Vain or Sincere?

"And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions like the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words" (Matt. 6:7)  

Hey Gang  I have always had the feeling that repetition is effective for about a week and then I tend to be negligent in follow through.  I am plagued with several ailments that require medication every day and, to not take the correct dosage prescribed, I pay the piper but yet I tend to forget. 

Now I realize we might have five people in a circle and ask them to define repetitious and we would get six to eight definitions.  My simple mind tends to define it as disciplining oneself to do a certain thing on an on-going basis for my own good. 

We have been commanded by the Lord to go to the cross daily.  Why?  We each may have our own reason why this trip is suggested by the Lord.  I suspect He knows our attention span may be a day-long but after that even the most focused tend to lose focus.  Having been to Israel on several occasions, I have come to the conclusion that most religious Muslim’s and Jews are more disciplined in their prayers than Christians.    

The religious Jews pray three times a day and point their prayers towards Jerusalem and the religious Muslims five times a day and point their prayers toward Mecca.  But, if the prayers are not sincere or not come from the depth of the heart, they become mere words that have lost their meaning.  I wonder if these morning messages have become repetitious and perhaps I should send them once a week or perhaps monthly.  Would they then be more effective?

I would be remiss, if I did not tell you that repetition can also be good, if you are a disciplined person and stay the course.  It is very obvious that, if we are diligent in our repetition of seeking the Lord at all times, spending quality time in our prayer closet, and placing Yeshua at the pinnacle of all we say and do,  we can grow in the Lord and in the Word. 

Soooo, my friends, Just something to think about and ponder.  Is your relationship with the Father based on vain repetitions?  Or is there salad, soup,  meat and potatoes and even desert in your prayer life?   Yes, religious Muslim's and Jews are very diligent, even repetitious in their prayer life.  But, if it is not based on Yeshua as Lord and Savior, it becomes vain in nature and powerless.

Blessings,

Gramps

WHy We Can't Afford to Be Normal by World Standards

"Understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.  For people will be loves of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless...not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying the power.  Avoid such people" (2 Tim. 3:1-5,).

Hey Gang:  When was the last time you went to bed on Saturday night with the excitement of knowing you would be going to the Lord's house in the morning and rubbing elbows with God's family, getting a transfusion of His words and singing and rejoicing as you worship the Lord with your whole being?

To some, who read these morning thoughts, the statement I am about to make may sound bold and even questionable,” Most Christians are powerless’.  Hey, wait a minute, Did Jesus not say "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and earth, and I will be with you always even to the end of the age and that we should go out and make disciples".  (Matt. 28:18-19) 

Pastor Gary Wilkerson, President of World Crusade Ministries wrote the following message to his sheep: "Consider what 'normal' Christianity looks like today in the typical believer.  This person is a bit self-seeking, a little materialistic, somewhat consumerist.  Most of his daily choices are about improving his life.  That include his spiritual pursuits, from the church groups to the podcasts he downloads to the seminars he attends.

There's nothing wrong with any of these things.  Our Lord wants our lives to be blessed.  But for some Christians these are nothing more than worldly pursuits.  They're about self-improvement, not the Kingdom of God.  And they can drain a believer of true gospel power."

He went on to say: "To me, what passes for normal Christianity today must be an outrage to God.  It's not only powerless, it is also passionless, lacking self-sacrifice.  In other words. it is cross-less –and, therefore, Christ-less!  Don't misunderstand:  I'm all about God's grace, and I wouldn't lay an undue burden on anyone.  But it's time for the church to take a spiritual inventory to see whether our "spiritual" pursuits are leading us closer to God's heart or causing us to run in circles."

I would humbly suggest that the second option might be more dangerous to your spiritual health.  Why?   Jesus declares that to whom much is given, much is required.  For someone whose life doesn't match the biblical truth he's been taught, Judgment Day will be a little scary.

Many of us have to make a tough admission-  That we want to know God's way and to hear gospel truth - but we can avoid living it.  Sadly, church culture today encourages this kind of life.  It's acceptable to enjoy sermons and enter into worship - yet go home entirely unchanged. 

Sooooo,  Whatever happened to a life of total surrender to Jesus?  What happened to being willing to lay down our lives for the Gospel's sake?  Paul said of his own testimony, "My speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power" (I Corinthians 2:4).

 If we aren't living a life empowered by God, we can't blame the Lord.  It isn't because His grace lacks power. The problem is with us.  Question for you to ponder Are You A Normal or Abnormal Christian by World Standards?

Blessings 

Careful, Someone Is Watching!

"So that you will prove your selves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world" (Phil 2:15).

Hey Gang: Every time I hear or read of an aircraft accident it sends cold chills up my spine and I break out in a cold sweat.   I left the Air Traffic Control business in 1961 but the cold chills and sweat are as persistent today, when I hear a ‘plane spun in,’ as they were the day I hung up my air traffic control spurs for the last time. There was a special bonding between the pilots of our squadron and the air traffic control teams that did all in our power to keep them safe.

But I would be remiss if I did not make one very important point.  When in flight in a jet fighter, if you did not have gauges to tell you if you were flying right-side up or up-side down, you would not have a clue.  This is referred to as the “attitude” of the aircraft.  You can be in a horizontal or vertical or descending or climbing attitude and without the gauges to keep you up to speed in your attitude, you would not have a clue. 

While working in a Rapcon in the Air Force, a pilot called with a fire indicator on board.  His wing man reported no indication of fire and the flight continued.  But, several minutes later he received a second indication that his aircraft was on fire.  He was in the downward attitude approaching a landing the aircraft but the inbound route was over a congested area that included a hospital. The pilot choose to pull the aircraft up and take it to a nearby lake and put down there to assure no one would be injured. 

When he made that decision he knew there was a chance he would not survive the decision. To assure that the aircraft did, indeed, hit the water he put it into a nose-down attitude before ejecting - which resulted in his death.  In other words the attitude of the aircraft killed him.  If he would have been in a 45 degree or better attitude, his ejection would have given him sufficient altitude for the chute to open and save his life.  

Paul had a great deal to say about ‘attitude’ in his letter to the Philippians and, for that matter, all of his teaching and writings.  In Philippians 2:5 he wrote “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped.”

Soooo, my young chicks, as you walk out the door into the mission field this morning, do an attitude check. Keep in mind someone is watching you and your attitude might be the key in their deciding if they want to accept and serve your God.  You may be the only Bible they will read this day, week or ever.

Blessings,

Gramps

It Only Takes One Rotten Onion!

“Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth but only such a word as it good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.”

Hey Gang:  As most of you know, I am a ‘black pot’ chef and get a lot of misplaced accolades for our famous ribs. Misplaced, because all I do is keep the fires under control so as not to burn the goodies that are cooking in the pots;  the bride-of-my-youth, my pearl-of- great price, is really the author and creator of the fabulous taste that comes out of the finished product. 

A few years back, we had a family camping reunion and my instructions to each of the family members was to be bring something to put in the stew which was to be served at the Sunday noon meal.  I also instructed them to be prepared to share how their gift represented their life and how it would impact on the taste of the stew. 

I t was a neat time of sharing.  After each had made their contribution to the stew, I opened a bag and took out a gross, rotten onion and asked the question, “What would happen to the stew if I would put the onion in the pot?”  The answer was unanimous, it would spoil the stew.  We have all heard the adage,  ‘One bad apple can spoil the whole bushel’. 

Each and every day God gives us opportunities to make a contribution to His stew pot.  Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, wrote, “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth but only such a word as it good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.” (Eph.4:29) 

Solomon, considered the wisest man in the Bible, shares great God-inspired wisdom in the book of Proverbs.  In Proverbs 10:31  Solomon declared,  "A good person's mouth is a clear fountain of wisdom, a foul mouth is a stagnant swamp."  What is his point?   What comes out of your mouth is a clear indication of what kind of person you are internally.  What is in you will surface when you least expect it.  . 

Soooo, my young gals and buckaroos,  what will you put into Gods stew pot this day?  I read these wonderful words from the Amish Proverbs Book this morning, "Actions speak louder than words" and "Kind actions begin with kind thoughts".  These adages seem to be based on good old common sense and seem so ordinary, but we fail to guard our witness.   Think of the impact of a good deed or a kind word.  "Good deeds have echoes."   

Does that not remind you of Solomon's words in Proverbs 11:17, "Your own soul is nourished when you are kind; it is destroyed when you are cruel". 

Blessings,

Gramps

Peace of Mind Through These Troubled Days

"Let love of brethren continue.  Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it" (Heb. 13:1-2).

Hey Gang:  I have a fabulous promise for you this morning, one that can make your day a heap sight better and it comes straight from the Master’s mouth: “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid?” (John 14:27).  Should we place this promise in the commandment file?  I believe when we take things in our own hands it grieves the Father.

 We might say "that’s easy for Him to say, I mean He doesn’t know what I am going through".  O but He/Jesus does!  Note this instruction (above) that He gave to His disciples on the eve of his crucifixion.  It was meant to give them comfort and reassurance, in what would be the darkest hour of their faith. 

Christ added yet another assurance in the same verse:  “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.”  When presented at the Temple, the prophet Zacharias said of the coming Messiah, “That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, and the days of our life” (Luke 1:74-75). 

Did you know the most effective treatment program for criminal violators is to make them face their victims, apologize and make restitution for their crime, When questioned why this was so effective, the common answer was "It cleared my conscience and it made me feel so good it motivated me to change my behavior.”

Several years ago one of my Board Members shared a problem he was dealing with and, I might add, he was having no success.  It seems his daughter was locked into deep depression and every attempt to help her fight her way only added to a deeper depression.  His frustration came through loud and clear. 

A suggestion was made that he might want to consider taking her back to college and leave her so she had to fend for herself.  This he did!  On the day they arrived on campus, they found her roommate very ill with mononucleosis.  An amazing transformation began at the moment she entered the apartment and saw her ‘roomie’ in what she perceived was worse shape than she and she began to nurse the roomie back to health.  I might add the recovery bordered on the miraculous.    

         

In these verses we find one of the primary reasons that Jesus came to earth and died for sinful humankind – that we might walk with God without fear and enjoy his peace all the days of our lives.  There is no question that Satan is going to throw road blocks in our path but, how neat to know that we have a God who will neither leave us or forsake us, who knows every hair on our head, every flower that grows and every bird that flies.  Wow, thank you Lord for that assurance.

Soooo,  my friends, if you are having a tough time this morning, seek out someone who is worse off than you and be a Good Samaritan to them.  You will feel better and God will reward you for your love and mercy and compassion.  When Jesus taught, "Blessed (Happy) are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy" (Matt.5:7),   He was not just uttering words- but giving a Law of Reciprocity.

Blessings,

Gramps

Why We Can't Afford To Be NormN By World Standards

"Understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.  For people will be loves of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless...not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying the power.  Avoid such people" (2 Tim. 3:1-5,).

Hey Gang:  When was the last time you went to bed on Saturday night with the excitement of knowing you would be going to the Lord's House in the morning and rubbing elbows with God's family, getting a transfusion of His words and singing and rejoicing as you worship the Lord with your whole being?

To some who read these morning thoughts the statement I am about to make may sound bold and even questionable, it seems most Christians are powerless.  Hey, wait a minute, Did Jesus not say "…all authority has been given to Me in heaven and earth, and… I will be with you always even to the end of the age and… that we should go out and make disciples".  (Matt. 28:18-19) 

Pastor Gary Wilkerson, President of World Crusade ministries wrote the following message to his sheep: "Consider what 'normal' Christianity looks like today in the typical believer.  This person is a bit self-seeking, a little materialistic, somewhat consumerist.  Most of his daily choices are about improving his life.  That include his spiritual pursuits, from church groups to the podcasts he downloads to the seminars he attends.

There's nothing wrong with any of these things.  Our Lord wants our lives to be blessed:  but for some Christians, these are nothing more than worldly pursuits.  They're about self-improvement and not the kingdom of God.  These things can drain a believer of true ‘Gospel power’.

He went on to say "To me, what passes for normal Christianity today must be an outrage to God.  It's not only powerless, it is also passionless and lacking self-sacrifice: in other words, it is cross-less – and, therefore, Christ-less.  Don't misunderstand:  I'm all about God's grace, and I wouldn't lay any undue burden on anyone,  but it's time for the church to take a spiritual inventory to see whether our "spiritual" pursuits are leading us closer to God's heart or causing us to run in circles."

I would humbly suggest that the second option might be more dangerous to your spiritual health.  Why?   Jesus declares that to whom much is given, much is required.  For someone whose life doesn't match the biblical truth he's been taught, Judgment Day will be a little scary.

Many of us have to make a tough admission:  that is, we want to know God's way - to hear gospel truth - but we avoid living it.  Sadly,much church culture today encourages this kind of life.  It's acceptable to enjoy sermons and enter into worship - yet go home entirely unchanged. 

Sooooo,  Whatever happened to a life of total surrender to Jesus?  What happened to being willing to lay down our lives for the Gospel's sake?  Paul said of his own testimony, "My speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power" (I Corinthians 2:4).

 If we aren't living a life empowered by God and His Holy Spirit,, we can't blame the Lord.  It isn't because His grace lacks power. The problem is with us!  Question for you to ponder,  Are You A Normal or Abnormal Christian by World Standards?

Blessings, 

Gramps

One Last thought About Crowns

 "And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders  will fall down before Him who sits on the throne and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne saying, Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things and because of Your will they existed and were created." (Rev. 4:9-11).

After receiving these crowns then what?  This question brought to mind the story of the man who was awarded the "Humility Award" in his church; later he had to give it back, because he wore it.  The above Scripture tells us the elders place their crowns at Jesus feet and, if they do, would not all of us want to follow their example to show our love for our Father who art in heaven?

 As you can see, each crown is given to those who do a good work on His behalf and will want to place whatever crowns awarded at the feet of Jesus, when we come face to face with Him.  In my study of crowns  I have come to one conclusion: if you have not earned one or more of the crowns, described in previous days, I question whether you will have entry into God's Eternal Kingdom. 

I would be remiss if I did not suggest to you that there is a second option for our choosing.  "Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them.  And I saw the dead, the great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened:  and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.   And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged,  according to their deeds.  Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire.  This is the second death, the lake of fire.”

This is followed by one of the most profound and dangerous statements (for those who do not know Jesus as Lord of their life), "if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire". (Rev. 20:11-15).  Did you know that less than forty percent of our young people today even know there is such a thing as the "lake of fire".  Is that not frightening? 

Soooo, my young friends, what say you? Are you worthy this morning to be dubbed with the sword of the Lord with the Imperishable Crown?  Are you following Paul's example and running the good race?  Is your life an example of God's love and filled with rejoicing?  Paul tells us if you want your life to be great in God's Kingdom, then "…learn to be a servant of all" (Mark 9:35)  Are you worthy of the Crown of Exultation?   

Blessings,

Gramps

THe Crown of Glory

  

"Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily according to the will of God, and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.  And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading Crown of Glory."   (I Peter 5:1-4)

Hey Gang:  Did you ever stop to think what a tremendous blessing God gave to us when he barred us from the Garden where the Tree of Life is located?  When my mother-in-law was in the final days of her tenure on earth she was suffering from a multitude of ailments and weighed less than eighty pounds.To put it very plainly, her body was a mess.  Now, suppose she had had access to the "Tree of Life" and taken of the fruit of that forbidden tree and gained eternal life.  Yips, what a tragic thing that would be! 

Today we look at the fifth crown that is available to us as believers, the Crown of Glory.   One could take from Peter's words that this is the pastor's crown and will be given to the ministers who faithfully feed the flock of God.   Is he saying this is restricted to ministers?  I think not.  In all probability he is saying preachers, teachers, Sunday School teachers, missionaries.

But I do not believe it stops there.  I believe when you are mentoring someone on coffee break at work, or witnessing God's love on the golf course you earning a Crown of Glory. We are all called to be ‘…able Ministers of the Gospel. (Matt 28:18-20; II Cor 3:6)

I also believe this crown may signify the importance and sacrifices of bringing others into the ways of God.   Jesus said, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations.....teaching them to observe all that I commanded you" (Matt. 28:19-20).  

I believe the point Peter is making here is that God can use you to teach and shepherd others and expects you to do that at every opportunity, whether formally or informally.  The old adage ‘your actions speak  O so  loud I can’t hear what you say’ is a clear indicator of how very important our actions are.

A warrior for Christ, who had just lead a non-believer to Christ, introduced the new convert to the minister.  The minster's response, “That is great - now mentor him.”  In a sense our responsibility just begins when the non-believer sees something is us that he wants for his life.  Being willing to teach and educate others, after they are saved, is one of the greatest things you can do for them this side of heaven. 

As I thought about and researched the Crown of Glory, God spoke to my heart and asked the question, "Do you realize how many times I sent someone with the need to know Me as their Lord and Savior across your path that you failed to be used by Me to bring them to Me?   Father, forgive me!

Soooo,  one of the fabulous blessings of being a Kings Kid is that God can use anyone, everyone, all of us, to teach and shepherd others.  God shows us the extreme importance that He is placing on those who teach and preach the word by word and deed.  So, my friends, go and make disciples!

Blessings,

Gramps

The Crown Of Life

  

The fourth, the Crown of Life, is found in James 1:12. "Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial, for once he has been approved he will receive the Crown of Life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him."

Hey gang, notice Jesus words recorded by John the Beloved in the Revelation of Jesus, "Do not fear what you are about to suffer.  Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days.  Be faithful until death, and I will give you the Crown of Life."

This crown is for all believers, but is especially dear to those who endure sufferings, who bravely confront persecution for Jesus- even unto death.  For the past several years my bride and I have volunteered at Voice of Martyrs in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.  It is a ministry committed to reaching out, supporting and encouraging those believers who are enduring persecution. 

Before beginning our tenures in this ministry I had feelings about my persecuted brothers but, as I think back, it was a more superficial feeling.  O, I prayed that God would protect and keep these dear committed children of God but I quickly learned that that I did not have a clue what these saints of God were going through and how they dealt with the constant possibility that this might be their last day on earth. Most who are being persecuted do not asked to be released from persecution, but that their testimony will draw persecutors to Jesus.

We have been privileged to hear many underground pastors and lay teachers and have learned so many wonderful lessons that have deepened our faith.  One shared, to be a pastor in training in the underground church is to study a course called "Prison Theology", for they know that one day they will be found out and spend a portion of their lives in prison.

And how do they feel about this, in prison you have a captive audience that is hurting deeply, therefore, the opportunity for sharing the Gospel and God's love with them is a part of their everyday life.  When faced with death, they pray that God will give them the strength to remain on the Rock and show a loving witness to their persecutors.

As I read the stories of the many who are being persecuted and, keep in mind more people have died for their Lord in the last several decades than all the other times in history combined, I feel a shame for my neglect in praying for these people in a more consistent bases.  I have no clue what it must be like to be held for years a dank prison cell, taken out periodically and beaten and never knowing if you your life will end on this day. 

In Scripture the word “life” is often used to show a relationship that is right with God. It was Jesus who said, “I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).Just as things such as air, food, and water are vital for our physical lives, Jesus provides us what is required for our spiritual lives. He is the One who provides “living water.” He is the “bread of life” (John 4:10,6:35). We know that our earthly lives will end. But we have the amazing promise that comes only to those who come to God through Jesus: “And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life” (1 John 2:25).  James tells us that this Crown of Life is for all those who love God (James 1:12).

Soooo, how do we demonstrate our love for God?  John answers this, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3)  As long as we live—may we ever move forward, always “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2) and receive the Crown of Life that awaits us.

Blessings,

Gramps

The Crown of Righteousness

“Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8).

Hey Gang, one does not have to be a rocket scientist to see that, if Paul was confident of anything, he was confident of God's righteousness.   In other words that He is ‘the righteous Judge" who can be counted on to do what is right.’ And part of God’s righteousness is the fact that He will reward those who have been faithful to Him. Having kept the faith, Paul was confident that his earthly life would be crowned with victory when he stood before the Lord.  Wow, out of sight!!!!

When Paul spoke of the “crown” of righteousness to be given, he used the Greek word stephanos. This was not a reference to the royal crown of a king but rather the victory crown of an athlete. Paul had “fought the good fight . . . finished the race . . . [and] kept the faith” (v.7) — and he was in no doubt about the result. His decision to keep on running, when he might have given up and quit, and, he had many good reasons for quitting, (read 2 Corinthians 11: 23-30 for a listing of what Paul referred to as 'slight afflictions). In other  words. a righteous God will not fail to reward those who have persevered.  And that you can take to the bank!

Yes, we live in a time when blasphemy seems to be a way of life with many folks.   Paul tells us we need to be humbled and sobered and he urged his readers to be careful.  In 2 Corinthians 10:12 he gives this warning,  "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall".   

But he also gives us recourse against being taken down the Prime Rose Path in the following verse: "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow  you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also; so that you will be able to endure it" (v.13).

In other words our Crown of Righteousness will not be in jeopardy, if we choose to remain faithful as Paul did. Nor should our emphasis upon God’s grace mean that we don’t look for Him to reward us. He is, after all, “a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).

But notice, Paul speaks of the crown being given to those “…who have loved [the Lord's] appearing.” Today, we can have Paul’s same confidence concerning the Crown of Righteousness, but only if we have his same passion for the Lord’s return. God forbid that we should be so in love with this world that we wouldn’t be overjoyed to hear that it was all coming to an end THIS VERY DAY. Paul’s attitude was, “O Lord, come!” (1 Corinthians 16:22).

Soooo, good buddies, our fondest hopes should be set on the “not yet” part of the faith more than on the “already.” Christianity is about receiving the Crown of Righteousness — so we ought not to dread the day of our death (or that of the Lord’s coming) any more than a runner dreads to cross the finish line. To get to the finish is why we run!

Blessings,

 Gramps

The Crown of Exultation

"Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved" (Phil. 4:1).   "For who is our hope of joy of crown of exultation?  Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?  For you are our glory and joy". (I Thess. 2:19-20).

Hey Gang, how is your self control? Remember from the last morning message (Aug 5) that Paul challenged us to run the race in order to win and receive an "imperishable crown"?   This morning we are going to look at a second crown, the Crown of Exultation described in the morning Scriptures. 

As mentioned before, my understanding of words, with more than four letters, is very limited and, when I come across words like "exultation" it sends me to Webster to find out what Paul is saying.  Webster defines the word as ‘the act of rejoicing, jubilation and triumph'.   I don't know about you but I crave a crown of rejoicing, jubilation and triumph in these very dark days. 

This morning, in my devotions, I sensed the need to return to Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians. In the last paragraph of this letter he gives us a formula to be ‘overcomers’.    He challenged the brethren:  "Appreciate those who diligently labor among you" and "Live in peace with one another" and "to admonish the unruly, and encourage the faint hearted and weak and be patient with everyone." (1 Thess. 5:12-14).

In our work with children we planted many seeds that fell among the weeds, some fell on rocky soil or were planted in very shallow soil and were eaten up by the woes of the day. We discovered that there was a common denominator among them - that being a dullness of their eyes.    

Oh, there were other traits that were common, but this one was my measure of the level of climbing out of the pit.  When asked, "How do you know when the youngster is ready to go out into the world and test his new skills and successes?  I responded with these indicators:  First, when I see the young man acting out here with some behaviors that got him here, and not doing them at home when on visits, I know his tenure here is about over.

But the other is far more solid as an indicator - his eyes have a sparkle in them, a sparkle that was not there when he arrived.   The bondage has been broken, and his life has taken on an air of rejoicing,  of jubilation and of triumph.  He has earned "joy and the Crown of Exultation in his heart.

Soooo, my friends and neighbors, Do you have a Crown of Exultation waiting for you in the throne room of heaven?  If not, why not?  Jesus said, “ I stand at the door of your heart wanting to come in and fellowship with you.”  He also said, “Ask and I will give you the joys of heaven” and He said, “I am and way, truth and life” and the roadway to rejoicing, jubilation and triumph so jump on board and enjoy the unbelievable things that I have I want, so badly, to give to you. ( “Gramps rendition”)

Blessings,

Gramps