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Published: 09 October 2014

Have you said that recently?  Maybe a relationship went awry or your car broke down or you were reading your Bible.  Sometimes, very obvious things can be missed.  Why does that happen?  It can be the result of busyness, we’re simply going too fast to see what is happening.  It can happen because we need clarification about details that will help us understand.  Admittedly, there are times when we didn’t want to “see” because we knew it would call for action, maybe even “change.”  It’s okay to miss some things; in light of eternity they won’t really matter but there is a whole category of things that really matter, that we dare not miss.  The most important things in life are the realities of the Kingdom of God.  We dare not go on “not knowing” or “not seeing.”  Our souls are too important and forever is “too long” to go on refusing to think about our destiny as persons and our destination in the life to come.  Looking the other way won’t make things go away.  There are sobering words in Isaiah, Matthew and Romans about the penalty for those who choose willingly to go on not knowing.  Jesus said, “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”  That means it is present…now.  Are we living in light of it?  Let’s not get to the end of our lives and say, “How did I miss that?”  The disciples finally saw what Jesus was teaching and modeling, they simply need some clarification.  Sadly, the teachers of false religion refused to see.  Having eyes, they saw not.  Having ears, they heard not.  Eventually, because they would not believe, they could not believe.  In light of all God has done, let’s not fall into that category!   

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Published: 03 October 2014

My grand-daughter said that to me this morning as I was leaving to come to the office.  We were going through the routine “whys” of the two year old stage of life.  It was something like this…”Papa, I will miss you…please don’t go to work…why do you have to go to work?”  I responded, “Because I have to get ready to preach on Sunday.”  She said, “Why?”  I said, “Because I love God and He asked me to do this and I want to obey Him.”  To which she quipped, “But I don’t want you to obey God.”  Oh the honesty of a two year old!  We had more conversation and she confessed with a cute smile and sparkling eyes that she was naughty and didn’t seem to care.  Oh Lord have mercy on us!  I’m not deeply concerned about her though I pray for her almost every day that she will receive the goodness of God, His love, salvation and walk in His ways.  What is more alarming to me is when adults, who should know better, can attend a Communion service and remain unmoved by the reminders of the incarnation and crucifixion of our Lord.  This week we’ll be studying the central passage of the Communion service, 1 Corinthians 11:17-34.  The Holy Spirit made it quite clear through Paul’s “pen” that coming to the Table in a flippant manner is dishonoring to the One who made both salvation and sanctification possible.  Through His death, burial and resurrection, Jesus made it possible to be delivered from the penalty of sin AND it’s power.  Romans 6:6 reminds us that we “should no longer be slaves of sin.”  We all struggle with temptation, that is common to all people but to knowingly yield to sin repeatedly after all God has done for us seems unreasonable.  I am praying that the reminders this week will bring some to saving faith and those who are saved to obedience.  I love my grand-daughter, she is really hard to turn down but I do want to obey God and will obey Him to the best of my ability…will you?