Making The Most

So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalms 90:12 (NKJV)

I like planning trips. When planning a time to get away, I think about where I want to go and what I want to do. I then come up with a schedule for each day. I want to make the most of the vacation, I fill each day with as much as possible.

As I read Psalms 90:12, I am reminded how we need to carefully make the most of the days our life. Life is so short we can’t afford to waist any of it. “Teach us to number our days” this is spoken to God, asking God the help us number our days. When you number your days, you are recognizing they are few. Each December when my birthday arrives I am reminded that I am getting older. We tend to think about life in years and not days. In numbering your years you don’t want to waste a year, but God’s Word tells us to number our days. Don’t waste even a day.
Most people ignore the fact that they will die. When we attend a funeral we are reminded that life is brief and we too will someday die. Every tomb stone in a grave yard is a visual reminder of the brevity of life. I know a lady that is 102 years old. I asked her one time how fast 102 years go by. She said it only seemed like yesterday and she was a young woman. Even 102 years is not long to live.

When you make the most of your days, you gain wisdom. Think about the things that crowd your mind with worry, the meaningless task that consume so much of your time, and the effort you invest in earthly relationships, how will those things measure up in eternity? We exhaust ourselves on things that have no lasting value. Make the most of the time you have, live for Jesus.

Pastor Larry

The Secret Place

Did you ever play the game of tag as a kid? Remember when you were touching the base you were safe from being tagged. Psalm 91 pictures the Lord like a base of safety. He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” (Psalm 91:1-2) These verses teach of the wonderful protection we have in the Lord. This is not a promise for everyone, but only for those who dwell in the secret place. Remember the game of tag, all those who were running around not on base were not protected.

Are you living in the shelter of the Most High? Are you abiding under the shadow of the Almighty? If you desire to live under the shadow of God then you must be close to him. Notice the benefits of the Lord’s protection. He will be your refuge, and your fortress. A refuge and fortress are places you go for protection. They give security. Walking with Jesus is the most secure place I know.

This psalm goes on to talk about how the Lord will protect, and shield and shelter you. Do you need shelter? Come and dwell with the Most High. It is an awesome place!

Pastor Larry

More Criticism Please

If you ignore criticism, you will end in poverty and disgrace; if you accept criticism, you will be honored. (Proverbs 13:18 NLT)

What do you do with criticism? We don’t like it; seldom welcome it; but often need it; could benefit from it. As I read this verse of scripture, I realize that I am who I am today partly because of my critics. I have had many sleepless nights because of unsolicited criticism. I have often thought to myself, how could they say that, or think that. I have come to appreciate something about critics and criticism; you really can learn something from every criticism, even if it is unjust.

If all we received was praise then we would not be challenged to examine our lives and possibly make changes for the better. There are many things we do simply because we don’t want to be criticized. For example, when you leave your house you clean up and dress appropriately, because you do not want to be criticized. What sports team does not improve because of criticism? Some of our critics really care about us and are criticizing for our good. Others criticize for a variety of other reasons. I have met a few who I believe think the Holy Spirit gave them the gift of criticism, which they practice all the time.

I was told many years ago by a wise person, “we can learn more from our critics then from those who praise us.” Solomon realized this when writing this proverb. He said if you ignore the criticism you will end up in disgrace. Listen to your critics. What are they saying? It could be that you have done nothing wrong or your critic did not have all the facts. But listen to the criticism and allow your heart and mind to be opened to the alternative perspective, after careful consideration and seeing God’s guidance ask yourself, what you could do differently to improve.

If you accept criticism, you will be honored. Live the kind of life that your critics will not be afraid to approach you and share their feelings. What does it mean to accept? It means to receive willingly, to endure without protest. I challenge you to accept your criticism and you will be honored. The next time someone criticizes you, listen carefully to them and then thank them for sharing with you.

God Bless
Pastor Larry

It Pays to Serve Jesus!

A religious ruler once came to Jesus and asks him: what should I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus asks him to sell all his possessions and give the money to the poor, and follow Him. When the man heard what Jesus had said became very sad, for he was very rich. Then Peter said, “See, we have left all and followed You.” 29So He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.” Luke 18:28 – 30.

I think about how this rich ruler left Jesus because he was not willing to pay the price to follow Him. Each one of us has a price we need to pay. We too have to give up worldly things to follow Jesus. It is important that we keep an eternal perspective on our life and our possessions. Everything in this life will either burn, rust or decay, it is only temporary. There is no sacrifice to great to pay to follow Jesus. Peter and the other disciples left behind everything to follow Jesus. They left their families and their jobs. They were willing to pay that ultimate price for obedience.

I see a great promise in Jesus’ words, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.” Everything we give up for Jesus will be repaid many times over in this life, as well as storing up treasures in heaven. It pays to serve Jesus. There are many wonderful blessing in following Him. I encourage you today to keep the eternal perspective to life, and focus on the blessings of service.

Pastor Larry

I Want That Mountain!

I love to read about Caleb in Scripture. He is the kind of man I would want for a good friend. I would have enjoyed spending time with him. Joshua chapter 14 informs us that Caleb is 85 years old and has not slowed down at all. He is as strong as he was at 40 years old. Can you imagine an 85 year old man fighting as well as any man?

We are introduced to Caleb 45 years earlier; he was one of the 12 spies who spied out the promise land. When the spies returned, Caleb and Joshua gave a good report of the land. They told how the land was everything that God promised it would be. They also encouraged the Israelites to have faith, believe the Lord, and claim their land. The other ten spies gave an evil report. They focused on the people and the walled cities, and saw the land as impossible to conquer. The 10 spies convinced the people to disbelieve God's promise to give them victory over the inhabitants of the land. The people followed the evil report of the ten. (Be careful when you follow the majority. Make sure the majority is right.) God punished the Israelites for their disobedience. He made them wonder in the wilderness until that generation had died. Everyone over twenty years old died in the wilderness except Joshua and Caleb. Joshua and Caleb were the oldest two people in all of Israel.

We read about Caleb again in Joshua 14. Caleb reminds Joshua that the Lord and Moses promised him the land that the spies had seen 45 years earlier. This was their special inheritance from the Lord. Every place they walked would belong to Caleb. Now at 85 years old Caleb was prepared to claim his blessing.

The land Caleb wanted to claim was inhabited by giants. There are also walled cities in the land. Caleb’s land was probably the most difficult to conquer of the promise land. Caleb is such a giant man of faith. He knew that if the Lord was with him he would be victorious. In Joshua 15:14 we are told that Caleb drove out the giants. Joshua 15:14 Caleb drove out the three sons of Anak from there: Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.

We all have giants in our lives. We have things we need to conquer. We need to be a Caleb. Never let your strength and your abilities limit you from conquering a giant. Many times as we look at our problems we see them as so much bigger then we are. We need to compare our problems with God, how much smaller they are then God. Claim God's promises and climb that mountain.

Pastor Larry

What Makes Heaven Rejoice

What brings joy to the presence of God? Imagine this scene: Everything in heaven stops just for a moment and everyone’s attention is focused to one single event. Suddenly there is an outburst of praise and applause throughout heaven. What happened? What great event brought such joy? A single sinner repented.

Jesus tells us in Luke 15 of the joy that heaven experiences when sinners repent. Jesus tells of a shepherd with 100 sheep, and one strayed away and was lost in the wilderness. The shepherd leaves the 99 and goes out and diligently searches for the lose sheep. When he finds the one he joyfully carries it home on his shoulders. He then invites his friends and neighbors to rejoice with him because the lost sheep is found. Jesus then applies this truth with Luke 15:7 says: I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. Jesus further says in Luke 15:10 Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

If the angels in heaven experience such joy over one sinner repenting, we also should find joy in the salvation of sinners. At the church I pastor, we have been clapping our hands and praising God whenever someone makes a profession of faith, or whenever they are baptized. I encourage you to lead your churches to rejoice in that which makes heaven rejoice.

We need to make it more our focus to bring joy to heaven in sharing our faith and the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Pastor Larry

Ready or Not, Here He Comes!

What if Jesus were to return tonight at midnight, would you be ready? Many Christians I know, say they believe that Jesus Christ could return at anytime. They say they believe in the imminent return of Jesus Christ, but most are a long ways from being prepared for His return. If the truth were known, most Christians are not ready. Not only are they not ready, they really don’t even want Him to return. Why? Christians have gotten much to comfortable in this world, and enjoy their lifestyle and the sins of this world.

Jesus did not want His disciples to get so entrenched in this world that they would not be prepared for His return. We need to be careful, because we are becoming like Lot when he lived in Sodom and Gomorrah. He became so established in the life styles of those sinful cities, that when God brought judgment on them he lost everything except his two unmarried daughters.

Jesus illustrated in Luke 12:35-48 for the Disciples the necessity of being ready for His return. Luke 12:37 (NKJV) 37Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. Notice there is a blessing for those watching for His coming. Luke 12:38 (NLT) 38He may come in the middle of the night or just before dawn. But whenever he comes, there will be special favor for his servants who are ready! Luke 12:40 (NKJV) 40Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

Peter ask Jesus if this truth is for everyone or just for the disciples. Jesus said in verse 42, He was talking to any faithful, sensible servant. If Jesus returns and finds his servants faithful, they will be blessed. Jesus also warns those servants who know what He has instructed them to do.

If you are not ready, I encourage you to get ready. Be faithful, and serve the Lord with all of your might. He is coming back. Ready or not He is coming.

Pastor Larry