Pastor Greg Laurie offers some positive thoughts about what is going on with world events including Ukraine. He encourages all of us to pray for the people of Ukraine, so do I. It is a short video, but it offers some Biblical perspective on events happening around us…. Listen….
A Word from Graham Cooke
Spend a day in my wheels. Here is a tough challenge. Would you be willing to see what it is like to be in a wheel chair all day? You can read or listen to this challenging story…
By Doug Creamer
The Easter bunny came for a little visit last Sunday. I’m getting ahead of myself here; let me start at the beginning. I was walking around the side of the house after church last Sunday when I saw a neighbor out in her yard, so I waved. She called out, “Do you own a rabbit?” I responded, “No, why?”
There was a beautiful white rabbit hopping around my backyard. We watched it for a little while and were both concerned for its wellbeing. We’ve seen hawks and owls in our neighborhood. It was friendly and we both petted the little bunny. It was obvious to both of us that this rabbit was someone’s pet.
I decided to catch the rabbit. I got out our cat carrier and some gloves to be careful, and scooped the little rabbit up. He was just about in the cage when the rabbit began to kick me with his strong back legs. With his head inside the carrier, I thought I had won. When I released my grip he twirled around and hopped away.
He didn’t run very far. He was playing a little game with me. I swooped around and captured him again. This time I put a hand around those strong back legs. He slid right in the carrier this time and I got the door closed. Mission accomplished, but now what?
My neighbor and I looked at the beautiful rabbit and then we got a carrot for him. While he munched on it, we talked about options, including keeping the little guy. We each encouraged the other to keep it. I don’t think either of us was ready to adopt a new pet.
We called another neighbor and asked if she would post about the lost rabbit on our community Facebook page. We took some cute pictures and she posted about it. Wow, did that create a stir. There were tons of comments on the little rabbit. No one said it was their rabbit, but there were several who were willing to adopt it.
The last I checked on it, the bunny has a new home. I have heard through the grapevine that the family is very happy with their new rabbit. That little rabbit may not know it, but it brought a much-needed ray of sunshine to our little community. I admit it; the little white rabbit brought sunshine to my soul, too.
I like a happy ending, when the lost become found. This little rabbit who lost his way has found a new home where he will be loved and cared for by a warm, loving family. Does that story remind you of any other story? Yes, me too.
All of us know people who are like that little rabbit. They seem content, hopping around in their daily lives, but their souls are lost and unprotected. Their souls don’t have a place to call home. They are in need of someone to come along and rescue them.
Some people don’t even realize that their soul is in danger. They don’t know the perfect peace that God gives His children. They have never met Jesus and discovered His love. They don’t realize that Jesus has paid for all their sins and made a way for them to come home. They don’t have a safe place from the storms of life because they don’t know their Creator.
Sadly, these souls don’t realize that there is a family just waiting for them. The family of God has opened the doors and their hearts to receive them. I know the family of God is not perfect, nor is any family on earth. My family isn’t perfect, but I love everyone in my family and pray for them often. The same holds true for my church family. We aren’t perfect, but we are a wonderful family who love each other deeply. We laugh hard and hold each other close when the road gets rocky. I wouldn’t exchange my church family for anything.
I want to encourage you to get connected with a church family. I know you haven’t figured everything out yet, but that’s okay, we haven’t either. I know your life is a mess, that’s okay, because none of us has a perfect life either. I know you may be afraid and you want God to answer some questions, that’s okay, too. None of us knows all the answers, either…that’s what faith is all about…trusting God with what you don’t understand. Come home before it is too late. Come home where it is safe. Come home where you can find love and acceptance. Come home to the family of God. Come home!
Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com
This is a great story about a young person seeing blessing where most of us would not. You can read and listen to her story here.
By Roger Barbee
Garden Enigma
Early evening and suddenly every bird at or near one of the three bird feeders in our back garden disappears. No bird song. Only the silent flutter of wings as the quiet before the storm passes, and the storm settles on a limb of a dogwood tree.
The resident Cooper’s Hawk perches, facing the house. Its roan-tinted chest plumage reflects late sunlight as the eyes study every piece of the small garden. Its flat crown reminds me, in a silly way, of the flat-top hair style some boys paraded during my youth. But this flat top half crowns two dark, piercing eyes that search for a meal in our garden, the one where we feed its potential prey for our pleasure, not for its food.
The head moves from side to side and soon the body of death turns and faces the wider, back expanse of garden, perhaps hoping to find food in the larger area. But, when none presents itself, the grey-shoulder hungry one drops to the ground and peers into the thick, green foliage of the gardenia. One hop of grey death flushes a male cardinal that flies low to the ground before escaping to the safety of the rhododendron.
Unruffled, the Cooper’s Hawk takes dominion over our side garden and Doug’s large front yard by perching on the white fence dividing our properties. Unruffled, but obviously hungry, it sits there for some moments before gliding away to expand its search. Within moments of its departure, a fat squirrel appears on the ground below one of the dogwood trees, and birds return to the feeders.
The small, back garden returns to another cycle, one that is an enigma of sorts since we humans attract the birds and squirrels for our pleasure by feeding them, not to provide for the fearsome but beautiful Cooper’s Hawk.
Listen to Victor’s podcast with another podcast producer a Young Married Christian.
By Lynna Clark
Our daughter Hannah gave her two nine year olds an art lesson using the example of Grandma Moses. Then they tried to draw some of the lady’s work. Marie copied each detail while Jesse made it his own. He added a mailbox and other touches just because it made sense to him. Both pictures turned out great, but very different.
I wish I could draw. I admit to having a bit of creativity, as-in currently our den is tangerine orange and our dining room walls are turquoise. You probably have a word besides creative to describe that. Feel free to leave that special word in the comments. But I kinda love it. For me, it’s important to not do the same thing everyone else is doing. I think different is good.
The Lord is the most creative of all. Just look at His world. Who but Him would come up with a zebra? Or a giraffe? Or a weiner dog? A bullfrog or me? How funny! What’s amazing is that He considers me a work of art.
Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.”
Sounds like He made a plan, then put us together in such a way that we could accomplish His purpose. A companion verse might be Philippians 1:6. “And I am certain that God who began the good work within you will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”
Let’s think on that the next time we feel “less than.” We are who we are for a reason. God will work through us to complete His great plan. In fact, when He looks at us, He already sees a masterpiece.
The tudes matter.
They make a difference.
They move us forward.
They make our goals achievable.
What are the tudes?
Finally brothers, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; it there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. Philippians 4:8-9
Do we need the God of peace to be with us?
YES!
Practice these things + Adjust our attitude = God of peace will be with us.
In every thing give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
Do we want to be in the will of God?
YES!
Give thanks in every thing = for this is the will of God concerning us.
Every thing means every thing.
God, in these last days, spoke unto us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. Hebrews 1:2-3
If those verses did not take your breath away, read them again!
God is the God of great magnitude!
Can we live a life of magnitude?
YES!
Living a life of magnitude will honor our God of great magnitude!
THINK BIG!
LOVE BIG!
LIVE BIG!
We can do that – because God is with us – and we are His children.
Can we live a life of fortitude?
YES!
Our children learn about fortitude at an early age, as they sing these words:
Jesus loves me – this I know
For the Bible tells me so
Little ones to Him belong
They are weak – but He is strong.
For when we are weak – He is strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10
It is God that gives us strength and makes our way perfect. Psalm 18:32
*We really should not make choices as though this is the only life we will have.
*We need to use what we have.
*We need to do what we can.
Ready? Set? Go…
Attitude.
Gratitude.
Magnitude.
Fortitude.
Listen to Bill Johnson teach about the Word of God.