The LORD's Day July 1, 2007

Life Is a Journey

Psalm 119.49-56

We spoke about journeying to heaven a few weeks ago. This morning we are going to look at the aspect of life being a journey here on earth. The journey of life, the walk from conception to the final breath we take is a journey.

Some of us keep journals- it is a good thing. I keep a number of them. ” You should write this stuff down.” I am

The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan... talks about life being a journey. Tremendous allegory and second in books read to the Bible. It is available on line. I have listed the website in the bulletin under the Notes on the Message today.

The two ways Jesus spoke about in Matthew 7. He was speaking of the road of life we travel on which determines how we live.

The walk Psalm 23 spoke about: through the valley of the shadow of death as part of our journey.

Hearts set on pilgrimage is a theme of the Psalms. Psalm 84.5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. God’s Word is the theme of our song wherever we lodge...

1. Life Keeps on Moving

And we do too Time waits for no one As one gets older I am finding out you have to handle more changes. Things that were with you in your early years change and pass.

Death slows things down but it doesn’t stop life. A number of us have felt this acutely. After the loss of a loved one our world seems to shut down but everyone else’s keeps going. We want to shout, “Stop Don’t you realize that someone has died? Someone I love ”

There are no hitching posts just guide posts on life’s journey. So often we want to keep the moment. My daughter has said this in reference to my granddaughter. We would like to pause the picture but that isn’t the way life is. I think this is one of the appeals of home videos. Sometimes if I am watching something live on the networks I have gone for the pause button only to find out this is live and you cannot pause it. You can only pause that which has already been recorded and is past. There is no pause button for life. It keep on going Once the journey begins it doesn’t stop until it come to the end.

We are called on to maximize the moment... Redeeming the time (Ephesians 5.16)... We cannot redeem the time today if we are in yesterday’s pain or pleasure.


Time is the great equalizer. Everyone is basically given a certain amount of years in their life. We all have 24 hours in a day, 7 days in week and 365 days in a year. Rich or poor, great or small, educated or illiterate, time is given out in equal portions.

At a funeral this week I attended the pastor spoke of how we all have our days numbered by the LORD. It is what we do with them that matters. We can stop life. It is a journey that begins in time and ends with eternity. Only one life twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.

Teach us to number our days aright that we may gain a heart of wisdom (Psalm 90.12) We ought to pray this often. We are all moving along and time is diminishing for us. May we have wisdom in how we use it. That wisdom comes from God alone.


2. A Journey calls for us to bring certain things along and leave certain things behind.

Vacation trips... the necessities. Leave behind your cares and concerns and problems. These were my words to my middle daughter and my son-in-law Thursday as they are now somewhere in the Adirondacks.

Life’s journey- God’s Word in our hearts. Leave bitterness and anger and sins against you behind. What a wonderful thing for a person to ask for your forgiveness and to be able honestly to say to them,” I forgave you a long time ago.”

Along life’s journey our hope and prayer is that we will bring along some to heaven with us. Those who have lost their way can find the Way Ilona told the Bible Study Thursday of witnessing to a friend. When I was walking through Target Friday going from the hospital to my oldest daughter’s home. She moved to New Jersey this week. In the middle of turmoil the LORD opened a door for ministry. Let’s keep our hearts and eyes opened- the LORD is moving in hearts.

Let’s leave our failures behind. Let’s let go of past hurts and pain- they are much too heavy of a burden for anyone to carry.

They weight us down.

They cause internal problems- emotional, physical and spiritual. It is so healthy to forgive. It is so destructive to carry grudges. Unresolved anger issues show up in your face, your speech and in your relationships. Those who are enjoying the journey the most are not those who have a life of ease but rather those who have forgiven everyone who has sinned against them- they are growing and becoming more like Jesus


3. A Journey has its ups and downs.

Riding around Setauket Wednesday. Whoever said there were no hills on Long Island?

Susie, Pedro and Michele Parraga 1986- last year. “Here is the little girl you prayed for.”

This is life.

10 years ago this month my brother Mark treated for migraine headaches... 4 months later diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor, 7 years ago last month went to be with Jesus. People told me, “God healed him.” Pretty hard to hear when my brother literally died in my arms and I watched my nephews get hit the news of their dad’s death. Sometimes God does not heal.

Some years ago I heard Paul Martin say that there is something about God that you will not know until death comes. So true So wonderful. He is with us always- even as David said through the valley of the shadow of death. This is also life
The LORD has literally hung rainbows in the sky and sent white doves to our family. He has given us strength.

Life is not full of disappointments but we do encounter them from time to time. If we try and avoid them we will live below of God’s will is for us. People will let us down. We will go through a time of sifting from time to time.

We will have valleys but we will have victories too.


4. Keep a song in your heart wherever you go

It helps us keep joy within.

It keep praise going to the LORD.

Not all the Psalms are happy frothy ones. Some are dirges. But all the Psalms are directed to the LORD. I believe we need to do a lot more praising on life’s journey. We have perfected complaining to an art form. What a sin Of all the people on the earth God has blessed America so much. We have much to celebrate this 4th of July- very much. We have been blessed as a nation. We should be thanking God for this country

Keep on walking and singing as you go.


5. A Journey has a beginning and an end.

Not perpetual motion. One day our journey of life will come to an end. It will be over.

Not endless. The LORD will come for His people one day. It could be soon. It could be today

Wherever you are on the journey of life right now you can change things that will affect eternity.

First we need an eternal perspective. We are being bombarded today with universalism- “Everyone is going to heaven. Therefore it doesn’t really matter how you live: That is false teaching. The eternal perspective influences all we do.

We need to think about the passage of time often. We are not going to be here forever. We need to live our lives now in light of eternity.

We need to pray along this journey to the point where we cannot go very far without praying. The place prayer holds in our life shows the place the LORD has in our life.

Keep singing until the day God calls you home- Until Then:

Until Then
Words and music by Stuart Hamblen
copyright 1958

My heart can sing when I pause to remember
A heart ache here is but a stepping stone.
Along a trail that's winding always upward,
This troubled world is not my final home.

But until then my heart will go on singing,
Until then with joy I'll carry on,
Until the day my eyes behold the city,
Until the day God calls me home.

The things of earth will dim and lose their value,
If we recall they're borrowed for awhile;
And things of earth that cause the heart to tremble,
Remembered there will only bring a smile.

But until then my heart will go on singing,
Until then with joy I'll carry on,
Until the day my eyes behold the city,
Until the day God calls me home.

This weary world with all its toil and struggle,
May take its toll of misery and strife;
The soul of man is like a waiting falcon;
When it's released, it's destined for the skies.

But until then my heart will go on singing,
Until then with joy I'll carry on,
Until the day my eyes behold the city,
Until the day God calls me home.
*****************************************************

The LORD’s Day
July 1, 2007

We Worship In Singing
We Worship In Receiving the LORD’s Supper
We Worship In Hearing the Word of God
Life is Journey Psalm 119.49-56

*Tithes and Offerings can be placed in the box at the rear of the sanctuary*
Please join us for coffee and bagels downstairs if you are visiting today.

V
This Week
Bible Reading Psalm 119.57-112
Monday Men’s Prayer Meeting 6:30am in the church basement
Wednesday Bible Study& Thursday Bible Study will not be held this week .
Next Lord’s Day
Morning Prayer- 10am in the church basement
Morning Worship- 10:30am(Sunday School for Children)
Spanish Service- 4pm


In Your Prayers For All of God’s People
Remember the men serving in the armed forces: Bradley, Julia Bujold’s grandson with Special Forces in Afghanistan, home on leave right now, Ken Brown, Pastor’s friend’s son on his third tour of Iraq- He will be there until October. Please pray for the whole family. Billy Knapp, Jr. in Iraq with the Marines (neighbor of the church and Pastor- Billy’s sister graduated from Good Shepherd). Matthew Klaus, brother of Good Shepherd parent in Iraq as a firefighter for Haliburton... Pray for them and the others away from their families. Praise God for keeping David Louis, Jake Morgan and Tom Hindelang safe during their times in Iraq. Christine Frankland, Katharina’s daughter in need of healing. Kathy, Ziggy and Margot’s daughter-in-law, under the doctor’s care for fibromyalgia. Pray for Eloise Brooks in Sunrise Manor undergoing rehab. She is coming along well. She is in room 214. Remember Jean Louis as both he and Eloise are on dialysis. Pastor’s neighbor, John Mehler, beginning dialysis as well. Grace Martin, Edie Raevis’ daughter, seeing a surgeon. Edie’s daughter’s mother-in-law, Millie Espisito undergoing chemotherapy soon. Reginald Mooney, friend of Terri and John Garry, with a tumor in his kidney. Please remember Pastor’s friend Kim Richardson’s (who is recovering from a heart attack) daughter, Kelly, due to begin chemotherapy soon. Please remember this whole family in prayer. Olga Heinrich, Helen Pawson’s sister, in Flushing Hospital. Remember Leah May in prayer. She has not been feeling well.

If you would like to help with the Sunday Morning Bagel ministry see John or Terri Garry.



Notes on Our Time in the Word of God This Morning:
Life is a Journey
Psalm 119.49-56
Website for The Pilgrim’s Progress- http://www.ccel.org/ccel/bunyan/pilgrim.html



But Until then my heart will go on singing
Until then with joy I'll carry on,
Until the day my eyes behold the city,
Until the day God calls me home.


Pastor’s messages are now available online:
http://thesundaymorningmessage.blogspot.com/
Church e-mail: bayshorenaz@rock.com
Church Phone: 631-969-1730
1314 Pine Acres Boulevard, Bay Shore, Long Island, NY 11706-5436

Whatever you do, in word or deed, do all for the glory of God