A couple from Chicago was planning a vacation to a warmer climate, but the wife couldn't join her husband until the next day, because she was on a business trip. Her husband scribbled down her e-mail address on a little scrap of paper, but upon his arrival, he discovered that he had lost it. He wanted to send off a quick e-mail to let her know he had arrived safely. So trying his best to remember her e-mail address, he composed a brief message and sent it off.
Unfortunately, his e-mail did not reach his wife. Instead, it went to a grieving widow who had just lost her husband, a preacher, the day before. She had gone to her computer and was checking her e-mail when she let out a loud shriek and fainted on the spot. Her family came rushing in to see what was on the screen: "Dearest wife, I just checked in. Everything is prepared for your arrival tomorrow. P. S.: It sure is hot down here!"
The good news is that because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we don't have to be afraid of that real place that is hot down there. In fact, we don't even have to fear death. Because Christ died and rose again from the dead, we know that for us as believers, there is life beyond the grave.
If that were all the resurrection did for us, it would be worth the price of the ticket. Of course, we didn't buy the ticket. Christ did. But if all that Christianity offered was the hope of life beyond the grave, it still would be worth it to be a Christian.
But there is a whole lot more that the resurrection has for us. Our risen Lord will give us a new heart and put a new spirit within us (see Ezekiel 36:26). He will give us new knowledge, new comfort, new peace, and a new life in Him.
For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org
How Great Thou Art
O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the *worlds thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the *rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed:
When through the woods and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees,
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur,
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze:
And when I think that God, his Son not sparing,
Sent him to die, I scarce can take it in,
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.
When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then *I shall bow in humble adoration,
And there proclaim,
Consider all the *worlds thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the *rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed:
Refrain
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to thee:
How great thou art! How great thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to thee:
How great thou art! How great thou art!
How great thou art! How great thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to thee:
How great thou art! How great thou art!
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees,
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur,
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze:
Refrain
Sent him to die, I scarce can take it in,
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.
Refrain
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then *I shall bow in humble adoration,
And there proclaim,
My God, how great thou art!
Flash floods in the Solomon Islands killed 19 people and left approximately 49,000 homeless in the aftermath. Forty people remain missing reports The Guardian. The Mataniko river in Honiara rose over its banks Thursday, causing houses to be damaged or swept away completely.
The Solomon government declared a state of emergency when the river banks flooded following a tropical storm in the area. Concerns have now shifted to getting survivors accessing clean water, food and shelter. Water treatment facilities were destroyed in the storm.
Water-borne illnesses are another concern for authorities, as evacuation shelters are overpopulated with people displaced by the floods.
Christian relief organization World Vision has responded to the disaster by providing blankets, mosquito nets, tarps, hygiene kits, cooking kits, and containers for water reports Christian Today. So far, 2,000 people have benefited from the organization’s aid and the group will continue to distribute materials to survivors.
Katie Greenwood, country director of the Oxfam organization said that a disaster of this magnitude was "unprecedented" for the location.
"This flash flooding is unlike anything that I've seen previously here in the country," she said.
Happy Thursday Readers,
I have a Dr. appointment today... I hope & pray that most of my problems have been allergy related; however, I feel that the dreaded Bronchitis Bug that I avoided during the Fall and Winter months has finally caught up with me...
Some coughing at night, tightness of chest, difficulty breathing and an achy flu like feeling all over are a few of the Bronchitis signs that I get...
Your prayers are appreciated...
Have a Joyous and Blessed Thursday,
Richard
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