Wasted Fruit
Father, with Your grace and wisdom and by Your direction things are in place for worship today. Yes, the “things” are ready – bulletins, sermon, PowerPoint – but without Your infilling, Your presence, they will remain “things”. Fill me. Use me. May my heart and the hearts of those present be receptive for the in-planting of Your word. May it not just impact during our time together but may it take root deep within our souls so that it might grow and bear fruit in our lives.
And, Lord, may the fruit that it yields not just sit in a bowl on the shelf of my life – of our lives – but may we share liberally with all those around. May we not allow our society or preconceived mindsets hinder us from sharing with all, regardless of race or creed or religious background or upbringing. You, Lord, let nothing stop You from sharing Your love. May we do likewise. Fill us with Your love and compassion. Strengthen us. Embolden us. Enable us to partake of Your wisdom and power. May our efforts for Your kingdom not be full of us but full of You. Use me do Your will.
(Today’s writing came out of my time reading through my sermon for today. If you would like to read it, here is a link. I would like to acknowledge that due to my bi-vocational status I quite often use other pastors’ sermons and after some personal adjustments use them with my congregations. Credit is always given to the original authors.)
17-03-26 03 – Knowing Christ – A MINISTERING Heart – Humble (2)
Mar 26th, Sun, 6:33 am
Before It’s Too Late
Thank You, Father, for being my companion today. I appreciate Your presence as I have worked here at home getting things ready for Sunday.
I read the next passage of Scripture but feel that you would have me to write on something else. Coming into this week I was actually a couple of days ahead on my writing, which is more the exception and not the rule in recent days. But as the week progressed my lead shrank. It wasn’t because I didn’t have an opportunity to write – I did – but I put it off it because I was struggling to focus. I tried to write last night before the evening was through but all I got down on paper was my opening prayer, then things happened and I didn’t get any further.
As I finished up the book of 2nd Peter he wrote of making choices in our relationship with You, Lord, so as to be prepared for Your inevitable return. How many of us “put it off”? We have so much on our plate of life that we struggle to focus on what is truly important.
If you have never accepted Christ as your Savior but keeping putting it off because you are hesitant to hand over the reins of your life to God for fear that you’ll have to give up too much or maybe do things you don’t want to do, then it is vitally important that you make it your top priority to deal with your spiritual health. None of us knows when our lives will end. None of us knows when Christ will return. And if the decision to accept His free offer of salvation is put off and put off, it will be too late. At that point, there will be no do-overs. Our answer of “no” will be our final answer and we will have no one to blame but ourselves – for all of eternity.
I’ll not apologize if this sounds “preachy” for that is my calling. This is by no means a negative thing! It is the most positive thing one can ever do. We never lose by accepting Christ, we always win! The things we think we cannot live without are replaced with things that are so much deeper and richer and more fulfilling than we ever thought possible!
I would ask that you not put it off any longer. See things for what they truly are. Give your life to Christ – you’ll never regret it!
If you would like to make that decision here is a link that lays out the ABC’s of Salvation. Email or Facebook Message me if you have any questions or to let me know about your decision.
Thank You, Lord, for Your Love for all of us. May we all strive to serve You with all of our soul, mind, and strength each and every day! Amen.
Mar 23rd, Thurs, 7:56 am
He’s Coming!
Father, it was a bit of a restless night with the scent of a skunk foraging around the house but I am here. Help me to focus on You and what You have me learn today. Amen.
2 Peter 3:1-18 (<<click here)
Roughly 2000 years ago, Lord, while living here amongst us, You spoke of Your eminent return. That has been quite a while, but the length of time that has passed or that has yet to pass, has no bearing on its truth or validity. People like to argue that there is nothing to Your promise because it was made so long ago. They could not be more wrong. You are coming back when You decide to return. Our timetable is not Your timetable. For as Peter admonishes us to not forget that “a day is like a thousand years [to You], Lord, and a thousand years is like a day.”
Lord, You are not slow or hesitant – You are patient – You are long-suffering…and it is for our sake. “[You do] not want anyone to be destroyed but [You want} everyone to repent.” You yourself said, “For this is how God love the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
This past Sunday at church Daniel and Renita Koehn ministered to my joint congregations through music and Daniel dramatically delivered chapters 12-17 of the Gospel of John. After the service one of our young ladies came and asked me about John 12:25, as to what it meant,
“Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity.”
Absolutely nothing we accumulate here of a physical nature will remain. As the old adage goes, we can’t take it with us. Peter emphasizes that everything on this earth will pass through the fires of judgment – it will all be destroyed. Only our souls and the things of the heart we have stored up will continue to exist.
I told this sweet young lady that when we lose a loved one that everything physical about it will one day be gone and that all that will remain will be our love and memories of them. Only what we do for Christ will remain. Lord, help me to live out Peter’s admonition.
“And so, dear friends, while You are waiting for those things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives than are pure and blameless in his sight.” v.14
Amen. So be it.
Mar 21st, Tues, 6:26 am
Which Path Will You Take?
Father, thank you so much for the wonderful day yesterday. It was a blessing have Daniel and Renita sharing their talents in ministry. Once again we were shown that Your Word is not stagnant and dead but is truly vibrant and living! The Bible is just as applicable today as it ever has been.
2 Peter 2:4-22 (<<click here)
Most assuredly, Lord, You are a God of Love and you have done marvelous things and sacrificed greatly so that we can be victorious over the sin that wants to trip us up and take us down. All praise to You, our Lord and Savior!
Yes, You are the personification of love itself and we know that, as Peter earlier proclaimed, “Love covers a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 You are love but You are also holy and just. While we still have breath and until we stand before You at the great judgment, there is always the possibility of forgiveness for our disobedience against you. But once we pass that point of no return our lot is cast. We will have chosen where we stand. If we’ve accepted Christ’s forgiveness and love, and repented of our sins, then we will join him for all eternity. But…if we rejected Christ’s forgiveness and not repented of our sins, then we will be eternally separated from him. We will bring God’s judgment upon ourselves.
2 Peter 2 clearly shows that You extend forgiveness to all but it also shows your judgment if we turn our backs on You. It is totally our choice.
Lord, help us to respond to Your love. Help us to generously share Your love. Help us to diligently proclaim Your love so that all may hear and turn to You. Amen!
Mar 20th, Mon, 6:30 am
Lead, Kindly Light
Father, it has happened literally hundreds of times over the past couple of years but every day I am amazed when You wake me. It is never with a jolt, leaving my heart pounding, but it always seems that I just open my eyes, glance at the clock and it is time for me to rise. And it’s not like I need up the same time of day…but You are faithful and You love me with a strong, consistent love. Thank You, Father.
I’m sure it comes as no surprise but I love music – all kinds of music! But one of my favorites has been a part of my life for my entire life and that is hymns. From the first time my mother carried me in her arms to church, hymns have touched me.
This morning after waking, before I even made it down the hall, a hymn popped into my mind – Lead, Kindly Light. The title itself was prompted by thoughts of You, Lord, for You are surely my patient, gentle guide through each and every day.
I’ve read where this song, written in 1833 by John Henry Newman, has been appropriately sung by many in dire circumstances and rightly so. But it is also a beautiful song that gives comfort along any part of life’s journey. The first verse reads,
Lead, kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom, lead Thou me on!
The night is dark, and I am far from home; lead Thou me on!
Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene; one step enough for me.
To me, it speaks of peace. I don’t need to see far ahead as my life moves continually onward for, Lord, “one step [is] enough for me.” Lord, there is great comfort with You by my side throughout each stop of our journey together.
Mar 19th, Sun, 7:12 am