Vacation season is upon us! Soon we will hit the highways, byways, and airways, heading to our far away destinations. With great expectations we’ll travel to our favorite spots for fun, adventure, rest and relaxation. Finally, after a long winter, we can forget about work and life’s dreary obligations for a week or two. In our Americanized state of mind, we have come to believe that we deserve a break from the norm and long to get away from it all. Not only do we take one or two weeks for vacation but must include several weekend getaways as well. It is true that there are time when we need a break. Jesus and his disciples took time to rest from the work of ministry (Mark 6:31) and we too need to take time to relax and refresh ourselves.

Sadly, as many Christians head out to the make memories in distant places, they take a vacation from the Lord as well. Sundays are spent doing vacation stuff instead of meeting with the saints and worshipping our Might God. There is no singing, no praying, no sharing of the scriptures, no remembrance of Christ with the Lord’s Supper. When we do this, we make a conscious and willing decision to neglect corporate worship which is sinful according to Hebrews 10:23-31. Jesus calls us to be His disciples every day (Luke 9:23) which certainly includes Sundays during our vaction.

While online booking our hotels and making reservations, finding a place to worship should be included as part of our vacation planning. The experience of meeting and worshiping with a congregation in other places can be very rewarding. If we return to the same location yearly, we can develop relationships with Christians there and enjoy Christian fellowship while at our favorite vacation spot. Let’s not take a vacation from Jesus!

-Jay Launius 

King Solomon was given more wisdom than anyone who has ever lived, with the exception of Jesus, yet even with his wealth of knowledge he still lived a life of disobedience in many ways. Because of his disobedience, he was led to do unthinkable things, like worshipping false gods. This alarms me, because I am not as wise as Solomon- not by a long shot. How can I be sure that I don’t fall into the same deplorable acts? Ironically, Solomon can help.  

Ecclesiastes 12:13 says,  

The end of the matter, all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of man. 

This is a very simple command, but the simplicity of a commandment does not mean that the obedience will also be simple. The most important truths of the Bible are easy to understand, but we have been struggling to obey from the very beginning. Wisdom and obedience alike begin with the fear of God. Proverbs 1:7 says, 

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;  

A wonderful thing is that when we fear the Lord, and begin to live a life of obedience, our obedience that began in fear becomes an obedience that is born of love and overwhelming gratitude. How does the love and gratitude occur? It begins to develop when, by faith, we obey and observe that God’s ways are truly better than our own and that every teaching is for our greatest good and never for our harm. Having wisdom alone is not enough to live a Godly life, but wisdom combined with obedience produces a harvest of righteousness.         

May God bless us all! 

Mike Pawlik 

One day in the future “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 5:10

Unbelievers are not the only people who will one day give an account of their lives before the judgment seat of Christ. Believers will as well, and that ought to make us tremble. This thought caused even the apostle Paul, our brother, to tremble when he thought about that coming day (2 Corinthians 5:9-11).

Becoming a child of God does not free us from accountability, instead, that new relationship with Him intensifies the matter of accountability.  God, whom we now call “Father,” is also our creator and our judge. We respond to our heavenly Father’s infinite love with heartfelt love for Him, but we must never lose our reverence for the Almighty.

Almighty God will never force His will on us, but He will always make us give an account for how we responded to Him and to His activity in our lives. In this life we have the freedom to choose our course of action -- but we are not free to choose the consequences of our actions. We either receive God’s gracious offer of salvation by faith, or we do not -- and the eternal consequences of our choice is already set.

In closing, the choice is ours; but the consequences are determined by God almighty. One thing is clear:  we all will appear before the judgement seat of Christ. Our hope is to hear those wonderful words “well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21).

“Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands! Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise.” Psalms 100:1-4

Psalm 100 is all about coming into God’s presence in a way that honors Him and puts our hearts in the right place. While each line fairly bursts with joy and can be meditated on individually, the psalm as a whole is a call to worship. As we begin to gather, the psalm provides inspiration and direction. Coming before His presence with singing is more than an outward action; it’s a heart that’s already blessing the Lord. To enter His gates with thanksgiving begins before we enter worship.  A thankful heart is a sign of connection with our Lord; it is a heart poised to receive from God.

In the Old Testament language, coming into His courts means we are getting closer to the temple’s inner room where God’s presence dwelt. But in the New Testament experience, we already have access to God because Jesus’ death removed the veil separating us from His presence. (Matt. 27:51) Now, we press in closer to God, giving Him the praise He deserves for who He is and what He has done.

There is no “formula” for entering God’s presence. Some of you may say in private, “I don’t know how to talk to God,” but our God is not impressed by fancy words and sees the intent of the heart.  The HEART! Psalm 100 inspires us to prepare our hearts and mind as we prepare our bodies and clothes. It reminds us that we are not just ‘going to church’ or praying; we are coming into the presence of a living, giving God to whom we owe the deepest gratitude and worship. Let us hear this call to worship as clearly as they did thousands of years ago and press into Him with thanksgiving, praise, blessing, and prayer.

God has listened and heard our voices in prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected our prayers or withheld His love from us! In our present time, many are seeking ways to approach God and can’t find the words. In prayer your words may be those of the Bible, church tradition, an inspirational writer, or spoken from the depths of your heart. Whatever words you use be meek, pray humbly, pray trustingly … pray daily ... pray thankfully.

“Before they call I will answer, while they are still speaking I will hear, says the Lord.” Isa.65:24-25

Paul speaks in 1 Timothy 4:12 to be “an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” When choosing a spiritual leader, it is definitely a tall order to fill - from a human perspective. When God appoints a spiritual leader, character, not age, is the determining factor.  Let’s reread 1 Timothy 4:12 completely: “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”

When God calls a spiritual leader from His people, that person will be effective only to the degree that he is in a solid, life-changing, life-giving relationship with the Father. Serving God calls for Godly people, but even for the saintliest among us, service is not a right.  Rather, service in God’s kingdom is a privilege given to those who walk with God and who reflect His character.

If you are blessed to be in a position of leadership, ask God regularly to help you serve Him with a humble awareness of the privilege He has granted you. Ask the Father to make your life a Godly example that others can emulate for their good. If you are led by Godly leaders, pray regularly for them, thank God for them, and express your

appreciation to the leaders themselves. Humble servants who faithfully handle the Word of God are a rare and precious gift to the church and ought to be treated as such.