WARM UP! 2/6/11

THROUGH THE YEARS I have attended many games where the team players would appear and throw around the balls whether it was basketball or baseball. Sometimes a little bit of batting practice, and the pitchers are always at the side throwing their fast balls; getting their arms warmed up. Very few major league players do this except for the pitchers. Even when doing exercises, a little bit of warming up, is a good thing for your body, don’t you think?

SOMEWHERE in the 70's Pat Boone, along with Mrs. Boone and their four girls came to Medford. They were scheduled to appear at one at the Middle schools that had the large auditorium. We had attended the US Army Core Band performance there and once even Dr. Dobson came to speak. Tickets were sold out for the Boone’s performance and the Gospel Hymns were invited to be the WARM UP group. What an honor for our home grown Gospel Quartet and pianist! Lee, Lynn, Lance, Jim along with Kathleen were thrilled, and very good!

THE AUDIENCE was excited to hear the Gospel Hymns again; and the Hymns were thrilled they were a part of the evening. As soon as the Hymns came on the stage, the audience began to quiet down. Whispers were heard less and less and paper crackling stopped. The people clapped along with the music and applauded, wanting more. The Hymns did a good job, because when the Boone’s came on stage, the audience was more than ready.

WHEN I thought about the Gospel Hymns warming up for Pat Boone, as always, I begin to think of how we are warming up, for the second coming of our Lord and Savior. Oh, I know what you are saying; “what would that have to do with Jesus’ second coming?” It has become my thought pattern, through the years when remembering something, by bringing our Christian walk into focus. By doing this, I feel I am still on the path that Christ set for me and for you!

“IN THOSE DAYS came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea; “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said; “The voice of one crying in the wilderness; Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” Matthew 3:1-3 Do you imagine that John was “warming up the people” before Jesus came on stage? Do you suppose?

THE OLD TESTAMENT was God’s way of preparing the people for the coming of His Son, Jesus! The New Testament is the story of God’s Son and His promise to all those who follow Him! Those who belong to Jesus can be found here, there and everywhere preaching God’s word just as John the Baptist did in the beginning, when the word became flesh and dwelt among men.

LITTLE is mentioned about John the Baptist except for his birth; He was about six months older than Jesus, his cousin; He came from the hill country of Judah; The hand of the Lord was with Him; He grew and became strong in spirit; He was in the wilderness till his manifestation; He will be great before the Lord and filled with the Holy Spirit. He was imprisoned by Herod prior to his execution; he was the forerunner of Jesus and his ministry was prophetic. His chief preaching burden was the announcement of the coming kingdom, emphasizing the necessity for repentance and confession of sins.

JESUS SAID; “No one born of woman was greater than John!” Matthew 11:11 I am not a bench warmer, are you? I am not exercising, nor practicing to become more flexible in my kingdom work! I am warming up the people that I meet to prepare them for when they walk into heaven, or if they are so lucky to be here when Jesus appears again, in all His glory! Oh what a day that will be! The Gospel Hymns use to sing: “Get all excited, go tell everybody that Jesus Christ is king! Get all excited, go tell everybody that Jesus Christ is king! That Jesus Christ is still the king of kings; king of kings!” Starting today, be a warmup for Jesus! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 2/4/11