God Is Calling....."Where are You?"

 “Where are You?” Turn to Psalms127:1, it 

reads, “Unless the Lord builds a house, its 

builder’s labor over it in vain; unless the Lord

  watches over a city, the watchman stays alert 

in vain.” The Hebrew word, “shav” is used in 

“the Psalms to state that all activities such as 

laboring, guarding, rising early and toiling for food were useless without God’s assistance.” 

(Hebrew Dictionary) To have a strong family its foundation must be in Christ. We must take time 

for our loved ones. If we what our household to be blessed they must be Christ Centered   Bible 

history tells us Solomon was selected to build the Temple and he knew that building was not an

easy task. Building a marriage and family is the hardest task I can think of. We want to have time

 for family but time slips away.” How did it get so late so soon? Its night before its afternoon. 

 \December is here before its June. My goodness how the time has flown. How did it get so late so 

soon?” (Dr. Seuss) Think about that statement. Many of you are watching your children and 

grandchildren graduate this year. “How did it get so late so ]soon?.” That time with the kids will 

never come again. Make time in your busy schedule for your family. I heard a quote months ago 

and the truth of it touched my very soul. “A Christian home is never defined by what the children

  are doing…it is defined by what the parents are doing.” a Christian home is never defined by 

what the children are doing. Your child could read the Bible every day, listen only to Christian 

music, watch only Christian videos, read every missionary biography in the library, know a zillion

memory verses, have only Christian friends, and never miss Sunday School or Bible Study, and 

yet still not live in a Christian home”. Your child could read the Bible miss Sunday School or Bible 

Club, and yet still not live in a Christian home.” (Patrick and Ruth Schwenk)

            God said, “It is not good that man should be alone.” He performed the first marriage: Adam and Eve, the “first family” a man and woman.  Despite their sin their Creator sought them out because he loved them. He said, “Adam where are you?” God calls to us “Where Are You.” God wants to transform your family. “Where are you?” When the people of Israel were about to enter the Promised Land, Moses charged them as parents, “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7a). In essence, Moses was saying, “You cannot impress upon your children’s hearts truth that is not first impressed upon your own heart.” Seek out God for your family. You might need a loving pastor or I invite you to email me. If you are unchurched, bring your family back to Christ. If you are parents that have not had a salvation experience please call. I would be humbled to assist you in coming to Christ.

            There are America’s making concerted effort to destroy family life and totally destroy biblical foundation. Our society in general is mocking morality and belittling the institution of marriage. God has given us the Bible, His inspired Word and it contains principles, precepts and promises which if followed will provide a strong family foundation. But, despite all our worries and frustrations we can trust that our Sovereign God is in control. 

STOP, LOOK AND LISTEN

If you are a Baby Boomer like me you can remember our teachers and parents reminding us at railroad crossing we were to Stop, Look and Listen. (This was before the blinking red lights and road barriers)

This month is the anniversary of my father's death. I have come to realize that he left me more than I have ever known. James Turner and his father Willie Turner had a gift. They had a gift of Stopping, Looking and Listening to people. I must also say they had the gift of sharing. They loved to share in the lives of others and because of the love that people sensed from them, they would open up to them. Without pride I humbly share that they left me that gift.

 Psalms 61:5-8

^"5 My soul, wait in silence for God only, For my hope is from Him. ⁶ He only is my rock and my salvation,
My stronghold; I shall not be shaken.⁷ On God my salvation and my glory rest;The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God.⁸ Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah." (NASV)

We hurry so fast through life. In that rush we pass by hurting people. We go to church and give a warm hand shake to others. Not knowing that person is falling apart inside. We must stop and give the Holy Spirit time to work. How many times have I rushed by a stranger that the Holy Spirit could have used me right at that moment.

Recently, I came in contact with an elderly woman. As she pusher her walker toward her car, I offered to open her door and place her walker in the back seat. It was then that the Holy Spirit would place me right where He wanted me. She shared, "I just lost my husband four months ago and I just had to go to the grave and let him go. I was sitting at home weeping and missing him." Enter the Holy Spirit. I was lead to tell her of my fathers death and how my mother experienced the same thing. How I too had lost a wife to cancer. The Holy Spirit spoke to her of how she can say, goodbye but at the same time remember and celebrate the lives they had together.

Each day we should be finely tuned into the Holy Spirit. Luke writes, "¹² For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that very hour what must be said.” Luke 12:12. So trust in God. He will give you the words to say to a total stranger and those words will be those of the Holy Spirit. Stop, Look and Listen to your heart it is the Holy Spirit longing to speak through you to say exactly what that hurting person needs to hear. Amen.