Last night at North Valley Baptist Church, Brother Trieber had the folks from Faith Music Missions here to record “The Singing Church” once again. This time, we sang many great old invitation songs from our hymnbook like Just as I Am, I Surrender All, Have Thine Own Way, as well as others. It was a powerful service, and I believe the CD will stir our hearts and challenge us to give ourselves totally to God. How exciting to be a part of a mighty “crusade” choir singing invitation songs!

Have you ever had someone tell you something that you did not think you needed to hear?

This past Wednesday morning, I was at the airport returning a rental car, and as I stepped to the counter and handed the agent my paperwork, he asked, “Did you get everything out of the car?” I had checked over the vehicle carefully and I thought I had gotten everything out of the car, so I answered, “I believe so.” “Are you sure?” he responded. I told him that I thought I had gotten everything out of the car except for a small box that could be thrown away. “You need to be sure you got everything,” he said. He had a peculiar smile as he spoke, and he was unusually emphatic and persuasive considering the early morning hour. He was looking at me as if to say, “If you leave anything in that car, you will be sorry.” He told me at least one more time—maybe two more times—before I walked away, that I needed to be sure that I got everything out of the car. The whole time I was thinking, “I know I got everything out of the car. I checked it several times. What does he want me to do, go back and look again? He doesn’t need to tell me this.”

When I finally walked into my house after a long flight and began unpacking my suitcase, I realized that I had left my camera in the rental car. I went back through every compartment of suitcase and my computer bag, but to no avail. I then began to make phone calls to the rental car agency to see if the camera was found in the vehicle. After dozens of calls, I still have been unable to reach anyone who actually works in the location where I dropped the car off. I was given a number that is supposed to be the direct line to that location, but no one has answered the phone there at any hour of the day or night. The phone just rings.

Obviously, I would love to get my camera back. However, there seems to be little hope of that at this point. I have this nagging feeling that I am learning what the agent knew all along. This agency rents cars, but they are not very concerned about the disposition of their customers’ stuff.

There is a lesson for all of us in this story, especially for me. I was warned! The agent told me at least three times, maybe more, “Be sure you have all of your things.” How many times have we disregarded instruction and had to suffer the consequences? “He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy” (Proverbs 29:1). If that rental return agent were standing here with me right now, I think he would have every right to say, “I told you so!”

I lost an expensive camera, a gift from my sons, because I failed to heed the warnings that were given to me. However, with the warnings that we have in scripture, there are many, much more valuable things that we could lose if we do not recognize that God’s Word is always right, and that we must always obey.

On Saturday night I had the privilege to speak at a youth rally at the Marion Avenue Baptist Church in Washington, Iowa. Pastor Larry Brown and Youth Pastor Joseph Brown host a basketball/volleyball tournament there every year that is attended by dozens of church and school groups from all over Iowa and neighboring states.

I enjoyed watching the young people compete during the day, and I had the opportunity to meet many of the teens, sponsors and coaches as well. I was impressed with the number of people gathered for this event, and I was impressed by how gracious everyone was.

There were hundreds of teens present for the rally and the church auditorium was packed out. There were extra chairs set up and folks in the hallway who could not get in. There was a great spirit in the service and many good decisions during the invitation time.

On Sunday morning, I was with Pastor Joe Kobernat at the First Baptist Church of Geneseo, Illinois. Pastor Kobernat asked me to speak in Sunday school to the teens and adults, and also in the morning service. After the service, Pastor & Mrs. Kobernat took me to lunch with their family and our graduates, Joel & Taryn Kobernat, Julie & Jill Kobernat (who are both on staff at the Bay View Baptist Church in Washington, Illinois), Pat & Sarah Palomo and Trevor & Sharon VanLoo. We enjoyed some great food at a Victorian restaurant and a wonderful time of fellowship together. After lunch, I saw the beautiful ten-acre lot where their new church building will soon be built.

On Sunday night, I was with Pastor Keith Thibo at the Bayview Baptist Church in Washington, Illinois. We had a great crowd, good decisions and I felt great liberty in preaching.

As we toured the building before the service, Pastor Thibo showed me an area they call the “Grace Place” lined with pictures of young people who have grown up in their ministry and are serving the Lord full-time. My heart was stirred as I saw how many of these folks also are Golden State Baptist College graduates.

This was my first time to be in each of these churches. I was amazed at the unique beauty of each of these church buildings, I was pleased by the warm welcome I received in each church and I gained a newfound appreciation for the ministries of each of these pastors who have been friends of our ministry for many, many years.

Brother Trieber’s messages yesterday were incredible! If you were not there you simply must hear them at http://www.nvbc.org/video.asp.

Mid-term exams are this week, so it is not uncommon to see someone walking down the hallway in between classes staring at a study sheet, endeavoring to absorb as much as possible before they walk into class and take the test. Tests are designed to help the teacher determine what the student knows and what the student can do.

In some ways, tests are a microcosm of life itself. We are all tested every day. A bout with the common cold will test our resolve to meet our responsibilities and obligations for the day. Our honesty is tested by the time clock. An off-color joke will put our reputation to the test. Our integrity is tested by everyday life, but we often fail to take the time to look at the report card.

How are you doing on the test of life? When we stand before God, we will know the final results, but then it will be too late to change any of our answers. Now is the time to improve our score. If we realized that we were being tested every day and we prepared as much as we do for a test, it would help us to be more of what we ought to be for the Lord.