Saturday, September 10, 2016

They Sacrificed For You

They Sacrificed For You



Greater love hath no man than this,
that a man lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:13


There is a lot of well deserved focus today
on the self-sacrifice of many who give
of their time, efforts and sometimes their life
in service to us and our country.

I will name a few,
but will probably miss many others.

We have the fire fighters,
the first responders,
police, the prison guards,

the military, the teachers,
 the ministers and their wives,
the health care workers,
the missionaries
and so many, many others.

When we see a story or a video about someone
who has been killed in service to others,
we are saddened and feel great compassion
for their families and those who have
been hurt by what has happened.

I truly applaud all of those who are willing
to sacrifice even their life for my protection
or to make my day-to-day life better.

Sacrifice takes great courage and strength.

Many of these whose chosen career
includes the risk of death,
and even though they are willing
to face that to protect us,
did not ask to die in the line of duty.

Often those they serve hate them
or rebel against them,
yet they continue serving faithfully
in spite of the hostility shown them.

But there is one who was willing
 to come to the earth from His heavenly home,
for the sole purpose of dying a brutal death 
for us because of our sin. 

How can we ever thank Him enough.

He knew He would face hatred and hostility
and finally die on the cross.

But He left heaven with the
only purpose in mind,
to be the sacrifice for our sins,
so that we could be with Him 
in heaven when we die.

I can’t even comprehend that kind of love.

While our fellow friends and those we do not know,
are willing to lay their life on the line for us,
Jesus was born solely for that reason.

He longs for our love and service.
How grateful we should be and 
answer His loving call.





For God so loved the world,
that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,
but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world;
but that the world through him might be saved.
John 3:16-17








Saturday, September 3, 2016

Sunday, August 14, 2016

I AM LEARNING, LORD

            
Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: 
he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. 
Psalm 55:22


          I AM LEARNING, LORD


My life has taken many falls and tumbles ‘long the way.
The many trials have left me in a sure state of dismay,
For with each trial, I tried alone to tend, and soothe, and mend,
Instead of giving them to God – and on Him just depend…
But, I am learning, Lord.

It seems that I was determined to carry all the load;
I longed for smoother pathways, yet I walked a rocky road.
Little did I understand – God waited patiently
To pave a new beginning with a better life for me…
But, I am learning, Lord.


It took a real disaster to bring me to my knees;
To finally call upon the Lord and say, “God help me, please.”
He came, with no delaying, with strong arms that could hold
The weight of all my burdens and He gladly took the load.
And I am learning, Lord.

What a needless cross I carried, all because I could not see –
What a friend I have in Jesus, and the love He has for me.
Peace I find when troubles hover, though the outcome is unknown,
For if yet the road is rocky, I won’t walk it all alone…

For I am learning, Lord.


Jesus has promised to carry our burdens, 
but so often we try to carry them ourselves 
or help him out.  
He tells us to cast them all on Him, 
because He cares!


Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 
1 Peter 5:7





I would love for you to leave me a comment.  


Saturday, July 23, 2016

IN THE HANDS OF THE POTTER


The potter makes vessels of clay by spinning and molding it. 
As the potter molds the clay, he pulls, presses, wets, stretches,
 and spins it to make it a useful vessel. 
If there are stones, sticks, and foreign material in the clay,
 he must remove them or the vessel will be marred. 
If he is unable to remove the foreign objects,
he is forced to discard the piece of clay
and start over with some clay that he can work with.
Sometimes when the potter is molding the clay,
 it doesn’t yield to his hands and becomes marred. 
Then he has to start over again. 
After he crushes the clay into a lump and remolds it,
then it may become the vessel that he intended it to be. 

The whole key to becoming a finished product of value
 is in the clay being moldable. 

The potter does the work. 
The clay just yields.

God is also as a potter in our lives and we are the clay.
 How like the clay we are. 
Some of us are unwilling to let go of the trash, stones, etc.
in our lives so that the Lord can mold us into something useful. 
If we refuse, He cannot use us. 
But, if we are willing to let Him mold us,
even though it involves pressure, spinning, wetting, pulling, etc.
The process may be slow and painful,
but we can become  vessels of blessing and honor
by yielding to His hands.



 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 
 Arise, and go down to the potter's house, 
and there I will cause thee to hear my words. 
Then I went down to the potter's house, 
and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. 
And the vessel that he made of clay was marred 
in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, 
as seemed good to the potter to make it. 
Jeremiah 18:1-4 



Sunday, July 3, 2016

HAPPY 240th BIRTHDAY AMERICA

HAPPY 240th BIRTHDAY AMERICA



America (My Country, 'Tis of Thee)

by Rev. Samuel F. Smith - 1832


My country, 'tis of Thee,
Sweet Land of Liberty
Of thee I sing;
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the pilgrims' pride,
From every mountain side
Let Freedom ring.
My native country, thee,
Land of the noble free,
Thy name I love;
I love thy rocks and rills,
Thy woods and templed hills,
My heart with rapture thrills
Like that above.
Let music swell the breeze,
And ring from all the trees
Sweet Freedom's song;
Let mortal tongues awake;
Let all that breathe partake;
Let rocks their silence break,
The sound prolong.
Our fathers' God to Thee,
Author of Liberty,
To thee we sing,
Long may our land be bright
With Freedom's holy light,
Protect us by thy might
Great God, our King.
Our glorious Land to-day,
'Neath Education's sway,
Soars upward still.
Its hills of learning fair,
Whose bounties all may share,
Behold them everywhere
On vale and hill!
Thy safeguard, Liberty,
The school shall ever be,
Our Nation's pride!
No tyrant hand shall smite,
While with encircling might
All here are taught the Right
With Truth allied.
Beneath Heaven's gracious will
The stars of progress still
Our course do sway;
In unity sublime
To broader heights we climb,
Triumphant over Time,
God speeds our way!
Grand birthright of our sires,
Our altars and our fires
Keep we still pure!
Our starry flag unfurled,
The hope of all the world,
In peace and light impearled,
God hold secure!



Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD
Psalm 33:12