A MESSAGE FOR ALL PEOPLE

With my authority, take this message of repentance to all
the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: "There is forgiveness
of sins for all who turn to me."
Luke 24:47 NLT

More Words of Forgiveness from the Bible

Matthew 6:14-15
For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your
heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not
forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive
us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Isaiah 43:25-26
"I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my
own sake, and remembers your sins no more. Review the
past for me, let us argue the matter together; state the
case for your innocence.

Acts 3:19
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be
wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,

Isaiah 1:18
"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD.
"Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as
snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old
has gone, the new has come!

Ephesians 1:7
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness
of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace

Daniel 9:9
The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we
have rebelled against him;

(from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation)

TEARS FOR GENERATIONS

Scripture:

“That night all the members of the community raised their
voices and wept aloud.”—Numbers 14:1

There is a story told about the famous French emperor
Napoleon Bonaparte. He was traveling through a Jewish
town in Europe when he entered a synagogue. There he
saw men, women, and children, all sitting on the floor,
weeping and reading from ancient texts. The room was
almost completely dark and the atmosphere was gloomy.

“What great misfortune occurred?” Napoleon wanted to
know. He assumed that something terrible must have just
happened to the Jews. The Jewish officer with him knew
otherwise. He explained, “It is the ninth of Av on the
Hebrew calendar. On this day, every year, Jews around
the world gather to mourn the destruction of the Temple in
Jerusalem.” Napoleon asked, “When did that happen?”
The officer replied, “Two thousand years ago.” Napoleon
was shocked and said, “Any people that still cry for their
land and their Temple after two thousand years will surely
merit seeing both returned to them.”

Indeed, the land of Israel has been returned to the Jewish
people. But as the Temple still lies in ruins,

Friends, let’s consider what we cry about. If we whine and
complain for no good reason, it won’t go over well with God.
When we cry for good reasons, we will be rewarded. Those
who weep over the Temple will get to see it rebuilt. Those
who cry for the sake of God will see God do great things for
them.

With prayers for shalom, peace,
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

(excerpts taken from Holy Land Moments)

EVERYONE WILL SEE

Scripture:

[Jesus said], "Then everyone will see the Son of Man arrive
on the clouds with power and great glory. So when all these
things begin to happen, stand straight and look up, for your
salvation is near!"
Luke 21:27-28 NLT

Reflection:

No fear of judgment

What images come to mind when you think of "end times
prophecies"?…Most people, if they were honest, would admit
that their view of the end times is a frightening one.…They
imagine an angry and vengeful God hovering high above it all,
bent on destruction and raining terror on all who have rejected
him.

Have we missed something? In many ways I think we have.
God didn't reveal these graphic images of the coming judgment
to express his wrath or even to frighten us into believing. He
revealed them to show us his wonderful grace and mercy in the
midst of our sin and unworthiness. The story isn't about pending
gloom and doom, but it's about a loving Father who will do
anything he can to help people escape the consequences of evil.

Bible prophecy isn't intended to frighten us, but it's to prove
beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is real and omnipotent and
active in our lives; to warn us of the very real danger lying ahead
for those who reject his love and mercy; and to encourage us to
accept his gracious and free offer of salvation through his Son,
Jesus.

In his first letter to Timothy, Paul tells us that God "wants
everyone to be saved and to understand the truth" (2:4).…Time
and again in Scripture we are told that God longs for his people to
be with him in heaven. The Bible is not a story of wrath and
judgment but of unconditional love and redemption. God longs to
be with us and wants desperately for us to accept his hand of
salvation. What we do is up to us.

Adapted from Embracing Eternity by Tim LaHaye, Jerry Jenkins
and Frank M. Martin, Tyndale House Publishers (2004), entry for
January 3.

DAY IS DONE!

Here is something Every American should know.
Until I read this, I didn't know, but I checked it out
and it's true: 
We in the   United States  have all heard the
haunting song, 'Taps...' It's the song that gives
us the lump in our throats and usually tears in
our eyes.

But, do you know the story behind the song? 
If not, I think you will be interested to find out
about its humble beginnings. 
Reportedly, it all began in 1862 during the
 Civil War, when Union Army Captain Robert
Elli was with his men near Harrison's Landing
in   Virginia  .  The Confederate Army was
on the other side of the narrow strip of land.

During the night, Captain Elli heard the moans
of a soldier who lay severely wounded on the field. 
Not knowing if it was a   Union  or Confederate
soldier, the Captain decided to risk his life and
bring the stricken man back for medical attention.
Crawling on his stomach through the gunfire, the
Captain reached the stricken soldier and began
pulling him toward his encampment.. 
When the Captain finally reached his own lines,
he discovered it was actually a Confederate soldier,
but the soldier was dead. 
The Captain lit a lantern and suddenly caught
his breath and went numb with shock.  In the dim
light, he saw the face of the soldier. It was his
own son. The boy had been studying music in
the South when the war broke out..  Without
telling his father, the boy enlisted in the
Confederate Army. 
The following morning, heartbroken, the father
asked permission of his superiors to give his
son a full military burial, despite his enemy
status. His request was only partially granted.
The Captain had asked if he could have a group
of Army band members play a funeral dirge
for his son at the funeral. 
The request was turned down since the soldier
was a Confederate. 
But, out of respect for the father, they did say
they could give him only one musician.

The Captain chose a bugler.  He asked the
bugler to play a series of musical notes he
had found on a piece of paper in the pocket
of the dead youth's uniform. 
This wish was granted. 
The haunting melody, we now know as 'Taps'
used at military funerals was born. 
The words are:

Day is done.
Gone the sun.
From the lakes 
From the hills. 
From the sky.
All is well.. 
Safely rest. 
God is nigh.

Fading light.
Dims the sight.
And a star.
Gems the sky.
Gleaming bright. 
From afar. 
Drawing nigh. 
Falls the night.

Thanks and praise. 
For our days. 
Neath the sun 
Neath the stars. 
Neath the sky
As we go..
This we know. 
God is nigh

I too have felt the chills while listening to 'Taps'
but I have never seen all the words to the song until
now.  I didn't even know there was more than one verse . 
I also never knew the story behind the song and I
didn't know if you had either so I thought I'd pass it
along. 
I now have an even deeper respect for the song than
I did before. 

Remember Those Lost and Harmed While Serving Their Country.

LET US REMEMBER

Memorial Day weekend can be a time of mixed feelings.
On the one hand, it’s the unofficial beginning of summer,
an auspicious time to look forward to months spent
outside with family and friends. On the other hand, for
those mourning the loss in war of a close relative or loved
one, there is a deep and personal sense of grief, mingled
with feelings of patriotism and profound pride for their
service.

We honor on Memorial Day. Around the country, those
who, in the immortal words of Abraham Lincoln's
Gettysburg Address, gave "the last full measure of their
devotion" for the country they loved – the men and women
who died while serving in the U.S. armed forces throughout
our country’s history, ordinary people who showed
extraordinary courage and sacrifice in times of crisis.

These sorts of public observances are valuable because
they instill in us a sense of gratitude for our soldiers. It is
so easy for us to forget that our lives are not wholly our own
– they are built upon a foundation of God's goodness and
grace, and the blood, toil, and sacrifice of others. Memorial
Day gives us the opportunity to remember that fact.

So, this weekend, let us indeed enjoy the company of family
and friends, and look forward to the pleasures of summer.
But let us do more as well. Let us take a moment to pray for
all those grieving and recovering in Oklahoma, asking God to
strengthen those working to heal and rebuild. Let us
remember the soldiers who died defending the freedoms we
all too often take for granted. Let us pray for the dear ones
they left behind, and for the safety of those men and women
who, even now, are standing at the front lines of the war on
terror in dangerous corners of the world. And let us pray for
the day when God will bless all of us with His most precious
gift of shalom, peace.

SHALOM

PEACE TO ALL

HE ALWAYS HAS US IN MIND

Scripture:

"I am praying not only for these disciples but also
for all who will ever believe in Me through their
message. I pray that they will all be one, just as You
and I are one-as You are in Me, Father, and I am in
You. And may be in Us so that the world will believe
You sent Me. (John 17:20-21).

Reflections:

I think it's interesting to note, when we are at our
spiritual best, we are sensitive to the  needs of others.
We pray easily and frequently. But when we are
stressed out, we can hardly think about anyone but
ourselves. Here we see Jesus Christ in the Garden of
Gethsemane, He was preparing Himself for His
destiny---death on a cross. Jesus knew what he was
about to go through, he knew all the pain, all the
suffering, all the ridicule, He was about to go through.
At this most stressful moment, He prayed for you and
for me! He already had us in mind. He prayed that all
his followers would be united as one and would spread
His message to others you see Jesus always has us
on His mind. I would like to suggest that you take time
to thank Jesus for His intimate attention to you.
In John 20: verse 24 Jesus states, "Father, I want
these whom You have given Me to be with Me where
I am. Then they can see all the glory You gave Me
because You loved  Me even before the world began!"
Jesus glory is partially visible in this life by all believers
but our vision of his glory will be greatest when He
comes again. Jesus concluded His prayer where He
began-speaking of coming for His own to bring them to
there designated rooms in His Fathers house. Believers
are not bothersome intruders in heaven. Rather, when
they occupy their assigned places and behold the Sons
glory, it will be just what the Father and Son have always
desired.

Prayer:

Almighty God thank you always being there for me.
Thank you Jesus, when at the most stressful time in Your
life, you thought of me and prayed for me. Thank you for
always being there for me.  
In Jesus name Amen!

THE BLESSING OF FAITH

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose
confidence is in him.” — Jeremiah 17:7

When we live our lives with faith, we will be able to thrive
in any circumstance. Faith is the water that nourishes
our roots, our soul, and allows us to flourish whatever
the situation. We are grateful for the good in our lives
and use our blessings well. We understand that even
the challenges are blessings, for it is through them that
we grow.

The choice is ours: we can plant ourselves in a desert,
or in the luscious grounds of faith. Just like trees, it is
where we live that determines how we will grow.

With prayers for shalom, peace,
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

IN TIMES OF TROUBLE

Scripture:

"Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain
you". Psalm 55:22

Reflection:

I know that in some of my past reflections, I have told
you about my problems with alcohol. With the help of
God and A A, I have been able to stay sober since 1978.
The one prayer that I remember saying with my brothers
and sisters was this prayer; "God grant me the serenity
to accept things I cannot change, the courage to change
the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."
" This very important prayer expresses a necessary
thought, and that is "we should all pray-and live".

I realize now that there are some things in life that cannot
be changed, and some can. Some things God has given
to us as fixed realities that yes we must accept. And
some things He would have us not accept, but with his
help we work to change. If we fail to do both of these, to
accept some things and work to change others, I am
convinced we will end up heavily burdened with worry,
certainly undeserved guilt, and exhaustible frustration.

Someone once said, "Worry is the interest paid on
trouble before it comes to." But instead God wants us
to trust Him". "Cast your burden on the Lord and He will
sustain you."

Prayer:

O Lord right here and now I give you my burden because
Lord I know You will sustain me. I trust in You, I know
that You are there for me. Thank You Lord for taking my
burdens away from me. "God grant me the serenity
to accept things I cannot change, the courage to change
the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference".
AMEN!

ONE RIGHT MAN

Scripture:

"There is not a righteous man on earth who does
what is right and never sins"
Ecclesiastes 7:20

Either we can remain stuck in our sinful ways and
harm ourselves for all of eternity, or we can choose
repentance and turn our descent into an ascent.

Repentance not only repairs our relationship with
God; it enhances it!

I remind myself the power of repentance is available
to me every day and at all times. Is there something
bogging you down? Climb out of the rut and upward
to God. Repent and raise yourself higher. Every fall
can keep you down. Or it can inspire you to rise up
and stand taller than ever before.
_____________________________

WHAT FAITH CAN DO

by Kutless

Everybody falls sometimes Gotta find the strength to
rise From the ashes And make a new beginning
Anyone can feel the ache You think it's more than
you can take But you're stronger Stronger than you know
Don't you give up now The sun will soon be shining You
gotta face the clouds To find the silver lining
I've seen dreams that move the mountains Hope that
doesn't ever end Even when the sky is falling I've seen
miracles just happen Silent prayers get answered Broken
hearts become brand new That's what faith can do
It doesn't matter what you've heard Impossible is not a
word It's just a reason For someone not to try
Everybody's scared to death When they decide to take
that step Out on the water It'll be alright
Life is so much more Than what your eyes are seeing
You will find your way If you keep believing
I've seen dreams that move the mountains Hope that
doesn't ever end Even when the sky is falling I've seen
miracles just happen Silent prayers get answered Broken
hearts become brand new That's what faith can do
Overcome the odds You don't have a chance (That's what
faith can do) When the world says you can't It'll tell you
that you can I've seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn't ever end Even when the sky is falling
And I've seen miracles just happen Silent prayers get
answered Broken hearts become brand new That's what
faith can do That's what faith can do
Even if you fall sometimes You will have the strength to
rise

MY FAMILY

Scripture:

"Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it
is established". (Proverbs 24:3)

Reflections:

I've had a lifetime to wonder about what is the most important
thing in my life. I've come to the conclusion that after my love
for God my family is the most important thing in my life.

You know what’s really beautiful is that the family was God's
idea in the first place. It was not the invention of let's say
sociologists or economists or government bureaucracies, who
decided what would make society operate more smoothly, it
was families. There is something that we need to keep in mind,
families existed before cities and governments, even before
written language, nations, temples, and yes even churches.

What is truly unique is that in a family, character and integrity
are formed, values are made clear, and especially, goals are
set. This all last a lifetime. And if they are not formed correctly
it will result in bad patterns that will also last a lifetime, if God
doesn’t intervene.

Today, the family is under attack as it has never been before.
I believe that evil is constantly trying to attack our families. If
this is true what are our defenses against such attacks.

As is always, constant in my mind, is the Word of God. I
really and honestly believe that we need to read the Bible,
God's word, as a family. I think the best defense is the best
offense, and that offense is having family devotions. The best
offense is to pray for one another daily. We must be on guard
against the forces that tend to pull families apart. And most of
all we must commit our whole family to Christ and make
Jesus the center of our home and our lives.

Prayer:

Almighty God, right now I get on my knees, and I pray for my
family. You Lord created this family, I now pray that You take
care of my family. You see all Lord I recognize that You are
the best offense against attacks upon my family. I pray to You
Lord that You will continue to love and take care of my family,
because my family is Your family. In Jesus Name AMEN!

WORN

by Tenth Avenue North

I’m Tired I’m worn
My heart is heavy
From the work it takes to keep on breathing
I’ve made mistakes
I’ve let my hope fail
My soul feels crushed by the weight of this world
And I know that you can give me rest
So I cry out with all that I have left

Let me see redemption win
Let me know the struggle ends
That you can mend a heart that’s frail and torn
I wanna know a song can rise from the ashes of a broken life
And all that’s dead inside can be reborn
Cause I’m worn

I know I need to lift my eyes up
But im too weak
Life just won’t let up
And I know that you can give me rest
So I cry out with all that I have left

Let me see redemption win
Let me know the struggle ends
That you can mend a heart that’s frail and torn
I wanna know a song can rise from the ashes of a broken life
And all that’s dead inside can be reborn
Cause I’m worn
My prayers are wearing thin
And I’m worn
Even before the day begins
I’m worn
I’ve lost my will to fight
I’m worn
Heaven come and flood my eyes

Let me see redemption win
Let me know the struggle ends
That you can mend a heart that’s frail and torn
I wanna know a song can rise from the ashes of a broken life
And all that’s dead inside can be reborn
Cause all that’s dead inside will be reborn

Though I’m worn
Yeah I’m worn

IT'S GOOD NEWS!

Recently our pastor at our Princeton Church wrote an article
about the church. If I may I like to quote a couple of short
paragraphs from his message.

"This vision of connecting with
God comes straight from Scripture. From beginning to end
of God's Word, it is clear that God has always desired to
have a people, who were intimately known by Him and who
would love Him in return. In the beginning, He made us---
male and female---in His image, that is to say, in a unique
relationship with our Creator, capable of knowing Him,
serving Him, and embodying His attributes in the world that
He had made. That special connection was lost through the
entrance of human sin; God's image in us was broken. The
rest of the story of the Bible is about the lengths to which
God has gone to re-connect us with Himself and to restore
us to the image of God.

First, He revealed our sinfulness
and the need to obey Him through His law. Then in the
story of Israel, He showed us how impossible it is for us to
keep His law and obey as we ought. Something more was
needed to free us from the power of sin so that we could
walk in trust and obedience with our Creator again.

This is where the Gospel enters in. The Gospel is the
Good News that in the person of Jesus Christ, God has
entered human history to overcome the power of sin and
death in the world. By Jesus death and resurrection, the
power of God's kingdom has been unleashed into the world.
New creation is possible, including new birth within human
hearts, as we turned back in the direction of our Creator by
His Holy Spirit. We are getting re-connected to God!
Revelation, the last book of the Bible, gives us many
pictures of the successful outcome of God's work. He will
one day gather a great assembly, from every people group
on earth! As it was in the beginning, all of these people will
forever enjoy an intimate connection with our God, who has
gone to such great lengths to save us!"

AMEN!!!

IF GOD EXISTS

"that the world may believe...that it was You
who sent Me and that I have loved them as
much as You loved Me" (John 17:21,23).

A former agnostic recalls the following
conversation he once had with a prominent
University chaplain:

"If God exists, somebody in all the centuries
would have seen Him."

"Many people have."
"Who?"
"I, for one."
"You've seen God?"
"Yes."
"Then what does He look like?"
"Like everything."
"That means nothing."

"It means a great deal to me. I look at you and
I see God. Wherever my eye falls I see God.
He is as real to me as you are, more real in
fact, for He is the changeless in the changing --
the changeless ever-present spirit that inhabits
all things."

IS HE REAL TO YOU?

MORE IMPORTANT THANK KNOWLEDGE

Albert Einstein made famous the idea that
“imagination is more important than knowledge.”
Knowledge can tell us what to do and how to
do it, but imagination drives us to acquire more
knowledge and apply it in new and creative ways.
Knowledge without imagination is stagnant,
limited, and eventually, old.

Scripture:

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
all who follow his precepts have good understanding.
To him belongs eternal praise."—Psalm 111:10

Fear of God in the spiritual realm is like knowing
how to save yourself in the physical sphere.

How so? When we come into this world, there are
inherent risks involved. We can rise to great spiritual
heights if we pursue a life of godliness, or we can
sink to the lowest levels if we pursue a life of
immorality. We are indeed in great danger from the
very moment we are born – spiritual danger, that is.
And that is the most serious danger of all because
the spiritual world is eternal and whatever happens
to us spiritually lasts forever.

This is why “fear of God” is most important. It must
precede any other kind of wisdom, because without
it, all other knowledge is irrelevant.

There is a story told about a student who approached
his rabbi with a dilemma: He only had a small amount
of time to study so he wanted to know if he should
study the Bible or mussar – the Jewish study of
character traits, including fear of God. The rabbi said,
“Study mussar because then you will realize that you
have more than just a little amount of time to study the
 Word of God.”

Fear of God puts everything else in life into perspective.
Only by making Him the center of your life and judging
your actions by His standards is all other wisdom
worthwhile.

With prayers for shalom, peace,

( Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

LOCKED IN

Scripture:

Read:  2 Timothy 2:1-10

"I suffer trouble... Even to the point of chains; but the
Word of God is not chained". 2 Timothy 2:9

Reflection:

Jean- Dominique Bauby’s memoir, "The Diving Bell and
the Butterfly", describes his life after a massive stroke
left him with a condition called "Locked-In Syndrome."
Although he was almost completely paralyzed, Bauby
was able to write his book by blinking his left eyelid. An
aide would recite a coded alphabet, until Bauby blinked
to choose the letter of the word he was dictating. The
book required about 200,000 blinks to write Bauby used
the only physical ability left him to communicate with
others.

For some of us, circumstances may have isolated us
from others. Lying in a hospital bed, serving time in a
prison, or being a shut-in can make us feel that we are
experiencing our own "locked-in syndrome." If this is
true for you, why not prayerfully reflect on some ways
you can still reach out to others.

As many of you know, I am a retired pastor and I am
also disabled. I am what they term “Homebound”. In
my thinking while I'm at home I am reminded of
2 Timothy 2:1-10. I especially think of verse nine,
"I suffer trouble... Even to the point of chains; but the
Word of God is not chained”. I am not chained, I find
freedom in thinking and doing ways that I can still
reach out to others. These reflections are but one way.
I am not isolated from others because through the power
of Jesus Christ I choose not to be. I choose the
freedom of Jesus Christ over the imprisonment of my
body.

Whether you are abled or disabled always reach out
to others don't experience the "locked-in syndrome",
experience the "live-free syndrome" through the power
and the love of Jesus Christ!

Prayer:

Almighty God I thank You for making me free. I thank
You through the power of Your word through the power
of the Holy Spirit through Your love I can reach out to
other that makes me free Lord. I pray that I can take
Your example of service and serve others in your name.  
In Your Holy Name       Amen

THE CENSUS

“Take a census of the whole Israelite community
by their clans and families, listing every man by name,
one by one.”—Numbers 1:2

God counts the children of Israel. Of course, He already
knew how many there were, but He wanted them to
know that each one mattered and that each one counted.
If someone was missing, God would notice and God
would care.

It’s like that with us today as well. There are more than
seven billion people in the world today. There are more
than a billion people in China alone! With all the people
sharing this planet with us, it’s easy to think that God
doesn’t notice us. We could make the mistake thinking
that we don’t matter much or that we aren’t loved very
much.

But nothing could be further from the truth. It doesn’t
matter if we are the only human being on Earth or if we
are one in ten billion, or a billion billion – to God we are
like an only child. He loves us and cares for us just as
He would if we were the only one. Not a single one of
us is dispensable and each of us is so very precious
to God.

God sees us as invaluable; it’s time for us to see
ourselves – and each other – that way also.

With prayers for shalom, peace,

Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

I GIVE YOU PEACE

"Peace I bequeath to you, My own peace I
give to you, a peace which the world cannot
give, this is My gift to you" (John 14:27).

One morning in 1888, Alfred Nobel, inventor of
dynamite, awoke to read his own obituary. The
notice was printed as a result of a simple
journalistic error -- it was Alfred's brother that had
died and the reporter carelessly reported the death
of the wrong Nobel.

To Alfred, the shock was overwhelming because
he saw himself as the world saw him. The "Dynamite
King" -- the great industrialist who had made an
immense fortune from explosives. This, as far as the
general public was concerned, was the entire purpose
of Alfred's life. None of his true intentions to break
down the barriers that separated men and ideas for
peace were recognized or given serious consideration.
He was simply a merchant of death. And for that alone
he would be remembered. As he read the obituary with
horror, he resolved to make clear to the world the true
meaning and purpose of his life. This could be done
through the final disposition of his fortune. His last will
and testament would be the expression of his life's
ideals and ultimately would be why we would remember
him today. The result was the most valuable of prizes
given to those who had done the most for the cause of
world peace. It is called, of course, the "Nobel Peace
Prize."

The Biblical word for peace is "Wholeness." There is a
kind of peace that can be achieved by isolating ourselves
from conflict or by deceiving ourselves about the world
and our own condition. Such a peace is an achievement;
the Peace of Christ is a gift. Such a peace is precarious;
the Peace of Christ is everlastingly triumphant. Such a
peace is the peace of a fragmented person who has
become detached from the unpleasant; the Peace of
Christ is the peace of the whole person -- the "whole"
person who is reconciled to God, to himself or herself,
and to the world. The true "pursuit of happiness" is the
"pursuit of peace of mind and heart and soul." And Jesus
makes it crystal clear, that only those who are wiling to
accept the healing, saving presence of God at the center
of their being -- and day-by-day, live accordingly -- can
achieve it.

CAN YOU ACHIEVE IT?

( some from Sermons on Line)
­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

I CAN DO ALL THINGS

Scripture:
"I can do all things through Christ, because he
gives me strength". (Philippians 4:13)

Reflections:

This verse, taken from Philippians, is a verse
that I wish I could keep in my head at all times.
I need to remember in my life there is nothing I
can’t do because Jesus Christ gives me strength.

I believe when God gives us physical and spiritual
strength, there is absolutely nothing that we
cannot do through him. I know everything can be
achieved by God, there is nothing He cannot do in
us, through us, or for us. In my mind I need to
keep this, I need to remember this, I need to
repeat this over and over again. There is nothing
he cannot do in us, through us, or for us.

You need to keep this in mind the next time you
are struggling. The next time you have a problem
that seems insurmountable. The next time that
relationship that you have depended upon for so
long suddenly seems to fail. You need to remember
there is nothing He cannot do in us through us or for
us. Go to God, believe in Him, it will work out, it will
be okay, because you see there is nothing
insurmountable in our lives that with God we
will prevail

Prayer:

Lord I know this is all true. Then why is it so difficult
for me to accept this? Why do I have to try everything
else before I realize that there is nothing you cannot
do in us through us or for us. Oh Lord help me to keep
this in my mind, help me to remember this. I know
that you are there for me and through you there will be
the answer. AMEN

SEQUESTRATION?

Sojourners (Faith in Action for Social Justice)

William McCormick is a 70-year-old disabled retiree who
lives alone and gets by on $100 a month after he pays
all his bills. After recently learning that his local Meals on
Wheels chapter would have to put applicants on a waiting
list because of cuts to the program that resulted from
sequestration, he made a stunning sacrifice. He
voluntarily gave up his Meals on Wheels service.

"I just couldn't bear the thought of me having something to
eat and maybe somebody else needing it," he says.
Though confident in his decision, he misses the hot meals
and visits from delivery volunteers. He now relies on a pile
of canned food and hopes for an occasional ride to the
grocery store from his isolated apartment complex. [1]

William is just one example of the many ways vulnerable
people across the country have been hurt by the federal
budget cuts known as “sequestration.” Will you join with
other faith leaders in asking Congress to end the
economic brinksmanship and responsibly address
sequestration?

While the quiet sacrifices of people like William receive
little or no attention, Congress quickly responded to the
outcry from those affected by flight delays, altering the
cuts that had been made to the Federal Aviation
Administration. Our leaders listened to those with the
money to travel, but have ignored the voices of those
who are losing the assistance offered by vital programs
like Meals on Wheels.

A federal budget that prioritizes the wealthy while
ignoring the poor has the moral calculus all wrong.
Please urge Congress to prioritize our sisters and
brothers who are sacrificing and struggling to get by.

Faith leaders offer a moral voice on public policy issues
that is often missing in Washington. William’s story
reminds us that budgets are moral documents that have
real consequences. Thanks for joining with us to make
sure that as leaders in Congress fly around the country,
they don’t forget people like William.

Please go to:

https://secure3.convio.net/sojo/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&cmd=display&page=ActionAlertTakenPage&id=629

In faith,
Tim, Beau, Janelle, and the rest of the Sojourners team

[1] “Meals On Wheels Sequestration Cuts Taking Effect.”
The Huffington Post.

TWO SIMPLE TRUTHS

Scripture:
"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with
good." - Romans 12:21

Reflection:

There are two simple truths that I believe I should live
by. One is that I can, and should, overcome evil with
good. And the other truth is that my faith can get me
through anything I need to overcome. So if I have faith
good things will happen!

I think it's interesting that people have such different
reactions to the word "evil". To many people the word
evil is rather archaic and it conjures up all kinds of
definitions. Some people believe that evil is too
subjective to talk about, what evil is for one person is
not evil to another. Some people just think it's a silly
word and therefore they don't want to deal with it.

I'm kind of a bottom line person and to me there is a
bottom line here, and that is when you strip it all down
and get beyond all the various definitions, there is evil
 in this world and in our lives. You see I think evil thrives
when we do not care about other people. I think evil
flourishes when we put our faith and trust in the world
and not in God. I think that evil gains strength when we
don't care, the favorite byproduct of evil is apathy.
Evil surrounds me every day it is constantly trying to
gain power over me.

Where does all this evil come from, I believe evil comes
from Satan. There I said it, I can hear it now, "is this guy
an idiot he actually believes in the devil". "This man is
supposed to be an educated person, he is supposed to
be fairly bright, and he's telling me he believes in this
mystical being called Satan". "Next he'll be telling me the
devil made him do it". Well I do believe in Satan I believe
he is alive and well and he is constantly at work in our world.
I believe that I look at the power of evil a little differently
than most people. I really do believe that the strongest
weapon of Satan is apathy which gives power to evil.
The more apathetic, the more people don't care, the
stronger evil gets. I think it's evil to be apathetic, I think
it's evil not to care.

Just as there's evil in the world, there is goodness.
And I earnestly believe with all my heart that true
goodness comes from God. Satan is evil, God is good,
that's my bottom line. My faith comes from God! My
caring and service to others comes from my faith in
Jesus Christ. When I have this faith "absolutely",
good things happen.

HAVE FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST, CARE FOR OTHERS,
AND GOOD THINGS HAPPEN!