Big Storm Forecast

The weather forecasters are having a party ‘round here because a BIG one is coming. Their prognostications indicate a major March snow storm over the Northeast states tomorrow. We are expecting more than a foot of windblown snow.  Traffic will come to a standstill. The electrical power could go out and kids will celebrate having a couple of days at home from school. Supermarkets will sell out on milk, bread, and eggs today. What’s with that? Does everyone suddenly start to eat a lot of French Toast during blizzards? Yes, I am paying attention. I’ll make sure to have gas on hand for my plow and generator!   I’m glad for the meteorologists who help us to anticipate and prepare for weather events even as I am amused by the hyperbole that creeps into their language. This is a “Snow-pocalyse,” according to one of them. Really?  It is probably going to be a big storm, but in a couple of days we will have shoveled it out of the way and returned to the normal routines of our lives.

Are you prepared for the real storms of life that will inevitably blow through your life? Exactly three years ago, Bev and I were just getting inklings of the cancer storm that was coming; one that ended her life here and that turned mine upside down.  I am ever so thankful that our marriage was prepared for those awful 20 months of illness, that our faith rested on the Solid Rock, Christ Jesus, that we had a community of friends and family from which we could draw support.  Whatever would these last three years have looked like without preparation? It is unimaginable to me.

We cannot stop the storms from blowing over us, but we can be ready to face them.  Thinking people will not try to make a grocery run at the height of the storm on Tuesday. They will make time to do it today, even as the sun shines.  Similarly, now is the day of salvation, now is the time to build faith, to create a network of friend.

Jesus told a story about the arrival of the Kingdom of God. The main point of the story is preparation, anticipating the demands of what’s ahead. Read on.  “Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

“At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’ “All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’ “But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’ “But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’

“But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’ “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return." (Matthew 25:1-13, NLT)

Don’t overthink His story.  Jesus is forecasting His return. Some of us will meet Him when the trumpet of God announces His return to the Earth to bring the Kingdom. Others will meet Him when we step through the portal of death and into the gates of Glory.  If we have lived in a way that ignores the Spirit, that is taken up with food, pleasure, and the urgencies of daily life – so that we are asleep;  we will not be ready to welcome Him.  But, if we have had the right priorities and walked in His provision, that Day will find us rejoicing, invited in to celebrate with our Savior King.  Your wife’s faith, your parent’s faith, your pastor’s faith – will not be enough in that Day. Sobering? Yes, it is.

So, let’s be prepared. No, that is not hyperbole. The truth is that life will change, storms will come, and the King will call us into His Presence. Are you prepared? 

Here is a word from the Word.  "As God’s partners, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it. For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation." (2 Corinthians 6:1-2, NLT)

________

People Get Ready

People get ready

There's a train it's coming

You don't need no baggage

You just get on board

All you need is faith

To hear the diesels humming

Don't need no ticket no

You just thank the Lord

People get ready

For the train to Jordan

Picking up passengers

From coast to coast

Faith is the key

Open the doors for boarding

There's room for all

For them that love Him most

There ain't no room

For the hopeless sinner

Who would hurt all mankind

Just to save His own

Have pity on those

Whose chances are thinner

'Cause there's no hiding place

From the Kingdom's throne

Curtis Mayfield

© 1964 Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (Admin. by Word Music Group, Inc.)

CCLI License # 810055

Digging a hole for your treasure?

A few days ago I reviewed my invested money.  I’m not a rich man but I do look for a decent return on what I have accumulated by the grace of God. I choose to invest rather conservatively.  Some funds offer the potential of larger returns, but they also include the possibility of significant losses because they include greater risk.  That money needs to be working for me, gaining value for that time in my life when I am no longer capable of producing an income.

Did you know that the Lord has given YOU resources and desires a return on His investment?  

In one of His teaching stories about God’s rule (about the way the Kingdom works), Jesus told about a master who was going away for a long time.  He called three of his trusted employees and gave each of them some of his wealth to manage while he was away.  The amount they received was appropriate to their abilities. One received 5 shares, another got 2 shares, and the last was entrusted with 1 share.  The master was not being unfair, he was wise!  “The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money." (Matthew 25:16-18, NLT)

Two of them were diligent and resourceful and over time their efforts paid off with a good return.  It is that third one that catches my attention. He dug a hole!  “At least the money is safe,” he told himself, excusing his failure to work.  How did the master look at this choice?  First, we learn that the first two were equally commended.  Their faithfulness, despite major difference in return, was recognized.  This master was truly fair, honoring diligence, not just results.  But, the one who dug a hole?  He earned nothing but scorn!  "Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’ “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’ “Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver." (Matthew 25:24-28, NLT)  Sobering, isn’t it?

What resources has the Lord invested in you?  

What opportunities has He placed in your life?

Are you diligent or are you just digging a hole?

When we stand before Christ Jesus, the King, in glory He will be totally fair and He will see it all.  Let’s make it our desire to use what He has given – health, spiritual gifts, family, community, wealth – to advance His cause.  Instead of focusing exclusively on results (that gets discouraging), let’s focus on doing what each of us can do this day. 

The word from the Word  - “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval.”  (2 Timothy 2:15)

Don’t dig a hole!

____________

Your heart ripped up, like a newly plowed field?

Sleep eluded me as I thought and prayed about the work to which God has called me. What is that?  I am called to share His gracious offer of eternal life with others, to push back against darkness, to point people to hope and purpose. The methods that were effective in 1987, a half of a life-time ago, may not serve Him well in 2017.  “So, Lord,” I prayed, “how do we do your work in our place and this time in a way that honors You and invites people to know You?”  My thoughts went to Nehemiah.  He, too, felt the call of God and knew what needed to be done. His question, “How, Lord?”

Nehemiah heard the stories of the land of his father.  The city of God, Jerusalem, had been devastated by invasion. He remembered hearing of the splendor of God's Temple, of the shining city on the hill, but today he heard only of broken down walls, ruins where the temple had once stood and God’s Spirit stirred deeply in him. He said,  "When I heard these things, I sat down and wept."  But, Nehemiah was not content to wring his hands and shake his head!  A holy passion fired a vision in him.  It was something of an impossible dream - rebuild Jerusalem.  This man, who lived in a city that was at least a full month's travel from Jerusalem, 'saw' a new city arising from the ruins. The rest of his life was consumed with making it happen. That's what we call - vision!

A lot of literature is written about vision and the power found in it.  True, enough, but the other side of that same idea informs us that great spiritual visions are birthed in moments when some great need and/or deep sorrow becomes too obvious to ignore. Neither need nor sorrow are things we willingly experience. If we will not look at the need that is around us, if we refuse to weep over a broken world, it is not likely we will dream large. Left to ourselves we will choose the safest route, the way that is well traveled, and take it! We need to be disturbed.  Just as a farmer must rip open the sod in order to plant the seed that will bring the harvest,  God must plow our hearts, opening us to the seed of His Spirit.

A person in whom God has planted a true vision is a dangerous, often difficult, single-minded individual who disturbs others! Nehemiah's good life in the palace of King Artaxerxes was over the moment he started to dream about Jerusalem. He left a safe city to journey in the places where bandits roved, to work harder than he had ever worked before in his life. His enthusiasm inspired hundreds and consumed treasures of time and money.  And, he got the job done, albeit not without struggle, not without disappointment, not without pain. 

Let’s allow the Spirit to disturb us. Let yourself see those ‘impossible’ situations even though becoming aware makes you feel uneasy, even sorrowful.

Let God break your heart and plant the seed of a holy vision!  Consider that from that see a vision can grow that will transform you and your world.

Christian, are you drifting from day to day, living a life frittered away on trivialities?  Or, are you purposeful, owned by God, making a measurable difference in the places where you live?  Don’t be fooled into thinking that the only great visions require you to move to some new place or do some big dramatic thing.  We are all called first to our family, our local church, to faithfulness right here, right now. Don't be one of those people who focuses his dreams on Self: who looks for a way to escape 'real life' with some quick fix, instant access to money, a new lover, or something equally selfish! That is not what God wants for you.

Instead, take the situations of your life - good and bad, desirable and not so wonderful, 'hopeless' and promising - and lay them out before God. With child-like faith simply ask Him -
"Lord, what can you do with all of this?"  Declare Christ the Lord of all and start to serve Him, right where you are, doing the things you know are right. Love, serve, worship, give, pray, love more... and allow God to lead you into His purposes. If you're looking for easy, don't even start! Easy is not what God is about. Leave that to Staples!

The word from the Word comes from two passages today. May they fire you with passion to do the will of God.  "Fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you ... For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:6-7, NLT) And expect Him to fulfill this promise: "Live full lives, full in the fullness of God. God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us." (Ephesians 3:19-20, The Message)

_________________

Open Up Our Hearts

Everywhere around us people live in pain

Lost and lonely broken hearts and shame

The hungry and the homeless the victims of abuse

If we only stop and listen

We'll surely hear the truth

Open up our hearts O God

Help us break our hearts of stone

Fill our lives with love for You alone

Open up our hearts O God

Help us make a bold new start

We hear Your voice calling us

To open up our hearts

They're bullied in our playgrounds

They're sleeping in our parks

Or the billion lives that war has torn apart

All they want is justice a chance to live in peace

We're called to see the face of God

In everyone we meet

We're called to share the vision

We're called to live the dream

With Jesus in every word and deed

We're part of new beginnings

We're chosen for change

We're standing up and reaching out

To find a better way

Michael Mangan

© 2007 Litmus Productions (Admin. by World Library Publications)

CCLI License # 810055