TEARS OF REGRET

My Honey preached a great message tonight and I wanted to share just a few snippets of the notes that I took tonight in the evening service.

When you get to Heaven, how much of what you've done here on earth will endure the test of the judgement seat? How much will turn out to be wood hay or stubble and burn up right before our eyes? Will we be shocked to see the size of the pile that remains, the gold and silver?
There will for sure be some tears of regret in Heaven, will there not?


What sort of regrets will we weep over?

*Foolish priorities we've had.
Things we've spent money on: hair products (have you ever added up the amount of money you've spent on hair care products over the past, oh say, 10 years?), dog or cat food and products, home improvements, unnecessary shopping - just to shop - then once you get there, you HAVE to buy something since you're shopping.
Those things aren't bad in and of themselves. But we seriously need to strive for a balance in our lives. The cause of Christ SUFFERS today when high value is placed on LOW value things.
* Flippant positions we've held to.
Things that won't matter in eternity, like facial hair on men, eating pork, drinking coffee, etc.
We major on the minors and minor on the majors. Where is the balance in that sort of thinking?
To some Christians, church attendance, Bible reading and prayer have become optional in their life, but they would never miss a day of work or a family reunion or scheduled appt. such as the dentist. Yet when it comes to church functions or even just simple church attendance, sadly, way too many Christians these days say "I have other things to do today."
* Flippant conduct.
We don't think a thing about lying, swearing, gossip or backbiting. But we'd never say a cross word about the boss we work for. Our flippant conduct really reveals who we are.
*Flippant giving.
We don't tithe because it's a "tight week." Have we ever NOT had a tight week? Doesn't everybody have tight weeks, these days? Why is it that when the finances are strapped, tithing is the first thing to get kicked to the curb? But we make sure the union dues at work are paid up! Then there is the cell phone - gotta pay that! And *GASP!* What about the cable bill - we HAVE to pay that or they'll shut it off!

We just need to make sure Christ is in His rightful place in our lives - first place. And all our other priorities will fall into the right place. I don't know about you, but I don't want to get to Heaven and see all that I've done "for the Lord" burn up because it was only wood, hay and stubble. I want, what I do for Him, to last.

Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. I Cor. 11-14

I WANT TO BE LIKE JESUS

I have one deep supreme desire,

That I may be like Jesus.
To this I fervently aspire,
That I may be like Jesus.
I want my heart His throne to be,
So that a watching world may see
His likeness shining forth in me;
I want to be like Jesus.

Oh, perfect life of Christ my Lord,
I want to be like Jesus.
My recompense and my reward,
That I may be like Jesus.
His Spirit fill my hung'ring soul,
His power all my life control;
My deepest pray'r, my highest goal,
That I may be like Jesus.

I Want to Be Like Jesus
Thomas O. Chisholm

HOSPITALITY

When was the last time you invited somebody over for dinner? It doesn't have to be fancy schmancy. You can just pick up a pkg of cheap hamburger and buns and grill out burgers. If you don't have a grill, then fry them in a skillet. You could even just slap together some good old bologna sandwiches. Toss some chips in a bowl, make a batch of cookies. You can even use your leftover chicken, to make a pot of chicken and dumplings. People don't really care what you fix them. It's just healthy to fellowship with other believers. We invited a large family over recently and they were surprised first of all, at the invite, because of the size of their family. After they arrived, they commented that it had been probably 10 years since they had had a dinner invite to someone's house! I'm sure that's probably so, we invite a lot of folks over, but I don't see a lot of others doing that. There are a few, but for the most part people just don't do it anymore. Not sure why. Too busy? Nah! No space? Nah! Money? Eh, maybe, but that doesn't need to stop you.

You can't really get to know someone when you only see them at church. But when you sit down to dinner together with someone and fellowship, you can really start to get to know them well. People relax and you can laugh and maybe even share burdens and prayer needs with each other. After dinner, you can brew a pot of coffee, break out the homemade cookies and reach for your favorite game, as everyone gathers around the table to join in the play.

I remember when my Honey and I were first married. We learned from his folks, the obedience and importance of fellowship. We lived in a TINY 2 bedroom apartment. There really was no dining room to speak of, it was jut kind of an afterthought to the side of the kitchen. Our table wasn't much bigger than a card table and we had 4 metal folding chairs. And counter space.... HA! It is too laugh! This is how we remedied that obstacle. We would invite someone over. Fix them a modest dinner for our budget. I would set up my ironing board in the living room and cover it with a sheet and we would use that as our buffet. LOL Everyone would fix their plate and we would sit in the living room to eat. Hey, it worked! And I'm thankful we started early, getting our feet wet, so to speak, in this area of hospitality. Over the years, I have learned to be comfortable with people coming into our home. I like to hear folks say they felt right at home, while they were here. That is my goal, to put people at ease. I don't want them to feel like they can't be themselves around us.
My Honey preaches often that the church should be a "hospital" for hurting people. Well our homes should be no different. People from all walks of life are just hurting, for one reason or another. Could be sickness, marriage problems, financial woes (who doesn't have those these days?), family issues, trouble on the job. The list is endless. But people don't walk around carrying signs that say "I'm hurting, because...." They just hurt, and it's our job to help bear their burdens.

"Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2

And a good way to help with that is to have them in your home for fellowship. You don't even have to fix them a full dinner. You can fix snacks or just have dessert. Invite them over for pie and coffee. The idea is to just DO IT.

And don't worry about your house. If you're waiting until this gets fixed or that gets fixed, you'll never have anyone over. Your house will never be perfect. People don't come to see your house, they come to see YOU. So do what you can to make it clean and neat and a good testimony and don't worry about the rest! Relax! And don't let "space" be an obstacle to you. Remember my ironing board? LOL And now with the warmer weather upon us, you could even move outside to eat.

I just want to really encourage you to take a minute today and ask the Lord to put someone on your heart that could use a little encouragement. Then get on the phone and invite them over for SOMETHING.

"Use hospitality one to another without grudging." I Peter 4:9

¶ Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another; not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Romans 12:9-13

Just because hospitality is last on the list up there, doesn't mean it's of any less importance. We are instructed to DO IT. So who are you going to be hospitable to this week in your home? Care to share?

EARTH'S CRY HEARD IN SPACE

Earth's cries recorded in space.

I read this story on Yahoo news this morning. The first thing that came to mind as I read through it, was this passage:

For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. Romans 8:22, 23

It's so true isn't it? You can almost feel the earth and all creation just groaning, waiting for the Lord to come. It's so evident in all the world's disasters, hurricanes, typhoons, floods, fires. The list just goes on and on. Every time we read of another world disaster, it ought to make us keep our eyes fixed even more on the Eastern sky.
One thing I found kind of comical in the news story though, was how behind the times scientists are, in relation to God's word. He told us thousands of years ago that creation was "groaning." But here it is 2008 and the "professionals" are just discovering it. We think we're so smart. Isn't it wonderful how the Bible can be such a text book of LIFE? Science, history, literature, etc... We just need to READ it to learn such things. I wonder if any of those scientists working on that project have ever read the Bible?

A chosen vessel

I have loved this poem from the first time I read it years ago. It is a good reminder, that it is the BROKEN things that God uses. If you have been broken, or are in the process of being broken, take heart - God has something in store for you!

A CHOSEN VESSEL

The Master was searching for a vessel to use;
On the shelf there were many – which one would He choose?
Take me, cried the gold one, I’m shiny and bright,
I’m of great value and I do things just right.
My beauty and luster will outshine the rest
And for someone like You, Master, gold would be the best!
The Master passed on with no word at all;
He looked at a sliver urn, narrow and tall;
I’ll serve You, dear Master, I’ll pour out Your wine
And I’ll be at Your table whenever You dine,
My lines are so graceful, my carvings so true,
And my silver will always compliment You.
Unheeding the Master passed on to the brass,
It was widemouthed and shallow, and polished like glass.
Here! Here! Cried the vessel, I know I will do,
Place me on Your table for all men to view.
Look at me, called the goblet of crystal so clear,
My transparency shows my contents so dear,
Though fragile am I, I will serve You with pride,
And I’m sure I’ll be happy in Your house to abide.
The Master came next to a vessel of wood,
Polished and carved, it solidly stood.
You may use me, dear Master, the wooden bowl said,
But I’d rather You used me for fruit, not for bread!
Then the Master looked down and saw a vessel of clay,
Empty and broken it helplessly lay.
No hope had the vessel that the Master might choose,
To cleanse and make whole, to fill and to use.
Ah! This is the vessel I’ve been hoping to find,
I will mend and use it and make it all Mine.
I need not the vessel with pride of its self;
Nor the one who is narrow to sit on the shelf;
Nor the one who is bigmouthed and shallow and loud;
Nor one who displays his contents so proud;
Not the one who thinks he can do all things just right;
But this plain earthy vessel filled with My power and might.
Then gently He lifted the vessel of clay.
Mended and cleansed it and filled it that day.
Spoke to it kindly. There’s work you must do,
Just pour out to others as I pour into you.

~Author Unknown~

Time to WAKE UP!

Few things wake you with a start, like the sound of weather sirens. That was the sound that woke me from sleep this morning. It's funny how you can hear things like that and think you are dreaming, or that it's the cat next door, or a baby crying (even when you don't have a baby!). When I finally realized what it was, I jumped up, ran to the window and looked outside, and then went to the computer to check the weather alerts. There were no alerts though, other than strong thunderstorms being forecast for our area. I don't know what I expected to see when I looked outside. Maybe a stage 5 tornado whirling down our street? Truth is, the only tornado I've ever seen was when I was about 15 and lived on a farm in Indiana. It was out over the corn fields and didn't do any damage to our house, but my Mom made sure we were in the basement, in safety until that storm passed.
There are other things that wake you from sleep. An alarm clock. Someone touching you. Snoring (your spouses or your own). A barking dog. Sunlight. Birds chirping. Emergency vehicles. The telephone ringing. The buzzer on my clothes dryer (it sounds like half time at a Piston's game!). When the video you are watching is done and the TV switches over to snow and fuzz - I know this from MANY personal experiences.
When I was thinking about being woke from sleep by that siren, a Scripture passage came to mind.

¶ And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying: but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. Romans 13:11-14

So many believers today are asleep spiritually. Apathy reigns supreme in this day and age. There are those rare ones who are filled with zeal and remain stedfast in the work, but it just seems like so many are slumbering while the world careens head first into Hell. Even the most basic of our fundamentals, like faithfulness, is hard for many to maintain. I wonder why that is?
Could it be that Christians aren't saturating themselves with the Word on a daily basis? What is it that makes people fall into such a spiritual stupor, then stretch and yawn, when we are told to work while we can? Oh that we would be more like Jesus, who said:

I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. John 9:4

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we were all in a constant state of revival? I love revival meetings! It's a week of saturation with the Word. Meeting every night with other believers. Praying together. Preaching. No outside influence, like TV or radio. It's easy for the Lord to speak to hearts that way. But alas, almost as soon as the revival ends, the emotional high goes with it.
I praise the Lord for our little church. They are an amazing bunch of people. We run around 200, but it is nothing to see 30 or so out for soul winning! I just think that is phenomenal! And it makes me love them so much more.

But I know that's not the case in most Bible believing churches. I've seen the Lord "wake" slumbering believers up before and it can be a sobering thing. I honestly believe not just individual believers, but believers as a whole are in for a real awakening in this land, before too much longer. It's hard to hear things when you're asleep. We need to be AWAKE to hear what He has for us to do. Like Samuel of old, we should ALL be saying,

Speak; for thy servant heareth.
I Sam. 3:10

The morning after.

I always dread that "morning after" feeling! You know the morning after you've done a new work out and you know your muscles will be feeling like you singlehandedly moved a house full of furniture! Or the morning after you've been up way too late and you know you'll feel groggy all day long. Or how about the morning after you've binged on donuts, that your husband "surprised" you with, from a bakery that he just found! haha You get up the next morning and in fear and trepidation you step on the scale and *OUCH!* There it is in black and white. Huge numbers mocking your weakness from the day before. You would think a 40 something year old woman would know how to say NO to a box of donuts! After a downfall like that, I feel like Paul, when he said:

the good that I would, I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Romans 7:19

O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Romans 7:24

This flesh we live in for now, is sure awful weak sometimes. So weak that it caves in to a box of sugared sweets! Then the next day you feel such guilt and remorse and vow to say NO to donuts and sweets from now on! You walk an extra mile on the treadmill, and eat Atkins all day long to make up for your slackness the day before. You do really well for a good long while and just when you feel like you're cresting the mountain top again with your weight and your health, someone brings you the gift of a nice piping, hot, apple pie! Well, you can't eat apple pie without ice cream can you?

We need to make our motto: "Just say No!" It reminds me of the SS song I used to teach my kids.

"When Mr. Satan knocks on my heart's door and says, "May I come in?" I say, "NO! NO! For Jesus loves me so, and He washed away my sin." Then he turns around and runs away, I wish he'd go away to stay! When Mr. Satan knocks on my heart's door, I just say, "No! No! No!"

Learning to say No to a donut seems pretty simple and it is. But there are lots of other areas in our life where we need to learn to so No, as well. We sure would save ourselves a lot of grief and heartache in this life if we would learn to say No to sin. What is it in your life today that you need to learn to say NO to? Is it anger? Laziness? Unfaithfulness? Gossip? Apathy? Whatever it is, determine in your heart to say NO, I'm not opening that door today! Then tomorrow you can wake up with a song in your heart and you won't have to suffer with that "morning after" feeling!

Think before you speak!

Have you ever heard the phone ring and believing you “know” who it is, you start to speak before hearing the person on the other end? I NEVER do that, but that happened to me a few weeks ago. It was pretty early in the morning still. I was sipping my morning cup of coffee and checking email. My husband had just been downstairs with me getting his coffee and had gone back upstairs. Within moments I heard my cell phone ring in the kitchen. Not many people have my cell phone number and those that do, don’t normally call early in the morning. So…… assuming it was my husband calling who had just gone back upstairs to shower and get ready for the day….. and also assuming that he was beginning his morning routine and then realizing there was no toilet paper up in the bathroom…… I picked up my ringing cell phone without checking to see who the call was from and bluntly said in my bass morning voice that hasn’t had enough coffee yet, “Let me guess, you need toilet paper!” On the other end I hear this polite little lady voice say, “Oh! Excuse me?! Hello? Hello?” My face was one of utter horror & shock! I had the phone down by my leg laughing at myself for having spoken so quickly like that! I was so mortified at what I had done, that I just quietly closed my cell phone, hoping she would think she had reached a wrong number. I had no idea who it was. Then I heard it ring again. This time I checked to see who the caller was. I didn’t recognize the number, so I didn’t answer it. They left a voice mail. I checked the voicemail later and it was one of our older missionary wives! She was also the one that had called earlier. We eventually made contact and had a good laugh over the whole incident. But let me tell you, I will never do that again!

Thankfully that incident was one we could all laugh over, but how many times have we opened our mouths in haste and spewed something out that was hurtful and we later regretted? Sadly, it is also usually a family member, those we love the most, that bears the brunt of our rashness. Sure you will make the thing right with the one you hurt and be extended forgiveness. But words cut like a knife and cuts leave scars. How much better it would be to just put a little thought behind our words before we speak them. If it’s not kind or helpful, just keep it to yourself.

“Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? There is more hope of a fool than of him.” Proverbs 29:20

Oh how we need to set a watch before our mouths and really think before we speak.

“Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.” Psalm 141:3

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:14

Give and it shall be given unto you!

I find it incredibly exciting how we give to the Lord and He ALWAYS gives back! But we give to Him seemingly with a teaspoon and HE gives back to us with a dump truck! The more faithful I am in giving, not only money, but my time and talent, the MORE He gives back to me. I was humbled today as I drove one of our ladies to a doctor appointment at the pain clinic. I honestly didn't expect anything from her. I just wanted to do that for her as a friend and sister in the Lord. She not only gave me money for gas, but insisted on giving me money for my time and "trouble" (her words). I tried to give the money back on several occasions, even waiting until she was groggy from the anesthesia recovery, to attempt it - but she continued to put it back in my hand. So I said Thank you Lord and accepted it graciously as a gift from Him. He is so good to His children!

It is our job to keep it going, not to stop up His blessings on our lives. We give to get, to give again, so God will give again so that we can give again..... If we only give to get, we stop up His hand of blessing.

I've seen this played out recently in our Saturday morning soul winning time. It is a time that we give back our time and talents to the Lord by witnessing for Him. We spend many hours and knock on literally hundreds of doors. The next day, our visitors might not be a family from one of the doors we knocked on, but somebody from another county or neighboring town, that nobody knew or had contacted! We've seen it over and over. God just blesses our obedience! It's our job to give and go, and He always gives a greater return!

My husband / pastor says it every Sunday from the pulpit: "You can NEVER outgive God!"

"give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." Luke 6:38