F.E.E.D #3

F.E.E.D #3   

F.E.E.D is an acronym for “Family Emphasis Enrichment and Development. From Mother’s Day through Independence Day Weekend, we will be focusing our sermons on how we can be better parents, a better spouse, a better son or daughter, how we can be more connected to our local fellowship, and many other virtues which should improve as we grow in our faith. A secondary purpose is to remind the congregation the we need to focus inward for a portion of our yearly messages and activities. You often hear the term personal development- F.E.E.D will speak to this growth dynamic, so each of us should be prepared to evaluate where we are in our growth process.

As we continue our series of messages on “Good Neighbor”, my personal challenge is for me to live up to everything I am asking you to consider. Today’s message is about leaving memory stones for our loved ones to follow. This message does speak to us about the decisions we make having potential long-term effects. Effects which can be good or bad.

Typically, one message a year is about memory stones with the goal of a greater appreciation of their historical and eternal significance. Yes there is a uniqueness to each message, even though the main underlying thought remains the same. The great importance of leaving markers(memory stones) for others to observe and hopefully follow is clearly laid out in the Word of God. Especially “why” they are so important as key historical markers.

Key markers in my life are; my time, my talent and my treasure. All of these areas can and should have Godly history attached to them and not hidden from others to observe. Towards the end of your life, you don’t want someone sharing with you that you never had any time for them. You were too busy with work, your toys, your friends, yourself! Let me clarify, we all need a reasonable amount of “me time” while balancing what the scriptures say about considering others needs more important than yours. Never let it said about you, “Wow, what a wasted life he or she had so much potential, so much talent.”

Last but not least, when your pocketbook becomes part of your prayerbook, good seeds will be planted. The size of the offering is not as important as the person giving their treasures. Proof positive is the widows two mites the story is found in Luke 21:1-4.

Just imagine if we do everything with “Eternal Significance” as it relates to our God-given time, talent and treasures. Friendly reminder, the title of this weekly article is, “Eternal Significance”. Sitting in Bushton Kansas thinking about my 9+ hour journey today, the most obvious passion is getting home, yet possibly today along the way, the opportunity for an “Eternal Significant” moment may happen. The temporal urgency of today should never take priority over the eternal significance God wants me to accomplish here and now.

Today is the day of salvation, and when our selfish desires keep us from fulfilling the call God, some serious soul searching may be required. It’s easy to fall back to taking the path of least resistance, just like water and just like most of the world. Let’s be different, let’s be the Good Neighbor God has called us to be. Never forget, God has given each of us the power and control to leave temporal or eternal decision-making markers for others to see. Let the following verse resonate in your heart this week, “Samuel then took a large stone and placed it between the towns of Mizpah and Jeshanah. He named it Ebenezer (which means “the stone of help”), for he said, “Up to this point the Lord has helped us!” 

Final thought, what is the most recent marker left behind which someone has mentioned to you? And was it a memory stone worth keeping?