Reasons to Look Up

Are you ever discouraged?  Are you ever depressed?  It’s time to take a little Spiritual inventory.  If you have truly been born again through faith in Jesus Christ, you have lots of things to look forward to so look up.  “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” – 1 Cor. 2:9.

Remember:

You will receive a new body - “in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.  For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” – 1 Cor. 15:52

You will get a new custom house.  He prepares a perfect home for you – “In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so I would have told you.  I am going there to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also by be where I am.” – John 14:2-3.

You will be like Christ – “… But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” – 1 John 3:2.

We will meet Old Testament Saints – “I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.” – Matt. 8:11.

You will see and speak to loved ones who have died in their faith – “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  After that we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.  And so we will be with the Lord forever.” – 1 Thess. 4:16-17.

You will never suffer again – “Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst.  The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat.  For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living.  And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” – Rev. 7:16-17.

You will live in a perfect world – “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away…..” – Rev. 21.

You will fall for the final time, not falling short, but will fall on your knees in praise – “As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.” – Rom. 14:11; Is. 45:23.

You will participate in awesome worship – “After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude….and they cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb’.  All the angels were standing around the throne….They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: ‘Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever.  Amen!” – Rev. 7:9-12.

You will see God! – “…in my flesh I will see God.” – Job 19:26.  “…we shall see him as he is” – 1 John 3:2.

So in times of doubt and discouragement, remember whose you are.  Remember God’s faithfulness.  Ask God to strengthen your faith as you go through life’s struggles.  Our faith is strengthened when we know God’s Word and when we are patient and obedient to Him.  We must know God’s character and that He keeps His promises.  We must trust God.  As you persevere through life, remember who holds your hand and what He has promised.

Join me here next time.  --  I encourage you to trust in and have faith in Jesus.

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Support Our Troops

 

Would you like to support our military soldiers in some way but really don’t know how?  Maybe you don’t personally know a soldier, but want to do something to thank them and show them they are appreciated.

One way you can communicate your support is by writing cards and letters.  You probably won’t be able to write directly to a deployed soldier, although some organizations will let you adopt a soldier.  There are non-profits and community organizations that will accept cards and letters and then forward them to the soldiers.  Below are some that do just that.

Cards for Soldiers, C/O Charly Mathews, 388 E M 72 Hwy, Grayling, MI 49738

Support Our Troops, 1371 N. Nebraska Ave, Tampa, FL 33613,

Military Missions, Rd, Suite 138, Lexington, KY 40514

Operation Gratitud, Attn: Letter Writing Program, 9409 Owensmouth Ave, Chatsworth, CA 91311

There are many organizations out there.  You just need to look for them.  There may be some right in your own city and even on Face Book.  Some websites for more information are:

https://www.operationwearehere.com/IdeasforSoldiersCardsLetters.html

https://military-missions.org/care-packages/cards/ 

https://www.operationgratitude.com/express-your-thanks/write-letters/

http://www.scrappingforsoldiers.com/html/greeting_cards.html

What to write in a card or letter?

• Start with Dear Veteran, Dear Soldier, or Dear Hero.
  
• Tell them thanks for their service, dedication, commitment, and sacrifice.
•  You don’t need to write a long letter.  A simple “thank you for your service” is sufficient.
•  You can tell them about yourself and talk about your interests.
• Avoid politics and religious beliefs.
• You can tell them you are praying for them.
• Always be positive, encouraging, respectful, and kind.
• Don’t include your email or address.
• Don’t add a date, because it may take some time for them to receive them.
• Children can send hand drawn pictures.
• Groups like school classes, Sunday school classes or scout troops can make it a project.

Ship all cards and letters together in a large envelope or box.   Don’t put them in individual envelopes, because they must go through a screening process.

Some organization send cards only at Christmas.  Christmas is an especially hard time for service men and women to be away from home.  They may feel isolation with spouses and children being so far away.  Sending Christmas cards is an easy way to show them you care. 

If sending Christmas cards, you may need to send them around September.  Be sure to check out the websites for more information.

You can buy a box of cards or you can make homemade ones.  They don’t need to be fancy.  It’s the thought that counts.

So lift the spirits of soldiers by sending cards and letters.  Remember, they are a long way from home and family.  They may need to know they are not forgotten and that someone cares.  You will also be blessed in the process.

Join me here next time.  --  I encourage you to trust in and have faith in Jesus.

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Is Church An Essential Service?

What are essential services?  That is the question!  Essential services during a pandemic are different than what is typical at any other time.  Of course services like food, housing, banking, water, heat and electricity, health care and hospitals, law enforcement and firefighting are very essentials at all time.  Essential service is anything that is vital to our health and welfare.  We also need workers to maintain these essential services.  During a pandemic the same things are essential, because without these services, sickness, poverty, violence and chaos will result.  Failure to continue basic services during a pandemic can result in many unnecessary deaths. 

BUT when you think about it, everything is essential to someone.  Everyone’s job is essential to them.  We need jobs to earn money so we can feed our families.  How will we survive if we don’t eat? 

Is church an essential service?  We need church.  We need fellowship with others.  We need encouragement from our Christian friends.  We need to be able to praise and worship the Almighty God with other believers.  Yes, we know God doesn’t live in a building and we can worship Him anywhere, because He is everywhere.  There is just something about being in a place of worship with others Christians.  You get a feeling of awe to be in His presence.  We need to be with other people.  Being part of a church, together with people, is an essential of spiritual health and maturity.

We can worship anywhere.  Prayer is an expression of worship.  Hearing and teaching the Bible is worship.  Singing is worship.  The act of gathering together in a church building is worship.   We complete our worship by encouraging and prodding each other to live out our purpose in Christ.  The Bible tells us we need to worship God with other believers and be taught His Word for spiritual growth.  “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” – Acts 2:42.  “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” – Heb 10:25.

Rev. 5:9-12 tells us that the believers in heaven will come together to praise God.  We are to praise Him in our homes, in His sanctuary and in His heaven. “Praise the Lord.  Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens.” – Psalm 150:1-2.  Corporate gathering provide supernatural encouragement.  Our faith is not private, but it is personal.  We need to share it in the presence of other believers.  God values the gathering of His people.

There are many advantages by going to church.  There you will likely have some of life’s big questions answered.  The preaching of God’s Word will help set direction for your life.  It can help you define what you believe by helping you understand the Bible.  You will be able to pray for others and others will pray for you.  You will be encouraged by hearing the answered prayers of others.  It can help you take the focus off yourself and put your focus on God.  It can strengthen your faith and promote stability in your life.  It can and will literally change your life for eternity!  By going to church, it honors God.  To sum it up, churches offer essential services.

That said, we still have a responsibility to those around us even at church.  We still need to do social distancing and wear masks to protect others and ourselves during this pandemic.  During this pandemic, we may need to worship online instead of in person for a while.  I’m sure God will understand.  So be patient.  We all have a responsibility to ourselves and to others.

Join me here next time. -- I encourage you to trust in and have faith in Jesus.

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