Happy Saturday

The Ultimate Sacrifice

For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16, HCSB

On a trip to South Asia I visited an area where the gospel was spreading rapidly. People would come to the missionary and say, “We heard you are telling about a religion that provides the forgiveness of sins.” When the missionary told them of God’s love and His Son’s sacrifice for their sins, they readily responded.

I asked, “Before you heard of Jesus Christ dying for you, what would you do about your sins?” They explained they knew their wrong actions had something to do with what happened to them when they died. They recalled how they would make sacrifices to the spirits, but went on to say, “We never had assurance our sins were forgiven until we heard of a God who loved us and sacrificed His Son for our sins.”

People all over the world make sacrifices to gods they don’t know. They diligently carry out religious devotion in hopes of getting to heaven. But the sacrifice of the sinless Son of God is the only means by which we can be saved.

The wonderful thing is His payment for sin is for everyone everywhere who Father, thank You that “whosoever” includes me.

Daily Smile:

Over breakfast one morning, a woman said to her husband, "I bet you don't know what day this is."

"Of course I do," he indignantly answered, going out the door on his way the office.

At 10 AM, the doorbell rang, and when the woman opens the door, she was handed a box containing a dozen long-stemmed red roses. At 1 PM, a foil-wrapped, two pound box of her favorite chocolates arrive. Later, a boutique delivered a designer dress. The woman shouldn’t wait for her husband to come home. "First the flowers, then the candy, and then the dress!" she exclaimed. "I've never spent a more wonderful Groundhog Day in my whole life!'

Editor's Note:

     Which, by the way, is one of my favorite movies to watch... Imagine getting to live a day over and over again until you got it right... 
     Unfortunately, life does not follow movies, either you are saved or not... Please be sure...

HAPPY FRIDAY - YEA!!!!!

Alone, No One Cares

As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. --1 Thessalonians 2:6-8

From 1986 to 1990, Frank Reed was held hostage in a Lebanon cell. For months at a time, he was blindfolded, living in complete darkness, and chained to a wall, kept in absolute silence.

Reed was beaten, made ill, and tormented, but he felt the most hopeless because it seemed that no one cared. He said in an interview with Time magazine, "Nothing I did mattered to anyone. I began to realize how withering it is to exist with not a single expression of caring around [me]....I learned one overriding fact: caring is a powerful force. If no one cares, you are truly alone."

Christians are never truly alone because we are fortunate to have God's gracious watch care over our lives, as well as that of the Church. This type of caring can provide the strength needed for a believer to endure anything.

Do you know someone who feels as though no one cares for them? Can you think of a few people right now who are living in loneliness? We have been called as believers to minister to those who are lonely. And in turn, we never have to be lonely because there are other believers who will care for us.

Remember the promise of Jesus: "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me" (Matthew 25:40).

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Ask the Lord to open the doors of opportunity for you to pour out love, care, and concern for someone who needs it, just as Jesus did.

Daily Smile:

His father sends a small boy to bed. Five minutes later....

"Da-ad...." 

"What?" "I'm thirsty. Can you bring drink of water?" "No. You had your chance. Lights out."

Five minutes later: "Da-aaaad....."

"WHAT?"

"I'm THIRSTY. Can I have a drink of water??"

"I told you NO!" If you ask again, I'll have to spank you!!"

Five minutes later......"Daaaa-aaaad....."

"WHAT!"

"When you come in to spank me, can you bring a drink of water?"

Editor's Note:

     Today is a happier day than usual for me... Leaving in a little while to get the April '12 StarLight News and start delivering them... For those outside the regular delivery area, you can still read it online at http://the-starlight-news.blogspot.com/... 
Happy Reading...

Happy Thursday

The Training Ground of God

"Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle." - Psalm 144:1 

David was a man skilled in war. From his days as a shepherd boy to the days of serving in Saul's army to leading his own army, David learned to be a skillful warrior. How does one become a skillful warrior? 

The only way one can become a skillful warrior is to be trained and placed in the middle of the battle. It is only when we are placed in the furnace of battle that we truly learn to fight the real battles. Practice doesn't make you battle ready. War games won't prepare you for facing your real enemy in the battlefield. The stark reality of being in the midst of the battle makes us effective warriors. 

Simply reading your Bible will not make you a warrior for the Kingdom. Knowledge without experience is mere folly. Only when you are placed in situations where there is nothing or no one who can save you but God will you learn the lessons of warrior faith. This is the training ground of God, which will make you into a soldier for Christ in the workplace. Consider it to be suicidal faith - faith that says I want to be dead to anything that keeps me from fulfilling God's purposes for my life. It is when your efforts can do nothing to change your circumstance and you are at the mercy of God. These are the real training grounds of God. Do not shrink back from the battle that God may be leading you to today. It may be a training ground that is necessary for the calling He has on your life.

If you can trust Him in these times, you'll know that you have gained a faith that will move mountains and will sustain you in the most difficult of circumstances. "Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle." 

Daily Smile:
That’s Politics
    During a terrible storm, all the highway signs were covered with snow. The following spring, the state decided to raise all the signs twelve inches at a cost of six million dollars. “That’s an outrageous price!” said a local farmer, “but I guess we’re lucky the state handled it instead of the federal government.” “Why’s that?”

    “Because knowing the federal government, they’d decided to lower the highways.”

To Read More of The StarLight News, Just Click The Link Below 

http://the-starlight-news.blogspot.com/

Happy Reading

Happy Wednesday

The Challenges of God’s Call

"The Lord is with you, mighty warrior." Judges 6:12, NIV

At a time when Israel was living in disobedience to the Lord, and behaved in the evil ways of the nations surrounding them, they were oppressed by marauding bands of Midianites.

Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the Lord for help. In response to their cry, He sent a prophet who reminded them that the reason for this oppression was because they have been disobedient and not listened to the Lord.

Then the angel of the Lord came to Gideon as he was threshing wheat in a winepress, hiding from the Midianites. The angel said, ‘The Lord is with you, mighty warrior’ (Judges 6:12).

At this, Gideon asks, ‘If the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all His wonders that our fathers told us about? Now the Lord has abandoned us and put us in the hands of Midian.’

Then the Lord says, ‘Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?’

I wonder if there are times when we become a bit like Gideon, when we find the going tough, making feeble attempts to survive and our faith falters to the point of doubt. In such circumstances what is God trying to say to us?

Could it be that God wants us to look back to those experiences of the past, where He brought us out of a severe bondage and oppression, and how He helped and delivered us? This could be the point where He says, ‘Go in the strength you have - My strength. I will be with you, and you will overcome this problem.’

When we know we have drifted from the Lord, and we’re aware of our own weakness and inability, and yet we recognize the power of The Lord’s presence, we’re on the road to victory, whatever the enemy might throw against us. God being with one individual results in a powerful majority.

Like Gideon, there may be things we need to put right before we go into battle. We may need to put aside some things we consider essential for success. But when the Lord has promised ‘I will be with you, and you will be successful’, we can rest assured that this will be the outcome. Again, it is all a matter of dealing with any sin, and responding to God’s call with an obedient heart.

Prayer: O Lord God, please forgive me for those times when I’m disobedient to You and help me to recognize that You’re still with me and ready to help. Forgive me for those times I doubt and question where You are in a situation. Please enable me to recognize that however helpless and hopeless I might feel, You’re always with me to help me be an over comer, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Today's Writer : David Silvester

Daily Smile:

A lady who was speeding had an officer pulled her to the side of the road.

She didn't have her seat belt on so as soon as she stopped, she quickly slipped it on before the officer got to her window.

After talking to her about speeding, the officer said, "I see you are wearing your seat belt. Do you believe in wearing it at all times?"

"Yes, I do, officer," she replied.

"Well," asked the officer, "do you always do it up with it looped through your steering wheel?"

 To Read More of The StarLight News, Just Click The Link Below 

http://the-starlight-news.blogspot.com/

Happy Reading 

More Happy Reading: 

     April '12 Paper to be posted by Friday, March 23...

Happy Tuesday

DOING THE IMPOSSIBLE
"`Come,' [Jesus] said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came towards Jesus" (Matthew 14:29 NIV).

Miracles are extraordinary events manifesting divine intervention in human affairs. They are what we consider impossible. Most of the miracles are God's clever responses to impossible situations. It is a fact that God will not come down from heaven to do any miracle. He uses people. At times, the people that He uses are the very ones that the miracles will happen in their lives. This was what happened in the narrative that was found in Matthew 14:25-33. Two people (Jesus and Peter) did something that is impossible: walking on water. One may not be surprised that Jesus walked on water. After all, He is the Lord over everything. However, for Peter, an ordinary man, to do the impossible by walking on water he had to do some things that are worthy of note.

The first thing that Peter did was that he recognized the Lordship of Jesus (verses 25-28a). Earlier, when the other disciples with Peter saw Jesus Christ walking on turbulent water at night, they thought that Jesus was a "ghost." Jesus had to reassure them that it was He. Peter later addressed Jesus as "Lord." Many people also do not recognize Jesus as the Lord because of the circumstances around them.

The second thing that Peter did was that he took initiative (verse 28b). He saw Jesus doing the impossible, and he took the initiative of asking Jesus to ask him also to do the same thing. Our heavenly Father knows what we need, but He wants us to take the initiative of asking Him for them (see Matthew 6:8). No wonder, Jesus asked Peter to come to Him after Peter had taken the initiative.

The third thing that Peter did was that he was ready to leave his comfort zone (that is, the comfort of the boat) (verse 29a). In spite of the fact that the boat was been buffeted by the waves, it was safer to be in the boat than to be out of the boat on the water. 

Psychologically, leaving the other disciples behind in the boat would have been a problem for Peter, but he did not consider that. Anyone that will do the impossible will be ready to leave his/her comfort zone regardless of anything that might cost him/her. Such a person will not be satisfied with the average situation he/she finds him/herself.

Are you ready to do the impossible of walking on the trouble water of your life? Then be ready to do these three highlighted things. 

More of what Peter did to do the impossible will be highlighted next week.

In His service,
Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor)

Daily Smile:

It was the first day of school, and the first grade teacher decided to see how much her students knew about math. “Steven, can you tell me what is 3 and 2?” 

Steven said, “That’s when you should watch very, very carefully before you swing at the next pitch.”

 To Read More of The StarLight News, Just Click The Link Below 

http://the-starlight-news.blogspot.com/

Happy Reading 

More Happy Reading: 

     April '12 Paper to be posted by Friday, March 23...

Happy Monday

"Taking Aim"

(Author Unknown) [Edited]

A young lady named Sally, relates an experience she had in a seminary class, given by her teacher, who we'll call Brother Smith. She says Brother Smith was known for his elaborate object lessons.

One particular day, Sally walked into the seminary and knew they were in for another fun day. On the wall was a big target and on a nearby table were many darts. Brother Smith told the students to draw a picture of someone that they disliked or someone who had made them angry, and he would allow them to throw darts at the person's picture.

Sally's girlfriend (on her right), drew a picture of a girl who had stolen her boyfriend. Another friend (on her left), drew a picture of his little brother. Sally drew a picture of a former friend, putting a great deal of detail into her drawing, even drawing pimples on the face. Sally was pleased at the overall effect she had achieved.

The class lined up and began throwing darts, with much laughter and hilarity. Some of the students threw their darts with such force that their targets were ripping apart. Sally looked forward to her turn, and was filled with disappointment when Brother Smith, because of time limits, asked the students to return to their seats.

As Sally sat thinking about how angry she was because she didn't have a chance to throw any darts at her target, Brother Smith began removing the target from the wall.

Underneath the target was a picture of Jesus . . .

A complete hush fell over the room as each student viewed the mangled picture of Jesus; holes and jagged marks covered His face and His eyes were pierced out.

Brother Smith said only these words, "In as much as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me."

No other words were necessary; the tear-filled eyes of each student focused only on the picture of Christ.

"And the King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.' Matthew 25:40

Daily Smile:

What did the tired chess player do?
He took the knight off

 To Read More of The StarLight News, Just Click The Link Below 

http://the-starlight-news.blogspot.com/

Happy Reading 

More Happy Reading: 

     April '12 Paper to be posted by Friday, March 23...

Happy Sunday

Today's Discussion - Gratitude

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ – Ephesians 5:20

We are here admonished to give thanks for all things. We know we should give thanks for our daily provisions and for the mercy of God in saving us; but sometimes we don't take the time or make the effort to truly thank Him, or to consider all the things for which we should be grateful.

The Apostle Paul frequently expressed his thanks to God for the faith, love and work seen in the churches where he had labored. He acknowledged that these godly fruits were because of God's blessings on them and therefore gave thanks to God. He constantly expressed thankfulness for his godly fellow laborers, but consistently expressed thankfulness to God for even their faithfulness (Romans 1:8; 1 Corinthians 1:4; Philippians 1:3; 1Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Thessalonians 1:3).

Astonishingly, Paul also expressed appreciation for tribulations (Romans 5:3), and even acknowledged that he took pleasure in "infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake" because God's strength is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:10). If God's sufficiency is displayed in my insufficiency, Paul said, then I am thankful for each opportunity for His strength to be shown in my weakness.

And above all, the Apostle gave thanks for the Savior. He wrote, "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift" (2 Corinthians 9:15). Words are inadequate to describe the glory of our Savior Jesus Christ, but we should continually give thanks for Him and His love for us.

Daily Smile:

 During a terrible storm, all the highway signs were covered with snow. The following spring, the state decided to raise all the signs twelve inches at a cost of six million dollars. “That’s an outrageous price!” said a local farmer, “but I guess we’re lucky the state handled it instead of the federal government.” “Why’s that?”

“Because knowing the federal government, they’d decided to lower the highways.”

 To Read More of The StarLight News, Just Click The Link Below 

http://the-starlight-news.blogspot.com/

Happy Reading

Happy Saturday

God Sees It All
Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression. --Psalm 19:12-13

Time-lapse photography compresses a series of events into one picture. A photo such as this was published in National Geographic once. The photo was taken from a Rocky Mountain peak during a heavy thunderstorm, and the picture captured a brilliant lightning display that had taken place throughout.

The time-lapse technique created a fascinating, spider-like web out of the individual bolts. They all looked interconnected, but you could definitely see each bolt as it was in its uniqueness.

In such a way, our sin presents itself before the eyes of God. Where we see only isolated or individual acts, God sees the overall web of sin. What may seem insignificant-even sporadic-to us and passes with hardly a notice creates a much more dramatic display from God's panoramic view.

The psalmist wrote, "Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression."

Sin is truly deceptive (Heb. 3:13), divisive (Isa. 59:1-2), and deadly (Rom. 6:23). And it is destructive to the believer if not recognized (John 8:24).

Sin is sin-no matter how big, small, or sporadic it may seem. We must constantly remain pure and holy before the Lord, asking Him to forgive our transgression every day-those that we know and those that we don't. Thank God He sent his Son, Jesus, to cover those sins by His death on the cross so that we might have freedom through salvation in Him!

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Ask God to make you aware of every sin in your life, so that you can strive to rid yourself of it by the blood of Jesus Christ and live holy before Him. Thank Him for salvation and forgiveness of sins through His death on the cross.

Daily Smile:

A little boy returned from the grocery store with his mom. While his mom put away the groceries, the little boy opened his box of animal crackers and spread them all over the kitchen table.

"What are you doing?" asked his mom.

"The box says you shouldn't eat them if the seal is broken," said the little boy. "I'm looking for the seal."

 To Read More of The StarLight News, Just Click The Link Below 

http://the-starlight-news.blogspot.com/

Happy Reading

Happy Friday

GIVING THANKS ALWAYS

by David Wilkerson

"Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 5:20).

This matter of giving thanks always was so important in Paul's theology, he repeats it three times. (1) "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs," (2) "Singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord," and (3) "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 19-20).

Without faith we cannot do this as we ought. We are pressed down by so many problems and distresses. Of course God does not want us to fake it. It seems to me Paul has given us the key to it all when he tells us, ".do it unto the Father." That great preacher John Calvin said that such singing and giving thanks always is all feigning and hypocrisy unless we are fully persuaded that God is our Father.

Our mouths quiver sometimes with grief so that we cannot sing; we do not feel like giving thanks. Dire circumstances shatter our spirits. There are times the heart cries, "Lord, do you really expect me to sing and make melody when I Hurt so badly?" "Lord, I am so burdened down with cares, I can barely lift my head." "Lord, I find it hard to praise and speak hymns in my heart. There is too much fear, grief and doubt."

Yes, it is not easy to respond to this important truth. God is not severe with us when we hurt. We are his children. But these words are given us to find solace and relief in such times. We become so focused on our difficulties that we lose more than our song-we drift further and further away from God's eternal promises. In spite of all we face, our Lord says, "GIVE THANKS ALWAYS."

We become ungrateful for all he has done in the past. We get swallowed up in praying only for ourselves, our needs, our families-we cannot lift up our eyes to other's suffering-suffering more than us.

I am truly convicted by this word from Paul. I want to face tomorrow determined to sing to my Lord and give thanks for an entire day-for all things-in all things. It may be an inaudible song; it may be weak at first; but there must be a power in doing it, by faith, or it would not have been repeated three times.

Oh that ten thousand reading this message would endeavor to sing along with me-what a joy it would bring to Father's heart. Then, to follow it up by resting in the truth that God has heard your cry, he is working out the solution even now and every day-so go on giving thanks always and never stop singing love songs to our precious Lord and Savior.

Daily Smile:

Mrs. Swanson declined to serve on the jury because she was not a believer in capital punishment and didn’t want her beliefs to get in the way of the trial.

“But, Madam,” said the public defender, who had taken a liking to her kind face and calm demeanor, “this is not a murder trial. It is merely a civil lawsuit being brought by a wife against her husband. He gambled away the fifteen thousand dollars he’d promised to spend on a chinchilla coat for her birthday.” 

“Hmmm,” reflected Mrs. Swanson. “Okay, I’ll serve, I could be wrong about capital punishment.”

 To Read More of The StarLight News, Just Click The Link Below 

http://the-starlight-news.blogspot.com/

Happy Reading

Happy Thursday

Today's Discussion - Sin and Its Effects

by Kunal Michaels

Exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin – Hebrews 3:13

We cannot help but notice from this exhortation the deceitfulness of sin, the swiftness with which it can deceive us, and the urgency with which we must battle against it.

Sin lies to us, causing us to harden our hearts and draw away from God in unbelief (12). When we give in to any sin, we are not able to think as clearly and joyfully and trustingly as before.

Whether the sin is lust or anger or pride or greed, sin deceives us into thinking that satisfaction is found somewhere else than in God. It promises fulfillment through sensual pleasure, or putting others down, or lifting ourselves up, or gaining more "stuff."

But this is a lie. True and lasting joy is only found in the path and presence of the living God. Everything else is just a dead, limp substitute that has been painted and polished and perfumed to look enticing.

But how swiftly we give in to the lie! The writer reminds us that we need daily exhorting, lest sin have its hardening effect on our hearts. We can walk faithfully for a week, a decade, or half a lifetime and then suddenly fall in a day! Constant vigilance, and the exhortation of others, is needed in order to avoid sin's pitfalls today, no matter how successful we've been so far.

Finally, the writer presses the urgency of our situation. It is only called "Today" for 24 hours! Then tomorrow will come, and soon the end of all days. Do not put off the vital work of repentance and faithfulness. Today is already almost over, and our Lord that much closer to returning.

Daily Smile:

Peter called his doctor’s office for an appointment. “I’m sorry,” said the receptionist, “we can’t fit you in for at least two weeks.”

“But I could be dead by then!”

“No problem. If your wife lets us know, we’ll cancel the appointment.”

 To Read More of The StarLight News, Just Click The Link Below 

http://the-starlight-news.blogspot.com/

Happy Reading

Happy Wednesday

If Only

by T. Suzanne Eller

“But godliness with contentment is great gain.” 1 Timothy 6:6 (NIV)

Have you ever lived in the land of the “if onlys”?

If only I had more money, then things would be easier.

If only I lost 10 pounds, then I’d be happier.

If only they’d recognize my talent, then I’d feel more appreciated.

Not too long ago my husband and I were praying about his career. Not only did the answer not come, but every door shut that we thought would open easily. As time passed I started listing my “if onlys.”

If only we had clear direction.

If only we could begin that dream God placed in our hearts. If only, if only, if only …

Soon those unspoken words steered my thought life. They crept into my prayer time. They tiptoed into my relationship with my husband.

One day these words from King’s Cross by Timothy Keller leaped from the page:

The Bible says that our real problem is that every one of us is building our identity on something besides Jesus. Whether it’s to succeed in our chosen field or to have a certain relationship—or even to get up and walk—we’re saying, “If I have that, if I get my deepest wish, then everything will be okay.

Suddenly I saw myself. My deepest wish had shifted. Where once I longed for God, now my thought life and actions revolved around what I didn’t have. What I couldn’t control.

That night I confessed to my husband that I had not only moved into the land of the “if onlys” but had anchored there. I promised that instead of focusing on what wasn’t taking place, I would began to treasure what I did have.

Today we have food. We have shelter. Our home is warm. Thank You for that gift, Father.

Today I hold a grandbaby in my arms. See her precious smile? I delight in that, Lord.

Today I sit in the living room and laugh with my husband. Thank You for joy.

Today and everyday I am Yours, Jesus. You are more than enough.

Godly contentment isn’t passive, but an active faith that says God is enough. You and I are okay because our deepest wish doesn’t revolve around losing 10 pounds, our career, another person, or whether we’re noticed for our efforts.

Are you living in the land of the “if onlys”? If so, are you willing to change your deepest wish from the “if only” to focusing on what you have and thanking God for it?

Dear Lord, I trust that You are enough and You are good. You are my sufficiency. I find my identity and joy in You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Daily Smile:
A young man just had his first customer, which turned out to be a BIG BURLY truck driver. The young man walked up to the table where the truck driver was sitting and asked; can I take your order sir? 

The truck driver replied, sure kid I want three flat tires and two headlights. 

The young man was very puzzled and said, I beg your pardon? 

The truck driver said again, look kid; I want three flat tires and two headlights. 

The young man was still puzzled, but replied; yes sir, whatever. The young man then took the request to his boss who was the head cook. He told him about the truck driver's order, and that he wanted three flat tires and two headlights, “I think he's in the wrong place.” 

The head cook said, I know what he wants, he wants three flap jacks and two eggs sunny side up; the truck driver is just trying to be smart, I know him. 

 The cook said to the waiter here, take this bowl of beans, give it to him and say this. 

The truck driver said, Listen kid, I didn't order this; I said I wanted three flat tires and two headlights. 

The waiter replied, Well sir, the head cook said while you wait for your parts, you can gas up!

 To Read More of The StarLight News, Just Click The Link Below 

http://the-starlight-news.blogspot.com/

Happy Reading

Happy Tuesday

Did you know that Friday the 13th falls on a Tuesday this month???
 
GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS
"Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:22-23, NKJV).

Almost all the Christian hymns have touching and striking stories that made their composers to compose them. Interestingly, the popular hymn - "GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS" - did not have any such story. The writer of the hymn, Thomas O. Chisholm, confessed that there were no special circumstances that prompted him to write this great hymn. He got his inspiration just from his experience and Bible truth. He said in a letter written in 1941 that in spite of the fact that his small income as a result of impaired health in his earlier years, he was aware of the unfailing faithfulness of a covenant-keeping God and that God had given him many wonderful displays of His providing care.

In the hymn, like Jeremiah in his lamentations, Chisholm declared that because the compassion of God never fails, great is the faithfulness of God. God renews this faithfulness during summer, winter, springtime and harvest, in fact, every morning. This faithfulness is manifested in the courses of sun, moon, and stars above. The whole nature joins in witnessing this faithfulness. The faithfulness includes pardon for sin and an enduring peace, God's cheering and guiding presence, strength for today, bright hope for tomorrow, and countless blessings. Indeed great is the faithfulness of God!

You are also experiencing this faithfulness of God every day. Do you realize this? If yes, do you appreciate God for it? If you do not realize it, it means you are not focusing on God and you have placed your trust either in yourself or any other thing apart from God. Focus on God and you will have many reasons to declare His faithfulness over your life.

Great is thy faithfulness, O God!

In His service,
Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor)

Every day with Jesus
Every day with Jesus
Is sweeter than the day before
Every day with Jesus
I love Him more and more.
Jesus saves and keeps me
And He's the one I'm waiting for
Every day with Jesus
Is sweeter than the day before

Daily Smile:

Little Johnny comes home from his first day of school. His mother asks, "What did you learn in school today?"

Little Johnny calmingly replied, "Not much. They want me back tomorrow. "

 To Read More of The StarLight News, Just Click The Link Below 

http://the-starlight-news.blogspot.com/

Happy Reading

Happy Monday

Today's Discussion - Repentance

I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin – Psalm 32:5

Two things we are clearly meant to take away from this account: sin must be confessed and, when it is, sin will be forgiven.

The psalmist reports that he was brought to the place of acknowledging his sin. He was not trying to hide it, or justify it, or excuse it. He held nothing back during his confession; he admitted to God his every fault and failing.

As he freely admits his sin to the Lord, we should notice, the psalmist also freely acknowledges it as sin (not just a mistake or personality flaw). He confesses his transgressions to the Lord. They are his (no one else is to blame) and they are transgressions (willful offenses against the law of God).

Have you gone to the Lord in confession and owned up to your own willful disobedience and pride? Have you utterly opened your heart to Him, acknowledging the wrongs you have done against his good and just law?

Then—but only then—will we have the same assurance in which the psalmist rejoices, that our sin is forgiven and every transgression pardoned. What a sweet, powerful thing is a clean conscience before our holy God!

Do not delay the repentance that God deserves or the forgiveness that you need.

Daily Smile:

A young man, who was in love with a girl and wanted to marry her, went to his dad and asked: "Daddy, how much does it cost to get married?

His father replied, "I don't know, son. I'm still paying for it."

Happy Sunday & Happy Daylight Savings Time

If you forget to spring forward one hour????? You Are LATE!!!

A Childlike Amazement

By Steve Troxel, God's Daily Word Ministries

Matthew 18:3 "And He (JESUS) said: 'I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.'"

When my daughter was four years old, we read about young Samuel. While discussing this story, my daughter showed me the excited faith God calls us to maintain. Perhaps her faith could teach us all...

As a young boy, Samuel was ministering with an old priest named Eli. One night God called to Samuel, but Samuel thought it was Eli's voice. Eli said he didn't call and told Samuel to go back to bed. After God called a few more times, Samuel realized who was calling and answered: "Speak, for Your servant is listening" (1 Samuel 3:10). God then gave Samuel a message - but the message was all about Eli.

My daughter asked, "Why did God speak to Samuel if the message was really to Eli?" We talked about how we must be ready and willing to hear God. I said Eli may have had some problems or distractions in his life which kept him from hearing God, so God spoke His message through a child. I said little kids (like her) can often hear God better than older people (like me).

"But, I don't hear God talk to me," she said, with a little disappointment in her voice. I explained how God doesn't usually speak so we can hear Him with our ears; rather, His Spirit speaks to our heart and we hear Him as we listen to our heart. Her little eyes widened, "Like today when I was going to sit on one of the baby toys - Jesus told my heart I was too big and shouldn't do it so I listened to what He said."

I encouraged her that this is exactly how God speaks to us, we just need to learn how to listen and then obey. My daughter thought for a moment and then slowly shook her head in amazement: "Wow! That's sooooo cool!!"

Heavenly Father, I pray that Your Word never becomes just an interesting collection of stories. You created us, loved us, and will one day call us Home to be with You for all eternity - and Father, that's sooooo cool!! Help us to come into Your presence with a thankful and loving heart. Strengthen our faith every day and allow us to continually look on You and Your wonders with a childlike amazement.  Amen

Daily Smile:

Steven was invited to an old friend's home for dinner. His buddy preceded every request to his wife by endearing terms, calling her Honey, My Love, Darling, Sweetheart, etc. Steven was impressed, since the couple had been married almost 50 years.

While the wife was off in the kitchen, he said to his buddy: "I think it's wonderful that after all the years you've been married, you still call your wife those pet names."

His buddy hung his head. "To tell you the truth," he said, "I forgot her name about ten years ago."

Happy Saturday

From Daily Living Devotionals:

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. … How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! --John 1:12-13; 1 John 3:1

You've probably heard about the Battle of the Alamo that took place between the Republic of Mexico and the rebel Texan forces at the Alamo Mission in San Antonio, Texas in 1836.

Today, the slogan used to honor this event is "Remember the Alamo." And the soldiers who fought and died are commemorated throughout the Alamo Mission in San Antonio.

On one wall near the main entrance, there is one portrait with the following inscription:

"James Butler Bonham-no picture of him exists. This portrait is of his nephew, Major James Bonham, deceased, who greatly resembled his uncle. It is placed here by the family that people may know the appearance of the man who died for freedom."

I tell you this story because it reminds me there is no existing picture of Jesus either. But, as children of God, people look at us to see the likeness of the One who makes us free.

I've said it before and I'll say it again-your life is the only Bible some people will ever read. And let me add to that by saying that your life is also the only picture of Jesus that some people will ever see.

So let me ask you, when others look at you, do they see that you resemble your Father in heaven?

It's my prayer that each of us, as followers of Christ, will come to resemble Christ more and more with each passing day as we seek Him!

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Jesus, thank you for dying for me so that I may be free. I pray that I would be a picture of who You are to the world and of the freedom from sin that You offer all people.

Daily Smile:

A skydiver is enjoying his free-fall, when he realizes that he has reached the altitude where he must open his parachute, he pulls the ripcord, but nothing happens. “No problem,” he says to himself, “I still have my emergency chute.” So he pulls the ripcord on his emergency parachute, and once again, nothing happens. Now the man begins to panic. “What am I going to do?” He thinks. “I’m a goner.”

Just then, he sees a man flying up from the earth toward him. He can’t figure out where this man is coming from or what he’s doing, but he says to himself, “I hope he can help me. If he can’t, then I’m in real trouble.” When the man gets close enough to him, the skydiver cups his hands and shouts, “Hey, do you know anything about parachutes?”

The man coming up cups his hands and yells back, “No! Do you know anything about gas stoves?”

Happy Friday

Faithful prayers develop faithful results

by Annettee Budzban

           “ But they hastily forgot His works; they did not (earnestly) wait for his plans to (develop) regarding them.” — Psalm 106:13 (AMP)

           
             I was running down my morning prayer list when I realized there were a few things that seemed like long-term prayers. One item I had been praying for longer than I could remember, and another has been about 12 years. I stopped and pondered: should I let them go? Should I just scratch them off my list and forget about my desire to see them come about?

            But then I thought I couldn’t do that when my motto is “Never give up!”

            Although, there have been times I have abandoned dreams when I realized they were not the right direction for me, there are many times I have seen things fulfilled with time and patience of waiting on God.

           Right now we are in the midst of planting season. Any garden center you drop by is filled with the hustle and bustle of customers eagerly selecting the items they would like to see grow and beautify their property. There are a multitude of seeds that produce a variety of flowers all shapes, sizes and colors. Bushes and trees bearing blossoms or fruit can be selected as well. We don’t seem to have any trouble  realizing that depending on what we plant, it takes time for growth and development. Our flower seeds may yield quicker results than any young trees we plant. However, we understand regardless of what we plant, we must be patient until we see the harvest.    

           Many of our prayers, dreams and plans take time too. They sprout up at different times, just like the variety of things we plant in our gardens. We must realize some of our prayers will take longer to develop results than others. We can show God that we trust Him when we don’t hastily abandon a prayer request.  We must keep in mind faithful prayers will develop into faithful results. 
 

Daily Smile:

Dieters know this: A waist is a terrible thing to mind!

Happy Thursday

Sorry I missed Thursday... Doctor appointment and Stress Test... Looks like I am going to live a little longer...
                                                           Richard

Happy Wednesday

When We Don't Understand

Devotions taken from the messages of Adrian Rogers.

BIBLE MEDITATION:
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28
...
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
I read about a farmer who had a big brush pile of debris he was going to burn. He noticed a little bird had built a nest in that brush pile, so he destroyed the nest. When he came back days later, he found the bird rebuilding the nest. The farmer destroyed the nest again. But the bird built again, and again the farmer destroyed it.

Finally, the little bird gave up. I can just imagine that little bird going home and saying to his family, “I just don’t know why all our good plans of building a home are not working.” Well, there was an unseen hand doing something the bird may have thought was bad, but was really good.

ACTION POINT:
Read Romans 8:28. Notice the verse is not saying that all things are good. All things are not good. There are some terrible things in this world. The point is that God is good!

Daily Smile:

Q: How does an archeologist tell a male skeleton from a female skeleton?
A: He knows it’s a female skeleton if the jawbone is worn down.

Facebook Link

Happy Tuesday

We MUST pray for all in authority!

We pray for Joe's toe, and Jack’s back, and Jane’s pains because they asked us to pray and that is fine. BUT we MUST pray for what God asked us to pray daily not once a year.  Make sense? 

 

God asks us to pray for "all men" that is 7 billion--"that they might be saved" 1 Tim 2:4. To not do so is disobedience to God! Right? PRAY for Kings (that is our President) again "that they might be saved" make sense? Pray for "all in authority" that they might be saved if not already saved. Make sense? With all the anti-Christian decisions and laws being passed we MUST pray for the judges, law makers in Washington etc, or in your country. YOU and I must pray like God told us or we are sinning and won’t get our others prayers answered, make sense? All bible believing preachers and people right now feel this is the most critical time of our lives and must call on god till intervene. 2 Chron 7:13,14.15. please, Please, PLEASE take this seriously for yours AND your children's sake if nothing else. MAKE SENSE? 

 

Oh I love you dear people and pray for YOU daily and for what you ask. NOW pray for what God asks us. "Pray without ceasing" ABC Sumner

 

Daily Smile:

A farm boy accidentally overturned his wagonload of corn. The farmer who lived nearby heard the noise and yelled over to the boy, "Hey Willis forget your troubles. Come in and visit with us. I'll help you get the wagon up later." 

"That's mighty nice of you," Willis answered, "but I don't think Pa would like me to." 

"Aw come on boy," the farmer insisted. 

"Well okay," the boy finally agreed, and added, "but Pa won't like it." 

After a hearty dinner, Willis thanked his host. "I feel a lot better now, but I know Pa is going to be real upset." 

"Don't be foolish!" the neighbor said with a smile. "By the way, where is he?" 

"Under the wagon."

Happy Monday

The Full Gospel

The full gospel is given in 1 Corinthians 15:1-8. The Bible strongly emphasizes in Galatians 1, don’t add to or take away from what is said. “Christ died for our sins.” In sermons and by people suffered and died for our SINS. That is essential or we all will be separated from God for eternity. He paid the eternal debt for our SINS in full “for the wages of sin is death” Romans 6:23. That is the problem and that is the good news, that is the gospel. Some say, Christ died on the cross. So did those two thieves die on the cross. The difference is Christ DIED FOR OUR SINS on that cross. One thing that I have found very effective is to tell “Christ suffered and died for our sins”. God states “Christ has once suffered for sins” 1 Peter 3:18. “He was buried”, proof that He was dead. “He rose again”. And he was seen alive. Almost never do you hear it said aloud that Jesus “was seen” alive. Then I noticed He was seen over and over and once by over 500 people at one time. No one saw any of the so called gods of the world alive from the dead. There is a world of difference when you think about it that way

When I witness or preach and give the full gospel, over and over I have people tell me, “I never heard it like that before.” It is wonderful the difference it makes to give the full gospel and say it just like the Bible gives it. I see much more and greater results. These people then were not just church members but were born again Christians and changed inside out. We must see more of this to change the world and populate heaven. Make sense?

Daily Smile:

If a man is in the forest, talking to himself, with no woman around is he still wrong?

Happy Sunday

Facing Temptation

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation - Matthew 26:41

What a wonderfully concise directive Jesus gives us for fighting temptation! This world affords a thousand enticements to a thousand different sins. And our sinful nature assaults us from the inside with a complex and varied array of lusts, fears, ambitions, and doubts.

Yet Jesus' simple, balanced admonition is an effective weapon against every one of these temptations to sin: watch and pray. 

Lest we expect God to do all our fighting for us, we are told to watch. It is our responsibility to keep our spiritual eyes open (which sometimes means keeping our physical eyes closed or averted) for any avenue by which sin might gain entrance into our soul. We are to guard our heart from disloyalty, and our testimony from indiscretion, by actively engaging ourselves in the relentless pursuit of purity and goodness. 

On the other hand, we cannot possibly expect to overcome our ever-present inclination toward sin, or the age-old cunning of Satan, in our own strength. And so we must pray. We must rely on the sustaining grace and purifying power of the Holy Spirit's work within us.

Because our flesh is so weak, no matter how willing our spirit may be it is imperative that we be in a constant posture of watchfulness and prayer. In fact, there is a direct correlation, Jesus tells us, between our prayerful watchfulness and our ability to withstand or avoid temptation.

Daily Smile:

There were three rats, well spoiled eating government grain. Once they were sitting and talking bragging about their bravery and toughness.

The first rat: "I'm so tough, once I ate a bagful of rat poison!"

The second rat: "Well I'm so tough, once I was caught in a rat trap and I bit it apart!"

The third rat: "Later guys. It's my time to harass the cat."

Happy Saturday

The Dark Cloud

2 Chronicles 6:1 (NCV) 
1 Then Solomon said, “The LORD said he would live in the dark cloud.

Psalm 18:11 (NASB95)
11 He made darkness His hiding place, His canopy around Him, Darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.

Many people, even Christians, go through what they feel like are dark clouds sometimes. Trouble seems to come from all sides. WE might feel lonely, depressed, in despair, in agony or one of many different feelings. We don’t know why we are going through these circumstances and may want to give up but we can take comfort that God will be there in our dark clouds. Just because we are in a cloud doesn’t necessarily mean that God has left us even though we may feel like He has at the time. Jesus himself told those of us who belong to Him that He will never forsake us. Take heart, the clouds will vanish in God’s time. Until that happens, let God refresh your soul through prayer, Bible study and meditation. We need these more in these times in the clouds than when we have blue skies.

When we are in the dark cloud we may not know why we are there but, like Spurgeon, we may find out later how this time can be used by God:

Spurgeon once tells of how he was utterly depressed in spirit and soul, discouraged, and failing in health. Just before leaving for a recuperation, he preached on “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” The experience was so sad that he wished it would never happen again. Afterwards, a man come to see him. Spurgeon described him later as “one step away from the insane asylum,” his head bulging, his hands nervous and his spirit totally depressed. The man told Spurgeon that after hearing his sermon, he felt that Spurgeon was the only one who could understand him and so he had come. Spurgeon comforted him as best he knew how from his own sad experience. For five years, Spurgeon did not see the man. But “just last night” (he was delivering the above lecture to students at the College), “I saw him: it was like night and day. He was completely changed.” Spurgeon concluded that he was willing to undergo hundreds of such experiences now that he knew God permitted it to happen so that he could know and sympathize with people under similar predicament. - -taken from Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations

by Dean W. Masters

Daily Smile:

Maggie, a dog who had worked with police investigation team, applied for vacancy in the FBI. He went and met the HR. The HR said, "You'll have to meet some strict requirements. First, you must type at least 60 words per minute." Maggie sat on the typewriter and typed 80 words per minute. Then HR asked "you must pass a physical test and complete the obstacle course." Again, Maggie did well in the round. Then HR asked, there's one last requirement," "you must be bilingual." With confidence, the dog looks up at him and says, "Meow!"

Happy Friday

Good for Evil Is God's Way
A gentleman who had held many important positions in public life went to a friend in great anger over a real injury he had received from a prominent politician. He was considering how to react resentfully in the most effective manner. After relating the particulars to his friend, he asked if it would be manly to resent it. "Yes," replied his friend, "it would doubtless be manly to resent it, but it would be godlike to forget it."

David chose to let God be his example. When Saul entered a cave to attend to his needs, he didn't know that David and his 400 men were hiding in the recesses of that cavern. David had him at a severe disadvantage and his men urged him to seize the opportunity to take revenge on his enemy. But David refused. Rather than seeking to repay Saul for the evil he had done him, he secretly cut off a piece of Saul's robe (as proof of what he could have done) and allowed the king to leave without knowing how close he had been to death. Only later did Saul realize the mercy David had shown. God's way is to show mercy rather than extract vengeance. Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Even while we were God's enemies, He had compassion for us and provided a way of salvation.

Cowardice asks, Is it safe? Expediency asks, Is it politic? Vanity asks, Is it popular? But conscience asks, Is it right? - William Morley Punshon. Are you thinking about getting even with someone? Don't do it. Try God's way instead. Return good for evil. Someday you'll be glad you did. Evil for evil is man's way; good for evil is God's way.

AGAPE LOVE DIVINE MINISTRIES

Daily Smile:

A preacher went to buy a parrot and asked - "Are you sure it doesn't scream, yell, or swear?"

The salesman said, "Oh no, it's a religious parrot," "Do you see those strings on his legs? When you pull the right one, he recites the Lord's Prayer, and when you pull on the left, he recites the 23rd Psalm."

"Wonderful!" says the preacher, "What happens if you pull both strings?"

"I fall!" answered the parrot

Happy Thursday

Worship Replaces Worry

by Linda Fode

"And Mary said: ‘My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.’" Luke 1:46-47, NIV

As we usually reflect on Luke 1:46-55 as part of the Christmas story I believe that we miss the significance of Mary’s Song (Magnificat) for us in dealing with the worries, fear and anxieties of daily life.

Mary was a teenager probably thirteen or fourteen at most. She was engaged and pregnant but not by her fiancé, Joseph. She was telling a ‘wild story’ about an angel and a baby who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and would be the Son of God. At the time of the ‘song’ she had traveled through the dangerous hills of Judea to visit the one person who would really believe her.

How did she find the inner strength and peace to face the birth of this child, the potential rejection by Joseph and then the exile to Egypt to escape the murdering armies of King Herod? Her soul magnified (glorified) the Lord and her spirit rejoiced in God her Saviour.

To magnify is to hold in greater esteem or respect; to enlarge; to colour or elaborate. Glorify means to bestow honour or praise; to light up brilliantly; to cause to be seen better then before. Our soul is that part of us that thinks, has emotion, interprets events and responds with choices good or bad. Our spirit is the core of our being that gives and sustains life. It is the place where God’s Spirit dwells and where He communicates with us; the place where He reveals who He truly is; the place where He brings comfort and gives direction for the day to day of life.

Mary made an active choice to reflect on (think about) and express out loud who God is and what He had done for her people (Israel) and for her personally. Out of those acts of praise and thanksgiving she experienced a peace and a joy that overcame rejection, fear, worry and anxiety throughout her life, even on the day she saw her Son, who was also her Saviour, die on a Cross.

How do we find peace in troubling times? How do we overcome fear, worry and the anxious choices that result? ‘Do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends understanding will guard your mind and your spirit in Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 4:6-7). We need to be daily writing our own Magnificat. We intensify our image of God; we enlarge our understanding of Him; we light Him up brilliantly. In doing so the worries seem small in comparison and there will be a deeper level of peace and joy in the midst of our circumstances.

Prayer: Father, I give You my thoughts, my emotions and my choices. Today I choose to thank and praise You for who You are and all You have done for me. May the light of Your glory overcome the darkness of fear and worry in my life. I choose to worship You. Amen.

Daily Smile:

A little boy forgot his lines in a Sunday School presentation.
His mother, sitting in the front row to prompt him, gestured and formed the words silently with her lips, but it didn't help. Her son's memory was blank.

Finally she leaned forward and whispered the cue, "I am the light of the world."

The child beamed and with great feeling and a loud, clear voice said, "My mother is the light of the world."