Preparation for the Journey

My wife and I recently took a trip to visit our daughter who is away at college. We got the suitcases out and excitedly packed for a four day excursion. My wife packed like she was going for 6 months! But that's another story.

I packed my clothes and a few necessities. Then I packed a few things I thought I might need; The camera, fishing rod, a book, I-Pod and the list goes on and on.

What I thought would be a simple and quick task turned into a marathon. Packing had become a minor moving job! Then a thought occured to me. If we spend this much time to get ready for a short trip, how much time should we spend to get ready for eternity? Someone has said "Life is a dress rehearsal for a role on the stage of eternity." If we are fortunate we will live to be 70 or so. If we are really blessed, we may have 80-85 years. However, sooner or later life will end. We will be in eternity forever. Think of any vast number of years you can imagine. After that time period, eternity will still last forever. The mind cannot accept it, it boggles the brain. We have no vision capable of seeing or comprehending eternity. However, according to the Bible, eternity is real and every person will spend eternity in heaven or hell.

Therefore, in light of the length and importance of the trip, a man would be hard put to spend too little time in preparation.

How much packing time for that journey have you spent recently? Think about it. It makes sense to be prepared.

See you on Sunday!
Pastor

Don't Be A Draft Dodger

In a bold and daring move Franklin Roosevelt selected an unlikely candidate to lead the Allied Forces in the effort to crush Hitler. The obvious choice would have been either Douglas MacArthur or George Patton. Either was supremely qualified to handle the assignment. However, the rumor in the White House was that each of these men was more concerned with his own reputation than the success of the mission.

So Roosevelt chose a young General from Kansas. Dwight D. Eisenhower wasn't as dynamic as the others, but he was selected to be the man of the hour, and he got the job done in outstanding fashion.

It is important for us to recognize, as Eisenhower had his time and place in history, all of us have a time and a purpose as well. You and I were not accidents. When God formed you He threw away the mold. Contrary to popular opinion, there are no two people who are exactly alike. There is no one quite like you.

In all of us there is a uniqueness which is known only to God, a uniqueness with which He has deliberately endowed us for a particular purpose. In other words, God has specifically designed a work for you to accomplish, but He has also specifically designed you so you could accomplish it! Do you realize that God has a sovereign plan and purpose for your life and mine? Do you realize there is something God has for you to do that no one else can do?

F.B.Meyer put it this way: "From the foot of the cross, to the brink of the river where we lay our armor down, there is a pathway which God has prepared for us to walk in." From generation to generation God has prepared for each of us our role in His kingdom.

Often God uses the least likely's, the never-want–to-be's and the who-me's to accomplish His work. Ehud was chosen because he was left handed; Gideon because he was the least of his father's house; Nehemiah was a food taster and Jonah was full of prejudice. Each one had a uniqueness which God used to fulfill His purpose.

Time is moving on, we will soon depart. Do you want God to use you? You need not be a trained theologian, or skilled craftsman. All you have to be is available.
Don't be a draft-dodger. God has a job for you - do it!

See you on Sunday!
Pastor

Catching Up

My apologies for not posting a blog last week. I made a quick trip to Florida to attend the Southwide Baptist Fellowship sponsored by Trinity Baptist Church. It just so happens that my daughter attends Trinity Baptist College in Jacksonville, so we killed the proverbial “two birds with one stone”. It sure was good to see Emily and see how she's adapting to college life. She stayed with Jeanette and me at night and we enjoyed talking about her life in college: her academics, playing on the volleyball team, etc. She's getting involved in singing groups, and I even met some boy who seemed to keep hanging around us. I thought he was a pretty good guy - as guys go!

It is a real eye-opener to see your children mature. It causes you to praise the Lord and breath a sigh of relief that just maybe you did something right. I am looking forward to Thanksgiving when, Lord willing, I will see her again.
I really enjoyed the Pastor of the church in Jacksonville. He has done a wonderful job with that ministry. The preaching at the conference was richly inspiring. Between the music and the preaching we had a veritable spiritual feast for two days. I also attended a couple of workshops that really gave me some insight into the ministry.

We left Monday around noon and were back home Thursday evening. It was a quick trip but very much worth it. Thank God for traveling mercies!

Forgive me for being so personal, but I just wanted to share my blessings with you.

Please know I sure do love and appreciate you dear, wonderful people.

God is love and Jesus is wonderful! Lord willing I will see you Sunday!
Pastor