Faithful Voices Of The Past

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 11:4

I have a great desire to know about the past. Whenever I am in a crowd, I tend to gravitate towards older people. The reason is because I grew up with people all older than me and I like to hear what used to be in America. Unfortunately when I hear about what used to be I wished I had been born earlier than I was. The world which many older people lived in was far different and better than we experience today. The other unfortunate thing is that these voices are going into eternity one by one, and generations of history are being silenced. Some times we have the good fortune of having stories and wisdom recorded for us or at least written down. Stuff like this is a lasting memorial to them. Particularly of interest to me from the past is old hymns. I recently bought rather cheaply an old Revival Hymnal No.2 book from a local antique store. The book was published in 1910. I was surprised to find a lot of the hymns I knew, but the majority of them I didn't. Since I cannot read musical notes I cannot tell what the unfamiliar songs sound like, but I can read the words someone long gone has written. The words of these old hymns in my opinion far surpass in depth and scriptural meaning most anything put out today. It seems that folks 80 to 150 years ago perhaps knew the Lord better than people do today. It is at least evidenced in their writings. Nonetheless, the works were not done in vain, they survive in tattered print form for more generations to read and be challenged by.

With this in mind we know that there is absolutely nothing we can take out of this world with us into eternity, but there is a great deal we leave behind us that can potentially make a difference in someone else's life. I am not sure that Charles Wesley or Jonathan Edwards would have supposed when they penned the songs and sermons they did, that at the instant they dobbed the quill into the ink bottle they thought, "now this is going to be read and appreciated by millions long after I am dead." Yet whether they supposed it or not, they wrote what they did and God used it and still is using it. The same thing can be true for you. You may not be a great hymnwriter or Evangelist, but God has imparted to every believer a general and personal understanding of His Word. Such an understanding needs to be recorded for other's benefit.

Dr. Dennis Swanberg, famous Christian comedian, once recorded that good works done in our lives have recurring blessings for others in our future. Such blessings Dennis called "shade trees." You have it within yourself to be a source of immense blessing to others in your present but also in your future. If you can think of nothing you have done that will be of some benefit to others, ask God to give you a burden for some specific way you can invest in eternity.

So with all that introduction, how can we make a difference in someone's life that perhaps we do not know or has not even been born yet? Here are a few suggestions to appropriate age groups.

• Grandparents--what a privilege you have! I can say as a grandchild, what a treasure it to have a Godly example in a grandparent. As God leads, spend a whole day or maybe several days with your grandchildren (if you have several, space these times apart where you can make the most time with them as individuals). Talk to them about your days as a child or young person, but most importantly tell them about Spiritual challenges and victories you have had. Tell them how God led you through them and what you learned. If possible take them to the spot where you were led to Christ (perhaps a church or home place) and if they don't know Christ, by all means impart the Gospel to them. Show them literature, Bibles, teaching materials, etc that you learned and grew in Christ with. If they are old enough, trust them to take a memento with them that is given with the explanation of how it helped you to learn something about Christ better by either how you received it or how God spoke to you through it. Perhaps you can share with them some ways you wished you had done things differently in your earlier life and encourage them to follow Christ more closely to avoid problems later. You may not think the kids are listening, but it will stick with them, and later on in their adult lives, mean the world to them.


• Parents--Your job is right now. You are in control under Christ's supervision of your child's formative years. What you do and say now will form the basis for their decision making and character qualities as they will someday have their own families. Make a daily habit to talk to them about Christ. Challenge them to serve and to witness to their friends who may be not as privileged in the home as they are. Godly example and witness are paramount at this stage of life as one day what you do and say now will be in their minds and hearts later when you are not around. Their minds will replay what you invested in them either good or bad. Perhaps it would be good for you to write out some things about how you came to know the Lord, and then share some hopes you have for them about their future. This will be very special to them.


• Singles--Well we have no kids to pass down things to yet, but we have a world around us of young and old alike to impact. Ask God to help you find a way to minister to people who need to hear what you have to say. Start writing about the Faith in Christ. If you don't have it within you to write expositionally, just keep a journal. No one for years may ever read it, but its there available and God can use it to impact someone that you may never meet. So many times God uses our talents in a covert manner, that is, us never knowing the direct impact we are having on someone unknown, yet the impact is there.

The whole conclusion to this is that no matter in what stage of life you find yourself, the truth is one day you won't be in the world any longer. All that you are and all that you do will be only a memory. I think we would all agree that we would want our lives to count and be remembered for something significant. Such was the case of Abel in our reading today. The third or fourth human being ever to live, who surely would be forgotten after thousands of years is remembered by God for his act of obedience and faith. Then there is the Widow who cast her two mites, Mary who washed the feet of Jesus with costly ointment, or the Magi who traversed a great distance to see the newborn King of Kings. All of these people by all respects should have been forgotten as the sands of time shift, but their deeds and works for God were recorded so you and I could read, profit, and edify others with. That is the kind of life we all would want. A life that Jesus was clearly seen and remembered by the living. We should not want a temple or shrine built to our lives, but we should desire that the time spent on Earth was valuable.

What are you doing that will impact the future generations? If you have not seriously considered this, do so. There should more to your life than just a stone marker in a green pasture. Once you are in glory, you can no longer speak to the living on Earth, but if you leave a legacy that reflects Jesus Christ you will have done more than all the Alexanders, Caesars, Napoleons, Socrates, Platos, Einsteins, all put together could hope to do.

Someone once said, "Heaven and Earth will fade and pass, only those things done for Christ will last." You will be counted one day as a "voice of the past." May that voice be clear and helpful to others. As whoever finds something about you that is left behind, make sure it contains Jesus in word, action, plan, and history that will spur others to come to Him and know Him too.

Heavenly Father, please help us to consider making a difference in the world which we live in that something will be remembered after us for Your sake. We don't want to draw attention to ourselves, but cast all glory coming towards us, away from us and to Your throne. Yet Lord, we desire to help others and leave them with things that they will benefit spiritually by. So use us Lord to do just that. Help us not to be slothful, but as You give us the time, let us give the evidence of a changed life in you to impact future generations. In Your name, Amen.

Drafts Of Doubt

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 4:13-15

One of the most advertised home improvements is windows. There are many varieties and styles to choose from, but all in all they do one thing...keep the heat in your house by keeping the cold air out. We find that as we move once again into the winter season that cold temperatures and gusts of cold air can penetrate our living spaces and make for uncomfortable quarters. Mainly when we think of drafty winds that blow, we think of old houses. You may imagine an old house that has seen better days having so many cracks and crevices in it that the cold air seems to be felt everywhere. These faulty places where the cold air leaks in are usually the result of either a poor fit in the window or door joints at the time of construction, or, an erosion of wood and materials that time has taken its toll. Either way the result is the same.

I would like to share with you this week both of these scenarios as it relates to our walk and belief in and with Jesus Christ. You see, doubt is that cold penetrating wind that howls in fury hoping to discomfort the believer. Our faith, though once strong, may flicker and wane causing gap holes to where fear and doubt creep in and disrupt the soul.

The first example of the invasion of doubt is a poorly constructed knowledge of God and His Word. If we are to combat issues of spiritual doubt about salvation, the reality of God, eternity, the Trinity etc. then we have to construct a solid, secure, fortress about us. Notice that no man or woman by their own intellectual pursuit of God can withstand any onslaught. Yet if we have no weapons to fight with and defend ourselves, we are no better off. When you see a new house being built or renovations being done you can see a lot of what we are talking about here. When a worker is installing frame work that is not squared up or is slightly larger than the window or door to go in that space, the gap created is just like having a gaping hole in a wall. Without the proper sealant, all sorts of cold air and other invaders will pass through it. If you do not know the Truth about the sufficient of atonement of Christ, for example, then you will open yourself up for a multitude of attacks questioning every day whether or not you're going to Heaven. Ignorance of God's Word is the doubtful crack Satan most often desires to use. For if we do not know what God says, then what Satan says may seem to us as plausible since we have no standard to gauge it against. It is imperative for a new believer to get involved in a Bible study group or class that will help him or her to learn not only who God is, but what He says. But the unfortunate thinking of many converts to Christ is that "I am saved, I have my eternity secure, why go any deeper?" This is like building a house and saying, "well the door covers most of the opening, that's good enough." Well of course you would never buy a house where everything just sort of fit together, so why then would we want to just sort of have Spiritual knowledge in place?

Too often, Christian ministries put greater emphasis on the prosperity and feel good theology that comes with an underlying political correct awareness. There is nothing wrong with encouraging the saints, in fact we are commanded to do so in Romans 14:19. However if you do not tell a child a stove burner is hot, you do them a greater disservice by not imparting valuable knowledge that could reverse or never have allowed a tragic burn. Mankind in general does not want to hear the things of the Bible that does not make them feel OK. We have to provide all the story not just parts. And its the parts here and there that do not give all the truth which leads to an ill equipped, poorly constructed believer to wallow about in a tragedy with an ignorant understanding.

Satan finds such a one who has a poorly constructed knowledge of God and exploits every crack and vulnerable spot, introducing ideas such as: "if God really loved you, why would He let this happen." or, "If you were really a believer, you wouldn't get upset so often." or, "Did God really mean what He said was for you, or for someone else." The list is endless. How valuable it is to have a good construction of the Word in place when those attacks come.

The second way drafts of doubt creep in is a spiritual mindset that was once very strong, but now has drifted away from God and has lost fellowship caused by spiritual erosion. It is important to note that losing fellowship does not mean losing salvation. Simply it means to walk away from God and thereby not having the quality of a close relationship that once was enjoyed. So many Christians today are "used to be's." This is not too sound critical because it is a trap that any of can and perhaps will fall into for a period of time. Christians that used to be strong, used to go to church every service, used to be involved, etc. Resting on our laurels of what we have done quickly fades when new challenges approach us. Such folks get very comfortable and apathetic. Church attendance, reading God's Word, keeping up Bible devotions and study once strong has now receded for some other attraction. Sometimes we point fingers at older people who have retired or spend more time in recreation, but the truth is that most of the decline can come in the early years of life. The real danger of erosion comes noticeably in our lives, but it really shows up in the lives of the children you have. Casual Bible knowledge, casual importance on church attendance and activities, lack of family devotions and parental examples of godliness all hits home in their lives too.

Just like a house that sits empty an unattended, so to does a heart that has little to do with Christ. A house will begin to crack, settle, paint peel, weeds grow up, etc and a person never notices it because it happens so gradually. Gradual erosion of the heart starts with a decision to give place to some other interesting option. Drafts of doubt settle in and cause us to really begin to ponder whether or not that philosopher has it right. Doubt seeps in cracks that make us wonder really whether or not all that we have believed about the Bible and Christianity is really true. Doubt finds its way in places that were so strong in faith, but no more.

Draftiness is cold, uncomfortable, and chilling. Drafts robs us of heat by drawing it out and replacing it with cold philosophies, worldly ideas, hopeless pursuits, etc. All this is geared towards taking our minds and hearts off Christ for something less and thereby making tragic choices that can cost us for the rest of our lives.

Are there drafts of doubt or some other influence invading your heart for Christ? You need to check, even if you don't think you would be a victim. We can never be too sure and when we are overconfident, we are in need at least of watching cautiously.

Father, help us today not to become too comfortable with our relationship with You. Rather Lord help us to be on the look out for cracks and erosions that cause us to doubt You and Your Word. Forgive us for our failings and put within us a fresh desire to know You better and serve You with our hearts and lives. Guard our hearts and help our minds to be stayed on You. Thank you for your grace and help towards us. In Your Name, Amen.

The Plentiful Harvest

Well its October! My favorite month of the year, mainly because it spells the end of summer, which because of the heat I greatly detest. Not just the changing seasons, the color of leaves, the cooler temperatures, the holidays forthcoming, etc. say as much as does the time of Harvest. God intended when He created the seasons for there to be a time of sowing and working, and then a time of reaping, or enjoying the product of your labors. Such time is called Harvest. The photo here was taken from a local farm produce market out a little ways from our church. There must have been thousands of pumpkins, mums, corn fodder bundles, you name it. As I was staring at the bounty of all these goods I am reminded that we here in America are living in the land of Plentiful Harvest.

If only the Pilgrims could see far into the future all of what God allowed and afforded us today! I wonder if they would be amazed and/or non-chalant about all this we have. I say this because though I believe they would be amazed, yet they knew when they survived the first hard winter in Massachusetts, that God was in control and there was no limit to what He can do and what He can bless a people with. Let's address three areas of "Pre-Thanksgiving" items in the areas of Harvest.

First, of course there is an earthly harvest. Praise God that He knows we cannot live on just bread alone, we need the Word of God, however He knows we need the bread too.

God sees fit to bless us here in America with more food and vegetables than we can take in. I believe this is all the result of our foundations upon honoring God at the inception of our country. Of course now we see our country's moral and spiritual state in a ragged unrepairable condition. Yet in all this we still reap the goodness of God. The Psalmist David said that he had never seen the righteous forsaken or his seed begging for food. How good it is to know that God will provide our daily needs and also those things we desire that aligns with His best for us.

Secondly, there is an inward bodily Harvest. Do you stop and take time to thank Him for every little detail in life? We should. That would take hours you may think. You would be right, but certainly He is worthy of it. Everything we have, own, eat, work at, accomplish, are rewarded for, everything right down to the air we breathe and the lungs to breathe it with is from God's hand. Know this, no matter what your view of God is (hopefully its positive) He is good to you because you are living and breathing, this is a privilege from Him so taken for granted today. We should take the time to thank Him for the growth of our bodies and strength of our muscles to dust the house, mow the lawn, vacuum the house, drive the car, type on the computer, cook the meals, make the beds, work at whatever you do. Our bodily harvest is the product of our hands work. Whenever you complete a project, that is your harvest. Our minds and intellect as well as our physical members all combined to reap that which you have worked at. This may be as simple as typing a report, or it could be as large as building a house, but all in all it is the harvest of reaping what God has allowed you to do by your labors.

Then there is most certainly a Spiritual Harvest. There is so much that can be said here. We harvest this type all the time. There are essentially two Spiritual Harvests. The most recognized are our daily triumphs, victories and of course, "fruit" that we see of our personal growth and the effects it has on others around you to whom you minister. The other Harvest is the one great day of reward as spoken of in Matthew 16:27. The question arises here, will there be a Harvest in you Spiritually? Are you planting a Spiritual Crop that will be harvested. So many believers all over the world are satisfied to be saved and then not produce any works to evidence such a salvation. This is dangerous for many points but certainly none other than the fact that Jesus said in Matthew 7:17-20 that by your fruits people will know whether or not you are indeed Redeemed. So how do we prepare for a bountiful Spiritual Harvest both now and in the future? Here are some ways.

• Read Your Bible---of the paramount importance is the act so simple. You cannot grow in God if you know nothing about Him as revealed to you in His Word


• Seek God in Prayer--how shall we relate to God our thoughts and needs as well as hear from Him if we do not talk to Him on a daily basis?


• Seek ways to share your Faith in Christ--The Gospel hid is worthless to those who need to hear it if we keep it shut up and never share it.


• Sacrifice your time to help the body of Christ--Christ gave totally of Himself, so He also desires that we do our part, sharing what we have, to nourish and encourage one another for His Glory.


• Give your resources for His use--this is different than giving time, but literally your money or possessions to help further God's work and provide for the real needs of His people.


• Make the most of your gifts in service to God--each of us has talents and abilities that others do not have. We do this not to puff ourselves up, but show the world there is something different in you and that is Christ. Put to use these talents to further the Gospel and thereby reach out to others in tangible ways


• Don't forsake the assembly of yourselves in the Church--you show that you love God by readily anticipating the day of meeting and worship to Him.

This is a small list of what can be done. No matter though the list of suggestions you read, you must understand we do not labor solely for our own reward...we do it for the furtherance of Christ's Kingdom and His Glory. However, God is not unjust to reward labor done for Him. We understand that we shall be rewarded but its not our most important goal.

The Harvest of the Spirit will not be fully realized until we get to Heaven. However, in this world we have the joy of seeing souls redeemed by God through our witness. We see needs met, hearts encouraged, families strengthened, missionaries sent, praises uttered, and hope conquering despair. These are but a shadow of the reward that awaits. If we do not sow these now, we shall not have anything to offer Christ from our Harvest and He will have nothing to reward us with in return.

Harvest time is a time of plenty. As we see the Earth settle in its time of reaping, take time to review how thankful we need to be in our own reaping of the creation, the body, and the spirit. If you have not spent much time in God's Harvest fields (as we all could spend more) then refocus your priorities to include the Lord's work, as His Work so wondrously included you.

Father in Heaven, Giver of all that is good from Your Hand. Help us to be more thankful at the reaping of the Harvest you have for us. Thank you that you're not a tyrant who cares nothing for those under You, but you sacrificed Your own Son for our sakes. We are the one's undeserving, help us to remember this and in gratitude serve You and help others to not only come to You as Lord and Savior, but to help reap a bountiful harvest in the fields of life. One day this world for each of us will end, work will be no longer done, help us Father to serve faithfully so one day we may reap bountifully. Thank you Father. In your Holy Name. Amen.

A Bench Called SELAH

Scripture Reading: Psalm 89

A great way to exercise and talk to God is in the beauty of a forest trail. Many of our state parks offer such trails with differing degrees of difficulty and travel time. There is a particular trail I remember in South Carolina I used to walk. I lived in Greenville for nearly a decade and not too far from me was Paris Mountain State Park. The trail was quite long if you traversed the whole distance. It started in a large parking area and did a great winding loop up the mountain and then down the other side of the mountain to your point of origin. Along the way there was a large pond and waterfall, dark areas of pine and laurel thickets, another stream and a very narrow winding shelf up the side of the mountain before reaching the top and your journey downward. There were places that were steep and places that were nice and rolling. All in all a person in good shape made the whole trip in about an hour and a half. Along the way at various points of the trail there were small benches. These benches were just rough hewn half logs nailed together, but to a weary traveler (like me) they offered a great place for rest and to drink some water I carried. Even if you could walk the whole trail without the need to sit down a while it was still nice to sit and reflect on the surroundings and God's world.

The Psalms offer such a resting point in the word called "Selah." The word itself means to think about what was just said. To borrow a personal interpretation, "when you come to this word, STOP, REREAD, THINK, THINK AGAIN, then go ahead." So much of the Psalms have this word in it and generally it occurs after an attribute of God has just been described, or a great event in the future will occur that only God can perform.

The word "Selah" helps us to reflect on the majesty and power of God. So many times we read the Scriptures in a hurried fashion. Sometimes we feel an obligation to read a passage of Scripture just to check off a list. It is a good thing to read the Bible on a schedule, but take time to read it. Reading several chapters at a sitting will get you through the Bible but does it get you into the Bible? What I mean is that when we speed read or take too big a bite of Scriptural reading we lose the important details in wash of too much information. Every verse is profound in some fashion. However, especially in Psalms, we hike through a large section of reading and we need to pause to get our "breath" and to focus on the territory just covered. When you read about God's singular act of setting the stars and planets in their courses, or the consideration of God towards lowly man, or even His sovereign plan for time and eternity that no one can change, does this awe and inspire you? The "selah" is there to help remind us to reflect and not take for granted the unspeakable power of God. We grow to used to hearing Biblical teaching and the display of God's power that our hearts get a bit hardened and cold in our recited knowledge. Let us not grow too knowledgeable that we become too untouchable. Selah.

The word "Selah" used to help us reflect can also cause us to take notice. Many times in a Psalm there is given warnings for mankind. Take for example verse 47-48 of today's reading. David warns that our bodies will see death. He communicates that life on this earth can't be spent in frivolity always. There will come a day when the sober moments come. David warns us to prepare our souls for death by trusting in God. Such passages you might say are not only rest benches but danger signs. Notice that plenty of warning is given throughout Scripture to avert any calamity before that calamity comes. Likewise, a road sign saying "Bridge Out" doesn't come once you try to start crossing the bridge. Many times we prance on our way or rush things too much to look at the warning signs. So God mercifully in His Word places them along in the Scriptures to warn us. Mark those places and thank God they are there. Thank God He cares enough about us to tell us. Selah.

Lastly, the word "Selah" is there for us to pause and be comforted. Generally speaking the Psalms are for our comfort and encouragement. David who wrote many of them knew the heart of God, because He was in pursuit of it for himself. Many times "selah" is placed after a selection of comfort. When we seek comfort from Scripture we generally do not rush through the passages, however, the Scriptures itself are a bench to rest on. The Scriptures are a surety in a world where nothing is sure. Life deals us hard blows. Sometimes even God seems so distant from us, however, he reminds us in verses 33-37 that He will not utterly forsake us when we sin, nor can He take back what He has promised! Selah. What a comfort to know that death will not condemn the believer in Jesus Christ! What a surety it is to be walking through the forest and seeing the evidence of God's omnipotence and then read in His Word that He is Lord over all the creation (vs 5-9). All this for our benefit, God, who is rich in mercy, thinks about us. Selah.

The next time you are taking a stroll amidst the Creation and you see a place of rest, remember the Psalms. When you are reading the Psalms and you come to a place of rest, remember to reflect, take notice, and be comforted. When we need a thought to rest our minds on, whether we have our Bibles open or not, Remember and Rest on the words of Christ to the believer in Luke 10:20, the believer's names are registered in Heaven.

Father, thank You that there are such resting places in Your Word and that we may rest upon them as long as we like. Help us to be places of rest to others to encourage them and comfort them. May Lord you comfort us and make us aware of Your presence always. In your Wonderful name, the only Name that matters, the name of Jesus. Amen.

Pass this along to a friend and remember always to keep your eyes upon the skies, Jesus is coming soon!

He Who Sees In Secret

Scripture Reading: Luke 21:1-3

Further Reading on this topic see Colossians 3

Once there was a missionary coming home to America from Africa. He had spent most of his life in Africa, he had labored so long and hard, even leaving behind a wife and his children buried there due to a small pox epidemic. Travel in those days was by ocean liner. As the missionary's ship pulled into the harbor port he noticed crowds all gathered on the piers waving flags and cheering. He had no idea what it was all about. As he departed the ship he per chance thought somehow maybe it could be for him, but he knew that was not at all likely. After disembarking he found out that Teddy Roosevelt was also on that ship and that the crowds were cheering for him. Mr. Roosevelt had returned from a long hunting safari in Africa. With this knowledge, the missionary got away from the crowd and went down an alley and sat on a box. He looked up to Heaven and asked God why couldn't he receive such a "Welcome Home" celebration. After all Mr. Roosevelt was only over there a month and was only hunting. The missionary spent the better part of his life there in God's service and there was no one to even say hello to him. Then the missionary recounted how God simply told him in his heart, "The reason why is because you are not home yet."

How many times have you done something in service to the Lord and asked yourself the question, "is what I am doing really mattering to God?" I am sure that is a question that often enters the Christian mind. We don't always know or see any good come from what we have labored to do for Christ. Such I believe also entered the mind of the woman who gave her last two pennies to the temple treasury.

The illustration by Gustave Dore of the Widow's Mites says a lot about God who sees in secret. Jesus is calling attention, His attention, to the disciples about the event transpiring. No doubt the disciples seeing many folks pouring lots of money into the treasury of the temple thought these two pennies had no real value or help. Jesus knew differently. Here is why our seemingly small service is valuable to God:

First, Jesus looks at the heart before He looks at the service or gift. This woman only had two mites to put in. She had no other money anywhere in the world. This was it. She could have kept them back but she desired to give to God. We see that money is not really what God wants, He can accomplish His purposes easily without some printed piece of metal. What God desires is that we value Him more than what we value in the world. What we see as valuable in this life should not be put ahead of God. To do so would be idolatry. Therefore, when we serve God we should do it with a heart that is willing and joyous to make a contribution to His work. Size does not matter to Him, but because we are willing to please Him shows our love for Him that is loyal and far more valuable.

Secondly, works done without the praise of men are valued by the Lord. Here is where the rubber really meets the road as it were. We often think because no one saw or complimented us as we did something for the Lord "behind the scenes" as it were that its not important. We gauge the success or failure of some deed on the appreciation man shows to it. No one came up to the woman later and said, "bless you sister, you have done so much by giving us everything that we wold like to write your name on the temple wall and have a portrait of you made for the next Sabbath's synagogue lesson on giving." Her offering went unnoticed and largely unheard to men because of its small size. The Lord however tells us that it is the weak or baser thongs of this world He uses to confuse the tall and mighty. The Lord who sees in secret has a larger reward awaiting us because we did not do something that would have benefited us for the short term having the praise of men attributed to us. This is not to say if you do receive some recognition that it is bad, but it should not be your motive.

Thirdly, an act of love and service to God is used in ways only He can direct. What seems to you as small can be used to fulfilling a need that only your work can do. If a goal is to be reached say of $100.00 then $99.98 will not do. That total of your contribution added to others giving many dollars is just as important. The need cannot be met without their contributions nor can it be met without yours. Jesus did not balk at the small boys lunch which was only enough to feed the boy and not five thousand, yet this is what He used and not only used but multiplied. Though your work may be small in your eyes it can be multiplied in ways we don't know about when we do it for the Lord. For example, you may be folding bulletins. You do this by yourself, not a soul watching, but if those bulletins had not been folded, no one next Sunday would have received them, and no one would have been blessed because they didn't receive them. You are an important link in that chain. Suppose the bathrooms were not cleaned by you this week. What does that say about the Lord's house and the testimony of Him? He delights when we do the tasks nobody desires, because that is what He did repeatedly, its His heart.

Lastly, we need to realize that the Kingdom cannot function as long as we're looking for an easier way. I remember trying to make a scale plastic model of a sailing ship. My favorite part was the cannons that protruded from the decks. I wanted to assemble that part first. Well according to directions if I did that the rest of the model would not fit right. That is the same way with the Christian service. We like to do things that we know will make us look good or shortcut some difficult task. We don't like to be menial task people. I think its funny watching home repair shows on TV. You see all this work done in 30 minutes but you never see the hours of labor it took to get to that point. The small grunt work must take place first. BUT we say, how come others get to reap the benefits and be in the spotlight when I did all the hard unwanted work??? It goes back to our priorities. Do we really find our satisfaction in pleasing Christ or in pleasing us? We need to realize joyfully though that we doing all the grunt work may seem ineffective now, but God does not soon forget this work. He sees our hearts as well as our hands. A reward is coming, far greater than what we could have received on Earth. But we need to do the work as He gives it to do.

To wrap up, there still is that nagging question again, "does what I do really matter?" Simply answered it matters to God or He would not have us do it. A slave master has no regard for the hardship he or she puts on those under them. However Jesus told us that we were not slaves to Him, but His personal Friends. Friends shall be rewarded. Not just by some high honor or royal display, but by seeing a pleased face of the Master and seeing the benefit in the lives represented in the courts of Heaven. A life changed is far more rewarding than a trophy on the shelf or a name in the bulletin. Jesus said that one person sows the seed, another waters, but God gives the increase. What you do may seem so insignificant, but like a 1000 piece puzzle, it is not complete without your one little piece put it.

A former pastor of mine once said, "if there is a front row in Heaven, those of us in public ministry will not sit there, but it will be for the ones who labored long and hard and were never seen."

Your service matters. It means everything to God. Though you do not see all that is going on, know this, it is God we are serving, He sees in secret and rewards in public. That public is all of the Heavenly congregation for all eternity.

Father, thank you for allowing us to be serving you. Lord, so many times we have hearts for service but our flesh gets so discouraged. Uplift us and refocus our attention on what is really important and know that you do not forget us, nor do you intend for us to go unrewarded in great measure as it has been given to you. Encourage us this day. May we continue to serve with the right heart and right motives. In your name we praise you. Amen.

A reminder to keep your eyes upon the skies, Jesus is coming soon!

The Inner Diamond

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 3

If you lived in Charleston, WV before 1980 you will cognitively remember the old Diamond Department Store. The former Diamond was a seven story building downtown that employed up to about a thousand workers give or take during the holiday rush. Photos of The Diamond are rare, this is the only one I know of on the Internet. It was West Virginia's largest department store sort of reminiscent of a small scale Macy's in New York City. When you watch the classic holiday movie "Miracle On 34th Street" you sort of get the idea of what it was like. Retail fashion life in Charleston revolved around The Diamond. If you wanted to get something nice, have a big shopping trip, eat lunch, see the Christmas glitter and glamour, then The Diamond is where you went. Being from a small town, when I would go to Charleston (the big city for me) my first look at stuff like Escalators, huge clothes displays, something called a Mezzanine, elevators that had operators in them (anybody remember that??) all had its roots in that store. Kids were drawn there because the top floor was touted as "Santa Land" during Christmas. Trains, planes, whatever the toy fancy was back then could be found there. I say all that to say people were attracted to the store for what was on the inside.

We are very attracted to what we find to be genuinely inside. Actually, for an art deco style building, The Diamond wasn't immensely beautiful on the outside. It had a many small show windows, but no real defining architecture. It was big and tall, but outwardly not remarkable. This describes what we as Christians are like to many people we meet. Outwardly, we may not be the most handsome or beautiful, but folks should be attracted to us for what they find inside pouring out of us. I can't remember too many people standing outside The Diamond exclaiming how much they enjoyed shopping there, that was reserved for the inside, for there was the attraction. Granted the first things drew in outside shoppers were the things on display in the windows. In our Christian lives we need to have on display the work of Christ. That should be some of the following:

• Life that is different in attitudes and values than what the world proclaims


• A spirit that is meek towards others and serving as well


• Desire to share openly with others what Christ has done


• A peace and joy that transcends what this world has to offer


• Sense of love for fellow believers and a song of praises to God on your lips

Mankind is looking for what he or she knows is not being offered in the circles of lost people and worldly philosophies. Even though they may mock and scorn, even persecute Christians, they still know that what we have is something they want. This something is not known to them properly, so we must show them by our lives (Matthew 5:16)

Next, we as believers in Christ need to provide a welcome and friendly response to those outside the Faith. Whether you could afford to shop there or not, on a cold winter day, The Diamond was a nice place to come in and be warmed. The lunch counter upstairs served hot soup and other things to help bite the chill of the air. Christians likewise need to be hospitable to unsaved folks as well as to some of our own brethren. This sounds like a no-brainer but it is often difficult due to social upbringings, church teachings, and other formative values. I struggle with these issues as much as anyone of you do. The point is that even though we struggle, we are to be making positive progress towards hospitality. This is an area in which my church really strives in. The church even has a "Hospitality Team" that does so much to make newcomers and everyone else feel welcome. If folks look at our lives and judge Christ by our own actions, what does that say for the job evangelism is doing? The fact is we show others how we want Christ to be shown. Christ Himself does not change and conform to what we want Him to be, but to a person who knows nothing of Christ, then our image in their mind equals His image. Therefore it behooves us to be our best for this reason. Do others see your life as at the very least approachable, kind, and hospitable? Is there anything that makes them want to come to your church by what they observe its members doing?

Lastly, though whatever happens to our outward person, out inner person must not go into decline. My facts may be a bit off, but The Diamond was open from about 1903 to 1983. The building was getting harder to take care of and there was something new in town--a mall--namely the current Town Center Mall. The Town Center had a multitude of stores, more eating places, more open environment and The Diamond sort of faded into the shadows. Now a days you can drive past the old building and it looks the same as it did years ago, but inside the story is much different. The building is now completely renovated and holds nothing of its former glory. It is now State of West Virginia government offices. This sad change, in my opinion, is what happens when Christians begin to lose sight of their God, begin to fall into worldly carnality, and dabble in practices un-befitting to a believer. In fact we can let our lives stray from the Lord that we become unattractive to everyone. We no longer are a show window of what God is doing, because we don't let it be known. We no longer have an inviting spirit because there is not much in us that is cheery or lively. We don't even have much impact because we have let some other course of life hinder our testimony. Spiritual decline is rampant. It doesn't mean that we are lost all over again, but it does mean that we are not pleasing God and that we are not actively helping to advance His Kingdom. What a contrast to what He desires of us! When we see the signs of our spiritual decline we must:

• Pray for a fresh desire to please and serve God


• Ask God to forgive our selfish behavior


• Look for new ways to increase our awareness of His service

Are these things easy to do? The answer depends on how much and long we have strayed. The good news is that Christ will always take us back! Have fallen prey to decline? Ask Him to lift you out of it.

The outer Diamond building still stands, but it is what was inside, the inner Diamond, that attracted. Let's ask God to help us this week to be that inner attraction that will lead others to Himself and glorify Him.

Father thank you that you love us when we were unlovable. Thank you that the Holy Spirit dwells within us, making us better than we ever could be ourselves. Help us Lord not to lose sight of the attractiveness of Christ in our hearts and lives. Help us to reach out to people and show them directly or indirectly that there is a difference in knowing you. When our lives decline due to sin that is all around us, lovingly bring us back to the point of restoration so that we may sparkle as diamonds do. Thank you for loving us and helping us, in your Name. Amen.

When New Becomes NEW

Scripture Reading: Revelation 21:3-5

We live in an age where when something breaks we throw it out. My grandpa, now with the Lord, came from the era when something broke, you repaired it back to its new condition. You know we really don't see many "fix it" shops anymore. Throw away technology has done away with those. So as a culture we are inundated with stuff that replaces its former name bearer. Everything is upgraded, but nothing is really new. King Solomon made this wise assessment when he proclaimed there is nothing new under the sun. Even though Solomon would have been blown away with a digital camera or an IPhone, the principle he expressed still remains true.

In today's reading, there is a phrase that I believe is mostly overlooked not so much intentionally, but relationally. The phrase, "the former things are passed away," is so astounding in its concept and reality. We read that and we superficially know that Heaven will be much better than anything we experience on Earth, but do we stop and think of the details? I believe personally that if this phrase was no where to be found in the Scriptures that our hope would be of a lesser state than what it is.

Think about this. If something is really "new," how does it become so? Can you have something that is new when remnants of the old remain? Well, we know that Paul tells us that the new man of Christ is dwelling in us, but the old man of sin still remains. We are becoming "newer" everyday, but we are not totally new. That does not mean we're sort of saved or that we are half partakers of glory, I just mean that we are not completely and totally what we shall be in Glory. Why? Simply because the former things (future past tense in our understanding today) are not passed away yet. We still struggle with sin, our bodies still get sick and easily succumb to failure, our world is on the brink of war where it is not so engaged already, our societal morals are gone, and we could go on being depressed describing what's wrong in life. It all points back to this verse and the hope is found in it. So how does the state of being truly "new" change our perspective on life today and eternity someday?

First, the most obvious point is that being "new" eradicates the old. This is not an oversimplification. Oh no friend this is the culmination of hope in a few words. Imagine never visiting a hospital again, never gazing at a casket, never getting hot and sweaty, never worrying if you can make the bill payment, never concerned where your kids are or what they are watching, never fretting over what might happen in a fallen world. No sickness or pain for the old body is gone. No more troublesome thoughts because the mind is perfectly in tune with Christ. No more fear of enemies because now we are immortal. Never fearing separation of death because all that ended when God closed the book on this thing called Sin, or simply the former things.

Second, a different set of rules, environment, and relationship now apply. We live by societal norms. We tend to dress according to the way our environment dictates. We tend to be less than ourselves for fear of relational disembarrment. Not so in Heaven. Christ is the rule, He is Just and Fair, and the creator of those two adjectives. Our environment will be fresh and without defilement. The finest of gold most prized on Earth is the most basic element of Heaven. Our relationship to Christ as Brother and Savior will have just begun in its literal state never to end. All the saints of all the ages of this world will be most eager to swap stories of Divinity in action. Best of all, your new found family and friends will never be gone from your side. What a contrast to what we have now. The same old muggy hot air. The same old decaying moral governments. The same old cloak and dagger trying to impress techniques on people....all gone to usher in the New.

Thirdly, it completely forms the foundation of all we hope in. Paul tells us if we have hope of Christ in this life only we are the most miserable people to have ever lived. I firmly believe that if Heaven were only half of what it is described to be, you and I may fairly have some reservations about in Whom we are trusting. Suppose you were in your new Heavenly home and you called one morning on the Apostle James. You greet him and notice he is rubbing his neck. You ask him what's the matter. He replies, "well it where that sword severed my head on Earth, oh I am not complaining, but still it is a bit sore." You would wonder. If earthly conditions follow us, then quite frankly there is no end to the doubt that could arise in us. Christ has to eradicate completely all that was in the past to make the future glorious. If there was no guarantee of complete change, then there would be no reason to trust in Christ as Savior. This change, both inwardly and someday outwardly makes Jesus Christ the unparalleled difference from all the "help" of this world.

Fourthly and finally, God's "New" never gets old again. I like to look at old cars. Echoes of former glory. What once sat brand spanking new on a showroom floor in 1952 somehow doesn't have the identical lustre in 2008 that it once had. This is the greatest part of this truth--everything in glory stays exactly in its fresh new state a million years from the day it was created. What on earth have we that so compares?

I wished I could convey the great meaning of this phrase in words. I know it in my soul as you who are believers also do. To possess something that is truly new, and not an upgrade will in itself be wonderful.

"The former things (all that we know and are used to right now) will be gone." If you do not trust in Christ in this life, the life you face will not only be far worse than your nightmares can conjure, but you will face it completely alone. No ending, no reprieve, no hope. Is this world really worth living for? Right now as you read, its foundations are losing their footing and about to slide into sea of eternal despair. God has His hand of salvation stretched out, take it while you still can.

Christian, we are facing and will face the most difficult times. If this verse was never written, our hope might as well be forgotten. But it was written! One day, this mortality will be put on immortality, and things like death, disease, heartache, abuse, finances, worry, and all that we deal with will disappear. Not pie in the sky theology. Bed rock truth that will not fail, simply because God wrote it and thus it is so.