Jul. 14, 2007 - It Is Well with My Soul

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May. 16, 2007 - We Cannot Stop Speaking

This is from an email newsletter from our pastor, Tommy Nelson.  Love this guy.  If you are interested in hearing some good teaching, you can subscribe to his podcasts HERE.  If you are not into the iPod thing, then you can go HERE to hear his sermons online.

''For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.''
Acts 4:20

The early church was commanded to ''speak and teach no more in name of Jesus.'' Their response was not that it violated God's command, but rather that it physically impossible for them to keep silent about the majesty and wisdom and glory and grave and wonder of Jesus. Like Elihu of old (Job 32:18-20):

''For I am full of words; The spirit within me constrains me.
''Behold, my belly is like unvented wine, Like new wineskins it is about to burst.
''Let me speak that I may get relief; Let me open my lips and answer.''

Elihu spoke because truth demanded that he must. The error that filled his ears was so vexing that it had to be allayed by God's word.

Such was the witnessing of the early church - ''We MUST speak!'' They had ''seen'' the Life of God before them. They had beheld the only begotten God, full of Grace and Truth. They had seen the might of God exercised for the good of man through His miracles. They had seen at the transfiguration His majesty and beheld the angelic messengers at His rising into glory. They had also ''heard words such as no man spake.'' The very wisdom of God Incarnate had broken upon their minds like the light of a new day.

And thus, ''we cannot stop speaking about
what we have seen and heard.''

We all share thegospel because of the command of God and the edict of the dispensation of grace, but ''the love of Christ constrains us.'' We simply cannot quit speaking about what we have seen and heard. His Person is simply too magnificent; His work too benevolent; His gift too blessed. Like the lame man, we go walking and leaping and praising God. Like the blind Bartimaeus we cast aside our beggar's rags and accompany Him down the road. Like the forgiven Zaccheus, we count our wealth as His. These men did such things because they had to. His touch could not be contained within themselves. As the now sane demoniac we beg to accompany Him. ''Go back to your own people'' saith Christ ''and tell them what great things God has done for you.'' We must go and do likewise.

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Apr. 18, 2007 - Healing the Bones

Tonight I went to a movie with my good pal, K.  We were celebrating our birthdays, and had a great time together over Ho Ho's, water to wash them down with (YES, we ate more than one! ;-) and then the movie.  We saw Amazing Grace, the story about William Wilberforce's fight to end the slave trade in England.  Great movie.  I would have liked for them to hit us in the head a little more with William's conversion to Christ (no, I'm not being sarcastic, I really mean it), but one step at a time, eh?  Maybe seeing this movie will lead someone to study more about Wilberforce's life and they will learn more about Christ that way....

POTENTIAL SPOILER:

The turning point of the movie for me was when Barbara, William's future wife, encouraged him not to give up.  He was so beaten down and tired.  Everyone around him was telling him that someone else could fight the good fight - it didn't have to be only him.  Yet Barbara was able to see that while the fight had made William tired and sick, the fact that the fight had not been won after begun would have been worse torture.  So she told him not to give up.  She made him get back into the fight.  And then of course, victory came.

What happened in the movie sounds so movie-ish and unreal, but this has happened to me before.  Not on the huge scale that William was working with, but in my own life, I have felt as if I were at the bottom of a barrel of smelly, slimy fish.  I felt like dead weight.  And yet there I was, with my husband and precious friends (you know who you are)encouraging me, reassuring me and praying for me.  They would not let me give up.  And I held on to their words, even though it took awhile for them to take effect, and here I am today, alive to write about it.  :-)  God is good! 

I don't think I will ever be known for being responsible for changing the world, but who knows.....one of my children might.  I can dream!  And pray!  I wonder if I would be in the state of mind I am in today without the encouragement of my two friends and husband, and on the days when I feel as if I'm not doing all that great, I know that I can still receive the needed encouragement to continue on.

Who can you encourage today?  Someone needs a kind word from you!  You may never know this side of heaven what you could possibly be doing for that person, that person's children and that person's spouse just by saying one tiny encouraging thing.  It seems that more than ever, a kind word is precious gold.....or a honeycomb?

Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.  Proverbs 16:24

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Feb. 16, 2007 - The Sun

I used to think that I would be the perfect person to live in the northwest or even England with all the overcast days they experience.  I like overcast days.  But it has been overcast here for days and days and days, and on the 14th, I thought I was going to lose it!  I finally walked through the house and turned on every light that we have.  I just couldn't take it anymore.  Everything felt dark and grimy no matter how much I cleaned.  The lights helped a little, but even better was today!  The sun finally came out!  And as I sat down to read some poetry to the kids this morning, I accidentally flipped open to some poems about the sun.  That was fun!  Here are a few of my favorites that we read from "Favorite Poems Old and New" by Helen Ferris.

THE SUN
John Drinkwater

I told the Sun that I was glad,
I'm sure I don't know why;
Somehow the pleasant way he had
Of shining in the sky,
Just put a notion in my head
That wouldn't it be fun
If, walking on the hill, I said
"I'm happy" to the Sun.

THE SUN'S TRAVELS
Robert Louis Stevenson

The sun is not abed, when I
At night upon my pillow lie;
Still round the earth his way he takes,
And morning after morning makes.

While here at home, in shining day,
We round the sunny garden play,
Each little Indian sleepyhead
Is being kissed and put to bed.

And when at eve I rise from tea,
Day dawns beyond the Atlantic Sea;
And all the children in the West
Are getting up and being dressed.

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Oct. 22, 2006 - Baby's Breath

Next time you have a baby in your hands, hold him up to your ear and listen to him breathe.  It will melt away all the stresses of the day and remind you of your rich blessings.

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