Wednesday, 1/1/20 – Pressing on…

Do you know…

From the late 1960s through to the 1980s a Public Service Announcement ran on TV stations across North America. Moments prior to the 10 o-clock evening news a placard would appear with voiced-over narrative stating the hour and asking parents this one simple question, “Do you know where your children are?”

The ad was designed to provoke awareness in the minds of potentially irresponsible parents. These days these children are now parents themselves. Many, never having learned parental accountability as a child, think nothing of allowing their own children to run wild.

Ask some of these same parents, or single parents, “Do you know where your cell phone is?” and you may get an immediate reply… it’s right there beside them, or in use in their hands. Ask, “Do you know where your wallet (or purse) is?” and most will be able to tell you. We keep tabs on what we value.

Jesus said, “Abide [Remain] in Me” (John 15:4)… “Apart from me you can do nothing” (v. 5).

Paul urged the believers in Thessalonica to “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:16). — Is that possible?! There’s no getting around it, the Greek word, ἀδιαλείπτως literally means: without intermission, incessantly, without ceasing.

The disciples walking to Emmaus did not immediately recognize that Jesus walked with them (Luke 24:16). We too in times of stress or distraction easily forget this. We must train ourselves to be ever Christ conscious, ever in prayerful ‘sync’ with Him.

Express to Him your gratitude for every little blessing. Talk to Him while doing your mundane chores. Remind yourself of His workings past and present in your life. Sing to Him. Pray for those around you when in checkout lines, waiting rooms, traffic jams. When you mess up, admit it to Him immediately. Finally, just listen. God desires to speak with you. Perhaps an inner voice, a scripture, the words of a Christian friend, or even the beauty of Creation.

“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast…” God asks His people through the prophet Isaiah, “… and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!” (Isa. 49:15). As unlikely as it ought be for a mother to forget her children, there is no such possibility with God. We are in His thoughts at all times.

How often is He in your thoughts? Do you know where Jesus is?

Press on…

To hear Pastor John’s complete message, go to the Lincoln Baptist Church website and look under ‘Sermons Online’ for the Dec. 29 message.