I confess - - -
I posted this elsewhere as well
It's a simple thought
It brought an altar full of people who want to maintain a CLEAN heart.
I pray it's a blessing to someone on here.
God bless all
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“Butterflies, Bugs, and Beetle Juice”
Last week my wife and I took a trip back to Wisconsin for a wedding.
We had married the parents of the bride… years ago.
We dedicated the bride to the Lord… years ago.
They are all still living for God - Preaching this precious Truth – Pastoring a home mission’s church
I’m starting to feel old.
To make matters worse…..
The GRANDFATHER of the bride came to me, thanking me for being the one who was there for him, and helping him get on the right track…. Years ago - when he was younger.
He and Grandmother also preaching the Gospel – have pastored 2 churches over the years.
It was a good trip
Spent one day at Oshkosh – EAA Always a treat. (Fortunately did NOT witness tragic accident.)
“Butterflies, Bugs, and Beetle Juice”
In preparation for our trip
I WASHED our “older” car; changed the oil; added Lucas upper engine lubricant with fuel injector cleaner; checked the air pressure in our tires; vacuumed the interior; removed the accumulated excess from the trunk, etc.
I wanted to do everything possible to ensure a trouble free journey!
Even with all the extra attention and care given to every detail I could think of, I still ended up in a Wisconsin clinic with a major inner ear infection. My first I-EI. Hope it was the last!(Sort of put a damper on enjoying the journey. Life is like that sometimes.)
The car was fine…. with one exception. Flat tire. Had to buy a new one. No big deal. LIFE.
It was a good trip
Almost home, after a week and a thousand plus miles
Still not feeling real well from the ear thingy
I’m tired
It’s late in the evening
Sun is setting - it’s getting dark
My ( aging ) eyes are tired
It seems like I can’t see as well as I should…
Then....
it struck me like a bolt of lightening
I had done everything within my power to make sure our older car ran well.
Including, stopping occasionally to fill up our gas tank.
Not with the cheap stuff either, I like the HIGH OCTANE stuff !!!
I had done EVERYTHING…..
EVERYTHING, that is,
except one seemingly unimportant, insignificant little detail.
I had repeatedly pulled into a “service” station to “gas-up” my tank
But had repeatedly FAILED . . . .
to wash the windshield!
A thousand miles of butterflies….
A thousand miles of bugs….
A thousand miles of beetle juice….
I had made sure to attend the service station…. I had made certain to pay the toll…
But I had ignored the “weightier matter” of keeping my vision un-obscured!
A few butterflies…
A few bugs…
A little bit of beetle juice….
No big deal.
No need to wash the windshield during this fuel stop.
I’ll just swing in to the “service station”…. Wait for the attendant to “Fill Me Up” then hurry on down the road.
And all the while my vision is being blurred . . . one butterfly… one bug …. one juicy splat at a time.
Until, I could no longer see clearly, the road laid before me!
My vision became obscured by the “Butterflies, Bugs, and Beetle Juice” of an otherwise wonderful journey.
Last night, with the Lord’s help, I preached …… “Butterflies, Bugs, and Beetle Juice”
We rush into our services week after week, sit in a pew and wait for the “attendant” to fill us up.
We LOVE “high octane” church.
The problem is…….
What good is a high powered V-8 engine? (All power in heaven and earth)
What good is high octane fuel? (Heavy anointing)
What good is a full tank of gas? ( Apostolic Truth)
…If our vision is obscured by the unfortunate, minuscule incidents of life along the way?
What good is all of the above if our vision is obscured by the unfortunate, minuscule incidents of offenses, hurt feelings, disagreements, mis-understandings, and differences of opinions, etc. ???
It’s important to attend church services
It’s important to hear good preaching
It’s important to feel the High Octane of His presence
However if we do not exercise the washing and cleansing of a good powerful, private, personal prayer meeting …
Eventually….. mostly - we will see only the DEAD “Butterflies, Bugs, and Beetle Juice”
- The DEAD interruptions of yester-mile.
I used the following scriptures.
Luke 6:39-44
Psalm 51:1-12
2Cor 6:15 – 7:1
Titus 11-15
Gal 5:16-23
Heb 12:1
I closed with…
Psalms 86:10-13
10 For thou art great, and doest wondrous things:
thou art God alone.
11 Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.
12
I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with
all my heart: and
I will glorify thy name for evermore.
13 For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast
delivered my soul from the lowest hell.
The altar filled
People washed the windshields of their hearts with tears of repentance.
God be praised!
WE’VE A JOB TO DO
WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO THE LOST –
TO KEEP OUR WINDSHIELDS
CLEAN of the
“Butterflies, Bugs, and Beetle Juice” of life
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