May 2017

From Steve’s Desk

Off we go...as many of you know, Lisa and I will be traveling to Haiti on May 15th for a 10 day stay.  We will be visiting several different cities and missionaries across the country.  We will be spending several days with Zach and Christie Clayton, our church sponsored missionaries in Haiti.   We are excited to go and see our Haitian friends.  We ask for your prayers for safety in travels and for God to use us for His purposes.

He is still alive!  What a wonderful celebration and remembrance we had at Easter in all of our activities and services.  Thank you so much to all of those who gave of their time and talents to serve God to lead us in this celebration.  And thank you for participating in each and every way.   Remembering each year is so important to proclaiming the message that Jesus is alive!  

Had to share…I want to share a joke with you that was shared with me by my mother-in-law.  “A taxi driver and a minister pass away and arrive at the Pearly Gates at the same time and were welcomed by St. Peter, who was making the housing assignments.  St. Peter takes the taxi driver and shows him a big and beautiful mansion and gives him the keys.  The minister’s anticipation builds and he contemplates what His mansion will be like since he was a servant of God.  Well, he follows St. Peter to the next address which was just a small shanty in comparison to the mansion of the taxi driver.  Dismayed, the minister asks, “Why do I get this small shanty and the taxi driver go the huge mansion?”  “Well,” St. Peter responded, “During your sermons most people slept, but while the taxi driver drove, more people prayed!”  

I hope that we do think about Heaven and anticipate going there, but do we often think about what our mansion will be like?  I do!  As we have discussed before, Heaven and the new Earth will be more than just clouds in the sky.  In the book entitled “Heaven” by Randy Alcorn, the description of Heaven isn’t just streets of Gold and building built upon bejeweled foundations.  Mr. Alcorn purport that Heaven will be like the perfect earth that was created for Adam and Eve before sin.  Sometimes we see the beauty of this earth and fail to remember that what we see of this world is decaying and marked for distruction.  The earth, as God created, was far different that what we see today.  The best of here today will be the least of what will be there.  It is hard to fathom, but it shouldn’t be hard to anticipate and long for.

What will our lodgings be in Heaven?  I don’t know and I really don’t care – I want to be outside in the most beautiful place that I can’t even imagine.  There we won’t be overcome by jealousy and pride, there is not sin there.   So, while we wait the Lord’s return.  Let us look forward and long for the place of our eternal reward.  Dream of it.  Imagine it.  Long for it.  Be careful while we wait here so that we are not overcome with jealousy and pride in what we may have and what others deserve.  There is truth in the scripture “The first shall be last and the last shall be first.” Let’s be thankful that we will have the hope of an amazing place.  I can’t wait!.