Live UP! Ministries

I had a very blessed Thanksgiving Day.  My mother and father came and ate lunch with us, along with my oldest sister, her husband, daughter, and 4 grandchildren.  A total of 14 people in this very small home of mine.  The food was good, the conversation better, and the memory the best!

I confess, however, that I often pine about my small home.  With two adult children that have had to move back due to unfortunate circumstances, we are a bit crowded.  But I love having them around (especially the grandson that one brought with him!). We don’t have a fancy home, a lot of fashionable clothes, a budget for fun activities, or even a nice Christmas account.  And sometimes I admit I whine.  Then God puts me in my place, just as He did again yesterday.

My sweet husband was on security duty in the children’s building during the late service.  The phone rang and, being a phone-junkie, he answered.  “First Baptist Church.  May I help you?”

“Hello, my name is Joe Kramer.* I was wondering if ya’ll had any type of meal ministry.  I am here in town for a couple of days to do a job, staying at the [not-so-nice] hotel, and I am so hungry.  I ate at your community meal last week but was wondering if you had anything available today.”

After church, Husband began to tell me about the call.  Before he finished telling me what Joe said, I already knew the rest of the story.  “So I’ve got his room number here and told him we’d bring him something to eat.”  What a precious heart my dear one has — one that quite often puts me to shame.

We purchased enough “chicken and fixin’s” for two meals and drove over to the hotel.  Joe told us his room would be the one with the door cracked open.  Without going into detail, I watched my nicely-dressed husband shake hands with the oppositely-dressed Joe, hand him the bags of food, and then pause to listen for a while.  If he said it once, Joe said it a dozen times, “Thank you so much.  You just don’t know…”

As Husband climbed back in the car and closed his door, I quietly (and ashamedly) said, “We are truly blessed.”  He smiled and we went on our way in silence.

“Lord, forgive me for my periods of whining.  I have a warm house, clean clothes to wear, more than enough food to eat, and a wonderful, caring, loving husband.  Thank you, Lord, for I am richly blessed.”

“We’re not poor; we just don’t have any money. 

There is a difference, you know.”

(Leslie Crowson, my father)

*Name changed

Not for another 1000 years will there be another date like today’s.  Six one’s all in a row.  Perfection. 

As amazing as that is, however, do you realize that not even in 10,000 years will there EVER be another day like today.  Never.  This is it.  At midnight, it will be gone. 

I have no elegant words about the magnitute of TODAY and NOW, so let me simply share some scriptures.  God says it so much better than I.

Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” (Hebrews 3:13)

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.  (Hebrews 4:7)

For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.  (2 Corinthians 6:2)

For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.  (1 Thessalonnians 3:8)

So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. (2 corinthians 5:16)

Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. (2 Corinthians 8:11)

And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.  (1 John 2:28)

Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. (1 Corinthians 13;12)

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.  (2 Peter 3:18)

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  (Revelation 21:3)

Have a blessed TODAY – NOW– on 11-11-11.

That’s what my thermometer read yesterday — in the shade!  111 degrees!  Add this Southern humidity to that temperature and it’s almost unbearable for this 50+ old woman. 

I remember as a young girl the heat had little effect on me.  I played outside all summer long.   I remember when we got our first air conditioner: a window unit. (Note “a” window unit; just one for the entire house!)  My grandmother had only an attic fan and, to me, her house was very pleasant.  As a teenager I played softball in 100+ degree weather — and loved it! 

I didn’t understand why people complained so much about the heat and humidity.  Then my family moved to warm-and-sunny South Carolina, then to hot-but-dry Texas, and now back home to hot-and-humid Louisiana.  Man!  This heat is unbearable!  What happened?  Well, I got older, acclimated to a different climate, and spoiled to central air conditioning!

How easily we acclimate to our surroundings — at home, at work, at church, in the community. We like things to be cool and so we become tolerant of the opinions of others, to the practices of our peers, to the tickling-ear sermons at church. And we become intolerant of anything that might make the temperature rise like speaking up on social issues, confronting sinful behaviors, and cut-to-the-quick sermons.  We prefer 68-degree “normal” to 111-degree heat!

That’s called being “lukewarm.”  And according to Revelation 3:16,  lukewarm devotion makes God vomit!  (That’s a literal translation, by the way.) Christ even tells the lukewarm church of Laodicea that He would prefer them cold to lukewarm!  Lukewarm Christians have done more harm to the kingdom of God than even the coldest of atheists.  Lukewarmers make people feel safe in their sin, even secure in their lostness.  And one of the most often heard excuses for not becoming a part of the Church is, “It’s full of hypocrites!”  (Translation: “It’s full of lukewarmers!”)

In Romans 12:11, Paul encourages believers,

The Greek word for fervor is zeo, meaning “to be hot” – like boiling liquid or glowing solids.  Serve the Lord with a red-hot love, with a fiery passion, with a boiling zeal, and with a glowing life.  Don’t be cool and apathetic, acclimating to the world and all it’s sin.  Turn on the heat by speaking up for Truth and living out the Word of God!  Add some humidity to your atmosphere — the water of the Spirit of life!  Let it pour forth from you like searing steam, making it hard for the lost to breathe!  Set them on fire with the Truth!

Let this piercing summer heat remind you to keep up your spiritual fervor as you serve the Lord.  Come on!  Turn your devotion up to 111-degrees! 

Happy Easter!

April 9, 2011 ~ 8:30 am to 3:00 pm ~ Temple Baptist Church, Ruston, LA

 He Knows My Name!

Internationally-renowned author and speaker Thelma Wells specializes in the art of motivating, inspiring, and equipping people to “be their best.” Join Thelma, along with hundreds of other women, for a day of refreshment and renewal sponsored by the Concord-Union Baptist Association. 

For more information or registration, call the 2011 host church, First Baptist Church, at 255-4628 or visit www.womensRandRconference.com.

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by name;

you are mine.” 

Isaiah 43:1

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,

the new creation has come:

The old has gone, the new is here!

2 Corinthians 5:17

It’s 11:11 on 1-1-11, so let me wish you a year of “ones”:

• One focus:  God and God alone, the Almighty Creator of life
• One hope:  Jesus Christ our Lord, the ONLY hope for the world
• One breath:  the Holy Spirit of God, your strength and your guide
• One desire:  to glorify God in your thoughts, words, and deeds
• One dream:  to become the unique individual God created you to be
• One response:  “Yes, Lord!”
• One testimony:  ”I was faithful to His calling upon my life.”
• One vision:  the end of your life, when you stand face-to-face with your Lord
• One evaluation:   ”Well done, good and faithful servant!”

God bless you in the magnificent year that lies ahead of you!

Snow: it’s one of my favorite things!  Looking out my hotel window, I’m enjoying the beauty of a snow shower covering the ground in a thick, downy blanket.  As I watched, a man exited the hotel and walked to his car — slowly, carefully.  He took a bag from his car, turned, and reentered the hotel, leaving behind a line of tracks.  Looking down at his footprints in the snow, I recalled another snow storm years ago…

We lived in the Texas Panhandle, where snow blew in several times each winter — with the emphasis on “blew”!  (It’s a bit disconcerting to see snow fall sideways!)  One night a fairly big snow storm came through, dumping about eight inches of the beautiful white stuff.  I arose early, fixed a cup of hot cocoa, and sat down by my sliding glass doors.  Quiet solitude (blow).  Serene peace (sip).  Amazing God (mmmm).  Suddenly the phone broke the silence.

The caller was a harbinger of bad news.  The brother of one of my dear friends had died.  His death was a shock; he was only 53. I knew his sister, a Christian of strong faith, would be hurting.  Since she lived down the street from me, I donned my coat, hat, boots, and gloves and headed out.  Even in the sadness, the sight of the pristine snow was both breathtaking and inspiring. 

The snow was coming down quite heavily.  The neighborhood children had not yet emerged from their warm homes for snowball fights and snowman building, so the blanket of snow remained unwrinkled.  It was absolutely beautiful — a scene suited for a Christmas card!  When I got to the street, I saw a set of footprints in the snow.  Someone had passed this way only moments earlier.  I decided to walk in their tracks to keep from disturbing the snow any further. 

I finally arrived at the home of my friend and found her, of course, quite disturbed by her brother’s sudden death.  She had many questions for God and we raised them honestly to Him.  We talked, cried, and prayed.   When I knew it was time to leave, I began putting back on my winter garb.

“Why don’t you let me drive you home?” my friend asked.

“Oh, no!  I love to walk in the snow.  It’s one of my favorite things.  It’s so quiet and serene.  And, so far, the snow is undisturbed and pristine.  I love that!”

“But it’s pretty deep snow.  Isn’t it a bit hard to walk in?”

“Not really.  I saw a set of footprints in the snow, so I just walked in the steps of someone who had gone before me.  It was eas–”

I turned around quickly and looked at my friend. We stared at each other for a moment as a tear welled up in her eye.  We smiled at each other and I turned to leave. No words were necessary.  We knew what each heart was thinking and we left it there, one heart speaking to another.

What did we know?  That no situation in life exists where Someone hasn’t gone before us, marking out a path for us to follow.  Jesus knew the pain of losing a loved one.  Joseph, His earthly father, died while Jesus dwelt in flesh.  And even though Jesus knew He’d see His earthly father again, I’m sure His flesh hurt and His heart broke as He watched His mother grieve. 

My friend knew Who to go to for strength and compassion.  It was Jesus, the Great Shepherd who goes out before His sheep and marks out the way for them.  Jesus understood.  He knew her name and He knew her pain.  He would comfort her.  He would strengthen her.  He would give her peace.  All she needed to do was to walk in the footsteps of the One who had gone before.  And she did.

Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you;

he rises to show you compassion…

How gracious he will be when you cry for help!

As soon as he hears, he will answer you…

Whether you turn to the right or to the left,

your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying,

“This is the way; walk in it.”

Isaiah 30:18-21

My heart had a door,

            With lintel and post,

A rug on the floor

            But no “welcome” to boast.

My door was so neat –

            Everything just right –

The outside, so sweet;

            The inside, not quite.

“Self reliant am I,”

            My heart used to say.

But that was a lie

            I found out one day.

My door I kept locked,

            And me locked within,

Till one day “He” knocked

            And I let Him in.

He sat down to eat –

            He sat down with me!

And I fell at His feet.

            I had to!  You see…

He died for my sin

            My life to redeem;

For my “next of kin”*

            Loves to extreme!

Now blood’s on my door

            For I have been bought –

Right there on the floor

            Where grace marks the spot!

The Lamb paid my debt

            I ran up in pride;

And without regret

            He made me His Bride.

So, Death, pass me over;

            For there’s blood on my door!

My enslavement is over

            And I’m His evermore!

*In Hebrew, a Kinsman Redeemer refers the closest relative, or “next of kin,” who was to redeem the widow and/or land of a deceased kinsman or to redeem the kinsman from slavery.  Jesus is our Kinsman Redeemer.  He became a flesh-and-blood brother for the purpose of redeeming His kin from the slavery of sin.