R U a Fair Weather Follower ???

We have all heard the term regarding a "fair-weather friend" and if I dare say so, many of us have, at one time or another in our lives, been just that ...A FAIR WEATHER FRIEND!

Which got me to thinking that all too often we treat Jesus in much the same way when it comes to our faith. Consider the many times He turned to His disciples and ask of them, "O ye of little faith?"  How many times could He have asked the same question of you and me as we falter in our daily walk with Him?

From the onset of His earthly ministry, Jesus was always questioning His followers regarding their faith. In Matthew 6 during His Sermon on the Mount, He tells his disciples not to worry regarding their daily needs since their Heavenly Father takes care of even the smallest sparrow and not one of the smallest of His creation can fall from the sky without His knowledge; however, we fret and worry about our next meal and wonder if God really cares and will feed and clothe us...so Christ asks, "Will He not much more clothe you, o you of little faith?"

And let us not forget that evening in the boat as the disciples began to make their way across the Sea of Galilee and the storm blew up, and the waves rocked and tossed the boat and all seemed lost...but at just the right moment, Christ arose from a peaceful slumber, rebuked the winds and the sea and all was calm...then He said to his followers, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no FAITH?" (my emphasis) Mark 4:40 NKJV

Unfortunately, many of us are just like those first disciples who had left their families, their homes, their livelihood to follow this miracle worker named Jesus.. all was well for a season!  But as opposition to the teachings of this man from Galilee arose and the hardships and threats against their lives increased, the disciples began to pull back into the shadows of their society so as not to upset the ruling sects of the Pharisees and Sadducees...they fell into the trap of being FAIR WEATHER FOLLOWERS!!!!

The same mentality can invade our thinking in our society today. We might hear that some folks don't like to spend time with those "religious nuts" and so we distance ourselves from our church friends or any reference to how we spend our Sundays in worship. We have a bad argument with our spouse and think that maybe this thing called marriage is just a farce and we would be better off on our own...or a job that we expected to retire from has been pulled out from under us and we are too old to learn anything new...so our faith falters and we begin to look for someone or something to blame. Yes, when life is going good and all the pieces seem to fit just right, we can proclaim that we do indeed love Jesus; but when life hands us a big bowl of lemons, we decide that we are no longer thirsty for life or for the work that requires us to make lemonade.

We are perfectly content to be a FAIR WEATHER FOLLOWER ...but a FWF is just a lukewarm follower and Christ said in no uncertain terms in Revelation 3:16, "So then, since you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spit (vomit) you out of my mouth."

THE BAD NEWS...There is a day of reckoning coming for us all...and for those who are just a Fair Weather Follower, it is NOT going to be a good day! THE GOOD NEWS...if you are still breathing, there is time to make a change and become a FAITHFUL FOLLOWER as you commit to lean on Jesus in all the challenges and triumphs of  life. 

Don't be apathetic about your relationship with Jesus. After all, He gave His all so that you could be reunited with your Creator and all He ask in return....

LIVE FOR HIM LIKE YOU MEAN IT....JUST TRUST AND OBEY, FOR THERE IS NO OTHER WAY, TO BE HAPPY IN JESUS , BUT TO

TRUST and OBEY,

WPQ

Poem for the day...

When troubles in your life

Are knocking you down;

It's then you need a faith

That's built on solid ground.

A faith that will sustain you

Though the stormy winds may blow.

A faith that keeps you in His grasp

And will never let you go!

Your faith must be your anchor

That keeps you tied and tethered.

So you will have a faith that last

Through more than just fair weather...

So no matter what you come against

Whether in calm or stormy seas;

A life that's lived in faithfulness

Is a life that's sure to please!

WPQ © JUNE 2018

Living in the GOLDEN Years?

When I forced myself out of my bed this morning, I was expecting to be a little sore, especially since I did something yesterday that I had not done in quite some time...LIFT WEIGHTS! But boy, was I ever wrong! I wasn't sore...I could hardly move! I guess it's true what they say, "Getting old is not for the faint of heart."

Which leads me to my question for a great many of those of my generation...How are you planning to live out your golden years? I know that for most of us "Baby Boomers" we always seemed to live our younger days with our eyes fixated on the magical age of 65 when we would retire and "coast" into our retirement years. But here's the thing; if you are a believer...GOD DID NOT CREATE US SO WE COULD COAST!

In fact, many of those chosen by God to do His will did not receive their call until they had past the age of retirement. Abraham was 75 when he pulled up stakes and followed the leading of God into a land he did not know, And the great deliverer of Israel, Moses, was 80 when he stood before Pharaoh and demanded that the Israelites be set free.

Scripture reads in Psalm 92:13-15,"Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing, to declare that the Lord is upright; He is my rock and there is no unrighteousness in Him."

So the question for each of us is simply this, "How do you plan to spend your remaining days in service to your God?" For many of us, we will continue to press on in service to the King...going to church, teaching a Bible study class, hosting a home fellowship of believers, singing in the choir ...the list goes on. But for many of us as we get older, we tend to shrink from added duties or look for ways to "scale back" our activities of service. God's desire is just the opposite for each of us. He wants us to seek purpose over position and find time to love the unlovable; befriend those living on the fringe; or give hope to the hopeless and forlorn.

Yes, we have probably earned the right to seek comfort over compassion...for true compassion will not allow us to sit on the sidelines and leave the work to those who might be a few years younger. We can say we have "done our fair share"; however, what if God had looked down upon us in our miserable state and said, "I've done all that I can...let someone else take it from here!"  But as our scripture today confirms God's truth,  "there is no unrighteousness in Him."

Why not take the wisdom of your years and put them to work for the Kingdom of God? Now is the time to set your sights on the most important target of your life...LIVING OUT YOUR DAYS AS A BEACON OF LIGHT POINTING OTHERS TO THE LOVE OF THE SAVIOR!

If you wake up sore, in pain or in a "bad" mood, do this...THANK GOD YOU WOKE UP AT ALL; ROLL OUT OF BED and GET TO WORK...for the Kingdom is at hand and we've all got a lot of living to do in our Golden years. God will let you know when you've finished what He has for you to do and He will call you home to be forever with Him. Until that day...

Press on with a Purpose...Live Like Everyone is Watching,

WPQ

Poem for the day....

Old age is not for the faint of heart

That's what the sages say...

So do your best to live your life

Like this could be the day?

For this could finally be the day

With the angels gathered at His throne...

When the Father sends His Heavenly host

To call His chosen home.

For each of us who have lived our lives

In service to our eternal King....

 Are waiting for the trumpet call

And the sound of angel's wings;

So don't give in to lingering doubts

Or spend your days in fear.

Spend each moment that remains

Living in those Golden Years...

A life that truly seeks to serve

And brings glory to the Son...

So when you arrive at the Pearly gates,

You'll hear Him say, "WELL DONE!!!

WPQ © September 2018

Breaking the Chains of "I HAVE TO!"

If you are still breathing on this orb we call "Earth", then I am sure you have faced your share of trials, struggles and the ever-so bothersome, tribulations...times of hardship that seem to last an eternity. In fact, our first struggle began at birth as every baby born into this world had to "struggle" to release themselves from the womb to begin their new life.

For most of us, we understand the ebb and flow of good times and bad; however, the writer of Proverbs tells us in Proverbs 11:27 that "The one who searches for what is good seeks favor, but if someone looks for trouble, it will come to him." If we take a closer look at this verse, we will see that our vision and our hearing depends a lot on where we are standing.  Allow me to expand on this premise.

Most of us spend our lives living in the realm of "I have to"....I have to get up and go to work. I have to stay married for the kids' sake....I have to go to church on Sunday and sing in the choir...I have to provide for my family and keep working in this job I hate....and the list goes on and often seems endless.

But what if we changed our thinking about what we see and hear to, "I GET TO"....I get to Get Up and Go to Work...I Get to Go to Church and Sing Praises to my Lord....I Get to Love My Wife and Kids and take pride in providing for them....and most importantly, I GET TO TELL OTHERS ABOUT JESUS AND HIS GREAT LOVE FOR ME AND OF HIS LOVE AND SACRIFICE FOR THEM!!!!

Yes, every day we have a choice as we rise for the new day dawning...we can chose to have to endure the day or we can get to enjoy the blessings of this new day and all the challenges that it may be filled with as we learn to walk with our Lord and trust His directions. As you go through your day, why not look;  no even better, why not diligently seek and search for the good that God will provide as He showers you with His favor and blessings? Why not spend your time praying for His wisdom to see the twists and turns that come before you as opportunities where you get to bring God glory and demonstrate His love and goodness in this world?

If you truly search for what is good, you will see God at work....and He is inviting you to join Him whenever and however you can. Remember this, if you are going to mine for gold, you've got to be willing to get down on your knees along the creek bed and pan through a multitude of pebbles in search of even one gold nugget....oh, but the search can be so worth the effort!!!!

I am SO glad I GET TO....Serve a Risen Lord,

WPQ

Poem for the day...

When you wake up each morning

To start your brand new day...

Here's a better way to look ahead;

To find the good along the way.

Don't tell yourself you have to

Do the things that lie ahead;

But look for the good that's coming,

Don't fill the unknown with dread.

Just plan to seek the Lord today as you

Keep your ears and eyes open wide;

And then, my friend, you will get to

Walk with God in every stride!

WPQ © April 2018

Christian Signposts …from the Lighter Side!

Don’t let your worries get the best of you…remember Moses started out as a basket case.

Many people want to serve God….but only as advisors.

If God is your co-pilot …switch seats and give Him the controls.

When you come to the end of your rope, you’ll find God waiting with a life line.

People are funny… they want the front of the bus; middle of the road and the back pew of the church.

Quit griping about your church…if it was perfect, you and I couldn’t get in!

Some people are kind, sweet and gentle-spirited…until you try and seat in their pew.

If you want your church to have a better pastor….pray diligently for the one you’ve have.

A lot of church members continue to sing “Standing on the Promises” even though they’re just Sitting on the Premises.

Jesus instructed us to be fishers of men…You catch ‘em….He’ll clean ‘em!

I am always puzzled why some people change churches so often…what difference does it make which one you stay home from?

Coincidence is when God chooses to remain Anonymous.

I am a firm believer that you should never wait for 6 strong men to carry you to church.

We have all heard it said that forbidden fruits create terrific jams.

God doesn’t always call the qualified…but He ALWAYS qualifies the called.

God loves all His children….but He probably prefers the “fruits of the spirit” over the “religious nuts.”

Some people treat prayer as a time to give God instructions…no wonder their prayers keep bouncing off the ceiling!

Remember, we don’t change the message ….THE MESSAGE CHANGES US!!!!!

I hope this time of reflection into the lighter side of our faith will cause us to stop and think of who we are as believers in Christ and of the call that has been placed upon each of our lives….we were made to worship and praise the Father and to hold up His Son so that ALL men may come to know Him.

Remember, Satan is out to get you…if not today or tomorrow, then soon…as soon as your life and the way you live begin to affect those around you, the roaring lion will move in for the kill….so be prepared!

Arm yourself with the word of God ….and think of these little sayings to solidify your position as a warrior, serving proudly in the armies of God. In each instance of attack, be reminded of Christ words to His disciples, “Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said these things to you, that in me, you may have peace. In this world, you will have tribulation…But take heart, I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD!”  John 16:32b-33

Don’t wait for the storms of life to pass…rather learn to dance in the rain…and Praise Him from whom all blessings flow…

Preparing for battle …confident in my King,

WPQ

R U Walking on the Right Road?

In yesterday’s blog, I examined a life without perils, problems and persecutions as a life that might be void of a true, loving and growing relationship with our Savior. In our daily walk with our Heavenly Father, we should encounter our adversary, the devil, whose main function is to draw us away from our walk with the Lord and to make our witness null and void, or at the very least, ineffective ….like salt that has lost its flavor.

It is at those times of peril and persecution that we should seek comfort, strength and reinforcements through God’s Holy Word and the example and encouragement of others; however, I know that in my life, sometimes when I encounter the devil and am easily flustered, my mind will not always bring with clarity the verse of scripture that I need at that particular moment. So, over the years, I have written and acquired a library of special thoughts…one liners of Christian faith and encouragement, if you will….each of them targeted to help me resist and to cause the devil to flee….I have called them my “signposts” to a better and closer walk with my Lord…and I will be seeking to share them with you over the next several days.

Should you have any that have been helpful to you, please contact me with your “signposts” or with any thoughts or sayings that have encouraged you to have a closer and more meaningful relationship with Jesus. After all, until He returns, we are ALL in this together …..

Walking together in the Master’s footsteps,

WPQ


CHRISTIAN SIGNPOSTS…….

Our strength rest in our ability to cast all our burdens on Him….for He cares for us.

The mountaintop of God is reserved for those who have been led through the wilderness of suffering and DID NOT GIVE UP!!!!!

Burdens too heavy; suffering too intense…welcome to the Christian life….Following in the Master’s footsteps.

God grants His peace in the midst of pain and suffering ….just follow the Master’s footsteps, walk where He leads…for His love is eternal and He cares for you.

Waiting on God takes faith…Trusting in God takes patience….Persevering in God takes Life…one step at a time!!!

A diamond is the end result of perseverance.

Keeping an open mind can be hazardous to one’s faith!!!

Even the smallest trickle of adversity will bring down a house built on a shoddy foundation.

What rules the heart…rules the tongue!

You are known by the company you keep, so keep God’s company and work with the integrity of the boss.

Love you enemies…. It makes them wonder what you’re up to.

If loving your enemies were easy, everybody would do it!

GOD grades on the CROSS….NOT ON THE CURVE!

When dark clouds approach, God should be my first thought…not my last resort.

Running Life's Race...Ready to Win!

In this past week’s topics, my thought process seemed to be focused on dealing with the obstacles and obsessions that seem to beset us all. We looked at the opportunities or the obstacles that God often sets in our path and we considered the life that God rewards as we continually look for ways to be faithful in our worship, service and love for our Heavenly Father….but before I leave this area of concern, I want us to consider how we deal with the trials, tribulations and tests of faith that are the markings of those who are called by the name of Christ…as we take up our cross and seek to follow Him.

When a trial …trouble…test…or “tough break” come our way, how should we as God’s chosen deal with this “speed bump” along heaven’s highway? I believe we will respond in one of three ways.

We will seek to ENDURE the trial….often dragging many of our closest friends and family members down the road of suffering we now travel. We will lower our head, stick out our lower lip and cast our gaze downward… then, we will moan and groan about the “cross” that we must bear. We endure because we must…. and in that mindset we run the risk of becoming…BITTER.

Sometimes we will choose to ESCAPE the trial….we look around, find the closest EXIT and then, we make our move ….WE RUN TOWARD THE HILLS, never looking back at those we have left behind…never caring to help those that may be hurting and dealing with a seemingly insurmountable problem. We are free from the pain of the trial and in that mindset we try to convince ourselves that we feel….BETTER.

And then, there is the third choice of dealing with a trial…we can choose to ENLIGHTEN ourselves by seeking to know God’s will in the midst of the calamity. We can choose to let troubles or impending crises move us to a place of growth …we can use our trouble as a “stepping stone” to a higher place of commitment and trust in our relationship with our Savior and in so doing, we allow our strengthening faith to make us BRAZEN and BOLDER in our walk with our Lord.

As we seek to know God’s will in the midst of tumultuous times, we must realize that life is not a sprint; rather it is indeed a marathon…we must endure in order that we might enlist our problems and our troubles to enable us to run that “good and perfect” race that God has set before each of us.

The writer of Hebrews said it best, “You have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive what is promised.” Hebrews 10:36

We must run life’s race to endure all that God has set before us… so that we may become all He has ordained us to be…so that we may accomplish all that He has set before us…but most of all, so that we may receive ALL that He has promised….

So lace up those shoes and prepare to run where God leads….a marathon that will carry you to the very gates of Heaven into a life everlasting…

Running into the fray…Growing stronger in My Savior,

WPQ

Poem for the day...

Trials in life are sure to come

If we are walking with the Lord...

And we are best equipped to win

When we are grounded in His Word.

Good times will often come and go

As we seek to run life's race;

And we should keep our eyes upon

The wondrous joy found in His face.

For the Father cast His gaze upon

Those who run for Heaven's prize;

And He is there to see us through

With His wisdom for the wise.

So don't give in, don't quit the race...

Your Father waits at the finish line;

With open arms to welcome you

To your eternal life sublime.

WPQ © Sept 2018

Living For Eternity...A Life God Rewards!

Living in the now is hard for a lot of God’s people …what with our world’s infatuation with gathering and storing and saving for our old age. It seems that hoarding has become part of the standard thinking of the rich and the “wanna be” rich. Now, I for one can empathize with this thought process, being one of the “baby boomers” who has been suckled with the idea that if I am going to live a long and satisfying life, I better stockpile lots of “goodies’ to see me through my senior years.

But, let’s look at this from a Biblical perspective. This life is really just a dress rehearsal for the eternity that I will spend with my Heavenly Father …at home in the New Jerusalem. In fact, my entire purpose for living is to prepare me for eternity …to have me practice on earth what I will perfect in heaven. Now eternity, that’s a LOOOONNGGGG TIME according to 2 Peter 3:8 which says, “But do not overlook this one fact, Beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day." God’s calendar is different than yours and mine…I may live to be a hundred here on earth, but I’m going to spend a trillion years in eternity and that requires that I get my eye on the prize while I’m here.

Each of us was made by God…. for God. God did not put us here to make us happy, but to make us HOLY…and that’s the struggle of life. Until we get that thought at the center of our consciousness, we’re probably going to spend our time and efforts in pursuing the wrong things of this world….and those “things” lead to our destruction. Sure, we all want to be successful, fulfilled and comfortable both now and in our “retirement” years; but God is more interested in your CHARACTER than in your COMFORT.

So, where does that leave us? Do we listen attentively to the noise from the crowd that tells us to “grab all we can” since we only “go around once in life”…or do we heed the Savior’s call to “take up our cross and follow him.”

If your life is not facing some sort of difficulty, then maybe it’s time to check your Christian pulse and see if your really have a heartbeat for the Savior? Truly, it’s okay to want to be reasonably happy here on earth; to face a minimal amount of desperation or despair….but, remember, God is more interested in your growth in Christ than the size of your home or the value of your IRA. If you’re working for the Kingdom, then trust me; Opposition is near-at-hand….but that’s okay! 1 John 4:4 says, “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for He that is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

So start living for the eternity that God has promised you and leave behind the cares and troubles that so easily beset us….Today is the first day of the rest of your eternity ….at home with Jesus and our Father of Love.

Letting go of today…Reaching for eternity,

WPQ

Thought for Today:

God brings life’s struggles not to impair us…but to improve us;
Life’s catastrophes not to impound us…but to EMPOWER us for HIS GLORY!