Everyone is encouraged to begin early in life planning for their day of retirement. As they move from year to year toward that blessed day they set aside a little of their earned income into a savings account hoping to have an income during their elderly years.

That is a wise decision. The day does come, if one lives long enough, when the body and mind begins to slow down and it’s impossible to keep the pace as in days of one’s youth.

One of the final big events in my pre-retirement days convinced me that I couldn’t hold up physically to some of the demanding requirements of pastoral ministry. Our youth choir planned a tour which carried them to Washington, D.C. They ministered in music at various churches on the trip north and on the way home. It was a Sunday through Saturday tour.

At the requests of the minister of music I finally agreed to make the trip. We carried our 25 passenger bus and 15 passenger van, along with a rented cargo van. It was promised I wouldn’t have to drive and that I would have a sleeping room to myself.

We left our church in central Mississippi after the morning service for their first presentation in Huntsville, Alabama. My rider’s permit ended in Huntsville and I was still under the wheel on the following Saturday when I drove the van back upon our church parking lot.

And that promised "room to myself" . . . didn’t need it! A park bench for a couple hours each night would have saved a lot of money! It took me two weeks to get over that trip. It wasn’t too many months afterwards that I announced my retirement plans.

Well, I’m happy that a retirement program was entered into in my younger years. Looking back now from the retirement years, I wish there had been more adequate planning. Costs in living doesn’t decrease for the retired person, prices continues to rise for us just as it does for everyone else.

Even as important as planning is needed, there is another side to the planning process. Jesus taught in His Beatitudes sermon to focus beyond those retirement years. He said, "Don’t collect for yourselves treasures on earth, . . . collect for yourselves treasures in heaven . . ." (Mt. 6:19-20).

Paul the apostle gives to us the example which should become the norm attitude for every believer. He wrote, "But everything that was gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ". He went on to comment: "I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord" (Phil. 3:7-8).

The idea is that no matter how important is a retirement program for people for their older years, that is not the ultimate treasure of importance. Jesus talked about a treasure chest from which nothing deposited will ever be lost. It is located in Heaven.

As plans are made for the retirement years by investing in one’s future, don’t forget about investing in the Heavenly treasure. That treasure in Heaven is more important than all the treasures one can accumulate.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:21, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also". In other words, "your heart focus is going to be placed upon what you think is most important".

Paul called knowing Jesus the unsurpassed value. "I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord" (Phil. 3:8). Regardless of what might be accumulated during one’s life, when death comes, all left behind. The only lasting value is what you have sent on ahead to Heaven’s Treasure chest.

One final personal note. For the past 22 months several have called wanting me to preach or supply. For these months I’ve been interim pastor at Roxie Baptist Church. They have called a pastor and my calendar is completely empty!

On Friday, August 4^th, Peggy and I made our annual (which means weekly) trip to Wal-Mart in McComb. I generally carry a Bible and a writing ad with me so I can study and write while she shops. If there is no one with whom I can converse, that’s how I pass the time. I had both with me on this trip.

While checking out at the register, I somehow lost my Bible and writing pad. I’ve made several calls to the store and they haven’t shown up in the lost and found department. I know I’m getting old and forget where I put things, but how I lost, misplaced, or overlooked an item of their size is beyond me.

I had made notes about a recent editorial E-J editor, Jack Ryan, wrote concerning crime in the area. In the editorial, he challenged religious leaders, civic leaders, and government leaders to get together and study reasons why there are such horrible crimes being committed and to seek for answers to solving the dilemma.

I intended on doing a devotion for today giving some of my thoughts to the matter. But I got sidetracked by the loss of my writing pad in which I had sketched some preliminary thoughts on the subject. I’ve got to begin again.

At this writing on Sunday afternoon I’ve not heard from anyone concerning my Bible, which is by the way, an expensive leather bound, new Holman Standard Christian Edition, with my name on the front and written inside. If anyone happens to see it wondering around, please direct it home — its owner has need of it.

Shifting gears leads me back to the Middle-East Crisis of which I wrote last week. My emphasis wasn’t to make light of its possible connection with the end of the age. Not in the least! I simply wanted Christians to not fall into the trap of predicting end times dates nor be swept away by some who might possibly begin definite time setting.

Some have done that in the past and have either simply eaten their words and vanished from the scene, while others have come up with ridiculous plots to prove they were after all correct. There have been earth shaking events in the past which "seemed" as though mankind was heading to a soon last round-up. But succeeding years have proven they were not Bible signs of the end.

Christians are called upon to be faithful to the very end. Running to the altar out of fear produces few converts and very little sincere repentance. That has been proven many times over in the life of local churches. Fear rises in the bosom! A run to the altar is made! There is no true inner repentance! The danger passes and so the same people pass right by the Lord’s House — on their way to no telling where to do no telling what!

Fear might demand ones attention, but true and lasting faith comes when God’s love is seen in Jesus Christ as the Holy Spirit draws lost individuals to God the Father.

Bible study will reveal some signs about the landscape of life as the end approaches. What is happening in Israel could very likely be the sound of the approaching Armageddon which will draw the curtain on the last act of human history. Although we can never know the exact time nor day when our Lord will return, there seems to be evidence that will help believers know the approaching season.

I’ve not studied prophesy in the depth necessary to know if this is or isn’t that season being played out in Israel today. But I do know that today, as is any day, is the time for faithful living, not out of fear of the end, but out of love for the infinite Savior.

Live as though His coming is far off, but keep your eye focused upward as though you knew His coming would be today!

The nations of the world have drawn their attention to the land of Israel. Literally thousands of words have been written with endless opinions on how to deal with the present middle-east crisis. Millions of sound bites have moved across television screens in homes around the world. The present military action by Israel and its neighbors naturally raises the question by many inquirers, "Is this the beginning of the end time?"

We must be careful when looking upon events in the world. Things which aren’t as yet absolutely and clearly understood should be weighed carefully. Jesus Himself said, prior to His ascension into Heaven after His resurrection, that "it is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority" (Acts 1:7). Paul later wrote to the Thessalonians, "But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night" (1Thess. 5:1-2).

Thus, it is abundantly clear from scripture that the end cannot be foretold. That information is reserved for God alone to know.

Bible prophesy does point to a future time when the nations of the world will join together against Jerusalem. Is this that time? No one knows!

As believers search the scriptures for answers to "end time" questions, the present situation in Israel pricks their attention. I’ll be surprised if there aren’t authors who are presently preparing a book or two upon the subject of a soon second coming of Jesus. If they do, there is no doubt that a few thousand or more copies will be purchased.

But the question remains: "How should believers respond to these troubling times?" For sure, we must recognize the danger to our world. Their war affects people around the globe. Price of goods rise and taxes go up which shall support the building of weapons and financial aid to the infrastructure of the warring parties.

Since no one but God knows the hour of Jesus’ return and the end of the age, believers should be about the business of living for Him now. In short, nothing is changed. Christians should be Christians regardless of the time on God’s time clock.

Our preparation for meeting God never changes. "When Jesus returns" shouldn’t have any effect upon the believer’s faithful living today. That faithful lifestyle should be evident in three important areas of one’s life.

Faithful living should be seen in the home. That would be a big boost to improving the caliber of boys and girls which are sent out into the world. When once they become unbridled and unbroken teenagers, its almost impossible to "whip" them in line. Transformation at that point is hardly achieved without a genuine Christian new birth.

Faithful living must be observed out in the work place. The Christian lifestyle is desperately needed in the normal traffic pattern of life — in the market, on the job, in the school class room, and everywhere believers travel.

Christians should also live with fearful respect. By that I mean, believers should demonstrate a holy awe for God. This isn’t a coward’s fear, rather it is respect and honor for the God of creation. Someone has said that a fear of Gd is a missing link in today’s world.

Finally, Christians should live fervent in spirit. Fervent means "to be hot, to boil". It carries the idea of intensity or being in earnest. It refers to zeal. The thought of verses in scripture using this phrase is of a Christian who is intent on being a Christian in this fallen world whether Jesus’ second coming is promised for today or a hundred years from now.

I love to study prophesy. But the believer’s focus should be upon spiritual growth which produces faithful living, fearful respect, and intensity of spirit.

If you watch news outlets for church announcements, you will note a number of them reminding people about homecomings. Some churches have them annually while others less often. The idea is to have a time when former members come back to the old church home and renew their friendships with those who are still there and to learn new friends who have become members since their departure.

I personally enjoy the annual homecoming event. My home church, Galilee 1^st Baptist in Gloster, recently held their 182^nd year celebration. Even though I’ve been retired from active pastoral ministry since 1998, this is my first time to have a Sunday open so I could attend. And, to top off the day, I had the privilege of preaching the homecoming sermon.

It was significant this year because it was our pastor’s last Sunday as church pastor. He has entered seminary in New Orleans and our church will be pastor searching. Thus, the membership not only was called upon to look back at past accomplishments, but also to the future.

I want to share some of my thoughts on that Sunday with you today. It is good for churches to have a time to come together on such an occasion as homecoming. Even when no homecomings are celebrated, a church should take time to do three things that will help them become fruitful and endure until Jesus comes again.

First, churches should periodically set aside a time to remember their heritage. A church body knows where it is at any given moment. But they often forget what got them to the present point in time. The men and women who paved the way should not be forgotten. They played a large part in the blessings the church enjoys today.

True, times change and methods change, but the central focus is always upon the Word of God and its proclamation to the present generation. As churches search their history, they find their way back to Pentecost. If they are God fearing, Bible believing and preaching churches, they are out growths from the main vine who is Jesus.

When we think we are having it rough, just remember our heritage. Many of them date back to times when there was no electricity, no telephones and no cell phones, no televisions, no automatic kitchen appliances, fewer automobiles, and 10 P. M. curfews for the children.

Second, churches should periodically set aside a time to reexamine their purpose for existing. Perhaps not much attention is given to this fact. Jesus left the church with His purpose for existing. Matthew wrote about it in his gospel. In chapter 28, verses 19 and 20, he quoted Jesus’ instructions. The church’s purpose is summed up thus: "Evangelization", "Encouragement", and "Education".

Evangelization is the "go" of the verse. That is a mandate, not a suggestion. Encouragement is the "baptizing" of Jesus’ command. Through the act of baptism the believer shows publicly his or her loyalty to Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.

Education is the "teaching" the church is to administer to people of faith. Salvation, as important as it is, isn’t the end of the new believer’s life. It is only the beginning. The church should be a spiritual education ministry to her members. And spiritual growth is required of individuals before spiritual fruit is produced.

Finally, churches should periodically set aside a time to renew commitment. The local church is more than a location and facilities. The local church is made up of individual Christians living in a local community who covenant themselves together for Christian fellowship, for Bible study, and for evangelization of the lost.

Every member should renew their commitment to the Lord and to the support of their local church. The time is now. Tomorrow might never come and you would face the Lord without a repentant heart.