Heaven

Ringing the Bell

/ pastorpete51 / 13 Comments

The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. Revelation 22:17 ESV

When I was growing up, my favorite place to play was in my grandparent’s ginourmous back yard. There on summer evenings, my cousins and I liked nothing better than catching fireflies in jars and then watching them flick off and on in what seemed a magical display. We would stay at our game, no matter how late the hour, until my grandmother went out on the back porch and rang the big ship’s bell that my grandfather brought home with him when he retired from the Navy. No matter how loud we were shouting and laughing or how far away we were, the sound of that bell let us know that the time for games was over and we needed to come in and get ready for bed.

Today as we were singing the hymn, “Softly and Tenderly” the words of the chorus suddenly reminded me my grandfather’s bell. I could almost picture Jesus standing out on Heaven’s porch ringing a giant bell as His invitation to “Come home, come home. You who are weary come home.” He is calling all of us, no matter what we are doing or how far we have strayed from God. The clear ringing of that bell is still lovingly and persistently calling us home. Today’s verse spells out, not only an invitation to come to God, but also the wonderful promise of a refreshing river filled with life that waits for us when we come in. Don’t hesitate or linger at catching fireflies, because it is getting late. If you can you still hear His bell ringing; then drop everything you are doing and come home!

Where is Our Treasure?

/ pastorpete51 / 5 Comments

For where your treasure is. There will your heart be also. Matthew 6:21 KJV

Did you ever wince when your pastor opened his message with this passage, because you expected him to ask for a financial pledge or special offering? Well I confess that I have! But the interesting thing about this passage is that Jesus was not talking about money. In fact, nowhere in scripture can you find Jesus taking up an offering. Instead we find our Lord multiplying bread, transforming water into wine and telling folks to stop worrying about the rat race. No – the treasure Jesus had in mind was the treasure He had when the Bible tells us that, “For the joy that was set before Him, He endured the cross, despising the shame and is now set down at the right hand of God.” Hebrews 12:2

When considering the subject of consecration, I love the hymn “Take My Life and Let it Be” because it gets very specific about what we are giving God and why. It is far too easy to just say, “I Surrender All” than it is to surrender some specific area that Jesus puts His finger on. Even something as insignificant as an extra five minutes of your time given for a friend may be what He asks from us today. Remember that when all is said and done that Jesus made you and I His treasure when He gave His life for us on the cross. Now He is seated at the right hand of the Father enjoying the riches of heaven. What may He be asking of us today? Where is our treasure?

I hope that this little presentation and my rendering of the old hymn may be a blessing to you today as you consider the cross and Jesus who is our greatest treasure in Heaven!

The Journey of Two Parrots

/ pastorpete51 / 4 Comments

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. John 14:1-3 KJV

I always loved owning a pick-up truck, but that blessing brings with it the fringe benefit of being asked to help every time one of your friends moves. So on a chilly winter day, as I was stacking as many boxes, bags and other assorted things into my truck as possible I wondered again why non-truck owners assume that pick-ups are capable of hauling living room sets, refrigerators and washing machines all in the same load. By the third trip I was just hoping we were on the last run when we got around to some final boxes. To her credit, our friend Susan, had already transported her dog, a couple of cats and a fish tank in her car. But along with her last boxes were two large cages with her parrots. “Can they ride up front with you?” Susan asked me as I started carrying out the first.

“I don’t know, I think there is only room for one.” I wearily answered. So after plopping bird #1 on the passenger seat and buckling him in, I proceed to wedge bird #2 in between boxes in back and covering him carefully with a blanket. “He’ll be fine! ” I assured her with an unconvincing smile. Ten miles down the road I was hoping my words of comfort would be true as the temperature of Northeastern Pennsylvania in December is a bit lower than their native Brazil. Parrot #1 who rode up front dozed off in the warm cab and napped most the way to his new home. But as I pulled in front of Susan’s new place I was just hoping that Parrot #2 was still alive. As quickly as I could I jumped out, unlashed his cage, and gently carried him into the house. When we pulled back the blanket, thankfully we discovered that our parrot was fine, but cringing in silence, fearfully looking around, wondering what the heck just happened!

Those feathered friends reminded me of my own journey with Jesus. Unlike myself, Jesus has plenty of room for me to ride up front in his cab. If I choose, I can journey close by His side, can listen to His voice, and leave the driving to Him. But for all kinds of different reasons there are times when I decide to ride in the back. I am still in the same truck headed in the same destination, but on those trips I am missing the joy of traveling close to Jesus. I don’t need to be trembling at every sound and frozen in fear till the moment God pulls back the blanket in heaven. He has room up front for everyone who knows Him as Lord and Savior, which is why He said, “Don’t let your heart be troubled.” He has given us all the privilege of asking, “Father, I believe in you and love you with all my heart. Can I ride with You today?” He is delighted to carry every one of us, up front and close by His side!

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