Laundry

This week my wife and I took our dirty clothes to the laundromat. As I was watching the clothes swirl around in the glass door of the front loading machine, the seed of a musing was planted in my brain. I imagined what it would be like to be an article of clothing in that machine. As I thought backwards on the life of one of those shirts sloshing back and forth in the washer. I can see the beginning of its life as the seamstress or tailor cuts the clothe and stitches it into a shape pleasing to them. Next it it’s packaged and purchased. It begins its life. It has a purpose to clothe the naked. However, as time goes on it becomes soiled. So, to the laundromat it goes. It is mixed with other pieces of laundry, some are shirts similar to itself however, some are socks, shorts, slacks, and dresses. At first they lay quietly while comforting warm water bathes them. But soon a motion begins. At first it is a gentle rocking. But then things begin to change. The motion becomes more turbulent and sometimes painful. Then things begin to spin faster and faster. It then slows to a stop. The shirt breathes a sigh of relief. But then the spinning begins again and again. At last the shirt, all tangled in a wad with the rest of clothes is placed in the dryer. Once more it begins to spin, but slower this time. Warm air begins to dry the clothes and they separate from the soggy ball into their individual forms. At last the shirt it’s removed from the dryer and is once more ready to clothes the naked. I see so many parallels between the shirt and our walk with God. He creates us to His design and sets us to work on His plan (psalm 139:24). Along the way, bits and pieces of this broken world begin to cling to us (Romans 3:23). Words, thoughts, and deeds not of God but of the world inhibit us from fulfilling His plan for us. He has created a community of believers each with their own gifts and duties (1 Corinthians chapter 12). Through His baptism he brings us together. It is necessary to occasionally shake things up in our lives to get its back on track, and sometimes the shaking is painful (Hebrews 9:15). Then in the warmth of God’s love we are once more ready to be about our Father’s business. (Psalm 51:12) Prayer Father, your lessons are everywhere if we will but seek them. Give us a seekers heart. Amen. Also visit my other blogs

Tom and Ella’s Daily Journal of Our Lives

http://TomAndEllaJournal.com

My NEW sermons blog Armchair Sermons. Sermons posted Sundays 10 AM central time.

Preparing For Battle

My daily personal Bible studies are like snacks that feed me, however the pastor’s sermon and the hymn singing is a full meal. Sunday school is where we exchange ideas and gain new perspectives and helps to sharpen our swords for the daily battles.

“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Cor. 10:3-5) Prayer Forgive us, Lord, for allowing the things of this world to distract us from our true duty. Thank you for the sanctuary of your church where. by Your power, our spiritual wounds may be healed, our armor repaired, and or sword sharpened. Amen. Also visit my other blogs

Tom and Ella’s Daily Journal of Our Lives

http://TomAndEllaJournal.WordPress.com

My NEW sermons blog Armchair Sermons. Sermons posted Sundays 10 AM central time.

THINGS NOBODY TOLD ME ABOUT GROWING OLD

2 Corinthians 4:16-17 “That is why we never give up. Our physical body is becoming older and weaker, but our spirit inside us is made new every day. We have small troubles for a while now, but these troubles are helping us gain an eternal glory. That eternal glory is much greater than our troubles.” .

Nobody said it would be this difficult and sometimes painful to just to get dressed in the morning.

Nobody explained that one third of my income would be spent on doctors, medications, and supplements. And that was after the insurance had paid.

I don’t recall anyone explaining about the mysterious “traveling” pain that would move from body part to body part.

There are bits and pieces of me missing more everyday, hair, teeth, eyesight, hearing, and memory.

Speaking of memory, there’s the panic when I forget something … did I just forget or is it dementia?

Prayer

In the midst of all that troubles us in this live, we believe as did Paul when he wrote, “That eternal glory is much greater than our troubles. Thank you for your promise of life unending. Amen. Also visit my other blogs

Tom and Ella’s Daily Journal of Our Lives

http://TomAndEllaJournal.WordPress.com

My NEW sermons blog Armchair Sermons. Sermons posted Sundays 10 AM central time.

NO UNEMPLOYED

Matthew 11:25-30

At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for hiding these things from wise and intelligent people and revealing them to little children. Yes, Father, this is what pleased you. “My Father has turned everything over to me. Only the Father knows the Son. And no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son is willing to reveal him. “Come to me, all who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Place my yoke over your shoulders, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble. Then you will find rest for yourselves because my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

I read this scripture, before I accepted the forgiveness of God’s gift of love and restoration, and it frightened me. I didn’t understand the truth of “Place my yoke over your shoulders.” I imagined a heavy wooden yoke placed upon my shoulders and then being forced to pull a plow or a wagon with a huge load in it. Now, having accepted the gift of salvation, I realize that I previously had my own yoke on my shoulders and was pulling that load alone. With Jesus’ yoke, we are sharing the load and he is doing nearly all of the work.

Make no mistake, in the kingdom of God there are no unemployed. Every Christian had a duty to perform. However, Christ is with us doing all of the heavy lifting

Prayer Thank you Lord for lifting that load. I ask now for the strength to lighten the load of my brothers and sisters in Christ. Amen IF YOU LIKE MY BLOG, PLEASE HIT THE LIKE BUTTON AND MAYBE LEAVE A COMMENT.

Also visit my other blogs
Tom and Ella’s Daily Journal of Our Lives

http://TomAndEllaJournal.WordPress.com

My NEW sermons blog Armchair Sermons. Sermons posted Sundays 10 AM central time.

Armchairsermons.com

The Great Reward

The teachings of the LORD are perfect. They renew the soul. The testimony of the LORD is dependable. It makes gullible people wise. The instructions of the LORD are correct. They make the heart rejoice. The command of the LORD is radiant. It makes the eyes shine. The fear of the LORD is pure. It endures forever. The decisions of the LORD are true. They are completely fair. They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even the drippings from a honeycomb. As your servant I am warned by them. There is a great reward in following them. (Psalms 19:7-11)

Some assembly required. Those three little words seem so innocent on the package. But when you’ve opened the box and the myriad of pieces fall you the floor your heart sinks. How will this scattered pile of parts ever resemble the desired product? Read through the instructions and follow them step by step and like magic it begins to appear!

Do You want your soul renewed? Do you wish to be wise? Does your heart rejoice and your eyes shine?
Read the teachings of the Lord adds follow them.

Lord forgive us for our impatience. We like children want all of your promises fulfilled in or lives. However, we often fail to follow Your instructions on how to achieve them. Grant us wisdom and patience as we read and follow the directions.
Amen.

Also visit my other blogs.

Tom and Ella’s Daily Journal of Our Lives

http://TomAndEllaJournal.WordPress.com

My NEW sermons blog Armchair Sermons. Sermons posted Sundays 10 AM central time.

Tom and Ella’s Daily Journal of Our Lives

http://TomAndEllaJournal.WordPress.com

My NEW sermons blog Armchair Sermons. Sermons posted Sundays 10 AM central time.

“I Won’t Grow Up”

I remember Peter Pan singing, “I won’t grow up, I don’t want to go to school. Just to learn to be a parrot, And recite a silly rule. If growing up means It would be beneath my dignity to climb a tree, I’ll never grow up, never grow up, never grow up. Not me!!

I won’t grow up, I don’t want to wear a tie. And a serious expression In the middle of July. And if it means I must prepare To shoulder burdens with a worried air, I’ll never grow up, never grow up, never grow up Not me.”

Matthew 18:1-4 1. In that hour, the disciples drew near to Jesus, saying, “Whom do you consider to be greater in the kingdom of heaven?” 2. And Jesus, calling to himself a little child, placed him in their midst. 3. And he said: “Amen I say to you, unless you change and become like little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4. Therefore, whoever will have humbled himself like this little child, such a one is greater in the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus did not say, “Don’t grow up. Don’t mature.” He said that we are to become humble like children. A child is humble because he recognizes how powerless he is. We are to recognize our true powerlessness and who is the true source of power.

The author of the Letter to the Hebrews has this to say about immature Christians, “Our message about him is great, and difficult to explain when speaking, because you have been made feeble when listening. 12. For even though it is the time when you ought to be teachers, you are still lacking, so that you must be taught the things that are the basic elements of the Word of God, and so you have been made like those who are in need of milk, and not of solid food. 13. For anyone who is still feeding on milk is still unskillful in the Word of Justice; for he is like an infant. 14. But solid food is for those who are mature, for those who, by practice, have sharpened their mind, so as to discern good from evil.” (Hebrews 5:11-14 11)

My question for you is, have you sharpened your mind? Have you taken time to study the word of God? Have you applied the truths you have learned? Are you about your Father’s business? Have you grown up?

Prayer
Father, forgive us our immaturity. Grant us wisdom. Grant us strength of conviction to do the tasks that you have for us. Amen.

Also visit my other blogs.

Tom and Ella’s Daily Journal of Our Lives

http://TomAndEllaJournal.WordPress.com

My NEW sermons blog Armchair Sermons. Sermons posted Sundays 10 AM central time.

Tom and Ella’s Daily Journal of Our Lives

http://TomAndEllaJournal.WordPress.com

My NEW sermons blog Armchair Sermons. Sermons posted Sundays 10 AM central time.