Carwash

 

Wednesday morning, I went by the carwash to clean up my car.  I park under a carport, but blowing dust and rain … and the birds eventually get to my car.  I finished the carwash part and began vacuuming.  Then I noticed how dirty my side of the car was.  I had gravel, wood shavings, and pine needles all over my floormat while my wife’s side was almost clean.  But then I realized two facts: whenever the car runs, someone is always in the driver’s seat (someone may or may not be in the passenger seat).  And, my dear wife is in a wheelchair: her feet never track dirt into her side of the car.  As I worked to clean my side of the car, I was reminded of the verse in Proverbs about a manure-filled barn:  Proverbs 14:4, “Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.”  No one likes a mucky barn, but any good farmer understands that manure-producing oxen are needed to pull a plow and to pull a heavy load.  A clean barn, or work accomplished; you can’t have it both ways.  So, I am glad to clean out my wife’s side of the car, but I also understand the dirt on my side of the car.  And when I am finished, both sides look good.  For now.

Costco

 

I go to Costco to save money, but I usually end up paying more at Costco because I am forced to buy super-sized products.  When Kathy and I shop at Costco, I push her wheelchair, and she pushes the extra-large Costco shopping cart.  When we enter the door, I have to show my Costco membership card.  Then I look down at my wife and say, “She’s with me.”  I’m a member, and I can get into Costco.  Hey, when I arrive at the pearly gates of heaven, I will not be able to enter because of all of my sins (you too).  But Jesus Christ has my back!  Jesus will say, “He’s with me.”  And with that, I am whisked right into heaven.  You see, I have asked Jesus Christ into my heart, and He has exchanged my wicked sins for His perfect righteousness.  And because of that transaction, I have access to all that Jesus has.  All the riches of the Father belong to me, because of the grace and goodness of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  Titus 3:5, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us ...” So, what about you?  Are you a “member”?  Do you have access to heaven?  Like the cliché: know Jesus, know peace; no Jesus, no peace.

American Passport

 

I traveled to Romania the first time in 1990.  I had to get a passport, which I did.  When I received my American passport, I was cautioned to guard it carefully.  I was told that it was worth several thousands of dollars on the black market.  Evil people would steal and pay big money for something that I was born with: American citizenship.  It cost me nothing to be born in America.  I didn’t choose where I was born.  I could have been born in Romania, or Cameroon, or Venezuela, but I was born in America.  Hey, April 17, 1956, I was born into God’s forever family!  I asked Jesus Christ to be my Lord and Savior, and He took me into His family.  And my heavenly Father gave to me all the rights and privileges that He gives to His dear Son, Jesus!  Galatians 4:6, “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”  I can come to the Creator of the Universe and call him, “Father”!  What tremendous rights and privileges are mine!  Much more than being a citizen of America!  Hey, have you been born into God’s forever family?  Have you been born again?  Read John chapter 3 where Jesus explains it all to Nicodemus.  Trust Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and you’ll never be sorry that you did.