Good Morning,
Christmas day at Dogwood was a beautiful time, with wonderful music, a great meditation, and a powerful message from our Pastor, to a congregation that filled the building. If you missed it, please go to the church website, and hear it there. Jesus said to Peter: "But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren." Luke 22:32 Christmas is now behind us, we are a week away from starting a new year, and we all are climbing higher. Life is a steep climb, and it does the heart good to have somebody "call back" and cheerily beckon us, strength us, on up the high hill. We are all climbers together, and we must help one another. This mountain climbing is serious business, but glorious. It takes strength and steady steps to find the summits. The outlook widens with the altitude. If anyone among us has found anything worth while, we ought to "call back." If you have gone a little way ahead of me, call back-- 'Twill cheer my heart and help my feet along the stony track; And if, perchance, Faith's light is dim, because the oil is low, Your call will guide my lagging course as wearily I go. Call back, and tell me that He went with you into the storm; Call back, and say He kept you when the forest's roots were torn; That, when the heavens thunder and the earthquake shook the hill, He bore you up and held you where the very air was still. Oh, friend, call back, and tell me for I cannot see your face, They say it glows with triumph, and your feet bound in the race; But there are mists between us and my spirit eyes are dim, And I cannot see the glory, though I long for word of Him. But if you'll say He heard you when your prayer was but a cry, And if you'll say He saw you through the night's sin-darkened sky If you have gone a little way ahead, oh, friend, call back-- 'Twill cheer my heart and help my feet along the stony track. As far as I'm concerned, you cannot share we me too often, what the Lord Jesus has done for you. Please "call back". And never forget that you are loved!!! Henry
0 Comments
Hello,
The thing that saddens a Christian's life most is sin; which is the very work of the devil. But we have the promise from Jesus Himself, that He came to destroy the works of the devil. The best definition in the New Testament for sin is: The willful transgression of the known law of God. Those intentional sins, the deliberate sins, those premeditated sins, those known sins committed on purpose, He came to destroy. This is what truly turns the saddened life into a life filled with joy and peace; the fulfillment of the Christmas story. Grace and faith are the characteristic features of the present dispensation. Not only is salvation now declared to be by grace, through faith, but the Spirit also operates in the believer by grace, through faith, to cleanse and keep the believer clean. He does not take possession of us and cause us to do what is right, but fills each surrendered believer's heart so, to provide needed guidance and the strength to withstand temptation, and we may avail ourselves of this provision by faith. Faith is trusting in His word. The Spirit, Who first imparted life to us will also impart strength to withstand temptation and overcome sin. In our inability to even pray as we ought, "the Spirit... helpeth our infirmities" and "maketh intercession for us" (Rom. 8:26). In our weakness we are "strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man" (Eph. 3:16) and God even stoops to "quicken [our] mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in us" (Rom. 8:11). "Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh" (Ver. 12). The implication from the above passage is that though sorely tempted we are debtors to the Spirit who dwells within and provides overcoming power. The question, in times of temptation, is generally whether we truly desire to overcome, for we may overcome in any given case by grace, through faith. In the present dispensation it is not true that it is not possible for the believer to sin, but it is blessedly true that in any situation it is possible for him not to sin, for the Spirit is always there to help. Do not live below what has been provided for you at a great cost. But may you embrace this Christmas gift from the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit today, and never forget that you are loved!!! Henry Hi,
She squatted against the storefront. Cradled on her lap lay a newborn; The mother’s right arm extended, braced on her knee, her uplifted palm held open. Her face remained expressionless until a someone placed a coin in her hand. “Gracias,” she spoke softly. She quickly tucked the coin away. It was then the passerby comprehended, she was blind. “Some of them are drug addicts,” someone whispered. “If you give, it only encourages them,” another said. When Jesus began His ministry, He could have called for the Law of Moses, or read a psalm by David. Instead, He called for the Isaiah scroll. His divine commission: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor." Luke 4:18a There has been a very popular phrase among the Christian community over the past several years: "WWJD", representing What Would Jesus Do. In order for us to understand what Jesus would do, in a given situation pertaining to our life, we must know Him thoroughly, and what He did through the gospels. This continues today when we proclaim His good news to those who are poor — whether economically, socially, or spiritually. Let's be followers Christ today. May the Lord Jesus bless you and yours today, and always remember that you are loved!!! Henry |
Henry DeatonHenry D. is from Southern Indiana and writes these wonderful daily devotionals to encourage those at the Dogwood Community Church located in Paoli, Indiana. Henry has graciously agreed to share these wonderful devotionals here at Without Excuse Ministries to encourage you our valued guest! Archives
January 2013
|