Friday, February 28, 2003
The Good News is the good news and it is the good news to everyone, regardless of status or social standing. When God sent Jesus He sent Him to seek and to save that which was lost. Not just the rich, not just the poor, not just the middle-class. All of the lost! The old children’s song, ‘Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight,’ is as true today as it ever was. Jesus loves all and doesn’t want any to perish.
As a believer you are called to share the gospel with all men, women and children, regardless of their particular situation. Jesus loves them, all of them, all of us! The gospel is the power of life to all men. Don’t be afraid, don’t be ashamed, share Christ so that others may know and find life.
-John Roe
-Romans 1:16 NIV
I am not ashamed of the gospel…….
Thursday, February 27, 2003
The phone rang and woke me up at 4:45 A.M. this morning. That usually means there is some kind of an emergency or some fax machine has my home phone number and decided to do a “fax blast” during the night. In this case it was a call from my sister telling me that my stepfather had collapsed on the floor and the ambulance was taking him to the hospital. He has been suffering from Bronchitis. Evidently he was dehydrated and weak from not drinking or eating. So, my day started early with a trip to the hospital.
The night before I had worked late on trying to delay a money crisis. It took several hours and a lot of energy. I was tired. I didn’t need such an abrupt and unnerving way to start the day. And as I write this I am sitting in the airport in Minneapolis waiting to catch a 6:44 P.M. flight to Atlanta. What a day. What a week. What a life!
Sometimes I look in the mirror and tell myself how crazy I must be to think that I could actually make a difference in this world. Then I smile and remind myself, “I am not the one who makes the difference. Jesus is!”
-Lyn Sahr
-John 14:6-7 NIV
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Wednesday, February 26, 2003
As we are poised at the brink of yet another war that many Americans do not understand we must pray for our leaders, our soldiers, and their families. The question is not whether this is a just or unjust war, the question is: Will we pray for those who have to make the decisions and those who will actually be in harm’s way? Regardless of your views on the war please be in prayer. Men and women will be facing death in this conflict. Our prayer must be that they are given every opportunity to accept the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross so that they will spend eternity in with Him.
-John Roe
-Psalm 37:39 NIV
The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord: he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
Tuesday, February 25, 2003
War to be or not to be, that is the question. There is an uncertainty that surrounds our every being these days not only in America but around the entire world. Last night I had a conversation with an acquaintance that mentioned something to the effect that the last days seem a little more real these days. I agreed. Could there be a more important time to share testimonies about Jesus Christ?
Take a moment and reflect. What would you do different if you became really convinced that this was truly the beginning of the end. And we are being confronted with the word of the prophets and the book of Revelation.
Is Jesus coming back?
The answer is yes.
The question is when?
The apostle Paul believed that Jesus was coming back in his lifetime. Certainly we should take at least minimal notice to the existing world conditions in relation to the scriptures. That alone should motivate us to share our faith with our loved ones. Yes, one of these days Jesus is really coming back for the church.
Somebody has to testify!
-Lyn Sahr
-Rev 1:5-8 NIV
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father-to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
7 Look, he is coming with the clouds,
and every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him;
and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him.
So shall it be! Amen.
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Monday, February 24, 2003
My name is Karen Prout and this is my (most recent) testimony.
The Apostle Paul said that “I die daily.” Well, today, I died just a little bit more. I died to having things go my way. I died to finding my security in money, instead of God. I died to worrying about paying the bills. I died to the need to have control over the money issues in my life. In place of my death came a new freedom from having money control my life and finding my security in money. Here is how is happened:
I am an attorney and I contract with other attorneys to do legal research and writing. I do this on a part-time basis because I am a stay-at-home wife and mother of an 8-month-old son. I have been doing work for a local attorney off and on for the last several years. Initially, when we started first working together, we agreed that I would be paid within one week of submitting a billing to him for legal work I did. Over the years, the one-week agreement sometimes extended into two, but sometimes it was only a matter of days before I received payment.
Last year, right before Christmas this attorney contacted me to do some work. He had three projects. I completed two of them before Christmas, submitted my billing, and received payment within a week. The third and final project took a little longer and I did not finish it until January 23rd of this year. I met with the attorney to discuss the research on the 23rd. The following day I dropped my billing off at his office. A week went by and no payment. Two weeks went by and no payment. I sent a follow-up letter on February 6th. Generally if I send a follow-up letter, I receive payment within a day or two. No such payment came. I started getting stressed out about it because my husband and I were counting on that money to pay bills, including our mortgage payment, which was due on February 16th (which included a 15-day grace period). I couldn’t figure out what was going. I obsessed about it. One day I was getting so worked up about it that I just knelt before the Lord and asked for help. As I was praying, God spoke the scripture to me “you can’t serve God and money.” I opened up my bible and read that verse several times. I thought to myself, I don’t serve money and I certainly don’t worship money. I’m not greedy for money. But God spoke to me again and showed me that yes I was trying to serve money because I was looking to money for my security and not God. It was true. If we had sufficient money in the checking account, I was secure and unstressed. But if the checking account was low, even if all of our bills were paid, I was stressed out. Last year I received a lump sum payment on a case I worked on, so we had sufficient money to pay our bills without worry. But you know what, as I saw the money dwindling down (and money does that!), I started getting stressed, even though we still had sufficient money and we had all of our bills paid. I looked up the word serve in the concordance and it means “be a slave to” or “be in bondage to.” I had no doubt that I was enslaved to and in bondage to money. After realizing that God was right, i.e., that I was trying to serve God and money, I asked God to forgive me and to change me. Boy, was I in for a ride.
When the third week rolled around and no payment came, I started getting stressed again and broke down crying. I called my friend and she and another friend came over to my house and prayed with me. They suggested that I call the attorney. I didn’t want to at first because I hate confronting people, especially about money issues because you feel like you are begging. But I wasn’t. I earned that money. We then prayed together and called in finances, standing on God’s word. After that, as my two friends prayed for me, I called the attorney and spoke with him. I explained that I had sent in the billing on the case plus a follow-up letter, but had not received payment. He said that he had just gotten back from being out of the office for 9 days and would look into it and get back to me, or something to that effect. This conversation was on Thursday, February 13th. In the past this attorney had been very good about calling me and returning my calls, so I expected to either here back from him or receive payment within a day or two. You guessed it! Nothing. On Tuesday, February 18th, I called the attorney again at the urging of my friend and my husband. I was told he was out of the office. I left a message that I called and asked him to return my call. The next day, I received no call from him. My husband suggested that I call him again. I resisted because I just didn’t want to call again. Again, I felt like I was begging for money. My husband suggested that if nothing happened by noon on Thursday February 20th that I call him again. I didn’t want to, but when I still had not received the check on Thursday, I called again. I was told he was in conference, so I left another message.
At this point I am wondering what in the world is going on. I have prayed. My husband and I have prayed. My friends and I have prayed. I know that God is Jehovah Jireh. I know that God promises to supply all of our need according to his riches in glory. I know that God knows full well what we need. I know that God is faithful and that He is a good God. But I had a crisis of belief today. I cried out to the Lord and confessed that my experience was not matching up with His words. I confessed that I didn’t know what was going on, and asked for direction and wisdom. I confessed to God that I felt like He didn’t care or that He was punishing me or something. I knew that God could do anything, but felt for some reason that He wasn’t doing it for me. I guess what I am saying is that my faith was shaken. I felt abandoned by God. I even started thinking that if God was not a God I could trust or depend on, what was the point of believing or wanting to serve Him. I decided I wasn’t going to read my bible and I didn’t care if I was being disobedient. I was hurt, confused, and lost. Don’t fret, though, because there is a however.
As the day went on, however, the “smoke of my emotions” cleared and God started restoring my faith and trust in Him, not that I had actually lost it. My emotions had gotten the best of me and took me down a dark road. But thanks to God and His patience and mercy, He waited for me to work through my emotions and restored me back to Truth. In fact, God brought to my mind the scripture that says “do not be weary in doing well for at the appointed time and in due season you shall reap.” Frankly, God spoke this scripture to me during my emotional tirade, but I just thought to myself “yeah right – forget that one.” In addition, I didn’t “feel” like doing well. God also reminded me that He works all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. I think it was at this point that I finally decided to release the whole situation to God, including releasing pursuit of the money owed to me. I had already done all that I knew to do regarding the situation, but to no avail. There was obviously some reason that God had kept closing the door on this situation. Even though I did not understand what was going on and why, God instructs us to trust Him with all of our heart and to lean not on our own understanding. It was only after I surrendered the situation to the Lord that I found peace. In fact, when my husband came home from school and suggested that I call the attorney again, I just shared with him how I felt and he agreed. We had both let it go.
After releasing it to the Lord, He provided a way out from under the pressure of how we were going to pay our mortgage, plus the other bills past due. Even though my husband was going to be paid from his teaching job, his check was not going to cover our overdue bills, plus leave money for gas, food, baby supplies, that sort of stuff. Then God reminded me that I had paid extra principal on our mortgage in prior months, and that I could contact our mortgage company to see if they could transfer that amount towards our February mortgage payment due. Lo and behold, they were able to. So, with the money saved from the extra principal we were able to pay our other outstanding bills.
I am so thankful to the Lord for not only working it out for us to pay our bills, but more importantly for being willing to work, and then working me, through this situation and the bondage I was in regarding money and trying to find my security in money. I praise the Lord for His mercy, His patience, and His love. I also thank the Lord for just being willing to work with us, through us, and being willing to change us. And He changes us, not because He doesn’t love us just as we are, but, because He knows that by changing us we will experience that abundant life that Christ died for, including freedom, peace, joy, deliverance, just to name a few benefits of that abundant life.
As a side note, during my struggle, I had received a word of knowledge from an evangelist that “there is no lack in the kingdom of God.” During the day, I kept thinking about that word. But what I was thinking was “yeah right, if there is no lack in the kingdom why am I lacking and why am I in need?” In my mind, my experience was not lining up with this word. But then, God, in His infinite wisdom, gave me a revelation about this. It is true; there is no lack in the kingdom of God. He owns everything. It dawned on me that, since there is no lack in the kingdom of God and God knows my needs and is more than able to supply them, He must want to show me or teach me something through this whole thing, and change me for my good. Boy, that gave me such a new outlook on the situation, and it gave me hope. I kept thinking that I wasn’t doing something right or that I needed to keep pursuing this thing, but God had other plans. As you can tell, I certainly learned a lesson during this trial.
UPDATE: After I released the whole situation to the Lord on Thursday, I was free to thank the Lord and praise Him. In fact, I went to a home fellowship group that I have been attending and the Spirit of the Lord really moved on our gathering. During our time together, I felt that the Lord was directing me to give a certain amount of money to this ministry. At first, I thought it was me so I just cast the thought down, but it kept coming up throughout the night. I am still learning to discern the voice and leading of the Holy Spirit, as opposed to my own ideas, the flesh, or the enemy. So, I decided that, if it were God, my husband would be in agreement regarding the money. As the night came to a close, I called my husband, ran the idea past him, told him that I really felt that God was instructing me to give a certain amount of money, and what did he think. He said no. When I got off the phone I must admit I was disappointed because I really thought I had heard from God, but I guess not. Just a few minutes later, my husband called back and said go ahead and give the money.
It is amazing to me how God can change our hearts and minds about things. He is so amazing to me. The amount we gave wasn’t much, but I really believed that this was a matter of obeying the voice of the Lord, and not the amount given. Guess what, the following day I went out to my mailbox and, lo and behold, a check for the money owed to me from that attorney was in my mailbox. What is interesting, though, is that the check itself was dated Monday, February 17th, but it wasn’t mailed until Thursday, February 20th. Do you think that God wanted to teach me something and work something through me (or out of me) before I received the check? I know He did.
I wanted to share this testimony with you because I want to encourage those of you who may be struggling with circumstances or a situation in your life that you do not understand, or you feel that God is not sensitive to your needs. God has a plan for you and for that situation. He is not ignoring you and He does care about your needs. Sometimes God allows pressure upon us in order for us to have no other way out but to release the circumstance or situation to Him. And perhaps, like me, He wants to teach you something about yourself, and change you for the better so that you will walk in that freedom and peace He has for you. I would encourage you to just keep going back to God and pour out your heart to Him. You might as well be honest with God; after all He knows what you are thinking and feeling anyhow. Believe me, God has it all under control. He will make a way. It may not be the way you would choose, or even the timing, but He will and it will be The Way.
As I was reading my bible, I read the scripture that says that we must share in Christ’s sufferings if we are to share in His glory. I was reminded of Christ’s struggle as He prayed in the garden just before Judas Iscariot and the religious leaders came to arrest Him. No matter how much Jesus struggled (He asked the Father to take the cup from Him three times), in the end He relinquished His will and desires to the Father – not My will, but Your will be done. That’s what it is all about – His will not mine and not yours. I believe that through my own struggle regarding our finances and the money owed to me, God provided an opportunity for me to say Your will Lord not mine. No doubt I had to struggle, and struggle I did, but He brought me through it. God promises in His word that He will not allow a trial in our life that Christ has not already overcome and that He has provided a way of escape for us. We just need to turn to Him when those trials come, and then keep turning to Him until we have peace. God Bless.
Karen S. Prout, Wahpeton, ND
e-mail: ksprout@rrt.net
Sunday, February 23, 2003
I grew up in a church where I never heard of people giving testimonies. I don’t know if I really understood the concept. After I was saved and started attending a church where there was opportunity for testimonies, I was scared to stand up and say anything. I was involved in some campus groups where many former drug addicts or alcoholics went. Many times I heard people talking of their dramatic conversions and how God had saved them from these terrible things. There was a time when I felt that since I didn’t have that type of “testimony”, that I had nothing to say.
As time went on, I realized that the greatest testimony of all was that God had protected me from so many things before I even knew Him personally. As in so many things, God’s protection is far better than His deliverance. Now I wonder why I had wished that I had been involved in something horrible just so I could testify of God’s deliverance.
Don’t ever think you don’t have a testimony to share. The world is dying to hear what God is doing in our lives. And if we don’t tell them, who will?
-Ardis Rivera
-Psalm 9:1
I will praise you, O LORD , with all my heart;
I will tell of all your wonders.
Saturday February 22, 2003
There are many great testimonies in the bible of changed lives and what God has done. On of my favorites is the testimony of the blind man that Jesus healed (I’m looking at John chapter 9).
The summary of the story is the man had been blind from birth, Jesus made a “mud” paste and put it on his eyes, told the man to wash them off in a pool of water, and he received his sight back. The man was so excited for what Jesus had done to him that he couldn’t help but tell everyone around him about the incredible person of Jesus Christ. The Pharisees of course didn’t believe him (as they were trying to find ways to discredit Jesus), but the man told them that Jesus had made a once blind man to see, and this had to be of God. The blind man did not understand why it happened, but he was sharing his “testimony” with everyone around him anyway, thus sharing the good news of Christ through his personal experience.
Your testimony doesn’t have to be “flashy” or fancy, just the simple truth as to what God has done in your life since asking him to be the Lord of your life. And if you haven’t asked Christ into your life, why not start by doing that today, then you too can be a walking testimony.
-Garrett Novak
-John 9:24-25 NIV
A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.” 25 He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”
-John 9:30-33 NIV
The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. 32 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”
Friday, February 21, 2003
Have you ever thought of what the testimony of Adam is? He experienced disappointment and failure.
Have you ever thought of what the testimony of Noah is? He experienced disappointment and failure.
Have you ever thought of what the testimony of Abraham is? He experienced disappointment and failure.
Have you ever thought of what the testimony of Isaac is? He experienced disappointment and failure.
Have you ever thought of what the testimony of Jacob is? He experienced disappointment and failure.
Have you ever thought of what the testimony of Joseph is? He experienced disappointment and failure.
Have you ever thought of what the testimony of David is? He experienced disappointment and failure.
Have you ever thought of what the testimony of Peter is? He experienced disappointment and failure.
Have you ever thought of what the testimony of Paul is? He experienced disappointment and failure.
Have you ever thought of what the testimony of yourself is? You’ve experienced disappointment and failure. You’re in good company. Disappointment and failure are part of life and certainly not uncommon to the saints of God. Don’t ever let it stop you from serving God with all your heart.
I am quite familiar with disappointment and failure. Sometimes it seems like it has moved in with me. But I am determined, even in my most humiliating and embarrassing moments, to be unwavering in my passion for serving the risen Lord with all of my being. Frankly, I want to be a “wild man” for Jesus with an unsatisfied soul until there is not s single person left on the face of the earth that has not heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. No, not one!
The ultimate disappointment and failure in life is letting disappointment and failure take away your passion for the things of God in your heart.
-Lyn Sahr
-Ps 62:5-8 NIV
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
7 My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
8 Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.
Thursday, February 20, 2003
Last Sunday some friends of ours celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. We were not able attend the open house because we were out of town but our thoughts and prayers were with them. Just think about it: 70 years of marriage!!!
In a day when many marriages don’t last for even seven years it is hard to imagine seventy.
Some of the things that you notice right away about this couple might help uncover the secret to their marriage. First of all they have a deep love and respect for one another. You don’t hear them complaining about the other, in public or in private. You get a sense of how much they care about each other just by being around them. Neither is in the best of health, although they are doing well for their ages, and they take good care of each other.
Secondly, they love God and that is very apparent in how they live their lives. God is as real to them as they are to each other. They pray together and read the word together and are always giving God the glory for the things they have in life. The attitude of gratitude they have is contagious.
Third, if you spent time with them and asked them you would find that each one loves the other so much that they would rather that the other die first so that they, rather than their mate, would suffer being alone. Neither wants the other to suffer loneliness and sorrow.
For those of you just starting out, or only a short way on your marriage journey, think about Max and Edna. Seventy years, not all good years, not all happy years, but seventy committed years. If they, with God’s help, could maintain a love relationship for seventy years you can, too.
-John Roe
-Prov 8:17-21 NIV
17 I love those who love me,
and those who seek me find me.
18 With me are riches and honor,
enduring wealth and prosperity.
19 My fruit is better than fine gold;
what I yield surpasses choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
along the paths of justice,
21 bestowing wealth on those who love me
and making their treasuries full.
Wednesday, February 19, 2003
Today I received an email from one of our readers in Illinois commenting on yesterday’s “Thought For The Day.” I have quoted a majority of what she has said;
At the church we attend, “there is time designated at the beginning of each service for testimonies and we hear from different people each Sunday. For some people it is the highlight of the service, to hear how God is working in their lives! And this is a church of 750 in attendance.”
PTL! Perhaps you may want to share her response with your pastor and church leaders.
Somebody has to testify and they are doing it in Illinois! PTL!
-Lyn Sahr
-1 John 1:1-4 NIV
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched-this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our joy complete.
Tuesday, February 18, 2003
Somebody has to testify! But who is somebody?
As I have given consideration to Christian testimonies the rest of the month of February for the “Thought For The Day,” I realized that there seems to be few people who actually testify in or out of our churches these days. Part of the reason is because many churches do not allow opportunity for it in the worship services and when they do, there is little response.
Are testimonies a thing of the past? I don’t think so. But perhaps we do not understand why we testify.
Testimonies proclaim what God has done in our lives and serves as edification to others. Testimonies are mini-sermons that are “super faith builders.” Testimonies serve as the “missing link” of evangelism in our churches. Frankly, non-believers are not all that interested in what God has done for or meant to Paul, Peter or James but they are really interested in what God has done for and what God means to you! Testimonies proclaim the work of God in us!
And then we wonder why few get “saved” through our churches these days? Somebody has to testify! And that somebody is you and I!
-Lyn Sahr
-1 John 4:13-16 NIV
We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
Monday, February 17, 2003
What is a testimony? A statement made to establish a fact. It states a truth that has established its authenticity by what someone declares they have experienced or witnessed. Testimonies are not rumors, gossip or slander. Testimonies are truth declared.
That’s why it was, and still is, so difficult for many believers and non-believers alike when someone in church stands up and testifies about what God has done in their lives but then the next week that person is not living the authenticity of what he or she testified to. It brings confusion to all and it negates the power of the testimony. Yet, one of the great needs of the present day church is testimony as to the grace and wonder working power of God. So what do we do? Do we quit proclaiming testimonies?
No! On the contrary, we have more of them. But at the same time we must have truthful integrity in our testimonies, both spoken and living. Spoken testimonies need to be factual, grateful and properly credited to the Almighty. Living testimonies, our everyday lives, must be the same.
Testimony Of The Unashamed
Help me Lord today,
To be a testimony, I pray.
Not to glorify my own,
But to proclaim the power you have shown.
Help me walk in your grace,
To kneel in prayer before your face.
To pull the shades, my shallow life.
Show your love through all my strife.
I’m not perfect, because I am weak.
I’m not wise, I’m not meek.
I am desperate, lonely, frail…
My faith is drawn to the nails.
And as I look for hammered spikes,
I see wounded hands in my sight.
On knees of shame I then proclaim,
“I am a testimony to His name!”
-Lyn Sahr
-1 John 2:28 NIV
And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.
Sunday, February 16, 2003
Every now and then it is a good idea to look back and see where God has taken us. I grew up in a mainline denomination and never really heard about salvation. My understanding was that as long as I was baptized and confirmed, I was ok. Yet, as a very small child, I was terrified of going to sleep because I was afraid I would die in my sleep and would end up in hell. As I got older, I did all the “right” things. I either sang in the choir or was playing for the choir. I taught Sunday School and Bible School as a high-school student. Whenever the church was open, I was there. My parents had to force me to miss a Sunday to visit relatives or due to illness.
When I went to college, I didn’t fall into the trap of partying and drinking. I found a church and became involved in the programs for students, but it seemed the pastor didn’t have any assurances either.
During the summers I was a counselor at a Bible Camp. I loved it. There was one week when the girls in our cabin were extremely rowdy. Looking back, I know they weren’t mean, just typical teen age girls who preferred talking all night to sleeping, and how could our cabin win the prize for being quiet with a group like that? I remember one night, I was at the bonfire and simply asked God to give me something for devotions that would make the girls really think (and think quietly). I don’t remember the Bible passage I read, but the message was just one line: “If I come back tonight, will you be ready?” The camp’s policy was that one counselor had to be in the cabin after lights out, but the other counselor(s) could leave to have a time to unwind and visit with each other as long as we were back in the cabins by midnight. It was my night out, and I was sure that those girls were sound asleep, or at least quietly thinking things over. As I neared the cabin, (actually, I wasn’t all that close), I could hear noise. I was furious, and I entered the cabin ready to lay down the law. But, what I heard when I entered the cabin was the sound of 30 girls weeping before God, crying out for the assurance of salvation. The junior counselor was saved and I knew enough about it to know we needed to pray for these girls. But the girls didn’t want to pray in the cabin, they wanted to go to the chapel. So all of us went to the chapel after midnight and prayed, seeking God. When everything quieted down, I prayed the same prayer for myself as I had prayed for so many girls that night. Even now, I look back at that night and am amazed at the move of God in that place. Each cabin experienced the same thing at some point during that week, even though the directors tried to squelch it.
I have often wondered why I have had such a longing for the things of God, since my sister and brother seem to not have that desire. I believe there is one explanation. My parents lost 3 daughters, and before I was born, there was concern that I may not live. My grandfather had promised my parents that I could be buried with my sisters if necessary. My mother told me one day that she had told God at one point that if He would allow me to live that she would give me back to Him. As far as I can tell, it is the only difference. But what a difference.
Parents, don’t ever minimize the effect of your prayers for your children. God hears. My mother hasn’t always been real happy with some of the decisions I have made in my spiritual life—she had one idea of what my serving God would mean. But she has come to realize that God is the one who is in control and she gave me to Him before I was even born, and He honored that.
-Ardis Rivera
1 Samuel 1:27-28
I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the LORD . For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD .” And he worshiped the LORD there.
Saturday, February 15, 2003
My eight year-old daughter came home from school all excited about the Valentines she had received from her classmates. We sat on the living room floor and read all her Valentine “love notes” together. “Valentine…you put me in orbit,” “Valentine….you make my heart spin,” “Have a purr-fectly terrific Valentine’s Day,” and my favorite “Valentine…you’re the spongiest!”
Did you know that God’s word is full of little “love” notes to us? As you celebrate Valentine’s Day stop don’t forget to spend time reading and discovering how much he truly does love you.
-Garrett Novak
-Ex 34:6-7 NIV
And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.
-Ps 13:5 NIV
But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.
-Ps 36:5 NIV
Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.
-John 13:34-35 NIV
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
-Rom 8:39 NIV
neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Friday, February 14, 2002
“Perfect love casteth out fear.” I John 4:18. When love is perfected, nothing can frighten it into abandoning the one loved. Rather, the desire to come to the aid of the one loved overcomes all fear of consequences.
A mother rushes into the path of an oncoming vehicle to save her child. Perfect love casts out all fear.
Perfect love sacrifices itself for the welfare of the one loved.
God is perfect. God is Love. God is Perfect Love. God is fearless in love.
Jesus set his face like a flint to go up to Jerusalem to perfect his love for us on the cross.
When you love God perfectly, you will not fear the hatred of the world arrayed against you for doing so.
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the You sword of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” Revelation 12:11
-Martin Wishnatsky
Thursday, February 13, 2002
What says love? Everyone has a different, unique way of saying they love someone. When you have been married for as long as my wife and I have you realize that expressing love changes as you move through the years. You settle into a familiarity that goes beyond words so that sometimes even a glance over the top of a menu or just a little touch as you pass one another can be as meaningful as the words, I love you. That does not mean that you should stop saying the words, they are important, very important, but it does mean that you express your love in many ways.
I learned something several years ago that has stuck with me. The speaker was talking about the need for significance and security that we all have. He was speaking to men at the time and emphasized the need that a wife has for significance and security. As a husband I try to make sure that my wife feels that she is significant to me. That her opinion matters and that I care what she thinks. Security is also very important. She needs to feel secure in my love. Secure that she is the only woman in my life and that I will take care of her, physically, emotionally, financially, etc. When she feel significant and secure she can feel loved.
If you meet the significance and security needs for your spouse you will find that love will continue and blossom and grow in your marriage.
-John Roe
-Eph 5:30-33 NIV
“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” 32 This is a profound mystery-but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Wednesday, February 12, 2003
There is so little time to say I love you when we live our lives surrounded by “me.”
-Lyn Sahr
-Ps 18:1 NIV
I love you, O LORD, my strength.
Tuesday, February 11, 2003
It is easy to say, “I love you” but it is difficult to “do” I love you.
-Lyn Sahr
-1 John 4:19-21 NIV
We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
Monday, February 10, 2003
When you plant corn, you get corn.
When you plant beans, you get beans.
When you plant carrots, you get carrots.
When you plant love, you get love.
Unfortunately, many foolish people plant bitter roots and expect a crop of love.
-Lyn Sahr
-Hos 10:12-14 NIV
Sow for yourselves righteousness,
reap the fruit of unfailing love,
and break up your unplowed ground;
for it is time to seek the LORD,
until he comes
and showers righteousness on you.
Sunday, February 9, 2003
By this time next week, all the Valentine candy and gifts will be on the Clearance racks, and the stores will have moved on to Easter items. When you think about it, the greatest love story ever told is the story of Jesus coming to earth. He came to live among us, to reveal God to us and ultimately to die on the cross for our sins so that we can spend eternity with Him. So the world, at least the commercial world, moves from Valentine’s Day to Easter. The greatest demonstration of love ever seen was Jesus on the cross, and the greatest victory ever is the empty tomb. So, while the world may make no connection, let us remember the greatest love ever shown, and how it led to the greatest victory the world has ever seen.
-Ardis Rivera
-1 John 3:16
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers
Saturday February 8, 2003
As a father of five I often think about what God the father went through when he sent his son to earth. The anguish he must have been wrestling with, knowing the final result would be his son hanging on a cross, and as a father he would need to turn his back on him for a short while. Not many fathers (if any) that I know of would turn their back on their child in a time of need, especially a life and death matter.
Yet God, knowing the “bigger picture,” still sent Jesus anyway. God loved you and me so much that he did the unthinkable and sent his son to us to love us, teach us, lead us, and ultimately die for us. If that isn’t a definition of love I don’t know what is.
It’s too bad we as a society seem to focus more on love during the “love month” of February than at other times during the year. Love isn’t something we should just show our spouses and families during the shortest month of the year, but during those other months of thirty or thirty-one days as well. God didn’t focus on just one day back then when sending his son, he had all eternity in mind.
-Garrett Novak
-Rom 5:7NIV
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
-John 3:16-17 NIV
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Friday, February 7, 2003
In the skies today we saw destruction and tragedy. Yet farther than we can see there is comfort and hope. In the words of the prophet Isaiah, “Lift your eyes and look to the heavens. Who created all these? He who brings out the starry hosts one by one and calls them each by name. Because of His great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.”
The same Creator who names the stars also knows the names of the seven souls we mourn today. The crew of the shuttle Columbia did not return safely to Earth; yet we can pray that all are safely home.
May God bless the grieving families, and may God continue to bless America.
-President Bush on the Columbia Shuttle disaster
-Martin Wishnatsky
Thursday, February 6, 2003
Love – an emotion, an action, a feeling, a commitment, or just unexplainable? All of the above and then some. Love is many different things to different people. One man may say that his working long hours to provide things for his family is his way of showing love for them. His family on the other hand may say that he doesn’t spend time with them so therefore he doesn’t love them. This love thing is very complex and not easy to understand.
Dr. Gary Chapman, a well-known author and speaker, has written about the five love languages in his book by that title. Learning how your spouse and your children or even your parents and friends speak the language of love is a real key to understanding them. In fact learning your own love language is a key to understanding your own needs in the love department.
Words of Affirmation, Receiving Gifts, Acts of Service, Quality Time, and Physical Touch are the five languages that he discusses in the book. If you look at the things that you do for others you will begin to understand the way that you show your love, in other words what your love language is. Look at the things that your spouse does for you and for others and you will begin to see how he/she understands love. When you begin to show them love, the same way that they express love, they will be able to understand your love because it will be in a language they understand.
This is just a bare thumbnail sketch of the languages. I highly recommend that you read the book and begin to put the principles into practice. It could change your life.
-John Roe
Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels if I don’t have love I am become mere blaring horn or irritating crashing cymbals. -I Corinthians 13:1 (my paraphrase)
Wednesday, February 5, 2003
Do you remember your first kiss? Was it romantic? I remember my first kiss, or at least one of my first kisses. When I was in first grade I kissed a girl named Carolyn. Was it romantic? I didn’t think so at the time. In fact, I can remember thinking, “This is no big deal.” And I never kissed her again so I guess it wasn’t.
Obviously I was too immature to appreciate this wonderful relationship between a man and a woman called love. After all, I was just a little boy. I kissed Carolyn but that didn’t mean I loved her. I loved my grandma.
Unfortunately we have a lot of adults who have relationships that in some ways are even more childish and shallow. They confuse physical attraction, human curiosity and human instinct for love. Perhaps we should use our grandparents as a gauge and ask ourselves, “Is this physical attraction or do I, will I or can I ever love this person somewhere near the same depth I love my grandmother or grandfather. If the answer to that is no, you are probably dating the wrong person and dating this person is a physical thing not a marriage thing! The point is that true love is on a higher plane than physical attraction.
Too often people approach their faith in the same shallow, physical way. They snuggle up to God because of what He can provide for them or do for them, not who He is. If your faith is about the physical (things, power, position, wealth) and not the spiritual, you don’t have any faith! God’s love is pure and not dependent upon the physical. Ours should be likewise.
-Ps 89:1-2 NIV
I will sing of the LORD’s great love forever;
with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.
2 I will declare that your love stands firm forever,
that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself.
Tuesday, February 4, 2002
How do we measure love? It can’t be bagged so no one asks, “Paper or plastic?” It can’t be cooked so no one asks, “How would you like it done?” And it can’t be baked so no measuring cup is needed to get the recipe right. Nor can it be constructed so a tape measure is not needed either.
Love is measured in the heart. But how is it measured? There are a multiple of answers that people have. In fact, if you asked people how love is measured it may take a dozen or two before you would get a duplicated answer. But my answer is pretty basic and taken from what I have learned about God.
Love is measured by our ability to forgive!
-Col 3:12-14 NIV
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Monday, February 3, 2003
Our hearts are turned to yet another American tragedy, the shuttle Columbia explosion. We live in a high tech mechanical world and nothing is more complex than that of the journeys to and from outer space. Only sixteen minutes to touchdown, the families gathered and anxiously waited for their loved ones return. The astronauts no doubt were having fond thoughts of the soon to be reunion with their loved ones. Sixteen minutes and suddenly the shuttle exploded and everything changed. They would not be arriving home.
It causes me to think of how the saints in eternity are waiting for the arrival of loved ones, both family and friends. But to often the biggest tragedy of all time occurs. On the journey toward heaven something goes drastically wrong and the journey takes an eternally wrong direction. When people get discouraged, when they turn their backs on God or when people just plain spiritually give up it is eternally devastating. Like the families of the Challenger waiting and waiting in Florida, likewise the saints in heaven will hopelessly wait for those loved ones who turn away from God.
Your theology may be that once you are set on course to eternity, nothing can cause it to change and the arrival is guaranteed. Regardless, don’t ever give up on God, don’t turn your back on God and finish the journey with your heart focused on heaven. Keep your spiritual life together for the entire journey. And when you go through heavens gates you will be greeted by those loved ones who have went on before you. It will be worth it all.
-Lyn Sahr
-Acts 20:22-24 NIV
“And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me-the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.
Sunday, February 2, 2003
We are entering the month of February and we see valentine cards and candy everywhere. We always think of Valentine’s Day as a special day to remember our spouse. And that is as it should be. But there are many people that live alone, who have either lost a spouse to death or to divorce, and it is easy for these people to feel left out on Valentine’s Day. And, the news reports show couples that are being separated now due to impending war.
As Christians, we need to make an attempt to reach out to these people. For some, this Valentine’s Day could be very hard. Pray and ask God what He would have you do, whether it is a card, a small gift or an invitation to dinner, or whatever. I believe that this Valentine’s Day would be a great time to reach out to someone and show him/her the love of Christ in a very real way. And you just may make what could be a very sad time of the year for someone a special time that that person will never forget.
-Ardis Rivera
-James 1:22, 27
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
Saturday February 1st, 2003
There are many great love songs in the world aren’t there? “Love will keep us together,” “To sir with love,” “I will always love you,” the poignant “Love, Me” from Collin Raye, and one of my favorites of all time “Muskrat Love!” Yes, as humans we are always looking for love and many times we are “Looking for love in all the wrong places.” We want to love and be loved, and these songs are just the tip of the iceberg of love songs from years gone by to today.
Did you know that since the day he first breathed life in to man that God has been singing a love song to us? That’s right, even “Muskrat Sally and Muskrat Sam” can’t come close to the love that God has for us. Just pick up your bible and start reading, it’s full of his “love songs” to us.
-Garrett Novak
-John 3:16
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
-Rom 5:8
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
-Ps 36:5 & 7
Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.
7 How priceless is your unfailing love!
-Ps 36:5-7
Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. 6 Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep. O LORD, you preserve both man and beast. 7 How priceless is your unfailing love!
-Rom 8:38-39
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
