WHEN WE ALL GET HOME

WHEN WE ALL GET HOME!

This past week has been a week of laughter and tears.  There has also been pain this week and discouragement, and sometimes the road gets narrow, rocks along our path and stormy days, but in the midst of days and weeks such as this God brings such joy!  And in the midst of that joy He brings a taste of heavenly joy to come.

“But now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face.  Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known” I Corinthians 13:12.

Yes, when we think of heaven and seeing our Lord face to face, it is like a dim mirror, just a glimmer of the hope that awaits us just around the bend.  But someday, the Word promises we will know our loved over there and they will know us, and oh, the reunions that are going to take place!  Our minds can only try to imagine what that day will be like.  And for many of us that could be soon or down the road.  This day could be the day when we meet Him in the skies.  We are so looking and longing for that day

WHAT A DAY THAT WILL BE

“There is coming a day when no heartaches shall come, no more clouds in the sky, no more tears to dim the eye; all is peace forevermore on that happy golden shore, what a day glorious day that will be.

CHORUS:  What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see, and I look upon His face, the One who saved me by His grace; when He takes me by the hand, and leads me through the Promised Land, what a day, glorious day that will be.

There’ll be no sorrow there, no more burdens to bear, no more sickness, no pain, no more parting over there; and forever I will be with the One who died for me, what a day glorious day that will be.” (James Hill)

When I think of “no more parting over there” I think of the reunion my husband and I attended this past week.  We were invited to see a dear friend and her husband who were visiting here.  I met this precious friend almost 39 years ago, and we have been though many trials, joys and heartaches together.  Our children grew up together.  And also gathered there at that lovely home were other friends from that time period.  We were all young then, raising our children, worshipping together, retreats together, sharing our joys and sorrows together.  Now we have all gone our separate ways.  We have all entered our senior years, with grandchildren and all that goes with these years.  And there are some we knew of that group who have gone on to be with Jesus.  And the group, as it was this past week, will never be together again as it was on this side of heaven.

But as we were all gathered together, laughing and sharing and sometimes we didn’t even recognize each other, but oh the joy of memories!  We have all walked through our trials down the years.  Our eyes have been dimmed by tears, clouds have covered our sky, but someday we will be able to sit down and fellowship together forever.  There won’t be any time limits, any appointments to hurry and take care of.  I think of my dear friend and the trials and the pain she has been through and the victories she has won and am reminded of 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

“Therefore we do not lose heart.  Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.  For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

Sometimes in the midst of pain, we feel like we are losing heart.  And sometimes that pain can be just a minor pain, a pain that is nagging.  And the Lord is interested in those pains and in all our struggles, even the smallest ones.  But oh, this old body may be perishing and getting older, but by the Holy Spirit it is being renewed each and every day.  These are just light afflictions compared to the glory that is just ahead.

“Beloved, now we are the children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.  And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” I John 2-3.

We all have this hope within us, that someday when we finally see Him face to face, we will be like Him, and we will see our precious Lord just as He is.  Oh, Praise the Lord!

Do you have this hope within you?  Are you looking forward to that “great reunion” in our heavenly Jerusalem?  Reunions are usually prevalent in the summer months.  We have a family reunion with our children coming in August.  But again, reunions are just a shadow of what is ahead for God’s children, when all our loved ones in Jesus will be there, and old friends will gather, enjoying the angels and all the glories of heaven.  But most of all being with Jesus will be the grandest of all we could ever hope to imagine.  And, being with old friends again, never to part will be a joy that I can’t begin to describe.  I hope to see you there on that day, and that day could be just around the corner, over the next hill, or we will all meet together up there in that beautiful blue sky when that trumpet sounds, never to part again.

In the Name of Jesus,

Pastor Sharon

OH, HIS SWEET LOVE!

OH, HIS SWEET LOVE

As I sit here today, on this first day of summer, I am thinking about our upcoming vacation and sitting by the sea side once again and watching the ocean roll and the waves crashing onto the shore, and I am reminded of God’s love, God’s mighty creation.  I am thinking of how much He loves me and loves you.  His love is unfathomable, like the mighty ocean, rolling, rolling, never ceasing.

“Or who shut in the sea with doors, when it burst forth and issued from the womb; when I made the clouds its garment, and thick darkness its swaddling band: when I fixed My limit for it, and set bars and doors; when I said: this far you may come, and no farther, and here your proud waves stop.” Job 38:8-11.

God in His love created the mighty oceans and gave them a boundary they could not cross over.  God in His love sent our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, to give His life that we may have eternal life, and His love is indeed like the mighty, rolling ocean.  How can you fathom that kind of love?  How can you fathom a God of love who would create this mighty earth with all its beauty, the skies with the stars and those lovely clouds in the blue sky?  How can we ever know the mighty depths of His love?

O THE DEEP, DEEP LOVE OF JESUS

“O the deep, deep love of Jesus, vast, unmeasured, boundless, free!  Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me, underneath me, all around me, is the current of Thy love; leading onward, leading homeward to my glorious rest above.

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, spread His praise from shore to shore! How He loveth, ever loveth, changeth never, nevermore; how He watches o’er His loved ones, died to call them all His own; how for them He intercedeth, watcheth o’er from His throne.

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, love of ever love the best; ‘Tis an ocean vast of blessing, ‘tis a haven sweet of rest, o the deep, deep love of Jesus, ‘tis a heav’n of heav’ns to me; and it lifts me up to glory, for it lifts me up to Thee.”  (Samuel Trevor Francis)

Oh, the sweet love of Jesus when a person has had “one of those days!”  Nothing goes right, and you feel totally alone, then you realize that Jesus has you wrapped in His arms, His presence all around you.  And you can face the road ahead knowing that His love is leading you onward and upward despite the circumstances around you. And holding you in His arms He will someday bring you His perfect rest in His house above.  Oh, Praise the Lord!

“The eternal God is your refuge.  And underneath are the everlasting arms” Deuteronomy 33:27.

And like a mighty ocean wave, His praises go from shore to shore.  His Church is Mighty throughout the world, as every nationality and every color praise His Holy Name, despite much persecution in many places.  God’s church is alive and well.

And aren’t you glad that our God never changes, and our God never slumbers or sleeps but watches over His loved ones day and night.

‘Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to god through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” Hebrews 7:25.

And in His deep, deep love for me and for you is His intercession from the Throne.  He is praying to the Father for you, for me.  He knows all the cries of our hearts and all our discouragements we go through each day.  He sees those tears and feels your pain.  He carried all our griefs and our sorrows to the cross of Calvary.  He gave His life for you for me that we might have an abundant life walking with Him here on earth, forgives our sins and is preparing a place for each one of His children.  Again, how can we describe that love that rolls on and on for His children?

And His blessings are like a mighty rolling ocean.  Each wave that rolls He brings His peace and joy, and has promised to supply all our needs.  And He answers even the smallest prayer.  I have seen in past days Him answer prayer in most unusual ways.  It is a matter of talking to Him all day in every little detail of our life.  He loves to surprise us with those answers.

And like the mighty ocean, who can understand the depth of His love?  He has loved us with that everlasting love from the beginning.  God had a plan to bring forth His Son and to redeem mankind.  God had a lamb from the beginning of time, and Christ was that perfect lamb, who gave Himself willingly that we could have forgiveness of sins, walk with Him here, serve Him here, tell others about Him, and then when our journey is over, His Mighty love will carry us on to the other shore.  And what a day that will be when we see Jesus at last!  All the struggles will be over, and we can live in peace and absolute joy with Him forever.

So next time you are at the seashore or see an ocean scene, think of Jesus and His mighty love, His eternal love as it rolls and rolls and rolls on into eternity.  Oh, Praise the Lord!

In Jesus’ Mighty Name,

Pastor Sharon

FOLLOW, I WILL FOLLOW HIM

FOLLOW, I WILL FOLLOW HIM

As I was thinking about what to write to my friends out there today, I want to ask the question: “Who are you following today?”  As I look at the world around me and see the faces of people in the crowds, or in their cars, I wonder who they are following.  The world seems to be crumbling around us.  There are wars and rumors of wars, and so many people in deep struggles. 

But we have an anchor in Jesus, our Lord.  Since we are going into the summer season, I am reminded again of the many years at summer camp, high in the Sierras of California.  I went every summer to our church camp starting when I was nine years old.  And oh, the memories of those times at camp!  I remember especially those special evening times around the campfire. 

Those were times of dedication of my life to the Lord, and especially at the final service when we were all handed a pinecone, which represented our lives and service to the Lord.  And as we made our commitments to the Lord, we would toss those pinecones into the fire.  Those memories are priceless to me.  And I remember one particular chorus that we sang at that time as we made our commitment to follow Him always.  I remember the tears and the determination that I would follow Him all the way.

And that dedication has followed me down through the years and into my senior years now as I became a Pastor and have led a life, to the best of my ability in Jesus, to be of service to my Lord and Savior.  Oh, the road has not been easy at time.  In this season of my life I have faced health issues this past year and have had to curtail some of my activities.  But I have made a fresh commitment to follow Him the rest of my days.

FOLLOW, I WILL FOLLOW THEE

“Jesus calls me, I must follow, follow Him today; when His tender voice is pleading how can I delay? 

Chorus:  Follow, I will follow Thee, my Lord, follow ev’ry passing day.  My tomorrows are all known to Thee, Thou wilt lead me all the way.

Jesus calls me, I must follow, follow ev’ry hour, know the blessing of His presence, fullness of His pow’r.

Jesus calls me, I must follow, follow Him always; when my Saviour goes before me I can never stray.  (Howard L. Brown)

He is calling, calling you to follow Him today.  He is calling you to look on His Wonderful Face and to give your life to Him.  Time is so short, my friends.  There is not time to delay as you do not know what tomorrow may bring.  Even today as I write this blog there is a big storm brewing in the Midwest, and I wonder how many will be swept into eternity without Jesus.

He is calling to look up into His Wonderful Face.  He is calling to focus on Him and take our eyes off the trials and struggles of this life.  Just a glimpse of Him, and all our tomorrows will belong to Him.  When you know the blessing of His Presence, you are looking into the face of our Wonderful Counselor, The Prince of Peace, The Mighty God, the Everlasting Father.  He is our Saviour, Redeemer and Friend.  He is the Great Shepherd of the Sheep who goes ahead of His sheep and they follow Him.  He is the Great I AM, the God of yesterday, today and tomorrow.

And this walk with Jesus is an every hour walk with Him.  It is feeling His Presence in all the circumstances of our lives.  He leads and guides us through the valleys and onto the mountain tops.  He leads us when the wind blows in our lives, and our ship is being rocked.  He leads us when the sun is shining down on our lives.  He walks us through grief and great sorrow.  That is when we learn to know the blessing of His Presence, and the fullness of power in our lives.

And He gives us that power by the Holy Spirit to walk with Him, talk with Him, and tell others about Him.  Do you know Jesus today?  Are you following Him closely down that path that leads to life eternal?  When we keep our eyes on His Wonderful face, we can never stray.  It is when we take our eyes off Him and start looking at the storms around us, then we lose our focus on Him and lose our way.

I urge you to make a commitment to follow Him today.  No matter what is happening in your life or in the world around you, Jesus is calling, calling you.  It is the greatest commitment you will ever make.  It is a commitment for all time and eternity. 

As I have shared in the past, there are many choices in this life, but eternity has only two, heaven or hell.  What will be your choice today?  Will you follow Jesus down the narrow road to life eternal, or take the broad way which leads to destruction? (Matthew 7:13-14).

I pray that you will make a decision to follow Jesus today, and feel the blessing of His Presence for now and always, and someday will end your journey with Jesus in your heavenly home.

In the Wonderful Name of Jesus,

Pastor Sharon

GOD LEADS US ALONG

AS HE LEADS US ALONG

Recently my husband has been shopping for items in the grocery store or other places for items we need.  I have waited in the car.  And as I wait I watch people coming and going.  I look at their faces, watch them load items in their cars and I wonder about their lives, the burdens they carry and the lives they lead.  Some faces show signs of despair, some of laughter.  And I wonder if they know Jesus, and that He can carry their burdens.

The world out there needs Jesus and to know how much He loves them.  Many of those people I see don’t know the One who came to die for them and I pray that the day will come when they will surrender their lives to Jesus.  We in America are so blessed with the Gospel and the Word freely available to all.  But people have become bitter and angry and have rejected the God who loves them so much.

But if you know Jesus as your personal Savior, you are locked in His warm embrace.  And He leads us along life’s pathway secure in His love.  So no matter where you are today in your walk with Jesus, He is our Caring Shepherd who leads us along no matter what the path may hold.  And it seems that some go through great trials that never seem to end, but oh the joy and comfort that He brings no matter what the circumstance. 

GOD LEADS US ALONG

“In shady green pastures so rich and so sweet, God leads His dear children along; where the water’s cool flow baths the weary one’s feet, God leads His lead children along.

Chorus:  Some thro’ the waters, some thro’ the flood, some thro’ the fire, but all thro’ the blood; some thro’ great sorrow, but God gives a song; in the night season and all the day long.

Sometimes on the mount where the sun shines so bright, God leads His dear children along; sometimes in the valley in the darkest of night, God leads His dear children along.

Tho’ sorrow befall us, and Satan oppose, God leads His dear children along; through grace we can conquer, defeat all our foes, God leads His dear children along.

Away from the mire and away from the clay, God leads His dear children along; away up in glory, eternity’s day, God leads His dear children along.” (George A. Young)

The author of this hymn, George Young, was a carpenter and a pastor.  He didn’t make much money in either profession.  Most of his life was spent in small farming communities.  Finally, however, he and his wife were able to build their own home, and they moved in.  Shortly afterwards, while the Youngs were holding meetings in another small town, someone set fire to their house, and it was reduced to ashes.

It was probably out of that experience that George Young wrote this hymn and ended the chorus with these words: “Some thru great sorrow but God gives a song/in the night season and all the day long.”

Are your feet weary today?  You have traveled far and the road has been strewn with rocks and hard places to walk but Jesus is there leading you along.  Remember He is your Great Shepherd and we are reminded in Psalm 23:2:  “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. 

I was reminded of this as I saw along the highway a pasture of sheep, and there was a pond there, and the sheep were lying down beside it, and the waters were so still it reminded me of glass. The song reminds us that He leads us in “Shady green pastures.”  That reminds me that He is our shade at our right hand (Psalm 121:5) Around those still waters, are many trees that bring shade from the heat of the sun.

And that is like our Shepherd, covering us from the heat of the trials that we go through.  And then our Shepherd encourages  you to lie down and let Him wipe your weary feet in cool waters so you can face the journey ahead.  Oh, Praise the Lord, for our Gentle Shepherd!

And then there are the “mountain top” experiences where the sun is shining brightly, and trials seem to be gone for a season.  Oh, such joy in those moments!  There on the mountain top feeling the presence of our Wonderful Lord.  I am reminded of a person who accepts Jesus as their Savior and then has a “mountain top experience.”  I remember one elderly lady in the nursing home who accepted Jesus as her Savior and was so excited she was laughing and crying as she sat in her wheelchair.  Actually, we were both laughing and crying together.  She became at that moment one of His dear children and He gave her absolute joy as she began her walk with Jesus.

Then there are those experiences when it seems the night of sorrow is so dark that you can’t see the Lord leading you there ahead.  I have been there and I know many of you have been there. I have shared previously of being in the hospital after major surgery and the night of pain was so dark, but He gave me songs in the night and I sang His praises all through that night. 

And finally after the battles are over, our foes have been defeated, He leads us on up into glory, into eternity with Him forever.

“Nevertheless I am continually with Thee: Thou hast holden me by my right hand.  Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory” Psalm 73:23-24.

So we are continually with Him, as He leads us, His dear children along life’s pathway.  He leads us into rest when we are weary, and gives us those wonderful experiences of His presence, and then finally, after our trials are over, He safely leads us home to be with Him forever.

Whenever the way gets dreary, just remember He is just ahead leading you onward and upward.  And if you don’t know Jesus as your own personal Savior, He is waiting for you, and wants you to know how much He loves you.  Just ask Him into your heart today and He will become your Shepherd and your Guide forever.

In the Name of Jesus,

Pastor Sharon