Roger Luther

Many people look through their wallet or their pocket books and, way down at the bottom, past the credit cards and baby pictures and so on, you usually find a little ‘ol piece of dog-eared poetry.
I was cleaning out my wallet the other day and ran across a whole bunch of I.O.U’s, some of ‘em thirty-five years overdue. And you know the funny thing, all these I.O.U’s are owed to one person and I kinda felt like that maybe now would be a pretty good time for an accountin’.

Mom, I sure hope you’re listenin’.

Sweet lady, I.O.U. for so many things…..
A lot of services, like nightwatchman for instance….. Lyin’ awake nights, listenin’ for coughs and cries and creakin’
floorboards…..hah-hah, and me comin’ in too late. Boy, you had the eye of an eagle and the roar of a lion, But you always had a heart as big as a house.

I.O.U. for services like, uh, short order cook, chef, baker…..
For makin’ sirloin out o’ hamburger an’ turkey out o’ tuna fish,
And big ol’ strappin’ boys out of leftovers.

I.O.U. for cleanin’ services,
The daily scrubbing of face and ears….all work done by hand.
And for the frequent dustin’ of a small boy’s pants To try to make sure that you led a spotless life. And for washin’ and ironin’ that no laundry could ever do. For dryin’ the tears of childhood and ironin’ out the problems of growin’ up.

I.O.U. for services as a bodyguard,
For protectin’ me from the terrors of thunderstorms and nightmares
Hah, And too many green apples.

And Lord knows, I.O.U. for medical attention,
For nursing me through measles, mumps, bruises, Bumps, splinters and spring fever.
Oh-oh, let’s not forget medical advice….important things like,
‘If you keep on scratching that, it’ll never get well’ or ‘If you cross your eyes, they’re gonna stick like that’.
And probably the most important advice of all, ‘Boy, you be sure you got on clean underwear, in case you’re in an accident’.

And I.O.U. for veterinarian services,
For feeding every lost dog that I dragged home at the end of the rope,
And for healing the pains of puppy love.

And I.O.U. for entertainment…..
Entertainment that kept the household goin’ through some pretty rough times…..
And for wonderful productions at Christmas, the Fourth of July, Birthdays…..
And for making make-believe come true…..
And you did it all on such a limited budget.

I.O.U. for construction work, for building kites and confidence, hopes and dreams an’….. Somehow you made them all touch the sky…..
And for cementin’ together a family
So it would stand the worst kind of shocks and blows…..
And for layin’ down a good strong foundation to build a life on.

I.O.U. for carrier charges…..
For carryin’ me on your books for the necessities of life That a growin’ boy somehow, well, they just gotta have. Things like, hah-hah, a pair of high top boots, With a little pocket on the side for a jack-knife.

And one thing, Mom, I’ll never forget….
When there were two pieces of pie and three hungry people….. You were always the one who decided, well, I’m not really that hungry anyhow.

These are just a few of the things for which payment is long overdue..
The person that I owe ‘em to worked very, very cheap….
She managed by simply doin’ without a whole lot o’ things that she needed herself….
My I.O.U’s add up to more than I could ever hope to repay,
But you know the nicest thing about it all….
That I know, that she had marked the entire bill ‘Paid In Full’
For just one kiss and four little words….Mom, I Love You!

     I firmly believe that deep with each child of God there is the desire to follow and serve God. As adults, we have a tendency to complicate things, so much so, that we discourage ourselves and usually end up doing absolutely nothing. In addition, there are other times we attempt to follow another whose life is filled with joy and yet still feel unfilled. Evidently, this dilemma was also common in the early church. “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. (Phil.2:12)”  The New Testament teaches that we do not work to obtain salvation but rather because of it. Following God is a personal thing that requires God and each of us!

Please permit me to begin with the following quote:

   Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue.  (2Pe_1:2-3)

    Our lives are blessed whenever the Lord adds any of His blessings to our experience. Yet, there are times when we sense a need for God’s blessings to be multiplied to us. Well, God desires to intensify His working toward us. “Grace and peace be multiplied to you.” Drop after drop of refreshing water may encourage the thirsty soul. However, our hearts’ true need may be for fountains of living water. God loves to pour forth in abundance. “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). God’s grace (His undeserved resource for living) is available in multiplied measures. God’s peace (His heaven-sent spiritual tranquility) can be partaken of in magnified portions.

    The process for partaking of these multiplied provisions simply involves growing in knowing our Lord. “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.”

    Another astounding truth about believers in Jesus Christ is that we have already been given everything needed for abundant Christian living: “His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness.” This is not to say that we are aware of what is ours, or that we are experiencing all that is ours. Nonetheless, God has already given us every spiritual provision needed to live as He desires (“all things that pertain to life“) and to grow in Christlikeness as He wills (“all things that pertain to . . . godliness“).

    The process for accessing these comprehensive resources also involves getting to know the Lord better: “His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him,”

    It is by grace that we initially come to know the Lord. As we get to know Him better, grace is then multiplied into our lives. When we first met the Lord, He gave us everything that we needed to live as He intended. As we grow in knowing Him, we access for living all that He has already given to us in Christ. (from the pen of Bob Hoekstra)

Remember what God led Paul to write in Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” God desires for us to follow Him and leave the details and the wherewithal to Him!  Are we up to it?

PS. If perhaps you desire to leave a comment here instead of on Facebook, please click on the title and then scroll to the bottom for a comment box. Thank you for visiting this site.

Roger

     Some people are superstitious but, a long time ago, Rita and I thought we would challenge that day. We were engaged on Friday the 13th. Months later, we planned our wedding for the 13th but, unfortunately, no Friday with that date was convenient. As of today, we have been married 41 wonderful years and one month. We both owe that longevity to our Lord who brought us together. Without a doubt HE “…is a friend [that] sticketh closer than a brother.” (Prov.19:24)

Having said all this, please permit me to encourage you examine the following that a small priest (Ezra),standing on a box several thousand years ago, said to a group of folks who stood for hours listening to him reading Scriptures. “Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for [this] day [is] holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength. So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day [is] holy; neither be ye grieved. And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.” (Neh.8:10-12)  

The following words and tune from Robert Lowery in 1874 undoubtedly sum up things this morning.

Low in the grave he lay—
Jesus, my Saviour,
Waiting the coming day—
Jesus, my Lord.

Refrain: Up from the grave he arose;

with a mighty triumph o’er his foes;

he arose a victor from the dark domain,

and he lives forever, with his saints to reign.

He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Vainly they watch his bed—
Jesus, my Saviour;
Vainly they seal the dead—
Jesus, my Lord.
Refrain:

Up from the grave he arose;

with a mighty triumph o’er his foes;

he arose a victor from the dark domain,

and he lives forever, with his saints to reign.

He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Death cannot keep his prey—
Jesus, my Saviour;
He tore the bars away—
Jesus, my Lord.

Refrain:

Up from the grave he arose;

with a mighty triumph o’er his foes;

he arose a victor from the dark domain,

and he lives forever, with his saints to reign.

He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Every year, at this time, it is always a good practice to review the time line of our Lord’s last week, time in the tomb, and the resurrection. Although I have already posted the article on this site to the lower right of this posting you will see a link to it.

Have a great time of worship this weekend!

God bless,

Roger

“Blessed [is] the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  But his delight [is] in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” (Psa.1:1-3)

As pilgrims, where we walk, stand, and sit, will not only be a reflection of where our heart is but it does have future ramifications.

“They took Jesus, and led him away.” (Jn.19:16)

“He had been all night in agony, he had spent the early morning at the hall of Caiaphas, he had been hurried from Caiaphas to Pilate, from Pilate to Herod, and from Herod back again to Pilate; he had, therefore, but little strength left, and yet neither refreshment nor rest were permitted him. They were eager for his blood, and therefore led him out to die, loaded with the cross. O dolorous procession! Well may Salem’s daughters weep. My soul, do thou weep also.

What learn we here as we see our blessed Lord led forth? Do we not perceive that truth which was set forth in shadow by the scapegoat? Did not the high-priest bring the scapegoat, and put both his hands upon its head, confessing the sins of the people, that thus those sins might be laid upon the goat, and cease from the people? Then the goat was led away by a fit man into the wilderness, and it carried away the sins of the people, so that if they were sought for they could not be found. Now we see Jesus brought before the priests and rulers, who pronounce him guilty; God himself imputes our sins to him, “the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all;” “He was made sin for us;” and, as the substitute for our guilt, bearing our sin upon his shoulders, represented by the cross; we see the great Scapegoat led away by the appointed officers of justice. Beloved, can you feel assured that he carried your sin? As you look at the cross upon his shoulders, does it represent your sin? There is one way by which you can tell whether he carried your sin or not. Have you laid your hand upon his head, confessed your sin, and trusted in him? Then your sin lies not on you; it has all been transferred by blessed imputation to Christ, and he bears it on his shoulder as a load heavier than the cross.

Let not the picture vanish till you have rejoiced in your own deliverance, and adored the loving Redeemer upon whom your iniquities were laid.” (commentary by C.H. Spurgeon)

God has been richly blessing and meeting with us in a series of revival meetings this week at Central Baptist Church in Flint! The evangelist is Dr.W.P. Oakley – author and pastor of the First Baptist Church in Trimble, Tennessee. These meetings begin at 6:30 each evening through this Thursday (the 5th). In addition, from 11-12 each morning he is conducting a class in the sanctuary. If you live in the area, I would like to invite you to stop in and visit with us. I’m positive that you will be blessed! The church is located on the west side of Center Road a few blocks north of Davison Road. Central Baptist Church is a loving and growing local assembly of believers who deeply love the Lord and anyone who comes through the doors!

    Recently I came across the following article by the late C.H.S. and believed, considering all our lives are continuing being touched by death in one way or another, this might be of help to others.

“Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am.”(Jn.17:24)

O death! why dost thou touch the tree beneath whose spreading branches weariness hath rest? Why dost thou snatch away the excellent of the earth, in whom is all our delight? If thou must use thine axe, use it upon the trees which yield no fruit; thou mightest be thanked then. But why wilt thou fell the goodly cedars of Lebanon? O stay thine axe, and spare the righteous. But no, it must not be; death smites the goodliest of our friends; the most generous, the most prayerful, the most holy, the most devoted must die. And why? It is through Jesus’ prevailing prayer-”Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am.” It is that which bears them on eagle’s wings to heaven. Every time a believer mounts from this earth to paradise, it is an answer to Christ’s prayer. A good old divine remarks, “Many times Jesus and his people pull against one another in prayer. You bend your knee in prayer and say ‘Father, I will that thy saints be with me where I am’; Christ says, ‘Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am.’“ Thus the disciple is at cross-purposes with his Lord. The soul cannot be in both places: the beloved one cannot be with Christ and with you too. Now, which pleader shall win the day? If you had your choice; if the King should step from his throne, and say, “Here are two supplicants praying in opposition to one another, which shall be answered?” Oh! I am sure, though it were agony, you would start from your feet, and say, “Jesus, not my will, but thine be done.” You would give up your prayer for your loved one’s life, if you could realize the thoughts that Christ is praying in the opposite direction-”Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am.” Lord, thou shalt have them. By faith we let them go. (commentary by Charles H. Spurgeon)

How interesting that the Old Testament reads, “Precious in the sight of the LORD [is] the death of his saints.” (Psa.116:15)

This is the story about four famous people named Everybody,Somebody,Anybody,and Nobody

There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that somebody would do it.

Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did.

Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody’s job.

Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it.

It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

(author unknown)