A question or two

Recently spent some time with some relatives that we hadn't seen in years and it was really good to reconnect. Family is such a major part of our lives, and in this modern world we can live many miles and even continents apart. One can't help but wonder how the world got to this state. There are so many lost and wandering souls looking to connect with other humans. In Christ we are adopted into the family of God and share fellowship any time we run into another believer. Time seems to be short and we need to examine just how we spend it when we are with one another. Small talk is a good part of life but big talk (talk about the things of God) is eternally important. Do we know where our families and coworkers and neighbors and friends are with the Lord? It takes only a question or two to find out.

Jesus Saves!

Are you saved? You know what I mean - born again. Are you born again? There seems to be an increase of folks who think that they are saved by doing good works and attending religious services. Some think that all religions lead to the living God, but that is not true for Jesus said in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." Watch out for there are those who say they know God but they don't believe that Jesus is the son of God and they don't believe that God raised Him from the dead, and don't believe that Jesus' blood was shed to cover and forgive us our sin. In Romans 10: 10 it says, "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." In verse 13 of the same chapter it says, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." So many folks are trying to have fellowship with those who aren't walking in the light, all the while knowing that God's word says that light and dark have no fellowship. Tell them the gospel that Jesus saves and nothing or no one else can make us right with God.

Years End

Well here we are at the end of another year. What would make the highlights of 2011 in your life? What would make the low lights? The better question might be, just what did we learn through the easier times and the difficult times of 2011? Are we the same person that started 2011 or have we grown in grace and the knowledge of the Lord? It is always good to think back over your year and evaluate it. I hope and pray that we all are closer to the Lord and to our families and those in the body of Christ and our neighbors. The scriptural goal of our lives is to love God with all we have and are, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Blessings to you all. May we all have a blessed and fruitful New Year.

You Get Love

One of our young grandsons told his Mom, "Patience will lead you to God's heart and when you get to God's heart, you get love."

The Will of the Lord!

The will of the Lord is hard to find yet more precious than a gold mine.
It seems to evade me many a day so all I know to do is stand steady and pray.
And yet when it's path crosses mine I have no need to look behind, nor up ahead
the road to see, only to rest this day in His words, "trust in me".

Is our gentleness known unto all men?

In Philippians 4:5 it says, "Let your gentleness (moderation in KJV) be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand." Are we known as gentle people? Do people like to be around us because of our brokenness and gentle ways? In Psalm 18:35 David said, "Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath held me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great." God certainly has been gentle with all of us. When we have deserved to die, God has given eternal life through His Son. In the last part of Romans 2:4 it says, " the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance." Are we following God's example of gentleness and goodness?

His Time!

Psalm 55:6 says, "And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest." If you could fly where would you fly to? Do you think that you would find rest there? I think that if we haven't found rest right where we are, we won't find it by flying to a different place. Resting in the Lord is the result of having a heart full of God's peace, the kind of peace that enables us to wait patiently for God. God will move in your life and mine when it's His time.