FOR ALL THE SAINTS

God will conquer death

For all the saints

"For all the saints, who from their labors rest,
Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,
Thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest,
Alleluia, Alleluia!

And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long,
Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
And hearts are brave again, and arms are strong.
Alleluia, Alleluia!"
For All the Saints
William Walsham How (1823-1897)

Scripture:

So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and
foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God's
holy people. You are members of God's family.
We are his house, built on the foundation of the
apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone
is Christ Jesus himself. We who believe are
carefully knit together, becoming a holy temple for
the Lord. Through him you Gentiles are also joined
together as part of this dwelling where God lives
by his Spirit.
Ephesians 2:19-22 NLT

A hero of the faith

"In 1864 Bishop William How wrote this hymn for
All Saints Day. He cited Hebrews 12:1 in his original
title, but he drew on all of Hebrews 11 for inspiration.
That's the famous "faith chapter," which praises the
faithful deeds of a score of Old Testament heroes.

The author might be considered a hero of the faith
himself. He was a man of the people, regularly
reaching out to minister to the poor and needy in his
area. Once he listed the characteristics that a
minister should have; among them was being
"wholly without thought of self." Those who knew him
said that Bishop How was like that, selflessly caring
for others."

(From The One Year® Book of Hymns by Mark
Norton and Robert Brown (Tyndale) entry for
November 1)

THE GREAT REFORMER

God is a refuge for the oppressed

A reformer's refuge

"A mighty fortress is our God.
A bulwark never failing.
Our helper He amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
Doth seek to work us woe —
His craft and pow'r are great,
And, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not His equal."

A Mighty Fortress is Our God
Martin Luther (1483-1546)

Psalm 46:1-3 NLT
God is our refuge and strength, always
ready to help in times of trouble. So we
will not fear, even if earthquakes come
and mountains crumble into the sea.
Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the
mountains tremble as the waters surge!

The great reformer

After posting his ninety-five theses on
the door of Wittenberg's Castle Church
in October 1517, Martin Luther faced
many years of trials and persecution.
And during the years of the ensuing
Protestant Reformation, Luther came
to know better than most the gracious
power of God's sheltering hand. He
confidently stepped forward to defend
the truth he found in God's Word,
despite excommunication from the
Roman church, continual threats to his
life and freedom, and times of intense
spiritual battle.

In the comforting words of Psalm 46,
Luther found the inspiration for this hymn
that would become the battle cry of the
Protestant Reformation. Many who
suffered for their faith during that time
found solid comfort in Luther's words of
faith and praise. "A might fortress is our
God!"

(From The One Year® Book of Hymns
by Mark Norton and Robert Brown
(Tyndale) entry for October 31
Content is derived from the Holy Bible,
New Living Translation and other
publications of Tyndale Publishing House)

PROVIDE FOR US

Scripture:

 "If you abide in me, and my words abide
in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will
be done for you." - John 15:7

Reflection:

One of the greatest gifts God has given
us is the ability to talk to Him whenever we
want. By praying to God, we can talk to
Him about our lives and even seek guidance.
Like the verse above says, if we ask
something of God and have true faith,
He will provide for us!

Prayer:

Thank you oh Lord for being there.  I know
in my very being that You will provide for me.
Thank you for being my guide in life and
the provider in our world!
In Jesus Name AMEN

AN ANGEL KNOCKING

There came a frantic knock
At the doctor's office door,
A knock, more urgent than
he had ever heard before.
~~~~
"Come in, Come in,"
the impatient doctor said,
"Come in, Come in,
before you wake the dead."
~~
In walked a frightened little girl,
a child no more than nine,
It was plain for all to see,
she had troubles on her mind.
~~~
"Oh doctor, I beg you,
please come with me,
My mother is surely dying,
she's as sick as she can be."
~~~~
"I don't make house calls,
bring your mother here,"
"But she's too sick,
so you must come or she will die I fear."
~~~~
The doctor, touched by her devotion,
decided he would go,
She said he would be blessed,
more than he could know.
~~~~
She led him to her house
where her mother lay in bed,
Her mother was so very sick
she couldn't raise her head.
~~~~
But her eyes cried out for help
and help her the doctor did,
She would have died that very night
had it not been for her kid.
~~~~
The doctor got her fever down
and she lived through the night,
And morning brought the doctor signs,
that she would be all right.
~~~~
The doctor said he had to leave
but would return again by two,
And later he came back to check,
just like he said he'd do.
~~~~
The mother praised the doctor
for all the things he'd done,
He told her she would have died,
were it not for her little one.
~~~~
"How proud you must be
of your wonderful little girl,
It was her pleading that made me come,
she is really quite a pearl!
~~~~
"But doctor, my daughter died
over three years ago,
Is the picture on the wall
of the little girl you know?"
~~~~
The doctors legs went limp
for the picture on the wall,
Was the same little girl
for whom he'd made this call.
~~~~
The doctor stood motionless,
for quite a little while,
And then his solemn face,
was broken by his smile.
~~~~
He was thinking of that frantic knock
heard at his office door,
And of the beautiful little angel
that had walked across his floor.
I KNOW there are Angels among us...

GodVine

THE BLAME GAME

Scripture:

“The man said, ‘The woman you put here with me
 – she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.’
Then the LORD God said to the woman, ‘What is
this you have done?’ The woman said, ‘The serpent
deceived me, and I ate.’” — Genesis 3:12–13

Reflection:

And we’ve been blaming each other – or something
– ever since.

Here’s the thing: while it may seem to be in our
best interest to blame someone else for our
mistakes, the truth is that we are only hurting
ourselves. If we never admit that we are wrong,
how can we ever learn to be right? We can deny
our failures and continue in our self-defeating
behaviors, or we can acknowledge our misdeeds,
change, and become better human beings. We
know which way God prefers!

With prayers for shalom, peace,
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

HEAVEN'S GROCERY STORE

I was walking down life's highway a long time ago.
One day I saw a sign that read, "Heaven's Grocery Store".
As I got a little closer the door came open wide,
and when I came to myself I was standing inside.
I saw a host of Angels, they were standing everywhere.
One handed me a blanket and said, "My Child shop with care".
Everything a Christian needs is in that grocery store,
and all you can't carry, come back the next day for more.

First, I got some Patience, Love was in the same row.
Further down was Understanding, needed everywhere you go.
I got a box or two of Wisdom, a bag or two of Faith,
I just couldn't miss the Holy Ghost, it was all over the place.
I stopped to get some Strength and Courage to help me run this race,
but then my blanket was getting full, and I remembered I needed Grace.

I didn't forget Salvation, which like the others was free,
so I tried to get enough of that to save both you and me.
Then I started to the counter to pay my grocery bill,
for I thought I had everything to do my master's will.
As I went up the aisle, I saw Prayer and had to put it in,
for I knew when I stepped outside, I would run right into sin.
Peace and Joy were plentiful, they were on the last shelf.
Song and Praises were hanging near, so I just helped myself.

Then I said to the Angel, "How much do I owe"?
The Angel smiled and said, "Just take them everywhere you go."
Again, I politely asked "How much do I really owe?"
The Angel smiled again and said, "My Child, Jesus Paid Your Bill A Long Time Ago."
(GodVine)

FAITH IN ACTION

The homeroom teacher of a senior high school
class once gave them a graduation gift in advance
... The students were permitted one unexcused
absence as long as it didn't conflict with other
teachers' schedules. "All I asked," said the
homeroom teacher, "was that they do something
worthwhile and hand in a paragraph sharing that
experience."

The teacher said her favorite report came from a
young man who wrote, "I went fishing with my
grandfather and I listened to him all day long
without once saying, 'Grandpa, you already told
me that'!"

Someone has said, "No one has learned the
meaning of life until he has surrendered his ego
to the service of his fellow men."

And in response to that statement, no matter
how many times we say "you already told me
that," it does us no good unless we get busy
with the day-to-day, nitty gritty work of true
discipleship. Talk is cheap. Faith in Action is
the only way to activate our faith.

(Sunday Sermons Online)

MY WHOLE BEING

Scripture:
Psalm 63:1
[Psalm 63] A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah. You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.
Reflection:
Wow what a verse! I have a question for you, "When is the last time you felt this way"? When is the last time you earnestly sought God? When is the last time you actually thirst for God? When is the last time your very being longed for God?
You know it's kind of scary to ask these questions, mainly because I'm afraid of my answers. I sometimes find myself going through life, claiming to be a follower of Christ, and never asking these questions. I'm just like everybody else I find my life getting rather tedious and sometimes rather boring. I find myself keeping my emotions in check. I have also discovered that when I find myself complacent and bored, I think that I can handle anything that comes along in my life. So I have to do admit that often times my answer to the above questions is, I can't remember the last time I seeked, thirst, longed, for God. I know that's not the way it's supposed to be but I get so complacent about things that I find myself not feeling these kinds of emotions in my head and my heart and in my spirit.
I need to get back into the game of life, I need to draw upon my emotions, I need to get back to God.
I woke up this morning and found myself earnestly seeking God, having a real thirst for God, actually longing for God. What a difference that makes in my life. It is so wonderful to feel the presence of God in my life. It really does give my life meaning. To seek, thirst, long, for God, and to find him, brings my life into focus and gives my life real meaning. I rediscovered this morning that God is with me, that God loves me, and that God cares for me. This morning, I rediscovered the meaning of life....... "GOD".
Prayer:
Almighty God thank you for giving my life meaning. I recognize that without you in my life my life has no meaning. O Lord you are the meaning of life and I earnestly seek, thirst, and long for you. AND I HAVE FOUND YOU! In Jesus name Amen.

OVERWHELMED

Scripture:

May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ*
give you grace and peace. Jesus gave his life
for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in
order to rescue us from this evil world in which
we live. All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.
Galatians 1:3-5, NLT

Reflections:

Many think that when God comforts us, our
troubles should go away. But if that were always
so, people would turn to God only out of a desire
to be relieved of pain and not out of love for him.
We must understand that being comforted can
also mean receiving strength, encouragement,
and hope to deal with our troubles. The more we
suffer, the more comfort God gives us.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, allow God to
comfort you. Remember that every trial you
endure will help you comfort other people who
are suffering similar troubles.

(Life Application Daily Devotion)

IT TAKES ALL KINDS

“On the first day you are to take branches
from luxuriant trees – from palms, willows
and other leafy trees – and rejoice before
the your Lord God for seven days.”
Leviticus 23:40

Every successful organization has learned
to appreciate the different qualities in people.
Some people have amazing vision and
groundbreaking ideas, but when it comes to
caring for details, they totally fall apart. Other
people are great at dotting every “i” and
crossing every “t” but they shy away from the
limelight and prefer working behind the scenes.
It takes all kinds of people to get any initiative
off the ground. The differences between people
are celebrated, because each person’s strength
compensates for the other’s weakness. This is
true unity – not when people work side by side,
but when they fit together like pieces of a puzzle
to make the entire picture beautiful and complete.

What’s your strength? How do you fit into the
human equation? Every team needs a captain
and a manager and a coach and a publicist and
of course, players. It takes all types of people to
make any group successful. Humanity is no
different. The Sages teach that every human
being has his own unique light to add to the world.

FIND YOUR LIGHT AND SHARE IT WITH US ALL!

With prayers for shalom, peace,

Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

WHEN JESUS CAME TO DINNER

Ruth looked at the envelope again. There was no stamp, no postmark, only her name and address. She read the letter one more time...

Dear Ruth,
I'm going to be in your neighborhood Saturday afternoon and I'd like to stop by for a visit.
Love Always,
Jesus

Her hands were shaking as she placed the letter on the table. "Why would the Lord want to visit me? I'm nobody special. I don't have anything to offer."

With that thought, Ruth remembered her empty kitchen cabinets. "Oh my goodness, I really don't have anything to offer. I'll have to run down to the store and buy something for dinner."

She reached for her purse and counted out its contents. Seven dollars and forty cents. "Well, I can get some bread and cold cuts, at least." She threw on her coat and hurried out the door.

A loaf of french bread, a half-pound of sliced turkey, and a carton of milk...leaving Ruth with a grand total of twelve cents to last her until Monday. Nonetheless, she felt satisfied as she headed home, her meager offerings tucked under her arm.

"Hey lady, can you help us, lady?" Ruth had been so absorbed in her dinner plans, she hadn't even noticed two figures huddled in the alleyway. A man and a woman, both of them
"Look lady, I ain't got a job, ya know, and my wife and I have been living out here on the street, and, well, now it's getting cold and we're getting kinda hungry and, well, if you could help us, lady, we'd really appreciate it."

Ruth looked at them both. They were dirty, they smelled bad and, frankly, she was certain that they could get some kind of work if they really wanted to. "Sir, I'd like to help you, but I'm a poor woman myself. All I have is a few cold cuts and some bread, and I'm having an important guest for dinner tonight and I was planning on serving that to Him."

"Yeah, well, OK lady, I understand. Thanks anyway." The man put his arm around the woman's shoulders, turned and headed back into the alley.

As she watched them leave, Ruth felt a familiar twinge in her heart. "Sir, wait!" The couple stopped and turned as she ran down the alley after them. "Look, why don't you take this food. I'll figure out something else to serve my guest." She handed the man her grocery bag.

"Thank you lady. Thank you very much!" "Yes, thank you!" It was the man's wife, and Ruth could see now that she was shivering.

"You know, I've got another coat at home. Here, why don't you take this one." Ruth unbuttoned her jacket and slipped it over the woman's shoulders. Then smiling, she turned and walked back to the street . . .without her coat and with nothing to serve her guest. "Thank you lady! Thank you very much!"

Ruth was chilled by the time she reached her front door, and worried too. The Lord was coming to visit and she didn't have anything to offer Him. She fumbled through her purse for the door key. But as she did, she noticed another envelope in her mailbox. "That's odd. The mailman doesn't usually come twice in one day." She took the envelope out of the box and opened it.

Dear Ruth,

It was so good to see you again. Thank you for the lovely meal. And thank you too, for the beautiful coat.

Love Always,

Jesus
"Then the righteous will answer him, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?"

The King will reply, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."

Matthew 25:37-40
(Godvine)

THE MIDDLE CLASS

Jesus didn’t say “What you have done for
the middle class, you have done for me.”

As we enter into the final stretch of the
upcoming elections, we need to talk about
the “P” word – Poverty. Both political
conventions talked a lot about the middle
class, but what you didn’t hear much about
was the poor and marginalized. “Opportunity”
was another key word at both conventions
this summer. As Christians, we must be
clear that creating new opportunities must
include poor children and low-income families.

We are called to care for the least of these,
but how does that translate in selecting our
public servants?

HOW DOES IT TRANSLATE IN YOUR
DECISION!

(Sojourners)