Lord Or Savior? 02/06/2012
 
          I have heard the statement, "Jesus is your savior but He may not be your Lord."  I believe I understand the reasoning behind this thought but it is definately not a biblical thought.  It's a crock thought.

          If you choose to follow Jesus as your savior you also agree to make Him your Lord and King.  Obedience is necessary when you are a servant of the King.  

          If Jesus is your Savior, remember He is also your Lord.

The Lord's humbled . . . John A. Reeves
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Last night our family started to read the gospel of Mark.  Each of us took turns reading from Scripture.  Afterword, we talked a little, had a prayer, and hugged each other on the way to bed.

There are benefits to studying the word with your family.  (My oldest two children are 9 and 10 years old.)

Improve reading skills.
Improve study skills.
Improve family structure.
Improve dedication to God's word.
Improve relationship with God through an obedient faith in Jesus Christ.

We love our children.  Yet, we know that if God isn't first in their life, because of our lack of teaching, we have done a disservice to God as parents.

Remain humble before the Lord.

The Lord's humbled
John A. Reeves

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Children 10/27/2011
 
Without a doubt, God gave children as blessings. 

Are they blessings to provide us entertainment?  Are they blessings to bring us pride?  Are they blessings only for their obedience?  Are they blessings for their future ability to provide us monetary gifts?

Hmmm? 

Maybe their blessings because they offer us (as parents) opportunities to glimpse how God might look at us (people).  We need His love.  We need His discipline.  We need His patience.  We need His grace.  We need His teachings.  We need His provisions.  We need His law.  We need . . . . 

What honest parent, who looks within themselves, doesn't see God's desire for the lost in their baby's eyes.  Who doesn't sense a deep awareness of the need to nurture "a little one" toward Christ.

A parent recieves wonderful blessings to know that they can glimpse what it means to love one who has a will to choose.  They receive blessings when they live for Christ.  They receive blessings when they realize that they can't do it (parent) without the assistance of God.

What a blessing a child is when they, by their nature, teach us to rely on God.

The Lord's humbled . . . John A. Reeves
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I read an article on "Fox News" website about a Christian "pastor" who refused to recant his belief in Christ.  According to the laws of his land, he must be put to death.  Evidently, they (the Iranian court system) said that since his ancestors were Muslim then he must take on the Muslim faith or die.  Evidently, the death penalty will be carried out today.

Pray for him and his family to have the courage to continue to stand for the name of Christ
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Zig Ziglar, in his work, 5 Keys to  Igniting Motivation and Success, talks briefly about why so few Jewish men are in prison.

He states that Jewish fathers do three things with their boys.  Everyday they tell them that they love them by:

            1.  telling them "bless you"
            2.  telling them "I love you"
            3.  give their boys a big hug (sometimes a big kiss)

The work of Jewish fathers is extremely dramatic.  Zig talks about a prison minister in Florida named Billy Glass.  Billy mentioned of the 40,000 men in prison only 13 were Jewish.  Not 13000 or 1300 but a real 13.

One of the things that Billy found out among prisoners is that they hate their fathers. 

The fact is, dad's you have a stong impact on the future of your children.  Please take your role seriously and be humble before God.

The Lord's humbled . . . John A. Reeves
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Soon, I will have a new child given to me and my wife by God. 

What do I pray for this child? 

Well, I pray the same as I pray for my other children. 

"God, help my children to grow physically healthy, mentally healthy, socially healthy, and, most importantly, spiritually healthy.  God, help them to look to You for all guidance and truth.  Help them to give You all the credit for all the blessings they recieve and all the talents that they are given by You."

May God help us all to be humble before Him

The Lord's humbled . . .
John A. Reeves
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Five Years 02/19/2011
 
It is about 5 years now since my first wife passed away with cancer.  I have noticed that my irratibility factor has fluctuated much during the last few weeks.  It is interesting how cyclical pain can be on a yearly basis.

Now, I have the opportunity to assist another person who has just lost their spouse to illness.

One might think that five years are enough healing to "get over" the loss of a loved one; like, a spouse.  Not for me.  I am touched everyday by thoughts of happiness and sadness.  I pray God uses me to assist in the stuggle for others who are and will be confronted by such challenges.

The Lord's humbled . . . John A. Reeves
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Hello everyone

I wanted to share an e-mail my boss sent out to our work staff.  In it he, basically, shares how important it is to have Christ shared to others.  God has been a wonderful blessing to me and my family.  I am happy to glorify God through the kind words of another.  Thanks Nathan.

Yesterday at Greenlawn church there was an unusual event. The sermon was on testimony and witnessing.  After a brief introduction many Greenlawn elders came forward with prepared cardboard signs.  Each sign held by each elder [. . .] had their sins or struggles written on one side.  They presented this to the audience in silence one at a time from the center podium.  Then they flipped the sign over and written there was the change God had done in their lives.  For me, it was a powerful example.

The preacher then asked everyone in the pews to pull out a comment card and do what the elders had done.  We were to write struggles and what God had done on opposite sides of the card.  We were supposed to do it right then and the service paused for five minutes.

Some of the girls in cottage [. . .] and John and Crystal Reeves sat behind my family and I during the service.  I had kept on eye on the teen girls, as always, and noticed that, as always, they were drawing pictures and reading books and writing notes.  One was studying her softball playbook. They do this respectfully, but generally unaware of the sermon.  They are teenagers.

However . . . apparently the elders action got their attention.  I was able to read one of the girls notes afterward, offered freely.  On the "Struggles" side of the note it said 'don't live with parents'.  On the "What God has done" side it said 'God gave me two godly foster parents who love me'.
 
In case anyone forgot, what we do here matters greatly.  We do it in the shadows it seems, and get very few pats on the back or big awards or recognition.  Jesus tells us "Then your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you."  I have a hunch that the secret rewards will be worth the wait.
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Family 12/29/2010
 
The older I get the more I believe that it is not about the "things" in life; rather, it is about the people in life and what they do with their "things".  Everything seems to be heart-drivin.  If one has a heart whose priority is first-of-all the aquisition of things then their people relationships may be lacking.  If, however, a person focuses on family first then how they perceive the use and aquisitions of things will definately be utilized difterently.  Remeber, be humble before God.

"Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'  For the Gentiles seek after these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.  But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you.  Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.  Sufficient for the day is its own trouble"  (Matthew 6:31-34) 

The Lord's humbled . . . John A. Reeves  

 

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Rest 12/20/2010
 
It sure is a busy time of year; especially, if your into buying a lot of presents for Christmas family gatherings.  Yet, what I am looking forward to most is the rest after it is over. 

Rest is definately very important for all people.  Please, be encouraged,  all of us need rest.  Even God gave us an example of rest (cf. Genesis 1).

The Lord's humbled . . . John A. Reeves
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