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{SFTH} *Get Your House in Order* 4/11/01
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Get Your House In Order
By Debra Penny
One afternoon while sitting in my office, the administrator of the law firm came racing through, clapping her hands together, asking everyone to get their work areas in order immediately since "someone important" was coming to visit in less than an hour. As she scurried through the office at a frantic pace to deliver her urgent request to everyone, I hesitated for a moment, watching some of the other ladies begin shuffling papers and putting files away. "Who could this important guest be, and why such the big fuss," I thought to myself. Moments later I heard several people speaking of who the important guest was - the Governor. Following the administrator's request, I organized my office, making it as tidy as possible. Once my office was in order, I gathered together some papers to go meet with a client. Walking through the reception area, I noticed the receptionist placing fresh flowers in a vase to add that special touch to the office decor. I had to chuckle to myself, thinking that everyone was treating our special guest as though it were God himself coming to visit. Then the thought occurred to me - how many people there are in this world who go from day to day without focusing on the thought that one day God truly is coming to visit when Jesus makes His return to gather His children home. "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." Matthew 24:30-31
The world has become such a hectic place, with men and women trying to juggle their work and home lives. Weekdays consist of endless schedules, deadlines to be met, lunch meetings, dinner meetings, PTA meetings, conferences, doctor appointments, dental appointments, car maintenance appointments - the list could go on and on. Weekends consist of housework, yard work, grocery shopping, the children's football games, baseball games, basketball games, and soccer games, and the endless list of errands that need to be taken care of. With such a fast pace of life, many fail to "fit" God into their busy schedule. Worshipping and serving God should be a top priority. Truly, the Lord is coming again, and we need to be focusing on that promise and preparing for His return.
The day the Governor came to my office, we had less than an hour's notice to try to get everything in order. No one knows when the Lord is going to return though, and we won't have that chance to make a last minute effort to prepare for His return.
"But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father." Mark 13:32
Instead of placing so much value on things of this life, we should look toward the future and God's promises that the Second Coming is soon to come. Perhaps we all need to take an inventory of our spiritual preparedness - the time we spend worshipping God by going to His house for worship and fellowship, going to Him in prayer so we may develop a personal relationship with Him, and living according to His will. When He returns, we all shall be judged, and we need to be ready.
"For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God." Romans 14:10-11 Are you ready for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ? Do you have your house in order?
Get Your House in Order
Company is coming.
We must clean up the mess -
Tidy up the rooms
And put on a new dress.
I'm sure you will agree
That you've done that before
When company was coming
To take that grand tour.
In the tour of your house,
Everything must be clean.
Things must be in order
Or else what would they think?
The next time you are rushing about,
Think of the Lord up above,
For one day He is coming too.
Will you be ready when He comes?
So many people never think of God.
They just go from day to day.
They say, "I have plenty of time.
I think that I'll just wait.
"No one knows the day or hour
That our Lord Jesus shall appear.
So, friend, get your house in order
Lest you be left behind here.
"Behold, I come quickly." Rev. 22:7, 22:12
Debra Penny
DLPenny61@cs.com
Email Debbie and let her know what you thought of this story!
Copyright © 2000 by Debra Penny, All rights reserved
Debra ("Debbie") Penny is a single mother of two boys, ages 17 and 18. She resides in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where she works as a Legal Secretary. Debbie has a passion for writing, especially poetry, and has written countless poems on subjects such as love, salvation, and God's grace. Following the death of her grandparents, she was also inspired to write many poems to comfort others following the loss of a loved one. Her writing reflects her tears and laughter, her trials and triumphs, and her happiness and sadness. She is a born again Christian, and her love for the Lord is demonstrated through her writing. Her desire is to glorify God in her writing and for God to use her to bless others with something she has written. Check out other writings by Debbie:
http://www.themestream.com/gspd_browse/browse/view_by_tag.gsp?auth_id=94263
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Thought For The Day:
"Success is knowing the difference between cornering people and getting them
in your corner." -- Bill Copland
Verse for the Day:
"Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" -- Amos 3:3
Kid's Thought For The Day:
"You can try on your fathers shoes, but you can't walk very well in them."
Parent's Thought For The Day:
"What is a home without a Bible? 'Tis a home where daily bread for the body is
provided, but the soul is never fed." --Charles Meigs
Coach's Thought For The Day:
"A good coach will make his players see what they can be rather than what
they are."
Deep Thought For The Day:
"When you hear from an old friend you can bet they have a network marketing
opportunity just for you."
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REQUESTS:
Dear Michael,
I hope that this finds you and yours very well. And I hope that Kristi had a wonderful birthday. I've e-mailed you before about my request for prayers for my husband having a biopsy done on his prostate. You put in my request and I thank you for that as well as for your prayers and caring words of encouragement. I also received similar words of kindness and encouragement from others and I am so thankful for these demonstrations of generosity and Divine Love, from all those who have given their time and spirit to pray. It helps and means so much.
He had the biopsy yesterday and the doctor said he didn't see anything particular, now we are waiting for the lab results, which we will have on Tuesday, April 18. So I am asking again for the faith, kindness and generosity of all those who would, to pray and give thanks for his complete health and well-being. I know that in numbers there is strength and so I ask as many of you who can to please pray for him. I thank you from the bottom of my heart and may God bless you one and all. Praise be to God.
Kim
Kimluret@aol.com
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Dear Michael
Please pray for my son Jonathan who is seven years old and is attending
Primary One. Due to his early childhood - neonatal jaundice, he had delayed
in speech. He can now communicate well with both adults and peers.
However, he is having attention deficit and mild hyperactivity.
Academically, he still requires individual attention from a teacher which is
not able to give him in school due to the big number of student in a class.
As such, he refuses to do his school works. I have tried talking to him and
suggest giving him incentives, but that do not attract him and he is not
bothered by punishments either. He seems to have no desire in learning.
Whenever question why he is not doing his school works, his one and only
answer is "I want to do".
I would love to have advises and ideas from readers who may be of help and
do pray that our Almighty God heals and touches Jonathan. Thank you.
Matai
matai40@hotmail.com
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_
/_/\/\ MICHAEL T. POWERS
\_\ / THUNDER27@aol.com
/_/ \ "For I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but
\_\/\ \ Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live for the Son
\_\/ of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20
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