Saturday, November 8, 2008
Several years ago, I was asked to speak at a women’s retreat. The theme was “How to Keep Growing When the Son Don’t Shine.” As I contemplated this idea, the thought came to me – but, the sun is always shining! There are various reasons we may not see it, but the sun never ceases to shine. As for the Son, He never ceases to shine either. He IS the light of the world – not He will be nor He was – but He IS the light of the world. Always IS. Present tense. Yesterday, today and forever, He shines!!
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So then, why does it seem dark sometimes? One reason is because it is nighttime. At night, the earth is turned away from the sun. And when it seems dark spiritually, perhaps it is because we have turned away from Him. Have we stopped spending time with Him? Are we standing in or relying on our own strength? The answer is simple: turn our focus back to Him, spend time in the Word and prayer, enjoy the fellowship of believers. I know I said the answer is simple, but that’s just simple for me to say. It is not always easy to do. Just take one tiny baby step in the right direction, and God will meet with us. He may ask us to keep taking those steps, but He gives us the strength to do it as we lean on Him. “For God, who said, ‘Let there be light in the darkness,’ has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.” (2 Cor. 4:6-7)
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Other times, it seems dark because something is blocking the sun, like an eclipse or dark clouds. There are things that seem huge and overwhelming, but the fact is – nothing is bigger than the sun! It’s just that these issues are closer. When is your thumb bigger than the sun? When it’s right in front of your eye! These obstacles capture our attention and block our view of the Son. But if we can step back and put things in the proper perspective, they shrink in comparison. My friends, we are engaged in spiritual warfare, and an effective enemy tactic is to distract our focus. He uses busyness, family or friend problems, work concerns, over-sensitivity, self-consciousness, financial worries, etc. to attract our attention. When we concentrate on eternal matters, the things of this world dim in comparison. Like looking through the lens of a camera, if our focus is on things nearby, those details in the background are fuzzy. When we adjust the lens, we can bring the background into crisp detail, and the close things are less harrowing. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”(Heb. 12:2-3)
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Lastly, when the sun’s glare is difficult to endure, we put on our sunglasses. We can still see the sun, but it’s dimmed. And people can’t see us as clearly either. We hide behind a façade, and don’t face the issues that keep us from the light. From minor misunderstandings to serious hidden sin, we can cautiously be near God, and yet separated from Him. We put up a barrier to keep God and people at a “safe” distance. When Jesus died on the cross, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. God removed the barrier to the Holy of Holies signifying our new opportunity to have a direct personal relationship with Jesus. “But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, then the veil is taken away. … All of us have had that veil removed so that we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the works within us, we become more and more like Him and reflect His glory even more.” ( 2 Cor. 3:16-18)
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Oh, may we become more like Him and reflect His glory more and more!! That is my prayer for you and for me, beloved.
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Susan
Category: growth
Big Fruit!
$1.99/lb for cherries! What a bargain, right? I ran to the supermarket to get 2 lbs. I usually buy my produce in a gourmet market that I pass every day going to work. Some things there are quite expensive, but since the produce usually is reasonable and is excellent quality, I get it there. But they never have cherries for $1.99/lb., so I thought I was getting quite a bargain. But you get what you pay for! The gourmet store cherry is on the left; the supermarket cherry is on the right.
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I prefer big, juicy, ripe fruit. Don’t you? And we’re not the only ones. God does too!
Paul describes the fruit of the Spirit in his letter to the church at Galatia: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Gal. 5:22-23
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How do we get that good juicy fruit?
Jesus tells us, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” John 15:1-8
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” John 15:1-8
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So if I want to “bear much fruit,” I must yield to the pruning process (ouch!), and I must remain in Him and His words must remain in me. A few years ago, I purchased 2 climbing hydrangea vines. They are supposed to produce flowers in shady locations. So far, no flowers. When I brought my complaint to the center where I bought them, I was asked if the vine had grown. Oh, yes, it’s enormous, but no flowers. I was instructed that all the plant’s efforts are going toward the new growth instead of blooms, so I was to cut the plant back and be sure to fertilize (feed) the plant. Good advice!
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Spiritually, we must allow God to cut out the activities and attitudes that don’t produce good fruit. Imagine asking a plant if it hurt to be pruned. That’d be a “yes!” But God is more concerned with our character than our comfort, and like the faithful, caring, loving gardener He is, He lops off anything which would otherwise suck the life out of that which is fruit bearing. Don’t resist the pruning process – it will only hurt more. Corrie ten Boom once said that she learned to hold things loosely in her hand because it hurts more if the Father has to pry it out of her tight fist.
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And we must be fed by His Word which will produce healthy fruit. If we replace those unfruitful activities with time spent reading and studying, we allow the words of life to nourish our souls and ultimately grow big fruit.
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And I pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. Col. 1:10-12
Susan
We’re Empty Nesters!
It was a finale that only the moguls of Hollywood or the Master of Heaven could have orchestrated. And since there were no movie cameras, actors or scripts, it’s safe to assume who directed this show!!
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Background:
For 14 years, I hated making brown bag lunches for my kids. But now that my son was about to graduate high school, I got emotional every morning knowing that the end of this task was approaching. You see, my husband and I are about to be “empty-nesters,” and I’m not quite sure I’m ready.
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Speaking of nests, as you know from previous posts, for the past 2 weeks, our front door wreath has been home to a growing robin family. I have learned much from observing these busy feathered friends.
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The early bird gets the worm:
I am not a morning person. Never have been. I used to be a night owl, but now that I’m older, I’m strictly an afternoon person. Well, this morning I had to drop my daughter off for leadership training for her mission trip. Getting up and out at 5:45 a.m. was no picnic, let me tell you. But as I tiptoed down the stairs, I got to see both Momma and Poppa bird feeding their babes. A worm banquet! Those babes now barely fit in the nest as they have developed into sturdy little round robins.
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I soon found out that this bounty of worms was their last meal at home. This afternoon, I came to the front door and saw one lone baby robin standing on the edge of the nest (pictured here) .
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Before long, both Momma and Poppa returned, flying to and fro in a frenzy encouraging baby to take flight with them.
Before long, both Momma and Poppa returned, flying to and fro in a frenzy encouraging baby to take flight with them.
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After a few seconds, baby tenderly lit off the nest and experienced her first miracle of flight. The three flew across the yard, across the street headed for a neighbor’s tree, the first stop on their journey onward.
After a few seconds, baby tenderly lit off the nest and experienced her first miracle of flight. The three flew across the yard, across the street headed for a neighbor’s tree, the first stop on their journey onward.
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And here’s the Hollywood ending:
As they took off across our yard, who walked up the pathway to the house? My own baby boy who is about to take off to college! AJ was away all day, working down the block doing landscaping, and returned home for just a minute. At the very moment that he approached, the birds made their final exit and sailed away right over his head. Get me a Kleenex, please!
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Epilogue:
I didn’t see the other babies leave, but AJ saw the first one leave and shared his story. (I’m guessing it was the one bird that was so restless in the nest, always fluttering and extending his wings.) He stood on the edge of the nest and took off prematurely, falling to the ground injuring himself. He hobbled to the side yard, and we are unsure of his fate.
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Didn’t he read my last blogpost? “… but those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Key word here being “Wait…”
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Postscript:
I never had much of a liking for birds. During this experience, however, I have come to appreciate this special segment of God’s creation.
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But there’s one thing that I just can’t get past..If you look closely at our window, you will see that the birds left us a most unpleasant reminder of their stay! Yuk! Now that the birds have made me an empty-nester, I have quite a job to do!
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Wouldn’t you know, not ev
en one hour later, I saw the following sign:
en one hour later, I saw the following sign:You gotta love birds.
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We give them seeds.
They poop on our decks.
(and windows!)
They poop on our decks.
(and windows!)
Birds-Eye View
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Matthew 6:25-27
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While Momma Bird may have made a foolish choice of location for her nest (see previous post), we are blessed because she did. Through the glass pane on our front door, we have a “birds-eye view” of the fascinating circle of life. Over the past week, we have witnessed the behaviors of Momma and her brand new babies. And, of course, I have a few observations!
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First, let’s take a look at Momma-
She is a provider for her children. She feeds them, protects them, nurtures them and ultimately will enable them to fly for themselves. We have seen the delightful (not really) assortment of worms and bugs she provides. She sits on top of her fuzzy babies sheltering them from the storm and the elements.
Throughout Scripture, we see how the Lord has provided for His children. Woven through the Word from Genesis to Revelation, He has provided land, shelter, food, wool and flax for clothing, comfort, even a way of escape from temptation (1 Cor. 10:13). He provided the ram for the sacrifice saving Isaac, and He provided Jesus, the supreme sacrifice saving you and me: “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Hebrews 1:3
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God also provides the very strength we need: “If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 4:11
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Now, what about those babies:
There are 3 growing babies in the nest. They are all different. One squirms and scratches himself all the time. One often appears to be despondent – crying, hanging his head over the side of the nest with beak wide open. And one just seems to be mellow, waiting to be served. But all of them have some things in common, too. 
When Momma shows up at mealtime, they all clamor to be fed. Even when she isn’t there, they often extend their scrawny necks reaching as high as they can with gaping mouths. They are unable to fly, but have grown from downy little balls to fidgeting masses of tufts, feathers and beaks. Their strength is increasing, and one day they will fly away, soaring to heights previously unknown.
We also are all different, uniquely created. Whether we are active, or melancholy or peaceful, we all need the nurture that our heavenly Father provides. The babies remind me of when I was a young Christian, devouring the Bible, my spiritual food. As I feasted on the Word, I matured and grew in my faith. Witnessing the birds straining their heads upwards with beaks wide open, convicts me that I ought to still yearn for the Word, straining to be nourished by it.
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Right now, the babies remain huddled in their nest, waiting, growing and gaining the strength they will need for their future.
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Right now, you may be waiting, hoping for a change in your circumstances. Rest assured, the time of waiting is not time wasted. It is a time of preparation. It is a time to be renewed, a time to strengthen your hope in the Lord, a time to develop what is needed to soar.
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Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.
but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:28-31
Isaiah 40:28-31
Susan
Dive In!
While staying on retreat last March, our rooms had a beautiful view overlooking the bay. We could see lots of activity among the geese as they swam and frolicked in the water.
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My friend, Connie, shared with me something that she had noticed about the geese.
She saw many of the geese diving down into the water even though there was ample food along the shoreline. She said that it must be that the food in the water is the good stuff. And so rather than settle for the easy way, the geese made the effort to dive down deep to get the better morsels. Just like we should dive down deep for the good stuff in God’s Word. .
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Oswald Chambers said, “Good is the enemy of best.” If we settle for what’s good, we miss out on what’s best.
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When it comes time for reading the Bible, sometimes we skim the surface rather than dive in to find deeper meaning. But the good stuff is down deep!
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When we learn that it was in prison that Paul said, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances” it means more than if he was writing these words from the comfort of his home.
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When we learn the meaning of the words in their original language, they take on new meaning. For example, the parts of the armor of God in Ephesians 6 include the “sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.” All the other parts of the armor are defensive (helmet, shield, etc.) The sword (God’s Word) is our only offense. But the word for sword does not mean a large saber-type sword. No, it is a small sword, like a scalpel, to be used an instrument of healing removing that which is detrimental to our health, not as a machete to hurt someone.
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Down deep, we find the history of the times in which the words were recorded. And the geneologies that we so often skip over contain nuggets of insight, like the fact that there is a harlot (Rahab) in the line of David and Jesus.
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It’s worthwhile to dive down deep to be fed spiritually on the Word. The Bible refers to itself as our spiritual food. Babies eat milk, not meat, because they can’t digest it. But as they mature, they move on to meatier, more complex things. And so should we.
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Along that same line, we should not be discouraged if we don’t understand some of what we read in the Bible. We just haven’t grown to that point yet, but it’s something to look forward to. What we don’t want is to settle for less than best.
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The words from “Dive” by Steven Curtis Chapman say:
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I’m going deep
In over my head,
I want to be
Caught in the rush,
lost in the flow,
in over my head,
I want to go
The river’s deep,
the river’s wide,
the river’s water is alive
So sink or swim, I’m diving in
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There is a supernatural power
There is a supernatural power
In this might river’s flow
It can bring the dead to life
And it can fill an empty soul
And give a heart the only thing
Worth living and worth dying for, yeah
But we will never know the awesome power
Of the grace of God
Until we let ourselves get swept away
Into this holy flood
So if you’ll take my hand
We’ll close our eyes and count to three
And take the leap of faith
Come on let’s go
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So friends, let’s go! Won’t you dive in deep with me and discover the amazing truths found in His Word.
Susan
Happy Mother’s Day – to my kids!
Perennially, Mother’s Day was a difficult day for me. Having a mother and a stepmother takes juggling to new levels. But unlike the circus, no one is ever happy. So, to be honest, Mother’s Day was never a day I looked forward to.
Until I became a mom.
The best thing for me now about Mother’s Day is the reminder of the love the Father has for us, His children. Even as a Christian, I don’t think I understood what it meant to be a child of God until I had children of my own.
So, thanks kids, for teaching what it means to be a child of our Father.
As I new mom, I couldn’t believe how much love my heart could contain. When I was pregnant with my second child, I was worried that I would not be able to love that child as much as I loved my first. How could so much love be possible? But, if you have more than one child, you know, as I found out, that it is more than possible. Exceedingly more. When one candle lights another, it does not lose any of its light. Only more light is created. And so, my second-born only increased my capacity to love.
When my children were small, they were so dependent upon me. As they grew and matured, slowly they gained independence. When my children and I would go out anywhere, my daughter always stuck close by, but my son loved to wander, and so for his own safety, I used a harness for him so he was free to explore, yet he could stray no further than the end of the leash. Now both are free to travel, but they are always tethered by an invisible bond of love.
Whether my children behave or not, my love for them does not diminish, just as God’s love never changes regardless of my behavior (1 John 4:9-10).
I must discipline them when necessary to be a good parent, just as God disciplines us (Hebrews 12:7-11).
We have security as a child of God. He will not leave us as orphans (John 14:18).
As a child of God, I have learned that there is a difference between being childlike (which we should be – Matt. 18:3) and being childish (which we ought not to be – 1 Cor. 13:11). We must develop in our relationship with the Lord as a baby matures and grows. We progress from feeding on the “milk of the Word” to meatier things (1 Peter 2:2). It’s a process. But His love for us never changes during the process.
So, Abba – Daddy, keep me close.
And kids, thanks for making every day a Happy Mother’s Day for me!
For Such a Time as This
My friend, Dawn, shared with me about her experiences working an office where the boss is heavily into Scientology. This is not always easy as her values often contrast with his. He talks about the importance of being legal and ethical, yet his actions don’t always follow his words. It is a delicate situation where she must abide by certain rules, yet not compromise her own values and standards.
I am reminded of the book of Esther. Growing up in the Jewish faith, I always loved this story and the holiday of Purim that we celebrated each March with many festivities. All the children would dress up as a character from the story, come to temple, march in a parade and eat such delicacies as “hamentashen cookies.” Boys come as King Ahashuarus (or Xerxes as the Gentiles say), Mordecai or the evil Haman. Girls would be Queen Esther or Queen Vashti, if you wanted to be a rebel. One year, my mom made my sister and I the best costumes ever. We were the “Hamentashen Twins.” Dressed in black leggings and turtlenecks with giant posterboard triangles sandwiched over our shoulders, we were an awesome sight to behold. We even won 1st prize – which was one crummy coloring book that had dots of dried paint in it. If you put a paintbrush in water and touched it to the page, you could paint the picture. Well, we tried it, but without removing the page from the book. One drop of water spread and expanded the entire book and ruined it completely! So much for the grand prize! Oh, well, at least we had the glory!! Anyway, I digress – –
And, check out the shortest bangs ever! Thanks, Mom!
Esther had been chosen to be queen after the Queen Vashti was banished for disobeying the king’s wicked orders. The king’s advisor, Haman, hated the Jews and was plotting their destruction. Esther’s beloved relative, Mordecai, advised Esther that she must approach the king and plead for her people’s deliverance. When she told Mordecai that the king might kill her if she approached him uninvited, he responded “…And who knows but that you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” She heeded his advice, and with great wisdom and a little trickery, the nation of Israel is spared.
When we are faced with circumstances like my friend’s that are contrary to our beliefs, who knows if God has placed us there “for such a time as this?”
- Perhaps we are there to shine our light in a dark place.
- Maybe God will open opportunity for honest sharing.
- Or we might be there just to pray for the people involved.
- He might ask us to speak up (“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” Col. 4:6)
- Or He might want us to keep silent (“Even a fool, when [s]he keeps silent, is considered wise.” Prov. 17:28) and make it a matter of prayer.
- If He wants us to speak up, “do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” Mt. 10:19-20
- But we can be sure this one thing – that as we seek His will, He will guide us.
As the world around us gets darker each day, will you be ready “for such a time as this?”
Susan
Wisdom From Lauren, the Textmaster !
My daughter’s response to my post about texting is worth a post of her own.
How thankful am I to have a daughter with such great wisdom and insight! I could joke about how the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree or how I did such a great job imparting my wisdom, but the truth is I have made my fair share of mistakes along the way, and I know many moms who have excelled at parenting only to see their child make poor choices or face many trials along the way. So I know that it is by the grace of God alone that I can be proud of my daughter’s wisdom and accomplishments.
Here’s her comment to yesterday’s post:
When you text someone, its easy to read their text with expressions because you know exactly how they meant it. When people don’t text as much, I feel like the texts are more on a factual basis. The same thing can be related to God. The more we text, or read the Bible, the easier it is to see the expression, and know what His will is. If we don’t read as much, we can still say we are Christians, but its more of a factual basis instead of a relationship in which we delve into expressing ourselves with the love we have for our Lord and Savior.
In today’s fast-paced society, we often hear that spending “quality time” with our kids is more important than “quantity time.” But the truth is that there is no adequate substitute for spending ample amounts of time together when it comes to developing real relationships. Having 2 aunts that I equally adore, one here in NJ, the other in Arizona, taught me that it is easier to recognize the voice on the phone when speaking with my local aunt who I spent more time with. The more time we spend in communication the easier it is to recognize the unseen voice. The same with God. The more time spent in prayer and Bible reading, the easier it is to recognize His voice.
Let’s all commit to spending both “quality time” and “quantity time” with the Lord and with our loved ones!! Thanks, Lauren, for the insight!!
Susan
The Trouble with Texting
Last night, my husband sent a text message to my daughter, “What movie are you going to see?” She sent a reply, but my husband wasn’t quite sure of her response, so a little while later, he asked me to text her and ask her what movie she was seeing. When I sent her the same question, she replied i love u man. So I told him, “I Love You Man.” He looked at me quizzically and said “Huh? She said the same thing to me.” When I informed him that that was the name of the movie, we burst out laughing. He thought that instead of providing the name of the movie, she just told him she loved him, and he couldn’t understand why she had called him “man.”
And that’s the trouble with texting. And not just texting, but with all written forms of communication. One person expresses something in writing, and the reader can “hear” something entirely different. Once Stephanie from my office sent me a text asking if I needed her to come in for morning hours, I responded it’s okay. I was surprised when she didn’t show up. I meant “It’s okay, come in.” She thought I meant, “It’s okay. I can handle it alone.”
I’m always amazed when my daughter will read me some of the text message conversations she’s had. She’ll read them aloud with such expression, as if the person had actually spoken the words to her, and I’ll wonder how she knows what inflections the writer intended. The very same words can even mean different things depending upon how they are spoken.
I apply this same principle when I read the Bible. Sometimes it’s easy for our eyes to gloss over the words on the page, especially if they are familiar to us. So I will take a passage and read it aloud putting emphasis on each different word. It’s amazing how different the message can be with each new reading. Try it:
For GOD so loved the world, that He gave His only Son…
For God SO loved the world, that He gave His only Son…
For God so LOVED the world, that He gave His only Son…
For God so loved the WORLD, that He gave His only Son…
For God so loved the world, that HE gave His only Son…
For God so loved the world, that He GAVE His only Son…
For God so loved the world, that He gave His ONLY Son…
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only SON…
I left out the For, that and His, but you get the idea. You can see how the different emphasis conveys different shades of meaning. It’s a great way to liven up your Bible reading.
Here’s a few other verses to try.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jer. 29:11
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Phil. 4:13
“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer.” Ps. 18:2
I LOVE YOU MAN, oops GIRLS!!
Susan
Are you a Secret Service Agent?
My adult Sunday School class has been discussing spiritual gifting and serving the Lord. This week’s lesson was about serving in the mundane. When we are involved in serving the Lord, do we seek attention or admiration for ourselves? Jesus said that we are to let our light shine before men, so that may see your good deeds and praise who? Not you! … so that they may praise your Father in heaven! We were challenged to perform secret acts of service, so that we would experience the joy of serving the Lord for the sheer joy of serving, expecting no reward, acclaim, attention or even appreciation. “And whatsoever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men..” Col. 3:23
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As class was ending, Brad brought up a great illustration. In the CIA and other clandestine government organizations, many deeds that benefit our country are done completely in secret. Rewards for a job well done are presented secretly. No publicity. No one knows the risks taken, dangers faced, sacrifices made on our behalf. These men and women perform acts of service knowing that their actions are for the benefit of those who will never know about them, and thus will never be able to express their appreciation.
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Compare that to the Academy Awards on Sunday night. People spending thousands of dollars to dress up and parade in front of an admiring crowd. What did these celebrities do to earn such acclaim?
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Jesus said that if we receive a reward here on earth, that’s all we get. But if we serve without seeking any reward, our reward in heaven will be great and will be eternal. That’s the prize I desire! How about you? Won’t you join me as a Secret Service agent of the kingdom of heaven?
Susan