For Just Such a Time

by Pastor Greg Laurie

“For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” - (Esther 4:14)

I love the story of Esther because in some ways, it reminds me of a fairy tale, except it is true. Esther was a beautiful Jewish girl who was plucked from obscurity, won a beauty contest, and became the queen of the kingdom. Then there was a wicked man named Haman, who hatched a plot to have all of the Jews put to death. It was Esther’s uncle, Mordecai, who came to her and described the plight of her fellow Jews, saying, “For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14).

Esther was the queen who saved a nation. She used her influence with the king, the plot was averted, and the people were saved. Then, in perfect poetic justice, Haman, the guy who hatched the plot, ended up hanging on the very gallows he had erected for others. She was there behind the scenes. Esther could have said, "I don't want to jeopardize my position. No one will ever find out I am a Jew. I am going to be careful and play it safe." But instead, she put everything on the line.

Who knows that God has not put you where you are right now for such a time as this? You may be the only Christian in your family or the only believer in your neighborhood. You may be the only follower of Jesus Christ in your workplace or in your classroom. Like Esther, will you stand up for such a time as this? Will you use your influence where you can, when you can?

Copyright © 2012 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.


 

Have a Blessed Day,

Richard

Into My Heart

Good Morning,
___Is the ground around you sinking like quick sand??? Don't stop reading now... Read on... Your answer is closer than you realize...

___As I sit at my computers, the sounds of whistling fills the air... The hymn, "Into My Heart" is on my heart and mind as I search the Internet for Devotionals for Teens... This is something that I have seldom touched on in the 14 years of publishing The StarLight News, but something that needs to be addressed each month...

Into My Heart

Into my heart, into my heart,
Come into my heart, Lord Jesus;
Come in today, come in to stay;
Come into my heart, Lord Jesus.

Out of my heart, out of my heart,
Shine out of my heart, Lord Jesus;
Shine out today, shine out alway;
Shine out of my heart, Lord Jesus.

___As the day progresses, the hymns will change... Some I have been made aware of have lasted for hours... Whistling one hymn over and over again... 

___I move from page to page, having opened up four different Teen Devotional sites... A Devotional catches my eye... "Sinkin' Sand"... The hymn I whistle has changed as quickly as one would blink an eye...

"My Hope is Built on Nothing Less"
by Edward Mote, 1797-1874

1. My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus' name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

2. When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

3. His oath, His covenant, and blood
Support me in the whelming flood;
When every earthly prop gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

4. When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found,
Clothed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne!
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

___Interesting Devotional, feeling led to share... Maybe this is meant for someone that will read it today...


"Stinkin Sand"
Posted by Pastor Glenn Dawes on April 2, 2014 at 10:54am

This has been a brutal winter for a lot of people (and no, the polar vortex is not the fault of us Canadians! eh).  The other day marked the official first day of spring but the east coast got another beat down with two massive winter storms.  The forecasters were giving reports of hopes for spring for our neck of the woods however.  One guy was calling for – 3 or so.  This morning, I crawled out of bed and looked out the window.   The three feet of snow in our front yard was still there and the thermometer outside the kitchen window said – 30.  That’s right THIRTY DEGREES BELOW ZERO!  Even our two dogs didn’t want to go out.  In it all, I’ve come to realize that my hope thankfully doesn’t depend on the reports of some weather guy or girl.  And that actually applies to all of life.  My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.  It’s all about Him and what He’s done for me.  In my years of secular employment and Pastoral ministry I’ve come to realize just how many people don’t have that hope.  Instead, they rest their hope on drugs, sex, religion, one failed relationship after another or any number of things.  I’ve even watched once strong, Bible believing churches find themselves in pieces because they traded the uncompromised preaching of the Word of God for a social fun club to retain and attract new members.

In 1863, William Bradbury got it so right when he wrote that old hymn with the chorus

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,

All other ground is sinking sand;

All other ground is sinking sand.

If you you’ve found yourself on “stinkin sand” today, you aren’t where God wants you to be and He’s calling you back to solid ground.  Can I challenge you to not only get back to where you need to be but prayerfully ask God to open those doors of opportunity to bring others with you to a solid walk with God.

-    Just my thoughts today as I looked at my thermometer in – 30!

Pastor Glenn


AND before I could hit send again, the hymn changed to "Turn Your EYE Upon JESUS... Tears fill my eyes as I am Praying for the one that this has been directed too...

Have a Blessed Day,

Your Brother In JESUS, the Risen Christ,
Bro. Richard/Bubba

The Call to Obey

from Joni & Friends

"If you love me, you will obey what I command."      John 14:15

The husband walked through the front door at 5:50 P.M. and noticed that dinner was not on the table. After throwing his coat in the closet, he muttered to his wife, who was in the kitchen, "If you love me, you will have dinner ready at six o'clock when I come home." 

Pressured by his intimidating tone of voice, she quickly rushed the casserole and half-cooked vegetables to the table. She glanced at her watch, relieved to be serving dinner on time.

"If you love me, you will obey," can sound like a threat. When our motivation to obey becomes an oppressive pressure to do the right thing, to do what's expected of us as Christians, then it breeds serious problems. 

Obedience that is only seen as rule-keeping ruins the love relationship between us and the Lord. Why? Even though the rules may be Biblically based, we will end up obeying them rather than God. Concern with the letter of the law will cause us to lose the spirit of love.

The Lord's words in John 14:15 are not a threat. His words are to be read as a promise: "If you love me, that is, if you make me the center of your thoughts and do your most ordinary duties with an eye to my glory, then you can't help but obey me for it will be your heart's desire."

When we view the Lord's call to obey as a promise, we won't so much follow His rules as we will follow His voice.

"Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them" (John 13:17).

Lord, may I rush to obey You not so much because it's the right thing to do, but because I long to please You with all my heart.

Working Together

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work."1
Charles Osgood tells the story of two ladies who lived in a convalescent center. Both ladies had suffered serious strokes. Margaret's left side had been restricted, while Ruth's right side was affected.
Both ladies had been accomplished pianists but had given up hope of ever playing again.
The director of the center suggested to the two ladies that they try playing the piano together. They did, and succeeded. They played excellent music and, better still, developed a beautiful friendship.
Three thousand years ago Solomon wrote, "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?"2
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please give me a friend with whom I can work so that together we can serve You and develop a beautiful friendship and thus be doubly rewarded, and in so doing be a blessing to many others. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus's name, amen."

In The News:
Liberia Declares States of Emergency as Ebola Death Toll Rises 

by Carrie Dedrick

Liberia has declared as state of emergency as the death toll from the ebola outbreak continues to rise steadily higher. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 932 people have died from the virus and over 1,700 more cases have been detected.

Liberia is currently at the greatest risk of ebola, but Sierra Leone and Guinea are also in danger of the deadly outbreak.

Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf said in a statement, “The government and people of Liberia require extraordinary measures for the very survival of our state and for the protection of the lives of our people. I...hereby declare a State of Emergency throughout the Republic of Liberia effective as of Aug. 6, 2014 for a period of 90 days."

Doctors Without Borders emergency coordinator Anja Wolz told CNN that she fears Sierra Leone is incapable of handling the outbreak without international assistance. Lack of medical education is one reason that the disease is still spreading in West Africa.

"Still we have unsafe burials; people who are doing the burial without disinfection of the body; still we have patients who are hiding themselves; still we have patients or contacts of patients who are running away because they are afraid,” Wolz said.

The United States will soon be sending 50 experts from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to assist with the treatment and prevention of ebola in the region.

Publication date: August 7, 2014
 

Understanding the Bible

1 Corinthians 2:12-16

“I just don’t understand the Bible.” That’s a comment I hear quite often, even from believers. We can understand why those without Christ are unable to comprehend biblical concepts, but why do those who know Him struggle? Some people think that a seminary education is the answer, but I have met several trained pastors and teachers who didn’t really understand the Word of God. They knew facts, but they had no excitement for the Scriptures or for the Lord.

The key is not education but obedience. As we act on what we read, the Holy Book “comes alive,” and we begin to hear and understand the voice of God. However, if we have not obeyed what He’s previously revealed to us, why would He give us His deeper truths? “The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him” (Ps. 25:14), and those who fear Him are the ones who obey His commandments and are promised “a good understanding” (Ps. 111:10).

Living a fleshly lifestyle of disobedience to the Lord clouds our eyes, diminishes our ability to hear, and fogs our thinking. Although we have full access to the mind of Christ, our attachment to our own sinful ways keeps us from tapping into the rich treasures of wisdom that are found in His Word.

As you read the Scriptures each day, look for God’s instructions. Then with reliance upon the Holy Spirit, commit to do what He tells you. When you obey His voice, He’ll reveal deeper truths, and your understanding will grow. Soon your time in the Word will become a delight instead of a duty.

In The News:
Islamic Extremist Impose Reign of Terror on Iraq

by Anmar Al Shamary, Gilgamesh Nabeel

Police cars have been repainted to say “Islamic police.” Women are forbidden from wearing bright colors and prints. The homes of Shiites and others have signs stating they are property of the Islamic State. And everyone walks in fear amid a new reign of terror.

That’s what life is like in Mosul, Tikrit and other cities in northern and western Iraq under the control of Islamic extremists after their lightning-fast military campaign that overwhelmed the Iraqi army in June.

The new normal for these residents means daily decrees about attire and raids to root out religious minorities in a campaign to impose strict Islamic rule in cities that tolerated multiple religions for centuries.

Residents chafe at the radical changes, and some are starting to rebel against the militants as they try to “cleanse” the region of anything — and anyone — deemed non-Islamic. As many Christians in Mosul have discovered, their only choice is fleeing.

“I was shocked when I heard the new decision forcing me to wear a veil and totally cover my face,” said Mais Mohamad, 25, a pharmacist in Mosul, the second-largest city in Iraq. “I can’t do that — I was always free to wear what I like. I can’t live the rest of my life with my face covered.”

The militants, an al-Qaida splinter group so radical that it was rejected even by al-Qaida, initially concentrated on providing services such as sanitation and restoring order. The group, which insists on being called the Islamic State, issued religious decrees soon after taking over the city but didn’t enforce them, residents said.

Over the past few weeks, the group has begun to crack down in an effort to fulfill its ambition to create an Islamic territory spanning Iraq and neighboring Syria.

“The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (the group’s original name) decided that anybody who utters their (old) name will get 70 lashes,” said Ghaida’a Al-Rasool, a doctor in Mosul. “Their new name is simply the Islamic State.”

The group has established Islamic courts controlled by muftis, or Muslim religious leaders. Fighters regularly drive through the streets in trucks using loudspeakers to inform residents about changes.

“They have told clothing merchants to sell what they have within 20 days and then only jubbas are allowed,” said Saad Al-Hayali, an engineer in Mosul, referring to flowing, one-piece robes worn by Muslims throughout the Middle East. “They have forbidden dressing rooms inside stores, too.”

More worrisome for residents is the Islamic State’s move to cleanse its strongholds. Christians and other minorities were given an ultimatum: Convert to Islam or face execution.

“I left from my home when we received the threat,” said Abir Gerges, 45, a Christian schoolteacher who fled to Irbil, a city in Kurdistan, a semiautonomous region of Iraq protected by its own military force.

“I told my husband, ‘We have to leave,’ ” said Gerges, a mother of three boys. “He hesitated, saying, ‘How can I leave the house I inherited from my parents?’ But I told him they might kill us and kill our sons in front of us. What are we going to do with a house if that happens? So he decided to listen to me, and we took our money and my jewelry and a bag of clothes and left.”

Gerges and her family quickly saw the scope of the militants’ rule when they came upon a checkpoint far outside Mosul.

“I put on a veil, trying to hide, but they asked if we were Christian,” she said. “We were afraid to lie to them, so we said yes. One of them — he was masked — advanced toward me and said, ‘You must remove all the jewelry you are wearing. Now it’s Islamic State property.’ Also they confiscated all my husband’s money. Afterward, they said, ‘Now you can go. That’s punishment for your refusal to be Muslim.’”

The new rulers are wiping out traces of churches and ancient shrines.

“The churches are closed,” said Al-Rasool, the Mosul doctor. “Yesterday, I saw an old church in the streets of the Ras al-Kur historic district. The doors of the church were walled off with cement and blocks.”

City Hall employees are expected to continue coming to work, but tolerance for non-Sunni Muslims is slight.

“They have reduced municipal employees’ salaries by half of their former amount, and they’ve told the Christians, Shiites and Shabak (minorities), ‘You are fired,’ ” Al-Rasool said.

The few Christians and Muslim minorities who remain live secretly, in fear of being discovered.

“I am still in Mosul, and I know for sure I will be dead if they know I am here,” said Hassan Ali, 55, a Turkmen Shiite and father of three daughters. “But what can I do? I can’t afford to move somewhere else. I prefer to die here rather than dying in refugee camps with no services and no food.”

It is left to underpaid Sunni workers to restore city services and repair electrical lines and water treatment facilities that were heavily bombarded by retreating government forces. Under the Islamic State, electricity is rationed, water pumps run dry, gas prices are spiking and shortages of daily necessities are common.

The new hardships of daily living are particularly difficult for women and children. Though women are not barred from walking alone outside, the atmosphere has prompted many to remain indoors, keeping their children close at hand because schools have shut down.

“They want all women to be veiled and not to go outside without a man,” said Omer Othman, 37, a shopkeeper. “This is a disaster for women. They used to perform half of the family’s daily tasks.”

The Islamic State on Sunday seized two more small towns in northern Iraq, Zumar and Sinjar, both religiously mixed, forcing thousands of residents to flee, the United Nations said.

But the extremists may have gone too far when they started blowing up revered tombs and mosques that did not conform to their religious views, such as the burial site of biblical prophet Jonah.

“It brought out the conscience of Mosul residents,” said Al-Rasool, the doctor, referring to Jonah’s tomb. “All people from all religions and ethnic groups revere this site – it is the guardian and heart of the city.”

Atheel Al-Nujaifi, the governor of Mosul, announced last week that a popular rebellion against the militants will start soon.

The Islamic State “behaved very nice at the beginning of the takeover of Mosul, but they start to uncover their ugly faces. They blew up three prophets’ graves, which opened my eyes,” said Othman, the shopkeeper. “I think people won’t be standing for these injustices, and they might rise up against them very soon.”
(Anmar Al Shamary and Gilgamesh Nabeel write for USA Today. John Dyer contributed from New York.) 
Courtesy: Religion News Service

I Just Want My Chicken

(Adapted by Louis Lapides, from Still More Hot Illustrations, pg. 177)

One fine evening Chad walked into a fast food chicken place and bought a nine-piece bucket of chicken. He took his meal to the park for a romantic picnic under the moonlight with Karla, his woman.
 Upon reaching into the container of chicken, however, Chad received a surprise. Instead of chicken he discovered what was apparently the restaurant's night deposit-nine thousand dollars. The young man brought the bucket back and asked for his chicken in exchange for the money. Expensive chicken!
 The manager, in awe of the man's honesty, asked for his name and told him he wanted to call the newspaper and the local news station. Chad would become a local hero, an example of integrity and morality that would inspire others!
 The hungry man shrugged it off. "My date's waiting, I just want my chicken. No publicity, please!"
 The manager's amazement over Chad's humility almost overwhelmed him. He begged again to be allowed to tell the story on the news. At this, Chad became angry with the manager and demanded his chicken.
 "I don't get it," the manager responded. "You are an honest man in a dishonest world! This is a perfect opportunity to show there are people still willing to take a stand for what is right. Please, give me your name and also the name of the woman in the car. Is that your wife?"
 "That's the problem," said Chad. "My wife is at home. The woman in the car is my girlfriend. Now let me have my chicken so I can get out of here."
 It is easy to look first-rate to people who don't know us. We can keep the high visibility of our misdeeds in check. Since we all want to look good to others, this ambition can provide a strong motive for self-discipline. But when it comes to the low visibility of our thought life, we are not as careful. After all, who is going to see what occurs in our hearts? So we settle for looking good on the outside but concealing a private world made up of thoughts we would not want anyone to uncover. Yet our fiercest battles lie in this low visibility arena.
 The answer to winning the battle for our secret life is to open ourselves to self-examination by God's loving and gentle Spirit. King David prays in Psalm 139:24, "See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (NIV). Sure, we would prefer not to hear any bad news about our secret sins. But we need to hear the "bad news" if we are to mature and be transformed by God. The willingness to hear hard truth is vital for anyone who loves wisdom. In the end, the truth may sound like bad news, but it is just what we need.

Cleaning up a Mess I Didn't Make

by Chrystal Evans Hurst

"And I pray that you ... grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ." Ephesians 3:17b-18 (NIV)

When my middle son was 2 years old, he went through various stages that almost sent me to the mad house.

One of the most irritating stages was his habit of taking off his diaper after putting him to bed. Many late nights we would have to put on a fresh diaper, change his sheets and put him back to bed.

After awhile, we wised up. We started putting him into all-in-one pajamas that made it not so easy for him to accomplish his little feat.

That pretty much solved the problem.

Until one night, when my husband put the boys (ages 2 and 4) to bed. Unfortunately, he forgot about our precautionary measure of locking our toddler into his diaper.

Before long, our eldest son shouted at the top of his lungs, "Mommy! It stinks in here! Somebody needs his diaper changed!"

No worries. It happens, right?

Soon we heard urgency in our eldest son's voice as he called out again, "MOMMY! COME QUICK! THERE'S A STINKY MESS IN HERE!"

We entered their room. The smell that greeted me at the door was enough to make me want to run for my life.

Friends, we are talking yuck e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e ... on the sheets, blankets, feet and smudged into the carpet. So that night, while many other mothers slept peacefully in their beds, guess what I was doing?

Cleaning up a mess.

At almost midnight and for close to an hour, I was on my hands and knees cleaning and scrubbing. I'll spare you the gory details.

Believe it or not, the carpet today looks like nothing ever happened. Between my cleaning concoctions that fateful night and a borrowed steam cleaner the next day, I managed to handle the situation like a pro.

Of course I did. I'm a mom. That's what moms do. We clean up after our children when necessary, because that's what love does.

There is a lesson to be learned from the middle of this messy situation ...

My son didn't mean to make a mess. He didn't intentionally deprive me of sleep or aim to make me uncomfortable. He didn't mean to make me suffer for his transgression.

But I did.

And why? Because that's what love does.

Even when he wasn't showing me much love, I loved him anyway. And I showed my love by cleaning up a mess that I didn't make.

My dear sister... don't you know Jesus loves us this same way?

He saw us in our mess. He cleaned up after us. He was willing to suffer for our transgressions. And even when we aren't showing Him much love, He loved us first and continues to love us anyway.

Because that's what love does.

I believe with all my heart that as my son matures, he will be grateful and appreciate my sacrifices. I pray that eventually he will come to understand the width, length, height and depth of the love I have for him. Just like God's love for us, Paul prayed that the church at Ephesus "may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ" (Ephesians 3:18).

In the same way, as we mature in our relationship with God and develop a greater understanding of why we needed His rescue, we can appreciate more and more His huge sacrifice.

Here's the kicker – our lives, actions and attitudes should show it.

Just like mothers find a way to do what seems

... inconceivable

... impossible

... or insurmountable ...

so, too, our precious Savior found a way to rescue us from our plight.

And I'm so thankful. Aren't you?

Dear Lord, thank You for being willing to clean up my mess. Sometimes I'm a little bit of a mess. Other times, I'm a big mess and the yuckiness in my attitude or actions greatly impacts others. Yet You still love me. You loved me enough not only to clean up after me, but also to suffer on my behalf. I want You to know I'm grateful. Help me to walk worthy of the love that You have so lavishly offered me. In Jesus' Name, Amen and Amen.

Carrying Our Own Burdens

Devotions taken from the messages of Adrian Rogers.

BIBLE MEDITATION:
“Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee.” Psalm 55:22

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
A man was carrying a heavy load of grain down a country road. Another man in a wagon being pulled by a horse saw the man walking and said to him, “Mister, you need a ride?” And so the man got in the wagon. But he kept the load of grain on his shoulder. 

The wagon driver said, “Man, put that down and relax!” 

The rider said, “Oh no. It’s enough for you to carry me without having you carry this too.”

Have you ever done that to the Lord? You say, “Lord, I’ll let You save me, but I’ll carry my own burdens.” How foolish we are to do this with the God who hung the stars and planets.

ACTION POINT:
If you can trust God to save you from hell, don’t you think you can cast your burden upon the Lord right now?

Christ’s Corner

Joshua 4:21 And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones?

We Christians need to be ready to answer any questions our children ask us. We need to be ready to witness for our LORD anytime, to anybody. There will come a time when we will be questioned; why we go to church, what do that cross mean, and, tell me the story of Jesus. 

 

Could you answer those three simple questions friends?

The LORD , in this verse, was telling Joshua that folks need a reminder. We need something to remind us of who we are and where we came from. Like wise, we should remember what we were and where our LORD has brought us from. God told Joshua to pile up twelve stones to remember the twelve tribes of Israel crossing the Jordan river on dry land.

We need something to remind us of what God has done for us. Many churches give out a certificate to newly baptized converts. Trophies are given when a certain level of growth or goal or study has been reached. Those are reminders of what a person has accomplished.

 

I wear a small silver cross on a necklace to remind me of three things; first, Jesus is in my heart, second, to bear (or carry) my cross and live for Jesus every day, finally, it reminds me that Jesus died on a cross, was buried and arose leaving that cross empty. 

 

Do you have anything to remind you of the work Jesus has done in you?

 

God Bless;

Walter D. Hill D. Min.
P.O. Box 235
LaGrange, Ga. 30241
e-mail= hill.walter19@yahoo.com

The Author of the Bad Report

by Dr Larry Ollison

Last week a man wrote and asked this question. He said, "Why did Jesus come to earth? What was He really trying to do?" Here's the answer.

First John 3:8 says, "He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil."

Here we are clearly told why Jesus came to earth. He came to destroy the works of the devil. But, what are the works of the devil? To get this answer let's look at what Jesus did.

In every town and village Jesus entered, He preached the gospel, the good news, He healed the sick, and He set free those who were in bondage. So, if Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil, then the works of the devil must be sickness, bondage, and bad news.

Jesus has not changed. Hebrews 13:8 says, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." But, neither has the devil. In John 8:44 Jesus was talking to the religious leaders of the day. He said, "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it."

Satan still tries to put us in bondage and Jesus still wants to set us free.

In John 8:31-32, Jesus said, "If you abide in My Word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

So, here's the point. If you have something that binds you, you must remember this. Jesus came to set you free.

Unfortunately, many people are confused about who does what to whom. In order to be set free, we must know the truth. And here's the truth. All good comes from God the Father. He sent His Son to preach the gospel, the good news. He didn't send Him to bring bad news. When Jesus went into a town or village, He spoke words that brought hope to the hopeless. He spoke health to the sick. He spoke liberty to those in bondage. He also came to heal the brokenhearted.

I receive many letters. When I read these letters, one thing is evident. There are many people in bondage and there are many people with broken hearts.

If your heart is hurting, then today let me propose this. Recognize that it is not Jesus who hurts you to teach you something. It's Jesus who loves you and wants to heal your broken heart. God loved you enough to send His Son. Jesus loved you enough to die for you.

Satan has never loved you and his desire is to destroy you. In order to be set free, in order to have your broken heart mended, you must know the truth.  

Remember what Jesus said in John 10:10. "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."

Saying Goodbye to Something You Love

by GLYNNIS WHITWER

"And give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion to keep your commands, statutes and decrees and to do everything to build the palatial structure for which I have provided." 1 Chronicles 29:19 (NIV)

Cheri handed my crying baby to me, his little eyes swollen, his sobs subsiding into gulping sighs. Within seconds, Robbie calmed as I nuzzled him and kissed his sweet face.

I hugged my friend and thanked her for trying again to watch Robbie while I went back to work part-time. Again, my son refused a bottle and cried constantly. We both knew this wasn't going to work.

Forcing a smile, I turned quickly so she wouldn't see my tears. By the time I got to the car, I could hold them back no longer. Securing my son, I slipped in the driver's seat, put my head on the steering wheel and wept.

He was my third child, so I thought I had the mommy-thing figured out. Only Robbie didn't have the same personality or needs of his older brothers. They'd taken bottles easily. But this child had a unique bond with me.

Not only that, but we couldn't just sit together; I had to be walking and rocking him. If that boy was awake, he needed to touch me and be moving, or the crying began.

My older sons, ages 2 and 4, weren't the quiet type either. Other children kept occupied with a bag of toys, crayons or paper. Not mine.

My life changed dramatically with the birth of my third son. As a result, I made the difficult decision to quit many things I enjoyed: my part-time job, leading children's ministry and teaching Bible study to name a few. Most days I just felt sad as the world seemed to pass me by.

A highlight was picking up a dozen donuts and a Diet Coke and heading to Cheri's house. She was the only friend who could tolerate my three rowdy children. And she also understood that Diet Coke offsets the calories in the donuts. The perfect friend!

I loved those little boys immensely. And not a day passed that I didn't thank God for them. But I grieved what I'd left behind, and that grieving affected my enjoyment of the present.

I missed having position and authority at work. I longed for the sense of completion. Sadly, I thought my "ministry" was outside my home, and wondered when God would use me again.

Thankfully God intervened in a dramatic way, and I came to understand and appreciate the calling and cost of motherhood. God changed my heart and priorities, and the rewards have far outweighed the sacrifices. But it was still hard.

Recently, God brought those difficult years to mind as I read 1 Chronicles 28 and 29.

These chapters record King David passing his crown and assignment to build God's temple to his son, Solomon. In this decision, David gave up his position, authority, respect and purpose.

Did David mope and moan? Did he grab donuts and diet soda with a friend? No, the Bible tells us David "praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly" (1 Chronicles 29:10).

What follows is one of the most beautiful, humble prayers in the Bible. David's gracious actions and adoration for God inspired and moved hearts in the Jewish people.

After praying, Scripture tells us David invited the people to praise God: "So they all praised the LORD, the God of their fathers; they bowed down, prostrating themselves before the LORD and the king" (1 Chronicles 29:20).

What a vivid contrast between my response and King David's when each of us gave up something we loved. David didn't grip the past tightly; he opened his hands and heart to embrace what God was doing in the present.

I can't go back to those early years, but with God's help and David's example, I can change how I respond in the future.

David had cultivated a life of praise, so when faced with loss, that habit elevated his response. David's trust in God was so great that he joyfully supported others who would build the temple he longed to build.

As I've addressed this personally, I've discovered praising God is at the center of contentment. As we praise Him, we find the assurance that He's got things covered ... even babies who cry inconsolably and our longing for significance.

It's there, in knowing God sees us and hasn't forgotten us, we find peace.

And it's there, in every walking-rocking-sleepless night, we find purpose.

My season of life is different now, but I'm still faced with saying "goodbye" to things I love. That "little" boy moves away to college next month, and I'm praying for an attitude like King David's — full of praise, grace and generosity of heart.

Heavenly Father, thank You for seeing me right where I am today. You see what I've given up, and what I long for. Help me have an attitude like David's to impact others for Your glory. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

How Are You Planning To Get To Heaven???

John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Everybody wants to go to heaven, but, nobody wants to die. Everybody wants to go to heaven, their way. Folks want to work or pay their way to heaven. Some folks are just willing to wait until judgment and hope they will be good enough.

In our verse today, we are told we must be born of water (the natural birth) and of the Spirit (the rebirth of God’s Spirit) ,or, born again , IE, saved. 

A drowning person can not save their self. They must have help. We can not save our self, we must have help. Our help come from above. His name is Jesus and there is no other name given unto man that can save.

The only thing man can do is to “believe” upon Jesus. In believing, we receive faith to continue to follow Jesus.

Trust in Jesus, He will see you through any trial. 

Who do you believe and trust in?

God Bless;

Walter D. Hill D. Min.
P.O. Box 235
LaGrange, Ga. 30241
e-mail= hill.walter19@yahoo.com