Issue 1499 – Happy Birthday Mom – July 15, 2024
We took a quick trip back to Edmonton on Thursday afternoon. Friday, we visited some dear friends in Camrose. They are getting on in years and are very frail, but they have played a considerable part in our lives for more than a decade. It was a blessing to see them. Thanks, Sheila, for making it possible to visit Joe and Josephine.
On Saturday, we attended a surprise 85th birthday party for my mom. Her actual birthday is today, so Happy Birthday, Mom! It was great to see her and catch up with my siblings, some of their family, and some friends (old and new). Mom was surprised; it was the only time I had ever seen her speechless. Thanks, Jean and Carrie, for organizing everything.
Yesterday we worshipped at the church my eldest sister attends, a small but very friendly congregation in a lovely facility. To my surprise, I was greeted at the door by someone who had attended “the cowboy church” when I pastored there and several other people with connections to the cowboy church.
Kathy and I had just been talking about the fact that whenever we travel, I meet someone I have a connection with or know personally. Other than planned gatherings, it had yet to happen on this trip.
The world is a vast place in many ways, but it’s also incredibly small. The city of Los Vegas advertised that “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” It simply isn’t true. Nothing stays hidden forever.
Somebody, somewhere, is watching how we live our lives. Our witness matters, even when we are miles from home and think we can do whatever we want. That doesn’t even begin to consider that God sees and knows all. We can hide nothing from Him.
Sometimes, believers act like Christians on Sunday and live like pagans the rest of the week. Or we live like Christians until we get to someplace where no one knows us. My friends, that should not be.
Of course, none of us live the Christian life perfectly. Fortunately, God is gracious, merciful, and patient with us. We are works in progress that He promises to finish. Still, that doesn’t give us a license to live double lives.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. 1 John 2:15-17
If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 1 John 1:6
Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.1 John 2:4-6
May our light shine, to the best of our ability, walking in step with the Spirit, no matter where we are and whether we think anyone is watching or not.
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.
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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the English Standard Version (ESV)