ARE YOU LISTENING?
“Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.“– Matt. 13:9
The song writer said it well when he wrote “Take Time to be Holy.” The fact is, you can’t be holy in a hurry! But with our shortened attention span and other factors created by our high-tech addiction it gets more and more difficult to do what we must to get what we need.

Something happened the other day that reminded me of the need for discipline when it comes to listening. I was watching a man I respect preaching from verses I love, on a subject I need. However, within ten minutes I was, for lack of a better word, bored. My mind began to wonder and I lost interest. How could that be? I couldn’t blame the message or the messenger. The fault was entirely with me.

I’m not sure that I can explain why it happened, but the bottom line is I failed. That experience reminded me that regardless of what or how I preach the results depends on whether or not people give me their attention. I could reduce the length of my sermon or use certain pulpit antics to get attention, but that would leave people without what they need. The great need is for people to discipline themselves to listen – something most folks have never mastered.

I hope my failure will challenge you to give serious thought to your responsibility to hear the Word of God. Not only are we accountable for what we hear, we are responsible to hear the Word of God. Not only are we accountable for what we hear, we are responsible for what we could have heard. So, are you listening?

There are several factors that can hinder our hearing. It might be as simple as where you sit. Or it might be worry, anger, lack of sleep, medicine, etc., but I suspect that the biggest culprit is a lack of discipline. Being a good listener requires desire and effort. It takes hard work for most of us. In fact, we have to work at it all the time. But the benefits are worth the effort. Ask God to help you to learn to listen. He will and you’ll be glad you did! – HDS

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

MOTHERS
“…a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.”– Prov. 31:30

On this Mother’s Day pastors all across America are trying to say what cannot be put into words. They are making their best effort to articulate the value of godly mothers. They know they will fail before they ever start but they feel compelled to make their best effort, and rightly so.

If there is any group of people deserving of praise it is mothers. As Solomon said, “Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies” (Prov.31:10). We can exhaust ourselves describing what she does and making a case for what she deserves, but when all is said and done we have only touched the hem of the garment.

There will be sermons and songs, poems and cards, gifts and meals – but how do you put into words what can only be felt in the heart? Who can describe what a mother means to the injured child sitting on her lap listening to sweet words of comfort. Or who can tell her value as she counsels a fearful child awakened in the middle of the night by a dreadful dream?

And all of this is to say nothing of her excellent example – putting her love on display for all to see. What she does often speaks louder than what she says. Watching her teaching things that could never be learned in a classroom, or from a text book, is a sight to behold. She is a living sermon!

If we only knew how much depends on her, what great things are accomplished without fanfare, we would surely honor her every day. Of all the things to be said about the family none deserve so much attention as does the mother. All we can do is the best we can do, but we haven’t done our best until we’ve done all we can do. And that’s the least she deserves. Make this Mother’s Day special by treating her special every day! – HDS

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

THE COMING OF CHRIST

“For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.” – Heb.10:37

Last Sunday I preached about “The Coming of Christ” and I couldn’t help but think about how long it had been since I had done so. I was also forced to think about how little we hear today about the second coming of Christ.

Fifty years ago at least one night during revival meetings was devoted to the subject. Numerous books were being written about the subject and some daily radio programs were devoted entirely to the subject of prophecy. What has happened? Why the silence? Have we given up on the idea? Have we discovered something showing we were wrong?

I’m not smart enough to answer all the questions, but I’m not dumb enough to believe the Lord isn’t coming. In fact,He might come at any moment. That remains the “blessed hope” (Tit.2:13) that every Spirit-filled believer looks and yearns for. Let the scoffers rant and say what they will, we are of the same opinion still. We hold firm to our belief because God cannot lie (Tit.1:2) and we have repeated promises assuring us that “he that shall come will come.” To give up on that hope would be the height of folly.

Think about it, this could be the very day that the Blessed Redeemer comes to claim His own and deliver us “from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Rom.8:21). We are closer to His coming than we’ve ever been before. “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come” (Matt.24:42). My prayer is, as was John’s, “—Even so come, Lord Jesus” (Rev.22:20). So how does the thought of this affect you? – HDS

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

MY HELPER

“So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper-–.” Heb.13:6

Life is tough. There are –

-temptations to resist

-trials to endure

-troubles to overcome

-terror to conquer

-tragedy to get through

-tasks to be done

So – it is no startling revelation when I say, – We all need help. From the cradle to the grave we need aid. Yet there are tough times when it seems that we have no hope or help. Some could help but they won’t and others would help but they can’t.

However, as Christians we are never without help. We have an ever present Helper in Christ who never fails. He is always aware of our needs, available and able to meet them. He is a Friend who sticks closer than a brother. And there is never a moment when He isn’t needed. The strongest, richest, wisest, most talented people on earth need Him.

We need Him because the number of our needs are many and the nature of our needs are of different sorts and sizes. Thankfully, regardless of the sort or size of our need we have a sure and sufficient Helper in our Savior who provides what we need. We can depend on Him because of His –

-undying love

-unlimited power

-unequaled wisdom

-unfailing faithfulness

-unparalleled promises

Knowing who He is, what He has done, can do, and promised to do gives us hope in time of need. He can give help when all seems hopeless. And my Helper can be your Helper. – HDS

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

CHANGE YOUR VIEW

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”– 2 Cor.4:17-18

When times are tough, which is most of the time, we need to take action – rather than moan and groan. But what do we do? We can’t always change or control our circumstances, but we can change how we view them and how we respond to them.

One of the best ways to deal with the difficulties of the day is to focus on the future – the exceeding great and precious promises God has given. As the old adage says, “This too shall pass.” In other words, trouble is temporary. For the child of God, the best is yet to come!

Knowing things will change from bad to better to best enables us to endure the experience. Years ago I spent a lot of time traveling, preaching daily. I never enjoyed being away from home, but it was made easier knowing I would soon be home – at least for a few days. Realizing relief lies ahead enables us to endure what we’re passing through. If we spent as much time thinking about our blessings as we do about our burdens we would be a lot better off.

Had Paul focused on his difficulties he would have been doomed to despair, and he knew it. That’s why he refused to focus on the things that are temporal, choosing rather to look upon those things that are eternal. It worked for him and it will work for us. As he said in Rom.8:18 “—the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us!”  Indeed – the best is yet to come! – HDS

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346