Dear John and Doves,
So much is going on in this
ole world that our heads are swimming wondering what's
next. Can it get any worse?
What about our money, will it
soon be worthless. What about the New World Order, and isnt
"O" gonna head it up?
Everyone that HAS guns says
they will only be pryed from their "cold dead hands" if
government tries to take them.
Even though these days are
getting more perilous and unpredictable, we , as Christ's
Body, are not forgotten by Him.
We are here a while
longer to fulfill God's purpose IN US, which
is Christ's INFILLING. And that only comes by our
dying to our SELF!You see, The only thing that is going to shine forth at the Rapture is CHRIST
in Us, HIS characteristics that have been worked out IN
US!
So while the majority of the
world is "caught up" in the things of this world, and
worrying about tomorrow,
our eye should be on
watching, praying, and examining ourselves, ridding of that
which is not pleasing to Him!
Will that make a difference.
Sure it will. We are placed IN Christ when we Believe and
Trust in Him! But then Christ's
character starts to work IN
us conforming us to His image. God has alloted to
each one of us a "measue" of the stature of
Christ to fulfill in this
life. THAT's why we are here. That stature that we attain
will determine our Inheritance. The Bible
says that in a Great House
there are many kinds of vessels, which vessel do we want to
be. Gold or wood! There are
vessels of honor, and of
dishonor.
Without spot of wrinkle,
that's what Christ is working out in us. To
Believe on the Lord removes our spot placed there by the
First Adam!! The wrinkles are the attributes of the "old man", the
flesh that wars against our New Man! We are HIS
workmanship! When we recognize a "problem" wrinkle, we
submit it to Christ in the Holy Spirit who empowers us to
overcome! Christ took away ALL our wrinkles at
Calvary!
We don't HAVE to be tormented
by ANY sin. Pray, meditate on God's Word, and CAST all
your cares upon Him. Time is SHORT!
What we do we must do Now.
Our concern is how we can
MORE Glorify HIM in these last moments!
One more day of giving Christ
our ALL will yield untold Benefits in Glory!
It's not about US, it's
about Christ IN us! THAT's what the Father Loves! Those
letting Christ work in their lives via the CROSS!
This ole world is God's
stepping stone to accomplish this Eternal purpose!
Shalom and grow in Grace.
The following from Pastor
Riley, speaks of "sacrifice". God looks at things how they
ought to be looked at, and will reward accordingly!
George E.
From Pastor Riley
The Lord God said, "By this shall all
men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love
one to another,"
John 13:35.
God
uses the insignificant things in life to confound
the wise. He uses the nobodies to humble the proud
in spirit and haughty in heart.
Bruce
Two
Choices
What would you
do?....you
make the
choice. Don't
look for a
punch line,
there isn't
one. Read it
anyway. My
question is:
Would you have
made the same
choice?
At a
fundraising
dinner for a
school that
serves
children with
learning
disabilities,
the father of
one of the
students
delivered a
speech that
would never be
forgotten by
all who
attended.
After
extolling the
school and its
Dedicated
staff, he
offered a
question:
'When not
interfered
with by
outside
influences,
everything
nature does,
is done with
perfection.
Yet my son,
Shay, cannot
learn things
as other
children do.
He cannot
understand
things as
other children
do.
Where is the
natural order
of things in
my son?'
The audience
was stilled by
the query.
The father
continued. 'I
believe that
when a child
like Shay, who
was mentally
and physically
disabled comes
into the
world, an
opportunity to
realize true
human nature
presents
itself, and it
comes in the
way other
people treat
that child.'
Then he told
the following
story:
Shay and I had
walked past a
park where
some boys Shay
knew were
playing
baseball. Shay
asked, 'Do you
think they'll
let me play?'
I knew that
most of the
boys would not
want someone
like Shay on
their team,
but as a
father I
also
understood
that if my son
were allowed
to play, it
would give him
a much-needed
sense of
belonging and
some
confidence to
be accepted by
others in
spite of his
handicaps.
I approached
one of the
boys on the
field and
asked (not
expecting
much) if Shay
could play.
The boy looked
around for
guidance and
said, 'We're
losing by six
runs and the
game is in the
eighth inning.
I guess he can
be on our team
and we'll try
to put him in
to bat in the
ninth
inning..'
Shay struggled
over to the
team's bench
and, with a
broad smile,
put on a team
shirt.. I
watched with a
small tear in
my eye and
warmth in my
heart. The
boys saw my
joy at my son
being
accepted.
In the bottom
of the eighth
inning, Shay's
team scored a
few runs but
was still
behind by
three.
In the top of
the ninth
inning, Shay
put on a glove
and played in
the right
field. Even
though no hits
came his way,
he was
obviously
ecstatic just
to be in the
game and on
the field,
grinning from
ear to ear as
I waved to him
from the
stands.
In the bottom
of the ninth
inning, Shay's
team scored
again.
Now, with two
outs and the
bases loaded,
the potential
winning run
was on base
and Shay was
scheduled to
be next at
bat.
At this
juncture, do
they let Shay
bat and give
away their
chance to win
the game?
Surprisingly,
Shay was given
the bat.
Everyone knew
that a hit was
all but
impossible
because Shay
didn't even
know how to
hold the bat
properly, much
less connect
with the ball.
However, as
Shay stepped
up to the
Plate, the
pitcher,
recognizing
that the other
team was
putting
winning aside
for this
moment in
Shay's life,
moved in a few
steps to lob
the ball in
softly so Shay
could at least
make contact.
The first
pitch came and
Shay swung
clumsily and
missed.
The pitcher
again took a
few steps
forward to
toss the ball
softly towards
Shay.
As the pitch
came in, Shay
swung at the
ball and hit a
slow ground
ball right
back to the
pitcher.
The game would
now be over.
The pitcher
picked up the
soft grounder
and could have
easily thrown
the ball to
the first
baseman.
Shay would
have been out
and that would
have been the
end of the
game.
Instead, the
pitcher threw
the ball right
over the first
baseman's
head, out of
reach of all
team mates.
Everyone from
the stands and
both teams
started
yelling,
'Shay, run to
first!
Run to first!'
Never in his
life had Shay
ever run that
far, but he
made it to
first base.
He scampered
down the
baseline,
wide-eyed and
startled.
Everyone
yelled, 'Run
to second, run
to second!'
Catching his
breath, Shay
awkwardly ran
towards
second,
gleaming and
struggling to
make it to the
base.
By the time
Shay rounded
towards second
base, the
right fielder
had the ball .
The smallest
guy on their
team who now
had his first
chance to be
the hero for
his team.
He could have
thrown the
ball to the
second-baseman
for the tag,
but he
understood the
pitcher's
intentions so
he, too,
intentionally
threw the ball
high and far
over the
third-baseman's
head.
Shay ran
toward third
base
deliriously as
the runners
ahead of him
circled the
bases toward
home.
All were
screaming,
'Shay, Shay,
Shay, all the
Way Shay'
Shay reached
third base
because the
opposing
shortstop ran
to help him by
turning him in
the direction
of third base,
and shouted,
'Run to third!
Shay, run to
third!'
As Shay
rounded third,
the boys from
both teams,
and the
spectators,
were on their
feet
screaming,
'Shay, run
home! Run
home!'
Shay ran to
home, stepped
on the plate,
and was
cheered as the
hero who hit
the grand slam
and won the
game for his
team
'That day',
said the
father softly
with tears now
rolling down
his face, 'the
boys from both
teams helped
bring a piece
of true love
and humanity
into this
world'.
Shay didn't
make it to
another
summer. He
died that
winter, having
never
forgotten
being the hero
and making me
so happy, and
coming home
and seeing his
Mother
tearfully
embrace her
little hero of
the day!
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