I thought I would share one of [...]]]> This past week I received a package in the mail that I never expected. It was filled with miniatures that my father used to make and three notebooks that he used when he wanted to become a minister. Thank you Connie for sending the box of memories.

I thought I would share one of the sermons he gave back in 1952 at the age of 17. Today would have been his 78th birthday. It was a birthday I was supposed to share with him. I was originally due on February 20, 1961 but ya’ll know me, stubborn as all get out, I didn’t decide to be born until almost a month later.

(Note: Translated material – all spelling and punctuation errors are in the original copy)

Sermon by Philip L. Whitney given February 3, 1952 at the Pulaski County Jail, Little Rock, AR

Christ the Eternal
II Peter 3:1-4; 8-14

It has been customary for many generations and through hundreds of year for religious observers to analyze the prevailing downward trend of religion as an evidence that Christ’s coming was imminet. Wherever religion has been at a low ebb men have been quick to declare that the dark hour of the last days had come.

But according to the word of God, Christ’s delay in returning to earth has been that He might extend to sinners the opportunity of salvation. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise,” He is not dishornering the promise of His coming, but he is unwilling that sinners should perish.

It must be that God is extending the day of grace just as long as His divine wisdom will permit it–that He is preserving this earth so that every man will have the opportunity of salvation.

An so God over and over again has extended the day of probation for mankind is general, and for us individually. Have you ever asked yourself why God has extended your life? Why He has kept you under the influence of the Gospel? Surely the answer is that he is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to a knowledge of the truth.

How have you and I responded to the mercies of God? What are we doing to fulfil God’s eternal purpose for our lives?

Are you and I ready to be arraigned at the judgment bar of Him who hath continually extended His salvation to us.

I ask you–Do you have a hope of salvation based on the eternal Christ Himself? “Seeing then that all these thing shall be dissolved,” are you anchored to something that never will be destroyed?

As we review the history of the world, as we study the events that have transpired since the beginning of time, we must acknowledge that everything in this world bears the marks of dissolution.

Kingdoms have risen and declined. Knowledge has been gained and then discarded for new knowledge. And every man seeks in vain for security for that which will endure when other things begin to shake. I would like to call you attention to those things that will be dissolved.

Many people are clinging tenaciously to the thought that some day they will obtain salvation.

There are some religious sects that go so far as to hold to the belief that men will have another opportunity to find God in the wold beyound the grave. People do not want to believe that the day is coming when probation will be over, their enternal destiny fixed.

It is so easy to indulge in the hope that tomorrow or the next week will be opportunity enough to seek salvation, while the present is unimproved. Time is going to be dissolved. And ere that great day comes, probation may be over for you, What we are when our day of opportunity is over, we shall remain throughout the the ages of time.

You may indulge a fond hope, that you are going to stand at the judgement different from what you are now. You do not like to think that perhaps Christ will come back to earth today. And so you project the day of your salvation expecting to be somehow.

Christ alone changes men. It is the purpose of Christ to change sinful hearts now. How precious is this day of opportunity.

The time is coming for each one of us when life will be over. I heard a story some time ago, about a man lying on his deathbed, He knew that time was short for him, be he did not want to pray. He gritted his teeth, and he said, “Life is sweet; it is hard to let it go,”

Did he cling to Christ? No, he was clinging to the life given him as a period of preparation for the eternal existence./How uncertain life is, and how eternal is the Christ he had rejected.

The Bible tells us that heaven and earth some day will be destroyed. Think of it! The time is coming when this great world of ours will be destroyed in a moment of time. And then you and I must stand before our Maker to render an account to Hom for the use we have made of this life.

Another thing to which we cling so much is going to be desolved; the church. That institution—–withall its means of bringing man to his God—the preaching, the singing and all the other things which we value so highly will be dissolved.

I there not a secret hope in your heart, that your affiliation with the people of God will recommend you to your Make when time shall be no more?

Are we going to Heaven as church groups, as families? No; we shall stand before God as individuals. And if we hope that our standing before God will be based on anything capable of being destroyed, when shall be disappointed.

We are not going to be recommended to the Savior because of our attendance at prayer meeting, the Sunday School, the morning worship, the Young People’s Society and the evangelistic service. We shall stand in that great day when time /shall be no more only if we are founded on the rock Jesus Christ which cannot be destroyed.

No matter how precious or loving our family relationships have been in this world, no matter how much we appreciate those who work by our side we alone shall stand before the great judge.

This relation will help us to place the proper value on the family relationship. God has ordained that is should be most comforting and pleasant, Where Christ is the center of the family activities, there that divine institution fits into God’s plan.

When that great day of dissolution comes, opportunities to promote the Gospel will be forever over. Let us consider that as w view a world on the road to destruction today. It now lies in the hand of the wicked one, and those who are going to be saved will be saved by the same means that have always been employed: the effort of godly mean and woman who will dare to take the Gospel to lost souls.

The time is coming when there will be nor more preaching or missionary work.

Will you knell down before God today and cry out, “What can I do to spread your precious Gospel into this darkened world, seeing that it will be dissolved in a little while?”

Let us put away the trifles and baubles of this world. That day is just a little ahead of us when the possibility of helping a struggling sinner to Christ will be over. We dare not put the Gospel light under a bushel.

Look into your own heart, Do you have a burning desire to carry this Gospel to lost men and women?

Are you conscious of having had committed unto you one of the most precious things in this world-the Gospel of power?

Do you believe that Gospel will convert sinners?

The day is coming when you and I will wish that we had one more opportunity to carry tis Gospel to the lost. Think of it: God is going to take from us the privilege of shareing this Gospel that can reach down into the vilest heart and make it pure and holy.

There is one more opportunity is going to be forever over: the opportunity of growing “in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” The experience of holiness is just the beginning of Christian Living.

The baptism of the Holy Ghost lays the groundwork for a successful walk with God in this world. As long as the Christian is here he is subject to correction and advice and counsel; he is living on probation.

This work of preparing ourselves to live with God is a most/important one. This is a blessed responsibility–gaurding and using this holy love. And it is going to come to an end some time.

“Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy coversation and godliness?” The time is coming when this brief life will be over, and you and I will stand just as we are before the judge of all the earth.

The time is coming when all our deeds are going to be tried. That which is hay, straw and stubble is going to perish. The character founded on the eternal Christ is the only once which will stand the test of the great tribunal.

“Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.”

“First a howling blizzard woke us, then [...]]]> A couple of weeks ago I commented on Facebook that it was just the beginning of February and the Hyacinths were about to bloom – long before the Crocus. The crocus must have heard me because yesterday when I looked out the window I saw …

Well even though there are buds present on the Hyacinths they are still a few days away from bloom.

Okay, you can quit laughing now.

I have had my issues. I’ve drank. I’ve smoked. I’ve lied. I’ve stolen. I’ve experimented with drugs. I have a tattoo. I’ve slept with married men. I [...]]]> This might come to a shock to some of you but I am not perfect. I know, hard to believe, right?

Okay, you can quit laughing now.

I have had my issues. I’ve drank. I’ve smoked. I’ve lied. I’ve stolen. I’ve experimented with drugs. I have a tattoo. I’ve slept with married men. I have had things done to me and have done things that are so bad that I can only talk to Him about them. I have a short temper. I run my mouth too much. I ran from the church. I ran from God.

But all this doesn’t matter anymore. Jesus has accepted me, just as I am, to be His. All I had to do is ask for His forgiveness and even though I didn’t deserve it He gave it to me willingly.

He will do the same for you too, just believe in Him and ask Him to forgive you of all your sins.

How to Know Jesus

(from the Church of the Nazarene website)

1. Recognize that God loves you and has a plan for your life.

His love includes you.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

He has new life for you.
“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).

2. Recognize that sin separates you from God and others.
“Sin” is walking our own way in rebellion against God’s will. When we walk away from God, we walk away from life.

Everyone has sinned.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Sin brings death.
“For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).

Our own efforts cannot save us.
As sinners we futilely try to find life’s true meaning in the wrong ways and places.
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

3. Recognize that Jesus Christ died and rose again for our sins.

Jesus Christ died in our place.
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

He is the way to new life.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

He gives inner peace.
“We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).

He gives freedom.
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).

He gives eternal life.
“But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

4. You must repent and ask God for forgiveness.

Admit and confess your sins to God.
“He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy” (Proverbs 28:13).

Repentance means:

• To acknowledge your sins.
• To be sorry for your sins.
• To confess your sins.
• To be willing to forsake your sins.
• To have your life changed by Christ.

Forgiveness is promised.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

5. Place your trust in Christ and receive Him as your Savior.

Christ is ready.
“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will go in” (Revelation 3:20).

Receive him now.
“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).

Pray this prayer:
Lord Jesus, I want to have life. I know that I have sinned. I need Your forgiveness and pardon. I believe that You died and rose again for my sins. I now accept You as my personal Savior. I will forsake my sinful life. I know that Your grace and power will enable me to live for You. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and for giving me a new life.

For help in living a meaningful life in Christ:

• Be assured of Christ’s forgiveness.
• Read your Bible and pray daily.
• Find a concerned pastor and other Christians.
• Become a vital part of that church.
• Share your faith with others.

A caring church family is waiting to accept you and help nurture you as a Christian. You can locate a Church of the Nazarene near you through our visitor’s center.

All Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV). Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

Gunner is still hanging on, the cyst/tumors are getting bigger and more numerous but he still isn’t losing weight. He doesn’t get around much and is sore most of the time but his attitude is still happy-go-lucky unless I try to brush him, then he turns into one grumpy gus. He’s shedding like [...]]]>

Gunner is still hanging on, the cyst/tumors are getting bigger and more numerous but he still isn’t losing weight. He doesn’t get around much and is sore most of the time but his attitude is still happy-go-lucky unless I try to brush him, then he turns into one grumpy gus. He’s shedding like a yard dog and I need to vacuum every day. If I don’t the rug soon turns into a golden shag as you can tell in the picture.

We spent the early summer at the ball field while Sarah either practiced or had a game. I think she was still playing slow-pitch during 2004, later she was in [...]]]> May 2004

Steven (on the left) graduated high school. Not sure what the look is that his friend Jeremy is giving.

June 2004

We spent the early summer at the ball field while Sarah either practiced or had a game. I think she was still playing slow-pitch during 2004, later she was in fast-pitch.

Sean always found someone to play with and loved running around the ball park but always stayed within sight. Sometimes, I even managed to get him to stop him for a few seconds so I could take a couple of shots.

1 – 13 oz. can chunk chicken breast 1/2 cup chopped pecans 1 apple – peeled, cored and chopped juice of 1/4 of a lemon salt & pepper – to taste 1 cup red grapes – cut in half 2 hard boiled eggs – chopped 4 tablespoons mayonnaise

Drain chicken. Toast pecans on [...]]]>

1 – 13 oz. can chunk chicken breast
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 apple – peeled, cored and chopped
juice of 1/4 of a lemon
salt & pepper – to taste
1 cup red grapes – cut in half
2 hard boiled eggs – chopped
4 tablespoons mayonnaise

Drain chicken. Toast pecans on a cookie sheet in 350°F oven for 3-5 minutes. Mix ingredients thoroughly in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Note: Substitute canned chicken with a grilled or Rotisserie chicken torn into bite size pieces.

I look up and wonder where the plane is going. What exciting destination are they heading for? Will they make it? Is it for fun, business … a birth, a death?

It’s funny how in life we are always heading into the unknown. We never know what the future will bring. We can [...]]]>

I look up and wonder where the plane is going. What exciting destination are they heading for? Will they make it? Is it for fun, business … a birth, a death?

It’s funny how in life we are always heading into the unknown. We never know what the future will bring. We can try to imagine how things will turn out but it usually never turns out the way we think it will.

I have a severe sinus infection and it feels like my face is about to pop. I rarely move from the couch. Hopefully I’ll feel like doing something soon – my kitchen is a mess and the evil laundry fairy has been working overtime to fill up the dirty clothes [...]]]>

I have a severe sinus infection and it feels like my face is about to pop. I rarely move from the couch. Hopefully I’ll feel like doing something soon – my kitchen is a mess and the evil laundry fairy has been working overtime to fill up the dirty clothes hampers.