Tuesday, Jul 15, 2008

TWG - July 15, 2008

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TWG - July 15, 2008
To Listen to Today’s Reading http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com
Leviticus 2; Psalm 54; Acts 11

Today is July 15, this is time with God, I’m Pastor Dennis - I’ve been waiting here for you. Welcome to our life transforming community. This is your invitation to take one step forward every day in your relationship with Christ. We invite you to do something unbelievably radical. We invite you to deny yourself, take up your cross daily and follow Jesus

Some days are like that… and yesterday was one of them. It did not go as planned. It started that way, but it took a U-Turn about mid way through. In the morning I finished the fence in the back yard that I had begun while on vacation. Then I ran to church to our Christian Education meeting. Just as we were about to begin Susan called… she was crying. She had hurt herself while lifting one of the legs on the bed and she was in serious pain. She tore a chest muscle. I ran home. She was in such pain she couldn’t get up without crying out. We debated on calling an ambulance. Finally, I was able to get her up. Once up, she could walk without any trouble. The doctor put her on pain meds and gave her a chest wrap. Now it will just be a matter of time before she heals. She is doing better already! Pray for her. I put a picture of Susan and dog Tilly in the pool on the Blog at timewithgod.mypodcast.com. I threw the dog in for fun. Check it out.

This week’s theme verse is 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 “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. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”

When I was a kid my mom would sometimes send me to the grocery store. Our little community grocery store was only a block away. I would go through the list of things she wanted… milk, canned corn, celery… usually only four or five things… and then one day I had a bright idea! She probably wouldn’t notice if I bought myself some candy! I mean back then a candy bar was only 5 or 10 cents! I walked up to the checker and laid my items on the counter. She looked at me sternly and said, “Does Dorothy know you are buying this candy!” (caught!) “Uh – Of Course!” (lied!). “Next time she’s in here, I’m going to talk to her!” (ouch!) Small communities are such a pain! What made it worse is that checker had a plaque hung behind her counter which read, “Only one life will soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last!” I had to read that sign every time I went through her line! That sign has haunted me ever since! I’ve invested in a lot of wood, hay and stubble over the course of my life. I’ve made bad investments of time, effort, money and relationships. I can’t say that I have done everything in my “one” life for Christ. Most of it, I’ve done for little old me! Now I have to honestly say that stubble… crushed hay is the worst. And I’ve done some of that. Hay is a bit better… at least it’s useful for feeding the cows. I’ve done a lot of hay, and I don’t own a single cow! But (for joy!) I think most of my stuff falls into the category of “wood!” At least wood is good for something, like building an edifice in my memory. I have had several “wood” houses. They have been getting nicer and nicer. However, I got a reminder last Saturday that even a “nice” building is just an organized fire hazard: the High School in Glide burned down! And it had a noble purpose; the education of our children. Let me make the point as loud and clear as I can. Even if you do noble things in this life, unless it is done with the right motive for the right person – Jesus – because you are following God’s will… IT’S JUST WOOD, HAY AND STUBBLE! It’s just fodder for the fire on judgment day when all our works will be tested. It is not good enough to do noble things like raising a family, making a living, donating to charity, helping the neighbors etc… In fact you can even give up your life as a martyr and still have it mean nothing on judgment day (see 1 Corinthians 13)! The only thing that counts in the game of life is the stuff built on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ. Only what’s done for Christ will last!


Dear Holy Spirit… You know my heart. You live inside me. Please be my conscience and my guide. I have made so many bad decisions. I have built so many straw men and sand castles that are meaningless. I want this to change. Savior, like a shepherd lead me! I need your daily prompting and your infallible wisdom. I have come to do your will!

If you shoot me an email, I’ll send you a paper called “The Five Messages.” A five part way of expressing yourself more clearly and completely.

"The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace."

Posted by Dennis Kreiss at 10:32 AM |  MAKE A COMMENT  

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