MOTHER TIME

MOTHER TIME

 

by Lorilyn Roberts

Someone once said

Old is

When you can’t find your glasses

When you receive your invitation to join AARP

When you cash your first Social Security check

When you kiss your first grandchild

When you apply for Medicare

When you need a knee replacement

When you forget how old you are

When your family won’t let you renew your driver’s license

When you’ve had more colonoscopies than you can count

When your teeth fall out

But

I say

Old is

When I no longer find beauty in God’s creation

I forget to say thank you

Bitterness consumes me

Children bother me

People annoy me

Animals shun me

Morning, noon, and night I complain

I think I am always right

I no longer pray

read my Bible

or care

about

You

Dear Lord
Before I am old

Spare my friends

My family

My children

Call me home

So I may

Not

Shame

You

Help me

To stay young

With

Bonds that never break
Belly ache laughter

Compassion like Jesus

Creativity

Hope that endures

Charity

Forgiveness times seventy

Sacrifice beyond measure

Love for You

As ageless as

Mother Time

PRAYING PSALM TWENTY-THREE

Oh, Lord, you are my Shepherd!

You provide me with all that I need when I need it.

You provide the right places for me to rest.

You lead me away from troubled paths, and when I need to travel on them anyway, you give me strength and courage to walk in ways that bring You honor and glory.

As my Shepherd, you never leave or forsake me; You are right by my side every second, and so, even in the darkest times, I will not fear.

With Your loving discipline, you protect, comfort, and keep me on the right path.

Right before my enemies, You provide for me, abundantly anointing my head with oil and filling my cup with overflowing blessings.

I know, Lord, wherever I go, for the remainder of my life, You will chase me with Your goodness and love until I see You face to face, and I will live with You forever in Your Kingdom!

AMEN! 

LONGING FOR HOME

 

Have you ever taken a trip, and while away, you couldn't wait to return home? Why do we get homesick? It's because life away is not the same as life at home; there are too many things away from home that do not meet the standards we are used to.

As Christians, living here on earth is not easy; it's a constant reminder that we are strangers here. We long for our real home: a city whose Founder and Maker is God. Although we've never been there, we long for it because, through the Scriptures, we know what it's like. It is beautiful with streets of gold; there'll be no more sorrow, death, crying, pain, or sin; God will wipe away all tears, and we will forever be with Him and each other (see Revelation 21:2-4).

Compared to our eternal home, this world is full of evil; we are sick of rotten politics, destruction, wickedness, crimes, and nations spying on each other and always wanting to be one step ahead. This world has so much sickness, poverty, homelessness, and death; it is heartbreaking. No wonder we yearn to be home where things will be different.

We long for home; we long to leave this wicked and toxic world behind. The devil is causing so much havoc! He's causing people to do his bidding in various ways: Mass shootings, child trafficking, children killing each other, online scamming, etc. Why should a six-year-old have access to a gun, bring it to school and shoot a teacher? Doesn't it make you sick to your stomach? No wonder we are longing for and waiting to leave this world for a better one whose gates will never need to close because we'll have no fear of intruders.

For now, we continue to long for home; we are waiting for Jesus, our Savior, to come and usher us home into the presence of our loving Father, who will wipe all our tears away. Oh, what a day that will be!

Dear reader, do you feel what I feel? Are you sick and tired of this world? Are you yearning for home, and if so, where is home? To break free from this ugly world, ensure you have a personal relationship with God through Jesus, who took your sin and judgment on Himself when He went to the cross. You must repent of your sins; the Bible says we have all sinned (Romans 3:23). Ask God for forgiveness based on Jesus' sacrifice on your behalf. He will accept you and put His Holy Spirit in your heart as evidence that you're His child.

Until He returns to take you home, read your Bible and, pray daily, obey His Word. And join a local Bible-believing church for baptism, fellowship, and growth in your relationship with God. God loves us very much and is waiting to receive us unto Himself; anytime someone believes, He rejoices. He yearns for us to go to Him as much as we long to go there.

On the other hand, if you love this world so much and don't care to make any changes, I suggest you reconsider because if you miss heaven, the only other place available is HELL. I wouldn't wish that place on my worst enemy because the suffering will never end, and it will be too late to change your mind; once you're there, you are there to stay for all eternity. Please think about it. Jesus died, so you don't have to go to hell. It will make no sense to pay a debt that has already been fully paid. I hope to see you in heaven someday, where we can worship the King of kings and the Lord of lords together.

 

RSVP

 

 

RSVP means, please respond. RSVP requests usually accompany invitations because hosts and hostesses like to know how many people will attend an event. After all, every host or hostess wants enough food and supplies during a party. They want to be adequately prepared for the event. Therefore, guests planning to attend an event are usually requested to make their intentions known by calling a given number or returning a slip or postcard provided to a provided address.  

Everybody, you included, has been invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb, Jesus Christ (Rev 19:9). Like all well-planned social events, this event must be responded to. The invitation to this wedding supper reads: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). 

There are three possible responses to this invitation, each with eternal implications. 

·       You could respond: “Not interested.” “Don’t believe it.” “I am just fine.”  Based on the wording of the invitation, you have elected to perish.

·       Or you could respond: “Yes, I will go; I will respond after taking care of XY and Z.” If procrastination goes on long enough, the opportunity to respond will be lost, putting you in the “not interested” status.

·       But you could respond: “Yes, I want to attend the supper; I am responding right now because today is the day of salvation!” “Dear God, thank you for the gift of your dear Son, Jesus Christ, who paid the penalty for my sins. I now accept Him as my Lord and Savior, in Jesus’ name, Amen.” 

Your RSVP will be immediately received in heaven, and your name will be recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life. On the day of the wedding supper, you will be escorted into the banquet hall to enjoy fine dining and fellowship with the Lamb (groom) and the bride (the Church of which you are part). 

Note that no one can show up with an excuse of; “I meant to RSVP but forgot or I was too busy to respond. The groom’s response to people with excuses will be, “I tell you the truth, I don’t know you” (Matthew 25:12).  

It is also important to note that each individual has to RSVP for themselves. There will be no RSVP for couples, families, Churches, friends, or any kind of group. This is an invitation to all, but group responses are unacceptable; each individual has to respond for themselves, “Whosoever will may come” (Revelation 22:17).  

So, dear reader, how will you respond to this invitation? I hope you will say “Yes,” please say it now before it is too late. God loves you but will not force you to accept this essential invitation. Anyone you know (parent, sibling, friend, or spouse) who received this invitation could not and did not include you on their RSVP. Speak for yourself today!  

YOU HAVE NO EXCUSE FOR NOT KNOWING GOD

God is the Creator of the universe; He called it into existence when out of nothing, He said, "Let there be light,"; "a space between the waters of the heavens from the waters of the earth,"; … "Let the earth produce every sort of animal, each producing offspring of the same kind" (Genesis 1:3; 6; 9; 11; 14;15;20; 22; 24). After that, He created human beings (a man and a woman) in His image to be like Him (them-the Trinity), with the plan for them to multiply, fill the earth, and govern it (see Genesis 1:26-28). After creation, God looked at His handiwork and was satisfied because He saw it was perfect (see Genesis 1:31).

Adam and Eve knew God personally; He visited with them every evening until they sinned. So, they knew He created the world He had charged them to govern. Being their offspring, we have that knowledge inherent in us, and the Bible, talking about people, says: "They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. People have seen the earth and sky since the world was created. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities-his eternal power, and divine nature. So, they have no excuse for not knowing God" (Romans 1:19-20).

Why do people convince themselves and others that there's no God when they have so much evidence proving otherwise? If they admit He exists, they'd have to obey Him, which they don't want to do. In short, they don't want to be accountable to Him; they like to do whatever, whenever, and however they want. Unfortunately for them, what they choose to believe won't get them off the hook.

So, Dear Reader, do you know God, and if you do, what does He mean to you? What difference has that knowledge made in your life? On the other hand, you are probably one of the people who claim there is no God. And the reason you claim there's no God is so you don't have to honor or obey Him. Look deep into your heart, and ask yourself where you came from. Deep down, you know God exists; the Bible is true and says God Has already put that knowledge in your heart. Dear Reader, you have no excuse for rejecting God or His Word; He created you in His image and loves you. He has sacrificed His Son, Jesus, to pay for your sin of rejection and rebellion, so He can have an ongoing relationship with you.

Stop pretending and lying to yourself that there's no God. If you don't like the dinner served, will pretending there's nothing to eat take away your hunger? Of course not!

Claiming there's no God will not excuse you from the consequences of not knowing him personally. We were made to worship; if you don't worship the Creator, you will worship something else in His place (see Romans 1:21-32).

Having said all that, what should one do to affirm their knowledge of God? They should agree with their hearts that God is the Author and Creator of the world; he is love, holy, and just, and does not tolerate sin. Humanity has fallen out of favor with God but can be restored by believing in Jesus, the Son of God, who died in our place. I encourage you to call on Him today and prove that God exists despite your excuses and is waiting to hear from you. Respond today; the sooner, the better.       

 

JESUS IS LOOKING FOR YOUR LOST NEIGHBOR

You might often find neighborhood posts asking for help finding a lost pet. They describe the pet, and the owner provides his contact information. Sometimes a reward is listed. Have you ever seen a homeless pet, and how did that make you feel? Did you wish you could reunite that pet with its owner?

Jesus paid a ransom for you and all mankind, including your neighbor. Your neighbor does not know or understand that he or she is lost, and if never found and returned to God, his or her owner, it will lead to eternal separation. On the other hand, you understand that the stakes are high; you are glad you have become a child of God by repenting of your sins and putting your faith in Jesus. Plus, you know and enjoy the benefits of your relationship with God, like joy, peace, and hope for the future; your neighbor could benefit from that knowledge. So, what are you going to do about your lost neighbor? 

God has made all believers, including you, His ambassadors, and is making His appeal through us; we must ask unbelievers to return to God through Jesus (see 2 Corinthians 5:19-20). What’s stopping you from being an ambassador? Could it be that you feel ashamed to openly declare that you’re a Christian, are afraid of persecution, or feel unsure how to present the gospel message?

Jesus’ response to those who feel ashamed is: “If anyone is ashamed of me and my message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in His glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels” (Luke 9:26; also Mark 8:38). And if fear is your problem, Paul cautioned Timothy: “God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord” (2 Peter 1:7-8). If you’re unsure how to present the gospel, befriend your neighbor, show him love and respect, and avoid topics that lead to arguments. Pray for him, and as your friendship grows, you can share what God has done for you.

Sharing the gospel is not the time for a lecture. Jesus asked the woman at the well for a simple favor: “Please give me a drink” (John 4:7). That led to a discussion, and before she knew it, Jesus had confessed: “I AM the Messiah!” (V 26). The woman went back home to share her experience, and before she could really think about it, many from the village had put their trust in Him because of what she told them (see 39-42).

Jesus is waiting to welcome your neighbor; He is counting on you to introduce them. Your neighbor will appreciate knowing what you already know; he or she will appreciate going home to the Father he or she didn’t even know they had. Stop procrastinating because time is running out; it could soon be too late for your neighbor.

And just as neighborhood posts offer a reward, Jesus promises: “Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds” (Revelation 22:12).     

BE A CONSISTENT CHRISTIAN

  

I was relieved when we finally bade winter 2009 goodbye. I was glad to see spring arrive and hoped it would get warmer. But even after spring had been around for a few weeks, it did not warm up consistently with time. Instead, the warm kept alternating with the cold. I tried not to turn on the heat, but finally, when I couldn't take it any longer, I did; the house was too cold. I gave in and turned it on: just for one day. 

The alternating temperature changes made me miserable, and I seldom felt appropriately dressed. When I went outside in warm clothes, I felt too warm, and when I went out dressed in light clothes, I felt too cold. Why couldn't it get warm and stay warm? Why should I turn on the heat when it was nearly mid-May? I found it frustrating and vowed not to complain when it got hot. 

This frustrating experience with inconsistent weather reminds me of how God feels about lukewarm Christians. He told the church in Laodicea, "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth" (Revelation 3:15-16). 

This indicates that God wants us to walk consistently with Him and grow daily by being in the Word, doing what it says, and praying without ceasing. 

With the concept of inconsistency also comes double-mindedness. James 1:6-8 tells us a double-minded person is unstable in all he does. We are admonished to believe and not doubt when we ask God for wisdom. He is the same God who created the world with the Word of His mouth. God's power is not demonstrated in degrees or percentages. Power is power! Through it, He healed the sick, raised the dead, turned water into blood and wine, raised Christ from the dead, and defied gravity when Jesus ascended into heaven. So, is there anything too hard for Him? No! Why, then, do we have doubts when we pray? It could be because we focus on the problem and not on God, and that must change.

We find it easier to trust God with less complicated issues, but our faith does not measure up when it comes to overwhelming problems. We seem to say to God, "I don't know about this. Are you up to this challenge?" But the truth is, nothing is too hard for the Lord (see Genesis 18:14).  

Since nothing is too complicated for Him, we must trust Him completely, in every instance, and not just some of the time. Regardless of the circumstances, God can be trusted; He has never failed and is not about to now. Even when He doesn't respond however we want, it is still for our good. With faith should come patience and thanksgiving.  

A newborn cries when he/she needs something; he/she does not concern himself/herself with how the parents will meet that need.  

Let's learn from the newborn: ask for everything we need, and trust that our loving, heavenly Father will provide!