
And bring sweet peace of mind.

W. Patrick Queen

Thirsty….Go to the Well

Well, it’s good to finally be back at home and to be seated at the keyboard…It’s been quite some time since I have been able to write, but God has kept the ideas coming and today, I would like to pose the question, “Have you ever been really thirsty?”

Now, I’m not talking about a little dry mouth or nervous anxiety that tends to make the moisture in your mouth retreat like General Lee’s army…I’m talking about the kind of thirst that comes from down in your soul…the kind of thirst that makes you think it could never be quenched…an eternal thirst.

Jesus met a woman with that kind of thirst as he was passing through Samaria and the little village of Sychar. He sat down to rest, parched from the noon day sun and the journey that he and his disciples were on as they headed for his home in Galilee. He had nothing with which to draw water from Jacob’s well when he noticed a woman making her way to the well…an odd occurrence for this time of day. He asked her to give him a drink and her reply, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) John 4: 9

Then Jesus did what He did best…..He met her at the point of her need as we read, “Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?” Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” John 4: 10-15

This woman knew a good thing when she heard it… No more long, hot trips to the well and NO MORE THIRST….but Jesus wasn’t through with his ministry to this woman….He had piqued her interest but her eternal soul still hung in the balance.

Let’s read on….He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.” John 4: 16-26

This woman had been given all she needed to know regarding the Christ…she had just met the Lamb of God who had come to take away the sin of the world….what should she do if she wanted to have the thirst of her eternal soul quenched by the LIVING WATER….she had confessed, now it was time to profess….so she left her water jugs behind and went into the village and told those that she very seldom ever talked to that she had met a man that had told her everything that she had ever done…and she posed to each of them the eternal question, “CAN THIS BE THE CHRIST?

And the best part of this story….So many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony. (My emphasis) John 4: 39

She came to draw water but left with a heart overflowing with love, forgiveness and the desire to have others met this man named Jesus ….the Spring of Living Water welling up to eternal life.

How thirsty are you today? Have you met this man named Jesus and come to know him as your personal savior….if not, WHY NOT?

He‘s waiting to meet you at the well …but He won’t wait forever!!!!!!

Thirsty No More,
WPQ

Poem for the Day:

COME TO THE WELL

When life seems too much to bear
And its fears you can’t dispel;
You will find the Savior waiting
When you come to the Well.

Though your life is wrought with pain
So intense you want to yell;
You’ll find release in the Savior’s peace;
He’s waiting at the Well.

For all your life though your sin and strife
Has cast on you its spell;
Know you’ll receive when you believe
His mercy at the Well.

In your disgrace accept the Father’s grace
That saves the lost from Hell.
Then you will know, His love overflows
When you meet Him at the Well.

For you long to be, alive and free
In your heavenly home to dwell;
To be forever blest in eternal rest
With Jesus… at the Well.


W. Patrick Queen
November 2011

Are you going to be ….LEFT BEHIND?

With all the economic turmoil that exists in our world today, it is easy to see why there is increased interest in all things of an “End Times” nature. From movies of the last several years such as Terminator Salvation, The Book of Eli or Legion, our American movie-makers have racked in over $10 billion at the box office with movies regarding the end of the world….. And let’s not forget the all-time best selling Christian fiction series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins, LEFT BEHIND, which sold over 63 million volumes in a period of fifteen years.

Why all this interest in the apocalyptic outcome of mankind….because everyone knows, deep within their heart, mind and soul, that we were created for so much more than this temporal existence……

We were built for GLORY….not ours but to display God’s Glory!!!!!

Now, many of the people I know are trying to live a good and moral life….reasonable, BUT WRONG. Our “good life” will not get us into heaven and the realm of God’s glory…rather our dependence on good works will accomplish only one thing…it will insure that we will be LEFT BEHIND.

It seems to be a forgone conclusion for most of us living in this world today that tomorrow is a “sure thing”; however, Scriptures paints a different picture according to Luke 17:26-35. “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. “It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. Remember Lot’s wife! Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it. I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.”

There is only one reason that you will be left behind…..YOU DO NOT KNOW JESUS AS YOUR PERSONAL SAVIOR…..Today you can change that with this simple prayer:

Jesus, I am a sinner and today I ask you to forgive me of my sins, come into heart and become my Lord and Savior. I believe that you died for me on Calvary and from this day forward, I want to be a new creation and live for you. Amen.

If you have prayed this prayer, tell someone else what Jesus has done for you, then find yourself a Bible-believing church where you can grow and become all that God wants you to be…..they will help you live each day for Jesus as you anticipate His glorious return…..He promised that He was coming back to gather all those who are called by His name and take them to their heavenly home to reign forever with Him…

So don’t get LEFT BEHIND!

Watching the Eastern sky….Anticipating His Glorious Return,
WPQ


POEM FOR THE DAY…He’s Coming Back!!!!!

Holy Father,
How great must be your love
That you would send your only Son
From His Heavenly throne above.

You watched Him wear the crown of thorns
As the crowds shouted, “Crucify!”
You watched the holy Prince of Peace
Nailed to a cross to die.

The sky grew black; the earth it shook;
The vale was split in two.
The precious child of Mary’s womb
Had seen His journey through.

Then taken from that deadly place,
Laid in a borrowed grave;
The Son of God, His blood now shed
For all mankind to save.

But soon would come the dawning
And on that blessed morn
Once again the King of Kings
To the world was born.

So doubt not the Father’s love
Rejoice; Trust and obey.
For Christ our Lord is coming back
To take us home someday!

WPQ 2002

Cleaning Up Your Act!

There are a lot of things going on in our world today that many of us find irreprehensible; however, for most of us, we would rather remain silent than make a fuss and call out the guilty parties.

I guess a lot of that mentality stems from the scripture where Christ tells his disciples to “Judge not, lest ye be judged.”…..however; a closer examination of the scripture in Luke 6:41-42 reads as follows: “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, “Brother let me take the speck out of your eye” when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite; first take the plank out of your own eye and then, maybe, you will see clearly to remove the speck form your brother’s eye.”

In other words….CLEAN UP YOUR ACT!!!!!

We need to hold other brothers and sisters in Christ accountable for their actions; but we must first make sure that we are living as God intended and in accordance with his will for our lives.

We can easily judge the sins of the world for the Bible spells them out in no uncertain terms….and we are called as salt and light to shine God’s holy light on the sins that would befall and hinder someone who does not know Christ….but our lives MUST be HOLY and WITHOUT REPROACH…..WE MUST LIVE AS CHRIST LIVED…..and let our actions point others to Jesus. Once they compare His life to their own, they will see that they did Him as their Lord and Savior.

Jesus told us not to judge unless we were willing to have the same “measuring stick” used to judge us ….and He told us NEVER to condemn lest we be condemned….

So where does that leave us in the greater scheme of calling “sin”…..SIN?

Simply put; make sure your life is in order and pleasing to your Heavenly Father before you set out to help someone else “clean up their act!”

The following poem was sent to me today from my beautiful bride and that’s what got me thinking about this …..Read on and enjoy…..and remember; if you know Jesus personally, then God has already judged you and found you blameless by the shed blood of His Son, JESUS CHRIST.


BEST POEM IN THE WORLD

I was shocked, confused, bewildered
As I entered Heaven's door,
Not by the beauty of it all,
Nor the lights or its decor.

But it was the folks in Heaven
Who made me sputter and gasp--
The thieves, the liars, the sinners,
The alcoholics and the trash.

There stood the kid from seventh grade
Who swiped my lunch money twice.
Next to him was my old neighbor
Who never said anything nice.

John, who I always thought
Was rotting away in hell,
Was sitting pretty on cloud nine,
Looking incredibly well.

I nudged Jesus, 'What's the deal?
I would love to hear Your take.
How'd all these sinners get up here?
God must've made a mistake.

'And why is everyone so quiet,
So somber - give me a clue.'
'Hush, child,' He said,
'they're all in shock.
No one thought they'd be seeing you.'

God Bless and Stay Strong...The Battle Rages On

WPQ


!

Where Is Your Faith?

If you’re alive and breathing in our world today, you have been, you are currently or you soon will be involved with trials and tribulations that will have you searching for an answer to the question above…..so, let us take a moment and search the scriptures for an answer to this perplexing question…..WHERE IS YOUR FAITH?

Christ asked the same question of his disciples as told in Luke 8: 22-25 which reads as follows: “One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” So, they got into the boat and set out. As they sailed, Jesus fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake so that the boat was being swamped and they were in great danger. The disciples went and woke him saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown.” So he got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters and the storm subsided….AND ALL WAS CALM. “Why are you so fearful? Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, “who is this that even the winds and the water obey him?”

In our story above there are several things that need to be considered as we wrestle with this poignant question…First, who was it that decided that they should go to the other side?

JESUS….for when Jesus leads then we can follow with great confidence. It is a fore gone conclusion for those of us who are believers that if Jesus is with us, then we have NOTHING TO FEAR!!!! Jesus had already ordained the successful crossing to the other side for he said, “Let us go over to the other side.” He said they were going….so nothing would keep them from making a successful crossing. Remember…
What God ordains….God completes!

Secondly, what can possibly keep us from our destination if Christ is in the boat with us?

God is always with us in all our troubles; however, even as Christ slept and had to be awakened by his disciples, we need to assess our situation and be prepared to call out to the Master. God knows our needs and is just waiting to help us in any and every situation; but we must call out to him and ask for his intervention….He is not sleeping…rather he is just waiting for our cry for help before he begins to alter our circumstances.

And thirdly, where is your faith?

Is your faith in the sturdiness of your craft….the tenor of the wood and riggings ….the knowledge and experience of the crew or its captain….or is your faith based on the sight of some lighthouse on the distant shore?

The disciples had sailed these very same waters as fisherman for most of their adult years and they had probably encountered storms of this magnitude before….but what made this storm so different?

THE MASTER WAS ON BOARD…..AND HE WAS ASLEEP!

I am sure it was beyond their human comprehension to understand how anyone could sleep through a storm that was about to capsize the boat and drown them all….but Jesus knew that they would reach the other side because his trust was in the Father ….and God never forsakes his own!!!!!!

So no matter what storms of life come against you….as a child of God know this….HE WILL SEE THAT YOU MAKE IT SAFELY TO THE OTHER SIDE.

In fact that is EXACTLY where Christ is at this very moment…..Just waiting for you on the other side. So no matter what winds may howl or how tempestuous the seas may be during this season of your life, you can sleep and rest peacefully….just like Jesus did…with the secure knowledge that He is in the boat with you …rebuking the winds and calming the seas….waiting with outstretched arms ….safely on the other side.

If you will hold on to that picture in your heart and mind, you will always know the answer to the question…..where is your faith?....For your faith will not falter nor fail when you call on the name of the Lord and trust in His infinite power and promise….God is with you and HE WILL ALWAYS PREVAIL!

Setting sail with the Savior,

WPQ