Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; (Rev. 2:5)

Hoddom Castle is a large tower house in Dumfries and Galloway, south Scotland with the “Repentance Tower” on the hill to the south, as a watchtower for the castle.  In the eighteenth century a Scotsman named John Maxwell built his castle home as a defense post for the area.  After building the castle, he was bribed to change sides in a battle for the hand in marriage of a beautiful young lady – Agnes Herries.  This decision cost the lives of many of his countrymen and even a twelve-year-old nephew.  In a move of remorse, he placed an inscription above the door to the tower naming it “Repentance Tower.”  It still stands today overlook the hillside and a graveyard.

A good question is, “When was the last time you visited your repentance tower?  Repentance is a difficult thing to do but it requires change and we humans resist change.  According to Nelson’s Bible Dictionary, repentance is “A turning away from sin, disobedience, or rebellion and a turning back to God.  

Repentance is more than just saying, “I’m sorry.”  There are unbelievable number of times that I have told my wife that I am sorry only attempting to get out the dog house.  Repentance is actually turning from the wrong you have done and planning to never do it again.

This week my two grandchildren where actually sitting side by side on the sofa with their heads leaning in each other.  It was such a warm feeling to watch — UNTIL! — until my granddaughter rolling over to her side accidentally did a karate kick into my grandson’s head.  He began to cry and she in humble feeling kept saying, “I’m sorry!”  But, even though it seems to come deep from the heart, it did no good because he was busy crying and never heard the words. Aren’t you glad you have a heavenly father that hears those words when they come from our heart with meaning.

Some of the hardest words to speak are “I have sinned” or “I have done wrong” and mean them enough to change our minds and actions.  In order to become successful servants of God and to become “Christ-like” is to repent.

Bro. Larry

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

(Psalms 90:12)

Today is June 21^st which is the first day of summer.  Summer officially began at 4:49 a.m. E.S.T.  For those of you who live in this area, you know it has felt like the heart of summer for over a month with higher than normal temperatures and higher humidity.  This being the first day of summer, today is the longest day of the year.  In Anchorage, Alaska today will have approximately 22 hours of Sunlight.  My family and I took a trip there a few years ago and actually went white water rafting at midnight and finished around 2:30 a.m. and there was still light.  We were able to do more things later because the days were longer.  That is a spiritual reminder to the meaning of the words of Jesus in John 9:4,  I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. 

One day when you get older, you most likely will look back on your life and wish you had done many things you did not do.  You probably will also look back at things that seemed important at the time which you will realize that they were not important and that you had done things differently.

An old Chinese proverb tells us to make the most of each day of our lives, for they may not be many.  The King James Version of the Bible teaches us to number our days.  That means to make every day count.  When today is over at midnight, it will never return again.  Each day is a new day and we should make it count for the Lord.  As I have heard it said most of my life, “Only what done for Christ will last.

One of the many stanza of a poem by C.T. Studd titled “Only One Life, Twill Soon Be Past” reads . . .

Only one life, yes only one,
Now let me say,”Thy will be done”;
And when at last I’ll hear the call,
I know I’ll say “twas worth it all”;
Only one life,’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Bro Larry

Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise.

(Eph 6:2)

One New Year’s Eve when my two children were young, my parents were visiting our house.  It got close to midnight and the girls and my dad left the room for the longest time.  My oldest daughter (age 5) had come up with a plan.  She had talked both my dad and my youngest into a dress up scene.  When they returned, my youngest who was less than two at the time was dressed in nothing but a make shift diaper and a sign around her neck that proclaimed the incoming new year.  My dad was dressed as an old man.  He had a sheet about him, a covering over his head, a stick for a walking cane and a sign around his neck with the old year date.  After the long laughter, I’m trying to figure out how they got my dad to do that!  That was definitely a “Dad Moment.”

Since almost 40% of kids grow up without dad at home and many are raised in abusive environments, not everyone has precious memories of their fathers.  But many do.  Honor your dads on Father’s Day and take time to reflect on a few “Dad Moments.”  Here are a couple from the scrap book of life.

A father was carrying his four months infant along with a ham sandwich he had made himself.  He had the baby balanced between his left elbow and shoulder. He reached down for his ham sandwich when he notice a streak of mustard on his fingers.  He looked at his wife and said, “I love mustard.”  Having no napkin, he licked it off.

It was NOT mustard.  No man ever put a baby down faster.  Reaching for a napkin, he attempted a shoe shine across his tongue.

Bro Larry