Value What God Has to Offer

Peer pressure.  Whoever said peer pressure is only something that you deal with as a kid in school could not have been more wrong.  Wherever we go today…..in our general society, in our workplace, among our friends, even in our own families, there is such tremendous pressure to fit in and be accepted.  We bend and twist ourselves to fit someone’s idea of what we should be, just to “get along,” but that usually goes against God’s design and plan for our lives.  This is why He calls us to “come out from among them and be ye separate.”  We are to separate ourselves from these types of situations and behaviors that would cause us to stray from our true calling. 

True devotion to God is not as hard as you think it is….because it is not something we do in our own strength.  True devotion is a decision, an exercise of our will.  If we make it a point to spend some time everyday in His Word, strength comes.  You may say, “It is so hard to find time to read my Bible or take time to pray.”  But a real assessment of our time reveals that we devote time to our job, to our family, to household chores, to social events, to at least three meals each day, to TV, to the internet, hobbies, and so on.  True devotion is a relatively simple matter of re-arranging our priorities, with God being first on any list. 

If our employer told us that staying at work an extra hour each day would be rewarded by a significant financial increase, we’d find the time and make it a priority without too much trouble - because we value the result.  We need to value what God has to offer us…..true love, forgiveness, everlasting life, a peace that passes all understanding, and a fellowship like none we’ve ever known.   And really…..deep down inside…..these are that things that all of us are pursuing anyway - we just don’t always realize it. 

Seek first His kingdom and His righeousness, and all these "things" will be added unto you. 

Marriage is….

Sometimes fat, sometimes lean,

Sometimes plenty, sometimes need,

Sometimes giving, sometimes greed,

Sometimes plant, sometimes glean.

Sometimes milk, sometimes meat,

Sometimes sour, sometimes sweet,

Sometimes curdles, sometimes cream,

Sometimes wheat, sometimes weeds.

Sometimes nice, sometimes mean,

Sometimes hidden, sometimes seen,

Sometimes dirty, sometimes clean,

Sometimes dull, sometimes sheen.

Sometimes snow, sometimes green,

Sometimes mountain, sometimes sea,

Sometimes shrub, sometimes tree,

Sometimes desert, sometimes stream.

Sometimes whisper, sometimes scream,

Sometimes nightmare, sometimes dream,

Sometimes ice, sometimes steam,

Sometimes King, sometimes Queen.

Sometimes speak, sometimes heed,

Sometimes follow, sometimes lead,

Sometimes blind, sometimes see,

Sometimes sad, sometimes glee.

Sometimes slow, sometimes speed,

Sometimes carriage, sometimes steed,

Sometimes healing, sometimes bleed,

Sometimes cost, sometimes free.

Sometimes A, sometimes B,

Sometimes Y, sometimes Z,

Sometimes you, sometimes me,

All the time, always We.

SLD - Dec. 2011

Life is a Series of Seasons....

Life is a series of "seasons".....A few years back, through a series of events, God told me quite clearly....."I bring people into your life for a season. Appreciate them and do not take them for granted, for you know not how long the season shall last."

With that in mind, I chose to pen the following........

 

I'm supposed to write something about myself,
Something that's different from everyone else,
Not sure what that is, as we're all in the same boat,
We have two basic choices - we can paddle.....or float.

I choose to paddle, to move forward each day,
The best defense is a good offense, as they always say,
Stand up and be counted, no matter the cost,
If good people do nothing, then all is lost.

The problem is that all don't paddle in the same direction,
And the boat tends to waver, needing constant correction,
If you choose not to row, you become a burden - just ballast,
In that way your heart can become hardened and calloused.

But as God told Joshua, in the book of his name,
Be strong and courageous, you'll not be ashamed,
He repeated this direction at least three times,
I think it was meant to leave a mark on Joshua's mind.

It's a call to all of us, to press on towards the mark,
Don't be discouraged when seas are rough and skies turn dark,
Our God is with us every step of the way,
Emmanuel, He's saved us, the "Son" shines and is here to stay!

I could go on and on, but I'll stop here,
The bottom line is, through smiles or tears,
Our salvation is secured, so what more could we face....
Is there any problem too big for God....in all the human race?

Think about it......You know not how long your season shall last, so live every day with purpose and meaning. The words "I love you" should be said to someone everyday.

 

Can We Know When Jesus is Coming?

            Is it possible to study the Bible and determine when Jesus is coming?  Many have asked that question. 

Jesus himself said that no man knows the day or the hour.  He also said, you know the times and the seasons - you ought to be aware of these things.  If you take the Bible literally, then it is possible to recognize the “season” of His coming. 

            Let me ask a question.  Is it possible to know when winter is coming.....or spring, summer, and autumn?  Of course it is.  You know from experience that it’s usually hot in July & August, so you make sure that your air conditioner is in good working order, and that the lawn mower is tuned up, and that the swimming pool is properly maintained…..and so on.  Consequently, you know that come January & February, it’s going to be cold, maybe even snowy.  We make sure we dress properly for the weather, and that the heater works properly, and that the snow blower is ready to go……and we are ready to criticize our local town officials for not plowing the roads promptly & properly (smile)……

            My point is that we can certainly recognize the times and the seasons around us where nature and weather is concerned.  Given that fact, can we recognize the signs of the times?  Is there a “wind” blowing that is telling us His return is approaching?  Absolutely! 

            Have you ever seen the Visa check/debit card commercials on TV?  A bunch of people are at the food court or cafeteria, and everyone is methodically and mechanically getting their food and drinks, and going to the cashier with their debit card - swiping their card and moving on….just like a production line….everything moving in perfect order because of this wonderful financial invention. Then there’s one person in the line who reaches into his pocket to pay with cash, and the whole line abruptly comes to a halt, food is splattered here and there, drinks are spilled, and everything starts backing up….all because one “old-fashioned” person still carries cash - how despicable!  Why can’t this person get with the times and get a Visa check/debit card? 

Have you seen these commercials? 

            May I suggest to you that this is a sign of the “season?”  We know that as the end time approaches, the use of cash will be done away with…..that everyone will, at some point, be made to take a mark in their forehead or right hand.  In that day, none will be able to buy or sell, except those that have the mark.  We know the devil’s tactics….he never introduces anything in one fell swoop….but rather in insignificant little bits over time.  If you need an example of that, just consider the issue of prayer in schools, which was removed from the public school system in 1962. 

            Today, our schools have decayed into battlegrounds where drugs, alcohol, and firearms are a normal occurrence.  When we hear about school shootings on the news, our hearts are grieved, but we are not even surprised anymore.  Would we have ever thought that way in 1962?  I don’t think so….. but a small steady dose of “de-sensitizing” each day for 50 years has numbed our hearts.  I suggest that the same thing is happening with these Visa commercials, any many will be led astray.  Will it take another 50 years for cash to be non-existent?  I don’t know, but my personal opinion is that it won’t take nearly that much time.  Our current computer and advanced technology age continues to accelerate life (in general) faster and faster each day.  We have more gadgets today to simplify our lives with just a touch of a button, yet we have less and less time in our busy schedules….how is that possible?  We are all victims of the enemy’s deceit in one way or another.  

            So....yes, I think we can see the "season of His return" approaching.  Can we predict the month, day or hour?  Of course not......I'm just saying that if we stay in the Word, we can know what these seasons look like, and be properly prepared as Jesus instructed. 

             But….don’t be depressed…..I’m not finished yet.  The end of the book says that we win….and God is still on the throne….Amen?  Somebody shout Hallelujah!! 

            Jesus has provided everything we need to be saved……so to steal a popular advertising line……..get Jesus.  Don’t leave this earthly home without him!! 

To Understand God’s Seed-Sowing Principles - Study Farming

If everyone could hold a mustard seed in their hand, perhaps they could see how little faith it takes to really make things happen….to move mountains!  

Where are you today, and where do you want to go?  Is God leading you in a certain way, but you just don't know exactly how to proceed?  You may be in need of knowledge to formulate a plan....or, you may be in need of finances to make the plan become a reality....or, you may be in need of certain tools or supplies to accomplish the task.  Wherever you are today, what you need is a "harvest!" 

The Bible tells us in Genesis that seed reproduces after its own kind.  As Jesus told us in one of his parables...."Consider the farmer; he sows his seed and plants his crop; he sleeps and he rises and the seed grows and produces a crop - he knows not how."  The main principle that needs to be understood is that the seed does not become a harvest overnight.  It doesn't matter what crop is planted.....a "season" needs to pass before the harvest will come. 

I used to keep a garden - a small patch of ground in a corner of my yard.  I didn't grow much, but one of the things I planted were Jersey tomatoes (there's nothing like the taste of a Jersey tomato!  It’s how New Jersey came to be known as the "Garden State.")  Around early to mid-April I would buy about 2 dozen tomato plant saplings from a local farm market.  I'd till the ground, mix in a little starter fertilizer, and plant each of the saplings about 2-3 ft. apart.  I'd install "cages" around each plant as a support system for when it grew bigger.  Then, I'd occasionally water the area - along with the rain, and keep the weeds away (grass clippings spread around each plant helped keep the weeds to a minimum). 

Eventually, the plants would begin to grow, flowers would begin to show, and then the tiny green tomatoes on the flowers.  As they grew, the branches would begin to sag with the weight of the tomatoes - that's where the cages came in.  I would carefully place the branches through the various cage windows so that they had the proper support.  Finally, somewhere around early to mid-July, there would be plump red tomatoes starting to appear on various plants.....It's harvest time! 

Some of our best summer salads were made with tomatoes from my garden.  Jersey tomatoes taste so good and are so flavorful, that I would sometimes eat them like apples (keep a napkin handy though....they are juicy!).  Sprinkled with a little salt, these were a very tasty treat - straight from my own garden.  Eventually, I'd have so many tomatoes I couldn't use them all....I'd have give them away.  There are many Jersey tomato gardeners that tell the same story..... always so many tomatoes that they have to give them away.  It reminds me of Malachi 3:10 where God speaks of the tithe.....that if we bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, He will open the windows of heaven and pour out so much blessing that we won't have enough room to receive it.  When it came to tomatoes, I surely didn't have enough room to receive them all....Amen? 

What is the point of this story?  Simply this.  No matter what you are facing today, it is a "season" that you are in, and it won't last forever.  As you journey through it and find you have a need for something, you should plant seeds towards that need so that you eventually can reap a harvest - it's a very simple but very powerful principle that God has endowed us with.  The tomato story above is just one illustration.  It will work with anything, and I do mean anything. 

If you need money, give to someone in need.  Tithe to the Lord, and be generous at every opportunity.  Don't be so concerned about what percentage you'll tip the waiter or waitress.....just bless their socks off!  Those who sow generously will also reap generously.  

If you need clothes, give some of your clothes to someone in need.  Don't give your junk away....you don't want to wear it anymore, especially the stuff with holes in it, so why should anyone else want to?  Give something that matters to you, something that means a lot....maybe even buy some new clothes for someone else.  If it costs you something, then it's worth something, and God always notices that kind of effort....and He will repay what you "loan" to others....Amen?

God’s system works!  Trust in it…..and prosper. 

Only A Season.....

(I originally wrote this in June, 2006......just wanted to share the message.....)

 

 

We've all been guilty of it....taking someone else for granted.  Whether it's your wife or husband, mother or father, sister or brother, friend, co-worker, etc....At one time or another we've all been there and just "assumed" that the person would always be around doing what they do.  However, the clock is ticking and time is short....

 

Back in January, a good friend of mine, Don, passed away.  He was a brother in the Lord, a fellow choir member, and basic all around good guy.  He was taken away so suddenly, and many were shocked at his passing.  I spoke with many who knew him, and everyone said the same thing...."Don was always there, and now he's not - I guess I just took him for granted." 

 

At that time, God tapped me on the shoulder and said...."I bring people into your life for a season.  Appreciate them and do not take them for granted, for you know not how long the season shall last."  It was a message that He would repeat....

 

In February, My oldest brother Carl passed away.  He had been in declining health for several months.  But, even though we knew that "sunset" was approaching, his death still took us by surprise and brought us low.  He had recently accepted the Lord, which certainly was reason to rejoice, but it was oh so hard to let go.  Knowing he is in heaven is a comfort, but it's a bittersweet pill to swallow - wanting to hang on, but knowing we have to let go.  

 

At that time, God tapped me on the shoulder and said...."I bring people into your life for a season.  Appreciate them and do not take them for granted, for you know not how long the season shall last." 

 

In April, my Uncle passed away.  His name was Sam, just like me (I was actually named after him) and he was the "Patriarch" of the family at age 87.  He was the last one remaining from my mother's side of the family (she had 3 brothers and 3 sisters).  All of them had died from some form of cancer, and even he had a bout with cancer several years ago, but he was the only one to beat it.  Uncle Sam was another person who was always "there"....always lending a helping hand to someone - he'd give you the shirt off his back.  He was a welder by trade and a mechanical genius...he could fix or create practically anything.  His wife, my Aunt Esther, has been sick for a while now with a stroke and associated complications.  He had been faithfully caring for her when he suddenly fell ill, and in a few short weeks, was gone.  It was another event that brought us low, but we rested in the fact that God is in control - no matter what.

 

At that time, God tapped me on the shoulder and said...."I bring people into your life for a season.  Appreciate them and do not take them for granted, for you know not how long the season shall last." 

 

In May, a friend and co-worker of mine, Ed, passed away.  He had been diagnosed with inoperable cancer back in early February.  Just like that, before we knew it, he was gone.  Ed and I also happened to grow up in the same neighborhood, just across the street from each other.  He was 7 years my senior, so we didn't pal around or anything like that, but I knew him just the same.  Through a series of recent events, Ed became employed at my workplace in January 2004, and in May of that year he came to work for me directly.  He had a lot of experience in that particular field, and it was really nice to have him there.  We had numerous opportunities to get re-acquainted, especially with many "memory-lane" conversations.  He was a fine gentleman and I am thankful that the Lord saw fit to bring us together. 

 

I attended his funeral along with many others.  While I was there, God tapped me on the shoulder and said...."I bring people into your life for a season.  Appreciate them and do not take them for granted, for you know not how long the season shall last." 

 

As you read this....look around you.  Take a very close look at the people God has placed in your life.  Are you taking them for granted?  Do they know how much you care about them?  Make it a point to give them a hug, or say something nice, or offer a word of encouragement to each and every one of them.  Let them know how much you appreciate them.  As you sow those "seeds,"  I know that your harvest will come back a hundred-fold, and you'll be blessed beyond measure. 

 

God brings people into your life for a season.  Appreciate them and do not take them for granted, for you know not how long the season shall last.  Remember, the clock is ticking and time is short.......say "I love you" to someone every day! 

 

 

Part IV.....Coming into The Kingdom....

When it comes to salvation, I've heard some people say that their lives were changed in an instant.  Their eyes were opened when they prayed the sinners prayer and accepted Christ, & they instantly knew that they were forever changed.  My conversion did not happen that way.  In fact it wasn't even close to being in the same ballpark as that.  

Around the 1982/1983 timeframe, my wife Helene decided to start attending a local Methodist church.  She was not saved at the time, but felt that church attendance was the right thing to do and a good habit/example to set for our son.  Somewhere in that timeframe, she became saved, and started to get on fire for the Lord.  I can remember going to church every now and then, mostly due to her arm-twisting.  I still had a bad taste in my mouth from the years of Catholic "crap" doctrine, and I wasn't too keen on church in general.  I remember a few times when she brought up the issue of tithing.  I always thought that 10 or 20 dollars was a very generous donation.....and she wanted me to consider 10%?  I knew she had to be out of her tree!  No way!!  I continued to attend church once in a while because I knew she liked it when I went, but at that point, I was only doing it to please her.  However, I always knew that God was out there, because of how He answered my prayer in 1981.  I just had not heard the simple salvation message yet.

My daughter came along in Dec. 1984, and Helene's commitment became even deeper.   She started working in the church nursery on Sundays, and also helped out as an aide in Sunday school.  I was pretty content to keep church at a distance, continuing to attend only sporadically.  It was around this time that my mom was having financial difficulties and had to move out of her home and into one of those Social Security apartment-type places.  All that activity was coming to a climax in the Fall of 1985......but it was then that we found out that she had lung cancer....of the worst kind.  Mom had complained of aches and pains for years.....it just seemed to be the thing she did - she never seemed to have any lasting effects.  So.....whenever my brothers or I would see her or talk on the phone, she would almost always complain about this ache, or that pain.....and we'd just kind of let it go right by.  Unfortunately.....these were now legitimate complaints.  We ended up seeing good doctors and she received very good care, but it all resulted in the absolute worst prognosis.......Nothing they could do, and not much time left.  

Ultimately......despite our best efforts to care for her, she passed away on March 23rd 1986.....Palm Sunday.  This left me feeling quite low, and the following several months were probably the toughest ones on our marriage.  Helene continued to be active in the church, but I could care less about it.....probably due to my grief, I'm not really sure.   Anyway.....time passed.....and we came across an opportunity to build a new house in a new development in Washington Twp.  Helene felt that God was leading us to make this move.  I wasn't sure about the God part of it, but I knew He had a way of speaking in a special way, so I liked the idea and went with her lead.  This common goal seemed to get us back on track as a couple, and we pursued it fervently.  In Oct. 1987, we moved into our brand new home, and that was a really special time for us.  We were pregnant with our third child and Helene gave birth in Dec. of that year.  It seemed to me that I was finally getting past the grief of my mom's death, and life appeared to be going well and was good again.  But....that was not the case..........

Just a few weeks later in January 1988, Helene was suddenly stricken with a very bad case of Pancreatitis....very serious.  Doctors were unsure of the exact cause, and this event triggered a 2+ year ordeal of several hospital stays, visits to specialist after specialist, and more kinds of tests than I can remember.  In the end, the doctors didn't know what else to do except operate, so she ended having major exploratory abdominal surgery in Feb. 1990.  During those 2 years, I began to pray to God for help, in a similar way as I had back in 1981.  I was still not saved, but I knew that I could not deal with life if I had to raise 3 small children on my own.....so I begged and pleaded with God time after time after time......to make her well again.  The surgery turned out to be quite rough on her, and she was in the hospital recovering for 4 to 5 weeks afterward.  But....praise God, it turned out to be the fix.  After some additional recovery time at home, she was as good as new.  I had my wife back, and my kids had their mom back.  

As I reflect back, those 2+ years were training time for me.  I had to get rid of "self," and get my focus on Helene and the kids.  I had 3 little ones who were depending on me - for everything!!  Helene's mom & dad were just fantastic during this time.  They helped with the kids which allowed me to be able to work (rotating shifts), and care for Helene's needs as they came along.  Again, I think this was "training time" so that I could flush out any selfishness that was in me.  As 1990 progressed, I started to attend church with Helene and the kids more regularly, and I started feeling differently about it.  She had asked everyone she knew to pray for me to get saved, and this obviously had an effect on me, because my attitude started to change.  Helene joined the choir and was enjoying it immensely.  They began to prepare for a Christmas Cantata in the Fall, and Helene kept bugging me to join up.......just for the Cantata....& if I didn't like it, I could quit after Christmas.  All my life, I loved music & singing along with my favorite songs on the radio, and she knew this.....so I decided to join.  The choir director was a really great guy, very outgoing and passionate about communicating the Gospel through music.  I remember his teaching so well....."Music can reach into places where the spoken word cannot."  This has turned out to be very true - to this day.  

Anyway, there was a young lady who was doing a duet with one of the men in the choir.....a beautiful song about Mary & Joseph & the birth of Jesus.  As time passed, the gentleman who was supposed to sing with her missed many of the practices.  She asked me if I could practice with her, so that she would be ready when her regular partner was there.  I knew the song from listening to it on the overall practice tape, so I agreed to help.  One night after practice I stayed after to run through it with her.  When the director heard us sing together, he was blown away, and insisted that I was now the one who was going to do the duet with her.  Long story short, there was an anointing on that song that night, that went into my heart.....and reached into a place that the spoken word had not.   That night, at choir practice, I gave my life to Christ....Nov. 15th, 1990.  

Since that night, I have known that the Lord placed me on a certain path....that my calling has been to reach people through music.  I do not play an instrument, nor have I ever had any kind of professional training.....but nevertheless.....God has used me in that manner ever since.  I learned a lot under that particular director, and God used him mightily in my initial instruction.  As more time passed, we eventually left that church, and searched for a couple of years until Fall of 1993, when my wife found a church that met in a movie theater in nearby Pitman.  She had visited a few times on Sunday nights to see special concert events, and when she told me about it, my first reaction was, "what kind of church meets in a movie theater?"  But I ended up accompanying her on a few visits and I was hooked.   In Jan. 1994, we became regular attendees of the Gloucester County Community Church (GCCC)....and we've attended ever since.  

Over the years, the Lord had blessed me to be able to associate and sing with such talented folks at GCCC.....it has been such a joy.  I never in my life dreamed that I would ever get to do something like this.  I have no special skill, or talent, or ability.....yet here I am doing His work in song........absolutely unbelievable!!  He has placed me under the direction & instruction of people who have always sought an excellence for praise & worship.  And being under the direction and teaching of Pastor Bruce (the senior pastor) has been so beneficial.....I can't really even put it into words.  

Anyway, that's my story up to this point.  More installments to come.......as the Lord leads........