OUR BLESSED HOPE

OUR BLESSED HOPE

Believers in Christ do not mourn (without hope) as do others.  We never cast away our confidence that those who have fallen asleep in Christ will ultimately be reunited with sisters and brothers in the faith.  The Word of God affirms our hope.

Titus 2:13 (NKJV)

Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

I Corinthians 15:51-58 (NKJV)

⁵¹ Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— ⁵² in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. ⁵³ For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. ⁵⁴ So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

⁵⁵ “O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?”

⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. ⁵⁷ But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁵⁸ Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

May the comforting presence of the Holy Spirit surround and sustain all who have lost loved ones, especially my daughter, Kim, who lost her beloved Thomas very early this morning, along with his extended family members and friends.  We will continually uplift you with our love and prayers.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

HOW TO HANDLE YOUR STORM

HOW TO HANDLE YOUR STORM

Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein co-wrote an inspirational song, entitled “When You Walk Through a Storm.”  Read, consider and be inspired by their song lyrics.

When you walk through a storm
Hold your head up high
And don’t be afraid of the dark;
At the end of the storm
There’s a golden sky
And the sweet silver song of a lark.

Walk on through the wind,
Walk on through the rain,
Though your dreams be tossed and blown;

Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart
And you’ll never walk alone –

You’ll never walk alone.

Remember: No matter what you are facing today, GOD IS WITH YOU.  Your Storm Master is Jehovah-Shammah, Who promises never to leave or forsake you.  You can depend on Him, so be encouraged.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

SAY SOMETHING!

SAY SOMETHING!

Sisters and brothers, if you want to change your condition, if you want to change your situation, you must stop complaining ‘about’ situation (your mountain)…and SPEAK ‘TO’ your mountain!  SAY SOMETHING!  Mark 11:22 supports this.  “And JESUS answering saith unto them HAVE FAITH IN GOD.  For verily I say unto you that whosoever shall SAY unto this mountain, Be thou removed and be cast into the sea, and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that the things which he saith shall come to pass, he shall have whatsoever he SAITH!”

According to the Word, Jesus Christ is the Logos, the Living Word of God, and JESUS CHRIST is the Chief Architect of Creation.  Since the worlds were framed by the Word of God, JESUS CHRIST, the Chief Architect of Creation, has the creative authority to “call those things that be not as though they were.” (Romans 4:17)  The Word of God declares that “as JESUS is in the world, so are WE!”  That’s why the Word implicitly teaches us this simple Kingdom principle:  ‘Let the weak…SAY…I am strong!  Let the poor…SAY…I am rich! 

Let the sick…SAY…I am well!’ 

JESUS CHRIST was constantly teaching his disciples to SAY SOMETHING!  In Matthew 7:7, JESUS emphasizes this lesson.  “ASK and it shall be given.  SAY SOMETHING!  SEEK and ye shall find.  KNOCK and it shall be opened unto you.  For every one that ASKS receives, and he that SEEKS finds, and to him that KNOCKS it shall be opened.”  Then Jesus explained this principle in greater detail to his disciples.  “What man is there among you, whom if his son ASK for bread, will he give him a stone?  Or if he ASK for fish, will he give him a serpent?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father which is in Heaven give good gifts to them that ASK Him?” 

Now hear this!  FAITH IS VOICE-ACTIVATED!  The word of God declares, “This is the victory that overcomes the world…even our FAITH.”  And our FAITH IS VOICE-ACTIVATED! 

All too often, what we SEE gets in the way of what we SAY!  First a natural principle, then a spiritual principle:  Physicists tell us light travels at the speed of 186,000 miles per second.  Which means, before we can say “one-thousand-and-one,” light can travel around the earth’s equator (25,000 miles in circumference)…7½ times before you can say one-thousand-and-one.  Now that’s fast!  You agree?  But sound travels much, much slower.  Not at the hair-raising speed of 186,000 miles per second, but at the relative turtle-like speed of 1,200 feet per second.  So we SEE a lot faster and a lot sooner that we can HEAR.  But FAITH doesn’t come by SEEING!  “FAITH comes…by HEARING…and HEARING (comes) by the WORD OF GOD!  This is key.  Once you HEAR the Word, you must SPEAK the Word – because FAITH IS VOICE-ACTIVATED!  SAY SOMETHING!

God can do miracles with simple mustard seed faith…and nothing is impossible with GOD!  (Matthew 17:20)  But we must apply sufficient faith in order to honor and ratify the covenant.  Legally speaking, God cannot and will not do anything unless and until WE DO SOMETHING!  What is our task?  What is our end of the bargain?  WE must SPEAK HIS WORD and STAND ON HIS WORD!  In spite of what our five senses are screaming out to us, here is our faith assignment: “Let the redeemed of the Lord…SAY SO!”  SAY SOMETHING!

When we learn to release PRAISE in times of tests and trials, we actually command the presence and power of God in our circumstances because GOD INHABITS THE PRAISES OF HIS PEOPLE!  So instead of resorting to a PITY PARTY that you might attend all by yourself, why not choose to have a PRAISE PARTY and invite the KING OF KINGS into your situation?

Revelation 1:6 teaches us that we, as GOD’S CHILDREN, are both KINGS and PRIESTS.  As PRIESTS, we have the right to intercede, i.e.to come boldly to the throne of grace.  But as KINGS, we have the right to issue decrees.  So it’s about time that we SAY SOMETHING!  Since our God is a COVENANT-MAKING and COVENANT-KEEPING GOD, what should we say?  The answer is quite simple.  We must meditate on His Word…and SPEAK HIS WORD…day and night!  Even in our prayer time, we must take THE COVENANT (THE CONTRACT) along with us to the throne of grace!  Think the Word…speak the word...declare the word…and WATCH the Word work! 

“This book of the law shall not depart out of YOUR mouth; but YOU SHALL meditate therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success.” (Joshua 1:8)

“Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.  But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law does he meditate day and night.” (Psalm 1:1-2)

And then you must SAY SOMETHING!  Job 22:28 says: “Thou shalt DECREE a thing…and it shall be established unto thee…and light shall shine upon all thy ways!  So here is the divine order of things: I DECREE…GOD ESTABLISHES…LIGHT SHINES!

Friends, it’s not as dark as it seems!  So praise God IN your situation and look confidently toward Heaven in anticipation that He will bring you OUT of your situation (however it seems and however it unfolds) with ABSOLUTE VICTORY!

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

TOMORROW IS GOING TO BE BETTER!

TOMORROW IS GOING TO BE BETTER!

A few years before Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, a new and expensive automobile stopped on the Mississippi River Bridge.  A gentleman stepped out of the car, wearing very costly clothing.

He climbed over the rail and onto a platform preparing to jump.  Cars started stopping and the traffic backed up for miles.  The police arrived, along with the fire department, ministers and mental health professionals.

They began talking to the man and telling him not to jump.  They told him that he might not die; he could break all his bones or be paralyzed for life.  Stuck in traffic was an old truck, loaded with lawn mowers, rakes, and shovels.  An elderly gardener got out of the truck and walked to where a crowd was gathered.

He waded through the people, looked over the side and hollered down to the man on the ledge, “Hey, I got to go to work.  Either jump or get off the bridge.  If you decide not to jump, tomorrow is going to be better!”

With that, the suicidal man climbed back up onto the bridge.  The police took him away for evaluation.  And the gardener walked back to his truck waiting for the traffic to move.

One minister asked the fireman, “Who was that?”  The fireman said, “He said he has to go to work!”

The police later reported to the press that all the way to the hospital the man kept saying over and over, “Tomorrow is going to be better.”  “Tomorrow is going to be better.”  “Tomorrow is going to be better.”

Bottom-line: One must SEE a future, to HAVE a future.  In other words, do not stand to close to the trees; you will be unable to see the forest.  God is up to something – behind the scenes.

So whatever is happening in and around your life, it ain’t over until GOD says it’s over!

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

YOUR ANSWER IS SIMPLE: LOOK UP!

YOUR ANSWER IS SIMPLE: LOOK UP!

I love the way we are able to discern key spiritual principles by observing God’s creation.  The simple interpretive principle operative here is ‘First natural, then spiritual.’

If you place a buzzard in a pen six or eight feet square and entirely open at the top, that bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will become an absolute prisoner.  The reason is that buzzards always begin flight with a run-up of ten or twelve feet.  Without space to maneuver and run, as is its habit, a buzzard will not even attempt to fly, but will remain imprisoned for life in a tiny topless prison.

The ordinary bat, which flies around at night, is a remarkably nimble creature in the air, but it cannot take off from a level place.  If it is placed on the floor or on flat ground, all it will do is shuffle about helplessly until it can reach a slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air.  Only then will it take off like a flash.

The bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will remain there until it dies unless and until it is taken out.  How so?  It never sees the top as a viable means of escape, but persists in trying to find an exit through the side or near the bottom.  Seeking a way out where none exists, the bumblebee destroys itself.

In many ways, there are many people who are quite like the buzzard, the bat and the bee.  They struggle through a myriad of problems, pressures and pains, not realizing that if they simply look up, they will soon find the answer.

In the sage words of our Savior, Jesus Christ, “Look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” (Jesus Christ, Luke 21:28b, NKJV)

There is absolutely no faith or future in the downward look.  However, there is phenomenal favor and blessing (powerfully present and always attainable) in the attitudes and actions of believers who gaze Heavenward.  LOOK UP!

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

PESKY PROBLEMS IN PERFECT DISGUISE

PESKY PROBLEMS IN PERFECT DISGUISE

Can I speak to all of the real diamonds out there?  You’ve been through so much, having survived the ordeal of off-the-chart pressure over an extended period of time.  But there is purpose in the pressure and the process.  Bottom-line: No pain, no gain.  Wouldn’t you agree?

Keith Ready shares a story that positively affirms this fact.  Read and prayerfully ponder:

On a recent Saturday around midnight, my wife and I were about to fall asleep when we heard people talking outside our home.  Out of the blue came two loud thuds above our bedroom window, followed by the sound of laughter and people running away down our street.

We jumped out of bed, turned on the external lights and rushed outside, unsure of what had caused the two thuds and what damage we might see.  Dripping noises on the driveway and the flood light above our garage helped use to immediately identify what had happened.  Our home was the victim of an egg bombing!

The prospect of cleaning up this sticky mess was not a pleasing thought, on top of which I was quite angry that we had been singled out for this annoying prank.  I decided that it was too late to clean up the mess because it would disturb our neighbors, so it could wait until morning.

Early next morning, armed with a bucket of warm soapy water, a scrubbing brush and an extension ladder, I was ready to wash off the dried-out egg grit above our bedroom window.

My task was made even more challenging by the two large canvas awnings which protect our bedroom windows from the heat and glare of the sun.  My annoyance with the late night pranksters was building again to the level of the night before.

After retracting the awnings, something we rarely do except when there are very high winds, I climbed the ladder to clean the first patch of egg stains.  Then I moved the ladder to clean the second patch.  As I climbed the second time, I noticed that the glass in a window just under the roof line was badly cracked.  Since the awning protected the window, it was clear that the damage had not been caused by the egg bombing.  As I carefully placed my hand on the glass, I discovered that the pane of glass was quite loose.  Had the window been opened or closed with any force, it would likely have shattered and all that glass would have dropped to the drive way, seven meters below.

Underneath that window, we have a basketball court and on most days there are five or six children playing in that immediate area, including both our sons.  My thoughts immediately turned to what could have happened if the broken glass in the window had gone undetected and suddenly shattered.  The likelihood of our two sons and their friends being seriously injured was extremely high.

After washing the remaining egg stains off the front wall, I got some heavy duty masking tape and secured the cracked window as best I could.  Within 24 hours the cracked window was replaced and all was back to normal. 

Over the next few days, I realized that if our home not been bombarded by those eggs late Saturday night, I might never have discovered the broken window pane before it shattered and came down over the basketball court.  Even though it had been an annoyance at time, the broken eggs and stains were cleaned up quite quickly.  However, the damage that could have been caused by the shattering of glass over our children’s heads could have been very severe.

Frequently in life, the small things that happen to us have a temporary negative impact, causing some pain, sadness, discomfort or aggravation.  It is often said that we should not 'sweat the small stuff' and we should always look for the positive outcome, i.e. ‘the silver lining’ in the dark clouds of current circumstances.  Admittedly, at the time, this is not always easy to do.

My personal experience with the egg bombing reminds me that there is always a flip side to anything that happens to us.  Often the flip side provides a positive outcome or benefit; if not now, then at some point in the future.

We heartily agree with you, Mr. Ready.  Thanks for sharing your story.  Although our personal circumstances might differ, there is always an element of divine favor that is present in every problem.  Indeed, our pesky problems are perfect disguises for miraculous revelations of the love and power of God.  What does the Word have to say about this?

Romans 8:28 (NKJV)

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD

THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD

Recently, I came across a true story by a Connecticut author, A. Samuel Mattson.  It speaks so simply, yet so eloquently, about the providence of God.  As you read, please be cognizant of the fact that no matter what situation or circumstances we presently occupy, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)

Jobs were hard to find in New York City in 1930.  At the age of 19, I was fresh off the boat from Sweden and didn’t speak any English.

When I boarded the train in my hometown of Karlskrona, Sweden, a woman next to me asked, “Where are you going?”

“To America,” I answered, “to make a new start.”

“My cousin Lars works in New York City,” she informed me, “at the Steinway piano factory.  Look him up when you get there.  She wrote his name on a piece of paper, handed it to me and said, “God be with you.”

It was a sweltering New York day when I set out in search of the factory.  I had no idea where it was.  I wandered the city for hours, showing people that scrap of paper, which bore only four words: Lars Olsen, Steinway Piano.  Nobody was able to help me.

I was very disappointed, and oh so tired.  When I saw a parked car, I opened the door and slid into the back seat.  Back home, anyone could rest in someone else’s wagon or cart.  I hoped the same was true here.

I soon fell asleep, but was jolted awake by the loud blast of a whistle.  Workmen streamed out of a nearby building and one of them yelled at me in English.  What is he so upset about?  I answered instinctively in Swedish that I was sorry.  Amazingly, he responded in Swedish: “What are you doing in my car?”

I explained, then showed him that piece of paper.  The man smiled.  He said the whistle I just heard announced the end of the workday at Steinway & Sons.  Then he walked me around the corner and introduced me to someone who gave me a job as a painter.

By now you’ve probably guessed.  The man who owned the car and the factory was Lars Olsen.

Isn’t God just downright awesome?!?  The reason you and I can lay down at night and rest peacefully and securely is quite simple: GOD IS UP…HANDLING EVERY SINGLE PERSONAL CONCERN…IN WAYS THAT WE CANNOT SEE. (Psalm 121:4)

Trust Him.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

HOW SWEET IS THE LOVE OF GRANDCHILDREN!

HOW SWEET IS THE LOVE OF GRANDCHILDREN!

After a typically long and exhausting work week, three of our twelve grandchildren (who live in closest proximity to us) love to ‘invade’ Grandma and Pop-Pop’s home for an overnight stay.  And despite the fact that it requires considerable time, energy and preparation, we truly love having them here.

Why?  Because the unrestrained and unconditional love of a child is an awesome gift to be cherished forever.  We rejoice in their warmth, their laughter and their joy in the smallest of things.  Crafting bedtime stories (which we love to create ourselves) is a rare and spectacular flight into distant spaces and imaginary situations.  It is pure joy since they always ‘beg’ for more – with bright smiles and eager faces.

Morning is filled with Grandma’s loving preparations for the day: bathing and dressing them while casually dispensing wisdom acquired over a lifetime.  Pop-Pop mans the Saturday morning breakfast grill with a menu consisting of pancakes, eggs, sausage, orange juice and fruit.  As the young tribal members awaken to the fragrant aroma of their favorites, they race downstairs to the kitchen with energetic hugs, warm smiles and anticipation of the day’s events.

What will it be today?  A trip to the Bronx Zoo, or the Norwalk Aquarium, or their favorite park in North Haven, or time spent bicycling, or viewing the newest Disney movie?  We love teasing them a bit as they guess and marinade in sheeer anticipation of what’s coming next.

Bottom line: Our precious grandchildren keep us forever young at heart.  They exhibit an unabashed enthusiasm and pure sense of wonder about their world.  Belinda and I simply adore our grandchildren, both near and far.  Because of them, our lives are so much fuller and immeasurably richer.

We hope and pray that grandparents everywhere might experience this divine gift of limitless love!

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR SINGLE PARENTS

A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR SINGLE PARENTS

It’s never easy going it alone.  Yet there are multiplied thousands (possibly millions) of single Moms or single Dads who make it happen for their families day after day after day.

These Moms or Dads could be ‘single’ for a variety of reasons.  Perhaps their marriages did not make it due to irreconcilable differences with their spouses.  Perhaps their husbands or wives cheated and abandoned them for younger or more attractive suitors.  Perhaps they were hapless victims of serial domestic violence and simply could not take the abuse anymore.  Perhaps they were never married and became young parents outside of the bonds of holy matrimony; and so, their children grew up with and alongside them.

However you have arrived at this single parent circumstance, there are several important things you need to know:

First of all, no child that was ever born is “illegitimate” in the Mind of God.  However you and I arrived on this planet, either through righteous or unrighteous unions, GOD foreknew our situations and crowned us with eternal love.  It’s a grace thing.  So never ever allow any person or group to label you or your child as shameful or as a shame.  If you made a mistake in life (of any sort), just ask God for forgiveness, take stock of yourself, live in as much peace as possible with those around you, rise up and keep it moving.

Secondly, please know that GOD SEES ALL your courageous efforts, each and every day.  He takes careful note of your sacrifices, your exhaustion, your loneliness and even your pain.  Never forget that HE has a definite plan for you and your offspring.  “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11, NKJV)

Thirdly and finally, be assured of this: You can and you will make it!  As long as you have JESUS at your side (and on your side), “nothing shall be impossible unto you.” (Matthew 17:20, KJV)  Therefore, you must focus on His covenant promise, which simply says “no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper.” (Isaiah 54:17, KJV)

I see you.  But more importantly, GOD SEES YOU.  You have bandaged hundreds of cuts and scrapes; you have comforted children compassionately and wiped away hundreds of tears; you have worked so hard (to the edge of exhaustion) both inside and outside of the home; you have washed more clothes and prepared more meals than anyone could possibly know; you have juggled a modest budget to keep food in your pantry, clothes on your children’s backs and a roof over their heads; and occasionally, you might have endured the ridicule or indifference of others who have never walked a mile in your shoes. 

Nevertheless, you are still standing!  GOD has a word of encouragement, designed specifically for you: “Take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and HAVING DONE ALL, to STAND.” (Ephesians 6:13, NKJV)  So be encouraged.  Keep moving forward.  Remember: “I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME.” (Philippians 4:13, NKJV)  You can do it!  STAND! 

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

SHOWING UP FOR LIFE

SHOWING UP FOR LIFE

May I be transparent with you?  On this, my 48th anniversary in the Christian ministry, it occurs to me that I have not always done my best.  Although I have been committed to the faith, there are times that I have stumbled and fallen.  I have written much, but there are numerous untold stories and books that remain hidden and buried within.  I have befriended many, but there are times I simply failed to be there when others needed me most.

Undoubtedly, one could exhausting one’s self with an endless soliloquy of tasks not done, friendships not fulfilled, missions not accomplished, grace not deserved, etc., etc., etc.

However, I have learned one valuable lesson along the way.  Life is not always about any of the things that seem spectacular, nor about those visible acts that gain the accolades and applause of men.

Life is simply about showing up – every day – and allowing the Light of the World to shine through the stained prism of one's earthly existence and errors.  Thank God for grace.  Thank God for mercy.

Dear Lord, 
I earnestly promise to report for duty tomorrow (if it be your will), and I ask that you will continue to use me in spite of my flaws, faults, foibles and fiascoes.  In the mighty and matchless name of Jesus Christ I pray.  
Amen.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

HOW SHOULD YOU RECORD LIFE'S HURTS?

HOW SHOULD YOU RECORD LIFE’S HURTS?

Two African friends, Lesiba and Nomsa, were walking together on the edge of the Sahara Desert.  At some point in their journey, they had a terrible argument and Lesiba slapped her friend in the face.  Nomsa, who had gotten slapped, was feeling quite hurt.  Without saying a single word, she wrote in the sand, “Today my best friend, Lesiba, slapped me in the face.”

They kept on walking until they found an oasis; there they decided to take a bath.  Nomsa, who had been slapped, soon got stuck in quicksand and started sinking and drowning.  Naturally her friend, Lesiba, saved her life by pulling her out of that thick mire.  After she recovered from her near drowning experience, Nomsa wrote down on a stone, “Today my best friend, Lesiba, saved my life.”

Lesiba who had earlier slapped and later saved her best friend, Nomsa, asked this question: “After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand, and now, you write on a stone.  Why?”

Nomsa replied with a knowing smile, “When someone hurts us, we should write it down in sand, where the winds of forgiveness can erase it, but when someone does something good for us, we must always engrave it in stone, so nothing can ever erase it.”

So learn to write your hurts in sand and carve your blessings in stone. 

Some people record the faults and failures of others on what I term an EMOTIONAL ABACUS.*  That is, they keep a mental record of personal offenses, and this stored information influences their future dealings with other people.  However, the New Covenant constrains us to react to our hurts in a decidedly different way.  In the words of the Apostle Paul, LOVE “does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, IT KEEPS NO RECORD OF WRONGS.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” (I Corinthians 13:5-7, NIV)

My friend, how is your LOVE LIFE?  If others were to examine your emotional abacus, would it reflect a SCORE TALLY of offenses, or blessings?

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

(*) Editor’s Note: An ABACUS is a counting device that consists of a frame holding rods on which a specific number of beads are free to move about and record numerical values. (World English Dictionary)

THE GOOD SHEPHERD CARES

THE GOOD SHEPHERD CARES

Whenever you cannot trace God’s hand, trust God’s heart.  Beyond any shadow of doubt, HE CARES FOR YOU!

Psalm 23 (KJV)

¹ The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

² He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

³ He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

⁵ Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

John 10:11 (NKJV)

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.”

I Peter 5:6-7 (NKJV)

⁶ Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, ⁷ casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Whenever you cannot trace God’s hand, trust God’s heart.  Beyond any shadow of doubt, HE CARES FOR YOU!

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

THE CRACKED POT

THE CRACKED POT

A water bearer in India had two large pots, one hung on each end of a pole, which she carried across her neck.

One of the pots had a crack in it.  While one pot was perfect, and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the mistress’s house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to her master’s house.

The perfect pot was very proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made.  But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its imperfection, and quite miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, the cracked pot spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream: “I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you.”

“Why?” asked the bearer.  “What are you ashamed of?”

“For these past two years, I have only delivered half of my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your mistress’s house.  Because of my flaws, you have to do more work, and you don’t get full value from your efforts,” the pot confessed shamefully.

The water bearer simply smiled at the old cracked pot, and in her compassion she said, “As we return to the mistress’s house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path.”

Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this beautiful sight cheered it somewhat.

But at the end of the trail, the cracked pot still felt badly because once again it had leaked half its load.  And so, it apologized again to the bearer for its failure.

But the bearer only smiled and asked the pot a question: “Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side?”

“That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it.  I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walked home from the stream, you have watered them.”

“For two years I have been able to pick those beautiful flowers to decorate my mistress’s table.   Without you being just the way you are, she would not have such awesome beauty to grace her house.”

In truth, each of us has our own unique flaws.  In some sense, we are all ‘cracked pots.’  However, the cracks and flaws somehow form us into compassionate Kingdom Kids who are capable of engaging in the Lord’s service with loving-kindness, i.e. the capacity to forge intimate spiritual connections and thereby bless our sisters and brothers.  In a word, we will be quite useful, despite our defects, once we confess them to God and submit to His gracious authority in and over our lives.  That’s how I see the magnificent miracle that the Word calls “grace.” (Ephesians 2:8)

So today, no matter what you SEE in yourself (or in others), ONLY BELIEVE and be encouraged by the fact that GOD has already factored in every human condition, setback, issue, problem, pressure or pain into His divine plan and purpose!  “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (Jeremiah 29:11, KJV)  I really love the NIV translation of this scripture verse: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

There is no doubt.  “All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)  Jesus Christ states it far more eloquently than any of us: “If you believe, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE to him who believes.” (Mark 9:23)

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!