Please remember to pray for the following:
Carolyn Derickson, cancer throughout her body.
Carol Lehman, breast cancer.
Jimmy Mileham, esophagal cancer.
Although I am praying for all my friends who are ill, Jimmy's cancer hit me harder that the others. All these are fine, Christian people. However, Jimmy is one of the nicest people I have ever met; soft spoken, a muscular man, a gentle giant (I doubt he would harm a fly). He is the last person I ever thought would come down with cancer.
As I said, all these people are fine people; please pray for their healing.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
How should we live…
Can a person who calls himself a Christian live anyway he likes? I mean, can he lie, cheat, steal, gossip, backbite, slander…and still expect to go to heaven?
I believe that the real issue is this: If one who calls himself a Christian can lie, cheat, steal, gossip, backbite, slander without feeling any conviction for his sin…he probably is not a Christian after all.
Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15). Here He is saying that love in action (the keeping of His commandments) is the definitive proof obedience. There is no substitute for obedience - works, giving, church membership, attendance – nothing substitutes for obedience.
Disobedience is a serious sin in the eyes of God, I Samuel 15:22-23: “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.” To obey is better than sacrifice; to disobey (rebellion) is as the sin of witchcraft.
To confess love for God and continue to be disobedient to His commands is a false confession, I John 2:4: “He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”
It is not enough to say; we must obey, John 14:23-24, “…If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word…He who does not love Me does not keep My words…”
I believe that the real issue is this: If one who calls himself a Christian can lie, cheat, steal, gossip, backbite, slander without feeling any conviction for his sin…he probably is not a Christian after all.
Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15). Here He is saying that love in action (the keeping of His commandments) is the definitive proof obedience. There is no substitute for obedience - works, giving, church membership, attendance – nothing substitutes for obedience.
Disobedience is a serious sin in the eyes of God, I Samuel 15:22-23: “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.” To obey is better than sacrifice; to disobey (rebellion) is as the sin of witchcraft.
To confess love for God and continue to be disobedient to His commands is a false confession, I John 2:4: “He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”
It is not enough to say; we must obey, John 14:23-24, “…If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word…He who does not love Me does not keep My words…”
Monday, August 25, 2008
Quotes from Chuck Smith...
“Sometimes we make the mistake of thinking God uses only 'special' people the strong, the intelligent, the beautiful. We don't think He has a place for the rest of us. We are so wrong!”
“God never made out a long contract that says, ‘Abide by all my terms and I will love you and bless you; but if you violate even the smallest provision, it’s all null and void and you are out of My kingdom!’ Christians are not bound by any heavy contract to God. Paul declared that the only thing that constrained him was the love of Jesus Christ (II Corinthians 5:14).”
“God will allow us to follow self-help, self-improvement programs until we have tried them all, until we finally come to the honest confession, ‘I can't do it. I can't be righteous in my own strength!’ It is then, when we admit our utter powerlessness, that we find hope. For it is then when the Lord intervenes to do a work that we could not do for ourselves.”
“If through faith you have placed your eternal destiny in the loving hands of Jesus Christ, you can be sure that God is at work, shaping the events and circumstances of your life into a beautiful mosaic that will reveal His Son to the men and women around you. His hand is on you, as it has been since before you were born.”
“God is more interested in what we are than in what we do. He looks for fruit; we try to produce works."
“God never made out a long contract that says, ‘Abide by all my terms and I will love you and bless you; but if you violate even the smallest provision, it’s all null and void and you are out of My kingdom!’ Christians are not bound by any heavy contract to God. Paul declared that the only thing that constrained him was the love of Jesus Christ (II Corinthians 5:14).”
“God will allow us to follow self-help, self-improvement programs until we have tried them all, until we finally come to the honest confession, ‘I can't do it. I can't be righteous in my own strength!’ It is then, when we admit our utter powerlessness, that we find hope. For it is then when the Lord intervenes to do a work that we could not do for ourselves.”
“If through faith you have placed your eternal destiny in the loving hands of Jesus Christ, you can be sure that God is at work, shaping the events and circumstances of your life into a beautiful mosaic that will reveal His Son to the men and women around you. His hand is on you, as it has been since before you were born.”
“God is more interested in what we are than in what we do. He looks for fruit; we try to produce works."
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Quotes from A. W. Tozer...
“The stiff and wooden quality about out religious lives is a result of our lack of holy desire. Complacency is a deadly foe of all spiritual growth. Acute desire must be present or there will be no manifestation of Christ to His people. He waits to be wanted. Too bad that with many of us He waits so long, so very long, in vain.”
“To many Christians Christ is little more than an idea, or at best an idea. He is not fact. Millions of professed believers talk as if He were real and act as if He were not. And always our actual position is to be discovered by the way we act, not by the way we talk.”
“Christ-less Christianity sounds contradictory but it exists as a real phenomenon in our day. Much that is being done In Christ’s name is false to Christ it that it is conceived by the flesh, incorporates fleshly methods, and seeks fleshly ends. Christ is mentioned from time to time in the same way and for the same reason that a self-seeking politician mentions Lincoln and the flag, to provide a sacred front for carnal activities and to deceive the simple hearted listeners. The giveaway is that Christ is not central: he is not all and in all.”
“We evangelicals also know how to avoid the sharp point of obedience by means of fine and intricate explanations. These are tailor-made for the flesh. They excuse disobedience, comfort carnality and make the words of Christ of none effect. And the essence of it all is that Christ simply could not have meant what He said. His teachings are accepted even theoretically only after they have been weakened by interpretation.”
“Much of what passes for New Testament Christianity is little more than objective truth sweetened with song and made palatable by religious entertainment.”
“To many Christians Christ is little more than an idea, or at best an idea. He is not fact. Millions of professed believers talk as if He were real and act as if He were not. And always our actual position is to be discovered by the way we act, not by the way we talk.”
“Christ-less Christianity sounds contradictory but it exists as a real phenomenon in our day. Much that is being done In Christ’s name is false to Christ it that it is conceived by the flesh, incorporates fleshly methods, and seeks fleshly ends. Christ is mentioned from time to time in the same way and for the same reason that a self-seeking politician mentions Lincoln and the flag, to provide a sacred front for carnal activities and to deceive the simple hearted listeners. The giveaway is that Christ is not central: he is not all and in all.”
“We evangelicals also know how to avoid the sharp point of obedience by means of fine and intricate explanations. These are tailor-made for the flesh. They excuse disobedience, comfort carnality and make the words of Christ of none effect. And the essence of it all is that Christ simply could not have meant what He said. His teachings are accepted even theoretically only after they have been weakened by interpretation.”
“Much of what passes for New Testament Christianity is little more than objective truth sweetened with song and made palatable by religious entertainment.”
Playing Church? Or Worship?
The following is an article written by Mary Southerland found on Crosswalk.com:
Come, let's worship him and bow down. Let's kneel before the LORD who made us, because he is our God and we are the people he takes care of and the sheep that he tends. Psalm 95: 6-7, NCV
When I was a little girl, I loved to play church with my friends. We would line chairs up in rows and pull out a cardboard box we used for the pulpit. Then the great debate began over who would preach and who would sing. The more aggressive kids wanted the up-front jobs while the quiet ones were happy to just sit and watch the "show". Sometimes one of the kids would pretend to be the Holy Ghost walking around the chairs saying "Boo!" If the leaders did a good job, we would play church for hours. However, if they were not entertaining enough, the kids in the chairs would soon get bored and go in search of more exciting recreation in the front yard. All in all, playing the church game was great fun and a delightful way to pass an afternoon.
Playing church is, however, a pathetic and meaningless way to pass a lifetime.
Every Sunday, churches are filled with those who are simply "playing" games with God. They line up in rows to watch the "show". If it is good enough, they stay and even come back occasionally. However, if it is not entertaining, they will drift off to play some other game in life.
We were created to worship God! Until we recognize that spiritual principle and learn how to practice true worship, we will never be completely satisfied. Only the presence of God can fill the emptiness of a soul. True worship invites Him to fill that emptiness with Himself. In fact, we were made to worship Him. Few of us understand the importance or the life-changing power of worship. Let's look at one woman who was dramatically changed as the result of experiencing true worship.
Her amazing story is found in Luke 7:36-50:
"Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is--that she is a sinner." Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you." "Tell me, teacher," he said. "Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?" Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled." "You have judged correctly," Jesus said. Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven--for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?" Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." (NIV)
What a powerful passage of hope and complete transformation in the life of a woman just like you and me. Oh, her sins may be different from ours, but make no mistake; our hearts are just the same -- bent toward sin and destruction. This woman found forgiveness and restoration -- and so can we! Her story is a beautiful picture of the automatic response of a forgiven heart to the forgiving Father. She came, expecting to meet God (vs. 36)
Jesus was the big news in town and the main topic of every conversation. He had healed the leper, given sight to the blind and raised the widow's son right out of the coffin. Everybody wanted Jesus at his or her party. Simon was an arrogant Pharisee who invited Jesus to his home for a feast. Jesus went, knowing that He would have an opportunity to minister to the Pharisees. But He also went, knowing that this woman would come seeking Him. God always responds to a seeking heart. Worship begins with a seeking heart. When we seek God, we must seek Him with our whole heart - a heart that is set on being in the presence of God. "Seek" literally means "to pursue, to chase or to hunt".
An ancient tale from India describes a young man who was seeking God. He went to a wise old sage for help. "How can I find God?" he asked the old man. The old man took him to a nearby river where they waded into the deep water. Soon the water was up just under their chins. Suddenly the old man grabbed the young man by the neck and pushed him under the water, holding him down until he was flailing the water in desperation. Finally, the old man released him. The young seeker was coughing and gasping for air. Reaching the bank, he was furious! "What did that have to do with my finding God?" The old man asked him quietly, "While you were under the water what did you want more than anything else?" The young man thought for a moment and then answered, "I wanted air. I wanted air more than anything else!" The old man replied, "When you want God as much as you wanted air, you will find him." To pursue God means to long for Him with every fiber of our being. God promises to meet us in worship when we come seeking Him.
1 Chronicles 28: 9 If you seek him, he will be found by you. (NKJV)
Jesus made Himself available to this woman, wanting to meet her need of forgiveness. He chose to go to this party knowing she would be there. Jesus waits for you. He longs to spend time with you. He created you out of love and a desire to be with you. When we come expecting to meet God, longing to be in His presence, then, we will begin to worship.
For Reflection
Ask yourself this question: What is keeping me from spending time alone with God?
Don't wait another minute. Make a commitment to seek God! Choose to:
• Make an appointment with God.
• Come - expecting Him to be there.
• Understand that He will be waiting for you.
• Refuse to let anything keep you from your time with God.
Come, let's worship him and bow down. Let's kneel before the LORD who made us, because he is our God and we are the people he takes care of and the sheep that he tends. Psalm 95: 6-7, NCV
When I was a little girl, I loved to play church with my friends. We would line chairs up in rows and pull out a cardboard box we used for the pulpit. Then the great debate began over who would preach and who would sing. The more aggressive kids wanted the up-front jobs while the quiet ones were happy to just sit and watch the "show". Sometimes one of the kids would pretend to be the Holy Ghost walking around the chairs saying "Boo!" If the leaders did a good job, we would play church for hours. However, if they were not entertaining enough, the kids in the chairs would soon get bored and go in search of more exciting recreation in the front yard. All in all, playing the church game was great fun and a delightful way to pass an afternoon.
Playing church is, however, a pathetic and meaningless way to pass a lifetime.
Every Sunday, churches are filled with those who are simply "playing" games with God. They line up in rows to watch the "show". If it is good enough, they stay and even come back occasionally. However, if it is not entertaining, they will drift off to play some other game in life.
We were created to worship God! Until we recognize that spiritual principle and learn how to practice true worship, we will never be completely satisfied. Only the presence of God can fill the emptiness of a soul. True worship invites Him to fill that emptiness with Himself. In fact, we were made to worship Him. Few of us understand the importance or the life-changing power of worship. Let's look at one woman who was dramatically changed as the result of experiencing true worship.
Her amazing story is found in Luke 7:36-50:
"Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is--that she is a sinner." Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you." "Tell me, teacher," he said. "Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?" Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled." "You have judged correctly," Jesus said. Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven--for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?" Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." (NIV)
What a powerful passage of hope and complete transformation in the life of a woman just like you and me. Oh, her sins may be different from ours, but make no mistake; our hearts are just the same -- bent toward sin and destruction. This woman found forgiveness and restoration -- and so can we! Her story is a beautiful picture of the automatic response of a forgiven heart to the forgiving Father. She came, expecting to meet God (vs. 36)
Jesus was the big news in town and the main topic of every conversation. He had healed the leper, given sight to the blind and raised the widow's son right out of the coffin. Everybody wanted Jesus at his or her party. Simon was an arrogant Pharisee who invited Jesus to his home for a feast. Jesus went, knowing that He would have an opportunity to minister to the Pharisees. But He also went, knowing that this woman would come seeking Him. God always responds to a seeking heart. Worship begins with a seeking heart. When we seek God, we must seek Him with our whole heart - a heart that is set on being in the presence of God. "Seek" literally means "to pursue, to chase or to hunt".
An ancient tale from India describes a young man who was seeking God. He went to a wise old sage for help. "How can I find God?" he asked the old man. The old man took him to a nearby river where they waded into the deep water. Soon the water was up just under their chins. Suddenly the old man grabbed the young man by the neck and pushed him under the water, holding him down until he was flailing the water in desperation. Finally, the old man released him. The young seeker was coughing and gasping for air. Reaching the bank, he was furious! "What did that have to do with my finding God?" The old man asked him quietly, "While you were under the water what did you want more than anything else?" The young man thought for a moment and then answered, "I wanted air. I wanted air more than anything else!" The old man replied, "When you want God as much as you wanted air, you will find him." To pursue God means to long for Him with every fiber of our being. God promises to meet us in worship when we come seeking Him.
1 Chronicles 28: 9 If you seek him, he will be found by you. (NKJV)
Jesus made Himself available to this woman, wanting to meet her need of forgiveness. He chose to go to this party knowing she would be there. Jesus waits for you. He longs to spend time with you. He created you out of love and a desire to be with you. When we come expecting to meet God, longing to be in His presence, then, we will begin to worship.
For Reflection
Ask yourself this question: What is keeping me from spending time alone with God?
Don't wait another minute. Make a commitment to seek God! Choose to:
• Make an appointment with God.
• Come - expecting Him to be there.
• Understand that He will be waiting for you.
• Refuse to let anything keep you from your time with God.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Future
I am being deliberately quiet for reasons I will share later. I want to thank you all for your prayers, especially for the pastors who have called and emailed. God is in control and His will is what we are praying for.
More to come later.
Grace and peace...
More to come later.
Grace and peace...
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Resignation
I have resigned as Pastor of Fellowship Bible Church. Please pray for me and my wife. I will have more on this later.
Grace and peace...
Grace and peace...
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Prayer, please...
It is not often that I will use this blog for personal reasons, but we need your prayer more than ever at this time. We have a situation that we need to you to pray for us about. I am not at liberty to disclose it at this time, but will later. Thanks and God bless...
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Prayer Requests
Prayer please for those ill and in need:
Carolyn Derickson, cancer (spread throughout her body)
Kelly, MS
Carole, breast cancer
Danny, neck injury
Brenda, planter factitious
Nolan, Marine Corp boot camp
Maryb, finances
el, comfort of Christ
Rachel, guidance, depression
Naomi, healing from undiagnosed injury from auto accident in 2002, finances
Prayer for Pastor Friends:
Bill Walden
Steve Brown
Jim Bomkamp
Ryan Couch
Alan Hawkins
Jim Lawrence
Casey Lehman
Reuben Mills
Jon Clayton
Jim Jacobson
Carolyn Derickson, cancer (spread throughout her body)
Kelly, MS
Carole, breast cancer
Danny, neck injury
Brenda, planter factitious
Nolan, Marine Corp boot camp
Maryb, finances
el, comfort of Christ
Rachel, guidance, depression
Naomi, healing from undiagnosed injury from auto accident in 2002, finances
Prayer for Pastor Friends:
Bill Walden
Steve Brown
Jim Bomkamp
Ryan Couch
Alan Hawkins
Jim Lawrence
Casey Lehman
Reuben Mills
Jon Clayton
Jim Jacobson
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Spurgeon on Knowing God
Daniel 11:32: The people that do know their God shall be strong.
Every believer understands that to know God is the highest and best form of knowledge; and this spiritual knowledge is a source of strength to the Christian. It strengthens his faith. Believers are constantly spoken of in the Scriptures as being persons who are enlightened and taught of the Lord; they are said to "have an unction from the Holy One," and it is the Spirit's peculiar office to lead them into all truth, and all this for the increase and the fostering of their faith. Knowledge strengthens love, as well as faith. Knowledge opens the door, and then through that door we see our Saviour. Or, to use another similitude, knowledge paints the portrait of Jesus, and when we see that portrait then we love Him, we cannot love a Christ whom we do not know, at least, in some degree. If we know but little of the excellences of Jesus, what He has done for us, and what He is doing now, we cannot love Him much; but the more we know Him, the more we shall love Him. Knowledge also strengthens hope. How can we hope for a thing if we do not know of its existence? Hope may be the telescope, but till we receive instruction, our ignorance stands in the front of the glass, and we can see nothing whatever; knowledge removes the interposing object, and when we look through the bright optic glass we discern the glory to be revealed, and anticipate it with joyous confidence. Knowledge supplies us reasons for patience. How shall we have patience unless we know something of the sympathy of Christ, and understand the good which is to come out of the correction which our heavenly Father sends us? Nor is there one single grace of the Christian which, under God, will not be fostered and brought to perfection by holy knowledge. How important, then, is it that we should grow not only in grace, but in the "knowledge" of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Every believer understands that to know God is the highest and best form of knowledge; and this spiritual knowledge is a source of strength to the Christian. It strengthens his faith. Believers are constantly spoken of in the Scriptures as being persons who are enlightened and taught of the Lord; they are said to "have an unction from the Holy One," and it is the Spirit's peculiar office to lead them into all truth, and all this for the increase and the fostering of their faith. Knowledge strengthens love, as well as faith. Knowledge opens the door, and then through that door we see our Saviour. Or, to use another similitude, knowledge paints the portrait of Jesus, and when we see that portrait then we love Him, we cannot love a Christ whom we do not know, at least, in some degree. If we know but little of the excellences of Jesus, what He has done for us, and what He is doing now, we cannot love Him much; but the more we know Him, the more we shall love Him. Knowledge also strengthens hope. How can we hope for a thing if we do not know of its existence? Hope may be the telescope, but till we receive instruction, our ignorance stands in the front of the glass, and we can see nothing whatever; knowledge removes the interposing object, and when we look through the bright optic glass we discern the glory to be revealed, and anticipate it with joyous confidence. Knowledge supplies us reasons for patience. How shall we have patience unless we know something of the sympathy of Christ, and understand the good which is to come out of the correction which our heavenly Father sends us? Nor is there one single grace of the Christian which, under God, will not be fostered and brought to perfection by holy knowledge. How important, then, is it that we should grow not only in grace, but in the "knowledge" of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Spurgeon on romans 8:28
Romans 8:28: We know that all things work together for good to them that love God.
Upon some points a believer is absolutely sure. He knows, for instance, that God sits in the stern-sheets of the vessel when it rocks most. He believes that an invisible hand is always on the world's tiller, and that wherever providence may drift, Jehovah steers it. That re-assuring knowledge prepares him for everything. He looks over the raging waters and sees the spirit of Jesus treading the billows, and he hears a voice saying, "It is I, be not afraid." He knows too that God is always wise, and, knowing this, he is confident that there can be no accidents, no mistakes; that nothing can occur which ought not to arise. He can say, "If I should lose all I have, it is better that I should lose than have, if God so wills: the worst calamity is the wisest and the kindest thing that could befall to me if God ordains it." "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God." The Christian does not merely hold this as a theory, but he knows it as a matter of fact. Everything has worked for good as yet; the poisonous drugs mixed in fit proportions have worked the cure; the sharp cuts of the lancet have cleansed out the proud flesh and facilitated the healing. Every event as yet has worked out the most divinely blessed results; and so, believing that God rules all, that He governs wisely, that He brings good out of evil, the believer's heart is assured, and he is enabled calmly to meet each trial as it comes. The believer can in the spirit of true resignation pray, "Send me what thou wilt, my God, so long as it comes from Thee; never came there an ill portion from Thy table to any of Thy children."
"Say not my soul, 'From whence can God relieve my care?
Remember that Omnipotence has servants everywhere.
His method is sublime, His heart profoundly kind,
God never is before His time, and never is behind.'"
Upon some points a believer is absolutely sure. He knows, for instance, that God sits in the stern-sheets of the vessel when it rocks most. He believes that an invisible hand is always on the world's tiller, and that wherever providence may drift, Jehovah steers it. That re-assuring knowledge prepares him for everything. He looks over the raging waters and sees the spirit of Jesus treading the billows, and he hears a voice saying, "It is I, be not afraid." He knows too that God is always wise, and, knowing this, he is confident that there can be no accidents, no mistakes; that nothing can occur which ought not to arise. He can say, "If I should lose all I have, it is better that I should lose than have, if God so wills: the worst calamity is the wisest and the kindest thing that could befall to me if God ordains it." "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God." The Christian does not merely hold this as a theory, but he knows it as a matter of fact. Everything has worked for good as yet; the poisonous drugs mixed in fit proportions have worked the cure; the sharp cuts of the lancet have cleansed out the proud flesh and facilitated the healing. Every event as yet has worked out the most divinely blessed results; and so, believing that God rules all, that He governs wisely, that He brings good out of evil, the believer's heart is assured, and he is enabled calmly to meet each trial as it comes. The believer can in the spirit of true resignation pray, "Send me what thou wilt, my God, so long as it comes from Thee; never came there an ill portion from Thy table to any of Thy children."
"Say not my soul, 'From whence can God relieve my care?
Remember that Omnipotence has servants everywhere.
His method is sublime, His heart profoundly kind,
God never is before His time, and never is behind.'"
Sunday, August 3, 2008
A Sudden Death
Last week, Christopher Laurie, son of Evangelist and Pastor Greg Laurie, was killed in a tragic auto accident. Today, Pastor Jon Corson spoke at Harvest of his own suffering as he lost a wife and then a daughter to an automobile accident.
Jon spoke of the peace that passes understanding and encouraged his listeners to trust in God's sovereignty in all things.
Many things in this life we simply do not understand. God has His plan and purpose and it is in allowing something like this that we often struggle with His purposes. The Christian life is one of faith; we begin our life with God in faith and continue to trust Him from faith to faith. God is faithful and at times like this we must remind ourselves of His faithfulness.
Please continue to pray for Pastor Greg and the family, especially Christopher's wife, daughter and unborn daughter as they continue to morn Christopher's passing.
Jon spoke of the peace that passes understanding and encouraged his listeners to trust in God's sovereignty in all things.
Many things in this life we simply do not understand. God has His plan and purpose and it is in allowing something like this that we often struggle with His purposes. The Christian life is one of faith; we begin our life with God in faith and continue to trust Him from faith to faith. God is faithful and at times like this we must remind ourselves of His faithfulness.
Please continue to pray for Pastor Greg and the family, especially Christopher's wife, daughter and unborn daughter as they continue to morn Christopher's passing.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Prayer for a friend 7...
Carolyn started her chemotherapy today; 8 hours hooked up to IV's. I haven't heard from them but I would guess that it is exhausting. We should have the results of the blood tests next week. Thanks for praying...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)