Is it hot enough 4U

North Texas, where Karen and I live, is now in the throes of its 28th consecutive day in which the temperature has reached or exceeded 100 degrees.  One of the local media outlets interviewed "Joe Q. Public" on the street and when asked about the weather he said "This must be what hell feels like."

His remark might have been tongue in cheek but think about it for just a moment.  If you're like Karen and I suffering through the heat and humidity of summer does hell seem all that attractive?  Scripture tells us that it's like "a furnace of fire," an unquenchable fire that burns for eternity," "a place consumed in eternal darkness illuminated only buy the firey furnace." Why would anyone want to go that place?

You know you do have a choice don't you? Heaven as been described as a "restored garden paradise bathed in eternal light." Personally I see it as unlimited golf, on immaculate courses where I'll always shoot par or better; but I digress (sorry about that).  You do have a choice and it's so simple, there's really no mess, no fuss and your final decision comes with lifetime guarantee.

Scripture tells us, for all who believe in the name of Jesus Christ and with the aide of the Holy Spirit, they will be saved for eternity.  Though the wages of sin are death and we're all sinners; Jesus' death and resurrection has overcome the evil one's power on earth.  Once and for all our sins have been forgiven and forgotten by the blood of the Lamb on that cross.  Believe in Him, have faith and hope and know that it won't always be this hot even in North Texas.

water, water everywhere...

In North Texas we have experienced 24 consecutive days with the temperature exceeding 100 degrees; something we shared with the rest of the country this past weekend.  During these times we are constantly being reminded by the media and others, to drink lots of water, stay hydrated they warn.  While others around the country can flock to the lakes and seasides immersing themselves in the cooling waters in West Texas people and animals are suffering through one of the worst droughts most can remember.

The importance of water in our physical lives goes without saying; it is life giving and life sustaining, but scripture tells us of another kind of "water" doesn't it? The prophet Isaiah wrote in 55: 1; "Come all who are thirsty, come to the waters."  The Gospel of John tells us the story of the woman at the well speaking with Jesus and He told her, "But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed the water I give him will become in him a spring of water, welling up to eternal life."

Just like the woman at the well many of us have asked the same question; where do I get this water?  That brothers and sisters in Christ is an easy question to answer; you'll find that water in the Bible.  It's words and messages will open a place in your heart for the Holy Spirit to take up residence there and the waters that Jesus spoke of will start "bubbling" up and out of you in all you do and say.  The message of the gospel, John 3:16, is the spring that Jesus spoke of; the spring that will lead you to eternal life in His Fathers Heavenly kingdom.

During these hot summer days make sure you drink plenty of water to refresh the flesh, but don't forget to "rehydrate" your spiritual self as well."

If Tomorrow Never Comes

With props to Garth Brooks, "If Tomorrow Never Comes" is song about loving someone in the present and someone from the past. The song reminds us to "tell that someone that you love just what you're thinking of" because you never know about tomorrow do you? Brooks wrote that he's lost a love one that never really knew how he felt about them because they were here today and gone the next.

I'm sure many of us have had a similar experience; I mean we take our time on earth for granted don't we? We become complacent and lazy especially in our relationships with one and other;  more often than not we aren't as loving and compasionate as we could be. A touch, a kind word, eye contact or even just being in the same room can at times mean so much and take so little effort to perform. As the old proverb suggests "Don't put off until tomorrow that which you can do today."

How is your relationship with God today? Have you taken time to pray or to read a verse or two in Scripture? Today's life style often puts a premium on time doesn't it? Rushing here, running there so much to do; don't you wish there were 25 hours in a day? Ask yourself the question that the song suggests but "what happens if tomorrow never comes?" Are you prepared today to meet your Father in Heaven should He decide to call you home? Matthew 7:34 tells us "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will about itself, but seek first his kingdom.

Remember the old Sunday School song "Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so?" When that time comes are you ready to meet Jesus? Know this for sure, He loves you today and tomorrow and everyday to come.

Lost and found

Those who know me know that I love to play golf. Today as we played one the guys hit his ball into the water and said "It was lost when I found it." In other words he was playing with a ball he hadn't paid for but had found it somewhere on the course. Now rather than lose a ball he paid for he substituted the found ball and then proceeded to hit it into the water. "It was lost when I found it."

Does that simple phrase sound familiar, it did to me. Over and over I repeated it in my head as we drove down the fairway to the next hole. It comes from the book of Luke doesn't it; the parable of the Prodigal Son which ends with these words "he was lost and is found." If you haven't read the story of the lost son I would encourage you to go to Luke 15: 11-32 and read the story about a son who thinks the "grass might be greener on the other side of the fence."

It's very easy to get lost in today's world isn't it? Like that golf ball in the water many of us have at one time or another found ourselves tossed out like so much trash. We've lost our way in the sins of the flesh and in turn lost ourselves, but the good news is that Jesus hasn't lost you. He knows you by name and like the good shepherd that He is will find you and bring you to Him. Today you might be lost in the darkness of  sin but with the power of the Holy Spirit tomorrow you will be found in the light of the Son.

H-O-P-E

In seminary we learned that if a word is repeated in scripture then it must be important. In Romans 8:24-25 the apostle Paul writes about "hope; For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait patiently."

H - Have faith
O - With an Open heart
P - Pray often
E - Envision the glory that awaits us as the children of God in His  heavenly kingdom

Because of His death and resurrection Jesus Christ has set us free from the bondage of sin; once saved always saved. The good news of salvation is that the Holy Spirit fills our hearts and minds with the HOPE that one day we will be brought into the glorious kingdom of the Heavenly Father. Paul writes about Hope just as Faith has been written about in Hebrews 11. Both come to us from the grace of God secured for us by His Son's death upon the cross. Jesus' death and resurrection freed you and I from the wages of sin; death and gives us hope for eternity.

can and able

On many an occasion I've heard a husband ask his wife if he "can do something". More often than not the reply goes something like this "I don't know are you able?" In other words men it sounds like were asking permission to do whatever it is we had in mind to do. Even though we might think that our wife is being a bit sarcastic she has a point; are we able, can we do it?

Jesus says in Matthew 13: "He who has ears let him hear." The immediate question that begs to be answered especially by men, "are we able." Are we able to hear what Jesus is saying to us then and now?  He says to the disciples "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven," and those secrets were contained within the parables Jesus spoke. Were they able to understand what they'd just heard? When you read the parables for the first time were you able to discern their meaning?

There are 55 parables scattered throughout the first three books of the Gospel. I would encourage you to approach them in a whole new light; approach them with an open mind and an open heart. Don't just run to the footnotes or some Biblical commentary to find out their meaning. No sit with them awhile and see if in fact they do speak to you. Pray for guidance from above and over time you to will know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven.

Blessings

Pastor Joel

He who has ears, let him hear

I am what some might label as "hearing impaired." I function at a much higher level when I wear my hearing aides, but much to my wife's dismay they're often found languishing on  my desk far away from the organs they were designed to help.  This behavior often results in my wife questioning whether I heard her or was I even listening to her?  I must confess that I heard everything she said but as often the occassion I wasn't listening. So what's the difference?

The dictionary defines "hearing" as the process, function or power of perceiving sound.  The human ear hears many sounds but we may not be listening. Again the dictionary defines "listening" as the ability to hear something with thoughtful attention or simply put, to pay attention to sound.

In Matthew 13: 9 Jesus says "He who has ears, let him hear." If you read the chapter in its entirity you'll find that Jesus was making reference to a parable he had just shared with His disciples and others who were following His ministry.  Parables, especially when read for the first time, are not always easy to understand are they? I believe that was by design; Jesus knew there would be those challenged by what He said, those who would give thought to the message, digging deeper within their hearts and minds to try and find our what Jesus was telling them. On the other hand Jesus knew there were others to lazy or stubborn to seek the knowledge He was giving them about God and His kingdom.

Jesus encourages us thru the power of the Holy Spirit to open our hearts and minds for he promises us "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to us...Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance". Therefore don't just hear the message of the gospel but listen for it as well.  Blessings

Sweatin with the Scriptures

After finishing my workout at "Boot Camp" yesterday I again asked myself why? Why do you do this to yourself? It's a question that I've posed  on numerous occasions only this time the answer that came to me was different. It was not about toning up or getting in shape instead  I was reminded of what the Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians; "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into  strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever." Please forgive me but to paraphrase Paul again "For the message of excercise is foolishness to those who are perishing but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."

In seminary we were taught that if something was repeated in Scripture it was really important and should be duly noted. The Apostle writes in 3:16 of the same book "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's spirit lives in you." Again in 6:20 he tells us "you were bought at a price, therefore honor God with your body."

I don't think that Paul envisioned a world filled with men sporting "six pac" abs or all women possessing "bikini bods, but I do believe that he wanted us to be the best that we could be for God. It is so easy to fall victim to desires of the fast food culture and enslcave our bodies in unhealthy ways. Christs death freed us from sin but also obligates us to service in the "great commission" (Matt. 28: 18-20).
If you've tried to exercise, to lose weight or get in shape and were not successful I would encourage you to get up off the couch again. With props to Nike "just do it" for God and  with His help through prayer, alot of exercise (again),  and a proper diet the results might be different this time.. In the end you'll like the way you look and feel and that comes with a lifetime guarantee.

Independence Day

Today is the 235th birthday of America. The very fact that I'm sitting in front of my computer writing this missive without fear of retribution is certainly proof of our freedoms. Having said those words that will be the last time this space is devoted to anything that "smacks" of political rhetoric.

Hopefully in the very near future this space will be devoted to my mission, "Keeping the message of the Gospel alive." I fear that message, the "good news of Jesus Christ" is slowly dying on the vine much like our Savior died on the cross.  In my opinion churches across this great nation are more interested in the bottom line then in kingdom message of salvation.

Some would argue that the true message of salvation can be found in Isaiah 7:14 but I'm not one to agree. No the true message of salvation is found in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He  gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." That brothers and sisters in Christ is what many with whom I've visited in Hospice care and hospital rooms long to hear.

So this space will be devoted to that very simple passage from Scripture together with others that God has intended for us. I hope and pray that you will "gather together" with me and others as we spread God's word to all who thirst for it.

Blessings to you and yours

Pastor Joel