FINISH STRONG

FINISH STRONG

As our world experiences the closing moments of 2019, we shall corporately embrace and enact a meaningful metaphor for this wondrous journey called LIFE.  In the wise words of King Solomon, “Better is THE END OF A THING than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.” (Ecclesiastes 7:8) This sage axiom is mission critical to achieving positive results as we trek through the unknown territory of 2020.  Finishing strong, i.e. succeeding in every arena of life, requires VISION, PATIENCE and PERSPECTIVE.

According to Dictionary.com, VISION is defined as “a vivid imaginative conception” (or) “the act or power of anticipating that which will or may come to be.”  To be sure, what we SEE is a determining factor in what we will BE and, by extension, what we will DO.  Solomon declared, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” (Proverbs 29:18) As we navigate through 2020 with the help and direction of our Lord, extraordinary vision will be required.  That is, we must look beyond any unexpected situations, temporary circumstances, or occasional barriers in this coming year to visualize and actualize our God-ordained purpose and destiny.

Dictionary.com tells us that PATIENCE is the “ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay” (or) “the bearing of provocation, misfortune, or pain, without complaint” (or) “quiet, steady perseverance.”  Key Questions: Which of life’s mountains are you positioned to scale?  What barriers are you prepared to handle?  What delays are you determined to ignore in order to achieve your life-dream? 

Finishing strong in every God-given task also necessitates PERSPECTIVE, which according to Dictionary.com, is “a visible scene extending to a distance” (0r) “the state of one’s ideas, the facts known to one in meaningful relationship.”  Therefore, PERSPECTIVE is the first cousin of VISION.  It sees the future, but does so in a very practical and proactive manner.  That is, perspective allows us to objectively visualize the key connections between our past, present and future.  When the Apostle Paul spoke of “forgetting those things which are behind,” he did so in the context of a personal recognition that (1) “I count not myself to have apprehended,” (2) I am “reaching forth unto those things which are before,” and (3) “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12-14)

Remember this.  Past is prologue to present.  As such, your past is not your enemy; neither is your present, no matter what either looks like or feels like to you.  Both offer significant insights that will ultimately birth and develop the vision, preparation and realization of your future.

When God created us, He foreordained our future out of clear foreknowledge of our character and our calling.  That is, GOD ENDED US in the same moment that HE STARTED US.  As such, we believers are elected “according to the foreknowledge of God.” (I Peter 1:2) Therefore, we can be “confident of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in [us] will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6) There can be no doubt.  Indeed, there IS no doubt.  WE WILL FINISH STRONG!

How so?  How can we be filled with faith and confidence about FINISHING STRONG – today and always – especially in the presence of challenging problems or setbacks?  In a word, we must capture and cling to these indispensable prerequisites: COVENANT FAITH.  UNSHAKABLE FOCUS.  UNCEASING PRAYER.  WORD KNOWLEDGE.  EAGLE-EYE VISION.  ENDURING PATIENCE.  SPIRITUAL PERSPECTIVE.  LIFE CONSISTENCY.  And, never forget this mission-critical trait: TENACITY. 

You CAN do it!  You WILL do it!  In the coming year, my intercessory prayer is that your life, your health, your family, your ministry, your career and every single person that you touch will be highly favored and immeasurably blessed!

My friend, may God’s highest blessing and favor be yours.  HAVE A HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR!

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

OUT OF HARM'S WAY

OUT OF HARM’S WAY

I read an interesting brief essay by David Jass that I’d like to share with you.

So there we were, fifty 10-year-old boys in the Minnesota mid-winter cold, packed on a school bus, heading for the big downtown YMCA.  We were going swimming.  In can still sense the excitement, the ‘can’t hardly wait’ anticipation.  These were the days of owning the world, of simply being.

We arrived at the Y – out of the bus, running through the cold, keeping up with the speed of each other, and into the sounds and wet warmth of the building.  I can smell the pool.  I hear it echo to us as we tore off our parkas and boots – shirts and pants flying everywhere.  We were naked as the day we were born.  No suits for us today, not when we were about to plunge into the waters of the Boys Only pool.

I can still feel it.  The event we had been waiting for since it was announced by our teacher 5 weeks before. All there was to do now was run.  And run we did, flying into the water.  I guess we never heard the commands to slow down, to wait for the person in charge, or to walk around to the other end of the pool where the depth was a reasonable three feet.

I couldn’t swim and was instantly under the heaviness of water at the deep end of the pool.  I knew I was drowning.  I had heard that one would surface three times.  After the third gasp above water, down I would go, never to surface again.

Boy, was I scared!  I surfaced for the first time.  It was bright and noisy.  I thought of yelling for help, but could not.  Something inside stopped me.  I sank again and resurfaced.  Once more I thought it wise to yell “HELP” but could not.  They also say that on the third time under you will see your life pass before your eyes.  And, indeed, mine did.  This short life, only 10 years, did not take long to pass.  It didn’t have much to say.  I committed to yell for help on this, the third rising.

Just then, I felt a curved hooking devise around my belly, lifting me out of the water and placing me gently on the side of the pool.  On that memorable day, I never had a chance to face my resolve to finally ask for help.  Yet still, in these last 45 years of life, I have needed the help of others so often and asked for it so seldom.  But I have always felt the hand of God curving gently around me and holding me securely, placing me on the side, out of harm’s way.

If you need help, never be ashamed or afraid to ask for it.  But know that GOD is always there, and surely He’s got your back!  Carry that resolve over into 2020.

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

GET OUT OF THE REARVIEW MIRROR

GET OUT OF THE REARVIEW MIRROR!

Sometimes it’s good to look back.  We cannot afford to forget our family and faith legacies, nor should we neglect lessons learned from our past.  On the other hand, it can be dangerous and destructive to look back.  There is a human tendency to become victimized by ‘the paralysis of analysis.’ That is, we can be so completely focused on past negatives that future positives are ignored.  In such cases, personal potential is delayed or denied.

Jesus recalled the story of Lot’s wife, who was advised to flee from a place of destruction and never look back.  Due to anxiety about the life she had left behind, she took one more glance backward and turned into a pillar of salt. (Genesis 19:24-26 and Luke 17:32) 

My friend, get out of the rearview mirror!  In vehicles, rearview mirrors are necessary, primarily for changing lanes.  This may not be your season to change lanes.  Certainly, this is your time to forge ahead with faith, joy and confidence.  The Apostle Paul said it well: “Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press…” (Philippians 3:13-14)  Jesus Christ said it best: “No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62) 

YOUR FLOW IS IN YOUR FUTURE…not in your past!

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

THE BIG ROCKS OF LIFE

THE BIG ROCKS OF LIFE

An expert on time management was speaking to a group of business students.  To emphasize an important point, he used an illustration that the students would never forget.  Likely, you'll never forget it either.

As he stood in front of the group of high-powered overachievers he said, “Okay, time for a quiz.”  Then he pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouthed jar and set it on a table in front of him.  Afterwards he produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar.

When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, “Is this jar full?” Everyone in the class said, “Yes.”  Then he said, “Really?”  He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel.  Then he dumped in some gravel and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks.  Then he smiled and asked the group once more, “Is this jar full?”

By this time the class was onto him.  “Probably not,” one of them answered.  “Good!” he replied.  And he reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand.  He started dumping the sand in until it filled all the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel.  Once more he asked the question, “Is this jar full?”  “No!” the class shouted.  Once again he said, “Good!”  Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim.

Then he looked up at the class and asked, “What is the point of this illustration?”

One eager beaver raised his hand and said, “The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard, you can always fit some more things into it!”  “No,” the speaker replied.  “That’s not the point.  The truth this illustration teaches us is simple.  If you don’t put the big rocks in first, you’ll never get them in at all.”   The title of this lecture is “The Big Rocks of Life.”

My friend, what are THE big rocks in your life?  A project you want to finish?  Time with your loved ones?  Your faith, your education, your finances?  Some special cause?  Teaching or mentoring others?  Remember to always PUT THE BIG ROCKS IN FIRST, or you’ll never get them in at all.

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

THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD (Part II)

THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD (Part II)

As we celebrate the miraculous birth of Jesus Christ, we will allow the Word of God to rekindle our gratitude for the great and gracious gift of the only begotten Son of God.

Luke 1;31-56 (New King James Version)

³¹ And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. ³² He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. ³³ And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” ³⁴ Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” ³⁵ And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. ³⁶ Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. ³⁷ For with God nothing will be impossible.” ³⁸ Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. ³⁹ Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, ⁴⁰ and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴² Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! ⁴³ But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴ For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. ⁴⁵ Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.” ⁴⁶ And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, ⁴⁷ And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. ⁴⁸ For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. ⁴⁹ For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. ⁵⁰ And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation. ⁵¹ He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. ⁵² He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly. ⁵³ He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty. ⁵⁴ He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, ⁵⁵ As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever.” ⁵⁶ And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house.

Amen!  Amen!  Amen!

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

THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD (Part I)

THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD (Part I)

As we celebrate the miraculous birth of Jesus Christ, we will allow the Word of God to rekindle our gratitude for the great and gracious gift of the only begotten Son of God.

Luke 1;5-33 (New King James Version)

⁵ There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. ⁶ And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. ⁷ But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.

⁸ So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, ⁹ according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. ¹⁰ And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. ¹¹ Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. ¹² And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

¹³ But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. ¹⁴ And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. ¹⁵ For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. ¹⁶ And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. ¹⁷ He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

¹⁸ And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”

¹⁹ And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. ²⁰ But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.”

²¹ And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. ²² But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless.

²³ So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house. ²⁴ Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, ²⁵ “Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”

²⁶ Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, ²⁷ to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”

²⁹ But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. ³⁰ Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹ And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. ³² He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. ³³ And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

Amen!  Amen!  Amen!

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

OUR FOREVER GIFT

OUR FOREVER GIFT

According to the APOSTLE OF LOVE, the gospel writer John, our HEAVENLY FATHER loved us so much that He quite willingly “gave his only begotten SON” that, believing on Him, we would have eternal and abundant life. (John 3:16 – John 10:10)

Centuries before Christ’s advent, the EAGLE-EYE PROPHET, Isaiah, foretold His coming:

Isaiah 9:6 (New King James Version)

For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

As the CHILD that was BORN, he was fully MAN.  As the SON that was GIVEN, He was fully GOD.

As the CHILD that was born, He experienced hunger, thirst, pain, loneliness, isolation, indifference, sorrow, and even death.

As the SON that was given, HE IS The Living Bread, The Water of Life, The Great Physician, The Burden Bearer, The Friend of Sinners, The Comforter, The Resurrection and The Life.

During this Advent season, celebrate the CHILD and the SON by fully embracing and sharing the good news about THE GREATEST GIFT OF ALL…JESUS CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD and SAVIOR OF THE WORLD.   He belongs to us and we belong to Him, henceforth, now and evermore.  Amen!

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

THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT

THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT

Please stop stressing about buying the most unique (or expensive) Christmas gifts you can locate or imagine.  Fact is, you already have them.  As you check out the following story by Joseph Rebecky, you will consciously embrace the spirit of gratitude and the wonderful fulfillment that is found in the most precious of gifts.

As a young child I remember running down the steps on Christmas morning and looking around the tree for the biggest box.  I always believed that within the biggest box lay the most expensive and best gift.  But as time worked its wonders on my mind and soul, I realized that each and every gift was special, unique and meaningful.

In fact, the presents that I remember most are the gifts that came directly from the heart, such as one of my mother’s handmade sweaters or scarves.  Actually, Christmas is not about the gifts themselves, but rather the expressions of love behind the gifts.  This Christmas I have already been blessed to receive the most beautiful and amazing presents in the world, the love of the special people in and around my life.

However, I know the true meaning of Christmas is found in the word “giving.”  So, this Christmas, I pledged to search and search until I find the most incredible gifts for some phenomenal people.  I spent many days in crowded stores and scanned numerous holiday catalogs, but nothing seemed to stand out.  As Christmas approached, I wondered if I would ever find those “perfect” gifts.  I decided to try the local mall one last time.  Perhaps I had missed an amazing store or some awesome merchandise that had just hit the racks and shelves.

But as I quietly passed from one store to the next, nothing caught my eye.  Feeling somewhat defeated, I slowly made my way toward the mall exit.  But before I could reach the door, I suddenly found my “perfect” gift.

No, this gift was not found in a fancy and expensive department store.  It will not be wrapped in colorful Christmas paper and adorned with bright ribbons and bows.  Actually, this gift doesn’t have a receipt and it cannot be returned or exchanged.  So, where did I find this “perfect” gift –  and more importantly, what is it?

I found it in the eyes of an elderly couple holding hands.  I heard it in the playful words between a grandfather and his grandson.  I glimpsed it in a proud new mother’s caress of her infant daughter.

Yes, my “perfect” gift is LOVE.  So this Christmas, I offer the gift of LOVE and believe with all my heart that its recipients will treasure and keep it always.   Well said, Joseph Rebecky. 

We shall also make a conscientious effort to truly treasure our loved ones – and all of us will be supremely grateful for our most precious gift: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)  Indeed, HE is the perfect Christmas gift!

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

A HEARTWARMING CHRISTMAS STORY

A HEARTWARMING CHRISTMAS STORY

One may never apprehend the real significance of Christmas in the absence of embracing the timeless truth that “God is love.”  In light of the loving character of God, we are admonished by His Word to “love one another…for everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” (I John 4:7-8, NIV)  

In 1982, Nancy W. Gavin penned a touching story which underscores the wondrous meaning and message of Christmas, which is love…

It’s just a small, white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree.  No name, no identification, no inscription.  It has peeked through the branches of our tree for the past 10 years or so.

It all began because my husband, Mike, hated Christmas.  He did not dishonor the true meaning of Christmas, but he despised the commercial aspects of it – overspending – the frantic running around at the last minute to get a tie for Uncle Harry or dusting powder for Grandma – the gifts given in desperation because you just couldn’t think of anything else.

Knowing he felt this way, I decided one year to bypass the usual shirts, sweaters, ties, and so forth.  I reached for something special just for Mike.  The inspiration came in a most unusual way.

Our 12-year-old son, Kevin, was on the wrestling team at school.  Shortly before Christmas, there was a non-league match against a team that was sponsored by an inner-city church, comprised mostly of African-American children.  These youngsters, who were dressed in sneakers so ragged that shoestrings seemed to be the only thing holding them together, presented a sharp contrast to our boys in their spiffy blue and gold uniforms and their sparkling new wrestling shoes.

As the match began, I was alarmed to see that the other team was wrestling without headgear, a light helmet designed to protect the wrestlers’ ears.  It was a luxury that the inner-city team simply could not afford.  Well, we ended up walloping them that day; we took every weight class.  As each of their boys got up from the mat, he swaggered around in his tattered uniform with false bravado, a kind of street pride that seemed to have difficulty acknowledging defeat.

Seated beside me, Mike shook his head sadly.  “I wish just one of them could have won,” he said.  “They have a lot of potential, but losing like this could take the heart right out of them.”  Mike loved kids and he knew them well, having coached little league football, baseball and lacrosse.  

That’s when the idea for a unique Christmas present came.  That same afternoon, I went to the local sporting goods store and bought an assortment of wrestling headgear and shoes and sent them anonymously to the inner-city church.

On Christmas Eve, I placed an envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Mike what had been done and the fact that this was his gift from me.  His radiant smile was the brightest thing about Christmas that year, and in succeeding years.

Every Christmas thereafter, we followed this same giving tradition – one year sending a group of mentally handicapped youngsters to a hockey game, another year mailing a check to a pair of elderly brothers whose home had burned to the ground right before Christmas, and so on.

The giving envelope became the highlight of every Christmas.  It would always be the last thing opened on Christmas morning.  Our children, ignoring their new toys, would stand with wide-eyed anticipation as their Dad lifted the envelope from the tree to reveal its contents.

As our children grew, toys gave way to more practical presents, but the envelope never lost its loving allure. But the story doesn’t end there.  You see, last year we lost Mike due to a dreaded cancer.  When Christmas rolled around, I was still so wrapped in grief that I barely got the tree up.  But Christmas Eve found me placing an envelope on the tree, and in the morning, it was joined by three more.  Each of our children, unbeknownst to the others, had placed an envelope on the tree for their Dad.

Our family’s Christmas tradition has grown and someday will expand even further with grandchildren standing around the tree in wide-eyed anticipation, watching as their fathers take down the envelopes. Mike’s spirit, like the Christmas spirit, will always be present, and will always be a special present for us. 

May we remember each other with love this year, and may we never forget the real reason for this season and The One who makes it all possible, now and always.

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

THE MOST SIGNIFICANT GIFT

THE MOST SIGNIFICANT GIFT

During the Great Depression in America, Marjorie Talcott was married with one child.  Her family managed to scrape their way through, but as Christmas approached Marjorie and her husband were very disappointed that they would not be able to buy presents.

The week before Christmas they explained to their six-year-old son, Pete, that there would be no store-bought presents this Christmas.  “But I’ll tell you what we can do,” said Pete’s father.  “We can make pictures of the presents we would like to give to each other.”

It was a busy week as Marjorie and her husband set to work.  Christmas Day arrived and the family rose to find their skimpy little tree made most magnificent by the picture presents with which it had been lovingly adorned.  There was luxury beyond imagination in the hanging pictures: a black limousine and red speedboat for Dad, a diamond bracelet and fur coat for Mom, a camping tent and beautiful swimming pool for Pete.

Then Pete pulled out his present, a crayon drawing of a man, a woman and a child with their arms around each other laughing and loving on each other.  Under the picture just one word was inscribed: “US.”  Years later, Marjorie wrote that it was the richest, most satisfying Christmas they ever had.

It took a ‘present-less’ Christmas to remind their family that the greatest gift we can ever offer is ourselves, our presence.  This is the great gift that Christ offers to us, not only at Christmas but throughout the year, the matchless grace and gift of Himself.  If He were to draw a gift, perhaps it would be similar to Pete’s – although with multiplied millions – with arms lovingly encircling one another in a wonderful portrait of genuine family love, with Jesus Christ at the center.

Reminder: Make sure that HE and HIS LOVE are at the heart of your plans to celebrate Christmas.

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

ONE NEVER KNOWS

ONE NEVER KNOWS

If any among you are tempted to feel sad or depressed during this Christmas season due to a lack of resources or the loss of a loved one, you must read and share the following story written by an unknown author.  It will surely inspire and bless you.

A pastor and his wife were given their first assignment, to reopen a church in Brooklyn, New York.  They arrived in early October, thrilled beyond measure to be entering an exciting ministry opportunity.  However, as they entered the church, their enthusiasm faded as they found the building to be run down and in dire need of restoration and repair.  But right then and there, they set a goal to have all the necessary work done in time to have their first worship service on Christmas Eve.

They worked diligently, repairing pews, plastering walls, painting, etc., and on December 18th they were well ahead of schedule, just about finished.  Nevertheless, on December 19th a stormy tempest hit the area and lasted two full days.

On the 21st of December, the pastor went over to inspect the church edifice.  His heart sank immediately when he saw that the roof had leaked, causing a large area of plaster to fall off the front wall of the sanctuary, just behind the pulpit.  The pastor swept up the mess on the floor, and not knowing what else to do, he headed homeward, planning to postpone their first service.   On the way home he noticed a local business sponsoring a flea market for charity, so he decided to stop by.

One of the items on sale was a beautiful, hand-made, ivory colored, crochet table cloth. It was truly an exquisite work of art, with striking colors and an ornate cross embroidered at the center.  The new pastor thought, ‘It’s just the right size to cover up that hole in the front wall of the sanctuary!’  So he bought it and quickly headed back to church.

By this time it had started to snow.  An older woman hurried from the opposite direction, trying to catch a passing bus, but she missed it.  The pastor invited her to wait inside the warm sanctuary for the next bus, which was due to arrive 45 minutes later.  The grateful woman sat in a pew and paid little attention to the pastor while he gathered a ladder and wall hangers to mount the gorgeous tablecloth as a wall tapestry.  The pastor could hardly believe how beautiful it looked and how perfectly it covered the entire problem area. Just then, he noticed the woman walking slowly down the center aisle, wearing a shocked facial expression.

“Pastor,” she inquired, “Where…where…did you get that tablecloth?”

The pastor related the story of his recent purchase.  The woman asked him to check the lower right corner to see if the initials “EBG” were present there, and they were.  These were actually the initials of that woman, who had made the tablecloth herself, 35 years previously while living in Austria.

The woman explained that before the war she and her husband were well-to-do people in Austria.  When the Nazis arrived, her husband sent her to safety, and planned to follow the next week.  Unfortunately, she was captured, detained in a camp, and never saw her husband or her home again.

The pastor offered to give her the tablecloth, but she insisted that he keep it for the church.  He said, “Then I will drive you home; that is the least I can do.”  The woman lived on the other side of Staten Island and was only in Brooklyn for the day doing a housecleaning job.

Christmas Eve arrived, and what a wonderful service they had!  The church was practically full, and the Holy Spirit moved upon the hearts of all who attended.  At the close of the service, the pastor and his wife greeted everyone at the door and many people promised to return often.

One older man, whom the pastor recognized from the neighborhood, continued to sit in one of the pews with a blank stare on his face, and the pastor wondered why he did not leave with all the rest.  The man asked, “Where did you get the tablecloth on the front wall?  It’s identical to one my wife made years ago when we lived in Austria before the war.  Could there be two tablecloths so much alike?”

He told the pastor how the Nazis came, how he forced his wife to flee for safety with plans to follow her, but then he was arrested and placed in a concentration camp.  He never saw his wife or his home again for all the 35 years in between.

The pastor smiled inwardly and asked the gentleman if he would accompany him on a ride.  They drove to Staten Island, to the same building where the pastor had taken the woman three days earlier.  He helped the elderly man climb three flights of stairs to the woman’s apartment, knocked on the door and saw the greatest Christmas reunion one could ever imagine!

What a miraculous story of the matchless grace and marvelous love of our God!  None of this heartwarming story would have been possible without the terrible storm and the resultant hole in the church sanctuary!  So often, our apparent ‘storms’ are divine appointments in disguise that ultimately bless us and others.  

In truth, ONE NEVER KNOWS what GOD has in store.  So…please…do not surrender to doubt or despair. It is my prayer that your Christmas will be endowed with the fullness of peace and joy that is the life and legacy of OUR SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, THE LORD.

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

CONSIDERING WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT

CONSIDERING WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT

Last week, while driving alone on the Merritt Parkway, I had a terrifying experience.  Armed with happy thoughts and a carefree mindset, I proceeded northward, absolutely unaware that my health was on the verge of a sudden and radical change.  With no pre-warning symptoms whatsoever, I suddenly became quite dizzy and disoriented, feeling sure that I would pass out before being able to stop my car safely.  While driving in the slow lane, I gradually veered further to the right, unable to control my car.  And there was no room to pull over.  All I could do was to THINK (I’m not sure I said it out-loud), “LORD, HELP ME!”

Thank God that I was able to make it to a nearby exit without harming myself or others.  Thereafter, I was taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital, which was experiencing a tidal wave of persons needing emergency care.  As a result, I stayed in the emergency department for more than two days.  Shall I say “discomfort” and “frustration?”  Well, I’ll try to avoid the temptation to actually verbalize those sentiments.  Oops, I just did!

On a serious note, while in the hospital, I underwent several diagnostic tests, including two MRIs and an echocardiogram.  It seems that I did NOT have a light stroke, as originally thought.  However, my hospital stay opened the door for some very deep spiritual reflection.  I thought a lot about my family, my ministry and my personal relationship with the Lord.  And here is the scripture that the Lord laid upon my heart:

James 4:13-14 (NKJV)

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit” – whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow.  For what is your LIFE?  It is even a VAPOR that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

Bottom-line: No matter how many funeral services you and I have attended, that casket and that burial plot somehow seem to be for the ‘other’ person.  And even while we experience powerful pains of loss and grief, we typically see our own departure as far off and distant.  ‘He had an accident, but I am careful.’  Or, ‘She had cancer, but that doesn’t run in my family.’  Even as we age, our minds (and our very powerful imaginations) allow us to ‘see’ ourselves as that young girl who once was a track star or that youthful guy who was a gridiron standout.  We age gradually (and hopefully gracefully), but even as our bodies undergo the sure and swift transitions of time, our minds may remain unaffected and unaware of the realities of change.

In December of 2018, my family lost our eldest sister, Wilma.  She was only the second of ten siblings to pass away; Dwight left us more than sixty years ago due to injury and infection.  And none of us can know who will be next.  Consider this: Mortality tables suggest that I, the youngest sibling, might be among the ‘last’ to leave this mortal plain.  However, our departure dates are not determined by any statistical calculus, but by an all-knowing and all-loving Creator.  We can leave here anytime – at all ages and stages.

This sobering fact leads us to a mission critical question: What’s most important?  Surely, it’s not the things we will leave behind.  We’ve never observed U-Haul trucks in the cemetery.  Property and possessions never accompany us into eternity.  And, all too often, they become the seeds of disagreement and disengagement for those we have left behind.  No academic degrees or certificates of earthly commendations will be forwarded into eternity.  Never forget.  Although throughout life we might accomplish more-and-more, those achievements will be remembered less-and-less as cumulative years fade the details and dates of our demise.

So, what is most important?  My dear mother, Mary Watts Bass, loved to sing “Only What You Do For Christ Will Last.”  I can clearly hear her beautiful voice now, and I can see the serious and sincere expression on her face as she offered a timeless reminder of that which will actually endure.  It’s etched indelibly into my heart and spirit: “Only What You Do For Christ Will Last!” 

As such, my personal conclusions about life’s priorities net out to this:  LIFE IS ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS.  Think about it.  RELATIONSHIPS.  That’s why God needed Adam.  That’s why Adam needed God.  That’s why Adam and Eve needed each other and all their future dependents. 

And that’s why we must (at all costs) avoid wasting one more day, one more hour, or one more minute holding tenaciously to adverse experiences, negative thoughts, or unforgiving spirits.  Christ is all.  We hold steadfastly to our faith in Him.  Family is next.  Our love and loyalty to our spouses, children, grandchildren, siblings, etc., shall never by diminished or sidelined by the pursuit of any other thing. 

As a ‘side-bar’ to all my ministry colleagues: God never requires that you subordinate the love and care for your spouse and family to the daily demands of your ministry.  After all, our charity begins at home before it can be authentically spread abroad.

It is a signal honor and a pleasure to love and to serve my family – and all of you, the people of God.

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

EDITOR'S NOTE

EDITOR’S NOTE

Because I have been hospitalized from this past Saturday until today (Tuesday), it was not feasible to post my daily devotionals.  I am grateful that now my health is trending positively – so I will resume posting on tomorrow (Wednesday).  Thanks so much for your understanding and prayers.  Be continually blessed!

-Pastor Wayne M. Bass

YOU ALREADY HAVE THE VICTORY!

YOU ALREADY HAVE THE VICTORY!

Don’t worry about what things ‘look like’ right now because you are actually more than victorious through Jesus Christ, our Lord!  So please do not concentrate on your circumstances or your emotions.  Listen to The Word.

Ephesians 1:3-12 (NKJV)

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, ⁴ just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, ⁵ having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, ⁶ to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. ⁷ In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace ⁸ which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, ⁹ having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, ¹⁰ that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. ¹¹ In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, ¹² that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

Your present position is mere prologue to a glorious future with and through Him.  Victory belongs to Jesus.  And, since you belong to Him…victory belongs to YOU.

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

TELL DAD TO HEAR MY WORDS

TELL DAD TO HEAR MY WORDS

Sometimes, it’s important to speak.  Always, it’s important to listen.  The following true story, courtesy of Brian Jett, brings these lessons home for us.  Please listen with your heart.

“Son!” Tim’s father shouted.  “Is it possible you could please turn that noise down!?”  Tim, who had only two months earlier earned his driver’s license, calmly ejected his favorite music CD and his favorite song.

“Sorry Dad, but I love that song cranked up loud because it makes me happy every time I hear it,” Tim less than calmly replied with a grin on his face.  His father glanced over in his son’s direction with a look of disgust.  “Tim, what on earth makes you happy by listening to that screaming guitar and what’s the name of that garbage?”

Tim smiled and vowed silently that he would never become the bitter, angry, negative and miserable father he had seen his entire life, now seated next to him on the drive home.  Tim’s mother tried her best to fend off any possible future negativity in him, their only son and child, by always praising him and even by clapping in rhythm to the music Tim would ask her to hear.

She had grown weary of trying to tell Tim how happy his father was when they first got married.  In fact, Tim told his mother that she didn’t have to defend his Dad.  He promised he would be more like her when he got married and had a family of his own.

“Well Dad, the song is called “Happy” and Phil Keaggy wrote it.  He’s a great guitar player and sings great too!”  Tim’s irritated father just rolled his eyes and replied, “All I hear is that blasting guitar, so Mr. Keaggy or whatever his name is must have lost his vocal chords.”

“No way Dad!  You tell me to turn if off before he gets the chance to sing!  You never listen long enough to hear the words!”  His father shifted in his seat and pointed to a scripture Tim had pinned up on the sun visor of the old AMC Pacer he had bought with money saved since age 14, earned by mowing lawns in their neighborhood.  “That church you go to would be ashamed of you if they only knew the trash you listen to that makes you so happy!  Your Mom takes you there but it’s obviously a waste of time.  And you wonder why I don't go?!?”

As Tim neared a familiar bend in the road leading to their home, an oncoming sports car careened out of control.  Tim frantically tried to steer to the right but the red bullet slammed into the driver’s side of the Pacer, propelling it with great force against a maple tree on Tim’s side of the car.

Tim’s father was jarred but had not one blemish as he looked over and saw his son’s face covered in blood, his body slumped forward and resting motionless against the steering wheel.

“Oh God!  Someone help my son!”  Tim’s father jumped out of the car and ran down the street to flag down a passing motorist.  The driver of the sports car, also unharmed, ran from his slightly damaged car with a cell phone in his hand.  “Sir, I’m sorry!  Here’s my phone,” the college-aged young man shouted with a strong smell of beer on his breath.

Tim was taken to the same hospital where he was born.  When his mother arrived in the emergency room, she embraced her distraught husband as both wept uncontrollably.  The doctor, who had administered only 30 minutes of treatment in an effort to save their son’s life, asked them to come to a private room.

“I have only had to share this kind of news three times since I began working in the emergency room at this hospital and three times is way too many,” the gray-haired doctor somberly stated.  “Your son’s chest cavity was crushed and we did all we could, but he just didn’t have the strength to hold on.”  Tim’s parents placed their hands to their faces, sobbing and hoping that what they had just heard was wrong. 

“Doctor,” Tim’s mother pleaded, “Are you telling me my son is dead?”  The doctor steadied himself and gained as much composure as he could before replying.  “Yes ma’am, your son’s injuries were extremely severe but he was alert for the last ten minutes we were trying to save him.”  Tim’s parents looked startled and waited anxiously for what the doctor would say next.

“Your son smiled at me and asked that if he died, that I’d promise to tell his Dad something.  I don't know, sir, what your son’s final words will mean to you, but I am going to honor his request.  I’ve never, in all 27 years of practicing medicine, heard anyone speak with such strength and clarity as your son did in that condition. Sir, he asked me to tell you to…please listen long enough to hear the words.”

Tim’s father melted to the floor and the doctor discerned that it would be best to leave the grieving parents alone in the private room.

Two weeks after Tim’s burial, his father opened the passenger’s side door of the Pacer that he simply could not bear to sell.  He retrieved the music CD and pulled the scripture down that remained on the visor.  He got in his Jeep and turned Tim’s favorite song up loudly and listened through the guitar solo until he heard the soulful man’s tenor voice singing the words to that song entitled “Happy.”

The lyrics rang out joyfully: “I’m so happy Lord; I’m so grateful Lord since You came to me; You set me free and You welcomed me, in Your family...”

He listened to the song repeatedly for a solid hour before he pulled his new Jeep he'd selfishly bought only three days after Tim so happily bought his old beat up AMC Pacer.  The Jeep now meant nothing to him, but as he pulled the scripture out of his shirt pocket he knew what Tim had been trying to tell him for so many years.  Tearfully he read the words of his son’s note that he clutched in his hands: “A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.” (Proverbs 15:13)

Through Tim’s final words, empowered by the Holy Spirit, he had made sure that his Dad would never be the same again.

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

PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR LIFE

PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR LIFE

Some time ago I read the following true story posted on Facebook by Pastor Howard Proctor of Kingdom Life Family Christian Church in Bradenton, Florida.  It’s a very powerful and poignant reminder of our need to tune in as we traverse this incredible journey called LIFE.  Think.

A man sat at a metro station in Washington D.C. and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes.  Because it was rush hour, it was estimated that 1,100 people passed through that station, most of them on their way to work.

Three minutes went by, and a middle-aged man noticed there was musician playing.  He slowed his pace, stopped for a few seconds, then hurried up to meet his schedule.

A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip.  A woman threw the money in the till without stopping, and continued on her way.

A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen, but soon looked at his watch and started to walk again.  Clearly he was late for work.

The one who paid the most attention was a three-year-old boy.  His mother prodded him along hurriedly, but the kid stopped to look at the violinist.  Even when the mother pushed hard, the child continued to walk, though turning his head all the time.  This action was repeated by several other children.  All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes that musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while.  About 20 gave him money, but continued in their normal pace.  He collected $32.  When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it.  No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the most talented musicians in the world.  He had just played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, on a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.

Two days before playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston where the tickets averaged $100.

This is a real story.  Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station had been organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and the priorities of people.

The question at hand was this: In a commonplace environment at an unplanned hour, do we perceive beauty?  Do we stop to appreciate it?  Do we recognize talent in unexpected contexts?

One possible conclusion from this experiment is simply this: “If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the finest music ever written, how many other things might we be missing in life?”

Incredible, isn’t it?  All too often, we wait until a tragic event occurs, such as a close personal encounter with death or the unexpected passing of a loved one, to achieve higher levels of awareness and connectivity with others.  What are YOU waiting for?  The text of an old railroad crossing sign is particularly applicable for all of us who could be overwhelmed and desensitized by the endless hustle and bustle of daily activity.  It simply read, “Stop, Look, Listen!” 

LIFE is happening all around you and me.  Why not engage?  Participate.  Assist.  Interact.  Appreciate.  Touch.  Listen.  Dialogue.  Relate.  Love.  Matter! 

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