It is a BIG Deal!

Have you ever heard the expression, “familiarity breeds contempt?” It was often used as a warning when I was growing up and I have found it to be true. The more familiar I become with things the less I hold them in awe. The more casual I feel and act around these things. I have seen this in many areas of life. In fact, this was forcibly brought to my attention this past weekend, here, let me share.

My alarm goes off at 4:20AM every weekday morning. After hitting the snooze button a couple of times, while trying to talk myself into getting out of bed, I get up and take a shower, get dressed and head for the kitchen. While Melinda is getting ready, I fix her breakfast. Now don’t get excited because I just put some cream cheese on a bagel and get a bit of yogurt out. I then fix my breakfast, eat, and quickly rinse off my dishes and place them in the dishwasher. We then head off to work.

Friday morning the routine was moving right along just fine. I wasn’t having to think and it was a good thing because my mind isn’t awake at that time of the morning. However, the routine came to an abrupt halt when I started to rinse off the dishes to put them in the dishwasher. Much to my chagrin there was water standing in both sides of the sink and it wasn’t there when I had gone to bed. Thus began two days of dealing with a plumbing situation that was the result of a full septic tank.

Saturday morning a tank truck pulled up to pump the septic tank. Out of the truck came two men who, without hesitation, began a process that I could tell they were very familiar with. The older man, who obviously was the boss, walked over to where the tank was located and sat down on a five-gallon bucket. The other man began to pull hoses off the truck and hooked them together. The boss then took one end and stuck it into the hole in the tank and the pumping began. After a little bit of time had passed the boss said something to the helper who then went over to where I had a shovel laying. He picked up the shovel, my shovel, and walked back to the tank and stuck the handle down into the septic tank moving it around. He then pulled it out and turned it over and stuck the blade down into the septic tank and moved it around.

I just want you to know that about the time the handle of that shovel disappeared into the septic tank there came over me a “spirit of generosity” because I decided right at that moment those two fellas had just gotten themselves a new shovel. I was never touching that shovel again! I didn’t and they did!

The difference between them and me was simply they were so accustom to working in that environment that they didn’t think twice about what they were doing I was standing thirty-feet away and I was worried I might get some on me. Familiarity breeds contempt! To them it was not big deal.

I have watched the waste disposal men reach into some strangers garbage can and pull out bags of garbage with their bare hands and think nothing of it. Then I have seen them climb in the truck and drive to the next place while eating or drinking. I have a hard time reaching into my own can and lifting out the bags. The difference between them and me is they do it every day and do it all day long. They have become familiar with it. Familiarity breeds contempt! To them it is no big deal.

Several days back I was reading a novel for some recreational reading. Melinda and I had been reading several books by a Christian author and had really enjoyed her light, humorous style of writing. I have not read a secular novel in over a year because I get tired of trying to find books that are not filled with curse words, sex and violence. As I was reading this particular book I came upon a “mild” curse word (I put mild in quotes because that is how it would be classified by most people) and I flinched. I read a bit further and came across another “mild” curse word. This time I looked to see if this was the author we had been reading and it was. I then looked at the copyright date and found it and realized that this book had been written before she had started writing as a Christian and although most would not consider it offensive, because I had not read those words in such a long time they were to me. Familiarity breeds contempt! It is a big deal!

Recently someone was telling me they had stopped watching television and movies. Their reason was they were trying to get closer to God and felt this was a hindrance in seeking that close relationship they desired. They said that after several months they were visiting another family and the television was turned on. The show that was being watched was a home and garden show. This person said that when the advertisements came on they were so offensive! They went on to explain they had never noticed this before but because they had been away from television for several weeks they noticed and were offended. Familiarity breeds contempt! It is a big deal!

I remember in times past doing something that I knew was wrong. Oh how it bothered me! I knew that God was going to come and I was going to be lost. I would get up in the middle of the night and repent because I was afraid God would come while I was asleep. Nevertheless I wouldn’t change and pretty soon I didn’t feel so bad about what I was doing. Now it wasn’t a big deal!

The American Indians had an explanation for the conscience. They said it was a circle inside of each man that had a triangle inside of it. When we do something wrong the triangle turns and its points hurt as the rub the wall of the circle. However, if we ignore the pain, long enough, the sharp points of the triangle will wear away and we will no longer hurt. What they were saying is, “Familiarity breeds contempt!” Or it is a big deal!

The wise man wrote, “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” (Ecc. 8:11) What he is saying is because we do something wrong and God doesn’t “ZAP” us we continue and think it is all right. Why? Familiarity breeds contempt! We think it is no big deal!

I remember as a young teen hearing a Brother Charles Garner preach about Freddy the Frog. It seems some boys caught Freddy and wanted to cook him. They got them a pot of water and put it on to boil. When it came to a boil, they dropped ole Freddy right in the pot. Immediately ole Freddy jumped right back out of the boiling water. They put him back in and ole Freddy jumped out again. After several unsuccessful attempts to cook Freddy one of the boys got an idea. They poured the boiling water out of the pot and filled it with some nice cool tap water. They put Freddy in the cool water and he began to swim around. They put the pot back on the stove and Freddy continued to swim around. They watched as the pot of water began to warm up, anxiously watching to see if ole Freddy would try to jump out. Ole Freddy the Frog was doing the back stroke! He was swimming like a frogman! For a while that is until the water became nice and warm then he became sleepy and pretty soon ole Freddy the Frog was a cooked frog.

Brother Garner explained to us that is the way it is with sin. We watch for the “BIG” ones. We won’t rob a bank or murder someone with a gun. But the enemy of our soul knows that if he can slip in with something small pretty soon we won’t notice until it is too late. We become familiar and familiarity breeds contempt! It’s no big deal. We can handle it!

When was the last time we sincerely prayed asking God to “shine the spotlight” of His Word on our lives and show us what needs to be changed or removed? When was the last time we decided that no matter what everyone else was doing we were going to make some changes just because we wanted to draw closer to God?
I know that what I am writing isn’t usually found in a blog and will not be popular. I am sorry, I am not trying to be offensive but I truly believe that we have allowed ourselves to become familiar with the things in our lives that should not be there. It is time that we fall on our faces and seek heaven and turn from our sins. Familiarity does breed contempt! It is a big deal!

God Bless . . . it’s just a thought!

It's Just A Little Thing!

I love it when God takes something simple from everyday life and teaches me a spiritual truth with it. Usually it isn’t profound or deep. It is usually just something simple. That is what happened today, just a while ago. Here, let me share it with you.

Jared has been having trouble with his car for the past several weeks. The alternator went out so he saved a couple hundred dollars up and bought a new one, actually a remanufactored one. A coworker came over and they put the new one on. At this point we found out the battery had been killed when the alternator went out, so save some more money and buy a new battery. However the new alternator was bad and it took several different theories and a couple of diagnostic test (more money) to find this out. I am sure there are some spiritual truths to be learned in all of this but not the one I want to share.

Today Jared got the new part and I went out to lend a helping hand in installing it. Actually I mostly held the front-left side of the car down by leaning on it and watching him. After taking the older one out, with some difficulty, Jared was unable to get the new one back down into its place. There were several hoses and wiring in the way. He had loosened them and moved them out of the way and it still wasn’t working out. Finally he said, "I just can’t get it to go past this ‘do-ma-fligee’!" (Now a do-ma-fligee is Doranese for anything you don’t know the proper name of that is attached to the motor of a car)

I came around and looked at the obstacle only to notice there was another hose that could be moved. I pointed it out to him and when he moved it the part went right into place. It was at this moment a spiritual truth came to my attention. I told Jared, "That is the way it is in our lives so often!" I went on to explain:

There are times, in our lives, when something will try to intrude into our spiritual life. It will poke, prod and push but won’t be able to get in because there are things blocking it. We don’t pay much attention to the blocks, they are just there and have been there for a long time. We are paying attention to that which is trying to get in and we focus on keeping it out with obvious effort.

Then, one day when we are not paying a whole lot of attention, we remove the block. We have forgotten why it is there. It just seems to be a nuisance and who needs it anyway, move it out of the way. When we do that which has been trying to get in has an open door and it slides right in.

Paul tells us in Romans to put on the Lord Jesus Christ. Make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lust thereof. He is warning us to be careful not to allow the flesh any opportunity or it will take advantage. In other words he is telling us not to remove the "blocks" that have been set up to keep sin out of our lives.

Today it might not seem like a big deal but somewhere down the line it will be a big deal. My father was a carpenter and he believed in the old adage, "measure twice, cut once." I loved it when he would tell me, "Don, I cut this board two times and it is still too short!" There was some advice he would often repeat and give a spiritual application to. It you are measuring and you are a sixteenth of an inch off here it might not seem like a big deal, why it is only one little line on most tape measures. However, when you get sixteen inches further along you are now an inch off, which to some folks again might not seem like much. LOOK OUT! When you are sixteen feet further long you are now a foot off and the further you go the further off you are.

How often do we look at things in our lives as not being big deals? We say they don’t really matter or make that much of a difference and yet when they are ignored they end up compounding their effects in our lives to the point they are a big deal. They open areas and give opportunities for other problems and sin to enter our lives and take a hold.

Today it was simply taking a bolt out and moving a power steering hose that allowed an alternator to slide through. What might be keeping sin out of our lives? If we remove that one simple obstacle what sin might we be opening ourselves up to?

Today it is just a sixteenth of an inch and we consider it no big deal! But, a little further on, it is the reason that the door or window doesn’t close or the wall is out of square. Today it is just a little simple matter of saying yes instead of saying no. It is no big deal but somewhere in the future it has opened the door for other things.

I have to wonder where did it start for Judas? What got him off track? He didn’t join Jesus and the disciples to betray Jesus, no that happened because something else wasn’t taken care of earlier. Have you asked where did it start for Demas? Paul said that Demas had forsaken him because he had a love for this world. He didn’t say he had backslidden and walked away from God. However, something had been removed in his life that allowed the love of this present world to grow until it became more important than his ministry. I wonder what the end of that story was? We know it was just staying home from the battle when kings go to war that put David in the wrong place at the wrong time. The result was more than just adultery, which was bad enough, it was a loss of purity in his family. He wasn’t allowed to build the temple. Murder, incest, betrayal and adultery took a stronghold in his family. All of it was the result of protection being removed.

Well, remember it is just a thought! God bless . . .

Six Little Foxes...

Have you ever noticed that it is the little thing in life that cause you the most problems? Oh I know, we watch out for the BIG things so we really don’t have problems with them. However, LOOK OUT for those little things!

I have never in my life been tempted to rob a bank or a gas station. That is ludicrous! If I were to be caught, and of course I would be, I would spend time in jail and just the thought of incarceration terrifies me. However the temptation has been there more than once to pocket the excess change. More than one time I have struggled with myself about being completely honest on my income tax filing. All of these would be considered stealing by God but I have the tendency to classify some not so bad as others. We must watch out for the little things.

This was brought to my attention today by a friend making a comment about the need to stop the problem we deal with while they are small. I was reminded of a sermon my father preached about thirty-four years ago. Let me share a bit of it with you: It was a Sunday morning much like many other Sunday mornings in the past. We had gathered in the little gray Church building for worship after coming back from our respective Sunday School classes. We had the reports from each Sunday School class. We sang a couple of songs from the songbook. It was just a typical Sunday until the Pastor got up to preach.

He asked us to open our Bibles to the Songs of Solomon and a titter ran through the youth group. This is what he read:

"Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes," (Song of Solomon 2:15) KJV.

From that point on you didn’t hear another covered laugh or snicker. The Pastor preached with great anointing about the little things in our lives that hinder or walks with God. He explained how the little foxes would play in the vineyard under the grape vines where they were shaded. They would run under them and knock off the tender grapes and ruin the crops. He started to list the "Six Little Foxes" but the Spirit of God began to move and long a long story made short is that he preached on the "Little Foxes" for six weeks, one each week. For the next twenty years those people who were in those services still referenced those messages about the "Little Foxes."

Little Fox Number One: "A Little Sleep" Proverbs 6:6-11 ". . . 10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep . . ." KJV

How easy it is to become tired in the midst of the battle and want to stop to take a nap. How easy it is while building a house to stop and let it sit without finishing the project. How easy it is for a house to decay and fall apart because it isn’t taken care of, (Ecclesiastis 10:18). It is just a little slumber or just a little sleep.

Little Fox Number Two: "A Little Foolishness" Ecclesiastis 10:1, "Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour." KJV

The spirit of our age is "Foolishness" or "silliness." It is so easy for the Christian to succumb to that spirit. Let me be entertained! Play for me, dance for me, so my mind can be at ease! For David it was a moment of "silliness" or "foolishness" that the "Little Fox" spoiled his vine. While other kings were at war, he walked on his house top with his mind opened to the temptations at hand.

How easy it is for us to make excuses for the need of foolishness in our lives. How easy it is to open our spirits to the "silliness" of this world. We allow our tender spirits to be spoiled and destroyed to the point we are no longer interested in "hungering and thirsting after righteousness . . ." or that which is pleasing to God. We are more interested in being entertained.

Little Fox Number Three: "A Little Leaven" or a little sin. 1 Corinthians 5:6-7, "Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened . . ." KJV

We look at it and say it isn’t much, it is just a little thing. Moses, the great leader of Israel, missed out on the Promise Land because he smote the rock instead of speaking to it as God directed. Just a little sin! Israel lost the battle with Ai after defeating Jericho because of a little sin! Saul saved the best of the cattle for a sacrifice. Partial obedience is disobedience, just a little sin! Miriam spoke against the wife of Moses, her brother, who was also the man of God. Leprosy came upon her, just a little sin!

Leaven in the New Testament is likened unto sin. Paul said it just takes a little sin to make the whole lump full of sin. We need to consistently confess our sins to God. We need to join the Psalmist and ask God to, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting," (Psalms 139:23-24) KJV.

Little Fox Number Four: "A Little Faith" Mark 4:40, "And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?" KJV

Faith is acting upon what you believe. James speaks of faith without actions as nothing. The disciples had been told by Jesus they were going to the "other side" yet when the storm came there was no faith. Their confidence had left them. They refused to live through the storm as if they were going to the other side. They cried out to Jesus they were perishing.

We so often respond to the storms of life in terror! Our time is spent foolishly on things that have no eternal benefit and when the storms of life "assail us" we cannot believe that He will stand by us. Our faith is gone! Our motivation has left us! God steps in and calms the storm and we look at Him in wonder and say, "Where did He come from?" Yet just a while back He had worked miracles in our lives. Just a little faith!

Little Fox Number Five: "A Little Tongue" or a little member but big trouble! James 3:5, "Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!" KJV

Let me just list a few things about the tongue the Pastor said that day. (1) Galatians 5:13-15, Do not bite and devour each other. (2) 2 Peter 2:1 beware of false prophets and teachers who will bring teaching that denies God and will speak evil of truth. (3) Gossiping or being a busy body in other people’s business, Proverbs 26:20, 2 Corinthians 12:20, 1 Peter 4:15. (4) Lying, there is no such thing as a little lie! Read Proverbs 6: 16-19 and also Revelations 21:8. (5) Murmuring, grumbling or complaining and stop the disputing or fussing, 1 Corinthians 10:10-11 and Philippians 2:14.

Little Fox Number Six: "A Little Love" or Jonah a preacher without a burden! Just read the book of Jonah, he tells on himself. He was a burdenless preacher preaching damnation to a sinful nation with no care but for himself and his own comfort. They turn rather than burn, yet he sets and fails to respond to their need for God.

How easy to find ourselves caught in this trap. We become more interested in our comfort and enjoyment than in the need of our world to hear the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ. How easy to become self-centered and fail to touch the life of our neighbor. Jesus said the proof of our discipleship wasn’t in how well versed we were in doctrine or how obedient we were to the rules and regulations. Jesus said the proof of our Discipleship was simply in the love we have for one another.

A few decades have passed since the Pastor stood and preached on these "Little Foxes." Fads have changed and the challenges that we face today might come in a different disguise than they wore thirty years ago. The old preacher has transferred his residence to the streets of gold yet the message is as relevant today as it was that day. I need to watch for the little things that will mess me up. I have to be vigilant for the "Little Foxes" that will destroy the tender grapes or fruit my life is producing.

Thanks to my friend for your comment and story that brought this back to my memory. I have enjoyed a walk down memory’s lane. More than that, I have enjoyed the reminder to be careful with my soul.

Remember, "It’s just a thought!"

Five Things in Hell that Should be in the Church!

For the past forty years I have tried to preach "Hell" out of the Church. Realizing that Hell is the payment for sin and that it is a place God prepared for Satan and his followers, we should be abhorred at the thought of something from Hell being in the Church. However, today is different! I want to talk to you about some things in Hell that NEED to be in the Church.
We read a story, in Luke sixteen, of a man who went to Hell. This is not my favorite story in the Bible. In fact, I must admit it is one I do not like nor do I read it very often. It makes me feel very uncomfortable. Usually if I preach from it I am preaching to sinners who are in danger of missing out with God. Yet there is a vital lesson for the Church to learn from in this story. There is a message of what the Church needs that is seen in Hell.
We find a rich man and a beggar. The beggar laid at the gate of the rich man. The rich man fared well. He had plenty to eat, drink, a nice house and fine clothes. The beggar would have liked to have just had some of the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Instead he only had dogs licking his sores.
Our next scene shows us the beggar being taken away to be with Abraham in the place for the righteous. The rich man is also taken away but finds himself in Hell suffering great torment.
It is at this point that we are taken to the threshold of Hell and allowed to witness one of the most horrific and yet one of the most enlightening conversation that could ever take place. The rich man sees Lazarus, the beggar, with Abraham and asks that he might come and bring him comfort. This small wish is denied. He then asks that Lazarus might return to life and testify to the brethren the rich man had left behind, to warn them away from this place of torment. Again, the request is denied.
In Hell there are five things that should be in the Church. Five things we can see here that we need to pray should become part of our lives. Five things we need to pray out of Hell and into the Church.
In this day, we, the Church, need to have a Vision of Heaven. If we could only get a vision of heaven of the hope that is really there, we would have to share it with others. It is not just about the streets of gold, but it is the place where Jesus is. It is a place where there’s eternal hope and peace. We need to have a Vision of Heaven.
We, the Church, need to have a "Burden for the Lost." If we really have His Spirit, we should embrace His purpose. He came to seek and to save the lost. The rich man had a tremendous burden for those he knew were lost.
We, the Church, need to have a "Great Love for Our Brother." Do we realize that the scripture tells us that when we comfort a Brother we are saving a soul from Hell? (Jude 22-23; 1John 4:20-21) We can’t even say we love God, who we cannot see, if we don’t love our Brother whom we can see.
The Church needs to embrace the realization that "No Cost Is Too Great!" There was nothing that seemed ridiculous to the rich man. He didn’t care whom he inconvenienced or bothered. There were people lost and no cost was too great to reach them with salvation!
The final thing the Church needs that are in Hell is a "Sense of Urgency!" We need to realize His coming is soon, feel the urgency of the hour! Each obituary we read is a testimony that one more person has lost the opportunity to experience salvation for themselves. The events of our world let us know that His coming is getting closer with each tick of the clock. We can no longer sit back and just be glad we are "saved!" We must realize that our being saved is tied to our love for others.
Yes, Hell does have five things that the Church really needs in the 21st Century. We need a "Vision of Heaven," "A Burden for the Lost," "A Love for our Brother," "A Willingness to Pay the Cost,’ and "A Sense of Urgency!" Give it a try . . .
It’s just a thought! God Bless . . .

View of the Father's House, First Look...

We have read and heard the story of the prodigal son told in so many ways and so many times that it can easily become “old hat.” There is a danger when that happens because then we tend to miss some of the less obvious truths that Jesus is trying to get across to us. I know I have a tendency to gloss over passages that are familiar to me. Just today I was reading a familiar story in the Gospels, it is told in three of the four, and found a small bit of information I had never noticed or heard anyone else mention. Not earth changing, it is just interesting…ok, I will share. Did you know there were two demoniacs in Gadera? That is right; you will find the account in Matthew 8:28. However, Mark and Luke only speak of one in the same account. Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

Jesus shares with us a story of a father and two sons in Luke 15:11. Jesus is trying to convey to His listeners how exciting when you are able to restore that which was lost. He is trying to help them understand the blessing that comes in finding what was lost! He speaks of some natural things to which His listeners will relate. If they had ever lost a sheep they would understand how excited the shepherd is when he is able to return with the lost sheep! Anyone who has ever lost some money, especially a goodly sum, knows how excited he or she was when he or she found the lost money!

Jesus takes the lost and found stories just a bit further as He speaks of a father with two sons and one decides it is time to leave home and strike out on his own. I will never forget the day my oldest son left home.

I remember quite vividly the time just before Justin got his drivers license. I was so troubled and disturbed. It was not that I did not want him to drive or did not trust him that was not the problem at all. I recall sitting with Melinda in a restaurant that was close to the freeway near where we lived. The lights of emergency vehicles flying down the freeway caught our attention. It seemed they kept going by forever. Just a while later, as we were heading home, we passed the scene of a tragic accident and later found out that a person had gone down the wrong side of the freeway and ran head on into another car.

As we passed, I began to weep. Melinda looked at me as if I were crazy and asked what was wrong. It was at that point that I realized what had been bothering me about Justin getting his drivers license. Up to that point, I had been able to protect him. Now, along with the independence gained by him in having a license to drive there was the fact that I would not be able to protect him as I had in the past.

Just a few years later, just weeks before his twentieth birthday, I recall standing on the porch of our home and waving goodbye as he walked to his truck and headed for Arkansas, leaving us in California. Now the plan was that he would be traveling with his uncle and his family. He was going to live with some friends of ours. We were planning to move to Arkansas within a week ourselves. Yet I knew that it would never be the same and it has not.

I can feel for this father as his son came and asked for his portion of the inheritance. This was not a bad thing! It was legal and acceptable in the time in which they lived. At any time, an heir could ask for their portion of their inheritance and receive it. Yet I am sure the father was aware that things would never be the same as before and it was not.

The son, after a couple of days, left home and journeyed to a far away place. The independence that he had so recently obtained became an unrestrained lifestyle. The young man made foolish choices. The results were devastating and it was not long until he spent the whole inheritance, leaving nothing!

The Bible says the young man “came to himself” which leads me to believe that he had not been thinking right. He experienced a brief moment of “temporary insanity” that came from having more money than he was accustomed to. Adding to that unbridled freedom. From that lifetime “high”, he slams into an all time “low” as he struggles for survival without any money, any friends and a famine in the land where he is living. It would be enough to make you unaware of who you are or even where you are.

I can picture the father, in my mind, getting up every morning and looking outside to see if maybe his son had returned during the night. I can see him looking anxiously toward the door every time it opens unexpectedly. I can just imagine him walking to the front porch and looking down the road, hoping to catch a glimpse of his son returning. However days and weeks go by without a word. The rejection of the son to his father sets in to the point that the mourning and loss of the father are as if his son had actually died.

Yet in a distant land, the son comes to himself. He realizes he does not have to continue this lifestyle. He is not destined to a pig pin. Yes, he has made a mistake and yes, he has done wrong. Yet in his heart, he knows the heart of his father and knows that if he returns and asks forgiveness his father will at least find it in his heart to let him be a servant. Being a servant in the Father’s house is better than taking care of the hogs in a distant land. Being a servant in the Father’s house is better than anything he had experienced.

He returns to his Father’s house. The picture in his mind of what will take place is much different from the actual event. He expects chastisement but instead of a rebuke for his foolishness, he is welcomed with open arms. He has pictured a time of making amends and earning his father’s love or maybe just acceptance. However, after a few words of repentance and remorse his father expresses his love and acceptance.

What the son finds on his return to the Father’s house is compassion and restoration. He had made a mistake. He had rejected the Father and all that was his. He had lived a life that brought shame and disgrace to the Father. Yet on his return all, the Father needed to know was that his son was sorry and wanted to live in the Father’s house. Upon seeing him, the father had compassion! He ran to him, grabbed him in a bear hug, and kissed him. Upon hearing his words of repentance, he turns to the servants and declares that his son who was dead is alive and it is time to have a party in his honor.

This reminds me of a passage of scripture that is so dear to me. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1John 1:9
John warns us in this passage we will all make mistakes. How certain he and the other disciples had been in their ability not to ever fail, yet they had. He is alerting us to that fact; there will be times of failure. He is making us aware that anyone can and will fail. Yet, he is also letting us know that in those times of failure we can be certain to find compassion and restoration from our heavenly Father. If we repent, He will forgive and restore.

We as Christians can learn so much from the Father. Be quick to show compassion. Be quick to restore those who have fallen. Lift them up and let them know they are welcome in the Father’s house. Compare the spirit of the Father to that of the eldest son. The Father’s house is a house of compassion and restoration.

Just a Thought…God Bless!

Why Percentages of Fruit?

A few weeks ago I was reading the story in Mark 4 as Jesus told of the four types of soils. There was the wayside, the stony, the thorny and the good ground. We have all read this parable many times, I am sure. What caught my attention, in fact I poised it as a question on Face Book and no one responded, "Why did the good soil produce different percentages of harvest.?"

Jesus said "And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred." Mark 4:20

Why didn't all of the seeds sown in the good ground bring forth a hundred fold? Today I was again studying this passage and Jesus goes on to talk about the farmer sowing a kernel of corn and not knowing how it grows but is ready to harvest it when it produces fruit. As I began to study about corn I found that there are many different things that can effect the amount of fruit a stalk of corn produces.

Ears that are near the top of the stalk will produce more kernels. Ears near the bottom of the stalk will generally produce little or no kernels. If there is hail during the pollination time it will likely keep the ears from being pollinated and there will be no fruit. Too much water, weather that is too cold or too hot can all effect the yield of the fruit.

I came to realize there is more to the amount that is harvested than just what is planted, it also has to do with the response of the plant to the environment it is in, the stresses that come upon it and how it is able to weather the storms. The same is true in our lives. We hear the Word of God, we receive it and we will bring forth fruit from the Word...but the amount of fruit we bring forth will be dependent upon our ability to deal with our environment...the stresses of life...the problems that come our way...our faith and trust in God. Some will bring forth thirty percent, and others will bring sixty percent, I want to bring a hundred percent to present to God.

Just a thought! God Bless

Lot, Why Did You Chose Sodom?

Have you ever wondered why a person made a certain decision? Maybe you are looking back in time, like in a history book, and wondering why they made a decision that had a devastating effect on their lives and from your vantage point you can see they should have done something different. I have often asked, “I wonder why they did what they did?” “What were they thinking? “ Those are questions that came to my mind recently concerning Lot.

Now, let me assure you, I do not have an inside track into the mind of Lot. I really have no way of knowing exactly what he was thinking or any way to find out exactly what he was thinking. However, I asked myself the question, as if I were speaking to Lot, “Lot, why did you move to Sodom? Why did you make that choice?”

When Abraham left Haran at the direction of God, he brought with him Lot, his brother’s son. God had spoken to Abraham and told him to go to a place that God would show him. Abraham and his family end up in the land of Canaan. Upon their arrival here, the Lord appears to Abraham and promises him this land and that the promise and the land would be passed on to Abraham’s children. Every thing seems to be going along great and then they hit a snag. A famine comes over the land. With the famine, Abraham decides to continue south to Egypt.
After being in Egypt a short time, Abraham and Lot leave Egypt and return to Bethel, where they had pitched their tents prior to their trip to Egypt. Things still are not normal. They were already rich and both Lot and Abraham have lots of herds and people working for them. Now, settled in one place there is conflict between the two camps. The bickering becomes so unsettling that Abraham finally approaches Lot and suggests they part ways. Abraham offers Lot first choice and promises to go in the opposite direction. The Bibles says Lot looked at the well watered plains of Jordon that were like the Garden of God and he wanted to live there. So Lot made the choice and lived in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent toward Sodom.

Why would he choose to live here? Did he not see the dangers of living in an area that was so perverse and ungodly? Was he not worried about his family and the exposure they would receive from these cities? Why would he choose Sodom, for the next time we read of Lot he is not living in the plains, he is not living in the cities in the plains, nor is he living with his tent door facing Sodom? He is living in Sodom and is a highly respected citizen sitting in the gate of the city. WHY!?

I think the clue is found in the scripture that describes the plains and cities let me quote:
“And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.” Gen 13:10 (emphasis mine)

Lot chose Sodom because it reminded him of Egypt. In his journey to Egypt he had gotten a taste for it and when he saw Sodom he disregarded all of the danger to satisfy that hunger. Of course, all through the Old Testament Egypt is an example of sin and the world. It is a type of a place that is far from God and the things God stands for. It is often typical of slavery and bondage. Lot had a taste for Egypt.

We as Christians would do well to be careful to protect ourselves from Egypt. There are going to be times in our walk with God when we will be in the blessings of God, yet it will seem the blessing will not last. Heed the warning; do not go to Egypt to find another blessing! Stand on the promise of God. Abraham left Canaan and Bethel where God had promised blessings and went to Egypt because of a famine. Lot was introduced to Egypt while there.

Parents, how often do we introduce our children to the world and its ways just because we are unsure of the promises of God? Do we give them a taste for Egypt in our moment of weakness? How often do we introduce ourselves to the bounty of Egypt and then wonder why we are struggling with ungodly desires and hungers. Have we looked at the cities of the plains and pitched our tents toward their offerings because of a trip to Egypt?

Sometimes we make mistakes, we are only human. There are times when we will fail to trust God in a moment of weakness and take a trip to Egypt. However when we come to ourselves we must realize we do have a choice. We can return to the place of God’s promise and claim His blessings or we can turn toward the place that reminds us of Egypt. The choice is ours.
Lot, why did you choose Sodom? It reminded me of Egypt…

Just a thought! God Bless…

Another Day

Each morning on my bus route I get to enjoy the sun rise, that is about the only thing to enjoy that early in the morning. The bus is quiet. My assistants are catching last minute naps before the have to start attending children. I am usually fighting to wake up, myself. Yet I have found that this quiet time is a good time to meditate on the Lord. I don't ask Him for anything but just take this time to think about Him and His goodness.

Recently, on one of those mornings I pulled up to a stop sign and right before me was one of the most beautiful sunrises I have witnessed in a long time. I thought someone should write a song about something so beautiful and spoke a word of praise for the beauty of God. These words began to come to me and I thought they might bless you as they have me every morning since then...

When the sun comes up in the east in the morning,
And spreads red and purple across the sky,
It brings to each of us this testimony,
It's another day our Lord to magnify.

As I walk thru this valley so lonely,
Fighting for my very life.
I know victory is coming in the morning,
And another day our Lord to magnify.

Another day to praise the name of Jesus.
One more day to tell of His love and grace.
I will love Him worship and adore Him,
Another day our Lord to magnify.

"O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together." Ps 34:3

Just a thought! God Bless...

Have You Checked Your Levee Lately?

This past week has been extremely different, weather wise, across our nation. I have read about volcanoes, tornados, blizzards, rains, winds, hail, sleet, sunshine and floods. It seems it has been a week filled with extremes and the unusual.
As I logged into Yahoo this morning and the headline for the top news stories caught my attention. Again, it had to do with the weather. This story was taken from Fargo, North Dakota and quoted the mayor of that city saying more levees will be breached by flood waters from the Red River. He went on to say that a briefly breeched dike was a “wake-up call for a city that needs to be vigilant for weakness in levees that could give way at any time.”
Instantly my mind went to a passage of scripture that gives us the same type of warning. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” 1 Cor 10:12
What a prudent warning for the last day church! In fact we find the scripture to be full of “take heeds,” “be careful,” “be vigilant” and other admonitions that remind us not to take our walk with God for granted. We are given warnings to be constantly on the alert of our time and situation.
The Church of Laodicea is warned, they think they are rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing and yet fail to realize they are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. They were not aware of their true state of being. How prudent it would have been for them to check their levees.
As a child of God it is important that I have levees in my life. The scripture warns us there will be times when life and the enemy of our soul will come in against us like a flood. There will come times when we feel overwhelmed by what comes against us. The waters will rise and we will feel helpless to be able to stand against it. Yet we are also promised, in the same passage, that our Savior will help us to stand against it and to overcome it. In the times prior to these floods it is imperative that we build levees of faith and security around our lives. We might even call them “strongholds of faith.” These are levees that are purposed to stand as walls of protection against the onslaught of the enemy.
We must constantly be concerned about our protection. We must be vigilant to check and recheck the levees in our lives. There will be wake-up calls to warn us of areas where the levee might be weak. These are reminders of the importance of keeping the levee strong and in good repair.
It isn’t enough just to go through the motions of living for God. Going to church, reading our Bible, saying a prayer or saying we are a Christian. There has to be a relationship between us and God that is built on everyday. It is crucial that we get to know Him, as Paul said he wanted to do. This is strengthening that levee.
When we get to know Him, Jesus Christ, we begin to build confidence in Him. Then later, when the storms do come we will know Him. When the water begins to rise we will trust Him. When the pressure comes against us we will lean on Him. We will not cast away our confidence, allowing the levee to be breeched. We will stand firm in our faith against the flood tide.
When was the last time you walked along your levee? Have you checked it for weak spots? Have you taken action to continue to build your faith and relationship with Jesus Christ? Don’t wait until you are in the midst of an icy storm to realize how weak your levee is weak!
Just a thought! God Bless…

Forgiveness is NOT an Option!

Don’t you just love those evenings when for some odd reason you have nothing that you have to do? You can stop and ask yourself the question, “What am I going to do tonight? Will I read a book? Should I listen to some music? What am I going to do?” Aren’t those rare occasions great?

Several years ago I remember having one of those nights. At that time they were very rare. We had all three of our children at home. We were pastoring two churches and had a daughter work also. Between those responsibilities, along with teaching Home Bible Studies, being the principal of a Christian School and trying to be a husband, father and a son, there were not a lot of evenings when I didn’t have something that was demanding my attention. On this particular evening, not only was it free, but I was home by myself, which meant I could pretty much do what I wanted to do.

I remember deciding I wanted to have someone preach to me. I felt I needed to be spiritually fed, I needed some input. I went to our preaching tape library and just grabbed a tape and put it in. I wasn’t really caring who I was going to listen to or what subject they would preach on, I just was going to relax and say, “Pour it on!” Then let whatever happened happen. Needless to say, God obviously had something totally different in mind!

I don’t believe there are any accidents with God. You might have an accident while driving. You might even have an accident in that you drop a glass of water. However, I don’t believe it is an accident when you hear a message that is from God and it makes a difference in your heart. I believe these are actually “divine appointments.” Times when God desires to mold and shape us into the person He wants us to be.

The message that I listened to that night was about “Forgiveness.” As the title was given and the message started I kind of sat back in my chair and thought, “Well there is no problem here, I will get some good information for a message. However, I don’t have anyone that I need to forgive.” Yet as the message began to unfold I began to get uncomfortable. So much for a night of relaxation! I began to get a good old case of conviction, to the point I had to ask God who I needed to forgive. I went down the list in my mind and couldn’t really think of anybody and so I told God that.

Can you imagine my shock when I felt God speak to me and tell me, “You have forgiven everyone else but you haven’t forgiven me?” My response was first shock and then it was horror. I quickly moved just in case fire came from heaven just for the thought that I might have something against God! As I began to converse with God about this He led me to understand that I had feelings that I was afraid to admit, because of disappointments and failures from my past. In my heart I felt that God had let me down and I had failed to forgive God. This started me to begin to study forgiveness. Let me share a few thoughts with you.

In Matthew chapter 18 Jesus likens the Kingdom of Heaven to a king who takes inventory. In doing so he finds there is a servant who owes him a large sum of money. The king sends for the man and asks to be paid. The servant explains he doesn’t have the money, we have all been there, but will do his best to raise it. The king feels the man has had enough time and commands that he, his wife and children all be thrown into prison. The servant falls on his knees and begs for mercy and the king is merciful. The king doesn’t give him more time, he completely forgives the servant of the debt that is owed. One writer says he canceled what was owed.

The servant leaves the kings court. He walks down the street and it reads as if he is on the prowl, looking for someone who owes him money. He finds a fellow servant who owes him a few dollars. He grabs the man and demands payment. The fellow servant says he also doesn’t have the money to pay the debt. Now the servant pays no heed to the promise of payment or the plea for mercy. He has the fellow servant thrown into prison for the owed debt. The amazing thing is the servant was forgiven ten thousand talents and he was owed only one hundred pence. In today’s money and I mean as of 9:11 PM Central Time on September 23, 2008, this man was owed $11,594.99 and he owed the king $3,580,532.19. He had been forgiven an incredible debt yet couldn’t find it in his heart to forgive a fellow servant a debt that was owed him.

There are a couple of things I would like to bring to our attention. It is obvious the king is likened unto God. It is also obvious that Jesus is talking about forgiving our brother when He is speaking of the two servants. Peter has asked Jesus how often a person is required to forgive someone who sins against them. Jesus said we are to forgive seventy times seven and then Jesus goes on to say the Kingdom of heaven is like a king and then tells the story. He ends by saying so likewise shall my heavenly Father do unto you.

The first thing we need to understand is God has forgiven a great debt that we owe. Each and every one of us owed Him a debt that we could have never paid. The only hope that we had was damnation. Yet God was merciful to each of us and forgave us that debt. He did not just give us time to try and figure out a way to pay it, He forgave it. That means He pardoned us. We were absolved from the debt. We have been exonerated or completely set free from what we owed. It is gone and forgotten.

On the flip side, we have been done wrong. We will have people do us wrong again. We will even feel if we are honest with ourselves that God hasn’t completely done right by us. Yet, no matter how big the wrong which someone does to us it will never compare to the debt we owe! The debt I owe is far greater than any and all debts owed to me. So, with this in mind, the key to feeling forgiveness is forgiving. I didn’t think this up, someone shared this with me and I put it into practice and it works.

Watch this! The servant is forgiven by the king. He is feeling good, in fact it seems as if he has found a new power in life in that when he finds the fellow servant he grabs him and demands payment of the debt owed to him. Now when he refuses to forgive the debt owed to him he is brought before the king a second time. The king reminds him of the mercy that is showed to him regarding his great debt. Then the king reinstates the debt and the Bible says he has the servant turned over to the tormenters. What had been forgiven was no longer forgiven because of the forgiven would not forgive.

When I fail or refuse to forgive then I lose the privilege of being forgiven. I come to an altar of repentance and confess my sins and feel God cleanse me of those sins. I am free! I feel so good and refreshed! Yet a day or so later, it may even be a week or so, I begin to deal with the same feelings of guilt, shame and condemnation. It is inner torment! Why? Because I have not forgiven those who I feel owe me, who have done me wrong.

In His pattern of prayer, Jesus prayed, “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” If we don’t forgive, can God forgive us? It is a small price to pay for freedom, for peace. You see forgiveness is not an option. We must have it to live free from torment. We also must give it to live free from torment.

Forgiveness is not an option. Neither is it something we will only have to do one time. I have had to go to my knees many times and ask forgiveness and also forgive. I have had to seek the face of God for help in forgiving. I have had to forgive God and make sure things were right between me and God. I have had to forgive others who have knowingly and unknowingly hurt me. I have to make sure things are right between us. Yes, I have also had to forgive myself. I have hurt myself so many times. I have let myself down and disappointed myself many, many times. Yet, if I want peace in my heart and a relationship with my Savior, forgiveness is not an option!

Just a Thought! God Bless!

Where are You Sleeping Tonight?

Have you ever gone camping and slept in a tent? When our kids were growing up, camping was our family activity. We really enjoyed it for several different reasons. We could get away, seemingly far away, and yet be within thirty miles from home. We could relax and never hear a phone ring or anyone knock on the door. It was inexpensive yet lots of fun. Most of all, we spent time together as a family.

I remember one of the first times we went camping. Everyone went to bed, all was quiet and I opened my eyes to see the shadow of someone standing right outside our tent. My heart raced! I was wishing I had thought to bring a gun! Then he moved away. I quietly got out of the sleeping bag, unzipped the tent and realized the man who was standing next to my tent was actually in another campsite a hundred feet or so away. He had just walked between the camp fire and our tent making it seem he was right there.

I was recently talking to someone and a passage of scripture came to my mind. It is the twenty-seventh Psalm. The psalmist speaks of the Lord being his light and salvation. There is no need to be afraid because we can depend on Him. No matter how great the enemy is that comes against me and even if I am surrounded, I don’t have to be afraid, I can keep my confidence in the Lord.

The part of this psalm that actually came to my mind is when the psalmist said that in the time of trouble God would hide him in His pavilion. It is my understanding the pavilion was the tent in which the king or captain of the army slept in when they were at war. It was placed in the center of the army’s encampment with the whole army surrounding it. If the enemy wanted to get to the king, they had to go through the whole army. Their chances of survival were very slim if they were to try this. Yet the chances of the king surviving were very great. The psalmist said in the time of trouble God would hide us in his pavilion. In the center of his protection!

Peter speaks of the child of God being a “peculiar people.” A lot of people like to use that to say it is ok for Christians to be weird because we are peculiar. That word doesn’t actually mean odd, strange or weird. What it actually means is to be set apart because of value. God looks upon us as being valuable to Him, as being special to Him so He sets us apart.

It goes a little further in its meaning to speak of being inside a circle of protection with God. He has surrounded us with His love and protection and as long as we remain within that circle nothing can get to us without His permission.

We read about a time when the Lord was meeting with the host of heaven. As they were conversing Satan came before the Lord also. God asked where he had been and Satan’s reply was he had been to and fro through the earth. The Lord knew what he was doing and asked him if he had considered God’s servant Job?

Satan said he had checked out Job but God was protecting Job so that Satan couldn’t get to him. God had great confidence in Job and allowed Satan to come against Job to prove the faithfulness of Job was because of devotion not just blessing. Satan returned a second time and a second time God allowed Satan to afflict Job.

You will notice in both cases God protected Job. In both cases Satan was unable to get close to Job. In both cases God limited the access Satan had to Job. Job was in the pavilion of God.

We often wonder why we deal with some of the things in life that we must deal with if God really loves us. There are more than one answer to these questions, however, let me try to keep it simple. One reason is sin, both our sins and the sins of others. The second reason is our imperfections. God allows things to happen in our lives to bring these imperfections to our attention so we can remove them from our lives, thus making us more like him.

Let me show you. When Job began his trial he was a righteous man. So much so that God brought him to the attention of Satan by saying, “Have you considered Job?” Job was so careful in his relationship with God and his family that he offered sacrifices for his children just in case they forgot to offer the sacrifices. Many times during the trial Job was firm with his assurance that he had not sinned. He was falsely accused by his friends of sinning, but he was firm in his innocence.

He even brought that to the attention of the Lord. He wanted to know why God was allowing this to happen to him. Yet in one place he actually answers his own question when he tells us that although he couldn’t find God, God knew where he was a when it was finished he would be purified as gold.

God finally lets Job know that although he is a righteous man God is still God. He asked Job where were you when I did all of this…? After Job and God have this discussion Job realizes he has stepped out of place and gives God the right to do what he desires in Jobs life. He actually forgives God.

God had been protecting Job, only allowing in just enough of the temptation and trial to help Job to realize his shortcoming. Not allowing enough to destroy him, but allowing enough to make him stronger if Job would seize the opportunity. Job forgave God! Job forgave his friends! As a result God tremendously blessed Job in his latter days more than his earlier days. I can’t help but think that is a spiritual blessing also.

So, my question is, “Where are you sleeping?” Have you allowed God to hide you in His pavilion? Are you sleeping in His tent? Are you in the protection of His love and mercy? Where do you run when you feel the enemy is surrounding you and trying to overwhelm you?

The servant came running to his master with a look of dismay! He is sure the end has come. He is sure it is all over now! He had just taken a look out the window and then out all of the windows and the sight was the same. They were completely surrounded by the enemy! It was surely a hopeless situation. However, that all changed when Elisha took him again to the window and he was now able to see the army of the Lord had surrounded the army of the enemy!

If we look at life and its situations through our natural eyes we will be overwhelmed. If we look at our mistakes which we have made and the results of those mistakes through natural eyes we will be overwhelmed. It is at this time that we need to run to his pavilion. It is at this time that we should allow God to surround us with his blessings of protection and love.

Where are you sleeping tonight? In a tent that is close to the fire of the enemy so that he can frighten you with his shadow? Will you sleep outside the protection of the power for God? Are you going to sleep in His pavilion, in His protection? Where are you sleeping tonight?

Just a Thought! God Bless

When God Gives You a Wakeup Call, Don't Hit Snooze!

What in the world is that noise! Go away, you are annoying me! Oops! It is the alarm clock. My sleep blurred eyes try to focus on the red illuminated numbers on the clock. I blink them and try to again focus. Suddenly I am wide awake! The clock say’s it is 6:45 AM! I had hit snooze!
This is how my morning started one day several years ago when I was a school bus driver. My day normally started with the sound of the alarm clock going off at the awful hour of 5:15 AM. That was in good weather, if it was freezing cold the day started earlier in order to get the bus warm. I usually would hit the snooze button and grab a few more precious minutes of sleep. I would get up by 5:30. I would take a shower, fix some breakfast and be at the bus garage by 6:15. This would give me time to do my pre-trip inspection and get the bus ready to hit the road. I would pick up my first child, who lived twelve miles from the school, at 6:40.
On this particular morning I was already five minutes late picking up my first child and I hadn’t even got out of bed yet. Needless to say, I rushed! I drove fast! I had the bus garage call the radio station to announce that bus 70 was running late! This is not the way I recommend starting your day. Parents were upset because their schedules had been delayed. They had to wait on me. Students were upset because they were late for school and some of them missed the breakfast the school provided. Most of all, I was extremely embarrassed because everyone in the county knew that I had run late that day, it was on the radio. I even had people at church ask me about why I was late. I learned when you get a wake up call, don’t hit snooze!
In life we get wake up calls, or that is what I call them. You are driving down the road and suddenly a light comes on in the dash. There is a little gas pump that is all lit up. A wake up call! You are almost out of gas. If you are driving down the interstate in Arkansas and you edge just a little too far to the right your tires will hit a series of bumps. I call them wake up bumps because they are there to warn you that you are in danger of leaving the pavement. It is a wake up call.
I have had incidents happen in my life that I would have to recognize as wake up calls. These were times when God has done something to get my attention and help me realize I needed to become aware of where I was headed. It was His way of saying, “Hello in there! Wake up and pay attention!”
It might be a message that I hear preached that tells me, “Wake up!” It might be a sickness that comes upon me or a loved one. It might be a near tragedy or some other event that makes me realize I am headed in the wrong direction, I am asleep at the wheel, and I am not a wake to the reality of my situation. Wake up calls from God! Don’t hit snooze!
Paul tells us in the book of Romans the alarm is sounding and it is time to get up. If time was short when we came to Christ, how much shorter is it now? Walk in the light of Christ! Follow His Word! Put on the Lord Jesus Christ and don’t give the flesh an opportunity to cause you to sin! Hey, God is giving you a wake up call, don‘t hit snooze! (Romans 13:11-14)
We know we are living in the last days before Jesus comes back for His Church. Look at the signs of the times. Read the news. Listen to the alarms that are going off. Don’t hit snooze!
Jesus likened it to the time before the flood. The people were living life as they always had lived it. They knew Noah was building a boat. They had heard him preach there was going to be a flood. However, they said we have heard him preach that for the past 100 years and it hasn’t happened yet. They hit snooze!
Lot’s daughters and son-in-laws said you are a foolish old man! We have never seen fire rain from heaven. We have never seen a city destroyed like you say. We are having a great time and don’t want to change. They hit snooze!
Even if God doesn’t come in your lifetime or mine, death will come to all. You don’t know when, and then again you do know that we are told it is appointed unto man to die and then he will face God in judgment. I have been to funerals of more young people than old. You are never too young to die! Let this be your wake up call, please don’t hit snooze!
I have known of people to ignore wake up calls. They have continued on to do what they had started out to do. They have been warned! They have been cautioned! Yet they gave no heed and went their way only to destroy their lives. They didn’t die. The rapture didn’t take place. No, they got to live their lives with the pain and suffering that came from ignoring the wake up call from God. They hit snooze!
When God sends a wake up call your way, stop! Look! Listen! Pay attention to what you are being told! Get on your face before God and allow Him to examine you. Allow Him to show you what you need to do. Give Him the opportunity to show you how to live your life. I like the way the Psalmist put it:
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” Ps 139:23-24
When God send a wake up call, don’t hit snooze!
Just a thought! God Bless.