There’s an old saying that “Practice makes perfect”, but as a former PGA golf professional, I’ve learned that is not exactly true. What my students have taught me through my many years of instruction is that PRACTICE, however, DOES MAKES PERMANENT!
In teaching the great game of golf, I have often used imitation to instill in my students the correct way to swing the club. They watch me …then, they try to imitate what they have seen me do. When their imitation is right, I encourage them to practice, Practice, PRACTICE…to make it PERMANENT!
Paul sought to encourage the Christians at Philipi to practice humility…to model themselves after Christ. He wrote, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interest of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus….Who, being in the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, BUT MADE HIMSELF NOTHING, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness, and being found in appearance as a man….HE HUMBLED HIMSELF....and became obedient to death, even death on a cross.” Philippians 2:3-8
Jesus Christ, the Creator of the Universe, became a servant who humbled himself to reach each of us and to teach each of us that we should become like him….empty of ourselves, in order that we might serve. We are to imitate Christ!
We are to become servants of the Most High God and a servant to every one that we encounter. What would happen in our world today if we all began to look out for the welfare of others first; even before our own needs or wants were met? How would the world view those of us that call ourselves Christians if we were not motivated by self ambition or vain conceit…but rather, we truly modeled ourselves after our Savior?
Why not make a promise today to practice humility. First step, humble yourself before the Lord; then, deny yourself and follow Christ’s example to meet the needs of others. Your practice may not be perfect…but it will take you one step closer to making it PERMANENT…..and that’s what moves the heart of God…. HUMILITY!!!
WALKING HUMBLY,
WPQ
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
Focused on His Own
Have you ever caught yourself looking at something so beautiful…so inspiring... so awesome that in a mater of seconds you knew you were staring, yet you could not contain yourself….like the first moment you saw your bride as she walked down the aisle on your wedding day or the ten fingers, ten toes and the beautiful face of your first child. What about the smile on your son or daughter’s face as they received their diploma or that look on your husband’s handsome face as you both gazed at that spectacular sunset on your 20th anniversary….each and every moment you stared intently at the focus of your affection, hoping to capture that vision in your mind’s eye for all eternity.
Our Heavenly Father looks at each of us, His children, with that same look of love and intense focus. Scripture tells us in I Peter 3:12, “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ear is attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” Yes, God is watching….intently, with purpose and with love.
He is looking not only at us, but after us….He is not waiting to catch us doing something wrong; rather, He is watching to see us doing His will and accomplishing His “good.” God’s vision is NEVER obstructed or obscure nor does He sleep nor slumber. His gaze is focused on His own…those called by His name, set apart to be humble and holy. He is writing your life’s story, moment by moment, keeping track of your good works and your short comings….for all these things will be judged at the Bema seat.
But, thanks be to God that He forgives our mistakes and continually smiles upon us. His loving eyes are intently focused on us and His ear is turned toward us so that He might hear the prayers of His people….and lovingly respond.
Even in the midst of Job’s great journey of faith, he was reminded by his friend, Elihu, in Job 36:7, “He does NOT take his eyes off the righteous, but He enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever.” Job had reason to doubt, to cast aside his faith, to renounce his God…but he knew that God’s eyes were upon him and he would not break the continual gaze of the Most High by forsaking him. He remained a righteous man and God’s favor returned to him twice his losses.
Where are you today in your righteous walk with the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ? Have you turned the focus of God’s eyes away …is His face set against you as you seek the foolish riches of a sinful and sick world? Have you abandoned the joy of your first love and lost His loving gaze….then, be restored by seeking His righteousness!
Commit today to seek the Lord and all His righteousness…let His focus be your focus! See others as God sees them…love unconditionally and without repayment….practice random acts of kindness ….give until it hurts, either your pride or your pocketbook.
But most of all, remember…..God loves you with an EVERLASTING LOVE ….and He is focused on you.
In the gaze of my Father,
WPQ
Our Heavenly Father looks at each of us, His children, with that same look of love and intense focus. Scripture tells us in I Peter 3:12, “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ear is attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” Yes, God is watching….intently, with purpose and with love.
He is looking not only at us, but after us….He is not waiting to catch us doing something wrong; rather, He is watching to see us doing His will and accomplishing His “good.” God’s vision is NEVER obstructed or obscure nor does He sleep nor slumber. His gaze is focused on His own…those called by His name, set apart to be humble and holy. He is writing your life’s story, moment by moment, keeping track of your good works and your short comings….for all these things will be judged at the Bema seat.
But, thanks be to God that He forgives our mistakes and continually smiles upon us. His loving eyes are intently focused on us and His ear is turned toward us so that He might hear the prayers of His people….and lovingly respond.
Even in the midst of Job’s great journey of faith, he was reminded by his friend, Elihu, in Job 36:7, “He does NOT take his eyes off the righteous, but He enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever.” Job had reason to doubt, to cast aside his faith, to renounce his God…but he knew that God’s eyes were upon him and he would not break the continual gaze of the Most High by forsaking him. He remained a righteous man and God’s favor returned to him twice his losses.
Where are you today in your righteous walk with the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ? Have you turned the focus of God’s eyes away …is His face set against you as you seek the foolish riches of a sinful and sick world? Have you abandoned the joy of your first love and lost His loving gaze….then, be restored by seeking His righteousness!
Commit today to seek the Lord and all His righteousness…let His focus be your focus! See others as God sees them…love unconditionally and without repayment….practice random acts of kindness ….give until it hurts, either your pride or your pocketbook.
But most of all, remember…..God loves you with an EVERLASTING LOVE ….and He is focused on you.
In the gaze of my Father,
WPQ
Sunday, June 20, 2010
ESSENCE OF MY DAD
Well, it's that time again; the fifth leading card sales day of the year....FATHER'S DAY! A day set aside to honor that guy that takes out the trash, looks under the bed to chase away the monsters and tells the best bedtime stories ever. He works hard to support his family and hardly ever complains....and when no one else will give you a lift, he's always there to pick you up or lend a shoulder to cry on...to hoist you high in the air in victory or take you for a "consolation" ice cream to ease the pain of defeat. He's your DAD....and if you were blessed as I was, this Sunday make sure that you let your Dad know how much you love, honor and respect him.
In high school and my first year in college, I had a morning paper route that involved delivering over 600 daily papers to the door of each of my customers. Every morning for over three years, my dad got up with me and helped me with my route. He never took a penny for it...and we used his car and gas; and during two summers that I was on tour with the Campus Americans, he hired a kid from the neighborhood to help him carry the route in my absence....that was the essence of my DAD. Tireless, selfless, humble....and always willing to do or go or help in any way that made a difference for the good of all. I know that not everyone had or has a Dad like mine, and even though he has been home in heaven for the past 26 years, there is not a day that I don't miss him and thank God for the influence he had on shaping me into the father I am today. I know that I have not been all that I could have been, but I know that my Dad would be proud of the man he raised me to be. I was fortunate that in 1977, I took the time to write a special poem for my Dad that I framed and gave to him for Father's Day that expressed my love and admiration for him. It was only 6 years later that he passed away. I will never forget that night at the funeral home when I tucked a copy of this poem in his breast pocket and sent him home to our Heavenly Father. I know he's been keeping tabs on me since then and I hope and pray that every now and then, he turns to one of the angels and says, "Did ya see that...THAT'S MY BOY ...I'M SO PROUD OF HIM!!!!"
I hope and pray that this weekend you'll take the time to tell your DAD just how much he means to you .....because there are no guarantees for tomorrow. In fact, here's the poem I wrote for my Dad....enjoy; and let it get the "ole grey matter" bubbling with the things that you need to say to your DAD...you'll both be glad you did!
B&B.
WPQ
ESSENCE OF MY DAD
Often, I have stopped
to think of times both good and bad;
And in each fleeting memory,
I reverence my Dad.
He stood both tall and straight, colossal in my mind.
He spoke in tones both harsh and firm,
Yet so gentle and so kind.
An unquenchable desire for life; a zest for its living;
He fought and scraped to provide for me
Through his unselfish giving.
A guiding hand he led my steps down paths I dared not tread,
A steady mind, a sturdy back were the
Essence of my Dad.
A willful man, his beliefs ran deep; he taught me to be good;
Yet, when times got rough or I failed my Dad,
He always understood.
So surely on the day he passes, I truly will be sad,
And never will I forget the man,
I loved and called...
My Dad
W. Patrick Queen @ 1977
In high school and my first year in college, I had a morning paper route that involved delivering over 600 daily papers to the door of each of my customers. Every morning for over three years, my dad got up with me and helped me with my route. He never took a penny for it...and we used his car and gas; and during two summers that I was on tour with the Campus Americans, he hired a kid from the neighborhood to help him carry the route in my absence....that was the essence of my DAD. Tireless, selfless, humble....and always willing to do or go or help in any way that made a difference for the good of all. I know that not everyone had or has a Dad like mine, and even though he has been home in heaven for the past 26 years, there is not a day that I don't miss him and thank God for the influence he had on shaping me into the father I am today. I know that I have not been all that I could have been, but I know that my Dad would be proud of the man he raised me to be. I was fortunate that in 1977, I took the time to write a special poem for my Dad that I framed and gave to him for Father's Day that expressed my love and admiration for him. It was only 6 years later that he passed away. I will never forget that night at the funeral home when I tucked a copy of this poem in his breast pocket and sent him home to our Heavenly Father. I know he's been keeping tabs on me since then and I hope and pray that every now and then, he turns to one of the angels and says, "Did ya see that...THAT'S MY BOY ...I'M SO PROUD OF HIM!!!!"
I hope and pray that this weekend you'll take the time to tell your DAD just how much he means to you .....because there are no guarantees for tomorrow. In fact, here's the poem I wrote for my Dad....enjoy; and let it get the "ole grey matter" bubbling with the things that you need to say to your DAD...you'll both be glad you did!
B&B.
WPQ
ESSENCE OF MY DAD
Often, I have stopped
to think of times both good and bad;
And in each fleeting memory,
I reverence my Dad.
He stood both tall and straight, colossal in my mind.
He spoke in tones both harsh and firm,
Yet so gentle and so kind.
An unquenchable desire for life; a zest for its living;
He fought and scraped to provide for me
Through his unselfish giving.
A guiding hand he led my steps down paths I dared not tread,
A steady mind, a sturdy back were the
Essence of my Dad.
A willful man, his beliefs ran deep; he taught me to be good;
Yet, when times got rough or I failed my Dad,
He always understood.
So surely on the day he passes, I truly will be sad,
And never will I forget the man,
I loved and called...
My Dad
W. Patrick Queen @ 1977
Monday, June 14, 2010
What’s in Your Wallet- 2?
In my last writing, I posed the question listed above and asked what it would mean to each of us to have the first picture in our wallet portfolio be a snapshot of Jesus?
Today, I would like to continue that thought and ask the following….How would we spend our money, if every time we opened our wallet, the first thing we saw was the picture of our Savior?????
Think on this scenario….you’re standing at the counter of your favorite store with loads of “goodies” piled high at the checkout register and you open your wallet to take out your cash or another credit card and you see the picture of Jesus…how do you proceed?
Scripture helps us in this situation as we read in Matthew 6:19-21, 24, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasure on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break through and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. For no one can serve two masters, for he either will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
Now God is not in the business of “ raining on our parade” but He has laid out certain guidelines that contribute to our overall health and well-being …and one of those is to live simply, so we can simply live and fulfill the plans that He has laid before us.
If every tine we reached for our credit cards, we had to go pass the picture of Jesus in our wallets, we might take the moment to ask ourselves, “Is this something I really need …Would Jesus be pleased with my purchase…in the advancement of God’s agenda on earth, will this be beneficial to me, to others and most importantly, will it advance the kingdom of God?”
Of course, this seems like a lot to go through just to purchase a new pair of shoes or a better riding lawn mower…and surely God doesn’t begrudge our fulfillment of our needs and our wants; but, the questions still remains….are we seeking to serve God or worshipping at the alter of WalMart with our buy now, pay later mentality.
Each of us needs to take stock of our relationship with Jesus and our relationship with money and the things it can buy….only an honest assessment of our willingness to be obedient and to follow the commands of our Heavenly Father will allow us to live with less as we seek to serve the Lord of heaven and earth …and to lay up for ourselves, treasures in heaven.
So I offer this challenge for the next several months…take a look at your check register or your credit card statement and see where you are spending the resources that God has freely given you….then, adjust accordingly! You will be surprised as you seek to obey the Father and serve Him in all things how He will open the floodgates of heaven with His supernatural outpouring of blessings.
Then you too will exclaim as I do each and every day…I am
BLESSED BEYOND MEASURE,
WPQ
Today, I would like to continue that thought and ask the following….How would we spend our money, if every time we opened our wallet, the first thing we saw was the picture of our Savior?????
Think on this scenario….you’re standing at the counter of your favorite store with loads of “goodies” piled high at the checkout register and you open your wallet to take out your cash or another credit card and you see the picture of Jesus…how do you proceed?
Scripture helps us in this situation as we read in Matthew 6:19-21, 24, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasure on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break through and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. For no one can serve two masters, for he either will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
Now God is not in the business of “ raining on our parade” but He has laid out certain guidelines that contribute to our overall health and well-being …and one of those is to live simply, so we can simply live and fulfill the plans that He has laid before us.
If every tine we reached for our credit cards, we had to go pass the picture of Jesus in our wallets, we might take the moment to ask ourselves, “Is this something I really need …Would Jesus be pleased with my purchase…in the advancement of God’s agenda on earth, will this be beneficial to me, to others and most importantly, will it advance the kingdom of God?”
Of course, this seems like a lot to go through just to purchase a new pair of shoes or a better riding lawn mower…and surely God doesn’t begrudge our fulfillment of our needs and our wants; but, the questions still remains….are we seeking to serve God or worshipping at the alter of WalMart with our buy now, pay later mentality.
Each of us needs to take stock of our relationship with Jesus and our relationship with money and the things it can buy….only an honest assessment of our willingness to be obedient and to follow the commands of our Heavenly Father will allow us to live with less as we seek to serve the Lord of heaven and earth …and to lay up for ourselves, treasures in heaven.
So I offer this challenge for the next several months…take a look at your check register or your credit card statement and see where you are spending the resources that God has freely given you….then, adjust accordingly! You will be surprised as you seek to obey the Father and serve Him in all things how He will open the floodgates of heaven with His supernatural outpouring of blessings.
Then you too will exclaim as I do each and every day…I am
BLESSED BEYOND MEASURE,
WPQ
Thursday, June 10, 2010
What’s in Your Wallet?
I don’t know if you’re anything like me when it comes to opening your wallet…if so, then a plastic, cascading waterfall of family snapshots comes falling out… and there for all the world to see are those that you love most in this world…YOUR FAMILY!
Now, I know for all the high techies out there, you proudly display your family album on Facebook or Twitter or whatever else is the “web du’jour”…but for just a moment, I want each of us to stop and take a closer look at that family photo album and see if we have the most important picture in the most important place …a picture of Jesus.
For many of you that might seem a little absurd; I mean, no one really knows what Jesus looks like and so we have no actual picture of our Lord…but what if we could get a picture on a prayer card, or a bookmark, or a small photo-shopped color-rendition…. why should we carry it in our wallet?
Simply put …because we are part of the family of God and Jesus is the first-born.
What a difference it would make if every time we opened our wallet to show a picture of our daughter in her leotard or our son in his football uniform, we saw Jesus. How proud we could be as we opened our wallet to show our favorite picture of our granddaughter or our grandson, if the first picture that fell from that waterfall was our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Scripture says it best in Ephesians 4: 4-6, “There is one body and one Spirit-just as you were called to one hope when you were called- one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
Yes, we are all related family members by the shed blood and resurrection of Jesus, God’s only begotten Son…. for when we accept His free gift, we are grafted into the family tree… and if your like me, I like to show-off the people to whom I am related.
Besides, just to take a moment and look into the face of Jesus can bring sweet relief from the cares of this topsy-turvy world…. Just to meditate on His precepts can bring clarity out of calamity and will calm the troubled soul…Just to know that a picture of our blessed brother is in the first place in our wallet can keep in Him in first place in our hearts and minds.
And then there’s the added bonus of others who see our photos for the first time and ask, “Who in the world is that? And we say, “Why that’s my brother Jesus! He died to set me free so that I might spend eternity with Him. Let me tell you more about my family.”
And it all can start with just that one simple question….What’s in Your Wallet?
Sharing and Caring …Calling Others to Him,
WPQ
Now, I know for all the high techies out there, you proudly display your family album on Facebook or Twitter or whatever else is the “web du’jour”…but for just a moment, I want each of us to stop and take a closer look at that family photo album and see if we have the most important picture in the most important place …a picture of Jesus.
For many of you that might seem a little absurd; I mean, no one really knows what Jesus looks like and so we have no actual picture of our Lord…but what if we could get a picture on a prayer card, or a bookmark, or a small photo-shopped color-rendition…. why should we carry it in our wallet?
Simply put …because we are part of the family of God and Jesus is the first-born.
What a difference it would make if every time we opened our wallet to show a picture of our daughter in her leotard or our son in his football uniform, we saw Jesus. How proud we could be as we opened our wallet to show our favorite picture of our granddaughter or our grandson, if the first picture that fell from that waterfall was our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Scripture says it best in Ephesians 4: 4-6, “There is one body and one Spirit-just as you were called to one hope when you were called- one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
Yes, we are all related family members by the shed blood and resurrection of Jesus, God’s only begotten Son…. for when we accept His free gift, we are grafted into the family tree… and if your like me, I like to show-off the people to whom I am related.
Besides, just to take a moment and look into the face of Jesus can bring sweet relief from the cares of this topsy-turvy world…. Just to meditate on His precepts can bring clarity out of calamity and will calm the troubled soul…Just to know that a picture of our blessed brother is in the first place in our wallet can keep in Him in first place in our hearts and minds.
And then there’s the added bonus of others who see our photos for the first time and ask, “Who in the world is that? And we say, “Why that’s my brother Jesus! He died to set me free so that I might spend eternity with Him. Let me tell you more about my family.”
And it all can start with just that one simple question….What’s in Your Wallet?
Sharing and Caring …Calling Others to Him,
WPQ
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
A Tribute to Our Daughter
This past Sunday at church was a special day in the life of my family and several other families.... it was the Sunday dedicated to recognizing and honoring our graduating seniors. Our daughter, Alyson, was one of the honorees.
At the ceremony, each student was called up on the platform and the youth pastor shared some of their accomplishments and then some words written by the students directed to either the youth group or their parents. Then as the graduating senior stood there, like a deer frozen in the headlights, the parents stood, facing their child as the youth pastor's wife read a one page summary of all our thoughts, memories, triumphs and failures....and all our hopes and dreams yet to be fulfilled for the child that will soon embark on a new chapter in life.
What follows is our tribute to our daughter, ALYSON TAYLOR QUEEN.
I’m Alyson Taylor Queen
Prettiest girl you’ve ever seen.
Ask me how I know…
Because my Daddy told me so.
Can it be that fifteen years have passed since I wrote that little poem for you to recite to strangers that we would meet at the mall? It seems like only yesterday your Mom and I brought you home from the hospital and marveled that such a tiny creature could be so perfect. Before we knew it, you were walking and talking; in fact, we still remember your first word….WATCH. Now, I thought you were talking about the gold eagle watch I wore all the time, but you meant, WATCH; WATCH ME and all that I will do with my life….and we haven’t been able to take our eyes off of you for even a second.
We watched as cancer took over your little body at age 5 and we watched as you fought it with all your might….we watched as the doctors took you into that operating room and we stood vigilant at your side in the ICU…we watched as the chemo wrecked your small frame and you lost all your hair and yet, we swelled with pride that Sunday you sang in church how much Jesus loves you…
We have watched as you sang before thousands in the Relays for Life and we have marveled at the poise that God has blessed you with; both as a small child and especially now, as a maturing, young woman. We have watched you as we left you at Camp Firefly and told the counselors to call us if the experience of being so far from home became too much…yet the phone never rang! We have watched as you played so many parts in school and church plays and we watched with tear-filled eyes as you walked the aisle at church to ask Jesus to come into your heart and make it His own.
We have watched you be a friend and become a friend to so many that we have surely lost count of all the lives that you have touched with your infectious smile, your quick and clever wit and your true enthusiasm for all things fun. We have also seen your studious and serious side as you have always excelled in your pursuit of knowledge and education with little prodding from us.
Oh yes, our dear Alyson, we have watched with eyes ….and hearts…open wide and we have spent many nights in thanksgiving for the treasure that God bestowed on us when He blessed us with you. We could never have petitioned God for such a child as you…for we were truly undeserving …but God, in His infinite wisdom, knew that we would always watch out for you ….and to that end, even though your new path will lead you away from us….we will be watching as the next chapters of your life unfold in service to the God who made you and redeemed you …for most of all, HE IS WATCHING AND EXPECTING GREAT THINGS FROM YOU AND THE LIFE HE GAVE YOU…WE LOVE YOU …ALYSON TAYLOR QUEEN!
If today, you are in the same boat as my wife and I...you have my deepest admiration and heartfelt sympathy as you say goodbye to that child and push them ever so gently toward the door to a new and exciting time of their life. We must wipe our eyes and let them know how proud we are of how far they have come and yet, remind them that we still hold great expectations for them and what lies ahead in their young lives.
Be that strong encourager of your child today ...hold out the challenge to walk in the admonition of the Lord and to know Him intimately...and in ALL THINGS...TO STAND FIRM IN THE FAITH!
BLESSED BEYOND MEASURE,
WPQ
At the ceremony, each student was called up on the platform and the youth pastor shared some of their accomplishments and then some words written by the students directed to either the youth group or their parents. Then as the graduating senior stood there, like a deer frozen in the headlights, the parents stood, facing their child as the youth pastor's wife read a one page summary of all our thoughts, memories, triumphs and failures....and all our hopes and dreams yet to be fulfilled for the child that will soon embark on a new chapter in life.
What follows is our tribute to our daughter, ALYSON TAYLOR QUEEN.
I’m Alyson Taylor Queen
Prettiest girl you’ve ever seen.
Ask me how I know…
Because my Daddy told me so.
Can it be that fifteen years have passed since I wrote that little poem for you to recite to strangers that we would meet at the mall? It seems like only yesterday your Mom and I brought you home from the hospital and marveled that such a tiny creature could be so perfect. Before we knew it, you were walking and talking; in fact, we still remember your first word….WATCH. Now, I thought you were talking about the gold eagle watch I wore all the time, but you meant, WATCH; WATCH ME and all that I will do with my life….and we haven’t been able to take our eyes off of you for even a second.
We watched as cancer took over your little body at age 5 and we watched as you fought it with all your might….we watched as the doctors took you into that operating room and we stood vigilant at your side in the ICU…we watched as the chemo wrecked your small frame and you lost all your hair and yet, we swelled with pride that Sunday you sang in church how much Jesus loves you…
We have watched as you sang before thousands in the Relays for Life and we have marveled at the poise that God has blessed you with; both as a small child and especially now, as a maturing, young woman. We have watched you as we left you at Camp Firefly and told the counselors to call us if the experience of being so far from home became too much…yet the phone never rang! We have watched as you played so many parts in school and church plays and we watched with tear-filled eyes as you walked the aisle at church to ask Jesus to come into your heart and make it His own.
We have watched you be a friend and become a friend to so many that we have surely lost count of all the lives that you have touched with your infectious smile, your quick and clever wit and your true enthusiasm for all things fun. We have also seen your studious and serious side as you have always excelled in your pursuit of knowledge and education with little prodding from us.
Oh yes, our dear Alyson, we have watched with eyes ….and hearts…open wide and we have spent many nights in thanksgiving for the treasure that God bestowed on us when He blessed us with you. We could never have petitioned God for such a child as you…for we were truly undeserving …but God, in His infinite wisdom, knew that we would always watch out for you ….and to that end, even though your new path will lead you away from us….we will be watching as the next chapters of your life unfold in service to the God who made you and redeemed you …for most of all, HE IS WATCHING AND EXPECTING GREAT THINGS FROM YOU AND THE LIFE HE GAVE YOU…WE LOVE YOU …ALYSON TAYLOR QUEEN!
If today, you are in the same boat as my wife and I...you have my deepest admiration and heartfelt sympathy as you say goodbye to that child and push them ever so gently toward the door to a new and exciting time of their life. We must wipe our eyes and let them know how proud we are of how far they have come and yet, remind them that we still hold great expectations for them and what lies ahead in their young lives.
Be that strong encourager of your child today ...hold out the challenge to walk in the admonition of the Lord and to know Him intimately...and in ALL THINGS...TO STAND FIRM IN THE FAITH!
BLESSED BEYOND MEASURE,
WPQ
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Empty Baskets or Filled to the Brim…
In our study of recent, we have been looking at abiding in the Savior and in our last writing; we took a quick peek at the scriptures that deal with bearing fruit. In our study today, let’s examine more closely what Jesus says about those that bear fruit and how much is enough.
In John 15, we read the following; “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that bears fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me, and I in him, he will bear much fruit. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” Verses 2,5,8
In Dr. Wilkerson’s book, Secrets of the Vine, he tells a very poignant story of a person visiting a vineyard at harvest time. As they travel throughout the different terraces of vines, they notice the baskets set at the end of each row of vines. Peering into each one as they pass, they notice four distinctive levels of productivity from the corresponding vines….
EMPTY….barren vines produce no harvest
SOME FRUIT…..some work and some care produces some fruit
MORE FRUIT …. At last, hard work and some careful pruning produce a reasonable harvest….and lastly,
ABUNDANTLY FILLED TO OVERFLOWING….This is the harvest the vineyard keeper expected when he planted his vineyard.
These are the levels of abundance that God sees in the lives of His children and He is either very proud or greatly disappointed in the harvest….God created us to bring about abundance and to produce a great harvest, so the question that faces us all….are you an empty basket or one brimming and overflowing with the fruit you have produced for your Heavenly Father?
If you have a desire to learn more about the abundance that God expects from you and how He is prepared to help you breakthrough as His disciple, I challenge you to get Dr. Bruce Wilkerson’s book and dive in….your empty basket is waiting to be filled!
Living in the abundance …tending the vines,
WPQ
In John 15, we read the following; “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that bears fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me, and I in him, he will bear much fruit. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” Verses 2,5,8
In Dr. Wilkerson’s book, Secrets of the Vine, he tells a very poignant story of a person visiting a vineyard at harvest time. As they travel throughout the different terraces of vines, they notice the baskets set at the end of each row of vines. Peering into each one as they pass, they notice four distinctive levels of productivity from the corresponding vines….
EMPTY….barren vines produce no harvest
SOME FRUIT…..some work and some care produces some fruit
MORE FRUIT …. At last, hard work and some careful pruning produce a reasonable harvest….and lastly,
ABUNDANTLY FILLED TO OVERFLOWING….This is the harvest the vineyard keeper expected when he planted his vineyard.
These are the levels of abundance that God sees in the lives of His children and He is either very proud or greatly disappointed in the harvest….God created us to bring about abundance and to produce a great harvest, so the question that faces us all….are you an empty basket or one brimming and overflowing with the fruit you have produced for your Heavenly Father?
If you have a desire to learn more about the abundance that God expects from you and how He is prepared to help you breakthrough as His disciple, I challenge you to get Dr. Bruce Wilkerson’s book and dive in….your empty basket is waiting to be filled!
Living in the abundance …tending the vines,
WPQ
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