Why do I do so much that has no eternal value?

As this New Year began I was contemplating, once again, what we had accomplished as a ministry in 2011. But even closer to home, what have I personally accomplished that has value for eternity? That is a sobering question and one I have asked myself many times over the years. It all began several years ago as I visited our youth prayer room. There were notes and scripture everywhere that the students had taped on the walls or shelves. There was a cross with notes attached to it asking for forgiveness. It really touched my heart to see the hurts and requests that were so apparently genuine in their cry for help. Then, as I moved around the room, there was a note that pierced my heart. “Why do I do so much that has no eternal value?” Now why would this question be right at my eye level? I believe God placed it there for me to ponder as a wake up call. I began to think back over my day and examine what I had done in the course of that day. Sure, I was busy all day, (like Martha), but what was of any eternal value. I have written that question on an index card and have it on my bathroom mirror where I am faced with it daily. It has changed my perspective on my activities of each day. If I keep that question foremost on my mind it totally changes my priorities for the day. Take your own personal survey. Examine the time you have spent today, last week, last month, or since 2012 began! What have you accomplished this year that will have eternal value? Before you know it the year will be gone and what activities will have been of value for eternity. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 1 Corinthians 3:11-14 (NKJV) Now that passage alone should cause us to reflect on our actions each and every day. Those actions will be revealed one day. Jesus is our foundation and we are to build on Him with precious stones, gold, and silver. The wood, hay, and stubble will be burned up by God’s discerning judgment. Wouldn’t it be a shame to get to the throne and watch everything we did here on earth burn to a crisp? That’s why it is wise to examine our motives and actions on a daily basis. Here are some reflection questions: How have you invested in another persons’ life today? How much time have you spent at Jesus feet in this past week? Have you looked for divine appointments throughout your day? Did you speak a kind word of encouragement or assist someone with a heavy load? Did you jot a note to a hurting friend or do something special for them that lets them know you are thinking of them? Did you go and just sit with someone who was grieving a loss in their life? Did you smile at someone who seemed especially down hearted today and acknowledge you care about their troubles? Did you write a letter to someone who is in prison? I remember as a teenager setting the field on fire behind our house as I burned the trash one day. That dry grass caught fire and took off. We had to call the fire department to come put it out before it burnt up the whole field! I think of that incident when I read about the wood, hay, and stubble being burned up. It won’t take long to see those things obliterated before our eyes. Are you storing up treasures worthy of Christ or are your works all wood, hay and stubble which will be devoured by His wrath? Prayer Dear Abba Father, we ask you to take away anything that is not of value. Show us now Lord, before we waste our time with frivolous activities and watch them be incinerated right before our eyes. We want so much to lay before you gold, silver, and precious stones. You are worthy of no less! Teach us to reach out beyond our needs to help those who are hurting Lord, just like You did. We love you Lord. Amen. © Sandra Kearns www.onwingslikeadove.com www.onwingslikeadove.blogspot.com

Warhorse

My friend, Susan and I enjoyed a night at the movie. It was my second time seeing Warhorse, a movie worthy of a second watch. Much like Secretariat, it was about a horse's strength and fortitude to focus on the goal and win the race through lots of obstacles. He eventually returned to his master and owner by the films end. So touching to see him nuzzle up next to the one who truly loved him with all his heart, even enough to let him go at one point.
I always like to look at it from a spiritual standpoint. How strong am I in my resolve to plow through the obstacles and trials of life with my focus on the Lord and Master of my soul? If I get sidetracked do I quickly return my focus on Him or on my circumstances? I must say the longer and closer I walk with Him the least likely I am to get off course.
There was a bond that could not be broken between the young man who raised the horse and the horse himself. It was obvious as the horse loved on him. The horse had learned to recognize his master's voice when he whistled and it actually saved the life of Joey, the horse, in the end. Have you learned to recognize the voice of your Master and respond to it in obedience. It could definitely be your lifesaver today!
If you have not invited the Father in to be your Master, please consider it today. The kingdom of God is at hand. Prepare ye the way! Make a straight path and walk in it.

A Season of Repentance

We meet each week for Support and Prayer time with our Prodigals. Some wander in and out of their walk with the Lord. God is patient with us all as we walk our individual journey. But now there is a sense of urgency in this year of 2012! The Word says, "The Kingdom of God is at hand". I believe it is.......so why are are playing this game. One day serving the Lord, one day serving the enemy!!!!
It is time to make our decision, either we will serve God or we will serve Satan. We can't continue to straddle the fence. How would our life change today if we knew we would stand before the Father tomorrow? We will give an account my friends. I want to stand before Him in a white, spotless gown one day. That means I need to live a pure, spotless life today and all the tomorrows I have.
I believe we are preparing the gown we will wear on that glorious day when we see our Bridegroom-lover. Let's make the choice to serve Him with all our heart's, soul's, and minds.
He has had me reviewing my life these last two weeks. I have almost a full page listed of things He has had me repenting of. It has not been pleasant to realize I had that much to repent of but guess what....I don't think He is done! I am so thankful He loves me enough to point out things I need to lay down now!

Happy New Year

I don’t know about you, but I am totally blown away that 2011 is gone and we are embarking on a New Year. I was reviewing the year to see what accomplishments were made for God’s kingdom and as usual realize that He has accomplished much. We have been so blessed to see the Father work in so many of your lives over the past year. We believe we are only a human extension of His love, grace and mercy as we reach out to hurting families in however He leads. What a privilege to be in a position to see Him work and join His outreach

Many of you have faced many obstacles and found yourselves in hard places this past year. Many days you felt you could not make it, but as you kept your eyes on Him you found He was walking right beside you in it all, just as He promised He would. There is a song, sung by Selah that speaks of His faithfulness. I love to sing it back to Him as a praise song because of His constant faithfulness to all of us over the years. I just imagine Him smiling down on me as I sing (yes, HE loves my singing!) those praises back to Him.

Think on all He has done in your lives as you sit and reflect on the events of the past year. Praise Him for His faithfulness to see you through those times you didn’t think you could or wanted to take your next breath. I remember many days and nights just having to keep His Word close at hand as He spoke to me giving me hope and assurance of His presence. He has always been faithful to see us through.

Now, I ask you, how will you allow Him to use that pain and suffering? Will you be available to His call to help someone else through a difficult time in their lives? Will you be open and bold enough to tell them of how God’s word brought you peace and comfort in the midst of your struggle? In Charles Spurgeon’s devotion he writes: ““We do not have a High Priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our weaknesses.” Note that it is not said, “touched BY, but touched WITH.” Many a man can be touched by the sorrow of another, but he is not touched with that sorrow. He has feeling, but not fellow-feeling. He pities the sorrowing, but he does not sorrow with them. Our Lord is touched with a feeling of our weaknesses. It is one thing to see pain, but quite another to be touched with a feeling of it.” Allow Him to use that pain you experienced to be touched with the other person’s sorrow as you minister to them.

We look forward to a new year of ministry and we want your input. Let us know if there is a way we could minister to you more effectively. You can either email sandra@onwingslikeadove.com or write us at P O Box 557, Clemmons, NC, 27012 with your suggestions or if you would like to share a brief testimony of God’s faithfulness to you over this past year. You may even be ready to help us in ministry to families in this coming year, if so let us know. We would love to hear from you.

Sandra

What is Your Passion?

Hosea 7:6b, “Their passion smolders all night; in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire” NIV.

Recently, in my travels, I noticed a large transfer truck with peppers of all kinds painted all over it – bell peppers, hot peppers, and red peppers, yellow and orange peppers. The words “Passion for Peppers” was also painted on both sides of the truck. You sure couldn’t miss the message it conveyed.

I began to wonder what it would be like to have our passions printed all over our vehicles or on our person as we traveled through life. What is your passion in life? Has it changed over the years? Probably so, I know mine has.

What does passion mean anyway? Funk and Wagnall’s Dictionary defines it as: “Intense or overpowering emotion; an eager outreaching of mind toward some special object; fervid devotion”. So what is on your mind most of the time or to what do you devote most of your time? Maybe that is what you are most passionate about.

Your passion can come out of your own sense of shame or pain. You might be fervently devoted to anti-abortion issues, or mental illness, or autism, or drug addiction, or a hundred other things by which you have had personal experience. You don’t often have a passion for something unless it has affected you in some way. I know I wouldn’t have a heart for the families of prodigal’s/prisoners unless I had walked through it myself. I wouldn’t have empathy for those afflicted by mental illness had I not experienced it in our family.

Our passion may come out in words or actions, but it usually does come out. If we give ourselves to our work people may see that as our passion. If we think and participate in sports all the time, that may become our passion. If we give of ourselves to a particular cause that likely comes from a passion. Something doesn’t usually become our passion unless we have experienced it or been touched by it.

Examine your heart and pinpoint your passion. How are you living it out on a daily basis? How are you using that passion for God’s plan and purpose to touch and influence others you come in contact with throughout your day?

Ask God to turn the smoldering flame of your passion into a flaming fire as you go out into the world with the intent of bringing God glory through your passion. Allow the passion that God has given you to minister to those you come in contact with. We are to comfort others as He has us!

I think of Paul before his Damascus Road experience. His passion was to kill Christians. He had studied under the best teacher in the world…Gamaliel. He had the head knowledge but it wasn’t until he encountered Jesus on the road that he truly became passionate about the things of the Lord. He became fervently devoted to preaching and teaching about His Lord because of his own personal experience.

I was satisfied for so long with my salvation experience and the knowledge I had obtained over the years about God, but it wasn’t until I experienced God that my longing to know Him in a deeper and more intimate way caused me to be passionate about that relationship with Him. Once I began to hear His voice from the scriptures and my time with Him, it became such a passion that I was no longer satisfied with the ten minute time I had been having, I found myself thirsty for more of Him. It became a joy to know Him more fully and learn to trust His love and acceptance of me no matter what I did or did not do. He loves me regardless and I can trust His love. If I fail in some way He doesn’t love me less. That has changed my whole perspective of what love is. He totally completes me!

My life verses became like Paul’s as taken from Philippians 3:10-14: Verse 10 states: “For my determined purpose is that I may know Him—that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, [perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person] more strongly and more clearly” Amplified. I encourage you to read the other verses and make it your passion to know Him more fully.

Prayer: Abba Father, I pray you will turn our passions into Yours. May we become more deeply and intimately acquainted with You. We worship today on our faces at Your feet. Give us boldness to share with others the difference You have made in our lives, just like a blazing fire. We love and adore You Lord, Amen.