“And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”-Luke 1:41-43

   Mary, the mother of Jesus, is one of the most misunderstood persons in all of the Word of God. She is adored by some, even worshipped by many, and often ignored by others. There is a great deal of confusion about this amazing woman.

   But as we look into the story of Jesus’ birth, we find a woman who loved God and faced an uncertain future with full faith. She worshipped and sang to God for many of the reasons you and I do, even calling Jesus her “Savior” (Luke 1:47).

   Yes, Mary was a faithful servant of God. But she was born in the same sin and is saved by the same grace that saves you and me. She is not a mediator to Jesus, and she has no special power in heaven. She is what she is by the grace of God – no more and no less.

As we look to Mary and her crucial role in the life of Jesus, let’s be quick to thank God for the love that was shown through her. Pray that God would make you a conduit of that same love and grace to others as well!

   ASK GOD TO MAKE YOU A CHANNEL OF GRACE AND LOVE TO THE WORLD AROUND YOU! (Jack Graham)

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

STANDING ON THE SHORE

   As you stand on the shore of the ocean, looking out over the great expanse, you can’t tell where the sea ends and the sky begins. The view is breathtaking. It leaves you speechless. The surging of the mighty waves tells you that it is powerful. Just a glance tells you that it is mysterious. The sheer magnitude of it convinces you that there is far more than you can see with the natural eye.
   So it is with the love of God. As the song -writer said, it “is greater far than tongue or pen could ever tell”. His infinite love is beyond comprehension or description. His love is unconditional, everlasting, powerful, and transforming. It fills our mind with wonder and our heart with joy. It steadies our trembling hands as we grapple with the difficulties of life. It quickens our step as we walk the pathway of duty. It brightens our day when we are lonely and helps us along the way when we are weary.
   We compose sermons, songs, and poems about it, but when all is said and done we know the half has not been told. We know that we are merely standing on the shore and there is more, much more, that we cannot see. It is deeper, wider, longer, and more powerful than we can conceive. It, as Paul said, “passeth knowledge” ( Ephesians 3:19). But our lack of understanding doesn’t diminish from our enjoyment of God’s love, we marvel all the more. We benefit immensely although we are just standing on the shore! —David Stone, 7-21-2007
David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

“I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”John 10:9–11

Phillips Brooks, who is best remembered as the author of the Christmas carol “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” told of a man who came to him and said, “I have not time or room in my life for Christianity. If it were not so full! You don’t know how hard I work from morning till night. When have I time, where have I room for Christianity in such a life as mine?”

Recounting that story Brooks wrote, “It is as if the engine had said it had no room for the steam. It is as if the tree said it had no room for the sap. It is as if the ocean said it had no room for the tide. It is as if the man had said he had no room for his soul. It is as if the life had said it had no time to live, when it is life. It is not something added to life; it is life. A man is not living without it.”

It is so easy for us to become caught up in the things of life that we find our relationship with God relegated to an afterthought. Many people substitute a busy life for an abundant life. They have no time for personal, intimate fellowship with God as they rush from task to objective to project. It makes no difference what these tasks that keep us from spending time with God are—whether they are secular or religious—if we allow them to fill our days so there is no time left to cultivate our relationship with God. Only through Jesus can we have eternal life; and only through cultivating our relationship with Jesus can we enjoy abundant life. (Daily in the Word)

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

“Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”- James 4:14

   Our text asks the question, “For what is your life?”  What can a life be compared to as far as its longevity?  The answer we are given would be unacceptable or debatable for some, but it is absolutely accurate.  “It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”  Life is like a “vapour”, or a mist.  It is like the early morning fog that burns away when the sun is rising, or the brief steam from a boiling kettle that soon disappears.

   We observe two things that testify to the brevity of life.  Our personal experience verifies this fact.  For as long as I can remember, I have heard it said that the years seem to go by faster the older you get.  It is true…Another argument for the brevity of life is when it is compared to eternity.  The average life span in our country today is approximately eighty-two years.  Occasionally, we hear of someone who lives to be one hundred years old.  To us, that seems an unusually long life.  But what is that compared to forever?  We may live in this life for eighty or more years, but we will live forever in Heaven or Hell.  

   Compared to eternity, life is extremely brief.  Because this is true, we ought to consider several bits of common sense counsel.  We should make certain that we have received God’s eternal salvation through faith in Christ’s sacrificial death and His resurrection.  It is foolish to live without Christ and His saving grace, and to spend forever in eternal torment.  Also, because life is so brief and often very fragile, we should thank God for the gift of life.  It is by His grace and blessing that we are alive to serve Him and others.  We should learn to capture and treasure the moments we have.  There is no guarantee of tomorrow on this earth.  Let’s discipline ourselves not to take friendship, family, and fellowship for granted.  

We should purpose to live for eternal things.  The things of this earth are temporal, but we can lay up for ourselves treasures in Heaven.( Thomas Smith)

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